February 2026 | Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Amid widening inequality and growing strain on public trust, the United Nations’ main intergovernmental forum on social policy concluded its annual session with renewed calls to transform global commitments into concrete national action.

The Commission for Social Development, meeting at UN Headquarters in New York from 2 to 10 February, marked its first session since the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha in 2025.

---

A post-Doha moment

The session focused on advancing social justice through coordinated, equitable and inclusive policies, reflecting concerns that fragmented policymaking is slowing progress on poverty eradication and decent work.

Lok Bahadur Thapa, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), warned that:

• Widening inequality
• Demographic shifts
• Rapid digital and green transitions

are testing social cohesion worldwide.

Responding with integrated, people-centred policies, he said, is not just a policy choice but a moral imperative.

---

What is the Commission for Social Development?

Established in 1946 under United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Commission is the UN’s primary body dedicated to social development.

Over decades, it has shaped global frameworks on:

• Poverty eradication
• Employment and decent work
• Universal social protection
• Inclusion of vulnerable groups

Its work builds on landmark agreements such as:

• The 1995 Copenhagen Declaration
• The 2025 Doha Political Declaration

---

From commitments to delivery

In a message to delegates, Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized that Doha signalled a shift toward more ambitious, coordinated action.

More than 700 NGOs participated in the session, underscoring strong civil society engagement.

“If Copenhagen, Doha and the 2030 Agenda are where we drew the map, then the Commission sets us on the road,” she said.

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock stressed that social development is the foundation of peace and long-term stability.

---

Coordinating policy in a changing world

Delegates repeatedly highlighted the need for policy coherence by aligning:

• Employment strategies
• Universal social protection floors
• Inclusive health and education systems
• Just-transition measures

Emerging issues discussed included:

• Labour market disruption
• Artificial intelligence and digital transformation
• Demographic change
• Climate-related stress

While new technologies pose risks, delegates agreed they can accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development if governed inclusively.

---

Youth mental health in focus

A key moment of the session was the launch of the World Youth Report on Youth Mental Health and Well-being.

Youth representatives highlighted:

• Rising anxiety linked to economic uncertainty
• Climate stress
• Conflict exposure
• Digital harms

They called for preventive, community-based, and youth-responsive mental health strategies.

---

Resolutions adopted

At the close of the session, Member States endorsed two draft resolutions:

1. Advancing social development and social justice through coordinated and inclusive policies
2. Addressing social dimensions of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development

The outcomes will inform:

• The High-Level Political Forum in July
• ECOSOC’s broader policy work
• Preparations for a high-level review of social development commitments in 2031

10 February 2026 | Peace and Security

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region could trigger another humanitarian and human rights crisis, urging all parties to de-escalate immediately.

Situation “highly volatile”

Volker Türk said the region remains deeply fragile after the devastating 2020–2022 war, and that recent clashes risk undoing hard-won but fragile gains.

“The situation remains highly volatile and we fear it will further deteriorate,” he said, warning of worsening human rights and humanitarian conditions.

---

Background: A war that uprooted millions

Between 2020 and 2022, fighting between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigray forces—reportedly involving Eritrean troops—killed tens of thousands and displaced over two million people.

Today, approximately one million people remain internally displaced, still struggling to rebuild their lives.

---

Renewed clashes

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), fighting intensified on 26 January near the Amhara border between:

• The Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF)
• The regional Tigray Security Forces (TSF)

The TSF reportedly withdrew from the Tselemti area on 1 February.

Heavy weaponry, including drones and artillery, has been used by both sides.

Reports also indicate:

• Arrests of civilians perceived as affiliated with opposing forces
• Ongoing clashes in southern and southeastern Tigray
• Fighting between TSF and the rival “Tigray Peace Forces” faction

Türk stressed that civilians are once again caught between rival forces.

“This must stop,” he said, calling for independent investigations into alleged abuses.

---

Pretoria Agreement under strain

UN officials are urging parties to recommit to the Pretoria Agreement, the 2022 peace deal that formally ended the previous war.

Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani warned that:

• Confidence-building measures have stalled
• The return of internally displaced persons has not progressed as expected
• New clashes could erupt “at any point”

---

Regional tensions with Eritrea

The High Commissioner also raised alarm over rising tensions between Ethiopia and neighbouring Eritrea, warning that disputes linked to Tigray could destabilize the wider Horn of Africa.

Reports of Eritrean troop presence and growing diplomatic friction heighten fears of renewed cross-border escalation.

“We cannot afford a return to what happened in 2020 and 2021,” Shamdasani said.

6 February 2026 | Peace and Security

The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to pose serious risks to nuclear safety, as repeated attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure disrupt power supplies to nuclear facilities, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog has warned.

Grid strikes threaten nuclear operations

According to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi, recent military activity targeting Ukraine’s electrical grid has once again impacted nuclear power plant operations.

Over the weekend:

• Power lines connecting Ukraine to neighbouring countries were disconnected
• Electricity supply disruptions occurred across multiple regions
• One nuclear reactor unit automatically shut down due to grid fluctuations
• Other units reduced power output to maintain safety

At the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, the site of the 1986 disaster, offsite power was completely lost, forcing reliance on emergency diesel generators for roughly one hour.

Grossi described the situation as a reminder of the “ever-present risks to nuclear safety and security” caused by deteriorating grid conditions.

---

The Seven Indispensable Pillars

In March 2022, shortly after the invasion began, the IAEA established seven core safety principles to protect Ukraine’s nuclear facilities during armed conflict.

These include:

1. Maintaining the physical integrity of nuclear facilities
2. Ensuring reliable offsite power supply
3. Protecting radiation monitoring systems
4. Guaranteeing operational staff can perform duties without pressure
5. Securing communication systems
6. Protecting supply chains
7. Ensuring emergency preparedness measures remain intact

Grossi called for maximum military restraint to allow essential repairs and to uphold these pillars.

---

IAEA inspections continue

As damage to the energy grid accumulates, three IAEA technical teams are conducting a two-week mission to inspect 10 substations critical to nuclear safety.

Their objectives include:

• Assessing ongoing infrastructure damage
• Reviewing repair progress
• Identifying ways to strengthen resilience of offsite power supplies

This is the second such mission in two months. A December inspection already confirmed the cumulative strain on plant operations and staff.

---

WHO Appeals to Protect Ukraine’s Health System

Alongside nuclear safety concerns, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a $42 million appeal for 2026 to support healthcare services for approximately 700,000 people.

Since early 2022:

• More than 2,800 attacks on healthcare facilities have been verified
• Repeated strikes on energy infrastructure have disrupted hospitals
• Nearly half the population reports mental health concerns

WHO aims to sustain:

• Emergency and trauma care
• Primary healthcare services
• Medical evacuations from frontline areas

Last year alone, WHO supported nearly two million people, including over 1,200 medical evacuations.

Dr. Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine, warned:

“Ukraine’s humanitarian health needs remain immense, and the pressure on the health system is not easing.”

3 February 2026 | Humanitarian Aid

Sudan is now the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency, the United Nations’ top relief official warned at a donor conference in Washington, DC, calling for urgent funding and stronger diplomatic action as the conflict approaches its third year.

“Too many days of famine and brutality”

Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, said the conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has plunged millions into famine, displacement and extreme vulnerability.

“There have been too many days of famine, of brutal atrocities, of lives uprooted and destroyed,” he said, highlighting that women and girls continue to face “terrifying sexual violence.”

Fighting began in April 2023 and rapidly spread across a country already struggling with political instability, ethnic tensions and climate shocks.

---

Move from concern to concrete action

Mr. Fletcher urged governments and regional powers to shift from statements of concern to practical measures:

• Increased humanitarian funding
• Political pressure for a ceasefire
• Guarantees of safe humanitarian access

The UN supports diplomatic efforts led by the “Quad” —

• United States
• Egypt
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates

These efforts aim to secure a humanitarian truce and demilitarize key areas to allow aid to reach civilians.

“The guns must fall silent and a path to peace must be charted,” Fletcher said.

---

UN 2026 humanitarian response plan

Under its 2026 response framework, the United Nations aims to reach more than 20 million people across Sudan.

To do so, it requires approximately $2.9 billion in funding.

However, money alone is not enough. Fletcher stressed that:

• Aid workers must have safe, unhindered access
• Civilians must be protected
• Blockades and bureaucratic obstacles must end

“Let today be at last the signal that the world is uniting in solidarity for practical impact,” he said.

---

Crisis intensifies on the ground

While diplomatic discussions continue, fighting has escalated in parts of South Kordofan. Media reports indicate government forces entered Kadugli after months of siege and recently broke the blockade of Dilling.

Meanwhile, displacement continues to surge.

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):

• 11.7 million people have been forcibly displaced
  • 7 million internally displaced
  • 4.5 million have fled to neighbouring countries

In camps and makeshift settlements, displaced families face:

• Severe food shortages
• Limited healthcare
• Inadequate water and sanitation
• Insufficient shelter
• Disrupted education

United Nations peacekeepers temporarily suspended patrols and several operational activities along parts of the Blue Line in southern Lebanon after the Israeli military announced it would release what it described as a non-toxic chemical substance near the frontier.

According to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the incident occurred north of the Blue Line on Sunday morning, leading to the suspension of more than a dozen peacekeeping activities for over nine hours.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) advised peacekeepers to stay clear of the area during the operation.

---

Toxicology tests underway

Peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) assisted the Lebanese Armed Forces in collecting samples of the substance for toxicological analysis.

As of Monday afternoon, results of the tests had not yet been released.

The incident has raised concerns not only about troop safety but also about potential risks to:

• Civilians living near the frontier
• Agricultural land
• Long-term efforts to stabilize border communities

---

What is the Blue Line?

The Blue Line stretches roughly 120 kilometres along Lebanon’s southern border. It was established by the United Nations in 2000 as a “line of withdrawal” to confirm Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon.

It is not an internationally recognized border, but it serves as a key reference point for maintaining calm between Lebanon and Israel.

UN officials reiterated concerns about flight activity across the Blue Line, noting that such actions violate United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah and defines UNIFIL’s mandate.

---

Broader security context

Tensions along the Blue Line have remained fragile since renewed cross-border violence erupted following the outbreak of the Gaza war. A cessation of hostilities agreement was signed in November 2024, but sporadic incidents have continued.

UNIFIL emphasized that this was not the first time unknown substances had reportedly been dropped from aircraft over Lebanon. The mission called on the IDF to halt such activities and cooperate with peacekeepers to preserve stability.

“Any activity that may put peacekeepers and civilians at risk is of serious concern,” said Mr. Dujarric.

The UN reiterated its call for all parties to fully comply with Security Council resolution 1701 and to avoid actions that could escalate tensions or endanger civilians.

Holocaust survivor Marion Blumenthal Lazan delivered a deeply moving testimony at the United Nations Holocaust Memorial ceremony in New York, urging people everywhere to confront hatred by choosing “love, respect and compassion” in their daily lives.

Addressing the General Assembly Hall alongside one of her great-grandchildren, Mrs. Lazan recounted her childhood under Nazi persecution—describing a journey from a comfortable life in northwest Germany to detention, deportation, and survival in Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.

“We children saw things that no one, no matter what the age, should ever have to see,” she told delegates.

---

From ordinary life to persecution

Born in Hoya, Germany, Mrs. Lazan described how her family’s life changed dramatically after the Nuremberg Laws of 1935 stripped Jewish families of their rights.

On Kristallnacht in November 1938, their home was ransacked and her father was deported to Buchenwald concentration camp, released only weeks later because the family had secured emigration papers.

In 1939, the family fled to the Netherlands, hoping to reach the United States—but history intervened.

---

Trapped and deported

After Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, the family was interned in Westerbork transit camp, which later became a departure point for mass deportations to extermination camps.

“Every Tuesday morning, men, women and children were marched to the trains,” she recalled.
“Of the 120,000 deported from Westerbork, 102,000 never returned.”

In January 1944, nine-year-old Marion and her family were transported in cattle cars to Bergen-Belsen, arriving on a freezing, rain-soaked night.

---

Life in Bergen-Belsen

Mrs. Lazan described conditions of extreme overcrowding, starvation, disease and terror:

• 600 people crammed into barracks built for 100
• One thin blanket for two people in bitter winter cold
• Minimal food—often just bread and watery soup
• No sanitation, soap, or privacy
• Regular roll calls lasting all day without food or water

She recalled treating frostbite with urine for warmth, tripping over uncollected bodies, and living in constant fear.

“Fear was the worst emotion to deal with,” she said.

---

A child’s survival instincts

To cope, she created games of imagination. One superstition sustained her: if she could find four matching pebbles, it meant her family would survive.

Her mother’s courage and strength, she said, were decisive in her survival. She recalled a moment when boiling soup spilled onto her leg during a secret cooking attempt—and how, at age ten, she knew that crying out could mean death.

---

Liberation and loss

In spring 1945, the family was transported again—this time toward extermination camps in Eastern Europe. After 14 days without food or water, their train was liberated by the Soviet army near Troibitz, Germany.

Only 500 of the 2,500 people on board survived.

Though liberated, tragedy continued. Mrs. Lazan’s father died of typhus six weeks later, after years of imprisonment and abuse.

---

Rebuilding life in the United States

In 1948, Marion, her mother, and brother emigrated to the United States, settling in Illinois. Unable to speak English, she was placed in a fourth-grade class at age 13.

Through determination, night work, and summer school, she graduated high school ranked among the top students in her class. She later married, raised a family, and today celebrates five generations of survival.

---

A message to the world

Holding the yellow star she was forced to wear as a child, Mrs. Lazan warned of the dangers of hatred and dehumanisation.

“Each and every one of us must do everything in our power to prevent such hatred from recurring.”

Her message was simple—and urgent:

“How we treat, behave, and reach out to one another—that is entirely up to us.”

“Do not let negativity win. Choose love, respect and compassion.”

Sugary drinks and alcohol are too cheap and too widely available in much of the world, fuelling rising rates of obesity, diabetes, cancer and injury, the World Health Organization warned on Tuesday.

In response, WHO is urging governments to significantly increase and redesign taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and alcoholic drinks, following the release of two new global reports showing that current tax levels remain insufficient in many regions.

“Health taxes have been shown to reduce consumption of these harmful products, helping to prevent disease and reduce the burden on health systems,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“At the same time, they generate revenue that can be invested in health, education and social protection.”

---

What the new reports show

Sugary drinks

The WHO report on sugar-sweetened beverage taxes finds that:

• 116 countries tax sugary drinks such as sodas and carbonated beverages
• However, many high-sugar products escape taxation, including:
  • 100% fruit juices
  • Sweetened milk drinks
  • Ready-to-drink coffees and teas

As a result, consumers often switch to equally sugary alternatives that remain untaxed.

Alcohol

The report on alcohol taxation shows that:

• 167 countries tax beer, wine and spirits
• Yet alcohol has become more affordable or stayed the same price in most countries since 2022
• This is largely because taxes are not adjusted for inflation or rising incomes

---

Why it matters for public health

Regular consumption of sugary drinks is strongly linked to:

• Excess weight and obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Dental decay and osteoporosis

Alcohol consumption is associated with:

• Increased risks to maternal and child health
• Higher exposure to communicable and non-communicable diseases
• Mental-health harm
• Greater risk of injury and violence

WHO stresses that raising taxes consistently leads to lower consumption of these harmful products.

---

Proof that taxes work

WHO Director-General Tedros highlighted the United Kingdom as a successful example. After introducing a sugary drinks tax in 2018:

• Sugar consumption fell
• The policy generated £338 million in revenue in 2024 alone
• Obesity rates declined among girls aged 10–11, particularly in deprived communities

---

A broader health push

The call to raise beverage taxes is part of a new WHO health initiative aimed at reducing:

• Tobacco use
• Harmful alcohol consumption
• Excessive intake of sugary drinks

WHO is urging governments to see health taxes not as punishment, but as a proven, cost-effective tool to:

• Save lives
• Reduce pressure on health systems
• Fund essential public services

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a detailed public response expressing deep regret over the United States’ decision to withdraw from the UN health agency, warning that the move will leave both the US and the global community less safe.

In a statement released on Saturday, WHO directly addressed and rejected claims made by the US administration that the agency had compromised its independence, acted politically, or disrespected US sovereignty.

The agency said the allegations are factually incorrect, stressing that it has always engaged with the United States “in good faith, with full respect for its sovereignty.”

WHO strongly denied claims that it pursued a politicised agenda driven by countries hostile to US interests, reaffirming that it is impartial, science-based, and committed to serving all Member States without fear or favour.

---

Defending WHO’s COVID-19 response

A significant portion of the statement responds to accusations that WHO mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic or obstructed the timely sharing of information.

WHO countered that it:

• Acted rapidly and transparently
• Shared all verified information as soon as it became available
• Issued guidance based on the best available scientific evidence

The agency clarified that while it recommended masks, vaccines, and physical distancing, it never mandated lockdowns, vaccines, or mask requirements, as such decisions fall under national authority.

---

Timeline of early pandemic actions

WHO detailed its early response to COVID-19:

• 31 December 2019: After reports of “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan, China, WHO requested information from Chinese authorities and activated its emergency incident management system.
• 11 January 2020: By the time China reported the first death, WHO had already alerted the world through formal channels, public briefings, and social media, convened global experts, and issued technical guidance to countries.
• 30 January 2020: WHO declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)—the highest level of global health alarm—when there were fewer than 100 cases outside China and no reported deaths.

During the early months of the crisis, the WHO Director-General repeatedly warned countries that “the window of opportunity is closing,” calling COVID-19 “public enemy number one.”

---

Learning and reform

WHO acknowledged that the pandemic prompted multiple independent reviews of the global response, including the agency’s own performance. In response, WHO said it has:

• Strengthened internal systems
• Supported countries to improve pandemic preparedness
• Enhanced surveillance, data-sharing, and emergency coordination mechanisms

The agency stressed that these systems have contributed to global safety before, during, and after the pandemic—including for the United States.

---

Door remains open for US return

Despite the withdrawal notice, WHO said it remains committed to cooperation and hopes the United States will re-engage in the future.

The agency highlighted the recent adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement, calling it a landmark international legal instrument designed to strengthen prevention, preparedness, and response to future global health threats.

As a founding member of WHO, the United States has played a central role in some of the organisation’s greatest achievements, including:

• The eradication of smallpox
• Progress against polio, HIV, Ebola, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria
• Efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance, food safety threats, and neglected tropical diseases

---

WHO’s closing message

The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of WHO’s core mission:

“WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries to advance the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people.”

The United Nations is raising alarm over a sharp increase in government-imposed internet shutdowns, warning that digital blackouts are becoming a widespread tool that undermines freedom of expression, access to information, and basic human rights.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), at least 300 state-sponsored internet shutdowns were recorded across more than 54 countries over the past two years.

In a statement released this week, UNESCO said governments are increasingly cutting internet access during protests, elections, and periods of political crisis, despite the essential role connectivity plays in democratic participation and daily life.

---

A record-breaking trend

UNESCO cited data from civil-society watchdog Access Now, which found that 2024 was the worst year on record for internet shutdowns since monitoring began in 2016.

The agency warned that the trend has continued into 2026, with blanket shutdowns already imposed in several countries facing major demonstrations or electoral processes.

“Access to information is an integral part of the universal right to freedom of expression,” UNESCO said, emphasizing that internet connectivity also underpins rights to education, assembly, association, and participation in public life.

Rather than restricting access, UNESCO urged governments to adopt policies that expand connectivity and protect digital civic space.

---

Fuel for misinformation

UN experts warn that shutdowns often worsen the very crises they claim to address.

When journalists, public authorities, and humanitarian actors are cut off from digital communication:

• Verified information becomes scarce
• Rumours and disinformation spread more easily
• Public trust erodes

Digital blackouts, UNESCO noted, create information vacuums that are quickly filled by unverified or misleading content.

---

Shutdowns during protests and elections

Recent months have seen a surge in high-profile shutdowns and platform bans:

• Iran: In January 2026, authorities imposed a near-total nationwide blackout during renewed protests, with internet traffic dropping to minimal levels and severe disruption to businesses, media, and civil society.
• Afghanistan: The Taliban ordered a nationwide shutdown between September and October 2025, further restricting humanitarian aid, journalism, and access to education—particularly for women and girls.
• Nepal: Authorities suspended access to 26 social media and messaging platforms in September 2025 amid political unrest.
• Sri Lanka: A 2024 law granting sweeping powers to restrict online content has raised concerns about shrinking digital civic space.
• Cameroon and Tanzania: Election-related internet disruptions were reported around national polls in October 2025, drawing criticism over broader crackdowns on civil freedoms.

---

Severe human-rights consequences

The warnings echo findings from a 2022 report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which examined the global impact of internet shutdowns.

The report documented how shutdowns can:

• Prevent hospitals from contacting doctors in emergencies
• Deprive voters of information about candidates
• Cut small businesses off from customers and income
• Leave protesters unable to call for help during violent crackdowns

OHCHR concluded that internet shutdowns rarely meet international human-rights standards, particularly the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

Because of their indiscriminate nature, shutdowns often affect millions of people unrelated to the stated security concern, deepening digital divides and undermining social and economic development.

---

A growing global challenge

As governments increasingly turn to digital blackouts as a control mechanism, UN agencies warn that the world risks normalizing a practice that weakens democracy, restricts rights, and harms the most vulnerable.

UNESCO and human-rights experts continue to call for:

• Stronger international norms against shutdowns
• Judicial oversight and transparency
• Recognition of internet access as a cornerstone of modern human rights

After nearly three years of devastating conflict, Sudan has fallen into what the UN human rights chief describes as “an abyss of unimaginable dimensions.” Yet amid the suffering, he says, the resilience of the Sudanese people endures.

Speaking in Nairobi after a five-day mission to Sudan, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he had witnessed “a chronicle of cruelty unfolding before our very eyes”, while also encountering extraordinary courage and solidarity among civilians.

He urged all actors with influence—including regional players and those supplying weapons or profiting from the conflict—to take urgent action to end the war.

---

A people not broken

Mr. Türk last visited Sudan in November 2022, when he was inspired by civil society leaders, particularly women and young people who led the 2018 revolution.

Today, he said, the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has affected every part of the country. Yet the core aspirations of the Sudanese people—for peace, justice and freedom—remain intact.

“I bore witness in Sudan to the trauma of unspeakable brutality,” he said,
“but also to the resilience and defiance of the human spirit.”

---

Young people on the frontlines of aid

During his visit, Mr. Türk met volunteers—many of them young—who are organising and delivering humanitarian assistance under extreme conditions.

Often facing bureaucratic obstruction, detention, and violence, they continue to support their communities.

One volunteer told him:

“The price of war is being paid by young people. Sudanese youth are on the frontlines, serving those most in need.”

---

Attacks on civilian infrastructure

The High Commissioner strongly condemned attacks on essential civilian infrastructure, including the Merowe dam and hydroelectric power station, which once supplied 70 per cent of Sudan’s electricity.

Repeated drone strikes—attributed to the RSF—against such facilities, he warned, are serious violations of international law and may amount to war crimes.

He called on both parties to immediately halt attacks on:

• Markets
• Health facilities
• Schools
• Shelters
• Other objects indispensable to civilian survival

---

Displacement, grief and shattered childhoods

Mr. Türk met people displaced from El Fasher in North Darfur, now living more than 1,200 kilometres away in camps such as Al Afad.

Among them:

• A four-year-old child who lost his hearing due to bombardment
• A three-year-old who no longer smiles
• A woman who saw her husband and only son killed and remains bedridden from trauma and a gunshot wound

“These are wounds that go far beyond the physical,” he said.

---

Sexual violence as a weapon of war

The rights chief described systematic sexual violence as one of the most horrifying features of the conflict.

“In Sudan, women and girls’ bodies have been weaponized,” he said.

He shared the testimony of *Aisha (20)**, who was abducted while fleeing El Fasher. Her brother was shot when he tried to protect her, and her mother beaten as she begged the attackers to take her instead.

Sexual violence, Mr. Türk stressed, is being used deliberately as a weapon of war—a grave crime under international law.

---

Risk of further atrocities

Mr. Türk warned that crimes committed in El Fasher risk being repeated in the Kordofan region, where fighting has intensified.

This comes amid:

• Famine conditions in Kadugli
• High risk of famine in Dilling and surrounding areas

He also condemned the growing use of advanced weaponry, including drones, saying it is “despicable” that vast sums are spent on arms instead of relieving civilian suffering.

---

Militarisation and shrinking civic space

The High Commissioner raised alarm over:

• Arming of civilians
• Recruitment and use of children
• Targeting of journalists and civil society through intimidation and smear campaigns

Such trends, he warned, are accelerating the breakdown of Sudanese society.

---

A plea to put people first

Mr. Türk concluded by urging all parties to:

• Protect civilians and civilian infrastructure
• Guarantee safe passage for those fleeing conflict
• Allow unimpeded humanitarian access
• Release civilians detained for alleged “collaboration”
• Account for missing persons and treat detainees humanely

“I urge all those involved to set aside power games and personal interests,” he said,
“and focus on the common interests of the Sudanese people.”

Human rights, he emphasized, must be central to ending the war and building sustainable peace.

“This is difficult,” he acknowledged,
“but certainly not impossible—with the resilience and power of the Sudanese people.”

*Name changed for protection.