Each year, more than 21 million adolescent girls in low and middle-income countries become pregnant. About half of these pregnancies are unintended. Nine in 10 adolescent births occur among girls who were married before turning 18. “Early pregnancies can have serious physical and psychological consequences for girls and young women,”...
The action plan, spearheaded by the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, was launched in January this year amid deepening political and social tensions and a resurgence of “insidious centuries-old myths”, said a joint statement from the top UN...
In an online message on Monday, the WFP said that it “condemns the pillage of its warehouses in Bukavu in South Kivu…the food supplies kept there were meant to provide vital support to the most vulnerable families who now face a growing humanitarian crisis”. Looters made off with 7,000 tonnes...
Jean-Pierre Lacroix briefed journalists at UN Headquarters on Friday, as the M23 rebel group and Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) continued their march toward the city of Bukavu, having taken control of the provincial capital, Goma, earlier this week. “We are concerned not only as far as the eastern DRC is...
For many workers, defending human rights is not just a job, but a calling. As he noted, many “work out of a deep sense of service to others, and a desire to make a meaningful impact.” From conflict zones to post-war societies, they provide crucial support to detainees and victims...
The world remains dangerously unprepared for the next pandemic, despite the harrowing lessons of COVID-19, Mr. Guterres warned. “COVID-19 was a wake-up call to the world,” he stated, reflecting on the devastating human, economic and social toll of the pandemic. “The crisis may have passed, but a harsh lesson remains:...
Leonardo Santos Simão, highlighted upcoming presidential elections in Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau, and the adoption of constitutional reforms amid a strained political environment in Gambia. He also commended recent successful elections in Ghana and Senegal, noting the signing of a “Peace Pact” by all presidential candidates in Ghana and the...
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....
Delivering his final briefing for the year, Hans Grundberg noted that 2024 was marked by immense turmoil and tragedy across the Middle East region, where far too many people – including in Yemen – have endured profound loss due to violent conflicts. “With the last months’ dramatic developments in Lebanon...
Titled “Take the rights path to end AIDS,” the report outlines how stigma, discrimination, and punitive laws hinder progress in the fight against HIV. Despite significant advancements in HIV treatment and prevention, human rights violations continue to block access to essential services. In 2023, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses,...
On the first-ever ‘Digitalisation Day’ for a UN climate conference, the COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action received endorsements from more than 1,000 governments, companies, civil society organizations, international and regional organizations, and other stakeholders. Pluses and minuses According to the UN International Telecommunications Union (ITU), which organized today’s digital...
The strike, which hit the densely populated Jnah neighbourhood, also injured 60 people and reportedly damaged the Rafik Hariri University Hospital. At least three buildings located about 50 meters (54 yards) from the hospital are said to have been destroyed. The hospital, one of Beirut’s key medical facilities, has been...