UN agencies warn of famine risk in Somalia and Sudan
15/5/2026: UN humanitarian agencies have identified the risk of famine in a region of southwest Somalia and also in Sudan. Conditions have been exacerbated by closure of more than 500 health and nutrition facilities across Somalia due to lack of funding. The agencies call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Sudan where violence, displacement and severe humanitarian access constraints are impacting children, families and communities across the country.
Source: UN Food and Agriculture Organization
Cuts in US foreign aid harm human rights globally
14/5/2026: The US government had been the largest donor to human rights work around the world for decades, until the current Trump administration gutted US foreign aid. A new report finds that investigations into abuses have been halted, support for victims cut off, and organizations that helped deter violations have been forced to scale back or close.
Source: Human Rights Watch
100 million African children are not in school.
13/5/2026: Many countries across Africa have embraced universal basic education policies in recent decades. But recent data has revealed that more than 100 million children and adolescents remain out of school. The latest statistics suggest that after some years of progress, the situation is deteriorating
Source: The Conversation
Global health gains face threat of reversal
13/5/2026: The World Health Statistics 2026 report sends a clear message: while global health efforts are delivering results, the world remains off track to achieve any of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Accelerated action, stronger health systems, and improved data are urgently needed to renew progress.
Source: World Health Organization
3000 attacks on health care in Ukraine since Russian invasion
8/5/2026: During 1534 days of war, Ukraine’s health-care system has experienced more than 3000 attacks, of which approximately 20% have been on ambulances and other health vehicles. Every one of these attacks is a violation of international humanitarian law.
Source: World Health Organization
Stop the war before El Niño creates a crisis the world cannot absorb
7/5/2026: The chief economist of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization warns that El Niño will not wait for the Strait of Hormuz to open. On its own, the strong El Niño expected from mid-2026 would pose serious risks to global food security. Combined with conflict in the Middle-East, it becomes a systemic risk multiplier.
Source: Devex
US lawmakers push back as Trump administration blocks $600M for vaccines
7/5/2026: Despite Congress approving $600 million for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has imposed a condition that Gavi must abandon vaccines with a mercury-containing preservative. A bipartisan group of senators is urging the State Department to reinstate U.S. contributions.
Source: Devex
Postponement of rights conference in Zambia allegedly imposed by China
5/5/2026: Over 5000 people from 150 countries were expected to meet in Lusaka for RightsCon, a biennial platform for dialogue on emerging human rights issues in the digital space. Alleged pressure by Chinese diplomats was behind the last-minute postponement.
Source: Amnesty International
Calls for humanitarian corridor through strait of Hormuz
29/4/2026: The war on Iran is taking a toll on the world's most vulnerable people, by slowing or blocking food and medical aid from reaching them. Now aid organisations are calling for a “humanitarian corridor” to be opened through the strait of Hormuz.
Source: The Guardian
Mali’s armed groups fill a governance vacuum
29/4/2026: Coordinated attacks from separatists and jihadists have severely threatened what remains of central government in Mali. Research shows that non-state armed groups have capitalised on weak local institutions to provide essential services and gain legitimacy. Military solutions may not be the answer.
Source: The Conversation