Welcome to the press briefing of the UN Information Service in Geneva.
Today is Friday, 29th of November.
We have a very long list of speakers today, so I'll ask everybody's indulgence to be a little bit brief.
And a lot of our speakers also have time constraints.
So I will start immediately by giving the floor to WHO Christian has brought us Doctor Yarno Havich that has briefed you several times and who is The Who representative and head of The Who country office in Ukraine.
I give the floor for some short introductory remarks.
Please thank you and thank you and thank you for the opportunity to attend again in this briefing.
It has been 1000 plus days of the full scale invasion in Ukraine and it has put public health and health in risk in test over these days.
So as we have many speakers, let me come to the main message In the beginning, I wanted to share at hand and what we have learned and seen thousand days of the war has increase the disease burden in all the areas from mental health to rehabilitation, from chronic diseases to the infectious diseases.
The disease burden is increasing and the health system is put in test and many are discussing what will happen when the war is over.
We don't know when the war is over but what we know as well health organisation, the health needs are increasing and they are **** in the day when the war is over and that needs attention of the international community.
Now let me come to the five few areas I wanted to share with you.
First, the war is ongoing and the IT puts health system in risk where particularly as the winter is coming, the risk is on energy infrastructure.
We have seen constantly attacks and escalation over the last 10 days where that tax in the energy infrastructure now needs special attention in the hospitals, primary healthcare centres, pharmacies to ensure that the electricity, heating and the water is available over the winter.
And this is the focus where also the word choice, putting the attention, opening the heating stations in hospitals in Cherneehive and Odessa, investing to the water verification centres in various hospitals.
And all of us as international partners have have invested a lot to the energy infrastructure bringing generators.
But this needs even more attention now as the attacks have been intensified.
Second, the attacks on healths are continuing as today WHO has monitored, verified and reported 2159 attacks.
While we have talked about the attacks on healths which are unacceptable over these days, what is different in 2024 is we have much more casualties, civilians and the health care workers in 24 even compared to the 2022.
And the second, the double tap attacks which are putting in risk many of the paramedics and those who are saving people have also increased in 2024.
And we should not forget that more than 40% of attacks on health are against Primary Health care and Primary Health care is a gateway to health and have visit to the doctor, have a prescription to the pharmacy and have access to the medicine.
So the attacks on health are putting also many of the people and the communities into risk.
Double HO over the past years has opened a number of modular primary care clinics in Sumi in Harty as well.
They know their cell blast and we continue to do that as the war continues and this modular clinics with together with the doctors are bringing back the trust to the community and bringing back the hope to the community.
We need to do that even more now as the winter is coming.
The third I wanted to hide and then the last one I and the last one I wanted to update you is as we're coming to the end of the year, we have a chance to look back and thank all the humanitarian partners who have been working tirelessly in the health sector.
We have 125 NGOs, organisations and partners, and together the humanitarian partners have complemented the national system and humanitarian partners have reached two more than 2 million people.
But I want to highlight here that this support to the humanitarian partners needs to continue in 25 and in 24, we see only 50% funding of the humanitarian response.
So we need to, as we go to the next year, ensure that the humanitarian funding is there as well resources for the recovery and reform.
Because Ukrainians are hopeful moving forward to the large European Union doing the reforms, innovating.
And we as partners need to find out how we can finance at the same time the response recovery under reform.
Yano And I give quickly the floor to OHCHROHR has several briefings today.
But since he has something specific on this point, I let Jeremy to talk now.
Yes, Thanks Alexandra and good morning everyone.
This week's massive missile and drone attacks by the Russian Federation on Ukraine's power network have heightened serious concerns about the plight of civilians who are facing a winter of hardship and misery.
Thursday's missile and long range drone strikes reportedly caused damage in at least 13 regions in addition to Kiev city, and resulted in blackouts affecting more than 1,000,000 consumers across the country.
In some regions, essential services including water and transportation were disrupted.
Since March, Ukraine's energy production capacity has been targeted in waves of attacks, causing foreseeable and wide-ranging harm to civilians.
As ever, the most vulnerable older people, low income households, people with disabilities and those who are internally displaced have been particularly put at risk as temperatures drop below freezing and are likely to fall further, Electricity and electricity dependent services are even more critical for the survival of the civilian population.
While the full impact of the latest strikes will only become clearer in due course, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission has consistently followed up in the wake of such attacks, documenting the effects on electricity production, water distribution, heating and hot water, public health and education, In essence, the basics of daily life for millions of civilians across the entire country.
The **** Commissioner reiterates that multiple aspects of the military campaign to damage or destroy Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure, including objects essential for civilian survival, such as heating facilities during the winter months, raise serious concerns regarding the Russian forces.
Respect of the cardinal principles of international humanitarian law of distinction, precaution and proportionality in the conduct of hostilities.
These recurring systematic attacks must be investigated and anyone found responsible for serious violations should be held to account.
We call again on the Russian Federation to immediately cease all attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure critical to the civilian population for accountability for all unlawful attacks and for the international community to prioritise support to Ukraine to repair and restore its energy systems.
Thank you very much, Jeremy.
And let me open the floor to questions on this subject in the room.
So let's go to the platform.
Anybody has a question on Ukraine Don't see any hand up.
OK, give me one more second.
I know, I know you have to leave anyway and Jeremy you'll be back on Gaza and Lebanon.
So thanks again and thanks to Christian to bring us here.
I'll give now the floor to we've got really we are we are very pleased to have with us the deputy Secretary general of the International Telecommunication Union.
You put it OK Thomas Laminowski, I hope I pronounce so Thomas you you came to brief the journalist and David is also here on my left on the launch on the of the international advisory body for submarine cable resistance.
So please, you have the floor.
Thank you very much, Alison.
This indeed demonstrates this.
All right, all right, this clearly shows us my first briefing here in eunuch since since joining the ITU and two years ago.
But it's really, really a pleasure to be here today for us, it's a pretty important moment.
Now we're launching the international and rising body for submarine cable resilience.
That is an important milestone in protecting our global digital infrastructure, ensuring its resilience and ensuring that it serves well our global economy around around the world.
So this advisory body will work to review and highlight the challenges for the global networks that are occurring, will advocate approaches and develop and advocate approaches to strengthen the global 2 locations network and facilitate international cooperation on technical development and policy frameworks and investment models as well.
We're very pleased that his body will be Co chaired by His Excellency Bosun Tejani, Minister of Communications Innovation, Digital Economy of Nigeria, together with a Professor Sandra Maximiano from Portuguese National Communications Regulatory Authority, ANACOM.
And this body is will include and the the number the the people and specific membership is being announced as we speak as well through the issue of the press release and with a full list on dedicated website.
It will compose be composed of 40 leaders representing diverse regions, sectors and economies, including government ministers and heads of regulators, industry executives as well as you know, technical experts and heads of regional organisations dealing with these topics.
Actually, it has around half, half, around half government representatives and half industry representatives with a few other parties also to represent diverse stakeholder groups.
So this drives the body will identify key issues to ensure the submarine cables are built, deploying and maintain with a great resiliency and they will also propose best practises, promote best practises and foster international collaboration in this regard.
So today indeed, why it's important because summary cables carry around 99% of the global Internet traffic.
So that means that anything we do today in digital world are dependent on summary cables from our emails and text messages to financial transactions, critical government communications, cloud services, social media, our video streaming services and so on.
And so in that regard, it's definitely not just a technical issue, but the issue that can affect our economies and our societies.
And however we see this critical infrastructure is vulnerable to disruptions from accidental human activity, from natural hazards, from ageing infrastructure.
We we usually identify it around 150 to 200 faults that occur globally each each year, equivalent to about 3 falls per week.
And many of them indeed have a important impact from short term disruptions that that affect economies, government operations and businesses to summary and cable the longer term effects that can affect economic transactions as well as social transactions.
But also sometimes they actually affected the whole societies and economies, especially in more remote islands and places.
For example, in 2022, tsunamis triggered volcanic eruption triggered by volcanic eruption in the Pacific Ocean, disconnected Tonga for in in the Pacific for for quite a few weeks and and then after that it took nearly 18 months to fully repair.
So that's indeed have a very stark you know it can have a very stark importance for the countries you know this for example, specific instances.
It really limits abilities to provide essential emergency response has shown some support for disaster management and recovery as well.
So this we're very happy to be joined in this effort by International Cable Protection Committee, which is a long standing industry body bringing together around 230 different members from 70 countries that has a long standing work in international summary cable resiliency.
So it's a our joint effort.
I'm actually myself together with a, with a representative of ICPC International Cable Protection Committee will be serving as executive call secretary to this body.
We also very happy that we have, as I mentioned before, all the regions in the world of the world represented, represented all the different countries, different stakeholders, which we believe will give an opportunity and a platform for inclusive discussion and inclusive work to ensure resiliency again of this very important, important systems in this regard.
So in December, we're planning to have a first virtual meeting of our, of our Drive Z Body, which will start the work and start setting out the work agenda.
And we're planning the inaugural Submarine Cable Resilience Summit to be held in Nigeria at the end of February of 2025.
This will be the opportunity for the Drive Z Body to meet in person for the first time, but also we'll be inviting other stakeholders as well to join us in these important discussions.
So we are, we are confident that this creation of this body and the work of this body will contribute to strengthening important part of digital resilience, some cable resilience and as we discussed, which has a very important impacts across the world for economies and societies.
So without them, thank you, Mr Sandra, I'm very open to questions.
Thank you very much, Thomas.
And I understand that David and his team have sent you the press release.
So you have all the information.
Let me start with Chris Vogt, the Chief of Office of the Bureau here of the French IFP.
What international is you like to say Hi, Thanks.
Thanks for taking my questions.
First of all, could you give us a little bit more sense of concretely how this new committee is going to work and, and, and maybe give us some examples of what can be done to, to make those cables more resilient?
And there is one topic that you seem to have avoided, but I'm sure it's by accident, is that recently we had an event where cables were sabotaged.
And so I would like to have your, your comment on that.
And, and maybe is there anything you can you can do to avoid this kind of things?
So of course, the body itself will determine its deliverables and working methods.
And that's what we'll start to do from December and then especially in our Abuja summit in February.
But we already envisaged some of the key early deliverables that could be considered from set of best practises and principles that we can promote together across the world to make sure that all the countries know what are the best practises in ensuring that submarine cables are protected.
But also when disruptions happen, that the recovery is facilitated in a speedily manner.
Regretfully, still very often it takes a rather long time for required permits to be issued for required technical services to be summoned for those submarine cables to be restored.
And we believe this is something that we need together to promote with the countries and understand what are the best practises in this regard.
The second aspect is of course linking together with a broader UN issues, making sure that some are in cable resiliency issues are well represented in other discussions.
Whether is a law over the sea related discussions, whether is a seabed related discussions, whether is a maritime transport related discussions.
So this body will also intend to invite other related relevant agencies to support this work and to serve as an interface with these broader discussions.
We need to make sure that as different economic activity takes place in the sea, that and that that economic activity takes in account a need to protect the submarine cables as well.
And another deliverable that we're considering, and it sounds like very simple but very impactful, is a network of focal points of the members to be able to reach when the incidents happen.
There's still in the number of countries, it's not very clear who is the single point of entry, who is the focal point if the disruptions happen, but also when the recovery efforts need to take place.
We also need to remember that some are in cables that pass through the through the territorial waters or continental shelf of specific countries may not even land in that specific country.
So sometimes, you know, the question is that some countries need to issue the permits for the cables that they're not or the cable repairs, they're not even land in that country.
I think what's very important in the work of this body to highlight importance of global solidarity in protecting what is essential summary cable infrastructure.
The body itself is not set up to investigate specific incidents or attribute the causes of the incidents of the specific incidents or name, let's say the those who may have been involved in those incidents.
The body itself, by definition, it's idea is to work on an on a commonly agreed best practises and a commonly agreed responses to the issues that could generally around the world.
Would help to strengthen that resilience investigation on specific incidents, attribution and act taking specific actions remain the responsibility of specific national authorities.
Is that was that a hand up again, Chris?
OK, So other questions in the room.
Jamie Keaton, Associated Press Hello, Mr Lemanowskis, thank you for coming to see us.
Just going back to what Christophe had referred to, I mean we had an incident that very recently, 2 incidents in fact, I think that one of which involved your own country cable from I believe it was Sweden to to Lithuania.
Can you tell us, do you have any insight into what actually happened on that?
Can you tell us whether or not you, I mean sabotage is involved?
And could you also tell us, you mentioned I think in your in your luminary remarks that that there are three faults I think you said per day, I think was the term you used.
What are the consequences of those?
I mean, do those tend to be long term problems or are they easily resolvable?
I mean, can the can telecommunications via these undersea cables?
I think people don't really quite understand, at least speaking for myself, I don't understand whether or not there's a if there's a severing of the cables undersea, how long that could take to repair and what the actual consequences are in terms of communication.
Can people, can people be without communication for a long period of time or is it easily resolvable?
As I mentioned, 33 a week or more, more or less on average.
And indeed, there is also, so this has happened around the world.
Indeed, we saw also earlier this year important disruptions in in West Africa, in East Africa, in Red Sea, which is and through this close to Cesc canal, which is very important part of let's say global routing of the submarine cables.
So regretfully, we see these incidents around the around the world.
Of course, I'm not speaking here in my national capacity.
I'm speaking here as the representative of international Congregation Union.
So in this regard we have, we do receive reports of the incidents of the countries.
However, as I mentioned before, it's not our role to investigate, to attribute or to determine the the to determine issues.
What we do help with the member states referring them to the practises that can they can use to do that to do and to apply in this regard and also the right industry bodies that they can support the work.
So and we will continue to do so.
However, at you and this context doesn't have the right to do the attributions and the the country's hasn't given us the mandate to do so.
In terms of the disruptions, they already they of course vary in length and severity and a lot of them of course are mitigated by the redundancy for the summary cables.
Of course, the very popular routes have a number of cables that can be that the traffic can be rerouted.
And that's why in many times the, let's say general public doesn't necessarily notice the disruptions what when they happen, that's the industry colleagues, they notice those.
However, in some, in some instances, for example, when the number of cables are cut off and we are gradually have this incidence even in the Mediterranean, the Red Sea, where sometimes the number of cables are cut off because of the anchoring activities.
Those disruptions on these very, very, let's say important channels can be really felt and unnoticed.
And of course, they're especially important in the places where that redundancy is reduced.
And I mentioned the example of Tonga, which had in recent two years 2 cuts or the prolonged length.
And because that was the only cable that Tonga was connected with that disruption was really felt.
And the the problem is with a serious disruptions, the recovery can take weeks, months and even years.
So with a full recovery in of Tonga took 18 months in some cases can take a few months as well is determined.
The terminal of this is a number of factors is of course the ability to route the traffic as I mentioned, the ability to the, the nature of the disruption, but also the policy and regulatory issues that we'll be looking into.
For example, length of fishing permits for recovery and for works in the specific areas that could be a that sometimes could be a very important determinant how long the you know how long the repairs can take place.
The ability to procure this technical services including cable ships services and get them available for the recovery and these issues is exactly the issues that we're looking into.
How to make sure that the pulse and regulate environment is facilitated, that permits are issued clearly and expediently.
And it's very clear which organisations in the countries are responsible for this and that we have some practises and understanding what is the best way to also ensure that the technical services is available when the countries really suffer from that.
You know, while it's not our primary task, we're still important for us to look in the redundancy aspects, especially in the countries, as I mentioned that regretfully how like a single line of connectivity through the summary cable.
And and therefore, in this specific cases, whether there's also aspects that from the global solidarity point of view, we need to assess whether we as a global community need to strengthen, work to strengthen this type of resiliency as well.
Thank you very much, Thomas.
I know you have to be out of here in the next 5 to 10 minutes.
We have three questions on the platform.
So I'll give the floor now to Yuria Prelev, Yuri University.
Yes, thank you, Alessandro.
I have in fact, 2 questions.
The first one is about the fact that you are talking about the main causes of damage, including accidental activity, human activities such as fishing on shoring, as well as natural hazard and equipment failure.
Do you have any idea of how many cables a year are deliberately damaged or you have absolutely non debt on that?
And my second question is that in any way can we say that the cases of deliberate deliberate damage of cables are exceptional or is this something that you are seeing rising year and year?
So we don't have a data on specific deliberate deliberate damages also because we don't do the attribution of all the causes of the disruptions with our partners international some international cable protection committee say that around 80% of the cable disruptions are caused by accidental human activity or national hazards.
So we, we stop in here, you know what we don't know whether the causes of other, of other, let's say disruptions.
But again, here our idea is to first of all to increase the overall resiliency of the cables and leave other topics for the national authorities to determine.
So because we don't have a, we don't have a specific, let's say we, we know that on average the disruptions on the cables is I would say 150 to 200.
We've seen rather **** profile disruptions already this year like such and, and last year such as stronger disruptions such as Red Sea and Red Sea disruptions such as West Africa disruptions.
So the East African disruptions actually that was also triggered some of the member states, including Nigeria that will be leading our to be Co leading our advisory body to come to us because the disruptions for example on the West Africa coast caused a very severe economic impact on Nigeria and that's where they reached out to us.
But but it's not again we don't have a statistics of specific of the differentiation between let's say intentional damage or the unintentional me coming.
Just to follow up on on previous questions, you've mentioned average numbers per annum.
Could you give us a specific number of disruptions for this year or for last year?
And secondly, given the strategic significance of the cables as you have highlighted, is there any intention to move towards a more formal sort of international instrument, be it a treaty or a convention, how to regulate or to increase international protections for submarine cables?
So there's no official or compulsory porting on the submarine cable disruptions today.
So what we rely is what our industry partners report to us and this is not necessarily all the disruptions that are happening.
So as I would have to say that 150 to 200 was the number that was given to us.
So I'll have to stick to that number.
And of course, the body itself that drives the body will have to, you know, may, may consider to see if there's some sort of reporting mechanism is necessary or not on the, on the international instruments.
Today we have a convention on the Law of the Sea that also governs the submarine cable related activity in the oceans.
Part of the discussion though is, you know what are the practises to make sure that this provisions for protection are the best implemented.
We have related UN General Assembly resolutions of oceans and the Law of the Sea as well, adopted in 2023 with, among other topics mentioned, responsibility of the states to protect the submarine cables.
So we have a, let's say, so I would say emphasis on importance to protect submarine cables both at the treaty level as well as UN General Assembly level.
However, what this body is now looking, we'll be looking into how to implement those in practise to make sure that the best practises are there, that the countries know how to implement their responsibilities, that the global community works together to effectuate these provisions.
Maya plans the UN3, yes, Thank you for taking my question, Alessandra.
So my question is to is regarding the number of cables around the submarine cables around the world.
If you have this number off the top of your head and redundancy systems in place, in which you mentioned that there is no, of course ITU doesn't have responsibility to investigate this, but which organisations or law bodies are responsible to investigate?
Or you were you suggesting there isn't one way of actually bringing to justice if this was done not by accident or even if there was by negligence?
And which countries and bodies on this this infrastructure?
So the statistics we have is around 500 cables around the world that today cross the ocean.
So of course that number is continuously changing.
We see, you know, great, great that we see actual activity and further investments in summary cables every day actually.
So in in some specific routes, including around Africa, including in the Pacific and including in other different important routes.
So we hope that that number will grow.
Of course, that number is also offset by the ageing of the existing cable infrastructure.
Summary cables have a lifetime.
Traditional standard lifetimes are 25 years plus extended lifetime from first extended lifetime, but it doesn't span so long.
So we also need that infrastructure needs to be continuously replaced to make sure that that's that the ageing infrastructure doesn't cause, doesn't cause the problems, so that those investments need to continue.
And we of course encourage that.
In terms of in terms of investigation, as I mentioned before, this is responsibility for national authorities, national jurisdictions and national law.
It's governed by the existing agreement, international agreements and national law determining jurisdiction over the territorial sea and the continental shelf activities.
And of course, national authorities are competent to to determine their jurisdiction and the appropriate course of action.
I know I said 3, but there is a last question.
John, Sarah Costas Franco to English Channel.
Thank you for the briefing.
I was wondering in your definition and the number of disruptions, does that include hacking of submarine cables by multiple intelligence services?
So the current scope of digital advisory body and our collaboration includes the physical damage to the cables.
So we're not looking in this context of other cybersecurity challenges.
The scope includes physical disruptions.
Thank you very much, Thomas.
It's been really pleasure to have you here.
I thank you very much for your time.
I think the press release is out, so we'll take it from that.
Thank you again and come back anytime.
So let's now go back to human rights.
We have also, we have so many speakers from the field today.
We are also having FAO with the speaker from the Philippines.
So let's try to be brief.
Jeremy Ajit Sungai, the head of your office in for the OPT has joined us from Amman, I think.
And you have you're going to speak about Lebanon and Gaza.
Thanks again, Alessandra.
I'll I'll start with Lebanon.
The ceasefire in Lebanon comes as a huge relief for the millions who have endured so much suffering over the past 13 months.
The **** Commissioner for Human Rights urges all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement in full for the benefit of all civilians and to resolve any differences of implementation within the framework of the agreement and applicable law.
The focused must now turn to facilitating all necessary help to those in need.
Human rights must be at the front and centre of this next phase.
Many will not have liveable homes to return to.
Hospitals, schools, places of worship and other vital infrastructure have been destroyed or damaged.
Ensuring protection to those in vulnerable situations must be a priority.
We urge all political actors in Lebanon to put aside their differences and to act in solidarity for the well-being of the deeply traumatised population.
The international community, now more than ever, must also provide support on both sides of the Israel, Lebanon border.
The enormous numbers of people forced to flee their homes on account of the conflict must be able to return knowing that they will be safe and can get on with their lives.
Accountability is also essential.
Violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law must be investigated independently and thoroughly.
Rule of law and accountability for human rights violations are critical for prevent for the prevention of violations and renewed conflict, and for the building and sustaining of peace and inclusive development.
The cessation of hostilities in Lebanon and northern Israel also renews focus on the continuing violence and loss of life in Gaza, where civilians have the same claims to peace, security and ability to return to their homes.
The **** Commissioner renews his urgent call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Those arbitrarily arbitrarily detained must be released and every effort must be made to urgently provide the full quantities of food, medicine and other vital assistance desperately needed in Gaza.
This morning we are joined from Amman by our colleague Ajit Sungai who leads the Protection Cluster, a network of actors including the UN, local and international non governmental organisations working on protection, human rights and humanitarian issues.
He returned from Gaza just yesterday and having spent a week there.
Every time I visit Gaza the level of destruction just gets worse and worse.
This time I was particularly alarmed by the prevalence of hunger After 13 months of unrelenting violence.
The ****** of death by starvation, illness or bombardment is real.
Local markets are now non existent.
The UN has been unable to take any humanitarian aid into the northern Gaza, where around 70,000 people are still believed to be present, due to repeated impediments or rejection of humanitarian convoys by the Israeli authorities.
Acquiring basic necessities has become a daily dreadful struggle for survival.
I saw dozens of women and children scavenging in large landfills.
It is so obvious that massive humanitarian aid needs to come in, and it is not.
It is so important the Israeli authorities make this happen.
The breakdown of public order and safety is exacerbating the situation with rampant looting and fighting over scarce resources as prices of the meagre commodities that are available have skyrocketed.
People have been shot and killed by unknown armed men while trying to buy simple sustenance such as bread.
These are not isolated incidents.
The anarchy in Gaza we warned about months ago is here entirely predictable, entirely foreseeable, and, as with all of the death and destruction I've seen during my past trips to Gaza, entirely preventable.
Palestinian people are hungry, frustrated, disappointed and suffering on a scale that has to be seen to be truly grasped.
Several young men, women express to me their feelings of despair and desire to leave the Gaza Strip, where they're left bereft of any safety, any security, and any hope.
With the destruction of every layer of the community, the education system, the governance system, places of worship, the local support networks, they see no future here.
Many displaced multiple times stressed to me the lack of any safe space and privacy in the makeshift tints and accommodation they've been forced into.
One young person told me she felt like a beggar and that she had lost all of her confidence.
Others said the cases of gender violence, gender based violence and ****, ***** of children and other violence within the community has increased in shelters as a consequence of the war and the breakdown of law enforcement and public order protection needs a massive but response still lags significantly.
Still, the community heart beats strong.
There are people who step in to help.
We are training and working with young protection responders, one told me.
I've lost everything including family members, house and all belongings, but I continue to help others in need.
Between the onset of winter and rain, there's an ever pressing need for proper shelters in winter clothes.
The conditions in Gaza City are horrendous.
Thousands of recently displaced people, predominantly from Jabaliya, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoon, are sheltered in partially destroyed buildings or makeshift camps in inhumane conditions with severe food shortages and terrible sanitary conditions.
The women I met had all either lost family members, were separated from their families, had relatives buried under rubble, or were themselves injured or sick.
Breaking down in front of me, they desperately pleaded for a ceasefire.
I met with fishers in Canyonis.
Over 4000 fishers and 14,000 others depend on this industry.
Since the start of the war, trawlers, Nets and other equipment have been destroyed and around 67 fishers have been killed by the Israeli military.
Despite this, out of sheer desperation, some of them enter the sea at the risk of being shorted by the Israeli Navy.
These daily struggles for survival are plaguing Gazans with Bombardment continues.
While bombardment continues unabated across the Strip, areas around Gaza City have faced unrelenting and heavy bombardment by the Israeli military.
Forced displacement from North to Middle and S Gaza continues as they move.
The shelling and bombing continues.
The common plea by everyone I met was for this to stop, to bring this to an end.
Thank you very much, Ajit.
And I would like to add, as as you know, today is also and the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
There's an event which is going on right now at the Paladin.
Assume we have distributed to you the message of the Secretary General where the he says every year on this day, the international community stands in solidarity for the dignity, rights, justice and self determination of the Palestinian people.
This year commemoration is especially painful as those fundamental goals are as distant as they ever been.
As we've just heard, nothing justifies the seven October terror attacks by Amas and the King of Hostages and nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.
Yet more than a year later, Gaza is in ruins.
As we also heard, more than 43,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have been reportedly killed and the humanitarian crisis is getting worse by the day.
This is appalling and excusable.
The Secretary General concludes it is past time for an immediate ceasefire and the unconditional release of all hostages and then to the unlawful occupation of the Palestinian territory as confirmed by the International Court of Justice and the General Assembly.
And irreversible progress towards a 2 state solution in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
With Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security and Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
As a matter of urgency, since the Secretary General, I appeal for full support of life saving humanitarian relief for the Palestinian people.
And you will have the whole message in your e-mail boxes.
I'll open the floor to questions now both on Lebanon and on Gaza.
Let me see if there is any in the room.
Let me see to the platform, Yuri.
Yes, thank you and thank you Jeremy for for coming and thank you from the the insights from Gaza.
I have just a question about Lebanon.
I have sent a request about that, but just to know if OHCHR is sending in Lebanon teams in order to, I don't know, collect proofs of relations of humanitarian law because now there are no strikes.
So maybe your teams on the ground can go to to places where it was impossible before the ceasefire.
Are you collecting any evidence of of crimes that were committed there?
How many people are there and how long will you collect this?
And how long do you think that you will need to have access to different regions of Lebanon to collect evidence?
Obviously it's an evolving situation.
So we we're in the process of, of, of, of making decisions on that basis.
But what I would also like to point out is we actually do have colleagues on, on the ground in in Lebanon.
So they have been and will continue to do their information gathering and assessments.
Any other question, Nick, come in Bruce.
To a question to add these.
I wondered where you exactly you were able to go during your week and when you talk about an estimated 17,000 people still in the North and you'll be a bit specific as to where you think that that population is concentrated.
And you talked about seeing large numbers of people scavenging landfills.
Is, is that a new development and was that concentrated very much around the north or is that something that you understand is now a common feature of life across the whole of the Gaza Strip?
I was in middle Gaza where we have most humanitarian responders based, including OHR and Protection Cluster and there we have a fairly good freedom of movement, I would say, of course with coordination with the Israeli authorities to an extent Rafa and Khan units as well.
I did go to North Gaza City where I've spent about two days and met several people in three different communities, One in the football stadium that has now become an IDP shelter, another one really large building which is partially destroyed and now it's been again accommodated by IDP's who have recently moved from Jabalia, Beitanun and Beitla.
The landfill issue and the kids and women I saw it is a particularly new one.
The last time I visited was few months ago and I hadn't seen that.
I mean, of course we had garbage with landfills, but the number of children and women out there on a daily basis, even in middle Gaza where technically we are there and theoretically they should have more humanitarian assistance, you will see them in in large numbers.
So that's a way in my opinion a recent development on 70,000 number.
Of course this is an estimated number.
It's also based on the discussions I had with the recently arriving ID PS, particularly those who moved in the last three to two weeks.
They believe about 35,000 to 40,000 are in Jabaliya and another, you know, 15 agent in Beethoven and Beetla here.
Nick, you have a follow up.
So briefly when your requests are made for convoys to northern Gaza, are are you targeting any specific locations?
And secondly, do you, do you have any details on the number of of requests that have been made in the course of this month they let's say November?
And has there been any specific reasons given for for denial or thank you?
Let me get back exactly on the the number of requests made to the north.
When I say north, I'm talking about Jablia Beetanoon Beetla here.
We've had no successful convoys.
I mean, all the requests made by all UN entities have been rejected and the reasons generally given are operations operational, operational reasons or something along the Zoom, which is very vague and, and broad, but nothing more than that.
And when when we ask, of course, I mean we asked for for areas where we have community, where we have ID PS who have recently moved, we look at protection issues within the community as well.
Like I mentioned gender based violence, unaccompanied minors, issues of youth and so on and so forth.
So we looked at what was available within Gaza City and surrounding areas.
I mean, it's difficult to go to the two either sides of Gaza as well, because they're quote, UN quote, areas that have been asked to be evacuated by the Israelis.
So bombardments continue.
I mean, the, the night I stayed there, it was heavy bombardment constant.
I mean, for us, it's impossible to sleep.
I mean, I cannot imagine for a Palestinian.
But all that to say, some parts are impossible to be accessible also because it's an active conflict zone at this point in time.
Just one thing to also clarify.
I used 67 number of fissures.
I think the written statement is 80.
It's from two different sources.
I think we took the lower denominator which is from the Fissures syndicate.
Thank you very much, very clear.
Any other question on this subject?
So thank you very much Ajit for for coming and briefing after you visit.
Jeremy, you want to add something?
First is that you will Ajit's text has been shared with you.
So with the briefing note.
The second thing is that we will be issuing have issued a broadcast quality video from Ajit's trip into Gaza.
So it's quite compelling watch.
It's important to tell to share this.
Then to the OHCHR colleagues.
Let us go now to the last of our guests from outside Geneva who comes to us for a foul Lionel Debedi, country representative for FAO in the Philippines.
So you're coming in from Manila to tell us about the anticipatory action on the humanitarian approach for the typhoon response in the Philippines.
Thank you very much for your patience.
Thank you very much, Mrs Veluchi.
Yes, good morning, ladies and gentlemen.
In the past few weeks, the Philippines have faced an unprecedented situations.
We have been experiencing 6 typhoons in one month, including four typhoons and one super typhoon in just 10 days.
This has caused significant damage not only because of each storm individually but also because of their cumulative impact.
According to the Philippine Department of Agriculture, the losses for the sector have reached $13.4 million.
But amidst the challenge, there is also a story of open innovations because for the first time, the Food and Agriculture organisations in partnership with the Philippine government, the Department of Social Welfare and Development has been able to activate anticipatory action for typhoon and to learn from it.
Anticipatory action is a preventive measures that consist in providing cash assistance just before disaster strikes to allow to allow the most vulnerable to protect themselves, to protect their assets and to protect their livelihoods and thereby recover faster and more cost effectively after the disasters.
So the work was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian aid operations and the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
And thanks to this timely interventions, we have been able to provide the 7300 farmers and Fisher folks with unconditional cash transfer as well as evacuation of critical assets like their fishing boats.
This has allowed the beneficiaries to secure food, to repair homes before the storm and to protect their livelihoods.
So as of now, it's still too early to assess the exact impact.
But previous figures for other types of disasters like Flood of Dought have shown that every dollar invested in anticipatory actions translates into four to seven dollar of savings at the time of rebuilding.
The fishing boat evacuation has also shown to be very effective with only minor damage reported.
By collecting data now on how the beneficiaries have received and used the assistance if it looks forward to measuring the impact and improving our protocols.
Regrettably, the storms have also impacted 535,000 people, so it's exceeding significantly the number who benefited from the anticipatory action intervention, highlighting the need to pursue and mainstream the effort.
According to the resident coordinator, approximately $32.9 million will now be required to support the recovery.
However, even though disaster often dominate the discussions today, I wanted to highlight this story as a as a success and also as a reminder that timely preventive interventions can make all the different, all the difference.
This is not a silver bullet, but it is an effective and innovative and powerful tool that can be combined with other tools like climate, resident agriculture, Disaster Risk Reduction, preparedness to deeply transform the way countries like the Philippines that transfers on the Global Vulnerability Index can cope and even thrive despite disasters.
Thank you very much, Lionel, for this, for this briefing.
Let me see if there's any question from you for you in the room or on the platform.
I don't see any, but I really ask key if it's possible to share your notes with the with the journalist so that they have the important information that you have you have briefed upon today.
Thank you so much for joining us from Manila, our last speaker on my rights, Shabia.
It's it's there are lots of anniversaries and commemorations, but of course, we are now in full swing for the 15 days of activism against gender based violence.
As you can see, I've got some orange on my on me today, which I always try to do.
But we do have alarming news.
And that is why you should be a stellar is here to tell us today about the devastating spike in risk of gender based violence for women and girls forced to flee.
Thank you, Alessandra, and good morning, everyone.
It's been a while, but nice to be back.
So today we are, as Alessandra mentions, warning about the the significant risks that we feel like increasing for displaced and stateless women and girls Across the world.
More than 60 million women and girls who are forcibly displaced or stateless face **** risks of gender based violence.
While gender based violence remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations worldwide, the UN refugee agency warns that the risks are heightened for those women and girls experiencing situations of conflict or have been forced to flee.
According to UN data, reports of conflict related sexual violence increased shockingly by 50% last year compared to the previous year, and women and girls accounted for 95% of those cases.
These numbers represent a small fraction of the reality as many cases of these abominable violations and violence affecting women and girls.
Health, dignity, security and autonomy go unreported.
In many remote locations, humanitarian access is cut off or resources and assistance are scarce.
Access to justice also remains limited and survivors fear retaliation and social marginalisation in our colleagues who are working in situations of conflict and emergencies worldwide continue to hear from survivors about the horrors they have faced, from brutal violence, torture, sexual exploitation, sexual violence, including as a weapon of war, to the denial of fundamental human rights including self, agency and autonomy.
For instance, in the DRC, women and girls are facing an unbearable plight as their bodies have become an extension of the battleground.
This is a mid cyclical violence and worsening insecurity, including in designated displacement sites.
In Chad, women have reported being raped while fleeing in the conflict.
In Sudan and in Afghanistan, increasing restrictions on women and girls, **** rates of domestic violence at home and the overall worsening economic situation are contributing to a mental health crisis, with UNHCR partners reporting an increase in the number of patients seeking help.
Among the litany of risks facing people who are traversing the roots on the Mediterranean, we also hear about continuing reports of of sexual violations, exploitation and other and other risks of gender based violence.
Humanitarian estimates are that 90% of women and girls moving along the Mediterranean route are raped.
Survivors of sexual violence who have fled to neighbouring countries often remain in precarious situations owing to the additional risks of gender based violence they may face during their displacement and delays in accessing services which may be limited.
In addition to conflict related sexual violence, forcibly displaced women and girls also face **** risks of intimate partner violence.
In certain displacement settings, the risks for them were estimated to be 20% higher than for non displaced women and girls.
Intersecting forms of a discrimination also add to the risks with including for those with disabilities, those who are living in poverty or have diverse sexual and orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics.
So these are only a few illustrations of this chronically underreported pandemic.
Across the world we see mounting attacks on women's rights, from violence to restrictions on women's autonomy and agency, among others.
And women LED organisations, including refugee LED ones, are bearing much of the backlash.
So the need for gender based violence prevention and response services for women and girls affected by forced displacement and conflict far exceeds available funding.
For instance, for six major regional refugee response plans for refugees from the DRC, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, South Sudan, Syria.
Gender based violence programming for the entire year for all participating organisations amounting to $236 million has only been 28% funded to date.
So the UN Refugee Agency fears that without adequate funding, millions of forcibly displaced women and girls may not be able to access critical services next year.
Early and effective gender based violence prevention and response measures are life saving and life changing.
So across the world, these programmes are having a measurable impact on the lives of displaced and stateless women and girls and their host communities.
On this year's 16 Days of Activism, we urge more support to address this plight of GBV.
And just just to remind you that as we have told you last week, and you may have heard at the event that took place on Monday, this year during the 16 Days of Activism, which runs until the 10th of December, the campaign Unite is drawing attention to the alarming escalation of women of violence against women.
Under the theme every 10 minutes a woman is killed.
Hashtag no excuse Unite to hand violence against women.
You have much more on the website and we can send you all further information that has been produced for the beginning of the 15 days.
And I take the opportunity to tell you that on the 10th of December for the end of the 15 days, we will held a a special event here at the palace.
I'll give you more information when maybe at the end of this week we should have something to send you.
So let me go back because as as Shabia said, this is particularly acute with the women on the move and girls in the move.
Any question in the subject when you're in HCR in the room or online, I don't see any.
Thank you very much, Shabia.
It was good to see you back and to speak about this appalling issue and and and such an important one.
So we've spoken about International Day.
We've also sent you the message of the Secretary General for the 30th of November, which is the day of remembrance for all victims of chemical warfare and the 2nd of December, International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
Press conference to remind you.
And Yance is here in case you have any question.
On Tuesday, the 3rd of December, before the briefing 9:45, we would have the pleasure to have with us for the first time speaking to the Preston Fletcher, the new and the Secretary not so new anymore and the Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.
The briefing will concern the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2025, which is as you know, the UN Partners Annual Humanitarian Appeal, which is under embargo until Wednesday the 4th, so the day after at 6:00 AM Geneva time.
And as I said, the NC is here.
If you have any question, I don't see hands up on this.
So I'll continue with my announcements.
We are going to see the well, that's that's actually this today.
The Committee of on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has been concluding this morning the review of the report of Monaco.
They are left with the reports of Armenia, Greece and Kenya to discuss.
The Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their family will open next Monday at 10 AM.
The countries under review are Benin, Egypt, Peru and Seychelle.
Please note that as every year, a special meeting is being held at the Paladin mansion this morning on the Palestinian on the day, so that with the Palestinian people.
Obviously, we are very much aware that this collided with the press briefing and also with other events at the parley.
I've heard some of you who has spoken to us about the coincidence of all this event.
Unfortunately, it's not always possible to have different times, but I just wanted to remind you that this event has been taking place and the web recording is available on our UNTV platform.
Last but not least, an announcement from WTO I've been asked to read to you.
The chair of the W of the WTO General Council, Ambassador Peter Earlberg of Norway, will hold a press conference today at 12:30 Geneva time, which is very soon in one hour.
The press conference will take place immediately after the General Council, where members will decide on the appointment of the next Director General of the WTO.
Journalist can register to attend the press conference online and can also follow a live stream on the WTO website for those who want to attend in person.
The briefing will take place in Room D of the WTO building.
You may enter the WTO building with the UN with your UN or WTO press badges and of course the press team of WTO is available for any enquiry.
I see Satoko has a question.
I have a question on the global humanitarian overview.
Is it possible to get this overview before the embargoed press briefing?
And it's it's a good question and answer comes straight from from.
Yes, who's coming to the podium?
Yeah, I so we are as as usual in a, in a race against time to get everything together.
As you know, the global humanitarian overview is exactly that.
It's an overview of all the individual country and regional plans.
So there's a lot of data and information coming from the fields that needs to be checked and verified and put together.
We will have, if all goes according to plan on Monday, a press release for you under embargo as well as access to the full global humanitarian overview with the, with the password protection, right?
It's, it's, it's a lot of data and, and, and a lot of stuff.
We will also give you to kind of facilitate what, what is this all about and a bridge diversion, right?
A shorter version, I think it's 10 or 12 pages that gives you kind of the big picture of what this is all about.
So all of that written material on Monday, hopefully you can have a chance to look at it before Tuesday morning when emergency relief coordinator Fletcher will be here in the morning.
Ask him any questions you have.
And then everything is under embargo till Wednesday at 6:00 AM as Alessandra mentioned.
So that is the the battle plan.
Have you got any further question for you?
You have a busy week and we and as with you, before I let you go, just let me remind you please, one thing because otherwise we're going to have a problem.
We sent you an announcement already, but I would like to remind you that due to ongoing works involving the constructions there, the Peace Gate and the Nation Gates both will be completely closed on Monday the 2nd of December from 7:30 AM to 12:00 noon.
So please, when you want to enter the Paladin as you on foot, you have to use the prenegate.
So let me remind you this because Monday morning there will be things and we need to make sure that you know that you have to go to the other side.
And the prenegate hours remain unchanged.
So I thank you for your understanding on this.
It will just be 1 morning Emma, WHO used to be here because we started with them.
But let me see if by any chance Christian is still online.
You're going to ask your question.
I was hoping for an update on Camel Adwan hospital in Gaza.
There's reports on social media that the director of the ICU has been killed in an Israeli drone strike.
Can you comment on that or the situation at the hospital more generally?
No, I don't have that update yet.
I would need to check for it and get back to you directly.
Thank you very much, Christian, since you we have you there any question?
Yeah, Chris Christian, if you can just share with everybody your if you can send us an e-mail or no, I think it's it's interesting for I see people nodding yes, please, if I have anything to share, I'll share.
And by the way, talking about sharing, I will.
I've just got the speaking notes for Yano Habit.
So I'll share his Ukraine speaking notes just in a moment.
Any other question, I don't see any.
I've been asked and MI is here, but also other journalists have asked for our plans for the end of the year.
We will share it with you in writing.
Solange is putting together a list of the spokesperson who will be on call during the holidays.
So you will get this as usual very soon.
But I just wanted to tell you because that's apparently something that everybody wants to know, that our last press brief of the year will be on the 20th of December.
We will not hold press briefings on the 24th, 28th and 31st of December and 3rd of January.
And we will of course start again on the Tuesday 7th of January.
This is of course if, and let's hope not, you know, there's no need for organising a cash timely press briefing, in which case we will let you know.
But we will continue to distribute the information as usual on our activities.
So just for your planning purposes.
But again, you will have all this in writing with the list of the spokesperson on duty very, very soon.
If there are no other questions this time, I really let you go.
Thank you very much for following the briefing and I'll see you on Tuesday, Born Weekend.
