Latest news on the Asia-Pacific region from the United Nations

Violence is escalating in the Indonesian provinces of Papua and West Papua, where meaningful and inclusive dialogue is urgently needed to address longstanding economic, social and political grievances, the UN human rights office said on Monday.  

Violence against women and girls at home affects millions globally. The problem is particularly pervasive as it occurs in a space women and girls should feel most secure. 

Iran must halt any planned execution of Iranian-Swedish academic Ahmadreza Djalali, who has not been given a fair trial and was forced to confess under torture, two experts advising the UN Human Rights Council said on Wednesday. 

Two top UN officials called for an end to the long-running conflict in Afghanistan on Monday, telling a major conference in Geneva that normality could only return to the country if there was a sustained ceasefire.  

The UN Secretary-General has condemned rocket attacks in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, on Saturday which killed at least eight civilians and wounded many more.

Asian and Pacific nations are leveraging space technology and geospatial information to respond to challenges on the ground, including in their efforts to contain the spread and mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new United Nations report. 

A new trade bloc covering a huge swathe of the Asia-Pacific region will play an important role in developing poorer economies and in post-pandemic stimulus, according to a report published on Monday by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).  

Voicing concerns over increasing restrictions on civil society in Cambodia, a group of independent UN human rights experts have called for an immediate end to the systematic detention and criminalization of activists. 

The United Nations and humanitarian partners in the Philippines launched, on Monday, a response plan for $45.5 million to bring life-saving assistance and protection to hundreds of thousands of people affected by Typhoon Goni. 

For farmers in Myanmar, the COVID-19 pandemic is adding to growing unpredictability, in a sector already struggling to cope with the effects of climate change. The UN is working closely with the country’s government to help them to adapt and thrive.

The trail of devastation left by Typhoon Goni in the Philippines, runs straight through some heavily populated areas – including places where COVID-19 cases are high, and where returning migrants are concentrated - UN agencies reported on Friday.  

“Super storm” Typhoon Goni has left several towns inaccessible and destroyed thousands of homes in the Philippines, the UN humanitarian wing has said, adding that relief efforts have been complicated by the coronavirus pandemic. 

An independent UN human rights expert has called on the Government and military of Myanmar to stop persecuting opposition supporters, including journalists and student protesters, ahead of next week’s general elections.