By Thalif Deen NEW YORK | 21 March 2024 (IDN) — As the disproportionate death toll of Palestinian civilians reach over an estimated 30,000—in retaliation for the October 7 killings of 1,200 Israelis by Hamas—there is a continued growing demand for the suspension or restriction of US arms to Israel. The US, which is the […]
Sudan Will Soon Be the World’s Worst Hunger Crisis
By Edem Wosornu The author is Director of Operations and Advocacy of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Following are extensive excerpts from his Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Sudan. NEW YORK | 21 March 2024 (IDN) — In resolution 2417, you asked the Secretary-General […]
Is Violence in the Blood of Muslims?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 19 March 2024 (IDN) — 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. Right now, much of […]
UN Health Agency Warns of Imminent Famine in Gaza
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA | 18 March 2024 (IDN) — The situation in Gaza is catastrophic, and northern Gaza faces imminent famine. According to the latest analysis from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) partnership released today, the rest of the Strip is also at risk. Over a million people are expected to face […]
African Women Spur Fight for Gender Equality
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 18 March 2024 (IDN)—At the recent “Africa Disrupt“ conference, which included pan-African feminists, economic justice activists, and community leaders, one thing was certain: the time for gender equality for African working women had arrived. Halfway around the world, a new report by the World Bank fueled […]
Record Number of Syrians Need Aid After 13 Years of War
By Bernhard Schell CAIRO | 17 March 2024 (IDN) — “There are currently more Syrians in need of aid than any other time since the war began,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “An entire generation has been born into war, knowing nothing but insecurity and deprivation, and facing shock […]
Multilateral Development Banks Play Crucial Role in Financing Global Public Goods
By José Antonio Ocampo and Karla Daniela González, Columbia University This article was first published in the 2023/2024 UNDP Human Development Report – Breaking the Gridlock: Reimagining cooperation in a polarized world –on 13 March 2024. NEW YORK | 14 March 2024 (IDN) — There is broad-based agreement among the United Nations and the Group […]
‘The Patriarchy May Be Pushing Back, But So Are We’, UN Chief Tells CSW68
By UN News NEW YORK | 14 March 2024 (IDN) — Women’s rights are under attack, and governments must act to reverse that dangerous trend, the UN chief told at his annual town hall event with civil society activists on 13 March, as the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW68) session continued its first […]
UN Commission Asked to Focus on “Horrific Violence” Against Women in Tigray War
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK | 12 March 2024 (IDN)— Julia Duncan-Cassell, Former Liberian Minister of Gender and President of the Brussels-based European External Programme with Africa (EPA), has highlighted the urgent need for action regarding the proliferation of conflict-related sexual violence in an Open Letter to the 68th annual Commission on the Status of […]
UN Concerned About Spike in Russian Attacks on Odesa, Other Ukrainian Cities
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK | 10 March 2024 (IDN) — The Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa has become a frequent target of missile and drone attacks in recent days and weeks, with deadly consequences, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as delegates condemned Moscow’s intensified attacks against Ukrainian […]