Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
UN humanitarian chief warns protection-of-civilians framework is "crumbling" and urges action
Summary
Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher told the UN Security Council that civilian harm in armed conflict has risen sharply, citing UN tallies of more than 36,000 civilian deaths, more than 22 million people displaced, attacks on aid workers and journalists, and new threats from artificial intelligence in warfare.
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher told the United Nations Security Council on Oct. 26 that the international system built to protect civilians in armed conflict is deteriorating and urged members to take concrete steps to reverse that trend.
Fletcher said: "the scaffolding built last century to protect us from inhumanity is crumbling." He told the council that last year the United Nations recorded more than 36,000 civilian deaths across 14 armed conflicts and that the true toll is likely higher. He said the number of people forcibly displaced reached ‘‘over 22,000,000,’’ with most displaced within their countries.
The briefing outlined multiple ways civilians are being harmed. Fletcher said repeated attacks on infrastructure have…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
