‘Absolutely the wrong path,’ Türk warns against Afghanistan’s ban on women in NGOs
The measure, issued by the de facto Ministry of Economy on 26 December, enforces a two-year-old decree prohibiting women from working with both national and international NGOs. In his statement, Mr. Türk emphasised the devastating impact on the delivery of…
Israel attacks push Gaza healthcare ‘to brink of collapse’
A report published by the Office documents attacks carried out between 12 October 2023 and 30 June 2024, raises serious concerns about Israel’s compliance with international law. Medical personnel and hospitals are specifically protected under international humanitarian law, provided they do not…
UNRWA chief renews call for probe into attacks on humanitarians in Gaza
Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini made the appeal in a statement posted on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. He noted that 15 months after the war began in Gaza, “horrors continue unabated under the world’s watch”. 258 UNRWA staff killed Citing…
Aid trucks deliver food to northwest Syria
UN aid coordination office, OCHA, reported that the cross-border operation from Türkiye into the northwest is running without impediments. On Tuesday, 21 trucks carrying 500 metric tonnes of food – enough for 175,000 people – from the UN World Food…
Report details bleak human rights situation in Ukraine nearly three years into Russian invasion
Covering the period of September to November 2024, the report describes intensified Russian attacks on populated areas, deliberate strikes on energy infrastructure, and efforts to restrict fundamental rights. “Behind each of the facts and figures in this report are stories…
UN official warns against further escalation amid attacks in Yemen, Israel and the Red Sea
Briefing the Security Council in New York, Assistant Secretary-General for Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, Khaled Khiari, warned the Middle East was witnessing another dangerous escalation. He said that attacks in Israel and Yemen, as well as in the…
UN chief hails ‘peacemaker, human rights champion’, former President Jimmy Carter
The Democratic Party icon lived longer than any president in US history, serving one term between 1977 and 1981, going on burnish his reputation on the international stage by being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and establishing a major hub…
Gaza: Hospitals closed, aid denied, civilians trapped
A stark example of this escalation was highlighted by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who confirmed that the Kamal Adwan hospital in North Gaza is now out of service. On 27 December, the facility…
UN support continues in Syria and Lebanon
Geir Pedersen has been meeting with French, German and Russian authorities, the UN reported on Monday, which includes engagement with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin this past weekend. During all of these discussions, Mr. Pedersen reiterated the relevance of…
The inspiring female engineer breathing new life into Yemen’s ancient capital
“There is a common language between me and the buildings. In every house I try to preserve. I feel that the city is grateful to me, and I am grateful to the city because it has taught me a lot”,…