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September 16, 2025 UN

The United Nations has completed a revised budget estimate for 2026, proposing cost reductions of more than $500 million and presenting the first measures under the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative to make the Organization more effective and sustainable in honor of its 80th anniversary.

Revised estimates presented to the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions on Monday project a 15.1 percent reduction in expenditures and an 18.8 percent reduction in staff positions compared with the 2025 budget. The cuts will affect the peacekeeping support budget, which funds personnel and services that support UN missions around the world.

The committee, which advises the General Assembly, will consider the proposals and make its recommendations to the General Assembly's Fifth Committee, where all 193 Member States make decisions on administrative and budgetary matters.

Targeted reductions

In a letter to Member States, Secretary-General António Guterres said the cuts were the result of a comprehensive review of resource allocations, while ensuring a balance between supporting the three pillars of the UN Charter, including peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. António Guterres stressed that the cuts were “carefully calibrated and targeted rather than across the board.”

Programmes and activities that directly support Member States, especially least developed, landlocked and small island developing States, as well as African development initiatives, have been protected from funding cuts. Support for the Peacebuilding Fund and the Resident Coordinator system has been maintained. The Regional Economic Commissions will not face major adjustments, and the Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation will continue to expand, strengthening support for country development.

Proposals for reform

The revised budget estimates include the first proposals for reform of the UN Secretariat. Among the measures mentioned are the creation of new administrative centres in New York and Bangkok, the consolidation of payroll into a single global team (New York, Entebbe, Nairobi), and the transfer of some functions from high-cost locations (New York, Geneva) to more cost-effective ones.

Additional savings are planned through real estate, including the UN moving out of two rented buildings in New York by 2027. These measures are aimed at reducing duplication, improving quality and ensuring mandate delivery.

Next steps and staff support

The budget proposals will be considered at a hearing of the UN Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions, which starts this week. The documents will then go to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, where all 193 member states will make a final decision. A verdict is expected by December of this year. If approved, the changes will be implemented in stages, starting in 2026.

In a message to UN staff, Secretary-General António Guterres acknowledged that the changes ahead will affect their daily work and professional lives. But he assured that no one will be left behind along the way.

Guterres noted that the decisions taken as part of the budget review were not easy. He took personal responsibility for these steps, adding that this also rested with managers and staff across the Organization. The Secretary-General called for fairness, compassion and professionalism in implementing the changes, stressing that every staff member plays a key role in preserving and strengthening the values of the UN.

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September 16, 2025 Human rights

Independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council said on Tuesday that Israel's actions in Gaza constitute genocide, a charge Tel Aviv categorically rejected.

Conclusions of the Commission

In a new report released amid escalating Israeli military operations in Gaza, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel called on Israel and all states to fulfil their obligations under international law “to end the genocide” and punish those responsible.

"The commission finds that Israel is responsible for committing genocide in Gaza," said commission chair Navi Pillay. "It is clear that there is an intent to exterminate Palestinians in Gaza through actions that fall within the criteria set out in the Genocide Convention."

The members of the Commission are not UN staff, but are appointed by the UN Human Rights Council as independent experts.

Israel's reaction

Israel's permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, Daniel Meron, strongly rejected the commission's "selective" findings, stressing that the more than 70-page report "advances the narrative of Hamas and its supporters who seek to delegitimize and demonize the state of Israel." The report, he said, "falsely accuses Israel of genocidal intent without providing evidence."

Convention for the Prevention of Genocide

At a press conference in Geneva, commission members Navi Pillay and Chris Sidoti explained that as a result of their investigation into the Gaza war, beginning with the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023, they had concluded that Israeli authorities and security forces “committed four of the five acts of genocide defined in the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.”

Such acts include:

murder; causing serious physical or mental harm; deliberately creating conditions of life calculated to bring about the destruction of Palestinians; measures aimed at preventing the birth of children.

According to Pillay, responsibility for these crimes "lies with the Israeli authorities at the highest level", with "direct statements" humiliating the Palestinians coming from Israeli civilian and military officials.

The commission noted that it had analysed the actions of the Israeli authorities and security forces in Gaza, including "the use of starvation and inhumane living conditions", and had concluded that "genocidal intent was the only reasonable conclusion to draw from the nature of their operations".

Methodical investigation

The commission said its findings were based on an analysis of Israel's military operations, including "the killing and serious harm of an unprecedented number of Palestinians" and the imposition of "a total siege, including the blocking of humanitarian aid, which has led to famine."

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), famine has been confirmed in Gaza, with residents being bombed daily and "denied access to means of survival after Israeli forces ordered them to vacate the city."

The report also describes the "systematic destruction" of the health and education systems in Gaza, as well as "systematic" acts of sexual and gender-based violence against Palestinians.

"Stop the genocide"

The commission also pointed to instances of “direct targeting of children” and that Israel “is ignoring the orders of the International Court of Justice, which in March 2024 ordered that all necessary measures be taken to ensure the unimpeded provision of basic services and humanitarian assistance to Palestinians throughout Gaza.”

“The international community cannot stand idly by as Israel wages genocidal campaign against the Palestinian people in Gaza,” Pillay stressed. “When clear signs and evidence of genocide emerge, inaction amounts to complicity. All states have a responsibility to use all means reasonably available to them to stop the genocide in Gaza.”

Israel's Strike on Qatar

The Human Rights Council changed its agenda on Tuesday to hold an emergency debate on Israel's strike several days ago on the Hamas leadership, which was then in Qatar.

The strike on Doha reportedly killed six people, including five Hamas members. The Israeli move drew widespread international condemnation, including from the Secretary-General. Antonio Guterres called the attack a violation of Qatar's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

At a Security Council meeting called in response to the strike, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said the attack, which violated Qatar's sovereignty, posed a serious threat to regional peace and security and undermined international mediation efforts to end the war in Gaza and return the hostages.

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September 16, 2025 Climate and Environment

Forty years ago, states united to adopt Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, and agreed on measures to protect people and the planet from harmful ultraviolet radiation. Soon, on September 16, 1987, a new scientific data-driven Montreal Protocol, under which chlorofluorocarbons began to be gradually phased out, allowing the ozone layer to begin to recover.

On September 16, 2009, the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol became the first treaties in the history of the UN to receive universal ratification. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer – September 16 – The UN celebrates this historic achievement and looks to the future with hope. The ozone treaties embodied the vision of moving from science to global action and will remain its solid foundation for many years to come.

"This achievement reminds us that when countries heed scientific warnings, progress is possible," said the UN Secretary-General. Antonio Guterres in his message on the occasion of the International Day.

At the same time, “scientists are sounding the alarm again,” he continued, as the world rapidly approaches increase in global temperature by 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, which “is fraught with catastrophic consequences.”

The Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol continue to play a key role in monitoring ozone and ultraviolet radiation levels, as well as controlling ozone-depleting substances and other chemical compounds, including hydrofluorocarbons – highly potent greenhouse gases used primarily in refrigeration technologies and being phased out under the Kigali Amendment to the Protocol.

The UN chief called on governments to fully ratify and implement the Kigali Amendment, which commits them to phase out hydrofluorocarbons. He also noted the need to incorporate this commitment into new national climate plans. According to Guterres, implementing the Kigali Amendment will reduce temperature rise by 0.5 degrees Celsius by the end of the century, and when combined with energy-efficient cooling, these gains can be doubled.

“Every fraction of a degree counts. Every action counts,” the Secretary-General said, calling on the global community to renew its commitment to preserving the ozone layer and protecting people and the planet for future generations.

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September 15, 2025 Humanitarian aid

UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher warned on Monday of a massive funding crisis for humanitarian work around the world, a situation he said was being exacerbated by rising violence against aid workers.

"The era of indifference and impunity"

He noted that funding levels were down sharply from last year. "We've only received 19 percent of what we need. That's 40 percent less than last year," Fletcher said.

"It's terrible and it makes our era an era of indifference," he added.

Budget cuts, he said, are forcing UN agencies to set tough priorities. This year, $29 billion is planned to save 114 million lives. Fletcher noted that this amount is just one percent of global military spending in 2025.

The emergency relief coordinator drew attention to the rising number of casualties among humanitarian workers. Last year, more than 380 people died, and 270 deaths have already been recorded in 2025 alone.

Fletcher warned of the normalisation of violence against aid workers, calling the situation an “era of impunity”. He stressed the importance of asking questions about the origins of the weapons used in these attacks.

"Where do these weapons come from that are killing us and those we serve? They don't come from nowhere," he said.

Crisis situations around the world

Speaking about the situation in Gaza, Fletcher said that more than half a million residents of the strip are already suffering from catastrophic hunger, and the number of hungry people could exceed 640,000 in the coming weeks.

"We can stop this. Women, old people, children of Gaza cannot be fed with statements of concern," he said.

Fletcher recalled that during the ceasefire earlier this year, thousands of trucks carrying humanitarian aid were able to enter the Strip, which he said was proof that with access, a lot of people could be helped.

The emergency relief coordinator stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire, the opening of crossings, safe passage within Gaza, and the release of hostages.

He called what is happening in Sudan the world's largest humanitarian crisis. More than half a million people are already in conditions close to starvation, and 30 million need help. In the besieged city of El Fasher, about 900,000 people are in a critical situation.

In Syria, Fletcher said, humanitarian responses need to be balanced with long-term development to reduce the population's dependence on aid.

He spoke about his visit to Haiti, where gang violence and mass displacement have increased. Of particular concern, Fletcher said, is the rise in gender-based violence.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator stressed the role of women in humanitarian operations in Afghanistan: “Women humanitarian workers and the women we work with in the country are absolutely indispensable… They are under even more pressure, more challenges in their work, and this is unacceptable. We cannot do our work without them. We cannot operate without them.”

In closing, he noted that the situation in Yemen is complicated not only by the lack of funds and security threats, but also by the detention of humanitarian workers. “This is unacceptable,” Fletcher stressed.

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September 15, 2025 Peace and security

Addressing delegates to the 69th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi called on states to reaffirm their commitment to the nuclear non-proliferation regime.

Grossi stressed that support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the agency itself is now of utmost importance, as the conference is taking place against the backdrop of increasing terrorist attacks, growing armed conflicts and weakening nuclear controls.

The agency's head spoke about the IAEA's work to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and the peaceful uses of nuclear technology – from treating cancer and ensuring food security to monitoring plastic pollution, diagnosing diseases and developing artificial intelligence.

Challenges and achievements

Grossi noted with satisfaction that Syria agreed to work closely with the agency this year and that an agreement was reached last week with Iran to resume technical measures to ensure the peaceful nature of its nuclear developments.

As for Ukraine, where nuclear facilities are under threat due to the conflict, the agency, according to its director, has sent more than 200 missions there and is present at all nuclear power plants.

However, he continued, challenges remain: North Korea is developing its nuclear weapons program, and some countries that still adhere to the NPT are discussing the possibility of revising it.

"Just imagine a world where there are 20 or 25 countries armed with nuclear weapons," he warned.

Nuclear technology for good

Three years ago, the IAEA launched its flagship Rays of Hope initiative, which has catalyzed real progress in cancer treatment. The program has built hospitals, purchased radiotherapy equipment, and trained specialists in 40 countries.

A joint programme with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Atoms4Food helps to strengthen food security and reduce the environmental impact of agriculture.

The IAEA chief also spoke about other initiatives of the agency, from the fight against plastic pollution to improving global preparedness for epidemics.

An optimistic outlook for the future

With the rise of artificial intelligence, Grossi says, “the future will be too exciting to miss.” Nuclear energy could power AI infrastructure, and AI could improve nuclear technology. In December, the IAEA will hold the first-ever symposium on this connection.

Another promising area is the development of thermonuclear energy, thanks to investments from both the public and private sectors.

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The paper highlights that despite growing attention to the issue, serious gaps remain in the availability of reliable data, legislative protection and sustainable housing solutions.

A global problem with systemic roots

Homelessness is a universal problem, closely linked to poverty, social inequality, lack of access to health care and social protection. At the same time, as the report notes, the world is still dominated by the misconception that homelessness is a consequence of individual failure rather than systemic failures. Such prejudices make it difficult for the public to support assistance programs and adopt long-term solutions.

The report acknowledges the diversity of manifestations and lived realities of homelessness across regions and contexts. According to the Global Homelessness Institute, 78 countries have official government reporting, but only 24 collect data beyond those sleeping rough. This limits understanding of the scale and diversity of homelessness.

Homelessness cannot be fully understood if it is viewed only as a physical loss of shelter, the report's authors note. The experience also entails a loss of security, stability and social connections, which many homeless people see as the main problem with their situation.

Examples of good practice include a national homeless census in Chile in collaboration with civil society, covering 185 municipalities, and an improved methodology in Latvia with an emphasis on better reflecting the diversity of life situations. In Colombia, regional street censuses every five years help the state formulate targeted social policies. The UN also stresses the importance of involving people with homelessness themselves in the data collection process.

Criminalization and stigmatization

One of the most pressing issues remains the criminalization of homelessness. The UK has announced that it will repeal the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act, a major step forward. However, a number of countries still have laws punishing sleeping outdoors or being in public places. Experts say such measures perpetuate cycles of poverty and isolation.

The UN is calling on governments to tackle not just legal restrictions but also social prejudices. National programmes such as India’s Housing for All initiative recognise the contribution of homeless people to urban economies and help reduce stigma.

From emergency measures to long-term strategies

The report highlights that emergency shelters are necessary, but they do not offer a long-term sustainable solution. Countries that have integrated housing and social protection policies have achieved better results. In Canada, for example, the Finding a Home strategy has enabled support and resource redistribution at the community level, while in Vietnam, housing programs are combined with educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for vulnerable groups.

Successful examples include the Solibay programme in France and Provivienda in Spain, which through NGOs and other actors mobilise private housing for those in need. In Barcelona, housing is also provided in combination with health and social services.

In Mongolia, the Road Home programme aims to implement preventive and early intervention measures to prevent chronic homelessness, involving the Ulaanbaatar mayor's office, governor's office and social welfare department, police, city and district level labor authorities, as well as educational institutions, health care organizations, the private sector and NGOs.

Vulnerable groups: women, elderly and minorities

The report pays special attention to vulnerable groups. The causes and experiences of homelessness are determined not only by economic pressures, but also by forms of structural inequality and exclusion, the authors emphasize. For example, women face the risk of eviction due to discriminatory inheritance rules and limited access to property rights. Older people, especially women and minorities, are at risk due to rising prices and low incomes. Young people, including the LGBTIQ community, are often left out of housing policies and face a shortage of specialized shelters and support programs. A serious gap is the lack of organized housing and support for young people leaving state care.

People with disabilities, including psychosocial disabilities, are particularly vulnerable to long-term exclusion and often face barriers in confirming their entitlement to housing assistance and interacting with institutions. The report also identifies indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities, migrants, internally displaced persons and stateless persons, as well as people employed in the informal sector and without social protection as vulnerable groups.

Recommendations of the Secretary-General

The UN Secretary-General calls in his report:

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September 15, 2025 Women

Today, girls are more likely to complete school than ever before, and maternal mortality has fallen by almost 40 percent between 2000 and 2023. Rates of intimate partner violence are 2.5 times lower in countries that have taken comprehensive action to combat violence. Over the past five years, 99 new or revised anti-discrimination laws have been introduced worldwide.

At the same time, negative attitudes towards women's rights, the narrowing of civic space and reduced funding for gender equality initiatives are threatening the progress that has been made in this area.

This is stated in a new edition of the review on gender issues, prepared UN Women and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. Its authors emphasize that gender equality can be achieved if it is prioritized and invested in.

"Where there is gender equality became a priority, it has helped societies and economies move forward,” said UN Women Executive Director Sima Bacchus.

“Targeted investments in gender equality have the potential to transform societies and economies. Closing the gender digital divide alone could benefit 343.5 million women and girls worldwide, lift 30 million women and girls out of poverty by 2050, and boost global GDP by an estimated $1.5 trillion by 2030,” she added.

Negative trends

However, if current negative trends continue, by 2030 there will be 351 million women and girls living in extreme poverty, mostly in South and Central Asia. Today, 676 million women and girls live in conflict zones – the highest number since the 1990s.

In 2024, 64 million more adult women than adult men were food insecure. More than 30 percent of women worldwide lack sufficient dietary diversity.

Regional aspect

The situation of women varies from country to country and from region to region. For example, in Uganda, the proportion of women of reproductive age whose diet can be considered sufficiently varied is only 12.7 percent, while in Tajikistan it is 80.4 percent.

Decrease maternal mortality rates also unevenly. Thus, in Central and South Asia they decreased by 72 percent, in Europe and North America, where they were lower, by 45 percent. The highest maternal mortality rates are in tropical African countries. From 2020 to 2023, they decreased by 39 percent.

In 2024, 70 percent of men worldwide used the internet, compared to 65 percent of women. However, in the least developed countries, the figures were 41 percent and 29 percent, respectively.

Gender equality benefits everyone

The report's data shows that in the area of gender equality a rollback is taking place, but they also say that with investment and political will, this trend can be reversed.

Read also:

UN Sounds Alarm: Number of Women in Leadership Positions Worldwide Has Been Declining

Accelerated action and policies to ensure women and girls have access to education, social protection and employment opportunities would help reduce the number of women and girls living in extreme poverty by 110 million by 2050, generating an estimated $342 trillion in global economic gains.

The Survey is the world's leading source of data on gender equality and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It draws on data from more than 100 sources to track progress towards empowering women and girls and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The international community is currently on track to meet all of the 2030 targets 5th Goals – ensuring gender equality.

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September 15, 2025 UN

The main news of the day in the UN and around the world: military actions in the frontline areas of Ukraine, escalation of the offensive on the city of Gaza, Security Council meeting on Yemen, International Day of Democracy.

Casualties among Ukrainian residents

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, several civilians were killed and 40 wounded in the Donetsk region of Ukraine as a result of ongoing fighting over the weekend. Local authorities have documented damage to almost 190 civilian objects, including residential buildings, schools and a hospital. Fighting continues in other parts of Ukraine. In the Zaporizhia region, almost 5,000 people remain without electricity. From September 12 to 14, more than 2,700 people were forced to leave their homes. Humanitarian organizations are providing assistance to evacuees at transit points.

Escalation in Gaza

The UN condemns the escalation of the Israeli offensive on Gaza City over the weekend, the UN press service said today. Dozens of people were reported killed and wounded. The UN reiterates its call for the protection of civilians and humanitarian personnel, as well as full respect for international law. The day before, the Commissioner-General of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini said that in the previous four days alone, 10 UNRWA buildings had been hit in Gaza City. These included seven schools and two clinics where internally displaced persons were sheltering.

The situation in Yemen

The situation in Yemen remains extremely tense against the backdrop of escalating regional violence and arbitrary detentions of UN staff. This was stated at a Security Council meeting by the Secretary-General's Special Envoy for the country, Hans Grundberg. According to him, without stability in Yemen, there can be no stability in the region and vice versa – the situation in the region determines how events will develop in the country. In turn, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher reminded Security Council members that 17 million Yemenis are starving, and without increased aid funding, the situation will only get worse.

Democracy Day

Today the world celebrates International Day of Democracy. In his message, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recalled that the source of democracy’s strength is people: their votes, their choices, and their participation in shaping societies. Democracy, he said, thrives when the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people are respected, especially the world’s most vulnerable. The Secretary-General highlighted “the courage of people around the world who are shaping their societies through dialogue, participation, and trust,” noting that such efforts are more important today than ever.

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