Health

Is Anti-Woke a Grass-Root Movement?

By Jan Lundius
“Woke” was for a century, especially among black people in the US, an inspirational concept. However, almost overnight it turned into a pejorative. Like using the term “politically correct” as an insult, calling someone “woke” came to imply that the referred person’s views are excessively ridiculous, or even despicable. Being “anti-woke” has become an indication that you do not belong to an assumed group of “do-gooders”, who at the expense of right-minded “ordinary” citizens assert the demands of interest groups, which declare themselves to be discriminated against due to their ethnicity/race, gender, sexual preference, and/or physical or psychological disabilities.

Embodying the Spirit of the Dragon

By Siddharth Chatterjee
The Year of the Dragon is upon us. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his message for this Lunar New Year, “The dragon symbolizes energy, wisdom, protection and good luck. We need these qualities to rise to today’s global challenges.”

Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting in Asia Remain a Neglected Problem

By Nawmi Naz Chowdhury
Significant advances have been made in Africa towards ending female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Asia, where FGM/C occurs in at least ten countries, but governments across the region are failing to take effective action. Women’s rights organizations are calling for states to introduce much-needed laws to criminalize FGM, provide national data on the extent and nature of the practice, and adequately fund efforts to tackle this regionally neglected problem.

Moimuna Nursing Institute Ushers Hope for Vulnerable Rural Girls in Bangladesh

By Rafiqul Islam
After passing her secondary school certificate (SCC) in 2019, Sweety Akter went door-to-door to collect money to enroll in a college, but she wasn't successful. Born to an extremely poor family in Fultala village under Baliadangi upazila in Thakurgaon district, Akter saw her dream of studying fading as she was unable to enroll in a college because of a lack of funding, despite her good results at school.

Discrimination, a Killer of Dreams for People Affected by Leprosy

By Busani Bafana
Tuji Sode detached himself from his family and hid himself from the public, embarrassed by his condition, which in biblical times meant exclusion from society and even death. Sode, a university student in Ethiopia, has Hansen’s Disease, also commonly known as leprosy. Leprosy is a bacterial disease that, left untreated, can cause severe disability and deformity.

Prospects for Commonwealth Countries, Addressing Gaps and Shaping Expectations for COP29

By Unnikrishnan Divakaran Nair and Nirupama Vinayan
The 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) marked a pivotal moment in the global efforts to combat climate change. Held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the participation of delegates from around the world, COP28 showcased a commitment to drive genuine strides in climate action, bringing optimism and progress to the forefront. Here we explore the implications of COP28 outcomes for small and other vulnerable Commonwealth countries and identify the gaps that still need attention. Additionally, it will discuss concrete expectations for COP29, focusing on critical discussions held at COP28.

Onerous Debt Making Poorest Poorer

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram
Contractionary economic trends since 2008 and ‘geopolitical’ conflicts subverting international cooperation have worsened world conditions, especially in the poorest countries, mainly in Africa, leaving their poor worse off.

Ban or Restrict? Quandary Facing Governments as Vaping Entices Teens Worldwide

By Ulysses Dorotheo
A hot debate on electronic smoking devices is expected to engage governments, scheduled to meet in Panama from 5-10 February for the tenth session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

Scared of Sharps? This MAP Shows the Way to Delivering Painless Vaccines

By Busani Bafana
If the fear of sharps makes a visit to the doctor dreadful, you need not dread it anymore. A South Korean company's invention of an innovative micro-needle patch could make you look forward to your next doctor’s visit.

Gaza Health Workers Struggling to Save Injured Without Medical Supplies, WHO Expert Warns

By Naureen Hossain
Gaza’s healthcare system is “on its knees” as ongoing hostilities force hospitals to operate beyond their capacity and displace their healthcare workers, according to a WHO expert.

The Impact of Climate Migration on Developing Nations

By Sudip Ranjan Basu, Chen Wang and Monica Das
As the world is still gearing up to welcome 2024, let us find a moment to reflect on some of the key trends of the past year and pursue now to embrace the path towards hope and promise for everyone, everywhere.

Technology Transfer Critical to Revolutionizing Africa’s Pharma Industry

By Aimable Twahirwa
An agreement signed between the Rwandan government and the Africa Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation (APTF) gives impetus to Africa’s domestic industry with the hope of helping the continent tackle vaccine inequity and fill the critical gap in vaccine manufacturing.

Amidst a Horrendous 2023, Civil Society is Fighting Back Society

By Farhana Haque Rahman
The year 2023 has brought so much tragedy, with incomprehensible loss of lives, whether from wars or devastating ‘natural’ disasters, while our planet has seen yet more records broken as our climate catastrophe worsens. And so as the clock ticks towards the (mostly western) New Year, readers are traditionally subjected by media outlets like ours to the 'yearender'—usually a roundup of main events over the previous 12 months, one horror often overshadowed by the next.

South Asian Women, Girls Need Responsive Legal System to Gender Violence

By Ranjit Devraj
Criminal justice systems in South Asia are failing women, despite stark statistics on the prevalence of violence. WHO estimates translate to one in every two women and girls in the region experiencing violence daily.

What’s in Store for Indian Farmers After Cop 28’s Conclusion in Dubai?

By Umar Manzoor Shah
Durga Das*, a 59-year-old farmer from the Indian state of Maharashtra, committed suicide last year by ingesting a poisonous substance. He was unable to repay the loan he had taken from the bank for the renovation of his single-story house. This year, his 32-year-old son, Pradeep Das, a father of two children, is equally desperate. The family owns half an acre of cultivated land where they grow cotton. The harvest has been devastated due to intense heat waves, leaving farmers like Dass and his son Pradeep in dire straits. The loan the family had taken is yet to be paid, and the land they had mortgaged in the bank is about to be confiscated. This means no crops, no cultivation, no business, and no food.

UN and Humanitarian Partners Seek USD 46 Billion for Humanitarian Assistance

By Naureen Hossain
Funding humanitarian programs will continue into the new year, but the funding cuts of the previous year may impact the prioritization of the most immediate and most life-threatening needs. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released the Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) for 2024. This annual assessment of the global humanitarian sector provides insight into the humanitarian action undertaken by the UN and its partners and reviews current and future trends in this sector.

Sudan’s Conflict Needs Civil Society Solutions

By Andrew Firmin
It’s recently been reported that the two main protagonists of Sudan’s current conflict – leaders of the armed forces and militia at war since April – have agreed to face-to-face talks. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), an East African body, announced the potential breakthrough – although Sudan’s foreign ministry has since claimed IGAD’s statement is inaccurate, creating further uncertainty.

Rich Nations, IMF Deepen World Stagnation

By Jomo Kwame Sundaram
With the US Fed raising interest rates, the world economy is slowing as debt distress spreads across the global South, increasing poverty worldwide to pre-pandemic levels, with the poorest countries faring worst.

From Dancing ‘For a Living’ to Dancing For ‘Women’s Dignity’

By Jeffrey Moyo
At first, he danced for money, but later on, he realized the need to dance for sanitary pads in order to help poor girls and women. Now, 29-year-old Proud Mugunhu conducts dance tutorials that earn him 100 pads from each session.

The Solutions to Child Poverty Must Reach the Most Vulnerable Communities

By Naureen Hossain
Child poverty persists even in some of the world’s richest countries, new findings from a UNICEF report reveal.

Rise of the Global South Highlights Minamata Convention on Mercury COP5

By Charlie Brown
As it strives to be the prototype environmental treaty of this era, the Minamata Convention on Mercury continues its razor-like focus on ending all major uses of mercury. Emerging as the force leading the charge is the Global South, particularly the Africa Region, whose proposals led to hard-charging changes addressing dental amalgam, mercury-based skin creams, and fluorescent lights.
« Previous Page — Next Page »


spanish love deception audiobook