UN says world must stand up for widely flouted humanitarian law
ISTANBUL- UN second-in-command Jan Eliasson said on Sunday it was necessary to stand up for international humanitarian law which was being disregarded, citing attacks on hospitals and "practically medieval" sieges on civilians in Syria and Yemen.
"We have to stand up for international humanitarian law. We have seen a decay, a lack of respect for international law which is causing enormous damage in the world," Eliasson said at the opening news conference of the first world humanitarian summit. He added that there were many signs the Geneva convention on human rights was being neglected.
Government and business leaders, aid groups and donors gather in Istanbul for the summit this week to try to develop a more coherent response to what UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called the worst global humanitarian situation since World War Two.
