By David Amaglobeli, Vitor Gaspar, and Paolo Mauro* This article was first published on April 1 with the title Giving Everyone a Fair Shot. It is also available in عربي, 中文, Español, Français, 日本語, Português, Русский WASHINGTON, DC (IDN | IMF Blog) — The COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying the vicious circle of inequality. To break […]
President Biden Repeals Trump Sanctions on the Criminal Court
By Jessica Corbett* Common Dreams first published this report on April 2, 2021. WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — Progressives in Congress and human rights organizations on April 2 welcomed the Biden administration’s repeal of sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) imposed under former President Donald Trump in a bid to pressure the Hague-based tribunal to […]
UN Striving to Ensure Media and Information Literacy
By Ramu Damodaran The writer is Chief, United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) hosted in the Department of Global Communications. This OpEd was first published in the latest #WhyWeCare. It highlights efforts of the UN to combat the “infodemic” — misinformation or disinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic that is having a disastrous social and economic impact […]
A Robust Blueprint Emerges from the UN’s Largest Gathering on Women’s Rights
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) — The largest gathering on women’s rights has decided to contribute to accelerating the pace of progress to ensure women’s full participation and leadership at all levels of decision-making in executive, legislative and judicial branches of government and the public sector. It also appreciates that temporary special measures, such […]
UN Campaigns to Make Vaccines a Global Public Good
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — New research has cautioned against the growing trend towards “vaccine nationalism” where countries prioritize their own vaccine needs. The study warns that in monopolizing the supply of vaccines against the Covid-19 pandemic, wealthy nations are threatening economic destruction which will hit affluent countries nearly as hard as those […]
Toddler’s Death Highlights Perils of Crossing the Atlantic
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The sight of refugees clinging to leaking boats, barely floating in frigid waters, or worse, washing up lifelessly on sandy shores, almost fails to shock after these images repeat over and over, year after year. But consciences were re-awakened when a two-year toddler from Mali […]
Expert Groups Prepare Roadmap for Universal Energy Access
By Radwan Jakeem NEW YORK (IDN) — The virtual launch of the High-level Dialogue on Energy 2021 Process: A Year of Energy Action on March 10 succeeded in generating a wave of enthusiastic support from key players in the energy field who committed to help drive impactful results at the September summit-level Dialogue event, according […]
A Three-Day Event in Italy to Set the Stage for UN Food Systems Summit
By Jaya Ramachandran ROME (IDN) — Under the leadership of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi, the Pre-Summit of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit from July 19 to July 21 will bring together worldwide efforts and contributions aiming at transforming global food systems. Youth, smallholder farmers, indigenous peoples, researchers, the […]
Cuba Working On A ‘People’s Vaccine’ In Response To Vaccine Hoarding By Global North
Viewpoint by Beth Geglia* WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — “The life of just one person is worth more than the private property of the richest man.” This is what’s written on the Calixto Garcia public hospital in Havana Cuba as a testament to the country’s commitment to free public healthcare, and to putting people before profit. […]
WTO Chief Faces First Test Over Generic Corona Drug Patent
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The first African woman to lead the World Trade Organization (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is facing her first test of leadership as the leaders of poor and rich nations spar over the rights to generic versions of the COVID-19 vaccine, currently held by the rich nations. […]