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Thursday, August 27, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Female Presence Growing in Brazil’s Gangs
They are no longer simply the girlfriends of gang members. Women have increasingly become members themselves of Brazil's youth gangs over the past decade -- though they have yet to reach the leadership positions of their male colleagues.
BRAZIL: The Football Nation Doesn’t Forget Its Heroes
Long known as "the football nation," Brazil today is seeking a new title: recognition as a global economic and political power -- though without denying the sport that made it famous.
BRAZIL: “Gol de Letra” Scores Goals off the Playing Field
In a country where many poor children dream of "making it big" through football or modeling, retired Brazilian football stars Leonardo and Raí could have simply basked in their fame. But they decided instead to combine sport with education, art and skills training.BRAZIL: Everyday Superheroes Against the Mad, Bad World
They fight against a crazy world, armed only with dramatic improvisation. A programme of urban interventions from a university in Río de Janeiro is battling "the mad world" based on the archetype of the anti-hero.BRAZIL: Presidential Candidates Not Risking Economic Surprises
Not the leftists, not the social democrats, not the greens. Ideological differences aside, the three leading candidates for the Brazilian presidency are singing the same tune on the economy: no surprises, no market shake-ups.
South America on Guard Against Europe’s Economic Woes
Although the European Union's financial bailout of Greece to avoid contagion of the crisis to other eurozone countries has had positive effects, South America is not ruling out collateral damage, especially from austerity measures demanded from Spain and Portugal and being considered for other EU countries.
BRAZIL: Eviction from Rio’s Slums Echoes Dark Past
The longstanding debate between eviction or upgrading of Rio's "favelas" or slums has gathered new force as this one-time capital of Brazil still shows the hillside scars left by rain-induced landslides in early April.
Forced Eviction from Rio's Slums Echoes Dark Past
The tragic landslides this year in the steep hills of Rio de Janeiro brought to light an official plan to relocated impoverished neighborhoods - a move that experts criticize for failing to consult the residents affected, and for being authoritarian and ineffective.
BRAZIL: Moves to Legalise Abortion Shut Down by Campaign
Politically awkward when it comes to negotiating alliances and congressional support from the right, the decriminalisation of abortion has been dropped from a Brazilian government human rights plan -- and from the election debate, even among candidates who have traditionally been open to the prospect.DEVELOPMENT: Emerging Powers Eager to Get Down to Business
Behind every initiative to form an association of nations, there are "strong economic and commercial interests," said Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim.ENVIRONMENT-BRAZIL: A Tragedy of Local and Global Dimensions
The people who live in the favela of Guararapes are probably unaware that the heavy rains that forced them to flee their homes were caused by a phenomenon that is affecting the whole planet: global warming.HEALTH: Seeking Funds to Fight Neglected Diseases
Experts from around the world are trying to attract attention to deadly but little-known illnesses, such as Chagas disease, visceral leishmaniasis and sleeping sickness, that have been neglected by the pharmaceutical industry.
DEVELOPMENT: Mega-Inequality in Urban Mega-Regions
Basic services that are collapsing or non-existent, overcrowding, pollution: these are big-city problems that are compounded in developing countries by poverty and inequality.BRAZIL: Bringing the Multicoloured Soul of the Favela to Life
The "favelas" or shanty towns of Brazil are a uniform red ochre, the colour of unplastered brick walls. But two visual artists from the Netherlands want to paint them every colour under the sun, a facelift intended to showcase the colourful soul of these poverty-stricken neighbourhoods.BRAZIL: Fewer Slum Dwellers Thanks to Upgrading
A United Nations report published ahead of the Fifth World Urban Forum in Brazil says the proportion of the population of this country living in "favelas" or shantytowns was reduced 16 percent between 2000 and 2010.
MUSIC-BRAZIL: ‘Enchanted’ Guitars for Social Change
Perfectly in tune, in spite of the off-key world of Terra Encantada ("Enchanted Land"), a shanty town in this Brazilian city, the guitars of Daniel Sant'Anna's orchestra strike up the "Ode to Joy", played by children and teenagers who are looking for a way forward in their lives.WORLD SOCIAL FORUM: Brazil – Another Power Is Possible
The birthplace of the World Social Forum (WSF), conceived as an alternative to international meetings pursuing free-market economics, Brazil is on its way to becoming a major economic power, analysts say. The question is, what kind of model will it adopt to avoid the behaviour it has previously criticised?AGRICULTURE: Three-Quarters of Hungry Are Rural Poor
Climate change, associated with a four-fold increase in natural disasters in the last decade, and the growth of world population, which is expected to reach nine billion by 2050, pose new challenges for aid initiatives like those of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).BRAZIL: Hunger-Free Christmas Still Out of Reach
The traditional campaign for a Christmas without Hunger in Brazil is in its 17th year. But in spite of ongoing programmes, food insecurity still affects 15 million people in South America's giant, according to official figures.
Q&A: Three Decades of Progress for Women’s Treaty, But Many Challenges Ahead
The United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), which turns 30 on Dec. 18, has brought greater global awareness of women’s rights and been instrumental in the huge strides made towards ending discrimination and inequality in the world.BRAZIL: ‘Quilombos’ Keep Black Cultural Identity Alive
A black community in the southern Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro is trying to maintain its cultural heritage on 287 hectares granted to it by the government in 1999 as part of reparations to the descendants of slaves.« Previous Page — Next Page »
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