News

"Development charity’s new co-chief executives signal shift from controversial sponsor a child scheme launched in 1972 to long-term grassroots funding."

• The Guardian

"President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from 66 international organizations is ostensibly aimed at cutting waste, but the inclusion of agencies supporting girls and women underscores the move’s arbitrariness and vindictiveness. It will have dire consequences for people around the world"

• Project Syndicate

The World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board faced a grim reckoning on Thursday in a report detailing how global progress on maternal, infant and child nutrition has largely stalled or even regressed. Notably, six critical nutrition targets remain “off track,” with rising rates of anaemia and childhood obesity sliding back, threatening to reverse years of development gains, according to a report reviewed by the EB.

• Health Policy Watch

"Spain announced this week that it would tighten its social media laws, aiming to ban access for children under the age of 16 as part of a global tide against electronic platforms. Last year, Australia became the first country to restrict social media for children, while French lawmakers voted to follow suit last month. So far, the UK, Denmark, Norway, Greece and India are considering similar moves, while German lawmakers are considering a digital law to contain the anti-competitive behaviour of global digital platforms."

• Health Policy Watch

Opinion: The upcoming World Health Assembly can accelerate the responsible use of artificial intelligence in health by grounding action in the ethical and responsible access and use of health data.

• devex

Over the past two decades, global efforts against NTDs have reduced disease burden and improved people’s health and well-being in many settings. What comes next will depend on whether we have the tools – such as safe and efficacious drugs, vaccines and development pipelines – needed to build on these gains and extend them further. On World NTD Day 2026, Swiss TPH Director Jürg Utzinger reflects on why drug discovery and development remain central to the future of NTDs, and what this means for the road ahead.

• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

"Ukraine and its front-line allies unleashed a storm of criticism over Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy and health infrastructure in WHO’s Executive Board meeting Wednesday – condemning the Russian Federation for “weaponizing winter to make cities go dark, hospitals fail and civilians suffer.”"

• Health Policy Watch

Alors qu'en 2026 l’impérialisme reprend son envol et le néocolonialisme ne faiblit pas, provoquant des violences sans fin, la CSSR souhaite annoncer une prise de position solidaire approuvée lors de la dernière assemblée générale de la Fédération genevoise de coopération. Les associations membres ont décidé de dénoncer le génocide en cours à Gaza et marquer leur soutien au peuple palestinien. Nous encourageons toutes les associations et fédérations suisses à suivre l'exemple!

• Centrale Sanitaire Suisse Romande (CSSR)

Das Schweizerische Rote Kreuz baut seine Hilfe für die Ukraine weiter aus. Es unterstützt das Ukrainische Rote Kreuz dabei, beheizte Zelte und mobile Stromquellen bereitzustellen, warme Mahlzeiten zu verteilen und besonders verletzliche Menschen zu versorgen. Landesweit sind Hunderttausende ohne Strom, Heizung und fliessendes Wasser – bei eisigen Temperaturen von bis zu minus 20 Grad.

• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz

Im Gazastreifen ist die humanitäre Lage prekär. Die Zivilbevölkerung leidet enorm unter den Folgen des Konfliktes – medizinische Hilfe ist für viele kaum erreichbar. Die Winterbedingungen und die Kälte verschlimmern die Situation noch zusätzlich. Das Schweizerische Rote Kreuz (SRK) unterstützt die Arbeit des Palästinensischen Roten Halbmonds (PRH), welcher vor Ort Hilfe leistet.

• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz

"Die Geschichte des elfjährigen Basheer aus Gaza zeigt, wie Kinder mit Behinderungen ihren Alltag unter Bomben erleben. Sie unterstreicht auch die Bedeutung von Organisationen wie Handicap International, die sich dafür einsetzen, ihnen wieder ein normales Leben zu ermöglichen."

• handicap international

"International humanitarian organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territory warn that Israel’s recent registration measures threaten to halt INGO operations at a time when civilians face acute and widespread humanitarian need, despite the ceasefire in Gaza.On 30 December, 37 INGOs received official notification that their registrations would expire on 31 December 2025. This triggers a 60-day period after which INGOs would be required to cease operations in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem."

• Handicap international

"The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched its 2026 global appeal to ensure that millions of people living in humanitarian crises and conflicts can access health care. In 2025, WHO and partners supported 30 million people funded through its annual emergency appeal. These resources helped deliver life-saving vaccination to 5.3 million children, enabled 53 million health consultations, supported more than 8000 health facilities, and facilitated the deployment of 1370 mobile clinics."

• World Health Organization

"States will stare down a funding cliff and a legal limbo caused by Washington’s messy departure at the World Health Organization’s executive board meeting this week in Geneva."

• Geneva Solutions

"Marking World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that millions of people living with NTDs continue to face profound and often unseen suffering due to discrimination, social stigma and untreated mental health conditions. Under the rallying theme "Unite. Act. Eliminate.", WHO and partners urge governments to integrate mental health care into NTD elimination efforts, ensuring that no one is left behind in pain or isolation."

• World Health Organization