Tanzanians with HIV Left in Crisis as USAID Funding Ends

At 9 a.m. on Monday, Mariam Msemwa clutched her clinic card tightly as she stood in line at Bagamoyo District Hospital’s HIV Clinic in Tanzania’s coastal region. The 19-year-old had been here many times before, picking up monthly doses of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs that kept her alive. But today was different.When she reached the counter, the nurse flatly told her. “There’s no more free medication, ” she said. “You’ll have to buy it yourself.”

Ending FGM Requires Strengthening Partnerships and Advocacy Efforts

February 6 is the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). A practice deemed a gross violation of human rights, tragically the practice persists across multiple countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Over 230 million women and girls alive today have been subjected to this gruesome practice, and experts warn that at least 27 million more could endure this by 2030.

Goma: What Have We Done to God to Deserve All This?

Zawadi Delphine is a soldier's wife and mother of three. She and her family live in Camp Katindo, east of the city of Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu. Recalling what happened on the night of Sunday, January 26, 2025, she says that her husband had come from the front, north of the city of Goma, visibly angry and in a hurry. Without telling her what was really going on, he had told her that they would only meet again by "divine grace."

U.S. White House Executive Order Raises Concerns for Its Support to the UN

A new executive order from the United States White House calls for withdrawing support from major UN entities and a review of all international intergovernmental organizations which the United States is a member of. The U.S.’s orders against the UN Palestine Refugee Agency also do not bode well for ongoing ceasefire negotiations in Gaza.

Haitian Government Faces Criticism for its Response to Gang Attack in Kenscoff

The humanitarian situation in Haiti continues to deteriorate as armed gangs expand their control in Port-Au-Prince and escalate acts of violence throughout the nation. Due to heightened insecurity, civilian displacement has reached new peaks, with hunger, disease, and the economic crisis having grown worse. With access to basic services diminished, approximately 5.5 million Haitians are dependent on humanitarian aid for survival. However, relief efforts have been severely hampered due to safety risks, restricted mobility and the vast scale of needs.

Afghanistan’s Humanitarian Crisis Expected to Worsen in 2025

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly since the 2021 Taliban Offensive, an insurgency that resulted in the Taliban’s reclamation of power and the fall of the nation’s republic. In 2024, the Taliban issued further restrictions on human rights in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls. These restrictions caused the country to enter a state of economic emergency. This, compounded with heightened insecurity and limited access to basic services, has left over 23 million people in dire need of humanitarian assistance.

Hidden Danger: How War Remnants Threaten Syrian Lives

When 42-year-old Amina al-Hassan's family returned home after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, her son stood on a landmine. Hassan, from Kafranbel in southern Idlib countryside, sits beside her son's bed in the hospital after his leg was amputated following the explosion on agricultural land near their home.

Gaza Humanitarian Aid: How a Lack of Political Will Sabotaged Resolution 2720

Before the three-phased ceasefire deal—proposed by President Joe Biden and dragged over the finish line by the then-incoming Donald Trump administration—silenced the bombs and drones over Gaza and allowed for humanitarian aid to flow into the strip, there was United Nations Security Council Resolution 2720.

African Countries Called Upon to Improve Data Collection

Africa's lack of robust application of statistical research has been flagged as slowing the use of evidence-based data to drive development.

Greed and Cynicism Fuel Rwanda’s War in DRC

The fresh offensive by the M23 rebels and Rwanda forces in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) coincides with the first anniversary of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the European Union (EU) and Rwanda to cooperate on the supply of “critical minerals.”

Malnutrition in Nigeria Rises Alarmingly, Urgent Action Needed

In June 2024, 26-year-old Zainab Abdul noticed her two-year-old daughter growing pale, losing weight, and battling diarrhea. She wasn’t surprised. Since jihadist-linked bandits had forced them out of their village in Kadadaba, Zamfara State, in northwestern Nigeria, her family had been living in a refugee camp with limited access to food.

Davos Leaders Pledge Support for Bangladesh Reform Agendas

As Bangladesh Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus emerged from a meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF), Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta came forward to greet him, a demonstration of how warmly the global leaders and dignitaries received the person tasked with leading the interim government.

The “Fierce Urgency of Now”– to Reverse Course in Haiti

As we commemorated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Day on January 20, 2025—a day that also marked America welcoming its newly elected president—we honor the legacy of this civil rights leader by reflecting on his powerful words: “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.”

Report Exposes Silent Global Emergency as More Crises-Affected Children Need Urgent Education Support

A report released today on the International Day of Education sounds alarm as the number of school-aged children in crisis worldwide requiring urgent support to access quality education reaches a staggering 234 million—an estimated increase of 35 million over the past three years fueled by intensifying armed conflict, forced displacements, more frequent and severe weather and climatic events, and other crises.

Should King Baudouin, DRC’s Last Sovereign, Be Beatified?

During his visit to the Kingdom of Belgium in September 2024, Pope Francis was full of praise for King Baudouin, who ruled Belgium for more than 40 years. The pontiff announced the start of the beatification process for the man who, on the Belgian side, ratified the Congo's act of independence on June 30, 1960.

Living Conditions in Syria Deteriorate During Transitional Period

Thirteen years of extended conflict, economic downturns, and multiple earthquakes, has left Syria in the midst of a severe humanitarian crisis. Hostilities remain abundant across all of Syria’s governorates, with each facing widespread civilian displacements and damage to critical infrastructures. Following the change of government in December of 2024, Syrian refugees have begun returning from neighbouring countries. However, this return has been marred with insecurity due to the sheer scale of unexploded ordnance, which has resulted in numerous civilian casualties.

The First Phase of Israel-Palestine Ceasefire Begins

On January 15, 2025, the long-awaited ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas was approved, bringing the first bout of relief for the people of the Gaza Strip after 15 months of conflict. This has allowed for the exchange of prisoners and hostages between the two nations as well as a greater flow of humanitarian aid to be directed to Gaza. Although this only accounts for the first phase out of the three phase plan, it is uncertain if Israel will continue to uphold the negotiations of a truce after the first phase is completed.

Israel and Palestine Secure Ceasefire Agreement After 15 Months of Conflict

A ceasefire agreement between the states of Israel and Palestine was reached on 15 January, 2025 , effectively putting an end to hostilities in the Gaza Strip. This comes after nearly 15 months of conflict, which has caused immense damage to Palestinian infrastructure, development, and civilian life. The three-phase plan proposed for the ceasefire agreement consists of the return of Israeli hostages, Palestinian refugees returning home, and the reconstruction of Gaza. Additionally, the ceasefire is expected to essentially put an end to the Israel-Hamas War and significantly mitigate the humanitarian crisis occurring in the Gaza Strip.

UN Claims to Strengthen Battle Against Racism in Workplace—Amid Reservations

As the United Nations plans to commemorate its 80th anniversary later this year, it is “reflecting on the steps taken to advance implementation of the Secretary-General’s Strategic Action Plan for addressing racism in the UN Secretariat. The UN’s Anti-Racism Office, which was created in 2023, has hosted several online events that reached over 13,500 participants and generated 2,000 comments, and welcomed 2,700 visitors to its iSeek page (accessible only by staffers)—possibly a reflection of the rising complaints and concerns of UN staffers.

The Davos Disconnect

"It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Charles Dickens is more relevant today than ever. The wealthy and powerful are meeting again this year in glamorous Davos, at an invitation-only event. They arrive in chartered aircraft and private jets to speak about our warming climate, among other global concerns.

The Fall of Assad is a Cautionary Tale of Blowback

 
A regime built on terror, ruled by fear and sustained by foreign proxy forces crumbled in less than a fortnight. In the end, the foundations of the House of Assad (1970–2024) rested on the shifting sands of time. In the good ol’ days, despots could retire with their plundered loot into comfortable lifestyles in Europe’s pleasure haunts. No longer. The reverse damascene expulsion has seen the Assads scurry to safety to Moscow.