A two-day UN conference on civil society opened in Nairobi, Kenya. Top news of the day | Thursday: Gaza, Ukraine, Brazil, civil society UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: 80 thousand people fled Rafah, in Ukraine civilians were injured as a result of further shelling, devastating floods in Brazil, UN Conference on Civil Society.
The situation in Gaza
According to the UN, some 80,000 people have fled Rafah since the beginning of the week amid ongoing Israeli bombing. Humanitarian agencies have again warned of a shortage of emergency aid for Gaza’s vulnerable population – despite reports that the Kerem Shalom crossing near Rafah has reopened. The crossing was closed over the weekend following a rocket attack claimed by Hamas. Meanwhile, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights warns that violations of Palestinian rights in the occupied West Bank have increased significantly.
Victims in Ukraine
The day before, a large wave of attacks across Ukraine left civilians injured. According to local authorities, several children were victims of an attack on a school playground in Kharkov, and children in the Dnieper and Kropyvnytsky districts were also reportedly injured. Damage to critical power facilities in the country’s western and central regions resulted in a total of nine regions experiencing power outages, according to the grid operator. Humanitarian organizations provide psychological support to victims and distribute materials for housing repairs.
Floods in Brazil
The UN Secretary-General expressed deep regret over the casualties and destruction caused by heavy rains and floods in southern Brazil. He conveyed words of condolences and solidarity to the government and people of the country, as well as to the families of the victims. The UN chief noted that natural disasters are a reminder of the devastating consequences of the climate crisis. The UN in Brazil has mobilized a response that includes distributing humanitarian aid and medicine, monitoring the spread of disease, and supporting temporary shelters and caring for children separated from their families.
Conference on Civil Society
A two-day UN Conference on Civil Society opened in Nairobi, Kenya to society. For the first time the forum is being held in Africa. More than 3,600 civil society representatives from 2,750 organizations, more than 100 journalists, as well as representatives of 64 governments, seven international governmental organizations and 37 UN agencies registered to participate. About half of the delegates are aged 18 to 34 years. The forum discusses landmark documents that will be presented at the Future Summit in September. On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take part in the conference.