On 22 February 2026, Jordan marked a major milestone in childhood cancer care with the first delivery of life-saving medicines through the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, becoming the first country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to implement the initiative. Co-founded by WHO and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Global Platform… [Read More]
Closing Immunity Gaps in Enugu Through Independent Child Health Monitors
In Enugu State, families, health workers, and young volunteers are collaborating to protect children from measles, rubella, HPV, and other vaccine-preventable diseases through the 2025–2026 Measles-Rubella (MR) Vaccination Campaign. The campaign aims to reach over 2.1 million children across all 17 local government areas and is led by the Government of Nigeria through the National… [Read More]
Reaching Nomadic Communities: Measles-Rubella Vaccination in Osun State
In Abaa Modakeke, a remote nomadic settlement in Osun State, families have long lived beyond the reach of basic health services, leaving children vulnerable to measles and rubella. Many parents avoided nearby health facilities due to fear of rejection or uncertainty about available services, resulting in children missing routine immunizations. During the 2025–2026 Measles-Rubella (MR)… [Read More]
Strengthening Ethiopia’s Health Workforce for Universal Health Coverage
The Federal Ministry of Health of Ethiopia, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and with technical support from WHO, has launched a series of High-Level Multisectoral Dialogues to align national priorities, investments, and policies for health workforce development, supported by funding from the UK Department for Health and Social Care. The first dialogue, themed… [Read More]
WHO, Novo Nordisk Foundation Join Forces to Advance Health Training in Kenya
Kenya has made significant strides in health workforce production over the past decade, doubling the number of nurses, doctors, and other health professionals. However, the Health Labour Market Analysis highlights persistent and emerging gaps, projecting that more than 114,000 additional health professionals across 31 roles will be needed by 2031 to meet population health demands…. [Read More]
Libya Achieves WHO Validation for Trachoma Elimination
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially validated that Libya has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, marking a major public health milestone in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. This achievement protects future generations from preventable blindness and demonstrates that neglected tropical diseases can be overcome even amid complex humanitarian and migration challenges. With this… [Read More]
Pregnancy Becomes More Dangerous Amid Conflict and Instability
Nearly two-thirds of maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries affected by conflict or fragility, where the risk of dying from maternal causes is about five times higher per pregnancy compared with women in stable countries. In 2023, an estimated 160,000 women died from preventable maternal causes in fragile and conflict-affected settings, accounting for six in… [Read More]
Dengue in the Americas: PAHO Calls for Enhanced Surveillance and Preparedness
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]
Exploring AI’s Impact on Human Development in Bangladesh
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]
How Nations Are Funding Climate Resilience as Extreme Weather Intensifies
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 Partners with Dashen Bank to Support Ethiopian SMEs
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]
Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Worsens Amid Energy Shortages
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]
Modern Cooking Solutions to Expand Across Africa with Global Alliance
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]
Ukraine’s Women and Girls at Risk Amid War and Energy Crisis
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 Among First Countries to Roll Out Long-Acting HIV Drug
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]
Building Inclusive Cities: From Inequality to Growth
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]
Sustaining HIV Efforts in Eastern Europe and Central Asia
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]
Benin Adopts New HIV Law Boosting Care and Fighting Discrimination
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 Provides €5M Guarantee to Wema Bank for Nigerian MSMEs
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]
Planned Climate Relocations in Philippines Threaten Human Rights
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]
Attacks on Abortion in Russia Undermine Gender Equality
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]
Young People at Risk as Sweden Steps Up Deportations
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]
Syrian Camp Escalates Abuse Against Trinidadian Nationals
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]
