The UN at 80: Can a Fractured World Restore Its Fading Balance?
October 24 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations — the day in 1945 when 51 countries ratified its Charter. Eight decades later, the UN still carries a unique legitimacy in global affairs. It remains the only forum where all internationally recognized states meet to address issues from war and peace to nuclear non-proliferation, climate change, and global health. Yet in an increasingly turbulent world, the organization faces the same challenge it was created to solve: how to prevent chaos from overwhelming the international system.
A Police Contingent Returning Home from Peacekeeping Mission
A contingent of Bangladesh Police deployed in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is returning home. Their return is scheduled to be completed by October 20. Sources say the decision was made due to budget constraints in the UN peacekeeping mission.
Volker Turk urges interim government not to repeat human rights violations and repression
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has strongly urged the interim government of Bangladesh to ensure that human rights violations and repression do not recur in the country. He also described the initiation of judicial processes against those accused of enforced disappearances and torture during the previous government as an important step towards accountability. This call was made in a statement on Wednesday.
Rohingya, Sri Lanka, Syria: Australia’s Support for Global Justice Under Scrutiny
In late September, renewed global attention was drawn to the ongoing persecution of the Rohingya and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar during a United Nations General Assembly High-level Conference. Julie Bishop, appointed as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar, emphasized that achieving accountability for crimes committed against the Rohingya is “critical for reconciliation.” Marking eight years since the violent attacks—now alleged to constitute genocide in cases before both the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC)—Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reaffirmed the nation's support for justice and accountability efforts.
UN to Cut Global Peacekeeping Forces by 25% Due to Funding Shortfall
Senior U.N. officials confirmed Wednesday that the United Nations will reduce peacekeeper deployments by about 25% across nine missions worldwide in the coming months, citing severe financial constraints and uncertainty over future U.S. funding.
International Rights Groups Condemn Surge in Violence Against Indigenous Peoples in CHT
Three leading human rights organizations—FIAN International, the International Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission (CHT Commission), the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), and Minority Rights Group International (MRG)—have issued a forceful condemnation of recent lethal attacks targeting the Indigenous peoples of the the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT). According to their joint press release, the violence, perpetrated by state security forces and Bengali settlers, represents a continuing pattern of systemic oppression, including the use of sexual violence as an instrument of terror and control.
EU Leaders Raise Alarm Over Abuses in Pakistan and Bangladesh
At a side event during the 60th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, Members of the European Parliament, senators, and human rights advocates expressed grave concern over escalating human rights violations in South Asia—particularly in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh: Rape Sparks Deadly Violence in CHT, Rights Groups Urge UN Intervention
A brutal wave of violence has engulfed parts of Khagrachhari district in Bangladesh’s Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), leaving at least three Indigenous youths dead, several others injured, and dozens of homes and businesses destroyed. The unrest was triggered by protests following the reported gang rape of a Marma schoolgirl by three Bengali youths on 23 September in the Guimara area.
Absent From a U.N. Discussion on Refugee Aid: The Refugees Themselves
They reside in the world’s largest network of refugee camps, with little freedom to leave. Within these camps, their shops have been demolished and schools shut down. Back in their homeland, the only common ground among warring groups is their shared hostility toward these stateless people.
Trump Criticizes UN Over ‘Ineffectiveness’ in Global Affairs
U.S. President Donald Trump faced an awkward situation upon arriving to deliver his speech at the United Nations General Assembly. Accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, the president stepped onto a moving escalator at the UN headquarters, only for it to suddenly stop. The couple had to walk the rest of the way up the stairs.