UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING

30 August 2024

Jens Laerke, Deputy Spokesperson of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the spokespersons and representatives of the World Health Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations Refugee Agency, and the International Labour Organization.

Health situation in Gaza

Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) representative for the occupied Palestinian territories, speaking from Gaza, provided an update on the polio campaign and the overall health situation. A two-round polio vaccination campaign was set to commence in the Gaza Strip on 1 September; two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) would be administered to more than 640,000 children under the age of ten across the enclave. The Palestinian Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, UNRWA, and partners were now finalizing preparations to start the campaign this coming weekend. Some 1.26 million doses of vaccines had been delivered to Gaza along with 500 vaccine carriers, with 400,000 additional doses arriving soon. Over 2,180 community outreach and health workers had been trained to provide vaccinations and inform communities about the campaign. At least 90 percent vaccination coverage during each round of the campaign would be needed to stop the polio outbreak in Gaza and to prevent an international spread, explained Dr. Peeperkorn. WHO welcomed area-specific humanitarian pauses and appealed to all parties to halt the fighting so all children under ten could be reached. The campaign would be delivered in stages, over three days each, covering three different areas of Gaza. Vaccination coverage was to be monitored and analyzed every day, and vaccination drives would be extended by one day if necessary. Over 2,180 workers were ready to support the campaign, with 392 fixed points and almost 300 mobile teams. The security for this massive operation was of paramount importance, and all parties were urged to ensure protection of health facilities, staff, and children.

Turning to the overall health situation, Dr. Peeperkorn said that 17 out of the 36 hospitals in Gaza were partially functional; five field hospitals were partially functional, and four fully functional, which was absolutely inadequate for the scope of needs. In recent weeks, out of the six missions planned by the WHO to bring fuel to the north of Gaza, only two had been approved. Dr. Peeperkorn provided examples of hospitals operating at limited capacity due to the lack of fuel, dearth of staff, and the damages endured over the almost 11 months of fighting. Over time, informed Dr. Peeperkorn, more than a million cases of acute upper respiratory infections had been recorded, over 600,000 cases of diarrheal diseases, along with 105,000 cases of scabies, 70,000 cases of skin diseases, and over 105,000 Hepatitis A, all related to the horrible water and sanitation conditions throughout Gaza. These numbers were all likely to be underreported, said Dr. Peeperkorn.

Responding to questions from the media, Dr. Peeperkorn said that the vaccination campaign would be feasible if the necessary conditions were created, including humanitarian pauses. At the end of every day, analysis would have to be made to see how the campaign was progressing so that necessary adjustments would be made. If after the three days of the campaign, the coverage in the area was estimated to be too low, an additional day would be added. Risk communications would have to be completely clear, he stressed. Dr. Peeperkorn reminded that over the past year, health surveillance across Gaza had deteriorated. In Gaza, routine immunizations were generally well received, and vaccination coverage usually stood at over 90 percent. He said that the agreements to conduct the campaign were in place, and the WHO expected all parties to stick to them. Dr. Peeperkorn further specified that the campaign would last for three consecutive days per zone, with an additional day added if needed; once the campaign was completed in one zone, it would move to the next one. In four weeks’ time, the second phase of the campaign would be undertaken. Based on the lessons from the first phase, adjustments would be made for the second phase, said Dr. Peeperkorn. He stressed that the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) vaccines were safe and effective, and had been used on over 40 million children across the world. Speaking on the situation in the West Bank, he emphasized the importance of unimpeded access to health facilities, and the protection of health facilities, ambulances, and medical workers, in accordance with international humanitarian law.

Addressing questions from the media on recent Israeli raids in the West Bank, Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the OHCHR was extremely concerned about the situation, which was already catastrophic and could deteriorate further. The occupied West Bank had for a long time witnessed impunity for settler and IDF violence; there had been very little accountability for victims of numerous violations, encouraging further conduct of such violations. The ongoing raids had caused damage to some vital infrastructure. OHCHR once again reminded Israel, as the occupying power, to respect international law and to independently and impartially investigate all unlawful killings.

Report on human rights violations in Tarhuna, Libya

Seif Magango, a new member of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesperson team in Geneva, said that a new UN report warned that the continued lack of accountability and years of impunity enjoyed by those behind the human rights violations and abuses committed in the Libyan city of Tarhuna between 2013 and 2022 risked fuelling more instability and further division in the country. The report by the Human Rights Service of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the OHCHR described how the Al-Kaniyat, an armed element which had emerged in 2011, later exercised brutal control over Tarhuna, a city of some 150,000 people 90 km southeast of Tripoli. The report detailed killings, disappearances, sexual violence, abductions, torture, ill-treatment, forced displacement and other gross human rights violations and abuses, as well as serious violations of international humanitarian law committed by the Al-Kaniyat between 2013 and 2022.

“Years have passed since these terrible violations were committed, but the perpetrators have still not been brought to justice, nor have truth, justice or reparations been delivered to victims and their families,” said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk. “The impunity must end – there must be accountability in accordance with international due process and fair trial standards.” The report recommended a comprehensive transitional justice and reconciliation process, with meaningful truth-seeking measures and effective reparations for victims – including legal aid and mental health support and guarantees of non-repetition, designed in consultation with those directly affected. It also calls for robust accountability measures, through investigations and prosecutions of alleged perpetrators in line with international standards.

OHCHR press release is available here, while the full report can be accessed here.

UN Human Rights Office visit to Bangladesh

Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), stated that an advance team had been in Bangladesh from 22 to 29 August, meeting with student leaders of the recent protests, many of whom had been detained or injured in recent weeks, as well as a wide range of advisors in the Interim Government, the Chief Justice, senior officers of the police and armed forces, lawyers, journalists and human rights defenders, representatives of political parties, and minority and indigenous communities. In these meetings, the team had discussed the modalities for an investigation into human rights violations and abuses in the context of the recent violence and unrest, as requested by the Interim Government. It had also discussed wider areas – including civic space, the need for truth, justice, healing, reparation and reconciliation, and other human rights approaches to the reform process – in which the OHCHR could provide sustained support.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk had received an official invitation from the Chief Advisor, Muhammad Yunus, to conduct an impartial and independent fact-finding mission into human rights violations committed between 1 July and 15 August. The Office would deploy a fact-finding team to Bangladesh in the coming weeks, with a view to reporting on violations and abuses perpetrated during the protests, analysing root causes, and making recommendations to advance justice and accountability and for longer-term reforms. The team had received commitments from the Interim Government and security forces for full cooperation in this work. The High Commissioner warmly welcomed the announcement of Bangladesh’s accession to the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, and the establishment of a five-member national commission of inquiry to determine the whereabouts of individuals forcibly disappeared allegedly by law enforcement agencies.

OHCHR press release can be found here.

Conviction of journalists in Hong Kong

Responding to a question on the conviction of two journalists in Hong Kong on sedition charges, Ravina Shamdasani, for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that the OHCHR expressed regret over these developments and called on the authorities to review these decisions in line with Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s obligations under international law.

Needs grow for millions displaced in Yemen

Mysa Khalaf, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Yemen, speaking from Sana'a, warned that millions of displaced Yemenis faced worsening conditions as Yemen’s prolonged crisis deepened. UNHCR’s Internally Displaced Persons Protection Monitoring Update, issued this week, revealed a grim picture of the conditions affecting Yemen’s displaced and host communities. The data, collected from over 47,000 households in the first half of 2024, offered insights into the struggles of internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees and host community members. Among these households, a significant number resided in formal and informal IDP sites, reflecting the ongoing displacement crisis.

Away from the world’s headlines, UNHCR feared that the situation was deteriorating. The report showed that 85 per cent of these families were unable to meet their daily food needs. Many had resorted to extreme coping mechanisms, like reducing meal sizes or skipping meals altogether. These statistics represented the harsh reality where entire families were facing hunger every day. Another critical but overlooked issue was the widespread lack of civil documentation among displaced families. Over 51 per cent of families surveyed had at least one child without a birth certificate, and 70 per cent had family members without national identity cards. Without these crucial documents, families were cut off from accessing essential services, education, and their fundamental rights, exacerbating their vulnerability and hindering their ability to rebuild their lives.

Ms. Khalaf stressed that more systematic and sustained global support was needed for countries like Yemen, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, which was also among the least prepared to mitigate or adapt to the impacts of extreme weather conditions and disasters fueled by climate change, as these become more frequent. As of 31 July, the UNHCR’s country appeal for $354 million had been just 21 per cent funded, leaving critical areas like protection and shelter severely underfunded. UNHCR appealed to the international community to strengthen its support and solidarity with the people of Yemen.

Full UNHCR statement is available here.

Answering questions from the media, Ms. Khalaf stated that 4.5 million people remained displaced over 2,300 formal and informal IDP sites. UNHCR was working with the local authorities and the Yemeni Red Crescent Society, who were the first responders. UNHCR prioritized the security of its staff and humanitarian partners, who had a network across the country.

Also in reply to questions, Jens Laerke, speaking on behalf of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS),), reminded of the 19 August statement by the Secretary-General, in which he had expressed deep concern about the wellbeing of UN staff and other who remained in Houthi detention, and appealed for their release.

UN releases US$100 million to support 10 underfunded humanitarian crises

Jens Laerke, for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), informed that today the United Nations had released US$100 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to address critical underfunding of humanitarian emergencies across ten countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. More than one third of this new funding from CERF, which is managed by OCHA, was going to support aid operations in Yemen ($20 million) and Ethiopia ($15 million), where people were grappling with the combined impact of hunger, displacement, diseases and climate disasters. The new funding package would also support humanitarian operations in countries beset by years of conflict and displacement, exacerbated by climate shocks and stresses: Myanmar ($12 million), Mali ($11 million), Burkina Faso ($10 million), Haiti ($9 million), Cameroon ($7 million), and Mozambique ($7 million). Countries responding to El Niño-induced drought and flooding, such as Burundi ($5 million) and Malawi ($4 million), were also included.

“In far too many humanitarian emergencies, a lack of funding prevents aid agencies from reaching people who need life-saving assistance, and that is heart-wrenching,” said Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “CERF funding is an emergency cash injection of last resort to avert the worst and save lives when other humanitarian funding is inadequate. We urgently need increased and sustained donor attention to these underfunded crises.”

More details are available here.

Announcements

Jens Laerke, speaking on behalf of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that 31 August would be the International Day for People of African Descent, which coincided with the ending of the International Decade for People of African Descent. Secretary-General’s message on this occasion had been distributed.

Mr. Laerke further said that today, at 2 pm, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) would hold a hybrid press conference to present its annual Air Quality and Climate Bulletin, under embargo till 6 September, the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies. Lorenzo Labrador, scientific officer at the WMO, would be the speaker.

Isabel Piquer Hubert, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), said that on 4 August at 10:30 am, the ILO would launch the “World Employment and Social Outlook: September 2024 update” report. Speakers would be Celeste Drake, ILO Deputy Director-General, and Steven Kapsos, Head of the Data Production and Analysis Unit, ILO. This report would provide an analysis of the latest global labour market trends, focusing on the evolving relationship between labour and capital income, challenges facing youth in the current job market, and progress towards key Sustainable Development Goals. The update offered insights beyond headline figures, examining critical factors shaping employment and social conditions worldwide. The report would be under embargo until 11:30 am on 4 September.

Mr. Laerke said that on 6 September at 9:15 am, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for Sudan would launch its first investigative report. Speakers would be Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission, and its expert members Joy Ngozi Ezeilo and Mona Rishmawi.

Mr. Laerke informed that the the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities would have an informal meeting with States Parties on 5 September, at 11:30 am, would close its 31^st session at 3 pm the same day, and issue concluding observations on the nine countries reviewed during this session.

The Committee on the Rights of the Child was reviewing today the report of Mexico.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ILO - Isabel Piquer Hubert
- Launch of the next ILO World Employment and Socal Outlook report.

TOPICS

WHO - Margaret Harris with Dr Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the occupied Palestinian territories (from Jerusalem)
- Update on the health situation in Gaza

• OHCHR - Seig Magango, UN Human Rights Office spokesperson
  - Libya: Report on human rights violations in Tarhuna
  
  OHCJHR - Ravina Shamdasani
  - Bangladesh: Update on UN Human Rights visit
  
  
• UNHCR - Mysa Khalaf, UNHCR Spokesperson in Yemen (From Sana)
  - Yemen: Needs grow for millions displaced amid catastrophic flooding and prolonged humanitarian emergency
  
  
• OCHA - Jens Laerke
  - UN releases US$100 million to support 10 underfunded humanitarian crises (OCHA)