Global Health and International Development PR

Fwd: African Nations Take Loans to Advance Towards Millennium Development Goals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 11:01:00 +0000

Eight African nations announced that they are taking on $104 million in zero-interest loans to combat extreme poverty, improve public health and achieve more sustainable development. I've copied the release below for more information.

The loans will finance three major programs:

· Scale-ups of existing Millennium Villages Project sites in Mali, Senegal and Uganda

· A new, flagship Sustainable Villages Program in Chad, Mozambique, and Sudan

· Implementation of the Drylands Initiative, which builds resiliency to climate change, in Djibouti, Somalia and Uganda

The Earth Institute, led by its Millennium Development Goals Centers in East and West Africa, and Millennium Promise, will provide similar guidance to the nations involved in the new initiative; however, acceptance of this loan signifies a tremendous commitment on the part of African countries to take ownership over progress towards development and attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

ISLAMIC DEVELOPMENT BANK AND EARTH INSTITUTE PARTNER TO MEET MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN RURAL AFRICA

JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA, August 13, 2013: The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Earth Institute (Columbia University) formed a partnership in 2011 to work with African nations to support their efforts to end extreme poverty. The IsDB and the Earth Institute and its partner, Millennium Promise, are pleased to announce that the IsDB and its poverty reduction arm, the Islamic Solidarity Fund for Development (ISFD), have now extended more than $100 million in financing to help eight African nations combat extreme poverty, improve public health and achieve more sustainable development.

In each of these projects, host governments will partner with the IsDB, the Earth Institute and Millennium Promise to carry out the projects. The Earth Institute, led by its Millennium Development Goals Centers in East and West Africa, and Millennium Promise, will provide technical, operational and scientific guidance to the nations involved in the new initiative.

"The Islamic Development Bank is showing great and innovative leadership in addressing poverty in its member states," said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute. "In these new programs, the bank is applying cutting-edge methods to the fight against poverty, hunger and disease. It is a privilege and honor to be working along with the IsDB on this bold undertaking."

The combined $104 million will finance three major programs:

· The ISFD's new flagship Sustainable Villages Program (SVP) in Chad, Mozambique, and Sudan ($40 million)

· Scale-ups of the Millennium Villages Project in Mali, Senegal and Uganda ($29 million)

· Implementation of the Drylands Initiative in Djibouti, Somalia and Uganda ($35 million)

Spearheading the financing initiative is IsDB's president, Dr. Ahmad Mohamed Ali, who explained, "Alleviating poverty is part of the IsDB's Mission, and it will be better achieved if we cooperate with parties that have successful experience in the field. This is why IsDB, many member countries of which are among the least developed in the world, is partnering with the Earth Institute, which brings rich practical expertise that will help us ensure that our financing is effective."

The $104 million will be provided in the form of Islamic finance (long-term repayments at zero interest rates) to the recipient countries, except in the case of a grant provided to Somalia. All of these countries are members of the bank.

"This new partnership between the Islamic Development Bank, Earth Institute, Millennium Promise, the MDG Centers and the eight Africa nations is a true measure of the steadfast commitment of all to achieve the Millennium Development Goals," said Amadou Niang, director of the MDG Centre for West Africa. "The countries have seen first-hand the impacts of the Millennium Villages project. The fact that they are now taking loans to bring lessons learned to scale across nations is tremendous testament to their ownership of the development program. We are very proud to work with these nations and the Islamic Development Bank to scale-up and help realize their vision and dedication to the MDGs."

The Islamic Development Bank's Sustainable Villages Project^[1] builds on the experience gained over the past seven years in the Millennium Village Project (MVP, www.millenniumvillages.org), as well as the bank's long-standing and extensive work throughout Africa in fighting poverty. Both the MVP and SVP include an integrated package of science-based services and technologies to help rural African communities to improve public health, agriculture, education and standard of living.

For the SVP, the Millennium Villages Project team will provide technical and operational advice to the governments of Sudan, Chad and Mozambique in Africa, and Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia, where the Sustainable Villages Project will be carried out. The aims are to accelerate deployment and implementation of innovative technologies and ensure that lessons learned in the Millennium Villages inform the design of the new programs, and that the systems in health, education and agriculture are up to national and international standards.

In support of the request of the bank's member countries, the IsDB is also providing financing to Mali, Senegal and Uganda to scale-up the existing Millennium Village work with the help of the Millennium Villages Project.

In addition, the Islamic Development Bank will be financing dryland nations including Djibouti, Somalia and Uganda, all facing tremendous sustainable development challenges, to implement interventions aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals and increasing resilience to droughts and other climate shocks. The Millennium Villages project will provide both advice and technical development expertise to the nations.

"Millennium Village interventions can be adapted to improve lives in even the most challenging contexts," said Belay Begashaw, director of the MDG Centre for East Africa. "Our long-term solution to boosting resilience of communities to weather shocks and diminishing the reliance on emergency relief is now serving as an important model for many parts of Africa beyond the current MVP host countries. Best practices and cutting-edge technologies of the MVP will now support the regional effort to escape the scourges of extreme poverty and famine. We are proud to work with IsDB on this exciting effort."

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Maternal care and provision in South Sudan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 Aug 2013 08:55:00 +0000

Giving birth in South Sudan, a matter of life and death

Women in the community of Ikotos face treacherous journey into motherhood

Poor infrastructure and capacity to provide access to maternal care in South Sudan means that only 19- % of births are attended by a skilled medical worker, according to emerge poverty free, a charity committed to poverty alleviation.

All Nations Christian Care (ANCC), a partner of emerge poverty free working in Ikotos, South Sudan, found that lack of access to basic medical services and poor preparation during pregnancy results in dangerous home deliveries, in a country with one of the highest rates of maternal mortality in the world.

Due to a limited number of health care centres, only 35% of women in Ikotos have access to maternity medical facilities.

Preparations during pregnancy are poor because would-be mothers need to continue agricultural work right up until they go into labour. A result of this is that many pregnant women are not attending regular clinical check-ups and, some mothers are caught unaware when going into labour.

The most urgently needed medical supplies for clinics are- birthing kits, hospital beds, antibiotics, and disinfectant. Other recommendations from ANCC include educating communities on proper nutrition, birth preparation, and personal hygiene, as well as the benefits of pregnant women knowing their HIV/ AIDS status.

In Ikotos, a town in the East of South Sudan, ANCC discovered that limited means of transport and poor infrastructure further complicate the provision of maternal care.

Poor data collection on birth rates, due to the civil war, a lack of resources, qualified personnel and resistance from the local community, causes yet more issues. Commenting, ANCC said: "There is reluctance by the new mother's to balance trust between the rigid traditions and the modern health practices".

Commenting on the plight of pregnant women in Ikotos, Jeremy Horner, Director of emerge poverty free, said:

"For these women, the extent to which they can access basic medical services can potentially be the difference between life and death. Women in Ikotos, South Sudan, face poor access to even the most basic medical services, and are expected to carry out physically taxing work throughout their pregnancy".

emerge poverty free (Registered Charity no. 1045672) is a small yet highly effective charity based in the UK. We empower people across the world to overcome poverty.

ANCC have been working across Eastern Africa since the 1980s, supporting vulnerable social groups affected by war.

Mother and child, Ikotos village, South Sudan

Fwd: Global Data Collection is Hiding the Truth about the Health of Ethnic Minorities

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 09:11:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8^th August

Data Collection is Hiding the Truth about the Health of Ethnic Minorities

A new report calling for health data to be broken down by ethnicity has been published by international development organisation Health Poverty Action, ahead of the International Day of the World's Indigenous People this Friday.

Health Poverty Action is calling for the measurement of any new goals on health and wider development to be broken down by ethnicity in the run up to the UN high level meeting on the new framework for international development in September. In May the High Level Panel report, which will inform the UN's deliberations, called for a 'data revolution,' but it failed to make a clear call for data to be disaggregated by ethnicity.

Working in 13 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, Health Poverty Action works in partnership with marginalised communities struggling for health. These communities are often indigenous and ethnic minorities. They face many barriers to health care and experience significantly worse health outcomes than the majority of the population, but this is hidden in most countries because health data is not broken down by ethnicity.

This report states that to improve global health we must disaggregate data by ethnicity and shine a light on the true health status of ethnic and cultural minority groups.

The report is part of the Mothers on the Margins campaign and has a focus on maternal health amongst ethnic and cultural minority groups.

The report covers:

• Why it is vital that major health surveys and governments disaggregate health data by ethnicity.

• An analysis of current practices in the collection of health data.

• Recommendations for overcoming the barriers to obtaining and using ethnically disaggregated data including analysis of proxy indicators such as language or geographical region.

• Examples from Ethiopia, Laos, Namibia and Guatemala that illustrate the vast differences in health outcomes experienced by ethnic minority groups and majority group populations.

Sarah Edwards, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Health Poverty Action, comments:

"Around the world there are marginalised communities that experience extreme poverty and poor health, and we must use every tool we have to end this, including disaggregating data by ethnicity.

"When it comes to improving maternal health the world has achieved a lot but many ethnic minority communities have been left behind; in some countries, indigenous women can be twice as likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than women from the majority population.

"If we continue to ignore this we are effectively turning our back on the most marginalised communities on our planet. We have the capacity to identify the different health statuses of minority groups. To improve health policies and ultimately, save lives, we must do it."

Read the full report here.

Ends

Health Poverty Action is a registered charity (no. 290535). We work to strengthen poor and marginalised people in their struggle for health. We currently work in 13 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.

We work alongside local communities around the world for access to quality health services for all, as well as working on areas such as nutrition, water, sanitation, and income generation, tackling all the factors that impact on health.

www.healthpovertyaction.org

For further information please contact:

Rosa Ellis

0207 840 3744

07821 008 145

r.ellis@healthpovertyaction.org

Health Poverty Action, Ground Floor, 31-33 Bondway, London, SW8 1SJ

Switchboard: 020 7840 3777

Empowering Girls to Choose Their Future

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 17:39:00 +0000

As the international community marks World Population Day, UN Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner calls for increased attention on adolescent pregnancy

Washington, DC (July 11, 2013) –In recognition of World Population Day, the United Nations Foundation Founder and Chairman Ted Turner released the following statement.

"From the beginning, the UN Foundation has believed in the tremendous potential of investing in adolescent girls. Today, there are more than 500 million girls in developing countries, and these girls have the opportunity to shape our future, if we help give them the opportunities to shape their own lives. These girls face tremendous challenges – they are often taken out of school early, married at a very young age, vulnerable to violence, and with limited access to quality reproductive health care, often become pregnant before their bodies are ready. As a result, pregnancy is the leading cause of death among girls aged 15-19 in developing countries.

"The consequences of adolescent pregnancy reverberate throughout a girl's life, not only impacting her, but her children and the generations that follow. But we can change this: access to reproductive health care (Millennium Development Goal 5), including comprehensive sexual education and voluntary family planning, is a cost-effective solution that empowers girls to choose their path in life. When girls are given the information, tools and services they need to plan their families, they are better able to stay in school and pursue employment, lifting themselves out of poverty. This leads to healthier and stronger families, more prosperous and sustainable communities, and more peaceful and secure nations. It's not only the right thing to do; it's a smart investment.

"This World Population Day, the UN Foundation, in support of the United Nations and our partners, is committed to helping every girl reach her full potential. To do so, the international community must redouble efforts to invest in girls' education, health and welfare, and ensure that every girl has the information and services she needs to plan her family and her future. Our future depends on it."

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About The United Nations Foundation

The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world's most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.

DNDi press release: Three Neglected-Disease Treatments Newly Added to the WHO Essential Medicines List for Paediatric Use

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:50:00 +0000

Three Neglected-Disease Treatments Newly Added to the WHO Essential Medicines List for Paediatric Use

Resulting from DNDi's paediatric R&D, the treatments will improve the management of deadly malaria, African sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease in children

[Geneva, Switzerland – 11 July 2013] – This week the World Health Organization (WHO) released its newly updated 4^th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc), in which three treatments developed by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and its partners have now been included. One treatment was also added to the 18^th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) for adults.

· Artesunate-mefloquine fixed-dose combination (ASMQ FDC) was added to the EMLc for the treatment of malaria in children, and to the EML for adults, in line with current WHO treatment guidelines. ASMQ FDC was developed with Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz (Brazil) and launched first in Brazil in 2008. After a technology transfer to Cipla (India), ASMQ FDC was prequalified by WHO in 2012, and registered in India, Malaysia, and Myanmar in 2011-2013.

· Nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) was added to the EMLc for the treatment of late-stage sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis) in children. Developed in partnership with Médecins Sans Frontières, Epicentre, and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, NECT was launched and added to the EML for adult treatment in 2009. NECT is the first new treatment option in over 25 years for sleeping sickness. It has been implemented and distributed by WHO - supported by donations by Sanofi and Bayer - through national control programmes in the 12 sub-Saharan African countries where 98% of late-stage sleeping sickness cases occur, replacing an old, toxic, arsenic-based drug that was commonly used before.

· Paediatric dosage form of benznidazole was added to the EMLc for the treatment of Chagas disease (American trypanosomiasis) in children. This child-adapted formulation of benznidazole - the main drug used to treat Chagas disease - was developed in partnership with Lafepe (Brazil) as an easily dispersible tablet for simple and accurate oral use in young children. The treatment was registered in Brazil in 2011.

'Children are often the first victims of parasitic diseases in developing countries, so we are very pleased that three life-saving, neglected-disease treatments for paediatric use, developed by DNDi and our partners, have been added to the WHO's Essential Medicines Lists,' said Dr Bernard Pécoul, Executive Director of DNDi. 'This will facilitate access, quick adoption, and use by endemic countries to ensure they benefit young patients most in need.'

Updated every two years, the WHO's EML and EMLc serve as critical guides for informing country-level essential medicine lists, procurement and supply of medicines, and clinical decision-making.

The inclusions of these new paediatric therapeutic options to the WHO EMLc attest to the urgent, specific treatment needs of children threatened by neglected diseases such as African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease, and highlight the leading public-goods product-development work of DNDi in the area of paediatric research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases and patients.

****

About WHO EML

Main webpage: http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/en/

Executive Summary, July 2013: http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/committees/expert/19/EC19_Executive_summary_Final_web_8Jul2013.pdf

About ASMQ FDC
The combination of artesunate (AS) and mefloquine (MQ), two well-established drugs for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria, has proven its efficacy after 20 years of clinical use. However, the non-fixed dose combination posed problems of patient compliance and potential development of drug resistance. In order to address this, ASMQ fixed-dose combination (FDC) was developed by the Fixed-Dose Artesunate-Based Combination Therapies (FACT) Consortium, created by DNDi and the WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) in 2002. ASMQ FDC was developed through an innovative partnership with the Brazilian public pharmaceutical company Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz and was registered in Brazil in 2008, India in 2011, and Malaysia and Myanmar in 2012. ASMQ FDC is prequalified by WHO (meets standards of quality, safety, and efficacy). Through a technology transfer from Farmanguinhos to the Indian generic-drug manufacturer Cipla, ASMQ FDC is also produced and available in Asia. It is easy to use, with once daily administration of one or two tablets over three days for patients of all ages (from children aged 6 months through to adults) and has a two-year shelf-life in tropical conditions.
www.dndi.org/treatments/asmq.html

About NECT
Launched in 2009, nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) was the first new treatment in over 25 years for late-stage human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness). It consists of co-administration of oral nifurtimox tablets (10 days) and intravenous (IV) infusions of eflornithine (14 infusions over 7 days). NECT was added to the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) in 2009 and is on the essential medicines list of 12 African countries that account for 98% of reported cases of sleeping sickness. Over 60% of all late-stage sleeping sickness patients in endemic countries (2011), and 96% in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC; 2012), the country with the most cases, were treated with NECT. NECT was the result of a six-year collaboration among DNDi, Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Epicentre, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, and the sleeping sickness national control programmes of the DRC and Republic of Congo, with support from WHO. The drugs are donated by Sanofi and Bayer, and the treatment kits are prepared and distributed by MSF Logistique.
www.dndi.org/treatments/nect-c-treatments.html

About Paediatric Dosage Form of Benznidazole
The paediatric dosage form of benznidazole was launched in December 2011 for the treatment of Chagas disease in children. The age-adapted 12.5-mg dispersible tablet is easy to use, affordable, and non-patented, designed for use in infants and young children under 2 years of age (20 kg body weight). Treatment is designed to use one, two, or three tablets, depending on weight (recommended dosage, 5-10 mg/kg body weight/day). Since the paediatric tablet is easily disintegrated and requires no tablet fractionation (pill cutting), treatment of children is simplified, with improved dosing accuracy, safety, and adherence. The new treatment was the result of a collaboration between DNDi and LAFEPE (Pernambuco State Pharmaceutical Laboratory/Laboratório Farmacêutico do Estado de Pernambuco), the second largest public laboratory in Brazil. The paediatric dosage form was granted registration by Brazil's National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA), and available for procurement through the PAHO Strategic Fund and LAFEPE. Tools to facilitate implementation of and access to the new treatment include a Demand Forecasting Planning Tool, Procurement Guide, and Tool Box of training and educational materials for doctors and caregivers.
www.dndi.org/treatments/paediatricbenz.html

About DNDi
The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) is a not-for-profit research and development (R&D) organization working to deliver new treatments for the most neglected diseases, in particular sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis), Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, filaria, and paediatric HIV/AIDS. Since its inception in 2003, DNDi has delivered six new treatments: two fixed-dose antimalarials (ASAQ and ASMQ), nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) for late-stage sleeping sickness, sodium stibogluconate and paromomycin (SSG&PM) combination therapy for visceral leishmaniasis in Africa, a set of combination therapies for visceral leishmaniasis in Asia, and a paediatric dosage form of benznidazole for Chagas disease. DNDi was established by Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Indian Council of Medical Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Ministry of Health of Malaysia, and Institut Pasteur in France, with the UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) as a permanent observer.
www.dndi.org

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Fwd: Global Leaders Gather at the World Justice Forum IV to Advance the Rule of Law Worldwide

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 11:56:00 +0000

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 8, 2013

Contact: Ana Victoria Cruz

Phone: +1 (202) 407-9326

E-Mail: cruza@wjpnet.org

Global Leaders Gather at the World Justice Forum IV to Advance the Rule of Law Worldwide

Featured speakers include United States Supreme Court Justices Anthony Kennedy and Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Deputy Speaker of the Tunisian National Assembly Mehrézia Labidi-Maïza; retired Director General of the Indian Police Service Kiran Bedi; lawyer, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, and Founder & President of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran Dr. Shirin Ebadi; Archbishop of Cape Town Thabo Makgoba; Advocate, Security Researcher & Developer of the TOR Project Jacob Appelbaum, Malian Singer & Executive Director of the Festival au Désert Manny Ansar; Writer, Activist, & Former Director General of the Egyptian Health Education Department Dr. Nawal El Saadawi; Founder & Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning Sakena Yakoobi; Founder & Chief Innovator, Grupo 42 Santiago Siri, and more.

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS – The World Justice Project (WJP), an independent organization working to advance the rule of law worldwide, today opened the World Justice Forum IV – a global gathering designed to engage nearly 600 leaders, dignitaries, and innovators from more than 120 countries to address critical rule of law issues related to economic development, technology, supply chains, women's rights, freedom of expression, and more.

Over the course of three days, participants will engage in formal plenary and active breakout sessions, learn about innovative rule of law programs, meet with researchers and scholars during Index office hours, and work together to develop practical, on-the-ground programs to strengthen the rule of law. Examples of past programs include ensuring women's rights in Sierra Leone, helping marginalized communities in India obtain basic health care, promoting labor rights of indigenous workers in Mexico, combatting corruption in construction in Tunisia, protecting the rights of pollution victims in China, and increasing access to civil justice for the poor in the United States.

The Forum also provides a venue for discussion and debate about the findings of the WJP Rule of Law Index®, the most comprehensive assessment tool of its kind that measures how well countries adhere to the rule of law in practice, reflecting the actual conditions experienced by their citizens.

"We all benefit when communities near and far embrace the rule of law," said William H. Neukom, founder and CEO of The World Justice Project. "Over 120 countries and even more backgrounds are represented at this Forum, all of whom share our appreciation for the rule of law as a foundation for communities of opportunity and equity. In that spirit, the next three days are designed to spark the conversations, knowledge sharing, and practical planning needed to move this ideal forward."

At the Opening Plenary session of the World Justice Forum, thought leaders from diverse sectors and regions will bring to life the topic of rule of law and why it matters to daily life, including Anthony Kennedy, Associate Justice, U.S. Supreme Court; Peter Rees QC, Legal Director, Royal Dutch Shell plc; Sakena Yacoobi, Founder & Executive Director, Afghan Institute of Learning; Thabo Makgoba, Archbishop of Cape Town; Santiago Siri, Founder and Chief Innovator, Grupo 42; and Maria Livanos Cattaui, Former Secretary-General, International Chamber of Commerce.

Key sessions at the Forum include findings from the latest WJP Rule of Law Index and topical panels covering such diverse areas as ethical supply chains, sports and the rule of law, security and law enforcement, sustainable water solutions, access to technology, improving the legal framework for disaster relief, food justice, and more. Other highly anticipated sessions include an "Open Discussion with the UN on the Role of Rule of Law in Peace & Security, Development, and Human Rights" and a special panel on women leaders who have faced challenges in regard to the rule of law, featuring U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg; Iranian lawyer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Dr. Shirin Ebadi; and Former Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil, Ellen Gracie Northfleet.

On Thursday, July 11, the World Justice Project will announce the winner of its Rule of Law Award at the Forum.

The full agenda, speaker biographies, and multimedia are available at www.worldjusticeproject.org. Follow us on Twitter @TheWJP and on Facebook for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #WJForum.

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About the World Justice Project

The World Justice Project (WJP) is an independent, nonprofit organization working to advance the rule of law around the world. Establishing the rule of law is fundamental to achieving communities of opportunity and equity—communities that offer sustainable economic development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights. Our multi-national, multi-disciplinary efforts are dedicated to stimulating government reforms, developing practical programs at the community level, and increasing public awareness about the concept and practice of the rule of law. For more information about the World Justice Project, please visit www.worldjusticeproject.org.

The WJP Rule of Law Index

The WJP Rule of Law Index® is a quantitative assessment tool designed to provide a detailed picture of the extent to which countries adhere to the rule of law. It is the most comprehensive index of its kind, reflecting the actual conditions experienced by the population. The Index uses expert questionnaires and general population polls to assess issues of government accountability, security and fundamental rights, openness of government and the regulatory environment, and delivery of justice. To date, over 97,000 people have been interviewed in 97 countries. A new Index with expanded coverage will be released in late 2013. To learn more, please visit: www.worldjusticeproject.org/rule-of-law-index.

Fwd: AJWS: CONGRESS MISSES HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO REFORM INTERNATIONAL FOOD AID

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 05:14:00 +0000

Media Contact: Rebecca Kaplan, 212.792.2889

AJWS: CONGRESS MISSES HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TO REFORM INTERNATIONAL FOOD AID

WASHINGTON, DC — American Jewish World Service released the following statement today after the House of Representatives failed to pass the Royce-Engel Food Aid Reform Amendment.

"Tragically, Congress missed an historic opportunity today to fix our international food aid program," said Timi Gerson, director of advocacy for AJWS. "The bipartisan Royce-Engel Food Aid Reform Amendment would have helped at least four million more hungry people get life-saving access to food aid. Unfortunately, today's vote leaves the status quo in place, which means we will continue to spend more food aid dollars to reach fewer hungry people around the world. The U.S. supplies approximately half of all food aid worldwide yet our Eisenhower-era program is outdated. There is an average delay of three to four months in delivery of food aid shipped from the U.S., a time lag that is a matter of life or death. Yet Congress did not take the steps necessary to streamline the program to make it more cost-effective and efficient.

"Despite the outcome, today's vote was an historic one. For the first time ever, a floor vote was held on food aid reform and it brought together a broad range of support among members from across the political and geographic spectrum during a time when bipartisanship is rare.

"While the self-interested supporters of the status quo have won this battle, but we will continue to work with members of Congress to enact meaningful food aid reform and to fight to reduce hunger and improve access to food worldwide. When almost one billion people around the world go hungry every day, making every food aid dollar count is not only a responsible use of taxpayer money, it is a moral imperative. We thank House Foreign Affairs committee Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel for their courageous leadership in recognizing the critical need for food aid reform, and we appreciate the many Members who supported their amendment. Unfortunately the majority of their colleagues were not willing to stand up for policy that saves lives and taxpayer dollars," Gerson said.

The Royce-Engel Food Aid Reform Amendment would have updated the Food for Peace program to provide greater flexibility and help more people with our overseas food assistance without spending any additional U.S. taxpayer dollars.

Earlier this month, the Senate passed the Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act of 2013 (the Farm Bill), including an amendment that would create a permanent $300 million program to buy food from small-scale farmers in developing countries, boosting agricultural economies and securing long-term, local food sources. While the Senate bill made incremental steps toward reform, it did not achieve the type of comprehensive modernization of the program that was included in the Royce-Engel Food Aid Reform Amendment.

For the almost two years, American Jewish World Service, along with a coalition of leading international development, humanitarian and advocacy groups, has worked with members of Congress to reverse global hunger by reforming the current Food for Peace program to make it more effective at reaching hungry people today while creating a hunger-free world tomorrow.

About American Jewish World Service:

American Jewish World Service (AJWS) is the leading Jewish organization working to promote human rights and end poverty in the developing world. We support more than 400 grassroots organizations in Africa, Asia and the Americas that promote the rights of women, girls and LGBT people; rebuild societies torn apart by war and natural disasters; and seek to secure access to food, land and water. In the United States, we mobilize our supporters to advocate for U.S. policies that help create a just and equitable world. We are inspired by Judaism's commitment to pursue justice and repair the world, and we believe that Jewish history teaches us to respect and fight for the rights of others.

Fwd: Press Release: MCC Board Approves Georgia Compact

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 05:10:00 +0000

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MCC.gov | About Us | Press & Public Affairs

For Immediate Release
June 19, 2013
Contact: 202-521-3850
info@mcc.gov

MCC Board Approves Georgia Compact

Washington, D.C. — At its quarterly meeting today, the U.S. Government's Millennium Challenge Corporation Board of Directors approved a five-year, $140 million compact with Georgia to increase the quality of human capital by investing in science and technology education and workforce development.

"One of the key ingredients to economic growth is equipping citizens with the education and skills they need to succeed in a modernizing economy," MCC CEO Daniel W. Yohannes said. "This compact will strengthen teaching, learning, and educational intuitions in Georgia so that students can learn skills that are directly matched to industries driving growth. A better educated workforce will accelerate economic growth, stimulate job creation, reinforce democratic participation, and better position Georgia to be a strong trade partner of the United States."

MCC's Board selected Georgia as eligible to develop a second compact in January 2011; the country successfully completed a five-year, $395.3 million compact in March 2011. At today's meeting, the Board discussed the importance of Georgia maintaining its commitment to good governance throughout its partnership with MCC.

For its subsequent compact, the Government of Georgia conducted an analysis that identified the quality of human capital as a binding constraint to economic growth, particularly acute in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

To improve the quality of education in these fields and increase earning potential, the proposed compact will make strategic investments from the start of a student's general education to graduation from technical training and advanced degree programs, including a focus on increasing women's participation in STEM professions.

The compact, expected to be signed during the summer of 2013, consists of three projects:

The Improving General Education Quality Project seeks to improve the quality of general education through rehabilitation of deteriorating schools, training for educators and school managers and support for education assessments.
The Industry-Led Skills and Workforce Development Project aims to improve the link between market-demanded skills and the supply of Georgians with those technical skills.
The STEM Higher Education Project proposes to attract one or more American university partners to modernize science, technology, engineering, and math education by offering high-quality degree programs that boost productivity and growth and increase employment opportunities.

The Board also received an update and discussed results, risks and lessons from MCC compacts closing out this year in Lesotho, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, and Tanzania. MCC expects more than 12 million people to benefit from these five completed compacts, which have invested more than $2.5 billion in 20 major agriculture, education, energy, health, property rights, private sector development, roads, and water and sanitation projects.

###

The Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. Government agency designed to work with some of the poorest countries in the world, is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people that promote economic growth and elimination of extreme poverty.

AJWS OPPOSES VISIT TO U.S. BY SUDANESE WAR CRIMINAL

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 06:12:00 +0000

Media Contact: Rebecca Kaplan, 212.792.2889

AJWS OPPOSES VISIT TO U.S. BY SUDANESE WAR CRIMINAL

Global Human Rights Group Demands that the U.S. Lead Serious Effort to Achieve Peace

NEW YORK, NY – Ruth Messinger, president of American Jewish World Service (AJWS), released the following statement today regarding the possible visit to the United States by Nafie Ali Nafie, a senior advisor to Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir. President Bashir has been indicted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

"Nafie Ali Nafie is an admitted torturer, and he has served as a top lieutenant to Omar Al Bashir, an indicted war criminal responsible for committing heinous human rights violations, including the Darfur genocide. The crimes against the Sudanese people, which Nafie has abetted, are crimes against humanity, and he should not be welcome in the United States, especially by our government.

"If Nafie visits Washington, D.C. with our government's approval, it is incumbent upon the Obama administration to make a concerted effort to achieve peace in Sudan through a renewed and deepened diplomatic strategy by the U.S. And since Nafie's visit would badly undermine the civil society and opposition groups working for a better future in Sudan, we call for a redoubled effort by the U.S. to support these Sudanese groups and ensure they play a meaningful role in shaping Sudan's future.

"Our nation has failed to address the fundamental problems at the center of Sudan's many civil wars, ethnic, religious, and regional conflicts, including the concentration of resources and power with the country's ruling elite in Khartoum. Now is the time to change our fundamental approach to Sudan through a sustained high-level engagement.

Since news of the genocide emerged in 2004, AJWS has been at the forefront of the campaign to bring the plight of Darfur and Sudan into the national and international political spotlight and make it a top priority of the American Jewish community. AJWS co-founded the Save Darfur Coalition and continues to lead Jewish and interfaith advocacy in collaboration with allied organizations working to bring an end to the bloodshed.

About American Jewish World Service:

CLAMP DOWN ON UK-LINKED TAX HAVENS KEY TO SUCCESS OF G8 - NEW REPORT

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:51:00 +0000

Embargo: 19:30 Friday June 14 2013

CLAMP DOWN ON UK-LINKED TAX HAVENS KEY TO SUCCESS OF G8

UK-linked tax havens are at the centre of a global financial system that encourages crime, corruption and aggressive tax avoidance in developing countries, reveals a new report from the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign.

It highlights for the first time the huge scale of foreign investment routed through the UK's tax havens to poor countries – and the potential for abuse this causes.

The findings in Invested Interests: The UK's Overseas Territories' Hidden Role in Developing Countries underline the urgent need for the G8 to agree a tax deal that benefits poor countries.

Joseph Stead, IF spokesman and report author, said: "The UK as G8 chair has never been in a stronger position to end the grave injustices caused by tax havens – if the UK succeeds in putting its own house in order first.

"The Prime Minister must do everything he can to get UK havens agreed on a tax deal before he arrives in Northern Ireland, so he can push the G8 to end the tax scandal.

"The G8 can start to put an end to tax haven secrecy by agreeing to public registers of the beneficial ownership of all companies and trusts, and making sure developing countries benefit from any tax information deal."

The report reveals that the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Anguilla and Turks and Caicos - all British Overseas Territories - together with the Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey are now the largest source of Foreign Direct Investment in developing countries.

The amount totalled US$556bn by 2011, the most recent year for which we have figures, and accounted for one in every ten US dollars of foreign direct investment made there. This figure is concerning because investment is often structured through such jurisdictions specifically to enable tax dodging in poor countries. Other abuses they facilitate include the laundering of crime money, and 'round tripping', in which money originating in the developing country where it is to be invested is sent offshore and then returned disguised as foreign funds to qualify for major tax breaks.

"All countries need foreign investment, particularly those fighting hunger and acute poverty," added Mr Stead. "But this needs to be genuine and bring real benefits, not money disguised for tax purposes to enrich the already wealthy, illicit money laundered to bestow legitimacy on the corrupt, or investment designed to shift profits out of developing countries.

"We need to clamp down on tax havens and launch a convention on tax transparency to stop the flow of billions of pounds out of developing countries – money that could be used to end hunger."

The report finds that the British Virgin Islands alone was the fourth largest investor to developing countries in 2011, with the amount involved US$388bn. Globally it provides investment more than 860 times the size of its own GDP.

That same year it was revealed that 45 newly incorporated companies in the BVI had acquired mining assets in the Democratic Republic of Congo at a loss, it was claimed, to the DRC's economy of US$ 5.5bn. The identity of those behind the companies remains secret.

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan warned recently that foreign investors making extensive use of tax havens 'facilitate tax evasion, and in some cases corruption.'

The IF campaign estimates that developing countries lose some US$160bn of tax revenues a year from multinationals shifting profits offshore before they can taxed.

Ends

For more information please contact: Andrew Hogg, Christian Aid Press Office. 0207 523 2058/07872 350534.

Notes to editors:

About Enough Food for Everyone IF:

Enough Food for Everyone IF is a coalition of nearly 200 organisations which have joined together to campaign for action by the G8 on the issue of global hunger. The last time we worked together at this scale was for Make Poverty History. Now that the G8 group of world leaders are returning to the UK, we are demanding they take action on hunger. 2013 won't be the end of hunger, but it could be the beginning of the end. Join us at www.enoughfoodif.org or current Members of Enough Food for Everyone IF, visit www.bond.org.uk
Joseph Stead is senior economic justice adviser at Christian Aid

--------- Enough Food For Everyone IF Join the call for a fairer food system that works for all. Visit www.christianaid.org.uk/if --------- Save paper, save trees and only print this email if you have to. --------- Christian Aid is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. UK registered charity no. 1105851. Company no. 5171525. Christian Aid also operates in Scotland: Registered Office: 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL. Charity no. SC039150 Christian Aid Ireland is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in Northern Ireland: Unit 6 Linden House, Beechill Business Park, Belfast, BT8 7QN. Northern Ireland charity no: XR94639. Company no. NI059154. Christian Aid Ireland is a registered charity and registered company limited by guarantee: 17 Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2. Republic of Ireland charity no. CHY 6998. Company no. 426928. Christian Aid Trading Limited is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. Company no. 1001742.

Ten Years of Health Innovation in Africa: Progress Made But Sustained Engagement and Partnership Needed to Develop and Implement New, Adapted Treatments for Neglected Diseases

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 12:47:00 +0000

Ten Years of Health Innovation in Africa: Progress Made But Sustained Engagement and Partnership Needed

to Develop and Implement New, Adapted Treatments for Neglected Diseases

[Nairobi, Kenya - 5 June 2013] – Days after two landmark resolutions were adopted at the World Health Assembly – on neglected tropical diseases and on research and development (R&D), financing and coordination for the health needs of developing countries – over 400 scientists, representatives and ministers of health, ambassadors, national control programme representatives, African regulators, health workers, public health experts, and activists from 21 African countries and 10 others from around the world gather in Nairobi to take stock of health innovation for neglected diseases in Africa over the past decade. While progress has been made, and certain diseases are targeted for elimination, the need for strong leadership, coordination, and sustainable funding is as pressing as ever and is critical to achieving much-needed breakthroughs.

Participants in the event – 'A Decade of R&D for Neglected Diseases in Africa' – organized by the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) on the occasion of its 10-year anniversary, with its African founding partner, the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), will look at progress to date, gaps needing to be filled, and current and future development of new, field-adapted, affordable treatments, diagnostics, and vaccines for neglected diseases and patients throughout Africa.

'Neglected patient medical needs specific to Africa are many, and as scientists and policymakers in Africa, we need to share research and resources across borders to save time and money to help those most in need,' said Dr Monique Wasunna, Director of DNDi Africa, and Assistant Director of Research at KEMRI. 'By harmonizing efforts across Africa, we can strengthen our ability to turn research into concrete solutions for the health needs of the most neglected.'

As an example, ten years ago, patients with sleeping sickness were treated with a century-old regimen of painful injections of an arsenic-based drug, which itself killed one in 20 patients. Today, an improved treatment option developed in 2009, a combination therapy of an oral drug with intravenous injections, has become the treatment of choice in all endemic countries. This improved treatment resulted from years of R&D efforts in sub-Saharan African countries afflicted by the disease. Today a new oral-only treatment is being tested by DNDi in remote areas of Africa, in trials that are of international standards.

'As the African scientific community, we need to strive to build the scientific excellence to take ownership of research for health,' said the Honorable Mr James Macharia, Cabinet Secretary for Health of Kenya. 'I believe Africa is ready to take a step in this field, to develop and implement integrated strategies for neglected diseases. But even with such integrated strategies, and the political will required to propel them, in addition to the resources required from them, we must not forget that the right tools for elimination are necessary to really see the elimination of many of these diseases,' he added.

Despite increased attention and investments over the past decade in research for neglected diseases, a recent analysis in The Lancet reported that only 1% of all health R&D investments in 2010 were for neglected diseases.^[1] In a recent analysis, DNDi and MSF estimated that, while progress has been made over the past decade, still only 3.8% of newly approved drugs were for neglected diseases that accounted for 10.5% of the global disease burden.^[2]

The current reflection on the progress in R&D for neglected diseases and patients in Africa comes at a time when WHO member states have also reported unprecedented progress in the control of many of these diseases. Elimination goals up to 2020 for several neglected tropical diseases such as sleeping sickness, visceral leishmaniasis, or lymphatic filariasis were set out early last year in the WHO NTD Roadmap,[3] and new health tools are needed to support this strategy.

DNDi and a number of other new partnership initiatives set up during the last decade are bringing together the public and private sectors, in collaboration with WHO, TDR, and others to develop such new health tools. While not the ultimate solution to R&D gaps, these new models contribute significantly to the fight against neglected diseases.

'DNDi has developed six new treatments for four neglected diseases in the past decade, but there are still other neglected diseases that continue to lack good treatment options. While this progress is a good start, the treatments delivered are far from optimal. We have not yet developed new modern drugs which could change the history of certain neglected diseases,' said Dr Bernard Pécoul, Executive Director of DNDi. 'To truly fight neglect, we must push for more innovation and access of new treatments together with adequate coordination with control programmes. Progress to date shows this can be done in and with countries in Africa.'

DNDi and partners in Africa have established two regional R&D disease networks: the Leishmaniasis East Africa Platform (LEAP), launched in 2003 in Khartoum, Sudan; and the Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) Platform, launched in 2005 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. LEAP was instrumental in the development of the combination drug SSG&PM (sodium stibogluconate and paromomycin) for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (kala azar) in East Africa, while the HAT Platform played a major role in the development of NECT (nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy) for the treatment of late-stage sleeping sickness.

'Around the world we are moving ahead in leaps and bounds, as ten years ago, good clinical practice was not the norm. Africa has moved very quickly in in this field and in the regulatory area and in ethics review. We need very strong clinical and regulatory practice to do good R&D,' said Dr Charles Mgone, Executive Director of the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). 'But we have not yet been able to support capacity building from within, and we must be able to. Working together is the key,' he added.

Press contacts

Samantha Bolton (Nairobi): sbolton@dndi.org +254 728 846 923

Renee Olende (Nairobi): rolende@dndi.org +254 705 639 909

Violaine Dallenbach (Geneva): vdallenbach@dndi.org +41 22 906 92 47 / +41 79 424 14 74 (mobile)

About Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi)
DNDi is a not-for-profit research and development (R&D) organization working to deliver new treatments for the most neglected diseases, in particular sleeping sickness (human African trypanosomiasis), Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, filarial (parasitic worm infections), and paediatric HIV.

Since its inception in 2003, DNDi has delivered six treatments: two fixed-dose antimalarials (ASAQ and ASMQ), nifurtimox-eflornithine combination therapy (NECT) for late-stage sleeping sickness, sodium stibogluconate and paromomycin (SSG&PM) combination therapy for visceral leishmaniasis in Africa, a set of combination therapies for visceral leishmaniasis in Asia, and a paediatric dosage form of benznidazole for Chagas disease in Latin America.

DNDi was established in 2003 by MSF, the Indian Council of Medical Research, Brazil's Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, the Kenya Medical Research Institute, the Ministry of Health of Malaysia, and the Institut Pasteur in France, with the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO-TDR) as a permanent observer.
www.dndi.org

About 'Connect to Fight Neglect'

As part of its 10th anniversary, DNDi has launched a special advocacy website to give voice and attention to neglected patients and those working to develop and deliver life-saving treatments for them. The 'Connect to Fight Neglect' website is a multimedia web portal where videos, photos, audio, testimonials, stories, and opinions can be shared about some of the world's most neglected diseases, the people whose lives are diminished and threatened by these conditions, and the research and care efforts under way around the world. Among the people featured are patients, doctors, researchers, public health officials, policymakers, funders, and activists.

www.connect2fightneglect.org

[1] Mapping of available health research and development data: What's there, what's missing, and what role is there for a global observatory? Rottingen J-A et al. The Lancet, Online Publication, 20 May 2013 - doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(13)61046-6

[2] Medical innovations for neglected patients, DNDi-MSF, December 2012.

[3] Accelerating work to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases—A roadmap for implementation, WHO, January 2012.

Christian Aid response to High Level Panel report

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 May 2013 06:52:00 +0000

Friday May 31 May 2013

HIGH LEVEL PANEL: A GOOD START, BUT INCREASING INEQUALITY CAN'T BE IGNORED

Responding to news of today's High Level Panel report on the global plan that should follow the Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015, Helen Dennis, Christian Aid's Senior Adviser on Poverty and Inequality, said:

'The Panel has made an encouraging start on a new global master plan to tackle poverty. Its recommendations on promoting women's equality are especially strong.

'Recommendations on protecting the environment, which include the phasing out of subsidies for fossil fuels, are also welcome.

'We are also pleased to see a reference to tackling illicit finance flows and tax evasion, which will be especially important for long-term financing of sustainable development. Global action in both developed and developing countries will be needed to make sure that poor communities don't lose out from tax-dodging.

'Disappointingly, the Panel has shied away from suggesting action that could address increasing economic inequality in many countries. This is an awkward subject for some but sustainable development will only be achieved if we reduce the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

'The Panel's report is a good one. We hope that governments around the world will now build on this work as they negotiate a new global plan to replace the Millennium Development Goals.'

For more information, contact the 24-hour press duty phone: 07850 242950.

Notes to Editors:

1. Christian Aid works in some of the world's poorest communities in around 50 countries at any one time. We act where there is great need, regardless of religion, helping people to live a full life, free from poverty. We provide urgent, practical and effective assistance in tackling the root causes of poverty as well as its effects.

2. Christian Aid has a vision, an end to global poverty, and we believe that vision can become a reality. We believe that the underlying causes of poverty were made by, and can be ended by, human action. Our strategy for building the power of us all to end poverty is embodied in a new report 'Partnership for Change': http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/2012_strategy.pdf

3. Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of more than 130 churches and church-related organisations that work together in humanitarian assistance, advocacy and development. Further details at http://actalliance.org

4.Christian Aid is a member of Beyond 2015 which is a global campaign with over 600 participating organisations in nearly 100 countries. Beyond 2015 is calling for an ambitious post-2015 agenda in line with our vision of a more equitable and sustainable world. Beyond 2015 has been calling for the High-Level Panel report to deliver recommendations that are fit for purpose and in line with this vision."

5. Christian Aid is a member of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign, a collection of more than 180 agencies in the UK that is calling on governments to address some of the key factors causing global hunger, which at present afflicts nearly a billion people. As well as providing aid, it wants governments to stop big companies dodging tax in poor countries, prevent poor farmers being forced off their land, particularly by biofuel concerns, and insist on greater governmental and business transparency.

6. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire

7. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk

---------  Enough Food For Everyone IF  Join the call for a fairer food system that works for all.  Visit www.christianaid.org.uk/if  ---------  Save paper, save trees and only print this email if you have to.  ---------  Christian Aid is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. UK registered charity no. 1105851. Company no. 5171525.     Christian Aid also operates in Scotland: Registered Office: 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL. Charity no. SC039150    Christian Aid Ireland is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in Northern Ireland: Unit 6 Linden House, Beechill Business Park, Belfast, BT8 7QN. Northern Ireland charity no: XR94639. Company no. NI059154.    Christian Aid Ireland is a registered charity and registered company limited by guarantee: 17 Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2. Republic of Ireland charity no. CHY 6998. Company no. 426928.    Christian Aid Trading Limited is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. Company no. 1001742.  ---------  This e-mail has been scanned for viruses by Postini.

Women Deliver 2013 Concludes with a United Call to Invest in Girls and Women

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:24:00 +0000

Women Deliver 2013 Concludes with a United Call to Invest in Girls and Women

World leaders and advocates demand girls and women are prioritized in lead-up to 2015 Millennium Development Goal deadline and beyond

Jill Sheffield and Melinda Gates present first-ever Women Deliver Rising Star Awards to young leaders fighting for progress for girls and women

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 30 May 2013 — Women Deliver 2013 concluded today with a call for continued investments in girls and women. The conference was the largest of the decade focused on girls' and women's health and rights, bringing together more than 4,500 leaders and advocates representing over 2,200 organizations and 149 countries.

The final day of Women Deliver 2013 focused on the critical need to prioritize girls and women in the lead-up to the 2015 Millennium Development Goal (MDG) deadline and beyond. The morning plenary speakers—including United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark, Former President of Finland Tarja Halonen, African Women's Development Fund CEO Theo Sawa and Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark—addressed the importance of placing girls and women at the center of the next development agenda, and discussed advocacy strategies to keep girls' and women's needs in focus.

The appeal for action came one day before the United Nations' High-Level Panel is expected to announce its recommendations for the post-2015 development framework. With progress lagging on the MDGs relating to women, policymakers and activists provided insights about how the next set of development goals can adequately and effectively address women's health and empowerment.

In her remarks, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark called for a global development agenda "which gives priority to gender equality and the empowerment of girls and women to make their own decisions about the lives they lead."

In the conference's closing plenary, Women Deliver President Jill Sheffield and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates recognized the next generation of leaders for girls and women and presented the first-ever Women Deliver Rising Star Awards to three emerging voices in the field of women's health and rights:

· Senator Pia S. Cayetano is the youngest woman elected in the history of the Philippine Senate, a champion of the rights of women and children and a staunch advocate for health. Armed with the training of a lawyer, discipline of an athlete and heart of a mother, Senator Pia excelled in her first term as legislator and was reelected to a second term in 2010.

· Imane Khachani, MD, MSc. is a Resident in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Maternity Hospital Les Orangers, in Rabat, Morocco. She has extensive experience in sexual and reproductive health research and advocacy, particularly for adolescent and young women; and has collaborated with several UN agencies, including UNFPA, WHO and UNAIDS. She currently sits on the Women Deliver and the Guttmacher Institute Boards of Directors.

· Remmy Shawa works at Sonke Gender Justice in Cape Town, South Africa, and coordinates a project to strengthen work with men and boys in the promotion of gender equality and in ending violence against women in Africa.

Jill Sheffield and Melinda Gates also recognized the Women Deliver 100 Young Leaders, an international group of activists under 30 who received scholarships to attend the conference because of their work on behalf of women and girls. The need to engage and include youth in the next development framework was a key theme throughout Women Deliver 2013, and young people's voices and perspectives were highlighted throughout the meeting.

"This week at Women Deliver 2013, we have changed history for girls and women everywhere. We renewed our commitments, shared lessons learned, and listened to those leading the way on women's health and rights, including young people who will carry this important work forward for years to come," said Women Deliver President Jill Sheffield. "Most importantly, we have joined together to raise our voices in a single call to action—girls' and women's health and rights must be prioritized today, tomorrow, and every day until our work is done. Because we know, when girls and women survive, all of us thrive."

###

About Women Deliver: Women Deliver is a global advocacy organization that brings together voices from around the world to call for improved health and wellbeing for girls and women. Launched in 2007, Women Deliver works globally to generate political commitment and financial investment for fulfilling Millennium Development Goal #5—to reduce maternal mortality and achieve universal access to reproductive health. Building from the groundbreaking conferences Women Deliver convened in 2007 and 2010, Women Deliver harnesses commitments, partnerships and networks to help prevent the approximately 350,000 deaths of girls and women from pregnancy- and childbirth-related causes that occur every year. Women Deliver's message is that maternal health is both a human right and a practical necessity for sustainable development. Invest in women—it pays.

For live webcasts and archived videos of conference plenaries, presidential sessions and press conferences, please click here. Images are available on the Women Deliver Flickr page, and additional content is available here.

To access the full Women Deliver 2013 schedule, please click here.

For more information on Women Deliver, please visit: www.womendeliver.org, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #WD2013 to join the global dialogue.

Top CEOs, Government Officials, and NGO Leaders to Gather in Chicago for CGI America 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:22:00 +0000

May 30, 2013

Contact: press@clintonglobalinitiative.org

Top CEOs, Government Officials, and NGO Leaders to Gather in Chicago for Clinton Global Initiative Meeting on Boosting U.S. Economy

Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor to the President, the White House; Todd Park, chief technology officer of the United States, the White House; Ellen Kullman, chair of the board and CEO, DuPont; Jim Rogers, chairman, president, and CEO, Duke Energy Corporation; and Bill Simon, president and CEO, Walmart U.S., Walmart Stores, Inc. are among the latest leaders to join President Bill Clinton, Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, and top American innovators at third meeting of CGI America, June 13-14

Mayor Greg Ballard, City of Indianapolis; Mayor Alvin Brown, City of Jacksonville; Mayor Mick Cornett, City of Oklahoma City; Mayor Greg Fischer, City of Louisville; Mayor John Marchione, City of Redmond, Wash.; Mayor Michael Nutter, City of Philadelphia; Mayor Annise Parker, City of Houston; Mayor Kasim Reed, City of Atlanta, and Mayor Scott Smith, City of Mesa, Ariz., to join Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City of Chicago, for next meeting of the Infrastructure Financing for Cities Task Force

NEW YORK—Today, new participants and program details were announced for the 2013 meeting of Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America), to be hosted by President Bill Clinton, Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Clinton Foundation Board Member Chelsea Clinton June 13-14 in Chicago. Senior Advisor to the President Valerie Jarrett, Chief Technology Officer of the United States Todd Park, Chair of the Board and CEO of DuPont Ellen Kullman, Chairman, President and CEO of Duke Energy Corporation Jim Rogers, Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon, and leading U.S. mayors are among the latest participants slated to join nearly 1,000 business, government, and civil society leaders at the annual gathering dedicated to accelerating economic recovery and promoting the long-term competitiveness of the United States.

Other newly announced CGI America participants from the business and nonprofit sectors include some the country's leading innovators and experts on sustainable economic development, such as James Anderson, director of government innovation, Bloomberg Philanthropies; Janie Barrera, president and CEO, ACCION Texas, Inc.; Mike Brady, president and CEO, Greyson Bakery; Nikki Cicerani, executive director, Upwardly Global; Harold DePriest, president and CEO, EPB; Liz Dwyer, education editor, GOOD Magazine; Carly Fiorina, chairman and CEO, Carly Fiorina Enterprises, chairman, Good360; Sara Martinez Tucker, chief executive officer, National Math + Science Initiative; Tracey Nichols, director of economic development, City of Cleveland; Rex Northen, executive director, Cleantech Open; Katie Rae, managing director, TechStars Boston, founder, Project 11; Jessamyn Waldman Rodriguez, founder and CEO, Hot Bread Kitchen; Davier Rodriguez, winner of CGI University's Commitments Challenge and co-founder, DREAMzone; Beth Shiroishi, vice president, sustainability and philanthropy, AT&T Services; and Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target Corporation.

For the first time, CGI America will feature Broadcast Conversations, programming produced in conjunction with and broadcast by CGI media partners, which is now a regular feature of the CGI Annual Meeting in September. At this year's meeting of CGI America, Bloomberg TV anchor Trish Regan will host sessions where top government, business, and nonprofit leaders will address the U.S. economy, including how to improve access to capital for small businesses and how the U.S. can enhance its energy production in a way that's sustainable for the environment and beneficial to the economy.

CGI America 2013 will also serve as the site of the next meeting of the Infrastructure Financing for Cities Task Force (IFC Task Force). Launched in April and chaired by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel with the co-leadership of President Clinton, the IFC Task Force is a collaborative effort by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and CGI to spur investment into job-creating public infrastructure projects. Task Force mayors participating in CGI America 2013 include Mayor Emanuel; Philadelphia Mayor and USCM President Michael Nutter; Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard; Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown; Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett; Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer; Redmond, Wash. Mayor John Marchione; Houston Mayor Annise Parker; Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed; and Mesa, Ariz. Mayor Scott Smith.

Today's list of new participants join the business, government, philanthropy, and nonprofit leaders announced May 2, including Chris Christie, governor of New Jersey; Jacob J. Lew, United States Secretary of the Treasury; Randi Weingarten, president, American Federation of Teachers; Jim Gibbons, president and CEO, Goodwill Industries International, Inc.; Anne R. Pramaggiore, president and CEO, Commonwealth Edison; Jessica Jackley, venture partner, the Collaborative Fund; Eva Longoria, founder, the Eva Longoria Foundation; Janet Murguía, president and CEO, National Council of La Raza; and Lucien Vattel, chief executive officer, GameDesk.

For more information, including the full program and list of participants, visit cgiamerica.org. Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights. The event hashtag is #CGIAmerica.

Sponsors for CGI America 2013 include: J.B. & M.K. Pritzker Family Foundation; Allstate Insurance Company; American Federation of Teachers; APCO; Chevron; Diageo; ExxonMobil; Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold; The Joyce Foundation; MacArthur Foundation; Peter G. Peterson Foundation; and Toyota.

Media registration is now open and press planning to cover must be credentialed by the Clinton Global Initiative. To apply, please complete the form at: cgilink.org/17T5nSR. The deadline to apply is June 10. If you have any questions, please contact press@clintonglobalinitiative.org or visit press.clintonglobalinitiative.org/cgiamerica.

###

About CGI America
The Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. Established in June 2011 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative America (CGI America) addresses economic recovery in the United States. CGI America brings together leaders in business, government, and civil society to generate and implement commitments to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, foster innovation, and support workforce development in the United States. Since its first meeting, CGI America participants have made more than 200 commitments valued at $13.4 billion when fully funded and implemented. To learn more, visit cgiamerica.org.

CGI also convenes an Annual Meeting, which brings together global leaders to take action and create positive social change, CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness, and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.

If you would rather not receive future communications from Clinton Global Initiative, let us know by clicking here.
Clinton Global Initiative, 1301 Avenue of the Americas 37th Floor, New York, NY 10019-6022 United States

Fwd: PRESS RELEASE: UN RESPONSE TO NEW REPORT BY PANEL LED BY DAVID CAMERON

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 31 May 2013 05:19:00 +0000

UNFPA Welcomes Eminent Persons' Call to Place People, Particularly Women, at Heart of Transformative Development Efforts

Panel Seeks Targets to End Child Marriage, Ensure Access to Reproductive Health, Rights

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 30 May 2013-- Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, warmly welcomed the report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda that was presented today to the United Nations Secretary-General.

"We strongly agree with the Eminent Persons' declaration that people should be at the heart of any development agenda and no person denied universal human rights and basic economic opportunities on any grounds," said Dr. Osotimehin. "We also echo their call for a people-centred agenda that ensures the equal rights of women and girls, and empowers them to take leadership roles in their societies."

"UNFPA strongly believes that women and girls should have the means to exercise their right to make choices on their health, particularly their sexual and reproductive health, freely and without coercion," said Dr. Osotimehin. "The Eminent Persons' report shows, once again, that investing in women's health is not only the right thing to do, but also smart economics. We also fully support their proposals to decrease maternal death and ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights."

Noting that "no society has become prosperous without a major contribution from its women," the Eminent Persons called for women's equal and full participation in decision-making. "This is yet another testament to the fact that women are major drivers of economic growth in their communities and countries," said Dr. Osotimehin. "But for them to fulfil this potential as economic drivers, we must re-double our efforts to enable them to determine if, when and how often to have children. Only then would they be better able to pursue education, be more economically productive and help end poverty."

Furthermore, added Dr. Osotimehin: "We strongly welcome the Eminent Persons' recommended goal to end child marriage. Child marriage threatens the potential of millions of our very own daughters, nieces and grand-daughters. We particularly welcome their support for education for young people which will also provide them with an understanding of sexual and reproductive health."

"UNFPA believes that young people, particularly those living in poverty, must get their rightful place at the table, so that every young person's potential is fulfilled," said Dr. Osotimehin.

***

For more information, please contact:
Omar Gharzeddine: Tel: +1 212 297 5028; gharzeddine@unfpa.org

To view the report and for more information about the panel, visit www.post2015hlp.org

Fwd: Girls’ & Women’s Health and Rights in Focus at Women Deliver 2013 in Kuala Lumpur

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 May 2013 07:01:00 +0000

For more information, please contact:

Janna Oberdorf, Women Deliver

joberdorf@womendeliver.org

+60 (0)11 23 326 420

Jessica Freifeld, Global Health Strategies

jfreifeld@globalhealthstrategies.com

+60 (0)11 23 326 315

Girls' & Women's Health and Rights in Focus at Women Deliver 2013 in Kuala Lumpur

Malaysian Prime Minister Honorable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak and other global luminaries open largest conference on girls and women of the decade

World Bank and Guttmacher Institute release new data on the value of investing in girls and women

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 28 May 2013 — Today, more than 4,000 global leaders and advocates from nearly 150 countries gathered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, for Women Deliver 2013, the largest conference of the decade focused on the health and wellbeing of girls and women. The opening sessions of this three-day event highlighted the critical need to invest in girls and women to spur development worldwide.

Malaysian Prime Minister Honorable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak delivered welcoming remarks and discussed Malaysia's efforts to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women as a critical component of the nation's development and economic growth. The Prime Minister highlighted Malaysia's success in reducing maternal mortality, and offered to share lessons learned with countries working to improve maternal health.

"We are honored to have this global village in our midst for the next few days," said the Malaysian Prime Minister in his remarks. "We know that women play an indispensable role at every level of society. Together your strong voices will help frame the solutions, policies and strategies that will ensure progress for girls and women; of our nation, our region and our world."

The day's events also included the release of new reports from the World Bank and the Guttmacher Institute quantifying the economic and social benefits of investing in girls and women. Their new research makes clear that gender inequality and gaps in reproductive and maternal health hinder global development.

The World Bank report, Investing in Women's Reproductive Health: Closing the Deadly Gap Between What We Know and What We Do, developed for the Women Deliver 2013 conference, demonstrates that addressing the reproductive health needs of women is critical to achieving gender equality and improved development outcomes. As women constitute 40% of the world's workforce, the report finds that investments in reproductive health are a major missed opportunity in development, and that to drive progress, proven interventions must be put into practice. These include addressing women's agency, making improvements in the delivery of health services and increasing accountability in health systems.

The Guttmacher Institute report, Adding It Up: The Need for and Cost of Maternal and Newborn Care, Estimates for 2012, provides new regional data on the unmet need for maternal and newborn care. Although there have been improvements in access to medical care during pregnancy and delivery, tens of millions of women and newborns in developing countries still do not receive the care they need. Each year, an estimated 287,000 women worldwide die from pregnancy-related causes, and approximately three million newborns do not survive past the first 28 days of life. The report finds that additional investments in reproductive and maternal health would generate immediate returns in terms of reducing disability among women and newborns, and saving lives.

"The research presented today shows that when we address the reproductive health needs of girls and women, the global economy is stronger, households are more likely to prosper and future generations have a greater chance of living long, healthy lives," said Jeni Klugman, Director of Gender and Development at the World Bank. "Investing in reproductive health and family planning is not just the right thing to do; it's smart economics."

The day concluded with a discussion of progress and ongoing challenges for women in leadership roles, in fields including health, education, finance, culture and government. Clinton Foundation Board Member Chelsea Clinton, Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards, Former President of Finland Tarja Halonen and Yakin Ertürk of the Council of Europe shared lessons learned and visions for female leadership in the 21st century.

The second day of the conference, 29 May, will focus on global access to family planning, and features such notable speakers as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates, UNFPA Executive Director Babatunde Osotimehin, Senegalese Minister of Health Awa Coll-Seck and Philippines Secretary of Health Enrique Ona, among others. The third day of the conference, 30 May, will focus on the importance of prioritizing women's health and rights in the post-2015 development framework, and will feature UNDP Administrator Helen Clark, Special Representative for UNAIDS HRH Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit and more.

###

To register for the Women Deliver conference as media—on-site or virtual—please click here.

To access the full Women Deliver 2013 schedule, please click here.

For more information on Women Deliver, please visit: www.womendeliver.org, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Use the hashtag #WD2013 to join the global dialogue.

Cookstove Enterprises Split $2 million Fund to Spark Global Clean Cooking Market

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 May 2013 19:00:00 +0000

Cookstove Enterprises Split $2 million Fund to Spark Global Clean Cooking Market

Kuala Lumpur (May 29, 2013) -- The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves announced today that five of its partners will share a $2 million fund to spur the creation of a global market for clean, safe, efficient, and affordable cooking solutions. The Spark Fund is a key element of the Alliance's strategy to strengthen supply and enhance demand in the clean cooking sector through innovation and entrepreneurial capacity development, including helping businesses become more investment-ready.

A global market for clean cooking solutions is necessary because 3 billion people still cook with solid fuels each day. When burned in open fires and basic cookstoves, wood, coal, charcoal, and other solid fuels emit a harmful smoke that claims 4 million lives annually through a range of diseases and injuries – making household air pollution from cookstove smoke the fourth greatest health risk in the world.

"From the outset, the Alliance realized that a market for clean cookstoves and fuels was the only way to effectively respond to such an entrenched, global problem as inefficient and dangerous cooking practices," said Radha Muthiah, executive director of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. "The five winners have a strong track record of results in their respective countries and markets, and have demonstrated that they can leverage the Spark Fund to attract new partners and investors to advance their ongoing efforts to save and improve lives, enhance livelihoods, and protect the environment through clean cooking solutions."

The five Spark Fund winners are as follows:

Burn Manufacturing Co. (BMC) in Kenya:

BMC has developed a facility in Nairobi to assemble cookstove kits produced in China. In 2013 BMC will start the development of a complete manufacturing facility in Kenya and will transition, over a 12 month period, to full local production. BMC will also utilize Spark Fund to purchase manufacturing equipment, and leverage up to $4 million in loans from General Electric and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC). The production target is 237,000 cookstoves. http://burnmanufacturing.com/

EzyLife in Kenya:
The Spark grant will help EzyLife supply 40,000 cookstoves to the Kenya market in 2013, and significantly reduce EzyLife's financing costs, thus making clean cookstoves more affordable and enabling the company to leverage additional investments to sell another 70,000 cookstoves within 12 months. The grant will also be used to recruit and train distribution channel partners, and leverages EzyLife's existing marketing activities. http://www.ezylife.com/

Global Village Energy Partnership (GVEP) in Kenya:
With the Spark Fund, GVEP will provide capacity building to cookstove entrepreneurs to improve their technical, business and marketing skills, and establish a seed fund for producers to invest in expansion activities. The Spark Fund will help GVEP leverage $800,000 of Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) funding specifically focused on improved cookstoves in Kenya; increase the impact of the CARE2 (Capital Access for Renewable Energy Enterprises) project; and provide vital support for technical capacity building, better product design and manufacturing practices, and evaluation of potential of carbon finance. http://www.gvepinternational.org/en

Impact Carbon in Uganda:
With the Spark Fund, Impact Carbon will establish and support a national network of distribution and retail partners that will help drive a thriving cookstove market in Uganda. Impact Carbon will partner with BioLite to implement a full scale product launch of BioLite's HomeStove, a new fan stove that reduces household air pollution while enabling phone and light charging. Impact Carbon will launch innovative marketing campaigns to establish product awareness and consumer finance programs to drive adoption and long term usage. Impact Carbon's goal is to leverage initial support from the Spark Fund to achieve commercial viability after year 2 of the program. http://impactcarbon.org/

Relief International—Gyapa Enterprises in Ghana:
Gyapa Enterprises will use the Spark Fund investment to further grow the Ghanaian cookstove sector by leveraging its brand and proven platform to produce, distribute, and market fuel efficient stoves at scale. Gyapa Enterprises is developing a new charcoal stove model with improvements in both fuel efficiency and burning cleanliness that will be trademarked by Gyapa Enterprises. Once the stove is developed and tested, Gyapa Enterprises will use its platform to scale localized production, distribution and sales of the new stove. http://www.gyapa.com/

The Alliance received 78 proposals for the Spark Fund, and each was rigorously reviewed and analyzed by a panel of 6 experts from the clean cooking sector. The Alliance plans to issue the next Spark Fund call for proposals in September, making it an annual grant award.

The Spark Fund is made possible by Alliance donor partners Royal Dutch Shell plc, and the Governments of Sweden and Germany.

"Without the support of donors and investors, the clean cooking sector would be unable to meet the challenge that nearly half of humanity still cooks as their ancestors have done since the beginning of human history. I would like to thank Shell, Sweden, and Germany for their ongoing, robust support of the Alliance and its partners and for sharing our belief that 'cooking shouldn't kill'," said Muthiah.

###

Media Contact:
Sean Bartlett | sbartlett@cleancookstoves.org | +1.202.419.6401

About the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves:
The Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves is a public-private partnership led by the United Nations Foundation to save lives, improve livelihoods, empower women, and protect the environment by creating a thriving global market for clean and efficient household cooking solutions. The Alliance's 100 by '20 goal calls for 100 million households to adopt clean and efficient cookstoves and fuels by 2020. The Alliance is working with its public, private and non-profit partners to help overcome the market barriers that currently impede the production, deployment, and use of clean cookstoves in developing countries. For more information, please visit www.cleancookstoves.org.

UK-Linked Tax Havens Must Join Countries Refusing To Hide Dirty Money

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 May 2013 18:04:00 +0000

Wednesday 29^th May 2013

UK-LINKED TAX HAVENS MUST NOW JOIN COUNTRIES REFUSING TO HIDE DIRTY MONEY

Tax evaders will have fewer places to hide their money after nine countries, including tax havens Singapore and Luxembourg, today signed a treaty agreeing to share information about financial account holders.

Signatories to the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters agree to share information on request from other countries, with optional provisions for that to become automatic.

Joseph Stead, Christian Aid's Senior Adviser on Economic Justice, said the new signings, announced by the OECD, increased the pressure on UK-linked tax havens to follow suit.

'It's time for the UK Government to say enough is enough and ensure UK-linked tax havens immediately follow the lead set today,' he said.

'Last week the Prime Minister wrote to the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, calling on them to sign the treaty. But the time for asking nicely is over. If he is to achieve effective results on tax and transparency at the G8, then he must ensure UK-linked tax havens follow this example. A G8 tax agreement is at stake.

'Until the Prime Minister achieves this, it's hard to see that the UK will have the credibility to lead the G8 into an ambitious agreement to tackle tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance that will benefit countries rich and poor.'

Mr Stead said the new signings were a welcome move against international financial secrecy, which makes life easy for tax dodgers, money launderers and corrupt individuals the world over.

'When governments share financial information with each other, ideally automatically, they make it very difficult for their citizens to hide dirty money by placing it in another country,' he said.

'Developing countries need access to information, especially from tax havens, and this convention is a key tool to help them.

'The bad news is that many key governments still have not taken this first step and signed up, including UK-linked tax havens such as the British Virgin Islands, the Turks & Caicos and Bermuda.

'Tax havens like these help foreign citizens evade tax and hide finance corruptly gained. Tax dodging is especially damaging to poor countries – Christian Aid estimates it costs them $160 billion in lost revenues every year. This is money that could support desperately needed public services such as health and education.

For more information, contact Rachel Baird on 00 44 (0)207 523 2446 or ring the 24-hour press duty phone: 07850 242950.

Notes to Editors:

2. Christian Aid is a member of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign, a collection of more than 180 agencies in the UK that is calling on governments to address some of the key factors causing global hunger, which at present afflicts nearly a billion people. As well as providing aid, it wants governments to stop big companies dodging tax in poor countries, prevent poor farmers being forced off their land, particularly by biofuel concerns, and insist on greater governmental and business transparency.

3. Christian Aid has a vision, an end to global poverty, and we believe that vision can become a reality. We believe that the underlying causes of poverty were made by, and can be ended by, human action. Our strategy for building the power of us all to end poverty is embodied in a new report 'Partnership for Change': http://www.christianaid.org.uk/Images/2012_strategy.pdf

4. Christian Aid is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global coalition of more than 130 churches and church-related organisations that work together in humanitarian assistance, advocacy and development. Further details at http://actalliance.org

5. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire

6. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk

---------  Enough Food For Everyone IF  Join the call for a fairer food system that works for all.  Visit www.christianaid.org.uk/if  ---------  Save paper, save trees and only print this email if you have to.  ---------  Christian Aid is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. UK registered charity no. 1105851. Company no. 5171525.     Christian Aid also operates in Scotland: Registered Office: 41 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1EL. Charity no. SC039150    Christian Aid Ireland is a charity and company limited by guarantee registered in Northern Ireland: Unit 6 Linden House, Beechill Business Park, Belfast, BT8 7QN. Northern Ireland charity no: XR94639. Company no. NI059154.    Christian Aid Ireland is a registered charity and registered company limited by guarantee: 17 Clanwilliam Terrace, Dublin 2. Republic of Ireland charity no. CHY 6998. Company no. 426928.    Christian Aid Trading Limited is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales: 35 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7RL. Company no. 1001742.

Fwd: EU ON VERGE OF 'HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH' FOR TAX JUSTICE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:38:00 +0000

Friday 24^nd May 2013

EU ON VERGE OF 'HISTORIC BREAKTHROUGH' FOR TAX JUSTICE

An EU decision, reported late yesterday, that European multinationals will be required to report the profits made and taxes paid in every country where they operate, would, if enshrined in law, be an 'historic breakthrough' in battling tax evasion, Christian Aid said today.

The organisation estimates that developing countries lose an estimated US$160bn in tax revenues every year, much of it the result of multinationals shifting profits out to low or no tax jurisdictions.

Christian Aid was the first major non-governmental organisation to call for country-by-country reporting across every corporate sector five years ago. It has campaigned on the issue ever since, saying the transparency the measure offered would facilitate the quicker identification of tax abuse.

Christian Aid's Senior Economic Justice Adviser, Joseph Stead, said today: 'The EU decision, if it becomes law, is hugely welcome. It will go a long way towards making transparent - and helping curb - the shifting of profits to tax havens to reduce tax liabilities in the country where the money was made. It will also help create a level playing field. At present, multinationals making extensive use of tax havens have a financial advantage over those that don't.

'Under present accounting rules, they can conceal their tax strategies by presenting global accounts in which it is impossible to determine where profits are made, and how much tax has been paid on them.

'However, the demand for transparency over corporations' tax affairs is growing with tax rapidly becoming a reputational issue for multinationals. Country by country reporting means that governments, and civil society organisations campaigning for tax justice, will quickly be able to spot where abuses may have occurred and bring those to public attention.

'This move also helps create a climate in which country by country reporting must ultimately be extended globally. The UK will next month preside over a meeting of the G8 in Northern Ireland. That will be a major opportunity for David Cameron to influence other countries beyond the EU to look at similar requirements.'

A recent ComRes, commissioned by Christian Aid, found a third (34 per cent) of Britons said that they were boycotting the products or services of a company because it does not pay its fair share of tax in the UK. Almost half (45 per cent) said they are considering a boycott. In addition, two out of three (66 per cent) Britons believed tax avoidance to be morally wrong, And a remarkable four out of five respondents (80 per cent) said that multinationals' tax avoidance made them feel angry.

In a recent report Who Pays the Price? Hunger: The Hidden Cost of Tax Injustice, Christian Aid said the scandal of world hunger could soon be ended if the revenues that developing countries lose through tax dodging were available to them to invest in agricultural development.

One in eight of the world's population goes to bed hungry, with the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) recently citing US$50.2bn per annum, on top of existing funding, as the cost of creating a 'world free from hunger' by 2025.

Christian Aid's report said that amount, and more, would be raised every year if governments ended tax haven secrecy and curtailed profit-shifting and tax dodging by multinationals in poor countries.

Christian Aid, along with some 200 other agencies, is part of the Enough Food For Everyone IF… campaign, which has called on Prime Minister David Cameron to use the G8 summit to make tax justice a major weapon against poverty and hunger.

The campaign calls for a new international convention on tax transparency, which G8 countries should sign up to, and then pressurise tax havens to ratify. It also wants the true ownership of companies and trusts to be put in the public domain – and the introduction of country by country reporting.

For further information please contact Andrew Hogg on 0207 523 2058/07872 350534 or 24 hour press duty phone – 07850 242950

Notes to Editors:

2. Christian Aid is a member of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign, a collection of more than 180 agencies in the UK that is calling on governments to address some of the key factors causing global hunger, which at present afflicts nearly a billion people. As well as providing aid, it wants governments to stop big companies dodging tax in poor countries, prevent poor farmers being forced off their land, particularly by biofuel concerns, and insist on greater governmental and business transparency.

5. Follow Christian Aid's newswire on Twitter: http://twitter.com/caid_newswire

6. For more information about the work of Christian Aid visit http://www.christianaid.org.uk

Research Reveals New Positive Insight into Girls’ Migration

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:05:00 +0000

Research Reveals New Positive Insight into Girls' Migration

Migration for majority of girls leads to greater autonomy and prosperity; Strong safety nets needed

WASHINGTON, DC (14 May 2013) — The Population Council today released Girls on the Move: Adolescent Girls & Migration in the Developing World, examining the social and economic drivers of internal migration for adolescent girls in developing countries, and the links between migration, risk, and opportunity. The report focuses on the ways in which rural-to-urban migration can—provided necessary safety nets and resources are in place—present adolescent girls with new opportunities that are unavailable in their home villages and towns. The Girls Count series is an initiative of the Coalition for Adolescent Girls. Support for this project was generously provided by the Nike Foundation and United Nations Foundation.

"Adolescent girls are on the move in developing countries—and for many of them, the results are positive. With the right support, they find work, make money, and grow," said Peter Donaldson, Population Council president. "When a migrant girl succeeds, she creates a ripple effect through generations: her family and future children will be better off because of her ability to finish school, get a job, and stay healthy. Girls on the Move presents the most up-to-date evidence about migrant girls and charts a bold agenda for the work that is needed to ensure the most at-risk migrant girls land safely and thrive."

Migration can be risky. But Girls on the Move finds that for the majority of girls, it can lead to autonomy, opportunity, and prosperity. Some migrant girls are able to combine work and schooling, expanding their opportunities. Many of these girls earn enough to send money home to their families. When a girl sends money home, it changes how her family views her—it can give her greater influence in decision-making, and in some cases, can delay early marriage.

"This report points to important considerations for policy makers, NGOs, and multi-lateral organizations working to support adolescent girls around the world," said Kathy Calvin, United Nations Foundation president and chief executive officer. "Girls on the Move, in many ways, challenges assumptions that migration of adolescent girls in the developing world is fraught with danger, despair, and disconnection." She added "This report proves that—with the right safety nets in place—girls' migration can have many positive outcomes for girls and their families. If girls choose to migrate and are supported throughout the migration experience from before leaving their natal home through arrival and transition to their new environment, some migrant girls are able to combine work and schooling, expanding their opportunities."

To reap the benefits of migration, however, girls need adequate preparation before they migrate, arrangements for safe travel during their journey, and support once they arrive at their destinations. Current programs and policies aimed at helping migrants largely ignore adolescent girls. On the rare occasions when policies and programs attempt to reach vulnerable migrant girls, they are on a small scale and more likely to benefit more advantaged migrant girls or male migrants. Many programs and local governments view urban migration in negative terms—without acknowledging its potential benefits.

"Migrant girls are more socially isolated than their nonmigrant peers," said Margaret E. Greene of the Coalition for Adolescent Girls. "Finding effective ways to integrate migrant girls into their new communities is essential for ensuring their access to the resources available in urban areas. Accessing these resources is crucial to a migrant girl's success."

Girls on the Move provides policymakers, program planners, and funders with new evidence on the circumstances of migrant girls in the developing world, and offers eight recommendations to minimize the negative aspects of migration and maximize its benefits for adolescent girls in the developing world.

ACTION AGENDA FOR IMPROVING THE LIVES OF MIGRANT ADOLESCENT GIRLS

1. Prepare and equip girls before they migrate: Ensure education, life skills, knowledge of rights, IDs Recommendations

2. Make health and education services "migrant girl friendly": Ensure service providers are sensitive to age, sex, and migration status

3. Ensure a smooth landing for migrant girls: Reduce isolation through safe places to stay and links with trusted individuals

4. Build a safety net: Create time and space for migrant girls to meet with peers, mentors, and support networks

5. Test innovative ways to prepare migrant girls for success: Investigate ways to develop girls' assets before things go wrong.

6. Focus on the most isolated and vulnerable: Design girl-only approaches to reach domestic workers, child brides, & sexually exploited girls

7. Fill critical evidence gaps: Illuminate age- & sex-disaggregated internal migration rates using new and existing quantitative data. Develop qualitative and longitudinal studies to shed light on migrant girls' experiences, as well as to evaluate and improve programs.

8. Increase migrant girls' visibility through policy and advocacy: Maximize the benefits of migration for adolescent girls by increasing their visibility in policy engagement and advocacy efforts.

Girls on the Move is the sixth report in the Girls Count series, which uses adolescent girl-specific data and analysis to drive meaningful action. Each work explores an uncharted dimension of adolescent girls' lives and sets out concrete tasks for the global community. Together, these actions can put the 515 million adolescent girls in the developing world on a path of health, education, and economic power—for their own well-being and the prosperity of their families, communities, and nations. This Girls Count series includes:

· Girls Count: A Global Investment & Action Agenda

· New Lessons: The Power of Educating Adolescent Girls

· Start with a Girl: A New Agenda for Global Health

· Girls Speak: A New Voice in Global Development

· Girls Grow: A Vital Force in Rural Economies:

· Girls on the Move: A Girls Count Report on Adolescent Girls' Migration

The Population Council team that authored the Girls on the Move report includes Miriam Temin, Mark R. Montgomery, Sarah Engebretsen, and Kathryn M. Barker

Related materials released today include a policy brief, summarizing the book's recommendations, and a fact sheet.

###

About the Population Council
The Population Council confronts critical health and development issues—from stopping the spread of HIV to improving reproductive health and ensuring that young people lead full and productive lives. Through biomedical, social science, and public health research in 50 countries, we work with our partners to deliver solutions that lead to more effective policies, programs, and technologies that improve lives around the world. Established in 1952 and headquartered in New York, the Council is a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization governed by an international board of trustees. For more information, visit: www.popcouncil.org. Twitter handle: @Pop-Council.

About the Coalition for Adolescent Girls

The Coalition for Adolescent Girls includes over 40 leading organizations committed to driving new and improving existing programming, policies and investments that will promote the rights and opportunities of adolescent girls. The Coalition envisions a world where adolescent girls are able to fully realize their rights, navigate challenges, and access opportunities during the transition from childhood to adulthood and beyond. The Coalition is supported by the Nike Foundation and United Nations Foundation. For more information, visit: www.coalitionforadolescentgirls.org.

About the Nike Foundation

The Nike Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to investing in adolescent girls as the most powerful force for change in the developing world. The work of the Nike Foundation is supported by NIKE, Inc., and by significant investments from the NoVo Foundation. For more information, visit: www.nikefoundation.org. Twitter handle: @GirlEffect.

About The United Nations Foundation

--
Alanna Shaikh, MPH

www.tomorrowglobal.com

Global Health Service Corps (GHSC) Changes Name to Seed Global Health

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 16 May 2013 04:14:00 +0000

Global Health Service Corps (GHSC) Changes Name to Seed Global Health

Statement from Chief Executive Officer Vanessa Kerry, MD

(Boston, MA, USA – May 15, 2013)- "We believe our new name Seed Global Health truly captures the scope and mission of our work which is to cultivate stronger, sustainable health systems through training a new generation of physicians and nurses in countries where they are needed most. Our first class of nurses and doctors will be supported by work we have done to fund and prepare for their departure to countries in July.

"Our name is changing, but not our innovative public-private partnership with the Peace Corps, the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) — the Global Health Service Partnership (GHSP)- and the countries where we work. We are extremely proud to be sending our first class of GHSP volunteers — 33 doctors and nurses — to serve as adjunct faculty in medical and nursing schools in Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda this July. They are truly an impressive group of nurse practitioners, midwives, pediatricians, OB/GYN's, psychiatrists, anesthesiologists, family and internal medicine doctors who will work with faculty in the host countries to develop curriculum and help train a new generation of doctors and nurses."

###

About Seed Global Health
Seed Global Health is a non-profit whose mission is to strengthen health systems globally by partnering US physicians and nurses with local educators. Seed Global Health believes educational partnerships can rapidly increase the pool of providers and educators in countries where they are most needed. Committed to recruiting the best-qualified candidates, including those who may have financial constraints to service, Seed Global Health raises and disburses loan repayment and other appropriate stipends of support to individuals chosen for assignments abroad.

EU Smart Move High Level Group recommends doubling use of buses, coaches & taxis to save lives and cut emissions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:49:00 +0000

IRU Press release dated 15 May 2013

EU Smart Move High Level Group recommends doubling use of buses, coaches & taxis to save lives and cut emissions

EU public-private Smart Move High Level Group provides recommendations on "doubling the use of collective road passenger transport" to save lives and cut carbon emissions, for the European Commission to adopt as a formal EU policy objective to be reached by 2025.

Brussels – The EU public-private Smart Move High Level Group (HLG) presented recommendations on doubling the use of buses, coaches and taxis to save lives and cut carbon emissions, to European Commission Vice President Siim Kallas, at a concluding public debate today at the European Parliament and called on the EC to implement these proposals as a formal EU policy objective to be reached by 2025.

The HLG calculated the benefits of doubling the use of bus and coach services: this alone could save 1500 lives per year, as well as considerably reducing injuries. HLG calculations also show a reduction of CO2 emissions of between 40 and 50 million tonnes per year and a reduction of airborne pollutants; a significant reduction of congestion in cities resulting from an expected 10-12% fall in car traffic; and the creation of up to 3 million new sustainable and green EU jobs.

The HLG proposed 16 short, medium and long-term measures to achieve these objectives, including the creation of a permanent EU Smart Move Citizens Mobility Forum, involving multiple public and private stakeholders, to notably ensure the appropriate follow-up and implementation of these recommendations and propose future actions to be taken.

Commenting on the HLG's proposals, IRU Vice President, Yves Mannaerts, said "This is an opportunity European decision-makers cannot miss. All public and private mobility stakeholders' representatives have agreed upon ambitious yet realistic objectives. This is the only way to develop a sustainable and pro-active public, financial, fiscal, legislative, market and operational environment, conducive to the emergence of more and better services, thereby encouraging a shift in travellers' behaviour across the EU".

Vice-President of the European Commission Siim Kallas said "Buses and coaches belong to the most safe, economically efficient and environmentally friendly modes of transport. The High Level Group has been an excellent initiative that brought around the table all the main stakeholders of the sector for a constructive dialogue aiming to address the main issues of passenger mobility by road. The Commission will maintain an active role in the follow-up initiatives in order to maintain the momentum of such an important initiative."

Members of the European Parliament also highlighted the importance of these recommendations, including Mathieu Grosch (EPP) rapporteur for the 2011 EC Transport White Paper, who said, "Buses, coaches and taxis can play an important role in terms of efficient co-modality, particularly in promoting sustainable transport and reducing congestion in cities. These HLG recommendations will be a useful tool to give answers to the question of how these aims can be reached".

Isabelle Durant MEP (Green) said "The Public-Private Smart Move High Level Group was a prime experiment in participatory policy-design, whose concept, process and overall objective I could only support. I am delighted to see its recommendations publicly debated and conveyed to Vice-President of the European Commission, Siim Kallas, and look forward to discussing the resulting new initiatives and legislative proposals in the European Parliament."

Gesine Meißne MEP (ALDE) said "We have to recognise that group tourism by coach is an important transport sector in Europe, and not only for elderly people who cannot travel on their own any more. Therefore we should support this sector and set the right framework. For some issues, such as suitable drop-off points at tourist attractions, solutions need to be found at a very local level. But there are things which could be done at European level as well, such as adapting rest and driving times to the operational needs of bus drivers."

Ines Ayala Sender MEP (S&D) said "In my country buses and coaches have always been the most popular way of travelling as they represent an affordable and competitive means of transport with a remarkable offer of choice and services. It links main cities and regions and it is key to providing the only public mobility solution for people living in remote areas. Spain is a relatively large country with a very particular and difficult geography. Coaches and regular bus services play an important role in increasing territorial and social cohesion. They manage to keep communities of sparsely populated areas linked with the main cities as well as they bring schools and universities closer to students; and last, but not least they ensure a winning solution for our country as one of the main touristic destinations in the EU. Furthermore, Spain has also developed an extensive network of intercity connections competing and being complementary with other modes of transport, not only on price, but also on comfort and quality services".

Fwd: New Book - Second Suns: Two Doctors and Their Amazing Quest to Restore Sight and Save Lives

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 15 May 2013 05:28:00 +0000

New Book "Second Suns: Two Doctors and Their Amazing Quest to Restore Sight and Save Lives" Spotlights the Work of Drs. Sanduk Ruit and Geoffrey Tabin to Eliminate Avoidable Blindness in the Developing World

Book by Bestselling Author David Oliver Relin to be Published June 18

New York, NY --May 14, 2013 – Dr. Sanduk Ruit and Dr. Geoffrey Tabin of the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) (www.cureblindness.org) are on a mission to eradicate needless blindness in the developing world. The inspiring story of these two very different doctors – united in their mutual dedication to bringing the highest quality cataract surgical care to the most destitute and remote populations in the world - is told in vivid detail in Second Suns (Random House) by David Oliver Relin.

Second Suns chronicles the journeys of Ruit, a Nepalese surgeon who adapted a system of high-quality, high-volume, low-cost cataract care to the most inaccessible regions of the Himalaya, and Tabin, an accomplished ophthalmologist and mountaineer from Chicago who was the fourth person to scale the highest peak on all seven continents. The unlikely pair is training a generation of eye care professionals to increase the capacity of developing countries to provide eye care for their own citizens.

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness globally and can be treated with a 10-minute surgery. In wealthy countries, cataracts typically are removed when there is mild visual impairment, and surgery is commonly available. However, in poorer countries the condition often progresses to total blindness, and treatment for many is unavailable. The World Health Organization estimates that 18 million people remain blind from cataracts.

Ruit and Tabin co-founded the non-profit Himalayan Cataract Project in 1995 to fulfill their personal goals of eradicating as much unnecessary blindness as possible and to support the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Nepal. Tilganga, a state-of-the-art eye care institution, serves as HCP's training ground for ophthalmologists, eye care workers, and administrators from all over the world.

In Second Suns, Relin takes readers from improvised plywood operating tables in the farthest reaches of the Himalayas to state-of-the-art surgical centers at top U.S. universities to one-room village hospitals in Africa. These humanitarian doctors and their ophthalmic recruits are restoring sight to patients around the world – for a fraction of what it costs in the U.S. Relin tells the stories of many of their patients, from women who need their eyesight so they can work as seamstresses and feed their families, to elderly men who can't walk treacherous mountain trails unaided, to cataract-stricken children who have not seen their mothers' faces for years.

About Himalayan Cataract Project

The Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP), a nonprofit organization, works to eradicate preventable and curable blindness through high quality ophthalmic care, education and the establishment of world-class eye care infrastructure in developing countries. Today, HCP (www.cureblindness.org) reaches the most inaccessible patients wherever its services are needed through a combination of teaching ophthalmic care at all levels, establishing self-sustaining eye care centers and supporting partners to perform high quality, low cost cataract operations in 10 minutes with excellent outcomes.

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Pivotal Phase III clinical study results from first rotavirus vaccine developed in India announced today

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

Today India's Department of Biotechnology and Bharat Biotech announced positive results from the Phase III clinical trial of ROTAVAC®, the first-ever rotavirus vaccine developed and manufactured in India and at the lowest price available on the market of US $1.00 per dose. See latest press release here: http://www.defeatdd.org/rotavac-clinical-trial-results

The trial showed that ROTAVAC® significantly reduced rotavirus – the leading cause of diarrhea among infants worldwide – by more than half during the first year of life when children face the greatest risk of rotavirus infection. The vaccine also showed impact beyond rotavirus, protecting against severe diarrhea of any cause, important because diarrhea is a leading killer and cause of child illness around the world.

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, said of the effort, "Vaccines work to save and protect children from diseases like rotavirus for a lifetime. This public-private partnership is an exemplary model of how to develop affordable technologies that save lives."

Additional supportive statements from leading U.S. and international experts can be found here: http://www.defeatdd.org/rotavac-clinical-trial-results.

With vaccine development costs shared by several partners, Bharat Biotech was able to commit to a price of US $1.00/dose for ROTAVAC®, the lowest price available for rotavirus available on the market. ROTAVAC was developed through an innovative partnership bringing together the U.S. and Indian governments along with public and private sector partners from the U.S., India, the UK and Norway.

President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and Chelsea Clinton Announce CGI Latin America

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 May 2013 09:26:00 +0000

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Clinton Foundation Board Member Chelsea Clinton Announce Clinton Global Initiative Latin America

Meeting to be held December 8-10, 2013, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

CGI's first meeting in Latin America to bring leaders from business, government, NGOs, and foundations together to address major social, economic, and environmental challenges

New York, NY – Today, President Bill Clinton, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Clinton Foundation Board Member Chelsea Clinton announced details for Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Latin America, a new meeting to be held December 8 – 10, 2013, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This gathering will bring together regional and global leaders from every sector of society to form partnerships, share innovative ideas, and create effective solutions to the region's most pressing social and environmental challenges.

"At CGI Latin America, government, business, and civil society leaders will exchange ideas and identify opportunities for action in one of the world's most dynamic regions," said President Clinton. "The time is right to spotlight the most effective solutions for women-owned businesses, vulnerable populations, and infrastructure across Latin America, and work to replicate positive results in communities stretching from Port-au-Prince to Peru. I look forward to December's meeting in Rio and an important new chapter for CGI."

The gathering in Rio de Janeiro marks CGI's first time convening leaders in Latin America and builds on the model of its action-oriented global meeting held each September in New York City. CGI last held an overseas meeting in 2008, when hundreds of leaders gathered in Hong Kong to further advance social responsibility in Asia. As with all CGI meetings, participants at CGI Latin America will collaborate across sectors to make Commitments to Action: specific, measurable plans to address pressing global challenges. Since 2005, CGI members have made commitments that, when fully funded and implemented, will be valued at more than $73 billion and positively impact people's lives through a myriad of ways ranging from renewable energy to workforce development to global health.

At the meeting, key business leaders, heads of NGOs, government representatives, and prominent philanthropists from across Latin America will participate in interactive working sessions around three action areas: designing for green growth, developing human capacity, and harnessing technology and innovation. Led by thought leaders and innovators on the ground, sessions will also help participants forge strategies that increase the global competiveness of Latin America, empower women entrepreneurs, improve early childhood and urban development, and carry the region's economic and social progress into the future.

The meeting convenes at a time of unprecedented gains for nations across the region, with a 50 percent increase in Latin America's middle class over the past decade and experts predicting faster than average economic growth through 2015.

Latin America has experienced notable social and environmental advances in recent years, as well. In 2012, Mexico made history as the first developing nation to address climate change through government legislation. Costa Rica has emerged as one of the world's most environmentally sustainable countries: More than 90 percent of the Central American nation's electricity is produced by renewable sources, 26 percent of its land mass is protected in national parks, and more than half of its land mass is in forest cover. There have also been many innovative social programs throughout the region, from Start-Up Chile, to Bolsa Familia in Brazil, to eco-friendly public trolleys in Aruba that run on rechargeable batteries and cost only $1 to ride.

For more information and the most up-to-date schedule, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org/latinamerica or email us at cgilatinamerica@clintonglobalinitiative.org. Follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative for meeting news and highlights.

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About the Clinton Global Initiative

Established in 2005 by President Bill Clinton, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an initiative of the Clinton Foundation, convenes global leaders to create and implement innovative solutions to the world's most pressing challenges. CGI Annual Meetings have brought together more than 150 heads of state, 20 Nobel Prize laureates, and hundreds of leading CEOs, heads of foundations and NGOs, major philanthropists, and members of the media. To date CGI members have made more than 2,300 commitments, which are already improving the lives of more than 400 million people in over 180 countries. When fully funded and implemented, these commitments will be valued at $73.5 billion.

CGI also convenes CGI America, a meeting focused on collaborative solutions to economic recovery in the United States, and CGI University (CGI U), which brings together undergraduate and graduate students to address pressing challenges in their community or around the world, and, this year, CGI Latin America, which will bring together Latin American leaders to identify, harness, and strengthen ways to improve the livelihoods of people in Latin America and around the world. For more information, visit clintonglobalinitiative.org and follow us on Twitter @ClintonGlobal and Facebook at facebook.com/clintonglobalinitiative.