This article is published in association with United Nations.
The Secretary-General is alarmed that a clearly marked United Nations vehicle was struck twice in Kherson city in Ukraine on 14 May, his spokesperson said in a statement.
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The vehicle was part of an inter-agency humanitarian mission led by OCHA, the UN humanitarian affairs office, and had been notified to the parties in advance.
“The Secretary-General reiterates that international law, including international humanitarian law, must be respected at all times,” the statement read.
“Civilians and civilian objects, including humanitarian relief personnel and objects used for humanitarian relief operations, must be respected and protected at all times,” it added.
The Organization is working to establish the full facts surrounding this incident.
Civilians bear the brunt
The attack came as Russian forces launched nearly 800 drones and 56 missiles across Ukraine overnight, primarily targeting Kyiv.
The assault as one of the most intense and prolonged attacks since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the UN Country Team in Ukraine said, with nearly 24 hours of continuous strikes across the country involving ballistic and cruise missiles.
Humanitarian crisis deepens in South Sudan
Humanitarians have scaled up assistance for families returning in South Sudan’s Akobo region after violence in early March displaced tens of thousands of people.
The UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) conducted the first emergency airdrop of lifesaving food and supplies on Wednesday in Bora village, Jonglei state.
The operation delivered more than 1,000 bags of cereals and pulses – expected to support around 3,000 people – in hard-to-reach communities where humanitarian access remains severely constrained.
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Displacement continues
The relief operation comes after violence forced families to flee to nearby villages including Bilkey, Gagdong, Dengjok and Nyandit, while others crossed into Ethiopia’s Gambella Region in search of safety.
Humanitarian facilities and storage sites were also damaged or destroyed, disrupting humanitarian operations and leaving vulnerable families without access to food, health care and other essential services.
Health workers in Akobo say severe acute malnutrition cases have increased sharply, with health facilities overwhelmed by children suffering complications linked to hunger and illness.
Over the past five days, UNHAS transported at least 42 humanitarian workers and 2,300 kilograms of humanitarian cargo to support emergency response activities in the Akobo, including food assistance, nutrition screening and medical support for vulnerable families returning from displacement.
LGBTIQ+ rights under growing pressure, UN chief warns
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned of rising attacks on the rights of LGBTIQ+ people worldwide, saying hard-won progress toward equality is increasingly under threat from discrimination, hostile rhetoric and restrictive laws.
Marking the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia on 17 May, Mr. Guterres said that despite significant progress in recent decades, “concerted efforts” were underway in many countries to roll back protections for LGBTIQ+ communities.
“For the first time in years, the number of countries criminalizing consensual same-sex relations has increased,” he said in a message marking the day.
“When rights are under attack, LGBTIQ+ people are often among the first to suffer – scapegoated and exposed to greater risks to their safety, health and well-being,” he added.
Separately, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk urged governments to repeal laws criminalising same-sex conduct and take stronger action against discrimination and online hate targeting LGBTIQ+ communities.
Some progress, but challenges remain
Despite progress in some countries over the past year – including the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex relations in St. Lucia and Botswana, the election of Nepal’s first transgender woman parliamentarian, and the European court ruling against Hungary’s restrictions on LGBTIQ+ content for children – many countries still criminalise same-sex relations, with several maintaining the death penalty.
According to the UN human rights office, Burkina Faso introduced legislation criminalising same-sex relations over the past year, while Senegal doubled prison terms for same-sex acts to 10 years.
Mr. Türk also warned that hostile political rhetoric and online abuse were increasingly targeting LGBTIQ+ people, particularly transgender communities, while funding cuts to civil society organisations were stripping vulnerable communities of vital support services.
Mr. Guterres stressed that democracy depends on equal participation and dignity for all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
“This year’s theme, ‘At the Heart of Democracy’, is a powerful reminder that each and every person must be able to live free from fear, and participate equally in society,” he said.
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