Around the World: Daily Updates from UN Country Teams- May 2024
Our UN teams are on the ground in 162 countries and territories, coordinating joint programmes and tackling a range of multi-faceted priorities and key initiatives on a daily basis — from climate action and food security to gender equality and safety of civilians. UN Resident Coordinators and their teams utilize innovative approaches to problem-solving to better serve communities. Below are some highlights of their work this month.
Wednesday, 15 May
Burundi: Supporting those affected by recent floods and landslides
In Burundi, the UN team led by Resident Coordinator Violet Kakyomya, in collaboration with government and partners, is providing support to the population affected by recent floods and landslides in East Africa. These natural disasters have left over 300,000 people in need of humanitarian aid, with 36,000 displaced in the country. The UN team is assisting with health services including mobile clinics (World Health Organization, WHO), access to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Gender Based Violence services -including for a numerous population of women of childbearing age- (UN Population Fund, UNFPA) and assessing the immediate needs of People Living with HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Additionally, educational materials and supplies are being distributed to restore damaged schools, while child protection services are being provided, along with Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) kits (UNICEF), emergency shelters (International Organization for Migration, IOM) and food assistance through cash-based transfers (World Food Programme, WFP) to support immediate needs.
Brazil: Supporting national and local government response to the floods, especially considering at-risk groups
In Brazil, our team led by the Resident Coordinator Silvia Rucks, has deployed expertise in humanitarian settings to support the national and local government response to the floods, especially considering the needs of At-risk groups on the ground as heavy rains still batter the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul with colder temperatures. The UN team is also providing hygiene kits, mattresses, blankets, cooking supplies, water purifiers, emergency housing units, food and water to the affected population. While the emergency response is underway, the UN team also stands ready to work with national authorities on rebuilding planning.
Monday, 13 May
Ukraine: UN team and partners host forum on country's recovery from ravages of war
Today in Kyiv, the UN team, alongside the Governments of Germany and Ukraine, hosted a forum focused on Ukraine's recovery from the ravages of war. The event, a precursor to the forthcoming Ukrainian Recovery Conference in Berlin next month, saw nearly 500 participants, including government officials, local authorities, civil society, community leaders, and national and international development partners. A key focus of the discussions was ensuring that recovery efforts are inclusive and address the needs of marginalized groups, including women, people with disabilities, the Roma, and the LGBTQI+ community. The UN team notes that Russia's ongoing invasion has caused immense human suffering and widespread devastation, leading to dire humanitarian needs. Last year alone, the UN helped rebuild nearly 1,000 schools, provided primary health care to more than 5 million women and children, installed new heating, water, and energy infrastructure for 6 million people, and supported more than 2,100 small and medium businesses.
Thursday, 9 May
Brazil: UN team supporting national counterparts in responding to floods in the south of the country
Our UN team in Brazil, led by Resident Coordinator Silvia Rucks, tells us that floods in the South of the country continue to claim lives, with the death toll surpassing 100 people, leaving .4 million affected. As the winter season approaches the southern hemisphere, temperatures are expected to soon drop, with more heavy rains on the way. Our Resident Coordinator is leading the UN team's offer and response to national counterparts. This includes shipping emergency supplies and monitoring the spread of diseases, with UNAIDS and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO); supporting shelter and related needs, with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM); and distributing emergency kits and monitoring of children and adolescents sheltered, some of them also separated from their families (UNICEF).
Tuesday, 7 May
Caribbean: Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis, WHO announces
Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. This achievement, recognized in Kingston, Jamaica, today is part of a certification initiative involving the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), UNICEF, UNAIDS, and the ministries of health from these countries. This accomplishment represents significant progress in strengthening maternal and child health programs and boosts the region’s advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals and ending AIDS as a public health threat. These countries today join 20 others that have been certified for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and/or syphilis, with the Caribbean leading the world with 11 certified countries. Key officials at the certification event included PAHO/WHO Director Jarbas Barbosa, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director Christine Stegling, and UN Resident Coordinator Dennis Zulu. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the countries for their focus on integrating primary disease prevention and treatment into maternal and child health services and their commitment to human rights and robust national laboratory systems.
Interested in more? Check out previous daily updates from UN teams 'around the world':
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