Civil Society

In India, an Indoor Health Crisis

For years, Kehmli Devi, a middle-aged woman from the village of Chachadeth in India’s northern Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, has prepared her family’s meals on a wood-burning stove.

World Misses Its Potential by Excluding 50 Per Cent of Its People

By Thalif Deen

The meeting is billed as one of the biggest single gatherings of women activists under one roof.

Opinion: Eco-efficient Crop and Livestock Production for Nicaraguan Farmers

By Kwesi Atta-Krah and Reynaldo Bismarck Mendoza

For Roberto Pineda, a smallholder farmer in the Somotillo municipality of Nicaragua, his traditional practice after each harvest was to cut down and burn all crop residues on his land, a practice known as “slash-and-burn” agriculture.

Newly Recognised Indigenous Rights a Dead Letter?

By Edgardo Ayala and Claudia Ávalos

Nearly three years after the rights of El Salvador’s indigenous people were recognised in the constitution, there are still no public policies and laws to translate that historic achievement into reality.

Can Indigenous and Wildlife Conservationists Work Together?

By Lyndal Rowlands

Indigenous and wildlife conservationists have common goals and common adversaries, but seem to be struggling to find common ground in the fight for sustainable forests.

Opinion: Bridging the Gap – How the SDG Fund is Paving the Way for a Post-2015 Agenda

By Paloma Duran

The countdown has begun to September’s Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with world leaders discussing the 17 goals and 169 targets proposed by the United Nations Open Working Group.

Brazil Called upon to Block Genetically Engineered Eucalyptus Trees

By Valentina Ieri

Forest protection, increased biodiversity and wildlife conservation are just a few of the promises made by proponents of genetically engineered (GE) plants. But campaigners are not buying these promises.

42 Human Rights Groups Slam Indonesia’s Death Penalty

By Josh Butler

More than 40 human rights groups from around the world have penned an open letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, pleading for the halting of 10 imminent executions.

Opinion: Reforming Mental Health in India

By Minto Felix

India is not only poised for greatness, some say it is already on its way. The events that have shaped the nation's dialogue over the past month showcase an India with a bold vision – to transform industry, to close the gap on inequality and ultimately, to redefine its place as a leader among the world.

Prominent Lawyer Defending the Poor Gunned Down in Mozambique

By Lisa Vives

As billions pour into Mozambique from foreign investors scooping up fields of coal and natural gas, the signs of newfound wealth are impossible to miss.

By Girls, For Girls – Nepal’s Teenagers Say No to Child Marriage

By Naresh Newar

If not for a group of her school friends coming to her rescue, Shradha Nepali would have become a bride at the tender age of 14.

Opinion: Let’s Grant Women Land Rights and Power Our Future

By Monique Barbut

Women are not only the world’s primary food producers. They are hardworking and innovative and, they invest far more of their earnings in their families than men. But most lack the single most important asset for accessing investment resources – land rights.

Syrians “Have No Faith” in International Community to Solve Human Rights Crisis

By Josh Butler

Syrian citizens “have no faith” in the international community to solve the chaos and war raging across their country, according to a prominent human rights defender.

Tech-Savvy Women Farmers Find Success with SIM Cards

By Stella Paul

Jawadi Vimalamma, 36, looks admiringly at her cell phone. It’s a simple device that can only be used to send or receive a call or a text message. Yet to the farmer from the village of Janampet, located 150 km away from Hyderabad, capital of the southern Indian state of Telangana, it symbolises a wealth of knowledge that changed her life.

Illegal Wildlife Trade Booms on Chinese Social Media

By Josh Butler

Despite a major online crackdown on the sale of illegal wildlife products in China, merchants are still peddling their wares in a thriving social media market.