World News in Brief: El Fasher displacement, Afghanistan rights violations, Nigeria child vaccinations

This article is published in association with United Nations.

More people are being forced to flee their homes as fighting continues in El Fasher, Sudan, the UN said on Monday, expressing grave concern over worsening conditions in and around the besieged city. 

Roughly 770 people were displaced from the North Darfur state capital between 2 and 4 October alone, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

They have reportedly sought shelter at gathering sites in the nearby town of Tawila.

“We call once again on lifting the siege of El Fasher, civilians must be protected, and those fleeing must be afforded safe passage,” said UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric.

El Fasher has been under siege for more than year by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group that has been battling the Sudanese Army since April 2023.

250,000 reached: WFP

The World Food Programme (WFP) has reached some 250,000 people in the city with monthly cash transfers since the start of the year. 

The UN agency has also scaled up its emergency food and nutrition assistance in other parts of Darfur.

WFP said that nearly two million people across the region received food and nutrition assistance in August, including in areas where famine has been confirmed or where the risk is high.

Human Rights Council investigators to probe Afghanistan violations

The UN Human Rights Council on Monday stepped up the pressure on the de facto authorities in Afghanistan for the increasingly serious violations of international law taking place there.

In a resolution adopted without a vote, the Council’s 47 Member States established a new investigative body of independent experts to gather evidence of the “most serious” crimes committed in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, including against women and girls.

The aim is for the new investigators’ work to be used in national, regional or international courts or tribunals, according to the resolution, which was introduced by Denmark on behalf of the European Union and broadly welcomed by countries including co-sponsor Chile, France, Iceland and Mexico.

Japan also expressed deep concern for the repression faced by the Afghan population and stressed that the rights crisis was not a problem that Afghanistan nor its neighbours could resolve alone.

Nigeria launches largest integrated vaccination campaign in its history

 As of October 6, Nigeria is launching the largest integrated vaccination campaign in its history, as part of its wider efforts to support its “Primary Health Care Under One Roof” strategy, which seeks to integrate all primary health care services under a unified management structure to enhance coordination, efficiency, and accessibility. 

Aiming to reach over 106 million children, the initiative is a response to ongoing outbreaks of polio, measles, and rubella in Nigeria and throughout the Lake Chad Basin.

These diseases pose serious health risks. Measles is highly contagious and potentially fatal, especially among malnourished children, while rubella can lead to severe birth defects if contracted during pregnancy.

Aim to halt outbreaks

In coordination with other African countries through a cross-border national plan, Nigeria aims to halt active outbreaks by the end of 2025 and eliminate remaining risks by the end of 2026.

Delivered in two phases, the campaign’s first phase targets 20 high-risk northern states and Oyo State in the southwest. 

Phase two, beginning in January 2026, will expand to the remaining southern states – ensuring that every community, including the most remote and underserved areas, is reached.

“Nigeria’s integrated approach sets a strong example for the region. By uniting efforts against measles, rubella and polio, and by working hand-in-hand with communities and partners, we are moving closer to the day when no African child suffers or dies from these preventable diseases,” said Dr Mohammed Janabi, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.