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Geneva/New York, April 24, 2025 – An estimated 60 percent of the world population are now feeling economically insecure in the face of global transformations that include escalating conflicts and climate change after decades of unprecedented improvement in material well-being, the World Social Report 2025 said.

The 119-page report said a recent study on life satisfaction showed that 60 per cent of people worldwide are struggling and 12 per cent are suffering, and over 690 million people live in extreme poverty, under $2.15 a day. It said over 2.8 billion, more than a third of the world’s population, live on between $2.15 and $6.85 a day with no guarantee of economic security.

“Even a small shock can send people into extreme poverty, and any escapes from poverty are often temporary,” the report said. “The recent crises and growing threats from climate change and conflict make the universal need to strengthen resilience even more pressing.“

Read the World Social Report 2025. Thematic papers supporting the World Social Report2025 are also available on the UN DESA website: 
https://social.desa.un.org/issues/world-social-report/thematic-papers

It said almost 60 per cent of people worldwide fear of losing their jobs and not finding one and even workers with the possibility to join a secure middle class have found themselves struggling for economic stability. It said informal employment remains the most prevalent form of labor market participation in low- and middle-income countries.

“Despite early expectations that it would decline and eventually disappear with economic growth and development, the share of informal employment has remained stagnant in African countries and declined only slightly in Asian and Latin American countries since 2010.”

It said nearly one in five people worldwide is at high risk from climate-related disasters and one in seven people was exposed to conflict in 2024 as both shocking situations have exacerbated poverty and hindered efforts to alleviate it. The report cited several factors that contribute to the unprecedented social challenges, including:

Persistent inequality and exclusion – It said income inequality since 1990 has increased in most high-income countries and in some middle-income countries, including China and India. Countries where inequality has grown are home to two thirds of the world’s population. It said income in some countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia have declined over the last three decades, according to the Gini coefficient which provided a summary measure of income inequality.

 “While it is still too soon to assess the full effect of the Covid-19 pandemic and other recent crises, the data available suggest that income inequality remained stable or even declined in the first years of the pandemic in several high-income countries.”

“Despite some positive trends, income and wealth are increasingly concentrated at the top. The share of income going to the richest one per cent of the population increased or remained stable, albeit at the high level of around 60 per cent, in countries with data from 1990 to 2022. The world’s richest one per cent of people today own more wealth than 95 per cent of humanity (Oxfam International, 2024). Ongoing global transformations are affecting these trends.”

Declining trust and weakening social cohesion – The report said social cohesion plays an important role in how people and social groups cooperate with one another to undertake collective action and maintain the rule of law. On the contrary, weakened social cohesion and growing polarization can impact on global agendas. It said the World Economic Forum has identified “societal polarization as one of the top five global risks in its two-year time horizon (WEF, 2025). People increasingly perceive politics and society in terms of “us” versus “them”. Growing hostility between social groups and increasing support for extreme political positions are fanning the flames of another top global risk: misinformation and disinformation.”

“While there is no broadly agreed data framework to measure all dimensions of social cohesion across countries, the available evidence shows that trust in institutions has declined in most countries with data since the late 1990s.”

The report said over half of the world’s people currently have little or no trust in their government.

It said the spread of misinformation and disinformation, facilitated by digital technologies, “is reinforcing divisions and fueling distrust. While digital platforms hold great potential to connect and inform people, they also allow the spread of disinformation, deceit and hate speech, often at a speed too fast to effectively counter. Social media has been leveraged to obstruct dialogue, incite violence, and stoke conflicts. Often, users find themselves immersed in virtual and siloed “echo chambers” where they are exposed to news and opinions that align with and may radicalize their views.” (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Note: The below press release profiles new research by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and partners through the ProLAC initiative from across Latin America which finds families fleeing violence face movement restrictions, exploitation, and asylum barriers.
One in four families interviewed for the report said that their lives would be at risk if they returned to their place of origin.

Oslo, April 23, 2025 – People across Latin America fleeing violence face movement restrictions, exploitation, and asylum barriers, according to a new report by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), and partners through the ProLAC initiative.

One in four families interviewed for the report said that their lives would be at risk if they returned to their place of origin.

“It’s alarming that so many people across Latin America would face life-threatening risks if they were forced to return to their place of origin,” said Stine Paus, regional director of NRC in Latin America. “Displaced people whose lives have already been shattered by violence must be better supported by the international community where they are. They cannot be forgotten in these times of cuts to aid budgets.”

“We need to see better international protection for those in need. This means giving displaced people whose lives are at risk a safe place to live, where they can enjoy basic rights, live freely, and eventually overcome their vulnerable situation. Instead, various countries in the Americas continue to limit access to asylum and are deporting refugees and migrants without first assessing whether their lives would be at risk.”

The full report is available here.

Without the opportunity to enter a country using a formal route, refugees and migrants are forced to take irregular routes as they seek safety and better opportunities. These routes are often incredibly dangerous and sometimes facilitated by smugglers. Half of the families interviewed said they experienced abuses during their journey with extortion particularly prevalent in Peru, Guatemala and Mexico. Among the families reporting abuses in Mexico, 40 per cent cited being kidnapped in order to be extorted for money.

In their quest for a new beginning, refugees and migrants face discrimination and xenophobia which further complicate their attempt to find safety and integrate into society, forcing some to flee yet again. Women and girls are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence throughout their displacement.

“Women and girls face the brunt of abuse, and it’s crucial we address their specific needs. We need to improve access to information and our ability to respond to gender-based violence, especially for the most vulnerable groups,” said Yann Cornic, regional operations director for DRC in Latin America.

Internal displacement remains a pressing issue across Latin America. People who flee their homes in search of safer locations but remain within their countries also need protection. In the first months of 2025, intensified violence in Colombia’s El Catatumbo region led to the displacement of over 56,000 people. Countries including Guatemala, México and Ecuador are also grappling with internal displacement yet often lack the necessary frameworks to protect those affected.

“Ongoing rates of internal displacement underscores the urgent need for comprehensive data and legislation to ensure safety and support for displaced individuals within their own borders,” said Cornic.

“National governments should take immediate action to ensure the protection of displaced people. Providing safe access to asylum, protecting people from the dangers they have fled from, and ensuring their rights are respected are essential steps to help them rebuild their lives. UN agencies, civil society organisations and donors play also a key role,” said Paus.

“Addressing the challenges faced by displaced people in Latin America requires political will and coordinated efforts and commitment from both national and international decision makers. It’s time for us to come together and make a difference. We cannot turn a blind eye to the suffering of displaced people in Latin America.”

Note to editors: The ProLAC report analysed data collected between 1 October 2024 and 31 January 2025 across nine countries in Latin America: Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela. The full report is available here.

The quantitative data includes survey results from over 20 locations within these countries, encompassing 3,611 households and representing 11,172 people in total. The qualitative data is derived from 138 key informant interviews, focus groups and direct observation reports. The data was collected by NRC, DRC, Encuentros SJM, Alianza Vencer and Corporación Colectiva Justicia Mujer. More information on the ProLAC’s members is available on the website. The interactive dashboard is available here.

25% of refugees and migrants interviewed at a destination country reported that they would face risks to their lives if they returned to their place of origin. 25% indicated that they would face widespread insecurity and violence, and 18% expressed fear of persecution. Of all those surveyed outside their country of origin, 19% reported having sought international protection.

45% of families in transit said they had suffered abuses, of which 44% were victims of extortion. In countries such as Mexico, this percentage reaches 66%, in Peru 53%, and in Guatemala 62%.  24% of households reported being victims of theft, confiscation or destruction of property.

38% of refugee and migrant families at a destination country reported they had experienced at least one incident of discrimination, discriminatory practices or xenophobia. Peru ranks first, with 65% of the surveyed population reporting this abuse. The host communities are the main perpetrators of such practices (65%).

–24% of the families reported having previously resided in a country other than their current one (and their country of origin), and 13% of them said they left that country due to discrimination.

–18% of the households affected by internal displacement, conflict and other situations of violence have experienced gender-based violence, while 11% and 12% faced it during their journey or in destination countries, respectively.

–Of the total households monitored, 19% suffered at least one forced displacement between October 2023 and January 2025.

–According to international law, States are forbidden to return refugees and asylum seekers to a place where they face serios threats to their life of freedom. The principle of non-refoulement protects people from being sent back to danger. Migrants are also covered in this principle as it applies to all individuals, regardless of their migration status. (OHCHR Principles and Guidelines for Migrants in Vulnerable Situations, 2018).

–The Americas region hosted 23 million forcibly displaced people in 2023, an increase of one million and a half from 2022, driven by displacement situations in Colombia, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Haiti, northern Central America, Mexico and Nicaragua (UNHCR).

–Since January 2025, in the Catatumbo region of Colombia, 56,000 people have been displaced by violence. This marks one of the largest mass displacements in Colombia in decades (HRW and OHCHR).

–As of 2020, there were approximately 357,000 internally displaced persons in Mexico due to criminal violence (IDMC).

–As of 2023, in Guatemala there were around 242,000 internally displaced persons due to the civil war, which ended in 1996. In 2020, 339,000 new displacements were triggered by hurricanes and other natural disasters (IDMC).

–More than 80,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in Ecuador due to the

About ProLAC – The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC, with support from the European Union Humanitarian Aid, have created the ProLAC Initiative. This project offers a unified system for monitoring the protection risks faced by people forced to flee across Latin America. For more information, visit https://prolac.live/en/

Media Contacts: Jessica Wanless
Media Specialist Adviser, Global Public Communications Section, Oslo
Phone: +47 901 67 022
Norwegian Refugee Council
www.nrc.no | Facebook | Twitter

NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no,+47 905 62 329 – DRC Latin America: col.comunicaciones@drc.ngo, + 57 3142476451

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Geneva/New York, April 21, 2025 – The United Nations praised Pope Francis, who passed away aged 88, as a strong defender of peace and human dignity and an advocate for the rights of migrants and refugees. Following are remarks made by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and a statement issued by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

“I want to extend my deepest condolences to Catholics, and all those around the world, inspired by the extraordinary life and example of His Holiness Pope Francis,” said the UN chief.

“Pope Francis was a messenger of hope, humility and humanity. He was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion for all — especially those on the margins of life or trapped by the horrors of conflict.

Pope Francis was a man of faith for all faiths — working with people of all beliefs and backgrounds to light a path forward. Through the years, we at the United Nations were greatly inspired by his commitment to the goals and ideals of our organization — a message I was honoured to convey in my meetings with him as Secretary-General.

Pope Francis also understood that protecting our common home is, at heart, a deeply moral mission and responsibility that belongs to every person. Many of us find great meaning in his final Easter message delivered just yesterday.

He appealed for us not to yield to – as he called it – the “logic of fear”. Instead, he urged the world to invest in what he referred to as the “weapons of peace” – to help the most vulnerable, to fight hunger, to advance development. Our divided and discordant world will be a much better place if we follow his example of unity and mutual understanding in our own actions.”

UNHCR Statement on the Passing of His Holiness Pope Francis – “UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is deeply saddened by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Catholics around the world and to all those mourning the loss of a compassionate and courageous moral leader.

 Pope Francis was a tireless advocate for the rights and dignity of refugees, migrants and the forcibly displaced worldwide. He stood up and spoke out continuously and relentlessly for the victims of war and for those forced to flee their homes.

He drew the world’s attention to the human tragedies unfolding at Europe’s borders and those further away – emphasising our shared responsibility in protecting the lives of those forced to flee.

Hearing from refugees firsthand in Lampedusa, Greece, Cyprus and beyond, he made a powerful call to the international community not to turn their back on those forced to flee. Throughout his papacy, Pope Francis used his unique moral authority to call on governments and the wider international community to welcome, protect, promote, and integrate refugees into society – especially at a time where their desperate plight is too often met by barriers, rejection and fear. He also engaged in favour of the environment and nature.

His unwavering solidarity with displaced people, his commitment towards global peace, his engagement for humanitarian causes and his call for dialogue to resolve conflict and build solidarity inspired action, compassion, and a deeper sense of shared humanity. He was strongly committed to peace everywhere – from the Middle East, to Colombia, to Ukraine, the Central African Republic, to Sudan, South Sudan, DRC and Myanmar, he spoke for peace, reconciliation and dignity.

On World Refugee Day last year, he called on all “to welcome, promote, accompany and integrate those who knock on our doors,” praying that “States will strive to ensure humane conditions for refugees and to facilitate integration processes.”

His passing is a loss for us all who were inspired by his principles and values and his legacy will continue to guide and strengthen our work to protect those forced to flee.” (This Statement is available here)

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• Global growth is expected to slow to 2.3% in 2025 – a recessionary trend linked to escalating trade tensions and uncertainty
• Developing economies face risks and worsening external conditions, but growing South-South trade and greater regional economic integration are opportunities
• UNCTAD calls for greater international policy coordination and strengthened regional trade (Following is a press release from the UN Trade and Development agency)

Geneva, 16 April 2025 – The world economy is on a recessionary trajectory, driven by escalating trade tensions and persistent uncertainty, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) alerts in its new report, “Trade and Development Foresights 2025 – Under pressure: Uncertainty reshapes global economic prospects”.

Global growth is projected to slow to 2.3% in 2025, placing the world economy on a recessionary path, the report says. It cites mounting threats including trade policy shocks, financial volatility and a surge in uncertainty that risk derailing the global outlook.

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UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2025/005

Global Economy under Pressure Could Slow to 2.3%, Signals UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)

Global trade tensions escalate – Rising trade tensions are impacting global trade, with UNCTAD noting that recent tariff measures are disrupting supply chains and undermining predictability. “Trade policy uncertainty is at a historical high,” the report notes, “and this is already translating into delayed investment decisions and reduced hiring.”

Challenges for the Global South – The slowdown will affect all nations, but UNCTAD remains concerned about developing countries and especially the most vulnerable economies. Many low-income countries face a “perfect storm” of worsening external financial conditions, unsustainable debt and weakening domestic growth.

UNCTAD underlines the real threat to economic growth, investment, and development progress, particularly for the most vulnerable economies.

South-South trade and regional integration offer opportunities – UNCTAD points to the growth of trade among developing countries (South-South trade) as a source of resilience.

Already accounting for about one third of global trade, “the potential of South-South economic integration offers opportunities for many developing countries”, the report notes.

Policy options – UNCTAD urges dialogue and negotiation, alongside stronger regional and global policy coordination, building on existing trade and economic ties.

“Coordinated action will be essential to restore confidence and keep development on track,” the report concludes.

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About UN Trade and Development: UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is dedicated to promoting inclusive and sustainable development through trade and investment. With a diverse membership, it empowers countries to harness trade for prosperity.

Contact us: UNCTAD Communications and External Relations, Office of the Secretary General 
Marcelo Risi, +41 76 691 18 74, marcelo.risi@unctad.org
Catherine Huissoud, +41 79 502 43 11, catherine.huissoud@unctad.org
Web: unctad.org/media-centre 

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Geneva/New York, 7 April, 2025 – Top United Nations officials today called on the world to act with urgency to save Palestinians in Gaza in a statement co-signed by the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher – as well as the heads of UNICEF, the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

(Note: This Daily News Update from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs provides an update on the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Myanmar, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Ukraine, Haiti and Sudan) Media contactS: In New York: Eri Kaneko, kaneko@un.org, +1 917 208 8910 – In Geneva: Jens Laerke, laerke@un.org, +41 79 472 9750

“For over a month, no commercial or humanitarian supplies have entered Gaza,” they said. “More than 2.1 million people are trapped, bombed and starved again, while, at crossing points, food, medicine, fuel and shelter supplies are piling up, and vital equipment is stuck.”

Although the latest ceasefire allowed humanitarians to see that life-saving supplies reached nearly every part of Gaza, the UN officials said assertions that there is now enough food to feed all Palestinians in the Strip are far from the reality on the ground, and commodities are running extremely low.

“With the tightened Israeli blockade on Gaza now in its second month, we appeal to world leaders to act – firmly, urgently and decisively – to ensure the basic principles of international humanitarian law are upheld,” they said. “Protect civilians. Facilitate aid. Release hostages. Renew a ceasefire.”

Today marks one and a half years since the 7 October 2023 attacks on communities in Israel.

Eighteen months on, the UN is as appalled – as it was then – by those horrific actions. Dozens of hostages remain in captivity, with no opportunities for visits and extremely concerning reports of mistreatment.

As the UN has said repeatedly, nothing can justify the torture, killing, maiming and abduction of civilians, nor the use of sexual violence or the launching of rockets towards civilian targets.

The UN reiterates once again that all hostages must be released immediately and unconditionally. Until then, they must be treated humanely, and Hamas must allow the International Committee of the Red Cross to visit them.

Across Gaza, Israeli attacks continue unabated, causing systematic, large-scale civilian casualties. People – including many children – are being killed, injured or maimed for life.

Survivors throughout the Strip are being displaced repeatedly and forced into an ever-shrinking space, where their basic needs cannot be secured.

Just yesterday, following Palestinian rocket fire into Israel, another Israeli displacement order was issued, this time for over 3 square kilometres in Deir al Balah. The location included nine neighbourhoods, with several medical facilities serving people inside or just outside that area.

Overall, nearly 390,000 people are estimated to have been displaced yet again since the breakdown of the ceasefire. That’s 18 per cent of all Palestinians in Gaza. No arrangements to secure their safety and survival have been made – a responsibility that falls to Israel, as the occupying power in Gaza.

In a statement issued for World Health Day, WHO said Gaza continues to be one of the most dangerous places to be a child and a place where pregnancy is clouded by fear.

WHO warned that the aid blockade is deepening the hunger and malnutrition crisis in the Strip, leaving families without clean water, shelter and adequate healthcare, and increasing the risk of disease and death.

Supplies are critically low in stock, including those needed for cesarean sections, anesthesia, intravenous fluids, antibiotics and surgical sutures, as well as blood units. Other equipment and medicines that have not been allowed in include incubators, ventilators for neonatal intensive care, ultrasound machines and oxygen pumps, along with 180,000 doses of routine childhood vaccines.

The UN continues to distribute what remains inside Gaza to those most in need, but the humanitarian community cannot sustain this for much longer unless the crossings are opened for supplies essential for people’s survival. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) says all attempts to pick up commodities that had been brought in and dropped at these crossings have been denied.

OCHA notes that coordination with the Israeli authorities is required for any humanitarian organization to access vast areas within the Gaza Strip, with most attempts to coordinate these movements resulting in access being denied.

Just yesterday, the Israeli authorities denied five of nine attempts to coordinate access by UN aid workers. OCHA reports that while staff rotations are often facilitated, aid delivery is regularly blocked. These denials prevent humanitarians from carrying out tasks as critical as the delivery of chemicals to run desalination plants.

Despite extremely challenging conditions and rapidly shrinking humanitarian access, WHO reported that the agency reached Al Ahli Hospital in northern Gaza on Friday. This facility is again overwhelmed, with only three operating theatres and an emergency unit that is pushed to eight times its capacity. WHO noted that of the 160 available blood units there, 50 were used in a single day, leaving stocks critically low. The hospital’s CT scanner – the only one in northern Gaza – has broken down due to sustained overuse.

To address the surge in trauma cases at Al Ahli, WHO supported the deployment of an international orthopedic emergency medical team to the hospital. WHO is also supporting the improvement of trauma care pathways to enable patient transfers to Al Shifa Hospital.

Myanmar

UN scales up response for quake-hit communities in Myanmar

The UN estimates that more than 17 million people are living in the areas affected by the two earthquakes that hit Myanmar on 28 March. Over 9.1 million live in the hardest-hit areas.

According to publicly available figures, more than 3,500 people have died, nearly 5,000 have been injured, and over 200 people remain missing nationwide. Communities in the worst-affected areas continue to grapple with widespread destruction of homes, health facilities and critical infrastructure, as well as prolonged power and water outages. Telecommunications are severely limited, and transport routes have been damaged or obstructed.

People left homeless by the earthquakes are enduring heavy rains, which have already started in Mandalay – posing an additional threat to those sheltering in the open.

While the time window for finding survivors has significantly narrowed, rescue teams continue their efforts to recover those who perished. The response is now shifting to relief and early recovery, as many remain displaced and struggle to meet their most basic needs.

Assessments are ongoing, and the UN is rapidly scaling up response efforts*. Emergency assistance, including food, has been provided to some 70,000 affected people Mandalay region, Nay Pyi Taw territory, Sagaing region and southern Shan State. Drinking water has been provided to over 40,000 people and hygiene kits distributed to more than 100,000 people.

The UN and its partners have reached more than 165,000 people so far with essential relief assistance. This includes the distribution of shelter materials, safe water solutions, hygiene kits and food. Mobile medical teams are being deployed.

Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, has wrapped up his visit to Myanmar, where he met with communities impacted by the disaster and humanitarian responders.

In a social media post, Mr. Fletcher said earthquakes don’t hit everyone equally – they hit the poorest hardest who lack the resources to survive and to rebuild their lives.

*Donations made to UN Crisis Relief help UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs reach people in Myanmar with urgent support.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Clashes in eastern DRC imperil civilians and response efforts

OCHA reports that escalating violence in parts of the provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri continues to displace civilians, curtail access to essential services, and obstruct the delivery of critical aid in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In North Kivu province, local humanitarian partners report that clashes between armed factions in the town of Walikale Centre on the night of 2 April injured civilians and damaged two humanitarian facilities, further straining partners’ limited capacity in the area.

Unexploded ordnance in residential areas of Walikale Centre also poses lethal risks to local residents, including formerly displaced people who are returning to the area. Local civil society groups urgently warn against premature returns until demining operations can be completed.

Humanitarian partners report similar concerns in South Kivu province, where large quantities of unexploded ordnance in the provincial capital, Bukavu, and in Kalehe territory are threatening local and displaced communities, as well as aid workers.

In Ituri province, seven civilians were killed and many others remain missing following clashes in Irumu territory on 4 April, according to local authorities. Clashes since 2 April have forced hundreds of people in the territory to flee to safer areas.

Meanwhile, in the capital Kinshasa, torrential rains between 4 and 5 April triggered catastrophic flooding, claiming at least 35 lives and injuring dozens, according to authorities. Homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure have been severely damaged, and disrupted water supplies raise the risk of cholera and other waterborne diseases.

A Government-led crisis unit is coordinating evacuations and temporary shelter for affected families. The UN and its humanitarian partners are on standby to support the authorities.

Yemen

Funding and access urgently needed to address Yemen’s humanitarian crisis

OCHA warns that conditions in Yemen remain incredibly dire. After over a decade of crisis and conflict, more than 19 million people still need essential assistance – including food, nutrition, healthcare, shelter and clean water.

Nearly half of the population is acutely hungry, and many don’t have access to enough clean water. Women and children continue to bear the brunt of the crisis.

While needs are increasing, funding is shrinking. This year’s humanitarian appeal for Yemen – which requires nearly US$2.5 billion – is less than 7 per cent funded, with just $173 million received. Aid workers also face a highly challenging operating environment, ranging from insecurity and detentions to bureaucratic impediments and attempted interference. 

Strikes over the last month have made a fragile environment even more complex. Overnight, air strikes reportedly killed four people and injured more than two dozen others, including several women and children. These strikes are also reported to have serious impacts on communities. Last week, a health facility in the governorate of Hajjah, in the north-west of the country, was destroyed.

OCHA reiterates its call for all parties to the conflict to uphold international humanitarian law.

For communities in need, humanitarian aid is a matter of life and death. Last year, humanitarian partners reached 8 million of Yemen’s most vulnerable people with food, clean water, medicine and other life-saving aid. There are now more people in need and fewer partners on the ground to reach them, so the need for funding and access is increasingly high.

Even in the current environment, humanitarians are reaching vulnerable communities across the country. So far in 2025, partners have initiated two cycles of food assistance distributions, targeting almost 6 million people. They have also supported more than 500 health facilities providing life-saving primary and secondary health services to some 225,000 people.

Ukraine

Several children killed by Kryvyi Rih attack

OCHA reports that a massive attack in densely populated areas of the city of Kryvyi Rih in Ukraine’s Dnipro region last Friday resulted in multiple civilians casualties. This is the second attack on the city in a week.

According to the authorities, 20 civilians were killed and 75 others injured. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission to Ukraine verified the deaths of nine children among the casualties, stating that it was the single deadliest strike against children it has verified since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

The Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine, Mattias Schmale, condemned the strike, noting a disturbing pattern of recent attacks on populated areas across Ukraine that continue to kill and maim civilians.

Multiple apartment blocks, several schools, a children’s playground and other civilian premises were also damaged in the attack. OCHA staff visited the impacted sites to assess the humanitarian needs and coordinate the response.

Immediately after the strikes – complementing the efforts of first responders – the Ukrainian Red Cross, UN and humanitarian partners provided first aid and psychological support, assisted with medical evacuations, and delivered emergency surgical supplies to local hospitals. They also organized hot meals and distributed emergency shelter materials.

Haiti

Suspected cholera cases on the rise in Port au-Prince

OCHA warns that the cholera situation in Haiti is worsening.

As of 29 March, a total of 1,298 suspected cases have been reported since the start of the year, including nine confirmed cases and 19 deaths, according to WHO. The overall case fatality rate stands at 1.65 per cent, above the emergency threshold of 1 per cent.

Significant increases in suspected cases have been reported in Port-au-Prince’s neighbourhood of Cité Soleil and in the town of Arcahaie, including in displacement sites where living conditions remain precarious.

A cholera response task force has been activated, bringing together the Government and humanitarian organizations.

The UN and its partners continue to provide assistance – including surveillance, laboratory support, case management, risk communication, vaccination, water and sanitation services, and infection prevention and control.

However, OCHA warns that response efforts remain severely limited due to insecurity, lack of access and underfunding.

Sudan

New displacement reported in Blue Nile

OCHA is concerned about the welfare of civilians fleeing insecurity in Blue Nile state, in south-eastern Sudan, as well as the lack of access for humanitarians to reach them.

Local authorities estimate that 4,000 people displaced from Ullu and other towns in Baw locality have been moving north-east toward the state capital, Ed Damazine, roughly 230 kilometres away. So far, some 600 people have arrived and are sheltering at a displacement site.

However, ongoing insecurity and bureaucratic constraints have prevented humanitarian partners from reaching affected areas. OCHA calls once again for safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need.

New arrivals from South Sudan have also been reported in other parts of Blue Nile in recent weeks, demonstrating the growing complexity of the situation in the state.

Media contactS:

In New York: Eri Kaneko, kaneko@un.org, +1 917 208 8910

In Geneva: Jens Laerke, laerke@un.org, +41 79 472 9750

OCHA press releases are available at www.unocha.org or www.reliefweb.int

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Oslo, March 25, 2025 – Wide-ranging cuts in aid will lead to a diminishing footprint of humanitarian agencies in Afghanistan and leave the lives of millions on an increasingly dangerous trajectory, affecting women and children most adversely, warns the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

“At a time when men, women and children in Afghanistan urgently need international funding and support, NRC and our partners are facing drastic funding cuts from key donors. This situation leaves us with no choice but to make untenable reductions in our services, further jeopardising vital lifelines for the most vulnerable and impoverished communities,” said Suze van Meegen, NRC’s interim country director in Afghanistan.

“Like many humanitarian organisations, NRC Afghanistan has been forced to close offices in several provinces and lay off many dedicated and professional humanitarian staff, with a particularly adverse impact on female aid workers. These funding cuts have far-reaching consequences. They extend from communities that have lost access to basic assistance to thousands of experienced Afghan staff that have lost their livelihoods,” stated van Meegen.

In January, the United States (US) suspended ongoing aid projects which forced the majority of US-funded humanitarian work to be put on hold or end. Other governments – including Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom – have also announced that their global aid budgets will be reduced in the coming years, foreshadowing a significant drop in the assistance available to the world’s most vulnerable. 

“This is the most challenging situation that NRC Afghanistan has faced in its 22 years in the country. However, I want to emphasise that NRC Afghanistan is not shutting down its operations. We remain committed to staying in Afghanistan to support displaced women, men and children and to ensure that communities affected by decades of war are not left behind,” said van Meegen.

Since January, NRC has been forced to close two of its community resource centres, with two more at risk without suitable funding in the coming month. The centres have been crucial in supporting returning and internally displaced Afghans, providing assistance with housing, food, legal assistance and referrals to healthcare providers, particularly for Afghan women who are heading their families and depend on female-to-female aid. The loss of female aid workers across the country is further restricting women and children’s access to essential services, reinforcing the conditions that prevent them from enjoying their basic rights.

The sudden halt of services from aid agencies is deeply felt in Kahdestan, an informal settlement for internally displaced outside Herat City: “NRC’s staff used to be present in the community every day, aware of the people’s problems. Now they are not here [anymore], and almost all aid has stopped – educational classes are closed, and a health clinic that was here has also closed. Now we don’t know where to turn,” said Adbul-haq, 45, who was displaced from Badghis province in 2017 due to drought and conflict.

“Decisions made in distant capitals, with little regard for human consequences, have drastically reduced humanitarian funding for Afghanistan and severely limited our ability to respond to urgent needs. These sharp cuts to foreign assistance reflect a blatant disregard by key donors for the 0.7% of gross national income that OECD countries should contribute to those in greatest need. To prevent catastrophic damage in Afghanistan, the international community needs to step up and commit to supporting a population that has faced decades of war and neglect,” said Suze van Meegen. 

Notes to editors: 

• NRC is not ending its work in Afghanistan due to the US funding suspensions. Work supported by other donors will continue. 
• Due to United States funding suspensions and cuts, NRC has been forced to end some of its programming in Afghanistan, including community resource centres, as well as shelter and livelihoods support. The closure of programmes has led to the closure of two provincial offices and necessitated termination of dozens of contracts, including both international and Afghan staff. 
• NRC has been present in Afghanistan since 2003, delivering key services with the support of its generous donors, directly delivering assistance to people in need. This includes providing shelter and protection services to displaced Afghans and those returning from neighbouring countries.
• 22.9 million Afghans need humanitarian assistance, according to the UN. 
• 1 in 3 Afghans (more than 14 million people) do not know where their next meal will come from, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). 
• In 2024, the United States contributed just under USD 742 million to Afghanistan’s USD 1.72 billion Humanitarian Response Plan – this equaled 43.4 per cent of humanitarian funding (UNOCHA Financial Tracking Service; OECD ODA Recipients). 
• The 2025 humanitarian response plan for Afghanistan is current just 13.3 per cent funded (UNOCHA Financial Tracking Service). 
• In January the United States (US) suspended ongoing aid projects which forced the majority of US-funded humanitarian work to be put on hold or end (Devex.org). In February, the United Kingdom announced it would be cutting Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income (UK Government). In February the Dutch government also underscored their scale back in aid announcing a 2.4 billion cut on development aid from 2027 (Government of the Netherlands). The French government announced it would reduce public development assistance by more than 2 billion Euros – close to 40% of its annual funding (RFI). Swiss, Swedish, German and Belgian governments have also announced cuts in assistance budgets (Devex.org, Devex.org, Swiss info, Development Today).
• Photos from Afghanistan are available for free use here.

For more information, please contact:

• NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329
• Regional Media and Communications Adviser, Christian Jepsen: christian.jepsen@nrc.no +254 706 248 391

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Note: Decades of work to achieve gender equality by international organizations resulted in “limited progress” as men continue to dominate society. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres denounced the “poison of patriarchy” while Sima Bahous, the Executive Director of the specialized agency UN Women, warned that “misogyny is on the rise” while women and girls are victims of multiple crises and conflict around the world. The following is a study published at the 69th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women at UN Headquarters in New York (March 10-21).

New York, March 11, 2025 – New data from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women reveals limited progress in achieving gender equality in political leadership at the start of 2025, the year which marks the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the landmark UN framework which set out the roadmap for gender equality and women’s rights.

According to the 2025 edition of the IPU-UN Women Women in Politics map, men outnumber women by more than three times in executive and legislative positions. The map presents the latest rankings of women in executive positions and national parliaments as of 1 January 2025.

While the proportion of women in parliament has increased fractionally by 0.3 percentage points to 27.2% compared to a year ago, in government positions it has declined by 0.4 percentage points.

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UN chief: How to tackle the ‘poison of patriarchy’

For the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the “poison of patriarchy” is apparent while women’s rights are currently “under siege”, UN News reported.

“The masters of misogyny are gaining strength,” Guterres said, pointing to the “bile” hurled at women online and leaders who “are happy to throw equality to the wolves” when he opened the 69^th Commission on the Status of Women, the world’s largest conference on gender equality underway in New York.

Guterres said the “antidote is action”, including the Pact for the Future and other efforts prioritising, among other things, investments in education, tackling violence against women and girls, supporting women’s organisations and human rights defenders, encouraging women’s leadership in technology and guaranteeing their full participation, from politics to peacebuilding.

“In these perilous times for women’s rights, we must rally around the Beijing Declaration, recommit to the Platform for Action and stand firm in making the promise of rights, equality and empowerment a reality for every woman and girl around the world,” the UN chief said.

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IPU President Tulia Ackson said: “The glacial pace of progress in women’s parliamentary representation, even after a year of significant elections, is alarming. The global disparity highlights a systemic failure to advance gender equality in politics in some parts of the world. It’s high time for decisive action to shatter these barriers and ensure women’s voices are equally represented in politics worldwide. The health of our democracies depends on it.”

Martin Chungong, IPU Secretary General, said: “The lack of progress in achieving gender equality in political leadership serves as a sobering call to action. Accelerating progress requires the active participation and support of men. It is our collective responsibility to break down barriers and ensure that women’s voices are equally represented in leadership roles, fostering a more inclusive and robust democracy for all.”

Sima Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women, stated: “Thirty years after the Beijing Declaration, the promise of gender equality in political leadership remains unfulfilled. Progress is not just slow—it is backsliding. We cannot accept a world where half the population is systematically excluded from decision-making. We know the solutions: quotas, electoral reforms, and the political will to dismantle systemic barriers. The time for half-measures is over—it is time for governments to act now to ensure women have an equal seat at every table where power is exercised.”

Women leading countries remain the exception

Women hold top State positions in just 25 countries. Europe remains the region with the highest number of women-led countries (12).

Although 2024 saw historic firsts — including the first directly elected women Presidents in Mexico, Namibia and North Macedonia — 106 countries have still never had a woman leader.

Women’s representation among Cabinet Ministers declines

As of 1 January 2025, the proportion of women heading ministries decreased to 22.9%, down from 23.3% a year ago. This decline is due to 64 countries seeing a decrease in women’s representation at this level and another 63 stagnating, with just 62 increasing compared to a year ago.

Only nine countries, predominantly in Europe, have achieved gender-equal cabinets, with 50% or more women holding cabinet positions as heads of ministries. These are Nicaragua (64.3%), Finland (61.1%), Iceland and Liechtenstein (60%), Estonia (58.3%), and Andorra, Chile, Spain and the United Kingdom (all at 50%). This represents a decline compared to 2024, when 15 countries had gender-equal cabinets.

There are an additional 20 countries where women’s representation among Cabinet Ministers ranges between 40% and 49.9%, with half of these countries in Europe. Nine countries, mostly in Asia and the Pacific, do not have any women serving as Cabinet Ministers, an increase from seven countries in 2024.

Europe and North America (31.4%), and Latin America and the Caribbean (30.4%), have the highest shares of women Cabinet Ministers.

In contrast, women are significantly underrepresented in most other regions, with regional figures as low as 10.2% in the Pacific Islands (excluding Australia and New Zealand) and 9% in Central Asia and Southern Asia.

Ministerial portfolios continue to endure gender-based bias – The allocation of ministerial portfolios highlights a continuing gender bias. Women are still primarily assigned to head policy areas concerning gender equality, human rights and social affairs. Most influential policy areas, such as foreign affairs, financial and fiscal affairs, home affairs and defence remain largely controlled by men.

While still underrepresented, new data shows more women at the helm of other important policy portfolios, such as culture (35.4%), education (30.6%) and tourism (30.5%).

Growth of women in parliament stalls – The map follows the release of the IPU’s annual Women in parliament report, which revealed that, despite 2024 being a super election year, progress towards greater women’s representation was the slowest since 2017.

The data also reveals significant regional disparities: – The Americas has the highest proportion of women MPs (34.5%) and women Speakers of parliament (33.3%).

Europe comes second with 31.8% women MPs and 30.4% women Speakers.

The Middle East and North Africa region is placed last, with women occupying only 16.7% of parliamentary seats and currently no women Speakers of Parliament.

In a rare bright spot, the total number of women Speakers increased to 64 out of 270 positions, reaching 23.7%, up from 22.7% in 2023 (62 out of 273).

And women Deputy Speakers of Parliament now constitute 32.6% of the total, up from 28.9% in 2023.

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New York, February 28, 2025 – The Trump administration’s abrupt cancellation of the US foreign aid will have damaging impact on critical programs ranging from lifesaving humanitarian work, development projects, counterterrorism and initiatives to combat drug trafficking, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned.

“The consequences will be especially devastating for vulnerable people around the world,” Guterres told reporters at the UN Headquarters the day after the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) confirmed that the US has cut $377 million worth of funding to the UN reproductive and sexual health agency.

UNFPA said it was informed that nearly all of its grants – 48 as of now – with USAID and the US State Department have been terminated and the cut will lead to potentially “devasting impacts” on women and girls worldwide.

.“This decision will have devastating impacts on women and girls and the health and aid workers who serve them in the world’s worst humanitarian crises,” the UN specialized agency said.

It said the USAID grants were meant to provide critical maternal healthcare, protection from violence, rape treatment and other lifesaving care in humanitarian settings. This includes UNFPA’s work to end maternal death, safely deliver babies and address horrific violence faced by women and girls in places like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

UNFPA said it has partnered with 150 countries to provide access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services and its goals had been to  prevent maternal death, gender-based violence and harmful practices, including child marriage and female genital mutilation by 2030.

“These termination notices include grants for which we had previously received humanitarian waivers, as they were considered lifesaving interventions for the world’s most vulnerable women and girls,” UNFPA said.

The grants funded programs in countries including Afghanistan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Mali, Sudan, Syria and its neighboring countries, as well as Ukraine.

UN chief thanks US “leading role” in humanitarian and development aid.

The UN chief expressed the UN’s gratitude for the US “leading role” in foreign aid thanks to US taxpayers’ dollars and other donors, which had provided humanitarian assistance to more than 100 million people each year through UN programs. But he pointed that the cuts came at a time when global crises are intensifying, leaving millions at risk of hunger, disease and displacement.

Guterres said more than nine million people in Afghanistan could lose access to health and protection services, as hundreds of mobile health teams and other critical programs face suspension because of the US aid cuts. The cuts will affect 2.5 million people in northeast Syria who require humanitarian assistance and already are creating difficulties to inhabitants in Ukraine, South Sudan and Sudan and others countries where humanitarian programs depended on US aid.

The cuts will force the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to halt many counter-narcotics operations, including those targeting the fentanyl crisis and dramatically scale back its activities against human trafficking. They will also cancel health programs combatting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and cholera, Guterres said.

“The generosity and compassion of the American people have not only saved lives, built peace and improved the state of the world. They have contributed to the stability and prosperity that Americans depend on,” Guterres said and urged the US Government to reconsider the funding cuts and warned that reducing America’s humanitarian role would have far-reaching consequences, not only for those in need but also for global stability.

“Going through with these cuts will make the world less healthy, less safe, and less prosperous,” he said. “The reduction of America’s humanitarian role and influence will run counter to American interests globally. We look forward to working with the United States in this regard.”  (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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In advance of the G20 Finance Ministers meeting in South Africa, the UN Development Programme has released a new policy brief Development Gives Way to Debt, which offers a call for urgent and immediate debt stress relief for the poorest countries. The new analysis found that interest payments of 56 development countries exceed 10 percent of their government revenue, while 17 countries among them pay more than 20 percent. Development spending trade-offs for staggeringly high debt servicing demands is having devastating consequences for the world’s poorest countries.  UNDP recommends an urgent debt restructuring and an overhaul of the borrowing system to address debt stress. It calls for an immediate fiscal lifeline for developing countries and urgent overhaul of the borrowing system.

Cape Town, 25 February 2025 – The debt crisis facing many developing countries is reaching new heights not seen in more than two decades resulting in devastating development trade-offs, according to a new policy brief by UNDP. 

A new policy brief, released ahead of the G20 Ministers of Finance and Central Bank Governors meeting in Cape Town, warns that debt vulnerability indicators remain alarmingly elevated, and are only worsening. Debt servicing is consuming a high and growing share of national revenue in developing countries-, particularly in Least Developed Countries.

Currently, interest payments exceed 10 percent of government revenue in 56 developing countries – nearly double the number from a decade ago. Among them, 17 countries spend more than 20 percent on interest payments, a threshold strongly linked to default risk.

“The debt-development trade-offs threaten a lost decade of development progress for many of the world’s poorest nations,” said Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator. “The international community must not wait until the last minute to provide tangible financial lifelines. A new debt relief initiative makes financial and political sense.” 

The total external public debt for the 31 poorest countries currently in or at high risk of debt distress is estimated at $205 billion – less than a third of the 2021 IMF Special Drawing Rights allocation, which predominantly went to wealthy countries, and less than one year of total official development assistance (ODA) from the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee.

UNDP’s analysis stresses that without better access to more effective debt relief, many developing countries risk long-term solvency crises.

In 2023, developing economies’ total external debt servicing reached a record $1.4 trillion. The poorest countries have been hit hardest, with debt servicing costs tripling and interest payments quadrupling over the past decade, totaling an estimated $36 billion.

Looking ahead to the International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain, this June, UNDP is urging policymakers to prioritize three key debt policy reforms:

• A more effective and orderly debt restructuring framework – ensuring all developing countries access when needed.
• A systemic debt relief initiative – to support the poorest countries in breaking the vicious cycle of underinvestment in development. 
• Reducing excessively high borrowing costs – to allow developing countries to invest in long-term growth.

“Forums like the G20 have an important role in shaping long-term financing solutions that promote sustainable growth opportunities” UNDP Administrator Steiner said. “Critical priorities like debt stress are reaching a tipping point that require bold, immediate action to create a path towards growth and stability for those who need it most.”

To read the full Policy Brief, visit www.undp.org/publications/undp-debt-update-development-gives-way-debt

 Press release (English / French / Spanish): https://www.undp.org/press-releases/ballooning-debt-service-payments-poorest-countries-reach-alarming-levels-undp-warns

Media contacts:

Anna Ortubia | Communications Specialist | anna.ortubia@undp.org

Lesley Wright | Communications Specialist | lesley.wright@undp.org

Victor Garrido Delgado | Media Specialist | victor.garrido.delgado@undp.org

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