About the Statement:

Issued by the Union Association for Human Rights in cooperation with an organization holding consultative status, this written statement was submitted to the Human Rights Council at its 58th session (February – April 2025). The statement focuses on calling for an end to wars and armed conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, and protecting UN personnel, humanitarian workers, and civilians, presenting a rights-based and humanitarian vision placing this issue at the core of international priorities.

Contents of the Statement:

First: General background

• The statement points to the escalation of armed conflicts in the region and the grave violations they have caused against civilians, relief workers, and UN staff.
• It draws on key international decisions, such as UN Security Council Resolution 2175 (2014), the Geneva Conventions, and reports by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on the rise in casualties among humanitarian workers in 2024.

Second: Call to activate international protection mechanisms

• The statement calls for activating the Council’s mechanisms for international investigation and accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.
• It urges decisive action to protect UN personnel and prevent impunity for perpetrators.

Third: Call for urgent international action

• The statement urges an effective international response to address humanitarian disasters in the region, particularly in Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territories, and Syria.
• It stresses the need for comprehensive measures to end civilian suffering, promote ceasefires, and ensure sustainable humanitarian support.

Fourth: Highlighting the efforts of the United Arab Emirates

• The statement commends the UAE’s role in supporting global peace and its humanitarian initiatives in conflict areas.
• It outlines its contributions to:
  • Supporting ceasefires
  • Prisoner exchange initiatives
  • Providing medical and food aid
  • Improving living conditions in conflict and refugee areas

Importance of the statement:

• It sheds light on the dangerous deterioration of the situation for civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones.
• It highlights the ongoing failure to implement international protection obligations and calls for reforming the legal accountability system.
• It presents the UAE as a responsible model in international humanitarian diplomacy and reflects the importance of partnerships between states and organizations to achieve the security and stability of affected peoples.