In Trinidad and Tobago, healthcare is undergoing a transformative shift powered by innovation and strategic support from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Hospitals are now incorporating advanced technologies to improve patient care and operational efficiency. One example is the introduction of ultraviolet disinfecting robots, nicknamed Roberta, at Scarborough… [Read More]
$117M World Bank Project to Boost Fisheries and Aquaculture in Tanzania
Tanzania has launched a USD 117 million (EUR 99 million) World Bank-funded project, the Scaling-Up Sustainable Marine Fisheries and Aquaculture Management (TASFAM) initiative, aimed at increasing the country’s seafood production and reducing post-harvest losses. Initiated in early February 2026 after planning began in May 2025, the project will run for five years and is expected… [Read More]
10 Years of Waste Research and Innovation in South Africa
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is hosting the Waste Research, Development, and Innovation Roadmap Conference online from 3 to 5 March 2026. The conference highlights a decade of waste research, development, and innovation in South Africa, showcasing achievements from the Waste Research, Development, and Innovation (RD&I) Roadmap, an initiative supported by the… [Read More]
6 Months After Earthquake: 25,000 Afghan Children in Temporary Schools
About six months after a devastating earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan, approximately 25,000 children in Kunar province are still living in tents, as homes and schools remain unrepaired and no reconstruction timeline has been established, according to Save the Children. The earthquake on 31 August 2025 killed more than 2,000 people and destroyed or damaged over… [Read More]
Rural Schools in Kenya: Beyond Outputs to Youth Resilience
Magaga Enos reflects on J‑term fieldwork in rural Kenyan schools, supported by the Harvard Center for International Development and the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School. His inquiry focused on understanding how rural schooling can foster both unity and justice in communities, rather than merely advancing individual academic mobility. Enos connects this… [Read More]
Lesotho Teacher Development: Lessons from Zambia
Lesotho’s education system has historically faced significant challenges in managing and supporting its teaching workforce. Prior to a peer learning exchange with Zambia, the country lacked coherent structures for teacher professional development, data management, and regulatory oversight. There was no approved national framework guiding teacher education and Continuous Professional Development (CPD), which limited systematic professional… [Read More]
Four Years of Ukraine Conflict: Insights for Europe
Four years of war in Ukraine have transformed modern warfare, with drones, digital defence systems, and improvised solutions redefining the battlefield. At a recent symposium, Dutch and Ukrainian experts reflected on frontline conditions and explored lessons that Europe can learn to better prepare for future conflicts. One major lesson emphasized was the need for timely… [Read More]
Breaking the Silence: Advancing Gender Justice in Northern Kosovo
Gender-based and domestic violence remain pervasive issues worldwide, disproportionately affecting women. In many communities in Kosovo, domestic violence is still often regarded as a private matter to be handled within the family. While Kosovo’s legal framework on gender-based and domestic violence aligns with international standards, consistent enforcement remains a challenge. Many women do not report… [Read More]
Thailand Launches Migration Journalism E-Learning Course for Ethical Reporting
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Thailand, together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Thailand and Social Lab – Migration in Media, officially launched a new migration journalism e-learning curriculum aimed at strengthening ethical and evidence-based reporting on migration across the country. The launch event, held in Bangkok on 20 February 2026,… [Read More]
EU Pledges €8M to Boost Primary Health Care in Syria
The European Union has committed EUR 8 million to support the recovery and strengthening of Syria’s health system, with a particular focus on primary health care. Through its collaboration with the Syrian Ministry of Health and national institutions, WHO will help translate the national primary health care action plan into practical, Ministry-led initiatives. The support… [Read More]
UNESCO Boosts Living Heritage for Sustainable Urban Development
UNESCO is advancing its project “Latin America and the Caribbean: Capacity-building for resilient communities through sustainable tourism and the safeguarding of heritage,” which unites 10 countries in the region to strengthen capacities for protecting Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) and promoting its integration into urban planning. Supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of… [Read More]
Sindh Strengthens Disaster Preparedness with UNESCO Support
From February 11–14, 2026, the UNESCO team in Pakistan, represented by Syed Muhammad Raza Shah and Ghazala Naeem, conducted a mission to Karachi, Sindh, to strengthen climate resilience, disaster preparedness, and science-driven collaboration. The mission coincided with the Asia-Pacific Shelter and Settlements Forum (APSSF) 2026, which brought together governments, development agencies, humanitarian organizations, and technical… [Read More]
Fiji Policy Dialogue: Linking Plans, Budgets & People
The Fiji Policy Dialogue explored how national priorities are translated into budget decisions and how those decisions impact real results for citizens. Permanent Secretary for National Planning, Development and Statistics, Peni Sikivou, emphasized that Fiji’s National Development Plan 2025–2029 and Vision 2050 set ambitious goals, but achieving them relies on the effective coordination of policies,… [Read More]
Energea Invests $100 Million in Latin America Solar Projects
Global renewable energy developer and operator Energea has announced the launch of its LATAM Energy Portfolio, marking the company’s fourth active investment strategy. The portfolio focuses on distributed solar power projects across South America, Central America, and the Caribbean, with an initial $100-million secured credit facility in partnership with Helios Energía S.A.S. E.S.P., a regulated… [Read More]
How UN Women Supports Women in Ukraine: Five Essential Services
Four years after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, daily life for millions remains a struggle, marked by economic insecurity, power outages during harsh winters, constant security threats, and displacement. Amid this, Ukrainian women have shown remarkable resilience and leadership, managing humanitarian response from the earliest days of the conflict. They have… [Read More]
International Women’s Day 2026 & UN CSW70 Highlights
International Women’s Day 2026 comes at a pivotal moment, highlighting both progress and setbacks in gender equality. While legal protections against domestic violence have expanded in many countries, women and girls worldwide continue to face systemic discrimination, limited legal rights, and increasing violations of their fundamental freedoms. The day underscores the urgent need to ensure… [Read More]
Justice for All Women and Girls: A Global Call to Action
Around the world, millions of women and girls continue to face violence, discrimination, and systemic abuse. In many cases, legal systems fail to protect them, leaving survivors without recourse, while perpetrators go unpunished. Women are frequently denied equal pay, inheritance, and land rights, and even when laws exist, they often do not translate into real… [Read More]
Women’s Equality and Modern Feminist Movements
Feminism is a dynamic and evolving movement without a formal rule book, hierarchy, or governing body. It takes diverse forms depending on historical and social contexts and is shaped by advocates, local leaders, and communities. While often referred to in the plural as “feminisms,” the movement shares a unifying goal: advancing equality for women and… [Read More]
Empowering Local Actors: A Pathway to Real Impact
Development today faces a paradox: those best positioned to address local challenges often receive the least support. Farmers adapting to climate shocks, women entrepreneurs sustaining fragile economies, youth innovators bridging digital gaps, municipal leaders managing constrained services, and civil society groups preventing conflict understand local contexts in ways external actors cannot. Yet they navigate scarce… [Read More]
Health Workers Strengthened Through PAHO Course on PrEP Delivery
The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a new online course titled Combined HIV Prevention with Emphasis on Oral and Long-Acting Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), hosted on the PAHO Virtual Campus for Public Health. The course is designed to strengthen the technical capacities of health personnel engaged in HIV response across the Americas, providing evidence-based… [Read More]
Grenada and PAHO Collaborate on 2026–2027 Biennial Work Plan
On 16 February 2026, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Mental Health, Wellness and Religious Affairs in Grenada, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), held a meeting to advance planning for the country’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP) 2026–2027. The session brought together senior leadership from both ministries and PAHO technical… [Read More]
PAHO Trains Antigua and Barbuda Health Workers in DHIS2 System
From 26 to 27 January 2026, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, hosted a training workshop in Antigua and Barbuda to strengthen disease monitoring using digital tools. The workshop was part of the Pandemic Fund project for Eastern Caribbean countries and aimed… [Read More]
US Expands Caribbean Security Initiative to Combat Organized Crime
The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative (CBSI), launched in 2010, is a cornerstone of the United States’ security strategy in the Caribbean. It channels U.S. funding, training, and technical expertise to 13 island and coastal nations to counter illicit trafficking, firearms smuggling, and transnational organized crime. The initiative positions the U.S. as a key security partner… [Read More]
