Middle East

Dubravka Šimonović, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, one of the experts making the call. (file photo)
UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré

Human rights experts demand UAE provide ‘meaningful information’ on Sheikha Latifa

20 April 2021
Human Rights

United Nations independent human rights experts on Tuesday demanded that the United Arab Emirates provide “meaningful information” on the fate of Sheikha Latifa Mohammed Al Maktoum as well as assurances regarding her safety and well-being, “without delay”.

Yemenis are getting ready for Ramadan despite the hardships.
WFP/Marco Frattini

UN envoy highlights diplomatic unity, as key to help end Yemen war

15 April 2021
Peace and Security

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen appealed on Thursday for warring parties to implement a nationwide ceasefire and agree a date for peace talks, in line with a plan to end their conflict. 

The architectural design to rebuild the conflict-damaged Al-Nouri Mosque complex in Mosul, Iraq has been announced by UNESCO.
© Salah El Din Samir Hareedy & team

Iraq: UNESCO architectural design winners to rebuild iconic Al-Nouri Mosque complex 

15 April 2021
Culture and Education

Eight Egyptian architects have been awarded the job of restoring the historic Al-Nouri Mosque complex in Mosul, Iraq, the UN cultural chief announced on Thursday. 

A Palestinian woman harvests olives in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Maha Kadadha

Settler violence is rising in Occupied Palestinian Territory, warn experts

14 April 2021
Human Rights

Violence attributed to Israeli settlers against Palestinians living in the West Bank has worsened in recent months, amidst “an atmosphere of impunity”, UN-appointed independent rights experts said on Wednesday.

UNRWA Students at Rafah Preparatory Girls School “C” are happy to meet their friends after 5 months break.
© 2020 UNRWA./Khalil adwan

UNRWA chief reports on despair and hope among Palestinians, as US announces $150 million in aid

7 April 2021
Migrants and Refugees

Despair is growing in Palestinian refugee camps across the Middle East, but signs of hope are sprouting amid ongoing occupation, economic hardship and the COVID-19 pandemic, the head of the UN agency that supports this population reported on Wednesday.

UN and Yemeni officials receive the first COVID-19 vaccines supplied through COVAX at Aden international airport.
© UNICEF

Yemen: Arrival of COVID-19 vaccines a ‘gamechanger’

31 March 2021
Health

The arrival of the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines in Yemen on Wednesday has been hailed by health experts as a “gamechanger” in the fight against coronavirus spread in the war-torn country. 

A displaced family living in a makeshift tent in a camp in northern rural Aleppo, Syria.
© UNICEF/Ali Almatar

Ending Syria’s war is our collective responsibility, UN chief tells donor conference

30 March 2021
Humanitarian Aid

Ending the war in Syria is the collective responsibility of the international community, UN Secretary-General António Guterres reaffirmed during a major pledging event on Tuesday which raised $6.4 billion to support people affected by the  conflict.

Young boys collect water from UNICEF-supported a water point in east Aleppo City in Syria.
© UNICEF/Khuder Al-Issa

Syria’s decade of ‘death, destruction, displacement, disease, dread and despair’

29 March 2021
Peace and Security

Now is not the moment to reduce humanitarian aid to Syria, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator told the Security Council on Monday, stressing that after 10 years of conflict, more support was needed to avoid further “dramatic and widespread” deterioration. 

A child looks over a flooded area of Kafr Losin Camp in north-west Syria.
UNICEF/Khaled Akacha

‘No respite’ for civilians in Syria, UN officials urge international support

29 March 2021
Humanitarian Aid

Senior United Nations officials have called on the international community to step up funding for relief programmes supporting millions of people in Syria and the region, who depend on the life-saving assistance and livelihood support after a decade of brutal conflict. 

A woman is screened for COVID-19 at a health centre in the Gaza Strip.
© UNRWA/Khalil Adwan

UN envoy calls for more support to aid Palestinian COVID-19 response

25 March 2021
Peace and Security

COVID-19 continues to have a devastating effect on Palestinians, the Secretary-General’s envoy for the Middle East peace process told the Security Council on Thursday, urging greater support for vaccination efforts.