In recent weeks, the Taliban cut off Internet and phone networks across Afghanistan, silencing millions of women and girls and severing their last link to the outside world. For those with connectivity, the blackout disrupted access to education, work, and vital services, highlighting how fragile these digital lifelines are in a country where many women… [Read More]
New Initiatives in Alberta to Boost Youth Mental Health Care Access
The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Alberta’s Minister of Health, announced a $10 million investment through the Youth Mental Health Fund (YMHF) to expand Integrated Youth Services (IYS) across the province. IYS is an internationally recognized model designed to make it easier for young people and their families to access mental health and related supports in one… [Read More]
Canada Expands Energy and Resource Collaboration with the United Kingdom
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson concluded a three-day visit to London from October 14 to 16, 2025, focused on advancing secure critical minerals supply chains and energy security for Canada and its allies. During the trip, he met with key government and industry partners to drive British investment in Canada’s resource sectors,… [Read More]
UK Statement to OSCE on Russia’s Strikes Against Ukraine’s Energy Systems
Russia has recently intensified attacks on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure, severely disrupting gas production and damaging critical storage facilities in western Ukraine. A strike on thermal power stations on 10 October left half of Kyiv without power and many residents without access to water, highlighting the devastating impact of targeting essential services during winter. The… [Read More]
Local Areas Receive £80 Million Funding to Improve Mental Health Support and Employment Outcomes
The Government has extended the Transformative Inactivity Trailblazer scheme, providing targeted support to areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity across England and Wales. The initiative aims to help local people who are currently out of work through confidence-building, social support groups, mental health services, and skills development, giving them the tools to enter… [Read More]
Urgent Warning for Youth: The Hidden Dangers of Taking Drugs
A new government campaign has been launched to warn young people about the serious risks associated with taking ketamine, counterfeit medicines, and adulterated THC vapes. Targeting 16-24-year-olds and social media users, the campaign highlights the life-threatening consequences of recreational drug use, including irreparable bladder damage, poisoning, and death. The initiative responds to a significant rise… [Read More]
£80 Million Funding Boost for Children’s Hospices Across the UK
Children’s and young people’s hospices in England will receive nearly £80 million in funding over the next three years, providing long-term certainty for vital services that support seriously ill children and their families. This multi-year settlement builds on the government’s previous £100 million investment, the largest in a generation, and will ensure that thousands of… [Read More]
Historic Investment Announced to Safeguard Jewish Communities
The UK government has announced a record funding boost of up to £10 million to enhance security at synagogues and Jewish schools, marking the largest allocation yet to protect faith communities. This emergency cash injection comes in response to the terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, and reflects growing concern… [Read More]
New European Innovation Partnership Project Receives €7 Million to Support Nature on Coastal Arable Land
The Irish Ministers for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon TD, and for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, announced the approval of a new European Innovation Partnership (EIP) project, “The Arable Coast Environment,” led by SECAD. The project aims to enhance habitats for biodiversity along the coast from South Cork to Wexford,… [Read More]
Ontario Announces $2B Investment to Enhance Long-Term Care Services
The Ontario government is making a historic investment of $1.92 billion to protect and expand the province’s long-term care system. This funding supports a significant increase in staffing over the past four years, helping Ontario surpass its target of an average of four hours of daily direct care for residents provided by nurses and personal… [Read More]
UN Peacekeeping Faces Deep Cuts Amid Global Funding Shortfall
The United Nations is facing a severe funding crisis that is forcing deep cuts to its peacekeeping operations. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix described the situation as “more daunting than ever,” pointing to the partial non-payment of assessed contributions by Member States, which has left financing well below the approved 2025-26 budget. Speaking at a… [Read More]
Global Health at the Forefront: 100 Nations Commit to Climate Action
Tuvalu has become the 100th country to join the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), alongside the Cook Islands and Malaysia, bringing the Alliance’s membership to 100 countries and areas committed to advancing climate action for health. The Alliance serves as a voluntary network of countries, areas, and partners focused on sharing… [Read More]
Life-Changing Water Supply Projects in DRC Extend Impact Beyond Ebola
For years, the 20,000 residents of Bulape faced a daily struggle to access water, often walking several kilometres through the forest to reach unsafe and stagnant pools. The long journey consumed hours of women’s time, delayed children from attending school, and contributed to frequent outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Henriette Byongo, a mother of seven, recalls… [Read More]
Accelerating HIV Prevention: Nigeria Introduces Injectable PrEP Options
Nigeria is intensifying efforts to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Until recently, HIV prevention in the country relied largely on daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), but adherence challenges, stigma, limited awareness, and inconsistent access have hindered widespread uptake. The introduction of long-acting injectable PrEP, which can last two to six months,… [Read More]
Historic Milestone: Angola Launches Cervical Cancer Vaccination Program
Lélia Bartolomeu, aged 12, was deeply influenced by her grandmother’s battle with cervical cancer, which inspired her commitment to promoting change. Each year in Africa, over 117,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and more than 76,000 die from the disease. Despite being highly preventable and treatable when detected early, limited access to prevention, screening,… [Read More]
Cameroon Becomes a Beacon of Hope for Youth Living with HIV
Eugène, a 20-year-old student from Yaoundé, Cameroon, was diagnosed HIV-positive at 14, a revelation that initially brought fear, stigma, and uncertainty into his adolescence. Overcoming these challenges, he now advocates for self-acceptance and equitable access to reproductive health services for young people living with HIV, reflecting the experiences of thousands of Cameroonian youth facing similar… [Read More]
India Introduces Kuali Fund to Drive Climate-Resilient Investments Inspired by Huruma Project
COFIDES, together with the European Union, GAWA Capital, the Embassy of Spain, and other partners, officially launched the Kuali Fund in India on 14 October 2025. This innovative impact investment vehicle aims to mobilize over EUR 200 million to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and strengthen climate resilience among vulnerable communities in India,… [Read More]
Bosnia and Herzegovina: EU and EBRD Launch Initiative to Improve Access to Finance
The European Union, in partnership with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Raiffeisen Bank, has signed two financial agreements aimed at improving access to finance for small businesses and households across Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The agreements focus on supporting small businesses led by women, young people, and entrepreneurs outside major cities,… [Read More]
UN Report: 63 Million Children Face Hunger Worldwide Due to Conflict in 2025
In 2025, approximately 118 million children have been pushed into hunger, with around 63 million—over half—driven into this situation by conflict, according to a new analysis by Save the Children on World Food Day. Unlike hunger caused by drought, environmental shocks, or economic pressures, conflict remains the primary driver of the most severe forms of… [Read More]
Study Reveals One in Five Finnish Children Encounter Harmful Online Content on Suicide and War
A new Save the Children Finland survey has revealed alarming trends in children’s online experiences, showing that many Finnish children as young as nine are regularly exposed to violent or distressing content on the internet. The survey, which included more than 1,000 children aged 9 to 15, found that one in five (21%) have been… [Read More]
WFP, Tajikistan Sign Agreement to Boost Digital Agriculture and Youth Opportunities
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan have signed a Technical Assistance Agreement to implement the project titled “Engaging Youth Smallholder Farmers through Agri-Tech for Improved Food Security and Value Chains,” supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). The agreement represents a major step… [Read More]
WFP–KOICA Partnership Enhances Health and Nutrition for Kyrgyzstan’s Schoolchildren
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has launched a three-year, US$10 million project aimed at improving the health and nutrition of school-aged children. The initiative will directly benefit 15,000 children, half of whom are girls, across… [Read More]
Sierra Leone to Boost Food Security with $2.25 Million African Development Bank Support
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved a $2.25 million financing package to strengthen agricultural productivity and food security in Sierra Leone through the Fostering Africa’s Agricultural Productivity through Fertilizer Value Chain Financing (FOSTER) project. Implemented by Welthungerhilfe, the initiative aims to help thousands of smallholder farmers access quality fertilizers using innovative… [Read More]
