Accra, Ghana — It is estimated that 90% of African children in school are unable to read or write, and the situation is worse in conflict-affected areas. Benjamin Piper, the Director of Global Education at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, described this learning crisis as “a heartbreaking statistic.” He said that the situation reflects a…
For many African communities, the climate crisis is not a future scenario – it is a daily emergency. Irreversible losses, destroyed homes, failed harvests, vanishing ecosystems and lack of access to clean water are already happening. I’m a researcher in how to manage the risks of climate change and protect communities against climate disasters. I…
The University of Cape Town (UCT) is spearheading a vital initiative to combat the alarming stillbirth crisis in Africa, which claims nearly one million lives annually, primarily from preventable causes. In collaboration with esteemed organisations such as the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), and the London…
Testimony at police inquiries raises questions about the value of special units and task teams for investigating crime in South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has alleged that South Africa’s suspended police minister, Senzo Mchunu, tried to shut down the Political Killings Task Team for improper reasons. He claimed the minister sought…
Durban, Scidev.Net — African leaders urged the continent’s health community meeting in South Africa this week to turn crisis into opportunity, highlighting progress in vaccine manufacturing against a backdrop of drastic job losses and aid cuts. South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, speaking at the 4th International Conference on Public Health…
The authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebels, who control large swathes of Congolese territory, are locked in a new standoff over the delivery of migration documents. Visas and other travel documents issued by the authorities in Kinshasa are now invalid in areas under rebel occupation. The political-military organization says it…
Snap survey conducted by PMNCH reveals global funding crisis threatening health and rights programs for women, children, and adolescents. Geneva, 20 October 2025 – A new global survey by the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (PMNCH) has revealed alarming funding disruptions facing organizations working to protect and promote the health and rights of…
Nearly 80 per cent of the world’s poor – 887 million people – live in regions that are exposed to extreme heat, flooding and other climate hazards, highlighting the urgent need for global action to address the issue. That’s according to a report released on Friday by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and Oxford University…
A severe funding shortfall is threatening to cripple UN peacekeeping operations worldwide, with the Organization warning that it will have to scale back patrols, close field offices and repatriate thousands of ‘blue helmets’ due to delayed payments from Member States. The crisis, which UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix described as “more daunting than ever,” follows…
Adults were in the back seat at UN Headquarters on Friday as young women from across the world took over the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber to speak up for their rights in the face of conflict, climate change, and other challenges. Alongside senior officials from the UN community, they commemorated the International Day…
