Author: Cecilia Ologunagba

Ex-UN chief, Ban Ki-moon urges leaders to secure children’s future

Rights

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 27, 2024 (NAN) Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on Member States, including the Permanent Members of the Council,  to build a better, safer future for the children of the world.

Ban Ki-moon, Deputy Chair of The Elders, made the appeal while briefing the Security Council at UN headquarters in New York.

He spoke after the Security Council heard powerful and personal testimony from a former child soldier, who recounted harrowing experiences of being abducted and forced to join an armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

He stressed that there should be no impunity for those who commit crimes against children anywhere in the world.

“I am speaking today in my capacity as Deputy Chair of The Elders, the group of independent former leaders founded by Nelson Mandela who work for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet.

“The protection of innocent lives lies at the heart of all of The Elders’ endeavours. Children in armed conflict are the most innocent victims of all, and it is a universal moral obligation to protect them from harm and exploitation.

“I commend the work by the Special Representative of the Security-General, and the report presented today which describes how acute the issue of children and armed conflict has been over the course of 2023.

“It should be a matter of shame to every state represented here today that innocent children continue to pay such a terrible price in the multiple conflicts being waged across our world.”

The former UN chief said he was shocked and outraged that grave violations against children rose 21 per cent in 2023, with a 35 per cent rise in the killing and maiming of children in the same period.

This, according to him, reflected a persistent and blatant disregard for international law by those perpetrating these violations, whether government forces or non-state armed actors, and a sense of impunity that they would not be held accountable for their actions.

“To give just one example, the UN has verified more than 8,000 grave violations against 4,247 Palestinian children and 113 Israeli children in 2023, reflecting the shocking scale and human cost of the current conflict.

“There should be no impunity for those who commit crimes against children anywhere in the world, whether they are states or armed groups, in autocracies or democracies.

“Such distinctions mean nothing to the parents of murdered children, nor should they to the institutions charged with upholding international justice.

“The statistics in the Secretary-General’s report tell their own story.’’

He, however, recalled his own experience and that the trauma experienced by children in armed conflict cannot be captured in figures alone.

“As a young boy during the Korean War, I experienced the trauma and wrenching displacement of fleeing my home during the conflict, with death and destruction all around me.

“The human suffering I witnessed as I fled my burning village with my parents continued to haunt me in the days and years to come.”

The former UN chief said one of the definitive reports on children and armed conflict was written 28 years ago by Grace Machel, the former freedom fighter and Education Minister of Mozambique who today serves as my fellow Deputy Chair of The Elders.

Her findings are as relevant today as they were when she first presented them to the General Assembly in 1996.

According to him, the situation today is a damning reflection of the collective failure of political will over the past three decades to address the issue.

But Graça Machel’s powerful report did lead to changes, not least the creation of the mandate of the Secretary-General’s Special Representative on children and armed conflict.

“All Council members, and particularly the five Permanent Members, have a responsibility to protect and support this mandate in the interests of children worldwide.

“At country level, alongside essential monitoring and reporting work, the mandate includes working with conflict parties on the steps they need to take to end violations and ensure the protection of children.

“Identifying those responsible for grave violations, as the report does through the compilation of its annual list, is the first step towards constructive engagement, action and accountability.”

In this regard, he said the inclusion of Israeli armed and security forces and Palestinian armed groups on the list is an important step in terms of seeking accountability.

“Attacks on places that are supposed to provide care and protection for children, such as schools and hospitals, are an increasing pattern in multiple conflict settings including Gaza, Ukraine, Myanmar and Sudan.

“Member states should endorse and implement the commitments outlined in ‘The Safe Schools Declaration’ which has so far garnered support from 120 states.

“All attacks on children in armed conflict constitute a grave violation of human rights, but the most inhumane are those involving sexual violence.”

Speaking anonymously and through an interpreter, the 16-year-old former child soldier called on ambassadors to reinforce protection and security in conflict zones, to ensure children like him never have to play an active part in the horrors of war.

“When I was born, 16 years ago, there were already armed conflicts in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the child began, recounting the worsening situation and how children have been the greatest victims.

“I was forced to join an armed group while I was walking to school.”

The child’s testimony highlighted the brutal realities faced by many children in conflict zones.

Two months ago, during armed attacks on two of our neighbouring villages, children were targeted for abduction and forced to join armed groups, while others were abducted to hold their families to ransom.

This led to the murder of many children whose families did not have the means to pay the ransoms demanded,” the child said, describing how schools and hospitals were attacked and used as military bases.

The child shared personal experiences of being kidnapped and forced into an armed group.

“We cried and trembled, begging them to let us go home to our families, but they wouldn’t listen.

“That’s when they started whipping us and keeping us in the bush. We were heavily guarded, and they had ordered to kill anyone who tried to flee.”

The testimonies included vivid descriptions of the hardships endured, such as being made to loot food and rob vehicles, with girls being taken as “wives” by soldiers.

“Life wasn’t rosy, because dry cassava was the main food, and I was also afraid of wild animals in the bush.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Abiemwense Moru

UN independent expert welcomes Julian Assange release

Release

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 26, 2024 (NAN) UN independent expert on torture, Ms Alice Edwards has said the release of Julian Assange is a very good outcome to the long-running case after reports that the WikiLeaks founder had struck a plea deal with the United States.

Assange had been sought by U.S. lawmakers after massive leaks of classified material via the WikiLeaks platform.

Edwards, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, said in a statement on Wednesday that people should not and never be extradited where they may face torture or other cruel treatment.

“Those crimes that were exposed by Assange need to be taken seriously and properly investigated and prosecuted in the United States,” she said.

According to her, impunity for war crimes and other violations of the laws of war only embolden actors to take matters into their own hands.

Until today, Assange had been fighting extradition from prison in the United Kingdom to the U.S. following the 2010 publication of secret military documents and diplomatic communications.

His reported deal involves a guilty plea to one count of violating the U.S. Espionage Act, without serving additional prison time.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Tuesday said his country was providing assistance to Julian Assange following the news that the Wikileaks founder agreed to plead guilty.

He agreed to plead guilty in a deal with the U.S. and that he has left the UK.

“The government is certainly aware that Australian citizen Assange has legal proceedings scheduled in the United States,’’ Albanese told Australia’s parliament during Question Time, calling the news a welcomed development.”

According to court documents filed earlier on Monday, Assange was set to plead guilty to one charge of conspiring to obtain and disclose classified U.S. national defence documents.

This was in return for being spared further imprisonment in the U.S., in a deal with the Justice Department.

Assange is expected to attend a hearing on the Pacific island of Saipan on Wednesday before returning to Australia, the court documents stated.

Saipan, part of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean south of Japan, is under U.S. administration.

The deal is still to be approved by a U.S. federal judge.

Albanese said that he would not provide “further detailed comment as the proceedings were ongoing, but did confirmed that UK High Commissioner Steven Smith travelled with Mr Assange.

He said they travelled when he left the United Kingdom, while Australia’s ambassador to the U.S., Kevin Rudd was also providing assistance.

“The case has dragged on for too long. There is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration and we want him brought home to Australia,’’ Albanese said.

“I will have more to say when these legal proceedings have concluded, which I hope will be very soon, and I will report as appropriate at that time,’’ the prime minister said.

Wikileaks said Assange left the high-security Belmarsh prison in London on bail on Monday morning and departed the UK from Stansted Airport at 5 p.m. local time (1600 GMT).

Assange was accused of having stolen and published secret material from U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan together with whistleblower Chelsea Manning, putting the lives of U.S. informants in danger.

His supporters saw the Wikileaks founder as a journalist who brought war crimes to light.

British police arrested Assange in 2019 at the Ecuadorian embassy, where he had taken refuge for seven years, for failing to surrender to an earlier warrant linked to Swedish charges that were eventually dropped.

The police swooped in after Quito revoked Assange’s asylum status. (NAN) (www.nannnew.ng)

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Trans fat elimination is attainable, WHO tells Member States

Fat

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 24, 2024 (NAN) UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed optimism that trans-fat elimination is attainable, affordable, and lifesaving.

Trans fats – or trans-fatty acids – clog arteries, increasing risk of heart attack and death.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality in the world and more than 278,000 deaths per year can be attributed to intake of industrially produced transfat, according to the health agency

Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO, in a statement on Monday, urged Member States to remain committed to their journeys toward achieving goal.

A total of 53 countries had best practices policies in place for tackling industrial trans fats in food as of  2023, vastly improving the food environment for 3.7 billion people, or 46 per cent of the world’s population, according to WHO’s report.

WHO’s report published on Monday  detailed the progress made in eliminating all trans fat.

This is significant progress compared to the  2018 figure of just six per cent, or less than half a billion people, when the ambitious target to eliminate all trans fat from the global food supply by the end of 2023 was initially set by WHO.

Given their negative health effects, the current advancements made could save approximately 183,000 lives per year.

However, progress has been unequal, with the highest remaining burden concentrated in the WHO Africa and Western Pacific Regions.

The new report summarizes country actions to ban this toxic chemical and make recommendations to achieve global trans fat elimination.

Remarkable progress has been made in every region of the world towards the WHO’s goal of total elimination of industrially produced trans fats.

The chemicals are fatty acids that can be found in many fried foods, baked goods, vegetable shortening and margarine.

In 2023 alone, new best practice policies became effective in seven countries – Egypt, Mexico, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Philippines, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

In January 2024, WHO awarded five countries the Validation Certification  for progress in eliminating industrially produced trans fat: Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

However, despite promising trends, progress has been uneven. More than four billion people around the world remain unprotected from this toxic chemical, mainly in the WHO African and Western Pacific Regions.

Implementing best practice policies in just eight additional countries would eliminate 90 per cent of the global deaths associated with this harmful ingredient.

“Beyond passing WHO-recommended best practice trans fat policies, ensuring that compliance with these policies is monitored and enforced will be critical to achieve maximized and sustained health benefits of trans fat elimination,”  Branca added.

The WHO’s new report helps to further the organisation’s efforts towards global trans fat elimination.

The report urges all countries to enact best practice policies and to better monitor and enforce these policies so that more countries may become eligible for the WHO Validation Certificate.

The WHO also calls on food manufacturers to eliminate the use of trans fats in product lines and supply chains, even where regulations are not yet in place. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Tayo Ikujuni

UN chief condemns terror attacks in Russia’s Dagestan

Attacks

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 25, 2024 (NAN) The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has condemned terror attacks against several churches and synagogues in Russia’s mainly Muslim Dagestan region, with the death toll now rising to at least 20.

Guterres, in a statement by his Spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, on Monday, conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families, the people, and the Government of Russia, wishing the injured a speedy recovery.

Gunmen using automatic weapons reportedly opened fire inside a Christian Orthodox church and synagogue in the city of Derbent on Sunday evening, killing an Orthodox priest.

In what appeared to be coordinated attacks, terrorists also shot at traffic police who were on post in the city of Makhachkala, north of the Caspian Sea, and attacked another church nearby.

There were reported gun battles around the Assumption Cathedral in the city lasting for several hours. At least 15 police officers were among the dead together with four civilians.

Authorities in Dagestan said that at least six militants were also killed following the attacks, although no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The assault came just three months after an ISIL terrorist group affiliate known as ISIS-K, carried out one of the deadliest terror attacks on Russia soil in recent years, at the Crocus City Hall, in Moscow, killing more than 140.

Russian authorities said they were investigating if so-called sleeper cells were involved in coordinating the attacks, and Dagestan has reportedly declared three days of mourning. (NAN) (www.nannnews.ng)

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113 countries yet to have woman head of state, says UN women

Women
By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 25, 2024 (NAN)  The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women has said 113 countries have never had a woman Head of State and only 26 are led by a woman today.

The UN Women, in a new figure on gender equality released on Monday, said women should be put first as many countries head to the polls in 2024.

The new data comes as the world celebrated the International Day for Women in Diplomacy, recognising the different ways women are breaking barriers and making a difference in the field of diplomacy.

“As many countries head to the polls this year, we all must put women first, at the pinnacle of power, where and when it matters the most,” UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.

As of  January 1, 2024, women make up less than a third of Cabinet ministers in 141 countries. In seven countries, there are no women represented in Cabinets at all. Meanwhile, only 23 per cent of Ministerial positions are held by women.

Women are also underrepresented as Permanent Representatives to the UN.

As of May 2024, women held 25 per cent of senior ambassador posts in New York, 35 per cent in Geneva, and 33.5 per cent in Vienna.

“Our work is guided by the belief that when women lead, the world is better for all people and the planet.

Women’s equal participation in governance and leadership is key to improving lives for all,” Bahous said.

According to her,  electing and appointing women in leadership positions signals strong political will for gender equality and demonstrates a collective commitment to tackling the challenges the world faces today.

“As we prepare to mark 30 years since the passage of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the world’s most progressive blueprint for advancing women’s rights, UN Women continues to work to ensure women lead and thrive in shaping and driving positive change, including through occupying the most senior positions of power”, she said.

NAN reports that in 1995 the Beijing conference built on political agreements reached at the three previous global conferences on women, and consolidated five decades of legal advances aimed at securing the equality of women with men in law and in practice.

It aimed at accelerating the implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women  and at removing all the obstacles to women’s active participation in all spheres of public and private life through a full and equal share in economic, social, cultural and political decision-making. (NAN) (www.nannnews.ng)

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Global foreign investment declines as geopolitical tensions rise – UNCTAD

Investment

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 21, 2024 (NAN) The UN Trade and Development Organisation (UNCTAD) has said that Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell by two per cent to 1.3 trillion dollars in 2023 amid global economic slowdown and rising geopolitical tensions.

UNCTAD said this in a statement released on Thursday.

The organisation’s 2024 World Investment Report highlighted that insufficient funding is hindering efforts to achieve its 2030 for Sustainable Development agenda, underscoring the urgent need for policies to bolster finance.

“Investment is not just about capital flows; it is about human potential, environmental stewardship and the enduring pursuit of a more equitable and sustainable world,” Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary-General of UNCTAD, said.

The report notes that the decline in FDI exceeds 10 per cent, when excluding the large swings in investment flows in a few European conduit economies, with developing countries the most affected.

According  to UNCTAD, the decrease was primarily due to rising geopolitical tensions and concerns over “greenwashing,” a marketing practice to make things seem more environmentally friendly than they actually are.

“Foreign direct investment is crucial for funding infrastructure and public services such as power and renewable energy. However, tight financing conditions in 2023 led to a 26 per cent drop in the number of FDI deals.

“This drop triggered a ten per cent decrease in investment in sectors linked to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), most notably in agrifood systems, water and sanitation.

“These sectors registered fewer internationally financed projects in 2023 than in 2015, when all countries signed up to the Goals to be achieved by 2030,” said the report.

The report further revealed that developing countries were hit the hardest.

It said these countries registered only marginal growth in sustainable bonds last year and a 60 per cent drop in financing for funds to support them.

“FDI flows to developing countries fell by seven per cent to 867 billion dollars last year, but the decrease varied across regions.

“Developing economies in Asia, home to 60 per cent of the world’s megaprojects, recorded a significant increase in greenfield FDIs – investments where a company establishes new operations or expands its existing facilities in a foreign country.

“These investments registered a 44 per cent rise in the overall value, and a 22 per cent increase in the number of such announcements,” it said.

However, the report stated that overall foreign investment flow to Asia receded, falling from about 678 billion dollars in 2022 to 621 billion dollars in 2023.

“Nevertheless, the continent, led by East and Southeast Asia, continued to be the world’s largest recipient of FDI, accounting for nearly half of global inflows.

“China and its Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) continue to be the largest investors in the region by total FDI stock, followed by the United States, Japan and Singapore,” said the report. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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WHO announces global resurgence of cholera

Cholera
By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 20, 2024 (NAN) The UN World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of this year.

The agency’s Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.

WHO, in a statement on Thursday, stated that there are no reported cases in the Western Region, according to its bulletin released on Wednesday.

The UN health agency said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) by March but was able to exceed “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”

Yet, the supply of the vaccine does not equate to its demand.

WHO reported that since January last year, 16 countries requested 92 million doses of OCV – almost double the 49 million produced during that time.

WHO, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other partners are working together to use resources to find long-term solutions for cholera.

On the positive side of health news, WHO announced on Thursday that Chad successfully eradicated “sleeping sickness” as a public health problem.

The agency applauded the Government and people of Chad for eradicating the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis, (also known as sleeping sickness).

“I congratulate the government and the people of Chad for this achievement.

“It is great to see Chad join the growing group of countries that have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD),” Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said.

In eliminating the disease, Chad joining some 50 others globally that have succeeded in this endeavour.

“The 100-country target is nearer and within reach,” Ghebreyesus, added, referring to the target set out in the road map for address neglected tropical diseases by 2030.

Sleeping sickness can cause flu-like symptoms initially but eventually causing behaviour change, confusion, sleep cycle disturbances or even coma, often leading to death.

Improved access to early diagnosis and treatment, as well as surveillance and response has proven that countries can control and eventually eliminate transmission. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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UN chief underscores transformative power of digital technologies

Cyberspace

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 21, 2024 (NAN) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday highlighted the dual-edged nature of cyberspace, stressing its potential for both immense benefits and significant risks when misused.

Guterres underscored the transformative power of digital technologies at a Security Council high-level debate on evolving threats in cyberspace, convened by the Republic of Korea, Council President for June.

“Breakthroughs in digital technologies are happening at warp speed; digital advances are revolutionising economies and societies

“They are bringing people together, providing citizens with access to government services and institutions and supercharging economies, trade and financial inclusion,” he said.

He, however, cautioned that the seamless and instant connectivity that fuels these benefits also makes people, institutions and countries vulnerable.

“The perils of weaponising digital technologies are growing by the year,” he warned.

“Malicious activity in cyberspace is on the rise by both State and non-State actors and by outright criminals.”

The UN chief warned that malicious cyber activities are on the rise, with serious cybersecurity incidents becoming “disturbingly common”.

Essential public services such as healthcare, banking and telecommunications are frequently breached, and criminal organizations and “cyber mercenaries” engage in relentless illicit activities.

Additionally, a “legion of hate merchants” is spreading fear and division online.

“So called civilian ‘hacktivists’ are entering the fray, and in many cases are blurring the line between combatants and civilians,” he said.

The integration of digital tools with weapon systems, including autonomous systems, presents new vulnerabilities, Guterres said.

The misuse of digital technology is becoming more sophisticated and stealthier, with proliferation of malware software. The threat is further amplified by artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled cyber operations.

“Ransomware is one grievous example,” the UN chief underscored, “a huge threat to public and private institutions and the critical infrastructure people depend on.”

In 2023, total ransomware payments reached $1.1 billion.

Beyond financial costs, malicious cyber activities undermine public institutions, electoral processes and online integrity, eroding trust, fuelling tensions and sowing the seeds of violence and conflict, he added.

Despite the threats, Guterres emphasised the “incredible opportunity” digital technology offers to create a more just, equal, sustainable and peaceful future.

He called for breakthroughs to be oriented toward the common good, highlighting his proposed New Agenda for Peace that places prevention at the core of all peace efforts.

“It calls for developing strong frameworks in line with international law, human rights and the UN Charter and focused efforts by all States to prevent the extension and escalation of conflicts within and through cyberspace,” he said.

“As reflected in the New Vision for the Rule of Law, the rule of law must exist in the digital sphere as it does in the physical world.”

The secretary-general, however, welcomed the General Assembly’s commitment to action, including its dedicated working group on information and communication technologies (ICT) security.

He also urged the Security Council to integrate cyber-related considerations into its workstreams and resolutions, underscoring that many issues it addresses, such as the protection of civilians, peace operations, counterterrorism and humanitarian operations, are affected by cyberspace.

“Integrating this issue into your deliberations would be a useful way to lay the groundwork for more effective responses to this important question,” he said.

Guterres further stressed the importance of the upcoming Summit of the Future, in September.

“The pact that will emerge from the summit represents a pivotal chance to support the maintenance of international peace and security in cyberspace,” he said.

Among other actions, it aims to safeguard critical infrastructure against harmful ICT practices and create enhanced accountability for data-driven technology, including AI.

“I look forward to working with this Council, the General Assembly and all Member States to ensure that technology is focused where it belongs: on the progress and security of all people and the planet we share,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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Adequate healthcare, crucial to support survivors of sexual violence – UN

Violence

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 19, 2024 (NAN) The United Nations on Wednesday commemorated the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, highlighting the vital role hospital’s play in helping survivors heal.

The UN General Assembly, in June 2015, proclaimed June 19 each year as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict,  in order to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence.

Also, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world and to pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted their lives to and lost their lives in standing up for the eradication of these crimes.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his message to mark the Day, reiterated that protecting healthcare facilities was a “fundamental tenet” of international humanitarian law, which governed the conduct of war.

“But attacks on hospitals and healthcare facilities, and the targeting of healthcare workers, can severely limit access to medical care and psychosocial support for survivors,” he said.

He also highlighted the long-term impact on women and girls, as well as men and boys.

“Women and girls who experience sexual violence may become pregnant from rape and require immediate sexual and reproductive healthcare.

“Men and boys may be at risk of increased isolation if they cannot access appropriate care.”

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), in a separate message, emphasised the devastating impacts of sexual violence, particularly in conflicts, noting that the voices of women and girl survivors “remain mutated” in decisions on peace and security or humanitarian assistance, isolating them from solutions.

“Life-saving gender-based violence services, which address the needs, rights and wishes of survivors, continue to be insufficient across countries engaged in conflicts,” the agency said.

“Survivors as well as women and girls more generally, must be engaged as leaders of humanitarian-response programming, as they are best placed to create solutions for the challenges they face,” UNFPA added, calling for greater funding for protection and support programmes.

Sexual violence in conflicts is a war crime and perpetrators must be held to account, the sexual and reproductive health agency said.

Few cases of conflict-related sexual violence are reported and even fewer investigated or prosecuted.

“Sexual violence destroys lives and violates human rights. It must not be ‘normalised’ as something that is destined to happen, something that cannot be stopped.

“We must work together to end this horror, not allow it to endlessly repeat,’’ Natalia Kanem, UNFPA Executive Director, said.

Civilians, especially vulnerable groups, are under increased threat of sexual violence and other abuses globally amid a multiplication of wars and crises that have forced a record 117 million people to flee their homes and communities.

Attacks on civilian infrastructure, such as healthcare facilities, and their use for military purposes have further deprived survivors of critical services, posing challenges for safe reporting and response.

“Hospitals and other healthcare facilities should be beacons of safety and healing for all those injured in conflict, including the survivors of sexual violence.

“On this International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, let us pledge to eliminate this scourge, stand in solidarity with survivors, and reaffirm our commitment to protecting hospitals and healthcare facilities during conflict,” Guterres said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that June 19 also marks the adoption in 2008 of Security Council resolution 1820 Security Council resolution, which condemned sexual violence as a tactic of war and an impediment to peace.

In New York, a special event was hosted by the offices of the UN special envoys on children and armed conflict and on sexual violence in conflict, along with the Permanent Mission of Argentina to the UN.

Discussions focused on attacks against healthcare in conflict-affected areas, with nations reiterating their commitment to addressing conflict-related sexual violence and supporting survivors through a dedicated trust fund.

A microsite was also produced, featuring key messages and important resources alongside a virtual exhibition on a survivor’s journey. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu

WFP increases response in Nigeria, others to address rising hunger

Hunger

By Cecilia Ologunagba

New York, June 19,  2024 (NAN) The World Food Programme (WFP) says it will increase its food and nutrition assistance programme in some countries in West and Central Africa in June.

WFP, through the programme, hopes of reaching 7.3 million people as the June-August lean season is under way at a time when hunger levels are high and food resources are low.

The programme will aid response plans of national governments in Nigeria. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

WFP, in a statement on Tuesday, stated that with the right amount of funding, WFP’s initiative can reach 12 million people, but with diminishing resources available, humanitarians working with the programme have reached fewer people than anticipated.

This comes as malnutrition in West and Central Africa is reaching alarming levels along with a projection that 55 million people will face acute hunger during the lean season.

Chris Nikoi, WFP’s Regional Director for Western Africa, said that this crisis exposes the need for “transformative solutions” to assist vulnerable families with food and other needs.

“We need to continue prioritising emergency response for those most in need,” Nikoi said.

“But, we need more investment in sustainable solutions to help strengthen food security, improve agricultural productivity and purchasing power of families at the right time and cushion economic and climate shocks.”

Many dealing with acute hunger in West and Central Africa have been left without assistance and risk having their situation worsened since funding for the programme has not kept “apace” with increasing crises in the region.

WFP said this is worrying since the 2024 seasonal forecast reveals weather that could disrupt farming and prolong the next lean season.

“The escalation of humanitarian needs far outstrips available resources,” Nikoi said. “The only way out of this cycle is to prioritise durable solutions.”

Currently, WFP said it is supporting “long-term transformative hunger solutions” and working on improving government systems that increase communities’ shock resilience via social protection and investments in inclusive food systems.

WFP programmes have helped to, among other things, restore degraded lands to food and fodder production, support children’s education, improve access to food and boost incomes across the Sahel and provide more frequent and diversified meals to civilians in Nigerian villages.

The programme said initiatives including “strengthening poor families’ purchasing power with timely shock-responsive social protection schemes need to be prioritised and expanded as a humanitarian response alone is financially not sustainable and does not address the root causes of hunger and malnutrition.” (NAN) (www.nannew.ng)

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