Letters to the Editor: From Sudan to Gaza and beyond, international law is being flouted

The United Nations must respond to breaches of humanitarian law in Gaza, Sudan, Yemen, South Sudan, Haiti, and Ukraine

UN peacekeepers patrolling in Juba, South Sudan. More than 12.4m people have fled their homes in Sudan, and half the population, nearly 25m people, are facing high levels of acute food insecurity. Picture: Brian Inganga/AP

The United Nations states are meeting in New York for the annual Protection of Civilians Week (May 19-23) at a time when the world is witnessing large-scale attacks on civilian populations on a daily basis. 

There is no absence of data or proof. There is only an absence of accountability, adherence to international law, and sufficient political will to put the protection, safety and dignity of civilians first.