World News in Brief: UNICEF mpox response in DR Congo, ‘unprecedented’ threat to Sudan’s heritage, call to suspend Cambodia journalism charter

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded more than 21,000 suspected cases of the viral disease, including over 5,000 confirmed cases and 700 deaths.  

Over the past week, UNICEF received its first vaccine shipments totalling 215,000 doses, with more expected to arrive soon.

Supplies and training

Meanwhile, the children’s agency is supporting the rollout with supplies and logistics as well as training health workers to transport, store and administer shots to patients.

In recent months, UNICEF has enhanced community-based surveillance, training over 200 health workers, 100 hygienists and 200 community engagement teams.

Some 6,000 community workers have been deployed, with more than 30 local radio stations broadcasting public health messages.  

Community engagement teams have so far reached 46 million people across DRC with mpox messages via mass media, face-to-face engagement and texts.

Efforts will focus now on vaccine effectiveness and safety while countering misinformation, the agency said.

Sudan: UNESCO raises alarm over museum looting, loss of priceless heritage

The UN cultural affairs agency, UNESCO, expressed deep concern on Thursday over the reported looting and damage of museums and heritage sites in Sudan as rival militaries battle for supremacy amid allegations of war crimes on all sides.

The targets for armed groups have reportedly included the National Museum.

Now, UNESCO is calling on the international community to do its utmost to protect Sudan’s heritage from destruction and illicit trafficking.

Since the start of the fighting in April 2023, UNESCO has been closely monitoring the impact of this crisis on Sudan’s heritage, cultural institutions and artists, which appears to have reached an “unprecedented level”.

Private collections have also reportedly been targeted along with looting of museums and archaeological sites.

Legal obligations

All combatants are obliged to comply with international humanitarian law by refraining from damaging, looting or using cultural property for any military purpose, UNESCO said.

Important collections have been reported stolen from the Khalifa House Museum and Nyala Museum. The agency says it’s cross-checking these reports to determine the extent of the damage.

UNESCO reiterated its call to the international art market and public at large to refrain from acquiring or taking part in the import, export or transfer of ownership of any cultural property from Sudan.

Any illegal sale or displacement of these cultural items would result in the disappearance of part of the Sudanese cultural identity and jeopardise the country’s recovery, the agency said.

Cambodia: UN experts call for suspension of new ‘professional journalism’ charter

Independent UN human rights experts on Thursday called for the suspension of Cambodia’s newly issued Charter for Professional Journalism and urged a thorough review to reform it.

The Ministry of Information made the charter public on 24 July, but no comprehensive consultations were held as it was drawn up, with some stakeholders given only nine days to comment.

Just four days after the deadline, it was promulgated without any further discussion.

Public interest defence ignored

“The charter fails to incorporate a public interest override” or establish remedies when factual errors are made, such as the rights of correction and reply, the experts said.

The charter includes provisions that stress the dissemination of only accurate information, fighting “fake news” and disinformation, rather than taking reasonable steps to verify information before publication, they added.

They said any media code should be inclusive, participatory and developed in a transparent manner led by journalists themselves, not the government.

Any proposed oversight or monitoring mechanism should be independent from the authorities, yet no such guarantee is provided under the charter.

The Human Rights Council-appointed experts – who are not UN employees and receive no salary – called on Cambodia to protect and promote independent, free and pluralist media as a vital pillar of democracy and reform laws, policies and practices, including the Charter, that impede freedom of expression.