Edited News | UNHCR , WHO
Aid access to Afghanistan holding amid uncertainty and fear: UN agencies
UN humanitarian agencies and their partners still have access to people in need across Afghanistan, they indicated on Friday, despite the prevailing “sense of fear” felt by many.
Speaking in Geneva, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) Shabia Mantoo, said that widespread fighting had diminished since the takeover of the Taliban last Sunday, but that concerns remained for the safety of women and girls.
Highlighting video footage taken earlier this week showing crowds outside Kabul airport and men clinging in desperation to departing airplanes on the runway, Ms. Shaboo warned that the people of Afghanistan who could not get away should not be forgotten.
“UNHCR remains concerned about the risk of human rights violations against civilians in this evolving context, including for women and girls,” she said. “As of today, those who may be in danger have no way out. UNHCR is calling on countries neighbouring Afghanistan to keep their borders open in light of the evolving crisis in Afghanistan.”
Addressing questions about humanitarian aid access constraints, the UNHCR official explained that around 200 national and international staff “remain on the ground” in Afghanistan. They have continued to work with 18 local non-government partners and have around 900 staff throughout the country.
“At present, we are able to access all provinces, and are working in some two-thirds of all districts,” Ms. Mantoo said.
“Together with the wider UN country team, we are committed to staying and delivering aid to the Afghan people for as long as we have access to populations in need and can ensure safety for our staff.”
The UN agency was not involved in State-led evacuation operations which although welcome, did not address the plight of many millions of Afghans.
“These evacuations are lifesaving, they’re critical, they’re needed,” she said. “But they are bilateral programmes organised with the States so we encourage those, they should continue. But the main message is that a broader international response is needed.”
Since the beginning of this year, UNHCR has provided emergency assistance to 230,000 people in the country.
This includes cash assistance, shelter kits, hygiene support and other relief items. In addition, needs assessments are ongoing for some half a million displaced Afghans, 80 per cent of whom are women and children.
Echoing the message of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, UN health agency spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic insisted that the World Health Organization (WHO) was “committed to staying in Afghanistan and delivering critical health services. We’re calling all parties to respect and protect civilians, health workers, patients and health facilities.”
The WHO official added that most major health facilities were functioning and that health workers “have been called to return to, or to remain in their posts, including female health staff”.
With 550,000 people displaced inside Afghanistan this year and millions more prior to the chaos linked to the Taliban takeover, UNHCR issued an urgent appeal for $62.8 million to deal with immediate needs. Overall requirements for the Afghanistan situation are $351 million, with funding levels currently at 43 per cent.
ends
STORY: AFGHANISTAN UPDATE –UNHCR - WHO
TRT: 02:03”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 20 August 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
“Deadly attacks on distraught civilians trying to access the paltry amounts of food aid in Gaza, are unconscionable. For a third day running, people were killed around an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation. This morning, we have received information that dozens more people were killed and injured,” Jeremy Laurence UN Human Rights spokesperson said at the biweekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
Gaza ‘hungriest place on earth’ with aid stymied – UN humanitarians
Starving Gazans continue to be deprived of aid as international relief efforts are being severely constrained by the Israeli authorities, the UN humanitarian affairs coordination office OCHA said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNRWA
As a controversial United States and Israel-backed aid distribution plan gets underway in Gaza, the UN called on Tuesday for an “immediate surge” of its own pre-positioned supplies to help prevent starvation.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani today urged Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject a bill that was recently endorsed by parliament allowing trials of civilians in military courts. The Uganda People’s Defence Forces Amendment Bill 2025, which was passed on 20 May and now awaits presidential signature to become law, among others broadens the jurisdiction of military courts, authorising them to try a wide range of offences against civilians.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango today warned of a further deterioration in the human rights situation in South Sudan at the bi-weekly briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WHO
Syria: ‘Staggering’ needs amid insecurity, health care crisis - UN humanitarians
Millions of people in Syria continue to face mortal danger from unexploded munitions, disease and malnutrition and urgent support is required, UN humanitarians said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , OCHA , WHO
UN life-saving aid allowed to trickle into Gaza as civilian needs mount
Amid calls for more humanitarian trucks to enter the food and medicine-deprived Palestinian enclave of Gaza, UN humanitarians have received permission from Israel for “around 100” more aid trucks to cross into the Strip after only five were let in yesterday, But the scale of relief efforts allowed remains entirely insufficient to meet the urgent needs of people there, humanitarian workers say.
1
1
1
Edited News
A war reporter from Lebanon who lost a limb in the line of duty is calling for an end to impunity for attacks against journalists.
1
1
1
Edited News | ITU
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) commemorated 160 years dedicated to connecting the world on Saturday, 17 May in Geneva, Switzerland, during the annual World Telecommunication and Information Society Day.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , OCHA
Gazans ‘in terror’ after another night of deadly strikes and siege
Amid reports that Israeli strikes across Gaza into Friday killed at least 64 people, aid teams once again pushed back strongly at allegations that aid is being diverted to Hamas and pleaded for the blockade to end.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Deportations over recent months of large numbers of non-nationals from the United States of America, especially to countries other than those of their origin, raise a number of human rights concerns, the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Gaza: Over 50 child malnutrition deaths amid aid blockade; entire generation will be ‘permanently affected’ - WHO
In the aid desert of Gaza, malnourished children are dying while survivors can expect a lifetime of dire health problems, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday.