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Friday, June 12, 2026
News and Views from the Global South
IPS UN: Inside the Glasshouse
Agenda for Nuclear Non-Proliferation Review Conference Still Unclear
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons must not be allowed to collapse under the weight of geopolitical cynicism, the preparatory committee at the UN heard.
Fostering Dialogue for Disarmament Ahead of Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Review Conference
The argument for nuclear disarmament is perhaps more relevant than it has been since the end of World War II, especially in a world where there is a growing gulf between nuclear states and between nuclear states and those who don't have the weapons.
A Revolution in the Working Culture at the UN
How would the UN80 Initiative, designed to mark the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, turned out to be, if Kamala Harris had won the American presidential election in November last year?
How Should the United Nations Respond to Its Funding Crisis?
The United Nations has been called many things in its time:
Asia-Pacific Region Moves into a Resilient Future with International Cooperation
As the United Nations celebrates its 80th anniversary, one message from the UN Charter remains particularly relevant: promoting cooperative solutions to international economic, social, health, and related problems.
UN80 Initiative: Equipping the Organization in an Era of Extraordinary Uncertainty
Next month marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Charter. The Charter is our roadmap to a better world – our owner’s manual setting out purposes and principles – and our practical guide to advancing the three pillars of our work: peace and security, development and human rights.
UN’s Proposed Structural Changes Laid Out in a “Strictly Confidential” Internal Document
A six-page internal document, marked “STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL” on every single page – indicating restricted access to protect sensitive information-- is one of the most comprehensive “compilation of non-attributable suggestions by the UN80 Task Force” on the proposed restructuring of the world body.
Staff Union Demands Full & Active Participation in Ongoing Negotiations on UN Reforms
As discussions on the restructuring of the United Nations-- including a possible merger of UN agencies and staff lay-offs system-wide -- continue at the highest levels of the Secretariat—the Staff Union (UNSU) is demanding an active presence in the ongoing talks. A proposed resolution, which is expected to be adopted at the UNSU general meeting on May 14, is very specific in its demands.
India-Pakistan: On the Brink—But Is There a Way Back?
Just after the young couple arrived at Al-Sayyed Shabistan, a quaint guesthouse in Taobat, on April 30, soldiers showed up, urging them to leave—war, they warned, could break out any moment. Yahya Shah, guest-house owner and head of Taobat’s hotel association, told IPS over the phone, “Tourist season just began, but for two weeks the village feels like a ghost town—everyone’s hit: shopkeepers, eateries, drivers.”
UN Needs to Protect its Vital, Yet Underfunded, Human Rights Work
Major-power cutbacks and delayed payments amidst conflict and insecurity are testing the very principles and frameworks upon which the international human rights infrastructure was built nearly 80 years ago.
World Press Freedom Day 2025
Call to Protect Elections from AI ‘Information Pollution’
The prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the flow and access of information, which has a wider influence on how freedom of expression is affected. National and local elections can demonstrate the particular strengths and vulnerabilities that can be exploited as AI is used to influence voters and political campaigns. As people grow more critical of institutions and the information they receive, governments and tech companies must exercise their responsibility to protect freedom of expression during elections. 
New Forms of Power-Sharing are Needed to Uphold Rights of Indigenous Peoples
A UN groundbreaking report published in 1982 laid the legal ground for defining the inalienable rights of Indigenous Peoples. The document, written by José Martínez Cobo, a United Nations Special Rapporteur, analyzed the complex discrimination patterns faced by Indigenous Peoples.
Does the UN’s Restructuring Negotiations Leave the Staff Union Out in the Cold?
The UN’s proposed plans for restructuring the world body, currently under discussion at the highest echelons of the Secretariat, have provoked a protest from the UN Staff Union (UNSU) in New York which claims it is being left out of the ongoing negotiations.
Uncertainty Looms for Kenya Following Tense IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings
Reflecting on this year’s IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings, one word lingers in my mind: uncertainty. The shifting global geopolitical landscape loomed large—none more so than the US administration’s initial threat to withdraw from the Bretton Woods institutions.
A Feminist Future for the UN: Why the Next Secretary-General Must Champion Civil Society
Climate change is threatening to engulf small island states such as Maldives and the Marshall Islands. Gender apartheid is still practiced in theocratic states such as Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. War crimes and genocide are taking place in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and Sudan.
The Vietnam and Gaza Wars Shattered Young Illusions About US Leaders
Eight years before the U.S.-backed regime in South Vietnam collapsed, I stood with high school friends at Manhattan’s Penn Station on the night of April 15, 1967, waiting for a train back to Washington after attending the era’s largest antiwar protest so far.
Trump’s First 100 Days Portend Long-Lasting Damage to Press Freedom
Press freedom is no longer a given in the United States 100 days into President Donald Trump’s second term as journalists and newsrooms face mounting pressures that threaten their ability to report freely and the public’s right to know.
US Cutbacks Lead to Growing Anxiety Among UN Staffers–& its Impact on Mental Health
The Trump administration’s on-again-off-again threats against the United Nations, and US withdrawals from several UN agencies aggravated further by financial cutbacks, have left most staffers with growing apprehension and uncertainty about their future--- and their mental health.
Economic Community of West African States: Fifty and Fractured
Half a century after ECOWAS promised peace and prosperity, three breakaway states are testing West African solidarity, sparking a potential trade war.
Germany’s Role in International Security: Time to Match Words with Deeds
For the first time ever in its history, the United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial (PKM) will take place in Berlin from 13 to 14 May. The aim of the meeting is to discuss the future of UN peace missions. These biennial meetings serve as a gauge of the continuing political support for such missions, which are, of course, just one of the tools in the UN’s comprehensive ‘toolkit’ for handling conflict — alongside general conflict prevention, mediation missions and peacebuilding measures.
If the US Nuclear Umbrella Collapses, Will it Trigger a Euro-Bomb?
The Trump administration’s hostile attitude towards Western Europe—and the threat to pullout of the 32-member military alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – signifies the danger of losing the longstanding protection of the US nuclear umbrella over Europe. Jana Puglierin, director of the German office of the European Council on Foreign Relations, was quoted as saying: “Trump may, or may not, want to leave NATO officially, but he has every means to undermine NATO”.« Previous Page — Next Page »
It was dubbed "The Glass House" by U.S. ambassador James Wadsworth in 1966. Half a century later, the United Nations has gradually expanded its role as agent of peace and protector of the world's vulnerable populations, while simultaneously facing internal pressures to become more inclusive, increase transparency and maintain legitimacy in the post-Cold War political and economic order. Highlighting the local impacts of global policies on economic development, environment, health and human rights, IPS's coverage goes beyond the edicts of the Security Council to illuminate the power struggles, successes and shortcomings of the 193-member institution as it grapples with crises like climate change, armed conflict, poverty and HIV/AIDS.
The Week with IPS
