During the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s annual debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, Guterres presented some data from his latest report on the subject, dated May 12, showing that war destroys lives around the world.
According to the former Portuguese prime minister, explosive weapons continue to wreak havoc, with 94% of victims in urban areas being civilians.
“Those who managed to flee the fighting did so in record numbers: the total number of people forced from their homes by conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution reached 100 million,” said the UN leader.
“War means hunger,” Guterres stressed, noting that armed conflict is a key factor in food insecurity around the world.
Last year, more than 117 million people suffered from acute hunger, mainly due to war and insecurity.
“This is a shame,” he stressed.
“The terrible truth is that the world is not living up to its commitments to protect civilians, commitments enshrined in international humanitarian law,” Guterres stressed.
In 2022, the UN recorded at least 16,988 civilian deaths in 12 armed conflicts, a 53% increase from 2021.
Conflict situations where the number of civilian casualties has risen include Ukraine, Somalia and Palestine, while the number has fallen in Yemen and Syria, for example.
Source: DN
