'Unseen' News and Views
The number of people living in internal displacement worldwide as of the end of 2018 is the highest it has ever been, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement, launched today at the United Nations in Geneva.
This is an increase of more than a million since the end of 2017 and two-thirds more than the global number of refugees.
Routes traditionally used to escort trafficking victims out of Africa have shifted to others in Nigeria, Algeria and Turkey
Researchers said police efforts to link illicit financial transactions to smuggling humans across Africa are still in their early stages. | Photo: Reuters | Photo from teleSUR.
10 May 2019 (teleSUR)* — Human traffickers in east and north Africa are re-strategizing their business models to avoid detection, a new report from the Research and Evidence Facility (a European Union affiliate) said Friday [10 May 2019].
According to the study, routes which traditionally were used to escort trafficking victims out of Africa have shifted to others in Nigeria, Algeria and Turkey.
Bonn, 9 May 2019 (UN Environment)* -– Plastic pollution poses serious health risks to wildlife globally, affecting a wide range of species including whales, turtles, fish and birds.
Bo Eide | Photo from UN Environment.
On World Migratory Bird Day, celebrated on 11 May, two UN wildlife treaties and conservationists around the world are calling for urgent action to stop plastic pollution by highlighting its negative effects on seabirds and other migratory birds.
10 May 2019 — A seeming paradise, life on the Pacific islands is threatened by climate change and extreme weather, frustrated by remoteness and a lack of educational and economic opportunities. Secretary-General António Guterres begins a visit to the region this weekend, where he will speak to people living on some of the islands and see for himself how the UN is helping to mitigate some of the biggest issues.
Forests are vitally important for sustaining life on Earth, and play a major role in the fight against climate change. With the 2019 session of the United Nations Forum on Forests wrapping up on Friday [10 May 2019] in New York, we delve deeper into the subject, and find out what the UN is doing to safeguard and protect them.
– The rise of right-wing nationalism and the proliferation of authoritarian governments have undermined human rights in several countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
As a result, some of the international human rights experts – designated as UN Rapporteurs – have either been politically ostracized, denied permission to visit countries on “fact-finding missions” or threatened with expulsion, along with the suspension of work permits.
10 May 2019 — The decision by a large armed group based in north-east Nigeria to release nearly 900 youngsters has been welcomed by UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, which has warned that those freed will need long-term help if they are to lead a normal life in the future.
“Today [10 May 2019], 894 children, including 106 girls, were released from the ranks of an armed group called (the) Civilian Joint Taskforce (CJTF) in Maiduguri, north-east Nigeria as part of this group’s commitment to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children,” said Spokesperson Christophe Boulierac.
10 May 2019 — An updated assessment by a United Nations Environment Programme-administered treaty has confirmed that poaching continues to threaten the long-term survival of the African elephant.
Why we need to #StopSoilErosion to ensure a food-secure future.
Soil erosion can increase the frequency and intensity of natural disasters like landslides and floods. ©Carey Marks
10 May 2019 (FAO)* — One of the key ingredients to a #ZeroHunger future is the soil beneath our feet. Although it may not look like much, soil is full of water, nutrients and microorganisms that are vital for growing our food.
However, soil is a finite resource – restoring even a few centimetres of soil can take up to 1 000 years.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 