The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Press Conferences | UNCTAD , UNHCR , UNITED NATIONS , UNOG , WHO
Bi-Weekly Press Briefing 02 December 2022
PRESS BRIEFING BY THE UNITED NATIONS INFORMATION SERVICE
2 December 2022
WHO: Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), introduced Darryl Barrett, WHO Technical Lead for Sensory Functions, Disability and Rehabilitation. Mr. Barrett said that WHO would launch today its Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities.
The report showed that many persons with disabilities died up to 20 years earlier and were at more than double the risk of developing a range of health conditions, compared to the general population. Many of these differences in health outcomes for persons with disabilities could not be explained by an underlying health condition or impairment, but rather by avoidable, unfair and unjust factors, including negative attitudes of healthcare providers; health information in formats that cannot be understood; and difficulties in accessing a health center.
The report analyzed these factors across four categories: structural factors; social determinants of health; risk factors for illnesses; and the health system itself (health workforce, service delivery and health information systems) – this was the most tangible place for ministries of health to act. The report therefore proposed a set of 40 actions for governments to take, all based on the primary health care approach.
Answering questions from journalists, Mr. Barrett stressed that WHO had already begun developing a practical tool to help governments implement the actions recommended by the report.
UNHCR calls for support, solidarity amid rise in risky Andaman Sea crossings
Shabia Mantoo, for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), said UNHCR and humanitarian partners were observing a dramatic increase in the number of people attempting perilous crossings over the Andaman Sea this year. Some 1,920 people, mostly Rohingya, had travelled by sea from January to November 2022, from Myanmar and Bangladesh, compared to only 287 in 2021. UNHCR warned that attempts at these journeys were exposing people to grave risks and fatal consequences: 119 people had been reported dead or missing this year alone.
The most recent arrivals had been recorded a fortnight ago when more than 200 people had arrived in North Aceh, Indonesia. Refugees who had safely disembarked on the Indonesian coast were currently hosted in a former immigration office in Lhokseumawe. UNHCR, with IOM and partners, was working with the local authorities to support the refugees, including through registration, providing for their basic needs and working to ensure secure and adequate accommodation.
With increasing levels of desperation and vulnerability forcing more refugees to make these deadly journeys, UNHCR and humanitarian partners stressed the need for increased regional and international cooperation to save lives and share responsibility. Indonesia currently hosted nearly 13,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, mostly from Afghanistan, Somalia and Myanmar, and should not be alone in rescuing and disembarking people adrift at sea. It was imperative that States in the region upheld the commitments made in 2005 under the Bali Process to collectively find solutions for these desperate journeys.
Answering a question regarding “the migration issues in the Mediterranean”, Ms. Mantoo said that High Commissioner Filippo Grandi had recently urged for a response focused on saving lives and putting human dignity and protection at the forefront.
FAO: New Future of Food and Agriculture report, and Food Price Index November 2022
Lorenzo Bellu, Senior Economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), announced the launch of The Future of Food and Agriculture report (FOFA 2022).
Mr. Bellu explained that agrifood-related targets of the Agenda 2030 were tremendously off track: if current trends affecting agrifood systems did not change, the sustainability and resilience of agrifood systems would be seriously under threat and food crises were likely to increase in the future. Furthermore, there was growing evidence that prevailing agricultural practices, which relied on the intensive use of agrochemical inputs and energy, were endangering the future of agrifood systems.
Changing the course of actions was far from easy, given the difficult trade-offs this entailed.
Achieving the four “betters” that FAO had placed at the heart of its strategic framework (better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life) required balancing short-term productivity gains against greater sustainability and reduced climate impact, for instance.
Key triggers of transformation existed however, as well as strategic policy options to activate them. Institutions and governance, consumer awareness, income and wealth distribution, as well as innovative technologies and approaches, were key priority triggers that influenced important drivers of agrifood systems. In this regard, the Future of Food and Agriculture report suggested selected strategic options and possible transformative policies.
Answering questions from journalists, Mr. Bellu stressed the importance of trade flows not being interrupted during crises, so that food could reach importing countries. But trade was only a mean to achieve and maintain food security, and it should be fair and sustainable. In the long run, there was a need to reinforce the resilience of agrifoods systems: as such, relying on massive imports of food might not prove resilient.
For his part, Upali Galketi Aratchilage, Senior Economist at the FAO Markets and Trade Division, said the FAO Food Price Index (FFPI) had remained virtually unchanged in November for the second consecutive month, as month-on-month decreases in cereals, dairy and meat had been nearly offset by increases in those of vegetable oil and sugar. Compared to the peak the index had reached in March this year, the index had fallen 15.1 per cent, but was 0.3 per cent above November last year, when prices had begun rising steeply.
In short, market conditions for the major food commodities had eased, somewhat lowering food price inflationary pressure. However, concerns over the possible impacts of extreme weather events, high fertilizer prices and economic recessions on global food prices and food security remained – for example, heavy rains had delayed sugar cane harvesting in parts of major producing regions.
Answering other questions, Mr. Galketi Aratchilage said FAO was looking into including pulses in the price index; and that world production of rice in 2022 was expected to remain below last’s year all-time record.
Announcements
Sophie Fisher, for the International Labour Organization (ILO), said the Organization would launch, on 5 December, a new report on violence and harassment in the workplace: The People’s Experiences of Violence and Harassment at Work: A first global account. The report and all associated materials would be under strict embargo until Monday 5 December at 4 p.m. (Geneva time); a virtual press conference would be held on Monday at 2 p.m.
Catherine Huissoud, for UNCTAD, said the International Debt Management Conference would be held next week at the Palais des Nations (5-7 December, Room XVII and online). In the context of cascading crises, the sustainability of debt in developing countries, its systemic aspect, and its impact on the global economy in case of multiple debt distress would be the focus of the meeting. UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan would open the Conference at 10 a.m. on Monday, 5 December, and her statement would be sent to journalists shortly after the morning session.
Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), announced that the third meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) for a WHO instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, would be held on 5-7 December. The INB would consider a “zero draft” for an instrument. The event would be webcast.
Mr. Lindmeier also informed of a new report on What works to prevent online violence against children. Journalists would be sent a link to the recording of a webinar that would take place this afternoon on the same subject. Finally, the Director-General would hold a press briefing this afternoon.
Rhéal LeBlanc, for the UN Information Service in Geneva, read a message from the UN Secretary-General for the International Day Abolition of Slavery, in which Mr. António Guterres stressed the “need to recognize that the legacy of the transatlantic trade of enslaved Africans reverberates to this day” and to “identify and eradicate contemporary forms of slavery, such as trafficking in persons, sexual exploitation, child labour, forced marriage and the use of children in armed conflict.” Mr. Guterres called on “Governments and societies to recommit to eradicating slavery. Increased action needs to be taken with full participation of all stakeholders, including the private sector, trade unions, civil society and human rights institutions”, and urged “all countries to protect and uphold the rights of victims and survivors of slavery.”
Mr. LeBlanc also said that the winners of the Young Activist Summit award would give a press conference at 12:30 p.m. to talk about their activities: Pashtana Durrani (Afghanistan), on organising underground schools for girls; Zulaikha Patel (South Africa), on fighting against anti-racism; Sameer Jha (USA), on opening safe classrooms for LGBTQ+ students; C’est Prévue Emmy Lusila (Democratic Republic of Congo), on protecting street children; Sebastián Benfeld (Chile), on a pollution-free environment & protecting environmental defenders; and Keely Cat-Wells (UK/USA), on promoting disabled talent and changing mindsets through entertainment.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination would conclude this afternoon its 108th session and issue its concluding observations on the reports of France, Brazil, Bahrain, Botswana, Georgia and Jamaica. The President and two other members of the Committee would answer questions from journalists today at 12:30 p.m.
Finally, Mr. LeBlanc announced that a briefing on human rights would take place on Friday, 9 December, at 9:30 a.m., with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IOM , OHCHR , UN WOMEN , UNFPA , UNHCR , UNOPS , WHO
UN Geneva briefing: Yemen crisis worsens, urgent aid needed across multiple sectors.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Press conference on the latest report of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the UN Human Rights Council
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
Victims Still Waiting: A Global Briefing on Transitional Justice Around the World
2
1
2
Edited News , Press Conferences | WMO
As world’s water reserves change, countries must prepare for a new reality: WMO
New data showing that rivers were at their lowest level for decades last year provides further evidence that the climate crisis is real and countries must act immediately to protect themselves from the increasing threat to communities and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
The key findings from WMO’s State of Global Water Resources 2025 report covering the hydrological cycle and extreme events in the five-year period to last year:
- 2025 was one of driest years for river discharge in 35 years
- Past seven years have seen abnorfmal river flows
- Water storage on Earth’s land surface has decreased in past decade
- Widespread glacier loss across all regions for fourth consecutive year
- Asia and Africa are regions most affected by water-related disasters
- Water data availability has improved, but gaps remain in hard-hit areas
Highlighting the long-term decline in the Earth’s freshwater storage and glacier melt, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo explained that the planet’s water reserves used to act as a planetary “savings account” that absorbed the occasional dry season, avoiding a water crisis. “One of the central stories of the 2025 report is what is happening to that savings account? And the simple answer is that we are depleting it,” she told journalists in Geneva.
Groundwater reserves are equally stretched and have been in decline since 2014, WMO’s report states, with nearly two-thirds of monitored wells worldwide showing levels lower than the historical norm and indicating a shift “further toward deficit…not recovery”.
“At the same time, we are seeing more water-related disasters,” Ms. Saulo said, while also stressing that the currently strengthening El Niño “will increase the risk of drought in some areas, and flooding in others”.
Glaciers disappearing
In 2025, for the fourth consecutive year, every major glaciated region on Earth lost ice mass, leading to short-term hazards including floods and long-term water insecurity, according to WMO.
Responding to a question about whether the changing global water cycle might have contributed to the deadly Nepal-China flooding disaster, Ms. Saulo explained that melting ice and rock was just one factor in the chain of events that ultimately sent a massive and deadly wall of water and debris downstream on 26 August, killing at least 1,367 people.
“You asked if it could happen again? Absolutely; the problem in this region is that there’s 63,700 glaciers at the last count,” she told a Press Conference in Geneva. “Even if you’re looking with remote sensing with satellites at these glaciers, you might see some faults, you might see some slight shifting, that does not mean necessarily catastrophic collapse. So, in order to plan for this, it’s very, very difficult. But the international community is looking very hard at ways in which we can bring people together to solve some of these monitoring issues.”
Data indicates that glaciers shrank between 2023 and 2025 with cumulative losses of 1,400 gigatonnes of water – or about one third of annual fresh water needs.
Every major glacier region on Earth lost ice for the fourth consecutive year.
“All 19 glacier regions around the globe lost ice; in Central Asia, Iceland, the Russian Arctic and western Canada and the United States, it was among the three worst years on record,” said Wayne Jenkinson, WMO’s Director of Hydrology and Cryosphere.
Some regions with smaller glaciers such as Central Europe, the Caucasus, the western Canada and the United States may already have reached “peak water”, Mr. Jenkinson warned.
“After this point, the glacier gives less meltwater each year simply because there is less ice left to melt. That matters for every community downstream that relies on water during hot, dry summers,” he explained.
Narelle van der Wel, WMO’s Head of Cryosphere Monitoring, Predictions and Services, stressed that while some further glacier loss is unavoidable, the eventual scale of the decline is not predetermined.
“Some glacier loss is inevitable, but total loss of glaciers is not yet inevitable,” she said, pointing to emissions reductions as central to limiting future losses.
Preparing for moving baselines
The report does not attribute every observed change to climate change alone. WMO says pressure on water resources and natural variability also contribute.
Mr. Jenkinson said governments need to prepare for “moving baselines” as historical patterns become less reliable.
“The situation 30 years ago is not where we are today,” he said. Countries, he added, need to prepare “for those changes that have really already arrived”.
ends
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WMO , OCHA , WHO , UNICEF , UN WOMEN , OHCHR , IOM , UNHCR
Update on Ebola from WHO and OCHA, update on the situation of children with the beginning of school in Ukraine from UNICEF, UN Women on the impact of the settlers and restrictions on women and girls in West Bank, OHCHR on the recovery of extensive human remains in Gaza, IOM and UNHCR on the new wave of displacement in Yemen
2
1
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WFP
‘Super El Niño’ and converging crises worsen hunger in South Sudan and across the region - WFP
South Sudan’s hunger crisis is becoming increasingly catastrophic as violence, extreme weather and dwindling aid leave millions without enough food, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC
Update on the human rights situation in Belarus by the UN Group of Independent Experts on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus
1
1
1
Press Conferences | HRC , OHCHR
Update on the human rights situation in Syria by the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNOG , IOM , UN WOMEN , UNCTAD , WHO , UNECE
IOM Yemen's Western Coast displacement; UN WOMEN on Gaza; UNCTAD Strait of Hormuz disruptions impacts; WHO Ebola logistics in DRC; WHO smoking and infertility; UNECE Data centres and energy.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNITAR , WMO
UNITAR: GA resolution on the merger of the United Nations System Staff College into the United Nations Institute for Training and Research; WMO: Air Quality and Climate Bulletin released; WHO: Ukraine update
2
2
2
Press Conferences , Edited News | WMO
Powerful El Niño heightens extreme-weather risks through 2027, as countries brace for impact - WMO
Fuelled by extraordinarily warm waters across the tropical Pacific Ocean, the El Niño climate pattern is expected to intensify in the coming months. Forecasters are almost certain that it will persist through February next year, with unusually warm conditions expected across the globe.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | IFRC , UN WOMEN , WFP , WHO , WMO , OCHA
UN WOMEN/IFRC: Update on the impact of the floods in Nepal, WFP: Food assistance in the West Bank, WHO: Gaza’s rehabilitation needs and continued spread of diseases