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Global perspective Human stories

Stigmatised for being deaf: Zénabou's story

In the Central African Republic, disability carries a deep-rooted stigma, and persons with disabilities often find themselves excluded from almost every avenue of life. Zénabou, who is deaf and non-speaking, has suffered from prejudice, but a UN-backed educational programme offers a glimmer of hope.

7 June 2025

US decision to sanction ICC judges ‘deeply corrosive’ to justice: UN rights chief

The US Government’s announcement of sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday has been condemned by Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as “deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice.”

6 June 2025

Humans can't survive without a healthy Ocean: UN envoy

The Ocean is in deep crisis. Factors such as acidification, declining fish stocks, rising temperatures and widespread pollution are contributing to a catastrophic decline in biodiversity: over half of marine species are at risk of extinction this century.

6 June 2025

Green gold beneath the waves: How seaweed – and one man’s obsession – could save the world

As world leaders gear up for the Third UN Ocean Conference in Nice, one policy expert is making waves with an ancient marine organism he believes could help feed the planet, clean the air, and transform coastal economies. 

6 June 2025

Number of aid workers killed in Gaza conflict, highest in UN history: Guterres

The United Nations paid tribute on Thursday to the 168 staff members who lost their lives in 2024. They include 126 personnel killed in Gaza, all but one of whom served with the UN agency that assists Palestine refugees, UNRWA. 

5 June 2025

From summits to street art to schools: Here’s how we’re marking World Environment Day

5 June marks the 52nd World Environment Day, led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and hosted by Jeju, South Korea, under the theme #BeatPlasticPollution. 

5 June 2025

World News in Brief: Women’s health in Sudan, childhood wasting, Belarus trade unions, Guatemala child rights violation

As hostilities rage in Sudan, access constraints and devastating funding cuts are isolating rape survivors and pregnant women from essential health services, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNFPA said on Thursday. 

5 June 2025

AIDS still killing one person every minute as funding cuts stall progress

AIDS-related deaths have dropped to their lowest level since 2004, but progress remains precarious, with the disease still claiming one life every minute. The impact of funding cuts is severe, causing widespread disruption to HIV services and threatening hard-won gains. 

5 June 2025

UN hails new era of cooperation over Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile – but concerns persist

The UN’s top disarmament official has welcomed signs of increased cooperation from Syria’s interim authorities in efforts to eliminate the country’s chemical weapons once and for all, as preparations move forward for a third round of inspections by international experts.

5 June 2025

‘It is an elephant’: Ukraine’s unexploded mine problem

In Ukraine, overnight attacks continued into Thursday morning, resulting in 45 casualties and significant damage to civilian infrastructure, the UN has reported. 

5 June 2025