Latest news with #UNExperts
Globe and Mail
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
UN to vote on resolution demanding immediate Gaza ceasefire over U.S., Israel opposition
The United Nations General Assembly will vote on Thursday on a draft resolution that demands an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in the war in Gaza after the United States vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council last week. The 193-member General Assembly is likely to adopt the text with overwhelming support, diplomats say, despite Israel lobbying countries this week against taking part in what it called a 'politically-motivated, counter-productive charade.' General Assembly resolutions are not binding but carry weight as a reflection of the global view on the war. Previous demands by the body for an end to the war between Israel and Palestinian militants Hamas have been ignored. Unlike the UN Security Council, no country has a veto in the General Assembly. Thursday's vote also comes ahead of a UN conference next week that aims to reinvigorate an international push for a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. The United States has urged countries not to attend. Israel commits 'extermination' in Gaza by killing civilians sheltering in schools, UN experts say In a note seen by Reuters, the U.S. warned that 'countries that take anti-Israel actions on the heels of the conference will be viewed as acting in opposition to U.S. foreign policy interests and could face diplomatic consequences.' The U.S. last week vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution that also demanded an 'immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire' and unhindered aid access in Gaza, arguing it would undermine U.S.-led efforts to broker a ceasefire. The other 14 countries on the council voted in favor of the draft as a humanitarian crisis grips the enclave of more than 2 million people, where the UN warns famine looms and aid has only trickled in since Israel lifted an 11-week blockade last month. The draft resolution to be voted on by the General Assembly on Thursday demands the release of hostages held by Hamas, the return of Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. It demands unhindered aid access and 'strongly condemns the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and the unlawful denial of humanitarian access and depriving civilians ... of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supply and access.' Israel deports Greta Thunberg after military seizure of Gaza-bound aid ship she was on 'This is both false and defamatory,' Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon wrote in a letter to UN member states, sent on Tuesday and seen by Reuters. Danon described the General Assembly draft resolution as an 'immensely flawed and harmful text,' urging countries not to take part in what he said was a 'farce' that undermines hostage negotiations and fails to condemn Hamas. In October 2023 the General Assembly called for an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza with 120 votes in favor. In December 2023, 153 countries voted to demand an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Then in December last year the body demanded – with 158 votes in favor – an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire. The war in Gaza has raged since 2023 after Hamas militants killed 1,200 people in Israel in an October 7 attack and took some 250 hostages back to the enclave, according to Israeli tallies. Many of those killed or captured were civilians. Israel responded with a military campaign that has killed over 54,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities. They say civilians have borne the brunt of the attacks and that thousands more bodies have been lost under rubble.
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
UN urges UK to negotiate new Chagos deal that allows islanders to return
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer faces calls to suspend his deal handing the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius after UN experts criticised its treatment of the Chagossian people. The deal, agreed last month after long-running negotiations, returns sovereignty of the islands to Mauritius, but will see the UK lease back a military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands. But a panel of experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said retaining the base and continuing to bar Chagossians from Diego Garcia 'appears to be at variance with the Chagossians' right to return'. The Chagossians were expelled from the islands between 1965 and 1973 to make way for the joint UK-US base and have not been allowed to return. Although the UK-Mauritius deal includes a £40 million trust fund for the benefit of the Chagossians, the UN experts expressed concern that this would not provide an 'effective remedy' for the islanders. They also criticised an apparent lack of consultation of the islanders prior to the deal, saying: 'We are gravely concerned about the lack of meaningful participation of Chagossians in processes that have led to the agreement.' The experts added: 'In light of these significant concerns, we call for the ratification of the agreement to be suspended and for a new agreement to be negotiated that fully guarantees the rights of the Chagossian people to return to all islands of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia.' Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel urged the Government to 'do the right thing (and) stop this'. She said: 'We have been warning from the start that this deal is bad for British taxpayers and bad for the Chagossian people. 'Now even the United Nations is saying the very same. 'Labour has completely ignored this community from the get-go, and failed to consult with them at every step of the way. 'It is why I have introduced a Bill in Parliament that would block the (agreement) and force the Government to speak to the people at the heart of their surrender plans.' The deal follows a 2019 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice saying the islands should be handed over to Mauritius. As well as the fund for Chagossians, the UK has agreed to pay at least £120 million a year for 99 years in order to lease back the Diego Garcia base – a total cost of at least £13 billion in cash terms. The deal also includes provisions preventing development on the rest of the archipelago without the UK's consent, which the Government has argued will prevent countries such as China setting up their own facilities. The agreement has also been backed by the United States.
Arab News
10-06-2025
- Health
- Arab News
What daily life is really like for women and girls surviving under Israeli siege in Gaza
DUBAI: Since the war in Gaza began in October 2023, more than 28,000 women and girls have been killed — an average of one every hour — according to UN Women, making the besieged Palestinian enclave one of the most dangerous places in the world to be female. Thousands more have been injured and nearly a million displaced. As food, water and basic healthcare become increasingly scarce under Israeli blockade, survival has turned into a daily struggle — and women and girls are bearing the brunt. According to a group of independent UN human rights experts, nearly 13,000 women in Gaza are now the heads of their households, often caring for children without adequate shelter or essential supplies. On May 21, experts issued an urgent appeal to the UN Security Council, condemning what they described as Israel's 'unprecedented assault' on Gaza's civilian population — and warning of its particularly devastating impact on Palestinian women and girls. 'The devastation experienced by women, girls and entire communities is not incidental — it is the consequence of intentional policies and actions by Israel,' they said. 'The killings of thousands of women and girls may constitute the deliberate infliction of conditions of life calculated to bring about the physical destruction, in whole or in part, of the Palestinian people.' Israeli forces launched military operations in Gaza in response to the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, during which 1,200 people — mostly civilians — were killed and about 250 others, many non-Israelis, were taken hostage. Since then, at least 56,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to local health officials. Israel maintains that it does not deliberately target civilians and accuses Hamas of using Gaza's population as human shields. The crisis has been compounded by repeated Israeli blockades on humanitarian aid and commercial goods, pushing the territory into famine and prompting accusations that food is being weaponized. Despite ongoing international attempts to broker a ceasefire, the conflict has devastated the enclave, triggering one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters. 'More than two-thirds of Gaza's population, about 1.7 million people, are now estimated to be crammed into an area of 69 sq. km — less than a fifth of the Strip,' Hadeel Qazzaz, Oxfam MENA's regional gender coordinator, told Arab News. In overcrowded tents and displacement camps, privacy is almost nonexistent. Care responsibilities have increased for women, and water shortages are taking a disproportionate toll. 'From queuing for hours in the heat for water to facing daily health risks due to lack of proper sanitation, the lack of clean and safe latrines is leading to serious health issues, including infections among women,' said Qazzaz. At displacement sites reached by Oxfam in May 2024, water points were reportedly located up to a kilometer away. Women and girls were spending up to three hours a day collecting water — compared to 1.7 hours for men and boys. But water is only part of the problem. Food insecurity presents another growing threat. Nine out of 10 displacement sites show visible signs of malnutrition among residents, with female-headed households among the most vulnerable. 'Women are skipping meals so their children can eat,' said Qazzaz. 'Many are putting their own health at risk to keep their families going. When food parcels arrive, women often eat last — or not at all.' An estimated 71,000 children and 17,000 women are expected to require urgent treatment for acute malnutrition in the coming weeks, highlighting the scale of the emergency and the desperate need for sustained aid access. 'Even when food is available, women often have to cook on open fires due to fuel shortages — exposing them to health risks and doubling the time needed to prepare a meal,' said Qazzaz. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are especially at risk, with many becoming dangerously undernourished. Since October 2023, Gaza has seen a 300 percent increase in miscarriages. Premature births and maternal deaths have surged, with many women forced to give birth without proper medical support. 'Maternal care is nearly nonexistent,' said Qazzaz. 'Women are giving birth in tents, without skilled help, clean supplies or even pain relief.' These accounts are echoed by medical workers on the ground. 'The situation in Gaza is precarious for everyone, but especially for pregnant women,' Denise Potvin, a Canadian nursing activity manager with Medecins Sans Frontieres at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, told Arab News. 'Over the past weeks, we've seen malnutrition steadily increase. It's very visible — there's a huge vulnerability for pregnant and lactating women. The small amount of food entering Gaza through aid crossings is nowhere near enough to meet the needs of this population.' Maternity departments are seeing more women arriving late — after giving birth at home — or showing up in emergency rooms because they couldn't reach a hospital in time. 'Colleagues, including midwives and health professionals, are being woken up in the middle of the night to assist in home deliveries because women simply cannot reach hospitals,' said Potvin. 'Constant displacement, insecurity and lack of transport make it incredibly difficult for pregnant women to access care.' Routine antenatal check-ups have become nearly impossible to access. With clinics shutting down, the ability to detect or treat complications has all but vanished. 'The space that organizations operate in is decreasing by the day,' said Potvin. 'More people are displaced, and it's harder to meet the growing needs of the population.' She called on the international community to recognize the extreme vulnerability of pregnant women under siege. 'Imagine being a pregnant woman in this situation — living in a tent, unable to access prenatal care, giving birth without medical help, while also trying to feed your family, find clean water and maintain basic hygiene,' she said. 'Daily survival is already a huge challenge, and pregnancy only adds to it.' Reports from UN Women, the UN Population Fund and independent rights monitors paint an increasingly bleak picture. Women and girls with disabilities face even greater risks, including neglect, violence and denial of basic services. From bombardment to birth complications, period poverty to famine, every aspect of life has been made much harder. With 90 percent of households facing extreme water shortages, women and girls struggle to manage menstruation without access to clean water, soap, sanitary pads or private spaces. • 28k Women and girls killed since October 2023. • 1m Women and girls displaced by the conflict. • 13k Women who are now single heads of households. • 17k Pregnant and breastfeeding women deemed acutely malnourished. Source: UN Around 700,000 women and girls of menstruating age — many experiencing their first periods — are facing these challenges in shelters and displacement camps. A rapid gender analysis by Oxfam found that 690,000 menstruating women and girls lack access to clean facilities and sufficient water for basic hygiene. Each person is allocated just 6.6 liters of water a day — less than half the global emergency minimum. Toilets are unsanitary, overcrowded and often unsafe for women and girls, with up to 1,000 people sharing a single facility. The Oxfam report warned: 'Girls are vulnerable to harassment and abuse and resort to using old clothes or only their underwear when sanitary pads are unavailable' — a situation that has led to infections, maternal complications and even infant deaths. Despite the immense logistical challenges, the UN Population Fund continues to address urgent sexual and reproductive health needs. Since October 2023, it has distributed two-month supplies of disposable menstrual pads to more than 300,000 women and girls. More than 12,000 new mothers have received postpartum kits for recovery in conditions where professional care is almost impossible. To help women regain a sense of dignity and autonomy, the agency has also provided cash and voucher assistance to more than 150,000 women and girls, enabling them to buy essential hygiene items like soap, towels, pads, and underwear amid severe shortages. These relentless hardships — from caregiving and hunger to hygiene struggles in unsafe conditions — are taking a psychological toll. Mental health issues are on the rise, with mounting reports of stress, anxiety and depression among women and girls. With Gaza's education system in collapse, many girls have become full-time caregivers for their younger siblings. 'Girls are being more deeply affected,' said Qazzaz. 'The war has pushed many out of school and into caregiving roles. Some are being forced into early marriages as families try to reduce economic burdens.' As household tensions rise, so too does gender-based violence. Experts say only a ceasefire would offer immediate relief to the women and girls of Gaza. 'Even a temporary end to the violence would offer critical psychological relief for women carrying enormous emotional and caregiving burdens,' said Qazzaz. 'It would give families a chance to breathe, regroup, and begin to heal.' A truce would also help restore access to hospitals, allow medical teams to resume work, and ensure that essential aid — from food and medicine to hygiene supplies — reaches those in need. Meanwhile, the independent UN experts have issued a stark warning about the wider implications of the conflict. 'In Gaza, the rules of engagement and fundamental protections owed to civilians have been intentionally, persistently and flagrantly violated,' they said. 'If the Security Council fails to confront this profound breakdown in compliance and accountability, and what it means for humanity and multilateralism, the very foundations of international law risk becoming meaningless."
Zawya
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Agreement between Mauritius and the United Kingdom (UK) fails to guarantee rights of Chagossians say United Nations (UN) experts
The recently signed agreement between the United Kingdom and Mauritius fails to guarantee and protect the rights of the Chagossian people, including their right to return to Diego Garcia, effective remedy and reparations and their cultural rights, UN experts* said today. On 22 May 2025, the United Kingdom and Mauritius signed a bilateral agreement to return sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia, to Mauritius to complete the decolonisation of Mauritius following years of negotiations and international pressure, including from the International Court of Justice and the General Assembly. 'By maintaining a foreign military presence of the United Kingdom and the United States on Diego Garcia and preventing the Chagossian people from returning to Diego Garcia, the agreement appears to be at variance with the Chagossians' right to return, which also hinders their ability to exercise their cultural rights in accessing their ancestral lands from which they were expelled,' the experts said. They raised serious questions about whether the foreseen £40 million Trust Fund, which remains subject to yet-to-be adopted regulations, would comply with the right of the Chagossian people to effective remedy and adequate, effective, and prompt reparation, including restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition. Most notably, the current agreement contains no provisions providing for the full panoply of the right to adequate and effective reparations as it does not provide restitution, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition, the experts noted. The agreement also lacks provisions to facilitate the Chagossian people's access to cultural sites on Diego Garcia and protect and conserve their unique cultural heritage. 'In light of these significant concerns, we call for the ratification of the agreement to be suspended and for a new agreement to be negotiated that fully guarantees the rights of the Chagossian people to return to all islands of the Chagos Archipelago, including Diego Garcia. This includes their right to adequate and effective remedy and reparations, including restitution, satisfaction, and guarantees of non-repetition, as well as their cultural rights,' the experts said. The experts had previously raised concerns about continuous forced displacement of the Chagossian people and lack of their effective participation in decision-making processes concerning negotiations over the Chagos Archipelago, in letters to the governments of Mauritius and the United Kingdom on 21 February 2023 as well as through a press release on 10 October 2024. 'We are gravely concerned about the lack of meaningful participation of Chagossians in processes that have led to the agreement,' the experts said. They urged the Governments of the United Kingdom and Mauritius to apply a human rights-based approach in addressing historical injustices against the Chagossian people. The experts are in touch with the United Kingdom and Mauritius regarding these issues. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Starmer's Chagos deal should be halted over locals' rights: UN experts
UN experts have called for the suspension of Keir Starmer 's deal with Mauritius regarding the Chagos Islands, citing a failure to protect the rights of Chagossians. The agreement, which hands sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius and leases back the UK-US military base on Diego Garcia for £101m per year for 99 years, has been criticised for not guaranteeing the rights of Chagossians to return to all islands. UN special rapporteurs expressed grave concerns about the lack of meaningful participation of Chagossians in the processes leading to the agreement. Critics estimate the 99-year lease could cost taxpayers £30bn, potentially impacting the defence budget, while Tories have tabled legislation to block the deal. Sir Keir and foreign secretary David Lammy argued the deal was necessary to prevent legal challenges that could jeopardise the operation of the military base.
