Inter Press Service | News and Views from the Global South

Inter Press Service | News and Views from the Global South

US Mideast Peace Plan: Israelis Offered the Cheese & Palestinians the Holes Thalif Deen The Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem has described the much-ballyhooed US Middle East peace plan as “more like Swiss cheese-- with the cheese being offered to the Israelis and the holes to the Palestinians”. “There are many ways to end the occupation, but the only legitimate options ... MORE > >

‘Organic is the Future’ Sapna Gopal Vandana Shiva, a pioneer of organic farming in India, is incensed by the 2019 draft law to compulsorily register all seeds used by farmers. On a wintry afternoon, at her farm Navdanya in the Himalayan foothills, the noted ecologist spoke on the future of the organic farming movement in India. ... MORE > >

Inclusive Education Still Evades People with Disabilities Stella Paul Neema Namdamu, 42, grew up in the village of Bukavu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where children with disabilities were considered a curse. As a child Namdamu contracted polio, leaving her paralysed from the waist down. Her neighbours advised her mother to do what they felt was the ... MORE > >

Oil-rich Gulf Turns to Renewable Energy Kunda Dixit The increased frequency of climate-induced weather extremes and public opinion pressure are forcing even major fossil fuel exporting countries in West Asia to make a big push towards renewable energy. In January alone, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) hosted the Gulf Intelligence UAE Energy Forum, ... MORE > >

Addressing the Low Female Representation in STEM Education Joyce Chimbi Dr. Anne-Maria Brennan loved science as a young girl. But instead of encouraging her, those around her made attempts to steer her in the "right direction". “The right direction was in nursing, teaching and secretarial courses. I was told that girls do not study physics,” she tells IPS. “These ... MORE > >

**UPDATE** African Nations Caught in Conflict Re-commit to Inclusive Education Stella Paul Djibouti’s President Ismail Omar Guelleh knows that his country is in need of an education system that is, “innovative, based on universal principles and values and adaptive of the local realities”. With a population of less than a million, Djibouti is one of the smallest countries in Africa. ... MORE > >

Balanced and Gender-Inclusive Education is a Smart Investment Joyce Chimbi Fihima Mohamed’s mother never attended school and until two years ago she could not read or write. Mohamed’s mother had been born in neighbouring Somalia but was sent to Djibouti as a young girl to live with her aunt. The expectation had been that she would have a better life by escaping the ... MORE > >

China Ranked World’s Second Largest Arms Producer Trailing Behind US Thalif Deen Donald Trump, the vociferously unpredictable US president, has long chastised China for seeking “unfair” advantage over trade and tariffs, violating intellectual property rights and “manipulating” the country’s currency to its advantage. But while this blatant political rhetoric has continued ... MORE > >

Inequality, Stagnation and Instability ‒ the New Normal for Finance Capitalism Yilmaz Akyüz The failure of large-scale bailout operations, historically low interest rates and rapid injection of liquidity to bring about a strong recovery from the 2008-2009 financial crisis and recession created a widespread concern that advanced economies suffered from a chronic demand gap and faced the ... MORE > >

When UN’s Cash Crisis Undermines Human Rights, Are the World’s Torturers the Key Beneficiaries? Thalif Deen The UN’s ongoing cash crisis, which has virtually destabilized the Organization’s day-to-day operations, has also undermined the human rights mandate of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC). The HRC’s programme of work has been hindered by dwindling resources resulting in shorter ... MORE > >

At the International Summit on Balanced & Inclusive Education: A Call to Transform Globally Anna Shen In an increasingly unequal and divided world, what role can education play to achieve sustainable development globally? How do we unite to achieve inclusive and quality education systems? Can we transform education so that it fosters local solutions, taking into account existing cultural ... MORE > >

Experts laud International Court of Justice Order on Myanmar to Halt all Genocidal Conduct Samira Sadeque In a groundbreaking and much anticipated ruling delivered on Thursday, the International Court of Justice demanded that Myanmar halt all measures that contribute to the genocide of the Rohingya community. The order was lauded by international bodies and organisations who have been involved with ... MORE > >

Am I Abused or Am I a Failure to Adjust? - A Migrant’s Story Fairuz Ahmed Every year hundreds of immigrants leave their homes and trail to a land of dream and hope where they aspire to find peace, happiness and sometimes a little bit of safety compared to what they leave behind. Migrations can be for asylum-seeking, for work, study, visa lottery, investing, etc. ... MORE > >

Leprosy Re-emerges as a Global Health Challenge Stella Paul Fifteen years ago, Sattamma – a daily labourer in the Rangareddy district of southern India’s Telangana state – was abandoned by her husband after she was diagnosed with Hansen’s Disease. Last October, while her neighbours were celebrating Diwali, Sattamma was homeless again as her landlord ... MORE > >

Tipping Point on Menstrual Banishment in Nepal Marty Logan It is easy to be cynical about recent reports of actions taken to end chhaupadi, the traditional practice in parts of western Nepal of segregating menstruating women. Since December, hundreds of the chhau sheds where women live during their periods have been demolished after the Home Ministry ... MORE > >