Welcome to this press briefing of Tuesday 23rd of March in Geneva.
We have an enormous list of items.
Today is going to be quite long, so I would like to ask everybody to be really short because as you may remember, just after the briefing, we will have a press conference by the colleagues in WHO that will update you on the health situation in Syria.
So please everybody try to be as short as possible.
I will start immediately with the news that come to us from Cox Bazaar.
We have 4 colleagues who are going to brief us on this, maybe a few introductory remarks from Angela.
And then I will go to the field where Johannes van der Klau, the UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh, will give U.S.
And we will have them, UNICEF and WFP, adding a few words.
So Angela, if you want to just give a very brief introduction, please.
A massive fire swept through three IOM managed sites yesterday, displacing roughly 8000 Rohingya refugee families and causing catastrophic damage in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, the world's largest refugee camp.
More than 9100 family shelters were damaged in the fire and IO Ms, largest health clinic in the camp, was completely destroyed.
The fire has since subsided, but not before consuming essential facilities in the camps, shelters, and the personal belongings of 10s of thousands of refugees.
The cause of the fire is still unknown, as are the exact number of casualties.
IOM teams and partners work through the night to respond to the most immediate needs of those who fled the scene.
Rohingya volunteers on the ground with the first responders helping people to safety, supporting fire response efforts, and working to support relief efforts.
In the immediate aftermath, government response services, including the fire brigade, army and humanitarian agencies, rushed to the area to put out the fire.
IOM deployed its ambulances and mobile medical teams to respond to all those who were injured and to provide mental health and psycho social support.
Today, families have begun to return to their plots of land.
IOM is distributing emergency assistance, including shelter kits that will allow people to begin to rebuild their homes, as well as emergency items like blankets, solar lights, mosquito Nets and Jerry cans.
With the start of the monsoon looming, rebuilding is critical.
IOM will continue to help reconstruct durable shelters, emergency latrines and its vital health facility.
IOM requires at least $20 million to respond to these most urgent needs, and IO Ms Emergency Fund has already pledged $1 million to the relief efforts.
Thank you very much for this initial remarks.
I will now turn to the colleague from UNHCR.
Let's see if we have him on the line.
Good morning, Mr Vanderklaw.
Vanderklaw, I hope you pronounce well your name.
You are the UNHCR representative in Bangladesh and you will be giving us some update from from there.
Yes, thank you very much.
I'm calling live from Dhaka, but I'm in contact all the time with the teams in Cox Bazaar.
As you know, UNHR and IOM and the resident coordinators, the coordinator refugee response, what we have seen in this file is something we've never seen before in these camps.
It is massive, it is devastating and we have our teams on the ground.
As my IOM colleague said, we have so far confirmed 15 people dead, 560 injured, 400 are still missing and at least 10,000 shelters have been destroyed.
That means at least 45,000 people are being displaced and for whom we seek now provisional shelter, as my IOM colleague said.
Also health clinics have been destroyed.
Distribution points, my colleague of WFP of certainly will also talk about this SUNHCR.
We, we, we help to coordinate the response this IOM and others.
Of course, we have a specific protection mandate.
In that sense, we look at the most vulnerable women, children, because they're the majority in the camp to get a safe provisional shelter.
They're people with very specific protection needs.
The safety and security arrangements for these people is of utmost importance.
We also need to monitor how the assistance is being distributed.
We work a lot with the refugee volunteers.
It is impressive how the Rohingya community always have this programme of refugee volunteers who are the backbone of service delivery and also this type of crisis situation.
We already look at how we prepare the, the, the, the affected population is new refugee documents.
So a new registration system isn't put in place because people have lost everything in the fire.
And as you NHR, we of course contribute to the distribution of of items.
As my IOM colleague also said, this goes in the range of 3000 blankets, 14,500 solar lamps, then over 10,000 kitchen sets, over 11,000 mosquito Nets.
I mentioned these figures just to show you the scale of of the catastrophe.
Thank you very much for all this information from Bangladesh.
And I have also, excuse me Thompson, sorry for WFP who would like to add something.
Thompson Yes, good morning Bourgeois tours very quickly.
the United Nations World Food Programme is working tirelessly to assist people in need following the devastating fire outbreak.
Now, WFP immediately provided emergency rations of **** energy biscuits to evacuated families who are sheltering with friends with families in nearby camps and transit centres and will today, 23 March, provide 60,000 what meals to affected families.
We will provide lunch and we will provide dinner.
Last night, the War food programmes engineering experts were deployed to help contain the fire, while food assistance teams provided rapid assistance to affected families.
WFP also deployed light and heavy machinery, including water tanks, to support the response, although the full extent of the damage will become clearer once assessments have been finalised.
Our frontline staff in the play in the camp reported horrific scenes of devastation, destruction and despair.
I was just on the phone with one of them moments ago and she just said imagine losing everything when you were forced from your home just three years ago, only to lose it all over again and the pain of watching helplessly as you're priced and only possessions go up in flames.
For our part, 2 WFP nutrition centres and one general food distribution point were bent to the ground.
WFP has also been forced to close to other nutrition sites and a voucher outlet until damage is assessed.
This is something that you hear throughout this briefing that it is not immediately clear exactly how the fire started, but what is clear is that the refugees will need substantial support to get them back on their feet again.
Thank you very much, Thompson.
And last but definitely not least, James Elder for UNICEF.
Because a colleague from her noted that, you know, teams on the ground have said this morning to us that the scale and intensity of this is, is unlike anything they've seen before in camps.
So as efforts were made to bring this, bring it under control, unfortunately it did.
It raged through and really only slowed down, I think once it reached the main road and water bodies and so on.
For UNICEF, clearly this only makes things worse for kids.
I mean, remembering that we're already talking about more than 450,000 Rohingya children in need of assistance.
So the reports we have are that yes, children are among the injured.
Of course, there are also many children separated from their families.
UNICEF has many learning centres as we've tried to build and build and bring a bit of normality for these kids in these camps.
Many of those are feared fully burnt.
Exact numbers we're trying to confirm and we will of course seek to rebuild those as quickly as possible.
There's a UNICEF team there at the moment trying to address the needs and respond to those needs, particularly of children.
And we've got health teams on the ground for first aid, working with all the partners you've been listening to, as well as volunteers trying to evacuate refugees from their shelters.
Thank you very much, James.
So I'll open the floor to question now.
Catherine Fiancong has a question for our colleague in in Bangladesh.
Catherine, maybe you want to introduce yourself and ask you a question.
Yes, good morning, Alessandra.
Thank you for giving me the floor.
Catherine Fiancong, Bukonga, France, Van Catra and other media.
My question is to Johannes and to the colleagues.
I would like to know where, OK, where will be the people move to?
Will it be an opportunity to move them to Basanchar Island?
Because we know that it is problematic already.
So will it be an an opportunity for the authorities to move them out to the island?
And do you know the origin of the fire?
Because this could explain that.
And for the colleague from James UNICEF, could you give us some data about how many children have been victims and how many are separated from their parents?
So maybe Johannes, you want to start and then James, thank you.
OK, you're on, you're on.
Concerning your second question, we don't have yet a clear idea about the origin of the fire, which was also set by my WFP colleague.
There's a lot of speculation in social media.
We should really not do this.
We will come with an answer later, but at the moment you just don't know.
Your first question, where are the people who lost all their belongings and their houses being moved to?
They will be moved into other shelters in the camp.
We have for instance a transit centre.
As you're in HCR the as this few previous big fires.
Normally, the people find temporary lodging within the camps prior to the rebuilding of the house.
There's no talk about moving them anywhere out of the camp area.
Again, this is on social media speculation.
Authorities have not mentioned it at all today.
So today the people are being moved to other shelters, communal shelters within the large camp area.
James, would you like to add something or any other colleague, please take take the floor.
Just raise your hand if you if you want to answer.
Between Listen, I I will seek to get that.
I was on the phone only 20 minutes before this.
And we don't have numbers of children as victims, whether burn victims or or worse.
Obviously, you can imagine separation from parents is something we work on very quickly, but it's quite chaotic.
But please just drop me a line or I'll do the same to you later on today.
We'll get whatever hard numbers on both those things we can for you.
And so if I don't see other colleagues raising hands, I'll go to Gabriela Sotomayor.
Johannes from Proceso in Mexico.
Gabriela Sotomayor, Mexico.
I was going to ask about the origin of the fire, but who is going to be in charge of the investigation of the origin of the fire?
Who would like to answer this question of our colleagues?
You have to raise your hand.
I can't see you all, Johannes.
If I may, Johannes, I'm tolling from the field.
Such an investigation is always done by the responsible authorities.
Of course, that's their role, because they, they are in charge of the administration of the camps.
So of course, any of these type of problems or other problems, it's their role and it's ongoing indeed.
Laurence Ciero from the Swiss news Agency.
Also a question for Mr van der Klau, you mentioned that rapid system for registration for, for the refugees that lost the, the ID documents.
What will be the pace of it?
How many people are you going to be able to, to register every day with that, with that apparatus, with that component?
Well, indeed, as I mentioned, at least we have for the moment recorded 45,000 persons who lost everything and for whom we first look at the temporary shelter.
And as you know, the majority is, are children and women.
But as I said, we already now have to start the preparations to to reissue them registration documents.
This will take time, you know, because we have documents, we produce these biometrics together with the authorities.
So this is not an issue for a couple of days.
This will take time, but the importance is that we started now, today, and don't wait for long, because documentation is always key for people.
It's the access to a lot of services.
So I just wanted to highlight that element.
It's not only the material aid distribution, the food and the non food items.
It's also these important issues about documentation, which play a major role in such an emergency response.
I'll take a last question from Ahmed Ahmed and can you introduce yourself?
Yes, hello, good morning.
I don't know if you hear me very well.
I'm Ahmed Shauki from the United Arab Emirates News Agency.
I didn't get the clearly of the number of the victims.
If there is some, if you can repeat that, please.
Yeah, the these are conservative.
These are conservative figures, but we have as of this this morning in Geneva.
So we have at least 10,000 shelters destroyed and normally on average one shelter is inhabited by at least 4.5 people.
So we have at least 45,000 people who lost everything and for whom we now find temporary shelter.
We have 15 people confirmed death, but again, that is just as of today.
The search and rescue is ongoing.
We have at least today, 560 injured people who have been found and who's being under treatment.
But we still have 400 people who are unaccounted for who are still missing.
We're still somewhere, maybe in the rubble or so.
These figures are most certainly not the the final ones.
They are the figures of today.
Thank you, Thanks very much.
I'd like to thank all the speakers on this subject, on this terrible fires and wish Johannes in the field and all the colleagues really a lot of courage for the hours to come.
While this drama will continue to unfold, I'd like now to switch to our colleagues of FAO and WFP.
We have with us here and Eliza Conte, the director of the WFP Geneva office on my left and Dominique Bourgeon on the line, who, as you know, is the director of the FA Oleism office.
They have a short announcement for you.
I don't know who would like to start, Dominique.
OK, Dominique, I'll give you the floor.
I know that afterwards you have to leave, but if you can give us a little bit of introduction.
Through the Anger Hotspot report, the last edition of which is being released, will be released very soon.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation affair and the World Food Programme provide early warnings on countries where parts of the population are likely to face a fast deterioration of acute food insecurity during the next five months and where critical actions are urgently needed.
The current edition flags actually 20 hotspots at risk of such deterioration and recommends specific early action.
What is critical to understand is that this analysis, based on the last latest available evidence, is confirming trends that FAO and WFP have been warning about since mid 2020.
Actually, acute anger is on the rise across the world, of course, as a result of a combination of factors exacerbated by COVID-19 and in many places resulting in critical anger situations.
Already in 2019, 135 million people were facing **** acute food insecurity across 55 countries and territories.
While the next global report on food crisis will be launched in April, a significant increase is already evident with around 174 million people in **** acute food insecurity by end 2020.
The hotspots are identified against a background of already 34 million people worldwide living in emergency levels of acute.
Anger IPC 4 Multiple drivers are being are behind this deterioration and importantly in most of the hotspots they are interlinked and mutually reinforcing.
These multiple drivers are first conflict or other forms of armed violence which unfortunately may increase in parts of Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Central Sahel, Ethiopia, northern Nigeria, northern Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan and the Sudan and also unfortunately in DRC in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, in Syria where where conflict is expected to persist.
Closely related to this are access constraints, which are critical drivers of food insecurity in areas where significant parts of the population rely on humanitarian assistance for survival.
In that context, we we wish to flag access is that that access is particularly critical in Yemen and Syria and varying level of constraints remain in most other conflict affected hotspots as a result of the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic.
We also wish to flag the economies of of numerous countries in 2021 will continue to be highly vulnerable to economic shocks.
Latin America is the region hardest hit by economic decline and will be and might be one of the slowest to to, to to to recover.
In the Middle East, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon are also seriously affected by a rapid currency depreciation and skyrocketing inflation.
Weather and climate extreme finally, including those driven by the ongoing La Nina.
La Nina event are expected to continue through April and May 21 and are likely to affect several countries such as in the case of the of of dry conditions affecting key cropping seasons in Afghanistan, Dawn of Africa and Madagascar.
In terms of transboundary threats, you have been made aware before of the impact of desert locust situation in East Africa and on the red seacoast, which remains of concern and should be monitored, as well as in southern Africa, more specifically in parts of Angola and Zimbabwe.
An outbreak of African migratory locusts poses a serious ****** to summer Tropic.
Finally, what I want to fly before passing the floor to Ananisa is that in more than half of the Angular hotspots which we have identified, conflict is a key driver of acute food insecurity.
This is a stark reminder that without peace, 0 anger is not possible.
Conflict leads to greater food insecurity.
Implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2417, adopted in 2018 on conflict and hunger and protection of civilian, which among others, demand that all parties to armed conflict fully comply with their obligation under international law, recalls the importance of safe and unimpeded humanitarian access and reminds of the importance of refraining from destroying objects that are indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as foodstuff, crops, livestock, agricultural assets, drinking water installation and supplies and irrigation work.
Compliance to this resolution is therefore paramount.
I leave it there and I wish to pass the floor to analysis.
Thank you very much Analisa Kung for the WFP.
I would like to bring the attention to the human dimension of of this situation.
We are particularly concerned about the situation of a more than 30 million people who are already facing emergency level food insecurity.
It means that they are on the brink of of famine.
These people have already depleted their assets, their livelihoods are compromised, their food consumption is already insufficient, and most of their children are already acutely malnourished.
Excess death due to hunger is taking place as we speak.
You need to understand that beyond this point there is starvation and widespread mortality.
The window to avert a catastrophic situation, I would say of a biblical proportion, is closing fast.
To respond to such daunting situation, extraordinary resources are required.
Flexible and earmarked and front loaded funding is needed to facilitate immediate action and avert catastrophic consequences.
FAO and WFP are calling for $5 billion to provide emergency food assistance to the 34 million people facing the highest risk of famine and famine like conditions and an additional $500 million for a targeted livelihood inputs and anticipatory actions to protect the food security situation of those people who are at the edge of falling into more desperate conditions.
Both assistance, food assistance and the livelihood operations require sufficient lead time.
And we also need to emphasise the importance to have the inputs, particularly the agricultural inputs to be delivered to these people before the planting season because the role of their backyard agriculture, their local agriculture is extremely important in preventing them from falling into a situation of famine.
Annalisa, I have a question from Jamil Shade from Estados Apollo.
Can you open the mic of Jamil please?
My question on Venezuela, what is the situation, what are the perspectives for this year?
And in general in Latin America, as you mentioned, the worst hit and probably the the worst to come out.
What is, for example, the situation in Brazil as well?
Dominique, would you like to take this one?
And then maybe Annalisa, Wait, you're unmuted.
We need to unmute Dominique, please go ahead.
Well, of course we are as we mentioned in the in the brief quite concerned with the with the situation in, in in Latin America when it comes to to to to Venezuela.
Yes, it is, It is correct in the in the report food insecurity level in Venezuela.
We are very concerned basically the food security levels in Venezuela are expected to rise to continue to rise beyond dose of 2019 when basically we had around 9.3 million Venezuelan and we were food insecure according to the WFP carry scale doing it is clear, according to the analysis which we are producing that the the sanction and lower price are expected to lead to a further economic contraction forecast at 10% in 2021, hyperinflation forecast at 6500%.
This will continue to be compounded by the impact of COVID-19 and we are we, we, we fear that the situation will continue indeed to to impact the the population in Venezuela when it comes to Latin America and the Caribbean.
We are also concerned with the situation in in a number of countries where basically accurate food insecurity is expected to rise as a as a result of the global impact of a number of hurricanes, for example, Hurricane ETA and Miyota and the economic effects of COVID-19 pandemic.
This is for example, the case in Honduras, where basically we are we are afraid that there might be a, a worsening between April and June with about 3.1 million people expected to, to face **** acute food insecurity in, in Guatemala.
Also, where a number of countries are expected well to, to, to see that the number of people are expected to see their situation worsen as well as in, in El Salvador.
So we are quite concerned the situation in, in, in Brazil is not covered in, in this analysis of acute food insecurity hotspot.
So there might be issues related to chronic food insecurity, but nothing on accurate food insecurity that we wish to flag at this stage.
Lisa Schlein versus of America, Yes, good morning.
You may have answered this.
I got a phone call in between, so I may have missed some of what you said.
Could you tell me what the total number of people affected by by this lack of food, the hotspots is?
And you are talking about close to 30 million people who are in famine which, which countries?
Where are they mainly located?
And if you could talk a little bit more specifically about the situation in Africa, whether you are particular, what particularly concerns you there, perhaps some of the people close to starvation are located there and whether conflict is the main problem that inflicts this continent.
And then lastly, if you would be so good as to send your notes to us, I think it would be very helpful.
Who wants to take analyzer?
So first of all, the the reporter, the document will be will be out and so all the details will be there.
But the concerning the the countries where we have the particular concern, they are all affected by multiple risks.
Of course conflict is one of them, but it is not the only one.
That is why it makes the situation so complex.
We are talking about Yemen, South Sudan and northern Nigeria, but also the Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, IET and and other countries.
So the the 34 or the more than 30 million people that they are already on the brink of famine are largely across Africa, but not only we also have Afghanistan and and other countries.
They all the details are in the report.
I think Dominic has raised and we have got three more questions.
I would really like to ask everybody to be really short, please.
I'm afraid we won't be able to finish otherwise before the press conference, Dominique.
OK, Well, just I, I think it's very important to to to to clarify that for the moment, we have only famine likely we have famine conditions in little part of of South Sudan important.
I mean we have, we have population that are in famine likely condition in South Sudan and we have a number of areas especially in other areas of South Sudan as well in Yemen for example, where there is risk of famine.
I mean what we want to flag is that there are there are other countries in the world, there are other hotspots where if prompt action is not taken may face a deterioration that may push people into famine conditions.
So we are not saying that there are 34 million people in famine condition as we speak.
I think it's very important to clarify that.
Thank you Mousasi in the room.
Let's see, Alexandra is adopted question for faux La Promiere on parallel dollar report the the shirks on transit million on the million total obviously.
Larson, Delaney, Donovan.
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I really cannot take more questions at the moment.
Nicola and Paula, if you are really brief, please ask your question one after the other, and I will ask for a very brief question answer.
Otherwise I will have to stop here.
Actually, my question is, as you had mentioned, the Northern Triangle countries in Central America and in the past the food insecurity has been a driver for migration.
If there's any sense or if you could say anything about how long you may expect, you know, this transition to take place, how long will it be before people start moving?
No, you should be able to hear me.
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We will have to come back, I think.
Thanks for these reports.
Good luck with the launch and I'll turn now to my right.
Let's go to human Rights.
First of all, just to remind you, as Rolando told me is that the action on draught resolution of the Human Rights Council has started this morning at 11 O clock.
There are 31 draughts to be considered today and tomorrow.
Rolando sent you a table of all these draughts on the order they are to be considered and of course contacting if you have any question.
And now I turn to it is thrusted for the OHCHR whereas an item about the decision of Turkey.
Sorry to withdraw from the Council of Europe Convention preventing and combating violence against women.
You've seen the the statements that UN women issued during the the weekend and I just would like to 1 before I give the floor to release that violence as you know.
Violence against women has been a central priority for the Secretary General.
It is important to maintain the solidarity of nations in dealing with this problem.
Accordingly, the Secretary General appeals to Turkey to review this decision and Lease has more.
Turkey's announcement at the weekend that it was withdrawing from the Istanbul Convention, an important regional human rights treaty on combating all forms of violence against women, highlights wider concerns regarding the human rights situation in the country, notably the shrinking of civic space and the lack of meaningful and democratic participation in decision making.
The decision to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention was taken without a parliamentary debate and reportedly without wider consultation with civil society, including women's groups and women right defenders.
The **** Commissioner has expressed her dismay at the withdrawal, which represents a significant step backwards in Turkey's efforts to advance women's rights, especially given that gender inequality and gender based violence against women remain a serious concern in Turkish society.
Turkey played an active role in negotiating the convention, which was adopted in Istanbul and was the first state to ratify it in March 2012, which makes its decision to abandon it now all the more shocking.
Turkey's decision to pull away from its obligations under the Istanbul Convention also sends a wrong signal to the world at a time when global commitment and political will to eradicate violence against women are needed.
The rise in gender based violence and the backlash against women's rights we have seen worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic make such efforts more vital than ever.
We call on Turkey to reverse it's withdrawal, conduct consultations with civil society and women's groups, and make tangible efforts to promote and protect the safety and rights of all women and girls in Turkey.
Other developments in recent weeks have additionally deepened our concerns about the human rights situation in the country.
Opposition politicians and human rights defenders have been detained after raids on their homes and vaguely defined terrorism related charges continue to be brought to target and silence perceived critics.
We reiterate that any counterterrorism operation should comply with international human rights law and must never be used as a pretext to quash dissent.
On the 17th of March, legal proceedings began seeking the dissolution of the opposition People's Democratic Party, HDP.
On the same day, parliament decided to expel HDP member Umair Farouk Gerge Liolo and revoke his parliamentary immunity, citing his conviction for spreading what was termed terrorist propaganda in one of his social media posts in 2016.
The offence for which Gerge Liolo was convicted appears broad and not in line with international standards.
We're also deeply concerned that legal proceedings initiated against him appear to be part of a wider trend in Turkey of using counterterrorism measures that can have a chilling effect on the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms and human rights.
We reiterate the importance of Turkey taking actions consistent with its obligations under international human rights law, including relating to freedom of opinion and expression, right of peaceful assembly, freedom of association, including the right to form and participate in political parties, the right to participate in public affairs, and the full respect of human rights in any counterterrorism measures.
Earlier this month, Turkey adopted a Human Rights Action Plan, and we stress that this should be implemented in conformity with such international obligations.
Thank you very much, Liz.
Thank you for taking my question.
Alessandra, good morning.
This is good to see you again.
My question is about Istanbul Convention, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Moldova, Lithuania is the shine not fear.
Hungary, Armenia and Bulgaria signed the Islamic Convention but did not let fight.
And additionally, Council of Europe members Russia and Azerbaijan refused to sign the convention.
Also, currently, Poland is planning, Poland is planning or discussing the withdrawal from the convention.
And so my question, are you also worried about the rights of women in these countries I have just mentioned, which do not ratify the convention?
What is your message for these countries?
I think we'd say we're worried about women's rights everywhere.
As we've seen during the pandemic, we have seen a rise in domestic violence.
We have seen the erosion of women's rights in many places.
What we're stressing here, of course, is, is what Turkey has decided to do.
And Turkey at the time was was really played a role in negotiating the Istanbul Convention and was in fact the first state to ratify it, which is, as we've said, makes it all the more perverse that it has now decided to withdraw it.
We are concerned, as I've said, about women's rights around the world.
And I think what is important to stress is that the in the Istanbul Convention is, it's considered the most comprehensive treaty on violence against women.
It took years of struggle by the feminist movement to have violence against women explicitly recognise as a human rights concern and recognise it.
It so implies that states have an obligation to prevent violence against women and that includes a whole range of, of, of steps that they should take.
It's very important to investigate it to, to punish perpetrators and ensure protection and reparations for the victims.
Going back to your question, you listed a whole, whole number of countries with regard to, to those that have signed but not ratified the convention, those that have not signed it at all.
I think what we need to stress is violence against women happens around the world.
1/3 of all women worldwide will experience violence at some point in their lives.
During the pandemic, as I said, there was a surge in reported incidents of domestic violence, sexual violence, child marriage and female genital mutilation globally.
So what is really important with regard to the Istanbul Convention is that that countries that already have provisions in their legislation, there are concerns maybe, but those the treaties like the the Istanbul Convention is to encourage states to adhere to some agreed minimum standards.
And the whole idea of this, the whole idea of human rights, if you were, is that the relationship between the state and people under its jurisdiction is governed by an international system of rules that can be internationally scrutinised.
It also gives recourse to individuals when internally they cannot achieve justice.
And it crucially allows states to learn from one another and exchange good practises.
So that is why we're saying it isn't so, so important that states do adhere to the Istanbul Convention.
On why we're calling on Turkey to reverse its decision, just to say housekeeping, we'll, we'll probably move the press conference of WHO to 11:45, which doesn't mean we have much time.
So please everybody be brief.
I've got Lisa, Tamara, Katherine and then we will go to Boris.
Just a couple of quick questions.
The Turkish government, Erdogan says that domestic legislation is good enough to protect the women in this country from domestic and other sorts of violence.
Have you are calling on the government to reverse this decision?
Have you actually spoken to the government and received any kind of a message?
And I am assuming that there are no sanctions for withdrawal or am I incorrect about that?
And if there are no sanctions, what sort of pressures can be put upon the government?
As I indicated in my response to to Byram, there are countries that say that they already have provisions in their legislation.
There are concerns about violence against women in Turkey.
It was reported on on the in the immediate aftermath of Turkey announcing its withdrawal that four women in the country were murdered by their partners.
What we would say, as I said earlier, is that the whole point of international regional treaties is to encourage states to adhere to some agreed minimum standards.
So that's why it is so important for for countries to adhere to these standards to really tackle violence against women.
With regard to, to the contacts with, with the Turkish authorities, Well, we, we do discuss with, with the Turkish authorities a whole range of, of issues.
And As for sanctions, well, this is, this is an international treaty and the whole point of international treaties is to have these agreed standards by which states can be measured is to encourage states to, to learn from one another and exchange good practise.
I'm just to wonder a clarification question.
The Istanbul Convention is not to you.
In the convention, if I understand you well and Turkey is already a member of the Saydao.
Do you think that Saydao is not strong enough to protect women?
No, the convention, is this Council of Europe, right?
Yeah, yes, it is a Council of Europe Convention.
You make a good point bringing up the conventional elimination of discrimination against women, an absolutely vital human rights treaty, but that does not have an explicit part devoted to violence against women, which was why those campaigning for the Istanbul Convention at the time, I thought it was so important to have specific provisions looking at violence against women, which is a problem, as I've said, that is found worldwide.
This is on another topic.
I don't know if everybody has asked question on that one.
My my one is related to DRC.
Last week I did mention the case of a young boy that has been detained, arbitrary detained since he was a minor 12 years old.
It has been now more than 10 years that he's in gaol in Kinshasa.
His name is Kongawi Bini Combo and I've in my during my investigation to write about it, I found out that more than 20 people are in the same situation, meaning they are arbitrary detained in Kinshasa, in Makala.
I did reach out to your office in Kinshasa and my last mail, I didn't receive any answer on my last mail.
I would like to know how the office is working.
Are they only reacting when people are giving them names of people that are arbitrary, detailed or cases?
Are they investigating because apparently in Makala, even the heads of the prison, we don't know how many prisoners are in the in the in the prison.
So I'd like to know how how it works.
I think the best thing because it is a specific point that you have raised with our office is that I get back to you on that.
If you don't mind, I, I will consult with colleagues and we will get back to you.
And I know that Gorgie wanted to ask a question, but I asked for his.
I'm Poi Anu first, really.
I switch back to English.
We have a an issue for the briefing by UNHCR.
Boris, you have a point on Niger.
I just would like to express the condolences of the Secretary General to the bereaved families in Niger were attacked taking place.
He's wished he wished a swift recovery to the injured and reiterated the commitment of the United Nations to sustain support to Niger in its effort to counter and prevent terrorism and promote social cohesion.
Thank you, Alessandro, and good morning, everyone.
Indeed, we have a short update for you this morning on these gruesome attacks.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, condemns in strongest terms the attacks in western Niger that killed 137 people this week, many of them already displaced after having fled earlier violence.
On Sunday afternoon, armed assailants on motorbikes simultaneously attacked several villages in Niger's Tahua region.
Some of the injured were evacuated to Tahua city, 150 kilometres away.
UNACR is evaluating the needs of preparing to assist affected people with healthcare and to provide protection services.
Its populations may move towards the nearby towns of Intikana and Tahua, where we are, together with our partners, already providing humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced and the vulnerable people among their hosts.
Niger's Tahua and Tilaberry regions near the borders with Burkina Faso and Mali already host 204,000 refugees and internally displaced.
We are renewing our call on warring parties in the Sahel to protect civilians, people forced to flee and communities hosting them as civilians are bearing the brunt of increasing attacks in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
Despite increased insecurity, Nigeria, Nigerians continue to show their generosity to people fleeing violence in Africa's Sahel and Lake Chad regions.
Countries in the Sahel are at the epicentre of one of the world's fastest growing displacement and protection crises.
The region is already hosting nearly 3,000,000 refugees and people displaced within their own country.
And there's some additional details in our note.
Thank you very much, Boris.
I don't see any requests for the floor.
And I'll turn to Jens for a briefing on Syria.
Thank you, Alessandra, and good morning, everyone.
the United Nations in Syria is strongly condemning the shelling in Aleppo in northwest Syria on Sunday, which killed and injured dozens of civilians, including children and hospital workers.
Artillery shells hit the AL Tareb Surgical Hospital in Aleppo governorates on the 21st of March.
The incident resulted in at least six deaths among patients and visitors, including a 10 year old boy, and also injured 16 civilians, including five medical staff.
The hospital itself sustained major damage, including to the orthopaedic and emergency clinics.
Civilian casualties were also reported on the same day, 21st of March, in the neighbourhoods of Al Ferduz and Al Salihin in Aleppo city as a result of artillery shelling.
Reports indicate that two were killed and 17 people were injured, including again two children.
The UN condemned these incidents and called on the parties to the conflict to respect the special protection afforded to hospitals as well as the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks.
Later in the day, we also had reports on aerial attacks near Bab al Hawa on the Syria Turkey border where our life saving UN cross-border humanitarian deliveries take place.
We have relatively little information on that, but these are certainly credible reports.
Thank you very much, Jens.
Any question on this issue in Syria?
I don't see any just to remind you that The Who press conference is on the health situation in Syria before we move to the next subject which is TB die with airway rehearsal.
Is there any question for for Jens?
Let me see if while Airways coming to the floor.
Let me see if OK Gorgie is still connected.
Gorgie, would you like to ask his question while is coming?
Gordy, you had a question for Liz.
Hello, you can answer from that protection mercy.
Sorry I speak I switched to English.
I've got every on the on the podium with me now and you have an item on World TV Day and new treatments.
I'll send you the full text by e-mail this morning at 9:00.
You will have additional information on that e-mail.
March 24 is World TB Day and today I want to speak to you very briefly about the new treatment that we are launching.
3 million people in the world will be directly impacted by that new treatment this year only.
But first, I would like to remind you that about 1/4 of the world population has latent TB, which means that people have been infected by TB but are not ill and cannot transmit it.
We need to avoid that those people developed the disease despite being preventable and curable.
Tuberculosis is one of the deadliest infection disease in the world, killing one on 5 million people every year, including more than 250,000 people living with HIV.
Globally, an estimated 10 million people fell I'll with TB in 2019, and number that has been declining very slowly in the recent years.
TB is also the leading cause of death of people living with HIV.
Geographically, Southeast Asia represent 44% of the TB cases, followed by Africa with 25% and the Western Pacific with 18%.
Eight countries accounted for 2/3 of the TB case in the world, India with 26%, Indonesia with 8.5%, followed by China, the Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh and South Africa.
The pandemic threatened to reverse recent progress in reducing the global burden of TB disease.
The global number of TB deaths could increase by around 200,000 to 400,000 in 2020 alone if health service have been disturbed to the extent that the number of people with TB who are who are detected and treated falls by 25 to 50% / a period of three months.
We don't have the data available yet, obviously, but the impact could be serious.
The good news is that today United is happy to inform you about new treatment at the very important reduced cost.
The new treatment that we want to talk to you about cost 70% less than the previous treatments.
And by negotiating that new price with the private sector, United and the United Partners will basically give access to that medicine to more than 100 countries at the price of 15 U.S.
dollar instead of 45 U.S.
That treatment shot the treatment to 12 weekly dose for three months.
Then in combination with another medicine before the treatment, I was taking at least six months.
But it was only a first step.
In February 2021, the second agreement was concluded by Unitet with the private sector offering a sealing price of 15 American dollars for a new fixed dose combination called 3 HPA.
Few days ago with the financial support of Unitet, this treatment started to be rolled out in five TB **** burden countries in Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
This new version reduced the pill burden for 9 pills a week to three pills a week for three months making it even easier for patient to stick to these treatments who could be a real issues in some of the low and middle income countries.
United expect that more than 3,000,000 patients could be treated with that new drugs in 2021.
One more time, tomorrow is World TB Day.
And we have a question from Catherine.
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That's a preventive treatment that people who don't yet have the active TB must take for example, HIV positive people or people who have been in contact with somebody with active TB at the office or at home, for example.
Then those people must take that preventive treatment for that short period of time not to develop the active TB.
So the last speaker for today is Claire Newlis for the the Remo on my left.
Yes, good morning everybody.
Tomorrow is TB Day, Today is World Meteorological Day, and the theme is the ocean, our climate and Weather.
We've sent you press releases with all the details, but just to recap, we chose the theme to show how we really need observations, services and research more than ever before.
The ocean covers 70% of the world's surface, and it's becoming both increasingly vulnerable, but at the same time it's becoming more hazardous.
Climate change is hitting the ocean hard, and at the same time it is increasing the dangers for people who live along the coast.
Along the coastline, the ocean absorbs 90% or more than 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases.
This Shields people who live on the land from even greater temperature increase, but it comes at a very, very heavy cost to the ocean.
Ocean heat is at record levels.
We know this because we're better at measuring and monitoring, thanks to satellites, and we fear the worst is still to come.
By 2100, the ocean will have taken up two to four times more heat than it has in the past 50 years.
If, and this is a big if, if global warming is limited to 2°C and up to four to seven times more if emissions are higher.
And this is according to the special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the ocean and the cryosphere.
In a changing climate, the ocean, in addition to absorbing heat, it's taken up between 20 to 30% of carbon dioxide emissions over the past 40 years.
This is causing the oceans to become more acidic.
They're also becoming more deprived of oxygens.
The impact of ocean acidification is, you know, shelves of vital marine organisms are being dissolved.
It's affecting the whole marine chain.
We've seen very bad coral bleaching.
What used to be pristine coral reefs are now being bleached.
Combination of heat and acidification and the repercussions of this will carry on for hundreds of years.
The ocean has a very, very long memory, even longer than the atmosphere.
Sea level rise has increased.
Sea levels have risen by about 15° centimetres during the 20th century.
Might not sound much, but if you live in a low lying coastal area, if you've got salt water in intrusion affecting your freshwater, if you're, you know, vulnerable to tropical cyclones, that is a big amount.
And again, we expect sea level rise to accelerate because of melting glaciers and because of the thermal expansion of water.
Warm ocean temperatures help fuel a record Atlantic hurricane season.
And 40% of the global population live within 100 kilometres of the coast, so they are exposed to these hazards.
Positive side the accuracy of weather forecasting has improved so you no longer see the horrific death tolls of, you know, 10s of thousands of people from ocean related hazards and cyclones as you did even a couple of decades ago.
But we can do more and we can do more to improve services to help Mariners achieve a base balance between cutting costs and journey times and maximising safety.
You know, all too often we, we read and we hear about ships and lives lost because they find themselves at the eye of the storm.
There's no need for this.
Umm, just to give you an example, the world's highest significant wave height, and this was measured by an A floating buoy, was 19 metres.
Umm, so that's 6062 feet and that was measured in the North Atlantic in 2013.
There are more such waves happening in different parts of the world.
They're just not being measured because we've got big gaps in the global ocean observing system.
And just to finish, we are, we do need to improve ocean observations.
There are big gaps many parts of the world, especially in polar regions.
We are concerned that because of melting sea ice, there will be an increase in maritime traffic in Arctic waters.
And just to say, less ice doesn't mean less danger.
And the consequences of the major accident in Arctic waters would be, would be devastating.
We have a virtual ceremony starting at 1:00 PM today.
You're more than welcome to join it.
The opening address will be given by Professor Petrie Tallis, WMO secretary General, and there'll be keynote addresses from Ambassador Peter Thompson, who's the UN special envoy for the ocean, Selwyn Hart, who's assistant secretary general for climate action, and Professor Anti Bootius, who's director of the Alfred Wagner Institute in Germany, which obviously does a huge amount of of, of research on the oceans.
And then we have a yacht's woman, Alexia Barrier, who took part recently in the Vonde Globe out around the World Race, so taking ocean observations and we have youth advocates as well.
Claire, I don't see any question for WMO.
Just very, very briefly, a couple of announcements just to remind you that next, the date for the next public plenary meeting of the Conference on Disarmament is now set to the Friday 26th of March at 10 AM.
There is, I wanted to tell you, and we are now going to the colleague of WHO for their conference on the health situation in Syria, speaking about Syria, just to remind you that we have sent you this statement attributable to the spokesperson for the SG on Syria on the facts that Ian has briefed us about.
And I just would like to remind you that on Thursday, 25th of March at 4:00 PM, there's an important press conference by UNHCRNUNDP ahead of the Brussels 5 conference supporting the future of Syria and the region.
On 29 and 30th of March, the UN **** Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi and the UNDP Administrator, Akim Steiner will review the status of the critical regional refugee and resilience plan for Syrian refugees and hosting countries.
So Thursday, 25th of March at 4:00 PM.
And very, very last point, I remind you also of the press conference of our Director General, Mrs Tatiana Velavaya, also on Thursday, 25th of March at 10 AM.
