Africa

A widespread campaign sought to "silence and suppress" protesters, Amnesty International says.

The US-based Trinidadian rapper addressed the UN in New York alongside Trump administration officials, making claims that lack evidence.

Recently, President Donald Trump made an unexpected and stark reversal from his previous position of opposing the release of the Epstein files. Credit: Shutterstock

By Joseph Chamie
PORTLAND, USA, Nov 19 2025 (IPS)

With the longest shutdown of the U.S. government now over, the White House, Congress, the media, and the public have shifted their attention to the contentious and highly political issue of releasing the files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The White House’s resistance to releasing Epstein-related documents brings to mind the famous line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet that the U.S. president “doth protest too much, methinks.”

For many, the president’s continued denials of any wrongdoing suggest the opposite is true.

According to a Marist poll conducted in October, 77% of the U.S. public support the release of all files relating to Jeffrey Epstein. Another 13% want some of the Epstein files released, while only 9% don’t want any documents released (Figure 1).

 

Source: Marist poll.

According to other polls, a majority of the U.S. public, 67%, believe that the government is covering up evidence and 61% think the Epstein files contain embarrassing information about the president (Figure 2).

 

Source: Polls of The Economist/YouGov, the Washington Post, and University of Amherst.

 

A similar percentage, 63%, believe the president is hiding important information, while 61% disapprove of the president’s handling of the Epstein files. Additionally, 53% believe the files are sealed because the president is named in them.

Much of the country’s population believes that the president does not want the Epstein files released because the information contained within is criminal or embarrassing. In a national poll conducted in July, a majority of the U.S. public, 61%, thought that the Epstein files contain embarrassing information about the president.

Democratic lawmakers and some Republicans in Congress are pushing for the release of all Epstein files and actively working towards a Congressional vote to make it happen.

Furthermore, a bipartisan group of Congressional lawmakers believes that releasing the Epstein files is a moral imperative that will help bring justice to more than a thousand victims and prioritize truth over political convenience. In addition, a group of Epstein’s victims are featured in a new ad calling on Congress to pass the pending legislation.

In addition to acknowledging its widespread support among the U.S. public, the president’s reversal also seems to recognize that supporters of the measure to release the Epstein files have enough votes to pass it in the House. However, the president never truly needed the approval of Congress, as he has the power to release the files himself

Recent news reports indicate that the White House is now in panic mode. In addition to criticizing Democrats who are pushing for a Congressional vote, the president has spoken out strongly against Republican lawmakers who support the release of the Epstein files.

Further complicating matters are the newly released documents from Jeffrey Epstein’s estate that contain several messages referencing the U.S. president. Additionally, a review by the Wall Street Journal found that the U.S. president was mentioned in more than 1,600 of the 2,324 email threads.

Despite this, the president continues to object to the release of the Epstein files, claiming it is a Democrat-manufactured hoax. He further asserts that there is nothing in the Epstein files that would incriminate him. The president’s supporters argue that the issue is merely a fake narrative intended to smear and slander him.

The Epstein files refer to the extensive collection of documents related to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the pedophile ring that victimized hundreds of children.

On August 10, 2019, prison guards claimed that Epstein had apparently committed suicide in his prison cell while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Initially expressing suspicion about the suicide, the country’s attorney general described Epstein’s death as “a perfect storm of screw-ups,” Subsequently, Epstein’s death unleashed conspiracy theories online suggesting that he was killed to prevent him from incriminating others.

For example, in 2011, Epstein wrote the following to Ghislaine Maxwell, his associate and aide: “I want you to realize that the dog that hasn’t barked is trump … (victim) spent hours at my house with him.” In 2018, Epstein further wrote, “I am the one able to take him down and you see, I know how dirty donald is”.

The president’s name also appeared in Epstein’s correspondence, indicating that he was aware of Epstein’s activities. Despite previously praising Epstein as a “terrific guy”, the president now claims that they barely knew each other.

National polling data from mid-2025 shows that nearly half of the U.S. public, about 46%, believed the president was involved in Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.

A growing number of the U.S. population support the release of the Epstein files to ensure all information is available, allowing the innocent to go free, and ensuring the guilty face judgment.

After months of attempting to delay or prevent a vote and a discharge petition by Democrats, joined by four Republicans, the House of Representatives reached the 218-signature threshold. On 18 November, the House voted on legislation to compel the Department of Justice to release all its case files tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

After the legislation passed 427 to1 in the House, the Senate considered mandating the release of the files. Similar to the House, the Senate decided to pass the bill by unanimous consent without any objections raised. The legislation is now on track to reach the president’s desk for his signature, despite his previous attempts to kill it.

Recently, the president made an unexpected and stark reversal from his previous position of opposing the release of the Epstein files. The president called on House Republicans to support a proposal to release files connected to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, stating that “we have nothing to hide, and it’s time to move on from this Democrat Hoax”.

In addition to acknowledging its widespread support among the U.S. public, the president’s reversal also seems to recognize that supporters of the measure to release the Epstein files have enough votes to pass it in the House. However, the president never truly needed the approval of Congress, as he has the power to release the files himself.

Furthermore, the president’s reversal allows him to claim support for transparency. It is also seen as a strategic move that shifts the responsibility onto Congress, limits politically damaging defections by Republican lawmakers, and avoids a likely political setback.

This move also has the potential to use the ongoing investigation as a way for the administration to control the timing and extent of future document releases, especially those concerning the president’s ties to the sex offender. The situation is further complicated by the president’s call for the U.S. Attorney General to investigate several Democrats, with these investigations serving as a justification for withholding the files.

With both the Senate and the House having passed bills for the release of the files, the legislation is now being sent to the president for his approval or veto. However, it is unclear when the files could be released and whether they would satisfy those advocating for the complete release of the Epstein files.

In a significant change to his political strategy, the president recently announced that he would sign the Epstein files bill if Congress passed it. However, as he has done in the recent past, the president could change his mind upon reviewing the legislation and decide to veto it.

At this point, it seems unlikely that the president will veto the legislation as Congress has the power to override his veto with a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

If all the files related to Jeffrey Epstein are released, the information they contain has the potential to trigger the largest scandal in the history of the United States presidency. Such a scandal could compel the president to say something similar to the line from Hamlet: “Adieu, adieu, adieu. Remember me.”

Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division, and author of many publications.

Arsenal announce the club will end their eight-year sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

Arsenal announce the club will end their eight-year sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda at the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how learners, teachers, and creators engage with education across the continent. A new wave of AI innovation transforming learning across countries on the African continent — from chat-based tutors to hybrid hubs and gamified farms. Credit: UNICEF
 
Through initiatives such as Digital Skills for Africa, Lumo Hubs, and Luma Learn, innovators are breaking barriers of access, cost, and language to build inclusive, localized learning systems.

By Franck Kuwonu
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 19 2025 (IPS)

“Sometimes the best way to grasp a concept,” says Chris Folayan, co-founder and executive officer of Luma Learn, “is to learn it in your native language.”

Seventeen-year-old South African Simphiwe is one of more than 10,000 learners already using Luma Learn, an AI-powered tutor platform. For him, artificial intelligence isn’t an abstract idea: it is a personal tutor that is patient, consistent, and always online.

When on his phone, he’s not always chatting with a classmate or scrolling through social media. Many times, he’s studying physics with Luma Learn, that replies instantly, even in IsiZulu, his mother tongue.

Across several countries on the African continent, innovators like Folayan, Nthanda Manduwi, and Anie Akpe are reimagining what education can look like: localised, practical, and accessible to anyone with a phone or connection.

Together, they’re building a new learning ecosystem: one where AI isn’t replacing teachers but multiplying their reach.”

Nthanda Manduwi: Turning digital skills into interactive ecosystems

“I’ve always believed that technology can democratize opportunity,” says Nthanda Manduwi, founder of Digital Skills for Africa (DSA) and Q2 Corporation. “AI gives us a real chance to leapfrog the barriers that have slowed Africa’s progress, from infrastructure gaps to unequal access to training.”

Her journey began with Digital Skills for Africa, a platform designed to equip young people with practical tech competencies from AI and automation to no-code tools and digital marketing.

“Our courses like ‘Effective Use of AI’ or ‘AI and the Future of Digital Marketing’ were created to help learners not only understand AI but actually apply it,” she explains. “You leave with real, marketable skills you can use to build something or get hired.”

But scaling that vision revealed a challenge many edtech startups face. “We realised enthusiasm alone doesn’t pay the bills,” she says. “There was low willingness to pay for courses, even from institutions. So, we had to rethink how to make digital learning sustainable.”

That rethink led to Q2 Corporation, her new venture linking learning with livelihood. Under Q2’s umbrella sits Kwathu Farms—an innovative gamified agricultural simulator where users learn how to manage farms, predict supply chain issues, and test business models before investing real money.

“AI makes the learning immersive,” Ms. Manduwi explains. “Through simulations, learners can see how weather or market shocks affect yield, and how small decisions impact entire value chains. It turns agriculture into a classroom. And a business lab.”

Behind these simulations run Q2’s proprietary engines, NoxTrax and AgroTrax, which apply AI to real-time logistics and resource management. “It’s about showing that AI isn’t just for coders,” she says. “It’s for farmers, small businesses, anyone who wants to think and plan more intelligently.”

Ms. Manduwi’s mission remains rooted in access. “For Africa to truly benefit from AI, it can’t be an elite tool. It must live where people already are: on their phones, in their communities, in local languages.”

Anie Akpe: Creating spaces where AI meets human creativity

Where Ms. Manduwi builds ecosystems, Anie Akpe builds spaces. Through her work with African Women in Technology (AWIT)and Lumo Hubs, Ms. Akpe has spent over a decade helping innovators, especially women, turn curiosity into competence.

“With AWIT, I started by organising conferences across the continent,” she recalls. “We created safe spaces where women could connect with mentors and learn skills that weren’t taught in schools: digital literacy, entrepreneurship, coding, design.”

Soon, even male students began asking to participate. “That’s when I realized it wasn’t just about women in technology. It was about us (Africans) finding a place in a digital world that was changing fast.”

The next step came naturally. “When AI began to disrupt industries, I saw that we couldn’t just talk about skills. We had to create environments where people could use those skills,” she says. “That’s how Lumo Hubs was born.”

Each hub combines education, creativity, and entrepreneurship. “In one space, you might find a student learning AI-assisted graphic design, a seamstress using AI to plan production, and a young podcaster recording a show in a studio powered by the hub,” Ms. Akpe explains. “The model is hybrid, physical and digital, so even small towns can host a Lumo Hub.”

She is also deliberate about sustainability. “Community members pay; students pay less. It’s important that we don’t depend only on grants,” she says. “That balance keeps the hubs alive and the learning continuous.”

At the heart of Lumo Hubs lies mentorship. “You can’t separate technology from human guidance,” Akpe insists. “AI helps scale learning, but mentorship builds confidence.” Her approach remains rooted in empowerment. “AI can level the playing field if used right. A young person in Lagos or Uyo doesn’t have to wait for opportunity. They can create it.”

Chris Folayan: A tutor that never sleeps

For Chris Folayan, the idea behind Luma Learn came from a simple observation: “The continent doesn’t just have an access problem. It has a teaching gap too.”

According to UNESCO, Sub-Saharan Africa will need 15 million new teachers in the next five years to meet demand. “With classrooms that sometimes have over 100 students per teacher, no one can give every child the help they need,” Mr. Folayan says. “That’s where Luma Learn steps in.”

Luma Learn is an AI tutor that runs on WhatsApp, not a separate app.

“We chose WhatsApp for a reason,” he explains. “It’s already on most phones, it’s free to message, works on low bandwidth, and keeps data safe through encryption. That means a child in a rural area can learn without worrying about internet costs or app installations.”

The platform adapts to the learner’s grade level, curriculum, and preferred language. “Whether you need algebra in English or history in Swahili, Luma Learn can teach, quiz, and explain at your level,” he says. “It learns how you learn.”

Mr. Folayan shares two powerful testimonies. In Durban, a mother named Happyness wrote that her son, after years of illness, seizures, and missed schooling, caught up with the rest of the class with help from Luma Learn.

“Every time Vuyo wants to know something about school, we just ask Luma! What’s great is that Luma explains in our native language, IsiZulu.”

In another case, Simphiwe, a Grade 11 student from KwaZulu-Natal, sent over 1,200 messages to Luma. “Luma Learn wasn’t just another study resource,” he said. “It became the personal teaching assistant I desperately needed.”

Shared goals: One vision, many pathways

Three innovators. Three different models. One shared purpose: to make AI work for Africa’s learners, not the other way around. Across their stories, several threads stand out.

First, access—from WhatsApp tutors to open learning hubs to gamified ecosystems that teach real-world problem-solving.

Second, localisation—learning in local languages, within familiar tools, and around community realities.

Third, empowerment—every model links knowledge directly to opportunity.

From Ms. Manduwi’s gamified farms to Ms. Akpe’s creative hubs, to Mr. Folayan’s WhatsApp tutor, future classrooms are already here — decentralised, digital, and deeply human.

As Ms. Manduwi puts it, “We must stop treating AI as something imported. It’s a tool we can mold to fit our own systems.”

Ms. Akpe echoes that sentiment: “Africa doesn’t lack talent. It lacks platforms that meet learners where they are.”

And Mr. Folayan completes the picture: “No teacher wants their student left behind. With AI, we can make sure no one is.”

At the end of the day, a student in Durban learns physics through Luma. A young designer in Uyo experiments with AI tools at a Lumo Hub. A farmer in Lilongwe tests market scenarios on Kwathu Farms. Each represents a different face of the same revolution — a continent using intelligence, both human and artificial, to learn without limits.

As Ms. Akpe says: “The vision is simple: a generation that doesn’t just survive AI disruption but thrives because of it.” And as Ms. Manduwi concludes: “AI is not a threat to Africa. It’s our greatest chance to catch up. And lead.”

Anie Akpe and Chris Folayan were participants at the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI): Unstoppable Africa2025, held in New York City on the margins of the UN General Assembly in September. The platform helps foster networking, exposure to potential business partners, and garner support for their initiatives.

Source: Africa Renewal, United Nations

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Thousands of women have been raped in Ethiopia’s Amhara conflict, BBC Global Women finds.

Thousands of women have been raped in Ethiopia’s Amhara conflict, BBC Global Women finds.

We did not start this fire, but we are being handed the bill. The wealthy country’s bill. It’s time to pay it.The USD 1.3 trillion roadmap is only a starting point; delivery and accountability are the real tests of success. —Evans Njewa, Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group on Climate Change

Tanzania relies on foreign loans, but "what happened eroded our global credibility", President Samia says.

The kingdom acknowledges for the first time it received cash as part of a deal with Trump's administration.

Kumi Naidoo with Brazilian First Lady Janja Lula da Silva and Brazilian Cultural Minister Margareth Menezes and others at a panel called “Narratives and Storytelling to Face the Climate Crisis” during the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30). Credit: Aline Massuda/COP30

By Joyce Chimbi
BELÉM, Brazil, Nov 18 2025 (IPS)

Decades ago, a little girl was born in a place called Cleveland, Ohio, in the heart of the United States of America. Born to a woman from the deep South, the place of Martin Luther King, her mother left her ancestral lands for the economic opportunities in the north.

“Off she went, making it all the way to the east side of Cleveland,” says Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith. “To the place where most people who look like me lived, and still live, and are subjected to policies of injustice, race and gender.”

Here, she found a more pressing issue.

“I couldn’t breathe, my mother couldn’t breathe, and we all couldn’t breathe,” she narrates.

This urbanization, driven by fossil fuels, occurred in Cleveland, Ohio, where her mother relocated and where her relatives still live today. During the Great Migration, over six million people of African descent traveled from the South, believing that economic opportunities would be better in the North.

Rev. Dr Angelique Walker-Smith, regional president of the World Council of Churches, speaks at an event titled ‘Faith for Fossil Free Future.’ Credit: IPS

“Upon our arrival, we discovered that we just couldn’t breathe.”

As one of eight regional presidents representing the World Council of Churches, Walker-Smith says for the World Council of Churches in over 105 countries, over 350 million adherents, and over 350 national churches all over the world, supporting the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty “is all about the issue of injustice, life and life more abundantly.”

“We are saying yes to the transition from fossil fuels to renewable life-giving energy.”

Kumi Naidoo, a prominent South African human rights and environmental justice activist and the President of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, says if the goal is renewable life-giving energy, the world has been going the wrong way for the past 30 years.

“If you come home from work and see water coming from the bathroom, you pick up the mop. But then you realized you left the tap running and the sink stopper on. What will you do first? Of course! You’ll turn off the water and pull the stopper. You will not start mopping the floor first.”

“For 30 years since the time science told us we need to change our energy system and many of our other systems, what we’ve been doing is mopping up the floor. If fossil fuels—oil, coal, and gas—account for 86 percent of what drives climate change, then we must turn off the tap.”

Masahiro Yokoyama was speaking at an event titled Faith for a Fossil-Free Future co-sponsored by Soka Gakkai International. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS

Naidoo was speaking at an event titled ‘Faith for Fossil Free Future’ co-sponsored by several organizations, including Soka Gakkai International (SGI), Laudato Si’ Movement, GreenFaith—a global interfaith environmental coalition and EcoJudaism, a Jewish charity leading the UK Jewish Community’s response to the climate and nature crisis.

He spoke about the contradiction of the climate talks at the doorsteps of the Amazon, while licensing for drilling is still ongoing in the Amazon even as the people in the Amazon protest, calling for a fossil-free Amazon.

Continuing with the thread of contradictions, Naidoo said, “Some of you might be shocked that even though fossil fuels are 86 percent of the cause of climate change, it took 28 years before the words ‘fossil fuels’ could even be mentioned in the COP document. It is as absurd as Alcoholics Anonymous holding 28 years of conferences before they get the backbone to mention alcohol in an outcome document. If we continue on this path, we'll warm up the planet to the point where we destroy our soil and water, and it becomes so hot we can't plant food. The end result is that we'll be gone. The planet will still be here. And the good news is, once we become extinct as a species, the forests will grow back, and the oceans will recover.

“And actually, staying with that analogy, can you imagine how absurd it is that the largest delegation to this COP this year, last year, and every year is not even the host country?

“It’s not even Brazil—for every 25 delegates that are attending the COP, one of them is from the fossil fuel industry. That’s the equivalent of Alcoholics Anonymous having the largest delegation to its conference annually from the alcohol industry.”

People, groups and movements of different faiths and consciousness are increasingly raising their voices in robust support of a rapid fossil fuel phase-out, a massive and equitable upsurge in renewable energy, and the resources to make it happen—in the form of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Naidoo says the treaty is “a critical success ingredient for us not (only) to save the planet, but to secure our children and their children’s future, reminding ourselves that the planet does not need any saving.

“If we continue on this path, we warm up the planet to the point where we destroy our soil and water, and it becomes so hot we can’t plant food. The end result is that we’ll be gone. The planet will still be here. And the good news is, once we become extinct as a species, the forests will grow back, and the oceans will recover.”

This treaty is a proposed global agreement to halt the expansion of new fossil fuel exploration and production and to phase out existing sources like coal, oil, and gas in a just and equitable manner.

The initiative seeks to provide a legal framework to complement the Paris Agreement by directly addressing the supply side of fossil fuels.

Its ultimate goal is to support a global transition to renewable energy and is supported by a growing coalition of countries, cities, organizations, scientists, and activists. More importantly, it has multi-faith support.

Masahiro Yokoyama of the SGI, which is a diverse global community of individuals in 192 countries and territories who practice Nichiren Buddhism, spoke about the intersection between faith and energy transition and why the fossil fuel phase-out cannot wait.

“The just transition is also about how young people in faith can be the driving force to transformations.”

“So, a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty, in my view, is not only about phasing out other fossil fuels but it also represents an ethical framework.”

“It’s a way to move forward while protecting people’s livelihoods and dignity within the context of the environment and also the local business and economies. So, a just transition is not merely a technical issue but a question of ethics, inclusion and solidarity,” Masahiro Yokoyama said.

The most pressing issue at hand is how to implement the treaty in the current environmental context.

“The pathway that we are following is a pathway that has been followed before. We are not going to negotiate this treaty within the COP or within the United Nations system. We’re going to do what the Landmine Treaty did.

“The landmine treaty was negotiated by 44 countries outside of the UN system and then brought to the UN General Assembly for ratification. The second question that people ask, justifiably, is, what about the powerful exporting countries, for example?” Naidoo asked.

“They’re not going to sign it. And to that we find answers in the landmine treaty. Up to today, the United States, Russia and China have not signed the Landmine treaty. But once the treaty was signed, the social license to continue as business as usual was taken away. And you saw a drastic change.”

Note: This article is brought to you by IPS Noram in collaboration with INPS Japan and Soka Gakkai International in consultative status with ECOSOC.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Excerpt:

Some of you might be shocked that even though fossil fuels are 86 percent of the cause of climate change, it took 28 years before the words 'fossil fuels' could even be mentioned in the COP document. It is as absurd as Alcoholics Anonymous holding 28 years of conferences before they get the backbone to mention alcohol in an outcome document. —Kumi Naidoo, President of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty

By External Source
Nov 18 2025 (IPS-Partners)

 
I greet the particular Churches of the Global South gathered at the Amazonian Museum of Belém, joining the prophetic voice of my brother Cardinals who have taken part in COP 30, telling the world with words and gestures that the Amazon region remains a living symbol of creation with an urgent need for care.

You chose hope and action over despair, building a global community that works together. This has delivered progress, but not enough. Hope and determination must be renewed, not only in words and aspirations, but also in concrete actions.

The creation is crying out in floods, droughts, storms and relentless heat. One in three people live in great vulnerability because of these climate changes. To them, climate change is not a distant threat, and to ignore these people is to deny our shared humanity. There is still time to keep the rise in global temperature below 1.5°C, but the window is closing. As stewards of God’s creation, we are called to act swiftly, with faith and prophecy, to protect the gift He entrusted to us.

The Paris Agreement has driven real progress and remains our strongest tool for protecting people and the planet. But we must be honest: it is not the Agreement that is failing, we are failing in our response. What is failing is the political will of some. True leadership means service, and support at a scale that will truly make a difference. Stronger climate actions will create stronger and fairer economic systems. Strong climate actions and policies, both are an investment in a more just and stable world.

We walk alongside scientists, leaders and pastors of every nation and creed. We are guardians of creation, not rivals for its spoils. Let us send a clear global signal together: nations standing in unwavering solidarity behind the Paris Agreement and behind climate cooperation.

Let this Amazonic Museum be remembered as the space where humanity chose cooperation over division and denial.

And may God bless all of you in your efforts to continue caring for God’s creation. In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit. Amen.

 

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South Africa assistant coach Mzwandile Stick claims the Springboks have been treated unfairly following red-card incidents in their wins over France and Italy.

Agroecology strengthens food sovereignty by encouraging local production and consumption. —Elizabeth Mpofu, Zimbabwean farmer

We need to protect the future of the millions of boys and girls on the frontlines of the climate crises around the world. I want world leaders to understand that this future starts now and, with urgency, position education at the core of climate resilience. —Adenike Titilope Oladosu, ecofeminist and Pan-African climate activist

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), briefs reporters on UNRWA's services across the occupied Palestinian territories and UNRWA' s ongoing operations. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 18 2025 (IPS)

After nearly two years of conflict between Hamas and Israel, displaced Palestinians in Gaza have begun returning home as humanitarian organizations work to restore essential, life-saving services. Despite recent progress, the United Nations (UN) and its partners continue to face major obstacles in reaching the most vulnerable populations due to ongoing insecurity and heightened restrictions. With winter fast approaching—and expected to further worsen living conditions—sustained aid operations remain critical.

Roughly one month into the ceasefire, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported ongoing daily bombardments of residential areas in zones where Israeli forces remain deployed, particularly in eastern Khan Younis and eastern Gaza City. The agency has also documented multiple ceasefire violations along the “Yellow Line,” leading to numerous civilian casualties.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, between October 29 and November 5, bombardments resulted in 15 Palestinian deaths and 24 injuries. An additional 31 bodies were recovered from the rubble of collapsed buildings. The Ministry further reports that since the start of the ceasefire, 241 Palestinians have been killed and 609 injured.

Philippe Lazzarini, the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), observed that the humanitarian situation in Gaza firmly hinges on the stability of the ceasefire. “A ceasefire that merely prolongs the absence of war without charting a viable path to peace would only repeat the disastrous mistakes of the past,” Lazzarini wrote in a Guardian op-ed on November 10. “A truly peaceful future requires a genuine investment in a definitive political solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict.”

Additionally, Lazzarini underscored the urgent need for an international stabilization force to protect key civilian infrastructures and facilitate a smooth flow of humanitarian operations, as well as increased accountability measures to acquire justice for victims of violations of international humanitarian law. On November 12, Lazzarini informed reporters at the UN headquarters that accountability is crucial in establishing a sustainable end to violence and a path to recovery for Palestine as a whole.

“The starting point could at least be a board of inquiry,” said Lazzarini, “More broadly, if we want to promote any lasting peace, I don’t think we would succeed if we aren’t going for the delivery of justice and healing, and recognizing the scope of atrocities that have been committed.”

Despite the UN recording considerable improvement in the humanitarian situation of Gaza, conditions remain dire, with famine and disease remaining imminent threats for most Gazans. The UN and its partners continue to face significant access constraints imposed by Israeli authorities. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres informed reporters that the UN is far from having “what is necessary to eliminate famine quickly and create conditions for the people in Gaza to have the very, very minimum that is necessary for dignity in life”.

Philippe Lazzarini (right), the Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) briefing on UNRWA’s operations in the occupied Palestinian territory. Credit: Oritro Karim/IPS

OCHA further notes that access to humanitarian aid and agricultural fields beyond the Yellow Line remains prohibited, with yellow-painted concrete blocks being set up to demarcate prohibited areas, as ordered by the Israeli Minister of Defence. Access to the sea also remains barred, with Israeli forces detaining at least five fishers since November 4.

According to OCHA, several essential aid items remain barred from entering Gaza—including humanitarian vehicles, solar panels, mobile latrines, x-ray machines, food and educational supplies, and generators—many of which Israeli authorities classify as outside the scope of humanitarian assistance. OCHA also reports continued restrictions on maintenance tools needed for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) systems. Dozens of UNRWA vehicles and equipment, including water tankers and jetting trucks, have yet to be cleared for entry.

UNRWA and its partners have expressed alarm over the continued imposition of such restrictions during the ceasefire, particularly with the approaching winter season projected to exacerbate living conditions for Palestinians in displacement shelters. The Shelter Cluster estimates that at least 259,000 Palestinian families, or more than 1.45 million Gazans, will be adversely affected by the winter if adequate protection services are not put in place soon.

In a November 5 joint statement from several UN agencies, including UNRWA, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN and its partners have been collaborating with Gaza’s Ministry of Health to prepare an “integrated catch-up campaign” for immunization and nutritional support, aiming to reach approximately 44,000 children who have been cut off from lifesaving services since the beginning of this conflict.

An estimated one in five children under age three are zero-dose or under-vaccinated due to the conflict, leaving them highly vulnerable to preventable disease outbreaks. The campaign will be carried out in three rounds to provide children with missed routine vaccinations, including Pentavalent, Polio, Rota, Pneumococcal, and two doses of the MMR vaccine.

Vaccination services will be available at 149 health facilities and 10 mobile vehicles across the enclave, with the first round scheduled for November 9-18. The second and third rounds of the vaccine campaign are planned for December 2025 and January 2026, respectively.

Alongside vaccinations, UNICEF and partners will screen children for malnutrition, provide treatment and follow-up for those affected, and refer severe cases to WHO-supported stabilization centers. UNICEF is also rehabilitating 15 health centers, while WHO is restoring an additional 20 facilities that were partially or fully destroyed.

On 14 October 2025 in Gaza’s Middle Area, State of Palestine, 4-year-old Abd Al Kareem eats from a sachet of Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (LNS) during a malnutrition screening. Credit: Rawan Eleyan/UNICEF

“This immunization campaign is a lifeline, protecting children’s health and restoring hope for the future,” said Dr Richard Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the occupied Palestinian territory. “It’s a crucial step in strengthening essential health services and protecting vulnerable children in Gaza who have been cut off for far too long. Yet this is only one piece of the puzzle. Much more is needed, and WHO is working to rebuild Gaza’s fragile health system so every child, every community, can access the care they deserve.”

Additionally, Lazzarini informed reporters on November 12 that UNRWA has been a lifeline for Gaza since the beginning of this crisis. Over the past two years, UNRWA has supported over 15 million primary health consultations, providing over 14,000 consultations on average on a daily basis.

UNRWA has also been instrumental in keeping the water system in the enclave from collapsing, with Lazzarini stating that roughly “40 percent of clean water is thanks to the work of (UNRWA’s) engineer(s) on the ground.” Furthermore, UNRWA has supported more than 48,000 children across 96 UNRWA schools five days a week, alongside bringing online education back to about 300,000 children.

“I do believe that we are and remain an extraordinary asset at the disposal of the international community, especially for securing critical services for the population of Gaza and any effort in stabilization and success,” said Lazzarini. “The main challenge is that we need to safeguard the operational space of the agency in Gaza. That’s challenge number one, to acknowledge that the agency is a vital key partner and an invaluable asset to the international community to help consolidate the ceasefire and ensure a successful recovery.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Even as their rights are under attack, women across the world are leading the charge to expand access to justice. Credit: UNDP Somalia

By Revai Makanje Aalbaek and Sarah Douglas
NEW YORK, Nov 18 2025 (IPS)

Even as their rights face growing threats, women across the globe are driving progress. From courtrooms to communities, women’s leadership is shaping peace, justice and development—often against the odds. In the face of conflict, exclusion and inequality, we continue to see powerful stories of hope, resilience and change. We are inspired by women who mediate local disputes, push for new laws and champion the rights of survivors, holding communities together.

These stories remind us that we achieve our best results when working together, especially when the task ahead is the elimination of deeply rooted and widespread barriers. The UNDP and UN Women Gender Justice Platform – made possible thanks to generous support from Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom—continues to support access to justice and women’s leadership in rule of law institutions in over 45 countries globally, proving that cross border solidarity can dismantle even the most entrenched inequality.

1. Women at the forefront of transitional justice in South Sudan

In the context of the 2018 Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R-ARCSS) and its 2022 Roadmap Agreement, peacebuilding in South Sudan is ongoing, including efforts to deliver transitional justice and community reconciliation.

To safeguard women’s participation in decision-making in these processes, the Gender Justice Platform has supported key legal advancements. In 2024, South Sudan’s parliament adopted two laws guaranteeing that women have a seat and a voice in the Commission for Truth, Reconciliation and Healing and the Compensation and Reparations Authority.

The laws explicitly recognize the distinct impacts of conflict on women, offering special protection for victims and witnesses, particularly for women, children and persons with disabilities.

The laws were informed by recommendations put forward by South Sudanese women as a result of a consultation on gender-responsive and survivor-centred transitional justice, co-hosted in June 2023 by the Gender Justice Platform.

These laws mark a major step toward ensuring that women, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, shape how truth-telling occurs and reparations are delivered, and that women’s leadership is woven into South Sudan’s journey toward justice, reconciliation and peace.

Through the Gender Justice Platform, UNDP and UN Women have empowered women to participate in transitional justice processes in more than 20 countries, including Colombia, Ethiopia, Liberia and Mali.

2. Expanding access to justice in Tanzania

In Tanzania, women and underrepresented groups, including women with disabilities, often face deep-rooted barriers to justice. To address them, UN Women worked closely with the Ministry of Constitution and Legal Affairs, boosting its legal aid and awareness campaign to reach more than 56,000 people, half of them women and girls. Critical issues were on the agenda, including land and property disputes, inheritance, family matters and gender-based violence.

In Tanzania, paralegals and social workers deliver legal aid and raise awareness on women’s rights. Credit: UN Women/Hanna Mtango

For lasting impact, the Gender Justice Platform empowered local champions – paralegals, aid providers and community social workers – to deliver legal aid and raise awareness on women’s rights, justice and social norms.

Complementing this, strategic training for judges on gender responsive sentencing ensures that women’s needs are considered when cases reach court. Together, these efforts show that sustainable justice must integrate both formal and informal systems to be effective and trusted.

3. Women mediators in Yemen help women resolve legal disputes

The space for women’s rights is restricted in Yemen. As around 80 percent of disputes in the country are resolved through community-based mechanisms, UNDP supported women mediators and paralegals to provide services though these customary and informal networks.

In 2024 alone, women mediators and paralegals resolved over 1,200 local disputes, primarily family-related, in partnership with local civil society organizations such as the Youth Horizon Foundation, making this initiative a critical lifeline for those most in need.

Women paralegals are working as insider-mediators to build peace in a bottom-up manner, contributing to the overall stabilization of the country.

Through the Gender Justice Platform, UNDP assisted about 300 women held in a prison, many of whom are there with their children. With UNICEF and civil society, UNDP advocated to facilitate the release and reintegration of wrongfully detained women, restoring dignity and family connections.

One woman, for example, spent an additional seven years in the prison after completing her sentence, as no one from her family would come for her. With UNDP support, Yemen Women Union (YWU) reconciled the woman with her family, and she was released.

4. Championing women’s leadership in South East Asia

In courtrooms across Southeast Asia, women judges are reshaping justice. In Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Thailand, they are building mentoring networks to ensure the law reflects women’s lived realities.

Their enthusiasm and professionalism sparked the Women’s Leadership in the Judiciary initiative, along with a storytelling campaign through which women judges share their personal stories.

“To ensure gender justice,” explains Sapana Pradhan Malla of Nepal, “our first step was to make sure that the law reflects women’s experience and perspective, without exclusion or discrimination against women.”

By amplifying women’s voices, the Gender Justice Platform is nurturing a new generation of women leaders who are supporting the transformation of the judiciary from within.

5. Civil society advancing gender justice in Colombia

The Gender Justice Platform supports women’s civil society organizations that translate global commitments into local, feminist action, ensuring survivors’ voices shape every step of the justice process. In Colombia, the Alliance Initiative of Women for Peace brings together 248 organizations of survivors, activists and lawyers.

In 2024, with support from the Gender Justice Platform, the Alliance worked alongside survivors of sexual violence and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, Colombia’s transitional justice tribunal, to ensure full and restorative participation.

As Alliance Director Angela Cerón Lasprilla explains, “Knowing I was not the only survivor, that what happened was not my fault and that I am a human being, that I matter—it’s only possible to acknowledge that if you have the support.”

Advancing women’s rights benefits everyone. Evidence shows that the advancement of women’s rights fosters equality, economic growth and opportunities for all. When women have unimpeded access to their rights, including justice and security, societies have a better chance to prosper, live in peace and enjoy development.

Explore the 2024 annual report of the Gender Justice Platform to see and celebrate what we achieved together. Along with our partners, we will continue to foster change for women and their active participation in justice efforts, guided by the Women, Peace and Security agenda.

Revai Makanje Aalbaek is Senior Advisor on Justice and Security, UNDP Crisis Bureau;
Sarah Douglas is Deputy Chief, Peace, Security and Resilience Section, UN Women

The Gender Justice Platform is implemented under the framework of UNDP’s Global Programme for Strengthening the Rule of Law, Human Rights, Justice and Security for Sustainable Peace and Development.

Source: UNDP

IPS UN Bureau

 

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