Friday, September 30, 2022
News and Views from the Global South
Humanitarian Emergencies
Starvation Pounds Inflation-Hit Urban Zimbabweans
With inflation at 256.9 percent, 49-year-old Dambudzo Chauruka can no longer afford to buy bread despite working as a civil servant in Zimbabwe.
Afghanistan: What Went Wrong?
After the horrendous tragedies of 9/11 in the year 2001, the US intervened in Afghanistan. Promising statements such as "we are going to smoke them [Al-Qaeda and their Taliban protectors] out" and "we are after ending terrorism" received warm receptions.
Tapping into the Power of Young People for Climate Action
Today, our world is 1.1°C warmer than it was in the pre-industrial era, and failure to act urgently could possibly result in increases of 1.5°C-2°C between 2026 and 2042. Climate change poses a serious risk to the fundamental rights of people of every age.
Global Public Investment: Time to Build the Movement Now
Global Public Investment. A short and simple phrase. But one that means so much. At its most basic, GPI means public money being used to invest in goods and services that are of global benefit. There is no shortage of goods and services that need GPI, whether they be used to prevent or respond to environmental catastrophe, international war and conflict, or the next pandemic.
Refugees Face Often Neglected Mental Health Challenges – Report
While refugees globally face insecurity and uncertainty, a new World Health Organization (WHO) report highlights that they also face poorer health outcomes.
Afghan Refugees, Medical Visitors Bemoan Treatment in Pakistan
Afghan refugees living in Pakistan face a host of problems, ranging from seeking medical treatment to shelter, business, police harassment and violence. Many of those affected have been there for four decades.
The Hunger Factory (II): The Modern Horsemen of the Apocalypse
While often too quickly attributing -quasi exclusively- the world unprecedented hunger tragedy to the current proxy war in Ukraine, other major causes remain hidden in plain sight.
ECW Interviews Three Inspiring #Youth4EiE Advocates on International Youth Day
On this International Youth Day, ECW interviewed three inspiring #Youth4EiE Advocates – Nataly Rivas, Angela Abizera, and Jean-Paul Saif. Nataly, Angela, and Jean-Paul are three Global Youth for Education in Emergencies panel members.
‘Aid Organizations Must Include the Youth Voice’ August 12, 2022—International Youth Day
Today marks International Youth Day, a global celebration of the transformative power of young people. Introduced by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999, the event was inaugurated not only to observe the power of the youth voice, but to serve as a promise from those in power to activate the power of youth across the development sector.
Tragic Irony of Hunger Deaths in Karamoja, Uganda Amidst Plenty of Climate Adaptation Technologies
Hundreds of people have died of famine in Uganda’s Karamoja region, and local leaders say that some people are now eating grass to survive.
Pariah Solidarity Between Myanmar & Russia
On August 3rd residents of the Myanmar capital Naypyitaw were suddenly awakened by the sound of military helicopters in the air. The helicopters hovered over the city all day. The way to the regime's foreign ministry was also blocked for hours.
Aid Workers Encounter Courage, Damage, Dislocation and Resilience in War-Torn Ukraine
During Todd Bernhardt’s visit to Ukraine’s conflict zones, he encountered untold damage to hospitals, healthcare clinics, and communities. The Senior Director of Global Communications at the International Medical Corps also encountered enormous courage.
Women Play a Key Role in Food & Nutrition Security in Nigeria
In Nigeria, women play key roles in food and nutrition security through their contributions to agricultural production, their influence on how to allocate household income, and their efforts to ensure proper nutrition for all household members.
The Myanmar Junta Continues to Wreak Death & Destruction
Myanmar has been embroiled in violence and civil unrest since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup in February 2021. The initially widespread peaceful protests were crushed with deadly force by the military and police.
The World Was Already Broken. Shall Ukrainian Cereals Fix It Up?
A wide majority, including the United States, has cheered the 22 July Turkey-brooked agreement between Russia and Ukraine to resumen cereals and fertilisers exports from both countries.
Surviving the Food Crisis in North-east Nigeria
Today in north-east Nigeria, millions of people are facing the painful consequences of a deteriorating food security and nutrition crisis. Food insecurity means not knowing when or where your next meal will come from.
An Integrated Regional Response for the Sahel Crisis
The current Ukraine-Russia conflict is dominating the global media to the point of overshadowing longer protracted crisis that no longer make headlines, but are still rife. Such is the case with the on-going Sahel crisis, one of the world's most neglected ones, where acute poverty, the dramatic effects of climate change and rising armed conflicts have become the norm for more than a decade. A situation further exacerbated by the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.
We’re on the Cusp of the Most Catastrophic Food Crisis in 50 Years: Where Is the Global Response?
A growing mountain of data and analysis points to an unprecedented global crisis in the making, due to the convergence of “Four Cs” (Conflict, Covid, Climate and Costs).
The Vision of a World Divided into two Blocs: China & Russia vs Europe & the United States
For years, Russia's relations with the European Union and the United States have been one of the main areas of conflict in the media. Washington and Brussels accuse Moscow of manipulation and disinformation and, after the invasion of Ukraine, decided to close their media outlets to Russian companies.
Sri Lanka: Why a Feudal Culture & Absence of Meritocracy Bankrupted a Nation
Sri Lanka is officially bankrupt and a failed state in all but name. How did a country of 22 million people with a level of literacy on par with most of the developed world end up in such a dire position where the state coffers did not have the measly sum of 20 million dollars to purchase fuel to keep the country functioning beyond the next working day?
Achieving the SDGs in Extraordinary Times
The start of the “Decade of Action” to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has also marked the start of an unprecedented period of overlapping crises.« Previous Page — Next Page »
The scale and scope of emergencies that threaten the safety of communities can be overwhelming. Conflict, human rights, natural disasters and famine have resulted in 82 million displaced people. How do people living in areas of protracted crises live? Who acts to ensure they have homes, education, food and a future? Organizations such as the UN Refugee Agency (UNCHR) and Education Cannot Wait provide direct relief and interventions to fill the gaps in state-provided services.
Humanitarian emergencies have a widespread impact. We are seeing this with COVID-19 and climate change that has touched every corner of the world.
Global summits such as COP26 in Glasgow has been the stage for world leaders to affirm their dedication to dealing with climate change and recognizing it as one of the most significant humanitarian emergencies that need urgent action.
Through hard-hitting reporting and in-depth op-eds, IPS is positioned to discuss the world’s current humanitarian emergencies, the causes and work toward a world where no one is left behind.
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Tracking global progress towards a sustainable world
