The United Nations human rights experts have welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN Declaration on the Right to a Safe, Clean, Healthy, and Sustainable Environment, which was endorsed on 26 October during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. They hailed the Declaration as a historic milestone for human rights and environmental protection in… [Read More]
UN to Examine Malawi’s Human Rights Record at Universal Periodic Review
The United Nations Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group will examine Malawi’s human rights record for the fourth time on Tuesday, 4 November 2025, in Geneva. The session, which will be webcast live, is part of the UPR Working Group’s 48th session running from 3 to 14 November 2025, during which 14… [Read More]
Afghanistan: UN Expert Urges Governments Not to Legitimize Taliban Amid Human Rights Concerns
Afghanistan is experiencing the most severe and systematic attack on gender equality in the world today, according to Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Afghanistan. Presenting his report to the UN General Assembly, Bennett warned that the situation demands urgent and principled international action rather than normalisation of the Taliban regime…. [Read More]
Calls grow for Uzbekistan and UNESCO to stop forced evictions at heritage locations
UN experts have raised alarm over a series of forced evictions and housing demolitions in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site since 2001. They expressed concern that such actions violate human rights and destroy the livelihoods of marginalised communities, particularly minorities and Indigenous Peoples. The experts noted that these communities are often excluded… [Read More]
DRC Faces Severe Aid Shortages — Catholic Church Becomes Lifeline for Millions
The Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) has issued an urgent call for international solidarity and increased funding to support frontline responders in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Speaking at the Paris Conference on the Great Lakes Region, Caritas Congo Executive Secretary Abbé Edouard Makimba emphasized the commitment of local faith-based workers who continue… [Read More]
“The Church Is Dying”: Syrian Archbishop Raises Alarm Over Falling Religious Freedom
The Syriac Catholic Archbishop Jacques Mourad of Homs, Hama, and Al-Nabek has issued a stark warning that the “Church in Syria is dying,” as the number of Christians in the country continues to plummet. Speaking at the launch of Aid to the Church in Need’s Religious Freedom in the World 2025 report in Rome, Archbishop… [Read More]
Finland to Support Finland-Ukraine Civil Defence Coalition with New Development Funding
Finland has announced a major contribution of EUR 11 million to support the civil defence coalition jointly led by Finland and Ukraine. The funding proposal, approved by the Ministerial Finance Committee on 30 October and prepared under the Ministry for Foreign Trade and Development, will be channelled through the European Union’s Ukraine Facility. This funding… [Read More]
UK Invests in UNDP to Drive Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals
The Government of the United Kingdom has renewed its partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) by investing GBP 11 million (approximately USD 14.7 million) to advance sustainable development worldwide. This renewed support comes at a time of global uncertainty, with countries facing overlapping crises such as health emergencies, climate change, conflicts, and natural… [Read More]
Kunming Biodiversity Fund Awards $5.8 Million to Support Sustainable Farming in Seven Countries
Seven countries have received $5.8 million in funding from the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) to promote nature-friendly agricultural practices. This initiative, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, is part of the broader Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), which aims to close the global biodiversity finance gap and accelerate progress… [Read More]
Celebrating World Cities Day 2025: Advancing Sustainable Urban Development for All
World Cities Day, observed annually on 31 October, was established through UN General Assembly Resolution 68/239 to promote global awareness of urbanization and its challenges. The day aims to foster international cooperation in addressing urban issues and to advance sustainable urban development across the world. The 2025 theme, “People-Centered Smart Cities,” highlights the importance of… [Read More]
Pakistan Gears Up for Nationwide Measles and Rubella Drive with WHO Training 140,000 Health Workers
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of Pakistan have launched a large-scale effort to train over 140,000 health workers ahead of a nationwide measles and rubella (MR) vaccination campaign. Scheduled from 17 to 29 November 2025, the drive aims to immunize 35.4 million children between six and 59 months of age. This preventive… [Read More]
WHO European Region Launches New 5-Year Vision for Health and System Resilience
All 53 Member States of the WHO European Region have unanimously adopted the second European Programme of Work 2026–2030 (EPW2) during the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe (RC75). This new five-year strategy marks a significant step forward in building healthier, fairer, and more resilient societies by the end of the decade…. [Read More]
FAO, RUFORUM Strengthen Ties to Advance Agricultural Research and Innovation in Africa
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM) have renewed their partnership through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed during a virtual ceremony attended by senior officials from both institutions. This renewed five-year collaboration reinforces their shared commitment to advancing agricultural… [Read More]
Inter-American Development Bank Advances Digital Transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean
For the first time in Latin America and the Caribbean, citizens will be able to complete digital public service transactions in another country using their national digital identity. This achievement was showcased during the XIX Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Digital Government Network (Red Gealc) in Antigua, Guatemala, with the launch of IdLAC — a… [Read More]
IFC Partners with Mali’s BNDA to Strengthen SME Development and Job Creation
IFC has announced a new partnership with the Banque Nationale de Développement Agricole (BNDA) to strengthen small business financing and promote job creation in Mali’s vital agricultural sector. The sector, which supports nearly 80% of the population and contributes around one-third of the country’s GDP, will receive a significant boost through this collaboration aimed at… [Read More]
IFC Backs America Embalagens to Strengthen Brazil’s Circular Economy
In October 2025, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced a strategic investment in America Embalagens, one of Brazil’s leading rigid plastic packaging manufacturers. The funding aims to support the expansion and modernization of the company’s largest plant in São Paulo state. This initiative aligns with efforts to enhance… [Read More]
Ottawa pledges $7 million to support Caribbean recovery after Hurricane Melissa
Canada has announced $7 million in humanitarian aid for Caribbean nations devastated by Hurricane Melissa, with the government also prepared to deploy soldiers if requested. The Category 5 storm, which made landfall earlier in the week, has caused extensive damage in Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti, resulting in dozens of deaths, widespread power outages, and severe… [Read More]
From outbreak to resilience: Bangladesh boosts cholera response in Rohingya camps
In January 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Government of Bangladesh and health partners, launched a large-scale Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaign targeting Rohingya refugees and nearby host communities. The campaign successfully vaccinated 976,751 people, achieving an impressive 103.6% coverage rate, largely due to new refugee arrivals and denominator discrepancies. Children… [Read More]
New Poliovirus Sequencing Lab Boosts Cameroon’s Disease Surveillance and Response
For the first time, Cameroon has successfully completed the full sequencing of a circulating variant poliovirus type 3 (cVDPV3), marking a major achievement in Africa’s ongoing battle to eliminate polio. While wild poliovirus type 3 was declared eradicated in 2019, variant strains can still emerge in areas with low immunity, making rapid detection and response… [Read More]
Colombia’s Peace Efforts a Global Example, Says UN Envoy, Calling for Increased Funding
Following the signing of Colombia’s 2016 Peace Agreement, more than 13,000 former FARC combatants disarmed within a year, handing over nearly 9,000 weapons, 38,000 tons of explosives, and millions of rounds of ammunition. This marked a historic step toward ending decades of conflict and rebuilding community trust. UN Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča noted that, despite… [Read More]
Thousands Forced from Homes as Hurricane Melissa Sweeps the Caribbean
Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean, damaging homes, infrastructure, and crops, and displacing thousands of people. Despite the severity of the storm, advance preparations by governments, supported by UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, significantly reduced casualties and helped communities brace for the impact. In Cuba, the hurricane struck Santiago de… [Read More]
‘Normalising’ Taliban regime would abandon Afghan women, cautions UN expert
The human rights situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate with little reason for optimism, according to Richard Bennett, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan. Addressing the General Assembly, he warned of escalating gender persecution, enforced disappearances, corporal punishment, and attacks on former officials despite the Taliban’s declared amnesty. He also raised concerns… [Read More]
Putting People First: Transforming Cities for a Better Urban Life
As cities continue to expand and evolve, the focus of this year’s World Cities Day is on ensuring that innovation serves people first. Celebrated in Bogotá, Colombia, under the theme “People-Centred Smart Cities,” the event—organized by UN-Habitat—brings together mayors, city planners, and community leaders to discuss how technology, data, and design can make urban areas… [Read More]
