Worldwide wildlife populations have declined an average of 69 per cent in the years between 1970 and 2018 the World Wildlife Fund for Nature’s latest Living Planet Report reveals in an alarming and devastating publication. The report, based on WWF’s Living Planet…
A staggering 72 million children—17% of the 426 million children living in conflict areas, globally, or 1 in 6—are living near armed groups that perpetrate sexual violence against them, a new report from Save the Children reveals. Weapon of War: Sexual violence against children in conflict—which includes the very first analysis of the risk of sexual violence against children living in conflicts between 1990-2019—shows that nearly ten times more children are at risk now than three decades ago (8.5 million in 1990). The countries where children face the greatest risk of sexual violence in conflict are Colombia, Iraq, Somalia, South…
A young woman was shot in the head by Myanmar’s security forces during protests, Amnesty International has confirmed after investigating footage showing the attack. This evidence also contradicts Myanmar military claims that security forces were not carrying lethal weapons. A video shared on social media of the shooting, which happened in the capital of Nay Pyi Taw on 9 February, was verified by Amnesty International’s Crisis Evidence experts. According to media reports, the woman has lost significant brain function and has only a slim chance of survival. The Myanmar military’s ‘True News Information Unit’ said in a statement that security forces only…
Five years of civil war have left Yemen decimated since March 2015, where children have become the most vulnerable collateral damage in a war fought by adults. The onset of COVID-19 in Yemen means they face a pandemic with alarming shortages in clean water and soap, on top of existing epidemics of cholera and vaccine-preventable diseases.…
Locust infestations have just hit two new districts in northern Uganda as they continue to plague Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, and threaten Sudan and South Sudan. There are also reports of the swarms now in Tanzania.…
Critical programmes providing support for children released from armed forces and groups in South Sudan may be forced to end next month if urgently needed funds are not provided, UNICEF warned today to mark Red Hand Day (International Day against the use of Child Soldiers).…
ON August 30 1999, a referendum took place in Timor-Leste, leading to the country's independence. This is remembered each year with a public holiday called Popular Consultation Day. 20 years on, WaterAid Timor-Leste reflects on the progress it has made and the challenges ahead.…
THE number of casualties and people affected by Cyclone Idai in southern Africa looks set to rise from the two million currently estimated, Oxfam Australia reports.…
THREE civilians are being killed every day in Yemen – that is one person every eight hours – despite agreements reached between the internationally recognised government and the Houthis at talks in Sweden just over three months ago.…
RIGHT now, families in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe are facing widespread destruction brought by Cyclone Idai. With the UN warning the cyclone emergency is getting bigger by the hour, UNICEF and other aid agencies are moving quickly to respond.…
OXFAM’S local partners in Sulawesi are planning to reach 100,000 people with essential aid, but access and communications remains challenging, after a massive earthquake and tsunami hit towns on the Indonesian island on Friday night.…
