The heavy humanitarian and psychological toll of these strikes is compounded by the fact that this year’s winter is expected to be much colder than last year’s – with the level of destruction of electrical installations exceeding the capacity for reconstruction.

“We are very worried about the fate of people living in high-rise buildings in cities close to the front line – this could turn into a major crisis.“, Matthias Schmale, United Nations resident and humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, told reporters in Geneva.

Mr Schmale’s comments come a day after a massive Russian attack across Ukraine reportedly targeted critical energy infrastructure in civilian areas.

High-rise target

With 705 munitions reportedly deployed, the barrage was among the largest since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.

If residents of front-line cities like Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv or Dnipro, living in high-rise buildings, are “stranded without electricity or drinking water for days on end” during a harsh winter, Schmale explained, then “there is no way that with the available resources we will be able to respond to a major crisis within a crisis.”

“The destruction of energy production and distribution capacities at the start of winter has an obvious impact on the civilian population and constitutes a form of terror,” insisted Mr. Schmale. “Continuing strikes across the country also make it feel like nowhere is safe…for almost a year and a half there, [I] we feel and feel that the impact of this war on mental health is increasing,” he added.

Drone Wars

“It’s increasingly a technological war, a war of drones“, said the UN official, emphasizing that drones were responsible for a third of all civilian casualties recorded in 2025.

This year, the number of civilian deaths increased by 30% compared to 2024.

Civilian victims of Thursday’s attack included a seven-year-old girl who died in hospital following a strike in the central Vinnytsia region.

Earlier this week, an attack severely damaged a children’s hospital in the city of Kherson, injuring a child and health workers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recorded 364 attacks affecting health establishments in Ukraine between January and October 2025.

School horror

Mr Schmale recounted his own recent experience, which he called a “poignant moment”, visiting a kindergarten in Kharkiv just after it was hit by three missiles.

“I imagined that as a parent, you drop your kids off in the morning at a kindergarten and then get called back two and a half hours later … to pick up your traumatized children who have just had three missiles hit their kindergarten,” he said.

“This notion of safety for vulnerable people and children is in reality constantly violated. »

Regarding the situation in the Ukrainian territories occupied by the Russian Federation, the UN humanitarian coordinator said that the longer the war continues, “the more we risk forgetting the vulnerable people” in these areas.

According to estimates, “around a million people are vulnerable in the so-called temporarily occupied territories,” he said.

Attack on citizenship

Mr. Schmale also warned of the “attacks on fundamental rights” that are underway there, “including against citizenship”.

“From what I understand, the occupying forces insist that Ukrainians now register for Russian documents in the occupied territories, and if they do not do so, they will be considered illegal and may be deported or arrested,” he said.

The UN official further expressed concern over dwindling funds for Ukraine’s humanitarian response, describing a “downward trend.”

“In 2022, we had more than $4 billion available for humanitarian work in Ukraine. [In] In 2023, it was still $2.6 [billion]. Last year, remarkably, 2024, with everything going on in the world, there was still $2.2 left [billion]“, he said.

“This year we are at $1.1 [billion]”, so far, half of what we got last year and two months to go” until the end of 2025, he added.

Yet, in the face of this rapid transformation, one question arises above all: how can innovation truly serve people, as more and more of them migrate to cities?

This question is at the heart of this year’s debate World Cities Daywhich will be celebrated in Bogotá, Colombia, under the theme of people-centered smart cities.

Organized by the UN urban agency, UN-HabitatThe event brings together mayors, urban living experts and community leaders from around the world to explore how data, design and digital tools can build communities that are not only smarter, but also fairer, greener and more inclusive.

By 2050, almost 70% of humanity is expected to live in urban areas, increasing demand for housing, services and climate resilience.

In its message of the day, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that innovation must close gaps, not widen them.

“A truly smart city puts people first, especially the most vulnerable,” Mr. Guterres said. “When we put people at the center, digital innovation can help drive equity and sustainability for all. »

The great Bogota experience

Bogotá, long known for its urban experiments, has gained global recognition for its combination of technology and civic engagement.

From TransMilenio, its influential bus rapid transit system, to Ciclovía, which transforms streets into car-free community spaces every Sunday, the city has redefined how urban design can foster social connection and sustainability.

For Elkin Velásquez, UN-Habitat regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Bogota offers a compelling example of how data and dialogue can shape a better future.

“This global celebration will foster international dialogue on people-centered smart cities, where technology improves quality of life and strengthens community connections,” he said.

Listening to the city

Key speakers in Bogotá include Carlo Ratti, architect, engineer and director of the MIT Senseable City Lab in the United States, as well as curator of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Mr. Ratti, one of the world’s leading thinkers on urban innovation, believes that cities must evolve beyond the notion of the “smart city” towards what he calls the “responsive city.”

“I don’t like the term ‘smart city,’” Mr. Ratti said. “This often involves a top-down system driven by technology alone. Cities must be people-first – responsive, inclusive and adaptive. A ‘sensible city’ uses technology not for its own sake, but to better listen to and serve its citizens.”

For Mr. Ratti, Bogotá embodies this spirit. “It has long intrigued me as a leading city in urban experimentation,” he said. “Projects like TransMilenio and Ciclovía have become global case studies.

“They show how local interventions, when scaled and adopted, can change urban trajectories. »

As a matter of principle, Mr. Ratti believes that in times of climate emergency and demographic transition, “the most radical act is perhaps not to build or to build differently”. As an alternative, he suggests prioritizing reuse, renovation and transformation.

“And if you really need to build on greenfield sites, learn from the logic of nature. In terms of energy and circularity, a tree is still much smarter than any building we can design,” he concluded.

A people-centered vision

According to Anacláudia Rossbach, executive director of UN-Habitat, the city’s approach illustrates what a human-centered smart city should look like.

“In Bogotá, the smart city approach is people-centered and aims to improve well-being and quality of life,” said Rossbach.

“Programs like Ecobarrios and Mi Casa focus on resilience and sustainability, while digital initiatives like Chatico, a virtual agent, use artificial intelligence to help citizens access information about public services and participate in consultations.

These initiatives, she explained, represent a broader effort to advance sustainable mobility, data-driven policymaking and reduce the digital divide.

“These are great examples of technology and innovation serving people and communities,” added Rossbach. “It is essential that such experiences are shared globally, allowing other cities to adapt these lessons to their own context. »

A global conversation

World Cities Day marks the conclusion of Urban October, UN-Habitat’s month-long campaign for sustainable and inclusive urbanization. This year’s celebration in Bogotá aims to leave behind a legacy of collaboration, learning and shared commitment to a more equitable urban future.

“The legacy we seek is twofold,” concluded Ms. Rossbach. “First, highlight the creativity of cities in promoting smart, people-centered approaches. And second, strengthen cooperation networks that ensure that innovation serves people, not the other way around.”

As digital tools become increasingly integrated into urban life, the challenge for cities is clear: ensuring that smart solutions remain human.

Richard Bennett, the Special Rapporteur for monitoring human rights in Afghanistan – who serves independently under a mandate from the Human Rights Council and is not a UN staff member – said the General Assembly on the human rights situation in the country »continues to deteriorate and there is little reason for optimism.»

He warned of intensifying gender-based persecution, increased corporal punishment, forced disappearances and attacks on former officials despite the declared amnesty.

There are also increasing restrictions on media freedom and civil society, as well as discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, including forced evictions affecting Hazara communities.

Restrictions on women and girls continue

He noted that no Taliban decree restricting women’s rights has been reversed.

“Many Afghan women are denied their right to work,” he said, highlighting recent measures preventing Afghan women working for the UN from entering UN premises. “This is a serious violation of fundamental rights and United Nations Charterprinciples of equality and non-discrimination.

Mr Bennett also criticized the sharp reduction in humanitarian and civil society funding, which he said removes “the last lines of protection” for a population already facing widespread deprivation.

He urged governments to reaffirm their commitment to providing sustained, long-term support, particularly to Afghan-led and women-led organizations.

Protecting refugees from danger

The Special Rapporteur further warned against the mass forced return of Afghan refugees, urging all States to respect the international legal principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the return of people to places where they risk persecution or serious harm.

Although the situation remains serious, Mr. Bennett highlighted signs of progress on accountability.

These include the International Criminal Courtthe issuance of arrest warrants by the Human Rights Council for senior Taliban leaders and the recent establishment by the Human Rights Council of an independent investigative mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of serious crimes for future trials.

“This is not a lost cause”

“Afghanistan is not a lost cause,” Bennett told delegates, emphasizing that accountability is an “essential element” of building a future rooted in justice, equality and the rule of law.

“Turning away now would not only betray the Afghan people – it would undermine the foundations of our common international system.» he said.

He urged states to engage with Afghanistan “in a principled way that avoids the normalization of Taliban rule until there are demonstrated, measurable and independently verified improvements in the human rights situation – particularly for women and girls”.

The hurricane caused significant damage to homes, infrastructure and crops, displacing thousands of people.

However, intensive storm preparation by governments, with help from UN agencies and other NGOs, appears to have helped mitigate the impact and save lives in many areas.

In Cuba, the hurricane hit the province of Santiago de Cuba with winds exceeding 200 km/h per hour and six hours of torrential rain. “Melissa is one of the three most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in Cuba and the strongest in the world this year,” Francisco Pichon, United Nations resident coordinator for Cuba, said during a videoconference press briefing in New York.

“More than three million people have been exposed to life-threatening conditions and nearly 240 communities are isolated due to flooding and landslides.“, he added, speaking by video.

Existing vulnerabilities

The storm exacerbated existing vulnerabilities. Many affected areas had already suffered from Hurricane Oscar and last year’s earthquakes, while drought, rising viral diseases and energy shortages have made the situation even worse.

Despite these challenges, Cuba’s civil protection system helped evacuate more than 77,000 people to protection centersincluding schools temporarily converted into shelters.

Mr. Pichon highlighted the UN’s anticipatory action framework, which prepositioned relief supplies and personnel before the storm struck. “This mechanism allowed us to respond quickly and ensure that essential goods reached the people who needed them most.“, he said.

Plans are underway to reach two million people in the coming days, including food security, health, education, shelter, water and sanitation, and logistics.

Early preparation saves lives

In Haiti, the slow movement of the storm caused flash floods, landslides and severe crop damage, said Grégoire Goodstein, acting U.N. humanitarian coordinator.

“At least 24 people died, 17 were injured and 18 are still missing,” he reported. Around 15,000 people are currently housed in more than 120 temporary facilities.

Early preparation saved lives. “We deployed emergency stocks, set up evacuation shelters and sent 3.5 million early warning messages. » Mr. Goodstein told reporters. “Rapid response teams worked alongside national authorities to ensure communities could evacuate safely,” he added.

Haiti faces the storm amid a continuing humanitarian crisis, with 1.4 million people displaced, widespread famine affecting half the population and cholera outbreaks in some areas.

Mr. Goodstein highlighted that the UN Humanitarian Response Plan is currently 87 percent underfunded, putting life-saving operations at risk.

“Humanitarian needs remain immense and international cooperation is crucial. »

The UN continues to coordinate aid in the Caribbean, supporting both immediate relief and longer-term recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa.