REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Corinne Momal-Vanian, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired the briefing, which was also attended by Spokespersons for the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Refugee Agency and the World Health Organization.

Yemen

Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said WHO deplored the deaths of health care workers and damages to health facilities in Yemen as a result of the ongoing conflict, and was concerned about the serious implications of those attacks. He noted that World Health Organization on Monday issued two press releases on the situation in Yemen; on the deaths of health-care workers and on urgent medical needs.

Between 1 and 4 April three medical workers with the Yemen Red Crescent Society were shot and killed in their ambulances while responding to calls. Three other ambulances which were operated by the Ministry of Public Health and Population had been taken by armed forces in Aden on 1 and 2 April and had since then been used for non-medical purposes. One security guard had been killed and two nurses were injured in the health centre of Al-Mazraq camp for internally displaced persons in Haradh, Hajja Governorate.

Given the frequent power cuts in Aden, WHO was exploring options with the Ministry of Public Health and Population for the local procurement of generator sets for the cold storage of vaccines, although additional problems were linked to fuel shortages. To ensure that services were available where they were most needed WHO was coordinating with the Ministry to relocate ambulances to the governorates with the largest numbers of injured patients. WHO was covering the operational costs of the ambulances, and installing GPS tracking devices in the vehicles to prevent their misuse. Additional ambulances were needed, added Mr. Lindmeier.

Christophe Boulierac, for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said with conflict escalating in many parts of Yemen, children continue to be killed, injured, displaced and put at increasing risk from disease. He emphasized that those children should be immediately afforded special respect and protection by all parties to the conflict, in line with international humanitarian law.

At least 74 children were known to have been killed and 44 children maimed so far since the fighting began on 26 March, said Mr. Boulierac. UNICEF expected the real numbers to be much higher, given the intensification of the conflict over the past week. An estimated one million children could not attend school and hospitals were over-burdened and under-resourced. UNICEF had issued a press release on Monday evening on the toll that the increasing violence in Yemen was taking on children, he noted.

Wherever security conditions permitted, UNICEF teams were working with partners to provide families with safe water and essential health services. The agency was providing fuel for the running of water supply pumping in three cities in the south, including Aden, where water systems had been repeatedly damaged in the fighting.

UNICEF was providing diesel to power generators to keep vaccine stores safe. Supplies prepositioned by the children's organization in various cities were being put to use and supplies of therapeutic food for young children and oral rehydration salts - a simple but highly effective treatment for diarrheal disease - were being procured.

The conflict was exacerbating the already precarious situation for children in one of the region’s poorest countries, with much of the country prone to food insecurity and with severe acute malnutrition widespread among young children, and with an increasing number for violations of child’s rights these last years, said Mr. Boulierac. UNICEF had warned that in the coming weeks the discontinuation of basic health services and the deteriorating water and sanitation situation would lead to an increase in health needs, especially among women and children.

Answering a question from a journalist Mr. Boulierac said he understood that there were two main risks for children: that of targeted bombing in Sana’a, and of street fighting and snipers in Aden. The most dangerous parts for children were the southern regions, in the Aden area which was where UNICEF was most concerned.

A journalist asked how many children had been killed and wounded in the conflict so far. Mr. Boulierac reiterated that at least 74 children were known to have been killed and 44 children maimed so far, since the fighting began on 26 March. They were conservative figures and UNICEF believed that the total number of children killed was much higher, as the conflict had intensified over the past week. The figures were subject to constant monitoring in the field, noted Mr. Boulierac, and said he would revert with updated figures as soon as he they were available.

Mr. Boulierac, responding to another question, said UNICEF could not say who was responsible for the deaths of children but it emphasized that children should not be enrolled in armed groups, and that all warring parties to a conflict were responsible to ensure children were not harmed, as set out in international humanitarian law. On the causes of child deaths, he said some children were being killed or wounded directly by weapons but the indirect consequences of the conflict were also really alarming. Childhood in Yemen was characterized by chronic vulnerability including malnutrition, lack of health infrastructure, education infrastructure and quality of education, lack of clean water, lack of medical materials, emotional and psychological support. The escalation of violence also made more challenging the need to keep vaccines stores safe.

Mr. Lindmeier said estimated figures released on 6 April showed that more than 540 people had been killed and 1,700 had been wounded by the violence in Yemen, since 19 March 2015.

Responding to a question from a journalist about the provision of emergency medical supplies to Yemen, Mr. Lindmeier said ground access was problematic and WHO was in daily contact with all health partners to monitor the gaps. Since the conflict began WHO had provided eight interagency health kits for approximately 240,000 beneficiaries throughout the country. However, those supplies came from the warehouses in Yemen so it was material that was already in the country. WHO had also provided trauma kits, 11,000 blood bags and IV fluids to 18 hospitals throughout the country. It was in the process of locally procuring additional 10 trauma kits. Other priorities included supplying fuel to hospitals to run generators. The biggest challenge was getting access, he said, noting that the International Committee of the Red Cross had reportedly managed to bring in two flights.

Babar Baloch, spokesperson for the United Nations Refugee Agency, responded to a question regarding reports that Yemenis were fleeing across the Red Sea to Somalia and Eritrea. Mr. Baloch said the numbers of Yemeni refugees in Somalia and Djibouti was small, but he did not have the latest update available.

Asked why the United Nations was emphasizing the casualties in the last four days rather than those caused by the Houthi rebellion, Ms. Momal-Vanian noted that the Secretary-General had consistently called over the past few months for a return to dialogue and a cessation of hostilities on all parts.
Geneva Events

Ms. Momal-Vanian announced the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Rwanda and the United Nations Office at Geneva would mark the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide in Rwanda in a ceremony on Thursday, 9 April 2015 from 5.00 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. in the Assembly Hall at the Palais des Nations. Journalists were welcome to attend.

The United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities this week would continue its session, reviewing the reports of the Dominican Republic, Mongolia and the Cook Islands, noted Ms. Momal-Vanian

The United Nations Committee on the Protection of the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families would open its twenty-second session on 13 April during which it would review the reports of Kyrgyzstan, Peru and Uganda. A background press release would be issued this Thursday, said Ms. Momal-Vanian.

Catherine Huissoud for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) announced that a press conference would take place on Wednesday, 8 April at 2.30 p.m. in Press Room 1 on the next Global Commodities Forum, to be held at the Palais des Nations on 13 and 14 April. The theme of the 2015 Global Commodities Forum would be “Trade in Commodities: challenges and opportunities”. Details of the programme would be provided at the press conference along with two press releases: one on the ongoing reform on the transparency of Swiss trading and another on the fall in oil prices and the implication for developing countries.

Christian Lindmeier, for the World Health Organization (WHO), said today was World Health Day with the theme ‘safe food’. He reminded journalists that a press conference would take place today, 7 April 2015, at 1.30 p.m. at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, and the speakers would include colleagues from the Food and Agriculture Organization.

Mr. Lindmeier also spoke about the Ebola Response, noting that there would be a press briefing at on Wednesday 8 April at 9.30 a.m. in Press Room 1 on the roster of foreign medical teams which was developed in response to lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak. The teams, which were ready to deploy at a moment’s notice in any emergency response situation, had already been utilized. For example, during the Ebola outbreak WHO coordinated the deployment of nearly 60 medical teams provided by 40 organizations and in its response to the Vanuatu cyclone WHO had already deployed 20 medical teams, he noted.

The Spokespersons for the International Labour Organization, the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the United Nations Development Programme were also present, but did not brief.

The webcast for this briefing is available here: http://bit.ly/unog07042015