“While a number of countries argue that it lies within their national sovereignty, from my perspective, it is incompatible with human dignity and the right to life,” the High Commissioner told Member States, during a discussion about the contribution of judiciaries to advancing human rights over the issue. The punishment had...
The findings, published in Nature Medicine on Monday, warn that if current trends continue, the world will see 3.2 million new breast cancer cases and 1.1 million related deaths each year by mid-century. The burden will be disproportionately felt in low- and middle-income countries, where access to early detection, treatment...
Many of the victims are believed to be from the Darfur and Kordofan regions. “The Secretary-General reminds all warring parties in Sudan of their obligations under international law, especially in relation to the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure,” said his Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, briefing correspondents in New York. “Sudanese women, Sudanese children...
His warning comes in the wake of reports that dozens were brutally killed in ethnically targeted attacks in Al Jazirah state in the southeast, and amid reports of an imminent battle for control of the country’s capital, Khartoum. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a rival military, the Rapid Support...
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was hailed as a historic agreement when it was adopted by world leaders in 1989, and it has inspired governments to pass laws protecting children from violence and exploitation. Around a decade later, a protocol prohibiting the recruitment and use as...
The rebound follows a massive 95 per cent decrease in 2023, when the ban nearly eliminated poppy production nationwide, leading to a severe decline in Afghanistan’s opium output. However, while cultivation has increased, the current levels remain substantially lower than in 2022, which saw 232,000 hectares under poppy cultivation. UNODC...
“Almost no urban resident will be unaffected, with billions of people subjected to hotter temperatures or exposed to the risks of flooding and other threats,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat. The report also highlights a significant funding gap for resilient urban infrastructure. Cities overall need an estimated $4.5...
In a speech delivered during a debate on African development, Assembly President Philémon Yang addressed the continent’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s (AU) related framework, known as Agenda 2063. “There has never been a better time to accelerate progress towards peace, prosperity and sustainable...
Hearing loss already costs the continent $27 million annually, exacting profound impact on lives and economies, according to the report, which was launched at the African Summit on Hearing Impairment in Nairobi, Kenya. Widespread hearing loss disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable populations. WHO warned that without urgent interventions it will...
The situation is critical, said UN General Assembly President Philémon Yang, who convened the high-level meeting. He noted that estimates indicate up to 1.2 billion people could be forcibly displaced. “For those on the front lines, the impacts of rising seas threaten livelihoods, inflict damage to settlements and critical infrastructure, and...
Over 4000 people died from the disease last year, a 71 per cent increase compared to 2022. The number of reported cases also increased by 13 per cent. Cholera is an acute intestinal infection spread through contaminated food and water. While it is preventable and easily treatable, communities with limited access...
Though its current evaluation of the global public health risk is “low”, the UN health agency cautioned that with the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, the new variant “could increase” the burden of respiratory infections in many countries, noting other diseases such as RSV, influenza and childhood pneumonia...