YouSaid · the spoken record

Mustapha

lines on the record: 31
first: 2000-01-10
most recent: 2019-04-24
sittings or episodes: 3
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“My hope is that from this day forward, this will be a regular occurrence in the Council, so that it can hear from us first-hand and never forget what we have talked about today. Let there be nothing about us without us.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“Ms. Mustapha: I am happy to hear so many Council members today say that people with disabilities will no longer be invisible. I and so many others will be watching to make sure that those words are turned into action. Idlib is a perfect example of where that action should take place in order to protect all civilians. In terms of concrete action, the Council can make sure that people with disabilities are included in all of its work, resolutions, programmes and funding. I would like to ask the Council to please make sure that our specific needs are met, especially those ofwomen and girls with disabilities. Today, for the first time, the Council has given a woman with a disability a voice.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“I am very grateful for the chance to brief the Council today. My hope is that people with disabilities, especially women and girls, can one day live in a world that protects, respects and values us.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“That means ensuring the meaningful participation and representation of people with disabilities, including women and organizations of people with disabilities, in all parts of the Security Council's work. I might be the first person with a disability to address the Council, but I hope I will not be the last. This should not be just another meeting where we make grand statements and then move on to the next item on the agenda. Council members can and should do more to ensure that people with disabilities are included in all aspects of their work. We cannot wait any longer. I understand that there are many competing priorities in this conflict and in the response to it, but the Council needs to address the needs of people with disabilities, particularly women. That is not a favour. That is not charity. That is our right.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“The international community needs to count us, because we count too. United Nations agencies and humanitarian non-governmental organizations need to systematically collect data categorized by disability, age and gender and to monitor and report on people with disabilities so that Council members can understand the full impact the conflict has on us. Otherwise, we will continue to remain invisible. The Security Council'sjob is to protect all civilians, including people with disabilities. "No one left behind" should not just be words that members say. Thirdly, people with disabilities are a resource, not a burden. We know best what risks we face and what we need, so ask for our input, involve us in aid planning and reach out to us to report on the challenges we face - nothing about us, without us.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“The humanitarian response in Syria and neighbouring countries largely overlooks the needs of people with disabilities. Independent organizations like Human Rights Watch have documented that people with disabilities cannot even access basic services such as sanitation, health care and education - something I myself experienced when I fled. On my way to Germany, I did not find many accessible bathrooms along the way - and that is especially hard for a woman. There is very little data on how many people with disabilities live in Syria or have fled to neighbouring countries and what our needs are. And without that data, the programmes and policies just do not meet our needs. We are invisible. People with disabilities are forgotten in times of peace. What do Council members think we expect in times of war? But that does not make it right.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“The Council cannot allow Idlib to be another Aleppo, with hundreds of thousands forced to flee. Half of the people living in Idlib have already been displaced by war, like my family, except that this time they do not have anywhere to go. All humanitarian programmes - many of which are funded by Governments represented around this table - should include specific programmes to reach people with disabilities to ensure that they can get things like health services, assistive devices and psychological support, which are essential for people with disabilities to feel like they are a part of their communities and recover some sense of normalcy. Secondly, the well-being of people with disabilities, like the well-being of women and girls, seems to be an afterthought.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“First, the crisis in Syria has a disproportionately high impact on people with disabilities. The use of landmines and cluster bombs has had devastating human consequences. Thousands of Syrians have lost their limbs to those dreadful weapons, which have rightly been banned by most Governments because of the immense harm they do to civilians. The conflict has had a significant psychological impact, too. Even in my case, I still jump when I hear a loud noise, a reminder of those hours hiding out in the bathroom. In the current situation in Idlib, there are more than 175,000 people with disabilities, many of whom now have disabilities because of the conflict. Residents fear military action because it could result in large numbers of civilian casualties since Idlib is densely populated.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“That is why it is so important and heartening that members of the Security Council are taking the time to listen to the perspective ofa young woman with a disability from Syria. But this is not just my story 4 it is the experience of thousands of Syrians with disabilities, who struggle to survive because of the limited services still functioning in the country, the lack of accessibility and the constant threat of violence, especially against women and girls. And if one becomes disabled as a result of the conflict - according to UNICEF, there are 1.5 million such persons still living in Syria - one faces stigma and exclusion within one's community and one suddenly finds oneself having to deal with having a disability. I would like to leave Security Council members with three insights.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“Many people with disabilities have developed different tricks for coping with daily life. For example, I had my independence at my home in Aleppo. I could easily reach my bed or the toilet, gracefully managing the two steps up, without anyone's assistance. A blind person may know how to manage in her own environment, but can Council members imagine what it must be like to navigate rubble and debris strewn across her path to safety? Someone who is deaf may not realize that there are gunshots or warnings to evacuate and may end up in danger. If one has an intellectual or a psychological disability, leaving what is familiar behind can be very confusing and a source of great anxiety. However one looks at it, one is at greater risk just because one has a disability.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“In Syria, I did not have a wheelchair, so I had to be carried out of the country by my siblings, but many people with disabilities cannot depend on their families to help them reach safety, often because their family members have been killed or have already left. Being a woman and having a disability makes it doubly difficult. For example, a man can ask for help from a male friend, but in a society like Syria's a woman cannot do that. She cannot just ask a male friend to carry her. While living in a country at war is daunting for anyone, it is particularly challenging for someone with a disability. The support system on which people with disabilities rely breaks down in conflict situations, leaving them with a higher risk of exposure to violence and making it more difficult for them to get assistance, especially if they are women.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“We lived in a tall building with no lift. If we needed to evacuate, I would need to be carried down five flights of stairs. For weeks, I heard military helicopters buzzing over our neighbourhood, ready to drop bombs at any moment. My mother would carry me to the bathroom and stay with me there until the bombs passed. Every day, we would hear of relatives and friends who had been killed. Every day, buildings in our neighbourhood were bombed and people left trapped beneath the ruins. Every day, I feared that I could be the reason my family was one or two seconds too late. My brother even called us the "walking dead". It took the bombing of a funeral in June 2015, where some of my relatives died, to convince our family that we needed to flee our home and leave our home and everything we knew behind.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“Ms. Mustapha: My name is Nujeen Mustapha. I am a 20-year-old Kurdish girl from Aleppo, Syria. I have cerebral palsy and use a wheelchair to move around. It is a privilege today to share with the Security Council my insights on the humanitarian situation for people with disabilities in Syria. I will start by posing a question. What does it mean to be a person with a disability in Syria? For me, it meant not being able to go to school, hang out with friends or go to the cinema. It was almost like house arrest. Having a disability in Syria means that you are hidden away, confronted by discrimination, and that you are pitied. I was fortunate, however. My family was very supportive and I did not have any fears until the war broke out. I quickly realized that I was the main obstacle standing in the way of my safety for my family.”
2019-04-24 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8515 (2019) · source
“But this process can only succeed if it is based on international legitimacy and United Nations resolutions, and not on a faulty basis. This is the only way to bring about the success of the peace process, which, while being in the interest of all, is also in the interest of both Palestinians and Israelis and in the interest of peace and security in the Middle East.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“More than ever before, this situation requires a sincere and serious approach by the international community, and especially the Security Council, for the dangers to the future of the region are incalculable. It is time to reverse the situation. The priority of the international community is to protect the Palestinians and to put an end to the acts of violence, aggression and violations of international law. Israel's responsibility is clear. What it must do is clear. The international community, including this Council, have recalled this on many occasions. It can start by ending the violence and facilitating the work of the fact- finding committee. My country is among those that have always participated sincerely in the peace process.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“The situation confronting Palestine is a grave one, and it poses inherent threats to the peace efforts in the region and to the peace and security of the region in general. This situation must not continue. It must not be accepted as a fait accompli and as part of the daily lives of the people of the region, where there have been so many victims. The rights of the Palestinian people must be protected. They must be able to create their State, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital. Based on these views, we believe it is up to the Security Council and all parties concerned to act rapidly so that the fact- finding committee can do its work to determine responsibility for the violence.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“We call on Israel to take measures to return normalcy to the region and to create a climate conducive to the gradual establishment of confidence, a requirement for the continuation of peace negotiations. In the same vein, like the majority of members of the Council, we believe the time has come for the Council to act in this critical situation by taking the necessary measures to create a protection force for Palestinian civilians - something that has been called for by Palestinians themselves, as well as by many in the international community. We hope the Secretary- General will continue his mission so that the Council may continue to give life to this legitimate project to protect civilian Palestinians under occupation.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“We must base our discussions on reality, not on delusions and distortion of facts. The representative of Israel spoke of Israeli forces being attacked. Well, where are those forces? Are they inside Israel? Our countries know the meaning of occupation. Is resistance to occupation an act of aggression? When violence comes from official authorities, it can only engender more violence. Peace can only be established in an atmosphere conducive to peace. There is no other option open to the parties but the choice of peace and a return to the negotiating table. That is why we repeat once again today our sincere appeal to Israel to end its acts of repression. Many people have experienced such occupation. We know the consequences of such a policy.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“We call on Israel to quickly assume its responsibilities under Security Council resolutions- the most recent of which is resolution 1322 (2000) - and the Fourth Geneva Convention and other international instruments. We further call on Israel to renounce the policy of force, which will solve nothing, and to act in a way consistent with international law and agreements. We heard Ambassador Holbrooke describe the background of this conflict and the Council's reaction to it over the course of 50 years. It has been said that we are moving back to the time when the Council created two separate entities. But we must ask: what of the future form of the Palestinian State we are discussing today? Is this a question of an autonomous entity? Where is that Palestinian State we created?”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“My country, which is actively and sincerely taking part in the peace process, profoundly regrets this grave and sad evolution of the situation. We express our profound concern at the intensification and escalation of violence carried out by Israeli forces that has daily produced a growing number of victims and brought harm to the Palestinian population. Tunisia vehemently condemns these repeated acts of aggression, which violate the most fundamental rights of human beings, namely, the rights to life and dignity. In addition, those actions also pose a threat to the peace process. Tunisia appeals to the two co-sponsors of the peace process and to the international community as a whole to assume their responsibilities in the face of this dangerous situation that threatens international peace and security.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“Unfortunately, the situation continues to worsen further, due to Israel's decision to resort to the policy of excessive force and vengeance-without taking into account the grave consequences of its actions - in order to impose its will and to create a fait accompli - in other words, more occupation. Even though there is evidence of relative calm after Chairman Arafat's efforts, the forces of the Israeli occupation have once again resorted to the excessive use of force against Palestinian civilians and the posts and symbols attesting to the existence of the Palestinian Authority. The most recent reaction of the occupying forces was to bomb Gaza intensively using all sorts of weaponry, including air, land and sea forces.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“The holding of that many formal meetings in such a brief period, in addition to the many consultations that have been taking place on this question and the resumed emergency special session of the General Assembly, illustrate the gravity and deterioration of the situation in the occupied Arab territories, including Jerusalem - a deterioration that has been taking place since last September and that was eloquently described by the Secretary-General after his visit to the region. In order to confront that explosive situation, the Security Council adopted resolution 1322 (2000) and appealed to Israel, as the occupying Power, to avoid any escalation.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“Mr. Ben Mustapha (Tunisia) (spoke in Arabic): We would like to express our deepest gratitude to you, Mr. President, for having responded so promptly to the request to convene this urgent public meeting to discuss the grave and deteriorating situation in the occupied Palestinian territories. The Security Council is meeting formally for the third time in a month and a half to consider the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories.”
2000-11-22 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4231 (2000) · source
“We are willing to coordinate our efforts with those of the international community and African countries to combat this disease, which we have been fortunate enough to limit to a minimum in our country, despite the estimated 5.5 million tourists who visited our country last year.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We also support the proposal made by the Secretary-General in his statement of 6 December 1999, which established priorities for action. In order to implement these priorities, however, structures and mechanisms must be created, such as the international fund proposed by the representative of France this morning. It is also necessary to have a clear vision of the future that will allow us to create a better tomorrow for Africans. In conclusion, we welcome the United States intention, announced by Vice-President Gore this morning, to allocate extra funds to combat HIV/AIDS worldwide, as well as the measures and projects of the World Bank aimed at supporting and assisting the Governments concerned. We hope that these will encourage all parties.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“At the 1998 Ouagadougou summit, the OAU established a fund to combat HIV/AIDS and its Council of Ministers, at a meeting held in Algeria last year, adopted a project for cooperation between the OAU and programmes of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) to ease the suffering of those afflicted. The United Nations role in coordinating and establishing intervention priorities remains important and desirable if we are to achieve the anticipated goals. The initiative of the International Partnership against AIDS in Africa, mentioned by the Vice-President of the United States, reflects the will and determination of the international community to define an integrated strategy and to deepen awareness of the enormity of human losses.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The Tunis summit of 1994 adopted a resolution recommending that the Secretary-General of the OAU create a special mechanism to follow up and ensure the implementation of the Dakar declaration. At Tunis, the OAU studied this question closely and the President of the Republic of Tunisia sent a message to the international community that focused on three factors: the need to ensure international cooperation; the need to strengthen international commitment and African efforts; and the need to support scientific research and to make it available to all countries.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“We would urge the international community to support the commitment of African States to combat this epidemic. As an African country, Tunisia cannot but welcome the courageous initiatives taken by brotherly African countries that have adopted effective measures for prevention and awareness and borne the economic and social burdens of HIV/AIDS. We welcome the positive achievements of some of these countries, which deserve support and encouragement at the national level. At the continental level, we must recall that this question was accorded early interest by African leaders. The 1992 Dakar summit of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) adopted a declaration on HIV/AIDS, through which all the leaders of Africa committed themselves to mobilizing all the resources necessary to combat and prioritize this disease.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“I shall not repeat the frightening statistics cited by speakers this morning, although they clearly show that HIV/AIDS is a major threat and that we must all act to halt this crisis, which has touched countless people, especially in Africa, and has jeopardized their basic right to life. We feel that the enormous amounts of money and efforts aimed at achieving peace, security and development can be fully realized only if all the parties involved act with resolve and allocate sufficient resources to control this scourge. Thus, we reiterate the need for the social commitment of all governmental and non- governmental institutions and of civil society in order to lift the veil of silence surrounding this disease and to prevent discrimination in treating its victims.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“The very fact that the Security Council is addressing the issue of HIV/AIDS is in itself a positive step that will help increase international public awareness of the dangers of this epidemic and of the need to adopt a global strategy, mentioned repeatedly this morning, to combat HIV/AIDS in the context of coordination and complementarity and through the agency of competent structures and organizations. We know that poverty, hunger, debt and natural disasters, along with HIV/AIDS, undermine African communities and destabilize African societies. This is likely to lead to the expansion of conflicts and crises. Tunisia hopes that all these problems will be taken up by the international community with the same degree of interest.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source
“Mr. Mustapha (Tunisia) (spoke in Arabic): Although you, Sir, have asked us to refrain from conveying expressions of admiration and gratitude, as well as statistical analyses, I cannot help but express, albeit briefly, our admiration and gratitude to your friendly country for this important initiative, which reflects the international community's interest in the situation in Africa and highlights the disastrous impact of HIV/AIDS on peace and security in Africa. We must also thank the Secretary-General and those who spoke this morning.”
2000-01-10 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.4087Resumption1 (2000) · source