Friday, October 6, 2017
1. UN wraps up peacekeeping mission in Haiti with disturbing legacy
Maybe we should think twice about calling them “peacekeepers”. After 13 years, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Haiti is coming to a close – and it’s ending on a sour note. While UN officials have lauded the mission for helping to re-stabilize Haiti’s political institutions, the blue helmets played a role in triggering the 2010 cholera outbreak, and more than 134 of them sexually abused local women and children.
Despite the damage caused by the peacekeeping mission, and widespread discontent among local people towards the UN, the UN will soon be implementing another mission in Haiti.
2. A makeshift booth in Rohingya refugee camp reunites families
200,000. That’s how many Rohingya people are staying in the refugee camps of Kutupalong, Bangladesh. Amidst such cramped conditions with little infrastructure, dozens of children go missing every day.
Nazir Ahmed, a Rohingya refugee, established a “lost and found” booth, where he makes 25-30 public announcements each day about missing children. Over the past month, Nazir has helped reunite almost 180 children with their families.
3. New global pledge aims to stop cholera by 2030
This week the World Health Organization, global aid agencies and governments pledged to reduce cholera deaths by 90 percent by 2030. A water-borne disease, cholera kills 100,000 people annually and has infected more than 700,000 people. The majority of fatal cases are happening in India, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Haiti. Improving access to clean water is crucial to putting an end to cholera.