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January 19, 2026 Humanitarian aid

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated today that the ceasefire in Gaza, now in effect for 100 days, must be maintained to save as many lives as possible. However, OCHA warns that the scaling up of humanitarian activities in the Strip continues to be hampered by Israeli restrictions and obstruction. Recent severe weather conditions have also reversed some of this progress.

In a statement released Monday, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains fragile, despite the agency reaching over a million people monthly with food parcels, bread rations, hot meals, and school meals. WFP called for the opening of additional safe humanitarian corridors from Egypt and Jordan, as well as along the Salah al-Din road within Gaza, to increase the volume of supplies.

The second stage of vaccination

The World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) have launched the second phase of a campaign to fill gaps in routine immunization in Gaza. This phase, which will last until next Thursday, aims to further protect children under three from vaccine-preventable diseases. The campaign is being carried out by 170 teams in 130 health facilities, with seven mobile teams deployed to hard-to-reach areas. The third and final phase is scheduled for April 2026.

The situation in the West Bank

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported on Monday that Israeli commanders have imposed a curfew on approximately 25,000 Palestinians in the city of Hebron, where a large-scale operation has begun. Initial reports indicate the deployment of snipers on rooftops and the deployment of military equipment, as well as the closure of six internal roads.

As a result of these actions, four bakeries and two stores, where approximately 4,000 people regularly received essential goods through UN vouchers, were forced to suspend operations. Education in more than 10 schools was also suspended, affecting thousands of students.

The OCHA added that the area had already been damaged over the weekend by damage to the local power station, resulting in a power outage. Efforts are currently underway, under curfew, to allow technicians into the area to restore power. Measures are also being taken to urgently evacuate hospital patients and facilitate distance learning for schoolchildren.

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January 19, 2026 Climate and environment

Kazakhstan has become the 30th country to join the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)-World Health Organization (WHO) Protocol on Water and Health, fulfilling a commitment made at the 2023 UN Water Conference.

Despite high levels of basic access to water and sanitation, Kazakhstan still faces challenges such as intermittent water supply and inadequate wastewater treatment. Climate change, deteriorating infrastructure, and persistent development disparities between urban and rural areas pose additional challenges.

Kazakhstan's Minister of Health, Akmaral Alnazarova, called her country's accession to the Protocol an important step in protecting public health and water resources. UNECE Executive Secretary Tatyana Molchan, in turn, emphasized that Kazakhstan's participation will strengthen regional efforts to ensure safe water and sanitation, and called on other Central Asian countries to follow suit.

Under the Protocol, Kazakhstan will continue to work towards achieving national goals in water resource protection, public health, and sanitation, and will regularly report on its progress. In 2026, the country will complete an assessment of equitable access to water and sanitation, which will serve as its contribution to preparations for the 2026 UN Water Conference.

Adopted in 1999, the Protocol aims to protect human health, sustainably manage water resources, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. For Kazakhstan, the Protocol will enter into force on April 5, 2026.

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January 19, 2026 Refugees and migrants

In the face of severe funding cuts, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) continued to provide assistance in the world's most challenging humanitarian situations in 2025, including new emergency crises and the escalation of protracted conflicts that have forced millions of people from their homes, according to a UNHCR report published Monday.

Last year, the organization supported people fleeing renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, provided assistance to refugees from South Sudan, and protected millions of Afghans returned or deported from Iran and Pakistan.

At the same time, protracted conflicts deepened: the ongoing war in Sudan, intensified attacks on Ukraine, and armed clashes in Colombia contributed to further displacement of populations, exacerbating the vulnerability of already affected people.

Emergency response

In 2025, UNHCR responded to 24 active emergencies in 16 countries, including 10 new crises. Seven of these were considered the largest and most complex, requiring urgent intervention in extremely challenging conditions – for example, in Sudan, South Sudan, and Chad.

UNHCR staff provided clean water to half a million people in Sudan, financially supported 500,000 Afghan and 120,000 Syrian returnees, and provided over a million services to displaced persons within Ukraine and in countries hosting Ukrainian refugees.

Looking to the Future: Challenges in 2026

In 2026, conflicts and instability in countries such as the DRC, Sudan, South Sudan, Ukraine, and Venezuela are projected to lead to new waves of displacement and increase pressure on already vulnerable groups. These crises affect approximately 52 million internally displaced people and account for a third of UNHCR's global funding needs in 2026.

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January 19, 2026 International law

War crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in the town of El Fasher in North Darfur, said Najat Shamim Khan, Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), speaking at a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Monday.

The people of Darfur, she said, are currently being subjected to collective torture. After El Fasher fell to the control of the Rapid Reaction Force (RRF), an "organized and calculated campaign" began in the city. causing the deepest suffering, directed in particular against non-Arab communities."

Mass executions and sexual violence

Based on video, audio and satellite evidence, the ICC Prosecutor's Office concluded that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in El Fasher, particularly in late October.

The ICC Prosecutor's Office also confirmed that sexual violence is used as a weapon of war in Darfur.

"Based on our investigations, there is no doubt that sexual violence, including rape, is systematic," Khan said.

The first step to responsibility

Khan recalled the verdict of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb, who was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in October 2025 and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

This decision was the first judgment in a case referred to the ICC by the Security Council, the first judgment in relation to the situation in Darfur, and the first judgment by the Court related to gender-based persecution.

Khan stressed that this verdict is of great importance to the people of Darfur and should be the beginning of a path towards greater accountability.

Call for cooperation

The Deputy Prosecutor called on states to more actively support ICC investigations, including by providing satellite data, facilitating work with the Darfur diaspora, and sending their experts to participate in this work.

She also stressed the need to arrest individuals wanted by the ICC, including Omar al-Bashir, Ahmad Harun and Abdel Rahim Muhammad Hussein.

In closing, Khan quoted one victim of violence: "When people see injustice and can't do anything, fear and chaos arise." The Deputy Prosecutor assured that the ICC is committed to continuing its work in the interests of all victims.

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January 19, 2026 Peace and security

In Yemen, a new wave of political instability and economic hardships linked to the ongoing conflict threaten to worsen the situation for millions of people suffering from hunger, disease, and forced displacement, UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Julien Arnet warned on Monday.

"To put it bluntly, children are dying – and the situation will only get worse," Arne told reporters in Geneva. "I'm afraid the world will only hear about this when death and infection rates rise sharply later this year."

This warning comes after a recent attempt by forces affiliated with the Southern Transitional Council (STC) to expand their presence in the resource-rich and strategically important eastern provinces of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. Earlier this month, Saudi-backed government forces reportedly recaptured these areas.

Fragile political situation

The current crisis is unfolding after more than ten years of fighting between the Ansar Allah movement, which controls the capital Sana'a, and the internationally recognized government in Aden, which is supported by a Saudi-led coalition.

"This is an extremely complex situation," Arne emphasized. "Just last month in Aden, we saw how the Yemeni government initially took control, then within 48 hours, the Southern Transitional Council took control of all government areas, including those where it had never been present before."

Four weeks later, an STC delegation, while in Riyadh, announced the "dissolution" of the movement and the return of control to the government. "But at the same time, demonstrations are taking place in Aden, declaring, 'No, we haven't disbanded, we're still here,'" the UN representative explained.

Previously, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg warned the Security Council, that these events show how quickly fragile stability can be undermined without a credible and inclusive political process.

Detentions of UN employees

An additional obstacle remains the continued detention of UN staff, diplomatic missions and other institutions by Houthi forces.

"This is a terrible situation for the families. Some haven't seen their loved ones in five years. They don't know the conditions they're being held in, don't know where they are, and don't know if they'll be sentenced to death in the coming days," Arne said.

Millions on the brink of starvation

According to the latest UN data, more than 20 million Yemenis – about half the country's population – will face acute food shortages as early as next month. Tens of thousands of people could find themselves in conditions close to full-blown famine. "We expect the situation to get significantly worse in 2026," the UN coordinator emphasized.

The healthcare system has also been disrupted: over 450 medical facilities have already closed, and thousands more are at risk of losing funding. Vaccination programs are at risk, and a third of children in Yemen have not received all their required vaccinations, primarily due to lack of access to the northern regions.

"The way economic and political decisions are being made is causing the food crisis to worsen across the country," Arne noted. "We will see significant changes: the healthcare system will no longer be able to receive the same level of support."

Despite limited access, UN partner agencies were able to provide food assistance to 3.4 million people last year, as well as emergency support to Yemenis affected by floods and disease outbreaks.

The UN has been working in Yemen since the 1960s, promoting development and protecting the most vulnerable populations. "And suddenly, in recent years, the progress achieved is being reversed—it's inexplicable," Arne said. "This is very frightening for humanitarian workers."

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January 19, 2026 Human rights

Overall, the global trend toward universal abolition of the death penalty continues, but in 2025, the UN Human Rights Office recorded a sharp increase in the number of executions. This overall statistic reflects the fact that a number of countries that retain the death penalty have begun to use capital punishment "significantly more frequently."

Alarming statistics

"My Office has recorded an alarming increase in the use of the death penalty in 2025, particularly for crimes that fall below the 'most serious crimes' threshold established by international law. Executions of individuals convicted of acts committed as children also continue, and secrecy surrounding executions persists," said UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

The global increase is largely due to the rise in executions for drug-related crimes that do not involve intentional killing. "This is not only inconsistent with international law, but also ineffective as a crime deterrent," Türk noted.

Drug-related crimes

In Iran, at least 1,500 people were reportedly executed in 2025, with at least 47 percent of the executions related to drug-related crimes. "The scale and pace of these executions demonstrate the systematic use of the death penalty as a tool of state intimidation, with a disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities and migrants," the High Commissioner said.

In Saudi Arabia, at least 356 people were reportedly executed in 2025, surpassing the previous record set in 2024. Seventy-eight percent of those executed were for drug-related offenses after such executions resumed in late 2022. "At least two of those executed in Saudi Arabia were convicted of crimes committed when they were children, which raises serious questions, particularly from a child rights perspective," Türk noted.

47 people have been executed in the United States.

In the United States, 47 executions were carried out in 2025—the highest number in 16 years. The expansion of the use of gas asphyxiation, first introduced in the US in 2024, has raised serious concerns about the possibility of torture or cruel treatment.

Other countries

Public executions continued in Afghanistan, in violation of international human rights law. On April 11, 2025, four people convicted of murder were executed by relatives of the victims at sports stadiums in Badghis, Nimroz, and Farah provinces. Since August 2021, de facto authorities have carried out several public executions.

The death penalty is not an effective tool to combat crime and can lead to the execution of innocent people.

At least 24 people were executed in Somalia and 17 in Singapore. In China and North Korea, the use of the death penalty remains shrouded in secrecy, making it difficult to obtain accurate data. Belarus recently expanded the list of crimes punishable by death under its national security and counter-terrorism legislation.

Israel is currently considering several legislative initiatives aimed at expanding the use of the death penalty by introducing mandatory death sentences that would apply exclusively to Palestinians. This raises serious concerns regarding the violation of their due process rights, as well as other violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. Executions carried out by Hamas in Gaza also constitute gross human rights violations.

Positive steps

At the same time, a number of states took encouraging steps in 2025, according to a press release from the UN Human Rights Office. Vietnam reduced the number of crimes for which the death penalty is prescribed. Pakistan also removed two non-violent crimes from the list of crimes punishable by death, while retaining 29 such crimes. Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty for non-violent crimes on December 31, 2024, and Kenya initiated a legislative review of its death penalty provisions. In Malaysia, a sentencing review process reduced the number of people facing execution by more than 1,000. In Kyrgyzstan, the Constitutional Court upheld the ban on the death penalty, declaring a bill to reinstate it unconstitutional.

Call for the abolition of the death penalty

"The death penalty is not an effective tool for combating crime and can lead to the execution of innocent people," Türk said. "In practice, the death penalty is also often applied arbitrarily and discriminatorily, in violation of the fundamental principles of equality before the law."

The High Commissioner reiterated his call on all retentionist States to immediately establish a moratorium on executions, commute all existing death sentences and move towards the complete abolition of the death penalty.

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January 18, 2026 Human rights

Despite the unprecedented scale of violence, Sudanese people maintain their spirit of struggle for peace, justice, and freedom. This was stated by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, speaking in Nairobi, Kenya, following his official visit to Sudan. He warned of the risk of mass atrocities in Kordofan and called for the immediate protection of civilians.

Türk spent five days in Sudan, visiting Port Sudan, Dongola, and the districts of Ad-Dabba and Merowe in Northern State. He met with government officials, civil society representatives, humanitarian organizations, journalists, lawyers, and people who fled the violence in El Fasher in North Darfur.

Youth on the front lines

Turk spoke about young Sudanese who are helping their communities.

One civil society leader told him: “We cannot stop the war, but we will do everything possible to save the lives of civilians.”

Another volunteer noted, "The price of war is being paid by the youth. Sudanese youth are on the front lines of this war."

The High Commissioner also met with women who lead organizations providing legal and humanitarian assistance to women victims of the Sudanese violence and human rights violations during the war.

Abductions and sexual violence

During his visit, the High Commissioner met with Hawa (not her real name), who was pursuing a master's degree in psychology when she was forced to flee El Fasher following the death of her 19-year-old son. Along the way, she said, she was robbed and beaten, and her husband was kidnapped and tortured for ransom by members of the Rapid Intervention Forces.

According to the High Commissioner, those involved in the conflict and those who arm, finance, and profit from the war must hear the testimony of 20-year-old Aisha (not her real name): “On October 20, we fled El Fasher on a donkey cart—it was the only means of transport we could afford. On the way to the village of Garni, we saw many bodies. We encountered armed men on camels who ordered, ‘Give us the women.’ My brother tried to stop them. He was shot in the legs. My mother burst into tears and said, ‘Leave my children, take me instead.’ They hit her, took me away, and told me to keep quiet or they would kill my mother. And then… what happened happened. I haven’t menstruated since.”

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has documented numerous cases of sexual violence in El Fasher, on the escape routes from it, and in the nearby Zamzam camp.

The situation in Kordofan is alarming.

The High Commissioner expressed serious concern the situation in Kordofan, comparing it to the crisis in El Fasher before its capture. He noted that the capital of South Kordofan, Kadugli, is already facing a siege, mass displacement, and the risk of full-scale famine.

Volker Türk called on all parties to the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, guarantee the safe exit of populations from combat zones, and ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian aid.

"Let human rights be the foundation of trust, ending war, and building sustainable peace. This is difficult – but not impossible, given the strength and resilience of the Sudanese people," the High Commissioner said.

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