In his recent analysisThe IPC, a UN-backed index measuring hunger and malnutrition in the world’s hotspots, found that 5.7 million Haitians face a deteriorating food security situation.

The study provides analysis for the period September 2025 to February 2026 and a projection for March to June next year.

Emergency levels

A staggering 1.9 million – or 17 percent of the population – suffer from emergency levels of acute food insecurity, leaving them with food deficits, high acute malnutrition and excessive mortality rates.

An additional 3.8 million people – or 34 percent of the population – face crisis levels of acute food insecurity, meaning they could be forced to deplete their essential livelihoods simply to meet their basic nutritional needs.

Conditions expected to worsen

The IPC expects food security to deteriorate further from March to June 2026 due to the lean season, a period between harvests when food supplies tend to be low and prices high.

More than half the population – 54 percent – ​​is expected to face high levels of acute food insecurity.

The situation is made worse by the creeping control of territory by armed groups and the decline of the country’s economy, which has led to mass displacement and the destruction of livelihoods.

In regions controlled by armed groups, farmers who have managed to maintain their agricultural activity are forced not only to negotiate access to plots of land but also to share their production, explains the IPC.

Additionally, households in gang-occupied areas that relied on small businesses were forced to abandon their sources of income and many people lost their jobs as businesses closed.

Emergency response required

Despite support from humanitarian actors, Haitians face overcrowding, characterized by precarious living conditions and a lack of sanitation facilities, according to the IPC.

This increases the risk of sexual violence, the spread of diseases such as cholera and psychological distress for displaced people, who already lack adequate access to clean water, food and proper healthcare.

To mitigate the crisis, the IPC recommends emergency intervention to prevent poorer households from resorting to harmful coping strategies and an expansion of already existing social protection programs, among other actions.

Alongside senior officials from the UN community, they commemorated International Day of the Girl through statements, dialogue and a show of solidarity with their peers in Afghanistan and elsewhere, whose voices have been silenced.

Nafisa from Ghana, 16, championed girls “whose dreams are shattered by the crisis”, like a friend from a neighboring village who had to leave school after the conflict broke out, but joined a study group to continue learning.

“Her story reminds us that girls are strong, girls are determined, girls never give up,” she said in a video message.

A world where girls can lead

International Day takes place every year on October 11 and the event brought this year’s theme to life. We are here: Bold, Diverse and Unstoppable – Demanding Action for Girls’ Rights.

Parents, carers and mentors were encouraged to sit in red chairs at the back of the room while “virtual moderator” Andrea in Bolivia welcomed participants, who were asked to use only their first names as a safeguard.

“Across the world, girls are dreaming big, supporting each other and raising their voices for justice,” she said in Spanish.

“We may live in different places and speak different languages, but we share a dream: a world where every girl can learn, lead and live without fear. »

UN President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock advised participants to follow their interests “passionately” and do what they love wholeheartedly.

“My dream for you is that every day you do just that…and no one and nothing will stop you,” she said.

“No man, no religion, no legislation, no system that tries to silence you, no criticism or bullying from others at school, or those moments online. Not even what can often seem like the loudest voice of all: your own self-doubt.”

Caught in crises

The commemoration took place as countries celebrated 30 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration on women’s rights and Global Program of Action for Youth.

Yet despite these global promises, “girls around the world are experiencing the impacts of catastrophic climate change, armed conflict, food insecurity and systemic gender-based violence and discrimination,” said Michael Gort, Canada’s deputy permanent representative to the UN.

He urged governments, civil society and the international community as a whole “to go beyond promises and deliver concrete results,” saying that “our role is to listen, support and act, guided by your experience and expertise.”

Solidarity and commitment

Another moderator, Eleni, called for a minute of silence for all girls “whose voices need to be heard,” including those in war zones, situations of violence, or in rural areas or indigenous communities. They were represented by an empty “solidarity chair” on the podium.

Ms. Baerbock then gathered the room to take a “solidarity selfie” with the girls of Afghanistan, whose rights continue to be subject to restrictions.

For its part, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) “engages in girl-focused programming” in more than 80 countries, focusing on areas such as protection, health, nutrition and economic empowerment, said Lauren Rumble, associate director for gender equality.

Additionally, 10 percent of UNICEF’s approximately $7 billion in annual spending will go to networks for girls and women.

“We know that you are all capable of designing the change you want to see and delivering it, so we need to make sure we put resources and investments directly into your hands so you can do it better and at scale,” she said.

Markella, who represented the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, emphasized the power of solidarity.

“Every girl has the ability to advocate for another girl,” she said.

“Even though she does not have a UN microphone, I urge her to work to create a safe environment for her fellow girls in any space and to make the voices of her peers heard.”

THE UN Security Council entered an emergency session on Friday, following a request from Venezuela. The US military has carried out four deadly airstrikes in Caribbean waters in recent weeks against drug traffickers backed by Caracas, according to Washington. The Venezuelan government denies the accusation, accusing the administration of posing a threat to the peace and security of the entire region. Follow live coverage below and UN News app users can go here.

This follows reports that at least 53 civilians were killed and more than 60 injured by members of the Rapid Support Forces militia, the RSF, between October 5 and 8 alone.

Preliminary information from the region – the last government-controlled town in North Darfur – suggests the figure could be even higher, according to the UN human rights office (OHCHR) added.

“Endless and gratuitous contempt”

“I am appalled by the RSF’s constant and wanton disregard for civilian life,” Mr. Türk said.

THE militia fights former military government allies for control of Sudan since April 2023.

The UN rights chief said: “Despite repeated calls, including my own, for special precautions to be taken to protect civilians, they continue to kill, injure and displace civilians and attack civilian objects.including shelters for displaced people, hospitals and mosques, in total disregard of international law. This must stop.

At least 46 civilians were killed in artillery and drone strikes in the Abu Shouk and Daraja Oula neighborhoods, as well as the Abu Shouk internally displaced persons camp, OHCHR reported.

This includes at least 14 civilians who were killed during the attacks of October 5 and 7 against the Saudi hospital – the last large functioning health care facility in North Darfur.

The hospital, which has been attacked several times, was already operating at reduced capacity, before suffering further significant damage in these latest attacks.

Summary executions

At least seven other civilians were reportedly summarily executed during house-to-house searches during RSF ground attacks, the OHCHR reported.

“Initial information indicates that these killings may have been ethnically motivated and targeted members of the Zaghawa community,” the UN office said.

“I urge RSF – and all parties to the conflict – to learn lessons from this week’s conviction of Ali Kushayb by the authorities. International Criminal Court (ICC) for the war crimes and crimes against humanity he committed in Darfur,” said Mr. Türk.

THE former commander Janjaweed convicted of war crimes on 27 counts earlier this week in The Hague. The RSF would have emerged from the Janjaweed militias and their leaders from 2013.

The High Commissioner also reiterated his call on UN Member States with direct influence to take urgent measures to protect civilians and prevent further atrocities in El Fasher and across Darfur.

Briefing of ambassadors in the Security CouncilUN Under-Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča said American operations, carried out between September 2 and October 3, exacerbated tensions in the region and sparked strong criticism from Caracas.

“Venezuelan authorities have announced that they remain on alert since U.S. military deployments were first reported in August,” he said, noting that President Nicolas Maduro has mobilized 4.5 million members of the Bolivarian militia to support the armed forces.

Mr. Jenča said that, according to American authorities, the strikes targeted ships in international waters carrying illegal drugs bound for the United States. Eleven people were reported killed in the first attack on September 2, with subsequent operations bringing the total number of casualties to 21.

The exact locations of the incidents have not been made public and the UN is unable to independently verify this information.

Exchange of allegations

Mr. Jenča said Washington defended its actions as consistent with laws governing armed conflict and necessary to protect American citizens from the flow of illicit drugs from South and Central America.

“A White House spokesperson said ‘the President acted in accordance with the laws of armed conflict,’ seeking to protect the United States ‘from those who attempt to bring deadly poison’ to its shores,” he told the Security Council.

Venezuelan officials, however, consider these strikes a provocation and a violation of sovereignty.

Venezuela’s Permanent Representative to the UN wrote to the Security Council on October 9, stating that the “further goal” of US actions continues to be to “advance its regime change policies.”

Caracas also reported U.S. warplane overflights near its coast and the grounding of a fishing boat in Venezuelan waters, while Washington said two Venezuelan military planes flew over a U.S. Navy ship in international waters.

Repeated calls for restraint

The UN has repeatedly called on both sides to exercise restraint and resolve their differences through peaceful means.

Jenča stressed that efforts to combat drug trafficking “must be carried out in accordance with international law, including United Nations Charter» and that any use of force to combat illicit trafficking must respect human rights standards.

“The United Nations recognizes the devastating impact of violence caused by transnational organized crime, which affects countries of production, transit and destination,” said Mr. Jenča.

“We continue to emphasize the need for all efforts to combat transnational organized crime to be carried out in accordance with international law.»

He said the UN would continue to support diplomatic dialogue and measures to prevent further escalation, calling on Washington and Caracas to prioritize de-escalation and constructive engagement.

When designed with lived experience at their heart, AI tools like conversational screen readers, adaptive dashboards, and real-time captioning don’t just break down barriers; they expand the possibilities. They transform access into agency and the freedom to learn, lead and contribute fully.

Avoiding a “shinier version of the same old prejudice”

Surashree Rahane was born with several physical disabilities, including clubfoot and polymelia, a condition in which affected individuals are born with extra limbs. Growing up in a family where disability was a part of everyday life, she never saw it as a limitation, but simply another way of navigating the world.

“My mentors always told me: don’t just look for jobs, create them,” she shares. “That’s how I learned that leadership itself is about inclusion. »

Ms. Rahane is now the founder and CEO of Yearbook Canvas, a technology platform specializing in digital yearbooks for academic institutions. As she started her business, she saw the persistence of structural barriers, such as inaccessible infrastructure, biased financing networks, and inflexible education systems.

To address these challenges, she currently works at the Newton School of Technology near New Delhi, focusing on inclusive academic design and AI-based learning tools that adapt to the pace of each student. “AI can democratize access to education,” she says, “but only if we teach it to understand the diversity of learners. Otherwise, we risk building a shinier version of the same old bias.”

“The Great Equalizer”

From text-to-speech tools for people with speech disabilities to gesture-based wheelchair controls, technology is now breaking down barriers once considered permanent.

Prateek Madhav, CEO of AssisTech Foundation (ATF), describes AI as “the great equalizer”. “While the world is worried about AI taking jobs,” he says, “for people with disabilities, AI is creating them. »

Ketan Kothari, consultant at Xavier Resource Center for the Visually Impaired in Mumbai, demonstrates how AI tools have made him completely independent at work. “Today, I can format a document, access meetings with live captions, and even generate visual descriptions through apps,” he explains. “AI has turned imagination into function.”

The Purple Fest primarily features Indian entrepreneurs and business leaders, but, as Tshering Dema of the United Nations Development Coordination Office points out, “this is not the story of a single country, it is a global transition. Inclusion is not just about laws or infrastructure; it is about mindset and shared design. The future of work must be built not just for people, but with them.”