How reporting on climate and development can influence agendas At a time when deniers of climate change call it fake news, climate activists call for more rigorous action, and high-level policymakers battle over “who pays”, it is journalists who try to make sense of it all. Their difficult mission is instrumental in our understanding of […]
Conserving global biodiversity
“Food is a symbol of self-determination. You cannot have dignity without feeding yourself.
Civil society is under threat worldwide. Organizations and activists, trade unions, independent media and human rights defenders. All those who stand up for freedom of expression, human rights, a safe and clean environment and a livable climate in the future are struggling to keep their heads above water. They are being thwarted by governments and […]
“Cyber bullied on WhatsApp and Facebook.” “I have been blackmailed, beaten and forced to give out money after meeting a guy on a dating App.” “Being rejected in college because of my intersex condition.” “Our landlord forced us out of the house; he called on people to evict and remove our stuff from his house.” […]
On October 29 2018, the ongoing crackdown on LGBTI people in Tanzania hit a new low. This came with Regional Commissioner of Dar es Salaam Paul Makonde’s announcement he wanted to track down LGBTI persons through online surveillance. His intensified crackdown featured plans to form an interagency task force including the Tanzania Commissions Regulatory Authority, […]
The Out Film Festival (OFF), first held at the Goethe Institute in Kenya, in 2011, was the first ever Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ+)-themed film festival with an aim of showcasing films, documentaries, features and plays revolving around LGBTQ+ persons in Africa. The festival featured visiting movie makers who led plenary discussions […]
Open data is the new future The future is open! This was the main message at the 4th International Open Data Conference. On 27- 28 September 2018, 1,500 participants from the data community drawn from government, civil society, academia and private sector convened in Buenos Aires, Argentina to share experiences, learnings and collaborate on the […]
Growing urbanization and food demand 60 percent of the world’s population is projected to be urban by 2050; 2.5 billion will be in Africa and Asia. Eastern Africa is now by far the world’s most rapidly urbanizing region. In Uganda it is projected at 33 million urban dwellers by 2050. Investments characteristic with urbanization stimulate […]
Climate change and seeds ‘’Seeds are the soul of agriculture’’. This is a statement not far from the truth; these tiny plants are the lifeline of the food we consume everyday. However with the stark reality of climate change, the future of seeds is under siege. The harsh consequence of this reality has been […]
Hivos East Africa’s Renewable Energy Program manager, Jean Marc Sika, was recently awarded the title of Monsieur le Grand Chancelier des Ordres burkinabè for his exceptional role in upscaling biogas and bio-digester technology in Burkina Faso. Hailed as one of the founding fathers of biogas in Burkina Faso, Jean Marc has shown astounding leadership, particularly […]
Hivos East Africa is organizing a summit on the rise of a new generation of content makers and their role in propelling alternative spaces that bolster free expression. The summit will take place on 4-5 December 2018 in Nairobi. While the role of critical voices in the shrinking civic space continues to grow dimmer globally, […]
Fighting the effects of climate change topped the agenda at the Biogas Digester Conference from 2 to 4 October in Burkina Faso, attended by 250 energy experts from West and Central Africa. The eight participating countries agreed on their weapon of choice. They will adopt and upscale bio-digester technologies and improve collaboration to develop market-based biogas sectors. […]