Astrid Paulsson

Sweden’s deadly COVID-19 response

Sweden’s death-rate from COVID-19 has topped the rest of the world on a per capita basis on several occasions since the pandemic started, writes Astrid Paulsson. But Swedish authorities claim the figures are wrong and are standing by their much-criticised “herd immunity” strategy.

Tax-havened companies bailed out while poverty doubles amid pandemic

In the midst of a coronavirus pandemic, the world is facing a doubling in the number of global poor. But governments focusing on huge rescue packages to save corporations, including those registered in tax havens, from taking too big a hit, writes Astrid Paulsson.

Pandemic deepens global poverty

Without a joint effort to stop the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global poor, the state of world poverty is looking grim, writes Astrid Paulsson.

GDP growth does not bring equality

The United Nations General Assembly met after World War II in 1948 and committed to 30 articles on human rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) has been signed by most nations and serves in many cases as a legally binding document on human rights. Article 25 in the UDHR says: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care.”

Bigger than WikiLeaks: Secret tax havens exposed in huge release

The wealthiest people, banks and corporations have long avoided paying tax by hiding their assets in tax havens, outside their own countries. Many of these tax havens are so secret that even the banks themselves do not know who owns the accounts. But now, a huge leak of secret documents has led a global network of journalists to expose the world’s richest tax evaders.

No cause for optimism in global poverty rates

Twelve years ago, with the support of the United Nations, world leaders agreed to work together to achieve universal education, promote gender equality and halve extreme poverty by 2015. Known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the initiative has been described as the “most successful global anti-poverty push in history”. But how much have the goals really achieved? Five years after they were adopted, their achievements were discussed at the World Social Forum held in Brazil in 2005.