The Government of Japan has contributed USD 6.7 million to the United Nations World Food Programme to support Rohingya refugees and host communities in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. The funding aims to strengthen food security, improve nutrition, and enhance the wellbeing of vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. Japan emphasized its continued commitment to assisting Rohingya… [Read More]
UN Agencies Spotlight Justice and Resources for Women Farmers
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and the United Nations World Food Programme jointly marked International Women’s Day with a global event focused on strengthening women farmers’ access to justice, rights, and economic opportunities. The event emphasized the importance of recognizing the role of women in… [Read More]
Global Partnerships Empower Youth Innovation for the Planet
Since 2019, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Samsung have collaborated to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by empowering young people and leveraging digital technology. Through initiatives such as the Samsung Global Goals App and Generation17, the partnership has engaged nearly 400 million users worldwide, amplified youth voices in global discussions,… [Read More]
Kiribati NGOs Call for Stronger Local Governance to Rescue SDGs
The Kiribati Association of NGOs (KANGO) has called for stronger recognition of community leadership and traditional governance in the country’s implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its 2026 Voluntary National Review (VNR). Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development side event focused on locally led action, KANGO emphasized that sustainable development in… [Read More]
Gates Foundation Funds Rainbow Crops with $7M for Food Security Research
Rainbow Crops, an agtech company focused on developing advanced crop genetics, has received a $7 million grant from the Gates Foundation to support research on climate-resilient crops aimed at strengthening global food security. The initiative will primarily focus on addressing agricultural challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, where climate change is increasingly affecting crop… [Read More]
UN Tourism and TUI Care Foundation Back Rural Artisans Across Africa
The “Colourful Cultures” initiative has been launched to empower rural artists and artisans across Africa by helping them generate income, preserve cultural heritage, and actively shape their own development. The program represents a significant step for UN Tourism, as it provides direct financing and technical support to grassroots organizations for the first time. By supporting… [Read More]
Rockefeller Foundation Adds $10M to Boost Electricity Access in Africa by 2030
The Rockefeller Foundation has announced an additional US$10 million to support Mission 300, a joint initiative by the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank aimed at connecting 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa to electricity by 2030. The announcement was made during Mission 300 Day at the 2026 Africa Energy Indaba in Cape… [Read More]
South Africa Launches Bid to Produce Long-Acting HIV Drug Lenacapavir
The Government of South Africa has announced plans to engage with Gilead Sciences to pursue an agreement that would allow the local production of lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention drug. As part of this effort, the government has issued a call for expressions of interest to identify domestic pharmaceutical manufacturers capable of producing high-quality lenacapavir…. [Read More]
Lebanon Crisis Deepens as Residents Fear What Comes Next
The crisis in the Middle East has intensified, pushing Lebanon into a severe humanitarian catastrophe. Sana Basim, Head of Programmes for Islamic Relief Lebanon, described the worsening conditions as Israeli airstrikes expand deeper into Lebanese territory, spreading fear across areas that were previously considered safe. While coordinating aid efforts remotely due to travel disruptions, she… [Read More]
Annie Lennox, Public Figures Call for Funding for Women on Violence Frontlines
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, singer and activist Annie Lennox and the NGO The Circle have launched a global appeal urging urgent financial support for grassroots women’s rights organisations addressing gender-based violence. The initiative, titled **#MakeAStandfor1in3**, highlights the alarming global reality that one in three women experiences physical or sexual violence in her… [Read More]
UNESCO–CENIA Partnership Promotes Ethical AI in Education Across Latin America
At the end of February 2026, the UNESCO Regional Office in Santiago and the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA) signed a cooperation agreement to promote the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education across Chile and Latin America. The partnership establishes a framework for collaboration aimed at strengthening capacities, advancing digital competencies, and ensuring… [Read More]
UNESCO Supports Launch of Jordan’s Education Plan 2026–2030
The UNESCO Amman Office, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has officially launched Jordan’s Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2026–2030, marking a key milestone in the country’s education reform efforts. The new strategy follows the conclusion of the previous Education Sector Plan (2018–2025) and is based on a comprehensive Education Sector Analysis finalized in March… [Read More]
$1.5 Million WEDC Grants Boost Small Businesses in Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has announced the allocation of $1.5 million in Small Business Development Grants to ten community organizations across the state of Wisconsin. The funding aims to strengthen local economies by supporting small businesses and encouraging community-driven development. According to WEDC leadership, the initiative is designed to help communities create environments… [Read More]
From Past to Future: Justice Reforms in Nepal 1991–2024
Over the past four decades, Nepal has undergone a significant political transformation from a centralized monarchy to a federal democratic republic. This transition has created a pluralistic justice system that combines formal courts with local judicial committees and community mediation mechanisms. Key constitutional milestones shaped this transformation, including the 1990 Constitution, which established judicial independence… [Read More]
Cost-Effective Strategies to Strengthen Tuberculosis Programs Despite Funding Gaps
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s leading public health challenges, with an estimated 10.7 million people affected and 1.23 million deaths reported in 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted TB services, causing notifications to fall from 7.1 million in 2019 to 5.8 million in 2020. These disruptions led to a surge in undiagnosed and… [Read More]
Five Key Insights to Scale Social Innovation: Lessons on Business Models, Value, and Evidence
Scaling social innovation requires more than a strong idea—it demands sustainable business models, clear value propositions, and solid evidence of impact. In February 2026, the Innovation Hub of Enabel organized the Innovation Hub Days in Dakar, bringing together grantees supported through the Belgian Wehubit 2.0 programme and three European programmes: DGA, DGI, and RTIA. The… [Read More]
Community Engagement in Somalia: Key Lessons for Strengthening Community-Led Humanitarian Response
Community engagement must go beyond being treated as a project and instead be embraced as a mindset to ensure more effective humanitarian responses. This was one of the major lessons highlighted during a workshop held in Mogadishu from 2–4 February 2026, where humanitarian partners reflected on community-led approaches in Somalia. Between October and November 2025,… [Read More]
Sierra Leone Closes Gap on Cervical Cancer with Successful HPV Campaign
Sierra Leone has achieved a major public health milestone by surpassing national targets in its recent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign, marking a significant step toward eliminating cervical cancer as a public health threat by 2030. The campaign used a multi-age cohort approach, targeting adolescent girls aged 11 to 18 to rapidly increase population immunity,… [Read More]
Kenya Adopts WHO Child Development Tool in National Health Survey
For the first time, Kenya has measured the growth, learning, and development of children under five as part of a major national health survey, marking a milestone in how the country plans and delivers support for its youngest citizens. Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, and the quality of nurturing care—including health,… [Read More]
Tanzania Expands Respiratory Surveillance to Boost Pandemic Preparedness
Tanzania has significantly strengthened its pandemic preparedness by expanding its capacity to detect and respond to respiratory disease threats. The country’s sentinel surveillance network has grown from 9 sites in 2021 to 27 sites across 19 regions, enabling faster detection of pathogens such as COVID-19, influenza, RSV, adenoviruses, and other emerging respiratory infections. This expansion… [Read More]
Advancing AMR Monitoring: Jimma University Leads Innovation in Ethiopia
Jimma University in Ethiopia is advancing national efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) through the Local Production of Antibiotic Disc (LoPAD) project, an innovative initiative supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) under the LEAD Innovation Challenge Program. The project explores local production of antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) discs, aiming to reduce dependence on imported… [Read More]
Financing Sustainable Agriculture in Brazil’s Cerrado Biome
Brazil’s Cerrado biome, the country’s second-largest, plays a central role in national agricultural production while also hosting significant biodiversity and ecosystem value. Nearly half of its native vegetation remains intact, presenting an opportunity to expand agriculture on already cleared land. How agricultural finance—particularly public rural credit and emerging blended-finance instruments—is structured and deployed will be… [Read More]
Asia-Pacific Adolescent Girls at Risk: Calls for Australia to Boost Support
Plan International Australia has released a new report urging the Federal Government to increase targeted aid for adolescent girls in the Asia-Pacific, warning that global aid cuts and a growing anti-rights backlash are threatening gender equality in the region. The report, Invest Early, Change Everything, highlights that over 240 million adolescent girls live in the… [Read More]
