During the opening of the 56th session of the Human Rights Council, Türk stated that the number of civilian victims increased by 72% in clashes taking place throughout the planet such as in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Burma, Syria and Yemen.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, reported this Tuesday that the number of children who died in global conflicts tripled in the year 2023 compared to the previous year, and the number of women doubled.
The head of human rights said “It is disheartening to see how the different parties in conflict exceed the limits of what is acceptable and legal on many fronts, with total contempt for each other, trampling on human rights.”
The official denounced “the murder of civilians has become a daily routine, as well as the destruction of infrastructure. “Children being shot, hospitals bombed, heavy artillery against entire communities.”
In the case of Gaza, Türk recalled that in eight months 120,000 people have been killed or injured by the attacks of the Israeli army and expressed “The relentless attacks in Gaza are causing immense suffering and widespread destruction, and the arbitrary obstruction to humanitarian aid. Israel continues to arbitrarily detain thousands of Palestinians. “This cannot continue.”
He also announced that more than a million Palestinians have been forced to move since the Zionist entity intensified its operations in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip.
Regarding Ukraine, the high commissioner expressed his concern about the deterioration of the situation in the country and denounced the situation in Kharkiv, where entire communities are destroyed.
The UN member expressed “Many inhabitants, mostly elderly, are hiding in basements, without electricity, water or adequate food, while the area suffers intense attacks with explosives.”
The official denounced that in several countries such as Iran and Afghanistan, women and girls suffer serious violations of their fundamental freedoms.
