Erdogan’s Regime Faces Criticism for Detaining Teenage Girls in Turkey

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29 September 2024

Women and girls in Sudan disproportionately impacted by ongoing conflict

The need for gender-based violence-related services has increased 100 per cent since the crisis began in April 2023, the UN agency championing gender affairs reported, with up to 6.7 million people needing assistance by the end of last year.

Cases of conflict-related sexual violence, sexual exploitation, and abuse have been growing since then, especially in Khartoum, Darfur, and Kordofan.

Many cases of abuse perpetrated against displaced women and girls go unreported due to a fear of stigma from other community members and inadequate support.

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Insufficient food and healthcare

With cases of acute food insecurity and abuse now at a record high in war-torn Sudan, female-headed households are being more affected than male-headed households.

Additionally, 1.63 million women of reproductive age lack access to adequate healthcare services, even though around 54,000 childbirths are expected over the next three months.

The alert explained that “women and girls also continue to be disproportionately impacted by the lack of safe, easily accessible, and affordable water, sanitation, and hygiene.”

“At least 80 per cent of the internally displaced women are unable to secure clean water due to affordability, safety concerns, and distance,” it continued.

Education crisis

Access to education for girls in Sudan is also a major concern as more than 2.5 million school-aged girls are unable to return to the classroom which increases the risk of “being subjected to harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation.”

“Women and girls in Sudan are facing unimaginable challenges, yet their strength and resilience continue to inspire us,” said Hodan Addou, acting Regional Director for UN Women’s East and Southern Africa office. “We cannot let Sudan become a forgotten crisis.”

Call for action

UN Women said urgent action is needed to protect women and girls in Sudan and secure their access to food, safe water, and sexual and reproductive health services.

The office is calling on the international community and humanitarian partners to support funding for women-led organizations that are prioritising protecting and empowering women and girls.

“Now, more than ever, the international community must rally together to support women in Sudan, ensuring they have the resources and protection they need to survive and rebuild their lives,” Ms. Hodan Addou.

UN Women is also demanding an immediate halt to the fighting but all international efforts to bring about a ceasefire between the RSF militia and Government forces have so far fallen short.

‘We have failed the people of Gaza,’ Guterres tells ministers

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27 September 2024

‘We have failed the people of Gaza,’ Guterres tells ministers

The world has “failed the people of Gaza”, he said. More than 41,000 people have been killed since Israel’s offensive began in response to the Hamas-led terror attacks of 7 October. More than 90,000 Gazans have been wounded, the majority women and children.

“Two million Palestinians are now crammed into a space the size of the Shanghai International Airport, existing – not living, but existing – among lakes of sewage, piles of rubbish and mountains of rubble,” the UN chief said.

“The only certainty they have is that tomorrow will be worse.”

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UNRWA’s sacrifice

Despite being the only beacon of hope, at least 222 UNRWA staff and many other family members have been killed, several while serving in shelters that came under fire – the highest death toll in UN history.

Apart from the repeated attacks on staff simply for doing the jobs, “the humanitarian response in Gaza is being strangled,” Mr. Guterres said.

“Protection and deconfliction mechanisms for humanitarian aid deliveries have failed. Attempts to evict UNRWA from its headquarters in East Jerusalem continue, and UNRWA has not been spared on the political level,” he added. “This includes systematic disinformation campaigns that discredit the agency’s lifelong work.”

He pointed to draft legislation making its way through Israel’s Knesset seeking to label UNRWA a terrorist organization, which would outlaw its operations on Israeli territory.

Confidence in UNRWA

“In the face of the catastrophic conditions, UNRWA perseveres,” the Secretary-General said, expressing his full confidence in the neutrality and impartiality of the organization following an independent review into alleged collusion of some staff in the 7 October massacres.

“Member States are showing that same confidence. Virtually all donors have reversed their funding suspensions, [and] 123 countries have signed up to the declaration on shared commitments to UNRWA.”

He said there is no alternative to the agency in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

“Now is the time to work on all fronts to intensify support for the agency’s vital mission – support with funding that is sufficient, predictable and flexible,” the UN chief concluded.

World News in Brief: 1.3 billion teens suffering mental disorders, Russia’s Indigenous Peoples face ‘extinction’, Belarus rights update

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26 September 2024

World News in Brief: 1.3 billion teens suffering mental disorders, Russia’s Indigenous Peoples face ‘extinction’, Belarus rights update

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that failing to address the mental, sexual and reproductive health of adolescents will have “serious and life-threatening consequences for young people”. It will also come at a massive cost for society, which justifies a major public investment from governments worldwide.

Tedros noted that anaemia among adolescent girls remains “prevalent” and at levels similar to those in 2010, while close to one in 10 teenagers is obese.

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STDs on the rise

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including syphilis, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes that commonly occur among youth are on the rise too.

If left untreated, they could have “lifelong implications for health”, the WHO chief said, citing new data.

Tedros also spoke out against attempts to “roll back” young people’s access to sexual and reproductive healthcare and sex education in response to growing opposition to gender equality and human rights.

He said that any restrictive age of consent policies limit young people’s access to critical services, including those for sexually transmitted infections and HIV.

Adolescence is a unique and critical stage of human development, involving major physical, emotional and social transitions, and is a pivotal window for laying long-term foundations for good health, WHO notes.

“Promoting and protecting the health and rights of young people is essential to building a better future for our world,” said Tedros.

“Conversely, failing to address the health threats that adolescents face – some longstanding, some emerging – will not only have serious and life-threatening consequences for young people themselves, but will create spiraling economic costs.”

Gains are possible

The publication was launched at an event on the margins of the UN Summit of the Future.

“Adolescents are powerful and incredibly creative forces for good when they are able to shape the agenda for their wellbeing and their future,” said Rajat Khosla, executive director of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, which co-hosted the launch.

“Leaders must listen to what young people want and ensure they are active partners and decision makers,” she added.

Indigenous Peoples of Russia face ‘extinction’ from Ukraine mobilisation

Russia’s Indigenous Peoples face “extinction” because they have been subjected to “massive” mobilisation to fight in the war in Ukraine, a top independent rights expert said on Monday.

The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia, Mariana Katzarova, maintained that most of the mobilisation of minority communities had been forced.

“The mobilisation of Indigenous Peoples, particularly from small-numbered nations, is massive, and the death rate is massive, which is threatening them with extinction,” she said, citing civil society data.

‘Almost no Slavic faces’ on frontline

The independent rights expert, who does not work for the UN or receive a salary from the Organization, said that following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, she saw “almost no Slavic faces” on images broadcast from the frontline, but rather those of Russia’s ethnic peoples.

UN News/Dominika Tomaszewska-Mortimer

“It was the Buryatians, it was the Kalmykians, it was the Chechens, it was the national minorities of Russia,” she insisted.

Speaking in Geneva, Ms. Katzarova said that Russian authorities had gone to the country’s “faraway places” to find war recruits.

“The mobilisation hasn’t been so brutal in Moscow and St. Petersburg…It’s the most sophisticated places where people know their rights.

“But, when you go 100 miles away on the train from Moscow and St. Petersburg and let alone in the far-away regions of Siberia…people don’t even feel they have a choice. They don’t even know their rights.”

The independent rights expert said she had documented cases where the military had gone “door to door” in their search for soldiers and “just drag out the men from Indigenous villages”.

Ms. Katzarova is due to present her report to the Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

Belarus authorities quell ‘all avenues of dissent’, UN Rights Council hears

Serious rights violations are continuing against civil society and critics of the Government in Belarus, the UN Human Rights Council heard on Monday.

Appointed by the Council in Geneva, the Group of Independent Experts on Belarus highlighted numerous grave abuses linked to protests at the disputed re-election of Presidential Alexander Lukashenko in 2020.

These include deaths, torture, gender-based violence and denial of the right to a fair trial, said Karinna Moskalenko, chair of panel of independent experts.

Climate of fear

She said the government “continues to instill a pervasive climate of fear by quelling all avenues of dissent, including in the digital space. New electronic intelligence equipment appears to have been pursued to increase the monitoring of online activities, ahead of the Presidential elections.”

Ms. Moskalenko, who as an independent expert does not work for the UN, further maintained that President Lukashenko’s government was “responsible for the near-total destruction of civic space and fundamental freedoms in Belarus”.

Most opponents of the authorities had been “either imprisoned or forced into exile since the 2020 elections”, she noted.

PANAMA, the cradle of the fourth edition of the Faith and Freedom Summit. Why?

By

Willy Fautre

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25 September 2024

Panama, a reference for its successful accommodation of the de facto religious diversity and the peaceful coexistence between historical, tribal and new religions

This year, the ‘Faith and Freedom Summit’ organized by civil society organizations of Europe and America is taking place in Panama, a small country of 4.4 inhabitants in Central America.

While the last summit was hosted in the European Parliament in Brussels, it is the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino), comprising 23 countries, which this year is opening its doors on 24-25 September to this prestigious event gathering more than 40 speakers: prominent academics, human rights defenders, religious and political leaders from Panama, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Spain, the United States, France, Holland, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

The Kingpin of this project is Giselle Lima, Co-Coordinator of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable of Panama.

Why a conference on freedom of religion or belief in Panama?

Panama has been specifically chosen for this international meeting because the fundamental principles of freedom of religion or belief established by the United Nations are met by Panama. Its Constitution and its laws have led to good practices that can be shown with pride to other big democracies in America and Europe which have not achieved the same level of harmonious coexistence between the state on the one hand and the full range of religious or belief communities on the other hand.

In Panama, a country which is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, everybody has the right to change his religion or belief. Freedom of association, of worship and of assembly is respected. Freedom of expression and of sharing one’s faith in the public space is unimpeded. As the country has no army, there is no military service, which is especially important for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Relations are harmonious between society and religions as well as between the various religions. No inter-religious conflicts, no campaigns inciting hostility or hatred against specific religious or belief minority groups. Jehovah’s Witnesses, Scientologists and other religious minorities are treated fairly in the media, which is not always the case in big democracies.

Panama’s modesty needed to be rewarded by a big international event. The Faith and Freedom Summit is doing it.

Statistical data

In a 2022 Panama National Institute of Statistics and Census survey,

65 percent of respondents identified as Catholic;

22 percent as Evangelical;

6 percent as having no religion;

4 percent as “other religion.”

Jewish leaders estimate their community at 15,000 members, centered largely in Panama City.

A Shia Muslim leader estimated the Muslim community (Shia and Sunni) amounts to 14,000, with most Muslims located in Panama City, Colon, and Penonome. Shia Muslims are primarily of Lebanese origin, and Sunni Muslims are primarily of other Arab and Pakistani origin.

Other groups making up less than 5 percent of the population include (in descending order of membership) Episcopalians, Baha’is, Buddhists, Methodists, Lutherans, and Rastafarians.

Other small religious groups, found primarily in Panama City and other large urban areas, include Seventh-day Adventists, Baptists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hindus, Pentecostals, Greek and Russian Orthodox Churches, the Church of Scientology, and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Local religious leaders estimated only a few individuals are Babalaos, who follow the Yoruba religious tradition and are associated with Cuba’s Santeria religion.

Indigenous communities are home to numerous Indigenous religions, including Ibeorgun (prevalent among Guna Panamanians), Mama Tata and Mama Chi (prevalent among Ngabe-Bugle Panamanians), and Embera (prevalent among the Embera Panamanians).

Adherents of these religions live across the country, which complicates efforts to estimate their numbers. Indigenous representatives estimate the practitioners of Mama Tata and Mama Chi number in the tens of thousands, whereas the practitioners of Ibeorgun and Embera likely number in the thousands.

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Photo Exhibition at UN’s Broken Chair Highlights Victims of Terrorism in Kashmir

By

Robert Johnson

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23 September 2024

A poignant photo exhibition, organized by ECO FAWN Society, was held at the United Nations’ Broken Chair, during the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, shedding light on the plight of victims of terrorism in Kashmir. The event, well attended by UN delegates, foreign travelers, and members of the public from diverse backgrounds, aimed to raise awareness about the ongoing struggles faced by the region’s people. Through striking imagery, the exhibition vividly depicted the personal stories of loss, survival, and resilience in the face of decades of violence and instability.

The exhibition’s central focus was to humanize the statistics surrounding terrorism, giving a voice to the affected communities, particularly women and children. Participants included diplomats, NGOs, human rights activists, and media personnel, all of whom praised the initiative for creating a platform to foster empathy and dialogue on the issue. Public feedback emphasized the emotional impact of the photographs, inspiring conversations about peace, reconciliation, and justice for the victims.

The ECO FAWN Society, a non-governmental organization focused on environmental and human rights issues, expressed hope that the exhibition would contribute to global efforts to address the root causes of terrorism and provide support to its survivors.

List of Victims:

Rafiya Jan: Victim of a grenade attack in a crowded market in Srinagar – “A life cut short by senseless violence.” Read more
Rouf Ahmad Khan: Civilian shot dead by militants in Srinagar – “Caught in the crossfire of a conflict not of his own making.” Read more
Cop and his brother: Killed in a terrorist attack in Central Kashmir – “Families torn apart by the scourge of terrorism.” Read more
Satish Kumar Singh: Father of three young girls killed in Kulgam district – “A father’s dreams extinguished by the flames of hatred.” . Read more
Former Sarpanch: Killed in a terror attack in Shopian – “Dedicated to development, a victim of senseless brutality.” Read more
Retired SSP: Shot dead by terrorists while offering azaan in Baramulla – “A life of service ended by the cowardice of extremists.” . Read more
Rameez Ahmad: Constable who succumbed to injuries in a terror attack – “Another brave soul sacrificed on the altar of violence.” Read more
Policeman’s daughter: Whose tears move the Valley – “The innocent victims, forever scarred by the scourge of terrorism.” . Read more
Sanjay Sharma: Kashmiri Pandit shot dead in a targeted killing – “A community’s heritage erased by the hand of hatred.” Read more
Ishfaq Khanday: One of two killed in the Nowgam attack – “Caught in the crossfire, lives lost to the cycle of violence.” Read more

Through these heartfelt tributes, the exhibition aimed to keep the memories of these individuals alive while advocating for a future free from violence and filled with hope and healing.

Panama to host the 4th Edition of the Faith and Freedom Summit

By

Newsdesk

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22 September 2024

As published by the well-known digital newspaper ‘Panoráma Económico Panama’, the most read digital news of Panama, the Parlatino will host this week the 4th edition of the prestigious ‘Faith and Freedom Summit’ (see web). After noting the increasing violations of freedom of belief in many parts of the world, more than 40 speakers from Panama, Germany, Argentina, Belgium, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Spain, United States, France, Holland, Mexico, United Kingdom and others will address during 2 intense days the problems and good practices in the protection of the right to freedom of belief in the world.

Panama City, 22 September – The Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (Parlatino) in Panama City has been chosen as the venue for the International Summit ‘Faith and Freedom’ on 24-25 September 2024. This event, under the appropriate slogan ‘Practising what we preach’, will bring together over two days more than 40 leading academics, human rights defenders, religious leaders and politicians from various regions of the world.

The event will address the promotion and defence of freedom of conscience. Ambassadors from various countries around the world have confirmed their participation, as well as the Nunciature and public and legislative officials.

The strategic partners supporting Faith and Freedom Summit IV have been the Parlatino, the National Bar Association of Panama, the European Religions Initiative, the Catholic University Santa María La Antigua(USMA), the International Center for Law and Religion Studiesand the international campaign ‘What is Freedom of Religion?’.

The summit has broad global support from international organisations, academia, civil society and religious bodies, and will feature a special message from Dr. Nazila Ghanea, the current UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion and Belief, who will emphasise the global importance of protecting this fundamental human right.

The opening ceremony will be addressed by Elías Castillo, Executive Secretary of Parlatino; His Excellency Juan Francisco Borrell Cal, Vice Minister of Government of the Republic of Panama; H.E. Mr. Rubén Farje, Representative in Panama of the Organization of American States; Ms. Maricarmen Plata Secretary of Access to Rights and Equity Organization of American States; as well as Mr. Ivan Arjona, a founding member of the NGO Coalition Faith and Freedom Summit; and will have as Master of Ceremonies Ms. Giselle Lima, Coordinator of the International Religious Freedom Roundtable in Panama.

Initiated as a European campaign by a coalition of secular and faith-based non-governmental organisations from the European Union, the Faith and Freedom Summit has gained international momentum with organisations from all corners of the world. Since its inception in 2018, it has succeeded in bringing together stakeholders from various parts of the world with a common goal: to join forces and resources to end discrimination and defend freedom of religion and belief, so that everyone can believe, disbelieve or change their beliefs everywhere in the world and at all times.

Throughout its three previous editions, held at the European Parliament, the summit has served as a platform to foster dialogue between politicians, academics, religious and civil society, to promote non-discrimination policies and to strengthen legislative mechanisms for the protection of human rights at regional and international level.

The event’s programme includes panel discussions focusing on:

– Mechanisms to promote and protect freedom of belief within nations and regions.
– The role of academia in the defence of religious freedom.
– Religions and interfaith work to protect the freedom of others.
– The importance of civil society participation in promoting freedom of belief.
– Responsibility of the media in promoting and respecting freedom of belief.
– Achieving freedom of belief for all through diplomacy.

An International Call to Action

The summit invites political leaders, civil society organisations and citizens around the world to unite in defence of freedom of conscience and religion. They are urged to sign a pledge rejecting intolerance, discrimination, harassment and violence, in order to build a more equitable society that respects diversity of belief.

‘Fear of war’ causing speech problems in Gaza

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22 September 2024

‘Fear of war’ causing speech problems in Gaza

In a modest tent in a makeshift camp for displaced people west of the town of Al-Zawaida in Deir al-Balah governorate in Gaza, children whose lives have been turned upside down by a deadly war and widespread destruction are meeting speech therapist Amina Al-Dahdouh.

She is there to help them regain confidence in speaking.

An increasing number of people, especially young children are finding it difficult to express themselves as a result of the almost year-long war which has raged around them.

Amina Al-Dahdouh treats dozens of Palestinian children who suffer from speech problems.

“Stuttering is the problem that has increased the most,” said Amina Al-Dahdouh.

She estimates that that six out of ten children in the camp currently suffer from speech difficulties.

There is plenty of demand for her services in the camp where family members, some of whom have been displaced multiple times, are sheltering from attacks by Israeli forces.

Demand rising

“Currently, I am treating more than 50 children with speech problems here in the camp, and there are other children from different camps who want to come here to receive treatment,” she said, adding that “I provide services here three days a week, and I will provide three more days for children in other camps.”

The bombing of Gaza by Israel followed a series of attacks on Israel coordinated by Hamas-led Palestinian armed groups on 7 October 2023 in which almost 1,200 people were massacred.

In the more than 11 months since the initial attack by Hamas, the Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported the deaths of the more than 40,000 Palestinians, many of whom were children.

Parents with other concerns

According to Amina Al-Dahdouh, parents are less inclined to focus on treating their children’s speech problems as the war continues, as they struggle to secure a living or access food and water.

While children appear to be the most affected, Ms. Al-Dahdouh said speech problems across the Strip exist across all age groups and may become more apparent once the conflict is over.

Children collect water in the Gaza Strip.

Silent fear

A mother of one young child, Amal Awad, told UN News that her daughter Fatima began showing signs of speech issues in the early days of the war. “She could no longer pronounce letters or speak properly because of the war and fear,” she said.

“In the early stages of the war, she stopped speaking completely because she was so scared. She became silent most of the time. When I tried to talk to her more, I noticed that she was pronouncing letters incorrectly,” she explained.

She confirmed that her daughter has improved significantly since she began receiving treatment from Mrs. Al-Dahdouh, adding: “Even the people living in the tents around us have noticed a significant improvement in her speech.”

The United Nations has repeatedly warned of the long-term effects of war on children, including on their mental and physical health.

The UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF’s Jonathan Crickx said in February that “before this war, UNICEF was considering that more than 500,000 children were already in need of mental health and psychosocial support in the Gaza Strip.”

Today, it is estimated that more than one million children need that support.

Side event to the 57th Human Rights Council Arbitrary Detention in the UAE: Addressing the Crisis of Civil Society Suppression

By

Robert Johnson

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20 September 2024

On Tuesday September 17th, CAP Liberté de Conscience hosted a side event to the 57th session of the Human Rights Council titled Arbitrary Detention in the UAE: Addressing the Crisis of Civil Society Suppression ahead of the Working Arbitrary Group session in Geneva. The speakers included Matthew Hedges, British academic formerly detained for seven months in the United Arab Emirates (UAE); Ahmed al-Nuaimi charged in absentia in the UAE 94 trail and also a relative to an individual who is currently arbitrarily detained and Joey Shea, Human Rights Watch researcher.

By sharing their testimonies and describing their personal experiences, the speakers provided a unique and real insight into the reality of human rights abuses occurring in the UAE. Matthew Hedges said, “I am lucky to be alive” after being arrested by the UAE government under false suspicion of being a British spy. Hedges was detained for seven months in solitary confinement, during which he was physically assaulted, interrogated for extensive periods, and denied basic rights. For the first six weeks of his detention, he was interrogated without legal representation, and consular access was denied. Although he was pardoned before leaving the UAE, he explained that he is still being watched by the UAE, as his details remain on a spyware list.

Ahmed al-Nuaimi has also experienced first-hand the consequences of human rights abuses and repression in the UAE. He reminded the audience that, although the country presents a façade of modernity, human rights abuses are still occurring on a daily basis, as evidenced by the case of his brother, who is arbitrarily detained. While al-Nuaimi was fortunate not to be arrested as he was travelling overseas, his brother was arrested after signing a petition calling for constitutional reforms. Today, although his brother has completed his sentence, he remains in detention as the government continues to bring new charges, prosecuting individuals twice for the same incident and ignoring basic principles of justice.

These practices were corroborated by Joey Shea’s findings, which highlighted the lack of fair trials in the UAE, particularly the absence of legal representation and restricted access to legal files. According to Shea, defendants have also reported abusive detention conditions, including physical assaults, forced nudity, and prolonged solitary confinement amounting to torture. She also explained that conducting research in the UAE was particularly challenging, as diplomatic missions informed her that publicly expressing concern about the violations of fair trial standards was not an option.

In January 2024, UN experts, including a significant number of Special Rapporteurs, raised concerns about the “charges against civil society” and the ongoing trials in the UAE of jailed human rights defenders, lawyers, academics, and others. In May 2023, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention declared the detention of some of these individuals to be arbitrary.

On Friday 20 September 2024, in their oral statement during the General Debate at the 57^th Human Rights Council, the victims emphasised the need for a strong opinion to be issued, expressing concern over the ongoing arbitrary detention of individuals involved in these trials. They also called for diplomatic pressure to be exerted on the UAE to disclose the fate of the detainees and release all those convicted in trials that did not meet international standards of fairness.

Humanitarians call for greater support for Sudan following famine declaration

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20 September 2024

Humanitarians call for greater support for Sudan following famine declaration

A $2.7 billion plan to support nearly 15 million people this year is less than a third funded, resulting in huge shortfalls, which also impact local organizations at the forefront of the response.

“To stop a large-scale famine from taking hold, donors must urgently scale up their financial support while using diplomatic means to push for opening up of humanitarian access,” said Clementine Nkweta-Salami, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Sudan.

“If not, we will see an even more catastrophic situation unfold,” she warned.

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‘Man-made crisis’

The appeal came a day after global food security experts declared that after 15 months of war, famine is prevalent in parts of North Darfur, particularly in the Zamzam camp for internally displaced persons (IDP), located near the state capital, El Fasher.

Ms. Nkewata-Salami said the findings reflect the gravity of the situation on the ground, noting that the people of Sudan have “suffered relentlessly” since war erupted between rival military forces.

“This is a man-made crisis, one which can be resolved if all parties and stakeholders uphold their responsibilities and commitments to the populations in desperate need,” she said.

“The humanitarian community in Sudan has been ringing the alarm about the unfolding hunger catastrophe and the risk of famine while the conflict has raged on, causing displacement, disrupting basic services, destroying livelihoods and severely restricting humanitarian access.”

Record hunger, immense needs

The experts said the famine conditions in Zamzam camp – home to some 500,000 people – are likely to persist through October while another 13 areas are at risk.

They highlighted that Sudan is facing the worst levels of food security in its history. More than half the population – 25.6 million people – are experiencing acute hunger. This includes more than 8.5 million who are facing emergency levels of hunger and more than 755,000 people suffering catastrophic conditions.

In response, humanitarians have been ramping up operations in recent months, but the needs are immense, Ms. Nkewata-Salami said.

“The humanitarian community is pushing ahead on multiple fronts, including urgently moving food, nutrition and health supplies and agricultural inputs to the highest risk areas, ramping up cash assistance to communities in need and scaling up presence where hunger is most acute,” she added.

Silence the guns

“But to do this, we need the guns to be silenced to enable humanitarians to reach the people in need,” she said. “We need an urgent injection of funding for the aid operation as well as safe and unimpeded humanitarian access, including across borders and battle lines.”

Separately, a senior official with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, also called for donors to step up support to Sudan and for the war to end.

“The warning signs were there for months. Now we have the tragic confirmation that there is famine in Sudan’s North Darfur region,” said Mamadou Dian Balde, the UN agency’s regional refugee coordinator for the Sudan situation.

“With appalling human rights atrocities, the forced displacement of over 10 million people since the start of the war last year and the lack of the most basic services for a large percentage of the population, the world’s most pressing humanitarian catastrophe is growing and deepening every day, threatening to engulf the whole region.”

He added that as famine and hunger increase in Sudan, people fleeing to neighbouring countries “will arrive in more and more precarious conditions”.

“Urgent action is vital to avert even more death and suffering,” he said.