Refugees

Women for Afghanistan underscored that these discussions represent more than symbolic gatherings; they constitute concrete steps toward rebuilding national trust and laying the groundwork for a future political settlement that respects the rights and aspirations of all Afghans, particularly women and marginalised communities.

The UN's broader appeal comes amid regional instability. Weeks of prior violence had already heightened tensions, with Pakistan linking the strikes to cross-border incursions by groups like the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Community representatives say their demand is simple: recognition of reality. After decades in India, they argue, their lives are rooted in the state’s towns and villages rather than the country they fled.

Humanitarian assistance has declined sharply amid global funding shortfalls, leaving millions more exposed.

Fortify Rights recommends that Bangladesh immediately close Bhasan Char, allow voluntary relocation to the mainland, grant all Rohingya freedom of movement and the right to work, and ratify the 1951 Refugee Convention. It also calls on the UN to prioritise human rights monitoring over access, and on the international community to support accountability for crimes in Myanmar.

Opening the hearings, Judge Iwasawa Yuji, President of the Court, outlined a detailed schedule that includes two rounds of pleadings by Gambia and Myanmar, as well as closed sessions to hear testimony from witnesses called by the applicant State.

The new campaign criticises the international community’s shift toward what the group calls “silence and normalization.” Despite widespread initial outrage, some countries have engaged with the Taliban on pragmatic grounds.

Many households will meet minimum food needs only by depleting essential livelihood assets – a sharp deterioration compared with the previous year.