World news in brief: Yemen prisoners’ appeal, impact of cyclone Yagi, easing asylum seekers’ plight, mpox cash boost
More than 50 staff members of the United Nations, international and national NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions are being held by in fact Houthi government in the capital Sana’a.
Additionally, four UN staff have been detained since 2021 and 2023.
Protecting aid workers
“Attacks on aid workers, including false detentions and charges, violate international law, endanger their safety, and severely impede the support we provide to the Yemeni people and vital mediation efforts to advance the peace process in Yemen,” officials said in a statement. a statement mark a solemn milestone.
They stressed that in the meantime, all detained colleagues must be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law and human rights, including being allowed to contact their families, legal representatives and organizations.
“We also call for the protection of humanitarian workers, ensuring safe humanitarian spaces and access to the communities we serve,” they added.
The statement was issued by the regional directors of CARE, Oxfam and Save the Children, together with their counterparts from the UN human rights office, OHCHR; United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations refugee agency, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (World Food Programme).
A young Vietnamese man cleans up the rubble at his house after Typhoon Yagi swept through Quang Ninh province.
Typhoon Yagi affects millions in Southeast Asia: UNICEF
Nearly six million children have been affected by floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, UN humanitarian agencies said on Wednesday.
United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, speak in the update that the emergency has affected access to clean water, education, health care, food and shelter – and pushed already marginalized communities “deeper into crisis”.
The immediate priority is to restore essential services that children and families need, said June Kunugi, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and the Pacific.
The increase in extreme weather
She highlighted the “increase” in extreme weather events in Southeast Asia, which have been made worse by climate change; and she noted that when disasters strike, vulnerable children “often pay the highest price”.
Typhoon Yagi is the strongest storm to hit Asia this year.
The storm brought torrential rains beyond the usual seasonal rainfall, damaging more than 850 schools and at least 550 health centers – mostly in Vietnam.
Humanitarian assessments in the area are still underway.
Refugee agency calls for end to arbitrary detention of asylum seekers
Detaining asylum seekers around the world is harmful and contrary to their fundamental right to protection – which is why it must end – the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has said. said on wednesday.
In a new policy brief for border agencies highlighting best practices in a number of countries, the UN agency notes that in many other countries, “asylum seekers and refugees are often arrested and detained, unable to contest their circumstances.”
UNHCR cited the experience of an Iraqi asylum seeker who spent two years in Hungary’s transit zone, where his movements were “severely restricted” and he and others were constantly monitored.
The agency said his detention was considered arbitrary by leading independent human rights experts meeting at the United Nations in Geneva.
UNHCR also cited a European Court of Human Rights ruling that said four Tunisians rescued at sea and taken to a reception facility on the Italian island of Lampedusa “had no opportunity to claim asylum” before they were “immediately expelled” from Italy.
The agency explained that conditions at the center were “inhumane and depraved,” the court heard.
UNHCR said some countries have imposed limits on the length of detention of asylum seekers, such as South Korea.
The report notes that in March 2023, a South Korean court ruled that indefinite detention of asylum seekers, refugees, and migrants was unconstitutional, and issued guidance on how long people could be held and on alternatives to detention.
A man in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has his blood drawn to treat mpox.
Global Fund provides nearly $10 million for epidemic response in DR Congo
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) is providing the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with $9.5 million in cash to strengthen its emergency response to the latest outbreak of the deadly mpox disease.
The funding will boost the Government’s response in six provinces with the highest transmission rates: Equateur, Sud-Ubangui, Sankuru, Tshopo, Sud-Kivu, Nord-Kivu, as well as in and around the capital Kinshasa – home to 17 million people.
The DRC is currently battling the world’s largest mpox epidemic, with 5,160 confirmed cases and 25 deaths since the beginning of this year.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says testing capacity in the DRC remains low due to limited capacity and access, and the number of suspected cases is about five times higher than the number of laboratory-confirmed cases.
The Global Fund’s contribution will help strengthen disease surveillance systems, with a particular focus on strengthening early warning capacities; strengthening laboratory and diagnostic systems; supporting community mobilization and communication; strengthening primary care; and implementing infection prevention and control measures.
‘Proven track record’
“Our partnership with the Global Fund and other health partners has a proven track record in reducing infectious diseases,” said Dr. Roger Kamba, DRC Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
“People living in conflict and crisis areas often face significant barriers to accessing health services due to damaged infrastructure, insecurity and a lack of trained health workers and medical supplies,” said Peter Sands, CEO of the Foundation.
“When outbreaks occur in these places, the challenges are multiplied. Strong systems of trusted community health workers, health educators, and other local responders are essential to stopping the spread of disease.”
