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Category: United Nations

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Strengthening risk-informed humanitarian shelter through DRR and environment integration: UNDRR–Global Shelter Cluster collaboration in Madagascar, Yemen and Nigeria

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    As disasters grow more frequent and severe, humanitarian shelter assistance must go beyond crisis response. Climate-related hazards are increasingly impacting vulnerable populations, whether in stable and strong governmental engagement with the international community like Madagascar, or in fragile and conflict-affected contexts such as Yemen and Nigeria, while funding remains insufficient.

    In these different settings, shelter assistance remains life saving and critical but is too often reactive, with a short-term vision which results in the same communities to be exposed to repeated risks. Shelter is not just a roof overhead; it is the frontline of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), where choices about location, materials and design directly influence safety, dignity and survival. Rebuilding the same shelter after each hazard is inefficient, costly and undignified. As emphasized by the 2030 Global Shelter Cluster Strategy, the Shelter and Settlement sector must shift from reactive response to anticipatory action, with DRR as a fundamental enabler of that shift.

    Since 2023, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) and the Global Shelter Cluster have been working together to help break this cycle by strengthening the integration of DRR and environmental considerations in humanitarian shelter and settlements coordination and response. Key outputs include:

    • Global guidance on entry points for DRR in conflict and non-conflict shelter operations, including ecosystem-based DRR;
    • Environment and climate tip sheets for the 2025 Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC), to support needs assessment and response planning phases;
    • Technical support to shelter responses in Madagascar, Yemen and Nigeria.

    Madagascar: Operationalizing DRR strategy for shelter

    In Madagascar, where communities face recurring cyclone impacts, the national Shelter Cluster, with UNDRR support, established a national DRR Technical Working Group (DRR/TWIG) in 2024. This group was tasked with the development of a national DRR strategy for shelter, including:

    In early 2025, the SOP for response was pilot-tested in Atsimo Andrefana and Androy regions by Action Against Hunger (ACF), Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Humanity & Inclusion (HI). The pilots confirmed the SOP value for structuring response and enhancing coordination, while also identifying needs for further adaptation (e.g. local language translation and community sensitization).

    Yemen: Localised action to reduce flood risk

    In Yemen, over 4 million people remain displaced, many living in informal sites on flood-prone terrain. In 2024 alone, flash-floods affected more than 100,000 households across 22 governorates, with 571 IDP sites facing high risk of flooding.

    Working with UNHCR and Yemen Shelter/CCCM Cluster, and supported by UNDRR, Yemen Al-Khair for Relief and Development (YARD) led a set of community-driven flood mitigation initiatives, including:

    • Flood risk assessments in Sana’a, Ibb, Hajjah, Al-Jawf and Sa’ada;
    • Construction of a 2.5 km flood diversion channel, reinforced with bems, in Al-Mahzam Al-Sharqi (Al-Hazm District);
    • Installation of eco-DRR measures such as erosion-resistant barriers using local materials to protect shelters and redirect runoff;
    • Transitional shelter upgrades, hazard mapping and drainage maintenance;
    • Formation of community-based DRR committees for early warning and infrastructure maintenance.

    This cost-efficient intervention directly reduce exposure for 2,800 displaced and host community members, combining technical design with strong local ownership. A second phase of support is continuing in 2025, expanding DRR integration and capacity building across additional high-risk sites.

    Crucially, these interventions were locally led. In Yemen, women-led community groups designed flood protection that saved entire neighbourhoods. Local leadership not only reduces costs, it delivers faster, more durable results.

    A simple drainage system or a protective wall can mean the difference between devastation and safety.

    Yemen is facing a climate crisis, with floods, droughts, heatwaves and rising seas making life even harder for communities already affected by conflict

    Nigeria: Building capacity for shelter resilience

    In Nigeria, conflict and climate-related displacement continues to escalate, yet many humanitarian actors are forced to close or reduce operations due to funding cuts. In June 2025, UNDRR and the Global Shelter Cluster co-hosted a DRR Workshop to build national capacity for DRR in humanitarian shelter.

    The event brought together 30 participants from the government, humanitarian and environmental sectors. It aimed to:

    This engagement represents a first step toward a contextualized roadmap for risk-informed shelter interventions in Nigeria’s conflict- and climate-affected areas.

    Looking ahead: From reactive to resilient

    The UNDRR-Global Shelter Cluster partnership is leading a shift in humanitarian shelter practice: from reactive responses to risk-informed, forward-looking approaches. Preparedness and risk reduction are not optional – they are essential pillars of effective humanitarian shelter. Risk-informed shelter design is one of the most direct, immediate tools we have to reduce hazard impacts and protect communities in crisis.

    By equipping national actors with tools, technical guidance and targeted in-country support, the initiative is helping shape shelter and settlement approaches that are safer, more inclusive and more sustainable. This reflects a broader shift across the sector: DRR is not an afterthought and must be integrated from the start of humanitarian responses.

    Learn more about the UNDRR-GSC collaboration.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Seeding gender empowerment: Women farmers in Peru contend with climate change

    Source: United Nations 2

    Ácora, located in the southeast corner of Peru almost 3,800 kilometres above sea level, is one of the Peruvian regions which has been most impacted by climate change – endangering crop production and biodiversity in addition to worsening food insecurity.

    “It was not like this before, the climate has changed a lot,” said Pascuala Pari, head of the Sumaq Chuyma Association in Ácora.

    Around the world, women farmers like Ms. Pari, who already face a series of intersectional challenges, are working tirelessly to secure their livelihoods despite an increasingly untenable climate situation.

    “Women in particular shoulder the burden of food insecurity as traditional caregivers which is intensified during climate crises,” said Bochola Sara Arero, a youth representative from the World Food Forum, at a side event during the ongoing UN High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development on Monday.

    Intersecting goals

    The forum in New York has been convened to discuss the Sustainable Development Goals, adopted in 2015 to promote global development for current and future generations.

    With only 18 per cent of these internationally agreed upon goals on track to being met by 2030, the Secretary-General António Guterres has called for urgent action and sustained multilateralism to address this gap.

    Mr. Guterres has also said that this forum is a unique opportunity to discuss the intersection between various goals, including the intersection between gender equality and climate change.

    A bipolar climate

    Last year in Ácora, dealing with a climate that oscillated between drought and torrential rains was next to impossible for the women who relied on the land.

    Crops would not grow and agrobiodiversity was under threat. In a country where 17.6 million people already experience food insecurity, this dual threat had the potential to wreak havoc on livelihoods.

    In response, Ms Pari and other women in Ácora formed seed banks. Not only do organizations like seed banks preserve indigenous agrobiodiversity, they also help sustain the livelihoods of women in the region.

    “Our crops were in danger of extinction, but now people are harvesting again and we are changing that,” said Fanny Ninaraqui, leader of the Ayrumas Carumas Association.

    Seeds that are not planted can be traded or bartered with other seed bank owners. Over 125 varieties of native crops have now been preserved across the region.

    “I am happy with my little seed bank … Now I have all kinds of quinoa: black, red, white. This supports me economically because I preserve and sell my products at local markets,” Ms. Pari said.

    © UNDP/MINAM/PPD/Nuria Angeles

    Aymara communities in Ácora are working to recover and conserve their agrobiodiversity.

    Once shut, doors open for women farmers

    In addition to climate challenges, women farmers also face a lack of legal rights. Specifically, they often do not have titles to their land.

    According to the Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Report, released Monday, 58 per cent of the countries with available data lacked sufficient protection for women’s land rights.

    “Women’s land rights are fundamental for women’s voice and agency, livelihoods and well-being and resilience as well as for broader development outcomes,” said Seemin Qayum, policy advisor at UN Women.

    The in-depth report also noted that less than half of women had secure rights to land, with men being twice as likely to have land deeds and other protected property rights. [1]

    Experts say that insufficient legal protections not only negatively impact economic outcomes for women, they also sideline women’s needs and voices in policymaking. Therefore, it is essential to institute legal protections which formally recognize women as farmers.

    “When you are recognized as a farmer, a world of possibilities, a world of resources – opportunities for representation and rights – become available to you. Doors open,” said Carol Boudreaux, Senior Director of Land Programs at Landesa.

    © UNDP/MINAM/PPD/Nuria Angeles

    Another method implemented is the rehabiWaru warus in Thunco: an ancient farming technique with canals and raised beds to manage droughts and floods.

    Beyond legal protections

    While legal land rights are essential, they are not in and of themselves enough to empower rural women.

    “Initiatives that aim to change discriminatory social norms and institutions are also needed,” said Clara Park, senior gender officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

    Women in Ácora recognize that it is not just climate change which is negatively impacting their livelihoods – they are also grappling with unequal social norms.

    “When you are young and a woman, someone always tries to limit your progress,” Ms. Ninaraqui said.

    In Ácora, international and civil society organizations, including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), have worked to help women establish their seed banks and ensure that these women have the capacity to manage them long-term.

    “I can lead, I can teach what I have learned, now I feel I have this capacity,” Ms Pari said.

    Intergenerational knowledge

    Women like Ms. Pari and Ms. Ninaraqui are part of the Aymara indigenous community in Ácora. For them, the seed banks are a form of innovation which allows them to build upon indigenous knowledge regarding agrobiodiversity.

    “We are recovering the seeds from our grandparents’ time,” said Ms. Pari.

    And as they save these seeds, Ms. Pari said they are also thinking of the future.

    “Today, I would tell more women to keep going, to not be discouraged by what others think, and to take initiative like I did,” said Ms. Pari.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Decisions We Take Now ‘Will Shape Development Trajectories for Decades to Come’, Deputy Secretary-General Tells High-Level Political Forum

    Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council

    Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the opening of the 2025 high-level political forum on sustainable development, in New York today:

    In 2015, the world made a landmark commitment to achieve sustainable development and ensure that no one is left behind.

    The 2030 Agenda built on previous decades of development efforts and carried forward the vision and lessons of the Millenium Development Goals.

    It framed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around a paradigm shift that integrates the three core dimensions of sustainable development — economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability — and underscored the vital role of effective governance and strong institutions.

    It carried a promise to everyone, everywhere, to live in dignity, on a safe and healthy planet.

    Today, a decade later, we meet again as the world grapples with conflicts and deepening geopolitical tensions.

    The fabric of multilateralism is fading, and the SDGs seem out of reach.  Hard-won development gains are at serious risk, as a multitude of challenges, exacerbated by the chronic shortfall in adequate financing.

    Alarmingly, half of the world’s poorest countries have yet to return to their pre-pandemic income levels.

    Inequalities have amplified.  Trade tensions are escalating.  The climate crisis is worsening.  Democracy is under threat.  And the debt crisis continues to tighten its grip on the world’s poorest countries.

    The situation is truly sobering.  Yet, the latest data show that while progress on SDGs has been uneven and limited, there is reason for hope.

    Social protection and health systems are expanding, especially in middle-income countries, where they are reaching more people.

    More mothers are surviving childbirth and more children are living beyond their fifth birthday.

    Education access is broadening, creating new pathways for young people.

    The number of girls who are in school and studying STEM subjects is higher than ever before.

    Countries are investing in better data and technology, for policies to reach the furthest behind.

    There are promised investments in digital connectivity and clean energy, to serve those in the most remote areas.

    Meanwhile, the world has united behind an ambitious global agreement to confront deep-seated structural challenges and unlock faster, more inclusive progress.

    The Pact for the Future, adopted last September, builds on existing reforms and commitments and charts a bold way forward to revive multilateralism and collective action, anchored in peace, solidarity and cooperation.

    The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development renewed our commitment to deliver on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, take forward debt solutions and tackle the international financial architecture.

    The Ocean Conference in Nice generated important consensus on critical issues, from marine protected areas to plastic pollution, illegal fishing and maritime security.

    The thirtieth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women and the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing+30) and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the women, peace and security agenda, reignited political drive for gender equality and women’s empowerment.

    And there are many more opportunities this year to push our agenda forward:

    The Second Stocktake of the UN Food System Summit.

    The Second World Summit on Social Development.

    The Biennial Summit on Finance.

    The thirtieth UN Climate Change Conference, and ahead of that, new, updated and economy-wide nationally determined contributions to get our climate goals back on track.

    We must build on these achievements.  Make the most of the momentum and drive action — particularly through this high-level political forum.

    We are under pressure because the truth is:  expectations are high, trust is eroding and crises are deepening, as we strive to deliver on our promise of the 2030 Agenda.

    This forum is an important opportunity to reflect, exchange and course correct.  It is our space to amplify the momentum, share lessons and good practice, deepen partnerships and reignite our collective ambition to fulfil the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Over the coming days, we must reflect honestly and constructively on progress.  Particularly on SDG3 on health and well-being; SDG5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment; SDG8 on decent work and economic growth; SDG14 on life below water; and SDG 17 on partnerships and means of implementation — this all with human rights at the centre of everything we do and hope to achieve.

    And we must focus on the theme of this year’s meeting:  “Inclusive solutions, based in science and evidence,” and take heed of key findings of the Secretary-General’s Report on the SDGs.

    We need solutions that address persistent challenges, that can be adapted and applied across diverse contexts and that improve the lives of billions of people who are left behind:  the 800 million people living in extreme poverty; the 2.2 billion people without safe drinking water; the 2.3 billion suffering food insecurity; the 3.4 billion without safely managed sanitation; and the countless women, Indigenous Peoples, smallholder farmers and other marginalized groups unable to access formal health and protection systems.

    This forum will also welcome the tenth set of voluntary national reviews, or VNRs.  They present a temperature check of every country’s journey.

    Since 2016, a total of 190 countries have conducted close to 400 VNRs.

    This voluntary national exercise has been almost universally adopted:  a heartening sign of commitment to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs and evidence that the SDGs are now deeply woven into national plans, policies and monitoring frameworks.

    These reviews are powerful road maps to achieve the SDGs and mobilize all stakeholders.  Across regions, we have seen civil society’s engagement deepen — driving progress nationally and locally.  VNRs have helped build knowledge and data and offered practical pathways to dismantle structural barriers that hold us back.  Over the past decade, they have inspired action through inclusive, scalable approaches, grounded in local realities.

    I look forward to the 37 VNR presentations at this forum, and I encourage other countries to engage and foster a meaningful exchange of experiences. It is up to all of us to build on our successes and make this forum count.

    We have come far.  And have even further to go.  But we have much further to go if we are to honour the promise of the SDGs.

    The pathway to 2030 is narrowing.  And the decisions we take now — where we invest, what we prioritize, and where we reform — will shape development trajectories for decades to come.

    With five years to go, the Secretary-General’s UN80 initiative marks a historic step to build on recent reforms and ensure that the United Nations remains a trusted, agile partner, ready to tackle today’s challenges and tomorrow’s uncertainties, and drive our collective push for the 2030 Agenda nationally, regionally and globally.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Regional School Feeding Forum kicks off in Latin America and the Caribbean

    Source: World Food Programme

    SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras – Around 200 participants from 18 countries, including government ministers, representatives of civil society, international financial institutions, and the United Nations, are meeting in San Pedro Sula from 15-17 July for a key forum to strengthen commitments to school feeding programs in Latin America and the Caribbean.

    The XI Regional School Feeding Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, co-organized by the Government of Honduras and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), is a high-level event for leaders to help transform national school feeding programmes into an engine for social protection, sustainability, and inclusion.

    Government-led school meal programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean reach over 80 million children – second to only South Asia, according to WFP’s flagship State of School Feeding Worldwide 2022 report – with a collective annual investment of approximately USD 7.6 billion. These governments are also increasingly choosing to use local produce for school meals; stimulating local markets, and including seasonal foods in school menus.

    School meals are a vital way to boost school enrollment and attendance, and offer a return on investment of between USD 7 and USD 35 for every USD 1 invested. In Latin America, they have also proven key in helping to promote healthy eating practices and provide good nutrition for children

    A healthy diet in Latin America costs on average USD 4.56 per person per day – the highest daily cost globally, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report released in 2024. Around 180 million Latin Americans cannot afford this – and by 2050, climate impacts could increase the cost of a healthy diet by an additional 34 percent.

    A Committed Host

    Honduras joins the list of countries that have hosted the Regional School Feeding Forums, promoting spaces in favor of children for more than two decades. In the country, over 1.2 million schoolchildren receive sustainable school meals across more than 20,000 pre-primary and primary public schools nationwide. Between 2022 and 2025, the country will invest more than USD 140 million to provide over 79,000 metric tons of fortified food to help prevent childhood anemia and malnutrition.

    The National School Feeding Programme, led by the Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL), aims to ensure food security, school attendance, and the integral development of future generations as part of a national poverty reduction strategy. It reaches nearly 43 percent of school-aged children enrolled in public schools, including 97,400 girls and boys from the country’s nine Indigenous and Afro-Honduran peoples, across 1,074 educational centers.

    “The wellbeing of our children is at the heart of our social protection policies and the fight against poverty in Honduras,” said Mirtha Gutiérrez, Minister of Social Development. “The National School Feeding Programme not only ensures food security but also promotes school reintegration and combats child malnutrition. At SEDESOL, we are ready to implement this public policy as a State strategy, strengthening governance and ensuring the sustainable continuity of the programme.”

    In close coordination with the Ministry of Education, more than 4,000 school gardens have been established to improve access to fresh foods. Additionally, the country has launched the National Network of Agricultural Schools, comprising of seven specialized schools and more than 200 community-based institutes and associated educational centers.

    “This regional forum is a crucial space to showcase the positive experiences in school feeding,” said Minister of Education, Professor Daniel Esponda. “Honduras is building a food autonomy policy, promoting the use of locally produced foods in school meals, with the goal that what is served in schools is grown in the communities themselves.”

    WFP Support for National Efforts

    WFP works with governments in the region to strengthen national school feeding efforts – with support tailored to the local context. For example, transforming empty shipping containers into kitchens in El Salvador; providing lunches to children affected by violence in Haiti; connecting farms with nearby schools in Guatemala; and promoting fortified rice in schools in Peru.

    “We reach students in vulnerable areas with critical support: those affected by drought, environmental degradation, and social exclusion from the Dry Corridor to the high Andean zones to the Amazon,” said Lola Castro, WFP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “Delivering life-changing assistance to communities affected by conflict, displacement, and migration, or in places with high malnutrition, poor access to water and health services, and increasing urban food insecurity is critical. Ensuring the quality and coverage of food assistance when funding is limited is not easy. But the returns are undeniable.”

    Towards the Global Summit

    School meals programmes are the largest social safety net in the world, according to the World Bank, but the scope of these programs is still very uneven across countries. In Latin American and the Caribbean alone, the range is huge with some countries spending only USD 10 per child per year, while others invest up to USD 300.

    During the three-day Forum, participants will explore the value of school feeding for greater social protection, explore the role of schools as catalysts for sustainability and resilience, and promote school feeding with a focus on indigenous peoples.

    Additionally, the new report “More than a Meal” on the potential of school feeding in Guatemala and Peru to address malnutrition in an efficient and cost-effective manner will be presented. Produced jointly by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and WFP, the report explores how to improve meals in school so that the hours children spend at school count towards improving their nutrition.

    Latin America and the Caribbean is a region pioneering the expansion of school meals programmes to meet some of the biggest challenges facing people and our planet – from childhood nutrition to climate resilient food systems. The Forum is a key event to exchange experiences and jointly prepare for the 2nd Global School Feeding Summit, which will take place in Fortaleza (Brazil) at the end of the year.

    Note to editors: For more information and audiovisual content on the forum, visit the website.

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    The United Nations World Food Program is the largest humanitarian organization in the world, which saves lives during emergencies and provides food assistance to build a road to peace, stability and prosperity amongst populations which are recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Twitter: @wfp_media @wfp_es

    Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel.

    For more information, please contact us with (email: name.lastname@wfp.org):

    María Gallar, World Food Programme, mobile: +34 662 435 125, maría.gallar@wfp.org
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Ukraine: Civilians under fire in record numbers as attacks surge

    Source: United Nations 2-b

    According to the UN human rights office, OHCHR, at least 139 civilians have been killed and 791 injured so far in July alone.

    “The devastating physical and psychological impact on civilians of repeated attacks in this and other conflicts cannot be captured by numbers alone,” said OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell on Tuesday.

    Escalating attacks

    On the night of 12 July, Russian forces reportedly launched nearly 600 Shahed-type unmanned attack and decoy drones, along with 26 missiles, killing two civilians and injuring 41.

    Damage was reported across multiple regions, including Chernivtsi, Lviv, Cherkasy, Volyn and Kirovohrad – all far from active combat zones. Earlier that same week, Russian forces reportedly launched a record-breaking 728 long-range drones in a single 24-hour period.

    June marked the deadliest month for civilians in over three years.

    “People are having to spend hours sheltering (…) in basements, corridors and available refuges such as metro stations,” said Ms. Throssell. “In some cases, they’re unable to get to shelter at all.”

    Health under pressure

    The UN World Health Organization (WHO) meanwhile has verified 2,504 attacks on health facilities and personnel in Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation on 24 February 2022.

    These strikes have hit hospitals, ambulances and first responders, including in so-called “double tap” attacks where secondary strikes follow the initial impact.

    “This means more than two attacks every day…Healthcare is not a safe place for patients and healthcare workers,” said Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine.

    Access to healthcare remains especially limited in frontline areas, where personnel and supplies are scarce.

    Only 69 per cent of residents in those areas have seen a primary care doctor, compared to 74 per cent nationally. WHO mobile teams operating in 82 locations have conducted more than 7,500 consultations in 2025 so far.

    The psychological toll is also wearing people down. A recent assessment found that seven out of 10 people reported anxiety, depression or severe stress over the last 12 months, while one in two said they had experienced significant stress in just the past two months.

    To address this, WHO and national partners have trained more than 125,000 health workers and expanded mental health services through more than 220 community resilience centres.

    Despite continued deliveries of trauma kits and medical supplies by UN and humanitarian partners, the response remains critically underfunded. As of mid-July, only 35.5 per cent of the required $129 million for 2025 has been secured, leaving more than two million people without adequate medical support.

    Call for accountability

    In Geneva, Ms. Throssell highlighted the UN human rights chief’s calls for an immediate end to hostilities and for efforts toward a just and lasting peace.

    “The Russian Federation’s full-scale armed attack on Ukraine must urgently be halted and work on a lasting peace in line with international law must intensify,” Volker Türk said in a statement.

    The High Commissioner emphasized that any sustainable solution must include accountability for serious human rights violations, the return of deported children, protection for civilians in occupied areas, humane treatment of prisoners of war, and restoration of humanitarian corridors.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Pakistan, WFP and the Green Climate Fund launch project to protect flood-prone communities

    Source: World Food Programme

    ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), together with the Government of Pakistan and the Green Climate Fund, launched the Integrated Climate Risk Management for Strengthened Resilience to Climate project today through an inception workshop in Islamabad.

    ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), together with the Government of Pakistan and the Green Climate Fund, launched the Integrated Climate Risk Management for Strengthened Resilience to Climate project today through an inception workshop in Islamabad.

    The initiative, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with US$ 9.8 million, will directly benefit 1.6 million people in Buner and Shangla districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, two areas highly vulnerable to climate shocks.

    The project aims to protect flood-prone communities from extreme weather by installing early warning systems—such as weather stations and river level monitors—and improving coordination among government departments so alerts reach people faster. Communities will be trained to interpret these warnings, evacuate safely and protect their farms and homes before disasters strike.

    At the same time, the project will strengthen the capacity of local institutions—including disaster management authorities, district governments, and emergency response teams—by equipping them with the tools, training and infrastructure needed to respond swiftly to climate-related emergencies.

    The workshop was attended by key stakeholders from federal and provincial governments, including the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination (MoCC & EC), the national and provincial disaster management authorities, and relevant planning and development departments.

    Just two weeks into the 2025 monsoon season, Pakistan has already experienced deadly impacts, with over 100 lives lost due to heavy rain, flash floods and landslides according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged one-third of the country, with KP province alone suffering over US$ 1.5 billion in loss and damage. Within KP, Buner and Shangla face acute risk due to recurring flash floods, landslides, high poverty rates and limited investment in climate adaptation.

    Sameera Sheikh, Joint Secretary of the MoCC & EC, welcomed the initiative, noting its alignment with national priorities. “Pakistan is among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world, and the impacts are becoming more intense each year,” Sheikh said. “Initiatives like this are vital to help vulnerable communities in districts such as Buner and Shangla better prepare for and respond to climate shocks like floods and landslides”.

    “The Government of KP deeply values the strong collaboration and joint governance established through this initiative,” said Dr. Ehtisham Ulhaq, Chief of the International Development Section of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “This project not only addresses immediate climate risks but also lays the groundwork for long-term resilience and opens doors to future climate finance for our most vulnerable communities.”

    “Recurring climate shocks are a driver of hunger and malnutrition, threatening lives, livelihoods and entire food systems,” said Coco Ushiyama, WFP Pakistan Representative and Country Director. “This project represents a multi-layered investment – not only in early warning systems and anticipatory action, but also in local adaptation planning and institutional capacity.”

    The initiative aligns with Pakistan’s national policies and KP’s disaster risk management frameworks. It supports GCF Strategic Plan 2024–2027 by addressing urgent adaptation needs in underserved areas, bridging critical capacity gaps in flood preparedness and reinforcing community resilience.

    #                #            #

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on Facebook and Twitter: @WFPPakistan

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Departmental update WHO prequalifies the first triple diagnostic test for HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis, a milestone toward global disease elimination goals

    Source: World Health Organisation

    On 10 July 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the first bundled set of three in vitro rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) capable of simultaneously detecting HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and syphilis – three major infections that pose serious risks to maternal and child health.

    The prequalification listing of the Determine™ Antenatal Care Panel is expected to facilitate timely and expanded access to testing in communities where pregnant women often face significant barriers to early diagnosis and essential maternal health care. This advancement also supports the global initiative to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, HBV and syphilis as a public health problem – a critical effort known as triple elimination.

    HIV, HBV and syphilis are not only leading causes of preventable illness and death but also carry a high risk of vertical (mother-to-child) transmission during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. Early diagnosis during pregnancy is therefore crucial. Timely testing allows pregnant women to access appropriate treatment, prophylaxis and supportive care, significantly reducing the risk of complications and transmission to the infant. WHO recommends that all pregnant women be tested at least once for these three pathogens – and as early as possible – during pregnancy.

    “Ensuring rapid access to quality-assured diagnostic tests is essential to protecting the health of vulnerable populations, including pregnant women,” said Dr Rogério Gaspar, Director of WHO’s Department of Prequalification and Regulation of Medicines and Health Products. “This milestone reflects our continued commitment to accelerating the availability of safe, effective and quality health innovations where they are needed most.”

    To date, WHO has prequalified three dual HIV/syphilis RDTs and continues to monitor a growing pipeline of multiplex diagnostic tools. Assessing these innovations remains a strategic priority, as they offer the potential to further strengthen integrated testing efforts. The newly listed product can build on the successful scale-up of dual HIV/syphilis RDTs and existing WHO guidance to support broader access to integrated antenatal screening.

    As health systems face growing resource constraints, integrated approaches such as multiplex testing are increasingly vital. They have the potential to simplify service delivery, reduce costs and improve testing coverage, especially in low-resource and high-burden settings.

    WHO is currently developing global guidance on multiplex testing to support countries in effectively deploying this panel, and other emerging multiplex diagnostics. The guidance will offer evidence-based recommendations on when, where, and how to use multiplex tests to maximize impact, and answer questions on the viability of further multiplex self-testing.

    “Rapid multiplex tests like this mark a new era for diagnostics as they have potential to transform service delivery and population health. By aligning product prequalification with programmatic guidance, WHO is helping countries implement innovations smarter and faster through working across departments. With our multiplex testing guidelines coming soon, we can turn innovation into impact,” said Dr Meg Doherty, WHO Director of the Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes.

    Designed for use by trained health-care providers at the point of care, the Determine™ Antenatal Care Panel is currently intended specifically for pregnant women aged 12 years and older. It enables simultaneous testing for HIV-1/2 antibodies and HIV-1 p24 antigen (Determine™ HIV Early Detect), hepatitis B surface antigen (Determine™ HBsAg 2), and syphilis antibodies to Treponema pallidum (Determine™ Syphilis TP). Each test is qualitative, visually read, and uses capillary whole blood from a finger-prick – providing a practical, efficient tool to aid in the diagnosis of HIV, HBV, and syphilis during pregnancy.

    This listing reflects the strong, ongoing collaboration between WHO’s Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes and the Department of Prequalification and Regulation of Medicines and Health Products. Together, they are working to accelerate access to high-impact tools and ensure they reach the people who need them most.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Departmental update New WHO guidance on HIV disclosure for children and adolescents

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Despite some advancements in achieving key milestones towards ending AIDS in children and adolescents, progress remains slow and major challenges continue to hinder the attainment of global targets. Disclosure is a continuing challenge for these groups, with limited evidence for effective interventions. 

    Disclosure refers to the process by which children and adolescents are made aware of their own HIV status, enabling them to share this with others safely and when ready, and empowering them to be engaged in and lead decision-making about their own health. Disclosure, when done the right way, can lead to significant benefits, increased social support, reduced stress and improved mental health. Although they are a driver of improved clinical outcomes, disclosure decisions can be particularly complex, with important considerations to be weighed up concerning potential risks and benefits. To address these gaps, an up-to-date understanding of the evidence on disclosure interventions for this age group is necessary.

    WHO has released new guidance to help children and adolescents living with HIV navigate disclosure. Since the guidance released by WHO in 2011, no practical tools have been made available for ministries of health, health-care providers and their teams. 

    “With this new document, WHO is responding to country requests to support the implementation of evidence-informed activities guiding safe and quality disclosure. This new guidance provides an overview of disclosure interventions that are developmentally appropriate, address layered stigma, promote caregiver-client communication, and facilitate supportive health and community systems both pre- and post-disclosure for policy-makers, health workers, caregivers, children, adolescents and the community at large” says Wole Ameyan, WHO Global HIV, Hepatitis and STIs Programmes.

    The updated guidance outlines safe approaches and proven interventions, presented in 2 parts. 

    The first part presents findings from a scoping review of 25 interventions supporting HIV status disclosure to, and by, children and adolescents aged 6-19. These include disclosure-specific and disclosure-inclusive interventions.

    “All children and adolescents have the right to and need for information that helps them make sense of their world,” said Nicola Willis, Executive Director, Zvandiri, a community-based organization in Zimbabwe. “Yet many living with HIV have lacked this vital support. This new guidance reminds us that discussing their HIV status with them is an essential component of their treatment and care. Evidence-based approaches exist and it’s time to prioritize their implementation to improve mental health and viral suppression.”

    The second part outlines emerging considerations, gaps and key actions on adolescent development and autonomous decision-making; stigma and rights-based approaches; measurement, monitoring and evaluation; building support systems across families and communities; and the need for innovation in an evolving epidemic. It offers health workers, policy-makers, and other practitioners and researchers working with vulnerable populations, an overview of evidence integrated with rights-based approaches centred on child and adolescent well-being in the process of disclosure.

    “This new guidance offers clear, actionable examples and a strong summary of updated, context-specific interventions,” said Luann Hatane, Executive Director, Paediatric-Adolescent Treatment Africa (PATA). “We look forward to sharing it across our network and incorporating the case studies into our capacity-building efforts.”

    Disclosure is both a personal decision and a means to safeguard health outcomes, especially for younger populations. The social, relational, and systemic considerations emerging from the evidence are central to promoting safe disclosure. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Departmental update Integrating HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections with primary health care: learning from countries

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Countries are facing acute challenges and new opportunities in how HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STI) services are funded and delivered. In recent years and months, efforts to strengthen country ownership, integration and sustainability have accelerated as donor funding declines.

    Many countries are increasingly adopting a primary-health care (PHC) approach to address HIV, viral hepatitis and STI epidemics as part of a broader holistic and people-centred approach to health.

    A new policy brief Integrating HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with primary health care: learning from countries highlights progress and lessons learned from efforts to converge, link and integrate these services with PHC in several low- and middle-income countries.

    The overall experiences from selected countries in this brief – Angola, Botswana, Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Kenya, Pakistan, Rwanda, Viet Nam, and Zambia – show varied challenges, approaches and outcomes aligned with the 4 strategic and 10 operational levers described in the WHO/UNICEF PHC Operational Framework.

    Acting on only 1 or 2 levers limits impact and reach in the context of complex ecosystems. Countries that prioritized 4 or more areas at the same time – across both strategic and operational levels – achieved the most sustainable results. The integration of disease-focused responses and services with PHC has led to improved access to services, enhanced service delivery, stronger community engagement, improved health outcomes and sustainable financing. 

    The policy brief recommends strengthening coordination and governance through strong political leadership, securing sustainable funding, and adopting a health system–focused approach. It advocates for task sharing within the health workforce and emphasizes meaningful community engagement to build trust and ownership. Addressing stigma and discrimination is a key priority, alongside leveraging digital technologies to improve service delivery. Finally, it highlights the importance of engaging the private sector to support innovation and expand reach.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Yemen: Security Council extends UN mission in crucial port city amid escalating Red Sea strife

    Source: United Nations 4

    Adopted unanimously, the resolution extending the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA) until 28 January 2026, underscores the Mission’s critical role in maintaining fragile stability amid signs of renewed military escalation and deepening humanitarian need.

    The resolution – 2786 (2025) – reaffirms the Council’s support for the 2018 Stockholm Agreement, including the ceasefire in the Houthi-controlled port city – and demilitarisation of its docks, where the majority of Yemen’s imports and vital aid shipments pass through.

    The mission’s future

    It also signals a growing debate over the mission’s future, requesting the Secretary-General to submit a review by November to enhance coordination and coherence of UN operations, “bearing in mind challenges” that have directly impeded UNMHA’s capacity to deliver.

    “The Security Council…expresses its intention to review the full range of options for UNMHA’s mandate, including assessing the future viability and sunsetting of the Mission, and make any necessary adjustments to gain efficiencies and reduce costs or otherwise, as may be required to UN operations in Hudaydah by developments on the ground, including inter alia a durable nationwide ceasefire,” the resolution noted.

    UNMHA was established in 2019 to support implementation of the Stockholm Agreement between the Government of Yemen and Ansar Allah (as the Houthis are formally known), which sought to prevent major conflict over the region.

    The mission monitors the ceasefire, facilitates redeployments and supports de-escalation through liaison mechanisms between the parties.

    Tensions mounting

    While the military situation on the ground remains tenuously stable, tensions are mounting on multiple fronts.

    According to a letter from the Secretary-General to the 15-member Council in June, a growing number of ceasefire violations – averaging over 100 per day between June 2024 and May 2025 – highlight the fragile state of the region.  

    Government-aligned forces fortified positions in anticipation of a possible offensive on the city, while Houthi units increased infiltration attempts and public mobilisation, including military-style youth camps in areas they control.

    UN Photo/Mark Garten

    Security Council unanimously adopts Resolution 2786 (2025) extending until 28 January 2026 the mandate of the UN Mission to support the Hudaydah Agreement (UNMHA).

    Deadly Red Sea passage

    Compounding this, Houthi attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea have intensified. On 8 July, the commercial vessel Eternity C was sunk, killing several crew members and leaving others missing. This followed the sinking of the Magic Seas vessel two days earlier.

    In a statement, UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg condemned the attacks, calling them violations of international maritime law and warning they risked serious environmental and geopolitical fallout.

    He called on Ansar Allah to cease attacks that risk escalating tensions in and around Yemen.

    “[He urges them] to build on the cessation of hostilities with the United States in the Red Sea and to provide durable guarantees to the region and the wider international community, ensuring the safety of all those using this critical waterway,” the statement noted.

    Significant operational constraints

    Within Hudaydah itself, UNMHA faces significant constraints.  

    The June letter by the Secretary-General details restrictions by Houthi authorities on UN patrols to the critical Red Sea ports – Hudaydah, Salif and Ras Issa.

    Damage from repeated airstrikes, including by the US and Israel in response to Houthi attacks, has left key port infrastructure partially inoperable, disrupting fuel, food and medical imports.

    With Hudaydah responsible for 70 per cent of Yemen’s commercial imports and 80 per cent of humanitarian deliveries, the stakes are high.

    © UNICEF/Mahmoud Alfilastini

    A child receives a polio vaccination in Yemen.

    Polio vaccination drive

    Meanwhile, a new round of polio vaccinations is underway in Government-controlled areas of southern Yemen, amid mounting concerns over the continued spread of the virus.  

    From 12 to 14 July, health workers deployed across 12 governorates, aimed at curbing the outbreak of variant type 2 poliovirus.

    The campaign, led by Yemen’s Ministry of Public Health with support from UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO), came as 282 cases have been reported since 2021, with environmental surveillance confirming ongoing transmission.

    “The campaign is essential to interrupt transmission and protect every child from the debilitating effects of polio,” said Ferima Coulibaly-Zerbo, acting WHO Representative in Yemen.

    UNICEF’s Peter Hawkins echoed the urgency, warning of the “imminent threat” to unvaccinated children if immunisation gaps persist.

    “But, through vaccination, we can keep our children safe,” he said.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Gaza: 875 people confirmed dead trying to source food in recent weeks

    Source: United Nations 4

    “As of 13 July, we have recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while trying to get food; 674 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF sites,” said Thameen Al-Kheetan, OHCHR spokesperson, referencing the US-Israeli run private organization which has bypassed regular humanitarian operations.

    The remaining 201 victims were killed while seeking food “on the routes of aid convoys or near aid convoys” run by the UN or UN-partners still operating in the war-shattered enclave, Mr. Al-Kheetan told journalists in Geneva.

    Killings linked to the controversial US and Israeli-backed aid hubs began shortly after they started operating in southern Gaza on 27 May, bypassing the UN and other established NGOs.

    The latest deadly incident happened at around 9am on Monday 14 July, when reports indicated that the Israeli military shelled and fired towards Palestinians seeking food at the GHF site in As Shakoush area, northwestern Rafah.

    According to OHCHR, two Palestinians were killed and at least nine others were injured. Some of the casualties were transported to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hospital in Rafah. On Saturday medics there received more than 130 patients, the “overwhelming majority” suffering from gunshot wounds and “all responsive individuals” reporting they were attempting to access food distribution sites.

    Deadly hunger

    The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, expressed deep concerns about the continuing killing of civilians trying to access food, while deadly malnutrition spreads among children.

    “Our teams on the ground – UNRWA teams and other United Nations teams – have spoken to survivors of these killings, these starving children included, who were shot at while on their way to pick up very little food,” said Juliette Touma, UNRWA Director of Communications.

    Speaking via video from Amman, Ms. Touma insisted that the near-total Israeli blockade of Gaza has led to babies dying of the effects of severe acute malnutrition.

    “We’ve been banned from bringing in any humanitarian assistance into Gaza for more than four months now,” she said, before pointing to a “significant increase” in child malnutrition since the Israeli blockade began on 2 March.

    Ms. Touma added: “We have 6,000 trucks waiting in places like Egypt, like Jordan; it’s from Jordan to the Gaza Strip it’s a three-hour drive, right?”

    In addition to food supplies, these UN trucks contain other vital if basic supplies including bars of soap. “Medicine and food are going to soon expire if we’re not able to get those supplies to people in Gaza who need it most, among them one million children who are half of the population of the Gaza Strip,” Ms. Touma continued.

    West Bank: ‘Silent war is surging’

    Meanwhile in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem, Palestinians continue to be killed in violence allegedly linked to Israeli settlers and security forces, UN agencies said.

    According to OHCHR, two-year-old Laila Khatib was shot in the head by Israeli security forces on 25 January while she was inside her house in Ash-Shuhada village, in Jenin.

    On 3 July, 61-year-old Walid Badir was shot and killed by Israeli security forces, reportedly while he was cycling back home from prayers, passing through the outskirts of the Nur Shams camp, the UN rights office continued, pointing to intensifying “killings, attacks and harassment of Palestinians in past weeks.

    “This includes the demolition of hundreds of homes and forced mass displacement of Palestinians,” OHCHR’s Mr. Al-Kheetan noted, with some 30,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced since the launch of Israel’s operation “Iron Wall” in the north of the occupied West Bank earlier this year.

    “We should recall that international law is very clear about this in terms of the obligations of the occupying power,” he said. “Bringing about a permanent demographic change inside the occupied territory may amount to a war crime and is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”

    “We continue to have a silent war that is surging, where heavy restrictions on movement continue, where poverty is increasing as people are cut off from their livelihoods and unemployment soars,” said UNRWA’s Ms. Touma.

    With its current focus on the northern occupied West Bank, the Israeli military operation has impacted the refugee camps of Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams.

    “It is causing the largest population displacement of the Palestinians in the West Bank since 1967,” Ms. Touma continued.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Santiago Network Workshop for LDCs and SIDS in Africa

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Event languages: English, French

    The government of Senegal and the Santiago network will host a capacity building workshop for LDCs and SIDS in Africa, with a specific focus on their unique challenges and opportunities. The workshop will introduce Santiago network operative guidelines and assist countries and other stakeholders in understanding the processes for making requests for technical assistance and becoming a Member of the Santiago network.

    The key objectives of the workshop are: 

    • Familiarise and update LDCs and SIDS in Africa on the Santiago network and its progress
    • Enhance understanding on modalities of access to technical assistance through the Santiago network (including orientation on the operative guidelines)
    • Facilitate the identification of capacity gaps in regional and country contexts, and based on this, initiate the drafting of requests for technical assistance
    • Discuss and articulate the next steps for enhancing capacity relevant to loss and damage through technical assistance from the Santiago
    • network

    The workshop will be run in an interactive ‘write-shop’ format with a focus on developing demand-driven technical assistance requests by countries. Every session will be structured around introductory presentations to provide an overview, followed by interactive discussion and exchanges and write-up exercises to complete the technical assistance template. 

    This workshop is targeted at representatives from LDCs and SIDS in Africa, particularly national liaisons to the Santiago network Secretariat, loss and damage contact points and disaster risk reduction focal points. 

    Participation: in-person, upon invitation only

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The “Youths Enterprise Development and Innovation Society (YEDIS)” is a grassroots youth-serving Non-Governmental Organisation in Nigeria. YEDIS promotes entrepreneurship education, youth employment, gender equality, and sustainable community development. It introduces the youth to enterprises, encourages innovation, and inspires underserved young people to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions and develop the required business skills for the economy, peace, and prosperity.

    DRR activities

    YEDIS DRR activities include capacity building workshop and education programs for youth and women-led Small and Medium-Size Enterprises on waste management, water management, climate resilience, and environmental protection. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: AdaptX Hub

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    AdaptX Hub’s mission is to strengthen community resilience and support climate adaptation through AI and data-driven solutions, innovative risk assessment tools, and capacity-building in vulnerable regions across Asia and beyond.

    DRR activities

    AdaptX Hub’s key activities include:

    • Development of AI-powered early warning systems for floods and other hazards;
    • Climate risk assessments using GIS, remote sensing, and modeling;
    • Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM) training and workshops;
    • Technical advisory for resilience planning in infrastructure and agriculture;
    • Multi-hazard mapping and integration into decision-support systems.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Green Transformation and Sustainability Network (GXS)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    Green Transformation and Sustainability Network (GXS) is a pioneering organisation driving the green economy, circular economy, biodiversity conservation, energy transition, social impact business, climate resilience, climate solutions, technology, governance, investment, sustainable development and green innovation across Vietnam and Southeast Asia.

    The GXS Network focuses on empowering local businesses and communities, building collaborative networks for sustainable living and development. Its primary activities include promoting green economy initiatives, fostering circular economy practices, and implementing climate and sustainable solutions that align with the Vietnamese government and international commitments

    DRR activities

    the Making Cities Resilience 2030 program by UNDRR. It fosters policy, technology, and capacity building in disaster risk reduction for Vietnamese authorities and businesses. GXS founder Son Nguyen has completed some UNDRR training courses in the 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: European Emergency Medicine Society (EUSEM)

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    Mission

    The European Society for Emergency Medicine (EUSEM INPO) is a non-profit scientific organisation whose vision is to ensure every patient recieves the best Emergency Care in Europe. Beginning as a society of individuals in 1994 from a multidisciplinary group of experts in emergency medicine, EUSEM membership has grown to include 38 European national societies as well as individual members. We represent over  40 000 Health Care Professionals working in the field of Emergency Medicine in Europe.

    EUSEM’s mission is to advance the science, practice, and education of emergency medicine through high-quality, accessible, and evidence-based training.

    EUSEM is committed to strengthening the global emergency care workforce, especially in low-resource and disaster-prone settings, by fostering professional excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ethical humanitarian action.

    DRR activities

    The European Emergency Medicine Society actively engages in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) through education, training, and community capacity building. Key activities include:

    • Emergency preparedness training for healthcare professionals, first responders, and community leaders in disaster-prone regions.
    • Development and dissemination of evidence-based protocols aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
    • Community-based risk assessments and contingency planning, especially in underserved and high-risk areas.
    • Awareness campaigns, drills, and simulations to strengthen early warning systems and rapid response capacity.
    • Integration of DRR principles into all academic programs, ensuring a multidisciplinary and resilience-focused approach.
    • Active participation in global DRR platforms, such as the UNDRR Stakeholder Mechanism and the NGO Major Group, contributing to international dialogue and policy development.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tech4DRR: democratizing innovation to reduce disaster risk

    Source: UNISDR Disaster Risk Reduction

    At a time when the discourse on technology and disaster risk reduction seems dominated by costly and sophisticated solutions, the new Special Report on the Use of Technology for Disaster Risk Reduction (Tech4DRR), published by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), brings “low-tech” solutions to the forefront—highlighting them as effective, accessible, and, above all, life-saving tools.

    The report, developed in collaboration with the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies (ARISE USA), and the Regional Scientific and Technical Advisory Group for the Americas and the Caribbean (RSTAG), also draws attention to a critical gap: developing countries are rarely involved in the design of the technologies they later end up purchasing and using.

    Rather than promoting an exclusively high-tech vision of innovation, the report advocates for useful, context-specific technologies co-developed with the people living in hazard-prone areas. From early warning systems rooted in Indigenous knowledge to community-based data collection tools, the experiences documented in this report demonstrate that simple solutions can saves lives too.

    Tech4DRR emphasizes that technology is not neutral. Tools developed using data, assumptions, and models from industrialized countries are not always applicable in Global South contexts. Constraints related to connectivity, budgets, and basic infrastructure demand customized approaches—not one-size-fits-all adaptations.

    The analysis also notes that countries in the Americas and the Caribbean face significant challenges in accessing robust technologies, many of which were designed in contexts that do not reflect their realities. Instead of shaping the development of technological tools, countries in the Global South often end up purchasing off-the-shelf solutions that fail to reflect their local needs or structural constraints.

    “Technology alone cannot solve the complex challenges of disaster risk reduction. We need inclusive approaches that combine innovation with capacity-building, community engagement, and demand-driven development,” the report states. This call includes the urgent need to democratize access to risk information and promote co-creation models that integrate diverse knowledge systems and respond to specific contexts.

    Nahuel Arenas, Chief of the UNDRR Regional Office for the Americas and the Caribbean, explains that the report is a call to rethink innovation through the lens of local relevance, equity, and purpose. “Technology has the potential to transform how countries address disaster risk—but that potential is only realized when it is accessible, context-specific, and useful to those who need it most. In Latin America and the Caribbean, we must close not only the technology gap but also the breach in participation in its development,” he said.

    “This report demonstrates how global collaboration and strong local partnerships are key to understanding and addressing the challenges faced by vulnerable communities around the world,” says Shanna McClain, NASA Disasters Program Manager. “When we align Earth science and technology with real-world needs, we can better reduce disaster risk and ensure our tools truly serve those most affected.”

    Key topics covered in the report include:

    • Use cases of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the Americas and the Caribbean, with a critical analysis of their limitations.
    • The importance of designing technologies that account for local capacities, languages, and cultural diversity.
    • The growing role of social media and digital communication in disaster risk reduction and emergency response.
    • Successful examples of simple technologies used in community-based early warning systems.

    Tech4DRR will be launched on July 23 during a public virtual event, with simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. The program includes the presentation of all five chapters of the report and a high-level panel featuring representatives from international agencies, the private sector, and development partners. The event aims to spark an urgent conversation about how to democratize technology for disaster risk reduction, empowering communities and ensuring that no voice is left out of the innovation process.

    This report comes during the final five years of implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, in a context where hazards are intensifying and impacts are becoming increasingly costly. As the report underscores, technology can and must be a tool to transform how we prevent and confront disaster risk—but only when it serves people and their realities. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Sudan: Humanitarian needs deepen amid rising hostilities and heavy rains

    Source: United Nations 2

    Nearly 27 months have passed since fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and a former ally, the paramilitary Rapid Security Forces (RSF), creating an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.

    The UN voiced grave alarm over escalating hostilities in El Fasher, the besieged capital of North Darfur state. 

    Serious risk of renewed violence

    Large numbers of RSF fighters reportedly entered the city on Friday for the first time since the siege began over a year ago.

    Local sources report that recent fierce fighting, particularly in the southwest and east of El Fasher, has led to civilian casualties.

    “The situation remains highly volatile and unpredictable, with a serious risk of renewed violence, as well as further displacement and disruption of humanitarian operations – which are already under severe strain,” OCHA said.

    Insecurity in North Kordofan state

    Meanwhile, in North Kordofan State, growing insecurity forced 3,400 people to flee their homes over the weekend, according to the UN International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

    Local reports indicate that at least 18 civilians were killed, and homes were burned in several villages.

    OCHA reminded all parties that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law, and that civilians must be protected at all times.

    Rainy season constraints

    Meanwhile, heavy rains have been reported in West and Central Darfur states, which may affect road conditions in some locations and worsen the challenges humanitarians are already facing in accessing people in need.

    “With the rainy season continuing through October, the risk of floods, access constraints and disease outbreaks is growing – especially during this critical lean season, a time between harvests when food stocks traditionally run low,” OCHA warned.

    Families return to West Darfur

    The agency said that despite the crisis, signs of small-scale returns are visible in West Darfur state, where displaced families have been returning from Chad to three localities – Sirba, Jebel Moon and Kulbus – to cultivate their farms. 

    Furthermore, local authorities report about 40 people returning daily to Kulbus, with 300 arriving over the past week.

    OCHA urged all parties to enable safe and unimpeded access to all people in need across Sudan, and for donors to step up their support.

    Some 30 million people nationwide – more than half the population – need vital aid and protection this year. 

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Launches Supply Chain Hub in Greece to Boost Global Humanitarian Response

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Athens, 15 July 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Greece to establish a new supply chain centre in Thessaloniki, Greece. This state-of-the-art facility will enhance IOM’s ability to deliver humanitarian aid swiftly and efficiently, reinforcing its commitment to timely, effective, and sustainable responses to crises around the world.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: IOM Launches Supply Chain Hub in Greece to Boost Global Humanitarian Response

    Source: International Organization for Migration (IOM)

    Athens, 15 July 2025 – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Greece to establish a new supply chain centre in Thessaloniki, Greece. This state-of-the-art facility will enhance IOM’s ability to deliver humanitarian aid swiftly and efficiently, reinforcing its commitment to timely, effective, and sustainable responses to crises around the world.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Turkmenistan strengthens its influenza vaccination programme

    Source: World Health Organisation

    Building pandemic response capacities through seasonal vaccination 

    Strong national influenza vaccination programmes are the foundation for the vaccination component of the pandemic response. With support from the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework’s Partnership Contribution (PC), Turkmenistan is enhancing its national seasonal influenza vaccination programme and through this, is strengthening its preparedness for future pandemics. This collaboration is part of a broader effort to build resilient health systems capable of responding to influenza epidemics and pandemics. 

    Over the past eight years, the Ministry of Health has expanded access to influenza vaccines for WHO-recommended priority groups, including health workers, older adults, people with chronic conditions, and pregnant women. The annual influenza vaccination programme not only protects vulnerable populations but also serves as a foundation for pandemic response.

    Reviewing the influenza vaccination programme  

    In May 2025, Turkmenistan became the first country in the WHO European Region to use the Facilitated Assessment of Influenza Vaccination Programme Review (FAIR) tool. During the review and an interactive workshop, WHO technical experts collaborated with the Ministry of Health to evaluate best practices and identify priority actions to strengthen the national vaccination programme. 

    Using the FAIR tool, WHO experts conducted informational interviews with national stakeholders responsible for policy development, evidence generation, cold chain and supply management, risk communication, community engagement, integrated service delivery, and data management. In addition, WHO experts and national counterparts visited Turkmenistan’s main vaccine storage facilities and a local polyclinic administering influenza vaccines.

    From assessment to action 

    During the workshop, WHO experts presented FAIR findings and facilitated group discussions with national focal points. Together, they developed a list of priority actions, including:

    • Developing a national seasonal influenza vaccination policy aligned with WHO guidance 
    • Reviewing and updating coverage data 
    • Conducting studies to assess the impact of influenza vaccination

    The workshop also emphasized the role of seasonal influenza vaccination as a platform for broader pandemic preparedness. In this context, WHO and national focal points conducted a simulation exercise focused on planning and deploying pandemic vaccines, drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 response. Participants from emergency vaccination, logistics, regulatory affairs, and communications identified areas for improvement in the national deployment and vaccination plan (NDVP). 

    Commitment to resilience 

    Turkmenistan is committed to advancing its national influenza preparedness and strengthening its health system’s resilience. By addressing both seasonal and pandemic influenza, the country is taking important steps to protect its population and enhance its capacity to respond to emergencies.

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  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 News release Senegal joins growing list of countries that have eliminated trachoma

    Source: World Health Organisation

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has validated Senegal as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Senegal becomes the ninth country in WHO’s African Region to have achieved this feat.

    “I commend Senegal for freeing its population from this disease”, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This milestone is yet another sign of the remarkable progress being made against neglected tropical diseases globally, and offers hope to other countries still working to eliminate trachoma.”

    Trachoma has been known in Senegal since the early 1900s and was confirmed as a major cause of blindness through surveys in the 1980s and 1990s. Senegal joined the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma in 1998, conducted its first national survey in 2000, and completed full disease mapping by 2017 with support from the Global Trachoma Mapping Project and Tropical Data. Trachoma control was consistently integrated into national eye health programmed, first under the National Program for Blindness Prevention (PNLC) and later through the National Program for the Promotion of Eye Health (PNPSO) – maintaining its commitment to trachoma elimination.

    “Today we celebrate our victory against trachoma, 21 years after the one against dracunculiasis” said Dr Ibrahima Sy, Senegal’s Minister of Health and Social Action. “This new milestone reminds us that our overarching goal remains a Senegal free from neglected tropical diseases. We are fully committed to this, and we are making good progress, notably against human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and onchocerciasis”.

    Senegal implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy to eliminate trachoma with the support of partners, reaching 2.8 million people who needed them across 24 districts. These activities included provision of surgery to treat the late blinding stage of the disease, conducting antibiotic mass drug administration of azithromycin donated by Pfizer through the International Trachoma Initiative, carrying out public awareness campaigns to promote facial cleanliness, and improvement in access to water supply and sanitation.

    Trachoma is the second neglected tropical disease to be eliminated in Senegal. In 2004, the country was certified free of dracunculiasis (Guinea-worm disease) transmission. Globally, Senegal joins 24 other countries that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. These are Benin, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Gambia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Ghana, India, Iraq, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Togo, Vanuatu and Viet Nam. These countries are part of a wider of group of 57 countries that have eliminated one or more neglected tropical diseases.

    WHO is supporting Senegal’s health authorities to closely monitor communities in which trachoma was previously endemic to ensure there is no resurgence of the disease.

    “Trachoma has cast a shadow over communities in Senegal for more than a century. This long-awaited validation is not only a milestone for public health but a powerful tribute to the tireless dedication of frontline health workers, communities, government leaders, and partners who never gave up,” said Dr Jean-Marie Vianny Yameogo, WHO Representative in Senegal. “Today, we close a chapter that began over a hundred years ago, united with pride, gratitude and resolve. WHO remains committed to supporting Senegal as the country continues to lead in sustaining this hard-earned achievement.”

    Disease prevalence

    Trachoma remains a public health problem in 32 countries, with an estimated 103 million people living in areas requiring interventions against the disease. Trachoma is found mainly in the poorest and most rural areas of Africa, Central and South America, Asia, the Western Pacific and the Middle East. WHO’s African Region is disproportionately affected by trachoma, with 93 million people living in at-risk areas in April 2024, representing 90% of the global trachoma burden.

    Significant progress has been made in the fight against trachoma over the past few years and the number of people requiring antibiotic treatment for trachoma in the African Region fell by 96 million from 189 million in 2014 to 93 million as of April 2024, representing a 51% reduction.

    There are currently 20 countries (Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe) in WHO’s African Region that are known to require intervention for trachoma elimination. A further 3 countries in the Region (Botswana, Guinea-Bissau and Namibia) claim to have achieved the prevalence targets for elimination.
     

    Editor’s note

    Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease. It is caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, which spreads from person to person through contaminated surfaces , fomites and flies that have come into contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person.

    Environmental risk factors for trachoma transmission include poor hygiene, overcrowded households, and inadequate access to water and sanitation.

    To eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, WHO recommends the SAFE strategy: a comprehensive approach to reduce transmission of the causative organism, clear existing infections and deal with their effects. The SAFE strategy consists of surgery to treat the blinding complication (trachomatous trichiasis); antibiotics to clear the infection, particularly mass drug administration of the antibiotic azithromycin (which has been donated by the manufacturer, Pfizer, to elimination programmes through the International Trachoma Initiative); facial cleanliness; and environmental improvement, particularly improving access to water and sanitation.

    The road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 targets the prevention, control, elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups by 2030. Progress against trachoma and other neglected tropical diseases alleviates the human and economic burden that they impose on the world’s most disadvantaged communities.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Departmental update New digital tool to support self-monitoring of blood pressure in pregnancy

    Source: World Health Organisation

    A new digital adaptation kit for self-monitoring blood pressure during pregnancy was released today by WHO and the United Nations’ Special Programme in Human Reproduction (HRP) to enable countries to better help pregnant women manage hypertensive disorders. These disorders, if not properly treated, can lead to serious health consequences for women and their babies. The release of the kit has been timed to coincide with Self-Care Month, which runs from 24 June to 24 July.

    Hypertensive disorders during pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia account for an estimated 16% of all maternal deaths worldwide. Potential complications include eclampsia, stroke, kidney failure, and placental abruption, as well as preterm birth and even stillbirth. Prevention, early detection and timely treatment of hypertensive disorders are key to improving the immediate and long-term health of mothers and their babies.

    Self-monitoring blood pressure is an important self-care option to help those affected reduce risks. It can be done at home – either to complement the antenatal care being received via a health facility or in instances where travel is not feasible, alongside community-based care.

    How the Digital adaptation kit works

    Written WHO guidance on self-monitoring of blood pressure during pregnancy already exists in the WHO Guideline for self-care interventions for health and well-being, and the Digital adaptation kit translates that guidance into a digital format that can then be used within the health sector. The kit is the first for self-care during pregnancy.

    I am delighted to announce the release of this digital adaptation kit, the first in a person-centred self-care series.

    Pascale Allotey / Director of HRP and SRHR at WHO

    The kit provides a common language and understanding of the health information content and standards required to enable self-monitoring of blood pressure, alongside the necessary digital information to develop personal health tracking systems that enable any needed follow-up care.

    “I am delighted to announce the release of this digital adaptation kit, the first in a person-centred self-care series,” said Pascale Allotey, Director of HRP and the Department of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research (SRHR) at WHO.

    “The kit will help Ministries of Health adopt the WHO recommendation on self-monitoring of blood pressure during pregnancy, and in turn help more women stay healthy through the antenatal period and beyond, while promoting the quality assurance of emerging digital tools”.

    The kit sits alongside the health and care worker-facing Digital adaptation kit for antenatal care.

    Self-care and digital transformation of health systems

    WHO defines self-care as the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health and to cope with illness with or without the support of a health or care worker. WHO recommends evidence-based self-care interventions for all to advance autonomy, health and well-being. Digital health platforms and tools can facilitate access to self-care interventions and support informed decision-making by individuals and health systems.

    This digital adaptation kit is the first in a series that aims at giving people wider access to self-care interventions through digital systems, in line with WHO SMART (Standards-based, Machine-readable, Adaptive, Requirements-based, and Testable) Guidelines. Digital adaptation kits translate WHO guidance into an accessible digital format to assist countries integrate evidence-based clinical recommendations into health systems helping them, and in turn, individuals, benefit from evidence-based clinical and data practices.

    Funding for the kit was received from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, The Gates Foundation and HRP.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tritium Level Far Below Japan’s Operational Limit in 13th Batch of ALPS-Treated Water, IAEA Confirms

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    Independent sampling and analysis conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have confirmed that the tritium concentration in the 13th batch of ALPS-treated water, which Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began discharging today from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), is far below Japan’s operational limit.

    As part of its ongoing safety review, the IAEA collected and analyzed samples onsite of the diluted water that was being prepared for discharge as part of this latest batch. The results confirmed that the tritium concentration is far below the operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre and is in line with international safety standards.

    Japan is releasing the ALPS-treated water in a series of batches over the next decades, following the start of the discharge in August 2023. The treated water is diluted with seawater prior to discharge. Of the 93.500 cubic meters of water already released in the first 12 batches, the IAEA confirmed that the tritium concentrations were far below the international safety standards and operational limits.

    In a comprehensive report issued on 4 July 2023 before the discharge began, the IAEA’s safety review found that Japan’s plan for handling the treated water was consistent with international safety standards and that the release as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.

    Reports on sampling, independent analysis, data evaluation, as well as timeline, are available on the IAEA website.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP welcomes new contribution from the UK government to support refugees in Jordan

    Source: World Food Programme

    JORDAN— The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Jordan has welcomed a new contribution of GBP 5.5 million (US$7.43 million) from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to support its food assistance programme for refugees in camps and communities across the country.

    This is the UK’s second contribution to WFP Jordan this year, following a GBP 4 million (US$5.16 million) allocation earlier in 2025, that helped WFP avert assistance cuts for thousands of vulnerable refugees.

    “This renewed support from the UK comes at a critical moment and reflects the UK’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian efforts in Jordan,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Jordan Alberto Correia Mendes. “The funds will enable WFP to continue supporting the most vulnerable families, especially during this challenging time when WFP and other partners in the refugee response are facing funding shortfalls that limit our collective capacity to assist people in need.”

    Despite this valuable contribution, WFP still urgently needs US$24 million to continue providing reduced monthly cash assistance through December and avoid further cuts for refugees living in camps and host communities.

    WFP currently supports 280,000 refugees in Jordan with cash-based assistance to help meet their basic food needs, the majority of whom are Syrians. Due to ongoing funding shortfalls WFP reduced in July 2023 its monthly cash assistance one-third reduction from JOD 23 (US$32) to JOD 15 (US$21) per person.

    ###

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media, @wfp_jordan.

    For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
    Mariana El-Khoury, WFP/Jordan, Mob. +962 79 1295615
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: Tritium Level Far Below Japan’s Operational Limit in 13th Batch of ALPS-Treated Water, IAEA Confirms

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

    Independent sampling and analysis conducted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have confirmed that the tritium concentration in the 13th batch of ALPS-treated water, which Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) began discharging today from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS), is far below Japan’s operational limit.

    As part of its ongoing safety review, the IAEA collected and analyzed samples onsite of the diluted water that was being prepared for discharge as part of this latest batch. The results confirmed that the tritium concentration is far below the operational limit of 1,500 becquerels per litre and is in line with international safety standards.

    Japan is releasing the ALPS-treated water in a series of batches over the next decades, following the start of the discharge in August 2023. The treated water is diluted with seawater prior to discharge. Of the 93.500 cubic meters of water already released in the first 12 batches, the IAEA confirmed that the tritium concentrations were far below the international safety standards and operational limits.

    In a comprehensive report issued on 4 July 2023 before the discharge began, the IAEA’s safety review found that Japan’s plan for handling the treated water was consistent with international safety standards and that the release as planned would have a negligible radiological impact to people and the environment.

    Reports on sampling, independent analysis, data evaluation, as well as timeline, are available on the IAEA website.

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: WFP welcomes new contribution from the UK government to support refugees in Jordan

    Source: World Food Programme

    JORDAN— The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Jordan has welcomed a new contribution of GBP 5.5 million (US$7.43 million) from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to support its food assistance programme for refugees in camps and communities across the country.

    This is the UK’s second contribution to WFP Jordan this year, following a GBP 4 million (US$5.16 million) allocation earlier in 2025, that helped WFP avert assistance cuts for thousands of vulnerable refugees.

    “This renewed support from the UK comes at a critical moment and reflects the UK’s ongoing commitment to humanitarian efforts in Jordan,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Jordan Alberto Correia Mendes. “The funds will enable WFP to continue supporting the most vulnerable families, especially during this challenging time when WFP and other partners in the refugee response are facing funding shortfalls that limit our collective capacity to assist people in need.”

    Despite this valuable contribution, WFP still urgently needs US$24 million to continue providing reduced monthly cash assistance through December and avoid further cuts for refugees living in camps and host communities.

    WFP currently supports 280,000 refugees in Jordan with cash-based assistance to help meet their basic food needs, the majority of whom are Syrians. Due to ongoing funding shortfalls WFP reduced in July 2023 its monthly cash assistance one-third reduction from JOD 23 (US$32) to JOD 15 (US$21) per person.

    ###

    The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change.

    Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp_media, @wfp_jordan.

    For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org):
    Mariana El-Khoury, WFP/Jordan, Mob. +962 79 1295615
     

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Joint News Release Global childhood vaccination coverage holds steady, yet over 14 million infants remain unvaccinated – WHO, UNICEF

    Source: World Health Organisation

    In 2024, 89% of infants globally – about 115 million – received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, and 85% – roughly 109 million – completed all three doses, according to new national immunization coverage data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

    Compared to 2023, around 171 000 more children received at least one vaccine, and one million more completed the full three-dose DTP series. While the gains are modest, they signal continued progress by countries working to protect children, even amid growing challenges.

    Still, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine last year, including 14.3 million “zero-dose” children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. That’s 4 million more than the 2024 target needed to stay on track with Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring progress.

    “Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies and nations to flourish,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It’s encouraging to see a continued increase in the number of children being vaccinated, although we still have a lot of work to do. Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress. WHO remains committed to working with our partners to support countries to develop local solutions and increase domestic investment to reach all children with the lifesaving power of vaccines.”

    Children often remain un- or under-vaccinated due to a combination of factors, such as limited access to immunization services, disrupted supply, conflict and instability, or misinformation about vaccines.

    Access to vaccines remains deeply unequal

    Data from 195 countries show that 131 countries have consistently reached at least 90% of children with the first dose of DTP vaccine since 2019, but there has been no significant movement in expanding this group. Among the countries that reached less than 90% in 2019, only 17 managed to increase their coverage rates in the past five years. Meanwhile, in 47 countries, progress is stalling or worsening. This includes 22 countries that achieved and surpassed the 90% target in 2019 but have since declined.

    The data shows conflict and humanitarian crises can quickly erode vaccination progress. A quarter of the world’s infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet they make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. Concerningly, in half of these countries the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024, underscoring the need for humanitarian responses to include immunization.

    Immunization coverage in the 57 low-income countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance have improved in the past year, reducing the number of un- and under-vaccinated children by roughly 650 000. At the same time, signs of slippage are emerging in upper-middle- and high-income countries that have previously maintained at least 90% coverage. Even small declines in immunization coverage can dramatically raise the risk of disease outbreaks and place additional strain on already overstretched health systems.

    “The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent.”

    Broadening protection against vaccine-preventable diseases

    Despite these challenges, countries – especially those supported by Gavi – continue to introduce and scale up vaccines, including against human papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, and rotavirus.

    For example, large national scale-ups of the HPV vaccine and revitalization efforts in countries that have previously introduced the vaccine, have boosted global coverage by 4% in the past year. In 2024, 31% of eligible adolescent girls globally received at least 1 dose of the HPV vaccine – most doses were administered in countries using a single-dose schedule. While far from the 90% coverage target by 2030, it represents a substantial increase from the 17% coverage in 2019.

    “In 2024, lower-income countries protected more children than ever before, with coverage rates increasing across all Gavi-supported vaccines,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Yet population growth, fragility and conflict present major hurdles to achieving equity, leaving the most vulnerable children and communities at risk. Continued commitment from governments and partners will be critical to saving lives and protecting the world from infectious disease threats.”

    Coverage against measles also improved, with 84% of children receiving the first dose and 76% receiving the second dose, which shows slight increase from the previous year. An estimated 2 million more children were reached in 2024, but the overall coverage rate is far below the 95% needed in every community to prevent outbreaks.

    This results in more than 30 million children remaining under-protected against measles, leading to more large or disruptive outbreaks. In 2024, the number of countries experiencing large or disruptive measles outbreaks rose sharply to 60, nearly doubling from 33 in 2022.

    The promise of protecting every child is at risk

    Although the community demand for childhood vaccination remains high and protection against more diseases is expanding, the latest estimates highlight a concerning trajectory. National and global funding shortfalls, growing instability worldwide, and rising vaccine misinformation threaten to further stall or even reverse progress which would risk increases in severe disease and deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases.

    WHO and UNICEF call on governments and relevant partners to:

    • close the funding gap for Gavi’s next strategic cycle (2026–2030) to protect millions of children in lower-income countries and global health security;
    • strengthen immunization in conflict and fragile settings to reach more zero-dose children and prevent deadly disease outbreaks;
    • prioritize local-led strategies and domestic investment, embedding immunization firmly within primary health care systems to close equity gaps;
    • counter misinformation and further increase vaccine uptake through evidence-based approaches; and
    • invest in stronger data and disease surveillance systems to guide high-impact immunization programmes.
       

    Notes to editors 

    WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other partners to deliver the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a strategy for all countries and relevant global partners to achieve set goals on preventing diseases through immunization and delivering vaccines to everyone, everywhere, at every age.

    About the data 

    Based on country-reported data, the WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC) provide the world’s largest and most comprehensive dataset on immunization trends for vaccinations against 14 diseases given through regular health systems – normally at clinics, community centres, outreach services, or health worker visits. For 2024, data were provided from 189 countries. 

    About WHO 

    Dedicated to the health and well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere, an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health. We connect nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. www.who.int

    About UNICEF

    UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.

    For more information about UNICEF and its work, please visit: www.unicef.org
    Follow UNICEF on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: 15 July 2025 Joint News Release Global childhood vaccination coverage holds steady, yet over 14 million infants remain unvaccinated – WHO, UNICEF

    Source: World Health Organisation

    In 2024, 89% of infants globally – about 115 million – received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, and 85% – roughly 109 million – completed all three doses, according to new national immunization coverage data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

    Compared to 2023, around 171 000 more children received at least one vaccine, and one million more completed the full three-dose DTP series. While the gains are modest, they signal continued progress by countries working to protect children, even amid growing challenges.

    Still, nearly 20 million infants missed at least one dose of DTP-containing vaccine last year, including 14.3 million “zero-dose” children who never received a single dose of any vaccine. That’s 4 million more than the 2024 target needed to stay on track with Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, and 1.4 million more than in 2019, the baseline year for measuring progress.

    “Vaccines save lives, allowing individuals, families, communities, economies and nations to flourish,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It’s encouraging to see a continued increase in the number of children being vaccinated, although we still have a lot of work to do. Drastic cuts in aid, coupled with misinformation about the safety of vaccines, threaten to unwind decades of progress. WHO remains committed to working with our partners to support countries to develop local solutions and increase domestic investment to reach all children with the lifesaving power of vaccines.”

    Children often remain un- or under-vaccinated due to a combination of factors, such as limited access to immunization services, disrupted supply, conflict and instability, or misinformation about vaccines.

    Access to vaccines remains deeply unequal

    Data from 195 countries show that 131 countries have consistently reached at least 90% of children with the first dose of DTP vaccine since 2019, but there has been no significant movement in expanding this group. Among the countries that reached less than 90% in 2019, only 17 managed to increase their coverage rates in the past five years. Meanwhile, in 47 countries, progress is stalling or worsening. This includes 22 countries that achieved and surpassed the 90% target in 2019 but have since declined.

    The data shows conflict and humanitarian crises can quickly erode vaccination progress. A quarter of the world’s infants live in just 26 countries affected by fragility, conflict, or humanitarian crises, yet they make up half of all unvaccinated children globally. Concerningly, in half of these countries the number of unvaccinated children has expanded rapidly from 3.6 million in 2019 to 5.4 million in 2024, underscoring the need for humanitarian responses to include immunization.

    Immunization coverage in the 57 low-income countries supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance have improved in the past year, reducing the number of un- and under-vaccinated children by roughly 650 000. At the same time, signs of slippage are emerging in upper-middle- and high-income countries that have previously maintained at least 90% coverage. Even small declines in immunization coverage can dramatically raise the risk of disease outbreaks and place additional strain on already overstretched health systems.

    “The good news is that we have managed to reach more children with life-saving vaccines. But millions of children remain without protection against preventable diseases, and that should worry us all,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “We must act now with determination to overcome barriers like shrinking health budgets, fragile health systems along with misinformation and access constraints because of conflicts. No child should die from a disease we know how to prevent.”

    Broadening protection against vaccine-preventable diseases

    Despite these challenges, countries – especially those supported by Gavi – continue to introduce and scale up vaccines, including against human papillomavirus (HPV), meningitis, pneumococcal disease, polio, and rotavirus.

    For example, large national scale-ups of the HPV vaccine and revitalization efforts in countries that have previously introduced the vaccine, have boosted global coverage by 4% in the past year. In 2024, 31% of eligible adolescent girls globally received at least 1 dose of the HPV vaccine – most doses were administered in countries using a single-dose schedule. While far from the 90% coverage target by 2030, it represents a substantial increase from the 17% coverage in 2019.

    “In 2024, lower-income countries protected more children than ever before, with coverage rates increasing across all Gavi-supported vaccines,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Yet population growth, fragility and conflict present major hurdles to achieving equity, leaving the most vulnerable children and communities at risk. Continued commitment from governments and partners will be critical to saving lives and protecting the world from infectious disease threats.”

    Coverage against measles also improved, with 84% of children receiving the first dose and 76% receiving the second dose, which shows slight increase from the previous year. An estimated 2 million more children were reached in 2024, but the overall coverage rate is far below the 95% needed in every community to prevent outbreaks.

    This results in more than 30 million children remaining under-protected against measles, leading to more large or disruptive outbreaks. In 2024, the number of countries experiencing large or disruptive measles outbreaks rose sharply to 60, nearly doubling from 33 in 2022.

    The promise of protecting every child is at risk

    Although the community demand for childhood vaccination remains high and protection against more diseases is expanding, the latest estimates highlight a concerning trajectory. National and global funding shortfalls, growing instability worldwide, and rising vaccine misinformation threaten to further stall or even reverse progress which would risk increases in severe disease and deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases.

    WHO and UNICEF call on governments and relevant partners to:

    • close the funding gap for Gavi’s next strategic cycle (2026–2030) to protect millions of children in lower-income countries and global health security;
    • strengthen immunization in conflict and fragile settings to reach more zero-dose children and prevent deadly disease outbreaks;
    • prioritize local-led strategies and domestic investment, embedding immunization firmly within primary health care systems to close equity gaps;
    • counter misinformation and further increase vaccine uptake through evidence-based approaches; and
    • invest in stronger data and disease surveillance systems to guide high-impact immunization programmes.
       

    Notes to editors 

    WHO and UNICEF are working with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and other partners to deliver the global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030), a strategy for all countries and relevant global partners to achieve set goals on preventing diseases through immunization and delivering vaccines to everyone, everywhere, at every age.

    About the data 

    Based on country-reported data, the WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage (WUENIC) provide the world’s largest and most comprehensive dataset on immunization trends for vaccinations against 14 diseases given through regular health systems – normally at clinics, community centres, outreach services, or health worker visits. For 2024, data were provided from 189 countries. 

    About WHO 

    Dedicated to the health and well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere, an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health. We connect nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. www.who.int

    About UNICEF

    UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.

    For more information about UNICEF and its work, please visit: www.unicef.org
    Follow UNICEF on X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube

    MIL OSI United Nations News –

  • MIL-OSI United Nations: UNECE Workshop on Modernizing Statistical Legislation

    Source: United Nations Economic Commission for Europe

    09 – 10 September 2025

    Belgrade Serbia

    Register now

    Programme

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    Web Server at unngin.fifthestate.nz

    MIL OSI United Nations News –