August 12, 2020 No comments
UN praises resilience and vision of younger generation, marking International Youth Day
INTERNATIONAL, 12 August 2020, SDGs - Commemorating International Youth Day, top UN officials have called on leaders around the world to “do everything possible” to enable young people to reach their fullest potential. Against the backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic, which has upended young peoples’ lives and aspirations and heightened their vulnerabilities, UN Secretary-General António Guterres praised the younger generation’s resilience, resourcefulness and engagement. “They are the young people who have risen up to demand climate action. They are mobilizing for racial justice and gender equality and are the champions of a more sustainable world”, he said in a message marking International Youth Day. “Many are young women who have been on the frontlines in mobilizing for justice and climate action — while also serving on the frontlines of the COVID-19 response.” The Secretary-General also underscored that...
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August 11, 2020 No comments
Refugees also affected by Beirut blast as UN relief efforts continue
INTERNATIONAL, 11 August 2020, Humanitarian Aid - Dozens of refugees were among the victims of the deadly explosions at Beirut’s port a week ago that destroyed large areas of the Lebanese capital, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported on Tuesday. So far, at least 34 refugees were among the more than 200 people reportedly killed in the blast, though the fear is that the number could rise further. Another 124 refugees were injured, 20 of them seriously, while seven are still missing. Explosion affected everyone “We continue to work with the rescue teams and other humanitarian partners to identify the victims and are extending support to the families who have lost their loved ones. This includes counseling, emergency cash and help with burial arrangements”, said Babar Baloch, UNHCR Spokesperson in...
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August 11, 2020 No comments
Polio vaccination campaigns restart in Afghanistan and Pakistan after COVID-19 hiatus
INTERNATIONAL, 11 August 2020, Health - Polio vaccinations campaigns have resumed in Afghanistan and Pakistan, months after having been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday. Programmes are expected to be rolled out across Pakistan and almost half of Afghanistan this month, after vaccination drives in July reached some 780,000 children and three provinces in the two countries, respectively. Critical, to avoid fresh emergency “These life-saving vaccinations are critical if children are to avoid yet another health emergency”, said Jean Gough, UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia. “As the world has come to see only too well, viruses know no borders and no child is safe from polio until every child is safe”, she added. Afghanistan and Pakistan are the last two polio-endemic countries in the...
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August 11, 2020 No comments
Violence in Sudan’s Western Darfur forces 2,500 into Chad: UN refugee agency
INTERNATIONAL, 11 August 2020, Migrants and Refugees - Recent clashes in Sudan’s Western Darfur region has driven more than 2,500 people across the border into neighbouring Chad, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has reported. According to UNHCR, more than 80 per cent of those arriving in the Chadian border town of Adré are women, children and elderly – many of whom have witnessed extreme violence. Attacks, said to have been carried out by armed nomads in the town of Masteri in Western Darfur, killed 61 people from the Masalit ethnic community and injured at least 88 on 25 July. Houses were also reported to have been burned to the ground in the town and the surrounding villages. “A 25-year-old woman told UNHCR staff that her husband was stabbed to...
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August 11, 2020 No comments
Pandemic ‘inflicting multiple shocks’ on the young, threatens entire generation
INTERNATIONAL, 11 August 2020, Human Rights - Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, more than 70 per cent of students have been shut out of schools, universities and training centres, according to a new report issued on Tuesday by the UN’s labour agency. The International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Youth and COVID-19: impacts on jobs, education, rights and mental well-being report, revealed that 65 per cent of young people have reported learning less since the pandemic began, citing the transition from classroom to online and distance learning, during lockdown. “The pandemic is inflicting multiple shocks on young people”, said, ILO Director-General Guy Ryder. “It is not only destroying their jobs and employment prospects, but also disrupting their education and training and having a serious impact on their mental well-being." Inequalities...
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