THE UN Security Council meets in New York to discuss the Middle East. The session comes amid halting progress in Gaza’s fragile ceasefire and growing humanitarian needs after two years of war, with famine still looming in parts of the territory. The ambassadors will likely discuss the ICJ’s advisory opinion issued yesterday, affirming Israel’s obligation to allow aid agencies access under international law. Follow our in-depth live coverage from 10 a.m.; UN News app users can go here.

Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Najat Rochdi, in a briefing from Damascus, called for a renewed commitment to women’s participation in the country’s political transition, saying their exclusion risks undermining hard-won progress.

Place at the table

“Syrian women have the right to participate fully and meaningfully in determining the future of the country,“, she said. “They have led and sacrificed for survival, justice and equality during more than a decade of conflict.”

She noted that although six women were elected to the 119 contested seats in the new Transitional People’s Assembly, “the share of women is incompatible with the societal and political role that Syrian women have long played,” according to the Supreme Elections Committee.

She urged authorities to “design future electoral processes to protect their legitimate right to participate and maximize opportunities for representation.”

Women’s participation is not symbolic but “a precondition for the rule of law and equality” in any post-conflict situationunderlined Ms. Rochdi.

Wider political situation

Turning to the broader political landscape, the Deputy Special Envoy described the October 5 indirect elections for the transitional legislature as “broadly peaceful,” although marred by underrepresentation of women and minorities and reports of opaque procedures.

She said the UN had not been involved but had “stressed the importance of transparency and inclusiveness”.

She also called for the lifting of economic sanctions “at a larger and faster scale to give this transition a chance to succeed“, asserting that “monumental levels of tangible support will be needed from the international community.”

Humanitarian crisis

On the humanitarian front, Ramesh Rajasingham from the UN aid coordination office, said More than 70 percent of Syrians still need help, with the U.N. response plan only 19 percent funded – one of the lowest among major global appeals.

Without additional funding, agencies will have to reduce staff numbers by January, he warned, noting that more than 340 health facilities have already suspended services, cutting off access to more than seven million people.

Mr Rajasingham called on ambassadors and the international community at large to act urgently.

“Syria has a viable path forward to Syrian-led recovery, supported by development partners,” he said. “But achieving this will require decisive and sustained action from the international community, including maintaining the flow of essential humanitarian assistance as these efforts progress.

Speaking to ambassadors for the first time as head of the UN office in Haiti (BINUH), Carlos Ruiz Massieu addressed the persistent gang violence and humanitarian crisis in the country, the political transition expected to take place next year and attempted to restore national security through the recently agreed agreements. Gang Suppression Force (GSF).

“Disastrous” circumstances

“There is no doubt that the circumstances are dire, but the Haitian people have not given up“, declared Mr. Massieu, who met with multiple political, international and civil actors in the country over the last two and a half months.

As armed groups increasingly target farming communities on the outskirts of the capital and other areas, he stressed that the scale and impact of internal displacement is “unprecedented,” amounting to more than 1.4 million displaced people.

“The human rights situation also remains very worrying, with widespread abuses linked to gang attacks, violence involving self-defense groups and even some security operations,” he added.

Political transition in progress

“I am concerned that a stable path towards the restoration of democratic governance has not yet been charted,” Massieu said of the transfer of power to elected officials expected to take place by February 7 next year.

He welcomed the actions of Haitian authorities to consult political representatives regarding the elections in order to avoid a political vacuum beyond February, noting that “Sustained inter-Haitian dialogue remains crucial to forging a renewed consensus on the way forward.”

BINUH will provide technical and logistical support ahead of the elections, he said.

A new strength, a sign of comfort

Mr. Massieu welcomed Security Council-supported the Gang Suppression Force and encouraged the authorities to take appropriate measures to strengthen security and ensure the protection of communities most affected by violence, particularly children.

He warned that the hostile security environment continues to affect Haiti’s international partners in the capital, but that he is leading BINUH’s efforts to achieve “100 percent staff presence in the capital as a matter of urgency.”

“The recent action of this Council was a signal to reassure the Haitian people that they are not alone – that the international community stands with them during this critical moment,” he said.

“Now is the time to quickly translate this signal into real progress and turn the tide of violence..”

For complete coverage of the event, check out our live page.

“At least six civilians were killed, including two children, and more than 30 people injured” due to missile and drone attacks, the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMM) said in a post on social media.

Observers said they visited a kindergarten that was badly damaged in drone strikes in the eastern city of Kharkiv – near the Russian border – and noted that all 50 children had been safely evacuated.

“Serious danger”

“This incident demonstrates ongoing attacks using long-range weapons that target residential areas, including educational institutions, putting the civilian population in grave danger,” HRMM posted on X.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said the attacks damaged infrastructure across the country, causing emergency power outages in many regions. Electricity and water supplies were disrupted, while national rail services faced delays due to damaged lines.

As the UN and its partners continue to provide aid to war-weary communities on the ground, OCHA reiterated a crucial message: civilians should never be targets.

Frontline help

U.N. deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq told correspondents in New York on Wednesday that an inter-agency humanitarian convoy had managed to reach Urozhaine, a frontline community regularly hit by bombings and drone attacks.

“We, with our partners, delivered 11 tonnes of aid to some 1,000 residents, including food, hygiene and dignity kits, warm blankets, solar lamps and medical supplies,” he stressed.
“This was the 24th humanitarian convoy to hard-hit areas of the Kherson region this year.”

Although operations continue, UN humanitarians face growing challenges following the incident on Tuesday last week in which a convoy of four UN humanitarian trucks was attacked by Russian forces, a stark reminder of the risks faced by those providing vital aid on the front lines.

“Of course it is shocking,” Ukraine’s top aid coordinator, Andrea de Domenico, told UN News on Tuesday, noting that it was the first direct attack on a humanitarian convoy.

“After this happened, I told the team that this was one of the risks we had to face. Our UN security colleagues worked excellently with us and were very effective in protecting the lives of those involved in this mission.

“It takes a lot of determination, courage and motivation to keep doing it, but that’s what being involved in humanitarian operations in a war zone is all about. »