The 20th Anniversary Of The Iraq Invasion: A Historic Failure Of Access Journalism
On March 20th, 2003, then-U.S. President George W. Bush and then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair invaded Iraq on the pretext that Iraq was an “axis of evil,” with Saddam Hussein possessing weapons of mass destruction (WMD). The invasion mobilized a devastating eight-year-long war, ending in 2011, that tore the fabric
Decriminalising The Condom: South Africa’s Plans to Combat Gender Based Violence by Legalising Sex Work
In October 2022, the bodies of 6 female sex workers were discovered in a building in Johannesburg. A 21-year-old man was arrested, and this incident sparked a conversation in South Africa about the treatment and rights of sex workers. Protests occurred outside the courtroom, with organisations calling for laws to
A Forgotten War: The Devastating Human Rights Crisis In Yemen
Yemen’s crisis is one of the many human rights emergencies the world is dealing with in our modern society. Yemen has been involved in a terrible conflict for more than eight years, leading to numerous human rights breaches. The Civil War started in 2014 and it sees Houthi rebels fighting
Delaying The Green Transition: The Perils of Greenwashing
Many businesses have begun promoting their goods and services as “green” or “eco-friendly” as concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability have grown. While some of these claims may be legitimate, others are examples of “greenwashing” — a term used to describe the making of false or exaggerated environmental claims.
A New Nigeria Or Tinubu’s Nigeria?
The 2023 Nigerian elections were tumultuous and highly contested, however, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party came out victorious as Nigeria’s next elected President. As former President Muhammadu Buhari steps down after nearly a decade in power, President Tinubu must be prepared to serve a nation
Refugee Ship Left To Wreck In Crotone: The New Era Of Indifference?
Last Sunday, a wooden ship sank near Crotone in the southern Italian region of Calabria, killing 67 refugees. There are three major immigration routes in the Mediterranean – the main, and most deadly, route, from central North Africa to Italy; the western route, from Africa to Spain; and the eastern
The place Of Women In Nigerian Politics: Implications For Peace, Security and Development
The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report Ranking on Women Political Participation ranked Nigeria at 123 out of 146 countries in its Global Gender Gap (GGG) index for 2022. This means that Nigeria has one of the biggest gender gap in politics – women are poorly represented in Nigeria’s
São Paulo Flood Reveals Underlying Failures of Brazil’s Urban Planning
Torrential rainfall decimated the coastal areas of southeast Brazil over the Carnival weekend, forcing São Paulo state and surrounding cities to cancel celebrations and deploy rescue workers to search for dozens of displaced and injured locals. Reuters forecasts that at least 57 people have been killed, and over 4,000 have
Mean Streets: When Living On The Street Means Being Invisible.
Street children exist in every nation on earth, yet despite their extraordinary prevalence, scope, and gravity, the issue doesn’t receive enough attention in the media and public discourse. They are between the ages of 5 and 20 and dwell outside stations, in vacant buildings, under bridges, and in sewers. They
The Dark Reality Of South Africa’s Energy Crisis
During his state of the union address, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has declared a state of disaster to address the longstanding energy crisis that has plagued the nation since 2007. State-owned power company Eskom has conducted “load-shedding,” scheduled blackout periods, every day in 2023 to prevent nationwide power collapse
Migrant Classification Causes Those In Need To Slip Through The Cracks
While there are undoubtedly some people who decide to relocate due to the joy of migrating, it can be assumed that the majority choose to move because they believe that being somewhere else will improve their living situation. However, it would be inaccurate to describe all but the most privileged
Pacific Island Nations Demonstrate Respect In Face of Adversity
Kiribati intends to rejoin the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) after a formal apology from the new Fijian Prime Minister – who is also the Chair of the Pacific Islands forum – Sitiveni Rabuka. During his recent visit, Rabuka performed a traditional practice of ‘boka,’ a ceremony that seeks forgiveness and
Indonesia’s Past And Present Human Rights Violations
Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s recent acknowledgement that his government regrets past human rights violations is an important step in national healing. However, this will mean little if current attacks on human rights are not addressed. At a press conference in January, Widodo cited 12 “regrettable” events and stated that he
Iran’s Pardoned Prisoners: A Public Relations Stunt To Curb Real Change
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has approved pardons for “tens of thousands” of prisoners, including members of recent anti-government protests, after receiving a letter from judiciary head Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei calling for “a number of convicts jailed following the recent riots” to be pardoned on the basis of being
World Economic Forum 2023: U.S. Climate Plan Sets Europe On Edge
The World Economic Forum’s final panel held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland this past month. The purpose of the annual meeting is to re-affirm the value of dialogue and public-private co-operation, not only to navigate the current crises but to drive long-term system-positive change. This year, the panel concluded
