MIL Video Engine

Source: United Nations (video statements)

UN Women’s Special Representative in Afghanistan, Susan Ferguson, today (17 Mar) told journalists in New York that for women and girls in Afghanistan, “2026 was already proving to be an extremely difficult year,” and with the conflict in the Middle East and ongoing hostilities with Pakistan, “many are facing even more trauma and hardship.”

Briefing virtually from Kabul, Ferguson said, “at least 64,000 people have been affected by the military escalation, just over half of them women and girls. This includes thousands of families who’ve been displaced yet again after living for six months in temporary camps following the August 2025 earthquake. And among them are women and girls who’ve already returned from, Iran or Pakistan.”

She said in Afghanistan, “women’s most urgent needs are shelter, health care and clean water,” and noted that UN Women “is working with partners to ensure women are included in assessment teams, so their needs are understood, and to support access to services for women.”

Ferguson reiterated the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan’s (UNAMA) calls for “immediate cessation in hostilities to prevent further loss of civilian life, and for all parties to meet their obligations under international humanitarian law.”

In western Afghanistan, she said, “we anticipate a sharp increase in Afghans returning from Iran in the coming weeks, including women traveling alone or with children,” and stressed that UN Women and partners are “prepared to deploy more women humanitarians at the border to help Afghan women returnees with registration and support services.”

UN Women, Ferguson continued, “is mobilizing resources to expand cash support for women headed households, provide well-being or dignity kits, and help them start small livelihood businesses,” while also continuing to support women-only safe spaces.

She said, “we urgently need more funding to meet these needs at this critical” and stressed that “women and girls in Afghanistan simply can’t afford yet another economic shock.”

The UN Women official said, “when we start to accept this as normal, we stop believing it can change and we stop seeing it. So, to the international community, including decision makers, gathered in New York this week for the Commission on the Status of Women, I would say, don’t call this normal. Despite all the obstacles and restrictions, Afghan women continue to show extraordinary courage and determination, and we need to as well. Change is still possible, but only if the world continues to stand with Afghan women.”

Asked about the role of UN Women in Afghanistan if UNAMA’s mandate is not renewed, she said, “we will continue on, no matter what happens with UNAMA, adding that “whether the mandate is rolled over or not, UN women will remain in the country, and it will be even more important that we’re here, because we will continue to focus on the needs and issues of women and girls.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xirrpzMuQkk

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Noon Briefing by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.

Highlights:
Iran
Middle East
Lebanon
Lebanon/Humanitarian
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Afghanistan/Pakistan
Cuba
Occupied Palestinian Territory
Afghanistan/Pakistan
Cuba
Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
Global Advocate for Human-Centric Digital Governance
Financial Contribution 
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IRAN

The Secretary-General asserts once more that the war in the Middle East must stop. Diplomacy must prevail.

All Security Council resolutions must be implemented. The latest one, resolution 2817, must be respected, as we see that countries in the Gulf continue to be targeted.  

MIDDLE EAST

And the World Food Programme (WFP) is warning today that the total number of people around the world facing acute levels of hunger could reach record numbers in 2026 if the escalation in the Middle East continues to destabilize the world’s economy.

New analysis by WFP estimates that almost 45 million more people could fall into acute food insecurity or worse (known as IPC3+) if the conflict does not end by the middle of the year, and if oil prices remain above $100 a barrel. These would add to the 318 million people around the world who are already food insecure. 

LEBANON

Turning to Lebanon, our UNIFIL peacekeepers report continued exchanges of fire in both directions across the Blue Line, including rockets, missiles, artillery, mortars and direct fire, as well as interceptions of projectiles and airstrikes inside its area of operations in southern Lebanon.

The peacekeepers are observing reinforcement of Israeli Defense Forces forces in several areas north of the Blue Line, especially in Sector East. Near Khyam in Sector East, about five kilometers north of the Blue Line, peacekeepers yesterday monitored the concentration of dozens of military vehicles, including armored personnel carriers and tanks. In addition, peacekeepers continue to observe reinforcement of IDF forces near Kfar Kila in Sector East.

We continue to urge all sides to cease hostilities, avail themselves of diplomatic channels and recommit to the full implementation of Security Council resolution 1701.

And in line with this call, today and in closed consultations, the Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, are both briefing the Security Council via VTC on the implementation of the resolution.

LEBANON/HUMANITARIAN

On the humanitarian front in Lebanon, our colleagues at OCHA report that we and our partners continue to scale-up humanitarian assistance, providing food, shelter, water and medical support to families forced to flee their homes.

To date, UN agencies, including World Food Programme, UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, and our non-governmental partners have distributed more than 1.1 million hot meals and 38,000 ready-to-eat kits, as well as more than tens of thousands of mattresses, sleeping mats, blankets and hygiene and menstrual hygiene kits to collective shelters. Hundreds of thousands of litres of clean water have also been delivered.

Full Highlight: https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/noon-briefing-highlight?date=2026-03-17

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6bVibynqpM

Source: United Nations (video statements)

Memorial Ceremony to commemorate the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda, organized by the Department of Global Communications and the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations.

The Department of Global Communications in cooperation with the Permanent Mission of Rwanda to the United Nations, will hold a ceremony to commemorate the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda on Tuesday, 7 April 2026, at 10:00 a.m. EDT in the General Assembly Hall, United Nations Headquarters. Ms. Melissa Fleming, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications will host the proceedings. Speakers will include the Deputy Secretary-General, the President of the General Assembly, the Representative of the African Union and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Republic of Rwanda. The commemoration will also feature remarks by the President of Ibuka, testimony of a genocide survivor, the lighting of memorial candles and musical elements.

More info: https://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/rwanda/commemorations-2025.shtml

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhO6lYobKOI