(UN News)* — The aid response in Burundi to the crisis in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) “is literally buckling”, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, on Friday warned on , as it relayed dramatic testimonies from people forced to flee the unchecked advance of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
“Over 63,000 people now have crossed into the country, Burundi, fleeing atrocities, deadly conflict in parts of eastern DR Congo,” said Faith Kasina, UNHCR Regional Spokesperson for East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes.
(UN News)* — The basic rights of women and girls are facing unprecedented growing threats worldwide, from higher levels of discrimination to weaker legal protections -and less funding for programmes and institutions which support and protect women.
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UN Women’s latest report Women’s Rights in Review 30 Years After Beijing, published ahead of the UN 50th International Women’s Day on 8 March, shows that in 2024,nearly a quarter of governments worldwide reported a backlash on women’s rights.
(UN News)* —A decline in democracy and harmful content spread on social media platforms are helping to drive a backlash against feminism, and the growth of misogynistic and retrograde ideas about the roles of men and women and society.
UN Women Colombia | March for Women’s Rights during the 16 days of activism in Colombia.
The pushback against gender equality is one of the findings in a major report from UN Women, the UN agency for gender equality, on the progress made so far in advancing women’s rights worldwide.
Yemen/ Geneva, 7 March 2025(IOM)* – Two boats carrying over 180 migrants capsized off the coast of Yemen’s Dhubab district in Ta’iz Governorate on 6 March, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM)’s field reports.
The recent shipwreck brings to light the danger of normalizing migration tragedies. Photo: IOM
The incident occurred amid some of the worst weather in years, as described by local reports. The vessels, which were attempting the dangerous journey from the Horn of Africa, sank in rough seas, a known risk during this season. Among those on board were at least 124 men and 57 women.
DAKAR, Senegal, 7 March 2025 –The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warns that life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Central Sahel and Nigeria will halt in April 2025 without urgent funding.
Photo: WFP/Evelyn Fey
This warning comes as the lean season – the period between harvests when hunger peaks – is anticipated to arrive earlier than usual this year across the Sahel region. Millions, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), still rely on WFP’s food assistance for survival.
Damascus/ Geneva, 7 March 2025 – A new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that almost 750,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have returned to their places of origin in Syria since November 2024.
However, some seven million remain displaced within the country, which is recovering from 14 years of war.
The distribution of vital winter items to families in Idleb’s Harim district. Photo Credit IOM/ 2024 Enver Muhamme
(UN News)* —After several years of fragile truce, there is a “palpable” fear of a return to all-out war in Yemen, on said Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Hans Grundberg, briefing the UN Security Council.
The “current trajectory is deeply concerning,” he told ambassadors, updating them on the latest political developments in the country, where Houthi rebels – formally known as Ansar Allah – have been battling Government forces backed by a Saudi-led coalition, for more than a decade.
He spoke alongside UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher who updated on the recent humanitarian constraints and emphasised the impact of the worsening situation facing women in the country.
Mohammed, a 45-year-old fisherman, was forced to flee his home in Hodeidah six years ago due to the conflict in Yemen. Seeking safety, he settled in Gawl Al-Sada camp in Abyan governorate, where 115 displaced families now live.
Instead of waiting for assistance, Mohammed took initiative. He immediately sought work, forging connections with local fishermen.
Initially, he worked as a day labourer but often returned home empty-handed.
Determined to improve his situation, Mohammed decided to take the bold risk of starting a small business within the camp.
Dramatically evolving geopolitical tensions amid “dangerous nuclear rhetoric and threats” are a stark wake-up call for States to take action to support the legally binding atomic weapon ban treaty, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on 3 March 2025.
Demonstrators call for a ban on nuclear weapons. Credit: ICAN/Tim Wright UNITED NATIONS, Mar 6 2025 (IPS)* – The United Nations, whose primary mandate is to maintain international peace and security, has been one of the longstanding leaders in the global campaign for a world without nuclear weapons.
But the progress has been relatively slow – despite the growing number of anti-nuclear treaties. Perhaps the only consolation is the absence of a nuclear attack or a nuclear war in over 80 years.
Geneva, 5 March 2025 (WHO)* – In the past two decades, tuberculosis (TB) prevention, testing and treatment services have saved more than 79 million lives – averting approximately 3.65 million deaths last year alone from the world’s deadliest infectious disease.
This progress has been driven by critical foreign aid especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly from USAID. However, abrupt funding cuts now threaten to undo these hard-won gains, putting millions – especially the most vulnerable – at grave risk.
HUMAN WRONGS WATCH 