By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN (IDN) – Keeping humans in control of autonomous weapons and artificial intelligence is an important element of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ action plan to implement the Agenda for Disarmament, Securing Our Common Future, presented in May 2018. “Essentially, the question is whether we are in control of technology or whether, ultimately, […]
UN Chief Emboldens the ‘Fridays for Future’ Climate Movement
By J Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) – “My generation has failed to respond properly to the dramatic challenge of climate change. This is deeply felt by young people. No wonder they are angry,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres in an opinion piece for The Guardian, in the wake of unprecedented March 15 demonstrations by schoolchildren […]
New Study Shows Ups and Downs in Gender Equality
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) – This year’s International Women’s Day on March 8 has been celebrated on an unprecedented scale by the United Nations and other inter-governmental organizations around the world. And, a new analysis shows improvements in gender equality. But there is a rather long way to go until gender parity has […]
UN Environment Assembly Convenes to Ramp Up Solutions for Sustainable Economies
By J Nastranis NEW YORK | NAIROBI (IDN) – A five-day meeting of the United Nations top body on the environment, which is expected to take bold decisions and produce far-reaching outcomes that move global societies to a more sustainable path, began in Kenya’s capital Nairobi on March 11. Over 4,700 heads of state, ministers, […]
UN Environment Forum Underlines the Science-Innovation-Entrepreneurship Nexus
By J Nastranis NEW YORK | NAIROBI (IDN) – Eminent scientists, Nobel laureates, artists, ministers, parliamentarians, industry and business leaders, young game changers in the science and business communities, heads of United Nations entities and civil society representatives participated in the UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment at the UN Headquarters in Nairobi from March […]
World Religions Prepare for Global Development Summit
By Ramesh Jaura VATICAN CITY (IDN) – Nearly six months before the heads of state and government convene to review the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the UN General Assembly’s ‘SDG Summit’ in September, the world religions have tasked themselves with elaborating “a road map or lines of action that can […]
Food Sans Essential Micronutrients Causes ‘Hidden Hunger’
By Brenda Wawa This article first appeared on Africa Renewal, December 2018-March 2019 issue. NAIROBI (IDN | INPS) – For years, boosting agricultural production was believed to be the solution to world hunger and malnourishment. But years of intensive farming with chemical fertilizers and pesticides has done little to move the needle on food insecurity, […]
Women Leaders Call for Gender Equality and Inclusion
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) – In the lead up to International Women’s Day on March 8, twenty-six high ranking female officials who have worked across the United Nations have penned an open letter to world leaders calling for greater investment in policies and legal and social frameworks to achieve gender equality and inclusion. […]
Ghana Hosts Africa Climate Week as First of Three Regional Climate Events
By Rita Joshi BONN (IDN) – The Africa Climate Week, which is being hosted by Ghana from March 18–22 in Accra, is the first of three annual regional climate events this year – the latter two being the Latin America & Caribbean Climate Week and the Asia Pacific Climate Week. According to the Secretariat of […]
Shrinking Biodiversity of Plants Cultivated for Food Poses Severe Threat
By Jaya Ramachandran ROME (IDN) – In the first-ever report of its kind FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, has presented surging and perturbing evidence that the biodiversity that underpins our food systems is disappearing – putting the global population’s health, livelihoods and environment under severe threat. FAO’s State of the […]