“At least 67 children have been killed since the ceasefire,” Annalena Baerbock, president of the UN General Assembly, said at a landmark event on Tuesday. International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.

“Residents of the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, have also endured indescribable hardships amid Israeli military operations, settler violence, settlement expansion, evictions and demolitions. » underlines Courtenay Rattray, Chief of Staff, speaking on behalf of the UN Secretary-General.

The International Day is observed annually on November 29 – the day in 1947 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution on the partition of Palestine into two independent states, one Arab and one Jewish.

The UN stands by a simple truth: the Palestinian people have the right to dignity, justice and self-determination, Mr. Rattray stressed.

Vital humanitarian aid remains needed

For millions of Palestinians, the United Nations agency that helps Palestinian refugees, UNRWA“remains a lifeline,” he said.

The international community must continue to support him as the United Nations strives to meet the Flash Appeal’s $4 billion target for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he added.

THE International Court of Justice and the United Nations General Assembly have both affirmed that the long-standing occupation of Palestinian territory is illegal.

Gaza is in ruins, with civilians – including children and women – among the dead and injured. Aid workers and journalists have also been affected. Meanwhile, attacks are increasingly targeting Palestinian farmers in the West Bank as they attempt to harvest their olives.

“Hope can become a reality. Hope that two people – linked by history, geography and humanity – will live side by side in peace.” said Mr. Rattray.

“On this International Day of Solidarity, let’s turn this hope into action and help the olive tree grow back.”

With a 90 percent failure rate for startups, young people could be forgiven if they concluded that founding a business, especially during such a turbulent time for the global economy, would be too risky an option.

“But there’s a 10 percent chance of improving people’s lives,” retorts business management student Daniel Wu, boldly adopting the “glass is a little full” approach. “If no one takes that 10 percent chance, then no one will succeed in the future.”

Mr. Wu’s project to create a digital skills platform for rural youth to teach them AI and software skills reached the finals of the Innovation Youth competition organized by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

This earned him an invitation to attend the UNIDO Global Industry Summit in Riyadh where, on Wednesday, he participated in a session focused on the Youth Parliament, a global debate platform jointly organized by UNIDO and the Saudi Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM).

The many young entrepreneurs present at the Summit were brimming with enthusiasm and keen to make the most of the networking opportunities on offer, with the chance to meet mentors, policy makers and potential investors.

The program included a series of interactive dialogues; innovation highlights and mentoring sessions. Young delegates presented pioneering solutions in renewable energy, circular economy practices and digital manufacturing. These exchanges provided an opportunity for policymakers and industry leaders to engage directly with young people, exploring how their ideas can be scaled and implemented in various contexts.

“We know how our generation thinks”

They will have to maintain this positivity in the face of statistics: in addition to the high failure rate, they are also hampered by a thin track record, compared to older entrepreneurs. That doesn’t deter Wu, who says young people are worth investing in because of the unique perspective they can offer.

“We grew up with computers, with the Internet, and we know how people interact with different types of content. We have a good understanding of how our generation, the next big market segment, thinks, which is why we have a better advantage over older investors.

By dedicating an entire day to youth, the Global Industry Summit sent a clear signal: the future of the industry will be defined not only by established leaders, but also by the creativity, determination and resilience of the next generation. In Riyadh, this future was given a powerful voice.

On 10 November, the Federal Government of Somalia officially declared a state of drought emergency and appealed for urgent international assistance as the situation continued to deteriorate in the northern, central and southern regions, according to to the UN relief coordination office, OCHA.

Puntland is among the worst-hit regions, where authorities estimate nearly a million people are in need of assistance, including 130,000 whose lives are in immediate danger.

A UN assessment mission to the Bari and Nugaal regions earlier this month found communities are grappling with severe water and food shortages, with residents warning that disaster could strike in the coming months.

“We haven’t received any rain since last year; this is the worst drought in years,” said Abdiqani Osman Omar, mayor of Shaxda village in the Bari region.

“Hundreds of displaced families moved here three months ago, and more are arriving. The new arrivals are mostly women and children, while the men have moved to neighboring Ethiopia in search of pasture and water.”

The village does not have the capacity to support them, he added, saying even host communities need water and food aid.

Dried up water sources, abandoned settlements

Throughout Puntland, waterholes have dried up, vegetation has withered, and formerly inhabited pastoral settlements are now abandoned.

In the town of Dhaxan, where brief downpours during the Gu season (April-June) offered short-lived hope earlier this year, residents now rely on expensive water trucked in after the local borehole was found to be contaminated.

Jama community leader Abshir Hersi said about 150 families moved to the town after the rains.

“Previously, we received food and nutritional aid, as well as medical supplies for our health unit. All that aid has diminished,” he said.

Financing gaps

Funding gaps are making the crisis worse.

As of November 23, Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan 2025 was only 23.7 percent funded, leading to significant aid reductions. The number of people receiving emergency food aid fell from 1.1 million in August to just 350,000 this month.

In Puntland alone, 89 supplementary feeding sites and 198 health and stabilization centers are facing serious supply shortages.

Millions of people are hungry

The drought is developing in an already disastrous humanitarian context. At least 4.4 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity until December, while 1.85 million children under five are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition until mid-2026.

Weather forecasts indicate little immediate relief. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) warned Dry and hot conditions are expected to persist across most of the country, particularly in central and northern regions.

“High temperatures and low precipitation are likely to exacerbate water stress and limit pasture regeneration in most areas. » the agency said.

“There is new momentum towards justice in Libya, and we now turn to the first trial to be held before the Court in this situation,” Nazhat Shameem Khan told the ambassadors.

She said the arrest of suspected war criminal Khaled El Hishri by German authorities in July is “a clear example of the momentum we are building.”

Mr. El Hishri is allegedly responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape and sexual violence, committed in Libya’s notorious Mitiga prison from February 2015 until at least early 2020.

He is expected to be transferred to the ICC soon.

A clear message

“For too long, crimes committed in detention centers in western and eastern Libya have been a no-go zone for accountability,” Ms. Khan said.

Mr. El Hishri’s case sends “a clear message: those responsible for the suffering inflicted in Libya are mistaken if they believe they are still beyond the reach of justice.”

In addition, work continues towards the arrest and transfer of other fugitives, including Osama Elmasry Njeem and Saif Suleiman Sneidel, accused of committing war crimes.

Ms. Khan noted that “based on the progress we are currently seeing, I firmly believe there is an opportunity for us to demonstrate collective success based on the partnership between Libya, this Council and the ICC.”

This progress was made “despite the unprecedented headwinds facing the Court.”

She stressed that “coercive measures and acts of intimidation against the ICC, civil society and other justice partners serve no one other than those who wish to benefit from impunity in Libya and in all the situations we address.”

UN humanitarian office condemns latest attacks in Ukraine

The United Nations Aid Coordination Office (OCHA) reported large-scale attacks in the Ukrainian capital and in several regions between Monday and Tuesday morning.

At least seven civilians were killed and 20 injured. Residential buildings, a nursery school and a playground were also damaged.

The attacks have further disrupted electricity, heating and water supplies, which already pose a challenge for Ukraine. Authorities reported that parts of Kharkiv remained without power and water.

More than 50,000 people in Kyiv and Chernihiv regions faced emergency outages. Across the country, more than 100,000 consumers remain without electricity following the latest wave of strikes.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters that humanitarian partners continue to scale up their services to combat gender-based violence nationwide. By the end of October, nearly 360,000 women and girls had received support from 100 organizations.

Matthias Schmale, UN humanitarian coordinator for Ukraine sentenced the “continuing pattern of massive civilian damage” caused by the strikes and reiterated that civilians are protected by international humanitarian law.

At least 127 civilians killed in Lebanon since ceasefire agreement

Nearly a year after the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) continues to face increasing attacks from the Israeli army, spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan said Tuesday.

In one of the most recent and deadliest attacks over the past week, at least 13 civilians were killed and at least six injured in the Ein El-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp.

“All of the deaths we documented following this strike were civilians, raising serious concerns that the Israeli military attack may have violated the principles of international humanitarian law on the conduct of hostilities,” Mr. Al-Kheetan warned before calling for a prompt and impartial investigation into the strike.

Israeli military attacks have led to the deaths of at least 127 civilians in Lebanon since the ceasefire agreement came into force on November 27, 2024.

Thousands of people displaced

The strikes also destroyed civilian infrastructure and hampered reconstruction efforts and attempts by displaced people to return home.

More than 64,000 people, mostly residents of southern Lebanon, remain displaced in other parts of the country.

Israel has started building a wall across Lebanese territory that makes 4,000 square meters inaccessible to the population, thereby affecting people’s right to return to their land, Al-Kheetan said.

“All internally displaced people must be able to return to their homes, and reconstruction must be supported, not hindered. »

At least 402 people, mainly schoolchildren, have been kidnapped in four states in the north-central region – Niger, Kebbi, Kwara and Borno – since November 17, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. OHCHRsaid Tuesday.

Only 88 of them were released or escaped from captivity.

Call for justice

“We are shocked by the recent surge in mass kidnappings in north-central Nigeria,” said OHCHR spokesperson Thameen Al-Kheetan. said in Geneva.

“We urge Nigerian authorities – at all levels – to take all legal measures to ensure that such despicable attacks end and to hold those responsible to account. »

OHCHR said authorities must ensure the safe return of all those still detained and prevent further kidnappings.

Growing hunger and security threat

The increase in insurgent attacks threatens regional stability and causes a surge in hunger, according to the World Food Program (PAM) added.

The latest analysis reveals that almost 35 million people are expected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season from June to August – the highest number ever recorded in the country.

Insurgent attacks have intensified this year, the UN agency said.

Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, reportedly carried out its first attack in Nigeria last month, while the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgent group is said to be seeking to expand into the Sahel region.

“Communities are under severe pressure from repeated attacks and economic tensions,” said David Stevenson, WFP country director and representative in Nigeria.

“If we fail to feed families and bring food insecurity under control, growing desperation could fuel increased instability as insurgent groups exploit hunger to expand their influence, creating a security threat that extends across West Africa and beyond. »

Millions of people in danger

The WFP noted that northern Nigeria is experiencing the most serious food crisis in a decade and that rural farming communities are the hardest hit.

Nearly six million people are expected to face crisis levels of hunger or worse during the 2026 lean season in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states. This includes some 15,000 people in Borno State who are expected to face catastrophic famine or near-starvation conditions.

The situation is evolving as WFP continues to face funding shortfalls that forced the agency to scale back its nutrition programs in the northeast in July, affecting more than 300,000 children.

The WFP has warned that resources for emergency food and nutrition assistance will run out in December, meaning millions of people will be left without vital support next year.

Gender-related killings, known as feminicides, are the most brutal and extreme manifestation of violence against women and girls.

The last report of theUnited Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) And UN Women published on International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women shows that femicide is on the rise worldwide.

Here’s what you need to know about femicide.

Femicide versus homicide

Femicide is defined as intentional killing motivated by sex. This is different from homicide, where the motivation may not be gender-related.

Femicide is motivated by discrimination against women and girls, unequal power relations, gender stereotypes or harmful social norms.

This can happen at home, in workplaces, in schools or in public spaces and online. It can be caused by domestic violence, sexual harassment and violence, harmful practices and trafficking.

Family and domestic violence

In 2024, approximately 50,000 women and girls worldwide have been killed by their intimate partners or other family members, including fathers, mothers, uncles and brothers; this represents an average of 137 women or girls every day.

Current and former intimate partners are by far the most likely perpetrators of femicide, accounting for an average of 60 percent of all family-related murders.

Beyond family

Gender-related killings take place in many contexts beyond the private sphere.

They may be linked to rape or sexual violence committed by a person unknown to the victim.

Femicide can be linked to harmful practices such as female genital mutilation or so-called honor killings or the result of hate crimes linked to sexual orientation or gender identity.

It is often linked to armed conflict, gangs, human trafficking and other forms of organized crime.

Global problem

Femicide is a global crisis that affects women and girls in every country.

In 2024, Africa recorded the highest number of female intimate partner murders and family-related murders, with an estimated 22,600 victims (3 victims per 100,000).

The Americas and Oceania also recorded high rates of family femicide (1.5 and 1.4 per 100,000, respectively), while rates were significantly lower in Asia and Europe (0.7 and 0.5 per 100,000, respectively).

UN Women calls these figures “alarming”, but warns that the true scale of femicides “is likely much higher” due to under-reporting.

Risk groups

Women in public life, including politicians, journalists, and human rights and environmental advocates, face escalating violence online and offline.

Technology-facilitated violence, such as cyberbullying, coercive control, and image-based abuse, can escalate offline and, in some cases, lead to femicide.

One in four female journalists worldwide and a third of female parliamentarians in the Asia-Pacific region have received death threats online.

The deaths of 81 women environmental defenders and 34 women human rights defenders were reported in 2022.

Indigenous women also face disproportionate risks and transgender women face an increase in targeted killings around the world.

Why are feminicides increasing?

The increase in femicide is driven by persistent gender inequalities, norms of discrimination, and escalating violence in contexts of conflict and displacement.

Limited liability, weak protection systems and online harassment further increase risks.

Crises, economic insecurity and shrinking civic spaces also intensify deadly violence against women and girls.

What is the UN doing to prevent it?

The UN is working to prevent femicide by strengthening legal frameworks, supporting survivor-centered services and improving data collection.

It helps states with prevention strategies, trains law enforcement, monitors violations, and supports public campaigns that challenge harmful norms.

Objective 5 of the global agreement Sustainable Development Goals which concerns gender equality, and Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women(CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by UN member states, are two fundamental international instruments that combat gender-based violence.