Afghan journalism under siege
28/8/2025: Since returning to power in 2021, the Taliban government has imposed a wide range of media restrictions, including a ban on women appearing on state-run television and radio, prohibitions on covering protests or interviews critical of the government. Most Afghan women journalists have fled the country.
Source: Inter Press Service
Was the attack on Gaza’s Nasser hospital a war crime?
27/8/2025: There has been widespread international outrage at Israel’s attacks on Nasser hospital in northern Gaza, on August 25. The second attack on the same location, minutes after the first, killed five journalists and several medical staff treating people injured. Journalists are marked out for special protection under the Geneva Conventions.
Source: The Conversation
What’s the future of women’s participation in peacekeeping
26/8/2025: In the 25 years since UN Security Council Resolution 1325 mandated the women peace and security agenda, peace operations have advanced women’s inclusion and promoted gender-sensitivity. But persistent gaps remain visible and they demand urgent attention as global conflicts intensify.
Source: PassBlue
1 in 4 people globally still lack access to safe drinking water
26/8/2025: The latest annual report by the UN's Joint Monitoring Programme finds that 106 million people drink directly from untreated surface sources. The 2030 targets relating to the Sustainable Development Goals for water and sanitation appear increasingly out of reach.
Source: World Health Organization
Thailand grants work rights to long-term refugees from Myanmar
26/8/2025: A new resolution by the Thai Government will allow long-staying refugees from Myanmar to work legally in the country. Thailand’s move could set a regional precedent for sustainable, rights-based refugee policies.
Source: UN Refugee Agency
Hunger monitor calls for immediate response as famine confirmed in Gaza
22/8/2025: The UN-backed Integrated Food Security Classification System has confirmed that famine exists in the Gaza Strip. Over half a million people are facing catastrophic conditions characterised by starvation, destitution and death. Through September conditions are expected to further worsen with famine projected to expand to a further 641,000 people.
Source: The New Humanitarian
Did Trump really resolve six conflicts in a matter of months?
21/8/2025: The US president, Donald Trump, claims to have “solved six wars in six months”. Six academic experts outline what Trump actually did, and whether it made a difference.
Source: The Conversation
Aid cuts unravel family planning progress in Mozambique
21/8/2025: More than half of girls in Mozambique are married by the time they are 18, yet only about 1 in 3 women of reproductive age has access to modern contraceptives. Some NGOs have cut reproductive health programs, while others have folded altogether, since the US withdrew funding for family planning and contraceptives.
Source: Devex
Progress on the road to a UN Tax Treaty
20/8/2025: Governments have started substantive negotiations for the first-ever UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. Proposed reforms, such as enabling governments to tax any company with a “significant economic presence” in their territory, could generate new revenues for developing countries.
Source: Human Rights Watch
Saudi Arabia: executions surge in 2025
11/8/2025: Saudi authorities have executed at least 241 people in 2025. The annual figure is likely to exceed all prior records if executions continue at the same rate. It is highly unlikely that any of those executed in 2025 received a fair trial.
Source: Human Rights Watch