Collective for Research and
Training on
Development -Action ( CRTD.A)
Independent Resource and Information Services ( IRIS)
Development e-Brief
June30, 2005: Issue 27
IN THIS ISSUE:
EVENTS
1. Machreq/Maghreb
NEWS
1. Gender
2. Human Rights/Egypt
3. Human Rights/Palestine
4. Job Vacancy
REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES
1. Gender
2. Gender/ Machreq-Maghreb
3. Machreq/Maghreb
4. NGOs/CSOs
5. Socioeconomics
6. Youth and Development
Development e-Brief Information Sources
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 , Development Gateway: www.developmentgatway.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
EVENTS
MACHREQ/MAGHREB:
GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION AGAINST POVERTY IN THE ARAB WORLD
The regional Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) meeting was organized by the Arab NGO Network for Development and the Association for Health and Environment Development. More than 50 CSO representatives from 14 Arab countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunis and Yemen. This was the last of a series of regional strategic planning meetings facilitated by the GCAP founding organizations.
www.civicus.org/new/content/GCAPArabRegionalMeeting.htm
1. GENDER:
WOMEN'S RIGHTS UNDER SCRUTINY IN IRAQ
The new Iraqi Parliament is expected to
debate legislation -the personal status law- which lowers the status of
women. Personal status legislations which deals with issues such as
marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance and other related topics follows
traditions laid down by Islamic law. In many family related proceedings a
woman is considered to have half the status of a man. In some legal
proceedings two female witnesses equal one male witness. When family members
die females are eligible for only half of the inheritance that male
relatives receive because the men are considered to by the financial
supporters in the family. Finding a balance between social and cultural
traditions, modern legislation and civil liberties will be a challenge in
the drafting of the constitution and implementing laws.
www.aviva.org
2. HUMAN RIGHTS/EGYPT
ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN EGYPT UNDER ASSAULT
The Egyptian government stifles
academic freedom in universities by censoring course books, outlawing
research about controversial issues and intimidating student activists,
Human Rights Watch said in a report last week. The authorities also fail to
protect citizens from Islamist militants who publicly attack professors and
students.
www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/06/09/egypt11096.htm
AN UPSURGE OF HONOR
KILLINGS IN PALESTINE
In recent months at least six
young women have been killed according to human rights workers in Palestine
and are described in some quarters as 'honor killings'. The victims are
accused of behaving improperly and bringing shame upon their families. Faten,
from Ramallah was 22 years old and in love with Samer, as Muslim youth from
Jericho. Her family disapproved of her choice. She knew a death sentence was
over her head and tried to escape it. In her attempt escape and elope with
Samer she didn't get far and was turned over to her relatives. In other
attempts to change her fate she also failed and eventually was found dead.
This is just one of six unfortunate stories of young women losing their
lives over family honor.
http://www.aviva.org/
3. HUMAN RIGHTS/ PALESTINE:
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation -
United States, Israel, Palestine
This grassroots effort works
to inform, educate, and mobilize the public to challenge US policies that
coalition members believe are perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Participants include civil and human rights activists, faith-based
organizations, peace activists, Arab-American organizations, Jewish groups,
and students. Advocacy is the key strategy. For example, the coalition is
calling for an end to sales to the Israeli military of Caterpillar-built
bulldozers used in armored form "to destroy Palestinian homes and lands."
The project supports the efforts of member groups to mount legal challenges;
educate about home demolitions, the "Wall", and agricultural destruction;
reach out to labor unions; and take direct action (by organizing a
demonstration or contacting Congressional representatives). The aim: freedom
from occupation and equal rights for all. Contact
us_campaign@endtheoccupation.org,
www.comminit.com/experiences/pds2005/experiences-3038.html
4.
JOB VACANCY:
ABT ASSOCIATES, INC.
Chief of Party, PSP Project-Amman, Jordan
The post holder will provide
leadership, management and strategic direction for the PSP-One Jordan
Project. S/He will oversee the implementation of community outreach programs
in family planning and women’s health through print, radio and television
media campaigns.
http://www.comminit.com/vacancy2309.html
1. GENDER:
HEPATITIS B AND THE
CASE OF THE MISSING WOMEN
This paper compliments Amartya
Sen's hypothesis on the world's 'missing women', (the idea that millions of
women are missing from the world due to sexual violence and discrimination)
by offering a biological explanation for the sex disparity. This paper
hypothesizes that the sex ratio imbalance may also be due to the effect of
Hepatitis B on birth ratios. Evidence drawn from the existing medical
literature as well as new studies of recent vaccination reports indicate
that carriers of the Hepatitis B virus have offspring sex ratios as high as
1.55 boys for each girl. Hepatitis B is common in Asian countries.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18588
JOINT ASSESSMENT
MISSION: REPORT ON GENDER SITUATION AND PRIORITIES IN NORTHERN SUDAN
This report
assesses the current situation of women, identifies key challenges and
proposes priorities for action to achieve gender equality in Northern Sudan.
http://www.siyanda.org/static/itto_baselinesudan.htm
TOOLKIT FOR
MOBILIZING WOMEN INTO LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Globalization of the economy
has brought with it global social change. In every
country there are challenges
to traditional family life and to the roles of men and
women. This can be viewed as a
threat or an opportunity for women to participate in
social, political and
developmental affairs and issues.
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/glocalization/rc/ItemDetail.do~1039816?intcmp=7
WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT:
MEASURING THE GLOBAL GENDER GAP
This report produced by the
World Economic Forum aims to measure the size of the gap between men and
women in five critical areas: economic participation, economic opportunity,
political empowerment, educational attainment, health and well being. This
report bases its findings on 58 countries comprising all 30 OECD countries
and 28 other emerging markets. No African countries (except Egypt) are
ranked in this report.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc.DOC18499
2. GENDER/MACHREQ-MAGHREB:
BASELINE STUDY ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE
‘NEW SUDAN’
This baseline study identifies factors
currently affecting women’s socio-cultural, economic and political
participation in Mundri and Yei Counties in Southern Sudan (Western
Equitoria).
http://www.siyanda.org/static/itto_baselinesudan.htm
MAKING SCHOOLS A
SAFE HORIZON FOR GIRLS: A
TRAINING MANUAL ON PREVENTING SEXUAL
VIOLENCE
AGAINST GIRLS IN SCHOOLS
This training
manual produced by The Cradle- the Children's Foundation, focuses on making
schools safer for girls, addressing factors within schools that hinder girls
from attaining education and specifically preventing sexual violence. The
training manual is aimed at teachers and should take approximately five
days. It includes information on preparation for the workshop including a
time schedule, financial needs and resources needed.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr/cfm?doc=DOC17763
OCCUPATION IS NOT
WOMEN'S LIBERATION: PART 1
This essay examines the US
government's intervention in Iraq, looking particularly at the rhetoric and
action surrounding the US's involvement and the status of women in Iraq. In
the first part of the paper the author makes the case that the US invasion
and occupation of Iraq has not brought liberation to Iraqi women but rather
resulting in worsening of living conditions along gendered lines. In the
second part of the paper the author elaborates on the critique of the US
anti-war movement calling for feminists and women's groups to get involved
and hold the invasion/occupation accountable for the lowering of women's
situation and status in Iraq.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr/cfm?doc=DOC18652
3. MACHREQ/MAGHREB:
POVERTY IN THE ARAB REGION: A SELECTIVE
REVIEW
This paper provides a
review of the current knowledge on poverty in six Arab countries: Egypt,
Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen and Sudan. The author starts off by
presenting an overview of the various approaches to the measurement of
poverty then discusses issues relating to inequality in the distribution of
income and presents evidence on poverty on the basis of international
estimates of poverty in the Arab region. The paper concludes that the
knowledge base about poverty in the region is fairly decent despite
conflicting results and sometimes incomplete information. From a public
policy perspective it seems to be fair to conclude that policies that are
likely to be growth enhancing will have a pro-poor impact in middle income
countries in the region.
www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18402
IRAQ LIVING CONDITIONS SURVEY 2004: VOL.II-ANALYTICAL
REPORT
This book put out by the Iraqi
Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation reports on the results of
the Iraq Living Conditions Survey (ILCS), a survey and analysis of the
living conditions in Iraq as they were approximately one year after the fall
of Saddam Hussein's regime. The survey is designed to provide data on the
indicators developed to monitor and track progress towards achieving the
Millennium Development goals. This representative survey of 21,668
households is the first in recent years to cover all governorates in Iraq.
Topics covered include:
*
infrastructure, housing and environment
*
population
*
child health care and nutrition
*
health services
*
education
*
women
*
the labor market
*
household income and wealth
www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18005
4. NGOs/CSOs:
ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN
GOVERNANCE
The purpose of this paper by
Dr. Aisha Ghaus-Pasha is to analyze and assess the role of these
increasingly important actors in development. What can CSOs do to promote
local economic development and poverty alleviation? Are CSOs effective
advocates of policy change
http://topic.developmentgateway.org/ngo/rc/ItemDetail.do~1039399?intcmp=700
5. SOCIOECONOMICS:
STRATEGIC
GENDER INTERVENTIONS AND POVERTY REDUCTION: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE (Draft)
This manual produced by the
Gender Mainstreaming Program in Asia has been developed to support the
formulation and implementation of poverty reduction projects in Asia. It
focuses on identifying strategic gender initiatives to help enhance women's
agency in the household and community. It has been written as a sourcebook
for gender interventions and an analysis of appropriate interventions
offering various practical steps.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr.rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18541
7. YOUTH AND DEVELOPMENT:
YOUNG PEOPLE IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD
The relationship between globalization and
youth is examined in this chapter. Globalization offers clear economic
opportunities and benefits but comes with substantial social costs that
often appear to affect young people disproportionately.
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/glocalization/rc/ItemDetail.do~1039819?intcm
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