Noon briefing of 10 December 2025

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING BY FARHAN HAQ,

DEPUTY SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL ANTÓNIO GUTERRES

WEDNESDAY, 10 DECEMBER 2025

HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 

Today we mark Human Rights Day. Nearly eighty years after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, its promise remains essential. Yet civic space is shrinking and serious violations persist, showing disregard for dignity and suffering.  

In his message for the Day, the Secretary-General underscores that the UN works every day with partners to help people access their basic rights — from food, shelter and education to peace, equality and a healthy planet. But safeguarding rights requires action from everyone, everywhere. 

And in a press conference today in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said that human rights are underfunded, undermined and under attack — yet they remain powerful, undeterred and mobilizing. A groundswell of activism, especially by young people, is pushing back against injustice and demanding dignity, equality and accountability. He added that their courage reminds us that universal rights still inspire action and that defending them is essential to our shared future. 

SECRETARY-GENERAL TRAVEL 

The Secretary-General arrived in Riyadh today to start his official visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.  

A few hours after arriving, the Secretary-General met with the Crown Prince, His Royal Highness Mohammed Bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.  

The Secretary-General commended the long-standing UN-Saudi partnership and support to multilateralism. The Secretary-General and the Crown Prince also exchanged views on a range of regional developments and an analysis of the current geopolitical situation. 

On Thursday, the Secretary-General will continue his visit to Saudi Arabia, which will incudes meetings with His Highness ⁠Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and a separate encounter with His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz, the Minister of Energy.  

SECURITY COUNCIL 

This morning, the Security Council held a briefing on Afghanistan. The Deputy Special Representative and UNAMA’s officer in charge, Georgette Gagnon, told Council members that the situation of Afghan people demands both urgent attention and greater international support.  

Women and girls continue to be systematically excluded from almost all aspects of public life, she said. Media freedom is increasingly restricted, but, she added, the deteriorating human rights situation is not the only crisis affecting the Afghan people. She highlighted how the return of nearly 2.5 million Afghans from Iran and Pakistan this year, often under duress, represents a 6 percent population increase, and is compounding the deep-rooted economic, climate and humanitarian crises the country already faces. 

As the de facto authorities continue to prevent UN female national staff from accessing UN premises countrywide, Ms. Gagnon called on the support of Council Members to ensure this situation does not become normalized.  

Turning to the issue of tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, she welcomed efforts of countries in the region to find a solution through dialogue. She also urged the parties to address the core issues and for both sides to respect the ceasefire in place. 

For his part, Tom Fletcher, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, said overlapping shocks, restrictive policies affecting women and girls, the longstanding impact of decades of conflict and chronic poverty, and massive funding cuts, have left Afghanistan in a severe humanitarian crisis.  

Despite limited funding, he said that we and our partners have continued to deliver, but as we reach the end of the year, underfunding has forced service closures, resulting in scaled-back assistance to millions. Ultimately that has cost lives.  

Mr. Fletched conclude his briefing with three requests for the Security Council: 

He asked them to continue to support the implementation of the humanitarian exception in Resolution 2615, to insist that women humanitarian staff can do their jobs without restrictions. and to fund the humanitarian appeal.   

OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORY  

Turning to the situation in Gaza, our colleagues with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs report that, with another winter storm hitting the Strip, low temperatures and rains are putting vulnerable groups at particular risk. That includes newborn children, for whom hypothermia is extremely dangerous.   

The UN and our partners have targeted efforts to deliver assistance to communities living in flood-prone areas, including by scaling up the distribution of winter clothes for children, from 5,000 to 8,000 kits per day.   

Today, our partners leading winter preparedness efforts report that some 200 families from shoreline communities are expected to arrive at a new site identified by municipal authorities in what remains of Hamad city, in eastern Khan Younis. These households made the decision to move, given the impact of the frequent rains and the risk of flooding in their previous location.   

The UN and our partners, along with Member States, continue to distribute tents, tarps, bedsheets and winter clothes to families in urgent need of assistance. Work is also ongoing to mitigate flooding by reinforcing high-risk areas with sandbags, as well as emptying storm drains and clearing sold waste.   

Meanwhile, our partners leading efforts to improve access to education report that about 65 classrooms previously used as shelters for displaced people have now been cleaned and prepared so that learning activities can restart there. However, our partners warn that education materials remain blocked from entering Gaza, disrupting efforts to help children resume their studies.   

In the ongoing effort to improve food security, our partners report that so far in December, 260,000 people have received regular food assistance – which, as we mentioned earlier this week, consists of two food parcels and a 25-kilogram bag of flour – through 60 distribution points across the Strip, including a new site in Beit Lahiya, in northern Gaza, that opened last week.   

Given the importance of animal husbandry for food security, some 3,500 veterinary kits entered Gaza on Friday for the first time since August. Since then, the UN and our partners distributed the kits and animal fodder to over 100 herders and donkey owners.  

Meanwhile, security incidents continue to be reported in Gaza – posing a risk to civilians, including our humanitarian teams. Just yesterday, we received reports that two bullets hit the ground floor of UNRWA’s Maghazi Health Center in Deir al Balah, located near the so-called “yellow line”. Thankfully, no casualties were reported.  

LEBANON  

Yesterday, UN peacekeepers in Lebanon who were in vehicles patrolling the Blue Line were fired upon by Israel Defence Force soldiers in a Merkava tank near Sarda. 

One ten-round burst of machine-gun fire was fired above the convoy, and four further ten-round bursts were fired nearby. 

Peacekeepers asked the IDF to stop firing through UNIFIL’s liaison channels. 

Both the peacekeepers and the IDF tank were in Lebanese territory at the time. Fortunately, no one was injured. 

The IDF had been informed of the location and timing of the patrol in advance, following usual practice for patrols in sensitive areas near the Blue Line. 

Attacks on or near peacekeepers are serious violations of Security Council resolution 1701. In this very sensitive situation, we call on the IDF to cease aggressive behaviour and attacks on or near peacekeepers, who are working to rebuild stability along the Blue Line. 

SUDAN 

Turning to Sudan, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs says it is deeply concerned by the sharp escalation in violence across the Darfur and Kordofan regions, where a surge in drone attacks is increasingly exposing civilians to harm. 

In Darfur, multiple drone strikes in recent days have killed and injured civilians. On Monday, strikes reportedly hit the towns of Kutum and Kabkabiya in North Darfur State. Local sources indicate that in Kutum, two civilians were killed and 10 others injured. 

The same day in South Darfur State, drone strikes reportedly targeted areas in and around the state capital Nyala, as well as in the town of Katila to the south-west. 

In Kordofan, the reported takeover on Monday by the Rapid Support Forces of the country's largest oil field in the town of Heglig, in West Kordofan State, has forced more people to flee and has deepened humanitarian concerns. Many families are now being displaced for a second time. 

In South Kordofan State, the International Organization for Migration estimates that 185 people fled the state capital Kadugli yesterday due to heightened insecurity, relocating to areas across the localities of Abu Zabad in West Kordofan and Sheikan in North Kordofan. The situation remains tense and highly fluid. 

Once again, we stress that attacks on civilians must stop immediately. All parties must protect civilians, respect international humanitarian law, and facilitate safe, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access. 

Meanwhile, people displaced from El Fasher continue to arrive in the locality of Tawila, in North Darfur.                                                                                                                                 

Yesterday, our partners received some 400 newly displaced people at the Korma entry point. Those arriving had moved multiple times in search of assistance and described robbery, looting and gunfire along the route. The UN and our partners are scaling up humanitarian aid but needs far exceed available resources. 

At the same time, IOM reports that natural hazards have displaced more than 35,000 people in Sudan this year, including as a result of floods and fires, adding yet another layer of hardship for communities already uprooted by conflict. 

OCHA calls on the international community to urgently step up support to ensure life-saving assistance reaches those who need it most across Sudan. 

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO/HUMANITARIAN 

Turning to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is deeply concerned about the rapidly worsening humanitarian situation in South Kivu since December 2nd. This, as you are aware, is due to intense fighting across multiple territories, including Uvira, Walungu, Mwenga, Shabunda, Kabare, Fizi and Kalehe. 

Our humanitarian partners report that more than 200,000 people have been displaced across South Kivu and at least 70 civilians have been killed during the current escalation. Most displaced families are sheltering in overcrowded sites, facing heightened protection risks and the threat of disease outbreaks. 

The violence is severely disrupting food assistance. WFP has been forced to suspend its activities across the province, cutting off 25,000 people from life-saving food assistance. Host families, already facing emergency levels of food insecurity, are sharing the last of their food with displaced people. 

At least 32 schools supported by WFP in Uvira have suspended classes to provide shelter to displaced families. This has disrupted the school meals programme and is leaving more than 12,000 children without what is often their only hot, nutritious meal of the day. 

WFP and our humanitarian partners plan to support newly displaced families as soon as conditions allow, but food stocks in Uvira are expected to run out within weeks due to high needs and lack of funding. 

The humanitarian impact of the crisis is now spilling across borders. Between December 5th and 8th, nearly 25,000 people crossed into Burundi, including Congolese nationals, Burundian returnees and third-country migrants – with additional arrivals also reported in Rwanda.                                                         

In Burundi and Rwanda, our humanitarian partners, together with the authorities, are scaling up assistance – including hot meals, safe water and health services. 

This escalation is further aggravating an already critical humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, amid a severe funding shortfall. The DRC Humanitarian Response Plan is only 22 per cent funded, leaving a gap of nearly $2 billion, while in Burundi, less than $33 million has been mobilized against a requirement of nearly $77 million. 

We call on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities, uphold international humanitarian law, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure, and ensure safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. 

UKRAINE 

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that intense hostilities in front-line regions continue to cause widespread destruction and prompt the evacuation of residents from high-risk areas.  

According to the latest report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, civilian casualties rose significantly in both front-line and urban areas between June and November, with a 37 per cent increase compared to the previous six months. 

In Ukraine’s east, the Donetsk region has been among those hardest hit. Local authorities report that since the start of December, more than a dozen civilians have been killed and nearly 60 others injured in Ukrainian-controlled areas, with the towns of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk especially impacted by attacks earlier this week. 

With the support of UN agencies, national non-governmental organizations have promptly delivered emergency assistance to affected residents – including shelter materials to cover damaged windows and roofs, as well as psychosocial support and protection counselling.  

Amid mounting security concerns, more families are leaving high-risk areas in the Donetsk region – either on their own or through Government-led evacuations, which are being supported by humanitarians. Local authorities say that since August, nearly 72,000 people – including almost 8,000 children – have fled the Donetsk region.  

Aid organizations are supporting civilians fleeing the fighting at each stage of their journey, from leaving their home communities to transit sites and providing support at the destinations hosting them across Ukraine. 

Our humanitarian partners report that in the front-line region of Zaporizhzhia, some 500 people have been evacuated over the last two weeks. National NGOs have opened an inclusive interim evacuation point to provide comprehensive support to people with disabilities and limited mobility. The project received funding from the Ukraine Humanitarian Fund, which is managed by OCHA and continues to support local front-line responders in helping those most in need. 

CENTRAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND 

At yesterday’s pledging event for the Central Emergency Response Fund, 40 donors pledged contributions of just over $300 million to support life-saving action by the UN’s global emergency fund in 2026. Several others are expecting to make contributions in the coming months. 

The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, thanked partners who pledged their support, stressing that a fully funded CERF – at $1 billion each year – is not symbolic: it’s a lifeline that’s needed now. 

Donor announcements at last year’s event totaled some $351 million. The drop in pledges for 2026 reflects the increasingly dire financial outlook facing the humanitarian community as it continues to grapple with the steepest funding cuts in its history. 

So far in 2025, CERF has allocated $435 million to support millions of people who need urgent assistance in over 30 countries and territories. And throughout its 20-year history, the fund has helped hundreds of millions of people with nearly $10 billion in more than 100 countries and territories.  

GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN POLICY FORUM 

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Foundation will co-host this year’s Global Humanitarian Policy Forum, which will take place tomorrow and Friday here at UN Headquarters.  

Now in its 14th year, this year’s forum will center on the theme, “Protecting Principles, Norms and Values.” It will bring together UN officials, civil society leaders and academics, among many others at the forefront of today’s crises. 

Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher will take part in a panel tomorrow afternoon, which is called, “The Front Line – Protecting Civilians and First Responders.” You can watch the forum on WebTV, and more information is available online. 

UN CHILDREN’S FUND 

As global funding cuts intensify and basic services collapse, humanitarian needs for children continue to surge. Launching its Humanitarian Action for Children 2026 appeal today, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is seeking $7.66 billion to provide life-saving support to 73 million children in 133 countries next year. 

Announced and anticipated funding cuts by donor governments are already limiting the Agency’s ability to reach millions of children in dire need. Severe shortfalls in 2024 and 2025 are forcing UNICEF to make impossible choices. For example, across UNICEF’s nutrition programming alone, a 72 per cent funding gap in 2025 forced cuts in 20 priority countries. In education, a shortfall of $745 million has left millions more children at risk of losing access to learning, protection and stability.  

UNICEF urges governments and donors to increase flexible, multi-year financing, support local partners, uphold humanitarian principles and ensure access to children in need. 

NANSEN AWARD 

Four remarkable individuals and a front-line organization have received the UN Refugee Agency’s 2025 Nansen Refugee Award, which honours individuals, groups and organizations who go beyond the call of duty to protect refugees, as well as internally displaced and stateless people.  

This year’s winners include a village chief in Cameroon, who helped integrate 36,000 refugees; the founder of a refugee-run school in Tajikistan; a women's organization in Iraq reaching 105,000 conflict survivors; a business executive in Mexico who helped hire hundreds of refugees; and frontline responders in Ukraine who stay put when others depart. 

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, says that the winners embody the spirit of Nansen – a belief that every person forced to flee, wherever they are, deserves dignity, safety and hope. 

The names and bios of the winners are online. 

**Guest tomorrow  

The Noon briefing guest tomorrow will be the World Food Programme's Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean Region, Lola Castro, who will join from Port-au-Prince, Haiti to discuss the response to Hurricane Melissa across the Caribbean.