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Stand up for and invest in teenage girls, UN says on World Population Day

Students laugh as they leave school in Bangladesh. Photo: Scott Wallace/World Bank

INTERNATIONAL – Leaders and communities must focus on and stand up for the rights of teenage girls, particularly those who are poor, out of school, exploited, or subjected to harmful traditional practices, the United Nations has said, marking World Population Day with a call to bolster the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by investing in better opportunities for teen girls.

Despite significant gains made in reducing poverty and improving opportunity and well-being for many people around the world, hundreds of millions remain desperate for a chance of a better future, said Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today in his message on the Day, celebrated annually on 11 July.

“Among those least served by previous development initiatives are girls, particularly those in their formative teenage years,” continued the UN chief, explaining that just when girls should be in school and imagining the possibilities ahead, too many are held back from pursuing their ambitions by social and cultural traps.

While a boy's options and opportunities tend to expand when he becomes an adolescent, those of a girl too often shrink. Moreover, Mr. Ban stressed, half of all sexual assaults worldwide are committed against girls aged 15 or younger. In developing countries, one in three girls is married before she reaches 18. And teenage girls are less likely than teenage boys to start or finish secondary school, he added.

Recalling that “leaving no on behind” is a central objective of the 2030 Agenda , which also includes a specific goal to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, the Secretary General urged all Governments, businesses and civil society to support and invest in teenage girls.

“Everyone deserves the benefits of economic growth and social progress. Let us work together to ensure a life of security, dignity and opportunity for all,” he stated.

In his message, UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin said: “When [a teenage girl] has no say in decisions about her education, health, work or even marital status, she may never realize her full potential or become a positive force for transformation in her home, community and nation.”

Indeed, he explained, in some parts of the world, a girl who reaches puberty is deemed by her family or community as ready for marriage, pregnancy and childbirth. She may be married off and forced to leave school. She may suffer a debilitating condition, such as fistula, from delivering a child before her body is ready for it. She may be denied her human rights.

“[Yet], when a teenage girl has the power, the means and the information to make her own decisions in life, she is more likely to overcome obstacles that stand between her and a healthy, productive future. This will benefit her, her family and her community,” said Dr. Osotimehin.

He also stressed that investments are needed to protect their health, including their sexual and reproductive health, to enable them to receive a quality education and to expand economic opportunities, including those for decent work.

The UNFPA chief underscored that a teenage girl whose rights are respected and who is able to realize her full potential is a girl who is more likely to contribute to the economic and social progress of her community and nation.

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'Appalled' by heavy fighting in Juba, Ban urges South Sudanese leaders to de-escalate hostilities

The UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) provides protection to civilians fleeing recent violence in Wau. Photo: UNMISS

INTERNATIONAL – The United Nations is again urging calm in the wake of heavy fighting today in and around the South Sudanese capital of Juba, with the UN mission mobilizing peacekeepers to protect civilians as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon calls on President Salva Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to do everything within their power to immediately de-escalate the hostilities.

The UN Security Council has also strongly condemned days of violence in the area amid fresh clashes between soldiers of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition. Separately, the fighting has also seen UN and diplomatic officials targeted, as the world's youngest country on Saturday marked the fifth anniversary of its independence.

“I am shocked and appalled by the heavy fighting that is currently taking place in Juba,” Mr. Ban said in a statement strongly urging the country's leaders to do everything in their power to de-escalate the hostilities immediately and to order their respective forces to disengage and withdraw to their bases.

“This senseless violence is unacceptable and has the potential of reversing the progress made so far in the peace process,” said the UN chief.

According to the Secretary-General, UN compounds and civilian protection sites in Juba have been caught in the cross-fire. Expressing deep frustration that despite commitments by South Sudan's leaders, fighting has resumed, Mr. Ban said they must take decisive action to regain control of the security situation in the capital.

“[They must also] prevent the spread of violence to other parts of the country; guarantee the safety and security of civilians, United Nations and other personnel; and genuinely commit themselves to the full implementation of the peace agreement,” he stated.

For its part, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) expressed outrage at the resumption of violence in Juba today, which it said is severely impacting on the civilian population.

In a press statement, the Mission reports that heavy fighting in Juba town, including in close proximity to the UNMISS compounds at UN House Jebel and Tomping, has prompted approximately 1,000 internally displaced people to flee from the UNMISS protection of civilians site (PoC) 1 into the UNMISS compound at UN House Jebel.

[Civilian protection sites have been up and running in various parts of South Sudan for the past two years and according to its most most recent update, UNMISS estimates that the number of civilians seeking safety in the six sites located on its bases is 169,418.]

The heavy fighting in downtown Juba has forced hundreds of civilians to seek protection at UNMISS' Tomping base, the statement goes on to say and adds: “The United Nations is gravely concerned about reports that armed forces have prevented civilians from seeking protection.”

Both UNMISS compounds in Juba have sustained impacts from small arms and heavy weapons fire, the Mission is reporting. “The United Nations urges all parties to respect the sanctity of the United Nations and condemns any deliberate targeting of United Nations premises and its personnel,” it adds.

Meanwhile, UN peacekeepers continue to protect displaced civilians at PoC sites 1 and 3. For the safety and security of those displaced civilians, the United Nations urges all parties to respect the civilian nature of the PoC sites. UN peacekeepers are also mobilized to protect UNMISS bases in UN House and Tomping.

“The Special Representative of the Secretary-General has directly called on the leadership at the highest level in South Sudan to immediately restrain their forces, to engage in dialogue to find a political solution to this crisis and to allow access to the United Nations to be able to patrol in order to reassure the civilian population,” the statement concludes.

Just two days ago, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) noted that South Sudan has spent much of its short life at war with itself, riven by a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and his then former Vice-President Riek Machar that erupted into full-blown conflict late in 2013. Some 2.4 million people fled their homes in fear, before an August 2015 peace deal ended the major offensives. The country marked the fifth anniversary of its independence on 9 July.

Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability has spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions. This past month, deadly clashes in Wau resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people, while up to 35,000 fled their homes. Such fighting is characteristic of the trend that produced fresh refugee outflows this year, a UNHCR spokesperson said Friday.

Late yesterday, the UN Security Council strongly condemned the fighting in Juba, South Sudan between soldiers of the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition, which took place on 7-8 July.

In a press statement, the members of the Council further strongly condemned the separate attacks on UN and diplomatic officials that took place in Juba on July 7. While acknowledging the formation of an investigation committee, they urged the Transitional Government of National Unity to “quickly investigate the attacks, take steps to end the fighting, reduce tensions, and hold those responsible for the attacks to account.”

The Council went on to stress the importance of members of military forces being held accountable for their actions and emphasized the importance of command and control. As such, Council members called on the SPLA, the SPLA in Opposition and all other armed actors to cease hostilities and to allow UNMISS and humanitarian actors access to civilians in need.

Expressing deep concern over the parties' lack of serious commitment to implementation of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan, the Security Council called upon the parties to work together in the Transitional Government to resolve their differences in the spirit of cooperation, and in this regard, welcomed the joint statement made by the President, First Vice-President, and Vice-President appealing for calm.

“The members of the Security Council demanded the parties expedite implementation of all aspects of the Agreement, including key provisions on transitional security arrangements, as a means to restoring peace in South Sudan.

On the fifth anniversary of South Sudan's independence, the members of the Security Council urged South Sudan's leaders to demonstrate leadership that will bring lasting peace and security to South Sudan.

Also yesterday, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) expressed its “deep alarm” at the renewed violence in South Sudan and called on all parties to respect humanitarian principles and provide unrestricted access to civilians in need. After nearly three years of war, civilians are bearing the brunt of the conflict, with women and children facing the greatest dangers and hardships, the agency added.

“Children and their families in South Sudan have suffered enough from violence, displacement and killings in this brutal conflict. It is time that peace becomes more than agreements on paper, but a reality for those who are most vulnerable,” said UNICEF Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, Leila Pakkala.

At the PoC site in Juba, which was impacted by the outbreak of hostilities on the night of July 8, UNICEF and partners were continuing their support to the displaced population. Teams on the ground are scaling up efforts to provide access to health and nutrition services, drinking water and sanitation to existing and newly displaced families, said UNICEF.

The events in Juba came shortly after escalation of conflict in other parts of the country in recent weeks, disrupting lives and livelihoods. In Wau, where fighting has displaced at least 70,000 people since the end of June, UNICEF said that the agency and its partners are working around the clock to provide assistance to children and their families.

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‘Prevailing calm should not be confused with stability,’ warns UN envoy for Lebanon

UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag briefs the press at UN Headquarters in New York. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

INTERNATIONAL – The United Nations envoy for Lebanon has asked the UN Security Council to devote greater attention to situation there, including the deteriorating security conditions, weakening State institutions and the need for continued dispersal of funding for the refugees hosted by the country.

Speaking to reporters today at UN Headquarters in New York, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Sigrid Kaag, said she had had “a good discussion” with the Council in a closed-door session yesterday on issues relating to conflict prevention and stabilization.

Explaining the main points of her remarks to the Council, she said that a terrorist attack in the town of El-Qaa less than a week ago points to the deteriorating security conditions. “This is an indicator of trend of war-weary country, attempts, aborted attempts, infiltration by individuals who seek to do serious harms and conduct the act of terror,” she said.

Over the past six months, there were more than 270 arrests on terror-related charges, compared with more than 70 in the same period of last year, despite greater vigilance by the country’s security apparatus.

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) are doing “a phenomenal job” but “on a shoestring,” Ms. Kaag said, calling for tangible support so that LAF can better respond to the deterioration of security.

She also impressed upon the Council the importance of implementing the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism at the national level and asked the Council to help the country build capacities to do so.

“We had worked with the UN family and partners to have a draft ready; to look at Lebanon and the challenges it faces, in a holistic manner. But I think the timing and the importance of such a strategy is of course even more critical,” she said.

Turning to the erosion of State institutions, she pointed out that the Cabinet was hardly able to meet, and therefore decisions were not being made. There was an opportunity cost for such inaction. She said she asked the Council to continue working with Lebanon, along with such regional partners as Iran and Saudi Arabia, to see where political compromises can be made to end the political crisis, and resolve the presidential vacuum. She also expressed the expectation that the Parliamentary election would be held on time, as planned.

On the impact of the Syria crisis on Lebanon, she said there was a continued need for timely assistance to Lebanon’s hosting communities, as well as vulnerable refugees, including Syrians and Palestinians. Ms. Kaag stressed the need for donor countries to accelerate fulfillment of their commitments made at the London pledging conference on the Syrian refugees. For its part, Lebanon must take a number of procedural steps to access up to $800 million in concessional financing made available to the country.

As for a lack of progress on implementation of Council Resolution 1701 (2006), which calls for a permanent ceasefire, she said that the prevailing calm should not be confused with stability. The tenth anniversary of the text presents an opportunity to revisit the issue and seek ways to reengage the parties on the tangible way forward.

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Central African Republic’s leaders must commit to inclusive, transparent governance, Security Council told

A wide view of the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Central African Republic. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

INTERNATIONAL – The Central African Republic’s (CAR) considerable progress over the past two years risks being reversed unless national authorities demonstrated commitment to inclusive and transparent governance, and to addressing the root causes of the crisis afflicting the country, the United Nations peacekeeping chief warned today.

Briefing the Security Council, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Hervé Ladsous said CAR had made considerable progress since April 2014, adding that after two years of political transition, voters had cast their ballots peacefully and democratically.

“They have offered a positive example in a region where electoral outcomes are often either known in advance or contested,” he said, noting that the successful formation of a new Government has raised expectations for lasting and positive change.

At the same time, he continued, CAR faces a host of challenges, including “a security climate that remains fragile and reversible,” and sometimes non-existent State capacities in various parts of the country. Division, exclusion and marginalization persist alongside low economic development and lack of access to basic services, especially security. Furthermore, armed groups control vast parts of the national territory, presenting a “huge threat” to civilians.

Presenting the findings of the Secretary-General’ special report on the strategic review of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA), carried out from 7 to 17 May, Mr. Ladsous explained that the goal was to ensure that the Mission’s future mandate is adapted to a post-transition stabilization environment that would facilitate peacebuilding.

Recalling the 19 June detention of six members of the national police by a local self-defence group in the PK5 area of the capital, Bangui, he said that incident — as well as reported renewed efforts to unite the ex-Séléka armed group under the leadership of Nouredine Adam — occurred alongside an alarming humanitarian situation that has rendered 2.3 million people — half the population — food-insecure, with some 20 per cent of the population displaced.

“This is a stark reminder of the fragility of the situation,” he emphasized, and as such, the strategic review recommended that MINUSCA prioritize the protection of civilians, the creation of conditions to facilitate assistance and the return of refugees and displaced persons.

Ambassador Omar Hilale of Morocco and Chair of the Central African Republic (CAR) Configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, briefs the Security Council at its meeting on the situation in CAR. UN Photo/Manuel Elias

The most important strategic objective over the next two or three years should be to support the reduction of armed groups. In that way, he continued, MINUSCA could assist in creating a secure environment for civilians, help to foster Government services, establish an inclusive political climate favouring the protection of human rights, combat impunity and expand the rule of law.

The special report recommended renewal of MINUSCA’s mandate for 18 months at the current authorized military and police strength, said Mr. Ladsous, outlining a “sequenced and flexible” three-pronged approach to achieving the proposed strategic objective. The Mission would also prioritize the development of a comprehensive approach to addressing the presence of armed groups, including in support of continued dialogue initiated by the country’s President.

Other recommended priority activities would include providing support for implementation of a national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programme and a community violence-reduction programme, and the coordination of international support for security sector reform, he said. That would entail working with the European Union Training Mission and taking a lead role in reform of the police and gendarmerie.

Among other proposals, he continued, the strategic review recommended continuation of MINUSCA’s urgent temporary measures mandate, at the Government’s request, as well as efforts to assist in the formation of the Special Criminal Court to tackle impunity. “MINUSCA cannot act alone in support of the Government’s efforts,” he stressed.

Partnerships with Bangui, regional stakeholders and other international actors must underpin the strategy under the principles of complementarity and comparative advantages. He welcomed the Government’s efforts to develop a mutual accountability framework, saying it should be endorsed by national and international partners, and go hand in hand with the identification of humanitarian, recovery and peacebuilding needs in advance of the donors’ and investors’ conference planned for Brussels in November.

He pointed out that President Faustin Archange Touadera had put together a Cabinet that included representatives from each of the country’s prefectures and had extended a hand to the armed groups. “The President is clearly trying to break with the past,” he said. “We need to understand that this is a long-haul effort.” The sense of responsibility demonstrated by the new authorities would be essential to mobilizing collective efforts to defend the gains already made. “MINUSCA has to be the last United Nations peacekeeping operation in the country,” Mr. Ladsous emphasized.

Also briefing the Council were Omar Hilale , Chair of the Central African Republic configuration of the Peacebuilding Commission, and Volodymyr Yelchenko , Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the CAR, who both provided updates on recent developments.

Mr. Hilale said that implementation of the Secretary-General’s recommendations would help the authorities move towards stability. The President is benefitting from strong popular support that must be maintained with international support. A transparent and inclusive political process would be the key to ensuring the entire population’s engagement and to facilitating rebuilding of the social contract. “Although the new political reality in the country is full of daunting challenges, it also brings opportunities never seen before,” he said.

 
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Ahead of South Sudan's fifth anniversary of independence, renewed violence draws UN concern

Of Nuer ethnicity, Adhieu Chol moved to Lakes state’s Rumbek long ago to marry a Dinka man from the area. Since September 2015, she has provided sanctuary to many internally displaced people from Unity state looking for safety in Rumbek, South Sudan. Photo: UNHCR/Rocco Nur

INTERNATIONAL – As South Sudan prepares to make its fifth anniversary of independence, United Nations officials today expressed concern over the continuing violence in parts of the country and the resulting forced displacement of people, both internally and throughout the neighbouring region.

“I am deeply alarmed by the ongoing fighting in Juba between soldiers of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) and the SPLA in Opposition,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement.

“This outbreak of hostilities in the capital, on the eve of the country’s fifth anniversary of independence, is yet another illustration of the parties’ lack of serious commitment to the peace process and represents a new betrayal of the people of South Sudan, who have suffered from unfathomable atrocities since December 2013,” he added.

The UN chief underscored that he is also gravely concerned by the resurgence of violence in Wau and Bentiu, which he said could lead to a “dramatic deterioration” of the security situation across the country.

Demanding that international humanitarian law be respected and that unfettered access to those in need by UN and humanitarian partners be ensured, Mr. Ban also strongly condemned attacks on UN and humanitarian operations, the latest of which was on a senior UN agency official in the capital last night.

“I urge President Kiir and First Vice-President Riek Machar to put an immediate end to the ongoing fighting, discipline the military leaders responsible for the violence and finally work together as partners to implement the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan,” the Secretary-General said, adding that the UN remains committed to working with all South Sudanese, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the African Union and international and regional partners, to support the return of the country to peace and stability.

At the biweekly press briefing in Geneva this morning, Melissa Fleming, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said the agency remains gravely concerned over the situation in South Sudan, noting that nearly one in four of the country's citizens is displaced within its borders or in neighbouring countries, which is affecting some 2.6 million people – a large majority of them children – against a population that stood at 11.3 million in 2013.

“Civilians in South Sudan continue to bear the brunt of armed conflict. Sporadic clashes are commonplace, while growing food insecurity and deteriorating economic conditions foretell a grim outlook for the country at large,” Ms. Fleming said.

UNHCR noted that South Sudan has spent much of its short life at war with itself, riven by a political face-off between President Salva Kiir and his then former Vice-President Riek Machar that erupted into full-blown conflict late in 2013. Some 2.4 million people fled their homes in fear, before an August 2015 peace deal ended the major offensives. The country is preparing to make the fifth anniversary of its independence on 9 July.

Despite the August 2015 peace agreement that formally ended the war, conflict and instability has spread to previously unaffected areas in the Greater Equatoria and Greater Bahr-El-Ghazal regions. This past month, deadly clashes in Wau resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people, while up to 35,000 fled their homes. Such fighting is characteristic of the trend that produced fresh refugee outflows this year, the UNHCR spokesperson said.

In the nine months that the ceasefire has been observed, there has been no major return movement from countries of asylum. In that period, the number of internally displaced people rose by 100,000, while UNHCR registered nearly 140,000 new refugees. There are now more than 860,000 South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries, making it the world's fourth-largest refugee producing country, and second largest in sub-Saharan Africa after Somalia.

Notwithstanding these challenges, South Sudan is host to more than 272,000 refugees from mainly Sudan (251,000), with smaller numbers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (14,799), Ethiopia (4,400) and the Central African Republic (1,878). This year the country has experienced the arrival of some 9,000 new refugees as a result of conflict in the Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states of Sudan, Ms. Fleming said.

Neighbouring countries continue to maintain open borders for South Sudanese refugees, and there is ongoing engagement with host communities. Since 2015, some 22,000 individuals have fled fighting in Western Equatoria into remote parts of the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In both countries, insecurity and logistical difficulties are affecting humanitarian access. Meanwhile, Sudan has received the highest number of new South Sudanese refugees this year, according to UNHCR. With 231,581 individuals, it is now the second-highest refugee hosting country after Ethiopia (285,356). They are followed by Uganda (229,006) and Kenya (103,173).

Humanitarian response is 'sorely lacking'

The spokesperson also noted that the number of food insecure people in South Sudan is expected to increase from 4.3 million to 4.8 million in line with seasonal vulnerabilities and the economic crisis. At the same time, she underscored that the overall humanitarian response in South Sudan is “sorely lacking” due to severe underfunding.

UNHCR and 42 non-governmental partners are requesting $573 million for refugee protection and assistance programmes. With the inter-agency appeal funded at 17 per cent ($85.4 million), agencies are constrained to prioritize emergency response and life-saving assistance activities, Ms. Fleming said.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) provides protection to civilians fleeing violence in Wau. Photo: UNMISS

As a result, water, sanitation, hygiene, health and shelter interventions in most of the countries of asylum are below the global standard, with the risk of outbreak of diseases. Access to alternative and sustainable household energy is a challenge and one of the main causes of conflict with host communities because refugees are forced to cut firewood for domestic use, a resource that is extremely scarce in some locations, the spokesperson noted.

Children, who constitute 70 per cent of the refugee population, bear the brunt of inadequate resources. More than 16 per cent of them have special needs, including being unaccompanied or separated from family.

“Children are the worst affected by unpredictable population movements and the upheaval of constant displacements,” Ms. Fleming stressed.

In Kakuma, Kenya, for example, UNHCR has noted a significant increase in the prevalence of global acute malnutrition among new arrivals in recent months. Lack of funding is hampering case management efforts, including the reunification of unaccompanied and separated children with their families.

The average regional ratio of case workers to children with specific needs is one case worker per 90 children, while the global standard is one case worker per 25 children, Ms. Fleming said. Ethiopia has just 20 per cent of the child protection staff needed.

Gaps remain in meeting minimum education standards with lack of qualified teachers, insufficient classrooms and scholastic materials. Secondary/tertiary education, vocational training and empowerment programmes for adolescents and youth need to be strengthened as a way to reduce the risk of child recruitment.

In addition, the spokesperson highlighted that the majority of host countries are affected by food ration cuts by the World Food Programme (WFP), compounded by the discontinuation of milling vouchers and the challenge of incomplete food baskets.

“Livelihoods activities were limited in scope and number, and they do not match up to the significant needs of enhancing refugees' self-reliance,” Ms. Fleming said.

UN Mission in South Sudan condemns violence

In related news today, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) condemned in the strongest terms the resurgence of violence in the country.

Reiterating its calls on all parties to put an end to the ongoing fighting and refrain from inflicting further violence against innocent civilians, UNMISS also deplored the shooting attack on a senior UN agency official that took place yesterday evening in the Tomping area of Juba.

“Such an act constitutes a grave violation of the Status of Forces Agreement between the Government of the Republic of South Sudan and the United Nations. UNMISS calls on the authorities to investigate this incident and bring the perpetrators to account,” the Mission said in a press release.

The UN and the international community are here to assist the people of South Sudan on their road to peace, and under no uncertain terms should its installation/premises or personnel be subjected to targeting nor violence.

In addition, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of UNMISS, Ellen Margrethe Løj, urged all parties “on the eve of South Sudan's fifth anniversary of independence to cease from engaging in violence and to focus on the implementation of the peace agreement for the benefit of all the people of [the country].”

“The UN remains resolved in fulfilling its mission in South Sudan and supporting the implementation of the peace agreement for a peaceful and prosperous country,” the statement also said.

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UN-backed meeting on forced displacement crisis in Central America urges regional responsibility-sharing

This man together with his wife and four daughters escaped increasing gang violence from El Salvador. They have been recognized as refugees in Mexico but they had problems to find work and to be accepted by the local community. Photo: UNHCR/Markel Redondo

INTERNATIONAL – With people fleeing violence in Central America in numbers not seen in more than 30 years, representatives from Governments, international organizations and civil society gathered for a United Nations-backed event on the issue in San José, Costa Rica, and agreed to enhance access to asylum and increase regional responsibility-sharing.

“We are very encouraged by the open and frank spirit in which the discussions took place and hope that the various actions announced will have a direct positive impact on the people who are affected by displacement,” said Volker Turk, Assistant High Commissioner for Protection for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in his closing remarks to the high-level event, which wrapped up yesterday.

Co-chaired by UNHCR and the Organization of American States (OAS), the two-day gathering was the first international event to focus on current forced displacement in the region and one of several key events leading up to the UN General Assembly’s summit on addressing large movements of refugees and migrants in September.

The number of people fleeing violence in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, a region known as the Northern Triangle of Central America, has surged to levels not seen since armed conflicts wracked the region in the 1980s, according to UNHCR.

In 2015, asylum-seekers from this region topped nearly 110,000 – a more than five-fold increase over three years – with most of them seeking safety in Mexico and the United States, as well as Belize, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama.

A set of actions agreed on at the event included: ensuring access to territory and asylum and enhancing arrangements for the reception of asylum-seekers and refugees; strengthening opportunities for self-reliance and local integration of refugees, including through investments of development funding; and enhancing regional cooperation and partnership through increased responsibility-sharing, including increased engagement by civil society organizations.

Among the displaced population from the region, the protection needs of unaccompanied or separated children, women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex communities, indigenous people and Afro-descendants, as well as individuals with disabilities, are most acute.

Opening the event on Wednesday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Filippo Grandi, stressed the importance of embracing “regional responsibility-sharing mechanisms, with concrete actions in countries of origin, transit and asylum to resolve compelling protection and solutions needs.”

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UN rights expert condemns most recent killings of African-Americans by police in US

Protestors in New York City demonstrate in the wake of the verdict in the case of the police shooting of Missouri teenager Michael Brown (24 November 2014). Photo: Jacques Baudrier

INTERNATIONAL – The chair of the United Nations expert panel on people of African descent has condemned the back-to-back killings of two African-American men by police in the United States this week, saying the incidents demonstrate “a high level of structural and institutional racism.”

“The Working Group [of Experts on People of African Descent] is outraged and strongly condemns the new police killings of two African-American men,” said Chairman Ricardo A. Sunga III in a statement today.

“These killings, which were captured on video, cannot be ignored. We call for prompt independent investigations to ensure the perpetrators are prosecuted and punished,” he added.

The statement was issued following this week’s deaths of Philando Castile in Minnesota and Alton Sterling in Louisiana at the hands of the police, and Thursday night’s killing of five police officers in downtown Dallas, Texas.

According to the statement, excessive use of force by the police against African-Americans in the US is a “regular” occurrence. African-Americans are reportedly shot at more than twice the rate of white people.

The Working Group is monitoring the situation and has repeatedly expressed its concern to the US Government about police killings of African-Americans and called for justice, and is convinced that the root of the problem lies in the lack of accountability for perpetrators of such killings despite the evidence.

“The killings also demonstrate a high level of structural and institutional racism. The United States is far from recognizing the same rights for all its citizens. Existing measures to address racist crimes motivated by prejudice are insufficient and have failed to stop the killings,” the human rights expert said.

“It is time, now, for the US Government to strongly assert that Black lives matter and prevent any further killings as a matter of national priority,” he said.

He also condemned yesterday’s sniper attacks on police officers in downtown Dallas during a protest over the killings of African-American men in other cities, calling for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

Also today, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Mr. Ban also condemned the killing of the police officers in Dallas. The UN chief extended his condolences to the families and colleagues of the victims, as well as the Police Department of Dallas.

“There is no justification for such violence. Those responsible compounded the suffering that many in the United States feel following the killing of two African-American men over two days. Those killings must be the subject of a thorough and impartial investigation,” the spokesman said, adding that the killings once again put the focus on the need to address discrimination, including racial disparities in law enforcement, in a comprehensive manner.

According to media reports, at least one sniper killed five officers and wounded seven others at the rally on Thursday night. The sniper was killed, and three other people are in custody.

Independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. They serve in their personal capacity and are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work.

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In China, Ban highlights country’s leadership on sustainable development, climate change

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) addresses a joint press conference with Wang Yi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

INTERNATIONAL – In China today, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the country’s relationship with the Organization, noting in particular its crucial role in improving tensions, building peace and promoting the agenda on climate change.

“As a permanent member of the Security Council and a universally recognized global actor, China also plays a pivotal role in helping to ease tensions, build peace and provide life-saving assistance to the world’s troubled spots from the Middle East to Africa and elsewhere,” the Secretary-General said at a joint press conference with Wang Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Expressing condolences for the loss of life and damage caused by the latest flooding in several provinces in China, Mr. Ban said he hoped that the many displaced people can return to their homes as soon as possible.

“The United Nations will continue to work with China and other countries to build resilience and enhance our preparedness at a time when disasters continue to increase in frequency and magnitude,” the Secretary-General said.

Mr. Ban indicated that he had a “very constructive” meeting with Mr. Wang, with a varied agenda focused on international peace and security, including regional security, and development and other issues.

Noting that cooperation between the UN and China continues to deepen, the Secretary-General said that China, under President Xi Jinping, is demonstrating “path-breaking leadership” on sustainable development and climate change.

“China is demonstrating to the world that low carbon climate resilience development pathway is achievable,” Mr. Ban said, commending the country’s leadership in promoting and accelerating the process of ratification of the Paris Agreement on climate change by the G20 summit.

“And it has significantly accelerated political momentum towards the agreements rapid entry into force,” he added.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon visits the China Helicopter Centre for Peacekeeping Operations in Beijing. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

The UN chief also highlighted that China’s establishment of a fund for peace and development to support the work of the UN is “extremely generous and encouraging.” In particular, he noted that China has increased its contribution to peacekeeping with support for UN missions in South Sudan, Mali and elsewhere.

Mr. Ban recalled that he visited a helicopter division of the Chinese army this morning, where soldiers and peacekeepers were being trained, adding that he was grateful for their commitment to provide resources and assets to peacekeeping operations.

In addition, the Secretary-General said that he had discussed with Mr. Wang various issues of mutual concern, including the situations in Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria and elsewhere.

“But most of all, Mr. Wang and I discussed the situation on the Korean peninsula, which remains a grave concern for the region and the world,” said Mr. Ban, adding that he continues to call for dialogue as “the best path to break the cycle of provocation.”

Noting that the talks also touched on the issues relating to the South China Sea, Mr. Ban said that as Secretary-General, he cannot comment on the arbitration case for which a ruling may be reached shortly.The Secretary-General said, however, that he had stressed to Mr. Wang, as he has with all other countries involved, the need to resolve their differences in a peaceful manner and to avoid any escalation or misunderstanding that could put security and development in the region at risk.

“In almost 10 years as Secretary-General I have the seen the remarkable transformation of China and invaluable contributions that China makes to the work of the United Nations. As China continues along the path of transformation and reform, I encourage China’s leaders to create the space needed for the civil society to play as a crucial role,” Mr. Ban said.

Moreover, the Secretary-General emphasized that environmental activists, human rights lawyers and defenders, government watchdogs and other civil society groups can act as a catalyst for social progress and economic growth.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaks at an event in Beijing commemorating the tenth anniversary of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

“They can represent the diverse interests of the population and bring the voices of the vulnerable in from the margins. Along with a free and independent media they can help ensure accountability and thereby helping the state to be more effective and strengthening the standing in the eyes of the people,” Mr. Ban said, adding that the world will look to China to complement its “remarkable economic advances by giving citizens a full say and role in the political life of their country.”

“As a permanent member of the Security Council and a universally recognized global actor, China also plays a pivotal role in helping to ease tensions, build peace and provide life-saving assistance to the world’s troubled spots from the Middle East to Africa and elsewhere,” the Secretary-General added.

Answering a question from a journalist regarding China’s role in a Security Council resolution on the nuclear tests by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), the Secretary-General said that as a permanent member of the Security Council, China has been playing a very important role in maintaining peace and security on the Korean Peninsula, particularly in the wake of the nuclear test and the DPRK’s continuing ballistic missiles tests.

“The United Nations and I, as the Secretary-General, are very much concerned at the rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula. All Security Council resolutions must be fully implemented, and these are the united core of international community to the DPRK to reverse its current course, to return to dialogue and refrain from making further provocations,” Mr. Ban said.

At the same time, he noted that the concerned countries, particularly the Republic of Korea, China, the United States and others, should also step up their efforts to reduce tension and to find a path to resume dialogue for denuclearization and other means to reduce tension in the Korean Peninsula.

“As the Secretary-General of the United Nations, I stand ready always to contribute – in any way, whatever way, at any time – to contribute myself first of all to the resumption of dialogue and reduce tension between South and North Korea and also work together with other concerned parties, including China,” Mr. Ban said.

Also today, the Secretary-General spoke at the tenth anniversary meeting of the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, held this morning in Beijing, where he urged the 28 remaining Member States that have not yet pledged to ratify the Convention to do so without further delay.

“This is a matter of basic human dignity and solidarity,” Mr. Ban stressed. “Human rights, including social, economic, cultural, civil and political rights, are all for people in all countries at all times, without discrimination of any kind.”

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Political crisis has put long-term stability of the DR Congo at risk, warns UN deputy chief, urging dialogue

A view of the Security Council Chamber as Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson addresses the Council’s meeting concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

INTERNATIONAL – An inclusive and credible dialogue among Congolese stakeholders is the only realistic way to defuse political tensions, overcome the electoral impasse and prevent violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where public discontent is being fuelled by delays in the electoral process and shrinking democratic space, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson warned today.

Briefing the Security Council, Mr. Eliasson painted a troubling picture of the situation in the vast Great Lakes nation, where he said political tensions are rising ahead of the constitutionally envisaged presidential and legislative elections. Moreover, delays in the electoral process, a debate around the respect for the Constitution, and increasing restrictions on democratic space are fuelling polarization and public discontent.

And with the political dialogue proposed by President Joseph Kabila facing uncertainty and no agreement on the terms under which the dialogue should be held, and who should participate, there is a real risk that political actors could resort to unilateral decisions which may compound existing political tensions, Mr. Eliasson explained.

“Such a dialogue should result in an inclusive agreement that could lead to credible presidential and legislative elections. Without it, we face the risk of a severe crisis with a high probability of violence and persistent instability,” he warned, adding that such a tragic but still preventable outcome would not only reverse the political, security and development gains of the past few years.

It would also require a response that goes beyond the capacity of the UN stabilization mission on the ground there, known by the French acronym, MONUSCO.

“I therefore need to convey the Secretary-General’s serious call for all Congolese political stakeholders to give dialogue a chance, engage in good faith and place the interests of their nation first,” Mr. Eliasson said, spotlighting elements that could support such inclusive dialogue:

  • The international support group to the facilitation efforts of former Togolese Prime Minister Edem Kodjo could make an important contribution to build confidence in the process;
  • A reliable voter register could help defuse tensions and pave the way for transparent and credible elections. MONUSCO is providing technical assistance and logistical support for the revision of the register; and
  • As called for by the Council, MONUSCO has updated its plans to address security risks and to monitor human rights violations and abuses in the context of the elections. The protection of civilians will remain a key priority of the Mission, including in the context of the electoral process.

Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson (third from right, front) addresses the Security Council meeting concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UN Photo/Evan Schneider

Turning to the in eastern DRC, in particular in a number of territories in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, he said the security situation remains extremely serious.

“There is reason to be particularly concerned about the situation in Beni, where the Allied Democratic Forces (ADR) have carried out deadly attacks against defenceless civilians, [the national forces of the DRC] – the FARDC – and MONUSCO,” he said, raising concerns also about intercommunal tensions and violence in Lubero and Walikale territories, in North Kivu.

At the same time, he noted that the resumption of active military cooperation between the FARDC and MONUSCO in operations against the ADF and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) in North Kivu is encouraging and is helping to address the threat which armed groups pose to the civilian population in the east.

“Ultimately, the threat posed by armed groups, exacerbated by underlying socio-economic and political problems can only be addressed through a combination of military pressure and political measures,” Mr. Eliasson said, noting that to preserve the significant gains that had been made in the country “political leaders must listen to the aspirations of their people, who have suffered for far too long from continuous political crises and violent conflicts.”

Dialogue, respect for the rule of law and human rights, and democratic participation and practices are the best way to prevent continued violence and suffering, explained the deputy UN chief, stating that he counted on the Security Council to give its full and steadfast support to dialogue and for the strengthening of democratic practices in the DRC.

“What is at stake here, basically, is the long-term stability of the DRC – and you know the importance and size of that country – and the Great Lakes region. The international community and the United Nations have invested heavily in the DRC. We must preserve and build on the progress made,” he said, urging the DRC “to move from discussions and intentions to action,” and calling on the wider international community to proactively engage with all parties to defuse tensions and “point to a path to the dialogue that is so vital and urgent.”

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As robotics advance in South-East Asia, investment needed to build skilled workforce – UN labour agency

A woman irons fabric at a garments factory at the Sihanoukville Special Economic Zone, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo: World Bank/Chhor Sokunthea

INTERNATIONAL – The robot age is already a reality among manufacturers in South-East Asia, where countries have been incrementally introducing automation to improve quality, consistency, and workplace safety, with robots deployed in human-centric, collaborative ways to raise the productivity of higher skilled workers, rather than replace them, a new study by the International Labour Organization (ILO) has found.

The study, ASEAN in transformation: How technology is changing jobs and enterprises, published by the ILO Bureau for Employers' Activities, examines the impact of technology on workplaces in the automotive and auto parts, electrical and electronics, textiles, clothing and footwear, business process outsourcing, and retail sectors in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“Countries that compete on low-wage labour need to reposition themselves,” Deborah France-Massin, Director for the Bureau said in a press release today. “Price advantage is no longer enough. Policymakers need to create a more conducive environment that leads to greater human capital investment, research and development, and high-value production,” she explained.

The study, based on two ASEAN-wide surveys of more than 4,000 enterprises and 2,700 students, and qualitative interviews with more than 330 stakeholders in region and beyond, found that there is considerable potential for growth and employment offered by advanced technologies, such as additive manufacturing, robotics and the 'Internet of Things,' a proposed development of the Internet in which everyday objects have network connectivity, allowing them to send and receive data.

“More than 60 per cent of enterprises surveyed see these technologies as a positive for increasing sales, labour productivity and employment of highly skilled workers,” noted the release.

The study warned that while mass scale job displacement is not imminent, about 56 per cent of all salaried employment in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam, is at high risk of displacement in the next couple of decades primarily because of declining costs and increasing accessibility of new technologies.

Jobs in industries such as textiles, clothing and footwear, numbering more than nine million – majority of whom are women – are especially vulnerable to disruptive technologies. This could reduce export growth as destination markets in Europe and the United States bring production back home. The subsequent social consequences could be particularly significant for some ASEAN economies such as Cambodia and Viet Nam.

The study also pointed out that while enterprises across the region are increasingly seeking workers with science, technology, engineering and mathematics qualifications, young people, predominantly young women, are not choosing to study these subjects. Only 17 per cent of female students surveyed indicated they were doing courses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

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