A nine-year-old boy in Haiti is living with his mother in a temporary shelter after the family fled violence twice. Top news of the day | Wednesday: Gaza, Madagascar, Haiti, Yemen UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: 83 percent of buildings in Gaza City are damaged, the Secretary General talks about violence in Madagascar, more than 3 million children in Haiti need help, detentions of UN employees in Yemen.
Gaza Crisis
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that Israeli military operations continue in Gaza City, making an already dire humanitarian situation even more dangerous. The UN Satellite Center released a preliminary analysis on Wednesday showing that 83 percent of all structures in the city were damaged, including about 81,000 housing units. However, humanitarian agencies on the ground warn that many people are unable to leave the north of the enclave due to security conditions.
Protests in Madagascar
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is closely monitoring the situation in Madagascar, the press service of the UN chief said today. Guterres is deeply saddened by the loss of life and destruction that has occurred since youth protests began in the country on September 25. He expresses his sincere condolences to the families of the victims and calls on the authorities to respect international human rights standards. The Secretary General also emphasizes that protests must take place peacefully, with respect for human life, property and the rule of law. The UN chief called for dialogue to forge a constructive path forward.
Children of Haiti
The number of children forced from their homes by violence in Haiti has nearly doubled over the past year. Currently, 680 thousand young residents of the country are in the status of internally displaced persons, according to a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). A total of 3.3 million children – the highest number on record – are in need of humanitarian assistance. Cases of acute malnutrition, the recruitment of minors by armed groups, as well as gender-based violence and other violations of children’s rights have increased.
UN staff in Yemen
UN Spokesperson Stefan Dujarric said today at a briefing for journalists in New York that after the detention of another UN employee in Yemen was confirmed the day before, the country received information today that he had been released. According to the Organization, the total number of UN staff detained by the Houthis is currently 53. Some of them remain in custody as of 2021.