Daily Press Briefing by Spokesperson for Secretary-General

Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

• Categories: Media / Press Conferences
• Video Length: 00:23:57
• Production Date: 25 November 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Personal Subject: FARHAN HAQ
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: APPOINTMENT OF OFFICIALS; CHILDREN; CORONAVIRUS DISEASE - COVID 19; GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE; HIV; INTERNATIONAL DAYS; SECRETARY-GENERAL; UNITED NATIONS BUDGET
• Geographic Subject: BURKINA FASO; CENTRAL AFRICAN REGION; ETHIOPIA; SAMOA; SYRIA
• MAMS Id: 2585983
• Parent Id: 2585983

Description

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This morning, the Secretary-General spoke at a virtual event to mark the Day and said that the COVID-19 crisis has further exposed violence against women and girls as a global emergency requiring urgent action.

In a statement issued last night, the Secretary-General is deeply concerned over the unfolding situation in Ethiopia, in the Tigray region and its surrounding area. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that it continues to receive reports of people fleeing Mekelle in search of safety.

Khawla Matar, the Deputy Special Envoy for Syria, briefed the Security Council this morning. She informed Council members that plans are being finalized for the fourth session of the Constitutional Committee Small Body to convene from 30 November to 4 December in Geneva.

In regards to questions about the elections in Burkina Faso, the Deputy Spokesman said the Secretary-General commends the people and Government of Burkina Faso for the peaceful and timely holding of elections on 22 November, despite the enormous security challenges in parts of the country.

The UN Peacekeeping Mission in the Central African Republic, MINUSCA, has organized a four-day civic education training workshop for leaders of civil society organizations who will engage with the electorate in the run-up to the elections on 27 December.

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, UN teams around the world are promoting the “16 Days of Activism” campaign.

The UN Refugee Agency warned today that one of the consequences of the pandemic has been a renewed wave of violence against women and girls who are refugees, displaced or stateless.

The UN Children’s Fund today released a report showing that 320,000 children and young persons under the age of 20 were infected with HIV in 2019.

Following the recommendation of the Secretary-General, after consultation with Member States, the General Assembly confirmed Filippo Grandi of Italy as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for a further two-and-a-half-year term beginning 1 January 2021 and ending 30 June 2023.

Madagascar and Oman have paid their regular budget dues in full. This means there are now 135 fully paid-up Member States.

For further details please see SOURCE below.
Office of the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General