UNICEF chief: Closing schools should be ‘measure of last resort’ 

“Despite overwhelming evidence of the impact of school closures on children, and despite increasing evidence that schools are not drivers of the pandemic, too many countries have opted to keep schools closed, some for nearly a year”, Henrietta Fore said in a statement. 

A high cost 

The UNICEF chief highlighted that the cost of closing schools has been devastating, with 90 per cent of students globally facing shutdowns at the peak of the COVID disruptions last year, leaving more than a third of schoolchildren with no access to remote education. 

“The number of out-of-school children is set to increase by 24 million, to a level we have not seen in years and have fought so hard to overcome”, she said. 

“Children’s ability to read, write and do basic math has suffered, and the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century economy have diminished”, Ms. Fore added. 

Closure a ‘last resort’ 

Keeping children at home puts their health, development, safety and well-being at risk – with the most vulnerable bearing the heaviest brunt, she said. 

She pointed out that without school meals, children are “left hungry and their nutrition is worsening”; without daily peer interactions and less mobility, they are “losing physical fitness and showing signs of mental distress”; and without the safety net that school often provides, they are “more vulnerable to abuse, child marriage and child labour”. 

“That’s why closing schools must be a measure of last resort, after all other options have been considered”, stressed the top UNICEF official. 

Evaluating local transmission 

Assessing transmission risks at the local level should be “a key determinant” in decisions on school operations, Ms. Fore said. 

She also flagged that nationwide school closures be avoided, whenever possible. 

“Where there are high levels of community transmission, where health systems are under extreme pressure and where closing schools is deemed inevitable, safeguarding measures must be put in place”, maintained the UNICEF chief. 

Moreover, it is important that children who are at risk of violence in their homes, who are reliant upon school meals and whose parents are essential workers, continue their education in classrooms. 

After lockdown restrictions are lifted, she said that schools must be among the first to reopen and catch-up classes should be prioritized to keep children who were unable to learn remotely from being left behind. 

“If children are faced with another year of school closures, the effects will be felt for generations to come”, said Ms. Fore.

WHO warns of COVID-19 ‘tipping point’ as cases rise across Europe

“We were prepared for a challenging start to 2021 and it has been just that”, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said on Thursday during a virtual press briefing from Copenhagen. 

Although new tools against the disease are now available, including several vaccines, and knowledge about the virus has increased, “we remain in the grip of COVID-19”, he said. 

“This moment represents a tipping-point in the course of the pandemic – where science, politics, technology and values must form a united front, in order to push back this persistent and elusive virus”, he told journalists. 

More lockdowns expected 

Last year, more than 26 million cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the WHO European Region, which comprises 53 countries. 

Over a quarter of States are seeing very high incidence of the disease and strained health systems.   

Currently, more than 230 million people are living in countries under full national lockdown, and more governments are expected to announce lockdowns in the coming week. 

Dr. Kluge said the impact of the recent holiday period, characterized by family gatherings and the relaxing of preventive measures such as physical distancing and wearing masks, cannot yet be determined. 

Virus mutation ‘alarming’ 

Regarding the virus mutation, he reported the SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern has been detected in 22 countries in the region. 

“This variant is ‘of concern’ as it has increased transmissibility. So far, we understand there is no significant change to the disease this variant produces, meaning the COVID-19 is not more, nor less, severe,” he said. 

“It spreads across all age groups, and children do not appear to be at higher risk. It is our assessment that this variant of concern may, over time, replace other circulating lineages – as seen in the United Kingdom, and increasingly in Denmark.” 

However, the increased transmissibility has sparked concern over the impact on health systems already under stress. 

Dr. Kluge urged countries to take action to reduce transmission, and to step-up vigilance to identify new variants.  His recommendations include investigating cases of unusually rapid virus transmission and unexpected disease presentation, as well as sharing data. 

“This is an alarming situation, which means that for a short period of time we need to do more than we have done and to intensify the public health and social measures to be certain we can flatten the steep vertical line in some countries, which may not have been seen to date”, he said, emphasizing basic measures promoted throughout the pandemic, such as wearing masks, limiting gatherings, and conducting adequate testing and contact tracing

‘An unwanted prison sentence’ for seafarers stuck at home and stranded at sea

Throughout the year, the maritime transport industry has managed stay afloat, allowing food, medicine and other essential goods to be transported across the world, to stock the shelves even during the strictest lockdowns.

However, many seafarers were forced to stay at sea for several months longer than planned, sometimes for over a year: as 2020 comes to a close, the UN maritime agency (IMO), estimates that some 400,000 seafarers, from all over the world, are still on their ships, even though their contracts have ended, unable to be repatriated. Another 400,000 are thought to be stuck at home due to the restrictions, unable to join ships and provide for their families.

‘We didn’t sign up for this’

The mental health of seafarers has been sorely tested, as Matt Forster, an English Chief Engineer, based mainly on an oil tanker in the Middle East and Asia, told UN News in July. His contract was well overdue at the time, and he was having difficulty coping with the separation from his two small children.

“I’ve done long contracts before, but this is different”, he said. “It has a psychological effect, as there is no end in sight. It affects family life a lot more. My children are always asking me when I am coming home. It’s difficult to explain to them”.

Mr. Forster is now back in England, reunited with his children, but his experience has made him think twice about his choice of career. “We wanted to go to work, do our bit, and then come home. We didn’t sign up for what felt like an unwanted prison sentence”, he says.

“I don’t want to go back if I am going to get stuck again for another six months. And it’s not just me: a lot of other seafarers around the world feel the same way. It’s going to cause people to leave the industry.”

We have rights as human beings

The plight of seafarers this year has been described by IMO as an infringement of human rights. Speaking on Human Rights Day, in December, the head of the agency, Kitack Lim, paid tribute to maritime “frontline workers”, and invited countries to ensure that their rights to safe and decent work conditions are recognized, respected and protected.

Hedi Marzougui, an American captain, echoed Mr. Lim’s calls, and expressed his concerns about the mental health strain exerted on crews by the extended period on board.

“The longer you stay out there, the more fatigued you get physically. The hours, weeks and months start to add up, you get very tired, and you are not as sharp,” he said, adding that exhaustion can lead to accidents.

“We also have rights as human beings, we have families of our own. We have a life to get back to”, added Captain Marzougui. “We’re not robots, we shouldn’t be seen as second-class citizens”.

WHO chief begins 2021 with plea for ‘less politicking’ over health

In his first regular media briefing of the new year, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told journalists that WHO was also “picking up and analyzing hundreds of potential signals every week”, concerning other life-threatening illnesses.  

But he made clear the pandemic remains “a major public health crisis”, while assuring that WHO is “working day and night” to accelerate science, provide solutions on the ground and build global solidarity. 

“This is as important for tackling the pandemic as it is for getting essential services back up and running again”, said Tedros.  

‘Investment in overall development’ 

Pointing out that WHO’s work stretches “far beyond emergencies”, the UN official explained that its operations encompass improving “human health in all its aspects from birth to old age”. 

He elaborated on the breadth of the agency’s activities – from keeping mothers and babies alive during childbirth to tackling mental health and controlling HIV and other diseases.  

“We have learned a lot in the last year; not least that health is an investment in overall development, critical for thriving economies and a key pillar of national security”, said the WHO chief.  

No afterthought 

Integrated primary healthcare systems are imperative to prevent, screen and treat infectious and noncommunicable diseases. 

Citing the pandemic, Tedros said that infectious viruses put those with underlying conditions “at highest risk of dying”, and that countries with high numbers of people with health conditions put “extra stress on the health system”. 

He maintained that health cannot be “an afterthought when we have an emergency” and underscored the need to “invest in preparedness and surveillance to stop the next pandemic”. 

New vaccine development standard   

At the dawn of 2021, scientists and public health experts from inside and outside WHO are continuing to break down the latest data and put forward solutions to “build back greener and stronger health systems”, Tedros said. 

“My one hope is that there’s less politicking about health in the year ahead”, he stated. 

Pointing out that the scientific community has “set a new standard for vaccine development”, he urged the international community to set a new standard for access.  

“People must come first over short-term profits. It’s in countries self-interest to shun vaccine nationalism”, the UN official said.  

A shot in the arm 

Last week, WHO cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use and yesterday the rollout of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine, developed by Oxford University, began in the United Kingdom.  

With 190 “countries and economies” backing the COVAX international vaccines-for-all initiative, Tedros wants to see to see all manufacturers quickly channel supplies there, to enable rollouts to protect high-risk people globally.  

“We owe it morally to health workers everywhere who have been fighting this pandemic around the clock for the best part of a year, to vaccinate them all as soon as possible”, he said.

FROM THE FIELD: Weathering a tourist downturn in Kyrgyzstan

In 2019, more than 1,300 tourists passed through Sary-Mogol to enjoy amongst other attractions the village’s horse and yak games festival and fair; in 2020, the number dwindled to less than a dozen.

According to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) the tourism sector has been one of the biggest economic causalities of the pandemic in Kyrgyzstan.

Villagers in Sary-Mogol are used to long and harsh winters, but this year are looking positively forward to the time when they can welcome tourists back.

Read more here about weathering the winter and the pandemic in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.

Make 2021 ‘safer, healthier world for children’, UNICEF chief urges

“The children born today enter a world far different than even a year ago, and a New Year brings a new opportunity to reimagine it”, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said. 

Sorting logistics 

As always, the Pacific island nation of Fiji will welcome the first baby of the new year and the United States the last one. 

Over half of these global births are estimated to take place in the 10 countries of India – 59,995; China – 35,615; Nigeria – 21,439; Pakistan – 14,161; Indonesia –12,336; Ethiopia – 12,006 – US (10,312), Egypt – 9,455; Bangladesh – 9,236; and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – 8,640. 

In total, UNICEF estimates an 84-year average life expectancy for the 140 million children it projects will be born throughout 2021. 

More to celebrate  

The year will also mark the 75th anniversary of UNICEF.  

Over the course of 2021, UNICEF and its partners will be commemorating the milestone anniversary with events and announcements celebrating three-quarters of a century of protecting children from conflict, disease and exclusion, and championing their right to survival, health and education.  

“Children born today will inherit the world we begin to build for them today”, reminded the UNICEF chief.  

“Let us make 2021 the year we start to build a fairer, safer, healthier world for children”, she added. 

COVID challenges 

Meanwhile, as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to soar, so do the needs of children and their families, the UN agency said.  

From delivering life-saving health supplies, to building water and hygiene facilities, to keeping girls and boys connected to education and protection, UNICEF is working to slow the spread of the pandemic and minimize its impact on children worldwide.  

Be prepared for another, more severe pandemic: WHO officials

“The next pandemic may be more severe”, said Dr. Mike Ryan, head of the WHO Emergencies Program, adding that we need “get our act together”, because we live on a fragile planet, and in an increasingly complex society. “Let’s honour those we’ve lost by getting better at what we do”.

Let’s honour those we’ve lost by getting better at what we do Dr. Mike Ryan, Executive-Director, Emergencies Programme, WHO

The WHO Technical Lead on COVID-19, Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, noted that some of the countries that have coped better with COVID-19 have not necessarily been those with the highest incomes, but those that have lived through other infectious disease outbreaks. Those countries, she said, have used the “muscle memory” of traumatic events to kick their systems into gear, and act to comprehensively tackle the virus.

Dr. van Kerkhove joined Dr. Ryan in calling for the world to be better prepared for the next health crisis, with well-trained health workers able to take full advantage of innovative technology, and informed, engaged citizens capable of keeping themselves safe.

Understanding new variants

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists that the UN agency is learning new things about the virus every day, including the ability of new variants to spread, make people sick, or have a potential impact on available tests, treatments or vaccines.

Dr. Tedros singled out work taking place in the United Kingdom and South Africa, where scientists are carrying out epidemiologic and laboratory studies, which will guide the agency’s next steps.

“Only if countries are testing effectively will you be able to pick up variants and adjust strategies to cope”, said the WHO chief. “We must ensure that countries are not punished for transparently sharing new scientific findings”.

Thanking the many partners with whom WHO has worked this year, Dr. Tedros looked ahead to 2021, and to the fair and equitable distribution of the treatments and vaccines discovered this year.

Learning to live with COVID-19

However, the officials warned that it may be premature to imagine a world in which COVID-19 has been eradicated.

Guest speaker Professor David Heymann, a disease expert and member of a WHO “surge team” deployed to strengthen the COVID-19 response in South Africa earlier this year, said that we now have the tools at our disposal to save lives, allowing us to learn to live with the virus.

Dr. Ryan agreed that COVID-19 is likely to become endemic in the global population. Vaccinations, he explained, do not guarantee that infectious diseases will be eradicated.

Societies would do better to focus on getting back to full strength, rather than on the “moonshot of eradication”, concluded the senior WHO official.

The virus that shut down the world: Education in crisis

Global impact of unparalleled disruption

School closures as a result of health and other crises are not new, at least not in the developing world, and the potentially devastating consequences are well known; loss of learning and higher drop-out rates, increased violence against children, teen pregnancies and early marriages.

What sets the COVID-19 pandemic apart from all other crises is that it has affected children everywhere and at the same time.

 It is the poorest, most vulnerable children who are hurt the most when schools close and so the UN was quick to advocate for continuity of learning, and the safe opening of schools, where possible, as countries began to put lockdown measures in place: “unfortunately, the global scale and speed of the current educational disruption is

unparalleled and, if prolonged, could threaten the right to education”, Audrey Azoulay, the head of the UN education agency, UNESCO, warned in March.

Digitally divided

Students and teachers found themselves grappling with unfamiliar conferencing technology, an experience that many found difficult to cope with, but which was, for many living in lockdown, the only way to ensure any kind of education could carry on.

However, for millions of children, the idea of an online virtual classroom is an unattainable dream. In April, UNESCO revealed startling divides in digitally based distance learning, with data showing that some 830 million students do not have access to a computer.

 The picture is particularly bleak in low-income countries: nearly 90 per cent of students in sub-Saharan Africa do not have household computers while 82 per cent are unable to get online. “A learning crisis already existed before COVID-19 hit”, a UNICEF official said in June.” We are now looking at an even more divisive and deepening education crisis.”

 However, in many of the developing countries where online or computer learning are not an option for most students, radio still has the power to reach millions of people and is being used to keep some form of education going. In South Sudan, Radio Miraya, a highly trusted news source run by the UN mission in the country (UNMISS),

began broadcasting educational programming for the many children who, due to COVID-19 measures, were unable to be in the classroom. You can hear excerpts from the Miraya programmes in this episode of our flagship podcast, The Lid Is On.

A lost generation?

Despite such efforts, the UN was warning in August that the long-term impact of disrupted education could create a “lost generation” of children in Africa. A World Health Organization (WHO) survey of 39 sub-Saharan African countries revealed that schools were open in only six nations and partially open in 19.

By the end of the year, 320 million children were still locked out of schools worldwide, and UNICEF felt compelled to issue a call for governments to prioritize school reopening and make classrooms as safe as possible.

“What we have learned about schooling during the time of COVID is clear: the benefits of keeping schools open, far outweigh the costs of closing them, and nationwide closures of schools should be avoided at all costs”, said Robert Jenkins, UNICEF Global Chief of Education.

As much of the world experiences a spike in COVID-19 cases, and with vaccinations still out of reach of most people, more nuanced policies are needed from national authorities, declared Mr. Jenkins, rather than blanket shutdowns and closures:

“Evidence shows that schools are not the main drivers of this pandemic. Yet we are seeing an alarming trend whereby governments are once again closing down schools as a first recourse rather than a last resort. In some cases, this is being done nationwide, rather than community by community, and children are continuing to suffer the devastating impacts on their learning, mental and physical well-being and safety”.

World must be ready for the next pandemic, UN says on first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness

“This first observance of the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness falls at the end of a year in which a scenario many had feared came tragically true … As we strive to control and recover from the current pandemic, we must think about the next,” Secretary-General António Guterres said in a message. 

He also highlighted the need for strong health systems and social protection, support for communities on the frontlines, and technical cooperation for countries. 

“Across this work, science must be our guide. Solidarity and coordination are crucial, within and among countries; no one is safe unless all of us are safe,” the Secretary-General added. 

Mr. Guterres also honoured medical professionals, front-line personnel and essential workers globally for their “remarkable commitment” in face of the coronavirus pandemic.  

“As we recover from the pandemic, let us resolve to build up our prevention capacities so that we are ready when the world faces the next outbreak,” he urged. 

We cannot be complacent 

Similarly, Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly, underscored that the “devastating experience” of the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear, the benefits of tackling epidemics. 

“If we ready ourselves, then we can save lives and stop epidemics from developing into pandemics,” he said, adding that COVID-19 “must be our final warning.” 

“We cannot afford to be complacent, and we must learn from our mistakes.” 

Mr. Bozkir urged everyone to join him in trusting science, supporting early warning mechanisms, and standing together in solidarity.  

“We will prepare as we have never prepared before – so that epidemics and pandemics can no longer cause the kind of suffering we have seen across the globe this year,” the President of the General Assembly urged. 

One Health Approach 

In a separate message, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted the importance of a “One Health Approach”, which integrates human health, animal health and plant health, as well as environmental factors.  

This is all the more important given that 75 per cent of new and emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic, caused by germs that spread between animals and people. 

“Any efforts to improve human health are doomed unless they address the critical interface between human and animals,” said Dr. Tedros. 

The head of WHO also urged countries to invest in preparedness capacity to prevent, detect and mitigate emergencies, and reiterated the importance of strong primary health systems as the foundation of universal health coverage as well as the “eyes and ears” of health systems everywhere.

“True preparedness is not just a job of the health sector, it requires an all-of-government and all-of-society approach,” he added. 

The International Day 

The International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, to be marked on 27 December annually, was proclaimed earlier this month by the General Assembly, to advocate the importance of the prevention of, preparedness for, and partnership against epidemics. 

The General Assembly also recognized the role of the UN system, in particular WHO, in coordinating responses to epidemics, and supporting efforts to prevent, mitigate and address the impacts of infectious diseases. 

This International Day falls on the birthdate of Louis Pasteur, the French chemist and microbiologist, responsible for ground-breaking work on vaccinations. 

The virus that shut down the world: 2020, a year like no other

As 2020 comes to an end and people around the world try to make sense of how the world has changed, they are faced with one stark and brutal statistic. The number of people who have died after catching COVID-19, is creeping towards the two million mark.

Early in the year, international travel was severely restricted, and people like these travelers in Thailand learnt of the importance of PPE, an acronym which quickly entered the global lexicon (which is short for personal protective equipment).

Soon, there were concerns about a global shortage of PPE and the UN supported various countries in the procurement of supplies, including China where the virus first emerged.

As COVID-19 took hold, countries and cities across the world entered lockdown with the closure of schools, cultural and sports venues and all non-essential businesses.

Normally bustling city centres, like the Kenyan capital Nairobi, were eerily quiet as people stayed at home.

The United Nations did stay open for business across the world, although most of the key events, like the annual meeting of the new session of the General Assembly in New York, did look very different. Only a small number of delegates were allowed into the chamber as world leaders gave their speeches virtually.

Across the world, people were adapting to new social distancing guidelines…..

…and were reminded about the importance of handwashing as a way to reduce the transmission of diseases.

Students who were not able to go to school had to adapt to a new reality and find ways to keep up with their studies.

While Africa appeared to suffer less from the virus than other continents, at least in terms of absolute infections and deaths, the UN did voice concerns that the pandemic would push millions more into poverty.

Especially important to the UN was supporting refugees and other vulnerable people on the move across the world, such as the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya people who have sought shelter across the border in Bangladesh.

Progress has been made, in record time, by scientists developing new effective vaccines against COVID-19 and by the end of 2020, the first people, mainly in developed countries, were being inoculated.

As the world enters 2021, the pandemic is still raging and, after an apparent mid-year lull in many countries, more infections and more deaths are being reported. With more vaccines being rolled out, the international community is being urged to work together to stop the spread and follow science-based guidelines.

For a more detailed picture of how the world looked in 2020, look out for our UN News end-of-year series of special reports, as the year draws to a close.

COVID-19: Support to frontline workers part of UN response in Brazil

Resident Coordinator in the country, Niky Fabiancic, is leading these efforts, said UN Spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, speaking in New York. 

More than 7.2 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in Brazil, according to latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO).  As of Tuesday, there were more than 76 million cases globally, with 1.7 million deaths. 

WHO and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are working with the Brazilian authorities on a campaign to highlight the importance of general immunization for young people, Mr. Dujarric told journalists. 

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) has provided more than 100,000 items of protective equipment, “to boost the safety of frontline workers supporting vulnerable communities in rural areas and the Amazon, while the International Organization for Migration (IOM) continued providing cleaning supplies, COVID-19 testing support and free general consultation for migrants and refugees from Venezuela”, he said. 

Protection for women 

The UN Population Fund (UNFPA), together with the embassies of the Netherlands and Canada, are also facilitating protection services for women and victims of violence, especially during the crisis. 

“At the same time, UNICEF is providing mental health counselling and support to young people in Brazil, as well as human rights training for indigenous community leaders to combat sexual violence, alcoholism and child labour”, Mr. Dujarric added. 

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and partners are providing vocational training on starting a business in Brazil, for refugees and migrant entrepreneurs. They are also supporting Venezuelan refugees with cash-based assistance.

Mozambique: 250,000 displaced children facing deadly disease threat 

“In less than two years, children and families in Cabo Delgado have faced a devastating cyclone, flooding, drought, socioeconomic hardship linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and conflict”, said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore, on Monday.  

Weather-related disasters and conflict over the past two years have contributed to food insecurity and hunger across Cabo Delgado, where two out of every five children are chronically malnourished and severe acute malnutrition are being detected amongst the displaced population. 

Making matters worse 

As the rainy season sets in, services must be strengthened for overcrowded temporary accommodation centres and host communities to prevent the outbreak of water-borne diseases, like cholera and the further spread of COVID-19, according to UNICEF. 

Health conditions like diarrhoea, which are easily prevented and treated, can be deadly for displaced children without access to safe water and adequate sanitation. This is especially true for children suffering from malnutrition. 

“As conditions in the province deteriorate further – especially with the start of rainy season – water, sanitation and health care systems are under increasing strain”, explained the UNICEF chief.  

UNICEF’s expanded assistance 

In response, UNICEF is expanding its water and sanitation support as well as visiting communities and centers to screen children’s nutritional status and provide lifesaving treatment, including therapeutic food for severe cases. 

Mobile teams are also providing regular healthcare to women, mothers and children, ensuring that key services, such as antenatal care and standard vaccination cycles, are observed. 

“Humanitarian partners on the ground must shore up these services to protect the lives and wellbeing of the region’s children”, said Ms. Fore. 

Traumatized children 

UNICEF explained that displaced children who have lost contact with their families or been exposed to physical and psychological violence are especially vulnerable. 

Many who have witnessed or experienced extreme brutality – or even lost close family members to vicious killings and abductions – need comprehensive protections, including psychosocial support after suffering such trauma. 

UNICEF and its partners are running child-friendly spaces where displaced children can play in a safe environment while trained facilitators can identify those who need more specialized care.  

More help needed 

There is, however, an urgent need to expand the network of trained case workers to visit surviving children and their families at home to provide psychosocial support and protection and social service referrals. 

For 2021, UNICEF is appealing for $52.8 million to respond to the most urgent humanitarian needs across Mozambique, including $30 million as part of the Humanitarian Response Plan for Cabo Delgado.

Culture in crisis: Arts fighting to survive COVID-19 impact

The film industry, for instance, could lose about 10 million jobs this year, while a third of world’s art galleries could cut their staffing by half, data collected by the agency shows. Similarly, a six-month closure could cost the music industry over $10 billion in lost sponsorships, while the global publishing market could shrink by 7.5 per cent. 

“The sector, which accounts for 30 million jobs, is struggling to survive and needs our help,” UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said on Monday.  

Culture has helped us out of the crisis. Now we have to help culture and support the diversity to which culture owes its strength
 – UNESCO chief Audrey Azoulay

“Culture has helped us out of the crisis. Now we have to help culture and support the diversity to which culture owes its strength,” she added. 

It is not only the sector itself that has been hit hard, people have also lost access to cultural events.  

Since COVID-19 hit, concerts, art events and festivals have been taking place online. However almost one in two people globally cannot access them due to issues such as lack of internet connectivity, according to UNESCO estimates. 

Targeted policies  

In response, UNESCO developed a practical guide to help governments and policy makers address the challenges artists and cultural professionals are facing during the pandemic. Culture in Crisis: A Policy Guide for a Resilient Creative Sector also offers advice on strengthening resilience of the creative industries in the future. 

The agency is also urging specific action to address the gender dimensions of COVID-19 impact on the culture sector, as women – who hold a higher proportion of precarious jobs in sector – are particularly vulnerable to social and economic insecurity. 

The guide presents three key actions for governments: direct support to artists and cultural professionals; indirect support to cultural and creative industries; and strengthening the competitiveness of cultural and creative industries.  

Specific measures outlined in the policy guide include commissioning and purchase of works; providing compensation for loss of income; promoting programmes to develop new skills; providing temporary relief from regulations and tax incentives; promoting national content; stimulating demand; and making available preferential loans. 

The guide also includes best practice examples from numerous countries.  

UN experts raise concern over charges against US indigenous leader and rights defender 

Nicholas Tilsen, human rights defender of the Oglala-Lakȟóta Sioux Nation and president of the indigenous-led NDN Collective, is due in court on 18 December, charged with four felonies and three misdemeanours after he and others blocked a road leading to a fireworks celebration event, led by President Donald Trump, which was held on 4 July at the South Dakota site in the Black Hills region.  

“Obviously we cannot pre-judge the outcome of the case against Nicholas Tilsen, but we are seriously concerned about his arrest and the charges brought against him in connection with the exercise of his rights as an indigenous person, particularly the right to assembly”, the five UN Special Rapporteurs said.  

Respect due process 

The independent experts called on the US “to ensure that Mr. Tilsen’s due process rights are respected during the criminal prosecution and recall the obligation to ensure equal protection of the law without discrimination”. 

They also voiced alarm over “allegations of excessive use of force by law enforcement agents against indigenous defenders, and recent reports of surveillance and intimidation by local police officers following the arrests”. 

The 38-year-old was one of 15 peaceful protesters arrested in connection with the political rally – organized without the consent of the indigenous peoples concerned – to celebrate US Independence Day.  

Rushmore hosts colossal sculptures of former presidents carved into the side of the mountain. 

“I’ve worked hard to make a better way for our people. These trumped-up charges aren’t just against me, they’re against our people…designed to derail our movements. But we stand on the right side of history and we know our ancestors stand with us”, Mr. Tilsen tweeted in August. 

COVID factor 

Mr. Trump’s rally in South Dakota, one of the states worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, was held without the consent of the Great Sioux Nation. 

It attracted some 7,500 people who did not wear masks or practice social distancing, according to a news release from the UN human rights office (OHCHR).  

“It is absolutely essential that the authorities do more to support and protect indigenous communities that have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic”, the experts stressed.  

“We also call on authorities to initiate dialogue with the Great Sioux Nation for the resolution of treaty violations”. 

The experts who raised their concerns were José Francisco Calí Tzay, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples; Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Clément Nyaletsossi Voule, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association; E. Tendayi Achiume, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism; and Karima Bennoune, Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights. 

Special Rapporteurs and independent experts are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a specific human rights theme or a country situation. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. 

‘Generation disrupted’ lays out plan to take on coronavirus through major youth mobilization

It’s come about through an alliance of the world’s largest youth movements and organizations, together with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Foundation.

The “Global Youth Mobilization for Generation Disrupted” is being led by the so-called ‘Big 6’ youth organizations (Young Men’s Christian Association, YMCA; World Young Women’s Christian Association, YWCA; World Organization of the Scout Movement; World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, IFRC; and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award), which collectively includes some 250 million young people, and aims to support young people to come up with ways of mitigating the ravages of COVID-19 worldwide.

The initiative will feature heavily at the upcoming Global Youth Summit in April 2021, powered in part by some $5 million from the WHO and UN Foundation-generated COVID Solidarity Response Fund to support local and national youth organizations, including grants for youth-led solutions and an accelerator programme to scale up existing response efforts.

Back us, for the future

WHO’s leadership, the Big 6 and youth organizations around the world, are calling on governments, businesses and policy makers to back the Global Youth Mobilization effort and commit to investing in the future of young people.

These measures will directly support young people engaged at the grassroots level to tackle some of the most pressing health and societal challenges resulting from the pandemic, said the UN health agency.
“WHO is honoured to join this truly exciting and powerful global movement to mobilize and empower youth worldwide to be the driving force of the recovery to COVID-19,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Joining forces with the Big 6 and the United Nations Foundation provides WHO and the world a unique opportunity to learn from hundreds of millions of young people and be guided by their sustainable solutions to help communities build back better from the pandemic.”

Long-lasting consequences

While the direct health impacts of the pandemic on young people have been generally less severe, they are being disproportionately affected by the longer-lasting consequences of the pandemic.

This includes disruption to education, economic uncertainty, loss or lack of employment opportunities, impacts on physical and mental health, and trauma from domestic violence.

Significant mental anxiety, for example, brought on by COVID-19 has been identified in nearly 90 per cent of young people; more than a billion students in almost every country have been impacted by school closures; and one in six young people worldwide have lost their jobs.

But at the same time, young people are also driving change and implementing solutions in response to COVID-19 by taking action through community-based interventions and voluntary service, such as taking on a first responder role by delivering food and supplies to those in need.

The Global Youth Mobilization will draw attention to the urgent need for solutions to support young people, and to highlight the critical leadership role young people are playing in their communities to counter the effects of the pandemic.

Statement of support

“We are proud to team up with the WHO to provide opportunities and funding to help millions of young people across the globe to respond to local challenges related to COVID-19 in their communities”, said the leadership of the Big 6 in a joint statement.

“The mobilization will provide direct financial and programmatic support to youth organizations at the national and international level. We believe that young people have the solutions to solve their own problems, and by providing a global youth platform, combined with national activation for youth projects, we can unleash the skills, enthusiasm and desire for young people to be a force for good in their communities.”

Avert ‘dire consequences’ for women’s health, UNFPA urges in appeal to prevent maternal deaths

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) announced the next phase of its Supplies Partnership to secure essential contraception and maternal health medicines for millions of women and adolescent girls over the next decade. 

“The global community must act now with commitments to support women and girls”, stressed UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “Failing to do so will have dire consequences: more unintended pregnancies, more unsafe abortions and more women dying from preventable causes”.  

With an estimated investment of $2.5 billion by 2030, the renewed Partnership has the potential to prevent 141 million unintended pregnancies, 328,000 maternal deaths and 42 million unsafe abortions by that time. 

COVID repercussions 

Despite mitigation efforts, the coronavirus pandemic has slowed or even reversed many countries’ decades of progress in family planning, while pandemic-related restrictions, such as lockdowns, together with fears of contracting the virus, have led to fewer women seeking reproductive health services.  

“With countries leading the charge, we must rally to improve women’s health and well-being globally, especially at this time of heightened vulnerabilities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic”, urged the UNFPA head. 

Support imperative 

Countries and partners around the world are making bold commitments to support the next phase of the programme, including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom – together with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Kühne Foundation, according to UNFPA.   

To date, contraceptive and maternal health services supplied by the programme have had the potential to avert 89 million unintended pregnancies, 227,000 maternal deaths, 1.4 million children’s deaths and 26.8 million unsafe abortions. 

And since 2007, the UNFPA Supplies programme has mobilized more than $1.8 billion in support. 

“A more inclusive and prosperous world can only be achieved by addressing the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women and young people, and that’s exactly what we’re working towards in this Partnership”, said Karina Gould, Canadian Minister of International Development, in a press release.

Water, hygiene woes at health facilities putting lives at risk: UN report

In a new report, released on Monday, the two agencies also warned that an alarming number of health care facilities do not have access to hand hygiene or segregate waste safely. 

“Working in a health care facility without water, sanitation and hygiene is akin to sending nurses and doctors to work without personal protective equipment” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.  

“Water supply, sanitation and hygiene in health care facilities are fundamental to stopping COVID-19. But there are still major gaps to overcome, particularly in least developed countries.” 

In least developed countries (LDCs), 1 in 2 health care facilities do not have basic drinking water, 1 in 4 lack hand hygiene facilities at points of care, and 3 in 5 do not have basic sanitation services, according to the report. 

‘Disparities impossible to ignore’ 

UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said that while such vulnerabilities within health systems existed before the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 “made these disparities impossible to ignore”. 

“As we reimagine and shape a post-COVID world, making sure we are sending children and mothers to places of care equipped with adequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services is not merely something we can and should do. It is an absolute must,” she stressed. 

The WASH services are especially important for vulnerable populations, including pregnant mothers, newborns and children, protecting them from a range of life-threatening conditions. 

The report, Fundamentals first: Universal water, sanitation, and hygiene services in health care facilities for safe, quality care, is based on statistics from 165 countries with surveys representing some 760,000 facilities. 

Improving hygiene, a ‘best buy’ 

According to preliminary estimates, it would cost about $1 per capita to enable all 47 LDCs to establish basic water service in health facilities. On average, $0.20 per capita would be needed each year to operate and maintain the services. 

The report found that immediate, incremental investments in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) have big returns: improving hygiene in health care facilities is a “best buy” for tackling antimicrobial resistance. 

“It reduces health care costs because it reduces health-care associated infections (which are costly to treat). It saves time as health workers do not have to search for water for hand hygiene. Better hygiene also increases uptake of services,” said WHO and UNICEF. 

This all adds up to a return of $1.5 for every dollar invested, the agencies added. 

World must invest in strong health systems that protect everyone — now and into the future

“For Universal Health Coverage Day, let us commit to ending this crisis and build a safer and healthier future by investing in health systems that protect us all — now”, declared the UN chief, adding that: “This year’s pandemic has shown us that no one is safe until everyone is safe.”

In his message on the Day, marked annually on 12 December, Mr. Guterres underscored that in 2020, the world had witnessed the tragedy that strikes when health facilities are overwhelmed by a new, highly infectious and often deadly disease.

Overstretched by COVID-19

And further, the coronavirus outbreak had painfully illustrated what can happen when the effort to address an emergency so overstretches healthcare systems that they can no longer provide other essential services such as cancer screening, routine immunization and care for mothers and babies.

“We must do far more if we are to reach our goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030,” the Secretary-General said, referring to an agreement reached by UN Member States in September 2019, just months before the pandemic struck.

Reaching this goal would mean not just spending more on health, he said, but spending better, from protecting health workers and strengthening infrastructure to preventing diseases and providing healthcare close to home, in the community.

“Investments in health systems also improve countries’ preparedness and response to future health emergencies,” the UN chief explained.

Marginalized and vulnerable, worst hit

Health emergencies have disproportionate impacts on marginalized and vulnerable populations, Mr. Guterres continued, underscoring that as new COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments become available, they must reach all those who need them.

“In responding to the pandemic, we have seen rapid innovative approaches to health service delivery and models of care, and advances in preparedness. We must learn from this experience”, he said.

Right to health

During his regular briefing on Friday on the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO Director-GeneralTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that world had just recently marked Human Rights Day, and these two days, “coming so close together at the end of this very difficult year, are a reminder that as we rebuild from this crisis, we must do so on the foundation of human rights – including the right to health.”

This is precisely the moment for investing in health — WHO chief Tedros

Mr. Tedros said: “2020 has reminded us that health is the most precious commodity on earth. In the face of the pandemic, many countries have offered free testing and treatment for COVID-19 and promised free vaccination for their populations. They have recognized that the ability to pay should not be the difference between sickness and health, between life and death.”

For its part, WHO is launching two initiatives to support and rapidly accelerate countries’ journey towards universal coverage.

The first, explained Mr. Tedros, is a global programme to strengthen primary healthcare, better equipping countries to prevent and respond to emergencies of all kinds, from the personal crisis of a heart attack, to an outbreak of a new and deadly virus.

The second is a new “UHC Compendium” designed to help countries develop the packages of services they need to meet their people’s health needs.

Spending patterns

“WHO is also launching a new report that provides the first analysis of how global health spending has changed during 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, noting that among other things, the new report warns that higher debt servicing could make it more difficult to maintain public spending on health.

“But this is precisely the moment for investing in health. The pandemic has demonstrated that health is not a luxury; it is the foundation of social, economic and political stability. Indeed, today’s report highlights that the COVID-19 crisis provides an opportunity for a ‘reset’ in countries with weak health financing systems”, explained the WHO chief.

Non-communicable diseases killing more people than ever before: UN health agency

The 2019 Global Health Estimates, released on Wednesday, “clearly highlight” the need for increased attention on preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as tackling injuries, according to WHO. 

“These new estimates are another reminder that we need to rapidly step up prevention, diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 

“They highlight the urgency of drastically improving primary health care equitably and holistically.” 

Mr. Tedros also underlined the importance of strong primary health care for combatting non-communicable diseases as well as the coronavirus pandemic. People living with pre-existing health conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes and respiratory conditions, are at higher risk of complications and death due to COVID-19.

The study covers the years 2000 to 2019, prior to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The next update to the estimates will include an assessment of the direct and indirect impact of the pandemic on mortality and morbidity. 

Heart disease ‘number 1 killer’ 

According to WHO, heart disease has remained the leading cause of death at the global level for the last 20 years, but it is now killing more people than ever before, representing 16 per cent of total deaths from all causes. 

The number of deaths from heart disease increased over fourfold, from 2 million since 2000, to nearly 9 million in 2019.  

Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are now among the top 10 causes of death worldwide, and deaths from diabetes increased by 70 per cent globally between 2000 and 2019. 

The findings also pointed to a global decline in deaths from communicable diseases, though they remain major challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Deaths from tuberculosis, for instance, reduced by about 30 per cent.  

Disability on the rise 

The Global Health Estimates also found that life-spans have increased over the years, with a global average of more than 73 years (in 2019) compared to nearly 67 (in 2000). But on average, only 5 of those additional years were lived in good health. 

“Disability is on the rise,” WHO said, explaining that to a large extent, the diseases and health conditions causing the most deaths are also responsible for most number of healthy life-years lost.  

“Injuries are another major cause of disability and death,” the UN agency added, noting that there has been a “significant rise” in road traffic injuries since 2000, with the African region worst affected. 

Rise in drug use-related deaths 

In the Americas, drug use emerged as a major factor in both disability and death: there was a nearly threefold increase in deaths from drug use disorders in the Americas between 2000 and 2019. 

The region is also the only one for which drug use disorder is a top 10 contributor to healthy life-years lost due to premature deaths and disability. 

New WHO campaign to help COVID-era quitters kick the habit

Tobacco kills up to half of its users, claiming more than 8 million lives each year. Over 7 million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use while around 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke, according to WHO. 

Smoking is also a known risk factor for many respiratory illnesses, and smokers are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes – making them particularly vulnerable to severe COVID-19.  

“If users need more motivation to kick the habit, the pandemic provides the right incentive”, said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 

‘Quit and win’ initiatives 

WHO’s “Commit to Quit” campaign will advocate for stronger national policies, increasing access to cessation services, raising awareness of tobacco industry tactics, and empowering tobacco users to make successful attempts through “quit and win” initiatives, WHO said. 

For instance, Florence, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven 24/7 digital health worker, will tirelessly provide accurate information, help people make a quitting plan, and recommending help-lines and support apps. 

In one of its first campaign initiatives, the UN health agency rolled out the “WHO Quit Challenge” on the messaging service WhatsApp, and a list of “more than 100 reasons to quit tobacco”. 

The campaign will focus on twenty-two high-burden countries, where the majority of the world’s tobacco users live. 

Millions ‘want to quit’ 

According to WHO, around 780 million people globally say they want to kick tobacco to the curb, but many lack the tools needed to do so. Their efforts are further complicated by the social and economic stresses that have come as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Millions of people worldwide want to quit tobacco – we must seize this opportunity and invest in services to help them be successful, while we urge everyone to divest from the tobacco industry and their interests”, said Ruediger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion.  

The agency also called on governments to ensure their populations have access to advice, toll-free quit lines, mobile and digital cessation services, nicotine replacement therapies, and other tools that are proven to help people stop using tobacco.