By Farai Shawn Matiashe MUTARE, Zimbabwe (IDN) — Ruth Rugeje, 38, monitors plants of cabbages, a pale green leafy vegetable, grown in empty two-litre bottles in the backyard of her home in Mutapa, a high-density suburb in the central Zimbabwean city of Gweru. This innovative farmer picked these plastic bottles from the illegal dumping sites […]
Genocide Suspect Rebuffs International Court Trying Hate Speech Crimes
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — A Rwandan businessman and alleged genocidaire failed to appear in court, where he is being tried on charges of masterminding and financing the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Felicien Kabuga, 87, is accused of aiding and abetting hit squads who slaughtered ethnic Tutsis and with using a […]
Russia & China Face Draft Resolutions at the UN Rights Council
By A.L.A Azeez GENEVA (IDN) — At the current session ≈ of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, in addition to Sri Lanka, both Russia and China are facing a draft resolution and a draft decision, respectively. This must be the first time in HRC (or its predecessor—the Commission on Human Rights) that both […]
Women Leadership Forum Discusses the Significance of Gender Equality
By Aurora Weiss VIENNA (IDN) — The gender pay gap, inequality in access to education and the labour market: These issues remain pertinent in the 21st century. Achieving full gender equality, one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), could take close to 300 years if the current rate of progress continues, noted a report […]
Nature Contributes to Economic Prosperity and Well-Being
By Ramu Damodaran The author is Senior Fellow at the New Delhi-based Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP). NEW YORK (IDN) — I was in Athens three years ago this week, on what was to be my last trip outside New York, where I am based, before the pandemic; I have not travelled after […]
University Scientists in El Salvador Research to Protect Biodiversity
By J. Nastranis NEW YORK (IDN) — The Cerrón Grande reservoir, the largest water body in El Salvador—and home to over fifteen species of fish and a wide variety of submerged and floating flora—is currently threatened by the accumulation of solid waste, erosion, eutrophication, pollution, and the presence of invasive species. To mitigate these environmental […]
Kenyan Youth Seek Compensation from Rich Countries Responsible for Climate Change
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets of Nairobi on September 24 to demand that wealthy countries pay more in the fight against climate change. “We need the Global North to pay for the damages they are causing,” said Duncan Omwami, an activist who joined […]
Late Archbishop Tutu’s Daughter Barred from Godfather’s Funeral
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — The daughter of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu said she was “stunned” by the Church of England when they denied her the right to officiate at her godfather’s funeral because she is married to a woman. According to the Rev. Mpho Tutu van Furth, an […]
Act Now to Transform Education into 21st Century Learning
Viewpoint by Dr Randa Grob-Zakhary The author is the Founder and CEO of Education.org ZURICH (IDN) — At the recent Transforming Education Summit in New York, 130 countries pledged to reboot their education systems and accelerate action to tackle the global learning crisis. Fifty foundations pledged to support those ambitions. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres […]
Women’s Equality Makes Our Planet Safe and Secure
By Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury is the Founder of the Global Movement for The Culture of Peace (GMCoP), Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN (1996-2001) and Under-Secretary-General and High Representative of the United Nations (2002-2007). The following is based on his inaugural keynote speech at the first “Exceptional Women of […]