PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE

22 November 2024

Alessandra Vellucci of the United Nations Information Service (UNIS) in Geneva, chaired the hybrid briefing, attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Health Organization, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of the Red Cross, the International Labour Organization and the United Nations Trade and Development.

2024 is already humanitarians’ deadliest year on record

Jens Laerke, for the United Nations Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said before the year was over, 2024 had become the deadliest year on record for humanitarian personnel worldwide. The deaths of 281 humanitarian workers had already been recorded this year, surpassing the record from the whole of last year, which at 280, had been a record. The war in Gaza was driving up numbers; since 7 October last year, at least 333 aid workers had been killed in Gaza alone. But threats to aid workers extended beyond Gaza, with high levels of violence, kidnappings, injuries, harassment, and arbitrary detention being reported in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen, among other countries.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, had decried that aid workers were being killed at an unprecedented rate. He called on states and parties to conflict to protect humanitarians, uphold international law, prosecute those responsible and to call time on the era of impunity. Six months ago, the Security Council adopted Resolution 27/30 which mandated the Secretary-General to recommend measures to prevent and respond to such incidents, enhance accountability, and improve protection for humanitarian personnel and their assets. These recommendations would be presented at a Security Council Meeting on the 26^th of November. These numbers would send shockwaves around the humanitarian community; most deaths were national staff working for the United Nations, non-governmental organizations, and the Red Crescent and Red Cross movement. Of the 281 people killed this year, 268 were national staff. They were colleagues and friends to many, working selflessly and courageously in places like Gaza, Sudan, Lebanon, and Ukraine, and in return being killed in record numbers.

Responding to questions, Mr. Laerke said 2024 referred to the calendar year of 2024, where 281 aid workers were killed. The numbers in Gaza were from 7 October last year; these were different timelines. Of the 333 aid workers killed in Gaza, 243 were United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) staff.

Mr. Laerke reiterated that of the 281 humanitarian workers killed this year, 13 were international staff and 268 were national staff. Some of the reports were still being thoroughly verified. He recounted Tom Fletcher’s request to call time on impunity; there were not a lot of prosecutions of these incidents, which was unacceptable. It was important to highlight that last year’s record had already been passed, and 2024 was not yet over. A press release would be sent to the media, which had access to the Aid Worker Security Database, for further figures.

Responding to questions, Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Services (UNIS), said the UN were aware of the warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against two Israeli officials and a Hamas member. The Secretary-General respected the work and independence of the court. There were guidelines on the relationship between the ICC and the UN. Member states part of the court had the responsibility to take action. The fundamental problem was accountability; when there were violations of international humanitarian law, or human rights law, the perpetrators needed to be brought to justice.

Responding to further questions, Ms. Vellucci said the High Commissioner for Human Rights had been extremely clear about violations of human rights and accountability in their latest report on Gaza. Mr. Laerke said the numbers announced today defied comprehension. The killing of aid workers could amount to war crimes. The competent judicial system would decide this. It needed to be clear that when this happened, there were consequences and actions were taken. These were frontline workers being killed; this was outrageous and should hopefully make people sit up and take notice.

Ms. Vellucci said the request for accountability had been strongly expressed by the Secretary-General. This was exemplified on World Humanitarian Day, where the Secretary-General had mentioned places where UN staff were being attacked and killed, demanding governments to put pressure on all parities to conflicts to protect humanitarian workers and civilians, and to demand an end to impunity so that perpetrators faced justice.

Mr. Laerke clarified that the figure of 281 were aid workers killed this year from across the world.

Update on the situation in Lebanon

Health situation in Lebanon: Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, World Health Organization (WHO) Lebanon Representative, speaking from Beirut, said close to one million people were displaced within Lebanon’s borders, or one in five, while nearly 600,000 people had crossed the border into Syria. Reflecting the severity of the situation was the civilian death toll, which included more than 230 children. As of 20 November, there had been nearly 3,600 confirmed deaths and more than 15,000 injured. One in 10 hospitals had ceased operations or been forced to reduce services. WHO was distributing first aid to the displaced in more than 1,000 collective shelters across the country and was ensuring health facilities and pharmacies were stocked with life-saving medicine, while blood banks were provided with critical supplies. WHO was training frontline health workers in mass casualty management, with 15 International Emergency Medical Teams in the country. Nearly 230 health workers had been killed in Lebanon since 8 October last year, with 47 percent of attacks on health care proving fatal to at least one health worker or patient; a higher percentage than in any other active conflict. Depriving civilians of access to care and targeting health providers was a breach of international humanitarian law. Attacks on health care hit twice; when health workers lost their life, and then when those who needed healthcare couldn’t receive it. The figures from Lebanon revealed a worrying pattern.

Lebanon-Syria humanitarian and displacement crisis: Ivo Freijsen, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Lebanon, speaking from Lebanon, said in recent weeks, Israel had intensified its airstrikes and ground incursions, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe affecting civilians. The past few weeks had been the deadliest and most devastating for Lebanon and its people in decades. The situation was unpredictable, which was leading to intense anxiety, fear and frustration. UNHCR called for a ceasefire to stop the violence and spare the people of Lebanon long-lasting pain. UNHCHR was concerned about the winter and had launched a huge collective effort to create better conditions for the displaced. UNHCR had been a leader in delivering essential aid since October 23, reaching 450,000 people, providing blankets, warm clothes, and heaters. The Agency had also supported a network of 44 health facilities across the countries while providing lifesaving equipment, including trauma kits. Currently, there were only half the funds needed to respond to the growing needs. UNHCR strongly urged the international community to stand by its commitments in Paris and elsewhere and provide much needed funding to help all those impacted by the crisis.

Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Syria, speaking from Damascus, said there were an estimated 560,000 persons who had arrived in Syria since the 24^th of September. For context, in the period between 2017 and the 23^rd of September 2024, about 400,000 Syrians returned to Syria. 400,000 had now retuned in a period of around seven weeks. These arrivals were putting immense pressure on the country. The vast majority were being hosted by relatives and friends across Syria. Given the poverty of those hosting them, coupled with the severe underfunding of the humanitarian response, it was unclear how long this generosity would continue. At the borders, Lebanese families were beginning to take the difficult and life-threatening decision to return to Lebanon. Unless there was a real injection of international support, the number of those choosing to return to extraordinarily difficult circumstances, could grow. There were also a small number of Syrians trying to return to Lebanon, due to the dire economic conditions in Syria.

Unless humanitarian and early recovery activities could be stepped up, tensions and frictions could begin to emerge between Syrians who had never left Syria, and those who arrived after the 24^th of September, as well as between Syrians and Lebanese. There was still a possibility to prevent this if donors provided the opportunity for UNCHR to scale up their response. Recently, there had been a decrease in arrivals, and it was clear that the bombing from the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) at border crossings had a major effect in reducing numbers of fleeing people. Syrians and Lebanese feared using these escape routes. UNHCR further appealed to the IDF to stop these unacceptable attacks. The key role of UNCHR had shifted form the provision of material assistance, to critical protection work. Legal staff were working to facilitate the safe entry of Syrians and Lebanese.

IFRC support to people fleeing Lebanon to Syria: Ramzi Saliba, International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), Operations Manager in Syria, speaking from Damascus, said since the escalation of the conflict in Lebanon, around 560,000 people had travelled to Syria in search of refuge. Thousands of people were crossing the borders on foot, including children, the elderly and those with disabilities, making the situation even more challenging. This was a population under extreme duress, and the Syrian Crescent volunteers had shown so much empathy, distributing aid, food, providing legal support, medical checkups, and facilitating access to sanitation, shelter and transportation. They were an exceptional example of humanity, and their role highlighted their importance to Syria. During the first weeks of the escalations, the IFRC, together with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, had taken additional steps to protect families. Volunteers had handed out identification bracelets to children to try and prevent them being separated from their parents and many children had been reunited with their families this way.

It was heartbreaking that for most, this was not the first time that they had been displaced, which encapsulated the tragedy of the whole region. The needs remained immense. After more than ten years of conflict, severe economic crisis, and the 2023 earthquake, the financial means of many host communities were limited. The strain was also being compounded by the arrival of winter. IFRC were making plans to combat the cold weather, but these were hindered by a lack of funding, high fuel prices, power shortages, and the general lack of economic access to essential goods. The IFRC needed international solidarity and financial support for the currently severely underfunded Middle East crisis emergency appeal, so that both the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the Lebanese Red Cross could continue their lifesaving work.

Tommaso Della Longa, Spokesperson for the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), said protection of humanitarian workers in Lebanon was more crucial than ever; Lebanese Red Cross volunteers had sustained injuries, and 14 vehicles had been damaged which was completely unacceptable. Mr. Della Longa called on all parties to provide safe and unhindered access to medical teams in Lebanon and Gaza.

Responding to questions, Gonzalo Vargas Llosa, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative in Syria, said the Government in Syria did not call Lebanese refugees; they called them brothers and sisters. They had treated them in a humane and generous manner, opening the borders, giving them legal permits and free access to health and education. 95 percent of Lebanese were staying in homes. This showed the extraordinary generosity of the people of Syria towards the Lebanese. UNHCR used the terminology of refugees to describe these people.

Responding to questions, Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, World Health Organization (WHO) Lebanon Representative, said there had been 126 attacks on health care in 2024, resulting in 223 deaths of health care workers, and 183 injuries. There were 137 healthcare attacks since October 7, 2023 resulting in 226 deaths and 199 injuries in total. Almost 70 percent of deaths had occurred in September, October and November of this year.

Responding to questions, Ramzi Saliba, International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC), Operations Manager in Syria, said the border crossings were chaotic and children were sometimes separated from their families. The Syrian Red Crescent had protection teams set up at the border, and they had become a symbol of safety. Identification bracelets had enabled 180 children to be reunited with their parents at the border, since September.

Responding to further questions, Mr. Vargas Llosa said there were around 560,000 people who had arrived in Syria since 24 September; 64 percent of them were Syrians and 35 percent of Lebanese. The majority of Lebanese were staying in homes, with a small number who had been able to rent, and a minority of around 7000-8000 were being accommodated in Government hosting centres. Very small numbers of Lebanese were returning to Lebanon due to the disastrous economic situation in Syria. There were also small numbers of Syrians returning to Lebanon for the same reason. International support was needed to ensure these small trends did not grow.

Responding to questions, Margaret Harris, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO did not assign blame for attacks to help facilities; they verified when an attack occurred and reported it but left it to other bodies to identify who was responsible.

Responding to further questions, Dr. Abubakar said the 226 figure was purely healthcare workers. In Lebanon, more ambulances were being targeted on the frontline. This meant there were between three to five paramedics being killed, which accounted for the high number of deaths of health care workers. The majority of health care workers killed were related to ambulances and transport.

Launch of the ILO Global Wage Report on 28 November

Isabel Piquer Hubert, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), said the International Labour Organization (ILO) would release its latest Global Wage Report on Thursday, November 28, which offered a comprehensive analysis of wage trends worldwide. It explored whether wages were keeping pace with inflation and exposed widening wage gaps within and between countries. The report also tracked inequality trends since the start of the 21st century, offering a global view of how these changes were shaping economies and affecting workers. ILO Director-General Gilbert H. Houngbo and Wage Specialist Rosalía Vázquez-Alvarez would present the findings in an online press briefing on 28 November at 10:30 a.m. Geneva time. A media advisory would be sent shortly.

Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Financing for Development

Catherine Huissoud, for the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), said the objective of next week’s UNCTAD meeting of intergovernmental experts, was to examine the cost of financing development to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The forum, which would be held from 25 to 27 November, at the Palais des Nations, in Room XVII, promoted dialogue on the complexities of development financing, and on the associated costs for developing countries. The meeting was part of the discussions leading up to the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, to be held in Seville, Spain, in June 2025. There would be many topics discussed, including the impact sovereign rating agencies' ratings had on development financing. To follow online, media needed to register via the distributed link.

Other announcements

Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), speaking on behalf of the Human Rights Council, said the UN Forum on Business and Human Rights would start on Monday 25 at the Palais des Nations, finishing on Wednesday 27 November 2024. The theme for the meeting was “Realizing the Smart mix of Measures to Protect Human Rights in the Context of Business Activity.” The UN Forum on Minority Rights would then be held from Thursday November 28 to Friday November 29.

Ms. Vellucci said that on Tuesday, 26 November at 2 p.m, UNAIDS would launch the World AIDS Day Report 2024. Speakers included: Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, UNAIDS; Axel Bautista, Community Engagement Manager, MPact; Alexandra Calmy, Head of HIV Services, Geneva University Hospitals; and Jeanne Gapiya-Niyonzima, Chair of the National Association for Support for HIV+ people living with AIDS.

On Wednesday, 27 November at 11 a.m, FAO were launching their State of Agricultural Commodity Markets 2024, which was under embargo until 29 November 2024 at 1.30 p.m. CET. Speakers included: George Rapsomanikis, FAO Senior Economist, Lead author; Nancy Aburto, FAO Deputy Director of the Food and Nutrition Division; and Andrea Zimmermann, FAO Economist.

Ms. Vellucci concluded, stating that the Committee Against Torture was closing its 81st session this morning. The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination would open its 114th session on Monday 25 November, at 10am, during which it would review the reports of Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Monaco, Armenia, Greece, and Kenya.