UN News Today 10 September 2026 |

South Sudan: Human Rights experts call for urgent steps to protect civilians

Independent human rights investigators have voiced deep concern over growing risks to civilians and South Sudan’s political transition, following their latest fact-finding mission to the world’s youngest nation. 

The UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan says renewed violence, political tensions, shrinking civic space, corruption and impunity continue to put people and the planned democratic transition at risk.

The Human Rights Council-appointed commissioners are calling for urgent steps to protect civilians, allow humanitarian aid to reach those in need, and create conditions for inclusive political dialogue, ahead of planned elections in December.

In Jonglei state, Commission Chair Yasmin Sooka heard harrowing accounts from survivors of recent fighting, including sexual violence, killings, displacement and family separation.

The Commission also voiced concern over killings, displacement, civilian attacks, disruption of humanitarian operations and growing insecurity for aid workers. 

It called for an investigation into a recent attack on a patrol from the UN mission in the country, UNMISS, which left two peacekeepers dead.

Climate disasters disrupt schooling for 171 million children in 2025

Millions of children around the world had their education disrupted by climate hazards in 2025, according to a new report from the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF. 

An estimated 171 million students were affected by storms, floods and heatwaves.

The impacts included suspended classes, damaged schools, remote learning, shorter instructional time and increased absenteeism.

Storms were the biggest cause, disrupting the schooling of 109 million students.

In Papua New Guinea, 16-year-old Taudibura Garo says flooding beside her school regularly forces students to stay at home, adding that “water comes up to their knees”, making it impossible to safely stay in class.  

UNICEF says three-quarters of affected students live in low and lower-middle-income countries, where education systems often have fewer resources to respond to climate emergencies.

Girls are particularly vulnerable. When schools close or families are displaced, they can face increased caregiving and water-collection responsibilities, as well as a higher risk of being forced into marriage.

The agency is calling on governments to invest more in climate-resilient schools and education systems to protect children’s learning.

Independent experts pay tribute to 9/11 victims but condemn ‘unnecessary and disproportionate’ counterterrorism measures

On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks that struck the United States in 2001, a group of more than 30 independent human rights experts have paid tribute to the thousands who died and those “forever changed” by the horrific events that day. 

While recognising the need to address terrorism and prevent the profound human suffering it causes, the experts – who are not UN staff and who receive no salary for their work – also criticised some of the counter-terrorism response as “unnecessary and disproportionate”.

They said it had widely undermined human rights, civil society, civic space, democracy, and the rule of law.

The independent experts cited wars of aggression, unlawful occupations, war crimes and crimes against humanity, and plausible allegations of genocide.

Violations committed by some States have also reinforced cycles of violence and obstructed what they called the “just resolution of protracted conflicts in line with international law.”

Experts also cited gridlock in the Security Council as contributing to the problem.

They urged states to review their counter-terrorism laws and practices to comply with international human rights, humanitarian, and refugee law.

Charlotte Dawson, UN News