Week in Review

By rahmat hidayat

Saturday, July 19, 2025

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Week in Review 19 July 2025

Catch up on this week's must-read stories The UN Security Council met this week for an emergency session on Syria, following a surge of deadly sectarian clashes in the south and Israeli airstrikes that reached parts of central Damascus. Assistant Secretary‑General Khaled Khiari told ambassadors the crisis has pushed the war‑scarred country into a volatile juncture and could derail prospects for peace. Meanwhile, the Gaza crisis continues to deepen. The UN human rights office OHCHR reported that nearly 900 people been killed in recent weeks trying to get food.  Most of the deaths were linked to private aid hubs operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the US-Israeli run private organization which was established in late May, bypassing the UN and traditional aid agencies. Thursday brought some positive news as UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted progress in talks on Cyprus, having hosted leaders from the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities at Headquarters in New York. Four of six trust building measures agreed in March have been achieved, including the creation of a technical committee on youth and initiatives on the environment and climate change. Further talks are planned in September during the high-level week of the General Assembly. The week ended with the annual celebration of Nelson Mandela International Day on 18 July – an occasion to reflect on the extraordinary life of "Madiba" and to highlight his example of resilience, reconciliation and service to humanity.  "Today, Madiba's legacy is now our responsibility," said Mr. Guterres.  "We must carry forward his commitment to peace, justice and human dignity." The High-Level Political Forum is also in full swing in New York, aimed at fast-tracking action to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Five of the Goals are in the spotlight, including SDG 5 on gender equality – the one that is most at risk. Our correspondent who is covering the proceedings reports on how women in Latin America are sparking a revolution to ensure that care work – mainly done by women, rarely ever paid – is valued and funded.

UN sounds alarm over Syria as sectarian clashes and Israeli strikes escalate A surge in sectarian violence in southern Syria and Israeli airstrikes reaching central Damascus have pushed the war‑scarred country into a volatile juncture, a senior UN official said on Thursday, warning that renewed violence could shatter prospects for peace and fuel wider regional instability. Read more Peace and Security Syria crisis: Hundreds killed in ongoing violence, hospitals overwhelmed Amid violent clashes in southern Syria's Suweida governorate, a picture of grave human rights abuses and rising humanitarian needs is emerging by the hour, the UN said on Friday. Read more Peace and Security Gaza: 875 people confirmed dead trying to source food in recent weeks Nearly 900 desperate and hungry Gazans have been killed in recent weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human rights office, OHCHR, said on Tuesday. Read more Peace and Security Unprecedented Afghan returns are 'a test of our collective humanity' The international community must support Afghanistan as it grapples with the staggering number of citizens returning from the region, a senior UN official has said.   Read more Humanitarian Aid Gaza: More misery as new evacuation orders impact tens of thousands New evacuation orders in Gaza issued by the Israeli military have uprooted tens of thousands of Palestinians, amid ongoing bombardment, aid agencies have warned. Read more Peace and Security UN chief reports progress in Cyprus talks, urges swift implementation of trust measures Reporting "constructive" discussions on Cyprus, UN Secretary‑General António Guterres announced on Thursday that four previously agreed trust‑building measures have been realized, technical work continues on two others, and the parties have agreed to expand cooperation on youth, environment, culture and civil society. Read more Peace and Security Scores killed in Sudan's Kordofan region as fighting intensifies Intensifying clashes in Sudan's Kordofan region between rival militaries have killed hundreds and wounded many more in recent days, warned the UN humanitarian affairs office (OCHA) on Tuesday.  Read more Peace and Security 'A compass towards progress' – but key development goals remain way off track Global life expectancy increased by an astonishing five years between 2000 and 2019. And then since the COVID-19 pandemic, it slid backwards by almost two. More than 110 million children have entered school since 2015 – but by 2023, 272 million children still had no access to the classroom.  Read more SDGs Ukraine: UN and partners launch Winter Response Plan amid escalating hostilities As years of war in Ukraine have left millions with unreliable heating and limited means to pay rising utility costs, the UN and humanitarian partners launched a $277 million appeal this Thursday to support the most vulnerable people during the coming winter.   Read more Humanitarian Aid 'You have to be able to rule your life': The care revolution in Latin America Globally, there are 12.5 billion hours of work that the world never pays for because it barely even sees these duties.   Read more Women Gaza war: UN officials warn of unspeakable conditions as children bear the brunt Conditions in Gaza have reached an unspeakable level of devastation with children paying the highest price, top UN officials told the Security Council on Wednesday, warning of soaring child deaths, starvation and a shattered health system amid continuing bombardment and displacement. Read more Peace and Security From crisis to classroom: How the UN supports education in conflict zones From makeshift furniture in Gaza to metro classrooms in Ukraine and solar-powered tablets in Sudan, the UN is working to bring education to millions of crisis-affected children. Read more Culture and Education Seeding gender empowerment: Women farmers in Peru contend with climate change First, it was floods that inundated fields and washed away crops. Then, it was drought which led the levels of lakes to plummet and the crops to shrivel.  Read more SDGs We need to value women in sport, UN rights chief says In the midst of the Women's Euro football championship in Switzerland, Volker Türk, the UN human rights chief, called on Member States and sports clubs around the world to address the vast gender gap which still exists in women's sport.  Read more Women Mandela's legacy 'is now our responsibility', Guterres says on International Day In honour of Nelson Mandela International Day on Friday, the United Nations is celebrating with a public service activity, a chamber music concert and a General Assembly meeting, where Secretary-General António Guterres presented the 2025 Mandela Prize.    Read more UN Affairs Aid cuts leave refugee agency unable to shelter six in 10 fleeing war in Sudan Major cuts to aid budgets have already left people fleeing wars in Sudan and beyond without the assistance and protection they need, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said on Friday. Read more Peace and Security As war rages on in Ukraine, organised crime is taking new forms Almost four years after Russia's full-scale invasion, criminal groups in Ukraine are adapting their business models amid displacement, rising trafficking risks and an increased demand for synthetic drugs, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in a report published on Friday.  Read more Law and Crime Prevention WHO urges rollout of first long-acting HIV prevention jab A breakthrough HIV drug that only needs to be injected twice a year to offer near-total protection from the virus and developing AIDS should be made available "immediately" at pharmacies, clinics and via online consultations, the UN health agency said on Monday. Read more Health

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