These five countries top the 2020 e-government ranking

Despite the gains and major investments in e-government by many countries, the digital divide persists. Seven out of eight countries with low scores are in Africa and belong to the least developed countries group.

Trinidad and Tobago: Muslims and Hindus likely to be disadvantaged in COVID-19 grants

The word “church” is used by the Government but not “masjid”, “temple” or “mandir”, much like the duplicitous exclusion of non-Christian organisations in many “inter-faith services”. Is this an expression of indifference, intolerance, non-recognition or contempt for non-Christian faiths by an Afro-Christian-led Government? In an ethnically-plural society like ours, “church” cannot be used as a generic term. It connotes exclusion and discrimination.

Rwanda uses drones for COVID-19 awareness in remote, densely populated areas

The Rwanda National Police has intervened with drones to raise COVID-19 awareness in densely-populated and hard-to-reach areas of the country.

Despite ongoing peace talks, civilian killings continue in Afghanistan

The number of Afghan civilians killed and injured in the conflict has failed to slow since the start of intra-Afghan peace talks, although the overall civilian casualty figure for the first nine months of 2020 dropped by around 30 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

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Story of a Rural Bolivian University

by Rachel Satterlee  A university on the eastern slopes of the Andes in rural Bolivia is providing an avenue for students to obtain professional skills...

Cuatro Nicas: A Photo Essay on Life in Post-War Nicaragua

by Diego Cupolo Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the western hemisphere. The governing political party, Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional(FSLN), was brought to power after overthrowing longtime...

Fighting Poverty in Guatemala: Importance of Public Investment in Education

By Anna Heikkinen

Twenty years have passed since the end of the Guatemalan civil war. The country has managed to take notable steps fostering its economic and human development. However, inequality and poverty still remain at concerning level. Investing in education is what Guatemala urgently needs to raise its people out of poverty and continue the success story of its economy on a sustainable basis.

Peru Does Not Follow Its Own Environmental Laws : Seifert

By Diego Cupolo

Today, as Cajamarca remains one of the poorest regions in Peru even after 20 years of gold extraction, Seifert poses the question: If Europe can modernize its mining techniques and limit environmental degradation, why can’t Peru? “When the strategy and tactics are unclear, little can be achieved by social movements. Newmont defends private investment and the people defend their water. Up until now, there has been no bridge of understanding between the two.”

‘Israel’s war in Gaza kills more children than four years of worldwide conflict’

Palestinian children, along with women, have been disproportionately impacted by Israel’s retaliatory actions, which have included bombardments and a ground offensive.

Global politics expert reflects on women leaders who have broken barriers

Jalalzai believes that women leaders often bring a distinct set of skills and experiences to the table, including a propensity for collaborative approaches and advocacy for marginalized groups.

Navigating healthcare uncertainty across Africa

With higher mortality rates for women and children, lack of access to infrastructure and medication, and the high cost of medication, Africa needs smart interventions to overcome the barriers to healthcare access and adoption.

COVID-19

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on SDG attainment in Afghanistan

COVID-19 has constrained many of the ongoing SDG-readying support provided to the Government of Afghanistan and may have major implications for judicious and long-term development policymaking and programming that are needed to achieve the priority SDG targets in Afghanistan.

COVID-19 crisis threatens Sustainable Development Goals financing, says OECD

According to the OECD’s latest Global Outlook on Financing for Sustainable Development, developing countries are facing a shortfall of USD 1.7 trillion in the financing they would need this year to keep them on track for the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as governments and investors grapple with the health, economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis.

Play for Peace: using cooperative play for compassion and peace

Youth-led cooperative play, initiated by Play for Peace, brings together people from different nationalities, religions, and backgrounds to find common ground, build friendships, and create a more peaceful world.

Despite ongoing peace talks, civilian killings continue in Afghanistan

The number of Afghan civilians killed and injured in the conflict has failed to slow since the start of intra-Afghan peace talks, although the overall civilian casualty figure for the first nine months of 2020 dropped by around 30 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

Opinion

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Productivity from waste: SOIL’s integrated approach to innovation at the food-health nexus

When I make it back into the swirling cacophony of the street, I can’t help but think that this initiative is truly saving lives.

A Mud Road to Peru

“Here in Ecuador,” he continued. “We have more corruption than we have money. That’s the truth and that’s why life is so expensive for the rest of us, those of us without brothers in the government.” After so many years of injustice, faith can sometimes feel like a foreign language in Latin America. GSDM Latin America Editor Diego Cupolo's travel diary.

Can There Be a Workable Microfinance?

“That’s not to say that microfinance won’t help the very poor, rather that there needs to be a recognition that microfinance isn’t the only thing that can work", argues Oxford Microfinance Initiative’s President Vicente Solera Deuchar.

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