Jean-Martin Bauer, Country Director in Haiti for the UN World Food Program (WFP), also said the UN agency had managed to resume flights to Port-au-Prince International Airport.
‘Extremely complex’
The security situation remains “exceptionally complex,” but it has been possible to reach “the most difficult neighborhoods” of the Haitian capital, Mr. Bauer said.
According to the WFP, 615 tons of rice, beans and vegetable oil were distributed to almost 93,000 people in Cité Soleil over a two-week period in May – including mothers and breastfeeding children.
The UN agency also said “vital” medical supplies had landed at Port-au-Prince airport on Thursday. This is the first UN humanitarian cargo flight to land in the capital since violence linked to the country’s political and economic crisis broke out in March 2024.
Further progress is needed to gain access to seaports in Port-au-Prince because without these vital supply routes, “people risk sliding even deeper into hunger,” WFP’s Mr Bauer stressed.
Rights experts urge action to address systemic racist police brutality in Chicago
Independent U.N. human rights experts called for action Monday to address racist police brutality and misconduct within Chicago’s law enforcement and criminal justice systems against people of African and Latino descent.
“Chicago has a long history of law enforcement officers allegedly using torture to extract confessions of serious crimes,” the experts said.
This resulted in wrongful convictions and incarceration – often for long periods without adequate access to health care.
“These horrific alleged human rights violations appear to be largely rooted in systemic racism and have disproportionately affected people of African and Latin American descent.”
“Lives have been stolen, with a significant ripple effect within communities,” the Council for Human Rights-appointed experts continued.
Steps taken at city hall
Chicago city authorities have taken steps to address reported human rights violations, including issuing a public apology and establishing a Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission, to recognize, remedy and prevent police torture and misconduct, the special rapporteurs said and members of the working group. said.
Although these initiatives are welcome, there is still a long way to go, they say. They are concerned that reforms have been piecemeal and that systemic barriers to rehabilitation exist.
Reports also indicate that alleged human rights violations have largely occurred without actual accountability for perpetrators.
The UN rights experts have called on relevant federal, state and local officials to take immediate and comprehensive action in Chicago and have been in contact with the US government to clarify its obligations under international law.
“A just society must address past mistakes and take all measures to prevent recurrence,” the experts said.
On World Bicycle Day, UN celebrates ‘power of the pedal’
And finally, the UN celebrated World Bicycle Day on Monday, applauding the simple, affordable, clean and environmentally sustainable mode of two-wheeled transportation.
In addition to contributing to cleaner air and reducing gridlock, bicycles make education, healthcare and other social services more accessible to the most vulnerable populations.
President of the United Nations General Assembly Dennis Francis speaks in New York: emphasized the crucial role of bicycles and other non-motorized transport in achieving a sustainable future.
‘Sustainable mobility’
“There are countless ways the bicycle can create an entire ecosystem of sustainable mobility – connecting communities to the practical solutions they need to overcome the countless and everyday inequalities of poverty, conflict, disasters and emergencies,” he said.
He urged everyone to make full use of the “power of the pedal”.
“Let’s encourage all actors to cultivate a cycling culture – and in turn unleash progress around the world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve a healthier, safer, greener and more inclusive future for all.”
The General Assembly declared June 3 as World Cycling Day in 2018, recognizing the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the manual two-wheeler. It encouraged stakeholders to promote cycling to promote sustainable development, strengthen education, promote health and facilitate social inclusion.
This year, 147 UN staff and delegates took on the UN Bike Month Challenge and together covered more than 26,500 kilometers on their bikes – about the same distance as between New York and Hanoi.
