Hundreds more were reportedly injured in clashes following the disputed elections and around 2,000 arrested, including teenagers, young adults, opposition members, human rights defenders, journalists and lawyers, as well as bystanders. Since then, the Government has announced the conditional release of over 100 of those detained. Addressing the UN Human...
Catherine Russell, head of UN child rights agency, UNICEF, appealed for greater protection efforts by both the international community and the parties to the conflict, and a political solution to end the war. “Children are depending on this Council to provide solutions. We cannot and we must not let them...
Speaking at a ministerial conference on humanitarian aid for Gaza, convened in Cairo by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, UN deputy chief Amina Mohammed emphasised the urgent need for lifesaving assistance and a plan for the enclave’s long-term recovery. “We are here to help secure an immediate surge in lifesaving...
Observed annually on 1 December, the World AIDS Day serves as a reminder of the global fight against the pandemic while commemorating lives lost and celebrating progress. “Every 25 seconds, someone in the world is infected with HIV,” Mr. Guterres said. “One-quarter of people living with HIV – more than...
Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said massive missile and drone attacks on the power network this week have heightened serious concerns about the plight of civilians facing a winter of hardship and misery. Russia launched missile and long-range drone strikes on Thursday, which reportedly caused damage in at least 13 regions, in...
“The latest developments follow the already disturbing reports of troops from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) being deployed to the conflict zone,” Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, told ambassadors. He said the Ukrainian city of Dnipro was hit by a ballistic intermediate-range Russian missile...
António Guterres was speaking to reporters on the eve of the opening of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in the Brazilian city. ‘A simple message’ “I have come to Rio with a simple message: G20 leaders must lead,” he said. “G20 countries – by definition – have tremendous economic clout. They...
The agency is calling for pupils to be better protected from physical, verbal and psychological aggression in a report published on the eve of the International Day against Violence and Harassment in Schools, including Cyberbullying. Learning in safety “At school, every child should feel respected, accepted and safe, so that...
The protests, which highlighted demands for human rights, accountability and social justice, must be met with meaningful reforms, High Commissioner Volker Türk urged. “This unique, unprecedented moment in the history of Bangladesh is the result of young men and women having taken to the streets – at great personal risk...
Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the UN chief, said in a statement that António Guterres is “deeply alarmed” by the continued escalation across the region. “All acts of escalation are condemnable and must stop,” the statement read. The Secretary-General reiterated his urgent appeal to all parties to cease all military actions,...
Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of assembly and association, warned that “the brutal repression of the university-based protest movement is a profound threat to democratic systems and institutions.” Furthermore, “it risks alienating an entire generation, damaging their participation and perception of their role in democratic processes,...
The horrific attack by Gaza-based militants also saw more than 250 abducted, including many women and children. “It is time for the release of the hostages. Time to silence the guns. Time to stop the suffering that has engulfed the region,” said António Guterres, calling for peace, the restoration of...