Eight years ago, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 19 as the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict in an effort to raise awareness about this endemic tactic of war; honor the innumerable victims and survivors across the world, as well as those working to end these violations; and ultimately eradicate this dehumanizing practice. History has shown that whenever there is a political or security crisis juxtaposed with a militarized response, conflict-related sexual violence is deployed as a tactic to subdue, dehumanize, and terrorize civilians and opponents.

Thousands of people have rallied in cities and towns across Australia to back a campaign to recognize the country’s Indigenous people in the constitution in advance of a referendum later this year. 

The gatherings on Sunday, organized by the Yes23 campaign, were part of a nationwide “day of action” to rally the public after a recent dip in support for the constitutional change. 

Israeli forces launched what a military source said is its largest military operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin in more than 20 years, killing at least eight people and injuring more than 50 others, according to Palestinian officials. 

An international center opened Monday in The Hague to support nations already building cases against senior Russian leaders for the crime of aggression resulting from the country’s invasion of Ukraine. 

At least 13 children have died in recent weeks during a suspected measles outbreak at internal displacement camps in Sudan’s White Nile state, amid conflict between the country’s two warring factions, according to an international medical nongovernmental organization (NGO) Sunday. 

UN Secretary-General António Guterres visited Haiti on Saturday and again called on foreign governments with strong security forces to help the struggling country fight a surge in gang violence. 

The appeal was made after Guterres met with Prime Minister Ariel Henry, civil society leaders, UN staff, and the heads of various political parties during his one-day trip. 

The United Nations said Tuesday it has documented a significant level of civilians killed and wounded in attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover—despite a stark reduction in casualties compared to previous years of war and insurgency.  

The UN General Assembly is to vote this week on setting up an independent institution on missing persons in Syria. 

At the height of the civil war in Syria, Ahmad Helmi, an activist and human rights defender, became one of the many victims of “enforced disappearance.” 

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called the shooting dead of a 17-year-old by police during a traffic stop near Paris "inexcusable" in rare criticism of law enforcement hours after the incident triggered unrest. 

A police officer is being investigated for voluntary homicide for shooting the youth, who was of North African origin. Prosecutors say he failed to comply with an order to stop his car early on Monday.