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Many countries imposed stringent lockdowns in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Sweden, however, adopted a ‘soft’ approach of self-imposed social precautions without state regulation. This evoked extensive criticism within and outside the country, especially in view of its high death rates in comparison to its Nordic neighbours. The Swedish government, however, has been steadfast with its strategy. As countries emerge from lockdowns and begi

Swine flu has seen a worrisome spread in India recently, and there are fears of another resurgence in the coming months. This issue brief explores the economic impact of swine flu and the challenges India faces in fighting the disease.

As the biotechnology industry evolves, integrating synthetic data and model-based reasoning will remain crucial for addressing complex biological chal

This brief argues that the understanding of city-level air quality could be strengthened if residents who live in spaces where industries are present, are able to access information about industrial emissions in their areas. Indeed, even as there are some 4,000 OCEMS (online continuous emissions/effluents monitoring systems) in place in different pollutive industries across the country, the data they collect—inarguably vital for public health�

While much focus is given to North India’s air pollution crisis, Mumbai must now wait till there is a health emergency to act on its rising air poll

Although, plentiful has been written about China’s inaction during the early days of the outbreak of this pandemic, there is scant mention of WHO be

The recently-held CII-EXIM Bank Conclave in India indicates the keenness to enhance the Indo-Africa ties via trade and entrepreneurial initiatives.

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc across the globe since the first outbreak in 2019, causing massive losses in lives and livelihoods. This brief examines the nature of the threat, the blind-spots in global health security that were revealed by the pandemic, and why a values-based geopolitical order is critical for the world’s future. It makes a case for the global community to treat health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as global

The arrival of vaccines against Covid-19 gives hope in ending the pandemic that has claimed close to 2.84 million lives so far. However, inoculating millions of people all over the world would require the massive production of vaccines, followed by their equitable distribution. An impediment to production and distribution of vaccines is the intellectual property (IP) rights that their developers enjoy. India and South Africa have together propo

Beijing’s mismanagement of the recent COVID surge is adversely affecting the credibility of both the party and its leader, Xi Jinping

In different parts of the world, the federal system of government is facing some of its biggest trials yet, from the COVID-19 pandemic. Federalism—which believes in shared sovereignty and territoriality between multiple constituent units of governance—was anticipated to fail against a massive pandemic that needed swift, and presumably centralised, response. This paper examines federal India’s own experience in the past 18 months. The aim is

The big question, deepened by the Covid19 response, is whether NATO has the capacity and will to defend each and every one of its members.

Young people across the world today are facing multiple challenges: lost school years due to the pandemic-induced lockdowns, the looming climate crisis, increasingly dangerous virtual spaces, and food and energy security concerns triggered by the Ukraine-Russia conflict. This paper analyses the challenges facing the youths of the Commonwealth, where 60 percent of the combined population are under 30 years old, and explores the investments require

The new Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDPA) is market-friendly but is lacking in attention to privacy requirements for sensitive personal data. This report highlights three types of sensitive personal data—i.e., biometric, financial, and health—and emphasises the need for transparent consent mechanisms that will safeguard an individual’s data. It underscores the role of data fiduciaries, urging the formulation of clear operational

Efforts to resume and make up for the setback in mass immunisation for preventable childhood diseases must be ramped up

Women’s participation in spaces of power is the need of the hour to solve the current climate crisis

Understanding the importance of peace has been accorded high priority in many religions, such as Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. In recent years, many economists have realized the monetary value of peace. Peace is a pre-requisite for the development of infrastructural facilities like education, health, roads, irrigation, power and communications.

Prevention must mean more than the detection of people at risk of radicalised behaviour, it should rely on the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

India’s rising urbanisation in recent years has triggered unbridled construction activities to meet the needs of the growing populations in these cities. Not all of these constructions abide by existing laws, however, leading to adverse consequences on governance systems, the environment, people’s health, transportation services, and overall citizen well-being. In extreme cases, illegal constructions have resulted in loss of lives and propert

Care work, both paid and unpaid, is at the heart of most economies. The care sector comprises formal healthcare, childcare services, early childhood education, disability and long-term care, and eldercare. Two-thirds of care workers globally are women, and women and girls perform more than three-quarters of all unpaid care work. The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified the vulnerability of care workers and deepened the gender gap. This paper a

Thinking about the future of global food systems has now become more critical than ever. Climate change impacts—among them, shifts in soil quality, precipitation, pest regimes, seasonal growth patterns, along with land degradation and reduction in biodiversity—have impacted agricultural and aquatic food production systems across the world. Indeed, the causal links between climate change and food security are manifesting more clearly, particul

Despite detractions, the Quad must continue to do what it is doing—to focus on delivery of its promises and to build on areas of success

The G20 Digital Agenda: Cross-Presidency Priorities white paper, co-authored by the World Economic Forum and the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), underscores the importance of a cohesive digital strategy within the G20.

Germany’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has earned it almost all-round approval. This special report argues that there is indeed much that German policy has gotten right. But it is also important to keep an eye on the limitations and failings, for which Germany – and other countries that seek to emulate it – might end up paying a very dear price. In contrast, a timely correction of some aspects of German policy could help pre-empt bo

A combination of prevention, early identification, and treatment is necessary for a significant decrease in noncommunicable disease mortality

India requires the strategic aid of its private medical sector to reach its vast and segregated population.

This brief collects and analyses current evidence in India regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the health and well-being of children (5-9 years) and adolescents (10-19). Using the ‘snowball retrieval’ strategy, the authors identified peer-reviewed studies, reports and government articles published between January 2020 and February 2021 that were relevant to the research question. The brief finds that not only are children and adolescent

Proper policy measures and improvement in the performance of public transport would help draw people away from private transportation and address traf

As India becomes a top medical tourism destination, the government must prioritise quality and affordable healthcare — not just for medical tourists

Human capital is the wealth of nations and is dependent on health, nutrition, skills and knowledge of people. To produce and maintain a healthy, highly skilled workforce, India must make cost-effective investments to improve child health and nutrition

The Modi government’s fragmented approach has remained at the canopy and has not been able to achieve foundational improvements in budgeting at the

Looking at a decade of India-Bangladesh partnership

A more coordinated international response is needed to prevent monkeypox from spreading further.

Have we learnt our lessons from experiences of countries across globe in handling the Omicron variant? Is India prepared enough?

The Seychelles has taken proactive legislative steps to ensure that the pandemic’s impact on children is reduced

Two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 14-24 million people have died worldwide due to the coronavirus or the chaos of lockdowns and other impacts. To a great extent, much of this current state of the world is due to human health being profoundly misunderstood and neglected in international relations and national politics. This brief discusses two principles that can help understand why this pandemic is not at an

For the first time, healthcare/social responsibility of ports have come into the limelight bearing implications not only for the port community but th

Despite leveraging the strengths of the four Quad countries, the Quad Vaccine Partnership will still need to overcome several challenges to achieve th

The inability of the urban centers to provide a high quality of life has caused a rise in gated communities in India

The strengthening of the Bali Process along with concrete actions will enable Indonesia to deal with the growing Rohingya issue

This brief analyses the correlation between gender-based inequities and malnutrition. It highlights the case of South Asia, and uses as a backdrop the compounded challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors review existing literature on the subject and cull patterns, with the aim of outlining recommendations for countries in the region for bridging interrelated gaps in gender parity and nutrition.

Maternal nutrition impacts not only the woman’s health during pregnancy but also that of her newborn; the child’s health in their first 1,000 days of life, in turn, will influence outcomes during childhood. Indeed, maternal undernutrition is estimated to account for 20 percent of childhood stunting in India. It is therefore important to ensure that women enter pregnancy in good health, as measured for example in adequate height and we

Gender inequality is a major cause and effect of hunger and poverty, with women and girls comprising 60 percent of the global hungry. Women face multiple challenges (such as limited access to education and employment opportunities) that curtail their economic autonomy and weaken their bargaining position within the family, consequently impacting household food security. The pandemic has worsened this situation. It is crucial to apply a ge