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The world stands at a crossroads. Conflicts and violence - from Gaza to Ukraine, from Sudan to Haiti - continue to claim lives needlessly, shattering livelihoods and erasing hard-won gains in peace and development. Adding to the staggering toll, far from the headlines, many regions and countries continue to face protracted crises and emergencies, from Afghanistan to small island nations, yet they have become forgotten crises.

Today, the scale of human suffering is staggering - over one-quarter of humanity lives in areas affected by conflict. Over need humanitarian assistance, and nearly have been forcibly displaced, fleeing war, crises, disasters or persecution.

Yet, as the humanitarian crisis intensifies, global military spending continues to soar, projected to more than double - from $2.7 trillion in 2024 to an astonishing $6.6 trillion by 2035 - if current trends persist. The contrast is unconscionable: less than four per cent of $2.7 trillion can end hunger by 2030, and just a little over 10 per cent could fully vaccinate every child in the world against preventable diseases.

The world must choose between investing in weapons or investing in humanity.

Investing in humanity

What does it mean to invest in humanity? It means investing in the potential of people - the peacebuilders, educators, and innovators. It means investing in efforts to prevent conflicts, and help countries and communities recover and rebuild sustainably. It means investing in the foundations of a secure future - through inclusive education, healthcare access, climate mitigation and adaptation, and economic opportunity.

When we do, we don't just treat the symptoms of war; we systematically eliminate the underlying drivers of grievance, desperation and violence.

As we approach 2026, we look at five events that present opportunities to invest in peace and humanity, and cement resilience in communities everywhere - from celebrating volunteerism and investing in youth and women as the world's most effective agents of change, to strengthening crime prevention, ensuring criminal justice both on-and-off-line.

Every contribution matters

2026 marks the first . The scale of global volunteerism is immense: approximately - roughly one in three working-age adults worldwide - contribute their time and talent to helping others, fueling real change in communities globally. This commitment is particularly high in Africa, where nearly 60 percent of working-age individuals engage in monthly volunteer work.

As UN Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres notes, "In an era of political division and social isolation, volunteering offers a powerful way to forge connections and foster our shared humanity."

There are over 14,000 people who have served as - from conflict zones and refugee camps to online campaigns - and there are countless others who give their time to neighbours and strangers daily. By fostering community engagement and collective action, volunteering contributes meaningfully to long-term development, says UNV.

Justice for all women and girls

While 2025 marked the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 which recognized women's crucial role in peace and security, 2026 marks 70 years of the - the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality, the rights and the empowerment of women.

The , from 9 to 20 March 2026 under the priority theme "Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls," will convene UN Member States, civil society and private sector on a key area of gender equality requiring urgent intervention: establishing inclusive and equitable legal systems and eliminating discriminatory laws, and practices that undermine women's rights and prevent them from living a full life.

Women's access to justice is crucial for every aspect of life and society, including rebuilding post-conflict nations and holding perpetrators of gender-based violence accountable. There has been some progress in recent years.

In , women peace negotiators helped end the civil war and are now defining transitional justice. In 2025, women globally occupied 44 per cent of positions in 102 linked with international law ¨C compared to 32.5 per cent in 2015. Moreover, more are being prosecuted, even as challenges to justice remain.

Yet, significant obstacles persist. For example, every single woman judge in Afghanistan has been removed from the judiciary since the Taliban took power in 2021, erasing decades of progress in women's representation in the legal system.

The right to digital justice

Following five years of complex negotiations, the UN Convention against Cybercrime - the world's first global cybercrime treaty - in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2025. The goal for 2026 is for at least 40 countries to ratify the treaty by aligning their domestic laws with its requirements, officially establishing it as international law.

Why is this treaty so significant? It marks a historic milestone in multilateralism, creating the first legally binding framework to secure our digital future. At its core, it is a promise that fundamental human rights - privacy, dignity, and safety - must be as rigorously protected online as they are offline. By ensuring that no country is left defenceless against digital threats, the treaty bridges a critical security gap and turns global commitments into global safeguards.

The Convention mandates strong protections for victims, including access to recovery, compensation, and the removal of illicit content. Adhering to the obligations, the treaty ensures that digital justice is no longer just a concept, but a binding human right.

Protecting people and planet

From 25 to 30 April 2026, Abu Dhabi will host the , the world's largest gathering of policymakers, practitioners, and civil society in the field of crime prevention. Held every five years, this session arrives at a critical juncture under the theme: "Accelerating crime prevention, criminal justice and the rule of law: protecting people and planet and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the digital age."

What will the Crime Congress address? One of the focuses will be criminal justice and environmental protection. The Congress will address the surge in crimes that affect the environment, such as illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, and illicit mining, which threaten global biodiversity and security.

Building on the momentum of the new UN Cybercrime Convention, the Congress will explore how technology both facilitates crime and offers innovative tools for justice. Discussions will cover international collaboration, ethical use of AI in law enforcement and human rights protection in digital surveillance.

At the heart of the Congress is Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions). The event will drive global efforts to reduce violence, end the exploitation and trafficking of children, and ensure equal access to justice for women, youth, and marginalized groups.

Ultimately, the Congress will argue that crime prevention cannot be decoupled from social progress. This includes engaging young people as partners in peace, addressing gender-specific needs within justice systems, and prioritizing the social reintegration of offenders to prevent recidivism.

Investing in young peacebuilders

In 2024, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future at the Summit of the Future - looking at ways to strengthen the multilateral system's resolve to address today and tomorrow's challenges. Contained in the Pact is an ask to Secretary-General Guterres to produce the second independent study on youth's positive contribution to peace.

Why does this study matter? Scheduled for release in September 2026, the study is a critical checkpoint for the global community. It arrives at a moment of unprecedented global complexity. Since 2018, when the first study was launched, the world has been reshaped by a global pandemic, a climate emergency, and a digital revolution that has both empowered and endangered young peacebuilders.

The study is an evidence-based assessment of what has worked and what hasn't since the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda was launched ten years ago. By identifying persistent structural barriers the study will provide Member States and the UN system with the practical data needed to move beyond rhetoric and into systemic change.

The study will bridge the gap between policy and lived reality. Through a process known as "The Big Listen," the study utilizes participatory research, focus groups, and AI-assisted consultations to ensure that the findings are co-authored by young people. It captures how youth are navigating modern challenges, from countering online hate speech to addressing climate change, ensuring that global security strategies are actually grounded in 21st-century realities. Accompanying the research is the UN's Hear Us. Act Now social mobilization campaign, feeding into the study via peace circles.

Ultimately, the study is the evidence base the world needs to prove that investing in youth is not a choice, but a pre-requisite for sustainable peace.