Twelve years on from independence the people of South Sudan continue to face huge challenges, exacerbated now by the war in neighbouring Sudan, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
Twelve years on from independence the people of South Sudan continue to face huge challenges, exacerbated now by the war in neighbouring Sudan, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.
The UN health agency and partners are helping treat many of those injured during Saturday’s deadly airstrikes by Israeli forces on Gaza’s Al Mawasi area which have reportedly left at least 90 dead and around 300 injured, according to figures from the war-torn enclave’s health ministry.
UN-led talks between Sudan's warring parties were set to continue in Geneva on Friday to advance discussions on humanitarian aid and civilian protection, with “possible local ceasefires” being a means to that end.
At least 25 million people have been caught up in the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where a neglected health emergency continues to unfold at an alarming rate, the UN health agency said on Friday.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres, standing alongside top officials in New York on Friday, underscored the essential need to bolster the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (UNRWA) across the Middle East amid continued attacks on its mandate, staff, premises and operations.
Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger’s decision to pull out of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) “even as terrorism and transnational organized crime remain a pervasive threat”, will be damaging to regional relations all round, said the UN’s top official in the region on Friday.
UN-led talks between Sudan's warring parties were set to continue in Geneva on Friday focusing on brokering “possible local ceasefires” to help deliver aid and protect civilians across the country.
Remarks of SRSG Carlos Ruiz Massieu Peacebuilding Commission Ambassadorial-Level Meeting on Colombia 11 July 2024
As delivered
Mr. Chairman,...
UN humanitarians “remain gravely concerned” over the daily fighting that continues to rage in and around the Sudanese city of El Fasher, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Thursday.
The UN General Assembly on Thursday demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all military forces from Ukrainian territory.
Although substantial progress has been made in implementing important aspects of the Peace Agreement in Colombia, challenges still remain, the head of the UN Mission in the country said in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday.
When applied to conflict mediation and peacebuilding settings, Virtual Reality (VR) can help conflict parties step into their opponents’ shoes and enhance reciprocal understanding of local communities. In this story, we look at the impact and potential of VR communication in mediation and peacebuilding.
Virtual Reality (VR) is an immersive medium that gives the user the sense of being in a different place or time thanks to computer-generated graphics or 360-degree real-world video footage. In the United Nations, it is being used by those involved in conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts to share perspectives and nurture mutual understanding.
Recognizing the possible value of VR in pursuing peace and security, the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) has integrated the technology into parts of its work. Since 2019, DPPA has produced a series of VR films in collaboration with its special political missions (SPMs). The aim is to get a better understanding of the life of communities affected by conflict and promote engagement among stakeholders.
The 2019 VR series titled Pathways Colombia, for example, showcases, in a personal and empathetic way, the post-conflict reintegration of former combatants as well as justice efforts, with the aim of fostering support for peace processes.
Virtual reality can also be used to simulate possible scenarios for mediators and support decision-making, allowing policy makers to experience situations on the ground with unparalleled immediacy, short of traveling.
“Pathways Colombia was developed with an international audience in mind, to give diplomats in New York and around the world an idea of what it is like to be on the ground in Colombia,” explained Constanza Rubio Garcia, strategic communication officer of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.
“The response was very positive, as many ambassadors involved in discussing peace and security matters in Colombia had never been to the country,” she added.
Member states support this approach.
“At the German Mission, we made the experience that VR technologies present opportunities to immerse ourselves and our partners in local realities,” Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN in New York Thomas Zahneisen told Politically Speaking. “This makes them a cost-effective way to help with timely and impactful decision-making.”
One benefit that VR communication tools can introduce in peace processes is shifting mindsets by showing different perspectives to conflict parties, stakeholders and local communities.
“VR has significant potential in supporting perspective taking,” Julie Gregory, a research scientist at the Stimson Center, told Politically Speaking. “Conflict parties in entrenched positions don’t always understand the reality on the ground or the humanitarian consequences of their actions,” she added.
The films produced by DPPA and field missions, for instance, offered insights into Iraq’s post-ISIS transition, allowed stakeholders to virtually engage with Sudanese government officials and activists, explored various aspects of the Colombian peace process, and showcased life in Lebanon.
“While we are aware that new technologies such as virtual reality cannot replace interaction between people, we are convinced that they can be powerful tools to advance storytelling, show other realities, generate empathy, combat stigmatization and hopefully generate commitment to peace,” Rubio Garcia said.
While research points to numerous potential benefits of VR technology in conflict mediation and peacebuilding, its application remains limited, making it difficult to fully grasp its efficacy.
To measure the impact of VR versus non-VR advocacy, the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, together with DPPA’s Innovation Cell, recently conducted a study with 1200 students, dividing participants into groups exposed to either VR or non-VR communication inputs, both UN and non-UN related.
The study found that VR has a similar effect in terms of memory recall as other traditional multimedia interventions, in comparison to pure text-based communication products. However, much more than two-dimensional documentaries, virtual reality gives the opportunity to virtually walk through each other’s journeys, helping build empathy with others.
While highlighting the advantages of VR tools, experts also point to the need for caution. Trust, understanding, confidentiality and consent are key in the use of VR by conflict mediators. Moreover, using such tools requires a degree of technical expertise and significant investments.
And experts cite another crucial consideration. “It is vital to lead with authenticity, ensuring that the narrative is compelling and true to the experiences it seeks to convey,” Martin Waehlisch from DPPA’s Innovation Cell said, adding that it is important to steer clear of sensationalism. “The story must remain at the forefront, engaging and resonating with the audience on a personal level.” For DPPA, working closely with local partners is therefore essential.
As VR develops, collecting more data will be essential to fully grasp and measure its impact on peace and security work. “Using new technologies in peace processes needs to be meaningful and not just a gimmick,” Waehlisch said.
The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday reiterated its deep concern over the crisis in Myanmar, amid reports of widespread abuses by the military and opposition armed groups, including forced conscription of Rohingya community members and their use as human shields.
Amid reports of intensified heavy shelling in north, central and southern Gaza, the head of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, confirmed on Wednesday that schools-turned-shelters have been “bombed-out” as a result of the latest escalation.
The UN and its partners are offering support to Ukrainian authorities as they address the impact of the deadly Russian airstrikes in Kyiv and other cities earlier this week, the UN aid coordination office (OCHA) reported on Wednesday.
The UN Human Rights Council on Wednesday reiterated its deep concern over the crisis in Myanmar, amid reports of widespread abuses by the military and opposition armed groups, including forced conscription of Rohingya community members and their use as human shields.
The UN human rights office (OHCHR) remains “extremely worried” for the well-being of 13 UN staff and a number of NGO employees arbitrarily detained in Yemen, spokesperson Jeremy Laurence said on Tuesday, demanding their unconditional release.
In Gaza, overwhelmed hospitals, soaring temperatures, hunger and a lack of even basic sanitation present an ever more deadly threat to a population under constant attack, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
The UN’s top humanitarian official has reiterated strong condemnation of deadly missile attacks on multiple Ukrainian cities on Monday, while a senior doctor from the capital’s main children’s hospital described to the Security Council the “real hell” endured by patients and medical staff alike after it came under fire.
The war in Gaza passed the nine-month mark on Sunday with humanitarians left assessing the damage of a fresh Israeli airstrike on a UN school.
Ukrainian cities faced another barrage of missiles fired by Russian forces on Monday with dozens killed and a children’s hospital among the locations hit, UN humanitarians have said.
The security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has resulted in alarming levels of violence and widespread civilian displacement, the UN envoy for the country reported on Monday.
The Supervisory Committee on the Implementation of the Detainees’ Agreement concluded its ninth meeting on Saturday, 6 July, in Oman. Co-chaired by the Office of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen (OSESGY) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Supervisory Committee convenes negotiation delegations from the conflicting parties in Yemen to support them in fulfilling their obligations to...
Earlier today, United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert arrived in Israel for a three-day visit. Since assuming office last month, Hennis-Plasschaert has extensively engaged the Lebanese leadership and key interlocutors on ways to deescalate tensions across the Blue Line. Her visit to Israel comes ahead of planned United Nations Security Council consultations on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1701 (...
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The UN voiced deep concern on Friday at the increase in the intensity of exchanges of fire across the Blue Line, which separates Lebanese and Israeli armed forces.
Fresh fighting in southeast Sudan is exacerbating civilian suffering, with reports that over 136,000 people have fled their homes in search of safety, UN humanitarians have said.
The UN is deeply concerned at the increase in the intensity of exchanges of fire across the Blue Line yesterday, which heightens the risk of a full-scale war . Escalation can and must be avoided. We reiterate that the danger of miscalculation leading to a sudden and wider conflagration is real. A political and diplomatic solution is the only viable way forward.
On 4 July, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lebanese Parliament visited UNIFIL to express support for ...
Deep global divisions and conflicts must end to clear a path to tackling world’s two existential threats: climate change and the negative impacts of the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, UN chief António Guterres told the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Astana on Thursday.
Bombing continued overnight into Thursday in Gaza where some of the tens of thousands of people uprooted in response to Israeli evacuation orders have had to turn back after finding nowhere to shelter, UN humanitarians reported.
A new report from UN human rights monitors in Ukraine has revealed the “horrific toll” of attacks by Russian armed forces, with May recording the highest number of civilian casualties in nearly a year.
The UN envoy for Haiti on Wednesday welcomed recent strides towards restoring democracy amid alarming levels of violence, while the country’s interim Prime Minister emphasized that the people “continue to fight for a better future.”
The Gaza Strip is virtually “split in two”, with blockades not only restricting the movement of displaced people seeking shelter, but also aid workers trying to assist civilians in desperate need, a UN relief official said on Wednesday.
