Week in Review

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Week in Review 22 November 2025

Catch up on this week's must-read stories At time of writing, it's too early to know if a deal can be done at the COP30 climate conference in Brazil...We've been there through every twist and turn explaining what it all means and why it matters. We even got to go down the Amazon to visit a school that's become a beacon of climate resilience. As the Security Council proved it could unite to authorize a new international force to help shore up peace in Gaza, we reported extensively on civilians' ongoing plight as storms, inadequate aid and continuing strikes remind that the ceasefire is anything but stable. The Council also debated the plight of Ukrainian civilians as Russian attacks mount and pressure builds on Kyiv to reach a deal. We had a special report on the increasingly vulnerable civilians living near the frontline. An important UN campaign got underway this week calling for action to end soaring levels of violence against women worldwide, including online. What begins on the Internet, doesn't stay there. We'll be highlighted the courage and power of activists into next week and beyond.   And check out the latest UN report on our increasingly urbanized world, with cities now home to half of humanity. The focus may be on megacities but those with less than a million inhabitants are growing the fastest. This and much more fascinating insight – below. Stay informed – follow UN News online, on our app, and on social media for the latest updates in New York, Geneva, Nairobi and around the world.

From waste pickers to courtrooms: Women demand a gender focus at COP30 On the scheduled final day of COP30 in Belém, tense negotiations are stretching into Friday afternoon as divisions persist. Amid the ongoing talks, one message is cutting through the noise: there is no climate justice without gender equality. Read more Climate and Environment Gaza: Two children killed every day during fragile ceasefire, says UNICEF Ongoing attacks and airstrikes attributed to Israeli forces in Gaza continue to kill and maim people of all ages in the shattered enclave despite an agreed ceasefire, UN agencies said on Friday. Read more Peace and Security Civilian deaths in Ukraine surge past last year's toll as winter deepens crisis, Security Council warned Millions in Ukraine have been left without heating, water or basic public services as winter temperatures plunge – and civilian deaths this year have already surpassed the total for 2024, the UN Security Council heard on Thursday. Read more Peace and Security Security Council LIVE: Spotlight on rising casualties in Ukraine The Security Council is holding a rare open briefing on Ukraine following days of deadly attacks by Russia on civilian areas and amid a renewed US mission to Kyiv in search of a peace deal. With attacks on energy infrastructure soaring and civilian casualties climbing, Council members have demanded answers and action. Can the Council increase pressure on veto-wielding Moscow, secure better protection and aid for civilians, and push toward an elusive ceasefire? Follow live below, find full UN meetings coverage here; UN News app users can click here.  Read more Peace and Security Security Council's veto power is 'poster child' of global gridlock, says Baerbock General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock warned on Thursday that repeated deadlock in the Security Council has become the "poster child" for wider global gridlock, undermining trust in multilateral institutions. Read more Peace and Security UNICEF: 20% of world's children still trapped in extreme poverty More than 19 per cent of children worldwide live in extreme poverty, surviving on under $3 a day, according to a new UNICEF report. Read more SDGs AI and anonymity fuel surge in digital violence against women What was once hailed as a vehicle for empowerment has, for millions of women and girls, become a source of fear. Read more Women Fleeing the frontline in Ukraine The lives of people living in Ukraine on the frontline of the war with Russia are becoming more tenuous and support is being provided for those who want to leave as well as those who want to stay in their homes. Read more Peace and Security In the Amazon, a school becomes a beacon of climate resilience The boat ride from Belém to Barcarena is a journey through shimmering waterways and emerald forest, where the Amazon meets the Atlantic in a sweep of beauty. But beneath the postcard-perfect scene, climate change is quietly rewriting the rules of life. Read more Climate and Environment Ending violence against women 'a matter of dignity, equality and human rights' When Salma* was just 15, she was forced to get married, even though she wanted to stay in school and become a doctor someday.  Read more Women Top Syria Envoy: Humanitarian situation is 'extremely serious' Nearly a year on from the fall of Assad, Syrians still lack many basic necessities as the transitional government works to shore up the economy and build social cohesion. Read more Peace and Security 'Decisive battle': Guterres calls for youth power in fight to phase out fossil fuels A page feels like it's turning. After years of debate, the long-awaited roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels may finally be written into the official decisions of COP30. Read more Climate and Environment Terrorism in Africa, a 'growing global threat' Expanding terrorist networks, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services in West Africa and the Sahel are a growing concern worldwide. Read more Peace and Security Cities now home to nearly half of humanity: UN report Forty-five per cent of the 8.2 billion people on the planet live in cities, which is only going to increase as the world becomes increasingly urban.  Read more SDGs Flower of Srebrenica takes root at the United Nations A 12-year-old boy and his grandmother cut the ribbon at UN Headquarters on Monday to inaugurate a flower-shaped memorial to the victims of the Srebrenica genocide – a permanent reminder of the 1995 massacre and the United Nation's failure to stop it. Read more Law and Crime Prevention Security Council LIVE: US hails 'historic and constructive resolution' on Gaza The Security Council has passed a US-backed resolution which will establish an international force to restore order in Gaza, protect civilians and open the way for large-scale aid and rebuilding. There were 13 votes for, none against – while Russia and China abstained amid concerns that Russia might veto the text. US ambassador Mike Waltz thanked ambassadors, hailing it as an "historic and constructive resolution" which charts a new course for the Middle East. Follow live below, check out full meetings coverage here, and UN News app users, follow here.  Read more Peace and Security On Brazil's Combu Island, chocolate makers hold clues to climate action Combu Island – Ilha do Combu in Portuguese – rises like a wall of living green from Brazil's Guamá River. It is a testament to centuries of shared existence between the forest and its riverside communities. Here, cupuaçu, taperebá, pupunha, araçá and cacao are more than fruits; they are threads in the fabric of local culture, livelihoods and identity. Read more Climate and Environment Healing the hidden wounds of childbirth In Somalia, where six out of ten births take place without a doctor, childbirth is often a matter of survival.  Read more Women

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