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Most of those who have recently been uprooted are from eastern and southern Ukraine, according to the director of peacebuilding, who also noted that the number of Ukrainian refugees registered in Europe has topped seven million, up from 6.7 million “only two weeks ago.”
Most of these migrants are Ukrainian women, who are much more at risk for security issues such as sexual and gender-based assault, trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.
Ms DiCarlo emphasised the significance of documenting the horrible results of this pointless conflict “as authentically and accurately as possible” despite the international community’s inability to “end this senseless war”.
She emphasised that “it is our duty…to assist in preventing the war from escalating further and to avert future potential violent confrontations.”
The UN at work
The UN is still addressing the war’s significant effects on civilians.
The top political official mentioned that the UN Development Fund (UNDP) is evaluating the effects of the war on levels of general poverty and human development, health, education access, livelihoods, and food security. Results should be available in December.
In addition to the work of thousands of Ukrainian volunteers, the UN’s expanded humanitarian response now touches 12.7 million people, and over 560 humanitarian groups are active throughout the nation.
She expressed worry over the lack of access to individuals living in areas not under the Ukrainian administration. She stated, “the UN is striving to guarantee that protection and support are available in all areas of Ukraine.”
Global effect
Ms DiCarlo next addressed the issue of food and fertiliser shortages and voiced concern for nations that have already suffered greatly from climate change, drought, or instability.
Ms DiCarlo informed the ambassadors that thousands of Somalians are perishing in a catastrophic drought that has been made worse by the Ukraine conflict’s effects.
Positively, the Black Sea Grain Initiative keeps allowing Ukraine to export food.
The political leader stated, “Since August 1, 100 ships have departed Ukrainian ports, carrying over 2,300,000 metric tonnes of grain across three continents, with 30% going to low- and lower-middle income countries.
She used reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to claim that even though global food commodity prices are still high, this assists in price reduction.
Olenivka and Zaporizhzhia
When mentioning the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ms DiCarlo recalled that the Secretary-General and the International Atomic Energy Agency Director-General had already warned of the hazards of continued military activities in and near the plant at yesterday’s briefings.
She insisted that the only way to guarantee the security of this institution was by demilitarisation.
A fact-finding mission is scheduled to travel to Olenivka in the coming days to look into an event on July 29 that resulted in the deaths of 53 Ukrainian prisoners of war and the injuries of 75 to 130 other people.
The peacebuilding head emphasised that the mission “must be allowed to conduct its job without any interference and have safe, secure, and unrestricted access to individuals, places, and evidence.”
Relocation challenges
The Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ilze Brands Kehris, spoke via video conference regarding ongoing claims of forcible relocation, deportation, and so-called “filtration camps” operated by the Russian military and local allies.
She informed the Council that there had been numerous documented instances of citizens being displaced to Russia because persons fleeing danger frequently felt driven to go in whichever direction they could, regardless of their choices.
While there, they are allowed to travel around, but if they decide to go back to Ukraine, they are not given the support they need, which prevents them from going home.
Credible claims of forced transfers of unaccompanied children to Russian-occupied territory or the nation have also been made.
Since these youngsters would be eligible for adoption by Russian families, Ms Kehris stated, “We are concerned that the Russian authorities have introduced a streamlined approach to confer Russian citizenship to children without parental care.
Wars of preference
She concluded that the Ukraine conflict is not just “devastating that country but also jeopardising regional and global stability.”
She noted that just last week’s 10th Review Conference of the parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty failed to produce “a substantive outcome after consensus was blocked due to war-related issues,” calling it “only the latest example” of how the conflict has impacted international relations and cooperation.
All wars are terrible, but wars of choice are the most so.
Camps for ‘Filtration’
The UN humanitarian office, OHCHR, has confirmed that Russian armed forces and groups have subjected civilians to so-called “filtration” — a system of security checks and personal data collection — including those fleeing hostilities and those who live in or pass through territory under Russian control.
The practice has led to multiple human rights cases of abuse, including the rights to liberty, security of person, and privacy, according to reliable complaints obtained by OHCHR, said the senior UN official.
Those seized either after failing or passing “filtration” and sent to a “centre for evacuees” in the Donetsk region, close to the Russian border, have been denied access by OHCHR.
OHCHR is closely observing the situation in Ukraine and the surrounding area, focusing on human rights abuses, such as trafficking.
In her final statement, Ms Kehris urged Russia to “provide unrestricted and confidential access to our Office…to all detention locations under their control, particularly…where those who suffered “filtration” are being imprisoned.”
Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network
