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Gaza: Nearly 800,000 now displaced from Rafah

© UNICEF/Eyad El Baba A Palestinian family flees Rafah, in the south of the Gaza Strip.
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2024, Humanitarian Aid - Roughly 800,000 people have been forced to flee Rafah since Israel launched a military operation in the area on 6 May, the head of UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA said on Saturday in a renewed appeal for greater protection of civilians in Gaza, safe humanitarian access and, ultimately, a ceasefire.
“Once again, nearly half of the population of Rafah or 800,000 people are on the road,” Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini wrote in post on the social media platform X. formerly Twitter.

He said that following evacuation orders demanding people to flee to so-called safe zones, people mainly went to the middle areas in Gaza and Khan Younis, including to destroyed buildings.

No safe passage or protection

“When people move, they are exposed, without safe passage or protection,” he said.  “Every time, they have to start from scratch, all over again.”

Mr. Lazzarini said the areas that people have escaped to do not have safe water supplies or sanitation facilities.

He cited the example of Al-Mawassi, describing it as “a sandy 14 square kilometre agricultural land, where people are left out in the open with little to no buildings or roads.”

The town, located on Gaza’s southern coast, “lacks the minimal conditions to provide emergency humanitarian assistance in a safe and dignified manner."

He said that more than 400,000 lived in Al-Mawassi before the recent escalation, but now it is “crammed and cannot absorb more people”, which is also the same in Deir al Balah.   

'No place is safe'

“The claim that people in Gaza can move to ‘safe’ or ‘humanitarian’ zones is false. Each time, it puts the lives of civilians at serious risk,” Mr. Lazzarini stated.

“Gaza does not have any safe zones,” he added. “No place is safe.  No one is safe.” 

The situation is again being made far worse by the lack of aid and basic humanitarian supplies, he continued, noting that humanitarians do not have any more supplies to give out, including food and other basic items. 

Meanwhile, key crossings into Gaza remain closed or are unsafe to access as they are located near or in combat zones. Mr. Lazzarini also highlighted the critical need for fuel, which is essential for aid distribution.

Land routes crucial

He said only 33 aid trucks have made it to southern Gaza since 6 May – “a small trickle amid the growing humanitarian needs and mass displacement.”

“While we welcome reports on first shipments arriving at the new floating dock, land routes remain the most viable, effective, efficient and safest aid delivery method,” he said.

Earlier on Saturday, the UN Spokesperson's Office said the World Food Programme (WFP) confirmed that 10 truckloads of food were transported to its warehouse the previous day via the floating dock, which was installed by the United States military.

“Some of the shipment included high-energy biscuits for WFP to distribute, but there were also commodities for other humanitarian partners to distribute, which included rice, pasta, and lentils,” the note said.

Mr. Lazzarini emphasized that the land crossings into Gaza must re-open and be safe to access. ”Without the re-opening of these routes, the deprivation of assistance and catastrophic humanitarian conditions will persist,” he said.

Ceasefire now

He underlined the obligations of the parties to the conflict, starting with rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for all civilians in need, wherever they are located.  

“The displaced population must have access to basic survival items, including food, water, and shelter, as well as hygiene, health, assistance and above all safety,” he said.

Humanitarian relief teams also need safe and free movement to access people in need, and protection wherever they may be, and the parties are also obligated to protect civilians and civilian objects everywhere.   

“Above all, it is time to agree on a ceasefire,” he concluded.  

“Any further escalation in the fighting will only wreak more havoc on civilians and make it impossible to finally have the peace and stability that Israelis and Palestinians desperately need and deserve.”

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‘Brand new words’ needed to describe Gaza devastation, UN humanitarian says

© UNOCHA/Mustafa El-Halabi Yasmina Guerda, UN Humanitarian Affairs Officer (centre), talks with a Palestinian woman in Rafah, Gaza, in March 2024.
INTERNATIONAL, 18 May 2024, Humanitarian Aid - The situation in Gaza is so devastating that no words can adequately describe it, a humanitarian officer working in the besieged enclave has said.
“No matter where you look, no matter where you go, there’s destruction, there’s devastation, there’s loss,” said Yasmina Guerda, who recently returned to Gaza for a second deployment with the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA.

She spoke to UN News from Rafah, previously a refuge for more than a million Palestinians fleeing hostilities in other parts of Gaza. The start of Israeli military operations there has uprooted more than 600,000 people in just over a week.

Ms. Guerda frankly discussed the immense suffering and insecurity in Gaza, the critical lack of aid and basic services, and the difficulties facing humanitarians working amidst “the constant soundtrack of war”.

The mother of two young boys also urged people worldwide, who are upset over the conflict, to ask themselves “What can I do today at my level to help end this nightmare?”

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Yasmina Guerda: We would need to invent brand new words to adequately describe the situation that Palestinians in Gaza find themselves in today. No matter where you look, no matter where you go, there’s destruction, there’s devastation, there’s loss. There’s a lack of everything. There’s pain. There’s just incredible suffering. People are living on top of the rubble and the waste that used to be their lives. They’re hungry. Everything has become absolutely unaffordable. I heard the other day that some eggs were being sold for $3 each, which is unthinkable for someone who has no salary and has lost all access to their bank accounts. 

Access to clean water is a daily battle. Many people haven't been able to change clothes in seven months because they just had to flee with whatever they were wearing. They were given 10 minutes notice and they had to run away. Many have been displaced six, seven, eight times, or more.

One of the things that I find absolutely striking is the people’s determination to keep moving forward, to keep looking up no matter what.

I was walking through a camp recently and there were several families who had dug their own makeshift septic tank with spoons in the sand, grabbing pipes and toilet tanks from destroyed buildings so that they can have something that resembles a restroom, because the situation here for water and sanitation is extremely dire. Humanitarians are not allowed to import the supplies to build latrines in displacement sites, so every family has to find their own creative way to solve that. I have been around several humanitarian crises, and you don't encounter this kind of grit everywhere.

Forced displacement and military operations in Rafah are worsening an already catastrophic situation.
© UNRWA
Forced displacement and military operations in Rafah are worsening an already catastrophic situation.

UN News: You’re in Rafah. What is the level of destruction there and how close is the fighting? 

Yasmina Guerda: We are currently based in the western side of Rafah and the fighting is mostly in the east, and we hear the destruction that is happening. We go for reconnaissance missions which is, of course, extremely dangerous. Two of our colleagues went on a “recce” mission earlier this week and, unfortunately, one of them didn’t come out of it alive and the other had to be medically evacuated. So, the destruction in Rafah is happening. I haven’t personally seen it with my own eyes yet.

We have been able to see what has happened in the other areas that the Israelis have been attacking, so Khan Younis, Deir al Balah, and the northern parts of Gaza. What I can tell you is that there is rubble everywhere. The level of destruction is unimaginable, and the exception is to find buildings that are still standing. You’ll see a sea of rubble, and then every so often you’ll find a building that is still standing.

UN News: What are the challenges faced by humanitarian agencies in getting aid to civilians in need, particularly while civilians are on the move? 

Yasmina Guerda: This is my second deployment to Gaza. I was here four weeks ago, and in four weeks everything has changed, including how you get in and out of Gaza and how you bring in supplies. Most of the population used to be in Rafah because that was the safer area back then. But now, of course, 630,000 people in 10 days have packed up whatever they had and gone north or towards the coastal areas.

The situation is constantly shifting because of the fighting that is so intense. One of the challenges for the response is that the minute you put something in place, the minute you think you know something, you have to change everything and start from zero. So that is extremely challenging, and it is slowing down the response a lot.

The second issue is that honestly, it’s extremely dangerous to be here and that is really putting the response on its knees. There are no safe places left in Gaza.

On the last week of my deployment, seven humanitarian colleagues, who also happened to be friends, were killed by Israeli airstrikes. And the day that I arrived for my second deployment, two humanitarians were again struck. We constantly have to be careful with every move. We have to notify the warring parties of every movement. We spend hours submitting paperwork, we spend hours waiting at checkpoints, and so often it is for nothing because many of the missions that we planned are not facilitated, so we can't carry them out. 

Then there’s all the other stuff that you can imagine. The very poor phone and Internet connectivity is making it very, very hard to coordinate amongst humanitarian actors. Living conditions are stressful due to the constant soundtrack of war - the drones, the airstrikes - and in some areas there are bodies in the streets that we have to remove to ensure that they get a dignified burial. 

We see a lot of very difficult things. It’s very challenging mentally and emotionally, and I would say a lot of aid workers are tired, and it's also, I think, hurting the response because this is a very challenging response. But the worst of all are the issues and hurdles that we face. 

It’s really unprecedented how utterly difficult it is to bring staff and supplies into Gaza. This was always the case since 7 October, but since 7 May, when the main border crossing for aid closed - the Rafah crossing - our storage facilities have been destroyed and looted. There’s almost nothing left to distribute in Gaza. And so as soon as something comes into the Strip - and it's a trickle - it has to go out for distribution, and of course, it’s nowhere near enough. We have to make very difficult choices every day, and we have to prioritize the most vulnerable. We have to deliver partial rations. And that's honestly quite heartbreaking on a daily basis. 

Two boys gaze out at the ocean at a beach, in Rafah, Gaza, April 2024.
© UNOCHA/Yasmina Guerda
Two boys gaze out at the ocean at a beach, in Rafah, Gaza, April 2024.

UN News: Many people around the world are upset by the conflict and the destruction. What is your message to them?  

Yasmina Guerda: People here don’t understand how the world is allowing this to happen. When I entered Gaza the first time, the Ministry of Health had reported that about 29,000 people had been killed. By the time I left five weeks later, the number had risen to 34,000 reported killed.  I calculated that this is about six people killed per hour on average, mostly women and children. We know that. We’re starting to identify bodies, and we’re letting it happen.

I'm lucky. I’m the mother of two little boys, they are two and four, and I'm terrified that one day they’re going to ask me how we couldn’t stop this; how the world didn’t stand in solidarity and voice their outrage loudly, and loudly enough to make it stop?

I don't have an answer, and I think my message would be that people need to reach out to their decision-makers and demand that international law be respected, that the most basic human rights and the most basic human dignity be respected.

We're not asking for much, just for the law that already exists to be respected because this war is a stain on us all, and it is everyone’s responsibility to work at all levels to make it stop now. That’s my message: that everyone asks themselves every day, “What can I do today at my level to help end this nightmare?” 

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UN rights office urges Sri Lanka to reveal fate of the disappeared

© UNICEF/Dan Thomas In 2005, a warning about the presence of landmines and other unexploded ordinance in Jaffna, northern Sri Lanka. The area saw some of the worst fighting during the island's civil war.
INTERNATIONAL, 17 May 2024, Human Rights - The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday urged the Sri Lankan Government to take decisive action to uncover the fates and locations of tens of thousands of individuals subjected to enforced disappearances over the years and to hold those responsible accountable.
The call accompanies the launch of a key report by OHCHR, highlighting also the need for the Government to acknowledge the involvement of State security forces and to issue a public apology.

From the 1970s to 2009, Sri Lanka witnessed widespread enforced disappearances, predominantly carried out by the national army and associated paramilitary groups.  

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) also participated in abductions, which, according to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, tantamount to enforced disappearances.

OHCHR noted that despite some formal measures by successive governments, such as ratifying the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and establishing the Office on Missing Persons and the Office for Reparations, “tangible progress on the ground towards comprehensively resolving individual cases has remained limited.”

Ongoing suffering

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk emphasized the ongoing suffering of families waiting for information about their loved ones.

“This report is yet another reminder that all Sri Lankans who have been subjected to enforced disappearance must never be forgotten … their families and those who care about them have been waiting for so long. They are entitled to know the truth."x

Nearly 15 years after the end of the civil war, and decades since the first disappearances, Sri Lankan authorities continue to fail in ensuring accountability for these violations.

“Accountability must be addressed. We need to see institutional reform for reconciliation to have a chance to succeed,” said Mr. Türk.

Harassed and intimidated

The report outlined the extensive psychological, social and economic impact on the families, particularly on women who often become the primary breadwinners in challenging labour environments, including risks of sexual harassment and exploitation.

Many women seeking information about their disappeared loved ones have faced harassment, intimidation and violence from security forces.

One woman recounted threats from the army and police, highlighting the dangers faced by those advocating for the disappeared.

Families still waiting

Under international law, the State has a clear obligation to resolve cases of enforced disappearances, which remain ongoing violations until clarified, according to OHCHR.

However, many families still lack answers. A man testified before a national commission about his disappeared son, saying:

“Two weeks passed, then two months, then two years. Now it has been 32 years, and I am still waiting.”

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Israel refutes South Africa’s accusations at UN world court

© ICJ/Wendy van Bree A view of the International Court of Justice courtroom at The Hague in the case of South Africa v. Israel.
INTERNATIONAL, 17 May 2024, Law and Crime Prevention - The UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), on Friday, heard the response from Israel on the case brought forward by South Africa requesting emergency provisional measures to immediately halt Israeli military operations under way in Rafah, in southern Gaza, where over one million Palestinians were sheltering after having been displaced from elsewhere in the enclave.
Linked to South Africa’s ongoing case accusing Israel of violating its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the Genocide Convention), the new request, filed on 10 May, asked the ICJ to order Israel to “immediately withdraw and cease its military operations in the Rafah governate”.

An ‘obscene exploitation’

Appearing before the Court, Gilad Noam, co-agent of Israel, refuted South Africa’s claims, terming it an “obscene exploitation” of the “most sacred” Genocide Convention.

“South Africa presents the Court yet again for the fourth time within the scope of less than five months, with a picture that is completely divorced from the facts and circumstances.”

He stated that Israel is engaged in a “difficult and tragic” armed conflict, a fact essential to “comprehend the situation” but one that is ignored by South Africa.

“It makes a mockery of the heinous charge of genocide … facts matter and truth should matter. Words must retain their meaning. Calling something a genocide again and again does not make it genocide,” he added.

Israel did not start the war

Mr. Noam further stated that it was not Israel that started the war, recalling the “horrific onslaught” on 7 October 2023 by Hamas and other Palestinian groups targeting Israeli civilians and communities, killing over 1,200 and taking 254 women, men and children hostage.

He added that Hamas and other terrorist groups in Gaza continue to attack Israel, displacing communities and destroying homes and infrastructure. Moreover, Hamas continues to use Palestinian civilians as human shields.

“Rafah, in particular, is a focal point for the ongoing terrorist activity,” he said, accusing Hamas of having “intricate underground tunnel infrastructure” with command-and-control rooms, military equipment, and potentially for smuggling Israeli hostages out of Gaza.

He also noted that even though the ICJ called for the immediate release of the hostages, they remain under captivity.

Co-agent of Israel, Gilad Noam, at the public hearings in the case South Africa v. Israel at the ICJ.
© ICJ/Wendy van Bree
Co-agent of Israel, Gilad Noam, at the public hearings in the case South Africa v. Israel at the ICJ.

Not a large-scale operation

“The reality is that any State put in Israel’s difficult position would do the same. The right of defence against the brutality of the Hamas terrorist organization cannot be in doubt. It is an inherent right afforded to Israel, as it is to any State,” Mr. Noam said.

The Israeli representative stated his country’s commitment to protecting itself, “in accordance with the law, which is why it has worked diligently to enable the protection of civilians, even as Hamas seeks deliberately to endanger them.”

“That is why there has not been a large-scale assault on Rafah, but rather specific, limited and localized operations prefaced with evacuation efforts and support for humanitarian activities,” he added.

Fully and sincerely engaged

Concluding his statement, Mr. Noam cited the Court’s rejection of South Africa’s earlier requests for similar provisional measures, and added that it would be “wholly inappropriate” to grant a provisional measure under such terms.

“South Africa has not given sufficient reason why the Court should now deviate from or essentially duplicate its earlier decisions,” he said, noting that Israel is “engaged fully and sincerely” in the proceedings, “despite the outrageous and libelous claims levelled against it.”

“[Israel] has made clear time and again its unwavering commitment to its obligations under its international law. It has done this while the fighting continues and its citizens are still under attack,” he said.

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Gaza: Aid delivery via floating dock welcomed, but land routes ‘more important’

Public Domain A floating dock for the delivery of humanitarian supplies was built off the coast of Gaza.

INTERNATIONAL, 17 May 2024, Humanitarian Aid - Trucks carrying desperately needed aid into Gaza have started moving ashore on the temporary floating dock built by the United States military, but this is not enough to meet the needs of civilians, UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Friday. 

OCHA warned that the maritime corridor cannot replace critical land routes, which are the quickest and most effective way of delivering humanitarian aid in the besieged enclave, where more than two million Palestinians desperately need food, shelter and other assistance. 

“Any and all aid into Gaza is welcome by any route,” Spokesperson Jens Laerke told reporters in Geneva. “But, it is an addition, and it doesn’t take away the fact that land crossings will be more important.” 

Additional aid route 

The US military’s Central Command announced that the trucks began rolling at approximately 9am, local time, on Friday, and that no troops went ashore.

The floating dock was anchored to a beach in Gaza on Thursday. With most border crossings to the enclave closed or unsafe, it will provide an additional path for aid entering the embattled enclave. 

Mr. Laerke said UN agencies are finalising their readiness plans for handling the aid once the floating dock is properly functioning, keeping in mind the need to ensure the safety of staff. 

“Community awareness and acceptance is paramount to ensure the safety and security of this operation,” he insisted. 

He expressed gratitude to efforts by Cyprus, supported by other UN Member States, to sustain the maritime corridor as an additional route for aid into Gaza. 

Open all crossings 

“However, getting aid to people in need into and across Gaza cannot and should not depend on a floating dock far from where needs are most acute,” he said. 

“Land routes are the most viable, effective and efficient aid delivery method, which is why we need all crossing points to be opened.” 

More to follow… 

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UN’s rights chief says horrified by Sudan escalation as famine draws nearer

© UNICEF/Shehzad Noorani Children walking to their shelter at an IDP camp near El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, Sudan. (file)
INTERNATIONAL, 17 May 2024, Peace and Security - The UN’s top human rights official has personally intervened to try to stop spiralling violence in Sudan that’s having a terrifying impact on millions of civilians, who humanitarians say are “staring famine in the face”.
According to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, held separate phone calls on Tuesday with Lt-General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the rival Rapid Support Forces.

Diplomatic approach

Mr. Türk urged them both to act immediately – and publicly – to de-escalate the situation, said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, who noted that the UN rights chief had previously approached the rival generals in November 2022.

“He warned both commanders that fighting in El-Fasher, where more than 1.8 million residents and internally displaced people are currently encircled and at imminent risk of famine, would have a catastrophic impact on civilians, and it  would deepen intercommunal conflict with disastrous humanitarian consequences,” Ms. Shamdasani told journalists in Geneva.

“He reminded the commanders of their obligations under international humanitarian law to ensure strict compliance with the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution, and to put an end to any ongoing violations, as well as ensure accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law committed by their respective forces and allies.”

13 months of heavy fighting

Thirteen months of war in Sudan have left half of the population in need of humanitarian assistance – a staggering 25 million people, including 14 million children. Millions have been repeatedly displaced, becoming more vulnerable each time, and aid teams have warned repeatedly that famine is closing in, with the approach of the rainy season. 

The UN human rights office expressed concerns about the ongoing and lasting impact of conflict across Sudan, while highlighting the dire situation affecting civilians caught up in escalating violence in and around El Fasher in Darfur.

At least 58 civilians are reported to have been killed and 213 others since fighting dramatically escalated in the North Darfur town last week, OHCHR said.

Disease, famine closing in

Echoing concerns about the emergency situation, the UN aid coordination office, OCHA, warned that diseases are closing in and people are “staring famine in the face”.

The UN-partnered response plan aims to reach and support 15 million of the worst-affected people but $2.7 billion is needed urgently to do so.

Today, humanitarians have received only 12 per cent of the total and without an immediate injection of funds, OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke warned that aid teams “won’t be able to scale up in time to stave off famine and prevent further deprivation”.

He added that funding would be used to “bring in more food, health services, shelter, water and sanitation, but also for prevention of sexual and gender-based violence, help to the victims, and support for the re-opening of schools for out-of-school children”.

Fleeing to Uganda

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR,  also highlighted the need for sufficient funding as increasing numbers of Sudanese flee to neighbouring Uganda.

More than 33,000 are now in the country, 19,000 of whom have arrived in the capital, Kampala, since January. 

Uganda already hosts the highest number of refugees and asylum-seekers in Africa, 1.7 million people. On average, 2,500 people arrive in the country every week, mainly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.

Despite this, Uganda remains among the top 13 underfunded operations globally, UNHCR said.

Critical funding shortfall

Humanitarians are seeking $858 million this year to support 1.6 million refugees in the country, and 2.7 million people in host communities, but received just 13 per cent of the required funds. 

UNHCR warned that the continuous influx of people fleeing conflict, combined with funding shortfalls, is putting pressure on the protection and assistance services provided to both refugees and local communities hosting them.

The health sector has already been hard hit, with staffing numbers reduced and insufficient supplies to meet critical needs. Schools also are overcrowded and there are not enough teachers or educational materials, making it difficult for refugee children to get an education.

Furthermore, critical protection services have also been affected, as refugee registration is facing lengthy delays due to the lack of necessary materials and equipment that make the process smoother.

This past week, UNHCR and senior Ugandan officials visited key partners including the Governments of Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium, as well as European Union institutions, to highlight the impact of reduced funding, and advocate for additional resources. 

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Crimes against nature: UN agency puts environmental legislation under scrutiny

© UNEP/Duncan Moore Globally, 160 countries consider improper waste dumping a crime.
INTERNATIONAL, 17 May 2024, Climate and Environment - Global efforts to prevent crimes against nature and bring offenders to justice are being hampered by glaring differences in environmental protection laws among countries and regions, UN crime prevention experts said on Friday.
"Stronger legislation can help deter potential and repeat offenders and expand the range of investigative tools and resources for law enforcement to stop crimes that affect the environment," said Angela Me, Chief of Research and Analysis at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), presenting the report.

Launched in Vienna, 'The Landscape of Criminalization’ is Part One of the first-ever Global Analysis of Crimes that Affect the Environment report. UNODC examines how all 193 UN Member States define crimes against nature and the punishments they set for violating environmental laws.

Serious violations

The study covering nine areas of nature-related offenses - deforestation and logging, noise pollution, fishing, waste management, wildlife protection, and pollution of air, soil, and waste - established that no less than 85 per cent of UN Member States criminalize offenses against wildlife.

At least 45 per cent of countries impose penalties of four or more years in prison for some environmental offenses, categorizing them as "serious" crimes under the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), a universally recognized standard.

“Our review shows progress globally in advancing environmental protection laws," said Angela Me. However, she noted that legislation and enforcement remain uneven, creating "opportunities for criminal groups to exploit gaps in responses.”

Wildlife and waste are the areas where most countries (164 and 160, respectively) include at least one related criminal offense in their national legislation. In contrast, soil and noise pollution (99 and 97, respectively) are the areas where the fewest countries have criminal provisions.

Regional variations

The level of criminalization and penalties varies by country and region. For example, in Oceania, 43 per cent of countries regard illegal fishing as a serious crime (resulting in four or more years in prison), whereas in Europe, only two per cent of countries classify it as such. Meanwhile, 12 out of 18 countries in Eastern Africa consider wildlife offenses to be serious crimes.

A man fishes on the banks of the Mithi River in western India that has become an open dump for sludge oil and hazardous chemicals.
© UNICEF/Magray
A man fishes on the banks of the Mithi River in western India that has become an open dump for sludge oil and hazardous chemicals.

Africa and Asia have the highest average percentage of Member States with penalties meeting the serious crime definition, indicating that the legislation is not necessarily weak but that there is a lack of enforcement.

Wildlife crime

Of the nine areas surveyed, offenses against wildlife are most frequently covered by criminal legislation, with 164 Member States maintaining such provisions. 

Many countries' national legislation even exceeds the requirements of CITES, the international convention regulating the transboundary trade in endangered species.
Globally, wildlife crime penalties span from a few days to life in prison, while fines can range from a few US dollars to three million.

Next to wildlife, crimes related to waste are highly criminalized, with 160 countries considering improper waste dumping a crime and including at least one related criminal offense in their legislation.

In contrast, soil and noise pollution are the least protected, with only 99 and 97 countries, respectively, considering these violations serious.

Legislative gaps

The report highlights discrepancies in how laws are applied to individuals versus enterprises, with businesses often getting away with fines, while individuals may face imprisonment. 

The authors suggest that countries could improve legislation to allow for the confiscation of means used to commit environmental crimes or proceeds from these offenses. The current lack of such provisions often leads to the prosecution of minor offenders rather than the large economic players committing environmental crimes.

According to the UNODC experts, there are several areas for improvement in environmental legislation and penalties. Member States could consider increasing penalties and expanding the use of international cooperation tools such as extradition or mutual legal assistance.

There is also a need for more data collection on these crimes, better enforcement of legislation, and more research on the penalties administered and their effectiveness, they said, adding that such information will help in understanding which extents of criminalization are most effective in preventing environmental crimes.

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Global economic growth improves but ‘downsides’ lurk

© ILO/Marcel Crozet Porters work at a metal market in Narayana in New Delhi, India.

INTERNATIONAL, 16 May 2024, Economic Development - The global economic picture has improved since January, but vulnerabilities remain, the mid-year update of the World Economic Situation and Prospects report published on Thursday has revealed.

The world economy is forecast to grow by 2.7 per cent in 2024, up from 2.4 per cent projected at the start of the year. Growth will reach 2.8 per cent in 2025, representing a slight increase.

These changes are mainly due to better-than-expected performance in some large developed and emerging countries, notably Brazil, India, Russia and the United States.

Inflation down, wages up 

Inflation is also down from the 2023 peak, said Shantanu Mukherjee of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), presenting the report to journalists in New York. 

“In developed countries, tight labour markets are seeing wage increases for some parts of the population and also drawing people into the labor force, which is important,” he added. 

However, the outlook is only cautiously optimistic in the face of higher-for-longer interest rates, debt sustainability risks and continuing geopolitical tensions.  

Islands at risk 

Ever-worsening climate shocks are also a challenge, threatening decades of development gains, especially for the world’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS). 

Even though prospects for SIDS are being revised upwards to about 3.3 per cent each year, Mr. Mukherjee said this is still below the pre-pandemic average, meaning that “lost ground is still not being made up.”  

In the case of Africa and LDCs in general, prospects are revised downward to about 3.3 per cent growth in 2024. 

Concern for the continent 

“This is particularly worrying because Africa is home to about 430 million living in extreme poverty and close to 40 per cent share of the global undernourished population,” he explained. Furthermore, two-thirds of the high inflation countries listed in the report are on the continent. 

“At the same time, cause for concern is that African governments’ room to maneuver is also shrinking,” he continued. 

“In 2024, over a quarter of public revenues on average in this continent went towards interest payments. That's again about 10 percentage points more than the average over the years immediately preceding the pandemic.” 

For developing countries, on average, the debt situation is not as dire, but he was concerned that investment growth continues to fall. 

These “downsides” are further compounded by risks such as inflation, which is both a symptom of the underlying fragility and a concern on its own. 

Break the ‘resource curse’ 

The report also contains a special section on critical minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt and copper, that are essential for the transition to clean energy. 

Countries that possess these resources will, however, need smart policies, as well as effective implementation capacities to reap the benefits. 

Mineral-sector driven grown has in the past often been associated with environmental damage, stunted development of other sectors, poverty, conflict and other adverse outcomes collectively known as the “resource curse”. 

“It is imperative for developing countries to design and implement well-targeted and timely economic, social, and environmental policies to optimize the benefits of their critical minerals endowments and avoid another cycle of resource curse,” the report said.

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Rights expert condemns death of Palestinian doctor in Israeli custody, urges independent inquiry

WHO The Al Shifa hospital, one of the largest health facilities in Gaza, has been destroyed.
INTERNATIONAL, 16 May 2024, Human Rights - A renowned Palestinian orthopaedic surgeon’s death in Israeli detention has been labelled “horrifying’ by a UN human rights expert, prompting calls for an independent international investigation.
Dr. Adnan Al Bursh, 50, the head of the orthopaedic department at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, died on April 19, 2024, in Ofer prison, a detention facility in the West Bank. His body has not yet been released by Israeli authorities.

Before his death, he had reportedly been beaten in prison, with his body showing signs of torture.

Dr. Al Bursh had been detained with other doctors and medical personnel by Israeli forces on 18 December 2023, at Al Awda Hospital in North Gaza. At that time, he was generally in good health and was performing his duties normally.

Call for independent probe

Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, said she was “horrified” by the news.

“He was detained while undertaking his duty to patients and caring for them according to the oath he took as a medical practitioner … he died for trying to protect the rights to life and health of his patients,” she said.

The expert underscored the need for an independent probe.

“Dr. Adnan’s case raises serious concerns that he died following torture at the hands of Israeli authorities. His death demands an independent international investigation,” the Special Rapporteur said.

Concerns of safety of healthworkers

Ms. Mofokeng also raised concerns over the safety of healthcare workers amidst Israel’s relentless military operation in Gaza following the brutal attacks by Hamas and other groups in southern Israel on 7 October.

“I am deeply saddened that I continue to receive reports of doctors being killed in this conflict,” she said.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported that at least 493 healthcare workers from Gaza have been killed since 7 October 2023. This includes nurses, paramedics, doctors, and other medical personnel. Many more have been injured.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that at least 214 healthcare workers have been detained by Israeli forces while on duty.

Doctors should not be killed

“The killing and detention of healthcare workers is not a legitimate method of warfare. They have a legitimate and essential role to care for sick and wounded persons during times of conflict,” Ms. Mofokeng said.

“Healthcare workers should not be killed practicing their profession.”

The Special Rapporteur urged Israel to immediately release all healthcare workers arbitrarily detained in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, and reiterated her call for an immediate ceasefire.

Independent expert

Appointed by the Human Rights Council – the UN’s highest intergovernmental forum on human rights – and forming a part of its Special Procedures, Special Rapporteurs are mandated to monitor and assess the rights situation in certain thematic or country situations.

They work voluntarily – independent of governments and the UN, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary.

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UN forum in Bahrain closes with calls to support women entrepreneurs in conflict areas

UN News/Abdelmonem Makki [Left to right] Alaa Hamadto, Sudanese mother of three daughters, CEO and founder of Solar Food; Tahani Abu Daqqa, Palestinian businesswoman from Gaza; Malalai Helmandi, Chief Operations Officer of the solar energy-producing organization Helmandi Sola.
INTERNATIONAL, 16 May 2024, Economic Development - The bi-annual UN forum on entrepreneurship and innovation wrapped up its work in Bahrain on Thursday focusing on women entrepreneurs from conflict zones, who stressed the importance of investing in their activities as a means of building peace, security, and stability in their communities.
Hailing from Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Sudan and Gaza, women entrepreneurs were in the spotlight at the closing of the 2024 World Entrepreneurship Investment Forum (WEIF), which has been running since Tuesday in Bahrain’s capital, Manama.

During a panel discussion on ‘Women, Peace and Security’ and later in exclusive interviews with our UN News team that has been reporting from the forum venue, the businesswomen shared moving stories of how their projects inspired them to help others, and of the need for more funding.

Gaza conflict hampers women-led projects  

Tahani Abu Daqqa, a Palestinian businesswoman from Gaza has been in the enclave since the start of the most recent conflict, about seven months. She left three weeks ago and was about to return, but the crossing was closed, giving her the unexpected opportunity to attend the WEIF.

Ms. Abu Daqqa said she was “the first Palestinian woman to work in Gaza to create job opportunities for women such as clothing and biscuit factories, so that they could…remain in Gaza because many Gazans were going to work outside the Strip.”  

Tahani Abu Daqqa (on the screen,) a Palestinian businesswoman from Gaza.
UN News/Abdelmonem Makki

However, her work towards women’s empowerment has faced challenges. Recurring conflict in the Gaza Strip since 2007 has impeded the progress of her projects.  

By example, she said: “I established the Damour Foundation, focusing on environmental initiatives, like water-attracting devices and sewage treatment units powered by solar energy. I also created ‘Gaza Life for Renewable Energy,’ while facing financing challenges. Eventually I succeeded, only to see the project destroyed before completion.”

After the outbreak of the current conflict, everything changed.  

“Suddenly I became displaced in an area near the sea. I could have rented a small place to stay but the women and children were staying on the streets in the rain because they had been displaced and I had to do something to help them. We had nothing, no banks, no money.”  

Ms. Abu Daqqa said she completed a recent project but fell into more than $2.5 million worth of debt, yet “I forgot all the problems I was going through...I started thinking about the women who stay with their children in the rain [without shelter], so I began collecting money from friends and relatives to build camps.”

Participants take part in a panel discussion on women entrepreneurs in conflict zones at World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum in Bahrain.
UN News/Abdelmonem Makki

Unfortunately, she continued, there were no tents because international institutions were not prepared. “So, for this work in a time of emergency, I started buying wood, gathered relatives and volunteers, and started building tents day and night.”

“Jewish friends raised $5,000 for me to get out of Gaza, but I allocated the money to build tents for the people,” she explains to UN News.

‘Sudanese lives and dreams matter’

Alaa Hamadto, a Sudanese mother of three daughters, is the CEO and founder of Solar Food, a clean tech startup and a pioneer in the dried foods industry in Sudan.  

“Solar Food uses a solar drying process to produce a variety of organic dried food products which are packaged in environmentally friendly packaging, catering to both the retail and wholesale market.”

Ms. Hamadto’s factory was destroyed amid the conflict in Sudan. “We used to export our products to seven countries, including the UK, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, and Qatar. My business was located at the factory premises in Sudan,” she explains.

She went on to say, “My ultimate vision was to have a good impact on people’s lives. This can be achievable by helping smallholder farmers. I’m also trying to spread the concept of solar drying and how it’s beneficial to the people.”

Alaa Hamadto is a Sudanese mother of three daughters and she is also the CEO and founder of Solar Food.
UN News/Abdelmonem Makki

After war broke out a little more than a year ago, Ms. Hamadto says she lost everything.  

“Sudanese lives matter. Sudanese dreams matter. We have faced horrible things. Sudanese people lost everything. Their factories have been destroyed. We lost our valuables. We lost our people. Women have been raped.”

“Everybody says what is happening in Sudan is a... civil war, but that’s not true. It is a war over resources that has [become] an ethnic [conflict].”

When the conflict erupted, Ms. Hamadto at first fled to Egypt, but later decided to return to Sudan.  

“I chose to go back again to establish a drying factory, but it’s really difficult to operate again in Sudan,” she said, citing such challenges as inflation, equipment scarcity, communication barriers, frequent power cuts, and security threats like bombings and drones.

Despite all this, she stated: “I think we’re building resilience. We know that nobody is coming to save us, and it is up to us to get up again.”

Empowering Afghan mothers 

Malalai Helmandi, Chief Operations Officer of the solar energy-producing organization Helmandi Solar in Afghanistan, and her husband Hamid Helmand are implementing projects to empower women in the Asian nation.

Over the past two and a half years, their company has been setting up greenhouses for women affected by conflict and crises, she explained and added that 47 years of war in Afghanistan have weakened the role of mothers as the backbone of the household.  

Malalai Helmandi, Chief Operations Officer of the solar energy-producing organization Helmandi Solar in Afghanistan, and her husband Hamid Helmand, the head of the company.
UN News/Abdelmonem Makki

“[A mother] spends most of the time in the most important years of a child’s development. And in a culture like Afghanistan, where the family unit is so strong, I find that those families [are more stable] where the mother is empowered, has knowledge, and is given an opportunity to either bring in her own income, or at the very minimum, be part of a decision making through something that might be... income generating.”

For his part, Mr. Helmand said that after three days at WEIF, he will return home believing that “with our efforts, ideology and thoughts, I think we can restore those responsibilities and jobs to women because 80 per cent of those women have lost their jobs due to war and due to what has been happening in that area.”  

‘Conflict in Iraq could not stop me’

In 2018, the Iraqi Government was combatting the ISIS militant group, but these conditions did not deter Basima Abdulrahman, Founder and CEO of the KESK company, which seeks Greentech energy solutions through technology.

“I decided to build a sustainable business because I loved sustainability, [but] I didn’t know that it would end up a climate action business,” Ms. Abdulrahman told UN News.

Basima Abdulrahman, Founder and CEO of the KESK company.
UN News/Hisae Kawamori

She added: “I was not afraid of the ongoing conflict because climate change is as big a threat as ISIS, so actions to counter [both] must go together and not be fought in a specific order, so I decided it wasn’t too early, but it could be too late."

Ms. Abdulrahman believes that for Iraq, the transition to renewable energy is not just a strategic plan or a luxury but a necessity. There is a 50 per cent shortage of electricity in the country, and this gap is currently being filled by generators that pollute the environment and which do not actually close the gap. Above all, they are expensive.  

She urged women entrepreneurs in conflict areas or in areas where there is peace, but where patriarchy is entrenched, to “start a big business and grow it. You can always be resilient and strengthen your business and move forward despite any challenges you face.”

A group picture of participants at the World Entrepreneurs Investment Forum (WEIF) in Manama, Bahrain.
UN News/Abdelmonem Makki

Entrepreneurs’ voices have been heard  

As the curtain fell on WEIF2024 here in Manama, Dr. Hashim Hussein, Head of the UNIDO Office for Technology and Investment Promotion in Bahrain, which facilitated the forum, said he was proud that “we have been able to ensure that entrepreneurs raise their voices.”

“We have seen that entrepreneurs within the United Nations system had the opportunity to speak. And, young people, we are listening to them now; they used to be just listeners.”

“I think the greatest achievement of WEIF 2024 is that we have...involved the international community in recognizing and understanding the problems and hardships of women in conflict and how we can help them,” he went on to say.

He told UN News on the margins of the forum that such support should be through economic development, to ensure that they sustain their families “and, of course, the communities and the countries which they are living in. I think this is going to be our major achievement this year of the World Interference Investment Forum 2024.” 

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