By Rodney Reynolds NEW YORK | 21 October 2024 (IDN) — A new global index reveals that nine out of ten countries worldwide are pursuing policies that are likely to increase levels of economic inequality. Education and health cuts by nearly every country under World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) programs are being described as “dispiriting, dangerous, […]
Informal Summit of The Future: International Youth Conference
By Bisma Qamar* NEW YORK | 19 October 2024 (IDN) — The summit of the future was held during the General Assembly session last month with the theme of multilateral solutions for a better future. One of the prominent chapters which was highlighted was youth and future generations. Following the summit, the 10th edition of […]
Migration Can Be a Catalyst for Africa’s Sustainable Development
By Busani Bafana ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia | 12 October 2024, (IDN) — Migration can be a catalyst for Africa’s sustainable development, a review meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has heard. The meeting underscored the potential for migration to drive sustainable development through harnessing the skills and investments of migrants. Speaking at opening of the […]
Youth-led Protests: The Start of an African Spring?
By Henrik Maihack, IPS-Journal.EU* BERLIN | 20 August 2024 (IDN) — People are taking to the streets in Africa. Following a wave of protests and an election, a millennial president has come to power in Senegal, who just a few weeks earlier was a political prisoner. In Kenya, street protests led by Gen Z students […]
UNHCR Chief Hails Refugee Athletes as A Beacon of Hope and Peace
By Jaya Ramachandran PARIS | 27 July 2024 (IDN) — The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Filippo Grandi, has urged the world to follow the example of the refugee teams that are competing, as they promote peaceful co-existence and mutual respect. “Sport is a symbol of hope and of peace, which are sadly in […]
Does The Value of The Olympics Still Justify the Cost?
By Tim Harcourt* SYDNEY | 26 July 2024 (IDN) — A country doesn’t host the Olympic Games to make a profit. So why do they bother? South Korea held the Seoul Olympics in 1988 to show off its economic miracle. Beijing used 2008 to show the world its enormous economic advancement. At Sochi in 2014, […]
LGBTQ+ Activists Win Landmark Judgment from Namibian High Court
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK | 24 June 2024 (IDN) — Namibia’s high court has overturned a law that criminalized gay sex. The ruling is a victory for LGBTQ+ activists after a number of setbacks in the battle for rights in African countries in recent years. Namibia inherited a law banning sodomy […]
UN Report Cautiously Optimistic About Global Economic Outlook
By Rodney Reynolds NEW YORK | 16 May 2024 (IDN) — A United Nations report expects a sustained rebound in tourism to improve the economic prospects for small island developing States (SIDS), leading to GDP growth from 2.4 per cent in 2023 to 3.3 per cent in 2024. However, SIDS remain vulnerable to spikes in […]
UN Report Faults Misinformation and Politicisation of Migration
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA | DHAKA | 13 May 2024 (IDN) — Migration is an intrinsic part of human history, but it is often overshadowed by sensationalised narratives and headlines that contradict reality. “Most migration is regular, safe, and regionally focused, directly linked to opportunities and livelihoods,” says the UN migration agency IOM agency. “Yet, […]
UK-Rwanda Asylum Law: UN Leaders Warn of Harmful Consequences
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS | 30 April 2024 (IDN) — A highly contentious piece of legislation, forcing migrants and asylum seekers arriving in Britain, to be deported to Rwanda, has come under heavy fire. The bill, described as the British Conservative Party’s flagship immigration policy, was adopted April 22, despite strong opposition from the […]