Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Mr. Bhanu Neupane, Process Coordinator for the UNESCO World Water Development Report, on the launch of the World Water Development Report.

“The message of the report is very clear. As with climbing Mount Everest, the route to gender equality in water may be visible, but the real challenge is sustaining the exit to the summit,” Bhanu Neupane, UNESCO Representative, said as he briefed journalists on the launch of the UN World Water Development Report for 2026.

Neupane said 1.8 billion people live in households without water on the premises. In those households, women and girls are responsible for collecting water in about 70 percent of cases, spending around 250 million hours every single day on the task.

“These burdens begin very early,” he said. “Girls under the age of 15 are almost twice as likely as boys to face fetch water, and girls five to nine years old already spend significantly more time than boys on unpaid household work. This illustrates how gaps in water access translates directly into inequalities in time, opportunity and well-being.”

The consequences extend beyond the household, Neupane said. “Time spent collecting water reduces opportunities for education, employment and participation in public life.” Water insecurity also carried health and safety implications, he added, “including physical strain, water collection injuries, and increased exposure to harassment or violence or even sextortion when accessing distant water or sanitation services.”

Women make up only 17.7 percent of employees in water utilities globally, and only 27 percent of countries report high levels of women’s participation in water decision-making. Yet when women do participate in water governance, “water services become more equitable, more effective and more sustainable,” he said.

The report found disparities across all regions. In Asia and the Pacific, climate variability is intensifying floods and droughts, impacts that “frequently disproportionately affect women,” Neupane said. In Latin America and the Caribbean, social norms and institutional barriers persist. In the Arab region, expanded education and STEM training are helping, though stronger policy frameworks are still needed. Even in Europe, “socioeconomic and demographic factors can still reinforce inequalities in water governance and leadership roles,” he said.

This year’s report marks the first time a UN World Water Development Report has been issued in the Mayan language, in an effort to reach more communities across the globe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EKg72W938M

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
– Secretary-General/Travel
– Deputy Secretary-General/Travel
– Nicholas Haysom
– Sudan
– Sudan/Humanitarian
– UN Interim Force in Lebanon
– Lebanon/Humanitarian
– Occupied Palestinian Territory
– Ukraine
– Colombia
– International Days
– Briefings

SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVEL

The Secretary-General this morning met and had a working lunch with the members of the European Council in Brussels.

He also spoke to the press in Brussels and told them that he had the following message for the United States and to Israel: it’s high time to end this war that is risking getting completely out of control.

And the Secretary-General said to Iran: stop attacking your neighbours, they were never parties to the conflict.  He added that the prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz causes enormous pain in so many people around the world that have nothing to do with this conflict.

Mr. Guterres said that it’s time for the force of the law to prevail over the law of force and for diplomacy to prevail over war.

Yesterday in Brussels, the Secretary-General met with Nikos Christodoulides, President of the Republic of Cyprus and Leader of the Greek Cypriot community. They discussed the way forward on the Cyprus issue. They also discussed the situation in the Middle East.

DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL/TRAVEL

The Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, is in Oxford, UK, today to deliver a public lecture at the University of Oxford on the topic, “Foundations and Futures: Reimagining the Architecture of Global Cooperation.”

While in the UK, the Deputy Secretary-General will have interactions with faculty members and students and meet with dignitaries.

She will return to New York over the weekend.

NICHOLAS HAYSOM

The Secretary-General was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nicholas Haysom, who died on Tuesday in New York. The Secretary-General described him as a principled lawyer, tireless peacemaker and steadfast champion of the values of the United Nations. In every task, he combined deep legal insight with sound political judgment and an unwavering dedication to improving the lives of people.

The Secretary-General offers his deepest condolences to his family and loved ones and to all our colleagues who had the privilege to be inspired by him in the pursuit of peace.

SUDAN

The UN is alarmed by reports that a drone strike yesterday killed at least 17 civilians and injured many more on the Chadian side of the town of Tine, which borders Sudan and Chad. This attack highlights the devastating human cost of the Sudanese conflict and how rapidly the frontlines are shifting, with border communities increasingly exposed to violence.

Attacks of this nature also emphasize the risk of broader regional destabilization, with neighbouring countries at growing risk of being drawn into the fighting.  The intensifying use of increasingly powerful drones by both warring parties is expanding the battlefield and accelerating civilian harm across the country.  

The UN calls on the warring parties to immediately de-escalate the fighting, comply with international humanitarian law and return to the negotiating table to pursue a sustainable resolution to this conflict. 

SUDAN/HUMANITARIAN

Despite the many challenges, the UN and its partners continue to respond to needs across Sudan. Last week, Save the Children delivered 30 metric tonnes of medicine and nutrition supplies to Tawila in North Darfur. These supplies are expected to support more than 80,000 children and 57,000 adults, and will enable 20 health facilities and mobile clinics to continue serving displaced communities for six months.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported this week that the overall number of displaced people in Sudan has fallen, with close to 9 million people now estimated to remain displaced within Sudan’s borders, and returns to Khartoum and the eastern states continuing. People who return face huge challenges as they begin to rebuild their lives and livelihoods, often in areas that have suffered severe damage during earlier phases of the war and where huge gaps in basic services remain. Large numbers of Sudanese refugees remain in neighbouring countries in need of support.

Full Highlights: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-03-19

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qast9Bbm2LU