The Friday Humanitarian Scan #31

Even renewed assaults on Iran's nuclear programme may not prevent a forever war

The United Nations continues to monitor developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territory amid rising violence and greater restrictions in the occupied West Bank.

Following the large-scale military escalation in late February on Iran, MSF teams have expanded activities in Tehran and continued to respond to growing medical needs in other areas where we work.

The two sides are trapped in a cycle of fighting and half-baked attempts at diplomacy

The humanitarian toll is mounting as fighting continues in the Middle East beyond strikes and counterstrikes between the US and Iran, the UN aid coordination office OCHA warned on Thursday, with civilians increasingly at risk and essential infrastructure disrupted in several countries across the region.

By threatening shipping, the Yemeni rebels hope to wring concessions from the kingdom

A weekly read to keep you in the loop on humanitarian issues.

July 21, 2026

In Malawi, one of the countries most affected by climate shocks in southern Africa, years of droughts, floods and erratic rainfall are pushing vulnerable families deeper into food insecurity.

The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Plan is undermining Afghan refugees' access to healthcare and their ability to provide for their families. Countries hosting Afghan refugees, including Pakistan, must halt all involuntary returns to Afghanistan.

Three years after MSF and other NGOs submitted a complaint on Italy's rules which impede civilian search and rescue activities, the European Union has failed to provide a decision.

People fleeing violence and harassment sparked by anti-migrant protests in South Africa need medical care and protection. MSF is providing treatment to people traumatised and displaced at the border towns of Musina and Beitbridge.

Children and pregnant women in Adré, Chad – especially those from the local community – are becoming malnourished as severe funding cuts impact on food aid supplies.

Opinion: The Ebola response will succeed only if financing, science and decision-making reach the front line quickly. Africa and Europe must align behind one plan and strengthen the systems that stop outbreaks at their source.

Europe had its warmest summer on record, the period from June to August 2025 was the warmest ever on a global scale, with temperatures of 0.7°C above the 1991-2020 average.

Opinion: Lasting multilateral reform starts in cities and regions. The 100 Days of Local Multilateralism shows local leadership is essential to deliver the post-2030 agenda.

Public investment can be a powerful catalyst for private capital in Europe and Central Asia (ECA). Evidence shows that raising public investment by 1 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) lifts …

Gender equality

Peru

Malta's Social Climate Plan is the fourth plan adopted under the Social Climate Fund. Its aim is to make the clean transition fairer and to help protect people from higher energy and transport costs.

Technical infrastructure

Conflict

GAGGA has moved $50 million to women-led groups worldwide, run by three organizations, one funding formula, and a pitch that always leads with climate.

Opinion: New investment in women's health is welcome. But donors will get further by fixing the fragmented systems that determine how women actually receive care.

Why African countries are betting on capital markets to fuel growth.

Chinese state-affiliated companies are increasingly investing in Africa's media infrastructure. This carries the risk of "diluted" journalism, particularly given the precarious state of the continent's media industry.

Media

Opinion: As global aid declines, Catholic sisters offer a powerful lesson in sustainable development: Lasting change is built on trust, local leadership, and the people who remain long after funding ends.

Drawing on new data from 107 countries, global health leaders discussed what is driving and hindering progress in maternal, newborn, and child survival and how to accelerate action before 2030.

Opinion: AI is changing how United Nations agencies work and redefining public-private partnerships. The system must shift from transactional vendor contracts to outcome-led alliances to manage ecosystems for shared public outcomes.

Plus, Sevilla's scorecard one year on, and the U.N. secretary-general race heats up.

Opinion: Amazon and the International Organization for Migration are working to strengthen responsible recruitment and support safer migration in Nepal.