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Dungmittelpellets

Resilient agriculture on the African continent: The proof will be in the Soil

Summary
Africa must find pathways to provide a better life for its people, including access to healthy and sustainably produced food. Published before the start of the African Union’s Fertilizer and Soil Health Summit in Nairobi, our policy brief (edited by the Heinrich Böll offices in Abuja, Berlin, Capetown and Nairobi) provides recommendations on fossil fuel-based and ‘green’ fertilizer production and use in Africa.
A protester holds up a poster that reads “SADC Leaders Listen to the cries of your citizens”. Above her, is a poster that reads “Democracy or Dictatorship? SADC leaders must decide!”

Not all change is good change: Military state vs theocracy in Zimbabwe

Standpoint
Zimbabwe has been far from a safe haven for women and the LGBTQ+ community. Small progressive steps have been made. However, with homosexuality being an outright punishable offence and one in three women in Zimbabwe being the victim of sexual abuse, while one in four has suffered physical abuse, it has been made abundantly clear that Zimbabwe, as it stands, is not safe for us. On the eve of this historic election, it may be the case that the potential “change” we are hoping for may also not include us.
By Anonymous
The Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands - seat of the International Court of Justice

South Africa’s ICJ Case Against Israel: A Judicial Stress Test for the Multilateral System

Analysis
The landmark application by the South African government to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to institute proceedings against Israel for its reprisal military assault against the people of Gaza, following the 7th October 2023 attacks and kidnappings in Israel, caught the majority of the world off-guard. It represents a significant judicial test to the functionality of the international multilateral system.
Koeberg power station, South Africa.

Cutting Corners? The International Best Practice Safety Upgrades not implemented as part of Koeberg's lifetime extension

Over the past decades, significant safety improvements have been made to nuclear plants as lessons from nuclear accidents have been integrated into reactor design. These are so significant that, France now considers older plants - identical to SA's Koeberg - to be unsafe. Consequently, in extending the life of these plants, France is undertaking significant safety improvements. As public hearings into the life extension of Koeberg get underway, we ask: how do France's upgrades compare to those being implemented by Koeberg?
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using-public-space-in-the-global-south

Using Public Space in the Global South

Public space only comes alive when it is used. This seems obvious, but using public space in South African cities is to come up against a long history linking back to Apartheid spatial planning. This legacy of control permeates almost every aspect of public space and is highly visible across many areas of urban life. This research brief as part of the Global South Public Space Platform looks across the parallel contexts of South Africa and Colombia pointing to alternative approaches to create dynamic and resilient cities.
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Perspectives Africa

Perspectives is a publication series of the Africa offices of the Heinrich Böll Stiftung. The series provides a platform for experts from Africa to express their views about issues pertinent to the democratic and sustainable development agenda in the region.

The latest edition of Perspectives "African Feminisms across Generations" is a collaboration between the Gender Focal Persons (HBF staff members who serve as resource persons on gender issues) from our four offices in Africa and the Africa Division at our head office in Berlin. The idea for the edition was born out of a strategy to collectively develop an approach to gender-related political goals that is rooted in feminist realities, thinking and narratives specific to the African continent.

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Special Features

Feminist Foreign Policy

Decisions in foreign and security policy affect everyone, they are relevant for the security and wellbeing of all citizens. Nevertheless, women and other marginalized groups are often not sufficiently involved in decision making processes regarding the security of their communities. Their opportunities for political participation are limited, their specific experiences ignored and their voices not heard.

On top of that, many women and members of minorities face massive discrimination and lack of basic human rights. It is time for a change. Time for a new foreign policy. Time for a feminist foreign policy.

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30 Years of Democracy

Civil Society and Social Movements Organising for Change

30 Years of Democracy: Civil Society and Social Movements Organising for Change aims to reflect on the journey of CSOs and Social Movements in South Africa and their role in deepening South Africa's democracy alongside communities and citizens.

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Radical Realism for Climate Justice

Limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial is feasible. And it is our best hope of achieving environmental and social justice, of containing the impacts of a global crisis that was born out of historical injustice and highly unequal responsibility.

Our Dossier is a civil society response to the challenge of limiting global warming to 1.5°C while also paving the way for climate justice. Because it’s is neither ‘naïve’ nor ‘politically unfeasible’, it is radically realistic.

Here you find an introductory overview of the disucssion on 1.5°C.

Radical Realism
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