This toolkit provides comprehensive guidance for national and district neglected tropical disease (NTD) programmes, partner organizations, researchers, and communities to identify and respond to “never treatment”—individuals who have never ingested NTD medicines during mass drug administration (MDA). It covers defining never treatment, understanding its role in persistent low coverage or ongoing transmission, estimating levels using… [Read More]
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Building Stronger Communities: Youth Leadership Programme 11 Promotes Social Enterprise
The Youth Leadership Programme (YLP) is a regional initiative under UNDP’s Bureau of Arab States (RBAS), launched in 2015 to foster a dynamic network at the intersection of youth, innovation, and sustainable development. As part of the broader UNDP SHABABEEK – Youth Empowerment, Engagement and Knowledge Project, YLP provides holistic support to young people by… [Read More]
Women Entrepreneurs in Bangladesh: Overcoming Gender-Specific Investment Hurdles
Women entrepreneurs are increasingly contributing to Bangladesh’s economy, leading around 2.8 million small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and employing an estimated 8.4 million people. Despite this progress, women own only 7.2% of all registered businesses, and many operate as micro-enterprises with limited access to finance and formal support systems. Persistent gender-specific investment barriers continue to… [Read More]
Aid Workers Targeted: Controversial Trial in Greece Raises Alarm
On December 4 and 5, after a seven-year wait, two dozen humanitarian workers on the Greek island of Lesbos finally faced trial, with potential sentences of up to 20 years. The defendants, associated with the search and rescue group Emergency Response Center International, work to save the lives of asylum seekers, migrants, and refugees crossing… [Read More]
Albania Prepares to Combat Online Abuse Recognized as Real Violence
Zhaklin Lekatari, a 43-year-old journalist and feminist activist from Albania, began experiencing the limitations placed on girls at an early age. These experiences shaped her later activism on women’s rights, economic autonomy, sexual education, and online violence. Her advocacy has come at a personal cost, including harsh scrutiny, threats, and violent comments, but she has… [Read More]
Transforming Rural India: IFAD and India Boost Livelihoods and Food Security
The Government of India and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) celebrated their long-standing partnership in Rome, highlighting successful models of rural transformation that can be scaled across the Global South. IFAD President Alvaro Lario emphasized that joint investments in India demonstrate what scalable, sustainable development looks like, particularly in women’s empowerment, food systems… [Read More]
Global Humanitarian Needs Soar: UNICEF Calls for Urgent Investment in Children’s Services
Humanitarian needs for children worldwide are reaching unprecedented levels due to surging conflicts, rising hunger, global funding cuts, and collapsing essential services. UNICEF’s Humanitarian Action for Children 2026 appeal has been launched, calling for US$7.66 billion to provide life-saving assistance to 73 million children, including 37 million girls and over 9 million children with disabilities,… [Read More]
Country Spotlight: Joint SDG Fund Initiatives in Colombia and Niger
In Colombia, small-scale farmers in rural areas have historically struggled with subsistence farming and limited access to capital, which has constrained their growth. Through the Joint SDG Fund, the United Nations is supporting programmes that link sustainable finance with food systems, while digital platforms connect farmers to social protection and private capital flows into nature-positive… [Read More]
Social Media Age Restrictions Insufficient to Protect Kids, Says UNICEF
Governments have introduced age-related bans on popular social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for users under 16, aiming to protect children from online abuse, cyberbullying, exploitation, and exposure to harmful content. These measures are intended to safeguard young people’s mental health and well-being, but UNICEF has warned that restrictions alone are not… [Read More]
Human Rights Erode and Aid Funding Drops as Afghanistan Faces Worsening Crisis
Afghanistan is facing a deepening crisis as human rights continue to erode and humanitarian aid funding declines. Briefing the UN Security Council, Georgette Gagnon, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Afghanistan, and Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, reported that nearly half the population will require protection and humanitarian assistance in 2026. Women… [Read More]
Violence in Eastern DR Congo Causes Deaths, Halts Food Aid, Forces Mass Displacement
The humanitarian situation in South Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, has deteriorated sharply since 2 December due to heavy fighting across multiple territories, including Uvira, Walungu, Mwenga, Shabunda, Kabare, Fizi, and Kalehe. Members of the armed group M23 reportedly entered the key city of Uvira, creating widespread fear and uncertainty among residents. Media… [Read More]
Rethinking the Right to Learn: UNESCO Urges Education Reform for Today’s World
UNESCO has warned that the global legal framework for the right to education urgently needs modernization to keep pace with a rapidly transforming world. Borhene Chakroun, Director of Lifelong Learning at UNESCO, emphasized that without updating these frameworks, large populations risk being left behind. A new UNESCO report, Right to Education: Past, Present and Future,… [Read More]
Global Updates: Gaza Winter Storm, UNICEF $7B Appeal, Emergency Response Fund Assistance
Following two years of conflict, most of Gaza’s roughly two million residents are living in makeshift shelters, facing heightened risks due to the winter season and flood-prone areas. Humanitarian organizations are scaling up aid, including the distribution of winter clothing for children, increasing daily kits from 5,000 to 8,000. About 200 families have been relocated… [Read More]
Traditional Medicine Gains Global Recognition, Says WHO
Shyama Kuruvilla, director of WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre, stated that traditional medicine has become a global reality, with half the world’s population lacking access to essential health services and often relying on these systems as their primary or only source of care. Established in 2022, the Centre seeks to harness the potential of traditional… [Read More]
Government Updates on Online Safety: Minister O’Donovan Highlights Initiatives to Protect Youth
Patrick O’Donovan T.D., Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, updated this week’s Government meeting on progress in online safety, emphasizing the protection of young people online. He highlighted advances in developing a robust age verification mechanism through Ireland’s Digital Wallet, led by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO), with the Department of… [Read More]
Amador Seed Fund II Backed by IDB Lab to Boost Emerging VC Ecosystems in LAC
IDB Lab, the innovation and venture capital arm of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, has approved an investment of up to $3 million in Amador Seed Fund II, LP (ASF II) to support the growth of innovative, technology-driven ventures in Latin America and the Caribbean, with a focus on Central America. This investment underscores IDB… [Read More]
Panama and Colón to Benefit from IDB Initiative for Clean Water Access
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects (CCLIP) of $900 million to improve the quality of life in Panama by facilitating financing for water and sanitation projects. This initiative aims to expand access to potable water services and enhance urban infrastructure, particularly in the Metropolitan Area of Panama… [Read More]
IDB Partners with Argentina to Advance Sustainable Cities and Urban Development
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a Conditional Credit Line for Investment Projects of up to $700 million to support Argentina in improving urban living conditions and promoting sustainable development in its cities. The program aims to expand access to basic services and foster territorial cohesion across provinces, supporting more productive and orderly urban… [Read More]
India Secures World Bank Support for Clean Air Programs in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved financing for two major programs in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana aimed at improving air quality for approximately 270 million people, with additional benefits expected for neighboring states. Beyond environmental improvements, the programs are designed to enhance the states’ attractiveness as business destinations… [Read More]
Cambodia Can Navigate Economic Challenges Through Reforms and Strong Buffers, Says World Bank
Cambodia’s economy is projected to grow by 4.8 percent in 2025, slowing from 6 percent in 2024, as domestic and external shocks weigh on activity. The slowdown is driven by a softening property sector, border disruptions, and new trade restrictions, which have dampened domestic demand, construction activity, labor markets, and tourism. Prudent fiscal and monetary… [Read More]
New WFP Innovation Hub Aims to Tackle Food Security Challenges in West & Central Africa
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a regional innovation hub in Dakar, Senegal, aimed at accelerating sustainable, locally-led solutions to address hunger and malnutrition in West and Central Africa. This hub, the third of its kind globally, will work with governments, private sector leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, civil society, and communities to drive… [Read More]
Qatar Fund for Development Joins ADB to Boost Infrastructure Projects Across Asia and the Pacific
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to accelerate resilient infrastructure and economic development in developing countries across Asia and the Pacific. The agreement, finalized on the sidelines of the Doha Forum 2025, aims to unlock development finance for communities and support innovative… [Read More]
$500 Million ADB Financing to Accelerate Blue Economy Initiatives in the Philippines
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $500 million policy-based loan to support sustainable management of the Philippines’ marine ecosystems, rejuvenate coastal areas, and promote a resilient, low-carbon blue economy. The Marine Ecosystems for Blue Economy Development Program (Subprogram 1) aims to strengthen the productivity and diversity of the country’s ocean-based economy, improve the… [Read More]
