Welcome to the press briefing of the UN here in Geneva.
Today is Friday, 29th of August.
And I would like to start immediately this briefing by giving the floor to Sophia Caltrop.
As you know, Sophia is the Director of the Office of UN Women in Geneva.
And Sophia, you have a new alert on the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
Thank you very much, Alessandra, and good morning, everybody.
Well, this September, around the world, girls are preparing to go back to school.
But in Afghanistan, girls are preparing to mark four years since the Taliban banned them from secondary education.
And today, UN Women, we are releasing new data which shows that despite this ban, the vast majority of Afghanistan's women and men alike support girls education.
In a nationwide door to door survey or more than 2000 Afghans, 9 out of 10 said it was important for them for the girls to continue their schooling beyond primary education.
Support was overwhelming across the board from men and women in both urban and rural communities throughout Afghanistan.
Despite the existing ban, the Afghan people want their daughters to exercise the right to education in a country where half the population lives in poverty.
Education is the difference between despair and possibility.
These findings can be found in a new UN Women General Alert, spotlighting the normalisation of the women's crisis in Afghanistan for years after the Taliban takeover.
This gender alert comes one year after the so-called morality law codified A sweeping set of restrictions on women and girls, and the impact is devastating.
For example, the Gender Alert also looked at the Taliban's ban on women working for NGOs announced nearly three years ago.
And in a survey conducted this July and August, 97% of Afghan women in areas where this ban is enforced said it has harmed their daily lives.
3/4 describe their mental health as bad or very bad.
And This is why investing in Afghan women's organisation is at the very core of our work in Afghanistan.
Because when other doors are closed, these community organisations remain one of the only life lines left.
If you can't leave your home without a man, or you can't speak to men outside of your family, where do you then turn for healthcare, for mental health support or simply for the chance to connect with others?
Well, you turn to local women's LED organisations and their work is especially critical for Afghan women and girls returning from Iran and Pakistan.
Among the 1.7 million Afghans who have returned this year alone, many forcibly, without women aid workers, many of those women will simply miss out on the life saving support that they so desperately need.
Without women aid workers, they are simply left on their own.
But despite everything, Afghan women and girls, they are not giving up on their hope.
In our nationwide Door to Door survey, more than half of women said they remain hopeful about achieving their future aspirations, despite nearly every door to public life being shut.
Hope itself has become a strategy for Afghans, women and girls, a deliberate response to repression.
And we, the international community, we must hear this hope and we must respond.
A few weeks from now, member States will gather in New York for the UN General Assembly to commemorate 30 years since the Beijing Declaration.
And Platform for Action laid out a road map for gender equality and where the world has seen significant progress in the last 30 years in advancing the education of women and girls.
For Afghan women and girls, the last four years mark an unprecedented regression.
And the question that we all have to ask ourselves is very simple.
Do we truly believe in equal rights for women and girls, Afghan women and girls?
They are holding on to their hope, and we must meet that hope with action, not with silence.
Thank you very much, Sophia, for this alert.
It is so important to us spotlight this dire situation of women and girls in Afghanistan.
I'll open the floor to questions from the room.
You've you've spelled out the the picture of where things stand at the moment for women and girls in Afghanistan.
What do you think is the, the outlook for the next few years for life for women and girls under the Taliban?
Well, thank you very much.
That is that is of course a very, very difficult question for us as you and women and all organisations that are working within Afghanistan.
Of course, the focus is to to support as much as possible women and girls in their plights, in their in their strive and and and as we have heard today, really to support women LED organisations on the ground, organisations that are present in the communities.
That's that's really what we knew and women believe is is critical to to meet the women and girls of Afghanistan in in their hope and to make sure that that their needs are met.
Thank you, Sophia other questions in the room.
Any question online to you and women?
Jamie, Associated Press Thank you so much, Alexander, for for taking my question.
I wanted to just ask about the response of the Taliban to these findings.
Presumably you've presented them to them.
What has been their response?
And do you, do you sense any willingness to open up from, from the leadership there?
Well, I mean, as, as UN women, as part of the UN, we, we engage with the de facto authorities at, at different levels in order to pursue our agenda of supporting women and girls.
And, and, and of course the, the impact is, is, is, is different at, within different, different communities and different, different provinces throughout Afghanistan.
So it's difficult to to to give a straight answer on that, but but what we do is, is really to engage, take every, every opportunity that we have to present our findings, but also to, to, to, to plea for, for the right of women and girls to education that is so crucial for the future of Afghanistan as a country.
So basically my question is just do you believe that the authorities are really committed to reversing the education bands?
And then I mean, which you sort of answered, but if you could say more on that.
And just the if I could also just add in a second question, what more can you tell us about the death threats that have been made against Afghan women who work for the United Nations?
I mean, coming to your, your, your, your second question, of course, as, as, as UN in Afghanistan, UN women being being part of, of the wider UN community, we do, we do our utmost to, to protect our personnel and we have taken various security measures in order to, to provide and, and care for their safety.
So, but as we all now know it, it is, it is a very difficult situation and, and as as we have heard today, those keeping bans on, on the rights of, of Afghan women and girls are, are having an impact throughout throughout the society.
So, so but, but as the UN of course, and as UN women, we are taking the measures that we, that we can in order to, to protect and make sure that our, our personnel is, is safe and their, their rights are, are insured.
Thank you, Sophia, I don't see other hands up for you.
So thanks very much for this, for this important reminder.
And I'm seeing in the chat if you could share the the notes and the figures that you've mentioned.
Thank you very much, Sophia.
I'll turn now to my right.
The pleasure to have Ravina with us from OHCHR.
And Ravina, you have an item on Iran, please.
You should have already received the briefing note that we've issued on Iran.
Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year and up until the 28th of August until yesterday, according to information gathered by the UN Human Rights Office, Iran has been ignoring multiple calls to join the worldwide movement towards abolition of the death penalty.
In July alone, Iranian authorities executed 110 individuals and this represents more than double the number of people executed in July of last year and follows a major increase in executions during the first half of 2025.
The high number of executions indicates a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants.
Currently facing imminent execution are 11 individuals, 6 of them charged with armed rebellion due to their alleged membership of the Mujahideen Calc MEK group and five in relation to their participation in the 2022 protests.
On the 16th of August this year, the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence against workers rights activist Sharif E Mohammadi.
The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity.
It creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people.
It should never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.
We call on the government of Iran not to implement the death penalty against these and other individuals on death row.
And once again, we call on Iran to impose a moratorium on the application of the of capital punishment as a step towards its abolition.
Yes, Olivia, thank you very much, Ravina.
I'm just curious to know if there is a explanation for why we're seeing such an increase and maybe you could speak of some of the people who have so far this year being executed and who is is facing the death penalty currently.
So that would be of course be a question for the Iranian authorities.
Why is there such a steep increase this year?
We can speculate, but what we are seeing is a targeting of certain categories of individuals.
So we're seeing political prisoners on death row.
We are seeing a disproportionate number of minorities on death row.
As I said, in just in July this year, July 2025, Iranian authorities executed at least 110 individuals.
Now this includes women, Afghan nationals and ethnic minorities such as Baluch, Kurdish and Arab citizens.
We let me also highlight the case of Sharif A Muhammadi.
Now she is a well known, very prominent workers rights activist.
She has been sentenced to death for security offences.
In fact, the Supreme Court in 2024 had overturned her death sentence due to numerous issues and flaws in the investigative report.
However, unfortunately, she was resentenced to death on the 13th of February 2025, and the Supreme Court then ended up confirming her death sentence on the 16th of August 2025.
So it's what we are particularly worried about is that a lot of these death sentences are imposed based on vague laws, vague national security charges, espionage, you know, enmity against God, those kinds of charges which are very difficult to to substantiate.
The due process that people are entitled to in any case, and this is particularly important in the death penalty case, also raises serious concerns.
There are investigative flaws.
There is a lack of adequate legal representation.
And then there's also the treatment of these detainees.
As you know, there is, there are a lot of instances of torture being documented in detention facilities in Iran.
And a lot of individuals who are subjected to the death penalty are moved to solitary confinement, sometimes for prolonged periods as well.
Iran has has carried out a couple of public executions in in recent days.
Are there many countries left in the world that hang people in public?
You're right, they have carried out public executions.
There were 7 reportedly carried out this year according to the information that we have.
Now, just a caveat on the information that we have.
This is information that we have.
The real situation might be different, it might be worse given the lack of transparency in the use of the death penalty, which is another serious concern.
So this year we have seen, we have documented 7 public executions, some of them reportedly in front of children as well.
There are not that many countries that still carry out public execution.
So we have seen incidents in Afghanistan recently as well as in Iran.
But of course, public executions add an extra layer of outrage upon human dignity.
The death penalty should not be used.
It the the risk of executing innocent people is irreversible.
There is little if any evidence of the efficacy of the death penalty to serve as a deterrent against crime.
Now, carrying death penalty out in public is a particular outrage, not only on the dignity of the people concerned, the people who are executed, but also on all those who have to bear witness.
The psychological trauma of bearing witness to somebody being hanged in public, particularly for children, is unacceptable.
Body was here as a racist.
And 1st body and then Nick.
Please, with access and the information limited by you.
And how do you verify each execution?
We have our sources, we have credible sources that we rely on and we always seek to look for multiple sources to, to corroborate information.
This is something that we are working on.
It's also something that the fact finding mission on Iran is working on, the special rapporteur on Iran is working on and many others are working on.
So we have our ways of of trying to triangulate information and This is why I said this is information that we have managed to gather.
There may be more executions than than what we are what we've managed to document here.
Yeah, thanks for taking the question.
You say that they're targeting a lot of minorities and and other groups, but I mean, the kind of charge that has been mostly levelled for executions has been drug abuse or drug trafficking.
Are you seeing explicitly a big increase in the other kinds of charges and particularly politically related charges?
We are seeing so charges such as armed rebellion, such as, you know, enmity against God.
I'm just going through my notes.
You know, we have so much information on the use of the death penalty in Iran that I'm just just now going through and trying to find in my notes what the most usual charges are, right.
So baggy, which is armed rebellion, Muharabi, enmity against God, espionage as well.
And of course, as you pointed out, the use of the death penalty for drug related charges is also quite significant.
As I said, what what is also worrying is the use of the death penalty against minorities, including Baluch, Kurdish and Arab citizens.
Last month in particular, No, sorry.
In the month of June in particular, there was a significant number of the executions that were minorities, at least 98 people.
At least 98 people, including a woman, 8 Afghan nationals, 10 Baluch, 5 Kurdish and an Arab minority were executed in June 2025, which is certainly a disproportionate number on drugs.
We have documented that in the first six months of this year, at least 289 individuals were executed for drug related offences.
Just a quick follow up also, I mean, do you, is there a pattern that you're seeing particular courts or particular regions, authorities in particular regions responsible for most of these death sentences?
I don't have a regional breakdown on the implementation of the death penalty, but let me follow up on that with colleagues and get back to you.
Other questions in the room.
But there are people I think on Afghan on Iran, you know, online.
So any other question online in the room on Iran?
So I think Jamie has a question on Iran.
Wanted to just ask you, the OHCHR, your office has been inveying against the death penalty and executions in Iran for quite a while.
I'm just wondering what response you've gotten and both either from the government or from civil society about your constant outspokenness on this issue.
And if I could just throw in a second one.
Is there any way to read into this that the Iranian government is in any way?
Concerned about its future and that part of that part of the reason is political.
I mean, obviously they came under military strikes earlier this year.
And, you know, is there any way to read into this that maybe the regime is is is teetering and is is taking these steps to to eliminate any opposition?
On on the last bit of your question, I'll leave you to conduct that analysis of, you know that the status of the Iranian government at the moment.
What we have seen and what I can say is that this does indicate systematic use of the death penalty as a tool of intimidation and repression of any dissent.
That much we have seen and we can read into the the pattern of executions that has been carried out, a tool of state intimidation for sure.
In terms of our advocacy on the death penalty, You know, we we've been on this podium over many decades talking about the lack of deterrence value of the death penalty, the inexcusable risk of executing somebody who is innocent.
And these miscarriages of justice are carried out even in countries with an advanced jurisdiction and they're they're unacceptable.
Also the disproportionate use of the death penalty against people who are already marginalised and vulnerable, including minorities, including people from lower socio economic backgrounds.
So we have raised these concerns both publicly and directly with the government of Iran.
We also had a visit, you will recall, by the Deputy High Commissioner to Iran.
I can't remember when it was, I think it was about two years ago where they discuss these issues with judicial officials and government officials directly.
There is some, there's a lot of engagement directly on these issues as well.
But as you can see now, the situation has only worsened compared to last year.
This is much, much worse.
Hello, this is Albert Otti with DPA Chairman Press Agency.
Hello Ravina, I have a question about something that Jamie alluded to the Israel Iran war.
In the aftermath of that there were reports about executions for for alleged espionage for Israel or for foreign entities.
Do your data show that there is an A spike in espionage related executions following the the the war?
We've actually seen a continued trend this year compared to last year of an increase in executions on whether there is any relation with the Israel, Iran military escalation.
I think what I can say is that patterns that we've documented across different countries do indicate that there are periods when a government is even less tolerant to dissent to anything that they can see as as threatening the public order.
And in these moments, there can often be an increase in repressive tendencies.
And as I said, that the use of the death penalty in Iran is certainly indicative of a systematic repression of dissent.
We do have some cases of espionage.
I'm just checking with colleagues if we have a breakdown of the exact number of cases in which espionage charges have been laid.
And that's again, something that perhaps I can share with you later.
I think this concludes the questions on Iran.
Mohammed, you want to ask your other question on another subject, if it's OK with you, Ravina.
Sure, thank you, Alessandra.
Ravina, my question will be about the Syria.
As you know, the Israel intensified its attack on Syria recently.
It's also threatened the stability of Syria.
My question is what is your reaction to this Israelis aggressive behaviour in Syria?
On Syria, we are of course following very closely the situation in Syria, including an escalation of violence.
I think the Secretary General, if Alessandra were here, she would of course cite his statements as well of concern and calls for the respect of the territorial integrity of Syria and a respect for international law, international human rights law in Syria.
We have been continuing to document serious violations, including with regards to Israeli conduct in Syria, as well as ethnic tensions in different parts of Syria, and we are also continuing to push for accountability for the violations that have been committed.
Right, I can look on the I don't see any hands up online.
There are hands up in the room.
So Olivia, please no worries, don't worry.
This is just a question about a thank you and this is just a question about a report that was issued by a group of UN experts yesterday and condemning the the enforced disappearance of starving Palestinian civilians seeking food aid at distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Just seeking any comment or detail that your office might have on that.
That is also something that you have seen reports of or are investigating.
As you know, we have been documenting the killings of aid seekers both at GHF distribution sites as well as other aid distribution sites on disappearances.
I don't think I have specific information, but again, I can check that and get back to you.
Any other, I don't see other hands up for my Chr neither in person or online.
Thanks for being with us on this important point.
That sort of brings us to the end of our topics today.
I don't have meetings to announce, but obviously, as you all know, the Human Rights Council's 60th regular session is starting soon.
And so I wanted to remind you that on Wednesday, 3rd of September at 10:30, the, the President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador you Lauber is going to give you a press conference in person here in the room, another press conference, I'd like to remind you the one on Monday, 1st of September at 12:30.
This is a little bit more complicated because it was, it is a press conference that presents you the finding of the UN Disability Rights Committee.
These findings concern the PRK, the state of Palestine, so in particular the situation of people with disability in Gaza, but also Phil and Kiribati and Maldives.
There are 5 speakers joining online because unfortunately the meeting ended up earlier than foreseen.
The five person will be online, including the chairperson, the vice chair and the three committee members, but the moderator will be in the press room.
Just underlining this in case you need to take images.
And then let me remind you that today is the International Day Against Nuclear Tests.
The Secretary General's statement for this day says that this important day arrives amid rising geopolitical tensions and growing nuclear risks, including the disturbing prospect of a return to nuclear testing in 2025.
We commemorate, as you know, the 80th anniversary of the first nuclear test.
We must never forget the legacy of over 2000 nuclear weapons tests carried out over the last 80 years.
The effects of this explosion have been horrific and the Secretary General to conclude that we cannot accept this.
The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty remains the only internationally agreed, legally binding instrument to end all nuclear tests.
It's sentry into force, long overdue, is more urgent than ever.
The Secretary General calls on all countries to ratify it immediately and without conditions.
Stop playing with the fire.
Now is the time to silence the bombs before they speak again.
And that is what I had for you in terms of messages.
I have two questions if I may, please.
One is for Christian with the World Health Organisation and the other is for Yentz, please for chair.
So both are in the room and online.
So Yentz, can you come to the podium and I'll ask Christian.
Christian is already appearing on my screen.
So please give give Yens a moment and we'll hear your question.
I'll start with you if I may.
It is a question related to Gillian Ballet Syndrome, which is being reported by The Who last week to have you've seen 85 suspected cases in Gaza.
I was just wondering if you could give an update on any new figures that you might have about number of cases but also number of deaths, as well as an explanation as to why we're seeing a supposed surge in a number of cases of that.
Yeah, on on the Guillain Barre and then the latest figures are now since June, June and now so June, June and until I think even 27 August 94 suspected GBS cases Guillain Barre syndrome were cross reported across the Garvis trip.
This increase is partly also now due to increased surveillance after the first cases appeared surveillance was was increased in by especially by the Ministry of Health with support of WHO and the partners.
Now you ask how how this happened.
So GBS is a so-called post infection syndrome.
So and and it comes typically following a respiratory or gastrointestinal bacterial or viral infection.
The full reasons for GBS are interestingly still not very known, but that's that's the background.
So it follows an infection which is typically bacterial or, or viral and mainly in the respiratory or in the gastrointestinal system.
Now given the, the especially the wash situation, the water, sanitation and, and, and, and health situation, the, the specifically the sanitary situation, this of course the conditions are ripe for any infections, especially of the respiratory or the gastro tract.
So the, the collapse of the WASH infrastructure, the, the overcrowding and the shelters, the movement of people, the lack of, of, of medicines to treat the, the lack or so of, of, of surveillance mechanisms, the lack of, of detection or lab facilities.
This all leads to, leads to this.
The, the problem with GBS is that the symptoms like paralysis, which can affect anybody, so throughout lifehood, and very severe paralysis in, in the severe cases is very similar.
So these symptoms are similar to polio that and that polio mainly occurs in the early childhood and GBS throughout life.
That's the big difference.
But the symptoms are very similar.
But with lack of testing capability and and restricted access and no medicines and no, no treatment, that is the huge challenge.
And there's the first line of treatment for Guillain Barre, which is, which is called an intravenous immune, a globulin or a plasma exchange.
But these are, these two are at 0 stock as are anti inflammatories.
And therefore these deliveries must be urgently expedited as much as surveillance and and testing capabilities.
That was really comprehensive.
I just want to clarify one thing.
Do you have any figures on reported deaths due to the syndrome?
Yeah, you mentioned them.
I'm not aware of any so far, but I I will report back in case I come across them.
And Olivia, you said that the question for Jens.
And this is just a question about the delivery of shelter material into Gaza since Israel said that it lifted restrictions more than a week ago.
I just would just like an update please if any UN agencies or partners have been able to successfully get shelter materials into Gaza?
And if yes, how much have we seen enter?
So here's what I got on on that.
We've been working very hard since the lifting of the Israeli ban on tents and shelter material to bring these items into Gaza and deliver them across the Strip.
But as we have mentioned before, the announcement lifted only one of multiple impediments.
That announcement alone will not get the tents in and the other impediments that we that have flagged up includes Israeli customs clearance requirements and restrictions on the types of shelter materials that are allowed in.
I was told last night that we hope to soon be able to confirm a shipment of shelter material into Gaza which would when we confirm that hopefully in that case will be the first one since early March, but I can't confirm that just yet.
I see, well I see some question online, but maybe before I go to the platform, any other question whether to ends or to Christian in the room?
James, on the same same subject, I would like to know now you are mentioning this shelter equipment, but I would like to know about the food.
Is any change in the entrance of food to to Gaza, any change in the way that you are having contact with the authorities there to to allow the entry of food and other essential supplies?
I I think from the United Nations families side, the latest you will find that from WFPI think it has been quite widely publicised that the head of WFP has just been there.
So maybe I can, I can just add as well, the programme is not here today.
Their Executive Director as as Jens just said that Executive Director Cindy McCain has visited the Gaza Strip and then called for faster approvals to move supplies into and within Gaza, as well As for safety, for people to reach aid and for humanitarian workers to reach those who need support.
Mrs McCain said that with famine now confirmed famine with now confirmed in as a governor to rate, we need the right condition to be put in place so that the World Food Programme can reinstate its vast network of 200 food distribution points, which included also community kitchens and bakeries, as you know.
She said she visited the nutrition cleaning that is keeping children alive and spoke with displaced mothers who described their daily struggle to survive, often searching for scraps of food but finding nothing.
As they noted, there has been a moderate increase in the amount of humanitarian and commercial goods entering the strip, but this is still far below what's needed to support 2 million people.
I can add also there was a positive Note 2 days ago.
For the first time since March, FAO was able to provide vital animal feed to herders in their Alba.
That concerned 200 herders which received 2100 kilogramme sacks each.
And that's a crucial step to protect livestock and help curb the spread of famine.
And of course, please feel free to reach out to WFP for the latest, latest numbers.
Isabel, you have a follow up.
Yes, I was aware of the visit of the responsible of WSP, but he's saying that a small amount of food is has been able to entry into Gaza.
But could you, James, please be more precise of how much food has been accessing Gaza on this last week since the declaration of famine there?
And what exactly has been this supplies and it it has been just once or it has been a a small amount, but in a regular basis.
Supplies that goes into to Gaza is not only the UN, but it's important to to stress that there there are other actors, there are bilaterals there.
Our supplies going in to these militarised distribution hubs, we don't have oversight over all of that.
What remains is that we have a declared famine in in Gaza and there are 500,000 people in that phase right now, expected to rise by about 160,000 more in in the coming weeks, weeks.
The entire Gaza Strip needs food.
There would not have been declared famine had there been sufficient amounts of food.
I know I'm not answering your questions about exactly how many trucks back and forth, but it is also coming back to things that we have said in the past.
Just pedantically counting trucks going in, going outgoing in, dropping off, picking up and all that does not give you really a very good picture of the effects of a humanitarian response or the effect of the lack of a humanitarian response, which is the result of the Israeli restrictions.
The the number to look at now is the number of people in IPC 5 and the number of people in IPC five.
That is going to go up in the coming weeks if nothing changes, because that rise is based on the assumption that nothing radically changes.
So we are on a descent into a massive famine and we need massive amounts of food getting in to the Strip and safely distributed across the Gaza Strip.
I don't see any hand up for anyone who's online.
So thank you very much for for participating in the briefing.
I wish you a very good weekend and I'll see you next week.
