A potential blockage of fertilizers through the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a “very significant and severe” global food crisis, disproportionately affecting the poorest countries, according to Jorge Moreira da Silva of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). He warned that access to these critical supplies is essential ahead of planting season.

He added that a UN-led task force could activate a “one-stop platform” within seven days to help coordinate the flow of fertilizers and raw materials, if passage through the strait is allowed. The goal, he told UN News journalist Reem Abaza, is to quickly support the world’s most vulnerable communities and prevent worsening food insecurity.

Photo Credit: UN

A prolonged Middle East crisis is driving up fuel and food costs worldwide, pushing millions closer to hunger as disrupted supply chains hit the most vulnerable communities hardest.

In Benin, a new generation is learning about workplace rights and boundaries through sex education, helping to change workplace culture.

War, hunger, and displacement continue devastating millions in Sudan, as aid struggles to keep pace with worsening humanitarian needs and funding gaps.

The UN Charter commits us to settling disputes peacefully and saving future generations from war—a goal supported by preventive diplomacy and renewed each International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace (24 April). Today, as conflicts rage from the Middle East to Sudan and Ukraine, the need for effective multilateralism has never been greater. Peace is a choice we must make together. On this International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, let us recommit to a stronger UN, respect for international law, and a united humanity striving for a better tomorrow.

Escalating violence in Tehran and Beirut is exposing children to trauma, fear, displacement, and disrupted safety, education, and daily life.

Global shipping disruptions, including closures of the Strait of Hormuz and rerouting via the Cape of Good Hope, are delaying food aid, raising costs, and reducing assistance.

Explosive ordnance contamination remains a deadly, often hidden threat long after conflicts end, endangering lives, livelihoods and especially curious children. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Sudan and Syria, differing conflicts create the same indiscriminate risks. Communities —often the first to spot dangers—play a vital role in sharing warnings and promoting safe behaviour. Through Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, UNMAS supports people facing layered challenges, strengthening safety and resilience. The exhibition highlights the universal risks of explosive ordnance and showcases how children’s voices and insights help champion safer behaviours.

Mines, explosive remnants of war, and improvised explosive devices active in 57 countries and territories continue to kill and injure thousands, with civilians—especially children—most affected. These weapons are indiscriminate, remain deadly for decades after conflict, and hinder communities striving for sustainable peace. Though cheap to make, they are costly and difficult to clear. The 2026 International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (4 April) underscores that clearing contaminated land and ensuring communities can live free from fear are essential foundations for lasting peace.

US First Lady presides over UN Security Council session

First Lady Melania Trump makes history at the United Nations today as she takes the gavel for the United States during its Security Council presidency, highlighting education’s role in promoting tolerance and global peace. Her appearance marks the first time a sitting US First Lady presides over a Security Council meeting, and the first instance of any first lady or first gentleman doing so. Today’s session addresses education, technology, peace, and security, with Under‑Secretary‑General Rosemary DiCarlo briefing on behalf of the Secretary‑General. Follow the meeting live at 3 p.m. New York time.

Islamic Republic of Iran: Emergency Security Council meeting

Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and nearly 12 years since the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol, the conflict has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions, and left a generation of children traumatized.

After nearly eight years in captivity following Russia’s full-scale invasion, Yurii Shapovalov is rebuilding his life amid Ukraine’s long war.

What is happening in Sudan?

Over 3 million Sudanese have returned, most are going back to their exact home areas or nearby locations. Nearly three years into the conflict, families are returning to destruction and many return areas have extensive damage to housing, basic services, and critical infrastructure. Teams from the UN migration organization - the IOM - are responding by providing shelter and water among other vital basic services.

10 things you should know about Sudan: an IOM feature visual-storyteller.

Bintou Keita knows instinctively that some moments call for a more human response than words alone can offer. Once, at a ceremony to mark the end of the devastating Ebola epidemic in Sierra Leone, she found herself hesitating to deliver her pre-prepared statement to a grief-stricken crowd.

“I have my statement, but I can't deliver [it] because there's something else I have to do before. And in that moment, what came to me was humming, so I did it. And at that moment, the tears - my own, the tears in the audience - came out. These people were grieving, were still mourning.”

Bintou has retired after 36 years with the UN, most recently the Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and head of the peacekeeping mission there. In this episode, she reflects on times when peacekeepers saved thousands of lives, on how women can lead the way out of devastating conflicts, and shares why she has learned to never say never.

Photo: ©UN Photo/Ilyas Ahmed