Let's start this briefing of Friday 11th September in Geneva.
I will immediately start with giving the floor to Rolando Gomez, who's joining us by via Zoom to give us a short announcement about the Human Rights Council starting next Monday.
Rolando, you have the floor.
Thank you very much, Alessandro.
Good morning to everybody.
I will try to be brief just simply to steer you for the upcoming 45th regular session of the Human Rights Council, which as you know opens this Monday, the 14th of September at 10 AM in the Assembly Hall.
The session will last for just over 3 weeks until 6 October.
Usually these are three-week sessions.
We are adding a couple of days because the session is so very busy.
We have some 40 human rights themes in over 50 country situations, which will be addressed through report presentations by experts, commissioners of Inquiry, the **** Commissioner and others.
Later today, I will share with you a detailed programme for the opening day, but perhaps just to give you a very short preview.
Following the opening of the session at 10 AM on Monday by the President of the Council, Elizabeth Teehee Fisselberger of Austria, the **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Michel Bachelet will deliver her usual global update, which touches upon the recent recent human rights developments throughout the world, citing multiple country situations and themes.
Now her global update will be followed by three separate speeches on the human rights situations in this order, human rights situations in Nicaragua, Venezuela and Myanmar.
SO3 separate speeches following her global update, which will start off shortly after 10:00 AM on Monday after the **** Commissioner's interventions, we'll hear from Nicholas Kumjian, who is the head of the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar.
This is a speech to outline the progress made by that body, which as you might remember, was created by the Council back in September 2018, so just two years ago.
Following Mr Kumjian's speech, the **** Commissioner will return to deliver an oral update on COVID-19 and its impact on human rights.
Now this is a prescribed intervention which was demanded at A at a session earlier this year.
The **** Commissioner already delivered one such update back in back in June.
General debates on the **** Commissioner's interventions will begin late in the day on Monday and will continue to Tuesday.
So again I will share the specific details with you for Monday's programme as I usually do in the media updates.
That update will include practical links to reports and importantly to our online app, it's auth app or interface are called SCED SCHED, short for schedule and this is where you can stay up to date on the programme for the session throughout.
And maybe just last note, simply to remind you that with the COVID-19 measures in place, still very much in place, the Council will remain in the Assembly Hall where social distancing and the wearing of face masks will be in order.
The last two days, however, we'll move, the council will move back to Room 20, where the sessions are usually held under normal circumstances, I would say, and that is the 5th and the 6th of October.
And this is a, to allow for voting to take place.
Room 20 is the only room that's equipped for the Council votes.
Last note, stay in contact with myself and Sarah should you have any questions, if you need any help.
And I'd just like to thank you in advance for your reporting.
Thank you very much, Rolando.
I don't see any question in the room.
Yes, Alessandra, at the meeting with the President earlier this week, we asked some questions about the budgetary constraints for the Human Rights Council and we asked them by them to refer them to UNAS.
We were trying to find out, first of all, if virtual meetings are more expensive than live meetings and if this year's situation is exceptional.
I know we've asked budgetary questions about this before.
And you've said, well, people are always late in paying them.
But the president of the HRC said that in fact, this year it was exceptional.
Everything you're saying.
So what did you say at the end?
I, I couldn't hear the end of your sentence.
I think your answer has been that, you know, people are often late in paying, but the president of the HRC said this year the situation was exceptional.
So could you comment on that and elaborate?
OK, There are several issues in what you're saying and I know that these questions have been asked also the other day, as you said at the President conference, the question is complex.
First of all, yes, hybrid meetings are more expensive than in person meetings in terms of organisation at least Peter, I'm not speaking here of course about the, you know, the cost of the trips of people that come to Geneva.
This obviously we cannot consider.
But in terms of organisation the meetings are more expensive.
They not only have to include platform fees, but also an moreover, the technicians that have to operate the hybrid or virtual systems.
There are a lot of other costs involved.
We have made the presentation, the conference management vision of NOG has made the presentation to Member States to explain the complexity of this of this virtual meetings or hybrid meetings and they have been informed.
I take an example which is the one that we know best, which is the webcast for example, obviously the webcast of a meeting, it's something which has a cost.
But if we take the webcast of an hybrid meeting or virtual meeting with in several languages that has to be distributed with people who follow the webcast in it, it it's more complicated and then we really are unable to give a precise data.
What I can do is I can send you and I understand that it's sort of a everybody's very interested in that.
I can send you a detailed information on the situation in UNOG at the moment in terms of how many meetings, how it's gone the year and how the hybrid and virtual meetings are getting organised.
Because yes, we have to face it, many meetings will be either hybrid or virtual.
So if, if you would like to, to have this, I am happy to to distribute this information.
And while I will start the other briefing, I will look at the amounts contributed at the moment so that I can answer more precisely on the question of the budget.
Alessandra, thank you very much.
Oh, yes, if I may, sorry.
Just to add to that, Peter, just to echo what the President said the other day, she referred to a letter by the **** Commissioner to permanent members and which is outlining the liquidity crisis and how it's impacting the work of the Council.
There is an annex to that letter which she also referred to, which lists indeed in fact 13 different mandates which are being potentially compromised should, should money not be available.
So she referred to the the, the, how was I put it, the idea of putting out a rather adopting a decision by the Council this session in order to, it's a procedural decision that would be required in order to request for the additional funds, which didn't materialise this year in order to allow these mandates to have a longer lifespan one and also to the extent of mandates for them to be able to do their job.
So this is something I can be, I can share with those who are interested.
It's an important detail and it underscores the, the grave situation we have.
There's a price to pay in order to implement human rights, put it that way.
So I just wanted to expand a little bit about what the what the President said.
And last point, just to note, the reason why we're going back to room 20, of course is for the voting.
And due to the social distancing, we can only now members in room 20.
So only the 47 states would be allowed to sit in the room.
That means all the other 150 or so states or 140 some states would need to go to overflow room and watch the webcast live, but they would need to have it in six languages.
That's an additional cost right there to surrender the webcast in six languages, something that is not afforded here in Geneva.
So just a further detail on expanding what Alessandro just said.
And last point also the coverage of the meeting coverage, the meeting summaries will also be reduced because of financial, because of the financial crisis and recruitment freeze.
So we can't, we can't hire the temporary press officers that normally help us cover the the briefing.
Sorry, the the council and I, I'll come back to you with the numbers on the budget, but we have a very dense briefing today.
So I would ask for your indulgence and I will provide you this information.
But I would like to turn now to Yens, who has an invitee talking to us from Khartoum, if I'm not wrong.
And this is Mr Tinago Chicoto, who's the Archer Deputy Head of Office in Sudan.
He will talk to us on the floods in Sudan.
And also we will have Fidela talking to us about that.
And would you like to start and then we'll give the floor to Mr Chicoto.
Thank you very much, Alessandra.
And, and good morning, everyone.
And we should have online Tinago from from Khatung, who is our deputy head of office in Sudan, where, as you know, we have briefed about it before.
There's been very heavy rain, torrential rains and flooding over the past couple of months.
It continues the the numbers keep going up.
There's now will over half a million people who are affected and very extensive damage across the country.
But for more details, I will hand over to Chinago and we'll be happy to to take your questions when all the briefers are done with Sudan.
Thank you very much for the opportunity.
So as I said, over 500,000 people have been affected and that's over 100.
There's also damage to to property, houses, over 110,000 houses as well.
And Sudan being an agricultural country as well, we see that 1700 hectares have been affected or flooded and animals have been killed, livestock, that's 5500 or so.
So we see that as extensive damage.
In Sudan in general, we have floods from June to September, with floods peaking in August and September.
We are not yet out of the woods.
And with that though, the government, seeing the severity of the situation, declared a state of emergency on the 4th of September that will last for 90 days.
This will this basically means that the the government has activated all its systems and all its institutions to help with this particular response.
And we should say this is also and above your COVID and the economy is not doing well.
So you can imagine that the government is stretched and partners are also supporting, we have United Nations, your, your international NGOs, the Red Crescent and private sector they are supporting as well.
In general, if you look at the five year average of people affected, it's usually 250,000 per year.
But this is as already mentioned, we are over 560,000.
So partners before the rainy season first plan for the flood.
So our planning figure has been far exceeded more than double and slightly to continue going up.
So then that means we need to we are stretched as partners and the government is stretched as well.
So resources are are required aware of that said we we appreciate and thank the different partners who have already assisted that once the government made a call for assistance, Several partners have assisted from all over the world, but still more resources are required.
If you look at what's going on right now, we focus being that of saving lives.
We are looking at still covering gaps in shelter.
And then if I, as I can imagine, the first thing is to make sure that people who have been displaced, who have nowhere to go have at least something over their head.
So hence the need to make sure that there are tents and shelter shelter kits that might be tents or, or plastic sheets, but also being floods, being water, it means also we need to be looking at the health aspect.
But Dublish is going to brief on that.
But that's also a priority and also to make making sure that people have clean water to drink and also they'll be able to, to have good sanitation because in these conditions, if this continues as it is and sanitation is not addressed, there's a likelihood that we're going to be having to deal with disease outbreaks.
I maybe one thing to mention is that while a lot of focus, a lot of discussion is on, on Khartoum, it is 20% of the people that are affected.
And then other parts of the country are also affected.
And the flooding in Khartoum is mostly due to the river.
The blue nail bursting is is banks is overflowing because of a lot of rain.
But we also have rain that's not caused by River Rhine, but more on just the rainy season in Sudan.
So in the western part of the country where we have a large population of internally displaced persons in camps that are also affected, they need help also have in one of the states what which we call right now, it has also refugees in there were also affected.
So it's people who have vulnerabilities already that are also affected over and above the difficulties that they already have.
I think I will wait there and happy to take any any questions over.
Thank you very much for this.
I will now give the floor to Fidela who also has an update on the floods in Sudan.
Fidela WHO just one second, can you please unmute Fidela?
And this is from my colleagues.
I would like just to supplement what Ocha just said about the floods in Sudan.
As you may know, following torrential rains and floods in Sudan this week, WHO has provided surgical medicines and supplies, cholera medicines and other essential medicines and supplies to affected communities.
We have been informed that almost 30 health facilities were reported damaged as a result of the floods, although there has been no major interruption to their services.
However, as you may know, all Sudan's health system continues to suffer from years of underfunding, staff shortages, weakened infrastructure and the lack of equipment, social medicines and supply.
Medical supplies in the country are estimated at about 25% of actual needs and shortages have significantly increased over the past few months because of this flooding situation.
Supplies have been delivered to ensure water, water quality and infection prevention and control measures in order to put them in place in affected areas.
As you know that Sudan is prone to several vector borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya and malaria.
To help to help prepare for the spread of vector borne diseases, 10 environmental officer have been deployed across the country to support national efforts in water, sanitation and vector borne efforts.
WTO is also supporting 10 mobile health clinic in Blue Nile, N Darfur, Red Sea, Casella and Soto Darfur.
Additional 4 clinics will start working in Khartoum in the coming days.
W2 is working with partner agencies and the state of and the State Ministry of Health.
W2 has identified health needs, responded to more than 128 disease alert as I said, including diarrhoea, measles, COVID and others.
We are also working closely with the government, UNICEF and other partners on the response to the ongoing vaccine derived polio type 2 outbreak.
We know that malaria cases are already increasing and there is concern of widespread infection there.
There is a shortages of malaria treatment.
They are reported at federal and state levels.
Chikungunya cases have been reported in eastern Chad in the border area with W Darfur.
And as you know, the rainy season is is long, so further heavy rain are expected in the coming week over greater.
Therefore, the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlights so WHO is worried about increased risk of water and water borne and vector borne diseases.
This will create additional burden to an already overstretched health system.
We have WHO has a pre positioned essential medicines and medical supplies in the country in June this year and distribution is ongoing.
We have more than 1800 rapid response team members in all localities across the country.
But I mean the, the, the action should continue because the needs are great.
You will have all this notes in my briefing that was sent to you this morning.
So questions on Sudan, I'll start with Peter.
Peter, I think you have to take off your mask when you ask the question because it's not.
Yeah, I think this question probably for.
Yes, But is there any linkage in this Nile floods to the great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project?
Well, if you range in Ethiopia for sure is is kind of the background for why where there's flooding in Sudan.
But I might pass that over actually to Tinago to hear from his perspective if there's anything to add on that question.
Over to you, Tinago, can you please unmute?
So as, as Janet is saying, the rain, the blue nail, which is causing a lot of flooding within like 7 states, the one that we're seeing in, in Khartoum and there's also in blue nail and the Peskos.
India is as is catchment area in Ethiopia.
So heavy rains in Ethiopia will impact it downstream.
So right now even also the white nail is getting water from from South Sudan and Uganda.
So it's mostly the catchment area itself.
I would not maybe get into how the maybe they get in terms of, of the amount of water it has and, and, and what impact it might have.
But from our analysis, it's mostly just the rain that's falling in, in the catchment area that's causing all this.
Most of the havoc in in in Khartoum, but the western side of the country is just your rain that is falling, causing flash air from flash floods.
But you have a question now for Sudan.
I have a question for Rolando and also for Sudan.
So is Rolando still there or has he disappeared?
OK, I'll first ask my question to Rolando and then to Fidela.
Rolando, I'd like to just a clarification on is it Bachelet that's giving the three speeches following her global update?
And then I was wondering whether her speeches and also you have an extremely busy day these the speech on Myanmar and so forth, whether they're going to be followed by interaction discussions or whether those will be deferred for the following day?
And then I have question on Sudan.
Please Lisa ask sorry because this coming and going is very complicated technically.
And then I give the floor to Rolando and to our colleagues on OK, OK, I may, I may have missed it, but how many people in total are affected by these floods?
How many people have died as a consequence of it?
And the a little more information about the extent of the destruction, devastation that has been caused.
And specifically for you, Fidela, you just mentioned COVID-19 in passing, but could you be specific about the measures that are you that you are taking in this situation where no doubt people are going to be crowded together and maybe they won't have masks and the social distancing may be very difficult.
So if you could elaborate upon that, I'd appreciate it.
Let's start with Orlando.
Very briefly, yes, indeed, these statements will provide an opportunity thereafter for statements, statements mentioned there on Venezuela, Nicaragua and Myanmar to speak as a concerned country.
This would happen at the end of the day on Monday and the whole general debate will spill over to Tuesday morning.
But the concerned country statement should be in the camp by by Monday afternoon.
So who would like to take the question on on Sudan, maybe Tinagu and then Fadella?
But I'll look at the more the damage, the impact extent.
So it's basically the whole of Sudan, it's 17 out of 18 States and people affected as of 2 days ago looking at slightly under 560,000.
But then again I'll quickly say this is West still not yet out of the wood.
So the numbers are going to go up.
A house is damaged or destroyed, it's slightly over 110,000 and animals, the livestock also in talk of animals death about 5500 and agricultural fuel that has been flooded, it's around 1700 hectares.
And public buildings have not been spared as well.
In total about 180 public buildings have been affected.
When I say public, I'm looking into health facilities as my colleague mentioned about 30 health and then looking at your schools and government offices as well.
So, so that's more the the impact in terms of and the extent as well.
But I also say we have these numbers on our CTREP.
So we are more than happy also to just on relief web and or just Sudan CTREP, we have these these numbers and figures which we update on a regular basis as a situation involves Fadela.
Thank you, Lisa for this important question.
Let me give you maybe the epidemiological situation in Sudan in regards to COVID.
From March 14 to 10 September, there have been 13,437 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 833 death.
The last new cases were reported last week, but the the situation is stabilising in the front of COVID.
I mean, we can see from the last week that the number is less than this week.
No, no deaths were reported last week.
So this being said, Sudan has a very weak health system as as I, I told you and as you know it, it is undefended.
Lack of equipment, lack of training, lack of health workers.
It, it, it has suffered from a lot of problems since years.
What WHO and especially our office in Cairo is doing to help with COVID is we are, we have sent diagnostic tests, laboratory equipment, we have helped in training technicians and doctors to recognise symptoms on COVID and how to help patients.
We have also disseminated a lot of information including in the language of Sudan Arabic.
But this being said, COVID is a serious disease but don't forget that we have also so many other health threatening diseases in the country including all the water borne diseases and vector bond, malaria, chikungunya, polio derived vaccine and measles etcetera.
So we are working to help with mobile clinic, not only to respond to COVID, but also to other diseases.
And I know that it will be difficult in this condition with this damage, the extensive damage to keep physical distancing.
But what we can do is just to remind people of the measures that should be taken to minimise the risk.
Thank you, Lisa, Thank you very much, Fidela.
Also, sorry to your colleague in in Khartoum, Tinago Chicoto, Deputy Head of Office of OCHA.
Yes, you had another briefing point on the Palestinian territory.
And I have sent you just to also wrap up on on the Sudan briefing.
Tinaga made reference to a situation report that was that came out last night with many of these numbers.
And I've sent that to you just before this briefing, where there's also a link to the statement that we have, which I will speak about now from our humanitarian coordinator, Jamie McGoldrick.
In occupied Palestinian territory, which yes, the Israeli authority's policy of demolishing Palestinian owned structures has continued even during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The period from March till August this year saw the demolition or confiscation of 389 Palestinian owned structures in the West Bank.
That's an average of 65 structures per month, the highest average rate in four years.
442 Palestinians have been left homeless due to these demolitions.
Beyond the homes, the targeted properties include water, hygiene and sanitation assets and structures used for agriculture.
This undermines the access for many to their livelihoods and services.
The destruction of property in an occupied territory is prohibited under international humanitarian law unless absolutely necessary for military operations.
The demolition of essential structures during the COVID-19 is particularly worrying.
The pandemic has increased the needs and vulnerabilities of Palestinians in general, who are already trapped in the abnormal situation of a prolonged military occupation.
The humanitarian coordinator says that unlawful demolitions exacerbate these vulnerabilities and must stop immediately.
Thank you very much, Jens.
So thank you very much for this 2 briefing items.
Fidela, stay with us because you have quite a few other points.
But I'd like to go to another hot news about the refugee camps in fire in Greece.
And we have Shabia and also Fidela will tell us something about that Shabia for UNHCR.
Thank you and good morning everyone.
We will send you the the text of the note later.
Apologies we we couldn't get it to you before this morning.
Just a bit of an update from Greece.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is shocked and saddened at events on ****** Island this week where a series of fires have destroyed nearly all of Moria Asylum Centre, leaving thousands of men, women and children without a shelter.
With the initial fire which broke out on the evening of Tuesday 8th of September causing extensive damage to thousands of asylum seekers, shelters and common areas, more fires were reported on the evening of 9th September and yesterday 10th September as well.
The latest fires have affected the adjacent fields next to Moria Reception and Identification Centre in what is known as Olive Grove, destroying what remaining accommodation was available.
While no casualties have been reported to date, the fires have now left 11,500 asylum seekers, among them 2200 women and 4000 children, without adequate shelter, sleeping out in the open over the past few nights in the streets, fields and beaches.
Among them are vulnerable people, very young children, pregnant women, elderly people and people with disabilities.
UNHCR has been offering support to Greek authorities to help protect and assist asylum seekers affected by the fires and is mobilising resources and aid.
UNHCR is providing emergency assistance to help people meet shelter and basic needs.
The coronavirus pandemic is also adding to an already desperate situation.
People tested positive to COVID need to be provided with special care, isolation and treatment arrangements and medical support.
UNHCR has advised authors previously staying in the centre to restrict their movements until temporary solutions are found.
Amid a very challenging and fluid situation, we urge all to exercise restraint and refrain from actions or rhetoric that could heighten tensions.
While authorities are working to find immediate shelter arrangements, UNHCR urges that long term solutions need to be identified for refugees and asylum seekers in Moria and other sites in the Greek islands.
UNHCR has long been highlighting of the need to address the situation and conditions for asylum seekers on the Aegean islands.
The incidents at Moria demonstrate the long standing need to take action to improve living conditions, alleviate overcrowding, improve security infrastructure and access to services in all 5 reception centres on the Greek islands to respond to pressing protection needs of asylum seekers in Greece.
UNHCR continues to advocate for more support, including from European countries and EU institutions, such as through expedited revocations of unaccompanied children and other vulnerable people.
UNHCR welcomes the announcements made these last few days by European countries to take in unaccompanied minors and families with children from Greece.
Thank you very much, Fidela, on the same subject, yes, just to to add very short information about the situation in in this camp.
These are the notes I received from our office in Copenhagen.
So if you have a follow up question, you can send them to europe.europress@who.in T But they they asked me to tell you the following.
The Who representative in Greece has been on the ground in ****** together with the government official since the first hours after the fire.
The government of Greece has asked WHO to support the response through the deployment of WHO emergency medical teams.
We have two emergency medical teams, one from Belgium and one from Norway.
They are planning to arrive tomorrow and Monday on the ground to help set up the to set up the health coordination cell to cover a range of health services people might need.
So we have two medical emergency teams in their way to.
This was 1 coming from Belgium, a second from Norway and The Who Health Emergency Officer will be shortly on the ground to set the Health Coordination cell to work with all the partners to cover a range of health services people might need.
WHO is also ready to send medical supplies as needed.
This is to supplement existing services which have been partially disrupted or damaged.
As I said, our office in Copenhagen is taking the lead to help in this situation.
Thank you very much to both.
Hi, good to see you all standing in for Jamie today.
I have a question about the offer from the Netherlands to, under certain conditions, taken 100 unaccompanied minors from Moria as part of the 400 that the EU is currently discussing.
Apparently, the Netherlands has said that while they will do this, they will subtract the 100 from 1/4 of refugees to be relocated on the other UNHCR programmes.
And I'm wondering whether UNHCR has been notified of this possibility and whether you have any views on this.
Look, I don't have the specifics of individual commitments, but that's something that I can maybe follow up for sure with you after.
Hi, Shabia and Fidela, there is a proposition, I don't know whether it's been scotched or not, but a suggestion that the refugees be housed on ships.
And so I'm wondering, given the COVID-19 pandemic, whether this is really advisable because ships have been considered, are considered a kind of a diseased Petri dish in the past.
Is it would it be safe to move them under these conditions to to ships where the confinement is very close?
I can try and look, Lisa, I'm aware obviously of these reports, but we we just don't really know where this proposal stands.
So, so it's a bit sort of hard to, to speculate, but in general, I mean, the COVID situation is definitely complicating things.
I mean, the situation right now on the ground as well, but that also needs to be factored into account in any, any solution.
And that's why we're advocating really also long term solutions to be looked into.
Podella, nothing to ask that I can put you in contact with our office in Copenhagen.
They are following more closely the situation in this camp and in in Greece.
Fidel, I was wondering if you have an update from your WHO office in Greece, how many cases have tested positive for COVID in the camps and in the island of ****** overall?
John, let me check with our office in Copenhagen and I will put you in touch with them or you or you can send them directly an e-mail.
It's Europress one word Europress at who.in T They told me that they are happy to take all your questions on the situation in the camp, but also overall situation in Greece in relation also to COVID.
I I think we're aware of COVID cases increasing, you know, and, and in Greece in the in the camps in the mainland.
But I think if you're asking about Mori, I think there were 35.
OK, Thank you very much to everybody for that.
Stay with us because I know you have more.
I've got Ravina for time issues.
I'd like to have her now.
But just to answer, Peter, what you had asked before about the finance of the organisation and the budget, I would like to say the following at on on on 3rd of September this year, 115 states had paid.
The Secretary General has written to the member states to express his continuing concern that UN operations are under great pressure due to the deepening liquidity crisis.
We're not speaking about the budget crisis here, we're speaking about the crisis of liquidity of cash as nations adjust to the pandemic.
The second-half of 2020 started very poorly in terms of funding, with dynamic collections in July and August only 8.4 million, compared to 147.2 million for the same period last year.
The Secretary General said that the liquidity problem is exacerbated by significant uncertainty over both the volume and the timing of the remaining contributions, which currently total $1.52 billion.
In the face of significant and continuing cash uncertainty.
It had that we have instructed UN programme managers to more drastically curtail non post spending through the rest of the year in order to align expenditure with liquidity forecasts.
The Secretary General wrote that we need to collect $950 million to implement the 2020 programme work reasonably, but this seems highly improbable in terms of both volume and timing.
Therefore, we may end 2020 with larger arrears than last year.
While in the Greece, OK, sorry.
In the grip of a global health and economic crisis with potential disruptions to supply chain and procurement, the Secretary General once more urge prompt payment of assessment.
And this is what I had to say on the budget.
And thank you very much for your patience.
Go ahead with your briefing notes on Cambodia.
On Cambodia since the 31st of July, when a prominent trade unionist, Rong Chun, was arrested at his home in Phnom Penh by around 30 police officers.
We have documented the arrest of 24 human rights defenders in Cambodia, and this includes 8 who were arrested in September alone so far.
13 of those arrested were subsequently released, reportedly after they signed agreements under duress to discontinue their human rights activities.
12 of them remain in detention, including one woman who was arrested immediately after leaving our office in Cambodia in Phnom Penh this past Monday.
Most of them face charges of incitement to commit felony, including three human rights human rights environmental defenders.
Two of these were arrested after posting on Facebook their plans to walk to the Prime Minister's house to raise potential biodiversity and flooding concerns regarding the development of a lake.
Numerous individuals have also reported receiving threatening phone calls, including death threats if they don't seize their human rights activism.
They reported that they are being followed and many are currently in hiding for fear of being arrested.
We've also witnessed the unnecessary and excessive use of force by security forces against women demonstrators on at least five separate occasions in recent weeks.
Most recently, on the 4th of September, a woman demonstrator was violently pushed to the ground and required hospitalisation afterwards.
We've also documented the intimidation of those participating in peaceful demonstrations, including protesters calling for measures to alleviate the economic impact of COVID on livelihoods, as well as environmental activists and those demanding the release of detained human rights defenders.
A number of organisations have received visits by officials checking their registration, identity and other documents, while also experiencing continued surveillance.
The current situation marks a deepening of the government's intolerance to dissent and repression of the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
It is mainly directed at human rights organisations, environmentalists and human rights defenders.
We call on the government to immediately and unconditionally release those detained for the exercise of these rights and to bring an end to the intimidation of civil society actors.
We call on the security forces to stop resorting to unnecessary and excessive force and intimidation against those engaged in peaceful protests.
I see Katrine and then Lisa.
Nice to have you back home.
You're making this call to the government.
I think you've probably made similar calls in the past.
Do they respond at all or what are the chances of, you know, getting, getting anything positive out of them?
And then could you elaborate a bit upon the conditions of confinement by these human rights defenders?
About half of them have been released, but there are others that still remain.
So do they have any access to lawyers, to families or whatever, or is this a situation where they're completely blocked?
Unfortunately you are correct.
We have made these calls on several occasions, including in recent months.
We've continued to receive reports of acts of intimidation against civil society in February throughout the COVID.
Including for COVID related public comments that individuals have made.
We do have an office in the country and we are very closely monitoring the situation.
We are conducting an ongoing assessment of the human rights situation and we do communicate this regularly as well to the relevant authorities as well as providing support, advice and training to assist the government in in discharging its international human rights obligations.
It is of course our role to bring to light when the situation has deteriorated as we see it, it's happening currently on the detentions, there has in fact been a tightening of laws recently as well.
And there in terms of human rights organisations.
In fact, there was a letter that was sent out by the Ministry of the Interior publicly stating that a lot of these activities carried out by very prominent human rights groups are conducive to activities.
And I quote, to create provocation and incitement affecting the stability, security, public order and to create chaos in society through the use of social media and other media networks.
And they talk about simply the publicity that these organisations are carrying out through articles, leaflets, pictures, video clips and then carrying out demonstrations.
So the situation has deteriorated and unfortunately, many of these individuals who are arrested are not granted or you know, are guaranteed their due process rights as well.
I don't see any other question.
Thank you and welcome back.
Really, we are happy to see you.
So I know Myra Barum, is that the question for Ravina?
We still have one guest waiting in Beirut to talk to us.
So I'd like to speed up a little bit.
But Byram, is that for Ravina?
It's very good to see you.
Ravina, after four months, maybe you heard the news Myanmar soldiers confessed the mass ****** of Rohingya Museum in new video in Holland.
My question is that how will the process work from now on and will the Myanmar government be held directly responsible for this confession and what do you think about it?
I think you're referring to the soldiers who have told the the kind of the tales of slaughter that that they carried out, No, Yes, indeed, this is consistent with the kind of testimony that we have collected on the kind of violations that have been carried out under the Rohingya against the Rohingya.
As far as the follow up process is concerned, I think that is more a question for the for the ICC, not for us.
OK, Katherine, ask quickly your question, then we go to our guest in Beirut.
Alessandra, just to ask you if you could kindly send your notes regarding the decisions and the problems of liquidity of of UN that would be helpful.
And and the last thing is Ambassador of Austria did mention that United Nation did sign contracts with platform providers for virtual events.
So could you please give us the names of these three platform providers and also the amount of the contract signed with UN?
I don't know if I I have to ask if these are public information, but I will definitely try to put everything together.
So I will send you the notes of what I've just read that the Secretary General wrote to the Member States, plus the information on the situation in and I'll try to get you this information that you've just requested.
So thank you very much for your patience.
Mr Nino Karamoun, you are connecting from Lebanon.
I understand you are the Chief Technical Advisor, Rural Law and Human Rights of UNDP.
And I will give you now the floor to brief our journalist on the report that you've done to present UNDP approach to recovery in Lebanon.
And Sarah Bell is also connected for the journalist if you have any question to her.
Mr Karaman, please, thank you very much.
So to start on, I mean, it's difficult to thank you.
It's difficult to believe that it's already been a month that Beirut explosions shattered so many lives.
I mean personally, it feels like yesterday and and yet I mean pre blast Beirut seems like distant and surreal.
The path of destruction that it left behind is both visible in the shattered buildings, the neighbourhoods and invisible.
So the trauma that many children, women, men carry inside them, their lives, livelihoods, well-being severely impacted.
The blast hit at a moment when the country was already grappling with a.
Social, economic and governance crisis, as well as the flaring health crisis put a spotlight on the many vulnerabilities that are and exacerbated them.
More than half of the Lebanese are struggling with poverty.
Almost 9 out of 10 households on Greater Beirut are surviving on less than $200 a month.
300,000 have lost their homes because of the blast, 140,000 of them women and girls.
Too many others have lost at the same time their homes, their businesses, their jobs.
In many of the affected neighbourhoods, insecure tenure risks leading to large scale and permanent displacements.
Precarious living arrangements are increasingly exposing women and young girls to gender based violence.
It is important to note that the blast largely took place in a district already under **** speculative housing pressure.
How and if repairs will be conducted, who will undertake the reconstruction works and who will cover the costs remain unclear.
If lessons of the blast are not heated, the current reconstruction efforts can unfairly benefit a few at the expense of the many.
With the resolve of the women and men of Lebanon continuing to be tested beyond imagination, we at UNDP are committed to helping people recover, reclaim their lives and livelihood, and ensuring that no one be left behind.
At the core this involves recognising that beyond the figures, the statistics, the dollar cost of the rebuilding, this is a human drama.
The One Behind report that UNBDB is publishing on September 14th seeks to inform post recovery frameworks in a way that helps reduce the likelihood of compiling losses on vulnerable groups.
It lays out a non exhaustive set of guiding principles for an inclusive and just recovery process.
It advocates for a process that is people centred rather than building centres, national and scale and not only Beirut centric, human rights based, participatory and grounded in the accountability to ensure that the most vulnerable benefit from recovery efforts.
It underlines also the need to tackle the institutional and legal frameworks that have for too long been manufacturing vulnerabilities in Lebanon.
Too many women, children, elderly, refugees, migrant workers and other vulnerable groups that are at risk of having their rights denied, their wall being compromised.
I mean, in my old neighbourhood, then I say all of these.
There's Hassan, 25, resident of 25 years of this neighbourhood, whose wife has been severely injured, his kids traumatised, his house destroyed, his grocery store badly damaged.
He slept there for several nights for fear that his house be looted despite it not having doors.
He doesn't have money to repair.
He doesn't even know his kids are going to.
He's going to afford sending them to school.
Just a few blocks down the road, UNDP has set up a legal help desk and this is where we met Jawahir Searing, mother of four, who was cleaning houses to try to afford rent and whose youngest child was injured during the blast.
Two days after the exposure, she and her family were evicted from their home.
I mean stories such as Jahan and Jawahirs.
They need to be heard, their their needs need to be taken into account and their rights need to be safeguarded.
This is why UNDP is advocating for all stakeholders involved in the recovery process to integrate the LNOB, the Leave No One Behind guiding principles and their programming.
The focus should not only be on what should be done to rebuild Beirut, but also on how it should be done.
The blast was undeniably a human tragedy at turning point in the story of Lebanon.
Yet the post blast recovery process represents a once in a generation opportunity to lay the ground works for a more inclusive and just Lebanon.
I thank you for your attention and stand ready for for any questions you may have.
Thank you very much, Sir.
And, and I think the journalist would be very interested if you could send your, the notes, your briefing notes so that we can distribute or Sarah, Lisa has a question for you.
Lisa Schlein from Voice of America.
I, I was wondering, are the refugees being totally left behind?
I mean, there are, there are appeals for, for help, for money and so forth to rehabilitate.
Are the refugees being completely left out of this?
I mean, that doesn't sound plausible somehow.
And what, what sort of what sort of help on the ground are you UNDP actually offering for these people, for these people who are in such desperate shape?
Mr Caramel Yes, thank you for your question.
Listen, with regards to refugees, I think UNHCR is on the ground and very active right now.
Our concern of course, is that there are refugees and other group not be left behind.
I know last figures we had that date maybe from a few weeks back spoke about about maybe 37,000 refugee households impacted.
And this is also why this report, more than a report is a commitment.
We want to make sure that such population that are not being left behind.
And with regards to what we're doing, I could give you one example of something people centred approach that we're having right now that we instituted, instituted directly after the blast.
We set up in partnership with the Beirut Bar Association, legal aid help desks in various affected neighbourhoods in order to make sure that that the rights of the victims of the blast, of the survivors of the blast are being safeguarded.
And this is applicable to all vulnerable groups that can have direct access for free to these help desks and be supported there.
That's one examples among many.
Nina Larson from AFP Yeah, thank you for taking my question.
I it might actually be a question for Fidela.
I don't know if she's still there, but it's about the Greenpeace yesterday said that the smoke from the fire was was toxic.
And I'm just wondering how concerned you might be about the long term health effects and if, if also Fidela has any information about studies that have been done on on the smoke.
Thank you, Mr Caramoan, and then I'll I'll give the floor to Fidela.
Well, listen, I might not be in a best position to answer your question.
All I can tell you about the yesterday's events, it was a, it was a scary reminder of the of the August 4th class, I think revived a lot of trauma in many of us and that's about all I can tell you there.
Maybe Fidela has maybe more scientific evidence on FIDELA.
Let me look at my notes, I may have some information but I cannot remember them now.
Let me see what I have and I will share them with you.
So let me see if there are other question for Mr Caramel in the room.
No, online I don't see any.
So Fidel, I don't know if you found your, your notes.
In any case, your, your next briefing, you're the next briefers.
But I'd like to thank Mr Karaman a lot for, for this information, for telling us these stories.
As you said, it is very important that we hear those kind of stories here in Geneva.
So thank you very much and good luck with your work and we'll appreciate if we can get the briefing notes.
Fidela, up to you if you found the notes on Lebanon.
Otherwise, you also had a briefing point on Ebola in 1/4.
Yes, I really wanted to data on the situation of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ebola in ecuature.
It's important that we keep our eyes on this important health issue.
The Ebola outbreak in DRC has now spread into another of ecuature provinces, 717 health zone, bringing the total number of affected zones to 12.
The most recently affected area, Bomongo, is the second affected health zone that borders the Republic of Congo, which heightens the chances of this outbreak to spread into another country.
This makes cross-border collaboration between the DRC and Congo more important that ever and will require coordination on disease surveillance and efforts to screen travellers.
As of September 8, there were 113 cases.
Just to let you know that 107 are confirmed, six are probable, 48 people have lost their lives, unfortunately.
On a more positive note, 52 recovered and have been discharged from Ebola treatment centres and almost 2400 contacts have been seen and 27,000 people vaccinated.
The situation has been further complicated by a local health worker strike that has affected key responses activities for nearly four weeks.
Though some activities have resumed, many are still on hold and this makes it difficult to get an accurate picture of how the epidemic is evolving and which areas need the most attention.
We are currently experiencing a delay of of about 3 days from the onset of symptoms to when an alert about the suspected case is raised.
This marks we didn't get the last sentence.
Can you repeat it please?
The last sentence came broken.
We are currently experiencing a delay of about 3 days from the onset of symptoms to when an alert about the suspected case is raised.
So it's important that we know when a suspected case is detected because it will also increase the chance of survival of the person and also to be able to trace all the contacts.
So you have all this information in the notes sent to you this morning.
Just maybe I will add one information about funding.
The current response is grossly underfunded, adding challenges to the existing logistical barriers.
W2 initially provided 1.7 million U.S.
dollar and supplemented this with another 600,000 U.S.
dollar from WH OS contingency fund funds for emergencies.
This makes the total amount of money provided by WHO 2 .3 million U.S.
The DRC Ministry of Health has presented this week an integrated plan to donors and partners for about 40 million U.S.
So W2 urged partners to support this plan.
Without extra support, the on the ground will find it harder to get ahead of the virus.
So more information are in my notes sent to you this morning.
Emma has a question for you.
It's actually not related to Ebola.
And then I give you the floor, Emma, yes, you're right.
I, I was wondering whether the, it's mainly the lack of funding that is causing the, the, the Ebola epidemic to, to spread in this area.
Because some months ago there was an outbreak in the same area and it was somehow managed in a relatively short period of time.
And now you've got vaccines that are good and effective and people are trained and so forth.
So what is, what are the main reasons as to why it is spreading?
I mean, early on in this, in this particular epidemic, Michelle Yau, I believe that's his name, he was kind of upbeat about the fact of being able to overcome this in a relatively short period of time.
And this unfortunately is not happening.
Yes, this is the 11th outbreak of Ebola that DRC is experiencing, Lisa.
And every outbreak of Ebola is unique.
So for example, for eastern part of the country, we were able to control it after almost two years of battle.
This one started recently is very different from the one from Eastern DRC.
But we have, we have the same challenges and you are right, people now have experience how to deal with Ebola.
We really the, the provided the the first providers of support and control are the locally trained people from the country with support from CDC Africa and also from other partners from W2.
So we really rely on local health workers and the respondents to to help control this one.
What is happening now in Ecuador?
There is a kind of resistance from the community in some part, for example of Don Baca, we are encountering community resistance, so it could be challenging to investigate cases.
We learnt over years of working on Ebola in VRC how important is to engage and mobilise communities.
WT is working with UNICEF, with engaging religious, youth, community leaders to raise awareness about Ebola.
And the population is also very highly mobile.
Bandaka, for example, is a tracking hub on the Congo River and there is the fear and stigma surrounding the disease.
We are also, as it is a trade, a trading hub.
WTO is helping also to screen travellers, but the good thing about Ecuador is the fact that there is no security challenges like we experienced in in eastern Congo.
So we have many challenges plus the funding situation.
I'm not saying that the situation is not under control, but I'm just outlining the challenges that we are going through.
The situation of COVID also is complicating a lot of a little bit the, the, the, the response because we have some difficulties in moving people and supplies from a place to another.
The equator also is a huge, huge place and to move from a town to another can take a day, even if it's something like 100 kilometre from a a a town to another.
We need to take a boat or helicopter to move in medical staff or supplies.
You have more information in in my notes.
I was just wondering firstly, if you could comment about how positive you are about being able to secure this colossal amount of 35 billion for the ACT accelerator programme and how journalists will be able to track the money actually coming in?
And then I just had a follow up on the Monday Europe health meeting that's taking place Favela, I think you think I will, I will.
I will ask the ACT accelerator people how you can track the money that is coming, coming in for the second question, I didn't get you.
Can you unmute Megan, the European All right, The it's the public health leaders from 53 European countries that starts on September.
I'm just curious, you know, will this be in addition to the general briefing that The Who does?
Are the speeches by Tedros and so on going to be available under embargo, this sort of thing?
Can you tell us any more about how it's going to work and what to expect?
Let let me check for you with our office in Europe.
But this has nothing to do with the DG regular press conference on Monday.
So we will have the DG pressure on Monday.
And I don't know, Alexandra, if I can also brief journalist about another virtual event that will take place the same on Monday 14 that could be of interest to the to the press.
It's it was in the final announcement.
On Monday, we will have the regular Director General press event on COVID-19.
We will send you as usual media invitation.
It will probably happen if there is no change in timing after 4:00 PM, but I wanted to attract your attention to another important event that will take place Monday, Monday, next Monday, 14 from 3:00 to 4:00 PM.
It's a virtual press event.
It's not a press event, it's not a press conference.
It's the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board will launch their second report.
As you know, the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board is convened by the World Health Organisation and the World Bank and they will launch their second report about the state of preparedness to pandemic.
The Co chairs of this board are as you know the formal Director General of WHO, Gro Harlem Rutland and Mr Alhaj ASI who are the Co chair of the GP MB.
They will be joined by the Director General of WHO, Doctor Tedros.
So it will take place from 3:00 to 4:00 and it's not oppressive.
And as I said, but the formal launch of the report of, of this board.
Let me know if you haven't received the invitation from the board.
As you know, they are an independent one, even if they are convened by us and the word bag and I will be be happy to share with you how to register to attend this event.
It's next Monday from 3:00 to 4:00.
OK, this is for my colleagues.
Please can you close Freddy and give the floor to Catherine and in the meantime tell him offline that we couldn't understand this question.
Maybe he can send it in writing to Fidela.
Sorry for that, but he is inaudible.
Proceed to play the Devoir.
Mr Go rapper Susan Bargo, it would help to have the the second report and the embargo if possible, because as you know, Monday 14 is also the opening of human rights session.
It will be a very busy day for for the journalists.
So it would really be nice if we could have the report and the embargo.
Hi Catherine, As you know the the board is an independent body.
I asked for the report for you but I was told it will be launched the day when the event is is happening.
I can put you in touch with their communication person.
But the I was told the report will be, I mean published at the moment when the Co chair will will talk about it from 3:00 to 4:00.
So I don't know if the report would be given under embargo to journals or not.
But I can put you in contact with the with the board communications person.
Fidela Taha Fidela, what kind of support do you think can WHO give to Sudan during this situation, the flood situation?
Fidela flood situation As I said previously W2 has pre positioned medical equipment since June because we know that the rainy season will come.
We have also we are also supporting several mobile clinic to be able to provide health care to people in need.
Other health clinic will be set up in the very near future.
WHO also is helping with alert teams to go and try to detect all the vector borne water borne diseases that impact the health of population in Sudan including measles, polio derived vaccine, chikungunya, malaria and and cholera.
We know that cholera is endemic in the country and we know, for example, that malaria is already starting to take to to increase in the country, not not only due to this floods, because malaria is also widespread in the country, but with the floods, these diseases can be exacerbated.
You, you have more details in the north we sent this morning.
All right, thank you, Fadela, can you hear me?
Two or three questions actually.
First, please could you send us the invitation for Monday?
We I haven't received at least and perhaps with the contact of the person already that would free you from at least this job.
But also the reporter only wanted to reinforce Katie's point.
Monday will be extremely busy and this report is ready today, I'm sure.
So if it would be possible to get it.
And thirdly, as you see, the UN, the Palais is organising press conferences with the, you know, physical presence.
The Human Rights Council is back, other institutions already back.
When are we going to have a press conference with you physically present again?
There's no more argument.
There's no more argument to close Double HO to us.
OK, For the the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, I will send you the invitation.
I was told this morning that they have their own media lists.
So maybe you are not on their list, I don't know.
I am not managing this, the work of this board.
I heard about it this morning and I wanted to flag it to you as I know that you are busy and you are very interested by everything that has to do with pandemic and preparedness etcetera.
So I'm helping inform you about this.
I will make sure you receive the invitation because as I told you, it's a virtual meeting.
You need to register to listen.
We have several speakers, as I said, Guru Holland Bruton and Mr.
Al Habsi, but others also will join from academia, civil society and UNI will send you how to register the invitation and I will put you in contact with their communication person.
I I don't have the the report myself.
The only thing I know is it's the second annual report and the title is a word in disorder.
So I will convey your message to the board and send you the invitation.
I mean for the time being the the we are still restricting access to WHO?
Not all staff are back to work.
I will also convey your message to to the Director of Communication.
Thank you Jamil, Let's try again with Freddie.
Freddie said that conceived as consequent on Pavian merci deco with merci bocu Alexandra esquila le son pastrebian we Democratic Congo.
Would it be possible when we have virtual events that's a journalist can attend without registering all the time?
I mean, particularly for The Who Afro events, we have to register through a platform managed by a group called APO and they ask all kind of details that are absolutely not related to our work.
And it would be nice also if we could ask questions because we, we have the, we are in the capacity to ask questions.
We have to send them into written and the moderator is not reading them.
The moderator is just interpreting the questions.
I've already underlined this problem with one of your colleagues.
And it would be really nice if you could look into it and if we are able to ask real questions because the people that are participating to these events are really very interesting and qualified experts.
Thank you, Katherine, thank you for the question.
What I would advise really in a friendly manner, if you can write an e-mail with all your concerns and share them with the the chief of communication of Afro.
I don't know how they are managing their press conferences and I will not comment on their work.
So it's, it's better if you write an e-mail to me or to the chief communication in Afro and tell her your concerns.
She's very quick, she's very professional.
I'm sure she will be able to respond.
Katherine yes, my follow up is that I, I, I was in contact with them and, and you write for that.
I mean, they're doing a fantastic job, but unfortunately themselves, I mean, have apparently no control about the way press conferences are conducted because there is apparently a contract that has been signed with that APO group.
So I think that I mean, it cannot be on the on your level, my level, the level of the people of W2 Afro it, it, it is really to to be able to that someone can communicate with the people in charge at that APO group.
I really, I don't know all these details, Katherine.
So what, how, how do you want to do it?
Do you write again to to and and express your concerns or do you want can I suggest, can I suggest that we continue, you continue this conversation outside the briefing and maybe find a solution that can be shared with all the journalists after I take Jamil and then we close.
Yes, Fidela, really just just on the access to WHO In many, many countries, except dictatorships, journalism is taken as an essential sector in the sense of allowing it to work and to be at places.
In Geneva specifically, press conferences are being organised in person at the UN, At the UN it is being organised in person.
So if it is going to be maintained virtually only, we need to have an answer on why.
WHO is a bubble inside the UN and inside Geneva.
How is it that all around the world journalists are being able to go to press conferences with presidents, prime ministers, kings, etcetera, except double HO?
Let's take also this discussion offline and I will pass on the message to my supervisors.
Thank you very much, Fadela.
Thanks for this extensive briefing, briefing.
I just have a couple of announcements for you, just to remind you that the Committee on the Rights of the Child will open next Monday, 14 September.
It's online limited 85th session that will last until the 1st of October, during which you will hold only two public meetings for the opening and the closure of the session.
And then the two press conferences, I remind you, on Tuesday and Wednesday, Tuesday, 15 at 2:00 PM, the Human Rights Council, Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, we launched it's report investigating human rights violation in Syria from 11th January to 1st of July.
This is the report that is scheduled to be presented to the Council on the 22nd of September with the three members of the Commission.
And then on Wednesday, 16th of September, 2:00 PM, the Human Rights Council Venezuela, sorry International Funding Mission on Venezuela will present it's report and to assess violation of human rights committed since 2014.
And the speakers will be the three members of the mission.
And that's all I had for you and I will send you the information requested by e-mail.
Thank you very much and have a nice weekend.
