Category: GLOBAL ISSUES

By Reinhardt Jacobsen | IDN-InDepthNews Report

THE HAGUE (IDN) – A broad coalition of industry organizations, trade unions, civil society organizations and the Dutch government have tabled an agreement on international responsible business conduct in the garment and textile sector.

The parties to the agreement join forces in an effort to achieve practical improvements in and ensure the sustainability of the international garment and textile supply chain. For example, they want to address problems such as dangerous working conditions and environmental pollution.

By Jaya Ramachandran | IDN-InDepthNews Analysis

BERLIN | BRUSSELS (IDN) – The future of relations between the ACP Group of 79 countries and the 28-nation EU after 2020, when the current partnership agreement comes to a close, promises to be a critical issue for the Joint Council of Ministers gathering in Senegal’s capital Dakar on April 28-29.

Though, according to the draft agenda endorsed by representatives of member states of the European Union and the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change will draw the focus of the upcoming meeting.

By Klara Smits and Florence Tornincasa | IDN-InDepthNews Report

STRASBOURG (IDN) – The European Parliament has adopted a resolution on Eritrea, which sends a strong signal to the European Commission, the EU Council, member states and the Eritrean government that human rights violations in the country need to be addressed.

The resolution approved on March 10 clearly identifies that Eritrean refugees are fleeing serious human rights violations and an indefinite national service which constitutes slavery.

The resolution also addresses the systematic extortion of refugees, a concern expressed earlier in resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council.

By Jonathan Power | IDN-INPS Viewpoint

LUND, Sweden (IDN | INPS) – Is Islam violent? ISIS in Syria and Iraq. In Pakistan, there is Lashkar-e-Taiba and the attempted murderer of the schoolgirl, Malala Yousafzai. Immigrant Moroccan men roughly pushing women and fondling them in the crowd in Cologne. Murderous bombs in Paris. Ayan Hirsi Ali, a Somali female author who was raised a Muslim, writes, “Violence is inherent in Islam- it’s a destructive, nihilistic cult of death. It legitimates murder.”

By Shastri Ramachandaran | IDN-InDepthNews Viewpoint

BEIJING (IDN) – One term which gained currency in the millennium’s first decade was ‘Asian Century’. The term represented a promise, a prospect and a goal; and, invariably, was used with optimism. For a while, it was as evocative as the term ‘21st century’ was in the 1980s, replete with visions of new vistas of life, living and development far removed from the poverty, deprivation and tribulations suffered by the world’s oppressed majority in the 20th century.

When the 21st century was actually upon us, much of the romantic yearning for it had ceased. Similarly, invocation of ‘Asian Century’ ceased to resonate with the aspirations it brought to mind. It came to be used less frequently, especially in capitals such as Beijing and New Delhi.

By Kalinga Seneviratne* | IDN-InDepthNews Feature

This article is the third in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate.

SINGAPORE (IDN | Lotus News Features**) – As a new government led by Aung San Suu Kyi takes over in Myanmar this month (March), reforming the country’s jade mining industry and ensuring that the benefits flow to the people and the national coffers would be the litmus test of its democratic credentials.

By J Nastranis | IDN-INPS Report

NEW YORK (IDN | INPS) – The global economy is projected to create around 40 million new health sector jobs by 2030, mostly in middle- and high-income countries. But there is a projected shortage of 18 million health workers to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in low- and lower-middle income countries.

In view of this, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on March 2 the appointment of a High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth. The Commission will hold its first meeting on March 23, 2016, and will deliver its final report in the margin of the 71st regular session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2016.

By Jonathan Power | IDN-INPS Viewpoint

LONDON (IDN | INPS) – The British have a problem. A referendum on continuing membership of the European Union scheduled for June may lead to Brexit- Britain heading for the exit. Anybody with any knowledge of Europe’s war-like history knows this would be totally self-defeating.

Writing in 1751 Voltaire described Europe as “a kind of great republic, divided into several states, some monarchical, the others mixed but all corresponding with one another. They all have the same religious foundation, even if divided into several confessions. They all have the same principles of public law and politics unknown in other parts of the world.” But they also had a lot of war.