Severe funding cuts in the humanitarian sector are endangering millions of lives, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi warned Thursday, describing the immediate and devastating consequences for people fleeing danger.
Grandi said refugee women and girls at extreme risk of rape and other abuse are already losing access to services that kept them safe. Meanwhile, children are being left without teachers or schools, pushing them into child labor, trafficking, or early marriage. As a result, refugee communities will have less shelter, water and food.
According to Grandi, most refugees stay close to home. Slashing aid will make the world less safe, driving more desperate people to become refugees or keep moving onwards.
UNHCR has sought innovative and efficient ways to deliver its mission, making the most of every donation for those fleeing danger. Over 90 percent of its staff are on the front lines, delivering for affected communities, Grandi said in the statement.
With reduced funding, fewer staff, and a diminished UNHCR presence in refugee-hosting countries, more lives will inevitably be lost, he warned.
Grandi called for all member states to stand together and honor their commitments to displaced people.
Now is the time for solidarity, not retreat, he said in the statement.
Brutal funding cuts to humanitarian aid put millions of lives at risk: UN official
Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday that the country is at a critical stage and must achieve national unity, emphasizing that maintaining internal cohesion is of utmost importance.
In a televised address, Rodriguez called on the public to continue trusting the government under the current highly complex political circumstances.
Her statement comes in the wake of a January 3 military operation conducted by the United States, during which Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife were taken into custody and flown out of the country.
The operation resulted in at least 100 fatalities.
Rodriguez, who was sworn in as acting president two days later on January 5, framed her appeal for unity against this backdrop of external intervention.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Minister of Communication and Information Freddy Nanez denounced the U.S. actions as a "war crime of the 21st century" when speaking at an international cultural event on Sunday.
Nanez condemned not only the January 3 airstrikes but also the associated cyber and electromagnetic attacks.
He accused the United States of violating international law through the forced removal of President Maduro and his wife, while attacks on civilian infrastructure, including medical facilities, represent a flagrant breach of humanitarian norms.
He reiterated that the stigmatization and military attacks against Venezuela are driven by economic interests, particularly the desire to control its abundant natural resources.
Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation
Venezuelan acting president calls for national unity amid complex situation
