<br><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br><span class="gmail_quote">From: <b class="gmail_sendername">e-CIVICUS</b> <<a href="mailto:e-civicus@civicus.org">e-civicus@civicus.org</a>><br>Date: 20 Feb 2008 19:31<br>
Subject: [E-civicus] e-CIVICUS 376 HTML<br>To: <a href="mailto:e-civicus@elists.civicus.org">e-civicus@elists.civicus.org</a><br><br></span>
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<p style="margin: 12px 3.75pt 0pt;" align="right"><b><span lang="EN-ZA"><font color="#ffffff" face="Arial" size="2">A Free Weekly Newsletter Promoting Civic
Existence, Expression & Engagement</font></span></b></p>
<p align="right"><b><span lang="EN-ZA"><font color="#ffffff" size="2"><font face="Arial">Please send contributions, comments and questions to </font><a style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" href="mailto:editor@civicus.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">editor@civicus.org</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></font></span></b></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><span style="font-weight: bold; color: white;"><font color="white"><font size="2"><br></font></font></span></b><font color="white" face="Arial" size="2"><b><span style="font-weight: bold; color: white;">20</span></b></font><font color="white" face="Arial" size="2"><b><span style="font-weight: bold; color: white;"> February 2008<br>
<br>ISSUE No.
376</span></b></font><font color="white" size="1"><span style="font-size: 7.5pt; color: white; font-family: Arial;"><br><br><br></span></font><font size="1"><font color="#000080"><font face="Arial"><b>PUBLISHER</b><br>
CIVICUS:
World Alliance for Citizen
Participation<br><br><b>EDITOR-IN-CHIEF</b><br>Kumi Naidoo</font><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;"><br><br></span><br><font face="Arial"><b>COPY EDITOR</b><br><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Arial;">Margaret
Fish</span></font></font><font color="#000080" size="1"><br><br><font face="Arial"><b>MANAGING EDITOR</b><br>Eric
Muragana<br><br></font></font><b><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">OCCASIONAL<br>CONTRIBUTORS</font></span></b><font color="#000080" size="1"><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><br>
</span></font></font><font color="#000080" size="1"><font face="Arial">Carol Baloyi</font><span style="color: navy;"><br></span><span><font face="Arial">Ciara O'Sullivan<br></font></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-ZA">Desire
E. Stokkel <span> <br></span></span><span lang="EN-ZA"><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Guergana Petkova
<br></span></span><font face="Arial">Julia Sestier</font><span style="color: navy;"><br><font face="Arial">Natalia
Kiryttopoulou<br></font></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-ZA">Natasha
Sawh<br></span><span><font face="Arial">Katsuji Imata<br></font></span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-ZA">Roberto
Wohlgemuth<br>Rui Correia</span><span><br></span><span lang="EN-ZA"><font face="Arial">Vicente García-Delgado, Esq</font><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"><br><br></span></span></font><font size="1"><font color="#000080" size="1"><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;"><br>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.civicus.org/new/images/world-assembly-small.jpg" border="0" height="78" width="82"><br></font><font face="Arial"><font color="#000080" size="1"><b>2008
CIVICUS World Assembly <br></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;">The World Assembly will take place
between 18-21 June 2008, </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Glasgow</span> <span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;">, </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Scotland</span>
<span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;">. </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-ZA">Building
on and continuing the success of past World Assemblies, the overall theme
for this event is <i>Acting Together
for a Just World</i>. This overall theme will be explored through the
focus theme of <i><span>People, Participation and
Power</span>.</i></span> </font><br></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font color="#0000ff"><a href="http://www.civilsocietywatch.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.civicus.org/new/images/cswlogo.gif" border="0" height="67" width="78"></font></a><br>
</font><span style="color: navy;"><br></span><span style="color: navy;"><b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial" size="1">Civil Society Watch Monthly
Bulletin</font></span></b><font size="1"><br><font face="Arial">The CIVICUS
e-newsletter <span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">Civil
Society Watch Monthly Bulletin<span style="color: navy;">
</span></span><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">is
an action-oriented newsletter</span> distributed to over 7,400 people
around the world<span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">,
featuring insightful interviews, update</span>s on <span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">threats
to civil society, and analyses of current situations. Read more at <a href="http://www.civilsocietywatch.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.civilsocietywatch.org</a></span></font></font></span><font color="#000080" size="1"><br>
</font><font size="2"><font color="#000080" size="1"><br></font><font face="Arial"><b><font color="white" size="3"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: white;">CIVICUS
blog</span></font></b><br></font></font><font size="1"><font face="Arial"><font color="#000080">What do you think? Have your say on the
CIVICUS Blog! CIVICUS seeks to amplify the voices and opinions of ordinary
people and give expression to the enormous creative energy within civil
society. Our recently launched blog gives you the opportunity to use your
voice and engage with the rest of civil society. Have your say by
visiting</font> </font><font color="#0000ff"><a href="http://civicus.civiblog.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">http://civicus.civiblog.org<br><br></font></a><a href="http://www.whiteband.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.civicus.org/new/images/whiteband.gif" border="0" height="112" width="102"></font></a></font></font><font color="navy"><span style="color: navy;"><br>
<br><strong><font face="Arial"> </font></strong></span></font></p><font face="Arial" size="2">
<p style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"></p></font>
<p style="margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </p></td>
<td style="padding: 0cm; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 204);" bgcolor="#ffffcc" dir="ltr" height="968" valign="top" width="1339"><font color="maroon">
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: maroon;"><br></span></font></p></font><font size="2"><span><strong><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">FROM THE
DESK OF CIVICUS' SECRETARY-GENERAL</font></span></strong><span lang="EN-GB"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><br></span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Send
your comments and contributions to <a href="mailto:editor@civicus.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">editor@civicus.org</a></span><font color="#000080" face="Arial">.</font></span></span><font color="#000080"><span lang="EN-GB"><br>
</span></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><br><img src="http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:BkBbPm-PRYp0eM:http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/inet/images.nsf/vLUImages/International%20Cooperation/$file/Naidoo.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="83" width="49"></span></font><strong><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-GB">CIVICUS issues call for
statements of interest for the implementation of the Civil Society Index
(2008-2009 phase)</span></font></strong><font size="2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><br></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;">By Kumi Naidoo,
CIVICUS Secretary-General</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial;"><br><br></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Dear Friends and
Colleagues,<br></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><br></span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">It
gives me great pleasure to announce that the CIVICUS Civil Society Index
(CSI) </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">has
issued a call for applications from partner organisations around the world
who would be interested in implementing a new phase of our internationally
renowned project. Many of you will know that the
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">CSI</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">has
recently concluded its first phase in over 50 countries across the world.
I am proud to say that CIVICUS achieved a great deal with the
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">CSI.
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">First
of all, the project collected an impressive amount of data, which was then
presented in numerous </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">conference</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">s
and meetings and eventually analysed in the two-volume, Global Survey of
the State of </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Civil
Society</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">(Kumarian
Press 2007). More importantly though, the</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">CSI</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">was
a mobilisation machine. In the past few years, we engaged over 7,000 civil
society activists, government representatives and other stakeholders to
conduct an assessment of civil society's strengths and weaknesses, which
was participatory, inclusive and culture-specific. The upcoming phase aims
at repeating and extending the experience to civil society organisations
that are committed to strengthening civil society in their own
countries. </span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">To read more on
this week's column, </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: Arial;"><a href="http://www.civicus.org/new/content/deskofthesecretarygeneral.98.htm" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span><font face="Arial"> </font></font>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-ZA"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.civicus.org/new/images/GlobalSurvey2.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="63" width="40">Launch of the </font></span><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-ZA"><font face="Arial">CIVICUS
Global Survey of the State of Civil Society Volume 2: Comparative
Perspectives<br></font></span></b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-ZA"><font face="Arial">26<b> </b>February 2008 at 12:00 noon,
Johannesburg, South Africa</font></span><span lang="EN-ZA"><br></span><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">The</span><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"> <i>CIVICUS
Global Survey of the State of Civil Society </i>offers one of the most
engaging and comprehensive analyses of key issues facing civil society
worldwide. Comprising 24 chapters by prominent researchers and civil
society practitioners, the book draws on the information collected by the
CIVICUS Civil Society Index project in more than 45 countries. Through a
diversity of perspectives, it explores civil society's accountability, its
relationship to the state and corporate sector and its role in governance
and development, among other issues. The book also includes overviews of
the state of civil society in various regions. For more information about
the launch, <a href="http://www.civicus.org/new/media/CIVICUS-Book-Launch_Global-Survey-State-CivilSociety.pdf" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial"> </font></span></b><font face="Arial"><span lang="EN-GB"></span><span lang="EN-GB">
</span></font></font></p><span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
</font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">CIVICUS
Poll Question</font></span></b><span lang="EN-GB"><br><br><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">This week's question:</font></span></b></span><span style="color: navy;"><br><br></span></font><font face="Arial" size="2"><span style="color: navy;">Do you believe that CIVICUS Civil Society
Index project is a meaningful tool for improving the knowledge and
strengthening the capacity of civil society?</span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial" size="2">To answer the question, </font></span><font size="2"><span lang="EN-GB"></span><a href="http://www.civicus.org/new/poll.asp?c=048451" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click
here</font></a><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">.</font></span><b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-GB"><br><br><font face="Arial">Previous question: </font></span></b><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;">Should civil society organisations pay more attention
to issues surrounding workers' rights in developing nations?</span>
</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-GB"><font size="2">Results:
</font></span></b><font size="2"><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">Yes - </span><span style="color: navy;">89%%,</span><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"> No - </span><span style="color: navy;">8%</span><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">, Don't Know - 3</span><span style="color: navy;">%</span><span style="color: navy;"> </span><span style="color: navy;"></span></font></font></p>
<span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
</font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font size="2">TELL A
FRIEND</font></span></b> </font><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;">ABOUT </span><span style="color: maroon;">e-CIVICUS</span></b> </font><b><span style="color: navy;"><br></span></b><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;">The</span> <span style="color: navy;">e-CIVICUS</span> <span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">newsletter keeps tens of
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">e-CIVICUS</font></span><font face="Arial"> <span style="color: navy;">DI <br>
</span></font></b></font></p><p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN"><font face="Arial">Why civil
society is an essential part of a truly vital world</font></span></b><b><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span></b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;">By<b> </b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN">Stuart
Etherington, Chief Executive, National Council for Voluntary
Organisations, UK</span><br><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">As
we look towards the future, and the possibility of a new government, both
Labour and the Conservatives are vying to tell us the important role that
civil society will play in the</font></span><font face="Arial">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN">UK</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN">of
tomorrow. This comes at a time when civil society is thriving. The <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;" lang="EN">National
Council for Voluntary Organisations</span></span> </font></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;" lang="EN"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN">(NCVO)'s</span></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial; text-decoration: none;" lang="EN">
</span><span lang="EN"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN">first
Civil Society Almanac shows that there are 865,000 civil society
organisations in the UK, with an annual income of £109bn. The picture for
charities, too, is rosy at face value - there are 164,000 general
charities in the UK, with an income of £31bn. However, beneath the prize
garden of prosperity lies a bed of disparities between those growing year
on year and those that are struggling to keep afloat. The almanac shows
that although charity income increased by 10% in 2005/06 overall, nearly
one in five of the largest charities, rising to three out of every five of
the smallest charities, decreased their expenditure.</span><font face="Arial"> </font></span><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN"><font face="Arial">For more
information, </font><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/20/voluntarysector3" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial" size="2">CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS</font></span></b><font size="2"><font face="Arial"> <br><br><b><span style="color: maroon;">Civil society satisfied with election results
in</span></b> <b><span style="color: maroon;">Pakistan</span></b> <br><span style="color: maroon;">Source: Daily Times,
<a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.dailytimes.com.pk</a></span><br><span style="color: navy;">Civil society
members on Tuesday 19 February expressed their satisfaction over the
election results in <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Pakistan. They
said the people of </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Pakistan</span>
<span style="color: navy;">had clearly conveyed to the
world that true democracy and an end to Musharraf's rule were inevitable
in Pakistan. The Daily Times talked to several human rights activists,
intellectuals and other civil society members. The director of the Human
Rights Commission of Pakistan, I.A. Rehman, said that the poll results
show that the people of </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Pakistan</span>
<span style="color: navy;">want democracy. The people
have voted against the Musharraf rule; now the responsibility lies on the
shoulders of the elected government to do its job through the democratic
process. The poll results show that when the people begin to take
decisions, they can overcome every sort of rigging. The entire electoral
process cannot be termed 'credible', but the polling can surely be termed
credible, because the results show what the nation really
wanted.</span> </span><span style="color: navy;">For more
information, <a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008%5C02%5C20%5Cstory_20-2-2008_pg13_3" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>. </span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;"><b><span style="color: maroon;">Labour
movement and civil society in </span></b></span><b><font color="#800000">Russian </font></b></font><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;"> <br>By
Boris Kagarlitsky</span><br><font face="Arial">Workers of the Ford plant in
Vsevolozhsk wrestled a compromise, but with the invigorated labour
movement, the struggle for the amendment of the Russian Labour code is
likely to become the most important political issue, writes Boris
Kagarlitsky.<i> </i>The confrontation
between employees and the administration of the Ford plant in Vsevolozhsk
ended in compromise. Salaries were raised by 16-20% depending on the
category of employee, rather than by one third, as the trade union
demanded. Using boxing terminology, one may say that for strikers it was a
"victory on points". The significant outcome of the events at the Ford
plant lies in the fact that the labour movement has attracted public
attention. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.tni.org/detail_page.phtml?act_id=17955" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><strong><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial" size="2">Enacting a bill of rights
for civil society in</font></span></strong><font size="2"><font face="Arial"> <strong><span style="color: maroon;">India</span></strong>
</font><strong><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">B</font></span></strong><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">y Ashok
Kapur</font></span><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">Democracy without education, an
eminent political scientist has concluded is hypocrisy without limitation.
It is not known if he coined the adage in the contemporary Indian context.
However, it is very much the reality in our country today. The wily Indian
politician is accountable to no one. He is playing havoc with the system
and the rule of law, without any check or restraint. Simply put, democracy
is a system of checks and balances. The moment the checks are removed,
imbalance results. Thus, democracy is reduced to a mere form, devoid of
meaningful content. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=022025" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span><span style="color: black;"><font face="Arial"> </font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><font face="Arial"><span style="color: maroon;"><font size="2">Civil society asks bishops to lead 'communal action'
in</font></span><font size="2"> <span style="color: maroon;">Philippines</span>
</font></font></b><font size="2"><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">By Beverly T. Natividad</font></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br>
</span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy;"><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">Civil society groups that have been
organising 'communal action' against the Arroyo administration are urging
the country's bishops to lead the protest movement. Groups from various
sectors -- religious, business, politics and academia -- gathered for a
dialogue with Iloilo Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, Lingayen-Dagupan
Archbishop Oscar V. Cruz, and Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez on
Tuesday in a bid to ask for "clearer leadership" from them. The civil
society groups in the meeting included representatives from the Black
& White Movement, Bayan, the Makati Business Club, the Integrated Bar
of the Philippines, Kubol Pag-Asa, Gabriela, Muslim Legal Assistance
Foundation (MUSLAF), Bangon Pilipinas, National Council of Churches of the
Philippines (NCCP), United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), the
Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP),
Solidarity Philippines and the La Salle Brothers.</font></span><font face="Arial"> For more information, </font><a href="http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080219-119909/Civil-society-asks-bishops-to-lead-communal-action" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span><span style="color: rgb(111, 111, 111);"><font face="Arial"> </font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;">MFA</span></b> <b><span style="color: maroon;">Forum
contributes to release of labour rights investigator
in</span></b> <b><span style="color: maroon;">Bangladesh</span></b> </font><b><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span></b><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;">Source:
AccountAbility, <a href="http://www.AccountAbility21.net" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.AccountAbility21.net</a></span><br><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;">Last week the Multi-Fibre Arrangement (MFA)
</span>Forum Bangladesh Buyers decided collectively to take action
regarding the Worker Rights Consortium (WRC) labour rights investigator
Mehedi Hasan who has been interrogated by the
Bangladesh</font><font face="Arial"> intelligence service since
24 January. The MFA Forum Bangladesh
Buyers Group sent a letter to the Bangladesh</font><font face="Arial"> government on 2 February requesting fair treatment of Mehedi
Hasan and a full investigation into his arrest. It had been reported that
Mr Hasan was only allowed limited communication with his family and
employers, and brief contact with a lawyer. There was also great concern
over his treatment in prison. The letter was signed by Wal-Mart, Tesco,
M&S, H&M, Inditex, Next, Nike, Levi Strauss, Gap, Walt Disney
company, Jones Apparel, Tchibo and Carrefour. For more information,
</font><a href="http://www.civicus.org/new/media/MFA-Forum-labour-rights.doc" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span><span style="color: navy;"><br>
<br></span><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Civil society wants action against poll officials in
Kenya</font></span></b><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">B</font></span><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">y Odhiambo
Orlale</font></span><span><br></span><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">Kenya's civil society groups are
pushing the Attorney-General Amos Wako to prosecute top Electoral
Commission officials over the disputed presidential election. In a
petition to the A-G, representatives of 25 civil society organisations
give him 14 days to take the poll managers to court or they would
institute private prosecution against the officials. They want the
chairman of the Electoral Commission, Mr Samuel Kivuitu, his 20 fellow
commissioners, returning officers and staff investigated and charged with
12 electoral offences. Some of the organisations pushing for the action
include the Law Society of Kenya, the Kenya Human Rights Commission, East
African Law Society, Kituo Cha Sheria, Centre for Multi Party Democracy,
Media Institute, Muslims for Human Rights, International Commission of
Justice - Kenya Chapter, and the Africa Centre for Open Governance, among
others. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=116901" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: navy;"><font size="2">ACCOUNTABILITY</font></span></b><font size="2"> </font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN"><b><font face="Arial" size="2">Online
philanthropy markets: From '</font></b><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b style="color: maroon;">f</b><b>eel-</b><b style="color: maroon;">g</b><b>ood' giving to effective social
investing?</b><br>Source: Keystone, </font></font></span><font size="2"><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial"><a href="http://www.KeystoneAccountability.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.KeystoneAccountability.org</a></font></span><span lang="EN"><br>
</span><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">Online platforms like GlobalGiving, Kiva, Network for Good,
GiveIndia, HelpArgentina, and so many more are promising to transform the
quality and quantity of resources available for domestic and international
development. But do they keep their promises? Are they really
revolutionising philanthropic practice? Keystone has recently launched a
breakthrough study that examines the rapidly expanding phenomenon of
online philanthropy markets and details the opportunity that they have to
create the informational basis for results-oriented giving and serving as
a lever for greater accountability and effectiveness of social purpose
organisations. Keystone's study finds that online philanthropy
markets are relentless innovators. Some of their innovations are helping
advance longstanding gaps in the performance of nonprofit organisations,
such as accountability to beneficiaries and other constituents of their
work. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.keystoneaccountability.org/node/159" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial" size="2">Challenging Orthodoxy on Governance and
Corruption</font></span></b><font size="2"><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">Lessons from Worldwide
Empirics, John Hopkins SAIS, Washington DC</font></span><br><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Governance is a
subject of growing importance in the literature on development and
economic growth. At the same time, measurements of governance and their
practical policy implications have never been more controversial. Drawing
on years of research and experience as a pioneer in the area of governance
metrics, Daniel Kaufmann, Director of Global Governance at the World Bank
Institute, discussed the analytics, empirics and implications of the
ongoing efforts in measuring governance. His presentation also showcased
applications of the empirical work and addressed some of the debated
issues in this evolving field.</span><font face="Arial"> <span style="color: navy;">For more information, </span></font><a href="http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWBIGOVANTCOR/Resources/SAIS_presentation.pdf" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.<span lang="EN-GB">
</span></font></font></p><span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
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<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: navy;">GET</span></b> <b><span style="color: navy;">INVOLVED!</span></b><br><br><b><span style="color: maroon;">GCAP</span></b> </font><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;">campaign on International Women's
Day<br></span></b><span style="color: maroon;">Submitted by the Global Call
to Action against Poverty (GCAP)</span></font><span style="color: navy;"><br><font face="Arial">On 8 March,
GCAP actions will include an e-card
campaign which will be circulated to all
GCAP</font><font face="Arial"> national coalitions for
adaptation and distribution and calling for further action on gender
justice. The Arab region hopes to issue a parallel statement to the
global one and GCAP is currently
working to disseminate this message widely. For more information,
</font></span><a href="http://www.internationalwomensday.com/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here.</font></a></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;">New UN campaign seeks to combat hunger among
millions of children</span></b><br><span style="color: maroon;">Source:</span> <span style="color: maroon;">World
Food Programme, <a href="http://www.wfp.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.wfp.org</a></span><br><span style="color: navy;">The United
Nations World Food Programme (WFP) unveiled a new global fundraising and
awareness campaign to benefit the nearly 60 million children around the
world who go to school hungry. Health and education interventions are less
effective when given to people who lack basic nourishment, the agency
noted. The new initiative "Fill the Cup" aims, literally, to fill a cup
with food for hungry school children, increasing their chances for health,
education and a better future. According to WFP, it will take about $3
billion per year to feed all 59 million children who go to school hungry
worldwide, while $1.2 billion can provide meals for the 23 million
children in 45 of the neediest African countries. To participate in the
campaign, </span></font><a href="http://www.wfp.org/english/?ModuleID=137&Key=2756" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.<br>
<br><strong><span style="color: maroon;">A letter from the world's Nobel laureates
to</span></strong></font><font face="Arial"> <strong><span style="color: maroon;">China: You must act on</span></strong>
<strong><span style="color: maroon;">Darfur</span></strong>
</font><span style="color: blue;"><br></span><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Source: The Independent,
<a href="http://www.independent.co.uk" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.independent.co.uk</a></font></span><span style="color: blue;"><br></span><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">"We, the undersigned Nobel laureates, Olympic athletes, current
and former government officials, business leaders, human rights activists
and public advocates, are writing to urge for the intensification of
diplomatic engagement in support of a peaceful resolution to the situation
in Darfur. As the primary economic, military and political partner of the
government of </font><font face="Arial">Sudan, and as a permanent member of the United
Nations Security Council, China
has both the opportunity and the responsibility to contribute
to a just peace in </font><font face="Arial">Darfur. Ongoing
failure to rise to this responsibility amounts, in our view, to support
for a government that continues to carry out atrocities against its own
people…"<span style="color: navy;"> </span>To act
on</font></span><font face="Arial"> <strong><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy;">Darfur,
</span></strong><span style="color: navy;"><a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/a-letter-from-the-worlds-nobel-laureates-to-china-you-umustu-act-on-darfur-782008.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span></font></font></p><span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
</font><hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
<font face="Arial"> </font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial" size="2">MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS & GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION AGAINST
POVERTY</font></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><span style="color: maroon;"><b><font face="Arial">Womens Tribunals outcomes to launch GCAPs International Women's
Day (IWD) activity</font></b></span><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">Submitted by the Global Call to Action against
Poverty</font></span><span style="color: navy;"><br><font face="Arial">Global
Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) activity at this year's
International Women's Day (IWD) on 8 March will kick off at the 52nd
session of the Commission on the Status of Women at UN headquarters in New
York</font><font face="Arial"> on 28 February. It was at this
same event three years ago that </font><font face="Arial">GCAP's important work on gender began and women's organisations
joined the call to action. The outcomes of the 2007 International Women's
Tribunals on Poverty, organised in the framework of the 17th of October,
International Day for the eradication of Poverty, and 15th of October,
International Day of rural women, will be presented. The tribunals
were held in</font><font face="Arial"> New York, Malta,
Cairo,
Bosnia
-</font><font face="Arial">
Herzegovina, Lima and Delhi
highlighting the feminisation of poverty, racism, violence against women
and discrimination among other factors leading to women's poverty. For
more information, </font><a href="http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/52sess.htm" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span><span style="color: navy;"><br>
<br></span><span><b><span style="color: maroon;"><a href="http://www.oecd.org/document/32/0,3343,en_2649_33721_40056608_1_1_1_1,00.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/12/12/40097014.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="62" width="47"></font></a><font face="Arial">The Aid
debate</font></span></b></span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: maroon; font-style: normal;"><br><font face="Arial">Submitted by the Global Call to Action against
Poverty</font></span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy; font-style: normal;"><br><font face="Arial">The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) published its 2007 Development Cooperation report. The report
shows that in 2006, the total </font></span><font face="Arial"><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy; font-style: normal;">Official
Development Assistance</span><span style="color: navy; font-style: normal;">
</span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy; font-style: normal;">(</span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy; font-style: normal;">ODA</span><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy; font-style: normal;">)
provided by the members of the DAC fell to USD$104.4 billion, 4.5% lower
than in 2005. In real terms, this is the first fall in ODA since 1997. The
report does suggest that there have been some improvements in the way aid
is delivered, and the way it is managed in the health and basic education
sectors. GCAP has been involved in civil society discussions in the build
up to the Aid Effectiveness meeting in</span></font><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy; font-style: normal;">Accra,
Ghana, in September. For more information, </span><span style="font-weight: normal; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.oecd.org/document/32/0,3343,en_2649_33721_40056608_1_1_1_1,00.html" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span></font><span style="color: navy;"><br><br></span><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Baha'i International Community issues statement on poverty
eradication</font></span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br></span><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">"Eradicating Poverty: Moving
Forward as One"</font></span><span style="color: navy;"><br></span><font face="Arial"><span style="color: maroon;">Source: Baha'i International
Community</span><span style="color: navy;"> </span><span style="color: maroon;">(BIC)</span></font><span style="color: navy;"><br><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">A new statement
from the Baha'i International Community calls for a coherent,
principle-based approach to the eradication of global poverty. BIC
representatives introduced the statement, "Eradicating Poverty: Moving
Forward as One," at a lunch held at their offices across from the United
Nations. About 40 representatives from various non-governmental
organisations and UN agencies gathered for the presentation. Tahirih
Naylor, a representative of the BIC to the United Nations, said the
statement was released to coincide with the 46th Commission for Social
Development at the United Nations, held on 6-15 February 2008.</span><font face="Arial"> For more information,</font></span><font face="Arial"> </font><a href="http://serv04.news.bahai.org/story/604" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click
here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></font></p><span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
</font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">CIVIL SOCIETY
ACTIVISM </span></b><b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">AND</span></b>
<b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">GLOBAL
INSTITUTIONS</span></b><br><br><b><span style="color: maroon;">Global
growth fails to increase prosperity</span></b></font><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">Source: </font></span><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">India
Infoline News Service</font></span><span style="color: rgb(242, 145, 0);"><br></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Although
the number of official democracies is growing, many people are still
excluded from political decision-making or are even being suppressed,
according to the third Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI).
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Despite the
continuing worldwide economic growth of the past few years, mass poverty
remains the central problem in most developing countries, and the majority
of people have no lasting share in this prosperity. Although the number of
official democracies is growing, many people are still excluded from
political decision-making. This is the conclusion reached by the third
Bertelsmann Transformation Index (BTI) an international comparative study
of 125 transformation countries recently published by the German
Bertelsmann Foundation. Among the transformation countries with the most
successful governance in the past few years are
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Chile,
Estonia</span><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">and Botswana. The
countries with the worst governance are</span></font><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Somalia, Myanmar
</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">and
Zimbabwe. For more information,</span><span style="color: rgb(84, 84, 84);"> <a href="http://www.indiainfoline.com/news/innernews.asp?storyId=59303&lmn=1" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><strong><span style="color: maroon;">GPPAC:
Mobilising civil society response to prevent
conflict</span></strong><br><span style="color: navy;">The Global
Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) is a global civil
society network focused on preventing conflict and building peace. The
network was created following an appeal from UN Secretary-General Kofi
Annan in his report, "Prevention of Armed Conflict" (2001). GPPAC is built
on regional networks in 15 regions world-wide and in July 2005 it
organised the historic global </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">conference</span>
<span style="color: navy;">"From Reaction to Prevention: Civil Society
Forging Partnerships to Prevent Violent Conflict and Build Peace" at the
UN Headquarters in</span></font><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">New York. This
global </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">conference</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">brought
together the largest group of civil society and policymakers working on
conflict prevention and peacebuilding ever at the United Nations and
approved a Global Action Agenda that is currently being implemented
through global and regional work plans. The European Centre for Conflict
Prevention (ECCP) serves as the International Secretariat for
GPPAC.</span> <span style="color: navy;">For more information, <a href="http://www.oneworld.nl/index.php?page=10&jobopeningId=2901" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span><i> </i></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><span style="color: maroon;"><b><a href="http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4970" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.fpif.org/images/irc/33/1091.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="45" width="48"></font></a><font face="Arial">Africa-based civil society groups:
</font></b><font face="Arial"><b style="color: maroon;">W</b><b>ho owes whom?</b><br><span>Editor: John
Feffer</span></font></span><br><span style="color: navy;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">As
President Bush embarks on his journey to</span></strong><font face="Arial"> <strong><span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Africa</span></strong>
<strong><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy;">he is
looking to secure his legacy, in part through his administration's
development initiatives on the continent. One of those initiatives is the
administration's support for expanded debt relief for the
continent.</span> </strong>A closer look at this administration's record
on debt should begin with the question often posed by Africa-based civil
society groups: Who owes whom? The Bush administration has supported debt
cancellation in </font><font face="Arial">Africa. Does
Africa owe President Bush a debt of gratitude? In
2005, the Bush administration, together with the UK, took strong
leadership at the G-8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, and agreed to
provide the possibility of 100% debt stock cancellation of eligible debts
for eligible countries. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4970" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click
here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Scotland</font></span></b><font face="Arial">
</font><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">must not let its lead in renewable
energy slip through its fingers</font><span><br></span></span></b><font face="Arial"><span style="color: maroon;">By
</span><span style="color: maroon;">George Kerevan, Between the
lines</span><br><span style="color: navy;">The recent National Economic
Forum, a coming together of the Scottish Government with the business
community and civil society, spent time discussing how climate change
might afford Scotland significant economic opportunities,
particularly in the realm of renewable energy technology. This theme has
been developed on a number of occasions by the First Minister, Alex
Salmond, who used his visit last week to the Irish power company
Airtricity (soon to be absorbed by Scottish & Southern Energy) to
argue that Scotland's "natural environment provides us with a clear,
competitive advantage in developing clean, green energy". For more
information, <a href="http://business.scotsman.com/business/George-Kerevan--Scotland-must.3794094.jp" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click
here</a>.</span></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Whistle-blower site
taken offline in US<br></font></span></b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Source:
British Broadcasting Corporation News</font><b><br></b></span><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;"><a href="http://Wikileaks.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">Wikileaks.org</a>, as it is known, was
cut off from the internet following a California court ruling, the site
says. The case was brought by a Swiss bank after "several hundred"
documents were posted about its offshore activities. Other versions of the
pages, hosted in countries such as Belgium</span> <span style="color: navy;">and</span></font><font face="Arial">
</font><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">India, can still be
accessed. However, the main site was taken offline after the court ordered
that Dynadot, which controls the site's domain name, should remove all
traces of wikileaks from its servers. The court also ordered that Dynadot
should "prevent the domain name from resolving to the <a href="http://wikileaks.org" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">wikileaks.org</a>
website or any other website or server other than a blank park page, until
further order of this Court." For more information, </font><a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7250916.stm" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.<br>
<br></font></span><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;">How to make the system work: </span></b><b><span style="color: maroon;">global economy and
African governance</span></b></font><b><span style="color: maroon;"><br></span></b><span style="color: navy;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;">Ferial Haffajee
of the Mail & Guardian in</span><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;">South
Africa</span> </font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;">spoke to <span>George Soros, philanthropist of the
Open Society Initiative<br></span></span><font face="Arial">Billionaire
philanthropist George Soros made his fortune on the markets and is giving
a lot of it to Africa . Last week he hosted an
Africa Forum in Dakar on
whether the continent is moving closer to his open society ideal. Ferial
Haffajee asked him about the global economy, African governance and the
role of China
in Africa . For more
information, </font><a href="http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=332581&area=/insight/insight__comment_and_analysis/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
</font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: navy;">PROFILE</span></b><b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">S</span></b></font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-GB"><a href="http://www.astraea.org/Main.php4" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.astraea.org/Images/Global/Logo.gif" align="left" border="0" height="41" width="44"></font></a><font face="Arial">DONOR: <span>Astraea
Foundation</span></font></span></b><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB"><br><font face="Arial">The
Astraea Foundation is a dynamic global foundation providing critically
needed financial support to lesbian-led, trans, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual,
Transexual and Intersexual (LGBTI) and progressive organisations. It
raises funds and issues grants based on the belief that all women can
participate in the philanthropic process. Separated by continents,
language and culture, Astraea grantees are seizing opportunities and
laying the groundwork necessary for LGBTI people to claim their human
rights. In the face of scant resources and, at times, physical danger,
Astraea grantees are fuelling the movement for social change in villages,
cities and towns around the world. A miniscule 0.3% of all foundation
dollars is directed toward lesbian and gay issues. Astraea exists to fund
these issues. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.astraea.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><a href="http://www.awepa.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial"><img src="http://www.awepa.org/templates/awepa/images/logo.jpg" align="left" border="0" height="54" width="51"></font></a><font face="Arial">MEMBER: Association of
</font></span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">European
Parliamentarians for </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Africa</span></b><font face="Arial"> <b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">(AWEPA)</span></b></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB"><br>
The
Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) is an
international non-governmental organisation, which </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">strives to reduce
poverty and protect human rights by supporting the healthy functioning of
parliaments in Africa</span><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">and by keeping
Africa</span></font><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">on the political
agenda in Europe</span></font><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">
With its roots in the campaign to end apartheid
in</span></font><font face="Arial"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">South
Africa, AWEPA now works in</span> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Africa</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">from
a development perspective to strengthen the core functions of parliaments:
oversight, representation and legislation. It believes that strong
parliaments are fundamental for </span></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;" lang="EN-GB">Africa</span><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">'s development; for peace,
stability and prosperity. </span><span style="color: navy;">AWEPA's work
focuses on<b> </b>African
parliaments: capacity building and parliamentary exchange;<b> </b>European parliaments: mobilising
European parliamentarians for </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">Africa</span>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: navy; font-family: Arial;">; Thematic
programmes: mobilising parliamentary action on development issues, and<b> </b>Research and publications on
development related issues and parliamentary democracy. </span><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-GB">For more
information, <a href="http://www.awepa.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">click here</a>.<span> </span></span></font></font></p><span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
</font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;"><font size="2">BOOKS, REPORTS &
</font></span><font size="2"><span style="color: navy;" lang="EN-ZA">RESOURCES</span></font></font></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">In the name of
'Civil Society'</font></span></b><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">By Helen Colwell Adams<br><span>Don Eberly's new book shows how private
sector initiatives outshine government's response to needs around the
world.</span></font></span><b><span style="color: rgb(28, 67, 135);"><br></span></b><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">When a tsunami struck
Indonesia</font><font face="Arial"> and
other Indian Ocean nations the day after Christmas
in 2004, the deadly wave unleashed a tsunami of its own: a tsunami of
compassion. Don Eberly was trying to ride the compassion tsunami,
coordinating private sector aid in the wake of the devastation. In
the</font><font face="Arial"> United
States</font><font face="Arial"> alone, businesses,
nonprofits and individuals gave more than $2 billion for tsunami victims -
more than three times what the
U.S.
government contributed. What Eberly saw then
confirmed trends that he thought he'd begun to see through three previous
years in the Bush administration. "Everywhere I went in the developing
world I found the most fascinating people - I call them wildcatters - who
are out on the frontiers of development, promoting some creative solution
to housing, food production, energy or health," Eberly said. For more
information, </font><a href="http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/216783" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><font face="Arial"><b><span style="color: maroon;">Chronic Poverty Report 2004-05 users
survey</span></b><br><span style="color: maroon;">Source: Chronic Poverty
Research Centre</span></font><span style="color: navy;"><br></span><font face="Arial"><span style="color: navy;">The Chronic Poverty Research Centre
will be launching its second Chronic Poverty Report 2008-09 in June 2008.
In anticipation of the forthcoming launch, the Research Centre is
contacting those who have shown an interest in their work to ask for
assistance in evaluating the impact of the first Chronic Poverty Report
2004-05. The report contained an in-depth review and analysis of the
'what', 'where', 'who' and 'why' of chronic poverty, and aimed to push
chronic poverty and the priorities of chronically poor people further up
the agendas of government, donor, research and NGO communities. The survey
comprises 20 questions and should take no longer than 15 minutes to
complete. The deadline for responses is Sunday 6 March 2008 . For more information,</span>
</font><a href="http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=gR8oodcbloAmm5gpGm6PKQ_3d_3d" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></font></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Fighting climate
change: Human solidarity in a divided world</font></span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: Arial;"><br>UN Human
Development Report occasional paper by political sociologist Roman
Krznaric</span><span style="color: navy;"><br><font face="Arial">This paper
aims to reveal the common ground shared by the world's major religions in
their approaches to environmental issues in general, and climate change in
particular. It begins with an analysis of the three major Abrahamic
religions of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and then examines Hinduism,
Buddhism, Confucianism and indigenous cosmologies. For each religion, the
paper considers the evidence for an environmental ethic within its beliefs
and teachings, and highlights statements from religious leaders and
organisations that explicitly address climate change. The conclusion draws
together the underlying themes and principles that unite the world's major
religions in their thinking about climate change and the planet's
ecological future. </font></span><strong><span style="font-weight: normal; color: navy;"><font face="Arial">For more information, </font><a href="http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2007-2008/papers/krznaric_roman.pdf" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><span><font face="Arial">click
here</font></span></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span><span style="color: black;"><br><br></span></strong><b><font face="Arial"><span style="color: maroon;">Unique online fundraising techniques for
Nonprofits</span><br></font></b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">Social Networking<br><em><span style="font-style: normal;">By Lance Trebesch
and Taylor Robinson</span></em></font></span><em><br></em><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial">Every nonprofit knows that
fundraisers are critical to their existence. Without donations, no
resources are available to support the primary cause or purpose of the
organisation. While most traditional media channels have been exhausted,
new opportunities have arisen in the online sector. By tapping into
cutting-edge online resources, your organisation can achieve fundraising
objectives that far exceed established boundaries. But what are these
mysterious online tools and how do you put them to work for your
organisation? This series attempts to answer these questions and more by
breaking down the vast online resources into six manageable categories.
For more information, </font><a href="http://www.imakenews.com/ephilanthropy/e_article001020741.cfm?x=bc9H4pR,b2kNlDBr,w" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">.</font></span><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial">
</font></span></b></font></p><span lang="EN-GB"><font face="Arial">
<hr align="center" size="2" width="75%">
</font></span>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;"><font face="Arial" size="2">CONFERENCES & EVENTS</font></span></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 3.75pt; margin-right: 3.75pt;"><b><span style="color: maroon;"><font face="Arial" size="2">Performing the World '08<br>Yesterday, Today,
Tomorrow</font></span></b><font size="2"><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">2-5 October 2008, New York,
US</font></span><span style="color: navy;"><br><font face="Arial">The
conveners of Performing the World, the
conference /festival of the growing
international performance movement, are excited to announce the fifth
Performing the World '08. The event will showcase innovative practice and
scholarship and provide a rich context for learning and performing
together. Performing the World '08 (PTW '08) builds on the momentum of
2007's PTW 4, which brought together 300 practitioners, scholars and
community activists, educators, youth workers, researchers, psychologists
and therapists, health and helping professionals, business people, artists
and activists from 27 countries. PTW '08 is bringing the international
performance movement to the streets of New York and introducing the
performance movement to the communities of</font><font face="Arial"> New York City. For more information, </font><a href="http://www.civicus.org/new/media/Performing-World08.doc" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"><font face="Arial">click here</font></a><font face="Arial">. </font></span><b><span style="color: maroon;"><br>
<br><font face="Arial">Environment and Governance
in the Commonwealth conference</font></span></b><span style="color: maroon;"><br><font face="Arial">8-10 </font></span><span style="color: maroon;" lang="EN-GB"></span></font></p></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>
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<br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>________________________________________________<br> <br> <br>Rui Correia<br>Advocacy, Human Rights, Media and Language Consultant<br>2 Cutten St<br>Horison <br>Roodepoort-Johannesburg, <br>
South Africa<br>Tel/ Fax (+27-11) 766-4336<br>Cell (+27) (0) 84-498-6838<br>_______________<br>áâãçéêíóôõúç