REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Corinne Momal-Vanian, the Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was also attended by spokespersons of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the International Labour Organization, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children's Fund, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Haiti

Ms. Byrs announced the launch of the Cholera Inter-Sector Response Strategy for Haiti by the United Nations and its partners. The strategy included projects from 42 non-governmental organizations, five United Nations agencies and the International Organization for Migration in support of Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population, which was leading the response. The total amount requested was USD 163.8 million.

Out of the ten departments that made up Haiti, five had been directly affected by cholera since the outbreak. The strategy anticipated a total of up to 200,000 people showing symptoms of cholera, ranging from cases of mild diarrhea to the most severe dehydration. This number had been calculated on the basis of other countries’ experiences. Although the number of cholera-affected people had increased and passed 11,000, it was clear that the international humanitarian community had responded rapidly and efficiently to the epidemic thanks to its stock and personnel on the ground, thus avoiding many deaths, Ms. Byrs underscored.

There were currently 15 cholera treatment centers in Haiti, seven in Port-au-Prince and eight outside the capital; 60 per cent of the people in the Artibonite region had received rehydration salt or water purification tablets, and information campaigns were being conducted. Nonetheless, efforts in terms of logistics, medical staff and available medication, among other things, must be stepped up urgently. For this to happen, and to avoid the efforts to date being outrun by the epidemic, the USD 163.8 million must be received urgently, Ms Byrs insisted. USD 89 million were for the water, sanitation and hygiene sector, followed by USD 43 million for the health sector, and USD 19 million for camp coordination and camp management. She added that the cholera response appeal would be included in the 2011 consolidated appeal for Haiti, to be launched on 30 November in Geneva.

Gregory Härtl of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that according to the WHO's latest figures there were 11,125 hospitalized cholera cases with 724 deaths, 434 of those in hospitals and 290 in the community. In Port-au-Prince itself, there had been 278 hospitalized cases with 10 deaths. While 15 treatment centres were already operating, the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization, in conjunction with the World Food Programme, were identifying and preparing other suitable locations for cholera treatment units.

Jared Bloch of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said that IOM had been designated by the Ministry of Public Health and Population as responsible for ensuring cholera response in camps while continuing to carry out its camp coordination and camp management functions. IOM was thus undertaking a number of activities in camps and other regions, including at some Dominican Republic Border areas, and in Gonaives province. These activities included supporting prevention measures, establishing first-line monitoring for cholera and rapid treatment and referral, mapping of Cholera Treatment Units to support the establishment of second-line facilities that serve to isolate and treat moderate cases, enhancing latrine sanitization efforts and water testing and treatment, among others. As part of the response plan that had been announced, USD 3 million had already been committed by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency for some of the above-mentioned activities.





Yemen

Elisabeth Byrs of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the Office needed funding for Yemen. OCHA had asked for USD 186 million for the somewhat forgotten crisis. At the end of the 2010 appeal year, the appeal for Yemen was so far only funded to 63 per cent, with several key sectors being severely underfunded, including nutrition and health; the latter sector being funded to just a little above 50 per cent. More information was available in the note at the back of the room.

Marixie Mercado of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said studies and surveys showed how the conflict and insecurity were worsening what was an already very precarious situation for children. Across Yemen, the majority of children went to bed hungry and malnutrition was the underlying cause of 60 per cent of child deaths. In conflict-affected areas, the needs were even more acute. Last month, a UNICEF-supported survey in Sa’ada showed that 45 per cent of children were suffering from global acute malnutrition, which was three times the national average. A quarter of the children were not in school, the vast majority of children in conflict-affected areas had no access to learning, one in two girls would not finish primary school and less than one in five would go on to secondary school.

In August, an inter-Agency study in conflict-affected areas showed that one in five children had witnessed someone being injured, 7 per cent had seen someone being killed, and one in three children had displayed symptoms of depression or anti-social behaviour as a result of conflict or displacement. These challenges compounded pre-existing risks for children, including high levels of poverty and forced or early marriage. UNICEF's regular budget for 2010 was USD 20 million, but this was only half funded, Ms. Mercado said.

UNHCR urges more time for ensuring safety of refugees returning after Myanmar fighting

Adrian Edwards said that as of today, most of the 15,000 Myanmar refugees who had fled into Thailand earlier this week had returned across the border. Sites in northern Thailand’s Tak province had been empty since Wednesday and further south in Sanghklaburi all 3,000 refugees had gone as of this morning. While many had returned to Myanmar, others had dispersed and remained on the Thai side of the border. Others still had crossed back into Thailand again because of resumed fighting in some locations. UNHCR was currently working with NGOs and the local authorities to reach these isolated groups and assess their needs. This morning, UNHCR field reports had indicated that fighting had re-erupted overnight and that there was potential for further clashes in the Myanmar villages of Maekata and Halokani. This had been after the Royal Thai Army had given the all-clear for the refugees to return home. In light of the confused situation and the risks to safety, UNCHR was advocating with the Royal Thai Government that refugees be given further time before being encouraged to return home.

Fourth Global Forum on Migration and Development

Mr. Bloch said IOM Director-General William Lacy Swing and Deputy Director General Laura Thompson had attended the fourth Global Forum on Migration and Development which took place this week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The four-day event had begun with two Civil Society Days, followed by a two-day gathering of Governments, focusing on this year's theme “Partnerships for Migration and Human Development, Shared Prosperity, Shared Responsibility.” This year, it brought together civil society and Governments for the first time in a discussion titled “Seeking Solutions: Migration for Human Development- Enhancing Partnerships.”

Southern Africa Dialogue on Migration Management

Mr. Bloch said IOM and Namibia's Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration would convene next week a Migration Dialogue for Southern Africa Conference on “Managing Migration through Regional Cooperation.” The two-day event, which opened on 15 November in Windhoek, Namibia, would bring together ministers from the Southern African Development Community nations to discuss ways to optimize the benefits of migration in the region and beyond.

Latin America makes important advance for world’s displaced

Mr. Edwards said that UNHCR had welcomed yesterday’s adoption of the “Brasilia Declaration on the protection of refugees and stateless persons in the Americas” by 18 countries from the Americas, during an international meeting in Brazil’s capital. The United Nations High Commissioner, Antonio Guterres, had yesterday applauded the declaration, describing it as a model for other regions of the world to follow. This was, in UNHCR's view, a very significant show of political will in that, by taking a unified approach to displacement issues, it placed Latin America at the forefront of efforts to improve the global protection framework for refugees, the internally displaced, and stateless people.

Three elements in the declaration merited particular attention, Mr. Edwards said. The first was the unrestricted respect countries had agreed to for the principle of non-refoulement, including non-rejection at borders and non-penalization of illegal entry. The second was the fact that the Declaration supports the continued incorporation of gender, age and diversity considerations into national laws on refugees and internally displaced persons. And thirdly, it encouraged States to adopt mechanisms to address new situations of displacement not foreseen by the Refugee Convention.

In response to UNHCR’s appeal on 6 October for increased international efforts to address the plight of the world’s estimated 12 million stateless people, Government officials at the Brasilia
meeting had also pledged to accede to the two Statelessness Conventions.

The countries that had adopted the Brasilia Declaration were Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. The United States and Canada had participated as observers in the Brasilia international meeting.

Mr. Edwards added that the note at the back of the room also contained a statement on the return of displaced persons to Pakistan’s South Waziristan to start next month. He also flagged up that a statement by the High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres was attached to the press note.

Geneva Activities

Ms. Momal-Vanian said the Committee against Torture would hold a public meeting this afternoon
on the follow-up to articles 19 and 22 of the Convention concerning country reports and individual communications. This would be followed by closed meetings until the end of the session on 19 November, when the Committee would make public its concluding observations on all reports examined during this session, namely those of Ethiopia, Turkey, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mongolia, Ecuador and Cambodia.

The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, for its part, would meet in private today. When it reconvened in public, on Monday morning, it would start a day of discussion on sexual and reproductive health. The rest of the meetings next week were closed to the public. At the closing of the 45th session, the Committee would make public its concluding observations on the reports of Uruguay, the Dominican Republic, Switzerland, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.

Ms. Momal-Vanian drew attention to the launching of a book entitled “Governing the Bomb: Civilian Control and Democratic Accountability of Nuclear Weapons”, co-authored by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). Organized in collaboration with the United Nations Office at Geneva, the book launch would take place on Monday 15 November between 1.30 p.m. and 3 p.m. in Room XI. Journalists wishing to participate should register on the website of DCAF.

UNCTAD Agenda

Catherine Sibut-Pinote of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development drew attention to the 17th EMPRETEC Directors Meeting, to take place on 16–18 November in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. EMPRETEC Directors from 25 centres participated at that meeting under the auspices of the Brazilian Support Service for Micro and Small Enterprises to discuss the promotion of small- and medium-sized enterprises. EMPRETEC was a training programme for managers from small- and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries, Ms. Sibut-Pinote explained, saying more information was available on the website or could be provided by her.

ILO Agenda

Corinne Perthuis of the International Labour Organization (ILO) said at the back of the room was an ILO press release on the final declaration made by the G20 leaders. ILO Director-General, Mr. Juan Somavia, urged the G20 leaders to implement their commitment to the central role of social protection and decent work in global recovery.

ILO would hold a press conference for the global launch of the “World Security Report 2011-2011: Providing coverage in times of crisis and beyond” on Tuesday 16 November in Room I at 1.30 p.m. in presence of ILO social security experts. The report, under embargo until 3 p.m. on 16 November, was the first in a series to be published every two years. More information would follow shortly by email.

Another press conference would take place on 19 November at 11.30 a.m. on a set of guidelines for health workers, developed jointly by ILO, WHO and UNAIDS. The thinking behind the guidelines was that protecting health workers from HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis was a good approach to protect communities more generally. More information and invitations would follow shortly by email.

In response to a question, Ms. Perthuis said there had not been any strike at the ILO. This had been a misleading interpretation of the press as there had only been a “call for industrial action.” More information on the topic could be received from ILO's Staff Union (syndicat@ilo.org).