News headlines in July 2019, page 6

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 16 (IPS) - A United Nations-backed probe into atrocities committed by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq has frequently been criticised for making slow progress during its first two years of operations. Lately, that could be changing.

GENEVA, Jul 16 (IPS) - Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez is Chair-Rapporteur of the Human Right Council's Social Forum 2018 & Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva*

As I reflect on the varied views and perspectives that emerged during the Human Rights Council's Social Forum 2018 -- where the theme of Olympic ideal and inclusive sports and their contribution to the promotion of the human rights, peace and development through sports were extensively deliberated on -- I observed an immediate connect with the preparations that are currently underway for the hosting of the Olympics 2024 in France.

SYDNEY and KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 16 (IPS) - On 17 June, a Facebook white paper proposed a new global digital currency it plans to launch in the first half of 2020. The Libra will be managed by a ‘not for profit' Swiss-based Facebook-led consortium of ‘for profit corporations', with Uber, eBay, Lyft, Mastercard and PayPal among its founding members.

NEW YORK, Jul 15 (IPS) - Jamil Dakwar is director of the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) Human Rights Program and adjunct lecturer at John Jay College at the City University of New York (CUNY). Sonia Gill is senior legislative counsel with the ACLU.

The Trump administration appears to be trying to find moral footing for the president's discriminatory policies. Last week, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo formally announced the creation of a "Commission on Unalienable Rights."

KIGALI, Jul 15 (IPS) - How do you plan a resilient city? A city that can withstand climate change impacts, and the natural disasters that it produces at increased frequencies. And how do you protect the city, its individuals and communities, its business and institutions from either the increased flooding or prolonged droughts that result? It's a complex question with an even more complex solution, but one that the central African nation of Rwanda is looking to answer.

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 15 (IPS) - On 10 July 2019 I was honored to moderate a meeting with women's groups for the UN Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres, whose aim was to better diagnose the role of women in the prevention or instigation of violent extremism.

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 15 (IPS) - The world's two most populous nations-– China and India—have been making steady progress in eradicating extreme poverty, but have fallen short in their attempts to eliminate extreme hunger, according to the Bangkok-based UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

NAIROBI, Jul 12 (IPS) - Paul Okumu is head of secretariat for the Africa Platform on Governance, Responsible Business and the Social Contract. He is also head of strategy at the Internet of Things Solutions Africa.

Many NGOs around the world are fighting inequality between the rich and the poor, between the policies that make rich countries richer, and poor countries poorer. So while Civil Society Organizations claim to be equal and are are fighting together to secure space for engagement and to work, the bigger NGOs should also ask themselves why they are unwilling to let others who are less resourced take up the space where their voice can be heard. Why are they unwilling to fight policies that keep rich NGOs richer?

UNITED NATIONS, Jul 12 (IPS) - Parliamentarians met in Laos last week to discuss violence against women and girls.

The meeting was organized by the Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) and hosted by the National Assembly of Laos.

WASHINGTON DC, Jul 12 (IPS) - Andrew Kanyegirire is Senior Communications Officer at the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Claire Akamanzi spends her days working on innovative ways to bring more business to her country.

As CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), a multiagency governmental department billed as a "one-stop shop" for investors, Akamanzi has seen the country earn accolades for its business-friendly environment, recently winning the #2 spot regionally in the World Bank's ease of doing business rankings.