Iraq’s stability and hard-won gains require robust support amid concerns of shrinking civic space, postponed elections, and an unfolding climate emergency, the top UN official in the country told the Security Council on Thursday.

Global progress towards disaster risk management has been weak and insufficient, putting at risk the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the General Assembly on Thursday.

The UN Children’s Fund is calling for an urgent increase in funding to help tackle an escalating number of cases of sexual violence against children and women in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) North Kivu province, where armed groups proliferate amidst heavy fighting in recent months.

KARNATAKA, May 17 (IPS) - Renuka Kumari is a 45-year-old Christian woman from the Dalit community in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh. She faces numerous challenges every day and hopes for a day when her struggles will end and she can lead a comfortable life.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil / BUENOS AIRES, Argentina, May 17 (IPS) - Half a century ago, the dominance of the United States dollar in the international finance and trade system was indisputable.

By 1977, the US dollar reached a peak of 85 per cent as the prevailing currency in foreign exchange reserves; in 2001, this position was still around 73 per cent. But today, it is at approximately 58 per cent.

More than six million boys and girls in Türkiye and Syria are still struggling to cope 100 days after the deadly earthquakes that hit both countries, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported on Wednesday.

The Myanmar military has imported at least $1 billion in arms and raw materials to manufacture weapons since generals staged their coup in February 2021, according to a new report released on Wednesday by the UN-appointed independent expert monitoring and investigating human rights abuses in the country.

Russia has confirmed that it will continue to take part in the UN-brokered Black Sea Initiative for a further 60 days, the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday.

Warring parties continue to make progress in efforts towards ending the nearly decade-long conflict in Yemen, though outstanding issues remain, the UN Security Council heard on Wednesday.

The digital revolution offers “tremendous opportunities” to fast track sustainable development, but Least Developed Countries need much more help getting online if they’re to benefit too.