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Millions remain invisible – but Asia-Pacific leaders pledge change by 2030

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Millions remain invisible – but Asia-Pacific leaders pledge change by 2030

Now, governments have committed to close that gap by 2030.

At the conclusion of the Third Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific, leaders adopted a renewed declaration to strengthen national civil registration systems – the foundational mechanisms that register births, deaths and other vital events.

The move extends the regional “CRVS Decade” initiative, first launched in 2014, into a new phase aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially target 16.9 on ensuring legal identity for all.

These numbers are more than statistics, they represent lives without legal recognition and families left without support,” said Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), which convened the forum.

“This week has been a powerful call to action. We have seen inspiring examples of countries reaching the most marginalized, embracing digital innovation and strengthening legal and institutional frameworks.”

More than statistics

Civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are essential to establishing legal identity, accessing services, and ensuring inclusion in public policy.

A birth certificate can mean access to healthcare, education and social protection.

A death certificate enables families to claim inheritance, pensions and other rights.

Without these critical documents, individuals – especially women, children and rural populations – risk exclusion, vulnerability, and injustice.

Uneven progress

According to a recent ESCAP report, the region has made remarkable gains since 2012 – the number of unregistered children under five has fallen by over 60 per cent, from 135 million to 51 million.

As of 2024, 29 countries now register more than 90 per cent of births within a year, and 30 do the same for deaths. The number of countries publishing civil registration-based vital statistics nearly doubled in that period.

However, progress remains uneven – about 14 million children in the region reach their first birthday without having their birth registered. And 6.9 million deaths go unrecorded annually, particularly those that occur outside health facilities or in remote areas.

Many countries still face gaps in certifying and coding causes of death, hampering disease surveillance and public health responses, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ESCAP Photo/Panumas Sanguanwong

A participant at the Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) in Bangkok takes part in a demonstration at the Thai digital ID and verification exhibition booth.

Get everyone in the picture

The new Ministerial Declaration calls for universal and responsive CRVS systems that are inclusive, digitally enabled and resilient.

It emphasizes gender equity in registration, legal protections for personal data, and continuity of services during emergencies.

Governments also pledged to increase training, expand community outreach and improve cause-of-death reporting – including through verbal autopsies and improving certification systems.

Everyone counts. Data saves lives,” Ms. Alisjahbana said, “legal identity is a right, not a privilege. No one should be left behind – simply because they were never counted in the first place.”

Let us finish what we started. Let us get everyone in the picture and ensure every life truly counts.

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Guterres calls for an immediate Gaza ceasefire while the humanitarian crisis reaches “horrible proportions”

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Addressing journalists from the UN headquarters before leaving in Spain for the International Conference on Development Financing, the Secretary General said that if the Israeli-Iranian conflict had dominated recent titles, the fate of civilians in Gaza has remained urgent and disastrous.

“” Families have been moved over and over again -and are now limited to less than a fifth of the Gaza lands, “he said.

“” Even these narrowing areas are threatened. The bombs fall – on tents, on families, on those who did not stay to run.“”

Food search should never be a death sentence

Mr. Guterres described the situation as the most serious since the start of the war, citing acute shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter.

“” Food search should never be a death sentence“He said, emphasizing the danger facing the Palestinians who are just trying to survive.

He called on several occasions for three urgent steps: an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and complete and unhindered humanitarian access.

On Friday, he put pressure on these requests again, stressing that Haid workers are hungry, hospitals ration vital supplies and that civilians are trapped in dangerous areas.

The rise in high urgent aid

“What is necessary now is a push-the net must become an ocean,” he said.

The UN chief stressed that Israel, as an occupying power, is legally forced to facilitate humanitarian aid.

“For those in power, I say: allow our operations to the international demand for humanitarian law.

Earlier this week, a small convoy of medical supplies from the UN entered Gaza for the first time in months, noted Mr. Guterres, adding that this only pointed out the overwhelming scale of need.

He also warned that any assistance delivery method must ensure civil security, stressing that “operations that place desperate people in or near militarized areas are intrinsically dangerous”.

“” We have the solution – a detailed plan based on the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence“He said.

“” It worked during the last cease-fire. He must therefore be allowed to operate again.“”

Critical two -states solution

Mr. Guterres concluded with a broader political call:

“” The only lasting way to restore hope is to pave the way for the two -state solution. Diplomacy and human dignity for all must prevail.“”

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

Gaza: Health system crumbles amid growing desperation over food, fuel

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UN reiterates call for urgent de-escalation amid Iran-Israel conflict, worsening Gaza crisis

“Definitely, people get shot,” said Gaza-based medic Dr. Luca Pigozzi, WHO Emergency Medical Team Coordinator. “They are victim of blast injuries as well and bodily injuries.”

The WHO official’s comments follow reports of another mass casualty incident on Thursday, this time involving a strike on a market in the central city of Deir al Balah.

More than 20 people were killed and approximately 70 others were injured, said the UN aid wing, OCHA, with victims rushed to Al Aqsa Hospital, Nasser Medical Complex and two other health facilities.

Hundreds killed seeking food

In addition to the latest deadly incident, at least 410 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to fetch aid from controversial non-UN aid hubs supported by Israel and the United States, the UN human rights office, OHCHRsaid on Tuesday.

Providing high-quality medical care is very difficult in the war-torn occupied enclave today, “particularly because we are speaking about a high volume of patients every time”, Dr Pigozzi insisted.

Health needs are widespread and dramatic, with almost 50 per cent of medical stocks completely depleted.

WHO’s first medical shipment into Gaza on Wednesday was its first since 2 March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on the Strip.

In total, nine trucks carrying essential medical supplies entered the enclave with 2,000 units of blood and 1,500 units of plasma; all transited through the Kerem Shalom crossing. It is “only a drop in the ocean” of what is required, Dr Pigozzi said.

Aid obstacles remain

Speaking to journalists from Jerusalem, WHO’s Dr Rik Peeperkorn highlighted renewed difficulties in securing agreement from the Israeli authorities to allow more UN and partner agencies’ supply trucks into Gaza.

“That’s really unfortunate and should not happen, because you don’t want to see those desperate people, and specifically desperate young men, risking their lives to get some food either,” he said, amid reports of a chaotic rush for supplies at non-UN distribution points and of starving Gazans taking goods directly off lorries.

Before the Israeli blockade, the UN and its humanitarian partners demonstrated that their aid delivery system reached those most in need, insisted Dr Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory. Today that is not the case because of repeated refusals by Israeli authorities to allow supplies into Gaza.

“Open the routes and make sure that we can get our supplies in,” he said. “The market needs to be flooded with food and non-food items and water, et cetera, et cetera, and including essential medicines in a most cost-effective manner.”

Denied entry

Since March, aid teams have encountered a 44 per cent denial rate, meaning that for every 10 staff requesting entry, “four to five of them are denied per rotation”, WHO’s Dr Pigozzi said.

Echoing that message, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier insisted that people are starving, sick and dying across Gaza every day.

“They have been killed on the way trying to get medical help, they have been killed inside hospitals. Now, additionally, they are being killed on the way to get food items which are scarcely being provided,” he said.

“We have food and medical help minutes away across the border, sitting there and waiting for weeks and months by now. Just open the door.”

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Gaza: The health system collapses in the midst of despair of food for food, fuel

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“Certainly, people are shot,” said the doctor of Gaza, Dr. Luca Pigozzi, WHO Emergency medical team coordinator. “They are also victims of explosion injuries and bodily injuries.”

The comments of the WHO official follow the reports of another mass mass incident Thursday, this time involving a strike on a market in the central city of Deir Al Balah.

More than 20 people were killed and around 70 others were injured, said the United Nations wing, OchhaThe victims rushed to Al Aqsa hospital, the Nasser medical complex and two other health establishments.

Hundreds killed in search of food

In addition to the last murderous incident, at least 410 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army while trying to recover the aid of controversial aid centers supported by Israel and the United States, the United Nations Human Rights Office, Ohchr,, said Tuesday.

The provision of high -quality medical care is very difficult in the enclave occupied in war today, “especially because we are talking about a high volume of patients each time,” insisted Dr Pigozzi.

Health needs are widespread and dramatic, with almost 50% of medical actions completely exhausted.

Wednesday, which is the first medical shipment to Gaza was its first since March 2, when Israel imposed a complete blockade on the band.

In total, nine trucks carrying essential medical supplies entered the enclave with 2,000 units of blood and 1,500 plasma units; All passed through the Kerem Shalom crossing. It is “only a drop in the ocean” of what is necessary, said Dr. Pigozzi.

Help obstacles remain

Addressing Jerusalem journalists, including Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, stressed the difficulties renewed in obtaining an agreement from the Israeli authorities to allow more UN supply trucks and partner agencies in Gaza.

“It is really unhappy and should not happen, because you do not want to see these desperate people, and in particular desperate young men, risking their lives to obtain food either,” he said, in the middle of chaotic rush reports for supplies to distribution points not one and hungry gasans by taking goods directly from Lorries.

Before the Israeli blockade, the UN and its humanitarian partners have shown that their aid delivery system had reached those who needed it most, insisted Dr. Peeperkorn, representative of the occupied Palestinian territory. Today, this is not the case due to the repeated refusals of the Israeli authorities to authorize supplies in Gaza.

“Open the routes and make sure we can get our supplies,” he said. “The market must be flooded with food and non -food and water, and this, and this, and including essential drugs in the most profitable way.”

Refused entry

Since March, aid teams have encountered a denial rate of 44%, which means that for 10 employees requesting entry, “four to five of them are refused by rotation,” said Dr. Pigozzi.

Echoing this message, which spokesman Christian Lindmeier insisted that people are hungry, sick and die through Gaza every day.

“They were killed on the way while trying to obtain medical help, they were killed in hospitals. Now, moreover, they are killed on the way to obtaining foods that are barely provided, “he said.

“We have food and medical help a few minutes on the other side of the border, sitting there and waiting for weeks and months now. Open the door. “

Originally published at Almouwatin.com

Gaza: Health system crumbles amid growing desperation over food, fuel

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Gaza: Health system crumbles amid growing desperation over food, fuel

“Definitely, people get shot,” said Gaza-based medic Dr. Luca Pigozzi, WHO Emergency Medical Team Coordinator. “They are victim of blast injuries as well and bodily injuries.”

The WHO official’s comments follow reports of another mass casualty incident on Thursday, this time involving a strike on a market in the central city of Deir al Balah.

More than 20 people were killed and approximately 70 others were injured, said the UN aid wing, OCHA, with victims rushed to Al Aqsa Hospital, Nasser Medical Complex and two other health facilities.

Hundreds killed seeking food

In addition to the latest deadly incident, at least 410 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to fetch aid from controversial non-UN aid hubs supported by Israel and the United States, the UN human rights office, OHCHRsaid on Tuesday.

Providing high-quality medical care is very difficult in the war-torn occupied enclave today, “particularly because we are speaking about a high volume of patients every time”, Dr Pigozzi insisted.

Health needs are widespread and dramatic, with almost 50 per cent of medical stocks completely depleted.

WHO’s first medical shipment into Gaza on Wednesday was its first since 2 March, when Israel imposed a full blockade on the Strip.

In total, nine trucks carrying essential medical supplies entered the enclave with 2,000 units of blood and 1,500 units of plasma; all transited through the Kerem Shalom crossing. It is “only a drop in the ocean” of what is required, Dr Pigozzi said.

Aid obstacles remain

Speaking to journalists from Jerusalem, WHO’s Dr Rik Peeperkorn highlighted renewed difficulties in securing agreement from the Israeli authorities to allow more UN and partner agencies’ supply trucks into Gaza.

“That’s really unfortunate and should not happen, because you don’t want to see those desperate people, and specifically desperate young men, risking their lives to get some food either,” he said, amid reports of a chaotic rush for supplies at non-UN distribution points and of starving Gazans taking goods directly off lorries.

Before the Israeli blockade, the UN and its humanitarian partners demonstrated that their aid delivery system reached those most in need, insisted Dr Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory. Today that is not the case because of repeated refusals by Israeli authorities to allow supplies into Gaza.

“Open the routes and make sure that we can get our supplies in,” he said. “The market needs to be flooded with food and non-food items and water, et cetera, et cetera, and including essential medicines in a most cost-effective manner.”

Denied entry

Since March, aid teams have encountered a 44 per cent denial rate, meaning that for every 10 staff requesting entry, “four to five of them are denied per rotation”, WHO’s Dr Pigozzi said.

Echoing that message, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier insisted that people are starving, sick and dying across Gaza every day.

“They have been killed on the way trying to get medical help, they have been killed inside hospitals. Now, additionally, they are being killed on the way to get food items which are scarcely being provided,” he said.

“We have food and medical help minutes away across the border, sitting there and waiting for weeks and months by now. Just open the door.”

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European Accessibility Act enters into force

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European Accessibility Act enters into force

From 28 June, the emergency number 112, banks, public transport and other services must be accessible to all European citizens, especially the 100 million people with disabilities living in the EU. For example, ATMs must include accessible interfaces and online banking operations must be accessible.

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European Accessibility Act enters into force

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European Accessibility Act enters into force

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DISCLAIMER TRANSLATIONS: All articles in this site are published in English. The translated versions are done through an automated process known as neural translations. If in doubt, always refer to the original article. Thank you for understanding.

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Eighty years on, UN Charter marked by reflection, resolve – and a run

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Eighty years on, UN Charter marked by reflection, resolve – and a run

Under cooler skies after days of intense heat, the run ended where it all began, at the original UN Charter – the document that launched the Organization and reshaped the modern international order – now on display at UN Headquarters.

Inside the General Assembly Hall, delegates gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its signing.

They reflected on the past eight decades in which the UN helped rebuild countries after the Second World War, supported former colonies’ independence, fostered peace, delivered aid, advanced human rights and development, and tackling emerging threats like climate change.

To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war

General Assembly President Philémon Yang described the moment as “symbolic” but somber, noting ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and the growing challenges to multilateralism.

He urged nations to choose diplomacy over force and uphold the Charter’s vision of peace and human dignity: “We must seize the moment and choose dialogue and diplomacy instead of destructive wars.”

Secretary-General António Guterres echoed this call, warning that the Charter’s principles are increasingly under threat and must be defended as the bedrock of international relations.

The Charter of the United Nations is not optional. It is not an à la carte menu. It is the bedrock of international relations,” he said, stressing the need to recommit to its promises “for peace, for justice, for progress, for we the peoples.”

Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Security Council President for June, emphasized the urgency of renewed collective action to address emerging global threats.

Let this 80th anniversary of the Charter be not just an occasion for reflection, but also a call to action,” she urged.

General Assembly commemorates 80th anniversary of the signing of UN Charter.

To unite our strength to maintain international peace and security

Eighty years ago, on 26 June 1945, delegates from 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to sign a document that would change the course of history.

Forged in the aftermath of the Second World War, by a generation scarred by the Great Depression and the Holocaust and having learnt the painful lessons of the League of Nations’ collapse, the Charter of the United Nations represented a new global pact.

Its preamble – “We the peoples of the United Nations” – echoed the determination to prevent future conflict, reaffirm faith in human rights, and promote peace and social progress.

That very document, preserved by the United States National Archives and Records Administration, has returned – for the first time in decades – to the heart of the institution it founded.

Now on public display at UN Headquarters through September, the original Charter stands as a powerful symbol: not just of a past promise, but of an enduring commitment to multilateralism, peace and shared purpose.

Video: UN Charter returns to UN Headquarters

To promote social progress and better standards of life

More voices – from the presidents of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – also took the floor, reaffirming the enduring relevance of the Charter and the need to defend it.

Bob Rae, ECOSOC President, drew an arc through human history to underscore the UN’s relative youth – just eight decades old in a global context of millennia.

“We currently have the advantage of being able to lucidly look at what we have accomplished, while also recognizing our successes and failures,” he said, holding up a copy of the Charter once used by his father.

The United Nations is not a government and the Charter is not perfect,” he said, “but it was founded with great aspirations and hope.

ICJ President Judge Yuji Iwasawa reflected on the progress since 1945 and the challenges still facing the global community.

“In the 80 years since the drafters of the Charter set down their pens, the international community has achieved remarkable progress. However, it also faces many challenges,” he said. “The vision of the Charter’s drafters to uphold the rule of law for the maintenance of international peace and security, remains not only relevant but indispensable today.

Jordan Sanchez, a young poet, speaks at the General Assembly during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.

Jordan Sanchez, a young poet, speaks at the General Assembly during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.

To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights

In a powerful reminder that the Charter speaks not only to the past but to future generations, Jordan Sanchez, a young poet took the stage.

Her spoken word piece, Let the Light Fall, evoked not declarations, but feelings of hope and vision for a better world.

“Let the light fall,” she began, “on fallen faces hidden in the shadow of scorn…where may the children run towards the light of your face, towards the warmth of your presence and the stillness of your peace.”

“There is no fear, only abundance, of safety, of security, of knowing there will always be enough light for me” she said, describing a dreamscape of Eden restored – not a paradise lost, but glimpsed in justice, fairness and shared humanity.

Let us be bold enough to look down and take it, humble enough to kneel down and bathe in it, loving enough to collect and share it, and childish enough to truly, truly believe in it.

The equal rights of men and women

As the world marks 80 years of the UN Charter, it’s worth remembering that its promise of equal rights for men and women was hard-won from the very start.

In 1945, just four women were among the 850 delegates who gathered in San Francisco to sign the document, and only 30 of the represented countries granted women the right to vote.

In a 2018 UN News podcast, researchers spotlighted these overlooked trailblazers – and asked why the women who helped shape the UN’s founding vision are so often left out of its story.

Listen to the podcast here.

 

Note: The subheads in this article are taken directly from the Preamble of the United Nations Charter, whose enduring language continues to guide the Organization’s mission.

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Flying the EU flag for 40 years!

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Flying the EU flag for 40 years!

 

The flag of the European Union is turning 40 this June. Its 12 gold stars on a blue background are instantly recognisable and synonymous with the European project that unites all Europeans. With time, it has also become a symbol of the EU’s ideals of unity, solidarity, and harmony among the peoples of Europe.

The flag was first used as the flag of the Council of Europe in 1955. Following World War Two, the Council of Europe was looking for a flag that would give Europe a symbol with which its inhabitants could identify. It chose the design which best conveyed neutrality, timelessness, and simplicity. 

Contrary to a common misconception, the number 12 does not represent the number of EU countries in our Union but rather are a symbol of perfection and stability, and the circle, a symbol of union. The fixed number means the flag remains unchanged regardless of the European Union’s growth.

In 1983 the European Parliament adopted the flag devised by the Council of Europe and recommended that it become the European Communities’ emblem. The European Council gave its approval in June 1985. The European Communities have now evolved into the European Union, as we know it today.

The iconic flag has become a powerful emblem beyond EU borders, a rallying point for people fighting for their rights. For freedom and democracy, dignity and equality, the rule of law and human rights, peace and security. Some 70 years after it was created, the EU flag not only represents EU ideals, but it has become a symbol of hope.

For more information

European flag

Flying the European flag since 1985  

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UN calls for restraint after deadly Kenya protests

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UN calls for restraint after deadly Kenya protests

At least 400 people were injured, including police officers, according to media reports. The official death toll has not been confirmed, with estimates ranging from eight to 16. 

The demonstrations marked the anniversary of last year’s anti-tax protests, when 60 people were reportedly killed and dozens abducted by police.

This year, anger intensified following the death of blogger Albert Ojwan, 31, who died in police custody earlier this month.

The demonstrators reportedly targeted government and police offices, chanted for the occupation of the presidential residence and attacked, looted and burned shops and businesses in Nairobi.

At a press conference, Kenyan Interior Minister Kipchumba Murkomen accused protestors of attempting to unconstitutionally enact “regime change.”

He also said nine police stations were attacked, dozens of vehicles destroyed, and five guns were stolen. 

UN Human Rights response

On Thursday, as smoke still rose from torched buildings in Nairobi, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, released a statement expressing concern.

Alarmed by reports that protesters had been wounded or killed by gunfire, OHCHR stressed that under international human rights law, law enforcement should only use lethal force when strictly necessary to protect life or prevent serious injury from an imminent threat.

The office welcomed the announcement that Kenya’s Independent Policing Oversight Authority will investigate the incidents and underlined the need for “prompt, thorough, independent and transparent investigations to bring those responsible to justice” and prevent recurrence. 

OHCHR also called for calm and restraint.

UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric echoed these concerns at the daily press briefing in New York, saying: “We are obviously concerned about the violence we have seen in Kenya. We are closely monitoring the situation. We are very saddened by the loss of life.”

He also reiterated concerns over the reported gunshot wounds and welcomed plans for oversight investigations.

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