Good morning, everyone. Welcome to this press briefing today.
long agenda with a lot of important topics. We'll get into that.
First. We have a brief announcement from ILO
that I would like to just take up here at the top. So if we can go to
for your announcement. Thank you.
So, um, the international Labour Organisation,
it's going to publish its World Employment
and Social Outlook September update
next Wednesday, Uh, the Fourth of September.
Uh, the report provides an analysis of the latest global labour market trend. In
it focuses on the evolving relationship between labour and capital income
challenges facing youth in the current job market
towards key sustainable development goal goals as the 2030 deadline approaches.
Um, so for there will be a a press briefing, uh, next, uh,
Wednesday with Celeste Drake, the ILO.
Deputy director General, and, uh, Steven
Uh uh, responsible for the reports. Uh, the briefing will be at 1030 from 1030 to 1130
it will be under embargo until 1130. Thank you.
Thank you very much. Let me just see if there are any questions to that announcement.
Doesn't seem to be the case, so thank you very much for that, Isabel.
Now let's go to World Health Organisation
and we have with us from Jerusalem. Rick
porn, whom you know Well, because he's briefed here on many occasions, the
representative for the occupied Palestinian
territory. We also have Margaret Online for any questions.
But I believe we can go directly
So over to you, for your briefing. Thank you.
actually, I'm not in Jerusalem. I'm in Gaza. Greetings from Gaza.
I'm at the WHO office in, uh,
So I wanna update actually on on on two
key areas. One, an update on the polio campaign. The,
uh, the the polio campaign, Uh, which is set to begin on the first of September,
and then I want to give you a bit of a general update on health.
So, first of all, on on polio, a
two round polio vaccination campaign
and during each round of the campaign The Palestinian Ministry of
Health in global elaboration with the World Health Organisation UNICEF uh,
and Partners will provide two drops of novel oral polio vaccine type two
NO PV two, as we call it, two more than 640,000 Children under 10 years of age.
So it's, um, the ministry, uh, the Ministry of Health
we are ready to deliver the campaign, and preparations are being finalised.
Ongoing as as we speak, et cetera. It's Friday,
just under me, the technical committee WHO UNICEF, UN,
R partners, Ministry of Health
uh, they are actually finalising, uh, preparations.
1.26 million doses of the vaccines and 500
vaccine carriers have already been delivered to Gaza
coal chain equipment, et cetera.
400,000 additional, uh vaccine doses will arrive in Gaza soon.
2180 health workers and community outreach workers have been trained
to provide vaccination and inform the communities about the campaign.
So this is an an an complex exercise and at least 90% vaccination
coverage during each round will be two rounds split by four weeks.
during each round of the campaign is needed to stop the outbreak
to stop the circulation, um, polio within Gaza,
but also to prevent international spread
the the very much welcome the preliminary commitment to this
what we call area specific humanitarian policies during the campaign.
And we call on all parties to pause the fighting to allow Children,
the families to safely access health facilities and community outreach workers to
get the Children who cannot access health facilities for polio vaccination.
We wanna really emphasise this again and again without humanitarian pulses.
which is already being implemented under incredibly complex
and challenged, uh, circumstances,
uh, will not be possible. So in response
to the commitment of this area,
specific humanitarian policy has been agreed that
the campaign will be delivered in phase approach
over three days each starting with central Gaza, followed by south Gaza,
because of the insecurity, damage,
road infrastructure and constant population displacement and conducting
conducting the campaign for for just three days
in each area is unlikely,
Very unlikely to be sufficient to achieve the adequate
vaccination coverage so vaccination coverage will be monitored.
That's always happening with any polio campaign monitor analysed every day
an adjustment will be made
It has been agreed the vaccination will be extended by one day
and community outreach workers are already
and will support. The campaign
campaign will be delivered through 392 fixed points
and 209 more almost 300 mobile teams. This is a massive
The security, of course, is paramount,
and we urge all parties to ensure that protection as well as uh, of them and of course,
of the families, uh as well as the health facilities and Children.
Finally, I mean on the polio thing,
we will raise it every time. But it says that I don't want to sound as a broken record.
But of course we reiterate our call for a ceasefire to enable
the rebuilding of the health system strengthening of the routine immunisation.
And that brings me a little bit to the overall health situation and and
we unfortunately continue to be
We talk about hospitals, we talk about hospitals, functionality very often.
And and currently, 17 out of the 36 hospitals are partly functional.
of the one of the 32 primary health care centres are partly functional.
In addition, there's 55 field hospitals, which are partly functional and or fully
absolutely, uh insufficient. Um,
a specific area where I wanna mention when we talked and
we talked about that for a number of times about Su
it. It shows the complexities that we still have to talk about that in in in the
11 month of this crisis. So in the last two weeks,
out of six missions planned by WHO to the North,
uh, only to bring fuel and medical supplies,
two were approved to deliver the fuels
and medical supplies the day before yesterday.
After incredibly lengthy, unnecessary, lengthy mission
WHO we Indonesian hospital with fuel and from their fuel,
was supplied to Kamala one, and just to
to to share some example what what this means? Uh,
so as of Tuesday, a lot of hospitals in the north,
serious fuel, uh, shortages, which will result in cancellation of the maternity,
the 15 daily surgeries, uh,
including C sections, et cetera. They have hospitalised patients,
limiting. Uh, their lab X ray sterilisation et cetera will almost be possible.
Hilu Hospital. There's also a number of, um, of
hemodialysis patients, et cetera. The same thing. And of course, fuel is needed.
they will have to cancel their general surgical operations, Uh, et
issues with, um, other hospitals in the neighbourhood.
We've seen a lot of evacuation orders, which is affecting all hospitals close by.
it's relatively close by here.
we see the hospital operates of 30% of the staff capacity and and and,
of more over 100 patients. Uh,
European Gas Hospital, which was, uh,
50 days out of services just started.
We again with partial services restored,
emergency and surgical and inpatient Nasr
Hospital, also relatively close to the so-called evacuation
diseases and WHO managed to reach the
hospital with medication for cancer patients and
dialysis, uh, disposables and medications.
And And we make an assessment for other supplies,
uh, which is needed The last point.
I want to raise and support related to diseases overall
and and And we've seen and and it is difficult.
This whole public health intelligence, of course, has been hampered
And we've seen over over time and again,
this is under reported more than a million cases of acute respiratory infections,
over 600,000 occasional diarrheal diseases, uh,
which is a 25 fold what it normally is, uh,
over 100 5000, uh, 1 of the 5000 cases of scabies
and and over 100 to 5000 what we call acute jaundice syndrome,
which is actually hepatitis A.
All of this, of course, meant a lot of this is
to the absolutely, um, I would say horrible water and sanitation, uh, conditions.
in all these makeshift shelters, uh, which you can see all the way from from, uh,
in in in specifically in the south, but everywhere.
Uh, I wanna leave it here over to you.
Thank you very much, Doctor People
and apologies for misplacing you through the Jerusalem
when you are indeed actually in Gaza.
So thank you for that. Let me see if there are any questions in the room.
Doesn't seem to be the case, Then
online. I have Imogen folk from the BBC over to you. Imogen?
Yeah. Good morning. Thanks for taking my question.
I wonder with the polio, uh, campaign, obviously it's going to be very challenging.
Could you give us a clear,
uh, kind of description of what?
Ideally, you would like a campaign like this to have.
I mean, I'm particularly interested.
Will you have all the communications equipment that you
would normally have for a campaign like this?
things that the humanitarian workers would normally have for communication
has not been allowed in cos it's viewed as dual use.
Yeah, well, thank you very much.
And I think I've stated that also another time And in our discussions, uh,
I mean, like, uh, it is, uh
it is what is agreed on. It is, uh, would I say, is this workable?
We think we and then I'm taking the the the technical
committee here in Gaza as the Ministry of Health WHO,
Yeah. We think if if if things are in place,
everything has to be in place so that we talk about this three days,
Uh, or what we call of, um,
of of of humanitarian, uh, polls we talk about, uh we will definitely,
and that's an absolutely has to happen.
And I think the polio campaigns and and and And we got some
other polio experts in as well from other places to to assist.
And this is done very well in the polio campaign.
Every day an analysis is made, and later in the evening, you
people will analysis and see Hey,
and it is the campaign because in ideal situation you would go house to house.
Fortunately, that's not feasible.
We all know right in Gaza.
So that's why we work with those, uh, fixed points, et cetera, and mobile teams.
So there's constant analysis. Like are the areas
in one zone where kids are not reached, et cetera. Mobile teams will reach out to the
these areas we have to get. I think your point is completely right.
We have to get, uh, get, uh,
the risk communication, the communication completely clear. That is a challenge.
Uh, there's of course, a lot of agencies
UNICEF, WHO other agencies who have a lot of experience with that and assisting
the Ministry of Health in
In getting this, uh, messages out then
this is not just one thing I mean, like in in in what happened, of course,
over over time since, uh, since this crisis war over the last, uh, 11 months, the
health system rapidly disintegrated, as we all know,
and I described a little bit of health functionality.
the direct health services, hospitals, primary health care, community health,
But of course, it's also public health intelligence. It's surveillance
and that is programmes public health programmes.
WHO is assisting the Ministry of Health to strengthen surveillance.
That was one of the reasons of the environmental samples.
Uh, we, uh Well, uh, through strength and surveillance,
these three suspected cases of which one was confirmed.
But also I think, and that is, uh,
with all parts with health workers with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF,
WHO and all parts. We are trying as good as possible to strengthen routine
immunisation as well. I mean, and that is a continuous fee.
uh and this maybe is also it's very important because in Gaza
and and I would say also the West Bank routine immunisation
was very well is very well received.
parents are very eager to bring their Children for vaccination,
and and and over the over the last years, vaccination covers was as high as 95%.
90% dropped a little bit to 80 88% or something like that,
but really high, actually much higher, uh, relatively higher than many countries,
and even a lot of high income countries struggle to have this kind of, uh,
communication well, there is definitely and and and needs
and and and we hope to address it as good as possible.
But all pieces of this puzzle which I now just described,
they have to fall in and they have to work together and and
again, if we If we analyse that after day one,
we are missing too many kids in a certain, um, in certain zone,
we will have to readjust and find other ways.
Should we send more mobile teams? Should we do differently after three days?
If you see hey, coverage is too low.
We, uh we will, uh, we will ask, and and we have agreed for additional days.
Besides that, et cetera, of course, the vaccine.
We will keep the vaccine longer in Gaza and then
make sure that even after that at health facilities,
people, uh, case can still be vaccinated.
But the issue with this kind of campaigns you, you,
you get a shot and you want to do it as good as possible,
and you want to get as close as possible.
to that 90%. Well, actually, you want to get more than 90%. That's what I should
Thank you very much. We have a few more questions for you.
First Juri, then Paula and then Nick, but over to your jury first.
And thank you, Jen, for taking my questions. I have two questions.
The first one is where the three day breaks in the fighting in
these three parts of Gaza directly negotiated by WHO with Hamas and Israel.
will you stop the vaccination campaign if
the agreement is not respected by the parties
and the building resumes and the fighting still
I? I didn't get the last question. I think the first question, indeed.
on on negotiations, et cetera. Yeah, I think First of all, I think that what I said
here in Gaza, Ministry of Health WHO UNICEF parts are planning for this.
And they have planned for this now for for for weeks.
Actually, uh, since since the the the this environmental
sample was positive, since we have a confirmed case, et cetera,
Uh, there there has been, of course, uh uh uh,
discussion negotiations with Israeli authority, KG,
Uh, we have these three days
and when needed when needed. And that's based on our assessment and analysis.
and within those three days, it's a combinations from static. I mean, the F,
the fixed points. We want people to get
as, uh to their as close to, I mean to the point,
which is as close to them as as possible.
But of course, we have mobile teams with with with move out.
Your second point was, uh I don't wanna I think get into that.
Would we would we stop a campaign? I think I understand.
You know when something is happening. But first,
and I expect all the parties to stick to this agreement.
So I think I don't want to get into that kind of debate. What would we do then?
we we are. We are here that the the teams are ready to move forward,
and and and we expect that this will happen
in the best possible way possible. Not ideal.
I just want to stress that not ideal.
with all the parties we agreed This is a way forward.
And we will do our level best to reach
over to you. Thank you very much. Uh, then to Paula and Nick after that.
And then I think we are gonna wrap it up. Thank you. Uh, Paula Over to you?
Yes. Thank you very much for taking my question.
Actually, it's just a little clarification regarding the three days.
consecutive days, or will they be spread out over next week?
Could you clarify that, please?
per zone. Consecutive zone. So we start in the central zone.
We need this. We add a day depending on that. Then
we we shift to the southern zone.
uh, the timing of the campaign. So the campaign, uh, will take place between six.
And and? And so we focus. Uh, we focus on that.
So three consecutive days per zone, when needed, we add a day and then we trade away,
shift to the other zone to the southern zone and then to the northern zone.
um, four weeks pause. Approximately four weeks pause,
and then we do the second round of campaigns.
Thank you, Uh, Nick over to you?
Yeah. Thank you. Um, yeah, Rick, uh, in relation to the second phase, Um,
is that going to be done in the same way? Free zones, Um, at
the same sort of areas, or
is there a completely different game plan for that? Um,
and secondly, um, perhaps
after you've addressed all the questions about the polio campaign,
could you just give us an update on the state
of the hospitals in the West Bank at the moment?
so I think your first question is a very good question. Uh,
uh I think first, we will learn many lessons from from From From the Coming campaign
and and And we will, of course, uh, based on this lesson,
we if needed, we will adapt
and refocus for the next campaign.
In principle, we expect it will be a similar approach.
I mean, like a very intense, uh, three plus one day approach, et cetera.
What? I mean, what we hope, of course.
I mean, a lot can happen over the next, uh, four weeks and and
personally, I really would hope there are.
There will be a cease fire in place, et cetera, which will change
I mean, like, which will change, of course, the approach to this campaign again.
But in principle, you want to do it with the same intensity. I
mean, like and And wherever you go, you wanna go for at least
because I said it's not ideal. At least it's three plus, uh, one day
and on your on your question on the on, on on, on the West Bank
I saw information on that. I think, uh,
I don't think that's already been shared, of course, uh,
gravely concerning and and
and and directly or indirectly, uh, than when it comes to health.
And that's what I want to focus on. I think other agencies have to focus on other
the other areas. Uh, that comes under attack again
I mean, movement of ambulances,
health workers were trying to reach injured and and jin or two Karam
was impeded. I mean, like and and and And that's of course, an issue. So we always
raise this again and again.
Again unimpeded accessibility of facilities is,
is is is crucial for reaching and receiving care,
but also to deliver health aid, et cetera. And and And so we, uh,
we we call on the infrastructure ambulances, health workers around hospitals,
health facilities to be, uh, to be protected.
I wanna leave it there. Any questions? Uh,
yes, thank you very much.
just give one last question to Satoko from Japanese press. Thank you.
Yes, Um, I have a question on the oral polio vaccine.
Um, how many dose is needed per child? Is that one dose or two doses? Thank you.
So it is the novel polio vaccine. It's an And you need two drops per, uh, per child
in the first campaign And then also in the
in the in the in the in the in the second campaign.
and then four weeks after another, uh, dose another two drops.
So it's a novel or, uh, oral polio vaccine NO PV.
And it's being used to to stop this
transmission of this variant poliovirus type two.
it's currently, uh, the most prevalent form of this so called variant uh, polio, uh,
And I think that maybe we saw some. Some.
You always have something in
social media, et cetera, and I want to stress again
that NO PV is safe, effective and office protection against para
paralysis and community transmission.
It's a it's AD vaccine globally recommended for these variants.
Type two polio outbreaks, uh,
and the type that has been found in the recent samples from
Gaza and and since the role of of this so-called novel,
O PV virus Type two in March 2021.
More than 1.2 billion doses of this vaccine
to protect Children in over 40 countries
against this type two variant, uh, polio virus
for this very important briefing, we will let you go back to it now,
and I think we all wish you really all the best
in the days and weeks to come with this important campaign.
Thank you very much for that.
and for the journalists here. We do have Margaret, of course, um, available.
And if you have more questions and follow ups, I suggest that you take it up with her
We will now turn to Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights, And I will let
Robina introduce her guest today over to you.
Thanks, Jens. Good morning, everyone.
Uh, just wanted to give you an update on, uh, the the spokesperson's team.
Hurtado has left us to go to New York, uh, to to take on a role there
Uh, who was our Nairobi based spokesperson, Uh, will now be based in Geneva.
Um, So he's here to brief you today on, uh, Libya,
new report we are issuing jointly with the UN Support Mission in Libya. Ans
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 Tarun
risks fueling instability
and division in the country.
The report details how the Al
Qat, an armed element which emerged in
and excised brutal control over
Tarhunah, a city of 150,000 people
90 kilometres southeast of Tripoli,
carried out gross human rights violations and abuses
including killings, disappearances, sexual violence, abductions, torture
and ill treatment, and forced displacement
between the years 2013 and 2022.
He decries the failure to deliver justice,
which has in some instances led to renewed violence and repeated violations,
huna and surrounding areas.
integration into the former government of National
Accord and later the Libyan National Army, says the report,
has been a significant barrier to accountability and justice.
Commenting on the report, High Commissioner Volka
years have passed since these terrible violations were committed,
but the perpetrators have still not been brought to justice,
justice and reparations been delivered to victims and their families.
There must be accountability in accordance with international due
process and fair trial standards and of court.
For his part, acting head of the UN Support mission in Libya and Deputy
secretary Deputy Special Representative for Political Affairs Stephanie
said open court leaving the root causes and drivers of conflict
and address will only serve to keep fueling toxic cycles of violence
and revenge within communities.
which complements and builds on the 2022 findings
of the independent Fact Finding Mission on Libya,
recommends a comprehensive transitional justice and reconciliation
process with meaningful truth seeking measures
and effective repressions for victims,
including legal aid, 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
arbitrators in line with international standards.
The 2022 fact finding Mission for Background.
The report detailed evidence of atrocities committed in
including through the discovery of mass
graves containing hundreds of human remains,
most of them handcuffed, blindfolded
and bearing signs of torture.
The report also warned of the possibility that there could
be up to 100 more such mass burial sites.
let me welcome you to the spokesperson group here
in Geneva and to this press briefing room.
Let me see if there are any questions in the room or online to Libya.
That doesn't seem to be the Oh, sorry. Please, go ahead.
It's not going to be on Libya. It's going to be on West Bank.
OK, I think we will just wrap up with the briefings from the human rights.
And then we can go back to the West Bank. So over to you, Ravina on
Thanks. Jens. Uh, on Bangladesh, you received a press briefing note.
Uh, earlier this morning.
Uh, so this is just an update on the work of our advance team.
Uh, that was deployed to Dhaka last week from the 22nd to the 29th of August.
They met with student leaders of the recent protests,
many of whom have been detained or injured in recent weeks,
as well as a wide range of advisers in the interim government, the chief justice,
senior officers of the police and armed forces, lawyers, journalists,
representatives of political parties as well minority and indigenous, uh,
Um, the team discussed, uh,
areas in which our office could provide sustained support, uh,
to the interim government and the people of Bangladesh,
UM including on issues like civic space, the need for truth, justice, healing,
reparation and reconciliation,
and other human rights approaches to the reform process.
The High Commissioner has also received an official invitation from the chief
advisor Mohammad Yunus to conduct an
impartial and independent fact finding mission
into human rights violations committed from the first of July to the 15th of August.
The office will deploy this fact finding mission to Bangladesh in the coming weeks
with a view to reporting on the
violations and abuses perpetrated during the protests,
analysing the root causes and making recommendations to
advance justice and accountability for longer term reforms.
We received commitments from the interim government and security forces
for full Co-operation um in our work on this,
The High Commissioner also warmly welcomes
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 who are forcibly displaced
allegedly by law enforcement agencies.
It is particularly symbolic that this announcement comes
as we mark the International Day on enforced disappearances
the issue of enforced disappearances has a long and very painful history
in Bangladesh on which we have robustly advocated over the years.
And we stand ready to support the commission in its work, which should be, of course,
done in close consultation with victims and their families
and in line with international human rights standards.
The UN Human Rights Office looks forward to supporting the interim government
and the people of Bangladesh at this pivotal moment to revitalise democracy,
to seek accountability and reconciliation
and to advance human rights for all the people in Bangladesh.
Ravina let me see if any questions on Bangladesh in
the room or online doesn't seem to be the case.
So if there's a question for human rights uh, back to you.
Anna. I would like to ask
about the recent raids in the
what would the UN Human Rights Office say about
those raids and such a raid in the tension and
possible spillage of the conflict?
But also I would like to know, how would you evaluate
Israeli ministers call to displace people from the West Bank
like it happened in Gaza more than many times.
Thanks for your question.
Um, on the West Bank, Uh, we are extremely concerned about the situation.
Um, in fact, what we have said is that this is a catastrophic situation already,
and there's a risk that it is being further deepened.
there's long standing impunity in the West Bank
for violations that have been committed against Palestinians.
There's been settler violence.
There has been violence by Israeli security forces as well.
There have been hundreds of arbitrary detentions of Palestinians as well.
And when these violations occur, unfortunately,
there are There is a real dearth of investigations and really
very little accountability and justice for the victims of these violations.
What that does is it creates a climate of impunity, a climate where settlers,
individuals are able to carry out violations with complete impunity.
It encourages them to carry out further violations
we've seen since the seventh of October as well the arming of some settlers.
So the situation was already very, very
And what we've seen in the past few days is is a real deepening of this.
Um, this as we said catastrophic situation.
Uh, we've seen raids. Uh, we've seen killings.
Um, we've also seen damage to infrastructure essential infrastructure,
of the communities that reside there.
We are, of course, reminding Israel yet again
that as the occupying power, it must abide by its obligations.
use of airstrikes and other military weapons and tactics violates human
rights norms and standards applicable to such law enforcement operations.
And any unlawful killings must be thoroughly independently investigated.
And those responsible must be held to account
on these statements that have been made by by some officials
that may amount to incitement to commit human rights violations.
We roundly condemn these statements. Um,
this can only serve to escalate an already very dire situation.
Thank you. We have Robin from a
FP who raised his hand. So Robin over to you for your question.
Thanks very much. Uh, question on Hong Kong.
Um, just to ask if you have any reaction to the news from Hong Kong yesterday of
democracy news outlet stands news.
And it's, uh, two former chief editors being found guilty of sedition.
Yes, we have, of course, been following the the trial of these two journalists.
the decision by the Hong Kong court to convict them on sedition related charges.
Um, the UN Human Rights Committee,
which oversees implementation of the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
the the IC CPR had already raised concerns um, two years ago in August,
um 2022 about a number of academics, journalists,
civil society actors who have been arrested and charged with seditious offences.
we understand that there is an appeal right now.
Uh, that's open to the defendants in this case,
and we call on the authorities to review closely this court decision
in line with Hong Kong SARS obligations under international human rights law.
Thank you, Ravina. I'm just looking at the room and online.
If there are other questions to you on these topics, it doesn't seem to be the case.
So Ravina say thank you very much for being with us today.
We will now turn to Yemen
spokesperson in Yemen online
about the needs that needs are growing for millions of displaced people
as we see catastrophic catastrophic flooding
and a prolonged humanitarian emergency in
Good morning, everyone. Thank you.
I'm dialling in from Yemen, where UN HCR,
the UN refugee agency is warning of
the worsening conditions for millions of displaced Yemenis
as the country's prolonged crisis deepens.
This is based on our latest assessment.
Our internally displaced Persons protection monitoring
update issued this week paints a
grim picture of realities faced by Yemen's displaced and host communities.
collected from over 47,000 households in the first half of
2024 reveals the immense struggles of internally displaced people,
returnees and members of the host communities.
Many of these families reside in formal and informal ID P sites,
highlighting the ongoing nature of the displacement crisis.
Out of the spotlight, we see the situation deteriorating.
The report reveals that 85% of these families
are unable to meet their daily food needs.
Many have resorted to extreme coping mechanisms such
as reducing meal size or skipping meals altogether.
These figures represent the harsh reality that
entire families face hunger every day,
often overlooked issue is the widespread lack of civil documentation
among displaced families.
Over 51% of the families surveyed have at
least one child without a birth certificate,
and 70% have families members without national identity cards.
Without these crucial documents, families are essentially cut off from ecstasy,
essential services like education and their fundamental rights.
This exasperates their vulnerability and hinders
their ability to rebuild their lives.
Despite ongoing efforts to improve living conditions,
the majority of displaced families do not feel
safe returning home due to persistent instability,
a lack of livelihood, opportunities and dangers like landmines.
This traps them in a cycle of protracted displacement.
Yemen, which is one of 11 of the world's worst humanitarian crises,
faces extreme challenges even as global attention shifts elsewhere.
Currently, 18.2 million people in the country, including 4.5 million displaced,
are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
This includes more than 60,000 refugees and asylum seekers,
primarily from Somalia and Ethiopia.
More systematic and sustained global support is
urgently needed for countries like Yemen,
one of the world's most climate vulnerable countries.
Yemen is among the least prepared to mitigate or adapt to the impacts of
extreme weather conditions and disasters fueled by
climate change which are becoming more frequent.
The recent catastrophic flooding in Mel
caused by heavy rains and bursting of three dams,
has devastated entire communities.
Over the past month, floods have claimed 97 lives, injured more and many,
many more displaced over 1000 families and affected
over 56,000 family homes across 20 governors.
The hardest hit areas include
Impassable roads are isolated affected areas and hampering rescue efforts.
This disaster, layered on top of Yemen's ongoing crisis,
has compounded the suffering of millions.
Vital infrastructure has been obliterated,
shelters washed away and farmland submerged.
Unexploded ordinance unearthed by the floods poses
additional threats to civilians and humanitarian workers.
As the lead agency for protection, shelter non-food items
and camp coordinations UN HR is working with
local partners and authorities to provide urgent assistance.
We are ramping up cash assistance, a critical lifeline for the most vulnerable.
This includes multi-purpose cash to cover essential needs,
respond to immediate crises, obtain documentation and repair damaged shelters.
UN HCR is also advancing longer term solutions, including home rehabilitation
for ID P returnees, upgrading host community facilities
like schools and health care centres and initiatives to foster social cohesion.
the available resources are insufficient to meet critical humanitarian needs.
As of July, UN HCRS country appeal was just 21% funded,
leaving critical areas like protection and shelter severely underfunded.
UN HCR appeals to the international community to
strengthen its support and solidarity with the people of Yemen.
The world cannot afford to overlook Yemen's crisis any longer.
Sustained and coordinate.
Support is crucial at this moment as millions of lives are at stake. Thank you.
Thank you so much for our colleague in Yemen.
Let me see if there are any questions on that. Yes. Nick Cumming. Bruce.
Yeah. Thank you. Um, I Sorry, could you just recap? How many?
What is the displaced population
And how many of the major ID P centres do you do? You have.
And secondly, what kind of support is being facilitated? Um
uh, by authorities in Sana'a.
um arrests and detentions of UN and
staff and other international organisation staff.
How much of that is an obstacle to your
attempts to mobilise international support for this appeal.
Thank you, Nick. Yes, There's 4.5 million people who remain displaced.
I mean, the conflict has almost entered its 10th year a decade.
Um, we have nearly between the informal and formal um,
ID P sites roughly around 2300.
They're scattered all over the country from, um east west, north south, Uh,
Now, we we we're working with the, uh, local authorities.
These are more on the governor levels, Um,
and especially in these kinds of emergencies, they are the first responders,
whether they're the Yemeni Red Crescent Society
or the authorities. Just to be able to get, um, uh
to be able to reach the people and because roads have been completely destroyed,
um, facilities are completely damaged.
So with the current situation, I mean,
the most important is the security of our
of our humanitarian workers and our local partners,
who are the ones that are essentially on the ground, um, as first responders.
So we work directly with our partners, national partners
and our teams. We have offices from
being able to reach these populations.
if I can just remind you of the of the statement of the
spokesperson of the Secretary General that was issued on 19 August relating to
these detentions in which the Secretary General
said that he remains deeply concerned about the well being of UN personnel
and others who are arbitrarily detained by the Houthis.
And he said they must be treated with full respect for their human rights and that
they must be able to contact their families
and legal representatives Just wanted to add that.
Let me see if there are any other questions on
to be the case, so thank you very much
UNHCR in Yemen for your briefing. Thank you.
hat on. I have a short announcement from our side
that I will read out to you.
The United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, which is managed by
released $100 million to support the response
in 10 underfunded humanitarian crises in Africa,
the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.
More than one third of this new funding will support aid
operations in Yemen with $20 million and Ethiopia with $15 million.
These are countries where people,
as we have just heard, are grappling with the impact of hunger, displacement,
diseases and climate disasters.
Other countries, including included in the allocation
Myanmar, Mali, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Cameroon, Mozambique, Burundi and Malawi.
You have a press release where you can see the
exact amounts that have been allocated to these countries.
follows the release of another 100 million in February
to support seven countries, also with underfunded emergencies.
this combined 200 million this year is less than each of the previous two
years and there is a growing gap between the humanitarian needs and the funding
that the emergency fund has to address these needs.
Releasing the 100 million today,
our Acting under Secretary General for Humanitarian
Affairs and Emergency Relief co ordinator Joyce Muzo
said that it is heart wrenching that lack of funding prevents
aid agencies from reaching people who need life saving assistance.
She added that money from the Central Emergency
Response Fund is a cash injection of last resort
and that we urgently need increased and sustained
donor attention to the world's underfunded crisis.
Let me see if there are any questions to that
So that wraps up what we had in terms of topics for today.
There are just a few additional announcements that I that
I want to make and the first is tomorrow.
It is International Day for people of African descent,
and this year it coincides with the
closing of the international decade for people of
message from the secretary general on that occasion
that you should all have in your inboxes.
I'll just read out a couple of points from him
where he says that on the International Day for People of African Descent,
we honour the immense and diverse contributions of people of African descent to the
vast spectrum of human achievements and their
tireless efforts to create a better world
building on the success of the last decade,
I hope states will proclaim a second international decade for people of
African descent to help to accelerate global efforts for true change.
the full statement or message from the secretary general
competition also that has been that has been organised
by our human rights colleagues for a new logo
And I just want to mention that the deadline for sending in
proposals for a logo is tomorrow.
There are few press conferences that are
coming up from World Meteorological Organisation.
a press briefing at 2 p.m. Hybrid one, and that is today.
air quality and climate bulletin.
Labrador. I think I pronounce it correctly who is scientific officer with
And although you have the press conference this afternoon,
it is embargoed until six of September.
And as we heard at the top of this briefing, I
is launching their World Employment and Social Outlook report.
And there is a hybrid press briefing on 4 September
Finally, on Friday, Friday, 6 September quarter past nine.
Another press briefing with the Human Rights Council.
Independent International Fact Finding mission for the Sudan
and it is the launch of the Sudan Fact Finding Missions First Investigative
in terms of meetings. I just want to mention a couple.
Now that we know the Paralympics are ongoing,
I want to mention that the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
will close its 31st session at 3 p.m.
on Thursday, 5th September.
And they will be issuing concluding observations of nine
countries that have been reviewed during this session.
And finally, the Committee of the Rights of the Child is reviewing today
Let me hear if there are any questions about any of these announcements.
Doesn't seem to be the case.
Uh, there is a question from you over to you.
Uh, thank you. And this is not really a question.
This is just a small announcement that today we plan to have the summer party of, uh,
because now we know that we have a briefing
with WHO that was announced only this morning.
only announcement. Thank you.
wish you a very happy party a bit later than originally scheduled. I believe
so. If there are no other questions, we will wrap it up for today.
