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Parliament adopts reform of the EU electricity market

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The measures, composed of a regulation and a directive already agreed upon with the Council, were adopted with 433 in favour, 140 against and 15 abstentions, and 473 votes to 80, with 27 abstentions, respectively.

The law will protect consumers against volatile prices. MEPs ensured that they will have the right to access fixed-price contracts or dynamic price contracts, and receive important information on the options they sign up to. Suppliers will not be allowed to unilaterally change the terms of a contract.

MEPs also secured that EU countries can prohibit suppliers from cutting the electricity supply of vulnerable customers, including during disputes between suppliers and customers.

Contracts for Difference

The legislation provides for so-called “Contracts for Difference” (CfDs), or equivalent schemes with the same effects, to encourage energy investment. In a CfD, a public authority compensates the energy producer if market prices fall too steeply, but it collects payments from them if prices are too high. The use of CfDs will be allowed in all investments in new electricity production, whether from renewable or nuclear energy.

Electricity price crisis

The text sets out a mechanism to declare an electricity price crisis. In a situation of very high prices and under certain conditions, the EU may declare a regional or EU-wide electricity price crisis, allowing member states to take temporary measures to set electricity prices for SMEs and energy intensive industrial consumers.

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“This reform puts citizens at the forefront of electricity market design. The text includes measures to protect citizens, especially the most vulnerable and to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy sources. The Parliament has taken a step forward in democratising energy, creating a market design that responds to the failures exposed by the energy crisis. All consumers, including micro, small, and medium-size enterprises will have access to long-term, affordable and stable prices.” lead MEP Nicolás González Casares (S&D, ES) said.

Next steps

After Parliament’s approval, Council also needs to formally adopt the legislation to become law.

Background

Energy prices have been rising since mid-2021, initially in the context of the post-COVID-19 economic recovery. However, energy prices rose steeply due to gas supply problems following Russia’s war against Ukraine in February 2022. High gas prices had an immediate effect on electricity prices, as they are linked together under the merit order system, where the most expensive (usually fossil fuel-based) energy source sets the overall electricity price.

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UN underscores commitment to stay and deliver in Myanmar

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UN underscores commitment to stay and deliver in Myanmar

The expansion of fighting throughout the country has deprived communities of basic needs and access to essential services and has had a devastating impact on human rights and fundamental freedoms, said Khalid Khiari, a UN Assistant Secretary-General whose portfolio straddles political and peacebuilding affairs as well as peace operations.

The open briefing marked the first time the Council has met on Myanmar since the military seized power from the democratically elected government on 1 February 2021, although members adopted a resolution on the crisis in December 2022. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has consistently called for the release of President Win Myint, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and others who remain in detention. 

Concern for the Rohingya community

Mr. Khiari said that amid reports of indiscriminate aerial bombardments by the Myanmar Armed Forces and artillery shelling by various parties, the civilian toll keeps rising.

He reported on the situation in Rakhine state, the poorest region in mainly Buddhist Myanmar and home to the Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim ethnic community who are stateless. More than one million members have escaped to Bangladesh following waves of persecution. 

In Rakhine, fighting between the Myanmar military and the Arakan Army, a separatist group, has reached an unprecedented level of violence, compounding pre-existing vulnerabilities, he said. 

The Arakan Army has reportedly gained territorial control over most of the centre and seeks to expand to the north, where many Rohingya remain.  

Address root causes  

“Addressing the root causes of the Rohingya crisis will be essential to establish a sustainable pathway out of the current crisis. The failure to do so and continued impunity will only keep fuelling Myanmar’s vicious cycle of violence,” he said. 

Mr. Khiari also highlighted the alarming surge in Rohingya refugees who are dying or going missing while taking risky boat journeys in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. 

He said any solution to the current crisis requires conditions that permit the people of Myanmar to exercise their human rights freely and peacefully, and an end to the military’s campaign of violence and political repression is a vital step. 

“In this respect, the Secretary-General has highlighted concern about the military’s intention to move ahead with elections amid intensifying conflict and human rights violations across the country,” he added. 

Regional impacts 

Turning to the region, Mr. Khiari said Myanmar’s crisis continues to spillover as conflicts in key border areas have weakened transnational security and the breakdown in the rule of law has allowed illicit economies to thrive.

Myanmar is now an epicentre of methamphetamine and opium production alongside a rapid expansion of global cyberscam operations, particularly in border areas.  

“With scarce livelihood opportunities, criminal networks continue to prey on the increasingly vulnerable population,” he said. “What began as a regional crime threat in Southeast Asia is now a rampant human trafficking and illicit trade crisis with global implications.” 

Step up support 

Mr. Khiari upheld the UN’s commitment to staying and delivering in solidarity with the people of Myanmar.   

Stressing the need for greater international unity and support, he said the UN will continue to work in complement with the regional bloc, ASEAN, and actively engage with all stakeholders. 

“As the prolonged crisis deepens, the Secretary-General continues to call for a unified international response and encourages Member States, particularly neighbouring countries, to leverage their influence to open up humanitarian channels in line with international principles, end the violence and seek a comprehensive political solution that leads to an inclusive and peaceful future for Myanmar,” he said. 

Displacement and fear 

The humanitarian impacts of the crisis are significant and deeply concerning, Council members heard.

Lise Doughten of the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said some 2.8 million people in Myanmar are now displaced, 90 per cent since the military takeover.

People “are living in daily fear for their lives”, especially since a national law on mandatory conscription became effective earlier this year. Their ability to access essential goods and services and to cope is stretched to its limit. 

Millions going hungry 

Nearly 12.9 million people, roughly a quarter of the population, are facing food insecurity. Basic medicines are running out, the health system is in turmoil and education has been severely interrupted. Around one third of all school-aged children are currently out of the classroom. 

The crisis is disproportionately impacting women and girls, almost 9.7 million of whom are in need of humanitarian assistance, with the escalating violence increasing their vulnerability and exposure to trafficking and gender-based violence. 

No time to wait 

Humanitarians estimate that some 18.6 million people across Myanmar will need assistance this year, a nearly 20-fold increase since February 2021.

Ms. Doughten called for increased funding to support their operations, safe and unimpeded access to people in need and safe conditions for aid workers.

“Intensified armed conflict, administrative restrictions and violence against aid workers all remain key barriers that are limiting humanitarian assistance from reaching vulnerable people,” she said. 

She warned that as the conflict continues to escalate, humanitarian needs intensify, and with the monsoon season approaching, time is of the essence for the people of Myanmar. 

“They cannot afford for us to forget; they cannot afford to wait,” she said. “They need the support of the international community now to help them survive in this time of fear and turmoil.” 

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World News in Brief: Sex trafficking and child recruitment in Sudan, new mass grave in Libya, children at risk in DR Congo

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World News in Brief: Sex trafficking and child recruitment in Sudan, new mass grave in Libya, children at risk in DR Congo

This is being compounded by an increase in child and forced marriage, and the recruitment of boys by combatants in the continuing war between rival generals that erupted nearly a year ago.

All this is happening against the backdrop of the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in the country that has caused an unprecedented mass displacement of over nine million people.

Access to support for victims and survivors has reportedly deteriorated since December, eight months after the outbreak of conflict between Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), the Human Rights Council-appointed experts said.

Girls sold at ‘slave markets’

Young women and girls, including internally displaced persons, are reportedly being trafficked, they said.

“We are appalled by reports of women and girls being sold at slave markets in areas controlled by RSF forces and other armed groups, including in North Darfur,” the experts said.

Some of the cases of child and forced marriage are occurring due to family separation and gender-based violence, including rape and unwanted pregnancies. 

“Despite previous warnings to both Sudanese authorities and RSF representatives, we continue to receive reports of recruitment of children to actively participate in hostilities, including from a neighbouring country,” the experts said. 

“The recruitment of children by armed groups for any form of exploitation – including in combat roles – is a gross violation of human rights, a serious crime and a violation of international humanitarian law,” they said. 

Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are not UN staff and are independent of any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and receive no salary for their work.

Mass grave found in Libya highlights migrant horrors

A mass grave has been found in southwest Libya containing at least 65 migrants who are believed to have died while being smuggled through the desert.

According to the UN migration agency (IOM), which sounded the alarm on Friday, increasing numbers of people are dying on dangerous routes to northern Africa and beyond.

Without legal pathways for migrants, “such tragedies will continue to be a feature along this route,” the agency warned.

Questions remain

The circumstances are not clear surrounding the deaths of those found in the mass grave and their nationalities are also unknown. 

Libyan authorities had launched an inquiry, IOM said, urging the “dignified recovery, identification and transfer of the remains of the deceased migrants” and for their families to be notified.

According to the UN agency’s Missing Migrants Project, at least 3,129 people died or disappeared in 2023 along the so-called “Mediterranean route”. 

Even before the discovery of the mass grave, it was already the deadliest migratory route in the world.

Massive rise in displacement in DR Congo poses dire threat to children

A major upsurge in violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that has displaced at least 400,000 people in North Kivu since the beginning of the year is exposing children to unacceptable levels of violence, said the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday.

© WFP/Benjamin Anguandia

People displaced by conflict are living in a temporary camp near Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At-risk children must receive further protection to avoid more deaths, the agency added.

In the latest incident on Wednesday highlighting the spillover of the conflict into South Kivu province, an explosion in the town of Minova seriously injured four children who required hospital treatment.

Schoolchildren bombed

“It is tragic that at a busy time of day when many children were returning home from school, this explosion from a bomb maimed four innocent children,” said Katya Marino, UNICEF Deputy Representative to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The town is already under incredible strain with massive numbers of new arrivals of internally displaced people.”

More than 95,000 newly displaced people, half of whom are children, arrived in Minova in February as the conflict in North Kivu expanded.

Over the past week, UNICEF and local partners distributed essential household supplies in Minova to more than 8,300 newly displaced families. The area is now increasingly difficult to access with assistance, either by road or boat.

UNICEF has been assisting children affected by the conflict there with a package of basic but essential services since 2023 while supporting community-based networks to refer and protect children caught up in the fighting between numerous rebel groups and government forces.

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New iteration of AI chip introduced by Meta Platforms

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Meta logo – 3D artistic version. Image credit: Mariia Shalabaieva via Unsplash, free license

Meta Platforms has unveiled details about its latest custom artificial intelligence accelerator chip.

Meta’s plans to launch a new iteration of a proprietary data center chip to tackle the increasing computational demands for running AI applications across Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp were reported earlier this year. Internally dubbed as “Artemis,” this chip is aimed at reducing Meta’s dependence on Nvidia’s AI chips and cutting down overall energy costs.

In a blog post, the company revealed that this chip’s design is primarily focused on achieving optimal balance in computing power, memory bandwidth, and memory capacity to cater to ranking and recommendation models.

The newly introduced chip is called Meta Training and Inference Accelerator (MTIA). It forms part of Meta’s extensive custom silicon initiative, which includes exploration into other hardware systems. Alongside chip development, Meta has heavily invested in software development to efficiently utilize its infrastructure’s power.

Additionally, the company is investing billions in procuring Nvidia and other AI chips, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing plans to acquire approximately 350,000 flagship H100 chips from Nvidia this year. When combined with chips from other suppliers, Meta aims to accumulate the equivalent of 600,000 H100 chips by the end of the year.

The chip will be manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co using its 5nm process. Meta claims it offers three times the performance of its predecessor.

The chip has already been deployed in data centers and is already serving AI applications.

Written by Alius Noreika

Read more:

What Are 2D Materials, and Why Do They Interest Scientists?

Soil health: Parliament sets out measures to achieve healthy soils by 2050

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Parliament on Wednesday adopted its position on the Commission proposal for a Soil Monitoring Law, the first-ever dedicated piece of EU legislation on soils health, with 336 votes to 242 and 33 abstentions.

MEPs support the overall aim to have healthy soils by 2050, in line with the EU Zero Pollution ambition and the need for a harmonised definition of soil health as well as a comprehensive and coherent monitoring framework to foster sustainable soil management and remediate contaminated sites.

The new law will oblige EU countries to first monitor and then assess the health of all soils on their territory. National authorities may apply the soil descriptors that best illustrate the soil characteristics of each soil type at national level.

MEPs propose a five-level classification to assess soil health (high, good, moderate ecological status, degraded, and critically degraded soils). Soils with either good or high ecological status would be considered healthy.

Contaminated soils

According to the Commission, there are an estimated 2.8 million potentially contaminated sites in the EU. MEPs support the requirement to draw up a public list of such sites in all EU countries at the latest four years after entry into force of this Directive.

EU countries will also have to investigate, assess and clean up contaminated sites to address unacceptable risks to human health and the environment due to soil contamination. Costs must be paid by polluters in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle.

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After the vote, rapporteur Martin HOJSÍK (Renew, SK) said: “We are finally close to achieving a common European framework to protect our soils from degradation. Without healthy soils, there will be no life on this planet. Farmers’ livelihoods and the food on our table depend on this non-renewable resource. That is why it is our responsibility to adopt the first piece of EU-wide legislation to monitor and improve soil health.”

Next steps

Parliament has now adopted its position at first reading. The file will be followed up by the new Parliament after the European elections on 6-9 June.

Background

Around 60-70% of European soils are estimated to be in an unhealthy state due to issues such as urban expansion, low land recycling rates, intensification of agriculture, and climate change. Degraded soils are major drivers of the climate and biodiversity crises and reduce the provision of key ecosystem services costing the EU at least €50 billion per year, according to the Commission.

This legislation responds to citizens’ expectations to protect and restore biodiversity, the landscape and oceans, and eliminate pollution as expressed in proposals 2(1), 2(3), 2(5) of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe.

World News in Brief: $12 million for Haiti, Ukraine airstrikes condemned, support mine action

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World News in Brief: $12 million for Haiti, Ukraine airstrikes condemned, support mine action

A $12 million contribution from a UN emergency humanitarian fund will support people impacted by the violence that broke out in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, in March. 

“These funds will enable aid partners to reach the hardest hit,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said on Thursday in a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. 

Port-au-Prince has been terrorised by armed gangs, and last month, they tightened their grip following a weekend jailbreak which allowed thousands of criminals to escape. 

The allocation from the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) will go towards providing food, water, protection, healthcare, sanitation and hygiene support to displaced people and host communities in the capital and in the neighbouring Artibonite province. 

The UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, reported that the situation remains tense, with attacks on healthcare facilities worsening the already dire situation for the people. 

On Wednesday, the World Food Programme (WFP) provided 17,000 hot meals to displaced people in Port-au-Prince, and UN migration agency IOM distributed more than 70,000 litres of water in six displacement sites across the metropolitan area.

Meanwhile a $674 million appeal to support overall humanitarian action in Haiti, announced in February, has received only $45 million.

Ukraine: UN condemns fresh airstrikes on Kharkhiv 

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine has condemned repeated overnight attacks on the northeastern city of Kharkhiv.

Denise Brown was on a mission to the region, the UN said on Thursday.

The strikes reportedly resulted in more than a dozen civilian casualties, including first responders. 

Civilian infrastructure was also impacted, with the electricity supply disrupted in several parts of the city.

The UN humanitarian affairs office said aid groups were at the site of the attack since early morning, complementing efforts by rescue workers and municipal services by providing hot meals, emergency shelter material and other assistance. 

A sign in Ukraine warns of landmines.

Rid the world of landmines once and for all: Guterres 

Landmines and other explosive ordnance directly threaten millions of people caught up in armed conflict across the world and can contaminate communities for decades even after the fighting stops, the UN Secretary-General said on Thursday. 

“Country by country, community by community, let’s rid the world of these weapons once and for all,” António Guterres said in his message to mark the International Day of Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. 

Highlighting the brave mine action personnel serving under the UN flag, he said they work with partners to remove these deadly weapons and ensure that people can travel safely in their communities. 

They also provide education and threat assessments to keep both civilians and humanitarian workers safe. 

Mr. Guterres called for countries to support the UN Mine Action Strategy and to ratify and fully implement international treaties to prohibit anti-personnel mines, cluster munitions and other explosive remnants of war. 

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Central African Republic: Said trial opens at International Criminal Court

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Central African Republic: Said trial opens at International Criminal Court

Mahamat Said Abdel Kani – a top-ranking leader of the mostly-Muslim Séléka militia – pleaded not guilty to all charges, which relate to atrocities carried out in 2013, in the Central African Republic capital, Bangui.

Much of the violence stemmed for clashes between Séléka and the mostly-Christian Anti-balaka faction.

Occupation

Before the crimes were committed, from late 2012 to early 2013, Séléka militia advanced towards the capital, attacking police stations, occupying military bases, capturing towns and regional capitals, and targeting suspected supporters of President François Bozizé.

They seized Bangui in March 2013 and with forces numbering up to 20,000, looted homes while searching for sympathisers of Mr. Bozize, shot those fleeing in the back or killed others in their homes.

“Women and girls were raped and gang-raped in front of their children or parents; some died as a result of their injuries,” the arrest warrant for Mr. Said stated.

Civilians targetted

“Part of the civilian population was targeted through multiple acts of murder, imprisonment, torture, rape, persecution on political, ethnic and religious grounds, and pillaging of houses belonging to non-Muslims and others perceived to be complicit with or supportive of the Bozizé government,” the warrant continued.

Mr. Kani’s charge sheet includes imprisonment, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts, committed in Bangui between approximately April and November 2013.

He saw “oversaw the day-to-day operations” of an infamous detention centre where men were taken after being arrested by Séléka members.

The Judges of Trial Chamber VI at the opening of the Mahamat Said Abdel Kani trial case at the International Criminal Court in The Hague (Netherlands).

Appalling conditions

“Prisoners were held in small, dark, crowded cells with only a bucket as a toilet and little or no food, causing detainees to drink their own urine,” the ICC statement read.

Detainees were whipped with strips of rubber, beaten with rifle butts and told: “We’re going to kill you one by one”.

It was common for prisoners to spend several hours in a specific stress position so painful that some “would ask to be killed”. The position, known as “arbatacha”, involved tying a detainee’s hands and legs are tied behind their back, with their legs touching their elbows.

Extracting confessions

Mr. Said allegedly referred to the technique as “the most effective to obtain confessions”, the ICC warrant explained, while also noting that he was responsible for deciding which prisoners should be transferred to an underground cell located under his office.

At another detention centre known as CEDAD, where conditions were described as “inhumane”, the court maintained that Mr. Said was the “operations commander” and “kept a list of persons to be arrested” or ordered their arrest.

The trial continues.

Said case: Trial opening, 26 September – 1st session

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Top 7 Must-Have Features In An Online Booking System

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Using an online booking system on a smartphone – illustrative photo. Image credit: Daria Nepriakhina via Unsplash, free license

Who doesn’t like a well-functioning online booking system? It is a dream to get a properly functioning booking system for hassle-free bookings at any time.

However, there are many online booking systems with less user-friendly features. Thus, in this exhaustive guide, you will get an idea of all the top features that an ideal online booking system must comprise. So, without wasting any more time, let’s dive deep into the details below.

Top 7 Must-Have Features In An Online Booking System 1

7 Desirable Features of an Online Booking System

Take a sneak peek at the amazing features of the online booking system in the following section.

  1. Real-Time 24/7 Access

Customers really enjoy 24/7 access to a system through which they can manage their bookings and perform modifications to various activities under one roof. An online booking system offering real-time access round the clock will be able to retain customers in the longer run and allow them to manage everything at their preferred time. Your clients can access the booking at any time through their smart device which gives them freedom to perform the modification even at the last minute in case of any emergency.

  1. Interactive Interface

An interactive user interface is a pivotal feature of any online booking system, enhancing user experience and streamlining the reservation process. Intuitive design and user-friendly navigation allow customers to effortlessly browse available options, select preferred dates, and complete bookings with ease. 

Real-time updates and dynamic displays provide instant feedback, ensuring users stay informed throughout the booking journey. Customizable filters and search functions enable tailored results, catering to individual preferences. Moreover, interactive interfaces often incorporate multimedia elements such as images and videos, enriching the booking experience and offering a comprehensive overview of available offerings. Overall, an interactive user interface optimizes efficiency and satisfaction for both customers and service providers.

  1. Responsive On All Screen Types

Since more people prefer to book online, it is essential that the online booking system provides good access to all screen sizes. Moreover, mobiles have become a natural extension of all human beings, so it is necessary for any system to work properly on different mobile screens. So, it is necessary for any online booking system to come with a responsive interface that works properly on any screen size be it PC/laptop, mobile, or tablet. This will allow more people to instantly make their bookings in just a few clicks.

  1. Multi-Language  And Currency Support 

Multi-language and currency support is an important feature if you are running an international business to grow it further and attract customers from all over the world. With this feature, the system will be able to respond to the customer query in different languages and convert the payment to the preferred currency which will elevate their convenience level and keep them engaged for a longer time. Moreover, the complete communication process will be engaging for the customer which is a plus point for your business to retain them in the longer run.

  1. High Customization Options

With a multitude of customizable options, an online booking system must enable businesses to have custom booking pages with different branding elements. Also, it should have custom messaging options and other add-on services for improved flexibility and booking experience.

  1. Multiple Payment Method Support

Support for various payment methods is another vital feature of an online booking system. Customers have the freedom to choose any payment method and complete the transaction without any hassle. With multiple options, the customer will have the flexibility to choose any method and complete the whole payment process safely without going through any complex process.

  1. Robust Support Facility

An online booking system must offer excellent support service to cater to the needs of the customers. You have to make sure that the system is capable of responding to the queries and issues of the customers in the least possible time with the best solution available.

Some Last Words

With this, you must have learned about all the top-notch features of the online booking system. It is now time to ensure that whatever booking system you choose comprises all the above-mentioned features for quick booking. This not only helps in imparting more customer-friendly options but also saves their time from standing in long queues later.

Gaza: Human Rights Council resolution urges arms embargo on Israel

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Gaza: Human Rights Council resolution urges arms embargo on Israel

In a resolution adopted by 28 votes in favour, six against and 13 abstentions, the 47-member Human Rights Council backed a call “to cease the sale, transfer and diversion of arms, munitions and other military equipment to Israel, the occupying Power…to prevent further violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights”. 

Presented by Pakistan on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, delegates heard that the resolution had also been motivated by the need to stop “egregious” human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Co-sponsors of the text included Bolivia, Cuba and the State of Palestine, ahead of the vote which saw support from more than two dozen countries including Brazil, China, Luxembourg, Malaysia and South Africa.

Unlike the UN Security Council, Human Rights Council resolutions are not legally binding on States but carry significant moral weight, and in this instance is intended to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel as well as potentially influence national policy decisions.  

Voices against

Among the delegations that either abstained or voted against the draft text, Germany noted that the resolution “refrains from mentioning Hamas and denies Israel the exercise of its right to self-defence”.

The German ambassador also objected to the draft resolution’s “prejudged” allegations “that Israel engages in apartheid, and it accuses Israel of collective punishment, deliberate targeting of the Palestinian civilian population and applying starvation as a method of warfare”.

For Israel, Meirav Eilon Shahar, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, rejected the resolution as further evidence of the Council’s alleged anti-Israeli bias. “According to this resolution, States should not sell arms to Israel in its endeavour to defend its population, but they continue to arm Hamas,” she said.

“It cannot even condemn the brutal murder of over 1,200 of my people, the kidnapping of over 240 individuals, including infants, the rape, mutilations and sexual abuse of Israeli women, girls and men,” the Israeli official said later to journalists on the sidelines of the Council.

The document condemns the use of explosive weapons with wide-area effects by Israel in populated areas in Gaza, underlining the “reverberating effects of such weapons on hospitals, schools, water, electricity and shelter, which are affecting millions of Palestinians”.

AI military use 

The resolution adopted by the Human Rights Council also denounces the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to aid military decision making in conflict that may contribute to international crimes. 

It decries the targeting of civilians, including on 7 October 2023, and demands the immediate release of all remaining hostages, persons arbitrarily detained and victims of enforced disappearance as well as ensuring immediate humanitarian access to the hostages and detainees in line with international law. 

It was adopted on the last day of the latest session of the Council alongside the more traditional resolutions related to the situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) on accountability and justice, Palestinians’ right to self-determination, Israeli settlements in the OPT and the occupied Syrian Golan.

Gaza crisis in focus

At the opening of the Council’s 55th session, the UN Secretary-General repeated his call for a humanitarian ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.

“Nothing can justify [Hamas’s] deliberate killing, injuring, torturing and kidnapping of civilians, the use of sexual violence or the indiscriminate launching of rockets towards Israel,” said António Guterres. “But, nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”

While presenting his latest report on justice and accountability in the OPT, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called for an end to “carnage” in Gaza. 

“Clear violations of international human rights and humanitarian laws, including war crimes and possibly other crimes under international law, have been committed by all parties. It is time – well past time – for peace, investigation and accountability,” said Volker Türk.

The Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, Francesca Albanese, also presented her latest report to the Council in which she stated that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that the threshold indicating the commission of the crime of genocide against Palestinians as a group in Gaza has been met.”

Emergency forum 

The Human Rights Council addressed myriad grave human rights violations, including in Iran and Haiti. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission investigating the protests in Iran, particularly concerning women and children, reported egregious violations by Iranian State authorities following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in September 2022. 

The Council renewed the mission’s mandate for another year as well as that of the Special Rapporteur monitoring human rights in Iran.

On Haiti, the Council received a lengthy update from the UN Human Rights Office, while High Commissioner Türk emphasised the urgent need for action amidst escalating violence, which has profoundly affected the population. The Council renewed the mandate of the expert on human rights in Haiti.

Renewals were also made for mandated investigations in Ukraine, Syria and South Sudan.

Addressing a range of thematic issues, the Council adopted a number of resolutions, including one encouraging States to combat discrimination, violence and harmful practices against intersex persons. Additionally, the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment was renewed, now reworded as “Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment”, reflecting its recognition by the Council and the General Assembly.

 

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Haitians ‘cannot wait’ for reign of terror by gangs to end: Rights chief

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Haitians ‘cannot wait’ for reign of terror by gangs to end: Rights chief

“The scale of human rights violations is unprecedented in Haiti’s modern history,” Volker Türk said in a video statement to the UN Human Rights Council, part of an interactive dialogue on his most recent report on the Caribbean country. 

“This is a humanitarian catastrophe for an already exhausted people.”

State of emergency 

Speaking in French, Mr. Türk said the already alarming situation in Haiti has deteriorated in recent week as gangs launched attacks against police stations, prisons, critical infrastructure and other public and private facilities.

A state of emergency is in effect but while institutions are collapsing, a transitional government is not yet in place following the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry three weeks ago.  

“The Haitian population cannot wait any longer,” he said.

Record violence 

Meanwhile, escalating violence has had devastating impacts on the population, with a shocking increase in murders and kidnappings.

Between 1 January and March 20 alone, 1,434 people died and 797 others were injured in gang-related violence. Mr. Türk said this was the most violent period since his office began monitoring gang-related killings, injuries, and kidnappings more than two years ago. 

Sexual violence, particularly against women and girls, is pervasive and has most likely reached record levels. 

More than 360,000 Haitians are now displaced, and roughly 5.5 million, mainly children, are dependent on humanitarian aid. Although 44 per cent of the population is facing food insecurity, delivery of additional aid is becoming almost impossible.

Mr. Türk recalled his visit to the capital Port-au-Prince just over a year ago, where he met two young girls. One had been gang-raped and the other had survived a bullet to the head. He warned that an entire generation is at risk of being victims of trauma, violence and deprivation. 

“We must end this suffering. And we must allow the children of Haiti to know what it is to feel safe, to not be hungry, to have a future,” he said. 

Protect people, ensure aid access 

In his report, the High Commissioner called for restoring some degree of law and order as an immediate priority to further protect Haiti’s people from violence and ensure access to humanitarian assistance. 

This will require close cooperation with the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission, authorized by the UN Security Council last October, whose deployment he hoped was imminent. 

“All measures taken to restore security must fully comply with human rights standards,” he said, adding that “humanitarian corridors must be established as soon as possible.”

Give Haitians hope 

Mr. Türk urged all stakeholders in Haiti to put the national interest at the heart of their discussions so that agreement can be reached on the arrangements for the transitional government. 

“The transitional authorities must strive to create the conditions necessary for free and fair elections to be held. They must also begin the process of strengthening police and judicial institutions in order to reestablish the rule of law and, therefore, put an end to impunity,” he said. 

The protection of children must also be an absolute priority, including those recruited by armed gangs.  In this regard, he highlighted the need for reintegration programmes, including prolonged psychosocial support as well as guaranteed access to quality education and healthcare.

He also called for the international community to take stronger measures to prevent the illicit supply, sale, diversion or transfer to Haiti of light weapons, small arms and ammunition. 

“It is time to end the political impasse, urgently rebuild peace, stability and security in the country, and give Haitians the hope they so desperately need,” he said. Check out our UN News explainer video from last week on the crisis:

Turn words to action: Haiti representative 

The Permanent Representative of Haiti to the UN in Geneva, Justin Viard, hailed the High Commissioner’s report and underscored the deep challenges that Haitians are facing. 

He stressed that the international community and Haiti must act together to address both the gangs and the root causes of the crisis, which include widespread unemployment, a failing educational system and food insecurity.

“We must move from words to concrete actions,” he said. “We cannot allow for Haiti to one day show up in a page of history as an example of the powerlessness of the international community or the abandonment of the population of a UN Member State.”

Strengthen human rights 

The UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, was in the room to answer questions from country and civil society representatives. 

She spoke of engagement around the UN-backed multinational support mission that will assist the Haitian National Police to ensure that it complies with relevant international human rights standards.

“All this means that the capacities of the human rights service will require more strengthening in certain areas, particularly, for example, violence against children,” she said.

No escape: rights expert

The High Commissioner’s designated expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, William O’Neill, was also present to respond to questions, noting that insecurity was the chief concern raised and “everything else flows from that.” 

He said the airport in Port-au-Prince has been closed for more than four weeks, while gangs control access to all major roads in and out of the city, meaning that “there is no escape – air, land or sea”.

Mr. O’Neill reported that Haiti’s largest hospital has basically been emptied out, “and today we heard that a gang has overtaken and taken over the whole premises, what’s left of it.”

Support Haiti’s police

Highlighting the deployment of the UN-backed multinational mission, he emphasized its supporting role, stating that it is “not an occupation”. 

Although the mission will boost Haiti’s police, he said the national force will also need intelligence support, assets such as drones, and the means to intercept gang communications and halt illicit financial flows to them.

“They need some vetting,” he added.  “There’s some Haitian National Police, unfortunately, that are still in connivance with the gangs and that’s got to be addressed.”

The justice system, currently “on its knees”, will also need assistance with investigating and prosecuting gang leaders when it is back to functioning.

Stop the slide

Echoing the UN human rights chief, Mr. O’Neill urged countries to work to stop the flow of arms and ammunition to Haiti’s gangs. He noted that some representatives also pointed to the need for sanctions against the people who sponsor the gangs.

“If we take those three measures – the support service for the police, sanctions, arms embargo – we begin to maybe turn around the momentum in a positive direction and stop it from this slide that we’ve seen intensify over the last few weeks,” he said.

The rights expert also called for greater support for the $674 million humanitarian appeal for Haiti which is currently around seven per cent funded. 

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