The is urgently seeking $250 million to support 2.8 million displaced and food-insecure people across Syria. Ongoing conflict has exacerbated the food security crisis, with affected by food insecurity. Disrupted supply routes, soaring food prices, and a weakening currency have deepened the crisis. While WFP has been providing critical food aid, additional funding is essential to continue these efforts and prevent further hardship in the region.
Nearly 50 mothers and their children are killed every day in Gaza, and aid has drastically decreased, raising fears of famine. Parents tell the 51勛圖 Population Fund () of their urgent need to give birth safely, find food, and keep their children warm amid ongoing violence. Jawaher went into labor while fleeing violence in Gaza City, enduring two days before reaching a hospital to give birth safely. With 80% of Gaza facing evacuation orders and 130 births expected daily, her situation is increasingly common. UN efforts to deliver aid have been severely hindered. Despite UNFPA's commitment to women and girls, essential aid is at its lowest level in 11 months, leaving many Palestinians without basic necessities.
A World Food Programme convoy recently reached North Darfurs Zamzam camp, delivering food to 12,500 people amidst dangerous terrain and conflict.
Humanitarian needs worldwide continue to grow as crises become more severe and complex. As we witness widespread conflicts and violations of international humanitarian law that continue to devastate civilian lives, and as the global climate crisis escalates, humanitarian organizations are faced with difficult decisions about who to prioritize for assistance. The launched in , and , provides insight into current and future needs and highlights the importance of empowering those affected by crises. Follow our live coverage on .
In every corner of the world, volunteers are usually the first to respond. They rise to meet challenges such as climate change, conflicts, and social injustices with courage, dedication, and selflessness. To mark this years International Volunteer Day (5 December), Toily Kurbanov, the Executive Coordinator of the programme, calls for greater focus on neglected aspects of volunteering. In an op-ed, Kurbanov highlights as a key digital powerhouse for the UN, working remotely to drive progress in peace, humanitarian aid, and sustainable development.
Win Hla (name changed), a 58-year-old woman from Myanmar, was forced to flee her home with her family due to escalating conflict between the military and armed groups since 2021. Her journey to safety was perilous, and she now lives in a Buddhist monastery, grappling with fear and uncertainty for the future. Like Win, millions have been displaced, facing a deepening humanitarian crisis, with 18.6 million people in need of aid. Limited resources hinder the response, leaving many without adequate support. Despite their struggles, displaced individuals like Win and others hold onto hope and resilience, calling for urgent international action and funding.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has led to a collapse in local food production, with nearly about 1.84 million peoplefacing severe food insecurity and a risk of famine. Amid this crisis, Hakmah El-Hamidi has lost half of her livestock, severely impacting her family's livelihood. Despite the challenges, she expresses gratitude for the assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization (), which has provided fodder to help her animals recover. FAO has distributed fodder to over 4,400 livestock-keeping families and supplied veterinary kits to around 2,400 families across Deir al-Balah, Khan Younis, and Rafah, helping to improve animal health and preserve livelihoods in the region.
Every week, thousands of refugees and migrants cross the Dari矇n jungle in search of safety and a better life. In 2023, over 520,000 people, mainly from Venezuela, Ecuador, Haiti, and parts of Africa and South Asia, made the journey. Despite promises from smugglers and social media of an easy passage, migrants often spend four to ten days navigating difficult terrain, carrying their belongings and small children in intense heat before reaching temporary migratory reception centres. Surveys conducted by the 51勛圖 High Commissioner for Refugees () show that about 70% of those arriving in the Dari矇n rely on social media for information, often downplaying the journey's risks. UNHCRs initiative uses social media to share testimonies from refugees and migrants who have survived the crossing with others considering the journey.
Pictured is a refugee family of nine making the most of the limited space in their prefabricated hut in Baqa'a Camp near Amman [circa 1970]. As a result of contributions from governments, voluntary organizations and individuals, prefabricated huts offering better protection against the elements than the canvas tents they'd replaced were set up in the emergency camps in East Jordan.
was by the General Assembly on 8 December 1949 () to carry out direct relief and works programmes for Palestine refugees, following the 1948 war. UNRWA has contributed to the welfare and human development of four generations of Palestine refugees, defined as persons whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948, and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 war. The encompass education, health care, relief and social services, camp infrastructure and improvement, microfinance and emergency assistance, including in times of armed conflict.
When the UN agency began operations in 1950, it was responding to the needs of about 750,000 Palestine refugees. Today, some 5.9 million Palestine refugees in the occupied Palestinian territory, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria are eligible for UNRWA services.
documents the critical work the agency has been doing in the region for the last 74 years.
World Food Programme Country Director in Lebanon warns of the urgent need for de-escalation as the region faces escalating humanitarian crises and over a million displaced people.
Over the past year, have condemned Hamas's attacks, called for the immediate release of all hostages, and urged ceasefires, as Gaza remains sealed off with no safe areas for civilians; the UN is committed to delivering aid to the people of .
Two months after Hurricane Beryl, one of the most destructive storms in recent memory, residents of the Caribbeans once-idyllic Grenadines Islands are still battling to rebuild their lives and livelihood. With winds up to 240 km/h, Beryl devastated essential infrastructure and dwellings in many of these little island towns, displacing thousands. Amid the aftermath, stories of strength and resilience emerge from the rubble. As families continue to pick up the pieces, the International Organization for Migration () is working with the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as national and international partners to provide emergency relief.
El Ni簽o is hitting at a time of already significant unmet needs, with 13.6 million people currently experiencing crisis levels of food insecurity in affected countries. is supporting governments in mitigating the impact of El Ni簽o on food security in the region.
Almost ninety percent of the population of Gaza 1.9 million people have been displaced at least once by evacuation orders issued by Israeli Defense Forces, searching for something that does not exist: safety. The war in Gaza has rendered pregnancy unsafe for women. Ongoing hostilities, repeated evacuation orders, a breakdown in public order and safety, and the challenges of reaching people in need are preventing an effective humanitarian response. The 51勛圖 Population Fund () and partners continue to provide support despite the insurmountable circumstances, but the only way to ensure that people have access to the basics to survive is with an immediate and sustained ceasefire.
In Kharkiv, Ukraine, and the government of Japan are working to restore housing damaged in 2022, bringing hope and a sense of normalcy to a city still under fire.
