Projects: Eaves Women’s Aid, Lilith R&D, POPPY Project, Scarlet Centre, Sojourner Project;
Resources; Press; Jobs; Volunteers; Support us;
Address: EAVES,Unit 2.03, Canterbury Court, 1-3 Brixton Road, London SW9 6DE, UK;
Contact.

About: Eaves was formed in 1977 as Homeless Action. Its aim was to target the hidden homeless – single women without dependents who are least likely to have other means of support – by providing them with high quality, temporary homes. 

Eaves now runs several different support and accommodation projects as well as carrying out research and training on tackling violence against women.

Vision: Eaves is working towards a society where all women are valued and respected.

Values: We are a feminist organisation which is committed to:

• challenging inequalities
• embracing diversity
• enabling people to fulfil their potential
• treating people with dignity and respect
• promoting innovation.

Support and Accommodation:

• Eaves Women’s Aid provides refuge accommodation for women escaping from domestic violence. The service has 66 bed spaces located in a series of refuges across London.
• The POPPY Project provides accommodation and support for women who have been trafficked. In 2003 a pilot project was established with support from the Home Office. Since then there has been a high demand for the services offered. In 2007 the POPPY Project established an outreach team to meet the increased demand for its services. To date more than 700 women have been referred to the POPPY Project.

Education and Research:

• The Lilith Research and Development was set up in 2002 to campaign against all forms of violence against women. As well as carrying out research, the Lilith Project provides support and training to agencies working directly with women who are victims of violence.
• POPPY Research and Development carries out research, education and training on issues relating to trafficking of women for sexual exploitation and women wishing to exit prostitution. POPPY’s unique position of producing research about trafficking, alongside providing support and accommodation for women who have been trafficked, results in detailed and informed analysis that helps to shape public policy around prostitution and trafficking.

Homepage; Sitemap;
Torture: myths and facts; Survivors’ stories; Resources; Issues; News; Events; Get involved; Jobs; Volunteers; Supporter Groups;
Address: Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture, The Alan Smithson Rooms, City House, 1-3 City Road, Newcastle, NE1 2AF, UK;
Contact.

What we do /Introduction: Torture is used to intimidate, repress and dehumanise individuals. People are pushed to unbearable extremes of physical and psychological pain. Men, women and children sustain brutal injuries and are often forced to witness the violent subjugation of those around them. 

Arriving in the UK, having reluctantly fled their homeland, victims must contend with unfamiliar procedures of asylum and authority while struggling with their past experiences. Treating a torture victim therefore requires a holistic approach that responds to their physical, emotional and practical needs.

Referrals to the Medical Foundation are considered by an intake panel which assesses whether a person falls within our remit, how they are coping psychologically and practically, and whether the MF can offer a timely and effective response. Referrals are made by doctors, schools, refugee community organisations, community mental health teams, family members and other voluntary and statutory bodies.

Treatment may take the form of an initial medical assessment, individual casework and counselling, group therapy, physical therapy or psychotherapy. Where a client needs their injuries documented, as may be requested by a referring lawyer seeking a Medico-Legal Report, clients are referred to the MLR Team.

The Government’s growing appetite for dispersing torture survivors outside London means services offered by our centres in the North West, North East and Scotland are always expanding. Outreach work is vital in building the MF’s capacity and equipping existing voluntary and statutory services to deal with the specialist needs of torture survivors.

Advocacy and media work ensures that torture survivors’ stories are honestly and fairly portrayed, and that pressure is constantly maintained on government bodies through various lobbying and campaigning activities.

Key to the entire process is the contribution of some 80 interpreters offering services in 65 languages, matched where possible according to language and gender.

A client’s progress with the MF is consistently monitored by the intake panel to ensure we continue to meet their needs.

Goal: The goal is to find Israelis and Palestinian Gandhis: To inform them about our meditation for peace: “The Isralestinian Gandhi’s” is looking for all pacifists, Israelis and Palestinians, willing to act together in nonviolent ways for peace between the two brothers children of the same father Abraham. The Isralestinian Gandhis will be a Palestinians and IsRaelis who want to work together mainly for peace. These people should do it on voluntary bases … (full text Goals).

Frontpage: english Homepage;
News, Views; Subscribers; Support; Feedback/comments;
Mailing address: P.O. Box 25415, Tel-Aviv 61253, Israel;
Contact.

About us: The survival of the State of isRael is precarious: If we don’t change our position toward Palestinian People with more love and compassion, we are headed for our own destruction. This is the reason why we must act before it’s too late. 

In fact, aside from us, there are many organizations for peace, however, there is an urgent need to make a union amongst all of us, so we can become united and be stronger. This is why I created “The Isralestinian Gandhi’s”. Looking for all pacifists, Israelis and Palestinians, willing to act together and make a drastic change in our society. Not based on the government’s policy of war and bloodshed, but to live together in peace, harmony, love and non-violence. Forgetting about the past and start a new life. Abolishing borders and living in one country, one people. The two brothers children of the same father Abraham.

To make these changes, we must have a voice in the Israeli and Palestinian parliaments, and for this, we need to be part of these parliaments. “The Israeli Gandhi’s” and “The Palestinian Gandhi’s”, under the umbrella of “The Isralestinian Gandhi’s” will be the new political parties that will make the difference in the Israeli and Palestinian society. A “geniocratic party”, led by people with greater intelligence (higher IQ), who are able to make the difference and lead accordingly. And not by pathetic politicians who now lead our “mediocratic” governments.

We are honored to invite you to our first “Meditation for Peace” in Israel.

It will be held on April 16 at 11:00 AM in Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam (http://nswas.org/)

It is time the two brothers, isRaelis and Palestinians/ Jews and Muslims, Children of the same father Abraham will meditate together in peace, harmony and brotherhood. Rising their level of consciousness, hoping for a better life, in a better country. sharing love, peace and brotherhood.

You are most welcome to attend. The success of this event will depend on your presence. Fraternally yours, Leon Mellul.

The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) is a ground-breaking alliance of companies, trade unions and voluntary organisations. We work in partnership to improve the lives of workers across the globe who make or grow consumer goods – everything from tea to T-shirts, from flowers to footballs.
Watch a six-minute video about our first decade … (about 1/2).

Homepage; Sitemap;
In action; Projects; Resources; News, events; Jobs; Get involved;
Address: Ethical Trading Initiative, 8 Coldbath Square, London EC1R 5HL, UK;
Contact.

About 2/2: … Our vision is a world where all workers are free from exploitation and discrimination, and work in conditions of freedom, security and equity. This year our corporate members’ ethical trade activities touched the lives of over 9.4 million workers. 

What is ethical trade?

• Ethical trade means that retailers, brands and their suppliers take responsibility for improving the working conditions of the people who make the products they sell. Most of these workers are employed by supplier companies around the world, many of them based in poor countries where laws designed to protect workers’ rights are inadequate or not enforced.
• Companies with a commitment to ethical trade adopt a code of labour practice that they expect all their suppliers to work towards. Such codes address issues like wages, hours of work, health and safety and the right to join free trade unions.

Why is ETI needed?

• ‘Doing’ ethical trade is much harder than it sounds. Modern supply chains are vast, complex and span the globe. Labour issues are themselves challenging. For example, what exactly is ‘a living wage’? What should a company do if it finds children working in a supplier’s worksite? Evicting children from the workplace can, paradoxically, make their lives worse.
• ETI brings corporate, trade union and voluntary sector members together in a unique alliance that enables us to collectively tackle many thorny issues that cannot be addressed by individual companies working alone.

Homepage; Sitemap;
Campaigns; News; Publications; CORE in Europe; Supporting Orgs.; Support us;
Address: The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition, 26-28 Underwood Street, London, N1 7JQ, UK;
Contact.

About 2/2: … The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition’s members believe that in order to improve how UK companies behave, there is a need for: 

• 1. greater transparency of business operations
• 2. better accountability of businesses for their impacts on people and the environment
• 3. improved access to justice for victims of harmful corporate conduct

Our approach:

• The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition’s emphasis is on building strong broad-based support from business, decision makers and civil society groups for a new UK Commission for Business, Human Rights & The Environment.
• If you would like to be a supporter of The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition, please complete the online application form.

What The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition has already achieved:

The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition were instrumental in securing changes to company law, helping to improve the impacts of UK companies on people and the environment. The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition helped ensure that The Companies Act (2006) now means that:

• company directors must consider the environmental and social impacts of their decisions
• the largest public companies have to annually report on their environmental and social impacts.

However, these requirements only require the company to consider environmental and social issues it considers are material. The Corporate Responsibility (CORE) Coalition believes these obligations would be much more effective if further changes were made.

The Companies Act – An update for supporters on the outcome.

… 2010’s Journalism in Color: Racial Reporting in the Obama Age: For the second consecutive year, TheLoop21.com in collaboration with UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. asked journalists of color to share their views on racial coverage in the news. The results of our 2010 Journalism in Color Survey on race and media are in. Journalists of color from around the country weighed in on the explosive issue of racial news coverage. For complete survey results, click here. Negative stereotypes, race relations, and the idea of a post-racial society are just some of the issues that African-American, Latino, Asian-American and Native American journalists addressed. Their perspective is unique. Their opinions will surprise you … (full text Loop Scoops).

Homepage;
News; Blogs; Discuss; Communities /stories; Culture, society; Money; Politics; About /short bios:
Address: TheLoop21.com, 13725 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423, USA;
Contact online.

(Politics)/Education: some exemples of our articles: …  

• # My fear of raising a Black man, Thu, 09/02/2010 – 01:07, The trials of raising a black man in a society so invested in our failure. …Read More
• # Charter vs. Public Schools: Fear and loathing in education, Thu, 09/02/2010 – 00:33, Without the actual facts concerning our education perceptions about charter schools can lead us astray. …Read More
• # A “Lottery Ticket” is no ticket to wealth, Thu, 09/02/2010 – 00:31, Blacks’ perception of wealth is distorted by dreams of NBA contracts and record deals. …Read More
• # Black men have something of value to offer in America’s classrooms, Thu, 09/02/2010 – 00:00, A new report says the graduation rate for Black males is less than 50 percent. …Read More
• # Educated, but broke: Confessions of a career student, Tue, 08/31/2010 – 00:00, Friends and relatives ask me, how can I be, well, so poor with all that education? …Read More
• # For-profit colleges can leave you dumb and broke, Mon, 08/30/2010 – 00:00, These schools are nothing but a money-sucking scam …Read More
• # Obsessed with obesity, missing the point, Thu, 08/26/2010 – 00:00, Combating fatness while cutting Food Stamps doesn’t solve the problem …Read More
• # Winners in Obama Education Reform Unveiled, Tue, 08/24/2010 – 08:25, Nine states and the District of Columbia will share $3.4 billion from a controversial “Race to the Top” school reform competition, but even before Tuesday’s announcement President Barack Obama’s program was criticized by teachers unions and civil rights groups, The Associated Press reports. The winners are: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massac …Read More
• # Report: Schools systematically fail our black boys, Tue, 08/17/2010 – 22:42, Less than half of black males graduate on time, according to Schott Foundation …Read more

… and so on … (to read an article, go to (politics) / education, and click on the respective more-link).

Homepage;
Refugees; Services; Advocacy; News; Multimedia; Voices; Stay informed; Prayers;
many regional addresses by scrolling down on Contact online.

About JRS: The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is an international Catholic organisation with a mission to accompany, serve and advocate on behalf of refugees and other forcibly displaced persons. 

JRS undertakes services at national and regional levels with the support of an international office in Rome. Founded in November 1980 as a work of the Society of Jesus, JRS was officially registered on 19 March 2000 at the Vatican State as a foundation.

JRS programmes are found in 57 countries, providing assistance to: refugees in camps and cities, individuals displaced within their own countries, asylum seekers in cities, and those held in detention centres. The main areas of work are in the field of education, emergency assistance, healthcare, livelihood activities and social services. At the end of 2009, more than 500,000 individuals were direct beneficiaries of JRS projects.

More than 1,400 workers contribute to the work of JRS, many of whom work on a voluntary basis, including about 78 Jesuits and 66 religious from other congregations. These figures do not include the large number of refugees recruited to take part in the programmes as teachers, health workers and others.

JRS is also very much concerned with advocacy and human rights work. This involves ensuring that refugees are afforded their full rights while in exile and during repatriation as guaranteed by the 1951 Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and working to strengthen the protection afforded to internally displaced persons (IDPs). It extends to lobbying for and promoting international human rights legislation, either through participation in international campaigns and coalitions or through membership of international fora, such as the UN Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC).

JRS also contributes to refugee research at the University of Oxford. At Oxford, the ‘Pedro Arrupe Tutor’ oversees research undertaken in the name of JRS as well as facilitating the training of JRS personnel. The main tasks of the tutorship include conducting research, teaching and offering consultancy regarding refugees and forced migration to church agencies, NGOs and governments.

About Society of Jesus:

The Jesuit Refugee Service is an apostolic work of the Society of Jesus. For more than 460 years Jesuit priests and brothers have served the Church in new and unexpected ways. Men on the move, ready to change residence, occupation, approach – whatever is necessary to advance the Church’s mission: teaching the word of Jesus Christ and preaching his Good News – a radical service of faith in a world that respects neither faith nor the justice it entreats.

Today, Jesuits have enhanced their cooperation to include men and women who share this vision of service to faith and justice. And this exchange has expanded to include dialogue with other religions and cultures. One of the most notable examples of this cooperation is the Jesuit Refugee Service.

• Improve access to bail for all immigration detainees.
• Lobby for detention to be subject to regular, independent and automatic judicial review.
• Work towards an end to arbitrary detention in the UK.
• End the detention of families with children … (about 1/2).

Homepage;
Resources for detainees; Help from BiD; News; Archives; Voices from detention; Children in detention; Facts, Figures; Annual report; Find out; Support;
Contact.

About 2/2: … BID’s Activities:

• Providing free information and support to detainees to help them exercise their right to liberty and make their own bail applications in court.
• Preparing and presenting free applications for release on bail or temporary admission for detainees.
• Carrying out research and using evidence gathered to campaign to end arbitrary detention.
• Documenting and publicising injustices we see.

BID’s Achievements:

• In 2007/8, BID applied for bail for 241 detainees, 51 of whom were released from detention.
• We supported a further 1,927 people to make their own applications for bail or temporary admission, 330 of which were successful.
• In February 2008, BID won a high court battle to secure a landmark judgement that the Home Secretary had unlawfully detained three Algerian men for over a year.
• In 2007 and 2008, BID published the first research to expose the detrimental impact on detainees of new government policies, including the fast-tracking of asylum cases in detention and video link bail hearings.
• In 2007, BID published ‘Obstacles to accountability’, an up-to-date analysis of the gaps between detention policy and practice, designed for use by practitioners working to challenge the detention of families.

Homepage;
Get advice; Women’s project; Publications, Policy, Campaigns; Newsletter; Get involved; Asylum Rights Watch; Annual reports;
Address: Asylum Aid, Club Union House, 253-254 Upper Street, London N1 1RY, UK;
Contact.

About 2/2: … Our Aims:

• To provide free and accessible legal representation of the highest professional standard, to the most vulnerable and excluded asylum seekers;
• To campaign vigorously for an asylum process based on inviolable human rights principles, ensuring that what we say is firmly rooted in the work we do;
• To work co-operatively with our peers in the asylum and refugee movement, combining with them to strengthen our impact;
• To sustain a stable, independent and purposeful organisation for the benefit of all our stakeholders.

Our Values

• We believe that human rights are unconditional and that our commitment to promoting equality and justice should govern and inform every aspect of our work.
• We believe that only by striving to meet the highest standards will the quality and integrity of our work be maintained.
• We believe in working collaboratively to advance our aims and in ensuring that refugees are enabled to influence the direction and perspectives of the organisation.
• We believe in the value of providing fair and flexible working conditions for all our staff and volunteers.

Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ), formerly the Refugee Legal Centre, was established in 1992.  Our objective is to secure justice for asylum seekers and other migrants in the UK who seek protection or need help to secure their human rights under UK law … (about 1/2).

Homepage;
Policy; Priorities; Report 2009; Briefings; Media; Interpreting, Translations; Links;
Contact.

About 2/2: … We aim to

• provide high quality legal services to those who do not have the means to pay; and
• develop a more informed debate, using our expertise to campaign for positive changes in the asylum and immigration system. 

We have 13 offices in England, and currently employ 336 staff.   We are a not-for-profit organisation, helping clients who have no means to pay and qualify for legal aid.  We will take on even the most complex cases if we have capacity.  To find out more about our services, click here.  Read about our clients’ experiences here.

The best interests of our clients and other asylum seekers and migrants are at the heart of everything we do.  So as well as taking individual cases, we use our expertise to campaign and lobby for a fairer immigration and asylum system. Find out about our policy and research here.

RMJ is governed by a Board of Trustees. Find out more here.  Details of the organisation’s Executive Board can be found here.

We are a registered charity (no. 1012804) and a company limited by guarantee (no. 2710867). We are funded through legal aid contracts with the Legal Services Commission and donations. We are regulated by the Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner (no. 200100009) … (full text).

Homepage;
How; News; Newsletter; Jobs; Campaigning; Volunteering; Support;
Addresses (1 of 6): Refugee Council Head Office, 240-250 Ferndale Road, Brixton, London SW9 8BB, UK; Map;
Contact.

About Refugee Council online 2/2: … We achieve this mission by:  

• supporting refugees and working with them as they build a new life
• speaking up for refugees and ensuring that refugees themselves have a strong voice in all areas of UK life
• building links with people from across our society to increase mutual understanding of refugees
• making the case for a fair and just asylum system
• taking a leading role in helping to build up a vibrant, sustainable and successful refugee sector in the UK and internationally

The Refugee Council is governed by a Board of Trustees, which includes strong refugee representation. We are also a membership organisation and since 1983, our membership base has grown from 50 to nearly 180, a significant number of which are refugee community organisations. We regularly consult with our membership base. The Refugee Council also has a number of high-profile Patrons.

The Refugee Council is funded by local, central and European government grants, grants from trust funds and corporations and funds provided by individuals through one-off donations, standing orders arrangements, legacies and their attendance at Refugee Council events.

We are a strongly independent organisation and registered as a charity (Charity No. 1014576. Company No. 2727514) … (full text).

• A gift to Refugees International funds independent, effective, lifesaving work. Worldwide, 41.9 million people have been forced from their homes because of conflict, and over 12 million stateless people live with no national identity. Refugees International gathers critical information directly from the field and provides governments, international agencies, and non-governmental organizations with effective solutions to improve the lives of displaced people.
• Refugees International does not accept any government or UN funding and relies upon the support of individual donors like you. There are many ways to support our lifesaving work: … (full text Get involved).

Homepage;
Where; Issues; Neglected crises; Return, reintegration; Media; Blog; for Congress; Donate;
Address (1 of 2): Refugees International, 2001 S Street NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20009, USA;
Contact.

Who we are: Refugees International advocates for lifesaving assistance and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises.  

Challenge:

Refugee crises left unattended threaten stability around the world. There are 41.2 million refugees and internally displaced people and 12 million stateless people living in limbo without citizenship rights. People forced from their homes by conflict are among the world’s most vulnerable and they all have individual stories of loss, heartache and survival.

Impact:

Timely responses to refugee crises can increase stability in a region before the conflict spreads across borders. Due to our efforts, abandoned refugees receive food, medicine and education; displaced families return home; peacekeepers are sent to protect displaced people from harm; and stateless people obtain legal status.

Reputation:

Refugees International was started in 1979 as a citizens’ movement to protect Indochinese refugees. Since then, we have expanded to become the leading advocacy organization that provokes action from global leaders to resolve refugee crises. We do not accept government or UN funding, allowing our advocacy to be fearless and independent. Our expert recommendations are highly valued by the very people whose decisions bring immediate relief and lifesaving solutions to refugees: senior officials of the U.S. Administration, the United Nations, and governments around the world, and members of the U.S. Congress.

Field-Based:

Each year, Refugees International conducts 20 to 25 field missions to identify displaced people’s needs for basic services such as food, water, health care, housing, access to education and protection from harm.  Based on our field-based knowledge of humanitarian emergencies, we successfully challenge policy makers and aid agencies to improve the lives of displaced people around the world. Where there are needs, we witness what is lacking, we present solutions and we demand action.

Successes – Colombia:

As a result of our advocacy on behalf of the millions of people who have been displaced by the conflict in Colombia, in 2009 the U.S. Congress increased funding for Colombian refugees in nearby countries. This included support for Ecuador’s Enhanced Registration Process, a key component of that country’s refugee policy reform.

TNVHA is a non-profit, secular, registered Association of Voluntary Organisations working for health promotion in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. It was registered under Tamilnadu Society’s Registration Act in 1971. In its 38 years of service, the number of member institutions has grown to 744 which include Hospitals, Dispensaries and Community-based Organisations … (about 1/2).

Homepage;
Organization; Activities; Future Plans; Members; Publications;
Address: Tamil Nadu Volutary Health Association, 18, Appadurai Main Street, Chennai – 600 023, India;
Contact.

About 2/2: … MOTTO: Health Through People. 

VISION:

• Working with appropriate agencies to promote holistic health development with the people of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.

OBJECTIVES:

• To promote a network of organisations working for health promotion.
• To provide a platform for members to come together, share their experiences and work together.
• To build the capacity of members.
• To identify issues and pool resources for campaign lobbying and policy advocacy.
• To provide relevant and updated information.
• To liaison with the government.

… (full text).

AHA seeks to empower African people to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the continent and advocate for an African renaissance.  We believe that Africans have the necessary skills and abilities to be active agents of change and to positively impact their futures.  To support our aim we work together with local and vulnerable communities, listening and responding to their needs and building upon their inherent capacities, to make lasting differences to people’s lives … (full text Principles and Values).

Homepage /What;
Where; Who; Achievements; History; Donors, Partners;
Address (one of many): AHA – Head Office, Guinea-Conakry Road, PO Box 110, Code 1250, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia;
Contact.

About: African Humanitarian Action is African in Spirit, Concept and Composition. 

Spirit

• Confident that African People have the necessary skills and resources to address the challenges facing the continent, we contribute toward and advocate for the furthering of an African renaissance.

Concept

• Our proximity to affected populations and understanding of local contexts maximise the sustainability and accountability of the multisectoral programmes we deliver.

Composition

• We draw on the commitment and expertise of our staff, 85% of whom are recruited from local communities, to provide humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced people and local communities throughout the continent.

AHA is a pan-African international non-governmental organisation (INGO) providing effective humanitarian assistance to alleviate human suffering, building on the strength of African people to solve African problems … (full text).

Regional units; Network (excellence); Membership; Services; IHI Newsletter; CHAI on wikipedia;
Address: The Catholic Health Association of India, 157/6, Gunrock Enclave, Secuderabad – 500009, Andhra Pradesh, India;
Contact.

Theme of the month (March 2010): Let us hope the project is not abandoned ( March 2010). 

“Today is the tomorrow that we were so concerned about yesterday”, thus goes a saying . And there are many concerns our sixty-year young country faces — separatism or secessionism, politically-organized militant communalism, economic and social deprivation of the poor, strained centre-state relationships and many more. Rural India is in ruins; urban India in unhappiness. The Republic has to reinvent itself bringing about paradigm shifts in the values that governs it.

Once food-insecure, India is now a growth story drawing global whistles. The country’s growth is satisfactory and impressive but only in parts, marked by regional imbalances and disparities. And, a considerable portion of the country lives below the poverty line.

We celebrate Republic Day every year with fireworks, salute to the tiranga, distribution of awards, parade, display of military might and so on. While doing so with pomp and circumstance, we need to ask ourselves: have we lived up to the ideals enshrined in the Constitution?

India’s governance is lacklustre and the government’s cavalier attitude towards various matters stokes people’s fear about the future. We have all the rules, regulations and mechanisms in place. What is woefully lacking is implementation. We need to defeat divisive forces and get rid of socio-economic disparities. We also need to act tough on corruption and criminalization of politics that sap the vitality of our democratic institutions. Inclusive growth must keep lifting living standards. So, we cannot delay labour reforms, modernization of agriculture, trimming of unwanted subsidies as well as building better infrastructure to sustain growth. The government needs to become an enabler not a patron.

The CPM patriarch Jyothi Basu who ruled West Bengal as its Chief Minister for 23 years is no more. He died of illness last month; his demise is a great loss to the Community Party of India (M) and the Indian political scene.

That health care sector continues to be neglected is no longer debatable. Gaining access to affordable and accessible care will remain a dream to us , it seems. Worldwide, over 3 billion people live in cities and towns. By 2030, six out of 10 people will be city-dwellers, rising to seven out of ten by 2050, WHO studies show. Urbanization is here to stay. It is an irreversible trend. ‘Urbanization and Health’ is the theme of this year’s World Health Day. Urbanization faces many challenges related to water, environment, violence, injury, non-communicable diseases, alcoholism, tobacco and substance abuse etc.

In India, urban growth has been exponential over the last few decades. While the rural population has doubled, the urban numbers have grown fourfold. According to United Nations, the number will swell to 576 million by 2030. “Urban chaos is becoming a way of life. Our cities and towns are not an acceptable face of a rapidly-modernizing and developing economy, said Dr Manmohan Singh, our Prime Minister recently (The New Indian Express, 7 September 2009).

Like rural health, urban health is a huge challenge. Towards providing affordable and quality care to the 28 crore people living in urban slums of 429 cities and towns, the government designed in 2008 the National Urban Health Mission on the lines of the NRHM launched three years ago. The news aroused lots of expectation in people. Though there was delay in launching it, people remained expectant. And now, the news that it will be launched only post 2012 comes as a rude shock to all. The Health Ministry needs time to sharpen the execution plan and to get the strategy right, newspaper reports say. Whether it only hangs fire or gets shelved for now, only time will tell. We can only wait and hope. Paucity of funds is the reason for keeping it in mothballs till 2012, detractors say. Let us hope the government doesn’t abandon it!

This issue of the magazine is on the National Urban Health Mission. Contributors are Dr Bimal Kanta Nayak, Mr D John, Mr S J Chander, Dr N Devadasan, Dr S Ram Murthy, Mr Denny John, Namita Bakshi, and WHO.

.

.

Homepage;
Projects; Activities; Interact; Events; News; Network; Bantaba; Partners, Sponsors;
Contact online /Feedback.

About 2/2: … Vision: To be a leading training institute for training practicing African journalists on cutting edge ICT skills and policy related issues. 

Mission: Empowering the media through ICTs.

Objectives:

• 1. To help journalists to understand and explore the use of ICTs in the Newsroom
• 2. To build the capacity of the media to generate ICTs stories.
• 3. To Conduct research into ICT use by the media
• 4. To build a vibrant community of ICT journalists around the world.
• 5. Advocating for media rights in the Information society.

Team PenPlusBytes.

Established in 1968, CCIC monitors and analyzes federal policies on foreign affairs, aid, trade, debt and defence and communicates its findings to members and the public. The Council brings to the Canadian foreign policy-making arena the unique experience and knowledge of Canadian development practitioners and their Southern partners. (about /Mission).

english Homepage; Sitemap;
What we do; Who’s Who; Working Groups; Resources; Media; Members; Internship; Links;
Address: CCIC, 450 Rideau Street, Suite 200, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5Z4, Canada;
Contact.

About: Established in 1968, CCIC monitors and analyzes federal policies on foreign affairs, aid, trade, debt and defence and communicates its findings to members and the public. 

The Council brings to the Canadian foreign policy-making arena the unique experience and knowledge of Canadian development practitioners and their Southern partners.

Working with member organizations across the country, CCIC also seeks to enable its members to engage Canadians in a collective search for development alternatives.Through its links with like-minded domestic organizations, and by participating in international networks, CCIC connects its members to civil society organizations working in common cause around the globe.

The Council also facilitates organizational learning and development among members by assisting their leaders and staff to adapt to a changing environment and changing expectations of their roles.

Select one of the categories on the left, or visit our Archives section for past documentation.

The mission of CECI is to combat poverty and exclusion. To this end, CECI builds the development capacities of disadvantaged communities. We support peace building, human rights, and equity initiatives. We mobilize resources and promote exchanges of knowledge … (full text about /Mission).

english Homepage;
What we do; Where we work; Team; News; Newsletter; History; Training Centre; Employment; Get involved;
Address: CECI, 3000, Omer-Lavallée St, Montréal (Québec), Canada H1Y 3R8;
Contact.

About /VISION: … 1. CECI is a leader within an international network of partners combating poverty and exclusion. Our main area of expertise is in the building of development capacity. 

This capacity building finds expression in the structured sharing of skills; the mobilization of change agents in activities at the local, regional, and international scales; and the influence that the network exerts on public opinion, governments, and donors.

2. In Canada, thanks to our network of partners, CECI is one of the main channels through which Canadians can participate in international cooperation. We offer a variety of opportunities for direct cooperation, such as exchange programs, internships, international volunteer work, responsible consumerism, social tourism, and the Leave for Change program.

3. CECI is a much-valued partner of humanitarian organizations specializing in emergency relief; we complement their reconstruction and crisis preparedness work.

4. The art of communication is central to our strategies for social change and to the positions we take, particularly our support for poverty and violence reduction campaigns.

5. Our mode of governance and our organizational structure are the drivers of our strategic vision and the partnerships we develop. The people of CECI identify with the organization’s values. They appreciate the rewarding opportunities for professional development offered by the CECI work environment.

VALUES:

As an international organization, CECI’s work is founded on fundamental values that hew closely to our convictions:

Cooperation:

• We believe that all human beings have a common purpose and that together we must face the challenges confronting us. Therefore, we promote sharing between individuals, and we help to build bridges between nations through intercultural interaction and international solidarity.

Respect:

• We feel strongly about the importance of showing respect for the individuals and peoples with whom we work, and this means respecting differences of all kinds. We reject all forms of harassment or discrimination based on gender, ethnicity or religion. In short, we strive to cultivate the conditions for mutually enriching intercultural relationships.

Equity:

• We believe that all are entitled to the same rights and dignity. We work for equality between men and women, both within our own organization and in society at large.

To learn more, read our gender equality policy.

Commitment:

Each person associated with CECI is an integral part of the organization, its mission, its commitments, and the responsibilities arising from them. The administrators, volunteers, and employees of CECI are committed to:

• knowing and adhering to our code of ethics;
• knowing and adhering to the laws and regulations of the host countries;
• knowing and adhering to the rules of the organization, particularly in regard to health, safety, training, confidentiality, and conflict of interest;
• helping uphold CECI’s high reputation through irreproachable conduct and outstanding results;
• acting faithfully in the interests of CECI and its partners.

Link: find CECI also on wikipedia.

Since its foundation in Heidelberg in 1973 the African Law Association  has been the single specialised association in German-speaking countries to spread knowledge of the legal systems of all of Africa – which the Association calls ‘African Law’ – and to encourage their comparative studies. The Association  brings together people interested in research, teaching and practical issues of the law in Africa and cultivates friendships with like-minded organizations, institutions and persons both in Germany and abroad … (english Welcome Page 1/2).

Sitemap;
Conferences; Publications; Information; Materials; Who is who; Current research projects;
Contact /Address /Impressum: African Law Association, c/o Eva Diehl, Richardstr. 19, 12043 Berlin, Germany.

Welcome Page 2/2: … More than 200 researchers and practitioners who are members of the Association work on international law related to Africa, African States or persons, domestic law of Africa’s 53 States, traditional and religiously shaped African laws as well as the continent’s rich legal culture of present and past with its manifold traditions and influences.
We are also interested in the future of the law in Africa in the scope of globalisation.

Legislation, Jurisdiction, Legal Studies, Politics, administration and economy in Africa are facing enormous tasks due to the huge problems north and south of the Sahara. Therefore, the Association unites jurists and, inter alia, historians, africanists, ethnologists, political scientists and experts of development programmes. It is significant for the continuity and attractiveness of the Association’s activities that four of the seven founders are still active: Prof. Dr. Brun-Otto Bryde, Dr. Lothar Gündling, Dr. Kurt Madlener, Prof. Dr. Hans-H. Münkner.

As a platform for a thought-provoking exchange and presentations of national and foreign speakers, the Association organizes annual conferences (Jahrestagungen) in Heidelberg since 1975. To promote effectiveness, English and French is spoken at the conferences, besides German.

Since 1999 we publish the Journal Law in Africa twice a year (Board of Editors: Wilhelm J.G. Möhlig (in charge), Hatem Elliesie, Harald Sippel, Ulrich Spellenberg and Ulrike Wanitzek). Besides presentations given at the annual conferences and further scientific contributions, the Magazine contains Conference Reports, material, book reviews and announcements of the Association. Thus, the Magazine provides everybody working on law in Africa, including African jurists, with both scientific and further information. The Magazine also wants to encourage people to join the Association and take part in its activities.

The Yearbook of African Law, edited by Kurt Madlener, is published in irregular intervals on behalf of the Association. It may, beyond pure information, encourage the reader to deal with key questions of the law in Africa. Besides scientific essays the Jahrbuch contains Scientific and Conference Reports, material, book reviews as well as the Association’s statute and list of members.

The newly established homepage introduces the African Law Association and its activities to you and tries to become a platform to build a better network of the people interested in Law in Africa and provide further information about the Law in Africa. We look forward to a thought-provoking exchange with you.

This website has been developed by the Project on International Courts and Tribunals (PICT). PICT’s mission is to address the legal, political, financial and organizational challenges arising out of the multiplication of international courts and tribunals that took place as of the end of the Cold War. PICT is a catalyst for research, both scholarly and policy-oriented, and training … (about 1/2).

Homepage; Sitemap;
Project on Ingernational Courts and Tribunals – PICT;
Contact.

About 2/2: … In the world of international courts and tribunals, Africa is, in many regards, a unique case. African States and international organizations are frontrunners in the development of international courts and tribunals. A few examples will help illustratie the extent of their path-breaking work.

• In Africa, for the first time in history, the merger of two distinct international courts has been attempted (i.e. the African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Union Court of Justice).
• In the past decade, different forms and mechanisms for international criminal accountability have been explored and the limits of classical international law tested (e.g. Burundi, Darfur, Hissène Habré, Charles Taylor).
• The first hybrid international criminal court was created in Africa (Sierra Leone).
• The first investigations of the International Criminal Court have been done in Africa (e.g., Darfur, Congo, Uganda). Albeit global, the ICC is de facto for the time being an “African criminal court”.
• Africa is the continent that by far has given birth to the largest number of international judicial bodies. Yet, at the same time a larger than usual part of these have been non-starters or, after a hesitant beginning, have been derelict, or remained only a project on paper. Also, some of the bodies that have started operating at significant levels have faced challenges different from those of their peers in other continents.

For these and many other reasons Africa can be regarded as an advanced laboratory for international courts and tribunals and international justice at large. Yet, there is a dearth of information available on international judicial bodies operating on the continent, and when it is available it is scattered in multiple sites and media. PICT has accordingly decided to develop this site to facilitate the efforts of all those working in the field and to provide Africans with a greater awareness and understanding of the burgeoning international judiciary that is developing in the region and the many opportunities for justice and peaceful dispute settlement that these mechanisms provide..

Homepage; Sitemap;
News; Reports; Selected Papers; Submit a Paper; Newsletter; Staff and Partners; Links;
Addresses (1 of 2): AfriMAP, P.O. Box 678, Wits 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa;
Contact.

About 2/2: … AfriMAP aims to: 

• Produce reports identifying achievements and challenges in complying with international standards relating to human rights, the rule of law and accountable government, and suggesting means to improve performance
• Support and promote the active engagement of civil society organisations as independent monitors of government
• Complement and engage in critical dialogue with the African Union and its monitoring efforts, particularly the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM)

How we work:

• AfriMAP works with African civil society organizations and the Open Society Institute’s African foundations to research and publish reports on themes related to governance in individual African countries. The reports are based on a standardized reporting framework that — like the African Union’s New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) — links respect for human rights and good governance to development that benefits poor people. AfriMAP aims to complement the broad-based APRM reporting process by going into greater depth in specific areas that are critical to the development of democracy and respect for the rule of law in Africa.
• AfriMAP began its research in 2005 in five pilot countries — Senegal, South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique and Ghana — with plans to expand its geographical scope.
• All reports will be finalized through a broad-based consultative process that includes both government and civil society. Each report will include recommendations and case studies, providing a long-term advocacy platform for national civil society organizations. AfriMAP will also draw on this research to work with African and international institutions and development partners to strengthen their own monitoring and capacity-building initiatives. Grantmaking opportunities for the Open Society Institute and others may be identified through the research process.

Research themes: … (full text).

Homepage;
What we do: Who we work with: Where we work; Event; Newsletter; Democracy Dialogue; Publications; Employment; Contribute;
Address: National Democratic Institute, 2030 M Street, NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, DC 20036-3306, USA;
Contact.

About NDI: The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization that responds to the worldwide quest for popular civic participation, open and competitive political systems, and representative and accountable government. 

Since its founding in 1983, NDI and its local partners have worked to establish and strengthen democratic institutions and practices by building political and civic organizations, safeguarding elections, and promoting citizen participation, openness and accountability in government. With staff members and volunteer political practitioners from more than 100 nations, NDI brings together individuals and groups to share ideas, knowledge, experiences and expertise. Partners receive broad exposure to best practices in international democratic development that can be adapted to the needs of their own countries. NDI’s multinational approach reinforces the message that while there is no single democratic model, certain core principles are shared by all democracies.

The Institute’s work upholds the principles enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It also promotes the development of institutionalized channels of communications among citizens, political institutions and elected officials, and strengthens their ability to improve the quality of life for all citizens.

Democracy is never a final achievement. It is a call to an untiring effort. (John F. Kennedy)

Reports From Around the World: … (full text about).

Link: NDI on wikipedia.

Homepage;
Support Office; Docs, Resoultions; Membership; Calendar; Q and A; Links; UN Partners;
Peacebuilding Fund; UN Peace and Security; UN.org Home;
Contact.

Mandate of the Peacebuilding Commission: In the enabling resolutions establishing the Peacebuilding Commission, resolution 60/180 and resolution 1645 (2005) of 20 December 2005, the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council mandated it: 

• To bring together all relevant actors to marshal resources and to advise on the proposed integrated strategies for post conflict peacebuilding and recover;
• To help ensure predictable financing for early recovery activities and sustained financial investment over the medium to long-term;
• To develop best practices on issues in collaboration with political, security, humanitarian and development actors.

The resolutions also identify the need for the Commission to extend the period of international attention on post-conflict countries and where necessary, highlight any gaps which threaten to undermine peacebuilding.

• The International Peace Institute is an independent, international not-for-profit think tank with a staff representing more than 20 nationalities, located in New York across from United Nations headquarters.  IPI is dedicated to promoting the prevention and settlement of conflicts between and within states by strengthening international peace and security institutions.  To achieve its purpose, IPI employs a mix of policy research, convening, publishing and outreach … (about /Mission).
• Our Brochure.

Homepage; Sitemap;
Programs; Publications; Events; News; Employment; People; Annual report; FAQs;
Address: International Peace Institute, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10017-3521, USA;
Contact.

History: Known as the International Peace Academy until early 2008, the International Peace Institute was founded by a group of individuals from within and outside of the United Nations who believed that a thoroughly independent institution, free from official constraints, could make a unique contribution to multilateral efforts to prevent and settle armed conflicts around the world. 

The vision of the founders, coupled with the hard work and dedication of IPI’s four presidents, has resulted in a dynamic international research institute. Imp  ortant moments in our institutional history include:

• Founded in 1970, principal inspiration came from then UN Secretary-General U Thant (left) and Ruth Forbes Young (far left), a deeply committed philanthropist.
• Founding president Major General Indar Jit Rikhye (India) focused IPI on the training of military and civilian professionals in peacekeeping as well as selective facilitation efforts.
• The Honorable Olara Otunnu (Uganda) assumed leadership of the organization from 1990 to 1998 and expanded IPI’s focus to include hands-on work with regional organizations and actors, particularly the Organization of African Unity; original policy research on the UN’s rapidly evolving experience with multi-dimensional peacekeeping; expanded training activities; and more proactive outreach and education.
• Ambassador David Malone (Canada) took the helm from 1998 to 2004 and spearheaded a tremendous growth in IPI’s publications and an expansion of IPI’s policy agenda to broader dynamics of conflict and resolution, including economic agendas in civil wars, conflict prevention, sanctions, civilian protection, and statebuilding.
• Ambassador Terje Rød-Larsen (Norway) became IPI president in 2005 after more than a decade of service as a UN envoy in the Middle East. Rød-Larsen expanded IPI’s regional focus to the Middle East and Asia alongside Africa; involved IPI in intensive policy support for ongoing UN reform efforts and developed a new research and policy agenda to address transnational peace and security challenges and global response capacities beyond the UN.
• On March 24, 2008, after nearly forty years of operation, the International Peace Academy (IPA) changed its name to the International Peace Institute (IPI). The new name was chosen to better reflect the organization’s evolution from its early role as a training academy to its mature identity as a policy-driven institute for best thinking and practice across the UN’s broad peace and security agenda.

At present, the Platform website focuses mainly on German actors and activities in the field of peaceful conflict management. It offers only few English-language news, events and documents. However, we consider it important to provide also those unfamiliar with the German language with information on the Platform and its policy contexts, as well as on German activities in peaceful conflict management.  … (about 1/2).

english Homepage;
Events; How to participate; Documents; News; Publications; Newsletter;
Address: German Platform for Peaceful Conflict Management, Obenmarspforten 7, 50667 Köln, Germany;
Contact.

About 2/2: … We are therefore planning to add within the next months English-language abstracts of the most significant documents published by the Platform. These abstracts will be available in the publications section of the Platform website. 

Please note that apart from publications and events, the Platform website offers also the opportunity to search expert profiles of Platform members and others in Germany, who are involved in the field of peaceful conflict management. Some of these (English) competence profiles can already be looked up on the current Platform homepage.

In addition, lists of annotated links help users find information on databases, national, European or international institutions and actors, as well as on jobs and internships. We apologise for being able to offer only limited English-language services for the moment. Should you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the Platform coordinator (koordination@konfliktbearbeitung.net).

Profile: … //

… The Platform is a German network of associates, aiming to promote peaceful conflict management:

“On the threshold of the 21st century, the world is facing an unbearable amount of violence, especially in internal conflicts. To reduce and overcome this violence, the development of diverse approaches to peaceful conflict management is essential. Therefore it is necessary, that non-governmental organisations increase their engagement and that in general society’s capability of managing conflict constructively will be strengthened.” (Preamble to the Charta of the German Platform for Peaceful Conflict Management)

The German Platform for Peaceful Conflict Management rises to this challenge. The Platform was founded in 1998 in Bad Honnef, Germany. It is designed as an open network.

Associates:

Today the network connects more than 130 individuals and nearly 60 organisations, institutions and groups from the fields of: … (full long text about).

Homepage;
Money in Politics; Gov’s Accountability; Rule of Law; Election Reform; Ethics in Gov.;
Take Action; Issues; Events; Volunteering; Internship; Ways to support;
Address: Common Cause, 1133 19th Street NW, 9th Floor, Washington, DC 20036, USA;
Contact.

About /Common Cause: Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1970 by John Gardner as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest.

Today, Common Cause is one of the most active, effective, and respected nonprofit organizations working for political change in America.  Common Cause strives to strengthen our democracy by empowering our members, supporters and the general public to take action on critical policy issues.

Now with nearly 400,000 members and supporters and 36 state organizations, Common Cause remains committed to honest, open and accountable government, as well as encouraging citizen participation in democracy … (full text about).

Homepage; Sitemap;
Mission; Advocacy; Campaigns; Realising Rights; Research and Training; Access to Justice; Communications, Information; Multi-Year Proposal; Members; Get involved; FAQs: Links;
Address: GAATW International Secretariat, 191/41 Sivalai Condominium, Soi 33,Itsaraphap Rd, Bangkok-yai, 10600, Bangkok, Thailand;
Contact.

About: The Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW)  is an Alliance of more than 90 non-governmental organisations from across the world.

The GAATW International Secretariat is based in Bangkok, Thailand and co-ordinates the activities of the Alliance, collects and disseminates information, and advocates on behalf of the Alliance at regional and international level.

Member organisations include migrant rights organisations; anti-trafficking organisations; self-organised groups of migrant workers, domestic workers, survivors of trafficking and sex workers; human rights and women’s rights organisations; and direct service providers.

GAATW sees the phenomenon of human trafficking intrinsically embedded in the context of migration for the purpose of labour.

GAATW therefore promotes and defends the human rights of all migrants and their families against the threat of an increasingly globalised labour market and calls for safety standards for migrant workers in the process of migration and in the formal and informal work sectors – garment and food processing, agriculture and farming, domestic work, sex work – where slavery-like conditions and practices exist.

GAATW is committed to effecting change at the local level through its members and allies, and internationally through the work of the International Secretariat and GAATW’s special consultative status to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations.

The Central Society for the Education of the Deaf (CSED) is a well-established institution that educates children with profound hearing disability. We provide model teaching and training facilities in English and Marathi at both our centres, the Central School for the Deaf (CSD) and at Maitri Centre for Hearing Impaired Infants. CSED was started in 1966 by Rhoda and Adal Parakh in their living room, with just 10 students and three teachers, working on the principle of oral language and conversation to teach children with speech and hearing disability … (What we do).

Homepage;
Dream; Financial Datas; Gallery; FAQs; Your Help;
Address:  The Central Society for the Education of the deaf,3rd Floor, Municipal School Building, Opposite YMCA Swimming Pool, Farook S. Umarbhoy Path, Agripada, Mumbai 400 011. INDIA;
Contact.

About /Purpose: To see deaf children overcome their hearing impairment as early as possible by using oral communication and language to participate equally in a hearing world. No child should be abandoned or ignored for lack of hearing. Instead, deaf children should have adequate opportunity to grow into bright and confident youngsters. 

Legal entity: CSED is registered:

• As a Public Charitable Trust under The Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950 bearing Regn. No. F 1438 dated 6th October 1966.
• Under The Societies Registration Act, 1860 bearing registration no. BOM 96/66 GBBSD dated 13th September 1966. • Under The Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976 bearing FCRA Regn. No. 083780637 dated 3rd December 1998.
• Under Section 12A (a) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 bearing no. INS/4183 dated 4th February 1976. The Society is also a certified “Donee Institution” under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961 valid up to 31/03/2007 vide DIT (E) Order no. DIT(E/MC/80- /1538/2003/2003-04 dated 04/03/2004.

Acknowledgements:

• A big “Thank you” to all our Donors and Staff CSED continued to receive vitally needed corpus funds and other donations. We have to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our donors, big and small, for their generous donations, and we have to thank them for the faith and confidence reposed in us and their strong conviction and belief in the Society’s efforts to make a difference in the lives of our deaf children. None of the progress during the year would have been possible but for the commitment, dedication and efforts of our teachers, volunteers and support staff. They truly are the backbone of the Society and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their unstinting support, more often than not beyond the call of their duties.
• Notes and other information required as per Credibility Alliance’s Compliance norms: Accounts: CSED’s accounts are maintained on the mercantile basis of accounting. Copies of the complete audited accounts are available on request.

Auditors:

• SHARP & TANNAN, Chartered Accounts, Ravindra Annexe, 194, Churchgate Reclamation, Dinshaw Vacha Road, Mumbai 400 020.
• Bankers: Standard Chartered Bank, 87, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai 400 036.
• UTI Bank, Monolith, 7, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai 400 036.
• Foreign Travel: No expenditure or cost was incurred on foreign visits during the year. Governing Body: The Society’s activities are under the general superintendence and control of its Executive Committee (EC) comprising the Trustee and Hon. Chairperson, Trustee & Hon. Treasurer, Hon. Secretary and 8 other members.
• None of the aforesaid office bearers or members draws any salary, remuneration or personal allowances.
• The Chairperson is related to the Treasurer and a member of the EC. Six of the EC members are interrelated.
• Since March 2005, the EC held 3 meetings during the year, the minutes of which are duly documented and read out at the subsequent meeting.

Trustees & Office Bearers: … (full text Purpose).

The Feminist Legal Research Unit (FLRU) was established in 1993 and brings together academic staff undertaking research into issues of equality and non-discrimination from a feminist perspective … (full text Introduction).

FRLU Homepage;
Publications; Seminars, Conferences; Postgraduate Studies; Collaboration Links; Weblinks;
University Address; The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, L69 3BX, UK;
University Contact; People Contact.

Research Interest: The research interests of FLRU members span a range of fields, including Healthcare and Body Politics, Migration, the Open Method of Co-ordination, Discrimination, Domestic Violence, Children’s Rights, Employment, Family and Gender Mainstreaming. 

On gender mainstreaming the Unit has a substantial track record, having had research funding in recent years from the European Commission, the British Academy, and the Holt Educational Trust. Beveridge and Nott have published extensively in this area, including the edited collection Making Women Count: Integrating Gender into Law and Policy-making in 2000. In 2002, Beveridge co-edited a Special Edition of feminist Legal Studies on Mainstreaming gender in European Public Policy. Beveridge currently has work in press on gender in international economic institutions and on gender in the EU accession process. Nott and Stalford have published papers on gender mainstreaming in the UK and on the mainstreaming of children’s rights in the EU. Beveridge and Stalford have been involved in a British Academy-funded project on Gender Equality in Croatia (www.liverpool.ac.uk/law/ukcroatia) and the Unit has hosted visits by visiting Croatian scholars.

Significant research has also been conducted on the Open Method of Co-ordination by members of the Unit. Samantha Velluti’s research, for instance, has explored the role of OMC in the development of an EU immigration policy, while Helen Stalford is currently exploring the application of the OMC for the development of children’s rights at EU level. Fiona Beveridge and Samantha Velluti organised a one-day seminar on the theme of ‘Gender and the Open Method of Coordination’. This brought together academics and policy analysts involved in studies of the OMC’s processes and outputs to explore the contribution of OMC to EU gender policy. The aim is to produce this as an edited collection in 2008.

Many members of the unit are engaged in research on discrimination, gender and children’s rights in the context of migration. Samantha Currie has recently completed a detailed socio-legal project evaluating the experiences of Polish migrants in the UK following the 2004 EU enlargement. This includes an analysis of the extent to which women in particular have experienced significant de-skilling through the migration process. Dianne Scullion’s work evaluates the international, European and domestic legal framework relating to child trafficking into the UK, while Eleanor Drywood and Helen Stalford’s research focuses on the status of children under EU migration and asylum law. Ruth Lamont’s research considers gender implications of EU family law, with a particular focus on maternal child abduction. In 2006-7, the Unit hosted a series of workshops on the theme of ‘Gender and Migration in 21st Century Europe’ and contributions to this series will be published as an edited collection in 2008.

In domestic violence, the Unit has carried out work for Save the Children and the Countryside Agency on domestic violence services in rural areas, leading to the publication of a research report Children and Domestic Violence in Rural Areas in 2003 (Stalford, Beveridge and Baker). A full copy of the report is available for purchase from Save the Children, (www.savethechildren.org.uk). Helen Baker completed a Ph.D. on domestic violence in 2003 and continues to work in this area with a specific interest in the rights and experiences of children and the adequacy of legal and policy frameworks in meeting their needs. Her current research projects include: examining appropriate housing service responses to young homeless people, and investigating corporeality in the context of women’s experiences of domestic violence.

In body politics and healthcare law, members of the Unit have published on issues such as fertility treatments, sterilisation of women with learning difficulties, consent and forced Caesarean operations, the treatment of women in relation to mental health and the impact of women of the World Health Organisation. An edited collection of essays Well Women: the gendered nature of access to healthcare (eds. Morris and Nott) was published in 2001.

On employment equality, Anne Morris’ research explores issues of pregnancy discrimination while Helen Stalford and Sue Nott collaborated on a European Commission-funded project on ‘Equal Pay, Career Progression and the Socio-Legal Valuation of Care’ in 2003-4.

• One of the most important literary archives in Germany, holding the estates of more than 120 important figures such as Johann Wolfgang Goethe, Friedrich Schiller, Christoph Martin Wieland, Johann Gottfried Herder, Ludwig Achim, Bettina von Arnim, Franz Liszt and Friedrich Nietzsche. (on Library Thing).
• Briefwechsel zwischen Goethe und Schiller erstmals online: … Die Briefe können auf der Website des Goethe- und Schiller-Archivs gelesen werden … (SF1 online /Kultur, 27. August 2010).
• Sitemap in german.

Klassik Siftung WEIMAR: german Homepage;
Online Datenbanken: Startseite mit dem Goethe- und Schiller Archiv, dem Archiv der Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek und weiteren Quellen;
Recherchenquellen im Internet; Besucherservice; Anreise/Travel; Presse; Museums-Shop;
Google map; … und Adresse: Klassik Stiftung Weimar, Burgplatz 4, D-99423 Weimar, Deutschland;
Kontakt Klassik Stiftung Weimar; Kontakt Forschung; Kontakt Goethe- und Schiller Archiv.

Download Schatzhaus der deutschen Literatur: das Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv in Weimar, 98 pdf Seiten:
Einführung: Willkommen auf Ihrer Entdeckungsreise im »Schatzhaus der deutschen Literatur« – willkommen im Goethe- und Schiller-Archiv in Weimar! 
Als ältestes Literaturarchiv Deutschlands bietet das Goetheund Schiller-Archiv mancherlei Schätze, die es zu entdecken gilt. Dabei soll dieses Heft Ihnen die Tür zum Schatzhaus aufschließen und Einblicke gewähren in die bedeutendsten Bestände, die wichtigsten und schönsten Handschriften des Archivs. Sie können es zur Vorbereitung auf einen späteren Archivbesuch nutzen, zur Vertiefung Ihrer Erkenntnisse oder einfach als Erinnerung an das Goethe- und Schiller- Archiv Weimar mit nach Hause nehmen …

… (und weiter ganzer 98 Seiten Text in pdf).

Homepage;
Member NGOs; Resources;  Programmes; News; Medias; Staff; Donors;
Contacts.

About 2/2 … /1.1. Vision: An effective and vibrant civil society within a democratic, peaceful and sustainable Lesotho. 

1.2. Mission Statement

• To stimulate, promote and build capacity within Lesotho NGOs so that, they are stable, democratic, transparent, skilled, empowered, sustainable and responsive to their beneficiaries needs and those of the voiceless and marginalized.

1.4 Structure of LCN:

• At the helm is the Annual General Meeting (AGM) whereby the nine-member board of directors is elected. The board consist of three officer positions (President, Vice-President and Treasurer) and the six positions for sectoral representatives associated with LCN Commissions (Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Commission, Democracy and Human Rights Commission, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Relief Commission, Health and Social Development Commission, Women and Children Commission and Economic Justice). The board of directors and the Commissions are supported by a National Secretariat headed by the Executive Director who is also Ex-official to the board.

LCN Strategic Focus:

• Strengthening Civil Society
• Environment Protection and Stewardship
• Economic Justice and Social Development
• Governance and Accountability
• Empowering the Vulnerable and Marginalised
• Responding to HIV and AIDS
• Harnessing Information and Technology.

The focus is achieved through the following functions:

• Strategic Functions
• Evidence-based Advocacy
• Building Capacity
• Participatory Approach through Networking
• Resource Mobilisation.

LAC Assists People from All Walks of Life: The LAC’s main objective is to protect the human rights of all Namibians. It is the only organisation of its kind in Namibia. It has a head office in Windhoek, Namibia’s capital, along with two regional offices. It is funded by national and international donor organisations as well as individuals. Its work is supervised by the Legal Assistance Trust, whose trustees include legal practitioners, other professionals and community leaders … (about 1/2).

Homepage; Sitemap;
News; Projects; Publications; Laws; Careers; Internships; Get involved; Links, Networks;
Addresses (1 of 3): Legal Assistance Centre, Head Office, PO Box 604, 4 Korner Street, Windhoek, Namibia;
Contacts.

About 2/2: … It works in five broad areas: 

• Litigation
• Information and Advice
• Education and Training
• Research
• Law Reform and Advocacy

Litigation:

The Legal Assistance Centre is a public interest law firm based in Windhoek.The LAC only takes on public interest cases. A public interest case is a legal case which will have a wider impact on the community than just assisting the individual concerned. Such a case may establish a new legal rule, which will change the law for the entire country or address a discriminatory policy or practice. Or it may attract attention to a problem that is affecting many people.

Examples of cases taken up by the Legal Assistance Centre include:

• The right of a school learner to return to school after her child was born
• The right of an accused in a complicated criminal trial to obtain legal aid
• The right of a widow to keep the land she lived on during her marriage after the death of her husband
• The right of a HIV-positive person not to be dismissed from employment based on their HIV status

Even if we cannot help you with your case, we may be able to give you information on your rights and on steps you can take to help yourself.

Legal Information and Advice:

We provide legal information and advice on human rights in the following areas:

• HIV/AIDS – including advice on what to do if you are discriminated against, information on workplace policies, access to treatment for HIV.
• Gender Equality – including information on rape, domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace, inheritance, marriage, divorce and maintenance.
• Human Rights and the Constitution – such as the right to basic education, the right to health, citizenship, immigration issues and the right not to be tortured or ill-treated.
• Land, Environment and Development – including inheritance, conservancies, illegal fencing, environmental issues, and issues affecting especially disadvantaged groups such as the Himba and the San.

If you want to speak to a paralegal about a legal issue you are concerned about, phone us at +264-61-22-3356 or come to the office at 4 Korner Street, Windhoek. The office is open from Monday to Friday, 08h00-11h30, and 14h00-16h00.

Education and Training:

We also run training workshops for communities and service providers (such as legal officials, traditional leaders, school principals, police and social workers) on:

• Gender – friendly laws including rape and domestic violence
• Communal Land Reform Act and conservancy-related legislation
• HIV/AIDS and rights, including children’s rights
• Basic human rights training

Research:

The LAC also carries out research, particularly on the need for new laws and the implementation of existing laws. Some recent research reports which are available are:

• HIV/AIDS and Prisoners’ Rights in Namibia
• Infanticide & Baby Dumping in Namibia
• Land Reform: A look into Namibia’s first court case on land expropriation

Law Reform and Advocacy:

We advocate for law reform based on our research. Recent laws which the LAC
contributed to and advocated for are:

• Combating of Rape Act
• Combating of Domestic Violence Act
• Maintenance Act
• Non discrimination on the basis of HIV in the Labour Act

Free of Charge:

• All our services are free of charge (with the exception of litigation where certain costs may be recovered the client may be asked to contribute certain costs, depending on the circumstances).

Donations are very welcome.

Homepage;
Democracy, Human Rights; LDP page; Publications downloads; Gallery; Links; Feedbacks online;
Address: Transformation Resource Centre, P.O.Box 1388, Maseru 100, 1 Oaktree Gardens, Qoaling Road, Old Europa, Lesoto;
Contact.

About 2/2 /Background: In 1978, two years after the Soweto students uprising, one year after the death of the noted anti apartheid activist Steve Biko and the banning of many progressive Christian groups in South Africa, a South African family, Jimmy and Joan Stewart, moved to Lesotho in order to live a dream God had given them. 

Their aspiration was to establish a non-racial community which would work for peace and justice. Their call from God to serve humanity in the area of social justice marked the birth of Transformation Resource Centre (TRC).”

This journey takes us back to 1951 when a young couple, James Ecclestone Stewart and his wife Joan Alice (born Hope) arrived in Lesotho. James, or Jimmy as his friends called him, was a lawyer and Joan a teacher. Jimmy had left South Africa because he could not practise law under Apartheid. They made a living by teaching English at Pius XII College in Roma, Jim earning 5 pounds sterling. From Roma they started a journey that led them to England, USA, Kenya and Malawi before returning to Lesotho. What they left behind were crates of books which would later become the first stock in the TRC library. After teaching in Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana (USA), they returned to Africa. Jimmy took a post as lecturer in the English department at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. A few years later they left Kenya, after a crisis at the University.

The Stewart couple’s next stop was Malawi. Another job for Jimmy at Malawi University as Professor and head of the English department. In Malawi, President Kamusu Banda deported the Stewarts out of the country back to South Africa, for political incitement among University staff and students. But they never wanted to stay in South Africa. Their odyssey ended in Lesotho in the said year 1978.

Here the Stewarts shared their vision with others. They consulted with delegates to a conference of the Inter-Regional Meeting of the Catholic Bishops in Southern Africa, which was held in 1978 in Lesotho. Archbishop Mandla Zwane of Swaziland supported the couple as they laid their plans. The late Archbishop of Maseru, A.L.Morapeli, made a pledge to help TRC with the task of fundraising. This is how the dream took shape.

First, the Assembly Bible College and then the St. Joseph`s High School gave them accommodation. There the Stewarts began to unpack the books which they had left behind so many years ago. They started writing and praying with the Dominican monks in Maseru. They also made friends with the South African refugee community. They received help from the Dominican brothers and from some of Lesotho`s leaders who had been Jimmy`s students in the 1950s. The consultation to form an ecumenical organisation also took Jimmy to Mophatong oa Morija, where he met and had discussions with one Rev. S.  Nthabane and the late Edgar Motuba who was the editor of the Leselinyane La Lesotho newspaper.

The refugee community: … (full long text).

A project of the Chr. Michelsen Institute CMI, Research for Development and Justice, Bergen, Norway.
The U4 Anti-Corruption Resource Centre assists donor practitioners in more effectively addressing corruption challenges through their development support. U4 serves eight development agencies: Norad (Norway), DFID (UK), CIDA (Canada), GTZ (Germany), MinBuZa (the Netherlands), Sida (Sweden), BTC (Belgium) and AusAID (Australia) (view partner agencies’ contact details) by providing resources and services … (about 1/2).

Homepage; Sitemap;
Partner Agencies; Feedback online;
Addresses: Postal Address: CMI-U4, PO Box 6033 Postterminalen, 5892 Bergen, Norway;
Visiting Address: Jekteviksbakken 31, Bergen, Norway;
Contacts.

About 2/2: … Through this extensive online resource centre, we guide users to relevant anti-corruption resources, including our own applied research (Themes), and we communicate the work of the U4 partner agencies through a searchable database of projects and initiatives.

We also offer a Help Desk service and provide online as well as in-country training on anti-corruption measures and strategies for partner agencies and their counterparts.

Who runs U4?

The U4 Resource Centre is operated by the Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI), Bergen, Norway – a private social science research foundation working on issues of development and human rights. The web server and the core team behind U4 are based at CMI.

The Transparency International Secretariat in Berlin is is responsible for the U4 Help Desk.

Background

• The Resource Centre was initially established in 2002 as a result of the so-called ‘Utstein-partnership’ which begun in 1999 with an initiative taken by the ministers of international development from the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and the UK to formalise their cooperation. High on the priority list was anti-corruption.
• Sweden (Sida) and Canada (CIDA) joined as U4 partners in 2005, and since then the U4 Resource Centre has outlived the original political-level ‘Utstein-cooperation’, and continues to provide focused, donor relevant information and services to its partner agencies. BTC (Belgium) and AusAid (Australia) became funding U4 partners in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is an independent centre for research on international development and policy. CMI was founded in 1930, and is located in Bergen, Norway. CMI conducts both applied and theoretical research, and has a multidisciplinary profile anchored in four thematic research groups: … (about 1/2).

Homepage;
Staff; Strategy; Research; Research Partners; News, Events; Working Papers; Publications; Conference Papers; Library; History;
Address: Chr. Michelsen Institute, P.O. Box 6033, Jekteviksbakken 31, N-5892 Bergen, Norway;
Contact.

About 2/2: … The geographical focus is Sub-Saharan Africa, Southern and Central Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, see world map of CMI’s activities. 

Brochure in pdf: CMI07:

CMI research aims to inform and influence policy, and to contribute to the public discourse on international development issues. CMI has an extensive network of research partners, and works in close co-operation with researchers in the South.

The 40 CMI researchers are social scientists, mainly anthropologists, economists and political scientists. Several CMI researchers have substantial experience from operational work in developing countries and in international organisations. CMI puts much emphasis on broad country competence and regional capacity as well as insight into development processes in the South.

CMI has wide experience in evaluating aid projects, programmes, organisations and strategies. The institute has led numerous large international multidisciplinary studies

Research communication is an integrated part of the research process. CMI adheres to an open access policy, and makes all publications available full text online and is a memeber of BORA.

The institute is committed to quality and relevance, and puts strong emphasis on reaching its core target groups through tailor-made outputs. There is a strong emphasis on publications in international refereed journals to ensure and maintain a high academic standard … (full text).

openDemocracy is committed to human rights and democracy. We aim to ensure that marginalised views and voices are heard. We believe facilitating argument and understanding across geographical boundaries is vital to preventing injustice … (about 1/2 /our Values).

Homepage;
Team; Submit an article; Supporters; Jobs; Donate; New: Ethical Politics; Forums;
openEconomy; 50:50; openIndia; ourKingdom; oD Russia; openSecurity;
Address: openDemocracy Ltd, PO Box 49799, London, WC1X 8XA, UK;
Contact.

About 2/2 … /Our mission: openDemocracy publishes high quality news analysis, debates and blogs about the world and the way we govern ourselves. 

We are not about any one set of issues, but about principles and the arguments and debates about those principles. openDemocracy believes there is an urgent need for a global culture of views and argument that is:

• Serious, thoughtful and attractively written
• Accessible to all
• Open to ideas and submissions from anywhere, part of a global human conversation that is not distorted by parochial national interests.
• Original and creative, able to propose and debate solutions to the real problems that we all face.

…//

… Our work

• We publish daily on our main site http://www.opendemocracy.net, with our small team of staff and dedicated volunteers.
• openDemocracy also encourages submissions from new and established writers, wherever they are and whatever the topic. All submissions are reviewed by our group of editors who decide on publication.
• openDemocracy encourages special editorial projects which are part of openDemocracy but are run autonomously with their own funding.
• Current editorial projects include: openDemocracyRussia, OurKingdom, openEconomy, 50.50, openIndia and others.
• We also publish printed Collections of openDemocracy articles on selected themes – six times a year. See openDemocracy Collections.

Our history

• openDemocracy was launched in May 2001, before 9/11. We said the world needed a wider and wiser debate on globalisation, with contributors from every country.
• The site won an international readership with its response to the attacks on New York and Washington. The authority and quality of openDemocracy is now recognised and respected everywhere.
• Its first editor in chief was Anthony Barnett. He was succeeded by Isabel Hilton. Tony Curzon Price became editor in chief in 2007.

Our status

• openDemocracy.net is published by openDemocracy Limited, a UK registered company limited by guarantee and wholly owned by the openDemocracy Foundation for the Advancement of Global Education.
• We operate as a non-profit body with the support of a number of trusts and foundations as well as individuals.
• In the UK you can support openDemocracy with charitable grants and gifts to the openDemocracy programme of The Open Trust, a UK registered charity.
• In the USA, it can be supported with gifts or grants to openDemocracy (USA) Incorporated, an independent 501(c)(3) with an openDemocracy programme.

… (full text).

Homepage/Accueil;
Aims, Objectives; News; Spin-Space; Industry Events; Projects; People; Membership; Links; Support;
Address physique: VANSA WESTERN CAPE VANSA’s Spin Space Gallery, NO 8 Spin Street, Cape Town, 8002, South Africa;
(postal: P.O. BOX 15086, Vlaeberg, 8001, South Africa);
Contact.

Who we are 2/2: … /History: VANSA was formed by leading figures in the visual arts sector from across South Africa in 2003 in response to the absence of a national structure that could represent the interests of the sector and systematically and constructively address the historical imbalances (in terms of access and opportunity) that continue to characterise the sector. 

VANSA Today:

The Network has positioned itself as being a body that pursues five key areas of activity:

• Promoting and supporting networking and the sharing of information and opportunity within the visual arts sector
• Creating a variety of platforms for the sector to discuss critical issues and opportunities for the sector
• Facilitating opportunities for the professional development of visual arts practitioners in relation to the evolving demands of professional practice in South Africa and internationally
• Consulting with the sector, and where necessary, conducting researching into critical needs within the sector
• Constructively engaging government and the private sector with regard to government and corporate policies which impact on the sector, and identifying and pursuing areas of mutual benefit

What do we do?

Governance: VANSA is a voluntary association governed by a constitution and registered as a non-profit organisation. VANSA is registered with SARS for tax exempt status and is  a section 21 company.

Co-ordination: VANSA is co-ordinated through regional committees who meet, for the most, regularly. Two representatives from each committee sit on a national executive committee, which also has representation from membership-based organisations within the visual arts. The National Executive Committee can invite other individuals or organisations onto the NEC at its discretion. The latter meets four times a year and communicates and takes decisions via telephone and email at other times. Each committee is made up of volunteer members – all of them leaders in many respects and active members of the visual arts community. A National Co-ordinator has been contracted who is responsible for driving the realistion of the organisation’s plans and programmes at a national level. Provincial co-ordinators are contracted on the basis of available resources within a region to drive initiatives and programmes at a provincial level.

Some of the things we have done: … (full text).

Homepage;
Elections, politics; Conflict management; Balloting; Country profiles; Datas, analysis; Election calendar; Links; Donors;
Addresses /Physical: EISA, Head Office, 14 Park Road, Richmond, Johannesburg, South Africa;
/Postal: BP 1221, Kinshasa 1, République Démocratique du Congo;
Contact.

About 2/2: … /Vision: An African continent where democratic governance, human rights and citizen participation are upheld in a peaceful environment.

Mission statement:

EISA strives for excellence in the promotion of credible elections, participatory democracy, human rights culture, and the strengthening of governance institutions for the consolidation of democracy in Africa.

Board of directors:

• EISA is governed by a Board of Directors. It also enjoys the patronage of Sir Ketumile Masire (Botswana).

Executive Director:

• Mr Denis Kadima took up the position of Executive Director of EISA in December 2002. Before this, he worked for the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) from January 2001 to November 2002 as the Senior Programme Manager in Windhoek, Namibia and Resident Director in Lesotho. Since joining EISA, Mr Kadima has expanded the organisation’s geographic and programmatic scope, which now covers the whole of Africa and encompasses not only elections but also selected areas in the field of democracy and governance. Mr Kadima is currently completing a PhD on political party coalitions in Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. He founded EISA’s accredited Journal of African Elections and has published extensively on elections, democracy and governance. Mr Kadima speaks French, English and basic Portuguese. (Email – online – the Executive Director).

Programme areas – EISA works in a number of programme areas, including:

• Democracy, conflict management and electoral education
• Elections and political processes
• Balloting and electoral services
• Governance (political partes, APRM, institutions of governance and local governance)
• Online Democracy Encyclopedia
• Research and information (including a specialised library and in house publications)

Support services:
Program activities are supported by a number of programme officers in special focus areas:

• Research
• Library
• Publications
• ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies)
• Finance and Administration

EISA NAME CHANGE: … (full text about).

Tiri is an independent non-governmental organisation that works with governments, business and civil society to find practical solutions to making integrity work. Improvements in integrity offer perhaps the single largest opportunity for sustainable and equitable development worldwide … (Who we are 1/2).

Homepage; Sitemap;
Where we are; What we do; How we work; Where we work; Jobs; Volunteering, Internships;
Addresses (1 of 4): TIRI, 3rd floor, Downstream Building, 1 London Bridge, London SE1 9BG, UK;
Contact.

Who we are 2/2 /Mission: … Integrity is an essential component of sustainable development, of the safeguarding of human rights, of strengthening democracy and of poverty reduction. To achieve these aims, we work to raise standards of integrity in specific institutions by promoting and facilitating a growing network of reform leaders, specialists, and policy practitioners informed by sound and objective evidence. 

Meaning of Tiri:

Tiri is a Maori (New Zealand) word rich in meaning. Its meanings include the protection of society by the removal of no-go areas (taboos) and the lifting of prohibitions or obstructions. It can also mean the scattering of seeds to bring forth a new generation.

In the Shona language spoken in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique, and Zambia Tiri means “how many are we?”

History:

Tiri was created in October 2003 by individuals who played major roles in anti-corruption awareness raising and standard setting since the early 1990s. Tiri has grown from an initial idea – namely that the needs and demands of integrity reform had become qualitatively different by 2003 with the advent of the UN Convention Against Corruption – to a growing NGO responding to the interests and priorities of its partners and stakeholders.

Tiri’s core strategy and approach were developed in 2003 following consultations with a number of professionals and organisations in the fields of anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability reform.  The strategy has been refined, but the core principles have remained the same.  Tiri is committed to developing high impact initiatives based on four core principles: 1. organisational learning; 2. sustainability; 3. scalability; and 4. measurement.

Tiri has established three major, innovative programs, and supported a range of smaller initiatives and interventions addressing some of the major priorities in the anti-corruption and pro-integrity reform movements:

• In 2004 we started the Public Integrity Education Network (PIEN). PIEN addresses the capacity gap of reform by facilitating a growing global network of universities committed to providing evidence-based courses on public integrity and reform.
• In 2005 we initiated the Network for Integrity in Reconstruction (NIR), working with NGOs from eight post-war countries and major aid agencies to address the particular integrity and corruption challenges and opportunities of post-war reconstruction.
• In 2006 we launched integrity@workTM, an interactive DVD-based tool to raise ethical competences in the public sector.

In addition to these programmes, Tiri has also facilitated pilot initiatives in other areas and worked with a wide-ranging client base of governments, NGOs, businesses and inter-governmental organisations.

• … In 1997, the PSI Congress further regionalised the organisation of PSI. Regional Committees were given executive powers and in each of the regions (Africa and Arab countries, Asia and the Pacific, Inter-America and Europe), regional offices and sub-regional constituencies have been established.
• Together, the PSI staff in the regions and sub-regions work to facilitate organisation and closer communication with PSI affiliates. There are four regional groupings, as represented in the map to the right. (full text about).

english Homepage; Sitemap;
Meetings and Networks; Policy Issues; Campaigns; Resource Centre; Help;
Contact online.

Join: … Who can join PSI? PSI membership is open to unions and other organisations for people employed in national, regional and local government:  

health, environmental and social services; gas, electricity and water; waste removal, processing and recycling services; educational, cultural and recreational services; construction and maintenance of roads and buildings; and other bodies whose function is to provide services to the public. Membership (also known as affiliation) is also open to organisations representing employees in international agencies established by associations of states or government authorities.

Why should we join PSI?

The trade union movement is by far the largest democratic movement in the world. PSI is the acknowledged representative of public sector workers within this movement. We want to join our voice with yours at local level, and to join yours with ours at the international level. In doing so we are building a strong and united network for:

• Imagequality public services
• Imagetrade union rights
• Imagegender equality and employment equity
• Imagepublic alternatives to privatisation
• Imagesocial justice in the workplace
• Imagepoverty reduction and debt relief
• How much will it cost us?

The formula for calculating PSI’s annual affiliation fees is 0.895€ multiplied by the number of members eligible for PSI coverage multiplied by the “country index” (see below).

The indexation is based on Gross National Product figures produced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Those affiliates whose Gross National Product figure is below the world average have their fees reduced to the percentage figure resulting from dividing their national figure by the world average, to the nearest of five index bands (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%).  … (full text Join).

UNICORN works with trade unions around the world to combat bribery and corruption (Homepage and Highlights).

Trade Unions; News; Reports; External reports; Resolutions; Newsletter; IntFin; Action; Links;
Address: UNICORN INTERNATIONAL NETWORK LIMITED, Hardie Caldwell LLP, Citypoint 2, 25 Tyndrum Street, GLASGOW, G4 0JY, UK;
Contact.

About 2/2: UNICORN makes a unique contribution to the global fight against bribery and corruption by mobilising the strengths of the trade union movement. 

Bribery and corruption distort political and economic decision-making, leading to a misallocation of resources. This undermines democracy, impedes development, damages the environment, erodes governance, reduces the quality of public services and denies citizens their civil, political, economic and social rights. In the workplace, bribery and corruption threaten workers’ rights, safety and jobs and create climates of fear.

Winning the fight against bribery and corruption depends on the involvement of people on-the-ground: at work and in the community.  Trade unions, as representatives of millions of public and private sector workers and members of civil society, have a crucial role to play.

UNICORN works with trade unions around the world to combat bribery and corruption by increasing awareness and use of anti-corruption instruments, campaigning for measures to protect whistleblowers and supporting trade union anti-corruption activities.

UNICORN also strives to strengthen the links between trade unions and the anti-corruption community.

Funding:

UNICORN is financed by grants from charitable trusts. It also receives in-kind support from trade unions.

Publish What You Pay PWYP is a global civil society coalition that helps citizens of resource-rich developing countries hold their governments accountable for the management of revenues from the oil, gas and mining industries. Natural resource revenues are an important source of income for governments of over 50 developing countries. When properly managed these revenues should serve as a basis for poverty reduction, economic growth and development rather than exacerbating corruption, conflict and social divisiveness … (full text about).

Homepage;
Objectives; History; Governance; Activities; Where; Resources; News; Blog; Staff; Jobs; FAQs; Funding;
Address: Publish What You Pay, c/o Open Society Foundation – London, 4th Floor, Cambridge House, 100 Cambridge Grove, London W6 0LE, UK;
Contact.

Mission: A global campaign for revenue transparency in the oil, gas & mining industries.

Despite billions of dollars of incoming revenues from oil, gas and mining extraction, citizens of more than 50 resource rich countries (1) around the world remain steeped in poverty. If governments managed these revenues transparently and effectively, they could serve as a basis for successful economic growth and poverty reduction. This has proved to be the exception rather than the rule.

Governments and other institutions that manage these resources are often weak and, in practice, unaccountable to the parliaments and citizens of their countries. Many resource-rich countries are kleptocracies, where officials rule by force to steal from the proceeds of natural resource extraction. The extractive industry is associated with high levels of corruption (2). Oil and mining companies have, on occasion, engaged in corrupt practices (e.g. payment of bribes) in order to secure contracts or to gain influence over public officials. Revenues from resource extraction are very often not disclosed by the governments or the companies involved; in some cases this information is a state secret. This lack of accountability facilitates embezzlement, corruption and revenue misappropriation. In extreme cases, access to resources can fuel and sustain national and regional conflicts, thereby weakening governments and institutions furthermore. Such disorder is exploited to facilitate further large-scale misappropriation of state assets.

The call for companies to “publish what you pay” and for governments to “publish what you earn” is a necessary first step towards a more accountable system for the management of natural resource revenues. If companies disclose what they pay, and governments disclose their receipts of such revenues, then members of civil society in resource-rich countries will be able to compare the two and thus hold their governments accountable for the management of this valuable source of income. Revenue transparency will also help civil society groups to work towards a democratic debate over the effective use and allocation of resource revenues and public finance in order to meet development objectives, improve public services, and redistribute income.

Mining, gas and oil companies cannot control how governments spend taxes, royalties and fees. But they do have a responsibility to disclose the payments they make so citizens can hold their governments accountable. Companies that fail to do so are complicit in the disempowerment of the people of the countries to which the resources belong. Transparency will strengthen companies’ social “licence to operate”, by demonstrating their economic contribution to society, and increase the likelihood that the revenues they pay to governments will be used for sustainable development – which creates a stable business environment – rather than being wasted or diverted by corruption, which exacerbates social divisions and can lead to weak and unstable states and conflict.

There is now wide international consensus in favour of increased transparency in the extractive sector as evidenced by, for example, the immense support from governments, companies, investors, financial institutions and civil society for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) (3) . Mandating disclosure of payments and revenues is consistent with this consensus and can be achieved by way of simple and logical adjustments to existing company law, accounting standards, stock exchange disclosure rules, and the lending conditions of international financial institutions, regional development banks, export credit agencies and private sector banks.

Accordingly, the Publish What You Pay coalition calls on: … (full text Mission).

All pages have the same URL. Find Homepage, About, Programmes, Topics, Publications, Employment, Newsletter, FAQs, Donate, Contact.

More About IDASA: It has been said that an understanding of the past is the only reliable guide for the future. South Africans would do well to be reminded of that. As a nation South Africans are expert at complaining mightily about the present and compulsively predicting the future, but it seems share a collective amnesia when it comes to the past. 

Smoothing over the sharp edges of history is one thing; ignoring memory is short-sighted. Anniversaries are times for celebrating, they are also opportunities to look back and take stock.

The 1980s – and South Africa was in turmoil. The apartheid security forces were engaged in a determined campaign to suppress almost daily guerrilla attacks on strategic installations and to curb the upsurge of popular resistance that had grown since the 1983 launch of the United Democratic Front. The government’s arsenal of detentions, shootings, bannings and repeated states of emergency was met with the mass movement’s “Make South Africa Ungovernable” campaign.

Against this backdrop of mounting violence and repression, Dr Alex Boraine and Dr Frederik van Zyl Slabbert made their decision in 1986 to resign as members of parliament. This was their protest against the bankruptcy of whites-only government and the politics of exclusion and repression. It expressed a widely felt frustration with piecemeal National Party-dominated reform efforts which were being seen as the last desperate attempts of the apartheid government to maintain white domination in the face of international and local resistance.

Travelling throughout the country and abroad to consult a wide cross-section of political leaders, including O. R. Tambo, president of the then-banned ANC, they solicited support for the conclusion they were coming to — that they could play a more effective role in the struggle to end apartheid from outside parliament, by bringing together South Africans from across the racial, political and economic divides to explore the idea of a democratic alternative.

The result was the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa or Idasa, which opened its first office in Port Elizabeth on 1 November 1986 and held its official launch at a conference in Port Elizabeth on 8-9 May 1987. Its aim – to find an alternative way to address the polarisation between black and white South Africans. Its mission – to assist a peaceful transition to democracy in the country and foster and strengthen a culture of democracy.

It seemed unthinkable at the time, and indeed immediately drew harsh criticism from many quarters — from the state, vitriolic anger; from the mass democratic movement and many of its allies, scorn and cynicism about Idasa’s faith in negotiations in the face of the state’s onslaught. “In 1987, the politics of coercion and co-option held full sway. Negotiation politics was not an option. The ANC and others were banned, and exiled organisations were demonised and marginalised,” wrote Boraine, Idasa’s first Executive Director … (full text).

News; Infos; Campaigns; Structures; Leadership; Forum; Links (our articles); History;
Addresses 1 of 6): AZAPO, Head Office, Suite 1900, 19th Floor, Kine Centre, 141 Commissioner Street, Johannesburg, 2001, South Africa;
Contact.

THE DANGERS OF TENDERPRENEURSHIP: On a recent visit to one of Gauteng’s top shopping malls, I collided with an old friend and comrade, who I used to serve with in the AZAPO student wing, AZASCO. 

Very excited to see each other, after almost ten years, we exchanged greetings and I found myself confessing ”eish! m’fethu ucishe wang’baizisa”. And by this, I actually meant he had gained so much weight I almost didn’t recognise him. And unwittingly, he reacted “it’s the good life chief, the good life”.

I then decided to enquire what he meant by the ”good life”, he proudly told me: ”Chief, you are still asking! Didn’t they tell you! Hey, uyadlala wena! I own a five bed roomed house with a pool in Jozi north, I am an executive in a BEE company and chief, you don’t want to know what I drive”. Out of pity for my ears, I didn’t bother to ask hoping that he would stop now because I had just heard enough now.

Just when I thought this ostentatious cabaret was coming to an end, my friend, then holding up his hands like a Mafia boss about to tutor a novice, looked me in the eye and said: ”Chief, you have brains but you will remain brilliant and poor for as long as you are in AZAPO, I don’t know what you’re waiting for” … (full text).

Sitemap;
About Yale Global; Global Trade Reform; Activities; Workshops; Core Issues; Staff;
Address: The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization, Betts House, 393 Prospect Street, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA;
Contact.

Homepage/About: The Yale Center for the Study of Globalization (YCSG) was launched in the fall of 2001 to enrich the debate about globalization on campus and to promote the flow of ideas between Yale and the policy world.

The programs and activities of the Center share a common purpose and aim toward one or more goals, all serving to stimulate discussion and examination of the core issues and to connect individuals and institutions whose work contributes to the debate on globalization. Central to YCSG’s goals is to link academia and the policy world.

A range of international projects and collaborations allow us to increase our impact outside the University, while within the Yale community YCSG serves to connect people and ideas and seeks to invigorate academic interchange. Our efforts are motivated by a desire to understand globalization and the institutions and policies needed to enhance it as a force for good.

The Center’s multimedia flagship publication, YaleGlobal Online, multiplies the effects of the internal and external dimensions of our program. It is through YaleGlobal that we disseminate information to an audience much wider than that of the specialist and contribute to the general intellectual enterprise of understanding globalization.

All of the Center’s programs focus on and are driven by our core mission. Our ideal is that in the course of our work we would encourage the generation of ideas and concrete proposals that will result in enabling the poorest and weakest peoples to participate in the opportunities presented by globalization.

• The Guide: This online guide provides detailed information on hundreds of private charities around the country. This unique charities rating resource is intended to be a reference for charities and donors alike, encouraging good practices and prudent investments.
• The Award: This $10,000 grand prize is awarded once a year to an exceptional and privately funded nonprofit that fosters deep personal change in the individuals they serve. A comprehensive application makes an organization eligible for the Award and enters it in the Samaritan Guide.
• (Homepage and News).

Award Winners; Excellent Non-Profits; Methodology; Resources; The Acton Institute;
Contact.

FAQs … /Objectives: What is the objective of the Samaritan Award and Guide? The last forty years of federal welfare programs have taught us that, in general, such programs are not only ineffective in helping vulnerable populations, but often make social problems worse. 

Despite multi-trillion dollar expenditures in these programs since the 1960s, poverty rates are largely unchanged. Worse, a variety of social pathologies, from an explosion of single family homes to intergenerational poverty and domestic violence can be linked to the very programs designed to solve such problems.

The problem is not a lack of good intentions. The problem is that large, impersonal, government bureaucracies with little accountability are the wrong instruments to meet the needs of our most vulnerable fellow citizens. All things being equal, the charities closest to the problem are most likely to succeed in solving the problem. Unfortunately, the reach of federal programs is now so extensive that even many private charities are, in effect, part of the system itself.

The objective of the Samaritan Award and Guide is to encourage and highlight charities that succeed without large amounts of government funding. Our hope is to show that, in general, private, personal, faith-based charities outperform federally funded welfare programs.

Why does Acton run this charities rating program? … //

… What is the Samaritan Award?

The annual Samaritan Awards identifies and rewards programs that exemplify the Seven Principles of Effective Compassion and demonstrate accountability and transparency. These exceptional charities help individuals break the cycle of dependency by providing help that is direct, personal, and accountable.

The Samaritan Award also serves as the entry point to the Samaritan Guide … (full text).

• The W.K. Kellogg Foundation supports children, families, and communities as they strengthen and create conditions that propel vulnerable children to achieve success as individuals and as contributors to the larger community and society.
• Values: … (Who we are 1/2).

Homepage;
What we support; Grants; Knowledge Center; FAQs, Glossary; Employment; Catalog;
Address: W.K. Kellogg Foundation, One Michigan Avenue East, Battle Creek, MI 49017-4012, USA;
Contacts.

Who we are 2/2 /the foundation: … The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was established in 1930 by breakfast cereal pioneer W.K. Kellogg, who defined its purpose as “…administering funds for the promotion of the welfare, comfort, health, education, feeding, clothing, sheltering and safeguarding of children and youth, directly or indirectly, without regard to sex, race, creed or nationality.…”  To guide current and future trustees and staff, he said, “Use the money as you please so long as it promotes the health, happiness and well-being of children.”

The foundation receives its income primarily from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Trust, which was set up by Mr. Kellogg.  In addition to its diversified portfolio, the trust continues to own substantial equity in the Kellogg Company. While the company and the foundation have enjoyed a long-standing relationship, the foundation is governed by its own independent board of trustees. The foundation receives its income primarily from the trust’s investments.

Over the years, the Kellogg Foundation’s programming has continued to evolve, striving to remain innovative and responsive to the ever-changing needs of society. Today, the organization ranks among the world’s largest private foundations, awarding grants in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and southern Africa (In 2009, we closed our office in Pretoria, South Africa and are no longer accepting unsolicited proposals there).

Where we work: … (full text about).

LINK seeks to stimulate debate and share lessons on rural innovation policy and practice through research and advisory services. (left column).

Homepage and latest news;
Research; Fodder Experiment; Benchmarking; Discussion Papers; Partners; Links;
Address: LINK Secretariat, 8-2-608/1/2, Karama Enclave, Banjara Hills, Road No 10, Hyderabad 500 034, INDIA;
Contact.

About /overview: /OVERVIEW – The work of LINK is a response to three issues: 

• 1.The new demands placed on public policy by emerging realities in the rural sector, where globalisation, technological change, ecological concerns, migration and agricultural multi-functionality call for the reconfiguration of capacities for resilience and innovation
• 2.The policy and operational challenges presented by a systems understanding of innovation
• 3.The need to bridge the gap between innovation studies and the planning process in national and international arenas. The work of LINK falls into four major areas, the key features of which are as follows:

1. Research:

The central research thrust of LINK is the elaboration of a contemporary understanding of rural/agricultural innovation capacity and its policy implications for enabling innovation.
Research in East Africa has investigated innovation response and resilience capacity in the livestock sector — response to markets and response to droughts and disease outbreaks. Related research in India has explored innovation capacity in mango export systems — responses to new market opportunities and quality standards.

Research in West Africa has explored innovation processes associated with the promotion of NERICA rice. In India a study has been undertaken on the role of tacit knowledge in livestock sector innovation.
Currently the main focus of LINK’s research is a large-scale, multi-site action research experiment to explore ways of strengthening fodder innovation capacity. The experiment, funded by UK’s DFID, has been undertaken with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and a large array of implementation agencies.

2. Benchmarking and Policy Dialogues:

Systems perspectives on innovation capacity suggest that traditional science and technology indicators are not an adequate way of generating information on existing capacities for innovation policy. Alternatives options to generate information for benchmarking purposes and international comparisons are discussed in the literature and these include: consultation, policy and business climate reviews, foresight and visioning. However, the use of these approaches is in its infancy — particularly for the rural sector, where levels of investment in agricultural research remain the principle tool used to track capacity.

LINK is backstopping its Latin American partner CONDESAN to undertake a synthesis of rural innovation practice in the Andean region. LINK’s South Asia partner is experimenting with innovation capacity benchmarking approaches, including policy dialogues, with funding from IDRC. A similar initiative is planned in East Africa with LINK’s partner ACTS. The vision of these initiatives is for these to mature into a more permanent architecture of institutional and policy learning on rural innovation.

3. Advisory Services: … (full long text).