On September 8, 2025, the Government of Canada announced over $18.7 million in funding for the Northwest Territories to support the development of stronger and more connected communities. The investment focuses on essential infrastructure projects, including public transit, water systems, and local roads and bridges, providing the foundation necessary for communities to grow and thrive…. [Read More]
Labor
Guinea-Bissau Launches New Guidelines to Reduce Maternal Mortality
Guinea-Bissau has taken a significant step to reduce maternal mortality by launching its first-ever national guidelines for maternal health, aimed at improving care before, during, and after childbirth. Developed by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, the framework seeks to curb maternal deaths, which currently stand at… [Read More]
What India Must Do to Build Climate-Resilient Cities
India’s cities will play a defining role in shaping the nation’s future. Within just five years, urban centers are expected to generate more than 70 percent of new jobs, and in 25 years, the urban population is projected to approach one billion. Some Indian megacities will grow larger than entire countries, underscoring the urgent need… [Read More]
African Faith Leaders Release Addis Ababa Faith Declaration on Climate Justice Ahead of Africa Climate Summit 2 and COP30
Ahead of the 2nd Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, African faith leaders have come together to issue the Addis Ababa Faith Declaration on Climate Justice, calling for urgent, equitable, and inclusive climate action grounded in justice, peace, and care for the environment. This declaration is the result of months of interfaith consultations and collaborative… [Read More]
Global Course in Madrid Champions Non-Discrimination for LGTBIQ+ Workers
The international training held in Madrid from 2 to 4 September 2025 brought together government experts and policy leaders from across Europe, the Americas, and Asia to address discrimination and inequality in the workplace, particularly concerning LGTBIQ+ rights. Representatives from 13 countries, including officials from Ministries of Labour and diversity promotion agencies, engaged in in-depth… [Read More]
IOM Deploys Emergency Team to Strengthen National Ebola Response in DRC
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has deployed a team to support the response to a new Ebola virus outbreak in Kasai Province, central Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This marks the country’s 16th recorded outbreak, involving the deadly ‘Zaire’ strain. So far, 15 deaths and 28 confirmed cases have been reported. The outbreak… [Read More]
UPF-BSM Partners with UNESCO to Enhance Digital Platform Governance in Central America and Caribbean
The UPF Barcelona School of Management (UPF-BSM) has partnered with UNESCO to lead a new project aimed at improving the governance of digital platforms across Central America and the Caribbean. Funded by the European Union, the initiative is part of UNESCO’s global Internet for Trust program and its I4T Global Knowledge Network. The project’s goal… [Read More]
Standard Bank Invests $10 Million in African Women Impact Fund (AWIF) to Empower Female Entrepreneurs
Standard Bank, Africa’s largest bank by assets, has committed $10 million to the African Women Impact Fund (AWIF), aiming to support women fund managers running businesses across the continent. This significant investment was announced at the G20 Empowerment of Women Working Group (EWWG) Women to Africa event, hosted in collaboration with Standard Bank and South… [Read More]
Government of Canada Invests $1M+ to Boost Mining Innovation in Northern Ontario
Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced a FedNor investment of $1,050,000 in Cambrian College’s Centre for Smart Mining (CSM), on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for FedNor. This funding will support the expansion of CSM’s research and training services to meet the increasing demands… [Read More]
Breaking Barriers for Women Digital Entrepreneurs: What’s Next for Empowerment and Growth?
A recent study titled “Breaking down barriers for women digital entrepreneurs: Insights from Africa” explores the systemic obstacles hindering women-led businesses in the digital economy and calls for targeted actions to address these challenges. The research offers new perspectives on structural and gender-based biases faced by female digital entrepreneurs in developing regions. It is based… [Read More]
World Bank: Vietnam’s Growth to Stay Resilient in 2025, High-Tech Talent Pivotal for Future
Viet Nam’s economy is projected to grow by 6.6 percent in 2025, bolstered by a robust first half of the year in which growth surged to 7.5 percent, according to the World Bank’s latest Viet Nam Economic Update report. This strong performance was driven primarily by early-year export momentum. However, growth is expected to moderate… [Read More]
William Penn Foundation Awards $10M to Empower Nonprofits Serving Vulnerable Communities
The William Penn Foundation has announced nearly $10 million in special grant funding to support 19 organizations working to defend democratic values, respond to emerging federal actions, and assist non-profit organizations navigating crises. This funding is separate from the Foundation’s regular grantmaking programs, ensuring ongoing support for its broader initiatives. Recent federal executive orders, legislation,… [Read More]
Sexual Misconduct Support Centre Launches Grant Program for Community Survivors Assistance
The Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre (SMSRC) is advancing support for individuals affected by sexual misconduct within Canada’s defence community through its 2025 call for applications for the Community Support for Sexual Misconduct Survivors Grant Program. This initiative aims to broaden access to culturally competent, confidential, and specialized care while fostering collaboration between community-based… [Read More]
New Funding Round Launched to Support Community and Shared Transport Initiatives
The Motability Foundation has launched new grants to support community and shared transport services, aiming to enable disabled people to travel independently and live with greater dignity. These grants are part of the foundation’s new funding rounds, announced in July, which support the delivery of its five-year strategy to improve transport access for disabled communities…. [Read More]
Budget Execution in Health: Tackling Bottlenecks and Driving Solutions
Effective budget execution in health is critical for achieving universal health coverage and reaching 1.5 billion people with quality health services by 2030. Developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank, this report examines how budget execution impacts health service delivery, identifies common challenges, and offers practical recommendations for improvement. Country case… [Read More]
From Floods to Resilience: How Cambodia’s Gap Fund Builds Greener, Safer Cities
Cambodia is urbanizing rapidly, with nearly a quarter of its 17 million population now living in cities—a figure expected to reach 6 million by 2050. While urban growth has driven economic development and job creation, it has also intensified inequality and heightened vulnerability to climate impacts, particularly floods and extreme heat. In Phnom Penh, informal… [Read More]
Closing the Climate Finance Gap: Pathways to Resilience in Asia-Pacific
The Inclusive Climate Finance Dialogue for a Resilient Asia-Pacific, organized by the UNDP Climate Finance Network and UN Capital Development Fund with support from the UK FCDO and Sweden Sida, concluded last week after three days of discussions. The event brought together governments, financial institutions, private sector representatives and development partners to explore ways of… [Read More]
EU and ASEAN Launch €30 Million Programmes to Protect Biodiversity
On the sidelines of the 1st ASEAN–EU Ministerial Dialogue on Environment and Climate Change in Langkawi on 4 September 2025, the European Union announced two regional programmes aimed at promoting nature-based solutions, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience across Southeast Asia. Together, these initiatives represent an EU contribution of EUR 30 million and are designed to… [Read More]
Saskatchewan Boosts Maternal Mental Health with New Funding Support
The Government of Saskatchewan is investing $100,000 annually in the Saskatchewan Perinatal Health Network (SaskPHN) to establish a province-wide maternal mental health support program. The initiative will offer free in-person and virtual peer support services for new and expecting parents across Saskatchewan, providing access to compassionate care during pregnancy and early parenthood. Mental Health and… [Read More]
WHO Launches First Online Training for Urban Health Capacity Assessment Toolkit
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently conducted its first online training on the Urban Health Capacity Assessment and Response Resource Kit, engaging 58 practitioners and policymakers from 22 countries across all six WHO regions. Participants represented local and national governments, regional and global city networks, and civil society organizations, working together to strengthen cross-sectoral action… [Read More]
Canada Launches Centre of Excellence to Boost Community Disaster Recovery
Recent disasters across Canada, including the Lytton wildfire in 2021, Hurricane Fiona in 2022, the Northwest Territories wildfires in 2023, and severe wildfire seasons in 2024 and 2025, have underscored the complexity of disaster recovery. Early planning—ideally before a disaster occurs—can significantly accelerate rebuilding, help businesses resume operations sooner, and integrate measures that reduce future… [Read More]
Thailand Trade Unions Advance Efforts for Safer, Healthier Workplaces
Thai trade unions have taken an important step toward embedding workers’ voices in occupational safety and health (OSH) standards with the launch of a new training initiative. The first workshop, held on 22 August 2025 in Bangkok, was organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) with support from the governments of Japan and Canada. It… [Read More]
Google.org Grants US$1M to Support Wits MIND Institute’s Innovation and Research
The Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute at Wits University has received core funding of US$1 million from Google.org. Under the leadership of Professor Benjamin Rosman, recently recognized in TIME magazine’s TIME100 AI 2025 list, the institute is set to strengthen its position as a leading hub for artificial intelligence research in Africa. The… [Read More]
