In the fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, housing remains one of the country’s most urgent humanitarian and recovery challenges. The destruction has been widespread and ongoing.
According to the latest Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, 13 per cent of Ukraine’s housing stock has been damaged since February 2022, impacting an estimated 2.5 million families.
In coordination with Ukrainian authorities and partners, UNHCR has invested over $114 million in durable housing solutions since July 2022, supporting both durable home repairs and emergency shelter assistance.
“By helping repair houses and apartments, we are enabling people to stay in or return to their homes – places that hold profound meaning, often passed down through generations,” said Karolina Lindholm Billing, UNHCR’s representative in Ukraine.
“These are not just buildings. These are treasured spaces where couples raised their children, families celebrated milestones, cared for older relatives and built their lives together,” she said.
UNHCR’s support includes a range of solutions: contracting local builders, providing construction materials or offering cash assistance to homeowners.
Repairs may include roofs, windows, insulation and in some cases, major reconstruction. The agency also helps restore common areas in apartment buildings.
Emergency shelter and long-term needs
UNHCR also provides emergency shelter kits – tarpaulin, wooden boards, nails and other materials – to help protect homes from further weather damage.
Since 2022, more than 470,000 people have received such kits.
With millions still internally displaced – many from areas under temporary occupation and with little prospect of return – UNHCR supports broader shelter options, including restoring social housing, repairing rural homes and refurbishing collective centres for the most vulnerable.
What little fuel remains is to feed the essential operations, but it is exhausted quickly, and there are practically no more additional accessible stocks, said UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, citing reports from the United Nations Coordination Office, Ochha.
“Hospitals ration. The ambulances are stoned. The water systems are by the edge. And the deaths that is likely to cause could soon increase unless the Israeli authorities allow a new fuel to penetrate, “said Dujarric.
“We need fuel urgently and we need it in large quantities to feed the most essential parts, including water desalination, hospitals and telecommunications,” he added, noting that fuel has not entered the enclave in recent months.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue to attack civil infrastructure in Gaza and issues new travel orders.
Tuesday, such orders were issued for certain parts of Khan Younis, specifically commanding those who stay in tents to move, reported Mr. Dujarric.
The card published in parallel with the order indicates that certain areas included had not been subjected to travel orders since the ceasefire in March, he said.
“The issuance of a displacement order does not relieve any part of the imperative to save civilians, including those who cannot or do not want to move.”
Backup hospitals
Mr. Dujarric also reiterated the United Nations World Organization (WHO) Call to protect the Nasser medical complex in Khan Younis, warning that the hospital is overwhelmed by trauma injuries to double its capacity.
In a video message sent from the hospital on Monday, Rik Peeperkorn, which is representative of the occupied Palestinian territory, said that the installation was extremely low on trauma supplies, essential drugs, equipment and fuel, and that the staff are exhausted.
Humanitarian movements
Meanwhile, OCHA reported that humanitarian movements inside Gaza remain strongly restricted: only four attempts out of 12 on Monday to coordinate movements with the Israeli security authorities have been fully facilitated and a single supply of supplies.
Four other attempts were rejected by the Israeli authorities, interrupting efforts to evacuate patients, recover disabled trucks or release debris.
Although the other four were initially approved, obstacles at ground level have finally undermined the ability to carry out the missions.
“I have survived a genocide,” said Munira Subašić, whose youngest son – her favourite – and 21 other family members were murdered in the July 1995 Srebrenica massacre.
“And the world and Europe was just watching in silence.”
Now president of the Mothers of Srebrenica and Žepa, Ms. Subašić spoke at a special commemoration, urging global leaders not to forget the past and to deliver justice for the victims and survivors.
“When you kill a mother’s child, you have killed a part of her,” Ms. Subašic said.
The 1995 genocide, perpetrated by the Bosnian Serb army, led to the killing of at least 8,372 men and boys, the displacement of thousands and destruction of entire communities in Srebrenica – which had been designed a “safe area” by the UN Security Council.
A small and lightly armed unit of Dutch peacekeepers under the UN flag were unable to resist the large Bosnian Serb force, which overran the town of Srebrenica.
Last year, the General Assembly designated 11 July as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration for the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica.
An exhibition marking the 30-year anniversary of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica is held at UN headquarters in New York.
Remember and honour the victims
Speaking on behalf of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray paid tribute to those who lost their lives and to the courage of their families.
“Today we remember and honour the victims. We pay tribute to the strength, dignity and resilience of the survivors,” he said.
Mr. Guterres, in his message, said the international community must continue to stand against hatred, division, and denial.
“Only by recognizing the suffering of all victims can we build mutual understanding, trust, and lasting peace,” he said. “We must ensure the voices of Srebrenica survivors continue to be heard – countering denial, distortion and revisionism.”
The dangers of forgetting
UN officials expressed concern over ongoing efforts to deny the genocide and glorify those convicted of war crimes. They warned that such narratives can fuel division and hinder reconciliation.
“Education remains our strongest defence against the erosion of memory,” said Philémon Yang, President of the General Assembly. “We must not only remember history, but learn from it so that tragedies like Srebrenica are never repeated.”
Learning from the past is especially important today – the Secretary-General noted that the same “dangerous currents” which led to the genocide in Srebrenica are present again in the world today.
“After Srebrenica, the world said – once again – ‘Never Again.’ Yet, hate speech is on the rise again, fuelling discrimination, extremism and violence,” Mr. Guterres said.
A family scattered
Mirela Osmanović, a young professional at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, was born after the genocide but lives with its impact. Two of her brothers were killed. Some of their remains were found, but parts of their bodies are still missing. Their absence, she said, weighs on her family daily.
“My parents forbade themselves any joy while their sons, my brothers, lay somewhere in the ground, incomplete, scattered across mass graves – as if every smile would be betrayal, as if happiness might mean forgetting.”
The pain of this loss is always with her family even as the world promised that Srebrenica would never happen again.
“We were given words, resolutions, statements, solemn promises of ‘never again,’” she said. “And yet, 30 years later, we are still asking what does ‘never again’ mean?”
A new generation, still asking questions
Ms. Osmanović speaks frequently with young people around the world who ask what happens when violence ends.
“What happens when the headlines fade, when the graves are found and facts are clear? Does justice follow?”
Her answer is that justice does not follow often enough.
“Justice if it comes too late or only on paper cannot restore trust. And peace without dignity is not peace at all.”
Years of commemoration
In 2015, UN News spoke to Adama Dieng, the Secretary-General’s special advisor on the prevention of genocide, who underlined the importance of remembering the Srebrenica genocide.
Interview with former special advisor Adama Dieng.
“I survived a genocide,” said Munira Subašić, whose youngest son – his favorite – and 21 other family members were murdered during the Srebrenica massacre in July 1995.
“And the world and Europe looked at just in silence. »»
Now president of the mothers of Srebrenica and žepa, Ms. Subašić took the floor during a special commemoration, urging world leaders not to forget the past and to do justice to the victims and the survivors.
“” When you kill a mother’s child, you have killed part of her“Said Ms. Subašic.
The worst atrocity of Europe since the Second World War
The 1995 genocide, perpetrated by the Bosnian Serbian army, led to the murder of at least 8,372 men and boys, the displacement of thousands and the destruction of whole communities in Srebrenica – which had been designed “safe zone“By the UN Security advice.
A small unit slightly armed with Dutch peacekeeping soldier under the United Nations flag could not resist the great Bosnian Serbian force, which passed the city of Srebrenica.
Last year, the General Assembly appointed on July 11 as the International Day for Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica.
An exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica takes place at the UN headquarters in New York.
Remember and honor the victims
Speaking in the name of the UN Secretary General António GuterresThe chief of staff Courtenay Cetrayed paid tribute to those who lost their lives and the courage of their families.
“” Today, we remember and honor the victims. We pay tribute to the strength, dignity and resilience of survivors“He said.
Mr. Guterres, in his message, said that the international community should continue to stand against hatred, division and denial.
“” It is only by recognizing the suffering of all the victims that we can build a mutual understanding, a confidence and a lasting peace,“He said. We must make sure that the voices of Srebrenica survivors continue to be heard – counter denial, distortion and revisionism. »»
The dangers of forgetting
UN officials expressed themselves by continuous efforts to deny the genocide and glorify recognized people guilty of war crimes. They have warned that such stories can feed the division and hinder reconciliation.
“” Education remains our strongest defense against the erosion of memorySaid philled Yang, President of the General Assembly. “We must not only remember the story, but to learn so that tragedies like Srebrenica are never repeated. »»
Learning from the past is particularly important today – the secretary general noted that the same “dangerous currents” which led to genocide in Srebrenica are again present in the world today.
“” After Srebrenica, the world said – again – “never again”. However, the speech of hatred is again increasing, fueling discrimination, extremism and violence,“Said Mr. Guterres.
A dispersed family
Mirela Osmanović, a young professional of the Srebrenica Memorial Center, was born after the genocide but lives with its impact. Two of his brothers were killed. Some of their remains have been found, but parts of their body are always missing. Their absence, she said, weighs on her family daily.
“” My parents prohibited themselves from joy while their sons, my brothers, lying somewhere in the soil, incomplete, dispersed through mass pits – as if each smile was betrayal, as if happiness could mean forgetting. “”
The pain of this loss is still with his family even if the world has promised that Srebrenica would never happen again.
“We have been given words, resolutions, declarations, solemn promises of” never again, “she said. “And yet, 30 years later, we always ask what” never means “? »»
A new generation, always asking questions
Ms. Osmanović frequently speaks with young people around the world who ask for what is happening at the end of violence.
“What happens when the big titles are sounded, when the tombs are found and the facts are clear?” Does justice follow? ”
His answer is that justice does not follow often enough.
“” Justice if it comes too late or only on paper cannot restore confidence. And peace without dignity is not peace at all. “”
Years of commemoration
In 2015, UN News spoke to Adama Dieng, the special advisor of the secretary general on the prevention of the genocide, who stressed the importance of remembering the genocide of Srebrenica.
Office spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani cited Kenyan police reports of at least 11 deaths, 52 injured police officers, and 567 arrests. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights reported slightly different figures: at least 10 fatalities, 29 injuries, 37 arrests, and two abductions.
Protests erupted in 16 counties, with police reportedly using live ammunition, rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons.
Ms. Shamdasani also noted reports of looting and destruction of public and private property in several locations.
This week’s violence follows the deaths of 15 protesters and hundreds of injuries during demonstrations on 25 June in Nairobi and elsewhere.
Those protests were initially triggered by the anniversary of last year’s anti-tax demonstrations, which left at least 60 deaths and dozens allegedly abducted by the police.
The protests on Monday marked the 35th anniversary of the 1990 Saba Saba protests, which paved the way to multi-party democracy in Kenya.
Call for accountability
Ms. Shamdasani said that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, “repeats his call for all reported killings and other alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law, including with respect to use of force, to be promptly, thoroughly, independently and transparently investigated.”
She noted that Kenyan police announcement of an investigation into the 25 June incidents and added that the UN human rights office stands ready to support national authorities in their efforts, including on the investigations.
She stressed that under international law, law enforcement may only use lethal force when strictly necessary to protect life from an imminent threat.
High Commissioner Türk also renewed his call for calm, restraint, and full respect for the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
“It is essential that legitimate grievances at the root of these protests are addressed,” Ms. Shamdasani said.
The EU has given the final green light for Bulgaria to introduce the euro on 1 January 2026. Joining the euro area will bring tangible benefits to Bulgarian citizens and businesses: no more currency exchange costs, increased price transparency, easier cross-border payments and access to finance.
The EU has given the final green light for Bulgaria to introduce the euro on 1 January 2026. Joining the euro area will bring tangible benefits to Bulgarian citizens and businesses: no more currency exchange costs, increased price transparency, easier cross-border payments and access to finance. Source link
The situation is particularly dire in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur province, which has witnessed some of the worst episodes of the ongoing conflict between rival militaries.
Those remaining in El Fasher are facing “extreme shortages” of food and clean water, with markets repeatedly disrupted, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told journalists at the regular news briefing in New York.
Across the city, nearly 40 per cent of children under five are suffering from acute malnutrition, including 11 per cent with severe acute malnutrition.
Most of the surrounding water infrastructure has also been destroyed or rendered non-functional due to minimal maintenance and fuel shortages, Mr. Dujarric added.
Since April 2023, an estimated 780,000 people have been displaced from El Fasher town and the nearby Zamzam displacement camps, including nearly 500,000 in April and May of this year.
Famine conditions have been confirmed in the area since last August.
About three-quarters of Zamzam camp’s residents fled to various locations across Tawila, where the UN and its partners have scaled up critical humanitarian assistance.
Cholera outbreak continues
Mr. Dujarric further warned that the breakdown of water and sanitation services, combined with low vaccination coverage, has sharply increased the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera.
So far this year, Sudan has reported more than 32,000 suspected cholera cases.
According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) cholera cases continue to rise across Darfur, with over 300 suspected cases and more than two dozen deaths reported in South Darfur state last week alone.
“Conflict and collapsing infrastructure continue to drive the spread of the disease and impede response efforts,” Mr. Dujarric stressed.
Unprecedented and complex crisis
Since war erupted between the former allies-turned-rivals, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in April 2023, tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and more than 12 million forced to flee their homes – including approximately four million as refugees in neighbouring countries.
The crisis is unfolding against a backdrop of extreme vulnerability, as the country remains highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change and disasters.
From severe droughts to deadly floods, the compounded effects of conflict and environmental instability are pushing communities to the brink, leaving them struggling to survive. Famine has already been declared in some parts of the country, putting millions of lives at risk.
Lack of resources hamstring response
Despite growing needs, the $4.2 billion humanitarian response plan for 2025, which aims to assist around 21 million of the most vulnerable people, remains only 21 per cent funded, having received $896 million received so far.
Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, underscored the gravity of the situation in El Fasher.
Civilians in the area remain cut off from aid and face the risk of starvation, he said in a post on social media.
Appealing for an urgent humanitarian pause, he warned that that “every day without access costs lives.”
Remarks by Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe after the Eurogroup meeting on his reappointment as President of the Eurogroup, budget policy coordination for 2026, the international role of the euro, Bulgaria’s adoption of the euro, the digital euro and EIB’s initiatives to support the savings and investment union.
Adopted with 116 votes in favour, 12 abstentions and 2 against (Israel and United States), the resolution highlighted the multifaceted crises confronting Afghanistan nearly four years after the Taliban’s return to power, calling for greater international support for the Afghan people and a renewed push for human rights, peace and stability.
It emphasised the need for a coherent approach among humanitarian, political and development actors, and raised alarm over the “grave, worsening, widespread and systematic oppression” of all women and girls in Afghanistan, calling on the Taliban to swiftly reverse policies that exclude them from education, employment and public life.
The text further called for adherence to Afghanistan’s obligations under international law, including human rights and humanitarian principles.
The 193-member General Assembly reiterated its “serious concern” over continuing violence and the presence of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaida, Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) and their affiliates ISIL-Khorasan and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and “demanded” that Afghanistan not be used as a safe haven for terrorist activity.
Beyond security, the resolution stressed Afghanistan’s severe economic collapse, widespread poverty and spiralling humanitarian crisis, urging Member States and donors to scale up principled, sustained assistance.
It also highlighted the growing threat of natural disasters such as floods and droughts, which worsen food insecurity and economic fragility.
“Sustainable and lasting peace can be achieved only through long-term social, economic and political stability, which requires full respect for civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights as well as commitment to inclusive and representative governance,” the resolution stated.
Result of the UN General Assembly vote on the draft resolution on Afghanistan.
Needs surge amid refugee returns
The resolution comes at a time of intensified strain on Afghanistan’s overstretched humanitarian system.
According to UN agencies, waves of returns from Pakistan and Iran – including both refugees and those in refugee-like situations – have increased pressure on services, especially in border provinces ill-equipped to absorb new arrivals.
These returns, many of them involuntary or under duress, have heightened protection risks and left thousands of families in urgent need of food, shelter and basic services.
Theresolution called on all donors and stakeholders to “reconsider any decisions that may lead to reductions in such assistance, taking into account the potential adverse humanitarian consequences for the most vulnerable populations.”
Governance and accountability
The Assembly also reiterated concern over the lack of political inclusion since the Taliban takeover in August 2021.
It raised alarm over extrajudicial punishments, such as reprisals and summary executions, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions, including those targeting former members of the security personnel.
While the Assembly acknowledged the Taliban’s limited steps to reduce opium cultivation, it stressed the need for comprehensive counter-narcotics measures and efforts to combat organized crime and illicit arms trafficking.
UN General Assembly votes on the draft resolution on Afghanistan.
A call for collective responsibility
The resolution expressed appreciation to major refugee-hosting countries – particularly Pakistan and Iran – and called for more equitable burden-sharing and international cooperation to support displaced Afghans and the communities that host them.
It underlined the importance of creating conditions for the safe, dignified and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as their sustainable reintegration.
