Stop the war on children by UNICEF, Committee on the Rights of the Child   3 Apr. 2024   Shocking increase in children denied aid in conflicts. (UN News)   All warring parties must allow safe, swift and unfettered humanitarian access and protect civilian infrastructure, top UN officials told the UN Security Council on Wednesday.   Painting a grim landscape of the world’s war zones, Virginia Gamba, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, briefed ambassadors, citing grave concerns, from war-torn Gaza to gang-ravaged Haiti, where famine looms amid rampant violence and displacement.   “Let me be very clear,” she said. “The Geneva Conventions and the Convention on the Rights of the Child contain key provisions requiring the facilitation of humanitarian relief to children in need.   “The denial of humanitarian access to children and attacks against humanitarian workers assisting children are also prohibited under international humanitarian law.”   The UN’s engagement with combatants to end and prevent violations against children is critical, she said.   Data gathered for her forthcoming 2024 report shows “we are on target to witness a shocking increase of the incidents of the denial of humanitarian access globally,” she said, adding that “the blatant disregard for international humanitarian law continues to increase.”   “Without compliance by parties to conflict to allow safe, full and unhindered access for the timely delivery of humanitarian assistance, children’s survival, wellbeing and development are in jeopardy, and our calls are mere echoes in this Chamber,” she told the Council.   “We cannot prevent denial of humanitarian access to children unless we understand it and reinforce our capacity to monitor and prevent its occurrence. We must get on with the job.”   Also briefing the Council, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Ted Chaiban, said that as conflicts proliferate around the world, grave violations against children continue, including in Gaza, Sudan and Myanmar.   “The denial of humanitarian access is a particularly pervasive, multifaceted and complex grave violation,” he said. “These actions have devastating humanitarian consequences for children.”   Recalling his visit to Gaza in January, he said he witnessed a “staggering decline in conditions of children” amid widespread destruction, a “quasi blockage on the north of Gaza” and repeated denials for or delays in granted access of humanitarian convoys.   “Attacks on humanitarian workers have also gravely affected humanitarian access with the highest UN staff death toll in our history, our UNRWA colleagues in particular, and new attacks this week with the death of our World Central Kitchen colleagues, killing humanitarian workers trying to feed starving people,” Mr. Chaiban said.   As a result of these constraints, children cannot access age-appropriate nutritious food or medical services and have less than two to three litres of water per day, he said.   “The consequences have been clear,” he warned. “In March, we reported that one in three children under two years of age in the northern Gaza Strip suffer from acute malnutrition, a figure that has more than doubled in the last two months.”   Dozens of children in the northern Gaza Strip have reportedly died from malnutrition and dehydration in recent weeks and half the population is facing catastrophic food insecurity, he stressed.   In Sudan, the world’s worst child displacement crisis, the violence and blatant disregard for permission to allow the delivery of humanitarian assistance essential to protect children from the impact of conflict in Darfur, in Kordofan, in Khartoum and beyond has greatly intensified their suffering, he said.   “We are seeing record levels of admissions for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) – the deadliest form of malnutrition,” the UN deputy chief explained, “but insecurity is preventing patients and health workers from reaching hospitals and other health facilities.”   Assets and staff are still being attacked, and the health system remains overwhelmed resulting in severe shortage of medicines and supplies, including lifesaving items, due to the severe interruption of the supply management system.   “Our inability to consistently access vulnerable children means protection by presence is simply not possible and that risks of other grave violations may escalate without an attendant rise in our ability to monitor or respond,” he said.   He called on the Security Council to use its influence to prevent and end the denial of humanitarian access to children, protect humanitarian workers and allow aid agencies to safely reach those in most need, across frontlines and across borders.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/04/1148221   * UN WebTV: Children and Armed Conflict - Coverage of UN Security Council meeting: Addressing the consequences of the denial of humanitarian access for children: http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1h/k1ho967mpv   26 Mar. 2024   Armed violence deepening malnutrition crisis for children in Haiti.   The alarming surge in armed violence in areas of Haiti is creating heightened risk of furthering a malnutrition crisis in the country, UNICEF warned today.   The recent findings from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis indicate an alarming 19 per cent increase in the number of children estimated to suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Haiti this year. In addition, and as evidenced by the latest IPC analysis, 1.64 million people are facing emergency levels of acute food insecurity, (IPC Phase 4), which increases the risk of child wasting and malnutrition, especially in 8 areas of the country.   The ongoing armed violence across Artibonite department and the West department, which encompasses Port au Prince, has restricted aid delivery and crumbled an already fragile healthcare system, posing an imminent threat to the lives of over 125,000 children at risk of severe acute malnutrition.   “The violence and instability in Haiti have consequences far beyond the risk of the violence itself. The situation is creating a child health and nutrition crisis that could cost the lives of countless of children,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.   “Thousands of children are on the brink, while life-saving supplies are ready to be delivered if violence stops and roads and hospitals are opened. This malnutrition crisis is entirely human made. Basic security is urgently needed for the people of Haiti, for the life-saving services they rely on, and for humanitarian workers to reach children and families in desperate need.”   Since January, the deteriorating security situation in Haiti has continued to worsen the humanitarian crisis, with serious consequences for UNICEF’s ability to store, deliver and restock desperately needed assistance.   Earlier this month, one of UNICEF's 17 containers was looted at Port-au-Prince's main port. The looted container held essential items for maternal, neonatal, and child survival, including resuscitators and related equipment. The ongoing insecurity has also left just two in five hospitals operational across the country. Meanwhile, only one in four health facilities are functioning in the Artibonite department, the nation’s main rice-growing region.   At the same time, the current insecurity in Port-au-Prince has made it virtually impossible for health and nutrition supplies to reach at least 58,000 children suffering from severe wasting in the metropolitan area. The Martissant road, the only humanitarian corridor from Port-au-Prince to the southern regions, remains blocked, leaving an estimated 15,000 children suffering from malnutrition at the brink of disaster.   And the insecurity plaguing much of Haiti’s capital is hampering the transport and resupply of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), used to treat children suffering from SAM, which could lead to supply chain disruptions and have serious consequences if the situation remains unchanged.   Despite the highly volatile environment, UNICEF is stepping up efforts to protect families and provide life-saving support, including for those who are trapped and cut off from essential services. Together with partners, UNICEF is helping to sustain national, regional, and – in the most insecure areas – neighborhood systems and services that protect children and families.   UNICEF is calling for:   Accelerated efforts by the international community to protect civilians, restore law and order in the streets, and ensure safe movement of humanitarian workers and life-saving supplies, including RUTF; Increased immediate, flexible funding to meet the needs of the most vulnerable as the situation evolves, ensuring aid reaches affected populations as quickly as possible; And the protection of schools, hospitals, and other critical infrastructure children rely on, and for the safeguarding of humanitarian spaces.   Gaza's Children: Trapped in a Cycle of Suffering, by James Elder.   “Today I would like to speak about two major issues that people here in Gaza say are central to their survival. The safety of those in Rafah, and aid delivery.   “Today Rafah is unrecognizable because of the congestion, and tents on street corners and sandy plots. People sleep in the streets, in public buildings, in any other available empty space. The global standards for humanitarian emergencies say there should be a maximum of 20 people using one toilet. In Rafah, there is approximately one toilet for every 850 people. For showers, it’s four times that number - one shower for every 3600 people. This is a hellish disregard for basic human needs and dignity.   “Those same standards say people need 15 litres of water each, daily, and an absolute minimum of three litres just to survive. When I was here in November, families and children in the Gaza Strip were relying on three litres or less of water per person per day. Today, on average, households surveyed had access to less than one litre of safe water per person per day.   “Neighbouring Khan Yunis is also unrecognizable, though for a different reason – it barely exists anymore. In my 20 years with the United Nations, I have never seen such devastation. Just chaos and ruin, with rubble and debris scattered in every single direction. Utter annihilation. "Moving around those streets, I was overwhelmed by loss.   “Which takes us back to Rafah. And the endless talk of a large-scale military operation in Rafah. Rafah is a city of children. 600,000 girls and boys there. A military offensive in Rafah? “Offensive” is the right word. Rafah - home to some of Gaza’s last remaining hospitals, shelters, markets and water systems.   “And then there is the north. Yesterday I was again in Jabalia. Tens of thousands of people crowd the streets, placing their hands to their mouths - that universal sign for hunger.   “When I came into the Gaza Strip a week ago, there were hundreds of trucks with lifesaving humanitarian aid, waiting to get to people in urgent need, but on the wrong side of the border. Hundreds of UN/INGO trucks are currently backlogged waiting to enter Gaza.   “Remembering, last week’s Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) noted famine is imminent in northern Gaza. Gaza now has the largest percentage of a population, anywhere, to receive its most severe rating since the body began reporting in 2004.   “Before this war, child wasting in the Gaza Strip was rare with less than one per cent of children under 5 years of age acutely malnourished. Today one in three children under 2 years are acutely malnourished. Clearly, the north needs massive amounts of food and nutrition treatments, urgently. But let’s be clear – our efforts to provide that aid are being hampered.   “There is an existing old crossing point, Erez, that could be used that is 10 minutes from those facing famine. 10 minutes. Open that and we could turn this humanitarian crisis in the north around in a matter of days. But it remains closed.   “Between 1 - 22 March, one-quarter of 40 humanitarian aid missions to northern Gaza were denied. UNRWA is now blocked from delivering food to the north, and yet 50% of food going to the north was delivered by UNRWA.   “Let’s be clear: Lifesaving aid is being obstructed. Lives are being lost. Dignity is being denied.   “The deprivation, the forced desperation, means despair pervades the population. And people's nerves are shattered amid unrelenting attacks.   “People often ask if there is still hope. Everything is at extremes here, and that question is no different. On one hand, a mother will tell me that she’s lost loved ones, her home and her ability to regularly feed her children; all she has left is hope. Then yesterday, UNICEF sat with adolescents, several of whom said, they were so desperate for their nightmare to end, that they hoped to be killed.   “The unspeakable is regularly said in Gaza. From teenage girls hoping they are killed; to being told a child is the last survivor from their entire family. Such horror is no longer unique here.   “Amid it all, so many brave, generous and tireless Palestinians continue to support one another. And sister UN agencies and UNICEF continue. For UNICEF, we persist for every child. Water, protection, nutrition, and shelter. UNICEF is here.   “As we heard yesterday: the ceasefire must be substantive, not symbolic. The hostages must go home. The people of Gaza must be allowed to live.   “In the three months between my visits, every horrific number rose dramatically. Gaza has shattered humanity's records for its darkest chapters. Humanity must now urgently write a different chapter.”   9 years into the conflict in Yemen, millions of children are malnourished and stunted   Nine years into the conflict in Yemen, almost 10 million children remain in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.   While the reduction in active conflict since April 2022 has led to a decrease in civilian casualties and distress across communities, the situation remains fragile without a sustainable political settlement - especially critical at a time when more than half of the population - 18.2 million people, including 9.8 million children – remain in need of lifesaving support.   The fragility is most clearly demonstrated by persistent malnutrition in the country, where more than 2.7 million children are acutely malnourished and 49 per cent of children under the age of five suffer from stunting or chronic malnutrition. This condition hinders children from growing to their full potential with irreversible damage to long-term physical and cognitive development.   “The vicious combination of years of protracted conflict, a shattered economy, and a failed social support system have had a devastating impact on the lives of the most vulnerable children in Yemen,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.   “Far too many children continue to be deprived of basic necessities, including proper nutrition, which could threaten generations to come unless urgent action is taken to provide children with the preventive measures and treatment they so desperately need.”   In 2024 UNICEF aims to reach more than 500,000 children with treatment for severe acute malnutrition, a critical measure in contributing to a reduction in under-5 mortality.   Despite the truce-like conditions, intermittent fighting and exchanges of fire continue in many parts of the country with children being the victims of landmines and explosive remnants of war. Since the start of the conflict in 2015, more than 11,500 children have been killed or injured as a result of the conflict.   “UNICEF and partners will continue our life-saving work in Yemen to help ensure that children who have suffered so much will have brighter days – and futures – ahead,” said Russell. “To do this, we need continued support, commitment and solidarity from our partners and the international community.”   Children in Sudan at risk of famine, by Catherine Russell.   “The brutal war in Sudan is pushing the country toward famine and a catastrophic loss of life, especially among children. In what is now the world’s largest child displacement crisis, severe malnutrition among young children is intensifying beyond the worst projections, and there are outbreaks of cholera, measles and malaria.   “There is also evidence of spikes in malnutrition-related child deaths, particularly among displaced children. In January 2024, an assessment by Doctors Without Borders at Zamzam Camp, North Darfur, revealed malnutrition and mortality above emergency levels. Mass child nutrition screenings conducted by UNICEF and partners in February 2024 in Central Darfur and Gezira states reflect alarming levels of child wasting. And in February, the State Ministry of Health in West Darfur verified the deaths of 14 children due to malnutrition. They died in their homes.   “This is happening before the annual lean season which begins in the coming weeks – when the malnutrition situation will only worsen.   “In 2023, UNICEF saw record admissions of children seeking life-saving treatment for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) – the deadliest form of malnutrition – in the areas UNICEF and our partners could access.   However, in places we are less able to access, just 37 per cent of the estimated 120,000 children suffering from SAM received the life-saving treatment they required – the vast majority of them before conflict broke out in April.   “This year, nearly three-quarters of the staggering 3.7 million children who need urgent nutrition support live in 135 localities that are classified as hard-to-reach. Over half of the children suffering from SAM are in Darfur, Khartoum and Kordofan, which include large areas where assistance must be delivered across conflict lines or borders.   “Communities are on the brink of famine because we are prevented from reaching many of the children, women and families in need. This is unacceptable. We must act now to massively scale up work to identify the children and women at risk, and provide them with life-saving feeding and care, including essential nutrition supplies, vaccines and safe water.   “To do this, we need parties to the conflict to enable rapid, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access – both across conflict lines within Sudan and across borders with Sudan’s neighboring countries. Chad has provided a crucial lifeline to communities in Darfur, and access through its border remains critical, along with access through South Sudan. We also need telecommunications networks to function properly in order to identify and refer children at risk, and for humanitarian partners to communicate urgent needs.   “From the international community, we need a massive mobilization of resources by the end of March so that humanitarian partners can get the supplies and capacity on the ground, in time, to limit the impending humanitarian catastrophe. UNICEF alone urgently requires US$ 240 million for its famine prevention response.   “Children cannot wait for the world to deliberate whether famine is underway in Sudan. They urgently need help right now.”   After 13 years of conflict in Syria, more children than ever in need of humanitarian assistance.   After thirteen years of conflict in Syria, almost 7.5 million children in the country are in need of humanitarian assistance – more than at any other time during the conflict. Repeated cycles of violence and displacement, a devastating economic crisis and extreme deprivation, disease outbreaks and last year’s devastating earthquakes have left hundreds of thousands of children exposed to long-term physical and psychosocial consequences.   More than 650,000 children under the age of five are chronically malnourished – an increase of around 150,000 in the four years since 2019. Chronic malnutrition, or stunting, causes irreversible damage to the physical and cognitive development of children, impacting their capacity to learn, their productivity, and their earnings later in adulthood.   According to a recent household survey conducted in northern Syria, 34 per cent of girls and 31 per cent of boys reported psychosocial distress. Similarly, the rapid assessments conducted in earthquake-affected areas reported an even higher percentage of children exhibiting severe behavioural psychological distress (83 per cent of respondents.)   “The sad reality is that today and, in the days ahead, many children in Syria will mark their 13th birthdays, becoming teenagers, knowing that their entire childhood to date has been marked by conflict, displacement and deprivation,” said UNICEF Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Adele Khodr.   "Ultimately, children need a chance. They need a long-term peaceful solution to the crisis, but we cannot just wait for that to happen. In the meantime, it is critical to ensure that children and families not only have access to basic services but also that we are equipping children with the skills to build their own futures.”   Whilst Syria no longer regularly makes international headlines, the conflict continues to devastate the future of children and their lives. A recent wave of violence that began in the past six months in several localities is the worst the country has seen for four years.   More than 13 million Syrians - roughly half the pre-conflict population - are displaced inside or outside Syria and unable to return to their homes. More than two-thirds of the population are in need of humanitarian assistance.   Humanitarian funding has dropped to an all-time low, both inside Syria itself and for Syrians in neighbouring countries. Nearly half of the 5.5 million school-aged children - some 2.4 million children aged 5-17 - are out of school.   “A generation of children in Syria have already paid an unbearable price for this conflict,” said Khodr. “Continued support from the international community is critical for restoring systems to deliver essential basic social services, like education, water and sanitation, health, nutrition, child and social protection, ensuring that no child in Syria is left behind”.   Amid escalating violence in Mozambique, 60,000 children displaced within a month   Maputo, Mozambique: “In the past month, attacks and fear of attacks in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, have triggered the displacement of almost 100,000 people, including more than 60,000 children.   “Children separated from their families are at risk of violence and exploitation, including recruitment and use by armed groups.   “More than 100 schools in Cabo Delgado and Nampula provinces have had to close due to insecurity, affecting the learning of over 50,000 children. Children and families are being cut off from essential services, including health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and child protection services.   “And many of those forced to flee – more than 45,000 people – have fled to Erati district, in Nampula, the province immediately south of Cabo Delgado,an area that is experiencing a cholera outbreak, putting them at serious risk.   “In the chaos created by displacement, many children have become separated from their families. UNICEF has so far registered 182 cases of separated children since the latest attacks in Chiure district on February 24.   “Without access to nutrition services, displaced children experiencing severe acute malnutrition are at serious risk. The psychological impact on children and families is also tremendous. Our teams on the ground in Cabo Delgado report that children are traumatized and having difficulty coping with the hardships they are experiencing.   23 Feb. 2024   UNICEF and WFP demand action to protect children and unfettered humanitarian access in eastern DRC   The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Programme (WFP) are calling for immediate action to protect children and families caught in the escalating violence in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where an increasing number of people, including children, have been wounded or killed near makeshift camps. Both agencies call on all parties to the conflict to prioritize the protection of civilians and allow humanitarian agencies to do their work.   The latest conflict in the Eastern DRC has resulted in catastrophic conditions for the local population. Fierce fighting has, over the past two weeks, moved 25 kilometres west of Goma towards the town of Sake, where children and their families are caught in a deadly crossfire.   “Children in DRC need peace now,” said Grant Leaity, UNICEF Representative in the DRC. “We are calling for children to be protected in this war and for an end to this violence through renewed efforts to find a diplomatic solution. We are extremely concerned about the safety of children and their families in and around camps in Goma.”   This has triggered a huge movement of people to already overcrowded displacement camps. An additional 214,950 people have joined the 500,000 people already displaced to areas around Goma. Separately, tens of thousands of others moved towards Minova in South Kivu.   Crucial land routes to facilitate food delivery and other supplies have been cut off, causing shortages and price spikes in Goma’s local markets. The situation further strains families struggling to put food on their tables.   “We are facing a humanitarian catastrophe of massive proportions,” said Peter Musoko, Country Director and Representative for WFP in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). “Make no mistake: If we do not act now, lives will be lost.”   The increase in violence and displacement is straining resources for both agencies to mount a comprehensive response that includes food, clean water, good sanitation, safe shelter, basic health care, and protective services for women and children.   DRC has become one of the continent’s most significant internal displacement crises, with 6.9 million people displaced, primarily due to conflict in the east. In the last year alone, IOM estimates that 1.6 million people have been displaced.   Ukraine two years: Children in frontline areas forced to spend up to 5,000 hours – equivalent to nearly 7 months - sheltering underground   Children in cities in Ukraine’s frontline areas have been forced to spend between 3,000 and 5,000 hours – equivalent to between four and almost 7 months – sheltering in basements and underground metro stations over the past two years, as air raid alerts sound above.   Since the war escalated in February 2022, relentless attacks – resulting in around 3,500 air raid alerts in the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions and nearly 6,200 in the Donetsk region – have had a devastating impact on children’s mental health and ability to effectively learn.   The winter months have been particularly horrific for children, with thousands sheltering in cold, damp basements as an escalation of attacks left many families without heating, access to water and electricity.   “The war in Ukraine has shattered childhoods and wreaked havoc on children’s mental health and ability to learn,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Children have experienced two years of violence, isolation, separation from families, loss of loved ones, displacement and disrupted schooling and healthcare. They need this nightmare to end.”   “The continued shelling leaves little opportunity for Ukraine’s children to recover from the distress and trauma associated with attacks. Every siren and explosion brings further anxiety. Education is a pillar of hope, opportunity and stability in children’s lives, but it continues to be disrupted or out of reach for millions of Ukraine’s children.”   The psychological impacts of war on children are widespread. According to survey data, half of 13- to 15-year-olds have trouble sleeping, and 1 in 5 have intrusive thoughts and flashbacks – typical manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder. Three-quarters of children and young people aged 14 to 34 recently reported needing emotional or psychological support. However, less than a third sought help.   Parents across Ukraine report elevated levels of anxiety, excessive fear, phobias and sadness, and decreased engagement in school, sensitivity to loud noises, and sleep troubles among children. At a time when parental support is needed most, half of parents surveyed report that they are struggling to support their children.   Across the country, 40 per cent of Ukraine’s children cannot access continuous education due to a lack of facilities. In areas nearer to the frontline, half of school-age children are unable to access education. Latest data show that the scale of learning gaps seen in 2022 compared to 2018 is equivalent to two years of loss in reading and one year of loss in maths.   Since the escalation of the war two years ago, UNICEF expanded its work in Ukraine and is currently present in Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa, Dnipro, Poltava, Mykolaiv, and Kharkiv to provide humanitarian assistance and critical support to children and families.   “Humanitarian principles, international humanitarian law and international human rights law must be respected. Children need a chance to recover, and the best way to do that is by ending this war,” said Russell.   http://www.unicef.org/topics/humanitarian-action-and-emergencies http://www.unicef.org/children-under-attack http://www.unicef.org/media/press-releases http://data.stopwaronchildren.org/ http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/stop-the-war-on-children-let-children-live-in-peace/   20 Nov. 2023   Nothing to Celebrate on World’s Children’s Day, reports Ms. Virginia Gamba - Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict   On November 20th, we commemorate World’s Children’s Day, an occasion to take a step back and reflect. Reflect on our achievements but also on the remaining progress that we need to accomplish to fulfill the rights of every child.   The recognition of a child, as well as their rights and needs, is enshrined in the most widely ratified Convention of the United Nations, the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). More than thirty years have passed since the adoption of the CRC in 1989 and yet, in 2023, it has become increasingly evident that a vast number of children remain daily victims of violence, abuse, and oppression, particularly those living in situations of armed conflict.   Over the years, the United Nations Security Council has recognized the importance of bringing visibility to the most vulnerable children, by requesting the Secretary-General to report annually on the six grave violations affecting children in armed conflict, namely recruitment and use, killing and maiming, sexual violence, abduction, attacks on schools and hospitals, and denial of humanitarian access.   In 2022 alone, the United Nations verified 27,180 violations affecting children which were committed in 24 situations and one regional arrangement. The most prevalent violation of 2022 was the killing and maiming of children, while the number of attacks on schools and hospitals showed an unprecedented increase of 112% compared to the previous year. As sobering as the 2022 figures were, they felt pale when contrasted with the dramatic increase in violations against children during 2023.   Armed violence has worryingly increased in many ongoing conflicts including in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Somalia, Sudan, and most recently in Israel and the State of Palestine.   So far this year, reported violations against children in conflict have climbed significantly, particularly those related to the killing and maiming of children and attacks on schools and hospitals, and their protected personnel. Perhaps no situation is more tragic than the case of Israel and the State of Palestine, particularly Gaza, where thousands of children have been killed and maimed, denied life-saving humanitarian aid including food, water, and medicine.   “While there must be accountability for the horrific terror attack against civilians in Israel, the ensuing continued bombardment and deprivation of humanitarian relief to an entire civilian population in Gaza, half of whom are children, cannot be justified. The hostilities against the children in Gaza must stop now,” remarked the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Ms. Virginia Gamba.   In Sudan, children have been facing intense hostilities since April, and are subjected to raids, and airstrikes by parties to conflict, resulting in shocking accounts of widespread killing and maiming of children and sexual violence against girls, including rape.   Thousands of children in and around Khartoum, the Darfur states, the Blue Nile, and the Kordofan regions are disproportionately affected by the actions of armed forces and armed groups. Parties to conflict in Sudan must prioritize a cessation of hostilities and a return to peace if children are to be spared further suffering.   Children in the Sahel and Lake Chad basin continue to be victims of armed conflict. Children are raped, abducted, and recruited by armed forces and armed groups, particularly girls, while schools and hospitals are attacked and destroyed.   In Afghanistan, girls beyond 6th grade are deprived of their education and of any opportunities for development and personal growth, leading to forced marriage, a form of sexual violence. To add to this dramatic situation, in November 2023, reportedly 400,000 girls, with their relatives, were forcibly deported from Pakistan, to share the fate of their sisters living under the restrictive rules in place.   The use of explosive ordnance, including improvised explosive devices, landmines, and explosive remnants of war, continues to be one of the main causes of child casualties, particularly when used in densely populated areas. Those weapons fiercely and indiscriminately target children in many countries around the world. The situation for children remains very dire particularly due to the impact of explosive ordnance, in Colombia, Iraq, the Syrian Arab Republic, and Ukraine.   Counter-terrorism measures have unprecedented negative impacts on children, including their deprivation of liberty, sometimes solely over an assumption of affiliation with an opposing party to conflict. Let us remind ourselves that more than 31,000 children remain deprived of liberty in Hawl and Rawj camps in north-east Syria, waiting to be released and repatriated to their countries of origin, and over 600 children are currently deprived of liberty for alleged association with armed forces and armed groups without adequate access to humanitarian aid and basic services.   To add to the tragedy of children living in situations of armed conflict, other push factors such as the effects of climate change, and its impact on inter-communal violence, as well as the rise of pandemics and endemics, have led to a general impoverishment of communities, trigger for children to join armed groups and/or face sexual violence. Further, as seen in Haiti, armed groups and gangs are increasingly targeting children and committing all six grave violations against children in doing so.   Nevertheless, hope remains in some situations. This is the case notably in the Central African Republic, South Sudan, the Philippines, and Yemen, where there is a decline in verified violations against children.   All these situations have one thing in common: the parties to conflict have intentionally decided to put in place measures to protect children. These measures were translated for some through a direct engagement with the United Nations over the signature of a joint action plan, for others through the declaration of a ceasefire and/or the start of peaceful dialogue for conflict resolution.   Irrefutably, the pursuit of peace should be the ultimate goal of parties to the conflict, and it is essential to urge all global leaders to push peers, allies, and friends to engage on the path to peace.   “Without the political will to genuinely resolve conflicts, we will continue to fail our children and their hopes and dreams. Without respecting the obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law, we will continue to harm our children. Without putting children at the center of our actions, the possibility of complying with the CRC and providing every child with their rights and needs is sadly null,” explained the Special Representative.   There is nothing to celebrate on this World’s Children’s Day but simply acknowledge a lingering sense of regret and shame.   “Stop the war on children. It is time to act to protect children. Let us recall our humanity, we owe this to the children of the world”.   * There are 468 million children worldwide living in armed conflict zones, according to Save the Children’s research, accounting for about 20% of the world’s 2.4 billion children population, based on UNICEF’s statistics.   http://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/2023/11/nothing-to-celebrate-on-worlds-childrens-day http://news.un.org/en/tags/children-and-armed-conflict http://watchlist.org/resources/advocacy-resources/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2023/11/end-killing-children-armed-conflict-un-committee-urges http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/gaza-halt-war-now-save-children-dying-imminent-famine-un-committee-warns http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/03/sudan-conflict-24-million-children-exposed-year-brutality-and-rights   http://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/protected-persons/civilians http://www.icrc.org/en/document/we-can-elevate-protection-of-children-in-armed-conflict-as-political-priority http://medvind.arkon.no/1824624/9065535.html http://www.msf.org/war-and-conflict http://www.msf.org/war-and-conflict-depth http://protectingeducation.org/ http://www.unhcr.org/emergencies/ongoing-emergencies http://alliancecpha.org/en/TheUnprotected2023 http://www.acaps.org/en/thematics/all-topics/humanitarian-access http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/en/ Visit the related web page
	There is no fair future without human rights for all by The Elders, GI-ESCR, CARR Center, FIAN, agencies   As Nelson Mandela knew deeply, there is no fair future without human rights for all.   Graca Machel, founder of the Graca Machel Trust, co-founder and Deputy Chair of The Elders:   "This 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights must be a moment of global reckoning. The blatant disregard for the protection of human rights enshrined in the Declaration is painfully visible in every corner of the globe.   The world has achieved unprecedented levels of scientific and technological advances, yet millions are excluded from access to quality healthcare and education opportunities, and languish in extreme poverty in a world of plenty.   Far too many of us are tormented by fear of persecution and death over our religion, gender, political view or sexual orientation.   The fundamental rights and freedoms in the Declaration are universal and a birthright of every single human being - without exception. As Nelson Mandela said, “To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”   As we commemorate 75 years of the Declaration, let us spare no effort to uphold the ethics of our world order and push until there is freedom, peace, justice, equality and dignity for all.   Hina Jilani, pioneering lawyer and human rights champion:   "As we mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we must not forget that universal rights and freedoms can never be embodied and protected by declarations alone. It is people who protect human rights. It is people who force change, who claim their rights and who realise their freedoms. Without those willing to struggle for justice, the Declaration amounts to nothing more than an empty dream.   Nelson Mandela embodied the essence of the Declaration, steadfastly battling to dismantle apartheid in South Africa. His triumph remains a source of endless inspiration for human rights defenders around the world who risk their lives fighting against injustice today".   Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights:   "Over the past 75 years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has acted as a vital framework for advancements in human rights across the world. It has served as the bedrock for landmark constitutions, legal frameworks and treaties, enabled people to obtain justice, and enforced accountability for violence and impunity.   Yet, for all these developments, we are far from a world where dignity and equality are universal. As millions of people continue to have their rights denied and abused by autocratic and populist regimes, the wisdom and moral clarity contained in the Declaration remains essential.   The Elders’ founder Nelson Mandela embodied this wisdom and leaders today should remember his example. We must not rest until all people can live in equality, dignity and freedom".   http://theelders.org/human-rights-are-universal   Dec. 2023   To Cooperate or Perish, the Dilemma of Humanity at War, by Magdalena Sepulveda - Director, Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights   Seventy-five years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the international community is again challenged to cooperate or perish. This statement by the Chilean diplomat Heran Santa Cruz, one of the intellectual fathers of the UDHR, has acquired heightened meaning as a result of the extreme suffering caused by the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.   The UDHR was humanity’s response to the "disregard and contempt for human rights (which) have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind". It affirmed "the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear". It embodied rights that the United Nations Charter adopted in 1945 to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, promote social progress, and improve living standards.   Founded just three years earlier, the United Nations was the only forum in which all countries could come together to discuss common problems and find shared solutions for the benefit of humanity. Its three pillars remain respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, maintenance of peace and security, and sustainable development.   Regrettably, these goals are still aspirations, and global solidarity seems to have receded. In addition to the horrors experienced by the victims of wartime atrocities, large segments of the world’s population live in fear of misery, and the world confronts several simultaneous crises: an unprecedented level of inequality, the triple planetary emergencies of climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity, receding civic space, the COVID-19 pandemic (from which we have not yet recovered), and the risk of new epidemics. Together, these crises hold a sword of Damocles over humanity.   Once again, women and girls suffer disproportionately and unequally. The sexual assaults on women during Hamas’ brutal attacks on Israeli civilians on 7 October are a shocking example of this. Women and children also account for two-thirds of those killed in Gaza by Israel’s devastating military response. In this bombardment, two mothers are killed every hour and seven women every two hours, while the rest survive in panic and anxiety.   Survivors have been forced to flee their homes and seek protection in overcrowded shelters without food, water, medical supplies, or privacy, increasing the risk of death and further sexual violence.   In common with other conflicts, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East have multiplied the number of widows, women who overnight become household providers, obliged to ensure the survival of their family members alone and in fear.   Seventy-five years after the UDHR was proclaimed, the pursuit of gender equality remains elusive. The UN has warned that, if current trends continue, more than 340 million women and girls - 8 per cent of all women worldwide - will live in extreme poverty by 2030. Nearly one in four will endure moderate or severe food insecurity.   Without global agreements, the effects of wars and crises make a decent life unreachable for most people. It is imperative to restore the moral and legal foundations of the international system, which rests on respect for human rights, the principles of multilateralism, the values of democracy, and a rules-based global order.   We cannot passively accept the dilution of the principles of the UN Charter and disregard for the rights enshrined 75 years ago in the UDHR, because all nations share these values and norms.   In our context, adherence to the legal principles of human rights, which underpin humanist values, becomes an obligation rather than a choice.   All societies should respect the inherent dignity of every human being, while inter-State relations should respect the principles of equal rights, self-determination and international cooperation: these values must guide legal and economic conduct, because they create the conditions in which it becomes possible to achieve stability and sound international governance, discourage conflict, and reach equitable solutions to crises, including the climate emergency.   In this context, a recent initiative of the United Nations, supported mainly by countries of the global South, offers a shaft of hope. On 22 November, states passed a historic resolution on international taxation. It introduced a process that could bring the discussion on global taxation from the OECD, a club of rich countries, to the United Nations.   This resolution, promoted by African states and other emerging countries, aims to create a convention on international tax cooperation. This would open a path to building a fairer and more inclusive international tax system, one that does not benefit rich countries alone or increase the wealth of the few but provides sufficient resources to developing economies, which are the big losers in the current system.   The US and some of its allies voted against it at the UN last month. But since even advanced economies require resources to address inequality, they will probably become involved at some point during the process. If the negotiations for such a convention go in the right direction, it could lead to higher tax revenue and, thus, more resources to invest in public services and development.   The key is to ensure that corporations pay a fair proportion of their income in tax and the revenues are distributed fairly among states.   At first sight, this may seem a small matter in the face of today's threats. But the truth is that it responds to a historic demand of the global South and can give multilateralism a fresh start. It proves that the United Nations is still a forum where we can cooperate not to perish, as my compatriot Santa Cruz pointed out.   Eleanor Roosevelt, Chair of the UDHR Drafting Committee, once said: "It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.”   Today, this means defending and strengthening the institutions of global governance and taking practical steps to confront the catastrophes of our time, promote social progress, improve living conditions, and protect human rights for all.   http://gi-escr.org/en/our-work/on-the-ground/gi-escr-advocates-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-principles-in-media-spotlight   * Carr Center for Human Rights fellows reflect on the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in a new publication, Making a Movement: The History & Future of Human Rights.   Gaurab Basu: "Our global response to climate change will shape health and social stability for generations to come. The health and human rights of human beings are dependent on the health and well-being of our planet."   Maria Kuznetsova: "We should listen closely to human rights defenders and support them—they are the litmus test of society, sensing first when society begins to ail."   Stephen Walt: "Conceived and written in the shadow of a horrendous conflict, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a monument to humanity's efforts to limit the tyranny of the strong over the weak and defenseless."   Kenneth Roth: "Some abusive governments still occasionally resort to claims that human rights are an internal matter, but they are a minority, and their self-serving claims ring hollow."   Sandra Susan Smith: "Clear signs of progress should not overshadow the harsh fact that disparate and brutal treatment remains a fact of life for members of many communities defined by race, ethnicity, and class."   http://carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/making-a-movement http://carrcenter.hks.harvard.edu/news/surveillance-capitalism/   * The Next 25: A Collection of Essays on the Future of Human Rights. This publication aims to underscore the significance of the ongoing pursuit of freedom, justice, dignity, and equity for all: http://www.article3.org/2023-calltoaction/the-next-25   * 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: what outlook for future generations? (FIAN International)   “Looking to the future of human rights at this historic time, it is important to reaffirm our commitment to what was agreed 75 years ago, in the wake of the enormous human suffering of World War Two. If historical and current injustices are not corrected, this will ultimately undermine respect for human rights of future generations,” said Ana María Suárez, FIAN Permanent Representative at the UN.   “We must resolve the big, interrelated challenges facing our planet now – hunger, armed conflict, and eco-destruction. The most vulnerable communities, who bear the brunt of global injustice and impunity are leading a way forward that cares for human rights and the planet. But above all the states that represent us are ultimately responsible for the plight of future generations of all living beings."   This briefing paper examines current threats to humanity through the lens of the Maastricht Principles on the Human Rights of Future Generations, which clarify how international law applies to the rights of future generations, as well as offering a way forward:   http://www.fian.org/en/press-release/article/75-years-after-universal-declaration-of-human-rights-time-to-recognize-rights-of-future-generations-3251   Dec. 2023   Still relevant: the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, by Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Allan Maleche, Chris Beyrer for The Lancet Medical Journal   December 10, 2023, marks the 75th anniversary of the founding commitment of the modern human rights movement, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).   75 years on, the world is tested and tormented by an agonising array of conflicts in which human rights violations are not secondary outcomes, but rather central to such conflicts. Ethnic cleansing, collective punishment, apartheid, sexual violence as a tool of state terror, and the deliberate targeting of health-care facilities and workers are part of multiple ongoing conflicts in 2023.   The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, civil conflicts underway in Tigray in Ethiopia, Sudan, Myanmar, and Syria, the conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and the Saudi-led coalition's bombardment of Yemen, all have in common violations of the rules of conduct in war—specifically, attacks on civilians, health-care workers, health-care facilities, and infrastructure and other violations of medical neutrality.   These attacks are also violations of the right to health; through the denial of health-care access, they undermine the principle of dignity and the equal value of all human lives.   Armed conflict is an extreme domain of human rights abuses, but is only one of many settings in which human rights violations are taking place. Other concerns that undermine the right to health include the deliberate degradation of our environments and the climate for short-term profit and the widespread use of disinformation and misinformation that adversely affects people's rights to benefit from scientific progress. Disinformation related to the safety and efficacy of vaccines has led to multiple disease outbreaks and to losses of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Political and legal attacks on the rights of sexual and gender minorities, and on the rights of women, undermine the universality of human rights and are occurring in countries as diverse as Iran, Russia, Uganda, and the USA.   Indeed, in his opening address to the 53rd Council of the UN Human Rights Council in June, 2023, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reaffirmed the centrality of the UDHR for our deeply troubled times precisely because of its core principle of universality.   The global community backs away from the universality of human rights at its collective peril. In 1948, the UDHR was crafted in the wake of the Nazi persecutions of Jewish people, Roma, LGBT persons, individuals with disabilities, and others deemed unfit to live by the Nazi regime.   The relevance of the UDHR was also clear in the decades that followed World War 2, notably in the struggle against the avowedly racist apartheid regime in South Africa, which was also a struggle to realise universal rights. Equality for all must be upheld as a guiding principle for all our societies. The responsibility to protect rights cannot be left to our current political systems and human rights bodies, including the UN, because they are manifestly failing to do so in many places.   How relevant, then, is the human rights framework to health in these troubled times? How can the global health community press for universal health coverage, committed to by heads of states at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in September, 2023, when we see so many millions of people denied the most basic health services, including the substantial numbers of internally displaced people and refugees?   And what are the possible roles and potential actions health-care workers can undertake to address these threats?   First, the tools of population-based sciences need to be used more intensively and routinely to document and measure human rights abuses; this information can be used to hold governments and other actors to account. These tools, exemplified by the use of novel satellite technologies and video surveillance in the documentation of Russian atrocities in Bakhmut and other cities in Ukraine, hold great promise for accountability for war crimes.   Second, health-care workers must put human rights at the forefront of our work and become much more engaged in efforts to protect the rights of those we seek to serve. This is a pressing reality for many obstetric care providers in US states, for example, where multiple restrictions on reproductive and sexual health and rights have adversely affected the practice of medicine, endangered patients’ lives, and put health-care providers in legal jeopardy for providing essential care.   Third, medicine and health care must be a more active participant in advocacy for health-care access as a human right in all societies. No one should be denied health-care access by virtue of legal or immigration status—yet multiple health systems do just this, and providers must not be complicit in these denials of access to care.   Fourth, common cause is needed with those advocating for inter-related rights, including the movement for addressing the climate crisis and for climate justice, anti-racist struggles, the LGBTQ+ rights movement, and the global movement for women's rights to bodily autonomy, choice, and freedom from sexual and gender-based violence, among others. Health-care workers have agency in these struggles and need to influence these social and political debates. Health-care workers cannot stay in our professional domains and expect others to address these crises.   Human rights protections are not optional, and they are not reserved for the fortunate few who are citizens of countries that now enjoy peace and prosperity. If we consider the climate crisis alone, our collective rights to enjoy a liveable and healthy environment are under existential threat.   Young people worldwide know that their survival is at stake, and many have been organising and winning court cases based on their right to a liveable future.   For those living under repressive regimes and trying to survive in the world's expanding zones of conflict and displacement, human rights have proven stubbornly cherished hopes for a better future. Health professionals must do everything we can to ensure that future and uphold human rights in protection of humanity's common survival.   * Adeeba Kamarulzaman and Chris Beyrer are the Co-Chairs and Allan Maleche is a Commissioner of the International AIDS Society-Lancet Commission on health and human rights: http://www.thelancet.com/commissions/health-and-human-rights   * Marking The Lancet Medical Journal's 200th anniversary, this special issue features critical issues impacting health globally: http://www.thelancet.com/lancet-200
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