By J C Suresh WASHINGTON, DC (IDN) — Five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council – USA, China, France, Russia and Britain – who together possess an overwhelming majority of 13,865 nuclear weapons have pledged “unstinting commitment to preserving and deepening … for future generations” the legacy of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation […]
Veteran Mental Health Charity Leaves Thousands at Risk
By J W Jackie RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – A UK-based mental health charity that provides treatment to around 2,000 military veterans every year has announced that it will no longer be accepting new referrals. Combat Stress has helped veterans for more than 100 years but says that a lack of funding means that they […]
Committee on Teaching About the UN Demands ‘War No More’
By Narin B. Stassis The writer currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Committee on Teaching About the UN. She is a former Director of Curriculum and Instruction, a lifelong Educator, and holds a Master’s degree in International Education from Lesley University. NEW YORK (IDN) – The United Nations was created with a determination […]
25 Years on From Beijing, COVID-19 Highlights Profound Interconnectedness & Persisting Inequalities
Viewpoint by Anita Nayar and Aishu Balaji Anita Nayar is Director and Aishu Balaji Program Coordinator of Regions Refocus. This article is based on the civil society statement delivered at the opening of CSW64/Beijing+25 by Anita Nayar, also Co-Chair of the Gender and Trade Coalition. NEW YORK (IDN) – On March 9, 2020, New York-based […]
Amnesty Accuses Facebook, Google of Harming Human Rights
By J W Jackie RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – Facebook and Google play an important role in the lives of people across the globe – too big a role, according to Amnesty International. The pro-human rights organization recently published a report entitled, Surveillance Giants, which critiques the “insidious” surveillance exercised by these two digital giants.
New Laws Allow Zimbabwe to Fine or Jail to Keep Kids in School
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) — Zimbabwe is experimenting with a bold attempt to make parents prioritize education and bring down drop-out rates. Harare has amended its laws to make the first 12 years of schooling compulsory. Children are now required by law to stay in school for an extra five […]
Too Few Women in Power 25 Years After Beijing Declaration
By UN Women GENEVA | NEW YORK (IDN) — Women’s representation in political decision-making continues to increase but at a dragging pace, with three-quarters of parliamentary seats still held by men, according to new data presented in the 2020 edition of the IPU‑UN Women map of Women in Politics. The data’s publication coincides with the […]
From Coronavirus to Climate and Gender Equality
By J Nastranis with UN News in Brief NEW YORK (IDN)— As the coronavirus continues to spread globally, the UN’s top human rights official Michelle Bachelet appealed on March 6 to countries and businesses to put rights “front and centre” to protect their most vulnerable citizens. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that although the […]
Singapore’s Fight Against the Coronavirus on Social Media
Viewpoint by Archana Atmakuri The writer is a Research Analyst at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) at the National University of Singapore. This opinion piece first appeared on East Asia Forum on 6 March 2020. SINGAPORE (IDN) — Over 60 countries are now fighting confirmed and suspected cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), […]
CORVID 19 – The Insatiable Urge to Bash China Surfaces Again!
Viewpoint by Dr Palitha Kohona The writer is former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and former Foreign Secretary. COLOMBO (IDN) — Historically, the West has always had an equivocal attitude towards China, not to mention the non-white world. A fear, a suspicion, a fascination, an uncertainty, a sense of […]