World News Summary: Supporting Haiti mission, challenging ‘commodity dependence’, Iran’s ‘strict’ hijab law
Kenya has offered to lead a multinational delegation to provide much-needed support to the nation’s police in their bid to regain control of the streets from gang rule, which has plunged the country into turmoil in recent months.
Kenya joins the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad and Jamaica in pledging their support. The Office of the United Nations Spokesperson said “other countries have expressed interest, including publicly, but have not yet informed the Secretary-General.”
Currently, $18 million has been deposited into the Support Mission Trust Fund, provided by Canada ($8.7 million), France ($3.2 million) and the United States ($6 million).
Meanwhile, armed violence continued across the country, with Port-au-Prince and the province of Ouest worst affected.
The situation at the national port remains unstable speak United Nations Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.
“The Varreux fuel station is now closed after several gang attacks. However, on a more positive note, our humanitarian colleagues tell us that in the past three weeks, more than 100 humanitarian containers have been recovered at Caribbean Port Services.”
Meanwhile, the humanitarian response continues and the World Food Program (WFP) has provided daily food assistance to displaced people in Port-au-Prince and other areas.
The United Nations health agency WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have set up mobile clinics at displacement sites to provide medical advice. Immigration agency IOM are also providing basic medical and psychosocial services to displaced people.
President of the General Assembly warns of ‘commodity dependence’
The President of the General Assembly on Friday called on member states and stakeholders Resolve commodity dependence in countries and its impact on the global economy in an informal dialogue on the issue.
According to Dennis Francis, commodity dependence is “a scenario in which 60% or more of a country’s export revenue depends on primary commodities,” disproportionately affecting developing countries.
Although commodity markets are important to the global economy, overreliance on commodities leaves countries and their people vulnerable to economic instability, he said.
Mr. Francis called for urgent resolution of this issue amid ongoing global discussions on debt sustainability and reform of the international financial architecture.
“I believe that breaking free from commodity dependence is challenging but achievable,” Mr. Francis said.
Dependent countries
Based on the United Nations trade and development agency UNCTADAccording to the State of Commodity Dependency report, 85% of the world’s least developed countries are commodity dependent along with many landlocked developing countries and small island developing states, making their economy”vulnerable and highly vulnerable to external shocks”.
The Council President said a two-decade increase in affected countries would “ring the alarm bell” to Member States as addressing this issue is essential to achieving the 2030 target Sustainable development goals.
Iranian police enforce ‘strict’ hijab regulations, OHCHR says
Police in Iran are carrying out a violent crackdown on women and girls under the country’s hijab law, leading to the arrest and harassment of girls between the ages of 15 and 17. speak Jeremy Laurence, spokesman for the United Nations human rights office, OHCHRon Friday.
Tehran’s head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on April 21 a new authority allowing it to enforce the existing mandatory hijab law; Members of the IRGC are reportedly allowed to enforce these laws “more seriously” when in public.
OHCHR is concerned about the draft Supporting Families by Promoting a Culture of Chastity and Hijab, which in its previous form stipulated that violators of the mandatory dress code could face caning. , fine or up to 10 years in prison.
Mr. Laurence reiterated that corporal punishment is arbitrary under international law.
As the draft law nears final approval by the Guardian Council, OHCHR is calling for it to be shelved.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, is calling on the Iranian government to eliminate “all forms of discrimination and violence based on gender, including by amending and repealing laws, harmful policies and practices, consistent with international human rights principles”. rights rules and standards”.
