UN News

UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA on Thursday upheld its commitment to support millions across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as Israel’s order for it to cease operations went into effect. 

After days of intense fighting, the humanitarian situation in Goma, capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has reached alarming levels – with humanitarian needs now massive and response capacities severely strained. 

Humanitarians warned on Thursday that Syria continues to face major security and aid challenges in the northeast and beyond, in the uncertain aftermath of the overthrow of the Assad regime.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in Uganda, which is part of the Ebola virus family. 

People continue to stream back into Gaza City in the wake of the temporary ceasefire across the Strip, with some 500,000 reportedly returning so far, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Thursday. 

The widespread awareness and growing availability of low-cost tools powered by artificial intelligence is putting them on the radar of African governments and entrepreneurs keen to develop home-grown digital solutions to improving education. 

The UN Secretary-General on Thursday said Myanmar’s military must relinquish power to allow a return to civilian rule through an inclusive democratic transition, as the country marks four years since the junta seized power.

UNAIDS has welcomed Wednesday’s emergency waiver from the United States Secretary of State that will allow the continuation of life-saving HIV treatment funded by the US across 55 countries worldwide. 

Four years after the military coup which plunged Myanmar into turmoil, the country is facing an unprecedented “polycrisis,” marked by economic collapse, intensifying conflict, complex climate hazards and deepening poverty, according to a new report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

As more than 423,000 displaced Palestinians return to their homes in northern Gaza following the opening of key roads, UN agencies are scaling up humanitarian aid and addressing the growing risks posed by unexploded ordnance such as landmines (UXO). 

Israeli legislation banning the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is due to enter into force in the coming hours, bringing fundamental changes to its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the agency and Palestinians they serve in Gaza who spoke with UN News on Wednesday.

As UN agencies reported “relative calm” on Wednesday in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), humanitarians warned that the chaos caused by advancing M23 rebel forces could fuel a region-wide health emergency.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted on Tuesday the critical need for collaborative and urgent action to achieve the ambitious goal of bringing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

The implementation of new Israeli laws banning the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA – set to take effect on Thursday – will heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council has heard.

At least one girl and three boys were killed, and three boys injured, during an attack on the Saudi Hospital in the besieged Sudanese city of El Fasher, North Darfur, on Friday. 

The latest reports from Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from UN teams on the ground indicate a fast-deteriorating situation on Tuesday amid an ongoing assault by M23 rebels on the provincial capital.

The UN Security Council convened its second emergency meeting in three days on Tuesday to address the escalating crisis in Goma – the regional capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The Security Council met for the second time in three days on Tuesday over the escalating crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with UN agencies and partners on the ground reporting chaos in the streets of the regional capital Goma amid rising death and displacement as the M23 armed group takes over towns and villages. App users can follow our live coverage as it happened, here.

A report from UN human rights investigators for Syria released on Monday has laid bare the systematic use of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearances by the deposed Assad regime.

Hate continues to grow at an alarming speed, and the world must do more to fight growing antisemitism the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, honouring the victims of the Holocaust and those who survived the Nazi death camps.

UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA on Thursday upheld its commitment to support millions across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as Israel’s order for it to cease operations went into effect. 

Humanitarians warned on Thursday that Syria continues to face major security and aid challenges in the northeast and beyond, in the uncertain aftermath of the overthrow of the Assad regime.

People continue to stream back into Gaza City in the wake of the temporary ceasefire across the Strip, with some 500,000 reportedly returning so far, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Thursday. 

As more than 423,000 displaced Palestinians return to their homes in northern Gaza following the opening of key roads, UN agencies are scaling up humanitarian aid and addressing the growing risks posed by unexploded ordnance such as landmines (UXO). 

Israeli legislation banning the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is due to enter into force in the coming hours, bringing fundamental changes to its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the agency and Palestinians they serve in Gaza who spoke with UN News on Wednesday.

The implementation of new Israeli laws banning the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA – set to take effect on Thursday – will heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council has heard.

A report from UN human rights investigators for Syria released on Monday has laid bare the systematic use of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearances by the deposed Assad regime.

Top UN officials in Lebanon are calling for compliance with the ongoing ceasefire after reports that Israeli forces killed 15 people, including a Lebanese soldier, along the buffer zone with Israel, which Israel was due to withdraw from on Sunday under the agreement.

More than 1,100 UN peacekeepers are currently deployed in the Golan, a demilitarised zone along the Israel-Syria border at what is a tense and dangerous time in the history of the region. But, why are the Blue Helmets there?

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday expressed grave concerns over escalating violence in the Jenin area of the occupied West Bank, condemning the use of “unlawful lethal force” by Israeli security forces.

The Security Council met on Thursday afternoon in New York to discuss the life-threatening dangers faced by Palestinian children – thousands of whom have been killed during the war in Gaza. UN relief chief Tom Fletcher said a whole generation had been traumatised, but the ceasefire has "significantly improved" humanitarian aid operations. Join us for live coverage as well as updates from our colleagues on the ground throughout the region. App users can follow here.

The United Nations and the League of Arab States are deepening their collaboration to tackle critical peace and security challenges in the Middle East and beyond, a senior UN political affairs official told the Security Council on Thursday.

In a rare moment of cautious optimism, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher addressed the Security Council on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza on Thursday, emphasizing the plight of children who have borne the brunt of the conflict.

The ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza is providing a critical window of relief for Palestinians in the war-torn enclave, as UN agencies ramp up the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance.

The UN Special Envoy for Syria on Wednesday emphasised the strong international consensus that is emerging in support of the country’s political transition since the fall of the Assad regime last month.

Nearly a third of Lebanon’s population is facing acute food insecurity following the escalation of hostilities in late 2024, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released on Wednesday.

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen and the head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Wednesday welcomed the release of the crew of a commercial ship held by Houthi rebels for more than a year. 

Aid is entering Gaza “at scale” in line with the ceasefire agreement that has seen Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released and families reunited, but massive needs remain across the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

The crisis in Gaza continues to remain acute, with UN humanitarians reporting critical shortages of water, food and efforts to deliver vital aid to the war-torn region. Meanwhile, escalating violence in the West Bank has further deepened concerns over civilian safety and access to assistance.

Following the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners on Sunday, the UN Security Council is meeting in New York to hear from the Secretary-General and foreign ministers from the Middle East and beyond. UN chief António Guterres told the meeting there must be “irreversible action” to realise the two-State solution. Stay with us for latest live developments from the UN and our partners. UN News app users can follow our coverage here. 

The country of Georgia has been certified malaria-free following a nearly century-long fight to combat the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday. 

A UN independent human rights expert on Tuesday called for an end to Russia’s severe crackdown on the legal profession, condemning the prison sentences handed down to three lawyers last week who defended the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The embattled people of Ukraine and those forced abroad need $3.32 billion in lifesaving and sustained humanitarian assistance to help them cope as a fourth year of war looms after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, UN aid chiefs said on Thursday. 

The recent holiday and New Year season brought no respite in Ukraine, but rather an escalation and even expansion of the fighting, consistent with developments in 2024, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs said in a briefing to the Security Council on Thursday. 

The UN’s humanitarian coordinator and refugee chief are in Ukraine this week where they will unveil the latest plans to assist millions impacted by the full-scale Russian invasion. 

Russian strikes on Zaporizhzhia city in Ukraine on Wednesday caused the highest number of civilian casualties in a single incident in almost two years, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country, HRMMU, has reported. 

Persistent Russian bombardments have failed to dampen the resilience of the Ukrainian people, according to the United Nations. Despite the lack of a clear resolution to the ongoing war, the UN is not only at the forefront of aid efforts, but also deeply involved in reconstruction and development across the country.

Russian forces continue to subject Ukraine’s people to “relentless attacks” by aerial glide bombs, long-range missiles and drones, in a bid to capture further territory in the east of the country, the UN’s deputy human rights chief said on Wednesday.

Since he began his mandate as UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale has seen for himself the devastating effects of the Russian invasion. In this account, written exclusively for UN News, Mr. Schmale shares his impressions of Ukraine, and the efforts of the UN System to support its citizens.

A new report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) highlights persistent suffering of civilians and prisoners of war (POWs) while Russia continues to expand its control over occupied territories.  

Tchaikovky’s ballet The Nutcracker is now a staple of the holiday season. Less well-known is the famed Russian composer’s strong connection to the United States and, in particular, New York.

On Wednesday UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale briefed the press after visiting the war-ravaged eastern Donetsk region, sharing harrowing accounts of human resilience amid the chaos of Russia’s ongoing invasion.

Civilians near the frontlines of Ukraine’s war with Russia are living “on the edge”, a senior UN humanitarian official told the Security Council on Monday, calling for urgent international action to increase protection and sustain humanitarian aid.

The plight of children impacted by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine was the focus of debate in the UN Security Council on Wednesday. 

The UN human rights chief on Monday urged Georgian authorities to respect and protect rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, following four nights of protests marred by violence.

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday reiterated its call for Russia to halt attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, adding that those responsible must be held to account. 

Recent days have seen alarming signs of further escalation in the war in Ukraine, a senior UN official warned the Security Council on Wednesday, appealing for greater efforts to bring an end to Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. 

Independent UN human rights experts have warned of an escalating risk of nuclear disaster in Ukraine following Russia’s continued attacks on the country’s electrical infrastructure, with the most recent strike occurring on 17 November.  

The international community must continue to show solidarity with Ukraine, a senior UN aid official said on Tuesday, marking 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the country. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has strongly condemned the latest Russian drone and missile attack against the power grid and critical civilian infrastructure in Ukraine, his Spokesperson said on Sunday.

The UN Secretary-General on Monday called on the US Government to consider “additional exemptions” to a directive which pauses nearly all foreign aid for 90 days.

The UN independent expert on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on Thursday welcomed the decision by outgoing US President Joe Biden to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, an Indigenous leader who has spent nearly 50 years in prison under controversial circumstances.

The recent deadly violence in Colombia’s Catatumbo region has highlighted the ongoing challenges in consolidating peace, eight years after the signing of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday. 

Haiti is showing signs of progress on the political front despite serious setbacks in terms of security, the Special Representative and Head of the UN office in the country, BINUH, told the Security Council on Wednesday. 

The humanitarian crisis in Haiti has reached a critical point, with one in eight children now internally displaced due to escalating violence fuelled by armed groups who continue to control most of the capital, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).  

Surging gang violence in Haiti has caused a threefold rise in the number of people uprooted from their homes in a year, the UN migration agency, IOM, said on Tuesday, in a call for “sustained humanitarian assistance right now to save and protect lives”.

The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls has welcomed a ruling by a federal district court in the United States that reaffirms sex-based protections in education. 

Three experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council on Friday urged the United States Senate to oppose a bill seeking to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and cut funding to the UN-backed tribunal, in response to its arrest warrants against Israeli leaders. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed sorrow over the fast-moving wildfires that have devastated the Los Angeles area, claiming lives and displacing thousands.

UN independent human rights experts have called for the immediate release of Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, known as Abu Zubaydah, who has been detained without charge by US authorities at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility for almost 20 years.

At least 5,601 people were killed in gang violence in Haiti last year, the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday, appealing for greater efforts by the authorities and the international community to address the root causes. 

Until recently, Venezuela child refugees and migrants in Trinidad and Tobago were barred from State-run schools. This year, a change in the law backed by the United Nations means that several dozen were able to benefit from formal education.

The UN’s top expert on human rights in Haiti on Friday condemned “intentional” attacks on hospitals, clinics and healthcare workers by armed gangs there, warning that medical facilities were already “near collapse”.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has condemned Wednesday’s truck attack that killed at least 15 people in the city of New Orleans.

The decision by members of congress in Colombia to abolish a law allowing marriages from the age of 14 – with parental consent – has been applauded by UN agencies. 

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday expressed his deep sadness at the passing of former United States President Jimmy Carter, who has died aged 100, at his home in Plains, Georgia.

Offering Haiti’s young people alternatives to gang life and strengthening local institutions are key for the Caribbean nation to “reclaim its position as a symbol of hope,” according to a senior UN official in the country.

A little over two weeks after a surge of violence in the Cité Soleil commune of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, a UN report has concluded that more than 207 people were executed by the Wharf Jérémie gang.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday reiterated the need for accountability for post-electoral violence in Venezuela and alleged excessive use of force during protests that left at least 28 people dead.

As delegates and staffers gear up to tackle another day at UN Headquarters, a quiet yet stirring tradition unfolds: the raising of flags representing all Member States.

The UN Secretary-General on Thursday said Myanmar’s military must relinquish power to allow a return to civilian rule through an inclusive democratic transition, as the country marks four years since the junta seized power.

Four years after the military coup which plunged Myanmar into turmoil, the country is facing an unprecedented “polycrisis,” marked by economic collapse, intensifying conflict, complex climate hazards and deepening poverty, according to a new report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken an historic step towards addressing the “unacceptable” systemic repression of Afghan women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals by the Taliban. 

The security situation in Myanmar continues to remain highly volatile, with intensified airstrikes across multiple regions leading to dozens of civilian casualties, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Wednesday.

The launch of yet another ballistic missile by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is of serious concern, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Wednesday, highlighting the persistent threat to global efforts towards disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. 

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed deep alarm over Afghanistan’s recent decision to revoke the licenses of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that continue to employ Afghan women in the country.  

On the sombre twentieth anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami, a disaster that claimed over 230,000 lives across 14 nations, UN officials on Thursday called for a renewed global commitment to safeguard future generations from similar catastrophes.

Artificial intelligence or AI technology can help to protect vulnerable women, give women a voice in male-dominated communities and increase training opportunities in Southeast Asia thanks to innovative approaches by United Nations agencies.

UN agencies are intensifying their response in Vanuatu after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake killed 12 people and injured over 200 earlier this week, with a second 6.1 magnitude tremor on Sunday further exacerbating the challenges for affected communities.

The UN’s top political affairs official on Wednesday expressed grave concern over rising tensions on the Korean Peninsula, urging the Security Council to uphold the objective of preventing the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) – more commonly known as North Korea – from becoming a nuclear armed State.

The Taliban’s continued imposition of strict interpretations of Islamic law and Afghan culture has resulted in unprecedented restrictions on women and girls, the UN envoy for the country warned on Thursday.

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has condemned a new ban imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan preventing women and girls from attending private medical institutions, warning that it will have devastating consequences for healthcare – especially the future availability of midwives and nurses.

UN independent human rights experts have called for urgent international intervention in Myanmar as civilian deaths hit 6,000 since the military junta seized power in February 2021 following a coup, leading to mass civilian resistance and international condemnation. 

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has filed an application for an arrest warrant against Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar’s armed forces and Acting President, alleging his involvement in crimes against humanity targeting the Rohingya population.

The latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals significant gaps in Afghanistan's ability to address substance use disorders, highlighting urgent issues with access, resources, and infrastructure.

In Afghanistan, journalists and media workers face challenges including arbitrary arrests, torture and severe restrictions on press freedom, according to a new United Nations report released on Tuesday.  

Timor-Leste, a young island nation in Southeast Asia, is particularly vulnerable to the ravages of the climate crisis. A combination of technology, community knowledge and UN support could help to ensure that casualties and damage are kept to a minimum, the next time extreme weather hits.

Myanmar has become the world’s deadliest country for landmine and unexploded ordnance casualties, with over 1,000 victims in 2023 alone, surpassing all other nations, according to separate studies by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Campaign to Ban Landmines.

Children in Myanmar are increasingly caught in the crossfire of intensifying conflict, climate disasters and a collapsing humanitarian system, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported.

The Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has expressed grave concern over the sentencing of 45 opposition activists in Hong Kong to up to 10 years in prison under China’s National Security Law, highlighting the potential erosion of fundamental freedoms in the region.

The widespread awareness and growing availability of low-cost tools powered by artificial intelligence is putting them on the radar of African governments and entrepreneurs keen to develop home-grown digital solutions to improving education. 

After days of intense fighting, the humanitarian situation in Goma, capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has reached alarming levels – with humanitarian needs now massive and response capacities severely strained. 

As UN agencies reported “relative calm” on Wednesday in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), humanitarians warned that the chaos caused by advancing M23 rebel forces could fuel a region-wide health emergency.

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted on Tuesday the critical need for collaborative and urgent action to achieve the ambitious goal of bringing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

The latest reports from Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from UN teams on the ground indicate a fast-deteriorating situation on Tuesday amid an ongoing assault by M23 rebels on the provincial capital.

The Security Council met for the second time in three days on Tuesday over the escalating crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with UN agencies and partners on the ground reporting chaos in the streets of the regional capital Goma amid rising death and displacement as the M23 armed group takes over towns and villages. App users can follow our live coverage as it happened, here.

The UN Security Council convened its second emergency meeting in three days on Tuesday to address the escalating crisis in Goma – the regional capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

As fighting intensifies between the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group and Congolese forces, UN chief of Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix underscored the critical state of the battle for eastern DRC’s regional capital Goma, describing the crisis as “volatile and dangerous”.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday called on the UN Security Council to act decisively to address the worsening atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Spiralling violence and killings in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo triggered an emergency Security Council meeting Sunday morning amid peacekeeper and civilian deaths along with sharp calls for action from top UN officials. App users can follow our coverage of the meeting and reports from colleagues on the ground here.

The UN is temporarily relocating non-essential staff from Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Saturday without interrupting its operations in the country at a time heightened security concerns.

Intensifying hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo involving the non-state armed group M23 have caused further mass displacement in the mineral-rich region, with fears that the regional capital Goma could come under attack, UN agencies warned on Friday.

The UN chief on Thursday expressed alarm over a renewed offensive by M23 rebels in recent days in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which is taking a “devastating toll” on civilians.

Africa tragically remains the epicentre of global terrorism, and more action is required to implement international commitments to combat this scourge, the UN Deputy Secretary-General told the Security Council on Tuesday. 

The conflict in Sudan is taking an “even more dangerous turn for civilians”, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Friday. 

Human suffering in Sudan has reached devastating levels, with over 11.5 million people internally displaced and 3.2 million seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. 

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR is deeply alarmed by the ongoing situation in Mozambique, where post-election unrest has forced thousands to flee their homes, including to seek safety in neighbouring countries. 

Sudan’s civil war, which began in April 2023, continues to inflict misery on the country’s population, fuelling a massive humanitarian disaster and driving over 12 million people from their homes. 

Sudan is confronting a widening famine crisis, with widespread starvation, surging acute malnutrition and mass displacement exacerbating an already dire humanitarian situation, a UN-backed food security assessment released on Tuesday has found.

West Africa and the Sahel continue to grapple with a confluence of political, security and humanitarian crises as countries prepares for pivotal elections in 2025, the UN special envoy for the vast region told ambassadors in the Security Council on Friday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in Uganda, which is part of the Ebola virus family. 

As UN agencies reported “relative calm” on Wednesday in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), humanitarians warned that the chaos caused by advancing M23 rebel forces could fuel a region-wide health emergency.

UNAIDS has welcomed Wednesday’s emergency waiver from the United States Secretary of State that will allow the continuation of life-saving HIV treatment funded by the US across 55 countries worldwide. 

The country of Georgia has been certified malaria-free following a nearly century-long fight to combat the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday. 

When the plague, cholera and yellow fever rippled deadly waves across a newly industrialised and interconnected world in the mid-19th century, taking a global approach to health became an imperative. Doctors, scientists, presidents and prime ministers urgently convened the International Sanitary Conference in Paris in 1851, a precursor to what is now the largest of its kind: the World Health Organization, known as WHO.

The world is facing an extraordinary convergence of crises that has left 305 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. 

Social media posts inciting hate and division have “real world consequences” and there is a responsibility to regulate content, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, insisted on Friday, following Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking programme in the United States.

A day after the United States reported its first human death from avian flu, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) insisted on Tuesday that the risk to the wider population remains “low”. 

In northeast Syria, UN teams pressed ahead with a lifesaving cholera vaccine campaign in Al Hol detention camp complex on Friday, despite rumours of attacks by ISIL extremists and uncertainty across the war-torn country, following the overthrow of the Assad regime. 

Israel’s pattern of deadly attacks on and near hospitals in Gaza, and associated combat, have pushed the healthcare system to the brink of total collapse, with catastrophic effect on Palestinians’ access to health and medical care, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said on Tuesday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) this week reflected on COVID-19, and ongoing efforts to understand the disease, five years after its emergence.

The last major functioning health facility in northern Gaza, Kamal Adwan Hospital, is now out of service, putting the lives of the 75,000 Palestinians remaining in the area at risk, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Friday.

In a message commemorating Friday’s International Day of Epidemic Preparedness, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all nations to invest in resilience and equity to make a healthier and safer world for all.

Health challenges in northwest Syria have escalated due to harsh winter conditions, exacerbating the vulnerability of displaced populations, the UN World Health Organization (WHO)-led Health Cluster reported on Friday.

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday launched a $56.4 million flash appeal to address urgent health needs in Syria, where years of conflict have cripped the healthcare system.

Yemen has reported the highest global burden of cholera, with nearly 250,000 suspected cases and 861 associated deaths as of 1 December, accounting for 35 per cent of worldwide cholera cases and 18 per cent of related deaths this year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

Nearly one million Gazans risk spending winter without adequate shelter as UN agencies struggle to provide cold weather assistance, amid ongoing Israeli bombardment, repeated evacuation orders and restrictions on aid deliveries, they warned on Wednesday.

Avian influenza has caused the deaths of more than 300 million birds worldwide and the virus “is increasingly crossing species barriers”, according to UN health officers.

Coinciding with Universal Health Coverage Day on Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO) released its 2024 Global Health Expenditure Report, revealing troubling declines in government health spending.

A potentially “groundbreaking” test for tuberculosis (TB) has been endorsed by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) as part of continuing efforts to eradicate one of the planet's leading infectious killers.

The world’s political and business elite present in Davos on Wednesday faced an uncompromising address from UN chief António Guterres as he rounded on a lack of multilateral collaboration in an “increasingly rudderless world” at risk from two existential dangers: climate change and unregulated Artificial Intelligence (AI).

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Saturday expressed optimism for Lebanon's future as he wrapped up a two-day solidarity visit with a call on the new government, the Lebanese people, and international community to “make the most of this atmosphere of opportunity”. 

The world continues to grapple with unprecedented challenges but there are reasons for cautious optimism in 2025 – on a long-awaited Gaza ceasefire, climate action, tackling inequaity and harnessing AI for the public good – Secretary-General António Guterres insisted on Wednesday.

The President of the UN General Assembly Philémon Yang presented a detailed vision of his 2025 priorities for the world body on Tuesday, calling it an opportunity for “a new start.”

The United Nations has welcomed the election of a President in Lebanon.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for making 2025 “a new beginning” in his message for the New Year, issued on Monday.

The General Assembly wrapped up the main part of its 79th session on Tuesday, approving a $3.72 billion budget for the United Nations for 2025 and adopting a new programme to support landlocked developing countries.

As delegates and staffers gear up to tackle another day at UN Headquarters, a quiet yet stirring tradition unfolds: the raising of flags representing all Member States.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has renewed his call for the immediate and unconditional release of humanitarian personnel who have been detained in Yemen for six months, his Spokesperson said on Friday.

Tom Fletcher, UN’s new chief of humanitarian affairs, took office on Monday, pledging to defend humanitarian values while navigating operations amid growing global crises.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated in a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday that his country’s on-going invasion of Ukraine violates the United Nations Charter and international law.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified Egypt as malaria-free. The achievement marks the culmination of a century-long effort to eradicate a disease that has plagued the nation since ancient times.

One of the most enduring mysteries in United Nations history – the 1961 plane crash that killed Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld and all on board as he sought to broker peace in the Congo – will linger on, with a new assessment announced on Friday suggesting that “specific and crucial” information continues to be withheld by a handful of Member States.

The UN Secretary-General on Wednesday presented a $3.6 billion budget proposal for programmes in 2025, highlighting the Organization’s commitment to peace, sustainable development, and human rights initiatives, while advancing key reforms.

Every September when UN Headquarters in New York is swamped – massive motorcades, intense security, snipers on rooftops and world leaders descending along with throngs of diplomats, media and celebrities – it’s not easy to grasp what exactly is going on or what was achieved. 

The United Kingdom announced on Thursday that agreement has been reached to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, ending decades of dispute and negotiation over Britain’s last African colony.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria, Bassam Sabbagh, on Monday said the world was at a critical juncture, marked by widespread conflict, economic hardship and environmental degradation.

The President of the General Assembly on Monday reminded UN Member States that the Organization’s strength “lies in our diversity” and ability to unite around common goals, as the curtains drew on the 79th session’s high-level debate.

Ukraine’s hope of defeating Russia on the battlefield is senseless given that Moscow holds nuclear weapons and any effort by the NATO alliance to keep aiding Kyiv will prove to be a “suicidal escapade”, Russia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs told the UN General Assembly on Saturday.

Wang Yi, the Foreign Minister of China reiterated on Saturday his country’s commitment to playing a constructive role and engaging in mediation for peace, not exploiting volatile situations for “selfish gains”.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday called on the UN Security Council to act decisively to address the worsening atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Hopes are rising that, with the support of the United Nations, the architects of the brutal former regime of Bashar al Assad in Syria will eventually be held accountable for their crimes.

UN independent human rights experts have called for the immediate release of Zayn al-Abidin Muhammad Husayn, known as Abu Zubaydah, who has been detained without charge by US authorities at the Guantánamo Bay detention facility for almost 20 years.

The General Assembly on Tuesday adopted the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, a landmark global treaty aimed at strengthening international cooperation to combat cybercrime and protecting societies from digital threats.

Billions of people worldwide are set to benefit from enhanced safety online and in the physical world following the adoption of a legally binding treaty on cybercrime by the UN General Assembly.

As millions unwrap new gaming devices this holiday season, UN experts are warning that these digital playgrounds need next-generation protection against extremist exploitation. 

For the second consecutive year, conflict zones have proven dangerous for journalists and media workers, with 2024 seeing at least 68 deaths in the line of duty, according to new data from the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). 

The number of victims of human trafficking detected globally is rising again after falling off during the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in its latest report on the issue, covering 156 countries. 

The mechanism to complete the work of UN war crimes tribunals continues to make progress in delivering justice for the most serious crimes in Rwanda and the States of the former Yugoslavia, top officials told the Security Council on Tuesday.

The UN General Assembly-mandated team investigating serious crimes in Syria released a new report on Friday, documenting systematic torture and abuse across over 100 Government detention facilities.

A record number of oral statements are expected to be presented to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as highly awaited public hearings on States’ legal obligations with respect to climate change got underway on Monday.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) has filed an application for an arrest warrant against Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar’s armed forces and Acting President, alleging his involvement in crimes against humanity targeting the Rohingya population.

The latest report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reveals significant gaps in Afghanistan's ability to address substance use disorders, highlighting urgent issues with access, resources, and infrastructure.

How do you bring a war criminal to justice? UN Video reported on the case of Sheka, the infamous leader of a feared armed group that raped and ravaged civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in its award-winning film The Trial that Brought Down a Warlord.

The decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants citing alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defence minister Yoav Gallant and Hamas commander Mohammed Deif, has led to huge interest in the court, and what comes next. Here is what we know so far.

The UN-backed International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, together with a former Hamas commander, citing allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Tuesday called on the UN Security Council to help execute arrest warrants against suspects allegedly linked to a brutal Libyan militia blamed for committing atrocity crimes in the town of Tarhuna, where mass graves were discovered in 2020.

Every year, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign led by UN Women serves as a powerful reminder of the widespread violence women and girls face worldwide.

A UN human rights expert on Friday strongly condemned the jailing of a 68-year-old paediatrician in Moscow, describing the case as another example of Russia’s “systematic suppression of dissenting voices”.

Marking the inaugural International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organised Crime on Friday, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for unified global efforts to counter these pervasive threats.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday confirmed an outbreak of Sudan virus disease in Uganda, which is part of the Ebola virus family. 

Hate continues to grow at an alarming speed, and the world must do more to fight growing antisemitism the UN Secretary-General said on Monday, honouring the victims of the Holocaust and those who survived the Nazi death camps.

A report from UN human rights investigators for Syria released on Monday has laid bare the systematic use of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearances by the deposed Assad regime.

Long before the United States entered the Second World War in December 1941, American aid workers were fanning out across territory occupied by the Axis powers, attempting to help Jews escape, as their grip tightened.

On this day, 80 years ago, some 7,000 prisoners who had been left to starve in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camps were liberated by allied soldiers.

Marking the International Day of Education, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized learning as a basic human right and foundation for individual and societal growth.

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, on Friday expressed grave concerns over escalating violence in the Jenin area of the occupied West Bank, condemning the use of “unlawful lethal force” by Israeli security forces.

The UN independent expert on the rights of Indigenous Peoples on Thursday welcomed the decision by outgoing US President Joe Biden to grant clemency to Leonard Peltier, an Indigenous leader who has spent nearly 50 years in prison under controversial circumstances.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken an historic step towards addressing the “unacceptable” systemic repression of Afghan women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals by the Taliban. 

A UN independent human rights expert on Tuesday called for an end to Russia’s severe crackdown on the legal profession, condemning the prison sentences handed down to three lawyers last week who defended the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) issued an alert on Tuesday over intensifying hostilities in the northeast in recent days. 

As the United States marks Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’re looking back this Monday at a story we produced last year examining the roots of the civil rights’ icon’s powerful call to action – “no justice, no peace”.

The conflict in Sudan is taking an “even more dangerous turn for civilians”, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said on Friday. 

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed solidarity with the people of Lebanon and Syria on Thursday, acknowledging the traumas both nations have endured over decades. 

The UN human rights chief Volker Türk has described the unbearable suffering of former detainees under the deposed Assad regime and insisted that he stands with the people of the war-torn nation as they “rebuild a country that works for all Syrians”. 

Independent UN human rights experts on Tuesday expressed grave concern over the Iranian Supreme Court's decision to uphold the death sentence of Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish woman activist and social worker.

The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls has welcomed a ruling by a federal district court in the United States that reaffirms sex-based protections in education. 

The world is entering a new era of crisis for children; climate change, inequality and conflict are disrupting their lives and limiting their futures, an authoritative study from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned.

Top independent human rights experts urged the Palestinian authorities on Monday to end its widely criticized ban on the broadcaster Al Jazeera and ensure that all journalists, local or international, can work freely and safely in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk highlighted the critical role of human rights defenders in today's tumultuous global landscape in a speech on Monday to Wilton Park, the executive agency of the United Kingdom’s Foreign office.  

Humanitarians warned on Thursday that Syria continues to face major security and aid challenges in the northeast and beyond, in the uncertain aftermath of the overthrow of the Assad regime.

UN Palestine refugee agency UNRWA on Thursday upheld its commitment to support millions across the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) as Israel’s order for it to cease operations went into effect. 

People continue to stream back into Gaza City in the wake of the temporary ceasefire across the Strip, with some 500,000 reportedly returning so far, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Thursday. 

After days of intense fighting, the humanitarian situation in Goma, capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has reached alarming levels – with humanitarian needs now massive and response capacities severely strained. 

As UN agencies reported “relative calm” on Wednesday in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), humanitarians warned that the chaos caused by advancing M23 rebel forces could fuel a region-wide health emergency.

UNAIDS has welcomed Wednesday’s emergency waiver from the United States Secretary of State that will allow the continuation of life-saving HIV treatment funded by the US across 55 countries worldwide. 

As more than 423,000 displaced Palestinians return to their homes in northern Gaza following the opening of key roads, UN agencies are scaling up humanitarian aid and addressing the growing risks posed by unexploded ordnance such as landmines (UXO). 

The latest reports from Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from UN teams on the ground indicate a fast-deteriorating situation on Tuesday amid an ongoing assault by M23 rebels on the provincial capital.

The Security Council met for the second time in three days on Tuesday over the escalating crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with UN agencies and partners on the ground reporting chaos in the streets of the regional capital Goma amid rising death and displacement as the M23 armed group takes over towns and villages. App users can follow our live coverage as it happened, here.

The UN Security Council convened its second emergency meeting in three days on Tuesday to address the escalating crisis in Goma – the regional capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The UN Secretary-General on Monday called on the US Government to consider “additional exemptions” to a directive which pauses nearly all foreign aid for 90 days.

As fighting intensifies between the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group and Congolese forces, UN chief of Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix underscored the critical state of the battle for eastern DRC’s regional capital Goma, describing the crisis as “volatile and dangerous”.

Spiralling violence and killings in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo triggered an emergency Security Council meeting Sunday morning amid peacekeeper and civilian deaths along with sharp calls for action from top UN officials. App users can follow our coverage of the meeting and reports from colleagues on the ground here.

Intensifying hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo involving the non-state armed group M23 have caused further mass displacement in the mineral-rich region, with fears that the regional capital Goma could come under attack, UN agencies warned on Friday.

The UN has suspended all official movements by its teams into and out of Houthi-held areas of Yemen, after more UN staffers were detained on Thursday.

In a rare moment of cautious optimism, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher addressed the Security Council on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza on Thursday, emphasizing the plight of children who have borne the brunt of the conflict.

Nearly a third of Lebanon’s population is facing acute food insecurity following the escalation of hostilities in late 2024, according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis released on Wednesday.

The UN and partners are “seizing every opportunity” provided by the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip to support civilians, providing a surge in aid alongside storage capacity, repair work, lifesaving services and damage assessments. 

UN agencies responded on Tuesday to President Trump’s executive orders ending US membership of the World Health Organization (WHO) and its adherence to the Paris Climate Agreement, highlighting the massive potential negative impact on public health and efforts to curb global warming.

Aid is entering Gaza “at scale” in line with the ceasefire agreement that has seen Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released and families reunited, but massive needs remain across the devastated enclave, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.

The widespread awareness and growing availability of low-cost tools powered by artificial intelligence is putting them on the radar of African governments and entrepreneurs keen to develop home-grown digital solutions to improving education. 

'Cabrini' film lead and Gomorrah star Cristiana Dell’Anna travelled to Geneva on Friday to highlight the age-old dangers confronting migrants – and the astonishing Italian missionary who travelled to New York City's slums at the turn of the last century, determined to protect them.

For the second year in a row, Christmas arrived for the Christian community in the Gaza Strip without celebrations, as daily life remains a constant struggle.

Tchaikovky’s ballet The Nutcracker is now a staple of the holiday season. Less well-known is the famed Russian composer’s strong connection to the United States and, in particular, New York.

Intore dance in Rwanda, equestrian art in Portugal, Tomyum soup in Thailand, and the artisanal knowledge surrounding the making of sake in Japan, are among the latest practices and cultural expressions to be recognized by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution helping strengthen the fight against illicit trafficking of cultural property and facilitating the restitution of stolen artifacts to their countries of origin.

In an age when social media dominates global information sharing, an alarming two-thirds of digital content creators are publishing unverified information to millions of followers, a landmark survey by UN educational and cultural agency UNESCO revealed on Wednesday.

The message, from second graders and octogenarians to imams, rabbis, young changemakers and the King of Spain, was clear: “we need peace and mutual understanding now more than ever before,” according to more than 1,800 participants at the UN Alliance of Civilizations 10th Global Forum, which concluded on Wednesday.

A comic strip character from Argentina who has delighted people across the planet for six decades, was at UN Headquarters on Monday to bring her message of peace, education, freedom and sanity to “a rather senseless world”.

World leaders adopted a bold, forward-looking declaration on Tuesday at a global forum to advance peace as war rages on, from Gaza and Lebanon to Sudan and Ukraine.

Youth took centre stage on opening day at the UN Alliance of Civilizations 10th Global Forum on Monday, with young directors recognised for their films at an international festival and a forum showcasing the next generation of movers and doers, from empowering women in violence-ravaged northwestern Nigeria to deradicalising youth in Jammu and Kashmir.

Wars grind on in Gaza, Lebanon, Sudan, Ukraine and beyond amid starvation and famine alerts and a sinister spike in online and offline hate, antisemitism and Islamophobia. Enter the UN Alliance of Civilizations, which will convene its 10th Global Forum from 25 to 27 November in a bid to bridge gaps between divided communities around the world. But, what is it and why does its Global Forum matter now? 

As the dangers posed by climate change become increasingly evident worldwide, the need for reliable and accurate information on the impact of the environmental crisis is more crucial than ever. 

One of the best-preserved Spanish colonial towns in Asia that was damaged in a huge earthquake in the Philippines is being repaired with an eye to reducing the impact of future disasters thanks in part to the support of the UN educational and cultural organization UNESCO.

Nearly one in three students worldwide says they have been physically attacked at least once during the year, the UN educational and cultural organization UNESCO said on Wednesday. 

Despite decades of educational progress and international commitments, a quarter of a billion children and youth remain out of school worldwide, UN education agency UNESCO’s latest Global Education Monitoring Report revealed on Thursday. 

A strike in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip has led to death of at least one staff member of the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, on Wednesday.

Universities must respect peaceful activism and revise repressive policies targeting the pro-Palestinian solidarity movement on their campuses, a UN independent human rights expert said on Friday. 

A new $1.5 billion investment, announced on Thursday, will boost education and skills development for millions of the world’s children and youth most in need. 

The fear and anxiety caused by the ongoing war in Gaza is causing a range of speech problems including stuttering amongst young children, according to a therapist interviewed by UN News.

Four years after the military coup which plunged Myanmar into turmoil, the country is facing an unprecedented “polycrisis,” marked by economic collapse, intensifying conflict, complex climate hazards and deepening poverty, according to a new report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted on Tuesday the critical need for collaborative and urgent action to achieve the ambitious goal of bringing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Geopolitical tensions, the rising costs of climate change and unresolved debt issues are putting labour markets under pressure, according to a new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO) published on Thursday. 

Syrians have high expectations for their country, and a strong desire for people from across the social spectrum to come together and forge a new constitution, which must begin with an inclusive “national dialogue”.

Global economic growth is projected to remain at 2.8 per cent in 2025, unchanged from this past year, according to a UN flagship report released on Thursday.  

Persistent Russian bombardments have failed to dampen the resilience of the Ukrainian people, according to the United Nations. Despite the lack of a clear resolution to the ongoing war, the UN is not only at the forefront of aid efforts, but also deeply involved in reconstruction and development across the country.

Harbia Al-Himiary  has a special connection to Sana’a, whose war-damaged buildings she is helping to restore, as part of a UNESCO-supported initiative.

Artificial intelligence or AI technology can help to protect vulnerable women, give women a voice in male-dominated communities and increase training opportunities in Southeast Asia thanks to innovative approaches by United Nations agencies.

Avian influenza has caused the deaths of more than 300 million birds worldwide and the virus “is increasingly crossing species barriers”, according to UN health officers.

As the world navigates rapid digital transformation, the 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has convened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the theme "Building Our Multistakeholder Digital Future."

Global trade is poised to hit a record $33 trillion in 2024, showcasing remarkable resilience despite persistent economic and geopolitical challenges, a UN report revealed on Thursday.

The UN human rights chief on Thursday told a conference in the Ukrainian capital that in the face of Russia’s continuing full-scale invasion, they must unite and keep faith in democratic institutions.

Pay packets around the world rose 1.8 per cent in 2023 and continued their positive trajectory in the first half of the year, rising by 2.7 per cent on the back of a strong post-COVID global recovery, the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) said on Thursday.

Talks began in Busan, South Korea, on Monday aiming to clinch a legally binding deal on plastics pollution, led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).

A delegation of Indian parliamentarians visited the UN Headquarters in New York last week to mark the release of the India-UN Development Partnership Fund’s annual report, showcasing the growing momentum behind South-South cooperation. 

The global food import bill is projected to exceed $2 trillion in 2024 – fuelled by the rising cost of everyone’s favourite hot drinks – according to the latest Food Outlook released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on Thursday. 

Climate talks at COP29 in Baku on Wednesday turned to the pressing issue of how to manage the demand for minerals essential to producing electric vehicles and solar panels without triggering a “stampede of greed” that exploits local communities and crushes the poor. 

The twelfth edition of the World Urban Forum wrapped up on Friday with the adoption of the Cairo Call to Action, after intense discussions focused on the global housing crisis and financing urbanization, all under the theme “It All Starts at Home.”

Up to two million people in Myanmar’s Rakhine state face the dire prospect of famine, amid a broader economic collapse and worsening humanitarian crisis triggered by the military’s 2021 overthrow of the democratically elected government.

Delegates discussed a complicated urban development issue at the World Urban Forum on Tuesday: What is needed to safeguard residents and guarantee they have access to housing and basic services when war breaks out in a city crowded with people and critical infrastructure?

The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls has welcomed a ruling by a federal district court in the United States that reaffirms sex-based protections in education. 

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has expressed deep alarm over Afghanistan’s recent decision to revoke the licenses of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that continue to employ Afghan women in the country.  

Iranian women and girls now face prison terms of up to 15 years and possible death sentences for failing to wear a hijab, through a new strict law on religious dress and behaviour that was due to take effect on Friday.

A new report from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reveals significant progress in ending the problem of the “invisible” millions of babies each year who go unregistered. Nearly eight in 10 children under five were successfully registered at birth in the last five years. 

The UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, appealed on Thursday for $1.4 billion to safeguard the rights and well-being of women, girls and youth in 57 crisis-affected countries in the coming year. 

With more than 2,526 women murdered in the past three decades – from 1993 through 2023 – and hundreds disappeared, Ciudad Juárez remains Mexico’s deadliest city for women. 

The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has condemned a new ban imposed by the Taliban in Afghanistan preventing women and girls from attending private medical institutions, warning that it will have devastating consequences for healthcare – especially the future availability of midwives and nurses.

Peace is in peril worldwide and avenues for diplomatic dialogue are shrinking, but young women peacebuilders are demonstrating that a better world is possible, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Tuesday. 

Ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is within reach, but only if global leaders commit to dismantling barriers to healthcare and upholding human rights, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on World AIDS Day.

More than 60 million women and girls worldwide who are forcibly displaced or stateless face high risks of gender-based violence (GBV), but funding for lifesaving services to support them is woefully lacking, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Friday. 

A sobering report released by UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on Monday reveals that in 2023, 140 women and girls died every day at the hands of their partner or a close relative, which means one woman killed every 10 minutes. 

On the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, world leaders and advocates gathered at the UN Headquarters to confront a stark reality: violence against women and girls remains a pervasive global crisis.

Every year, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign led by UN Women serves as a powerful reminder of the widespread violence women and girls face worldwide.

Ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Haiti, Sudan and Ukraine and beyond reveal that females are disproportionately affected – from gender-based violence to rape used as a tool of war – but the UN chief’s newly released report suggests eight ways for policymakers and interested parties to advance women’s role in peace and security.

The UN on Thursday launched the “Common Pledge” initiative, designed to bring together mediators, governments, and civil society to ensure the full, equal and meaningful engagement of women in peace processes.

The proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled last year compared to 2022, accounting for 40 per cent of all deaths in war, while UN-verified cases of conflict-related sexual violence increased by 50 per cent. 

The United Nations marked 15 years of its mandate on sexual violence and conflict with a commemoration ceremony held in New York on Wednesday. 

A deepening demographic crisis is roiling Ukraine, exacerbated by Russia’s full-scale invasion, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA, said on Tuesday, underscoring an urgent need for comprehensive recovery strategies focused on human capital and socioeconomic reform.

A staggering 97 percent of Sudan’s internally displaced along with civilians who’ve remained, are facing severe levels of hunger UN independent experts warned on Thursday, accusing Government troops and their rival Rapid Support Forces (RSF) of using “starvation tactics” against 25 million civilians in the country.

A UN Women report reveals that policies ranging from cash benefits to healthcare and pensions are not being extended to enough women and girls, leaving them more vulnerable to poverty worldwide.

After days of intense fighting, the humanitarian situation in Goma, capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has reached alarming levels – with humanitarian needs now massive and response capacities severely strained. 

Humanitarians warned on Thursday that Syria continues to face major security and aid challenges in the northeast and beyond, in the uncertain aftermath of the overthrow of the Assad regime.

The UN Secretary-General on Thursday said Myanmar’s military must relinquish power to allow a return to civilian rule through an inclusive democratic transition, as the country marks four years since the junta seized power.

As UN agencies reported “relative calm” on Wednesday in the city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), humanitarians warned that the chaos caused by advancing M23 rebel forces could fuel a region-wide health emergency.

Four years after the military coup which plunged Myanmar into turmoil, the country is facing an unprecedented “polycrisis,” marked by economic collapse, intensifying conflict, complex climate hazards and deepening poverty, according to a new report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

As more than 423,000 displaced Palestinians return to their homes in northern Gaza following the opening of key roads, UN agencies are scaling up humanitarian aid and addressing the growing risks posed by unexploded ordnance such as landmines (UXO). 

Israeli legislation banning the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, is due to enter into force in the coming hours, bringing fundamental changes to its operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, according to the agency and Palestinians they serve in Gaza who spoke with UN News on Wednesday.

The latest reports from Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from UN teams on the ground indicate a fast-deteriorating situation on Tuesday amid an ongoing assault by M23 rebels on the provincial capital.

The implementation of new Israeli laws banning the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA – set to take effect on Thursday – will heighten instability and deepen despair in the occupied Palestinian territory, the Security Council has heard.

The Security Council met for the second time in three days on Tuesday over the escalating crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, with UN agencies and partners on the ground reporting chaos in the streets of the regional capital Goma amid rising death and displacement as the M23 armed group takes over towns and villages. App users can follow our live coverage as it happened, here.

At least one girl and three boys were killed, and three boys injured, during an attack on the Saudi Hospital in the besieged Sudanese city of El Fasher, North Darfur, on Friday. 

The UN Security Council convened its second emergency meeting in three days on Tuesday to address the escalating crisis in Goma – the regional capital of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

A report from UN human rights investigators for Syria released on Monday has laid bare the systematic use of arbitrary detention, torture and enforced disappearances by the deposed Assad regime.

As fighting intensifies between the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group and Congolese forces, UN chief of Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix underscored the critical state of the battle for eastern DRC’s regional capital Goma, describing the crisis as “volatile and dangerous”.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday called on the UN Security Council to act decisively to address the worsening atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Top UN officials in Lebanon are calling for compliance with the ongoing ceasefire after reports that Israeli forces killed 15 people, including a Lebanese soldier, along the buffer zone with Israel, which Israel was due to withdraw from on Sunday under the agreement.

Spiralling violence and killings in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo triggered an emergency Security Council meeting Sunday morning amid peacekeeper and civilian deaths along with sharp calls for action from top UN officials. App users can follow our coverage of the meeting and reports from colleagues on the ground here.

The UN is temporarily relocating non-essential staff from Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Saturday without interrupting its operations in the country at a time heightened security concerns.

More than 1,100 UN peacekeepers are currently deployed in the Golan, a demilitarised zone along the Israel-Syria border at what is a tense and dangerous time in the history of the region. But, why are the Blue Helmets there?

Intensifying hostilities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo involving the non-state armed group M23 have caused further mass displacement in the mineral-rich region, with fears that the regional capital Goma could come under attack, UN agencies warned on Friday.

'Cabrini' film lead and Gomorrah star Cristiana Dell’Anna travelled to Geneva on Friday to highlight the age-old dangers confronting migrants – and the astonishing Italian missionary who travelled to New York City's slums at the turn of the last century, determined to protect them.

The UN launched a new Action Plan on Friday that will enhance monitoring and response to antisemitism.

Until recently, Venezuela child refugees and migrants in Trinidad and Tobago were barred from State-run schools. This year, a change in the law backed by the United Nations means that several dozen were able to benefit from formal education.

Governments must do more to address the root causes of mass migration, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF’s Special Coordinator for the refugee and migrant response in Europe said on Thursday.

More than 115,000 people have reportedly returned to Syria from countries such as Türkiye, Jordan and Lebanon since 8 December – the fall of the Assad regime – the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Thursday. 

The UN refugee agency, UNHCR is deeply alarmed by the ongoing situation in Mozambique, where post-election unrest has forced thousands to flee their homes, including to seek safety in neighbouring countries. 

Migration patterns continue to be shaped by conflicts, climate disasters, and economic pressures, with 2024 marking record levels of internal displacement, the UN reported on Wednesday, marking International Migrants Day.

The historic shift of power in Syria and the possibility of finally accessing evidence of horrific human rights violations could bring accountability closer than ever – if only proof can be preserved – a top UN investigator said on Tuesday.

International migrants comprised 4.7 per cent of the labour force in 2022 – an indication of the crucial role they play in the global economy, the UN labour agency ILO said in a report published on Monday. 

Syria’s historic power reset coupled with the highly volatile situation there, has increased basic needs in a country where nearly 17 million people already depended on aid, UN aid teams insisted on Tuesday.

Migrants and refugees across Latin America and the Caribbean face profound challenges in accessing basic needs, formal employment and safe living conditions, UN agencies reported on Friday, launching a $1.4 billion regional plan to address their urgent needs.

Migration is one of the defining issues of our time, with migrants accounting for 3.6 per cent of the global population, the UN Deputy Secretary-General said on Thursday, urging coordinated action to find better solutions that prioritise safety, equity and opportunity for migrants.

There have been significant advances in addressing the worldwide internal displacement crisis, but urgent action is still needed as numbers continue to rise, topping 76 million people worldwide, the top UN official on the issue said on Wednesday.

More than 60 million women and girls worldwide who are forcibly displaced or stateless face high risks of gender-based violence (GBV), but funding for lifesaving services to support them is woefully lacking, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said on Friday. 

The final repatriation flight for Brazilians escaping the conflict in Lebanon touched down at São Paulo’s Guarulhos Air Base early Wednesday, as a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah took hold. 

The UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has launched a $10 billion appeal for 2025 to meet critical needs and implement sustainable solutions for millions of refugees, displaced persons and stateless people worldwide.

UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Thursday launched the Refugees for Climate Action initiative in a bid to mobilise the world’s forcibly displaced to join the fight against global warming. 

With Ukraine approaching 1,000 days since Russia’s full-scale invasion, civilians are facing mounting challenges as intense attacks continue and winter tightens its grip, according to UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).  

Sudan’s displaced have endured “unimaginable suffering” in their search for shelter from the country’s ongoing war, UN humanitarians warned on Friday.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, has called for “urgent international support” as the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide reaches 123 million, with ongoing conflicts in Lebanon, Sudan and other areas driving further displacement.  

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed highlighted on Tuesday the critical need for collaborative and urgent action to achieve the ambitious goal of bringing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

Marking the International Day of Education, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized learning as a basic human right and foundation for individual and societal growth.

The President of the UN General Assembly Philémon Yang presented a detailed vision of his 2025 priorities for the world body on Tuesday, calling it an opportunity for “a new start.”

A low tech and sustainable solution to holding back advancing desert sands in eastern Saudi Arabia could help farming communities to thrive and conserve vulnerable habitats.

As the world navigates rapid digital transformation, the 19th United Nations Internet Governance Forum (IGF) has convened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, under the theme "Building Our Multistakeholder Digital Future."

Coinciding with Universal Health Coverage Day on Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO) released its 2024 Global Health Expenditure Report, revealing troubling declines in government health spending.

An environmental lawyer has told UN News how children and teenagers from some of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, have been moved to tears after encountering nature for the first time.

The private sector has been urged to make the sustainable management of land a key part of corporate and financial strategy going forward, as the world risks losing half of global GDP – estimated at $23 trillion – due to degradation.

From planting a billion trees in Zimbabwe, in southern Africa, to exporting products from the moringa tree in Mali and developing a climate action-focused board game called “Rescuing Penguins," in Costa Rica, a group of young people has been recognized by the UN for making a positive impact in the fight to counter desertification, land degradation and drought.

Droughts across the world are intensifying and have become a “slow onset, silent killer” to which no country is immune, according to the UN’s most senior official working on desertification, drought and land restoration issues.

Decisive action is needed to address the financial challenges facing developing nations, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said on Tuesday in remarks to the Second Preparatory Committee for the Forth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4).

Three billion people around the world are suffering the impact of poor and degraded land which will “increase levels of migration, stability and insecurity among many communities,” according to the newly-elected President of a UN-backed conference on desertification, drought and land restoration which is taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

An area the size of Egypt, around 100 million hectares, of healthy and productive land is being degraded each year due to drought and desertification, which is being driven mainly by climate change and poor land management. 

Rich nations pledged to contribute at least $300 billion annually to the global fight against climate change as UN climate talks came to a contentious end early Sunday morning in Baku. Developing nations who had sought over $1 trillion in assistance called the agreement “insulting” and argued it did not give them the vital resources they required to truly address the complexities of the climate crisis.

A new draft finance deal delivered to harried negotiators in Baku on Friday – the final scheduled day for the UN climate talks that have been under way for the past two weeks – proposes rich countries commit $250 billion a year to help vulnerable nations cope with our warming planet and to accelerate the global switch to renewable energy.

The World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday called for some $16.9 billion to address the escalating global hunger crisis – or roughly what the world spends on coffee in just two weeks.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a strong call to action as COP29 approaches its crucial conclusion in Baku, imploring world leaders and negotiators on Thursday to overcome their disagreements and reach an historic climate finance deal. “I sense an appetite for agreement,” he said.

As intense round-the-clock COP29 climate talks enter their final stretch in Baku, delegates on Wednesday are eagerly awaiting updates on the progress of negotiations regarding a new climate finance target. Meanwhile, high-level discussions also continued, with a focus on key issues such as urbanization, transport, and tourism.

The high-level diplomatic push for climate action shifted southward on Tuesday as G20 leaders meeting in Rio sent a clear signal to negotiating teams at stalled UN climate talks in Baku on the need to rapidly and substantially ‘scale up climate finance from billions to trillions from all sources.’

As COP29 climate talks in Baku enter their final week, the UN climate chief told negotiators on Monday to “cut the theatrics,” get down to business and hammer out a new finance deal to compensate countries for climate-driven damages and pay for a clean-energy transition.