UN News Today 27 February 2026 |

Epstein scandal highlights how women and girls are silenced: Türk

UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned on Friday that the Epstein and Gisèle Pellicot scandals are an illustration of intensifying threats to women and girls forced to suffer in silence.

Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Mr. Türk stressed that violence against women – including femicide – had become a global emergency. 

Around 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed in 2024, most by family members, he said, amid ongoing hearings in the United States Congress into child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and following the disturbing case of French woman Gisèle Pellicot, who was drugged by her husband and raped over a nine-year period:

“Both the Pellicot case and the Epstein files show the extent of the exploitation and abuse of women and girls. Does anyone think there are not many more men like Dominique Pellicot, or Jeffrey Epstein? Such horrific abuse is enabled by social systems that silence women and girls, and insulate powerful men from accountability.” 

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted his deep concern at the growing number of attacks against women in public life. 

“Every woman politician I meet tells me they face constant misogyny and online hate,” he told the Council, which is the UN’s top human rights forum.

Further fears for Afghans after a night of bombing by Pakistan

To Afghanistan, where reports that major cities have been bombed by the Pakistan military have raised fears for civilians already struggling under the harsh rule of the de facto Taliban authorities.

Echoing the UN Secretary-General’s call for dialogue, top Human Rights Council independent expert on Afghanistan, Richard Bennett, highlighted that growing tensions between the two countries have increased the difficulties and dangers for Afghans forced to return to their country:

“I was recently in Pakistan, I spoke to Afghans there, who are extremely fearful of their futures. They believe that returning to Afghanistan will not only be a life in poverty, but for certain groups — human rights defenders, journalists, members of security, for previous government security forces — they run a real risk of violent retaliatory attacks. And we have been seeing an uptick in those in recent months.” 

The independent Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan, who does not work for the UN and is not paid for his work, called for “cool heads” and underlined hopes that “third parties will be listened to”, as tensions continued to ratchet up and amid belligerent rhetoric from both sides.

In recent years, Afghanistan has seen huge numbers of nationals – estimated at 2.7 million in 2025 – return from neighbouring countries including Pakistan, whose jets reportedly struck major Afghan cities including Kabul and Kandahar.

Denmark eradicates mother-to-child transmission of syphilis, HIV

Finally, a significant health advance in Denmark with the news that the country has eradicated mother-to-child transmission of syphilis and HIV.

Without treatment, the risk of HIV transmission is 15 to 45 per cent, while untreated syphilis can cause half of all pregnancies to end in stillbirth or neonatal death, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO).

Welcoming the announcement by Denmark, the UN agency described it as a milestone owing to Denmark’s “sustained commitment” to tackling the problem, which is a major global health challenge.

WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus identified strong political commitment and consistent investment in primary care as key factors in Denmark eradicating transmission of the two diseases from mother to baby. 

With integrated maternal and child health services, “countries can protect every pregnant woman and newborn from these diseases”, Tedros insisted.

Daniel Johnson, UN News