‘The Authoritarian Regime Uses Collective Punishment to Discourage Any Challenge to Its Authority’

 
CIVICUS discusses the deaths of Indigenous activists in custody in Tajikistan with Khursand Khurramov, an independent journalist and political analyst.

Struggle For Water Continues Following Israeli Attacks on Lebanon

Just under a year into a fragile ceasefire, 150,000 people in southern Lebanon continue to deal with the potentially lethal aftermath of Israeli bombing, highlighting the devastating long-term effects of conflict.

Better Use of the World’s Expertise in Navigating the Polycrisis

Other articles in this series on clustering conventions that are addressed by the Triple Environmental Crisis of pollution (Stanley-Jones), biodiversity (Schally) and climate change (Azores) I have touched on the idea of clustering not only conventions but the science-policy bodies established separately to serve them. We address the question of the negative consequences of maintaining status quo and identify how “consolidating knowledge” might make a difference.

When Civil Society is Kept Outside, We Should Build a Bigger Room

The recent IPS article, "UNGA’s High-Level Meetings: NGOs Banned Again," served as a stark and painful reminder of a long-standing paradox: the United Nations, an organization founded on the principle of "We the Peoples," often closes its doors to the very communities it was created to serve.

Why the Awaza Declaration Could Rewrite the Future for the World’s Landlocked Nations

The theater of diplomacy can be more revealing than the speeches. Under a scorching Caspian sun in Awaza, two marines lowered their flags with the precision of a ballet. The green silk of Turkmenistan, folded into a neat bundle before the UN’s blue-and-gold standard, fluttered briefly and vanished into waiting hands.

AfDB Commits 11 Billion Dollars To Support Early Warning Systems, Food Security in Rural Africa

As increasingly frequent droughts and devastating floods are affecting agricultural productivity, leaving millions of people food insecure in Africa amid a lack of climate finance, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed USD 11 billion to support various climate-resilient and infrastructure projects in rural areas.

Closing the US$1.5 trillion Gap: How FDI can Help Achieve SDGs in Asia & the Pacific

Over the past two decades, foreign direct investment (FDI) has been the single largest and most stable source of external development capital in Asia and the Pacific (see Figure).

Inside Africa’s Big Bet on Youth to Feed the Continent and Who’s Actually Getting Funded

Winnie Wambui leans forward on the panel stage, microphone in hand, scanning the room until she spots a raised hand.

AI Governance: Human Rights in the Balance As Tech Giants and Authoritarians Converge

Algorithms decide who lives and dies in Gaza. AI-powered surveillance tracks journalists in Serbia. Autonomous weapons are paraded through Beijing’s streets in displays of technological might. This isn’t dystopian fiction – it’s today’s reality. As AI reshapes the world, the question of who controls this technology and how it’s governed has become an urgent priority.

South-South Cooperation: Innovation and Solidarity for a Better Tomorrow

As the United Nations commemorated the UN Day for South-South Cooperation last Friday, we are reminded that solidarity among the countries of the Global South is not just a matter of history or principle, but a proven pathway to building a fairer, more sustainable future.

NGOs on a Virtual Blacklist at UN High-Level Meetings of World Leaders

When the high-level meeting of over 150 world political leaders takes place September 22-30, thousands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and their accredited UN representatives will either be banned from the UN premises or permitted into the building on a strictly restricted basis-- as it happens every year.

Africa Calls for Homegrown Climate Solutions in Just Transition

African climate negotiators and civil society organizations at the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS 2) have called on governments to include sustainable farming approaches and other Africa-led solutions in their revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plans (NAP) ahead of COP 30, as the only way to have their priorities on the global climate negotiation agenda.

Experts Launch a Climate and Health Curriculum for African Negotiators Ahead of COP30

Despite climate change being a health risk multiplier, health is often underrepresented in climate negotiation processes. Experts attribute this to a lack of funding by the African governments and a lack of capacity building among climate negotiators.

Global Military Spending Shows Misalignment of Priorities, says UN Secretary General

Global military spending has been on the rise for more than 20 years, and in 2024, it surged across all five global regions in the world to reach a record high of USD 2.7 trillion. Yet, such growth has come at the cost of diverting financial resources away from sustainable development efforts, which the United Nations and its chief warn puts pressure on an “already strained financial context.”

Nepal Faces Political Crisis after Deadly Gen-Z Protests

Nepal entered into a new era of constitutional and political crisis after deadly protests by the deeply frustrated young generation (Gen-Z). Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned on Tuesday after protests grew out of control.

Banks Embed Climate Risk, Gender and Sustainability in Finance Products

As climate shocks intensify across East Africa, from failed rains in Kenya’s arid north to devastating floods in Tanzania’s coastal belt, the region’s banks are emerging as unlikely but powerful players in the resilience race.

Is Western Support for Israel Beginning to Crumble?

When the high-level meeting of over 150 world leaders takes place at the United Nations, September 22-30, one of the political highlights would be the announcement by at least 10 Western nations to recognize Palestine as a sovereign nation state. The 10 countries-- some already announcing their recognition ahead of the UN meeting -- include UK, France, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Malta, Belgium, Spain, Ireland and Norway-- proving the longstanding support for Israel is gradually diminishing in the Western world.

UN Mobilizes Amid Cascading Earthquakes in Eastern Afghanistan, Aiming to ‘Build Back Better’

United Nations aid organizations are rallying after a series of earthquakes and powerful aftershocks wreaked unprecedented havoc across eastern Afghanistan—particularly in the mountainous provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar.

‘Angola produces large quantities of oil and diamonds, yet most people don’t see the benefits’

 
CIVICUS discusses recent protests in Angola with Florindo Chivucute, founder and executive director of Friends of Angola, a US-based civil society organisation established in 2014 that works to promote democracy, human rights and good governance in Angola.

Kerala’s Human-Elephant ‘Conflict’: Time To Understand a Complex Relationship

In the early part of this year, two deaths in Kerala garnered major media attention. A farmer in Wayanad and a female plantation worker in Idukki were killed in two separate events, within a matter of a few days, by wild elephants. Arikomban, another wild elephant, has become a media favorite recently due to his brushes with human settlements near his habitat. Named so because of his love for ari (rice), the elephant had been relocated from Kerala to Tamil Nadu in 2023 following constant protests from people who also claimed him to be ‘life-threatening.’ Kerala's news outlets widely covered Arikomban's relocation.

The Debacle of the Global Plastics Treaty Negotiations –& Some Ideas for a Way Forward

The debacle that was the latest round of negotiations for a global treaty on plastics (including in the marine environment); known as “INC 5.2” has already been written about at length by many colleagues on all sides of the issues. Despite all the very informative posts, articles, and other analyses, I believe I have several key observations to make, particularly about the process to-date.