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The Special Rapporteur’s report highlights the Taliban’s systematic violations of women’s rights in Afghanistan, including their access to health services. The Taliban’s new criminal procedure code intensifies repression and discrimination, defining Muslims solely under the Hanafi school and labeling other religious groups, such as Shia, as heretics. The law enforces severe punishments to suppress dissent… [Read More]

On February 20, Indonesia and the United States finalized a new trade agreement, allocating US$15 billion specifically for fossil fuel imports. The deal is part of the broader US “Energy Dominance Agenda,” which seeks to expand domestic fossil fuel production and boost global exports. The Indonesia-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement covers a large share of Indonesia’s… [Read More]

A Cambodian government-controlled court has sentenced two journalists to fourteen years in prison for treason after they appeared in a photograph with Cambodian soldiers near the disputed Thai-Cambodian border. The journalists, Phorn Sopheap of Battambang Post TV Online and Pheap Pheara of TSP 68 TV Online, were arrested in July 2025 and charged with “supplying… [Read More]

The Lebanese government has been urged to take immediate and concrete measures to secure justice, truth, and reparations for thousands of civilians affected by the armed conflict with Israel. A coalition of five human rights organizations—Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Legal Agenda, the Union of Journalists in Lebanon, and Reporters Without Borders—addressed a letter to… [Read More]

Since December 2025, Israeli authorities have implemented a series of measures in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, aimed at dispossessing Palestinians and accelerating the annexation of the territory. These actions mark an unprecedented escalation in the expansion of illegal settlements, facilitating land takeovers, authorizing new settlements, expanding existing ones, and formalizing West Bank… [Read More]

An Athens court has delivered a landmark ruling in the long-running ‘Predatorgate’ scandal, convicting four individuals linked to spyware maker Intellexa for unlawful access to private communications and violations of privacy and data protection laws. The convicted include Tal Dilian, former Israeli intelligence officer and Intellexa founder, his business partner Sara Hamou, former deputy administrator… [Read More]

The recent interception of a large shipment of 1-boc-4-piperidone highlights the critical role of international cooperation in combating the rapidly evolving illicit drug trade. The International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) reported in its 2025 Annual Report that authorities, using the Board’s pre-export notification platform, successfully prevented the diversion of three tons of this chemical precursor,… [Read More]

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for urgent political dialogue following a sharp rise in civilian casualties from cross-border clashes between Pakistani military forces and armed militants sheltering in Afghanistan. According to the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), at least 70 civilians were killed and 478 injured in the last… [Read More]

The ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was the central focus of the first session of the year at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, alongside Mohamed Chande Othman, Chair of the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission for… [Read More]

Francisco Pichón, the UN Resident Coordinator in Cuba, has warned of growing humanitarian risks as the country’s energy reserves continue to decline. Speaking via video link from Havana at a UN press briefing in New York, he highlighted that shortages are increasingly affecting healthcare, water services, and food distribution, raising concerns that the crisis could… [Read More]

The UK government has announced a £50 million investment to support councils and organisations tackling homelessness and rough sleeping, focusing on areas and populations under the greatest pressure. The funding is divided across two major programmes aimed at delivering the national target to halve long-term rough sleeping by the end of this Parliament. The largest… [Read More]

Turin, Italy – From 9 to 13 February 2026, more than 120 participants from 19 Global Accelerator pathfinder countries convened at the International Training Centre of the ILO in Turin for the “Capacity Building and Knowledge Exchange Forum,” organized jointly by the GA Technical Support Facility and the Joint SDG Fund. The forum brought together… [Read More]

Kigali, Rwanda — On 25 February 2026, the Government of Rwanda, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, and UNCDF, launched the Rwanda Green Food Future – Accelerating Investment in Food System Transformation Joint Programme at Mövenpick Hotel Kigali. Supported by the UN Joint SDG Fund, the multi-agency initiative aims… [Read More]

Belo Horizonte, Brazil – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is actively supporting local authorities in responding to the severe impacts of heavy rains that recently struck Juiz de Fora, Matias Barbosa, and Ubá in Minas Gerais, southeastern Brazil. The downpours have caused significant loss of life, displacement, and widespread damage across the affected areas…. [Read More]

A new report from ILGA-Europe highlights a worrying trend across Europe and Central Asia, where attacks on LGBTI communities are evolving into systemic suppression of dissent and individual freedoms. The Annual Review shows that tactics once applied selectively against LGBTI people are now being used broadly as part of authoritarian governance, with laws and policies… [Read More]

In Daba Naira camp, Tawila, North Darfur, displaced communities have long struggled with limited access to clean water and sanitation. Two years after arriving, 47-year-old Ali Adam Mohammed leveraged his experience in water systems to lead the camp’s Water User Committee, coordinating repairs, overseeing maintenance, and promoting safe water and hygiene practices. Supported by the… [Read More]

UN peacekeeping operations play a crucial role in promoting women’s rights and access to justice in conflict-affected areas, where discriminatory laws, weak protections, and social norms often leave women and girls vulnerable. In fragile settings, justice systems are frequently weakened or destroyed, leaving survivors of gender-based violence with little recourse. Peacekeeping missions help rebuild police… [Read More]

Mars, Incorporated has launched the Mars Impact Fund, a new philanthropic initiative aimed at driving lasting impact in the communities where the company operates. The Fund will allocate $85 million from 2025 to 2027, followed by at least $50 million annually from 2028, supporting long-term investments in community resilience, scientific opportunity, and companion animal wellbeing…. [Read More]

Six months after the devastating earthquake in Kunar province, Afghanistan, thousands of families remain in limbo, living in tents or makeshift shelters through harsh winter conditions. Despite initial emergency support from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and other humanitarian organisations, funding shortages are forcing key services to scale back or close, leaving families without proper… [Read More]

Community groups and non-profit organisations in South Oxfordshire can apply for over £1.5 million in grants over the next year, as confirmed by South Oxfordshire District Council in their February budget announcement. The funding will support projects that improve community facilities, enhance residents’ health and wellbeing, promote cultural activities, and address climate change across the… [Read More]

Community groups in Solihull now have the opportunity to bid for a share of nearly £400,000 in funding to support local neighbourhood projects. The funding comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), collected from new developments, and is available this year for groups in five wards: Elmdon, Knowle, Shirley East, Shirley South, and St Alphege…. [Read More]

A new report by Change Engine highlights that India will need nearly USD 750 million in flexible funding over the next five years to create 100 “non-profit unicorns” capable of impacting at least one million people each. The study, part of the “Ease of Doing Good” series, finds that most Indian non-profits struggle to scale… [Read More]

The Alstom Foundation has donated funds to the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society in Edmonton, Canada, to support the Equipped to Work project, a community-focused initiative aimed at removing barriers to employment for Indigenous youth and women. The program helps participants gain professional certifications and provides essential resources such as personal protective equipment and monthly… [Read More]