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A heavy storm caused flooding in areas of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, on August 16. These phenomena mostly occur during the rainy season, partly due to the environmental degradation of a water recharge area known as El Espino. Credit: Cruz Roja de El Salvador

By Edgardo Ayala
SAN SALVADOR, Aug 25 2025 (IPS)

Two construction projects pushed by the government of El Salvador, in a water recharge area adjacent to the country’s capital, on the slopes of the San Salvador volcano, threaten to make the area more vulnerable and increase the risk of flooding in the city’s poor neighborhoods downstream.

That is what environmentalists, and especially residents of communities who have lived for decades in this green area and witnessed the impact of urban expansion, told IPS.  Like a cancer, it is slowly eating away at the 800 hectares of what was, in the 19th century, one of the main coffee farms, El Espino, in what is now the western periphery of San Salvador.“I was born here, I am a native of this farm, and I have seen how everything has been deteriorating” –Héctor López.

“I was born here, I am a native of this farm, and I have seen how everything has been deteriorating,” 63-year-old Héctor López, a member of the El Espino Agricultural Production Cooperative, told IPS. The cooperative has 100 members who are mostly dedicated to coffee cultivation.

“It was all pure coffee plantations, owned by the Dueñas family, and over time El Espino has been affected by the constructions”, said López.

The two new government projects continue the pattern of deforestation that the property has been subjected to since the 1990s, a product of the unstoppable advance of the real estate sector.

These are the El Salvador National Stadium, which will hold 50,000 seats and whose construction began in September 2022 on an area of 55,000 square meters, and is expected to be ready in 2027.

Meanwhile, the new Center for Fairs and Conventions (Cifco) will begin construction in the coming months on an area of similar size. Both would cover about 10 hectares.

The cost of the stadium is around 100 million dollars, but the authorities have not revealed the figure for the Cifco.

Runoff coming down from the San Salvador volcano overflows a river, downstream, and floods areas populated by low-income families in the southern part of the city. The capacity to absorb rainwater will be affected by two large construction projects promoted by the Salvadoran government. Credit: Edgardo Ayala / IPS

The forest turned to cement

With each new construction, the soil absorbs less rainwater, and each storm turns the runoff into a river that reaches the poor neighborhoods of San Salvador, a city of 2.4 million inhabitants, including its metropolitan area, within a total country population of six million.

“When everything is paved, the water flows downward and causes flooding in neighborhoods like Santa Lucía,” Ricardo Navarro of the Center for Appropriate Technology (Cesta) told IPS, referring to a residential area of low-income families located in eastern San Salvador.

“When rainwater soaks into the forests, there isn’t much runoff, but without the forest, flooding increases,” adds Navarro, who founded Cesta 45 years ago, the local branch of Friends of the Earth.

The coffee plantation that still survives in El Espino is a forest populated with a rich diversity of tree species and wildlife.

Both the stadium and the convention center are funded by non-reimbursable funds from China, which also donated a US$54 million library, inaugurated in November 2023, as a sort of reward because El Salvador ended the relations it had maintained for decades with Taiwan in 2018.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and rewards nations that break ties with Taiwan, which is currently recognized as an independent nation by only 12 countries.

Additionally, as part of this package of donations, China built a US$24 million tourist pier in the port city of La Libertad, south of San Salvador on the Pacific coast, and is constructing a water purification plant at Lake Ilopango, east of the capital, among other projects.

Elsa Méndez, together with Ever Martínez, from the El Espino Agricultural Production Cooperative, laments that urban development in the area affects them every rainy season, to the west of San Salvador. Credit: Edgardo Ayala / IPS

Navarro lamented the lack of environmental awareness among the authorities, and more specifically, of the country’s president, Nayib Bukele, who has governed with a markedly authoritarian style since taking office in June 2019. In 2024, he won a second consecutive term, something previously prohibited by the Republic’s Constitution.

Lawmakers from his party, New Ideas, who control the unicameral Legislative Assembly, amended the constitution on July 31 to allow Bukele the option to run for the presidency as many times as he wishes.

Because of this authoritarian style, it is known that in El Salvador, nothing is done without the consent of the ruler.

“President Bukele: Not long ago there was a storm, which caused serious flooding in the lower parts of the city. President, the climate is changing, I can guarantee you, with absolute certainty, that the climate situation is going to get much worse due to climate change,” Navarro urged.

The environmentalist suggested that, in any case, if the construction is not stopped, the convention center should be built adjacent to the stadium, so that common spaces, such as the parking area, could be shared.

The El Espino farm belonged to the Dueñas family, one of the wealthiest in the country, in the 19th century, then linked to coffee production. Land reform seized the property in 1980 and handed it over to dozens of families who worked there as colonists, peasants who labored on the farm in semi-slavery conditions and received a portion of land to build their house.

However, a court ruling decided in 1986 that a part of the farm, around 250 hectares, was urbanizable land and should be returned to the Dueñas family.

Since then, that segment of the farm has been turning into an area of permanent construction of shopping malls and luxury residences, developed by Urbánica, the real estate arm of the Dueñas family.

“If we analyze the companies that are building there and if we pull the thread, we end up at Urbanística,” economist José Luis Magaña explained to IPS.

“There should be clarity about what the infrastructure needs are,” said the expert on the two government projects. “Instead of financing a school repair project with a loan from the Central American Bank for Economic Integration, the government could have asked the Asian power to rebuild those educational centers”, he adds.

In 2022, several families from the El Espino cooperative participated in the “San Salvador sponge city” project, to increase rainwater filtration levels through the construction of trenches and absorption wells, to prevent runoff from causing floods downstream. Credit: Edgardo Ayala / IPS

The usual floods

On the night of August 15, a heavy storm caused flooding in several sectors of the Salvadoran capital, whose avenues seemed to turn into rivers and lagoons, with hundreds of cars stuck.

In some areas, trash clogged the city’s storm drains and the water rose and flooded into residential areas. Around 25 families were evacuated and sheltered in safe locations.

San Salvador was founded in 1545 at the foot of the San Salvador volcano, a massif rising 1893 meters above sea level, and this location has placed the city at risk of floods and landslides.

In September 1982, a mudflow came down from the volcano’s summit and buried part of a residential area called Montebello, killing about 500 people.

The southern zone of the capital is the most affected by flooding during the rainy season, from May to November. The rain and runoff coming down from the volcano feed small streams along the way, which in turn flow into the El Arenal stream and the populous Málaga neighborhood.

In July 2008, heavy rains caused that stream to overflow, and 32 people drowned when a bus was swept away by the current.

As a way to reduce the vulnerability of this southern zone, in 2020 the city was part of the “Sponge City” project, promoted by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Some 1,150 hectares of forests and coffee plantations were restored in the upper part of the San Salvador volcano, seeking to reactivate the capacity to absorb rainwater through the construction of catchment tanks and trenches amidst the coffee fields.

Urbánica is the real estate arm of the Dueñas family, which builds luxury residences in the capital of El Salvador, in the area of the former El Espino farm, like the one in the image, called Alcalá. Credit: Urbánica

Environmental hope remains

Members of the El Espino cooperative actively participated in that project, as the communities of former colonists of the Dueñas family continue to live on the segment of the farm the land reform granted them, which currently totals 314 hectares and are also hit by the constructions in the upper part, called El Boquerón, near the volcano’s crater.

Deforestation continues there to make way for more restaurants and luxury residences.

“We are worried that more and more construction keeps happening, and there are fewer trees, and more water runoff flowing downstream,” said cooperative member López, who took part in a meeting of the organization’s board members on August 19 when IPS visited the area.

Elsa Méndez, also a cooperative member, stated: “We try to infiltrate water with the trenches, but when the ground is already too saturated with water, we can’t do everything as a cooperative either. Everyone must raise awareness among all people, because the runoff from the volcano carries trash, bottles, plastic, etc.”

On Saturday, 16 families from the community went to reforest the upper area, and the task also served “to teach our children how to reforest,” said Méndez.

Social movement Todos Somos El Espino (We Are All El Espino) has called for a second rally to protest against the construction of the convention center on Saturday, August 23, as part of their plan to defend the increasingly threatened forest.

“At this march, we will be doing the first preliminary count of the signatures collected in physical form… so that Salvadorans can say, ‘I defend El Espino,'” Gabriela Capacho, who is part of that movement, told IPS.

Former captain Dane van Niekerk is in line for a return with South Africa after reversing her international retirement and being named in a World Cup training group.

Asbestos exposure has profoundly impacted regions with significant military installations. Credit: Shutterstock

By Cristina Johnson
SAN MARCOS, California, USA, Aug 25 2025 (IPS)

For more than a century, asbestos was an indispensable fixture in the American industry, particularly the military. This versatile natural mineral was widely utilized to line Navy ships and strengthen their installations. What many were unaware of was that once damaged, asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) can release toxic fibers that could lodge in tissues covering internal organs of those exposed, where they build up over time.

This bioaccumulation causes severe inflammation and scarring over time, leading to life-threatening diseases such as lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. Unfortunately, by the time the science was confirmed, service members had already been exposed, and thousands had tragically passed away.

Asbestos Nation’s map indicates that from 1999 to 2017, asbestos-related illnesses claimed the lives of 236,981 to 277,654 Americans—a toll that continues to rise. Annually, roughly 12,000 to 15,000 people succumbed to diseases that could have been prevented with immediate proactive measures.

Federal government attempted to curb the danger, although those actions were made only after asbestos contamination had already become pervasive. In 1989, the country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moved to restrict most ACMs .

Then, in 2002, the nation’s last asbestos mine finally shut down, which signaled what many hoped would be the end of domestic production.

Still, despite these significant milestones, chrysotile—the most exploited form of asbestos—remained legally accessible through imports and selective industrial applications. And such a critical oversight was only addressed in 2024 when the EPA pushed to prohibit the ongoing use of this mineral completely.

For the first time in a very long time, the US seemed poised to close the door on this lethal material. Now, the agency’s recent decision jeopardizes progress. Just this June 2025, EPA abruptly announced plans to reconsider the ban—a move that undermines enforcement, delays protections, and threatens to reopen the very channels of exposure the policy was designed to eliminate.

 

Veterans at a Disproportionate Risk of Asbestos Exposure

Asbestos exposure has profoundly impacted regions with significant military installations. Of these, California—which houses over 1.8 million veterans, the nation’s largest population of former service members—stands out as one of the most severely affected states.

Data show that between 1999 and 2017, more than 27,000 lives were lost to asbestos diseases in the Golden State alone, reflecting the repercussions stemming from the extensive use of ACMs in military bases such as the Naval Base San Diego and the now-decommissioned George Air Force Base.

Following California, Florida, and Pennsylvania—both of which host contaminated military and naval complexes like the old Naval Air Station Cecil Field and Naval Air Warfare Center Warminster—likewise logged more than 18,200 and 17,700 related deaths, respectively.

Among the asbestos-linked diseases, mesothelioma remains one of the most devastating, as it claimed nearly 55,000 American lives between 1999 and 2020 and accounted for around 2,000 to 3,000 new diagnoses each year.

Alarmingly, veterans across the country shoulder a heavier burden. Despite comprising only 6.1% of the adult population, they represent about a third of all mesothelioma cases reported yearly. Navy veterans’ asbestos exposure has been particularly severe, especially since their service required both living and working aboard vessels abundant in toxic materials.

True to that, research has shown that these veterans—along with merchant marine seamen—rank second in mesothelioma incidence, just next to the toll linked to the asbestos exposure of shipyard workers.

 

Why the Asbestos Ban Must Stand Firm

The EPA’s decision to revisit the chrysotile ban could unravel decades of progress in protecting public health. The science is apparent—no level of asbestos exposure is safe.

As such, weakening or delaying enforcement risks re-exposing workers, service members, and their families to supposedly preventable diseases. This reversal is particularly alarming in light of recent federal commitments to communities direly impacted by environmental toxins.

One notable example is the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2022—a bipartisan legislation—which expands access to healthcare and disability benefits for veterans suffering from service-related exposures, including asbestos.

While this legislation is indeed a step forward, its essential mission to support those who have sacrificed greatly for our nation may be jeopardized by concurrent policies that once again open the very channels of toxic exposure.

To retreat on the asbestos ban now would be to repeat the same mistakes that allowed this crisis to occur in the first place. A firm national ban is therefore more than a regulatory safeguard—it is a moral commitment.

By upholding the prohibition without compromise, policymakers can finally close a tragic chapter in the industrial and military past of the country while protecting future generations from the same fate.

 

About the Author

Cristina Johnson is a Navy veteran advocate for Asbestos Ships Organization, a nonprofit whose primary mission is to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure on Navy ships and assist veteransin navigating the VA claims process.

 

Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) addresses the Let's Discuss the Future of Africa Together seminar that took place last week (August 21) on the sidelines of TICAD9 in Yokohama City, Japan. Credit: APDA

By Cecilia Russell
YOKOHAMA CITY, Japan & JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Aug 25 2025 (IPS)

As funding for sexual and reproductive health rights was on a “cliff edge,” parliamentarians now needed to play a “visionary” leadership role because “financing strong, resilient health systems for all their people rests with governments,” said Dr. Alvaro Bermejo, Director General of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF).

He was speaking at the Let’s Discuss the Future of Africa Together seminar that took place last week (August 21) on the sidelines of TICAD9 in Yokohama City, Japan.

The session was organized by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA), in collaboration with the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians for Population and Development (FAPPD) and the African Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (FPA).

He told parliamentarians that their role is most critical.

“Africa’s health faces a serious challenge: According to WHO’s latest analysis, health aid is projected to decline by up to 40% this year compared to just two years ago. This is not a gradual shift—it is a cliff edge,” Bermejo said. “You know as well as I do that lifesaving medicines are sitting in warehouses, health workers are losing jobs, clinics are closing, and millions are missing care.”

While this reality was outrageous, it needed to be adapted to.

“And in this crisis lies an opportunity—an opportunity to shake off the yoke of aid dependency and embrace a new era of sovereignty, self-reliance, and solidarity,” with a clear mission to protect the health and lives of women and vulnerable populations through delivering high-quality sexual and reproductive health services.

Parliamentarians engaged in debates during a policy dialogue seminar organized by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA), in collaboration with the Forum of Arab Parliamentarians for Population and Development (FAPPD) and the African Parliamentary Forum on Population and Development (FPA). Credit: APDA

This seminar and another in the series, Policy Dialogue on the Africa-Japan Partnership for Population and Development, were both supported by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) Arab States Regional Office (ASRO), the Japan Trust Fund (JTF) and IPPF.

During the discussions, a wide range of topics about population dynamics in Africa and Africa-Japan cooperation were discussed.

In his opening remarks, Ichiro Aisawa, a member of the House of Representatives of Japan, told the seminar it was necessary to take joint action across borders and generations.

“Youth holds the key to unlocking Africa’s future. By 2050, it is predicted that approximately 70 percent of Africa’s population will be under the age of 30. As African countries enter a demographic dividend period, the role played by parliamentarians in each country will be extremely important.

Aisawa said it was necessary to listen to the voices of the community in addressing issues related to youth empowerment, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH).

Parliamentarians should take “concrete action through legislation and policies; it is essential to harnessing the potential of young people, directly linking them to social and economic growth, and creating a society in which no one is left behind.”

Yoko Kamikawa, Chairperson of Japan Parliamentarians for Population (JPFP), addresses a seminar for African and Asian parliamentarians on the sidelines of the TICAD9 in Yokohama City, Japan. Credit: APDA

During the discussions, representatives from Africa gave examples of how Japan had supported their health initiatives, especially important in a climate of decreasing aid.

Maneno Zumura, an MP from Uganda, said what compounded the issues in her country and in Africa was “the changes in climate. The unpredicted climate has affected agricultural activities by 40 percent, especially in drought-prone areas of the country.” This had resulted in nearly a quarter (24 percent) of children experiencing malnutrition.

However, she noted that Japan had made considerable contributions to education and health.

“As we assess Uganda’s development and Japan’s impact, it’s clear that sustainable progress thrives on global solidarity and local governance. Key achievements include a 62 percent rise in women’s incomes through cooperatives, a 50 percent drop in maternal mortality in refugee settlements, and supporting the road infrastructure and education, illustrating how policy-driven interventions can break cycles of poverty and inequality.”

There were several specific projects she alluded to, including education experts from Japan who contributed to an improvement of the quality of primary education in districts of Wakiso, Mbale, and Arua through the Quality Improvement in Primary Education Project (2021-2023). They also trained 1,500 teachers in participatory teaching methods.

“The Government of Japan supported the vulnerable communities like refugees and host communities by strengthening the social services like health in refugee camps like Rhino Camp,” Zumura continued, including construction of a health center with antenatal facilities serving over 300,000 people in camps of Bidibidi and Rhino Camp. They also trained 200 health workers in the management of childhood illnesses and maternal health care.

Mwene Luhamba, MP, Zambia, said his country was looking forward to partnering with Japan in expanding One-Stop Reproductive Health Services, enhancing parliamentary engagement, and investing in youth programs.

Bermejo said part of the solution to the development issues is to confront constraints.

“Some countries in Africa do need global solidarity, but what Africa needs from the world, more than anything else, is fair terms. We must also confront the structural constraints. Debt service burdens are crowding out social investments. Let us seize this moment, not just to repair but to transform,” he said. “Sexual and reproductive health services save lives. They empower individuals, promote dignity, and drive national development.”

In her closing remarks, Yoko Kamikawa, Chairperson of Japan Parliamentarians for Population (JPFP), said that it was through dialogue across borders and sectors that “we build consensus, strengthen legal frameworks, and ensure that national strategies reflect the voices of all people and empower them—especially women and youth.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Saada Juma (L) works with fellow seaweed farmers at Jambiani coast in Zanzibar. Credit: Kizito Makoye/IPS

By Kizito Makoye
JAMBIANI, Zanzibar, Aug 25 2025 (IPS)

At dawn on the white-sand shores of Jambiani, 45-year-old Saada Juma braces herself against the pull of the tide, wrangling ropes laced with seaweed. Her hands, hardened by decades of labor, move instinctively as she secures her aquatic crop.

“I’ve been farming seaweed since I was a teenager,” she tells IPS, squinting against the morning sun. “This ocean is our life. But for us women, it’s always been a fight to be seen, to be heard.”

Juma is one of thousands of Zanzibari women who sustain the island’s marine economy through seaweed farming, artisanal fishing, ecotourism, and conservation. While their labor underpins Zanzibar’s blue economy—a model that leverages marine resources for sustainable development—many women say the system still disproportionately favors men.

Changing Seas, Unchanged Inequities

Seaweed farming became a prominent source of income in Zanzibar in the 1990s, especially for women. Yet climate change is altering the dynamics of this once-reliable livelihood.

“I started farming seaweed because my mother did it. Now my daughters do it too,” says 52-year-old Mwantumu Suleiman, a seaweed farmer in Jambiani village. “But we’re stuck in the same place. The sea has changed, and we have not been helped to change with it.”

Warming waters and strong tides are making shallow-water cultivation increasingly unviable. But venturing further offshore poses serious risks.

“Most of us don’t know how to swim and even if we did, we don’t have diving gear,” Suleyman says. “So, we pay young men to go for us—if we have the money. Otherwise, we just lose out.”

Tools, Training, and the Gender Gap

On the coast of Jambiani, Juma wades ankle-deep through the surf, examining a torn seaweed rope. She is exasperated.

“These tools are not made for us,” she says, showing a frayed line. “They’re cheap, break easily, and we have nowhere to store or dry the harvest properly. We need better equipment.”

For women like Juma, the work goes beyond survival—it is a path to independence. Yet limited access to financial services, poor infrastructure, and insufficient training have prevented women from reaping the full benefits.

“Seaweed farmers earn the least in the chain, even though we do the hardest work,” she says. “We want to do more—make creams, soaps, drinks—but no one trains us.”

A Blueprint for Gender-Inclusive Growth

To address these imbalances, Zanzibar’s government—supported by UN Women and Norway—launched the Blue Economy Gender Strategy and Action Plan in 2022. The initiative is the first in the region aimed at embedding gender equity in marine policy.

“Women are not just participants; they are leaders in these sectors,” says Asha Ali, a gender advisor who helped draft the strategy. “But leadership requires opportunity, training, and recognition—all of which have been scarce.”

The plan outlines targeted reforms, including skills training, access to credit, and the allocation of designated sea plots to women.

From Tides to Tables of Power

Some women are already pushing for reform from within. Amina Salim, 40, leads a women’s seaweed farming cooperative in Zanzibar and has become a vocal advocate for women’s rights in marine economies.

“I’ve sat in dusty classrooms and government offices to tell our story,” she says. “It’s not just about seaweed. It’s about survival. We are feeding our families, educating our children—and we deserve a better deal.”

Under her leadership, women have petitioned local authorities, secured training opportunities, and begun engaging in policy-making processes.

“We’ve come a long way,” Salim adds. “Five years ago, we had no voice. Today, the government is listening. They’ve promised designated farming zones and better tools. Now, we want action.”

A Sector Under Pressure

Zanzibar’s blue economy accounts for nearly 30 percent of the islands’ GDP and provides employment to one-third of its population. Yet experts warn that the sector’s sustainability is threatened by gender disparities and environmental degradation.

“Women have been sidelined in marine industries for decades,” says Dr. Nasra Bakari, a marine economist at the State University of Zanzibar. “If we empower them—through training, equipment, access to markets—the entire economy benefits.”

Bakari notes that community-driven conservation projects led by women, such as coral reef restoration and ecotourism, hold great promise for sustainable development.

“Let’s not forget—women know the ocean. They’ve worked these shores longer than most. We just need to meet them halfway.”

Charting a Climate-Resilient Path

At the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, Tanzania used the global platform to push for aquatic foods as a solution to hunger, climate resilience, and sustainable growth.

“Our survival is intimately tied to the ocean. It feeds us, it employs our people, and it holds the promise to lift millions out of poverty,” said Zanzibar’s Minister for Blue Economy and Fisheries, Shaaban Ali Othman, during a high-level panel discussion.

Highlighting the urgent need to manage marine resources responsibly, Othman detailed how Zanzibar’s blue economy policy has prioritized gender equity and climate adaptation.

“Communities in Zanzibar and along the Tanzanian coastline have fished for generations, but now we must ensure those practices are not just traditional but also sustainable and inclusive,” he said.

Othman also emphasized the importance of value addition and cold-chain infrastructure, noting post-harvest losses remain a major challenge.

“We are piloting aquatic food training centers aimed at supporting youth to acquire and apply climate-smart aquaculture skills, including sustainable pond farming and low-carbon feed techniques,” he said. “This is how we move from potential to prosperity.”

Expanding the Blue Horizon

In parallel, Zanzibar’s Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) initiative—supported by Norway—is mapping marine zones for tourism, shipping, conservation, and fishing. This aims to prevent resource conflicts and ensure environmental protection.

“It’s like a marine land use plan,” says Omar Abdalla, MSP coordinator. “We want to avoid conflicts and protect sensitive areas before they are damaged.”

Still, building trust remains a challenge.

“These maps are made by computers in offices,” says Salim Juma, a sea cucumber diver. “They should come underwater with us. See what’s really happening.”

Omar acknowledges the tension. “We are trying to combine science and traditional knowledge. It’s not easy. But we’re learning.”

Seaweed Innovation and Investment Opportunities

Zulekha Khamis, a 42-year-old farmer in Paje, is among 300 women testing new seaweed farming techniques using floating rafts suited for deeper waters.

“Before, we didn’t know what to do. But now we attend training. We know about climate change,” says Mariam Hamad, leader of the cooperative. “We are not just farmers. We are scientists in the water.”

The group also produces seaweed-based soaps and cosmetics, boosting income and self-reliance.

“We earn more now,” Hamad says. “Some of us can send children to school or build better houses.”

Yet the risk of donor dependency looms large. “If the support goes away, we will go back to struggling,” she cautions.

To address financing gaps, Zanzibar plans to launch a Blue Economy Investment Forum and a Blue Economy Incubator to connect entrepreneurs with ethical investors. But barriers remain.

“Banks don’t understand blue startups,” says Imani Kombo, a 29-year-old ecotourism entrepreneur. “We need patient capital that sees beyond profit.”

A Call for Inclusive Sustainability

Back in Jambiani, Juma ties her final line of seaweed to dry, her eyes on the sea.

“We’ve been patient with promises,” she says. “Now we need results.”

She dreams of building a small factory to process seaweed into cosmetics and health products. “We want to control the full value chain—from the sea to the shelf,” she adds.

As Zanzibar advances its blue economy agenda, the call from women is crystal clear: the sea may sustain life, but without equity and inclusion, the promise of prosperity will remain out of reach.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Children and adults receive treatment at a cholera treatment centre in Tawila, North Darfur. Credit: UNICEF/Mohammed Jamal

By Maximilian Malawista
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 25 2025 (IPS)

In Tawila, North Darfur State in Sudan, more than 1,180 cholera cases, including 300 cases in children, and at least 20 deaths have been reported since the first case was detected on June 21. Tawila has absorbed 500,000 internally displaced people who are escaping violence, many of them fleeing about seventy kilometers from the state capital of Al Fasher, making this rapid surge in cases a major health concern amidst worsening hygiene, medical, and food supply chain deteriorations.

Across all five of the Darfur States, the total cases have reached 2,140, with at least eighty deaths, as UNICEF reports as of July 30th. This, coupled with the intensifying conflict, now puts 640,000 children under age five at a heightened risk of violence, disease, and hunger. With largely exhausted food, clean water, medicine, and hygienic supplies, a deadly combination of lacking essential resources and lethal disease now create the perfect climate for an all-out epidemic. UNICEF now requires an additional 30.6 million USD to fund emergency cholera response operations to strengthen health, water, hygiene, and sanitation services.

Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan said: “Despite being preventable and easily treatable, cholera is ripping through Tawila and elsewhere in Darfur, threatening children’s lives, especially the youngest and most vulnerable.” He added: “We are working tirelessly with our partners on the ground to do everything we can to curb the spread and save lives – but the relentless violence is increasing the needs faster than we can meet them. We have and we continue to appeal for safe unimpeded access to urgently turn the tide and reach these children in need. They cannot wait a day longer.”

Logistical Difficulties

UNICEF has been using Port Sudan as a central logistics hub, where procurement and prepositioning are being conducted. Stocks of oral rehydration salts, IV fluid, water purification products, and hygiene kits are carefully monitored and released as soon as access allows. Access has been cut off by physical terrain, poor infrastructure, damaged or destroyed roads and bridges, disrupted communication networks, lack of power and fuel infrastructure, and even obtaining the necessary permits for delivery of supplies.

In North Darfur, hospitals are being bombed and health facilities have had to close due to proximity of fighting, which has severely limited access to healthcare. Lifesaving supplies such as vaccines and ready-to-use therapeutic food have also been depleted, and efforts to replenish supplies are becoming increasingly difficult as humanitarian aid access has been almost completely cut off. Aid convoys which do come are being looted or attacked.

Continued bureaucratic impediments have also deteriorated supply lines and services, which is compounding the already dangerous situation. Despite this, UNICEF is working on all fronts to address the outbreak, delivering life-saving equipment across sanitation, hygiene, water, health, and are increasing community engagement for better cooperation and communication.

UNICEF continues to call on the government and all other concerned parties to ensure safe, sustained and unimpeded accesses to reach children in Tawila and across the Darfur State in their mission to prevent the further loss of young lives. “These bureaucratic delays do not allow us to deliver at the scale and urgency required.”

30,000 people now have access to safe, clean, and chlorinated water daily, through UNICEF-supported water trucking, repaired water yards, and new water storage systems. Hygiene supplies have also helped 150,000 people in Daba Naira, in addition to chlorine tablets which are helping families treat their water.

To stop the cholera outbreak before it worsens, UNICEF is now preparing to deliver over 1.4 million oral cholera vaccine doses. They are working alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) and their other partners through the International Coordinating Group (ICG), to strengthen Cholera Treatment Centers and operations. Through these partnerships, UNICEF is managing vaccine procurement, cold chain logistics, and mobilization of local communities, while WHO and other partners are supporting technical guidance, surveillance, and campaign coordination, ensuring the most rapid and effective level of protection to the most vulnerable people. UNICEF has reported that these supplies would include cholera kits, soap, plastic sheeting and latrine slabs.

To support the large quantity of vaccines and medicine, UNICEF has supported the rehabilitation and the expansion of cold chain storage capacities. Such support includes the delivery of units of walk-in cold rooms, backup generators, and maintenance work on some of the cold chain structures. UNICEF has assured that this support has been provided on a national and state level, reaching the five Darfur states, in addition to the Kassala, Northern, Red Sea, and River Nile States.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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By Sudiksha Battineni
WASHINGTON DC, Aug 25 2025 (IPS)

Chad is one of the most extreme examples of energy poverty, with just 10% of the population connected to electricity, a rural electrification rate below 2%, and a global per capita electricity consumption rate that’s just 18% of the global average. This hinders its economic development.

So does its rapid population growth. Chad has one of the world’s fastest-growing populations; its 21 million people are expected to more than triple by the end of the century. Chad’s low educational attainment, with 38% of girls completed primary school, coupled with high rates of child marriage and fertility also pose problems for its development.

The World Bank is working on some of these fronts, including announcing a new agreement that will strengthen Chad’s education system, and launching Mission 300 in partnership with the African Development Bank to connect 300 million more people in Africa to electricity by 2030.

But these issues are all linked and can only be solved when they aren’t siloed. Affordable, clean energy for all is Sustainable Development Goal 7, which also relates to SDG 5, gender equity and women’s empowerment, which is preerequisite for lowering fertility and slowing population growth. Energy access is also interwoven with education (SDG 4), ending poverty (SDG 1), promoting health (SDG 3), fighting climate change (SDG 13), and the entire SDG agenda.

For example, energy poverty keeps hospitals from storing vaccines, people from starting businesses, and children from studying after sunset. It exacerbates the very inequalities that education seeks to combat, particularly gender inequality.

As a holistic way to redress it, women activists in energy-poor countries are promoting “feminist electrification” — explicitly designing energy investments to empower women as economic actors and consumers. This could include integrating family planning into energy rollouts, investing in women’s education, training, and leadership development, and including them in energy planning.

This perspective is currently lacking in Mission 300’s “energy compacts” — voluntary commitments outlining how countries, companies, and organizations affordable and clean energy for all. Chad’s National Energy Compact calls for adding connections for over 14 million more people, raising electricity access from 11% to 90% by 2030, achieving 46% access to clean cooking solutions by 2030, boosting renewables to 30% of total electricity generation, adding 866 MW of new capacity, and mobilizing $650.3 million in total investments, about one-third from the private sector.

The Compact addresses infrastructure, private sector engagement, and regulatory reform, but overlooks critical human dimensions of energy, including its intersection with gender equality and population growth.

For example, Chad’s high fertility rates result in large household sizes and increased energy demand for cooking, lighting, and other activities. Women manage most of the domestic energy needs, yet they generally aren’t part of energy decision-making.

Nearly all Chad’s rural households rely on wood for cooking, which devastates forests and exposes families to indoor air pollution that contributes to respiratory diseases. Clean cooking solutions, like LPG stoves or electric induction cookers, could transform these risks. But only if women can access, afford, and trust them.

Unmet family planning needs are accelerating Chad’s rapid population growth, which threatens to swamp any gains in energy access. With little education and few economic options, 61% of girls get married by age 18, part of the reason for Chad’s sky-high total fertility rate of 5.14 births per woman.

Fast population growth accelerates urban sprawl, drives deforestation for charcoal production, and makes it harder to extend grid infrastructure to meet energy demands.

For all these reasons, family planning and energy planning are connected. Chad can’t meet its Energy Compact targets without also setting and meeting goals for family planning and empowering women.

Feminist electrification would provide women with vocational training in solar installation, electric stove sales and maintenance, ensuring that clean energy solutions reach households while creating jobs for women and opportunity for self-determination, which universally tends to lower fertility rates. It would further the Compact’s goals of expanding decentralized renewable energy and fostering private investment by extending them to women.

Chad should revise its National Energy Compact to include a specific gender and demographics integration plan. It should require gender impact assessments for all new energy projects, track energy access outcomes by gender and income, and link electrification operations directly with family planning, health, and women’s economic empowerment initiatives.

Energy access is not just about how many kilowatts get generated; it’s about the human realities behind the numbers, and who shares the benefits of electricity. True access means that a woman in rural Chad can flip a switch, cook cleanly, breathe safely, and choose the size of her family.

That’s the kind of power Africa needs.

Sudiksha Battineni is a rising sophomore at Duke University and a Stanback Fellow at the Population Institute

IPS UN Bureau

 

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South Africa comfortably beat Brazil in Northampton, but the Women's Rugby World Cup debutants show "rugby matters" to Brazilians.

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The IPC confirmed famine conditions in Gaza City, Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. Credit: UNICEF/Mohammed Nateel

By Naureen Hossain
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 2025 (IPS)

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has officially declared that there is famine in Gaza. The world’s biggest food monitoring system raised its classification to Phase 5, the highest level on its food insecurity scale.

The latest IPC analysis – the sixth on the crisis in Gaza – confirms that as of mid-August famine is occurring in Gaza City and warns that by mid-September it will expand to Deir al Balah and Khan Younis. More than half a million Palestinians are facing “catastrophic levels” of hunger. It is estimated that by the end of September, more than 640,000 people will be living through “catastrophic conditions” without immediate, sustained intervention. Conditions in North Gaza and its population of 120,000 people are expected to be just as severe, yet limited data on the region prevented its inclusion in the report.

The IPC classifies famine when three thresholds have crossed over emergency levels: extreme food deprivation or starvation, acute malnutrition, and starvation-related deaths. This is the fifth famine confirmed by the IPC in the 21 years it has been in place. This is also the first time a famine has been confirmed in the Middle East.

“It is a famine on all of our watch. Everyone owns this. The Gaza Famine is the world’s famine,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General of Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. “It is a famine that asks, ‘but what did you do?’ A famine that will and must haunt us all. It is a predictable and preventable famine. A famine caused by cruelty, justified by revenge, enabled by indifference and sustained by complicity.”

“This is a moment of collective shame,” he told reporters in Geneva on Friday. “We all have to look back as the international community and think, where could we have gotten this in a different place? And we’ve watched it happen in real time.”

Major UN agencies are repeating their calls for an immediate ceasefire and unimpeded humanitarian access into Gaza. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), UNICEF, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are “[reinforcing] that famine must be stopped.”

Representatives from FAO, UNICEF and WFP also briefed reporters in New York on the latest IPC report. Rein Paulsen, FAO Director of the Office of Emergencies and Resilience, noted that IPC partners have raised warnings on the food insecurity situation in Gaza escalating due to the conflict over the last 22 months.

Among the key drivers of famine in Gaza, namely conflict, displacement, and restricted access to humanitarian and commercial supplies, Paulsen emphasized the collapse of food systems. Remarking that a society that had previously been self-sufficient in its food production now saw that much of its infrastructure and food sectors had been “decimated.” This has left people “almost entirely dependent on food aid.” He noted that all fishing activities had been banned and that 98.5 percent of all croplands in Gaza were either destroyed or inaccessible.

Children have been, tragically, the most visible proof of famine in Gaza. Since July, at least 13,000 children are acutely malnourished, and over 112 have died due to starvation. The prevalence of child malnutrition in Gaza City tripled between May and July and was a determining factor for famine.

“We see malnutrition accelerating at a catastrophic pace, and for many, far too many children, it’s already too late,” said Samir Elhawary, UNICEF Acting Deputy Director of Emergency Programmes. “… It’s important to emphasize that children are starving, not because food doesn’t exist, but because aid cannot reach them inside. They are additionally vulnerable as the health system is collapsing.”

The latest IPC analysis was conducted with 50 experts across 19 organizations. The UN officials stressed that information was pulled from a variety of sources, including assessments from partners on the ground, interviews, data collection, and even measuring the circumference of upper arms of children who are malnourished or suspected of being malnourished.

Jean-Martin Bauer, WFP Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Service, emphasized that it was critical to “safeguard information systems,” saying that “These are the systems that produce the evidence that we will need to understand the situation on the ground and to guide the humanitarian response.”

The Famine Review Committee (FRC), which acts as an independent quality control mechanism according to Paulsen and Bauer, validated the conclusions of the IPC analysis. Its role, therefore, is to ensure the “robustness and credibility” of the findings from the IPC. The FRC also released a detailed report on the conditions in Gaza, which includes recommendations on the steps that need to be taken to reverse famine conditions. This includes a call for decision-makers and resource partners to “act without delay” to enact a large-scale humanitarian response plan to prevent further suffering from an “entirely man-made catastrophe.”

“This declaration of famine is important because it puts a number on a problem that we’ve talked about for a long time. This is about the evidence that we have at hand,” said Bauer.

“We hope that this confirmation of famine makes a change. It needs to make a change,” said Paulsen. “And the recommendations for practical actions to help avoid further loss of life are listed in the reports and we really do hope there is now a greater will to act on those.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Following Achim Steiner’s June 2025 departure, the questions loom: Who will replace him? What sort of person does UNDP need? And why does it even matter? Credit: Shutterstock

By Felix Dodds and Chris Spence
SAN FRANCISCO, California / APEX, North Carolina, US, Aug 22 2025 (IPS)

In June this year, UNDP bade farewell to Achim Steiner. The ninth Administrator in UNDP’s history had completed a second four-year term in office.

Who will replace him? According to our sources, several strong candidates applied for the post by the June 9 deadline. Regional consultations are now taking place to figure out who will get the nod. In the meantime, UNDP’s deputy head, Haoliang Xu, has been serving as acting Administrator since June 17.

What sort of person does UNDP need? And why does it even matter?

 

Difficult Political World

The current political landscape has become widely polarized, marked by increased division and negativity, both within countries and globally. This is fueled by factors such as partisan polarization among policymakers and the electorate, as well as growing public dissatisfaction with the performance of democratic institutions and multilateral institutions. Some of this has been fueled by external forces seeking to undermine democracies; some of it is a result of bitter internal feuds and wide ideological differences.

The Global Risk 2025 World Economic Forum identified several risks:

• Declining optimism
• Deepening geopolitical and geoeconomic tensions
• A growing sense of societal fragmentation
• Environmental risks – from long-term concern to urgent reality
• Technological risks – considered still partially “under the radar”

Coupled to this, there is a shrinking in overseas development aid from Western countries and the impact of many regional conflicts, as well as the damaging legacy of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, and a slowing in progress global in terms of human development. Given this backdrop of global challenges and extreme uncertainty, the next leader of UNDP will certainly have their work cut out.

 

The Qualities of a Leader: The Times They Are A-Changin’

As the key decision-makers assess candidates, we hope “change management” is high on their list of qualities. With global geopolitics in a state of flux and UN funding under severe pressure, UNDP’s next leader will have to exhibit calm under pressure, an ability to build relationships across various political divides, and an aptitude for handling internal change management as the UN wrestles with its funding crisis.

Meanwhile, there is also a challenge over how UNDP should navigate its role vis-à-vis the World Bank and the growing involvement of various regional development banks in its sphere of work. Taken all together, this is a tall order.

We believe it is very important a future leader gets the internal changes right. UNDP’s remit is broad. From helping countries tackle poverty and inequality, to promoting sustainable development, human rights, women’s empowerment, and democratic governance, the role covers a lot of ground.

Who gets to decide who the new boss will be? Technically, the decision lies with the UN Secretary-General. However, his nomination requires confirmation by the UN General Assembly, and comes only after consulting with the UNDP Executive Board.

This board consists of representatives from 36 countries who serve on a rotating basis. Current board members include China, India, Brazil, Germany, Japan, the UK, and the US—some “heavy hitters” who will undoubtedly have a variety of strong views on the matter.

 

Possible Candidates

Candidates that are rumored to have applied include:

Jacinda Ardern (New Zealand): This one is (to the best of our knowledge) an unconfirmed rumor. But if selected, the well-known former Prime Minister of New Zealand would follow in the footsteps of Helen Clark, another former New Zealand leader, who served as UNDP head from 2009-2017. Although highly regarded, could Ardern’s left-of-center politics prove an obstacle in these fractured political times?

Alexander De Croo (Belgium): A politician of Europe’s center/center-right, this former Belgian Prime Minister is believed to have been nominated before the June deadline and is considered in-the-running for the job.

Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica): This former Vice President of Costa Rica has held several high-profile roles within the UN system, including Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She is from the National Liberation Party in Costa Rica, a social democratic party.

Izumi Nakamitsu (Japan): Japanese national Nakamitsu has a long history of involvement with the UN and is a seasoned diplomat. Currently, she serves as UN Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament.

Bård Vegar Solhjell (Norway): The Norwegian government has apparently nominated the former left-wing Environment Minister as its candidate. He was active in the “No to the EU” campaign in Norway.

Jens Christian Wandel (Denmark): Another candidate with a wide range of UN experience, Wandel was recently appointed a Special Adviser on Reforms to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, with responsibility for an internal review of current reforms and their implementation.

Chrysoula Zacharopoulou (France): A former French Minister of State for Development, Francophonie and International Partnerships, centrist politician Zacharopoulou is also being considered for the position.

 

Whoever is appointed will need to hit the ground running. Succeed, and UNDP’s role could be elevated in a way it arguably has not been since the 1990s. Fail, and the organization risks irrelevance at a time when it is needed more than ever.

Prof. Felix Dodds and Chris Spence have participated in UN environmental and sustainable development negotiations since the 1990s. Their latest book, Environmental Lobbying at the United Nations: A Guide to Protecting Our Planet, was published in June 2025.

Excerpt:

UNDP is looking for its next leader. Who should it be? Prof. Felix Dodds and Chris Spence look at the candidates and identify the qualities and characteristics a new leader should possess. 

Tom Fletcher, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and Emergency Relief Coordinator, speaks at the Commemoration Ceremony for World Humanitarian Day 2025, held at Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: UN Photo/Violaine Martin

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 2025 (IPS)

World Humanitarian Day (August 19) honors humanitarian aid workers, raises public awareness for humanitarian crises, and advocate for strengthened international cooperation. Through this year’s theme, A Call to #ActForHumanity, the United Nations underscored the need for increased funding for lifesaving humanitarian missions, stronger protections for aid personnel, and accountability for violations of international law.

“Humanitarian workers are the last lifeline for over 300 million people caught in conflict or disaster,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “Yet funding for that lifeline is drying up. And those who provide humanitarian aid are increasingly under attack…On this World Humanitarian Day, let’s honour the fallen with action: To protect every aid worker – and invest in their safety. To stop the lies that cost lives. To strengthen accountability and bring perpetrators to justice. To end arms flows to parties that violate international law”.

According to figures from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 2024 marked a record high for the number of humanitarian personnel deaths to date, with 383 killed while in the line of duty or in their homes. Another 308 workers were injured, 125 kidnapped, and 45 detained. Compared to the previous year, violence against aid workers rose significantly across 21 countries, with government forces being the most common perpetrators.

Humanitarian experts have expressed concern over the sharp rise in attacks targeting humanitarian workers in 2025, with an estimated 265 killed as of August 14. CARE International reports that this represents a 50 percent increase compared to the same period last year, warning that 2025 could surpass 2024’s record death toll if the trend continues.

“Even one attack against a humanitarian colleague is an attack on all of us and on the people we serve,” said Tom Fletcher, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator. “Attacks on this scale, with zero accountability, are a shameful indictment of international inaction and apathy…Violence against aid workers is not inevitable. It must end.”

According to figures from CARE, in 2025, roughly 97 percent of the killed aid workers were national staff. Since 2022, the number of aid workers killed annually has doubled, with this being largely attributed to increased attacks from the Israeli military in Gaza. In 2025, approximately 180 aid workers were killed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory alone.

Palestinian aid workers have not only faced targeted attacks but, like the rest of the population, struggle to access essential services, such as food, water and healthcare. Olga Cherevko from OCHA stated that aid workers in Palestine have “lost everything and several times over”, and face exhaustion from being overstretched and maneuvering in dangerous conditions. Additionally, many aid workers have reported facing significant access challenges due to hostilities. Samah, a malnutrition expert working for CARE in Deir Al-Balah described being unable to commute to work due to the threat of sniper fire at critical checkpoints.

Yuliia Hladka, Programme Manager at Winds of Change in Ukraine, stated that aid workers in Ukraine face regular threats of kidnapping and torture, with many also experiencing “profound psychological exhaustion”. Hladka added that aid workers in Ukraine also face risks of shellings, limited evacuation options during attacks, and increased surveillance. Female aid workers in Ukraine face heightened risks of harassment, which greatly impedes their ability to help children and victims of gender-based violence.

“We are witnessing a disturbing trend of blatant violations of international humanitarian law,” said Deepmala Mahla, CARE’s Global Humanitarian Director. “The perpetrators must be held to account, as well as the world leaders who have consistently failed to take sufficient action to prevent these attacks… Attempts to prevent humanitarians from doing our jobs are not only death sentences for aid staff but also for the people we are trying to assist”.

The UN emphasizes the importance of humanitarian assistance today, with many countries facing critical turning points in their humanitarian crises. The efficacy of humanitarian assistance is often challenged by the unpredictability of conflict zones, as well as numerous funding cuts and a vast, expanding scale of needs.

“Everyone’s still showing up (to work), but courage alone and commitment alone isn’t going to feed people, isn’t going to save people,” said Cherevko on the crisis in Gaza. “What we need is, again, a permanent ceasefire. We need political solutions to this conflict and a resolution to this crisis.”

According to the 2025 edition of OCHA’s Global Humanitarian Overview, approximately 305.1 million people in 72 countries rely on humanitarian assistance for survival. Roughly 4 out of 5 of all civilian deaths in conflict hotspots occurred in countries that have submitted humanitarian appeals. With food insecurity, displacement, and disease running rampant in these regions, it is imperative that there is a coordinated and unimpeded humanitarian response. For 2025, the UN has appealed for over 47 billion USD to assist over 190 million people in 72 countries.

Due to severe funding shortfalls from budget cuts, many lifesaving programs have been forced to scale back their efforts or prioritize the most urgent populations, leaving significant gaps unattended. Additionally, the lack of funding severely restricts flexibility in humanitarian responses, with strategies for anticipated emergencies and flash appeals being the most affected.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Least Developed Countries account for less than 1 percent of world trade. Credit: Ali Mkumbwa/Unsplash

By Deodat Maharaj
GEBZE, Türkiye, Aug 22 2025 (IPS)

Artificial intelligence and the use of frontier technologies are already transforming trade and boosting prosperity, particularly for developed and some developing countries. This ranges from the digital exchange of documents, the digitalisation of trade processes and leveraging online platforms to fast-track cross-border trade.

The rapid adoption of new technologies will further consolidate the dominance of world trade by developed economies, which currently account for roughly 74 percent of global trade, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The world’s 44 Least Developed Countries (LDCs), with a population of an estimated 1.4 billion people, are seeing a different trajectory altogether. According to the World Trade Organisation, they account for less than 1 percent of the world’s merchandise trade. LDCs continue to reel from the relentless onslaught of bad news, including increased protectionist barriers.

Deodat Maharaj, Managing Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries.

UNCTAD has estimated that tariffs on LDCs will have a devastating consequence, possibly leading to an estimated 54 percent reduction in the exports from the world’s poorest countries.

In this dire situation, exacerbated by declining overseas development assistance, what does an LDC do to survive in this difficult trade environment?

To start with, they must continue to advocate globally for fairer terms of trade. At the same time, they need to be more aggressive in addressing matters for which they have control. Otherwise, the status quo will leave their people in a perpetually disadvantageous situation. Imagine paying three times more than your competitors just to ship a single crate of goods across a border. For millions of entrepreneurs in the world’s LDCs, it is the everyday cost of doing business. Technology offers a way out in reducing these high costs.

Indeed, when the international community gathered in Sevilla for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in July 2025, one truth stood out: Technology is no longer a luxury—it is a prerequisite for effective participation in global trade. The outcome document was clear that for the world’s 44 LDCs, bridging infrastructure gaps, building domestic technological capacity, and leveraging science, technology, and innovation are vital to unlocking trade opportunities.

So, given the challenges and opportunities, what forms the core elements of an action agenda for LDCs to leverage trade to generate jobs and opportunities for their people?

Firstly, there is a need to pivot to digital solutions, which can dramatically reduce trade costs and open new markets. According to the World Bank, paperless customs and single-window systems have been proven to cut clearance times by up to 50 percent, reducing bureaucracy that stifles commerce. In Benin, automating port procedures reduced processing time from 18 days to just three days (World Bank). E-commerce platforms, when paired with secure payment systems and targeted training, have shown remarkable potential.

Secondly, invest in digital infrastructure. The data suggest that LDCs still have a lot of catching up to do. The solution is for development partners and the international financial institutions to steer more resources in this area with a fixed percentage of resources, say, 15 percent of a country’s portfolio dedicated to boosting digital infrastructure.

Thirdly, focus on value addition and reduce transition away from the export of raw commodities. This in turn requires the human resource capacity to spur innovation and creativity. Boosting investment in research and development can pay rich dividends.

According to the World Economic Forum, LDCs invest less than 1 percent of GDP in research and development compared to developed countries. The Republic of Korea invests 4%.

Finally, for LDCs to enter the technological age, their businesses must lead the way. It is difficult to do so in some countries like Burundi, where internet penetration is a mere 5 percent of the population. The average internet penetration is around 38 percent. So, in addition to digital infrastructure, support must be provided to micro-, small and medium-scale enterprises to benefit from the opportunities provided by technology to boost trade, thereby creating jobs and opportunities. This includes the establishment of incubators to support this business sector, boosting their technological capacities to trade and profile their businesses on digital platforms, and helping them to deliver services created by the digital economy. Rwanda has been a pioneer in this regard.

Of course, technology alone will not address all the challenges faced by LDCs. However, by delivering cost-efficient solutions, it can help level the playing field and drive transformation. It is time for the international community and development partners to back their words with action in helping LDCs advance this agenda. Since LDCs represent an emerging market of 1.4 billion people, when they rise, everyone else will rise with them.

Deodat Maharaj, a national of Trinidad and Tobago is the Managing Director of the United Nations Technology Bank for the Least Developed Countries and can be reached at: deodat.maharaj@un.org

 

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Credit: United Nations

By Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Aug 22 2025 (IPS)

A system-wide UN survey of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), described as “grave violations of human rights”, has revealed that in 2024, there were 675 allegations reported.

A UN message to staffers last week says this is “widely believed” to be “significant underreporting” because the real numbers may be much higher.

In 2023, 758 allegations were received, compared to 534 the previous year and 265 in 2018.

Of the 2023 figure, more than half, 384, were related to UN staff and affiliated personnel. The remainder concerned personnel from partners and non-UN military forces not under UN authority.

Risks increased significantly last year, with the unprecedented rise in humanitarian crises along with significant reductions in funding, especially in high-risk and complex contexts where the UN operates, according to the UN.

The deadline for this year’s survey has been extended through September 5.

In a message to staffers, the UN Special Coordinator on Improving UN Response to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, says: “We would like to thank everyone who has completed the survey so far – your engagement reflects your strong commitment to our values ensuring a safe, respectful environment free from sexual misconduct”.

“Your voice matters. We encourage those who have yet to complete the survey to take advantage of this brief extension period to express your views. Your voice is important in identifying the challenges and in helping to strengthen our collective efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse across the system.”

“Your feedback helps shape real change – last year’s inputs enabled targeted concrete actions to be taken to address specific instances of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment along with improvements to how we protect people from sexual misconduct.”

Why take part?

The UN says:

• “We use your input to make a difference in how we prevent and address sexual misconduct
• It’s confidential – all responses are anonymous
• It’s quick and easy – it takes just a few minutes of your time!
• It’s inclusive – once again, the survey is available in 7 languages (6 official UN languages and Portuguese), and we have updated survey language to ensure accessibility for both UN and NGO personnel.”

Although progress has been made since 2017 through the establishment of new frameworks, policies and procedures, says the UN, sexual exploitation and abuse continues to occur across the UN system, particularly with peacekeeping forces.

https://conduct.unmissions.org/resources

Asked for her comments, Shihana Mohamed, a founding member, and one of the Coordinators of the United Nations Asia Network for Diversity and Inclusion, told IPS UN-ANDI firmly opposes all forms of discrimination, abuse, racism, bias, and harassment – including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and the abuse of power and authority.

“Sexual exploitation and abuse in the UN system are not isolated incidents—they are symptoms of deeper, intersecting patterns of racism, bias, and entrenched power imbalances that silence victims and erode institutional trust,” she pointed out.

The UN-ANDI survey revealed that 17% of staff of Asian origin experienced harassment or discrimination, including threats, emotional abuse, and even physical assault. When over 60% report experiences of racism and more than half feel invisible in their workplaces, the message is clear: systemic discrimination fuels a culture where abuse persists, and justice is out of reach.

These figures are not just statistics—they are a clear indictment of a system where systemic discrimination fosters a culture in which abuse is normalized, and justice is routinely denied, she argued.

“As a global norm-setting body, the United Nations cannot afford to merely uphold a stance of zero tolerance. It must actively pursue a reality of zero occurrence—embedding accountability into both its policies and the conduct of its personnel at every level”.

Protecting dignity requires confronting not only individual misconduct, but also the structures and cultures that enable sexual exploitation and other abuses to persist.

Justice, equity, and safety cannot be aspirational values—they must be lived, enforced, and institutionalized, declared Mohamed, a Sri Lankan national and recipient of the Public Voices Fellowship on Advancing the Rights of Women and Girls – Equality Now.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters: “Our approach, which is centered on the rights and needs of victims, continues.”

“We are intensifying efforts to uphold the rights of victims, and to end impunity. This also includes engagement with Member States to facilitate the resolution of paternity claims.”

Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, MBE, Founder and CEO of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN), told IPS: It’s 25 years since the Windhoek conference and declaration, when member states and the UN pledged to end peacekeepers’ sexual abuse and exploitation of women and girls in the communities they are mandated to protect.

“We have had SCR 1325 (Security Council Resolution) and other security council resolutions. There have been countless practical recommendations to mitigate such abuses,” she said.

For example, there was a recommendation to take simple mouth swabs as DNA samples of any peacekeeping and UN personnel sent out. This way any allegations of SEA could be verified immediately. But the UN leadership rejected the recommendation at the time, citing the human rights and privacy concerns for the international staff, she pointed out.

Abusers are meant to be investigated and held accountable in their own home countries. But this rarely happens.

“Yet those countries continue to provide peacekeepers. Why? There should be a rule that any incidents of SEA prevents that member state from contributing troops – until the trainings and conditions are addressed nationally”.

“We in the WPS community have also long called for increased recruitment and deployment of women as peacekeepers. The evidence shows that having just 5% more women in missions, correlates with 50% reduction of SEA. But despite the Elsie Initiatives we still see too few women recruited or given the opportunity to serve.”

The bottom line: when there is no political will or leadership honor to address such issues, they stay unresolved.

The tragedy is two fold: On the one hand we have incidents of young women being subjected to exploitation, and longer term trauma and likely ostracism, with no recourse. Their protectors became their abusers.

On the other hand, by not preventing or holding accountable the few perpetrators, the system denigrates itself and the thousands of extraordinary men and women who have dedicated their lives to service and to the protection of others, she noted.

“It’s hard to understand. But it is indicative of the abrogation of care and responsibility. The UN needs to take a firmer stance with troop contributing countries. They need to shift the shame and fear away from victims and on to the perpetrators.”

Perhaps if the peacekeepers were told that in case of any allegations, their families– mothers, daughters, wives– back home would be informed, they would think twice about abusing or exploiting local residents during deployment to war torn countries.

In a February 2025 report, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says since 2017, “we have continued to devote considerable attention and effort to improving the way the sector addresses the issue”.

System-wide coordination structures, global standards, technical tools, training, improved reporting mechanisms, and increased country-level support and capacity have all contributed to enhancing prevention, response, and transparency.

“However, challenges persist, and we remain committed to addressing these”.

“Our approach, which prioritizes the rights and dignity of victims, remains a key objective of our strategy. Efforts are ongoing to ensure victims have a voice and better access to assistance and support”.

While the Trust Fund for Victims of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse has been invaluable, very little funding remains in it. The Secretary-General urges Member States to make available adequate and sustainable support for prevention efforts and for victims and their children. Addressing the underlying issues such as inequality, extreme poverty, and lack of rule of law is crucial to ending this scourge.

The report also highlights the UN’s efforts to end impunity and ensure justice for victims. The Secretary-General calls on Member States to address accountability robustly and resolve outstanding paternity cases without delay. He remains steadfast and committed to effectively tackling this issue with the support of Member States.

“We will keep pushing forwards on this important issue,” said Guterres.

https://docs.un.org/en/A/79/789

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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