Human rights

In Ethiopia, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights today urged all parties to take urgent steps towards de-escalation, warning that recent fighting in Tigray risks deepening the human rights crisis in the country’s north.

In Chad today, a humanitarian response plan was launched, calling for $986 million to assist 3.4 million people, including $540 million dedicated to refugees. The plan comes as Chad continues to face one of the most severe humanitarian crises in the Sahel.

In Somalia, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that severe drought conditions continue to displace people across the country. According to authorities and UN agencies, nearly half a million people have now abandoned their homes since September 2025.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks on the observance of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, in New York today:

In Syria, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was able to access Al Hol camp, together with Syrian Government officials, and established contact with some residents. Essential supplies resumed following a three-day interruption, with bread trucks facilitated by UNHCR entering the camp today, and water trucks yesterday..

In Mozambique, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more than half a million people have been affected by recent floods, including in Gaza, Maputo and Sofala. Nearly 5,000 kilometres of roads are damaged across nine provinces, with the main road connecting Maputo to the rest of the country now inaccessible.

Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory Ramiz Alakbarov has begun a three-day visit to the Gaza Strip. In Khan Younis, he met with displaced families who have been supported by the UN to move away from the flood-prone shoreline to Hamad City. He also visited Asda’a, where the UN has supported thousands of families for more than a year.

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres:

Launching its Humanitarian Action for Children 2026 appeal today, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking $7.66 billion to provide life-saving support to 73 million children in 133 countries next year. This comes as severe shortfalls in 2024 and 2025 are forcing UNICEF to make impossible choices.