The capital of Georgia, Tbilisi. The main news of the day | Wednesday: Georgia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, humanitarian aid UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: Secretary General called on the parties to the confrontation in Georgia for dialogue, a meeting of the UN Security Council on the children of Ukraine, new restrictions in the sphere of education and health care in Afghanistan, the UN has published the amount that will be needed to provide humanitarian aid in 2025.
Human Rights in Georgia
The UN is following developments in Georgia with concern and stresses the importance of respecting freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, the organization’s spokesman Stephane Dujarric said today. He stressed that all reports of human rights violations must be investigated “promptly and in full transparency.” The UN Secretary-General, according to his spokesman, calls on all parties to refrain from actions that could lead to further violence and to seek to overcome differences through dialogue.
Ukrainian children
Speaking to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell drew attention to the devastating impact of the war on Ukraine’s children. In her speech, she called for immediate action to protect the conflict’s most vulnerable victims. UNICEF is working to mitigate the impact of the crisis by providing access to clean water and psychosocial support to hundreds of thousands of children and their families. UNICEF is also working with local authorities to ensure heating is provided throughout the winter and that schools operate safely.
Women of Afghanistan
The UN has expressed concern over a new Taliban directive that reportedly bans women and girls in Afghanistan from attending classes in private health facilities. If implemented, the directive would further restrict women’s and girls’ rights to education and access to health care, a UN spokesman said during a briefing for journalists. Ultimately, such conditions will have a detrimental impact on Afghanistan’s health system and the country’s development, he added. The UN is calling on the de facto authorities to reconsider their decision.
Humanitarian Overview 2025
Ongoing conflicts, climate change and disregard for international law will leave 305 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance next year, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Tom Fletcher warned on Wednesday at the launch of the Global Humanitarian Overview. $47.4 billion will be needed next year to help the 30 countries and nine regions hosting refugees.