“Nowhere in security in Ukraine,” said Miroslav Jenča, deputy secretary general for Europe in the UN political affairs department.

Citing figures from the United Nations Human Rights Office, OhchrHe said civilian victims reached a three -year summit in June, with 6,754 civilians killed or injured in the first half of 2025.

Russian forces have launched more than 5,000 long -range ammunition against Ukraine so far in July, including 728 record drones in one day. Large cities like Kyiv and Odesa were affected by swarms of missiles and drones.

The deputy secretary general for humanitarian affairs, Joyce Msuya, echoes these words, saying that “there is no longer any safety location in Ukraine” because the use of explosive weapons in populated areas has left the cities in shock.

A rehabilitation center for people with disabilities in Kharkiv, maternity rooms, schools and energy infrastructure has all been criticized in recent weeks.

Humitarian spiraling located

The humanitarian impact strongly aggravates, she continued.

“Nearly 13 million people need help, but limited funding means that we can only reach a fraction,” said Msuya. To date, only 34% of the $ 2.6 billion necessary for this year’s humanitarian response have been received.

Ukraine’s travel crisis also continues to grow. More than 3.7 million people remain in the country while nearly six million are refugees abroad. More than 26,000 people have newly signed up in public transportation centers since April alone.

Hit in Russia

The senior UN officials also expressed their concern about the civilian victims reported by Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia, including in Belgorod, Kursk and Moscow.

Although the UN cannot independently verify these incidents, Mr. Jenča reiterated that “international law clearly prohibits attacks on civilians and civil infrastructure. We strongly condemn all these attacks wherever they occur. ”

Concerns about nuclear security

Attacks near Ukraine nuclear installations have still alarmed the UN.

Earlier this month, drone strikes struck Enerhodar, where the staff of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant live, and drones were detected near other operational factories.

“Any nuclear incident must be avoided at all costs,” said Jenča.

Political momentum required

While certain diplomatic movements continue, including recent prisoners’ exchanges and talks in Istanbul, UN officials have called for an intensified political will to a cease-fire.

“The heartbreaking and growing human assessment of the past almost three and a half years of war highlights the urgency of a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” said Jenča, “as the first step towards a just and lasting peace. »»

Sonia Silva has been working in the besieged enclave since early November 2023, just a month after Hamas’ terrorist attack and other armed groups in southern Israel who triggered the brutal conflict.

She spoke to UN News About the misery that people have known in recent days.

“During my year and eight months in Gaza, last week was by far the worst. The only comparable experience was Rafah’s foray in May 2024, when the border was closed, but this week was much more intense.

I live Unicef Accommodation in Deir Al-Balah, a city in the center of Gaza.

When you drive from South to North to the Gaza Strip, it seems that there has just been a major natural disaster. The level of destruction has reached an unprecedented scale, a devastating civil infrastructure and whole neighborhoods.

Buildings are no longer standing. People live in destroyed houses, tents and the streets.

Seeing humanity in this condition is frightening and fills me with a feeling of misfortune and fear.

Terrifying offensive

Deir al-Balah is or had been different.

It is one of the few places in the Gaza Strip where urban infrastructure remains. He was somewhat spared from other areas.

It was until last Sunday evening, when a terrifying offensive was unleashed on Deir al-Balah.

I have not yet seen the level of destruction in the past few days, but the reports indicate that it is important.

A building was destroyed by an explosion of rocket just 100 meters from the place where I sleep normally.

But, for 72 hours my colleagues and I barely slept. The explosions and shots were incessant.

It’s stronger than you.

Your body knows that something is wrong and is in a higher state of vigilance.

I was not afraid, but I was deeply concerned about my national colleagues who were very close to the cross fires and who tried to comfort young children.

I am lucky because I am an international official and I am entitled to a break. Every 4 to 6 weeks, I can leave, I rest, I recharge my batteries.

But, not my Palestinian colleagues and their families, who have been living this for more than 21 months, who have lost everything, their loved ones and their personal effects.

They cannot go out.

Current food shortages make matters worse. This affects the entire population, including our first -line partners, our national colleagues and all support employees.

What struck me the most in Gaza was that despite the difficulties, colleagues continue, colleagues continue to tease each other, colleagues who have lost everything show the greatest generosity and solidarity.

I would like to pay tribute to all my colleagues and our partners who cling to fragments of hope for a better life but who always keep essential services on the move.

They are the best of humanity in a place abandoned by humanity. »»

Recalling his own experience living under the dictatorship in Portugal, Mr. Guterres told participants in the World Assembly of the International International Rights of Rights that human rights struggle is “more important than ever”.

He called on States to confirm international law and defending human rights “in a coherent and universally, even – or above all – in a case of inconvenience”, urging collective action to restore global confidence, dignity and justice.

‘A moral crisis’

Mr. Guterres painted a striking picture of a world in trouble, citing several crises in progress – above all, the war in Gaza.

While reiterating his condemnation of terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023 by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Israel, the secretary general said that “nothing can justify the explosion of death and destruction since”.

“” The scale and the scope exceeds everything we have seen lately“He said.

“” I cannot explain the level of indifference and inaction that we see too much in the international community. Lack of compassion. Lack of truth. The lack of humanity.“”

UN staff “neither dead nor living”

He described the United Nations staff in Gaza as working under “unimaginable conditions”, many of them have exhausted so much that they “say they do not feel dead or alive”.

Since the end of May, he noted, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by trying to access food-not in combat, but “in despair of despair-while the whole hungry population”.

“” It is not only a humanitarian crisis. It is a moral crisis that calls into question global conscience.“”

Ready to increase aid

Mr. Guterres said that the UN was ready to considerably increase humanitarian operations “as we did successfully during the previous break in the fighting”, but called for an “immediate and permanent ceasefire”, the unconditional release of all hostages and full humanitarian access.

“At the same time, we need urgency, concrete and irreversible steps towards a solution to two states,” he said.

He also talked about other conflicts, notably Sudan as well as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, where he called for a “just and lasting peace” on the basis of the Charter of the United Nationsinternational law and relevant United Nations resolutions.

Increasing authoritarianism

The secretary general warned that authoritarian tactics are on the global scale.

“” We are witnessing an increase in repressive tactics aimed at corroding respect for human rights“He said.And they are contaminates of certain democracies.“”

The political opposition movements are crushed, the mechanisms of liability dismantled, journalists and militants reduced to silence, strangled civic space and the minorities of scapegoat.

The rights of women and girls in particular are being returned-the most clearly, he said, in Afghanistan.

“It is not a series of isolated events. It is a global contagion. “

Weaponry of technology

He decreased the growing armament of digital platforms, claiming that algorithms “stimulate the worst of humanity-rewarding lies, fueling racism and misogyny and deepening of the division”.

He called on governments to maintain the Mondial digital compact Adopted by countries of the United Nations General Assembly last September and to take stronger measures to combat hatred and online disinformation.

Climate justice is human rights

Turning to the climate, Mr. Guterres described the environmental urgency as a “human rights disaster”, ” With the poorest and most vulnerable communities suffering the most.

He welcomed the International Court of Justice (Icj)) Advisory notice this weekAffirming that climate change is a question of human rights and that states have obligations under international law to protect the global climate system.

But he warned against a transition to clean energy that sacrifices human rights.

“We cannot accept a clean energy future built on dirty practices … We cannot accept enormous human rights violations – many of them against children – in the name of climate progress.”

He asked Urgent sections, has just transition from Fossil Fossil And real funding for developing countries to adapt, strengthen resilience and recover from loss and damage.

An activism inheritance

The Secretary General concluded by praising the decades of Amnesty International activism, qualifying his work as “essential” to the World Human Rights Movement.

“” When you defend human rights, you stand with what is right,He told the delegates.

“Your courage continues to change lives. Your persistence changes the course of history. Let’s continue. Let’s go back to this moment with the urgency he demands. And never abandoned.“”

Founded in 1961, Amnesty International is a global movement of human rights that campaigns to end abuse and promote justice. The organization has been working for a long time in collaboration with the United Nations, actively participating in the development of international law of human rights and mechanisms.

The speech of today Guterres is the very first speech by a secretary general of the United Nations in the World Assembly of Amnesty International – the highest decision -making body in the charitable organization. The UN chief met with a video link to the event in Prague.

“The thousands of people who seek to return home are motivated by hope, resilience and a lasting link with their country,” said Othman Belbeisi, regional director of the International Migration Organization (Iom).

Although this development offers hope, many of these people return to states and cities whose resources have been devastated by more than two years of war.

Since the conflict broke out in April 2023, more than 12 million Sudanese have been moved by force, which represents the greatest crisis of travel in the world.

A third of these displaced people have fled to neighboring countries such as Chad and South Sudan, who are increasingly having trouble supporting the influx of refugees.

“Not only do [the returnees] Mark a change of hope but fragile, they also indicate host countries already extended under increasing pressure, “said Mamadou Dian Balde, the regional coordinator of the UN refugee agency, Hcr.

“A race against time”

Iom pointed out that for these yields granted with international law, they must be voluntary and worthy. Most of the 1.3 million Sudanese returnees head to Khartoum, Al Jazirah and the States of Sennar where the impact of the conflict is still very acute.

In Khartoum in particular, many buildings – including Hcr Office – are in ruins and public infrastructure, such as roads and power plants, have been compromised or destroyed.

“Without urgent action, people will return to cities that are in ruins. We are in a race against time to clean the rubble and provide water, energy and health care, “said Abdallah Al Dardair, director Arab states for the United Nations Development Program (Predict).

In addition, Khartoum already houses many displaced internal people and people who had previously sought asylum in Sudan before the war had the war.

Rapatrians are also faced with a danger of unplodced ammunition and high levels of sexual and sexual violence against women and girls. To meet the psychosocial and protection needs of these women and girls, safe spaces have been created in the states of Khartoum and Al Jazirah.

Recovery key

By emphasizing the hope that these yields report, Mr. Belbeisi stressed that returnees must be considered as participants active in the recovery of Sudan designed in conflict.

“People returning home are not passive survivors, they are essential to the restoration of Sudan. Yes, the humanitarian situation is disastrous, but with the right support, returnees can revive local economies, restore community life and promote hope where it is most necessary, “he said.

However, humanitarian work in Sudan and around Sudan is considerably sub-financed-only 23% of $ 4.2 billion estimated for next year have been received, which means that services that save lives may have to be reduced.

“More than evidence of the desire of people to return to their native country, these yields are a desperate call at the end of the war so that people can return and rebuild their lives,” said Balde.

The United Nations Security Council will meet on Friday morning to discuss the situation in Ukraine in the midst of increasing concerns concerning the intensification of hostilities and increasing humanitarian needs. Senior UN political leaders and humanitarian officials should inform the Council. Follow our cover live from UN NewsIn coordination with the coverage of the UN meetings, for the updates of the room. UN applications users can follow here.

He recognizes their immense contributions to society but also recognizes the challenges they face due to the double burden of racism and sexism.

Although women and girls of African origin embody strength, resilience and unexploited potential, they remain among the most marginalized groups in the world due to the intersection of racial, gender and socio-economic discrimination.

For example, they suffer from alarmed maternal mortality rate, according to the UN reproductive health agency, Unfpa. Often, cases are not linked to income or education, but rather to racism and structural inequalities resulting from a heritage of slavery and colonialism.

“The good news is that these things are not irreversible,” said Patricia Dasilva, agency senior program advisor UN News.

“We can repair them. We have the solutions for many problems that we face in terms of maternal health for women and girls of African origin. ”

Data and solutions

The UNFPA recommends stronger health systems and investments in midwife programs, culturally sensitive training for health care providers and data collection improvements.

The agency also invests in partnerships, such as an initiative in the Pacific region in Colombia, which houses large communities of people of African origin.

“We have worked with traditional midwives to integrate ancestral knowledge into modern health practices.

“It looks like a really simple thing, but when you are in a distant community without access to technology, without access to administrative offices, it becomes this really important problem. »»

Change agents

Ms. Dasilva confirmed the theme for International DayWho focuses on women and girls of African origin as managers, not only the beneficiaries.

“I think it is important that the international community, the global community, understands that women and girls of African origin are not beneficiaries of aid. They are leaders. They are innovators. They are agents of change, ”she said.

“We have an opportunity and even an obligation and a responsibility to support resources for their solutions, to raise their voices and to continue to really double our efforts to dismantle the structural barriers which continue to hinder their progress.”

The first celebration of international day coincides with the start of the second international decade for people of African origin, which takes place until 2034.