The Nation Newspaper

Tag: UN

  • UN Security Council condemn Dalori attack

    The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the horrific terrorist attacks on 30 January, 2016 attributed to Boko Haram in Dalori village in north eastern Nigeria.

    The insurgents’ inhuman attack resulted in a large number of deaths and casualties.

    The members of the Security Council expressed their deep condolences and sympathy to the families and friends of those killed and injured by these heinous acts, as well as to the people and the Government of Nigeria.

    The members of the Security Council commended the efforts of the region, including through the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), to effectively combat Boko Haram and encourage further progress in this regard.

    The Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.

    The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.

    They stressed that those responsible for these terrorist attacks should be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard.

    The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever and whenever, and by whomsoever committed.

    They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

  • UN seeks concrete information on govt’s effort on Chibok girls

    UN seeks concrete information on govt’s effort on Chibok girls

    The United Nations has asked the Nigerian government to provide information about concrete steps being taken to rescue people abducted by Boko Haram, including the Chibok girls.

    The request was made yesterday in Abuja by a group of UN experts, who was in the country for a five-day assessment of government’s efforts at rehabilitating those displaced by Boko Haram insurgents.

    Members of the group include Urmilla Bhoola (Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery), Dainius Puras (Special Rapporteur on right to highest attainable standard of health) and Maud DeBoer Buquicchio (Special Rapporteur, Sale of Children, Child Pornography and Child Prostitution).

    The group, while addressing a press conference to present its preliminary report, commended the efforts of government and its agencies in resettling the internally displaced people (IDPs).

    It urged the government to concentrate on ways of protecting the most vulnerable of the IDPs, particularly women and the “unaccompanied children.

    While urging the government to ensure the prosecution of those involved in visiting violence on victims of Boko Haram activities, the group asked the government to focus more on the rehabilitation of health and education facilities in its resettlement efforts in the areas affected by Boko Haram.

    “While we note the efforts of the government to locate and liberate all missing persons in the context of the conflict and the investigation launched, the lack of information on the steps taken to find abducted persons, including the Chibok girls, and document cases of kidnappings and abductions remains a source of major concern.

    “There is also an urgent and pressing need for effective measures to address stigma, ostracism and rejection of women and children who have been associated with Boko Haram because of their captivity by their families and communities.

    “Efforts at community cohesion, peace building and reconciliation must start now and accelerate as people begin to return from displacement.

    “As the region transits from relief to recovery, it is important to ensure that rehabilitation and reintegration measures are grounded in human rights norms and take into consideration the regional impact of the conflict on women and children.

    “These measures must aim to fundamentally transform society for the better while addressing the immediate needs of women and girls. They must also address root causes, especially discrimination, deprivation, exclusion and gender inequality

    “The education and the health sectors have been the most affected. Health workers working on family planning and providing lifesaving immunization services, together with teachers, have been killed or kidnapped, and their families threatened.

    “Hospitals and schools have been burnt down and ransacked and schools are used to house IDPs. It is critical to ensure that all school sites are reopened promptly and all children, in particular girls, are able to access free and quality primary education without fear.

    “The current comprehensive approach to addressing challenges in the North East provides a good opportunity not only to reintegrate women and children affected by Boko Haram but also to strengthen the health and educational sectors which are crucial for peace, security and sustainable development in Nigeria,” the group said.

  • UN warns Nigeria on returning Boko Haram victims

    UN warns Nigeria on returning Boko Haram victims

    A delegation of the United Nations (UN) has warned that the nation risks future crisis if it fails to properly resettle those displaced by activities of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

    The UN delegation, which visited the headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja,  was led by two Special Rapporteurs.

    The visiting UN experts were led by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children Prostitution and Child Pornography, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio and her counterpart on the Right of Everyone to Enjoy the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health,  Dainius Puras.

    They said they were in the country to assess measures in place for the rehabilitation and re-integration of returnee Boko Haram victims.

    Boer-Buquicchio said the delegation would make appropriate recommendations to the government after its meetings with agencies, civil society organisations and individuals.

     

     

  • Boko Haram: UN tasks Nigeria on rehabilitation of IDPs

    Boko Haram: UN tasks Nigeria on rehabilitation of IDPs

    A delegation of the United Nations (UN) has warned that the nation risks future crisis if it fails to properly resettle those currently displaced activities of the terrorist group, Boko Haram.

    The UN delegation, which visited the headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja, was led by two Special Rapporteurs of the global organisation.

    The visiting UN experts were led by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children Prostitution and Child Pornography, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio‎, and her counterpart on the Right of Everyone to the Enjoyment of the Highest Attainable Standard of Physical and Mental Health, Dainius Puras.

    They said they were in the country to assess measures‎ which the government had put in place for the rehabilitation and the reintegration of returnee Boko Haram victims in the country.

    Speaking on their mission to the country, Boer-Buquicchio, said the delegation would make appropriate recommendations to the Nigerian government after its meetings with relevant government agencies, civil society organisations and individuals at the various Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in the region ravaged by insurgency.

    “Without these measures, the future of Nigeria is at risk because this involves women and children who are future of the country and whose attitude to life as full-fledged citizens is important,” Boer-Buquicchio added.

    ‎On his part, Puras said the delegation would be assisting Nigeria in tackling the challenges of rehabilitating and reintegrating the returnee IDPS with its “expertise and knowledge” in the areas of provision of “essential healthcare” to victims of the insurgent activities.

    He said his team would also‎ assist Nigeria in ensuring that the victims were protected from violence and other crimes.

    In his welcome address, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, commended the international community for the e support rendered to Nigeria shortly after over 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, in April 2014.

    “The display of solidarity by the international community resulted into new efforts being put in place by the Federal Government to address insurgency i‎n the country,” Angwe said.

    Angwe, who commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government for its efforts towards addressing the plights of the returnee victims of Boko Haram activities, lamented the state of abandonment in many IDP camps in the North East.

    “Let me inform you that most of the returnees have no home to return to. Most of the returnees’ homes have been destroyed.

    “The present administration in Nigeria is putting in place some measures to address these concerns.

    “The Federal Government has put in place initiatives to address the problems of the IDPs.”‎

  • UN solicits media support for SDGs campaign in Nigeria

    UN solicits media support for SDGs campaign in Nigeria

    The National Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Mr. Oluseyi Soremekun, has called on Nigerian Media to give their full support to the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in continuation of the unflinching support they accorded the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the past fifteen years.

    Mr. Soremekun said this recently during a radio programme, ‘Civil Society (C.S) Weekly’ on Radio One 103.5 FM., where he commended the media for their contribution to the success of the MDGs.

    The UN Information Officer acknowledged that the media remained a strategic partner of the United Nations in its quest to disseminate the SDGs to the generality of Nigerians.

    He urged the various media organisations in the country to regard the SDGs campaign as a public service geared towards improving the society. ‘The media should develop variety of programmes within the framework of the SDGs to widen the knowledge base of their audiences.

    Speaking on the plans of UNIC Lagos to publicise the SDGs, Soremekun disclosed that the SDGs have been translated into four local languages: Pidging English, Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba to enhance the understanding of the SDGs and its goals and for greater uptake and buy-in by the people.

    “Besides,” he continued, “UNIC Lagos on 1 January 2016, launched the ’17 – 17 SDGs campaign’ on the social media to reach the bulk of youths who socialize every second on the social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.” He added that the campaign was meant to highlight the 17 goals of the SDGs in the first 17 days of every month from January to December.

    Mr. Soremekun rounded up the radio interview with a brief insight into UNIC Lagos activities for this year, which according to him, included school outreach, media outreach, programmes on climate change and the SDGs as well as observance of International Days.

  • UN plans to rehabilitate escapees from Boko Haram

    UN plans to rehabilitate escapees from Boko Haram

    A team of United Nations (UN) Human Rights experts would be paying a five-day visit to Nigeria from Monday to assist in the rehabilitation of women and children that escaped from Boko Haram’s captivity.

    The UN Human Rights office of the High Commissioner said this in a statement released in Geneva, Switzerland and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

    The statement said that the experts had been mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to promote comprehensive strategies to prevent and protect the rights of women and children.

    “ Some United Nations human rights experts will visit Nigeria to assist in the rehabilitation and reintegration of the women and children who escaped or were liberated from Boko Haram captivity.

    “During their five-day visit, the experts will gather information on the various initiatives adopted by governmental, international and non-governmental actors to support these women and children,’’ it said.

    The statement said that such information would assist the women and children in coping with their suffering, trauma, and stigma and possibly return them to their normal lives.

    It also said that the UN Special Rapporteurs, who were invited by the Federal Government, would meet with representatives of ministries, civil society and relevant UN agencies.

    The Special Rapporteurs, who would present a report of their visit to the UN Human Rights Council later in the year, would also be visiting some detention centres.

    According to the rapporteuers, all measures will be taken to ensure that the right care, recovery and reintegration of these women and children are carried out in line with international human rights standards.

    “In that regard, we look forward to engaging all parties and put our expertise at their disposal,” the Special Rapporteurs said

     

  • UN provides electoral support in Central African Republic

    UN provides electoral support in Central African Republic

    The UN Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) has distributed some 6,500 election observation kits to candidates and political parties over the weekend.

    The spokesman office of the UN Secretary-General confirmed in a statement on Tuesday in New York that electoral materials were delivered to all 16 prefectures, as well as to the diaspora and refugee host countries.

    It said the delivery from the prefectures to the polling centres were ongoing.

    Meanwhile, the office added that the training of polling agents has been completed in 15 prefectures and in Bangui.

    “Political parties and candidates continued campaigning in Bangui as well as other provinces, with few electoral related incidents reported.

    The support follows the training of political party monitors carried out earlier in the month by MINUSCA and the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

    The country is set to hold legislative and presidential elections on Dec. 30, after a December 13 referendum that favored a new constitution.

    The new constitution limits the president’s tenure to two terms and reins in armed militias.

    Central Africa Republic has been rocked by violence since a mainly Muslim rebellion in 2013. MINUSCA was set up in 2014 to help bring peace in the country after a breakdown of governmental authority and vicious inter-communal fighting.

  • UN urged to investigate Zaria fracas

    The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), has urged the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr. Christof Heyns, to investigate the clash between soldiers and Shi’ites members in Zaria, Kaduna State.

    The request was contained in a petition to the UN special rapporteur yesterday by SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni.

    The organisation asked Heyns to “express concern about the allegations of use of excessive force by the military and the unlawful killings of members of the Shia Muslim group in Zaria; investigate the allegations and/or ask the government to investigate the allegations and bring to justice anyone suspected to be responsible and ask the government to establish accountability mechanisms for human rights violations by its soldiers.”

  • Torture entrenched in Chinese justice system – UN

    Torture entrenched in Chinese justice system – UN

    The United Nations on Thursday slammed ongoing rights abuses in China’s courts and prisons in spite of legislation outlawing torture in the country.

    The UN Committee against Torture said in Geneva during the presentation of a report that it remained seriously concerned over consistent reports indicating that torture and ill-treatment were still deeply entrenched in the criminal justice system.

    The international rights group welcomed the UN report, marking the Human Rights Day.
    The report said that the abuses were compounded by the institutional structures of China’s justice system, which failed to ensure transparency and accountability.

    It pointed out that the structure also overly relied on confessions as the basis for convictions.

    Sharon Hom, Head of Group Human Rights in China, said the committee was deeply concerned about the unprecedented detention and interrogation of, reportedly, more than 200 lawyers and activists since July 9, 2015.

    “Of those, 25 remain reportedly under residential surveillance at a designated location and four are allegedly unaccounted for.”

    She said the observation was a clear message for the international community to see through China’s denial of documented facts

     

  • UN@70: Seven schools exhibit 78 works of arts in Lagos

    UN@70: Seven schools exhibit 78 works of arts in Lagos


    School Arts Exhibition has taken the centre stage in Lagos as seven schools, public and private, converged at the Library Auditorium of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos to express what the United Nations (UN) meant to them in different artistic forms.

    From oil paints on canvass to pencil drawing, tie-dye, modeling, textile design and waste-to-wealth cultural Industry exhibits, the students put on display a total of seventy-seven (78) creative works of arts which reflected their rich knowledge of the works of the UN and what the organisation stands for.

    Curating their works, the students explained the UN as a Peace-keeper, the human rights protector, a gender equality advocate, an umbrella organisation of all nations and the hope of the people. They also exhibited works that show what the UN does in the area of environment, housing, culture, education and health.

    Addressing the students and other participants, the National Information Officer of the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) Lagos, Oluseyi Soremekun, conveyed the gratitude of the Centre to the participating schools and urged the students and pupils to continue to learn about the United Nations having earlier made a presentation on ‘UN for school children’.

    The one-week Exhibition which will end on Thursday 3 December 2015, was on the opening day livened up by music rendition by the Dothedream band led by Olaiwo Stephen and another solo by ‘Tripple T’ all from Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

    Participating schools are Covenant University Secondary School, Ota; Intesida Schools, Alagbado; Ojodu Junior Grammar School, Ojodu; Southfield Academy; Sunglee Formation Schools, Awoyaya and The Outliers Schools, Surulere, all in Lagos.