UN Development Goals Cannot be Achieved if Bombs Keep Falling From the Sky

I am honoured to pay a visit to the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to address this Ministerial Meeting. I would like to use this opportunity to commend the role of the Non-Aligned Movement in promoting peace, security and development around the world. I also want to start by acknowledging the commitment of Venezuela, as Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement. I also thank Azerbaijan for welcoming us all to Baku, as the host of this conference.

How Global Emissions Have Changed Since 1850

Which countries have emitted the most greenhouse gases? The quick answer is, "It depends." A more definitive response is tougher than you may expect. Many factors inform the answer.

Bolton: Is He the Walrus –Goo goo g’joob?

President Trump’s nomination of John Bolton as his National Security Advisor highlights the deep irrationality of this White House’s global agenda. Apparently, the world has hitherto been spared Bolton’s robust sabotage only because the President has an eccentric visceral antipathy to his mustache, but so far could not find another, clean-shaven, candidate in the rapidly draining pool of applicants for White House jobs.

Premarital Sex: Increasing Worldwide

Premarital sex, defined as voluntary sexual intercourse between unmarried persons, is increasing worldwide. While traditional values, religious instructions and the laws of some countries continue to prescribe abstinence until marriage, the rapid societal changes that have occurred across all regions during the past half-century have resulted in the growing prevalence and acceptability of premarital sex.

What’s Happening to the World Income Distribution?

In 2013, Christoph Lakner and Branko Milanovic published a graph—quickly dubbed the “elephant chart”—that depicts changes in income distribution across the world between 1988 and 2008.

Yemen the World’s Worst Humanitarian Crisis, Says UN Chief

Thank you all for being here today to show your solidarity with the women, men, girls and boys of Yemen. And I want to thank my co-chairs, the Governments of Sweden and Switzerland, for hosting this conference for the second year and for their continued humanitarian commitment.

Palestinian Journalists Injured Covering Mass Protest in Gaza Strip

Israeli authorities should independently and credibly investigate reports that Israeli security forces injured journalists covering protests in the Gaza Strip on March 30, 2018.

Who’s Getting Financial Inclusion Funding in Sub-Saharan Africa?

For the first time in over a decade, Sub-Saharan Africa is a top priority for international funders investing in financial inclusion, with 30 percent of all active projects focused on the region.

What’s different about Trump’s tariffs?

At Davos in January, US President Donald Trump warned that the US “will no longer turn a blind eye to unfair economic practices” of others, interpreted by many as declaring world trade war. Before the US mid-term elections in November, Washington is expected to focus on others’ alleged “massive intellectual property theft, industrial subsidies and pervasive state-led economic planning” pointing to China without always naming names. With the Republican Party already united behind his tax bill, Trump senses an opportunity to finally unite the party behind him and to continue his campaign for re-election in 2020.

Indonesia’s Women Activism– Beyond Suffrage

More than a century has passed since Putri Mardika, Indonesia’s first ever women's organization, was established but challenges persist in the efforts to influence national politics to bring progress to all women.

Trump Hurtles Toward Three Nuclear Crises

One year into the unorthodox presidency of Donald Trump, the United States faces an array of complex and dangerous foreign policy challenges that require principled leadership, pragmatism, patience, and smart diplomacy.

Washington’s Ambiguity Equals De Facto Sanctions On Teheran

Over the last few months, the United States’ rhetoric on the Iran nuclear agreement has been ambiguous, creating an uncertain environment for investors. With John Bolton, President Donald Trump has now appointed a national security adviser who is actively seeking to leave the Iran deal.

Responding to Needs of Families Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Shuchona Foundation is a not-for-profit policy advocacy, research, and capacity-building organization specializing in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and mental health. It is the culmination of the efforts to coordinate and mainstream policies and programs for mental health and NDD’s that began with the launch of the of the GAPH-Bangladesh in 2011.

Bridging the Humanitarian Needs with Long-term Resilience in Dominica

Six months ago, on 18 September 2017, Category 5 Hurricane Maria struck Dominica wreaking unimaginable disaster. Thirty-one people died, thirty-three more remain missing. Roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and over 40 percent of homes were destroyed or severely damaged.

Fashion Paradigm That Does Not Pollute the Planet

Fashion is meant to be trendy. It’s fast-paced: in one season, out the next. If you want to keep up, you had better update your wardrobe - that top you bought last summer is already outdated. While things may have been built to last a life-time a generation ago, today they don’t even last a year.

El Salvador’s Shameful Treatment of Women Who Miscarry

Mayra Veronica Figueroa Marroquin (34) was released from prison earlier this month after serving time for what she argued was a miscarriage. Her sentence was reduced from 30 years to the 15 years she had already spent behind bars.

Accelerating Universal Health Coverage in Kenya-How do we get there?

The Government of Kenya has prioritized universal health coverage (UHC) in its Big 4 agenda over the next 5 years. This is a significant and perhaps the most important strategic priority. Why? Every year over a million Kenyans get trapped into poverty because of a catastrophic out of pocket payments due to health reasons.

Africa’s Corporate Boardrooms: Where are the Women?

When a woman rises to the top rung of the traditionally all-male corporate ladder in Africa, it’s front-page news because women’s progress in business leadership on the continent continues to be achingly slow.

Role of Energy Efficiency in Limiting Climate Change

Greenhouse gases are produced as a by-product of the use of fossil fuels to supply light and heat, produce food, manufacture products and transport people and goods.  These gases congregate in the upper atmosphere and result in global warming through absorption of sunlight reflected from the earth’s surface.  At the 21^st meeting of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Paris, it was agreed to limit the average increase in global temperature to 2°C [1].

A New Low for Security Council as Russia Takes Syrian Human Rights Off the Table

There is nothing controversial about saying the UN Security Council has failed Syria. Diplomats have openly admitted it, journalists have written about it, human rights organizations have declared it - several times over in the past seven years. But what happened this week was deplorable and unacceptable, even by the very low standards we now have for the Council when it comes to Syria.

Ending TB Epidemic Among Youth: Key to Achieving SDGs

A good education for every child is an urgent global imperative, but what if entering schools puts children at serious health risks? Tuberculosis (TB), the single biggest infectious disease killer, poses a major risk for young people in countries with high prevalence of TB, and schools are among the places where they are most likely to catch it.