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	Under international humanitarian law parties to conflicts must protect civilians by UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs, ICRC, agencies   Apr. 2025   UN Security Council: "World getting more dangerous for civilians on your watch"   Briefing to the United Nations Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine by Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. (Extract)   "My two asks today of the Security Council and, indeed, the wider international community go beyond Ukraine alone.   Firstly, I must reiterate that under the international humanitarian law that this Council is here to defend, parties to conflicts must protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. Indiscriminate attacks on them are strictly prohibited:   There must be limits to how war is waged. At its best, this Council, and the Member States here, have upheld that idea – even wars have rules. Is that not why we are here?   And yet, on my visits from Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan to Lebanon to Myanmar – from where I returned yesterday – I am seeing the opposite: that not only are we not standing robustly for international law, but in some cases we are supporting its debasement.   That's the common thread that links these conflicts. And if your principles apply only to your opponents, they are not humanitarian principles.   The world is getting more dangerous for civilians, on our watch. Please, you can do more to ensure that this era of increasingly belligerent, transactional, self-defeating nationalism is not also remembered as one of callous impunity and brutal indifference, in which the rights of civilians are discarded again and again with a shrug.   If we do not make our stand on this point, consistently and unequivocally, then what do we stand for anymore? And how can we expect anyone to listen to us, or hope that others will make better choices in the future?   My second ask, is the funding to save lives in an increasingly dangerous environment, and this era of savage cuts. If you cannot stop the attacks on civilians – in Ukraine and elsewhere – please, at least give us the security and resources to save as many survivors as we can".   Unprotected: What happens when the laws of war are ignored, by Joyce Msuya - UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator:   “There are more than 120 armed conflicts across the globe, their number steadily rising since the ‘90s. In conflicts around the world, civilians are killed, injured, traumatized and separated from their loved ones.   The vital services they rely on – hospitals, clean water, markets, electricity, schools – are damaged or destroyed; their livelihoods lost. They suffer hunger, disease and homelessness. And these horrors are becoming normalized, with worrying global trends.   Last year alone, at least 36,000 civilian deaths were recorded by the UN in 14 armed conflicts – the actual number likely to be far higher. Not even aid workers are spared – killed and injured in record numbers, impeded in their movements, targeted by disinformation, and impaired by the adverse effects of sanctions and counterterrorism measures.   International humanitarian law is designed to minimize suffering in war. It imposes rules of conduct on all parties to conflict – whether State armed forces or non-state armed groups: They must treat all persons humanely, and they are limited in the tactics and weapons they can use. In other words, international humanitarian law is designed to protect civilians. We cannot allow it to unravel.   Parties and all States with influence must take concrete steps to protect civilians now, without delays or excuses. The international community has committed to limiting human suffering in armed conflict through international humanitarian law – an imperative for all parties to conflict. It will take strict adherence to international law and the adoption of good-faith policies and practices to do that.   Fighting impunity is essential, as impunity only breeds more impunity. We must also acknowledge that not all civilian harm stems from violations of the law. Even when parties comply, the scale of civilian harm can still be devastating. Only a more comprehensive and people-centred approach to the protection of civilians can reduce the overwhelming scale of civilian harm”.   http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-warns-security-council-protection-civilians-unraveling-amid-global-inaction http://interagencystandingcommittee.org/statements-iasc-principals   NGO Statement Ahead of the Open Debate on Protection of Civilians:   One year after the UN Secretary-General outlined the “resoundingly grim” state of civilian protection, the situation continues to deteriorate. 21 NGOs call for urgent action by the UN Security Council and UN Member States to strengthen accountability and ensure robust implementation of protection mandates.   Civilians living in conflict zones today are in more danger than ever before. The UN recorded a 72% increase in civilian deaths in armed conflict between 2022 and 2023, with the proportion of women and children killed doubling and tripling respectively. Over 473 million children — more than 1 in 6 globally — now live in areas affected by conflict. In 2023, UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence, the majority against women and girls, increased by 50 per cent compared with 2022.   Intersecting and multidimensional vulnerabilities are also compounded for marginalised groups. Those who survive are often injured, displaced, and frequently cut off from their communities and support networks. As a result they can become reliant on humanitarian aid for services such as healthcare, water, electricity, and education for years or even decades.   The use of explosive weapons in populated areas continues to have a devastating effect on civilians, causing both immediate harm and long-lasting cumulative and reverberating impacts. These attacks are often fuelled by third party arms transfers. The resultant patterns of harm not only deepen humanitarian need, but also undermine the foundations for sustainable peace.   When civilian infrastructure and the natural environment are destroyed and social cohesion fractured, the road to recovery is steeper and longer, impeding justice and increasing the risk of renewed violence.   Parties to conflict are, in many cases, intentionally undermining the international norms and standards designed to protect civilians from the conduct of war and are deliberately violating International Humanitarian Law (IHL), eroding even the bare minimum of protections owed to civilians.   Of particular concern is the speed with which States are backsliding on their commitments to protect — and ensure the protection of — civilians. Consequently, the deliberate targeting of civilians is becoming a tool of warfare, further fuelling a culture of impunity.   The humanitarian consequences are staggering. 305.1 million people are in humanitarian need, a number that has quadrupled in the past decade, primarily driven by conflict. 123 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, double the figure from 2015, and 281.6 million people are experiencing crisis or worse of food insecurity (IPC 3+).   While these statistics are unfathomably high, each number represents an individual — a farmer who has lost access to their livelihood and is struggling to feed their family, an elderly person displaced multiple times and living in a camp, a child not able to go to school.   Across the world, humanitarian actors and civil society are working relentlessly to respond to the escalating needs of conflict-affected populations, while facing growing risk of harm and operational constraints. Local actors, including women-led organisations, face the greatest risk.   Across the board, resources are being slashed or politicized, further intensifying the level of risk borne by local actors. Amid this dire reality, civilians themselves are seeking to hold their communities together under immense strain and standing firm in their calls for peace and justice. They need the international community to not just bear witness, but to act.   The 2025 UNSC Open Debate must confront this truth: there is no shortage of tools to protect civilians, but there is a shortage of political will to use them equally and follow through with practical implementation and accountability.   From legal instruments and policies, early warning mechanisms, civilian harm tracking, and civilian-military dialogues to sanctions, independent investigations, and accountability and remedy mechanisms — these tools are too often sidelined and ignored rather than being leveraged, supported, prioritised, and fully integrated.   Diplomacy is failing. At the United Nations Security Council the most powerful countries in the world are making ineffective the body charged with ensuring international peace and security. In the past 10 years, the permanent members used their powers to veto resolutions at least 36 times. 2024 saw the fewest UNSC resolutions adopted since 1991 and the highest number of draft resolutions failed due to veto since 1986.   The UN turns 80 this year. Instead of retreat there must be renewed urgency in support of — and commitment to — multilateralism, the UN Charter, and the international rules-based order, with the protection of civilians at its core.   Impunity feeds on itself. In the absence of real accountability for harm caused and the just and equitable application of international law and standards at all times and in all places, this dangerous cycle characterized by compounding harms and prolonged suffering will continue.   http://www.unocha.org/news/world-getting-more-dangerous-civilians-your-watch-un-relief-chief-tells-security-council http://reliefweb.int/report/world/2025-ngo-statement-ahead-open-debate-protection-civilians http://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/speech/2025/05/speech-there-is-no-pathway-to-peace-that-does-not-begin-with-the-protection-of-women-and-girls http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-deputy-executive-director-ted-chaibans-remarks-united-nations-security http://www.unicef.org/topics/armed-conflict http://www.unicef.org/children-under-attack http://data.stopwaronchildren.org   http://ukraine.ohchr.org/en/UN-Human-Rights-Monitors-Deplore-Deadly-New-Wave-of-Russian-Attacks-Across-Ukraine http://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/un-human-rights-office-opt-more-fifty-cent-people-killed-gaza-week-were-shelters-and-residential-buildings http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/04/hundreds-killed-rsf-attacks-sudans-north-darfur http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162196 http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/atrocity-alert-no-440/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/atrocity-alert-no-435/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/comment-un-human-rights-office-spokesperson-ravina-shamdasani-continued   http://reliefweb.int/report/world/tools-protection-upholding-object-and-purpose-international-humanitarian-law-protecting-civilian-infrastructure-and-hospitals-side-event-during-poc-week-2025-friday-23-may-830-1000 http://reliefweb.int/report/world/epidemic-violence-violence-against-health-care-conflict-2024 http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/south-sudan/un-deplores-air-strike-hospital-south-sudan http://www.msf.org/msf-condemns-bombing-our-hospital-south-sudan http://www.msf.org/attacks-medical-care http://www.who.int/activities/stopping-attacks-on-health-care http://interagencystandingcommittee.org/open-letter-member-states-un-general-assembly-behalf-iasc-principals http://www.hhrjournal.org/2024/06/07/drone-attacks-on-health-in-2023-international-humanitarian-law-and-the-right-to-health/ http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01115-7/fulltext   http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/monthly-forecast/2025-05/protection-of-civilians-8.php http://www.securitycouncilreport.org/protection-of-civilians/ http://civiliansinconflict.org/press-releases/civic-launches-first-protection-of-civilians-trends-report-and-civilian-protection-index/ http://www.civilianprotectiontrends.org/index.html http://civiliansinconflict.org/blog/there-is-no-safe-place-for-civilians-in-conflict-qa-with-hichem-khadhraoui/ http://civiliansinconflict.org/remarks/civic-executive-director-addresses-unsc-open-debate-on-protection-of-civilians-in-armed-conflict http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/05/14/un-security-council-should-commit-people-disabilities http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/world/ocha-message-international-humanitarian-law http://www.unocha.org/humanitarian-access http://www.unocha.org/protection-civilians   * Protection of civilians in armed conflict - Report of the Secretary-General (May 2025): http://docs.un.org/en/S/2025/271   The United Nations Secretary-General has issued the 17th report on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) titled “Responsibility to Protect: 20 years of commitment to principled and collective action.”   As the international community marks two decades since the adoption of Responsibility to Protect (R2P) at the 2005 World Summit, the Secretary-General reflects on a troubling trend: despite the unanimous commitment to end atrocity crimes, such crimes have increased around the world, exposing a persistent gap between promises and meaningful action, particularly in the world’s gravest cases.   The Secretary-General issues a stark warning, noting that continued failures to protect populations – despite our improved understanding of risk factors and enhanced capacity for response – denote a deeper, alarming challenge to mobilizing response.   To address these challenges, the Secretary-General emphasizes the urgent need for renewed strategic investment and consistent, collective international action, offering concrete recommendations to more effectively implement R2P’s three pillars moving forward.   The Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect would like to highlight the following key points from the report:   The pattern of state and non-state actors acting with blatant and systematic disregard for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) continues to expand exponentially.   Such violations and abuses of IHL and IHRL may constitute genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and/or ethnic cleansing or enable the commission of these crimes. Civilians are bearing the brunt of these abuses, with violence against civilians now reaching its highest level since 2015.   The profound change to the global peace and security landscape, including intensifying threats such as climate change, the weaponization of new technologies, misinformation and disinformation, growing inequality, shrinking civic space and the deterioration of human rights and the rule of law in many parts of the world is shaping the character and dynamics of atrocity crimes today.   Selective practices, double standards and failures to take concerted action in response to early warning information further inhibit the capacity to consistently prevent these crimes.   These patterns of abuses notwithstanding, in the last two decades, considerable progress has been made in capacities to prevent and respond to atrocities at the national, regional and multilateral levels and in the conceptual development and understanding of R2P.   To understand the holistic impact of these measures, states must examine efforts explicitly conducted under the aegis of R2P alongside complementary actions taken as part of their IHL obligations and the promotion and protection of human rights.   To address new and emerging threats, the international community will need to ensure that as they uphold principles agreed to in new agendas – such as the Global Digital Compact and the Pact for the Future – they concurrently utilize the lens of implementing R2P.   Civil society organizations, like the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, play a key role in advancing atrocity prevention at the national, regional and global levels.   Engaging with international civil society and local organizations who work with at-risk communities is essential in detecting early warning signs of atrocity crimes and supporting the development of long-term prevention strategies.   The Secretary-General highlights three main areas for action to strengthen the international response to the risk of atrocity crimes:   (1) prioritize the development of permanent preventive mechanisms at the national level; (2) share experiences and lessons learned on prevention and strengthen relations between national and regional entities in regional consultations; and (3) explore the development of strategic and technical guidance on implementing the responsibility to protect at the domestic, regional and multilateral levels.   SECTION II. Global context and emerging patterns of atrocity crimes   In this section, the Secretary-General contextualizes the patterns and impact of atrocity crimes across current global trends.   This section underscores that the rising occurrence of atrocity crimes and the persistence of impunity signal a concerning erosion of compliance with legal obligations and international norms.   The Secretary-General emphasizes that, although the formal determination of mass atrocity crimes rests with national and international courts, early warning and credible allegations too often fail to prompt timely and effective preventive or protective action.   Historic number of global conflicts characterized by atrocity crimes   Over the past two decades, there has been a historic increase in violent conflicts not seen since World War II, with a significant rise in crises that are characterized by atrocity crimes.   Across many countries, fundamental rights and freedoms are being eroded, with growing instances of repression and persecution against populations based on national, ethnic, racial and religious identity, or on actual and perceived political ideology.   The Secretary-General acknowledges several ongoing crises where civilians are bearing the brunt of violations of international law that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, including in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen.   Inter-state conflicts involving regional and international actors are playing an increasingly prominent role in today’s global peace and security landscape.   The Secretary-General underscores despite clear violations of international law, in some cases certain UN member states continue to provide financial and military support or actively weaken institutions responsible for ensuring accountability.   While many countries are pursuing sustainable resolutions to conflicts, the Secretary-General warned of the consequences of Security Council (UNSC) paralysis – due to the frequency of the use or threat of the veto by the Permanent Members – fueling perceptions of double standards and undermining effective international action.   Humanitarian impact of conflict   Recent armed conflicts are increasingly marked by blatant violations of core principles of IHL — such as distinction, proportionality and precaution – leading to a heightened risk of atrocity crimes.   The report highlights how large-scale conflicts in the Greak Lakes region, Lake Chad Basin, the Sahel, Sudan, Ukraine, Myanmar and elsewhere have resulted in significant civilian casualties.   These deaths often result from indiscriminate or identity-based attacks. Beyond loss of life, the destruction of civilian infrastructure has led to mass displacement.   The report notes that the number of forcibly displaced people has grown dramatically – from 37 million in 2005 to a record 123 million by October 2024.   These populations, especially vulnerable groups such as minority groups, people with disabilities and the elderly, face grave protection risks, including violence, disappearances, torture, forced recruitment and gender-based violence – some of which may amount to atrocity crimes.   The use of counter-terrorism measures, along with the involvement of mercenaries and private military contractors, has worsened human rights abuses in some areas. These actions frequently allow perpetrators to sidestep accountability, deepening impunity and normalizing such violations.   Access to humanitarian assistance and attacks against humanitarian workers   The report discusses the severe restrictions on humanitarian access in conflict zones, as well as attacks on humanitarian workers, exacerbating the suffering of civilian populations.   Although the UNSC has condemned the use of starvation as a method of warfare and emphasized the legal obligation to ensure civilian access to aid, in 2024 blockades and restricted access to essential goods significantly affected civilians in the OPT, North Darfur, Syria and Yemen, resulting in acute food insecurity. The intentional destruction of health facilities and targeted attacks on medical workers result in tremendous human suffering and potential mass atrocity crimes.   The Secretary-General underscores that deliberate attacks on medical facilities and personnel protected under IHL constitute war crimes.   Use of explosive weapons and new technologies in populated areas   Parties to conflicts are increasingly using methods and means of warfare that show a blatant disregard for human life, in clear violation of international law and treaty obligations.   This trend includes the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas – such as aerial bombardments, missile strikes and improvised explosive devices – and deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure.   The indiscriminate use of such weapons is the primary cause of civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian objects.   The Secretary-General expresses growing concern over the expanding use of artificial intelligence and new technologies, warning that these technologies can obscure accountability, lower the threshold for the use of force and may amplify the scale of atrocity crimes without proper safeguards.   Atrocity crimes in non-armed conflict contexts   Atrocity crimes often arise from deeply rooted injustices, human rights abuses and exclusionary practices that, if ignored, can escalate into collective violence. Fragile states are particularly vulnerable to such violence, with the suppression of civil and political rights a potential early warning sign.   Atrocity risks are further heightened in contexts facing governance breakdown, political instability or democratic backsliding.   The Secretary-General highlights alarming trends, including increased attacks on journalists, the rise of racism and hate speech targeting minority groups and the manipulation of technology and social media to spread harmful ideologies, dehumanization and incitement – factors that significantly raise the risk of atrocity crimes.   Discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity, along with restrictions on freedoms of expression, assembly and association, contribute to an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship.   These factors increase the risk of identity-based atrocity crimes. Indigenous Peoples face heightened risks due to ongoing legacies of violence, displacement and discrimination, despite legal protections.   The Secretary-General asserts that promoting diversity and protecting minority and Indigenous Peoples’ rights, along with broader civil, political, economic and cultural rights, is essential to building societal resilience and preventing atrocity crimes. The protection of civic space, freedom of expression and democratic governance is crucial.   SECTION III. Fulfilling the objectives of the responsibility to protect: good practices and lessons learned, 2005–2025   Despite persistent challenges, the Secretary-General acknowledges various national, regional and multilateral efforts that have supported the implementation of R2P. This section highlights progress made in areas of prevention, protection and accountability since R2P’s adoption..   http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/summary-2025-report/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/the-perils-of-loosening-hate-speech-protections/ http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/populations-at-risk-july-2025/   Mar. 2025   Speech given by Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council. (Extract)   "Today violations that were once considered abhorrent have, disturbingly, become normalized in conflicts around the world.   I stand before you to remind us of an undeniable truth: Every patient killed in a hospital bed, Every family buried under the rubble of their home, Every hostage stolen from their loved ones, Every prisoner tortured and deprived of basic dignity, Every city levelled, and every village destroyed – These are not unfortunate realities of war. They are a betrayal.   We must not become numb to that fact, or we risk sleepwalking into a world where the barriers that once restrained brutality in war are removed. The scale of the suffering we witness is not inevitable. It is the direct result of dismissive interpretations of international humanitarian law.   People have the power to change course, but it will require courage and leadership to move past divisions and recommit to the fundamental belief that human life must transcend political divides – both in war and in peacetime.   Together, international humanitarian law and international human rights law share a common goal: to protect human life, health, and dignity, no matter what country you were born in or what side of the front line you live on.   These bodies of law are mutually reinforcing. They need one another. The erosion of respect for one contributes to the erosion of the other.   In war, how can the right to health be fulfilled if hospitals are bombed? How can the right to food prevent hunger if crops are destroyed? How can children see their right to education come true if schools are attacked?   There is no right to life when civilians, and the infrastructure they rely on for survival, are systematically targeted. International humanitarian law exists to protect them in times of war.   The way wars are fought today will inform the way they are fought tomorrow. Where basic humanitarian rules are violated, rebuilding costs skyrocket, and new security threats fester.   We can choose a different path, one that promotes life, stability, and prosperity. This starts with committing to international humanitarian law and making it a political priority."   International humanitarian law (IHL) is a set of rules that seeks, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons (civilians) who are not participating in hostilities, and imposes limits on the means and methods of warfare.   IHL is also known as “the law of armed conflict”. IHL is part of public international law, which is made up primarily of treaties, customary international law and general principles of law. The four Geneva Conventions of 1949 (GC I, II, III and IV), which have been universally acceded to or ratified, constitute the core treaties of IHL.   IHL applies equally to all sides, regardless of who started the fighting and regardless of motives.   Persons (civilians) protected by IHL are entitled to respect for their lives, their dignity, and their physical and mental integrity. They are also afforded various legal guarantees. They must be treated humanely in all circumstances, with no adverse distinction founded on race, colour, religion, faith, sex, birth, wealth, or any other similar criteria.   It is forbidden to murder them, or to subject them to torture. The wounded and the sick must be collected and cared for. In order to ensure the performance of these medical activities, medical personnel, units and transports must be respected and protected.   Access to humanitarian assistance for the civilian population affected by the conflict must be allowed and facilitated. Starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is specifically prohibited under IHL.   Under IHL, humanitarian personnel and objects must be respected and protected. Prioritized measures must be afforded to certain groups of people, including children, women or persons with disabilities, this means they must be afforded specific respect and protection.   Restrictions on the means of warfare and the methods of warfare.   The right of parties to a conflict to choose means or methods of warfare is not unlimited. Restrictions apply to the type of weapons used, the way they are used and the general conduct of all those engaged in the armed conflict. In addition, IHL prohibits the use of means and methods of warfare that are of a nature to cause injury or unnecessary suffering.   IHL regulates the conduct of hostilities on the basis of three core principles: distinction, proportionality and precaution.   The principle of distinction requires that the parties to an armed conflict distinguish at all times between civilians and civilian objects on the one hand, and combatants and military objectives on the other, and that attacks may only be directed against combatants and military objectives.   The purpose of this is to protect civilians, civilian property and the civilian population as a whole. Direct attacks against civilians or civilian objects and indiscriminate attacks – that is, attacks that strike military objectives and civilians or civilian objects without distinction – are prohibited.   The principle of proportionality, a corollary to the principle of distinction, dictates that, when attacking a military objective, loss of civilian life, injury to civilians, damage to civilian objects, or a combination thereof, must not be excessive in relation to the military advantage anticipated. This principle requires parties to anticipate the harm that might be caused directly by an attack and the indirect (i.e. reverberating) effects.   The principle of precaution requires parties to an armed conflict to take constant care to spare the civilian population, civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of all military operations. The principle also requires parties to a conflict to take a range of precautions in attack and a range of precautions against the effects of attacks to protect civilians and civilian objects.   With respect to precautions in attack, all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid or at least minimize civilian harm. Among others, this includes measures to verify that targets are military objectives and to give the civilian population an effective warning before the attack.   It can also entail restrictions on the location of an attack, as well as the weapons or tactics employed. At the same time, parties to an armed conflict must, to the maximum extent feasible, take necessary precautions to protect the civilian population and civilian objects against the effects of attacks. For example, it may include evacuating civilians from, or at least allowing them to leave, a besieged area where hostilities are taking place.   The rules on the conduct of hostilities also grant specific protection to objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population (including agricultural areas for the production of foodstuffs, crops or drinking water installations), and works and installations containing dangerous forces (dams, nuclear electrical generating stations..). The use of means and methods of warfare that are intended, or may be expected, to cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment are also prohibited.   The implementation of IHL is primarily the responsibility of states. They must respect and ensure respect for these rules in all circumstances (Article 1 common to the four Geneva Conventions). States must adopt legislation and regulations aimed at ensuring full compliance with IHL.   They must enact laws to provide effective penal sanctions for the most serious violations of the Geneva Conventions – the so-called “grave breaches” – violations that amount to war crimes.   The 1998 Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) established the Court’s jurisdiction to prosecute the most serious crimes of international concern, including war crimes (Article 8). By virtue of the principle of complementarity, its jurisdiction is intended to come into play only when a state is genuinely unable or unwilling to prosecute alleged war criminals over which that state has jurisdiction.   * Pope Leo XIV has condemned the the disregard of international humanitarian law as conflicts rage around the world and global institutions fail to end abuses and war crimes. “It is disheartening to see today that the strength of international law and humanitarian law no longer seems binding, replaced by the presumed right to overpower others,” the pontiff said. “This is unworthy and shameful for humanity and for the leaders of nations.”   http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/icrc-president-un-security-council-protection-civilians-armed-conflict http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/icrc-president-mirjana-spoljaric-58th-session-human-rights-council http://www.icrc.org/en/rulesofwar http://www.icrc.org/en/law-and-policy/respect-ihl http://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/2025/02/06/a-call-to-make-international-humanitarian-law-a-political-priority/ http://www.icrc.org/en/global-initiative-international-humanitarian-law http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k12/k12ajz5mw5 http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/populations-at-risk-march-2025/ Visit the related web page
	The catastrophic impact of conflicts in Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo by OCHA, UNHCR, OHCHR, agencies Democratic Republic of the Congo / Sudan   17 Mar. 2025   Sudan: In North Darfur, conditions at Zamzam camp worsen amid siege   OCHA warns that the ongoing siege on Zamzam camp, outside the city of El Fasher, Sudan, is deepening the suffering of hundreds of thousands of displaced civilians who are struggling to survive after months of famine.   Food shortages are growing even more severe. Prices of basic goods have skyrocketed, making essential items unaffordable for most families. Zamzam is a site in which famine conditions were identified last July and reconfirmed in December.   Armed attacks continue along the route between Zamzam and El Fasher, with multiple casualties and injuries reported. Despite severe access challenges, humanitarian teams are providing food, water and urgent medical care, but needs are far outpacing available resources. The situation has become even more critical due to funding cuts and the withdrawal of most aid organizations assisting in the area due to insecurity. This comes after WFP and Medecins Sans Frontieres were forced to suspend operations in Zamzam last month.   OCHA is also concerned that conditions are also deteriorating in parts of Khartoum State. Local volunteer aid workers report severe malnutrition and critical shortages of medicines in the district of Sharg An Nil. They say malnutrition is widespread among children and pregnant women. Lack of food is a major problem due to the closure of most community kitchens. Two weeks ago, front-line aid workers recorded more than 800 cases of severe child malnutrition, with numbers continuing to rise. Meanwhile, cases of anemia, hepatitis, night blindness and malaria are increasing due to the critical shortage of medicines in the few remaining functional health facilities.   There are also very serious concerns over reports of grave human rights violations in Khartoum as fighting rages and lines of control shift rapidly.   OCHA stresses that the scale of suffering in Sudan is staggering, and without swift intervention, the consequences will be devastating for millions. We call once again for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan and unhindered humanitarian access to deliver life-saving aid.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/825000-children-trapped-conflict-rages-sudans-al-fasher-and-zamzam-internally http://www.msf.org/msf-briefing-sudan-un-security-council http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/04/hundreds-killed-rsf-attacks-sudans-north-darfur http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/18/survivors-attack-sudan-zamzam-camp-rapid-support-forces-paramilitaries http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/families-fleeing-attacks-sudans-zamzam-camp-arrive-injured-traumatised-nothing-eat-save-children   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/04/sudan-faces-worsening-humanitarian-catastrophe-famine-and-conflict-escalate http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/04/15/world-leaders-need-help-end-atrocities-sudan http://www.refugeesinternational.org/advocacy-letters/joint-statement-genocide-returns-to-darfur/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/sudan-rapid-support-forces-horrific-and-widespread-use-of-sexual-violence-leaves-lives-in-tatters/ http://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/19/world/africa/sudan-usaid-famine.html http://www.globalr2p.org/countries/sudan/   27 Feb. 2025   WFP, MSF forced to stop urgent food distributions, medical care in Sudan's Zamzam camp as fighting intensifies   Intense fighting in Zamzam camp in Sudan’s North Darfur region has forced the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to pause the distribution of life-saving food and nutrition assistance in the famine-hit camp for displaced people. Over the past two weeks escalating violence left WFP’s partners with no choice but to evacuate staff for safety.   “Without immediate assistance, tens of thousands of desperate families in Zamzam could starve in the coming weeks,” said Laurent Bukera, Regional Director for Eastern Africa and acting Country Director for Sudan. “We must resume the delivery of life-saving aid in and around Zamzam safely, quickly and at scale. For that the fighting must stop, and humanitarian organizations must be granted security guarantees.”   In February, WFP and its humanitarian partners only managed to provide 60,000 out of 500,00 people with food vouchers, when heavy shelling forced the pause of aid operations earlier this month. The food vouchers allow families to purchase essential food supplies directly from local markets which WFP helps to keep stocked through its local network.   The recent violence left Zamzam’s Central Market destroyed by shelling, pushing residents of the camp – estimated to be around 500,000 people – further away from accessing essential food and supplies.   Edem Wosornu, the U.N. humanitarian operations director, told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that satellite imagery showed heavy weapons were used in and around the camp in recent weeks.   “Terrified civilians, including humanitarian workers, were unable to leave the area when the fighting was most intense,” she said, adding that many people were killed including aid workers.   Earlier this week, the Doctors Without Borders medical charity said it paused its operations, including its field hospital, in the camp due to intensified attacks.   WFP and other partners have been working to deliver food and nutrition assistance to displaced people in and around North Darfur’s Zamzam camp. These people will not receive support until WFP is able to safely resume activities and get humanitarian assistance to the area.   “Millions of people are facing famine or at risk across Sudan. We are trying every possible way to get vital aid into the hands of people whose lives hang in the balance,” Bukera said.   In 2024, two out of every three people in famine or risk of famine areas received WFP assistance. However, access remains highly sporadic, and two million people in 27 locations across Sudan are currently experiencing, or on the brink of, famine. Regular deliveries to starving communities are the only way to push back the famine in Sudan.   Aid groups have made pleas for humanitarian access for months in Zamzam and elsewhere, with very limited success. The U.N.’s top humanitarian official in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, has accused the RSF fighters and allies of preventing life-saving aid from reaching desperate people in Darfur. The RSF and allied militias control much of the region. They have been accused of ethnically motivated killing and rape, the International Criminal Court is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.   http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-forced-pause-food-distributions-sudans-zamzam-camp-fighting-intensifies http://www.unocha.org/news/sudan-crisis-requires-unprecedented-action-ocha-tells-security-council http://www.msf.org/sudan-msf-forced-halt-our-activities-violence-engulfs-zamzam-camp-north-darfur http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-catherine-russells-remarks-un-security-council-meeting-0 http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161091 http://www.savethechildren.net/news/sudans-zamzam-refugee-camp-childrens-lives-brink-medical-and-food-supplies-dry   17 Feb. 2025   UN urges global action to protect and support civilians devastated by Sudan’s war.   Nearly two years of conflict have fueled a catastrophic protection crisis and displaced a staggering 12 million people in Sudan and across borders.   Fighting continues to kill and injure civilians and destroy hospitals, markets and other essential infrastructure. Nearly two-thirds of the population need emergency aid, and the country is facing famine conditions. Refugees in dire need arrive in neighbouring countries where local resources are already stretched thin.   In response, the United Nations and partners today launch the 2025 humanitarian and refugee response plans for Sudan, appealing for a combined US$6 billion to assist nearly 26 million people inside the country and in the region.   “Sudan is a humanitarian emergency of shocking proportions,” said Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher. “Famine is taking hold. An epidemic of sexual violence rages.   Children are being killed and injured. The suffering is appalling. But our plan is a lifeline to millions. We need to stop the fighting, the funding to deliver for the Sudanese people, and better access by land, sea and air to those who need help.”   “Today, one-third of Sudan’s entire population is displaced. The consequences of this horrific and senseless conflict spread far beyond Sudan’s borders,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees.   “Neighbouring countries have shown great solidarity by welcoming refugees, even when more are arriving every day. But their resources are stretched – essentials such as water, shelter and health services are scarce – and Sudan needs urgent support.   The international community must step up and help, not just to ensure that emergency aid and life-saving protection can continue without disruption, but also to end the violence and restore peace to Sudan.”   Famine conditions have been reported in at least five locations in Sudan including displacement camps in Darfur and in the western Nuba Mountains. Catastrophic hunger is expected to worsen by May when the lean season begins. With continued fighting and basic services having collapsed across most of the country, the crisis is set to get worse.   The Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for Sudan aims to reach nearly 21 million vulnerable people with life-saving aid and protection.   As the conflict rages on, thousands continue to flee every day. The majority arrive in an extremely vulnerable state, with high levels of malnutrition and requiring emergency assistance. To date, nearly 3.5 million people have sought safety in neighbouring countries further stretching already scarce services and resources.   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudans-war-enar http://www.unocha.org/news/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudans-war http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/03/accelerating-action-sudanese-women-amid-conflict-statement-un http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-crisis-sudan-statement-humanitarian-coordination-forum-hcf http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-food-crisis-priority-actions-urgent-call-assistance http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/humanitarian-action-children-2025-sudan http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/un-urges-global-action-protect-and-support-civilians-devastated-sudan-s-war http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/02/sudan-powder-keg-high-commissioner-turk-warns-human-rights-council   http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/urgent-alert-on-the-risk-of-genocide-in-north-darfur-sudan/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/sudan-entrenched-impunity-fuelling-gross-human-rights-violations-and-abuses http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-young-one-reported-among-survivors-rape-during-sudans-violent-conflict   Port Sudan, 10 Feb. 2025   Remove restrictions to allow aid to reach people in need in Sudan - Statement by the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami:   The humanitarian crisis in Sudan – particularly in the Darfur region where food insecurity and widespread suffering are escalating – demands urgent and unimpeded access to aid. However, persistent restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles imposed by the Sudanese Agency for Relief and Humanitarian Operations (SARHO), an affiliate of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), are preventing life-saving assistance from reaching those in desperate need.   Despite repeated commitments made by SARHO, humanitarian actors continue to face obstruction, undue interference, and operational restrictions that contravene international humanitarian law and the obligations outlined in the Jeddah Declaration of Commitment to Protect the Civilians of Sudan of May 2023.   It is unacceptable that the humanitarian community in Sudan — comprising United Nations agencies, international and local non-governmental organizations — is unable to deliver essential aid due to actions by those who have pledged to facilitate assistance.   I call on SARHO to take immediate and concrete measures to:   1. Guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access by removing administrative and security obstacles that delay or prevent aid from reaching affected people.   2. Ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, assets and operations to ensure their ability to function without threats or coercion.   3. Simplify bureaucratic procedures for aid convoys by eliminating unnecessary approvals and ensuring efficiency in the movement of humanitarian supplies.   4. End interference in humanitarian operations, including demands for logistical support or mandatory engagement with selected vendors that risk corruption and aid diversion.   5. Return to comprehensive and meaningful engagement through dialogue and negotiations with the humanitarian community as whole as outlined in the Jeddah Declaration to guarantee the delivery of urgent life-saving aid.   The humanitarian community stands ready to work with SARHO and all parties in good faith to ensure that assistance reaches those in urgent need. The world is watching.   http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/remove-restrictions-allow-aid-reach-people-need-sudan-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami-enar   26 Jan. 2025   Scores killed in hospital attack in Sudan’s besieged El Fasher, says WHO. (Agencies)   70 people have been killed in an attack on the only functional hospital in the besieged city of El Fasher in Sudan, the head of the World Health Organization has said, the latest in a series of attacks as the African nation’s civil war has escalated in recent days.   “The appalling attack on Saudi hospital in El Fasher, Sudan, led to 19 injuries and 70 deaths among patients and companions,” the WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said. “At the time of the attack, the hospital was packed with patients receiving care.”   Another health facility in Al Malha also was attacked on Saturday, he added. “We continue to call for a cessation of all attacks on health care in Sudan, and to allow full access for the swift restoration of the facilities that have been damaged,” he wrote. “Above all, Sudan’s people need peace. The best medicine is peace.”   Tedros did not say who had launched the attack, though local officials blamed the RSF for the assault.   Clementine Nkweta-Salami, a UN official who coordinates humanitarian efforts in Sudan, warned on Thursday that the RSF had given “a 48-hour ultimatum to forces allied to the Sudanese Armed Forces to vacate the city and indicated a forthcoming offensive”.   “Since May 2024, El Fasher has been under RSF siege,” she said. “Civilians in El Fasher have already endured months of suffering, violence and gross human rights abuses under the prolonged siege. Their lives now hang in the balance due to an increasingly precarious situation.”   The city is now estimated to be home to more than 1 million people, many of whom have been displaced by the war.   The RSF siege had killed and injured over 2,000 people the UN said in December, warning the true figures were likely to be much higher.   http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/attack-hospital-al-fasher-shocking-violation-and-affront-humanity-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159501 http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/statement-ingo-forum-sudan-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure http://www.msf.org/sudan-malnutrition-crisis-msf-renews-call-immediate-action-prevent-death-and-starvation http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/grave-concerns-over-imminent-threat-civilians-al-fasher-statement-united-nations-resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/01/sudan-concern-civilians-over-likely-offensive-el-fasher http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/12/sudan-alarming-el-fasher-siege-hostilities-must-end-un-report http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/01/sudan-conflict-taking-more-dangerous-turn-civilians http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/sudan-attacks-critical-civilian-infrastructure-amid-escalating-fighting http://reliefweb.int/report/chad/war-sudan-nearly-one-million-people-forcibly-displaced-chad http://www.care.org/news-and-stories/thel-latest-from-the-worst-humanitarian-crisis-on-earth-sudan/   Dec. 2024   Sudan: Famine expands as conflict drives catastrophic hunger to more areas. (IPC)   Twenty months into the conflict, Sudan continues to slide into a widening Famine crisis characterized by widespread starvation and a significant surge in acute malnutrition.   The IPC Famine Review Committee (FRC) has detected Famine in at least five areas and projects that five additional areas will face Famine between December 2024 and May 2025. Furthermore, there is a risk of Famine in seventeen additional areas.   Half of the population (24.6 million people) is facing high levels of acute food insecurity. This marks an unprecedented deepening and widening of the food and nutrition crisis, driven by the devastating conflict, which has triggered unprecedented mass displacement, a collapsing economy, the breakdown of essential social services, and severe societal disruptions, and poor humanitarian access.   According to the FRC, Famine (IPC Phase 5) detected in August 2024 in Zamzam camp, North Darfur state, has persisted and expanded to Al Salam and Abu shouk camps and the Western Nuba Mountains for the period October to November 2024. Between December 2024 and May 2025, Famine is projected to expand in North Darfur localities including Um Kadadah, Melit, El Fasher, At Tawisha, and Al Lait.   There is a risk of Famine in the Central Nuba Mountains (including in Delami, Western Kadugli, Um Durein, and Al Buram localities), and in areas likely to experience high influxes of IDPs in North and South Darfur. These include Tawila, Nyala Janoub, Nyala Shimal, Beliel, Shattaya, As Sunta, Buram, and Kas in South Darfur, as well as Medani Al Kubra and Sharg Al Jazirah in Al Jazirah State, Mayo and Alingaz in Jebel – Awilia, Khartoum state and Al Firdous in East Darfur state.   This latest IPC analysis shows that food insecurity is at worse levels than foreseen. Between December and May, 24.6 million people face high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above). These results mark a stark increase of 3.5 million people compared to the number originally projected and correspond to over half of the population of Sudan.   This includes about 15.9 million people (33 percent) classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), 8.1 million people (17 percent) in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), and at least 638,000 people (1 percent) in IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe).   http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-117/en/ http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2025-overview http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-urges-security-council-action-famine-conditions-spread-sudan http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1158756 http://www.wfp.org/news/food-and-nutrition-crisis-deepens-across-sudan-famine-identified-additional-areas http://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-humanitarian-needs-and-response-plan-2025-executive-summary-issued-december-2024 http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/sudan/resident-and-humanitarian-coordinator-sudan-clementine-nkweta-salami-condemns-shelling-and-airstrikes-civilian-areas-parts-darfur-and-khartoum http://prezly.msf.org.uk/alert-from-msf-in-zamzam-camp-north-darfur   14 Mar. 2025   Cholera spreads as clashes drive displacement in eastern DRC   OCHA reports that clashes and insecurity in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo continue to harm civilians.   In South Kivu, humanitarian partners warn that continued violence in the territories of Uvira and Fizi has forced nearly 370,000 people to flee their homes since early February.   Serious violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law have been reported, including nearly 400 cases of sexual violence reported in Uvira between 9 and 25 February, according to partners monitoring protection issues.   Humanitarian organizations in the area have also been targeted in Uvira.   The impact of the continued insecurity and displacements of people has also contributed to a growing cholera outbreak, with health officials reporting more than 240 cases and 10 deaths as of March 10th in Uvira. Partners working in health estimate new cholera cases are doubling every week there.   Since 3 March, clashes in Walungu Territory have reportedly forced more than 20,000 people to flee, and they urgently need food, water, shelter and other essential items.   http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-occupied-palestinian-territory-syria-democratic-republic-congo http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/unicef-drc-l3-emergency-humanitarian-situation-report-no1-escalation-conflict-01-15-march-2025 http://www.wfp.org/news/conflict-and-rising-food-prices-drive-congolese-one-worlds-worst-food-crises-according-new-ipc http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/un-experts-urge-immediate-action-protect-children-against-trafficking http://www.msf.org/new-wave-violence-ituri-drc-further-risks-civilian-lives   20 Feb. 2025   Crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to deepen. WFP alarmed at soaring hunger as more flee displacement camps in eastern DRC.   The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has partially resumed food assistance in parts of Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) delivering vital nutrition supplies for the treatment of moderate acute malnutrition in children aged 6 to 59 months as three weeks of fighting continues to worsen access to food for the most vulnerable.   A recent WFP market assessment found the price of staple foods in eastern DRC has sky-rocketed – making it more difficult for families to put food on the table. The price of maize flour has risen by nearly 67 percent.   With major access routes blocked, and Goma International airport a critical humanitarian hub closed, WFP’s priority is to resume operations fully as soon as it is safe to do so.   ‘The longer we are unable to give food and emergency assistance to families affected by the conflict, the greater and more dire their needs are,” said Peter Musoko, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in DRC. “I do not want to see children and mothers sink deeper into hunger and severe malnutrition. We need the violence to stop so we can resume our humanitarian activities. The most vulnerable people in DRC cannot afford to be overlooked during this crisis.’   http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-community-drc-calls-254-billion-provide-lifesaving-assistance-11-million-people-affected-crises http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unhcr-calls-continued-protection-and-assistance-congolese-fleeing-escalating   15 Feb. 2025   Fighters from the Rwandan-backed M23 group have entered Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, after a rapid advance south in recent days. M23 fighters entered the city of 1 million people on Friday.   The surge in violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation. The fighting has destroyed 70,000 emergency shelters around Goma and Minova in South Kivu, leaving 350,000 internally displaced people without shelter, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency.   "UNHCR is alarmed by the rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis impacting hundreds of thousands of people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as the continued lack of humanitarian access to displaced people hampers the provision of urgently needed aid.. The crisis is worsening as many tens of thousands of people flee to areas where humanitarian aid cannot reach them due to insecurity.   UNHCR calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety of civilians, including the displaced, and to uphold international humanitarian principles including the right to move freely in search of safety. We urge all parties to stop attacks on civilian infrastructure and guarantee unhindered humanitarian access. UNHCR urges the international community to bolster their support to prevent a deeper humanitarian catastrophe".   13 Feb. 2025   Children in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo increasingly exposed to sexual violence, abduction and recruitment – Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell:   “I am deeply alarmed by the intensifying violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and its impact on children and families. In North and South Kivu provinces, we are receiving horrific reports of grave violations against children by parties to the conflict, including rape and other forms of sexual violence at levels surpassing anything we have seen in recent years.   “During the week of 27 January to 2 February 2025, UNICEF partners reported that the number of rape cases treated across 42 health facilities jumped five-fold in one week. Of those treated, 30 per cent were children. The true figures are likely much higher because so many survivors are reluctant to come forward. Our partners are running out of the drugs used to reduce the risk of HIV infection after a sexual assault.   “One mother recounted to our staff how her six daughters, the youngest just 12 years old, were systematically raped by armed men while searching for food.   Armed groups in DRC continue to commit grave violations against children, with OCHA reporting at least 1,500 cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against children in the past 1.5 months. UNICEF reports a five-fold increase in rape cases between January 27 and February 2, 2025, with 30 percent of victims being children. OHCHR confirmed summary executions of children by M23 in Bukavu, and the UN Child Rights Committee reported that 45 street children in Goma were killed by M23 after the group entered the city.   “Children and families across much of the eastern DRC continue to face relentless bombardment and gunfire. In recent months, thousands of vulnerable children in displacement camps have been forced to flee multiple times to escape the fighting.   “Parties to the conflict must immediately cease and prevent grave rights violations against children. They must also take concrete measures to protect civilians and infrastructure critical to their survival – in line with their obligations under international humanitarian law.   “Humanitarian partners must have safe, unimpeded access to reach all children and families in need – wherever they may be. UNICEF continues to call for increased diplomatic efforts to put an end to the military escalation, and to forge a lasting political solution to the violence, so that the country’s children can live in peace.”   http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unhcr-seeks-urgent-support-violence-eastern-dr-congo-leaves-hundreds-thousands http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/drc-m23-attacks-hospitals-gravely-concerning http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/children-drc-endure-grave-violations-under-siege-un-committee-warns http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-eastern-democratic-republic-congo-increasingly-exposed-sexual-violence http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/protection-alert-escalating-crisis-south-kivu-democratic-republic-congo-14-february-2025 http://www.unocha.org/publications/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-coordinator-alerts-humanitarian-consequences-crisis-south-kivu-and-calls-end-fighting http://www.unocha.org/latest/news-and-stories?responses=36 http://reliefweb.int/country/cod http://www.icrc.org/en/news-release/joint-statement-icrc-ifrc-red-cross-society-DRC http://news.un.org/en/tags/democratic-republic-congo   5 Feb. 2025   Rebels of the M23 armed group and allied Rwandan forces have launched a new offensive in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).   Breaking a ceasefire they had declared unilaterally – M23 fighters and Rwandan troops seized a mining town in South Kivu province, resuming their advance towards the provincial capital, Bukavu.   The UN said the battle for the key city of Goma, which M23 and Rwandan troops seized last week, had left at least 2,900 people dead.   Vivian van de Perre, the deputy chief of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), gave an updated toll from the battle for the city.   “So far, 2,000 bodies have been collected from the Goma streets in recent days, and 900 bodies remain in the morgues of the Goma hospitals,” she told a news conference, saying the toll could still rise.   International criminal court prosecutors said in a statement they were “closely following” events in the eastern DRC, “including the grave escalation of violence over the past weeks”.   In Bukavu, a city of one million people that residents fear will become the next battleground, a crowd gathered for an ecumenical prayer service for peace, organised by local women. “We are tired of the non-stop wars. We want peace,” Jacqueline Ngengele, one of those who attended, told AFP.   http://www.msf.org/assistance-needed-people-leaving-and-staying-goma-drc-following-weeks-violence http://www.msf.org/democratic-republic-congo-drc http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/02/13/dr-congo-m23-drives-displaced-people-goma-camps http://africa.oxfam.org/latest/press-release/nearly-half-million-people-left-without-shelter-food-or-water-dr-congo-amid http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2025/02/serious-human-rights-concerns-situation-eastern-drc-deteriorates http://srdefenders.org/information/extreme-concern-for-the-security-of-human-rights-defenders-in-eastern-drc-en-fr/ http://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/05/democratic-republic-congo-goma-women-raped-burned-death-prison-m23-rebels-rwanda http://www.fidh.org/en/region/Africa/democratic-republic-of-congo/drc-open-letter-to-the-african-union-on-the-occasion-of-its-38th http://secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/peace_in_the_drc_loc/ http://www.oikoumene.org/news/protestants-and-catholics-in-congo-launch-roadmap-to-peace   30 Jan. 2025   The extremely serious humanitarian situation in Goma requires immediate attention. (OCHA)   The Humanitarian Coordinator in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mr. Bruno Lemarquis, reiterates his deep concern over the critical situation in Goma. After several days of intense fighting, the city is now facing the devastating consequences of the hostilities, with massive humanitarian needs and severely strained response capacities.   Medical facilities are overwhelmed. Between 23 and 28 January, the hospitals in the city of Goma, supported by MSF, the ICRC and the WHO, treated more than 1,000 wounded, many of them civilians who had fallen victim to bullets and heavy artillery explosions. The lack of medicines, equipment and medical staff is jeopardizing the treatment of the wounded and increasing the risk of loss of life.   Basic services are largely paralyzed. Electricity and drinking water have been cut off for several days, forcing the population to draw directly on untreated water from Lake Kivu. This situation exposes thousands of people to the immediate risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera. The morgues are full, and the lifeless bodies left in the streets of the city pose a major health risk for the survivors.   Humanitarian infrastructure and warehouses have been looted, severely compromising the humanitarian response. Significant quantities of food, medicines, and essential medical supplies have been lost in targeted attacks on United Nations agencies and humanitarian NGOs critical to the emergency response.   This loss delays the rapid delivery of aid to populations in desperate need. Humanitarian actors on the ground continue their operations despite extremely precarious conditions. On behalf of all the humanitarian actors serving vulnerable populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I condemn in the strongest possible terms the looting of humanitarian facilities and warehouses.   These acts are unacceptable and constitute a violation of international humanitarian law. They directly compromise the delivery of vital aid to the most vulnerable populations.   I call on all parties to protect civilians and ensure their access to goods and services essential to their survival. I also call on all parties to facilitate, accelerate and protect the supply of humanitarian actors. Without supplies of essential goods, fuel and logistical equipment, it will be impossible to meet the needs of the population and to maintain humanitarian operations in Goma.   I call for the immediate opening of vital access points for humanitarian supplies and emergency response efforts, and the free movement of affected populations.   I also call for the strict respect of the rights of internally displaced persons and for all returns to be voluntary. Returns can only take place under safe, voluntary, and dignified conditions, in accordance with international principles. It is imperative to ensure that displaced persons have a free and informed choice, as well as secure and viable conditions for their return.   I call on the international community to step up its support in the face of a worsening humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian actors remain on the ground, mobilized to scale up their response, but without adequate resources, the current crisis risks deteriorating even further. Immediate action is essential.   On behalf of the entire humanitarian community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I reaffirm that the principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence of humanitarian actors are absolute and non-negotiable. Their sole mission is to provide assistance and protection to vulnerable populations, regardless of political considerations.   http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/extremely-serious-humanitarian-situation-goma-requires-immediate-attention-international-community http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-lifeline-drc-under-threat-ingos-call-urgent-action http://www.acaps.org/en/countries/archives/detail/drc-conflict-escalation-in-goma-north-kivu http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/fear-mounts-as-violence-spreads-in-eastern-drc http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/02/un-experts-call-urgent-humanitarian-relief-and-political-solution-protect http://docs.un.org/en/A/HRC/RES/S-37/1 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2025/01/drc-deepening-human-rights-crisis-amid-reports-further-m23-advances http://tinyurl.com/y64td2fr http://phr.org/news/doctors-trapped-in-hospitals-clinics-under-fire-in-eastern-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-drc-phr http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/drc-conflict-food-prices-skyrocket-goma-conflict-blocks-food-supplies http://reliefweb.int/country/cod   27 Jan. 2025   Children caught in heavy fighting in the town of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must be protected with Save the Children concerned for their safety amid the worst escalation of violence in the country in more than a decade.   Currently about 2-3 million people live in Goma, including 1 million displaced people. Save the Children estimates over half of those – or over 1.5 million - are children.   People are trying to flee but with nowhere to go. Children have been affected in the chaos in and out of Goma.   Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director for DRC said:   “The situation is complex and horrific. There is no safe place to go from Goma. Every time a family flees the guns and bombs to a supposed safe place, they are forced to move again.   “Children have lost their parents. It’s a horrible, horrible place to be a child at the moment.. We have heard horrific reports of gang rape and violence against young children in recent weeks, and we hold grave fears for the wellbeing and safety of the children remaining in Goma or fleeing for their lives.   “Displacement camps on the outskirts of Goma have been emptied as people flee once again in search of safety. Thousands of families escaping from violence in Minova – 30km from Goma - are now stranded in areas lacking clean water and food supplies.   “The situation is desperate, and we need urgent global action, now. We urge all parties involved in the conflict to prioritise the protection of civilians and ensure unrestricted humanitarian access. We reiterate our call on the international community to take immediate actions to address the rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis in the DRC. This includes providing emergency assistance to those displaced, supporting efforts to protect civilians and working towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict.   "What we ask most is peace to return, calm to return, so children can be safe and we can continue our essential humanitarian work.”   Conflict in DRC has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with nearly 7 million people, including at least 3.5 million children, displaced and more than 26 million people – or one in every four people – in need of humanitarian assistance.   http://www.savethechildren.net/news/drc-over-15-million-children-need-protection-goma-faces-heavy-fighting-save-children http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1159631 http://www.wfp.org/stories/photos-wfp-urges-action-conflict-pushes-displacement-and-hunger-east-drc http://www.wfp.org/news/crisis-eastern-drc-escalates-leads-greater-humanitarian-and-protection-needs http://reliefweb.int/report/democratic-republic-congo/humanitarian-catastrophe-unfolds-north-and-south-kivu-violence-escalates-ingos-call-immediate-action Visit the related web page
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