The world is witnessing a decline in respect for human rights and multilateralism, with conflicts, debt, and reduced development assistance threatening progress, said a speaker in Geneva. The OECD predicts a nine to 17 percent drop in aid next year and up to 25 percent for the least-developed countries, while military spending rises to new heights. These factors have stalled poverty reduction and derailed nearly all SDGs, warned Ms. Al Nashif, referencing the World Bank’s “lost decade for development” caution.
Despite this grim outlook, the right to development provides a pragmatic path forward by reshaping fiscal policies, bolstering social protection, and aligning global finance with human rights principles. Urging action nearly 40 years after the UN Declaration on the Right to Development, Ms. Al Nashif cited renewed global solidarity and initiatives like the Sevilla Commitment as encouraging steps.
The UN independent expert on Belarus, Nils Muižnieks, stated that Belarus is not the worker’s paradise it claims to be, citing politically-motivated discrimination and harassment in the workplace. His report, delivered to the UN General Assembly, highlighted unjust job access restrictions and forced labour as punishment for political prisoners. Despite not being a paid UN staffer, Mr. Muižnieks noted ongoing arbitrary detentions and deportations in Belarus, posing risks of statelessness for those released.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is enhancing its health response across Africa, addressing the recent Ebola outbreak in the DRC and boosting mpox preparedness. The IOM aims to fully operationalize entry points and screening to prevent disease spread. Frantz Celestin, IOM’s regional director, emphasized the importance of these measures for the safety of travelers and border communities. With over 169,000 screenings conducted, the agency is also assisting national mpox responses, utilizing mobility data for planning in Uganda and Ethiopia, and enhancing surveillance and vaccination access in Malawi and South Sudan.
Leave a Reply