Security Council: Civilians in conflict under spotlight amid rising global toll

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]147 million people faced acute food insecurity in 2025, driven largely by armed conflict. Two famines were confirmed, not because food was unavailable, but because of the way parties conducted hostilities, used siege tactics, and denied humanitarian access.

[00:00:22]Food has become a weapon of war.

[00:00:25]Protecting civilians requires genuine commitment that translates into concrete action. Protecting civilians in armed conflict is not charity.

[00:00:34]It is the minimum that humanity and civilization require. It is central to peace and security. It is the responsibility of this Council and of every member state that signed the United Nations Charter.