Category: United Nations

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November 21, 2025 Peace and security

Despite the declared ceasefire, attacks and shelling attributed to the Israeli army continue to cause heavy casualties among Gaza's civilian population, UN agencies reported on Friday, emphasizing that children of all ages are among the victims.

According to Ricardo Pires, a representative of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in recent days alone, an infant has died in Khan Younis, as well as seven children in Gaza and the southern part of the enclave. Since October 11, the first full day of a pause in hostilities between the Israeli army and Hamas militants, at least 67 children have died as a result of "conflict-related events."

Gaza's Ministry of Health confirms that 280 people have been killed and 672 injured since the ceasefire was declared. Furthermore, the bodies of 571 victims have been recovered from the rubble.

Doctors and humanitarian organizations note that the healthcare system in the sector is virtually destroyed: children with burns, shrapnel wounds, spinal and brain injuries, and cancer patients are left without necessary treatment. UNICEF estimates that approximately 4,000 children require urgent evacuation, including a two-year-old girl named Omima with a congenital heart defect who requires immediate surgery.

International humanitarian organizations continue to provide assistance: the World Food Programme (WFP) sends approximately 100 trucks of humanitarian supplies to Gaza daily, nearly two-thirds of the target volume. However, a significant portion of these supplies are stuck at border crossings, causing them to spoil.

Although markets are beginning to fill with goods, prices remain unaffordable for most residents: chicken costs around $25, and a kilogram of meat costs $20. Many families continue to rely on humanitarian rations and bread from UN-supported bakeries.

Residents of the enclave describe their current situation as "desperate." One woman admitted to buying just one apple a day and sharing it among her four children. Another says she doesn't take her hungry children to the market so they won't suffer at the sight of food unavailable to the family.

Doctors and humanitarian workers emphasize that even with a formal ceasefire, Palestinians continue to die. "People are being killed despite the ceasefire," noted World Health Organization representative Dr. Rick Pieperkorn.

UNICEF and other UN humanitarian agencies have renewed their calls for the protection of civilians and access to health care and food, especially for children, who remain the most vulnerable amid the ongoing conflict.

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November 21, 2025 Peace and security

At a briefing in Geneva today, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) emphasized that the consequences of Russian attacks are "catastrophic": the scale of destruction and the number of civilian casualties in Ukraine are growing daily.

Aid workers on the ground say there is no safe place left in the country: air raid sirens sound at all hours of the day, and rocket attacks and drone strikes kill and maim civilians weekly, destroying homes, schools, hospitals, and energy facilities.

The situation is particularly dire in frontline areas. In Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, approximately 1,500 people—mostly elderly and people with limited mobility—are left without reliable access to water, electricity, and medical care. In Lyman, located further north in the Donetsk region, approximately 3,000 residents are completely deprived of humanitarian assistance due to ongoing fighting.

Two days ago, a World Food Programme warehouse in Dnipro was damaged by a drone attack. At least 10,000 boxes of food intended for residents of frontline areas were destroyed. These supplies were intended to help families survive the winter.

Children remain the most vulnerable group in wartime. Many have been repeatedly displaced, others live near active war zones or have witnessed the destruction of their schools and homes. They no longer have safe spaces to play, study, or relax.

Regular power outages across the country deprive families of heat and access to clean water, which is especially dangerous when temperatures drop below freezing. The scale of displacement continues to grow: 3.7 million people are internally displaced within Ukraine, and nearly six million remain refugees. This year alone, more than 1,220,000 people have been forced to flee their homes, mostly women, children, and the elderly from frontline areas.

Despite the difficulties, humanitarian organizations continue their work. From January to September, more than 4.2 million people received assistance, including 800,000 children. However, as OCHA representatives emphasized, with the onset of winter and continued attacks, the need to protect civilians, infrastructure, humanitarian workers, and medical personnel is becoming increasingly urgent. "Children must be protected, and there can be no excuse," the organization stated.

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November 21, 2025 Climate and environment

Negotiations onUN Climate Change Conference (COP30)The summit in Belém, Brazil, was suspended on Thursday after a fire broke out at the venue. The evacuation of more than 190 delegations forced discussions to be interrupted. The summit is scheduled to conclude on Friday, and before the fire, countries were engaged in intense discussions on fossil fuel divestment and climate finance.

The outcome of the talks is seen by many as an indicator of whether decades of promises can be turned into real action.

In practical terms, discussions at COP30 focus on three key issues:

1. How to accelerate climate action?

In the background record global warming and increasing natural disasters Reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change remain at the top of the agenda. Delegates are discussing key instruments:

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs): national climate plans, updated every five years. At COP30, countries are considering new ways to expand global ambition and accelerate action. Fossil fuel transition: at COP28 in 2023it was agreed A gradual phase-out of fossil fuel use. Delegates are currently discussing whether to develop a more precise roadmap with specific conditions. A global adaptation target: around 100 indicators are being discussed to track progress at the global level. A forest financing roadmap: already supported by 36 countries, representing 45 percent of the world's forest cover and 65 percent of global GDP. The goal is to close the annual $66.8 billion gap. protection and restoration of tropical forests.

© FCCC/D. Herculano

Delegate to the UN Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil.

2. How can we ensure access to finance and technology for those who need it most?

Political promises alone won't solve the climate crisis—real resources are needed. Mechanisms for mobilizing these resources are being discussed at COP30:

Article 9.1 Paris AgreementDeveloped countries are obligated to provide financial support to developing countries. Delegates are considering an action plan and accountability mechanisms. The Baku-Belém Roadmap: a proposal annually mobilize $1.3 trillion for developing countries using non-debt-creating instruments. The Loss and Damage Compensation Fund: established at COP27 and officially started work during COP-28The fund aims to help countries most affected by the effects of climate change. By COP30, the fund had not received sufficient funds, and many summit participants are calling for increased contributions. Green Climate Fund: the world's largest climate fund, but recent replenishment rounds have shown a trend of declining contributions. Global Environment Facility: provides grants to developing countries, but its resources are also considered insufficient. Technology Deployment Program: aims to expand access to climate technologies; negotiations have been complicated by disagreements over financial and trade barriers. Unilateral Trade Measures: climate-related trade measures that could harm developing countries; the idea of creating a platform to assess their impact is being considered.

3. How to ensure fair and inclusive climate action?

Even with funding, significant reforms could exacerbate inequality if the needs of the most vulnerable groups are not addressed. Delegates are discussing mechanisms just transition:

The Just Transition Work Programme aims to ensure social justice, decent work, and sustainable development. Countries expect a practical framework that takes into account the interests of workers and local communities. The Gender Action Plan helps integrate a gender perspective into climate policy. The first such plan was adopted in 2017, and an updated version is expected to be agreed upon at COP30.

Why the decisions in Belém matter

The decisions made in Belém will determine whether the goals set out in the Paris Agreement are achievable. There's a sense of urgency at COP30: time is running out, and consensus is essential.

These decisions will determine not only the pace of emissions reductions, but also whether climate justice is achieved for indigenous peoples, African countries, and developing countries, which are suffering the most from the consequences of the climate crisis, despite having contributed least to its creation.

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November 20, 2025 Climate and environment

Time is running out for the climate negotiations in Belém, Brazil. UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in their speeches at the Climate Change Conference (COP30) taking place there, voiced the same message: the entire world is watching, and it is no longer possible to postpone compromises.

Amid reports that the two sides are unable to agree on a number of key issues, both leaders urged delegates to act decisively to phase out fossil fuels and increase funding for climate change adaptation measures.

Guterres: 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold is a 'red line'

Speaking at a press conference, Guterres called on countries to "follow the science and put people before profit." He emphasized the need to triple adaptation funding and ensure real emissions reductions.

"Ministers and negotiators must show leadership, courage and goodwill," he said, noting that the 1.5 degrees Celsius global warming threshold set out in the Paris climate agreement remains "the only red line that cannot be renegotiated."

According to him, the final agreement in Belém must address both the lack of resources for adaptation and the critical need to reduce rapidly growing emissions. For millions of people, adaptation is "the difference between planting a crop or going hungry, between preserving ancestral land or losing it forever."

The UN chief reiterated that the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources must be fair and consistent.

Fire at KS-30

A few hours after the Secretary-General's press conference, a fire broke out at the Angar Conference Center, where COP30 is taking place. The tense negotiations were briefly interrupted.

Security services assisted with the evacuation. The fire was quickly brought under control, and there were no injuries. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Lula: "We must start thinking about life without fossil fuels"

Brazilian President Lula said any energy transition plan "must be taken seriously."

"We don't want to impose anything on anyone, and we don't intend to set deadlines. Each country must determine for itself what it can do, within its own time and capabilities," Lula said.

"If fossil fuels become the main source of emissions, we must think about how to live without them—and how to chart that path. And I say this with absolute confidence as the leader of a country that possesses oil and produces five million barrels a day," he added.

Lula emphasized Brazil's active use of ethanol and biodiesel and called on oil and mining companies to contribute to the fight against climate change. He called on multilateral banks to stop charging "exorbitant interest rates" to African states and the poorest countries in Latin America, proposing that some of this debt be redirected toward investment.

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November 20, 2025 UN

The top news of the day at the UN and around the world: the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine, talks between Cypriot leaders, the alarming scale of gender-based violence in Haiti, and the Secretary-General's press conference at the UN Climate Change Conference.

Security Council of Ukraine

With strong condemnation of the escalation of the war on the territory of Ukraine and its consequences for the civilian population at a meeting of the Security Council Kaeko Goto, Acting Head of the Division for Europe, Central Asia, and the Americas at the UN Department of Political Affairs, spoke on Thursday. She emphasized that currently, "no region of Ukraine is safe." The UN expresses concern about the "alarming increase in civilian casualties." From January to October 2025, the number has already exceeded the total for the entire previous year.

Cypriot leaders

On Thursday, Nikos Christodoulides, the leader of the Greek Cypriot community, held his first meeting with Tufan Erhürman as the new leader of the Turkish Cypriot community. It was facilitated by Hassim Diagne, head of the UN Mission in Cyprus. The Secretary-General's Envoy for Cyprus, Maria Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, also participated in the meeting virtually. The UN noted that the talks were held in a constructive atmosphere. The parties agreed to meet with Holguín in December and confirmed their commitment to working toward holding the next informal meeting on Cyprus in an expanded format, to be convened by the UN chief.

Violence in Haiti

Levels of gender-based violence in Haiti remain extremely high, and women and girls affected are not receiving the support they need due to instability, access restrictions, and funding shortages, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. From January to September, more than 7,400 cases of gender-based violence were recorded—an average of 27 incidents per day. More than half of these violations were sexual violence, of which nearly two-thirds were gang rapes. Without increased humanitarian funding, 780,000 women and girls in Haiti risk being left without critical assistance.

Climate Conference

Speaking to reporters at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, the Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on countries to put the interests of people above profits, emphasizing the need to triple funding for adaptation to the climate crisis and ensure measures to reduce emissions. He warned that the final agreement at COP30 must simultaneously address the shortfall in adaptation funding and the need to reduce rapidly growing emissions. For millions of people, the Secretary-General noted, adaptation is the only chance to avoid hunger and forced displacement.

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November 20, 2025 Healthcare

Around 28.6 per cent of women and girls over 15 years of age experience physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives, yet health care for victims in most countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region remains fragmented and limited.

This is stated in a new report from the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Healthcare systems in countries in the region, which includes Europe and Central Asia, do not provide even the basic set of services recommended by WHO.

Crisis situation

European Bureau Director Hans Kluge noted the crisis nature of the situation: “The problem of violence against women and girls has reached crisis levels, and our health systems are often the first and only point of contact for victims.”

"Our data show that political commitments to protect the health and well-being of women and girls and to end gender-based violence do not translate into safe and accessible health care," he said.

Kluge called on politicians to move from declarations to real action and implement a full range of services in countries in the region, including assistance for women who have survived rape and safe abortions.

Key findings of the report

An analysis of 53 Member States in the WHO European Region revealed significant gaps. Only 7 countries (13 percent) provide safe abortion services. Emergency contraception and post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV are offered in 17 countries (32 percent).

Twenty countries (38 percent) offer sexually transmitted infection prevention services and conduct psycho-emotional assessments for those affected. And 23 countries (43 percent) provide referrals to psychological and psychiatric care.

Furthermore, in almost a third of the region's countries, health workers are still required to report cases of domestic violence or intimate partner violence to law enforcement without the consent of adult victims. The WHO strongly recommends abandoning this practice, as it violates confidentiality and often deters women from seeking help.

The report also highlights positive trends. Seventy-five percent of countries have implemented training for health workers to respond to violence, and 68 percent have included first aid for victims in their standard service package.

However, a lack of resources and political will hinders the implementation of the full range of WHO recommendations.

Measures recommended by WHO

The organization calls on states to make the full range of services recommended by WHO mandatory, particularly in terms of emergency care for women after rape, and to remove barriers, including eliminating mandatory police notification without the consent of victims.

It is also important to change the attitude of society towards victims, the WHO notes.

"Such a simple phrase as 'I believe you and am here to help' can make a significant difference in the healing process," said WHO specialist and report author Melanie Hyde.

The Spanish experience and the stories of the victims

The WHO report was presented today in Madrid. Spanish Health Minister Mónica García outlined the country's efforts to strengthen the role of primary health care as a key link in identifying cases of violence and supporting survivors.

A survivor of violence from the United Kingdom also spoke at the Madrid event. She emphasized the importance of a healthcare system focused on the rights and real needs of survivors: "I believe I have the right to be safe, to be heard, to be respected, and to have responses tailored to my real needs."

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November 20, 2025 Peace and security

Kaeko Goto, Acting Head of the Division for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas at the UN Department of Political Affairs, spoke at a Security Council meeting on Thursday with strong condemnation of the escalation of the war in Ukraine and its consequences for the civilian population.

According to Goto, Ukrainian civilians continue to "bear the brunt of the Russian Federation's intensifying air campaign." She noted that strikes on energy infrastructure have caused "massive and prolonged power outages in most regions of the country, leaving millions without heat, water, and public transportation as temperatures plunge."

According to her, hospitals, residential buildings, railways, schools, cultural sites, diplomatic institutions, and even kindergartens are being hit.

Tragedy in Ternopil

Goto emphasized that currently, "no region of Ukraine is safe." She cited the November 19 attack as an example: "Just yesterday, at least 26 people, including three children, were reportedly killed in a Russian drone and missile strike on the western city of Ternopil. Dozens more, including children, were reportedly injured. Many remain buried under rubble."

The attack was one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in the war, the UN spokeswoman added.

Rising death toll

The UN expresses concern about the "alarming increase in civilian casualties." From January to October 2025, the number has already exceeded the total for the entire previous year. In Kyiv, the number of dead and wounded in the first ten months was almost four times higher than for the entire year 2024.

According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, 14,534 Ukrainian civilians, including 745 children, have been killed since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Another 38,472 people, including 2,375 children, have been injured.

Strikes against Russia

Goto noted that the war is increasingly affecting the population of the Russian Federation. According to Russian authorities, in 2025, Ukrainian drone strikes killed 392 people, including 22 children, in Russia and in the areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia. The UN is unable to confirm this information, Goto noted.

Nuclear safety

Goto's speech focused on nuclear safety risks. She recalled that on September 23, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant "lost external power for the tenth time since February 2022." After a month-long outage, the plant was reconnected to the grid on October 23 thanks to repairs carried out under a localized ceasefire brokered by the IAEA.

"Any nuclear incident would have unimaginable consequences not only for Ukraine and the Russian Federation, but also far beyond their borders. Such a risk must be prevented at all costs," Goto stated.

A Call for Peace

In closing her speech, Kaeko Goto emphasized that nearly four years after the war began, as the number of attacks and casualties mount, calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire become even more important.

Goto reiterated the UN Secretary-General's call for a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire as the first step towards a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace.

The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating.

Speaking on behalf of Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher, Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said the impact of the war on civilians was becoming increasingly devastating.

According to her, approximately 1,500 people remain without access to water and medical care in Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad, while 3,000 residents in Lyman are beyond the reach of humanitarian aid. This year alone, the World Health Organization has recorded over 500 attacks on medical facilities, including the strike on the children's hospital in Kherson.

Vosornou emphasized: "International humanitarian law requires that all feasible measures be taken to prevent and minimize harm to civilians. Indiscriminate attacks… are strictly prohibited. These fundamental rules must be respected."

According to the UN, 3.7 million people remain displaced within Ukraine, and nearly six million are refugees abroad. From January to September, the UN and its partners provided assistance to more than 4.2 million people, but access to many frontline areas and occupied territories remains extremely limited.

Concluding her speech, Vosornu praised the resilience of Ukrainians: "Teachers teach in underground shelters, doctors operate in the absence of electricity, and volunteers risk their lives delivering aid along mined roads. But resilience is no substitute for protection, safety, dignity, and respect for international law."

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September 18, 2009

The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomed the decision by the United States, Australia, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, France and Switzerland to donate a tenth of their future pandemic influenza A (H1N1) vaccine supplies to developing countries.

"This decision demonstrates the commitment of these countries to the equitable distribution of limited resources as the H1N1 influenza pandemic continues to spread," the WHO said in a statement.

It notes that the existing vaccine production capacity is clearly insufficient for the entire world population, in which virtually everyone is at risk of infection with a new and easily transmitted virus.

The World Health Organization has noted that demand for the vaccine currently exceeds supply. These pledged donations will help increase the supply of the pandemic vaccine to where it is most urgently needed.

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September 18, 2009

On Friday, in a park near the UN headquarters, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon struck Peace BellThus began the annual celebration of International Peace Day. It is celebrated annually on September 21st. This year, it is dedicated to nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

“International Day of Peace "This is a global call for a ceasefire and non-violence. This is a time to reflect on the horrors and high costs of war, and on our duty to resolve disputes peacefully," Ban Ki-moon said. He emphasized that without peace, there is little hope of improving life on the planet and freeing people from poverty.

The Secretary-General noted the growing movement for nuclear disarmament. "That's why I launched the 'We Must Disarm!' campaign. As long as such weapons exist, no one can feel safe," the UN chief noted.

He called on the entire international community to disarm and live in peace. "I call on people around the world to join this effort. Support the UN and do your part to ensure peace," the Secretary-General emphasized.

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September 18, 2009

Today, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay called on the Yemeni government to investigate incidents involving air raids in the conflict zone in the north of the country that resulted in civilian deaths. She emphasized her extreme concern over the airstrike on a camp for internally displaced persons.

Navanethem Pillay's statement noted that on September 16, government aircraft bombed a camp housing some 150,000 internally displaced persons, killing dozens.

All of them were forced to leave their homes and flee as a result of the intensification of armed clashes between government forces and Shiite rebels in Saada province in northern Yemen on August 12.

The UN High Commissioner noted that this was the second airstrike in the past three days that resulted in fatalities among civilians. She stated that this development in the conflict is extremely concerning.

Navanethem Pillay called on the authorities and the rebels not to violate international humanitarian law and to take all measures to protect civilians.

"The government must conduct a full investigation into what happened and take immediate action to prevent such tragedies in the future," the UN's top human rights defender urged.

Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation in the conflict zone. A large number of civilians remain trapped in the city of Sa'ad, isolated from the outside world and deprived of international assistance.

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