Food insecurity has been a persistent problem in the transition zone from the Saharan Desert to the African Savanna, commonly known as the Sahel region, since the food crisis in 2005. This is not only a problem of environmental circumstances due to droughts or destructive land use practices, but also an issue pointing to shortcomings … Continue reading
The FIFA World Cup is one of the most prestigious sporting events in the world, watched by millions from all corners of the globe. The chance to host is highly sought after by nations for the potential to boost their local economies and promote their global image. It is an institution where sports are inextricably … Continue reading
Profit and human safety are often two mutually exclusive entities in the context of gold mining operations. This unfortunate phenomenon is particularly well illustrated in the coastal town of Paracale in the gold-rich Philippines. In this town, illegal and unregulated mining operations provide a primary source of livelihood for many residents. Paracale residents prefer to … Continue reading
Malala Yousafzai, a 14-year-old child-activist from the war-torn Swat Valley, Pakistan, was shot in the head and neck and nearly killed by Taliban soldiers on her way home from school in October of 2011. Although Malala had led an active campaign championing women’s rights to education worldwide since 2008 and had her experiences featured in … Continue reading
In the midst of one of the greatest refugee crises in history, the stories of the Rohingya people are easily silenced. While media outlets and UN resolutions focus on Syria’s displaced millions, the atrocities being committed against the Burmese minority quickly fade in the rear view mirror. After a 2010 general election in which military … Continue reading
TIPHAINE MONROE On March 8, after weeks of brutal attacks on Homs, Syria by government forces, the International Red Cross gained limited access to the city to provide desperately needed humanitarian aid. In current situations of political turmoil in Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Libya, to name a few, humanitarian aid plays a critical role in … Continue reading
BRENDA CHANG Kony has become a ubiquitous and infamous name in cyberspace, thanks to the release of a short documentary-like film produced by Invisible Children. A massive uproar swept social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, where people all over these Internet platforms “shared” and “retweeted” his name in the hopes that, as the … Continue reading
FRANCESCA MITCHELL Whether through “hashtag activism,” Facebook “likes” or viral video campaigns, it is undeniable that social networking technology is transforming the face of advocacy as everyone knows it. With the invasion of social media into the everyday lives of millions of people, such online presence is of new and fundamental importance to advocacy groups … Continue reading
“Freedom is partial to no race. Freedom has no religion. Freedom favors no ethnicity. Freedom discriminates not between rich and poor countries. Inevitably freedom will overwhelm Ethiopia.” These are the words of Ethiopian journalist and dissident blogger Eskinder Nega, published in dissident blogs five days before he was arrested by Ethiopian authorities on charges of … Continue reading
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