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October 1, 2025 Human rights

Colonialism, slavery, and the slave trade are more than just dark chapters of history. Their impact is felt today, fueling inequality and perpetuating systemic racism against people of African descent. This was the statement made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk during an interactive dialogue on racial justice held by the Human Rights Council.

Around the world, people of African descent face entrenched barriers and stereotypes in many areas, including education, healthcare, the labor market, and even the digital space, Türk noted.

“Systemic racism against Africans and people of African descent has been building for generations and can – and must – be eradicated,” the High Commissioner said.

He declared the need for "the truth to be revealed and accepted." "The damage caused must be compensated," Türk declared.

He noted that countries have acted differently in recent years. Some states, including Belgium, Brazil, Germany, and the Netherlands, have issued official apologies to affected communities or other countries.

In some countries, truth-telling initiatives have led to research. In others, such as Colombia, France, Mauritius, Mexico, Qatar, Senegal, and South Africa, museums have opened and commemorative days or months have been observed.

Photo by UN

In Belgium, Ghana, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Caribbean, monuments or place names associated with people involved in the slave trade or colonization have been identified, removed, or contextualized, although in some cases the opposite has been observed.

A number of museums, universities, religious groups, and companies have apologized for their past. Türk stated that more such initiatives should be undertaken.

They identified five areas of action that could contribute to the eradication of racism.

First, he believed that states must make specific commitments to promoting reparative justice. Second, consultations with affected communities must be conducted. He also emphasized the need for cooperation between countries and regions.

“I am encouraged by the growing number of such initiatives, including those of the African Union and CARICOM (Caribbean Community – editor’s note),” Türk said.

The High Commissioner also called for support for civil society organizations and for reforms at the global level, in particular by strengthening Africa's representation on the UN Security Council.

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October 1, 2025 Humanitarian aid

The full-scale war in Ukraine has presented international humanitarian organizations with an unprecedented challenge. In the first months of the conflict, millions of people were provided with food and cash payments, shelter, and medical care. However, a new UN report reveals that these impressive figures conceal gaps, and the system itself requires updating.

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee Evaluation Group report, prepared with the support of the World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), analyses the work of organizations involved in the humanitarian operation from 2022 to 2024.

According to the report, the Ukrainian experience shows that standard aid models designed for countries with weakened institutions are not suitable for countries with functioning governments and active civil societies.

Millions needed urgent help

Following Russia's invasion on February 24, 2022, the UN humanitarian system was activated the very next day. In a short period of time, large-scale deliveries of food, water, and essential supplies were quickly deployed, along with emergency support.

The World Food Programme became the largest operator of cash transfers and simultaneously continued food deliveries, gradually transitioning to cash-based formats as markets recovered. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) established a network of children's and family centers in Spilno and supported displaced families. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) provided legal assistance, shelter, and financial support to those left homeless and affected by the war.

Lessons for the future

The report's authors emphasize that emergency assistance was provided promptly, but not always to those who needed it most. In the first months, there was a lack of accurate data on the most vulnerable groups—the elderly, people with disabilities, and members of ethnic minorities.

Millions of people received assistance and protection, but efforts did not always meet long-term priorities.

A separate chapter of the report is devoted to the role of Ukrainian non-governmental organizations. Many of them have extensive experience working in crises, but at the beginning of the war, they were effectively relegated to the background: they were used primarily as contractors for aid delivery, with little consideration given to their views in planning operations.

Shortcomings in coordination were also identified: there was not always mutual understanding between UN clusters, and the transition to restoring and integrating cash assistance into the social protection system was slow.

Restart the system

The so-called "humanitarian reset"—a process of reconsidering approaches to aid delivery—is currently underway. The report's authors call for a focus on local partners, more active involvement of Ukrainian agencies in the management of operations, and the development of a common strategy for transitioning from emergency support to sustainable recovery.

The document emphasizes the importance of not only distributing aid but also investing in long-term sustainability—restoring agriculture, integrating cash support into state social assistance systems, and creating jobs.

The numbers speak for themselves

According to the UN, 6.8 million Ukrainian refugees remained outside the country in 2024, with another 3.6 million people unable to return home within the country. In 2025, 12.7 million Ukrainians needed assistance, but due to funding cuts, the humanitarian plan had to be scaled back to support only 4.8 million of the most vulnerable.

While the UN emergency plan was nearly 90 percent funded in 2022, by 2025 donors had only covered about 70 percent of the needs. This resulted in a reduction in the scale of operations, and an increasing burden on the remaining humanitarian structures.

Lessons learned

The report emphasizes that Ukraine's experience should serve as a lesson for all humanitarian operations worldwide. Where state institutions and civil society are functioning, international aid should be more flexible, rely on local resources, and provide a clear path from crisis support to recovery and development.

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October 1, 2025 Humanitarian aid

Israeli forces continue their offensive, attempting to establish full control over Gaza City. Meanwhile, according to Palestinian health authorities, 151 children have died from acute malnutrition in the Strip since the war began.

© UNICEF/R. Eleyan

One of the most recent victims was a nine-year-old girl, Jana. She was hospitalized twice, and both times she recovered. However, on September 17, she died. In August, Jana's sister, Juri, died of exhaustion.

"The world has failed Jan," said Tess Ingram, a spokeswoman for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

"The little girl was forced to endure terrible suffering because of deliberate decisions that restricted food access to the Gaza Strip," she added.

Lack of help

Ingram also noted that the enclave's healthcare system has been devastated by the war and children often do not receive the care they need.

"Her last hope—medical evacuation outside of Gaza—was dashed. No country was willing to accept Jana," a UNICEF representative said.

Currently, children with severe and moderate malnutrition receive specialized therapeutic products in the remaining functioning hospitals in the Strip. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently reported that four more clinics in northern Gaza have closed this month alone. Only 14 medical facilities are operational in the entire Strip, and all are overwhelmed, primarily due to the large number of trauma patients admitted.

According to UNICEF, the malnutrition crisis has reached catastrophic proportions: all children under five—more than 320,000—are at risk. In July alone, 13,000 children were diagnosed with acute wasting, a record high. Since the beginning of the year, this figure has increased by more than 500 percent.

"This war must end. Humanitarian supplies—food and nutritional support—must be allowed into the Gaza Strip. Aid workers must be allowed to do their jobs," Ingram said.

How medical evacuations work

WHO-coordinated evacuations of patients from Gaza follow a strict seven-step protocol, from the dispatch of doctors to coordination with host countries and subsequent approval by Israeli authorities.

According to the latest WHO data, 7,841 patients have left the sector since October 7, 2023, more than 5,330 of whom are children. However, approximately 15,600 people still require evacuation.

On September 29, WHO assisted in the evacuation of 14 patients and 38 accompanying persons to Jordan, and 15 patients and 65 accompanying persons to Italy from the Palestine Red Crescent field hospital in Al-Mawasi.

"Patients, their families, and doctors are leaving here, accompanied by ambulances, buses, and WHO staff, to safely pass through the fighting zone to the Kerem Shalom crossing," said Athanasios Gargavanis, a trauma surgeon at WHO who leads the organization's team in Gaza.

From there, patients are transported to Ramon Airport in southern Israel, after which they are sent to their host countries.

The WHO has once again called for the resumption of sending Gazans to the West Bank and East Jerusalem for treatment, and noted that the list of countries willing to accept patients should be expanded.

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October 1, 2025 Climate and environment

Heads of state of Central Asia 80th session of the UN General Assembly They issued a warning: accelerating glacier melt threatens millions of people with water and food shortages. The presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan presented ambitious initiatives—from holding international forums to creating new institutions—aimed at averting the looming crisis.

Glaciers are melting, threats are growing

President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted, that the rate at which Central Asia is warming is twice the global average. He stated that the melting of glaciers in the Alatau Mountains "is multiplying the threats to water and food security for millions of people."

President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, in turn, provided data Of the country's 14,000 glaciers, more than 1,300 have already completely disappeared. These changes are causing floods, droughts, and dust storms, which directly impact water, energy, and food supplies.

President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov I emphasizelthat its mountainous country is particularly vulnerable to droughts and dwindling water resources, threatening agriculture and biodiversity.

The Tragedy of the Inland Seas

Central Asian leaders paid special attention to environmental disasters associated with the region's largest bodies of water.

In particular, the President of Kazakhstan warned that the Caspian Sea is rapidly shrinking, calling it a "global alarm." Turkmenistan, meanwhile, reaffirmed its commitment to the Caspian Environmental Initiative.

© Public Association Aral Oasis

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the consequences of the Aral Sea's shrinkage must remain a focus of the international community, and announced that the country has planted salt-resistant plants on two million hectares of dry seabed.

Conferences and forums

Central Asian leaders presented a wide range of proposals for holding regional and international events.

Thus, Kazakhstan will host the UN-supported Regional Environmental Summit in Astana in April 2026. Kyrgyzstan has invited all member states to participate in the Bishkek 25 summit in 2027, dedicated to the sustainable development of mountain regions.

Tajikistan will host a high-level international conference, which will serve as the basis for the UN Water Conference in 2028. Turkmenistan, in turn, proposed hosting the next Caspian Environmental Forum in 2026.

Uzbekistan announced preparations for a World Water Efficiency Forum and called for the development of a roadmap for the implementation of innovative water technologies.

New institutions and regional programs

In his speech, the President of Turkmenistan also proposed the creation of a Regional Center to Combat Desertification.

© UNICEF in Tajikistan

The Uzbek leader supported the idea of launching a regional hub for green technologies in collaboration with the UN and implementing programs for rational water use and greening of Central Asia.

The President of Kazakhstan proposed that the General Assembly establish an International Day of Greening the Planet (April 22) and support the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development – 2026.

Climate diplomacy

Uzbekistan called for the conclusion of a Global Compact on Climate Migration, noting the lack of international mechanisms in this area.

Kyrgyzstan emphasized the interconnectedness of natural systems – “from mountains to oceans” – and proposed redirecting $3 trillion in annual military spending toward improving quality of life, environmental protection, and clean air.

Central Asian leaders unanimously emphasize that unless decisive action is taken today, regional environmental challenges will escalate into global crises. They called on the international community to support these initiatives and actively participate in the upcoming events.

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October 1, 2025 Culture and education

In 2025, the world will view aging in a new way: older people are seen not as passive recipients of care, but as active participants in society. They contribute to healthcare, community resilience, financial stability, and the protection of human rights—and this contribution is becoming increasingly visible with each passing year.

The International Day of Older Persons, established by the UN in 1990 and celebrated on October 1, provides a platform for older people to express their opinions, defend their rights, and call for change. But the road to this day has been long: from the 1982 Vienna Plan of Action to the 1991 UN Principles and the 2002 Madrid Plan.

International documents such as Madrid Plan of Action on AgeingFor over two decades, these principles have set benchmarks for building a society that is welcoming to all ages. In 2025, these principles have taken on a new meaning: the year's theme emphasizes the role of older people as drivers of progress.

In developing countries, older adults are one of the fastest-growing segments of the population. Policies aimed at expanding their rights, access to healthcare and social protection, and combating discrimination are becoming key to sustainable development.

The numbers speak for themselves: since 1980, the number of people over 65 has tripled, from 260 million to 761 million. By 2050, their share of the global population will reach 17 percent, and by 2080, the elderly will outnumber children under 18. There are already 1.2 billion people over 60 worldwide, and by the mid-2030s, the number of those over 80 will exceed the number of infants.

An aging population requires a rethinking of healthcare and social support systems. Dementia, one of the leading causes of disability in old age, is a particularly pressing issue. Specialized care tailored to the functional capabilities of older adults and their environment is needed.

The role of women deserves special attention: they provide approximately 70 percent of all informal care hours globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This makes them particularly vulnerable to poverty in old age and requires urgent policy solutions.

Older people are not only the memory of society, but also its conscience, its energy, and its voice. Recognizing their role is not a gesture of goodwill, but a strategic necessity. In 2025, the world takes a step toward a generation that deserves not only respect but also equality.

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September 30, 2025 UN

For six days, 194 world leaders, including only 24 women, addressed the UN General Assembly's famed podium. Their statements came amid conflicts, the climate crisis, and debates about UN reform. The week of speeches, summits, and Manhattan's traffic gridlock officially concluded on the morning of September 29.

Here are the key numbersHigh-Level Weeks at the UN.

80th session

The organization celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2025. This anniversary session, which will continue until next September, is chaired by Annalena Baerbock of Germany. The theme of the session is "Working Together: 80 Years of Working Together for Peace, Development, and Human Rights, and the Way Forward."

12,296 participants

During the High-Level Week, in addition to official speeches by world leaders, the General Assembly Hall hosted hundreds of meetings with the participation of delegations and heads of UN agencies.

194 speakers in the General Assembly

Among them are 189 representatives of Member States, Secretary General And President of the General Assembly, as well as three permanent observers – Palestine, the Holy See and the European Union.

4 missing

Afghanistan, El Salvador, Myanmar and Seychelles did not participate in the events.

Afghanistan and Myanmar skipped the meetings due to disputes over their official representation. The Seychelles was unable to attend due to a clash with national presidential elections.

Read also:

The President of the UN General Assembly summed up the results of the High-Level Week

"This time I missed the UN General Assembly; it seemed pointless this year," El Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele wrote in X, attaching a video of his speech last year.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas spoke with a video message, because he did not receive an American visa to travel to New York.

First and last speakers

Traditionally, since the 10th session of the General Assembly in 1955—with the exception of 1983 and 1984—Brazil has spoken first in the general debate. This year, the speech was given by the country's President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

Photo UN/L. Felipe

View of the entrance to the UN headquarters in New York.

The closing remarks on Monday were made by Timor-Leste's Permanent Representative, Dionisiou Da Costa Babo Soares.

Roles of speakers

Heads of State: 83 Vice Presidents: 6 Sovereign Prince: 1 Heads of Government: 41 Deputy Prime Ministers: 4 Ministers: 45 Deputy Ministers: 1 Heads of Delegations: 8

Gender balance: 168 men and 24 women

There are more women than the year before (then there were 19, of which only 5 were heads of state).

This year, eight women presidents (Dominica, Marshall Islands, Namibia, North Macedonia, Peru, Slovenia, Suriname, Switzerland), three prime ministers (Italy, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago), two vice presidents (South Sudan, Uganda), one deputy prime minister (Liechtenstein), as well as eight women ministers and two heads of delegations spoke.

Several countries have stressed the need election of a woman for the post of UN Secretary-General. During his speech, the Chilean representative even formally nominated former President Michelle Bachelet.

The longest speech

US President Donald Trump spoke for 57 minutes 16 seconds.

He abruptly criticized He called the UN and European allies' migration and energy policies destructive, insisted on an "America First" policy, listed his administration's achievements, and presented a 21-point plan for Gaza agreed upon with Israel.

Although UN rules stipulate a 15-minute limit for speeches, in practice speeches often go beyond this limit.

The shortest speech

Belgian Prime Minister Bart de Wever limited himself to 6 minutes and 44 seconds. He acknowledged shortcomings in the UN's work but supported reforms within the framework UN-80 initiatives, also noting the country's increased defense spending, the development of European cooperation and the fight against transnational crime.

Secretary General

Antonio Guterres held 148 bilateral meetings and delivered 20 speeches, including at at the ceremonial meeting on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the UN and summits on artificial intelligence and climate.

Photo UN/M. Elias

Two UN flags against a wall with the Organization's emblem.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov joked to the UN Secretary-General about the absence of the Russian flag in their joint photograph. In response, Guterres explained that, according to UN protocol, national flags are displayed only for heads of state, not for foreign ministers.

media

The UN office has issued more than 3,300 accreditations to journalists from approximately 150 countries.

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September 30, 2025 Peace and security

The UN Security Council adopted a resolution transforming the Multinational Security Assistance Mission in Haiti into an Anti-Gang Force. It will operate in close cooperation with the Haitian authorities.

US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz said the decision was encouraging and an "important first step" toward resolving the humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti.

The resolution was adopted by 12 votes in favor. Three countries abstained: China, Pakistan, and Russia.

The mission's mandate was approved for an initial period of 12 months. The new force will consist of 5,550 personnel, including 5,500 military and police personnel and 50 civilians.

The Kenya-led Multinational Security Assistance Mission to Haiti was established in 2023 by a UN Security Council resolution. Its contingent was significantly smaller. The mission provided support to Haitian police. Haitian authorities have stated the need to expand it into a much larger operation.

UN photo

Following the adoption of the resolution, Haiti's Permanent Representative to the UN, Eric Pierre, said that today's decision marks "a turning point in the country's fight against one of the most serious challenges in its already turbulent history."

He stressed that while the Multinational Security Assistance Mission had provided "valuable support and a strong signal of international solidarity," the "reality on the ground" reminded him that "the scale and complexity of the threat far exceeded the mission's original mandate."

Today, he said, the Council has given it a broader, more "offensive" and operational mandate that will enable the international community to respond effectively to the situation in Haiti.

Russia's Ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, stated that his country did not interfere with the adoption of the resolution at the request of Haiti and its neighbors. However, according to Nebenzya, "the Council is once again being forced into a very dangerous and poorly thought-out adventure," and the "recipe for responsible international assistance" for Haiti lies in addressing the root causes of the crisis, "which include a long history of destructive military intervention in the country's affairs."

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