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	Myanmar vote a ‘facade’ to entrench military rule, independent rights expert says by UN Office for Human Rights, agencies   Jan. 2025   Myanmar vote a ‘facade’ to entrench military rule, independent rights expert says. (UN News)   An independent human rights expert has urged the international community to reject the electoral process organised by Myanmar’s military government, after the first round of voting revealed widespread coercion, exclusion and violence.   The statement from Tom Andrews, the UN Human Rights Council-appointed Special Rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, reinforces earlier warnings from senior UN officials that the polls lack any democratic credibility.   The initial phase of voting on 28 December exposed what he described as a “junta-orchestrated sham” designed to entrench military rule rather than reflect the will of the people.   “By all measures, this is not a free, fair nor legitimate election,” he said. “It is a theatrical performance that has exerted enormous pressure on the people of Myanmar to participate in what has been designed to dupe the international community.”   Mr. Andrews urged Member States to reject the process, isolate the junta and press its leaders to cancel the remaining two phases of voting.“The international community should make clear that Myanmar’s future belongs to its people,” Mr. Andrews added, “not to those who imprison, silence and terrorise them.”   Myanmar’s military authorities planned the staged voting process nearly five years after they seized power in a February 2021 coup.   Since then, the country has descended into widespread armed conflict pitting the ruling military against numerous ethnic armed groups, triggering mass displacement, economic collapse and deepening humanitarian needs, further compounded by devastating earthquakes in March 2025.   Two further rounds are scheduled for 11 and 25 January, although the junta has already ruled out holding polls in at least 65 townships and thousands of wards and village tracts, underscoring its lack of control over large parts of the country.   According to reports cited by the independent expert in a press release, voter turnout in the first round was very low despite threats and intimidation.   The National League for Democracy, which won sweeping victories in the 2015 and 2020 elections, was barred from participating after being dissolved by the military. Its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been detained since the coup, and her whereabouts and current condition remain unknown.   Official results indicate that the junta’s proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, won nearly 90 per cent of contested seats in the lower house of parliament.   “It should surprise no one that the military-backed party has claimed a landslide victory,” Mr. Andrews said. “The junta engineered the polls to ensure victory for its proxy, entrench military domination, and manufacture a facade of legitimacy while violence and repression continue unabated.”   Mr. Andrews said junta forces have used the threat of conscription to compel young people to vote. “This is not political participation; it is coercion,” he said.   Displaced people, students, civil servants and prisoners were also reportedly pressured to participate under threats of being denied humanitarian aid, education, immigration documents and other essential services.   “You cannot have a free, fair or credible election when thousands of political prisoners are behind bars, credible opposition parties have been dissolved, journalists are muzzled, and fundamental freedoms are crushed,” Mr. Andrews said.   Mr. Andrews also called on all armed groups to refrain from targeting civilians following reports of deadly attacks on election officials. “Attacks against civilians, by any combatants, are illegal and unacceptable,” he said.   UN officials have repeatedly cautioned that elections held under current conditions risk worsening instability.   Ahead of the vote, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned that civilians were being compelled from all sides in a climate of fear, violence and mass repression, leaving no space for free or meaningful participation.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166729 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/un-expert-first-round-voting-myanmar-exposes-junta-orchestrated-election   Dec. 2025   Concerns over Myanmar's upcoming elections   Next month some of the people of Myanmar will start voting in an election imposed by the junta. This military-controlled ballot will be conducted in an atmosphere rife with threats and violence putting the lives of civilians at risk.   The growing insecurity and the lack of measures to protect civilians raise serious concerns about the safety of voters who choose or are forced to participate.   These elections are also taking place in an environment in which the military is actively suppressing participation. Many major political parties are excluded and over 30,000 of the military’s political opponents, including members of the democratically elected government and political representatives, have been detained since 2021.   Discrimination also looms large in the electoral process, with Rohingya, Tamils, Gurkhas, and Chinese, among others, excluded from voting. Civil society and independent media have little to no voice. The military has stepped up mass electronic surveillance to identify dissidents, and there are fears this will be used at the polling stations.   Additionally, the military lacks control over large areas of the country and it will be unable to cover the entire country in a meaningful and representative manner. Some 56 townships, in which martial law declarations remain active, will be excluded. Some 31 townships in the first round will have no actual voting due to the absence of candidates.   Far from being a process that could spear-head a political transition from crisis to stability and the restoration of democratic, civilian rule, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk says this process seems nearly certain to further ingrain insecurity, fear and polarization throughout the country. The utmost priority must be to end the violence and ensure the flow of humanitarian aid.   Given the situation, it is also egregious for any State to forcibly return Myanmar nationals who had fled the country in fear. Against this backdrop of very serious human rights violations, the High Commissioner urges the United States to reconsider its plans to end its Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, programme with respect to Myanmar.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/12/myanmar-turk-warns-against-violence-and-intimidation-ahead-military http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-briefing-notes/2025/11/concerns-over-myanmars-upcoming-elections http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/myanmar-un-expert-urges-asean-not-step-backward-recognising-juntas-sham   Jan. 2025   Iran protests: UN warns against further bloodshed. (News agencies)   As protests in the Iranian capital, Tehran – sparked by increasing economic hardship and a cost-of-living crisis – continued for a ninth day, the UN Secretary-General said he was “deeply saddened by the reported loss of life and injuries,” resulting from clashes between security forces and protesters.   He underscored the need to prevent further casualties during demonstrations. UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said: “He calls on the authorities to uphold the right of freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. All individuals must be allowed to protest peacefully and express their grievances.”   Mr. Guterres emphasised the importance of all actors in Iran and the wider region “refraining from actions that could heighten tensions and contribute to instability.”   Reporting from the Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi said thousands of people took to the streets across the capital. “What we saw was many neighbourhoods in the Iranian capital coming to the streets. Several streets were blocked while I was driving from downtown,” Asadi said, noting that confrontations took place between protesters and police.   “We heard chants … and slogans against the political establishment,” he added.   “We know that the economic squeeze has eroded public confidence and fuelled dissatisfaction, particularly when it comes to working and lower middle classes, who are now finding themselves struggling to meet their everyday needs,” he added.   NGOs say that thousands of demonstrators have been killed by Iranian security forces since the unrest began in late December, with many more wounded and thousands arrested.   Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said Iranian security forces have unlawfully used rifles, shotguns loaded with metal pellets, water cannon, tear gas and beatings to disperse, intimidate and punish the largely peaceful protesters.   Staff at hospitals in Iran have described their facilities being overwhelmed with dead or injured patients.   One hospital worker in Tehran described "very horrible scenes", saying there were so many wounded that staff did not have time to perform CPR. "Around 38 people died. Many as soon as they reached the emergency beds.. young people. Many of them didn't even make it to the hospital.. The number was so large that there wasn't enough space in the morgue".   The hospital worker said the dead or wounded were young people. "l couldn't look at many of them, they were 20-25 years old."   Amnesty International reported security forces entered Imam Khomeini Hospital in the western city of Ilam, firing tear gas, smashing doors and assaulting people inside, including medical workers.   “Iran’s security forces must immediately stop the unlawful use of force and firearms against protesters, end arbitrary arrests of those seeking treatment in hospital, ensure those injured receive the medical care they need, and respect the sanctity of medical facilities”.   The UN-mandated independent human rights fact-finding mission on Iran has urged authorities to immediately halt the violent crackdown.   “The Fact-Finding Mission reiterates that Iranian women, men, and children deserve to live safely, with dignity, and with full respect for their rights, including the right to peacefully protest, and to do so without oppressive violence, intimidation or repression by the State,” the news release stated.   It said it was reviewing video footage and photographs showing security forces opening fire on protesters.   The demonstrations started with merchants closing their shops in protest against deteriorating economic conditions, and have spread from Tehran to 32 cities across the country.   The precipitous devaluation of the local currency has led local traders to warn that the price of basic goods would soar after the government announced it would cancel a programme which allowed importers and producers to use a preferential exchange rate for certain goods.   Everyday life has become increasingly unaffordable for Iranians. The average price of food has increased by more than 70% since last year, and medicine by some 50%.   The Iranian government has blamed the economic woes of the country on external factors, primarily the sanctions placed on the country in response to Iran’s nuclear programme.   The government had initially taken a carrot-and-stick approach to the protests, with public servants offering dialogue and economic reform while security forces have engaged in more violent means to disperse demonstrators.   Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, initially said authorities should exercise "utmost restraint" when handling the demonstrations. He called for "dialogue, engagement, and listening to the people's demands."   Yet the authorities are increasingly casting the protesters as violent, saying that while the right to protest was legitimate, rioters and foreign-backed saboteurs had hijacked protests.   Authorities have cut internet access in the country as the demonstrations continue. They have become increasingly confrontational in their rhetoric towards protesters, casting them as being infiltrated and backed by Israeli, or US saboteurs.   The Iranian army vowed in a statement to foil “the enemy’s plots”, warning that undermining the country’s security was a “red line”. Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Movahedi Azad, warned that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God”, a death penalty charge, state television reported.   What began as a movement to express economic grievances has widened in scope, with protesters challenging the legitimacy of the government and its policies. Demonstrations have reached all 31 provinces in Iran with the protest movement showing no signs of abating. Public frustrations over the soaring costs of living with annual inflation at near 60 percent will not dissipate soon in the face of renewed State repression.   The protests are the most widespread since an uprising in 2022 sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman who was detained by morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly. During the protests that followed more than 550 people were killed and 20,000 detained by security forces over several months.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/un-expert-warns-deepening-human-rights-crisis-iran http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/iran-un-human-rights-chief-urges-authorities-end-violent-repression-and http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166737 http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166733 http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2026/01/iran-massacre-of-protesters-demands-global-diplomatic-action-to-signal-an-end-to-impunity/ http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2026/01/what-happened-at-the-protests-in-iran/ http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/iran-un-fact-finding-mission-calls-immediate-restoration-internet-access-and http://actionaid.org/news/2026/actionaid-solidarity-statement-people-iran http://www.nobelwomensinitiative.org/solidarity-statement-with-the-people-of-iran-by-women-nobel-peace-prize-laureates http://www.ituc-csi.org/iran-ituc-condemns-brutal-repression http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature/2026/01/29/how-economic-collapse-set-stage-iran-deadly-protests http://www.thenewhumanitarian.org/interview/2026/01/26/qa-sanctions-oil-and-what-iranians-really-want   * Renewed regional conflict: U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, Iranian response   http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167059 http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/statement-on-the-recent-developments-in-the-middle-east/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/28/us/israel/iran-all-parties-should-respect-laws-of-war http://www.justsecurity.org/135423/professors-letter-international-law-iran-war/ http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-statement-impact-military-escalation-children-middle-east http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/icrc-president-urges-respect-rules-war-major-military-escalation-middle-east http://www.unocha.org/news/un-relief-chief-middle-east-violences-humanitarian-fallout-increasingly-daunting http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/03/civilians-bear-brunt-reckless-war-middle-east-says-turk http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/turk-deplores-strikes-against-iran-and-retaliation http://www.article19.org/resources/middle-east-end-unlawful-attacks-and-protect-civilians-now http://anneapplebaum.substack.com/p/trump-has-no-plan-for-irans-future http://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2026/march/under-bombardment-in-tehran http://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/19/vali_nasr_iran_middle_east http://www.ips-journal.eu/topics/foreign-and-security-policy/selective-outrage-wont-end-the-iran-war-8955 http://shows.acast.com/hold-your-fire/episodes/special-episode-regime-change-or-regional-war-us-and-israel   Feb. 2026   Urgent call to the African Union Heads of State to address deteriorating rule of law and democracy in Africa. (FIDH)   African Heads and States and Government will convene for their 39th Annual Assembly in Addis Ababa, on the 14 and 15 February 2026. Despite a tumultuous period of contested and highly volatile elections in the last few months, the African Union (AU) Summit’s agenda does not include a discussion on the retrogression of democracy, elections and the rule of law, it is therefore imperative that the issue be brought to Member States urging them to give prominence to the issues of democratic consolidation.   The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) respectfully writes to you to urge you to act decisively on the accelerating erosion of democratic safeguards and the rule of law in Africa. We write to you in our capacity as a Federation comprising of nearly 200 civil society organisations, 40 of whom are African organisations. The 39th AU Summit comes at a critical juncture as it closely follows the recent aftermath of questionable electoral processes across the continent, notably in Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Tanzania, Guinea and Uganda.   In all these elections concerning patterns emerged. African citizens have observed the increased adoption of authoritarian tendencies and practices to retain power, and the dangerous trend of incumbent governments targeting any form of dissent.   Opposition leaders are arrested, arbitrarily detained, charged with trumped-up treason charges and abductions and enforced disappearances have also become rampant.   Political opposition or publicly organised citizen dissent has become treasonous. Citizens, journalists, whistleblowers and activists are increasingly being targeted with similar reprisals as those by the political opposition.   Elections that were meant to reinforce democratic governance, instead became flashpoints for instability. From disputed results and violent protests to the collapse of constitutional guarantees, the continent witnessed an all too familiar troubling pattern of democratic backsliding. In several countries, contested polls escalated into mass unrest that led to massive violations against protestors. The weakening of institutions, entrenchment of political elites, and shrinking civic space have eroded trust in elections across Africa.   In all the elections of member states cited here, the AU Observation Mission’s, save for Tanzania rubber-stamped problematic electoral outcomes, seemingly prioritising the stability of the regimes in power over true democratic and citizen-focused electoral outcomes.   Most of these countries continue to face growing anger and frustration that has bred the rise of civil resistance against government excesses expressed through protests.   Protests have become the common outlet for the people to express their frustrations about the widening gap between the people and the political elite with respect to basic rights, embodied by the rising cost of living, the failure by governments to provide essential services, lack of political freedoms, and the constant cycle of stage-managed and manipulated elections.   A significant part of the continent’s citizenry no longer trusts elections but equally critical is that the trust placed on the African Union to enforce the objectives of the Constitutive Act of the African Union, in particular "to promote the principles and the democratic institutions, popular participation and good governance; to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and other relevant human rights instruments", has been severely eroded.   The gradual dismantling of civic space and the rule of law raises the urgent question, how can the African Union can prevent other Member States from sliding into similar authoritarianism?   This trajectory is deeply incompatible with the AU’s foundational promise under the AU Constitutive Act, further erosion of the principles of the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights could lead to a wider disintegration of the values on which the AU is founded and put at risk the very cohesion of the Union was established to build..   http://www.fidh.org/en/international-advocacy/african-union/open-letter-urgent-call-to-the-african-union-heads-of-state-to http://www.theideasletter.org/essay/democracies-disfigured/   4 Dec 2025   Tanzania: UN experts condemn post-election lethal crackdown and digital blackout. (OHCHR)   UN human rights experts today condemned reported widespread and systematic human rights violations in Tanzania following the general elections on 29 October 2025, including allegations of hundreds of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and mass arbitrary detentions targeting protesters, opposition figures, and civil society across the country.   “The Government must provide information on the fate and whereabouts of all disappeared persons and ensure the identification and dignified return of the remains to their families,” the experts said. “All restrictions on media coverage must be lifted, as they are incompatible with Tanzania’s international obligations.”   The experts noted that elections proceeded amid long-standing concerns, including arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances of opposition figures, and legislative changes that undermined the fairness of the electoral framework. Leaders from the two main opposition parties were barred or disqualified from contesting, and in some cases detained or forcibly disappeared prior to the poll.   Following the elections, protests erupted across the country, particularly led by youth, against the ruling political party. The Government’s response was allegedly the immediate and lethal use of force against these protesters by security forces, including military and police personnel. The experts said that disturbing reports indicate officers were given orders to “shoot to kill” during an enforced curfew.   The experts noted that the number of people extrajudicially killed in the aftermath of the elections is estimated to be at least 700 individuals, with other estimates pointing to thousands of potential victims. They noted chilling reports on the disappearance of victims’ bodies from morgues, and allegations that human remains are being incinerated or buried in unidentified mass graves. Family members who identified remains were reportedly forced to sign false statements about the cause of death to receive the bodies.   Widespread arbitrary arrests and detentions of hundreds of protesters, human rights defenders and civil society activists followed the post-election protests, the experts noted. Many detained opposition leaders and protesters, that account for over 1,700 individuals, reportedly face serious offenses like treason, conspiracy to commit an offense, and armed robbery.   They expressed concern that the Directorate for Public Prosecutions applied the principle of nolle prosequi, which they considered will be an obstacle the due process.   The experts noted that a complete internet shutdown was imposed from 29 October to 3 November 2025, further compounding the crisis. “This blackout severely curtailed the ability of human rights defenders and journalists to carry out their work and document violations,” they said.   The experts also expressed alarm at reports of transnational repression, including extensive surveillance targeting human rights defenders and civil society organisations involved in monitoring the violations in neighboring countries.   They urged the Government of Tanzania to launch a prompt, impartial, independent, thorough, and effective investigation into all reported killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights violations.   The experts took note of the establishment of a commission of inquiry to inform the public and the international community about the causes of the protests and human rights violations.   “The new commission should be independent and make proposals to ensure accountability, justice and reparation, including guarantees of non-recurrence, and full participation of victims and civil society organisations,” they said.   Ahead of planned demonstrations on 9 December 2025, the experts called on Tanzanian authorities and security forces to prevent further violations and protect people’s right to peaceful assembly.   The experts are in contact with the Government on this issue and expressed their readiness to provide technical assistance to Tanzanian authorities.   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/12/tanzania-un-experts-condemn-post-election-lethal-crackdown-and-digital http://www.hrw.org/news/2025/12/08/tanzania-multilateral-engagement-is-key-to-preventing-a-further-deterioration-of http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/nov/18/tanzania-africa-governance-human-rights-tanzania-samia-suluhu-hassan-uganda-drc-rwanda-sudan   * Elections in Uganda will take place in an environment marked by widespread repression and intimidation against the political opposition, human rights defenders, journalists and those with dissenting views, says a report from the UN Human Rights Office:   http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/uganda-repression-and-impunity-impacting-right-participation-leadup   Dec. 2025   Global Protest Tracker: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace   Anti-government protests flooded streets across the globe in 2025, from Sub-Saharan Africa to Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia. New demonstrations emerged in more than seventy countries.   Of those catalogued in Carnegie’s Global Protest Tracker, twenty-seven occurred in countries ranked “partly free” with respect to people’s access to political rights and civil liberties, twenty-six “free,” and seventeen “not free.”   Anger against government corruption fueled a sizeable portion of the protests catalogued in the Global Protest Tracker this year. The two other main triggers were antidemocratic overreach and economic hardship.   Specific corruption scandals or allegations sparked demonstrations in multiple regions. In March, North Macedonia erupted in protests condemning the alleged corruption and bribery that led to a deadly nightclub fire. The persistent issue of corruption in the Gambia brought out protesters who demanded government accountability.   The Gen-Z protests in Nepal, which garnered significant media attention, were also spurred by issues of nepotism and corruption, and eventually led to Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli’s resignation. Around the same time, the Philippines saw Gen-Z protests against a corruption scandal involving the country’s flood control projects.   Other corruption-related protests were triggered less by specific scandals or allegations and more by simmering underlying public anger over corruption and other forms of government malfeasance.   Mongolia’s protests in May initially emerged to condemn the lavish spending of the son of Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene, but they developed into a broader anti-corruption movement that ousted Oyun-Erdene. In Indonesia, Gen-Z protests against parliament members’ high salaries were partially driven by longstanding anger toward perceived government corruption.   Morocco’s Gen-Z protests were similarly fueled by anger over corruption, though they initially stemmed from Moroccans’ frustration over inappropriate government spending and the neglect of government services.   In Mexico, the death of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Alberto Manzo triggered nationwide demonstrations against corruption and violent crime. The ongoing protests in Serbia, which began in November 2024 over the Novi Sad train station roof collapse, evolved into anti-corruption protests and general protests against the government of President Aleksandar Vucic.   Antidemocratic overreach by governments, a major theme of protests in 2024, continued driving demonstrations this year. Anger over broad governmental claims to expanding power triggered many protests. In Indonesia, students and pro-democracy activists protested revisions to the nation’s military law, which permitted military officers to serve in civilian government posts and thus widened the military’s role in civilian affairs.   Central African Republic President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s bid for a third term in upcoming elections mobilized thousands who opposed his extended rule.   Mali experienced protests after the military junta extended its rule for another five years and dissolved all political parties. The removal of presidential term limits in Togo triggered deadly protests, led by Gen-Z and other activists angered by Faure Gnassingbe’s extended rule and concerned over the state of democracy in the country.   In Ukraine, thousands took to the streets over a law that they feared would undermine the independence of anti-corruption agencies by placing them under the supervision of the presidentially appointed prosecutor general.   Brazil’s “shielding” bill, which provided greater immunity to lawmakers, also prompted enraged citizens to demonstrate against its passage. The United States experienced multiple protests throughout the year against the authoritarian actions of President Donald Trump and his administration.   Governmental targeting of political opposition or civil society also pushed citizens to the streets in various places. Anger over attacks on internal dissenters or opposition figures triggered protests in Israel over the dismissal of Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, in Ivory Coast over the ban of opposition candidates in the 2025 presidential election, and in Turkiye over the arrests of various opposition figures (which have been ongoing since 2024).   Threats to civil rights and liberties prompted numerous demonstrations, such as those in Slovakia criticizing an NGO bill that held similarities to Russia’s foreign agent law, and in Hungary denouncing the ban against Pride demonstrations and criticizing a foreign funding bill that also resembled Russia’s foreign agent law.   Economic hardship also drove many demonstrations in 2025. Several countries experienced protests over unpopular austerity measures, including Belgium, Indonesia, France, Slovakia, Romania, and Argentina.   Frustrated by the ongoing economic struggles in their countries, demonstrators argued that the various reforms—which impacted pensions, education, and worker benefits—would only worsen the existing hardships. Demonstrators in other countries protested generally against high costs of living and Government imposed austerity measures often directed by international financial institutions and actors.   In Greece and Chile, workers demanded greater protections and living wages in the midst of cost of living pressures from their government. In Angola and Ecuador, increased fuel prices drove hundreds to thousands of protestors to the streets. Spain’s high rent prices, exacerbated by the region’s tourism boom, triggered large protests from residents who demanded government action in increasing affordable housing.   Some protests that began in 2024 sustained their momentum throughout 2025. The anti-corruption protests in Serbia and the election- and EU accession-related protests in Georgia have occurred almost daily since their emergence last year. Other protests, such as those in Turkiye against the arrest of opposition figures, in France and Belgium involving farmers and the EU-Mercosur trade agreement, and in Israel against ultra-Orthodox conscription, continued intermittently throughout 2025 in response to major government actions. Protests against the Israeli government regarding the war in Gaza also continued to erupt every month across the globe, from Italy and Morocco to Malaysia and Australia.   Observers have highlighted the surge of youth-led protests in countries such as Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines, Peru, Timor-Leste, Madagascar, Morocco, and Mexico during the latter months of 2025. Although the youth-led protest movements are significant, it is not a new trend.   Young people led numerous protests throughout the year, including in Serbia, Mongolia, and Togo, and more than twenty significant anti-government protests in 2024. Looking back even further, data from the Global Protest Tracker reveals that the rates of youth-led protests between 2017 to 2019 were similar or higher to the rate of youth-led protests in 2025.   http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/dec/30/gen-z-protests-corruption-five-activists-nepal-madagascar-togo-kenya-morocco-protesters http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/jan/19/brazen-political-influence-rich-laid-bare-wealth-billionaires-inequality-poverty-instability-oxfam http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/10/global-aid-dismantling-poses-existential-threat-collective-action-and-human http://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/a80219-report-special-rapporteur-rights-freedom-peaceful-assembly-and
	Sudan Conflict: 21 million people face acute food insecurity by UNICEF, UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs   19 Jan. 2026   Atrocities in Sudan’s Darfur region are spreading from town to town in an organized campaign of violence that includes mass executions, rape and ethnic targeting, amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court told the UN Security Council on Monday.   Briefing ambassadors, ICC Deputy Prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan said the situation in Darfur had “darkened even further,” with civilians subjected to what she described as collective torture amid a widening war between Sudan’s rival military forces.   “The picture that is emerging is appalling: organised, widespread, mass criminality including mass executions,” Ms. Khan said. “Atrocities are used as a tool to assert control.”   Sudan has been engulfed in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between former allies the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces militia (RSF).   What began as a power struggle metastasised into conflicts across the country, most devastating in the Darfur region, which also saw longstanding ethnic tensions – which prompted allegations of genocide in the early 2000s – being reignited.   She said the fall of North Darfur’s regional capital El Fasher to the RSF had been followed by a “calculated campaign of the most profound suffering,” particularly targeting non-Arab communities.   The crimes, she said, include rape, arbitrary detention, executions and the creation of mass graves, often filmed and celebrated by perpetrators.   Based on video, audio and satellite evidence collected, the ICC Prosecutor has concluded that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed in El Fasher, particularly in late October, following a prolonged RSF siege of the city.   Ms. Khan said video footage showed patterns similar to those documented in earlier atrocities in Darfur, including the detention, mistreatment and killing of civilians from non-Arab tribes.   “Members of the RSF are seen celebrating direct executions and subsequently desecrating corpses,” she said.   The Office of the Prosecutor is also advancing investigations into crimes committed in El Geneina, where witnesses have provided accounts of attacks on displacement camps, looting, gender-based violence and crimes against children.   In 2023, El Geneina witnessed some of the worst violence of the war as RSF fighters and allied militias carried out massacres against the Massalit community, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee into neighbouring Chad.   UN officials and human rights investigators described the violence as ethnically motivated and warned of possible crimes against humanity.   Evidence now indicates that the patterns of atrocities seen in El Geneina have since been replicated in El Fasher, Ms. Khan said.   “This criminality is being repeated in town after town in Darfur,” she warned. “It will continue until this conflict, and the sense of impunity that fuels it, are stopped.”   Sexual violence, including rape, is being used as a weapon of war, Ms. Khan said, adding that gender-based crimes remain a priority for ICC investigations. She acknowledged cultural and security barriers that prevent survivors from reporting abuse, stressing the need for gender-sensitive and survivor-centred investigations.   While much of the briefing focused on RSF abuses, the Deputy Prosecutor said the ICC was also documenting allegations of crimes committed by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), underscoring that all parties to the conflict are bound by international law to protect civilians.   Ms. Khan cited the conviction last October of Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman, known as Ali Kushayb – a former Janjaweed militia leader – as a landmark step toward accountability, but cautioned that the scale of ongoing atrocities far outweighed any sense of progress.   She closed with a pointed call on Sudanese authorities to act against senior suspects long sought by the Court, including former president Omar al-Bashir, former interior minister Ahmad Harun and former defence minister Abdel Raheem Muhammad Hussein.   “Action must now be taken,” she said, warning that justice for Darfur’s victims would remain hollow without arrests at the highest level.   http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166790 http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-icc-office-prosecutor-situation-el-fasher-north-darfur http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/02/sudan-evidence-el-fasher-reveals-genocidal-campaign-targeting-non-arab http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/02/high-commissioner-turk-calls-states-do-more-end-senseless-war-sudan http://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167003 http://www.unocha.org/news/ocha-urges-security-council-protect-civilians-and-aid-workers-sudan   http://www.hrw.org/news/2026/04/07/sudan-the-eu-must-act-for-sudans-civilians-at-three-years-of-conflict http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/ngo-statement-on-the-international-coalition-to-prevent-further-atrocities-in-sudan/ http://www.hrw.org/news/2026/03/11/new-sudan-atrocity-prevention-coalition-needs-to-act-fast http://www.globalr2p.org/publications/atrocity-alert-no-471/   Jan. 2026   1,000 days of war has devastating impact on the children of Sudan. (UNICEF)   “Since fighting erupted in April 2023, Sudan has become one of the largest and most devastating humanitarian crises in the world, pushing millions of children to the brink of survival.   A profound protection crisis with widespread violations of international law by parties to the conflict, exacerbated by a lack of humanitarian access, has deepened with each of the 1,000 days of agony that have passed.   "In 2026, 33.7 million people, about two-thirds of the population, are expected to need urgent humanitarian assistance. Half of them are children. Affected populations’ access to lifesaving aid remains dangerously constrained across large parts of the country, intensifying the humanitarian crisis.   “Children continue to be killed and injured – just this week, 8 children were killed in an attack in Al Obeid in North Kordofan.   “More than 5 million children have been forced from their homes – the equivalent of 5,000 children displaced every day - many of them repeatedly, with attacks and violence often following them as they move. Millions of children in Sudan are at risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, which is being used as a tactic of war, with children as young as one reported among survivors.   "An estimated 21 million people are expected to face acute food insecurity in 2026. Famine has already been confirmed in Al Fasher and Kadugli, with an additional 20 areas across Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan at risk.   In North Darfur, the epicentre of Sudan’s malnutrition emergency, nearly 85,000 children with severe acute malnutrition were treated between January and November 2025, equivalent to one child every six minutes.   The collapse of health systems, critical water shortages and the breakdown of basic services are compounding the crisis, fuelling deadly disease outbreaks and placing an estimated 3.4 million children under five at risk.   “Behind these numbers are lives marked by fear, hunger and loss, as the conflict continues to rob children of safety, health and hope.   “Despite these extraordinary insecurity and access constraints, life-saving assistance continues to reach children wherever possible.   UNICEF and partners are delivering support to treat severe malnutrition, vaccinate against deadly diseases, provide safe drinking water, and offer protection and care to children affected by violence and displacement as funding permits.   “These efforts are keeping children alive under the most difficult conditions, but they remain far from sufficient in the absence of sustained access, adequate funding and a meaningful reduction in hostilities. Humanitarian action can save lives, but it cannot replace the protection that only peace can provide.   “UNICEF is urgently calling for an immediate end to the conflict. All parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law: protect civilians, stop attacks on infrastructure, and allow safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access across Sudan.   “Children in Sudan are not statistics. They are frightened, displaced and hungry, but they are also determined, resourceful and resilient. Every day, they strive to learn, to play, to hope, even as they wait for the world to act. Ending this conflict is a moral necessity. It cannot wait.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/children-sudan-have-endured-1000-days-agony http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/nutrition-survey-finds-unprecedented-level-child-malnutrition-part-sudans-north http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/unicef-executive-director-warns-deepening-protection-crisis-sudan-violence-and http://www.wfp.org/news/families-sudan-pushed-brink-amidst-brutal-conflict-and-famine-wfp-resources-dry   Sudan: Two-thirds of people need aid as conflict reaches 1,000th day. (OCHA)   Today marks 1,000 days since the start of the war in Sudan, with civilians continuing to bear the brunt of a conflict they did not choose. Nearly 34 million people – or some two-thirds of the population – now need humanitarian assistance, making this the world’s largest humanitarian crisis.   It is also the largest displacement crisis, with 9.3 million people displaced inside the country and more than 4.3 million refugees in neighbouring states.   Food security conditions are catastrophic. Famine has been confirmed in El Fasher in North Darfur and in Kadugli in South Kordofan, with at least 20 other areas at risk. More than 21 million people are estimated to be acutely food insecure nationwide. Sieges in Kordofan have cut off Kadugli and Dilling, limiting access to food, markets and farmland.   The health system is close to collapse. Fewer than half of health facilities are fully functional, with even lower coverage in areas of active fighting. Cholera has been reported in all 18 states, with more than 72,000 suspected cases recorded last year.   Nearly 12 million people, mostly women and girls, are at risk of gender-based violence. Households headed by women are three times more likely to be food insecure, and three-quarters report not having enough to eat.   OCHA also reports continued fighting in Darfur, drone attacks and long-range strikes on civilian infrastructure.   Despite the mounting challenges, humanitarian partners reached nearly 19 million people in 2025, with local and women-led organizations often serving as the first or only responders in high-risk areas. However, access remains dangerous and politically constrained, and more than 125 aid workers have been killed since April 2023.   OCHA calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities, respect for international humanitarian law, safe access for aid, protection of civilians and aid workers, and renewed funding, especially for local and women-led partners.   http://humanitarianaction.info/document/global-humanitarian-overview-2026/article/sudan-4 http://www.unocha.org/news/todays-top-news-sudan-ukraine-occupied-palestinian-territory http://humanitarianaction.info/document/global-humanitarian-overview-2026 http://news.un.org/en/audio/2026/01/1166795 http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2026/01/visiting-turk-salutes-sudanese-peoples-struggle-peace-calls http://www.wfp.org/news/families-sudan-pushed-brink-amidst-brutal-conflict-and-famine-wfp-resources-dry Visit the related web page
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