Warnings have been issued by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, and the World Food Programme (WFP) regarding a funding shortfall of $428 million necessary to continue essential assistance for refugees in Chad. If unmet, support will be significantly reduced in the coming months.
Hosting 1.3 million
Chad is currently home to around 1.3 million refugees who have fled Sudan, with over 900,000 arriving since the war between rival military factions began in April 2023. Host communities have also welcomed nearly 15,000 new arrivals since the beginning of the year.
South Sudan: ‘Alarming child trafficking crisis’
An independent expert appointed by the Human Rights Council has raised concerns about the alarming increase in conflict-related child trafficking in South Sudan, labeling it a “dire humanitarian crisis.” Siobhán Mullally, Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, highlighted that massive displacement has worsened the situation, impacting children disproportionately as 1.4 million people flee the war in Sudan, joining nearly two million internally displaced South Sudanese.
Dangerous ‘normalisation’
Ms. Mullally reported that conflict-related sexual violence has become “normalised,” with girls subjected to sexual slavery and forced pregnancies while boys face forced military recruitment. She emphasized that these acts could constitute grave violations of international law and potentially amount to war crimes. She urged the operationalisation of the African Union-mandated Hybrid Court to ensure justice for survivors in the face of widespread impunity.
Burundi: Five dead from ‘mystery illness’
Burundi’s health authorities, with support from the UN World Health Organization (WHO), are urgently investigating a mysterious illness responsible for five deaths in the north of the country. The outbreak, concentrated in the Mpanda district near the Democratic Republic of the Congo border, has affected 28 people, primarily in the same household.
Severe symptoms
Patients have exhibited severe symptoms, including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in urine, jaundice, and anemia. Initial tests for Ebola and Marburg virus have been negative, and further analysis is ongoing. WHO is aiding the Ministry of Health in strengthening disease surveillance, clinical care, and laboratory diagnostics.
Serbia: ‘Erosion of civic space’ very worrying
UN human rights chief Volker Türk has expressed serious concerns over the “very worrying” decline in democratic freedoms in Serbia. He noted a deterioration of civic space with ongoing attacks on critical voices and significant media freedom restrictions. Recent local elections were clouded by allegations of voter intimidation and procedural irregularities, undermining electoral integrity.
Reporters targeted
Mr. Türk emphasized the targeting of journalists and increased pressure on independent media as signs of a diminishing democratic space. He urged Serbian authorities to respect rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and called for transparent and impartial investigations to restore public confidence in national institutions and ensure accountability for human rights abuses.
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