Agrégateur de flux

Plus Hygge conscripts, Canada SAFE, and Danes to the rescue

Une réalité silencieuse qui pèse lourd
Longtemps considérés comme un problème exclusif des pays occidentaux, les risques psychosociaux (RPS) s'imposent aujourd'hui comme une préoccupation majeure sur le continent africain.
Derrière les chiffres de croissance économique se cache une réalité préoccupante : stress chronique, burn-out, violence au travail, harcèlement...
Ces maux touchent désormais massivement les travailleurs africains, avec des conséquences dramatiques tant sur le plan humain qu'économique.

L'ampleur du problème : des chiffres alarmants

Une santé mentale en souffrance
La situation de la santé mentale en Afrique révèle une crise profonde. La dépression touche environ 26,9% de la population en Afrique subsaharienne, un taux significativement plus élevé que la moyenne mondiale de 10 à 20%.

L'Afrique du Sud offre un aperçu inquiétant de cette réalité : selon le rapport Mental State of the World 2022, le pays détient le triste record du taux le plus élevé de population en détresse psychologique au monde, avec 35,8% de ses habitants confrontés à des problèmes de santé mentale. Par ailleurs, 25,7% des Sud-Africains souffrent de dépression, avec un taux de suicide parmi les plus élevés mondialement (23,5 pour 100 000 habitants).

Un système de soins dramatiquement insuffisant
Les ressources dédiées à la santé mentale en Afrique sont dérisoires. Le continent ne dispose que de 1,4 professionnel de santé mentale pour 100 000 habitants, contre une moyenne mondiale de 9 pour 100 000. Dans certains pays, on ne compte que 0,1 psychiatre pour 100 000 personnes.
Le budget alloué est tout aussi révélateur : les gouvernements africains ne consacrent en moyenne que 0,90 dollar par personne à la santé mentale, quand les pays développés investissent plusieurs centaines de dollars par habitant. Cette sous-allocation budgétaire laisse 98,8% des personnes nécessitant des soins, sans accès au traitement.

Les impacts sociaux dévastateurs
Des travailleurs fragilisés
Les RPS en Afrique se manifestent par plusieurs facteurs aggravants :
 La précarité professionnelle : Le secteur informel représente entre 30 et 50% du PIB en Afrique de l'Ouest et emploie 60 à 90% de la main-d'œuvre totale. Cette précarité économique constitue un terreau fertile pour les problèmes de santé mentale.

 La vulnérabilité des soignants : Les professionnels de santé africains font face à des conditions de travail particulièrement difficiles, caractérisées par des horaires prolongés, des charges de travail écrasantes et des ressources limitées, provoquant épuisement professionnel et détresse psychologique.
 La pression démographique : Avec une population qui devrait doubler d'ici trois décennies, les jeunes Africains sont confrontés à des marchés du travail hautement compétitifs, générant frustrations et recours aux substances addictives.


Des conséquences sur la société
Les RPS ne se limitent pas aux individus affectés. En Afrique, où les structures familiales et communautaires sont fondamentales, un travailleur en souffrance impacte directement son entourage. Les études montrent que pour chaque femme traitée pour dépression, jusqu'à quatre membres de sa famille bénéficient d'améliorations.
Les conséquences incluent :

 Augmentation de l'absentéisme scolaire des enfants (30% des cas)
 Dégradation de la sécurité alimentaire familiale
 Tensions et violences domestiques accrues
 Rupture du tissu social communautaire

Le coût économique colossal des RPS
Des pertes de productivité massives
À l'échelle mondiale, la dépression et l'anxiété font perdre 12 milliards de jours de travail chaque année, représentant une perte de productivité de 1000 milliards de dollars annuellement. Dans les pays développés, les RPS représentent 3 à 4% du PIB.
Bien que les données spécifiques à l'Afrique soient limitées, les observations de terrain montrent des impacts similaires :

 Baisse de performance pouvant atteindre 20%
 Augmentation significative du taux d'absentéisme
 Rétention d'informations et sabotage passif par des employés démotivés
 Turnover élevé nécessitant des recrutements et formations coûteux

Les coûts directs et indirects
Les entreprises africaines subissent plusieurs types de coûts :

Coûts directs :
 Arrêts maladie et indemnités
 Cotisations sociales majorées
 Frais médicaux et hospitalisation
 Indemnisations en cas d'accidents du travail

Coûts indirects :
 Diminution de la qualité du travail
 Erreurs accrues et non-qualité
 Gestion administrative complexifiée
 Dégradation de l'image employeur
 Difficultés de recrutement et fidélisation

Coûts stratégiques :
 Perte de compétitivité
 Diminution de l'innovation
 Incapacité à saisir les opportunités de marché
 Affaiblissement de la position concurrentielle

Les barrières persistantes
La stigmatisation : l'obstacle majeur
La stigmatisation demeure le principal frein à l'accès aux soins en Afrique. Les croyances culturelles et religieuses empêchent de nombreuses personnes de chercher de l'aide, par crainte du jugement ou de la discrimination. Cette réalité est particulièrement marquée dans le secteur informel, où révéler ses difficultés peut menacer la sécurité de l'emploi.

Un écart générationnel significatif
Un fossé générationnel se creuse dans les milieux professionnels africains. Les jeunes générations, plus conscientes de leurs besoins en santé mentale, exigent un accès aux soins et une meilleure qualité de vie au travail. Les générations plus anciennes, en revanche, peinent souvent à reconnaître la légitimité de ces préoccupations.

Les défis du secteur informel
Avec la majorité des emplois africains concentrés dans le secteur informel, l'accès aux programmes d'aide aux employés ou aux services de santé mentale reste quasi inexistant pour la plupart des travailleurs.

Les solutions pour inverser la tendance
1. Former et sensibiliser massivement
Formation des managers : Investir dans la formation managériale pour développer des compétences en intelligence émotionnelle, gestion empathique et détection des signaux de souffrance. Les "guerriers bienheureux" (managers alliant compétence et chaleur humaine) démontrent des résultats supérieurs en termes d'engagement et de performance.

Campagnes de déstigmatisation : Lancer des campagnes publiques pour normaliser la discussion autour de la santé mentale, en s'appuyant sur des figures respectées et en utilisant un langage adapté au contexte culturel local.
Éducation à la santé mentale : Intégrer l'éducation à la santé mentale dès l'école pour former une génération capable de reconnaître les symptômes et de chercher de l'aide.

2. Développer des interventions adaptées au contexte africain
Thérapies de groupe : L'Organisation Mondiale de la Santé recommande la thérapie interpersonnelle de groupe comme solution évolutive pour l'Afrique. Cette approche, moins coûteuse et culturellement appropriée, permet de traiter davantage de personnes. Les résultats sont probants : plus de 80% des femmes traitées sont libérées de la dépression à la fin de la thérapie.

Approches communautaires : Privilégier des interventions centrées sur les communautés plutôt que sur les individus, réduisant ainsi la stigmatisation et renforçant les réseaux de soutien traditionnels.
Intégration aux soins primaires : Former les agents de santé de première ligne pour détecter et prendre en charge les troubles mentaux, palliant ainsi le manque de spécialistes. 79% des pays de la région africaine ont déjà introduit cette formation.

3. Mettre en place des politiques d'entreprise proactives
Programmes d'assistance aux employés (PAE) :
 Consultations confidentielles
 Évaluations et orientations vers les soins appropriés
 Interventions en cas de crise
 Services de soutien à l'équilibre vie professionnelle-vie personnelle
 Ateliers éducatifs sur la gestion du stress

Organisation du travail saine :
 Charges de travail raisonnables
 Autonomie et contrôle sur son activité
 Reconnaissance et valorisation
 Communication transparente
 Prévention du harcèlement et des violences
Aménagements raisonnables : Adapter l'environnement de travail aux capacités et besoins des employés ayant des problèmes de santé mentale.

4. Investir stratégiquement
Budget gouvernemental : Augmenter significativement l'allocation budgétaire à la santé mentale. L'investissement rapporte : chaque dollar investi dans le traitement de la dépression et de l'anxiété génère un retour de 4 dollars en amélioration de la santé et de la productivité.
Infrastructures : Développer des centres de soins communautaires accessibles et former massivement des professionnels de santé mentale locaux.
Recherche contextuelle : Financer des études pour comprendre les spécificités africaines des RPS et développer des solutions sur mesure.

5. Renforcer le cadre légal et réglementaire

Législation protectrice : Adopter ou renforcer les lois sur la santé mentale au travail, comme l'ont fait le Ghana avec son Mental Health Act ou le Kenya avec sa politique gouvernementale sur la santé mentale en milieu de travail.
Obligations employeurs : Imposer l'évaluation des RPS et la mise en place de mesures préventives dans toutes les entreprises, y compris le secteur informel.
Collaboration intersectorielle : Créer des partenariats entre ministères (Santé, Travail, Éducation) pour une approche coordonnée.

6. Utiliser la technologie et l'innovation

Télé-santé mentale : Développer des applications et plateformes de téléconsultation pour surmonter les barrières géographiques et le manque de professionnels.
Lignes d'écoute : Mettre en place des numéros verts accessibles 24h/24 pour un soutien immédiat.
Données et monitoring : Créer des systèmes de collecte de données pour mesurer l'ampleur du problème et l'efficacité des interventions.

Un cercle vertueux à construire
L'investissement dans la prévention et le traitement des RPS n'est pas une dépense mais un investissement rentable. Les entreprises qui privilégient le bien-être de leurs employés constatent :

 Une amélioration de la motivation et de l'engagement
 Une hausse de la productivité et de la qualité
 Une réduction du turnover et de l'absentéisme
 Un renforcement de l'innovation et de la créativité
 Une meilleure attractivité et réputation
En Afrique, où la population jeune et dynamique représente un potentiel économique considérable, ignorer les RPS revient à hypothéquer l'avenir. À l'inverse, agir maintenant permettra de libérer ce potentiel et de construire des économies plus résilientes, inclusives et prospères.

Conclusion : l'urgence d'agir
Les risques psychosociaux en Afrique ne sont plus une question émergente mais une urgence absolue. Avec 46% des pays africains sans politique de santé mentale mise en œuvre, et des ressources dramatiquement insuffisantes, le continent fait face à un défi colossal.
Pourtant, des solutions existent et ont fait leurs preuves. De l'Afrique du Sud au Kenya, en passant par le Rwanda et le Ghana, des initiatives prometteuses montrent qu'un changement est possible. Mais le rythme actuel des progrès reste trop lent.

L'enjeu est clair :
 Transformer la santé mentale au travail d'un coût à supporter, en un investissement créateur de valeur.
 Pour les travailleurs africains qui aspirent à la dignité et au bien-être. Pour les entreprises qui recherchent la performance durable.
 Et pour les sociétés africaines qui construisent leur avenir.
Le moment d'agir, c'est maintenant. Car comme le dit si bien le proverbe : il faut soigner le travail pour ne pas avoir à soigner la personne qui fait le travail.
"La santé mentale n'est pas un luxe des pays riches, c'est un droit humain fondamental et un investissement économique intelligent pour toutes les nations, particulièrement celles en développement." - Organisation Mondiale de la Santé

#RisquesPsychosociauxAfrique ; #MinistrèreTravailBurkina ; #CNPSCI ; #CNSSBF ; #CNSSBENIN
Dr Sounkalo DJIBO
Ergonome industriel
Enseignant DES Médecine du Travail, UCAD Dakar, Sénégal
Enseignant DES Médecine du Travail, URESTE Cotonou, Bénin
Promoteur Sahelors Consulting (www.sahelors.com )

By Farhana Haque Rahman
TORONTO, Canada, Dec 22 2025 (IPS)

Our traditional “year-ender” usually kicks off with a grim litany of world disasters and crises over the past 12 months, highlights IPS partners and contributors and culminates in a more positive-sounding finale. This time I’d like to begin on a more personal note intended also as a metaphor.

Farhana Haque Rahman

On November 20 when the UN climate talks COP30 in Belem, Brazil, looked set to spill over into extra time as delegates harassed by fossil fuel lobbyists haggled over a concluding text, fire broke out in the conference centre. Cue flames and panic.

As thousands looked for the nearest exit, a young Bangladeshi diplomat saw me and instead of joining the mass scramble, he gallantly led me through the crowds to safety. Thank you Aminul Islam Zisan for demonstrating when in crisis people can come together in unique ways.

Thankfully no one was killed in the fire; talks resumed and the Conference of Parties process survived in the form of a concluding document that could be interpreted as a small step forward in the global battle to stem the climate crisis, even while making only an oblique reference to the fossil fuels that are largely creating it.

COP’s survival was not assured given the US boycott ordered by President Donald Trump who dismissed climate change as “the greatest con job” in addressing the UN General Assembly in September.

The US absence from Belem in fact inflicted more damage to the US in terms of its global standing, just as Trump’s decision to shun the G20 talks running parallel in Johannesburg only deepened its reputational harm. Salt was diplomatically rubbed into its self-inflicted wounds by the dignity of G20 host President Cyril Ramaphosa who ignored US opposition from afar and steered adoption of a declaration addressing global challenges, notably the climate crisis.

Looking back, perhaps this was the week that quietly brought the curtain down on the Age of America. Unpredictability, chaos, violence and institutionalised cruelty are the early symptoms of the dramatic shift in 2025 towards unilateralism and protectionism.

Hundreds of Palestinians, including scores of children, have been killed since the US-brokered “truce” between Israel and Hamas began on October 11. Russian air strikes against Ukrainian civilian targets have also regularly punctuated Trump’s flip-flopping efforts to end a war he said he could finish on day one of his presidency.

Sharp cuts in US aid ordered by Trump in January have “fuelled a global humanitarian catastrophe”, according to a statement by the UN Human Rights Council on July 31. Citing two independent experts on poverty, food and human rights, the Council said: “More than 350,000 deaths stemming from the aid cuts have already been estimated, including more than 200,000 children.”

Famine is spreading with the conflict in western Sudan, and lack of finance has also led to cuts in vital UN aid to South Sudan. Over one million people caught in Myanmar’s largely forgotten civil war had their lifesaving support cut by the UN World Food Programme because of funding shortfalls.

Civicus, a global alliance of civil society organizations and activists working to strengthen citizen action, says these multiple and connected crises – conflict, climate breakdown and democratic regression – are overwhelming the international institutions designed to address the problems that states can’t or won’t resolve. US withdrawal from global bodies threatens to worsen this crisis in international cooperation.

But as CIVICUS’s 2025 State of Civil Society Report outlines, civil society has ideas about how to save the UN by putting people at its heart: a theme embraced at COP30 by Open Society Foundations President Binaifer Nowrojee who endorsed Brazil’s democratic leadership for elevating Indigenous and Afro-descendant voices and bringing human rights back to the centre of climate action.

In this rapidly shifting world order, Nowrojee sees the Global South stepping forward with new ideas and a new vision rooted in dignity, fairness, and protection of the planet.

Arguably the most important agreement emerging from COP30 was the Just Transition Mechanism which aims to ensure fair development of a global green economy, protecting the rights of all people, including workers, women and Indigenous people.

Coral Pasisi, Director of Climate Change and Sustainability for the Pacific Community (SPC), highlighted at COP30 how critical the situation has become for island nations experiencing accelerating climate impacts and hoping for meaningful breakthroughs in Belem. She raised the need for stronger support from developed countries for Loss and Damage.

The Gen Z demonstrators who have rocked regimes in South Asia and Africa are certainly stepping up with their visions for fairer futures for all, their protests aimed against nepotism and corruption among entrenched elites. They have been met with bullets in Bangladesh last year, and in Nepal – where the government was forced to resign in September – as well as Tanzania where hundreds were reported killed. Gen Z protests this year also rocked Indonesia, the Philippines and Morocco.

As Jan Lundius, a Swedish researcher, wrote in IPS: “Even though specific incidents triggered these upheavals, they were all due to long-term, shared grievances evolving from stark wealth gaps, rampant nepotism, and unlimited corruption. Above all, youngsters protested against members of powerful dynasties, favouring a wealthy and discredited political elite.”

A combination of conflict and climate disasters can have disastrous long-term consequences, particularly for children’s education. Initiatives supported by IPS like Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and the Safe Schools Declaration focus on providing quality, inclusive education to crisis-affected children to prevent long-term cycles of poverty and instability.

Hurricane Melissa which swept through the Caribbean in October served as a harsh reminder that 5.9 million children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean could be pushed into poverty by 2030 due to loss of education as a result of climate change if governments do not intervene soon, according to UNICEF.

The World Bank estimated the physical damage inflicted by Hurricane Melissa on Jamaica at some $8.8 billion, or 41% of the country’s 2024 GDP.

However the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has also warned governments that they are underestimating or ignoring the inextricable links between climate change, nature loss and food security. Its latest assessment, approved by nearly 150 countries meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, warned that biodiversity is declining everywhere, largely as a result of human actions.

CGIAR, a global research partnership focused on food security, is facing a very different world from when it was founded nearly 50 years ago in terms of having to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and new conflicts, according to CGIAR Chief Scientist Dr Sandra Milach. A major focus is on equipping 500 million small-scale producers for climate resilience to protect their livelihoods and increase stable incomes.

A year-ender wouldn’t be complete in the run-up to festive celebrations without at least a mention of the major religious figures to dominate the news.

Pope Francis, one of the most outspoken pontiffs in modern times, died on Easter Monday. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, 69, became his successor, the first North American elected to the role. Choosing to be known as Pope Leo XIV he called for an end to the ‘barbarity’ of the war in Gaza. He also took aim at climate sceptics and appealed for urgent actions to be taken by world leaders at COP30.

The Dalai Lama, spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, turned 90 in exile in India, and also made a call for peace in the world. To the delight of his followers, he made clear that he would be reincarnated and that only his trusted inner circle of monks would have the “sole authority” to locate his successor. China swiftly rebuffed his declaration, saying his successor must be approved by Beijing.

In 2025 the world marked 80 years since the end of the Second World War. Minoru Harada, a Buddhist monk and head of Soka Gakkai, recalled his childhood experience of the fire-bombing of Tokyo and pledged his organisation’s determination that no one should have to endure the horrors of war.

Farhana Haque Rahman is Senior Vice President of IPS Inter Press Service and Executive Director IPS Noram; she served as the elected Director General of IPS from 2015-2019. A journalist and communications expert, she is a former senior official of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

IPS UN Bureau

 

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Deux des plus grands noms du football africain, Achraf Hakimi et Mohamed Salah, espèrent mener leurs nations à la gloire à la Coupe d'Afrique des nations.

Cette année 2025 a été particulièrement marquée par le retour de Donald Trump à la Maison Blanche, un événement qui bouleverse en profondeur l’ordre international. Son élection constitue une véritable rupture géopolitique : il s’attaque au système international issu de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, remet en cause le concept de monde occidental et l’Alliance transatlantique. Face à ce choc, l’Europe demeure dans le déni et la crainte, tandis que le fossé ne cesse de se creuser entre le « Sud global » et ce qui constituait jusqu’ici le monde occidental. Parmi ceux qui voient dans la victoire de Donald Trump une opportunité figurent Vladimir Poutine, qui voit Washington reprendre quasi au mot près toutes ses exigence dans le cadre des négociations concernant l’Ukraine ; Benyamin Netanyahou, à la tête d’un Israël qui se présente comme vainqueur sur le plan régional mais dont l’image internationale est durablement dégradée ; ainsi que Xi Jinping, qui tire avantage d’une présidence étasunienne dysfonctionnelle et apparaît, par contraste, comme le dirigeant d’un pays stable, respectueux et fiable, notamment en Amérique latine. Quant à l’Inde, la Turquie ou l’Arabie saoudite, ces puissances intermédiaires multiplient les partenariats. Dans le même temps, les conflits persistent sur le continent africain, tandis que l’ASEAN parvient à préserver son dynamisme économique malgré le conflit entre la Thaïlande et le Cambodge.

L’article Bilan géopolitique 2025 est apparu en premier sur IRIS.

In today's edition: Weight loss drugs, tobacco, global health

La direction générale des douanes, à travers une publication faite sur sa page Facebook, annonce avoir saisi le 20 décembre 2025, 130 sacs d'explosifs. C'est sur un axe en provenance de Zecco que la brigade mobile des douanes de Ouagadougou a opéré cette saisie. La cargaison était dissimulée sous un chargement de son de haricot.

C'est grâce à une fouille méticuleusement menée que la supercherie a été découverte. Chaque sac contenait 22 sachets de 15 bâtonnets, soit au total 42 900 bâtonnets d'explosifs. En plus des explosifs, 200 sacs de fils à tresser ainsi que 24 balles de sachets plastiques ont aussi été découverts. La valeur totale du matériel saisi est estimée à 33 850 000 FCFA.

www.lefaso.net
Source : SCRP/Douanes

The final decision on duties will only be made once the probe concludes in February

In today's edition: Looking back at a year of Trump, simplification and sovereignty

The Italian competition authorities said that Apple abused its dominant position via its app tracking transparency framework

Le Cabinet IRH AFRIQUE SARL recrute pour le compte d'un de ses partenaires un Chef de Vente expérimenté.
Profil recherché
Diplôme : BAC +3 minimum (Commerce, Marketing, Gestion ou équivalent)
Expérience : Solide expérience minimum 3 ans dans la vente et la distribution de produits de grande consommation, particulièrement dans les secteurs Télécom, Mobile Money et Fibre
Compétences :

 Management et coaching d'équipe commerciale
 Bonne maîtrise des outils informatiques (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
 Connaissance des outils d'IA appliqués à la gestion commerciale
Qualités personnelles : Leadership, rigueur, orientation résultats et esprit d'équipe

 Missions principales
 Encadrer et motiver l'équipe de vente
 Développer les ventes et assurer l'atteinte des objectifs
 Suivre la performance et assurer un reporting régulier
 Mettre en œuvre des stratégies commerciales efficaces

Composition du dossier
 Lettre de motivation
 CV détaillé & signé
 Diplôme légalisé
 Certificat et / ou attestation de travail
Les dossiers de candidature doivent être envoyés en un seul fichier et à l'adresse irhafrique@gmail.com
Date limite : 10 janvier 2026 à 16h00.

Wer erinnert sich noch an die Highlights von 2025? Ans Rote Rathaus, an das animierte Filmchen zum Schweinepreiszyklus von Arthur Hanau, an 10 Jahre „Wir schaffen das“ und 35 Jahre Deutsche Einheit? An tolle Tagungen über Productivity und Economics of Crime, an Begutachtungen und Begutachtungsproben ...

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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The US is leveraging its economic and technological strength to pressure even allies, Danish intelligence said earlier this month

Trente-six ans après sa chute le 22 décembre 1989, le dictateur communiste Nicolae Ceaușescu est devenu un véritable phénomène sur TikTok, où pullulent des comptes de trolls et de bots réhabilitant son action. Dans le but évident de promouvoir les vertus des régimes autoritaires...

- Articles / Politique, Roumanie - révolution 1989, Radio Europa Liberă România

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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Burkinabè d'ici et de la diaspora, la Nation vous dit MERCI pour votre mobilisation aux côtés du Fonds de Soutien Patriotique. La lutte continue jusqu'à la victoire finale !

La CAMEG informe son aimable clientèle qu'en raison des inventaires de fin d'année, ses magasins de vente resteront fermés du lundi 29 décembre 2025 au mercredi 14 janvier 2026 inclus.
Cette fermeture concerne les agences commerciales de la CAMEG Ouagadougou I et II, Bobo-Dioulasso, Fada-N'Gourma, Ouahigouya, Dédougou, Gaoua, Tenkodogo, Dori, l'agence Ventes spécifiques, l'agence Programmes et Partenariats et les entrepôts centraux.

La réouverture des magasins se fera le jeudi 15 janvier 2026.
La CAMEG s'excuse d'avance pour les désagréments occasionnés par la fermeture de ses magasins.
Elle saisit par ailleurs, cette occasion, pour souhaiter de bonnes fêtes de fin d'année à ses partenaires et clients.
Puissions-nous les passer dans la paix et dans la bonne santé.

Le Directeur général

Eric N. TOUGOUMA
Officier de l'Ordre de l'Etalon

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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