A "major major" humanitarian crisis is looming in Afghanistan, UNHCR warns
A "major" humanitarian crisis is looming in Afghanistan, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday, amid ongoing uncertainty about the situation for vulnerable Afghans seeking shelter across the country's borders. The “reality is the displacement crisis is inside Afghanistan”, with “more than 600 000 Afghans” displaced this year, “80 per cent of which are women and children,” said UNHCR spokesperson, Babar Baloch, who was speaking from Pakistan. In an appeal to the world not to turn away its attention or focus from Afghans and Afghanistan, he warned that we cannot allow this “to become a humanitarian catastrophe”. Describing the situation at the country’s borders with Pakistan, Mr. Baloch said the UNHCR has “not seen a large refugee influx…crossing over into Pakistan and Iran or other places,”. The explanation for this is unclear: “It could be that some of those people may not think they have the right documents, others may not be so comfortable in terms of confronting armed guards at the borders,” he said. “Afghans are still able to come through Pakistan,” he explained, “but it is very regulated,” and you must show documents such as your ID card, passport or visa. Mr. Baloch’s appeal follows the UNHCR’s repeated call on Tuesday for Afghanistan’s neighbouring States to keep their borders open to those fleeing Afghanistan. Spokesperson Andrej Mahecic warned that many of those wishing to cross into countries such as Pakistan or Iran may not have the documents they need, but may “nevertheless have international protection needs”. Also on Tuesday UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his deep concern at the deepening humanitarian and economic crisis in the country and the threat of a total collapse in basic services. “Now more than ever”, said Mr. Guterres, “Afghan children, women and men need the support and solidarity of the international community”. Mr. Guterres and several other senior UN officials restated their commitment to stay and deliver urgently needed supplies to the millions in the country who need humanitarian aid to survive.
ENDS
STORY: Afghanistan Borders Update UNHCR
TRT: 02:33”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
DATELINE: 03 Sept 2021, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
1. Exterior wide shot, United Nations flag flying.
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “Afghanistan has an internally displacement crisis that we have been trying to talk about, what we are emphasising is that that cannot be allowed to become a humanitarian catastrophe and that's why we have been trying to appeal to the world that don't turn away your attention or focus at this stage from Afghans and Afghanistan”.
4.Mid of cameraman
5. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “Afghans are still able to come through Pakistan. We have some reports of Iran and other locations, but it is very regulated and then managed flow at the borders. So you need to have your documents to show it could be your ID card. It could be a passport. It could be a visa”.
6.Close of journalist writing
7. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “So far, what we have not seen is a large refugee influx in terms of a big number crossing over into Pakistan and Iran or other places, we're still trying to analyse what are the reasons behind it. It could be that some of those people may not think they have the right documents, others may not be so comfortable in terms of confronting armed guards at the borders”.
8.Mid of reporter in briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “So we're still trying time to analyse in terms of why there are not many people coming, there could be many, many reasons, but the reality is the displacement crisis is inside Afghanistan. I mean, we're talking about more than six hundred thousand Afghans that have been displaced during this year”.
10.Mid or reporters in briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) Babar Baloch, UNHCR spokesperson: “If you look at the displacement numbers, 80 per cent are women and children, and we know Afghanistan is a landlocked country. If support, if trade is not going into there, we could be facing a major, major crisis.”
12. Wide of briefing room
13. Wide of cameraman
14. Mid of journalist
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Friday warned that three and a half years after Russia’s full-scale invasion, the war in Ukraine has entered an even more dangerous and deadly stage for Ukrainian civilians, under relentless bombardment of their schools, hospitals, and shelters.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF , WHO , ICRC
Quadcopter victims, terror and death: 30 minutes in a Gaza hospital
UN aid teams on Friday highlighted the disturbing situation in Gaza’s makeshift hospitals, where premature babies cry for scant oxygen and medics attempt to save child survivors targeted by airstrikes in their tents and quadcopter victims reportedly shot while fetching bread.
2
1
2
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Thursday delivered his oral update to the UN Human Rights Council’s 60th session on the human rights situation in Haiti.
The High Commissioner welcomed Wednesday’s decision of the UN Security Council to strengthen the Multinational Security Support mission by transitioning to the Gang Suppression Force for Haiti, stating it is a strong signal of international support for the Haitian people.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , UNICEF
Gaza: As world waits for US peace plan news, UN aid teams stress need for ceasefire
UN agencies reiterated calls for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza on Tuesday to help alleviate Palestinian suffering, as a new US 20-point plan raised hopes of a halt to the fighting.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
The ongoing Israeli military offensive in Gaza City continues to overwhelm the war-torn enclave’s medical professionals, with four more hospitals forced to shut down this month alone, the UN World Health Organization said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
A UN Human Rights report released today details the dire situation of thousands of civilians detained since Russia’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine in 2022.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO , UNICEF
Sudan war: Life-saving cholera vaccination campaign begins in Darfur
Amid the devastating war in Sudan, UN aid teams are overcoming major obstacles to curb a cholera outbreak claiming lives across the country, with young children particularly at risk.
2
1
2
Edited News , B-roll | UN WOMEN
Women and girls still reeling from Afghanistan's recent deadly earthquake face even greater suffering rebuilding their lives and livelihoods without much more help from the international community, UN Women said on Friday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Rising civilian casualties, growing ethnic violence and the grim humanitarian situation in Sudan underscore how the crisis there is deepening, according to a UN Human rights report published today.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNITED NATIONS
United Nations agencies staff demonstrates on Place des Nations in Geneva to denounce the killing of their colleagues in Gaza.
1
1
1
Edited News | WMO
The world’s water resources face growing pressure from climate change while emergencies related to the vital resource are increasingly impacting lives and livelihoods, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Thursday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council during a meeting on the Israeli strike on negotiators in Qatar on Tuesday. “Israel’s strike on negotiators in Doha on 9 September was a shocking breach of international law, an assault on regional peace and stability, and a blow against the integrity of mediation and negotiating processes around the world,” he said.