UN Says One Civilian Was Killed Every 14 Minutes in Armed Conflicts Last Year
UNITED NATIONS — One civilian was killed every 14 minutes in armed conflicts around the world last year, a senior United Nations humanitarian official told the Security Council.
Edem Wosornu, director of operations and advocacy at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, presented the figure Wednesday during an open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict.
“We know the real toll is far higher, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Sudan, in Ukraine, in the occupied Palestinian territory, and beyond,” Wosornu said.
In a related statement released Wednesday, leaders of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee warned of growing and blatant violations of international humanitarian and human rights law in conflicts worldwide.
“Across conflicts, civilians, including children, are killed, injured, and displaced at an alarming scale,” they said. “Sexual violence is used as a tactic of war, overwhelmingly affecting women and girls and devastating lives. Homes, schools, places of worship, hospitals, including maternal wards, are destroyed or damaged, as are civilian infrastructure and assets, such as water systems, transport networks, markets, and food production.”
The officials said conflict-driven hunger and famine are spreading, often linked to siege tactics and the deliberate starvation of civilians. They also pointed to the mounting danger facing aid workers, saying more than 1,000 humanitarian personnel have been killed over the past three years.
“Wars have rules that apply to all parties to conflict,” the statement said. “The problem is not a lack of law. The problem is the failure to uphold them consistently, the erosion of accountability and inaction, even in the face of atrocities.” (Source: IANS)
