News headlines in March 2024, page 6

UN Secretary-General António Guterres told journalists at the Rafah border crossing into Gaza that it is time for a ceasefire and for an "ironclad commitment by Israel" to allow unhindered aid deliveries into the besieged enclave as he began his annual Ramadan solidarity trip on Saturday with planned visits to Egypt and Jordan.

KABUL, Mar 22 (IPS) - Malnutrition in Afghanistan has reached an unprecedented level, according to United Nations humanitarian organizations. It is estimated that half of the country's population grapples with severe hunger year-round, placing Afghanistan among the top ten nations globally with the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality due to malnutrition.

RANGAMATI, Mar 22 (IPS) - Just a few years ago, Sudarshana Chakma (35), a resident of the remote Digholchari Debarmatha village under Bilaichari upazila in the Rangamati Hill District, had to traverse a long hilly path to fetch water for her household because there were no local water sources.

LITTLE ROCK, AR, Mar 22 (IPS) - Surita Sandosham is President and CEO of Heifer InternationalShocking and ongoing levels of violence in Ecuador since the New Year followed by flooding caused by El Niño landed a double blow for those in the country who live day to day and are most vulnerable to instability.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Mar 22 (IPS) - The devastation of Ukraine and Gaza might seem to be beyond belief. Let us thus turn to fairy tales to find descriptions of the stony indifference of warlords.

NEW YORK, Mar 22 (IPS) - At the opening of the 68th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) on March 11, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Your gathering this year is focused on how tackling poverty and strengthening institutions and financing with a gender perspective are critical to accelerate gender equality. The reason is simple: globally, poverty has a female face. Women have less access to land, natural resources and financial assets. They suffer the impacts of climate change more than men. And they are more likely to be food insecure. Many women and girls are also facing a war on their fundamental rights at home and in their communities.”

The UN chief condemned in the strongest possible terms Friday’s deadly terrorist attack at a concert hall outside Moscow.

Top UN officials and agencies on the ground in Ukraine on Friday condemned overnight large-scale coordinated Russian strikes on energy plants across the country that killed at least five people and left 1.5 million without electricity.

Independent UN human rights experts on Friday expressed alarm over increased reports of sexual slavery and trafficking in Sudan, especially of women and girls.

Haiti is in the grip of widespread gang violence, the country’s institutions are on the verge of collapse and its citizens are facing a daily fight for survival. Yet, in the midst of this catastrophic security and humanitarian crisis, the UN continues to provide critical assistance to the beleaguered population.