Week in Review

A declaration by Sudan’s warring parties committing to protect civilians is an “important first step”, after more than three weeks of heavy fighting, the UN’s top official in the African nation said on Friday.

Amid the ongoing deadly power struggle between the top military leaders of Sudan, evacuations have begun, including as part of India’s Operation Kaveri, which has helped more than 3,500 Indian citizens living in the country. Raghuveer Sharma is one of them. He gave UN News a first-hand account of the tragic situation unfolding in Sudan.

Sudan’s descent into violent conflict and humanitarian catastrophe came under the scrutiny of the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday, as Member States called an emergency session of the body in Geneva. Member States adopted a resolution including a request for detailed monitoring and reporting of all alleged rights abuses, to be carried out by the designated expert for the country, including the current upsurge in violence. 

Siphiwe Nxumalo, a World Food Programme (WFP) volunteer in Eswatini returned to her home country after completing her studies in neighbouring South Africa to help orphans and vulnerable children, struggling with poverty and neglect.

The UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday he was following the latest exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and militants in the Gaza Strip with “deep concern” over the escalating conflict, and “risk of further loss of life.”

A “large-scale” outbreak of the Moroccan Locust, one of the world’s most damaging plant pests, across eight provinces in Afghanistan’s wheat basket, could cause massive crop losses and “dramatically” worsen food insecurity.

A “silent emergency” that is claiming one million tiny lives born premature each year requires concerted action to swiftly improve children’s health and survival, according to a new report released by UN agencies and partners on Wednesday.

The “frightening” number of executions carried out this year in Iran prompted the UN human rights chief Volker Türk on Tuesday, to call on the country’s authorities to abolish the death penalty or halt all executions.

Global progress in reducing the premature deaths of pregnant women, mothers and babies, has flatlined for eight years due to decreasing investments in maternal and newborn health, according to a new UN World Health Organization (WHO) report, published on Tuesday.

The sustainable management of the world’s forests takes centre stage at the UN Forum on Forests, which opened on Monday at UN Headquarters in New York. Stakeholders from across the world, from Member States to civil society partners, will gather to discuss this critical planetary resource. Here are 5 key things you need to know:

The use of corporal punishment by the de facto authorities in Afghanistan runs counter to international law and must stop, the UN Assistance Mission in the country (UNAMA), said on Monday.

As catastrophe grips Sudan, the UN agency for reproductive health is stepping up support, with midwives playing a key role in helping provide safe deliveries amid growing violence.

Born in a Tanzanian village with no electricity, Gibson Kawago, decided to start a business producing off-grid clean electricity for communities like his own. His successes led to his appointment as one of the UN Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).