ICJ president: The Court is not blind to politics, but bound by law

Horrifying videos and reported atrocities allegedly carried out by RSF militia in and around the Sudanese city of El Fasher demonstrate a “total disregard” for both protection of civilians and the Security Council’s resolution demanding an end to the civil war.That’s according to the UN’s head of humanitarian operations in the country, Denise Brown, who told UN News after recently visiting the Darfur region before the fall of the city this week, that it’s proving hard to verify information from the stricken city due to a communications blackout.She told Ezzat El-Ferri she feels a “huge sense” of tragedy and responsibility to continue providing UN relief services, adding that the atrocities must be documented so that “justice can be served.”

While the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is not “blind” to political context or the human suffering behind many cases, its main job is to be the interpreter of international law in disputes between States, said the newly appointed President of the UN World Court, Yuji Iwasawa.This year, ICJ issued two advisory opinions that made headlines: one that decided Israel must allow aid to flow freely into Palestine and another ruling that countries have a responsibility to protect the environment.Mr. Iwasawa spoke to UN News’s Ileana Exaras about the functions and responsibilities of the court, the significance of advisory opinions and what he’d like to accomplish throughout his tenure. 

As airstrikes and conflict continue to devastate communities across Ukraine, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is raising urgent concerns about the mental health and well-being of the country’s children.Kenan Madi, Chief of Field Operations for UNICEF in Ukraine, warns that the war is leaving thousands of children without homes, heat, power, or access to basic services, making everyday life “extremely difficult.”Education has also been severely disrupted.Despite ongoing efforts, UNICEF’s appeal for Ukraine remains only partially funded, leaving millions of children at risk as another harsh winter looms.UN News’s Nargiz Shekinskaya started by asking Mr. Madi what are the main needs of the children living on the frontlines of the conflict. 

The Russian shelling of a UN humanitarian convoy in the Kherson region of Ukraine earlier this month underscores the risks aid workers face every day, as the Russian full-scale invasion of the country enters its fourth winter.Andrea de Domenico is the Ukraine country head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. He told Nargiz Shekinskaya from UN News that, despite the dangers they face, and limited resources, he and his team remain committed to helping the population. 

As access slowly improves under the Gaza ceasefire deal, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) is scaling up operations and mobilising funds to ensure the safe removal of dangerous munitions following two years of devastating bombardment.Priority is being given to main roads, infrastructure, and essential services for civilians in the enclave who face a deadly threat from unexploded hazards.Luke Irving, head of UNMAS’s mission in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, spoke to UN News’s Ezzat El-Ferri, emphasising a message of hope and resilience for civilians through “small steps” each day.

Women are central to achieving food security in Tanzania as they make up 70 per cent of the East African nation’s agricultural workforce; that’s according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Representative in the country, Nyabenyi Tipo.FAO is celebrating its 80th anniversary on World Food Day on 16 October, the theme for which is collaborating for a peaceful, sustainable, prosperous, and food-secure future.Sabrina Said asked Ms. Tipo about the significance of this milestone and how FAO Tanzania is celebrating the occasion.

The head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, is urging people in the restive eastern part of the country not to lose hope after years of conflict.Binto Keita spoke to UN News’s Jérôme Bernard a few days after she briefed the Security Council in New York on the overall situation in the DRC.She emphasized that the government, the UN and the international community remain engaged in efforts to bring peace to the east, where armed groups continue to terrorise communities.Ms. Keita expressed compassion and empathy for the Congolese people whose “resilience is also very much admirable.” 

A larger and more robust force in Haiti could help “turn the tide” against murderous gangs and give Haitians hope for the future, according to the UN’s designated expert on the human rights situation in the Caribbean country, William O’Neill.Up to 90 per cent of the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince is controlled by numerous gangs who murder with impunity and take hostages for ransom.A UN-backed Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) has been unable to stem the violence, but it is hoped the transition to a new, larger and better equipped Gang Suppression Force could prove decisive.UN News’s Daniel Dickinson asked Mr. O’Neill how important it is to establish the new force. 

At just 15 years old, Zunaira Qayyum has already emerged as a climate champion and a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Youth Advocate for Climate Action and Girls’ Empowerment in Pakistan.In 2022, she began researching how floods and heatwaves in her hometown of Hub, Balochistan, were forcing girls out of school. Her work earned her recognition as one of the winners of UNICEF’s Policy Research Challenge the following year.Today, children across Pakistan face mounting threats from floods, heatwaves, and other extreme weather events, which are making access to education increasingly difficult.UN News’s Hareem Ahmed spoke with Zunaira about her advocacy for gender and climate justice, as well as her views on the importance of youth inclusion in climate action.

As war in Ukraine intensifies, five European countries – Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland and Poland – withdrew this year from the Ottawa Convention banning landmines and the Convention on Cluster Munitions – a move that is deeply concerning Tamar Gabelnick.As Director of both the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the Cluster Munition Coalition, she was in New York urging action to defend the conventions last week as world leaders addressed the General Assembly.In an interview with UN News’s Cristina Silveiro she said considering Russia’s continuing invasion of Ukraine it made sense for nearby nations to focus on self defence – but anti-personnel landmines “remain the dumbest weapon in the world” and “it’s pure chance who they will strike.”