This is the News in Brief from the United Nations.
UN health agency flags ‘critical funding gap’ for the Ebola response
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) “will only end with bipartisan political cooperation and community ownership”.
That’s according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus.
He was speaking in Geneva on Thursday, following a visit to DRC, where he reviewed the health response, and met with leaders from multiple sectors to galvanize their commitment to the fight against Ebola.
WHO also said that its facing a “severe funding gap” for the response, with only $44 million received, from the total $98 million needed.
If funds are not received, WHO will be “unable to sustain the response at the current scale”, the UN health agency warned.
So far, DRC’s latest Ebola outbreak has claimed 1,449 lives and infected 2,168 people since it was declared on 1 August last year.
Teachers ‘unprepared for traumatized migrant and refugee students’, UNESCO reports
Teachers need better training to provide psychosocial support to children who have lived through traumatic events, says a report from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), published on World Refugee Day observed on Thursday.
Tackling the educational challenge of trauma, a condition experienced by some school-age migrant and refugee children, whose overall number has grown by 26 per cent since 2000, UNESCO proposes a set of recommendations that include specific training for teachers to learn how to cope with “challenges in the classroom”.
According to the report, many of these children have had traumatic experiences before leaving their homes, during the journey or while settling in a new country and tend to develop toxic stress, which also affect their ability to learn.
In Germany for example, one-fifth of refugee children suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, with unaccompanied minors being particularly vulnerable, the report added.
Yoga celebrated around the world
And on a more hopeful note, yoga enthusiasts worldwide are getting ready to celebrate International Day of Yoga.
This year’s celebration reflects on the contribution of the ancient practice of yoga to climate action.
That’s the main theme for the celebration marked each 21 June, since the UN General Assembly proclaimed the day five years ago, in recognition of yoga’s universal appeal and numerous benefits for a healthier mind and body.
The global event is marked by group yoga sessions, aiming to unite body and consciousness. At UN Headquarters on Thursday, there’s a session of “Yoga with Gurus”, followed by a panel discussion on Friday.
Friday is also the summer solstice, which is the day with the most sunlight of the year for the Northern Hemisphere, making it ideal for practicing mindfulness on the mat.
Conor Lennon, UN News.
