YouSaid · the spoken record

Grosjean

lines on the record
10
first
2021-07-16
most recent
2021-07-16
sittings or episodes
1
sources
un-security-council

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  1. “It is up to the Council to take decisive measures to protect the humanitarian space and uphold the basic principles of our collective humanity.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  2. “They must be addressed here in the Council, as well as at the highest level by each Member State. Combating impunity for crimes perpetrated against medical and humanitarian workers must be a genuine priority for the Security Council. The Council must systematically demand and support national and international inquiries to ensure that such crimes do not go unpunished. Lastly, we welcome the Secretary-General’s announcement of the appointment of a Special Adviser for the Protection and Strengthening of the Humanitarian Space. We are ready to work with that individual to reverse the disastrous trends I just mentioned. The Security Council has demonstrated that, when there is collective will, progress is possible. Millions of people throughout the world are in need of an unprecedented level of humanitarian protection and assistance.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  3. “We call on the members of the Council to reaffirm their unequivocal support to provide assistance based on humanitarian principles, while ensuring that their decisions do not block the humanitarian space. We again call on the Council to adopt a systematic humanitarian exemption, thereby excluding impartial humanitarian work from the scope of sanctions and counter-terrorism measures. Such exemptions are crucial as they enable us to continue to safely provide essential services and engage in dialogue with all parties to a conflict without the fear of being prosecuted, in line with humanitarian principles. We urge the Council to collectively and systematically condemn crimes against civilians and medical and humanitarian workers. Violations of international humanitarian law cannot be ignored.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  4. “The tragic spate of attacks on humanitarian staff appears to be never-ending — Médecins sans Frontières in Tigray, People in Need in Afghanistan and ACTED in the Niger. Some 191 humanitarian workers have been killed, injured or kidnapped since the beginning of this year. The majority of them are national humanitarian workers, who are more exposed to risks as they work on the front lines. Often, local non-governmental organizations are present in areas that are extremely hard to reach. It is vital that they receive the same international support provided to others so that they can overcome the risks they encounter. Our appeal is clear — the Security Council must take action and put an end to this deadly spiral.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  5. “Everywhere, widespread impunity related to the blatant violation of international humanitarian law is resulting in further attacks against civilian populations, humanitarian workers and their property. Unfortunately, too many incidents allow me to illustrate this last point. Next month will mark 15 years since the Muthur massacre in Sri Lanka. That day, although not identified as such, 17 humanitarian workers from Action Against Hunger were lined up, forced to kneel and executed, one by one, in our offices. Even today, the Sri Lankan authorities continue to oppose any judicial investigation. Two years ago, in Nigeria, five of our counterparts were killed and one of our colleagues, Grace Taku, was kidnapped. Grace continues to be held captive. We again call for her immediate release.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  6. “In the same areas, a number of States criminalize assisting our workers, prevent dialogue with parties to the conflict and gradually erode our neutrality and that space. With regard to donors, their interpretation of sanctions regimes and counter-terrorism measures are also threatening our operations. One of the most striking examples involves the obligatory screening of those who benefit from our work, which is an absolute red line for humanitarian organizations, as it compromises in every situation our ability to provide impartial aid based solely on need. Such measures undermine our standing and the people’s trust in us and put our staff at risk.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  7. “They are disregarded by States and parties in conflict, as they are convinced that the Security Council will not follow up on their implementation. That inconsistency endangers human lives and the work of the humanitarian workers and undermines the credibility of the Council. The Security Council continues to adopt resolutions while failing to take into account the potentially harmful and extremely serious consequences that they may have for humanitarian activities and humanitarian and medical workers. I would mention in particular certain counter-terrorism measures and sanctions regimes. Such a lack of consistency encourages States and parties in conflict to ignore their obligations concerning humanitarian space. In conflict areas, State and non-State armed actors prevent access and instrumentalize assistance.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  8. “It was only when the number of 10 million people infected by COVID-19 had been reached that the Council finally agreed to call for a global ceasefire in order to facilitate humanitarian work. Furthermore, certain conflicts have been on the Council’s agenda for years. However, sparse concrete action has been taken, effectively imperilling humanitarian space. The words “we are concerned” are not enough. We require firm, rapid and unambiguous condemnations followed by ambitious measures when respect for humanitarian space is flouted. We nevertheless welcome the historic progress represented by the adoption of resolutions 1325 (2000), 1502 (2003), 2175 (2014) 2286 (2016), 2417 (2018) and, most recently, 2573 (2021). At the same time, those resolutions seem to remain without effect.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  9. “We, as humanitarian organizations that abide by the principles of impartiality, neutrality, independence and humanity, are facing an unprecedented decrease in humanitarian space, in which we provide protection and critical aid. Let us be clear. The causes of that shrinkage are well known — widespread disdain for international humanitarian law by all, in particular warring parties, and the blatant instrumentalization of aid, which is increasingly threatening our work. The Security Council has so far been unable to prevent or reverse the narrowing of humanitarian space. The failure to act and deadlocks within this organ are putting in jeopardy the lives of vulnerable people and the humanitarian workers helping them.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source

  10. “Action Against Hunger and its 17 signatory organizations thank you, Sir, for organizing the discussion today on an issue that is more critical than ever. We hope that it will enable the Security Council to take concrete action in ramping up the protection of humanitarian space, as well as to react meaningfully when the latter is threatened. Current humanitarian needs are unprecedented. The confluence of the effects of conflicts, environmental and climate crises, social inequalities the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic are affecting those most in need disproportionately and are leading to a veritable hunger pandemic. In the face of that, humanitarian work is more vital than ever, which involves working to save people’s lives and guaranteeing their protection and dignity, which is their fundamental right.”

    2021-07-16 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8822 (2021) · source