By Viorel Gutu
ROME, Mar 28 2025 – Degrading soil, air pollution, vanishing biodiversity, emerging plant and animal health issues and more are coming together in the current situation of multiple crisis. Ensuring water security is just one, among the many challenges individuals, countries, and the world faces. Yet, we shouldn’t forget that water makes up the largest percentage of our bodies and the same applies to animals, plants and the planet’s surface. The threat of water insecurity is, as we all see, not a petty problem, but one of the greatest challenges of our century.

We need water security to ensure people have food on their plates. Moreover, water security is a catalyst for transforming the food and agricultural sectors to become more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. Since its founding in 1945, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), has been an advocate for improved natural resource management, and more recently, the Organization is raising its voice every day for the application of sustainable water management practices as a prerequisite for farmers’ resilience and, thus, for safeguarding food security.

The 50-plus countries of Europe and Central Asia are not exempt from this situation, where growing water insecurity threatens to undermine agrifood systems, exacerbate inequalities, and impede progress toward a sustainable future.

For these reasons, water security was selected as the main theme of the Europe and Central Asia Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024 report that will be released on 2 April, highlighting the water sector’s interlinkages with agriculture, food security and nutrition.

Growing water insecurity and unequal impacts

Water security in this region is marked by stark disparities. While certain European Union member countries have from more water security, people living in Central Asia and the Caucasus, and the Western Balkans face significant challenges. Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are among the least water-secure nations in the region, with water consumption exceeding available resources in some cases, worsened by inefficiencies and losses caused by ageing irrigation infrastructure. The human toll is significant: floods and droughts affect over a million people, resulting in USD 14 billion in damages across the region, which brings me to a crucial point: climate change.

Climate change and rising demand for water are exacerbating water scarcity across the region. Variability in precipitation patterns, glacier melt, and prolonged droughts are becoming more frequent and more intense, taking a growing toll on agriculture and especially on farmers. In some parts of the region, energy demands – especially for hydropower in upstream countries like Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan– compete with downstream irrigation needs, highlighting the need for coordinated, transboundary water management.

Water security extends beyond quantity to quality and this aspect shouldn’t be overlooked. Agriculture remains a significant contributor to water pollution in many parts of the region, mostly through fertilizer and pesticide runoff, undermining both food safety and soil health. Ensuring adequate water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure is critical to food security, particularly in rural areas.

The way forward: Innovation and governance

The complexity and interlinkedness of food and water security challenges call for innovative solutions and robust governance. FAO advocates for a water-energy-food-ecosystem nexus approach that emphasizes integrated resource management and which considers the needs of all relevant sectors. Among others, precision and digital agriculture, energy-efficient irrigation, reuse of treated wastewater, and nature-based interventions such as we can see in the example of the artificial glaciers in Kyrgyzstan are already contributing to this comprehensive approach.

In Europe and Central Asia, FAO has been putting its 80 years of expertise into supporting countries to strengthen climate resilience and water governance. These efforts include the Regional Water Scarcity Initiative, which focuses on modernizing irrigation, building drought resilience, and improving water quality. Water, sanitation, and hygiene standards are being enhanced in Tajikistan and Turkmenistan under the global One Health approach. Additionally, the Inter-Regional Technical Platform on Water Scarcity facilitates global collaboration and knowledge exchange to support countries in coping with the pursuit of food and water security, for a sustainable social and economic development.

One thing is clear as water: today’s investments in sustainable water management will yield dividends in food security, peace, and prosperity for future generations in Europe and Central Asia, and beyond.

Viorel Gutu, is Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

IPS UN Bureau

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By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 28 2025 – Despite levels of child mortality and stillbirths having significantly decreased since 2000, increasingly unequal and limited access to basic services around the world endangers millions of children around the world, a new report finds.

On March 24, the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) released its annual report examining trends in child mortality. This report includes contributions from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Since 2000, global rates of child mortality for children under the age of five has fallen by roughly 52 percent, which has been attributed to an increase in investments and collaboration between governments and communities. However, according to the UN IGME, global progress in the fight against child mortality has slowed down in recent years. Fouzia Shafique, UNICEF’s Associate Director of Health, states that since 2015, progress in reducing child deaths has slowed down by about 42 per cent compared to the 2000 to 2015 rate.

According to estimates from UNICEF, in 2023, there were approximately 4.8 million recorded instances of children dying before their fifth birthday, as well as 2.3 million newborn deaths. These deaths have been classified as preventable and were a result of limited access to healthcare, food assistance, and protection services. UNICEF projects that the number of preventable child deaths could increase by roughly 30 million children by 2030.

“Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Bringing preventable child deaths to a record low is a remarkable achievement. But without the right policy choices and adequate investment, we risk reversing these hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes.”

There are significant disparities in child health and wellbeing, particularly in areas that have been impacted by severe humanitarian crises. It is estimated that children in high-child mortality countries are nearly 80 times more likely to die before the age of five than low- child mortality countries.

However, a 2024 study from the Stanford University School of Medicine states that the gap in rates of child mortality between the highest and lowest income families has slowly contracted over the years. The study analyzed roughly 1 million families in 54 low to middle income countries and examined correlations between child wellbeing and wealth.

“In many countries, national wealth has increased hand-in-hand with increasing health inequality. That’s been a signature of our time,” said Eran Bendavid, an associate professor of medicine at Stanford. “It’s a pressing concern for many societies, especially in wealthy countries, but it’s also been an issue in low- and middle-income countries.”

Additionally, mothers in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, who have been exposed to high levels of economic insecurity, conflict, and climate change-induced disasters, account for roughly 80 percent of all stillbirths. These women are six to eight times more likely to have stillbirths than women in North America or Europe.

Shafique spoke to IPS of the current conditions that women and children face in the developing world. “In many low-income and developing countries, children face a much higher risk of dying simply because of where they’re born. Health services are sometimes hard to reach, especially in remote or conflict-affected areas, where there aren’t enough clinics, healthcare providers, or supplies and equipment. Without antenatal care, skilled attendants at birth, and post-natal care, more pregnant mothers lose their babies to stillbirth needlessly, and small and sick newborns die from preventable causes.”

“Home deliveries and inadequate care are also risky for children at term. Many children still die in the first five years of life from preventable illnesses like pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria, where vaccines, good nutrition, and clean water are limited. Poverty also makes it harder for families to get the care they need,” she added.

Additional UNICEF statistics indicate that only one in twelve European mothers experience stillbirths during labour, compared to one in two mothers in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

“Most preventable child deaths occur in low-income countries, where essential services, vaccines, and treatments are often inaccessible”, said Juan Pablo Uribe, World Bank Global Director for Health and Director of the Global Financing Facility.

According to estimates from WHO, limited access to essential resources, such as food, water, and healthcare, has greatly exacerbated the likelihood of birth complications, trauma, infectious disease, congenital malformations and malnutrition, which are the leading causes of child deaths. It is estimated that food insecurity accounts for 45 percent of all child deaths under the age of five.

Since the report’s release, the UN has warned that funding cuts in the United States’ foreign aid programmes threatens to undo decades of international progress in eradicating child mortality. These funding cuts entail closures of healthcare facilities and a decrease in food security and protection services, all of which deliver life-saving assistance to the most impacted communities.

William Weiss, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and a former advisor in the global health bureau at USAID, conducted a study to determine the efficacy of USAID programs in decreasing rates of child mortality. It was determined that nations that received above-average allowances of U.S. funding had, on average, 29 fewer deaths per 1,000 births, equating to approximately 500 fewer deaths per day.

“The recent funding cuts follow years of shrinking aid and are putting UNICEF’s life-saving work at serious risk,” said Shafique. “The impact is heartbreaking. More mothers will go through pregnancy without antenatal care and give birth without skilled help. More babies will be stillborn or die from infections and complications that could have been treated. More children will miss out on vaccines and medicine for deadly diseases like pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. The basic safety nets that keep them alive are disappearing and we risk losing the gain made over the last decades.”

“Simply put, if support for life-saving services is not sustained, many countries can expect a resurgence of newborn and child deaths,” the UN IGME report adds.

Cooperation between investors, communities, and governments is also essential in ensuring a decrease in rates of child mortality. It is imperative for funds to be allocated and distributed to communities living in regions that experience high volumes of crisis.

“We have the technologies, we have the means, we have the know-how to reduce child mortality dramatically,” said Bendavid. “Even for such low-hanging fruit, however, implementation is not always easy. You have to have a government that enables basic safety, and the ability to reach poor and rural communities that benefit from these kinds of programs.”

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By Rabab Fatima
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 28 2025 – As the world grapples with overlapping crises—climate change, economic instability, and food insecurity—the 44 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) face existential threats that demand urgent, collective action.

These nations, home to over one billion people, contribute merely 3.3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet they bear the brunt of climate impacts, with disaster-related mortality rates 2.5 times higher than the global average.

Rabab Fatima

Ahead of the 3rd LDC Future Forum in Lusaka, Zambia, this reality compels us to confront a critical question: How can the international community rally behind LDCs to build resilience and unlock their immense potential for sustainable development?

The Resilience Imperative

Resilience is not a choice but a necessity for LDCs. Consider these sobering facts:

• 57% of LDC populations face food insecurity, with 22% undernourished—more than double the global average.

• External debt has tripled since 2010, now standing at $585 billion, diverting scarce resources from critical investments.

• Only 20% of LDC populations have access to clean energy, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.

Yet, amidst these challenges lie opportunities. The Doha Programme of Action (DPOA) provides a blueprint for addressing these vulnerabilities, but its success hinges on bold, innovative approaches and unwavering global solidarity.

Five Pathways to Resilience

1. Concessional and Innovative Financing: Nearly two-thirds of climate finance to LDCs comes as non-concessional loans, exacerbating debt burdens. We must shift toward concessional financing, debt relief, and innovative instruments like catastrophe bonds and climate-resilient debt clauses. Official development assistance (ODA) must increase beyond the current 0.09% of donors’ GNI, against the target of 0.2% to LDCs.

2. Climate-Smart Agriculture: With half of LDC populations dependent on agriculture, scaling up adaptive techniques—such as flood and drought-resistant crops pioneered in Bangladesh—can transform food security and livelihoods.

3. Renewable Energy Access: Only 55% of LDC populations have electricity. Investments in solar, wind, and biogas—like successful projects in Kenya and Rwanda—can power sustainable development while reducing emissions.

4. Circular Economy: Transitioning from linear “take-make-waste” models to circular systems can create jobs, reduce environmental pressures, and diversify economies. LDCs need policy frameworks and partnerships to make this a reality.

5. Social Protection: Ethiopia’s Safety Net Programme and Cambodia’s digital IDPoor system aiming to ensure that a growing array of benefits reach the households and individuals who need them the most, demonstrate how targeted, shock-responsive social protection can shield the most vulnerable.

Credit: OHRLLS

A Call to Action

The upcoming LDC Future Forum is a critical opportunity to identify innovative ideas and practical solutions to overcome the pressing challenges of the LDCs. As we approach the midterm review of the DPOA in 2027 and the 2030 Agenda deadline, resilience must remain central to all of our efforts.

Major global conferences—including COP30 and the Fourth Financing for Development Conference—offer platforms to amplify LDC priorities.

To development partners, I call for increased concessional financing and enhanced support for debt relief. To policymakers, I stress the need for locally tailored solutions. To the private sector, I underscore the significant yet untapped potential for green investments in LDCs.

The stakes could not be higher. By investing in LDCs today, we invest in a more equitable, sustainable future for all. Let us seize this moment to forge transformative partnerships that deliver lasting change—for the more than one billion people counting on us.

IPS UN Bureau

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Excerpt:

Rabab Fatima is Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries, and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).

The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Latin America and the Caribbean report recounts the toll of record-breaking hurricanes, heat and flooding in the Region, but shines light on renewable energy and a response to the call for robust, end-to-end early warning systems.

By SWAN
PARIS, Mar 28 2025 – Reggae fans may be initially drawn just by the iconic image of Bob Marley on the Music + Life poster, but once inside this exhibition, they will find themselves immersed in a world of extraordinary photographs.

Music + Life is the first retrospective of work by Jamaican-born British photographer Dennis Morris, and it has been pulling in visitors at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (MEP) in Paris, where it runs until May 18th.

A banner on the wall of the museum – located in the bustling, historic Marais area of Paris – shows reggae legend Marley in a relaxed pose, his locks streaming out from under his tam and a playful smile directed at someone the viewer cannot see.

Inside, a vast space is devoted to Marley, with a range of depictions: playing football, performing on stage, laughing in his tour bus, posing with accompanying singers the I-Threes (including wife Rita), sitting solemnly alone with his guitar shortly before his death from cancer in 1981.

But this is only one segment of the exhibition. Music + Life is a look at Morris’ overall career photographing ordinary people in London communities, as well as later portraying Marley, the controversial punk group the Sex Pistols and a gamut of other artists – exploring the “intersection of punk and reggae,” as the curators put it. It’s also about the arc of his own life.

Morris arrived in London from Jamaica at age four in the early 1960s, part of the post-World War II “Windrush generation” of Caribbean immigrants to Britain. He says he developed an interest in photography early, as a choirboy at a church in London’s East End, which had a photo club.

“The director of the club was a man called Donald Patterson, and he saw my enthusiasm and my potential, and he took me under his wing and basically taught me more or less everything I know,” Morris told SWAN. “He took me to museums, he took me to galleries, and that’s how things started.”

Morris says he began taking pictures in his teens, documenting life in Hackney in the 1970s. Then, one day, he heard that Marley would be performing nearby, and he headed to the venue with his camera, waiting for hours before getting to meet the Jamaican singer, who subsequently invited him to tour with the band. That crucial meeting would lead Morris into the music world, where his photographs would be published by magazines such as Time Out and NME, providing up-close portrayals of Marley, and many others over time.

A major theme of Music + Life is “story-telling”, according to Laurie Hurwitz, who curated the show with MEP’s director Simon Baker (a huge reggae fan and the force behind developing the retrospective in Paris). The aim, Hurwitz said, was to recount Morris’s journey as a young photographer, moving on to his wide-ranging music portrayals, and then his later activity as an art director in the recording industry.

The exhibition begins with three series Morris photographed as a teenager: Growing up Black, which depicts life in Hackney and its rich Caribbean culture; Southall – documenting London’s Sikh community through an intimate lens; and This Happy Breed – a “blend of humour and resilience that illustrates the spirit of the British working class”.

Morris told SWAN that despite some of the hardships shown in the series, he wanted to focus on the dignity of the communities portrayed, and to give insight into people’s daily lives.

“What I’m trying to show is that with all the hardships, we had dignity and we had pride,” Morris said. “That’s how we made our way through. It’s like in some ways Nelson Mandela. Despite all the things he went through, he was never bitter and he showed people that no matter what they do to you, you have to hold yourself together, you have to keep your dignity, you have to keep believing in yourself, keep moving forward.”

Leaving this section, visitors can progress to the portrayals of Marley, with both recognizable images and unfamiliar shots, in black and white as well as vibrant colour. The museum has covered two walls with massive enlargements of portraits of the singer, but equally striking are the smaller framed portraits, where Marley’s aura shines through.

“Bob Marley didn’t need artificial lighting to be photographed,” Morris says. “He had an inner light and you can see that.”

Asked whether he thinks Marley’s legacy is currently being diluted with rampant marketing of his image and work, Morris said he would agree but explained that he tries to ensure his photographs are used in a way that respects the singer’s art.

After the Marley rooms, the exhibition continues with Morris’ photographs of the Sex Pistols, documenting their “turbulent rise to fame”, and their “anarchic image”, to use the show’s description.

Over the course of a year, Morris covered “their chaotic performances as well as their life behind the scenes,” according to the curators. This includes “seminal moments” such as the controversial release of the album Never Mind The Bollocks in 1977 and their cruise down the Thames for the single God Save the Queen during the royal Silver Jubilee that year.

The “in-your-face” atmosphere of this section was intentional because that was the band’s persona, Morris told SWAN. Viewers will find themselves immersed in the stormy energy of the group through the photographs of Syd Vicious and Johnny Rotten, and of their concerts and “energised” fans.

“Bob represented the new youth of Jamaica, and the Sex Pistols represented the new young white generation of Britain,” Morris says. “It’s the ying and the yang. From Bob, I learned spirituality, how to hold my head high, and from the Sex Pistols, I learned how to kick the door down in the face of obstacles.”

The exhibition ends with a section showing the “breadth” of Morris’ career, with photographs of artists such as Patti Smith, Marianne Faithful, Oasis, Grace Jones, French group Les Rita Mitsouko, dub poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, and many others. His work designing album covers and his stint in a band called Basement 5 are also featured.

Before leaving the show, visitors can enjoy a diverse playlist including Marley songs, booming from a huge sound system that the MEP’s own engineers have constructed. The temptation to dance will be hard to resist. – AM / SWAN