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	Yemen conflict has caused untold suffering for millions by WFP, United Nation News, agencies   May 2022   UN humanitarians call for halt to worsening Yemen crisis. (OCHA)   “The worsening humanitarian crisis in Yemen is a reality that we need to urgently address,” said Mr. David Gressly, the Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen. “The numbers this year are staggering. Over 23 million people – or almost three-quarters of Yemen’s population – now need assistance. That is an increase of almost three million people from 2021. Nearly 13 million people are already facing acute levels of need.”   Escalating conflict in 2021 resulted in untold suffering and further disruption of public services, pushing humanitarian needs higher. Yemen’s collapsing economy – itself a product of the conflict – exacerbated vulnerabilities among poor families. A record 19 million people are projected to require food assistance in the second half of the year, with the most extreme hunger looming for 161,000 of them. Children continue to suffer horribly, with 2.2 million acutely malnourished, including more than half a million at severe levels. Limited access to critical services continues to worsen the conditions of the most vulnerable groups, including women and children.   “This is also a moment of hope for Yemen. The UN-led truce is a vital opportunity for aid agencies to scale up life-saving assistance and to reach more people in acute need quickly, including in areas where access was limited due to armed conflict and insecurity,” said Mr. Gressly. “For aid agencies to immediately step up efforts, we count on sufficient donor funding. Otherwise, the aid operation will collapse despite the positive momentum we are seeing in Yemen today.”   The response remains severely underfunded, leaving aid agencies with limited resources at a time when two-thirds of major UN programmes in Yemen were forced to scale back or close due to underfunding. “I urge all donors to fund the appeal fully and commit to disbursing funds quickly,” said Mr. Gressly.   http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/aid-agencies-need-us43billion-help-173-million-people-yemen-crisis-deteriorates-enar http://news.un.org/en/story/2022/04/1117332   24 Feb. 2022   Countdown to catastrophe begins in Yemen as funding for food assistance dwindles. (WFP)   Yemen is spiraling into a catastrophe as humanitarian funding dries up, forcing the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to scale back food assistance to millions of hungry families, WFP Executive Director David Beasley warned today, as he ended a two-day visit to the conflict-ravaged country.   “We have no choice but to take food from the hungry to feed the starving and, unless we receive immediate funding, in a few weeks we risk not even being able to feed the starving. This will be hell on earth,” Beasley said.   The escalation of conflict in Ukraine is likely to further increase fuel and food prices and especially grains in the import-dependent country. Food prices have more than doubled across much of Yemen over the past year, leaving more than half of the country in need of food assistance. Higher food prices will push more people into the vicious circle of hunger and dependence on humanitarian assistance.   WFP provides food assistance to 13 million people every month in Yemen, but was forced to halve food rations for eight million people at the beginning of the year due to a shortage of funding. Five million people who are at immediate risk of slipping into famine conditions have continued to receive a full food ration.   But without an immediate influx of cash, more severe reductions will be unavoidable and millions of hungry people may not receive food at all. For Yemenis, the timing could not be worse. As families try to put food on the table, they are being hampered by the knock-on effects of a serious escalation in fighting alongside the continuing deterioration of the economy.   “It has been less than a year since I was in Yemen and it is worse than anyone can possibly imagine. Yemen has come full circle since 2018 when we had to fight our way back from the brink of famine but the risk today is more real than ever,” said Beasley.   “And just when you think it can’t get any worse, the world wakes up to a conflict in Ukraine that is likely to cause economic deterioration around the world especially for countries like Yemen, dependent on wheat imports from Ukraine and Russia. Prices will go up compounding an already terrible situation.”   WFP needs US$800 million in the next six months to provide full assistance to the 13 million people it has been assisting until now.   http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-pledging-conference-leaves-most-vulnerable-behind-ingos http://www.wfp.org/stories/yemen-millions-risk-ukraine-war-effect-rocks-region http://www.wfp.org/news/countdown-catastrophe-begins-yemen-funding-food-assistance-dwindles http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/alerts-archive/issue-58/en/ http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-acute-hunger-unprecedented-levels-funding-dries-enar http://www.icrcnewsroom.org/story/en/1991/yemen-plight-of-population-is-growing-as-world-attention-wanes   Dec. 2021   WFP forced to cut food assistance in Yemen, warns of impact as hunger rises   The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned today that it is running out of funds to continue to provide food assistance to13 million people in Yemen. From January, eight million will receive a reduced food ration, while five million at immediate risk of slipping into famine conditions will remain on a full ration.   The reductions come at the worst possible time for families in Yemen who are dependent on WFP’s food assistance to survive. In the last three months, inadequate food consumption – one measure of hunger tracked by WFP – has risen rapidly to affect half of all families as currency devaluation and hyper-inflation drives the economy to near collapse. Food prices have more than doubled across much of Yemen this year. Meanwhile, fighting across multiple frontlines continues to force families to flee.   "Every time we reduce the amount of food, we know that more people who are already hungry and food insecure will join the ranks of the millions who are starving. But desperate times call for desperate measures and we have to stretch our limited resources and prioritize, focusing on people who are in the most critical state,” said Corinne Fleischer, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa.   With food assistance reductions from January, families will receive barely half of WFP's daily minimum ration. Without new funding, more severe reductions will soon be unavoidable. This could see people cut from food assistance programmes completely. Malnutrition treatment and school feeding for children may also be reduced.   “The Yemeni people are now more vulnerable than ever, reeling from relentless conflict and the deepening economic crisis that has pushed millions into destitution,” said Fleischer.   “WFP food stocks in Yemen are running dangerously low at a time when budgets for humanitarian crises around the world are stretched to the limit. We desperately need donors, who were so generous in the past, to work with us to avoid this looming hunger catastrophe.”   Over half the population of Yemen or16.2 million people face acute hunger. Half the children under five (2.3 million) are at risk of malnutrition. WFP needs US$813 million to continue to assist the most vulnerable in Yemen through May. In 2022, WFP needs US$1.97 billion to continue to deliver vital food assistance to families on the brink of famine.   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-cut-food-assistance-yemen-warns-impact-hunger-rises http://www.msf.org/rising-numbers-yemeni-children-suffering-malnutrition-abs   Sep. 2021   Millions in Yemen ‘marching towards starvation’ as food rations run low – WFP   At least 5 million people in Yemen are on the brink of famine and a further 16 million are “marching toward starvation”, as the country’s humanitarian crisis spirals out of control.   The situation in Yemen, which has been torn apart by civil war, has been described as “rapidly deteriorating” by experts.   The World Food Programme (WFP) has raised grave concerns about the number of people facing starvation over the coming weeks and months.   The WFP’s executive director David Beasley said supply chains in the country had been disrupted and food prices were “spiking”.   He said: “With food pricing and the lack of fuel, it is catastrophic. We’ve got 5 million people right now knocking on famine’s door, we’ve got 16 million people marching toward starvation.”   Beasley also told the UN general assembly that without further funding, the organisation will be forced to cut 3.2 million people’s food rations by October, increasing to 5 million people by December.   The WFP’s spokesperson for Yemen, Annabel Symington, said that Yemenis have been left unable to afford basic food supplies.   “The causes of the hunger crisis in Yemen are complex, but the impact on Yemenis is clear. The devaluation of the Yemeni riyal and soaring food prices have made it impossible for ordinary Yemenis to afford basic foods,” she said.   Adam Kelwick, a humanitarian aid worker in Yemen for the NGO Action For Humanity, described the situation as “desperate”.   He visited al-Sabaeen hospital, in the western city of Sana’a, on Tuesday and said it was “full to the brink” with starving, malnourished children.   “They had to expand into other wards to accommodate all these children,” he said. “It was a horrific scene where there were beds full of children who looked like skeletons.   “It’s clear to see the situation is rapidly deteriorating and the reason children are so severely malnourished is because their mothers are malnourished as well.   “Obviously, that means they are unable to breastfeed their children and they end up in this terrible situation.”   He said that even Yemeni families who are fortunate enough to have a source of income are facing the same food poverty.   “I spoke to one mother and although her family has employment and sources of income, it is very limited,” he said.   “She had a small daughter called Hanan, who was 18 months old and weighed 5kg.   “She said their money doesn’t go anywhere any more. Prices for everything have increased. There is food in Yemen but it’s expensive and out of people’s budgets.”   He said the woman, who lives on the outskirts of Sana’a, Yemen’s capital city, told him her family earns $100 (£73) a month, but it is not enough to afford basic food supplies.   The main reason food is so scarce is the conflict means supplies cannot be transported into areas where there are roadblocks and fighting. Places hit by the most intense conflict, such as Marib, al-Hodeida, Taiz, al-Dhale and Lahij, are among those most in need of humanitarian aid.   http://www.wfp.org/stories/famine-conditions-yemen-force-families-eat-tree-leaves http://www.wfp.org/emergencies/yemen-emergency http://www.msf.org/struggle-survival-newborn-babies-yemen http://unocha.exposure.co/ten-things-you-need-to-know-about-yemen http://www.savethechildren.net/news/pledging-conference-yemenis-let-down-once-again http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/mar/01/a-massive-famine-is-creeping-into-yemen-we-need-to-stop-it-devouring-a-generation http://www.dw.com/en/yemen-un-donor-conference-raises-a-disappointing-17-billion/a-56738853 http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-famine-around-corner-says-world-food-programme   http://www.wfp.org/news/acute-malnutrition-threatens-half-children-under-five-yemen-2021-un http://www.wfp.org/emergencies http://bit.ly/3AuU1sd http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1153006/?iso3=YEM http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/ http://unocha.exposure.co/eleven-facts-about-the-yemen-crisis http://unocha.exposure.co/ http://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/under-secretary-general-humanitarian-affairs-and-emergency-relief-coordinator-mark-36
	Ukraine crisis: dramatically escalating humanitarian needs as conflict rages by UN News, OCHA, ICRC, UNICEF, agencies Ukraine   25 Apr. 2022 (OCHA)   The war in Ukraine, which began on 24 February, has caused death and suffering on a dramatic scale and left at least 15.7 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance and protection.   By 21 April, at least 2,345 civilians had been killed, including 177 children, according to the latest estimates by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.   However, the actual death toll is likely to be much higher. In Mariupol alone, local authorities estimate that tens of thousands of people have been killed, while the recent revelations of mass graves in Bucha, Irpin and other areas surrounding Kyiv highlight the likelihood of many more deaths that have not been counted.   The war has seen the use of explosive weapons with a wide impact area in urban settings, including shelling from heavy artillery and multiple-launch rocket systems, and missile and air strikes. The presence of landmines and unexploded explosive ordnance is also a major concern. Even before this war, eastern Ukraine was one of the most mine-contaminated regions in the world.   The conflict has caused the world’s fastest growing displacement crisis since World War II, with nearly 13 million people uprooted in less than two months. Over a quarter of Ukraine’s population have fled their homes, including more than 7.7 million people now estimated to be internally displaced and over 5.2 million people who have crossed borders to seek security and safety in other countries, most of them women and children.   Nearly two-thirds of the children in Ukraine have been displaced.   Massive devastation in urban centres, and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, have made life unbearable for millions of people and severely disrupted critical services, especially healthcare.   In besieged areas, people have lived for weeks without access to food, water and heat, while under the constant threat of bombardment. More than half of all attacks against healthcare facilities in the world this year—119 out of 182 by 11 April—have occurred in Ukraine.   These attacks have decimated access to healthcare at a time when people need it most—women have been forced to deliver babies in basements, injured people have had no access to care and ill children have lost access to life-saving treatments.   Roughly 300 health facilities are in conflict areas and 1,000 health facilities are in areas that have changed control. Nearly 50 per cent of Ukraine’s pharmacies are presumed to be closed and many health workers are either displaced or unable to work.   Other civilian infrastructure has also been severely impacted: more than 869 educational facilities have been damaged and 88 destroyed, according to the Ministry of Education, although these figures are not verified.   Millions of people—including women and small children—have been left without access to safe water or sanitation, drastically heightening the risk of waterborne disease as well as dehydration. Due to attacks on water system infrastructure and power outages an estimated 1.4 million people in eastern Ukraine do not have access to water, and another 4.6 million people across the country have only limited access.   There are mounting allegations of sexual violence perpetrated against women and girls during the war. The threat of gender-based violence—including conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and human trafficking—has risen exponentially since the war began. Women from groups in vulnerable situations are being left behind and disproportionately affected by disruptions caused by war.   The armed conflict may prevent farmers from accessing their fields, harvesting, and marketing current crops, planting new crops, or sustaining livestock production. Between 20 and 30 per cent of areas under winter cereal, maize and sunflower production will remain unharvested in July/August, or not be planted this spring, according to the Government and FAO. About half of winter wheat and a third of rye due to be harvested in July–August 2022 are currently in war-affected areas. There are also concerns over damage to standing crops and risk of mines and unexploded ordnance impacting the ability to harvest in the period ahead.   The war has also devastated Ukraine’s economy. The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, has said that economic losses due to the ongoing military offensive may exceed $1 trillion, while some 53 per cent of employed Ukrainians have lost their jobs since the war began, according to a nation-wide survey conducted by the Rating Group in March.   http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-flash-appeal-march-august-2022 http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-millions-displaced-traumatised-and-urgently-need-help-say-experts http://reliefweb.int/country/ukr http://news.un.org/en/tags/ukraine   Apr. 2022   International NGO statement on the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure   We, the undersigned humanitarian organizations, are shocked and disturbed by the level of humanitarian needs and mass civilian deaths, casualties, and sexual violence against women and girls witnessed in different regions across Ukraine.   Targeting densely populated areas and collectively depriving civilians of their right to access basic needs, essential services, humanitarian assistance, protection, and safe evacuation - as well as targeting civilian objects such as hospitals, learning institutions and residential buildings are blatant violations of International Humanitarian Law.   As humanitarian organizations following the principles of neutrality, independence, and impartiality, we are seriously concerned about the ongoing hostilities and the international community's unsuccessful efforts at negotiating and securing a ceasefire. The cessation of hostilities is urgently needed to stop the killing of civilians and the suffering of people in Ukraine. We are closely monitoring the ongoing UN-led high-level negotiations and demand that they have a positive outcome on the humanitarian situation on the ground.   Nothing can justify the ongoing suffering of civilians, particularly children and women, older women and men, and people with disability in Bucha, Irpin, Hostomel, Borodianka, Mariupol, and in other Ukrainian regions. All parties to the conflict must uphold their international obligations, including not targeting civilians and vital public infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and water and electricity supplies. All parties to the conflict must not tolerate in their ranks sexual violence. Such serious violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflicts could amount to war crimes.   "I will never forget the day I tried to get out of Irpin. I was outside when my neighbor's car was shelled. The father died, and the mother and her child were wounded. It is difficult to accept this and impossible to understand. I desperately want this war to come to an end," - Olha, a senior from Irpin, currently displaced in western Ukraine.   We call for a serious political agreement for the protection of civilians, including safe and voluntary passage to people who want to leave high-risk areas across Ukraine. At the same time their right to determine their destination of choice for evacuation must be respected in line with the Fourth Geneva Convention.   Parties to the conflict must urgently facilitate unimpeded humanitarian access allowing relief workers and volunteers to urgently deliver life-saving assistance and medical support to people in need. Under the IV Geneva Convention and the UN Security Council Resolution 2286, health personnel and health facilities, such as hospitals and other facilities that have been set up for medical purposes, must be respected and protected in all circumstances. Medical units may not be attacked and access to them may not be limited.   The international community, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, must take sterner measures to bring hostilities to an end, and reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights and conditions under which respect for the obligations from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained.   We add to and reiterate our demands from March 4, 2022:   An immediate cessation of hostilities and targeting of civilians, civilian objects and infrastructure;   All parties to the conflict must abide by International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Attacks targeting civilians and public infrastructure, including facilities that are indispensable for the survival of the civilians are prohibited under IHL. At no time should hostilities jeopardize the rights, well-being and safety of civilians or civilian objects such as schools, health centers, markets or farmlands, among others;   Safe and unhindered humanitarian access, including across conflict lines for humanitarian assistance to reach all those in need, particularly those in vulnerable situations, with respect to the independence and neutrality of humanitarian agencies and the protection of humanitarian personnel and volunteers;   All children have the right to enjoy provisions under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which urges all persons to consider the best interests of the child. During armed conflict, IHL provides general protection for children as persons not taking part in hostilities and special protection as particularly vulnerable persons. Protocol I, Article 77: "Children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against all forms of indecent assault. The parties to the conflict shall provide them with such care and assistance as they may require, whether on account of their age or for any other reason";   All parties must abide by their obligations under Security Council resolutions on Children and Armed Conflict, and prevent the killing and maiming, recruitment, use, sexual exploitation and sexual violence against girls, boys and adolescents who are at risk of suffering the six grave violations against children in conflict;   All parties to the conflict must recall the fundamental Principle of Distinction and the Safe Schools Declaration to ensure the protection of all children and facilities including schools, kindergartens and hospitals where children are present. The full range of duty bearers and armed actors must ensure that children and their caregivers remain safe, regardless of the prevailing circumstances;   The United Nations Security Council to uphold their mandate, ensure the protection of civilians and maintain international peace and security away from political disputes;   A serious political agreement for the protection of every civilian trapped in high-risk areas anywhere in Ukraine, including safe and voluntary passage to people who want to leave, humanitarian access, and protection. At the same time their right to determine their destination of choice for evacuation must be respected in line with the Fourth Geneva Convention;   Ensure full cooperation with the United Nations and the ICRC to facilitate the implementation and monitoring of safe and systematic passages enabling the swift passage of humanitarian cargos and convoys including the safe passage of all civilians and relief workers;   All countries to equally welcome all foreign nationals and stateless persons fleeing Ukraine regardless of their nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, country of origin, religious background, race or ethnicity;   All funds to alleviate the suffering, and for people affected by the conflict in Ukraine must be additional and flexible, or new funding streams adapted to local actors. They must not be diverted from other under-funded humanitarian crises taking place globally.   http://www.nrc.no/news/2022/april/ukraine-ingo-statement-on-the-targeting-of-civilians-and-civilian-infrastructure/ http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/story/ukraine-ngo-statement-targeting-civilians-and-civilian-infrastructure http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/joint-ingo-statement-humanitarian-protection-and-access-ukraine-enruuk http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/every-day-war-continues-children-will-continue-suffer http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/war-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children   Mar. 2022 (UN News)   With the war in Ukraine now in its third week, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo warned the UN Security Council that direct attacks against civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international law, and may amount to war crimes.   Ms. DiCarlo said Russian armed forces are pursuing laying siege to several cities in the south, east and north of the country.   The situation is particularly alarming in Mariupol, Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv, she said, where shelling of residential areas and civilian infrastructure has resulted in an increasing number of civilians killed and injured.   “The utter devastation being visited on these cities is horrific,” she stressed.   Civilians ‘inexcusably’ targeted   As of 11 March, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) recorded 1,546 civilian casualties - including 564 killed and 982 injured - since the start of the Russian invasion.   The real casualty figures are likely “considerably higher”. Most have been caused by explosive weapons with a wide impact area, including heavy artillery, multi-launch rocket systems and air strikes.   Further, she said OHCHR has received credible reports of Russian forces using cluster munitions in populated areas - indiscriminate attacks, which are prohibited under international humanitarian law.   As of 10 March, the World Health Organization (WHO) verified 26 attacks on health facilities, health workers and ambulances, causing 12 deaths and 34 injuries. This includes the bombing of the Mariupol maternity hospital on 9 March, which she condemned.   Ms. Di Carlo went on to describe the targeting of civilians, residential buildings, hospitals, schools and kindergartens as “inexcusable and intolerable”, emphasizing that all alleged violations of international humanitarian law must be investigated, and perpetrators held accountable.   Millions in dire need of aid   Ms. Di Carlo said humanitarian aid is being scaled up in areas where security permits and has reached more than 500,000 people. The UN and partners have developed operational plans to meet humanitarian needs where they are most acute, she said, appealing to donors who pledged over $1.5 billion to the appeal last week, to release the funding quickly.   Evacuations must continue   It is critical to achieve a ceasefire to allow for the safe passage of civilians from besieged areas, she told ambassadors. On 9 March, more than 51,000 people were reportedly evacuated through five out of six agreed-upon safe passages. These evacuations must continue.   The number of refugees fleeing the violence has reached 2.5 million – all of whom, including third country nationals, need access to safety and protection, in line with the principle of non-refoulement, and without discrimination.   ‘Logic of dialogue’ must prevail   “The need for negotiations to stop the war in Ukraine could not be more urgent”, she said, noting that three rounds of talks held thus far between Ukrainian and Russian delegations must be intensified – notably to secure humanitarian and ceasefire arrangements as a matter of priority. “The logic of dialogue and diplomacy must prevail over the logic of war.”   Perhaps most alarming are the risks the violence poses to the global framework for peace and security, she said, adding that: “We must do everything we can to find a solution and put an end to this war; we must do it now.”   http://www.icrc.org/en/document/ukraine-conflict-icrc-urgent-safe-passage-save-lives-mariupol http://www.icrc.org/en/where-we-work/europe-central-asia/ukraine/ukraine-conflict http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/stop-attacks-health-care-ukraine http://www.msf.org/supply-hospitals-ukraine-urgent-race-against-time http://www.msf.org/war-ukraine http://bit.ly/3ClCh5g http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-humanitarian-impact-situation-report-300-pm-eet-7-march-2022 http://reliefweb.int/report/ukraine/ukraine-un-chief-calls-safe-passage-conflict-zones-rights-body-records-1123-civilian http://www.icrc.org/en/document/ukraine-safe-passage-civilians-mariupol-halted-second-day-icrc-calls-parties-agree-specific http://www.msf.org/human-dignity-and-life-must-be-respected-besieged-mariupol-ukraine http://www.msf.org/war-ukraine http://www.icrc.org/en/document/ukraine-amid-mounting-human-cost-parties-must-uphold-international-humanitarian-law-0 http://www.nrc.no/news/2022/march/immediate-ceasefire-needed-to-aid-civilians-in-ukraine/ http://www.unicef.org/emergencies/conflict-ukraine-pose-immediate-threat-children   25 Feb. 2022   Ukraine crisis: Terrified families seek shelter underground in capital. (UN News)   Amid reported deadly missile attacks from Russia’s military invasion in Ukraine, including the capital Kiev and other cities, terrified families have been forced to seek shelter underground, the UN said on Friday.   “There have been major attacks in Kiev that have created greater fear and panic among the population, with families really scared, moving alongside their children into subways and shelters, and this is clearly a terrifying moment for children across the country,” said Afshan Khan, UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Regional Director, Europe and Central Asia, speaking in Geneva.   The development follows renewed condemnation for the Russian invasion by UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The use of force by one country against another is “the repudiation of the principles that every country has committed to uphold,” which applied to the military offensive in Ukraine, Mr. Guterres insisted. “It is wrong. It is against the Charter. It is unacceptable. But it is not irreversible.”   The Secretary-General called on soldiers in Russia’s war on Ukraine to “return to their barracks”... “We must never give up. We must give peace another chance,” he said.   UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths warned that the military escalation will have a high impact on civilian lives, and he reiterated the UN Secretary-General’s call for an immediate ceasefire.   Two days since Russia launched military operations inside Ukraine, the UN rights office, OHCHR, confirmed that confirmed that many civilians have already been killed and injured.   UN agencies have been active in Ukraine for many years, particularly since Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 – a move in large part rejected by the international community.   Mr. Guterres underscored that the UN and its humanitarian partners are “committed to staying and delivering, to support people in Ukraine in their time of need.”   24 February 2022 (OHCHR)   UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said she was deeply alarmed about the Russian Federation’s military attack against Ukraine.   “Civilians in various parts of Ukraine were awoken by sounds of heavy bombardment and are terrified of further escalation, with many fleeing their homes,” Bachelet said. “This military action clearly violates international law and puts at risk countless civilian lives. It must be immediately halted.”   “States that fail to take all reasonable measures to settle their international disputes by peaceful means fall short of complying with their obligation to protect the right to life,” Bachelet stressed.   Reports have emerged of military strikes near major cities with significant populations, including Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, Odesa, Mariupol and the capital, Kyiv.   “The protection of the civilian population must be a priority. The use of explosive weapons in populated areas should – at all costs – be avoided,” Bachelet said.   The High Commissioner called for full respect for international humanitarian law, in particular the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their first additional protocol of 1977, as well as international human rights law.   In the conduct of hostilities, the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions must be fully respected, in particular by taking all required measures to protect the civilian population and civilian objects from the effects of the hostilities.   The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission remains in the country and will continue to closely monitor and report on the situation.   “An information war is also under way and it is particularly crucial at this time that we continue to closely monitor and attempt to verify reports of human rights violations, including civilian casualties, damage to civilian objects, including critical infrastructure, and other impact on human rights on the ground,” Bachelet said.   The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) underlined that Ukraine’s people were “terrified of further escalation of the conflict".   Protests have taken place around the world (including in Russia) calling for an immediate end to fighting in Ukraine.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2022/03/ukraine-protecting-life-must-be-priority-un-human-rights-experts http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2022/03/ukraine-high-commissioner-cites-new-and-dangerous-threats-human-rights   24 Feb. 2022   International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer on the situation in Ukraine:   The intensification and spread of the conflict risk a scale of death and destruction that are frightening to contemplate, given the immense military capacities involved.   We already see the immediate consequences for civilians, with the latest intensification triggering new displacement. Residents in Donbas and elsewhere have already endured eight years of conflict. Now I fear increased suffering, with the potential of massive casualty numbers and extensive destruction of civilian objects like water and electricity plants, as well as mass displacement, trauma, family separation, and missing persons.   It is ICRC's long experience that miscalculations, a lack of understanding and faulty assumptions to assess potential civilian impacts of major combat operations can have terrible effects.   We call for those involved in that fighting to take into account that:   Parties to the conflict in Ukraine must adhere to international humanitarian law, including the four 1949 Geneva Conventions and its First Additional Protocol from 1977, as well as ensure the protection of the civilian populations. They must refrain from attacks that violate the rules of the conduct of hostilities or prohibitions on means and methods of warfare. The use of weapons with wide area effects should most certainly be avoided in populated areas.   Attacks must not be directed against civilian objects. Essential infrastructure must be spared, including water, gas and electrical systems that, for instance, provide civilian homes, schools and medical facilities with vital water and electricity supplies. Attacks carried out with new technologies and cyber means must also respect international humanitarian law.   Space for neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian action must be protected so that aid actors like the Ukrainian Red Cross, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement can maintain access to civilians.   The ICRC's priority is to assist those in need. The security situation permitting, our teams now in Ukraine will continue their work to repair vital infrastructure, support health facilities with medicines and equipment, and support families with food and hygiene items. We will also continue our bilateral and confidential dialogue with the parties to the conflict to protect those affected by the fighting.   We call for all states to do everything in their power and influence to avoid escalating a conflict whose cost and consequences for civilian populations outpaces the capacity to protect and assist them.   The ICRC has seen many conflicts start and escalate in recent years, but too few of them end, and in each one it is the civilian populations that bear the consequences.   http://www.icrc.org/en/document/statement-icrc-president-peter-maurer-conflict-ukraine http://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2022/03/17/armed-conflict-in-ukraine-a-recap-of-basic-ihl-rules/ http://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/protected-persons/civilians http://www.icrc.org/en/document/civilians-protected-against-explosive-weapons http://www.icrc.org/en/explosive-weapons-populated-areas http://www.inew.org/ukraine-use-of-explosive-weapons-will-be-disastrous-for-civilians/ http://guide-humanitarian-law.org/content/category/16-protection/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/soaring-concern-for-human-rights-and-human-lives-as-russia-invades-ukraine/   24 Feb. 2022   Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on children in Ukraine:   “UNICEF is deeply concerned that intensifying hostilities in Ukraine pose an immediate threat to the lives and wellbeing of the country’s 7.5 million children. Heavy weapons fire along the line of contact has already damaged critical water infrastructure and education facilities in recent days. Unless the fighting subsides, tens of thousands of families could be displaced, dramatically escalating humanitarian needs.   “UNICEF is working across eastern Ukraine to scale up life-saving programmes for children.. The past eight years of conflict have inflicted profound and lasting damage to children on both sides of the line of contact. The children of Ukraine need peace, desperately, now.   “UNICEF echoes the appeal of the Secretary-General for an immediate cease-fire and calls on all parties to respect their international obligations to protect children from harm, and to ensure that humanitarian actors can safely and quickly reach children in need. UNICEF also calls on all parties to refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure on which children depend - including water and sanitation systems, health facilities and schools.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-m-russell-children-ukraine http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/two-million-refugee-children-flee-war-ukraine-search-safety-across-borders http://www.unicef.org/topics/ukraine http://www.savethechildren.net/news/escalation-hostilities-across-ukraine-putting-75-million-children-risk http://www.savethechildren.net/news/ukraine-statement-response-bombing-childrens-hospital http://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2022/2/621770524/statement-situation-ukraine-attributed-un-high-commissioner-refugees-filippo.html http://www.unhcr.org/ukraine-emergency.html   http://www.nrc.no/news/2022/february/ukraine-were-preparing-for-large-flows-of-displaced-people/ http://www.nrc.no/news/2022/february/ukraine-millions-of-people-would-suffer-in-a-renewed-conflict/ http://www.savethechildren.net/news/diplomatic-solution-urgently-needed-avoid-escalation-conflict-ukraine http://www.icrcnewsroom.org/story/en/1977/ukraine-conflict-continues-to-take-huge-toll-on-hundreds-of-thousands-of-people-daily http://www.caritas.org/2022/01/caritas-ukraine-urges-not-to-forget-the-suffering-of-the-ukrainian-people/ http://www.wfp.org/stories/ukraine-wfp-ready-step-conflict-erupts http://reliefweb.int/country/ukr http://www.acaps.org/country/ukraine/crisis/conflict Visit the related web page
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