Africa

Das baldige Aus des Eigenmietwerts veranlasst viele Wohneigentümer, ihre Liegenschaft noch rasch zu renovieren. Ist das sinnvoll?

Credit: Issei Kato/Reuters via Gallo Images

By Inés M. Pousadela
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, Dec 22 2025 (IPS)

Myanmar is heading for an election, beginning on 28 December, that’s ostensibly an exercise in democracy – but it has clearly been designed with the aim of conferring more legitimacy on its military junta.

Almost five years after its February 2021 coup, the regime continues to fight pro-democracy forces and ethnic armed organisations, barely controlling a fifth of Myanmar’s territory. The junta has acknowledged that voting won’t be possible in much of the country.

The upcoming election fails every test of democratic legitimacy. The main democratic parties — the National League for Democracy and the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy — are banned. What remains is the Union Solidarity and Development Party, the military’s puppet party, plus minor groups that won no seats in the democratic election held in 2020. Independent media outlets have been crushed, journalists are arrested and intimidated daily and internet access is heavily restricted. In areas that resist military rule, civilians face escalating violence and arbitrary detention.

This election is designed not to reflect the popular will but to entrench military power. It comes as the regime continues its systematic campaign of violence against civilians: weeks before the junta announced the vote, Myanmar’s air force bombed a school in Oe Htein Kwin village, killing two teachers and 22 children, the youngest only seven years old.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has confirmed 6,231 civilians have been killed by the military since the coup, though true figures could be much higher. Nearly half of all civilian deaths are estimated to have been caused by airstrikes. These are not indiscriminate military operations where civilians are collateral damage; they are deliberate attacks where civilians are the targets. The majority of locations of airstrikes have been sites with protected status under international law: camps for displaced people, churches, clinics and schools, often with no presence of armed groups nearby.

The junta has some powerful international allies. China backs it with billions in aid and advanced weapons. Russia supplies the fighter jets that drop bombs on civilians. India quietly sells arms. The three have long provided diplomatic cover and shielded the junta from international accountability. Meanwhile, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continues pursuing its failed Five-Point Consensus agreed with the regime in April 2021, despite its systematic violation of every commitment. Regional powers have negotiated exclusively with the junta without input from the National Unity Government — the government in exile formed by democratically elected lawmakers — effectively treating the military regime as Myanmar’s legitimate rulers.

Now recent decisions by the Trump administration threaten to tip the balance decisively in favour of legitimising military rule. Trump has lifted sanctions, cut independent media funding and eliminated the protections formerly afforded to Myanmar’s refugees in the USA. Consistent with his transactional approach, he’s choosing access to rare earth minerals over democracy.

The concern now is that ASEAN member states may follow suit, using the sham election as justification to normalise relations with the military regime. Some have already started moving in this direction, with the junta leader invited to regional meetings.

Myanmar’s pro-democracy forces continue to resist despite the shifting international context. The People’s Defence Forces and ethnic armed groups maintain coordinated operations across most of the country. Civil society continues documenting violations, providing aid to displaced people and advocating for international action. They deserve better than to watch the world legitimise their oppressors.

The junta’s control on the ground remains tenuous, but its diplomatic position is strengthening. Whether this consolidation continues depends on how the world responds to the election. The international community must be clear that treating the election as legitimate would signal to authoritarians everywhere that democratic institutions can be overthrown with impunity, war crimes carry no real consequences and regimes that bomb schools and imprison elected leaders can secure international acceptance.

Inés M. Pousadela is CIVICUS Head of Research and Analysis, co-director and writer for CIVICUS Lens and co-author of the State of Civil Society Report. She is also a Professor of Comparative Politics at Universidad ORT Uruguay.

For interviews or more information, please contact research@civicus.org

 

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A young girl looks at signage advertising specials at a food stall near her school in New Delhi, India. India faces high rates of hunger and malnutrition, while the growing availability of ultra-processed foods contributes to rising rates of childhood obesity. Credit: UNICEF/Amit Madheshiya

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 22 2025 (IPS)

2025 marked a notable year of progress in reducing global hunger; yet climate pressures, economic instability, and ongoing conflicts continue to push agri-food systems to their limits, undermining food availability. In a new report, UN agencies raise the alarm on how these factors are particularly pronounced in the Asia-Pacific region, which accounts for 40 percent of the world’s undernourished.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the World Health Organization (WHO) warn that access to nutritious food is increasingly slipping out of reach for millions across the region, posing serious risks to economic development, public health, and social stability across the region. A new joint report released on December 17 breaks down the state of food security and nutrition in the Asia-Pacific region in 2025, highlighting global progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“In this day and age, no one should lack the food and optimal nutrition they need and deserve. Yet hunger, malnutrition and overweight impact the health and wellbeing of millions of our fellow human beings – including children,” said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, the Regional Director of WHO Western Pacific. “We need multilateral solutions to rethink, reshape and reimagine food systems across Asia-Pacific – leaving no one behind.”

While the report notes a significant decline in undernourishment across the region from 2023 to 2024—with roughly 25 million people escaping hunger—it also finds that South Asia continues to lag far behind, experiencing the highest levels of food insecurity in the Asia-Pacific. Nearly 80 percent of South Asia faces moderate to severe levels of food insecurity, with the region also reporting the highest rates of stunted growth among children—at 31.4 percent— and wasting—at 13.6 percent, both exceeding global averages.

Additionally, the Asia–Pacific region faces roughly double the rates of malnutrition compared to the global average. Adult obesity is particularly widespread, adding another layer to the region’s complex nutrition challenges.

Furthermore women and girls are projected to bear the greatest burdens, experiencing the highest levels of food insecurity among all subregions of Asia. Women and girls aged 15 to 49 also face elevated rates of anemia, with an estimated 33.8 percent affected—posing serious risks for both maternal and child health. According to figures from WHO, without urgent intervention, approximately 18 million more women and girls in South Asia could become anemic by 2030, adding to the current figure of 259 million. Anemia is a leading cause of low birth weight and stunted growth, conditions that carry long-term consequences including disrupted education, reduced economic opportunities, deepened gender inequalities, and greater vulnerability to illness.

“In South Asia, our young people and mothers stand at the heart of our demographic and development goals. Ensuring that they are healthy, nourished and empowered is not just a moral imperative, it is a strategic investment in the future of our societies.” said Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

Although the number of people in the Asia-Pacific region who can afford healthy diets has increased in recent years, food affordability remains a persistent challenge. In 2024, the cost of a healthy diet in the region averaged roughly USD 4.77 per person per day on a Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) basis—higher than the global average. The affordability gap is the widest in South Asia, where approximately 41.7 percent of the population cannot afford nutritious food.

These widening gaps in access to nutritious food not only threaten public health by leaving populations increasingly vulnerable to infections and chronic disease, but also carry far-reaching economic implications—shaping productivity and further straining already fragile economies in the region.

The report cites a study from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which found that numerous Asian countries have historically benefitted from a “young, growing workforce,” which accounted for up to 42 percent of economic growth in the region between 1960 and 2010. However, as urbanization and population growth accelerate, a workforce facing rising food insecurity could see substantial losses.

As food insecurity in the Asia-Pacific is increasingly driven by rapid urbanization, economic pressures, and climate issues, humanitarian experts stress that response measures must adapt accordingly. Addressing hunger requires protocols that account for shifting population dynamics and rising living costs, with governments and humanitarian groups collaborating to strengthen agri-food systems to ensure that they are accessible, affordable, and resilient.

The report highlights the importance of globalization in addressing hunger strategies, underscoring the vast gains that result from more countries being integrated into global economies generally seeing fewer rates of undernourishment. Additionally, trade policies must be considered, as they shape how agricultural products move across borders, affecting the variety and availability of diverse food options. Favorable trade agreements can expand access to nutritious foods and open larger markets for small farmers, while unfavorable ones can prioritize the import of unhealthy foods, weakening local agriculture and eroding overall nutrition.

The report concludes that, “Governments together with other stakeholders are increasingly including measures in their national pathways to ensure that food and agriculture investments and policies contribute to sustainable and diverse food production, healthy food environments, promotion of positive dietary behaviour and improving access to affordable healthy diets.”

“Accomplishing that goal involves reorienting public finance and encouraging private sector investments in infrastructure development programmes, research on innovations and technologies, food manufacturing and capacity development to enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.”

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Women in peace and security. Credit: UNOAU/Sandra Barrows

By Elizabeth Eilor
WINDHOEK, Namibia, Dec 22 2025 (IPS)

Last November, the streets of Windhoek came alive with the sound of drums and brass as a marching band led a procession of women from Namibia’s Defence and security forces.

Dressed in uniform and walking in unity, they marched not only in celebration but in remembrance of a promise made 25 years ago on 31 October 2000—when the world adopted United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security.

The resolution reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts, peace negotiations, peace-building, peacekeeping, humanitarian response and in post-conflict reconstruction, and to protect women and girls from gender-based violence.

Resolution 1325 transformed how the world views women’s roles in peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and recovery. It affirmed a truth too long overlooked: that peace is neither sustainable nor just when half of society is excluded from decision-making. It placed women at the centre of efforts to prevent conflict, rebuild nations, and safeguard human rights.

It is fitting that Namibia hosts this silver-anniversary commemoration. Twenty-five years ago, the country made history by presiding over the UN Security Council meeting that adopted the landmark resolution.

Since then, Namibia has continued to turn words into action—integrating gender perspectives into national security policies, ensuring women’s participation in peacekeeping, and promoting women’s leadership from the grassroots to the highest levels of government. The country’s record speaks for itself: a female President, Vice-President, Speaker of Parliament and has one of the world’s most gender-balanced Cabinets.

Namibia was also among the first African nations to adopt a national action plan on Women, Peace and Security, and continues to shape the regional agenda through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union (AU). The country’s progress demonstrates that when political will aligns with gender equality, transformation follows.

The anniversary, held under the theme “Honouring the Legacy, Advancing the WPS Agenda,” has brought together women from across the continent. From the vibrant street procession to consultative dialogues with civil society and youth, every moment has reflected a shared conviction—that women’s participation is essential to building lasting peace.

For the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), this milestone carries deep meaning.

UNOAU works hand-in-hand with the African Union Commission to strengthen women’s roles across peace processes, governance reforms, and mediation efforts. Through our joint initiative, ‘She Stands for Peace’, we honour African women who have transformed their communities through courage, innovation, and leadership.

The third edition of the book—launched in Windhoek—profiles these remarkable changemakers whose stories remind us that peace grows stronger when women lead.

As we mark 25 years of progress, the UN reaffirms its commitment to advancing the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The promise of Resolution 1325 remains as urgent today as it was in the year 2000: to ensure that women are not just protected from conflict but are also empowered to prevent and resolve it.

Namibia’s journey stands as an inspiration to Africa and the world. Its legacy reminds us that the spirit of 1325 lives not in resolutions alone, but in the actions of nations that choose to make peace inclusive and enduring. It lives in every woman who chooses dialogue over division and leadership over silence.

As we look to the next 25 years, may every nation follow Namibia’s example—proving once again that when women lead, peace endures.

Elizabeth Eilor is Senior Gender Advisor, United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) in Addis Ababa.

Source: Africa Renewal, United Nations

IPS UN Bureau

 

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La tenue d'apparat choisie pour l'arrivée des Guépards du Bénin à la CAN 2025 n'est ni décorative ni anecdotique. Elle est un geste symbolique fort, pensé et conçu par Jerry Sinclair, créateur béninois, à travers une écriture vestimentaire qui dépasse la mode pour entrer dans le champ de la représentation nationale.

Ce choix vestimentaire dit quelque chose d'essentiel : le Bénin n'est pas un territoire fragmenté, mais un espace de résonances.

À travers cette tenue, un clin d'œil assumé au septentrion, c'est tout un peuple qui se retrouve concerné.

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