Internally displaced people in Gaza are living in makeshift shelters. Top news of the day | Thursday: Gaza, Ukraine, Belarus, environment UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, new anti-corruption legislation in Ukraine, brutal treatment in prison in Belarus, business is damaging the environment.
Gaza crisis
Representatives of UN humanitarian agencies have expressed deep concern that an increasing number of children in Gaza are dying of hunger. Currently, no more than 150 food trucks arrive in the enclave per day. In the north of the sector, one in six children under two years of age suffers from acute malnutrition. In the absence of an agreement between Hamas and Israel, UN humanitarian teams are exploring the possibility of using the Israeli military road in northern Gaza to send at least 300 aid trucks into the strip every day.
Legislation in Ukraine
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) welcomes the implementation of anti-corruption measures in Ukraine. According to the organization’s press secretary, Julie Kozak, the adoption of the law on corporate governance will strengthen the role of supervisory boards in state-owned enterprises and will bring Ukrainian legislation in this area closer to international standards. The IMF representative added that active enforcement of the law will be critical to improving the efficiency of state-owned enterprises and will form the basis for further reforms in this area.
Treatment of prisoners in a Belarusian prison
Constant surveillance of two women prisoners using video cameras in a Belarusian prison constituted ill-treatment that violated their privacy and violated their dignity and rights. This is the conclusion reached by the UN Women’s Rights Committee. In 2017, Belarusian citizens were sentenced to administrative arrest for participating in mass gatherings. They filed several complaints about degrading conditions and discrimination, but all their requests were rejected. As a result, the women appealed to the UN Women’s Rights Committee, which called on Belarus to provide compensation to the victims.
Nature pollution
Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment David Boyd highlighted in his report to the UN Human Rights Council that the practices of the private sector, especially the largest corporations, pose a serious threat to nature. The expert called for the adoption of environmental laws based on human rights principles. He also believes it is necessary to hold polluters accountable and encourage new business practices that prioritize the well-being of society over shareholder profits.