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 […]
Ukraine War: Zelensky Wants US Troops in Ukraine — And Putin Replaced
By Stephen Bryen* This article was issued by Weapons and Strategy and is being republished with their permission. WASHINGTON, D.C. | 25 September 2024 (IDN) — A friend of mine “translated” Zelensky’s UN speech as follows: Force Russia to the Negotiating Table, Return all territory taken by Russia to Ukraine; have a war crimes trial […]
Sri Lanka: Is the New President Harbinger of Hope and Change?
By Farwa Aamer The writer is Director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI). NEW YORK | 25 September (IDN) — Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s win (as new President) marks a period of hope and change for the Sri Lankans who are still recovering from the political and economic crisis of 2022. […]
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 […]
Is The World Moving Toward Long-Term Self-Destruction?
By Jonathan Power* LUND, Sweden | 24 September 2024 (IDN) — Eleven hundred years ago Europe was a backwater. There were no grand cities, apart from Cordoba in Spain which was Muslim. The Middle East was much further ahead, still absorbing the intellectual delights and challenges of Greek science, medicine and architecture which Europeans were […]
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. […]
Digital Transformation Accelerates, But Gaps Underscore Need for New Framework
By Ramesh Jaura BERLIN | NEW YORK | 22 September 2024 (IDN) — A new UN report has found a significant upward trend in the development of digital government worldwide as a result of increased private investment in resilient infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies. But the African region, least developed countries, and Small Island Developing States […]