Deliberate strikes on hospitals, schools and aid hubs are shattering every tenet of humanitarian law while the coffers of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are running dry, leaving 11.5 million refugees and displaced people around the world facing a future without food, shelter or medical care, a senior United Nations refugee official has warned.
Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, assistant high commissioner for Protection at UNHCR, expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian situation in many parts of the world.
"So, the biggest challenge we have right now is the complete violation of all principles of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law in many parts of the world. We are seeing this with the complete disregard for human life. We're seeing the way that civilian infrastructures are no longer just collateral damage in conflicts, they are the deliberate targets. So, we are talking about hospitals, schools, food distribution centers, displacement sites, these are all being deliberately targeted in conflicts to create as much casualties and as much damage as possible. And this is absolutely, absolutely intolerable and untenable. And what is happening right now is also that modern wars last longer, creates more prolonged human suffering and creates more casualties as well," she said.
She said inadequate funding is limiting UNHCR’s capabilities in reaching out to the refugees.
"International humanitarian funding has gone down dramatically this year, and almost all of our traditional donors are decreasing their contributions to the humanitarian agencies working with these communities, working with the displaced - and UNHCR, unfortunately, is not immune to that. So we have the same funding levels this year that we had ten years ago, despite the fact that, as you know, the numbers of displaced have increased massively. So we are having to do less with less because we are unable to do more with less since we just don't have the resources to do that anymore. Almost eleven and a half million refugees and other displaced probably will not be getting UNHCR assistance this year because of a lack of funding," she said.
The global community observes World Humanitarian Day on Tuesday.
Once a leading donor, the United States had provided 42 percent of global aid, totaling around 42.8 billion U.S. dollars annually, but recent cuts have left a critical funding gap.
Attacks on hospitals, schools shatter humanitarian law, leave millions helpless: UNHCR
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
