Today, the cumulative immunization coverage in central and southern Gaza is 354,786 children. Top Stories of the Day | Friday: Ukraine, Gaza, Clean Air, Sudan UN
The main news of the day in the UN and around the world: humanitarian organizations are providing assistance to victims throughout Ukraine, 160 thousand children have been vaccinated against polio in the south of Gaza, 99 percent of humanity is breathing polluted air, human rights activists have called for an embargo on arms supplies to Sudan.
Escalation of shelling in Ukraine
UN humanitarian agencies are reporting ongoing fighting and attacks across Ukraine. According to local authorities, civilians, including children, were injured in shelling today in Pavlograd, Dnipropetrovsk region, and yesterday in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region. Residential buildings and infrastructure, including two hospitals in Kherson, were also damaged. Humanitarian organizations have mobilized assistance to the victims, including providing psychological support and repair materials.
Vaccinations in Gaza
More than 160,000 children were vaccinated against polio on the first day of the vaccination campaign in southern Gaza, according to the United Nations Relief and Workers’ Agency for Palestine (UNRWA). UN agencies and partners will continue to vaccinate “as many children as possible” during agreed humanitarian pauses before moving north in the war-torn enclave, UNRWA added. The combined immunization coverage in central and southern Gaza now stands at 354,786 children. The third and final stage of the first round is scheduled for Monday, September 9, and will last three days.
Air Pollution
Ninety-nine percent of humanity breathes polluted air, causing the premature death of 8 million people, including more than 700,000 children under the age of five. This is stated in the message of the UN chief for the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies, which is celebrated on September 7. He stressed that investing in clean air requires action by government and business, including phasing out fossil fuels, meeting air quality standards, switching to clean cooking methods, creating green transport and reducing harmful emissions.
War in Sudan
Human rights activists investigating crimes committed during the war in Sudan have called for an international arms embargo on all parties to the conflict in the country. Independent human rights experts stressed that responsibility for grave violations lies with both sides and their allies. According to investigators, the breakdown of law and order in Sudan has led to the mass recruitment of children to participate in the conflict, and women are subjected to sexual violence.