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The Maier Foundation has donated $150,000 to West Virginia State University (WVSU) to expand scholarship opportunities for students. The grant was announced during the university’s Day of Giving and Founders Day celebrations and will support both immediate financial aid and long-term scholarship funding. Of the total contribution, $50,000 will provide direct scholarship support for students… [Read More]

In learning spaces across Aswan in Egypt, the Akelius Language Learning Programme is helping transform classroom teaching and student engagement through digital education tools. The initiative is part of a two-year partnership between UNICEF, Egypt’s Ministry of Education and Technical Education, and the Akelius Foundation, aimed at expanding inclusive learning opportunities for marginalized children across… [Read More]

The UNESCO has begun deploying emergency measures across the Middle East as violence escalates in the region, focusing on protecting education personnel and institutions, supporting cultural professionals and heritage sites, and strengthening the safety of journalists. While discussions with Member States continue to expand and adapt the response, several urgent actions are already being implemented… [Read More]

The UNESCO has partnered with Australia to support a new national education strategy aimed at addressing rising antisemitism in schools. As part of this initiative, a teacher-training programme is being piloted to help educators respond more effectively to incidents of antisemitism and promote inclusive and respectful school environments. The programme comes in response to a… [Read More]

New findings from the Zero-Dose Learning Hub supported by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance show that many under-immunised children remain unseen due to aggregated data, fragmented health information systems, and assumptions made at national levels. The evidence suggests that improving immunisation coverage requires not only better data and funding but also stronger accountability and strategies tailored… [Read More]

Coastal towns across the United Kingdom have long depended on tourism, but many are now facing economic and social challenges as visitor patterns have changed over the decades. The popularity of affordable package holidays, which began in the 1950s and expanded through the 1960s and 1970s, made overseas travel more accessible, while the rise of… [Read More]

Learning poverty remains a major challenge across Sub-Saharan Africa, with an estimated 89% of children unable to read and understand a simple, age-appropriate text by the age of 10. In Malawi, this crisis is particularly evident, as many children attend school but still struggle to develop the basic reading skills needed to progress academically. This… [Read More]

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has adopted the first global Guidelines aimed at promoting labour rights and preventing violence and harassment for professional athletes worldwide. The decision was reached on 6 March after five days of tripartite discussions involving government, employer, and worker representatives from the sport sector, marking a significant step toward improving working… [Read More]

The World Bank Group has approved $240 million to launch the first phase of the West Africa Coastal Areas Blue Economy and Resilience Program (WACA+), an initiative designed to protect vulnerable coastlines while promoting private sector–led growth in the blue economy across Benin and Mauritania. The financing package includes $207 million from the International Development… [Read More]

The World Bank Group has announced a 21-month debarment with conditional release for Mauritius-based PricewaterhouseCoopers Associates Africa Ltd., PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited, Kenya, and PricewaterhouseCoopers Rwanda Limited over collusive and fraudulent practices linked to the Eastern Electricity Highway Project under the first phase of the Eastern Africa Power Integration Program in Ethiopia. The project aimed to increase… [Read More]

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a new country partnership strategy (CPS) for Pakistan covering the period 2026–2030, outlining a roadmap to support the country’s shift toward sustainable and inclusive economic growth driven by private sector development. The five-year strategy focuses on strengthening private sector growth, promoting inclusion and empowerment, and improving resilience and… [Read More]

The Inclusive Futures programme, UK aid’s flagship disability inclusion initiative, has shared valuable lessons after eight years of work across Bangladesh, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. Delivered by a consortium led by Sightsavers and the International Disability Alliance, the programme partnered with more than 200 organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs), governments, INGOs, research… [Read More]

Pension reforms over the past three decades have sought to strengthen the connection between social security contributions during working life and the benefits received in retirement. This approach aims to encourage employment and extend working lives, while reducing fiscal pressures on ageing pension systems. The 1999 Polish pension reform, which replaced a traditional defined benefit… [Read More]

An inquiry into the state government’s community consultation practices has revealed that recent engagements have not consistently followed best practice principles. The report highlighted that the state government’s Public Engagement Framework, which is intended to guide meaningful consultation, has often been applied inconsistently across departments and agencies. Conducted by the Legislative Council Environment and Planning… [Read More]

Armed conflict often draws attention to immediate casualties and overwhelmed hospitals, but the broader health consequences for civilians are less visible. In the Middle East, the recent escalation in Lebanon, Iran, and the Gulf countries is another phase of a prolonged conflict, where dense urban areas face repeated bombardment. While direct injuries are evident, the… [Read More]

Digital wallets are increasingly used to store payment cards digitally, but their potential goes far beyond payments. When integrated as digital public goods with appropriate safeguards, they allow people to prove eligibility for social protection benefits, share health records in emergencies, or present certified documents for employment quickly and securely. Recognition and interoperability across systems… [Read More]

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, has released the 2025 study “Impact of the War on Young People in Ukraine,” which examines how the fourth year of the full-scale war has affected youth attitudes, needs, and priorities. The research focused on young people’s perceptions… [Read More]

National Red Cross Societies in East Asia are actively advancing gender equality and promoting women’s leadership through concrete actions that extend from internal governance to community engagement. These efforts include enhancing female representation at all levels and implementing family-friendly workplace policies. Significant progress has been made in increasing women’s leadership within the societies. East Asia… [Read More]

The Vanuatu Energy Resilience Project (VERP) has progressed from planning to field implementation, with technical experts from the Department of Energy (DoE) and UNDP conducting on-site assessments in mid-February to safeguard critical solar infrastructure using Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Launched in July 2025 and funded by CDRI, the project aims to enhance the durability of renewable… [Read More]

The Asia-Pacific region is harnessing the energy and passion of its youth to tackle environmental challenges, with nearly 60 percent of the world’s young population driving innovative solutions. This momentum was showcased at the annual Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development, held at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, where officials, experts, and activists gathered… [Read More]

Sweden has withdrawn core funding from Swedwatch, an independent watchdog that has monitored business, human rights, and environmental justice for the past 20 years. The decision by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has been described as a major setback for civil society, potentially leaving vulnerable populations, particularly in the Global South, exposed to… [Read More]

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced further support to combat drug trafficking in Tonga during his Pacific visit, highlighting the region as a “super highway” for cartels. Speaking at Tonga’s police headquarters, Luxon outlined enhancements to the Pacific Detector Dog Programme, jointly managed by New Zealand Police and Customs, which in 2025 led to… [Read More]

With less than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, civil society leaders convened on 11 March 2026 for the CSW70 side event “Leading Change: Women, Youth, and Civic Action for SDG Acceleration.” The discussion focused on how local action driven by women and youth can accelerate progress on the Sustainable… [Read More]