The Human Consciousness Now...Our World in the Midst of Becoming...to What? Observe, contemplate Now.
KABUL, Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - Mehrangiz is a sixteen-year-old girl from Badakhshan, a province in the northeastern Afghanistan famed for its rubies, jewels, and a land of love and beauty.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, strict restrictions have been imposed on women’s freedoms, driving women into a dead-end life of no prospects, resulting in a rise in mental health crisis and suicides amongst them.
Mehrangiz credits her recovery to Women’s Voice Radio. She narrates her life story as follows:
When I was in the 10th grade, I had dreams and aspirations. Every day, I worked harder than the day before to reach goals that I wished to achieve in the future. There was no electricity in my village, so I would study at night next to a kerosene lamp, clinging to the hope that one day my dreams would be fulfilled.
One day, as I sat in the garden writing, I heard the cries of one of my classmates that we could no longer go to school or study. It stunned me into silence.
Days passed. I thought the situation would be temporary, and I continued to study, hoping not to fall behind and achieve success in life like girls in other parts of the world.
But eventually I could no longer endure the suffocating silence. When would girls be allowed to go back to school? That question appeared to have no answer – indefinitely. I began to lose the fighting spirit to continue. Sleeplessness and loss of appetite overwhelmed me, and the world of my dreams had turned to only one color—black!
Life became increasingly difficult with each passing day, and I felt I could not stand it any longer. The despair was so overwhelming that one day, at the height of my anger and frustration, I burnt all my textbooks.
The darkness of life numbed me and I decided never to try to study any more. I kept myself busy with household chores and physical activities at home, trying to avoid thinking about the future.
However, a ray of light illuminated my path one day when I went out shopping with my mother. The change began as a small event but carried a very big outcome.
When we became tired after shopping around, we decided to take a rest at Kedbanu – a women’s-only restaurant – for lunch. A doctor was on air at Sadee Banowan radio, one of the most popular radio stations in Badakhshan. She was talking about depression.
I became captivated by the doctor’s inspiring and soothing words, I even had to slow down my eating to listen properly.
When my mother glanced at me, I gestured to her about what was coming over the radio and she, too, began to listen. Our ears remained pricked up to the radio to the very end.
The doctor’s words were captivating, equally so was the talent of the radio host, who asked questions as if he was deeply familiar with the deep problems facing countless Afghan girls.
The situation of women and girls in Afghanistan went into rapid decline after the Taliban regained power four years ago. Under strict Islamist laws, they were barred from further education, forced out of paid unemployment and largely confined to the home. They were not allowed to sit in parks or even raise their voices when talking. Forced marriages became their lot.
The severe restrictions took a heavy mental toll on women, many of who committed suicide because of depression and other mental illnesses.
At the end of the doctor’s broadcast, I made a telephone call to the radio for further information and to my delight, was informed that I could also discuss my personal problems with the doctor.
Counseling and a New Outlook on Life
The following day I was at the gates of the radio station with a mix feeling of enthusiasm and trepidation.
I was not certain I would actually be able to share my problems with them, since in light of the situation of Afghanistan in the past four years, everyone appeared focused on finding solutions to their individual problems with no time for others.
But eventually, when I sat before the very same doctor whose words had held me captive on the radio the previous day, I could not even describe anything comparably more uplifting.
The doctor provided me with useful guidelines about how to cope in life. “Let us try to find an alternative way to life rather than ruining our souls and tormenting our families. Let us trust in God”, she advised.
It motivated me to live better and fight against difficulties that pressed me, giving me the strength to grow and become stronger.
She advised me to go out occasionally and enjoy myself, meet friends, wear bright colors such as orange, red, and yellow, and focus on being happy.
I have had four free psychotherapy sessions and about 30 percent of my problems have been resolved. My mental state has improved. Life is smiling upon me once again. I now see life as beautiful, full of only vibrant colors without any hint of black, unlike previously.
Women’s Voice Radio: A Beacon Amidst Restriction
Women’s Voice Radio has been on air since 2010. It is one of the most popular and cherished radio stations among women in Badakhshan. In the course of its existence, its popularity has soared so much that it broadcasts 24 hours a day, attracting both men and women to its informative programs.
However, Women’s Voice Radio station, which is dedicated specifically to women, has faced increasing restrictions following the rise of the new regime in Afghanistan in 2021. In the early days of the Taliban regime, the radio station was shut down for 23 days for merely broadcasting a few seconds of music included in a commercial advertisement. It has since resumed broadcasting.
Since then, Women’s Voice Radio has developed several new programs, such as the “Maktab” (School) program, dedicated to girls in grades seven to twelve. The programme provides curriculum materials by teachers and other professionals via radio to girls who are not allowed to go to school.
“Psychotherapy” is another program that supports women confined to their homes, a high percentage of whom experience depression and stress. The program is hosted by a psychotherapist who provides effective advice and guidance to women and girls, introducing them to various healthy activities and ways to cope with life’s challenges. Indeed, officials of the radio plan to establish a large psychotherapy center in Badakhshan to meet the increasing demand for psychotherapy by vulnerable women and girls.
“Art in the Embrace of Women” is another inspirational program for women that highlights innovative and creative women who have demonstrated initiatives across various fields, particularly in business, entrepreneurship, and investment, serving as models to other women to look up to.
A New Chapter
To cap it all, I have had good luck and have been offered a job at the radio station, where I have been working for the past three months. I have had the pleasure of working alongside wonderful and friendly women, those who greeted me with smiles and warm hugs on my first visit to the radio station.
I am learning valuable life lessons—the lessons of overcoming challenges and helping others to the same. To everyone else, Women’s Voice Radio may be a broadcasting station but to me, I consider it a university of life where I learn lessons in how to lead a good life.
I am now a member of a small but powerful family.
Excerpt:
The author is an Afghanistan-based female journalist, trained with Finnish support before the Taliban take-over. Her identity is withheld for security reasons
TIMBO / FLORIANOPOLIS, Brazil , Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - In 2014, Santa Catarina became the first and only state free of open-air garbage dumps in Brazil. Now, 14 of its municipalities are seeking to also free themselves from landfills and make use of nearly all urban solid waste.
The Intermunicipal Consortium of the Middle Itajaí Valley (Cimvi) expects to process in recycling, biodigestion and composting more than 90% of the garbage, surpassing the 65% benchmark reached by the Nordic countries of Europe, emphasized its executive director, Fernando Tomaselli.“We have 36 landfills in the state, only three public, the rest are private and there is little interest in changing the system, because whoever dominates the landfill also dominates the garbage collection service”: Fernando Tomaselli.
“It is a utopia,” said the executive president of the Brazilian Association of Energy from Waste (Abren), Yuri Schmitke.
“The unrealistic goal compromises the project,” he warned. Several European countries, Japan and South Korea have already eliminated sanitary landfills – the areas for the final disposal of solid waste – but resort to incineration to generate energy with non-recyclable garbage, he added.
Cimvi rules out that alternative. Its goal is to expand recycling and the circular economy of waste to an unprecedented proportion. “Our obsession is to take advantage of everything, to prove that garbage does not exist,” said Tomaselli.
But recycling has limits. Europe, after many attempts and advances, covers 25 % of waste on average and 32 % in the exceptional case of Germany. In addition, 19% of the waste still goes to landfills, according to data from Abren, which had its sixth annual congress in Florianopolis, capital of Santa Catarina, on June 5 and 6.
Cimvi was created in 1998, with only five participating municipalities, to jointly manage several issues, but not yet garbage. It reached its current composition of 14 municipalities in 2017 after taking over the management of the sanitary landfill in 2016, previously in charge of the water and sewage authorities.
Its headquarters was installed in Timbo, a town of 46 099 people, according to the 2022 national census. The 14 municipalities had 283 594 residents that year, the most populous being Indaial, with 71 549.
Fernando Tomaselli, director of Cimvi, an intermunicipal initiative that promotes circular waste management in the southern Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS
Landfill and recycling
The landfill receives garbage from five other “partner” cities, in addition to the 14 in the consortium, with a total of between 5,000 and 7,000 tons per month. Environmental education campaigns in schools, businesses and the streets have gradually expanded selective waste collection.
Yellow sacks were popularized and disseminated where the population put recyclable waste which, collected by the municipalities, are taken to the Waste Assessment Center (CVR I) at the Cimvi headquarters, on the outskirts of Timbo.
“Today we recover 20 to 22% of recyclable waste, against a Brazilian average of 2%. We want to reach 27%,” Tomaselli told IPS.
“We receive an average of 60 tons a day, 24 hours a day, in three shifts, Monday to Monday,” said Rosane Valério, president of the Medio Vale Cooperative, hired to separate and send the waste to purchasing companies, at CVR I, where 87 recyclers are employed.
The cooperative has another unit to process waste from two other nearby cities, Ituporanga and Aurora, with a total of 33 300 people.
“Of the material received, we still discard 30% that comes mixed or dirty with food remains, sometimes blood that attracts mosquitoes, glass and other dangerous objects such as syringes and medicines, which generate major difficulties for recycling,” explained Valério.
A bench at the entrance of Cimvi’s headquarters, made of thermoplastic produced from waste that was previously considered non-recyclable and destined for landfills. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS
Thermoplastic
She regretted that “we do not know the origin, there is a lack of awareness of the population in the correct disposal”. In any case, half of that 30% of discarded waste can be used for the production of thermoplastic, a hard material like concrete, which is used to make benches for squares, sidewalks, pavements and walls.
The cooperative already operates a pilot plant, with experimental production that has not yet been sold externally. “The municipalities are the initial market for the thermoplastic plates, as well as for the compost from the composting,” says Tomaselli.
Abren’s president, Schmitke, is skeptical. The consortium municipalities have a limited, insufficient demand, and the population does not trust products made from garbage, he argued.
Jaqueline Wagenknetht and Maria Eduarda Pegoretti, Cimvi’s environmental education and communication advisors, promote environmental education in the so-called European Valley to improve selective garbage collection and promote tourism and sustainable living. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS
But thermoplastic has been around for four decades and now there is equipment that facilitates its production at a high temperature, 160 degrees Celsius, and as an input, half of the plastic that is added to other waste, such as textiles, is enough, countered the director of Cimvi.
The use of local waste will take a leap forward with the inauguration of CVR II, which is expected in early 2026 and will use a large part of the organic waste for the production of biogas and biofertilizers. Another part will go to composting.
“The goal is to take advantage of 100% or 98%,” for which alternatives must be sought for waste, the “common garbage” for which there are still no ways to recycle, he said.
Cimvi headquarters, in the Sunflower Park, which combines ecotourism, sanitary landfill and urban waste utilization plants for biogas generation, recycling and composting. Credit: Mario Osava / IPS
Bottlenecks
One stumbling block is selective collection, which needs to be perfected. “In Milan, Italy, five types of garbage are separated at the source, be it food, plastics, paper, metals or glass. Here, it’s harder because everything is mixed together,” said Tomaselli.
That is why Cimvi gives priority to environmental education, through several campaigns such as “Vale reciclar”, and sustainable tourism, which highlights the beauties of the so-called European Valley, which includes other municipalities in addition to the 14 consortium members.
The Girasol Park was also created for this purpose, a tourist complex that includes the landfill, the Cimvi facilities and the surrounding forest, with trails for walks, said Jaqueline Wagenknetht, environmental education advisor.
Design and poetry contests among local students seek to promote the valley, which is called European because its population includes many immigrants, especially Germans, Italians and Poles.
The name Sunflower was chosen for the park because, in addition to its beauty, the flower symbolizes sustainability, as a source of oil and biofuel, the advisor explained.
Design of the future Sunflower Park, in which the green buildings, in the center, are intended for recycling and energy biodigestion. In the background on the left is the landfill already covered, able to receive solar energy panels. Credit: Courtesy of Cimvi
Cimvi benefits from the experiences of São Bento do Sul, a municipality of 83 277 people, 120 kilometers north of Timbo, which has a similar program that seeks to use up to 100% of the waste.
A process of dehydration of the organic part allows a better use of the waste, explained Jacó Phoren, consultant of the company 100lixo, which is involved in the project, during his speech at the Abren congress on June 6.
Fostering new companies that generate solutions for the waste industry is another focus of Cimvi, said Tomaselli.
In Curitibanos, a city 185 kilometers southwest of Timbo, with 40 045 people, the company Inventus Ambiental claims to have invented equipment that will facilitate the separation of garbage for better energy recovery or recycling, reducing the waste that makes landfills bigger.
Its pilot project will be inaugurated in a few months and is based on the use of 90-degree heat to treat organic material, informed Dirnei Ferri, director of the company.
Santa Catarina has already eliminated open dumps, although it is ignored if all of them have been cleaned up. Now it is a matter of “breaking the landfill trench”, said Tomaselli.
“We have 36 landfills in the state, only three public, the rest are private and there is little interest in changing the system, because whoever dominates the landfill also dominates the garbage collection service,” he concluded.
NICE, France, Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - With the future of the world’s oceans hanging in the balance, global leaders, scientists, and activists gathered in the French Riviera city of Nice this week for the historic UN Ocean Conference, where France declared a new era of high seas governance and marine protection.
At a press briefing on Thursday, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, France’s Special Envoy for the UN Ocean Conference, said the global gathering marks a turning point for ocean conservation, with 174 delegations and 64 heads of state rallying behind a common goal—to transform the world’s oceans from a lawless expanse into a protected global commons governed by science, cooperation, and binding treaties.
“The high seas are no longer a playground. They are now a protected space,” d’Arvor told reporters, announcing that the UN’s landmark treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) will officially enter into force by early January 2026.
Dubbed the “Treaty of Nice,” the pact seeks to place nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean under international governance, a move hailed by conservationists as the biggest step forward for marine protection in decades. With 56 countries having ratified the treaty and 14 more expected to follow before the ceremonial launch in New York on September 23, the agreement meets the 60-country threshold required for it to become law.
“This is a foundational moment,” said d’Arvor. “Nice could become for ocean governance what Rio was for climate and biodiversity.”
The treaty, negotiated over 15 years, aims to regulate the high seas—areas beyond national jurisdiction that have long been vulnerable to overfishing, pollution, and unregulated extraction. It also lays the groundwork for the first-ever Ocean COP, expected by the end of 2026, where signatory countries will finalize implementation protocols, establish a permanent secretariat, and begin real enforcement through satellites, naval fleets, and drones.
Despite tensions in multilateral diplomacy, France—with co-host Costa Rica and the UN—has managed to galvanize widespread support. In a strong show of unity, even geopolitical rivals such as China, India, and the European Union endorsed the treaty, while Argentina’s President Javier Milei and Indonesia ratified it during the summit.
D’Arvor also used the occasion to caution against a renewed push for deep-sea mining, particularly in light of a recent U.S. executive order authorizing a preliminary exploration mission. “The deep sea is not for sale—no more than Antarctica or Greenland,” he warned, pledging that a coalition of 40 countries would continue to block any attempt to adopt a mining code without consensus under the International Seabed Authority (ISA).
“Those who hoped the code would be adopted at Kingston this July have lost the battle. I hope they’ve lost the war,” he added.
In parallel with the treaty’s legal strides, the conference saw the launch of the European Ocean Pact, a collaborative ocean exploration initiative unveiled by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The pact, backed by countries including India and China, aims to correct the stark imbalance in research funding—currently, ocean exploration receives 250 times less funding than space programs.
By bringing together oceanographic institutes, space agencies, and private sector players, the initiative promises to generate a shared global database to help map and understand the ocean in unprecedented detail. “In 15 years, we aim to fully understand the ocean—or at least enough to truly protect it,” said d’Arvor.
He stressed that science—not political posturing—will be the new compass for ocean policy. “This is the victory of science. The ocean has long been a victim of exploitation and ignorance. But now, it can become a platform for cooperation and peace.”
Yet challenges remain. While Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) are relatively well managed, questions linger about compliance and enforcement. The true test, observers say, will be translating high-level pledges into measurable progress.
Still, the momentum in Nice has brought renewed hope for ocean defenders around the globe. “We are not there yet,” said d’Arvor. “But for the first time, we are truly moving forward—and there is no turning back.”
IPS UN Bureau Report
NICE, France, Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - The third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) concluded today in Nice with an urgent call for governments to translate bold words into concrete action to protect the world’s oceans. Co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, the summit brought together more than 15,000 participants, including 50 heads of state and government, civil society leaders, scientists, youth, and Indigenous communities in an 11-day event hailed as both a milestone for ocean diplomacy and a test of global resolve.
“This conference has been a resounding success,” said Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, France’s Special Envoy for the Ocean. “We close not just with hope, but with concrete commitments, clear direction, and undeniable momentum.”
Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister Arnoldo André Tinoco emphasized the breadth of participation and the centrality of science in shaping decisions. “Together with France, we worked toward an action-oriented conference where all actors are represented and where finance and science go hand in hand,” he said.
Under-Secretary-General Li Chunhua, the Secretary-General of the conference, stressed the need for implementation: “The real test is not what we said here but what we do next. The wave of change has formed. Now, it is our collective responsibility to propel it forward.”
Key Outcomes and Announcements
One of the most anticipated achievements of the conference was progress on the High Seas Treaty—officially known as the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement. With 51 ratifications confirmed and 60 needed for entry into force, the treaty promises to enable the creation of marine protected areas in international waters, a crucial tool to achieving the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030.
Additionally, 800 new voluntary commitments were registered across the 10 multi-stakeholder Ocean Action Panels, addressing issues from marine pollution and deep-sea ecosystems to ocean finance and the role of Indigenous peoples.
New and strengthened initiatives launched at UNOC3 include:
The One Ocean Finance Facility is aimed at closing the multi-billion-dollar funding gap for ocean conservation.
The European Ocean Pact, which reinforces regional cooperation for sustainable ocean management.
The Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition, supporting vulnerable communities on the frontlines of sea-level rise.
The conference also saw mounting support for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, with four more nations joining the call, bringing the total to 37. “More and more countries are listening to science and the demands of youth for their common heritage over commercial interests,” Tinoco noted.
Civil Society: ‘Fine Words Must Now Translate into Action’
Despite these commitments, environmental groups expressed frustration that the conference stopped short of stronger legally binding decisions, especially on deep-sea mining.
“We’ve heard lots of fine words here in Nice, but these need to turn into tangible action,” said Megan Randles, head of Greenpeace’s delegation. “Countries must be brave and make history by committing to a moratorium on deep-sea mining at next month’s International Seabed Authority (ISA) meeting.”
Randles welcomed the ratification progress of the High Seas Treaty but said governments “missed the moment” to take firmer steps against industries threatening marine ecosystems. “The deep sea should not become the wild west,” she added, referencing UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ recent remarks.
Activists also stressed the importance of upcoming negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty, resuming in Geneva this August. Ninety-five governments signed the “Nice Call for an Ambitious Plastics Treaty,” but concerns remain that lobbying from oil and petrochemical interests could water down the deal.
“The world cannot afford a weak treaty dictated by oil-soaked obstructionists,” said John Hocevar, Oceans Campaign Director at Greenpeace USA. “Governments need to show that multilateralism still works for people and the planet, not the profits of a greedy few.”
Indigenous Voices and Ocean Justice
Coastal and Indigenous communities were visibly present throughout the conference, particularly in the “Green Zone” in La Valette, which welcomed more than 100,000 visitors and hosted grassroots events, youth forums, and artistic exhibitions.
Nichanan Thantanwit, Project Leader at the Ocean Justice Project, highlighted the continued marginalization of traditional ocean custodians: “There is no ocean protection without the people who have protected it all along. Governments must recognize small-scale fishers and Indigenous peoples as rights-holders and secure their role in ocean governance.”
She also called for an end to destructive industrial practices like bottom trawling and harmful aquaculture, which she said “drive ecological collapse and human rights violations.”
Mixed Reviews for France’s Leadership
While French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated his call for a deep-sea mining moratorium—calling it “an international necessity”—some ”conservationists argued that France failed to fully lead by example.
“This was France’s moment, but instead of making a splash, its impact was more of a ripple,” said Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas. “We heard many policymakers speak about what needs to be done—yet few took the bold steps necessary to protect the ocean.”
Sala did praise governments that announced new fully protected marine areas but said the conference was “heavy on rhetoric, light on resolve.”
What to expect
The anticipated “Nice Ocean Action Plan,” a political declaration accompanied by voluntary commitments, will be released later today. Although non-binding, it is expected to influence key decisions at the ISA meeting in July and the Global Plastics Treaty talks in August.
Chunhua announced that South Korea and Chile have expressed readiness to host the next UN Ocean Conference. “We want the positive momentum generated in Nice to amplify even further in UNOC4,” he said.
As UNOC3 closes, the spirit of the event remains optimistic—but its legacy will depend on what happens next.
As Greenpeace’s Randles put it, “This must not be where it ends. It must be where it truly begins.”
IPS UN Bureau Report
NICE, France, Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - Just before dawn, a flotilla of wooden canoes drifts silently through mangrove-tangled channels where roots sprout from the black mud of the lagoon. Here, at the edge between sea and forest, lies a story of restoration.
The Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) is a stretch of water and a rich biological hotspot. Stretching along the coasts of Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Madagascar, and the Seychelles, the channel holds 35 percent of the Indian Ocean’s coral reefs, tracts of mangroves, seagrass meadows, and deep-sea habitats. It is home to over 10 million coastal people whose livelihoods rely on the ecosystems.
Yet, this marvel is under siege. Climate change, land-based runoff, overfishing, coastal development, offshore drilling, and shipping traffic have degraded its vital systems. In response, the UN designated 2021–2030 as the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, launching the World Restoration Flagships—large-scale restoration efforts that follow a shared global framework. In early June 2025, the NMC joined two other sites as a flagship region in this global initiative—a recognition of the deep, sustained conservation effort led by WWF, UNEP, FAO, governments, and local communities.
‘Such a Special Place’
On a recent call, Dr. Samantha Petersen, WWF’s leader for the Southwest Indian Ocean regional program, said, “It’s really such a special place. Highly, highly, highly connected… incredible biodiversity hotspot, with massive… human dependency from the coastal communities.”
Petersen said any restoration plan “needs to be balanced in an integrated way to deliver outcomes for people, nature, and climate.” In practice, that means blending scientific rigor with traditional knowledge—a partnership where nurseries, seedling cultivation, and local stewardship are as essential as policy frameworks and funding streams.
Mangroves at the Core
Among the most urgent work is bringing back the mangroves. These coastal forests are nursery grounds for fish that small-scale fishers depend on.
Petersen explained, “By restoring and securing those nursery grounds… we are securing food security… and livelihoods of small-scale fishers in the region.”
WWF is partnering with community organizations to actively restore approximately 15,000 hectares of mangroves, about 25–30 percent of the restorable area in the NMC—primarily through coastal community-led initiatives. Another 180,000 hectares fall under community-based stewardship, a proof of scale and ambition.
Communities dig planting holes, tend seedlings in nurseries, and monitor growth. WWF provides support: site selection guidance, technical training, materials, and help tracking success over long periods. With coherent management and investment, the project aims to restore 4.85 million hectares of paired land and seascapes by 2030 across participating nations, bringing environmental and social returns in equal measure.
Impressive Story
In ankle-deep water, where the Indian Ocean laps gently at the crumbling edge of Mozambique’s northern coast, 38-year-old Amina Langa bends low in the warm, silty water, pressing red mangrove saplings into the earth like offerings, her hands caked in mud, her expression calm but focused. The tide was creeping in, but she barely noticed. The sun was already sharp, casting long shadows on the salt-bleached sand, yet she moved with the quiet persistence of someone who has learned to listen to the rhythms of the sea.
Langa’s memories are vivid. She speaks of a childhood where the ocean sparkled with promise.
“Back then,” she says, “the nets came back heavy every time.” Her eyes drift out toward the horizon. “The water was alive.”
But that was before the years of cut mangroves, the rise of commercial shrimp farms, the oil stains, and the plastic waste that drifted in with the waves. The forest that once anchored this coastline had thinned to almost nothing, and with it, the fish.
She looked down at the rows of saplings poking from the tidal muck. “These,” she said, her voice soft but certain, “these are hope.” Last year, her nursery nursed 10,000 mangrove seedlings to life. This year, she’s on pace for triple that. What began as one woman’s stubborn vision has now spread—30 fishers from neighboring villages have joined her, their own hands learning the rituals of restoration. In just six months, they built four community nurseries that now supply reforestation efforts up and down the coast.
There’s pride in her every word, but no boast. “I tell them,” she said, “just sit by the water tomorrow morning. Watch. It’s already changing.” She describes schools of tiny fish flickering through the roots, crabs clicking back into burrows, and the way the mud, once dry and cracked, now rests beneath a canopy of green. “I am part of the change,” she says, almost to herself, like a quiet promise whispered to the sea.
A Regional Movement
Langa’s story is repeated across the NMC. In Comoros and Madagascar, similar efforts are under way. In Tanzania, coastal stewardship committees manage restoration areas. In the Seychelles, nurseries trained in grafting speculative coral strains grow fragile fragments for reef rehabilitation.
This community‑led network stems from regional cooperation. Over two years, WWF and the Nairobi Convention helped frame a roadmap for the region: marine spatial planning, integrated ocean management, poverty alleviation, and capacity building for community entrepreneurs.
A recent Natural Capital Assessment estimated that the region’s natural assets—goods and services from fisheries, tourism, shoreline protection, and carbon sequestration—are valued at USD 160 billion, generating USD 5.5 billion annually, nearly half of GDP. A staggering figure: the informal sector—unmonitored coastal fisheries, wood collection—contributes around USD 5 billion uncounted in national accounts.
World Restoration Flagship Honour
On the announcement, delegates from five nations gathered online. The NMC’s inclusion as a World Restoration Flagship was proof that community-led initiatives can scale to regional impact. It locks in transparency through monitoring, aligns the region with global standards, and increases its appeal to investors.
Petersen reflected afterwards, “This honor can largely be accredited to the extraordinary collaborative work done… to safeguard marine biodiversity and support coastal communities.”
An Unexpected Return
Standing again among the mangroves, Langa watched the early morning mist lift. Fish darted in the submerged root zone. A small boat, headed out to the reef, cut through calm water. The mangroves absorbed the wake and stirred the sediment but firmed the mud, holding it in place.
A tiny crab, bright blue, scuttled across a root. It stopped. Then, like an outtake from a nature film, a juvenile fish fled into the maze of roots. Life was returning—subtle, tenacious, and profound.
Scaling Green Finance
The NMC roadmap estimates a need for USD 18 million per year to implement restoration and institutional strengthening—USD 5 million for in-country governance and USD 13 million to fund a Blue Economy Technical & Investment Hub for the region. The call goes out for public and private investors.
Already, several domestic banks and philanthropic funds are evaluating climate-smart financing. Impact investors are drawn by the anticipated 30 percent rise in household incomes, 2,000 new jobs, and 12 community-based enterprises forecasted by 2030. Carbon finance is another frontier—Madagascar’s mangroves already sequester more than 300 million tons of CO₂ equivalent, comparable to U.S. household electricity.
Under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, led by UNEP and FAO, countries worldwide aim to restore over a billion hectares, aligning with the commitments of the Paris Agreement, Bonn Challenge, and Kunming-Montreal framework.
The World Restoration Flagships are a cornerstone: scaled, monitored, integrated efforts that follow ten restoration principles—community inclusion, equity, sustainability, evidence, resilience, biodiversity, and more.
In the villages lining the Channel, the visible signs of this transformation—seedlings sprouting, fisheries rebounding—are met with pride. But as Petersen stresses, “The work in this region is only just beginning.” Over the next five years, the challenge will be to keep the momentum flowing, secure consistent funding, and build regional coordination so the restored mangroves don’t merely survive but thrive.
Why This Matters
The NMC story speaks directly to that mission: vibrant, coastal communities working in tandem with nature to heal the world. It embodies a simple but profound truth: restoration is not only about trees, fish, or reefs—it’s about people, too.
Several days later, Langa joined the community for a morning ritual on the beach: a small blessing ceremony for the restored trees. She stood barefoot, clutching a bundle of saplings. Villagers circled. A fisherman recited a soulful song; others placed handfuls of sand at the roots.
As the sun peeked over the horizon, a breeze carried the scent of salt and new life. Langa looked down at the young mangroves and whispered, “For my daughter—and for this Channel—we’re bringing back what we lost.”
IPS UN Bureau Report
NEW YORK, Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - Victims of Japan’s costly Eugenic Protection Law took to the stage sharing their life stories, offering their tragedies of sterilization and mutilation, in return for the hopes of “a society without discrimination”. At a side event on International Sharing of the Experiences and Lessons of Japan’s Former Eugenic Protection Law held on June 10th, The Conference of Parties on the Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities Discussed the struggle for Anti eugenic ideology. Hosted by the Japan Disability Forum along with several legal defence teams for the victims, an outline of ideology, policy, and retribution was displayed, in an attempt to fight against “eugenics-based discrimination”.
Japan’s Eugenic Protection Law was enacted in 1948, 3 years after the surrender of the Japanese axis forces to the American allies during WWII. While repealed in 1996, the damage was already done, and no one knew the true cost.
Twenty five thousand people, either having a disability or thought to have a disability were forcefully sterilized, without an apology or compensation.
The side event discussion was opened by Hiroshi Tamon, a lawyer part of the defence team for Eugenic Protection Law. Tamon, who is fully deaf, conveyed his message through sign language, explaining that the side event is to “share the experience of Japanese victims with disabilities and disability organizations who have fought a long and difficult struggle to change Japanese society by eliminating eugenic ideology in Japan”.
Tamon concluded with a wish to “inspire and lead a global action to eliminate eugenics ideology and forced sterilization worldwide” making it clear that he envisions the actions of the Tokyo defence team to carry on to the world stage.
In 2018, one single victim Kita Saburo stood up. Defended by Naoto Sekiya, Kita was awarded 15 million yen (103K$). This led to a string of lawsuits in 2019, leading to the supreme court of Japan ruling the Eugenics Protection Law to be unconstitutional along with a compensation for all the victims marked at 3.2 million yen (22K$).
The new law was soon criticized, due to the low amount and reach, leading to another lawsuit in 2024. An apology from the Prime Minister of Japan followed, with a promise to “work towards doing away with all these discriminations and strengthen educational efforts to create a new structure”.
Two days later, an order for “no discrimination in society” was established, with the creation of the Headquarters for the Promotion of Measures toward the Realization of a Coexisting Society Free from Prejudice and Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities. This was followed by an action plan to “promote an inclusive society free from prejudice, discrimination” and ensure compensation for “all victims as well as their spouses”.
In January this year, anyone who went through forced sterilization was paid 15 million yen (103K$ USD). BY THE end of April, only 1,325 of the victims filed for their compensation, accounting for 1.5% of the total people affected.
To combat the law’s limited reach, under a report issued, the government and disability groups would work together to provide alternative communications methods in order to access more information.
The story of Kita Saburo
Kita reading his message at the side event at the UN. Credit: Maximilian Malawista
At the age of 14, while in a juvenile detention facility, Kita was subject to an unknown surgery carried out on him without his consent. Kita was only offered an explanation of “we will remove the bad part”. He did not have any clue what that meant. A month later a senior staff at the facility told him the surgery would prevent him from having children.
According to Kita , the Juvenile detention facility determined that his bad behavior was due to a mental disability, resulting in the decision.
Kita’s sister was aware of the surgery but was strictly ordered to remain quiet by their grandmother. Kita believed “ it was the facility and my parents who made me undergo the surgery”, resulting in resentment toward his parents. He went on to marry later but was unable to tell her of his surgery. The couple often had to hear “Still no children?” bringing immense pain to both Kita and his wife. Kita finally told his wife about the surgery when she was on her deathbed.
In 2018, Kita filed a lawsuit against the Japanese government, realizing that he was not the only victim and that his parents were not responsible. His sister finally told him the details of the surgery, testifying in court just before she passed away during the trial.
Even though justice was done, Kitas says “no matter what verdict is handed down, it does not mean we can start our lives over. Eugenic surgery is a tragedy that cannot be undone.”
Kita stated “I want to reduce the number of people who suffered the way I did, even if it’s just by one. That’s why I have chosen to speak out today and share my story and feelings with the world. That’s why I stand here today to talk to you. I sincerely hope that Japan and the entire world will become a society where everyone can make decisions for themselves.”
Kitas story expands on the broad range of the Eugenic Protection Law, whereby the definition of not an intellectually disabled person was still subjected to the surgery.
Following Kita’s message, a couple Keiko Onoue and Takashi Onoue and Yumi Suzuki appeared through video letters to also narrate their stories.
IPS UN Bureau Report
ALBERTA, Canada, Jun 13 2025 (IPS) - Aid cuts could cost millions of lives and leave girls, boys, women and men without access to enough food, water, education, health treatment.
G7 countries are making deliberate and deadly choices by cutting life-saving aid, enabling atrocities, and reneging on their international commitments
Low and middle-income countries face reduced aid, rising debt, and trade barriers — a perfect storm that threatens development and recovery.
The Group of Seven (G7) countries, which together account for around three-quarters of all official development assistance, are set to slash their aid spending by 28 percent for 2026 compared to 2024 levels.
It would be the biggest cut in aid since the G7 was established in 1975, and indeed in aid records going back to 1960, reveals a new analysis by Oxfam ahead of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Canada.
“The G7’s retreat from the world is unprecedented and couldn’t come at a worse time, with hunger, poverty, and climate harm intensifying. The G7 cannot claim to build bridges on one hand while tearing them down with the other. It sends a shameful message to the Global South, that G7 ideals of collaboration mean nothing,” said Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar.
2026 will mark the third consecutive year of decline in G7 aid spending – a trend not seen since the 1990s. If these cuts go ahead, G7 aid levels in 2026 will crash by $44 billion to just $112 billion. The cuts are being driven primarily by the US (down $33 billion), Germany (down $3.5 billion), the UK (down $5 billion) and France (down $3 billion).
“Rather than breaking from the Trump administration’s cruel dismantling of USAID and other US foreign assistance, G7 countries like the UK, Germany, and France are instead following the same path, slashing aid with brutal measures that will cost millions of lives,” said Behar.
“These cuts will starve the hungry, deny medicine to the sick, and block education for a generation of girls and boys. This is a catastrophic betrayal of the world’s most vulnerable and crippling to the G7’s credibility,” said Behar.
Economic projections show that aid cuts will mean 5.7 million more people across Africa will fall below extreme poverty levels in the coming year, a number expected to rocket to 19 million by 2030.
Cuts to aid are putting vital public services at risk in some of the world’s poorest countries. In countries like Liberia, Haiti, Malawi, and South Sudan, US aid had made up over 40 percent of health and education budgets, leaving them especially exposed. Combined with a growing debt crisis, this is undermining governments’ ability to care for their people.
Global aid for nutrition will fall by 44 percent in 2025 compared to 2022:
The end of just $128 million worth of US-funded child nutrition programs for a million children will result in an extra 163,500 child deaths a year.
At the same time, 2.3 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition – the most lethal form of undernutrition – are now at risk of losing their life-saving treatments.
One in five dollars of aid to poor countries’ health budgets are cut or under threat:
WHO reports that in almost three-quarters of its country offices are seeing serious disruptions to health services, and in about a quarter of the countries where it operates some health facilities have already been forced to shut down completely.
US aid cuts could lead to up to 3 million preventable deaths every year, with 95 million people losing access to healthcare. This includes children dying from vaccine-preventable diseases, pregnant women losing access to care, and rising deaths from malaria, TB, and HIV.
G7 countries are not just reneging on commitments to global aid and solidarity, they are fuelling conflicts by allowing grave violations of international law, like in Gaza where people are facing starvation.
Whether in Ukraine, the occupied Palestinian territory, the Democratic Republic of the Congo or elsewhere, civilians must always be protected, and aid is often the first line of protection they get. G7 countries are illuminating a double standard that risks more global instability, conflict and atrocities.
While G7 countries cut aid, their citizen billionaires continue to see their wealth surge. Since the beginning of 2025, the G7 ultra-rich have made $126 billion, almost the same amount as the group’s 2025 aid commitment of $132 billion.
At this pace, it would take the world’s billionaires less than a month to generate the equivalent of the G7’s 2025 aid budget.
By taxing the super-rich, the G7 could easily meet their financial commitments to end poverty and climate breakdown, whilst also having billions in new revenue to fight inequality in their own countries.
“The world is not short of money. The problem is that it is in the hands of the super-rich instead of the public. Rather than fairly taxing billionaires to feed the hungry, we see billionaires joining government to slash aid to the poorest in order to fund tax cuts for themselves,” said Behar.
Oxfam is calling on the G7 to urgently reverse aid cuts and restore funding to address today’s global challenges. More than 50 years after the United Nations set the target of 0.7 percent for aid spending, most G7 countries remain well below this.
Oxfam is also urging the G7 to support global efforts led by Brazil and Spain to raise taxes on the super-rich, and to back the call from the African Union and The Vatican for a new UN body to help manage countries’ debt problems.
According to OECD Data Explorer, the combined annual aid expenditure of the G7 in 2024 was $156.694 billion. Canada spent $7.323 billion, the United States $61.821 billion, Japan $17.583 billion, France $15.047 billion, Germany $31.382 billion, Italy $6.534 billion, and the United Kingdom $17.005 billion.
Donor Tracker estimates that the decline in combined annual aid spending of the G7 countries for the period 2024 to 2026 will be -$44,488 billion.
In 2024, aid from G7 countries declined by 8 percent, and projections for 2025 point to a sharper drop of 19 percent.
Modelling using finds that 5.7 million more Africans would fall below the US$2.15 extreme poverty income level in the next year if Trump’s administration succeeds in its aid-reduction ambition. This assumes a 20 percent reduction of aid to Africa, considering that some US aid would be maintained as the US alone accounted for 26 percent of aid to Africa before the cuts.
The dismantling of USAID and major aid reductions announced by Western donors threaten to undo decades of progress on malnutrition. A 44 percent drop in funding from 2022 levels could lead to widespread hardship and death.
Up to 2.3 million children with severe acute malnutrition risk losing life-saving treatment, warns the Standing Together for Nutrition Consortium.
There are 2,968 billionaires in the world, and 1,346 live in G7 countries (45 percent).
IPS UN Bureau