UN Geneva Press Briefing - WFP, IOM, WHO, OHCHR, UN Women

So good morning. Welcome to the press briefing of the UN Information Service here in Geneva. Today is Friday, 17th of July. You've received the agenda, and I would like to immediately go to our colleagues from the World Food Programme, and in particular Abdallah Alwardat, who is the Sudan Country Director and who is connecting from quite a difficult place, from Kostiya, I understand, to tell us about the situation, humanitarian and food situation in Sudan. Thank you very much. Al-Obaid, where you know that there is a crisis, a terrible crisis unfolding. So I'd like to go to Abdallah immediately, ask him for his introductory remarks, and then we will open the floor to questions. You have the floor, sir.

Good morning, and thank you for giving me this opportunity. I'm calling from Kosti, as you said, you know, after a 1-day trip to Al-Obaid city. just to see firsthand experience, you know, the humanitarian situation on the ground. We have been providing humanitarian assistance in Lobaid even before this current crisis. But yesterday, really, I wanted to go physically with the team to be there on the ground and to see the situation. What we have seen, simply, a city of over 500,000, 600,000 people population has almost double of that population where IDPs have been coming toward the city, even from the past. We all know that Al-Obeid city has hosted many of the IDPs coming from the South Kordofan, the West Kordofan, and lately from the North Kordofan, and even beyond, people coming from the Darfurs in the past. So it's a crowded city. with open camps, more than 120,000 people in what is called the unified camps where you have the tents, the shelters. But many more are living with host communities or they are just making their own shelter, which is not protective enough. So we met with our partners on the ground. We met with the people. We have seen firsthand, you know, the IDPs, how they are living, how they are coping with the situation. Definitely, that city is already stressed because of the current situation and because of other factors. We know that food, water, and fuel is a big concern, and it continues to be for now. WFP has been providing food assistance to over 100,000 people in these camps inside the city. But as I said, there are more— many IDPs in that city, and they need urgent assistance. We all know the economic situation in the country and in the city. So I have seen firsthand experience of food distribution. where we had to bring in our fleet to bring the food to the last mile close to the beneficiaries. And definitely that's because of the lack of fuel, which we all know that has been happening over the past few weeks. And the city continues to be stressed on food, water, and fuel. But definitely there has been a little hope, you know, despite all what we have seen, the number of IDPs that they don't have a source of income, they don't have a source of assistance except what the humanitarian agencies are giving and whatever the local authorities are providing. I must say, you know, that that city has been very generous to host a large number of IDPs and sharing the resources, sharing the services. But definitely, as I said again, we need to bring in more assistance to the city because the number is far more than what we are providing. We are providing assistance to more than 100,000 IDPs in the camps. Today, as I said, we have been able to bring in food as WFP. We have been able to work with partners on the ground. But unfortunately, the last few days we have not been able to take the food Or our partners have not been able to take the food closer to the beneficiaries, to the IDPs. That's why we had to bring in our fleets and trucks because of the lack of fuel. We had to bring in our support, you know, to bring in the food closer to the beneficiaries. Something very interesting that really I have seen it. I have witnessed that one with my team. We are providing even not the full food ration to the people, but even that reduced food ration is being shared by the recipients with other families because they know that they don't have any other source of income. So that's something really have, have struck me, you know, when, when I have seen that one and the team as well. I visited one of the many camps where it accommodates more than 7,200 families. People are queuing for food, but also people are queuing for water, water supply, which is being trucked by partners. So it was very clear, whatever we are bringing into the city, is the only lifeline for those people. We want to do more for sure, but of course we are also stretched on our resources. But definitely we have the access, we can deliver the food and we can be there and we can work with partners on the ground. Resources are limiting us to do that one. I met one, one old woman at the distribution center. where she had to come to receive her food. And she has been in that camp for a year now. And when I asked, you know, do you have any other source of income? She just said, it's only what WFP is giving me and it's not enough. She has just confirmed that it's not enough. Not only that, she was waiting to receive the food and she was just thinking how to carry the food back to her tent. She wanted to move it on this little tuk-tuk, you know, where she has to pay transport. So she was going around to look at other families if they can share the cost, you know, and just share the burden of the cost of transferring the food back to the tents. We are working with partners on the ground. And just to make sure that we continue to deliver food, at least for the people that we have been helping. But we know that many new arrivals also have been coming to the city. They are being registered, they are being verified, or they have been there, but resources have not permitted partners to deliver. We are looking into how we can help all those new people who are just living in the camps for now. I'm not talking about the many people who are living with the host communities. Again, this comes at a very difficult time where we have almost 20 million people in Sudan. They are classified as acute food insecurity. WFP has been helping between 3 to 5 million people who are classified again in emergency or catastrophe, emergency or food security level. So we are talking about the IPC 4 and 5. So what I saw in Lobede yesterday was really dramatic. And we see communities trying to cope. with overwhelming situations. If there's no support, it can get worse. And definitely that is possible only if we have additional resources.

Indeed.

Thank you so much.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Thanks for this, for telling us firsthand what you saw there. I'll open the floor to questions now. I see AFP, Robin.

Yeah, thank you. If WFP is the only lifeline, I'd like to ask, can you sustain that lifeline, or how long can you keep that lifeline going for? And secondly, we've been hearing from the United Nations very dire warnings about what may happen in El Obaid over— we've been hearing this for over the last couple of weeks. Having been there yesterday, could you describe for us the military situation that you see on the ground? Thank you.

Abdullah.

Thank you so much. On the lifeline, as long as we have the necessary financial support, I think we have the means and the capacity to sustain that lifeline. And we have been delivering the food. The last 2 or 3 weeks, we have managed to deliver the food and preposition food for the next 2 months, and we started the distribution. already for July, and we are ready to do for August. On your second question on the military, I'll be very honest with you. I have not seen, I have not observed any military movement or whatever. We have drove from Kosti around 350 to 400 kilometers. We drove early morning to Alobaid, and the road was okay. Traffic was relatively okay. But definitely, I mean, I have not seen many commercial trucks or supplies coming in. So we spent like 4 or 5 hours there and we drove back late in the evening. So the road is accessible and we have been into the city and we have moved around as well.

Thank you very much. Don't see other hands in the room. So Olivia Reuters.

Hi there.

Thank you very much for the briefing this morning. I just wanted to get a sense in terms of next steps for Alabaid. I was speaking to your Acting Director of WFP a couple of days ago who was pointing to a potential scale-up from 100,000 to reaching 100,000 people to about 250,000 people because he was saying that there's been a bit of an opening in terms of access. I'm just wondering if that is still the ambition or whether now, because of the fuel shortages, you're kind of faced with a kind of a logistical kind of challenge to actually make that happen. Some details on that would be, would be great. Thank you.

Abdullah.

Thank you so much. As I said, we have the means, the capacity and access to scale up, and all what we have been missing in the past is the resources. Now, thanks to our donors who are giving us also flexible funding, which, which, which is already now being secured, it's, it's going to, to be easy to scale up that one. All what, all what we need to do is, is really now to plan for the scale-up beyond the 100,000 people that we have been, we have been supporting. In addition to that, by the way, we have been also providing nutrition support to 17,000 children in the camps. So it is doable, it's scalable. And now at least we have the resource for the next 2 to 3 months. But beyond that one, even this scale-up, scale-up up to 250,000 will not be sustainable unless the resources would remain, you know, coming through.

Thank you very much, Abdullah. I don't see other hands up for you in the room or on the platform. So I'd like to thank you very, very much for coming and briefing us on your visit. Good luck for the next days. I think it will be very important, your action. to keep this lifeline open, as you said, and we have heard your appeal for funds. Thank you very much again and good luck. Let me now go to our colleagues from IOM. I have the pleasure to have with me on the podium Mr. Frantz Celestin, who is the IOM Regional Director for East, Horn, and Southern Africa, of course with Mohamed Ali, who is also here for answering questions. Mr. Celestin, you would like to brief our journalists on the Ebola outbreak in the East Horn and Southern African region. Please, you have the floor.

Thank you, Alessandra. Thank you very much, colleagues. Thank you for giving me this space to brief you today, giving us this space to put the appropriate spotlight on a virus that is spreading faster than our ability to contain it. With your support, I believe we can definitely manage it, but at the moment it's proving to be very difficult. The Ebola virus and the outbreak is unfolding against the backdrop of 3 crises that is happening in the Republic of the Congo. is the DRC. And the outbreak is growing at approximately 70% from what we saw 2 weeks ago, with an average of more than 40 new cases reported on a daily basis. And that suggests the severity and the gravity of what we're dealing with today. Of particular concern is the fact that 60% of the reported deaths have occurred in communities, which highlights continued challenges in early detection, surveillance, and timely access to care. In several affected health zones, we are seeing our capacity to surveil and timely response is constrained, which means that we have— we don't know the true impact of what's happening in the communities. At the same time, the constraints on the humanitarian access and the challenges we see in building trust within the communities underscore the need to place affected population at the center of our response. Displaced populations remain particularly vulnerable, with nearly 150,000 IDPs and 69 IOM-supported sites in the eastern DRC, with another 300,000 residing in host communities having been affected. While surveillance, infection prevention, and risk communication activities or being strengthened, sustained investment is needed to mitigate immediate outbreak risks and to address the vulnerabilities that existed long before this current outbreak. The outbreak's expansion into new provinces near the capital of Kinshasa shows the importance of managing the mobility dimension of public health risks. Strengthening surveillance at points of entry and points of control along communities and along the River Congo holds a key to effectively preventing further spreads, not just in the DRC, but across borders and to the neighboring countries. IOM continues to support the governments, the partners, to scale up preparedness and response efforts and ensuring safe mobility across the borders. We have conducted nearly 7 million health screenings, supported more than 200 points of entries and points of control, strengthening community engagement and risk communication to address miscommunication, build trust with communities, and expand preparedness efforts along key mobility corridors. Strengthening the multi-sector WASH, shelter, MHPSS protection and health support is underway, but additional funding will require— will be required to reduce outbreak risks. and displacement settings. If I had to leave here, I have 2, 3 key messages for those listening and for the journalists in this room. First is to strengthen partnership with the government, the humanitarian partners, frontline health workers, and affected communities, which is the backbone of this response, and building trust within communities.

Thank you.

Second is the flexible funding to this response. 63% of IOM's total of $55.8 million ask for our regional response and preparedness remains unfunded. In this regard, funding is the key enabler, and we need to focus on data, cross-border coordination, which is critical in providing evidence on mobility dynamics, the routes, space of vulnerability, and priority location, but also for the preparedness and response measures across our region. Second is the critical role that mobility management in the DRC and across mobility corridors in the region The risk of spillover is real. Uganda has reported cases linked to the DRC from the outset of the outbreak. Cases are emerging in the DRC closer to the South Sudanese border. So our response in the DRC matters not only for its people and the government, but also the region and the continental-wide health security and preparedness. Thank you very much for your time.

Thank you very much, Mr. Salistán, and I'll open the floor to questions now. I'll start with the Dutch— the German news agency, sorry. Thank you, no problem. Sorry, Christiane. Go ahead.

Yes, I'm getting a little bit confused because you are saying the same things that WHO is saying to us all the time and has been for 2 months. Why should a government give money to IOM instead of the WHO? Where exactly is the line between what WHO does and what IOM does? What is the specific concern of IOM in a health crisis? that is being dealt with by WHO and the other UN agencies? Thank you.

That's an excellent question, and it gives me the opportunity to truly highlight the differences. Most of our work is supporting the government and monitoring movement across borders so that the ports of entries— that's why I mentioned we have been supporting the governments in the region, not just the DRC, but Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and in Tanzania with 200 points of entry and points of control. Points of entry are points where people cross borders between nations, and points of control are control mechanisms that are put in place to monitor and put proper surveillance in place when people are moving between communities. Let's say there was a community, like Bunia that is impacted, it's important for the government to have an idea of who's moving in and out of these communities to effectively track those persons in case there is a need and monitor the movement of people to effectively contain the spread of the virus. So we focused on the mobility aspect of it, the movement of people. And the fact that IOM is working with the governments, building their capacity, like, as I mentioned, millions of health screenings across the borders, it gives us an idea of what's happening across the borders. And if we— since we're providing such support to the governments, it gives them the level of comfort to keep the borders open.

Thank you.

Because, as you may recall, the initial reaction to the outbreak, some governments closed their borders. And when the governments close their borders, it's like a balloon. If you squeeze here, you inflate there. People will find their way when they need to move. It's better to allow them to move where you can monitor them, when you can screen them, instead of them crossing the borders in points that are not monitored, and then that would allow the virus to spread. So that's IOM's position, and this is what we're doing with the government.

Sorry, that means IOM is at the borders doing the screenings, or IOM is providing capacity building to Congolese capacity?

Yes, capacity building, training, equipment, and surveillance material, PPE.

Thank you. Jérémy Lange, RFI. I don't know if the question is for IOM or WHO. I think Christian is listening. Yes, you can hear me? Yeah. Question whether for— okay, so whether for IOM or WHO, but you're saying that 60% of the deaths are occurring in communities. I was wondering, and that's of particular concern. I was wondering, is there any difference with the previous outbreaks from that perspective? The 60%, is it kind of regular in Ebola outbreaks in DRC, or is it something new?

Yeah, or was it for WHO?

No, no, go ahead. No, no, please answer. And Christian is online if he wants to add I have something afterwards, but please go ahead.

Okay. This virus is moving faster than most we've seen because we are effectively operating on the back foot because it took 45 days to truly understand what it was. It's a new strain, and because of that, the existing tests did not detect it in a timely manner. More people have died prior to the detection and more people were infected prior to detection. So it's nothing like we've seen before, both in the scale, both in the understanding of it, and when we truly found out what was happening. And also, it's also different from the scale of the response from what we've seen before. Some countries, as you've seen with Uganda, have done an effective job in containing it. So the 42-day mark is counting before we can declare Uganda free of the virus, but that's coming up. It's completely different from what we've seen before. I don't know if I can give you a specific number, but with all the metrics that we've looked at, this virus is— this current outbreak, I should say, is different.

And I see that Christian's put his video on, so Christian, maybe you want to add something?

That's a yes.

I mean, it means that today more people are dying at home than in previous outbreaks.

That's a yes.

Yeah, and there's a level of— one of our biggest obstacles in containing and reducing the level of spread of the virus is the trust factor, and that's something we have to contend with. This is why we need to go into the communities to build the trust. If you don't trust the messenger, it doesn't matter what the message is. And so right now, that's one of our key obstacles is the trust. So more people— you've seen attacks on medical centers. more people, they are less likely to report it. And yeah, so there is more to it, and maybe Christian can add.

Yeah, Christian, you want to add something?

Let me try. Thank you very much, and thanks to the colleagues. I mean, you had yesterday, again, at the press briefing, Dr. Ihegwazu mainly talked a lot about exactly these points and also Tuesday here at the Palais, so I'm not even trying to paraphrase what he says. But the important point was just now made. The work with the communities, the contact tracing, that's quite something. And in the challenging setting of the eastern DRC with the mining activities, the refugee communities, the internally displaced people, lots of economic activity going on, fighting, conflict, everything at the same time. And then a big distrust of the community to any foreigner, to even foreigners from within the same country if they're not from the same community. This is why it's so difficult to have contact tracers, medical staff going out to the communities, because the moment you're not from the same community, there's a level of distrust. Given the whole context we have there. That's why it's very different from previous outbreaks, on top of the fact that we don't yet have, have any, any medicine or, or, uh, vaccines against it. Um, 4 out of 5 contacts are now being followed up. This is good, but that also means 1 out of 5 cannot be followed because they disappear somewhere and cannot be followed, and we can't, we can't get to them. The, the the people can't get to them, given the context I just elaborated on. So this is the real challenge. While everything is getting better and better and better, and there's more progress, the challenges are still huge, and we're still behind the virus, so to say. We're still running behind trying to provide everything. The laboratory capacity has increased, has been built up massively. Staff has been trained, PPE has been arriving. Post-exposure prophylaxis is now available. Many, many, many things. But again, the challenge is to get to every last person. And even when they die in the communities, that is, as long as we know that's where they are, that is already, as horrible as this may sound now, a positive thing. The challenge are those we can't reach, and we know there are cases out there, we know there are contacts out there, would just disappear, whether across borders or in communities. That is what we can only assume and guess. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Christian, and thank you, Mr. Célestin. Robin, AFP.

Thank you.

On those 7 million screenings that the IOM conducted, what was the result of those screenings? Were Ebola cases detected? Were cases of other diseases detected?

Thank you.

Thank you. Very good question. I don't know the exact numbers, but that's something I can, I can get for you. What I know is we've been able to effectively identify and stop a number of cases from moving either from a point of control or a point of entry. I can get the exact number. I don't I don't know. I have some colleagues online.

I don't know if anybody—

Andrew, do you have the numbers?

Andrew? Oh yes, I can see him. Yeah, Andrew's connected. Daniel's raised his hand. Andrew, please, have you got the figures for our journalists? You need to unmute yourself. We unmute you here, but you need to unmute yourself too. I don't know if he manages to get the voice on. I can see his hand. Oh, now, yeah, now you're connected.

Can you?

Yeah, yeah, we can hear you.

Can you hear me?

Yes, please go ahead.

Thank you so much. Just to give the numbers, at the point of entry and point of control, we have generated over 200 alerts. But usually what happens is that these alerts need to go for secondary screening to validate whether they are confirmed cases. But I want also to add on which all of them were negative. But I just want to add that we have also seen over 50 dead bodies passing across controls. As France was saying, Hello? Yes, as Franz was saying, that one of the key activities that we, we do at the point of control and point of entry is to have surveillance, strengthen surveillance along mobility corridor. And during this time, because the community are trying to not to follow the usual routes and use the unofficial routes, what is largely known in Africa as Panya Route. We always station some of the screening points in this area, and we have managed to get over 50 dead bodies passing through these points which have been reported. And as a rule at the moment, that all dead bodies need to be tested for that matter. But I also just wanted to take this opportunity to add 2 points that as IOM, we have also mandate to chair and coordinate all point of entry and cross-border activities at continental level, and we are the one leading the POE pillar at the continental level. So that is also mandate which is quite specific to IOM and is not the same with WHO. The second thing to add on is on the IDPs. We have seen cases coming from IDP sites Therefore, as IOM has a mandate for camp coordination, camp management, what we call CCCM, we lead and support partners working in these displacement sites to make sure that there's coordination, there's surveillance at displacement sites, and continuity of services within the displacement sites. So that is also a very unique role that is very specific to IOM. Thank you so much.

Thank you, Andrew. That was really useful, I think, to complement what Mrs. Aristide said. Yes, Robin, you have a follow-up?

Yeah, thank you. Andrew, could you say a bit more about the situation of these dead bodies? Are these— do you know if these were people who later the tests came back and they did have Ebola? And can you say a bit more about the the circumstances in, in which these bodies are crossing the border? Thank you. And which borders as well?

Thank you. Andrew?

Yes.

Okay, thank you so much. Um, the, the border we— I'm referring to here, and probably I didn't clarify, is the internal borders. Maybe we call them boundaries to make it clear, not borders. So there hasn't been any crossings of dead bodies to another country, but we have seen a lot of crossings of dead bodies within the boundaries, within the country. So for example, from one health zone to the other health zone, or from one district to another district. So that's why IOM conducts what we call population mobility mapping to understand what are some of these unofficial routes, whether it is at the border point or at the boundary point where we think, based on analysis of population movement, we think that there could be a cross-boundary transmission, and therefore we do surveillance at this point. We also have a list of contacts that is always shared with the team to make sure that— and this is shared from the surveillance team to make sure that if there's any listed contact, then the team at the point of control or point of entry will be able to have this information. And if there's anyone crossing one of these points, can be detected, and then we call the secondary surveillance team to come and do secondary screening. So all these cases that I'm talking about are mainly crossings Within the boundaries, not within the borders, and all of them were tested turned positive.

Okay, that's clear. Positive.

Yeah.

That's what he said. All the all the bodies came back. All the tests came back positive. No. Olivia Le Poitvin Reuters.

Thanks very much. Just a couple questions on the the bodies and the monitoring. What was the time scale for the monitoring? overall? Was it since the outbreak began or, um, maybe a few weeks later? Um, and just that time period for the number of the 50 bodies, during, during what timescale was it? A matter of how many weeks was that? Um, and second of all, um, could you just actually explain, um, what the potential risk, uh, there is from these, these, these bodies crossing, uh, these boundaries and these kind of limitation, uh, areas? Yeah, if you could explain the kind of potential public health risk of that, that'd be great. Thank you.

Want to start, Andrew?

All right.

Yeah, let's refer to them as points of control instead of boundaries, so to avoid confusion.

Andrew.

All right, uh, thanks, thanks, France, for that. Um, so this is the, the numbers I'm giving is since the outbreak began, and, uh, The public health risk that we have with that is that, as France mentioned, that over 60% of the deaths, 66% of the deaths are within the community. And we have also seen a situation where the community are a bit— there is the community acceptance is a bit low when it comes to management of suspected cases or confirmed cases or dead body management, because we have a team that does dead body management and including the burials as well. And we have seen that in the community over time there is an element of resistance during the burials, and we have seen attack coming in. So the public health risk, to be on the point, is that there is chances of more people contacting the virus if the management of dead bodies are not done in the best way possible. I'll give an example of One case that crossed to this new place, new province, the Shapo province that we are talking about, that also Franz mentioned in his presentation. This is a case that moved across from one province to the other province because they almost even wanted to do a postmortem on the dead body, and then later on there has been a number of cases that has been confirmed after that. So what that means is that if we don't really manage the dead bodies well, if we don't engage the community to make sure that they let us know the right— let us know how in terms of informing the right team to support some of the dead body management, then it means there will be more spread within the community. And that is what all of us are working so hard, all the agencies, to make sure that the cases are mitigated and we come to the end of the outbreak.

Thank you very much. I see that Christian has put his hand up, so please.

Yeah, thanks again, and thanks Andrew and Franz. Just again for the context, in the context just mentioned with very different communities coming together, they're mining activity, especially in commercial activity. That means people are working in the mining, for example, who are not from that province. That means they, of course, want to go back to their homeland or their home community. That is true when they're sick also, not only in case they're dying, but when they're sick, they sometimes don't trust, again, the health center in the area. They want to move and want to move back to their own area. When they're dying, relatives try to come and collect the bodies and bring them back to their home community to give them a proper burial on the ground in their communities, which everybody in any other context would want to do. Now, the challenge is exactly as colleagues here outlined, is the uncontrolled movement. And to convince the communities, convince every single worker that they can have a dignified burial, that they can have their loved ones with them, and they don't have to give them up but in a controlled and dignified and safe way. And that is the biggest challenge right now, to convince still everybody on the ground to keep this in mind. This trust, working with the communities, is the key factor here.

Christian, thank you very much. Christiane.

Sorry that we get fixated on these 50 bodies, but that's a very interesting case. Andrew, maybe you can explain to us What happens? There is a point of control where a family with a coffin passes by, they are stopped, a swab is taken of the dead person, and what happens next? Are they then continuing home to bury their loved one, or is everyone waiting to get the results, and are you then collecting all the contact details? How does that actually work? Thank you.

Thank you so much. So what happens is that whenever we come across a dead body being transported along the mobility corridor, our work as IOM is not really to do the testing. We have the surveillance team which is led by WHO and the government that we inform them, and then they will be able to come and, and, and, and do the secondary screening, collect the samples. And then since it's a dead body, there's also a unit which— the pillar which is dead body management pillar— that are also informed to come and support. And of course have a chat with the community, the next of kin, explain, and then they support the burial because all the burials are supported by this pillar, which is not really the role of IOM. So our role mainly stops at the identification of a possible case, because when it's a dead body, you know, it's a possible case. So identification of a possible case, and then from there we hand over to a different pillar, which is more of the surveillance pillar that handles the case, including the dead body. body management pillar.

That's quite clear. Thank you very much, Andrew. I think this was the last question for you and for Mr. Serestan. Thank you very much, Mohamed Ali, and thanks for coming and briefing our journalists. Thank you, Andrew. Good luck with your important work. Just one question I'm asked: Andrew was talking from where?

Nairobi.

From Nairobi. Okay.

Andrew is my crisis manager. Can you put Andrew is a crisis manager in Nairobi.

Okay. IOM crisis manager in Nairobi, so that you can write where he's calling from. Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Jarvi. Oh, okay. Mina, I just saw your hand. Maybe you can— is that for IOM? Maybe we can ask you a question later on. Jeremy is here too, and there are more briefers waiting. Can you send your question to Mohamed Ali if it's for IOM? I can't hear her anyway. OK. So let's go to Jeremy. Jeremy, you have a point on— Kashmir, if I'm not wrong.

Yes.

Please go ahead.

Thank you, and good morning, everyone. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk appeals for calm in Pakistan-administered Kashmir amid a wave of unrest ahead of regional elections at the end of the month. Dozens of people, mostly protesters but also law enforcement personnel, have reportedly been killed since June ahead of the vote for the Legislative Assembly on the 27th of July. We call for prompt, thorough, and impartial investigations into all deaths that have occurred due to the unrest, both amongst protesters and members of the security forces. The Joint Awami Action Committee, or the JAAC, a movement behind the protests comprising traders, transporters, students, lawyers, activists, and others, has been banned under anti-terrorism laws for allegedly threatening public order and security. Some of the group's leaders have subsequently been arrested. The criminalization of civil— of a civil society organization and imposition of strict limitations on gatherings raise serious concerns about infringements on the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. Detained JAAC leaders must have access to legal representation and their families. Their rights to due process and fair trial must be fully guaranteed. Restrictions in the area on access to the internet are also concerning, as they disproportionately restrict the enjoyment of the right to freedom of expression, including freedom to seek, receive, and impart information at a time when tensions are running high. We urge the authorities to ensure full internet access throughout the territory. The High Commissioner calls for meaningful and inclusive political dialogue to address the underlying issues and grievances of the local population. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Jeremy, for that. Any question? No, I don't see a hand. So, Ravi Kant. Ravi, can you—

yeah, yeah, you're on, you're on. Yeah, thank you very much. My question is whether the UN Human Rights Commission has anything to say about the hunger strike that is being carried in New Delhi by a leader of the Ladakh region called Sonam Wangchuk. Sonam Wangchuk is fighting, you know, for the recent harassment created for students and several other corruption charges. He is now on the 18th day of his hunger fast. And, you know, general expectation is he will— he's saying he'll continue till 20th. But grave reports are emerging that he might actually, you know, suffer a deathly, you know, kind of event. So do you have anything to say on this? Or your Human Rights Commission, has it said anything?

Thanks for your question. I'm afraid I don't have any information on this specific case. Could you please send us the details and I'll make sure I follow up for you?

Thank you very much. If there are no other questions from HR, thank you very much, Jeremy, for this. And let me go to— oh, sorry, sorry, sorry, I didn't see your hand. Sorry. I'm looking at my notes and not to the room.

Thank you.

I have a question, but not about Kashmir. The Press Emblem Campaign announced yesterday that killing— the killing of 39 journalists since the beginning of the year, some in Gaza and some— Press Emblem Campaign announced the killing of 39 journalists since the beginning of the year. some in Gaza and some in Lebanon, killed by Israeli forces. I'm asking about the measures taken by the Commission in this regard, the killing of journalists in Israel, in Lebanon, and Gaza.

Thank you.

To be honest with you, I'm not aware of this report, but I can give you an answer with respect to the killing of journalists or any imposition of where journalists can't carry out their work freely and independently. And in cases like Gaza, we know that there's not international media there. And we know that sadly hundreds of journalists have been killed during the past couple of years. Journalists are the eyes and ears and for the public to get information. They need to be protected and have their rights fully respected at every stage of their work. It's imperative. So, yes, deeply concerning.

Thank you very much, Jeremy. This time I really don't see any other hand up for you. Thank you very much for coming. And now let me go to Istanbul, where we have the great pleasure to welcome the UN Women Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, Belén Sanz-Lúcar. The organization is launching a new report about women on the move in Europe and Central Asia, and Belén is here with us to tell us about it. Please, you have the floor, Belén.

Thank you very much and good morning. Greetings from UN Women Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia in Istanbul, and thank you for, for joining us in this opportunity today. UN Women, in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration, is launching a report that is titled Women on the Move in Europe and Central Asia. The most important contribution of this report is not only the data that it presents, but also the story it tells. The report, as you will see, offers a very unique window into the realities of women and girls who are on the move to better understand the trends across this region. It captures a region whose migration landscape has been profoundly reshaped in recent years from the displacement caused by Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine and the devastating earthquakes in southern Türkiye. To protracted displacement and continued labor migration across this region. So, in fact, the region has become one of the world's major migration crossroads. It is a place of origin, a place of transit, and of destination. 13 million women who were born in this region have left the region, and 9.5 million women who are born outside of Europe and Central Asia have migrated, are now living here. Women represent an approximate 54% of all migrants who are hosted in the region and also 54% of all migrants who are originally born in this region and who have moved abroad. The report also tells us that migration can be an escape from war, from violence, and from disaster, but also can be a journey towards better education, decent work, and equal opportunities. Whatever is the reason for women to move, there is a common thread. Migration is not gender-neutral. For too long, migration policies have overlooked women's realities, experiences, and contributions. And yet today, women are shaping the migration in the region and across the region. So it is against this backdrop that the report sheds light on the diverse experiences, opportunities, and challenges that women encounter throughout the migration journeys. The findings show that while migration creates new opportunities, women continue to face structural inequalities. For too long, women have been invisible also in migration data and policies, further reinforcing these inequalities. So let me share briefly 5 key examples of what the report is telling us. First of all, education and employment is one of the main reasons why women migrate. More than half of students from the Western Balkans and Türkiye studying abroad are women, many of whom remain overseas to build their careers. Yet highly educated migrant women often struggle to find work matching their qualifications. Nearly 50% from Albania and 55% from Kosovo are overqualified for the jobs they are taking. Second, labor migration often leaves women less protected. Between 30% and 50% of migrant women from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are engaged in sectors where Informal employment is common, including the care sector, and therefore they are at high risk of exploitation and gender-based violence. Third, conflict and displacement are reshaping women's migration journeys. Between 2022 and 2024, women accounted for 61% of citizens from the Republic of Moldova and 56% from Ukraine arriving in the European Union. And inside Ukraine alone, nearly 60% of internally displaced households are headed by a woman. Human trafficking remains one of the most hidden and gendered forms of exploitation for women on the move. Women and girls account for the overwhelming majority of identified victims across the region, including 74% in Albania, 93% in Kosovo, and 81% in Montenegro. And in South Caucasus, at least 112 women were identified as trafficking victims in 2023. As we all know, this is only the tip of the iceberg. And finally, climate change is emerging as a growing driver of women's migration across Europe and Central Asia. We estimate that by 2050, up to 2.4 million people in Central Asia could be displaced by climate-related disasters. So in addition to outlining these trends, the report provides a set of policy recommendations for gender-responsive migration. These recommendations are fully aligned with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, the first intergovernmentally negotiated UN agreement to cover all dimensions of international migration. Ultimately, as we have been discussing with IOM, these reports tell us about something much more than trends in migration in Europe and Central Asia. It tells us about human rights protection and also opportunities. It calls for action to ensure that women who move, whether by choice or by necessity, can do so safely, with dignity, and with equal opportunities. So from UN Women, we hope that this report will help governments and our partners to design migration policies that recognize women's experiences, address the barriers they face, and unlock the enormous contributions that they make to communities and economies across the region. Migration has the face of a woman. It is time we see it. I thank you.

Indeed. Thank you very much. Let me open the floor to questions, if any, in the room. Don't see a hand, so let me go to the platform. I see Maya Plens, The Brief.

Yes, thank you very much for taking my question. I would like to know a little bit about the report. I haven't received a copy. of the report and how was the report made and where are the sources and demographic breakdown as well as sample size. How did you gather this information? It's quite important information. If you could perhaps give me some information already, Dr. Belén.

If you want to answer, but also we are happy to to share the reports and the press releases with the journalists here in Geneva if needed. I think Georgina may also do that, but please go ahead, Belén.

Thank you very much for the question. Indeed, the report is being launched today and made available to all of you. The report has looked at a period that runs mostly for the last 4 years. And it looks at datasets that are official from the governments and national statistics across the different subregions in Europe and Central Asia. It includes the Western Balkans, Eastern Europe, Türkiye, Central Asia, and the South Caucasus. And it accounts for the ways in which women, not only in terms of number, are facing the different challenges in migration, but also it reflects about what are the key areas in which civil society organizations have been reporting the different gaps in the migration policy. So the report has a companion on the specific methodology that has been followed, and the intention of UN Women in collaboration with IOM has been to generate data that can really inform the policy decisions within the region. So I hope the report will give you much more detail about the specifics of the methodology.

Thank you very much, Belén. Tomoko Mutakau, Nikkei. Hello, you hear me? We can. Go ahead, Tomoko.

Okay, I am— my— sorry, thanks for taking my question. My question is actually not on the new reports, sorry to say, so my—

but about Japanese politics.

So my question goes through actually to Ms. Olga Angel.

in the Zoom, I think.

So my question is, today in Japan, a bill to amend the Imperial Household Law was passed by Parliament, and the United Nations has recommended that the rule limiting succession to male descendants should be changed to more gender-neutral rule, but it was, so to say, ignored by the government again. So could you give me your thoughts or comments on that this unequal rule remains Thank you.

So, Belén, this is not about the report. I don't know if you want to comment on this gender balance appeal for the Japanese authorities from UN Women.

I don't have information to address this question at this point. So I'm not in a position to answer.

Okay, thank you very much. No worries. Any other question for UN Women? I don't see any hand up. So the most important thing now is that we get— oh, sorry, Tomoko, go ahead.

Yes, so my question was for Ms. Olga Angel.

So I think she's rather responsible for rather general questions.

Yeah, I see what you mean because Olga is I think you're referring to Olga, uh, Angel, who is, uh, the colleague of Belén. I think she's in Geneva. Um, Olga, I think you are connected. I don't know if you have more information in order to answer to Tomoko.

We would love to take your question.

Um, you can email us to our media team.

I will pop the question in the chat for you, and you can send your question to us, and we'll get back to you.

Thank you so much. Thank you.

Thank you very much to both, and thanks to Belén. And Olga, maybe if you can follow up with the request of the journalists to receive the report and the press releases. And I see Maya has a follow-up.

Yes, thank you very much. The follow-up is such, is the report has not been sent around or has been sent by IOM? Because it seems like you did that in partnership with IOM, and the report was released in April, if I understand, because I did a quick search here on the web. And, or is this a new one?

I think it's a new one, Belén, no?

Indeed. In April, we launched a brief in anticipation of this report, but the report is being sent out today after this briefing. So right away, you will all have it. And yes, we did a presentation, an anticipated presentation, expert group with IOM about the implications of the initial findings of the report. But the full-fledged information is being launched today with the report. So you will have it as soon as we finish this presentation.

Maya?

Yes, a quick follow-up, a reminder that perhaps I speak for all journalists, we prefer to have the report just before, a day or two before, if possible, because then we can prepare good questions for you. Otherwise, we don't know what we're talking about.

Well noted.

Unless, you know, you're now watching. Well noted. But thank you.

Yeah, we can also send it out to Under Embargo.

Yeah.

Thank you very much. Okay, so I think it's noted.

Yes, thank you, Alessandra. It's a follow-up to Maya's question on behalf of the UN Correspondents Association. We urge all UN agencies to please send on embargo any report. And if they are to do a briefing, to allocate some time before the regular briefing, say at 9:30, to have special time for their reports, but ideally to get the material on embargo. That's critical for journalists. And Maya's points are very valid.

Thank you, John. And for balance information, John is the Vice President of the Association of Accredited Correspondents here. That is why he was making this appeal. We will discuss this with your colleague, with Olga, with Georgina here in Geneva. But most importantly today, please cover this important report that you will receive anytime now. I don't see other questions. I see that Tomoto has put out the question for you, Olga, and otherwise I don't see other questions for Belén. So thank you very much for highlighting this very important report. It's important to spotlight the women on the move. It's, as you said, moving as a displacement that women face. So thank you very much for this. I don't see other questions on other subjects. I just have one announcement for you, which is about tomorrow. As you know, tomorrow, the 18th of July, is Nelson Mandela Day. You have received the video message, the statements read on camera by the Secretary-General for this important day. We have just distributed it to you. Please remind all your readers about this important day and the importance of committing time and energy for the community, as Nelson Mandela did. And that is all I had for you. If there are no questions, questions. I'd like to thank again our speakers. Thanks again to Belén and the UN Women colleagues also for their follow-up. And I just wish you a very good weekend, and I'll see you next week. Thank you. Thank you to all.