Worldwide

Where does real power reside in the UN development system? A new policy brief from Cepei, a Colombian development policy institute, and the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), presented earlier in May, poses this deceptively simple question. The answer matters because institutions that cannot govern fairly or transparently struggle to sustain legitimacy, and legitimacy is essential for peace.

Read the full story, “Governing the Ungovernable”, on globalissues.org →

KABUL, May 19 (IPS) – Nooria is a young girl who, because of poverty and the absence of a man in her family, had to dress in boys’ clothes so she could work and feed her family. It was not a choice, it was survival. But she was eventually caught by the Taliban.

Read the full story, “Desperate Nooria Disguises Herself to Provide for Her Family”, on globalissues.org →

PRETORIA, South Africa / WASHINGTON DC, USA , May 19 (IPS) – The World Bank made history in 1994 by creating the Inspection Panel, the first independent accountability mechanism, at any international organisation. Its function is to investigate complaints from communities who allege they were harmed because the bank failed to comply with its own policies and procedures.

Read the full story, “The World Bank Wants to Change the Way It Manages Complaints: The Fixes That Could Make It Better”, on globalissues.org →

BAGAMOYO, Tanzania / BEIRUT, Lebanon / WASHINGTON D.C., May 18 (IPS) – In an era when civil society funding is in decline, it’s time to rebel against a broken system.Today, too much is being asked from the people already doing the most. In a time of multiple and connected global crises – of climate, conflict, democracy, disinformation, global governance, human rights and inclusion – and in a context of intensifying civic space restrictions and collapsing funding, funders and the intermediary organisations that distribute resources somehow expect frontline organisations to transform systemic injustices that have built up over centuries. At the same time, these groups are expected to keep meeting inflexible targets, writing flawless reports and keeping their teams emotionally and physically afloat.

Read the full story, “Stop the Madness: Civil Society Cannot Thrive on Burnout”, on globalissues.org →

MORPUS, Kenya, May 18 (IPS) – For generations, communities in Kenya’s arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) have viewed girls through the lens of marriage, with some being married at 11 in exchange for livestock or soon after secondary school, denying them opportunity for further education and skills training.

Read the full story, “Breaking Cultural Barriers to Equip Marginalised Kenyan Girls With Entrepreneurial Skills”, on globalissues.org →

MOSCOW, May 18 (IPS) – Under the auspices of the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University, the Russian-African Club, in late April, held its IV International Forum of Journalists from Russia and Africa, which marked another historical milestone. According to an established annual tradition, discussions were focused on aspects of the media, its structure, current performance, information contents, and challenges as well as future perspectives.

Read the full story, “Media As Bedrock for Developing Russian-African Relations”, on globalissues.org →

Ministers, mayors, international organisations, urban planners and experts are in Baku, Azerbaijan, to tackle one of the world’s fastest-growing challenges: the global housing crisis, which, according to the United Nations, affects nearly 2.8 billion people worldwide.

Read the full story, “1.1 billion people live in slums. Can they be housed in dignity?”, on globalissues.org →

Cambodian activist Panha Theng, a 2025 UN Young Leader for the Sustainable Development Goals, says visibility and safe spaces remain critical for LGBTQI+ youth across Southeast Asia amid continuing stigma and discrimination.

Read the full story, “Turning silence into stories: Cambodian activist amplifies LGBTQI+ youth voices”, on globalissues.org →