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UN Police ‘indispensable’ to fulfilling peacekeeping mandates, Security Council hears

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Jean-Pierre Lacroix was speaking in the UN Security Council during the annual briefing by heads of police components of UN peace operations. 

“Despite severe constraints, our police personnel continue to serve with dedication, professionalism and courage,” he said. 

“They operate in environments of persistent insecurity, political volatility and growing operational risks.” 

Key to peacekeeping  

Peace operations depend on UN Police (UNPOL) for community engagement, institutional reform and prevention of criminal and intercommunal violence.  

Officers also address challenges that require a policing response, including in environments with high density populations such as displacement camps, among other duties. 

“United Nations Police remain a key component of UN peacekeeping and play an indispensable role in fulfilling our mandates,” Mr. Lacroix said.  

He stressed that Member States, host countries, uniformed and civilian personnel all share responsibility for ensuring the success of peacekeeping.  

This is particularly the case at a time when multilateralism faces unprecedented pressures and peace operations are being asked to do more with less. 

Reform and reductions 

He noted that the Council meeting was taking place as a comprehensive review of UN peace operations enters its final phase. 

It was also held against the backdrop of the UN80 reform initiative and mission contingency planning due to the severe liquidity crisis affecting the entire UN system.   

This has led to cost saving measures, including reductions in civilian staff and repatriation of military and police personnel. 

Sustainable financing critical 

The peacekeeping chief visited some of the UN’s biggest field missions in recent months and saw how these measures have affected mandate delivery, including protection of civilians. 

“Efficiency is necessary. We are committed to finding ways to save. However, this efficiency drive cannot substitute for predictable and sustainable financing,” he said. 

“As the Secretary-General has emphasized repeatedly, peacekeeping’s ability to fulfill its mandates will be severely compromised without the full and timely payment of assessed contributions from Member States.” 

Action for Peacekeeping 

Mr. Lacroix also highlighted the renewed Action for Peacekeeping (A4P+) initiative which remains the framework for strengthening the effectiveness, safety, and impact of peace operations. 

The seven priority areas include upholding political solutions as the core of sustainable peace, strengthening strategic and operational integration, investing in capabilities and mindsets, and deepening cooperation with host-State police and other law enforcement agencies.  

“Across all these priorities, the Women, Peace and Security agenda remains central,” he said. 

Although progress has been made in increasing women’s participation and leadership in UNPOL, it “remains fragile, particularly in the context of budget cuts.”   

Pledges of support 

He recalled that the 2025 Peacekeeping Ministerial Meeting in Berlin demonstrated renewed political commitment to peacekeeping.   

The event saw record participation and meaningful pledges, including for specialised roles, rapid deployment and training.  

“The pledges are essential to ensuring that UN Police are prepared to respond to emerging threats in areas like transnational organized crime, cyber-enabled crime, climate-related insecurity, and the misuse of new technologies,” he said. 

Renewed commitment 

Mr. Lacroix concluded by saying his briefing was an opportunity not only to take stock of progress, but to renew collective commitment. 

“We must ensure that mandates are matched with adequate resources. We must sustain political unity around peacekeeping,” he said. 

“We must protect the institutional gains achieved under A4P+.And we must equip United Nations Police to meet the demands of tomorrow.” 

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DR Congo: Rising insecurity in the east impedes diplomatic progress, Security Council hears

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Despite diplomatic progress in recent months, with the United States brokering a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda, and Qatar facilitating a Declaration of Principles between the Congolese Government and M23 rebels, tensions remain high in the eastern DRC – where multiple armed groups operate.  

The Security Council has also sought to promote peace in the restive region, notably through its adoption of resolution 2773 in February 2025 calling upon all parties to refrain from violence against civilians. Still, casualties continue to rise in the east of the country.

“In North Kivu, the situation has escalated significantly since April,” Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations told ambassadors.  

The DRC is currently facing one of the most acute humanitarian emergencies in the world, with food insecurity on the rise and 5.9 million Congolese currently internally displaced.  

Significant escalation

“Regrettably, the evolution of the security situation on the ground has not matched the progress achieved on the diplomatic front,” said Ms Pobee.  

Recent attacks carried out by the M23 and Congo River Alliance (AFC) armed groups, as well as assaults by the Allied Democratic Forces – a militia associated with the terrorist group ISIL – have dramatically increased civilian casualties.

Meanwhile, humanitarian workers continue to risk their lives to provide limited assistance to populations in need.  

Amid general indifference, conflict-related sexual violence persists, as does the forced recruitment of children. 

‘Critical juncture’

“We cannot and must not accept the extreme suffering and recurrent horrors that are commonplace in eastern DRC,” said Ms Pobee.  

To protect civilians, restore law and order, and address the profound humanitarian needs of the population, the parties must cease hostilities.  

“At this critical juncture for the DRC and the region, it is crucial that this Council place its full weight behind current peace efforts, alongside exerting its influence to ensure respect for and compliance with resolution 2773”, she told the Security Council.  

While the situation on the ground remains dire, genuine engagement by the parties, together with concerted support from the international community, will help lay the groundwork for a durable peace, the top official underlined. 

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Terror threat posed by ISIL ‘remains volatile and complex,’ Security Council hears

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While multiple Da’esh leaders have perished in the past few years, “the group has managed to retain its operational capacity”, Vladimir Voronkov, head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) told the Security Council Wednesday.  

Da’esh makes use of regional and domestic affiliates and continues to receive substantial global donations, operating through regional hubs and cross-border financial networks.  

The threat the extremist group poses is notably exacerbated in Africa’s Sahel region, where ISIL affiliates such as Islamic State West Africa Province have emerged as prolific producers of terrorist propaganda, which continues to attract foreign recruits.

 Despite significant national and international efforts to counter Da’esh – which rose to prominence in 2014 after taking over large swathes of Iraq and Syria – the continuing threat posed, underscores the urgency of sustained global cooperation.  

Security gaps

In Afghanistan, ISIL-Khorasan continues to represent one of the most serious threats to Central Asia and beyond, with the group continuing to target civilians, while exploiting discontent with the de facto authorities in the country.  

Meanwhile, Da’esh remains active in Iraq and Iraq – despite the military defeats in Mosul and Raqqa in 2017 – attempting to restore its operational capacity in the Badia region and renewing efforts to destabilise local authorities.

In Syria, where the situation remains fragile since the takeover led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, ISIL continues to exploit security gaps, conduct covert operations and incite sectarian tensions in the country.  

Detention camps

“The security, humanitarian and human rights situation in the camps and other facilities in the northeast of Syria remains deeply concerning,” said Mr. Voronkov.  

Camps such as al-Hol are currently hosting tens of thousands of individuals, primarily women and children – many with alleged ties to ISIL – who remain in prolonged detention under unsafe and undignified conditions.

These environments present serious risks of radicalisation to terrorism and are contrary to obligations under international law,” he said.  

Mr. Voronkov called for the “safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation of all concerned individuals, with a particular focus on children.”  

New technology

“There is a marked increase in the interlinkage of diverse methods and the integration of digital technologies with conventional techniques,” Elisa de Anda Madrazo, President of close UN-partner the Financial Action Task Force, told ambassadors.  

The use of new and emerging technologies and artificial intelligence by Da’esh remains a growing challenge, notably as the group is increasingly employing these tools to raise funds and establish a broader communications network.  

“As we stand at the crossroads of technological transformation and geopolitical uncertainty, the threat of terrorism is more diffuse and complex,” said Nathalia Gherman, head of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED).

Prevention still best cure

“Prevention remains our best response to terrorism and violent extremism conducive terrorism,” said Mr. Voronkov.

He emphasised the importance of prioritising long-term, principled responses that tackle the drivers of terrorism and its enabling conditions.

“It is more effective – and cost efficient – to prevent terrorism than to remedy its impact,” he said. 

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Yemen: ‘Regional turmoil continues to erode prospects for peace,’ Security Council hears

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Yemen continues to be one of the world’s most food-insecure countries following over 12 years of war between the Saudi-backed coalition supporting the internationally recognised Government and Ansar Allah – as the rebels are officially known – with  17 million going hungry, according to UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

Despite a fragile but long-lasting ceasefire, regional turmoil continues to erode prospects for peace and stability. Without a political solution, “current cycles of violence – local and regional – along with economic devolution and endemic humanitarian need, will persist,” Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of OCHA’s Coordination Division, told ambassadors.

However, hopes for a lasting peace deal remain: “Reaching a sustainable solution to the situation in Yemen is not only possible, it is essential,” said Special Envoy Grundberg.

Concerning developments

Although frontlines have barely shifted, July saw the Houthi’s fortify their positions, including around Hudaydah City, and launch a significant assault on Government forces in Sa’adah Governorate – developments Mr. Grundberg told the Security Council were “concerning.”

Since October 2023, the Houthis have been targeting Israel as well as commercial ships in the Red Sea, in solidarity with the Palestinian cause in Gaza.

In the past month, the Houthis have continued missile exchanges with Israel, further destabilising Yemen and commerce in the region.

“For Yemen to have a real chance for peace, it must be protected from being further drawn into the ongoing regional turmoil emanating out of the war in Gaza,” Mr. Grundberg said, calling for and end to Houthi strikes against civilian ships in the Red Sea.

In the conflict at home, “the parties need to take actions that build trust and good faith,” he said, as the UN aims to establish a path for further talks.

“Unfortunately, we have seen the opposite in the last month with unilateral and escalatory decisions that risk deepening divisions within institutions and state structures,” said Mr. Grundberg.

Food insecurity

In some parts of Yemen, hunger and malnutrition are extreme – especially in areas of displacement. A needs-assessment mission in July found children from displaced families dying from starvation in such a camp in the Abs District of Hajjah Governorate.

“These are children who have died not from war wounds, but from hunger – slow, silent, and preventable,” Mr. Rajasingham said.

Half of Yemen’s under fives are suffering from acute malnutrition, and nearly half overall from stunting, leaving them much more vulnerable to dying from common illnesses.

Where healthcare is desperately inadequate and support services are unavailable to many, “this is a life-or-death gamble for children,” he said.

Mr. Rajasingham called for increased funding to scale up emergency food and nutrition support across the country, as humanitarian organizations remain on the ground, despite limited resources and operational challenges.

Path forward

Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Envoy for Yemen continues to work towards de-escalation along the frontlines.

In order to establish a path for talks, “it is essential that measures that build trust and improve the day to day lives of Yemenis continue,” Mr. Grundberg said.

“I urge dialogue between the parties, which is the only way to bring about long-term sustainable solutions on all matters,” he said. 

‘There is no military solution’ to end Israel-Palestine conflict, Security Council hears, as starvation stalks the Gaza Strip

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Two top UN officials warned that the Israeli cabinet’s green light this week for a fresh offensive aimed at gaining total military control of Gaza City – home to around one million Palestinians – would only risk igniting “another horrific chapter” of displacement, death and destruction.

Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, told ambassadors that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposed plan for “defeating Hamas” and the establishment of an alternative civilian administration that is neither Hamas nor the Palestinian Authority, risked “yet another dangerous escalation” that would destabilise the entire region.

However, according to Israeli media reports, the senior political affairs official continued, the Israeli plan foresees the displacement of all civilians from Gaza City by 7 October, affecting some 800,000 people – many previously displaced.

Reports indicate that forces would then surround the city for three months.  This would reportedly then be followed by an additional two months to seize control of central Gaza’s camps and clear the entire area of Palestinian armed groups.

Calamitous plan

“If these plans are implemented, they will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza, reverberating across the region and causing further forced displacement, killings, and destruction – compounding the unbearable suffering of the population,” said Mr. Jenča, calling for a full, immediate, and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional, immediate release of all hostages and compliance with international humanitarian law by Israel.

He said there was no military solution to end the conflict adding that planning for Gaza’s future “as we address the urgency of developments on the ground today,” is critical.

Mr. Jenča called for establishing political and security frameworks to ease the humanitarian crisis, while beginning recovery and reconstruction efforts that address the legitimate concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians – in line with realising a two-State solution.

United Palestine

“Critically these frameworks must facilitate a legitimate Palestinian Government that can reunify Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, politically, economically and administratively.”

Furthermore, it must be made up of a united leadership representing all of Palestine. He called on the Palestinian Authority to “advance its stated goal of holding elections” to this end.

‘This is starvation’: Rajasingham

Senior humanitarian affairs official Ramesh Rajasingham told ambassadors that hunger-related deaths were already rising, ahead of any new mass-displacement policy for Gaza City.

“Whatever lifelines remain, are collapsing under the weight of sustained hostilities, forced displacement and insufficient levels of life-saving aid.”

He said with local authorities documenting the deaths of 98 children from severe acute malnutrition – 37 since 1 July – “this is no longer a looming hunger crisis – this is starvation.”

The head of the humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) in Geneva said he was extremely concerned over the “prolonged conflict and further human toll that is likely to unfold following the Government of Israel’s decision to expand military operations in Gaza.”

“This marks a grave escalation in a conflict that has already inflicted unimaginable suffering.”

‘Grim milestone’

“A grim milestone has also been crossed in the humanitarian community,” he lamented, noting that over 500 humanitarian workers have been killed in Gaza since hostilities escalated, including at least 167 women. Smear campaigns against aid operations continue unabated.  “As we approach World Humanitarian Day, we must insist on the protection of all aid workers,” he added.  

States – all those with any influence – must look within our bruised collective conscience and summon the courage to do what is necessary to end this inhumanity and pain, he said.

Civilians must be protected, and hostages must be released unconditionally.  Arbitrarily detained Palestinians must be freed. Israel must agree to and facilitate humanitarian relief operations, both into and within the Gaza Strip, to reach the population in need.

The International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) provisional measures in the case on the application of the Genocide Convention in Gaza remain in place, the top OCHA official added, including the demand that Israel take immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and humanitarian assistance.

Yemen deserves hope and dignity, Security Council hears

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For over a decade, Yemen has endured conflict between Houthi rebels and government forces. Millions of lives and livelihoods remain at risk, and the conflict shows no sign of ending.

“The appetite for a military escalation remains,” Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told ambassadors.

While violence remains an immediate threat, he noted that the economy has now become the “most active frontline” of the conflict: the national currency in free fall and purchasing power rapidly declining, poverty is a daily threat.

“The little money people do have in their pockets is either falling in value or literally falling apart,” he said.

Currently, 17 million people face food insecurity – a number that could rise to 18 million by September without swift and expanded humanitarian aid.  More than one million children under the age of five are suffering from life-threatening malnutrition, putting them at risk of permanent physical and cognitive harm.

“We haven’t seen this level of deprivation since before the UN-brokered truce in early 2022,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.

Regional instability deepens the crisis

Broader instability in the Middle East has further worsened Yemen’s situation, Mr. Grundberg said, pointing to recent attacks by Ansar Allah (as the Houthi rebels are formally called) on commercial ships in the Red Sea and retaliatory strikes by Israel on key Yemeni infrastructure, including ports and a power station.

“Yemen must not be drawn deeper into the regional crisis that threatens to unravel the already extremely fragile situation in the country. The stakes for Yemen are simply too high,” he said.

Nevertheless, he noted that the ceasefire between Iran and Israel did spark hope that momentum for negotiations in Yemen might resume.

Still, he stressed that Yemen’s peace process must solely depend on regional dynamics.

“Yemen must advance regardless, moving from simply managing shocks and volatility to developing practical steps that lay the groundwork for lasting solutions,” he said.

Negotiations must prevail

Without meaningful peace negotiations, Yemen’s humanitarian crisis will only deepen, Mr. Grundberg warned.

“A military solution remains a dangerous solution that risks deepening Yemen’s suffering,” he said.

He highlighted recent progress in Taiz governorate, where both parties agreed to jointly manage water supplies – a move that will provide safe drinking water to over 600,000 people.

This agreement also promotes sustainable water access, reducing reliance on humanitarian aid.

“While negotiations may not be easy, they offer the best hope for addressing, in a sustainable and long-term manner, the complexity of the conflict,” Mr. Grundberg said.

Call for international support

Mr. Grundberg called on the Security Council to continue prioritizing Yemen.

He also reiterated UN calls for all detained humanitarians, including UN staff, and called on donors to ensure sufficient funding to sustain aid organizations on the ground.

“Yemen’s future depends on our collective resolve to shield it from further suffering and to give its people the hope and dignity they so deeply deserve,” Mr. Grundberg said.

UN Human Rights Council hears grim updates on Ukraine, Gaza and global racism

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Escalating conflict in Ukraine

In an oral update, Ilze Brands Kehris, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, reported a sharp escalation in hostilities in Ukraine.

Civilian casualties have surged, with April to June seeing nearly 50 per cent more deaths and injuries compared to the same period in 2024.

“More than 90 per cent of these casualties occurred in territory controlled by Ukraine,” she said, attributing the spike in part to intensified Russian drone and missile attacks.

Attacks using airburst warheads and repeated strikes on hospitals have instilled “terror and anxiety” among urban populations, she added. A June 16-17 nighttime attack in Kyiv killed more civilians than any other assault in the past year.

While ceasefire negotiations have produced some humanitarian gains – such as the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of deceased soldiers – Ms. Kehris underscored harrowing conditions in detention.

Over 117 former Ukrainian POWs interviewed by the UN rights office, OHCHR, reported torture, including sexual violence, in Russian captivity. Though less widespread, similar abuses have also been documented in unofficial Ukrainian detention facilities, prompting calls for transparent investigations.

The report also noted ongoing human rights violations in territories occupied by Russia, including restrictions on civic space and the exercise of freedom of expression.

“Peace is more imperative than ever,” Ms. Kehris said, reiterating calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities in line with international law.

Structural racism and intersectionality

Ashwini K.P., Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, delivered a thematic report focused on intersectionality as a tool for racial justice.

Drawing from experiences of Black feminists and expanded by studies focusing on Dalit, Indigenous, Muslim and Roma community members, the concept of intersectionality was presented as essential to dismantling systemic discrimination.

“Women of African descent, caste-oppressed communities, Roma, Arab and Muslim women, and other marginalized groups are disproportionately impacted due to overlapping forms of discrimination,” Ms. Ashwini said.

Her report detailed how states can integrate an intersectional approach, emphasising data disaggregation, participatory policymaking, legal recognition of multiple discrimination and historical accountability.

Ms. Ashwini highlighted the importance of reparatory justice for communities affected by colonialism and slavery and called on states – particularly those historically complicit – to implement bold reforms.

People search through the rubble of a destroyed building in the central Gaza Strip.

Deepening crisis in Gaza

Francesca Albanese, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, also reported to the Council, with grim update on Gaza.

She described conditions as “apocalyptic” and reported over 200,000 people killed or injured since 7 October 2023, when Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups attacked Israeli communities – killing at least 1,200 people and taking more than 250 as hostages.

“In Gaza, Palestinians continue to endure suffering beyond imagination,” Ms. Albanese said, describing the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a “death trap – engineered to kill or force the flight of a starved, bombarded, emaciated population marked for elimination.”

She also accused Israel of using the conflict as an opportunity to test new weapons and technology against the population of the enclave “without restraint”.

“The forever-occupation has provided an optimal testing ground for arms manufacturers and big tech with little oversight and zero accountability – while investors, and private and public institutions have profited handsomely,” she said.

“We must reverse the tide,” Ms. Albanese urged, calling on Member States to impose a full arms embargo on Israel, suspend all trade agreements and investment relation and enforce accountability, “ensuring that corporate entities face legal consequences for their involvement in serious violations of international law.”

Independent rights experts

Special Rapporteurs are independent human rights experts appointed and mandated by the Human Rights Council – the UN’s highest intergovernmental forum on human rights.

Forming a part of its Special Procedures, Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are mandated to monitor and assess the rights situation in certain thematic or country situations.

They work in their individual capacity, are not UN staff and do not receive a salary. 

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Haitian capital ‘paralysed and isolated’ by gang violence, Security Council hears

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 Since January, the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), recorded over 4,000 individuals deliberately killed – a 24 per cent increase compared to the same period in 2024.  

“The capital city was for all intents and purposes paralysed by gangs and isolated due to the ongoing suspension of international commercial flights into the international airport,” Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for the Americas at the department of political affairs (DPPA), told ambassadors in the Security Council on Wednesday.

Having visited the country recently, he warned that, gangs have only “strengthened their foothold”, which now affects all communes of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and beyond, “pushing the situation closer to the brink.”

He called on the international community to act decisively and urgently or the “total collapse of state presence in the capital could become a very real scenario”.

Gang control expands

Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), echoed that warning.

“As gang control expands, the state’s capacity to govern is rapidly shrinking, with social, economic and security implications,” she told ambassadors, briefing remotely from Vienna.

“This erosion of state legitimacy has cascading effects,” she said, with legal commerce becoming paralysed as gangs control major trade routes, such conditions worsening “already dire levels of food insecurity and humanitarian need,” she added.  

Rise of ‘vigilante’ groups

Amidst increasing public frustration with the limited protection capacity of the state, “vigilante” or self-defence groups are now gaining in popular appeal.  

Although some are motivated by the urgent need to protect their communities, many operate outside existing legal frameworks, in some cases, engaging in extrajudicial actions and colluding with gangs.  

The rise of these actors is pushing demand for guns and military-grade weapons, “fuelling illicit arms markets and raising the risk of licit weapons being diverted to criminal elements,” Ms. Waly said.  

Human trafficking

Meanwhile, the broader deterioration of the security and economic situation in the capital and the rest of the country continues to fuel a sharper escalation in human rights violations.  

Despite persistent under-reporting of sexual violence due to fear of reprisals, social stigma and lack of trust in institutions, BINUH reported an increase in sexual violence committed by gangs in the past three months.  

In May, Haitian police raided a medical facility in Pétion-Ville suspected of being involved in illicit organ trade, as allegations of trafficking in persons for the purpose of organ removal are now arising.  

As the situation in Haiti remains desperate, “there is not a moment to lose,” Mr. Jenča urged. 

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‘A moral failure’: Security Council hears about grave violations against children caught in war

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“From that day on, our home became a travel bag and our path became that of displacement … My childhood was filled with fear and anxiety and people I was deprived of,” she said, speaking via videoconference from Syria.  

Seema Sen Gupta, director of child protection and migration at UNICEF, briefs the Security Council. 

Sila, now 17, described her experiences during the Syrian Civil War to a meeting of the UN Security Council held on Wednesday to discuss the findings of the Secretary-General’s latest report on Children and Armed Conflict.

The report documented a 25 per cent increase in grave violations against children in 2024, the largest number ever recorded in its 20-year history. 

“This year’s report from the Secretary-General once again confirms what too many children already know — that the world is failing to protect them from the horrors of war,” said Sheema Sen Gupta, director of child protection at the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

“Each violation against children in every country around the globe represents a moral failure.”

The real scale of the harm

The report presented to the Security Council is published annually to document grave violations against children affected by war. It relies entirely on data compiled and verified by the UN, meaning that the real numbers are likely much higher than reported.  

In 2024, the report documented a record 41,370 grave violations — including killing and maiming, rape, abduction and the targeting of infrastructure such as schools which supports children.  

“Each child struck by these attacks carries a story, a stolen life, a dream interrupted, a future obscured by senseless violence and protracted conflict,” said Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, whose office produced the report.  

Virginia Gamba, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, briefs the Security Council. 

While many of these violations occurred during times of conflict — especially as urban warfare is on the rise — grave violations can persist even after a conflict ends. 

They persist in the unexploded ordinances which still pepper the ground.  

“Every unexploded shell left in a field, schoolyard, or alley is a death sentence waiting to be triggered,” said Ms. Sen Gupta.  

They persist in the spaces which remain destroyed, impeding children from accessing healthcare and education.  

And they persist in the trauma and injuries which never fully leave a child.  

Scars that never heal

Children who survive the grave violations do not escape unscathed — if they suffered violence, the injuries will stay with them for a lifetime. And even if they were not injured, the trauma remains.

“The physical and psychological scars borne by survivors last a lifetime, affecting families, communities and the very fabric of societies,” said Ms. Gamba.  

This is why UNICEF and its partners have worked to provide reintegration programmes and psychosocial support for children who are victims of grave violations.

Sila said that the trauma of her childhood is still with her, and has pushed her to become an advocate for children in conflicts.  

“From that moment on, nothing has felt normal in my life. I’ve developed a phobia of any sound that resembles a plane, of the dark, and even of silence,” she said.  

‘This cannot be the new normal’

Ms. Gamba called for “unwavering condemnation and urgent action” from the international community in order to reverse the worrying trends which the report details.  

“We cannot afford to return to the dark ages where children were invisible and voiceless victims of armed conflict… Please do not allow them to slip back into the shadows of despair,” she said. 

Current funding cuts to humanitarian aid are impeding the work of UN agencies and partners to document and respond to grave violations against children.

In light of this, Ms. Sen Gupta’s call for the Security Council was simple: “Fund this agenda.”

She said that the international community cannot allow this to become “a new normal,” and reminded the members of the Security Council that children are not and should never be “collateral damage.”

Despite the devastation which the report detailed, there were “glimmers of hope” according to Ms. Sen Gupta. For example, the Syrian National Army signed an action plan which will prevent the recruitment, killing and maiming of children.  

Sila also spoke of hope — she hopes that hers is the last generation to suffer these grave violations.  

“I am from a generation that survived. Physically,” she said. “Our bodies survived but our hearts are still living in fear. Please help us replace the word displacement with return, the word rubble with home, the word war with life.” 

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Human Rights Council hears concerns over displacement, genocide risks and migrant trafficking

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Of the record 83 million people internally displaced worldwide, at least 1.2 million were displaced by crime-related violence in 2024 – more than double the 2023 figure – amid a global decline in support for international norms, human rights and the rule of law.

The growing reach of organised crime in driving displacement and rights violations was the focus of a report delivered Monday morning by the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, Paula Gaviria Betancur.

Driving displacement

As violent conflicts worsen globally, displacement is increasingly driven by the threat of violence or the desire of criminal groups to control territory, resources and illicit economies.

Additionally, in places like Sudan, Palestine and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), occupying powers and criminal groups are systematically uprooting communities to alter demographics, treating IDPs as military targets.

“Displacement is no longer just a consequence of conflict – it is increasingly its deliberate objective,” Ms. Betancur warned.

In these regions, either the State enables impunity for violent groups or national security operations worsen the crisis by punishing victims and fuelling further displacement, eroding state legitimacy.

IDPs in these contexts “face grave violations of their human rights,” including “murder, violent assault, kidnapping, forced labour, child recruitment and sexual exploitation,” she said.

“The rise in global displacement is the result of systemic failure – the failure of States and the international community to tackle its root causes,” Ms. Betancur concluded, calling for stronger support for the UN and accountability for criminal groups.

Genocide risks in conflict areas

Virginia Gamba, Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, briefed the council on escalating risks in Sudan, Gaza, the DRC and beyond during Monday’s session.

In Sudan, where over 10.5 million have been displaced since fighting erupted in April 2023, both the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are committing grave rights violations.

Ethnically motivated attacks by the RSF in certain regions mean “the risk of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan remains very high,” Ms. Gamba underscored.

Turning to Gaza, she called the scale of civilian suffering and destruction “staggering and unacceptable,” noting the conflict has also fuelled rising antisemitism and Islamophobia worldwide.

Hate speech fuelling violence

As attacks on civilians and ethnic violence continue in the DRC, hate speech and discrimination have surged.

But this surge is also occurring worldwide, further exacerbating the risk of genocide.

“Hate speech – which has been a precursor for genocide in the past – is present in far too many situations, often targeting the most vulnerable,” said Ms. Gamba, highlighting refugees, Indigenous peoples and religious minorities.

For genocide prevention, she urged greater efforts to monitor hate speech, expand education efforts, and strengthen partnerships with regional organizations.

“The task of preventing genocide remains critical and urgent—the moment to act is now,” she stressed.

Trafficking of migrant domestic workers

Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, Siobhán Mullally, presented her report on the trafficking risks faced by migrant domestic workers.

“The specific nature of domestic work, and weak regulatory responses by States, produce a structural vulnerability to exploitation,” Ms. Mullally said.

The crisis disproportionately affects women, as they make up the majority of domestic workers and 61 per cent of trafficking victims detected globally in 2022.

Conditions of domestic work

Many women from disadvantaged communities are promised jobs abroad, but upon arrival, realise they have been conned. They endure violence, labour abuses and sexual exploitation but are unable to pay the exorbitant penalty for terminating their work contracts.

Ms. Mullally cited the legacy of slavery, gendered and racialised views of domestic work and intersecting discrimination as key factors behind poor conditions and trafficking risks.

Most States lack the political will to enforce labour laws in the domestic work sector, reinforcing this crisis, she said, calling for stronger labour laws, safe migration pathways, bilateral agreements grounded in human rights and an end to the criminalisation of trafficking victims.

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Ukraine: Security Council hears of escalating attacks, diplomatic developments

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“As we are facing renewed escalation on the ground and crisis elsewhere, it is critical to maintain focused attention on the urgent need for peace in Ukraine,” said UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča – one of two senior officials briefing the ambassadors.

In the three weeks since the Council last met on Ukraine, Russia has carried out unrelenting large-scale attacks on cities and towns, resulting in a significant rise in civilian casualties.

Deadly Kyiv attack 

A combined drone and missile attack on the capital Kyiv overnight on 16-17 June was one of the deadliest there in a year. At least 28 civilians were killed and more than 130 injured. Many others are still reported missing under the rubble of the 35 apartments destroyed that night.

Attacks also reportedly occurred in Odesa, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv and Kyiv provinces that same night, with two civilians reportedly killed and scores injured in Odesa. 

“These levels of death and destruction risk dimming hope for an immediate ceasefire and threaten to undermine prospects for a lasting peace,” he said. 

‘Dramatic increase’ in casualties

Data from the UN human rights office, OHCHR, reveals that at least 13,438 civilians, including 713 children, have been killed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Another 33,270 civilians have been injured, including over 2,000 children.

The number of civilian casualties in the first five months of this year alone totaled 5,144 – nearly 50 per cent higher than in the same period in 2024. Of this number, 859 were killed and 4,285 injured. 

“This dramatic increase is a result of intensified use of long-range weapons, both missiles and loitering munitions, against cities across Ukraine,” said Mr. Jenča. 

Ukrainian authorities report that between 1 and 17 June, Russian forces launched at least 3,340 long-range drones, including loitering munitions and decoy drones, and 135 missiles into the country. This compares to 544 long-range munitions launched during the whole of June 2024.

Attacks reported in Russia 

Escalating violence also continues to be reported in Russian regions that border Ukraine, though at a far lower level.  

In the Kursk region, a woman died in hospital a day after being injured in a Ukrainian drone attack while a man was killed, and five others injured, in a strike on a recreational centre. The UN was not able to verify these reports. 

“Let me once again unequivocally state – attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are strictly prohibited under international humanitarian law, wherever they occur,” said Mr. Jenča, reiterating the UN’s condemnation.

Diplomatic developments welcomed 

Meanwhile, “important diplomatic developments have taken place on the challenging path towards a lasting peace in Ukraine.”  

Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their second face-to-face meeting in Istanbul on 2 June.  They reportedly exchanged written memoranda outlining their respective visions for a ceasefire and parameters for a future peace settlement. 

The sides also reached agreement for the large-scale exchange of prisoners of war, mortal remains and civilian detainees. Swaps have been carried out since then, with the latest round taking place earlier on Friday. The mortal remains of 6,057 Ukrainian and 78 Russian servicepersons also have been returned as of 16 June.

“We welcome the continuation of all meaningful diplomatic efforts, including the recent talks in Istanbul. We urge the sides to make tangible progress towards a ceasefire and a lasting settlement through continued talks,” said Mr. Jenča.

In the face of escalation, he called for redoubling efforts “to ensure that the fragile diplomatic process is not only sustained but becomes irreversible.”

Civilians bear the brunt

In the meantime, civilians continue to bear the severe consequences of the war, said Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“As the war continues, millions of lives are impacted every day. Essential  services are disrupted, and vulnerabilities are deepening for nearly 13 million people in need of assistance,” she said.

Roughly 3.7 million people are displaced inside Ukraine, including 60,000 newly displaced from frontline regions since January alone. Almost six million citizens are now refugees, mainly in Europe.

Amid the intensifying hostilities, the Government continues to order the mandatory evacuation of families with children from front-line villages, she said.  However, for some people in these locations “attacks are so frequent  that evacuations themselves become a risky prospect.”

Humanitarians at risk

Ms. Wosornu noted that humanitarians also face growing threats. This year, two aid workers have been killed and 24 injured while delivering assistance, and some 68 incidents of violence impacting relief personnel, assets and facilities have been recorded. 

She said that “despite an operating environment beset by multiple risks and challenges,” humanitarians remain committed and engaged, and their operations continue. Between January and May, they reached some 3.4 million people with life-saving aid, including food, water, medicines, health services and livelihood support.

Humanitarians are seeking $2.6 billion for Ukraine this year, and $816 million, has been secured, she said, stressing the importance importance of “timely financial support”.

End the war

Ms. Wosornu concluded her remarks by renewing earlier calls for the Council to take urgent, collective action in three areas, including protecting civilians and ensuring safe humanitarian access to all in need.  

Ambassadors were also urged to ensure sustained financial support as “declining funding trends” threaten aid efforts.

Her final request was an appeal to “end this war, and until then, ensure that humanitarian concerns are a central part of discussions on a pause in fighting or longer-term agreement.” 

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Human Rights Council hears alarming updates on executions in Iran and global civic space crackdown

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At least 975 people were executed in Iran in 2024, the highest number reported since 2015, according to a report Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, presented to the Geneva-based Council on Wednesday. 

Of the total executions, just over half were for drug-related offenses, 43 per cent for murder, two per cent for sexual offenses, and three per cent for security-related charges. At least four executions were carried out publicly. 

“These cases are marked by serious allegations of torture and due process violations, including lack of access to a lawyer,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. 

Violence and discrimination against women

At least 31 women were reportedly executed in Iran last year, up from 22 in 2023. Of the 19 women executed for murder, nine had been convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence or forced or child marriage, areas in which Iranian women have no legal protections.

Some executions were reportedly linked to protests that began in September 2022 under the banner “Women, Life, and Freedom.”

Beyond executions, femicide cases surged, with 179 reported in 2024 compared to 55 the year before. Many stemmed from so-called “honour” crimes or family disputes, often involving women and girls seeking divorce or rejecting marriage proposals.

Ms. Al-Nashif also warned that the suspended Chastity and Hijab Law, if enacted, would pose a serious threat to women’s rights. Penalties for violations such as improper dress could include heavy fines, travel bans, long-term imprisonment, or even the death penalty.

In addition, of the 125 journalists prosecuted in 2024, 40 were women, many reporting on human rights and women’s rights issues.

Religious and ethnic minorities

“In 2024, the death penalty continued to have a disproportionate impact on minority groups,” Ms. Al-Nashif told the Council.

At least 108 Baluchi and 84 Kurdish prisoners were executed in 2024, representing 11 and 9 per cent of the total, respectively.

The report also raised concerns over the lack of official data on the socioeconomic conditions of ethnic and ethno-religious minorities and non-citizens, which hampers efforts to assess their situation and measure the impact of targeted policies and programmes.

Looking ahead

While Iran continued engagement with the Office of the UN High Commissioner and other human rights mechanisms, it denied access to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“Our Office remains ready to continue and build on its engagement with the Iranian authorities on the range of issues highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General for the promotion and protection of all human rights,” Ms. Al-Nashif concluded. 

Global ‘Super Election’ cycle undermined democratic participation

In the Council’s afternoon session, Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, presented her report on how the 2023–2025 “super election” cycle has affected civic space around the world.  

In 2024, half of the world’s population elected their local, national and international representatives. While Ms. Romero’s report on this cycle does not assess the integrity of the elections, it identifies troubling global patterns of systematic repression of the exercise of peaceful assembly and association.

“The misuse of restrictive laws, smear campaigns, disinformation targeting civil society intensified globally in the super electoral cycle, undermining electoral participation and freedom of association,” she said.  

Political repression and violence

As criminal justice systems are used to repress the opposition, leaders and members of political parties faced undue restrictions and political persecution. Civil society activists and election observers have also faced harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and murder.  

“When political parties, civil society, and peaceful assemblies are suppressed, genuine political pluralism and competition cannot exist,” argued Ms. Romero. “I stress that these conditions are incompatible with free and genuine elections and risk legitimising undemocratic rule.”

Minority representation

Ms. Romero also underscored that women’s political leadership remains severely underrepresented, while LGBTIQ individuals and their organizations faced attacks during the super electoral cycle.  

Both groups experienced physical and online political violence, restricting their electoral participation and accelerating the decline of their rights after the elections.

Calls to protect freedoms  

Amid global crises and a rapid democratic decline, Ms. Romero emphasized the urgent need to protect the rights to peaceful assembly and association throughout the entire electoral cycle.  

She outlined key recommendations, including strengthening legal protections before elections, ensuring accountability afterward, regulating digital technologies and promoting non-discriminatory participation throughout.  

“Dissent is a fundamental element of democratic societies,” she concluded in Spanish. “Rather than being suppressed, it should be welcomed and permanently protected.” 

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Israeli actions in Palestinian territories constitute war crimes, Human Rights Council hears

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“The goal of the Israeli government is abundantly clear: the destruction of life in Gaza.”

That’s how Navi Pillay, Chair of the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, opened her statement to the 59th session of the Council on Tuesday.

Calling the war in Gaza “the most ruthless, prolonged and widespread attack against the Palestinian people since 1948,” Ms. Pillay addressed the findings of the Commission’s report, released to the HRC on 6 May.

Attacks on educational facilities in Gaza

It found that 90 per cent of Gaza’s schools and universities have been damaged or destroyed by Israeli attacks – including airstrikes, shelling, burning and controlled demolitions.

“With the loss of education, Palestinians are also losing their source of stability, hope and possibility of a future,” said Ms. Pillay.

By not issuing adequate warnings to civilians sheltering inside, these attacks caused extensive casualties, amounting to war crimes, including knowingly launching attacks that caused excessive and disproportionate civilian harm, and the crime against humanity of extermination.

The Commission found no military necessity to justify the destruction of schools, concluding that the intent was to restrict long-term Palestinian access to education.

Notably, while Israeli forces often claimed they were targeting Hamas operatives allegedly based in schools, the Commission verified only one instance of Hamas using a school for military purposes, compared to the systematic Israeli use of schools as military bases.

Education restrictions in the West Bank

Ms. Pillay also warned that education in the West Bank remains under threat. Demolition orders, military raids, restrictions, and operations have significantly reduced school days, while settler violence has endangered students and teachers. The Israeli government has either incited or failed to prevent such violence, she said.

Attacks on religious and cultural sites

In Gaza, Israeli forces have damaged 53 per cent of religious and cultural sites.

Many were being used for refuge or worship, causing further civilian casualties, constituting war crimes and, in some cases, the crime against humanity of extermination.

This completely avoidable damage “has a cascading effect and deeply affects intangible cultural elements, such as religious and cultural practices, memories and history, undermining the identity of Palestinians as a people,” said Ms. Pillay.

Because Israeli forces should have known where these sites were and planned their assaults accordingly, the Commission found these acts constituted war crimes including intentionally targeting historic and religious sites and widespread destruction without military necessity.

Seizure of cultural heritage sites in the West Bank

In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the Commission documented repeated cases of Israeli authorities or settlers seizing cultural heritage sites, displacing Palestinians, excluding non-Jewish history and restricting Palestinian access.

The report highlights increasing restrictions and assaults on Palestinians at Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, a long-standing flashpoint in East Jerusalem.

Ms. Pillay argued that through these actions, “Israel has been using cultural heritage and settlements as leverage for its unlawful territorial claims in the occupied West Bank, in flagrant defiance of multiple United Nations resolutions and the 2024 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).”

These actions violate international law, including the right to cultural life, freedom of religion, and protection of cultural heritage.

Recommendations

Ms. Pillay concluded her speech by underscoring that Israel’s attacks on education, infrastructure and heritage sites aim to “erode Palestinians’ historical ties to the land and weaken their collective identity, thereby hindering their right to self-determination” and the possibility of a peaceful, sustainable two-State solution.

Accordingly, the Commission calls for Israel to end the unlawful occupation and enable Palestinian self-determination; stop attacks and seizures of educational, religious and cultural sites; end the systematic erasure of Palestinian history; and comply fully with international law, including the 2024 ICJ ruling.

Sudan’s war intensifies amid starvation, rights probe warns

Meanwhile in Sudan, heavy fighting continues to escalate as a “direct result” of the continued flow of arms into the country meaning that the war is far from over, top independent human rights investigators said on Tuesday, ahead of briefing the Human Rights Council.

In an update on the emergency in the northeast African nation, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan highlighted the increased use of heavy weaponry in populated areas – and a sharp rise in sexual violence.

“Many Sudanese are dying from hunger and especially those who have been detained and in detention – they are dying and millions affected,” said Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, Expert Member of the Fact-Finding Mission.

“In terms of international responsibility, we urge all States to respect and enforce the arms embargo of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556,” she added.

Humanitarian relief continues to be weaponized and hospitals and medical facilities remain under siege, warned the investigators, whose mandate was established by the Council in October 2023.

Two young women carry water at a site for displaced people in eastern Sudan.

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“There is a direct link between the flow of arms in Sudan, armed hostilities and the resulting violence amounting to violations of international humanitarian law and human rights violations,” said Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Fact-Finding Mission.

“We know the kind of arms that are being used: heavy artillery, modern warfare, drones and in fact, they have escalated.”

Fellow investigator Mona Rishmawi insisted that testimonies gathered pointed to “both sides” continuing to commit war crimes – a reference to the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) which turned on each other in April 2023, following a breakdown in transition to civilian rule.

Around El Fasher, for instance, civilians have been “assaulted, detained and killed while villages have been attacked, burned and looted” by the RSF. During one RSF attack from 10 to 13 April, more than 100 civilians were reportedly killed, while a SAF bombing in Al Koma killed at least 15 civilians.

Now into its third year, the war has killed tens of thousands of civilians so far, displacing over 13 million Sudanese and subjecting many more to sexual violence, looting and the destruction of homes, health facilities, markets and other infrastructure. 

Crimes against humanity continue, “particularly in the context of persecution of certain ethnic groups”, Ms. Rishmawi insisted.

The result of restrictions to aid relief has been to drive famine, “especially in Darfur”, said the investigators, who are respected human rights experts and not UN staff.

In their latest update to the Human Rights Council, the investigators documented a sharp rise in sexual and gender-based violence, with women and girls subjected to rape, gang rape, abduction, sexual slavery and forced marriage, mostly in RSF-controlled displacement camps.

About UN experts

The members of both the Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory and the Fact-Finding Mission for the Sudan receive their mandates from the UN Human Rights Council.

They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work. 

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‘Syria simply cannot withstand another wave of instability,’ Security Council hears

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“Syria simply cannot withstand another wave of instability,” UN Deputy Special Envoy Najat Rochdi said on Tuesday in a briefing to the Security Council in New York. 

“The risks of further escalation in the region are not hypothetical – they are immediate, severe, and risk unraveling the fragile progress toward peace and recovery in Syria.” 

She echoed the Secretary-General’s condemnation of military escalation in Middle East and his call on Israel and Iran to show maximum restraint. 

The UN Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has also expressed growing alarm over the potential consequences of any further escalation, which she also conveyed. 

‘Constructive and cooperative’ engagement 

Ms. Rochdi reported on the Special Envoy’s ongoing engagement in recent months, such as meetings with senior officials in Damascus, including interim foreign minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani. 

Their discussions focused on recent positive developments in international relations as well as the importance of prioritizing domestic affairs towards a genuinely inclusive political transition in which all Syrians have a stake. 

Overall, the meetings with Syrian officials “were marked by a constructive and cooperative tone, with a shared interest in strengthening engagement with the United Nations across multiple sectors,” she said.  

Road to transition 

“Particular attention was given to the next steps in the transition and to coordinating efforts with the newly established committees on transitional justice and missing persons,” she added. 

Among the important next steps is the establishment of a new People’s Assembly as the transitional legislative authority.  In this regard, she welcomed the recent presidential decree announcing the appointment of a supreme committee for elections to the Assembly. 

The committee will be responsible for supervising the indirect election of 100 of the 150 members of the People’s Assembly via electoral colleges, she explained.  It will also define the electoral timeframe and eligibility conditions for electors and candidates.  

“We encourage the Supreme Committee to take measures that safeguard inclusivity, transparency and openness in all stages of this process,” she said.

Developments in the northeast 

Turning to the northeast, Ms. Rochdi referred to the 10 March deal reached between the interim authorities and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which controls the region, to integrate the Kurdish-led group into the national army. 

The agreement “continues to present a historical opportunity to solve one of the key outstanding issues in this conflict and restore Syria’s sovereignty and unity, a priority which the Special Envoy discussed with interim Foreign Minister Shaibani.”

She also welcomed recent detainee exchanges as well as cooperation that enabled several Syrian families at the Al-Hol camp to return to the northwest. Thousands of people from several countries have been held for years at the notorious complex for their alleged ties to ISIL extremists.

“We stress the importance of negotiations moving forward in earnest with bold steps and an active spirit of compromise from both sides to implement the 10 March agreement,” Ms. Rochdi told ambassadors.

“This is a priority for stability in Syria and the region, for the restoration of Syria’s sovereignty, unity, independence and territorial integrity, and for the success of the overall political transition.”  

Women and civil society

Special Envoy Pedersen also engaged with a broad spectrum of Syrians including women, who continue to seek greater representation in leadership positions, including as candidates and delegates in the process for the People’s Assembly.

“Syrian civil society representatives also continue to be active on all fronts working for a new Syria founded on the principles of inclusivity, openness, and transparent participatory processes,” she added.

She stressed that the protection and safety of all components of society, along with prevention of incitement of communal tensions, “are absolute cornerstones for stability.” 

Attacks against specific communities

She noted that sporadic violent incidents continued in Homs, Hama and other regions, including killings, kidnappings and infringements on individual liberties. 

Furthermore, some of the people that the Special Envoy met in Damascus voiced concern over ongoing attacks targeting specific communities and groups, including Alawites, Druze, and women. 

 “While many interlocutors emphasized that these incidents did not appear to be systematic or part of official policy, they highlighted the persistent challenges faced by the interim authorities in controlling certain groups – whether affiliated with the interim authorities or operating independently,” she said.

Ms. Rochdi also pointed to encouraging signs the interim authorities have taken to ease tensions such as the recent issuance of a fatwa that prohibits revenge killings and extrajudicial retaliation. Additionally, recent decisions to reinstate judges who were removed by the former regime represent a welcome step towards rebuilding trust between the judiciary and the population.

Respect Syria’s sovereignty

Meanwhile, other security challenges persist, with sporadic and limited acts of violence this month, including at a border post with Iraq and on contact lines in Deir-ez-Zor, and in rural Homs. 

“The southwest saw a serious incident of Israeli artillery fire and airstrikes on military sites and weapons depots across southern Syria, in response to a rare incident of small rocket fires out of Syria into the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan,” she continued, noting that two groups unaffiliated with the interim authorities claimed responsibility. 

Additionally, Israeli incursions, arrests, and drone strikes occurred last week in Beit Jinn in the Damascus countryside, which she said are unacceptable and must cease. 

“Syria’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity must be respected, along with the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement. Diplomacy is possible and must be prioritised,” she said. 

Ms. Rochdi further reported that “ongoing activity by ISIL remains notable, including attacks on SDF positions, and a US drone strike on an ISIL figure in northwest Syria.”

Returnees and economic measures

Before concluding, Ms. Rochdi reported that despite the fragile security and socioeconomic situation in their homeland, nearly 600,000 people are estimated to have returned to Syria in the past six months, mostly from neighbouring countries.

An estimated 1.34 million displaced people inside Syria have also gone back to their areas of origin during the same period.  

She said the UN continues to welcome and encourage international actions which contribute to the reactivation of Syria’s economy. They include a six-month waiver of some US sanctions, the European Union’s (EU) lifting of economic sanctions, and a broad range of transactions authorized by the United Kingdom to facilitate commercial activity in some key sectors.

She also hailed a large contract for the construction of several gas and solar energy plants, signed between the interim authorities and a consortium of regional and international actors. 

“These projects are expected to supply more than half of Syria’s national electricity needs, representing a big leap toward energy security, economic revival, and infrastructure resilience,” she said.

More to follow on this story… 

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Ukraine: Hopes for peace on life support, Security Council hears

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“The longer the war continues, the longer its regional and global impacts will be felt, and the more difficult it will be to find a peaceful resolution,” said Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

She recalled the adoption of Security Council resolution 2774 in February – the first since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 – which sparked a sense of optimism for a diplomatic solution.  

That has since been replaced by a sense of international frustration – and more suffering in Ukraine following the surge in attacks.

“The hope that the parties will be able to sit down and negotiate is still alive, but just barely,” Ms. DiCarlo warned.

Rising civilian toll

Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo briefing the Security Council.

The weekend’s escalation has been described as the largest wave of attacks, with record numbers of long-range missiles and drones killing and injuring dozens of civilians and damaging homes and infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv, and other cities.

Russian regions bordering Ukraine also reported civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. According to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, nine civilians were killed and 117 injured by Ukrainian strikes between 19 and 25 May, with a further 17 civilians killed and over 100 injured the week before.

“The United Nations is not able to verify these reports. However, if confirmed, these figures serve as a vivid reminder of the rising civilian toll of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, most egregiously in Ukraine, but also increasingly in the Russian Federation itself,” Ms. DiCarlo said.

International humanitarian law strictly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, she stressed.

“They are unacceptable and indefensible – wherever they occur – and must stop immediately.”

‘Every delay costs lives’

OCHA Director Doughten briefing the Security Council.

Lisa Doughten, Director for Financing at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), painted a dire picture on the ground.  

Over 5,000 people – mostly from Kherson, Donetsk and Sumy regions – were newly displaced in the past week alone, adding to the 3.7 million already displaced across Ukraine. An estimated 1.5 million civilians in Russian-occupied areas remain largely cut off from humanitarian assistance.

Despite escalating challenges, humanitarian organizations – many of them local NGOs – continue to deliver food, water, hygiene kits and protection services.  

However, only a quarter of the $2.6 billion needed for the 2025 humanitarian response plan has been funded, leaving aid workers struggling to meet rising needs.

“Every delay costs lives. Every dollar helps us reach the next family under fire with aid, educate the next child out of school, help evacuate people with disabilities, and sustain water in front-line communities,” Ms. Doughten said.

“The needs do not shrink. And so, our resolve cannot falter.”

A wideview of the Security Council meeting as members discuss the situation in Ukraine

The war is a strategic mistake: US

Sanctions for Russia are “still on the table” if they make the “wrong decision” to continue the catastrophic war against Ukraine, the representative of the United States, John Kelley, told ambassadors.

“President [Donald] Trump has emphasised from the beginning that this war was a strategic mistake and should never have happened; time is not on the side of any who would prolong it,” Mr. Kelley said.

The US also condemned Russia’s decision to launch record numbers of long-range missiles and drones against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine this past weekend.

Mr. Kelley noted that if Russia makes the “wrong decision to continue this catastrophic war,” the United States may be forced to end their negotiation efforts.

“To be clear, in doing so, we would not be ‘abandoning’ our principles or our friends. Rather, we would be recognising Russia’s refusal to work with us toward a desirable outcome,” he said.

Mr. Kelley also referenced President Trump’s conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on 21 May, saying that the US is expecting a “term sheet” which will outline a Russian ceasefire proposal.

“We will judge Russia’s seriousness towards ending the war not only by the contents of that term sheet, but more importantly, by Russia’s actions,” Mr. Kelley said.

Ukraine trying to derail peace: Russia

Russia’s Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya accused the Ukrainian Government of attempting to “deceive and mislead” President Donald Trump in order to push the US away from its central role brokering negotiations.

“As long as the spectre of the ‘Russian threat’ persists, [Volodymyr] Zelensky’s clique can avoid accountability for embezzled budget funds and Western – primarily American – aid, which now totals tens if not hundreds of billions of dollars,” Mr. Nebenzya said.

“Even their partners in Europe and the [Joe] Biden administration, who have also profited greatly from the conflict in Ukraine, are starting to grow weary of this.”

Regarding allegations that Russia is targeting civilians in Ukraine, he claimed the casualties are the result of Ukrainian air defense systems being “positioned near residential buildings and public infrastructure in violation of basic international humanitarian law.”

He stated that the true targets of Russian strikes are military-industrial sites, citing the destruction of ammunition depots and other weapons facilities in various Ukrainian regions.

Ukraine open to talks that ‘yield tangible results’

Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, said that the international community must increase pressure on Russia, including through sanctions, to end the “diplomatic stalemate” for which she squarely blamed Russia.

“Ukraine did not initiate this war, nor do we desire its continuation,” Ms. Hayovyshyn said.

She noted that President Volodymyr Zelensky remains willing to meet President Vladimir Putin at any point for direct talks, but that the Russian President has not made himself available – including failing to attend the negotiations in Türkiye where Mr. Zelensky was present.

“We are not afraid of talks,” she said. “We are for constructive talks.”

Ms. Hayovyshyn said that “only positive result” of the meeting in Türikye was the agreement from both Russia and Ukraine to each release 1,000 prisoners of war.

But she reiterated that Ukraine would not compromise on its territorial integrity or sovereignty when negotiating for peace.

“Achieving peace at any cost will not end the war. A comprehensive, just and lasting peace must rest on a fundamental respect towards non-negotiable principles,” she said.

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