Archives: Opinions
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Inclusion begins with visibility
The SDG7 Action Forum made one thing clear: without visibility, there is no inclusion. Women remain invisible in energy data—and that invisibility fuels inequality. To build a just energy future, we must start by seeing, counting, and empowering women as central actors in the transition. Anything less is a failure we can no longer afford. …
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Africa Climate Summit: moving from victimhood to climate justice
The 2025 Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa focused on accelerating global climate solutions. Since the first edition in Nairobi in 2023, the narrative has shifted. The story of the continent is no longer one of victimhood. This year Africa showed it can be an active player, investor, contributor and leader in innovation towards global…
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Clicking for digital democracy: what power do citizens have?
As Malawi (and the Southern Africa region) holds its breath for the 2025 General Elections on September 16, 2025, civic participation cannot be limited to only allowing digital access for citizens. Yes, it is imperative that citizens are online, and for debates and information to flow fast, but democracy is not built on connectivity alone! …
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Kenya’s new climate pledge is bold, but is it fair?
With its latest Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 3.0, Kenya has positioned itself as a climate leader, setting ambitious goals to slash emissions by 35% and build a resilient, green economy by 2035. At first glance, it is inspiring, especially from a country responsible for just 0.16% of global greenhouse gas emissions. But ambition and action, while necessary, are…
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Accountability is imperative at the Africa Climate Summit
The second Africa Climate Summit coming up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia offers a unique blend of promise and pragmatism. Building on the momentum of the inaugural summit held in Nairobi in 2023, this year’s gathering must shift its focus from grand declarations to a single, vital concept: accountability. By Kennedy Mugochi, Regional Director for Hivos…
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Open letter to the Global Fund and Latin American civil society
This open letter is from the Positive Leadership and Key Populations Alliance (ALEP+PC), a regional initiative led by 10 regional networks of people living with HIV and key populations across Latin America. The alliance raises its concern about the Global Fund’s, the project’s donor, decision to pause the implementation of activities. Hivos is the Principal Recipient…
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Carta abierta al Fondo Mundial y a la sociedad civil latinoamericana
Esta carta abierta proviene de la Alianza de Liderazgo en Positivo y Poblaciones Clave (ALEP+PC), una iniciativa regional liderada por 10 redes regionales de personas con VIH y poblaciones clave en América Latina. La alianza expresa su preocupación por la decisión del Fondo Mundial, donante del proyecto, de pausar la implementación de actividades. Hivos es…
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The power of queer community: when aid is cut, we don’t disappear. We organize.
The global LGBTIQ+ movement is being systematically undermined, not just by eroding legal protections and escalating political harassment, but by the sudden withdrawal of vital funding.
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An urgent call to prevent authoritarianism from changing the face of established democracies
Lawsuits and funding cuts from governments such as the US and the EU, aimed at restricting free speech, are putting pressure on global democracy. Activists, journalists and civil organizers face legal threats designed to stifle dissent as well as deliberate financial restrictions. Civil society groups urgently need legal protection and increased support to continue to…
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Empowering women and youth for agroecology’s success in East Africa
By Kennedy Mugochi , Regional Director of Hivos East Africa The second East Africa Agroecology Conference (EAAC), convening in Nairobi this week from March 25 to 28, marks a pivotal moment for the future of agriculture across the continent. The attendance of policymakers, farmers, academics, practitioners, and civil society underscores an increasing recognition of agroecology’s…
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Shaping conditions for fair, equitable and enduring climate finance
The global commitment to fair climate finance is at a crossroads. COP29 concluded with a disappointing New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG), leaving developing nations at risk of being left behind. With the U.S. withdrawing from the Paris Agreement and slashing development aid, prospects for more ambitious fair climate finance are getting out…
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Digital activism in Africa and the Gen Z protests: the youth are leading the way
By Onyonge Mengo and Moses Awuor “Africa is Rising!”—or so the narrative goes. But the sun of economic growth does not shine on everyone. African youth face record-high unemployment, political underrepresentation, and limited access to resources. In 2024 alone, 19 African countries have held elections, yet young people – one-third of the continent’s population –…