XUNICEF News and Views

  Yes, We're Back - And It’s Déjà Vu, All Over Again We editors took a pause in August, and now, as we return, it feels as though the world itself had dozed off for the month. For millions of children and families, daily life remained as precarious as ever—perhaps even more so. The wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan dragged on without relief; peace plans were floated, negotiated, and collapsed—again and again.

This is ominous. Under the Budapest Memorandum of 1994, three countries – Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine gave up nuclear weapons in exchange for security assurances. But Belarus, with Russia's help has quietly given up on the Budapest Memorandum and re-armed with tactical nuclear weapons – an apparent quid pro quo for allowing Russia to use Belarus territory in its February 24, 2022, invasion of Ukraine. Kul

Noteworthy article coming from a prominent Saudi Prince. He raises some very pertinent issues about Nuclear proliferation as it applies to Israel. Fouad

 

An oped on a subject which is current….. Fouad Feed them words F.S. Aijazuddin — Dawn Click here for the article Summary F.S. Aijazuddin examines how famine, once understood as a natural or divine calamity, has increasingly become a deliberate human-made weapon, with Gaza as a current example. He traces historical contexts of famine, from biblical accounts to the Bengal famine under British rule, highlighting how political decisions and indifference often determined life or death. He notes parallels with Pakistan’s own dependence on U.S. food aid under the PL-480 programme, which was later withdrawn due to political disagreements rather than agricultural self-sufficiency. The article critiques Israel’s policy toward Gaza, framing famine as a calculated tool of genocide rather than mismanagement. Aijazuddin argues that Palestinians are being deliberately deprived of food and dignity, with starvation becoming a weapon of war. He stresses that international aid, while necessary, re...

Worth your reading time. Maie Gaza Uninhabitable: Challenging Colonial Frames of Erasure Abdalrahman Kittana : Al Shabaka Click here for the article Summary This commentary critiques the framing of Gaza as “uninhabitable,” arguing that the term functions as a colonial discourse that obscures responsibility for destruction and erases Palestinian presence and agency. It traces the historical roots of such narratives back to the concept of terra nullius, used by European imperial powers and later adopted within Zionist ideology to justify displacement. By recasting land as empty or lifeless, colonial powers legitimized conquest while denying the existence of thriving Indigenous communities. The article highlights how the idea of “uninhabitability” resurfaced through UN reports in the 2010s, which, though based on real infrastructure collapse, risked depoliticizing the crisis by framing it as inevitable rather than as the outcome of Israeli blockade, occupation, and repeated military assa...

Let me introduce Nazanin, and share what she has kindly written for another purpose - Humanitarian Day - and to be shared by Yara, an Iranian Leadership Organization here in Toronto. I believe it will be interesting & appreciated by our XUnicefers, some who have served in Sudan. Wishing Nazanin & her family success, good health & peace of mind. Tashakor Nazanin jan, Niloufar

The democratic deficit in global aid: Why humanitarian power needs public accountability    By Aarathi Krishnan – August 19, 2025   Click here for the article. Summary Aarathi Krishnan argues that the humanitarian sector exercises sovereign authority without democratic accountability, operating like statecraft while shielding itself behind the principle of neutrality. 

Tedros says 400 WHO jobs phased out By Paula Dupraz-Dobias – Geneva Solutions Click here for the article. Summary WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that 400 jobs have been cut since January as part of the UN health agency’s restructuring, about half of them at headquarters in Geneva.

Facebook post by the Stephen Lewis Foundation This #BookLoversDay we’re spotlighting a powerful and enduring read.   It has been 20 years since Race Against Time, the bestselling book based on Stephen Lewis’s 2005 Massey Lectures, was first published.

  Meanwhile in Afghanistan... UAI Comms Click here for the article Summary The article highlights how Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis remains largely ignored amid other global conflicts, despite severe and worsening conditions after more than four decades of war, occupation, and corrupt governance.

. Grapevine - heard from Syria country level staff At least one group of staff seem pleased with the consolidation of offices - Syrian staff say that they are pleased that they are no longer separated in two offices. 

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The letter remained unopened for days. He had read it in his mind a hundred times before his trembling hands dared to break the seal. The handwriting was familiar, though aged—just like everything he had left behind. “And you are upset that I didn’t keep my promise to reach home.”

  Think Change episode 77: corporate humanitarianism? Gaza, Sudan and beyond The humanitarian system and its principles are being destroyed. Over 1,000 people have been killed seeking aid in the past weeks in Gaza, caught between famine and bullets.

Why we need a new playbook for refugee inclusion  Bahana Mirindi Hydrogene — The New Humanitarian Click here for the article Summary Bahana Mirindi Hydrogene argues that refugee participation in humanitarian decision-making remains largely symbolic, with real power concentrated in agencies and donors. The article highlights the case of Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, where food rations have been cut to 40% and aid withdrawn for those labeled “self-reliant” under a new World Food Programme framework. Protests have erupted, but refugees were only “consulted” after policies were already designed, illustrating a system that validates decisions rather than co-creates them.

A fascinating analysis and recommendation by Jeff Sachs. I do not agree with his assertion that Soviet/Russian policy was (and is) solely or largely determined by its genuine "security concerns". He completely ignores or under-emphasizes the genuine democratic aspirations of the people of the Baltic countries, Ukraine, Poland, etc. and their desire to align more closely with the EU. But much of his historical analysis of how US/UK & their European allies broke their pledge to Gorbachev not to expand NATO to its frontier states is correct, and some of his assertions about Ukraine are partially correct.

"Indeed, the changes both within the organization and globally are deeply concerning. We had to reduce from 32 to 18 posts in Tirana- a very difficult process. Unfortunately, the shifts continue, and there are still no clear positive signals ahead. Challenging times, pushing us to be more creative and to explore new partnerships. I believe we'll pull through, but it's hard to see the pain our colleagues and partners experience who had not much changes in their careers over the past decade... "

Afghanistan after nearly three years away For me Afghanistan is the people, the friends I have known for decades, and others I meet on the street, who smile, ask if they can help, put their hand to their heart to greet you. Kathy Gannon

In many developing countries, local elections are often marred by vote-buying practices, where candidates pay individuals directly in exchange for their votes. This transactional approach undermines the very foundation of democratic accountability. Once elected, such candidates no longer feel any obligation to represent the needs or aspirations of their constituents.

Thanks, Sam Daley-Harris & #MarianneWilliamson for this uplifting interview in these depressing times. Kul WE CAN ALL STILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE by Marianne Williamson The inimitable optimism of Sam Daley Harris Read on Substack

As Sylvia (Roth) and I were out having dinner as we often do, we noticed two women leaving the restaurant peering in our direction. We signaled them over, and soon recognized they were our former NYHQ colleagues Surangkana Pitaksuntipan and Josephine Rajasegera.... After several minutes of animated memories and re-connection, we have this photo with hopes of another "reunion" somewhere soon!" Myra

Just in case you haven't seen this. Richard Bricle https://www.brownhatstories.com I’ve seen the UN at its best. As it turns 80, with a world in crisis, it must recover its courage By Martin Griffiths — The Guardian Click here for the article Summary Martin Griffiths, former UN under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs, warns that the United Nations, as it marks its 80th anniversary, is losing its central role in global peacemaking. While it continues to provide vital humanitarian support, he argues that the organisation has become increasingly marginalised in resolving conflicts, trapped by caution and political deadlock. This shift, he says, has left the UN addressing only the symptoms of crises in places like Ukraine, Palestine, and Sudan, rather than tackling their root causes.

A $45 Treatment Can Save a Starving Child. US Aid Cuts Have Frozen the Supply By Apoorva Mandavilli | The New York Times Click here for the article Summary The dismantling of USAID and subsequent US aid cuts have severely disrupted global malnutrition treatment programs, leaving millions of children at risk.

 Think Change Episode 77 ODI Global (Think Change podcast) Click here for the article Summary In this episode of *Think Change*, ODI Global explores the growing privatization of humanitarian aid in conflict zones—particularly Gaza and Sudan—examining how states are outsourcing relief to corporate and security firms.

In April I was invited by the Women’ s Federation for World Peace International to Seoul ,South Korea….  Thank you, Warmly, Rima

This info is more than anybody has estimated to date.  It is a morbid calculation but astounding in its tally of the probable real casualties in this ongoing genocide. What's specially alarming is the calculation of child deaths which UNICEF #hould be highlighting loud and vociferously in all its statements, and from all its offices not just the ED and RD's. 

Very perceptive commentary:  "A system where old resolutions are endlessly recycled, entities cite the same mandates without coordination, and new tasks are tacked on "within existing resources," even as budgets shrink.

Russian Occupation Update, July 31 2025 Institute for the Study of War  Click here for the article See also ISW's   Putin is Still Stealing Ukrainian Children Summary In addition to previously reported deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia under various summer‑camp and adoption programs, the updated July 31 ISW briefing confirms Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) has infiltrated Crimean administrative servers and retrieved records detailing names, relocations, and guardian assignments for children moved after 2022. 

  I hate to spoil your Monday morning or evening, but our world has been turned upside down and inside out, and we are getting “in your face “ blasts like this on a regular basis. And the genocide continues unabated and with full impunity from the civilized world. To what depths has humanity fallen ! Fouad Nine year old malnourished Palestinian girl Mariam Dawwas is carried by her mother in the Rimal neighborhood in Gaza City on August 2 2025. Her mother stated that Mariam weighed 25 kilograms before the conflict but has since dropped to 10 kilograms, despite having no prior illnesses. Palestinian Videos on Instagram  Experts officially declared famine on August 22, 2025.... More than half a million people in the Gaza Strip are facing catastrophic hunger conditions while more than a million more are in a food emergency phase, the report states.

Click here for the article   Summary Jordan Ryan reflects on the *Mandate Implementation Review (MIR)* as a pivotal moment for meaningful UN reform, pointing to systemic “mandate overload.” Since 1946, over 40,000 resolutions have been issued by bodies like the General Assembly, Security Council, and ECOSOC—many of which remain technically active but are never revisited.

International aid agencies hold secret collaboration meeting with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation / The New Humanitarian Click here for the article Senior international aid officials have met with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) and discussed collaborating with the US- and Israeli-backed group – widely condemned for militarised food distributions that have led Israel to kill hundreds of Palestinians.

Good to know that even as the current US government is hostile to the UN, most people in the US appreciate its value and support its activities.  Kul Trump’s Assault Upon the United Nations Is at Odds with U.S. Public Opinion By Lawrence Wittner – CounterPunch Click here for the article. Summary Donald Trump’s nationalist “America First” agenda has driven repeated efforts to dismantle and defund United Nations institutions.

The War in Gaza: Hunger, Politics, and Contested Narratives By Isaac Chotiner / The New Yorker 30 July “A seven-month-old baby lies in our paediatric intensive care unit, so tiny and malnourished that I initially mistook her for a newborn. The phrase ‘skin and bones’ doesn’t do justice to the way her body has been ravaged. She is literally wasting away before our eyes and, despite our best efforts, we are powerless to save her.”

  L-R Hoda Hallab, Malcolm Goodale, Patrizia Goodale, Laura Mendez, Lou Mendez and Saad Houry It was great to see Saad and Hoda again after a such a long respite. Lou Lou

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    In case you have been missing us… The XUNICEF Blog – News & Views is still on its August pause. Regular posting will resume on August 30th , with our first Feature and From Your Editors column returning on September 6th. Many of you continued sending us articles during the break, and these will start appearing on the Blog through this last week of August. We hope you have enjoyed your own time off during this period - Happy Vacation!! The Editors @ XUNICEF News & Views

....in cahoots with IDF and with the complicity of US Govt... Kul Tony Aguilar is a retired Special Forces Green Beret who won a Purple Heart for his service to this country. He took a contract helping to distribute aid in Gaza. There, he witnessed atrocities committed using American taxpayer dollars. Please watch this important video. - Senator Bernie Sanders

The UN has released its Mandate Implementation Review as part of the UN80 reform agenda, tackling the ballooning number of mandates now exceeding 40,000 worldwide.

 

  The mathematics of starvation: how Israel caused a famine in Gaza Emma Graham-Harrison The Guardian  Click here for the article Summary Graham-Harrison reveals that Israel has effectively engineered famine in Gaza through precise control of food imports—calculating just enough calories to sustain life but never meeting minimum nutritional needs.

  Francesca Albanese Is Immune From US Sanctions, UN Boss Says Mona Ali Khalil PassBlue Click here for the article Summary PassBlue reports that the United Nations has formally asserted immunity for Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, following sanctions imposed by the U.S. government.

  View this email in your browser Facebook X LinkedIn Bluesky YouTube FOGGS Update: July 2025 FOGGS Open Consultation Mondays, Project Democrat transnational Agora, Project CASA Final Report, From our Partners, Katoikos podcasts and articles Next  FOGGS   Open Consultation Monday on 15 September 2025

  You may already have this piece. If not, it is of interest for XUNICEF. I’m not commenting, it's too upsetting. John Gilmartin The War on Gaza’s Children  Isaac Chotiner  / The New Yorker Click here for the article in the New Yorker Click here for the text Summary Isaac Chotiner interviews UNICEF spokesperson James Elder about the spiraling humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where children face death from both violence and starvation.

Estimated civilian death rate in selected conflicts Civilians Unknown Rwanda 1994 99.8% Mariupol 2022 95 Srebrenica 1992-1995 92 Gaza 2023-2025 83 Aleppo 2012-2016 59 5 Bosnia 1992-1995 57 Sudan 2023-2024 49.5 43.5 Syria 2012-2024 29 5 Ukraine 2022-2024 10 11 Afghanistan 2001-2021 8 4 0% 25 50 75 100 Guardian graphic. Source: Guardian research (Gaza), Uppsala Conflict Data Program (other conflicts). Notes: Gaza estimate is based on classified IDF figures for named fighters killed and Palestinian MoH casualty figures as of May 2025. MoH records deaths as a direct result of Israeli aggression, excluding indirect deaths and those unrecorded by hospital morgues   Revealed: Israeli military’s own data indicates civilian death rate of 83% in Gaza war Emma Graham-Harrison — The Guardian Click here for the article Summary A joint investigation by the Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call has revealed that Israeli military intelligence data indicates civilians account for 83% of deat...

  Dr. John Black Grant, age 22 John Black Grant – a 20th century public health giant By by Socrates Litsios Summary Socrates Litsios, retired Senior Scientist at the World Health Organization, has produced an engrossing profile of one of the 20th century’s most influential yet under-recognized public health leaders, John Black Grant (1890–1962). Born in Ningpo, China, to Canadian missionary parents,

More than 100 organisations, including Save the Children International , endorsed a joint letter to the UN Secretary General to express our concern on the impact of lack of funding to support the work of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.

See also: Current US Public Support for the UN What Americans Really Think About the United Nations Thu. September 4th, 202511:00 AM - 12:15 PM (EDT) Live Online Click here to register President Donald Trump is dramatically reshaping U.S. relations with international institutions.

Ed Elmendorf President UN Association Capital Area See below the full paper, charts, and graphs : Public Opinion Polling Data, 1945 - 2015, on Americans’ Attitudes towards the UN and American Policies concerning the UN

State Department email outlines US demand for a leaner UN and a return to "founding principles".   Exclusive: A first look at the Trump administration's UNGA priorities Elissa Miolene – Devex Click here for the article :  Summary The Trump administration has outlined its plans for the upcoming United Nations General Assembly, emphasizing a “fundamental rethink” of the humanitarian system and a decreased reliance on U.S. funding.

Captain of the Sudanese battalion Deployed in Mexico, 1867 For those interested in Sudan, Mexico, or imperial adventurism Tom Very unusual info that most would not know. It is a sad state of affairs when the tiny UAE with its megalomaniac Emir MBZ start meddling in things that are none of their business.

The Editorial in The (UK) Guardian on Saturday, 16th August, 2025, had the title above hidden away in it. Interestingly, this editorial was written by the US Editor of The Guardian (See the attachment). I commend that editorial to our readers as it seems to encapsulate how the Presidents of both Russia and the United States of America are behaving.