States must prioritize protecting children. Top stories of the day | Tuesday: Palestine, gender-based violence, human trafficking UN
Top stories of the day at the UN and around the world: 1,000 new cases of hepatitis A every week in Gaza, a quarter of teenage girls face violence from partners, World Day against Trafficking in Persons, eviction of more than 80 Palestinian families in East Jerusalem.
Hepatitis in Gaza
More and more children in Gaza are at risk of contracting hepatitis A due to mass displacement, overcrowded shelters and a lack of clean water and hygiene supplies, UN humanitarian agencies warned on Tuesday. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNRWA), between 800 and 1,000 new cases of hepatitis are registered every week at UNRWA health centres and shelters across Gaza. The number of documented cases of hepatitis A has increased from 85 before the war to almost 40,000 cases since the war began. UNRWA provides diagnostics, awareness-raising and counselling. There is no specific treatment for hepatitis A.
Violence against girls
24 percent of adolescent girls experience physical and sexual violence from intimate partners, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). In 2023, almost one in six girls aged 15-19 will become a victim of such violence. Experts emphasize the need to strengthen support and early prevention measures designed specifically for adolescents, along with actions to promote the rights of women and girls: from school programs that teach boys and girls about healthy relationships, to legal protection and economic empowerment of girls.
Human trafficking
A third of all victims of human traffickers are children, and they are more often subjected to violence than adults. Girls fall into the criminals’ nets more often than boys. The UN recalls these sad statistics on the occasion of the World Day against Trafficking in Persons. This year, it is dedicated to the protection of children. As the UN emphasizes, urgent, comprehensive actions and concerted efforts are needed to solve the problem both at the national and international levels. States must prioritize the protection of children, strengthen legislation in this area, improve law enforcement and allocate more resources to combat child trafficking.
Displacement of Palestinians
The Office of the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories has expressed concern that 87 Palestinian families are at risk of forced eviction from their homes in the Silwan area of occupied East Jerusalem. OHCHR recalls that international humanitarian law prohibits Israel from imposing its own laws in the occupied territory, which includes applying Israeli law to displace Palestinians. Moreover, such laws themselves discriminate against Palestinians and violate Israel’s international human rights obligations.