Inter Press Service | News and Views from the Global South

Inter Press Service | News and Views from the Global South

Empowering Girls Through Sport Tharanga Yakupitiyage For too long, women and girls have been excluded from the playing field—literally. But now, many are paving the way in the fight against gender inequality through sports. Sports is being increasingly used as a tool for empowering girls around the world, helping challenge gender norms on and off ... MORE > >

Egypt’s Food Challenge: a Good Effort but Not Enough Maged Srour “Unfortunately the overall nutritional panorama of Egypt does not look well,” says Dr. Sara Diana Garduno Diaz, an expert concentrating on nutrition and biology at the American University of the Middle East. Diaz’s research focuses on dietary patterns and ethnic-associated risk factors for ... MORE > >

Trump’s Veto Will Trigger More US Arms to Kill Civilians in Yemen Thalif Deen President Donald Trump’s decision to veto a bi-partisan Congressional resolution to end US military involvement in a devastating Saudi-led four-year conflict in Yemen-- is expected to escalate the ongoing war in the trouble-plagued region. The weapons used by the Saudis in the reckless bombing ... MORE > >

Nicaraguans “Will Not Be Silenced” Tharanga Yakupitiyage A year since Nicaragua spiralled into a socio-political crisis, human rights leaders have called on the country to refrain from violence and uphold the human rights of its citizens. In light of blatant, persistent human rights violations, United Nations agencies and human rights groups have ... MORE > >

U.S. Needs to Shift to More Sustainable Agriculture—As Do All Countries James Jeffrey Water supply has long been a key issue in California. Today it is no less critical, especially given the years of drought that California is experiencing, lending additional impetus to assessing the impact of agriculture on water. The conventional estimate is that 80 percent of the water used in ... MORE > >

Q&A: Achieving “Togetherness” Tharanga Yakupitiyage Increasingly facing restrictions and assault, civil society from around the world have come together to celebrate and promote people power. Organised by CIVICUS, International Civil Society Week (ICSW) brought together civil society organisations and activists to discuss the threats and ... MORE > >

Global Governance and Information Ambassador Walther Lichem The past seventy years since the end of the second world war have been marked by profound changes in our international system. Relations between states have become more horizontally structured interactions with a rising significance of the common good articulated and pursued by newly-created ... MORE > >

From Empowerment During War, Eritrean Women Must Fight Gender Discrimination in a New Peace Helen Kidan As the first anniversary of the swearing on Ethiopia’s Prime Minster Abiy Ahmed rolled around last week, Ethiopians – and observers worldwide – marvelled at the pace and scale of radical reform he has brought to the formerly repressed country in the past year. Abiy has released hundreds of ... MORE > >

Civil Society Under Attack in Name of Counterterrorism Tharanga Yakupitiyage Counterterrorism measures are not only affecting extremist groups, but are also impacting a crucial sector for peace and security in the world: civil society. Civil society has long played a crucial role in society, providing life-saving assistance and upholding human rights for all. However, ... MORE > >

When Youth Take on The Fight to Defend Rights A. D. McKenzie Abraham M. Keita says he was nine years old when a girl of thirteen was sexually assaulted and strangled in his home community in Liberia. The anger, outrage and sadness he felt would lead him to start advocating for children’s rights – participating in marches, organising protests and going up ... MORE > >

Civil Society, Press Freedom & Human Rights Under Attack in Africa Thalif Deen The civic space in several African countries, including Tanzania, Burundi, Zambia, Sudan, Mozambique, Somalia and Eritrea, is gradually shrinking – and mostly under authoritarian leaders and repressive regimes. The attacks are directed largely against human rights and civil society ... MORE > >