Rebecca . L . Root

The Lead • 10th November 2023

What Rwandans really think of Britain's refugee relocation plan

“The UK has to take responsibility, see how to handle their refugee problems and not send them to a non-democratic, poor country,” says Victoire Ingabire, a Rwandan political figure and founder of the Development and Liberty for All party. She’s not alone in her thinking. As UK courts thrash out the plan’s legal merit, Rwandans are also at odds as to whether Britain’s plan to relocate a number of asylum seekers to the African nation would be good for Rwanda.

The New Humanitarian • 10th October 2023

Has the UN been letting the people of Myanmar down?

Two and a half years, at least 6,337 civilian deaths already by September 2022, and little action from the UN to try to change the parameters of what has become a protracted conflict: This is the narrative of a new report by an independent group of experts that accuses the UN of appeasing Myanmar’s military junta and failing to take the right moves to stem the violence.

The Telegraph • 21st August 2023

The ‘get-rich-quick’ myths fuelling sexual violence against disabled women in Rwanda

Five years have now passed since Hope was raped on her walk home from work in Kigali, Rwanda, but she still remembers that evening with clarity – the “memory which will never go away”.

Nikkei Asia • 19th July 2023

Maldives fights to keep turtle eggs off dining tables

On the uninhabited Maldivian island of Gaadhoo, green turtle eggs lie buried in the sand, waiting to hatch. Sea turtle ranger Ibrahim Inaan visits three times a week to monitor their progress, but the fear is that only half of the estimated 100 eggs in each nest will hatch, allowing the newborn turtles to cross the few meters of beach to the Indian Ocean.

Them • 29th June 2023

Meet the Trans, Thai Media Mogul Who Wants to Reinvent the Miss Universe Pageant

Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip talks with Them about her dream of global transformation.

The Guardian • 25th May 2023

‘This is an epidemic’: inside the Thai clinic taking on westerners’ gaming addictions

Previously catering to people with drug and alcohol addictions, The Cabin’s eight-week programme includes physical activities and group therapy.

HuffPost UK • 23rd April 2023

We're Sexual Health Educators – Why Are Our Social Media Accounts Being Silenced?

“People know that I specialise in sex and relationships so they should feel comfortable going to my social media platforms knowing that they will get accurate advice… but I can’t post some of these things. It’s so ridiculous,” Douglas said.

Devex • 20th April 2023

Miliband: Why the world needs to 'wake up' to the malnutrition crisis

The global response to the food crisis and subsequent higher rates of malnutrition is “weak,” says David Miliband, the president and CEO of the International Rescue Committee and former foreign secretary of the United Kingdom, adding that the “time for excuses is over.” Malnutrition refers to undernutrition as well as being overweight and obese. As the world is currently in the midst of a rising food crisis — an estimated 828 million people are facing hunger this year — more people are at risk

The New Humanitarian • 12th April 2023

In Myanmar’s worsening conflict, health workers deliver care and dodge death

Emily and her colleague were driving their mobile health unit near the Thai-Myanmar border last October when military forces began pursuing them. The two health workers had planned to deliver treatment to those in need, “but in the middle of the route, we were found out by the junta soldiers, tracked, and followed, and they started shooting,” Emily recalled. Forced to abandon the rest of their unit, the pair ran into the jungle but got separated. Emily ended up taking a bullet to the shoulder.

The Guardian • 28th March 2023

The Maldives are 99% water, so why can so few teenagers swim?

A lack of swimming skills among young people, especially girls, stops them working in local industries and getting involved in conservation.

Women's Health • 12th February 2023

Is feminist urban planning the future of fitness?

A new female-focused urban planning initiative is launching in the UK, but is it enough to persuade women to exercise outdoors? In the soft early morning sunshine, Jen Parker can usually be found pounding Barcelona’s patterned pavements. She’ll navigate the cobbled streets down to the port before ending up at the beach. Wide walkways that don’t bottleneck with one pushchair, well-lit streets, and a culture oriented around the outdoors make Barcelona what the 49-year-old customer success and su

The Guardian • 29th December 2022

Myanmar’s junta blamed for deaths of more than 160 children in 2022

Exiled National Unity Government says figure is a rise of 78% on last year, following February 2021 coup.

Attitude • 7th December 2022

Welcome to the Tallinn show: Meet the inspiring drag queens of Estonia

A burgeoning drag scene is taking centre stage in the Estonian capital, thanks to an influx of foreigners and Estonians returning from Western Europe and bringing its culture with them

The Guardian • 28th October 2022

‘Dying of boredom’: the fight to release Thailand’s shopping mall gorilla

Bua Noi has spent decades in a cage in a decaying Bangkok shopping mall. Her owner says is she too old to be transferred to a sanctuary but activists disagree

The Telegraph • 25th October 2022

The scuba diving paradise with a dark secret

Tourists flock to Mabul Island, one of the world's best diving spots, but poor infrastructure means locals are plagued by deadly disease

The New Humanitarian • 27th July 2022

Out of Sri Lanka’s tumult, a humanitarian crisis emerges

Amid fuel and medicine shortages, rapid food price inflation, and school closures, Sri Lanka’s economic crisis is fast becoming a humanitarian emergency, aid workers are warning, calling for immediate international support to prevent a further deterioration.

The Irish Times • 22nd June 2022

‘Why I love GAA’: How Gaelic games are surging in popularity in Asia

In a floodlit field, 20 women run the length of a pitch kicking, bouncing and passing the ball in a game of Gaelic football. Sweating it out, players with more experience “buddy up” with new members to show them the basic skills before they take to the pitch. It’s a weekday training session much like any other, except that it’s taking place in the humidity of Bangkok, where Gaelic games – including hurling, handball, rounders, and camogie – are surging in popularity. “I like the history aspect

The Independent • 24th March 2022

Opinion: Good on Kylie Jenner for changing her baby’s name

It’s only right that parents put serious thought into the naming process and if they want to change their minds, then that should be OK

The New Humanitarian • 21st June 2022

Measles outbreak strains Afghanistan’s weak health system

A massive measles outbreak in Afghanistan threatens to bring what’s left of the country’s health system to its knees while putting an unsustainable burden on humanitarian agencies to fill the gaps, according to aid workers.

the Guardian • 4th April 2022

Thailand dreams of high-end cannabis tourism after marijuana is legalised

From Bangkok Hilton to Bridget Jones, Thailand’s reputation as one of the strictest countries in the world for drug offences is well documented. Even cannabis, considered a “less dangerous drug” by the UN, carries the potential for a 15 year prison term. But a recent announcement that it is to be delisted as a narcotic could trigger a transformation in how the drug is used inside Thailand.