Nuclear disarmament at breaking point as mistrust grows – but hope remains

Nuclear disarmament at breaking point as mistrust grows – but hope remains

Yet even as the architecture weakens, signs of progress – including nuclear-weapon-free zones and rising youth engagement – offer grounds for cautious hope, a UN researcher on nuclear non-proliferation has told UN News. Gaukhar Mukhatzhanova, a fellow with the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) – an autonomous institute studying disarmament and international security issues […]

Keeping ‘hope alive for younger generations’ in Haiti as funding falters

Keeping ‘hope alive for younger generations’ in Haiti as funding falters

Armed groups control large swaths of Port-au-Prince, forcing more than 1.4 million people from their homes and cutting access to food, health, water and education services. Half the population is not getting enough to eat, and malnutrition among children is rising sharply. Humanitarian efforts are hampered by insecurity and blocked access routes. According to the […]

Remembering the Holocaust: ‘You are here because you choose hope over hate’

In his 10th Holocaust Remembrance Day address, Secretary-General António Guterres told survivors and their families gathered in the General Assembly Hall that honouring the dead “and the fight against the ancient poison of antisemitism – is not abstract, but personal”.  Every year on the day the concentration camps were liberated in 1945, the world unites […]

Sudan: As children continue to suffer, school remains a distant hope

Sudan: As children continue to suffer, school remains a distant hope

After more than two years of civil war, more than 25 million people are now acutely hungry and at least 20 million require health services urgently. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) also warned that displaced families in some areas have not received any aid for three months, as it announced that for the first time, […]

First Person: On Ukraine’s frontlines, humanitarians risk all to bring hope

First Person: On Ukraine’s frontlines, humanitarians risk all to bring hope

“Sometimes it feels like we’re swimming against a current that never slows down,” says Ms. Tiutiunnyk, a protection specialist working in Ukraine for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Viktoria herself is a displaced person from Luhansk, forced to flee following the onset of hostilities. “I was not a part of the humanitarian community”, she recalls, […]

Lured by hope, trapped by lies: Healing after being trafficked

Lured by hope, trapped by lies: Healing after being trafficked

Eight years ago, Maria left Caracas, Venezuela, driven by dwindling opportunities and the hope of completing her veterinary studies. At just 21, she accepted an offer from an acquaintance who promised work in Trinidad and Tobago, cleaning homes, waiting tables. It seemed like a lifeline, a way to support herself and her family back home. […]

1.3 million Sudanese return home, offering fragile hope for recovery

1.3 million Sudanese return home, offering fragile hope for recovery

“The thousands of people seeking to return home are driven by hope, resilience and an enduring connection to their country,” said Othman Belbeisi, regional director of the International Organization of Migration (IOM).   While this development does offer hope, many of these people are returning to states and cities whose resources have been devastated by […]

Yemen deserves hope and dignity, Security Council hears

Yemen deserves hope and dignity, Security Council hears

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 […]

With sustainable development under threat, Sevilla summit rekindles hope and unity

With sustainable development under threat, Sevilla summit rekindles hope and unity

“The human consequences of rising debt burdens, escalating trade tensions and steep cuts to official development assistance have been brought into sharp relief this week,” she told the closing session of the pivotal gathering, amid sizzling temperatures across southern Spain. Multilateralism at work But against that backdrop, the conference has delivered a strong response – […]

DR Congo: New initiative to eliminate HIV in children ‘a beacon of hope’

DR Congo: New initiative to eliminate HIV in children ‘a beacon of hope’

“Our country can no longer tolerate children being born and growing up with HIV, when tools exist to prevent, detect and effectively treat this infection,” President Félix Tshisekedi declared at a recent government conference in the south-eastern Lualaba province, as he launched the five-year initiative. Backed by an initial commitment of $18 million in national […]

Responsibility to Protect: An unfulfilled promise, a ray of hope

Responsibility to Protect: An unfulfilled promise, a ray of hope

Addressing the General Assembly, António Guterres said that the world is witnessing more armed conflicts than at any time since the end of the Second World War. “Too often, early warnings go unheeded, and alleged evidence of crimes committed by States and non-State actors are met with denial, indifference, or repression,” he told Member States […]

Songs of hope rise from Gaza’s ruins

Songs of hope rise from Gaza’s ruins

Among them is Ahmed Abu Amsha, a music teacher who has become something of a humanitarian troubadour. Fleeting moments of joy Living in a worn tent with his family, he refuses to let despair drown out hope. Instead, he teaches music to displaced children, helping them find moments of joy through rhythm and song. Originally […]

Sanctions relief for Syria offers ‘powerful message of hope,’ says UN migration agency

Sanctions relief for Syria offers ‘powerful message of hope,’ says UN migration agency

After more than a decade of conflict and severe economic stagnation, lifting the punitive measures will encourage long-term recovery and peacebuilding in Syria, Amy Pope, IOM Director-General, said in a statement. “The lifting of sanctions sends a powerful message of hope to millions of displaced Syrians, both within the country and across the region,” she said. […]