UN Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. UN: last year armed conflicts claimed the lives of more than 33 thousand people Peace and Security
The UN Security Council held a meeting on Tuesday on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, marking the 25th anniversary of the adoption of resolution 1265 (1999), which identified the protection of civilians as the most important issue in the area international peace and security, and the 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions.
Risk of genocide in Sudan
Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, drew the attention of Security Council members to the growing risk of genocide in Sudan, highlighting the brutal persecution of civilians based on ethnicity, especially in Darfur. She noted numerous attacks on the Masalit community and other ethnic groups, as well as the use of sexual violence by parties to the conflict. , demonstrate a clear intent to destroy specific ethnic groups.
The Special Adviser also described her visit to refugee camps in Chad, where she heard harrowing testimonies from survivors of violence. She called for immediate action to prevent further crimes and stressed the importance of bringing those responsible to justice.
“The world cannot stand by while genocide unfolds. We must act decisively to protect vulnerable populations and ensure justice for victims,” Nderitu urged.
Additionally, she stressed that timely communication is critical to efforts on early crime prevention. Nderitu called on the Security Council to hold periodic briefings on the potential risks of genocide.
Staggering death toll
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Joyce Msuya’s briefing provided an overview of the death toll in conflict zones around the world, particularly in Gaza and Sudan, where civilians face forced displacement and starvation.
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Conflicts continue to have a serious impact on civilian populations in many other places, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nigeria, the Sahel region, Somalia, Syria and Ukraine, Msuya added.
Last year, the United Nations recorded more than 33,000 civilian deaths due to armed conflict, she said. which represents an increase of 72 percent over the previous year. But the real numbers are likely higher.
Msuya said the “staggering” number of civilian casualties last year showed a disregard for international humanitarian law and the need to redouble efforts to protecting innocent people and ensuring compliance with the rules of war.
In addition, the UN representative drew attention to the devastating impact of explosive weapons on populated areas. In the conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan, 90 percent of the victims of such weapons are civilians, she said.
“Our commitment to protecting civilians must go beyond compliance. We need proactive policies and tools to mitigate the full range of harm faced by civilians in conflict zones,” Msuya stressed.