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February 17, 2026 Refugees and migrants

As the war in Sudan approaches its fourth year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and 123 partner organizations on Tuesday appealed for $1.6 billion to support millions of people forced to flee the country in search of safety.

The 2026 regional response plan provides life-saving assistance to 5.9 million people in seven neighboring countries: the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda. The plan will continue to prioritize support for the approximately 470,000 new refugees expected to cross these countries' borders.

The world's biggest crisis

War in Sudan erupted in mid-April 2023, with the Armed Forces and the Rapid Intervention Forces locked in a bitter power struggle.

UNHCR Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa Mamadou Diane Baldé said the need for the fourth annual humanitarian appeal for Sudan highlights the ongoing impact of the conflict on the population and the challenges facing the humanitarian system.

"Sudan remains the world's largest displacement crisis and gravest humanitarian crisis, unfolding against the backdrop of the most severe funding shortfall in decades," he told reporters in Geneva.

Host communities are at their limits

Some 4.3 million Sudanese refugees have found refuge within the region, most in Egypt and eastern Chad.

Host governments and local communities continue to show "amazing solidarity," Balde said, but their capacity is stretched to its limits.

"Due to severe funding cuts, UNHCR was forced to close two of its three registration centers in Egypt, limiting people's access to key protection mechanisms," he said. Furthermore, he said, funding per refugee per month has been reduced from $11 to $4.

In eastern Chad, more than 71,000 refugee families have not received housing assistance, meaning they lack safe and suitable housing. "Nearly 234,000 people are awaiting resettlement, living in extremely precarious conditions at the border," Baldé added.

Growing needs, shrinking resources

Balde emphasized that despite the limitations, the 2026 plan will continue to support host countries in providing basic services—food, shelter, medical care, and protection mechanisms—for new arrivals and the most vulnerable refugees. However, he warned that the growing gap between increasing needs and dwindling resources threatens to undermine both emergency responses and medium-term solutions.

UNHCR continues to call for increased international support to address the chronic underfunding of humanitarian operations in countries hosting people fleeing Sudan.

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February 17, 2026 Refugees and migrants

Migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers in Libya face "merciless and systematic human rights violations," including killings, torture, sexual violence, and human trafficking, said Tamin Al-Khitan, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), presenting a new report in Geneva.

The document was prepared by OHCHR jointly with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and covers the period from January 2024 to December 2025.

Exploitation of vulnerable people

According to Al-Khitan, the report describes how migrants are "detained and abducted by criminal networks involved in human trafficking, often linked to the Libyan authorities and foreign criminal organizations." People are separated from their families, arrested, and held without due process, which effectively amounts to arbitrary detention.

“In places of detention, migrants are regularly subjected to appalling violations and abuses, including slavery, torture, ill-treatment, forced labor, forced prostitution and other forms of sexual violence, extortion and blackmail,” the UN representative said.

The report says an "exploitative model" has emerged that exploits the vulnerable position of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees and has become a "cruel and normalised reality".

Dangerous interceptions and forced returns

Migrants also spoke of "horrific attempts" cross the central Mediterranean SeaAccording to Al-Khitan, interceptions by Libyan authorities are often accompanied by threats, dangerous maneuvers, and excessive use of force, putting lives at risk. Those intercepted are often forcibly returned to Libya, where they once again face the same cycle of violence and exploitation.

Suki Nagra, a human rights expert with the UN Mission in Libya, joined the briefing remotely. She shared examples of testimonies documented in the report. Specifically, a Nigerian woman who became a victim of human trafficking in 2021 spent two years in Tripoli under forced sexual exploitation. After a police raid, she was transferred to a house in Zuwarah, where she found herself in a situation of domestic servitude, without freedom of movement or pay. In February 2025, she managed to leave Libya.

“There are no words to describe the endless nightmare these people are plunged into, only to fuel the growing greed of traffickers and those who profit from the system of exploitation,” Al-Khitan emphasized.

Collective expulsions

The report also condemns the frequent expulsion of migrants from Libya to other countries without consideration of their individual circumstances. This practice violates the prohibition on collective expulsions and deprives people of the right to apply for asylum, the authors of the document recall.

The UN Human Rights Office has called on the Libyan authorities to immediately release all persons arbitrarily detained in both formal and informal centres, to end dangerous interceptions at sea, and to decriminalise entry, stay, and exit without proper documentation.

In addition, the international community, including the European Union, is recommended to impose a moratorium on interceptions and returns to Libya until adequate human rights guarantees are ensured in that country.

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February 17, 2026 Peace and security

Today, only 5,000 children remain in Kherson out of the more than 60,000 who lived there before the war. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is helping ensure their safety by supporting efforts to build bomb shelters. There, deep underground, young Kherson residents spend their childhood. The head of UNICEF's Ukrainian office told reporters in Geneva this, joining via video link from one of these bomb shelters.

According to Munir Mammadzade, Kherson is subjected to daily artillery shelling, which leads to the destruction of houses and critical infrastructureHe recounted the fate of one family recently affected by a strike: "On that freezing night in late January, Kateryna pushed her two children into the hallway and ran out after them. The explosions were louder than usual, even by Kherson standards, and suddenly a powerful blow destroyed their home."

Life is under attack

Sixteen-year-old Darya and eight-year-old Artem were injured by shrapnel. Ekaterina required surgery, but fortunately, they all survived. A local mobile child protection team, supported by UNICEF, visited the family in the hospital that same day, providing psychosocial support, cash assistance, and essential items. "The family is currently recovering from their injuries, but the house they rent outside the city does not guarantee their safety in this brutal war," Mammadzade said.

Struggle for survival

However, he added, the tragedy is that four years after the start of full-scale war, there are almost no safe places left in Kherson. "In the city of Kherson and the region where I am today, the daily life of children and their families is a struggle for survival," the UNICEF representative said. "This frontline area is covered with anti-drone nets, and Kherson residents spend their childhoods literally underground."

Protection centers

Today, 5,000 of the 60,000 children who once lived peacefully with their families and friends until their childhoods changed forever on February 24, 2022, remain in Kherson. Today, they study, play, and sleep in basements to escape shelling, a UNICEF representative noted.

"At the UNICEF-supported child protection center, I spoke with families and staff, including psychologists and social workers. They all spoke of the extreme exhaustion of families forced to live in a 24-hour state of constant anxiety," he said. "The constant fear of attacks, the endless need to hide in basements, and isolation at home with limited social contact take a heavy toll on children and adolescents, affecting their mental and physical health."

Read also:

Without heat and light: UNICEF warns of worsening situation for Ukrainian families

At the same time, Mammadzade continued, such spaces offer a respite from the horrors happening above. "Here, you can sense an incredible determination to keep living. UNICEF helps children and families with precisely this," he emphasized.

Together with local authorities and partners, UNICEF supports seven child protection centers across the Kherson region, provides mobile teams with vital emergency assistance to victims, and strengthens alternative care systems for the most vulnerable children.

UNICEF has also created early childhood development and digital learning spaces in Kherson, as well as youth centers for skills development and social connections. Residents receive cash assistance, and local utility services support efforts to restore heating and water supplies. Similar assistance is being provided in other frontline areas.

Forced to flee

Mammadzade also drew attention to the fate of children forced to flee their homes. This concerns 2.6 million young Ukrainians. Approximately 1.8 million of them are living as refugees outside the country, and more than 791,000 are displaced within Ukraine.

The war, according to a UNICEF representative, is being felt most acutely in frontline areas, but people are suffering across the country: attacks on civilian areas continue, leading to the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals, and infrastructure. "For example, the number of child deaths and injuries in Kyiv and the Kyiv region last year was almost four times higher than in 2024," Mammadzade recalled. "A recent UNICEF study showed that one in three adolescents aged 15-19 had been forced to move at least twice, and the main reason for fleeing was the search for safety. Other important factors include the quality of education and opportunities for skill development."

"Children and young people haven't given up on their future—and neither will we," concluded the UNICEF representative. "UNICEF works across Ukraine and in neighboring refugee-hosting countries to support children affected by displacement and ongoing violence."

The International Organization for Migration is helping Ukrainians.

Arthur Erken, Regional Director for Europe at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), also spoke to journalists in Geneva about the assistance provided to Ukrainians. Speaking from Vienna, he stated that since the full-scale invasion, more than 4.4 million people have returned to their areas of origin.

Of the million people who returned to Ukraine from abroad, 372,000 were unable to return to their home countries and are considered internally displaced. IOM provides them with comprehensive support to prevent further waves of displacement.

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February 17, 2026 Culture and education

UN Secretary-General António Guterres addressed Muslims around the world on the occasion of the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan, emphasizing its significance as a time of spiritual reflection, prayer and the pursuit of peace.

According to the Secretary-General, Ramadan offers a "noble vision of hope and peace," but for millions of people it remains elusive. Guterres noted that from Afghanistan to Yemen, from Gaza to Sudan, and in other regions of the world, people continue to face conflict, famine, displacement, discrimination, and other dire challenges.

The UN chief called on the international community to heed the core message of Ramadan – to strive to overcome divisions, help those who suffer, and protect the rights and dignity of every person.

Guterres recalled that every year at the beginning of Ramadan, he makes it a personal tradition to visit a Muslim community and join in the fast as a sign of solidarity. "Every year, I return inspired by the message of peace and compassion that Ramadan brings," he said.

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February 17, 2026 Healthcare

Almost two-thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries affected by conflict or political instability. The risk of pregnancy-related death and childbirth for women living in such countries is approximately five times higher per pregnancy than in stable countries.

This is stated in a new technical review prepared by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction.

Crisis situations

In 2023 alone, an estimated 160,000 women died from preventable pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes in conflict and instability settings—that's six out of ten maternal deaths globally. Yet, these settings account for only about one-tenth of all live births.

According to the analysis, in countries classified as conflict-affected, the maternal mortality rate was 504 per 100,000 live births. In countries with significant institutional and social instability, it was 368 per 100,000. By comparison, in countries outside these categories, the rate was significantly lower – 99 per 100,000.

These data complement previously published global estimates for 2000–2023, which showed that progress in reducing maternal mortality has slowed, while in low-income countries and in crisis situations, the figures remain extremely high.

Inequality and weak systems

The authors emphasize that conflict and instability create conditions in which health systems are unable to routinely provide life-saving care to pregnant women. Furthermore, additional factors—gender, ethnicity, age, and migration status—can further increase the risks.

Inequality is particularly pronounced among adolescents. In 2023, one in 51 15-year-old girls living in a conflict-affected country faced a lifetime risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes. In countries with institutional instability, the risk was one in 79, while in relatively prosperous countries, it was only one in 593.

Practical solutions

The publication also provides examples of countries where health workers are struggling to provide maternal health services despite instability, including Colombia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and Ukraine.

In Colombia, midwife training helps provide timely care in remote areas where access to health facilities is limited due to geography or insecurity.

Read also:

Pregnant women and newborns are suffering the most from the attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure.

In Ethiopia, the focus is on restoring continuity of care through mobile teams, renovating health facilities, and hiring additional midwives.

In Haiti, removing barriers plays a key role: women forced to flee their homes are provided with free or discounted services. Efforts are also being made to ensure a stable electricity supply in maternity hospitals.

Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, and Ukraine are demonstrating that even in protracted crises, maternal health can be protected through regional planning, improved quality and safety of maternity care, and reorganization of routes for patients who need to reach hospitals.

Action plan

By linking maternal mortality rates to levels of fragility, experts have a more precise tool for identifying countries where the most urgent action is needed.

This includes investing in primary health care, collecting data in hard-to-reach areas, and building health systems that can adapt to crises. The authors believe these measures will help more quickly reduce maternal mortality rates, even in the most challenging conditions.

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February 17, 2026 UN

UN Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated the people of countries celebrating the Lunar New Year and emphasized the symbolism of the upcoming Year of the Horse. He said the sign embodies energy, success, and courage—qualities the world especially needs amid ongoing conflicts, growing inequality, and the climate crisis.

The Lunar New Year is one of the most significant holidays in East Asia, celebrated according to the lunisolar calendar. It symbolizes renewal, family unity, and hope for prosperity in the new cycle.

Guterres noted that this period of renewal reminds us of the power of collective effort and humanity's ability to build a more secure and inclusive future. He called for continued work for peace, dignity, and sustainable development for all.

"May the spirit of the horse bring you health, happiness and prosperity," the UN Secretary-General said in his address.

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February 17, 2026 Climate and environment

Today, when the planet celebrates World Sustainable Tourism DayKyrgyzstan celebrates the snow leopard, or irbis, which has become a symbol of pristine nature, national pride, and a key to the development of environmentally and socially responsible tourism.

In many countries, including India, Mongolia, China, and Pakistan, snow leopard watching has become a popular ecotourism activity. Inspired by these examples, in 2023, the Snow Leopard Foundation in Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), successfully implemented the project "Snow Leopard Tours: Key to Conserving Local Nature."

The project became the foundation for the development of ethical tourism in the Sarychat-Ertash Nature Reserve. It included training sessions for rangers and residents of nearby communities, as well as the purchase of necessary equipment: from tents and yurts to solar panels and pack bags. All this made it possible to create comfortable and environmentally friendly conditions for wildlife observation.

Today, such tours run from mid-autumn to late winter. In the two seasons since the project's completion, approximately 10-12 groups (approximately 60-70 people) have visited the reserve and adjacent areas, including the Zhangart and Ak-Shyirak tracts.

"Unlike other excursions, our snow leopard tours take into account the capacity of the reserve and the local environment. Groups are limited to six people, and the reserve is not visited by multiple groups at the same time," notes Zhumabay uulu Kubanychbek, Director of the Snow Leopard Foundation in Kyrgyzstan.

Starting in 2025, every tourist will contribute $100 to the local community's conservation fund. These funds support rangers, develop infrastructure, and promote conservation. With a steady flow of tourists, the contribution is expected to reach $7,000 per year—a significant benefit for remote regions of the country.

Each tour generates between three and four thousand dollars in revenue, with services provided exclusively by local residents: rangers, guides, cooks, and guesthouse owners.

It's important to note that this involves careful and unobtrusive observation of wild animals in their natural environment. On such excursions, tourists strive to capture rare glimpses of snow leopards, as well as other predators such as wolves, bears, Pallas's cats, and large scavenger birds. Predators such as wolves and foxes, previously considered "harmful" in this area, have become valuable and attractive sightings on these tours.

The excursions allowed the reserve to improve its infrastructure while simultaneously raising the level of service. Rangers and local guides have become more experienced, and statistics show that the likelihood of spotting a snow leopard during a tour has reached 90 percent—a figure that is unique even by global standards.

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February 16, 2026 International law

A collection of documents, often referred to in the media as the "Epstein dossier," contains "disturbing and credible evidence" of systematic and widespread sexual abuse, human trafficking, and exploitation of women and girls, UN experts said on Monday.

In their opinion, the materials presented indicate the possible existence of a transnational criminal network and indicate actions that may fall under the definition of crimes against humanity.

The experts emphasized that the actions documented could be classified as sexual slavery, reproductive violence, enforced disappearances, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, and femicide.

“These crimes were committed in a climate of racism, corruption, extreme misogyny and the commercialization of women and girls from different regions of the world,” the statement said.

Definition of crimes against humanity

Under international criminal law, crimes against humanity can include sexual slavery, rape, forced prostitution, human trafficking, persecution, torture, and murder if committed "as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against a civilian population." Experts noted that the patterns of conduct identified in the "Epstein dossier" may meet these criteria and require prosecution in competent national and international courts.

Errors when publishing materials

The disclosure of the materials is taking place under the Epstein Papers Transparency Act, signed into law on November 19, 2025. The US Department of Justice released a large data set on January 30, 2026 – more than three million pages of documents, two thousand videos, and 180,000 images.

Experts have warned of serious data breaches: editing errors led to the leaking of confidential information about victims, causing them further harm before the records were retracted. Meanwhile, only one close associate of Jeffrey Epstein is under investigation.

"Grave failures in the disclosure process highlight the need for urgent and victim-focused procedures for handling sensitive material to ensure that no survivor is re-traumatised," the experts said.

Privacy protection

Experts have commended the courage and resilience of survivors who continue to seek justice despite significant personal risk. A group of survivors recently met with the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

Experts say failure to protect confidentiality puts women at risk of persecution and stigma, and limited investigations leave many re-traumatized.

An appeal to the United States and other countries

UN experts called on the US authorities to address the mistakes made, ensure full disclosure of the criminal network's methods, guarantee compensation to victims, and end impunity. They also emphasized the need to abolish the statute of limitations for serious crimes related to Jeffrey Epstein's activities.

"Any statements about it being time to 'move on' are unacceptable. They constitute a denial of responsibility to the victims," the statement reads.

Experts welcomed the steps taken by individual states to initiate investigations into current and former officials, as well as individuals, featured in the materials. They called on other countries to follow suit.

"The failure of governments to effectively investigate and identify perpetrators, including those who acted with complicity or acquiescence, undermines legal mechanisms to protect women and girls from violence," the experts warned. "No one, the super-rich or the super-powerful, is above the law."

Special Rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council to examine either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are members of special procedures Human Rights Council. Special procedures experts are not UN staff and are independent of any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

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February 16, 2026 UN

The main news of the day at the UN and around the world: the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, the crisis for civilians in Ukraine, fuel shortages in Cuba, and the Secretary-General's upcoming visit to India and Switzerland.

Palestinian rights

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Israeli government's decision yesterday to resume land registration in Area C of the occupied West Bank and called for its reversal. He said this move risks dispossessing Palestinians and undermining the prospects for a two-state solution. Meanwhile, aid efforts to the people of Gaza continue to face obstacles, warned the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Supplies through Egypt are frequently turned back, and of the nearly 50 requests for passage between February 6 and 11, about half were rejected or delayed.

The situation of the residents of Ukraine

The situation of civilians in Ukraine continues to deteriorateAccording to new data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM), approximately 325,000 Ukrainians who previously returned to their homes may flee their homes again in the coming months, with more than a third of them considering leaving the country. In frontline areas, people report shortages of generators and repair materials, and psychological stress remains extremely high. Amid temperatures reaching -20 degrees Celsius and ongoing power outages across the country, many Ukrainians are once again forced to consider moving.

The Cuban crisis

Responding to journalists' questions during the daily briefing, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric noted that Secretary-General António Guterres is closely monitoring the situation in Cuba and expresses serious concern about its deteriorating situation amid ongoing fuel shortages. The UN recalls that the General Assembly has repeatedly called for an end to the US-imposed embargo and reiterates the need for dialogue and respect for international law by all parties. UN agencies support efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Cuba.

The UN Secretary-General is traveling to India.

The Secretary-General will travel to New Delhi, India, on Tuesday to attend a summit on artificial intelligence and a UN event on renewable energy. On Sunday, António Guterres will fly to Geneva, Switzerland, where he will address the opening of the 61st session of the UN Human Rights Council next Monday and then participate in the high-level segment of the Conference on Disarmament.

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