Innovative Approaches to Food Security

The Food Crisis has become what many people call “the perfect storm”. A forecasted disaster, a predicted catastrophe produced by a compilation of factors that many people for sought at least 3 years ago. This monster has become a reality, manifesting itself in forms of extreme poverty and hunger, urging policy makers and different agencies to create new ways to tackle it and embrace new ways to secure our (the world’s) Food.

The diverse panel for this event featured a representative from each different sector; Thomas Briggs, USAID for government, Ann Tutwiler from the Hewlett Foundation provided the non-governmental perspective, Tres Bailey from Walmart for the private sector, and Howard Shapiro from Mars Inc. for the technological aspect of food security. Each presented and agreed on the factors that led to this crisis and each with different, sometimes congruent, solutions to help gravely affected developing countries.

USAID’s solution includes development assistance to increase food production, meaning investments in agricultural processing facilities, creating access to financing for farmers, and improving agricultural value chains. Mrs. Tutwiler, from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, discussed these solutions as well as increasing foreign direct investment (FDI) through market incentives and improvement of market structures in developing nations. The Hewlett foundation is working on the improvement and investment in roads to reduce transportation costs in developing countries as a strategy to expand markets specifically in Africa. Tres Bailey, Walmart’s representative, spoke about Walmart’s local investment to boost up economies in emerging markets. Mr. Bailey explained the newly formed partnership between USAID and Walmart as well as with Mercicrops.

Another panelist, Howard Shapiro, from Mars, Inc, presented an innovative way of looking at food security. Rather than affecting market infrastructure through FDI or by importing foreign agricultural practices such as fertilizer implementation, looking at how small farms can utilize their local resources. The topsoil in some parts of Africa is too thin for fertilizer, and that it is essential to look at which crops flourish in the natural environment. While we examine market, we must also look at sustaining what is already on the ground. In order to ensure food security, we must embrace nature’s laws and look at sustainable ways to secure food for the poor and for the world.


Date: November 10th, 2008
Hosted by: Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Attended by: Cristina Lopez

Whither Peace Operations?

Since the year 2000, critical trends on peace operations and crisis-response missions by both UN and non-UN organizations have shifted. Given the importance of these changes, the US Institute for Peace hosted the launching of “Peace Operations” written by Don C.F. Daniel, with Patricia Taft, and Sharon Wiharta as presenters as well the Special Report: Whither Peace Operations? The book is a much needed summary of the different trends, important progress, and future prospects of Peace Operations. Crisis-responses have taken an incremental path becoming the essential instrument to quell conflicts around the world.

The panel explained the past, present and future of Peace-Operation efforts by each region. Afterwards, a discussion on the different trends took place, touching upon donor country profiles, troop contributions, UN peacekeeping missions focusing on Africa and complex missions, and the rising trends on the use of non-UN peace operations by regional, bilateral and multilateral organizations. They compared both donor and troop contributors, usually developed and emerging countries versus non-contributors, which is often developing countries with the exception of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh who ranked as some of the top contributors. In terms of UN peacekeeping, the panel explained how the organization has become a general instrument to deal with very hazardous peace operations, or, in plain terms, where nobody wants to go or there is no particular interest to interfere, and finally, the UN’s almost permanent presence in African conflicts. The issue of non-UN missions overshadowing UN peacekeeping was brought up as well, and how these non-UN organizations are increasingly willing to participate in the operations.
The current Eastern Congo conflict was inevitably evoked at the Q&A session after the panel concluded the exposition. Attendees at the launch questioned the future and solutions of this complex situation. The panel was very willing to pin-point the different issues present in the Congo: the limited funding, limited quantity of UN blue helmets, and a lack of diplomatic will and political interference from other nations. A representative of the IRC shared her experience in the North Kivu area of the Congo and gave some insight in the situation. She expressed how the UN blue helmets are very much needed and how their presence is essential and helpful. Date: November 6, 2008
Location: U.S. Institute of Peace
Attended by: Cristina Lopez

What do we want? What might we become? Imagining the Future of East Africa

“East Africa is a beautiful girl called Cea, with her natural resources, her people, and her landscape. She is very aware of her beauty since she has plenty of admirers (donors, colonialists and foreign investors) who offer her many promises and proposals but at the same time Cea is very naïve and has become very proud and vain because of all the attention. When the flattery becomes even louder, Cea blinded by it, starts to give herself to these admirers who don’t think twice and rape her. They take all the natural resources, her forests, her carbon, her oil, her precious gems, and finally abusing and distorting all laws to take advantage of her people…”

The East African Scenarios Project consists on the exploration of possible scenarios for the integration of East Africa into a united region. Developed by the Society of International Development (SID), this incredible Panel Discussion adressed three different scenarios in the form of stories of East Africa. The story told above, called “I want to be a star!” is one of the three scenarios East African Scenarios Process developed to unite East Africans from all walks of life, ranging from government officials to students, from civil society to executive directors, inviting them to join in the quest of discovering their desires for the future of their region. There are many issues Africa faces, such as AIDS, extreme poverty, corruption, tradition, differences between tribes and countries, foreign influence, and urban migration, but while this mission seems idealistic, Aidan Eyakuze, Programme Director of the East African Scenarios Project declares, “It’s up to us, East Africans, to talk about where the future of our region is going.”

In collaboration with Arturo Muliro, Deputy Managing Director of the International Secretariat of the Society for the International Development in Rome and Ambassador Robert G. Houdek, the presentation is a perfect summary of past, present, and questions of the future for the East African Region. The scenarios are designed to contribute to the conversation in East Africa on the existing commonalities for a regional prosperity process. Acknowledging lessons from the past and future barriers they will have to overcome, the presentation boasts a realistic optimism and creates a profound look on the uncertainty of the future but at the same time empowers East Africans by providing them ownership of a creative space where they can express their ideas and finally take action of their own lives and countries!

Sponsor: SID (Society for International Development)
Date: October 14th, 2008
Time: 12pm
Representative Attending: Cristina Lopez

Amnesty International Brings Attention to Pressing International Women’s Issues

Today, in an informative event hosted by Amnesty International and the DC Women’s Bar Association, panelists Daphne Jayasinghe, Acting Advocacy Director Violence Against Women for Amnesty International USA, Mercedeh Momeni, Former Associate Legal Officer for the Judicial Chambers at United Nations Tribunal for Rwanda, and
Nicky Smith, Deputy Director Government Relations and Advocacy for International Rescue Committee, spoke on the topic of violence against women in conflict and, also, the International Violence Against Women Act.

First, Mercedeh Momeni spoke, mainly from a legal perspective about the past, present, and future of justice for victims of gender-based violence, especially sexual violence. A lack of a venue or mechanism for “redressing crimes” was highlighted as a significant obstacle for facilitating justice and closure for victims of gender-based atrocities. Ms. Momeni discussed the historical progression of judicial practices regarding gender-based violence, specifically norms and procedures established in different post-war eras. Most notably, she addressed the issues of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes as crimes to be addressed within international jurisdiction. Also, Ms, Momeni mentioned a highly relevant case from the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which recognized rape as an international crime, a crime against humanity and as a genocidal crime, because it was systematically employed with the intent to destroy a specific group.

Next, Nikki Smith recounted her extensive experience working in refugee camps and other international settings in the aid field. Ms. Smith described horrific tales of the abuse of what she called, “unequal power”, where vulnerable women and girls suffer tremendously; they are faced with the difficult choice of becoming refugees, plunging face-first into the difficulties of camp life, or staying behind and running the risk of being captured, raped, or killed. No matter what choice is made, essential services and supplies are always scarce.

Finally, Daphne Jayasinghe addressed the important International Violence against Women Act, which has been introduced in both the House of Representatives and Senate. This legislation, which effectively addresses education, economic opportunity, health care, legal and judicial initiative funding, and funds for programs that seek to change social attitudes, would authorize one billion dollars in funding over five years and create a coordinator position which holds the rank and status of ambassador at large. While bipartisan support exists, more must be done to rally support and ensure the IVAWA’s success.

Date: October 7, 2008
Location: Vinson & Elkins LLP 1455 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Attended by: Sarah Shebby

Philip J. Rutledge Seminar: Leadership and Governance in Africa

The National Academy for Public Administration (NAPA) created the African Working Group (AWG), whose mission is to “enhance public administration in Africa through strategic collaboration with African partners.” In order to achieve this mission, the AWG holds meetings and symposia to foster an environment of collaboration and learning. This event was focused on Leadership and Governance in Africa: Developing High Performing Public Administrators to Manage Economic Growth and Social Prosperity.

The keynote speaker, Dr. John-Mary Kauzya focused on governance, economic growth and prosperity in post-conflict countries. He explained that the post-conflict environment is a unique atmosphere because it has different challenges and opportunities than other political situations. He further elucidated that post-conflict issues are of special importance in Africa due to the high number of African nations in a post-conflict state. Dr. Kauzya first clarified that for the purpose of his speech, governance meant accountability. Governance is crucial in post-conflict situations because even pouring money into a problem will not fix things without a disciplined public administration.

Dr. Kauzya then moved on to talk about the issues confronting post-conflict governments. The first challenge of the government is to restore trust in the government, or establish trust in a new government. Post-conflict political leadership must reconstruct capacities in public administration, as it is the public administrators who carry out the daily tasks of governing the country. The second challenge is to assess the reality of the situation, and ensure a shared understanding of challenges facing the country. Through this challenge there is an opening for the third critical function of government: design and create a national vision and strategy.

The fourth critical function of the government is to sustain development oriented leadership and nurture future leaders for the country. The fifth critical function is to provide a framework for managing diversity and inclusivity in public administration. It is essential that all sectors of society are represented and have a voice in the public administration sector so that the new situation is free of the tensions that came before. Finally, the government must maintain and promote self-reliance. This is tied to promoting a message of hope: “we have been through so much and made it through, we have been poor for a long time, if no one will help us in the way that we want, on our terms, we will not be forced to submit, we will endure.”

Because post-conflict situations are highly tenuous, there are four political capacities required in a post-conflict world. The first is integrative leadership: one cannot govern a society that is fragmented and must work to integrate all facets of society. The second is entrepreneurial leadership: the leader must look at the country and establish a goal for how the country should be and map a path to get there. The third capacity required is administrative leadership: post-conflict everyone is used to an environment where the law is suspended, the leader needs to establish administerial procedure that is known to everyone. The fourth is operative leadership: the government needs to take action. In order for a post-conflict government to be successful these capacities must be integrated into one system.

Dr. Kauzya closed by defining two post-conflict faults that need to be corrected in order to create an effective government. In the process of public service reform and modernization issues related to the undeveloped professional status of human resource managers in the public sector is often neglected and there is often inadequate attention given to the strengthening of institutions responsible for building and sustaining public administration capacities.

Following Dr. Kauzya, a panel spoke about their lessons learned and experiences working in public administration in Africa. The first was Dr. Bernham Mengistu, who has worked in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. In order to promote public administration and managerial standards while in Ethiopia, he held book drives, provided technical support to universities and NGO’s, provided technical training to government, trained in comprehensive post-conflict parliamentary analysis, trained government officials for national and regional level offices, and graduated 35 people in public administration from the University in Addis Abba.

The second panelist was Dr. Jeanne-Marie Col who worked in Uganda. She explained that she has learned three important lessons while working in public administration. The first is that training in teams and organizations is more important than training individuals. The second is that sensitivity to cultures and neighborhoods is more important than theories and skills. The third is that data driven results that are tracked over time is more important than management fads. She concluded by explaining that with an increase in public administration there is more possibility for success.

Sponsor: National Academy of Public Administration
Date: September 23, 2008
Time: 1:00pm – 5:30pm
Representative Attending: Emily Riff

The Situation in Somalia

The grave situation in Somalia was discussed today at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars by Ken Menkhaus, professor at Davidson College, Chris Albin-Lackey, Senior Researcher in the Africa Division of Human Rights Watch, and Harun M. Hassan, a distinguished Somali journalist. While all parties involved generally agreed on the severity and urgency of immediate action to quell the violence and minimize deterioration into further anarchy and unrest, each brought distinctive expertise and unique experience to this highly informative panel.

The panel’s remarks served to “ring the alarm”, so to speak, about the necessity of drastic overhaul regarding policy towards the Somali situation. The humanitarian crisis is severe across the country, but it is especially poor in and around Mogadishu, the capital city, where nearly two thirds of the residents have fled. Somalis are faced with indiscriminate artillery bombardment on almost a daily basis, tremendous unmet demand for humanitarian assistance, drought, decimation of the market economy, piracy, assassinations, suicide bombings, and complete lack of rule of law.

The panel also described a growing resentment and dislike of the United States, and, more broadly, the West. Clearly, this is an unintended, undesirable result of failed policy in the region, giving additional weight to the argument that a change in course regarding policy towards Somalia is beneficial and necessary.


Sponsor: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Date: September 3, 2008
Time: 10-11:30 am
Representative Attending: Sarah Shebby

Peace In Zimbabwe?

Since its March 2008 elections, Zimbabwe has been a state of political turmoil and unrest. When opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai of MDC garnered enough votes to require a run-off election, incumbent Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party employed a campaign of organized violence to intimidate his opponents into submission. On July 21, the two parties finally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that established guidelines for power-sharing talks. At a recent Congressional Human Rights Caucus briefing, Primrose Matambanadzo of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors of Human Rights and Jacob Mafume of USAID offered insight into the current situation in Zimbabwe as well as the future of peace talks.

While the violence rates have decreased since the June 27th run-off election, supporters of Tsvangirai's MDC opposition party remain in danger. Mr. Mafume specified that the most persecuted are lower level, "rank and file" members of MDC. Mugabe and Zanu-PF are trying to intimidate ordinary voters with brutal physical torture and tactics, such as "community killings" that seek to make an example of opposition supporters to their entire village. Furthermore, many victims of election-related violence can not access proper medical care because there is virtually no freedom of movement within the country.

One potentially bright spot amongst the chaos in Zimbabwe is the newly-signed Memorandum of Understanding.This will eventually lead to peace talks between Zanu-PF and MDC parties. Mr. Mafume stressed that outside groups, including civil society and foreign governments must place pressure on both parties to ensure that the outcome of the talks reflects the will of the people. He also stressed that reconciliation will not be effective until those who carried out violence face retribution. Although the MOU specifically excludes this issue from the negotiations, it must be addressed in the near future.

Another important element to the peace talks is the relationship between Zimbabwean civil society and MDC. Civil society groups are pessimistic about the outcome of negotiations because previous opposition parties have conceded important demands to Mugabe. In an effort to maintain their support, MDC has drawn up an agreement of important values to uphold in the negotiations. Although the groups recognize that their cooperation is necessary to craft an agreement that reflects the will of the people, such a task will require continued effort and communication.

Although some audience members hinted that Mugabe may take a deal and flee the country, both panelists insisted that Mugabe is still very powerful and in control of his party. Despite the deep-rooted differences between Mugabe and his challenger Tsvangirai, the Memorandum of Understanding still represents hope and possibility for reconciliation.

Sponsor: Congressional Human Rights Caucus (CHRC)
Date: July 24, 2008
Time: 2:30-3:30 pm
Representative Attending: Kate Lonergan

Peace and Stability Operations: What the Experts Think

The Better World Campaign and the Henry L. Stimson Center sponsored three expert panelists including William Durch, Gayle Smith and Gordon Adams who each provided insightful commentary on their views regarding peace and stability operation overseas.

William Durch, who is the Senior Associate and co-Director of the Future of Peace Operations at the Stimson Center and has an extensive career in Disarmament and International Affairs, stressed the need for peace to be self regulated. Durch claimed that it is possible for countries currently in conflict (such as the Democratic Republic of Congo) to provide self-regulated peace, however the constant barrier is a lack of peace enforcers. In the eyes of the international community, this is a role UN Peacekeepers should play. However, without the full support of the Security Council and local government, the Peace Keepers are not even able to defend themselves. Such is the case in Darfur, which Durch labeled as a “dangerous place for United States and United Nations Peace Keeping Forces” mainly due to under-staffing and lack of support from the local government. While we can not control the support of the local government, Durch does point out that a large part of the under-staffing is due to lack of funding. The consistently late payments made to the UN have a detrimental affect on its operations. Although some may argue that independent governments (such as the US) can fill in where the UN falls short, the UN has “a broader political legitimacy and greater reach into the private sector” making it the most likely to succeed in peace keeping operations (Durch).

Gordon Adams, Director of the Budgeting for Foreign Affairs and Defense Project at Stimson, agreed with Durch, providing a series of suggestions that he feels the US should implement in order to assist in the international goals to sustain peace. Adams pointed out that the majority of the issues require more than just the US government’s input, and that there is a large network of institutions, both public and private, that the US should be working with. Adams also pointed out that while Darfur and the DRC are current “hot spots” the world should not lose sight of other situations for fear that the US will fall into fighting the “last-post-war” and rely on ad hoc responses, when in reality we need to fight preventatively. Adams also stressed the need for cooperation within the US government, suggesting that the responsibilities of international peace need to be carefully divided between the Department of Defense, USAID, and other governmental departments.

Finally, Gayle Smith, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and Co-Chair of the ENOUGH Project, provided eye-witness analysis of current and past peace issues in Africa based on her extensive journalism experience in the area. Smith stressed that in situations such as the DRC, peace keeping operations are not sufficient, and in Darfur, peace keeping operations are set up to do things and provide support beyond their capacity. Smith criticized the government of being short-sighted, and lacking comprehension regarding the necessities to provide international security. Smith also said that the peace keeping operations need to re-focus on preventing crisis, rather than reacting, managing trends that give rise to crisis, and transitional periods that extend past two years. Finally, Smith offered her theory that security needs to be addressed in three lenses: physical, economic, and human dignity.

Adams and Smith seemed to agree with Durch’s recommendations for the next administration. Durch proclaimed that in order for the US to achieve the kind of security it needs, the incoming administration needs to cooperate with the UN by affirming common goals, offering financial and technological support, military assistance, and peace keeping contributions. Until this is accomplished, the US will continue to fall behind in security, as it is no longer unilaterally achievable.

Sponsor: Better World Campaign and the Henry L. Stimson Center
Date: 7/29/08
Representative: Daria Willis

Progress and Challenges in Malawi’s Educational System

As the movement to reduce global gender inequality is gaining speed with international agencies like the UN (it is one of eight Millennium Development Goals), it is becoming increasingly apparent that improving the global education system is key to lessening the gender gap. Dr. Shirley Miske, who has worked with USAID, UNICEF, and CARE-US in over 30 countries reforming educational systems, presented conclusions on USAID funded educational projects in Malawi, Africa. The power-point presentation and roundtable discussion examined both obstacles and successes in USAID education projects in the region since 1991, and emphasized the inter-connectedness between gender equality and the quality of a country’s educational system. Initial challenges in Malawi in 1991 included the extremely poor literacy rate of females (a mere 28%), and cultural norms which lead teachers to believe the males were superior to females, thus hindering female scholastic success. Cultural norms had substantial effects on safety for females in school, as girls were harassed, beaten, and in some cases impregnated by their male teachers. This treatment garnered little or no reaction among leaders to ensure female well-being. USAID’s subsequent educational projects in Malawi sought to reform both schools’ environments (addressing safety and social health concerns) as well as academic programs, which were showing little success at the time. The following is a list of USAID projects in Malawi since 1991:
-Girls’ Attainment in Basic Literacy and Education, 1991-1998: This project sought to increase female attendance and completion by funding school construction and new materials. It engaged the school-district community by educating them about gender equality and its positive effects.
-Quality Education through Supporting Teachers, 1998-2003: QUEST focused on school-level changes, mainly better teacher quality and infrastructure. It resulted in decreased drop-out rates and better student retention rates.
-Malawi Education Sector Assistance, 2003-2006: A key component of this program was HIV/AIDS education. Engaging community members in education proved successful, as did using locally available resources for learning.
-Malawi Teacher Training Activity, 2004-2008: MTTA made great strides by training over 6,000 primary teachers, building networks where teachers could conference about methods and techniques used in the classroom.
-Primary School Support Program, 2006-2008: A pilot program under a US Congressional mandate to reduce school fees in Malawi.

The round table discussion debated on ways these successful programs could be implemented on a wider geographical scale, as well as extend beyond primary education to encourage equality in the work force. The positive ripple-effect that women’s empowerment has on community health, infant mortality rate, and poverty reduction was discussed in depth, and the discussion concluded with the agreement that further dedication from international organizations and governments is necessary to keep gender equality in educational systems in the foreground of international policy.

Sponsor: U.S Agency for International Development
Date: 7/8/2008
Representative Attending: Emma Gring

Is That Steak You’re Eating? Or Could It Be Elephant?

“Bushmeat” refers to meat from a wild animal that is sold commercially. Although this action occurs all over the world, it is particularly problematic in the tropical forests of Central Africa. At a recent meeting of the Society for International Development’s Africa Working Group, Ms. Natalie Bailey of the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force explained the environmental impacts of the bushmeat trade. The current practices of commercial, unsustainable, and illegal hunting operations consistently devastate natural habitats across Central Africa, creating a veritable biodiversity “crisis”. According to Ms. Bailey, if we don’t take action soon we may find the once-vibrant African forests ominously silent.

Recent high food prices have created a large demand for inexpensive, nutritious and palatable protein sources. Bushmeat fulfills all of these needs, and also provides a huge profit margin to the hunter. However, hunting wild animals is only a temporary solution to the larger problems of poverty and the global food crisis. Because hunters kill at a faster rate than wild animals can reproduce, the commercial bushmeat trade drastically reduces biodiversity and threatens already endangered species. Furthermore, wild-caught animals can carry a host of deadly diseases, including SARS, Ebola, and Monkeypox.

Instead of answering complex poverty issues with a cheap, unsustainable and dangerous solution, Ms. Bailey stressed the need for investment into alternative sources of protein. Any appropriate alternative solution must:

• Have a healthy wildlife population
  
• Be an economical investment
  
• Satisfy demand
  
• Not sell wild-caught species
  
• Follow health and hygiene regulations

Cooperation from development professionals is essential for the anti-bushmeat movement to succeed. Although conservation is often seen as a separate issue, concerns about the bushmeat trade are intimately related to more traditional development issues of health, hunger and poverty reduction. It is time for development and conservation groups to partner together in order to ensure that humans are not the only animals left in the forest.



Sponsor: Society for International Development – Washington, DC Chapter, The Bushmeat Crisis Task Force
Date: July 1, 2008
Time: 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Representative Attending: Kate Lonergan

Fighting Impunity: High Stakes in the East and Horn of Africa

On June 26^th, NED (National Endowment for Democracy) hosted “Fighting Impunity: High Stakes in the East and Horn of Africa” featuring Hassan Shire Sheikh of the East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (EHAHRDN) and Bronwyn Bruton of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Center for International Private Enterprise. Bronwyn introduced Hassan with the story of his organization’s response to the situation of journalist fleeing Somalia last October. Hassan’s EHAHRDN responded immediately by providing basic assistance, relocation, and trauma counseling for over 20 journalists. Bronwyn believes EHAHRDP is truly an example of a new practice needed in the field. Traditional institutional responses have been proven insufficient, and EHAHRDP is a model for new mechanisms that need to evolve.

Hassan began his lecture with the idea that “every challenge has a response.” He explained that people in civil society really want to “pick up the pieces on the ground” to effect change at the grassroots level but they are in need of support and encouragement. Activists and Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) in the east and horn of Africa are well aware of the risk they are facing; however, they also understand that their reporting is absolutely vital to bring about change. These groups and individuals face numerous challenges including insufficient collaboration, insufficient skills, and immense resource constraints. EHAHRDP is working to establish a mechanism to fulfill three main objectives: protect HRDs, engage in advocacy on behalf of HRDs, and build capacity for skilled active citizenship among HRDs and those in their communities.

Hassan individually described the terrible conditions for Human Rights Defenders in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Sudan. These four countries are constantly plagued with human rights violations including targeted rapes, denial of assistance to IDPs and refugees, targeted violence towards humanitarian workers and civilians, as well as unlawful arrests, detainments, and executions. Hassan believes that in regards to international assistance it is “not a lack of information but a lack of action.”

In order to provide adequate protection for HRDs in the East and Horn of Africa and to eradicate human rights violations, Hassan provided several constructive recommendations for the international community. Not only should it, continue its condemnation of HR violations, but it should call on all parties to bring an end to arbitrary arrests, harassments, systematic attacks, and targeted killings. Accountability mechanisms for governments and other actors should be set in place and investigations of HR violations should be encompassing and prompt.

Assistance should target marginalized groups such as women and defenders of minorities groups because they are the most vulnerable. Unfortunately, the increase in violations against HRDs will increase self-censorship and inhibit the dissemination of information regarding the atrocities in this region. This will have an exceedingly negative impact on the ability of these nations to progress and establish peace, justice, and stability.

Hassan called upon the international community and NGOs to provide logistical, political, and financial support to entities and bodies serving the HRDs network in Africa to end the unlawful censorship so as to promote the freedom of expression. In his published recommendations, Hassan emphasizes the need “to ensure that the respect of human rights and ending impunity is at the heart of all diplomatic and peace and reconciliation dialogues.”

Sponsor: The National Endowment for Democracy
Date: June 26, 2008
Time: 12-2 p.m.
Representative Attending: Jessica Walker

Resettled Refugees Remember Those Left Behind

June 20, 2008 marked the eight annual World Refugee Day, a bittersweet day of remembrance for the over 11 million refugees and 26 million internally displaced people. It is unfortunate, recalled numerous presenters, that this day must be celebrated, but it is fortunate to hear the hopeful and inspiring stories of refugees who have ameliorated their lives and to hear of the countless volunteers who dedicate their efforts to assisting them. Protection for refugees and for those who serve them was the theme of this year’s event led by UNHCR's Deputy High Commissioner L. Craig Johnstone. He stressed the need to respect the human rights of refugees and volunteers.

A diverse myriad of speakers paid homage to the plights of refugees from four countries: Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and Burma. NPR correspondent Deborah Amos anecdotally recalled her meetings with Iraq refugees and the challenged which affront them living in urban refugee settlements throughout Syria and Afghanistan. Sad stories of Sudanese refugees were recounted by Daoud Hari, whose memoirs are vividly depicted in his book The Translator. After losing much of her family in Afghanistan, The Other Side of the Sky author Farah Ahmedithanked the UNHCR for resettling her and her mother in the US. Joining her was Thimothy Ju, a young refugee from Myanmar whose recent journey from camps in Thailand to a home in Texas was documented in the MTV show True Life: I’m Coming to America. Although they all endured different experiences, they were united in their gratitude from the good works of the UN and their remembrance of those left behind. Poignantly stoic and blindly hopeful, their stories captivated the thousands in the crowds and depicted the triumph of the human spirit amidst unbelievable adversity.

This sad yet triumphant celebration concluded with the presentation of the Humanitarian of the Year Award, awarded to Chicago Bulls forward Luol Deng. Born in Sudan, he relocated to Egypt and later to Great Britain, where he developed his skill and passion for basketball. He is an instrumental partner in the UNHCR’s Ninemillion Campaign that aims to bring education and sport programs to the world’s nine million child refuges by 2010. Deng donates $50 to Ninemillion for every basket he scores and encourages people around the world to follow his example. Deng delivered a heart-warming speech that placed his basketball career second to his job as a humanitarian and volunteer. The joy and exhilaration from giving a helping hand far succeeds the thrills of any championship ring.

Sponsors: The National Geographic Society and the UNHCR
Date: June 20, 2008
Time: 12-1 p.m.
Representative: Elizabeth Caniano

A New Season of Law and Order in Nigeria

Today’s presenter Okechukwu Nwanguma, project head for campaign operations and periodic reports at the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO) in Lagos, gave a moving and informative presentation that highlighted the need for significant police reform in Nigeria. According to Nwanguma, the role of civil society in creating and sustaining these reforms must be explicitly defined and significantly intensified. This is the only way, he argues, the police system and individual police officers will become less corrupt and more accountable. He insisted that the police are the gateway to fair political justice, and that their reform will have positive and lasting ramifications for all of the nation’s institutions.

Nwanguma began with a detailed and heart wrenching account of police brutality, from colonization (1966) to today. Regional and national police forces replaced the earlier community-rooted enforcers who maintained law and order without the use of excessive physical force. Their replacements were militarized and adopted the mantra of violence, corruption and partisanship they had so strongly abhorred. The Nigerian Police Mobile Force quickly assumed the fitting moniker ‘Kill and Go’.

Initial police reforms began in 1999, and in 2000 the Ministry of Public Affairs designed a reform plan detailing benchmarks to be achieved over the following five years. These efforts aimed to increase the confidence of Nigerians in the police as well as the morale of officers by:

• Improving resources for officers and stations
• Recruiting 200,000 new officers over five years
• Providing better screening and training for its leadership

While such aspirations are novel, the institution still lies beneath a dark cloud of corruption. The Human Rights Watch estimates over 10,000 civilian deaths in police hands after 1999, when reforms were to have been already in motion. Deficiencies within the justice system remain abominable, as there is still only one police lab and one ballistics specialist in a country slightly smaller than Texas. These lapses, as well as articles in the Constitution giving officers the right to hold criminals based on mere hunches of what they might do at a later date, further promote inefficiency and corruption within the force.

Both Nwanguma and today’s commenter Oge Okoye, Assistant Program Director for the Africa bureau at the National Endowment for Democracy, left the afternoon on an optimistic note. They stressed the unbelievable success Nigerian police officers obtain when they change environments. Their failure to implement law and order within their own country illustrates that the potential and the capability is by no means lacking. Should strong democratic reforms be implemented and followed through, police corruption can seriously be curtailed.

Learn more about the Nigerian Police

Learn More About HRW findings

Image Souce

Sponsor: The National Endowment for Democracy
Date: June 18, 2008
Time: 12-2 p.m.
Representative Attending: Elizabeth Caniano

‘More than Just Numbers: Using the Media Sustainability Index to Fuel Development’

After years of analyzing the freedom of media systems in Europe and Eurasia, the International Researches and Exchanges Board has extended its Media Sustainability Index (MSI) to Sub-Saharan Africa. Since 1999 the MSI has become an important benchmark for measuring the changes of media systems over time and across borders. The media plays an important role in the development of impoverished nations, as it is a telling assessor of governmental control, business management, the availability of jobs and the free flow of information. The study of media systems provides much broader social implications, particularly regarding good governance and censorship. Assessments like the MSI allow countries to see their development over time and in relation to other nations.

The 2006-2007 MSI for Africa examines the media systems of 37 sub-Saharan African nations. It identifies five main objectives judged to be the most pertinent in shaping a free and prosperous media system:
1. Legal and social norms protect and promote free speech and access to
public information.
2. Journalism meets professional standards of quality.
3. Multiple news sources provide citizens with reliable and objective news.
4. Independent media are well-managed businesses, allowing editorial
independence.
5. Supporting institutions function in the professional interests of
independent media.

Within each nation a panel of experts was formed to evaluate these criterion. While the makeup of each body slightly varied by countries, representatives included NGO leaders, members of professional associations, media-development implementers, international donors and local journalists. They qualitatively and quantitatively assessed these benchmarks.

Members of the panel individually evaluated each objective. They used a scale of 0-4 to numerically judge these criterion. The high score of 4 was assigned when media systems completely met these standards. These five independent scores for each country were then averaged together, creating a composite result. This index noted both the highest score to date (South Africa with 3.1) as well as the lowest (0.27 in Eritrea). Sudan, Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea recorded similarly low scores. Objectives 2 and 4, professionalism and sovereignty of media sources, consistently received lower marks than the other indicators.

But why all the numbers? Collecting and measuring data over a course of time is instrumental to understanding measuring development. The first collection serves as a starting point to determine priorities and set benchmarks to usher a more fruitful future. By intermittently analyzing data sets, the true effectiveness of new legislative initiatives can be gauged. The publishing of data allows people to become more critically aware of the institutions representing them. Data holds institutions accountable for their actions and is particularly essential in developing nations to assure the integrity of new-founded governments. Statistics encourage people to react intelligently to their surroundings and make them less vulnerable to manipulation. In developing countries which have been overpowered by exploitative governments, the ability to understand, compare and analyze data is a catalyst for positive change. The 2006-2007 MSI for Africa laid the foundation for offering a more critical, holistic and comparative examination of democratic governance and will surely prove constructive in African development, one nation at a time.

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Sponsor: The National Endowment for Democracy
Date: June 12, 2008
Time: 12-2 pm
Representative Attending: Elizabeth Caniano

'Engineering Change through Education'

Education, argues the honored Dr. Sarah E. Moten at todays luncheon with the National Academy of Public Administration's Africa Working Group, is the soundest investment a country can make it its future. It creates a mold for innovative, aware and confident leaders who will be able to creatively address future challenges. The US Agency for International Development (USAID), along with the Africa Education Initiative, aims to greatly increase the access, quality and longevity of education throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and has already made prominent strides in over 40 nations. Their efforts, coupled with funding and support from the private sector and host governments, are instrumental in the economic development and the social restructuring of the area.

The goals of the USAID programs in Sub-Saharan Africa can be classified into three categories:

• Increasing Quantity: Maximizing the number of enrolled students (particularly among females and minorities often socially marginalized) and well-trained teachers and administrators, the duration of enrollment, and the accessibility of sufficient textbooks, well-constructed schools,
• Improving Quality: Optimizing the quality of teachers and school materials.
• Creative Lasting Sustainability: Creating within the programs a sound infrastructure and administration that will one day be able to stand on its own.

The dedicated efforts of USAID have resulted in the donation of more than 8.5 billion textbooks distributed over 22 countries. They have created effective training programs for teachers in Africa and have encouraged countless American Universities to finance the collegiate education of Africans, so that they might return to their countries to teach. So far, more than 700,000 teachers and administrators have been touched by USAID’s programs.

USAID is not only dramatically altering the accessibility and caliber of education within developing nations: it is redefining foreign investment in education. It respects and embraces the native cultures in which it operates. It creates textbooks with indigenous examples. It customizes the curriculum of each country. By preserving culture within each schools system, USAID smooths the transition to self-sustenance. It motivates children to understand their traditions and reevaluate cultural norms. Their futures, as well as those of children for countless generations to come, will be forever meliorated.

Sponsor: The National Academy of Public Administration
Date: June 6, 2008
Time: 1-3 pm
Representative Attending: Liz Caniano

Student Luncheon at Africare

On Thursday the 12^th of June, undergraduate students were granted the opportunity to have lunch with the distinguished Mr. Julius Coles to learn about the organization Africare. Mr. Coles, a former senior official with USAID and a graduate of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, has served as the president of Africare since 2002. Africare is the oldest and largest African-American run organization in the field of international development. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Africans as it partners with communities and African organizations to address three principle areas:

· food security and agriculture

· health and HIV/AIDS

· emergency response

Its grassroots focus is embodied by the philosophy “There are no Africare programs, only African programs.” Currently serving in 25 countries and allocating $50 million annually, Africare has successfully completely over 2,500 development and humanitarian projects in 38 years and delivered over $710 million in aid. With an overhead cost of only 9.1%, Africare receives high ratings from non-profit watchdogs such as American Philanthropy and Charity Navigator. This organization works with all sectors of society as it receives 52% of its funding from the government, significant funding from foundations such as the Gates Foundation, and partners with the Private Sector. Africare has a partnership with Shell in Nigeria to combat Malaria and with Exxon Mobil to promote women’s education in Angola and Chad, just to name a few. Additionally, Africare is a member of the Millennium Water Alliance and works with other NGOs in promoting development and assisting the needs of Africans.

Africare was founded during the Sahelian drought in the early 1970s by Dr. Kirker and his wife as a charity. PeaceCorp Officers Dr. Joseph C. Kennedy and C. Payne Lucas, a former Chairman of UNDP-USA, helped reform the charity and had it incorporated as Africare in May of 1971. The first president of Niger, Hamani Diori, served as a Co-founder and the first Chairman of Africare. From the beginning Africare has exemplified a commitment to partnership between Africans and Americas for the well-being of Africa and her people. Whether Africare workers are engaged in combating HIV/AIDS, helping orphans in a community in Uganda, educating girls in Chad, or participating in microfinance to allow women to have their own businesses, Africare is working to improve the quality of life for Africans with Africans.

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Sponsor: Africare
Date: June 12, 2008
Time: 12:30-2 pm
Representative Attending: Jessica Walker

Girls Count

Girls Count: A Global Investment and Action Agenda

Featured Speakers: Kathy Calvin, Margaret Greene, Caren Grown, Laura Laski, Ruth Levine, Joan Libby-Hawk, Cynthia Lloyd, Caroline Ryan

The importance of investing time, energy, and funding into the world’s young female population is clear and undisputed. Young females across the globe are undoubtedly crucial to developmental progress and to the success of the Millennium Development Goals. Despite the noticeably important role of this specific group, support systems that aim to promote good health, the ability to advance, safety, and favorable living conditions for young women are unreliable. Girls are not protected even though they should be. Their vulnerability is exacerbated by the lack of consistent support. So they have only reaped the benefits of lip service, not reliable support over time.

In recognition of this unfortunate reality, the Center for Global Development, the International Center for Research on Women and the Population Council have reported on issues concerning this underserved segment of humanity with hopes to bring awareness to the fore and action to the ground.

The speakers first addressed why girls matter and why investing in their well-being is an economically sound decision. They mentioned that in this era of common interconnectedness of nations, young women comprise the workforce base that light textiles and other global industries requiring cheap labor rely on. As a result of their utility, young women are often subject to unfair work conditions and the unfortunate cyclic factors that accompany such exploitation.

One factor that accompanies exploitative practices is the absence of a formal mechanism that recognizes the existence of young females. As a result, young women lack citizenship and access to the rights that rely on formal documentation and identity records. Thus, many girls are restricted physically by their inability to travel legally. They are also they are limited financially as official ownership of land titles, assets, and homes requires documentation, as well as the approval and/or sponsorship of a male, usually a husband or father.

With hopes to help combat the gender inequalities recognized world-wide, the speakers gave a series of recommendations and encouraged attendees to realize how girls effect development. They framed part of this discussion around the Millennium Development Goals and by focusing on what individuals, non-governmental organizations/private actors, and governments can do to mitigate the problems related to gender equality and insufficient support for young females.

Some of the proactive steps you can take include encouraging males to respect and care for women of all ages. Parents can (re)introduce psychological commitment to ensure feminist ideals are respected and viewed with legitimacy. Also, you can support specific programs that directly support democratic governance and improve the conditions of civil society such as the Somali Women’s Scholarship Fund supported by UNDP-USA.

If you would like more information concerning issues of development related to women around the globe or would like to know how you can take a role in improving gender inequality, contact the U.S. Committee for UNDP.



Sponsor: Center for Global Development, International Center for Research on Women, Population Council
Location: Hilton Washington Embassy Row
Date: January 30, 2008
Time: 10:00 am-12:00pm
Approximate Number of Attendees: 300
Representative Attending: Saphonia Foster

Health Systems and the Emerging International Health Architecture

Host: Center for Global Development
Date: January 23, 2008
Speaker: Julian Schweitzer
UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster

In a discussion concerning health systems and collaborative efforts to improve international health initiatives, the World Bank’s Director of Health, Nutrition and Population, Julian Schweitzer, emphasized the need for horizontal integration. He stated that stakeholders in worldwide healthcare projects including the Gates Foundation, the European Union, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and other major global actors would be more effective if they fused their efforts into a simpler, joint system. Major actors such as the World Health Organization, the African Development Bank, and UNICEF, have signed this new inter-agency agreement called the International Health Partnership (IHP).

He stated that the too many fragmented global health organizations undermines the ability actors to relieve some of the world’s most ailing problems. IHP is a step forward to combating this stark reality.

The discussion was framed around, arguably, the most prominent driving force in international development today: the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With under-five death rates as a proxy measurement, Schweitzer illustrated that if progress toward the MDGs were to continue at the trends trailing back from 1960, then the world’s poor, including those in Asia, Africa, and other less developed regions, would still be plagued by preventable problems. This travesty calls for change.

In addition to convoluted programs that inhibit efficiency and lack of commitment to the MDGs, unpredictable funding flows also greatly undermine health care program success. To mitigate these setbacks, Schweitzer proposed a re-emphasis to the principles of the Paris Declaration. He noted that a clear shift in mentality where partnership, stable investment, and harmony between the different actors involved in international health issues should approach these problems from a similar mindset where achieving better health systems is the objective. This must include paying service to the priority of strengthening on the ground actors with grants, the potential for growth and innovation, the capacity to improve practices, and increased knowledge. This optimistic plan, the IHP, is possible only with support from a global alliance. This means calls for a commitment in civil society to work toward a stronger collaborative approach in improving health care worldwide.

Kenya: Assessing the Political and Humanitarian Crisis

January 16, 2008

Opening Remarks by: Michael Ranneberger (U.S. Ambassador to Kenya)

Featured Speakers: Bukard Oberle (World Food Program Country Director, Kenya), Sam Kona (Center for Conflict Resolution, University of Cape Town, South Africa) David Throup (Senior Associate, CSIS), Mark Bellamy (Visiting Fellow, CSIS Africa Program, Former U.S. Ambassador to Kenya)

Moderated by: Jennifer Cooke (Co-Director, CSIS Africa Program)

The political and humanitarian crisis in Kenya continues since a resolution has not been made between the recently elected president, Mwai Kibaki, and his opponent in the recent elections, Raila Odinga. Today, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and Woodrow Wilson International Center (WWIC) came together to discuss and clarify the current situation in Kenya. They made projections concerning the country’s humanitarian efforts and political stability.

Kenya has been in a state of crisis since the presidential election results were released on December 30^th when Kibaki was named winner. Supporters of Odinga and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) protested these results claiming that the election was rigged to favor Kibaki and his party, Party of National Unity (PNU). Since the election, violent protests all over the country have occurred including the deaths of at least 500 Kenyans and the displacement of 250,000 people. Kibaki was formally sworn in as President of Kenya, but tension still remains. Sam Kona said that the violence and strife caused by the election reveal many other underlying problems related to the high ethnic tension among Kenyans specifically with the Kikuyus, who have disproportionately controlled much of the wealth, land, and elite positions in government in comparison to other ethnic groups.

U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger discussed the strategies of both leaders during this time of crisis. Kibaki has chosen to stand strong and hopefully by doing so, the violence will die down and he will retain his presidency for the next five years. Odinga hopes that the international community will pressure the Kenyan government to recount the vote. Both of these strategies, he said, were unconstructive. Kibaki cannot use oppression to retain his position if he wishes to be viewed as a democratic leader. In regards to finding a solution in this matter, Amb. Ranneberger emphasized that the international community would “facilitate, not mediate” dialogue between the two officials. The most accepted resolution is a power-sharing agreement between the two men with a number of possible reforms. A prime minister position or other executive position could create a more fair solution for both Odinga and Kibaki supporters Another solution might be through collaborative efforts between the two men, who could work together for constitutional and institutional reform.

Sam Zona and Amb. Bellany spoke of the situation in Kenya as hopeful. Enormous amount of pressure from outside and inside Kenya encourages the government to begin dialogue between Odinga and Kibaki. The United States sent Secretary of State Frazier early last week to meet with Kibaki to discuss power-sharing possibilities. The African Union and Ghanaian president John Kufour will also encourage dialogue to begin between the two contenders. Within Kenya, business elite, civil service organizations, and religious leaders also are stressing the importance of resolution because of the economic strain the political unrest has created. With ten billion shillings lost every day, the growth rate of Kenya’s GDP has already decreased from 6-7% percent to only 2-3%. The people of Kenya are very interested in seeing the country restored to a sense of normalcy.

Bukard Oberle and Sam Kona spoke on the humanitarian efforts going on currently in Kenya. Efforts to supply food and water to the 250,000 displaced and affected have been very successful largely because of the tremendous job of the Kenya Red Cross (KRC) and the WFP. Just today, the WFP, in conjunction with KRC and the Kenya government have distributed food to 77,000 people in the slums of Nairobi, an area where many people are unable to find work due to the political unrest. Since the election, 227,000 beneficiaries have received food rations, 126,000 of which live in the Nairobi slums. Mobil health facilities have been set up and health concerns overall are under control. The main problems which humanitarians face currently are access to many areas because of the violence occurring throughout the country.

Many of the speakers emphasized, it will be a slow process to restore Kenya’s government and economy from this election. It is in restoring Kenyans’ confidence in the democracy that lasting change will occur. The crisis in Kenya signifies a turning point in the country’s history. In the coming years, hopefully there will be institutional and constitutional reform that solidifies democratic ideals. The government must aim high in order to remove the divisions of ethnic groups from politics and to reestablish legitimate democracy. Through the work of the Kenyan government, the UN community, NGO’s and the citizens of Kenya, peace can be restored.

Read the transcript or listen to a recording of this event

For more information:

"Breaking the Stalemate in Kenya"
By Joel D. Barkan, Senior Associate (Non-resident), CSIS Africa Program


The United Nations Development Program Website also has more information on development issues in Africa including democratic governance and crisis prevention and recovery.

http://www.undp.org/africa/

Here is the website for the Kenya UNDP office:

http://www.ke.undp.org/

Sponsor: Center for Strategic and International Studies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, World Food Program

Location: Center for Strategic and International Studies

Date: January 16, 2008

Time: 10:00-12:00

Approximate Number of Attendees: 200

Intern Attending: Ellen Rolfes

A FAREWELL TO ALMS

Featured Speaker: George Clark

In a provocative lecture George Clark, professor at the University of California, Davis, presented his theories concerning the developmental history of the world. He exposed his findings in the new book “A Farewell to Alms” and shared his thoughts on conventional wisdom concerning economic growth and development.

The lecture was held at the University of California Washington Center and drew a broad audience including researchers, economists, graduate students, former diplomats, ambassadors, and various representatives from think tanks and developmental organizations.

In his talk, Clark veered from focusing on exploitation, geography, and the colonial legacy and engaged his diverse audience by challenging basic assumptions concerning development such as the belief that liberal markets spark growth. He confronted the ineptness of resource based explanations of development. He also challenged the idea that exposure to advances in technology engenders economic growth, progress, and improves living standards. These ideological foundations often guide academics and more importantly determine how policymakers frame solutions to combat the ills that accompany poverty and underdevelopment.

Clark continued to challenge these foundations by presenting a binary list of traits and factors that are generally presumed to catalyze economic growth and better living standards. While tracing historical data of England’s living standards, the professor drew a particular focus on the industrial revolution and on 16^th and17^th century sanitation practices, or lack there of. He juxtaposed this broad historical English context with various indigenous societies in Central America, South American, Africa, and India to support his claim that those who rested at the pinnacle of England’s social hierarchy did not necessarily bear the best standards of living based on his definition of high quality living standards.

The crowd was stimulated by Clark’s interesting presentation, which left spectators with more questions than answers. With this new approach to developmental thought, policy makers and humanitarian organizations can re-evaluate their approaches to development programs and question the primary premises that guide them. While doing so, development organizations can improve the impact they have on those abroad.

Date: Thursday January 10, 2008

Time: 10:00 am - 11:30 am

Location: 1608 Rhode Island Ave. NW- Washington, D.C. 20036

UNDP-USA Representative: Saphonia Foster