War in Ukraine and conflicts in Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Myanmar, drought, floods and insecurity in Somalia, as well as a prolonged humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan have been the main drivers of the alarming new total. Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees, expressed his concern, stating that “globally, far too…
Water is crucial to rice farmers and when it is lacking, they tend to rely on groundwater. Globally, water taken from underground reservoirs supports 40 per cent of agriculture, but if groundwater levels fall, it becomes harder to reach over time. In Punjab known by some as India’s breadbasket, groundwater is being depleted faster than…
In Nigeria, cervical cancer is the third most common cancer and the second most frequent cause of cancer deaths among women aged between 15 and 44. In 2020 – the latest year for which data is available – the country recorded 12,000 new cases and 8,000 deaths from cervical cancer. Under the new immunisation protocol,…
UN News is winding down live coverage of today’s events in the Council soon. For full blow by blow coverage of the debate so far and the speakers still to come on the Israel-Palestine crisis, you can visit our special UN Meetings Coverage Section, here. Syria Syria’s Representative Al Haka Dindi, said Israel’s criminal and…
The series of deadly earthquakes and possibility of massive involuntary returns, all add up to the need for urgent action to avoid further suffering and potential instability, said Richard Bennett. “A grave picture has emerged, providing a glimpse of what may lie ahead for the human rights of many Afghans, particularly women and girls, and also…
On 25 October, the United Nations will mark the adoption in 2000 of the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) to improve the protection of women and girls during conflicts, and recognize their leadership and unique roles in peace processes. Today, more than 600 million women and girls live in conflict-affected countries. In 2022, the United Nations verified nearly 2,500…
Doctors have been performing surgeries without anaesthesia or other basic surgical supplies, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said in an update, noting that fuel has become the “most vital commodity” in Gaza. Without it, “trucks can’t move and generators can’t produce electricity for hospitals, bakeries and water desalination plants,” said Tamara Alrifai, spokesperson for…
Briefing ambassadors, Caroline Ziadeh, Special Representative of the Secretary-General cited a “serious” incident on 24 September, that saw five people – including a Kosovo police officer – killed and others injured. “[These events] exacerbated an already deteriorating security environment, characterized by an atmosphere of mutual suspicion and contradictory perceptions touching much of the population,” she…
UN Day on 24 October marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter – the day the Organization officially came into being. ‘We grieve, and we remember’ The dead in Gaza include many teachers, the agency noted in a tweet on Monday. “We grieve and we remember. These…
Echoing that message, UN health agency (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a new appeal on Monday for “sustained safe passage” for medical essentials and fuel to keep health facilities open. “Lives depend on these decisions,” he insisted on social platform X. The UN humanitarian affairs coordination office (OCHA) quoted numbers from the Gaza Ministry…
