Nearly 7.5 million children across the Central Sahel region in Africa are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance – “an emergency that remains too far from the attention of the international community,” a senior official with the UN child rights agency UNICEF has said.
Tag Archives: UNICEF
Sudan’s war on women: The number of people in need of sexual violence support quadruples as abuse of women and girls becomes the blueprint of war, three years on
As the war in Sudan enters its fourth year with sexual violence as one of its most defining features, UN Women calls for the protection of all women and girls, accountability for all perpetrators, and a major scale-up in funding for women-led front-line response.
New York, USA, 15 April 2026- /African Media Agency (AMA)/- Sexual violence continues to surge across Sudan, with the number of women and girls requiring support after experiencing gender-based violence nearly doubling in two years and quadrupling since the start of the war three years ago, according to a new Gender Alert: The Impact of the War in Sudan on Women and Girls, published today by UN Women.
The analysis draws on evidence from 85 women-led organizations operating across Sudan, including on the frontlines of the war in Darfur and Kordofan. Two-thirds of women front-line responders reported a significant increase in sexual violence in 2025, and half reported further escalation in 2026, according to new survey data featured in the alert.
“Women and girls are being raped and killed in their homes, and as they flee, seek food, water and medical care. The use of sexual violence has been embedded in the blueprint of Sudan’s war”, said Anna Mutavati, UN Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa.
More than 4.3 million women and girls are now displaced inside Sudan, whilst 17.1 million require humanitarian assistance in 2026. Yet for many, especially in active conflict areas, there is limited or no access to food, shelter, or medical care. More than two-thirds of women working for women-led organizations on the front lines of the humanitarian response witnessed a significant increase in a lack of access to basic essential services in 2025.
All violations designed to inflict terror, humiliation and control over women and girls are compounded by blockades and ongoing instability and are being carried out with widespread impunity. “Ending this war means ending the impunity that sustains it and recognizing that there can be no peace whilst sexual violence remains one of its most calculated and cruelest tactics”, said Mutavati.
Women-led organizations assessed in the alert are reaching nearly 20 million people in need across Sudan. In conditions that are increasingly incompatible with basic survival, they are providing food to families, medical care and psychosocial support to survivors of sexual violence, mediating local conflicts, negotiating humanitarian access in places where formal systems have collapsed and international actors cannot reach.
Almost all (99 per cent) of surveyed women-led organizations in Sudan report implementation challenges linked to funding shortages, impediments caused by authorities, and insecurity. Some 85 per cent of surveyed women-led organizations in Sudan report being affected by funding reductions or cuts in 2025. Women working on the front lines face threats and targeted attacks, with one in five surveyed women working for women-led organizations having reported receiving threats. There has been no meaningful participation of Sudanese woman as negotiators in official peace talks over the past three years.
UN Women is on the ground in Sudan delivering life-saving support to women and girls, including protection services, psychosocial support and essential supplies. UN Women calls for the protection of civilians and the full, safe, and meaningful inclusion of women in humanitarian response, including direct support for women-led efforts.
UN Women calls for accountability for perpetrators, access to justice for victims and survivors, and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in peace processes and decision-making.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Un Women.
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Newly released 2025 scorecard unveils progress and setbacks on health and gender equality across Southern Africa
Geneva, Switzerland, 26 February 2026- /African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has launched its biennial scorecard, a critical tool that tracks progress on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across its 16 Member States. New data, including from demographic health surveys, shows great strides in improving the sexual and reproductive health of people across the region, while in other areas, concerted efforts are urgently needed.
The SADC scorecard offers a regional snapshot of progress towards the implementation of the SADC SRHR Strategy and SRHR targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on health and gender equality. First developed in 2019, the scorecard serves as a social accountability tool and uses a “traffic light” system to track 20 indicators.
The scorecard highlights improvements in reducing adolescent birth rates and the vertical transmission of HIV, while sounding the alarm on a rise in sexually transmitted infections and the need for investments to further reduce maternal mortality:
Lowered Adolescent Birth Rates: Twelve Member States recorded a decline in adolescent births, which can be attributed to the high roll-out of life-skills HIV and comprehensive sexuality education in primary schools.
Decline in HIV infection rates: The region has seen a decline in new HIV infections, however, the latest scorecard suggests that the rate of reduction in new HIV infections amongst adolescent girls and young women aged 15 – 24 years is slowing in seven countries. This could be partially linked to a rise in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in half of the countries and a decline in condom use in a majority of countries.
Reduction in Maternal Mortality: Six countries recorded significant reductions in maternal mortality, based on their latest national health data. This can be attributed to the priority given by the region to reduce maternal mortality, which needs to be sustained in order to preserve the gains made.
Strong progress in the decrease in the vertical transmission of HIV: Twelve Member States are on track to meet the SDG target by 2030, five of whom already achieved the milestone in 2025. Despite this success, children and adolescent girls and young women are lagging behind in receiving HIV services.
In addition to the abovementioned gains, the scorecard also identified areas where concerted efforts are needed:
Family Planning: Eight Member States are not meeting the contraceptive needs of women. Investing in the contraceptive needs of women and adolescent girls can further reduce teen pregnancies and preventable maternal deaths, and ensure their contribution to their country’s economic growth and development.
Gender-Based Violence: Sexual and intimate partner violence remains persistently high across all Member States in the SADC region. Though all countries have made progress in putting in place relevant laws and policies, greater investments are required to ensure their implementation, including the integration of SRHR, HIV and GBV services, so that all survivors are able to ensure their health and well-being.
Domestic financing: No SADC country has met the ‘Abuja Declaration’ target of allocating 15% of their national budgets to health. Four countries have allocated more than 10% of their national budget to health. Countries need to accelerate domestic funding given declining donor investments if progress is to be made in achieving Universal Health Coverage, and to reduce out of pocket expenditures for citizens.
“The true power of this 3rd Milestone Scorecard lies not merely in what it measures, but in the action it demands from us. With only five years to 2030, we must move with urgency, we need to accelerate implementation, scaling what works, and we need to support our commitments with bold, measurable, and accountable actions,” said Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Minister of Health, Republic of South Africa.
“Investing in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) is no longer just a public health issue; it is a fundamental economic imperative. Research has shown us that every dollar invested in family planning, particularly among the youthful population, can yield up to $100 in long-term economic benefits, yet our chronic underfunding and reliance on external aid actively sacrifices our demographic dividend. Political leadership must translate into urgent, domestic financial mobilization that meets the 15% Abuja target. Our greatest challenge is the paralysis between policy commitment and real-world execution. The SADC scorecard and mid-term review of the SADC SRHR strategy reinforces that Member States need to reform restrictive national laws, enforce gender-based violence and child marriage legislation, and fully integrate SRHR into climate adaptation plans to build truly resilient, rights-based health systems,” reaffirms H.E. Mr. Elias Mpedi Magosi, Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Since 2018, the joint United Nations Regional Programme, 2gether 4 SRHR, composed of UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, has supported SADC to develop, implement and monitor the SADC SRHR strategy and its scorecard, with funding from the Government of Sweden.
“The leadership of the SADC Ministers of Health and the Secretariat, guided by the SADC SRHR Strategy, is demonstrating tangible results: reduced adolescent birth rates, fewer maternal deaths, and decreased rates of HIV. These must be celebrated and safeguarded. However, the 2025 scorecard is a stark reminder that these gains are fragile. Without continued commitment and increased domestic investments, these gains risk being undone. As a long standing partner to SADC, the 2gether 4 SRHR programme remains committed to using the scorecard findings and working with Governments in areas where the region and countries are lagging behind.
Collectively, we must do better to ensure that all people can exercise their sexual and reproductive health and rights and that young people can achieve their full potential, so that everyone can contribute to the economic and social development of the region,” highlights Lydia Zigomo, UNFPA Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, on behalf of the Regional Directors of the 2gether 4 SRHR programme.
“Despite our successes, we now risk a two-speed region where gaps in family planning, HIV prevention, and gender equality strand 94 million adolescents without the wellbeing they need to drive the economic and social development of SADC. To avoid this, all Member States must invest urgently and in sustained ways in adolescent SRHR as a foundation for all SRHR,” concludes Jonathan Gunthorp, Executive Director, SRHR Africa Trust.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of World Health Organisation.
Notes to editors:
The SADC scorecard is published every two years and tracks 20 indicators across SADC Member States, including information on rates of maternal and neonatal mortality, adolescent birth rates, family planning, HIV infections and treatment, STIs, including HPV, number of health facilities offering SRHR services and schools offering sexuality education, as well as number of health workers and budget allocated to health. The scorecard also tracks key legal issues which impact on sexual and reproductive health and rights. Milestones were set for 2025 and the scorecard’s traffic light system indicates green for progress and red for regression, against a baseline set in 2019.
The SADC SRHR Strategy (2019 – 2030) serves as a policy and programmatic framework for Member States to ensure that all people in SADC enjoy a healthy sexual and reproductive life, have sustainable access, coverage, and quality SRHR services, information, and education; and can fully realize and exercise their SRHR. The 16 Member States in SADC include: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
About 2gether 4 SRHR:
2gether 4 SRHR is a joint United Nations Regional Programme, in partnership with Sweden, which brings together the combined efforts of UNAIDS, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO to improve the sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) of all people in Eastern and Southern Africa. For more information and for a one-stop-shop of information and resources in Africa, visit the SRHR Knowledge Hub.
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Victoria Beckham Reunites With Spice Girls for Jam Session Amid Family Drama
Victoria Beckham got together with her Spice Girls for a little jam session amid her drama with son Brooklyn Beckham.
Victoria’s son Cruz Beckham took to Instagram on Thursday, February 5, to share a video of his mom, 51, singing the Spice Girls’ 1998 hit single “Viva Forever” with original members Mel C, Emma Bunton and Geri Halliwell. Cruz, 20, played guitar for the group and provided some background vocals as the women harmonized.
“I think i found my openers … you think they have potential? Something exciting coming later today 😉 Keep an eye out and get involved,” Cruz wrote alongside the video, hinting at his upcoming tour.
The only original Spice Girls member not present at the gathering was Mel B, with her rep explaining to Entertainment Weekly that she had just returned to her home in Yorkshire, England, from her honeymoon with husband Rory McPhee, whom she married in July 2025.
Cruz Beckham ‘Likes’ IG About Victoria Dancing ‘Inappropriately’ With Brooklyn
Victoria’s reunion with the girl group comes after Brooklyn, 26, claimed that his parents have tried to “control” the family for years and have allegedly mistreated his wife, Nicola Peltz Beckham.
“I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately, my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed,” Brooklyn wrote of mom Victoria and dad David Beckham via Instagram on January 19.
The chef continued, “I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”
Brooklyn claimed that his parents “have been trying endlessly to ruin” his relationship with Nicola, 31, since before their 2022 wedding. Among his accusations were claims that family members told Nicola she was “not blood” before their wedding and that Victoria allegedly “danced inappropriately” on Brooklyn at the reception.
Brooklyn also alleged that he was “rejected” by David, 50, when he and Nicola attempted to visit for David’s birthday and that his brothers, Cruz and Romeo, 23, were “sent to attack” him via social media. (David and Victoria also share daughter Harper, 14.)
“I have been controlled by my parents for most of my life,” Brooklyn concluded. “I grew up with overwhelming anxiety. For the first time in my life, since stepping away from my family, that anxiety has disappeared. I wake up every morning grateful for the life I chose, and have found peace and relief. My wife and I do not want a life shaped by image, press, or manipulation. All we want peace, privacy and happiness for us and our future family.”
David and Victoria have not publicly responded to Brooklyn’s claims. Us Weekly reached out to reps for the couple for comment at the time.
What Brooklyn Beckham’s Claims About ‘Signing Away’ His Name Rights Mean
Hours after Brooklyn posted his statement, David reflected on allowing his children to make mistakes during a conversation about social media with CNBC’s financial program Squawk Box.
“I’ve always spoken about social media and the power of social media — for the good and for the bad,” he said. “What kids can access these days, it can be dangerous. But what I’ve found personally, especially with my kids as well: Use it for the right reasons.”
David continued, “I’ve been able to use my platform for my following, for UNICEF. And it’s been the biggest tool to make people aware of what’s going on around the world for children. And I’ve tried to do the same with my children, to educate them. They make mistakes. Children are allowed to make mistakes. That’s how they learn. So, that’s what I try to teach my kids, but you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well.”
Reaching a child in Darfur is ‘hard-won and fragile’, says UNICEF
Reaching a single child in Sudan’s Darfur region can take days of negotiations, security clearances and travel across sandy roads that cut through shifting frontlines, UNICEF warned Friday – as children live “on the brink” of survival.
Sexual violence against children ‘entrenched, systemic and widespread’ across DR Congo, UNICEF warns
Sexual violence against children has become entrenched, systemic and increasingly widespread across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with new data showing a sharp rise in cases since 2022, according to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
2030 Water, Sanitation and Climate resilience goals: 5 critical things African Ministers can do now
NAIROBI, Kenya, 10 December 2025-/African Media Agency(AMA)/-There is a $130 billion annual investment gap hindering the world’s mission to achieve universal access to climate-resilient water and sanitation services by the year 2030, Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) reports. In Africa, the gap is estimated at no less than an additional $30 billion annually.
In October 2025, nearly 50 ministerial level delegates worldwide gathered in Madrid at the 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting to discuss ways to better integrate water, sanitation, and climate action goals at a governmental level.
For participating African delegates, this was an opportunity to include African perspectives on the global stage ahead of COP30 and the UN 2026 Water Conference. It was also essential to help establish the globe’s five-pillar guidelines.
5 critical Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Climate statistics in Africa calling for critical measures
As outlined in the ensuing “High-Level Leaders Compact – the Madrid Commitment to Action” by SWA, these five priorities from an African perspective are as follows:
Political and Institutional Integration
Priority #1: Embed water, sanitation, hygiene, and climate priorities into national adaptation plans, climate commitments, and development strategies.
In 2018, 71% of African countries were in the medium-low to very low categories of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) implementation, according to a report by UNEP. Fast forward to 2024 and UNEP’s “Progress on implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management” report revealed that none of the African sub-regions are on track to achieve the aspirational global SDG 6.5 target of ‘Very High’ (91-100%) IWRM implementation by 2030.
There lies a critical gap in governance due to these stagnations that isolated sector projects cannot fix. It’s time for nations to move beyond fragmented management and operationalize political and institutional integration.
Ministers must work to embed water, sanitation, and hygiene mandates directly into central national adaptation plans and broader development strategies. Governments have the power to secure the political leverage and institutional coherence required to turn these IWRM metrics around, to accelerate progress and reach the SDG targets.
Inclusive, Rights-Based Services
Priority #2: Use data to identify and reach the most vulnerable populations, children, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and displaced communities, while promoting transparency and community participation.
Despite progress recorded in Sub-Saharan Africa since the 1990s, the latest Joint Monitoring Report from UNICEF and the World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 4 people still lack safely managed drinking water and 2 out of 5 people lack safely managed sanitation.
As women, girls, and children remain the most vulnerable, these stats are concerning for Africa.
The failure to achieve universal access is a clear indication that broad, generalized interventions are not sufficient. To close this gap and prioritize those suffering most, governments must immediately implement inclusive and rights-based services.
The only way to move beyond these alarming statistics is to use high-quality, disaggregated data to accurately identify, locate, and track the concerned underserved communities and groups of people. This should ensure that future WASH investments are precisely targeted, transparent, and driven by the needs of the most vulnerable.
Resilient Systems and Risk Management
Priority #3: Incorporate climate and environmental risk assessments into planning, and promote nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration.
A September 2025 publication by the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA) underlined the direct link between climate change, water scarcity, and displacement on the continent.
The study asserts that 2 million people in East Africa have been displaced due to drought and conflicts, with migration into urban areas straining cities like Nairobi.
In 2024, Earth.org warned that climate change could displace up to 700 million people in Africa by 2030 due to increasing water scarcity and related shocks. With the figure currently standing at 400 million, the High-Level Leaders Compact priority for resilient systems and risk management is legitimately high on the agenda.
To build true resilience against these shocks, leaders must move beyond reactive measures and proactively incorporate climate and environmental risk assessments into all levels of urban planning. Investing in nature-based solutions and ecosystem restoration is essential to stabilizing these vulnerable regions.
The approach is straightforward: Address the root environmental degradation driving these migration crises.
Sustainable and Innovative Financing
Priority #4: Mobilize domestic and international resources through green and blue bonds, results-based financing, and public-private partnerships.
According to the World Bank, public-private partnerships account for only 3 percent of total water sector investment in Africa, with state-owned enterprises and public entities providing the remaining 97 percent of investment. This is far below private participation in other infrastructure sectors, underscoring the need for stronger mechanisms to attract and sustain investment in water.
Unlocking greater resources will require improving incentives for investors, strengthening project pipelines, and deploying targeted de-risking instruments that reduce uncertainty while safeguarding public value. Ensuring coherence with the High-Level Leaders Compact on Water Security and Resilience will further help align public and private action.
With these conditions in place, tools such as green and blue bonds, results-based financing, and well-structured public-private partnerships can more effectively expand financing for water security and sanitation systems.
Political Leadership and Accountability
Priority #5: Ensure that water and sanitation remain at the top of global and national policy agendas, including through mutual accountability frameworks such as those facilitated by Sanitation and Water for All (SWA).
Sub-Saharan Africa loses an estimated 5% of its annual GDP due to poor sanitation, lack of water or its contamination. Highlighting the seriousness of the matter and the responsibility of ministers, a preamble statement from the High-Level Leaders Compact on Water Security & Resilience declares:
“We acknowledge that fragmented policies, weak coordination, and insufficient and inefficient financing continue to challenge progress. Addressing these barriers requires strengthened political leadership, inclusive whole-of-government collaboration, inclusive governance, and more predictable and efficient investments that meet the needs of all people, particularly the most vulnerable.”
In the aftermath of the Madrid Commitment on Water Security, Sanitation & Climate Resilience
As the rest of the world, African ministers have pledged to “collaborate with Sanitation and Water for All partnership to track progress through systematic monitoring, aligned with national systems and global frameworks like SDG 6 indicators, broad multi-stakeholder collaboration, and continual adaptive learning.”
The compact produced at the 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting has been endorsed by 29 states, more than half of which are African.
Indeed, Burundi, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda and The Gambia joined the African Civil Society Network on Water and Sanitation (ANEW), the Ghana Coalition of NGOs in the Water and Sanitation Sector (CONIWAS), UNICEF and 14 other organizations in endorsing and pushing for the implementation of the five global priorities identified in the High-Level Leaders Compact on Water Security & Resilience.
The door remains open for more governments to join this compact and express their serious intention to achieve sanitation and water security as well as resilience which is needed for healthy populations, economic development, and environmental sustainability
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)
About Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)
For 15 years, the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership, hosted by UNICEF, has united governments, civil society, private sector actors, and development partners to advance the human rights to water and sanitation for all. With over 500 partners worldwide, SWA drives political commitment, strengthens institutions, and promotes accountability to achieve lasting results.
For more information on the 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting (SMM), visit www.sanitationandwaterforall.org/SMM2025.
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UNICEF condemns deadly Nigeria school attack, demands urgent protection for students
UNICEF has strongly condemned a deadly attack on a school in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, which left the Vice-Principal dead and resulted in the reported abduction of at least 25 students.
Landslide survivors’ fight for justice reboots with fresh court hearing
KAMPALA , Uganda, 23 October 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- A group of 48 landslide survivors are appearing once again before the Mbale High Court today in Uganda, just weeks before the heaviest rain season could threaten to bring similar disasters to the area.
Following a landslide in December 2019 that killed dozens in the Bududa district of eastern Uganda, survivors took legal action in 2020 with the support of Ugandan NGO Greenwatch and Kakuru & Co Advocates.
They argued that by failing to establish effective disaster management in Bududa, the government was in breach of the Constitution and other existing laws. [1]
The survivors have demanded emergency systems be put into place in high-risk areas, and that families who lost loved ones receive financial compensation.
The case – stalled for five years due to a procedural technicality – is now back in court, just a year after a similar landslide killed dozens in the neighboring Bulambuli District. [2]
If the judge allows the case to proceed, then the Mbale High Court will begin to examine the case in detail and deal with its core arguments.
Greenwatch Director Samantha Atukunda Kakuru Mwesigwa said:
“Almost five years after the launch of this case, these claimants have not wavered in their fight for justice – and we are proud to stand by them today in court.
“And during this painstaking wait, similar disasters have hit nearby areas – such as the devastating landslide last year in Bulambuli.
“Without the right finance and adaptation measures in place, every town and village in the eastern part of Uganda lives with the fear that tragedy could strike at any moment.
“That’s why these claimants’ case has never been more important. Heavier rainfall wreaks and will continue to wreak havoc in the region – and we are hoping the court gives this case its long-awaited green light to proceed to the next stage.”
Background to the case
Recurrent landslides are an ever-present threat in eastern Uganda, particularly during the rainier months between November and January.
They’ve been happening for decades and have been worsening over time – which is partially due to increased rainfall caused by climate change. [3]
In order to address the growing danger communities in landslide-prone areas face, the Ugandan Government adopted a resettlement plan in 2010. They intended to relocate all those who might be impacted by landslides within 10 years.
However, little progress has been made to date, and only a limited number of people who want to relocate have had the process seen through.
Residents in Bududa, who are primarily subsistence farmers, are also strongly concerned about the suitability of the relocation scheme – particularly when it comes to finding a place to grow and produce food.
All the while, landslides have continued to hit the region. Most recently in Bulambuli, 15 people were killed by a heavy-rainfall-induced landslide – with a further 113 people reported missing by local authorities.
40 houses were swept away by the disaster and the military was deployed to help assist with search and recovery efforts in the aftermath. [4]
Beyond Uganda, climate change-fueled landslides are becoming an increasing risk across the African continent. Heavy rainfall and flash flooding in Sudan reportedly killed hundreds last month, compounding an ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country. [5]
And according to UNICEF, almost one million people across Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and Somalia were affected in May 2024 by ongoing flooding and landslides. [6]
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of GreenWatch
Notes to editors
More information on the relationship between climate change and increased landslide risk can be found in the Scientific American piece titled “the Landslide Lurking in Your Backyard”.
- The claimants’ case argues that in addition to violating the Constitution of Uganda, the Ugandan government is in breach of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Human Rights Enforcement Act 2019, the Judicature Act and existing case law.
- After its 2020 filing, the High Court of Uganda at Mbale initially dismissed the case on technical grounds in August 2024 and did not engage with the substance of the claimants’ arguments.
- More information on how climate change impacts precipitation is available on NASA’s global precipitation measurement website.
- More information on the November 2024 Bulambuli district landslide is available here.
- More information on the September 2025 landslides is available here.
- Further reading on the impact of flooding and landslides in Eastern Africa is available on UNICEF’s website.
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African Leaders at the Forefront of Water and Climate Resilience at the Global Summit in Madrid
MADRID, Spain, 20th October 2025 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/-As droughts, floods, and water crises intensify across the continent, African ministers and leaders are mobilizing ahead of the 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting (SMM), taking place on October 22–23 in Madrid. This political convergence marks a decisive step in the continent’s collective effort to secure water security and strengthen climate resilience.
A continental mobilization in the face of the hydro-climate emergency
Organized by the Government of Spain, UNICEF, and the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership, the meeting brings together representatives from over 60 countries under the theme “Breaking Silos: Uniting Political Leadership to Integrate Water, Sanitation and Climate Action.”
Figures from the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme highlight the magnitude of the challenge: nearly 400 million people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to safe drinking water, while over 700 million are without safely managed sanitation. These deficits are compounded by climate change, from droughts in the Horn of Africa to flooding across the Sahel.
Concrete political commitments to turn challenges into opportunities
The summit aims to deliver three key strategic outcomes. The High-Level Pact on Water Security and Resilience will enable African governments to turn their ambitions into measurable commitments, supported by a Mutual Accountability Mechanism ensuring transparent monitoring of progress.
The event also serves as a springboard toward COP30 in Brazil and the UN 2026 Water Conference, ensuring that African perspectives shape global water-climate policies.
Africa as a laboratory of hydro-climate innovation
The continent continues to demonstrate its capacity for innovation through ambitious initiatives, from Kenya’s investments in climate-resilient water infrastructure, to Ghana’s universal sanitation drive, and Ethiopia’s efforts to integrate water and climate planning.
SMM 2025 will amplify the exchange of experiences and accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6), ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
“African governments have proven that when political will meets partnership, results follow,” said Muyatwa Sitali, Acting Executive Director of SWA. “Africa’s leadership will be critical in achieving lasting change.”
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)
About Sanitation and Water for All (SWA)
For the past 15 years, the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) partnership, hosted by UNICEF, has united governments, civil society, and development partners to advance the human rights to water and sanitation. With more than 500 partners worldwide, SWA drives political commitment and promotes accountability to achieve sustainable results.
For more information on the 2025 Sector Ministers’ Meeting (SMM), visit www.sanitationandwaterforall.org/SMM2025
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