Each dollar invested in girls’ education reports an average yield of $ 2.80, translating into billions of additional GDP. Likewise, each dollar spent on water and sanitation saves $ 4.30 in health costs.

Simple mathematics, not miracles

These are not miracles – these are measurable results. Mathematics do not recognize sex or infrastructure; It simply reflects the truth in number. And these figures make a convincing case: helping countries with the least resources benefit everyone, including those who have the most.

Even a single dollar, strategically invested, can make a profound difference.

For example, the allowance of only $ 1 per person per year to combat non -transmitted diseases could prevent nearly seven million deaths by 2030. Likewise, each dollar spent on disaster risk reduction can save up to $ 15 in recovery costs.

However, despite such convincing evidence, development aid is often poorly understood – considered by some as a simple charity and by others as a profit vehicle.

Equity, no charity

The latest United Nations Development Program Report on Afghan Entrepreneurs defies skeptics.

This underlines that these women do not seek charity – they require an equitable chance of succeeding. Winning their own income gives them an independence measure, which in turn strengthens the communities in which they live.

Against all expectations, they generate income, create jobs and build more enriching and more enriching lives.

Expand access to public and private financing, guarantee loans, offer preferential conditions on international markets and strengthen support networks can fuel business growth and promote a more prosperous future – whether in Afghanistan Or EcuadorOr anywhere between the two.

FFD4 faces solid -contrary winds

These examples – from education and health to entrepreneurship and resilience to disasters – paint a clear story and data: intelligent investments in development pay dividends for everyone.

This message should be at the center of next time Fourth United Nations Conference on Development Financing which will be held in the Spanish city of Seville, from June 30 to July 3. But the summit, known by its clumsy acronym FFD4, faces opposite winds.

Even if the merchanting countries at the UN headquarters in New York agreed a week ago on a radical result document – which should be adopted at the end of the conference and intended to guide the future of global development aid – some nations are retreating.

In particular, the United States has announced that it would not send delegation at all in Seville.

And even if there are notable exceptions, including Spain, which has increased its budgetary development funding allowances by 12%, the upcoming uncertain landscape has led the UN secretary general Antono Guterres to be deplored that “global collaboration is actively questioned”.

This interrogation is reflected in the annual deficit of $ 4 billions of development in development, as well as in abandoning previous commitments and the delivery of aid by donors to what the Secretary General called “a historic speed and scale”.

In addition, the Sustainable development objectivesSigned by all world leaders only 10 years ago, are far from the track.

What is at stake in Seville?

Success in Seville “will demand that other countries Fill the vacuum cleaner in world leadership And demonstrate a credible commitment to multilateral cooperation, which is essential to our survival, “said Jayati Ghosh, professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

The significant steps must include deep reforms of the international financial system. As it stands, it does not meet the needs of developing countries while firmly protecting the interests of richer nations.

Consider this: developing countries face interest rates at least twice as high as those paid by developed nations. And today, the average rates billed by private creditors at these countries have reached their highest levels in 15 years.

What help gives, debt removes

Developing countries spent a record of $ 1.4 billion in external debt service in 2023, the highest in 20 years.

At the same time, in 2024, more than 1.1 billion people live in developing countries where the external debt service represents more than 20% of government revenues, and almost 2.2 billion live in developing countries where the percentage is greater than 10%.

Payment of interest on this debt hinders development by preventing investments in health and education infrastructure services, to name only two examples.

The restructuring of the debt is therefore essential, because a large part of the hope of development is lost in the context and taking aid and debt.

Promote investments in what works

Eradicating hunger, advancing gender equality, protecting the environment, facing climate change and saving our oceans are not radical ideas.

Despite the affirmations of certain highly ideological points of view according to which the sustainable development objectives represent an extremist program, they are, in fact, a shared reference base – an urgent set of priorities that humanity requires and that the leaders of 193 countries were committed in 2015.

Despite the noise made by those who oppose development and multilateralism, they are a minority, explains the Spanish Secretary of State for International Cooperation.

Ana Granados Galindo considers Seville as “a world solidarity lighthouse”.

Meanwhile, while the world is preparing for FFD4, mathematics, statistics and Afghan women continue to work on their “development magic” of common sense.

The informal meeting on the UN80 initiative also allowed ambassadors to share their opinions on the reform agenda, spear by Secretary General António Guterres In March.

The UN80 is centered on three work components focused on efficiency and improvements, an implementation of the mandate and structural changes and the program’s realignment throughout the United Nations system.

UN improvement

It also aims to strengthen UN capacity to respond to global challenges such as conflicts, travel and climate crisis, while effectively managing external pressures, such as the narrowing of budgets and increasing political divisions.

“” I think that the initiative of the UN80 is often characterized, but I think I think, simply as an exercise in reducing the economy in the economy“Said Guy Ryder, an under-secretary general for the policy and the president of the working group supervising the plan.

“But the secretary general was quite clear by saying that While we must respond to the situation of resources, the overall intention of the initiative is to strengthen and improve the functioning of the United Nations system. »»

Find out why the UN80 counts in the world in our explanator here.

Generalized impact

Mr. Ryder alongside the United Nations Chandramouli Ramanathan controller (who prepares and supervises the budget and manages the organizations of the organization) presented updates on two hollows of work during the morning session of the meeting of a day.

He put the ground with a slideshow describing the background of the UN80 and the circumstances confronted with the UN today.

Over the years, he has adopted some 40,000 mandates delivered by “a constellation of fairly numerous and complex entities”, more than 140.

In 2023, the world organization provided some $ 69 billion in support and services worldwideWith “the lion’s share”, $ 31 billion or approximately 45%, going to humanitarian action.

This was followed by development, $ 21 billion (30%), peace and security, $ 9 billion (13%) and human rights, $ 1 billion or less than one percent.

“We believe that the world’s population, in one way or another … is linked to the United Nations World Agenda,” he said. In addition, some 440 million lives are directly affected by its development work and 140 million people in crisis situations receive support.

Resource reduction

Ryder said that the 69 billion dollars mark two years ago represented “a peak” and that it is estimated that the UN had $ 50 billion in resources available today in the midst of “a significant situation of uncertainty”.

This 30% reduction means: “We are at 380 million people that we are able to reach directly in development work, and we are 110 million to reduce the emergency situations of our humanitarian expenses.”

In the light of this context, “perhaps we can rationalize the way in which we implement the mandates that you put back; Perhaps we can optimize the structures that form this entities archipelago, ”he suggested.

“The success of the UN80 initiative depends on the possibility of increasing the impact that our work in the United Nations system has on the people we are here to serve.”

Proposals to improve efficiency

Mr. Ramanathan informed the workstream One delegates. He said that a working group was created to develop concrete proposals to improve efficiency, reduce duplication, normalize services and move functions to existing service stations, if applicable.

The “exhaustive list” includes measures such as the consolidation of existing human resources, finance and purchases in unified support centers. The process would start in New York and Geneva while they welcome the greatest number of entities and staff members of the secretariat.

Another proposal implies that centralized payroll operations in three global treatment centers, against 10 locations today.

The working group finalizes the proposals to be submitted to the Secretary General and “if they are approved, they will be integrated into the revised estimates for the budget of the program proposed in 2026 for the examination of the General Assembly before September 1,” said Ramanathan.

“Separately from the initiative of the UN80, we examine the program’s budget proposals for 2026 in order to obtain between 15 and 20% reduction for 2026, including a 20% reduction in the workforce, after reduction, but he emphasized the preservation of capacities at entry levels and the reduction of senior positions where it is possible,” he added.

A “universe of mandates”

Mr. Ryder returned in the current work course two, where the first step involved mapping “the universe of mandates” that the UN implements, initially emphasizing the departments and offices of the secretariat, peacekeeping operations, political missions, regional commissions and other bodies.

The Pact for the future And The 2030 agenda for sustainable development were among the most frequently mentioned mandates.

The global “landscape” of mandates means that the secretariat serves some 400 intergovernmental bodies and around 27,000 meetings each year and Processes approximately 2,300 pages of documentation on average each dayRaising around $ 360 million a year.

A register of mandate resources has been produced and a report should be available by the end of July which will shed light on the way.

Concern about the proposed budget cuts

During the session, several representatives expressed their point of view on the UN80, such as the Iraqi ambassador, Dr. Abbas Kadhom Obaid, who spoke on behalf of the 77 -year -old group and China.

He expressed his concerns about the budget reductions of 15 to 20% offered and the 20% reduction in staff, asking for more information on how these figures have been determined.

“This is important because we know that the departments, the divisions, in the funds, programs and agencies of the organization, vary considerably,” he said.

“We must also protect geographic and gender balance in the context of any reduction in staff. As the group has repeatedly reiterated, questions of transparency, responsibility and inclusiveness are essential during this process. ”

Adjustment for the future

The meeting took place a few days before the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations June 26, 1945, as President of the General Assembly Phillémon Yang noted in his opening remarks.

He said it was time to “think about the last 80 years and all that this organization has reached, and also for a while to turn to the future”, so that the UN can stay in shape – and ready for the next 80 years.

“We do not meet the minimum requirements to prevent women from being reduced to silence and to support their participation and their leadership in … the construction of peace”, Mr. Türk said.

25 years ago, the UN Security advice adopted a resolution which confirmed the vital role that women play in the prevention and resolution of conflicts and stressed the importance of putting an end to impunity for sexual violence in and around conflicts.

Since then, other resolutions have strengthened these principles and the United Nations agencies and their partners have worked to implement them. Although these works have led to trials that have held responsible authors, gender -based violence is becoming more and less widespread.

Justice is not the norm

Mr. Türk’s office has documented thousands of horrible cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo,, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory,, Haiti,, Sudan,, Ukraine and many other conflicts zones.

“Fighters are encouraged or responsible for victimizing women, often as a deliberate weapon of war – to terrorize communities and force them to flee; And to silence the voices of women who denounce war and seek to strengthen peace, “he said.

The financing and aid reductions also hamper the efforts of humanitarian workers and human rights agencies, hampering the provision of essential medical and psychosocial support for women and girls affected.

Mr. Türk noted that not to provide these essential services has long -term impacts on survivors and “leaves young girls and single women, pariah and traumatized”.

Brazil floods shifting the communities two years in a row

The United Nations Migration Organization (Iom) raised the alarm Tuesday on the heavy rains beating the southern state of Brazil of the Rio Grande Do Sul.

Since mid-June, more than 5,000 people have been moved, four have died, one person remains missing and 132 municipalities have reported damage.

This last disaster occurs only a year after record floods have forced many home communities, some now moved for the second time.

IOM response

The presence and partnerships of the IOM in the region were widened and reinforced during the 2024 crisis, allowing a rapid response in 2025.

This year, the organization focuses on supporting recovery efforts by providing technical expertise and helping the authorities to assess the needs and the development of long -term solutions.

The objective is to ensure that the aid reaches the most in need and that the systems are in place to help communities to rebuild themselves safely and permanently.

While being determined to support the inhabitants of the Rio Grande Do Sul, the IOM called for critical support: “As extreme weather events become more frequent and more intense, humanitarian action must go hand in hand with investments in preparation and resilience,” said Paolo Caputo, head of the IOM mission in Brazil.

The Nicaraguan dissident killed in Costa Rica is part of a model, say the experts

THE Group of human rights experts in NicaraguaIndependent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights CouncilOn Tuesday condemned the murder of exile Nicaraguan Roberto Samcam, saying that reports indicate that crime can be part of a wider diagram to silence dissidents abroad.

Mr. Samcam was killed in Costa Rica on June 19 by someone who landed a delivery man who pulled him five times before fleeing.

The victim was a retirement of the army who, in 2018, publicly denounced the current Nicaraguan government led by President Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo.

“We condemn the murder of Roberto Samcam in the strongest terms, and we welcome the rapid action of Costa Rica, in whom we have confidence, will denounce the motivations behind this terrible act and do his family justice,” said Jan-Michael Simon, president of the group.

A dissident sinenting model

Since 2018, when the security forces in Nicaragua have violently eliminated anti -government demonstrations, independent experts have documented numerous violations and alleged abuse of human rights.

More recently, in February, the United Nations group published a report warning that the repressive actions of the Nicaraguan State have extended beyond their territorial borders, affecting dissidents-real or perceived-living abroad.

“Nowhere in the world seems to be sure for the Nicaraguens opposed to the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo,” said expert Reed Broady.

Experts noted that there is information to indicate that there could be links with the murder of another Nicaraguan Rodolfo Rojas Cordero dissident in 2022 in Honduras and the twice murder of Jaoa Maldonado in 2021 and 2024.

“States must be responsible for having committed transbrication of human rights,” said Simon.

Independent rights experts are not UN staff, receive no salary for their work and independent of any government or organization.

The earthquake of March 28 measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, struck the central regions with a deadly forceKilling some 3,800 people and injuring more than 5,000, according to UN estimates.

The disaster has devastated the infrastructure and houses of Mandalay, Sagaing and Magway, moving tens of thousands of others in a country already struggling with more than 3.2 million people displaced internally (PDI) since the military coup of 2021.

“” Communities are still in shock from earthquakes – the strongest in the country has known in a century,“Said Jorge Moreira da Silva, executive director of United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), addressing journalists from the United Nations headquarters in New York by video of Beijing after a three -day visit to Myanmar.

“” The devastation caused by earthquakes has aggravated the existing challenges of the conflict, displacement and serious humanitarian needs.“”

Need exceeding resources

UNOPS, which maintains the largest United Nations presence in Myanmar with nearly 500 employees, mobilized $ 25 million in the weeks following the disaster and reached half a million people with rescue support.

“My colleagues worked quickly with partners to deliver emergency shelters, clean water and deploy infrastructure specialists for quick assessments,” Da Silva said.

However, he warned that much greater international support is necessary to meet the extent of needs.

The World Bank estimates the total damages at almost $ 11 billion, the complete reconstruction should cost two to three times more. Over 2.5 million tonnes of debris must also be authorized to allow recovery.

Mr. Da Silva stressed that reconstruction must be centered on people, inclusive and linked to peacebuilding efforts.

“We echo the calls of the whole UN for an end of violence”, he said. “” Recovery and reconstruction should support the trip from Myanmar to peace and reconciliation. Civilians must be a priority.“”

Women and girls face disproportionate risks

Humanitarian repercussions have struck women and girls particularly hard – many of whom were one of people killed or injured – and are now facing increasing risk of protection.

According to the United Nations Reproductive Health Agency, Unfpamore than 4.6 million women of reproductive age – including More than 220,000 currently pregnant – are at increased risks.

Damage to health establishments, aggravated by the floods and insecurity of the monsoon, disrupted access to emergency obstetric care and menstrual hygiene. Gender -based violence increases sharply in overcrowded and poorly enlightened shelters.

Pressure health system

THE Risk of water diseases Like cholera and vector diseases such as dengue and malaria also increase.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) while No major outbreaks had been reported on May 31, cases of acute aqueous diarrhea and skin infections turn.

The monsoon rains have aggravated the conditions in temporary shelters, where overcrowding and poor sanitation raise serious health problems. Mental health remains fragile, 67% of respondents in a recent survey reporting emotional distress linked to the earthquake and the current conflict.

WHO and its partners have delivered more than 300,000 doses of vaccines-including tetanus and rage-but access remains limited and underfunced health services.

Prolonged crisis

More than 3.25 million people stay inappropriate In Myanmar since the military coup in February 2021, with at least 176,000 others looking for refuge in neighboring countries, according to the refugee, the agency, Hcr.

This excludes hundreds of thousands of Rohingyas refugees from previous waves of violence.

Myanmar also remains One of the deadliest countries in the world for land mines and the explosive remains of war.

In the first nine months of 2024 only, 889 victims were reported – Reasons Fear that the toll could exceed the record of 1,052 deaths and injuries documented in 2023.