Tens of thousands newly displaced in new Gaza City escalation

Ongoing, heavy fighting in northern Gaza has now forced an estimated 84,000 people to flee eastern Gaza City in a matter of days, while also cutting off access to a key aid distribution hub, UN humanitarians said on Monday.

The exodus from Gaza City’s eastern Shujaiya district follows days of reported intense bombardment by the Israeli military, whose tanks have been sighted “around 100” metres east of Salah El Din road, the main north-south axis, according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

With more, here’s UNRWA’s Senior Communications Officer Louise Wateridge:

“We estimate that around 84,000 people have now been displaced from Shejaiyeh in northern Gaza. People in this area tell us about the looming famine, and how people are eating tree leaves or only have flour to survive on.”

Ms. Wateridge described the destruction in affected areas which span several square kilometres as “apocalyptic”.

To help those forcibly uprooted by this latest escalation, sparked by Hamas-led terror attacks last October, UNRWA has already distributed water, food parcels and flour. But access is no longer possible to the agency’s distribution centre in Gaza city’s Tuffah neighbourhood, as it is too close to the front line.

Afghanistan talks continue with de facto authorities present for first time

UN-led efforts to push for a more peaceful and inclusive future for Afghanistan in which women and girls play an equal role continued on Monday at international talks in Doha, which for the first time included the Taliban de facto authorities.

Emerging from discussions in the Qatari capital, UN’s top political affairs official Rosemary DiCarlo told journalists that both she and the national and regional representatives taking part raised the issue of women’s and girls’ rights “a number of times, a lot of times”.

“I think it was a number one concern and a request coming from Special Envoys from all around the world,” insisted Ms. DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. “It was certainly something that we raised and they raised and we are hoping indeed that we see some movement in this area.”

Since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women and girls have faced systemic discrimination, including a ban on girls’ education.

That ban is “heartbreaking”,  Ms. DiCarlo said, before explaining that the UN-led process of international re-engagement with the country’s de facto leaders involves a “step-for-step” approach, in line with Security Council resolution 2679, with the latest discussions centering on the private sector and counternarcotics.

Volker Türk: World of sports is not immune from human rights challenges

Despite the sporting ideal of equality and fair opportunities, athletes encounter many different forms of violations, the UN’s human rights chief, Volker Türk, said on Monday.

Speaking to the Human Rights Council in Geneva just weeks from the beginning of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Mr. Türk insisted that “mega sporting events” with “enormous” reach such as the football world cup and the Olympic and Paralympic games should serve as platforms to advocate against inequalities:

“The world of sports is not immune from human rights challenges, including when mega events are organized. And some worrying issues are more visible than others. Racist or sexist incidents. Abuse. Violence against women. Corruption. Discrimination on the basis of religion or religious attire, disability, nationality, or sexual orientation and gender identity. Transgender and intersex women often face ongoing discrimination, with little place to turn for appropriate remedy and accountability.”

Mr. Türk welcomed the decision of some businesses in the sports world to align their practices with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

And he said that human rights policies and grievance mechanisms are increasingly being included in large-scale sport events.

As an example, he referred to a case in Spain where football fans were punished  for racially abusing the Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior.