OCHA/Eurasia Foundation of Central AsiaChildren play at the multi-ethnic Krupskaya School in the town of Nookat, Osh oblast, Kyrgyzstan. (November 2010) The International Organization for Migration (IOM) launched an urgent $7 million appeal on Thursday, to ease the impact of COVID-19 on migrant communities in five Central Asian countries and the Russian Federation, where the pandemic is […]
The COVID-19 pandemic could help turn the tide on the well-being of oceans in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a UN report published on Wednesday. It suggests that the temporary shutdown of activities due to the crisis, as well as reduced traffic on the seas and demand for marine resources, could give oceans the “much-needed […]
UN NewsThe skyline of Hong Kong harbour, seen at night. Independent UN human rights experts urged Hong Kong authorities on Wednesday to immediately drop the criminal prosecution of 15 pro-democracy activists who participated in peaceful protests across the Special Administrative Region of China last year. “Nobody should be subjected to administrative or criminal sanctions for taking […]
UNAMA/Freshta DuniaThe Pul-e-Kheshti Mosque in Kabul, Afghanistan. (file) Perpetrators behind two separate deadly attacks in Afghanistan on Tuesday must be brought to justice, top UN officials have said. At least 14 people were killed, including two newborn babies, when gunmen attacked a maternity hospital in the capital, Kabul, that morning.UNAMA News@UNAMAnews UNAMA expresses shock and […]
Frontex/Francesco MalavoltaMigrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea are rescued by a Belgian ship (file photo). Restrictions against humanitarians who rescue migrant boats in the central Mediterranean are putting lives at risk and must be lifted immediately, the UN human rights office said on Friday. The appeal follows reports of failure to assist, and even push back, vessels carrying […]
UNDP Syria/ The UN is supporting vulnerable communities in Syria during the coronavirus pandemic. As civilian casualties mount across Syria and human rights violations continue unabated, the UN rights chief expressed serious concern on Friday that some parties to the conflict, including ISIL terrorist fighters, may be using the COVID-19 pandemic as “an opportunity to […]