Languages
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
Democracy on the Retreat in Over 96 of the 193 U.N. Member States, Says New Study
Democracy is on the retreat and authoritarianism is on the rise in more than 96 of the U.N.’s 193 member states, according to a new report released here.
U.N. Takes First Step Towards Treaty to Curb Lawlessness in High Seas
The 193-member General Assembly adopted a resolution Friday aimed at drafting a legally binding international treaty for the conservation of marine biodiversity and to govern the mostly lawless high seas beyond national jurisdiction.
Pope Could Upstage World Leaders at U.N. Summit in September
Judging by his recent public pronouncements - including on reproductive health, biodiversity, the creation of a Palestinian state, the political legitimacy of Cuba and now climate change – Pope Francis may upstage more than 150 world leaders when he addresses the United Nations, come September.
CTBTO, the Nuclear Watchdog That Never Sleeps
The world’s nuclear powers may succeed in thwarting sanctions by the Security Council or avoiding condemnation by the General Assembly, but they cannot escape the scrutiny of a key international watchdog body: the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO).
Could Peacekeeping Wives Deter Sexual Abuse in U.N. Overseas Operations?
Back in November 2007, about 108 military personnel from an Asian country, serving with the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti, were deported home after being accused of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of minors.
Climate Justice: Trial by Public Opinion for World’s Polluters
The United Nations, which is tasked with the protection of the global environment, has asserted that climate change affects people everywhere - with no exceptions.
World’s Nuke Arsenal Declines Haltingly While Modernisation Rises Rapidly
The world’s stockpile of nuclear weapons, held by nine states, just got a little smaller.
U.N. Urged to Put Global Citizenship at Centre of Post-2015 Development Agenda
When Denmark hosted the World Summit on Social Development (WSSD) in March 1995, one of the conclusions of that international gathering in Copenhagen was to create a new social contract with “people at the centre of development.”
U.N. Chief Backs New Int’l Decade for Water for Sustainable Development
As the United Nations continues its negotiations to both define and refine a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) before a summit meeting of world leaders in September, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed support for a new “International Decade for Water for Sustainable Development.”
Israel, Hamas Escape U.N.’s List of Shame on Attacks on Children
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, reportedly under heavy pressure from the United States and Israel, has decided not to blacklist the Jewish state in an annex to a new U.N. report on children victimised in armed conflicts.
U.N. Challenges Asia-Pacific to Be World’s First Region to End AIDS Epidemic
The United Nations has expressed confidence that the Asia-Pacific region, with almost five million people living with HIV, is politically committed towards the elimination of the deadly disease AIDS.
U.N. Sets Up Independent Panel to Probe Sexual Abuses in CAR
The United Nations, which came under heavy fire for its failure to act swiftly on charges of sexual abuse by French troops in the Central African Republic (CAR) last year, has decided to set up an External Independent Review (EIR) to probe these allegations.
Despite Setbacks, Global Sanitation Makes Progress, Says Fund
When the United Nations hosted a panel discussion last year urging its partners to “break their silence” on open defecation, Singapore’s deputy permanent representative Mark Neo was outspoken in his characterisation: “Open defecation is a euphemism. What we are talking about is shitting in the open.”
Small Arms Proliferation a Trigger for Rising Wildlife Crimes
The ongoing military conflicts in the Middle East and Africa continue to be fuelled by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW), primarily assault rifles, sub machine guns, hand grenades, portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, rockets and self-loading pistols.
Relief Organisation Urges Mandatory Funding for Humanitarian Appeals
The United Nations is not only overwhelmed by a spreading humanitarian crisis, largely in Africa and the Middle East, but also remains hamstrung by a severe shortfall in funds, mostly from Western donors.
Terror Groups May Be Winning Digital War on Extremist Ideology
The United Nations is quick to point out the increasing pace at which digital technology is racing across the world.
Failure of Review Conference Brings World Close to Nuclear Cataclysm, Warn Activists
After nearly four weeks of negotiations, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference ended in a predictable outcome: a text overwhelmingly reflecting the views and interests of the nuclear-armed states and some of their nuclear-dependent allies.
Minorities Threatened More by Governments than Terrorist Groups, Says Study
In the conflict-ridden Middle East, minority groups continue to be threatened, attacked and expelled from their home countries by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
U.N., World Bank Set 2030 Deadline for Sustainable Energy for All
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, an unrelenting advocate of sustainable energy for all (SE4All), once dramatised the need for modern conveniences by holding up his cell phone before an audience in the Norwegian capital of Oslo and asking: “What would we do without them?”
U.S. Hosts Arms Bazaar at White House Arab Summit
When the United States sells billions of dollars in sophisticated arms to Arab nations, they are conditioned on two key factors: no weapons with a qualitative military edge over Israel will ever be sold to the Arabs, nor will they receive any weapons that are not an integral part of the U.S. arsenal.
NGOs Urge Post-2015 Declaration Include Water, Sanitation as Basic Human Rights
Virtually every major international conference concludes with a “programme of action” (PoA) – described in U.N. jargon as “an outcome document” – preceded by a political declaration where 193 member states religiously pledge to honour their commitments.« Previous Page — Next Page »
The Week with IPS
NEXT STOP - SDGs
Tracking global progress towards a sustainable world
Tracking global progress towards a sustainable world
