The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen labour standards and ensure decent working conditions across the Pacific fishing industry. The agreement establishes a cooperation framework focused on improving the treatment and protection of fishers in one of the region’s most… [Read More]
Funding Alert: Canada Water Agency Seeks Proposals to Restore and Protect Fresh Water
Canada is emphasizing the importance of freshwater stewardship as essential to the country’s environment, economy, and long-term sustainability. Local and partner-led initiatives play a key role in protecting and restoring these vital resources. To strengthen these efforts, the Government of Canada has launched multiple calls for applications for new funding opportunities, announced by Julie Dabrusin,… [Read More]
Governments of Canada and Manitoba Unveil Incentive Pilot for Sustainable Agriculture
The Governments of Canada and Manitoba have launched the Forage Advantage pilot program, designed to help farmers adopt sustainable practices while reducing their crop insurance costs. Beginning in the 2026 crop year, Manitoba farmers who plant perennial forage crops on marginal land will receive a 15% discount on Forage Establishment Insurance premiums. Once the forage… [Read More]
Government of Canada Invests in Women’s Sports to Strengthen Communities and the Economy
The Government of Canada has announced its intention to invest up to $5.45 million in the growth of the Northern Super League (NSL), Canada’s first professional women’s soccer league. The announcement was made during the NSL Final at BMO Field in Toronto, a landmark event that celebrates not only sporting excellence but also community pride,… [Read More]
1 in 6 Pregnancies Now Impacted by Diabetes: Essential Facts for Maternal Health
The UN is marking World Diabetes Day by drawing attention to how diabetes affects pregnancy and by releasing its first global guidelines on managing the condition before, during and after pregnancy. The new guidance provides evidence-based strategies to ensure women receive consistent, high-quality care across all stages of life, addressing the 21 million pregnancies impacted… [Read More]
Pioneering Climate Data Impact Bond Launched, Inviting Public Contributions
The Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) has opened contributions for a groundbreaking climate impact bond designed to strengthen global resilience and early warning capabilities. Aimed at raising USD 200 million by the end of 2026, the initiative seeks to close critical weather and climate data gaps that hinder effective forecasting and climate action. If fully… [Read More]
COP30: WHO Sounds Alarm on Climate-Health Risks Amid $300M Philanthropic Funding
The WHO and the Brazilian Government have released a new special report warning that the climate crisis is already putting global health systems under severe strain. The report reveals that one in 12 hospitals could face climate-related shutdowns, highlighting the urgent need for governments to strengthen health systems as extreme weather becomes more frequent and… [Read More]
£1 Million NDA Funding Boost to Drive Clean Energy Projects in West Cumbria
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) has announced a £1 million investment to support the development of a masterplan for Pioneer Park, a proposed clean energy development on land near Sellafield. The funding will enable local development company BEC to create a detailed plan outlining how clean energy technologies, as well as AI and data centre… [Read More]
Minister Foley Unveils Major 2026 Funding Increase for Family Resource Centres
The Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, Norma Foley, has announced increased funding for Family Resource Centres to strengthen their essential support for children and families. Starting January 2026, the minimum funding level for each centre will rise from €160,000 to €180,000. This adjustment will directly benefit 100 out of the 126 centres nationwide whose… [Read More]
New Tourism Adaptation Plan Unveiled to Boost Climate Resilience in the Sector
Ireland has launched its first Tourism Sectoral Adaptation Plan for 2025–2030, reflecting the government’s commitment to helping communities, ecosystems, and businesses respond to rising climate risks. The plan was developed in response to recent extreme weather events, which have highlighted the urgent need for stronger climate resilience across the country. As tourism remains a vital… [Read More]
UN Joint SDG Fund Catalytic Investment Boosts Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions
The Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha reaffirmed a strong global commitment to social justice through the adoption of the Doha Political Declaration in November 2025. With nearly 4 billion people lacking social protection and widespread unemployment and exclusion, the declaration highlights the urgent need for coordinated action to address growing social vulnerabilities… [Read More]
Somalia DDR Lessons Learned: Comprehensive Review and Key Takeaways
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), and later the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), have been mandated to support the Federal Government of Somalia in disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) as part of broader peacebuilding and state-building efforts. The International Organization for Migration has also played a central role through… [Read More]
Nepal Receives $9.4M Payment for Forest Carbon Credits Under FCPF
Nepal has received $9.4 million from the World Bank’s Forest Carbon Partnership Facility for reducing around 1.88 million tons of carbon dioxide under its REDD+ Emission Reductions Program in the Terai Arc Landscape. This marks the first payment under the Emission Reductions Payment Agreement and represents a major step in the country’s efforts to curb… [Read More]
Asian Development Bank Announces $2.5B Investment Plan to Strengthen Ties with Azerbaijan
Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev to discuss the country’s long-term development priorities, with a strong focus on transforming Azerbaijan into a major regional hub for connectivity, trade, and energy between Central Asia and Europe. During the meeting, Mr. Kanda announced that ADB plans to invest up to… [Read More]
Africa-Asia Platform Unveiled by Japan and AfDB to Drive Youth Innovation and Startups
The African Development Bank has launched the Africa-Asia (A-A) Platform, a new initiative aimed at strengthening knowledge transfer, technology exchange and innovation between the two regions. The rollout ceremony took place at the United Nations University in Tokyo and brought together senior leaders from the African Development Bank Group, the University of Pretoria and the… [Read More]
$9 Million ADF Climate Action Window Investment to Strengthen Sahel’s Basin Resilience
The African Development Fund has approved a grant of $9.48 million to support the Community and Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation in the Wetlands of the Sahel Catchment Basins Project. The funding, provided through the Climate Action Window, aims to strengthen climate resilience in key wetlands across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Senegal. These ecosystems face… [Read More]
$55 Million ADF–WHO Agreement Set to Strengthen Sudan’s Health System
The African Development Bank Group and the World Health Organization have signed a funding and implementation agreement for the Sudan Health Emergency and Infrastructure Project, a three-year initiative designed to improve access to quality healthcare across the country. Signed on 3 November 2025, the project focuses on strengthening essential health services, enhancing emergency preparedness, and… [Read More]
Cities Target Food Waste Reduction with Food Waste Breakthrough Initiative
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP), in partnership with governments, cities, civil society, and the private sector, has launched the Food Waste Breakthrough initiative to halve global food waste by 2030 and reduce methane emissions by up to seven per cent. Announced at COP30 in Belém, the initiative addresses the dual crises of climate change and… [Read More]
Human Rights Concerns Rise Over Egypt’s Updated Criminal Procedure Code
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) has strongly condemned the Egyptian Parliament’s adoption of a new Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) on 16 October 2025, citing violations of the right to a fair trial and freedom from arbitrary detention, as well as the perpetuation of impunity for enforced disappearances. According to Saïd Benarbia, ICJ Middle East… [Read More]
MEPs Raise Alarm Over Increasing International Crackdown on Human Rights Defenders
The European Parliament has raised serious concerns over the growing threat of transnational repression, particularly targeting human rights defenders on EU soil. Parliamentarians emphasized that these attacks, carried out by authoritarian regimes, aim to coerce, control, or silence political opponents, journalists, activists, and members of the diaspora. In a recent report adopted by 512 votes… [Read More]
LNOB Programme Enters Third Phase, Focusing on Vulnerable Communities
The third phase of the Leave No One Behind (LNB3) Programme was officially launched in Tirana on 12 November 2025, with the participation of UNICEF, UNFPA, UN Women, and UNDP. The signing ceremony, held at the UN House, brought together key stakeholders including Albania’s Deputy Minister of Health and Social Welfare Denada Seferi, Swiss Ambassador… [Read More]
Moldova’s Rural Development Gets a Boost with New EU-UNDP Initiative
The European Union (EU), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is launching a three-year, EUR 3 million initiative to strengthen digital governance in agriculture and improve employment opportunities for vulnerable populations in rural Moldova. The project aims to deliver a Digital National Farmers Register, modernize employment services, and provide inclusive tools to… [Read More]
From Farms to Frontlines: How Women Are Driving Climate Solutions in Asia-Pacific
The Asia-Pacific region is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, with floods, droughts, heatwaves, and storms increasingly disrupting landscapes and livelihoods. While global frameworks such as CEDAW, the Beijing Platform for Action, and the SDGs stress that gender equality is key to sustainable food systems and climate action, climate impacts affect women disproportionately. Women constitute over… [Read More]
