Immigration Detention And Community Statistics Summary

At 30 April 2017, there were 1,392 people in immigration detention facilities, including 1,108 in immigration detention on the mainland and 284 in immigration detention on Christmas Island.

A further 556 people were living in the community after being approved for a residence determination and 23,573 were living in the community after grant of a Bridging Visa E.

FEATURE

Philippines

AFFECTED AREAS Mindanao: Davao del Sur, Lanao del Sur (ARMM), Maguindanao (ARMM), North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Zamboanga del Norte provinces

CAUSE OF DISPLACEMENT Conflict, Disaster

FIGURES More than 35,000 new disaster displacements between 3 and 6 June; as many as 389,000 new conflict displacements between 23 May and 14 June; about 2,400 returns between 3 and 13 June

CONTEXT

More than 35,000 people were displaced by flooding in Mindanao between 3 and 6 June, including as many as 24,000 people from Midsayap in North Cotabato province and about 11,000 in Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat province. All evacuees were staying outside of evacuation centres as of 3 June (DROMIC, 3 June 2017; InterAksyon, 6 June 2017).

As many as 337,000 people fled conflict and violence between 23 May and 14 June in Marawi, Lanao del Sur province in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The majority of the displaced, about 310,000 people, fled from 95 barangays (districts) within Marawi city, others from districts in Marantao municipality. About 17,000 people were staying in evacuation centres as of 14 June, the rest with relatives or friends spread across Mindanao’s six regions (DROMIC, 14 June 2017). Clashes between the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and insurgents aligned with the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) centred on downtown precincts and built-up neighbourhoods as fighting reached its fourth week on 12 June. As many as 600 civilians were reportedly trapped, or under hostage, in the besieged city as of 13 June (Al Jazeera, 13 June 2017).

As many as 49,000 people were displaced by conflict between 5 and 14 June from six municipalities in Maguindanao province in ARMM. More than 29,000 people were sheltered in 27 evacuation centres as fighting continued between AFP and unidentified armed men on 14 June (DROMIC, 14 June 2017).

About 1,100 people displaced by clashes on 31 May in Davao City, Davao del Sur province, between the AFP and New People’s Army (NPA, an armed wing of the Philippines’ Communist Party) returned to their homes by 3 June (DROMIC, 8 June 2017).

About 1,000 people displaced by conflict in Sirawai, Zamboanga del Norte, on 30 May, had returned home by 6 June. The fighting between military groups and armed individuals drove affected residents to the Sirawi Town Plaza, where they spent a night before moving to an evacuation centre until 6 June. (DROMIC, 6 June 2017)

About 300 people displaced by threats of violence in Sarangani province on 3 June had returned home by 13 June. The threats came from unidentified armed individuals, who said they would kill the barangay leaders should they not be provided rice. People returned home when the AFP declared the area safe on 13 June (DROMIC, 13 June 2017).

Immigration Detention And Community Statistics Summary

At 31 May 2017, there were 1400 people in immigration detention facilities, including 1113 in immigration detention on the mainland and 287 in immigration detention on Christmas Island.

A further 542 people were living in the community after being approved for a residence determination and 22,701 were living in the community after grant of a Bridging Visa E.

New Report Reveals Governments are Failing to Prioritize Tuberculosis, the World's Deadliest Infectious Disease

NEW YORK/HAMBURG/GENEVA, JULY 5, 2017—Two days ahead of the G20 summit in Germany, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Stop TB Partnership released a report that shows countries are lagging behind in tackling tuberculosis (TB), introducing the best diagnostic devices, and implementing globally-recommended policies. The third edition of the “Out of Step” report reviews TB policies and practices in 29 countries–which account for 82 percent of the global TB burden–and shows that countries can do much more to prevent, diagnose, and treat people affected by TB.

Although TB is preventable and treatable, it remains the world's deadliest infectious disease, killing 1.8 million people in 2015 alone. During the same year, the majority (54 percent) of the 10.4 million people with TB lived in the countries represented at the G20 summit. Despite its deadly toll, most countries lag behind in implementing the new medicines and diagnostic tools available to tackle TB.

The G20 governments are major contributors to the global TB response, contributing more than $1.6 billion to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2016. These leaders must now mobilize their resources to get more people diagnosed, make effective treatments accessible to all people affected by TB, and reduce TB deaths.

“TB is an ancient killer, but we have the knowledge and the tools to tackle this disease; many countries are just not making use of these advances, and people are dying as a result,” said Lucica Ditiu, executive director of the Stop TB Partnership. “We’re calling on the G20 leaders to wake up and do something to stop the unnecessary deaths and the spread of TB, including drug-resistant TB.”

One of the major problems in the global TB response is that countries are not investing in tools to diagnose people in the first place. Only seven countries[2] in the report have made Xpert MTB/RIF—a rapid molecular test to diagnose TB and test for resistance to first-line TB drugs—widely available. This means that the majority of people in the 29 countries surveyed are still tested with a method that fails to detect many cases, or that requires a wait of up to several months to confirm the disease. This challenge explains why so many people remain undiagnosed and untreated; globally in 2015, based on the gap between estimated TB incidence and the actual number of cases reported, 4.3 million people with TB were never diagnosed.

“How are people supposed to get treated for TB when they’re not even getting diagnosed?” asked Dr. Isaac Chikwanha, HIV and TB medical advisor at MSF’s Access Campaign. “If countries don’t do more to make sure that people can be tested, it will be impossible to reduce preventable deaths from TB.”

For those who are diagnosed, some progress has been made to make newer, more effective treatment options and care available to ease the burden of living with TB.

For example, newer medicines for the treatment of DR-TB have demonstrated better outcomes than today’s regimens, which offer only a 28-percent cure rate for extremely drug-resistant (XDR) TB and a 52-percent cure rate for multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB. Seventy-nine percent of countries surveyed include the newer drug bedaquiline in their national guidelines, and 62 percent include delamanid in their guidelines. However, globally, only five percent of people who could have benefitted had access to these drugs in 2016.

Additionally, hospitalization for an extended period of time can limit the ability of a person to have a normal life and should be reserved only for the sickest DR-TB patients. The report found that 34 percent of the countries surveyed still require long-term hospitalization for treatment of DR-TB, which can fuel the spread of TB and increase rates of drug-resistance.

DR-TB treatment, which in some cases requires swallowing nearly 15,000 pills over up to a two-year period, can now be shortened to nine months. Shorter treatments help people to get back to a normal and productive life faster. However, only 13 of the countries[3] surveyed (45 percent) have made shorter treatments available.

“With TB, the clock is ticking rapidly, as every 18 seconds a person dies of TB. We have to change that,” said Sharonann Lynch, HIV and TB policy advisor at MSF’s Access Campaign. “The number of people diagnosed over the last four years has stalled, while the number of deaths has increased rather than decreased. Countries need to use new tools and step up the pace of their response.”

MSF and the Stop TB Partnership have launched a campaign called #StepUpforTB to urge governments to bring their TB policies and practices in-line with WHO recommendations (www.stepupfortb.org).

This press release can be found online here.

Feature

Syria

Affected areas Raqqa governorate Cause of displacement Conflict Figures As many as 14,000 new conflict displacements between 5 and 22 June; as many as 443,000 returns between January and 30 June; about 31,000 cross border returns from Turkey, Lebanon,
Iraq, Jordan and Egypt between January and May

CONTEXT

As many as 14,000 people were newly displaced in and from Raqqa governorate between 5 and 22 June due to heavy fighting between the Syrian Democratic Forces and ISIL (OCHA, 26 June 2017; OCHA, 10 June 2017). This brings the total new and secondary displacements in Raqqa to about 109,000 between 1 May and 26 June. Most were displaced to locations within the governorate, although about 15,000 people fled to Aleppo, 2,700 to Idleb and 1,600 to Deir ez-Zor. Those fleeing the fighting in Raqqa city continue to face a number of protection risks, including punitive measures put in place by ISIL, threats posed by landmines and other weapon contamination, family separation, forced recruitment at checkpoints, as well as the removal of identification and restricted movement upon entering displacement camps. Between 50,000 and 100,000 people remain in Raqqa city; however, more displacements are expected as hostilities move closer towards the city centre (OCHA, 26 June 2017).

As many as 443,000 internally displaced people returned to their places of origin across Syria between January and 30 June 2017. In addition, about 31,000 Syrian refugees returned to Syria from January to May 2017, including about 20,000 who crossed the border from Turkey, 7,100 from Lebanon, 1,800 from Iraq, 1,500 from Jordan and 290 from Egypt. The situation remains volatile and UNHCR holds that conditions do not exist in the country for a safe and dignified return. Despite this, Syrians are choosing to return to the country to seek out family members and check on property. Hardships faced by Syrian refugees in host countries, such as limited job opportunities, prohibitive costs of living and expensive medical care, are among other push factors driving returns (UNHCR, 30 June 2017).

Resumen ejecutivo

Alerta 2017! Informe sobre conflictos, derechos humanos y construcción de paz es un anuario que analiza el estado del mundo en términos de conflictividad y construcción de paz a partir de cuatro ejes: conflictos armados, tensiones, procesos de paz y género, paz y seguridad. El análisis de los hechos más relevantes del 2016 y de la naturaleza, causas, dinámicas, actores y consecuencias de los principales escenarios de conflicto armado y tensión socio-política en el mundo permite ofrecer una mirada comparativa regional e identificar tendencias globales, así como elementos de riesgo y alerta preventiva de cara al futuro. Del mismo modo, el informe también identifica oportunidades para la construcción de paz o para la reducción, prevención o resolución de conflictos. En ambos casos, uno de los principales objetivos del presente informe es poner la información, el análisis y la identificación de factores de alerta y de oportunidades de paz al servicio de aquellos actores encargados de tomar decisiones políticas, de intervenir en la resolución pacífica de conflictos o de dar una mayor visibilidad política, mediática o académica a las numerosas situaciones de violencia política y social que existen en el mundo.

En cuanto a la metodología, los contenidos de este informe se nutren principalmente del análisis cualitativo de estudios e informaciones facilitados por numerosas fuentes –Naciones Unidas, organismos internacionales, centros de investigación, medios de comunicación u ONG, entre otras–, así como de la experiencia adquirida en investigaciones sobre el terreno.

Algunas de las conclusiones e informaciones más relevantes del informe Alerta 2017! son las siguientes:

• Durante 2016 se registraron 33 conflictos armados, de los cuales 32 seguían activos al finalizar el año. La mayoría se concentró en África (13) y Asia (10), seguidos por Oriente Medio (seis), Europa (tres) y América (uno).

• Trece conflictos armados registraron una intensidad elevada durante el año: Libia, región Lago Chad (Boko Haram), Somalia, Sudán (Darfur), Sudán (Kordofán y Nilo Azul), Sudán del Sur, Afganistán,
  Pakistán, Turquía (sudeste), Egipto (Sinaí), Iraq, Siria, Yemen (al-houthistas). El porcentaje de casos de alta intensidad (40% del total de guerras en 2016) supuso un incremento respecto a años anteriores (31% en 2015, 33% en 2014).

• Una gran parte de los contextos de conflicto (46%) registró un empeoramiento durante 2016, con mayores niveles de violencia e inestabilidad que el año anterior. En un tercio de los casos se observaron niveles de violencia similares a los del año anterior, mientras que en un 21% se asistió a una disminución de la violencia.

• Más allá de la naturaleza multicausal de la conflictividad armada, la mayor parte de los conflictos –24 en total, equivalentes al 73%– tuvo entre sus motivaciones principales la oposición a las políticas domésticas o internacionales implementadas por los respectivos gobiernos o al sistema político, social o ideológico del Estado. Asimismo, las aspiraciones de carácter identitario y/o demandas de autogobierno estuvieron presente como una de las causas principales en un 52% de los casos –17 conflictos–.

• Durante 2016, los conflictos armados continuaron causando gravísimos impactos en la población civil, además de destrucción de infraestructuras y repercusiones de largo plazo. Fue de especial gravedad el caso de Siria, con múltiples abusos cometidos a gran escala, que podrían ser constitutivos de crímenes de guerra y/o contra la humanidad.

• Uno de los impactos de los conflictos armados continuó siendo el fenómeno de la violencia sexual.
  Durante 2016 se registraron episodios graves de violencia sexual en los conflictos de Sudán del Sur,
  Nigeria, Iraq, Siria y Myanmar, entre otros.

• Se constató un grave aumento del desplazamiento forzado a nivel global, con un incremento de más de un 50% en un período de cinco años, según denunció ACNUR en 2016. Los balances de 2016 señalaban la continuación de la tendencia de años anteriores (65,3 millones de desplazados al finalizar 2015, incluyendo 21,3 millones de personas refugiadas). La guerra en Siria mantuvo al país como principal país emisor de población refugiada a nivel mundial.

• Al finalizar el año 2016 se contabilizaron 34 embargos de armas dirigidos contra un total de 22 Estados y grupos armados no estatales, cuatro menos que el año anterior.

• Durante 2016 se contabilizaron 17 conflictos armados y 59 situaciones de tensión en las que ni la ONU ni otras organizaciones regionales establecieron embargos de armas.

• Durante 2016 se identificaron 87 escenarios de tensión a nivel mundial. Como en años anteriores, el mayor número de crisis sociopolíticas tuvo lugar en África (34 casos), seguida de Asia (20 casos),
  Europa (14), Oriente Medio (11) y América (ocho).

• Las tensiones de mayor gravedad en 2016 fueron Angola (Cabinda); Etiopía; Etiopía (Oromiya);
  Kenya; Mozambique; Nigeria; RDC; Túnez; El Salvador; Bangladesh; RPD Corea-EEUU, Japón, Rep. de Corea; RPD Corea-Rep. de Corea; India (Assam); India (Manipur); India-Pakistán; Pakistán; Armenia-Azerbaiyán (Nagorno-Karabaj); Turquía; Egipto; Israel-Siria-Líbano; y Líbano.

• En línea con años anteriores, algo más de la mitad de las tensiones en el mundo tuvieron un carácter interno (46 casos), más de una cuarta parte fueron tensiones internas internacionalizadas (25 casos) y casi una quinta parte fueron tensiones internacionales (16 casos).

• En cuanto a la evolución de las tensiones, algo más de la mitad de los casos no experimentó cambios significativos (45 casos), una tercera parte registró un deterioro con respecto a 2015 (29 casos) y en algo más de una séptima parte de los casos se produjo una cierta mejoría (13 casos).

• En línea con años anteriores, el 69% de los casos de tensión tuvo entre sus causas principales la oposición a las políticas internas o internacionales implementadas por los respectivos gobiernos o la oposición al sistema político, social o ideológico de los Estados, lo que propició conflictos para acceder o erosionar el poder.

• El informe Alerta analiza 38 procesos y negociaciones de paz que tuvieron lugar durante 2016, de los cuales 15 transcurrieron en África, ocho en Asia, siete en Europa, cinco en Oriente Medio y dos en América.

• En un importante número de procesos de paz los principales protagonistas de las negociaciones fueron los gobiernos de los respectivos países y actores armados.

• En lo que respecta a las terceras partes implicadas en procesos de paz y negociación, destacó el papel desempeñado por Naciones Unidas –tercera parte en 13 de los 38 procesos analizados, un tercio del total (34%)–, en especial en África y Oriente Medio.
  También cabe mencionar el rol de tercera parte que juegan organizaciones regionales en diversas áreas, en especial en África y Europa.

• Temas como el desarme de grupos armados, la entrega de arsenales, la reintegración de ex combatientes o la liberación de prisioneros estuvieron en la agenda de negociaciones y procesos de paz.

• El 74% de los conflictos armados para los que existían datos sobre igualdad de género tuvieron lugar en contextos con graves o muy graves desigualdades de género.

• Naciones Unidas señaló que más del 70% de las víctimas de trata son mujeres y niñas y que numerosos grupos armados de oposición se implican en delitos de trata.

• La sociedad civil lamentó el escaso cumplimiento de los compromisos adquiridos el año anterior por los Gobiernos durante la revisión de alto nivel de la implementación de la resolución 1325 en materia de mujeres, paz y seguridad.

• Organizaciones de mujeres de Myanmar, Malí, Sudán del Sur y Siria, entre otros países, reivindicaron mayor participación y capacidad de incidencia en los procesos de paz.

• El acuerdo de paz firmado en Colombia por el Gobierno y las FARC incluyó un enfoque de género de manera transversal, convirtiéndolo en el acuerdo más avanzado en materia de igualdad firmado hasta la fecha.

• El informe Alerta! identifica cinco oportunidades de paz para 2017: la inclusión de la perspectiva de género en el acuerdo de paz en Colombia; la reanudación de las conversaciones de paz entre el Gobierno de Filipinas y el NDF; la inclusividad en el proceso de paz en Myanmar; la reanudación de los mecanismos de prevención de incidentes y la introducción de la perspectiva de género en el proceso de diálogo en Georgia; y las negociaciones a nivel internacional que tendrán lugar en 2017 sobre la prohibición de las armas nucleares, que pueden ofrecer una oportunidad histórica para el establecimiento de un tratado en este ámbito.

• El informe destaca otros 10 escenarios de alerta de cara al 2017: el incremento de la tensión en Etiopía; la inestabilidad crónica en Libia, que ha agravado la situación en el país; los múltiples frentes violentos que afectan a Nigeria; las consecuencias del colapso de facto del acuerdo de paz en Sudán del Sur; el conflicto enquistado en Afganistán y sus graves impactos en la población civil; el incremento de la violencia y la creciente presencia de ISIS en la región filipina de Mindanao; el deterioro de la cuestión kurda en Turquía y la multiplicación de los frentes de guerra; la agonía de la solución de dos Estados para el conflicto palestino israelí y el riesgo de mayor violencia cuando se cumplen 50 años de la ocupación de Gaza y Cisjordania; la retirada de países africanos de la Corte Penal Internacional; y Siria como ejemplo del fracaso en la protección de civiles en contextos de conflicto armado.

Health advisories for travelers to Saudi Arabia, Hajj, 1438 H

Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is one of the largest and most longstanding annual mass gathering event in the world. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has issued Health conditions for travelers to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) – health requirements and recommendations in connection with performing hajj in 2017 (1438 H)

Editorial note

Every year, at the request of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes travel advice based on Saudi Arabia’s travel advisory that informs visitors of the requirements for entry into Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. However, these stipulated requirements and conditions do not imply an endorsement by WHO.

This year, the Hajj is expected to take place during the first week of September 2017, from the 9th to the 13th of Dhu'lHijjah (the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar). Hajj draws about 2 to 4 million Muslim pilgrims every year; at least 1.5 to 2 million pilgrims are foreign visitors.

The inevitable overcrowding due to the presence of such large numbers of people in a relatively confined area poses a unique health risk. Large mass gatherings such as Hajj and Umrah bring together people from all around the world, thus increasing the risk of infectious diseases of pandemic potential, and may amplify many infections.

During the current year, some infectious diseases continue to pose an additional health risk to pilgrims. These diseases include Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which emerged 5 years ago in Arabian Peninsula, and remains a health threat to pilgrims. Although no domestic transmission of Zika virus has been reported in Saudi Arabia, dengue fever which is transmitted through the same vector (Aedes mosquitoes) is endemic in cities around hajj premises.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (14 July 2017) — Unabated climate change would bring devastating consequences to countries in Asia and the Pacific, which could severely affect their future growth, reverse current development gains, and degrade quality of life, according to a report produced by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

Under a business-as-usual scenario, a 6 degree Celsius temperature increase is projected over the Asian landmass by the end of the century. Some countries in the region could experience significantly hotter climates, with temperature increases in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the northwest part of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) projected to reach 8 degree Celsius, according to the report, titled “A Region at Risk: The Human Dimensions of Climate Change in Asia and the Pacific.”

These increases in temperature would lead to drastic changes in the region’s weather system, agriculture and fisheries sectors, land and marine biodiversity, domestic and regional security, trade, urban development, migration, and health. Such a scenario may even pose an existential threat to some countries in the region and crush any hope of achieving sustainable and inclusive development.

“The global climate crisis is arguably the biggest challenge human civilization faces in the 21st century, with the Asia and Pacific region at the heart of it all,” said Bambang Susantono, ADB Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development. “Home to two-thirds of the world’s poor and regarded as one of the most vulnerable region to climate change, countries in Asia and the Pacific are at the highest risk of plummeting into deeper poverty — and disaster — if mitigation and adaptation efforts are not quickly and strongly implemented.”

"The Asian countries hold Earth's future in their hands. If they choose to protect themselves against dangerous climate change, they will help to save the entire planet,” said Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, PIK Director. “The challenge is twofold. On the one hand, Asian greenhouse-gas emissions have to be reduced in a way that the global community can limit planetary warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, as agreed in Paris 2015. Yet even adapting to 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature rise is a major task. So, on the other hand, Asian countries have to find strategies for ensuring prosperity and security under unavoidable climate change within a healthy global development. But note that leading the clean industrial revolution will provide Asia with unprecedented economic opportunities. And exploring the best strategies to absorb the shocks of environmental change will make Asia a crucial actor in 21st-century multilateralism."

More intense typhoons and tropical cyclones are expected to hit Asia and the Pacific with rising global mean temperatures. Under a business-as-usual scenario, annual precipitation is expected to increase by up to 50% over most land areas in the region, although countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan may experience a decline in rainfall by 20-50%.

Coastal and low-lying areas in the region will be at an increased risk of flooding. Nineteen of the 25 cities most exposed to a one-meter sea-level rise are located in the region, 7 of which are in the Philippines alone. Indonesia, however, will be the most affected country in the region by coastal flooding with approximately 5.9 million people expected to be affected every year until 2100.

Increased vulnerability to flooding and other disasters will significantly impact the region — and the world — economically. Global flood losses are expected to increase to $52 billion per year by 2050 from $6 billion in 2005. Moreover, 13 of the top 20 cities with the largest growth of annual flood losses from 2005-2050 are in Asia and the Pacific: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, Zhanjiang, and Xiamen (PRC); Mumbai, Chennai-Madras, Surat, and Kolkata (India); Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Jakarta (Indonesia); Bangkok (Thailand); and Nagoya (Japan).

Climate change will also make food production in the region more difficult and production costs higher. In some countries of Southeast Asia, rice yields could decline by up to 50% by 2100 if no adaptation efforts are made. Almost all crops in Uzbekistan, meanwhile, are projected to decrease by 20-50% by 2050 even in a 2 degree Celsius temperature increase (Paris Agreement scenario). Food shortages could increase the number of malnourished children in South Asia by 7 million, as import costs will likely increase in the subregion to $15 billion per year compared to $2 billion by 2050.

Marine ecosystems, particularly in the Western Pacific, will be in serious danger by 2100. All coral reef systems in the subregion will collapse due to mass coral bleaching if global warming increases by 4 degree Celsius (global business-as-usual scenario). Even with a 1.5 degree Celsius temperature increase, 89% of coral reefs are expected to suffer from serious bleaching, severely affecting reef-related fisheries and tourism in Southeast Asia.

Climate change also poses a significant risk to health in Asia and the Pacific. Already, 3.3 million people die every year due to the harmful effects of outdoor air pollution, with the PRC, India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh being the top four countries experiencing such deaths. In addition, heat-related deaths in the region among the elderly are expected to increase by about 52,000 cases by 2050 due to climate change, according to data from the World Health Organization. Deaths related to vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue may also increase.

A business-as-usual approach to climate change could also disrupt functioning ecosystem services, prompting mass migration — mostly to urban areas — that could make cities more crowded and overwhelm available social services.

Moreover, a warmer climate for the region could endanger energy supply. Climate change can exacerbate energy insecurity through continued reliance on unsustainable fossil fuels, reduced capacities of thermal power plants due to a scarcity of cooling water, and intermittent performance of hydropower plants as a result of uncertain water discharges, among other factors. Energy insecurity could lead to conflicts as countries compete for limited energy supply.

To mitigate the impact of climate change, the report highlights the importance of implementing the commitments laid out in the Paris Agreement. These include public and private investments focused on the rapid decarbonization of the Asian economy as well as the implementation of adaptation measures to protect the region’s most vulnerable populations. Climate mitigation and adaptation efforts should also be mainstreamed into macro-level regional development strategies and micro-level project planning in all sectors, in addition to the ongoing renewable energy and technology innovation efforts in urban infrastructure and transport. The region has both the capacity and weight of influence to move towards sustainable development pathways, curb global emissions, and promote adaptation, the report concludes.

ADB approved a record $3.7 billion in climate financing in 2016 and has committed to further scale up its investments to $6 billion by 2020.

ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration. Established in 1966, ADB is celebrating 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members—48 from the region. In 2016, ADB assistance totaled $31.7 billion, including $14 billion in cofinancing.

FCO launches its Annual Human Rights report for 2016

Annual Report on Human Rights and Democracy puts human rights centre stage of foreign policy.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has published its 2016 Annual Human Rights Report. The report covers the period from January to December 2016 and for the first time includes a dedicated section on modern slavery - a key UK Government priority.

This report focuses on how the Government is working to protect and promote human rights around the world. It also sets out our 30 Human Rights Priority Countries (HRPCs).

The key themes include:

• modern slavery;
  
• rights of women and girls;
  
• torture and the death penalty;
  
• LGBT rights;
  
• and the increasing pressure faced by civil society organisations.

The Minister for Human Rights, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, said:

In too many countries across the world, human rights and rule of law are neither respected nor valued as they should be.

Standing up for human rights is not only the right thing; it also helps to create a safer, more prosperous and progressive world.

This report documents the serious concerns we have about the human rights situations in a range of countries and also highlights our work protecting and promoting the value of universal rights and democracy.

Safeguarding, promoting and defending human rights internationally is an important UK priority and our Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy supports crucial frontline work.

British diplomats put human rights at the heart of everything they do, working in partnership with foreign governments and civil society - particularly in our 30 HRPCs - to promote safer, more inclusive, prosperous societies.

Further information

Follow Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on Twitter @tariqahmadbt
Follow the Foreign Office on Twitter @foreignoffice and Facebook
Follow the Foreign Office on Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn

Media enquiries

For journalists
Email
newsdesk@fco.gov.uk

Newsdesk
020 7008 3100

Health advisories for travelers to Saudi Arabia, Hajj, 1438 H

Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is one of the largest and most longstanding annual mass gathering event in the world. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health has issued Health conditions for travelers to Saudi Arabia for the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj) – health requirements and recommendations in connection with performing hajj in 2017 (1438 H)

Editorial note

Every year, at the request of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), the World Health Organization (WHO) publishes travel advice based on Saudi Arabia’s travel advisory that informs visitors of the requirements for entry into Saudi Arabia for Hajj and Umrah. However, these stipulated requirements and conditions do not imply an endorsement by WHO.

This year, the Hajj is expected to take place during the first week of September 2017, from the 9th to the 13th of Dhu'lHijjah (the 12th and last month of the Islamic calendar). Hajj draws about 2 to 4 million Muslim pilgrims every year; at least 1.5 to 2 million pilgrims are foreign visitors.

The inevitable overcrowding due to the presence of such large numbers of people in a relatively confined area poses a unique health risk. Large mass gatherings such as Hajj and Umrah bring together people from all around the world, thus increasing the risk of infectious diseases of pandemic potential, and may amplify many infections.

During the current year, some infectious diseases continue to pose an additional health risk to pilgrims. These diseases include Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which emerged 5 years ago in Arabian Peninsula, and remains a health threat to pilgrims. Although no domestic transmission of Zika virus has been reported in Saudi Arabia, dengue fever which is transmitted through the same vector (Aedes mosquitoes) is endemic in cities around hajj premises.

Feature

China

Affected areas

Country-wide Cause of displacement Disaster

Figures More than 1.8 million new disaster displacements between 22 June and 12 July

Context

South Central and Southwest China More than 1.6 million people were evacuated across Hunan Province in South Central China from 22 June to 10 July during record-breaking rains that triggered flash floods and landslides.
Flood levels in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province, exceeded the four month average expected for June to September combined. Dozens of people were swept away by the flood waters, which destroyed infrastructure and crops, and caused up to $1.22 billion in direct economic loss (Xinhua, 9 July 2017, Nation, 10 July 2017; Aljazeera, 4 July 2017).
About 6,900 people were evacuated from the Southwest provinces of Guizhou and Sichuan, and about 100 people in Tibet between 28 and 30 June following heavy rainfall and flooding (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 30 June 2017).

As many as 176,000 people were evacuated in South Central China between 1 to 5 July due to flooding, including about 169,000 in Guangxi province and about 7,000 in Guangdong province. (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 5 July 2017).
In the week that followed, more than 9,500 people were evacuated from the provinces of Hubei, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan following flooding between 8 and 12 July (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 12 July 2017). Over the same period, about 500 people were evacuated in Tibet because of heavy rainfall (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 12 July 2017). An additional 3,400 people were evacuated between 4 and 7 July because of thunderstorms, heavy rain and winds in Sichuan and Henan provinces (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 7 July 2017).

North and Northwest China

More than 3,600 people were evacuated in Beijing and Hebei provinces between 6 and 10 July because of a storm surge that brought strong rainfall (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 10 July 2017). About 200 people were evacuated in parts of Xinjiang province from 2 to 4 July because of heavy rain, thunderstorms and high winds (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 4 July 2017). An additional 100 people were evacuated from Shaanxi province between 4 and 7 July due to similar weather conditions (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 7 July 2017).

East China

More than 1,000 people were evacuated between 3 and 7 July due to strong winds and heavy rainfall, including about 700 people from Anhui province, 200 people from Jiangsu province and 100 people from Zhejiang province (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 6 July 2017; Ministry of Civil Affairs, 7 July 2017).
As many as 3,800 people were evacuated following flooding in Jiangxi between 8 and 12 July. An additional 200 people were evacuated over the same period due to flooding in Jiangsu (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 12 July 2017).

Implementation of Event Based Surveillance in Jordan

Jordan is conducting a training workshop for the launch of event based surveillance (EBS) for acute respiratory infections. The workshop to be conducted in Amman, Jordan, from 24 to 27 July 2017 will target public health officers responsible for surveillance and response at governorate level and health professionals from all secondary and tertiary level hospitals in the country.

Editorial note

EBS is defined as the organized collection, monitoring, assessment and interpretation of mainly unstructured ad hoc information regarding health events or risks, which may represent an acute risk to human health. It is a component of a comprehensive early warning surveillance system.

The establishment of EBS for acute respiratory infections in Jordan was based on recognition of the need to complement and enhance capacity for early warning of its surveillance system for severe acute respiratory infections (SARI) that Jordan has implemented for many years. Jordan has been reporting Influenza data to FluNet and EMFLU in a sustainable way during the past few years (Please see the table).

Massive urbanization, increased population movements, increased international travel and trade has created conditions for rapid spread of emerging and reemerging infectious hazards such as MERS and influenza. Recent examples in Jordan include the MERS-CoV outbreak in 2015 which had an imported index case.To respond to these new challenges and public health threats, the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005 have underscored the need for countries to strengthen early warning surveillance systems through implementation on event based surveillance (EBS) systems to ensure early detection and timely response to health events.

Through a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Health, CDC and WHO, Jordan will go a long way towards ensuring timely detection of emerging and dangerous respiratory infections such as MERS and Influenza.

Through lectures, case studies, practical exercises and discussions, the training workshop will introduce participants to the new national EBS guidelines for acute respiratory events, priority acute respiratory events for reporting, EBS procedures and information flow at all levels, available tools for EBS activities at all levels including electronic tools for reporting sites, from the detection and reporting level in private and public hospitals to central coordination level.

By enhancing the capacity for early warning of the national surveillance system of Jordan, the country is expected to detect early signals of any epidemic-prone acute respiratory infections in humans that is associated with illness in animals, unexplained SARI that occurs in a healthcare worker who takes care of patients with respiratory illness, increased ICU admissions for respiratory illness, or increase in apparent mortality or unexplained deaths. It is expected that the EBS will increase the sensitivity of the surveillance system in the country to provide early warning and consequently rapid response to any acute respiratory infections that are potentially a threat to the population.

This monthly digest comprises threats and incidents of violence affecting the delivery of humanitarian assistance. It is prepared by Insecurity Insight from information available in open sources.

Burkina Faso 15 May 2017: In Djahoye town, unidentified perpetrators launched an attack, killing the president of the Village Development Council, and seizing money, food and a motorcycle before fleeing. Source: China

Burundi 05 May 2017: In Bujumbura city, some unnamed people have used fake Red Cross emblems to commit unspecified crimes, endangering rescuers and putting the lives of the wounded at risk. Source: IWACU

Cameroon 15 May 2017: In Bamenda, Northwest region, unidentified perpetrators burned down five classrooms at the Government Primary School. Source: Cameroon Concord

Central African Republic 08 May 2017: In Mbomou region, anti-balaka fighters ambushed a MINUSCA convoy travelling between Yogofongo village and Bangassou, killing one Cambodian peacekeeper and wounding at least eight others, including one Cambodian and seven Moroccans.
Sources: Al Jazeera and Central Afrique Presse 09 May 2017: In Mbomou region, three peacekeepers who had disappeared after the above attack were found dead. Another peacekeeper remains missing. Sources: Al Jazeera, Central Afrique Presse, International Business Times, VOA News 13-14 May 2017: In Bangassou, Mbomou region, anti-balaka fighters attacked a MINUSCA base twice, killing dozens, including one Moroccan peacekeeper. Sources: Reuters, RJDH, Telquel and The Wire

Immigration Detention And Community Statistics Summary

At 30 June 2017, there were 1262 people in immigration detention facilities, including 981 in immigration detention on the mainland and 281 in immigration detention on Christmas Island.

A further 553 people were living in the community after being approved for a residence determination and 22,143 were living in the community after grant of a Bridging Visa E.

Meningitis in Yemen

The Ministry of Health in Yemen, in collaboration with WHO, are closely monitoring the epidemiological pattern of the ongoing reported cases of meningitis in Yemen. Since the beginning of the year up to 8 July 2017 (Epidemiological week 27), a total of 2,146 suspected cases have been reported through the electronic early warning surveillance system (eDEWS) in the country (Please see the graph).

Editorial Note

In 2017, cases of suspected meningitis have been reported in nearly all governorates of Yemen. Nearly two-thirds of the total number of reported suspected meningitis cases, 1413 are in the under five year age group compared to 733 in the over five year age group. The highest number of cases have been reported in Amana, Taiz, Al Hodeida governorates. This has been attributed to the fact that these leading governorates have referral hospitals that received most suspected meningitis cases including referrals from other sites in the country.

Even though the number of suspected meningitis cases in the first half of 2017 is coming close to the total number of reported suspected cases in 2016 (2,649 reported cases of meningitis in Yemen in 2016) (Please see the table), this maybe due to the fact that eDEWS population coverage has increased by nearly two-thirds from 700 sites in 2016 to 1,982 reporting sites currently.

A total of 920 cerebrospinal fluid samples have been tested by gram stain and culture; 5 samples have tested positive for Streptococcus Pneumoniae; 2 for Neisseria Meningitidis; and 11 samples were positive for other bacteria. The low number of CSF samples that have tested positive could be due to excessive self medication with antibiotics given restricted access to health care due to insecurity; and possibly due to sample handling and limited capacity of local laboratory capacity given the current status of health infrastructure in the country.

Previous studies on meningitis in Yemen have shown that Streptococcus Pneumoniae is the leading cause of bacterial meningitis followed by Neisseria Meningitidis among adults older than 15 years old (Abdulrab 2010); while Haemophilus Influenza type-B is the second leading cause among children less than 15 years old (Khorasani 2006).

Yemen introduced Haemophilus Influenza type-B vaccine into the routine national immunization programme in 2005 and this may explain why Haemophilus Influenza type-B meningitis has not been isolated. However given that most cases are occurring among under fives, Streptococcus Pneumoniae is the most isolated pathogen in CSF samples. Though Pneumococcal vaccine was introduced in Yemen in 2011, questions are raised about access to routine immunization.

Despite the challenges of the humanitarian crisis, the occurrence of meningitis in Yemen has not reached unexpected levels and the risk of spread to neighboring countries remains low. This situation may change at any time; therefore surveillance must be enhanced to ensure effective monitoring and preparedness and response capacities should be strengthened at all levels.

The Asia-Pacific region is one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world, with frequently occurring natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, tropical storms, flooding, landslides and volcanic eruptions affecting millions of people every year.

Although countries in the region have developed varying capacities to reduce risk and respond to disasters, many communities are still vulnerable. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) provides support to governments, the United Nations system and other partners in Asia-Pacific through a network of offices which collectively cover 36 UN member countries and an additional 16 countries and territories totaling over 3 billion people.

Mandated by UN General Assembly Resolution 46/182, OCHA aims to facilitate national disaster preparedness, advocate for policy change in favor of vulnerable communities, strengthen UN/IASC agency coordination and capacity, and promote regional cooperation for enhanced emergency response.

Since 2005, the OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) has provided support and assistance in response to major emergencies including the Pakistan earthquake, Indonesia (Yogyakarta & Padang earthquakes), Timor-Leste political unrest, Philippines typhoons (Ketsana & Haiyan) and the Solomon Islands tsunami.

OCHA ROAP is also working with key partners to support the implementation of the Cluster approach; roll out the Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP); facilitate use of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF); support Humanitarian Coordinators and build partnerships (including the Regional IASC Humanitarian Network).

OCHA ROAP offers a wide range of technical expertise including disaster response coordination, humanitarian reporting, funding mobilization, civil-military coordination, communication with communities, information management, public information and advocacy coordination. For more information on OCHA ROAP or to see more reports and maps, the office maintains a regionally-focused website (http://www.unocha.org/roap/).

FEATURE

Myanmar

AFFECTED AREAS
Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway and Sagaing regions

CAUSE OF DISPLACEMENT
Disaster

FIGURES
More than 130,000 new disaster displacements between 2 and 21 July

CONTEXT
More than 130,000 people were evacuated between 2 and 21 July in the regions of Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway and Sagaing, as well as in Kayin State, due to floods and landslides. Magway and Sagaing were most heavily affected with more than 90,000 and 23,000 people evacuated, respectively, due to flooding. Displaced people sought shelter in monasteries, host families or in temporary relief sites (OCHA, 21 July 2017; The Irrawaddy, 26 July 2017).

More than 9 million people already displaced globally in 2017

August 2017 (Geneva)

Conflict, violence and disasters have caused more than 9 million new internal displacements globally in the first half of 2017, according to new estimates released today by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

Of the 9.1 million new internal displacements, 4.6 million were caused by conflict, a figure which is already two-thirds of last year’s total. The countries with the highest new internal displacement by conflict are:

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): 997,000; Iraq: 922,000; Syria: 692,000; the Philippines: 466,000; Ethiopia: 213,000; Central African Republic (CAR): 206,000; South Sudan: 163,000; the Gambia: 162,000; Afghanistan: 159,000; Nigeria: 142,000; Yemen: 112,000; and Somalia: 70,000.
The deteriorating situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resulted in almost a million (997,000) new displacements in the first half of the year. The total figure of those displaced by conflict in the country now stands at 3.7 million, which is an increase of around two million new displacements on June 2016, and remains the highest in Africa. The conflict has spread to new areas and eight of the country’s 26 provinces are now affected by violence. Iraq follows closely with 922,000 new displacements, mainly due to several waves of offensives on Mosul.

Extensive damage to the city means that those displaced are unlikely to be able to return in the near future. In Kirkuk governorate, which is still under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), clashes in the Hawiia district resulted in approximately 37,000 displacements. 692,000 new displacements also took place in Syria, where over the first six months of the year, fighting between government and non-government forces intensified in several governorates, including the offensive on Raqqa City, triggering large waves of displacement. In the Philippines, 466,000 new displacements were reported in connection with ongoing tensions and armed conflict on Mindanao Island, concentrated mainly in and around Marawi city. More than 350,000 people are estimated to be displaced in the city and surrounding region.

There are also deepening concerns about other African countries, with high figures being recorded in CAR where violence has escalated since September 2016 because of clashes between the country’s various armed groups. Unrest in Ethiopia is also on the rise, with armed groups trying to take down the government. With over 213,000 new displacements in the first half of 2017, the total number of people internally displaced by conflict in Ethiopia has now risen to more than 588,000.

Disaster displacement continues at an unabated pace too: already more than half the number of relevant disaster events were reported by end-June 2017 as compared to the total of 2016, but only around a fifth of new displacements were recorded, 4.5 million new displacements across 350 events. While comparably low, however, these numbers are equally concerning as sudden-onset seasonal storms and floods in South and South East Asia as well as the hurricane season in the Americas are still to come and numbers can be expected to rise exponentially, like in previous years.
The disasters triggering the highest numbers of new internal displacements were: floods in the southern provinces, China, in June: 858,000; tropical cyclone Mora, across Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, in May and June: 851,000; Visayas and Mindanao floods, in the Philippines, between January to March: 381,000; rainy season, in Peru, between January to June: 293,000; tropical cyclone Enawo, in Madagascar, in March: 246,000; Oroville Dam flood, in the US:, in February: 188,000; Maguindanao floods, in the Philippines, in May: 182,000; tropical cyclone Dineo, in Mozambique and Botswana, in February: 147,000; typhoon Merbok (known locally as Bai Miao), in China, in June: 117,000; and Monsoon floods, in Sri Lanka, between May to June: 104,000.

The two largest events of displacement by flooding in China and by Cyclone Mora in Bangladesh, Myanmar and India are stark reminders of the fact that the concentration of populations in flood plains and on hazard prone coastlines combined with high levels of vulnerability repeatedly trigger large-scale new displacements - and will continue to do so in the face of climate change.

Large-scale new displacements in the Philippines, Peru and Sri Lanka also took place in the context of seasonal flooding. “This shows us that seasonal, to be expected, weather patterns still result in large numbers of new displacements year after year, clearly illustrating that we are not investing enough in reducing vulnerability and exposure. While preparedness, early warning and evacuation systems may have improved over the years, the overall risk of being forced out of your home and becoming displaced in these countries has not been reduced.” says Bina Desai, Head of Policy and Research at IDMC.

END

NOTES TO EDITORS

The highlights document can be accessed at http://www.internaldisplacement.org/library/publications/2017/midyear-figures-2017

As of 16 August, the full set of 2017 mid-year figures can be found at: http://www.internaldisplacement.org/database and country updates can be found at http://internaldisplacement.org/countries/.

What is the difference between an IDP and a refugee?
The main difference between IDPs and refugees is that internally displaced people remain within the borders of their own country. Refugees have crossed an international border in search of refuge, and this gives them legal refugee status which entitles them to certain rights and international protection. An IDP, however, is not a legal status because IDPs are still under the jurisdiction of their own government and may not claim any rights additional to those shared by their fellow citizens.

FOR INTERVIEWS PLEASE CONTACT:

Ms Sian Bowen Head of Communications Email: sian.bowen@idmc.ch Office Tel: +41 22 552 3612 Mobile: + 41 78 630 16 78

Ms Francesca Da Ros Communications Coordinator Email : francesca.da.ros@idmc.ch Office Tel: + 41 22 552 3645 Mobile: + 41 78 820 59 27

About us

IDMC was established in 1998 and is part of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Monitoring internal displacement caused by conflict, violence, human rights violations and natural disasters worldwide, IDMC is widely respected as the leading source of information and analysis on internal displacement throughout the world.

Follow IDMC on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InternalDisplacement Twitter: @IDMC_Geneva

Current major event

Meningitis in Yemen

The suspected bacterial meningitis cases continue to be monitored. From 01 January to 06 August 2017 (Epidemiological week 31), a total of 2,467 clinically diagnosed cases including 37 related deaths (Case fatality ratio- 1.5%) were reported through the Electronic Disease Early Warning System (eDEWS) in Yemen.

Editorial note

Suspected cases of meningitis continue to be reported from different governorates of Yemen since the beginning of the current year. During the month of April 2017, the number of suspected cases increased followed by a gradual decline in the following two months (May and June 2017). Cases were reported across 1,900 health facilities in the country, these sites function as sentinel reporting sites for the national electronic disease early warning system in the country.

The highest number of suspected meningitis cases was reported from Amanat Al-Asimah governorate with 629 Cases (25.5%); other governorates reporting high number of cases include: Taiz with 355 cases (14.4%), Dhamar with 244 cases (9.9%), Ibb with 214 cases (8.7%), Al Hodeida with 166 cases(6.7%) and Aden with 141 cases(5.7%). These governorates reported such high number of cases because they host the main referral hospitals that serve as sentinel sites for the national bacterial meningitis surveillance programme in Yemen.

A total of 1,006 cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected, from 01 January to 20 August 2017, from 10 sentinel sites of national bacterial meningitis surveillance programme spread across the country. Of these samples, only 5 samples have tested positive for Streptococcus Pneumoniae; 2 for Neisseria Meningitidis W135; and 11 samples were positive for other bacteria. Almost 80%of the CSF samples yielded no result.

Compared to 2016, when the number of health facilities reporting bacterial meningitis cases in Yemen increased to about 100% in 2017 (Please see the box) the reported cases of bacterial meningitis appeared to have increased in 2017 which was expected. However, further analysis of the current year’s trend and comparing it with that of the previous years, no evidence of any increase of meningitis cases was observed. Further, only two out of 1006 samples tested so far have been found positive for an epidemic strain that is known to have caused epidemic of meningococcal meningitis in other countries, primarily in the African Meningitis Belt.

The current trend of cases, as observed and measured in weekly attack rates (Please see the graph above) is far lower and less than what was seen in 2015-2016. This analysis supports the fact that the current trend of meningitis cases is within the normal or “endemic range” and no evidence of existence of an outbreak of meningitis is seen or proven so far.

What is important, now, is to enhance surveillance and continue to monitor the trend of the disease through improving vigilance in order to early detect and track any “unusual: increase in reported cases. The current situation doesn't warrant any specific response except improving round the clock vigilance.