Unanimously adopting resolution 2777 (2025), the 15-member council stressed the “critical importance” of a continued presence of UNAMA and other UN agencies across Afghanistan.

The council also expressed appreciation for the UN’s long-term commitment to the country and its people, reiterating its full support for UNAMA and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General who leads the mission.

Ambassadors also expressed “serious concern” over the continued presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, and highlighted the need to combat the production, trade and trafficking of illicit drugs and chemicals used to manufacture narcotics.

They stressed the need to improve disaster risk reduction, as disasters worsen the humanitarian and socio-economic crisis.

Cuts could shut down 80 per cent of WHO programmes

Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) in Afghanistan warned that funding shortages could force the closure of 80 per cent of the agency’s health services there, leaving millions without access to critical medical care.

As of 4 March, 167 health facilities in 25 provinces had to shut down due to lack of money. A further 220 facilities could close by June, affecting the most vulnerable populations – women, children, the elderly and the displaced and returnees.

“These closures are not just numbers on a report, they represent mothers unable to give birth safely, children missing lifesaving vaccinations, entire communities left without protection from deadly disease outbreaks,” said Edwin Ceniza Salvador, WHO’s top official in Afghanistan.

“The consequences will be measured in lives lost,” he warned.

Dire health crisis

Even before the funding cuts, Afghanistan had been battling multiple health emergencies, including outbreaks of measles, malaria, dengue, polio and Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.

Over 16,000 suspected measles cases, including 111 deaths, were reported in January and February 2025. Children are most at risk of illness and death, given “critically low” vaccination rates – only 51 per cent for first dose and 37 per cent for the second.

While some donors continue to support Afghanistan’s health sector, funding has been significantly reduced as development aid priorities have shifted in recent months.

Resources for broader humanitarian efforts in the country remain uncertain. With the first quarter coming to an end, the UN-coordinated $2.4 billion Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan for 2025 is only about 13 per cent funded.

“This is not just about funding,” said Dr. Salvador.

Resource requirements for health programmes under the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025

“It is a humanitarian emergency that threatens to undo years of progress in strengthening Afghanistan’s health system … every day that passes without our collective support brings more suffering, more preventable deaths and lasting damage to the country’s health care infrastructure.”

UNAMA in Afghanistan

Established in 2002, UNAMA is a political mission which facilitates dialogue between political leaders in Afghanistan, regional stakeholders and the international community, to promote inclusive governance and conflict prevention.

The deputy chief of the mission is also in charge of coordinating the UN’s extensive aid operation in cooperation with the de facto Taliban authorities since they returned to power in 2021.

It is also mandated by the Security Council to monitor and report on the human rights situation, with a focus on women’s rights, minorities and vulnerable groups.

UNAMA also supports regional cooperation, encouraging engagement between Afghanistan and neighbouring countries on issues related to security, stability and economic development.

The attack on one of the last operational hospitals in the area further deepened the ongoing humanitarian crisis sparked by the civil war between rival militaries, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which started in April 2023.

Among the stolen supplies were 2,200 cartons of ready-to-use therapeutic food – a crucial treatment for children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition characterized by severe weight loss and muscle wasting.

Also stolen were iron and folic acid supplements for pregnant and lactating women, as well as midwife kits and primary healthcare supplies meant for mothers, newborns and children.

Attack on their survival

“Stealing life-saving supplies meant for malnourished children is outrageous and a direct attack on their survival,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF.

“These unconscionable acts against vulnerable children must end. All parties must adhere to international humanitarian law, protect civilians, and ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need.”

UNICEF had successfully delivered these supplies on 20 December last year, marking the first humanitarian shipment to Jabal Awlia in over 18 months. However, the looting, combined with escalating violence that has forced aid operations to suspend, is pushing the region’s most vulnerable closer to disaster.

Children pushed closer to catastrophe

The hospital is situated in Jabal Awlia, one of 17 localities at risk of famine.

The region has been struggling with severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials. Fighting has blocked commercial and humanitarian supplies for more than three months, leaving thousands of civilians trapped amid intensified fighting.

More than 4,000 people have been forced to flee, further deepening the crisis.

Unprecedented humanitarian crisis

Beyond Jabal Awlia, the humanitarian disaster extends across Sudan, where millions are facing life-threatening conditions.

More than 24.6 million people – over half the population – are facing acute food insecurity, and the collapse of health services, the closure of schools and record levels of displacement have created an unprecedented crisis.

In the face of rising challenges, UNICEF called on all actors to urgently ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to deliver aid, the protection of hospitals and civilian infrastructure, as well as security guarantees for aid workers to ensure life-saving assistance can reach those in need.

“We will see a…real surge in this disease – [we] will see it come back, and we see people dying the way we saw them in the 90s and in 2000s,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima who noted a “tenfold increase” from the 600,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded globally in 2023.

“We also expect an additional 8.7 million new infections. At the last count, there were 1.3 million new infections globally [in] 2023”.

Speaking in Geneva, Ms. Byanyima noted that the funding freeze announced by the White House on 20 January was due to end next month, after a 90-day review.

“We have not heard of other governments pledging to fill the gap,” she told journalists.

Already, drop-in centres where HIV patients can pick up the anti-retroviral medicines they need are not reopening, “for fear that this might not be consistent with the new guidelines”, she maintained.

“This sudden withdrawal of US funding has led [to the closure] of many clinics, laying off of thousands of health workers. These are nurses, doctors, lab technicians, pharmacy workers…it’s a lot.”

Focus on Africa

Focusing on Africa – where the eastern and southern regions bear 53 per cent of the global HIV burden – Ms. Byanyima warned that closing drop-in centers for girls and young women without notice would be disastrous. She emphasized that more than 60 per cent of new infections on the continent are among girls and young women.

Speaking to UN News earlier this month, Susan Kasedde, head of the UNAIDS office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlighted major uncertainties regarding the extent and scope of cuts to PEPFAR-led programmes. This initiative, launched over two decades ago by former US President George W. Bush to prevent and contain HIV infections, is estimated to have saved around 26 million lives.

There are currently around 520,000 people living with HIV in the DRC, including 300,000 women and 50,000 children. The epidemic continues to grow, as the number of new infections is almost double the number of deaths linked to the disease.

PEPFAR’s expected contribution for the 2025 fiscal year was due to be $105 million, and it aims to provide treatment to half of the population living with HIV in the DRC – some 209,000 people.

“This means that we currently have 440,000 people living with HIV who are on treatment. Thanks to this treatment, they are alive”, said Ms. Kasedde.

Global impact of cuts

Several other UN agencies that are heavily reliant on US funding have also warned that the cut in support – in addition to chronic under-investment in humanitarian work globally – is already having a serious impact on the communities they serve.

On Friday, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said that thousands have been left without lifesaving aid in the war-torn eastern DRC.

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) also announced that funding cuts have severe repercussions for vulnerable migrant communities, exacerbating humanitarian crises and undermining essential support systems for displaced populations.

Together with IOM, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned last Friday that that the liquidity crunch has jeopardized lifesaving work, including progress in reducing child mortality, which has fallen by 60 per cent since 1990.

“It is reasonable for the United States to want to reduce its funding – over time. But the sudden withdrawal of lifesaving support is having a devastating impact across countries, particularly Africa, but even in Asia and Latin America,” said UNAIDS’ Ms. Byanyima.

“We urge for a reconsideration and an urgent restoration of services – life-saving services.”

Presidential appeal

In a direct appeal to President Donald Trump, the UNAIDS chief highlighted that, just as President Bush had introduced the groundbreaking PEPFAR initiative, the new White House incumbent could also be part of the “prevention revolution.” She pointed to a twice-yearly injectable drug that has shown great promise in preventing new HIV infections.

According to UNAIDS, approximately 40 million people globally live with HIV, based on 2023 data. Of this number, some 1.3 million became newly infected with HIV in the same year and 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses.

The death toll for under-fives was 4.8 million in 2023 – a significant decline – with stillbirths falling marginally to around 1.9 million, data released by the UN shows.

Despite this, decades of hard-won progress in child survival is under threat as a result of funding cuts, health system challenges and regional disparities, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) are warning alongside members of the interagency network IGME.

“Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” said Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director.

“Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes. We cannot allow that to happen,” she emphasised. 

Preventable causes of child deaths

The data – contained in two reports – also showed that almost half of under-five deaths occurred within the first month of life, predominantly due to premature birth and complications during labour.

For those who survived past infancy, infectious diseases – such as pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea – remained leading causes of preventable death.

In addition, almost half of late stillbirths occur during labour, often due to maternal infections, prolonged or obstructed labour and lack of timely medical intervention.

Experts stressed that improving access to high-quality maternal, newborn and child health care is critical to preventing these deaths.

Regional disparities

Where a child is born greatly influences their chances of survival. In low-income countries, essential services, vaccines and treatments are often inaccessible, contributing to disproportionately high mortality rates.

The risk of death before turning five is 80 times higher in the highest-mortality country than the lowest-mortality country, the reports found. Within countries, the poorest children, those living in rural areas and those with less-educated mothers faced higher risks.

Stillbirths followed similar patterns, with women in low-income countries eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than those in high-income countries.

Regional estimates

Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest estimated under-five mortality rate, with 69 deaths per 1,000 live births, while the overall estimate for Africa stood at 63 per 1,000.

In contrast, estimated under-five mortality rates were significantly lower in Europe (4) and Northern America (6). Asia was estimated at 26 deaths, while Latin America and the Caribbean stood at 16, and Oceania at 19.

A similar disparity existed in estimated stillbirth rates. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest estimate at 22.2 stillbirths per 1,000 births, compared to 2.7 in Northern America and 2.9 in Europe.

Asia was estimated at 12.3 per 1,000, Latin America and the Caribbean at 7.4, and Oceania at 9.5. For Africa as a whole, the estimated stillbirth rate stood at 21 per 1,000 births.

Funding cuts

Cuts in funding for lifesaving child survival programmes are worsening existing disparities.

Reduction in resources have led to healthcare worker shortages, clinic closures, disruptions in vaccination campaigns and shortages of essential supplies such as malaria treatments.

Countries affected by humanitarian crises, those with significant debt burdens or already facing high child mortality rates are particularly impacted.

Call to action

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, underscored the need to urgently scale up collaboration to protect children’s lives and their health.

“From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,” he said.

Child wasting is the deadliest form of malnutrition and it’s often seen in places of conflict, economic instability and climate crisis, the UN agency told aid leaders gathered in Paris for the fourth Nutrition for Growth Summit.

Around 33 million children suffer from wasting in the 15 nations most affected. More than $1 billion is needed to support WFP‘s work to combat malnutrition, the agency said.

“We must prevent child malnutrition before it ever takes hold,” said WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain. “If we fail to act, we are condemning millions of children to a lifetime of suffering. WFP has the knowledge and tools to stop malnutrition in its tracks – what we need is investment and political will.”

WFP underscored the need to target pregnant women for additional nutritional support because malnutrition often begins during pregnancy, causing half of all deaths among children under five.

Those who survive face impaired physical and brain development, weakened immune systems, stunted growth and limiting brain development. 

Humanitarian success story

In 2024, WFP prevented wasting in nearly 14 million mothers and children by providing fortified foods, nutrition-rich supplements, cash or vouchers for meals and food baskets.

Despite these successes, the global funding crisis for humanitarian and development work threatens initiatives targeting malnutrition.

In Yemen, where up to a third of under-fives suffer from wasting, WFP’s only prevention programme implemented in the last 12 months will end in May – unless additional funding is forthcoming.  

On the brink of famine

In Sudan, clashes in Zamzam camp, in the North Darfur region, have forced WFP to pause its food assistance for displaced civilians.

Some two million Sudanese are currently experiencing famine – or are on the brink of famine.

Across the Sahel and in the Lake Chad basin, WFP requires urgent funding to reach 57 million people with life-saving food and nutrition assistance. At current funding levels, five million people risk losing critical support from the UN agency in the months ahead.

Funding cuts have also had a severe impact on vulnerable populations in hunger-struck Afghanistan, where three out of four families have to borrow money to be able to afford basic groceries.

Ensuring humanitarian access

In Jordan, WFP has already slashed monthly cash assistance by one third for the 119,000 Syrian refugees in the Zaatari and Azraq camps.

Last month in crisis-hit Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world, WFP said it urgently needed $3.9 to prevent the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) from closing down in the next three months.

The only available aviation support serving the capital Port-au-Prince, the WFP-operated service is crucial in flying in aid workers and delivering supplies to hard-to-reach areas, guaranteeing uninterrupted access for humanitarians.

WFP said that investing in malnutrition prevention not only improves health but also makes economies stronger.   

“Low and middle-income countries lose an average of 10 per cent of GDP due to malnutrition through increased healthcare costs and lowered human capital,” WFP said in a statement.  

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for renewed commitment to create a more equal and inclusive world in his message marking World Autism Awareness Day on Tuesday.

This year’s theme – Advancing Neurodiversity and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – highlights the intersection between neurodiversity and global sustainability efforts.

The goal is to showcase how inclusive policies and practices can drive positive change for autistic individuals worldwide and contribute to making the SDGs a reality.

Isolation, stigma and inequality

“People with autism often experience isolation, stigma and inequality. They have been denied healthcare and education – especially during crises – and their legal capacity has been unrecognized and over-ridden,” the Secretary-General said.

“Such discrimination contravenes the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and the Sustainable Development Goals’ commitment to leave no one behind. It must change,” he added.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, constitutes a diverse group of conditions related to development of the brain, according to a fact sheet by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Characteristics may be detected in early childhood, involving some degree of difficulty with social interaction and communication, however diagnosis often does not occur until much later.

Vaccine link debunked

It is estimated that about 1 in 100 children worldwide has autism. Available scientific evidence suggests that there are probably many factors that make a child more likely to have autism, including environmental and genetic factors, WHO said.

The UN agency noted that extensive research over many years has demonstrated that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine does not cause autism.

“Studies that were interpreted as indicating any such link were flawed, and some of the authors had undeclared biases that influenced what they reported about their research,” the fact sheet said.

Furthermore, evidence also shows that other childhood vaccines do not increase risk.

Varied life experiences

The abilities and needs of autistic people vary and can evolve over time, WHO explained. While some can live independently, others have severe disabilities and require life-long care and support. 

Autism also often has an impact on education and employment opportunities, while families can face significant demands in providing care and support. 

The Secretary-General stressed that governments must adopt legislation and policies that guarantee equality and promote the full participation of people with autism in society. 

“We need inclusive health and education systems, work environments, and urban design – to ensure people with autism have equal opportunities to thrive,” he said.

“On World Autism Awareness Day, let us recommit to create a world where no person with autism is left behind,” his message concluded.

Commitment to diversity

Throughout its history, the UN has celebrated diversity and promoted the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities, including learning differences and developmental disabilities. 

For example, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which entered into force in 2008, reaffirms the fundamental principle of universal human rights for all. 

That same year, the UN General Assembly – which brings together all 193 Member States – unanimously declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day to improve the quality of life of people with autism so they can lead full and meaningful lives as an integral part of society. 

The UN health agency registered almost 810,000 cases and 5,900 deaths from the preventable disease in 2024; that’s about 50 per cent higher than the previous year, according to Dr Philippe Barboza, who leads WHO’s cholera team.

He said the latest reported cases are almost certainly underestimates and that the disease continues to affect countries that were previously cholera-free.

Funding cuts

Recent cuts to international aid funding are also hindering the response, Dr Barboza said, giving the example of how in the previous two years, a donation of $6 million would have allowed WHO to fully control any outbreak occurring in either Malawi or Zambia.

“But this amount of money is not available. So, this is a very major concern…outbreaks are getting worse and worse, deadlier and deadlier, but the funds are getting smaller and smaller.”

WHO data indicates that for the first time in 10 years, Namibia reported infections this year, while Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe are also experiencing a resurgence.

Angola has also reported nearly 10,000 cholera infections so far during 2025 and 380 people have died from the disease up to the end of March.

Its capital city Luanda has been badly affected. In the past 28 days, the country reported almost 3,500 cases – making up 56 per cent of all the cases across Africa.

Conflict, mass displacement, natural disasters and climate change have intensified outbreaks, particularly in rural and flood-affected areas, with poor infrastructure and limited access to healthcare.  

But it’s not all doom and gloom. In September, production of cholera vaccines reached record levels, with the highest number of doses since 2013.

“We also need to increase funding to support the response effort,” Dr. Barboza said. 

Situation remains critical in Eastern DR Congo, say peacekeepers

The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, continues to implement its mandates amidst a still critical security situation in the restive east, said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric on Friday.

While reciprocal attacks between the CODECO and Zaire militias are continuing to target civilians in Ituri, MONUSCO continues to “push for an effective process of local political dialogue and to negotiate the safe release of abducted civilians,” including children.

Regarding the situation in the regional capital Goma which was overrun by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in January, Mr. Dujarric said that “non-essential international staff for the UN are returning to Goma,” although “the protection situation under the M23 occupation remains challenging”.

Mass displacements

On the humanitarian end, renewed hostilities in North Kivu between armed groups in Rutshuru have “triggered the displacement of some 7,500 people,” said Mr. Dujarric.

Local partners have also reported a raid on Mukongola General Referral Hospital by armed elements in the South Kivu province. “They vandalized the maternity ward, the pharmaceutical supplies and injured at least one individual,” he added.

While Mr. Dujarric said that “humanitarian partners [were] working tirelessly to scale up assistance despite the insecurity and the constraints,” UN colleagues on the ground have reported that “ongoing military operations continue to impede humanitarian access.”

“We reiterate our call for immediate, safe and sustained access to all areas,” the UN Spokesperson concluded.

Pandemic control exercise puts WHO emergency system to the test

The World Health Organization (WHO has successfully concluded a two-day exercise simulating the outbreak of a fictional virus spreading across the world – and what it will take to contain it.

Convened by more than 15 countries, 20 regional health agencies, health emergency networks and other partners, “Exercise Polaris” was designed to test a new global coordination mechanism for health emergencies, under the umbrella of the WHO’s Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC).

“This exercise proves that when countries lead and partners connect, the world is better prepared,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Coordination and collaboration

GHEC’s structure, which emphasises the importance of coordinating the deployment of surge teams and experts – and of enhancing collaboration between countries – “shows that global cooperation is not only possible, it is essential,” said Tedros. “No country can face the next pandemic alone.”

Throughout the simulation, while countries were leading their own response efforts, WHO provided technical guidance and emergency support.

“The Global Health Emergency Corps has evolved into a powerful platform, building on practice, trust and connection,” said Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. “Exercise Polaris showed what is possible when countries operate with urgency and unity supported by well-connected partners.”

Furthermore, unprecedented aid cuts are putting global progress to end maternal deaths at risk, UN agencies have warned in a new report that calls for greater investment in midwives and other health workers.

The Trends in maternal mortality report was published by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA, in observance of World Health Day on 7 April.

It shows that maternal deaths declined by 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023, largely due to improved access to essential health services.

However, the pace of improvement has slowed significantly since 2016, and an estimated 260,000 women died in 2023 due to complications during pregnancy and childbirth, or roughly one death every two minutes.

Deadly peril in Sudan

Frontline health workers have long raised alarms about the perils of giving birth in conflict settings.

In Sudan’s Al Jazirah State, a midwife named Awatef told UNFPA that she helped four women deliver babies while fleeing violence: “I delivered them in the bush, with only very basic sterilization – I had nothing but water and soap.”

One woman, Amina, had to give birth by Caesarean section – on the floor of a stranger’s home where a local doctor was assisting deliveries – while listening to the drum of gunfire just outside. “I had to start walking again just six hours later, carrying my baby while my wounds were still fresh and painful,” she said.

Urgent action needed

As aid funding cuts force countries to roll back vital services for maternal, newborn and child health, the UN agencies appeal for urgent action to prevent maternal deaths, particularly in humanitarian settings where numbers are already alarmingly high.

“While this report shows glimmers of hope, the data also highlights how dangerous pregnancy still is in much of the world today – despite the fact that solutions exist to prevent and treat the complications that cause the vast majority of maternal deaths,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“In addition to ensuring access to quality maternity care, it will be critical to strengthen the underlying health and reproductive rights of women and girls – factors that underpin their prospects of healthy outcomes during pregnancy and beyond.”

Pregnancy and the pandemic

The report also provides the first global account of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on maternal survival.

An estimated 40,000 more women died due to pregnancy or childbirth in 2021, rising to 282,000 in 2022, and to 322,000 the following year.

This increase was linked not only to direct complications caused by COVID-19 but also widespread interruptions to maternity services, highlighting the importance of ensuring that this care is available during pandemics and other emergencies.

Invest in midwives

“When a mother dies in pregnancy or childbirth, her baby’s life is also at risk. Too often, both are lost to causes we know how to prevent,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

With global funding cuts putting more mums-to-be at risk, especially in the most fragile settings, “the world must urgently invest in midwives, nurses, and community health workers to ensure every mother and baby has a chance to survive and thrive,” she added.

Inequalities and slowdowns

The report also highlights persistent inequalities between regions and countries, as well as uneven progress.

With maternal mortality declining by around 40 per cent between 2000 and 2023, sub-Saharan Africa achieved significant gains. It was also among just three UN regions to see significant drops after 2015, with the others being Australia and New Zealand, and Central and Southern Asia.

Yet, sub-Saharan Africa still accounted for approximately 70 per cent of the global burden of maternal deaths in 2023 due to high rates of poverty and multiple conflicts.

Meanwhile, five regions saw progress stagnate after 2015: Northern Africa and Western Asia, Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), Europe and North America, and Latin America and the Caribbean.

A global responsibility

Dr. Natalia Kanem, UNFPA’s Executive Director, upheld that access to quality maternal health services is a right, not a privilege.

She stressed the urgent responsibility to build well-resourced health systems that safeguard the lives of pregnant women and newborns.

“By boosting supply chains, the midwifery workforce, and the disaggregated data needed to pinpoint those most at risk, we can and must end the tragedy of preventable maternal deaths and their enormous toll on families and societies,” she said.

Childbirth in crisis settings

The report also highlighted the plight of pregnant women living in humanitarian emergencies, who face some of the highest risks globally.  Nearly two-thirds of global maternal deaths now occur in countries affected by fragility or conflict.

Beyond ensuring critical services during pregnancy, childbirth and the postnatal period, the report emphasized the importance of efforts to enhance women’s overall health by improving access to family planning services, as well as preventing underlying health conditions that increase risks, such as anaemia, malaria and noncommunicable diseases.

Furthermore, it is also vital to ensure that girls stay in school, and that they and women have the knowledge and resources to protect their health.

Source: WHO/UNICEF/UNFPA/World Bank/UN Population Division

Maternal mortality ratio (MMR) trends by region.

Close to 300,000 women continue to die during pregnancy or childbirth each year. More than two million babies die in their first month of life and around two million more are stillborn, says the World Health Organization (WHO) which is kicking off a year-long campaign on maternal and newborn health.

The data adds up to one preventable death every seven seconds, according to the UN health agency.

The Healthy beginnings, hopeful futures campaign is asking governments and health policy makers to ramp up efforts to end preventable maternal and newborn deaths, and prioritize women’s longer-term health and well-being.

Helping every woman and baby survive and thrive

Through a series of strategic actions, WHO aims to not only save lives but ensure both mothers and infants thrive. In collaboration with partners, it will focus on empowering healthcare professionals and sharing crucial information about healthy pregnancies, safe childbirth, and postnatal care.

Listening to women

Access to high-quality, compassionate care is essential for women and families everywhere, WHO emphasises. Health systems must evolve to address a wide range of health concerns, including obstetric complications, mental health issues, non-communicable diseases, and family planning – ensuring that women’s needs are met both before, during, and after childbirth.

Women in war zones

At the same time, the proportion of women and girls caught in conflict zones has skyrocketed in the past year, with women now making up 40 per cent of all civilian deaths in armed conflicts.

Today, over 600 million women and girls live in areas affected by violence – an alarming 50 per cent increase since 2017.

As conflict intensifies across the globe, women and girls are bearing a heavy mental health toll. From Afghanistan and Gaza to Georgia and Ukraine, millions are grappling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and trauma, with limited access to support and care.

Around one in five people affected by a humanitarian crisis will develop long-term mental health conditions. Despite this, only two per cent of those in need receive the care they require. Mental health funding globally represents between one and two percent of health spending.

Stark divide on mental health

The gap between high and low-income countries in mental health services is stark. In wealthy nations, there are more than 70 mental health workers for every 100,000 people. In contrast, in low-income countries, that number drops to fewer than one.

As conflicts drag on, the number of affected women continues to rise, making this crisis even more urgent. UN gender equality agency, UN Women, spoke to women in Afghanistan, Gaza, Georgia, and Ukraine to understand how these conflicts are stoking a mental health crisis.

UNFPA’s mobile psychosocial support teams travel across Ukraine, including to the front lines, offering immediate emergency interventions as well as access to longer-term assistance.

Women in Gaza trapped in trauma

In Gaza, relentless bombing, displacement, and deprivation have created a humanitarian catastrophe. Living under siege and the constant threat of violence, women and girls face extreme levels of fear, trauma, and exhaustion. 

Data from UN Women shows that 75 per cent feel regular depression, 62 per cent cannot sleep, and 65 per cent suffer from nightmares and anxiety – most are left to cope alone.

“My mental and psychological health is suffering,” said one 27-year-old pregnant mother of three from Khan Younis. “Sometimes I go to the toilet just to cry and cry until I feel better.”

Women are not only dealing with their own trauma – they are also trying to care for their children.

“I have not prioritized my health because I am the primary caregiver for my children, assuming the roles of both father and mother,” the 27-year-old mother added. 

Afghanistan: Women Erased from Public Life

In Afghanistan, the return of the Taliban has dealt a crushing blow to women’s rights and mental health. Alison Davidian, UN Women’s Country Representative, warns that nearly four years of Taliban decrees have “eviscerated” women’s autonomy.

With no women in leadership roles and 98 per cent reporting no influence over local decisions, many feel trapped in a life of isolation and despair.

“Three years ago, an Afghan woman could run for president. Now, she may not even be able to decide when to buy groceries,” Davidian says. The result is overwhelming psychological distress, with 68 per cent of women in Afghanistan reporting their mental health as “bad” or “very bad.”

An IOM mental health and psychosocial support counsellor leads a session with women in Paktika province, Afghanistan.

Georgia: Antidepressant use on the rise

In Georgia, ongoing displacement and conflict have left many women with no access to adequate mental healthcare. Approximately 200,000 people remain internally displaced, with nearly 40 per cent living in shelters under dire conditions.

Mental health issues are widespread, with 23 per cent suffering from PTSD, 10 per cent reporting depression, and 9 per cent dealing with anxiety. Yet only about a third of those affected have sought care.

“We saw a sharp increase in antidepressant use, particularly in areas with high numbers of displaced people,” said Elene Rusetskaia of the Women’s Information Centre. “The mental health problem is very serious, especially among children.”

Ukraine: Domestic Violence and Depression Soar Amid War

In Ukraine, the war stemming from Russia’s invasion has pushed women’s mental health into crisis. Gender-based violence has surged 36 per cent since 2022, and women are shouldering more unpaid care work – up to 56 hours per week. Forty-two percent are now at risk of depression, while 23 per cent report needing counseling.

Displaced women, many of them refugees, are facing some of the worst mental health challenges, with limited access to support services.

A recent survey by the International Migration Organization (IOM) found that 53 per cent of internally displaced people in Ukraine suffer from depression, yet assistance remains scarce.

In response, UN Women has provided protection, legal aid, and psychosocial support to more than 180,000 women and girls in Ukraine through the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund.

Healthcare funding

The current humanitarian funding crisis, exacerbated by declining health spending in host countries, is affecting the scope and quality of public health and nutrition programmes for refugees and host communities, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has said.

In Jordan, 335,000 women of reproductive age are at risk of losing essential maternal health. Without enough funding, prenatal care, safe delivery and newborn health services will disappear.

In Bangladesh, around a million Rohingya refugees face a severe health crisis due to the funding freeze, threatening access to essential medical services. In UNHCR-supported programmes, over 40,000 pregnant women may lose access to critical antenatal care, with 5,000 at risk of delivering in unsafe conditions.

In Burundi, the suspension of nutrition programmes in several camps means that thousands of refugee children under five may not receive adequate treatment for malnutrition.

Necessity, not luxury

For women and girls in conflict zones, mental health care is a critical need, not a luxury. Recovery, dignity, and survival depend on access to trauma care, counseling, and community-based services.

As conflicts continue to devastate communities, the need for mental health support becomes more urgent than ever. Countries must invest in mental health as a core part of humanitarian response, especially in conflict settings, UN Women, emphasized, calling on governments to listen – and act.

Listen to an interview with the Representative ad interim of the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, in Sudan: 

Speaking on Thursday at a press conference in Geneva, Tedros said that in around 25 per cent of countries, some health facilities have had to close completely due to cuts, according to figures from more than 100 countries compiled by WHO.

Severe disruptions

Out-of-pocket payments for health services have led to disruptions to the supply of medicines and other health products, as well as rising job losses in the healthcare sector.

As a result, “countries are revising budgets, cutting costs and strengthening fundraising and partnerships,” said the UN health agency chief.

From aid dependency to self-reliance

Having to revise budgets, cut costs and strengthen partnerships and fundraising, some countries are relying on WHO’s support to transition away from aid dependency towards sustainable self-reliance.

“We are now supporting countries to accelerate that transition,” said Tedros, citing examples of countries such as South Africa and Kenya, who are successfully working towards averting the health impacts of sudden and unplanned cuts.

WHO recommendations

Tedros provided countries with several recommendations on ways to mitigate funding cuts:

• The world’s poorest populations need prioritising by limiting their exposure to out-of-pocket spending
• Resist reductions in public health spending and protect health budgets
• Channel donor funds through national budgets, rather than parallel donation systems
• Avoid cutting services or closing facilities, and absorb as much of the impact as possible through efficiency gains in health system

New revenue sources

Through short and long-term tools, WHO also encourages countries to generate new sources of revenues.

Immediate measures such as introducing or increasing taxes on products that harm public health is another effective tool to maintain spending on health, he added.

Countries such Colombia and the Gambia, which in recent years have introduced such taxes, have seen revenues increase and consumption fall, said Tedros.

In the longer term, WHO is advocating for social and community-based health insurance policies, where individuals or families can contribute a small amount to a fund which boosts health service financing.

Although not all measures will be right for every country, WHO is “working with affected countries to identify which measures are best for them, and to tailor those measures accordingly.”

People anywhere, at any age can be infected with meningitis, which is transmitted through respiratory secretions or droplets in close human contact. Low and middle-income nations are worst-affected.  

The so-called “meningitis belt” in sub-Saharan Africa sees most cases and outbreaks. It stretches from Senegal and The Gambia in the west of the continent all the way to Ethiopia in the east.  

The most dangerous form of the disease, bacterial meningitis, can kill within just 24 hours – and one in six people dies once infected.

“Every family who has had a meningitis case knows about what fear this disease can bring,” said Dr Marie-Pierre Preziosi, WHO Team Lead for Meningitis and R&D Blueprint.

Life sentence

Around 20 per cent of people who contract bacterial meningitis develop long-term complications, including disabilities with a devastating, life-long impact, WHO said in a statement.

Extra attention must be paid to vaccination coverage to avoid critical problems including impairment of brain function, warned Dr Tarun Dua, WHO Unit Head for Brain Health, speaking to journalists at the launch of the new guidelines.

Class divide 

Hearing loss is just one side-effect of the disease; it is often particularly harmful for children whose education suffers. But if it can be detected quickly as per the new WHO guidelines “you can provide treatment and the child can be well included” at school and in society”, Dr. Dua explained.

A cluster of three or four cases amongst schoolchildren can be treated with antibiotics but only if vaccination levels are high, according to Dr Lorenzo Pezzoli, WHO Team Lead for Meningitis and Epidemic Bacterial Diseases.

Worth a shot 

But many countries lack the means to provide vaccine protection to ensure collective immunity against many diseases, not only meningitis. In addition, they also lack the advanced technology required to diagnose the disease in the first place, which isn’t as easy as a COVID-19 swab test.

“You need to insert the needle in the spine and test the liquid that comes out,” Dr Pezzoli said, highlighting the difficulty facing many low-income countries held back by poor health facilities.

In a growing number of countries impacted by emergencies crisis or conflict, people cannot get the treatment they need as quickly as they should, creating “fertile grounds for meningitis epidemics”, said Dr Pezzoli, who added that his two-year-old son has had his jab for the disease.  

The UN health agency guidelines form part of its efforts to eradicate meningitis by 2030. It works with partners including the MenAfrinet network to support countries collect and analyze high quality disease surveillance data. This enables monitoring the impact of control strategies including the Meningitis A vaccine.

Prevention is “the most important piece of the puzzle”, Dr Pezzoli insisted. 

With fighting showing no sign of abating and humanitarian access extremely limited, the crisis in Sudan has become one of the world’s largest emergencies, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warned on Monday.

“This is a very, very sad milestone,” Mamadou Dian Balde, UNHCR Regional Director for East Africa said, marking two years since the outbreak of war.

“We are seeing massive violations, massive displacements and a devastating impact on millions of people.”

A humanitarian catastrophe

The war, which erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has triggered a full-blown humanitarian catastrophe.

More than half the population – around 25 million people – require humanitarian assistance and protection, but funding shortfalls and insecurity have left vast swaths of the country beyond reach.

The UNHCR-led $1.8 billion Regional Refugee Response Plan for 2025 – which aimed to support 4.8 million refugees and host community members – remains only 10 per cent funded, Mr. Balde said, jeopardizing essential services such as food, shelter, education and healthcare.

“Communities that have very little are sharing what they have with the refugees. It is an extraordinary show of solidarity,” he added, urging the international community to step up support for the most vulnerable across the region.

Thousands of lives at risk

Hunger has reached catastrophic levels in Sudan, with famine confirmed in 10 areas and 17 more at risk, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

In some areas, emergency food assistance is the only barrier preventing starvation. However, vital operations are constrained by insecurity and lack of funds.

“Without immediate assistance, especially in famine or famine-risk areas, thousands of lives are at risk,” said Makena Walker, WFP Acting Country Director in Sudan.

“We can scale up – but we need all parties to guarantee safe, unhindered access for humanitarian convoys,” she added.

Children hit hardest

Children remain among the hardest hit.

According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), child casualties this year have surged by 83 per cent compared to early 2024. Children are also at severe risk of sexual and gender-based violence or being forced into armed groups, on top of already losing out on education.

In addition, an estimated 146,000 children are projected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition this year, leaving them up to 11 times more likely to die than a well-nourished child.

A public health emergency

The crisis has also spiralled into a public health emergency, with over 20.3 million people now in urgent need of medical care. Cholera, measles, malaria and dengue are spreading rapidly across two-thirds of Sudan’s states, with cholera alone claiming over 1,500 lives.

This situation is unravelling against a health infrastructure on the brink of collapse: 38 per cent of hospitals in the worst affected regions are non-functional and the remaining only partially operational, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

Attacks on healthcare have surged, with 156 attacks verified over the past two years, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.

“In addition to being a famine crisis, the humanitarian situation in Sudan is also a protection and health crisis,” said Shible Sahbani, WHO Representative in the country.

The UN health agency is determined to continue working to improve health access for Sudan’s people. However, recent funding cuts have forced WHO to scale back operations, potentially affecting health services.

If funding does not flow, 4.7 million people targeted for health interventions this year will be affected. Services at 335 health facilities will also have to be reduced, including trauma and emergency care.

© UNICEF/Mohammed Abdulmajid

A woman carries water to her shelter in a camp for internally displaced persons in eastern Sudan.

Working against the odds

Despite the challenges, UN humanitarians and partners continue their efforts to reach the most vulnerable communities with lifesaving assistance.

Since the war began, WFP has provided over 13 million people with food and nutrition support. For its part WHO, has supported over one million people with health services, treated 75,000 severely malnourished children and helped vaccinate 11.5 million children against polio and measles.

But aid workers warn the situation is deteriorating fast, particularly in the states of Darfur and parts of Khartoum and Al-Jazirah (also spelled Gezira), where active fighting and sieges are cutting civilians off from assistance.

Mr. Balde reiterated the urgent need for the international community to help silence the guns, “we call for peace, protection and sustained support – [only then] normalcy can return, and refugees can return home.”

On Monday, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative Rik Peeperkorn told UN News about the desperate conditions he had seen at Al-Ahli before the attack, and the severe restriction on movement that is preventing thousands being evacuated for medical treatment outside of Gaza.

“I was in Gaza several weeks ago and I came out in early March, just before the aid blockade started and the attacks started up again.

When I was there, during the ceasefire, we were organising polio vaccinations and medevacs (medical evacuations), and we stocked up on essential medicine and medical supplies. This was also the only time there were proper food stocks in Gaza.

There was almost a ray of hope among all the misery. Places I’d been before, like Rafah in the south, or Jabalia in the north, were utterly devastated wastelands, but people, including our own staff, were going back to their homes, trying to repair destroyed houses or building makeshift camps. You saw commercial activities restarting, and a choice of food.

But then, of course, with the blockade, food, water and essential medicines very quickly began running out. Even though we stocked up during the ceasefire, we are now critically low on supplies and it is challenging to keep hospitals even partly open.

We have completely run out of therapeutic milk, antibiotics, to treat severe infections, trauma painkillers, insulin, ambulance spare parts, oxygen tanks etc.

Medical evacuation of patients from Gaza (file)

A couple of days before the attack on Al Ahli, a medical specialist there told us that the hospital was already overflowing because it’s one of the key hospitals in the north for trauma patients [those who have suffered severe and life-threatening injuries], and that they were forced to perform surgery under questionable sterile conditions.

They were lacking enough surgical gowns, drapes or gloves. They even had to wear the same gloves from one operation to the next. Because of the lack of equipment, surgeries could take hours, increasing the risk of permanent disability or amputations.

The staff asked us for the supplies that we have in our two warehouses in the south of Gaza, but we were not allowed.

This aid blockade needs to be lifted, and we have to get back to an arrangement whereby we can have humanitarian corridors throughout Gaza, without being denied or delayed entry. Even when a war is going on, humanitarian supplies should be allowed in and aid workers should be able to do their work.

Today I spoke to my team leads in Gaza, who have been to Al-Shifa hospital. Al-Shifa, now the major surgical and trauma centre for the north, is completely overwhelmed and under-supported. We are looking at the possibility of getting some patients from Al-Shifa to the south but everything is complex.

Far too few patients have been able to leave Gaza for the urgent care they so desperately need. We estimate that up to 12,000 patients need medical evacuation but, since the blockade we have only been able to evacuate 121 people, including 73 children.

“We call for the immediate resumption of medical evacuation through all possible routes. That should happen now.”

Several staff members, including two nurses, were injured in the strike on the Kuwaiti Field Hospital in Khan Younis according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health and health agencies, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York.

The incident follows a separate strike on Sunday on Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City, which had been a key facility treating victims of Israeli airstrikes in the north.

“The latest strikes on hospitals further cripples Gaza’s health care system,” Mr. Dujarric said.

“There are currently very few beds available in hospitals and patients are being accommodated in tents.”

He added that according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), only 21 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain “just partially functional” and almost all have sustained some damage in the conflict.

He further reported that, according to health partners, there is an urgent need for thousands of blood units for life-saving operations.

Furthermore, there are serious concerns that food warehouses have reached “very low levels” as no aid has entered Gaza in weeks.

Meanwhile, amid the devastation a rare moment of relief came as humanitarians in Gaza successfully installed a backup generator at Kamal Adwan Hospital to power a water system producing 20 cubic metres of clean water per hour.

Mr. Dujarric reiterated the UN’s call on all parties to ensure that civilians are respected and always protected, and that they have the basic necessities to survive.

“All hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally, and a ceasefire must be restored and renewed without delay,” he added.

Developed after over three years of negotiations under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO), the draft outlines a framework for strengthening international collaboration, equity and resilience in the face of future global health threats.

“The nations of the world made history in Geneva today,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“In reaching consensus on the Pandemic Agreement, not only did they put in place a generational accord to make the world safer. They have also demonstrated that multilateralism is alive and well and that in our divided world – nations can still work together to find common ground and a shared response to shared threats.”

‘One health’ approach

Negotiations began in December 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when WHO member States agreed on the urgent need for a legally binding international instrument and established the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB).

The process involved 13 formal rounds of negotiations, many of which were extended into the early hours, culminating in Wednesday’s consensus after a final overnight session.

Key elements of the proposed agreement include a commitment to a “One Health” approach to pandemic prevention, stronger national health systems, setting up a coordinating financial mechanism, and creating a globally coordinated supply chain and logistics network for health emergencies.

The draft also proposes a new pathogen access and benefit-sharing system, increased support for technology and knowledge transfer as well as capacity-building, and outlines a skilled, trained and multidisciplinary national and global health emergency workforce.

National sovereignty upheld

The text further affirms national sovereignty in public health decisions. It states explicitly that nothing in the agreement gives WHO the authority to mandate health measures such as lockdowns, vaccination campaigns, or border closures.

The draft will now be submitted for consideration to the 78th World Health Assembly – UN’s highest forum for global health – set to begin on 19 May. If adopted, it will be subject to ratification by individual nations.

According to media reports, the United States did not participate in the final round of negotiations, following its January announcement to withdraw from the global health body, and would not be bound by the pact.

A breakthrough for health equity

Speaking at the conclusion of the meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros praised the negotiating teams and the INB leadership for their perseverance and shared purpose.

“This achievement is not just a diplomatic success,” he said. “It reflects your resilience, unity and unwavering commitment to the health and wellbeing of people everywhere.”

INB Co-Chair Precious Matsoso of South Africa called the outcome a breakthrough for health equity.

“The negotiations, at times, have been difficult and protracted. But this monumental effort has been sustained by the shared understanding that viruses do not respect borders – that no one is safe from pandemics until everyone is safe,” she said.

Fellow Co-Chair Anne-Claire Amprou of France added that the agreement lays the foundation for a stronger, more equitable global health security architecture.

“This is a historic agreement for health security, equity and international solidarity,” she said.

Learning from COVID-19, looking to the future

The agreement emerges in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed critical vulnerabilities in global health systems and stark inequalities in access to diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The virus claimed nearly seven million lives worldwide, severely disrupted economies, and overwhelmed healthcare services across the globe.

At the same time, the pandemic triggered the largest vaccination campaign in history, with over 13.3 billion doses administered globally by April 2023.

Looking ahead, Tedros emphasised the agreement’s long-term significance.

“The importance of this agreement goes beyond our current challenges,” he said.

“It is vital for future generations – for our children and grandchildren. By building a strong framework for pandemic preparedness and response, we ensure they inherit a safer and healthier world.”