News

World Press Freedom Day is celebrated on May 3^rd each year by the United Nations. The Committee to Protect Journalists said 99 journalists and media workers killed in 2023, 21 killed in 2024, 320 imprisoned in 2023 and 65 missing globally. A WorldPress Freedom DayJoint Statement was issued by the Presidents of the UN General Assembly, General Conference of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UN Economic and Social Council and the Human Rights Council. (Following is the joint statement).

Santiago de Chile, May 3, 2024 – Thirty years ago, the inaugural World Press Freedom Day was commemorated in Santiago de Chile, marked by the adoption of the historic Santiago Declaration. This event ushered in a new era dedicated to promoting the fundamental right of freedom of expression and press freedom, alongside the promotion of a free, independent, and pluralistic media, building on the United Nations General Assembly’s acknowledgement, in 1946, that freedom of information is a fundamental human right.

Today, inspired by the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, we emphasize the pivotal role of freedom of expression in enabling journalists, media workers, environmental activists, scientists, and citizens to promote the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and raise awareness about climate change, environmental challenges and degradation, in the pursuit of sustainable development.

In this regard, we emphasize that States have the obligation to respect, protect and promote human rights, including in all actions undertaken to address environmental challenges; and to take measures to protect the human rights of all, as recognized in various international instruments.

Additional measures should also be taken for those particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation, noting the Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment.

Access to accurate and timely information, enabled by a free, independent, and pluralistic media, stands as a cornerstone for raising public awareness, fostering informed debate and decision-making, countering misinformation and disinformation, and ultimately galvanizing collective action towards the attainment of the Goals, in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In this regard, we acknowledge UNESCO’s continued commitment to ensure that World Press Freedom Day is a truly multistakeholder and diverse platform, where all relevant actors can raise their voices to protect and promote freedom of expression and achieve sustainable development.

As we navigate the final years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, we call on Member States and all stakeholders to reaffirm their commitments to the fundamental rights of freedom of expression and access to information.

Recognizing the urgent imperative to address climate change, environmental degradation, as well as economic and social challenges that imperil the well-being of present and future generations, we underscore the paramount importance of freedom of expression and access to information in effectively navigating and mitigating these pressing issues. In an era marked by escalating environmental challenges and the triple planetary crises, accompanied by unprecedented levels of mis/disinformation, the media’s role as a watchdog, and a catalyst for action cannot be overstated.

On the World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to the safety of journalists, and the defense of freedom of opinion and expression as a fundamental human right. Our ongoing efforts underscore the vital link between press freedom and societies where truth can flourish free from mis- and disinformation. The United Nations Human Rights Council and its Special Procedures rigorously support initiatives that ensure journalists and media workers can work free from harm, recognizing that access to information and the work of journalists and media workers are essential for the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We also recognize the role of journalists and media workers, including women, in raising public awareness about climate change, environmental and disaster issues.

The discussions on the occasion of this World Press Freedom Day are important to inform crucial processes, such as the 2024 High-Level political forum on sustainable development, the Summit of the Future, COP29, and other major United Nations conferences.

We further urge Member States to do their utmost to prevent violence, intimidation, threats and attacks against journalists and media workers. We condemn the killings of journalists and media workers everywhere, including in conflict situations. We also strongly condemn any attempts to harass, intimidate, attack, or arbitrarily detain journalists and media workers.

Furthermore, we advocate for the strengthening of policies that promote free, independent, and pluralistic media, thereby fostering a vibrant and robust public sphere, a pillar of peaceful, just, inclusive, sustainable and prosperous societies.

Finally, we emphasize that the improper or malicious design and use of artificial intelligence systems can undermine information integrity, that human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected, and promoted in this era of artificial intelligence, and further call upon all Member States and other stakeholders to promote safe, secure and trustworthy artificial intelligence systems in an inclusive and equitable manner, and for the benefit of all.

Francis Dennis, President of the UN General Assembly

Simona-Mirela Miculescu, President of the General Conference of UNESCO

Paula Narváez, President of the Economic and Social Council

Omar Zniber, President of the Human Rights Council

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

Rome/New York, April 27, 2024 – A new study by 16 UN agencies and international organizations said close to 282 million people suffered acute hunger in 2023 in 59 countries, a situation that worsened in recent years with the deadly Covid19 pandemic, wars, climate extremes and economic shocks.

The study, entitled Global Report on Food Crisis 2024 (GRFC), said acute hunger has remained “persistently high” from 2016 to 2023 and it called for action to break the cycle of food crises. The UN, governments and organizations have escalated measures to address acute hunger, but the number of people suffering hunger have remained high beginning of 2024, particularly in Gaza, Afghanistan, and some African nations like Sudan, which cast a worrying shadow over this year.

Read report Global Report on Food Crises 2024 (GRFC).

The Rome-based UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is a party to the Global Network Against Food Crisis, said in its website that children and women are at the forefront of these hunger crises, with over 36 million children under 5 years of age acutely malnourished across 32 countries. FAO said acute malnutrition worsened in 2023, particularly among people displaced by conflicts and climate disasters.

The global network urgently “calls for a transformative approach that integrates peace, prevention and development action alongside at-scale emergency efforts to break the cycle of acute hunger which remains at unacceptably high levels.”

“This crisis demands an urgent response,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, “Using the data in this report to transform food systems and address the underlying causes of food insecurity and malnutrition will be vital.”

 The report is “a roll call of human failings,” and that “in a world of plenty, children are starving to death. The conflicts erupting over the past 12 months compound a dire global situation.” Guterres said in the report’s foreword.

“When we talk about acute food insecurity, we are talking about hunger so severe that it poses an immediate threat to people’s livelihoods and lives. This is hunger that threatens to slide into famine and cause widespread death,” said Dominique Burgeon, Director of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva.

The UN said the report is the flagship publication of the Food Security Information Network and is based on a collaboration of 16 partners including U.N. agencies like FAO, UNICEF and WFP, and regional and multinational bodies, the European Union, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and technical organizations.

It said the overall percentage of people defined as dangerously food insecure in 2023 was 1.2 per cent lower than in 2022, the problem has worsened significantly since the COVID-19 crisis. When the coronavirus hit in late 2019, around one in six people in 55 countries faced worrying food insecurity levels, compared with one in five just a year later, the report said.

The report said 105 million people in 48 countries suffered acute hunger in 2016 and the number increased to 137.4 million in 53 countries in 2019. The number increased to 155 million in 55 countries in 2020, 192 million in 53 countries in 2021, 257 million in 58 countries 2022 and close to 282 million in 59 countries in 2023.

“Tackling persistent food crises requires urgent long-term national and international investment to transform food systems and boost agricultural and rural development alongside greater crisis preparedness and critical lifesaving assistance at scale, where people need it most. Peace and prevention must also become an integral part of the longer-term food systems transformation. Without this, people will continue to face a lifetime of hunger and the most vulnerable will starve,” the report said.

It said, “Since 2023, needs have outpaced available resources. Humanitarian operations are now desperately overstretched, with many being forced to scale-down and further cut support to the most vulnerable.  More equitable and effective global economic governance is imperative and must be matched with government led plans that seek to reduce and end hunger.”

Turning to 2024, the report warned that around 1.1 million people in Gaza, where the Israel-Hamas war is on its seven month, and 79,000 people in South Sudan are facing famine. In addition, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Somalia and Mali are also facing catastrophic hunger. In Sudan where conflict erupted in April, 2024, the report said 20.3 million people – or 42 per cent of the population – are struggling to find enough to eat daily.

Climate extremes contributed to food shortage. The report pointed out that the El Nino phenomenon, which peaked in early 2024, is a “full impact on food security – including flooding and poor rain in parts of east Africa and drought in southern Africa, especially Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe – are like to manifest throughout the year.”

Governments and organizations join force to fight hunger

The Italian government has called for a debate to address the problem and to reinforce collective impact after the publication of the report.

“Looking ahead, the convergence of intensifying conflict and insecurity, the devastating impact of extreme weather events driven mainly by El Niño, and inflation casts a shadow over the outlook for 2024, with crises such as the Sudan and Gaza facing the worst deterioration and the highest severity, requiring immediate action to avert the looming threat of famine,” it said.

Italy said a range of bold and innovative commitments and investment in key partnership initiatives designed to facilitate their realization has been made by the international community that includes the G20 Matera Declaration, the G7 Famine Prevention and Humanitarian Crises Compact, the US Road Map for Food Security and the EU Team Europe Response to the global food crisis. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

Read the concept note on the debate: Concept Note_GRFC_NY_220424_v1

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

Food waste is a “global tragedy” while millions of people face severe food insecurity. The UN Environment Programme says in a report that an estimated 19% of food produced globally in 2022, or about 1.05 billion metric tons, were wasted. Following is a press release.

Nairobi, 27 March 2024 –  Households across all continents wasted over 1 billion meals a day in 2022, while 783 million people were affected by hunger and a third of humanity faced food insecurity. Food waste continues to hurt the global economy and fuel climate change, nature loss, and pollution. These are the key findings of a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report published today, ahead of the International Day of Zero Waste.

The UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024, co-authored with WRAP,provides the most accurate global estimate on food waste at retail and consumer levels. It provides guidance for countries on improving data collection and suggests best practices in moving from measuring to reducing food waste. 

In 2022 there were 1.05 billion tonnes of food waste generated (including inedible parts), amounting to 132 kilograms per capita and almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers. Out of the total food wasted in 2022, 60 per cent happened at the household level, with food services responsible for 28 per cent and retail 12 per cent.

“Food waste is a global tragedy. Millions will go hungry today as food is wasted across the world,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. “Not only is this a major development issue, but the impacts of such unnecessary waste are causing substantial costs to the climate and nature. The good news is we know if countries prioritise this issue, they can significantly reverse food loss and waste, reduce climate impacts and economic losses, and accelerate progress on global goals.”

Since 2021, there’s been a strengthening of the data infrastructure with more studies tracking food waste. Globally, the number of data points at the household level almost doubled. Nevertheless, many low- and middle-income countries continue to lack adequate systems for tracking progress to meet Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 of halving food waste by 2030, particularly in retail and food services.

Only four G20 countries (Australia, Japan, UK, the USA) and the European Union have food waste estimates suitable for tracking progress to 2030. Canada and Saudi Arabia have suitable household estimates, with Brazil’s estimate expected late 2024. In this context, the report serves as a practical guide for countries to consistently measure and report food waste.

The data confirms that food waste is not just a ‘rich country’ problem, with levels of household food waste differing in observed average levels for high-income, upper-middle, and lower-middle-income countries by just 7 kg per capita. At the same time, hotter countries appear to generate more food waste per capita in households, potentially due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.

According to recent data, food loss and waste generates 8-10 per cent of annual global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – almost 5 times that of the aviation sector – and significant biodiversity loss by taking up the equivalent of almost a third of the world’s agricultural land. The toll of both food loss and waste on the global economy is estimated at roughly USD 1 trillion.

Urban areas are expected to particularly benefit from efforts to strengthen food waste reduction and circularity. Rural areas generally waste less food, with greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock, and home composting as likely explanations.

As of 2022, only 21 countries have included food loss and/or waste reduction in their national climate plans (NDCs). The 2025 NDCs revision process provides a key opportunity to raise climate ambition by integrating food loss and waste. The Food Waste Index Report underscores the urgency of addressing food waste at both individual and systemic levels.

Robust baselines and regular measurement are needed for countries to show changes over time. Thanks to implementation of policies and partnerships, countries such as Japan and the UK show that change at scale is possible, with reductions of 31 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.

“With the huge cost to the environment, society, and global economies caused by food waste, we need greater coordinated action across continents and supply chains. We support UNEP in calling for more G20 countries to measure food waste and work towards SDG12.3,” said Harriet Lamb, CEO of WRAP.

“This is critical to ensuring food feeds people, not landfills. Public-Private Partnerships are one key tool delivering results today, but they require support: whether philanthropic, business, or governmental, actors must rally behind programmes addressing the enormous impact wasting food has on food security, our climate, and our wallets.”

UNEP maintains tracking country-level progress to halve food waste by 2030, with a growing focus on solutions beyond measurement towards reduction. One such solution is systemic action through public-private partnerships (PPPs): Bringing the public sector, private sector and non-government to work together, identify bottlenecks, co-develop solutions, and drive progress.

Appropriate financing can enable PPPs to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in food waste, drive down GHGs emissions and water stress, while sharing best practices and encouraging innovation for long-term, holistic change. PPPs on food loss and waste are growing worldwide, including in Australia, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, and in the UK where they have helped cut over a quarter of household food waste per capita from 2007-18.

About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

About WRAP
WRAP is a global NGO based in the UK. It is one of the UK’s top 5 environmental charities and works with governments, businesses and individuals to ensure that the world’s natural resources are used sustainably. Founded in 2000 in the UK, WRAP now works around the world and is a Global Alliance Partner of The Royal Foundation’s Earthshot Prize.

For more information please contact: News and Media Unit UN Environment Programme

 United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

New York, March 20, 2024 – Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia top the list of 143 countries in the World Happiness Report 2024 and some of them have been there since before the Covid pandemic, particularly the Nordic countries.

Issued on the annual International Day of Happiness, the report showed Finland remaining at the top while Afghanistan ranked last in the list this year.

Following the top 10 are Eastern European countries, Czechia, Lithuania and Slovenia, where the report said happiness is rising. But the United States and Germany have fallen in the rankings.

Other rankings, including developed countries, are: the United Kingdom (20th), the United States (23^rd), Germany (24^th), France (27^th), Singapore (30^th), Japan (51^st), China (60^th), Russia (72^nd) and India (126^th).

Read World Happiness Report 2024.

Editors of the World Happiness Report said it reflects a “worldwide demand for more attention to happiness and well-being as criteria for government policy” and to review the state of happiness today and to show how the science of happiness explains personal and national variations of happiness.

The report is a partnership of Gallup World Poll, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the report’s Editorial Board.

March 20 each year was proclaimed The International Day of Happiness by the UN General Assembly in 2013 by adopting a resolution sponsored by Bhutan. The UN said Bhutan recognized the value of happiness as the foundation of an inclusive and equitable society, and in 2008 it enshrined Gross National Happiness in the country’s constitution as the primary goal of the government, rather than the pursuit of economic indicators such as Gross National Product.

“Longitudinal studies have shown that happiness can have positive effects on health and life span,” the UN said. “Of course, there are many factors that impact how long we live but having a positive outlook and a general sense of well-being have been linked to longevity. So what will make you happy, according to studies?  It’s not money or material things, at least not in the long run.  Studies have shown that the things that bring lasting happiness include strong relationships, helping others, expressing gratitude and meditating.”

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

A new report issued by the UN Development Program says all 38 countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have achieved higher human development while more than half of the 35 least developed countries (LDCs) have declined in the last three years. This uneven progress in human development between rich and poor has widened inequality and inflamed political polarization. Following is a press release from UNDP.

New York, 13 March 2024 – Uneven development progress is leaving the poorest behind, exacerbating inequality, and stoking political polarization on a global scale. The result is a dangerous gridlock that must be urgently tackled through collective action, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

The 2023/24 Human Development Report (HDR), titled “Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarized world”, reveals a troubling trend: the rebound in the global Human Development Index (HDI) – a summary measure reflecting a country’s Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, education, and life expectancy – has been partial, incomplete, and unequal.

Read the full report https://hdr.undp.org/human-development-report-2023-24

The HDI is projected to reach record highs in 2023 after steep declines during 2020 and 2021. But this progress is deeply uneven. Rich countries are experiencing record-high levels of human development while half of the world’s poorest countries remain below their pre-crisis level of progress.

Global inequalities are compounded by substantial economic concentration. As referenced in the report, almost 40 percent of global trade in goods is concentrated in three or fewer countries; and in 2021 the market capitalization of each of the three largest tech companies in the world surpassed the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than 90 percent of countries that year.

“The widening human development gap revealed by the report shows that the two-decade trend of steadily reducing inequalities between wealthy and poor nations is now in reverse. Despite our deeply interconnected global societies, we are falling short. We must leverage our interdependence as well as our capacities to address our shared and existential challenges and ensure people’s aspirations are met,” said Achim Steiner, head of the UN Development Program.

 “This gridlock carries a significant human toll. The failure of collective action to advance action on climate change, digitalization or poverty and inequality not only hinders human development but also worsens polarization and further erodes trust in people and institutions worldwide.”

The report argues that advancing international collective action is hindered by an emerging ‘democracy paradox’: while 9 in 10 people worldwide endorse democracy, over half of global survey respondents express support for leaders that may undermine it by bypassing fundamental rules of the democratic process, as per data analyzed in the report. Half of people surveyed worldwide report having no or limited control over their lives, and over two-thirds believe they have little influence on their government’s decisions.

Political polarization is also a growing concern with global repercussions. Along with a sense of powerlessness, report authors say, it is fueling inward-turning policy approaches – starkly at odds with the global cooperation needed to address urgent issues like the decarbonization of our economies, misuse of digital technologies, and conflict. This is particularly alarming in light of 2023’s record-breaking temperatures, which emphasize the immediate need for united action to tackle the climate crisis, or in the advent of artificial intelligence as a new and fast-evolving technological frontier with little or no regulatory guard rails.

The report highlights that deglobalization is neither feasible nor realistic in today’s world and that economic interdependence remains high. It points out that no region is close to self-sufficiency, as all rely on imports from other regions of 25 percent or more of at least one major type of goods and services.

“In a world marked by increasing polarization and division, neglecting to invest in each other poses a serious threat to our wellbeing and security. Protectionist approaches cannot address the complex, interconnected challenges we face, including pandemic prevention, climate change, and digital regulation,” Steiner added. “Our problems are intertwined, requiring equally interconnected solutions. By adopting an opportunity-driven agenda that emphasizes the benefits of the energy transition and of artificial intelligence for human development, we have a chance to break through the current deadlock and reignite a commitment to a shared future.”

The report emphasizes how global interdependence is being reconfigured and calls for a new generation of global public goods. It proposes four areas for immediate action:

–        planetary public goods, for climate stability, as we confront the unprecedented challenges of the Anthropocene;

–        digital global public goods, for greater equity in harnessing new technologies for equitable human development;

–        new and expanded financial mechanisms, including a novel track in international cooperation that complements humanitarian assistance and traditional development aid to low-income countries; and

–        dialling down political polarization through new governance approaches focused on enhancing people’s voices in deliberation and tackling misinformation.

In this context, multilateralism plays a fundamental role, the report argues, because bilateral engagements are not able to address the irreducibly planetary nature of the provision of global public goods.

More key data from the report:

•       In 2023, all 38 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) achieved higher Human Development Index (HDI) scores compared to their levels in 2019.

•       Among the 35 least developed countries (LDCs) that experienced a decline in their HDI in 2020 and/or 2021, more than half (18 countries) have not yet recovered to their human development levels of 2019.

•       All developing regions have not met their anticipated HDI levels based on the trend before 2019. It appears they have shifted to a lower HDI trajectory, indicating potential permanent setbacks in future human development progress.

•       The impact of human development losses is in sharp focus in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Afghanistan’s HDI has been knocked back by a staggering ten years, while Ukraine’s HDI dropped to its lowest level since 2004.

•       The report cites research indicating that countries with populist governments have lower GDP-growth rates. Fifteen years after a populist government assumes office, the GDP per capita is found to be 10 percent lower than it might under a non-populist government scenario.

Read the full report https://hdr.undp.org/human-development-report-2023-24

Media contacts:

For more information or to request an interview, contact:

In New York City: stanislav.saling@undp.org +1 347 653 1980 or victor.garrido.delgado@undp.org +1 917 995 1687

In Geneva: sarah.bel@undp.org +41 79 934 11 17

About UNDP

UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. Learn more at undp.org or follow at @UNDP.

About the Human Development Report Office

The mission of the Human Development Report Office (HDRO) is to advance human development. The goal is to contribute towards the expansion of opportunities, choice, and freedom. The office works towards this goal by promoting innovative new ideas, advocating practical policy changes, and constructively challenging policies and approaches that constrain human development. The office works with others to achieve change through writing and research, data analysis and presentation, support to national and regional analysis and outreach and advocacy work.

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

New York, February 13, 2024 – The ongoing climate crisis and conflict have reversed progress aimed at ending hunger worldwide as more people go to bed hungry while food prices remain high, UN officials told a Security Council meeting on global peace and security.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said climate and conflict have become “leading drivers” of the global food crisis, displacement of people, destruction of agriculture and damage to infrastructure. Climate chaos alone has imperiled global food production and was the main causes of acute food insecurity for almost 174 million people in 2022.

The World Food Program estimated that over 330 million people were affected in 2023 and warned of an acute deterioration in 18 “hunger hotspots” early in 2024.

“I am dismayed to say that our world today is teeming with examples of the devastating relationship between hunger and conflict,” Guterres said.

The UN chief and heads of UN agencies said 13 million people in Syria go to bed hungry after the country suffered 10 years of war and deadly earthquakes while in Myanmar conflict and political instability have reversed progress on ending hunger.

“In Gaza, no one has enough to eat,” Guterres said. “Of the 700,000 hungriest people in the world, four in five inhabit that tiny strip of land,” he said. “In many places, climate disasters add another dimension. Every one of the 14 countries most at risk from climate change are suffering conflict. Thirteen of them face humanitarian crisis this year.”

The UN said about 16 million people in Ethiopia required food assistance in the wake of a war followed by drought and the situation worsened by the influx of refugees fleeing the conflict in neighboring Sudan. In Haiti, millions of people need assistance as the country is battered by hurricanes, violence and lawlessness.

“To avoid mounting threats to international peace and security, we must step in and act now to break the deadly links between conflict, climate and food insecurity,” Guterres told the 15-nation Security Council under the presidency of Guyana. He called on “all parties” in a conflict to abide by international humanitarian law.

“Starvation of civilians may constitute a war crime, and humanitarians must have unimpeded access to civilians in need,” he said, adding that the UN council has a critical role in demanding compliance and holding those who breach its resolutions to account.

He called on countries to fund humanitarian operations in full “to prevent disaster and conflict from feeding hunger” and “create the conditions to resolve conflict and preserve peace – within countries and between countries.” This is in reference to countries that have suspended funding of the UN relief organization for Palestinians in Gaza.

He called on the council to “get a grip on the climate crisis to limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Because climate action is action for food security and action for peace. G20 nations must lead a just global phase out of fossil fuels, in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national circumstances. And all countries must create ambitious new national climate action plans – or nationally determined contributions – by 2025, that align with the 1.5-degree limit.”

Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization said climate and conflict are the most important issues requiring urgent action to address global food insecurity.

“The scientific evidence and the policy direction are clear – climate change is compromising food security, and its impacts are a growing threat to international peace and security. It is having alarming effect on people, the planet and …what I would like to address… agrifood systems – meaning how and when we produce, harvest, process and store our food.”

Bechdol said, according to the 2023 Global Report on Food Crises, the main drivers of food insecurity and hunger around the world are conflict and climate change, which affected 258 million people in 58 countries.

“As much as 70 percent of the most climate-vulnerable countries are also among the most politically and economically fragile,” Bechdol said. “Climate change will undo progress made in alleviating hunger, but as it intensifies it will create further disruptions and continue to be a driver of conflict.“

Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

“The combination of climate change, hunger, and war is a devastating one. There is no national security without food security. And there will be no food security without enhanced action to stop climate change,” Stiell told the council meeting, pointing out that there are solutions and ways forward.

“This Council should be requesting a regular stream of information on climate security risks. The UNFCCC can help in the development of these updates,” Stiell said, adding that countries that attended the climate summit in Dubai in December 2023 had agreed to begin investing in “designing, piloting, and delivering, climate adaptation plans for food systems from planting new crops to better meteorological information and communication.” He said countries need money for climate adaptation, particularly developing countries that are vulnerable to climate shocks but many of them are already facing scarcity, fragility and conflict.

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

Geneva/New York, January 31, 2024 – Decisions by key donors to suspend funding for the main UN relief agency in Gaza will collapse the massive humanitarian operations that have been assisting millions of Palestinians in Gaza and the region, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) said as the Israel-Hamas war continues to impact on the displaced population.

UN Secretary-General Antonio said the humanitarian system in Gaza is “collapsing” and he called on UN member states to guarantee the continuity of the saving-life work of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). He said the agency is the “backbone” of all humanitarian assistance in Gaza as well as Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.

“I am extremely concerned by the inhumane conditions faced by Gaza’s 2.2 million people, as they struggle to survive without any of the basics,” Guterres told the 2024 Session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People at UN Headquarters in New York.

 “Everyone in Gaza is hungry, while half a million grapple with catastrophic levels of food insecurity,” he said. “I call for rapid, safe, unhindered, expanded and sustained humanitarian access throughout Gaza.”

The Geneva-based IASC said in a statement signed by leaders of 14 relief agencies that allegations of involvement, while “horrifying,” by several staff members of the UNRWA in the October 7 attacks on Israel should not stop the relief work of the agencies.

“However, we must not prevent an entire organization from delivering on its mandate to serve people in desperate need,” the statement said. “The harrowing events that have been snowballing in Gaza since 7 October have left hundreds of thousands of people homeless and on the brink of famine. UNRWA, as the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, has been providing food, shelter and protection, even as its own staff members were being displaced and killed. “

“Decisions by various Member States to pause funds from UNRWA will have catastrophic consequences for the people of Gaza. No other entity has the capacity to deliver the scale and breadth of assistance that 2.2 million people in Gaza urgently need. We appeal for these decisions to be reconsidered.

“UNRWA has announced a full, independent review of the organization, and the UN’s Office of Internal Oversight Services has been activated.

“Withdrawing funds from UNRWA is perilous and would result in the collapse of the humanitarian system in Gaza, with far-reaching humanitarian and human rights consequences in the occupied Palestinian territory and across the region. The world cannot abandon the people of Gaza.”

Governments last year pledged $1.17 billion to UNRWA, but recently the US, Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland have decided to suspend their contributions after Israel charged 12 UNWRA staff members with taking part in the Hamas-led attacks on the country last October 7, which killed 1,200 people and captured 240 hostages. Gaza authorities reported that over 25,000 Palestinians have been killed.

The 14 IASC signatories to the appeal are: Martin Griffiths, Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA); Jane Backhurst, Chair, ICVA (Christian Aid); Jamie Munn, Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA); Amy E. Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM); Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); Paula Gaviria Betancur, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (SR on HR of IDPs); Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA);  Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR); Michal Mlynár, Executive Director a.i., United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat); Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF);  Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women; Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP); Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO)

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News

Oslo/New York, January 29, 2024 – The decisions by major donors to suspend financial aid to the UN relief agency in the Middle East will cut off life-saving assistance to over 2 million Palestinians who are already living under worsening conditions caused by the war, a group of 20 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) said.

Many countries last year pledged $1.17 billion to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA), the main humanitarian organization in Gaza. But the US, Canada, Australia, Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland have decided to suspend their contributions after Israel charged 12 UNWRA staff members with taking part in the Hamas-led attacks on the country last October 7, which killed 1,200 people and captured 240 hostages.

The Norwegian Refugee Council said 20 NGOs signed a joint statement to express “deep concern and outrage” that some of the largest donors have united to suspend funding for UNRWA amid a rapidly worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza. Following is the statement:

“As aid organizations, we are deeply concerned and outraged that some of the largest donors have united to suspend funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the main aid provider for millions of Palestinians in Gaza and the region. This comes amid a rapidly worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.

The suspension of funding by donor states will impact life-saving assistance for over two million civilians, over half of whom are children, who rely on UNRWA aid in Gaza. The population faces starvation, looming famine and an outbreak of disease under Israel’s continued indiscriminate bombardment and deliberate deprivation of aid in Gaza.

We welcome UNRWA’s swift investigation into the alleged involvement of a small number of UN staff members in the October 7th attacks. We are shocked by the reckless decision to cut a lifeline for an entire population by some of the very countries that had called for aid in Gaza to be stepped up and for humanitarians to be protected while doing their job. This decision comes as the International Court of Justice ordered immediate and effective action to ensure the provision of humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza.

152 UNRWA staff have already been killed and 145 UNRWA facilities damaged by bombardment. UNRWA is the largest humanitarian agency in Gaza and their delivery of humanitarian assistance cannot be replaced by other agencies working in Gaza. If the funding suspensions are not reversed we may see a complete collapse of the already restricted humanitarian response in Gaza.

With approximately over one million displaced Palestinians taking shelter in or around 154 UNRWA shelters, the agency and aid organisations have continued to work in near impossible circumstances to provide food, vaccinations, and freshwater. The countries suspending funds risk further depriving Palestinians in the region of essential food, water, medical assistance and supplies, education and protection.

We urge donor states to reaffirm support for the vital work that UNRWA and its partners do to help Palestinians survive one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our times. Countries must reverse these funding suspensions, uphold their duties towards the Palestinian people and scale up humanitarian assistance for civilians in dire need in Gaza and the region.”

Signed: War Child Alliance, ActionAid, Norwegian Refugee Council, Diakonia, Oxfam, Première Urgence Internationale, Médecins du Monde France, Spain, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Danish Refugee Council, Johanniter International Assistance, The Association of International Development Agencies – Aida, Humanity & Inclusion/ Handicap International (HI), INTERSOS, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, International Council for Voluntary Agencies, Norwegian People’s Aid, Plateforme des ONG françaises pour la Palestine, Norwegian Church Aid, DanChurchAid, American Friends Service Committee, Caritas Internationalis and Save the Children.

UN chief appeals to donors to maintain their pledges

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres promptly responded to Israel’s charges against the UNRWA staff members, saying had immediately taken action against several of those members.

“Any UN employee involved in acts of terror will be held accountable, including through criminal prosecution. The Secretariat is ready to cooperate with a competent authority able to prosecute the individuals in line with the Secretariat’s normal procedures for such cooperation.

UNRWA had also previously announced a full, independent review of the organization on 17 January,” Guterres said in a statement issued January 28.

“Meanwhile, 2 million civilians in Gaza depend on critical aid from UNRWA for daily survival but UNRWA’s current funding will not allow it to meet all requirements to support them in February. While I understand their concerns – I was myself horrified by these accusations – I strongly appeal to the governments that have suspended their contributions to, at least, guarantee the continuity of UNRWA’s operations.

“The abhorrent alleged acts of these staff members must have consequences. But the tens of thousands of men and women who work for UNRWA, many in some of the most dangerous situations for humanitarian workers, should not be penalized. The dire needs of the desperate populations they serve must be met.”

United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations correspondent journalists – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations journalism articles – United Nations News – United Nations News – United Nations News