“If Bunia could speak, it will wake up with hope tomorrow. It will ask to stop bleeding. It will ask to breathe peace.” Inside the conference room of MONUSCO’s logistics base in Bunia, these words were spoken in a single voice. They did not come from one poet alone, but from a group of women — community mediators, women’s rights advocates, young leaders and female peacekeepers — gathered for a poetry workshop. The text they were reading had just…

The usually quiet church compound in Mundri has turned in a bustling hub of activity with more than 4,000 people crowded together in makeshift shelters. These families have sought sanctuary at the site after being forced to abandon their homes and flee for their lives during military confrontations between armed forces in Greater Mundri a few months ago. Thirty-eight-year-old Aida Stephen is among those struggling to support her family in dire…

On 16 March, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2818 (2026), extending UNAMA’s mandate for an additional three months.

TRIPOLI – In an online meeting on Monday 9 March, members of the Structured Dialogue’s (SD) Libyan Women’s Caucus met with around 30 young women from across the country to brief them on their work and hear their perspectives on key issues related to governance, economy, security, national reconciliation and human rights. Supporting effective participation of women of all ages and person with disability in the SD, and ensuring that their concerns…

JONGLEI - “Information is the backbone of communication. When the public lacks accurate information, rumors and misinformation can quickly spread and create conflict.” This warning from civil society leader Bol Deng Bol reflects growing concern among community leaders in South Sudan’s Jonglei, where peace actors are intensifying efforts to counter hate speech and strengthen peaceful coexistence between communities. A dialogue supported by the…

WESTERN EQUATORIA - A newly established Special Protection Unit (SPU) in Maridi a county in South Sudan’s Western Equatoria state, has had a tangible impact on increasing women’s protection. This confidential space for community members to report violence against women has led to a noticeable reduction in incidents over the past year. “After the Special Protection Unit was fully functioning, we have seen a distinct increase in reports related to…

JONGLEI – “I don’t want to return home. It will only remind me of what we have been through.” Nyakim’s * tragedy began with her husband being killed and her home being burnt down when armed actors attacked her village in northern Jonglei last month. But it didn’t stop there: she and her seven children were abducted by the perpetrators, alongside 22 other women and children. What followed can only be described as a seemingly never-ending nightmare…

As part of UNIFIL’s continued efforts to support communities affected by ongoing exchanges of fire in south Lebanon, the mission’s Italian peacekeepers made substantial food donations to internally-displaced persons (IDPs) in Tyre last week. On 13 March, peacekeepers delivered more than 13 tons of packaged food items – in addition to essential medical kits, medicines and hygiene kits – to the Disaster Management Unit (DMU) of the Union of Tyre…

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address a few words to you at the opening of this meeting, at such an important moment for the life of the country. The adoption of the National Pact for Stability and the Organization of Elections constitutes an important step in the current phase of the transition. I welcome the presence of representatives of political parties, whether signatories to the National Pact or not, as well…

WESTERN EQUATORIA - In Yambio, a message from a disability rights advocate captured the spirit of a new push to ensure every South Sudanese voice is heard in the country’s first elections, currently scheduled for December 2026. “As persons with disabilities, we must be included in planning for elections. It is our constitutional right,” said Moses Louis, Chairperson of the Association of People Living with Disabilities, Western Equatoria. As…