"FAMILY"

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people fleeing wars, violence, persecution and human rights violations in 2020 rose to nearly 82.4 million people, according to UNHCR’s latest annual Global Trends report released on Friday.. This is a further four per cent increase on top of the already record-high 79.5 million at the end of 2019. UNHCR

The Head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), Helen La Lime, said it was imperative that local, parliamentary, as well as presidential elections take place as scheduled in the fall of this year and called on all Haitian stakeholders to “urgently set aside their differences, askew their narrow interests and work together to tackle the protracted political, structural and social issues that hinder the country's progress.” UNIFEED

United States President Biden and Pope Francis called for action in support of a COVID-19 recovery process that protects jobs, strengthens labour rights, and supports the most vulnerable. ILO

Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

The outflow of refugees and migrants from Venezuela is one of the largest external displacement crises in the world. To date, over 5.6 million people have left their country. On June 17th, Canada will host an international donor conference bringing together governments and key actors involved in the response to the Venezuela situation, including the private sector, development banks and civil society. UNHCR

Effective and binding action is urgently required to protect the millions of children, adolescents and expectant mothers worldwide whose health is jeopardized by the informal processing of discarded electrical or electronic devices according to a new report from the World Health Organization named "Children and Digital Dumpsites." UNIFEED

Targeted sanctions, Darfur arms embargo continue to thwart spoilers of peace in Sudan, chair of 1591 Committee tells Security Council. Updated sanctions list can help Somalia in its fight against Al-Shabaab, chair of Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) tells Security Council.

Despite a massive 65 percent increase in migrants sending money home via mobile transfers in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of their rural family members struggle to access mobile banking services which could help lift them out of poverty. IFAD

At the launch of the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour, the President of the UN General Assembly Volkan Bozkir said the COVID-19 pandemic has forced more children into labour and stressed that the world “must ensure that this generation is not lost.” UNIFEED

Vulnerable Venezuelan migrants and refugees who have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 health and socio-economic crisis urgently need greater support from the international community, UN humanitarians said today, ahead of a donor conference hosted by Canada next week. UNTV CH