As the world is still struggling to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, complex man-made and natural crises are evolving and causing major setbacks in the living standards and safety of countless people globally. While the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) give a promise of leaving no one behind, a study by the International Rescue Committee finds that 82 percent of fragile states are off track to meet their targets for 2030. Lockdown measures and rights abuses have also flared into large-scale demonstrations in Europe and North America unseen in recent years.
Emergencies that threaten development programs and goals today are unpredictable and sudden. More often than not, however, crises tend to enhance and bring to a boiling point issues that have remained unaddressed for a longer period. Thus, preventing catastrophes requires confronting underlying societal injustices.
In this issue of the FUF Lund Magazine, development and emergencies will be discussed through a wide range of examples and viewpoints. Our authors cover topics from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertain future of Afghanistan, to the wrongdoings of the development sector, the threat of the Sahara expansion and trends of rising political extremism during times of crises.
What happens when emergencies derail development efforts? What should governments and international organizations address before, during and after “the storm”? The December 2021 issue of the FUF Lund Magazine addresses these critical questions and seeks to find ways forward for a more resilient path toward development.
This text was written by Lund Magazine Group. The group is independent from FUF:s Utvecklingsmagasinet.
