“Last year, 94 percent of their victims in populated areas were civilians,” Antonio Guterres said during a UN Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. “The total number forced from their homes due to conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution reached 100 million refugees.”
He said conflicts were driving global food security.
“Last year, more than 117 million people faced acute hunger primarily because of war and insecurity,” said Guterres.
“The terrible truth is that the world is failing to live up to its commitments to protect civilians; commitments enshrined in international humanitarian law,” he said.
Guterres demanded that those who commit war crimes be held to account.