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	World Humanitarian Day: #ActForHumanity by UN News, OCHA, ICRC, MSF, agencies   Aug. 2025   A Call to #ActForHumanity   On the 19th of August, we mark World Humanitarian Day — a time to honor those who step into crises to help others, and to stand with the millions of people whose lives hang in the balance.   This year the message is clear: the humanitarian system is stretched to its limits; underfunded, overwhelmed and under attack.   Where bombs fall and disasters strike, humanitarian workers are the ones holding the line keeping people alive, often at great personal risk. But more and more those who help are becoming targets themselves.   In 2024 alone over 380 humanitarian workers were killed. Some in the line of duty, others in their homes. Hundreds more have been injured, kidnapped or detained, and there is reason to fear 2025 could be worse.   Too often the world looks away, even when these attacks violate international law. The laws meant to protect aid workers are ignored. Those responsible walk free. This silence and lack of accountability cannot continue.   The system is failing not just humanitarian workers, but the people they serve. We’re not at a crossroads anymore. We’re standing at the edge. Needs are rising. Funding is falling. Attacks on aid workers are breaking records.   To pull us back from that edge, this World Humanitarian Day we’re relaunching #ActForHumanity with sharper urgency demanding protection, accountability and action. It’s time to turn global outrage into real pressure on those in power, asking them to:   Protect humanitarian workers and the civilians they serve. Uphold international humanitarian law. Fund the lifelines we claim to support.   If we can’t protect the people who save lives, what does that say about us? If we let this continue, we risk losing not just a system but our sense of humanity.   Leaders ignored last year’s call. This year, we relaunch #ActForHumanity. Let's rally public pressure on those in power to uphold the laws that safeguard humanity, and to protect civilians and humanitarian workers in conflict zones.   Demanding governments, parties to conflict and world leaders uphold international law, end impunity, and #ActForHumanity.   When protection is denied and accountability is absent, our voices and actions must fill the void. Aid workers keep going into danger, through checkpoints, under fire. They show up. So must we.   http://www.un.org/en/observances/humanitarian-day http://www.worldhumanitarianday.org/ http://www.unocha.org/news/world-humanitarian-day-attacks-aid-workers-hit-another-record-humanitarians-call-urgent-action http://www.unocha.org/news/protect-civilians-and-aid-workers-global-call-world-humanitarian-day http://www.unocha.org/world-humanitarian-day http://protect-humanitarian-personnel.org http://healthcluster.who.int/newsroom/news/item/19-08-2025-an-urgent-call-to-action-from-the-global-health-cluster http://www.msf.org/what-cost-killing-humanitarians http://www.unfpa.org/news/international-humanitarian-law-flouted-health-and-aid-workers-are-targeted-conflicts-around http://www.unfpa.org/emergencies   http://www.ifrc.org/article/world-humanitarian-day-2025-urgent-call-honor-respect-and-protect-those-who-actforhumanity http://www.ifrc.org/get-involved/campaign-us/stand-us-protect-humanity http://www.icrc.org/en/statement/ihl-only-as-strong-as-leaders-will-uphold-it http://www.caritas.org/2025/08/world-humanitarian-day-honouring-the-fallen-defending-the-living/ http://www.wvi.org/newsroom/call-safeguard-humanitarian-action-amid-rising-threats-and-global-aid-cuts http://www.wvi.org/publication/world-refugee-day/report-ration-cuts-2025 http://www.ipsnews.net/2025/08/un-staff-federation-remembers-with-sorrow-the-many-who-have-fallen-in-the-line-of-duty/ http://www.rescue.org/press-release/irc-statement-world-humanitarian-day-2025-palestinians-make-almost-one-fifth-aid http://www.acaps.org/en/thematics/all-topics/humanitarian-access   http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases/world-humanitarian-day-2025 http://www.bond.org.uk/news/2025/08/theyre-hunting-us-now-a-humanitarians-reckoning/ http://www.nrc.no/news/2025/august/yemen-aid-organisations-call-for-solidarity-and-urgent-action-on-world-humanitarian-day http://www.actionagainsthunger.org/press-releases/over-100-humanitarian-organizations-call-for-immediate-ceasefire-and-unimpeded-aid-access-in-gaza/ http://www.nrc.no/feature/2025/a-global-displacement-crisis-as-the-world-abandons-aid   June 2025   Humanitarians in action: delivering even amid extreme challenges. (OCHA)   Despite facing extreme underfunding and escalating attacks, humanitarians provided a literal lifeline for millions of people around the world throughout the first months of 2025, in support of the communities they serve, and with local and national actors at the forefront of every response.   Around the world, communities continued to provide the first line of support for one another in times of crisis, from mutual aid efforts through the Emergency Response Rooms in Sudan to community-led kitchens in Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), and solidarity shown by receiving communities to those fleeing violence whether within their own country or across borders.   These efforts were supported by the work of local and national organizations who—despite having to restrict their services and reduce their presence—continued to deliver for those in urgent need.   Since 2025 began, humanitarian agencies—from local and national actors through to international non-governmental organizations (NGO) and United Nations entities—have saved lives and upheld the dignity of people impacted by crises, amid enormous challenges.   In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), following the explosion of violence in the east which displaced at least 660,000 people from January to March 2025, humanitarian actors responded despite the extreme constraints, including acting early to anticipate a cholera outbreak, supported by the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).   In Myanmar, within one month of the devastating earthquakes which struck on 28 March 2025, humanitarian partners had reached at least 600,000 people with water, sanitation and hygiene support, nearly half a million people with food assistance, and more than 100,000 people with emergency shelter and essential household items. Partners in Myanmar also dispatched as mobile medical teams, delivering medical supplies, reuniting separated children with their families and supporting survivors of gender-based violence.   In Sudan, after horrifying violence and insecurity engulfed Zamzam and Abu Shouk displacement camps in April 2025 and forcing the displacement of over 400,000 people, humanitarian partners activated an operational response plans to reach the new arrivals: between 4 and 8 May 2025, 335,000 people received emergency food assistance and 67,000 received emergency nutrition supplies.   Across the border in Chad, UNHCR and its partners worked with authorities to authenticate the medical certificates of Sudanese refugee doctors so they could practice in Chad, providing them with a livelihood and the means to continue help people.   In Haiti, where violence has escalated dramatically and one in every eight children is displaced, humanitarian partners have provided safe spaces and psychosocial support for children in displacement sites and hard-to-reach areas of Port-au-Prince and delivered 4.2 million hot meals to almost 450,000 students, almost 68 per cent of which were prepared with locally sourced products.   In Yemen, which remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, 134 humanitarian actors supported an average of 4 million people per month with life-saving protection and assistance in the first quarter of 2025.   UN agencies and humanitarian partner organisations supported displaced communities in 27 countries, delivering life-saving assistance under some of the most challenging conditions. In Ukraine, coordinating the movement of over 83,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), ensuring access to essential services and safety. In Burkina Faso and Yemen, assessments identified critical service gaps, enabling targeted interventions to prevent violence—particularly against displaced women and girls.   The ability of humanitarians to deliver when enabled to do so was showcased during the ceasefire in Gaza, Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), between 19 January and 18 March 2025. During this time, partners delivered winterization kits to 60,000 children (compared to 10,000 prior to the ceasefire); supported 25 UN-subsidized bakeries (compared to 5 before the ceasefire); and brought 78,000 tonnes of aid into Gaza (compared to 23,000 prior to the ceasefire).   This was followed by the imposition by Israel of an 11-week total aid blockade, during which humanitarian partners continued to deliver whatever aid they could under the most difficult and complex circumstances.   The tireless efforts of humanitarian actors to deliver to people in crisis in a principled manner in the first months of 2025 highlights the ability and commitment of the humanitarian system to assist people in the world’s gravest emergencies, even in the most adverse circumstances.   As global geopolitics shift, it is vital we support principled humanitarian action to reach people in most urgent need. This action is grounded in the work of local and national partners who know their communities best, and leveraging the tools, systems and capacities of the international humanitarian community in support of their efforts.   http://humanitarianaction.info/document/hyper-prioritized-global-humanitarian-overview-2025-cruel-math-aid-cuts/article/humanitarians-action-delivering-even-amid-extreme-challenges http://humanitarianaction.info/ http://www.unocha.org/latest/news-and-stories   22 May 2025   International Framework to Protect Civilians during Armed Conflict Unraveling, speakers warn UN Security Council, urging enforcement of existing Laws. (UN News)   2024 Deadliest Year on Record for Humanitarians, as Civilian Deaths Soared   United Nations officials and humanitarians alike warned that the international framework created to protect civilians during armed conflict is itself under attack during a day-long debate in the UN Security Council today on that topic, as many speakers stressed that civilians will continue to suffer if existing laws are not enforced.   “The short version — the scaffolding built last century to protect us from inhumanity is crumbling; those who will die as a result need us to act,” stated Thomas Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. In 2024, the UN recorded more than 36,000 civilian deaths in 14 armed conflicts, with the real number likely far higher.   He detailed the plight of civilians today: dead, deprived of essential services, forcibly displaced, subjected to “rampant” sexual violence or suffering from “alarming” levels of conflict-driven hunger. “2024 was also the deadliest year on record for humanitarians,” he added.   Spotlighting an unravelling of international law — “despite the lessons of history and clear legal commitments” — he underscored that this jeopardizes the protection architecture that took decades to build.   “There is, though, another path,” he said — provided States act to “salvage what they have built”. This requires that they ensure respect for international law and support efforts to fight impunity. He said they also must acknowledge that, even when parties comply with the law, “the scale of civilian harm can be devastating”, which necessitates strong policy and operational measures to protect civilians. “Let us be remembered not for the warnings we gave, but for the action we took,” he urged.   Next, Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), emphasized: “In the past year, we have seen bombed maternity wards, blockaded medical supplies and massive funding cuts.” In Afghanistan — where 90 per cent of women lack access to essential healthcare services — a woman dies from preventable pregnancy-related complications every two hours. And, with bans on female workers and shrinking access to care, maternal deaths are projected to rise by 50 per cent in 2026.   Meanwhile, in Gaza, over 28,000 women and girls have been killed since October 2023, she noted, adding: “Tens of thousands have given birth under bombardment and siege, without anaesthetics, postpartum care or clean water.” Urging the Council to treat reproductive violence as a distinct category of harm and hold perpetrators accountable, she added that “trauma compounds over time”. In Gaza, 75 per cent of women suffer from depression; women in Afghanistan describe living in “open-air prisons” and domestic violence is rising in Ukraine.   “Where is the political courage to stop the killing?”, asked Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). “If you do not defend the rules of war today, you are accepting a world where wars are fought with increasing barbarity and disregard for our shared humanity,” she underscored.   “In today’s conflicts, you do not have to pull the trigger to be complicit in the consequences,” she added, stressing that the fourth Geneva Convention contains clear, unambiguous protections for civilians in times of armed conflict.   She therefore urged the Council to prevent any permissive signals that international humanitarian law can be ignored, that life-saving aid can be denied or that principled humanitarian action can be replaced. Peace starts with treating the wounded, reconnecting separated families, ensuring the provision of life-saving aid and sparing civilian populations and infrastructure from harm.   “It is in the darkest moments that our commitment to protecting civilians is most tested and needed,” she said, declaring: “It is possible to protect civilians in war.”   Doing so is especially necessary in the context of children, emphasized Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer of Save the Children, as they are “uniquely vulnerable to the effects of war”.   Recalling the words of one of her organization’s healthcare workers in Somalia, describing what happens when children suffer acute malnutrition, she said that “the skin becomes attached to the bone, the child becomes a skeleton” and cries all day “until it stops doing that”. Children, she continued, are also more likely to die from blast injuries: “The blast is more likely to penetrate their small bodies, and they have less blood to lose.”   Observing that humanity faces a “moment where many competing visions of the future are battling for supremacy” and “not an erosion, but an assault” on its values, she said that humanitarians are often asked for technical solutions to inherently political problems.   “Yes, we need support to get food, medicine and schooling to children trapped in conflict,” she acknowledged, but added that it is also necessary for Member States “to do your job”. When civilians suffer because a State makes a political choice to disregard the laws of war, that choice is based on a calculation that the international community will not enforce the law. “We urge you to act,” she concluded.   http://news.un.org/en/news/topic/humanitarian-aid   What is the cost for killing humanitarians?, by Chris Lockyear - Secretary General, Medecins Sans Frontieres   On 3 May, we at Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) woke to shock, grief, and outrage. Our hospital in Old Fangak, South Sudan, had been attacked: a helicopter gunship destroyed the pharmacy, shelling followed, and drones bombed the market. Patients and staff fled as shrapnel tore through hospital. It was terrifying – and a clear violation of international humanitarian law.   These same emotions ran through us with the news of two other horrific mass attacks that killed medical workers in recent weeks.   On 23 March, the Israeli military in Gaza killed 15 people, including eight staff from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS).   Eight days later, their bodies and destroyed vehicles were discovered in a mass grave. Videos showed the attack was deliberately carried out on clearly identified medical staff and ambulances.   On 11 April, in Zamzam displacement camp, in Sudan’s North Darfur region, nine medical workers from the humanitarian organisation Relief International were ruthlessly killed as Rapid Support Forces soldiers entered a clinic – the last one still running – during their assault on the camp.   These are just the latest, and particularly shocking, examples of attacks against medical and humanitarian workers worldwide. We’ve also seen horrific attacks in Ukraine, in Haiti, in Democratic Republic of Congo, among others.   Whether they directly target staff or hospitals from MSF, or from other organisations, we – humanitarians – feel attacked. We share the grief of all medical and humanitarian colleagues who work alongside us, acting with the same urgency to care for sick and injured people.   These recent assaults on humanitarian and medical workers are exceptionally grave – not only for their brutality and toll, but for the profound indifference that followed.   Aside from statements by the United Nations and isolated calls from some states – like the UK’s request for investigations into attacks in Gaza, or France’s response after the strike on Old Fangak’s hospital – there is no shared global outrage.   There is no strong political momentum, and certainly no concrete action against the perpetrators. Verbal condemnations ring hollow without real consequences.   It almost feels futile to ask the question: what is preventing this from happening again – even tomorrow?   All such attacks should be met with strong, unequivocal condemnation. We should expect emotion, mobilisation, and strong reaction. Independent investigations should be launched automatically to identify those responsible, and existing laws and international conventions applied – their enforcement should not be up for negotiation or compromise.   Justice should be delivered to the families and the colleagues of the victims, and concrete pressure applied to political stakeholders who tolerate, enable, or even actively encourage, such attacks.   Nearly four years on from the brutal killing of our three colleagues in Tigray, Ethiopia, the Ethiopian authorities have failed to conduct a credible, transparent, impartial, or timely investigation.   In the absence of a meaningful international response, it seems to us that carrying out these attacks is increasingly cost-free for the perpetrators. What political, legal, economic, social, or moral price are they paying?   And what state, body, or institution is truly ready and committed to hold them accountable?   It should be unthinkable that killing humanitarians or medical staff – people risking their lives to deliver care – comes with little or no consequence.   This isn’t only about preserving the feasibility of our work; it’s about defending fundamental values like solidarity and empathy.   Let me be clear: attacks on healthcare staff and aid workers are not new. We don’t yearn for a mythical “golden age” where our work was universally respected, or our security guaranteed. On the contrary, MSF has consistently denounced such attacks and called for change.   In 2016, after a wave of assaults on our staff – including the US bombing of Kunduz hospital in Afghanistan – and amid systematic campaigns against hospitals in Syria and Yemen, we supported the adoption of UN resolution 2286, aimed at protecting the wounded and sick, medical personnel, and humanitarian workers in armed conflict. But since then, we have seen its impact remain disastrously limited.   We are not alone in this fight. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) continues to lead its “Healthcare in Danger” campaign.   In 2024, the UN Security Council passed Resolution 2730 – initiated by Switzerland – calling on all states to respect and protect humanitarian workers. That same year, an interministerial group from Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, and the UK issued a joint statement committing to develop a new Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel.   However, the collective effort has so far failed. We have not seen the transparency, accountability, and change that should be expected. It is rare to even obtain basic acknowledgement from the perpetrators.   The death and injury of medical and humanitarian workers are often part of a broader, equally shocking and intolerable pattern of indiscriminate – and even deliberate – violence against the communities they serve.   In Gaza, more than 52,000 people have been killed since 7 October 2023, according to local authorities. In Sudan, it is impossible to have a realistic estimate of the civilian death toll, though studies suggest it may number in the hundreds of thousands.   Today, in the face of an unprecedented assault on multilateral organisations, the United Nations, and legal institutions – exemplified by the growing number of countries opposing the International Criminal Court – it is not merely a lack of political pressure or justice, but a deliberate dismantling of the very channels for accountability and change.   We call on all those who still believe in humanity and solidarity to strongly condemn these attacks. We need them, wherever they are, to unite and rally around renewed calls for legal and political accountability.   Citizens must demand that states who claim to uphold international conventions and treaties take tangible political action and apply political pressure to stop to the normalisation and concealment of attacks against health staff and humanitarian workers – in Gaza, in Sudan, South Sudan, and around the world.   Now, more than ever, we need warring parties – as well as the states who politically, economically, or militarily support them – to recognise that attacking and killing humanitarians is an assault on the very values they stand for. Killing humanitarian workers should not just be costly – it should be utterly unaffordable.   http://www.msf.org/what-cost-killing-humanitarians http://healthcluster.who.int/newsroom/news/item/19-08-2025-an-urgent-call-to-action-from-the-global-health-cluster http://safeguarding-health.com/ignoring-red-lines-shcc-2022-report/   19 Aug. 2024   Protect civilians and aid workers: A global call on World Humanitarian Day   Open Letter to the Member States of the UN General Assembly, on behalf of the Inter Agency Standing Committee Principals, signed by 413 humanitarian organizations around the world who are calling for the protection of civilians, including their staff:   This World Humanitarian Day, our staff and volunteers around the world will stand in solidarity to spotlight the horrifying toll of armed conflicts on their colleagues and on all civilians, particularly children.   The brutal hostilities we are seeing in multiple conflicts around the world have exposed a terrible truth: We are living in an era of impunity. Attacks that kill or injure civilians, including humanitarian and health-care personnel, are devastatingly common. Yet despite widespread condemnation, serious violations of the rules of war too often go unpunished.   This status quo is shameful and cannot continue.   In 2023, tens of thousands of civilians were killed or injured in armed conflict, with fatalities among humanitarian workers doubling compared to the previous year.   The toll in 2024 – the number of deaths, injuries, detentions and kidnappings – is already staggering. The overwhelming majority of recorded attacks on aid workers are inflicted on national staff. Women-led organizations and female humanitarian staff face unique and often increased risks, just because they are women. The impact on the mental health of civilians and humanitarian workers has reached unprecedented levels.   And yet parties to conflict continue to flout laws meant to protect civilians, including humanitarian workers, and civilian objects.   This year, on World Humanitarian Day, we appeal to all States, parties to armed conflict, and the wider international community to:   End attacks on civilians and take active steps to protect them – and the critical civilian infrastructure they rely on.   Protect all aid workers, including local and national actors, and their premises and assets and facilitate their work, as called for in UN Security Council Resolution 2730 adopted this May.   Hold perpetrators to account. Those who commit violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) cannot go unpunished.   We should not have to wait for an annual moment such as World Humanitarian Day to remind all parties to armed conflict, and all States, of their obligations under IHL. Adherence to IHL must happen every day irrespective of occasion. It is non-negotiable and is not subject to exceptions.   It is vital that all parties to armed conflict and all States adhere to their obligations and leverage their influence to ensure respect for the rules of war and minimize human suffering.   Fulfilling these obligations requires more than mere declarations – it demands immediate and decisive actions. Turning a blind eye when humanitarian workers are targeted only emboldens those who seek to hinder their work.   This only serves to increase food insecurity, childhood malnutrition, involuntary displacement and the spread of infectious diseases and other threats. The immediate effects of these will not only be limited to areas of conflict but often spread far beyond.   We will continue to stay and deliver in humanitarian crises around the world – but the situation requires us to take a united stand to call for the protection of our staff, volunteers and the civilians we serve.   http://www.unocha.org/news/protect-civilians-and-aid-workers-global-call-world-humanitarian-day Visit the related web page
	The risk of intentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons is terrifyingly real by Red Cross, ICAN, Nobel Committee, agencies   Aug. 2025   80 years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki: A call to eliminate nuclear weapons, from the President of the Japanese Red Cross Society, Atsushi Seike, and President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric.   “Let all the souls here rest in peace for we shall not repeat the evil.”   These are the words carved into the stone monument at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. Eighty years after the world witnessed the horrifying tragedy caused by nuclear weapons, we must ask ourselves: Are we taking this pledge seriously? Are we doing enough to ensure the memory of what happened in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is not forgotten? And, critically, are enough efforts being made to rid the world of these devastating weapons?   Eighty years ago, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were reduced to ash and tens of thousands perished in mere seconds. The registers of both atomic bombings’ victims exceed 540,000, including those who died after suffering from the long-term effects of radiation. This number continues to grow even now.   To this day, survivors – Hibakusha – continue to endure the physical and emotional toll of these weapons. They are still being treated by Japanese Red Cross hospitals for radiation-induced illnesses. This fact underscores the lasting consequences of nuclear warfare.   The risk of intentional or accidental use of nuclear weapons is terrifyingly real. There are far more nuclear weapons today than there were 80 years ago. They are also far more powerful. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima - with a yield equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT - would today be classified as a small nuclear weapon.   Any use of nuclear weapons would be a catastrophic failure of humanity. In particular, no humanitarian response could ever address the suffering resulting from a nuclear detonation in or near a populated area. It is extremely doubtful that nuclear weapons could ever be used in accordance with the principles and rules of international humanitarian law.   Two years ago, ahead of the G7 Summit held in Hiroshima in May 2023, we issued a joint statement in which we called on the international community to eliminate nuclear weapons.   And yet instead of advancing towards nuclear disarmament, we see a growing emphasis on nuclear weapons in military postures and doctrine along with the renewal and expansion of nuclear arsenals.   However, there is reason to not lose hope. The desire for a world without nuclear weapons is widely shared among many nations. The number of state parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) is growing. Seventy-three states are now parties to the treaty and another 25 have signed it.   The experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki 80 years ago should be proof enough that nuclear weapons are too dangerous for the world to keep.   We again call on all states to never use or threaten to use nuclear weapons, to adopt risk-reduction measures to prevent their deliberate or accidental use, to end reliance on them as a means of national security, and to work towards their complete elimination by joining the TPNW or other similar means.   We also urge governments to provide education to ensure that awareness of the dangers of nuclear weapons is passed on to future generations so that the unimaginable harm they inflict on civilians is never forgotten.   http://www.icrc.org/en/article/hiroshima-80-years-humanitarian-imperative-eliminate-nuclear-weapons http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165583 http://www.dw.com/en/japan-marks-80-years-since-the-hiroshima-atomic-bombing/a-73542738 http://www.dw.com/en/risk-of-nuclear-war-grows-amid-new-arms-race/a-72894853 http://www.icanw.org/80years http://childrenspeacememorial.org/ http://www.icanw.org/hibakusha http://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/2024/nihon-hidankyo/lecture/ http://www.ne.jp/asahi/hidankyo/nihon/english/weapons/weapons1.html http://theelders.org/news/no-more-hiroshimas-elders-call-urgent-nuclear-dialogue-conflict-risks-rise http://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2025/nuclear-risks-grow-new-arms-race-looms-new-sipri-yearbook-out-now   http://www.sipri.org/media/press-release/2024/role-nuclear-weapons-grows-geopolitical-relations-deteriorate-new-sipri-yearbook-out-now http://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/current-time/nuclear-risk/ http://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2024-08-06/secretary-generals-message-the-hiroshima-peace-memorial-the-79th-anniversary-of-the-atomic-bombing-of-hiroshima http://www.un.org/en/observances/nuclear-weapons-elimination-day http://disarmament.unoda.org/wmd/nuclear/   http://thebulletin.org/2025/07/the-nobel-laureate-assembly-declaration-for-the-prevention-of-nuclear-war/ http://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-02271-w http://futureoflife.org/project/artificial-escalation/ http://futureoflife.org/project/mitigating-the-risks-of-ai-integration-in-nuclear-launch/   Any use of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic for humanity. Even a “limited” nuclear war involving only 250 of the 13 000 nuclear weapons in the world could kill 120 million people outright and cause global climate disruption leading to a nuclear famine, putting 2 billion people at risk.   A large-scale nuclear war between the USA and Russia could kill 200 million people or more in the near term, and potentially cause a global “nuclear winter” that could kill 5–6 billion people, threatening the survival of humanity.   Once a nuclear weapon is detonated, escalation to all-out nuclear war could occur rapidly. The prevention of any use of nuclear weapons is therefore an urgent public health priority and fundamental steps must also be taken to address the root cause of the problem—by abolishing nuclear weapons.   http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)01526-X/fulltext http://www.icanw.org/catastrophic_harm http://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-022-00573-0 http://www.ippnw.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/ENGLISH-Nuclear-Famine-Report-Final-bleed-marks.pdf http://www.icrc.org/en/document/avoiding-catastrophe-we-must-act-now-ensure-nuclear-weapons-are-never-again-used http://international-review.icrc.org/sites/default/files/reviews-pdf/2022-06/the-icrcs-legal-and-policy-position-on-nuclear-weapons-919.pdf http://commonsecurity.org   23 June 2025   New NATO defence commitments must not come at cost of human rights, by Agnes Callamard - Secretary General of Amnesty International   As NATO states meet in the Hague this week, they face tough decisions that will impact the lives of millions, or even billions, around the world. If, as widely expected, they commit to increased defence spending in response to Russia’s ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine, they must ensure this is allied with strong commitments and actual measures to enhance protection of human rights and international humanitarian law.   Given the gravity of the crises engulfing the world and the need to seize every opportunity to demand that human rights protection be central to all responses, I will be representing Amnesty International at the NATO Public Forum that runs parallel to the summit, in which leaders and officials will engage with security experts, academics, journalists and NGOs.   Upon launching Amnesty’s annual report a few weeks ago, I declared it the strongest warning the organization has ever issued. There are more conflicts raging today than at any time since World War Two, inequality is rampant – both within and between states – and states are hurtling into an unchecked arms race, in the first place artificial intelligence-powered. Without concerted and comprehensive action from governments, this historic juncture will mutate into historic devastation.   When NATO leaders sit down to discuss such challenges, they must carefully consider their responsibility to humanity.   Progressive taxation, no austerity measures, to fund increased defence budget   The Trump administration is pressuring its NATO allies to increase their defence spending to 5% of GDP – more than double the existing target of 2%. This would likely consist of 3.5% directly on military expenditure and another 1.5% on civil defence, cyber, intelligence and military-related infrastructure. Any such increases must not be paid for by cutting vital funds needed to guarantee and protect essential public services or humanitarian aid and development assistance.   Instead of pulling the rug from under the feet of those most in need of support, states should raise the requisite funds by introducing more progressive domestic taxation measures for the wealthiest and supporting global tax reform to ensure those with the broadest shoulders pay their fair share.   NATO leaders should also state loudly and powerfully that people do not have to choose between security and the protection of social, economic and political rights. This is a false dichotomy. Security and rights go hand in hand.   Galvanise commitment to international law   Respect for international humanitarian law is in deep crisis with many governments either claiming that the principles and rules of international humanitarian law do not apply to them or rewriting the rules to allow conducts that should not be permissible. Israel’s ongoing horrendous conflict in Gaza is compounded by the failures of its main allies to stop transferring weapons or condemn war crimes and the indescribable civilian bloodshed. Russia’s ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine resulted in more Ukrainian civilians killed in 2024 than it did the previous year.   NATO leaders must not only reiterate their commitment to uphold international law and demand that their allies respect the laws of war. The summit should result in a set of concrete measures to ensure that international humanitarian law is respected.   NATO leaders should halt weapons transfers where they are likely to result in violations of international law, such as Israel and Sudan, for example. Increased military production is no excuse for states to transfer arms to countries where they pose a substantial risk of being used to commit or facilitate war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.   Protect international treaties   The trend towards remilitarization has seen states withdraw from vital treaties protecting civilians. Lithuania’s unprecedented withdrawal from the Convention on Cluster Munitions took effect in March 2025 and its parliament voted in May to also withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, a landmark treaty prohibiting the use of anti-personnel mines. Finland announced its withdrawal from the latter treaty in April, while Estonia and Latvia’s parliaments also voted to pull out in recent weeks. Poland’s Minister of Defence has recommended doing the same. The USA, which is not a signatory to either convention, has further undermined prohibition efforts, with the Biden administration transferring cluster munitions and anti-personnel mines to Ukraine last year.   NATO leaders must reiterate their commitment to these treaties, which are vital to protecting civilians in armed conflicts, and call on their allies to reconsider their withdrawals.   Regulate development of autonomous weapon systems   Remilitarization is also driving ever-greater use of artificial intelligence in the military domain and will likely accelerate the development of autonomous weapons systems, potentially nullifying years of efforts towards their regulation.   This arms race highlights the imperative to move on from endless debates around autonomous weapons systems and take immediate action to actually prevent us from sleepwalking into oblivion. NATO governments must adopt a clear collective position in favour of a global, legally binding treaty to regulate the development and deployment of autonomous weapons systems, including banning those that directly target and attack humans – a line we cannot cross, for myriad legal and ethical reasons.   Reaffirm respect for rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly   Over the last year, Amnesty has documented a globalized intensification of authoritarian practices and a vicious clampdown on dissent, particularly in relation to conflicts and violations of international law. Governments across the world banned media outlets, disbanded or suspended NGOs and political parties, and imprisoned critics.   The world over, Amnesty has documented the criminalization and punishment of freedom of expression and peaceful protests, including through use of “terrorism” or “extremism” legislation.   The protection of universal values and human rights must be at the heart of the NATO vision and actions. This is how its founders envisioned the alliance when they reaffirmed in its treaty “their faith in the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations”. This protection is what all citizens may expect it to deliver.   NATO leaders must recognize the critical role played by civil society, human rights defenders and independent media in protecting human rights and ensuring accountability and respect for rule of law – all necessary elements for preserving peace and security.   They must commit to allowing peaceful protests and guaranteeing the rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well as stopping the oppression of NGOs and recognizing their essential role in society. Governments must also protect human rights defenders and journalists from attacks, end any state-sponsored violence against them, and refrain from harassing or censoring independent media.   These are the basic steps states must take to ensure the preservation of peace and security at home and globally. Anything less and NATO leaders will be paving the way for future crises. They cannot achieve genuine and lasting security without robust human rights guarantees.   * NATO’s leaders agreed to invest 5 percent of their countries’ gross domestic product (GDP) on “core defence requirements as well as defence and security-related spending by 2035”. The 5 percent headline includes 1.5 percent spent on military-related infrastructure, which could be broadly defined to include civilian expenditure. Last year, NATO spent $1.5 trillion on the military – more than half of global military spending. If members comply with the core 3.5 percent target by 2030, that would mean a total of $13.4 trillion in military expenditure.   The money will be diverted – most of all from social spending - public services, like health, and education, social welfare supports – even as 30 percent of Europeans report difficulty in making ends meet, with global humaitarian needs ever increasing while humanitarian aid funding is slashed and climate scientists warn that we have only two years left to keep temperature increases below the international target of 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit).   Social and environmental spending is already on the chopping block. In February, the United Kingdom announced it would reduce its aid budget to 0.3 percent of GDP to pay for military spending increases – a year after it won an election committing to increase foreign aid. Belgium, the Netherlands and France followed suit, announcing aid cuts of 25 to 37 percent. The United States, under Trump, has decimated its overseas aid and climate programmes and reduced healthcare funding while proposing a record $1 trillion expenditure on the Pentagon.   http://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/06/new-nato-defence-commitments-must-not-come-at-cost-of-human-rights/   * Peace Research Institute Oslo: Can humankind use and explore space together peacefully, or will space become a battlefield in future wars? What will China and the US be doing, as they both increasingly see mastery of space as decisive for national security and future conflicts? And what role do satellites and space stations play in current geopolitics: http://www.prio.org/events/9241 http://www.prio.org/comments/1802   Feb. 2025   Closer than ever: It is now 89 seconds to midnight - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists   In 2024, humanity edged ever closer to catastrophe. Trends that have deeply concerned the Science and Security Board continued, and despite unmistakable signs of danger, national leaders and their societies have failed to do what is needed to change course. Consequently, we now move the Doomsday Clock from 90 seconds to 89 seconds to midnight—the closest it has ever been to catastrophe.   Our fervent hope is that leaders will recognize the world’s existential predicament and take bold action to reduce the threats posed by nuclear weapons, climate change, and the potential misuse of biological science and a variety of emerging technologies.   In setting the Clock one second closer to midnight, we send a stark signal: Because the world is already perilously close to the precipice, a move of even a single second should be taken as an indication of extreme danger and an unmistakable warning that every second of delay in reversing course increases the probability of global disaster.   In regard to nuclear risk, the war in Ukraine, now in its third year, looms over the world; the conflict could become nuclear at any moment because of a rash decision or through accident or miscalculation.   Conflict in the Middle East threatens to spiral out of control into a wider war without warning. The countries that possess nuclear weapons are increasing the size and role of their arsenals, investing hundreds of billions of dollars in weapons that can destroy civilization.   The nuclear arms control process is collapsing, and high-level contacts among nuclear powers are totally inadequate given the danger at hand. Alarmingly, it is no longer unusual for countries without nuclear weapons to consider developing arsenals of their own—actions that would undermine longstanding nonproliferation efforts and increase the ways in which nuclear war could start.   The impacts of climate change increased in the last year as myriad indicators, including sea-level rise and global surface temperature, surpassed previous records. The global greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change continued to rise. Extreme weather and other climate change-influenced events—floods, tropical cyclones, heat waves, drought, and wildfires—affected every continent.   The long-term prognosis for the world’s attempts to deal with climate change remains poor, as most governments fail to enact the financing and policy initiatives necessary to halt global warming. Growth in solar and wind energy has been impressive but remains insufficient to stabilize the climate.   Judging from recent electoral campaigns, climate change is viewed as a low priority in the United States and many other countries.   In the biological arena, emerging and re-emerging diseases continue to threaten the economy, society, and security of the world. The off-season appearance and in-season continuance of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), its spread to farm animals and dairy products, and the occurrence of human cases have combined to create the possibility of a devastating human pandemic.   Supposedly high-containment biological laboratories continue to be built throughout the world, but oversight regimes for them are not keeping pace, increasing the possibility that pathogens with pandemic potential may escape.   Rapid advances in artificial intelligence have increased the risk that terrorists or countries may attain the capability of designing biological weapons for which countermeasures do not exist.   An array of other disruptive technologies advanced last year in ways that make the world more dangerous. Systems that incorporate artificial intelligence in military targeting have been used in Ukraine and the Middle East, and several countries are moving to integrate artificial intelligence into their militaries.   Such efforts raise questions about the extent to which machines will be allowed to make military decisions—even decisions that could kill on a vast scale, including those related to the use of nuclear weapons.   Tensions among the major powers are increasingly reflected in competition in space, where China and Russia are actively developing anti-satellite capabilities; the United States has alleged that Russia has tested a satellite with a dummy warhead on it, suggesting plans to place nuclear weapons in orbit.   The dangers we have just listed are greatly exacerbated by a potent threat multiplier: the spread of misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories that degrade the communication ecosystem and increasingly blur the line between truth and falsehood.   Advances in AI are making it easier to spread false or inauthentic information across the internet—and harder to detect it.   At the same time, nations are engaging in cross-border efforts to use disinformation and other forms of propaganda to subvert elections, while some technology, media, and political leaders aid the spread of lies and conspiracy theories.   This corruption of the information ecosystem undermines the public discourse and honest debate upon which democracy depends. The battered information landscape is also producing leaders who discount science and endeavor to suppress free speech and human rights, compromising the fact-based public discussions that are required to combat the enormous threats facing the world.   Blindly continuing on the current path is a form of madness. The United States, China, and Russia have the collective power to destroy civilization. These three countries have the prime responsibility to pull the world back from the brink, and they can do so if their leaders seriously commence good-faith discussions about the global threats outlined here.   Despite their profound disagreements, they should take that first step without delay. The world depends on immediate action. It is 89 seconds to midnight.   http://thebulletin.org/doomsday-clock/2025-statement/
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