WOMEN IN TECH STATISTICS 2024: MALE TO FEMALE RATIO

Posted on September 23, 2024 by emandowa

WOMEN IN TECH STATISTICS 2024: MALE TO FEMALE RATIO
Last Updated: September 17, 2024

Women in tech statistics for 2024 show that the role of women in tech fields is imbalanced to say the least.

While it’s true that the STEM industry is skewed to the male side by about 75%, which makes the male to female ratio 3:1, there are still 25% of women working in the industry across sectors.

It’s an area where people want to see more women in tech, but it’s been going in the other direction since the 1980s.

In 1984, 37.1% of students in tech were women, with the other 62.9% being men.

By 2010, only 17.6% of women showed an interest in IT programs and computer science.

In 2023, only 24% of all computing roles are filled by women.

Key Statistics

Only 26.5% of executive, senior-level, and management jobs in the tech industry are held by women.
56% of all women working in tech were women of color, but this group makes up only 3% of all people working in technology.
72% of women working in technology have worked in a setting where the “bro culture” is prevalent.
Women working in tech lost their jobs during the pandemic twice as much as men.
78% of women working in technology say they have to work harder to prove their value in the workplace.
2 out of every 5 women believed that their gender was a stumbling block for being promoted.
38% of women say they are dissatisfied with their salaries, according to a Dice report.
34.8% of Apple’s workforce was female in 2021.
In 2020, tech companies with fewer than 1,000 employees hired the most women, at 30.2%.
33.7% of Google’s employees are women, according to their 2021 Diversity Annual Report.

Top Women in Tech Statistics in 2024

Wouldn’t it be nice to see more gender equality in the tech world?

This is not just about how many women “work” in technology, but it’s also about the lack of women getting trained and entering the tech world.

1. As Of 2021, only 26.5% of Executive, Senior-Level, and Management Jobs in The Tech Industry Are Held by Women.

While some progress has been made, this is only 2.7% more than 2018, when that figure was 24%.

Only about 25% of women are in lower-level roles in the technology sector.

Furthermore, a study in 2020 showed that out of 501,384 technologists across a sample of 51 companies, only 133,068 were women.

2. 56% of All Women Working in Tech Were Women of Color.

Of the 141,038 women who were working in the technology sector in 2021, 79,163 (56%) were considered women of color.

The percentage of African American women in technology is 3%.

Among Asian women, 6% have jobs in technology. Additionally, only 2% of women in technology are Hispanic.

3. 72% of Women Working in Technology Have Worked in A Setting Where the “Bro Culture” Is Prevalent.

Moreover, Trust Radius says that “bro culture” is represented in multiple ways across the technology industry.

The issues can range from discomfort in the work setting all the way to sexual harassment, including assault.

It’s worth noting that men and women have different perceptions about this topic.

4. Statistics Revealed that Women Working in Tech Lost Their Jobs During the Pandemic Twice as Much as Men.

COVID-19 had a major impact on women working in the technology realm, even more so than men.

While many people lost their jobs or were furloughed during the pandemic, this hit the female demographic much harder than their male counterparts.

5. 78% of Women Working in Technology Say They Have to Work Harder to Prove Their Value in The Workplace.

Over three-quarters of women who work in the technology industry claim that they have to work harder to show their worth in their workplaces.

In contrast, 54% of men feel the same way.

So, while there is always pressure in the workplace for employees to prove themselves, women are more impacted by the issue.

6. In 2021, 2 out Of Every 5 Women Believed that Their Gender Was a Stumbling Block for Being Promoted.

Women who work in tech believe that their gender was an obstacle to consideration for promotions in their jobs.

These women are four times more apt to see gender bias than men in this aspect of their jobs.

Also, 66% of women didn’t feel like they had a clear path to move up the ladder in their current jobs.

7. 38% of Women Say They Are Dissatisfied with Their Salaries, According to A Dice Report.

There is a small gap between women and men who feel underpaid.

38 Percent of men report being dissatisfied with their pay compared to 38% of women who feel the same.

The average salary of men in tech accounts for around $108,711, while women make an average of $93,591 in the industry performing the same tasks. That’s the pay gap.

8. 34.8% of Apple’s Workforce Was Female in 2021.

34.8% of Apple’s employee base was female in 2021. In comparison, 65.2% were male.

It’s a little better than in 2018, when the percentages were 30% female and 70% male.

Additionally, Apple’s leadership experienced an 87% growth in its female employee base.

Things seem to be moving in a positive direction in gender diversity at Apple.

9. In 2020, Tech Companies with Fewer than 1,000 Employees Hired the Most Women, at 30.2%.

A report from anitab.org revealed that the smaller tech companies with fewer than 1,000 workers hired more women than the larger tech companies.

Small tech companies appear to hire more women than big tech companies, but that could also be somewhat skewed by the number of female-to-male applicants.

Things are shaping up, but it may be a while before we see significant increases for women in tech.

10. 33.7% of Google’s Employees Are Women, According to Their 2021 Diversity Annual Report.

Google’s own Diversity Annual Report for 2021 reveals that in 2020, women accounted for 32.5% of their workforce compared to 67.5% of men.

In 2021, women now represent 33.7% of Google’s workforce and men represent 66.3%. Are you wondering what their 2022 report will show? So are we.

Women in Tech & Education Statistics

How many women are in school, have degrees, or teach technology?

Let’s see if women seeking technology-related education are more than those working in the field today.

11. 40% of Graduates in Computer Science Are Women.

Even in 2022, women are less apt to enroll in any of the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) courses available today.

Women account for 40% of graduates in computer science, and only 28% of engineering graduates are female.

This seems odd since female students test higher on average on the standardized tests in STEM than their male peers.

So, what’s stopping women from wanting tech careers?

12. Only 18% of Women Account for Computer Science Bachelor’s Degrees.

Would you believe that during World War II and well into the 1960s, that women accounted for the biggest part of the computing workforce?

Somehow, in 1970, only 13.6% of computer science graduates with bachelor’s degrees were earned by women.

There was a nice rise to 37% in the 1980s, but since then, the decline is back at 18%.

13. 20% of Women Who Work in Stem Roles Have Resigned Because of Harassment and Discrimination at Their Jobs.

According to Dr. Pragya Agarwal, TEDx Speaker, behavioral scientist, inclusivity consultant, and author of SWAY: Unraveling Unconscious Bias, at least 49% of women in the tech workplace have experienced forms of discrimination.

Also, 20% resigned because of harassment or discrimination in their workplace.

14. In 2021, the United States Ranks 8th in The Market Share of Women in The Tech Workplace.

The country of Georgia ranks number one for having the most women working in technology at 55.6%, as of 2021.

Even Mongolia, Cambodia, Serbia, and the Dominican Republic beat the US in this ranking by country.

Is this because women aren’t interested, or do they feel left out of the field?

15. Girls Who Code Reported that Around 74% of Young Girls Are Interested in Stem Careers.

So, this doesn’t seem like a lack of interest, does it?

While it’s unknown what happens, somewhere between when they show interest and deciding about what to study in college, something changes.

TechCrunch says this is more than a pipeline problem.

Women in Startups and Leadership Statistics

Now that you have some statistics about the gender gaps in employment and STEM education, we will use this part of the article to discuss where women are in leadership and tech startups.

16. Only 28% of It Professionals in Leadership Roles Are Women.

Since the data indicates that companies with female leadership fare much better, why are they not representing the IT and STEM industries more?

We have already been enlightened to the fact that women resign from lower level roles because of discrimination or harassment, but there has to be more to it than that.

More should be done to encourage women and to find out what’s discouraging them.

17. Fewer than 8.2% of Women Are CEOs at Fortune 500 Companies.

Shouldn’t these large Fortune 500 tech companies be leading the charge for more employment equality and diversity?

Let’s consider not only the fact that a measly 8.2% of Fortune 500 CEOs are females, but also that a smidgen of them are women of color at less than 1%.

Small startup and tech companies seem to be leading the way better than the “leaders” of the industry.

18. 24.8% of Tech Roles at Facebook Are Held by Women.

While women at Facebook went from 15% in tech roles in 2014 to 24.8% in 2021, there is still a big imbalance in gender representation.

Men made up 85% of Facebook’s tech employees, which decreased in 2021 to 75.2%.

While it may seem like they are trying to make progress, we may be a decade away from seeing anything significant.

19. Out Of $150 Billion Invested in Companies, only $3.4 Billion Went to Fund Women-Based Companies.

Since there is such a large divide between men and women in technology fields, shouldn’t more than $3.4 billion go to women to try to give this arena some balance?

Venture capitalists have invested $150 billion, so that $3.4 billion earmarked for women-founded businesses accounts for a mere 2.5% of total investments.

20. In 2017, only 17% of Technology Startups Had Female Founders.

By 2020, around 37% of tech startups had at least one female on its board of directors.

Also, about 53% had at least one woman in an executive position.

The numbers are slowly growing, but how long until we reach the level of the 1960s when women dominated the industry?

Tech Diversity Statistics

Women aren’t the only demographic being left behind in the STEM, IT, and computer science markets.

Women of color and people of diversity in race are also imbalanced.

21. 72% of Women Who Work in Technology Are Commonly Outnumbered by Men at Business Meetings.

The ratio of men that outnumber women in tech business meetings is at least 2:1.

However, women in tech often report that the ratio is closer to 5:1 or more. This just goes to prove how this problem needs a resolution.

22. 57% of Women 20 Years Old and Older Made up Women in The Workforce in 2021.

Between February 2020 and February 2021, a decrease of 2,328,000 women 20 years and older were part of the workforce.

This includes those who lost jobs during the pandemic, or who left for whatever reason.

Also, in 2020, 59.2% of women accounted for the labor force.

The total results from this Gallup poll show that women’s roles in the workforce were impacted by 0.2% more than men.

23. 64% of Today’s Women-Owned Businesses Are Started by Women of Color.

When it comes to diversity in the tech industry, it’s not just about women, but it’s also about women of color, and of different races.

It should encourage us all that new statistics show that 64% of women-owned businesses started today are started by women of color.

Also, 40% of all American businesses are owned by women.

24. 66% of Female Entrepreneurs Are Feeling Challenged About Getting Funds for Successful Business Ventures.

That is a significant percentage of women finding difficulties for financial support to succeed in the business realm.

However, the good news is that 79% of women entrepreneurs today feel more empowered than they did just five years ago.

25. 2.5 Million Women Left the Workforce During the Pandemic.

Feeling more burn-out than men, experiencing harassment or discrimination, and the lack of work-life balance are things that contributed to why women left or lost their jobs during the pandemic.

In most instances, women have more to handle at home and at work, which would result in more burnout than their male peers.

26. In 2020, Caucasian Females Accounted for 14.1% of The Tech Workforce.

A statistical breakdown of race includes 14.1% of white females, 9.6% of Asian females, 2.2% of African American females, and 1.7% of Hispanic females.

While progress has been made regarding women working in tech, more work needs to be done for racial diversity in the tech industry.

Bonus Statistics

27. Around 25% of Women Account for Gafam Tech Jobs

GAFAM stands for Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft and is used to describe the group of tech giants as a whole.

In 2020, statistics showed that 23% of the Google, Apple, and Facebook workforces were women (that’s 23% each, not total).

Microsoft’s female workforce was at 20% and Amazon’s was too low to record.

28. 23% of STEM Jobs in The UK Are Held by Women.

America isn’t the only country where there are disparities in the tech industry.

Only 23% of the workforce in tech in the UK is made up of women.

Also, only 5% of these women are working as entrepreneurs or in leadership positions.

Sadly, only 3% of young girls intend to pursue a tech career.

29. Only 26% of Women in India Work in The IT Industry.

The disparities in women working in tech seem to have a theme across the globe.

Though the number of women working in STEM careers is on the rise, there is still a gender gap in India between men and women.

In 2020, men were three times more apt to work in STEM fields.

That said, even with the growth of women in this industry in India, the gap seems to be widening.

30. 46% of Tech Industry Females in Europe Claim They Have Been Discriminated Against Because of Gender.

It seems that gender discrimination is another area where America isn’t the only offender.

In some cases, this kind of gender discrimination occurs across industries and is more serious in other countries.

In European countries, women who work in tech are experiencing discrimination, which puts a barrier up for any promotion opportunities, or any pay raises.

Famous Women in Tech by the Years

In this section of this article, we intend to enlighten you further about women in technology by looking somewhat beyond the statistics.

Here are some of the most famous women who played a major role in technology as we know it today.

Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace was known as the “first computer programmer”.

She was an English writer and mathematician, born in London, England, on December 10, 1815.

At first glance, Lovelace would not seem to fit into this category.

However, after she met Charles Babbage (The Father of the Computer), she wrote detailed notes regarding Bernoulii numbers, which are now considered the first computer algorithms.

The second Tuesday of October is Ada Lovelace Day, which is in her remembrance.

Hedy Lamarr

Hedy Lamarr was a beautiful and talented actress, but she was a major player in Wi-Fi technology.

Lamarr was born in Austria, but lived in America during the “Golden Age of Hollywood”, playing opposite actors like Bob Hope and Clark Gable.

Her contribution happened in 1940, during World War II when she created and patented frequency-hopping, spread-spectrum secret communication system technology alongside George Antheil, a man she met at a dinner party.

This tech is still the fundamental aspect for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS technology.

Grace Hopper

Grace Hopper is considered a “computer programming language pioneer”, but she was first and foremost a US Navy admiral and computer scientist.

She developed the first English language data processing compiler, called COBOL (common business-oriented language).

Hopper is also known for the quote, “It is often easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission”.

She also coined the term, “computer bug”.

Hopper was positive that computers would be used by non-professionals in the programming realm, so this easier method would be necessary. She was right.

Annie Easley

Annie Easley, a woman of color (African American), was hired by NASA as their own “human computer” because of her amazing ability to perform complex calculations.

While computer technology eventually replaced the role of “human computers”, Easley took on the role of a computer scientist and adapted to the new tech.

Easley played a key role in developing code for analyzing alternative power techs, battery life, and energy conversions to help solve the former energy problems of that era.

Her most notable work was on the Centaur Project, which was part of how they launched satellites and spaceships into space.

She also made a huge impact by advocating for women and minorities in STEM careers.

Her contributions combated issues of age, gender, and race all wrapped up in one amazing woman.

She became an EEOC (equal employment opportunity) counselor with NASA.

Annie Easley was posthumously inducted into the Glenn Research Hall of Fame in 2015. That was well-deserved.

Radia Perlman

Radia Perlman, also known as the “mother of the internet”, was a network engineer and computer programmer.

In the 1980s, she invented STP (spanning-tree protocol).

This technology allows computers to share data in a reliable way. STP is a fundamental protocol in networking and Ethernet.

Perlman has been inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Today’s Modern Tech Trailblazers

Katie Moussouris

Katie Moussouris is the CEO of Luta Security, and was directly involved in the bug bounty program for the Microsoft Corporation and in the creation of the first bug bounty called “Hack the Pentagon” for the United States Department of Defense.

Dr. Fei-Fei Li

Dr. Fei-Fei Li, a professor at Stanford’s Computer Science Department and Co-Director of the Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute, created ImageNet, which trains computers to recognize and understand concepts and objects in an image through a huge visual database.

She is also the co-founder of AI4ALL, a non-profit.

Susan Wojcicki

Susan Wojcicki is the CEO of YouTube. However, her career started in her garage when Google was created after she rented it out to Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the creators of Google.

Wojcicki became Google’s first marketing manager and eventually the SVP of its Advertising & Commerce division.

She is the developer of trailblazing products and services including Google AdWords, AdSense, and Analytics.

So, women not only played a role in technology and other STEM-related careers. They were also trailblazers throughout history.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

We have covered a lot of ground related to women in technology statistics in 2024.

We now know the significance of women in technology throughout history and into modern times.

We learned about the obstacles that are holding women back from being successful in STEM roles, and how much work is left to improve the inequalities in these industries.

Since men outnumber women by close to 3 times in STEM, even with the new generation coming into these fields with coding skills, it could take a decade or more to achieve balance.

If you know some young women interested in technology, computer science, IT, engineering, or other STEM-related fields, encourage them.

Help them to find resources to prevent holding them back from getting the training and skills they need to succeed.

Sources

Thank you for reading this article titled: WOMEN IN TECH STATISTICS 2024: MALE TO FEMALE RATIO

Data is from 2023 and 2024 and forecast data is for 2025 and 2026. We also expand the forecast data to 2027 and 2028.

* This information was taken from various sources around the world, including these countries:

Australia, Canada, USA, UK, UAE, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya, US, United Kingdom, United States of America, Malaysia, U.S., South Africa, New Zealand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates.

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, American Samoa, Andorra, Angola, Anguilla, Antarctica, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan.

Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bermuda, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Bouvet Island, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Territory, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi.

Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cape Verde, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling Islands), Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia (Hrvatska), Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic.

Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Faroe Islands, Fiji, Finland, France, Metropolitan, French Guiana, French Polynesia, French Southern Territories.

Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Heard and McDonald Islands, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy.

Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg.

Macau, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Martinique, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montserrat, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar.

Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, New Zealand (NZ), Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway.

Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Pitcairn, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe.

Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, St. Helena, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Sudan, Suriname, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria.

Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tokelau, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates (UAE), UK (United Kingdom), USA (United States of America, U.S.), US Minor Outlying Islands.

Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican City State (Holy See), Venezuela, Vietnam, Virgin Islands (British), Virgin Islands (US), Wallis and Futuna Islands, Western Sahara, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America, Australia (Oceania), Middle East, South America.

Post Title: WOMEN IN TECH STATISTICS 2024: MALE TO FEMALE RATIO
Last Updated: September 17, 2024

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Summit of the Future: On the Need for Civil Society to Make Its Voice Count at the UN

Posted on September 20, 2024 by admin

Civil Society, Climate Action, Conferences, Environment, Gender, Global, Headlines, Human Rights, Sustainable Development Goals, TerraViva United Nations

Opinion

Sarah Strack is Forus Director

Civil society leaders at the Forus General Assembly in Gaborone, Botswana. Credit: Forus

NEW YORK, Sep 20 2024 (IPS) – In a context of shrinking civic space that threatens civil society participation in an increasing number of countries and all the way to some UN processes, world leaders will gather to discuss the “multilateralism we want” at the Summit of the Future at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

The summit aims to tackle one fundamental question: How can the global community cooperate better to meet present needs while preparing for future challenges?

Already in February, over 400 civil society organisations, under the UNmute initiative, issued a collective statement for more meaningful engagement of civil society in the preparatory process of the Summit of the Future. One thing is clear: civil society’s engagement has largely been limited to virtual consultations and written inputs at relatively short notice, signaling a deterioration of opportunities for participation of civil society.

The limited access to informal consultations with Member States, coupled with the lack of interpretation services, further restricts participation for non-English speakers and those outside of the New York “bubble”. This asymmetry creates barriers to meaningful dialogue between civil society and Member States.

Civil society organisations continue to call for designated seats and consistent participation channels to ensure their voices are included and have a genuine impact on the outcomes.

As we approach the Summit of the Future taking place next week in New York, here’s what to expect and some key asks.

It’s time to walk the talk

The Summit of the Future arrives at a moment when it is more important than ever for global institutions to demonstrate accountability and deliver tangible results, to rebuild trust. With the Pact for the Future, the Summit aims to design a roadmap to strengthen multilateralism and advance collective action and accountability for the 2030 Agenda and beyond.

Civil society leaders at the Forus General Assembly in Gaborone, Botswana. Credit: Forus

“Civil society has always warned of the urgency of the polycrisis and has suggested concrete solutions. However, despite strong speeches, country leaders have taken weak action. What we have witnessed is a lack of commitment to life and the planet,” says Henrique Frota, executive director of Abong, the national NGO platform of Brazil, and C20 Chair.

In past summits, we have seen pledges that looked good on paper but failed to translate into systemic changes. The whole Agenda 2030 is increasingly considered “non-binding” with several governments failing to uphold their commitments. In Argentina, newly elected president Javier Milei decided not to pursue a Voluntary National Review in 2024, reversing the previous administration’s commitment. In Colombia, for the first time, the government reviewed only one SDG in 2024—SDG 2 (zero hunger) —a move that raised concerns about the increasing risk of cherry-picking.

These examples reflect a broader global trend: international agendas, including the SDGs, may not be prioritised, raising concerns about potential rollback of commitments. Without clear accountability mechanisms, these global agreements risk remaining aspirational rather than actionable.

“We are at an inflection point that will largely determine what outcomes we harvest by December 2030- the year governments have committed to bringing an end to many of the challenges and crises facing our world today. At the current rate the global goals remain elusive as they were when those commitments were made some 8 years ago. The world needs bold leadership, moving from rhetoric to action. Never again can we wait for another summit before the world sees the changes it so much deserves. That clock stopped ticking already!” says Oyebisi, B. Oluseyi, Executive Director at NNNGO, the national NGO platform in Nigeria.

He adds, to move forward, instead of rushing backwards, governments need to make clear, measurable commitments and introduce robust accountability mechanisms to ensure international agreements lead to real, inclusive outcomes for a better future for people and planet.

Strengthening inclusive governance

While civil society continues to push for a stronger focus on equity, solidarity, inclusion and participation, the final framework for the Summit of the Future is still under negotiation.

The lack of consistent engagement opportunities remains a barrier for civil society to contribute effectively. Each accredited civil society organisation has been allowed to send two representatives to the Summit. However, we recently learned that, due to high demand, civil society representatives may only be able to attend one of the two days of the Summit.

“The Agenda 2030 starts by stating that “All countries and all stakeholders, acting in collaborative partnership, will implement this plan.” This is not possible if civil society is excluded from deliberations and negotiations. Crucially, it also prevents the pledge to leave no one behind from being fulfilled, as civil society is unable to bring to the table the voices of those facing societal and structural discrimination,” says Silla Ristimäki, Advocacy Lead at FINGO, the national NGO platform of Finland.

Ndey Sireng, Executive Director of Gambia’s national NGO platform TANGO, echoes this concern, stressing “the importance of inclusive participation, especially for youth and women”, and urging governments to create an enabling environment for civil society.

“For global governance to truly deliver for both people and planet, civil society must be at the core of decision-making processes. Civil society’s engagement ensures that policies are not only crafted in conference rooms but are rooted in the lived realities and aspirations of the people they aim to serve. Given the closed nature of the consultations leading up to the Summit of the Future, it’s likely that the aspirations of the majority of global citizens have not been fully captured,” says Chris Nkwatsibwe, Policy, Governance & Civic Engagement lead at UNNGOF, the national NGO platform in Uganda.

On the need to protect civil society

While the Summit’s agenda focuses on human rights, it does not emphasize the shrinking civic space worldwide and the lack of an enabling environment for civil society organisations. Civil society organisations encounter increasing restrictions, with freedoms of association, peaceful assembly, and expression being curtailed in many countries.

In Honduras, as shared by the national NGO platform Asonog, in 2023 and 2024 over 18 defenders have been killed for defending their territories – including Honduran environment and anti-corruption activist Juan López, just last week, for his struggle against extractive industries. International solidarity is very important at this time of such impunity and defenselessness – with several countries unable to “defend the defenders” and to provide justice to victims.

Additionally, a wide cross-section of civil society from national NGO platforms to grassroots groups – continues to face various forms of “bureaucratic” and administrative barriers, as reported by members across the Forus network. In vulnerable political contexts, including post-electoral contexts, civil society bears the brunt of repercussions from “civic violence”, despite advocating for peaceful dialogue. A recent Forus study showed that only 4% of our Global Majority members experienced no barrier from current laws and regulations for their activities. Just 7,5% of all Forus members representing more than 24,000 NGOs, worldwide reported receiving effective support from their governments in terms of capacities and resources.

Forus is advocating for reforms that protect civic space and the promotion of an enabling environment for civil society, ensuring that civil society can play its role in holding governments accountable and championing the needs and asks of communities. Without these protections, the ability of civil society to contribute to the implementation and monitoring of global agreements, including the SDGs, will remain severely compromised.

“One cannot imagine inclusive growth and vibrant global institutions without space for civil society,” says Harsh Jaitly, Director of VANI, the national NGO platform of India.

“As civil society actors, we stand on the shoulders of grassroot actors, social movements, human rights defenders and many others who have pushed for civil rights, gender equality, and climate action, in a manner that has indeed changed the world. When looking to the future, we need an inclusive global policymaking to ensure positive change and that the needs of the most vulnerable are kept at the heart of the solutions,” says Mette Müller Kristensen, Director at Global Focus, the national NGO platform of Denmark.

Kathrine Skamris of Global Focus reinforces this, emphasizing that civil society brings “valuable knowledge and diverse perspectives, which are crucial to the discussions at the UN”. She stresses the importance of including these voices at both the Summit of the Future and throughout the follow-up process.

What Comes After the Summit of the Future?

The Summit of the Future is just one stage of the journey towards “the future we want”. It is just one step. Attention will then shift to key events in 2025, including the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4), the World Social Summit, UNFCCC COP 30 in Brazil, and the World Urban Forum. These events will contribute to discussions on shaping the post-2030 Agenda, ensuring that future global cooperation remains focused on sustainability, equity, and inclusion.

In the words of Zia Ur Rehman, of the Asia Development Alliance, a regional NGO platform, the Summit is a beginning, bringing “hope for the commencement of integrated efforts.” Similarly, Arjun Bhattarai from Nepal’s NFN, the national NGO platform of Nepal, highlights the need for civil society to continue advocating for better “global governance, accountability, and a financial architecture that prioritizes the well-being of people and saves the planet. If the Pacts and promises of the Summit of the Future are implemented properly and timely, they could fulfil the hopes and aspirations of youth and future generations.”

We need more than just Summits and events – we need a vision that addresses immediate crises while shaping truly inclusive global cooperation, and more than anything, we need bolder action that doesn’t shy away from putting the rights of people and the planet first.

IPS UN Bureau

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Using Education To Stop the Generational Cycle of Violence Against Women in the Pacific

Posted on September 20, 2024 by admin

Active Citizens, Asia-Pacific, Civil Society, Conferences, Development & Aid, Editors’ Choice, Featured, Gender, Gender Identity, Headlines, Human Rights, PACIFIC COMMUNITY, Pacific Community Climate Wire, Population, Sustainable Development Goals, TerraViva United Nations, Women & Climate Change, Women in Politics, Women’s Health

PACIFIC COMMUNITY

Marshall Islands President Hilda C. Heine departs the International Conference Centre after presenting her keynote speech during the first day of the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women. Cr

Dr Hilda C. Heine, President, Republic of the Marshall Islands,
departs the International Conference Centre after presenting her keynote speech during the first day of the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women. Credit: Chewy Lin/SPC

SYDNEY , Sep 20 2024 (IPS) – Parliamentary representation by women in Pacific Island countries remains stubbornly low at 8.4 percent. Yet women leaders across the region have been meeting every year for the past four decades to discuss goals and drive action to address gender inequality and the most pressing development challenges in the Pacific.

One of the critical issues discussed at the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women, convened recently by the regional development organisation, Pacific Community, in Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands, was endemic levels of violence against women. Up to 68 percent of women in Pacific Island countries have suffered physical or sexual violence by a partner, more than double the global average of 30 percent, reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The conference is an invaluable opportunity for government, civil society and donor stakeholders to monitor progress on addressing this issue and identify action plans. And, for many Pacific women leaders, an important part of the long-term vision is preventing violence against women in the next generation. Educating the youth of today to change attitudes and behaviours that are perpetuating these human rights violations, and the severe socioeconomic repercussions is a critical strategy that the Pacific Community is working to roll out across the region.

“Young men and women can be impactful agents for change on the ground,” Mereseini Rakuita, Principal Strategic Lead for Pacific Women and Girls in the SPC executive team, told IPS. “The root cause of gender-based violence is unequal power relations between men and women. This necessitates the engagement of young men and women in advocacy work to enhance their understanding about this violence and its link to inequality.”

Group photo of delegates to the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women held in Majuro, RMI. Credit: SPC

Growing the seed of change in young people is the vision behind the Pacific Girl project, managed by Pacific Women Lead at SPC, and also the Social Citizenship Education (SCE) program, which is part of the multi-partner Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women. The SCE program is supported by the European Union. It employs a ‘whole of School’ approach by training teachers in four Pacific Island countries, namely Kiribati, Vanuatu, Tuvalu and the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to embed education about human rights, gender equality and gender-based violence into the formal curriculum. And, also, informally, through the cultivation of respectful behaviours and supportive advocacy.

“In Kiribati, the SCE programme has rolled out nationally across all schools, whereas in Vanuatu it’s focused on six schools in the capital, Port Vila. In Tuvalu, it reaches four schools and 22 in the Marshall Islands across urban and rural locations,” Rakuita explained. “It successfully reaches many rural and remote communities; however, there are so many more to reach given the challenges of transport and resources, remembering that several Pacific Island countries have more than 300 islands.”

Senator Daisy Alik-Momotaro (left) with young Marshallese women sing prior to the first session on the third and final day of the 15th Triennial Conference of Pacific Women. Credit: SPC Chewy Lin

It is a strategy that resonates strongly with national leaders in Pacific Island countries. “I fully support this initiative,” Sokotia Kulene, Director of the Gender Affairs Department in Tuvalu’s Office of the Prime Minister, told IPS. “This is the mandate of the Tuvalu National Gender Equity Policy objective and plan of action, and it will make a difference by changing attitudes, behaviours and mindsets.”

Despite decades of awareness raising and international donor support for reducing the entrenched rates of violence against women, its prevalence remains stubbornly high across the region. The proportion of women who have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner, ranges from 68 percent in Kiribati and 66 percent in Fiji to 62 percent in Samoa, reports UN Women. Globally, the Pacific Islands ranks the worst in the world for this form of violence. Fifty one percent of women in Melanesia have ever suffered physical or sexual violence, compared to 33 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa and 25 percent in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to WHO.

Marshall Islands’ Minister for Culture and Internal Affairs, Jess Gasper Jr. Credit:

“There is a need for greater investment in addressing the root causes of violence, such as tensions over economic insecurity in a family, which is exacerbated by climate change impacts and loss of livelihoods, and misinterpretation of the bible needs to be supported with transformative approaches to biblical teachings. And media content needs to be produced through various platforms to reach audiences in a way that educates men and boys, as well as women and girls,” Sharon Bhagwan Rolls, Programme Manager for the Pacific Women Mediators Network in Fiji, told IPS.

Gender inequality is the central cause of violence against women and girls. Making tangible progress to address this issue is hampered by additional barriers, including low levels of education in remote areas, perceptions of women’s lower social status, abuse of alcohol and financial abuse within families. And now, in the twenty-first century, the issue is further exacerbated by technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

It is also a major challenge to overcome the strong stigma of domestic and sexual violence in communities that influences the reluctance of survivors of gender-based violence to report these crimes to the police, resulting in a high level of impunity for perpetrators.

“In Fiji, only half of women living with violence have ever told anyone about it and only 24 percent of survivors of violence in Fiji have ever sought help from an agency or formal authority,” Rakuita claims.

From L to R RMI Senator Daisy Alik-Momotaro, Tuvalu Prime Minister and Minister of Gender Equity and Women Empowerment, Mr Feleti Teo, and Marshall Islands’ Minister for Culture & Internal Affairs Jess Gasper Jr. Credit: SPC/Chewy Lin

From L to R: RMI Senator Daisy Alik-Momotaro, Tuvalu Prime Minister and Minister of Gender Equity and Women Empowerment, Feleti Teo, and Marshall Islands’ Minister for Culture & Internal Affairs, Jess Gasper Jr. Credit: SPC/Chewy Lin

Survivors are, therefore, often trapped in a continuous cycle of abuse when spouses or partners control women’s access to financial resources and the means to independence. And the effects on women’s lives are devastating. Beatings and injuries from violent attacks leave deep physical and mental wounds, including disability, while sexual violations expose women to sexually transmitted diseases. The damage to a woman’s mental health ranges from depression and post-traumatic stress disorder to a high risk of suicide.

The broader costs of domestic violence to island societies and nations are immense. In Fiji, 43 women are physically maimed by domestic assaults every day and, in Papua New Guinea, up to 90 percent of all injuries presented by women to health facilities are due to gender-based violence, reports the Pacific Community. Studies in Vanuatu show that children with mothers who suffer domestic violence are far more likely to drop out of school. And it impacts national economies, such as Fiji, where violence contributes to 10 days of lost work time per employee per annum.

The support of Pacific Island governments and male leaders, in partnership with women, is essential to any meaningful progress.

“If most leaders in the Pacific are men, then their engagement is critical,” Rakuita explained. “We have some great examples in the Pacific of male leaders taking on this critical developmental challenge. The PNG National Parliament has a Standing Committee on gender-based violence as an oversight mechanism on the country’s response to GBV efforts. This was driven by male leaders and led by them—male leaders who recognise the deep impacts GBV is having on their communities and have had enough. They have rightly exercised their power whilst in office to create something sustainable.

There are now signs that the SCE programme, Pacific Girl and other initiatives are triggering leadership in young islanders. At SCE there are after-school clubs for students, organised to directly engage boys and girls in more than 150 primary and secondary schools in the four participating countries. “Students who have participated in the clubs are now demonstrating leadership roles in their schools, such as leading school assemblies, building positive and healthy relationships among their peers and conducting awareness sessions about violence against women in schools and communities,” Rakuita said.

For Kulene, there are major long-term gains of reducing gender-based violence, which would significantly “contribute to Tuvalu’s sustainable development goals,” whether it is improving good health, diminishing poverty, or strengthening peace, justice and economic development.

IPS UN Bureau Report

Tampa renames street for Dr. Walter L. Smith, pioneering educator and FAMU President

Posted on September 17, 2024 by emandowa

Walter Smith II unveils street sign honoring his father, Dr. Walter L. Smith, on newly renamed avenue in Tampa

WMNF Sunday Forum host, Walter Smith, II and his family were honored to participate in a ceremony today to rename a portion of N. Albany Avenue in honor of his father, Dr. Walter L. Smith. Dr. Smith is a Tampa native and former president of Florida A&M University (FAMU).

An international educator, Dr. Smith promoted education and liberty first in the United States then in South Africa. In the United States, the 16 year old high school dropout, eventually went on to earn two degrees at FAMU, a BA in biology and chemistry then a Master of Education.

In 1965, he became a program officer facilitating the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Title I of the 1965 Elementary Secondary Education Act for the U.S. Office of Education. Smith also helped to develop desegregation and graduate education training centers for African American administrators at the University of Miami and the Desegregation Center at FAMU.

Smith was the first Assistant Executive Director of the Florida Education Association. For his work, he received a full scholarship by the African American Institute of African Studies to Study abroad. He studied at universities in Ghana, Togo, Dahomey (Benin), and Nigeria. He received his doctorate in 1972 from Florida State University.

Following his role at FAMU, he was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Malawi, 1985-86. In 1993, Smith was asked to go to South Africa to develop South Africa’s first American-style two year college and became its founding president.

In 2002, Smith opened the Dr. Walter L. Smith Library in West Tampa. The library-museum is dedicated to promoting education in his hometown.

The street now bearing his name, Dr. Walter L. Smith Avenue, is in front of the library. Local dignitaries attended the ceremony, including Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, Tampa City Councilwoman Gwendolyn Henderson, Tampa City Councilman Guido Maniscalco, and Tampa City Councilman Alan Clendinin.

Congratulations to Walter and his family for being part of this honor.

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To Kill the Future, Zero the Past

Posted on September 17, 2024 by admin

Armed Conflicts, Civil Society, Global Governance, Headlines, Human Rights, Middle East & North Africa, TerraViva United Nations

Opinion

Credit: UNRWA

ATLANTA, Georgia, Sep 17 2024 (IPS) – Today’s weapons are capable of wiping out entire swaths of humanity, demolishing remaining shreds of culture along with them. News coverage of the one-sided Gaza campaign make it plain that’s exactly what’s happening. Destroying the past destroys the future too. The world must band together to make sure these atrocities stop.

Israel’s war crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza have now reached a new low, despite continuing international protests and UNESCO complaints over the destruction of culture. After nearly a year of overkill, Israeli jets continue to drop bombs on hospitals, schools, and refugees in flimsy tent camps, killing increasing numbers of people who never had anything to do with starting the war.

Four months ago on May 15, Israeli’s Minister of Defense, Yoav Gallant, reported to Prime Minister Netanyahu that “HAMAS no longer functions as a military organization.” Lately it has been clear to everybody that there are no more military objectives left in Gaza.

It can only mean that the incessant bombing of the last four months, killing scores of innocent people every week, were intended to punish Gaza by intentionally killing civilians. Despite the claim that those being bombed are terrorists, there is no evidence to support that claim. It’s an outrage. War crimes keep piling up.

Just last week, on September 10 2024, after nearly a year of incredibly destructive bombing, Israeli jets struck the flimsy tents in al-Mawasi Camp, formerly declared a safe zone by the IDF itself, killing dozens of people and leaving three craters 30 feet deep.

A day later, the UN school in Jabalia Camp used as a shelter was bombed for the umpteenth time, killing at least 18, including 6 UN/UNRWA staff members, with local people claiming up to 60 deaths. After so many months and so many innocent people killed, what could possibly account for this continuing barbarity?

Deliberately targeting civilians anywhere is illegal under international law, and especially in declared safe zones within United Nations shelters and tent camps. Such overkill is incomprehensible to most of the civilized world, but also to nearly a million Israelis who regularly protest their government’s unwillingness to accept a cease-fire.

They have been in the streets for months begging the Likud-dominated War Cabinet to stop the war and free the diminishing number of Israeli captives. Weak cautions from the US White House have had no effect.

It is difficult to see how any of this benefits Israel. Their actions have raised worldwide scorn for the government in Jerusalem that insists on continuing the war. They have only succeeded in empowering the BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement.

How can continued bombing reach any rational objective except to incite Israel’s enemies with more hatred and revenge killing extending far into the future? A military doctrine of “maximum force” can only mean killing large numbers of non-combatant women and children. These one-sided attacks will soon reach the one-year mark.

The only possible reasons for continuing Israel’s eleven-month killing spree in Gaza—since Netanyahu recently blocked a cease fire with HAMAS that might have rescued the hostages—is to decimate Palestine’s future along with its past, an important goal for the government in Jerusalem.

Targeting Palestine’s youth by bombing schools inevitably destroys their future opportunities along with the historical memory of the Palestinian people’s collective nationhood. Young people will be unable either to get jobs or reclaim their rightful heritage.

This barbaric one-sided atrocity in Gaza continues despite President Joe Biden and Democratic Candidate Kamala Harris’ words supporting two states. That formulation is now an improbable dream—far off if it ever happens. Most analysts believe it’s undo-able at this point, after hundreds of thousands of settlers have moved into the West Bank.

Humanity—meaning all of us—continues to struggle today amid an atmosphere of fear and lust for power. Bloody Gaza is at the center of a growing vortex in today’s sea of troubles.

James E. Jennings, PhD is President of Conscience International www.conscienceinternational.org and Executive Director of US Academics for Peace. Jennings has delivered humanitarian aid to Gaza’s hospitals since 1987, including during the first intifada, the al-Aqsa intifada, and Israel’s “Cast Lead” bombing attacks in 2009 and 2014.

IPS UN Bureau

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15 Years After the Civil War Ended, Sri Lanka Faces Another Crucial Election

Posted on September 16, 2024 by admin

Armed Conflicts, Asia-Pacific, Civil Society, Crime & Justice, Development & Aid, Featured, Headlines, Human Rights, Humanitarian Emergencies, International Justice, Sustainable Development Goals, TerraViva United Nations

Democracy

Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, addresses the media and the community at the site of the Mullivaikal massacre. She says justice is overdue for the families of those killed and disappeared during the Sri Lankan civil war. Credit: Johan Mikaelsson/IPS

MULLIVAIKAL, Sri Lanka , Sep 16 2024 (IPS) – Thousands of Tamils are heading to Mullivaikal on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka, many of whom were here 15 years ago and still live in the region. They are there, May 18, to commemorate the massacre of civilians in a ‘no fire zone’ during the final stages of the civil war.

This was the last day of the bloody civil war, which raged mainly in the northern and eastern parts of the island since 1983. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas had finally surrendered to the Sri Lankan government. The aftermath continues to rock the island.

The ethnic conflict between the island nation’s majority Sinhalese population and the minority Tamils (who were in the majority in the north and east) had escalated after 1948 when the country gained independence from Britain, the last in the line of colonial powers.

The whole island suffered during the war. Sri Lankan Tamils have been through a lot, especially those who lived in the war-torn north. Everyone who came to the beach on this day of remembrance wants to honor the memory of loved ones who fell victim and the blood that was spilled in the sand.

“Everyone here has a family member or relative who didn’t make it,” explains the teacher Shanmuganathan, who has stopped with his motorcycle by the road where porridge made from rice, the only thing that was available to eat in the war zone, is being offered before Memorial Day.

The war has left its mark. He shows scars from shrapnel and tells us that he lost his wife in the final stages of the war. He has continued to work and is involved in a teacher’s union.

Women pray during the commemoration of the Mullivaikal massacre. Thousands died in no fire zones in the final days of the war. Credit: Johan Mikaelsson/IPS

Internationally, the calls to investigate targeted bombings of civilians, mass executions of surrendering Tiger soldiers and leaders, widespread sexual violence and other torture are no longer as loud. Many of those who protested and demanded to know what happened to missing relatives have died without receiving any response from the government.

When war crimes are discussed, the government side highlights that the terrorist-branded LTTE carried out acts of terror against civilian targets in the south and that Tamils in the north were used as human shields.

The peace process that began in 2002 with a ceasefire and peace talks led by the Norwegian government and facilitator Erik Solheim stalled and the ceasefire agreement was torn apart by the parties. Sri Lankan government forces in 2008 launched a final offensive to capture the parts then still controlled by the LTTE, which had been fighting for a separate Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of the island.

In early 2009, the Tigers abandoned their main stronghold, the town of Kilinochchi. The areas under guerrilla control were shrinking ever faster. Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran did not listen to calls to lay down arms and surrender. Eventually, a narrow coastal strip remained, with several hundred thousand civilians and the remnants of the guerrilla movement pressed together and under fire from land, sea, and air.

For Remembrance Day, a school in the town of Puthukkudiyiruppu is organizing a poetry competition. One of the participants, Kamsaini, now 24, wants to share her experiences with the schoolchildren, who were born after the war.

“The generations after me know nothing about the pain I felt these days. We had neither food nor water and I lost several family members; some died, and my sister is missing,” explains Kamsaini.

In place under the hot sun in Mullivaikal is Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International. During her stay on the island, she has met President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who opened up for the visit, which was not a given. When the Rajapaksa brothers ruled the country (2005-2015, 2019-2022), the government allowed the military and police to prevent Tamils from observing commemorations linked to the war.

One reason why Callamard and Amnesty International want to be there is that she does not want Sri Lanka to “fall off the agenda,” which could happen if the main actor within the United Nations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, does not succeed with the latest in a series of resolutions on Sri Lanka voted through in the UN Human Rights Council.

She sees the issue of the war in Sri Lanka as a crucial test for the international community. A 30-year-long civil war must not be swept under the carpet, she believes

“Every time we fail to create justice, we all, including the international community, get a wound. We’re here because we don’t want that to happen. We feel the determination of many people in Sri Lanka and civil society, both Tamils and Sinhalese and a range of actors who are committed to seeing justice delivered,” says Callamard.

In this way, it represents a defining moment for the United Nations. Callamard is critical of the UN Security Council, which “has not taken a single step for Sri Lanka.”

Amnesty International advocates, as do a number of states, that the latest resolution must be implemented.

“Just a lot of ‘blah, blah, blah,’ something for the eyes, investments in so-called institutions and nothing, nothing, nothing. Fifteen years. Come on!” she urges.

Even on the island, there are far too many who have done nothing at all.

“The point is that the government in power must step forward, the political parties must step forward, the parliament must step forward, the religious leaders must step forward, cultural leaders must step forward. It should be an issue that everyone rallies around. The problem is that governments are being replaced. So it’s not good enough. Everyone must take their responsibility,” says Callamard.

In Mullivaikal, many people share memories. James Confucius, a Catholic priest, tells how he and a group of people barely made it out of the war zone alive.

“We waved a white flag, and we went in the direction of the soldiers to surrender, but then they shot at us, so we had to turn back,” he says.

They waited in a sand bunker and finally got another opportunity. The soldiers they encountered believed that an injured woman in the group was a Tiger soldier, because she had short hair. The priest pleaded and said she needed hospital treatment, but the soldiers said the woman had to stay.

The group had to move on and when they had gone only a short distance, they heard a shot.

“I turned around and saw that the woman had been shot,” says Confucius.

In total, roughly 300,000 people got out of the war zone. An estimate that has often been used is a death toll of 40,000 civilians in the final stages of the war alone. Tamils state higher numbers, while Sri Lankan authorities write low death tolls, including in the 2010 report by the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), appointed by the government.

The then sitting president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, had previously said that “not a single Tamil civilian has been killed by the military.”

Experts have dismissed the statement as absurd. While the majority of Tamil politicians still refer to “genocide,” the issue of death tolls rarely receives the same attention as it did in the years after the civil war.

The UN Human Rights Council has voted through a number of non-binding resolutions that Sri Lanka is expected to follow, but no real action on the problem has been taken in Sri Lanka. There is also nothing to suggest that this will happen.

None of the main candidates in the presidential election on September 21 have highlighted truth-seeking, the rule of international law, regional power-sharing and reconciliation—what the UN is asking for. The economy is in focus, the nation and the citizens, and all candidates want to stop corruption.

The agreement that the government reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), is also being discussed. It was negotiated by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is not elected by the people but took over by a vote in Parliament after Gotabaya Rajapaksa resigned and fled the country as a result of the April-July 2022 Aragalya (meaning struggle in Sinhalese) protest movement. Before that, Rajapaksa had appointed Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister.

At the Ministry of Defense (MOD) on the outskirts of the capital Colombo, soldiers and officers move inside the compound, which is surrounded by high walls. For some, the Vesak holiday awaits when the full moon approaches. The armed forces also marked the end of the war and Victory Day, but more quietly than in previous years.

Colonel Nalin Herath is the MOD media spokesperson. Right now, work is being done to adapt the forces to actual needs. Herath says they will shrink to 100,000 by 2030. Many who were previously employed in the military have faced unemployment as civilians.

An urgent issue is trying to bring home hundreds of ex-soldiers who were lured by middlemen to go to Russia to work for Russia’s army. Most are said to have received promises not to take part in battle, which hasn’t been the case.

“We should not have mercenaries in war; it violates international law,” says Nalin Herath.

Some have also fought and died on Ukraine’s side. Herath emphasizes that Sri Lanka is neutral, adheres to non-alignment, and does not want to comment on whether it is worse to fight for Russia, which is waging an illegal war of invasion and committing war crimes.

Close to 20 men from Sri Lanka, who were on the Russian side of the front in June, were confirmed dead. An unknown number of men have surrendered to Ukrainian forces. Hundreds of former soldiers have not been heard from for a long time, which emerged after the Ministry of Defense in April-May opened a telephone line where relatives can call.

Sri Lankans who have become Russian citizens can effectively be stuck in a death trap, as the Sri Lankan government became aware after a delegation traveled to Moscow in June to discuss the matter with the Russian counterpart. It was explained that the Sri Lankans who became Russian citizens are now under Russian law.

As a spokesperson for a military organization, Herath talks about a general goal.

“War means destruction. Both parties suffer. This should not be an era of war. As a soldier, I want to see a peaceful world. The smartest thing would be to avoid the wars,” he states.

He highlights international humanitarian law, which he teaches, both in Sri Lanka and internationally. He mentions the good the Sri Lankan military has done. After the war, minefields were cleared, land was returned and soldiers donated blood to the hospitals.

But he cannot comment on Amnesty International’s statement. Political leaders are responsible for handling this. He nevertheless states:

“Violations occur in all wars. Here we are dealing with isolated cases,” he adds.

Consensus still lingers.

IPS UN Bureau Report

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