Wednesday’s Daily brief: Day 3 of anti-hatred summit, UNFPA turns 50, Ben Stiller #WithRefugees, updates on Abyei

This Wednesday, our top stories cover: the 50th birthday of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA); Goodwill Ambassador Ben Stiller advocating for Syrian refugees in the USA; human rights issues in the Philippines; and an update on the UN peacekeeping misson in Abyei. End ‘political opportunism’ that’s letting hate speech flourish, urges top UN genocide official With murderous attacks against religious institutions on the rise, leaders across the world need to do more to end “political opportunism” and policies which allow hate speech and violent extremism to flourish, said the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide on Wednesday. Speaking at the end of the second Global Summit on Religion, Peace and Security, at UN headquarters in Geneva, Adama Dieng noted that in the wake of dozens killed inside Sri Lanka churches, a synagogue attack in California, and killings inside a church in Burkina Faso, the threat of another genocide somwhere, was only growing larger. Our full coverage here. UN sexual and reproductive health agency celebrates 50 years of saving women’s lives The UN agency mandated with protecting sexual and reproductive health (UNFPA) turned 50 this week, celebrating its role saving millions of women’s lives and protecting their futures. In a message to mark this milestone, Secretary-General António Guterrescongratulated UNFPA on its work, improving the well-being of people around the world, warning that “today, the world needs UNFPA more than ever”. “Your efforts have been particularly instrumental in enabling women and couples to access the sexual and reproductive health care they need”, he said, and in preventing gender-based violence, tackling female genital mutilation and child marriage practices. UNFPA supports reproductive health care for women and youth in more than 150 countries – home to more than 80 per cent of the world’s population. Gains by Abyei interim force can help advance resolution of border issues between Sudan and South Sudan, UN peacekeeping chief says The United Nations security force for Abyei remains essential to stability in the border regions between Sudan and South Sudan, the UN peacekeeping chief said on Tuesday, proposing the creation of a civilian unit to support progress towards political resolution of the dispute between the neighboring countries, and requesting a six-month extension of its mandate. “This modest shift in the mission’s role is necessary to match the reality on the ground,” Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations said during a briefing to the Security Council on the Secretary-General’s latest report on the work of the UN Interim Security Force, known by the acronym UNISFA. Our full story can be found here. UN refugee agency’s Goodwill Ambassador Ben Stiller shares stories of Syrian refugees Actor and director Ben Stiller testified on the humanitarian impact of the eight-year war in Syria on Capitol Hill, in Washington DC, on Wednesday. The brutal conflict has displaced over 5.6 million people since 2011. The Hollywood star appeared before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee in his capacity as Goodwill Ambassador for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. Highlighting the desperate circumstances faced by Syrian families he had met in refugee camps, he reminded US politicians that behind the numbers there are “real stories, real people”. Mr. Stiller shared the story of Syrian twins Razan and Yazan who left Syria when they were 4 months old. Eight years later, Yazan works selling vegetables in Lebanon, to help his family make ends meet. “We all want the same things, to see our children grow up and achieve their dreams”, he added. Syria accounts for the world’s largest number of forcibly-displaced people according to UNHCR. Mr. Stiller has traveled on mission to Guatemala, Germany and Jordan to meet with refugees who have fled their war-torn homes. UN rights experts call on Philippines Government to halt ‘unacceptable attacks’ on Victoria Tauli-Corpuz False claims levelled at the UN expert on the rights of indigenous peoples by her own Government in the Philippines, “are without grounding in fact or law” and must cease immediately, said a statement issued by a group of her fellow experts on Wednesday. In a joint statement, three UN Special Rapporteurs, or independent rights experts, said that “new accusations” against fellow rapporteur, Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, had been made by officials in the Government of President Rodrigo Duterte, “clearly in retaliation for her invaluable work defending the human rights of indigenous people worldwide”. Find our full story here.

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Interesting reads

© WFP/Khadija Dia Food is distributed to displaced families sheltering in a school in Tariq Jdide, Beirut.

Middle East war risks pushing 45 million more people into acute hunger

This article is published in association with United Nations. The Middle East war could cause the worst disruption to lifesaving humanitarian work since COVID, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday, as the UN chief again demanded an end to the widening conflict. “The Secretary-General asserts once more that the war in the Middle […]
© World Vision Smoke rises in Beit Mery, close to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, following an airstrike.

Middle East war’s ‘spiral of conflict’ drives mounting civilian toll

This article is published in association with United Nations. The widening war in the Middle East and its growing impact on civilians came under scrutiny at the UN in Geneva on Monday, as independent experts briefing the Human Rights Council warned of escalating violence following the onset of Israeli and US strikes on Iran and counterstrikes […]
© Mousawat A mother and child displaced by the conflict in Lebanon receiving care at a clinic.

Middle East war: Women in Lebanon forced to give birth on roadside

This article is published in association with United Nations. As the UN Secretary-General touched down in Beirut on Friday in solidarity with the people of Lebanon, UN agencies highlighted the dangers for civilians and particularly pregnant women and migrant workers, amid ongoing airstrikes and rocket fire between Hezbollah fighters and Israel.  “There’s 11,600 pregnant women who […]
© WFP/Arete/Ali Yunes Some residents of Beirut who have been displaced by the conflict are now living on the streets of the Lebanese capital.

‘Perfect storm’: Lebanon crisis deepens as civilians bear the brunt

This article is published in association with United Nations. Lebanon is facing a “perfect storm of unpredictable challenges” as conflict, mass displacement and dwindling humanitarian resources converge, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, Imran Riza, has warned. The current escalation began on 2 March, when outgoing fire by Hezbollah drew a strong retaliation from […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour People living in Gaza have received humanitarian aid from the UN throughout the conflict with Israel.

UN relief chief condemns ‘$1 billion-a-day’ cost of war in Middle East

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN’s emergency relief chief on Wednesday condemned the “$1 billion-a-day” cost of the war in the Middle East, at a time when humanitarian needs are soaring and aid funding is falling dangerously short. “We’re seeing the consequences spread faster than we can respond”, warned the UN emergency […]
© UNICEF/Azizullah Karimi Afghan returnees from Iran gather at the Islam-Border, near Herat in western Afghanistan (file).

‘Toxic rain’ warning from oil depot strikes amid ongoing Middle East war

This article is published in association with United Nations. Toxic “black rain” linked to strikes on oil depots, mass displacement and continuing disruption to aid supply chains are upending lives across the Middle East and beyond after 10 days of war in the region, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.  Speaking to reporters in Geneva, UN Human […]
© UNHCR People gather at the Masnaa border point in Lebanon as they wait to cross into Syria.

Nearly 700,000 displaced in Lebanon as Middle East crisis escalates

This article is published in association with United Nations. On day 10 of the war engulfing the Middle East, UN agencies on Monday reported massive displacement across the region, along with surging food and fuel prices that risk increasing hunger and suffering for the most vulnerable. In Lebanon alone, nearly 700,000 people including around 200,000 children […]
UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz Smoke rises in Beirut, Lebanon, following the outbreak of hostilities across the Middle East.

Lebanon ‘dragged back into turmoil’, UN envoy warns

This article is published in association with United Nations. Lebanon has been “dragged back into a state of turmoil and violence”, the UN’s top envoy in the country warned on Saturday, after the latest round of regional strikes triggered a fast‑escalating crisis along the Blue Line. What had been fragile but real momentum, she said, has […]
UNHCR Smoke rises after an airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Strikes continue across Middle East as humanitarian concerns grow

This article is published in association with United Nations. Highlights Production team: Vibhu Mishra with Daniel Johnson in GenevaToday 12:15 μ.μ. UN rights office warns displacement orders in Lebanon affecting hundreds of thousands The UN human rights office has warned that large-scale displacement orders and ongoing airstrikes in Lebanon are worsening the suffering of civilians already affected […]
© UNICEF/Ramzi Haidar Destroyed buildings and debris in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon, following airstrikes.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Further escalation drives uncertainty and suffering

This article is published in association with United Nations. On day six of the war in the Middle East, there’s been no let-up in bombs, drones and rockets targeting Iran, Israel, Lebanon and many Gulf States, while NATO forces reportedly intercepted a missile fired at Türkiye by Iran, a claim denied by Tehran. We’ll bring you […]
UN Photo/Pasqual Gorriz Smoke rises in Beirut, Lebanon, following the outbreak of hostilities across the Middle East.

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Conflict continues across region amid US, Israeli and Iranian strikes

This article is published in association with United Nations. Violence in the Middle East is continuing into a fifth day, with US and Israeli strikes against Iran and Iranian missile and drone attacks reported across several countries in the region. The escalating confrontation is disrupting airspace, transport and daily life while raising fears of a wider […]
© IAEA/Paolo Contri The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran.

Iran crisis: Schoolgirls killed, thousands displaced and aid compromised

This article is published in association with United Nations. On the fourth day of Israeli and United States airstrikes against Iran and amid growing violence and instability in the Middle East, the UN urgently called for protection of civilians and warned of growing displacement and humanitarian needs. UN human rights office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani also recalled […]
© Unsplash/Kamran Gholami Tehran, the capital of Iran. (file photo)

MIDDLE EAST LIVE: Strikes continue from US, Israel and Iran as UN urges restraint

This article is published in association with United Nations. Violent escalation in the Middle East has entered a third day as coordinated US and Israeli strikes against Iran aimed at regime change continue to cause loss of life and damage across the region, prompting Iranian missile and drone counter-strikes hitting targets in multiple countries. Explosions, airspace […]
Iran attacks

Deadly bombing of Iran primary school ‘a grave violation of humanitarian law’: UNESCO

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN education agency, UNESCO, says that the bombing of a primary school during the US and Israeli military attacks on Iran on Saturday constitutes a grave violation of humanitarian law. The missiles reportedly destroyed a girl’s primary school in Minab, southern Iran, killing around 150 and […]
© UNRCO Iran Tehran, the capital of Iran.

Attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes ‘undermine international peace and security’

This article is published in association with United Nations. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the heads of UN agencies have condemned Saturday’s joint Israeli and US attacks on Iran and the Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel and the Gulf Regions. The attack on Iran reportedly targeted military sites as well as the leadership of the Iranian […]
© WFP/Maxime Le Lijour A woman holds a child as a storm approaches Khan Younis in Gaza.

Palestine: UN rights chief highlights suffering, atrocity crimes ‘that remain unpunished

This article is published in association with United Nations. The UN rights chief Volker Türk on Thursday highlighted the “human-made disaster” across the Occupied Palestinian Territory stemming from Israel’s disregard for human rights norms and serious violations also committed by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups. Citing a new report from his office (OHCHR) covering the […]
Ángela Soria Pitarch was born on March 28, 2003. She is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of Valencia.

Not the Future, the Present: Young Voices Shaping Global Health in 2026

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Ángela Soria Pitarch was born on March 28, 2003. She is currently a fifth-year medical student at the University of Valencia. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to […]
© UNOCHA Many rural areas of Ukraine have been blasted by shelling and drone strikes. The country is also one of the most mined in the world, top UN aid officials warn.

Ukraine wakes to more violence as Russia’s invasion enters fifth year

This article is published in association with United Nations. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops on 24 February 2022 shattered the peaceful aspirations of an entire continent, but war must never be the new normal, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday. “Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another […]
Fokah Wembe Darrell Dupray is a 4th-year medical student at Université des Montagnes, Bangangté Cameroon and a student leader within the Cameroon Medical Students’ Association (CAMSA).

From Local Barriers to Global Lessons: Practical Paths Toward Inclusive Healthcare

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Zainatun Nawwariyah is a fifth-year medical student at the Faculty of Medicine, University of North Sumatera, who is passionate about advancing medicine through research, advocacy, and service. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed […]

Why don't you drop your comment here?

Go back up

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Discover more from The European Sting - Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology - europeansting.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

The European Sting – Critical News & Insights on European Politics, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Business & Technology – europeansting.com