Health Equity in Global Governance: growing recognition in need of concrete actions
By Carlos M. Correa
Health equity is a foundational principle of global health governance that should ensure all individuals have fair and just opportunities to achieve optimal health, regardless of social, economic, or geographical disparities. The right to health is recognized as a fundamental human right in Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). This document explores the concept of health equity drawing on United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolutions and key instruments from the World Health Organization (WHO). It discusses the challenges and opportunities for developing countries in pursuing equitable health outcomes, including advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Experiences and Challenges Faced by Sri Lanka in Implementing the Highest Attainable Standard of Health, Including Health Equity and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
By Janani Sivapakthan
Sri Lanka’s long-standing commitment to free and equitable healthcare with a focus on primary healthcare has yielded impressive achievements in health equity, maternal and child health, disease elimination, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. However, Sri Lanka faces challenges in upholding health equity in the context of escalating domestic and global pressures. Safeguarding the highest attainable standard of health for all Sri Lankans requires addressing underinvestment, workforce migration, uneven service distribution, and the emerging burden of non-communicable diseases in a context of economic constraint.
Promoting Health Equity and Reproductive Rights in Angola
By Sandra Benge Neto
This article examines Angola´s progress in rebuilding its health system in the post conflict era, focusing on health equity and the promotion of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) in alignment with the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol) and international human rights commitments.
Despite significant advances – such as the expansion of primary healthcare, municipalization of services, and youth–friendly centres – Angola continues to face challenges including geographic disparities, sociocultural barriers to contraception, insufficient funding, and limited data systems. Drawing from national initiatives and community based experiences, this article highlights best practices and strategic recommendations to accelerate Angola´s implementation of the Maputo Protocol and achieve universal, gender–responsive health coverage.
Brazil’s challenges in implementing the highest attainable standard in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
By Camila C. Gasparro
This paper examines Brazil’s efforts to improve women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Brazil is making progress through the Ministry of Health and collaborative engagement with social movements. However, persistent structural barriers continue to disproportionately undermine women’s sexual and reproductive rights, particularly among Black, Indigenous, and vulnerable populations.
South Centre Supports Civil Society and Research Institutions in the Global South to Raise Awareness of Antimicrobial Resistance during World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025
by Viviana Munoz Tellez, Ningxiner Li
The South Centre supported multiple civil society institutions across the Global South to implement targeted awareness raising campaigns on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and commemorate the World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week (WAAW) 2025, with funding provided by the United Kingdom Fleming Fund. The selection of campaigns was prioritized based on the quality of the proposals and their implementation in South Centre Member Countries.
The US Bilateral Specimen Sharing Agreement in the Proposed PEPFAR MOUs Would Leave African Countries More Vulnerable in the Next Pandemic
By Nirmalya Syam, Viviana Munoz Tellez
This Policy Brief examines the implications of the United States’ (US) PEPFAR Memorandum of Understanding (PEPFAR MOU) proposed to African countries on the negotiations for a multilateral system for access to pathogens and benefit sharing (PABS) as part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Pandemic Agreement. It recommends that African countries do not accept the MOU provisions on specimen sharing and data access that undermine national sovereignty and calls for a coordinated regional response.
Why Is the Oligopoly in the Credit-Rating Market So Tenacious?
By Yuefen Li
International Banker article,
Large, established credit rating agencies (CRAs) wield immense influence and power over the global financial system and the world economy as a whole. In normal times, CRAs can significantly impact financial markets, financial-instrument issuers’ behaviors and investors’ perceptions, thus constituting a major determinant of the cost of borrowing and the direction of the money flow. During economic downturns, rating downgrades can become self-fulfilling, as herd behavior amplifies the effects of ratings. A downgrade by a major ratings agency can make or break an entire economy, as witnessed during the European debt crisis. The then prime minister of Greece accused the ratings agencies of “seeking to shape our destiny and determine the future of our children.” …
The South Centre has made a submission to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee of the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation on the draft Framework Convention’s commitments, and Dispute Prevention and Resolution protocol.
The contribution addresses the priorities and perspectives of developing countries in promoting inclusiveness, fair allocation of taxing rights, stronger transparency standards, and effective and accessible dispute prevention and resolution mechanisms.
Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance (IPEA): Reflections on the Foundational Documents
By Dr. Viviana Munoz Tellez
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) invited the Quadripartite Organizations to establish an Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance (IPEA) in 2025. The launch of the IPEA is planned for 10 December 2025 during the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA). The Quadripartite organizations (the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)) released in November 2025 updated draft documents for the IPEA for additional consultation with Member States and stakeholders. The IPEA will constitute a welcome addition to global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) governance, and should be established, starting small and building gradually. Several concerns on the proposed model remain concerning the governance structure, equity in participation, and the independence of the panel. This policy brief provides analysis and recommendations on key issues concerning the draft foundational documents for the IPEA requiring attention.
WTO Reform: Reflections on Reform Week and Suggested Approaches for Breakout Groups
A Note Reviewing the Process and Reform Tracks in Advance of WTO Reform Week, 5 December 2025
By Vahini Naidu, Trade for Development Programme, South Centre
This note provides an assessment of the papers circulated by the WTO Reform Facilitator for Reform Week and highlights the structural gaps that limit their balance and practical value to move forward these discussions in a manner that takes the demands and interests of developing and least developed country Members into account. The current drafts reflect a narrow interpretation of the consultations, introduce elements that were not examined collectively and overlook mandated issues that continue to shape the functioning of the system. This note sets out the adjustments that Members may wish to propose to restore a development centred framing, make a clear distinction between descriptive reflections and new reform ideas, and ensure that any work proceeds in line with Ministerial instructions for a member driven, transparent and inclusive process. The aim is to place the discussion on a footing that reflects the full range of Member views and respects the mandates already agreed.
Africa Region + Egypt, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Group for Equity Lead 80-Country Push for Fair Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing System
At the start of IGWG4, in a remarkable show of unity by developing countries, the Africa Group (AG) and Group for Equity jointly made a statement representing 80 developing countries. This extraordinary demonstration of unity represents a powerful and inspiring moment in global health governance, as this unified bloc is championing equal footing for rapid access to pandemic materials and digital sequence information (DSI) on the one hand, and on the other hand, the ability to rapidly access vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (VTDs), along with accelerated research, knowledge and technology sharing, needed to prevent and respond to pandemics.
Global South Development Achievements and Challenges
Global South Research Center Thematic Report (15 September 2025)
By Wang Jinzhao, Carlos Correa (South Centre), Zhang Youyi, Liu Chen, Liang Weitang, Carlos Oya, Len Ishmael, Li Yuefen (South Centre)
The rise of the Global South is a defining feature of the profound transformation reshaping the world. In recent years, Global South countries have achieved significant progress in their economic and social development. Compared with the beginning of the 21st century, the total economic output of the Global South has grown by approximately 5.4 times, an annual growth of 5.1%, significantly higher than the global average of 3.5%. Industrial development has accelerated, industrialization has kept advancing, and some competitive industries have been fostered. Trade and investment have substantially expanded. Goods exports and imports as well as outward investment have all increased about fivefold. Many emerging economies have increased their investment in research and development, resulting in continuous enhancement of innovation capabilities. Historic achievements have been made in poverty reduction, with over one billion people in the Global South lifted out of extreme poverty. Significant progress has been made in health. The average life expectancy has risen from around 62 years to approximately 70 years. Access to education has been increasingly expanding. The higher education enrollment rate increased from 13% to 38%.
The overall development advances made by the Global South have enabled it to have become a crucial force driving common development and improving global governance. It has increasingly played a significant role in the cause of human progress. The Global South, a key engine of global economic growth, accounts for 85% of the world’s population, around 40% of the global economy, 46% of global goods exports, 57% of global foreign direct investment inflows, 45% of global manufacturing output, and approximately 50% of intermediate goods exports. The Global South is also actively engaged in addressing global challenges. Its involvement in the reform of the global governance system enhances the representation and voice of developing countries. In the meantime, it keeps strengthening platforms for solidarity and cooperation among emerging economies and developing countries, such as BRICS. It pushes forward establishing new multilateral development banks and deepening regional cooperation.
The achievements of the Global South are due to an overall peaceful and stable international environment, ongoing economic globalization, and accelerated and diffusing technological innovation on a global scale, and, within Global South countries, a heightened sense of autonomy and commitment to market-based approaches combined with active government macro-regulation.
It should be recognized, however, that the Global South faces new challenges. External shocks have had negative impacts on Global South countries, including a sluggish global economy, broken multilateral trading rules, intensifying global climate risks, and increasing occurrences of regional conflict and instability. Within Global South countries, some face significant gaps in infrastructure, great difficulties in development financing including limited resources and high costs, and inadequate resources in education and healthcare.
Looking ahead, the Global South should continue to actively integrate into global industrial and supply chains, and strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the Global North, promoting the North and the South working together in the same direction. At the same time, the Global South should seize the opportunities, embrace the fundamental trends, and advance solidarity and cooperation among themselves with the vision of a community with a shared future for humanity. The Global South needs to deepen economic and trade cooperation based on the principles of mutual support and complementarity of advantages, expand trade and investment collaboration prospects, step up technology transfer and knowledge sharing, enhance autonomous development capabilities, and advance new developments in the Global South.
