The ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations, alongside the Chairs of UN human rights Treaty Bodies and the Chair of the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights, held a historic joint meeting to affirm the central role of labour rights within the broader framework of universal human rights…. [Read More]
UN Decade of Sustainable Transport: Transforming Mobility for a Sustainable Future
The UN Decade of Sustainable Transport highlights the crucial role of transport in achieving the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the need for coordinated, cross-sector action. To support this initiative, organizations were invited to submit voluntary Sustainable Transport Action Commitments—practical measures aimed at transforming global transport practices. WWF, in collaboration with the Asian Development… [Read More]
Exploring Human Rights Online: UNDP Launches Digital Rights Dashboard
Within a generation, digital systems have transformed learning, work, and civic participation, especially in well-connected regions. While developing countries experience this shift at varying speeds, the key challenge is no longer whether digital development should occur but how to ensure it empowers individuals and communities while safeguarding human rights. As digital transitions accelerate, protecting rights… [Read More]
UNDP Asia-Pacific Launches Digital Activism Initiative to Combat Online Violence
Digital violence is increasingly affecting women and girls across the Asia-Pacific region, with harmful online terms and harassment creating hostile digital spaces. Despite technology’s potential to empower, 44% of women and girls worldwide lack legal protection from online abuse, while many incidents go unreported due to shame, social stigma, and fear of retaliation. UN Women… [Read More]
Global: How Amnesty International’s Annual Letter-Writing Campaign Shows Humanity Can Prevail
Amid rising authoritarianism, climate crises, and the erosion of international law, Amnesty International has launched its annual Write for Rights campaign on Human Rights Day (10 December) to support victims of human rights violations and demonstrate the power of collective action. The campaign unites people globally to advocate for justice, dignity, and a shared future,… [Read More]
Ensuring International Justice for All Crimes Key to Lasting Peace in Israel and the OPT
Amnesty International has called on states to demonstrate their commitment to international justice to ensure accountability for victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Following the ICC Assembly of States Parties in The Hague, Amnesty emphasized that supporting institutions such as the ICC is critical… [Read More]
National Programmes’ Guide to Reaching Untreated Populations for NTD Elimination
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]
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]
