According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this sort of large-scale life-saving is possible, if midwifery care is universally accessible and consistent with international standards. “Expanding and investing in midwifery models of care is one of the most effective strategies to improve maternal and newborn health globally,” said Dr. Anshu...
The situation is especially dire for returnees fleeing violence in Sudan, who now account for nearly half of those experiencing catastrophic hunger levels. The influx of over 1.1 million displaced people into already fragile communities has overwhelmed resources and relief efforts, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP). With...
The United Nations agency has received only $1.57 billion of the $21.1 billion required to sustain its operations this year, with donations slashed by 40 per cent after cuts from major donors like the United States. “WFP is prioritizing countries with the greatest needs and stretching food rations at the...
The crisis is being exacerbated by the expected early arrival of the lean season – the period between harvests when hunger peaks. Chronic hunger is being driven by conflict, displacement, economic instability and severe climate shocks, WFP said, with devastating floods in 2024 affecting over six million people across West...
The development follows the pause announced to billions of dollars of funding on 24 January by the US administration affecting “nearly all US foreign aid programmes, pending a 90-day review”, said Pio Smith from the UN’s sexual reproductive health agency, UNFPA, briefing journalists in Geneva. ‘Unwavering commitment’ to serve people...
In his daily briefing in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists that there have been significant casualties reported in Jabalia al Balad and Khan Younis. Meanwhile, Israeli authorities continue to deny UN-led efforts to reach people with vital assistance, he told correspondents. North Gaza The Israeli siege of...
More than 24.6 million people – half of Sudan’s population – are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the IPC initiative, which tracks extreme hunger globally. IPC’s Famine Review Committee (FRC) confirmed that famine (IPC phase 5) is present in at least five areas, including North Darfur’s...
UN data reveals that reports of conflict-related sexual violence increased shockingly by 50 per cent last year compared to 2023, and women and girls accounted for 95 per cent of verified cases. These numbers, however, “represent a small fraction of the reality” as many cases go unreported, the agency warned....
WFP announced a major surge in its operations across Sudan, part of a scale-up effort to reach millions in the most needy and isolated conflict areas. More than 700 trucks carrying emergency food aid are on the way to communities across the country, including 14 “hotspots” that are facing severe...
Corinne Fleischer, WFP Director for the three regions, briefed reporters on her recent visits to the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. An increase in evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military along with a “massive deterioration” in security caused the UN agency to reach fewer people in Gaza in August, though...
The destruction has prompted the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) to rush humanitarian relief items from its stockpiles in the country to help those in need. Over 18 million people in Bangladesh have been affected by these severe monsoon conditions, with more than 1.2 million families trapped as flash floods submerge vast...
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Martin Griffiths described the supplies provided by the Egyptian Red Cross and the UN as “another glimmer of hope for the millions of people in dire need of humanitarian aid”, adding “but they need more, much more.” Saturday marked the first convoy to...