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Category: Politics

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: The world pledged to end child labour by 2025: So why are 138 million kids still working?

    Source: United Nations 4

    There are 10,000 children in Madagascar who, like Tenasoa, work in the largely unregulated mica industry. The silicate is used in paints, car parts, and cosmetics – to add a “shimmer” effect. 

    Alongside parents and grandparents, these children toil in dangerous conditions, inhaling harmful dust particles and entering structurally unsound tunnels. Many of them have dropped out of school – if they ever went at all. 

    “If we don’t work, we don’t eat,” Soja, Tenasoa’s grandfather, said. “It’s very simple. Men, women and children must all work to survive.”

    In 2015, the United Nations set a goal to end child labour worldwide by 2025 but progress has been slow and halting, according to the Child Labour Report released on Wednesday by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

    The report estimates that 138 million children – a 12 million decrease from 2020 – are still engaged in child labour, leading both ILO and UNICEF to call for the rapid acceleration of progress.

    “The findings of our report offer hope and show that progress is possible … But we must not be blindsided by the fact that we still have a long way to go,” ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo said.

    Hazardous work

    Since 2000, the number of children in child labour has been reduced by over 100 million, a promising decrease which proves that the world has a “blueprint” to end child labour. Much work remains, however.

    “Far too many children continue to toil in mines, factories or fields, often doing hazardous work to survive,” said Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF.

    Child labour does not refer to all work done by children. Rather, it is work which deprives children of their childhood and is often dangerous to their health and development.

    “It is important to understand that [child labour] is not household chores, it is not children helping their parents around the house…We are talking about work that is oftentimes hazardous,” Benjamin Smith, an ILO child labour expert, told UN News.

    Of the 138 million children in child labour, 54 million work in hazardous conditions, including mines.

    Honorine, aged 13, is one of these children. She works from 10am to 5pm every day in a gravel quarry in Benin. Paid by the number of buckets of gravel she collects, she is saving her wages, hoping to train to be a hairdresser one day.

    © UNICEF/Arun Roisri

    A young boy in Thailand takes a break while working in intense heat as a labourer.

    Behind the statistics

    The report notes that child labour is intergenerational. Children in child labour systems often struggle to access education, something which in turn compromises their future opportunities and creates a cycle of poverty and deprivation.

    Federico Blanco, ILO expert and lead author of the Child Labour Report, noted that it is important to think of child labour as not just statistical.

    “Behind every number, let’s remind ourselves that there is a child whose right to education, protection and decent future is being denied,” Mr Blanco said.

    Nur, a 13-year-old Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh, was pulled out of school by his parents in order to help support his family financially. A case worker at a nearby UNICEF-funded centre identified Nur and convinced his family to put him back into school.

    “I once dreamt of becoming a teacher. I thought I would never be able to become one. But now I feel that I can learn and become a teacher like I always wanted to,” Nur said.

    ‘A holistic approach’

    In the report, UNICEF and ILO called for integrated policy solutions which work across governmental sectors, addressing the problem from an educational, economic and social perspective.

    The report also highlighted that ending child labour cannot be accomplished without also thinking about the conditions that drive families to send their children to work – namely, poverty.

    Upholding parents’ rights – including the right to collectively bargain, the right to safe work – is also key for ending child labour.

    “The ILO looks at [child labour] in quite a holistic way because it is just as important [for] tackling child labour to make sure that the adults have good working conditions because poverty is really at the heart of child labour,” Mr Smith said.

    Taking a country-driven approach is especially important due to regional disparities in child labour – the report noted that while all regions saw decreased numbers, Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for two-thirds of child labour worldwide.

    Childhood dreams – underfunded and unfulfilled

    Attempts to end child labour face significant headwinds as a result of funding shortages.

    “Global funding cuts threaten to roll back hard-earned gains. We must recommit to ensuring that children are in classrooms and playgrounds, not at work,” Ms. Russell said.

    Adwara, aged 10, dreams of being in class. He attended school for a few years and tried to balance work and school but with eight siblings, helping support his family was non-negotiable. Eventually, his teacher told him not to return – he was missing too much school.

    Now, he works in a gold mine in Ethiopia, earning approximately $35 per day: “I’d like to go to school,” he said. “I’d like to become someone.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘Plenty of fish in the sea’? Not anymore, say UN experts in Nice

    Source: United Nations 4

    As yachts bobbed gently and delegates streamed by in a rising tide of lanyards and iPads at Port Lympia, Nice’s historic harbor, that statistic sent a ripple through the conference’s third day – a stark reminder that the world’s oceans are under growing pressure from overfishing, climate change and unsustainable management.

    Presented dockside at a press conference by Manuel Barange, Assistant Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the report offered a detailed global snapshot of how human activity is steadily draining the ocean – and how sound management can bring it back.

    “To use a banking comparison,” Mr. Barange told UN News in an interview ahead of the report’s launch, “we are extracting more than the interest the bank gives us. We are depleting the populations.”

    The Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources 2025, which draws on data from 2,570 marine fish stocks – the widest scope used by FAO yet – paints a complex picture: while over a third of stocks are being overexploited, 77 per cent of fish consumed globally still come from sustainable sources thanks to stronger yields from well-managed fisheries.

    “Management works,” Mr. Barange said. “We know how to rebuild populations.”

    A global patchwork

    Regional disparities remain stark. In the Pacific coast of the United States and Canada, over 90 per cent of stocks are sustainably fished. In Australia and New Zealand, the figure exceeds 85 per cent. The Antarctic – governed by strict international regulations – reports 100 per cent sustainability.

    But along northwest Africa’s coast, from Morocco to the Gulf of Guinea, over half of all stocks are overfished, with little sign of recovery. The Mediterranean and Black Sea fare even worse: 65 per cent of stocks there are unsustainable. Yet there is a positive sign – the number of boats going out to fish in that region has declined by nearly a third over the past decade, offering hope that policy shifts are beginning to take effect.

    UN News/Fabrice Robinet

    Assistant Director-General Manuel Barange, of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), unveiled the agency’s report on the world’s fish stocks.

    For Mr. Barange, the lesson is clear: where management systems exist – and are backed by resources – stocks recover.

    But science-based management is expensive. “Some regions can’t afford the infrastructure needed for control and monitoring, the science needed, the institutions needed,” he said.

    “We need to build up capacity for the regions that are not doing so well. Not to blame them, but to understand the reasons why they are not doing so well and support them in rebuilding their populations.”

    From collapse to comeback

    Perhaps the clearest example of recovery may be tuna. Once on the brink, the saltwater fish has made a remarkable comeback. Today, 87 per cent of major tuna stocks are sustainably fished, and 99 per cent of the global market comes from those stocks.

    “This is a very significant turnaround,” Mr. Barange said. “Because we have taken management seriously, we have set up monitoring systems, we set up management systems, compliance systems.”

    The full findings in the FAO’s new report are likely to shape policy discussions far beyond Nice. The agency has worked closely with 25 regional fisheries-management organizations to promote accountability and reform, and Mr. Barange believes the model is replicable – if the political will holds.

    Fish, livelihoods, and the blue economy

    Countries were reported to have finalized negotiations over the political declaration expected to be adopted on Friday at the close of UNOC3, as the conference is known. The statement will form part of the Nice Ocean Action Plan and is intended to align with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – the 2022 agreement to protect 30 per cent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030.

    As the heat climbed once again over the stone quays of Nice – a city perched in one of Europe’s most climate-vulnerable regions – sustainable fisheries took center stage inside the conference halls. Action panels focused on supporting small-scale fishers and advancing inclusive ocean economies, with delegates exploring how to align conservation goals with social equity – especially in regions where millions depend on fishing for survival.

    We’re not apart from the ocean – we’re a part of it – FAO’s Manuel Barange

    “There are 600 million people worldwide who depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods,” Mr. Barange said. “In some countries, aquatic animals are the main source of protein. We’re not apart from the ocean – we’re a part of it.”

    As the conference moves into its final stretch, FAO’s warning shines like a beacon: one-third of the world’s fish stocks remain under too much pressure. But the data also offer something that can be elusive in the climate and biodiversity space – evidence that recovery is possible.

    Three days in, the FAO report underscores a central message voiced by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, on Monday, as he opened the summit: recovery is still within reach.

    “What was lost in a generation,” he said, “can return in a generation.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Global push to end plastic pollution gains ground in Nice

    Source: United Nations 4

    Away from the cameras and fanfare of the Third UN Ocean Conference under way in the coastal French city, they voiced a shared determination to finalize this year a global treaty that could, for the first time, regulate plastics across their entire life cycle.

    “There is renewed commitment to conclude the treaty in August,” Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, who attended the meeting and is leading the treaty negotiations, told UN News. “This is too urgent an issue to be left for the future.”

    Hosted by Inger Andersen, the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the informal gathering marked a quiet but significant diplomatic moment – a sign that after two years of deliberations, political momentum may finally be catching up with scientific alarm.

    With one round of talks remaining – scheduled from August 5 to 14 in Geneva – negotiators are now under pressure to deliver the first legally binding treaty aimed at tackling plastic pollution across production, consumption, and waste.

    A crisis accelerating in plain sight

    Plastic waste has infiltrated nearly every ecosystem on Earth including the human body, increasingly in the form of microplastics. Without urgent action, the amount of plastic entering the ocean each year could reach 37 million metric tons by 2040, according to UN estimates.

    “We are choking with plastic,” Ms. Mathur-Filipp said. “If we do not do something to tackle plastic pollution, we will not have a single ecosystem left, whether it’s terrestrial or marine.”

    The economic toll is no less staggering. Between 2016 and 2040, the projected cost of plastic-related damage could reach $281 trillion. “It is costing the economy a lot,” said the Indian native. “In tourism, in beach clean-up, in lack of fish for fishing folk, coastal damage, wetlands damage.”

    UN News/Fabrice Robinet

    Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution.

    The final stretch in Geneva

    The treaty process was launched in 2022, at the request of the UN Environment Assembly, the world’s highest decision-making body on environmental issues, held every two years in Nairobi Kenya. Since then, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) has convened five times in less than two years – an unusually rapid timeline by UN standards.

    “We have had five sessions very rapidly from December of 2022 to December of 2024,” said Ms. Mathur-Filipp, who serves as the INC’s Executive Secretary. She hopes the upcoming session this August in Geneva will mark the treaty’s conclusion.

    A key breakthrough came six months ago at the last round of talks in Busan, South Korea, where delegates produced a 22-page “Chair’s text,” outlining the draft treaty’s basic structure.

    “It has 32 or 33 articles in it, with names of articles, so countries can now start seeing what this treaty will look like,” she explained. “They have started speaking with article numbers for negotiation… and this is why my hope is that there would be a conclusion.”

    A treaty with teeth – and flexibility

    While the draft treaty is still under negotiation, it includes measures that would target the entire life cycle of plastic – from upstream production to downstream waste. It reflects both mandatory and voluntary provisions, in line with the original UN mandate.

    The current draft also includes the institutional architecture of a typical multilateral treaty: the ratification process, governance rules, and proposed implementation bodies.

    “It has an objective. It has a preamble,” said Ms. Mathur-Filipp. “It looks like a treaty.”

    If all goes according to plan, the final text will be submitted to a diplomatic conference – later this year or in early 2026 – where governments can formally adopt it and begin the ratification process.

    Unequal burdens, global stakes

    Although plastic pollution is a global issue, some countries – especially small island developing states – bear a disproportionate burden.

    “It is a fact that small island developing states are not the ones that are using plastic as much as what’s flowing onto their shores and therefore, they become responsible for beach clean-up, which is not their doing,” Mathur-Filipp said. “They are unfairly impacted.”

    An estimated 18 to 20 per cent of global plastic waste ends up in the ocean.

    One diplomat’s mission

    Before leading the INC, Ms. Mathur-Filipp worked at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, where she helped shape the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the 2022 agreement to protect 30 per cent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030. The challenge of managing a fast-moving, high-stakes negotiation is familiar terrain.

    “I wasn’t tired enough there, so now I’m doing this,” she said.

    As the Mediterranean UNOC3 host city plays its part in building momentum, all eyes will, in the weeks ahead, turn to Geneva. The outcome in August could determine whether the world takes a decisive step toward curbing the plastic crisis – or allows it to deepen, unchecked.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: ‘No Ocean Declaration without small islands’: Delegates push for inclusion as UN summit nears end

    Source: United Nations 4

    With the conference, known as UNOC3, set to close Friday, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

    Li Junhua, the UN’s Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, told UN News on Thursday that the past four days have been marked by a rare sense of solidarity around Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) – protection of life below water.

    “This is the true testament to the impact of this Conference on the future of our ocean,” he added.

    Draft outcome signals sense of urgency

    Under way since Monday on France’s sun-drenched Côte d’Azur, UNOC3 is set to conclude with the adoption of a consensus-backed package aimed at securing the future of the world’s oceans.

    Delegates are preparing to endorse a political declaration alongside a sweeping set of voluntary commitments from participating nations – collectively known as the Nice Ocean Action Plan.

    The declaration itself, titled ‘Our Ocean, Our Future: United for Urgent Action,’ has undergone four rounds of intense intergovernmental negotiations at UN Headquarters in New York since January, alongside informal consultations with key delegations and civil society groups.

    At the heart of the conference’s mission – mobilizing action to safeguard and sustainably manage marine ecosystems – the declaration, in draft form, signals a marked shift in tone, underscoring an unprecedented sense of urgency.

    It calls for immediate and transformative measures to protect oceans, reflecting growing concerns over climate change, biodiversity loss, and the depletion of marine resources.

    © Coral Reef Image Bank/Tom Vierus

    The people of Galoa Village and their ancestors have depended on the reef system for hundreds of years for sustenance and income.

    In addition, the draft declaration outlines measures to protect marine ecosystems and foster sustainable ocean-based economies. It also emphasizes accelerating action, highlighting that SDG 14 remains one of the least funded UN goals. 

    To drive global ocean initiatives forward, the draft declaration calls for significant, accessible financing and the fulfillment of existing commitments under international agreements.

    The draft highlights the ocean’s deep ties to climate and biodiversity, urging nations to fully implement the Convention on Biological Diversity. It also reaffirms commitment to an international, legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, emphasizing a comprehensive approach that addresses plastics across their entire life cycle.

    Final negotiations are under way, and tomorrow we’ll report on whether nations have reached a consensus to tackle the global ocean emergency, turning decades of pledges into meaningful marine protection.

    UN News/Heyi Zou

    H.E. Safiya Sawney, Special Envoy and Ambassador for Climate, Government of Grenada.

    Small island voices are vital to ocean policy

    Among all the stakeholders, small island nations have a key role in shaping the Declaration. As communities most vulnerable to rising seas and marine degradation, their firsthand experience and leadership are essential to crafting effective, inclusive ocean policy.

    Safiya Sawney, Special Envoy and Ambassador for Climate of Grenada, told UN News that she is pleased to see the reference in the draft outcome to the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States, or ABAS, which was adopted during the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in May 2024.

    Ms. Sawney said that including the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda in the UNOC3 political declaration signals growing unity among island nations. She emphasized that, despite numerous challenges, small islands are committed to implementing every obligation under ABAS, demonstrating their determination to turn commitments into action.

    “A big part of our heritage, of our culture, of our economy is derived from the ocean,” she said, “So for us, you cannot have an ocean declaration without SIDS.”

    ‘No compromise with nature’

    As for the negotiation process on the draft declaration, Ms. Sawney said that Grenada and other delegations in the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) affirmed that they were leveraging strength and experience from past climate talks and bringing that to the ocean space.

    “Part of healthy multilateralism is knowing that you have to compromise,” she admitted, but also adding that “the one thing that we cannot compromise with, however, is nature”.

    To ensure that “we’re able to all be successful together in supporting this ocean agenda”, she suggested that “there are some countries that need to do more than others”. She added that small island developing States are asking those countries to show their leadership, not just through offsets or financing, but through “real action”.

    PROCARIBE+ project

    Representatives from 14 Caribbean countries sign the Declaration Of Actioning Blue: The Caribbean 30×30 Vision and Roadmap For Our Ocean at a high-level launch event at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France.

    Caribbean governments acting together

    Calling themselves “large ocean nations” at UNOC3, small island developing States are aggregating their weight to not only participate in but shape the global ocean agenda, said Ms. Sawney. Among these efforts, Caribbean governments have been keen to demonstrate political unity and regional ambition throughout the run of the conference.

    On the opening day of UNOC3, the Actioning Blue: Caribbean 30×30 Vision for the Ocean was officially launched. It reflects an urgent call by political leaders of the Caribbean to advance collective regional advocacy aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, as well as SDG14.

    “Coming into UNOC3, we endorsed 12 Caribbean governments, including independent states and territories, and we’ve had one additional signature and expression of interest from three different governments,” explained Ms. Sawney.

    Changing the tide of over-reliance

    Recalling the 2008 Caribbean Challenge Initiative that advanced the protection of roughly 49,000 km of marine protected areas in the region, Ms. Sawney said part of what the newly launched Vision does is remind the international community that “we will continue to work, we’ll continue to show up, and we really like their help”.

    Describing the Caribbean as “capacity-constrained”, she however pointed to the region’s over-reliance on external help, experts, and capacity.

    “We’re trying to change the tide,” she continued, by stressing the importance of letting donors know that the region is very invested in building its own capacity and owning its own implementation.

    Seeing UNOC3 as an important opportunity to get across this message, Ms. Sawney stated that Caribbean Islands are not just looking forward to the end of the Conference, but what happens afterwards.

    “The real work begins after all of this is over,” she concluded with hope.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ahead of UN summit, countries finalise landmark ‘Compromiso de Sevilla’

    Source: United Nations 4

    On Tuesday, Member States at UN Headquarters endorsed the finalized outcome document, known as the Compromiso de Sevilla (the Seville Commitment), following months of intensive intergovernmental negotiations.

    It is intended as the cornerstone of a renewed global framework for financing sustainable development, particularly amid a widening $4 trillion annual financing gap faced by developing countries.

    A reinvigorated framework

    Co-facilitators of the outcome document – Mexico, Nepal, Zambia and Norway – hailed the agreement as an ambitious and balanced compromise that reflects a broad base of support across the UN membership.

    “This draft reflects the dedication, perseverance, and constructive engagement of the entire membership,” said Ambassador Alicia Buenrostro Massieu, Deputy Permanent Representative of Mexico.

    “Sevilla is not a new agenda. It is a strengthening of what already exists. It renews our commitment to the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and aligns fragmented efforts under a single, reinvigorated framework,” she added.

    Nepal’s Ambassador Lok Bahadur Thapa called the outcome a “historic opportunity” to confront urgent financing challenges.

    “It recognizes the $4 trillion financing gap and launches an ambitious package of reforms and actions to close this gap with urgency,” he said, highlighting commitments to boost tax-to-GDP ratios and improve debt sustainability.

    UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

    Opening of third International Conference on Financing for Development, in 2015, which adopted the historic Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

    United States withdrawal

    The agreement came despite sharp divisions on several contentious issues, culminating in the United States decision to exit the process entirely.

    “Our commitment to international cooperation and long-term economic development remains steadfast,” said Jonathan Shrier, Acting US Representative to the Economic and Social Council.

    “However, the United States regrets that the text before us today does not offer a path to consensus.”

    Mr. Shrier voiced his country’s objection to proposals in the draft, which he said interfered with the governance of international financial institutions, introduced duplicative mechanisms, and failed to align with US priorities on trade, tax and innovation.

    He also opposed proposals calling for a tripling of multilateral development bank lending capacity and language on a UN framework convention on international tax cooperation.

    Renewal of trust

    Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Li Junhua welcomed the adoption of the document, calling it a clear demonstration that “multilateralism works and delivers for all.”

    He praised Member States for their flexibility and political will in finalizing the agreement, despite challenges.

    “The FFD4 conference presents a rare opportunity to prove that multilateralism can deliver tangible results. A successful and strong outcome would help to rebuild trust and confidence in the multilateral system by forging a renewed financing framework,” Mr. Li said.

    UN Women/Ryan Brown

    A woman sells vegetables in a market in Seychelles. Despite ongoing efforts, progress toward achieving several SDGs — including those on women’s empowerment – remains off track for 2030.

    For the common good

    The Sevilla conference, to be held from 30 June to 3 July will mark the fourth major UN conference on financing for development, following Monterrey (2002), Doha (2008) and Addis Ababa (2015).

    It is expected to produce concrete commitments and guide international financial cooperation in the lead-up to and beyond the 2030 deadline of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    “We firmly believe that this outcome will respond to the major challenges we face today and deliver a real boost to sustainable development,” said Ambassador Thapa of Nepal.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Guterres calls for an end to ocean ‘plunder’ as UN summit opens in France

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI b

    “The ocean is the ultimate shared resource,” he told delegates gathered at the port of Nice. “But we are failing it.”

    Oceans, he warned, are absorbing 90 per cent of the excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions and buckling under the strain: overfishing, rising temperatures, plastic pollution, acidification. Coral reefs are dying. Fish stocks are collapsing. Rising seas, he said, could soon “submerge deltas, destroy crops, and swallow coastlines — threatening many islands’ survival.”

    Call for stewardship

    More than 50 Heads of State and Government took part in the opening ceremony, including Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen — a show of political force underscoring the summit’s weight.

    In total, over 120 countries are participating in the five-day gathering, known by the shorthand UNOC3, signaling a growing recognition that ocean health is inseparable from climate stability, food security, and global equity.

    French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country is co-hosting the summit alongside Costa Rica, followed with a forceful appeal for science, law, and multilateral resolve.

    “The abyss is not for sale, any more than Greenland is for sale, any more than Antarctica or the high seas are for sale,” he declared. “If the Earth is warming, the ocean is boiling.”

    He insisted the fate of the seas could not be left to markets or opinion. “The first response is therefore multilateralism,” Mr. Macron said. “The climate, like biodiversity, is not a matter of opinion; it is a matter of scientifically established facts.”

    Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles took the podium next, thanking Mr. Guterres for elevating the ocean on the global agenda, then shifting to a stark warning.

    “The ocean is speaking to us — with bleached coral reefs, with storms, with wounded mangroves,” he said. “There’s no time left for rhetoric. Now is the time to act.”

    Condemning decades of treating the ocean as an “infinite pantry and global waste dump,” Mr. Chaves urged a shift from exploitation to stewardship.

    UN News/Heyi Zou

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, at the opening ceremony of UNOC3

    “Costa Rica is a small country, but this change has started,” he said. “We are now declaring peace with the ocean.”

    Most notably, the Costa Rican leader called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining in international waters until science can adequately assess the risks — a position already backed by 33 countries, he noted.

    A treaty within reach

    One of the summit’s core objectives is to help bring into force the landmark High Seas Treaty — known as the BBNJ accord — adopted in 2023 to safeguard life in international waters. Sixty ratifications are required for the treaty to become binding international law. Emmanuel Macron announced that this milestone is now within reach.

    “In addition to the 50 or so ratifications already submitted here in the last few hours, 15 countries have formally committed to joining them,” he said. “This means that the political agreement has been reached, which allows us to say that this [Treaty] will be properly implemented.”

    Whether the legal threshold is crossed this week or shortly after, the French President added, “it’s a win.”

    UN News/Heyi Zou

    The plenary hall of the third UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice.

    High-stakes negotiations in the ‘Blue Zone’

    The tone set by the opening speeches made clear that Nice will be the stage for high-stakes negotiations — on finalizing a global treaty on plastic pollution, scaling up ocean finance, and navigating conflicting opinions surrounding seabed mining.

    Hundreds of new pledges are expected to be announced, building on more than 2,000 voluntary commitments made since the first UN Ocean Conference in 2017. The week-long talks will culminate in the adoption of a political declaration and the unveiling of the Nice Ocean Action Plan, a blueprint aligned with the landmark Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a 2022 agreement to protect 30 per cent of marine and terrestrial ecosystems by 2030.

    “The deep sea cannot become the Wild West,” António Guterres warned.

    The summit is being held in a purpose-built venue overlooking Port Lympia, Nice’s historic marina, now transformed into the secured diplomatic ‘Blue Zone.’ On Sunday, a symbolic ceremony led by Li Junhua, head of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and Secretary-General of the conference, saw the French and UN flags raised above the harbor.

    “This ceremony marks not only the formal transfer of this historic port into the hands of the United Nations, but also the beginning of a week of shared commitment, responsibility, and hope,” said Mr. Li.

    UN News/Fabrice Robinet

    Ludovic Burns Tuki marked the start of the summit by blowing a pu, a traditional conch shell

    Culture, science, and collective memory

    Before the negotiations began in earnest, Monday’s opening turned to ritual and reflection. Polynesian climate activist Ludovic Burns Tuki marked the start of the summit by blowing a pu, a traditional conch shell.

    “It’s a way to call everyone,” he told UN News after the ceremony. “I blow with the support of our ancestors.” In Polynesian navigation, the conch is sounded upon arrival at a new island to signal peaceful intent. Mr. Tuki, born in Tahiti to parents from the Tuamotu and Easter Islands, sees the ocean as both boundary and bond.

    “We are not only countries,” he said. “We need to think like a collective system, because this is one ocean, one people, a future for all.”

    The cultural segment also included a blessing by Tahitian historian Hinano Murphy, a martial arts performance by French taekwondo master Olivier Sicard, a scientific reflection by deep-sea explorer Antje Boetius, and a poetic testimony by Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako, accompanied by kora musician Wassa Kouyaté.

    What was lost can return

    The goals of the Conference are ambitious but clear: to advance the ‘30 by 30’ pledge, promote sustainable fisheries, decarbonize maritime transport, and unlock new streams of “blue finance,” including ocean bonds and debt-for-nature swaps to support vulnerable coastal states.

    In addition to plenary sessions, Monday will feature two high-level action panels: one on conserving and restoring marine ecosystems — including deep-sea habitats — and another on strengthening scientific cooperation, technology exchange, and education to bridge the gap between science and policy.

    In his opening statement, António Guterres stressed that Sustainable Development Goal 14 , on ‘Life Below Water’, remains the least funded of the 17 UN global goals.

    “This must change,” he said. “We need bold models to unlock private capital.”

    “What was lost in a generation,” he concluded, “can return in a generation. The ocean of our ancestors — teeming with life and diversity — can be more than legend. It can be our legacy.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples, ‘an affront to dignity and justice’

    Source: United Nations 4

    Indigenous Peoples are still excluded from decisions regarding “the very foundation of our identity, survival, and self-determination,” said Aluki Kotierk, Chair of the 24th United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII).

    This year’s theme is focused on implementing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and addressing associated challenges – emphasising the need for Indigenous Peoples to be included in governance processes.

    For the next two weeks at UN Headquarters in New York, Indigenous leaders, Member States, UN officials and civil society groups are meeting to try and make the declaration a reality.

    Indigenous leadership

    The forum sheds light on how Member States’ actions on native lands impact Indigenous Peoples, while decisions which bypass Indigenous leaders too often impact both their ways of life and food security.

    In his speech at Monday’s opening, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments and institutions to recognise and act upon the leadership, rights and needs of Indigenous Peoples.

    “The difficulties facing Indigenous Peoples around the world are an affront to dignity and justice,” said the UN chief, “and a source of deep sorrow for me personally.”

    “Indigenous women face particular challenges – including barriers to political participation, economic opportunities, and essential services,” he added.

    During the two-week long forum, discussions will focus on the principles of sustainability, equity and social justice, while simultaneously empowering Indigenous Peoples’s governance systems.

    “Member States must ensure that Indigenous Peoples are fully respected in decision-making processes, with their governance systems and rights upheld in every aspect of policy and government,” said Ms. Kotierk.

    Speaking up for women

    From the persecution of Indigenous women to the non-regulated extraction of mineral resources on their own land, their human rights overall are constantly being infringed upon.

    “These persistent disparities demand urgent, sustained attention,” said Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly during the opening session.

    Indigenous women stand as cultural leaders and agents of change. Yet, across the globe, Indigenous women stand at the crossroads of gender-based discrimination, colonial violence, and systemic marginalisation.

    “Indigenous women face particular challenges – including barriers to political participation, economic opportunities, and essential services,” Mr. Guterres underscored. 

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    Representatives from Indigenous Peoples attend the opening of the 24th Session of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: One in four female genital mutilation cases now carried out by health workers

    Source: United Nations 4

    While the health sector worldwide plays a key role in stopping the abusive practice of FGM and supporting survivors, in several regions, evidence suggests otherwise.

    As of 2020, an estimated 52 million girls and women were subjected to FGM at the hands of health workers – that’s around one in four cases.

    “Health workers must be agents for change rather than perpetrators of this harmful practice,” said Dr Pascale Allotey, WHO’s Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research.

    She insisted that cutting is a “severe violation of girls’ rights” which critically endangers their health.

    Evidence has shown that FGM causes harm, regardless of who performs it – but  it can be more dangerous when performed by health workers, as a “medicalised” procedure can result in more severe wounds, WHO warned in a statement on Monday.  

    As part of ongoing efforts to halt the practice altogether, the UN agency issued new guidelines urging greater action from doctors, governments, and local communities.

    FGM in retreat

    Cutting – which encompasses any procedure that removes or injures parts of the female genitalia for non-medical reasons – also requires high-quality medical care for those suffering its effects, WHO says.

    Since 1990, the likelihood of a girl undergoing genital mutilation has dropped threefold, but 30 countries still practise it, putting four million girls each year at risk.

    FGM can lead to short and long-term health issues, from mental health conditions to obstetric risks and sometimes the need for surgical repairs.

    The newly published guidelines from WHO also suggest ways to improve care for survivors at different stages in their lives.

    ‘Opinion leaders’

    Putting an end to the practice is within the realm of the possible – and some countries are heading in that direction, the UN health agency said.

    “Research shows that health workers can be influential opinion leaders in changing attitudes on FGM, and play a crucial role in its prevention,” said Christina Pallitto, a senior author of the study at Scientist at WHO and the Human Reproduction Programme (HRP).

    “Engaging doctors, nurses and midwives should be a key element in FGM prevention and response, as countries seek to end the practice and protect the health of women and girls,” she said.

    Unrelenting efforts to stop FGM have led countries including Burkina Faso to reduce rates among 15 to 19-year-olds by 50 per cent in the past three decades.

    Likewise, prevalence fell by 35 per cent in Sierra Leone and 30 per cent in Ethiopia – thanks to action and political will to enforce bans and accelerate prevention.

    WHO in 2022 published a prevention training package for primary care health workers, to highlight the risks of the practice and equip them to engage sensitively with communities, while factoring in local culture and perspectives.

    “Because of this training, I am now able to raise women’s awareness [of FGM] and persuade them about the… disadvantages,” said one health worker during the launch. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: First Person: Myanmar aid workers brave conflict and harsh conditions to bring aid to earthquake victims

    Source: United Nations 4

    Thein Zaw Win, Communications and Advocacy Analyst in the Yangon Office of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA) saw the devastating consequences of the quake during a week-long visit to the Mandalay region, one of the regions most severely affected by the disaster.

    UNFPA Myanmar

    Thein Zaw Win, Communications and Advocacy Analy​st at UNFPA’s Yangon Office, speaks with​ a woman impacted by the recent earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar.

    “I was in Yangon when the earthquake struck. In the aftermath, news reports gradually began indicating that many cities had suffered significant casualties. Buildings, roads, homes, schools, and hospitals were reduced to rubble and people were trapped beneath the debris.

    Communication systems were down, so I decided to travel to the affected areas and support the relief efforts.

    Women and girls needed lifesaving support, including sexual and reproductive health services and maternal care, dignity kits, hygiene items, and other essential supplies as soon as possible.

    Within 72 hours, the UNFPA country office had deployed a Rapid Response Team to deliver essential services to the affected population, working with partners on the ground.

    The journey from Yangon to Mandalay usually takes about eight hours, but we struggled to get through, due to damaged roads and collapsed bridges. We had to find alternate routes and, at times, even navigate through the rugged fields beside the main road.

    Now that the rainy season has started, the roads are even worse, and travelling has become increasingly difficult. It took us more than 10 hours to reach Mandalay.

    UNFPA Myanmar

    A woman affected by earthquake receives relief items including UNFPA’s dignity kits during UN joint distribution in Sagaing, Myanmar.

    In some areas of the city, debris blocked the roads. Tower blocks had collapsed and many areas had been reduced to complete rubble. Desperate families sought refuge in temporary shelters, on the streets, or in front of their damaged homes.

    Tremors continued for several days. Frequent power outages during the night mean that some affected areas were plunged into darkness, making it unsafe to go anywhere. Reaching those affected and delivering aid under these conditions remains a considerable challenge.

    My responsibility is to engage with communities affected by the disaster, and share their stories to a broader audience. It is also vital to raise awareness of the realities and needs on the ground so that we can secure support for emergency assistance. This is my mission.

    I met a woman in Mandalay who visited our mobile clinic. She had lived in the city all her life but had never seen such devastation. Everything collapsed in a matter of seconds. She was deeply worried about the damage to healthcare facilities, as well as her ability to access medical care.

    © UNOCHA/Myaa Aung Thein Kyaw

    A woman in Mandalay, Myanmar, looks on at the devastation caused by the earthquake.

    Amidst this crisis, the UNFPA team has provided services ranging from hygiene supplies, protection from gender-based violence, and mental health support for women and girls. They also support maternal and newborn care services. I saw for myself the unwavering resilience of humanitarian workers, and the way that UN agencies, civil society organizations, and NGOs work together.

    Myanmar was already suffering from political instability and now it has been further devastated by this destructive earthquake. It is extremely difficult to deliver aid to communities in Sagaing and Mandalay, where armed conflict is ongoing.

    In the present context, with monsoon conditions imminent, people are terrified of what this season may bring.

    The country is also experiencing the impact of the decline in global aid funding.

    UNFPA, like other UN agencies and humanitarian organizations, is dealing with constraints on resources, and we have issued an appeal for emergency assistance to support populations in critical need.

    The suffering of women and children affected by the earthquake is profoundly distressing, and we need all of our strength and resilience to help them.

    It is a heartbreaking experience to witness the despair in people’s eyes and to listen to their stories of loss, but we are trying to give them the dignity and hope they rightfully deserve in these difficult times.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Afghanistan: Taliban restrictions on women’s rights intensify

    Source: United Nations 4

    The mission continued to receive reports that Afghan women are being denied the opportunity to join the workforce, are unable to access services without a male relative while girls are still deprived of their right to education.

    Since the Taliban took over the country from the democratically-elected Government in August 2021, women and girls have been systemically excluded from equal participation in society, the report confirms.

    UNAMA, whose mandate includes monitoring human rights, also reported public floggings, shrinking civic space, and brutal attacks on former government officials.

    Beauty salons shuttered

    Officials have reportedly shut down beauty salons run by women in their homes and women’s radio stations in various provinces, UNAMA said.

    In the province of Kandahar, de facto inspectors asked shopkeepers in a market to report women unaccompanied by a guardian (mahram) and deny them entry into their shops.

    At one hospital, authorities ordered staff not to provide care to unaccompanied female patients.

    Forced conversions

    Taliban authorities have also increased enforcement of repressive restrictions on media outlets, ramped up corporal punishment, and the clampdown on religious freedom and re-education.

    Between 17 January and 3 February, in Badakhshan province in northeastern Afghanistan, at least 50 Ismaili men were taken from their homes at night and forced to convert to Sunni Islam under the threat of violence, the report details.

    More than 180 people, including women and girls, have been flogged for the offences of adultery and practicing homosexuality during the reporting period, in public venues attended by Taliban officials.

    Taliban claim support for women’s rights

    Despite documented evidence from the report that de facto authorities are continuing to violate international norms and rights protections, Taliban officials disagree.

    “Ensuring the dignity, honor, and Sharia-based entitlements of women remains a paramount priority for the Islamic Emirate,” Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a social media post on March 8, International Women’s Day.

    “All fundamental rights afforded to Afghan women have been safeguarded in strict accordance with Islamic Sharia law, as well as the cultural and traditional frameworks of Afghan society,” he added.

    International legal action

    UNAMA has called for action to restore women’s and girls’ rights at the international level.

    In January, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Taliban Leader Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqan over persecution on gender grounds, a crime against humanity under the Rome Statute.

    The Taliban rejected the ruling, citing national sovereignty and religious traditions.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNFPA calls on US to reconsider ban on future funding

    Source: United Nations 4

    In a statement, UNFPA said the move – which invokes a 1985 legal provision known as the Kemp-Kasten Amendment – is based on “unfounded claims” about the agency’s work in China. These allegations, it noted, have “long been disproven”, including by the US Government itself.

    The Kemp-Kasten amendment states that no funds can go to any organization or programme which support any “coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization,” as determined by the US president.

    The funding cut now in effect is in addition to termination notices already issued for more than 40 existing humanitarian projects, representing roughly $335 million in support.

    Impact on the most vulnerable

    UNFPA – formally the UN Population Fund – said the loss of US support will significantly undermine efforts to prevent maternal deaths, especially in conflict-affected and crisis-hit regions.

    “It will cut essential support for millions of people living in humanitarian crises and for midwives preventing mothers from dying in childbirth – work that is a ‘best-buy’ in development, a cost-effective investment that generates positive returns over generations,” the agency stated.

    The US, a founding and long-standing partner, has over the decades helped strengthen global health systems and save countless lives, UNFPA said.

    “Over the past four years alone, with the US Government’s life-saving investments, we prevented more than 17,000 maternal deaths, nine million unintended pregnancies and nearly three million unsafe abortions by expanding access to voluntary family planning,” the agency added.

    Call to reconsider

    UNFPA urged Washington to reconsider its position and “reclaim its position as a leader in global public health, saving millions of lives.”

    “Funding UNFPA – the only United Nations agency dedicated to reproductive health and rights – is the surest way of reducing the risk of coercive practices around the world,” the agency said.

    It also emphasised its continued commitment to dialogue with the US Government through the UNFPA Executive Board, where the United States has been an active member for over 50 years.

    The agency also vowed to continue to work tirelessly under its mandate to uphold the health, safety, and dignity of women and girls worldwide.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI Submissions: Is Mark Carney turning his back on climate action?

    Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Deborah de Lange, Associate Professor, Global Management Studies, Toronto Metropolitan University

    The G7 summit in Alberta, hosted by Prime Minister Mark Carney, has ended with only passing mention of fighting climate change, including a statement on wildfires that is silent on the pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    This is puzzling. Canadians didn’t opt for Conservative Pierre Poilievre, considered by some to be an oil and gas industry mouthpiece, in the last federal election. Instead, voters gave Carney’s Liberals a minority government.

    Carney was the United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance and was behind the UN-backed Net-Zero Banking Alliance, so some Canadians might have assumed he’d prioritize climate action if he won the election. Instead, Carney has described developing fossil fuel infrastructure as “pragmatic.”

    But it’s unclear how a country grappling with abysmal air quality due to wildfires fuelled by global warming will benefit from further global fossil fuel development and its related emissions.



    Read more:
    Wildfire smoke can harm your brain, not just your lungs

    Warming rapidly

    Canada is warming faster than most of the globe. Its leaders should be laser-focused on mitigating climate change by reducing fossil fuel use to the greatest extent possible, as soon as possible.

    This decades-long understanding of how to approach climate action has been repeatedly explained by experts and is well known to governments globally. Canada’s prime minister was once one of those experts.

    Carney now has a tremendous opportunity to lead by steering Canada in a clean direction.

    Canada is at the forefront of clean technology, with numerous business opportunities emerging, particularly in areas like circular economy international trade. These opportunities not only support Canada’s commitment to meeting its Paris Agreement targets but also help expand and diversify its global trade.

    Eco-industrial parks

    Canada already has exemplar eco-industrial parks — co-operative businesses located on a common property that focus on reducing environmental impact through resource efficiency, waste reduction and sharing resources. Such industrial communities are in Halifax and in Delta, B.C. They represent significant investment opportunities.

    Vacant urban land could be revitalized and existing industrial parks could boost their economic output and circular trade by building stronger partnerships to share resources, reduce waste and cut emissions.



    Read more:
    A sustainable, circular economy could counter Trump’s tariffs while strengthening international trade

    Canada would benefit economically and environmentally by building on existing expertise and expanding successful sustainability strategies to achieve economic, environmental and social goals.

    But by continuing to invest in fossil fuels, Canada misses out on opportunities to diversify trade and boost economic competitiveness.

    The secret to China’s success

    Real diversification makes Canada less vulnerable to economic shocks, like the ones caused by the tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump.

    Fossil fuel reliance increases exposure to global economic risks, but shifting to cleaner products and services reduces climate risks and expands Canada’s global trade options. China’s economic rise is partly a result of this strategy.



    Read more:
    While the U.S. threatens tariffs and builds walls around its economy, China opens up

    That’s seemingly why Trump is so fixated on China. China today is a serious competitor to the U.S. after making smart trade and economic decisions and forging its own path, disregarding American pressure to remain a mere follower.

    Investing in its huge Belt and Road Initiative, China also aligned itself with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. It’s building diplomatic bridges with many Belt and Road countries in southeast Asia as Trump’s America alienates its partners, pulling out of the Paris Agreement and cutting foreign aid.

    As another one of America’s mistreated partners, Canada was poised to forge its own path under Carney. Instead, Carney is supporting American oil and gas by encouraging Canadian pipeline projects.

    Clean innovation is the path forward

    Canadian oil and gas is a concentrated industry controlled by a wealthy few, primarily Americans. More pipelines would therefore mean more sales of fossil fuels to other countries, with the beneficiaries mostly American.

    Fossil fuel investments reduce Canada’s diversification because the resources used to further these projects could go elsewhere — toward clean diversification. With almost unlimited clean economy options across many sectors, clean diversification would broaden Canada’s economic and trade portfolios and reduce American control.



    Read more:
    Why Canada’s Strong Borders Act is as troublesome as Donald Trump’s travel bans

    This is International Business 101, and would make the Canadian economy more competitive through innovation, while reducing the country’s climate risk.

    California, often targeted by Trump for its policies, has been a leader in clean innovation, making its economy the envy of the world.



    Read more:
    California is planning floating wind farms offshore to boost its power supply – here’s how they work

    My recent research shows that clear, decisive choices like those made in California will be key to Canada’s future success. Canada must make choices aligned with goals — a core principle of strategic management.

    My research also suggests Canada must restructure its energy industry to focus on renewable energy innovation while reducing fossil fuel reliance. Increased renewable energy innovation, as seen in patent numbers, leads to higher GDP.

    Contrary to common beliefs, pollution taxes boost the economy in combination with clean innovation. But when the government supports both the fossil fuel industry and clean industries, it hinders Canada’s transition to a cleaner future.

    Trapped by the fossil fuel industry?

    Do Canadian taxpayers truly want to keep funding an outdated, polluting industry that benefits a wealthy few, or invest in clean industries that boost Canada’s economy, create better jobs and protect the environment? To differentiate Canada from the United States, it would make sense to choose the latter.

    Carney should consider refraining from pushing for the fast-tracking of polluting projects. If he doesn’t, Canada will become more uncompetitive and vulnerable, trapped by the fossil fuel industry.



    Read more:
    Mark Carney wants to make Canada an energy superpower — but what will be sacrificed for that goal?

    Carney’s support for pipelines may have stemmed from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s implicit support for Alberta sovereignty. She made veiled threats to Canada at a critical juncture, when Trump was making repeated assertions about annexing Canada.

    Missed opportunities

    Alberta didn’t vote for Carney. But Canadians who care about mitigating climate change did.

    Banks that felt pressure to at least recognize sustainable finance during the Joe Biden administration joined Carney’s Net-Zero Banking Alliance.

    But as soon as Trump came to power a second time and walked away from the Paris Agreement, many American banks abandoned the alliance. Canadian banks followed suit, and Carney remarkably missed another moment to show Canadian leadership by stopping their exit.

    In fact, Carney seems to have abandoned his own organization to appease Trump as the president made multiple 51st state threats. The prime minister had the chance to differentiate Canada and demonstrate his own leadership. Instead, he seems to have easily turned his back on his principles under pressure from Trump.

    Deborah de Lange receives funding from SSHRC and ESRC. She is affiliated with The Liberal Party of Canada and The Writers’ Union of Canada.

    – ref. Is Mark Carney turning his back on climate action? – https://theconversation.com/is-mark-carney-turning-his-back-on-climate-action-258737

    MIL OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Analysis: Employers are failing to insure the working class – Medicaid cuts will leave them even more vulnerable

    Source: The Conversation – USA (3) – By Sumit Agarwal, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan

    The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 7.8 million Americans across the U.S. will lose their coverage through Medicaid – the public program that provides health insurance to low-income families and individuals – under the multitrillion-dollar domestic policy package that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025.

    That includes 247,000 to 412,000 of my fellow residents of Michigan based on the House Reconciliation Bill in early June. There are similarly deep projected cuts within the Senate version of the legislation, which Trump signed.
    Many of these people are working Americans who will lose Medicaid because of the onerous paperwork involved with the proposed work requirements.

    They won’t be able to get coverage in the Affordable Care Act Marketplaces after losing Medicaid. Premiums and out-of-pocket costs are likely to be too high for those making less than 100% to 138% of the federal poverty level who do not qualify for health insurance marketplace subsidies. Funding for this program is also under threat.

    And despite being employed, they also won’t be able to get health insurance through their employers because it is either too expensive or not offered to them. Researchers estimate that coverage losses will lead to thousands of medically preventable deaths across the country because people will be unable to access health care without insurance.

    I am a physician, health economist and policy researcher who has cared for patients on Medicaid and written about health care in the U.S. for over eight years. I think it’s important to understand the role of Medicaid within the broader insurance landscape. Medicaid has become a crucial source of health coverage for low-wage workers.

    A brief history of Medicaid expansion.

    Michigan removed work requirements from Medicaid

    A few years ago, Michigan was slated to institute Medicaid work requirements, but the courts blocked the implementation of that policy in 2020. It would have cost upward of US$70 million due to software upgrades, staff training, and outreach to Michigan residents enrolled in the Medicaid program, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

    Had it gone into effect, 100,000 state residents were expected to lose coverage within the first year.

    The state took the formal step of eliminating work requirements from its statutes earlier this year in recognition of implementation costs being too high and mounting evidence against the policy’s effectiveness.

    When Arkansas instituted Medicaid work requirements in 2018, there was no increase in employment, but within months, thousands of people enrolled in the program lost their coverage. The reason? Many people were subjected to paperwork and red tape, but there weren’t actually that many people who would fail to meet the criteria of the work requirements. It is a recipe for widespread coverage losses without meeting any of the policy’s purported goals.

    Work requirements, far from incentivizing work, paradoxically remove working people from Medicaid with nowhere else to go for insurance.

    Shortcomings of employer-sponsored insurance

    Nearly half of Americans get their health insurance through their employers.

    In contrast to a universal system that covers everyone from cradle to grave, an employer-first system leaves huge swaths of the population uninsured. This includes tens of millions of working Americans who are unable to get health insurance through their employers, especially low-income workers who are less likely to even get the choice of coverage from their employers.

    Over 80% of managers and professionals have employer-sponsored health coverage, but only 50% to 70% of blue-collar workers in service jobs, farming, construction, manufacturing and transportation can say the same.

    There are some legal requirements mandating employers to provide health insurance to their employees, but the reality of low-wage work means many do not fall under these legal protections.

    For example, employers are allowed to incorporate a waiting period of up to 90 days before health coverage begins. The legal requirement also applies only to full-time workers. Health coverage can thus remain out of reach for seasonal and temporary workers, part-time employees and gig workers.

    Even if an employer offers health insurance to their low-wage employees, those workers may forego it because the premiums and deductibles are too high to make it worth earning less take-home pay.

    To make matters worse, layoffs are more common for low-wage workers, leaving them with limited options for health insurance during job transitions. And many employers have increasingly shed low-wage staff, such as drivers and cleaning staff, from their employment rolls and contracted that work out. Known as the fissuring of the workplace, it allows employers of predominately high-income employees to continue offering generous benefits while leaving no such commitment to low-wage workers employed as contractors.

    Medicaid fills in gaps

    Low-income workers without access to employer-sponsored insurance had virtually no options for health insurance in the years before key parts of the Affordable Care Act went into effect in 2014.

    Research my coauthors and I conducted showed that blue-collar workers have since gained health insurance coverage, cutting the uninsured rate by a third thanks to the expansion of Medicaid eligibility and subsidies in the health insurance marketplaces. This means low-income workers can more consistently see doctors, get preventive care and fill prescriptions.

    Further evidence from Michigan’s experience has shown that Medicaid can help the people it covers do a better job at work by addressing health impairments. It can also improve their financial well-being, including fewer problems with debt, fewer bankruptcies, higher credit scores and fewer evictions.

    Premiums and cost sharing in Medicaid are minimal compared with employer-sponsored insurance, making it a more realistic and accessible option for low-income workers. And because Medicaid is not tied directly to employment, it can promote job mobility, allowing workers to maintain coverage within or between jobs without having to go through the bureaucratic complexity of certifying work.

    Of course, Medicaid has its own shortcomings. Payment rates to providers are low relative to other insurers, access to doctors can be limited, and the program varies significantly by state. But these weaknesses stem largely from underfunding and political hostility – not from any intrinsic flaw in the model. If anything, Medicaid’s success in covering low-income workers and containing per-enrollee costs points to its potential as a broader foundation for health coverage.

    The current employer-based system, which is propped up by an enormous and regressive tax break for employer-sponsored insurance premiums, favors high-income earners and contributes to wage stagnation. In my view, which is shared by other health economists, a more public, universal model could better cover Americans regardless of how someone earns a living.

    Over the past six decades, Medicaid has quietly stepped into the breach left by employer-sponsored insurance. Medicaid started as a welfare program for the needy in the 1960s, but it has evolved and adapted to fill the needs of a country whose health care system leaves far too many uninsured.

    This article was updated on July 4, 2025, to reflect Trump signing the bill into law.

    The Conversation

    Sumit Agarwal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Employers are failing to insure the working class – Medicaid cuts will leave them even more vulnerable – https://theconversation.com/employers-are-failing-to-insure-the-working-class-medicaid-cuts-will-leave-them-even-more-vulnerable-259256

    MIL OSI Analysis –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Asia is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    While there are records which exist to be broken – Olympic ones, for example -these monthly temperature extremes are not medal worthy. And yet, China was not the only Asian country to set a flurry of new highs in 2024.

    The continent is warming twice as fast as the global average, according to a report released Monday by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). This rate of warming – which shows no signs of stopping – is leading to devastating consequences for lives and livelihoods across the region, and no country is exempt from the consequences.

    “Extreme weather is already exacting an unacceptably high toll,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo on Monday.

    Large landmass, warmer temperatures

    The WMO report said that Asia is warming twice as fast as global averages because of its large landmass, explaining that temperatures over land increase more quickly than those over sea.

    “Variations in surface temperature have a large impact on natural systems and on human beings,” the report said.

    The oceans around Asia are also experiencing temperature increases with surface temperatures in the Indian and Pacific Oceans reaching record levels in 2024.

    Moreover, prolonged heat waves, both on land and sea, wreaked havoc across the region, leading to melting glaciers and rising sea levels. 

    Too much and too little water

    Some countries and communities in Asia were ravaged by record rainfall. Northern Kerala in India, for example, experienced a fatal landslide which killed over 350 people.

    Record rainfall coupled with snow melt in Kazakhstan, which is home to thousands of glaciers, led to the worst flooding in 70 years.

    Others were ravaged by the exact opposite problem – not enough rainfall. A summer long drought in China, for example, affected over 4.76 million people and damaged hundreds of thousands of hectares of crops.

    WMO emphasized in the report that the only way to adapt to these increasingly polar weather patterns is to install more comprehensive early warning systems which are coupled with capacity building measures that enable communities to be more resilient.

    Nepal: A case study in preparedness

    The WMO report lauded the success that Nepal has had in installing early warning systems which monitor flooding risks, among other things, even as it said that more comprehensive action was necessary.

    Between 26 and 28 September 2024, Nepal experienced extreme rainfall which created landslides and flooding across large swaths of the country. 246 people were killed, 178 injured and over 200 missing in the wake of the climate emergency.

    While the impact of the crisis was extreme, early flood warning systems enabled communities to prepare for evacuation in addition to crisis responders to reach the worst hit regions quickly.

    “This is the first time in 65 years that the flooding was this bad. We had zero casualties thanks to preparedness and rescue measures, but the damage was extensive,” said Ramesh karki, Mayor of Barahakshetra, an affected municipality in Eastern Nepal.

    Moreover, comprehensive national protocols on emergency funding ensured that funding for humanitarian and rebuilding needs was quickly dispersed throughout the country.

    WMO said that they are working with the Nepalese government and other partners to continue improving upon these systems.

    “The work of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and their partners is more important than ever to save lives and livelihoods,” Ms. Saulo said. 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Faith in finance: Indonesia’s innovative path to sustainable development

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The Southeast Asian country has already raised close to $12 billion in thematic bonds, including blue bonds and Islamic investment instruments over the last seven years.

    These efforts have been supported by development partners, including the United Nations.

    Putut Hari Satyaka, is the Deputy Minister for Development Financing and Investment at Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas). He spoke to UN News ahead of a key UN conference on financing for development which begins in Sevilla on 30 June.

    UN News: How much money is needed in Indonesia to achieve the SDGs and what is your estimated funding gap?

    Putut Hari Satyaka: The existence of an SDG financing gap remains a significant challenge, especially to developing countries. Indonesia is no exception. The financing gap to fully achieve all 17 goals and their targets remains significant. With an estimated $4.2 trillion needed for Indonesia to achieve the SDGs, there is a $1.7 trillion financing gap that is yet to be resolved.

    © Bappenas

    Putut Hari Satyaka, Deputy Minister for Development Financing and Investment at Indonesia’s Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas).

    UN News: How can that gap be closed?

    Putut Hari Satyaka:  We need an integrated and transformative approach, going beyond “business as usual”. For us, this means two things.

    Firstly, we must enhance the use of public finances to be more efficient, resilient and transparent. This includes improving budgetary alignment with SDG targets, strengthening expenditure efficiency, and ensuring that resources are effectively prioritized and utilized for sectors generating spill-over transformative effects to sustainable development.

    Secondly, we must be creative and innovative – meaning that we need to scale up the existing innovative financing methods and explore new ones. Some of the most prominent instruments and approaches are blended finance, thematic bonds and faith-based financing.

    Indonesia has been making great progress in this regard. We have created an ecosystem of a wide range of innovative instruments, attracting a diverse range of stakeholders and entities, supporting necessary regulations, and developing the enabling environment to nurture the market.

    UN News:  What is faith-based financing and what has been Indonesia’s experience so far?

    Putut Hari Satyaka:  Faith-based financing, especially within the Indonesian context, refers to financial practices grounded in religious principles, most notably, in the principles of Sharia law in Islam.

    © UNICEF/Robertson

    Families in Aceh, Indonesia, have received faith-based cash grants to make improvements to their homes.

    As Indonesia has 241.5 million Muslims, 85 per cent of the population, and faith-based social financing like zakat and waqf have been a long-standing practice, deeply rooted in our society.

    What is new is the allocation of these instruments towards the SDGs. Indonesia has made strong progress in advancing Sharia finance as part of its inclusive growth agenda.

    Sharia financing is now growing by 14 per cent a year, outpacing conventional finance. We are also championing scaling-up, green sukuk, which is a Sharia-compliant bond specifically issued to finance environmentally friendly projects.

    This reflects Indonesia’s strong commitment to building a competitive financial ecosystem for faith-based instruments, and we will continue to strengthen collaboration, drive innovation, and ensure that faith-based financing plays a central role in our economic development.

    UN News: Are you able to raise new funding through these faith-based instruments? Critics sometimes say this is just another way to reach the same funds you could get otherwise.

    Putut Hari Satyaka: Yes, we are. With the world’s largest Muslim population, there is a massive potential in channeling faith-based financing towards the SDGs.

    In 2018, Indonesia issued the world’s first sovereign green sukuk, raising $1.25 billion to fund renewable energy and climate adaptation projects.

    Between 2019 and 2023, the government raised approximately $1.4 billion through domestic retail green sukuk, engaging individual investors in climate financing. This demonstrates the strong potential of green sukuk, both domestically and internationally.

    UN News/Daniel Dickinson

    The 17 Sustainable Development Goals provide the blueprint for a more equitable world.

    We also see great potential in Islamic Social Financing. Indonesia’s zakat potential is estimated at between $18 billion and $25 billion per year. The actual collection remains below 5 per cent of that potential, so there is clearly a vast opportunity to strengthen social finance.

    UN News: What lessons have you learned over the years and what advice do you have for national or subnational governments interested in faith-based financing?

    Putut Hari Satyaka: Although we have made great progress in faith-based financing, we have much room for enhancement, improvement and even exploration. Here are a few potential lessons:

    First and foremost, awareness raising is key. As many view faith-based financing also as community-based financing, society’s participation in these instruments starts with their understanding of their importance and the way the money will be used.

    Secondly, we see that the close coordination and concerted actions of relevant stakeholders are crucial. Overlaps are unavoidable without proper coordination. It is coordination – including with subnational governments, where we see room for improvement in order to scale-up faith-based financing in Indonesia.

    Finally, building trust takes time. Faith-based financing relies heavily on public confidence, both in the institutions managing the funds and in how the funds are used.

    Just like many other financing instruments, we have learned that transparency, accountability and consistent communication are essential to earn and maintain that trust.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Every hour, 100 people die of loneliness-related causes, UN health agency reports

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

     Loneliness is linked to approximately 100 deaths every hour – more than 871,000 deaths annually. By contrast, strong social connections are associated with better health and longer life, the UN health agency said on Monday.

    WHO defines social connection as the ways in which people relate to and interact with one another. Loneliness is the distressing feeling that arises when there is a gap between desired and actual social relationships, while social isolation refers to the objective lack of social ties.

    “In this age when the possibilities to connect are endless, more and more people are finding themselves isolated and lonely,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

    Disproportionate impact

    While loneliness affects people across all ages, young people and people living in low- and middle-income countries are especially vulnerable.

    “Even in a digitally connected world, many young people feel alone. As technology reshapes our lives, we must ensure it strengthens – not weakens – human connection,” said Chido Mpemba, co-chair of WHO Commission on Social Connection, which published the report.

    The report, From loneliness to social connection: charting the path to healthier societies, highlights concerns about excessive screen time and harmful online interactions, particularly among youth and their negative effects on mental health.

    Multiple factors contribute to loneliness and social isolation, including poor health, low income and education, living alone, lack of adequate community infrastructure and public policies, as well as certain aspects of digital technologies.

    Serious health risks

    Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, cognitive decline, and early death. Lonely people are twice as likely to experience depression and may also face heightened anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

    Conversely, social connection offers protective benefits throughout life—reducing inflammation, lowering the risk of serious illness, promoting mental health, and extending longevity.

    Towards healthier societies

    The report lays out a roadmap for global action focused on five key areas: policy, research, interventions, improved measurement and public engagement. Together, these aim to reshape social norms and build a movement for social connection.

    While the costs of social isolation and loneliness are steep, the benefits of social connections are profound. WHO urged governments, communities, and individuals to make social connection a public health priority.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN80 Initiative: What it is – and why it matters to the world

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    “This is a good time to take a look at ourselves and see how fit for purpose we are in a set of circumstances which, let’s be honest, are quite challenging for multilateralism and for the UN,” says Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy and chair of the UN80 Task Force.

    Known as the UN80 Initiative, this process seeks not only to improve efficiency, but also to reassert the value of multilateralism at a time when trust is low and needs are high. It aims to reinforce the UN’s capacity to respond to today’s global challenges – ranging from conflict, displacement, and inequality to climate shocks and rapid technological change – while also responding to external pressures such as shrinking budgets and growing political divisions in the multilateral space.

    “We will come out of this with a stronger, fit-for-purpose UN, ready for the challenges the future will undoubtedly bring us,” explains Mr. Ryder.

    UN News/Anton Uspensky

    View of the UNHQ building from Roosevelt Island, New York

    Three tracks of reform

    At the heart of UN80 are three major workstreams. The first is focused on improving internal efficiency and effectiveness, cutting red tape, and optimizing the UN’s global footprint by relocating some functions to lower-cost duty stations. Mr. Ryder notes that burdensome administrative procedures and duplications are being targeted.

    “We want to see what we can do better. We want to look at those areas where we think we can improve efficiencies and strip out unnecessary bureaucratic processes,” he outlines.

    The second workstream is a mandate implementation review, which involves examining nearly 4,000 mandate documents underpinning the UN Secretariat’s work. A mandate refers to a task or responsibility assigned to the organisation by the Member States, usually through resolutions adopted by UN organs such as the General Assembly or the Security Council.

    These mandates guide what the UN does – from peacekeeping operations and humanitarian aid to human rights and environmental action.  Over the decades, at least 40,000 mandates have accumulated, sometimes overlapping or becoming outdated, which is why reviewing them is a key part of the UN80 initiative .

    “Let’s take a look at them,” Mr. Ryder says. “Let’s see where there may be duplication, where we can prioritise and de-prioritise, and find redundancies.”

    But reviewing this mountain of mandates is not new. “We’ve tried this exercise before. We had a look at these bulky mandates back in 2006. It didn’t work very well.” Mr. Ryder reflects.

    This time, however, the process is favoured by one key factor. “This time, we’ve got the data and analytical capacities. We’re applying artificial intelligence techniques to provide much more and better organised information to Member States – a more compelling case that could drive, I think, a productive process.”

    He emphasises that the responsibility for deciding what to retain, revise, or discontinue rests squarely with the Member States.

    “These mandates belong to Member States. They created them, and only they can evaluate them. We can look at the evidence, we can put that to Member States, but eventually they are the decision-makers on mandates and on very much else that the UN80 initiative brings.”

    The third stream explores whether structural changes and programme realignment are needed across the UN System. “Eventually, we might want to look at the architecture of the United Nations system, which has become quite elaborate and complicated,” Mr. Ryder adds. Proposals are also likely to emerge from the mandate implementation review.

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    Guy Ryder, Under Secretary-General for Policy and Chair of the UN80 taskforce

    A task force and a system-wide lens

    To tackle reform across such a complex system, the Secretary-General established seven thematic clusters under the UN80 Task Force; each coordinated by senior UN leaders from across the system. These cover peace and security, humanitarian action, development (Secretariat and UN system), human rights, training and research, and specialised agencies.

    “It’s important to say that at a moment when the system is under pressure, the system is responding as a system,” the UN80 Taskforce chair notes. “This is not just New York, not just the Secretariat. It is system-wide.”

    Each cluster is expected to produce proposals to improve coordination, reduce fragmentation, and realign functions where needed. Several clusters have already submitted initial ideas. A broader set of proposals will follow in July.

    UNFICYP/Katarina Zahorska

    The United Nations works to prevent conflict, support peace processes, and protect civilians—upholding its core mandate to maintain international peace and security.

    Reform, not retrenchment

    Attention around the UN80 Initiative has largely focused on proposed budget cuts and staff reductions, raising concerns that it is mainly a cost-saving exercise. Mr. Ryder underscores that this view misses the bigger picture.

    “Yes, we do face financial challenges. No need to avert our eyes from that. But this is not a cost-cutting, downsizing exercise. We want to make the UN stronger,” he says.

    Still, the financial pressures across the system are undeniable. A revised programme budget for 2026, due in September, is expected to include significant reductions in funding and posts for Secretariat entities — a consequence of persistent cash flow constraints linked to delayed and incomplete contributions from Member States.

    “The UN80 Initiative wants to improve the impact and effect of multilateralism and the UN,” Mr. Ryder explained. “Now, that does not mean – we wish it were otherwise – that we do not have to take a look at our budget and our resources in different parts of the system.”

    “Organisations have faced some wrenching decisions, and this is happening every day. That’s the reality of our circumstances,” he adds.

    Mr. Ryder contends that financial sustainability and mission impact are not mutually exclusive – but must be pursued in tandem. “We have to reconcile the two objectives of making ourselves financially sustainable in the difficult circumstances we find ourselves in, but also be attentive, as always, to the impact that we have in delivering on our responsibilities under the Charter,” he said.

    © WFP/Jonathan Dumont

    Children in Haiti eat a meal provided as part of WFP’s school feeding programme.

    Why UN80 matters to people everywhere

    Rather than mere bureaucratic reform, UN80 is ultimately about people, those who rely on the UN’s support during crisis, conflict, or development challenges.

    “If the UN is able to transform itself, to make improvements, sometimes through difficult decisions, that can mean those life-saving interventions reach the people we serve more effectively,” Ryder says.

    The UN remains the essential, one-of-a-kind meeting ground to advance peace, sustainable development and human rights for all.

    “This is the United Nations taking seriously its responsibilities to the people we serve”, Mr. Ryder says.

    Right now, the UN assists over 130 million displaced people, provides food to more than 120 million, supplies vaccines to nearly half the world’s children, and supports peacekeeping, human rights, elections, and climate action across the globe. The UN’s development work has helped build peaceful, stable societies.

    © UNICEF/Minzayar Oo.

    UNICEF-supported vaccination in remote Shan State village, Myanmar

    What happens next

    The UN80 Task Force will present its proposals to the Secretary-General, who has already indicated the first areas where outcomes are expected. A working group on efficiencies in the UN Secretariat, led by Under-Secretary-General Catherine Pollard, is expected to deliver initial proposals by the end of June. A report on the mandate implementation review will follow at the end of July.

    This work under the first two workstreams will help inform broader thinking around structural changes and programme realignment across the UN system. Proposals under the third workstream will be put forward to Member States in the coming months and into next year.

    Although the work is just beginning, Mr. Ryder believes the UN has the right tools – and a clear sense of ambition and urgency.

    “We’re progressing well. There’s a lot of homework being done now,” he said. “As the weeks go by, this will be shifting more and more to the Member States’ space, and that’s when we’ll see results.”

    Eventually, Member States will need to decide how to act on the findings. “They’re going to have to decide what they want to do. Will they wish to set up an intergovernmental process? The Secretary-General has mentioned this as a possibility already.”

    UN Photo/Manuel Elías

    UN Secretary-General António Guterres briefs the media about the UN80 Initiative.

    Defining success

    So, what does success look like?

    “A UN system which is able to deliver more effectively, to strengthen and consolidate trust in multilateral action,” Mr. Ryder says. “A system which can convey to public opinion and political decision-makers that this is an organisation worth investing in. That this should be your preferred option when it comes to meeting the challenges of the future.”

    For the UN80 Task Force chair, it comes down to credibility, capability, and public trust – and ensuring the UN remains not just relevant, but essential.

    “We should all care about this,” he says. “If we take the view that multilateralism is the best instrument we have for meeting global challenges, then we need to make sure we renovate, refresh, and make that machinery as effective and as fit for purpose as it can possibly be.”

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Bold new initiative aims to strengthen and improve the UN, senior officials tell Member States

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The informal meeting on the UN80 Initiative also provided a chance for ambassadors to share their views on the reform agenda, launched by Secretary-General António Guterres in March.

    UN80 is centred around three workstreams focused on efficiencies and improvements, a mandate implementation review, and structural changes and programme realignments across the entire UN system.

    Improving the UN

    It also aims to reinforce the UN’s capacity to respond to global challenges such as conflict, displacement, and the climate crisis, while also managing external pressures effectively, such as shrinking budgets and growing political divisions. 

    “I think the UN80 Initiative is often characterised, but I think mischaracterised, simply as an exercise in downsizing in economy,” said Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy and chair of the Task Force overseeing the plan.

    “But the Secretary-General has been rather clear in saying that whilst we have to respond to the resource situation, the overall intention of the Initiative is to strengthen and improve the workings of the UN system.”  

    Learn why UN80 matters to the world in our explainer here.

    Widespread impact

    Mr. Ryder alongside UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan (who prepares and oversees the budget and manages the Organization’s funds) presented updates on two workstreams during the morning session of the day-long meeting.

    He set the scene with a slideshow outlining the background for UN80 and the circumstances confronting the UN today.

    Over the years, the UN has adopted some 40,000 mandates delivered by “a fairly numerous and complex constellation of entities,” more than 140.

    In 2023, the global body delivered some $69 billion in support and services worldwide, with “the lion’s share”, $31 billion or around 45 per cent, going to humanitarian action.  

    This was followed by development, $21 billion (30 per cent), peace and security, $9 billion (13 per cent), and human rights, $1 billion, or less than one per cent.

    “We believe that the global population, in one manner or another…is connected to the global agenda of the United Nations,” he said.  Additionally, some 440 million lives are directly impacted by its development work, and 140 million people in crisis situations receive support. 

    Reduction in resources

    Mr. Ryder said the $69 billion mark two years ago represented “a peak” and it is estimated that the UN has some $50 billion in resources available today amid “a situation of significant uncertainty.”

    This 30 per cent reduction means “we’re down to 380 million people who we’re able to reach directly in development work, and we’re down to 110 million as a reduction in emergency situations of our humanitarian spending.”

    In light of this context, “maybe we can streamline the manner in which we implement the mandates that you hand down; maybe we can optimize the structures which form this archipelago of entities,” he suggested.

    “The success of the UN80 Initiative depends on us being able to increase the impact that our work in the UN system has on the people who we are here to serve.”

    Proposals to enhance efficiency

    Mr. Ramanathan briefed delegates on workstream one.  He said a working group was established to develop concrete proposals to enhance efficiency, reduce duplication, standardize services, and relocate functions to existing lower-cost duty stations where appropriate. 

    The “exhaustive list” of proposals could include measures such as consolidating existing human resources, finance and procurement services into unified support hubs. The process would start in New York and Geneva as they host the largest number of Secretariat entities and staff.

    Another proposal involves having payroll operations centralized in three global processing centres, compared to 10 locations today.

    The working group is finalising the proposals to be submitted to the Secretary-General and “if approved, they will be incorporated into the revised estimates for the 2026 proposed programme budget for the consideration of the General Assembly by 1 September,” said Mr. Ramanathan.

    “Separately from the UN80 Initiative, we are reviewing the programme budget proposals for 2026 with a view to achieving between 15 and 20 per cent reductions for 2026, including a 20 per cent reduction in work force, post reduction, but with a focus on preserving capacity at entry levels and reducing senior posts where feasible,” he added.

    A ‘universe of mandates’

    Mr. Ryder returned to present workstream two, where the first step involved mapping out “the universe of mandates” that the UN implements, with initial focus on Secretariat departments and offices, peacekeeping operations, political missions, regional commissions and other bodies.

    The Pact for the Future and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development were among the most frequently cited mandates.  

    The overall “landscape” of mandates means that the Secretariat services some 400 intergovernmental organs and roughly 27,000 meetings each year and processes some 2,300 pages of documentation on average every day, amounting to around $360 million annually. 

    A mandate resource registry has been produced, and a report should be available by the end of July which will inform the way forward.

    Concern over proposed budget cuts

    During the session, several representatives expressed their views on UN80, such as Iraqi Ambassador Dr. Abbas Kadhom Obaid, who spoke on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

    He voiced concern over the proposed 15 to 20 per cent budget reductions, and the 20 per cent staff reduction, requesting more insight into how these figures were determined.

    “This is important since we know that the departments, divisions, in the Organization’s funds, programmes and agencies vary greatly,” he said.

    “We must also protect the geographical and gender balance in the context of any downsizing.  As the Group has reiterated several times, the matters of transparency, accountability and inclusivity are paramount during this process.”

    Fit for the future

    The meeting took place just days before the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter on 26 June 1945, as General Assembly President Philémon Yang noted in his opening remarks.

    He said it was a time to “reflect on the last 80 years and all that this Organization has achieved, and also a time to look to the future,” so the UN can remain fit for purpose – and ready for the next 80 years.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Eighty years on, UN Charter marked by reflection, resolve – and a run

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Under cooler skies after days of intense heat, the run ended where it all began, at the original UN Charter – the document that launched the Organization and reshaped the modern international order – now on display at UN Headquarters.

    Inside the General Assembly Hall, delegates gathered to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its signing.

    They reflected on the past eight decades in which the UN helped rebuild countries after the Second World War, supported former colonies’ independence, fostered peace, delivered aid, advanced human rights and development, and tackling emerging threats like climate change.

    To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war

    General Assembly President Philémon Yang described the moment as “symbolic” but somber, noting ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and the growing challenges to multilateralism.

    He urged nations to choose diplomacy over force and uphold the Charter’s vision of peace and human dignity: “We must seize the moment and choose dialogue and diplomacy instead of destructive wars.”

    Secretary-General António Guterres echoed this call, warning that the Charter’s principles are increasingly under threat and must be defended as the bedrock of international relations.

    “The Charter of the United Nations is not optional. It is not an à la carte menu. It is the bedrock of international relations,” he said, stressing the need to recommit to its promises “for peace, for justice, for progress, for we the peoples.”

    Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Security Council President for June, emphasized the urgency of renewed collective action to address emerging global threats.

    “Let this 80th anniversary of the Charter be not just an occasion for reflection, but also a call to action,” she urged.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    General Assembly commemorates 80th anniversary of the signing of UN Charter.

    To unite our strength to maintain international peace and security

    Eighty years ago, on 26 June 1945, delegates from 50 countries gathered in San Francisco to sign a document that would change the course of history.

    Forged in the aftermath of the Second World War, by a generation scarred by the Great Depression and the Holocaust and having learnt the painful lessons of the League of Nations’ collapse, the Charter of the United Nations represented a new global pact.

    Its preamble – “We the peoples of the United Nations” – echoed the determination to prevent future conflict, reaffirm faith in human rights, and promote peace and social progress.

    That very document, preserved by the United States National Archives and Records Administration, has returned – for the first time in decades – to the heart of the institution it founded.

    Now on public display at UN Headquarters through September, the original Charter stands as a powerful symbol: not just of a past promise, but of an enduring commitment to multilateralism, peace and shared purpose.

    Video: UN Charter returns to UN Headquarters

    To promote social progress and better standards of life

    More voices – from the presidents of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – also took the floor, reaffirming the enduring relevance of the Charter and the need to defend it.

    Bob Rae, ECOSOC President, drew an arc through human history to underscore the UN’s relative youth – just eight decades old in a global context of millennia.

    “We currently have the advantage of being able to lucidly look at what we have accomplished, while also recognizing our successes and failures,” he said, holding up a copy of the Charter once used by his father.

    “The United Nations is not a government and the Charter is not perfect,” he said, “but it was founded with great aspirations and hope.”

    ICJ President Judge Yuji Iwasawa reflected on the progress since 1945 and the challenges still facing the global community.

    “In the 80 years since the drafters of the Charter set down their pens, the international community has achieved remarkable progress. However, it also faces many challenges,” he said. “The vision of the Charter’s drafters to uphold the rule of law for the maintenance of international peace and security, remains not only relevant but indispensable today.”

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    Jordan Sanchez, a young poet, speaks at the General Assembly during the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter.

    To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights

    In a powerful reminder that the Charter speaks not only to the past but to future generations, Jordan Sanchez, a young poet took the stage.

    Her spoken word piece, Let the Light Fall, evoked not declarations, but feelings of hope and vision for a better world.

    “Let the light fall,” she began, “on fallen faces hidden in the shadow of scorn…where may the children run towards the light of your face, towards the warmth of your presence and the stillness of your peace.”

    “There is no fear, only abundance, of safety, of security, of knowing there will always be enough light for me” she said, describing a dreamscape of Eden restored – not a paradise lost, but glimpsed in justice, fairness and shared humanity.

    “Let us be bold enough to look down and take it, humble enough to kneel down and bathe in it, loving enough to collect and share it, and childish enough to truly, truly believe in it.”

    The equal rights of men and women

    As the world marks 80 years of the UN Charter, it’s worth remembering that its promise of equal rights for men and women was hard-won from the very start.

    In 1945, just four women were among the 850 delegates who gathered in San Francisco to sign the document, and only 30 of the represented countries granted women the right to vote.

    In a 2018 UN News podcast, researchers spotlighted these overlooked trailblazers – and asked why the women who helped shape the UN’s founding vision are so often left out of its story.

    Listen to the podcast here.

    Note: The subheads in this article are taken directly from the Preamble of the United Nations Charter, whose enduring language continues to guide the Organization’s mission.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: General Assembly approves $5.4 billion UN peacekeeping budget for 2025-2026

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Acting on the recommendation of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), the Assembly endorsed the budgets for 12 missions, the logistics centres in Entebbe (Uganda) and Brindisi (Italy), and the support account for peacekeeping.

    The budgets were adopted without a vote, except for the resolution on the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which was adopted by 147 votes in favour to 3 against (Argentina, Israel, and United States), with 1 abstention (Paraguay).

    The adoption of UNIFIL’s budget followed an Israeli-proposed oral amendment, which was rejected by 5 votes in favour (Argentina, Canada, Israel, Paraguay, and US) to 83 against, with 57 abstentions.

    Last year, the peacekeeping budget stood at $5.59 billion for 14 operations, meaning the 2025-2026 figure reflects a modest decrease, following final settlements of former missions in Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia.

    Pressing liquidity challenges

    Despite the agreement on the budgets, UN Controller Chandramouli Ramanathan outlined a sobering picture about the fragility of the UN’s broader liquidity situation.

    “You manage somehow to find common ground three times a year. But I only wish you had gone a little bit further to solve one of the underlying problems of the UN, which has been plaguing us for 80 years,” he told delegates last week as they concluded negotiations in the Fifth Committee.

    He described how approved budgets are often undermined by cash shortages, forcing immediate instructions to slash spending by 10, 15, or even 20 per cent.

    “No money, no implementation. There is not enough cash. I cannot emphasize enough a massive effort needed on your side to somehow take us over that line and deal with a problem that’s plagued the UN for the last so many years,” he said.

    UN peacekeeping operations

    UN peacekeeping remains one of the most iconic UN activities, with nearly 70,000 military, police and civilian personnel deployed across Africa, the Middle East and Europe.

    Missions include long-standing deployments such as MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, UNFICYP in Cyprus, and MINUSCA in the Central African Republic. Mandated by the Security Council, these operations work to stabilize conflict zones, support political processes, protect civilians, and assist in disarmament and rule-of-law efforts.

    UN’s peacekeeping budget is separate from its regular budget, which supports the Organization’s core programs, including human rights, development, political affairs, communications and regional cooperation.

    The peacekeeping budget cycle runs from July-June, while the regular budget is aligned with the calendar year.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WHO warns of a health financing emergency

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Speaking at the regular Friday press briefing in Geneva for humanitarian agencies, she warned that as wealthier nations make deep spending cuts, both international aid and national health systems are facing serious disruption.

    Dr. Chalkidou highlighted recent decisions by the United States, several European governments, and EU bodies to freeze or scale down health aid.

    WHO forecasts indicate that global health investment is likely to drop by up to 40 per cent this year, down $10 billion from just over $25 billion in 2023. The estimated $15 billion spent on health aid would bring the figure down to the lowest level in a decade.

    Impacts in developing countries

    This funding shortage is creating a health finance emergency in many developing countries – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – which depend on external aid to finance their health systems.

    In numerous countries, US-financed healthcare programmes were the primary source of external aid, accounting for as much as 30 per cent of current health spending in countries like Malawi, and around 25 per cent in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

    Since 2006, external aid per capita in low-income countries has consistently exceeded domestic health spending.

    Many sub-Saharan nations face soaring debt burdens – some spending twice as much on debt servicing as on health – making reallocation of resources difficult.

    The consequences are severe: Dr. Chalkidou referred to a survey by WHO showing that countries today are reporting health service disruptions “not seen since the peak of coronavirus“>COVID-19”.

    Solutions

    To address this crisis, WHO is urging countries to reduce aid dependency, boost revenue through improved taxation—including health taxes on products like tobacco and alcohol—and work with multilateral banks to secure low-interest loans for cost-effective health investments.

    WHO also plans to attend the upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, where global leaders are expected to address the health financing crisis and hopefully make new commitments.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: New judge elected to the International Court of Justice

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud was appointed following a parallel and independent voting process in the General Assembly and Security Council, conducted by secret ballot.

    He will fill the vacancy left by former ICJ President Nawaf Salam of Lebanon, who resigned in January to become the country’s Prime Minister.

    He will hold office for the remainder of Judge Salam’s term, which was set to end on 5 February 2027.

    Absolute majority

    Mr. Hmoud was the sole person vying for the slot and he was nominated by Egypt, Jordan, Romania, Slovakia and Sweden.

    Candidates must secure an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and the Security Council, or 97 and eight votes respectively.

    All 15 Council members voted in his favour while in the General Assembly, which comprises all 193 UN Member States, he received the support of 178 out of 181 countries who took part in the vote.  Three countries abstained.

    Mr. Hmoud has been Jordan’s Ambassador to the UN in New York since September 2021 and his other postings include Legal Adviser and Director of the Legal Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    He is also a former chairman and member of the International Law Commission, a UN expert body that promotes the development and codification of international law.

    The towers and gables of the Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

    The ‘world court’

    The ICJ, informally known as the “world court”, settles legal disputes between UN Member States and gives advisory opinions on legal questions that have been referred to it by UN organs and agencies.

    It has been in the spotlight following an advisory opinion, issued last July, which said that Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “is unlawful.”

    Last month, hearings began on Israel’s continuing restrictions on the work of UN and other international agencies operating in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories (OPT).

    The Court is composed of 15 judges who serve nine-year terms. Five seats come up for election every three years and there is no bar on consecutive terms.

    Judges are chosen on the basis of their qualifications, not their nationality; however, no two judges can be from the same country.

    The ICJ was established in June 1945 and is based at the Peace Palace in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands.

    It is one of the six main organs of the UN – alongside the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, and the Secretariat – and is the only one not based in New York.

    Find out more about the ICJ and its role in global peace and security here. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Famine stalks two counties in South Sudan as fragile peace is threatened

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    The Integrated Food Security Classification scale shows a deterioration in conditions revealing emergency levels of hunger.

    The warning comes amidst increased violence and 11 out of 13 counties are now facing emergency levels and 32,000 of these inhabitants are facing “catastrophic” level hunger conditions, almost three times previous estimates.

    “We are seeing the devastating impact conflict has on food security in South Sudan,” said Mary-Ellen McGroarty, Country Director for the World Food Programme (WFP) in South Sudan.

    “Conflict doesn’t just destroy homes and livelihoods, it tears communities apart, cuts off access to markets, and sends food prices spiralling upward,” Ms. McGroarty said.

    Countrywide hunger

    In total, 7.7 million people across South Sudan will face acute food insecurity, accounting for over half of the entire population. Additionally, 2.3 million children in South Sudan face malnutrition, a rise from 2.1 million at the beginning of the year. 

    FAO expects these numbers to increase as the country prepares to enter the lean and wet season which will further diminish food supplies and potentially worsen displacement.

    The agency did note that counties in which violence has been largely absent have seen improvements in food insecurity as a result of increased crop production and humanitarian efforts. However, hunger continues.

    Despite such ongoing challenges, Meshack Malo, the country representative of FAO in South Sudan, said that these results are proof of the “dividends of peace.”

    Descent into conflict

    South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, gained independence in 2011 and immediately fell into a brutal and devastating civil war which ultimately ended in 2018 thanks to a peace agreement between political rivals which has largely held.

    However, recent political tensions and increased violent attacks, especially in the Upper Nile State, threaten to unravel the peace agreement and plunge the nation back into conflict.

    “South Sudan cannot afford to sink into conflict at this point in time. It will plunge already vulnerable communities into severe food insecurity, leading to widespread hunger,” said Meshack Malo, Country Representative of FAO in South Sudan.

    Humanitarian difficulties

    FAO said that humanitarian access must be improved in order to address the worsening hunger situation.

    The FAO report also emphasized that peace and capacity building is the only sustainable solution for food insecurity in South Sudan.

    “Long-term peace is essential, but right now, it is critical our teams are able to access and safely distribute food to families caught in conflict in Upper Nile, to bring them back from the brink and prevent famine,” said Ms. McGroarty.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: ‘Indifference and impunity’ in Sudan, ICC judges speak out against sanctions, respiratory diseases overlooked in Europe

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Tom Fletcher noted that over 30 million people require humanitarian assistance. Moreover, with famine declared in multiple places and over 14.6 million people displaced, Sudan represents the largest humanitarian crisis in the world.

    “Again and again, the international community has said that we will protect the people of Sudan. The people of Sudan should ask us if, when and how we will start to deliver on that promise,” the relief chief said.

    When will the international community fully fund aid efforts in Sudan?

    When will accountability for the violence in Sudan happen?

    He called on the international community to stop acting with ‘indifference and impunity’ towards Sudan,

    Health system ‘smashed to pieces’

    Since the conflict in Sudan broke out in April 2022, civilian infrastructure across the country has been damaged or destroyed, including health facilities and water and sanitation systems. 

    The health system in particular has been “smashed to pieces,” according to Mr. Fletcher, leading to increasingly dire measles and cholera outbreaks.

    The cholera outbreak, which began in July 2024 and is now confirmed in 13 of Sudan’s 18 states, has infected more than 74,000 people in total and killed 1,826.

    “I have seen first-hand the devastation caused by the cholera outbreak in Khartoum, where the health system has been devastated by conflict and is struggling to cope with the tremendous demand on health facilities,” said Dr. Shible Sahbni, WHO representative in Sudan.

    The World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Sudanese Ministry of Health, is launching a 10-day cholera vaccination campaign in Khartoum State.

    The campaign will aim to reach 2.6 million people in an effort to contain the cholera outbreak in the state.

    “The vaccines will help stop cholera in its tracks as we strengthen other response interventions,” said Dr. Sahbni.

    ICC judges express support for colleagues sanctioned by US

    Judges at the International Criminal Court (ICC) expressed solidarity with their colleagues who have recently been sanctioned by the United States Government, describing the move as “coercive measures aimed at undermining the independence of the judiciary.”

    “The Judges stand united and will continue to exercise their functions independently, impartially and conscientiously, fulfilling the demands of the rule of law,” they said in a statement on Thursday.

    The US announced sanctions on 6 June against four judges from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda. The justices are currently overseeing a 2020 case which alleges war crimes in Afghanistan committed by the US and Afghan armies and the 2024 ICC arrest warrants issued for sitting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

    The International Court of Justice

    The UN Human Rights Chief Volter Türk previously said that he was “deeply disturbed” by these sanctions, arguing that they corroded international governance and justice.

    No improper influence

    The ICC is an independent judicial body established under the Rome Statute, adopted in 1998. Although not part of the United Nations, the ICC works closely with it under a cooperative framework.

    In the statement, the Judges said that they decide, and will continue to decide, cases based on facts and without regard to threats, restrictions or improper influence issued “from any quarter or for any reason.”

    “The Judges reaffirm that they are equal in the performance of their functions and that they will always uphold the principle of equality before the law.”

    Over 80 Million Europeans suffering from overlooked chronic respiratory diseases

    Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma are vastly underestimated, underdiagnosed and poorly managed in Europe – affecting 80 million people and costing $21 billion a year, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday.

    A new report by WHO Europe and the European Respiratory Society highlights how smoking and air pollution are driving the growing crisis.

    “We take 22,000 breaths a day, yet respiratory health remains one of the most neglected areas in global health,” said Professor Silke Ryan, President of the European Respiratory Society.

    6th leading cause of death

    Data analysis shows that chronic respiratory illnesses are the sixth leading cause of death in Europe. They are often misdiagnosed owing to weak diagnostic systems, limited training and inadequate health data.

    Although effective treatments are available, asthma-related deaths remain high among young people, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is responsible for eight in 10 respiratory disease deaths.

    As preparations begin for the 2025 UN High-Level Meeting on non-communicable diseases, WHO Europe urged governments to prioritize chronic respiratory disease, set measurable targets and tackle root causes like tobacco and air pollution.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: World News in Brief: Rights abuses in Haiti, Sudan war sees exodus to Chad, food trade optimism

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Between 1 January and 30 May, at least 2,680 people – including 54 children – were killed, 957 injured, 316 kidnapped for ransom, and many more subjected to sexual violence and child gang recruitment.

    “Alarming as they are, numbers cannot express the horrors Haitians are being forced to endure daily,” said Mr. Türk.

    Conflicts on all sides

    In recent months, gangs have attacked Mirebalais in the centre of the country, looting police stations, destroying property and freeing over 500 inmates from the local prison.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    Meanwhile, so-called self-defence groups have targeted individuals they suspect of gang affiliation. On 20 May, at least 25 people were killed and 10 injured by a group accusing them of supporting gangs.

    Law enforcement has ramped up operations against them. Since January, police have killed at least 1,448 people, including 65 during extrajudicial executions.

    Mr. Türk called on the international community to take decisive action to end the violence, including renewed support for the Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and full enforcement of the council’s arms embargo.

    He also reiterated his call for States to not forcibly return anyone to Haiti.  

    “The coming months will be crucial and will test the international community’s ability to take stronger, more coordinated action – action that will help determine the future stability of Haiti and the wider region,” Mr. Türk added.

    Outlook for food trade ‘relatively optimistic’, FAO says

    The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released their annual Food Outlook report Thursday which provides a “relatively optimistic” look at international food markets.  

    According to the report, production is expected to increase across almost all categories, with grain production expected to reach record levels. And while prices do remain higher this year than last, between April and May there was an overall decrease of almost one per cent. 

    The report noted, however, that global trends — including rising geopolitical tensions, climate shocks and trade uncertainties — may still negatively impact production.  

    “While agricultural production trends appear solid, drivers that could negatively impact global food security are increasing,” said FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero.

    Fowl, fish fraud and fertilizer flows

    The report noted that outbreaks of avian influenza have become more persistent and constitute “one of the most significant biological threats to the global poultry sector.” Nevertheless, poultry exports have remained largely resilient so far.  

    The issue of fish fraud – the misrepresentation of the location or manner of the catch – was also discussed, with FAO warning that risks are growing.  

    Additionally, the report examined fertilizer flows, noting Russia’s growing exports and the decrease in fertilizer prices since the COVID pandemic.  

    Overall, the report noted, the cost of imports worldwide has increased by 3.6 percent or nearly $2.1 trillion.  

    Eastern Chad ‘reaching a breaking point’ as Sudan war refugees continue to arrive  

    Aid teams in eastern Chad warn on Friday that host communities are reaching breaking point because of climate shocks and the pressure of hosting war refugees from neighbouring Sudan.

    In an alert, the UN’s top aid official in Chad, François Batalingaya, warned that a humanitarian catastrophe is unfolding almost unnoticed by the world’s media.

    “Right now, nearly 300,000 people are stranded at the border, waiting to be relocated inland,” he noted.  

    “Tens of thousands, mostly women and children, are sleeping in the open without shelter, clean water and health care. These are survivors of war. They arrive traumatized, hungry, and with nothing. They recount stories of mass killings, sexual violence and entire communities destroyed.” 

    Major exodus

    Since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023, more than 850,000 Sudanese refugees have crossed into Chad. They’ve joined the 400,000 existing Sudanese refugees who have arrived over the last 15 years.

    The UN aid official explained that even before the latest Sudanese arrivals, nearly one million people in eastern Chad were in urgent need of help.  

    Today, “they are sharing what little they have – food, water, and space – with those fleeing the war,” Mr. Batalingaya said.

    In an appeal for international assistance, he warned that clinics are overwhelmed, malnutrition is rising and basic services are buckling.  

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Societies grappling with a ‘silent but growing’ prison crisis

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    A decade ago, the UN General Assembly adopted the Nelson Mandela Rules — a set of 122 guidelines setting minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, inspired by one of the world’s most influential former political prisoners – the South African civil rights icon, Nelson Mandela.

    These rules aim to ensure safety, security and respect for human dignity, offering clear benchmarks for prison staff.

    Despite this, prison systems worldwide continue to face deep-rooted challenges. The General Assembly convened on Friday to discuss how to better protect societies from crime by focusing on rehabilitation and preparing inmates for life after prison.

    Overcrowded cells

    “Prison cells are overflowing,” said Ghada Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), noting that 11.5 million people are currently imprisoned globally.

    “Overcrowding deprives people of their most basic rights, including access to healthcare, clean water and sanitation,” she warned. Yet prison services remain underfunded, under-prioritised and undervalued.

    These systemic failures not only endanger inmates and staff but also weaken efforts to reintegrate former prisoners — posing risks for the wider community, added General Assembly President Philémon Yang.

    Women behind bars

    The number of women in prison has increased by 57 per cent over the past 20 years — nearly triple the rate of men.

    Most systems are not equipped to meet their specific needs. “This is not safe. And this is not humane,” said Ms. Waly.

    Women in detention are especially vulnerable, facing greater risks of sexual violence, limited access to reproductive healthcare and separation from their children.

    Time for bold reform

    “We need a bold vision — one that goes beyond bricks and bars to focus on people and their potential,” said Ms. Waly, urging governments to reimagine how prisons are managed.

    Handled responsibly, prisons can support public safety, justice and the rule of law. But today’s prison environments often remain dangerous and counterproductive.

    UN officials stressed that rehabilitation must be at the heart of reforms, including support systems that reduce the likelihood of reoffending and help former prisoners reintegrate into society.

    “The true measure of justice is not how we punish,” Mr. Yang concluded, “but how we protect, rehabilitate, and build a better future for everyone, everywhere.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Despite the fall of Assad, the illicit drug trade in Syria is far from over

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Despite the current government’s hostility to the trade, the country remains a hub for the production and distribution of the drug.

    During the country’s long-running civil war, the Assad regime was hit by sanctions and diplomatic isolation, and the trade in Captagon is believed to have brought in billions of dollars for the dictator and his allies.

    The country’s attitude towards the trade changed markedly after the fall of Assad in December 2024, and the rise to power of a transitional government led by members of the Islamist group HTS and comprising members of many of Syria’s ethnic groups. The current administration has pledged to disrupt the supply chain and has demonstrated this by publicly destroying large quantities of seized Captagon.

    Mazen Alboni

    Thousands of people gathered in Damascus on Friday to celebrate the fall of the Assad regime.

    However, the most recent edition of the World Drugs Report, released by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on 26 June, warns that Syria remains a major hub for the drug, despite the crackdown.

    Ahead of the launch, Angela Me, Chief of Research and Analysis at UNODC, talked to UN News about the continued use of Captagon in the region,

    Angela Me: Captagon is a stimulant, similar to methamphetamine, which is taken as a pill, and for many years it has been the main drug of concern in the Gulf state and parts of North Africa.

    It was called the “Jihadi pill” after it was found that the perpetrators of some terrorist attacks had used it. On the battlefield it helps to maintain energy, which is one reason it is so widespread. But users quickly become dependent, and it causes physical and mental health problems.

    UN News: The transitional government of Syria has indicated that they do not tolerate this trade, but your report shows that Syria is still a big hub for Captagon. Who is producing and selling?

    Angela Me: There is a lot of uncertainty around that. We see a lot of large shipments going from Syria through, for example, Jordan. There are probably still stocks of the substance being shipped out, but we’re looking at where the production may be shifting to. We’re also seeing that the trafficking is expanding regionally, and laboratory equipment for the production of synthetic drugs has been discovered in Libya.

    UN News: Given the large amounts of money generated by drugs, are there still groups in Syria that would like to carry on the trade in the parts of the country they control?

    Angela Me: Definitely, and not only in Syria, but also in the wider region. These groups have been managing Captagon for a long time, and production is not going to stop in a matter of days or weeks.

    We are helping countries to tackle the problem from an organised crime perspective, to understand the criminal groups involved, so that they can design responses and solutions: our research shows that there is not one single response to dismantle the groups.

    We also help law enforcement to connect with their peers in the region, because this is not a national problem. It’s clearly a transnational problem which goes beyond the Middle East; we have been seeing Captagon traffic through Europe, for example.

    Another way we can support is by addressing the health-related issues, sharing evidence-based treatment that can really help people to recover from their dependence on the drug.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: United States, Ukraine among new members elected to UN Economic and Social Council

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Croatia, Russia and Ukraine secured seats from the Eastern European regional group, which had three available seats. Russia was elected in a run-off against Belarus, as both nations failed to secure the required two-thirds majority in the first round of voting. North Macedonia, the fifth candidate from the group, did not meet the two-thirds threshold and did not advance.

    Germany and the United States were also elected in a by-election to replace Liechtenstein and Italy, which relinquished their seats. Their terms will run through 2026 and 2027, respectively.

    Other countries elected to ECOSOC – for three year terms – include Australia, Burundi, Chad, China, Ecuador, Finland, India, Lebanon, Mozambique, Norway, Peru, Sierra Leone, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Türkiye, and Turkmenistan.

    The terms of all new members will begin on 1 January 2026.

    Vote tally

    ECOSOC membership is allocated based on equitable geographical representation across five regional groups: African States, Asia-Pacific States, Eastern European States, Latin American and Caribbean States, and Western European and other States.

    A total of 189 Member States participated in the first round of balloting, and 187 in the runoff. A two-thirds majority of valid votes cast was required for election; abstentions and invalid ballots were not counted in the total.

    A – African States (four seats) required majority 126
    Mozambique: 186
    Sierra Leone: 186
    Burundi: 184
    Chad: 183

    B – Asia-Pacific States (four seats) required majority 125
    Lebanon: 183
    Turkmenistan: 183
    India: 181
    China: 180

    C – Eastern European States (three seats)
    First round – required majority 123
    Croatia: 146 
    Ukraine: 130
    Russia: 108 
    Belarus: 96
    North Macedonia: 59

    Second round runoff – required majority 108
    Russia: 115
    Belarus: 46

    D – Latin American and Caribbean States (three seats) required majority 125
    Ecuador: 182
    Peru: 182
    Saint Kitts and Nevis: 180

    E – Western European and other States (four seats) required majority 120
    Türkiye: 174
    Finland: 173
    Australia: 172
    Norway: 169
    Andorra: 1

    By-elections (two seats, independent elections) required majority 114
    Germany: 171
    United States: 170
    Andorra: 1

    The Economic and Social Council

    ECOSOC is one of the six main organs of the United Nations and consists of 54 Member States elected for overlapping three-year terms. It plays a central role in advancing the international development agenda and fostering international cooperation across economic, social, and environmental spheres.

    The General Assembly, comprising all 193 UN Member States, elects ECOSOC members annually by secret ballot.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Human rights can be a ‘strong lever for progress’ in climate change, says UN rights chief

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, High Commissioner Volker Türk asked Member States whether enough was being done to protect people from the escalating impacts of climate change.

    “Are we taking the steps needed to protect people from climate chaos, safeguard their futures and manage natural resources in ways that respect human rights and the environment?” asked delegates at the ongoing session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

    His answer was simple – we are not doing nearly enough.  

    Mr. Türk emphasised that while climate change presents dire risks human rights – especially for the most vulnerable – it also can be a strong lever for progress.  

    Central to this is a “just transition” away from environmentally destructive activities.  

    “What we need now is a roadmap that shows us how to rethink our societies, economies and politics in ways that are equitable and sustainable,” he said.

    The right to decent work 

    One of the main avenues through which the Council – UN’s highest intergovernmental body on human rights – examined the connection between human rights and climate change was the right to decent work.

    “Because of climate change, the very human right of decent work is fundamentally challenged today,” said Moustapha Kamal Gueye, a senior official at the International Labor Organization (ILO).

    He warned that 80 million full-time jobs will no longer exist in 2030 if the world continues its current climate trajectory. More than 70 per cent of the global workforce – 2.4 billion workers – will be exposed to excessive heat at some point on the job.  

    These alarming statistics underscored the urgent need for robust social protection systems, including social security, for workers as the climate crisis continues to intensify, Mr. Gueye said. Less than 9 per cent of workers in the 20 most climate-impacted countries have any form of social protection.  

    “From a climate resilience perspective, nations are far from achieving the human right to social protection,” Mr. Gueye said. “Investments in social protection need to be scaled up, and this must move from shock-responses to institutionalised and rights-based approaches.”

    On a more hopeful note, he added, a shift towards low-carbon economies can potentially generate over 100 million new jobs by 2030. However, he cautioned that, that these jobs may not emerge where others are lost, reinforcing the need for strong safety nets and planning.  

    ‘Defossilize’ the economy and knowledge

    Elisa Morgera, the UN special rapporteur on human rights and climate change, also presented her latest report, which calls for “defossilization” of economies. Phasing out fossil fuels, she said, is the most effective way to reduce climate impacts while protecting human rights.

    Of course, this is not a simple task, as Ms. Morgera noted that fossil fuels have invaded all parts of our lives and economies.  

    “Fossil fuels are everywhere: in our food systems, in our ocean and in our bodies, including in our brains – in many cases without us knowing or choosing for them to be in our lives,” Ms. Morgera said.  

    Ms. Morgera – who is mandated and appointed by the Human Rights Council, and is not a UN staff member – also stressed the need to “defossilize knowledge,” noting how fossil fuel interests have distorted public understanding and attacked climate defenders.

    While geopolitical divisions may slow progress, she insisted that action can begin now at every level. “We can nourish hope and share concrete learning that can inspire a course correction, within the current decade, toward a safe climate for all.” 

    A people-centred approach

    Mr. Türk concluded his remarks reinforcing that a just transition must ensure no one is left behind.

    “If we don’t safeguard people’s lives, their health, their jobs and their future opportunities, the transition will replicate and exacerbate the injustices and inequalities in our world,” he said.  

    Mr. Gueye echoed that message: “The global climate agenda is a human story and it is about human rights. The ambition that nations and the global community seek cannot be confined to numerical targets and indicators – it must fundamentally be about people.” 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UN Peacebuilding Commission ‘more needed than ever’ amid rising conflict

    Source: United Nations MIL OSI

    They shared their experiences at an event this week at UN Headquarters to mark 20 years of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC).

    The intergovernmental advisory body supports countries emerging from conflict in areas such as governance, justice, reconciliation, institution-building and sustainable development.

    Pain and promise

    “Liberia’s story is one of pain, but also of promise,” Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf said in a video message.

    “A nation once brought to its knees by protracted conflict now stands as a testimony to what is possible when national will is matched by international solidarity.”

    In August 2003, the Liberian Government, two rebel groups and several political parties signed a peace accord in Accra, Ghana, after 14 years of civil war.

    UN Photo/Evan Schneider

    Building a new Liberia

    “Knowing that Liberia could not return to what it was, we had to construct a new nation based on new governance structures of inclusion, transparency, justice and hope,” said the former President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

    Critical institutions such as the Central Bank, the judiciary, the anti-corruption commission, and even civil society organizations, had to be restructured or built from the ground up. And women played a central role in peace efforts by leading advocacy, mediation and community rebuilding.

    “Importantly, also, Liberia’s path to peace could not be walked alone,” she said.

    Ms. Johnson-Sirleaf pointed to the essential role played by the international community through the UN and its peacekeeping Mission UNMIL, regional bloc ECOWAS, the African Union, the European Union, and other entities.

    ‘A work in progress’

    She also expressed gratitude to multilateral and bilateral partners – including the PBC – whose technical, financial and moral support laid the foundations for the peace enjoyed today.

    “Liberia’s peace remains a work in progress,” she said. “We still face challenges -economic fragility, governance bottlenecks and the aspirations of a youthful population seeking opportunity. But we have also come a long way.”

    The PBC has backed peacebuilding efforts in more than 30 countries and regions, for example supporting democratic transition in The Gambia and collaborating with Timor Leste to advance stability.

    Its “intervention and decisiveness at a critical juncture is not only manifestly historic but serves as a cardinal reference point for preventive diplomacy and international solidarity,” said Gambia’s Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara.

    Conflicts on the rise

    Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, remarked that the event was being held at a time when conflicts are becoming more numerous, more protracted and more complex, and as negotiated settlements are becoming even harder to achieve.

    UN Photo/Loey Felipe

    “Against this backdrop, the role of the Peacebuilding Commission remains critical and more needed than ever,” she said.

    She highlighted the Pact for the Future, adopted by UN Member States last September, which recognizes the central role of civil society, women and youth, and the value of UN partnerships with regional organizations and international financial institutions.

    “Crucially, the Pact decided on the strengthening of the Peacebuilding Commission,” she said.  “Our task is to translate this ambition into practical progress.”

    Still relevant today

    Ms. DiCarlo said the PBC “should be equipped, strengthened and empowered to assist interested Member States to develop and implement national strategies for prevention and peace building.”

    It should also have more systematic and robust links to other UN bodies and processes, such as the Security Council, and engage more deeply with regional organizations, international financial institutions and other key partners.

    “The Commission is no longer a new institution, but its relevance and potential are undiminished at a time of increasing need. We must equip it to invest to deliver fully on its mandate.” 

    MIL OSI United Nations News –