Daily Wrap

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Daily Wrap 16 September 2020 University of Oxford/John Cairns UN chief: COVID-19 vaccine must be affordable and available to all   The continuing COVID-19 pandemic continues to top a long list of global concerns, the UN chief told journalists on Wednesday, noting that "the grimmest of milestones" is upon us.  Peace and Security © UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi Protect lives, mitigate future shocks and recover better: UN-wide COVID-19 response  Over the course of 2020 thus far, the coronavirus has taken hundreds of thousands of lives, infected millions of people, and wreaked socio-economic, humanitarian and human rights havoc, the United Nations said in a new report released on Wednesday. Health ©UNICEF/Arcos Venezuela abuses amounted to crimes against humanity: UN-appointed panel Grave rights violations against anti-government protesters in Venezuela, "amounted to crimes against humanity", UN-appointed rights investigators said in their first report on abuses inside the Latin American nation. Human Rights UNICEF/Rich South Sudan: Progress on peace agreement 'limps along', UN envoy tells Security Council Although the transitional government in South Sudan continues to function, with state governors now appointed, among other developments, progress on the 2018 peace agreement "limps along", the top UN official in the country told a virtual meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday.  Peace and Security © UNICEF/Alessio Romenzi Governments urged to protect poor against modern slavery, step up development financing Unless governments act now, millions of the world's most vulnerable people could be pushed into contemporary forms of slavery and other exploitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN independent human rights expert has said.    Human Rights UNICEF/Seyha Lychheang More research needed into COVID-19 effects on children, says WHO head More research is needed into factors that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 disease among children and adolescents, the head of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) has said, adding that while children may have largely been spared many of the most severe effects, they have suffered in other ways.  Health Photo: UNEP Ozone treaties 'inspiring examples' of political will, UN chief says on International Day The United Nations commemorated the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer, on Wednesday, recognizing the success of landmark global agreements in helping restore the protective layer around Earth.  Climate Change Coronavirus Portal & News Updates Readers can find information and guidance on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) from the UN, World Health Organization and UN agencies here. For daily news updates from UN News, click here. unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences