(Humanitarian Aid – Sudan) New analysis of hunger and malnutrition in war-torn Sudan has revealed sharp contrasts along conflict lines, three UN agencies reported on Tuesday. Although food security has begun to improve in areas where fighting has subsided, famine has taken hold in conflict-hit locations that have been cut off from aid or under siege, according to the latest UN-backed IPC food security analysis. Famine conditions have been confirmed in Darfur’s El Fasher and Kadugli, where “people have endured months without reliable access to food or medical care,” the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and child rights agency UNICEF said in a joint release. – Famine declared in two Sudanese cities cut off by war, fragile gains elsewhere | UN News
(Humanitarian Aid – Jamaica) More than 1.5 million Jamaicans have been impacted by the devastation resulting from Hurricane Melissa, many losing their homes and livelihoods. More than 130 roads were blocked, power and communication networks disrupted, while health services remain under heavy strain, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA). “Up to 360,000 people may require food assistance”, underscored the World Food Programme (WFP). Access to some western parishes continue to be difficult due to debris and fuel shortages, OCHA said. – Half of Jamaica’s population reeling from Hurricane Melissa | UN News
(Health – Syria) Hopes for a peaceful future in post-war Syria are at risk as funding for basic services dries up, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. The development comes 11 months after the country’s devastating civil war ended with the overthrow of the Assad regime by opposition forces loyal to new President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. Today, as Syrians return home in increasing numbers, the shattered country faces chronic shortages of inward investment, medicines, power and equipment. According to the WHO, only 58 per cent of hospitals and 23 per cent of primary healthcare centres are fully functional today. – Syria’s future under threat from acute funding shortages | UN News
(Climate and Environment) Available new climate pledges by governments have only slightly lowered global temperature rise over the course of this century, leaving the world on the path to a serious escalation of climate risks and damages. The warning comes in the latest Emissions Gap Report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), issued on Tuesday ahead of the COP30 climate conference which opens in Belém, Brazil, next week. Nearly a decade has passed since world leaders adopted the Paris Agreement, which aims to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and preferably to a 1.5°C threshold. – New climate pledges do little to correct global warming projection, UN warns | UN News
(Peace and Security – Gaza) Any transition in Gaza must uphold unity with the West Bank and a two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians, the UN Secretary-General said in Doha on Tuesday. António Guterres was speaking at a press conference during the Second World Summit for Social Development in the Qatari capital. He was asked about coordination with Israel and US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza which includes deploying a temporary international stabilization force to the enclave, developed by the US, Arab and international partners. – Potential Gaza stabilization force must have Security Council approval: Guterres | UN News
(Peace and Security – Gaza) Food is slowly returning to the shelves in Gaza but supplies are still desperately inadequate, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday, as they issued fresh calls for wider access and continued financial support. Last month, hundreds of thousands of people returned to northern Gaza – where famine was declared at the end of August – but their access to food is “severely limited”, said Abeer Etefa, Senior Spokesperson at the World Food Programme (WFP). And while many returnees have found their homes in ruins, the displaced who remain in the south are “often living in tents and without access to food and services”, she warned. – Gaza: Aid teams race to push back hunger; one million food parcels delivered | UN News
(SDGs – Second World Summit for Social Development) Education took centre stage on the opening day of the Second World Summit for Social Development in Doha, where leaders, educators and youth advocates underscored that learning is the foundation of inclusive and resilient societies. The vast Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) – filled with delegations, students, civil society groups and policymakers from around the world – reflected the scale of the moment. Nearly 14,000 participants are registered for the Summit, which brings together governments, international organizations and community actors to shape a people-centred vision for social development over the next decade. – Doha Social Summit: Path to fairer societies begins in the classroom | UN News
(SDGs – Second World Summit for Social Development) – Against a backdrop of escalating geopolitical tension and widening social divides, global leaders at the Second World Summit for Social Development on Tuesday adopted the Doha Political Declaration, signalling renewed resolve to advance justice and inclusion worldwide. The adoption of the Declaration demonstrates a shared pledge by governments to tackle poverty, create decent work, combat discrimination, expand access to social protection, and protect human rights. It also emphasises that social development is not only a moral imperative, but also a precondition for peace, stability and sustainable growth. The Summit convened over 14,000 stakeholders under one roof, including more than 40 Heads of State and Government, 170 ministers, leaders of international organizations, youth representatives, civil society actors and experts. At Doha’s Qatar National Convention Centre, delegates moved between meeting rooms and lively networking spaces buzzing with students, activists and community leaders – underscoring that social development is not the work of governments alone. – World leaders adopt Doha declaration to boost efforts on social development | UN News
(Women) – Since 1990, the number of people using modern contraception methods has doubled globally but despite this, nearly 224 million women in mainly developing regions still do not use safe and effective family planning methods, according to the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, UNFPA. The increased use reflects a major health success that has allowed millions of young people to avoid unintended pregnancy and exercise choice over their futures, but UNFPA said that “for far too many, the basic human right to choose whether to have children continues to be undermined.” – Around 224 million women still don’t access family planning | UN News
