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	More than 140 countries call for an immediate end to war in Ukraine by United Nations news, agencies   22 March 2024 (UN News)   Top UN officials and agencies on the ground in Ukraine on Friday condemned overnight large-scale coordinated Russian strikes on energy plants across the country that killed at least five people and left 1.5 million without electricity.   The UN chief Antonio Guterres condemned in the strongest terms the large-scale missile and drone attacks, his Deputy Spokesperson, Farhan Haq, said on Friday.   “The Secretary-General is appalled by the continued killing and destruction and once again underlines that attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law; they are unacceptable and must end immediately,” Mr. Haq said.   Multiple types of missiles and drones were launched throughout the early morning hours, disrupting water supplies in some areas and leaving more than 1.5 million Ukrainians without electricity across Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Odesa, Donetsk, Sumy and Kirovohrad.   “The targeting of energy infrastructure providing essential public services is a black-and-white issue – it is simply unacceptable,” UN High Representative of Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu told the Security Council on Friday morning. “The scale and scope of this devastation are appalling.”   Multiple types of missiles and drones were launched throughout the early morning hours, disrupting water supplies in some areas and leaving more than 1.5 million Ukrainians without electricity across Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Poltava, Odesa, Donetsk, Sumy and Kirovohrad.   UN agencies on the ground roundly decried the targeted attacks, with UN Humanitarian Coordinator Denise Brown saying that rescue efforts have been deployed to help those in affected areas.   “I am outraged by the magnitude of today’s attacks by the Russian Armed Forces on energy infrastructure across Ukraine,” she said in a statement, adding that UN agencies continue to work with partners to deliver aid to those in need across Ukraine.   The wider impact of today’s attacks on critical civilian infrastructure is deepening the already dire humanitarian situation for millions of people in Ukraine, she warned, stressing that international humanitarian law explicitly safeguards civilians and civilian infrastructure and “must be respected”.   Echoing those concerns, Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, said “this morning’s attack is the largest single-day attack in more than one year directly targeting Ukraine’s vital power and water infrastructure, with potentially devastating effects for the country’s civilian population.”   Ukraine’s largest dam, located in the city of Zaporizhzhia was damaged, but stable, according to UN agencies.   Nearby, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant lost electricity to its last remaining main power line for about five hours today, according to the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA), which issued a statement on Friday morning including a time line of the incident.   “The world’s attention is rightly focused on the continued danger of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant being hit or losing its off-site power,” IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said.   The latest attacks starkly highlight ever-present dangers to nuclear safety and security during the conflict, he warned, also noting that the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant also temporarily lost the connection to one of its power lines following the overnight strikes.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147886 http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-220-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-42-civilian-casualties-every-day-two-years-war-enuk http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2024/02/un-experts-urge-international-community-step-efforts-forge-peace-between-russia http://news.un.org/en/story/2024/02/1146887 http://news.un.org/en/interview/2024/02/1146752 http://www.nrc.no/news/2024/february/ukraine-two-years-on-destruction-and-displacement-the-devastating-impacts-of-the-escalation-of-war-revealed-in-new-nrc-report/   http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/full-scale-ukraine-war-enters-third-year-prolonging-uncertainty-and-exile http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/escalation-attacks-infrastructure-leaves-ukraines-children-without-sustained-access http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/ukraine-frontline-children-battling-mental-trauma-underground http://www.unocha.org/news/remember-ukraine-un-relief-chief-urges-attention-country-faces-3rd-year-war-and-occupation http://reliefweb.int/topics/ukraine-humanitarian-crisis   15 Jan. 2024   "Remember Ukraine" - UN relief chief Martin Griffiths urges attention as country faces 3rd year of war and occupation. Remarks to the press at the joint OCHA-UNHCR launch of the 2024 Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan and the Regional Refugee Response Plan for Ukraine (Extract):   Next month, we will enter a third year and an unexpected, in my view, a third year of full-blown war and occupation. It started, of course, ten years ago in the east of the country. But the escalation in 2022 rushed in a whole new level of death, destruction and despair and, of course, of outflow of refugees.   Forty per cent of the population will need humanitarian assistance this year. That is 14.6 million people, 40 per cent of the population in Ukraine will need humanitarian aid. Four million people are internally displaced. That is in addition to those who are externally displaced; 3.3 million live in frontline communities in the east and south where the war goes on, under relentless bombardment – 3.3 million people living in the middle of war zones, of bombardment, of uncertainty about where the day will end. And that is really a shockingly high number, even these days.   No place in Ukraine is untouched by the war and the wave of attacks that began just before the new year, to the devastating civilian cost of the war. Add to that the harsh winter, which is sweeping across Ukraine and ratcheting up people's need for lifesaving support, heating, proper shelter, warm clothes and a sufficient calorie intake because of the winter.   In the small towns and villages on the front lines, people have exhausted their own meager resources and rely on aid coming in through the convoys of our partners to survive. In the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions, families live in damaged houses with no piped water, gas or electricity in the freezing cold.   Constant bombardments force older people to spend their days in basements. Children – terrified, traumatized, still – have lived for the last [two] years under these circumstances, trapped indoors and many of them with no schooling.   Across Ukraine, homes, schools and hospitals are repeatedly hit. Basic services are not spared. Water, gas and power systems. Indeed, the very fabric of society, how we live – employment, schools, care centers, shopping, safety of access to those places daily – is under threat.   But it is worth taking a moment to remember that Ukrainians refuse to buckle under this extraordinary onslaught. And they refuse to resign. People step up for each other. Community spirit remains high. They volunteer to help deliver relief to those who cannot move, some warm shelter, care for children.   No less than 60 per cent of our 500 humanitarian partners are Ukrainian organizations. So, 500 humanitarian organizations operating inside Ukraine, delivering aid inside Ukraine, more than half of them are Ukrainian organizations. A testament really to the community spirit of so many people in that country.   We aim to reach more than 8.5 million people this year with water and hygiene services, materials to repair homes, winter clothes, supplies and things that I have already referred to. The plan for 8.5 million focuses, as you know from the math, on the most vulnerable. Those who are close to the frontline are the top priority. And every day, convoys are sent out to reach those in danger, as are the convoys in danger. Aid will be delivered across the country to areas we can reach by these comprehensive programmes on these convoys, in partnership with local NGOs, local partners I referred to and complementing the Ukrainian Government's own efforts.   And our relationship with the Ukrainian Government remains steady, strong, supportive, and we act under their guidance, under their leadership and often under their direction. We are asking donors for more funding for 2024.   No one wants to depend on assistance from outsiders to cover life's basic needs. This is true across the world, whether in Gaza, Sudan or Syria or elsewhere. No one wants to depend on such assistance. But there is no choice for those 14 .6 million who need assistance, 8.5 million of whom we are targeting. They need help. They need this funding because humanitarian aid remains the lifeline without which they will perish.   As the war continues unabated, without signs that I am aware of, of coming to some conclusion, and amid everything else happening across the globe, we must stay the course for the people of Ukraine.   http://www.unocha.org/news/remember-ukraine-un-relief-chief-urges-attention-country-faces-3rd-year-war-and-occupation http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-humanitarian-response-2023-winter-attacks-humanitarian-impact-intensified-strikes-and-hostilities-flash-update-4-2-jan-2024-enuk http://tinyurl.com/494npftk http://reliefweb.int/country/ukr http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-two-children-reportedly-killed-and-15-injured-latest-wave-deadly-attacks http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/secretary-general-condemns-strongest-terms-overnight-large-scale-attacks-russian-federation-ukrainian-cities-civilians-critical-infrastructure http://dppa.un.org/en/mtg-sc-9523-asg-khiari-ukraine-29-dec-2023 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/12/comment-un-high-commissioner-human-rights-volker-turk-attacks-ukraine http://news.un.org/en/tags/ukraine   14 Nov. 2023   Millions of civilians in Ukraine are living with the effects of over 600 days of brutal conflict. As winter conditions develop and needs multiply, once-thriving communities are at risk of disintegrating under an increasingly protracted conflict, warns the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).   Across eastern and southern Ukraine, millions of civilians are facing an increasingly uncertain and dangerous future as winter conditions set in. For over 600 days, an unyielding barrage of shelling has left an estimated 1.4 million homes in ruin or disrepair. Thousands of families have been forced to flee, or have been left to shelter in damaged buildings lacking basic services. Millions remain out of reach of aid in Russian controlled areas. As temperatures drop and public services come under increasing pressure, at least 2.5 million people need vital humanitarian assistance to support them through winter.   "Millions of families are facing a growing winter nightmare here," explained Jan Egeland, NRC Secretary General, on a visit to Ukraine this week. "The physical impact of aerial bombardment can be seen right across the towns and cities I have visited. And the mental impact on those who remain under this ever-present threat is just as striking. People have told me about the horror of watching their communities transformed into sites of destruction or battlegrounds.   "While glimpses of stability emerge in pockets of the country, the humanitarian landscape in the east and south remains bleak and is defined by relentless hostilities and fighting along the frontlines. We are deeply concerned for the future of those millions who are already dependent on support, given that winter has barely begun."   In the 20 months since the escalation of the conflict, Russia has fired thousands of drones and missiles on Ukrainian cities and settlements. Hundreds have been used to destroy civilian infrastructure relating to transport, heating, and electricity. Port facilities in the south have continued to be targeted since the end of the Black Sea Grain Deal, with over 30 attacks since July. Today, more than 17 million people are affected as a result of these attacks, at a point in the year at which needs greatly increase.   Despite a significant humanitarian effort, large swaths of Ukraine are under the control of the Russian Federation and remain largely out of reach of international aid. Ongoing hostilities also continue to hamper the delivery of assistance. Security concerns impede the delivery of urgent assistance to more than 4 million people who live in the areas beyond the control of the Government of Ukraine. "The information we receive through partners and colleagues paints a picture of appalling conditions facing those beyond the reach of humanitarian workers. It is more urgent than ever that all parties ensure that civilian populations can be reached by humanitarian aid," said Egeland.   "I call upon all parties involved to ensure the unimpeded and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to all affected areas, regardless of their control. It is our moral duty to extend a lifeline to those in dire need and to work resolutely toward sustainable solutions that can bring an end to the suffering endured by the Ukrainian citizens residing in conflict-affected communities.   "Swift and decisive action is imperative to prevent this crisis from deepening, in the name of these communities and the future of those who have already endured so much."   http://www.nrc.no/news/2023/november/ukraine-millions-face-winter-in-damaged-homes-under-threat-of-air-raids-beyond-the-reach-of-aid/ http://ukraine.un.org/en/252627-brutal-attacks-ukrainian-civilians-and-health-care-are-utterly-unacceptable-and-must-cease   Oct. 2023   The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warns that civilians in Ukraine are facing daily attacks along frontline areas in the east and south of the country. In recent days, homes, schools, health facilities, port infrastructure and aid distribution points have all been hit.   Senior UN officials have strongly condemned recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian towns and civilian infrastructure, emphasizing the need for accountability for those harming civilians during hostilities.   On Thursday, 5 October, an attack in the village of Hroza in the Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of at least 52 people, including one child. This incident marked one of the deadliest attacks on civilians since Russia’s invasion in February last year.   Less than 24 hours later, the region faced another strike, as missiles hit buildings in Kharkiv’s city centre, reportedly killing two, including one child.   “The recent attacks in Kharkiv add to an already unbearable toll of civilian casualties resulting from Russia’s invasion – a war launched in violation of the UN Charter and international law,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for political affairs, told ambassadors at the UN Security Council.   As of Sunday (8 October), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, has verified 9,806 civilian deaths, including 560 children, and 17,962 injuries due to the war. “The actual figures are very likely considerably higher and, tragically, will continue to rise if current patterns continue,” Ms. DiCarlo added.   In recent weeks, civilians and civilian infrastructure, including grain storage facilities, across Ukraine have been under nearly constant attacks.   “Residents of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Lviv, Sumy, Donetsk, Odesa, Kyiv and other regions continued to face unrelenting and often indiscriminate attacks.”   These, combined with Russia’s withdrawal from the Black Sea Initiative, not only endanger the livelihoods of Ukrainian farmers, but also risk exacerbating hunger worldwide, she said.   Ms. DiCarlo informed the Security Council of the findings of a UN human rights office report that “paints a grim picture of serious human rights violations across the country, most of them attributed to the Russian armed forces.”   These violations include conflict-related sexual violence reportedly committed by Russian armed forces and penitentiary service members, as well as arbitrary and incommunicado detention of civilians in Russian-occupied territory. The Office also documented cases of arbitrary detention by Ukrainian forces, primarily of law enforcement authorities.   OHCHR expressed concern over recent legislation in Russia that could effectively grant amnesty to its service members for a wide range of crimes, potentially including serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws, Ms. DiCarlo noted.   She reiterated Russia’s obligation under international law to investigate and prosecute potential war crimes and gross human rights violations committed by its forces in Ukraine.   Joyce Msuya, Deputy UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, also briefed the 15-member Security Council, urging the international community to help advocate for humanitarian access to all those in need across Ukraine, including four million people living in areas under the military control of Russia.   “More than anything, the people of Ukraine need concerted action to make this devastating war – with its unceasing death, destruction and suffering – come to an end,” she said.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/10/1142072 http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/mr-ramesh-rajasingham-ocha-director-coordination-behalf-under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-mr-martin-griffiths-briefing-security-council-humanitarian-situation-ukraine-31-october   6 Sep. 2023   New deadly attacks today hit Donetsk and Zaporzhzhia Region. (OCHA)   A few hours ago, an attack in Kostiantynivka Town, Donetsk Region, hit an open market area where many local residents do their daily shopping, reportedly causing dozens of civilian casualties, including children.   The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Denise Brown, issued a statement saying that this tragic and unacceptable event is another example of the suffering that Russia’s invasion inflicts on civilians across the country. She recalled that civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected under international humanitarian law.   Earlier today, an education facility and houses were damaged in the neighbouring Zaporizhzhia Region, and port facilities were again hit in Odesa Region in the south.   Humanitarian partners on the ground are delivering emergency shelter materials and assisting the affected families. Furthermore, the repetitive attacks on Ukrainian ports are depriving farmers of their livelihoods and the world of affordable food when millions are facing hunger in the poorest countries.   David Miliband, the head of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) told reporters during a visit to Kyiv this week that , “the abnormal is becoming normalised” in Ukraine, as Russia’s war on the country continues.   Mr. Miliband said: “The reason for coming here is I can see the abnormal becoming normalised. The abnormal is war crimes, attacks on civilian infrastructure, the abnormal is 18 million people in humanitarian need, the abnormal is 6 million refugees, and it’s becoming background music in global affairs, rather than something that is a poster child for the age of impunity”.   The IRC supports projects operating in Ukraine, offering healthcare, cash support and other services as well as support for Ukrainian refugees living in neighbouring countries.   http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-ukraine-10 http://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/ http://ukraine.un.org/en/press-centre/press-releases http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140702 http://www.unocha.org/protection-civilians http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/time-and-time-again-childrens-lives-being-cut-short-attacks-ukraine http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/statement-unhcr-representative-19-august-2023 http://www.nrc.no/news/2023/august/new-displacement-fears-as-southern-ukraine-suffers-more-missile-attacks/ http://www.rescue.org/article/ukraine-war-what-are-impacts-world-today http://www.hi-us.org/en/civilians-in-ukraine-must-be-protected http://www.ohchr.org/en/hr-bodies/hrc/iicihr-ukraine/index http://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1/rule1 http://ihl-databases.icrc.org/en/customary-ihl/v1 http://guide-humanitarian-law.org/content/article/3/civilians/   June 2023   UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, remarks to the UN Security Council on Ukraine, 6 June 2023.   We have all seen the terrifying pictures of the catastrophe unfolding in Kherson in Ukraine as we speak. The destruction of the Kakhovka dam is possibly the most significant incident of damage to civilian infrastructure since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.   The sheer magnitude of the catastrophe will only become fully realised in the coming days, but it is already clear that it will have grave and far-reaching consequences for many thousands of people in southern Ukraine – on both sides of the front line – through the loss of homes, food, safe water and livelihoods.   The Kakhovka Reservoir, which is formed by the Dam, is a lifeline in the region and a critical water source for millions of people, not only in Kherson but also Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro oblasts.   Ukrainian authorities report that at least 40 settlements are already flooded or partially flooded in Kherson oblast. This number is expected to rise in the coming days. Severe impact is also expected in areas controlled by the Russian Federation where humanitarians, my colleagues, are still struggling to gain access.   An emergency response is under way to provide urgent assistance to over 16,000 affected people. These efforts are in addition to the Ukrainian Government’s response.   When I last briefed this Council on the situation in Ukraine just three weeks ago, I highlighted the civilian death and suffering being caused by the conflict on both sides of the front line. I mentioned then the loss of healthcare, water, electricity and heating for thousands of people. And the massive numbers of those forcibly displacement.   Today’s news means the plight of people in Ukraine is set to get even worse than the pictures that we saw then. Immediate humanitarian needs are expected to grow as floodwaters move over the coming days, and as assessments of the situation and the response continue.   The dam is a key source of agricultural irrigation in southern Kherson and the Crimean peninsula. The sustained flooding displayed on our screens today will disrupt farming activities, damage livestock and fisheries, and bring widespread longer-term consequences. This is a massive blow to a food production sector which is already significantly damaged.   We are particularly concerned about the risks of mine and explosive ordnance contamination, as fast-moving water shifts projectiles to areas previously assessed as safe, thus putting people in further and unpredictable danger. At least 30 per cent of Ukraine’s territory is mine-contaminated, according to the Ukrainian authorities, with Khersonska oblast being the most affected.   The destruction of the dam may also negatively affect electricity generation. Additionally, any uncontrolled decrease in the water level of the Reservoir may negatively affect the safety of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Our colleagues at the IAEA are closely monitoring the situation. And as of this time no immediate threat has been reported.   The United Nations has no access to independent information on the circumstances that led to the destruction in the hydroelectric power plant dam. Yet, international humanitarian law is very clear: Installations containing dangerous forces, such as dams, must receive special protection precisely because their destruction can cause severe loss for the civilian population. Constant care must be taken thus to spare civilians and civilian infrastructure throughout all types of military operations.   The damage caused by the dam’s destruction means that life will become intolerably harder for those already suffering from the conflict.   The consequences of not being able to deliver assistance to the millions of people affected by the flooding in these areas are potentially catastrophic.   The people of Ukraine have shown incredible resilience. Our urgent humanitarian task is to continue to help them to survive and to be safe and then to get a future. We will do so to the best of our ability.   Kakhovka Reservoir, which was formed by the Kakhovka Dam and stretches 240 kilometres through Zaporizka, Dnipropetrovska and Khersonska oblasts, is one of the largest water sources in the south of the country. It provides water supply, including drinking water, to major industrial cities, home to nearly 700,000 people.   The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam has also reportedly destroyed the irrigation system and the water supply across southern Ukraine, including Crimea, according to Ukrainian authorities. It impacted areas largely consist of agricultural lands, which has led to the disruption of agricultural activities in the midst of the season and will bear longer-term consequences.   The destruction of the dam on Tuesday has put thousands of lives at risk, said IOM Director General Antonio Vitorino, causing “severe environmental damage and led to further serious strain on response services in a country already dealing with the humanitarian fallout of more than a year of war”.   He said public infrastructure “should never be a target. Yet now, innocent civilians are not only living in a deadly flood zone but are set to face major shortages of clean water and critical energy supplies over the coming weeks, as the humanitarian situation worsens”.   UN Secretary-General António Guterres, told reporters the tragedy “was yet another example of the horrific price of war on people. The floodgates of suffering have been overflowing for more than a year, and that must stop”, along with all attacks on civilians and infrastructure. “Above all, I appeal for a just peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law, and the resolutions of the General Assembly”.   http://www.nrc.no/news/2023/september/ukraine-dam-explosion/ http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-martin-griffiths-remarks-un-security-council-ukraine-6-june-2023 http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/06/1137372 http://dppa.un.org/en/msg-sc-9357-ukraine-23-jun-23 http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/05/1137172   15 May 2023   Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths’ remarks to the UN Security Council on Ukraine.   When I last spoke to the Council about the situation in Ukraine in March, I highlighted the humanitarian impact of the full-scale war not only on the people of Ukraine, but on the wider world already struggling with myriad shocks. In that context, I emphasized the overwhelming need for a political solution to the war on Ukraine, and peace.   I note with regret, therefore, that hostilities, including missile strikes, currently appear to be escalating on both sides of the front line. Air raid sirens continue to ring out in cities and towns across Ukraine. Civilians continue to seek protection in bunkers, some for days on end. And as Ukraine emerges from a hard winter, civilian casualties are rising to their highest levels in months.   OHCHR has now verified a staggering 23,600 civilian casualties since 24 February 2022; we all know the actual toll is likely to be much higher.   The humanitarian impacts are extensive. Many communities along the north-eastern border with the Russian Federation and near the front line are encircled, cut off from water, food and medical care by heavy ground fighting and blocked roads.   Only last week in Kherson, residential buildings, a school, an outpatient hospital, and an elderly care facility were reportedly damaged, leaving scores of civilians needing shelter and healthcare. And missile strikes in Odesa hit a humanitarian storage warehouse.   A Ukrainian Red Cross mobile hospital in Mykolaiv was also hit. Humanitarian supplies and vital medical equipment were destroyed.   Fortunately, no humanitarian staff or volunteers were injured. But the threat to humanitarians and civilians represented by the latest wave of attacks is persistent.   I am compelled, once again, to recall here to this Council, that under international humanitarian law parties must take constant care to protect all civilians and civilian objects, including homes, schools, hospitals, and other essential infrastructure, as well as humanitarian facilities and assets.   As you can understand, the humanitarian operating environment remains complex and dangerous. Nonetheless, thanks to the sheer bravery of humanitarian workers, particularly local workers, we continue to deliver life-saving assistance to front line areas and elsewhere across Ukraine. But there are still numerous limitations on our ability to deliver aid to all those in need.   The biggest challenge remains the impediments to reaching all areas in Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia currently under the military control of the Russian Federation. The humanitarian notification system – together with direct engagement with key interlocutors in Moscow and Kyiv – was set up to maximize the opportunity for safe and unimpeded passage of inter-agency convoys to these areas.   However, despite 14 months of notifying the parties of our intentions through this system, we have not been able to deliver assistance to communities along the front line in areas under the military control of the Russian Federation.   Access options to these areas, including response modalities, continue to be explored through engagement with both parties. It is imperative that we explore all options to reach civilians, wherever they are.   As I have said before, under international humanitarian law, all parties must allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians in need and must ensure that personnel have the freedom of movement required for their work. I urge the parties to strengthen facilitation efforts so we can reach all civilians in need.   It is clear that the people of Ukraine and millions around the world can ill afford a continuation of this war.   More than ever, they need an end to hostilities and a political solution to end the conflict. I call on this Council and all Member States to support all efforts to bring an end to the carnage and destruction.   23 Feb. 2023   The UN General Assembly on Thursday called for ending the war in Ukraine and demanded Russia’s immediate withdrawal from the country, in line with the UN Charter.   At its eleventh emergency special session, the world body adopted a new resolution calling for an end to the war, only hours before the conflict enters its second year on Friday.   The results were 141 Member States in favour and seven against - Belarus, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria. Among the 32 abstentions were China, India and Pakistan.   By the terms of the resolution, the Assembly reiterated its demand that Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine and called for a cessation of hostilities”.   The Assembly, through the resolution, urged Member States to cooperate in the spirit of solidarity to address the global impacts of the war on food security, energy, finance, the environment and nuclear security and safety.   Underscoring that arrangements for a lasting peace should consider these factors, the Assembly also called upon all nations to support the Secretary-General in his efforts to address these impacts.   The resumed session had met on Wednesday to begin debating the resolution, with the General Assembly President, Csaba Korosi, saying that for a full year, the 193-member Assembly, the Secretary-General, and the international community “have been consistent and vocal in our calls to end this war, and to adhere to the UN Charter and international law”.   The Assembly also reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters.   The resolution also emphasized the need to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed in Ukraine through independent national or international investigations and prosecutions to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2023/02/1133847 http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2023-02-22/secretary-generals-remarks-the-general-assembly-emergency-special-session-ukraine-bilingual-delivered-scroll-down-for-all-english-and-all-french http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-18-million-need-support-war-enters-second-year http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/who-records-1000th-attack-health-care-ukraine-over-past-15-months-full-scale-war-enuk http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/pressreleases/update-156-iaea-director-general-statement-on-situation-in-ukraine   15 Feb. 2023 (OCHA, UNHCR)   Since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by Russian forces, the lives of countless women, men, and children have been torn apart and so many have needlessly died.   The common thread running throughout the year has tragically been one of destruction, displacement, and suffering from continuous shelling and air strikes.   Millions were forced to leave Ukraine and become refugees, and millions more have been displaced within the country.   Almost a year since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UN issued a renewed humanitarian appeal to help millions of people affected inside the war-torn country and beyond.   The situation for many in Ukraine remains desperate, amid “relentless” shelling of civilian targets and infrastructure, the UN’s Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths, told journalists in Geneva.   Humanitarian funding is needed to continue supporting lifesaving aid convoy deliveries to communities on the front line, “into areas of great danger and difficulty and priority needs”.   In parallel with the OCHA appeal, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) is also seeking $1.7 billion to help 4.2 Ukrainian refugees in 10 host countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Slovakia. Women and children represent approximately 86 per cent of the overall refugee population.   UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi warned against complacency about what is happening in Ukraine. “I think we’re becoming a little bit used to this; we shouldn’t, because it’s quite appalling what the Russian invasion is doing to the country,” he said.   Describing a recent official visit to Ukraine, the UNHCR chief said that in the year since Russian battlegroups crossed the border 24 February 2022, civilian infrastructure in Ukraine had continued to come under constant attack, leaving nurseries “flattened and old people living in cellars because of the danger of bombing”.   Inside Ukraine, the UN migration agency, IOM, said that the scale of destruction in the south and east has been massive - so much so, that one senior UN humanitarian worker with the agency told UN News in an interview, that some towns “don’t even exist anymore”.   IOM Area Manager Johannes Fromholt said in frontline locations the conflict is actually getting worse, with increased fighting on a day-to-day basis”. “So, people simply have to stay down in basements, in shelters with no electricity in freezing conditions.”   The devastation and destruction as result of the conflict has been staggering, with some 40 per cent of Ukraine’s population in need of humanitarian assistance and protection.   “Almost a year on, the war continues to cause death, destruction and displacement daily, and on a staggering scale,” said Martin Griffiths.   “We continue to prioritize assistance to people who need it most and to support local authorities and civil-society organizations, whose dedication has been inspiring,” he added. “We must do all we can to reach communities, including those close to the front line. The suffering of the Ukrainian people is far from over – they continue to need our support.”   Systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure throughout the war has contributed to displacement and humanitarian needs. In October 2022, attacks targeting energy infrastructure intensified, often in and around urban areas, disrupting public services including water, electricity, health care, education, and social protection. Additionally, according to the Government of Ukraine, 2,917 education facilities have been bombed or shelled during the war, with damage or destruction to 580 such facilities documented by OHCHR.   Between 24 February and 19 December 2022, there were 745 verified attacks on health care, of which 659 impacted health-care facilities, constituting over 90 per cent of all such attacks recorded by WHO across 16 countries/territories during this period.   The war has profoundly affected access to livelihoods and disrupted market stability particularly in southern and eastern oblasts, further aggravating humanitarian suffering. A majority of Ukrainians have reportedly reduced food consumption and spent savings, with factors such as the elimination of 30 per cent of Ukraine’s pre-war employment, skyrocketing inflation, and inadequate social assistance largely to blame.   Food and necessary items are still available in most areas under the control of the Government of Ukraine but are difficult for many people to afford without cash, voucher, or livelihood assistance, and are much more difficult to obtain in areas experiencing constant bombardment.   http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-humanitarian-response-plan-february-2023-enuk http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-summary-humanitarian-response-plan-and-regional-refugee-response-plan-february-2023 http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-situation-report-10-feb-2023-enruuk http://response.reliefweb.int/ukraine http://response.reliefweb.int/ukraine/reports http://news.un.org/en/tags/ukraine http://www.unicef.org/eca/press-releases/war-ukraine-pushes-generation-children-brink-warns-unicef http://www.savethechildren.net/news/ukraine-children-dire-need-war-plunges-nearly-half-families-extreme-poverty http://www.savethechildren.net/news/over-900-hours-underground-children-ukraine-endure-life-bunkers-war-enters-second-year   http://www.nrc.no/news/2023/february/ukraine-refugee-survey/ukraine-ingo-statement/ http://unocha.exposure.co/7-reasons-why-the-world-must-keep-supporting-ukraine http://reports.unocha.org/en/country/ukraine/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/02/turk-deplores-human-cost-russias-war-against-ukraine-verified-civilian http://bit.ly/3KKisu3 http://www.unhcr.org/en-au/news/press/2023/1/63d3c3324.html http://www.wfp.org/stories/war-ukraine-how-humanitarian-tragedy-fed-global-hunger-crisis http://www.acaps.org/country/ukraine/crisis/conflict http://www.acaps.org/country/ukraine/special-reports http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-and-impacted-countries-crisis-emergency-appeal-ndeg-mgr65002-operation-update-report-ndeg-6 Visit the related web page
	War is devastating lives around the world by UNICEF, ICRC, UN Secretary-General, agencies   UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell's remarks at the Oslo Conference on Protecting Children in Armed Conflict:   "Today 400 million children across the globe are living in or fleeing conflict zones, that is about 1 in every 5 of the world’s children, more than the population of entire countries.   "In war, children suffer first, and they suffer most. They lose family members and friends. They are killed or injured, often by explosive weapons in populated areas. They are sexually violated. They are recruited and used by armed forces or groups. And many are displaced multiple times, risking separation from their families, losing critical years of education, and fraying ties to their communities.   "The United Nations has verified more than 315,000 grave child rights violations in areas of conflict between 2005 and 2022.   "These are children who were killed, maimed, recruited or used by armed forces, abducted, or subjected to horrific sexual violence. In addition, thousands of schools have been attacked or destroyed. And these are only the cases that have been verified, which means the true number of violations is most certainly much higher.   "Behind each of these numbers is a story of unimaginable child suffering … of rights violated and rights denied. "I have met too many of the children affected by conflict in my travels.   "In Ukraine, I met a severely disabled teenage boy whose family struggled to get him into the shelter every time air raids sound … and they sound often as this horrible war grinds on. "In Aleppo, Syria I met children who barely survived a war and were beginning to rebuild their lives only to experience a horrific earthquake.   "In Yemen, I met a child who had lost both his legs after he was injured in a mortar attack. "And in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I met a boy who was so traumatized by violence he could barely speak, while a girl shared her story of abduction and years of sexual violence.   "Each of these stories is a tragedy. Taken as a whole they are an indictment of a world that has abandoned too many children in need.   "For the sake of these children, we simply must do better. This starts with delivering a robust child protection response to reach all children in need – whether they are in areas under conflict or on the move in search of safety.   "These services must build upon existing protection systems and community structures, and support children’s rights, participation and best interests. "This is a big aspiration. But we can accomplish it by investing in Child Protection Policy, People and Programming.   "First, we must put some teeth into policies that place children and their protection at the center of humanitarian action. We have already heard how states can do this by prioritizing the best interests of children in their laws and practice.   "International organizations and NGOs must also put the protection of children at the heart of their policies and strategies.   "We must invest in the people who are the backbone of our child protection workforce – our social workers, frontline responders, and community mobilizers. "Our protection workforce must be better equipped with the ability and knowledge to monitor the impact of war on children.   "All stories and circumstances are not the same, so protection staff must respond to the different specific vulnerabilities and needs of children affected by armed conflict. And they need the tools to tirelessly advocate to keep children safe, like demanding that parties avoid using explosive weapons in populated areas.   "As you have heard throughout the conference, the United Nations Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism is critical to informing policymakers about the true impact of war on children … and to facilitating engagement with parties to conflict. This is highly sensitive work, and unfortunately, it is also very challenging to mobilize resources to support it.   "That is why today, UNICEF is committing to cover fifty per cent of the annual cost of staffing to monitor, document and verify grave violations against children … and to engage with parties to conflict. "We will work with partners to mobilize the additional resources to fulfill this critical mandate.   "We must invest in quality child protection that meets evolving circumstances and needs. This means finding better ways to collaborate and to engage children and communities. It also means delivering programming tailored to local realities.   "Protecting children is a choice. And so, too, is putting them at risk, forcing them into conflict, and blatantly denying their needs.   "War and conflict are the work of adults. Children do not start wars and they are powerless to end them. At a minimum, we must do everything in our power to keep children safe from the dangers and deprivation wrought by those who engage in conflict.   "Today, I urge all states and entities to join us in making the right choice … to protect children today so they can grow up to create a more peaceful world for future generations."   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-oslo-conference-protecting http://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/crc/statements/2023-05-22-stm-crc.pdf http://www.regjeringen.no/en/aktuelt/international-conference-on-protecting-children-in-armed-conflict/id2975968/ http://medvind.arkon.no/1824624/9065535.html http://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/ http://alliancecpha.org/en   Childhood in rubbles. (ICRC)   Urban warfare causes death and injury among civilians on a staggering scale. It destroys homes, communities and the social fabric. It cuts off access to health care, education, electricity, and clean water. Even so, accounts of the consequences of urban warfare for children, as a distinct segment of the civilian population, are – when composed – often incomplete. This may come as a surprise: after all, one in six children lives in a conflict zone. Urban warfare takes place in settings with children and young populations. Children usually make up a large proportion of the people displaced (either internally or across international borders) by armed conflict.   This report aims to address this gap and sets out how international law protects children in urban warfare, and makes legal, policy and operational recommendations for the actors in a position to protect children’s lives. It draws from interviews with key stakeholders, and from a desk review, to provide an assessment of the consequences of urban warfare for children.   Children must not be regarded simply as miniature adults. The risks they face in urban warfare settings are distinct, and must be understood within the context of their social, physical, psychosocial and cognitive development.   http://shop.icrc.org/childhood-in-rubble-the-humanitarian-consequences-of-urban-warfare-for-children-pdf-en.html   * In 2022, approximately 468 million children were living in a conflict zone. In 2021, approximately 1.6 billion children – more than two-thirds of children globally – were living in a conflict affected country, meaning in a country where conflict incidents have occurred. Out of these children, as many as 230 million lived in high-intensity conflict, which means they lived in conflict affected countries with more than 1,000 battle related deaths over the year.   http://data.stopwaronchildren.org/ http://www.stopwaronchildren.org/ http://www.savethechildren.net/news/world-leaders-must-pick-bill-protect-18-million-children-risk-violence-recruitment-trafficking http://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/pdf/We-dont-have-magic-powers-but-you-do.pdf/   May 2023   Statement by members of the NGO Working Group on the Protection of Civilians:   Civilians are increasingly shouldering the burden of conflicts around the world. Today, 2 billion people - a quarter of humanity - live in places affected by conflict, as conflicts themselves are not only more numerous, but increasing in duration, lethality, and size.   Civilians are facing extreme levels of humanitarian need, displacement, and food insecurity, with a disproportionate impact on women and girls, people with disabilities, older people, and other potentially marginalised groups.   This year’s Secretary-General’s Protection of Civilians (POC) report and the Security Council’s Open Debate brings a strong focus on conflict and hunger. Five years after UN Security Council resolution 2417, in which the Council unanimously recognized that conflict-induced food insecurity and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access threaten international peace and security, civilians find themselves in the midst of the most severe global hunger and malnutrition crisis in modern history. An expected 345.2 million people are projected to be food insecure this year – more than double the number in 20201.   Conflict is the main driver of hunger in many of the world's most severe food crises. The deliberate destruction of food, livelihoods and civilian infrastructure has become a widespread tactic in conflicts where land and productive assets are deliberately targeted.   At the same time humanitarian assistance is withheld, with physical and bureaucratic impediments used to restrict civilians’ access to food and to force them to flee their homes and communities.   Despite protections afforded to civilians in conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL), international human rights law (IHRL), UNSCR 2417, as well as UNSCR 2573 – which, in 2021, condemned attacks against objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population – violations of IHL and IHRL continue to have far-reaching effects on conflict-induced food insecurity and, all too often, they take place with near impunity. Starvation has been used as a method of warfare in active conflicts today.   Fighting in cities and towns involves the use of increasingly powerful explosive weapons with wide area effects. Between 2011-2020, on average civilians constituted 90% of those killed and wounded from attacks carried out with explosive weapons in populated areas. Nearly half of all verified child casualties in conflict are from explosive weapons and the remnants of war.   Beyond the direct harm to civilians, damage to critical civilian infrastructure impacts food production and availability, access to safe water and sanitation, electricity, and other essential services. This has long-lasting impacts on civilians’ health, nutrition, safety, and wellbeing, with consequences that can last for decades after a war has ended.   Even indirectly, conflict on one side of the world can have far reaching impacts on civilians in other regions, fuelling global economic crises, eroding local support systems, and inflating food prices, as evidenced by recent conflicts.   This further weakens communities' resilience, ability to access and purchase food, and contributes to the erosion of decades of hard-won development gains.   The ripple effects of conflicts, combined with climate variability, drought, and skyrocketing cost of living make the situation even worse for women and girls, who play a crucial role across food and water systems and in feeding their families and communities.   Households have less access to positive coping mechanisms, which elevates the risk of children being forced to drop out of school, gender based violence, women and girls being coerced into exchanging sex for food, and forced marriage including child marriage.   Entrenched gender inequalities and gender norms surrounding food consumption disproportionately increase the vulnerability of women and girls to hunger and malnutrition and contributed to an estimated 150 million more women than men going hungry in 2021. In addition, persons with disabilities, in particular women and children, face additional barriers accessing food during armed conflict.   The climate crisis and conflict-related environmental degradation have compounded the detrimental impacts of food insecurity for civilians in conflict through a mutually reinforcing cycle.   Climate change increases the scale and complexity of existing protection challenges and vulnerabilities, in particular in situations where civilians are already facing resource scarcity and conflict-related insecurity.   Conflict also exacerbates environmental degradation by damaging and endangering ecosystems and critical environmental infrastructure including the destruction of agricultural fields and the pollution of soil and water systems. These effects pose potentially lethal and long-lasting risks to civilian lives and livelihoods.   Meanwhile, conflicts also contribute to the weakening and breakdown of governance systems, as well as mitigation, and resilience capacities, creating conditions in which communities have fewer safety nets to counter the impacts of climate risks and environmental harm.   Protecting civilians has too often been understood only through the prism of compliance with IHL, but this is the bare minimum. Current patterns of harm and long-term effects of hostilities including on hunger and the environment highlight the need for policies and practices that effectively address the full protection of civilians in all their diversity.   http://reliefweb.int/report/world/statement-members-ngo-working-group-protection-civilians http://www.globalr2p.org/resources/statement-group-of-friends-unsc-open-debate-on-protection-of-civilians/ http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/press-releases/more-than-85-of-people-facing-hunger-crises-live-in-conflict-affected-countries/   May 2023   UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ remarks to the United Nations Security Council’s open debate on “Protection of civilians in armed conflict”:   Less than six weeks have passed since war erupted in Sudan. Many civilians have been killed; hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country; hospitals have been occupied and attacked; the price of goods is reported to have quadrupled in parts of the country; and aid warehouses have been looted on a massive scale. Terrible as this picture is, it is far from unique.   My report on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in 2022 shows that war is devastating lives around the world.   Explosive weapons continue to wreak havoc, especially in the cities: Last year, 94 per cent of their victims in populated areas were civilians.   Those able to flee the fighting did so in record numbers: The total number forced from their homes due to conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution reached 100 million refugees.   Health facilities and schools were devastated, and their workers injured, kidnapped and killed. At least 2000 schools were destroyed in three regions of Ethiopia alone.   Humanitarians also faced regular threats. Their work was hampered by violence, bureaucracy and politics, and obstructed by overly broad sanctions and counter-terrorism measur   In Afghanistan, the ban by the de facto authorities on women working in the humanitarian aid sector is having life-threatening consequences for women and girls.   War means hunger. Armed conflict is a key factor driving food insecurity around the world. Last year, more than 117 million people faced acute hunger primarily because of war and insecurity. This is an outrage.   Damage to critical infrastructure hampers food production, blocks distribution and deprives people of safe water: Syria now has 40 per cent less drinking water than at the start of the conflict. Fighters destroy crops and steal livestock; explosives contaminate fertile land; markets cannot function; and prices rocket.   Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has contributed to the rise in the price of food, energy and fertilizer globally, with terrible effects for the world’s poorest.   And when conflict combines with the climate crisis, harvests shrink and people go hungry. I saw this for myself during my recent visit to Somalia. After years of war, Somalis have been going through their worst drought in decades.   An estimated 43,000 people died as a result in 2022 alone, half of them children, and millions have been forced from their homes.   There has been a few actions over the past year to alleviate the impact of conflict on civilians. Some parties to conflicts have taken steps to protect children, allow humanitarians to gain access to those in need.   Last November, States adopted a political declaration to protect civilians by restricting or refraining from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. I urge all states to join and turn the declaration into meaningful action.   And in December, the Security Council adopted resolution 2664 (2022), which aims to prevent United Nations sanctions from harming civilians and obstructing humanitarian action. I urge all States to implement it and to exclude humanitarian and medical activities from their own counter-terrorism and sanctions measures.   These modest steps are welcome. But the terrible truth is that the world is failing to live up to its commitments to protect civilians; commitments enshrined in international humanitarian law.   The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols are the cornerstone of that legal framework. And I pay tribute to the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the guardian of those treaties: You meet danger and brutality with bravery, compassion and humanity, and you will always have my full support.   ICRC’s role is unique. It has a mandate to respond, and that mandate must be respected: by every Government, every armed group and every fighter.   We must never lose sight of the meaning and purpose of international humanitarian law: It is the difference between life and death; between restraint and anarchy; between losing ourselves in horror and retaining our humanity.   But law overlooked is law undermined. We need action and accountability to ensure it is respected. That depends on political will. Peace is the best form of protection.   We must intensify our efforts to prevent conflict, protect civilians, preserve peace and find political solutions to war.   Where war continues, all countries must comply with international humanitarian law and members of this Council have a particular responsibility. Governments should incorporate international humanitarian law into national laws and military rules and training.   Humanitarians must be assured safe access. Attacks against them must cease. And their work must be facilitated, including by removing deadly bureaucratic barriers. It is unconscionable that vital aid languishes in ports and warehouses while people die.   The UN Security Council has a special role to play in urging States to respect the rules of war. Governments with influence over warring parties should engage in political dialogue and train forces on protecting civilians. And countries that export weapons should refuse to do business with any party that fails to comply with international humanitarian law.   Those who commit war crimes must be held to account. States must investigate alleged war crimes, prosecute perpetrators and enhance other States’ capacity to do so.   And we must do everything in our power to break the deadly cycle of armed conflict and hunger:   Addressing the underlying causes of hunger by strengthening vulnerable countries’ economies; honouring commitments to support countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis; and increasing contributions to humanitarian operations, which are — shamefully — just 15 per cent funded.   Civilians have suffered the deadly effects of armed conflict for too long. It is time we live up to our promise to protect them.   http://press.un.org/en/2023/sgsm21805.doc.htm   May 2023   Report of the Secretary-General: Protection of civilians in armed conflict 2022   With over 100 armed conflicts worldwide, civilians have continued to endure profound and lasting hardship. In 2022, as in previous years, armed conflict led to death, injury, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and other suffering and loss. The destruction of critical infrastructure had far-reaching consequences, including disruptions to electricity, health care, water and sanitation services, and deprived many of the essentials to live. Health-care personnel and facilities were targeted, leaving thousands without care.   The use of explosive weapons in populated areas had devastating effects well beyond their intended targets. The rise in prices of food, fuel and fertilizers, combined with the effects of climate change, further intensified civilians’ needs. The number of people forcibly displaced reached new highs.   Humanitarian organizations faced a variety of obstacles in their efforts to alleviate suffering, including violence, bureaucratic impediments and shortages of vital supplies such as food and medicine.   Armed conflict continued to be a primary driver of hunger. Valuable farming equipment was stolen, agricultural land was littered with explosive ordnance, and livestock and crops were destroyed. Conflict also disrupted agriculture and trade, leading to a shortage of basic supplies and agricultural products.   This, coupled with additional factors such as the armed conflict in Ukraine, led to higher food prices and reduced access to necessary supplies for food preparation and distribution. Furthermore, the destruction of vital infrastructure, shortages of electricity and fuel, and extreme weather events all contributed to the scarcity of water.   Throughout 2022, armed conflict exacted a massive human toll, eroding resilience and straining what remained of essential infrastructure and services. Civilian death and injury, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and ill -treatment were reported across many armed conflicts...   http://reliefweb.int/report/world/protection-civilians-armed-conflict-report-secretary-general-s2023345-enarruzh http://undocs.org/Home/Mobile?FinalSymbol=S/2023/345   * Note: The civilian casualities cited in this report are only official state recognised calculations and are a most considerable under-estimation of the terrible toll inflicted on civilians in conflict. For example this: "In 2022, the United Nations recorded at least 16,988 civilian deaths across 12 armed conflicts.. although actual figures are likely higher". When consideration is given to the uncounted victims of conflict and the indirect impacts of conflict, particularly on the health of populations, the calculations should tragically cite many hundreds of thousands..   May 2023   Speech by President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric to the UN Security Council on the protection of civilians:   For the International Committee of the Red Cross, the issue of protection of civilians lies at the core of our mandate. As we meet, countless civilians in conflicts around the world are experiencing a living hell.   Any minute, the next missile can obliterate their home, their school, their clinic and everyone in it. Any day, their loved ones might be abused, raped, detained, or tortured. Any week, they might run out of food or medicine.   Everywhere I look – and in my short time as president of the ICRC, I have visited conflict-affected countries in Africa, Europe and the Near East – I see a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation. Entire regions are trapped in cycles of conflict without an end in sight.   ICRC’s figures show that the number of non-international armed conflicts has, over the past 20 years, more than tripled from less than 30 to over 90.   Many of these are protracted conflicts, bringing ceaseless suffering – suffering that is compounded by climate shocks, food insecurity and economic hardship.   Civilians are gravely unprotected because they suffer a relentless accumulation of attacks, threats, destruction, as well as political stalemates.   When conflicts are characterised by widespread destruction and violation of international humanitarian law; then development and peace become an unachievable ambition.   It is clear: the protection of civilians is a pre-condition of stability, peace, and recovery.   My calls to States today are urgent. First, protect civilians and critical infrastructure in urban areas. The widespread and often indiscriminate destruction of homes and critical infrastructure disproportionately raises the cost of war.   Across the places I visited in the past months, I saw how the shock of losing one’s home is compounded by the interruption or prolonged absence of essential services such as water, electricity, healthcare, and education.   As fighting envelops towns and cities, such as in Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen, the ICRC is seeing large-scale and compounding patterns of harm. We need to break the pattern of violations: and this can be done through strong political will and sustained action.   State and non-state parties must do more to prevent, reduce, and mitigate the damage that armed conflict causes in urban centres. In adopting resolution 2573 more than two years ago, this very Council demanded that parties to armed conflict do more. I echo that call again today.   The ICRC urges all parties engaged in urban warfare to:   Ensure that the protection of civilians is prioritized in urban settings; Comply fully with international humanitarian law and notably the principles on distinction, proportionality, and precaution; Avoid the use of heavy explosive weapons in populated areas - and endorse and faithfully implement the Political Declaration on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas; and Ensure that the protection of essential services encompasses the infrastructure, people and consumables that keep hospitals, water, and power functioning.   Second, States must step up to prevent and mitigate food insecurity in conflict-affected areas.   During my visit to the Horn of Africa earlier this year, I saw how conflict and climate shocks are having a devastating impact on already vulnerable communities. In Somalia, more than seven million people are in urgent need of food and water.   The combination of drought, lack of investment in climate adaptation in conflict zones and the knock-on effects of the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine is seriously impacting people in conflicts around the world.   The ICRC calls on states and other actors to:   Respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law, including rules on the conduct of hostilities, to reduce the risk of food insecurity and famine. Invest in practical solutions and adaptation measures to mitigate the effects of climate change in conflict-affected regions.   Third, I call on States to enable neutral and impartial humanitarian access:   This means: access to civilians in need, notably besieged communities… Access to overcrowded detention facilities where we continue to see worrying trends in relation to ill-treatment and torture… Access to the estimated 175 million people who live in areas fully or partially controlled by armed groups.   This requires enabling a humanitarian dialogue with non-state armed groups, for instance through the implementation of the humanitarian carve-out to sanctions regimes adopted by this Council in resolution 2664. This is critical for an organization like the ICRC which maintains a dialogue with more than 300 armed groups worldwide.   In today’s operating environment, misinformation and disinformation also present a threat to populations and hinder humanitarian operations. Misinformation can fuel dangerous community divisions and undermine community acceptance of humanitarian organisations.   We urge States and other actors to take all necessary measures to prevent and mitigate the impact of harmful information on the safety, dignity, and rights of civilians, and to preserve the space for neutral, impartial humanitarian action and to protect it from political instrumentalization.   Finally, I must underscore: the protection of civilians means the protection of all. There is no chance of enduring stability or security until international humanitarian law is upheld for all genders.   The ICRC urges states to:   Ensure that all persons, regardless of their gender, are protected in conflict and equally benefit from humanitarian assistance. Ensure that the clear prohibition of sexual violence under international humanitarian law is integrated into national laws, military doctrine, and training. Commit to applying a gender perspective into the application and interpretation of international humanitarian law.   The ICRC continues to insist on the preventive and protective effects of international humanitarian law. Compliance with the law protects civilians. It prevents violations and abuses.   It reduces the cost of war while maintaining a pathway to ceasefire agreements, and eventually to lasting peace, functioning economies, and a healthy natural environment.   I call upon all states to uphold international humanitarian law, including through their influence over others.   In times of compounding global trends and geopolitical tensions, compliance with international humanitarian law must become a political priority.   http://www.icrc.org/en/document/icrc-president-protection-civilians-is-pre-condition-of-stability-peace-and-recovery Visit the related web page
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