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The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) released a new epidemiological update on dengue in the Americas, stressing the need for countries to reinforce prevention, surveillance, and health system preparedness while remaining alert to changes in the epidemiological situation. In 2025, the region reported 4,459,521 suspected cases and 1,682,588 confirmed cases of dengue, including 8,966 severe… [Read More]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly reshaping social, economic, and political life, but its benefits and risks are unevenly distributed. The 2025 UNDP Human Development Report emphasizes the importance of understanding diverse perspectives, particularly from populations often underrepresented in global AI discussions. In Bangladesh, the UNDP Accelerator Lab conducted a qualitative study to explore how different… [Read More]

Climate change is increasingly straining economies and public finances, as floods, droughts, and storms disrupt livelihoods, damage infrastructure, and challenge governments’ ability to protect vulnerable communities. Many countries now recognize that adaptation is essential, but financing it at the scale and speed required remains a challenge, particularly in the context of limited public resources and… [Read More]

IFC has partnered with Dashen Bank S.C. to expand access to finance for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Ethiopia, aiming to support economic growth and job creation. The partnership focuses on providing credit to agribusinesses and women-owned or women-led businesses, addressing a critical need for financing among smaller enterprises in the country. Under the… [Read More]

As Ukraine enters the fifth year of the international armed conflict, millions of people are facing severe winter hardships amid damaged energy infrastructure, rolling blackouts, and growing economic and psychological strain. The destruction of energy systems has left many families without reliable heating or electricity, preventing them from cooking, heating homes, accessing healthcare, or calling… [Read More]

The Rockefeller Foundation, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, Clean Cooking Alliance, and Energy Corps have launched the Clean Cooking Accelerator Initiative at the IEA 2026 Ministerial to expand access to modern cooking technologies in Africa, where around one billion people still rely on traditional fuels like wood and charcoal. The initiative aims to… [Read More]

Four years into the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the human toll on women and girls has been devastating. More than 5,000 have been killed and 14,000 injured, with 2025 marking the deadliest year yet, though the true figures are likely higher. The war has been compounded by energy attacks that disrupt daily life, and now… [Read More]

Zimbabwe has begun rolling out lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention drug that requires only two injections per year, marking the country as one of the first in Africa to adopt this treatment. The rollout targets high-risk populations, including sex workers, adolescent girls and young women, gay men, and pregnant or breastfeeding women, with the injections… [Read More]

Asia and the Pacific has experienced rapid urbanization throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, with over 2.2 billion people currently living in urban areas and an additional 1.2 billion projected by 2050. While urban growth has fueled economic opportunities, improved living standards, and social mobility, it has also amplified inequalities, leaving vulnerable groups such as… [Read More]

Deutsche AIDS-Stiftung (DAS) has provided a grant to support the Tajikistan Network of Women Living with HIV, highlighting the importance of community-led initiatives in the fight against HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). Anne von Fallois, DAS CEO, emphasized the growing challenges in the region, particularly in Ukraine, where both infection rates and… [Read More]

The President of Benin, Patrice Talon, signed into law Law 2026-02 on February 9, 2026, marking a major step forward in HIV prevention, care, and the fight against stigma and discrimination. The law aims to accelerate Benin’s progress toward ending AIDS by aligning national policy with international human rights standards and promoting inclusive, evidence-based public… [Read More]

Proparco has provided a NGN 9 billion (around €5 million) portfolio guarantee to Wema Bank in Nigeria, marking the first collaboration between the two institutions. The guarantee, covering 50% of potential losses, will allow Wema Bank to develop a loan portfolio of NGN 18 billion (approximately €10 million) over two years to support micro, small,… [Read More]

Following Typhoon Odette in December 2021, which devastated Siargao in the Philippines, authorities began relocating entire communities to areas deemed safer. These efforts, however, have largely ignored international standards and the rights of affected residents, particularly people with disabilities. Many relocation initiatives lacked meaningful consultation, accessible information, and inclusive participation, leaving displaced communities at risk… [Read More]

Russian authorities are increasingly restricting access to safe abortion care and limiting women’s and girls’ ability to obtain accurate information about reproductive choices. These measures, justified under a push for “traditional values” and higher birth rates, jeopardize health, violate the right to life and bodily autonomy, and undermine women’s human rights. Human Rights Watch has… [Read More]

Ayla, 21, Jomana, 18, and Ilya, 19, all came to Sweden as children under different circumstances, but now face deportation while their families remain in the country. Their cases highlight Sweden’s restrictive migration policy, which denies residency based on parental ties once young people turn 18, unless “special dependency” is proven. Normal parent-child relationships no… [Read More]

Since 2019, over 90 nationals from Trinidad and Tobago, including at least 50 children, have been arbitrarily detained in northeast Syria for alleged links to ISIS. Their conditions have been life-threatening for years, and recent reports indicate that abuses have intensified. Women detained in the Roj camp, controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces, described escalating… [Read More]

The Trump administration has rolled back a key air-pollution protection targeting mercury, one of the most toxic substances on earth. This move reverses the 2024 policy under President Biden, which had lowered allowable mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, and restores previous, less restrictive limits. Prior to this rollback, Trump had already issued exemptions to… [Read More]

Amnesty International has called on Iranian authorities to immediately halt plans to execute eight individuals sentenced to death for alleged involvement in the January 2026 nationwide protests, urging that their convictions be quashed and that expedited, torture-tainted trials against at least 22 others be stopped. The organization has identified at least 30 people at risk… [Read More]

At the conclusion of the five-day AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Amnesty International criticized the event for failing to address the human rights risks of artificial intelligence (AI) deployment in India. Erika Guevara Rosas, Senior Director of Research, Advocacy Policy and Campaigns, highlighted that while India was praised for its technological progress, the summit… [Read More]

The Hong Kong Court of Appeal recently rejected the appeals of 12 defendants in the high-profile ‘Hong Kong 47’ case, prompting strong criticism from Amnesty International. Fernando Cheung, spokesperson for Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas, condemned the decision, highlighting the politically motivated nature of the prosecutions and the ongoing erosion of human rights in the… [Read More]

The Tautai Fagota Sasa’a Charitable Trust in South Auckland is seeking stronger support from the Manurewa Local Board to sustain and expand its programmes aimed at preserving and passing on Pacific cultural knowledge across generations. The trust, which operated informally for 15 years before becoming a registered charitable entity two years ago, links youth mentoring,… [Read More]

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged municipal councils across Gauteng and other water-stressed areas in South Africa to urgently ring-fence water and sanitation revenue, following reports that about R5 billion is being lost annually in Gauteng metros due to leaks, ageing infrastructure, and stalled maintenance. Investigations reveal that Johannesburg alone has lost R2.4 billion over… [Read More]

The Hilton Global Foundation (HGF), the philanthropic arm of Hilton, has announced a $5.4 million investment in 18 nonprofit organizations worldwide, marking its largest annual funding commitment to date. The grants support initiatives aligned with Hilton’s Travel with Purpose strategy, focusing on expanding career opportunities, strengthening community resilience, addressing food insecurity, and reducing environmental impact…. [Read More]