By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 29 September 2024 (IDN) — When the much-publicized two-day Summit of the Future concluded on September 23, world leaders adopted a Pact for the Future which covered a broad range of themes including peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, digital cooperation, human rights, gender, youth and future generations, […]
Child Survival Award to Honour the Legendary Jim Grant
By Kul Chandra Gautam The writer is a former UN assistant secretary general and deputy executive director of UNICEF. KATHMANDU | 26 September 2024 (IDN) — Ever since UNICEF’s legendary Executive Director Jim Grant passed away in January 1995, I have had a dream that UNICEF, ideally, or some other organization, would establish a prestigious […]
Wanted A Non-Hegemonic New International Order Under the UN Charter
By Jeffrey D. Sachs* This article was originally published in Horizons and is being republished with the author’s permission. – Though the Summit of the Future has concluded, this article by SDG Advocate under Secretary-General António Guterres is of utmost importance. The Outcome Document of the Summit reflects some of the author’s recommendations for a […]
The Under Representation of Women in a Male Dominated Political Culture
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS 25 September 2024 (IDN) — The first eight months of 2024—described as a “super election year”—have seen limited progress in women’s representation in parliaments worldwide. A mid-year provisional analysis by the Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), released September 25, points out that with roughly half the world’s population going to the […]
HeForShe Movement Wins Two Million Champions of Gender Equality
By UN Women NEW YORK | 24 September 2024 (IDN) — Since 2014, HeForShe has bolstered a global movement, engaging more than 2 million men and individuals of all genders in championing gender equality. This unique initiative, led by UN Women, has driven 3 billion conversations on topics ranging from closing the pay gap to […]
Digital Revolution Can Unleash Health Revolution
It Can Avert 74 Percent of Global Deaths Annually By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | NEW YORK | 23 September 2024 (IDN) — Smoking, boozing, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity trigger the risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases. These noncommunicable dieses (NCDs) are responsible for over 74 percent of global deaths annually, […]
Liquid Assets-Africa: Unlocking Water Potential for Growth
By Busani Bafana NAIROBI | 23 September 2024 (IDN) — Africa stands on the edge of a severe water crisis, threatening its ability to meet critical Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new report reveals. Despite the continent’s vast water resources, poor management, overexploitation, and the escalating effects of climate change are fueling widespread water insecurity. […]
South Asian Workers in Europe Face Harrowing Working Conditions
By Aju John* BERLIN | 22 September 2024 (IDN) — On 19 June of this year, an agricultural labourer from India named Satnam Singh lost his life on a melon farm in Latina, Italy. He had been crushed by a machine that severed one of his arms and fractured his legs — horrific injuries, but, […]
UN Needs to Open Doors to Citizens, Elected Representatives and Civil Society
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 19 September 2024 (IDN) — As the UN plays host to four high-level summit meetings next week—with possibly over 150 world leaders in attendance—a group of over 160 civil society organizations (CSOs) is calling on the United Nations to make global governance more “inclusive and accountable.” The UN needs […]
Bangladesh: Political Crisis Is Deeply Impacting the Economy
By Tajul Islam* DHAKA, Bangladesh | 19 September 2024 (IDN) — Bangladesh is currently facing a political crisis that is not only disrupting its social structure but also casting a significant shadow over the country’s economic outlook. The economic challenges caused by this political instability are widespread, impacting everything from households to industries. The Ready-made […]