Our Feature
This week we’re taking a new and different approach. Having run out of recent photo features on art and travel—and wanting to spark more member dialogue—we’re featuring an opinion piece by one of our contributors. We hope this and future opinion features will prompt lively debate, in agreement or disagreement, among readers.
This week’s feature article, by Thomas Ekvall, explores the theme of racial prejudice around the world. Thomas questions the reliability of various surveys and common assumptions about where tolerance and discrimination are most prevalent. His essay suggests that prejudice takes many forms — and that no society is immune.
We invite readers to share their thoughts and perspectives in the comments section during the week ahead.
Our Columnists
Remember childhood puddles and the irresistible magic of rain? Ken Gibbs certainly does. In his usual wry and self-deprecating style, Ken reflects on how he and other UNICEF WASH officers might have been “pre-trained” for their roles through muddy adventures, early lessons in drought and money, and an encounter with a self-styled Rain Goddess whose fundraising skills could put some modern consultants to shame.
Articles Shared by Our Contributors
It is difficult these days to find a 'good news' story, so we were delighted to discover a field diary report by June Kunugi on her visit last December to a community project for disabled children in Dala, a village near Yangon.
Niloufar Pourzand shares an article about the Doha Declaration—the outcome document from the Second World Summit on Social Development—and notes how it links to the Sustainable Development Goals.
Niloufar also shares a post by UNICEF Canada, which welcomes the inclusion of key social programmes for children in the new national budget, while regretting the cut in foreign aid that could threaten gains in child health and survival. It’s always encouraging to see UNICEF’s national committees publicly engaging in such crucial policy debates.
Robert Cohen shares a report from the Center for Constitutional Rights noting that the United States, for the first time, withdrew from its Universal Periodic Review, avoiding scrutiny of its human rights record.
Fritz Lherisson responds to Kul Gautam’s essay “Quo Vadis UN@80?” Fritz echoes many of Kul’s concerns about the UN’s fading credibility while calling for bold reform, stronger leadership, and a renewed sense of purpose for a world far changed from 1945. He recalls past examples of courageous UN leadership and argues that the organization must once again find such vision to remain relevant in today’s turbulent world.
Viviane Sakkal shares an article on Sierra Leone suggesting that the end of USAID assistance there may not be widely mourned, as erratic funding and fragmented projects had long frustrated recipients. The piece raises timely questions about how aid might be done differently if it ever resumes.
John Gilmartin shares an article on Moderna—“the company that helped save the world.” After its spectacular success with the COVID-19 vaccine, Moderna has fallen on hard times. As John observes, biotech remains one of the toughest investment sectors to profit from.
PassBlue recently surveyed readers on who should be the next UN Secretary-General. Michelle Bachelet topped the list, followed by MarÃa Fernanda Espinosa and Mia Mottley—an encouraging sign that readers still look to strong female leadership for the future of the UN.
News Links - Click here for the daily news briefs for this week. Remember to check News Links daily and let us know if we missed some important news article.
Sudan - There was further tragedy this week, starting with the news of the fall of Darfur's El Fasher and the massacre that followed after months of siege of the city. The tragedy didn't end there, as news came of a new massacre in Kordofan and the announcement that the famine had spread there and elsewhere in western Sudan. Still, there was a glimmer of hope as news came in that the RSF had accepted a humanitarian ceasefire. The Sudanese army seems to have accepted the same. Now we will need to see how long this agreement can hold together long enough for aid to resume.
Gaza - In Gaza the ceasefire has continued, despite daily air attacks by Israeli forces. Given daily Israeli air and land attacks and continued isolation, restrictions on aid entering the territory, and occupation of the northern half of Gaza, the term 'ceasefire' for the situation seems dubious. Yet the relative calm has nonetheless allowed some delivery of food supplies, repairs to damaged water facilities and a few schools to resume sessions. There was also news that the US has support in the Security Council for a two year stabilization force, although many doubts remain over how this would be composed and financed, and what role if any UN agencies might take.
Elsewhere - Another earthquake has devastated parts of northern Afghanistan. The EU is pushing for a humanitarian corridor to eastern DRC. New worries are voiced about stability and human rights in the Sahel.
Books and Reports
Save the Children’s new report Stop the War on Children documents a shocking 30% rise in grave violations against children in conflict during 2024.
John Prendergast, co-author (with Tony Lake) of last year’s essay on Sudan, returns with a powerful New York Times article, Sudan in Free Fall, examining the UAE’s role in supporting the RSF and the failure of the U.S. administration to act earlier to prevent catastrophe.
Australia and New Zealand have released the latest edition of their UN Handbook—a valuable guide to who’s who and how the entire, often bewildering, UN system fits together. We are glad to learn that someone has figured it all out.
Lighter Stuff
Feeling unmotivated? You’ll find a list of 20 witty quotes on motivation (and 105 more if that doesn’t do the trick).
And for those who suspect they may be a burnt-out UN leader, Lou Mendez suggests a Halloween costume idea you might just want to keep handy for next year.
Comments by Our Readers
And Finally...
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Yes, our features cupboard is bare.
As we mentioned above, we’ve run out of the photo features that usually open each week’s blog—but not forever. We’ve been lucky to have a small, talented group of members who’ve shared wonderful photo stories of their travels, art, and passions. What we need now is a larger group of contributors.
You don’t have to be a professional photographer or artist. We’d love photos of where you travel, where you live, and what you do for fun—images that tell a story of what you see around you, whether in your backyard or on your latest trip.
And this appeal isn’t only for features. We also need contributors of articles and comments. Don’t be just a reader—be a participant. This is your community of news and views. We need you.
Comments
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