Deaths of peacekeepers underline concerns over Congo mission
10/4/2024: Three Tanzanian soldiers have been killed whilst deployed by the Southern African Development Community's (SADC) mission to defeat M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The SADC force is considerably smaller than the 5,000 military personnel originally pledged and lacks vital support and equipment. The UN has started pulling out its 15,000 peacekeepers after Congo's government asked it to leave.
Source: DW
European court rules climate inaction breaches human rights
9/4/2024: The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the Swiss government violated its citizens’ human rights by not doing enough to curb climate change. The decision is likely to encourage other campaign groups to bring cases against governments that are parties to the ECHR.
Source: Climate Home News
Germany faces top UN court over Gaza genocide claims
8/4/2024: The International Court of Justice in The Hague is about to hear a case brought by Nicaragua that Germany "has "failed to fulfill its obligation to prevent the genocide committed and being committed against the Palestinian people." Germany is hardly Israel's only ally but has been a major supplier of weapons since the October 7 attacks by Hamas.
Source: DW
Rwanda marks 30 years since 1994 genocide of Tutsis
7/4/2024: April 7 marks 30 years since the start of a genocide that would see nearly 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus murdered in Rwanda. The Rwandan diaspora is now the greatest challenge for stability — the people who did not participate in Rwanda's efforts to push for reconciliation between survivors and those who perpetrated the genocide.
Source: DW
Uganda: Court upholds Anti-Homosexuality Act
4/4/2024: Uganda’s Constitutional Court has upheld most provisions of the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, thereby sustaining discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. In defiance of international law, the judges ruled that the Act does not violate fundamental rights to equality and nondiscrimination.
Source: Human Rights Watch
How the Myanmar regime is surviving
3/4/2024: Despite some major wins by insurgent groups, the junta remains strong due to its control of arms and air power. International sanctions on aviation fuel supplies to Myanmar appear to be ineffective to date.
Source: The Interpreter
UN Security Council holds rare disarmament debate
3/4/2024: A high-level UN Security Council meeting on nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation has underscored the urgency of addressing the growing threats posed by nuclear weapons. It also highlighted the chronic divisions among key states on disarmament and nonproliferation issues.
Source: Arms Control Association
Why is Saudi Arabia heading top UN women’s rights forum?
2/4/2024: Saudi Arabia has been chosen to chair the UN's leading gender equality forum, the Commission on the Status of Women. International rights organizations are concerned about the country's oppressive track record and the potential impact on women's rights globally.
Source: DW
Zambia’s fossil-fuel subsidy cuts help climate and kids – but taxi drivers suffer
2/4/2024: Under pressure from the IMF, the Zambian government has redirected subsidies into education, welfare and debt reduction, leaving fuel-heavy sectors with higher costs. The IMF argues that subsidies for oil and gas make climate change worse, while also being expensive, and skewed towards helping the rich more than the poor.
Source: Climate Home News
“I’m more optimistic than before regarding the goal of ending hunger in Latin America”
2/4/2024: There are about 43 million people suffering from hunger, and more than 130 million have difficulty putting food on the table, in Latin America and the Caribbean. The regional representative of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization is optimistic that the 2030 goal of ending hunger can be achieved as more countries in the region are rethinking their plans in a forceful and clear manner.
Source: Inter Press Service