Good morning, colleagues.
Thank you very much for being with us for this future press briefing today, Tuesday, 24th of November, I will start with a few announcements.
First of all, as you know, the conference on Afghanistan 2020 is currently taking place at the Paladin here in Geneva.
The Secretary General has just addressed the conference he through a pre recorded video message.
In his message he has emphasised how the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate emergency are making life even more difficult in Afghanistan, particularly for the most vulnerable.
He has urged redoubling the redoubling of efforts towards an immediate unconditional ceasefire in order to save lives and prevent the farthest spread of COVID-19.
This would create, said the Secretary General, a conducive environment for the Afghan peace negotiations in Doha, a major opportunity to realise the long held aspirations of the Afghan people and he has also thanked all the participants in the conference for their pledges and generosity.
He said the United Nations stands with the people of Afghanistan on the path towards peace, development and self realiance.
You have received the statement of the Secretary General and on this press conference, on this conference, I would like to remind you the media opportunities that are organised today at 2:00 PM this afternoon in Room 14, we will be having a readout on how the conference is proceeding.
And the readout will be given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Finland, the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission for Afghanistan and the Minister of Finance of the Government of Afghanistan.
So that will be from Room 14 at 2:00 PM.
There won't be at that point questions and answers and the readout will be webcast on webtv.un.org this afternoon.
At the end of the conference, we will have a proper press conference, which will be held on our platform and in Room 14.
The press conference will be given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Finance of the Government of Finland, and then also by the Minister of Finance of the Government of Afghanistan and Mrs Lyons, Chief of UNAMA.
So that will be around 6:30 at the end of the conference.
This is what I had to tell you about the the conference in Afghanistan.
I would also like now, if there are no questions, for me to give the floor to Christine Lowe, who, as you know, is the director of the Liaison Office of UN Women here in Geneva for a short announcement on a commemoration that is starting on the 25th of November.
Christine, you have the floor.
Thank you very much, Alessandra, and good morning everyone.
It's my pleasure to brief you today on the UN systems campaign for 16 days of activism against gender based violence, which will kick off tomorrow on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and will run through 10th of December, which is Human Rights Day, International Human Rights Day.
This year the campaign will take place under the following global theme.
It's this year Orange the World Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect in this year like no other.
Violence against women has intensified drastically and ending this shadow pandemic will require more investment, leadership, and action.
Ending violence against women might seem unimaginable, but it is not.
We have the opportunity to reset and build back a society that leaves no one behind, where women and girls are empowered and can live free from violence.
Even before COVID-19 hit, violence against women was one of the most widespread violence violations of human rights, with almost 18% of women and girls experiencing physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner over 1212 months.
The pandemic is threatening to undo any progress towards eliminating violence against women and girls.
For every three months the lockdown continues, an additional 15,000,000 women are expected to be affected by violence.
Many women's organisations, crisis centres, helplines and and shelters have had funding cuts and are struggling to continue service delivery in response to a ceasefire at home, as it was called by the UN Secretary General.
Almost 150 countries agreed to to make the elimination of violence against women and girls a key part of their response plan for COVID-19, and many have followed through with stronger essential services such as shelters, helplines and other reporting mechanisms.
Yet much more is needed during the 60 days of activism against gender based violence.
UN Women along with other UN agencies is calling upon governments to take actions and more precisely is calling on governments to one fund organisations, second respond to survivors needs 3 to prevent violence and four to collect data.
Now during the 16 days, there will be hundreds of mostly virtual events that will galvanised the public's attention around the world to call for an end to violence against women.
Tomorrow on 25th of November, the official UN commemoration event will feature an opening address by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and will bring voices of civil society to the forefront along with concrete initiatives taken by member states to respond address the shadow pandemic of violence against women.
The event will also feature musical performances and will count on the participation of UN Women Goodwill Ambassador Cindy Bishop as well as UN Women and UNFPA Executive Directors for the 16 Days of Activism.
UN Women has handed over the microphone to survivors, activists and UN partners on the ground to tell the story of what happened after COVID-19 hit.
We are also running an ad campaign that cast the spotlight on the legal gaps that must close as one of the prevention measures needed to to end violence against women and girls in Geneva.
Here, UN Women and the EU delegation to the UN have collaborated on the public transport ad campaign, highlighting the need to end the element to end violence against women and oranging the depage buses and trams throughout the city.
The shadow, you might know, will be let up, as well as the Paledinacion, both in orange to tomorrow at the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
And perhaps finally, it's also a great pleasure for us to hear that the Parliament building in Bern will also be lit up tomorrow evening.
Thank you very much, Christine, for this remarks.
And indeed, it would be beautiful to see the shadow again and in orange.
I have a question for you from Peter Kenny.
Actually, I've just signed on so because some of the journalists were shut out.
So I just wanted to raise a question with you that yesterday during the Afghan conference and there was a press conference, there were no recordings available from the UN as they normally are.
Do you know why the situation exists?
Because it's actually quite important that we can actually get access to the recordings.
There was none at all available yesterday.
Sorry, this, so this the question is not for Christine, it's for me.
And since I don't see other questions for Christine, I will take your question.
Peter, yesterday there were no press conferences.
That is why there were no recordings there.
There actually was one press conference yesterday.
Well, it was not organised by the UN and I have no, I don't know exactly, let me check with that.
But we didn't organise a press conference on the conference on Afghanistan yesterday.
There are, there is a readout today and it was a press conference on another matter yesterday.
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
You're not speaking about the Afghanistan conference.
I'm talking about everything.
There was just no communications, no, no recordings available of anything.
And there is normally recordings available of, you know, all, all the main UN events that are covered.
So but then I would have to check maybe later on I can talk to you about this and and I will and I will check exactly what you are referring to.
Yeah, I think you should talk to all the journalists about it because there were quite a few questions about it.
Is there any question for Christine?
So thank you very much, Christine, for having presented as this.
And I'll just go to ILO for another short announcement.
Sorry, no, I have to read it for you.
The announcement says, I mean, I've been asked to tell you that this afternoon ILO will have an embargoed briefing on the ILO new exercise recommendations.
That's what I'm asked to read to you.
So let me go to the first points, substantive point on our agenda today.
As you know the situation, sorry, let me take my note.
The situation in Ethiopia remains worrying.
The United Nations remain extremely concerned about the safety of civilians in the Dubai region, especially the more than half a million people, including more than 200 aid workers who remain in the Kelly following information the fact they might move into the city in the coming hours.
And we are with together with our humanitarian partners, urgently calling on all parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including health facilities and water system.
And to speak more about the situation in this region, we have today the colleagues from OCHA, UNHCROHCHR and World Food Programme.
So I will start with Yens for Orchard.
Thank you very much, Alessandra.
And and bear with me, I'm just going to repeat a couple of those points for the for the recording.
We remain extremely concerned about the safety of civilians in Tigray region and Ethiopia, especially the more than half a million people who remain in the regional capital Mackellar, including two hundred aid workers.
We urgently call on all parties to the conflict to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and protect civilians and civilian infrastructure such as health facilities, schools and water systems.
It is also urgent that all parties to the conflict enable the free and safe movements of all civilians in search of safety and assistance, including across both international and national borders.
the United Nations and humanitarian partners in Ethiopia are ready to provide assistance to people affected by the conflict.
To do this, free, safe and unhindered humanitarian access is urgently needed.
We have finalised A humanitarian preparedness plan intended to help 2 million people with assistance in Tigre, Afar and Amhara regions.
That includes existing humanitarian caseload that we're already helping and an additional 1.1 million people expected to be in need of assistance as a result of this conflict.
To support this plan, about $76,000,000 will still be needed to finance it.
Thank you very much, Ian, for that.
I will give now the floor to Babar for HCR.
Sorry, Baba, If you can just Click to be unmuted.
Yeah, OK, just one second so I can pull up the page.
All right, Just joining Jens on Ethiopia.
The number of Ethiopian refugees streaming into eastern Sudan has now surpassed 40,000 since the crisis began, with more than 5000 women, children and men fleeing the ongoing fighting in Tigray region over the weekend.
The exact number according to our registration figures yesterday was 41,193 and out out of those more than 3000 had arrived or close to 4000 had arrived on on Saturday and another another more than 1000 on Sunday and 1000 yesterday.
So the numbers keep increasing by the day.
Unit CR, the UN Refugee Agency and our partners have been able to deliver and distribute life saving aid, including food, to more people.
But the humanitarian response continues to face logistical challenges and remains overstretched.
There is not enough shelter capacity to meet the growing needs.
A supplemental and therapeutic feeding is now being provided to some 300 malnourished children and pregnant and lactated mothers.
We have been able to identify particularly vulnerable people and refer them to relevant services.
Hot meals are being provided and more water points and latrines are being constructed for arriving refugees.
We continue to move refugees away from the border with logistics and distance limiting the number of people we can transfer to UN Rakuba settlement for refugees some 70 kilometres further inside Sudan.
As of Monday, just over 8000 refugees had been moved inside Ethiopia.
Unicia remains concerned about civilians, including displaced population and aid workers in Tigre.
We join our UN partners in calling on all parties of the conflict to comply with their international obligations to protect civilians.
We reiterate our call for free, safe and unhindered humanitarian access so that humanitarian assistance can reach people that rely on it.
Amid the ongoing conflict in Ethiopia, our concerns for the 100,000 Eritrean refugees is growing.
Without humanitarian access, there is great concern about the delivery of the most basic services, including water, essential medicines, food supplies, which will run out in one week for the refugee population.
We echo the call for all parties involved in this conflict to enable the free and safe movement of affected people in search of safety and assistance, including across international and within national borders, regardless of their ethnic background.
Nashamdesani has more on the human rights side for OHCHR Ravina.
The UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, is concerned that the ****** of major hostilities in Michele seriously imperils civilian lives.
The **** Commissioner has urged all parties to the conflict integrate to give clear, unambiguous orders to their forces, to take constant care to spare and to protect the civilian population from the effects of the hostilities.
A highly aggressive rhetoric on both sides regarding the fight for Mckelly is dangerously provocative and it risks placing already vulnerable and frightened civilians in grave danger.
The **** Commissioner fears that such rhetoric will lead to further violations of international humanitarian law.
My Commissioner expresses alarm at reports of a heavy build up of tanks and artillery around Mckelly, which is the capital city of Tigray province, following the government's issuance of a 72 hour ultimatum.
Such rhetoric suggests possible breaches of the cardinal principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution in the conduct of hostilities that are designed to ensure the civilian population is protected.
Responding to allegations that the Tigray People's Liberation Front, the TPLF, is stationing itself among civilians, we stress that under international law, parties to a conflict should take all possible measures to protect the civilian population under their control from the effects of attacks, namely by avoiding, to the extent feasible, locating military objectives in densely populated areas.
However, this does not then give the Ethiopian state carte blanche to respond with the use of artillery in densely populated areas either.
We remind all parties to the conflict that the obligation to respect international law is not conditional on the other parties behaviour.
All parties to the conflict are bound to respect international humanitarian law and human rights law as applicable and the protection of civilians is paramount.
In particular, the **** Commissioner recalls that it is prohibited to treat as a single military objective a number of distinct military objectives located in a densely populated area.
We are deeply disturbed at the continuing communication blackout in Tigray Province, which has made it very difficult for civilians to communicate with their family members and for the UN to monitor the human rights and humanitarian situation.
Reports continue to emerge of arbitrary arrests and detentions, killings, as well as discrimination and stigmatisation of ethnic Tigrays.
More than 40,000 people have fled, as UNHCR has stated, from Tigre province into neighbouring Sudan since the 7th of November.
We implore all parties to respond positively to attempts that dialogue and to ensure unfettered access to humanitarian assistance for those who so desperately need it, and protection and security for aid workers.
Thank you very much, Ravina for this briefing.
And our last but definitely not least speaker on the subject is Thompson.
The World Food Programme is alarmed at growing numbers of people in need of humanitarian assistance in both Ethiopia and Sudan because of the conflict in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
On Sudan's border with Ethiopia, the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating as the influx of people continues.
Needs remain very **** and will likely overwhelm the response.
Whilst you've been able to provide food and logistic support, together with partners, the Sudanese government and and and and many other NGOs, we had dispatched enough food to feed 60,000 people for one month.
However, the food there to be borrowed from ongoing programmes elsewhere in the country.
We literally robbed Peter to pay Paul and the continued influx of new arrivals will strain our ability to respond to existing humanitarian needs in Sudan as the countries dealing with multiple crises throughout the country.
On Friday last week, WFP appealed for 24.6 million to meet the immediate needs of European refugees seeking safety in Sudan.
Of this, about 20 million will help ensure that food insecure people who are their most vulnerable can receive continuous support over the next six months.
Also, 3.8 million will be used to increase the number of owners flights to Eastern Sudan, whilst about 750,000 United States dollars is required for emergency Rd repairs to allow responders to reach remote and inaccessible areas where most of these refugees are arriving.
Thank you very much Thompson.
And I would now like to give the floor to the journalists.
I see already a few hands up.
Let me start with Yonel from Kyoto.
Yonel, first regarding Aiello, could you kindly tell them that we are a bit busy today, so if they if they can just postpone their briefing on another day.
I mean, it's just a matter of comments and I'm sorry, but I can just convey my no, but indeed, I mean I have listened to you the two press points from the conference on Afghanistan.
But as you know, you also have a press conference by WHO at 3:30 and the physical activity guidelines.
And I wonder whether the two are connected.
I have to check with ILO colleagues.
The first will be for OCHA, for Yentz and Ravina, whether for Yentz, what is the response by the the Ethiopian government regarding your call for humanitarian access and for Ravina, regarding your concerns about the violations, potential violations of human rights during hostilities.
What are the nature of your contact with the the Atyrkin armed forces?
How do you engage with them?
What are their position, etcetera.
And then also for Ravina, you mentioned about the fact that is more for my, my curiosity about the fact that it's forbidden under international law to consider several a series of targets in urban areas as a whole.
If I can say, is it related to the principle of distinctions or is it a specific, I would say article in a, in a treaty because I've never seen that.
Thank you, thank you, Lionel.
I will start giving the floor to Jens.
The negotiations are still ongoing.
I cannot give you a clear answer to what they are saying and I'm sure that they will pronounce themselves.
We are in in contact of course with with both sides of the of the of the crisis of of the conflict.
What we're asking for is really to have the the necessary and unhindered access into Tigre so that we're able to provide the assistance.
And Ravina, would you like to answer to the other questions, please?
In terms of our engagement, yes, in fact, the **** Commissioner has been sending letters and we have an office in Addis Ababa as well, and we have been in contact with the Ethiopian authorities.
You may recall the **** Commissioners also issued 2 previous press releases on this issue on the 6th of November and on the 13th of November, calling for de escalation, calling for dialogue, and warning that this conflict really had potential to spiral out of control.
And now with the kind of rhetoric we're doing, we are extremely concerned about the fate of civilians on both sides.
We've seen an Ethiopian Colonel come out and say that there will be no mercy on the other side.
We've had the TPLF leadership come out and say that they're prepared to die.
This is the kind of rhetoric that is extremely worrying and that may provoke, that may lead to serious violations of international humanitarian law on the point of treating a single military objective, as you know, the prohibition on treating a single military objective given a number of distinct military objectives located in the densely populated area.
This is to do with the principles of distinction and proportionality.
And of course, what is paramount is that civilians are protected.
Thank you very much, Vina.
I'll go now to Catherine.
I have a couple of questions.
First, could you could everyone kindly send their notes because particularly Thompson, you mentioned so many figures that it would be easier to, to, to read them.
Now I have a question regarding several questions.
One is regarding the figure of children.
I don't know if there's anyone from UNICEF if Marek C is attending day, no one from OK.
So I don't know if any of you can answer about how many children are among the refugees.
My my other question is regarding the ID PS.
Do you have also figures about the ID PS And do you could you tell us, give us more information where they moved to, from where to, to which place?
And the last thing I wanted to make sure I could.
Well, the info that the 24.6 million that are requested are for the six coming months, is that correct?
So unfortunately, no, we don't have UNICEF, but Paul Dylan is connected in case he wants to add something on the ID PS In the meantime, I will start with Yens.
Then I see Babar would like to also answer Yens and yes, for the notes, of course.
I think UNHCR has some numbers on, on children crossing the border and that is related to the number of ID PS As you asked about Catherine.
Well, the short answer is we don't really know.
There is a communication blackout.
We do understand that there may be very severe, massive, actually internal displacement going on.
People trying to get away from the fighting.
What, what we can say is that, you know, before the 40,000 refugees became refugees, well, they were ID PS.
So when you have 40,000 that actually cross the border and then change status and become refugees, they were ID PS before.
So just on the basis of that, that number and very **** daily average that are coming across the border, that gives us an indication that this may be only the, the tip of the iceberg.
So our, our concern is, is very **** for the internal displacement.
Thank you very much, Babar, and also the other speakers.
If you want to intervene, just raise your hand.
Thank you very much, Alexandra.
In terms of refugee arrivals, almost half of them are children.
The stats I have over here says 45% children from zero to 17 years of age.
And this is as it was mentioned earlier, the numbers have now crossed 41,000.
The daily average of refugee arrivals is nearly 3000 since the crisis began.
I know that the access to the region is very difficult and only apparently one journalist, independent journalist, has been able to reach the place.
More as apparently the humanitarian have no access.
Babarians or any other colleague, Rabat not not much actually to add from my side.
I mean, we, we have seen, there are some, I don't know who they are frankly, independent private satellite image providers who have, who have issued or were published or given some satellite imagery to, to the media about destruction.
And, and that is of course something we, we, we can all look at.
But to get a handle on actually having a, a proper assessment, of course, we will try to, to see whatever sources that that we that we do have.
You know, normally we like to hear from our own people.
The problem is that as we know, just in Mackellar, we have about 208 workers who are basically stuck and they are unable to do their work.
Which part of that would in a situation like this, of course, be to try to get an assessment of the numbers and who is moving where and so on and so forth.
But they are stuck like the other civilians there.
I don't think we can hear you, although you are muted.
So maybe let's go to Gabriella and we will try with Emma again.
Gabriella Sotomayor, thank you.
Alessandra to Ravina, you you mentioned if you can elaborate on aid workers.
What, what, what is their situation?
Sorry, I was trying to unmute.
I We don't have specific reports of aid workers being targeted, but I think it might, maybe Yens has more to say on that.
The problem is we don't have many reports at all coming from inside the country, inside Tigray region because of the communication blackout.
What we do have is colleagues have managed to speak to some people who have fled and they speak of, you know, indiscriminate attacks.
They speak of having been attacked from all sides really from the government side as well as by militia.
But on aid workers specifically, we don't have information.
No, I think there's a problem on your side because you are unmuted on our side.
Maybe you can send me your own question by on the soon I I read it to our colleagues and I go to Tener.
My question is for Navina and it is regarding the situation, the response of the Office of the **** Commissioner on the situation.
Of the Muslim community in Europe, we hear that the restrictions on the religious minority in France, according to Le Figaro, President Macron, he put an ultimatum of two weeks to the Muslim community to sign a charter and a Carter or and the Muslim community say they are not, they are not consulted about the content of it.
And in Austria, there are also media reports on illegal means of investigations against the Muslim community there.
And I wonder if there is a action from the **** Commissioner.
Hey well maybe you can answer this although.
No, thank you for those questions, Tamar.
I don't have anything specific on these, but let me let me consult with colleagues and come back to you on those.
We have seen in the aftermath of the attacks in France that there have been many worrying issues relating to to the treatment of Muslims and there was even that one case where 10 year old children were interrogated and we had expressed concerns about that case in particular.
On these I will get back to you.
I let's see if there are other questions on Ethiopia.
Rapidly just to follow up on the on the question by Catherine which I to to yens which I thought was very interesting regarding the satellites, it is my understanding that the.
UN has a satellite agency.
Well, not of course they don't handle their own satellites, but they they use satellites and there are, there are technicians there that are disposal.
So why I'm not asking, I mean these people to try to monitor IDP movement inside the Tigre region.
From a point of view, it makes sense.
And then Ravina, just a question regarding the rhetoric of the Ethiopian armed forces, you mentioned can can such a rhetoric like saying there will be no mercy?
Can this rhetoric in itself be considered a breach to international law?
Yes, would you like to start on the satellite issue?
Yeah, thank you very much.
It did has UNICET, of course, and just because I say that I don't have the information doesn't mean that it's not happening.
It just means that I'm not aware of it.
So let me let me look into that and if there's something I can say or we can say or do you have any pictures?
We'll see what we can do Thank you.
Check with you, Mesat Ravine.
On the question of whether such statements in themselves could amount to a violation, yes, indeed they can.
There is a provision in international law that ordering or threatening that no quarter will be given, that could amount to a war crime.
This means that, you know, simply saying that there's no mercy, that there will be no opportunity to surrender, That in itself the statement itself could constitute a war crime.
Now what's happened in this case is that I, what I understand is that there was 1 Colonel who came out and use this language of no mercy, in fact, even calling on civilians to take actions to protect themselves from heavy artillery.
That's going to come at the end of this 72 hour ultimatum.
Following that, there were other **** level military officials who drew back, drew back from those comments and they said that those comments were misunderstood.
The Prime Minister himself has issued statements assuring civilians that they will be protected.
So the situation is not clear, but which is why the **** Commissioner has begun with the call that there need to be clear and unambiguous orders given to the security forces in the conduct of hostilities to to take constant care, to spare and to protect the civilian population.
Thank you very much, Byron.
Thank you so much for giving this opportunity.
Ravina, you said you issued a statement regarding this police status of 10 years old children in France.
I haven't seen this statement.
I think we you distributed Ravina, right?
I can send it after this briefing for sure.
I can send it to everyone if that's helpful.
And maybe just resend it to everybody.
OK, So that was the last question on the platform.
I'm looking at my phone in case Emma had sent me her question, but I don't see it.
So Emma, please do so if you, if you still want to, to ask your question.
Otherwise, I will thank Jens and Babar and ask Robina and Thompson to stay with us.
You have a briefing note on Brazil.
On Brazil, the killing of Chihuahua Alberto Silvera Freitas, an Afro descendant beaten to death by two private security guards in the southern Brazilian city of Puerto Alegre, is an extreme but sadly all too common example of the violence suffered by black people in Brazil.
It offers a stark illustration of the persistent structural discrimination and racism that people of African descent face in the country.
This deplorable act, which tragically happened on the eve of Black Consciousness Day in Brazil, should be condemned by everyone.
Government officials have a particular responsibility to acknowledge the underlying problem of the persisting racism in the country, as this is the first essential step towards solving it.
The structural racism, discrimination and violence that people of African descent face in Brazil is documented in official data, which indicates that the number of Afro Brazilian victims of homicide is disproportionately higher than other groups.
Data also shows that Afro Brazilians, including women, are over represented in the prison population in the country.
We understand that an investigation is under way regarding the death of Mr Silvera Freitas.
It should be prompt, thorough, independent, impartial and transparent, and it should also examine if racial bias played a role.
This aspect should be also taken into consideration when ensuring truth and justice, as well as redress and reparations for his family.
We also call on the authorities to investigate any allegations of unnecessary and disproportionate use of force against people protesting peacefully following Silvera Freitas death and hold those responsible to account.
This case and the widespread outrage that it has sparked highlight the urgent need for the Brazilian authorities to tackle racism and racial discrimination in close coordination with all groups of society, especially those who are most affected.
The legacy of the past is still present in Brazil, as it is in other countries.
Black Brazilians endure structural and institutional racism, exclusion, marginalisation and violence, with in many cases, lethal consequences.
Afro Brazilians are excluded and almost invisible from decision making structures and institutions.
To overcome the situation, urgent reforms of laws, institutions and policies, including affirmative action, are needed.
Deeply ingrained racial stereotypes, including among officials, in the police, and in the judiciary, must be tackled.
Authorities must also intensify human rights education in order to promote better understanding of the root causes of racism and to make a greater effort to encourage respect for diversity and multiculturalism.
There needs to be an effort to foster deeper knowledge of Afro Brazilians culture and history, as well as of their contribution to Brazilian society.
While the state has the duty to prevent and redress human rights violations, business enterprises also have a responsibility to respect human rights throughout their operations and business relationships.
This responsibility requires a company to conduct human rights due diligence to prevent, identify and mitigate human rights risks, including in the contracting of private security.
We note that KAFU, a member of the UN Global Compact, the network of companies that has committed to supporting UN goals on whose premises Silvera Freitas was killed, has said that it has already terminated it's agreement with the private security company concerned.
Carrefour should explain if and how it had assessed human rights risks associated with contracting the company and what steps it had taken to mitigate such risks with a view to preventing a tragedy like this.
Ravina, you already have two questions.
I saw your hands as soon as Ravina started speaking, so you're first.
Question on the basically the behaviour of President Bolsonaro and the Vice President Modo.
Both of them said racism does not exist.
Bolsonaro at the G20 itself in the official speech mentioned that he only sees 2 colours of Brazilians, green and yellow.
How would you take this negationist I would say behaviour and how damaging is it for those who are fighting for a more equal society?
Thank you for your question, Jamil.
As we've said, this is a deplorable act which should be condemned by everyone.
And when we speak of everyone in particular, there is a responsibility within government and at the highest levels of the political leadership for such conduct to be acknowledged and to be condemned.
Now, acknowledgement is the first step towards actually working to resolve the problems.
And as we said, this is not a new problem in Brazil, as you know very well, this is a problem that has gone back decades and this is very deep rooted structural discrimination against people of African descent in Brazil.
The first step has to be acknowledgement.
And then there are many other steps, urgent reforms of laws, institutions, policies, education, education not only of young children, but also education of people in law enforcement, judicial officials.
And as I said, the responsibility extends as well to private enterprises who do have a responsibility to conduct due diligence to understand how their actions may lead to or prevent human rights violations from occurring.
And have you know, yeah, it's a bit more on the same issue because during the G20 summit, President Bosonaro, he reacted to the crime, but not mentioning the name, the death, specifically about the death of Robert Silvera Freitas.
What do you think, President should what the message should be more precisely at this moment, this delicate is very difficult moment.
I know as I said, the the most important thing for us is that there needs to be an acknowledgement of the problem in many societies.
Brazil is not alone in in the existence of, you know, deep rooted structural racism against certain minority communities.
And in Brazil it's been a long standing problem that people of acro dissent have suffered all forms of violence, of injustice.
To deny the problem is to perpetuate it.
So what is important is that the leadership at the highest level acknowledges the problem and takes steps to address it.
In this briefing note, we've laid out some steps that they can take and we would be very happy to to to provide you with many other ideas.
As I said, it's not new and Brazil is not alone in having to tackle it.
There are ways to to move forward on this.
I don't see any other question on this point.
In fact, we are back to Afghanistan with you.
Just to say that I've just circulated the briefing note with both Ethiopia and Afghanistan.
And in response to Catherine's other question on, on whether the 24.6 million United Stores dollars that we are paid for on the duration, the period that it will cover, it will indeed cover six months.
And the briefing note details exactly the breakdown.
Now very quickly on Afghanistan.
The country Afghanistan is facing extremely **** levels of food insecurity and malnutrition.
We E met close to 17 million people, which is approximately 43% of the population are facing acute food insecurity levels.
The what is what what is said is that this is four and a half million more people in need than before the pandemic hit the country.
And in the coming winter months, which typically run from December to March, about 5 and a half million people who face emergency levels of food insecurity and therefore will need urgent assistance.
Now, of the people that are suffering the most, you have approximately 3,000,000 children, as well as pregnant and nursing women who are malnourished, including about 1.3 million girls and boys under the age of five that are suffering from moderate acute malnutrition.
Our analysis has revealed that conflict and insecurity are the main drivers of hunger in Afghanistan and the country is experiencing near unprecedented **** levels of fighting and armed clashes.
This year alone, more than 270,000 people have been driven from their homes due to fighting.
But it is not only conflict that is complicating issues in in in in Afghanistan, climate change and climate extremes are further pushing the hunger levels up.
This year 2020 flash floods and heavy snowfall have displaced up to 110,000 people.
The socio economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the country is even more devastating than the disease itself.
We expect the far reaching impact of of of food insecurity amongst communities to last well into the coming year 2021.
Sometime in August, the Afghanistan Minister of Health estimated that COVID had infected up to 10 million people in in in the country now.
So most of the Afghans rely on informal work for a living, such as small scale retail.
Others are daily labourers in construction and agriculture.
And these are the sectors that have been impacted the most by COVID-19.
And these families have minimal coping ability.
Our staff are telling us that they are having to resort to desperate measures such as sending children to work, pulling children into prime of their lives, pulling them out of school, sending them to work or even selling off underage girls into early marriages.
Now the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan across all sectors could further deteriorate in the coming months, driven by political uncertainty and extreme levels of violence.
The World Food Programme is planning to increase the number of people it assists in 2021 to about 13 million Afghans and requires 460 United States dollars.
That's 460 million United States dollars rather to be able to mount an effective response.
OK, thank you very much, Thompson.
Let's see, there's Babar.
Babar, is that on on this subject?
Just in terms of to add what Thompson was talking about Afghanistan.
Afghanistan is a sad and tragic story of four decades of conflict, millions in displacement.
I mean, we keep throwing all those figures and these are not just numbers.
These are human beings and linked to the conference.
**** Commissioner Grandy was in Afghanistan last week.
He was in Kabul, went to Bamiyan and and Parwan provinces as well.
And as we issued the statement yesterday, the future of millions of Avans now depends both on the successful outcome of peace talks as well as on the commitment of the international community to countries development.
And we expressed our hope that this conference which is going on and we hope to see more international solidarity being encouraged by all sided being involved over here is an opportunity to express that commitment in tangible and sustainable ways.
And engagement remains over over there and and Avalans have huge hopes.
So our appeal to the world is to make sure they don't look away from Afghanistan at this critical juncture.
Thank you very much, Barbara.
And indeed, very soon we will know what is the outcome of this conference, this important conference taking place right now.
Yes, thank you for taking my question.
Baba, At last week's Friday briefing, your Sudan Rep mentioned that a projection of up to 200,000 people that UN agencies are preparing for coming across from Ethiopia.
In terms of the numbers that you presented today, I think you said there are 40,000.
Is that number going to become less of a projection and a likelihood?
What is your expectation at the moment?
The number of refugee arrivals depends on, on, on, on, on the daily rate of arrivals as I was mentioning, currently it stands nearly on 3000 per day.
The fears have always been there.
Remember at the beginning of of the crisis, it started with the trickle when more than 100 or nearly 150 arrived one day and next day it hit 7000.
So those numbers in terms of our internal preparations, it's important.
But the reality of the ground that we bring to you is the day-to-day number.
And the current reality is that the number has crossed 41,000 and even till yesterday, 1000, nearly 1000 were still arriving.
Let me see if there are any other questions for any of our speakers, which I don't see.
So I would like to thank everybody for participating in this briefing.
But before you go, let me clarify 2 points.
There was a little problem in my notes.
So just to clarify the press conferences that we have today, so get about a yellow, that was a mistake in my note, the press conference today, this afternoon is well the one from WHO.
So to summarise, we have a readout from the Afghanistan conference at 2:30 PM I'm sorry, no, it's 2:00 PM.
It may be moved to 2:30 if we are late with the conference, but for the moment it is scheduled at 2:00.
Then at 3:30, the virtual press conference by WHO on the launch of the new physical activity guidelines, and this is with the Director for Health Promotion of WHO and other experts of the organisation in this matter at six 15630.
At the end of the conference on Afghanistan, we'll have a press conference on the closure and the results of the conference with the Minister of Finance of Afghanistan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Development Cooperation, Foreign Trade of Finland and the Special Representative of the Secretary General and Head of UNAMA.
These are the three press conference today.
As I said tomorrow, Wednesday 25th of November at 9:30, the UN Institute for Disarmament Research will launch the report of 2020 on Cluster Munition Monitor, and the speakers will be the Advocacy Director of Human Rights Watch and the team leader Impact Research team leader ICBLCMC, with some other experts.
Also tomorrow, 25th of November, at 11:30, and that will present a new report Economic cost of the Israeli Occupation for the Palestinian people, the Gaza Strip and the closure and Restrictions, with the Director of the Division of Globalisation and Development Strategies and the Coordinator of the Assistance to the Palestinian people.
And then I think this morning we have announced to you the press conference of Friday, 27th of November at 3:30.
This is organised by OCHA and it will consist in the presentation of the Global Humanitarian Overview 2021.
The Global Humanitarian Overview 2021 will be launched in Geneva on 1st December at 9:00 AM.
So this is an embargoed press conference with UN Humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock and all the material related to it will be under strict embargo until Tuesday 1st December at 5 GMT.
I think I've told you everything.
I also have an answer for Peter who had asked the questions about the press conference of yesterday.
So yesterday indeed there was a press conference by the World Meteorological Organisation.
We have extracted the audio.
The audio is available on the multimedia newsroom and on the website.
And if you were referring to that, so the audio is available.
And very, very last point, I just wanted to remind you that last week the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination opened it's 102nd session and this session will close today at 4 PMI think I have told you all I had in my notes.
Again, sorry for the mistake with the press conference value, though if there isn't any other question to me, I will see you later on in the day for the conference on Afghanistan's stakeout and results.
