Distribution of food aid in Gaza. Top stories of the day | Thursday: Lebanon, Gaza, poverty, women in the defense forces UN
The main news of the day in the UN and in the world: risk of spreading cholera in Lebanon in conditions of mass evacuation, more than 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza are starving, 1.1 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty, women occupy only three percent of the posts of generals and admirals.
Cholera in Lebanon
The first case of cholera has been recorded in northern Lebanon, raising concerns about threats to the health and lives of displaced people, the World Health Organization warned today. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the launch of a response plan to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and water sampling. The WHO expressed concern that due to low immunity and poor sanitation, cholera threatens many of the Lebanese people who fled violence in the south of the country.
Famine in Gaza
The UN Secretary-General is alarmed by the findings of a report on the food situation in the Gaza Strip, UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters. More than 1.8 million people in Gaza are experiencing extreme hunger, according to updated data from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. According to the report, 133,000 people, or 6 percent of the enclave’s population, are experiencing the most catastrophic, Phase 5. There are fears that this number could rise to 345,000, or 16 percent, during the winter.
Multidimensional poverty
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Oxford University analyzed statistics for a ten-year period from 112 countries and conducted an additional survey in 20 countries. Based on their work, they have prepared an updated report on the global index of so-called “multidimensional” poverty. According to the data published today, 1.1 billion people in the world live in extreme poverty, and almost half of them – 455 million people – live in countries affected by conflict or instability. The publication is timed to coincide with the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, which is celebrated on October 17.
Women in the defense sector
A new UN study examines the opportunities and barriers to women’s participation in the defense forces of more than 50 countries. According to the report published today, on average, women make up just 12 percent of the army, 15 percent of the air force, 14 percent of the navy and 16 percent of the gendarmerie. The gender gap is particularly pronounced in senior leadership positions: about 97 percent of generals and admirals are men.