"VIOLENCE"

A number of UN agencies, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNAIDS have said “they are appalled that the draconian and discriminatory anti-gay bill is now passed into law in Uganda,” a UN spokesperson told reporters in New York. UNIFEED

On the back of conflict, chaos and neglect, more children in Sudan today require lifesaving support than ever before, with a staggering 13.6 million boys and girls urgently requiring assistance, said UNICEF Spokesperson James Elder. UNICEF

For the first time since fighting broke out in Sudan on 15 April, humanitarians have been able to reach desperate families trapped in the conflict’s epicentre, Khartoum, with food assistance, the UN’s World Food Programme said today. UNTV CH

In August last year, Lieutenant-General Mohan Subramanian, deployed to South Sudan as Force Commander of UNMISS, leading more than 17,000 Blue Helmets in the world’s newest nation, as they work to protect civilians and usher in a lasting peace. Since taking on this difficult role, he’s faced several challenges head on. UNMISS

Captain Cecilia Erzuah, a peacekeeper from Ghana, received the Military Gender Advocate of the Year Award for promoting the role of women in peace and security. UNIFEED / FILE

As South Sudan grapples with multiple challenges, Nicholas Haysom, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and Head of UNMISS, urged political leaders to galvanize momentum in peace processes so that free, fair, and credible elections can be held on time. UNMISS

Hawaye Ibrahim, escaped to Chad to find safety for her children, after her husband was shot and killed in Sudan’s Darfur region. Fighting in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, has quickly spread to Darfur in recent weeks displacing tens of thousands of people. UNHCR

According to the UN, 339 million people will require humanitarian aid this year just to survive. Almost one third of these people live in countries subject to UN sanctions. UNIFEED

The Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, told the Security Council that “while the ceasefire is holding" between Israel and Palestine, "conflict mitigation efforts must also be met with steps by both sides – supported by the international community – to reset a trajectory out of the cycle of violence.” UNIFEED