International Women’s Day & other topics - Daily Briefing (8 March 2019)

Noon briefing by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.
Daily Press Briefing:
-SG Travels
-Women
-Syria
-South Sudan
-Venezuela Human Rights
-Venezuela/Columbia
-Civil Society Conference
-Senior Personnel Appointment
SG TRAVELS
Next Wednesday, the Secretary-General will be traveling to Washington, D.C. for bilateral meetings with the US administration and with members of Congress, as part of his ongoing engagement with US officials.
We expect back in New York on Thursday.

WOMEN
Today as you know– and really has every day should be – is International Women’s Day.
In remarks at a special event here this morning, the Secretary-General said this year’s observance falls at a time when our world faces many challenges, ranging from climate change to inequality to the weakening commitment to multilateralism. He stressed that gender equality and women’s rights are fundamental to addressing each of these challenges.
Despite remarkable progress on women’s rights and leadership, the Secretary-General said that these gains are far from consistent and they have sparked a backlash from an entrenched patriarchy.
At present trends, it will take two centuries to close the gap in economic empowerment. The Secretary-General said that he does not accept a world that tells his granddaughters that economic equality can wait for their granddaughter’s granddaughters.
He stressed that investing in women and respecting their human rights is the surest way to lift communities, companies and countries, [and] to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adding that the longer we put off gender equality, the more we lose. 

SYRIA
Turning to Syria, our humanitarian colleagues are deeply concerned over the welfare of tens of thousands of people who have recently arrived at the Al Hol camp in Al Hasakeh Governorate from Da’esh-held areas in Deir ez Zor Governorate.
Last night, more than 3,000 people – mostly women and children in a poor state – reached the camp, bringing the total population to more than 65,000.
There are grave concerns over the fragile health of the camp’s residents, with nearly 100 people having died since early last December en route to the site [or] shortly after arrival or referral. Two-thirds of these people who have died are children under the age of five, with the main causes of death being hypothermia, pneumonia, dehydration and complications from malnutrition.
Just yesterday, three children under the age of one reportedly died while on their way to the camp.
At least 243 unaccompanied and separated children have been identified in the camp, of whom 41 have been reunited with their families.
The UN and aid agencies are scaling up their efforts at the camp, providing round-the-clock emergency health and protection assistance. All of the people arriving at the camp are receiving food, water, shelter, warm clothes or blankets.
Urgent funding is needed to ramp up the response, especially in the areas of shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, health and protection services.
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