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Outlining the grim reality, Ramesh Rajasingham, Director at the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, one of four experts briefing the Council, said the Ukraine war and other conflicts have pushed the number of people fleeing to more than 100 million for the first time on record. In Afghanistan, attacks against health-care facilities have affected access for 300,000 people, while in Yemen, only half of health facilities are functioning. By the end of 2021, conflict drove acute food insecurity for 140 million people in 24 countries.
Globally, food, fuel and fertilizer prices are now skyrocketing, he said, with a 30 per cent jump in food prices alone threatening people across Africa and the Middle East. He pushed States and non-State armed groups to track reports of civilian harm, gauge the impact of military operations and shift course, if necessary.
He pressed the Council to ensure that protection of civilians is a strategic priority in the planning and conduct of all military and security operations in such areas, notably by leveraging its influence with allies, partners and proxies to foster respect for the law.
Several described the utter inhumanity of conditions in Ukraine. The United States representative, Council President for May, emphasized in her national capacity that the Russian Federation will be held accountable for the reported use of mass graves, executions and torture.
In Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere, improvised explosive devices, landmines and explosive remnants of war caused civilian death, hindered access to farmland, essential services and livelihoods, and disrupted water, sanitation and health services, he reported. In Yemen, parties to conflict destroyed schools, hospitals, roads, factories, houses, cars and farms, while in Gaza, fighting damaged wells, wastewater plants and water delivery networks. Schools were relentlessly attacked and occupied by fighting parties, making children more vulnerable to recruitment into armed groups. In the first nine months of 2021, more than 900 schools in Afghanistan were destroyed or damaged, while in Ethiopia, thousands of schools were entirely or partially destroyed.
By mid-2021, fighting had forcibly displaced 84 million people, with nearly 51 million of them displaced internally, he said. The Ukraine war and other conflicts pushed the number of people fleeing to more than 100 million for the first time on record. When civilians fled to safer areas, children and elders were often left behind. As well, more than one in five people are thought to have experienced depression, anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder. In Afghanistan, attacks against health-care facilities affected access for 300,000 people. In Yemen, only half of health facilities were functioning.
By the end of 2021, conflict drove acute food insecurity for 140 million people in 24 countries, he continued, including thousands of people in Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan and Yemen who experienced catastrophic food insecurity. In northern Ethiopia, where belligerents took over agricultural production, people were displaced from their farms and their livestock was looted or killed. In the Central African Republic, armed groups prevented access to crops, while humanitarian operations in Somalia faced obstacles to free movement. In the Central African Republic, non-governmental organizations had to stop or scale back their activities due to insecurity.
He pointed out that 2022 is looking no better. Since 24 February, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has recorded 8,089 civilian casualties in Ukraine, with 3,811 killed. Hospitals, schools, residential buildings and shelters all have come under attack, while 12 million Ukrainians have been forced from their homes. Globally, food, fuel and fertilizer prices are skyrocketing, with a 30 per cent jump in food prices alone threatening people across Africa and the Middle East.
Finally, he voiced concern over the growing pressure on front-line humanitarian organizations to help States obtain information for criminal proceedings in armed conflict. The work of humanitarian organizations must be separated from that of investigative bodies, which is critical for preserving neutrality and impartiality, and in turn, accessing people in need. He urged States to refrain from placing the responsibility of sharing data from international humanitarian law monitoring onto operational humanitarian agencies, such as ICRC. Improving compliance with international law includes helping Governments meet their responsibilities by adopting legislation and training the armed forces and police.
When the Council has direct power over access to aid, it must act on the basis of facts and law, he said, calling attention to the upcoming vote to renew cross-border access to Syria. Noting the constraints in the Council as well as in the conflict zones, he also stressed the importance of breaking the deadlock and highlighted the critical role the General Assembly can continue to play in establishing independent mechanisms to gather evidence on violations. Where humanitarian work needs guarding from the politics of Member States, including those perpetrating access constraints, the Assembly should establish independent panels to take on fact-finding missions and deliver transparent reporting on barriers imposed on humanitarian action in conflict settings, he said.
She said Women for Women International works with women in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo who have already been displaced three or four times before they settle there. The illegal exploitation of natural resources often translates to armed violence that blocks humanitarian access. Therefore, the organization must be creative and adaptive in providing services that help women develop vocational skills, start their own businesses and learn about savings. Noting that community-based, women-centred organizations are first on the frontlines to provide women with immediate support, she shared the story of Solange, who was raped four times over two decades of war, saw her husband and children tortured and killed, and who was later mocked and isolated as a rape victim. She began to heal with support from others at Women for Women.
T. S. TIRUMURTI (India) underscored that the humanitarian consequences of armed conflicts are severe, highlighting the over 11,000 civilian casualties in various conflicts in 2021; 140 million people reeling under conflict-induced hunger; and 84 million being forcibly displaced. The parties to the armed conflicts seem to consider civilian population and civilian infrastructure as legitimate targets, he noted, underlining that the primary responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of populations rests with national Governments. Terrorism today is the greatest threat faced by humankind and the Security Council should focus on the increasing challenges faced by United Nations peacekeepers in executing their protection of civilians mandate. The role of peacekeeping operations is to supplement the national efforts to advance peace and security, he said, calling on States not to ignore fundamental issues and international power politics that contribute to the accentuation of armed conflicts, including the principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of States.
AMEIRA AL HEFEITI (United Arab Emirates), urging the Council to consider how the mandates of peacekeeping operations can be adjusted to improve the essential role they play in protecting civilians, said appropriate consideration should be given to unarmed approaches to complement the physical protection provided by peacekeepers. She also called on States and the private sector to redouble efforts to detect, assess and respond to online misinformation, disinformation and hate speech through fact-checking, content-moderation tools and further research regarding how these phenomena proliferate online. Further, efforts must continue to ensure that sanctions measures imposed by the Council neither impede the work of humanitarian actors nor prevent aid from reaching those in need. In practical terms, this means considering humanitarian carveouts that exclude the application of sanctions to humanitarian activities. She added that, by listing those responsible for obstructing humanitarian assistance, the Council could use sanctions as leverage and send a clear message to support humanitarian efforts and ensure accountability.
MOHAMED ENNADIR LARBAOUI (Algeria), noting that malnutrition is one of the side effects of conflicts, stressed that use of hunger as a tool of war is a gross violation of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions. The current crisis in humanitarian access reflects the collective failure to find a political solution to armed conflicts, he said, also noting that the pandemic and political instability have affected the channels of production, supply and distribution. Affirming the importance of Council resolution 1265 (1999), which prioritizes the protection of civilians, he voiced support for a mechanism that automatically informs the Council of gross and documented violations of humanitarian law. Underscoring the need for increased accountability, he called for a comprehensive and coordinated approach. Further, mobilizing the necessary capabilities for aid delivery means all donors must meet their pledges, he said.
OBAIDA ABDULLAH ABOU ELABASS ELDANDARAWY (Egypt) said it is essential to continue to advocate for civilian protection as well as safe access to, and the delivery of, health care in situations of armed conflict. Medical staff and humanitarian workers must also be protected. During its tenure on the Council, Egypt worked with other members to introduce resolution 2286 (2016), which was adopted unanimously, on the protection of medical personnel and facilities in armed conflicts. However, the continuation of many armed conflicts today highlights the need for a comprehensive approach that also considers the root causes of conflict in a more long-term manner. Emphasizing the need for sustainable development, job creation, economic growth, poverty eradication and effective political solutions, he said collective action is also needed to counter threats posed by terrorist groups. Peacekeeping operations have an important role to play in protecting civilians through assistance, capacity-building and strengthening State institutions, all while focusing on promoting national ownership, he added, noting that Egypt is a major contributor to such operations.
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