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Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
First Person: How Many More Children Must Die Before The World Acts?
15 July 2025 Juliette Touma, the director of communications for the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, has visited Gaza several times during and before the war and has been reflecting on the children she has met there and in other conflict zones. 'Adam has been on my mind lately, more so than usual. I met Adam years ago in the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah, back then under siege and heavy bombardment. In the very poor hospital ward, there lay Adam, 10 years old, weighing just over 10 kilogrammes. He could not speak, he could not cry. All he could do was make a hoarse sound of breathing. A few days later, Adam died from malnutrition. Deadly malnutrition A couple of years before that, my colleague Hanaa calls from Syria late at night. She was in tears and could barely say a word. Hanaa eventually told me that Ali, a 16-year-old boy had died. In yet another town under siege, caught up in a war not of his making, he had also died from malnutrition. The following morning, my supervisor, an epidemiologist, said 'for a boy of 16 to die of malnutrition, that says a lot. He's practically a man. It means there's no food at all in that part of Syria.' Back in Yemen in one of the few functioning children's hospitals in the capital Sana'a, I was walking through the children's ward during the peak of a cholera outbreak. Boys 15 and 16 years old, struggling to stay alive. They were so weak and emaciated, they could barely turn around in their beds. These images and stories haunted me over the years as they have for several among us who worked in severe hunger or famine-like situations. Fatal hunger grows in Gaza In 2022, when I had the great pleasure of going in and out of Gaza, I would visit children in UNRWA schools. Immaculately dressed, healthy looking, smiling, eager to learn, jumping up and down in the school playground to the sound of music. Back then, Gaza was already under a blockade for more than 15 years. Food was, however, available on the markets through imports via Israel and locally farmed produce. UNRWA was also giving food aid to over one million people. Images of Adam and Ali were quickly pushed to the back of my memory until a few weeks ago when they suddenly reappeared. Babies can survive, but will they? Our Gaza teams started sending alarming photos of emaciated babies. The rates of malnutrition are rapidly increasing, spreading across the Gaza Strip. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 50 children died of malnutrition since the siege began on 2 March. UNRWA has meanwhile screened over 242,000 children in the agency's clinics and medical points across the war-torn Strip, covering over half the children under age five in Gaza. One in 10 children screened is malnourished. Ahlam is seven months old. Her family was displaced every month since the war began, in search of non-existing safety. Shocked and her body weakened, Ahlam is severely malnourished. Like many babies in Gaza, her immune system has been damaged by trauma, constant forced displacement, lack of clean water, poor hygiene and very little food. Ahlam can survive, but will she? Bombs and scarce supplies There are very little therapeutic supplies to treat children with malnutrition as basics are scarce in Gaza. The Israeli authorities have imposed a tight siege blocking the entry of food, medicines, medical and nutritional supplies and hygiene material, including soap. While the siege is sometimes eased, UNRWA (the largest humanitarian organisation in Gaza) has not been allowed to bring in humanitarian assistance since 2 March. Last week, Salam, another malnourished baby, died. She was a few months old. When she finally reached the UNRWA clinic, it was too late. Meanwhile, eight children queuing for therapeutic support against malnutrition were killed when the Israeli forces hit the clinic they were in. One of my colleagues who drove past the clinic a few minutes later told me she saw mothers looking out into the abyss, weeping in silence, just like Adam did. How many more babies must die before the world takes action? Why should babies die of malnutrition in the 21st century, especially when it's totally preventable? At UNRWA, we have over 6,000 trucks of food, hygiene supplies and medicines outside Gaza waiting for the green light to go in. The aid will mainly help little girls like Ahlam. UNRWA also has more than 1,000 health workers who can provide boys and girls with specialised nutritional services. Amid the daily livestream of horrors we get from Gaza on our screens, one cannot help but ask how many more Ahlam's and Salam's have to die before taking action? How much longer until a ceasefire is reached so that bombs stop falling on emaciated and dying children?'
Saba Yemen
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Israeli Occupation issues administrative detention order against Palestinian girl without charges
Ramallah – Saba: The Israeli occupation authorities have issued a four-month administrative detention order against 17-year-old Palestinian girl Hanaa Haitham Ismail Hammad from the Hebron area, raising the number of female administrative detainees to ten out of 41 women currently held in Israeli prisons. According to a joint statement issued Wednesday by the Commission for Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs and the Palestinian Prisoners Club, the occupation forces arrested Hanaa on June 9 after raiding her family's home in Al-Arroub refugee camp. During the arrest, both the girl and her mother—who was temporarily detained—were subjected to field interrogation and harsh treatment, before the mother was released later. The statement noted an unprecedented rise in administrative detentions since the beginning of the war, with the number of administrative detainees reaching 3,562 as of early June, including approximately 95 minors under the age of 18. It added that administrative detention has increasingly targeted various segments of Palestinian society—including women, children, and political and social activists—with at least 400 administrative detention orders issued in a single week, among thousands issued since the escalation began. The commission and the Prisoners Club emphasized that Israeli military courts continue to legitimize administrative detention orders through what they described as 'procedural formalities', without presenting formal charges or ensuring fair trials, and under the direction of the Israeli intelligence agency (Shin Bet). The statement further highlighted a shift in the use of administrative detention in recent years. Detainees have protested through hunger strikes and boycotting court sessions, yet the occupation has continued expanding this policy using new methods. It is worth noting that eight administrative detainees have died in Israeli prisons since the beginning of the aggression on Gaza on October 7, 2023, among a total of 72 prisoners martyred during the same period, according to statistics from the Commission and the Prisoners Club. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
Zawya
20-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Liva Insurance CEO Hanaa Al Hinai leads conversation on the future of inclusion at OSHRM's 8th Conference
Muscat – Liva Insurance made its mark at the 8th Annual Conference of the Omani Society for Human Resource Management (OSHRM), held from April 14 to 16 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre. On April 16, CEO Hanaa Al Hinai took the spotlight, joining a dynamic panel discussion on 'The Inclusion Revolution: Powered by Technology,' where she brought the Company's bold vision for a more inclusive and tech-driven future. Themed 'Leadership in Open Space,' this year's conference sought to redefine leadership and human capital development in Oman, reflecting OSHRM's vision for the future of work. The event featured a distinguished roster of Omani and international speakers and experts, who offered insights into sustainability economics, psychological safety, organizational culture transformation, HR technology, diversity and inclusion, and leadership development in the private sector. During her panel session, Hanaa Al Hinai addressed how technology can act as a catalyst for inclusion across workplaces, enabling organizations to break down barriers and build more equitable, innovative, and future-ready environments. Speaking on the occasion, she remarked: "Inclusion is something that has to be built into the way we think, the way we work, and the way we lead every single day. Technology has given us incredible tools to help make that possible. Whether it's using AI to uncover hidden talent, or digital platforms that make learning and development accessible to everyone, tech allows us to break down barriers that might have seemed impossible before. 'But at this current conjuncture, we have to accept that it's not just about the tools but rather about the intention behind them. At Liva Insurance, we believe that true inclusion is about making sure every voice is heard and every person has the chance to thrive. Embracing technology is how we stay resilient, how we grow sustainably, and how we build a future that genuinely works for everyone.' Hanaa also highlighted Liva Insurance's commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and continuous development, aligning closely with Oman's broader national goals and Vision 2040. OSHRM's 8th Annual Conference provided a critical platform for leaders across industries to explore new models of leadership amidst rapidly evolving labour markets influenced by customer expectations, global economic shifts, and technological disruption. The conference also featured a dynamic international exhibition showcasing the latest in HR technologies, solutions, and services, offering attendees ample opportunities for networking, partnership building, and knowledge exchange. Liva Insurance's participation in this significant event reinforces its role as a forward-thinking organization, championing diversity, inclusion, and technology-driven growth in Oman's evolving corporate landscape. About Liva Insurance: Established in 2023 through the integration of Al Ahlia Insurance and National Life & General Insurance Company (NLGIC), Liva Insurance is the region's leading multi-line insurance company that provides Motor, Home, Travel, Health, Life and various business insurances serving the GCC region for over 80 years. Liva Insurance is redefining insurance for today's realities, combining local knowledge, passion and presence with global expertise to go beyond premiums, products and policies, providing smart, quick and reliable solutions.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'I cried for days': Office raids and arrests shock aid workers in Yemen
When Hanaa arrived at work a few months ago, she found "drawers and doors smashed, and the boss surrounded by security personnel". Computers, phones, cameras and documents were all confiscated, her boss was arrested and the organisation's bank account was eventually frozen. Hanaa works for a US-funded non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Yemen, that supports women's empowerment and trains people to solve problems through negotiation. But the country's civil war, which has lasted more than a decade and created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, has made life for NGO workers increasingly dangerous. Twenty-four UN employees, along with workers from other local and international NGOs have been detained by Houthi rebels in the past few months. A wave of arrests in January has intensified the climate of fear - one person from the World Food Programme who was detained died in custody. The situation has left humanitarian workers feeling their freedom of movement has been greatly restricted. As a result, many organisations, including the UN, are scaling back operations, threatening to make life for people already devastated by war even worse. Ten years ago, Iranian-backed Houthi militants seized control of much of the west of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, from the internationally-recognised government. Saudi Arabia, has since carried out intensive air raids on its neighbour - with logistical and intelligence support from the US and UK - to try to prevent the Houthi rebels from taking control of the whole country. It was Houthi officials who raided Hanaa's office and detained her boss, and she fears retribution if she speaks out. So, for their safety, we have changed the names of Hanaa and others in Yemen who we interviewed for this article. By cracking down on humanitarian workers, Hanaa believes the Houthis aim to spread fear among the public. But what hurts her deeply is how the public reacted. "When I checked social media, it was appalling to find out that people see us as spies," she says. A day after her boss was detained, Hanaa was glued to her TV, watching a pro-Houthi channel airing what it described as confessions of espionage, made by nine local people who had once worked at the long-closed US embassy in Sanaa. They were arrested in 2021. That was the moment she feared things would get worse for her, as she worked for a US-funded NGO. She decided to leave her home in northern Yemen. By the time she reached the south, she felt traumatised. "For three days I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop crying," she says. Now she's worried that US President Donald Trump's decision to re-designate the Houthis as a terrorist organisation could lead them to target everyone who works in US-funded projects. Once someone is arrested, it can be hard for them to get any support, according to Yemeni lawyer Abdulaziz, who represents 14 detainees. They have been behind bars for several months - three are UN staff, while the others are employed by local NGOs. "During the first three months of detention, my clients didn't communicate with anyone," he says. Abdulaziz is getting increasingly worried that their whereabouts is still unknown. More recently, he says that his clients were able to make a few brief phone calls to their families. "Each call was between five to 10 minutes," he explains. The BBC approached the Houthis to ask about their treatment of aid workers, but got no reply. In addition to the detentions, lifesaving assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been paused as a result of President Trump's freeze on the organisation's operations around the world, amid allegations of waste and misuse of funds. Human Rights Watch (HRW) warns that that the impact of President Trump's policies and the Houthis' arbitrary arrests is "nothing short of devastating". It "will have massive and dramatic impact on aid provision in Yemen", says Niku Jafarnia, a Yemen and Bahrain researcher at the organisation. According to HRW, the US was funding about one third of humanitarian aid in Yemen, much of it through USAID. Between 2015 and 2021, it provided more than $3.6 billion, making it the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance in the country, according to the UN. "Cutting aid would be a death sentence to us," warns Amal, a mother of nine. She lives in a camp for internally displaced people in northern Yemen, alongside thousands of other families. Even over the phone, it is clear what a heavy burden this woman is carrying. Her slow speech is laden with emotion. It is nearly 10 years since she lost her home. Amal singlehandedly supports her huge family. Her husband has acute asthma, so he can't work. The family had to flee their hometown further north after the conflict began. Since then, life has been increasingly unkind to them. The camp, on barren desert land, hardly resembles a home. Their only shelter is a worn-out plastic tent, with no chairs or beds. It is hard for her children to find joy in a place which lacks almost everything. "If this supply line provided by NGOs is cut, my children might die. We have no jobs, no income, nothing," Amal adds. About half of the population are in bad need of humanitarian assistance, including nearly 10 million children, according to the UN children's charity Unicef. The UN Human Development Index lists Yemen as one of the 10 least developed countries in the world. Amal tells us she receives a monthly food basket from the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), but it barely lasts two weeks. When they run out of food, she says her only option is to leave the camp and go out begging in the city's streets. She passes restaurants and shops, hoping for a few loaves of bread or a packet of rice. "I am covered in shame, but should I leave my children to starve? I am totally helpless," Amal explains. Helplessness often takes its toll on her. "I cry a lot when I realise that I don't have a penny," she says, her voice both anguished and bitter. A large number of children suffer from diarrhoea and pneumonia due to the poor hygiene, malnutrition and miserable living conditions, but adequate medication is rarely available. At a clinic in northern Yemen, the shelves where medicines should be lie empty. Staff told us the medical stock they have is nothing compared to the people's needs. The BBC contacted the UN seeking comment on the current aid distribution process and recent arrests but received no reply. However, addressing the UN Security Council, Hans Grundberg, the UN Special envoy for Yemen, condemned the detention of its staff as "not only a violation of fundamental human rights, but also a direct threat to the UN's ability to distribute aid to the most needy". He also called for the immediate release of all detainees, whether from the UN or from other local and international NGOs. It is for families like Amal's that Hanaa and her co-workers try to make life better. She proudly remembers how they sent girls to school in one of the conservative northern areas. When parents complained about neighbours being able to see their daughters during break time, "we held discussions between residents, and eventually agreed to cover the playground, so that girls could go back to class", she explains. She fears that the absence of this support, due to fear and lack of funds, could increase rates of illiteracy. "We are the only ones who have survived during the collapse of the state, in order to serve the people," Hanaa says with a sigh.
BBC News
20-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'I cried for days': Office raids and arrests shock aid workers in Yemen
When Hanaa arrived at work a few months ago, she found "drawers and doors smashed, and the boss surrounded by security personnel".Computers, phones, cameras and documents were all confiscated, her boss was arrested and the organisation's bank account was eventually works for a US-funded non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Yemen, that supports women's empowerment and trains people to solve problems through the country's civil war, which has lasted more than a decade and created one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, has made life for NGO workers increasingly UN employees, along with workers from other local and international NGOs have been detained by Houthi rebels in the past few months.A wave of arrests in January has intensified the climate of fear - one person from the World Food Programme who was detained died in situation has left humanitarian workers feeling their freedom of movement has been greatly restricted. As a result, many organisations, including the UN, are scaling back operations, threatening to make life for people already devastated by war even worse. Ten years ago, Iranian-backed Houthi militants seized control of much of the west of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, from the internationally-recognised government. Saudi Arabia, has since carried out intensive air raids on its neighbour - with logistical and intelligence support from the US and UK - to try to prevent the Houthi rebels from taking control of the whole was Houthi officials who raided Hanaa's office and detained her boss, and she fears retribution if she speaks out. So, for their safety, we have changed the names of Hanaa and others in Yemen who we interviewed for this cracking down on humanitarian workers, Hanaa believes the Houthis aim to spread fear among the public. But what hurts her deeply is how the public reacted."When I checked social media, it was appalling to find out that people see us as spies," she says.A day after her boss was detained, Hanaa was glued to her TV, watching a pro-Houthi channel airing what it described as confessions of espionage, made by nine local people who had once worked at the long-closed US embassy in Sanaa. They were arrested in was the moment she feared things would get worse for her, as she worked for a US-funded NGO. She decided to leave her home in northern the time she reached the south, she felt traumatised. "For three days I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop crying," she says. Now she's worried that US President Donald Trump's decision to re-designate the Houthis as a terrorist organisation could lead them to target everyone who works in US-funded someone is arrested, it can be hard for them to get any support, according to Yemeni lawyer Abdulaziz, who represents 14 detainees. They have been behind bars for several months - three are UN staff, while the others are employed by local NGOs. "During the first three months of detention, my clients didn't communicate with anyone," he is getting increasingly worried that their whereabouts is still unknown. More recently, he says that his clients were able to make a few brief phone calls to their families. "Each call was between five to 10 minutes," he BBC approached the Houthis to ask about their treatment of aid workers, but got no addition to the detentions, lifesaving assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been paused as a result of President Trump's freeze on the organisation's operations around the world, amid allegations of waste and misuse of Rights Watch (HRW) warns that that the impact of President Trump's policies and the Houthis' arbitrary arrests is "nothing short of devastating". It "will have massive and dramatic impact on aid provision in Yemen", says Niku Jafarnia, a Yemen and Bahrain researcher at the organisation. According to HRW, the US was funding about one third of humanitarian aid in Yemen, much of it through USAID. Between 2015 and 2021, it provided more than $3.6 billion, making it the largest single donor of humanitarian assistance in the country, according to the UN."Cutting aid would be a death sentence to us," warns Amal, a mother of nine. She lives in a camp for internally displaced people in northern Yemen, alongside thousands of other over the phone, it is clear what a heavy burden this woman is carrying. Her slow speech is laden with emotion. It is nearly 10 years since she lost her singlehandedly supports her huge family. Her husband has acute asthma, so he can't work. The family had to flee their hometown further north after the conflict then, life has been increasingly unkind to them. The camp, on barren desert land, hardly resembles a home. Their only shelter is a worn-out plastic tent, with no chairs or beds. It is hard for her children to find joy in a place which lacks almost everything."If this supply line provided by NGOs is cut, my children might die. We have no jobs, no income, nothing," Amal adds. About half of the population are in bad need of humanitarian assistance, including nearly 10 million children, according to the UN children's charity Unicef. The UN Human Development Index lists Yemen as one of the 10 least developed countries in the tells us she receives a monthly food basket from the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), but it barely lasts two weeks. When they run out of food, she says her only option is to leave the camp and go out begging in the city's streets. She passes restaurants and shops, hoping for a few loaves of bread or a packet of rice."I am covered in shame, but should I leave my children to starve? I am totally helpless," Amal explains. Helplessness often takes its toll on her. "I cry a lot when I realise that I don't have a penny," she says, her voice both anguished and bitter.A large number of children suffer from diarrhoea and pneumonia due to the poor hygiene, malnutrition and miserable living conditions, but adequate medication is rarely a clinic in northern Yemen, the shelves where medicines should be lie empty. Staff told us the medical stock they have is nothing compared to the people's BBC contacted the UN seeking comment on the current aid distribution process and recent arrests but received no reply. However, addressing the UN Security Council, Hans Grundberg, the UN Special envoy for Yemen, condemned the detention of its staff as "not only a violation of fundamental human rights, but also a direct threat to the UN's ability to distribute aid to the most needy". He also called for the immediate release of all detainees, whether from the UN or from other local and international is for families like Amal's that Hanaa and her co-workers try to make life proudly remembers how they sent girls to school in one of the conservative northern areas. When parents complained about neighbours being able to see their daughters during break time, "we held discussions between residents, and eventually agreed to cover the playground, so that girls could go back to class", she fears that the absence of this support, due to fear and lack of funds, could increase rates of illiteracy. "We are the only ones who have survived during the collapse of the state, in order to serve the people," Hanaa says with a names of Hanaa, Abdulaziz and Amal were changed for this article.
