UN Interviews

Rapid advances in technology are fundamentally changing the global crime landscape, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

As its newly-appointed Executive Director, Monica Juma is heading to the 15th UN Crime Congress, taking place in Abu Dhabi from 26 September through 1 October, for the first time in charge of the key agency.

In an interview with UN News’s Ezzat El-Ferri in Vienna, Ms. Juma highlighted how criminal groups are making increasing use of digital tools to reach victims across borders almost instantly. She tells us it’s time for governments and institutions to respond more effectively. 

Yemen's decade-long conflict between Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces has dangerously escalated over the past week, reaching a new peak after months of rising tensions.

An estimated 46,000 people have been displaced since fighting resumed just over a week ago, with numbers expected to rise further as the situation continues to change "by the hour".

Houthi fighters have seized the strategic port of Mokha and reportedly an island in the Red Sea — a major threat to the shipping routes they have been targeting.

Speaking to UN News' Khaled Haridy, Abdusattor Esoev, Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Yemen, explains how the humanitarian crisis is worsening, the UN response to growing needs, and the challenges hampering its work.

Two weeks after a glacier collapse triggered devastating floods in northern Nepal, entire communities remain cut off, homes lie buried under tonnes of rubble, and families are still waiting for news of loved ones.

According to latest figures from the UN humanitarian affairs office, 1,267 people have died and some 5,132 remain missing, while the UN estimates the disaster created at least 2.2 million tonnes of debris.

The regional director for UN field operations arm UNOPS, Sara Netzer, was on the ground following the floods that affected around 84,000 people.

In an interview with UN News’s Nancy Sarkis, she says the scale of destruction is unlike anything she saw after Nepal’s 2015 earthquake, and that rebuilding will take time.

As a new school year begins, classrooms are reopening and children are returning to their studies – but that’s not the case for many young Palestinians.

For many in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, schools run by the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, have provided a pathway to opportunity for generations, with some 2.5 million students graduating. 

However, financial constraints and conflict have disrupted or shattered their progress, threatening to further derail their prospects for the future.

In an interview with UN News’s Reem Abaza, UNRWA Director of Education Julia Dicon discusses what education means to Palestine refugee children and why sustained support is critical.

Despite increasingly difficult conditions, the UN relief agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA, continues to operate on the ground, remaining a vital lifeline and providing education, healthcare, humanitarian aid and social protection in Gaza and the West Bank. 

Roland Friedrich, director of UNRWA Affairs in the West Bank, spoke to UN News’ Reem Abaza and stressed that the issue goes beyond the agency itself, saying the “restoration of respect for the United Nations at large and for UNRWA as an agency mandated by the General Assembly” is essential. 

He warned that shrinking humanitarian space and displacement are dangerous trends and underlined that urgency of returning to a credible pathway towards the two-State solution and eventually a situation where UNRWA as an agency “does not have to do its work anymore because the conflict is moving towards a solution”.

When an emergency strikes, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, aims to get life-saving supplies moving within 72 hours. 

UNICEF’s emergency response includes health, water and sanitation, education and recreation kits, as well as critical support for vaccine cold chains. 

At its major humanitarian supply hub in Copenhagen, Denmark, emergency kits are pre-positioned and ready to be dispatched to countries affected by conflict or natural disasters. 

Erika Abs, UNICEF Emergency Supply and Logistics Coordinator, spoke to UN News’s Felipe de Carvalho and explained why much of the most important work happens before emergencies even begin.

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to support agriculture across Africa, helping farmers access weather, crop and market information. But the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says better connectivity, reliable infrastructure, relevant data and digital skills are needed to ensure smallholder farmers can benefit from these technologies.

Meshack Malo, FAO’s Deputy Regional Representative for Africa, told UN News’s Feissal Kirwa that fewer than 10 per cent of farmers are currently benefiting from digital agriculture services, with rural communities particularly affected by limited connectivity.

Acts of terrorism driven by hateful ideologies continue to injure, harm and kill thousands of innocent people each year.

For Hassan Ndugwa – a survivor of the 2010 terrorist attack targeting a screening of the football World Cup Final in Kampala, Uganda – the experience became a call for action.

Angered by the misrepresentation of Islam in the aftermath of the attacks, Mr. Ndugwa and a fellow survivor founded the Uganda Muslim Youth Development Forum to prevent violent extremism and promote peace through religious and community engagement.

In an interview with UN News’s Assumpta Massoi, he emphasised the importance of survivor voices and the role of remembrance in healing.

When a major disaster strikes, the first hours are critical. Within 48 hours of receiving a formal request from an affected country, the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) system can deploy a team of experts to support national emergency response.  

The teams, managed and trained by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), bring together specialists from different countries and organisations, based on the specific needs identified on the ground. 

Sérgio da Silva, leader of the UNDAC team, explained to UN News’s Felipe de Carvalho how this global network is mobilised in the immediate aftermath of earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and other environmental or man-made disasters.

Can fashion help bring people together as well as set trends and mould culture worldwide? Fashion designer and environmentalist Runa Ray believes it can. 

Her exhibition Repurposing Fashion: Reimagining Peace, now open at UN Headquarters in New York, transforms discarded textiles into works of art carrying messages of peace from 30 countries. 

Speaking to UN News' Cristina Silveiro, she explains why she believes "fashion has a greater purpose" than glamour alone

Scaling up Ebola response in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo must include measures such as increased surveillance, more transport options to bring patients to treatment centres and greater engagement with the public. 

That’s the message from Dr. Anne Ancia, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Representative in the country, speaking from Bunia – the epicentre of the crisis. 

She told UN News’s Eleuterio Guevane that communities are also asking for the international community to address other health pressing concerns in a region where women still die in childbirth and people are facing famine-like conditions. 

She began by outlining the immense needs, and the vast amount of work that still needs to be done. 

Colombia's search and rescue operations continue after Monday's magnitude 7.4 earthquake, which has killed at least 111 people. The United Nations is now assessing where its presence and resources can be most useful.

UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia María José Torres Macho said the Government has already reached out to the UN, and the Organization has teams on the ground in some of the hardest-hit areas – with potential support ahead in food security, health, water and sanitation, and protection.

She said UN teams are also beginning to look past the emergency, toward recovery and reconstruction.

Laura Quiñones spoke with her about the situation and what comes next.

With the worst Ebola outbreak in the history of DR Congo still raging, UN peacekeepers must continue to protect civilians from both the virus and violence at the hands of multiple armed groups operating in the region, the Force Commander there has told UN News.

MONUSCO's General Ulisses de Mesquita Gomes said 'blue helmets' had increased their presence to ensure civilians are fully protected, while troops were working with local authorities and the World Health Organization to ensure there is enough security amid the outbreak.

He told Eleuterio Guevane troops were playing other key roles including conducting vital community awareness campaigns and establishing rapid mobile operating bases to protect treatment centres.

Every day, judges make decisions that change lives forever. They do so while reckoning with some of the worst of human nature, overwhelming workloads and constant public scrutiny - pressures that can ultimately affect the quality of justice they deliver.

The Honorable Rangajeeva Wimalasena, Judge of the National and Supreme Courts of Papua New Guinea, told UN News that judicial well-being is not simply about providing support for the profession, it's also about safeguarding the integrity of courts and ensuring fair, impartial justice for all.

He spoke to Jolina Dong – who last year saw the law in action up close after interning at the US Supreme Court – just ahead of the International Day of Judicial Well-being on 25 July.

Operating in some of the world’s worst humanitarian hotspots, the World Food Programme’s (WFP) aviation service is the backbone of emergency relief efforts and a lifeline for isolated communities.

From war-torn Sudan to Ebola-affected eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and beyond, millions of civilians rely on aid to survive.  In turn, more than 680 humanitarian organizations worldwide count on the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) to reach populations cut off by conflict, disease or natural disaster.

Hedley Tah, UNHAS Head of External Relations, spoke to UN News’s Nathalie Minard about the critical role the service plays. 

Little progress has been made for the future management of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway through which an estimated 20 per cent of the world’s oils and gas supplies pass and which is now effectively closed as Iran and the United States continue to ratchet up strikes and counterstrikes.

That’s according to the head of the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, who told UN News that some 6,000 seafarers are still trapped on around 500 ships, in the Persian Gulf behind the strait.

IMO is advising shipping not to attempt the passage until the conflict has been resolved.

Daniel Dickinson spoke to Mr. Dominguez about what options are available to reopen the waterway but began by asking him for an update on the current situation in the gulf.

For Elisha Acheampong Darko, the climate crisis is personal.

Since losing his friend to a flood in Ghana, which he attributes partially to climate change, Mr. Darko has worked to empower young people to fight for climate justice.

As an undergraduate student at the University of Education, Winneba, in Ghana, Mr. Darko founded Join Me Today, a youth-led organization dedicated to protecting the environment from pollution and climate-related hazards.

UN News’ Isaiah Steinberg asked him how a degree from the UN University fits into his journey in climate research and civil society.

As demand continues to grow for the critical minerals that power our mobile phones, electric cars and more, who’s looking out for the mainly indigenous peoples whose territories contain the vast majority of these natural riches?

Tackling the issue from a human rights angle is UN Human Rights Council-appointed independent rights expert on climate change, Eliza Morgera, who’s been talking to UN News’s Daniel Johnson on the same day as the Security Council meets to discuss how to ensure that critical minerals extraction promotes peace and development, rather than conflict. 

Too often, children are casualties of war. Sometimes, they’re even forced to fight. 

That’s the case in South Sudan, where UNICEF – the UN Children’s Fund, together with the UN mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) – work with the Government to support the release and reintegration of underage fighters.

Daniel Johnson spoke to the agency’s South Sudan Chief of Child Protection, Brendan Ross, from the capital Juba.

On the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar, the Government and local businesses faced a challenge: they relied on surveys conducted only once per year, making it difficult to quickly respond to travelers’ needs.

Following conversations with the Tanzanian government on how to advance development and grow the tourism industry, the UN Development Programme, or UNDP, created a platform called Jozani AI – named after a national forest in Zanzibar – to empower the local government and local businesses to make more informed decisions.

That’s just one example of how, even as the UN works to create a global governance framework for artificial intelligence, it is also using the technology to address global challenges and improve people’s lives.

The UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative in Tanzania is John Rutere.

UN News’ Isaiah Steinberg asked him how Jozani AI is helping people in Tanzania.

An upsurge in violence in Haiti could be in anticipation of more “assertive operations” by the recently formed UN-backed Gang Suppression Force as rival gangs in the beleaguered Caribbean Island nation fight for control of territory and resources.

Gangs control the vast majority of the capital Port-au-Prince, and terrorize the population with murder, rape and kidnapping for ransom.

Some 1.5 million Haitians have been driven from their homes by the gangs.

The UN Designated Expert on Human Rights in Haiti, William O’Neill, is a frequent visitor to the country.

UN News’s Daniel Dickinson asked him what is driving the increase in violence. 

Professor Serigne Gueye, a Senegalese urologist and world expert on obstetric fistula, has spent decades helping women recover from one of the most devastating – yet preventable – childbirth injuries. 

Honoured with this year’s UN Population Award, he has treated patients across Africa, trained surgeons from more than 45 countries and championed access to quality maternal services.

In an interview with UN News’s Ana Carmo, Professor Gueye said eliminating obstetric fistula depends on stronger maternal health systems and universal access to emergency obstetric care.

As governments, industry leaders and researchers gather in Geneva on Monday for the first Global Dialogue on AI Governance and the AI for Good Summit, a UN expert says managing artificial intelligence responsibly will require action from everyone, not just policymakers.

Professor Kaveh Madani, Director of the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health, told UN News’s Nathalie Minard that governments, technology companies and users all have a role to play in reducing AI's growing environmental footprint – and ensuring the benefits outweigh costs.

As drones, artificial intelligence and new weapons transform modern warfare, Ukraine has become one of the world's most mine-contaminated countries, creating new dangers for civilians while threatening global food security and recovery. 

In an interview with UN News, Paul Heslop, Senior Mine Action Adviser for the UN Mine Action Service in Ukraine, explains how drones have fundamentally changed the battlefield, making conflicts more lethal and leaving behind increasingly complex explosive hazards. 

Speaking to Jolina Dong, Mr. Heslop discussed how Ukrainian deminers are adapting to these new threats, why clearing contaminated land is essential for rebuilding – and how innovation in Ukraine could transform humanitarian mine action worldwide.

A night of heavy strikes across Kyiv has left children and families facing widespread destruction, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Ukraine.

At least 20 people are now reported to have been killed in the Kyiv attacks. UNICEF is also deeply saddened by reports of a seven-year-old girl killed in the Dnipro region on Thursday.

Speaking to UN News’s Evgeniya Kleshcheva after visiting some of the affected sites, UNICEF Chief of Communications and Advocacy Toby Fricker described the severe damage he’d witnessed to residential buildings and a nearby kindergarten.

As synthetic drugs spread into new markets and traffickers develop increasingly potent substances, the global drug landscape is becoming more complex, unpredictable and dangerous, the 2026 World Drug Report reveals.

In an exclusive interview with UN News, Chloé Carpentier, lead researcher on the report by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), warned that powerful new synthetic opioids, persistent gaps in access to treatment and the growing links between conflict and drug trafficking are reshaping the global drug crisis.

Speaking to Jolina Dong, Ms. Carpentier explained why adolescents, women and people living in humanitarian settings face some of the greatest risks, and why stronger international cooperation is essential to keeping pace with a changing global drug market.

Five days after two deadly earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela, the UN says the emergency is far from over. 

With search-and-rescue operations continuing, Vanessa May, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the stricken South American nation, told UN News’s Victoria Fernandez that families who have lost their homes and loved ones will need sustained support, including psychosocial care alongside food, water and shelter. 

She stressed that recovery and reconstruction “will take time”, as the UN and its partners prepare for the next phase of the humanitarian response.

Following the earthquakes in Venezuela, teams from 27 countries continue searching for people trapped beneath the rubble. 

From La Guaira, the most affected region, families describe the agonizing wait, while the United Nations coordinates the response and expands assistance for those who have lost their homes.

Women and girls in Gaza and the West Bank continue to face severe challenges due to conflict and displacement, while funding cuts have undermined access to healthcare and protection services.

The UN agency responsible for maternal and reproductive healthcare, UNFPA, is warning that humanitarian needs remain immense, with services for mothers and babies under growing strain.

Nestor Owomuhangi, the agency's Representative in Palestine, told Reem Abaza from UN News that the number of women in Gaza reporting suicidal tendencies through UNFPA-supported facilities has more than doubled in the past two years, highlighting the worsening psychological toll of the crisis.

A new generation of HIV prevention tools could help reshape the global response to the virus which has led to the deaths of over 44 million worldwide – but without sustained funding, political commitment and community leadership, millions more risk being left behind.

Ahead of next week’s High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, Mandeep Dhaliwal, Director of the Prosperity and Well-being Hub at the UN Development Programme (UNDP), told UN News the world’s reached a pivotal moment in the fight against HIV as Governments prepare to negotiate a new Political Declaration.

Speaking to Jolina Dong, Ms. Dhaliwal outlined the development body’s new Power of Prevention initiative, which supports the community-led rollout of lenacapavir, a highly effective HIV prevention injection administered twice a year, in high-need countries.

Sustainability in the kitchen is increasingly seen not just as a trend, but as a necessity shaped by economic pressures and changing consumer expectations.

Chef Jaume Biarnés, a former member of the world-renowned El Bulli restaurant team in Spain, and now Director of the Yondu Culinary Studio in New York, believes that sustainability is integral to modern cooking

He told Liudmila Blagonravova from UN News about the key role fermentation plays in reducing waste and boosting flavour – and how simple, practical steps can help both chefs and home cooks adopt more sustainable habits.

Hate speech is an unavoidable menace today – particularly so for women and girls – on and offline. 

The abuse they face is increasingly fuelled by so-called “manosphere” online influencers.

Their posts primarily target young men and boys to promote a warped view of masculinity, usually by promoting rigid gender roles and misogyny.

To mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech on 18 June, UN News’s Nathalie Minard sat down with Kalliopi Mingeirou from gender equality agency UN Women, where she's leading efforts to end gender-based violence.

Since its launch in March 2025, the UN80 initiative has moved into a decisive phase. Guy Ryder, Under-Secretary-General for Policy, joins UN News's Laura Quinones to discuss what has changed, what results are already emerging, and how the United Nations is working to become more effective at a time of growing financial and political pressure.

In Lebanon, UN teams and partners are dealing with a country in flames as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) appealed on Wednesday for a “sustained cessation of hostilities”.

As thousands of families continue to be displaced and uprooted by the violence between Hezbollah fighters and the Israeli military since March, UN News’s Daniel Johnson discussed the impact on children with Marcoluigi Corsi, UNICEF representative in Lebanon.

Our first question to him was to describe what families in Lebanon are going through.

Global cooperation is essential as criminal networks become more complex, sophisticated and interconnected, according to the new Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Director-General of the UN Office at Vienna, Monica Juma, who took office last month.

Speaking to UN News’s Ezzat El-Ferri, the former Kenyan national security adviser said no single country, region or sector can tackle today’s security challenges alone. 

Ahead of the UN Crime Congress in Abu Dhabi this September, she highlighted the growing links between organized crime, corruption, trafficking, terrorism and emerging technologies, and stressed the need for stronger international cooperation to address these evolving threats.

Ms. Juma began by reflecting on her first weeks in office before outlining her priorities.

Four months of escalating violence and displacement in Lebanon are having a severe impact on women and girls.

According to the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, more than 1.4 million people are now displaced across the country – over 20 per cent of the population – including an estimated 16,000 pregnant women. Meanwhile, damage to health facilities is limiting access to essential maternal and reproductive healthcare.

UNFPA Representative in Lebanon, Anandita Philipose, told UN News's Abdelmonem Makki that overcrowded shelters and ongoing insecurity are leaving many women afraid to seek medical care.

Funding cuts to health programmes are directly affecting women and girls in Yemen, according to the country head of the UN sexual and reproductive health agency (UNFPA).

Francesco Galtieri has been visiting UN Headquarters in New York this week to plead the case for more funds, in a country where more than 60 per cent of health infrastructure has been destroyed during well over a decade of brutal war.

Mr. Galtieri told Reem Abaza from UN News that Yemen has become a forgotten crisis, despite the overwhelming humanitarian needs.

Human rights are "part of our DNA," according to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, who is championing a new Global Alliance at a time of rising conflicts, growing inequalities and mounting climate pressures.

The initiative aims to bring together governments, civil society, businesses, academics and communities to place human rights at the centre of decision-making ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 2028.

Speaking to UN News's Srdan Slavkovic in Geneva, the global hub for human rights diplomacy and advocacy, Mr. Türk explained how the Alliance aims to inspire action.

Security personnel supporting UN operations in South Ukraine are navigating rapidly shifting frontlines and difficult choices to help humanitarians reach communities affected by the war – all while balancing operational risks with urgent needs on the ground.

Olga Scripovscaia, Area Security Adviser with the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) based in Odesa, told UN News in an exclusive interview that her team works around the clock to assess threats, map routes and support missions in some of the country’s highest-risk areas.

Speaking to Jolina Dong, Ms. Scripovscaia reflected on intense working days, where she sometimes must scrape by on just a few hours’ sleep a night. 

Health workers responding to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are working closely with local communities, recognising that trust is as critical as testing and treatment, to stop the disease in its tracks.

Dr Marie-Roseline Belizaire, Africa’s Emergencies Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) told UN News in an exclusive interview this week that response teams are engaging with women’s groups, youth leaders, motorcycle drivers and traditional healers to dispel misinformation and explain how people can protect themselves.

She told Cristina Silveiro that, instead of dismissing widely held beliefs, health workers are seeking to “integrate science” so that sick people come forward for treatment.

Major Abhilasha Barak, an Indian peacekeeper serving with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), has been named this year’s Military Gender Advocate of the Year.

She was recognised for her outstanding leadership in promoting gender-responsive peacekeeping and advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda during her deployment with the frontline mission since June 2025 – which has seen seven ‘blue helmets’ killed in the line of duty since hostilities erupted in March between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

Speaking to UN News's Pooja Yadav, Major Barak highlighted the importance of integrating gender perspectives and working closely with local communities. 

Children in Ukraine have spent years living with air raid sirens, disrupted education and the daily uncertainty of war. Many are forced to learn online or in underground classrooms as communities adapt to the realities of a prolonged conflict.

During recent visits to Ukraine and the Russian Federation, the UN’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, Vanessa Frazier, met children, families, and officials on both sides of the border. 

Ahead of the International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, observed on 4 June, she spoke to UN News’s Evgeniya Kleshcheva about what she witnessed and why keeping children at the centre of all responses remains essential.

Each year, 52 million tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean, contributing to an estimated 24 trillion microplastic particles, which have a devastating impact on the marine environment.

They do not fully biodegrade, lingering indefinitely while causing deadly wildlife entanglement, toxic ingestion, and habitat destruction. Plastics also release harmful chemicals into the water, introducing dangerous pollutants into the global food chain. They are now known to affect more than 4,000 marine species. 

Dr Ian Butler, a scientist at the University of Queensland and an editor of the latest World Ocean Assessment, spoke to UN News about the ecological impacts of ocean plastics, the limits of biodegradable alternatives, and why many scientists argue that the world must reduce plastic production rather than rely only on recycling and waste management.

UN News’s Edouard de Bray asked Dr Butler about some of the most significant yet overlooked ecological impacts on organisms of plastics.

Science Forward, the podcast of the UN Secretary-General’s Scientific Advisory Board, features world-leading scientists, and explores today’s challenges, from AI and biotechnology to climate and health.

In the very first episode of Science Forward, Board member Yoshua Bengio and AI policy expert Charlotte Stix unpack the growing risks of deceptive AI with hosts Julia Bhattacharjee and Adam Day, to answer the question: What happens when AI learns to lie?

Over the weekend, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

As of Saturday, 16 May, health authorities had recorded eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths in Ituri province in eastern DRC.

Uganda also confirmed two Ebola cases – including one death reported in capital Kampala – among travellers arriving from the DRC.

“Ebola is a very serious disease, but it’s one that we know how to control,” said Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Speaking to UN News’ Flora Nducha, he explained the measures WHO is taking to contain the spread of the virus and called on the media to share accurate information to avoid a “fear outbreak”.

It’s hard to come up with new ways to describe the massive humanitarian emergency that is still unfolding in Sudan because of the war.

A staggering 33 million people need help and later today, UN-backed food insecurity experts are expected to warn once again that hunger is on the rise again and famine is a real risk in 14 areas of the devastated country.

Although it is extremely difficult and dangerous to access and report from Sudan’s east, photographer Giles Clarke has managed to do so, with the help of the UN aid coordination office, OCHA. 

The result is a memorable, harrowing photo-essay that features the stories of five civilians impacted by the conflict. It’s called Darfur’s Survivors. 

Eighty years after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, artist Sandy Walker believes art still has the power to transform people’s perceptions. 

Speaking to UN News at United Nations Headquarters, Mr. Walker reflected on the influence of Hiroshima survivor and writer Tamiki Hara, whose final work, My Deepest Desire, inspired a series of ink drawings that now accompany a new edition of the text.

Mr. Walker explains why he believes art can shape collective memory by first reaching individuals one by one.

“When asked what Hiroshima’s message to the world today might be,” he told UN News’ Ana Carmo, “the answer is one word: stop.”

The United Nations Victims’ Rights Advocate, Najla Nassif Palma, has urged survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse by UN personnel to “come forward”, while calling for stronger action across the UN system and for Member States to put victims’ rights first.

Her office works to ensure victims “have a voice, assistance and justice”. The mandate was established by Secretary-General António Guterres in 2017 as part of the UN’s strategy to combat sexual exploitation and abuse.

Speaking to UN News’s Ana Carmo following the release of a new report, Ms. Nassif Palma highlighted progress in expanding access to medical, psychosocial and legal support, as well as education and livelihood assistance for children born as a result of exploitation. 

However, she warns that significant gaps remain.

World Press Freedom Day, officially observed on Sunday, arrives this year under the theme Shaping a Future at Peace, a message that feels especially urgent as the number of journalists killed in conflict zones continues to rise.

According to the UN education and culture organization, UNESCO, which monitors press freedom, 93 journalists were killed in 2025 alone – 60 of them in conflict zones.

So, what does a call for peace mean in today’s turbulent global landscape? UN News’s Nancy Sarkis spoke to Sylvie Coudray, Director of UNESCO’s Division for Freedom of Expression, Media Development, and Media and Information Literacy.

NASA aerospace engineer Alinda Mashiku was born in New York then moved to Tanzania as a young girl, where she dreamed of becoming an astronaut – but reaching for the stars seemed almost an impossibility. 

Today, as a Program Manager with the US space agency, she helps ensure that satellites avoid collisions in orbit, contributing to the safety and sustainability of pioneering space missions such as the record-breaking Artemis II mission around the moon earlier this month.

According to UN data, women make up only 35 per cent of science, tech, engineering and maths graduates (STEM) – figure that has not changed in the past decade.

In an interview with UN News’s Anold Kayanda from our Swahili team, Ms. Mashiku explains why girls should place no limits on their ambitions to break the STEM glass ceiling, into the stratosphere. 

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock highlights a striking gap in its leadership: the continued absence of a woman Secretary-General.

For an institution founded on principles of equality, human rights, and inclusion, this omission is becoming harder to defend. Ms. Baerbock argues that the issue is not merely symbolic, but central to the UN’s mission, with women’s rights inseparable from peace, security, and sustainable development.

In an interview with UN News’s Anshu Sharma during her official visit to India, Ms. Baerbock also reflected on the broader challenges facing multilateralism, the need for reform, and the importance of standing together to uphold the values of the UN Charter.

Afghanistan is seeing a sharp rise in refugees heading home, with more than 2.8 million people coming back from Iran and Pakistan in 2025 alone, according to UN estimates.

That brings the total number of returnees since September 2023 to over three million. The surge has seen the population rise by more than 10 per cent, adding pressure to already limited infrastructure and fragile public services.

UN News’s Nancy Sarkis spoke to Stephanie Loose, Country Programme Manager at UN-Habitat Afghanistan, about why sustainable reintegration depends on better access to housing and essential services.

Since the outbreak of the Middle East war on 28 February, sites of major cultural importance across Israel, Iran and Lebanon have come under threat.

At the request of the Lebanese Government, the UN education and cultural agency, UNESCO, has placed 39 World Heritage sites under so-called “enhanced protection”- a special status aimed at safeguarding cultural heritage during times of conflict.

To explain what this means in practice, UN News’s Nancy Sarkis spoke to Krista Pikkat, who leads UNESCO’s Culture and Emergencies Unit.

Tuvalu, a low-lying Pacific island nation, is on the frontline of the climate crisis, with rising sea levels threatening to submerge much of its territory by the end of the century.

Many of its citizens are already planning for an uncertain future. In 2025, more than 90 per cent applied for a visa pathway offering residency in Australia. 

Earlier, in 2022, the government launched a “digital nation” initiative in the metaverse to help preserve Tuvalu’s statehood, identity and culture if its land is lost.

Backed by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and partners, Tuvalu’s government is trying to protect its most heavily populated islands by creating raised land banks.

UN News’s Edouard de Bray asked Tuya Altangerel, a senior UNDP official in the Pacific region,  how rising sea levels are already affecting communities. 

Unless a solution can be found immediately to allow fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz in time for planting season, there’s going to be a “very significant and severe” food crisis which will hit the poorest countries and their citizens hardest.

That’s according to Jorge Moreira da Silva, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), which provides infrastructure, procurement and project management services around the world.

He told Reem Abaza of UN News that the UN task force he is leading will be able to get its “one stop platform” up and running in just seven days, if combatants blocking the strait allow fertilizers and other raw material through, to benefit the world’s most vulnerable.

Syria has made “remarkable progress” on transitional justice in just one year, says one UN legal expert, raising hope, while also warning that powerful social stigma continues to prevent many survivors of conflict-related sexual violence from coming forward.

Sofia Candeias, from the UN Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict, told UN News that new institutions and reforms mark a significant step forward following the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

But the true scale of abuse may never be known, as stigma at personal, community and societal levels remains “the largest obstacle” to reporting and access to support.

Calling on the international community to step up, Ms. Candeias told UN News’s Ana Carmo that sustained support is critical to ensure survivors can safely access justice and care.

A massive wave of Israeli airstrikes struck Lebanon on Wednesday – despite the US-Iran ceasefire declared hours earlier – killing 254 people and injuring 1,165 others, according to local authorities. 

Strikes hit densely populated areas, including Beirut, with no warning, leaving many still trapped under rubble. 

Hospitals are overwhelmed, facing mass casualties and critical shortages of supplies. The UN World Health Organization is working tirelessly to provide support across the country, while dozens of medical workers have been killed and injured in recent weeks. 

UN News’ Nancy Sarkis spoke on Thursday to the WHO’s Representative in Lebanon, Dr. Abdinasir Abubakar, who witnessed 10 different strikes on Beirut during the horrifying bombardment.  

The ceasefire between the US and Iran has brought no respite to civilians in Lebanon, where deadly Israeli strikes intensified across the country on Wednesday, dramatically worsening the humanitarian situation. 

Repeated escalations in violence over recent weeks have significantly increased humanitarian needs, raising concerns about whether aid agencies can keep up with demand.

Blerta Aliko, the senior UN Development Programme official in Lebanon, was in the middle of updating UN News’s Ezzat El-Ferri, when heavy bombing began near her location in Beirut.

Later, speaking from the safety of the basement at UN House, Ms. Aliko said the situation had now become critical.

For over three decades Rwanda has been recovering from the almost unimaginable horror of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

On Tuesday the UN commemorated the systematic crimes committed there – in which more than one million people were killed – with ceremonies held at several of its offices around the world.

The event was attended by survivors of the massacre, senior UN officials and representatives of the Rwandan authorities including Karoli Martin Ngoga, Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the United Nations.

He sat down with UN News’s Assumpta Massoi and explained the significance of the ceremony held at UN headquarters in New York.

More than 130,000 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory are believed to have been contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance since the full-scale Russian invasion of the country in 2022.

As the Government, with the support of the United Nations, attempts to clear the land, fresh mines continue to be laid in the shifting frontline regions.

Ahead of the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action, which is marked on 4 April, UN News’s Nargiz Shekinskaya spoke to Ben Lark, Ukraine Mine Action Program Manager at the UN Development Programme.

He told her that the UN is focusing on training Ukrainian mine clearers, improving Government coordination and taking advantage of the latest AI-based technology to make the task more effective.

Over 20 per cent of Ukraine is contaminated by landmines, which are becoming more dangerous and more difficult to clear.

Anti-personnel mines are now being deployed remotely by artillery, rockets, helicopters and drones, while some of the most sophisticated devices can launch projectiles at targets after detecting movement. 

Paul Heslop, head of the UN Mine Action Service in Ukraine, is warning that the biggest challenge facing mine action today is that contamination is increasing faster than it is being cleared, making it vital to adopt new technology quickly.

Edouard de Bray from UN News asked Mr. Heslop how the latest tech is making landmines more deadly.

The United Nations human rights office (OHCHR) has warned of a sharp rise in the eviction of Palestinian families, particularly around Jerusalem’s Old City.

According to Ajith Sunghay, OHCHR’s top official in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, evictions have intensified since the 7 October attacks of 2023, shifting from isolated incidents to more coordinated actions – some reportedly organized via WhatsApp and social media – targeting Palestinian communities and property.

In an interview with UN News’ Reem Abaza, he added that tensions have escalated further in recent months, with nearly 36,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, over the past year.

A UN peacekeeper has been killed, and another critically injured after a projectile hit the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) base near Adchit Al Qusayer in southern Lebanon on Sunday.

The mission’s spokesperson Kandice Ardiel spoke to UN News’ Nancy Sarkis and said an investigation is underway, with no confirmed responsibility so far.

The incident comes amid escalating violence along the Blue Line of separation, with reported Israeli incursions and continued exchanges of fire. UN Peacekeepers remain in position despite the dangerous conditions, supporting civilians in line with their Security Council mandate.

There is no escaping the fact that the war in the Middle East has triggered a global energy crisis.

But could it also spark a water crisis? After fuel, water is emerging as a strategic and critical target.

The Middle East is one of the driest regions in the world and desalination – turning seawater into drinking water – is vital for people and agriculture across Israel and the Gulf countries. Any attack on this infrastructure could have serious consequences.

To understand what is at stake, UN News’s Nathalie Minard spoke to Ziad Khayat, who is a senior official specialising in sustainable development with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. 

Ongoing war in the Middle East, along with ongoing attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, has underscored just how vulnerable maritime routes are – and the potentially deadly consequences for those needing lifesaving assistance, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

Trade and energy markets are already feeling the strain, with potentially severe consequences - particularly for developing countries. There are growing concerns that continued escalation could trigger the largest disruption in the history of the global oil market.

UN News’ Nancy Sarkis spoke with Frida Youssef, Chief of the Transport Section at the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), about the crisis in the Gulf.

As the world marks the International Day of Happiness on 20 March, researchers warn that in an increasingly digital and uncertain world, young people’s well-being is shaped as much by social connection as by the economic headwinds they face.  

Dr Robert Waldinger of Harvard University – who leads one of the longest-running studies in history focused on human well-being – emphasises that while pleasure matters, lasting happiness comes from meaning, relationships and a sense of belonging. 

In an interview with UN News’ Nargiz Shekinskaya, Dr Waldinger urges people to engage more authentically online and offline. Stronger human connections remain key to improving well-being for the generations to come, he says. 

How is the Middle East crisis affecting countries far beyond the region?

In Nepal, more than 1.7 million migrant workers are employed across Gulf countries, and remittances form a vital part of the economy. Disruptions to travel, rising costs and growing insecurity are already having a major impact.

UN News’s Vibhu Mishra spoke with Numan Özcan, the International Labour Organization (ILO) Country Director for Nepal, who explained the dangers facing workers and their families.

Afghans are being pushed from crisis to crisis as instability across the region deepens an already severe humanitarian emergency, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) has warned.

In an interview with UN News, spokesperson Babar Baloch said many returning from neighbouring countries are not finding safety, but instead facing bombardment from Pakistan, displacement and growing hunger.

Women and girls are among the hardest hit, while funding shortages are limiting the humanitarian response.

Stressing that “this is not the time to look away”, Mr. Baloch spoke to our producer Anshu Sharma who’s based in Delhi, calling for urgent international support to meet rising needs and prevent further suffering.

After three weeks of escalating violence in Lebanon, children are paying the highest price. More than 830,000 people have been displaced – including around 290,000 children – with many forced to flee their homes in panic as Israeli airstrikes continue.

According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), many families fled with nothing - no clothes, toys or schoolbooks - spending hours trapped in traffic while explosions echoed around them.

Despite the mounting challenges, UN agencies are scaling up emergency assistance.

Christophe Boulierac, UNICEF Lebanon’s Chief of Advocacy and Communication, told UN News’ Nancy Sarkis that many youngsters are showing signs of severe anxiety after years of repeated crises. 

Rising Islamophobia is a serious global concern that requires a collective international response focused on education and combating misinformation about Islam, says the UN Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia. 

Speaking to UN News ahead of the International Day to counter the scourge marked on 15 March, Miguel Moratinos warned that incidents are increasing in several regions, particularly in Europe, but also in Asia, Africa and the Sahel. 

The trend, he said, reflects growing polarisation and the politicisation of Muslim communities in some countries.

Mr. Moratinos – who also serves as High Representative for the UN Alliance of Civilizations – told UN News’s Khaled Mohamed that respecting religious diversity and combating discrimination are essential to fostering peaceful coexistence.

Lebanon is facing a “perfect storm of unpredictable challenges” as escalating conflict, mass displacement and shrinking humanitarian resources collide, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Imran Riza, told UN News. 

Mr. Riza described a rapidly deteriorating situation in which civilians, particularly children, are paying the highest price.

In just over a week, around 700,000 people have registered as displaced through Lebanon’s Ministry of Social Affairs, while schools across the country have been turned into shelters, disrupting education for thousands of children.

Speaking to UN News’ Reem Abaza, he warned that the humanitarian response is struggling to keep pace as funding declines and regional support weakens. 

The UN World Food Programme – WFP – has spoken of its relief that the closure of a key crossing point for aid and commercial supplies to Gaza has reopened after being shut, when Israeli and US bombs began hitting Iran.

Speaking from Jerusalem, WFP’s Country Director in Palestine, Shaun Hughes, described how chronic constraints on aid delivery have kept humanitarian assistance at a “hand-to-mouth” level across the war-shattered enclave.

To illustrate that point, Mr. Hughes explained that WFP has just two weeks’ worth of half rations available for 1.5 million Gazans, after being forced to cut the full ration in January. “We'd like to get [rations] back up to 75 per cent, but with the level of food that we're getting in at the moment, that seems unlikely,” he told UN News’s Daniel Johnson.

The crucial Strait of Hormuz global shipping corridor marking the entrance to the Persian Gulf, is essentially closed due to the threat of strikes from Iran and elsewhere 

After a tugboat assisting another vessel in the strait this morning was struck killing at least four seafarers, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, told UN News on Friday that the situation was “deteriorating” and urged ships to avoid navigating in the region. 

The international shipping and seafarer security chief told Edouard de Bray that Member States need to “find solutions through dialogue in order to de-escalate” to restore free and safe passage. 

UN agencies are preparing to support Afghans who may return from Iran in the coming months amid rising regional tensions, a senior UN official has told UN News.

Georgette Gagnon, Officer-in-Charge of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), said agencies including the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the International Organization for Migration, IOM, are preparing assistance at border crossings and in communities across Afghanistan expected to host returnees.

The border crisis will be on the agenda next Monday when Ms. Gagnon is due to brief the Security Council in New York. She sat down with UN News’s Liudmila Blagonravova who began by asking how UNAMA’s preparing to support potential returnees.

Deadly violence has erupted once again across Lebanon and Israel, following the bombing of Iran by Israeli and US forces.

Mass displacement in Lebanon has resulted, as thousands of people in Beirut and elsewhere flee airstrikes targeting Hezbollah militants, according to the UN peacekeeping mission in the country (UNIFIL). 

Speaking from southern Lebanon, UNIFIL’s Tilak Pokharel said families, including women and children, have been leaving the area in large numbers since hostilities intensified last weekend. 

Videos posted on social media showed heavily congested roads as residents attempted to escape airstrikes and ongoing military activity.

UN peacekeepers have been assisting civilians who were unable to leave conflict-affected areas, transporting them to locations they consider safer, and facilitating humanitarian access, including supporting requests from the Lebanese Red Cross to reach injured people and displaced populations. 

While warning that the situation remains “very fragile”, Mr. Pokharel told UN News’s Nancy Sarkis that the escalation risks “spiralling out of control”, unless the parties halt the fighting.

As Ukraine entered its fifth year of full-scale invasion, millions of people are struggling every day to keep the lights on, cook and heat their homes amid extreme winter conditions.

This fourth winter has been particularly harsh with 65 per cent of Ukraine's energy generation capacity methodically destroyed.

Women and children are bearing the brunt of energy blackouts, which undermine their safety, protection, and economic security, according to gender agency, UN Women.

Halyna Skipalska who runs the Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health spoke to UN News’s Nathalie Minard about the growing impact of war on women and children’s mental health.

As global hunger surges to historic highs, with around 300 million people facing acute food insecurity, the World Food Programme is turning to technology, partnerships, and internal reforms to deliver aid faster and more effectively.

This involves expanding school meal programmes, strengthening collaboration with countries, and using Artificial Intelligence to predict crises and target assistance, 

At the 2026 India AI Impact Summit, WFP’s Deputy Executive Director Carl Skau told UN News’s Anshu Sharma that innovation and cooperation will be critical to meeting rising humanitarian needs despite shrinking funding and growing global instability.

Nearly three billion people around the world do not have adequate housing, and the crisis is no longer limited to developing countries. Cities across Europe and North America are also facing growing affordability challenges, says UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach.

Speaking to UN News’s Anshu Sharma in New Delhi, she told us poverty and inequality remain the main causes of the crisis. However, climate change and extreme weather are making housing insecurity worse, especially for people living in informal settlements.

At just 16 years of age, Raul John Aju already has a formidable stack of achievements under his belt.

The teenager from the Indian state of Kerala runs his own company creating artificial intelligence tools, advises governments on how to use the tech, and teaches students how to engage with it in their professional and personal lives.

His prodigious activities have earned him the moniker “AI Kid of India” at home, and an invitation to speak at the recent 2026 India AI Summit, where he met politicians and top officials – including UN chief António Guterres.

UN News’s Anshu Sharma sat down with Raul at the summit and asked what had got him interested in technology at such a young age.

Set up in May 1948, the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, UNTSO was the first ever peacekeeping operation established by the UN. 

In an interview with UN News, Major General Patrick Gauchat, Head of Mission and Chief of Staff, explained the mission has evolved since it was first established to monitor ceasefires and support peace agreements in the aftermath of world war. 

Working closely with UN forces in Lebanon and the Golan, UNTSO complements their security, medical, and engineering operations. And with the mandate extension in Lebanon ending in December 2026, the truce supervision mission could take on a bigger role along ceasefire lines.

Mr. Gauchat told UN News’s Khaled Mohamed the longest-running mission’s presence gives reassurance to civilians living in conflict areas. 

As repatriation efforts for Burundian refugees from Tanzania accelerate, concerns are growing over reports of coercive measures, shelter demolitions and mistreatment during the return process, amid warnings that some refugees may still need international protection.

Bahia Egeh, External Relations Officer with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, stressed that returns under the tripartite agreement with Burundi and Tanzania must be carried out in safety and dignity, and based on free and informed choice rather than pressure.

UN News’s Edouard de Bray started by asking her to explain why Burundian refugees in Tanzania are being repatriated. 

As artificial intelligence reshapes global agriculture, questions remain about who truly benefits from this technological shift.

In this interview with Anshu Sharma from UN News, Brenda Gunde, Global Lead for ICT4D (Information Communication Technology for Development) at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), explains how emerging digital tools can support smallholder farmers, improve decision-making, and reduce inequality – as long as issues of access, affordability, and scalability are addressed.

Speaking on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Ms. Gunde highlights why inclusive innovation, local access to information, and practical delivery systems are essential to ensuring AI strengthens rural livelihoods rather than widening existing gaps.

According to the World Bank, the real AI revolution in developing countries isn’t coming from flashy mega‑models, but from small, low‑cost tools that solve local problems.

Mahesh Uttamchandani, the organisation’s Regional Practice Director for Digital and AI inEast Asia and Pacific and South Asia, sat down with Anshu Sharma from UN News during the India AI Impact Summit, and explained that these systems are cheaper to run, easier to adapt, and already delivering outsized impact.

As the India AI Impact Summit, the first of its kind in the Global South, enters its final days, UN News has been talking to some of the senior UN officials who have made the trip to New Delhi.

One of them is Volker Türk, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, who has been meeting with world leaders and the heads of technology companies.

When he sat down with our colleague Anshu Sharma, Mr. Türk explained why human rights must be at the core of a powerful technology that many believe is about to transform the world.

In Sudan, the conflict between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged the country into widespread bloodshed and humanitarian catastrophe. 

The devastating civil war began in April 2023 and is expanding beyond the western Darfur region into central Kordofan, taking its toll on civilians and particularly the most vulnerable, including children.

Eva Hinds, Spokesperson for the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Sudan, describes how the agency is supporting boys and girls amid the brutal conflict and ongoing cuts to aid budgets.

She spoke to UN News’s Nathalie Minard in Geneva.

India’s AI Impact Summit – the first of its kind in the Global South – is underway in New Delhi, and the United Nations has a significant presence at the event, with over 30 side events planned over the week.

The main message from the UN is that access to, and development of, AI tools ne eds to be democratised beyond the handful of major economies that are currently driving the technology.

Amandeep Gill, the UN Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies, is attending the Summit, where he will discuss the UN’s central role in AI governance. He told Anshu Sharma from UN News that managing the risks and harnessing the opportunities needs to involve everyone, not just a small elite.

Since the declaration of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip on 10 October 2025, the United Nations’ main concern has been — and remains — the urgent scaling up of humanitarian aid.

And while the long-awaited reopening of the Rafah crossing at the start of this month raised hopes, it has also been marked by delays and reports of mistreatment of Palestinians, according to aid organizations, with no significant improvement in the overall humanitarian situation.

For more details, UN News’s Nancy Sarkis spoke to Gaza aid veteran Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the UN aid coordination office, OCHA.

Politics used to be a battle over competing ideas, but now it’s become a very real fight “between identities”: that’s according to Valentina Grippo, an Italian Member of Parliament and delegate to the UN-affiliated Inter-Parliamentary Union, or IPU, which met at UN Headquarters this week in New York.  

A majority of MPs worldwide are facing threats and abuse from voters, according to a new IPU report which found that 71 per cent of surveyed lawmakers experienced violence from the public – whether offline, online or both. 

Speaking to Edouard de Bray of UN News Ms. Grippo stressed that rising polarisation and online disinformation are fuelling violence against politicians and undermining democratic debate worldwide.

As wars drag on across continents and conflicts grow more complex, children continue to bear the heaviest and most heartbreaking cost.

Marking 30 years since the United Nations first established its mandate to protect children caught in war, Vanessa Frazier, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, is sounding the alarm, and calling for renewed global commitment to prevention, protection, and accountability.

Ms. Frazier warned that grave violations against children are rising sharply, with more than 7,400 cases of child recruitment verified in 2024 alone.

Charlotte Frantz began by asking where child recruitment is happening the most – and what is driving it.

As Holocaust remembrance increasingly moves into digital spaces shaped by artificial intelligence, virtual worlds and interactive media, experts are calling for stronger global coordination to ensure ethical, sustainable and responsible memory work.

Speaking at UN Headquarters around International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Professor Victoria Grace Richardson-Walden stressed that no single institution or sector can address these challenges alone. 

Policymakers, technology companies, museums, educators, researchers and digital creators must work together, she said, to avoid fragmented efforts that waste resources and risk losing vital historical material as technologies rapidly evolve.

UN News’s Ana Carmo started by asking her why global collaboration is key for shaping the future of Holocaust memory in digital spaces. 

The head of the police component of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), Mamouma Ouédraogo – appointed late last year – was at UN Headquarters in the past few days, taking part in the Police Week.

The gathering reunites senior police officers from peacekeeping operations and staffers from the UN’s special political missions. 

In an interview with UN News’s Jérôme Bernard, she outlined the support provided by MONUSCO’s police component to the Congolese national police and explained the measures being taken to address human rights violations, particularly sexual violence.

Ukraine is facing one of its most severe winters since the war began, with attacks on critical infrastructure leaving hundreds of thousands of families without heating or electricity as temperatures fall below minus 20 degrees Celsius.

Speaking to UN News, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Operations in Ukraine, Kenan Madi, warned that children continue to bear the brunt of the crisis, particularly in major urban centres such as Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa, where central heating systems have been heavily damaged.

UNICEF has responded by scaling up emergency winter assistance, including cash support to vulnerable families, expanding child protection services, and helping schools and utilities maintain essential heating and water services.

UN News’s Evgeniya Kleshcheva began by asking Mr. Madi to detail the situation facing families and humanitarian workers on the ground.

Catherine Mootian was just twelve years old when she underwent female genital mutilation (FGM), a moment that changed her life forever.

Growing up in Kenya’s Maasai community, she was told the cut marked her transition into womanhood. But years later, that painful experience became the driving force behind her mission to protect other girls from the same fate.

Today, Ms. Mootian is the founder and executive director of AfyAfrika – leading the fight to end FGM and to help survivors heal.

UN News’ Assumpta Massoi began by asking Ms. Mootian about her childhood ordeal, and how it has shaped her over the years

The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, says it is ready to support a ceasefire between the Congolese authorities and the M23 armed group, following an announcement by Qatar that it will deploy a first monitoring team under the Doha peace initiative.

M23, also known as the March 23 Movement, is an armed group operating in eastern DRC that has seized key towns, including Goma in January and Bukavu in February, fuelling renewed violence and displacement.

MONUSCO says the initial deployment will be limited to Uvira, in South Kivu, and will not mark a permanent return to the province, which the Mission left last year. 

UN News’s Cristina Silveiro asked the mission’s spokesperson Ndeye Khady Lo whether the development should be seen as a positive signal for peace.

As the UN system continues to grapple with financial constraints, international police officers serving at peacekeeping missions are responding to the challenge.

The UN Police Division is making plans to deploy smaller specialised teams in some field settings, where necessary, who will still “achieve more” despite their reduced numbers. 

That’s according to UN Police Adviser Faisal Shahkar, who with UN Police Week now underway in New York, outlined other steps including training national authorities to ensure self-sufficiency.

Mr. Shahkar spoke to UN News’s Dianne Penn about the challenges they face, with safety and security topping the list.  

Kenya’s national action plan to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030 offers renewed hope for girls and women in rural communities, where access to prevention and care has often been limited. 

Aligned with World Health Organization (WHO)’s targets, the plan focuses on free vaccines to prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection – which can lead to various cancers including cervical cancer – providing early screening and timely treatment.

Joseph Mogga with WHO’s office in Nairobi, spoke to UN News’s Assumpta Massoi and explained how by bringing services closer to where women live, Kenya is signalling a strong, positive commitment to ensure that no girl or woman is left behind – especially when it comes to cervical cancer prevention.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says that improving the nutritional quality of food served in schools can help children develop healthier eating habits for life.

Last week, the UN health agency released its first-ever global, evidence-based guidelines outlining policies and practical interventions to help schools provide healthier food and drink options.

Katrin Engelhardt, a scientist at WHO who led the development of the new guidelines, spoke to UN News’s Ileana Exaras about what they recommend – and why creating healthier school food environments is an urgent priority today.

With young people under 30 making up more than half the global population - and over 272 million children and youth still out of school – their participation in education reform is becoming increasingly vital. 

Yet stark inequalities remain – in the poorest countries, 36 per cent of children and youth are out of school compared to just 3 per cent in the richest.

Ahead of the UN International Day for Education, UN News’s Charlotte Frantz spoke to UNESCO’s Marco Pasqualini about how this year’s theme focused on the power of youth in co-creating education, translates into real-world action.

The Acting Head of the UN peacekeeping force in the disputed territory of Abyei (UNISFA), Major General Robert Yaw Affram, has underscored the fragile security situation in the disputed Abyei region bordering Sudan and South Sudan, describing it as “volatile” and lacking State institutions, while stressing the stabilising role played by UN peacekeepers.

Speaking to UN News’s Khaled Mohamed, Major General Affram – who’s also been serving as Force Commander – recalled the 13 December drone strike that killed six peacekeepers in the Sudanese city of Kadugli, highlighting the huge dangers faced by UN ‘blue helmets’.

Despite these challenges, UNISFA continues to increase ground patrols and air surveillance, while engaging regularly with locals to help prevent intercommunal violence.