Name: AGRIFOCUS | THE IMPORTANCE OF PPE by gisbarbados
Duration: 5 min 31 s
Description: Scientific Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security, Gennia Oxley explains the importance of using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

Scientific Officer at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security, Gennia Oxley explains the importance of using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

AGRIFOCUS | THE IMPORTANCE OF PPE

• Syria one year after government change - UN rights office warns of ongoing killings and abuses 
• Mozambique displacement crisis deepens as attacks intensify and aid supplies run low, UN reports 
• South-East Asia: Climate disasters disrupt schooling for more than 4 million children, UNICEF says 

Audio credit: Katy Dartford, UN News 

UN News Today 05 December 2025 - Syria, Mozambique, climate disasters

The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, spoke out on Monday after Israeli officials allegedly forced their way into its headquarters in occupied East Jerusalem and lowered the UN flag.
Here's UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler speaking to UN News (AI transcript, check against delivery): "Today we've seen a blatant disregard of Israel's obligation as a United Nations member state to protect and respect the inviolability of UN premises. So basically what happened was early this morning, Israeli police, accompanied by municipal officials, forced their way into the UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem. They came in with motorbikes. as well as trucks and forklifts, and they cut all communications. 
"They subsequently seized furniture, IT equipment and other property. And indeed, they actually pulled down the UN flag from the tower in the compound and they replaced it with an Israeli flag. This comes in the wake of months of months of harassment that included arson attacks in 2024, hateful demonstrations and intimidation outside the compound. And these were supported by a large scale disinformation campaign. 
"And in addition, anti-UNRWA legislation that was passed by the Israeli parliament in breach of Israel's international obligations. And as a result of this, UNRWA personnel were actually forced to vacate this compound at the beginning of this year. However, whatever action that's taken domestically, this compound retains its status as a UN premises. I really want to emphasize that. And it's immune from any form of interference. Now, the State of Israel is party to the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations. That convention is crystal clear. It says that UN premises are inviolable. In other words, they're immune from search and seizure, and it also protects UN property and assets. 
"Now, the International Court of Justice has also underscored this, most recently in its advisory opinion that was issued in October. to say that Israel has to cooperate with UNRWA and other UN agencies. It's a matter of international law that there can be no exceptions to this. So to allow this to happen, I mean, it represents a new challenge to international law. It's something that's extremely dangerous anywhere that the UN is present across the world. So not just in Israeli territory or occupy Israel, the occupied Palestinian territory, but also, anywhere around the world where this should not be allowed to stand. And we would really, really urge the Israeli authorities to rethink this because this kind of thing is extremely dangerous at the global level." 
 

UNRWA-compound-searched-Jonathan Fowler

For many survivors of human trafficking, support often ends too soon. With limited resources and systems that fail to provide long-term care, many are thrown out of the system — left without proper trauma support or recognition beyond their stories. 

Mother, activist, and human trafficking survivor Malaika Oringo is determined to change that. As the founder of Footprint to Freedom, a survivor-led non-profit dedicated to empowering and reintegrating trafficking survivors, she advocates for survivor voices to be at the heart of policymaking and government action.

In a conversation with UN News, Ms. Oringo reflects on her personal journey — how she overcame trauma, reclaimed her voice, and continues to inspire change through her tireless advocacy. 

Charlotte Frantz began by asking her what drives the trafficking of people.

Audio credit: Charlotte Frantz, UN News


From victims to changemakers: Providing support to human trafficking survivors

• Sudan: WHO chief Tedros deplores 'senseless attacks' on civilians in South Kordofan 
• Humanitarians launch $33 billion appeal for 2026 
• UNRWA condemns search of Jerusalem headquarters by Israeli officials

Audio credit: Daniel Johnson, UN News

UN News Today 08 December 2025 - Sudan, humanitarian appeal, UNRWA's Jerusalem headquarters

• Gaza newborns ‘scarred by war before first breath’ by preventable maternal malnutrition: UNICEF
• Sudan: Dangerous ordeal of El Fasher’s escapees is not over, warns UNFPA
• Seven in 10 women activists have been abused online: UN Women

Audio credit: Daniel Johnson, UN News

UN News Today 09 December 2025 - Gaza, Sudan update, women activists and online abuse

Rape is a “massive” and underreported problem across Sudan, but what women and girls really want, and need are basic services such as toilets and lighting to offer some protection from further sexual attacks, said the UN reproductive health agency (UNFPA)’s UNFPA's Country Representative in Sudan, Fabrizia Falcione.

Speaking from Port Sudan on Tuesday, she .said that most of the pregnant women she had met in displacement camps in North Darfur reported that their husbands had been killed or had disappeared: 

“And these women are now the breadwinners for their families but they have nothing left nor do they have an income…I also met a 17-year-old girl holding her 40-day old baby that was born out of rape. This is an extraordinary act of strength of any woman let alone an adolescent girl. She had arrived at the camp a few days before and she had never before received antenatal care before giving birth.”

Sudan war: raped women and girls mustn't be forgotten, says UN veteran aid worker

Despite widespread suffering driven by escalating conflict, displacement and disasters, Myanmar’s humanitarian emergency has become all but “invisible” to the world, the top UN official in the country has warned.

Gwyn Lewis, the UN’s interim Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, issued the alert during a visit to UN Headquarters, where she has been urging Member States and diplomats to refocus attention on the crisis.

She noted that 3.6 million people have been displaced, nearly 12 million face severe food insecurity, and one million of them are already living in emergency conditions.

Speaking to UN News’ Vibhu Mishra, she called on the international community to increase support and funding to alleviate Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis.

Audio credit: Vibhu Mishra, UN News

Myanmar’s deepening humanitarian crisis is ‘invisible’, UN official warns

Latest available figures published on Tuesday show more than 272 million children around the world were out of school through 2023, underscoring a deepening global education crisis.
 
That’s according to UN education and cultural organization, UNESCO, which says that despite lack of access, significant progress has been made in advancing gender parity and integrating emerging technologies in classrooms worldwide, including artificial intelligence.
 
In an interview with UN News’s Cristina Silveiro, UNESCO policy and lifelong learning director, Borhene Chakroun, outlined the key findings from the agency’s new global report, on the eve of Human Rights Day. 

Audio Credit: Cristina Silveiro, UN News 

Over 272 million children worldwide out of school

• Gaza: continuing airstrikes, shelling and gunfire leave more dead and injured: UN human rights chief 
• UNICEF warns of deepening global crisis for children
• On Human Rights Day 2025, credit for journalists risking everything to expose abuses

Audio credit: Daniel Johnson, UN News

UN News Today 10 December 2025 - Gaza update, global crisis for children, human rights day

Catch up on information you might have missed during the week.

This week's programme features:
1.  Professor Dr. Errol Bolden speaks about the importance of reading and identity to young minds.
2. The Barbados Landship recognised for its contribution to intangible heritage.
3.  Take advantage of the free health services being offered by the Ministry of Health's Mobile Clinic.
4.   A reminder for persons living with HIV to take their medication as prescribed.
5. The Ministry of Energy's online portal for licensing Energy Storage Systems is open.

No opportunities for download this week.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT  DECEMBER 11 - 17 (2025)

The Barbados Government Information Service has been established since 1958 as the Barbados Government's public relations and information arm.   This dynamic channel profiles Barbadian people, places and programmes which make up this Caribbean island surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea.  We hope you enjoy and feel free to comment.  We want to hear from you.

AGRIFOCUS | THE IMPORTANCE OF PPE

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