While steps are being taken to empower and recognize the painful history of indigenous peoples, they are still disproportionately affected by poverty and climate change, the Third Committee (Social Humanitarian, Cultural) heard today as it took up the rights of indigenous peoples.

Coinciding with the tenth International Day of the Girl Child, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its debate on the rights of children today, with delegates highlighting the special vulnerability of girls to violence, discrimination and harmful practices like female genital mutilation and child marriage.

The world is facing the worst hunger crisis, with an estimate of 149 million children — nearly one in five — chronically malnourished, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, as delegates continued their general discussion on the rights of children.

Impoverished children and those displaced by conflict or climate change continue to bear the brunt of post-pandemic economic crises and global conflicts, speakers told the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) today, as it took up the rights of children.

Delegates stressed the need to address barriers to women’s human rights and empowerment, including female genital mutilation, obstetric fistula, gaps in female political representation and limited access to economic production, as the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its debate today on the advancement of women.

​​​​​​​Attempts to control what women and girls say, think and wear as well as to deny women access to sexual and reproductive rights are on the rise, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today, as it commenced its debate on the advancement of women.

The ramping up of globalized digitization in an increasingly unstable world fraught with crises provides opportunities for trafficking of drugs and persons as well as terrorism, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) heard today during its debate on crime, information and technologies and drugs.

​​​​​​​As the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) continued its general debate today on social development, youth delegates, describing the issues they encountered in everyday life and the future they were facing, challenged the lack of robust political representation and called for young people’s right to participate fully and actively in decision-making processes, both at the national and international level.

The Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) opened its seventy‑seventh session today, with the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a resurgence of conflicts and the climate emergency driving its general discussion, as delegates emphasized that colliding crises have reversed progress, exacerbated inequalities and impacted social development.