WHO: Concerns over weakening of Pathogen Access & Benefit-Sharing System (PRIV)
(TWN, Geneva)
As the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement negotiations continue in its 13th round ahead of the 2025 World Health Assembly deadline in May, experts and civil society are raising alarms over the weakening of key provisions in the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) System.

UN: Human Rights Council to hold a six-week session from 24 February (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The United Nations Human Rights Council's fifty-eighth regular session gets underway from 24 February to 4 April, starting with a high-level segment on 24-26 February, where dignitaries representing more than 100 Member States are expected to address the Council.

UN: Torture prevention body postpones first visit of 2025 amid liquidity crisis (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (SPT) announced on 20 February that it has been left with no choice but to postpone its planned first visit of the year to Serbia, on account of the lack of funding as a result of the ongoing liquidity crisis at the United Nations.

DRC: Children facing an unprecedented catastrophe, warns UN treaty body (PRIV)
(Kanaga Raja, Penang)
The children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing an unprecedented catastrophe, enduring grave violations, including summary executions, sexual violence, recruitment and abduction of children by parties to the conflict, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child warned on 20 February.