From 27–30 October 2025, Jakarta, Indonesia, hosted a four-day laboratory training workshop aimed at strengthening the national capacity for the timely detection and confirmation of diphtheria cases. Eighteen laboratory professionals from across Indonesia participated in the program, which focused on enhancing skills necessary for rapid diagnosis to support outbreak prevention and public health response. Diphtheria… [Read More]
National PRET Exercise Strengthens Indonesia’s Pandemic Readiness
The Government of Indonesia, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), conducted a national Preparedness and Resilience for Emerging Threats (PRET) table-top exercise (TTX) from 24–26 September 2025. The exercise brought together 44 institutions and 65 participants from national and subnational levels to test whole-of-government coordination across the five PRET pillars: emergency coordination, collaborative… [Read More]
Private Finance for Sustainable Development: Preparing for Uncertain Times
In 2018, Vietnam launched its first industrial-scale solar power plant on 300 hectares of hard-to-farm land in the country’s poorest province. With initial donor support of about $20 million from Switzerland and others, the project attracted an additional $147 million in private investment, supplying electricity to 200,000 homes and cutting 240,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions… [Read More]
Student Activists Remain in Custody as India’s Top Court Rejects Bail
India’s Supreme Court on January 5 denied bail to prominent student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who have been held without trial for over five years. While the court granted bail to five others arrested in the same case, it held that Khalid and Imam were on a “qualitatively different footing,” justifying their continued… [Read More]
The Impact of Clean Water on African Children: Health, Education, and a Brighter Future
Bread and Water for Africa®’s WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) program is making a transformative impact across sub-Saharan Africa by providing communities with access to clean water, reliable sanitation facilities, and essential hygiene education. These efforts protect students from infectious diseases while enabling them to focus on learning and overall well-being. Access to safe water… [Read More]
Africa’s Start-Up Funding in 2025: Reasons Behind the Decline
Africa’s start-up funding showed a slowdown in 2025, with investors increasingly concentrating capital at the seed and early stages amid rising market uncertainty. According to the African Private Capital Association (AVCA), venture capital activity in the nine months to September 30, 2025, was heavily focused on early growth phases, while late-stage activity was extremely limited,… [Read More]
School Meals Transform Health, Learning, and Futures in Bhutan
In the remote highlands of Sakteng, Bhutan, the National School Feeding Programme is transforming schools into vital community hubs that nourish children and support local livelihoods. For families in eastern Bhutan, where nomadic Brokpa traditions and limited access to basic services make life challenging, schools are more than educational spaces—they provide nutrition, safety, and a… [Read More]
How Investing in Children Fuels Economic Growth and Protects Lives in West Africa
A targeted investment of $2.5 million by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is set to transform the humanitarian supply chain for child nutrition in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria. The initiative aims to build local manufacturing capacity for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTFs), a peanut-based nutrient-rich product used to treat malnourished children. By strengthening… [Read More]
NGOs and Disability Data: Enhancing Inclusion in Emergency Response
Humanitarians aim to ensure no one is left behind, yet traditional data collection during disasters often overlooks people with disabilities. Research indicates that individuals with disabilities are up to four times more likely to die in emergencies, highlighting the urgent need for inclusive approaches. A new innovation, co-created and tested with people with disabilities, seeks… [Read More]
New Year, New Start: Advancing Vocational Training in 2026
New Zealand has taken a significant step in strengthening its vocational education system, with the official launch of ten regionally governed polytechnics and eight new Industry Skills Boards, Vocational Education Minister Penny Simmonds announced. The move marks a shift toward a more responsive and locally accountable system, returning decision-making to regions and industry after a… [Read More]
Additional SME Funding Boost Announced by BNM
Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) has welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim in the 2026 New Year Message regarding an additional allocation for BNM’s Fund for SMEs, alongside the introduction of a credit guarantee scheme. The fund will receive an extra RM2.5 billion, prioritizing support for first-time borrowers. To date, BNM has… [Read More]
Community Funding Boost Strengthens Mental Health Prevention and Early Support
Thousands of New Zealanders will gain faster access to mental health support following a funding boost for four community organisations, according to Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey. The funding aims to remove barriers to support, ensure early intervention, and provide communities and workplaces with timely mental health assistance. Hearts and Minds will expand its early… [Read More]
New Government Investment Targets Mental Health Prevention and Early Support Programs
The government is increasing support for mental health services by allocating additional funding through the Mental Health Innovation Fund, enabling four organisations to expand their programs. For the second round of the fund, the matched funding threshold was lowered from $250,000 to $100,000, making it easier for organisations to access support. The initiative is backed… [Read More]
Faith-Based Organizations Get Creative After USAID Funding Reductions
Churches and affiliated NGOs in Uganda are rapidly adapting to the withdrawal of long-standing funding from the United States Agency for International Development. For decades, these organizations relied heavily on international aid from the U.S., U.K., and European Union to run feeding programs, support clergy families, and build schools and hospitals. Until last year, USAID… [Read More]
Historic Milestone: Gaza’s Basic Food Needs Fully Met in 2026
The January aid round in Gaza marks the first time since October 2023 that partners have had sufficient stock to meet 100 percent of the minimum caloric needs, according to UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. This represents a significant improvement compared with late 2025, when families received only 50 to 75 percent of the calories required… [Read More]
UN Urges Calm as Iran Protests Continue Amid Rising Violence
UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric briefed reporters in New York on Monday regarding the ongoing protests in Iran, noting that demonstrations have taken place in Tehran, Yasuj, and across a majority of Iranian provinces, according to human rights activists and online reports. Videos circulating on social media have highlighted the scale of these protests, reflecting widespread… [Read More]
Maduro Seized and International Norms Challenged: UN Security Council Split on Venezuela
The UN Security Council is deeply divided over the recent US operation in Venezuela, which resulted in the seizure of President Nicolás Maduro. Council members debated whether Washington’s actions uphold accountability or undermine the principles of international law. Some delegations viewed the operation as an exceptional, justified measure, while others warned it risks normalizing unilateral… [Read More]
Social Justice Strategies for a Just Transition in Uzbekistan
Muynak, once a thriving port town on the southern shore of the Aral Sea, illustrates the profound human and ecological consequences of environmental collapse. In the mid-20th century, the town flourished as a fishing hub, with the Muynak Canned Fish Combine providing tens of thousands of jobs and supporting a vibrant maritime economy. By the… [Read More]
Labour Rights, Supply Chains, and Trade: Essential Terms Guide
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has released a practical, user-friendly publication designed to clarify the often complex terminology connecting labour rights, trade, and supply chains. Titled Understanding Rights at Work: A Guide to Key Terms Related to Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, Trade and Supply Chains, the guide provides accessible explanations of critical concepts… [Read More]
Life-Saving Food Assistance in Burundi: Japan and WFP Support Refugees and Returnees
The World Food Programme (WFP) has received over US$625,000 from the Government of Japan to provide urgent food assistance for refugees fleeing recent violence in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundians returning from refugee camps in Tanzania. This contribution, equivalent to roughly two billion Burundian francs, comes at a critical time as… [Read More]
Libya Economic Diversification: The Role of Public-Private Dialogue
The EU-OECD project on Promoting Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) in Libya (2020–2023) demonstrated how structured dialogue between public and private actors can underpin economic transition. By engaging over 200 institutions across four major cities—Tripoli, Benghazi, Misrata, and Sebha—the initiative helped reduce fragmentation, build trust, and identify priority reforms to foster diversification and private sector development. Inclusive… [Read More]
Enhancing Active Labour Market Programs in Spain to Boost Jobs
The report provides a comprehensive qualitative assessment of 38 active labour market programmes (ALMPs) implemented under Spain’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), managed by either the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) or regional public employment services. The assessment is structured around nine criteria covering the full ALMP cycle, from evidence-based design and outreach to implementation,… [Read More]
Finance Solutions for Women Entrepreneurs: Bridging the Gap
This report, prepared by the OECD and the Global Women’s Entrepreneurship Policy Network, examines the barriers women entrepreneurs face in accessing finance for creating and growing businesses, and explores the policy reforms governments can introduce to address them. The report provides international data on the rate and nature of entrepreneurship by women compared with men,… [Read More]
