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Amman/New York, 31 March 2026 – New estimates by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) suggest the military escalation in the Middle East, now into its fifth week, may cost economies in the region from 3.7 to 6.0 percent of their collective Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

This represents a staggering loss of US$120-194 billion and exceeds the cumulative regional GDP growth achieved in 2025. Coupled with an estimated rise in unemployment of up to 4 percentage points or 3.6 million jobs lost—more than the total jobs created in the region in 2025, these reversals will push up to 4 million people into poverty.

“Military Escalation in the Middle East: Economic and Social Implications for the Arab States region” — exposes the concerning reality of structural vulnerabilities characteristic to the region, which enable a short lived military escalation to generate profound and widespread socio economic impacts that may persist over a long-term,” UNDP said in a press release.

“This crisis rings alarm bells for countries of the region to fundamentally reevaluate their strategic choices of fiscal, sectoral, and social policies, representing an important turning point in the development trajectory of the region,” said Abdallah AlDardari, UN Assistant Secretary General and Director of the Regional Bureau for Arab State in UNDP.

“Our findings underline the pressing need to strengthen regional collaboration to diversify economies—beyond reliance on growth driven by hydrocarbons, and to expand production bases, secure trade and logistics systems, and broaden economic partnerships, to reduce exposure to shocks and conflicts.”

The assessment employs Computable General Equilibrium modelling to capture the magnitude of disruptions caused by a four-week conflict, and models its effects through key transmission channels, including increased trade costs, temporary productivity losses, and localized capital destruction. It conducted five simulation scenarios, representing escalating levels of conflict scenarios, ranging from a “moderate disruption,” where trade costs increase by tenfold, to an “extreme disruption and energy shock,” where trade costs increase a hundred-fold, intensified by a stop of hydrocarbon production.

The findings highlight that impacts are not uniform, varying significantly across the region due to structural characteristics of its main subregions. Estimates suggest that the largest macroeconomic losses are concentrated in Gulf Cooperation Council and the Levant subregions, where strong exposure to trade disruptions and energy market volatility drives significant declines in output, investment, and trade. Both subregions stand to lose 5.2-8.5 percent and 5.2-8.7 percent of their GDP, respectively.

Increases in poverty rates are concentrated in the Levant and Least Developed Arab Countries, where baseline vulnerability is highest and shocks translate more strongly into welfare losses. In North Africa, impacts remain moderate but still significant in absolute terms.
In the Levant the crisis is expected to increase poverty by 5 percent, pushing an additional 2.85-3.30 million people into poverty—accounting for over 75 percent of the rise in poverty across the region. Across the region, human development as measured by the Human Development Index (HDI) is expected to decline by approximately 0.2 to 0.4 percent, corresponding to a setback of roughly half a year to nearly one year of human development progress.

For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact:
Riad Sabbagh | Senior Communication Consultant | Regional Bureau for Arab States | riad.sabbagh@undp.org
Ahmed Bazzoum | Communication Specialist | Regional Bureau for Arab States | ahmed.bazzoum@undp.org
Noeman AlSayyad | Strategic Communications Advisor | Regional Bureau for Arab States | noeman.alsayyad@undp.org

Note to Editors

• This Assessment if part is part of a series of rapid assessments that UNDP is producing on the impacts of the Middle East military escalation on Iran, the Arab States region, Africa, the Asia Pacific region and on the global development outlook.
• Results presented in this brief should be interpreted as illustrative estimates of potential outcomes under different shock intensities, rather than realized impacts.
• Impact estimates are presented for four Arab States subregional groupings, including:
  o Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates
  o The Levant, including Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, the State of Palestine and Syria
  o North Africa, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya Morocco and Tunisia
  o Least Developed Arab countries (LDCs), including Sudan and Yemen—insufficient data did not allow for simulating impacts on Djibouti and Somalia.
• Summary of Impacts:
  Macroeconomic Impact | GDP
  Region Loss of 3.7 – 6.0 % equivalent to US$120.00-194.00 Billion
  GCC Loss of 5.2 – 8.5 % equivalent to US$103.00-168.00 Billion
  Levant Loss of 5.2 – 8.7% equivalent to US$17.30-28.90 Billion
  N Africa Gain of 0.0 – 0.4 % equivalent to US$0.09-3.20 Billion
  LDCs Loss of 0.1 – 0.5 % equivalent to US$0.07-0.32 Billion
  Unemployment Impact | Jobs lost
  Region Increase by 1.8 – 4.0 % equivalent to 1.61-3.64 Million jobs lost
  GCC Increase by 3.6 – 9.4 % equivalent to 1.17-3.11 Million jobs lost
  Levant Increase by 2.3 – 2.7 % equivalent to 0.32 Million jobs lost
  N Africa Increase by 0.1 % equivalent to 0.06 Million jobs lost
  LDCs Increase by 0.2 – 0.8 % equivalent to 0.05-0.20 Million jobs lost

Poverty Impact | Additional population pushed below poverty line
Region Increase by 0.70 – 1.00 % equivalent to 3.05 – 3.96 Million people
GCC Not calculated due to very low baseline
Levant Increase by 4.45 – 5.15 % equivalent to 2.85 – 3.29 Million people
N Africa Increase by 0.03 – 0.05 % equivalent to 59 – 103 Thousand people
LDCs Increase by 0.15 – 0.60 % equivalent to 137 – 560 Thousand people

Human Development Impact | HDI | Year of progress set back

Region Decrease by 0.2 – 0.4 % equivalent to 0.5 – 1.0 Years set back
GCC Decrease by 0.3 – 0.5 % equivalent to 1.2 – 2.0 Years set back
Levant Decrease by 0.4 – 0.7 % equivalent to 0.9 – 1.5 Years set back
N Africa Increase by 0.0 – 0.1 % equivalent to Slight gain forward
LDCs Decrease by 0.0 – 0.1 % equivalent to Small but significant set back
due to low HDI baseline

Military escalation threatens human and economic development gains across Iran, UNDP analysis warns

Preliminary impact simulations show that military escalation related shocks are increasing pressure on livelihoods, essential services and human development prospects – even as communities across Iran continue to demonstrate resilience in navigating these evolving challenges

Bangkok, 31 March 2026 – A significant proportion of the population in the Islamic Republic of Iran could be pushed into poverty as daily life and local economic activity are disrupted, according to preliminary human development impact brief by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

These shocks threaten to reverse Iran’s socioeconomic and poverty reduction gains. According to the analysis, Iran’s Human Development Index (HDI), estimated at 0.799 in 2023, could decline by 0.47 to 0.56 percentage points. This is equivalent to one to one and a half years of lost human development progress.

“Each day the crisis continues adds pressures on people’s current livelihoods and their futures,” said Beate Trankmann, UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “Rapidly stabilizing the situation and ensuring continuity of jobs and basic services will be critical to prevent today’s shocks from evolving into long-term human development setbacks.”

Despite government efforts to protect vulnerable households through food subsidies and cash transfers, food inflation remains high. Low-income households spend around 45 percent of their income on food, leaving them particularly exposed to further price increases and import disruptions in the current context.

This preliminary analysis, part of a series of UNDP Briefs examining the human development impact of conflict escalation, is based on available data and information with scenario simulations assuming a temporary 28-day disruption. The analysis underscores the urgent need to safeguard civilian infrastructure critical to people’s basic wellbeing.
Damage to education and health facilities, water and electricity systems, connectivity and local markets is already affecting households’ ability to access basic services and sustain daily livelihoods. This is particularly so for daily wage earners and informal sector workers. The continued disruption to small and medium-sized enterprises will have cascading impacts on household incomes that millions rely on.

The UNDP Brief underscores that any sustainable solution to these human development ‘breaks’ requires an end to the conflict. In the meantime, humanitarian assistance, targeted social protection, and rapid recovery support are essential to prevent longer-term poverty, protect essential services, and sustain local economic activity. UNDP will initiate support to early recovery activities, including the restoration of community electricity and water services, alongside support for micro and small enterprises and livelihoods recovery in economically vulnerable communities.

“Experience from around the world shows how fast instability can undo years of human development gains” said Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. “While the situation continues to evolve, the human cost of these shocks is already being felt, so protecting the most vulnerable households in their efforts to navigate this period of economic uncertainty will be essential.”

LINK TO THE BRIEF: https://go.undp.org/S8t

Media contact: rbap.media@undp.org

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Oslo, Norway, 26 March 2026 – The war in the Middle East is barely one-month old but tens of millions of civilians across the region bear the brunt of violence, displacement and destruction. The following is a statement from Jan Egeland, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)’s secretary general, who calls for an urgent de-escalation as well as protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure.

“Political and military elites behind a month of escalating war across the Middle East have not understood that tens of millions of civilians across the region bear the brunt of violence, displacement and destruction. We urgently need an end to this conflict.

“Millions of people in Iran and Lebanon have fled their homes. Thousands have been killed or injured across Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the Gulf, with people in more than a dozen countries still facing threats from direct attack or falling debris. Attacks destroying energy facilities and other critical civilian infrastructure rob electricity, water, healthcare, and heating from millions that already faced extreme hardships.

“The impact of this war is now ricocheting around the world. The inflating cost of fuel and goods is already starting to challenge humanitarian responses from Mozambique to Myanmar and beyond.  

“Our NRC teams in Iran and in Lebanon are witnessing desperation, death and destruction. We are urgently scaling up our response for families impacted by this war. In Iran we provide displaced families with cash and in Lebanon we support people in collective shelters with essential items, including blankets and mattresses. We are also improving these shelters – almost all of them repurposed schools – to ensure better water and sanitation conditions. But with limited funding available this is more difficult than ever. We call on donors to step up their support today and enable us to continue to deliver at this critical moment.

“Just a small fraction of the billions of dollars spent on this war could fund life-saving support to millions now in need. In Lebanon alone, the humanitarian needs of families affected by the current escalation could be met with the spending on just eight hours of this conflict.

“All parties in this conflict must urgently de-escalate, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and energy plants, respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, and allow safe and unhindered humanitarian access.”

Note to editors:

Photos from Lebanon are available for free use here.

Across Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia a total of 2,698 people have been killed as of 25 March (Al Jazeera).

In Iran, over 3.2 million people are internally displaced, primarily fleeing major urban centres (UNHCR).  

In Lebanon, more than one million people are displaced, out of which 133,000 are registered in 645 collective shelters (UNHCR).

The Lebanon humanitarian flash appeal requires 308 million USD to support one million affected people in the country. As of 26 March, 91.6 million USD have been provided making the plan 30 per cent funded (OCHA).

The UN states that this war costs 1 billion USD a day (UN).

NRC is a global humanitarian organisation helping people forced to flee in 40 countries including Iran, Lebanon, Palestine and across the Middle East.

In Lebanon, NRC is active in providing support for dignified shelter, water and sanitation services, education support, information and legal counselling services and distributed non-food items including blankets, mattresses, kitchen kits and menstrual kits. To date we have provided support to reach more than 15,300 internally displaced people across all affected areas of the country with more than 20,000 items and kits.

In Iran, NRC is aiming to support 50,000 Iranians and Afghans affected by this crisis across nine provinces with cash assistance, education services, protection and legal assistance and integrated water and sanitation, and shelter support to ensure vulnerable communities can meet their urgent needs. NRC has been working in Iran since 2012. In 2025, NRC provided assistance to nearly 115,000 Afghans and host community members across 11 provinces.

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact:

NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329

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New York, 25 March 2026 – Citing diplomacy as the only way to end of the escalating war in the Middle East, the United Nations chief appointed a seasoned French diplomat to lead the world organization’s efforts “on the conflict and its consequences.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed French diplomat Jean Arnault as his personal envoy who will work “more directly on the ground to support all the efforts for mediation, all the efforts for peace” by engaging will parties in the conflict and assessing its consequences.

“The conflict has broken past the limits even leaders thought imaginable,” Guterres said at UN Headquarters about the war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran which exploded on February 28 this year.

 “More than three weeks on, this war is out of control,” he said. “The world is staring down the barrel of a wider war, a rising tide of human suffering, and a deeper global economic shock. This has gone too far. It is time to stop climbing the escalation ladder – and start climbing the diplomatic ladder and return to full respect of international law.”

He urged the US and Israel to end the war “as human suffering deepens, civilian casualties mount, and the global economic impact is increasingly devastating,” and for Iran “to stop attacking their neighbors.”

Guterres pointed out that the UN Security Council has condemned and demanded an end to the attacks and called for respect of navigational rights and freedoms around critical maritime routes such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Turning to Lebanon, where he recently visited and launched an appeal for humanitarian assistance for the population, Guterres said the war there must also stop. He said, “Hezbollah must stop launching attacks into Israel. And Israel must stop its military operations and strikes in Lebanon, which are hitting civilians the hardest. The Gaza model must not be replicated in Lebanon.”

The escalating Middle East war has impacted on the global economy, constrained humanitarian operations and severely affected people who are not responsible for it and who are “the poorest, the most vulnerable, the least able to absorb yet another blow.”

A short biography of Arnault provided by the UN says the French diplomat has had nearly 40 years of experience in international diplomacy, focused on peace settlements and mediation, and an extensive background leading United Nations missions in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America.

His most recent assignments include his service — between 2015 and 2018 — as Delegate of the Secretary-General to the Colombia peace talks and then as Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia, when he led UN efforts to verify the implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement in that country.  From 2019 to 2020, he was the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy for Bolivia. In 2021, he was named the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Afghanistan and Regional Issues.

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New York, 23 March 2026 – United Nations officials said the war in Ukraine is far from abating after four years and civilian casualties have increased while millions of Ukrainian refugees living abroad and those displaced inside the country survive thanks to humanitarian assistance provided mostly by the European Union.

“The war in war in Ukraine is over four years since the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 1500 days of death, destruction and despair,” Under Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told the UN Security Council in a meeting on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. “And today, far from abating, the violence is worse than ever.”

DiCarlo said the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has verified since February 2022 that 15,364 civilians, including 775 children, have been killed in Ukraine. In addition, 42,144 civilians, including 2,588 children, have been injured while the actual number of casualties is likely significantly higher.

She said in February this year at least 188 civilians were killed and 757 injured – a 45 per cent increase compared to same period last year. “As the conflict drags on, we commend the countries that are still hosting millions of Ukrainian refugees for their continuing support.”

She said there are still over 6.7 million refugees from Ukraine globally and more than 3.7 million people are displaced inside Ukraine. She praised the EU’s extension until March 2027 of protection measures for the refugees as conditions do not allow for their return now.

DiCarlo said for long-term international support is also needed for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction as total war damage has reached an estimated US$195 billion and Ukraine would require US$ 588 billion over the next decade for recovery and reconstruction.

Tom Fletcher, the Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, said civilian casualties in Ukraine “far exceed levels this time last year” as they civilians continue to face waves of drone and missile strikes, destroying homes, schools, and hospitals.

“Entire communities are being forced to flee as hostilities intensify along front-line areas. For children, this means missed schooling, prolonged stress and fear, and separation from loved ones,” he said. “At the same time, many civilians – including older people and those with limited means – remain in high-risk areas.”

Fletcher said strikes on energy and other vital infrastructure “reflect a sustained pattern of damage to the systems on which civilians depend to survive, with humanitarian aid increasingly stepping in to fill the gaps left by the deterioration of essential services. This is a population under constant strain, where the damage builds quietly but relentlessly alongside the visible destruction.”

Fletcher asked the 15-nation Security Council to uphold international humanitarian law in the war and ensure safe, rapid, and unimpeded humanitarian access to all civilians in need wherever they are.

“Our access in Russian-occupied areas remains severely constrained, limiting our ability to assess needs or deliver help to civilians,” he said, adding that his department’s 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires US$ 2 billion to reach 3.6 million of the most vulnerable people with food, heating, medical care, and protection. But he said nearly three-quarters is unfunded.

“Fund the response, so that we can deliver life-saving aid at the scale and speed needed,” he said.

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Beirut/New York, 13 March 2026 – The United Nations has launched an appeal for US$ 308 million to provide life-saving assistance to nearly one million people in Lebanon for the next three months as the country is drawn into the war in the region.

Speaking from Beirut, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was in Lebanon to show solidarity with the people there and “solidarity in words must be matched by solidarity in action.” He urged donors to provide rapid funding to expand life-saving assistance.

Guterres said funds are urgently needed because access to food, water, health care, education, and basic services has been dangerously disrupted while the military escalation across the region is taking a terrible toll, including in Lebanon, He said hundreds of people were killed in Lebanon and more than 750,000 were displaced inside the country while more than 90,000 others have crossed into Syria.

He pointed out that currently Muslim families are observing the holy month of Ramadan, and Christian families are marking Lent. “These are seasons rooted in compassion and generosity.”

Imran Riza, the UN’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Lebanon, has warned that Lebanon is facing a “perfect storm of unpredictable challenges” as the current escalation began on 2 March when outgoing fire by Hezbollah was met by strong retaliation by Israel. Riza said it resulted in mass displacement and dwindling humanitarian resources converge, UN News reported

“The toll on civilians is huge,” Riza said in an interview with Reem Abaza of UN News, pointing to the number of children among those killed. Eighty-three children were killed in the first week of the conflict, he said, with children accounting for about 20 per cent of overall fatalities, while women make up roughly 21 per cent.

The numbers underscore what Riza described as a recurring pattern in modern conflicts, where civilians – and particularly children – are disproportionately affected.

Displacement is also disrupting education across the country. Around 120,000displaced people are staying in collective shelters, most of them set up in public schools. Classrooms have been turned into temporary living spaces, leaving many children without access to schooling.

“Not only are children getting killed and displaced,” the senior official said, “but also children are not having the opportunity to have their right to education.”

UNHCR: Up to 3.2 million Iranians temporarily displaced in Iran as conflict intensifies

While the UN Chief launched a humanitarian appeal to support Lebanon, the UN refugee agency in Geneva said large numbers of Iranians have been displaced by the war launched the US and Israel against their country. Ayaki Ito, UNHCR Director of Emergency and Programme Support and Cross-Regional Refugee Response Coordinator for the Middle East Emergency issued the following statement.

Geneva, 12 March, 2026 – Between 600,000 and 1 million Iranian households are now temporarily displaced inside Iran as a result of the ongoing conflict, according to preliminary assessments, representing up to 3.2 million people. Most of them are reportedly fleeing from Tehran and other major urban areas towards the north of the country and rural areas to seek safety. This figure is likely to continue rising as hostilities persist, marking a worrying escalation in humanitarian needs.

Also affected are refugee families hosted in the country, mostly Afghans, who are particularly vulnerable, given their already precarious situation and limited support networks. Families are leaving affected areas amid rising insecurity and limited access to essential services.

With its longstanding presence in Iran – including operational reception areas, helplines and ongoing support services – UNHCR is adapting its response to growing needs, working with national authorities and partners to assess emerging requirements and strengthen preparedness as population movements increase.

UNHCR emphasizes the urgent need to protect civilians, maintain humanitarian access, and ensure borders remain open to those seeking safety, in line with international obligations.

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Note: The below press release from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) highlights that the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan is having deadly and devastating consequences. More than 115,000 people have been displaced by the violence and many are living in informal camps with little support.

Oslo, 13 March 2026 – Escalating conflict along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border is having a devastating impact on civilians in eastern Afghanistan, displacing 115,000 people since 26 February. Civilians must be protected and humanitarian organizations must be granted safe access to reach families in need, said the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

In the first eight days of the conflict 56 civilians were killed and a further 129 injured. 

“Afghanistan is facing crisis on top of crisis, and it is civilians who are paying the highest price,” said Jacopo Caridi, NRC’s country director for Afghanistan. “All parties to the conflict must abide by international humanitarian law and ensure civilians, and civilian infrastructure, are protected.”

“Families who were already on the brink of survival have been forced from their homes. Thousands have found refuge in makeshift camps and with local families. Others are being forced to rent sub-standard accommodation they can little afford. They have lost access to clean water, health services, and schooling. We urgently need funding to be able to scale up our support to these families.”

826 homes have been damaged or destroyed in the conflict. NRC teams speaking with displaced communities in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces reported particular concern for child- and women-headed households and the elderly, many of whom said they had received no assistance. 

More than 25,000 people who were displaced by the earthquake in Kunar province six months ago are subject to evacuation orders. They have been forced to return to their areas of origin, where little to no services are available, risking their health and wellbeing. Another 14,500 people are at risk of being displaced for a second time.

Afghanistan has been hit hard by aid funding cuts and currently is one of the lowest funded humanitarian responses globally. Now conflict is preventing people from accessing even the limited support available. NRC has been forced to suspend education classes in Khost province due to the conflict meaning 626 children have lost access to education.

Health services at more than 20 facilities have been suspended due to insecurity, including five which have been damaged in airstrikes and shelling. World Food Programme (WFP) were also forced to temporarily suspend food distributions.

NRC is scaling up its support to affected families as quickly as possible, including providing cash to more than 4,300 people to allow them to buy what they need the most. Another 4,000 displaced people will be given cash in the coming days.

“We left everything behind,” said Bakhtiar, a father of six, who fled from Torkham, near the border with Pakistan. “Our belongings, our clothes, everything. We don’t even know what has happened to our house.” 

NRC supported the family with cash which Bakhtiar says will help for some time. “But if this conflict continues, it will not be enough. We have lost everything. We ask the international community not to forget us. We are living in very difficult conditions and have nothing left,” Bakhtiar adds.

Afghans in Iran are also being affected by instability in the region. Iran hosts more than 4.4 million Afghans, up to 1.4 million of whom are undocumented and at risk of forced return.

Some families are returning to Afghanistan due to safety concerns, with a reported 1,700 people currently returning daily. One Afghan man who returned told NRC teams: “If the war had not started, I would not have returned. Survival became impossible.” 

“With a world in turmoil, Afghans must not be forgotten,” said Caridi. “Rising food prices and closed borders are making survival even harder for families whose lives have already been shattered by conflict.”

Notes to editors: 

• From the evening of 26 February to 3 March, airstrikes and border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan affected ten provinces in Afghanistan: Kabul, Kandahar, Khost, Kunar, Laghman, Nangarhar, Nuristan, Parwan, Paktia and Paktika. A total of 115,000 people have been displaced as of 5 March (OCHA). 
• Between 26 February to 5 March 2026, 56 civilians were killed and a further 129 injured in Afghanistan by indirect fire and aerial attacks (UNAMA). 
• Health services at more than 20 facilities have been suspended due to the insecurity, including five which have been damaged in airstrikes and shelling (Health cluster).  
• 826 homes have been damaged or destroyed in the conflict including 103 which have been completely destroyed (CRNA). 
• Some 3,640 families (25,480 people) displaced following the 31 August 2025 eastern region earthquake and living in informal settlements in Kunar Province have been evacuated or received evacuation orders due to their proximity to a military compound and forced to return to their areas of origin. A further 2,074 families (14,520 people) earthquake IDPs living in Kunar and Nangarhar face the prospect of secondary displacement (OCHA). 
• NRC provided 4,300 displaced people in Nangarhar province with cash support and will continue to support families in need with cash in the coming weeks. We are working to further scale up our support to families affected. 
• 21 NRC education classes in border districts of Khost Province were suspended on 1 March due to the conflict. As a result, 626 children have lost access to education.  
• Already this year, around 110,000 Afghans have returned from Iran, with roughly 1,700 each day since the onset of the conflict in the Middle East. Over 5 million Afghans returned from neighbouring countries over the past two years – including almost 1.9 million from Iran in 2025 alone (UNHCR). 
• NRC’s February press release on six months after the Kunar earthquake outlines the harsh conditions displaced people in the area are facing and compounding factor of lack of funding.  
• In 2026, 21.9 million people across Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance, with 17.4 million people food insecure (OCHA).  
• A total of 1.71 billion US dollars is required to meet the needs of 17.5 million people targeted for assistance. As of mid-March, just 178.5 million, or 10.4 per cent, has been delivered (OCHA).   
• Iran is currently home to more than 4.4 million Afghans, 1.4 million of whom are undocumented (UNHCR). 
•  

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: 

NRC has teams on the ground supporting families, photo and b-roll is available here, and we have spokespeople in Kabul, who have just returned from the border area.

Please get in touch to arrange an interview.

• NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329 
• Maisam Shafiey, advocacy and communication manager, Kabul, Afghanistan: Maisam.Shafiey@nrc.no,  +93706453029 

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New York – 10 March 2026 – The United Nations marked the International Women’s Day this year while the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) began its annual meeting at UN Headquarters and has adopted a set of Agreed Conclusions to strengthen access to justice for all women and girls.

CSW is the UN’s principal intergovernmental body dedicated to advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment globally. Established 70 years ago, the Commission held its meetings in New York attended by delegations of women from around the world under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action.” The UN celebrates the International Women’s Day 9 March each year and the CSW meets 9-19 March.

The Commission said the Agreed Conclusions aimed at “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices and addressing structural barriers.” The Agreed Conclusions are considered a global policy to guide governments, UN agencies and non-governmental organizations on gender equality issues.

The commission said the Agreed Conclusions were adopted with 37 votes in favor against one (the United States) with six abstentions: Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania and Saudi Arabia.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an address opening the meeting that

the CSW has been from the beginning a “meeting ground of frontline defenders. A wellspring of conviction, passion, and energy. And a global platform for truth-telling.”

“So let me begin with an often unspoken, but age-old, truth: We live in a male-dominated world and a male-dominated culture. Gender equality is – and always has been – a question of power.

He said, “Not a single step forward for women’s rights has ever been given. It has been won. Won by generations of women and girls, advocates and activists, community

leaders and justice seekers. Won by you.”

The UN Chief said women around the globe hold only 64 per cent of the legal rights enjoyed by men. ”In a world strained by conflict, climate chaos, widening inequalities and technological upheaval, the pushback on women’s rights is in overdrive,” he said. “Hard-won legal protections are being eroded.”

“Yet, over 40 countries have amended constitutions to advance women’s rights; 90 per cent have strengthened laws against violence. “The world is changing because women are changing it. But we have barriers to overcome and gaps to fill – opportunity gaps, implementation gaps, justice gaps.” 

Governments reach a powerful global agreement to strengthen access to justice for all women and girls, UN Women Executive Director says

New York – As the largest United Nations convening dedicated to gender equality and women’s rights opens today, governments meeting at the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) have adopted by broad consensus a powerful set of Agreed Conclusions aimed at strengthening access to justice for all women and girls and advancing gender equality worldwide.

Through this negotiated outcome, global leaders reaffirmed that access to justice is a transformative force for women and girls, which advances equality and non-discrimination, protects against violence and abuse, and strengthens trust in institutions. The Agreed Conclusions provide a roadmap to build more inclusive governance, support peace and social cohesion, and prevent future violations.

Welcoming its adoption, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women Sima Bahous said: “I applaud the delegations that have worked tirelessly to reach these Agreed Conclusions. They represent an important commitment to advancing access to justice for women and girls, ending impunity, and building justice systems that work for everyone, equally. By coming together, governments are once again demonstrating to the world what this Commission can achieve – and what our multilateral system can deliver for women and girls.”

The Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women, Ambassador Martiza Chan of Costa Rica, reflected on the importance of carrying these commitments forward beyond the session, noting: “We came here to commemorate, and we’re leaving with something harder to carry – responsibility.

Every woman who spoke to us today carried a single message: behind every statistic is a life, behind every negotiating position, is a woman or girl waiting to see if we mean what we say.” 

“The answer depends on political will”, she concluded. 

Media enquiries
media.team@unwomen.org

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New York, 28 February 2026 – United Nations leaders warned against the spread of the war in Iran into countries in the Middle East as the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting after the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran and the later retaliated with attacks against US bases in the region.

The United States told the council its military action aimed at dismantling Iran’s military capabilities, including nuclear weapons, that have threatened other countries.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening of the meeting of the 15-nation Security Council: “I have condemned the massive military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran. I also condemned the subsequent attacks by Iran violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.”

Guterres said about 20 cities across Iran — including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Shahriar, and Tabriz — have reportedly been attacked, causing a “significant” number of civilian casualties. “We are witnessing a grave threat to international peace and security,” he said, adding that the UN Charter and international law must be respected.

“The region and the world need a way out now.,” the UN chief said. “I call for de-escalation and an immediate cessation of hostilities. The alternative is a potential wider conflict with grave consequences for civilians and regional stability. I strongly urge all parties to return immediately to the negotiating table, notably on the Iran nuclear programme.”

Annalena Bearbock, the president of the 193-nation UN General Assembly, said in a statement, “I condemn the extremely dangerous military escalation in the Middle East. The UN Charter is clear: all Member States must settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered. They must also refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.”

“Serious concerns regarding Iran’s nuclear program, regional activities, and human rights violations must be addressed in accordance with the UN Charter and international law. I call on the United States, Israel, and Iran to de-escalate, to not drag neighboring countries into this conflict and to return to diplomacy and negotiations.”

US says attacks directed at “specific and strategic” targets in Iran – US Ambassador Mike Waltz told the council, “Operation Epic Fury is directed toward specific and strategic objectives: to dismantle missile capabilities that threaten allies, to degrade naval assets used to destabilize international waters, and to disrupt the machinery that arms proxy militias and to ensure the Iranian regime, never ever can threaten the world with a nuclear weapon.”

“As President Trump said last night, for decades, the Iranian regime has willfully destabilized the world. It has killed American forces and citizens, threatened regional allies, and jeopardized the security of international shipping upon which the world depends. Its massive support for violent proxies, declared terrorist organizations – the Houthis, Hizballah, Hamas, and others – has brought bloodshed and disorder across the Middle East for far too long. This is not speculation; we know this to be true and our men and women have paid for the actions of this regime and the IRGC with their lives.”

“No responsible nation can ignore persistent aggression and violence. No responsible nation can ignore persistent aggression and violence,” Waltz said. “The regime in Tehran has led attacks that have cost American lives, hundreds of U.S. Marines in Lebanon, thousands of troops in Iraq; American hostage after hostage has suffered; our ships fired upon dozens of times in the Red Sea. Iran has armed and financed militant organizations that undermine lawful governments and destabilize an already fragile region.”

Iran urges UN Security Council to discharge its duties – Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghechi said in a letter to the UN immediately after the attacks by the US and Israel that UN Security Council members must “discharge their duties without delay.” He said his country will use all military “defensive capabilities and means to confront this criminal aggression and deter the hostile acts.”

Iran’s Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the council: “This morning, the United States regime – jointly and in coordination with the Israeli regime – initiated an unprovoked and premeditated aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran for the second time in recent months.”

“This is not only an act of aggression; it is a war crime and a crime against humanity,” he insisted, accusing the US and Israel of deliberately attacking civilian populated areas in multiple large cities. The invocation to ‘pre-emptive attack,’ claims of imminent threat, or other unsubstantiated political claims, are unfounded legally, morally and politically.”

Israel: Iran is an existential threat – Israel’s Ambassador Danny Danon said his country joined the US in military action against Iran to stop “an existential threat before it became irreversible.”

Danon said Israel acted out of necessity because the regime left no reasonable alternative, building nuclear weapons in disregard for international law, murdering its own citizens and crushing dissent, expanding missile arsenals and arming proxies across the region – all while declaring its intention to erase Israel from the map.

“They were building the means to force an irreversible reality with our backs against the wall. That is not a future Israel will accept,” he said. (By J. Tuyet Nguyen)

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Note: This weekend marks six month since the devastating earthquake in eastern Afghanistan. The below press release from the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) warns that the sharp decline in funding risks the closure of services for affected families and puts them in danger of being displaced again.

Oslo, 26 February 2026 – Six months on from the 6.0-magnitude earthquake which hit Kunar province, eastern Afghanistan, on 31^st August 2025, funding for humanitarian support to affected families has sharply declined, risking the closure of many services. Without urgent support families are in danger of being displaced again, warns the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

• The 6.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Kunar province killed over 2,150 people. An estimated 499,000 people were affected, including 221,000 in acute need of urgent assistance. 186,000 people were assessed as needing shelter and non-food items (NFI) assistance (OCHA). 8,000 homes were destroyed (OCHA).
• US$ 111.5 million are required for the earthquake response (OCHA).

“Thousands of families who lost their homes in August’s devastating earthquake are still in limbo. Many have been living in tents or makeshift shelters since the disaster. They have had to endure six months of harsh weather and a biting winter with little more than canvas over their heads,” said Jacopo Caridi, NRC’s country director for Afghanistan. “Now many humanitarian organisations including NRC are running out of funding and will be forced to end their work in the area. This will mean the closure of key services and little chance of proper shelters for families who lost everything.”

“We fear that the scale-back of support means people will have no choice but to seek services and a future elsewhere in the country, adding more displacement and distress. International donors must step up to support the long-term future of Afghans, just as they stepped up to support them when the earthquake struck. Families must be helped to rebuild their lives where they are.”

In August, 8,000 families lost their homes in the earthquake, with a total of 186,000 people requiring emergency shelter support and basic household items. NRC and other humanitarian organisations provided families with emergency tents alongside other key services such as clean water, food, and healthcare. Local authorities also provided shelters for the most vulnerable families, however their funding is also limited making international support vital.

Emergency tents are life-saving in a crisis, but are designed to be stop-gap in the first weeks and months of displacement. They are not adequate as long-term housing.

“We are still living in tents, and our partially repaired house is not safe enough for my family,” said 27-year-old Gul Bacha, who lives in Kunar province. “The emergency assistance helped us survive the first months, but since then, support has stopped. With food distributions ending, we are worried about how we will manage in the coming months. Without continued assistance, families like mine remain at serious risk.”

A lack of aid funding for Afghanistan is leaving significant gaps in the humanitarian response. In 2025, just over 41 per cent of required funding was delivered. This does not take into account the widespread cuts to humanitarian aid from US and many European countries, which will only become evident this year.

Emergency shelter and non-food items were the most underfunded sector across the country with little over 16 per cent of required funds delivered last year. In 2026, the level of required funding so far delivered currently stands at under 1 per cent.The gaps in aid funding means longer-term interventions, after the acute phase of an emergency has passed, are often missing. This includes more substantial shelters, water and sanitation infrastructure, and livelihood support so people can rebuild their lives. This means Afghans are trapped in a cycle of emergencies, unable to plan for their futures or provide for their families.

“As the contraction of global aid funding forces donors to make difficult choices about which crisis to support, families are having their choices taken from them. Afghanistan requires aid today to help the 21.9 million people in need across the country, including the millions who have recently returned with almost nothing from Pakistan and Iran,” said Caridi.

Notes to editors:

• Photos from Kunar are available for free use here and b-roll is available here.
• A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Kunar province on 31^st August 2025 killed over 2,150 people. An estimated 499,000 people were affected, including 221,000 in acute need of urgent assistance. 186,000 people were assessed as needing shelter and non-food items (NFI) assistance (OCHA). 8,000 homes were destroyed (OCHA).
• US$ 111.5 million are required for the earthquake response (OCHA).
• In 2026, 21.9 million people across Afghanistan require humanitarian assistance (OCHA). A total of 1.71 billion US dollars is required to meet the needs of 17.5 million people targeted for assistance. As of mid-February, just 156.6 million, or 9.1 per cent, has been delivered (OCHA).
• In 2025, 2.42 billion US dollars was required for the humanitarian response in Afghanistan. By the end of the year just 996 million, or 41.2 per cent, was delivered (OCHA).
• Emergency shelter and NFI requires 160.3 million US dollars in 2026. Just 1.5 million US dollars, or 0.9 per cent, has been delivered to date (OCHA). In 2025, 179.1 million US dollars was required and 29.4 million (16.4 per cent) was delivered (OCHA). This makes emergency shelter and NFI the lowest of all sectors in 2025 and 2026.
• In 2026, the Shelter Cluster in Afghanistan reduced its targets for emergency shelter by 14 per cent, NFI assistance and seasonal winter support by 30 per cent in comparison to 2025 targets. This adjustment is due to increased prioritisation to realistically reflect the shrinking funding environment impacting humanitarian operations and programmes (OCHA).
• NRC has supported families impacted by the earthquake in the hardest-hit areas of Kunar, Nangarhar, and Laghman provinces. NRC has reached more than 60,000 people with assistance tailored to urgent needs, including the construction and rehabilitation of water systems and latrines, distribution of emergency food, multipurpose cash and winterisation support, hygiene and shelter repair kits, as well as protection counselling services. Six months on, needs remain severe. However, due to funding constraints, NRC is forced to phase out its operations in the area, while continuing to support displaced communities across the country through its water and sanitation, shelter, protection, education, and information and legal advice. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: NRC global media hotline: media@nrc.no, +47 905 62 329 – Maisam Shafiey, advocacy and communication manager, Kabul, Afghanistan: Maisam.Shafiey@nrc.no,  +93706453029

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New York, 24 February 2026 – With the Russian-led war in Ukraine entering a fifth year, the United Nations General Assembly renewed its support for the war-torn country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and it called for an immediate, full and unconditional cease-fire.

The 193-nation assembly adopted a resolution titled “Support for lasting peace in Ukraine”, which called for the cease-fire, with a 107-12 vote. A total of 51 countries abstained, including the United States. The war broke out on February 24, 2022, in what Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, said had shattered the peaceful aspirations of the European continent.

The United States abstained after its delegation to the United Nations failed to convince the assembly to take a separate vote on two paragraphs included the resolution, which it said would “distract” from current US diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

“Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another world because generations like mine have always had the privilege to live a life in peace,” Baerbock told journalists in Geneva. “But this changed four years ago with the full invasion [by] Russia, of the neighbouring country of Ukraine.”

The resolution said its demand for the cease-fire and respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty is in line with the UN Charter. It also called for the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of civilians forcibly transferred, including children.

Baerbock said in an address to the assembly, “This war, initiated by a permanent member of the Security Council in blatant violation of our Charter, continues to inflict untold suffering on the Ukrainian people. And even as peace negotiations have been ongoing for some time now, the year 2025 stood as the deadliest for civilians since the start of this invasion.”

“Since the beginning thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including children, have been killed or injured. War-related humanitarian needs have only intensified, as the impact of relentless attacks and displacement is felt across the entire length and breadth of Ukraine.”

She said close to 4 million people remain internally displaced, while 5.7 million more live as refugees globally and nearly one-third of the population has been forced to flee, including more than half of all Ukrainian children.

 “This violence spares no one: not mothers or fathers, not grandparents, and certainly not children,” the UN official said.

“This war needs to finally end… Any peace agreement must be grounded in the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions,”  Baerbock said.

UN News reported on February 24 quoting Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine as saying that 2025 was the deadliest year for civilians since Russian troops invaded Ukraine.

“We are witnessing the devastating impact of systematic attacks on energy infrastructure that have disrupted electricity, heating and water supplies across the country, in some cases leaving entire towns without electricity and water supply for weeks,” Schmale said from Kiyv.

Schmale said data showed that at least 2,500 civilians were killed and more 12,000 injured in 2025, a more than 30 per cent increase compared with 2024.

UN Security Council holds meeting on Ukraine war – The 15-nation Security Council, whose resolutions are binding on UN member states, also held a debate on the war, but it took no action.

UN News reported that Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, delivered remarks on behalf of the Secretary-General, saying “the war remains a stain on our collective conscience.” It has “shattered lives, devastated communities, and deepened regional and global instability,” she said.

She highlighted the “catastrophic” human toll which includes more than 15,000 civilians killed, 41,000 injured and millions forced to flee their homes, while “a whole generation has lost years of education as schools have come under fire.”

Amid the current winter season, characterized by sub-zero temperatures, Russia has intensified strikes against Ukraine’s energy system.

As civilians in Russia are also increasingly affected by reported Ukrainian strikes, she called for both sides to implement an immediate moratorium on such attacks.

The fighting also poses direct risks to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear sites and “this unconscionable game of nuclear roulette must cease immediately.”

As war rages on, “the UN is working closely with the Government to repair damaged infrastructure, keep people warm, and sustain critical services,” she said.

“Despite limited access and the deteriorating security situation, we are also working with local partners to deliver food, water, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid, including to those in front-line communities,” she added, urging Member States to fully fund the humanitarian response.

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