Complete Wellness

Nimco Ali, CEO, The Five Foundation (center), meeting with Andrew Mitchell, (right) Minister for Development, UK, and Harriet King (left), UK High Commissioner to The Gambia. Credit: The Five Foundation

LONDON, Mar 27 2024 (IPS) – Earlier this month, a UNICEF report on the prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) showed that while some success is taking place, the pace of progress remains slow lagging behind population growth, especially in places where FGM is most common.

The report revealed that over 230 million girls and women worldwide have undergone FGM – a 15 per cent increase, or 30 million more girls and women, compared to the data released eight years ago. The largest share of the global burden is found in African countries, with over 144 million cases, followed by over 80 million in Asia and over 6 million in the Middle East.

As the concluded last week I became particularly anxious for the women and girls of The Gambia. As advocates from around the world arrived in New York to attend the annual event hosted by the United Nations, our excitement was quickly dissolved.

Just hours before, we had learned from our Gambian colleagues that religious leaders predominantly men including politicians were voting to repeal a law passed almost 10 years ago by former President Yayah Janneh, which banned the practice of FGM. In that time a law that has saved thousands of girls and women undergoing this devastating human rights abuse.

It came as a shock. However, as world leaders scrambled on what to do or say following the news it was African women including from Safe Hands for Girls, from Women in Liberation and Leadership, from The Five Foundation, who showed leadership during one of our most challenging times.

Survivors and activists were relentless in our pursuits. In a few days, many of us took to the media, as well as anywhere we could gather within our communities to say no to repealing the law.

This is a crucial moment for the FGM campaign, which could have even further negative consequences for Gambian women and girls. This fight is not just a call to repeal the law on FGM but if this request succeeds, we are going to see a widespread roll back on other fundamental rights of women and girls.

Fatou Kinteh, the Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs said in a statement at a meeting at CSW68 that: “Women cannot be empowered if their rights continue to be violated . Yet, this same government is putting them at risk.

World leaders must confront so-called religious leaders too including Imam Fatty who issued this very carefully planned , even while FGM is still illegal. Leaders like Imam Fatty are very determined to roll back the progress made in the Gambia in the last 10 years. His pronouncement has already cost lives. Because immediately after his statements many families were already receiving threats to have their daughters cut.

I hope that people like UK Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron now stand up to support Gambian women. In 2014, it was under his leadership that the took place. This helped to catalyse the groundbreaking work that gave rise to the ban. During that Summit, as the , I was very pleased to hear of action and funding commitments.

As an FGM survivor activist, a global advocate and speaker, and a mother, I am calling on him, as well as all government representatives around the world to immediately release direct funding to women like me grassroots activists working on the frontlines to help with this fight.

Leaders should also sanction those who support the call to repeal the ban on FGM, while also finally calling on nations like Sierra Leone to enact laws and implement sustained policies that go towards protecting and safeguarding girls and women from FGM once and for all.

Alimatu Dimonekene MBE, is a leading women and girls rights advocate in the UK:

IPS UN Bureau

We need help illuminating the dark matter in food and charting the intricate interplay between food, ecosystems, climate and health, argue the authors. Credit: Shutterstock.

Jun 20 2024 (IPS) – This year, bee pollen has become a trendy superfood thanks to a wide range of . Last year, led the superfood trends. Before that, it was .

Invariably, these newly celebrated superfoods are never new; they have long been consumed by non-Western cultures. The inadequate research on their nutritional composition and health attributes almost always leads to a list of exaggerated benefits, from preventing cancer to overall vitality and longevity. They become a fad for a few years and then often take a back seat to the next “superfood.”

Globally, half of all calories come from some form of wheat, rice or corn even though over 30,000 named edible species exist on our planet.

An estimated 95% of the biomolecules in food are unknown to science — this is the “dark matter” of food, diets and biodiversity. We don’t know what these biomolecules are, or how they function in ecosystems and in our bodies

Yet the frequent emergence of trending superfoods demonstrate that food biodiversity persists in many communities and regions around the globe. In a in Nature Food, we joined 54 colleagues in beginning to capture and prioritize this diversity, with a curated list of 1,650 foods.

Strikingly, more than 1,000 of the foods on the curated food list are not included in national food composition databases — in other words, we don’t have easy access to what is in these foods, or science may not yet know what these foods contain. This suggests that dietary guidelines relying on national food composition databases miss the majority of humanity’s long and co-evolutionary history with food.

Moreover, even the foods that are commonly consumed and included in national food composition databases are barely understood. An estimated 95% of the biomolecules in food are unknown to science — this is the “” of food, diets and biodiversity. We don t know what these biomolecules are, or how they function in ecosystems and in our bodies.

Mapping this dark matter is too large a task for any one laboratory, organization or country to achieve on its own. We need a united scientific movement, larger than the human genome project, with governments and researchers around the globe filling the gaps in our knowledge of the food we eat.

A of standardized tools, data and training is now available for this effort, which can build a centralized database based on standardized tools for researchers, practitioners and communities to share their wisdom and expertise on food and its diverse attributes to inform solutions to our pressing societal challenges.

Preliminary data from analyzed reveals that many “whole foods” can be considered “superfoods,” with more unique than common biomolecules. Each fruit and vegetable, for example, has a unique composition of biomolecules that varies based on the environment, processing and preparation.

Broccoli, which achieved “superfood” status several years ago for its and its connections to , has over 900 biomolecules not found in other green vegetables.

We have identified the existence of these compounds through mass-spectrometry, but we have not determined the properties of these unique metabolites — we do not even have enough data to accurately name them, much less understand the roles that they play in our bodies and in ecosystems in the world at large.

And these 900+ biomolecules — broccoli’s dark matter — are in addition to the biomolecules that broccoli shares with other cruciferous vegetables, which may help prevent a wide variety of illnesses, from to .

Diet-related diseases such as diabetes, some cancers and heart disease are now the main cause of mortality globally. Yet the full scope of the links between diet and disease, soil microbes and gut microbes, climate change and nutrient content still remains shrouded in uncertainty.

Regulatory bodies are calling for more science to guide policy decisions even as scientists are finding new connections between diet and health for conditions as varied as macular degeneration and blood coagulation disorders.

The 20th century witnessed the simplification of agriculture, resulting in a narrow focus on yield and efficiency of a handful of cereal crops. Its successes were considerable, but they came at the expense of diversity, food quality and agricultural resilience. The superfoods — the trends, not the actual foods — are the collective poster child of this problem.

Now food systems are at a crossroads. The 21st century can become the century of diversity, as the new cornerstone of science on food. But we need help illuminating the dark matter in food and charting the intricate interplay between food, ecosystems, climate and health.

As we call for a globally coordinated effort to fill the gaps in the food we eat, we need to ensure these efforts do not create scientific disparities between countries and regions.

We need capacity-strengthening efforts so that all countries can equally and inclusively participate and benefit from the knowledge of what is in our food, how it varies, and implications for the health of people and the planet.

It is not enough to borrow superfoods from non-Westernized cultures and give them nothing in return. Today, it is time to start opening the black box of food and create more nourishing food systems for everyone.

Selena Ahmed is Professor at Montana State University and Global Director of Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) at the American Heart Association

Maya Rajasekharan is PTFI Director of Strategy Integration and Engagement at Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

Parliamentarians from across Asia met in Malaysia to discuss aging and policy. Credit: APDA

KUALA LUMPUR, Jul 29 2024 (IPS) – With projections that by 2060, over 1.2 billion people in Asia will be 65 or older, and by adopting technology, including artificial intelligence technologies, it is possible to plan for active and fulfilled aging, lawmakers attending a regional meeting on Aging Preparedness and Care Economy in Asia heard.

The meeting, convened by the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) Malaysia, looked at several aspects of aging, including the use of technology, digital health solutions and assistive technologies, all aimed at ensuring that governments have policy and finance in place to ensure the aging population is sufficiently catered for.
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Hon. Dato’ Hjh Mumtaz Md Nawi, an MP from Malaysia, succinctly explained the repercussions of this population trend.

“The implications of this aging trend are profound, affecting everything from labour markets to healthcare systems. The increase in the older population will require substantial investments in healthcare infrastructure and long-term care services.”

For parliamentarians, this means enacting policies that support lifelong education, employment among older people, and gender equality, which will become increasingly necessary to maximize older people s economic contributions while minimizing the risks associated with aging.

Hon. Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, an MP from Malaysia, was concerned about the impact of aging on women. Credit: APDA

The President of AFPPD in Malaysia, Hon. Dato Sri Alexander Nanta Linggi, reminded the audience that aging would impact women differently than men, especially as they have a longer life expectancy and currently constitute 61 percent of the population aged 80 and above.

“Even though they have a higher life expectancy than men, older women are often subjected to the compounded effect of ageism and gender discrimination, prevalent in both the social system and the workplace. Ageism refers to the systematic prejudices and discrimination experienced by older individuals,” Linggi noted.

Women frequently had to retire earlier, while men were able to advance in their careers well into their 60s.

China serves as a case in point, enforcing a 10-year gender disparity by requiring women working in civil services to retire at age 50, while allowing men to retire at age 60. Likewise, Vietnam also practices similar regulation but with a five-year gap.”

This ageism unfairly limits “women s opportunities for career development, resulting in inequitable treatment and compensation.”

Linggi urged the lawmakers to dismantle the barriers of ageism and ensure that social protections include women, especially those in the informal sector, to alleviate poverty and vulnerability, mitigate risk exposure, and enhance the ability of workers to safeguard themselves against income loss and give them equitable access to healthcare services.

He noted that Malaysia’s Self-Employed Scheme (SPS) initiative in Budget 2024 aims to offer comprehensive social protection coverage, targeting women engaging in informal sector jobs. The scheme entitles them to access to a range of benefits, including medical coverage and compensation for temporary and permanent disabilities resulting from work-related injuries.

Malaysia’s parliamentary speaker H.E. Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr.) Johari Bin Abdul reiterated lawmakers challenges for an aging population and care populations saying that was imperative to invest in and strengthen social protection programmes and health-care services; establish sustainable financing mechanisms for the elderly; upgrade the skills of the working-age population and create productive and decent jobs for older persons; and invest in research and innovation to develop new technologies and solutions that improve the quality of life for older persons, enabling them to live independently longer; while recognizing the significance of care work, value unpaid care work and promote shared responsibility within the framework of a care economy.

“As parliamentarians, we hold a crucial responsibility in formulating and executing policies that cater to the needs of the elderly. We can lead the development of inclusive policies, propose and endorse legislation to safeguard the rights and well-being of older people, and serve as advocates to increase public awareness. Additionally, parliamentarians can oversee the implementation of policies and programs, ensuring government agencies deliver effective services for the elderly community and holding them accountable when necessary. In conclusion, let us unite to face these challenges with bravery, empathy and foresight.”

Hon. Dr. Hajah Halimah Ali, MP Malaysia, said while technology is often associated with the youth, it also offers opportunities to enhance the lives of the elderly.

“Consequently, the term ‘Gerontechnology —a technology designed to address the specific needs of the elderly—has gained worldwide recognition and should be central to any policies concerning the elderly and technology.”

Ali noted that Japan and South Korea were making strides to transform elderly care, including addressing social isolation and loneliness.

For instance, in Japan, the development of robotic caregivers such as the PARO therapeutic robot has demonstrated substantial benefits in providing companionship and reducing stress among elderly patients. These robotic pets, which learn from interactions, recognize faces and respond with affection, have become highly popular with seniors.”

In South Korea, AI technology has been integrated into care facilities.

“AI systems can detect falls, monitor sleep patterns, and alert caregivers to any unusual behavior, thus enhancing safety and response times. For instance, a robot can keep company with an elderly person living alone and call emergency services when necessary. In nursing homes, robots assist elderly patients with daily tasks such as defecation and cleaning assistance.”

And on a lighter note, an AI robot could even “play Go with bored elderly patients,” Ali said, adding that this was not a “distant future scenario but a reality in the smart care services of Seoul, as announced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government as part of their plans for elderly care services.”

Senator Hon. Datuk Wira Dr. Hatta Bin MD Ramli agreed, adding that AI-powered devices and wearables play a crucial role in health monitoring and telemedicine as they are capable of “analyzing individual preferences, health conditions, and daily routines, enabling personalized care and assistance.”

Another advantage is that AI-powered sensors and smart devices can detect falls, unusual movements, or emergencies, promptly alerting caregivers or emergency services. AI-driven medication management systems assist older adults in organizing their medications, setting reminders for doses, and monitoring adherence to prescribed regimens.

Data analytics and predictive modeling driven by AI can identify trends, forecast health outcomes, and optimize care delivery for older adults.

Hon. Howard Lee Chuan How, Vice President of AFPPD Malaysia, highlighted that the meeting aimed to establish a collaborative framework for sharing best practices. Credit: APDA

Serving as a facilitator and session chair throughout the meeting, Hon. Howard Lee Chuan How, Vice President of AFPPD Malaysia, highlighted that the meeting aimed to establish a collaborative framework for sharing best practices and enhance international cooperation to improve policies and programs that support aging populations. He explained that while each country faces unique challenges, it is crucial to harmonize policies across the region for a unified approach to address common issues so that the countries are well-prepared to meet the challenges posed by demographic shifts.

“By leveraging our shared knowledge and resources, we will reinforce our collective commitment to building a future where our elderly are valued, cared for, and supported,” he said.

Note: The Asian Population and Development Association (APDA) and the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) in Malaysia organized the meeting. It was supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

IPS UN Bureau Report