In a note to correspondents issued by his spokesperson on Tuesday, Secretary-General António Guterres called for military restraint from both countries. “The world cannot afford a military confrontation between India and Pakistan,” the note said. On Monday, the Secretary-General had warned that the tensions between the two South Asian neighbours had reached “their highest in […]
But despite their critical role, UN support for midwifery is under serious threat due to severe funding cuts. Each year, three-quarters of all maternal deaths occur in just 25 countries, the majority of them located in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, according to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA. Midwives are often the first and […]
High Representative Christian Schmidt briefed on latest developments surrounding implementation of the 1995 General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which ended more than three years of bloodshed and genocide following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. The accord, also known as the Dayton Peace Agreement, established a new constitution and created two […]
“It appears to be a deliberate attempt to weaponize the aid and we have warned against that for a very long time. Aid should be provided based on humanitarian need to whomever needs it,” said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for UN aid coordination office, OCHA. Speaking in Geneva, Mr. Laerke referred to a verbal brief delivered […]
“Every time this happens, people lose access to health services – and sometimes, to hope,” said Dr Humphrey Karamagi, the UN World Health Organization (WHO)’s Representative in South Sudan. “Health is the last safety net. If it fails, everything else will also fall.” The apparent airstrike on the hospital run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) […]
Nearly 20,000 people – mainly traumatized women and children – have reached Chad in the past two weeks, according to the UN refugee agency, UNCHR. “Most arrived in Chad with nothing – no food, money or identification,” said Magatte Guisse, UNHCR Representative in Chad. “Several wounded individuals, including children and elderly women, reportedly fell from vehicles […]
For several decades, human development indicators showed a steady, upward curve and UN researchers predicted that by 2030, a high level of development would be enjoyed by the global population. Those hopes have been dashed in recent years following a period of exceptional crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic – and progress has stalled across […]
The study by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that they can be responsible for a dramatic reduction in life expectancy in both rich and poor countries alike. For example, people living in the country with the highest life expectancy will on average live 33 years longer than those born in the country with the […]
According to the UN relief coordination office (OCHA), the hospital in Old Fangak was struck early Saturday, killing seven civilians and injuring at least 20 more. The attack also destroyed vital supplies and forced the withdrawal of aid workers, leaving the town’s population without access to critical care. “People in these areas are already battling […]
“These attacks appear to be the latest in a series of retaliatory military operations, conducted by the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces, targeting airports in each other’s areas of control,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters in New York on Monday. The fighting between troops of the military Government and former […]
“This will inevitably lead to countless more civilians killed and the further destruction of Gaza,” said UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, responding to a journalist’s question during the regular media briefing in New York. “What’s imperative now is an end to the violence, not more civilian deaths and destruction. Gaza is, and must remain, an […]
Addressing journalists outside the Security Council at UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Guterres expressed deep concern over deteriorating relations between the two South Asian neighbours, saying they had reached “their highest in years.” He reiterated his condemnation of the 22 April terror attack in the Pahalgam area of Jammu and Kashmir, which killed at […]
FMD is a highly contagious viral disease affecting cloven-hoofed animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, and various wild species. Europe is currently facing its worst outbreak so far this century at the same time as an exotic viral strain has been introduced in Iraq and other countries in the Near East. Concern for potential spread […]
In a statement released by the UN Humanitarian Country Team – which leads coordinated relief efforts across the Occupied Palestinian Territory – officials condemned Israeli efforts to dismantle the current aid system. The team led by the UN’s top aid official in the region representing UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) both international and Palestinian, said […]
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said on Friday that the Secretary-General “has been monitoring with alarm the reports of violence in the suburbs of Damascus and in the south of Syria, including reports of civilian casualties and assassination of local administration figures.” More than 100 people have reportedly been killed in recent days during clashes with […]
The 28 March quakes killed over 3,800 people and damaged or destroyed more than 55,000 homes across multiple regions, including Bago, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Southern Shan, Naypyitaw and Sagaing. Families already displaced by years of conflict now face early torrential rains, extreme heat and rising risk of disease. Nearly 20 million people – more than […]
With humanitarian resources running dry, critical support for millions of forcibly displaced people is under threat. UNHCR said that two-thirds of countries hosting refugees are already severely overstretched and urgently need support to continue providing education, healthcare and shelter. Global solidarity with those fleeing conflict and violence is weakening, the agency added. ‘No one wants […]
Mr. Shahada lost his leg due to a severe injury he suffered in Nuseirat in central Gaza in April 2024, but he picked up his camera and returned to document the tragic events that have been unfolding in Gaza. He will not let his disability stop him from working. “It is impossible for me to […]
“Amidst spiraling conflict, climate chaos, growing divisions, and a rapidly changing digital landscape, a free press is more vital than ever,” said Volker Türk. Furthermore, “the media help us understand the world around us and encourage critical thinking and dialogue.” Threats and deaths Free and independent media are the best antidote to disinformation but press freedom is under threat […]
Speaking from Gaza City OCHA spokesperson Olga Cherevko told journalists in Geneva that a friend of hers “saw people burning a few days ago from the explosions – and there was no water to save them.” Since all entry points into the war-torn enclave were “sealed by the Israeli authorities for the entry of cargo” […]