IN THIS ISSUE

Collective for Research and Training on

Development Action (CRTD.A)
Independent Resource and Information Services (IRIS)
Development e-Brief
March24, 2005: Issue 23

"Nominations will be accepted from Feb. 15 until April 30, 2005. Winners will be selected and announced in August. The target beneficiaries of the project must be women and/or girls. Special attention will be given to projects initiated by women themselves. The focus is on ICT initiatives that promote women's economic empowerment. Two winners will be awarded for: Outstanding ICT Project for Women's Economic Empowerment, cash prize is $8000."
www.un-instraw.org/mailman/listinfo/gainsnet

The 2^nd International Forum on Partnerships for Sustainable Development is being organized by the Moroccan Ministry of Territory Planning, Water and Environment (MATEE) in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA). The event will take place in Marrakesh on 21-23 March, 2005. For information about registration contact: http://www.moroccoforum.org/

Cairo: International Forum on Advancing ICT Solutions for Development by the Global Knowledge Partnership
“The Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) will be organizing an international forum on cross-sector partnerships for the advancement of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solutions for development. The event is organized by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Egypt) and the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. It is co-sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation and the Swedish International Development Cooperation. Professionals and leaders from businesses civil society groups, government and research institutions are invited to participate in the forum and to engage in discussions, presentations and to showcase related work.” The event will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel, Cairo on 4-5 May 2005.

1. GENDER
Call For Papers: Gender Equality in Economics "The International Training Center for Women celebrates its 15 year anniversary this year and invites participants to contribute to the third global conference.

. I.T.W. welcomes papers, max. 250 words on the following workshops: employment, entrepreneurship, government policies and strategies for engendering economics." www.awid.org

2. GENDER/ICT
Crossing Feminism and ICT Technology
"Women's Information Technology Transfer launched today a portal site to link
women's organizations and feminist advocates on the internet in Eastern and
Central Europe." http://www.witt-project.net/

3. HUMAN RIGHTS
Indigenous Peoples Council on Bio-colonialism (IPCB)
“The IPCB is organized to assist indigenous peoples in the protection of their genetic resources, indigenous knowledge, cultural and human rights from the effects of biotechnology.”http://topics.developmentgateway.org/environment/rc/ItemDetail.do~1032519?int%20cmp=700&itemId=1032519

4. ICT
Persians Blogging Round the Globe
"For Iranians living outside of Iran, the internet has become a lifestyle; a way not
only to stay in touch with friends and family back home but also to stay
connected to Iranian culture no matter where they are."
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ict/rc/ItemDetail.do~1032653?intcmp=700&itemId=1032653

Iranian Reform Politician Goes Online
Iranian authorities have been clamping down on growing popularity of
web-blogs. One reform politician has been reaching out to the youth through the
access of the internet. The government is trying to restrict access to major
blogging sites from within the country. This reform politician remains popular."
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ict/rc/ItemDetail.do~1032817?intcmp=700

5. LEBANON:
Policy Outlook: Lebanon's New Political Moment
"In the wake of mounting political tensions in Lebanon after the assassination of
former prime minister Rafiq Hariri, Julia Choucair, the Carnegie Endowment's
assistant editor to the Arab Reform Bulletin, chronicles events and challenges
facing Lebanese civil society and it's political system. For more on Choucair's
policy outlook: 'Lebanon's New Political Moment is available at:
http://www.carnegieendowment.org/programs/global/index.cfm?fa=proj&id=101

“The MENA-OPED Investment Program seeks to mobilize investment- foreign, regional and domestic as a driving force for growth, stability and prosperity in the MENA region. The program aims at helping upgrade investment policy.”
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/fdi/rc/ItemDetail.do~1032506?intcmp=700

1. GENDER:
Developing Power: How Women Transformed International Development
"In this book, Developing Power, women from around the world tell how they fought to ensure that the unprecedented political and economic changes in the developing world would benefit women as well as men. Published by Feminst Press, New York"
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/culture/rc/ItemDetail.do~1031794?intcmp=700

2. ICT/GOVERNANCE:
E-Newsletter: Dubai School of Government
“The Dubai School of Government is a leading Knowledge Institution. This issue of the newsletter talks about how the Dubai School of Government, the first institution in the region dedicated to the study of public sector management, is set to enhance public governance and national growth.”

"A recently released report from Amnesty International calls on Iraqi authorities and members of the National Assembly to ensure that the new constitution and all Iraqi legislation contain prohibitions on all forms of discrimination against women."

"A Press release from the US State Department (22 Feb. 05) describes recent initiatives in Iraq that have supported the participation of Iraqi women in the democratic process, the training and education of women and women's health issues."

4. MACHREQ-MAGREB/ICT:
New Publication: Building the Information Society in the Arab Region

"Committed in helping the Arab region's countries on their way to social, political and economic development UN-ESCWA published a new study entitled: "Proposed Regional Plan of Action for Building the Information Society." The study acknowledges and seeks to build upon all such efforts in promoting an integrated plan of action for a future information society in the Arab region. http://www.escwa.org.lb/

"This database of gender statistics and indicators provides user-friendly, menu- driven features with data in each module that is presented in ready to use formats and country views that can be downloaded for use in reports. Genderstats is updated as new information is available." http://genderstats.worldbank.org/home.asp

3. NGOs/VOLUNTEERS:

“Justvolunteers, a website that matches non-profit organizations and volunteers was recently launched. The site aims to help “everyone find a great place to volunteer,” and it is offered for free to support a growing community of nonprofit, volunteers and business professionals. Volunteers can enter their location by area postal code and quickly find volunteer opportunities. The service connects people to organizations worldwide and organizations can post their opportunities free of charge.”http://www.officialwire.com/

"The WCC is a non-profit, non-governmental organization. Its purposes are, according to strengthen the status of crafts as a vital part of culture and economic

Program on Governance in the Arab Region (POGAR)
“POGAR is dedicated to the promotion and development of good governance practices and related reforms in the Arab states. The objective of this site is to provide resources on specific reforms. http://topics.developmentgateway.org/egovernance/rc/ItemDetail.do~1032267?intcmp=700

The Lebanese Villages Portal
"Baldati: My Village. Baldati is a national development and environmental and cultural association which works to develop simple and practical methods bywhich to revive Lebanese villages, reunite their communities and institutions." http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ngo/rc/ItemDetail.do~1032868?intcmp=700

Development e-Brief receives and comprises of material from various sources for its publication. Should you wish to refer to these sources/ sites directly, the list includes publications from: AVIVA, www.aviva.org , AWID: www.awid.org , Democracy Digest: www.freedomhouse.org , Development Gateway: www.developmentgatway.org , Dignity: www.dignity.org , e-Civicus: www.civicus.org , Eldis: www.eldis.org , ESCWA: www.escwa.org.lb , GDB: www.developmentex.com , Global Knowledge Partnership: www.globalknowledge.org , IGTN: www.IGTN.org , ILO: www.ilo.org One World: www.oneworld.net , Siyanda: www.siyanda.org , The Daily Star: www.dailystar.com.lb , The Drum Beat: www.comminit.com , The Soul Beat: www.comminit.com , The World Bank: www.worldbank.org , UNDP: www.undp.org , Wicejilist: www.wicej.addr.com , WLP: www.learningpartnership.org

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