By Kalinga Seneviratne
SYDNEY (IDN) — After two issues focusing mainly on the impact of the Ukraine-Russia war on the achievement of SDGs, this month we wanted to shift the focus, but it was not as easy as reflected in the articles published here.
The United Nations has revised its global growth estimates due to the war, and the Security Council holds an emergency session on food security, while Southern Africa feels the pinch of the war because of its widespread economic relations with Russia and food imports from Ukraine. Meanwhile, global leaders keep on talking about the loss of lives and livelihood but are impotent to do anything about it.
We also focus attention on the global environmental problems with a new IPCC report reflecting bad news for the small Pacific Island nations that are facing the impact of climatic change due to “development” policies of richer countries elsewhere over many generations.
We reflect on the security concerns associated with the environmental crisis, while we also raise concerns about the gender inequality that continues due to the lack of adequate funding for girls’ education and women’s health.
We would like to alert you to a book on the late Dr Martin Khor, the Malaysian development economist and activist who for over three decades worked tirelessly to bring the voice of the South to global international economic forums.
We also raise your attention to the monthly magazine ‘Third World Resurgence’ published by the Third World Network based in Penang, Malaysia—Dr Khor was instrumental in launching this project in the early 1990s and now it is into its 350th issue. It gives a real South perspective on global affairs—especially on the economic order.
Finally, we have two contrasting articles on democracy—one on the Philippines that reflects the weaknesses of the democratic process which has unable to keep corrupt out of politics forever; while the other from Fiji shows how governments through affirmative action and sincerity could make a minority—who were initially brought to the country, perhaps without their consent, by the British during the colonial era—to feel that they are now a part of the country’ history and belonging. [IDN-InDepthNews — 30 May 2021]
Download SDO issue 09, May 2022: https://kalingasen.wordpress.com/2022/05/
Image: Sustainable Development Observer
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