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Commission on the Status of Women & other topics – Daily Press Briefing | United Nations
Summary
1925seconds video
The text discusses various global issues and events addressed by the United Nations and other international bodies. The UN is focusing on the human rights situation in Haiti with a scheduled briefing by William O’Neill. Caya Calas from the EU will address the Security Council regarding foreign and security policy. The UN Secretary-General is vocal about women’s rights being under threat, urging action to uphold equality for sustainable development. There are concerns over the escalating violence in Syria, with the UN calling for the protection of civilians and accountability for violations. The humanitarian situation in Gaza is dire, with electricity cuts affecting water supplies and aid access. In Sudan, violence and disease outbreaks continue amidst funding cuts. The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces a humanitarian crisis in Kivu due to ongoing violence. Ukraine’s hostilities have disrupted essential services, prompting emergency relief efforts. The UN is also addressing issues in the West Bank and South Sudan. Additionally, discussions are ongoing regarding the impacts of USAID program cuts. The text emphasizes the importance of humanitarian aid and maintaining independent media and human rights work in conflict zones.
Full Script
Good afternoon. Tomorrow, and happy Monday. Tomorrow, our guest will be William O’Neill, the High Commissioner’s designated expert for human rights on Haiti. He will be here to brief you on the situation in Haiti. There we go. Just make sure you’re paying attention. Then at 1 p.m., Caya Calas, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy will be at the Security Council stakeout following her briefing to the Security Council. Today, the Secretary General kicked off the 69th Annual Commission on the Status of Women, and that meeting will last until the 21st of March. At the opening this morning, the Secretary General said that three decades since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and platform for action, women’s rights are under siege. The poison of the patriarchy is back, he said, and it is back with a vengeance, adding that now is the time for those of us who care about equality for women and girls to stand up and speak out. The Secretary General stressed that equality for women and girls is a human right, it is a matter of justice, and the foundation of sustainable development and lasting peace. He urged all countries to deliver on the commitments they made last September when they adopted the pact for the future. These commitments include investing in women’s and girls’ education and training, and in their economic empowerment, and eradicating all forms of violence and harassment, among others. Today is also the International Day of Women Judges. It is a reminder that by investing in women and justice, we can help to ensure that women and all members of our societies are met with fairness and equality before the law, and that justice is better served. Turning to the situation in Syria, I can tell the Secretary General is alarmed by the violent escalation in the coastal areas of Syria that has seen widespread summary killings, including of entire families, and the loss of at least one of our colleagues from UNRWA. He expresses his sincere condolences to Syrians mourning the loss of loved ones and wishes a speedy recovery for the injured. The Secretary General calls on all parties to protect civilians and to stop inflammatory rhetoric and actions as Syria contends with the legacy of 14 years of conflict and over five decades of authoritarian rule. The Secretary General reiterates his concern over the escalating tensions among other communities in Syria. The bloodshed must stop, in Syria must stop immediately, he said, and perpetrators of violations must be held to account. The concerns of Syria’s communities must be addressed in a meaningful manner. The Secretary General takes note of the announcement by the caretaker authorities of the creation of investigative committee as well as a committee for the preservation of civil peace. The Secretary General underscores the importance and the urgency of inclusive and a transparent transitional justice and reconciliation process for the sustainable peace in Syria. In a context of widespread disinformation and heightened tensions, the Secretary General also highlights the need to ensure and protect the space for independent media and human rights organizations to carry out their work of monitoring and verification and to shed light in a transparent manner on reports and allegations. The Secretary General’s special envoy for Syria, Gare Pedersen, brief security council members in close consultations, this morning on these developments and stands ready to support efforts towards an inclusive Syrian-owned and Syrian-led political transition in accordance with the key principles of Security Council Resolution 2254. And you will have seen that our human rights chief, Volker Turk, called in a statement yesterday for a prompt, transparent and impartial investigation into all of the killings and other violations and stressed that those responsible must be held to account in line with international law norms and standards. And earlier the weekend, the UN Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Syria, Adam Abdelmoula, and the Regional Coordinator for Syrian Crisis, Ramam Tan Balakrishnan jointly urged parties to protect people and infrastructure and to allow for the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid. And of course, the escalation of violence we’re seeing in Syria has had a severe impact on civilians and civilian infrastructure. As of yesterday, hundreds of people, including women and children and some medical personnel had reportedly been killed. Thousands have reportedly been displaced in the area and thousands have crossed into Lebanon to seek safety. Our humanitarian colleagues tell us that power outages in Latakia governorate have disrupted water pumping. Schools in Latakia and Tartus were suspended yesterday and today. The Homs-Latakia highway remains blocked, further limiting humanitarian access. Humanitarian operations in the area remain severely disrupted, with insecurity halting all movements to and within the coastal areas. Civilian infrastructure has been severely impacted, including six referral hospitals and several ambulances. Other medical facilities in the area urgently need medical supplies and support. Turning to the situation in Gaza, I can tell you that the Secretary General is very concerned about Israel’s decision to limit electricity supply going into Gaza. This latest decision will substantially reduce the availability of drinking water in the Gaza Strip. Starting today, the facility is set to run on backup generators, which will reduce the water production capacity. Restoring this connection is vital for tens of thousands of families and children. Also, I can tell you that our colleagues at the Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs tell us that all crossings into Gaza have been closed for the entry of cargo for nine consecutive days now. Ocha tells us that the Karim Shalom crossing also remain closed for the collection of cargo for the Ninth Straight Day, which is severely impacting the delivery of humanitarian assistance across the Gaza Strip. We and our partners warn that fuel shortages are affecting aid operations. We’re currently examining how to prioritize the remaining stock. Last week in Kanyunas in Dar al-Balla, six bakeries shut down due to the lack of cooking gas. And as of yesterday, 19 bakeries supported by the World Food Program are still operating and trying to maximize their capacity to bridge the gaps. Despite limited resources, last month we and our partners working on reproductive health expanded maternity services and scaled up the distribution of medical supplies to support 5,000 births over the next three months. Additionally, thousands of postpartum kits were distributed to mothers and newborns in shelters and hospitals across Gaza, as well as winter supply clothing for about 12,000 women and girls. Despite these successes, our health partners report that more than half a million women of reproductive age lack access to family planning and reproductive health care. Over the past weeks, our partners supporting the education in Gaza have opened additional schools. Thousands of children can now access learning in North Gaza and Gaza City in Dar al-Balla, Kanyunas, as well as Rafa. However, our partners tell us that about one-third of children in Gaza remain cut off from any type of formal, informal, or even distance learning activities. Turning to the situation in West Bank, Ocha tells us that Israeli forces in the north continue to be reported. In Nablus, over the weekend, there were activities by settlers vandalizing farmland and water wells belonging to Palestinians. Ocha reminds us since January 2023, more than 2,000 Palestinians, half of them children, have been displaced due to heightened settle of violence and access restrictions. And an update from South Sudan, where a peacekeeping mission is intensifying efforts alongside international peace partners to de-escalate the tensions following clashes between the South Sudan People’s Defense Forces and armed youth in upper Nile, as well as persistent conflict between organized forces in the Western Equatorious State. The mission and its Quartet partners, which are the reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission, the African Union, and the International Government Authority on Development, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, otherwise known as IGAD, are meeting with key political actors and signatory parties to address the fragile political and security situation, urging them to uphold the revitalized peace agreement, both in letter and in spirit. As you’re aware, in another effort to prevent violence and reduce tensions, an aviation crew member contracted to the UN peacekeeping mission, Mr. Sergei Pridoko, from Ukraine, was killed, and two others were injured on Friday when a UN helicopter came under fire while undertaking evacuation mission in Nasser. We, of course, join Nicholas Haysom, the head of the UN mission, in South Sudan to express our deepest condolences to the families of Mr. Pridoko, and pay tribute to the crew members for their extraordinary courage under fire. A memorial service will be held in the coming days. And turning north to Sudan, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that the situation on the ground in Sudan continues to worsen. We remain concerned about the continued violence mainly in North Darfur State. Last week, rising insecurity were forced, therefore, it’s more than 23,000 people to leave their villages in Dar es Salaam locality, which is more than 60 kilometers south of the state capital, El Fashe. While humanitarian needs grow, funding is shrinking. The humanitarian resident coordinator for Sudan, Clementine Enqueta Salami, today expressed her deep concern over sweeping funding reductions and suspensions announced by top government donors recently. These cuts come at the worst possible moment for Sudan, where famine is spreading, and over half of the population, half of the population, is going hungry. Also, disease outbreaks are deepening humanitarian crisis in the country. In while White Nile State, a cholera outbreak in coastal locality, is infected hundreds of people claiming 94 lives between February 20th and March 5th, the outbreak is linked to people drawing water from contaminated sources, particularly the White Nile River. After electricity outages disrupted the town’s water supply last month, UNICEF warrants that are more than 290,000 children in costy art risk of diseases. In Kassala State, in eastern Sudan, a hepatitis outbreak is spreading among displaced communities, sheltering in overcrowded gathering sites. And the outbreak is attributed, again, of course, to poor sanitation, lack of hygiene, limited health awareness, putting already vulnerable people at further risk. Ms. Inqueta Salami urged major government donors to reconsider their decisions to reduce funding for programs that save lives and help people in distress. We urge others to step up and fill the gaps left by these devastating cuts. Just to remind you that for decades, humanitarian donors have been a lifeline for Sudan. Last year alone, they contributed $1.8 billion through the country’s humanitarian response plan funding essential assistance for at least 15.6 million people. This year’s $4.2 billion is required to provide humanitarian assistance in Sudan, yet just over 6% of the funding needed to provide support to nearly 21 million people has been received so far. Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and our humanitarian colleagues warned that continued clashes and violence in parts of the provinces of North and South Kivu are having devastating impact on civilians. According to a local humanitarian partners, shelling struck a hospital in South Kivu yesterday, killing five healthcare providers and four patients, including one child. The attacks occurred in Walungu territory about 50 kilometres southwest of the provincial capital, Bukavu. Meanwhile, in North Kivu, we were informed over the weekend that dozens of civilians, including many children, were killed in Masisi after our men attacked a village between the 4th and the 5th of March. That’s what local civil society groups are telling us. Our humanitarian partners also report that clashes continued over the weekend elsewhere in Masisi, killing at least one more civilian and forcing thousands to flee. Still in North Kivu, violence also severely hampering access to 100,000 displaced human beings and neighboring Ovalikale territory. These people have fled their homes back in January of this year. We’re deeply concerned about the continued impact of violence on civilians in the Eastern DRC and remind all parties of their obligations to uphold international humanitarian law. This includes taking all feasible precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Turning to Ukraine, our humanitarian colleagues on the ground are telling us that hostilities across Ukraine over the past four days have caused several casualties over the weekend, strikes targeted energy, gas and heating infrastructure, temporarily leaving 130,000 families in the Odessa region without power. In Kharkiv and Zaporizhia regions, heating and gas services were also disrupted. In the wake of these attacks, humanitarian teams swiftly mobilized emergency assistance, distributing emergency shelter kits, blankets, hygiene and other essential items, hot meals, emergency shelter materials, medical checkups and cycle social support were also provided. And this afternoon, as a programming note, 3 p.m. Security Council will reconvene to hear a briefing on the situation in Afghanistan and the council will be briefed by Rosa Otoonbaev, who is the head of our mission there. Money came in, which means I have a question for you. This country hosts a UN regional headquarters. It has also produced some of the world’s best long distance runners. Kenya. All right, you all win. You all win. Whoever mentioned Ethiopia did not win. So we thank our friends in Nairobi for full payment to the regular budget. This brings us up to 73. In case you were asking, Kenya paid $1,259,204 to be exact. Eidi. Thank you, Steph. The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced today that after a six-week analysis, 83 percent of USAID’s programs have ended. Can you tell us what impact this is going to have on the United Nations, and can we get a list of UN programs that are going to be effective? I mean, I will try to get you a breakdown. I can tell you that the impact of these cuts and those from other countries will have a devastating impact on the people that the United Nations serve, and obviously on the people that were served directly by these programs. Beno. Thank you, Steph. Mark Carney is the new head of the Liberal Party of Canada, and will also be new Prime Minister of Canada. And recently he worked for the United Nations, so I thought you might have a comment or some warm words. I mean, this was the result of an internal process by the Liberal Party. I mean, we’ll obviously await his official designation at Prime Minister, but we look forward to working with the next Prime Minister of Canada. Degis and Michel. Yes, on the electricity limitation in Gaza, has that situation affected UN operations inside Gaza? No, the electricity in Gaza has been cut off for quite some time, so the only direct electrical link, as I understand it, from Israel to Gaza was to this water desalination plant, almost the rest of the electricity that’s being provided in Gaza is being produced internally through generators or power stations. So far Israel cut the electricity and there’s no convoy getting in for nine days. Can you tell us what does Israel government allow to get into Gaza so far? Nothing. I mean, there’s been no goods coming in, no trucks coming in. I’ve not heard that people, that humanitarian workers were not allowed to go in, but no goods have been coming in. And I mean, we again call on all the parties to live up to the obligations that they had agreed to. We want to see the humanitarian aid return and flow back and flood back into Gaza. We want to see the hostages, the Israeli hostages and other citizens that continue to be detained released. Okay. Michel then, Benny. Just a quick follow-up on Eddie’s question on USAID cuts. They were kind of finalized about 12 days ago, some were reversed, but no, it’s definitely finalized. Do you have any kind of ballpark? Like I know the agencies are all doing their own thing. I think that everybody’s trying to, and I understand your frustration and not getting exact numbers, but there’s been a lot of confusion in terms of what was cut, what wasn’t cut. And obviously, some monies are commingled with others, so I think everyone is trying to take out their abacuses or abacus and go through the number. But obviously, you know, the impact is on people. And what communication is the UN having with the US about this? The agencies have been in touch with their counterparts. Benny, and then Margaret, and then Gabriel. I think the word is abacai. Abacai. You know, that’s why I tried both. The plural. Anyway, Secretary General, if I remember correctly, met with Ashara, the president of Syria. Has he talked to him since all these reports over the weekend came up? No, he has not. But our colleague in the political, Mr. Gare Pedersen’s office, his deputy, if I’m not mistaken, is in Damascus and has been in touch with officials there. Is the crisis acute enough for the Secretary General to get in? We have a lot of communications channels with the transitional authorities, and we’re using all of them. Margaret. Just further on the USAID cuts, have you received any more termination letters since the last update you gave us? We will check. Gabriel, sorry. Thanks, Steph. On Gaza, would the Secretary General agree that cutting off the limited electricity supplies going into Gaza now are a collective punishment and violations of international law? There is an obligation for Israel under international law to provide these basic services, and they should do it. And the border crossings have been closed now for, you said, nine days, and you said that you’re having to prioritize the remaining stock. That seems to indicate that stocks potentially are going to be running low. Can you give us any more? Now, potentially. It’s basic math. We had stocks when the crossings were open, the crossings are now closed, so we’re not sitting on the stocks. We’re trying to, my colleagues on the ground are trying to make extremely difficult decisions about how to best use these stocks to make sure they last the longest amount of time, because we don’t know how long this closure will last. Yes, please. Dennis. Yeah, thanks so much. A quick follow-up on Syria. I’m wondering if you have any presence on the ground, I mean, UN staff in the coastal areas of Syria. There were some staff that have been relocated, but not a large number at all. Edy, and then back to Margaret. Steph, have there been any discussions between UN officials and Israeli officials about the cutoff of food and electricity? Yes. I mean, our colleagues on the ground are in constant touch with Kogat, who are their counterparts. Margaret, then we’ll go to the screen. You mentioned that an UNRAS staffer died in Latakia. Was it in Latakia? It was in that area. It was on Friday. And was it while they were working or in their home? We’re trying to – I’m trying to get – just trying to get some more details. Okay. Mike. Sir, the Israeli ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, said he reached out to UN agencies and other NGOs in an attempt to get them to a century – Sorry, Mike. Hold on. There’s a crazy echo in the room, so let’s – I think it’s this one. Okay. Hello, everybody. Hello. It’s a speaker. Tom, can we cut the speak – try it again, Mike? Check one, too. Check one, too. Still got it? Beno, can you lower the – we’re going to have – we’re going to have my assistant here. Beno, let’s see if we – okay, go ahead, Mike. All right. Is it sounding okay now? Perfect. Thank you, Ben. I appreciate it. Thank you, Ben. The Israeli ambassador to the UN, Daniel Meron, held a press earlier today saying he’s reached out to UN agencies and other NGOs to encourage them to essentially pick up UNRES responsibilities. Have you heard from any UN agencies that Ambassador Meron reached out to or anything more you can comment on about any potential conditions? No, I haven’t. I could tell you that UNRWA’s mandate is given by the General Assembly, and this – I mean, as we’ve said here a number of times, its work, especially in the educational and the health sphere is really irreplaceable. So the answer would be from those agencies, no thank you. Well, I can’t speak to them. I just – I – this is the first I’ve heard of this particular announcement, but I can – I’ve just kind of stated to you our principled position. But if I get more information for you, Mike, I will – yes, go ahead. I appreciate it. So the accusations of starvation and weaponization of food are coming in again. I think here as Israel has cut off aid going into Gaza, I want to revert back to – prior to the ceasefire, because these allegations kind of died off with the ceasefire. What evidence – because the UN parroted these allegations for a year and a half. There were reports that were retracted. There were projections that were retroactively changed by the IPC. What evidence does the UN have that there was a famine in Gaza at any point during the war? I think what we said – There’s no – There’s no – Mike, if I recall, and maybe your memory is better than mine, but at least from this podium we talked about the very severe risk of famine. Those studies were done by the IPC, which is not – which is a group of UN agencies and also a group of non-UN agencies – American, German, Europeans, and others – who’ve established a scientific method to talk about hunger, to classify hunger. And we stand by their findings. There was – UN reports numerous ones. I can’t speak to what you said at a podium on everything. I know, but I mean – Mike, as you know better than I, the – we have – the one thing we don’t have – we may have – UN have the world’s most recognizable logo, but there’s no brand management. There are a lot of people who can speak on, quote, on behalf of the UN. I’m speaking on behalf of the Secretary General, what we’ve said here. I – UN News – UN News Center. I’m not talking about the special experts, but I’m talking about the UN Central News Center reporting extreme hunger and famine. We – we – we – well, there’s – there’s a – we’ve been going on for a long time. There is a qualitative scientific difference between hunger and famine. Famine is a very specific word. We have talked often about hunger in Gaza, and I don’t think anyone can dispute that there was hunger in Gaza. And I think you – we’ve seen it, and we – our colleagues – numerous UN colleagues have come out and spoken to what they’ve seen with their own – with their own eyes. And this – for the IPC, I think I’ve answered that question. Stefano, and then Michelle. Thank you, Stefano. I was listening – Oh, good. Good. So I hope nobody asked. I’m glad. I’m glad you were – I’m glad – that’s the headline. No, no. I wasn’t in the room. Ah, okay. The point is I don’t know if it was asked. No, no. So – but I was listening, and I think nobody asked before. This weekend, a former graduate student from Columbia University has been arrested. He’s a green card, older, married, with an American, and apparently he was arrested with – because – for antisemitism. Other sources say that he was just protesting – We’re – we’re – I mean, we’re – – questioning his – does the Secretary General doing – you know, his interest to this? Does the Secretary General think that freedom of expression, he’s in danger in this country? We’re aware of the reports. We’ve read the press reports. We don’t have any more detail. I don’t think we have the exact details of what happened, but I can tell you, for us, it is crucial to underscore the importance of respecting the right of freedom of expression and the right to peaceful assembly everywhere. And then this is inspired by your green tie. In Italy, you know that green is hope, right? I have an answer. You – you have been a witness of history of United – of United Nations for a long time now. Do you think we, as an international community, are living through the most complicated, I would say, dangerous time of all what you’ve witnessed so far? I hate to be chronocentric, but I think this is indeed a very unstable and difficult time and challenging times we’re living through. What is – Dej – chronocentric? I just – like, we’re – whenever – whenever time you’re in, you think is the most important time you’re in. I don’t know if that’s – that’s my definition anyway. Very – Dej and then Michelle. Okay. Very good question. President of Ukraine Zlensky arrived in Saudi Arabia and we’re going to have a talk with the U.S. officials. What’s the U.N.’s expectation from this talk? Listen, let’s not put any carts before any horses. I think you know well, because you pay very close attention to what I say, what our position is on the end of the war in Ukraine. Michelle. Thank you, Steph. On the SG’s remarks on Friday and today on Women’s Rights, the first question that a lot of people ask is, you know, he says, women’s rights are under attack, we need to take action. A lot of people say, what can we do? So on a practical level, what would he recommend people do? I think stand up and speak. I mean, we all have agency, right? Stand up and speak. Be active in your own – in your own circle, whether it’s journalists, whether it’s civil society leaders, whether it’s political leaders and it’s just plain citizens. Go ahead, Sinan, please. A couple of quick follow-up. I wonder if Secretary General has received any proper reports about Syria. Proper in what sense? Reports what happened like in Syria over the weekend. Over the last few days. No, I mean, we’ve received reports from our team from Gare, Pedestrian and on team on the ground. But I think given that we do not have the exact picture of what happened, it is clear that there were atrocities committed, that people died and it is also clear that we will need accountability for this and that we need to have a clear picture. And as I said earlier today, it is critical for the authorities in Syria to allow for free media to do their job and for human rights organization to do their job so they can report for all of us on exactly what happened. Thank you all. So yes, since the minorities are under attack, so I wonder if UN is doing anything particular to protect those minorities. I mean, this has been our constant message to the caretaker authorities and will continue to be. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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