The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Shooting of protesters in Cali, Colombia
Marta Hurtado, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that OHCHR was deeply alarmed at developments in the city of Cali overnight, where police had opened fire on demonstrators protesting against tax reforms, reportedly killing and injuring a number of people. Its office in Colombia was verifying the exact number of casualties. The protests, most of which were peaceful, had begun on 28 April, and a massive demonstration had been called for 5 May. OHCHR called for calm and reminded the State authorities of their responsibility to protect human rights and facilitate the exercise of the right to freedom of peaceful assembly. It also stressed that law enforcement officers should abide by the principles of legality, precaution, necessity, and proportionality when policing demonstrations.
The full briefing note is available here.
In response to questions from journalists, Ms. Hurtado said the Office had received as yet unverified reports and witness accounts, including from staff in the field, of the police using excessive force and live ammunition and beating and dragging protesters, including injured ones. Prior to the latest incident, 14 people had reportedly been killed, mostly young men, and over a dozen people had suffered eye injuries as a result of the use of less lethal weapons. While the violence was concentrated in Cali, deaths had also been reported in several other localities, such as Yumbo, Tolima, Pereira and Dinamarca.
Dismissal of magistrates and the Attorney General of El Salvador
Marta Hurtado, for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, had warned of the dangers of the decision by El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly to dismiss the magistrates of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, for their ruling against the Ministry of Health’s decisions in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Attorney General for his ties to an opposition party. The separation of powers was the cornerstone of any democracy, and the weakening of that important system of checks and balances led to the erosion of the pillars of the rule of law and thus of a country's democratic system. The dismissals deepened an alarming trend towards the concentration of power, and the High Commissioner reminded all State authorities of the need to comply with their obligations under international law.
The full press release is available here.
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), recalled that the Secretary-General had also noted his concern about the situation in El Salvador, calling for constitutional provisions, the rule of law and the division of power to be respected with a view to safeguarding the progress made since the signing of the peace agreement.
Search and rescue operations in Italy
Carlotta Sami, for the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), joining from the port of Trapani in Sicily, said that more than 450 people, including 190 minors, many of whom were unaccompanied, were disembarking after six rescue operations by the NGO vessel Sea-Watch, and were among 1,500 people to have disembarked in Italy since 1 May. Most of the arrivals, who had departed from Libya on flimsy boats, originated from Mali, the Sahel, Eritrea, and North Africa and were fleeing war and indiscriminate attacks. The number arriving was just the tip of the iceberg, as millions of people were displaced within the region. So far in 2021, there had been a 170 per cent increase in arrivals to Italy. UNHCR commended Italy for keeping its ports open during the pandemic and called for urgent solidarity from other European Union members. At least 500 people were known to have lost their lives attempting the crossing – a 200 per cent increase that underscored the need to re-establish a coordinated search and rescue system in the central Mediterranean. UNHCR was on the ground to support the disembarkation process, as well as the reception system for asylum seekers. Humanitarian corridors, evacuation, resettlement and family reunification must be strengthened to provide alternatives for those who embarked on that desperate journey.
Replying to journalists, Ms. Sami said that more than 400 minors had arrived in Italy over the past few days alone. The persons interviewed by UNHCR were fleeing violence in their place of origin, not so much the coronavirus disease pandemic.
Positive steps in education in South Sudan
Mads Oyen, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Chief of field operations in South Sudan, said that schools had reopened on 3 May after more than 14 months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in what was a major step towards normalcy for which UNICEF congratulated the Government. In countries like South Sudan, going back to school was about more than learning. Schools provided safety and, often, food. UNICEF had been supporting the reopening through the provision of textbooks, drinking water, soap and face masks. It would also be helping to identify and encourage back the children, disproportionately girls, who had not returned to school.
However, the overall humanitarian situation in the country remained of grave concern. Two thirds of children needed humanitarian assistance, a record since 2013, and 1.4 million were expected to suffer from acute malnutrition. Furthermore, admissions to health-care facilities were rising on account of malaria. In addition, children were vulnerable to violence, exploitation, abuse, recruitment by armed groups, psychosocial distress and family separation.
UNICEF’s interventions were critical – thanks to its work, 95 per cent of children with acute severe malnutrition recovered – but the USD 198 million humanitarian appeal was only one-third funded. Finally, UNICEF was very concerned about the rise in violence against humanitarian workers, which had a direct impact on service delivery.
In response to questions, Mr. Oyen said it was not yet clear how many children had not returned when schools reopened, but UNICEF would be working with local teachers and its community volunteer network to follow-up with children. Unlike some other countries, there was no pattern of violence against schools or school children in South Sudan. The lack of funding would have a direct impact on child survival. Without adequate nutrition, children became less physically resilient to the major killers, namely malaria and water-borne diseases. The under-5 mortality rate in South Sudan was already among the highest in the world.
World Hand Hygiene Day
Dr. Benedetta Allegranzi, Technical Lead, Infection Prevention and Control, World Health Organization (WHO), said that WHO would be marking World Hand Hygiene Day on 5 May through its annual campaign “Save Lives: Clean Your Hands”. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, good hand hygiene practices were tremendously important to prevent the risk of transmission. Effective hand hygiene also prevented infections acquired in health-care settings, as well as the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The role of policymakers and facility managers was critical in making the right decisions and investments to create a well-equipped environment and support culture change. Recent WHO data – to be released on 5 May – revealed that those decisions and investments were particularly necessary in low- and middle-income countries, none of which met minimum international standards on hand hygiene and infection prevention and control. Hand hygiene compliance rarely exceeded 60-70 per cent in high-income countries either. To help bridge those gaps, the 2021 campaign focused on achieving effective hand hygiene at the point of care. There were highly effective and cost-saving strategies that could lead to significant improvement in compliance with hand hygiene best practices and to lower infection and antimicrobial resistance spread during health-care delivery.
Replying to journalists, Dr. Allegranzi said that tremendous efforts, including on the part of Governments, had been made in various sectors across the globe since 2020, leading to improvements in access to water and hand hygiene infrastructure and to behavioural change in the community.
WHO announcements
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said the Technical Advisory Group for Emergency Use Listing (TAG-EUL) was still deliberating on the Sinopharm vaccine. As soon as a decision was taken in that regard, the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on immunization would hold a briefing, which was tentatively scheduled for noon on 6 May. The TAG-EUL deliberations on the Sinovac vaccine were set to begin on 5 May.
In response to journalists, Mr. Lindmeier said that, as the deliberations were ongoing, new requests for clarification tended to arise, thereby making it difficult to know how long deliberations would last. Unlike the process for the Moderna vaccine, it had been deemed more logical to have SAGE brief on the proper use of the vaccine after it had been found usable. The issue of vaccination cards and their use as a condition for travel and other activities was tricky, as they presented a risk of forgery and stigmatization, among others. He directed journalists to recent statements by the WHO Director-General in that regard.
Mr. Lindmeier announced that the joint report on the global shortage of midwives was under embargo until 12.01 a.m. on 5 May and that the report on global sodium benchmarks was under embargo until 12.30 p.m. on 5 May.
Announcements
Tomson Phiri, for the World Food Programme (WFP), said that WFP, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), would be holding a virtual press conference on 6 May, at 10 a.m., to launch the Global Report on Food Crises 2021. Speakers would be: Dominique Burgeon, Director, FAO Liaison Office in Geneva and Director in charge of FAO Office of Emergencies and Resilience; Annalisa Conte, Director of the World Food Programme (WFP) Geneva office; Arif Husain, Chief Economist and Director of Research, Assessment and Monitoring, United Nations World Food Programme (WFP); and Luca Russo, Senior Food Crises Analyst and Strategic Advisor on Resilience, United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), on behalf of the Human Rights Council, said that the thirty-eighth session of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review had begun on 3 May with the reviews of Namibia and the Niger. Today, the Working Group would be reviewing the human rights records of Mozambique and Estonia.
He also said the Committee on Enforced Disappearances would close its twentieth session on Friday, 7 May, at 4 p.m.
Lastly, he said that the second part of the 2021 session of the Conference on Disarmament would officially begin on Monday, 10 May. The Conference planned to hold public plenary meetings on 11 May and 12 May for a thematic debate on the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNFPA , UNHCR , UNOPS , WHO
UN Geneva briefing: Yemen crisis worsens, urgent aid needed across multiple sectors.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Press conference on the latest report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the UN Human Rights Council
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
Victims Still Waiting: A Global Briefing on Transitional Justice Around the World
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | WMO
As world’s water reserves change, countries must prepare for a new reality: WMO
New data showing that rivers were at their lowest level for decades last year provides further evidence that the climate crisis is real and countries must act immediately to protect themselves from the increasing threat to communities and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
The key findings from WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025 report covering the hydrological cycle and extreme events in the five-year period to last year:
- 2025 was one of driest years for river discharge in 35 years
- Past seven years have seen abnorfmal river flows
- Water storage on Earth’s land surface has decreased in past decade
- Widespread glacier loss across all regions for fourth consecutive year
- Asia and Africa are regions most affected by water-related disasters
- Water data availability has improved, but gaps remain in hard-hit areas
Highlighting the long-term decline in the Earth’s freshwater storage and glacier melt, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo explained that the planet’s water reserves used to act as a planetary “savings account” that absorbed the occasional dry season, avoiding a water crisis. “One of the central stories of the 2025 report is what is happening to that savings account? And the simple answer is that we are depleting it,” she told journalists in Geneva.
Groundwater reserves are equally stretched and have been in decline since 2014, WMO’s report states, with nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showing levels lower than the historical norm and indicating a shift “further toward deficit…not recovery”.
“At the same time, we are seeing more water-related disasters,” Ms. Saulo said, while also stressing that the currently strengthening El Niño “will increase the risk of drought in some areas, and flooding in others”.
Glaciers disappearing
In 2025, for the fourth consecutive year, every major glaciated region on Earth lost ice mass, leading to short-term hazards including floods and long-term water insecurity, according to WMO.
Responding to a question about whether the changing global water cycle might have contributed to the deadly Nepal-China flooding disaster, Ms. Saulo explained that melting ice and rock was just one factor in the chain of events that ultimately sent a massive and deadly wall of water and debris downstream on 26 August, killing at least 1,367 people.
“You asked if it could happen again? Absolutely; the problem in this region is that there’s 63,700 glaciers at the last count,” she told a Press Conference in Geneva. “Even if you’re looking with remote sensing with satellites at these glaciers, you might see some faults, you might see some slight shifting, that does not mean necessarily catastrophic collapse. So, in order to plan for this, it’s very, very difficult. But the international community is looking very hard at ways in which we can bring people together to solve some of these monitoring issues.”
Data indicates that glaciers shrank between 2023 and 2025 with cumulative losses of 1,400 gigatonnes of water – or about one third of annual fresh water needs.
Every major glacier region on Earth lost ice for the fourth consecutive year.
“All 19 glacier regions around the globe lost ice; in Central Asia, Iceland, the Russian Arctic and western Canada and the United States, it was among the three worst years on record,” said Wayne Jenkinson, WMO’s Director of Hydrology and Cryosphere.
Some regions with smaller glaciers such as Central Europe, the Caucasus, the western Canada and the United States may already have reached “peak water”, Mr. Jenkinson warned.
“After this point, the glacier gives less meltwater each year simply because there is less ice left to melt. That matters for every community downstream that relies on water during hot, dry summers,” he explained.
Narelle van der Wel, WMO’s Head of Cryosphere Monitoring, Predictions and Services, stressed that while some further glacier loss is unavoidable, the eventual scale of the decline is not predetermined.
“Some glacier loss is inevitable, but total loss of glaciers is not yet inevitable,” she said, pointing to emissions reductions as central to limiting future losses.
Preparing for moving baselines
The report does not attribute every observed change to climate change alone. WMO says pressure on water resources and natural variability also contribute.
Mr. Jenkinson said governments need to prepare for “moving baselines” as historical patterns become less reliable.
“The situation 30 years ago is not where we are today,” he said. Countries, he added, need to prepare “for those changes that have really already arrived”.
ends
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WMO , OCHA , WHO , UNICEF , UN WOMEN , OHCHR , IOM , UNHCR
Update on Ebola from WHO and OCHA, update on the situation of children with the beginning of school in Ukraine from UNICEF, UN Women on the impact of the settlers and restrictions on women and girls in West Bank, OHCHR on the recovery of extensive human remains in Gaza, IOM and UNHCR on the new wave of displacement in Yemen
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WFP
‘Super El Niño’ and converging crises worsen hunger in South Sudan and across the region - WFP
South Sudan’s hunger crisis is becoming increasingly catastrophic as violence, extreme weather and dwindling aid leave millions without enough food, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Update on the human rights situation in Belarus by the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Update on the human rights situation in Syria by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNOG , IOM , UN WOMEN , UNCTAD , WHO , UNECE
IOM Yemen's Western Coast displacement; UN WOMEN on Gaza; UNCTAD Strait of Hormuz disruptions impacts; WHO Ebola logistics in DRC; WHO smoking and infertility; UNECE Data centres and energy.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNITAR , WMO
UNITAR: GA resolution on the merger of the United Nations System Staff College into the United Nations Institute for Training and Research; WMO: Air Quality and Climate Bulletin released; WHO: Ukraine update
2
2
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO
Powerful El Niño heightens extreme-weather risks through 2027, as countries brace for impact - WMO
Fuelled by extraordinarily warm waters across the tropical Pacific Ocean, the El Niño climate pattern is expected to intensify in the coming months. Forecasters are almost certain that it will persist through February next year, with unusually warm conditions expected across the globe.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , UN WOMEN , WFP , WHO , WMO , OCHA
UN WOMEN/IFRC: Update on the impact of the floods in Nepal, WFP: Food assistance in the West Bank, WHO: Gaza’s rehabilitation needs and continued spread of diseases