ReportWire

Tag: Opinion

  • Following Asian Countries’ Leads, Climate Action Opportunity for Developing Nations

    Following Asian Countries’ Leads, Climate Action Opportunity for Developing Nations

    [ad_1]

    According to the UN, renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, emit little to no greenhouse gases, are readily available and in most cases cheaper than coal, oil or gas. Credit: UN
    • Opinion by Erik Solheim (oslo, norway)
    • Inter Press Service

    OSLO, Norway, Apr 06 (IPS) – In the deserts of Gujarat, something remarkable is happening. On my recent visit i saw hundreds of trucks moving under the warm Indian sun. Thousands of hardworking young people from all corners of Bharat, as Indians now often call their nation, are turning around the previously empty and harsh landscape.

    This is where the world’s largest combined solar and wind plant is coming up.

    When completed, it will produce 30 gigawatt of wonderful clean and green energy. That is as much as the total hydropower production of my home country Norway. We are 100% fueled by hydro in our net, a rich nation in a cold climate, consuming far too much energy.

    The Gujarat miracle is the work of the Adani Group. Gautam Adani told me his moving personal story. They were eight siblings living with parents in one room in Ahmedabad. There was no electricity so if he wished to study after dark he had to go outdoors, reading under the street lamps. At the age of 14, he left home and started business. Now he is one of the richest in India and very high on the global list also.

    Erik Solheim

    Gautam Adani made a lot of money in coal. Now he has enormous ambitions for renewables, supporting the policies of his friend prime minister Narendra Modi, turning the world’s largest nation – from grey to green. Adani is about delivery, not just talk.

    Move on to Indonesia.

    Last year, the second largest rain forest nation saw close to zero deforestation, an enormous service to Mother Earth. It happened because the Indonesian government put in place all the right policies for forest conservation and because Indonesian big business realized they can do fine without deforestation.

    Take for example, RGE (Royal Golden Eagle) Group, one of the world’s biggest paper and pulp companies. RGE has decided they will have no deforestation in their value chains. They can make their paper tissues, packaging materials, viscose clothes and the palm oil business without cutting virgin trees. RGE even protects a vast intact rain forest in the island of Sumatra. It does it well with fire brigades and helicopters on standby in case of any challenge.

    And of course – it’s China. China last year invested mindboggling 890 billion dollars in renewables. That’s as much as the total economy of Turkey or Switzerland. China last year added more solar energy in one year than the second biggest solar nation, the US, has done in its entire history.

    Chinese companies produced solar panels ten times the size of Norwegian hydropower and added well over half of all global wind or hydro energy. China accounts for 60% of the world’s metro lines, electric batteries and cars, 70 % of the high speed rail. More than 95% of all electric buses are running on Chinese roads. China is the indispensable nation for global climate action. No one can go green at an acceptable cost without China.

    What do India, Indonesia and China have in common?

    They are the three largest developing nations.

    At the climate talks in Glasgow and Dubai, and for sure also later this year in Baku, intellectually lazy negotiators and commentators speak as if the West is leading the world on the environment.

    They get it dead wrong. Europe was leading, ten years ago. Now it’s time the West starts learning. Asia is leading.

    India, Indonesia and China do not focus on climate only as a problem. Their leaders Modi, Xi and Prabowo see climate as an opportunity. Taking climate action make economic, not only ecological, sense. They can create jobs and prosperity, leave poverty behind, by going green.

    Ola, the Uber of India, captures this in a fun slogan “Tesla for the West, Ola for the rest”. They believe they can make high quality, low cost, electric scooters and later cars, capturing global markets.

    China had few stocks in the old automobile industry. When Western car makers were sleeping or even cheating on their emission records, China built the world’s dominant electric car ecosystem. BYD recently overtook Tesla as the largest electric car brand. CATL is the lead electric battery maker. Last year China passed Japan as the number one exporter of cars. Going electric makes perfect business as well as environment sense for China.

    For the first time in human history there is a green pathway to prosperity.

    The price for solar has fallen by 90% in a decade, mainly thanks to China. The price of wind energy nearly as much. For two hundred years after the Industrial revolution in the 1780s any nation which wanted to develop, could only do it through fossils. Now solar is cheaper than coal. Everywhere. A nation moving from coal to solar saves money. Going green is not a cost.

    In January, prime minister Modi launched an innovative program for ten million Indian homes installing roof top solar. The owner of the house register the interest digitally. The utility company, the state and the banks cover the risk, not the owner. The size is astonishing.

    The divide between these realities and the climate talks could hardly be wider. Last year in Dubai the focus was on loss and reparatioins. This is a completely fair demand, American emissions per capita up to today are 25 times Indian, 8 times the Chinese and the divide is even greater if we compare to Africa or small islands development states.

    No one should ever blame developing nations for the climate calamities.

    The weakness of this approach is however not that It’s not fair, but that it will not lead to the promised land. The money allotted by the West will be much below expectations, not even in the proximity of what is needed. Worse, the money distributed through global institutions will be slow, bureaucratic and often inadequate.

    There is much talk of reforms of the global financial institutions. There has been a lot of ideas about reform of the UN also. Not one meaningful reform has happened over the last decade. The world’s largest nation, soon to become the world’s third largest economy, India, is not even on the UN security council. Anyone looking for Indonesians in the UN or global institutions need to mobilize the CIA to find them !

    Reforms need support, but they will be slow, if at all they happen.

    I was minister of International Development of Norway for nearly seven years. We brought Norwegian aid to 1%, the highest in the world. But if development assistance was what created prosperity some African nations would be the most developed countries on earth. India, Indonesia and China, add Korea, Singapore or Vietnam, have received very limited aid. They have got access to markets and developed strong domestic states and industries. What would Korea be without Hyundai and Samsung? This is also how the green transformation will happen this century.

    The fast way to green developments run through private investment and the carbon markets, voluntary or not. This money is much larger and a lot more flexible and fast than aid. Any developing nation is best advised to build on domestic strengths and to tap into these capital flows.

    Admitted the Asian giants have a few advantages. They have strong states with development-oriented leaders dedicated to the green transformation. They have huge home markets. The populations of India, China and the African continent are largely the same.

    But India is one market from Tamil Nadu to Arunachal Pradesh and China one market from Guangdong to Heilongjiang. Africa comprises 54 separate states. When you succeed in the large and price conscious Indian or Chinese markets, the price is normally low and the quality high. That makes you globally competitive.

    Asia also has higher level of education and China a large highly educated working class.

    But still the green transformation is a huge opportunity more than a problem for developing nations. Going green now saves money. It makes it possible to leap frog into the renewable future without building the fossil infrastructure first. Even the poorest nations can develop a digital economy without putting up phone lines.

    The (limited) money which will flow from Western donors and from International institutions should resolutely be used to leverage private investment in solar, wind, hydropower and green industries. The anticipated risk investing in renewables in Congo is higher than in Vietnam. That difference must be covered by donor money.

    Only for climate adaptation purposes where there is no business model, we should turn to grants.

    I am looking forward to going to Baku. Maybe, it can be the watershed moment when the world realizes that in the 21st century Asian developing nations are providing the global green leadership? They have showed the world going green is an opportunity.

    Erik Solheim is a Norwegian diplomat and former politician. He served in the Norwegian government from 2005 to 2012 as Minister of International Development and Minister of the Environment, and as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme from 2016 to 2018

    IPS UN Bureau


    Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Endowment Funds Can Revolutionise Sarcoma Care in Developing Countries

    Endowment Funds Can Revolutionise Sarcoma Care in Developing Countries

    [ad_1]

    Kaposi’s sarcoma virus. The World Health Organization predicts a 60% rise in global cancer cases over the next two decades, with an 81% increase expected in low- and middle-income countries. Credit: Shutterstock.
    • Opinion by Nicholas Okumu (nairobi)
    • Inter Press Service

    NAIROBI, Apr 02 (IPS) – Despite global childhood cancer mortality rates dropping by half over the past 50 years, these promising statistics do not extend to Africa and the Global South, where limited resources mean that most cancers are diagnosed at advanced stages.

    Consequently, the region reports survival rates of as low as 15% for musculoskeletal sarcomas, a group of cancers that develop in the bones and soft tissues of the body, when it has spread to other areas of the body from the original location.

    Worse still, the World Health Organization predicts a 60% rise in global cancer cases over the next two decades, with an 81% increase expected in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). As a doctor specialising in the treatment of cancer, I am confronted daily with the realities of cancer care disparities.

    Consider, additionally, that LMICs have historically concentrated their limited healthcare resources on combating infectious diseases and improving maternal and child health, which formed the bulk of the disease burden. This focus has left healthcare systems unprepared to confront the growing burden of cancer.

    The infrastructure gap is undeniable. In 2019, over 90% of high-income countries reported comprehensive cancer treatment services readily available in their public health systems, compared to a mere 15% in low-income countries. This underscores the need for solutions that bridge the gap in cancer care quality.

    Each patient’s story is a vivid illustration of the profound inequities in our global healthcare system.

    Endowment funds offer a sustainable way to radically enhance cancer care in under-resourced regions. These funds are an investment portfolio that draws its initial capital from donations and thereafter—when managed effectively—becomes interminable.

    The aim is to create a financial foundation that supports a wide array of initiatives, including research, treatment, training, and infrastructural development, making equitable, high-quality care a reality for all.

    Examples can be drawn from the Aga Khan University Faculty of Health Sciences Endowment and the more famous Harvard Endowment. A large corpus of capital is invested, and the returns generated from that investment are then used to fund initiatives the endowment supports perpetually.

    The Aga Khan endowment, valued at approximately USD 63 million (PKR 1,151,195,960), supports academic posts, student scholarships, research, and patient welfare, ensuring long-term financial security for the university.

    Unlike project-based funding, endowment funds provide a steady income stream, ensuring long-term support for crucial healthcare initiatives.

    This financial stability empowers healthcare institutions to develop a resilient healthcare ecosystem, addressing immediate needs such as awareness campaigns and long-term goals, including specialist training programs.

    Additionally, endowment funds shift control from donor preferences to a targeted approach, as every dollar invested is directed towards initiatives with the most significant potential; therefore maximising the impact.

    Furthermore, through careful investment strategies, the corpus of the fund can grow over time, creating a perpetual source of funding for sarcoma care.

    This financial sustainability is particularly important for a chronic disease like sarcoma, where the need for funding is constant.
    The Kenya Cancer Policy 2019-2030 outlines a comprehensive strategy to address cancer control in Kenya.

    However, a significant funding gap of USD 399,991,000 over the next five years poses a challenge. Sarcomas represent approximately 5% of this funding requirement.

    Therefore, a Kenya Sarcoma Trust is envisaged to fill the staggering funding gap, estimated at $19.9 million over the next five years or 3.9 million dollars annually.

    By establishing an endowment fund of 39.4 million US dollars dedicated explicitly to sarcoma care and research, the trust aims to bridge the gap in sarcoma care experienced in Kenya.

    This model can be a precedent for how niche healthcare areas can be sustainably funded, empowering healthcare institutions to enact systemic changes and improve patient outcomes. Endowment funds can be diversified to support a broader range of healthcare initiatives in the future, but for now, tackling the significant burden of sarcoma is a crucial first step.

    Endowment funds represent a powerful form of innovative financing for healthcare in LMICs. They attract private sector investment and create a sustainable funding stream, aligning with recommendations from organisations urging increased private sector participation in health financing for these countries.

    This will form a considerable part of their corporate social responsibility/shared value and provide a new avenue for funding development as traditional donors grapple with dwindling resources.

    While endowment funds offer a promising solution, some concerns merit discussion. Establishing a large endowment fund requires a significant upfront investment.

    However, alternative fundraising strategies can be explored, such as phased approaches or targeted campaigns for wealthy individuals and organisations. Additionally, concerns about management expertise can be addressed by partnering with experienced financial institutions with a proven track record in managing endowment funds.

    The long-term nature of endowment funds shouldn’t overshadow their potential for immediate impact. Strategic allocation of initial investment returns and securing bridge funding through other means can address current needs.

    Finally, ethical considerations regarding a focus on specific diseases can be mitigated by using a similar model for other neglected diseases.

    Endowment funds can be diversified to support a broader range of healthcare initiatives.

    Transparency and accountability in managing the endowment fund are crucial to ensure public trust and continued support. Regulatory frameworks in developing countries must be adapted to facilitate the creation and management of endowment funds.

    A collaborative effort is essential to bridge the cancer care gap. Governments, private sector leaders, philanthropic organisations, and high-net-worth individuals must unite to support the creation of well-managed, transparent endowment funds dedicated to cancer care in LMICs.

    This innovative financing approach promises to make quality cancer treatment accessible to all, irrespective of geography, marking a step towards making hope a universal reality in the battle against cancer.

    Dr. Nicholas Okumu is an orthopedic surgeon heading the orthopedic oncology unit at the Kenyatta National Hospital and formerly the head of the department of orthopedics at the same institution. He is the CEO of Stratus Medical Imaging Solutions, a private health care provider in Nairobi. He is a 2024 Global Surgery Advocacy fellow.

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Shakira Thinks the “Barbie” Movie Is Emasculating — Here’s How She Missed the Point

    Shakira Thinks the “Barbie” Movie Is Emasculating — Here’s How She Missed the Point

    [ad_1]

    There’s no arguing that Shakira is a feminist icon. Entering the year on the heels of a very public split from her long-term partner and the father of her two sons, Gerard Piqué, she managed to take a painful experience and turn it into a shared triumph. Her latest studio album, “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran,” is a testament to independence and the strength that comes with it. It’s a sentiment that many, especially women, will be able to relate to. In her recent Allure cover interview published on April 1, Shakira delves into what that strength looks like and what it means to be a woman healing today. But one thing that stood out from the interview was the singer’s controversial take on another feminist pop culture pillar: the “Barbie” movie.

    Shakira shares her sons “absolutely hated” the film because they “felt it was emasculating.” “I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men,” the singer says.

    And while part of me understands that reaction, I cannot help but respectfully disagree with her. Feminism isn’t just a theory, it’s a practice, and different people practice it differently. Shakira not liking the “Barbie” movie doesn’t make her less of a feminist. However, her opinion of the film is one shared by a vocal minority, and one I’ve heard reiterated by a lot of men (and right-wing politicians like Ted Cruz), many of whom won’t even see a “girl’s movie.”

    So, as a man who not only thoroughly enjoyed “Barbie” but found the message to be more subtle than “men suck, women are better,” I wanted to examine how so many people could misconstrue Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s script. For starters, the movie doesn’t portray men as bubbly and shallow characters just for the sake of emasculating them. The movie portrays them as what they are: victims. The Kens have been robbed of any real agency and opportunity to be anything more than eye candy by Barbieland’s matriarchy, a system that, conversely, places women in every major role throughout society. Sound familiar? It is the exact opposite of a patriarchy and yet still manages to achieve the same results: oppression of the opposite sex.

    Yes, much of the Kens’ dilemma and ensuing takeover of Barbieland sees the dumb dial turned up to the max — taking the piss out of machismo culture. But at its core, it’s a commentary on the importance of being valued on a societal level. At every corner, the Kens are marginalized in the society they serve. This puts them at odds with the Barbies — not with women. Instead, the Kens’ struggle is meant to parallel the struggle women experience in real life. It also shows how patriarchy can be destructive for the men it empowers.

    By adopting patriarchy, the Kens rope themselves into accepting the often rigid criteria to which men must conform to be considered manly. Hence, the overabundance of cowboy hats, trucks, horses, and Mojo Dojo Casa Houses, regardless of whether or not the individual Ken has an affinity for these things. They gain power, yes, but they are still denied individuality, only this time by their own hand.

    Shakira mentions that “men have their purpose too” and that “she wants her sons to feel powerful . . . while respecting women.” But this is exactly the note the movie ends on. For the first time, the Kens are allowed to decide what their role in society will be. And for the first time, it won’t be centered around supporting the Barbies’ wants or needs, but instead on what they want for themselves.

    But what about the notion that the movie “emasculates” the men? Sure, the Kens could have had more depth than having “beach” as a job, but I don’t think it would have been as funny or as effective an allegory for the loss of agency that comes with oppression. I didn’t find it emasculating. But I do find the uproar around it telling.

    As an afropuertorriqueño, I don’t often benefit from narrative plurality, or the existence of a multitude of films, shows, or other media that showcase my people in a variety of different roles and perspectives. But as a man? Absolutely, I do. I can turn on my TV right now and find a movie about a badass killing machine who loves dogs (“John Wick”), a show about a physically lacking, neglected child who uses his wits to outsmart and outlive multiple empires (“Game of Thrones”), a movie about a reluctant savior who inherits his mother’s magic and his father’s kingdom and uses both to become a literal fucking messiah (“Dune”), and the list goes on. Narrative plurality means that there are enough positive depictions of characters like us that the negative depictions don’t hold as much weight. Or at least you’d think.

    But you make one movie in which the men — or in this case the Kens — are portrayed as superficial accessories in constant competition for the affections of a woman and have no purpose other than to service her desires, and it undoes all the rest of it. Perhaps, in the same vein, we should consider the impact of the negative portrayals of women and people of color on screen.

    Johanna Ferreira is the content director for POPSUGAR Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity. .

    [ad_2]

    Miguel Machado

    Source link

  • Ahead of UN Summit of the Future, Mobilizing Youth for Change

    Ahead of UN Summit of the Future, Mobilizing Youth for Change

    [ad_1]

    A panel discussion with Kaoru Nemoto, director of the United Nations Information Center, and other youth representatives including Yuki Tokuda, co-founder of GeNuine(Extreme right) delved into nuclear weapons and climate change.
    • Opinion by Katsuhiro Asagiri (tokyo, japan)
    • Inter Press Service

    TOKYO, Japan, Mar 27 (IPS) – In a significant precursor to the United Nations Summit of the Future slated for September, the “Future Action Festival” convened at Tokyo’s National Stadium on March 24, drawing a crowd of approximately 66,000 attendees and reaching over half a million viewers via live streaming. The event, a collaborative effort by youth and citizen groups, aimed to foster a deeper understanding and proactive stance among young people on nuclear disarmament and climate change solutions.

    The festival featured interactive quizzes displayed on large screens, offering attendees a collective learning experience about the complex global crises currently challenging the international community. Additionally, a panel discussion with Kaoru Nemoto, director of the United Nations Information Center, and other youth representatives delved into nuclear weapons and climate change, facilitating a deeper exploration of these pressing issues. Adding to the event’s poignancy, performances included one by the “A-bombed Piano,” a relic from Hiroshima that endured the atomic bombing, and others that highlighted the value of peace through music and dances, reinforcing the call for action and solidarity as agents of change.

    A panel discussion with Kaoru Nemoto, director of the United Nations Information Center, and other youth representatives including Yuki Tokuda, co-founder of GeNuine(Extreme right) delved into nuclear weapons and climate change.

    Central to the festival’s impact were the insights shared by a participant of the panel discussion like Yuki Tokuda, co-founder of GeNuine, who shared her insights from a “youth awareness survey” conducted before the event. “The survey revealed that over 80% of young respondents felt their voices were not being heard,” she explained. “This suggests a systemic issue, not merely a matter of personal perception, which is discouraging the younger generation from engaging with vital issues.”

    Despite this, the massive turnout at the festival offered a glimmer of hope. “The presence of 66,000 like-minded individuals here today signals that change is possible. Together, we can reshape the system and forge a future that aligns with our aspirations,” Tokuda remarked, emphasizing the power of collective action and the importance of carrying forward the momentum generated by the festival.

    Equally compelling was the narrative shared by Yuki Tominaga, who captivated the audience with her dance performance at the event. “I have always been deeply inspired by my late grandmother’s life as a storyteller sharing her experiences of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima.” Tominaga shared. “My grandmother would begin her account with her own experiences of the bombing but then expand her narrative to include her visits to places like India and Pakistan, countries with nuclear arsenals, and regions afflicted by poverty and conflict where landmines remain a deadly legacy. She emphasized that the tragedy of Hiroshima is an ongoing story, urging us to spread the message of peace to future generations.”

    Yuki Tominaga, a third generation Hibakusha from Hiroshima, continues her grandmothers legacy while using her passin for dance as a medium to communicate about peace and Hiroshima bombing. Credit: Yukie Asagiri, INPS Japan

    Reflecting on her grandmother’s profound impact, Tominaga continued, “I once doubted my ability to continue her legacy; her words seemed irreplaceable. But she encouraged me, saying, ‘Do what you’re able to spread peace.’ That inspired me to use my passion for dance as a medium to communicate about peace and the Hiroshima bombing. I aim to serve as a conduit between the survivors of the atomic bomb and today’s youth, making peace discussions engaging and accessible through dance.”

    The “Youth Attitude Survey,” which garnered responses from 119,925 individuals across Japan, revealed a striking consensus: over 90% of young people expressed a desire to contribute to a better society. Yet, they also acknowledged feeling marginalized from the decision-making processes. The survey illuminated young people’s readiness to transform their awareness into action, despite prevailing sentiments of exclusion.

    This enthusiasm and potential for change have not gone unnoticed by the international community. High-profile supporters, including Felipe Paullier, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs, Orlando Bloom, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, and Melissa Park, Executive Director of ICAN, have all voiced their encouragement, recognizing young people’s crucial role in driving global advancements in sustainability and peace.

    The upcoming UN Summit of the Future offers a pivotal platform for youth engagement, with the “Joint Statement” released by the festival’s Organizing Committee—encompassing key areas like climate crisis resolution, nuclear disarmament, youth participation in decision-making, and UN reform—serving as a testament to the collective will to influence global policies. Tshilidzi Marwala, the Rector of the United Nations University and UN Under-Secretary-General acknowledged the vital importance of young voices in shaping the summit’s agenda, urging them to be “a beacon of hope and a driving force for change.”

    As the world gears up for the UN Summit of the Future, the Future Action Festival stands as a powerful reminder of the impact of youth-led initiatives and collective action in addressing the world’s most pressing challenges. Through education, advocacy, and direct engagement, the festival not only spotlighted the urgent need for action on nuclear disarmament and the climate crisis but also showcased the potential of an informed, engaged, and motivated youth to effect meaningful global change.

    IPS UN Bureau


    Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • OPINION: With financial aid processes more broken than ever, here’s what families can do – The Hechinger Report

    OPINION: With financial aid processes more broken than ever, here’s what families can do – The Hechinger Report

    [ad_1]

    The federal government’s financial aid application, known as the FAFSA, has been plagued with problems since its new version launched December 30, three months late. This is a major problem for the more than 70 percent of undergraduates who rely on some type of financial aid to pay for their education, because they’ll have less time than ever to make a decision about one of the biggest expenses of their lives.

    What can parents do? The best first step is one that’s often the hardest for parents: Start a conversation about what you can afford. Research has shown that middle-class families rarely discuss the trade-offs and uncertainties related to paying for college, even though an honest conversation may prevent future financial headaches and relational heartache. The biggest reason? Parents may not want to burden their children with financial worries.

    As a researcher at uAspire, a nonprofit that tries to help students learn about and access financial aid, I find that concerning. But I know how hard these discussions can be.

    My own family didn’t talk about how we’d pay for college more than 25 years ago. I remember when the promissory notes arrived at my house, on green postcards, written in a tiny font size. I didn’t ask a single person what they meant, and no one in my family explained them to me — I just signed and mailed them back. Loans appeared to offer a bridge from my high school reality to an independent, adult life far from home. What I didn’t realize is how many of my future choices would be limited for the next 21 years, until those loans were finally paid off. Making room in my postcollege budget for loan payments affected where I could afford to live, how many hours I had to work, how often I could eat out, whether I could afford to travel to a friend’s wedding and whether I could donate to charities, among other choices.

    Related: ‘Simpler’ FAFSA complicates college plans for students, families

    Of course, the amount of financial damage I could do to myself back then was more limited than it would be now. Tuition charges alone have more than tripled at my alma mater, Northwestern University, since I was a student, rising from less than $20,000 a year in 1998 to nearly $65,000 this past fall.

    FAFSA Fiasco

    This op-ed is part of a package of opinion pieces The Hechinger Report is running that focus on solutions to the new FAFSA’s troubled rollout.

    To muster the bravery for a financial talk, it may help parents to know that this process is complicated for every family. The FAFSA — the first step in a lengthy process to unlock grants, loans, work-study and other forms of financial aid — has been imperfect since its inception in 1992. This new version promises to be simpler and award Pell Grants to over 600,000 more students from low-income families — major policy wins. Yet families largely have not found FAFSA to be simpler. It’s improving, but the growing pains are being felt by students and parents everywhere.

    That’s why it is so imperative for families to talk now, while there is still time to listen, share and make a plan, before placing a deposit somewhere.

    Once you do start talking, the conversation with your child should cover a few things: What can our family afford to pay up front to start college? What sources — savings, or a part-time job, for example — can your child rely on for day-to-day expenses during college? And what can they comfortably pay back later based on their expected employment earnings?

    Related: OPINION: I’m a college access professional. I had no idea filling out the new FAFSA would be so tough

    There are other things you can do, too. First, complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Second, review the financial aid offers once they arrive — even though they will likely arrive later than usual this year — and make sure you understand the different types of aid being offered.

    My organization offers a free tool — a college cost calculator — to compare notoriously confusing aid offers. Since fewer than half of the students who begin a bachelor’s degree will graduate within four years, choose an institution with the most sustainable financing plan, one you could manage for up to six years. Browse government websites like Federal Student Aid and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or industry sites like NerdWallet, to learn about the pros and cons of different types of education loans before accepting any. The Institute of Student Loan Advisors can offer advice if you have questions about loan repayment, including forgiveness and consolidation. Appeal your aid offer if your financial situation has changed dramatically since what was captured by your 2022 tax return; resources on the SwiftStudent website can help you get started.

    Of course, these are all individual actions to mitigate the effects of our broken system. Until there’s true change in how we pay for college, students and their families must be vigilant and proactive — starting now.

    Jonathan Lewis is the senior director of research at uAspire, a nonprofit group that works to ensure students have the necessary financial information and resources to complete college.

    This story about parents and FAFSA was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s newsletter.

    The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. But that doesn’t mean it’s free to produce. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. Help us keep doing that.

    Join us today.

    [ad_2]

    Jonathan Lewis

    Source link

  • OPINION: School counselors can’t undo the FAFSA mess on their own. We need a national movement right now – The Hechinger Report

    OPINION: School counselors can’t undo the FAFSA mess on their own. We need a national movement right now – The Hechinger Report

    [ad_1]

    As of today, we are over 30 percent behind last year in FAFSA filings. If we do not mobilize as a college access community, we are at risk of losing thousands of students from the pipeline to higher education.

    The culprit? The difficult revised FAFSA process. Many public school counselors have told me that their students are frustrated and waiting until next year to apply.

    News coverage of the disastrous new FAFSA rollout and the Education Department’s unprecedented delays in sending FAFSA data to institutions has detailed everything that went wrong. What hasn’t been covered is the potential impact this could have on the nation, what we can do to mitigate some of the unintended consequences or what we all must do right now to help.

    There is no time to waste. We need a national movement to get students in the pipeline to higher education. Every single person reading this article should share this link that details state-by-state workshops, events and tools to help students complete their FAFSA.

    Share this resource with places of worship and local community centers, at school board meetings and beyond. If you engage with a high school senior on the bus, on the metro or elsewhere in your local community, ask them, “Have you filled out your FAFSA yet?”

    Related: COLUMN: The FAFSA fiasco could roll back years of progress. It must be fixed immediately

    We know students who complete the FAFSA are more likely to continue their education. We need them to complete their FAFSA and matriculate now, before they’re out of reach.

    During the height of COVID, we lost over a million students from the pipeline to higher education. This is on top of our already declining high school-age population. Losing more students will mean we’ll have a significant shortfall in the number of young adults with degrees.

    This has serious implications for the future workforce, economic mobility for individuals, economic stability for communities and America’s ability to compete on a global stage.

    This also has serious implications for institutions of higher education. Many colleges depend on the revenue students bring with them. When the college enrollment population declines, college revenues decline.

    FAFSA Fiasco

    This op-ed is part of a package of opinion pieces The Hechinger Report is running that focus on solutions to the new FAFSA’s troubled rollout.

    A small, rural college president told me recently that the FAFSA debacle has the potential to put their school out of business. If the school loses even just a few students, they won’t make payroll.

    We simply can’t afford to lose more students. School counselors can’t do this work alone. We need your help.

    We need a coalition of FAFSA champions committed to helping us close the gap in application filings. Better yet, if you are a college access professional, host your own FAFSA workshop and invite students and families from your local community.

    And we need to move quickly. The new FAFSA process is creating delays in financial aid offers even for students who have already completed the form, and most schools’ decision deadlines are looming. Many colleges, however, want to help relieve the anxiety students and families are feeling and are willing to extend deadlines. Our National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) directory lists institutions that have moved their enrollment decision deadlines.

    Students need as much support and flexibility as possible right now, and shifted deadlines give them some breathing room to weigh their options — this is the largest financial decision of their young lives. While we have several hundred schools on our list, students and families need more schools to extend their deadlines.

    Giving students the time and space to make the best decision for themselves is not only the right move ethically, but also a consumer protection issue.

    We wouldn’t commit to buying a home without knowing the full price, so we shouldn’t require or expect students to commit to a college without knowing what they will have to pay.

    I also know that our school counseling and advising community has been significantly impacted by the FAFSA rollout. Our counselors are exhausted, confused and frustrated.

    They feel powerless and want to do everything they can to help their students. Many of them realize that they are going to have to work through the summer to help their students complete the process, but due to the politics of contract negotiations, many of them won’t be able to work into the summer to support their students.

    I recently sent a letter to the Secretary of Education calling on him to remind federal grantees of allowable uses of federal funds that support college-going. Our school counselors and advisers cannot be expected to work for free, and we need them now more than ever.

    Let’s shine a light on this issue by sharing our support for school counselor contract extensions with our school principals, superintendents, district leaders and boards.

    Without the expertise of our counseling community, students could make bad decisions.

    Related: OPINION: I’m a college access professional. I had no idea filling out the new FAFSA would be so tough

    Finally, extending grace to each other is one of the most important actions we can take.

    I have found that in crisis, our college access community tends to turn on each other. The anger is understandable, but we need to channel that energy toward creative, action-oriented solutions.

    If we don’t work together, our students lose. Let’s give grace to colleges whose financial aid awards are late this year, to counselors who may make mistakes as they navigate an unprecedented process and to students who may be delayed in getting their information where it needs to go.

    The future of our nation is at risk, so let’s work collaboratively with strategy, intention and grace as we steer our young people toward their best future.

    Angel B. Pérez is the CEO of the National Association for College Admission Counseling and represents over 27,000 admission and counseling professionals worldwide committed to postsecondary access and success.

    This story about the new FAFSA process was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s newsletter.

    The Hechinger Report provides in-depth, fact-based, unbiased reporting on education that is free to all readers. But that doesn’t mean it’s free to produce. Our work keeps educators and the public informed about pressing issues at schools and on campuses throughout the country. We tell the whole story, even when the details are inconvenient. Help us keep doing that.

    Join us today.

    [ad_2]

    Angel B. Pérez

    Source link

  • Rodriguez: Real-life immigration narratives ‘look past the poll numbers’

    Rodriguez: Real-life immigration narratives ‘look past the poll numbers’

    [ad_1]

    Immigration is no doubt a major issue in the U.S. Recent polls in Massachusetts raise a concern that immigration is a “problem but not an emergency.” When we look at family-based immigration, it is an emergency for U.S. families separated by this complex immigration system. The U.S. immigration system consists of harsh regulations for American families who have family that are from abroad.

    Real life narratives can be a way to look past poll numbers. Lived experiences provide a voice beyond the numbers and provide details to each person’s unique situation. As a first-generation graduate and U.S.-born American citizen, I have lived the narrative. Not knowing that our broken immigration system elicits harsh penalties that American citizens must face that are driven by the U.S. immigration system when marrying a non-American citizen. Dealing with family separation in hopes of overall family reunification and overcoming immense hardship is not the America that I know. I am the wife, daughter, granddaughter, and what the media identifies as the “hero.”  My elder mother requires assistance but due to the U.S. immigration system I am left without my family being united. I have dedicated immense time in my education and have held positions as educator, nurse, and other roles in public health. I have outreached to many communities in collaboration in health promotion efforts. I am, in many cases, the voice of others who rely on public health advocates. Yet, I see unfair and unequal treatment living as an American citizen. Living day in and day out now knowing when I can be fully reunited with my family puts immense heaviness and despair on each day and does not support me to flourish as an American citizen.

    Filing paperwork to follow through with the family immigration process has turned into a tragic path leading to the unknown. Bringing your spouse to the U.S. can be done by initially filing the I 130. This process that was initiated in 2021, continues to be in the dark with lack of transparency. This long process has not only caused family separation, loss of family time, hardship, grief, and despair.

    When I learned about American Families United, I also learned that I am not alone. Reading stories and watching videos about families separated like mine. I realized, citizens like me are living without their spouse because of the harsh immigration regulations. These regulations can separate spouses and children for years and even a lifetime. Just this past November, thousands held a rally in Washington in support of U.S.-citizen families. The rally included families and congressmen and was a positive contribution towards advocating for humane immigration regulations.

    The article, “Poll Shows Voters Locked in on Immigration,”  does bring noteworthy poll results, including support for work visas. I urge congressmen to continue to assist as a voice in support of American Families to remove barriers for families to be united. Keeping American families together is emergent and must be brought to the forefront to be addressed. As our election is upcoming quickly, I kindly ask that you keep advocating for American families to remain united together. Reach out to your representative to bring this to light and help to uncover these issues of immigration from its silence!

    Dr. Dyanne Rodriguez, RN, is a 2022 Brain Health Equity Fellow and her work as a public health nurse leader includes a focus on education, healthcare systems, health promotion and outreach. She earned her MPH from the University of Alaska Anchorage and DNP from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Dr. Rodriguez is an active community member and Massachusetts resident.

    [ad_2]

    Dyanne Rodriguez

    Source link

  • Mandel: Nothing brings a split country together like March Madness. Enjoy it

    Mandel: Nothing brings a split country together like March Madness. Enjoy it

    [ad_1]

    You can find more of The Athletic’s coverage of the men’s NCAA Tournament here and women’s NCAA Tournament here. Follow live coverage of the 2024 men’s NCAA Tournament second round

    On Wednesday, I boarded a flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas for the explicit purpose of watching college basketball.

    Not to attend an actual basketball game, mind you. Those flights were headed to Omaha, Neb., and Charlotte, N.C. In my case, I am spending several hundred dollars for the privilege of sitting (or standing) in various sportsbooks and viewing parties to watch NCAA Tournament games that are readily available on the television in my living room.

    If the inflated hotel prices and $250 tickets for reserved seating are any indication, hundreds of thousands of other sports fans are doing the same.

    Betting is presumably the draw for many of them, but these days you don’t need to fly to Vegas to place a sports bet. Alcohol consumption may be another, but that, too, is readily available for far less than a plane ticket.

    The allure of Vegas for March Madness is much the same as it is for millions of people who fill out brackets and cheer their heads off for schools and players they’d never heard of two hours earlier. It’s because the NCAA Tournament is one our country’s increasingly rare communal experiences.

    In this polarizing time, when even the most innocuous subject can become cause for outrage, there’s still one thing folks from all parts of the country enjoy equally: rooting for the underdog. There aren’t two sides to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson knocking off No. 1 seed Purdue (unless you’re a Purdue fan). There is no political agenda behind Saint Peter’s upsetting Kentucky.

    It is nothing but pure, sheer joy to spend two hours watching a team of complete unknowns who play most of their games in front of 800 people take on a bunch of future pros from a power conference and come out the victor. Or when, with a team’s season on the line, 19-year-old sophomores drain a 3-point buzzer-beater to etch themselves into “One Shining Moment” lore for the rest of their lives.

    No other sporting event manages to deliver so many indelible moments year after year after year. Sure, there are “upsets” in pro sports. But the New York Giants beating the New England Patriots in a Super Bowl is ultimately one team full of multimillionaires beating another. Not exactly Oral Roberts beating Ohio State.

    College football has had its share of Cinderella moments, like Appalachian State stunning Michigan or Boise State toppling Oklahoma. But when it comes to the biggest games at the end of the season, it’s almost always Alabama, Georgia or Michigan beating another Alabama, Georgia or Michigan.

    The NBA has LeBron, Giannis and Jokić. But it doesn’t have Sister Jean.

    But most of all, in all of these sports, there are no teams that the entire country gets behind. People don’t suddenly morph into Philadelphia Eagles fans once the NFL playoffs begin. But if you’ve ever been in an arena where the No. 13 seed is still hanging around in the second half, then you know well the buzz of 20,000 people suddenly turning into rabid Furman fans for the rest of the game.

    The only thing to compare it to is events like the World Cup or the Olympics, when a U.S. team or athlete is competing. But even the women’s national soccer team has become politicized, and the men mostly cause collective angst for being so mediocre. And chances are you don’t even remember the names of most of the gold medalists from the last Olympics.

    Whereas every college basketball fan remembers forever the likes of Bryce Drew, Tyus Edney and Kris Jenkins.

    Which brings me back to Vegas. Though it doesn’t have to be Vegas. It could be your local Buffalo Wild Wings. Or your neighborhood dive bar. Or a close enough sports bar to sneak away to on your lunch break.

    March Madness is the one sporting event best enjoyed in the company of others. Riding the roller coaster of scoring droughts and momentum swings in a room full of other captivated viewers as your Final Four pick tries to survive a first-round scare. High-fiving random people around you if Vermont sinks a 3-pointer to go up by nine on Duke.

    Or racing around the room screaming and hugging strangers if some kid from Long Beach State lays one up at the buzzer to take down Arizona.

    Enjoy the flight — wherever it takes you.

    Get ready for March Madness:

    (Photo: Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

    [ad_2]

    The New York Times

    Source link

  • Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World in the Context of Zimbabwe?

    Reimagining Cooperation in a Polarized World in the Context of Zimbabwe?

    [ad_1]

    • Opinion by Ayodele Odusola (harare, zimbabwe)
    • Inter Press Service

    HARARE, Zimbabwe, Mar 21 (IPS) – This year’s UNDP Global Human Development Report (HDR) marks a dramatic shift away from the cautious optimism espoused in the HDR just four years ago: despite reaching a new high, the Global Human Development Index now evolves meaningfully below the 2019 trend – threatening to make global development losses permanent.

    Perhaps for citizens of many countries, it is easy to see why this would be the case. In our relentlessly interconnected world, citizens bear witness to dangerous geopolitical quagmires; unpredictable climate shocks threaten everyday livelihoods; and the world still struggles with the human consequences of insecurity and inequality in nearly every form.

    It is because of these inequalities – at least – that every Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country has rebounded to recover to its pre-2019 Human Development Index trend – yet only about half of the world’s Least Developed Countries have done so.

    That is, while wealthier countries recover, much of rest of the world has lost – and remains below – the encouraging trajectory countries had once experienced before 2019.

    Can I surprise the reader by saying not all is doom and gloom?

    Twenty five (25) of the African countries recovered to their pre-COVID-19 trend.

    Further, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Human Development Index for Zimbabwe rose from 0.549 in 2021 to 0.550 in 2022 (the closer this number stands to 1.0, the higher the level of human capability and individual choice). This result puts Zimbabwe in Medium Human Development category.

    Still, although Zimbabwe increased in HDI value – and was ranked 159 out of 193 countries – its ranking dropped by 13 points between 2021 and 2022, implying that 13 countries (including Angola, Cameroon, Comoros, Kenya, Solomon Islands, and Zambia) outperformed Zimbabwe in improving their levels of human capability in 2022.

    This notwithstanding, Zimbabwe is ranked 22nd in Africa, along with Uganda. It is also one of the best 10 countries in Africa on mean years of schooling – and one of the best 15 in Gender Development Index with a value of 0.936 out of 1.0.

    To build on successes and even further advance Zimbabwe’s development, there remains quite a lot we can do.

    The United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP) in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe, is making significant strides towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Zimbabwe, with real successes in areas of food security (SDG2), health and wellbeing (SDG3), access to energy (SDG7), and building resilience (a cross-cutting issue) across the SDGs.

    Towards eliminating hunger, UNDP and the Government of Zimbabwe have supported over 40,000 farmers in southern Zimbabwe with climate-smart crop varieties, producing nutritious produce resistant to climate stress.

    These efforts have produced yields as high as 74% beyond traditional harvest levels, supported by new climate-change informed infrastructure, such as automatic weather stations, rain gauges, hydro stations, and irrigation facilities – with over 1.1 million beneficiaries.

    This partnership has also established 230 Farmer Field Schools to establish peer-to-peer learning between smallholder farmers.

    Further, an ongoing partnership has ensured that 98% of Zimbabwe’s 1.3 million people living with HIV are currently on Anti-Retroviral Therapy, while 1,044 health facilities have now installed solar power, including 447 solarized boreholes to supply safe water. In terms of staffing, 25,000 critical health workers are now on paid retention to provide support, along with 6,606 village health workers.

    Additional government partnerships led to the installation of a 152 kilowatt solar minigrid system with lithium battery storage in Binge and Chipinge, as well as 150 biogas digesters to facilitate safer, environmentally-friendly cooking. Existing boreholes are now equipped with solar pumps and improved water storage, while 100 vulnerable households now have solar household lighting.

    Programmes to build resilience in Zimbabwean communities trained thousands of people on new vocational skills, provided affordable financial services to smallholders, and supported livestock management to over 85,000 farmers – investing dramatically to improve the quality of life with the support of our development partners.

    These achievements are all thanks to the partnership and collaboration among the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Global Fund, and UNDP Zimbabwe, as well as strategic collaboration with the European Union, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and the governments of Sweden and Denmark.

    While these efforts constitute solid progress, of course more must be done.

    One major challenge that development partners must confront is the “chilling effect” the debt arrears – and other economic conditions – have had on Foreign Direct Investments. I want to commend the 2024 Budget of the Government of Zimbabwe that committed $55 million to deal with issues relating to the Global Compensation Deed and Bilateral Investment Protection and Promotion Agreements.

    Committed implementation of the budgetary provision and improved governance across all levels of government are all key to accelerating progress on clearing debt arrears.

    While UNDP and its Government partners have cooperated in a Structured Dialogue Platform to decrease debt and increase Zimbabwe’s fiscal health, more must be done by creditors to clear Zimbabwe of these external debt arrears. Rolling back the arrears, placing the country towards a financially healthy condition, would signify the kind of risk reduction that appeals to private investment.

    To this end, the Government alone cannot achieve the SDGs. Instead, a whole-of-society approach is central to their achievement. The private sector must be aggressively engaged to profitably invest in Zimbabwe’s development, offering sustainable opportunities to build upon the above achievements, scaling up the kinds of successes that dramatically advance achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Towards providing all stakeholders – including the general public – with valuable services and constructive information, Zimbabwe’s CSOs and media houses have a valuable role to play, as well.

    Too many opportunities for progress exist to be disheartened. As always, we have solutions as well as problems – and our own dedication, hard work, and ingenuity remain key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

    Dr. Ayodele Odusola is UNDP Zimbabwe Resident Representative.

    These are Algeria, Botswana, Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Congo (Democratic Republic), Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, Niger, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda

    IPS UN Bureau


    Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • How A Program in Ghana to Create Green Jobs Can Be a Lesson for US Mayors & Across the Globe

    How A Program in Ghana to Create Green Jobs Can Be a Lesson for US Mayors & Across the Globe

    [ad_1]

    • Opinion by Elizabeth K. T. Sackey, Vittoria Zanuso (accra / new york)
    • Inter Press Service

    ACCRA / NEW YORK, Mar 19 (IPS) – For the past eight years, Chiso has collected waste as part of Accra’s informal waste management sector. Since arriving in Ghana from Nigeria, he has earned enough to allow him and his family to survive, but saving money has been nearly impossible.

    For Chiso, accessing the formal labor market has been challenging due to factors like obtaining a national ID. Without access to a formal job, Chiso has no negotiating power, leaving him at the mercy of fluctuating market prices and aggressive competitors, jeopardizing his health and livelihood.

    For years, Accra has faced two concurrent trends: the arrival of displaced people like Chiso into the city from elsewhere in the country and West Africa, and a growing need for workers in green jobs to make the city cleaner, healthier and safer. Many displaced people in Accra, like most other cities, struggle to find good-paying jobs.

    At the same time, Accra grapples with improper waste management – the World Bank estimates that around 20,000 Ghanaians die prematurely each year from poor water, sanitation and hygiene, most of them living in Accra,

    Teaming up with the Mayors Migration Council, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly devised a solution to tackle both of these issues at once, and turn what could be seen as a challenge into the opportunity to build a greener, more inclusive city: we would help migrant workers enroll in formal waste cooperatives, while helping fill gaps in the city’s waste management value chain.

    Since the program’s launch last year with support from the Global Cities Fund for Migrants and Refugees, we’ve successfully established a cooperative of 40 waste workers and assisted over 250 people in situations similar to Chiso’s register for national health insurance.

    We also convened national and city authorities to advocate for nationwide policy changes to make it easier for migrants to access jobs by simplifying requirements for national identification and other services.

    And we’re alleviating the daily strains that migrants in Accra face, such as creating a child care center in a major hub for informal waste workers to provide safe spaces for children away from the hazardous sites where their parents work.

    This program not only demonstrates what happens when funds are given directly to the governments closest to the people, but also illustrates how migrants can fill employment gaps, contributing to greener and more inclusive cities. And it can be done anywhere in the world – including in the U.S.

    Like Ghana, many cities have large numbers of migrants eager to work in the formal economy, coupled with a shortage of workers to take on green jobs. In the U.S. this is particularly the case following recent investments from the Inflation Reduction Act that will boost the green labor market with more than 1.5 million new clean energy jobs by 2030.

    Given the large scale of labor demands, this could result in a worker shortage. But migrant workers could play an important role in accelerating the green transition by filling skills gaps and labor needs like those that are expected in the U.S. in the next few years. We believe that mayors across the U.S. and the globe could also develop win-win programs that match migrants who want to work with jobs that cities need to fill.

    Several U.S. mayors for example, including Mayor Ron Nirenberg in San Antonio, Mayor Kate Gallego in Phoenix, Mayor Karen Bass in Los Angeles, Mayor Mike Johnson in Denver, and Mayor Brandon Johnson in Chicago, have already been champions for migrants in their communities.

    In these cities, migrants constitute a large proportion of the workforce in rapidly growing green industries like waste management and manufacturing.

    As the number of migrants and displaced individuals seeking refuge in cities continues to rise in the U.S. and worldwide, there’s a need to support the mayors embracing them as active contributors to the transition to a green economy. Despite doing more with less, mayors often lack access to the funding and resources needed to implement solutions like Accra’s at scale.

    Accra’s green jobs program serves as a model for the effectiveness of directly funding mayors who know their cities’ needs and opportunities best. We call on the philanthropic community to join us and lead by example by localizing their giving and investing directly in cities, and we call on mayors across the world to consider how they can create win-win opportunities for migrants and their city’s economies.

    Elizabeth K. T. Sackey is Mayor of Accra, Ghana and Vittoria Zanuso is Executive Director of the Mayors Migration Council.

    IPS UN Bureau


    Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Keeler: NCAA Tournament selection committees did CU Buffs, CSU Rams dirty

    Keeler: NCAA Tournament selection committees did CU Buffs, CSU Rams dirty

    [ad_1]

    BOULDER — The NCAA still can’t read a room. But man, can they ever kill one.

    Kindyll Wetta and her teammates on the CU women’s basketball team were belles of the ball inside the Dal Ward Center. You shoulda seen it. Balloons. Cheerleaders. Catering. One of the sweetest pep rallies to grace the Touchdown Club since Coach Prime got injected into the Buffs’ bloodstream here some 16 months ago.

    As the NCAA Tournament brackets came on the screen, the party hushed. Then when Kansas State came up as a 4 seed and as a host for the first weekend of the women’s Big Dance, it sank.

    “It’s definitely a bummer for me because I wanted to play at home and I wanted to be in front of my family,” Wetta, the firebrand of a Buffs guard and former Valor Christian star, told me after CU found out its first stop in Bracketville would be as a 5 seed opposite K-State in the Little Apple of Manhattan, Kan. “I thought this year we really had a great shot of doing that. It’s disappointing in that sense.”

    There was a lot of that going around here Sunday night. The mood was even less jovial a few hours earlier up in Fort Collins, where the men’s selection committee decided to take its annual dose of stupid out on the Mountain West as a whole — and on the Rams in particular.

    Want a laugh? Committee member Bubba Cunningham contended on CBS that teams selected from the Mountain West, save for San Diego State, got strapped to double-digit seedings because their best wins were over one another.

    “(That) made it more challenging for us,” Cunningham explained.

    Not half as challenging, apparently, as trying to stay up past 10 p.m. Eastern to do homework on teams west of Lincoln. Poor guy.

    At least five teams — lookin’ at you, Oregon, NC State and New Mexico — “stole” bids from more worthy at-larges by winning their respective conference tourneys. But any ‘S’ curve that’s got CSU as the “last team in” gets an automatic F.

    Do you watch the games, Bubba? Or do you watch “X” and Instagram and hope for the best? CSU beat Creighton by 21 on a neutral court. The Jays were slotted as a No. 3 seed Sunday. The Rammies (24-10) were unveiled as a 10.

    Boise State, who’ll take on Tad Boyle’s CU men on Wednesday night, beat Saint Mary’s on a semi-neutral floor by three. The Gaels are dancing as a 5 seed. The Broncos, like CSU and CU, are a 10 seed having to scrap their way over to the Big Kids’ Bracket by winning in Dayton first.

    “To be honest, I was really surprised how most of the Mountain West was seeded,” stunned CSU coach Niko Medved, who’ll face Virginia on Tuesday in Ohio, told reporters.

    “But you know what? That’s fine. They always disrespect our league. And now it’s time to go out and do something about it.”

    Amen. If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Cavaliers (23-10), on paper, are certainly in the Rammies’ weight class. For one thing, unlike Michigan in 2022, UVa doesn’t have a Hunter Dickinson down low, taking up a duplex’s worth of space in the paint. On the surface, it’s the irresistible force (CSU’s shooters) against the immovable object (Tony Bennett’s trademark tire-iron defense), a classic Clark Kellogg “contrast-in-styles” scrum between a Rams offense ranked 42nd nationally by KenPom.com in adjusted offensive efficiency and a Cavs D that’s seventh in adjusted defense. If you’re hopping over to Dayton, take the under and take your pizza square-cut.

    If the Oppenheimers on the men’s committee dinged CSU for its 4-7 mark away from Moby Madness, their counterparts on the women’s side docked the Buffs (22-9) for losing six of their last eight, including a maddening, come-from-ahead loss to Oregon State in the Pac-12 tourney.

    In March, you make your own luck. The Buffs women — despite being one of the best draws in all of college basketball, male or female — didn’t.

    “I mean, (it’s) definitely frustrating,” Wetta said. “But like (Coach JR Payne) said, you can’t dwell on that, because (now) it’s completely different conferences, completely different teams, styles of play.”

    CU women’s basketball players react to being selected as the fifth seed for the NCAA tournament during a watch party in the Touchdown Club at Dal Ward at the University of Colorado at Boulder in Boulder, Colorado on March 17, 2024. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)

    [ad_2]

    Sean Keeler

    Source link

  • Africans Can Solve the Disease that Haunts Us Heres How

    Africans Can Solve the Disease that Haunts Us Heres How

    [ad_1]

    It is critical that African scientists tackle African problems, and the reasons extend beyond access. Credit: Jeffrey Moyo/IPS.
    • Opinion by Khisi Mdluli (boston, us)
    • Inter Press Service

    BOSTON, US, Mar 15 (IPS) – I was born in Brakpan, Johannesburg, South Africa, and grew up in eSwatini (known then as Swaziland). People in these two countries share one predominantfear: unemployment. Other worries in these countries and others in the region include unwanted pregnancies, low income and food safety. The diseases that are dreaded the most are cancer and diabetes. Feared infectious diseases include HIV-AIDS, COVID and cholera.

    Even though South Africa and eSwatini are among the more than two dozen African countries with a high burden of either tuberculosis (TB), drug-resistant TB or HIV/TB co-infections, TB is not feared in the same way, even though it is the disease that haunts my people the most.

    So many are affected on the African continent by TB, which hits the young and vibrant the hardest in our region and in the world. Eswatini joins the seven most populous sub-Saharan African countries — Ethiopia, DR Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Tanzania — where TB hits the 25-34 and 35-44 age brackets especially hard.

    It is not just the years of life that this disease takes away from us, but also the future leadership and economic productivity of our countries. I see this even within my own family, with one niece currently being treated for TB and another niece having survived drug-resistant TB a few years back.

    World TB Day is March 24, a day when we will hear about ending TB by 2030 — even though it is a disease that has been with us forever. With only six years left, that goal seems too distant. To achieve this goal, we need better awareness, yes. But we also need Africans to be fully engaged with the rest of the world, which includes conducting drug discovery and development research for TB in Africa.

    Most of the current TB drugs, like the drugs for most diseases that affect Africans, are developed by companies in high-income countries. We saw what that meant in the delayed rate at which lifesaving COVID vaccines reached African countries; the high-income countries that helped develop the vaccines received them much faster.

    This is why, for the Gates Medical Research Institute’s trials testing investigational treatments or vaccine candidates, the relationships that we establish with the trial sites in Africa and elsewhere are meant to support those facilities when they eventually take the lead on future trials.

    It is critical that African scientists tackle African problems, and the reasons extend beyond access. Local scientists have a better understanding of the social fabric and context threatened by diseases like TB; they understand which solutions could be adopted and embraced and which will remain on the shelf.

    In September 2023, the United Nations held a High-Level Meeting where member states agreed to boost the amount of funding for TB research by a fivefold increase by 2027 — but no guidelines on geography were placed on this pledge.

    More than 90% of current funding for TB R&D currently comes from North America and Europe, and most of those funds stay in the high-income countries, and train and develop and indeed employ scientists in the high-income countries. Of the high-burden countries, only India has an investment in the field large enough to be noted — at 1.9% of the total global funding.

    Funding specifically earmarked for TB (and antimicrobial resistance) research in Africa would ensure that more of it takes place on African soil. Funding is needed to build appropriately equipped research and production infrastructure, much like the new mRNA vaccine facility being built in Rwanda.

    Such facilities would be staffed with African scientists, who would get opportunities to expand their basic and applied research skills. The H3D Research Centre at the University of Cape Town, led by Dr. Kelly Chibale, is one example of how successful African ingenuity can be, with four patents already filed.

    Together with the much-needed funding from Africa’s better-resourced foreign partners in high-income countries, African governments should incentivize African businesses, African foundations and charities, and high-net-worth Africans to build African Research Institutes to train, develop and employ African scientists.

    Developing medicines for diseases like TB that are killing African youth and stunting Africa’s economic growth should be everyone’s priority, in Africa and the world.

    It is critically important that such efforts are not tied to immediate profits, as this leads to disappointment and ends with dwindling funds for research.

    Drug discovery is a “long and winding road” that begins with building talent and infrastructure and expanding the critical mass of well-trained drug developers. Investment in biomedical research should be for the sake of expanding biomedical knowledge and training young scientists; the discoveries and the profits will follow.

    The timing couldn’t be more appropriate than now as new futuristic technologies — including artificial intelligence, machine learning and high-speed connectivity — are entering the drug development arena.

    We can now see a point when the health profile and the life expectancy of people in Africa could be comparable to the rest of the world. Africa and the world should be guided by the belief that all lives have equal value and that health equality is ensured for everyone, on all continents.

    Khisimuzi (Khisi) Mdluli, PhD, is a TB Drug Scientist and a Discovery Project Leader at the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute (Gates MRI).

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Pollution a Threat To Our Groundwater Resources

    Pollution a Threat To Our Groundwater Resources

    [ad_1]

    In the SADC region, the state of groundwater pollution is a growing concern. Credit: Isaiah Esipisu/IPS
    • Opinion by Thokozani Dlamini (pretoria, south africa)
    • Inter Press Service

    PRETORIA, South Africa, Mar 12 (IPS) – Groundwater pollution significantly affects the prevalence of waterborne diseases. This form of pollution occurs when hazardous substances, such as pathogens, chemicals, and heavy metals, seep into underground aquifers, the primary source of drinking water for approximately 70% of the 250 million people living in the SADC region.

    The consumption of contaminated groundwater can lead to a host of health issues, including gastrointestinal infections, cholera, dysentery, and other serious illnesses. Addressing this issue is crucial for safeguarding public health and maintaining the integrity of ecosystems that depend on clean groundwater.

    “The link between contaminated groundwater and waterborne diseases underscores the urgency of protecting these vital water resources. To mitigate these dangers, concerted efforts are required to prevent pollutant infiltration, monitor water quality, and enhance water treatment facilities”, said Gerald Mundondwa, SADC-GMI Senior Groundwater Specialist.

    The challenge is amplified by the fact that once groundwater is polluted, remediation is often a complex and costly process.

    As National Groundwater Awareness Week brings attention to this critical resource, we must confront the challenges threatening it, particularly groundwater pollution. This complex environmental issue carries significant health risks for humans and detrimental consequences for ecosystems. Various activities drive pollution, such as the extensive application of pesticides and fertilizers in agriculture, which introduces harmful chemicals into the aquifers.

    Additionally, the inadequate disposal of hazardous substances, leaks from subterranean tanks and pipelines, and landfill leachate can introduce toxins into groundwater reserves.

    Addressing these challenges is pivotal for the preservation of groundwater quality and the prevention of the dire ecological and health repercussions associated with its contamination.

    Eng. James Sauramba – SADC-GMI Executive Director believes that groundwater contamination is indeed a persistent problem that can endure for years, making remediation efforts challenging and costly. The process of purifying contaminated groundwater is fraught with difficulties and substantial expenses, partly due to the inaccessibility and vast spread of aquifers.

    In the SADC region, the state of groundwater pollution is a growing concern as it poses a significant threat to the region’s ecosystem and the health of millions of people who rely on groundwater as their primary source of drinking water. Globally it is estimated that groundwater sources provide 43% of all water used for irrigation.

    To tackle groundwater pollution efficiently, a multifaceted approach is essential—one that brings together the concerted efforts of various stakeholders. This includes governments, industries, communities, and environmental organizations, all working in harmony to develop and implement sustainable practices and robust regulations.

    Preventative measures are also crucial, as they are typically more cost-effective and practical than attempting to restore already-polluted groundwater to a safe state. Collaboration and comprehensive planning are the keys to ensuring the long-term protection and purity of our invaluable groundwater resources.

    Indeed, individual actions play a crucial role in reducing groundwater pollution. By being mindful of the way, we handle and dispose of waste, we can each help to protect this critical resource.

    Here are some practical steps that individuals can take to minimize their impact on groundwater quality:

    Ensure proper disposal of hazardous waste: Chemicals should never be poured down the drain or onto the ground, as they can seep into groundwater. Hazardous waste should be disposed of at designated collection sites.

    Inspect and maintain underground tanks: Regular testing for leaks in underground oil tanks is essential. Consider replacing underground tanks with above-ground tanks to prevent leaks into the soil that could reach the groundwater.

    Practice safe storage of hazardous materials: Store fuels and chemicals in secure containers and designated safe areas to avoid accidental spills.

    Use chemicals responsibly: When using pesticides, fertilizers, or other chemicals, follow the instructions carefully, and apply them in the recommended amounts to prevent excess from entering the groundwater.

    Maintain septic systems: Have septic systems pumped and inspected every five years to prevent malfunctions that could lead to groundwater contamination.

    Monitor private wells: For those with private wells, it’s important to inspect the immediate surrounding area for potential contamination sources and test well water regularly, especially if there is a heightened risk of pollution.

    By adopting these practices, individuals can make substantial contributions to protecting groundwater from pollution, ultimately safeguarding our health and the environment.

    Thokozani Dlamini is SADC-GMI Communication and Knowledge Management Specialist

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Like Lily Allen, I tried to ‘have it all’ – here’s how I learned to live my best ‘70% life’ instead

    Like Lily Allen, I tried to ‘have it all’ – here’s how I learned to live my best ‘70% life’ instead

    [ad_1]

    Lily Allen, GLAMOUR’s Theatre Actor of the Year, has spoken out about the pressure women feel to “have it all.” She says, “I get really annoyed when people say you can have it all because, quite frankly, you can’t.” It’s a sentiment that many women will identify with – not least GLAMOUR’s European Editorial Director, Deborah Joseph.

    Back in 2019, Deborah realised that trying to be a superwoman was bad for her mental health, so she started consciously dropping balls and had a life revelation. And so the ‘70% life’ was born. Here, we revisit her essay about how she ditched the pressure to have it all…

    It was on a wintry November evening – 7.08 pm, to be precise – that I reached my tipping point. I opened my front door after a particularly full-on week at work as Editor-In-Chief of GLAMOUR, ready to lie on my couch and crack open a bottle of rosé (yes, I drink it all year round).

    Suddenly, I was hit with a wave of screeching. My two eldest children – then aged seven and five – were fighting hysterically over the TV remote, and my three-year-old was lying on the hallway floor, throwing an almighty tantrum. At that moment, my phone pinged. It was a text from my neighbour: ‘I can hear a lot of screaming. Have you locked one of your children in their bedroom?’ My husband, also harassed after an equally stressful week at work, then asked me, “What should we have for dinner?” Needless to say, I snapped.

    Without even looking behind me, I walked right back out of the door, jumped into my car and spent two hours driving aimlessly around north London, Smooth Radio on, trying to calm my frazzled nerves. The truth? I was burned out. I hadn’t been sleeping well for months. I couldn’t concentrate. My eyesight had become fuzzy. To the outside world, my life looked like one to envy. Friends and colleagues told me: “You’re a superwoman.” Inside, I felt I was failing at everything. And with so much expectation – mine and other people’s – on my shoulders, I just couldn’t cope.

    As I sat in my car, not even crying, just in shock, I tried to process everything. The life I was leading was the one I had been taught to aim for: to be successful at my job, a supportive wife, a present and loving mother, a good friend, a homemaker, a devoted sister and daughter, to stay fit so that I could wear the clothes that I loved, and, in recent years, to keep up an interesting social-media presence for work.

    From my feminist-leaning school (Emmeline Pankhurst’s daughter went there) to my mother, who told me never to rely on a man and always earn my own money (incredible, I’m aware, to many young millennial women, that this was ever in question), these expectations and messages were subconsciously imprinted on my brain.

    [ad_2]

    Deborah Joseph

    Source link

  • Letters: Russell Wilson wasn’t the problem. Here’s who should have been sacked.

    Letters: Russell Wilson wasn’t the problem. Here’s who should have been sacked.

    [ad_1]

    Russell Wilson wasn’t the problem

    Re: “Broncos releasing QB Russell Wilson, team announces, making expected move official after disappointing two-year run,” March 4 news story

    From the sidelines – in sacking Russell Wilson — the Broncos and Denver lost not only a great QB, but very decent and genuine human beings, both he and his family. The fault lies not with Wilson but with Sean Payton and his inability to coach the talent he had at his disposal. And quality talent it was. They should have dumped Payton. The very best to Wilson and his family. Would it not be the height of irony if he lands with a team that knocks Denver out of Super Bowl competition?

    Steven Turner, Aurora

    Transition to renewables is more than fast enough

    Re: “Colorado’s renewable energy transition too slow,” March 2 letter to the editor

    I disagree with the letter writer’s opinion that Colorado’s clean energy transition is too slow.  I don’t believe the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s data support his argument.

    Yes, Iowa produces more wind power than Colorado. It also operates a fleet of coal plants. In November 2023, Iowa’s coal power consumption per capita equaled Colorado’s. In 2022, Iowa’s and Colorado’s power sectors produced roughly the same amount of CO2 emissions, but Colorado has twice the population.

    [ad_2]

    DP Opinion

    Source link

  • Letters: How are these two “old farts” America’s only options?

    Letters: How are these two “old farts” America’s only options?

    [ad_1]

    2024 election is stuck in loop from 2020

    Well, it looks like it’ll come down to the same song and dance this November with Donald Trump and Joe Biden. I’m really angry that both parties couldn’t find stronger, better, younger candidates than these old farts! Don’t these two have lives like normal older people who want to retire and spend time with family, travel, or just relax? Or is it just the egomaniacal want for power that they just keep on (and on and on)?

    I don’t want either one of them again, but I really can’t stand another four years of constant anxiety, dreading reading the daily news and seeing that loud, obnoxious Trump spouting off every single day. And that’s not even to mention his numerous financial litigations and sexual scandals that he is currently in court for!

    What a world we live in.

    Liz Boswell, Denver

    It looks like we’re stuck with the so-called match-up “nobody wants.” The GOP is stuck with “the mouth” and the Dems are stuck with cartoon dummy “Walter” look alike. I still can’t believe that out of the 350 million plus people in this country, we can’t come up with two truly qualified people to run for POTUS. Since these knuckleheads ran against each other back in 2020, we haven’t learned anything.

    Yes, I voted for Donald Trump against Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, but not because I wanted him; it was because I couldn’t see either of those other two in office.

    If we have the 2020 rematch, I won’t be voting for president at all. I’ll vote for everything else on the ballot. I honestly believe that the leaders of both parties created the “mouth” that Trump has become — granted, he always had a big egotistical mouth. All the top dogs in the GOP, starting with the Bushes, John McCain, and Mitt Romney, wouldn’t support his election. He had to fight for everything with opposition from all corners; it’s no wonder he turned into someone I would no longer support for the next election.

    I also find it hard to believe that after so many times Biden was rejected for the nomination by the Democrats, they couldn’t find a better nominee back then. As far as I’m concerned, neither one of them would make a pimple on Richard Nixon’s butt.

    Peter Beckley, Aurora

    Goody. In 2024, Americans are now facing a repeat of the delightful 2020 presidential election, only this time the Packard with a hole in its muffler will have 810,000 miles on it, and the Edsel that leaks oil everywhere will have 780,000.

    Some choice.

    Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch

    Who is calling whom “ideological”

    Re: “Which Colorado Republicans will carry Trump’s bromance for Putin to Congress?” March 3 commentary

    It’s laughable to hear liberals like Doug Friednash pining for Ronald Reagan in his approach to Russia and insulting Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson, respectively, for their “bromance” and “propaganda” with Putin. I often hear liberals say they want a Republican from years ago, like Reagan or Ike, while not pining for Democrats like Walter Mondale or Jimmy Carter. Are they dishonest, or do they genuinely not realize that times and issues change?

    For Friednash to call Russia “ideological” shows him to be uninformed. Russia isn’t communist, and it’s hard to know what their ideology is other than authoritarianism and social conservatism. That’s the case in most of the non-western world. Russia and China are famously hands-off about the governance in countries they deal with. China is criticized for apathy in Africa, where they have mining concessions. They extract minerals, pay royalties, and don’t give political lectures. Russia’s Wagner group recently replaced French anti-terrorism forces in Niger and Mali, likely due to French political interference regarding corruption. Wagner doesn’t care.

    Ironically, it’s now the U.S. as the ideological actor on the world stage. We fly pride flags at embassies and meddle in LGBTQ, diversity and immigration issues. That’s why we’re finding it hard to recruit allies in the developing world against Russia. Friednash implicitly recognizes this with several references to LGBTQ rights in Russia. That’s what “our democracy” now means and why he hates Putin.

    The reality is that this war could have been prevented if we had merely agreed not to admit Ukraine into NATO. In February of ’22, I remember distinctly U.S. officials making comments about our commitment to a rules based order where countries can choose their allies and security partners. Who’s the ideologue? Making enemies and risking WWIII for pride flags and Drag Queen Story Hour is foolish.

    Jim Hemenway, Niwot

    Editor’s note: Hemenway is a candidate for Colorado’s 7th Congressional District.

    A tale of two classified-documents leakers

    Re: “Pentagon leaker pleads guilty, faces 11-plus years in prison,” March 5 news story

    On Tuesday, there was an article about the Massachusetts Air National Guard member who leaked highly classified documents and shared them with other users on a social media platform. He pled guilty and will serve up to 17 years.

    We have a candidate running for president who removed many boxes of highly classified documents from the White House when he previously served as president. This classified information was available to many people who visited his place of business and residence as it was not kept in a secure area. This man also showed highly classified documents to a foreign citizen and others.

    Why the unfairness in our society? Should he not be in prison as well? Why would anyone vote for a person who jeopardizes the secrets and safety of our country?

    Norma Anderson, Lakewood

    Editor’s note: Anderson is a former state senator.

    A few words on behalf of Oct. 7 victims

    Re: “Local cease-fire resolutions are statements of humanity,” March 3 commentary

    I was struck by the excuses for the lack of decorum at the Denver City Council meeting for the insistence on the council to pass a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza. Clearly, the disruptions of these protesters caused the council to feel threatened and bullied. Good for the council to resist these threats as undemocratic. We have had many protests at many city council hearings across the country and all have been similar in nature to what happened in Denver. This strategy of rage and bullying is right out of Hamas’s playbook.

    In fact, while the commentators continue to condemn Israel’s actions, there is often no mention of Oct. 7, nor the loss of lives of women and children, the torture, rape, and brutality by Hamas perpetrated on Israel that fateful day. No mention of the hostages that Hamas kidnapped and is now using as pawns in their game to vilify Israel. Not one.

    If these protesters were interested in a cease-fire, they should rightfully be protesting against Hamas. If Hamas were to release all of the hostages, both dead and alive, and surrender, there would be a cease-fire immediately. In fact, there had been a cease-fire on Oct. 6. Hamas’ bloodthirsty savagery in its attack against the sovereignty of Israel and the massacre of Israeli civilians the following day had more than provoked the Israel Defense Forces (not the “Israel Occupation Forces” as sarcastically noted in the guest commentary).

    We are all concerned about the deaths of the Gazans, well, except for Hamas. This poor excuse for the lack of decorum and protest against Israel’s military actions, etc., is just one more example of what these protests are truly about: Jew hatred.

    ER Miller, Denver

    If Hamas surrenders and releases the hostages, there will be a cease-fire. Instead of telling Israel to stop firing, tell Hamas to stop firing.

    Gary Wachter, Centennial

    Sign up for Sound Off to get a weekly roundup of our columns, editorials and more.

    To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

    [ad_2]

    TJ Hutchinson

    Source link

  • A Regional Commitment Is Underway For Food Security and a Sustainable Future

    A Regional Commitment Is Underway For Food Security and a Sustainable Future

    [ad_1]

    Official photograph captured during the proceedings of the 8th Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) convened in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Credit: CELAC
    • Opinion by Mario Lubetkin (santiago)
    • Inter Press Service
    • Mario Lubetkin is FAO Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean for Latin America and the Caribbean

    SANTIAGO, Mar 05 (IPS) – The regional commitment to fight hunger and malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean has made significant progress thanks to the update of the Food Security, Nutrition and Hunger Eradication Plan of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) for the period 2024-2030, known as the CELAC FNS Plan.

    This update was approved and ratified during the VIII Summit of Heads of State and Government of CELAC, held on March 1 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

    This commitment evidence Latin America and the Caribbean’s significant contribution to accelerating the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, aimed at achieving societies free of hunger, poverty, and inequality in the region.

    Our latest estimates show that, in 2022, 6.5 percent of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean suffered from hunger; this represented 2.4 million fewer people than in 2021. But the situation remains critical; hunger continues to affect 43.2 million people in the region.

    Likewise, limited access to resources and services, poverty, the aftermath of the pandemic, and conflicts as well as climate-related disasters, among other factors, are affecting the ecosystems on which food production and the livelihoods of farming communities depend and threaten efforts to ensure food security, nutrition and the sustainability of agrifood systems.

    In this scenario, the CELAC FNS Plan 2024-2030 is a concrete initiative, reflected in a unanimous response from more than thirty countries, which, at a ministerial level, agreed to update this document to address the challenge of hunger and food insecurity in the region.

    The new plan -developed in coordination with the Pro-Tempore Presidency, currently led by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the thirty-three CELAC countries, included broad participation and analysis with technical assistance from FAO, ECLAC, IICA, and ALADI- has become a benchmark for other regions of the world. Its implementation represents a milestone example of the consensus and political commitment of Latin America and the Caribbean.

    This plan, structured into four pillars, includes a conceptual basis to guide the countries concerning legal frameworks, sustainable production, access to healthy diets, and agrifood systems resilient to climate change.

    2024 could represent a decisive year for Latin America and the Caribbean to make progress in combating hunger and malnutrition and achieving more resilient and sustainable production systems. During 2023, we have consolidated a deep process of alliances, consensus, and dialogue that will soon be part of the FAO Regional Conference.

    We are in the final stretch of preparation for our Regional Conference to be held in March in Georgetown, Guyana, where we will facilitate exchanges and discussions that will be essential to guide FAO’s technical cooperation in the design and implementation of plans and projects tailored to the needs of the countries, and in line with the priorities defined by governments at the highest political level.

    In this regard, the reflections and resolutions arising from the updating and subsequent approval of the new CELAC FNS Plan also represent a significant contribution to the FAO Regional Conference.

    The preparation of the Regional Conference includes an extensive consultation process involving different stakeholders, such as the private sector, academia, civil society, and parliamentary groups; and of course, the participation of government officials from the thirty-three FAO Member Countries; as well as the presence of Heads of State and Ministers of Agriculture and other sectors committed to the search for more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

    We hope that the results of the Conference, translated into FAO’s mandate, will be consolidated as a tangible response. The success of these efforts will depend on the collaboration of all to make the hope of a world without hunger a reality.

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link

  • Renck: Russell Wilson went from “Let’s Ride” to “Last Ride” with Broncos, revealing dangers of desperation

    Renck: Russell Wilson went from “Let’s Ride” to “Last Ride” with Broncos, revealing dangers of desperation

    [ad_1]

    From “Let’s Ride” to “Last Ride” in two years.

    Broncos coach Sean Payton filed for divorce from quarterback Russell Wilson on Monday. The only thing to figure out now is who gets custody of Thunder.

    I was enjoying my return to The Denver Post, stomach full of lunch and face sore from laughs. Then the phone pinged. Any time there is an alert in early March about an NFL team, it means you’re not going to be home for dinner.

    Wilson arrived in Denver in March 2022 determined to make history. This is not what he had in mind. The Broncos will take on an $85 million salary cap hit, divided over two seasons. No team has absorbed this much money for a mistake. As in, ever.

    When the Broncos acquired Wilson, he was viewed as a savior — a former Super Bowl champion capable of returning Denver to relevance. Somehow, inexplicably, he made it worse. He won 11 games for roughly $124 million, a return-on-investment cringe not seen since the Rockies shipped off pitcher Mike Hampton in 2002.

    It was not all Wilson’s fault, though his decision to reinvent himself as a pocket passer in 2022 under clown show coach Nathaniel Hackett and consistent failings in the red zone this past season left his fingerprints at the scene.

    No one quite knows how the Broncos became a quarterback nadir, replacing the Cleveland Browns. Peyton Manning retired, walking into a life of commercials and coaching youth football, and there became a sobering new reality. The Broncos did not know how to find a replacement. John Elway had as much to do with it as anybody when he whiffed on Paxton Lynch, leading to long-armed reaches into the island of misfit toys that included Joe Flacco and Case Keenum. When general manager George Paton took over in 2021, he inherited the mess at the league’s most important position. Watching the Broncos spiral out of playoff contention in the final month, he surveyed the AFC landscape and determined a franchise quarterback was a must.

    Tired of shopping for a couch on Craigslist, Paton wandered into IKEA and wasn’t going to take no for an answer. He traded four draft picks (two first-rounders, two second-rounders) and three starters (quarterback Drew Lock, tight end Noah Fant and defensive end Shelby Harris) to Seattle in exchange for Wilson.

    The trade now serves as a cautionary tale of desperation. The Broncos gave up everything and ceded all power to Wilson in the relationship. Getting a revised contract was always part of the deal to waive his no-trade clause, though he will never play a down on his five-year, $242.5 million extension.

    Wilson was given the green light to bring his entourage into the building and function as a pseudo-coach.

    It was an epic failure. With Hackett complicit, Wilson sacrificed a season trying to prove he could run an offense that was designed for Aaron Rodgers, the Broncos’ original 2022 target before he received a new contract from the Green Bay Packers.

    At one point in 2022, nobody was neutral in Broncos Country about Wilson. They disliked him. Or hated him.

    When the Broncos hired Payton 13 months ago, he made it clear he was not married to the quarterback. He would give it a season. It only took 15 games and he went to Jarrett. Stidham, that is. He became the 13th starter since Super Bowl 50 and was as underwhelming as those before him.

    It is important to remember Payton was not brought here to fix Wilson. He was brought here to fix the Broncos. That could not happen, he decided, with Wilson. The Broncos offense stank in the red zone and specifically in goal-to-goal situations. While Payton was rather ordinary on game day in his return after a one-year hiatus, he laid the blame on Wilson.

    Russ went off script. He failed to call plays quickly enough. He forgot to send players in motion.

    Payton, however, did the impossible and made Wilson a sympathetic figure when he benched him as it leaked out that the Broncos asked Wilson to adjust his contract during the bye week last October. Wilson’s $37 million in base salary in 2025 would have become guaranteed if he had remained on the roster past March 17. Denver wanted to move the date back. Wilson balked and explained in December that it was then that a benching was first broached. I don’t blame the Broncos for asking for relief, nor do I blame Wilson for refusing. The relationship was fraying at the seams.

    When the season ended, Wilson held a morsel of hope that things could work out as the team publicly kept the door slightly ajar.

    Wilson reached out to me last week, saying he “forever wished it was going (to happen) in Denver. I really wanted to win there.” His first year was a lost season for several reasons, including injuries — hamstring, shoulder, concussion. But he believed he played well last season, posting 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He was “grateful for long-lasting relationships,” but acknowledged it was time to move on from a “sad and disappointing” ending.

    No one will ever question Wilson’s work ethic or passion. He was better, but not in the eyes of the one person who mattered.

    Payton wants to run his offense — steeped in timing, execution and the ball coming out from the pocket. Scribbling outside the lines — Wilson’s strength — is not sustainable for the coach.

    Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton, center, stands between Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3), left, and Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (4), right, as the team comes out of the visiting tunnel before the game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada on Jan. 7, 2024. The Las Vegas Raiders took on Denver Broncos during week 18 of NFL season. (Photo by RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post)

    [ad_2]

    Troy Renck

    Source link

  • Opinion: Will ‘all that glitters’ turn L.A.’s last solidly Black city white?

    Opinion: Will ‘all that glitters’ turn L.A.’s last solidly Black city white?

    [ad_1]

    Living in Inglewood these days is living in tension about change. Like many other places in and around L.A., its core is being transformed by development that’s become a spectacle, something I have been watching unfold with a mix of apprehension and disbelief.

    SoFi Stadium is not just a stadium, it’s become shorthand for everything else in the built world of Hollywood Park: condos, retail and the soon-to-be-completed Intuit Dome, the new home of the Clippers, which rises at the corner of Prairie Avenue and Century Boulevard like a giant, space-age basketball.

    All that glitters presses up against the neighborhoods in the last solidly Black city in the county, and while the outside world touts SoFi, etc., as progress, in Inglewood it feels very much like the reconfiguring is being done without the local population in mind.

    But not entirely.

    Gentrification in Inglewood has always worn a face of Black uplift, which is part of what causes the tension. Admittedly, that face can be gratifying. During Black History Month, SoFi featured a world-class Black art and historical-artifact exhibit, courtesy of the renowned collectors and philanthropists Bernard and Shirley Kinsey. This is an updated, enhanced version of the Kinsey exhibit that debuted in February 2023.

    Next door to SoFi, in the walkway of a new retail development that includes a luxury movie theater, there are works by the celebrated Black sculptor Alison Saar. Last year that walkway was the site of a lively weekend festival for Black-owned businesses. On the side of a building is a striking mural of a Black woman floating in water by local artist Calida Rawles. And on other walls, ads depict Black residents enjoying the amenities of a chic, prosperous new city that attracts people of all colors from all over L.A., from all over the world, as the banners along Prairie declaring “A Global Stage” suggest.

    It’s a heady vision of the future, one I would love to believe in. Every time I hurry through that walkway on my way to a movie, I marvel at museum-quality art here in the neighborhood, out in the open. It’s an upgrade I can’t argue with.

    And yet the bigger picture is not all pretty. Part of the SoFi development deal with Inglewood was a commitment to commissioning public art in and around the stadium. It’s actually required of big developments like this. The city was supposed to oversee the process, but it more or less ceded that power to the developer, just as it ceded other kinds of oversight when it fast-tracked the stadium back in 2015.

    City Hall has all along been willing to trade away almost anything for development, especially sports venues. Why? Because for way too long the city languished as what I call the South-Central of South Bay — struggling to attract even modest national chain stores because its Black and brown demographics automatically made it an undesirable market. The recession of the early 1990s compounded the problem, along with the chronic inability or unwillingness of elected officials to plan for serious change.

    SoFi was thus sold to and by City Hall as our great change agent, the thing that would finally take Inglewood from moribund to modern.

    The stadium’s engendering change all right, but the cost feels too high, destabilizing. Art is wonderful and welcome, but what Black people really need to secure their futures are affordable housing and decent schools. SoFi and all the rest secure neither. To the degree that the stadium and associated development have taken up public land in this large small city, it is actually making more affordable housing less attainable.

    It’s not all bad, of course. Notable Black business and creative spaces have been popping up in the new Inglewood, including galleries, restaurants and coffee hangs. Hilltop Café, for instance, on La Brea Avenue is co-owned by local-girl-made-good Issa Rae.

    These are the kinds of small but significant businesses that Inglewood has always had, but just not in a critical mass. Together they express the true character and promise of the city, make it a destination — in real estate marketing speak, make it “desirable.”

    Hopefully, the new desirability won’t be synonymous, as it so often is, with “white.”

    Rick Garzon, whose downtown gallery Residency recently moved to the Hollywood Park retail district close to SoFi, told me he’s confident that Inglewood will beat back the usual displacement narrative of gentrification and create a new one of real Black progress. It has the goods, he says, starting with a solid base of homeowners committed to the city who aren’t going anywhere. Development may be pressing down on us, but we won’t crumble, he says. We are changing the game.

    I would love to believe that too. I would love the corporate campaign painting Inglewood as Black and prospering on its own terms — an equal partner in this breakneck development — to be true.

    But history is against it. So is math — the economics of gentrification, intricately tied to have/have-not realities, including the racial wealth gap, virtually guarantee that new homeowners won’t be Black. The same is true of renters, who are actually the majority of Inglewood residents. The median price of a home in some Inglewood neighborhoods is nudging up to $900,000 now. That’s downright modest in L.A.’s overheated market but out of reach for the Black working-to-middle class that is the city’s foundation.

    Inglewood is a mosaic, but also one community with common needs. That fact is what makes us truly unique, a work of art — in progress. The physical art — and the art to come — accurately conveys Black power and depth. We just have to live up to the image.

    Erin Aubry Kaplan is a contributing writer to Opinion and a columnist at Truthdig.

    [ad_2]

    Erin Aubry Kaplan

    Source link

  • International Women’s Day, 2024; Support the Women and Girls Fighting for Rights

    International Women’s Day, 2024; Support the Women and Girls Fighting for Rights

    [ad_1]

    • Opinion by Winnie Byanyima (geneva, switzerland)
    • Inter Press Service
    • The writer is UNAIDS Executive Director and United Nations Under-Secretary-General. The following opinion piece is part of series to mark International Women’s Day, March 8.

    GENEVA, Switzerland, Mar 01 (IPS) – This International Women’s Day (March 8) comes at a fiercely challenging moment. We can find inspiration, and hope, however, in the women and girls around the world who, often at great risk, are leading the fight for rights for everyone.

    Today, more than ever, we need to put our energies and resources in support of their courage. We are facing an unprecedented and well-funded global attack on human rights and especially on the rights of women. Hard-won progress is in peril. It is not just the commitments made in the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 that are under threat. It is everything we have gained since 1945.

    How do we push back against the pushback? How do we make sure our daughters can live in a kinder, safer, world, in which their rights are upheld and respected? How do we make sure women and girls are included in policy making that affects their lives?

    Firstly, we need to deepen our understanding of this pushback on human rights and democracy.

    Democracy is threatened when inequalities deepen. Today, more and more wealth is being concentrated in the hands a few men. The world’s five richest billionaires have doubled their fortunes since 2020 – while five billion people became poorer.

    Globally, men own US$105 trillion more wealth than women. And the world’s poorest countries are being forced to cut public spending because of the debt crisis, which particularly impacts women and girls from poor communities.

    The world is very far off track to meet the gender targets set in the Sustainable Development Goals because, as UN Women concludes, of “deeply rooted biases against women, manifesting in unequal access to sexual and reproductive health, unequal political representation, economic disparities and a lack of legal protection.” As the UN Secretary-General has urged, there is a need for a “dismantling and transformation of power structures that discriminate against women and girls”.

    We need to tackle unequal access to education and information. When 122 million of our girls are still out of school, and even millions who attend school are denied lifesaving information on how to protect themselves from HIV, everyone loses.

    We need to challenge the lie that women’s rights undermine culture and tradition.

    And we need to resolutely confront the globally coordinated ruthless campaign to punish people for who they are and who they love. We need to put the human rights of every person at the centre of all our development efforts, just as we have been doing in the AIDS movement for decades. Because to protect the wellbeing of everyone, the health of everyone, we have to protect the rights of everyone.

    Progress requires a deepening of multilateralism and a deepening of support for civil society. So it is concerning when countries, including in the West, retreat from their international commitments to development and human rights. And it is concerning when only 1% of all the aid going to gender equality reaches women’s and girls’ organizations.

    We are not mourning, however, we are organizing. We can be hopeful because we have won before and we can again. To do so, we need to remember that hope is not idle optimism. It is active. We will win together, through determined collaborative action.

    That is how we won the right to vote. That is how we opened the doors of parliaments and corporate board rooms. That is how we closed the gap between boys and girls in basic education. That is how won progress in moving away from the old colonial punitive laws that criminalised LGBTQ people, so that today two-thirds of countries no longer criminalize. That is how we won progress on the rights of people living with HIV, with three quarters of people living with HIV now on treatment.

    We cannot give up or slow down on this unfinished journey of progress, or retreat because opponents of progress are well-organised. The stakes are too high, the risks if we act with a lack or courage are too great, the costs of insufficient action are unaffordable.

    This is a moment that calls for unwavering support for women and girls on the frontlines, and for intersectional alliances in defence of everyone’s human rights. We need to strengthen the hand of those whose lives are most impacted by the denial of rights. The United Nations is clear: we are not only on the side of the frontline defenders of rights; we are by their side.

    IPS UN Bureau


    Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram

    © Inter Press Service (2024) — All Rights ReservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service

    [ad_2]

    Global Issues

    Source link