Democracy’s Dilemma: Can We Overcome Short-Termism to Build Lasting Peace?

While the expansion of democracy is a key condition for peace, the Achilles’ heel of democracies is that their leaders are constrained by electoral calendars, forcing them to push for peace or delay, whereas autocracies can afford to play the long game to achieve the favorable outcomes they desire.

Hope Springs Eternal—Dashed it’s Deadly

The most solemn and terrifying words ever uttered are those inscribed over the gateway to Hell in Dante’s Inferno: “Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!” Hope is essential for human survival both as individuals and as nations.

This Is Not a Drill. Fascism Is on the Ballot. But…

The conclusion that Donald Trump is a fascist has gone mainstream, gaining wide publicity and affirmation in recent weeks. Such understanding is a problem for Trump and his boosters.

Meet the Young Women Arrested for Fighting Corruption in Uganda

Until recently, Margaret Natabi would never have dreamed of taking her anti-corruption fight on the streets of Uganda’s capital, Kampala.

Russia-Africa: Developing Media Partnership

At a recent media briefing, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry, criticized the United States for its support of educational programs, media and NGOs in Africa. Zakharova argued that these efforts are part of a broader attempt by the U.S. to impose Western values and governance models on sovereign African states, framing it as a form of neo-colonialism.

A Glimpse into Tanzania’s Political Turmoil Ahead of 2025 Election

At a rally to mark International Youth Day on August 12 in Tanzania’s southern Mbeya region, John Mnyika stood with a determined expression, addressing his supporters. The air was charged with anticipation. Mnyika, the Secretary-General of Tanzania’s opposition party, Chadema, was preparing to speak about the upcoming elections when the chaos erupted. Without warning, heavily armed police officers stormed the event, grabbed Mnyika, and dragged him away.

What is the World’s Most “Demanding and Impossible Job”?

When Dr Gamani Corea, a former Secretary-General of the Geneva-based UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was holding court in the delegate's lounge, I asked him what he thought of the bitter dispute between then Secretary-General (SG) Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996) and the United States over the Egyptian's determination to win re-election for a second term.

Empowering Indigenous Communities: A Path to Sustainable and Just Development

In a world where the fight for land rights often pits the powerful against the marginalized, Indigenous communities stand as resilient defenders of their ancestral lands.

‘The new law’s purpose is to increase government control over civil society’

 
CIVICUS discusses a recently passed law regulating civil society organisations (CSOs) in Paraguay with Marta Ferrara and Olga Caballero, executive directors of Semillas para la Democracia (Seeds for Democracy) and Alma Cívica (Civic Soul), two of the organisations leading the civil society response to the closing of civic space.

The Growing Gender Gap in Social Protection

Published ahead of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on 17 October, UN Women issued the 2024 World Survey on the Role of Women in Development Report. This is the UN Secretary-General’s Report, which is mandated by the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) of the UN General Assembly, and focuses on macroeconomic policy, sustainable development, financing and poverty eradication.

A Staggering 2.0 Billion Women Live With No Access to Social Protection

The growing gender gap between men and women is reflected not only in the world’s highest political hierarchies but also in the daily social and economic lives—with most women fighting a losing battle against poverty. The latest flagship report from UN Women reveals a widening gender gap in social protection -– the raft of policies, including cash benefits, unemployment protection, pensions and healthcare – which leaves women and girls more vulnerable to poverty.

Abortion is a Fundamental Human Rights Issue

The right to abortion is a human rights issue that no government agency, courts, local and state legislators, or anyone else has the right to violate or impede in any shape or form. It is a fundamental right that every woman must be free to exercise with impunity, in consultation with her doctor only, who acts based on his/her professional ethics and responsibility.

Stigmatization is the Entry Door for Repression and Violence

Information manipulation and misinformation are not new phenomena, but they have taken on exaggerated importance, especially with the massive use of social media.

Azerbaijan Turns into a “Massive Open-Air Prison” before UN Climate Change Conference

On November 20, 2023, Ulvi Hasanli, director of AbzasMedia —an independent media outlet in Azerbaijan—was arrested when he was about to board a taxi to Baku airport. Meanwhile, uniformed officers raided AbzasMedia's headquarters in the Azerbaijani capital, claiming to have found 40,000 euros in cash, which was used as evidence to accuse Hasanli of currency smuggling.

Pakistan’s Digital Censorship—The Real Cost of Internet Disruptions

Over the past few months, Pakistan has been grappling with a persistent and disruptive internet slowdown, leaving millions of citizens frustrated.

‘The Focus Should Be on Holding Social Media Companies Accountable, Not Punishing Individual Users’

 
CIVICUS discusses the recent Twitter/X ban in Brazil with Iná Jost, lawyer and head of research at InternetLab, an independent Brazilian think tank focused on human rights and digital technologies.

Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Addresses UNGA Calling for International Cooperation, Freedom and Rights

In his first major address at the United Nations, the Chief Advisor of Bangladesh’s interim government, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, appealed to the international community to engage with a ‘new Bangladesh’ in the shared efforts to cooperate on global issues. Yunus arrived earlier in the week to attend the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. In the four days he was here, Yunus held meetings with a range of world leaders, notably UN Secretary-General António Guterres and US President Joe Biden. This would indicate there is good support for him and what he represents. On Friday, Yunus addressed the General Assembly, speaking in his native language, Bangla.

The UN Needs a Summit for the Present

The Summit of the Future has now ended, but the real and present world is still on fire. As the General Assembly, an annual ritual where dozens of heads of state descend on New York, kicks off, key questions about the role and future of the United Nations, a body that was created to maintain international peace and security almost 80 years ago, remain unanswered.

UN Charter: the Final Hurdle for Reform of the Security Council

When the "founding fathers" –regrettably, no "founding mothers"—created the United Nations 79 years ago, one of the biggest anomalies was bestowing the power of the veto to the five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council (UNSC): the US, UK, France, Russia and the Republic of China (later the People’s Republic of China).

Cultivating a Culture of Peace

The longing for peace transcends time, geography and religion. Based on justice, human rights and universal values outlined in the UN Charter, a culture of peace brings us all together in our common agenda for humanity. We can only co-exist by aligning ourselves with such a world order.

Building Inclusive Smart Cities: Bridging the Gender Gap

When the Beijing Declaration was adopted in 1995, it called for the removal of systematic and structure barriers that prevent women and girls from enjoying their human rights across social, economic, political and environmental domains. Over the last decade, the proportion of population with access to the internet has increased from 36 per cent in in 2013 to 67 percent today.