Africa

The BBC hears about horrific violence five women experienced in Libya after fleeing war-torn Sudan.

The BBC hears about horrific violence five women experienced in Libya after fleeing war-torn Sudan.

Afghan women and girls now face severe restrictions, with few opportunities to step outside their homes. Credit: Learning Together.

By External Source
Jan 21 2025 (IPS)

Afghan women are enduring perhaps their most challenging time. Since the Taliban regained power four years ago, restrictions on women and girls have escalated, beginning with bans on education and paid employment.

Recently, the Taliban closed the few remaining employment opportunities for women, including positions in domestic and foreign NGOs. Women are now entirely barred from domestic or foreign NGO work. Unemployment among women is rising with the same frequency as new decrees are issued banning women form taking up various jobs.

Din Mohammad Hanif, the Taliban’s Minister of Economy, has warned non-governmental organizations against violating the decree banning women from being hired. Any breaches, he stated, would lead to the suspension of activities and revocation of licenses.

For the second time on December 28, 2024, the ministry sent out a letter, a copy of which was released to the media: “All non-governmental organizations are directed to strictly consider the decree banning women from working in NGOs and take the necessary actions accordingly”, cried the ministry.

Former female NGO employees describe the Taliban’s measures as “discriminatory, cruel, and inhumane.” United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volter Türk, also described the Taliban’s decree as deeply concerning and extremely discriminatory.

 

Stories of Loss and Devastation

The impact on women has been devastating. Razmaa Sekandari, 32, is one of the women who was forced out of her NGO job by the Taliban and ordered to stay at home.

“The head of our office, she says, forced all female employees to resign immediately, saying that if they don’t resign, the office will be closed indefinitely to everyone”. They had no option but to comply.

“I lost hope, says Ms. Razmaa, “I had no strength left and I couldn’t pick myself up on my feet”.

“And as the women and their colleagues were crying and hugging each other, the voice of the head of office thundered in a harsh tone”, ‘Hurry up, pack up your things and leave’

Continuing her narration Ms. Razmaa said, “In one of the foreign NGOs where I worked, we disbursed out small investment loans to women in Parwan province. It enabled some to raise chickens, and others reared cows. They had some income from the eggs, milk, and produced yogurt for themselves and their families”. But with the termination of their employment it has left Ms Razmaa wondering what to do next.

She shares a fate similar to hundreds of other women, some of who do not even have access to public information to learn of the new Taliban decree. As with all her colleagues, they have lost all hope and can hardly set foot outside the home.

“I had thought I could create jobs for women”, says, Ms Razmaa, who graduated in economics from Parwan University, “it didn’t happen”.

She became a stay-at-home woman after the Taliban decreed that she could no longer work.

“There are five of us in the family”, she says, “my mother is sick and my father is elderly, both of who stay at home with no income”.

About the other members of the family, Razmaa says her brother is a first-year law student. Her brother’s wife attended school up to the 11th grade when the Taliban banned females from having further education.

“In other words, we are all unemployed. I was the only one in the family who brought in income from my job, but the Taliban for no fault of ours, snatched it from us. We are at a loss as to what to do”, she sighed, out of frustration.

 

Working in NGOs was once a lifeline for Afghan women and girls. Now, it has been completely taken away, leaving them without hope or opportunity. Credit: Learning Together.

 

A Bleak Future for NGOs and Women

To Asad Wali, (not her real name) head of a foreign NGO in Parwan Province, the Taliban decree came as a surprise.

“We used to work in secret for the last two years”, Wali says. “Whenever our female employees went on field visits, they faced severe problems such as interrogation by the Taliban for not traveling with a mahram” (a male guardian).

In spite of such challenges, the women did pass through Taliban checkpoints using various pretexts, and were happy that, at least, they still maintained their jobs.

Asad Wali narrated the sad story, thus: “At the end of 2024, the project in which women were involved ended. We got a new donor. The proposal and all the documents were ready. The next day, we went to the Department of the Ministry of Economy in Parwan province, and they directly told us that due to the new Taliban decree, women’s activities had been completely banned.”

Terminating the activities of foreign and domestic non-governmental organizations in Afghanistan will only make the already harsh conditions worse for women.

These organizations play a key role in meeting the people’s basic needs and supporting the country’s infrastructure.

In the absence of these organizations, women would suffer severe consequences because NGOs were the main source of crucial social, economic and health services. Without them, poverty leading to forced marriages would rise among women.

All of the activities that the NGOs provided, such as skills, vocational training, and small holding agriculture, which improved the lives of women, are now being taken away. With unemployment and poverty rising, most of Afghan families are bracing themselves for a bleak winter.

Excerpt:

The author is an Afghanistan-based female journalist, trained with Finnish support before the Taliban take-over. Her identity is withheld for security reasons

The United Nations Security Council meets to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestine. Credit: UN Photo/Loey Felipe

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 21 2025 (IPS)

On January 15, 2025, the long-awaited ceasefire proposal between Israel and Hamas was approved, bringing the first bout of relief for the people of the Gaza Strip after 15 months of conflict. This has allowed for the exchange of prisoners and hostages between the two nations as well as a greater flow of humanitarian aid to be directed to Gaza. Although this only accounts for the first phase out of the three phase plan, it is uncertain if Israel will continue to uphold the negotiations of a truce after the first phase is completed.

On January 20, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) issued a press statement in which it was confirmed that they facilitated the first transfer of hostages and prisoners between Israel and Hamas. In the statement, the ICRC stated that three Israeli hostages had been returned to Israel from Gaza and 90 Palestinian prisoners had been returned to the occupied Palestinian territory.

The ICRC described exchange operations between the two nations as “complex” and requiring “rigorous” safety measures to be upheld. The hazards of unexploded artillery, large crowds, and destroyed infrastructure made these operations particularly meticulous. Specialized ICRC staff, including doctors, were on the frontlines and provided medical care as the exchanges took place.

“We are relieved that those released can be reunited with their loved ones. Ensuring their safe return and providing the necessary care at this critical moment is a great responsibility. More families are waiting anxiously for their loved ones to come home. We call on all parties to continue to adhere to their commitments to ensure the next operations can take place safely. Our teams are ready to continue to implement the agreement so that more hostages and detainees are released, and more families reunited,” said ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric.

In the statement, the ICRC reiterated the urgency of the humanitarian situation that has amounted in Gaza since October 7, 2023. Gazans have struggled for over one year for access to food, clean water, electricity, fuel, and shelter. In addition, access to most basic services, such as sanitation, education, and healthcare, have been significantly reduced.

Concurrent with the exchanges of detainees between Israel and Palestine, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, addressed the Security Council on the current situation in Gaza. Guterres stated that the UN remains dedicated to facilitating a peaceful transitional period for both nations, adding that both parties must “make good” on the terms of the ceasefire agreement. This includes a complete cessation of hostilities and an uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

“I urge the Security Council and all Member States to support all efforts to implement this ceasefire, bring about a permanent cessation of hostilities, ensure accountability, and create the conditions for recovery and reconstruction. The international media must also be allowed into Gaza to report on this crucial story on the ground. We must seize the opportunity presented by the ceasefire deal to intensify efforts toward addressing governance and security frameworks in Gaza,” said Guterres.

Guterres adds that the UN must have safe and unimpeded access through all available access points in Gaza to deliver essential resources and basic services and to rebuild critical infrastructures in the enclave. On January 19, the World Food Programme (WFP) released a press statement in which they confirmed that aid trucks have begun crossing into Gaza. WFP seeks to facilitate the daily delivery of 150 trucks of aid material into Gaza from all available border crossings. Trucks from Jordan and Israel aim to reach civilians in the north of the enclave and trucks from Egypt aim to reach people in the south.

Additionally, WFP has delivered 5,000 litres of fuel, as well as food parcels, bottled water, winter clothes and vaccines. Furthermore, 33 patients, nearly a dozen doctors, and 16 administrative staff remain in the Al Awda Hospital. Access remains extremely challenging due to continuing security concerns.

On January 20, The Palestinian Non-Governmental Network (PNGO) and the Association of International Development Agencies (AIDA) released a joint statement in which they welcomed the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and highlighted the vast scale of needs facing the people of Gaza. The two organizations urged all parties involved to monitor the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and investigate all violations of international humanitarian law.

“They must ensure accountability through investigations, support international legal bodies, and establish an international mechanism to address ongoing violations. Ending impunity is crucial to breaking cycles of violence, for Palestinians, the region and all of humanity. We call on all parties to the conflict and the guarantors to honor and ensure the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement. This ceasefire must only be the beginning of a crucial process toward justice, peace and dignity for all. Palestinian voices must be centred in all rebuilding negotiations for a meaningful solution to end the suffering of the Palestinian people,” said a spokesperson for the two organizations.

On January 18, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in a televised statement, informed reporters that the ceasefire is temporary and that Israel reserves its right to resume its offensives with the support of the United States if Hamas doesn’t comply with their end of the deal. “If we need to resume fighting, we will do that in new ways and we will do it with great force,” said Netanyahu.

The statements by Netanyahu have generated much concern among political analysts and humanitarian organizations that the ceasefire may not be implemented fully. Marc Lynch, the director of the Middle East Studies programme at George Washington University, opined that the ceasefire will likely not move past phase one and permanent peace will not be achieved.

“There are endless openings for spoilers on both sides, and serious disagreements remain about the details of the agreement’s next steps. In Israel, there are many people who would like to see this war prosecuted indefinitely,” said Lynch.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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The 2024 UN OSAA flagship report ‘Unpacking Africa's Debt: Towards a Lasting and Durable Solution’ addresses the urgent need to reform Africa’s debt structures and suggests how countries can get out of unsustainable debt.

By Franck Kuwonu
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 21 2025 (IPS)

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2063 aspirations, Africa requires an additional $1.3 – 1.6 trillion in financing.

According to a new report ‘Unpacking Africa’s Debt: Towards a Lasting and Durable Solution’ by the UN Special Advisor on Africa launched on 14 November 2024, borrowing remains a necessary tool to navigate the compounding crises of financial distress, climate change, food insecurity, and persistent conflict.

The report emphasizes the need to re-examine Africa’s historical reliance on debt instruments to address structural constraints and unlocking economic opportunities. By fostering economic growth and ensuring debt sustainability, debt can become a tool for progress rather than a hindrance.

Debt is an important mode of financing. While many countries are in debt distress, we must not treat Africa as a completely debt-distressed continent.
–Under-Secretary-General Cristina Duarte, Special Adviser on Africa to the United Nations Secretary-General.

This shift requires aligning debt strategies with long-term development priorities.

“Debt is an important mode of financing. While many countries are in debt distress, we must not treat Africa as a completely debt-distressed continent,” said Cristina Duarte, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa to the UN Secretary-General, at the launch of the report in New York.

“Debt, when managed effectively, can help us invest in achieving development goals,” added Ms. Duarte. The need to reform the global financing system to ensure predictable and affordable financing, prioritize development outcomes over private finance interests, and create fiscal space to fund SDG investments, is also emphasized in the report.

Existing frameworks, including debt restructuring arrangements like the Common Framework, the Report says, are insufficient to meet Africa’s development needs. The Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the DSSI (Debt Service Suspension Initiative) is an initiative launched by the G20 in November 2020 to help low-income countries address unsustainable debt levels.

Developed by the G20 and the Paris Club (a group of major creditor countries), the Common Framework aims to streamline debt restructuring and provide more comprehensive debt relief options for countries struggling with high debt burdens, particularly following the economic impact of COVID-19.

At the national level, African countries can deepen domestic debt markets to incentivize local investment and effectively engage with the private sector.

Strengthening regional financing architecture can support transboundary infrastructure projects, complementing national efforts. Enhancing debt management and reform capacity across the continent will also play a critical role in addressing the development financing gap.

The report envisions debt as a means to support a more sustainable economic model. Moving beyond resource extraction for export, African economies can leverage debt to build value-added industries, fostering resilience and self-reliance.

By rethinking debt, fostering domestic investment, and pushing for global financing reforms, Africa can bridge its development gap and achieve its aspirations sustainably.

Key recommendations
Some of the recommendations proposed by the report aimed at addressing Africa’s financing challenges, include:

Increasing access to affordable finance:
Fulfill Official Development Assistance (ODA) pledges, allocating 10% to capacity building and digitization for domestic resource mobilization (DRM)systems.

Reform Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to prioritize long-term (30-50 years) concessional lending, increase capital, and lend in local currencies to reduce currency risks.
Prioritize sustainable development by ensuring predictable, large-scale climate adaptation financing.

Reducing borrowing costs:
Restructure high-interest, short-term debt into long-term, low-cost loans to ease fiscal pressure.
Strengthen the G20 Common Framework by expanded eligibility, clarifying processes, and ensuring debt service suspension during negotiations.

Enhancing debt sustainability:
Introduce debt service suspension linked to SDG progress.
Establish a Sovereign Debt Authority to prioritize development in debt treatment.

Leveraging Financing Innovations:
Use state-contingent clauses to suspend debt payments during crises.
Employ debt-for-development, debt-for-nature, debt-for-climate swaps to free resources for SDG investment.

Strengthening regional cooperation:
Boost regional development banks and accelerate Pan-African institutions like the African Investment Bank.
Promote cross-border financing for infrastructure and deepen regional financial markets.

Source: Africa Renewal, United Nations

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Credit: UN Women

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Jan 21 2025 (IPS)

Perhaps one of the UN’s most ambitious and longstanding projects – the launching of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)– is aimed, among other things, at helping developing nations eradicate extreme poverty by 2030. But that elusive goal has made little or no significant progress.

And now comes a new report from Oxfam, “Takers Not Makers” which finds that in 2024 alone, billionaires amassed $2 trillion in wealth, and nearly four new billionaires were minted every week.

“Not only has the rate of billionaire wealth-accumulation accelerated ―by three times― but so, too, has their power. The failure to stop billionaires is now spawning soon-to-be trillionaires. At this pace, we won’t see one trillionaire in a decade, but at least five”.

Meanwhile, the number of people living in poverty (around 3.5 billion) has barely changed since 1990, says Oxfam.

And, according to the UN, if current patterns persist, an estimated 7% of the global population – around 575 million people – could still find themselves trapped in extreme poverty by 2030, with a significant concentration in sub-Saharan Africa.

Nabil Ahmed, Oxfam America’s director of economic and racial justice, told IPS the achievement of the global goals—and efforts to end poverty—are being crushed by extreme levels of economic inequality.

“Our world, in which the top 1% own more than the 95% combined, in which we’re on course for five trillionaires within a decade, is not on course to end poverty soon, nor to meet the scale of the climate crisis”.

The number of people living under the $6.85 poverty line today is in fact close to what it was in 1990, he said.

Meanwhile, the World Bank calculates that if current growth rates continue and inequality does not decrease, it will take more than a century to end poverty.

“There can no longer be any avoiding what was clear at the onset of the SDGs: governments, and all of us, have to address the power and unimaginable wealth of the ultra-rich and mega-corporations to have any chance of succeeding”.

“We need action that includes taxing the ultra-rich, investing in public goods and not privatizing them, breaking up monopolies and rewriting global rules from sovereign debt to patents. As the World Bank itself shows, if we reduce inequality, poverty could be ended three times faster,” declared Ahmed.

In 2024, the number of billionaires rose to 2,769, up from 2,565 in 2023. Their combined wealth surged from $13 trillion to $15 trillion in just 12 months. This is the second largest annual increase in billionaire wealth since records began, according to Oxfam.

The wealth of the world’s ten richest men grew on average by almost $100 million a day —even if they lost 99 percent of their wealth overnight, they would remain billionaires.

Last year, Oxfam predicted the emergence of the first trillionaire within a decade. However, with billionaire wealth accelerating at a faster pace this projection has expanded dramatically —at current rates the world is now on track to see at least five trillionaires within that timeframe.

This ever-growing concentration of wealth is enabled by a monopolistic concentration of power, with billionaires increasingly exerting influence over industries and public opinion.

Ben Phillips, author of “How to Fight Inequality”, told IPS the promises made in the Sustainable Development Goals, including to end extreme poverty, can be met. But doing so depends on leaders making the decision to challenge extreme wealth. They need to tax and regulate the superrich, not only to raise essential revenue, but also to reshape the economy so that it works for everyone.

“The money is there, and the policies are known, to ensure that no one is held down in extreme poverty. Expert economic analysis that the G20 has commissioned shows that wealth taxes would unlock billions of dollars to tackle poverty”.

It also shows that taxing the wealth of the super-rich, and reining in the power of the oligarchs, would make the economy fairer and more secure. Furthermore, public opinion research shows that taking on the power of the super-rich, including by taxing them, would be hugely popular with voters from across the political spectrum.

“There is no mystery about what needs to be done about the twin evils of extreme poverty and extreme wealth. The difficulty is to get leaders to do it,” he pointed out.

The challenge is this: the extreme concentration of wealth has brought about an extreme concentration of power, and so to get political leaders to break with the super-rich requires public pressure that overwhelms the pressure of the oligarchs.

“There is hope, but that hope needs to be active. A fair economy that overcomes extreme poverty and extreme wealth won’t be given to people, but it can be won by people power”, said Phillips.

Daniel D. Bradlow, Professor/Senior Research Fellow, Centre for the Advancement of Scholarship at the University of Pretoria, told IPS according to the One Campaign, Africa’s total external debt in 2023 was $685.5 billion, equal to about 25% of the continent’s total GNP and its total debt service in 2024 was about $102 billion.

African countries are spending more on debt service than on health and education. This means that the world’s approximately 2500 billionaires, could spend less than half their $2 trillion increase in wealth in 2024 to pay off the total African external debt.

“Given this situation, it is highly unlikely that Africa can meet the SDGs without some correction in the gross maldistribution of wealth— and the power and influence that goes with it,” predicted Prof Bradlow.

Meanwhile, Oxfam has released its new study during a week (January 20-24) when business elites are gathering in the Swiss resort town of Davos, and billionaire Donald Trump was inaugurated Monday as President of the United States, backed by the world’s richest man Elon Musk.

The Oxfam report shows how unmerited wealth and colonialism —understood as not only a history of brutal wealth extraction but also a powerful force behind today’s extreme levels of inequality— stand as two major drivers of billionaire wealth accumulation.

Some of the findings include:

*60 percent of billionaire wealth now comes from inheritance, monopoly power or crony connections.

*The wealth of the world’s ten richest men grew on average by almost $100 million a day in 2024 —even if they lost 99 percent of their wealth overnight, they would remain billionaires.

*The richest 1 percent in Global North countries like the US, UK and France extracted $30 million an hour from the Global South through the financial system in 2023.

*Global North countries control 69 percent of global wealth, 77 percent of billionaire wealth and are home to 68 percent of billionaires, despite making up just 21 percent of the global population.

Oxfam is calling on governments to act rapidly to reduce inequality and end extreme wealth.

Radically reduce inequality
Governments need to commit to ensuring that, both globally and at a national level, the incomes of the top 10 percent are no higher than the bottom 40 percent. According to World Bank data, reducing inequality could end poverty three times faster. Governments must also tackle and end the racism, sexism and division that underpin ongoing economic exploitation.

Tax the richest to end extreme wealth
Global tax policy should fall under a new UN tax convention, ensuring the richest people and corporations pay their fair share. Tax havens must be abolished. Oxfam’s analysis shows that half of the world’s billionaires live in countries with no inheritance tax for direct descendants. Inheritance needs to be taxed to dismantle the new aristocracy.

End the flow of wealth from South to North
Cancel debts and end the dominance of rich countries and corporations over financial markets and trade rules. This means breaking up monopolies, democratizing patent rules, and regulating corporations to ensure they pay living wages and cap CEO pay.

Restructure voting powers in the World Bank, IMF and UN Security Council to guarantee fair representation of Global South countries. Former colonial powers must also confront the lasting harm caused by their colonial rule, offer formal apologies, and provide reparations to affected communities.

The full report is available at: https://oxfam.box.com/s/v8qcsuqabqqmufeytnrfife0o1arjw18

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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By Jomo Kwame Sundaram
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Jan 21 2025 (IPS)

Corporate-dominated food systems are responsible for widespread but still spreading malnutrition and ill health. Poor diets worsen non-communicable diseases (NCDs), now costing over eight trillion dollars yearly!

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Unhealthy food systems
A recent UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) study of 156 countries found that such food systems account for unsafe food and diet-related NCDs.

FAO estimates related ‘hidden costs’ at about $12 trillion annually, with 70% ($8.1 trillion) due to NCDs such as heart disease, strokes and diabetes. Such costs significantly exceed these food systems’ environmental and social costs.

FAO’s annual State of Food and Agriculture 2024 (SOFA) investigated hidden costs worldwide. These were primarily health-related, followed by environmental degradation, mainly in more ‘industrialised’ agri-food systems in upper-middle and high-income countries.

SOFA 2024 builds on the 2023 SOFA. The two-year study uses true cost accounting to estimate significant costs and benefits of food production, distribution and consumption.

The study estimates “hidden costs and benefits”, including those not reflected by market prices. The latest SOFA updates cost estimates, classifies them by agrifood system, and proposes solutions.

The report identifies 13 dietary risks with health implications, with significant differences among various food systems. Inadequate consumption of whole grains (the leading dietary risk in most food systems), fruits, and vegetables is the worst, while excessive sodium and meat consumption cause significant health risks.

Hidden costs
SOFA 2024 identifies historical transitions from traditional to industrial agrifood systems, their outcomes, and hidden costs. It distinguishes six food systems worldwide – traditional, expanding, diversifying, formalising, industrial, and protracted crisis – and links each to hidden costs.

This approach enables a better understanding of each system’s unique features and the design of more appropriate policies and interventions.

However, inadequate fruit and vegetable intake is the main concern during protracted crises – e.g., prolonged conflicts, instability, and widespread food insecurity – and in traditional systems with low productivity, limited technology adoption, and shorter value chains.

Excessive sodium consumption is another significant health concern, rising as food “systems evolve from traditional to formalising, peaking in the latter and then decreasing in industrial systems”.

Meanwhile, processed and red meat intake rises with the shift from traditional to industrial systems. Meat is one of industrial food systems’ top three dietary risk factors. Adverse environmental impacts of unsustainable agronomic practices contribute significantly to hidden costs.

Such costs – due to greenhouse gas emissions, nitrogen runoffs, land-use changes, and water pollution – rise with diversifying food systems. Rapid growth typically involves changing food production and consumption, costing $720 billion more yearly.

Formalising and industrial food systems also incur significant environmental costs. However, countries facing protracted crises face the highest environmental costs, equivalent to a fifth of their output.

Social costs, including poverty and undernourishment, are most significant in traditional food systems and more vulnerable to protracted crises, incurring around 8% and 18% of GDP, respectively.

Such high social costs emphasise the urgent need for integrated efforts to improve livelihoods and well-being, reflecting stakeholder priorities and sensitivity to local circumstances.

Collective action
SOFA 2024 seeks to promote “more sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and efficient” food systems. It uses true cost accounting to identify hidden costs, going well beyond traditional economic measures such as the gross domestic product (GDP).

Using realistic and pragmatic approaches, policymakers make better-informed decisions to enhance food systems’ social contributions. More comprehensive approaches should acknowledge the crucial contributions of food systems to food security, nutrition, biodiversity, and culture.

Such transformations require transcending conceptual divides, ensuring health, agricultural, and environmental policy coherence, and fairly sharing costs and benefits among all stakeholders.

The report stresses that this requires collective action involving diverse stakeholders, which is difficult to achieve. Such stakeholders include consumers, primary producers, agribusinesses, governments, financial institutions, and international organisations.

Addressing hidden costs affects various stakeholders differently. Appropriate frameworks, supportive policies, and regulations ease implementation and minimise disruption by adopting sustainable practices early and protecting the vulnerable.

Recommendations
Recognising food systems’ adverse consequences for diets and health, the report makes several key recommendations quite different from those of the Davos World Economic Forum-compromised 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. It urges:
• incentivising the promotion of advancing sustainable food supply chain practices and balancing among food system stakeholders.
• promoting healthy diets by making nutritious food more affordable and accessible, reducing adverse health consequences and costs.
• using labelling, certification, standards, and due diligence to reduce greenhouse gas and nitrogen emissions, harmful land-use changes, and biodiversity loss.
• empowering society with comprehensive, clear, accessible, and actionable food and nutrition education and information about food choices’ health, environmental, and social impacts.
• using collective procurement’s significant purchasing power and influence to improve food supplies and the environment.
• ensuring inclusive rural transformations while reducing hidden health, environmental and social costs.
• strengthening civil society and governance to enable and accelerate sustainable and fair food system innovations and enhance social well-being, especially for vulnerable households.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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The Baye Fall don't fast or perform five daily prayers - they believe hard work is the way to heaven.

The Baye Fall don't fast or perform five daily prayers - they believe hard work is the way to heaven.

Martin Luther King Jr. rightly identified health inequity as the worst form of social injustice. Credit: bswise

By Ifeanyi Nsofor
WASHINGTON DC, Jan 20 2025 (IPS)

Every year, January 20 is celebrated as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He was a leader in the Civil Rights Movement who fought for equality and justice, especially for Black people, through peaceful protests and powerful speeches. The day is observed annually on the third Monday of January, close to his birthday on January 15. It is a time to remember his work, reflect on his message of fairness and nonviolence, and engage in acts of service to help others in our communities.

As a global health equity advocate, MLK Day holds special significance for me as a day to remember him as a health equity champion. He rightly identified health inequity as the worst form of social injustice. In his 1966 speech at the Second National Convention of the Medical Committee for Human Rights, MLK stated, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and inhuman”. I couldn’t agree more.

Globally, health inequities are numerous and mostly preventable. Neglected Tropical Diseases, maternal deaths, and malnutrition vividly reflect the global health injustices MLK foresaw

Growing up in Nigeria as a high school student in the 1980s, I was introduced to MLK through reading editions of Ebony magazine. I remember with nostalgia how I walked to roadside book sellers to buy old copies of the magazine.

These magazines introduced me to Black American social justice debates, including the works of MLK and Thurgood Marshall. It was an opportunity to connect spiritually with Africans in the diaspora – Black Americans – and their struggles. What struck me most as a child was MLK’s nonviolent demand for racial justice.

After high school, I went on to medical school in Nigeria to begin my training as a doctor. By the time I graduated in 1998, it was clear to me that patients’ rights must be respected in healthcare delivery. As health workers, we must prioritize preventive care while providing the care our patients need.

At the time, I did not know the right term for my convictions. Decades into my work in global health, I came to understand the term for my beliefs: health equity. In 2018, I delivered my first TEDx talk titled “Without Health We Have Nothing”. This is why MLK’s assertion that health injustice is the worst form of inequality resonates deeply with me. Healthcare – or its absence – is truly a matter of life and death.

Globally, health inequities are numerous and mostly preventable. Neglected Tropical Diseases, maternal deaths, and malnutrition vividly reflect the global health injustices MLK foresaw.

 

Neglected Tropical Diseases

Want to see a perfect example of diseases that disproportionately affect poor people? Look no further than Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). These diseases affect 1.6 billion people globally, primarily in Africa and Asia. Many people do not realize some, like those mentioned in the Bible, still exist today.

A prime example is leprosy – a slow-growing bacterial infection that affects the skin, nerves, and sometimes the eyes and nose. Surprisingly, in 2024, the U.S. saw a significant rise in leprosy cases, particularly in the southeastern region, with central Florida identified as a hotspot.

Data reveals that approximately 34% of new cases reported between 2015 and 2020 were locally acquired. Without treatment, leprosy causes numb patches and potential deformities. Fortunately, leprosy is completely curable with antibiotics when caught early.

Other NTDs include river blindness, trachoma, and noma. Noma, in particular, is heartbreaking – it predominantly affects children between and six years who are malnourished, live in unhygienic conditions, or have weak immune systems.

Noma starts as a sore in the mouth but can destroy facial tissues, leaving severe deformities if untreated. Proper hygiene, nutrition, and healthcare can prevent noma, but it remains a reality in the poorest parts of the world.

 

Maternal Mortality

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) captures the essence of safe motherhood with its statement: “No woman should die while giving life”. Tragically, for many women in low- and middle-income countries, and even wealthier nations, this isn’t the case.

In Nigeria alone, over 80,000 women die annually during pregnancy, childbirth, or shortly afterward. A professor once likened Nigeria’s high maternal mortality to filling a commercial jet with pregnant women every day and letting it crash – a haunting image. This huge injustice should not be allowed to continue.

In contrast, the United States of America has a higher maternal mortality rate compared to other wealthy countries, largely due to the disproportionately high maternal death rate among Black women. Black women are still 2 to 3 times more likely to die from pregnancy and childbirth than White women, regardless of their education level or socioeconomic status.

The solutions to stopping maternal deaths are not rocket science. Prenatal care must identify high-risk pregnancies, and women need access to proper nutrition to reduce the risks of postpartum hemorrhage, the leading cause of maternal deaths. With proper planning and preparation, including access to cesarean sections and emergency services, these deaths are preventable. Addressing these gaps would save countless lives.

 

Malnutrition

Malnutrition is a double-edged sword – it manifests as undernutrition (not enough nutrients) or overnutrition (eating too much). Both forms can be deadly, especially for children under five. Undernourished children fail to grow properly (wasting) and suffer impaired brain development, leading to stunting.

Globally, 22% of children are stunted, with 90% of cases occurring in Africa and Asia. On the other hand, overnutrition causes obesity, increasing the risk of non-communicable diseases like diabetes.

The solutions are simple: Support mothers to breastfeed exclusively for six months, educate communities on using affordable, local foods to prepare nutritious meals, and invest in school feeding programs. These steps would dramatically reduce malnutrition’s toll.

MLK’s vision for health justice shapes my global health equity journey. On MLK Day, let us reflect on global health injustices and commit to ending them. Identify one health issue you are passionate about and take meaningful action to address it.

MLK was right – health injustice is the worst form of inequality because without health we have nothing.

Happy MLK Day!

Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nsofor, a public-health physician, global health equity advocate and behavioral-science researcher, serves on the Global Fellows Advisory Board at the Atlantic Institute, Oxford, United Kingdom. You can follow him @Ifeanyi Nsofor, MD on LinkedIn

Finishing tips from Harry Kane are helping Cameroon winger Georges-Kevin Nkoudou in front of goal in the Saudi Pro League.

A 30-foot- high monument entitled Turn off the plastics tap by Canadian activist and artist Benjamin von Wong was exhibited at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2022. Credit: UNEP/Cyril Villemain

By Simone Galimberti
KATHMANDU, Nepal, Jan 20 2025 (IPS)

The last few weeks of 2024 were a disappointment for those who strongly believed that planet Earth is in need of bold actions.

First, there were the frustration stemming from what could be defined at minimum as unconvincing outcomes of both COP 16 on Biodiversity and COP 29 on Climate.

Then all hope was resting on a successful conclusion of the 5th and final round of negotiations held in Busan to reduce plastic pollutions, at the Inter-governmental Negotiating Committee INC-5. (25 November -1 December 2024)

Instead also in this case, at the end, it was a letdown because no consensus had emerged on some of the key elements of the negotiations. Yet, flopping this more gloomy and dark view, I am learning that activists for a strong treaty are not giving up.

They are not ready to concede defeat and, rightly so. The fight must go on.

At least at Busan, the gap between the parties involved in the discussions came at the fore, providing clarity on their own desired outcomes, this time, each showing their cards, without hesitancy. On the one hand, a diverse coalition of more progressive nations.

Within it, both members of the Global South and a part of the Global North worked very hard to press for the best possible outcome, a treaty that would also include targets to reduce plastic production, especially the most nefarious type of it.

On the other hand, governments representing strong petro-chemical establishments had the overt mission to trample and block any attempts of reducing plastic production. Their mantras were conveniently focused on recycling and circularity as the best remedy to reduce plastic pollution.

To have a better assessment of INC-5, I approached the Plastic Pollution Coalition, a US civil society organization advocating an ambitious treaty. The group has also pressurized Washington to take a bolder stance in the fight against plastic pollution.

The resulting conversation with members of the Coalition, carried out via e-mails, was also an opportunity to identify the next goalposts for future negotiations and what scenarios might emerge in the months ahead.

They key messages are that, despite the final outcomes of the negotiations were not what many had hoped for, those, who want bold actions towards reducing plastic pollution, should not despair.

First of all, my interest was on assessing the level of disillusionment among activists advocating for a strong and ambitious treaty.

“Plastic pollutes throughout its existence, and a strong globally binding treaty is critical for a healthy future for humanity. While we are disappointed with the outcome of INC-5—little to no progress on the treaty text—we remain hopeful and are very inspired by the growing collaboration and efforts of a majority of ambitious countries” said Dianna Cohen, Co-Founder and CEO of the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

The commitment from the members of the Coalition is not diminished but rather it is growing ad with it also a sense of optimism.

“The fight is far from over. Talks will resume in 2025, and Plastic Pollution Coalition and allies continue to call on the US government to adopt a stronger position in the treaty negotiations” said Jen Fela, Vice President, Programs and Communications at the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

“The work won’t be easy. While necessary to protect the planet and human health, there will likely be even less support for a strong and legally binding global treaty by the incoming US administration”.

“The good news is that the talks in Busan demonstrated that more and more countries are willing to be bold and tell the world to get on board with what UN Environment Programme Executive Director Inger Andersen called a ‘once-in-a-planet opportunity’ for a treaty that will end the plastics age once and for all”, Fela further stressed.

But what next? Balancing realism with ambition, what activists should aim in the next negotiations?

“We will keep pushing for a treaty that caps plastic production and prioritizes health, centers frontline and fence-line communities, acknowledges the rights of Indigenous Peoples and rights holders, restricts problematic plastic products and chemicals of concern, and supports non-toxic reuse systems”, Cohen, the Co-Founder and CEO of the Coalition told me.

“We are proud to stand with our incredible community of allies and continue our work toward a more just, equitable, regenerative world free of plastic pollution and its toxic impacts”,

Indeed, signs of hope are not misplaced”.

“Despite Member States being unable to reach a deal at INC-5, there was promising ambition and growing collaboration among the majority of countries, and we’re hopeful for the additional round of talks at INC-5.2 next year”, she further added.

“Ultimately, a delay is better than settling for a weak agreement that fails to meaningfully address the problem now, and the silver lining is that in the meantime, we can gain even more support for a strong treaty that cuts plastic pollution”.

Moreover, it is important to remember that despite there was no agreement, a new consensus is emerging.

“Despite pressure from a handful of petrostates, the majority of countries are rallying together for a strong treaty, with more than 100 countries backing Panama’s proposal to reduce plastic production, 95 supporting legally binding targets to regulate harmful chemicals, and over 120 nations calling for a treaty with robust implementation measures” reads a summary of INC-5 published by the Coalition.

A new coalition got cemented in Busan with countries like Panama and Rwanda working with European nations and others in the so called High Ambition Coalition to end Plastic Pollution.

I also wanted to better understand the key elements that can either make a future treaty at least acceptable for those advocating for plastic reductions and which are the “red lines” for them.

“Signs of a weak Plastics Treaty include voluntary measures to address plastic pollution, failure to commit to a significant global reduction in the total production of plastics, failing to identify and cease production of “chemicals of concern” known to harm frontline communities—a major environmental justice issue, a focus on recycling plastic as a solution, and omitting a full and strong range of actions that address plastic pollution throughout its endless toxic existence—from the extraction of its fossil fuel ingredients through plastic and plastic chemical production, shipping, use, and disposal” explained Erica Cirino, Communication Manager at the Coalition.

“The key is a mandated and significant reduction in plastic and plastic chemical production”.

“Signs of a strong treaty include mandatory caps on plastic and plastic chemical production, identification and further regulation of especially hazardous chemicals of concern, and including a full and strong range of actions that work to end plastic pollution throughout its endless toxic existence, starting with the extraction of its fossil fuel ingredients through plastic and plastic chemical production, shipping, use, and disposal” she further said.

“A binding commitment that reduces especially “problematic” plastic products and chemicals of concern would not be acceptable without a cap in overall production. All plastics pollute, and all plastic production must be reduced”, Cirino further explained.

The point raised by Cirino is one of the most contentious. “Those of special concern must especially be eliminated and regulated, but taking action to mitigate their harm should only be expedited—and not stand in place of mitigating harm of all plastics”.

Would it be still acceptable, in case there will be no breakthrough at all in the next round of negotiations, the most progressive nations, say the members of The High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, would come up with their own, alternative binding agreement, even if not a fully-fledged global treaty as we are envisioning now?

Could this “extreme” and until now unimaginable ‘last” option make sense even if plastic polluters would continue with their “business as usual approach”?

“It’s certainly not an ideal solution, as plastic pollution is a global issue perpetuated by a global set of governments; investors; and industrial players, activities and infrastructure. That said, it potentially would be better than nothing if more progressive nations were to devise their own binding agreement, so long as it focused on curbing plastic pollution”, Cirino shared.

“The main issue is, many of the biggest plastic producers in the world (namely, the US and China) are absent from the high-ambition talks for now. It’s crucial that levels of plastic production drop globally. It would be all for naught if some countries reduce production, only for other nations to increase it”.

Meanwhile having some countries going “solo” carries risks and these they are crystal clear.

Indeed, there are palpable concerns in places like Europe on this regard.

There, the plastic lobbying is worried that a decline of plastic production in Europe means that other nations like China are taking advantage by ramping up their production.

We are in a conundrum. At this moment, I can’t imagine how the petro states will change their key negotiating positions. “If passed, hopefully an agreement among progressive nations would push other nations to also reduce their plastic production or, such an agreement may not help at all” concluded Cirino.

Simone Galimberti writes about the SDGs, youth-centered policy-making and a stronger and better United Nations.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Salma Mahmoud Ali walks through her salt ponds. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

By Kizito Makoye
PEMBA, Tanzania , Jan 20 2025 (IPS)

As the cool morning breeze sweeps across the Indian Ocean beach in Tanzania’s Pemba archipelago, Salma Mahmoud Ali begins her day. With her brightly coloured Kikoi cinched tightly around her waist and a dark blue scarf framing her face, she walks barefoot toward her salt ponds. The humid air hangs, but Ali wades through ankle-deep water with courage.

Armed with a shovel, rake and pick, she methodically drags sparkling crystals under the rising sun. Each stroke pulls salt from the brine—a hard process born of necessity.

“It’s a tough job,” says Ali, a 31-year-old mother of three. “The heat is too much—no matter how much water you drink, the thirst won’t go away. But it’s how I feed my family and send my children to school.”

For Ali and dozens of female artisanal salt farmers in Pemba, salt production is both their livelihood and their struggle. In this deeply patriarchal Muslim community, the gleaming piles of white salt represent survival—a craft demanding patience, precision and grit.

Hamida Mohamed prepares a projector to train salt farmers on climate resilience. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

 

Hamida Mohamed talks to salt farmers. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

On Pemba Island, where farms yield 2,000 tons of salt annually, prosperity feels like a mirage. Experts believe output could triple with better tools, but resources remain scarce. Families and cooperatives divide the land, with an average of four owners per plot, leaving wealth unevenly distributed. Farm owners collect the bulk of the earnings, while the workers—who toil under the weight of every harvest—are left to scrape by, their paychecks barely carrying them through the season.

Most families rely on coarse, untreated salt, with only one in four affording iodized varieties. “It’s our life,” said Halima Hamoud Heri, a laborer, kneeling under the blazing sun. “Hard, but it keeps us going.”

Gruelling Craft

Salt farming has always tested endurance, but climate change conspires against the women who depend on it. Rising temperatures accelerate evaporation, often causing salt to crumble before it can be harvested. Unpredictable rainfall—once a seasonal certainty—now arrives without warning, flooding the ponds and washing away weeks of labor back into the sea.

“We used to know when the dry season would start and end,” says Khadija Rashid, who has worked the ponds for 10 years. “Now the rain surprises us. Sometimes it’s too hot, and the salt dries too fast. Other times, the rain ruins everything before we can collect it.”

Salma Mahmoud Ali and fellow salt farmers inspect harvested salt. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

 

Salt farms are affected by high evaporation, temperature and erratic rains. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

For families like Ali’s, whose alternative livelihoods like fishing and farming have also been battered by erratic weather, salt production is a lifeline. It is work that demands accuracy and perseverance, and it leaves its mark on those who perform it. The sun cracks skin and the salt cuts into hands.

“By the time you carry the seawater, clear the mud, and harvest the salt, you’re so tired you can barely stand,” says Ali. “But you still have to do it again tomorrow.”

A Fragile Ecosystem

Standing at the edge of a salt farm in Pemba, Batuli Yahya, a field marine scientist from the Institute of Marine Sciences at the University of Dar es Salaam, gestured toward the silvery expanse.

“Salt production depends on delicate environmental conditions,” she says. “But those conditions are changing faster than ever due to climate pressures.”

The salt ponds, once reliable sources of livelihood for coastal communities, are increasingly at risk as rising sea levels, erratic rainfall, and intensifying heat disrupt their fragile balance.

“Sea level rise causes seawater to spill over into areas where salinity levels are meticulously controlled,” Yahya explains. “It’s a growing threat that turns productive farms into unusable pools.”

The challenges don’t end there. Rainfall patterns have become more unpredictable, she said, with sudden downpours diluting the brine or destroying salt pans altogether.

“Too much rain at the wrong time can ruin months of preparation,” Yahya notes. “And when it’s coupled with longer dry spells, it creates a cycle that’s hard to manage.”

Higher temperatures are also exacerbating the situation.

Pemba male and female salt farmers gather in a hut. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

 

Female salt farmers plant mangrove trees along the coast to protect their farms from sea rise. Credit: Kizito Shigela/IPS

“Evaporation is critical to the salt production process, but extreme heat pushes salinity levels beyond what the ecosystem can handle,” Yahya says. “The microorganisms that play a key role in salt crystallization struggle to survive in such conditions.”

For many coastal communities, the implications are severe. “This is not just an environmental issue,” says Ali.

The challenges extend beyond weather. The reliance on manual labor to carry seawater to the ponds, clear mud, and harvest salt leaves many women exhausted and prone to injuries. The physical toll is compounded by the economic pressure to produce enough salt to sustain their families.

Finding Solutions

Amid challenges, Pemba’s salt farmers find strength in unity. Through local women’s associations, they adopt innovations to protect their work and improve production. One such breakthrough has been the introduction of solar drying covers—transparent sheets that shield ponds from sudden downpours while concentrating heat to speed up evaporation. “Before, if the rain came, we lost everything,” says Heri, demonstrating how she spreads the covers over her pond. “Now, we can save our salt, even during the wet season.”

The association also promotes knowledge-sharing among the women. Techniques to harden soil, efficiently distribute seawater, and package salt for market are taught collectively.

“Working alone, I would have given up,” says Ali. “But together, we find solutions. If one of us learns something new, she teaches the rest of us.”

Empowerment Through Enterprise

The women’s collective efforts improve livelihoods. Salt once sold in unmarked bags at local markets now reaches buyers in shops across Tanzania.

“I used to sell just enough to buy rice for the day,” says Ali. “Now I sell in bulk, and I’ve now saved Tanzanian shillings 455,000 (USD 187.)”

With the additional income, Ali has been able to feed her family and send children to school. “My daughter tells me she wants to be like me,” she says. “But maybe with a little less sunburn.”

The success has begun shifting perceptions in their community. Men who once dismissed salt farming as “boring work” now recognize its value, and some even assist with heavier tasks.

“We’re not just salt farmers anymore,” says Rashid. “We’re businesswomen.”

Hope Amid Challenges

Despite their progress, barriers remain. Access to financing is limited, and tools like solar covers and pumps are still too expensive for many women. Climate change continues to push them to innovate faster.

“We need more support,” says Ali. “Better tools, more training, and access to loans,”

Still, the women soldier on. Ali drags the day’s harvest into piles while pausing to wipe her brow.

“I hope the situation will improve and we will succeed even more,” she says.

IPS UN Bureau Report

Note: This feature is published with the support of Open Society Foundations.

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Excerpt:

For female artisanal salt farmers in Pemba, salt production is both their livelihood and their struggle. In this deeply patriarchal Muslim community, the gleaming piles of white salt represent survival—a craft demanding patience, precision and grit. However, rising sea levels put their enterprise at risk.

Homes with large, south-facing windows harness the winter sunlight, naturally warming interior spaces throughout the day. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

By Umar Manzoor Shah
SRINAGAR, India, Jan 20 2025 (IPS)

India’s average temperature has risen by 0.7°C since 1901, bringing more frequent and intense heat waves, erratic rainfall patterns, and a marked decline in monsoon consistency since the 1950s.

With projections suggesting a 2°C global temperature increase, India faces the risk of even greater instability in summer monsoon patterns. Extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and cyclones are already becoming more common, placing the country as the seventh most affected globally by climate change-related weather events in 2019.

In Kashmir, the impacts are just as stark; the average maximum temperature in Srinagar rose by 1.05°C between 1980–1999 and 2000–2019, and the winter of 2023–2024 was the driest on record, marking the hottest winter in 18 years.

With climate change reshaping the region, the importance of climate-resilient architecture has become crucial.

In this photo essay, IPS explores the ingenious climate-responsive architecture of Kashmir, developed during the 19th and early 20th centuries, which showcases how traditional techniques created structures capable of withstanding the region’s extreme weather patterns.

 

Deodar wood, locally sourced and resistant to cold and moisture, is the backbone of Kashmir’s climate-resilient architecture. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

 

Double-glazed windows trap warmth indoors while letting sunlight in, making them a modern staple in Kashmir’s evolving architecture. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

 

Older homes in Srinagar’s downtown demonstrate the success of traditional design, staying warm and cozy even in mid-winter. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

 

Thick layers of mud plaster cover many homes, trapping warmth inside and blocking the winter cold from entering. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

 

Using stone or concrete, modern designs absorb daytime heat and release it gradually at night, enhancing comfort. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

 

Verandas and balconies, or Deodis, act as barriers against the cold, helping maintain warmth inside. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

 

Hakim Sameer Hamdani, senior architect and project coordinator with the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage. Hamdani is the author of Syncretic Traditions of Islamic Religious Architecture of Kashmir. Credit: Umar Manzoor Shah/IPS

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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• Small Island States Put Faith in International Court’s ‘Wayfinding’ Advisory Opinion
• Climate Finance Not Charity, But Obligation, International Court of Justice hears
• UN’s OCHA Calls to Correct the Imbalance in Climate Finance Allocation

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