May 05, 2023
Africa: Reshaping Multilateralism in Times of Crises
The world is in permanent crisis mode. In addition to the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution,… Read more »
May 04, 2023
Africa: Of Africa and the Magic Formula of the Italian Taxi Driver
Some days ago in Rome, the Italian taxi driver switched on the radio during a longish ride through the usual traffic jam. Music, gossip, and the hourly news bulletin. All of a… Read more »
April 30, 2023
Africa: Media Freedom Is Vital but Have We Passed Peak Press?
Peak oil was first up, followed by peak gas, gold and others, as if the world was draining natural resources like toilet roll panic buying in a lockdown supermarket. But should we… Read more »
May 03, 2023
Africa: Drone Journalism Holds Great Potential to Improve Safety of Journalists in Africa's Volatile Situations
In a departure from the past, where journalists in Kenya have freely covered anti-government protests unharmed, a series of events that unfolded in March 2023 have heightened fears… Read more »
Africa: To Confront Our Current Crises, It's Time to Put Our Money Where Our Mouth Is
The finance sector's role in the current global crises - notably climate, biodiversity, and food security - is significant. Read more »
May 01, 2023
Africa: A Proposal for a UN Freedom of Information Act Never Got Off the Ground
The United Nations has consistently been a vociferous advocate of freedom of the press - and, most importantly, the right of journalists to report without fear of reprisals. Read more »
Africa: Empowering Women Is Key to Breaking the Devastating Cycle of Poverty & Food Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Studies consistently show that women have lower rates of agricultural productivity compared to men in the region, but it's not because they're less efficient farmers. Read more »
Africa: UN Plan of Action On Safety of Journalists
Freedom of the press is the cornerstone of democratic society. Without a debate of ideas, without verified facts, without diversity of perspectives, democracy is a shadow of… Read more »
April 27, 2023
Africa: Rising to the Challenge - the UN Road Safety Fund in a Polycrises World
Nneka Henry is Head of UN Road Safety Fund Read more »
Africa: 'Defending Human Rights Is a Crime in Some Countries and a Deadly Activity in Others'
By Bibbi Abruzzini and Clarisse Sih, Forus Read more »
Africa: Gender Gap in Academia - Glass Ceilings & Sticky Floors
By Victoria Galán-Muros, Mathias Bouckaert and Jaime Roser Read more »
April 25, 2023
Africa: Local Innovations Key to Meeting Challenges of the Climate Crisis
Several years ago, on a visit to a village in rural Zimbabwe, I met a small group of women with a story to share. Read more »
April 24, 2023
Africa: Ukraine War Triggers Record Increase in World Military Spending
The United Nations has warned that the February 2022 Rusian invasion of Ukraine has threatened to force up to 1.7 billion people -- over one-fifth of humanity -- into poverty,… Read more »
Africa: The Last Mile to Malaria Elimination - Confronting Gender Inequalities & Power Dynamics
For centuries, malaria has remained one of the deadliest diseases, inflicting great suffering on families and perpetuating the cycle of poverty in many communities and nations. The… Read more »
April 19, 2023
Africa: Africa, Now Squeezed to the Bones
As many as 45 African countries -out of the Continent's 54 nations-, all of them grouped in what is known as Sub-Saharan Africa, have now been further squeezed to their bones, as… Read more »
April 17, 2023
Africa: We Can Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals but It Will Take Courage & Urgent Transformations
The world is at a crossroads. This week, the United Nations Secretary-General, government ministers and senior leaders are gathered in New York at the ECOSOC Financing for… Read more »
April 14, 2023
Africa: International Human Rights Law As a Tool to Stop Rising Homophobia in Africa
Imagine your government enacted a law where you and all people of your race or economic status were imprisoned for extended periods, with some facing the death penalty, simply for… Read more »
April 13, 2023
Africa: Should Internet Access Be Declared a Basic Human Right?
The United Nations defines human rights as "rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status". Read more »
April 14, 2023
Africa: Vulnerable Countries Need Action On Loss and Damage Today and Not At COPs to Come #AfricaClimateHope
In March 2023, more than 600 people died in Malawi after Tropical Cyclone Freddy dumped heavy rain, flooding the southern part of the country, displacing over half a million… Read more »
April 11, 2023
Africa: Crisis? What Crisis? Western Media Failing to Convey the Urgency of the Climate Emergency
If an alien landed on Planet Earth today and started watching television and reading the newspapers, it would probably not realize that humanity and the natural world face an… Read more »
April 10, 2023
Africa: India's Bihar Leads Efforts to Strengthen Global Poverty Alleviation Through South-South Knowledge Exchange
Under the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society, Bihar's government announced the development of a new Program for Immersion and Learning Exchange (ILE) to be headquartered in… Read more »
Africa: Detoxifying Security - Recommendations for the G7 Summit On Nuclear Weapons
The current war in Ukraine has shown that nuclear deterrence is deeply flawed. It relies on the assumption of "rational actors" in power and credibility of threats, which we know… Read more »
Africa: At the Mercy of the Algorithm
Excessive reliance on algorithmic management has raised concerns regarding its opaque decision-making mechanisms and implication for workers. Read more »
April 07, 2023
Africa: Platitudes Not Enough - Urgent Investment Needed in Health Workforce
By Roopa Dhatt and Susannah Schaefer Read more »
Africa: Neglected Tropical Disease Mycetoma Research Gains Momentum
The disease burden and distribution of mycetoma--a neglected tropical disease--are not very well understood. However, it is known to affect people in Sudan, Senegal, Mauritania,… Read more »