Knowledge Centre : Development Practice : Millennium Development Goals

Energy Security and Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific [pdf]  new

In this study ESCAP stresses how energy deprivation in the region's developing countries impacted poverty reduction efforts and impeded the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It warned that if the region's energy needs continued growing at the current rate, it would account for half of the world's energy demand by 2030. (Environment and Sustainable Development Division (ESDD), May 2008)

http://www.unescap.org/esd/energy/publications/theme_study/themstudy.pdf

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 25)

Knowledge Centre : Disasters and Emergencies : Famine

SOMALIA: Plea for help as drought pushes people towards urban centres  new

Local leaders in central Somalia have appealed for help as the severe drought being experienced in the region is forcing many nomads who lost their livestock - the principal means of survival - to abandon their homes and move to urban centres. (IRIN News, 5 May 2008)

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77956

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 7)

Knowledge Centre : Economy : Corporate (Ir)Responsibility

Big Pharma Digs In  new

The nations of the world are currently debating how to design new medical research and development (R&D) mechanisms to serve the twin goals of promoting innovation to meet the particular needs of developing countries and ensuring that important medicines are accessible to people in the developing world, regardless of their income. (by Robert Weissman, Common Dreams, May 2, 2008)

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/05/02/8664/

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 6)

Multinationals Make Billions In Profit Out of Growing Global Food Crisis  new

Speculators are blamed for driving up price of basic foods as 100 million people face severe hunger. (by Geoffrey Lean, Common Dreams, May 4, 2008)

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/05/04/8710/

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 6)

Knowledge Centre : Economy : Economic Disparity And Poverty

The Gospel of Consumption  new

Most of the clothes, video players, furniture, toys, and other goods we buy today are made in distant countries, often by underpaid people working in sweatshop conditions. The raw material for many of those products comes from clearcutting or strip mining or other disastrous means of extraction. (by Jeffrey Kaplan, Common Dreams, May 3, 2008)

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/05/03/8686/

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Knowledge Centre : Economy : International Financial Institutions : World Bank

The World Bank's Climate Investment Funds: Still Fueling Global Warming [pdf]  new

The World Bank plans to reinvent itself as the world's leader on climate and development. It has proposed at least two new "Climate Investment Funds" to help "developing countries to address urgent climate change challenges." But a closer look at these funds reveals that the Bank would continue to fund greenhouse gas emissions, while re-branding its business as usual as "transformational, low-carbon" technologies. (Friends of the Earth, May 2008)

http://www.foe.org/pdf/CIF_Factsheet.pdf

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Knowledge Centre : Economy : Privatisation

NIGERIA: Shoddy private health centres closed down  new

The Lagos State government has shut down 184 private hospitals, clinics and laboratories for failing to meet basic standards of hygiene and staff training in a move observers say is a much-needed push to improve the regulation of the state's healthcare system. (IRIN, 5 May 2008)

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77981

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 4)

Knowledge Centre : Food and Agriculture : Food Security-Crisis

Food Crisis May Get Worse Before it Gets Better  new

The spreading food crisis-triggered primarily by rising prices, declining outputs and growing scarcities worldwide -is threatening to impact heavily on the most vulnerable in society: women and children. (By Thalif Deen, IPS, april 29, 2008)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42172

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Soaring food prices - threat or opportunity? [pdf]  new

The author stresses that the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) can only be attained if we can boost agriculture in developing countries in a sustainable way. (by Jacques Diouf, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), May 2008)

http://www.dev-zone.org/downloads/Soaring%20prices.pdf

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Knowledge Centre : Food and Agriculture : Genetic Engineering

"Transgenic Seed Companies Lie and Bribe" Interview with Jesus Leon Santos  new

Biotech corporations that developed genetically modified seeds are bribing authorities and carrying out costly advertising campaigns "plagued with lies in order to create monsters that attack life," says Jesus Leon Santos, an indigenous man who is one of the 2008 winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize. (IPS, 24 April 2008)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42116

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 3)

Knowledge Centre : Health and Population : Epidemics

Major Issues and Challenges of Influenza Pandemic Preparedness in Developing Countries [pdf]  new

According to this article based on the premise that better preparedness for an influenza pandemic mitigates its impact, many countries have started developing and implementing national influenza pandemic preparedness plans. However, the level of preparedness varies among countries. (by Hitoshi Oshitani et. al, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan, June 2008)

http://www.cdc.gov/eid/content/14/6/pdfs/07-0839.pdf

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 3)

Knowledge Centre : Health and Population : Malaria

HEALTH: Malaria Campaigns Ramp Up Focus on Bed Nets  new

With a million people a year still dying from malaria, the United Nations is leading a new campaign to provide universal coverage of essential malaria control measures -- particularly bed nets -- in Africa by the end of 2010. (By Mirela Xanthaki, IPS, April 25, 2008)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42132

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 4)

Knowledge Centre : Health and Population : Population

ARGENTINA: Training Health Agents to Reduce Child Mortality  new

An ambitious new programme for training health agents to help reduce infant mortality in small rural communities and indigenous villages, launched by one of Argentina's best-known human rights groups, drew many more applicants than the organisers had hoped for. (By Marcela Valente, IPS, April 28, 2008)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42154

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Knowledge Centre : Human Rights

Al-Jazeera Journalist Freed From Guantanamo After 6 Years  new

"The situation is very bad and getting worse day after day," Sami al-Haj, who had been on a hunger strike for 16 months, said of conditions in Guantanamo. He claimed guards prevent Muslims from practicing their religion and reading the Quran. (Common Dreams, May 2, 2008)

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/05/02/8663/

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Knowledge Centre : Human Rights : Freedom from Injustice : Child Rights

Broken dreams : child migration in Southern Africa [pdf]  new

The stories of children who travel alone in Southern Africa tell of beatings at the hands of the authorities, of their possessions being taken, of forced labour, and their vulnerability to sexual abuse. This report by Save the Children (STC) also tells of their bravery and resilience, and they even offer advice to other young migrants. (Save the Children, 2008)

http://www.crin.org/docs/Save_the_children_sa_migration.pdf

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 8)

ZIMBABWE: Children not spared post-election violence  new

Children are not being spared the impact of Zimbabwe's post-election violence. (IRIN, 30 April 2008)

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77996

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 2)

Knowledge Centre : Society and Culture : Indigenous Peoples

Climate a "Life and Death" Issue for Native Peoples  new

Leaders of the world's 370 million indigenous peoples are calling for the United Nations to include their voices in its future talks on climate change. (By Haider Rizvi, IPS, 23 April 2008)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42103

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 5)

Native People Warn U.N. of Biofuels Disaster  new

Growing demand for biofuels by the world's rich nations is propelling attacks on indigenous people and destroying their lands and forests. (IPS, 30 April 2008)

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42196

(Added: Mon May 05 2008   Hits: 3)