The International Organization for Migration says intercommunal violence and floods in the Mopti region of Mali are aggravating a fragile humanitarian situation for 50,000 internally displaced people while 210,000 others are food insecure and only 2 per cent of communities can access safe drinking water.
In progress at UNHQ
Noon Briefings
Today is the Day of the Seafarer. This year’s theme, “I Am on Board with Gender Equality”, focuses on the importance and value of women within the professional ranks of the maritime world. The theme is also in line with this year’s theme for World Maritime Day: “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said the detention of 55,000 suspected Da’esh fighters and their families in Syria and Iraq, held in substandard conditions, is among issues before the Human Rights Council’s forty-first session, adding that fair trials protect societies from future radicalization.
More than 1.3 million people in north-west and south-west Cameroon need humanitarian assistance, up from 160,000 in 2018. Non-State armed groups banned education, 80 per cent of schools are closed and 74 schools were destroyed. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) says half of those in need are children.
Today is World Refugee Day. Events, recognizing that close to 70.8 million people around the world are fleeing war, persecution and conflict, include a social media takeover of the Secretary-General’s Youth Envoy accounts by a young Syrian refugee who now lives in Za’atari camp, in Jordan.
Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, highlighting a “survivor-centred approach”. The Secretary-General’s message stressed that survivors are mostly women and girls, but also men and boys, calling for support to access life-saving health services, justice and reparation.
Today is the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, and the 2019 theme is “Let’s Grow the Future Together”. In his message, the Secretary-General stressed that protecting and restoring land can reduce forced migration, improve food security, spur economic growth and help address the global climate emergency.
Today is World Blood Donor Day. The Day serves to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood, and to raise awareness about the universal need for safe blood in the delivery of health care. The World Health Organization encourages more people all over the world to become blood donors.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on a strategic partnership, which outlines areas of cooperation to deepen engagement and accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
More than 1 in 5 people living in conflict zones suffer from mental health disorders, a higher percentage than previously thought, according to a study released today by the World Health Organization and published by the Lancet.