Reduced Inequalities

Photo: Tents of the homeless on the sidewalk in Skid Row, Los Angeles. CC BY-SA 4.0

Interconnected Dangers to Civilization

Viewpoint by John Scales Avery*

COPENHAGEN (IDN) – Cultural evolution depends on the non-genetic storage, transmission, diffusion and utilization of information. The development of human speech, the invention of writing, the development of paper and printing, and finally, in modern times, computers and the Internet: all these have been crucial steps in society's explosive accumulation of information and knowledge. Human cultural evolution proceeds at a constantly-accelerating speed, so great in fact that it threatens to shake society to pieces.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 13 March 2020

Photo: Marega against Lokomotiv Moscow in October 2018. CC BY-SA 3.0

Red Card for Portugal Over Racist Abuse of Malian Soccer Star

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – Racism is rife in international soccer, with fans taking physical and verbal aim at players of the opposing team.

After the routine apologies of the coaches and local officials, what has really been done to end the frequent racist outbursts, often accompanied by flying chairs or banana peels? This week, star striker Moussa Marega of Mali brought the unpleasant behaviour to world attention as he stalked off the field when his successful play scoring the winning goal sparked an avalanche of ugly chants and racist taunts.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 18 February 2020

Photo: A Syrian father stands with his children at Bardarash camp in Duhok, Iraq, a day after arriving. © UNHCR/Hossein Fatemi.

More Offers Needed to Resettle Refugees Around the World

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – A continuing shortage of offers of sanctuary from governments across the world is a vital impediment to the resettlement of refugees. Nearly 1.4 million refugees are estimated to be in urgent need of resettlement worldwide, but only 63,696 or 4.5 per cent were relocated through the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) in 2019.

Though the number of refugees resettled in 2019 increased modestly by 14 per cent compared to the previous year, when 55,680 people were relocated, the agency maintains that “a tremendous gap remains between resettlement needs and the places made available”.

: J Nastranis; UN INSIDER; 05 February 2020

Photo: Millions of people are not benefiting from progress, with the gap set to widen unless deep-rooted development barriers, including discrimination and unequal political participation, are tackled. Credit: UNDP Peru/Mónica Suárez

High Levels of Inequality Can Escalate Political Instability

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – As the United Nations prepares to mark its 75th anniversary in September, the Organisation has yet to fulfil the obligation enshrined in the mandate of the Charter: “to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom“ by employing “international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples“.

The authors of the landmark World Social Report 2020 point out that fifteen years ago, the Report on the ‘World Social Situation‘ had warned that growing inequality could jeopardize the achievement of internationally agreed development goals.

: Santo D. Banerjee; SUSTAINABILITY; Reduced Inequalities; 22 January 2020

Photo: Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses to the Federal Assembly on 15 January 2020. Credit: Kremlin website.

Putin Promises Incentives to Boost Russia’s Population

By Kester Kenn Klomegah

MOSCOW (IDN) – “We need to address large-scale social, economic and technological tasks facing the country more quickly and, without delay. Our society is clearly calling for change. People want development,” President Vladimir Putin said in his wide-ranging address on January 15 to the Federal Assembly at the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall, a few metres away from the Kremlin.

Putin emphasised that this year Russia will celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War – World War 2. He said: “For Russia, May 9 is the greatest and sacred holiday. We are proud of the generation of victors and honour their feat, and our memory is not only a tribute to our heroic past, but it also serves our future, inspires us and strengthens our unity.”

: Kester Kenn Klomegah; THE WORLD; Russia; 16 January 2020

Image: People with Sinhalese ancestry as a percentage of the population in Sydney, divided geographically by postal area, as of the 2011 census. CC BY-SA 3.0 au

Australia Burns Furiously but Still Remains an Attractive Destination to Sri Lankans

By Dr Palitha Kohona

The writer is former Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, and former Foreign Secretary.

COLOMBO (IDN) – Summer temperatures continue to establish new records. The capital clocks up an unprecedented 44 degrees Celsius, a more familiar figure in Middle Eastern cities. Bush fires have continued to burn for months, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of forest and farmland (an area bigger than Scotland has been consumed by the fires so far) and thousands of houses.

: Dr. Palitha Kohona; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 15 January 2020

Photo: Secretary-General António Guterres is photographed by a student during a visit to a school run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) at Baqa’a Camp in Jordan. Credit: UN

UN Chief Regards Youth As the ‘Greatest Source’ Of Hope

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – With “uncertainty and insecurity all around”, Secretary-General António Guterres has described young people as “the greatest source of hope”. In welcoming the New Year, he said: “The United Nations stands with you and belongs to you”.

According to the UN chief, the current situation is characterized by: Persistent inequality and rising hatred. A warring world and a warming planet. Climate change is not only a long-term problem but a clear and present danger, he said. “We cannot afford to be the generation that fiddled while the planet burned.”

: UN Bureau; UN INSIDER; 30 December 2019

Image: Cover of Human Development Report 2019.

UN Warns of Growing Inequality Triggering New Great Divergence

By Santo D. Banerjee

NEW YORK (IDN) – In the run-up to 2020, the UN has warned that despite remarkable progress on laying a solid foundation for human development, Thailand, like many other countries, is facing challenges in tackling inequality. This is also a theme on which the 2019 Human Development Report (HDR) from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focuses.

: Santo D. Banerjee; UN INSIDER; 27 December 2019

Photo: UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo closes the Global Refugee Forum. © UNHCR/Andrew McConnell

Historic Meeting Wraps Up With Pledges to Boost Opportunities for Refugees

By Tim Gaynor and Matthew Mpoke Bigg, UNHCR

GENEVA (IDN) – A historic meeting in Geneva wrapped up on December 18 with wide-ranging and substantial commitments to help millions of refugees and the communities they live in worldwide, including important pledges of new long-term support for their inclusion.

“I want to salute the efforts pledged by many countries — both donors and by host countries — and by business leaders, civil society and refugees themselves, to redouble efforts in support of refugee inclusion, self-reliance and solutions,” UN High Commissioner Filippo Grandi told the closing session at the first-ever Global Refugee Forum.

: Jamshed Baruah; UN INSIDER; 19 December 2019

Photo: UN Secretary-General addressing Global Refugee Forum. Screenshot UN WebTV.

Build A More Equitable Response to Refugee

Viewpoint by António Guterres

The following are extensive excerpts from the UN Secretary-General’s opening remarks at the first Global Refugee Forum (17-18 December 2019). It came at the end of a tumultuous decade in which the number of refugees has risen to over 25 million people worldwide. Guided by the Global Compact on Refugees, the Forum was an opportunity to translate the principle of international responsibility-sharing into concrete action.

GENEVA (IDN-INPS) – I have been fortunate to have had many formative experiences in my life: as a social volunteer in the poor neighbourhoods of Lisbon; being part of a democratic revolution in my country; public service in parliament and government.