UN Secretary-General António Guterres  first appealed for a global ceasefire on 23 March in order to combat the coronavirus pandemic that has already claimed more thanhalf a million lives. Security Women supported the UN Sec General’s call for a global ceasefire and we welcome the news that the UN Security Council has now passed a resolution supporting this.

 As of July 3, the United Nations Security Council  echoed the Secretary-General’s call for aworldwide ceasefire. Unanimously adopting resolution 2532 (2020),the 15-member peace and security body demanded “a general and immediate cessation of hostilities in all situations, on its agenda.”The UN chief welcomed the long-awaited move, calling for countries to "redouble their efforts for peace".

Through the resolution, the Council called upon all parties to armed conflicts to immediately engage in a “durable humanitarian pause” of at least 90 days, to enable the safe, unhindered and sustained delivery of lifesaving aid.

The COVID-19 pandemic is “profoundly affecting” peace and security across the globe, the Secretary-General told the Security Council on July 2, pressing the 15-member body to use itscollective influence to protect the millions of people either trapped in, or fleeing conflict, and already facing acute vulnerabilities.

Read more: Stalled Security Council resolution adopted, backing UN’s global humanitarian ceasefire call (un.org)

COVID-19 fast becoming protection crisis, Guterres warns Security Council (un.org)

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