Typically, at the Conference of the Parties (COP), now in its 28th edition, global leaders from countries that signed the original United Nations climate agreement (UN) in 1992 convene to discuss limiting and preparing for future climate change. However, several controversies have emerged even before its commencement. At the onset of COP28, the announcement of … Read more

On Thursday, November 30, the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, COP28, commenced in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Although various activities related to the theme had been carried out in the preceding days, such as exhibitions, sectoral meetings, or the caucus of the Indigenous Peoples of the world, it was officially inaugurated on the specified … Read more

On November 26, 2023, Higinio Trinidad de la Cruz, an indigenous leader and recognized environmental defender in Mexico, was found lifeless with a gunshot wound. Higinio, from the indigenous community of Ayotitlán, was registered with the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists. Trinidad de la Cruz, who faced multiple threats for his activities, … Read more

On November 28, the plenary of the Panamanian Supreme Court of Justice ruled Law 406 unconstitutional in its entirety after a continuous session lasting over 60 hours, starting on Friday, November 24, 2023. The law facilitated the implementation of a previous agreement between the State and Empresa Minera Panamá, a subsidiary of the Canadian company … Read more

In mid-November 2023, Mayor Enrique Antía, the highest authority of Uruguay’s Maldonado Department, expressed his concern regarding union actions in the construction sector: “They were Venezuelans, they told me. They come to work here, we provide them jobs, and yet they still set up a picket line. I found that troubling.” His statements faced strong … Read more

With the presence of almost 2,000 delegates from 161 UN member countries, as well as hundreds of observer organizations, technicians and scientists, but without much progress, the third meeting of the Intergovernmental Treaty Negotiating Committee (INC) culminated in Nairobi, Kenya, on November 19. According to data from the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), plastic production … Read more

On November 15, 2023, the New York State Prosecutor’s Office filed a lawsuit against PepsiCo, a major producer of soft drinks and snack foods. The suit alleges that the company’s disposable plastic containers have polluted the Buffalo River, posing a threat to public health. Moreover, it accuses PepsiCo of misleading the public by falsely claiming … Read more

For several years, Bangladesh has ranked as the world’s second-largest clothing exporter, following China. Between 2021-22, the textile sector generated approximately USD 42.6 billion, constituting over 80% of the country’s total exports. It employs over 4 million individuals, with women comprising about 60% of the workforce. Historically, working conditions in Bangladesh have been dismal, characterized … Read more

On November 8, the SAG-AFTRA union (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), representing a substantial portion of acting personnel in “Hollywood” and various related work areas, announced an agreement with employers, bringing an end to an extensive strike. This 118-day strike halted numerous film and television productions following several unsuccessful … Read more

The Republic of Guatemala has built its national economy around the agro-export sector, primarily focusing on sugar, palm oil, coffee, bananas, and some non-traditional products like vegetables and flowers. There are several possibilities and exceptions in place for the production of agroindustrial products that contribute and support various industries within the country. Despite this, the … Read more

On the morning of Monday, October 30th, the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), reached a historic agreement with General Motors (GM), one of the Big Three companies in the automotive sector. This agreement came after a historic strike, paving the way for a global agreement that includes record … Read more

In the midst of a great social mobilization that has been going on for several days and faced with the threat of a declaration of unconstitutionality, on October 27, 2023, Panamanian President Laurentino “Nito” Cortizo signed a resolution prohibiting new metal mineral concessions throughout the country, including those that are in process. A real wave … Read more

Equal pay and the fight against gender-based violence have been the main demands of women and non-binary people during the great demonstration on October 24, 2023, called Women’s Day Off (Kvennafrí). Women and non-binary people were asked not to do any work or household chores during the entire day of the 24th. This is the … Read more

With the support of the RINDHCA (Network of National Human Rights Institutions), of which the Office of the Ombudsman of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the Office of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Paraguay and the Office of the Ombudsman of Mexico are members, General Recommendation No. 39 of the Committee on the Elimination … Read more

At the beginning of October 2023, the UNI Global Union and the Crédit Agricole S.A. Group reached a global agreement that strengthens and extends worker protection for the French banking group’s 75,000 employees in 46 countries, at least for the next four years. UNI is the voice of 20 million workers in service sector companies … Read more

If Javier Milei wins in Sunday’s elections and implements the measures he has proposed, such as cutting rights, he could provoke social resistance due to the threat he represents to the achievements and rights conquered in the country’s history, but the same will also happen if Milei does not fulfill his promises, says Natalia Souto, … Read more

“This is a bitter irony. That people who have only been on this continent for 235 years would refuse to recognise those whose home this land has been for 60,000 and more years is beyond reason”[1]. In these terms, indigenous organizations that supported the “Yes” campaign in the October 14, 2023 referendum expressed their sentiments. … Read more

The historical fact that seems indisputable is that on October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus and his fleet of three caravels arrived for the first time in the territory that we know today as America. From there, the narratives and the significance of the commemorated episode have taken multiple forms and have mutated over time, but, … Read more

From this Monday and until Saturday -14 October – a referendum is being held in Australia that aims to create a constitutional mechanism that allows Indigenous Australians to have a say in the laws and policies that affect them directly. The referendum is set to include a new section in the constitution, which will read … Read more

As we begin October 2023, Guatemala’s post-electoral political landscape remains unresolved and increasingly complex, casting uncertainty over the immediate future. While the Public Prosecutor’s Office and certain judges persist with opaque and intimidating actions targeting not only political parties but the entire electoral institution, numerous social organizations have taken to the streets demanding the preservation … Read more