'Local voices, global choices: for successful Disaster Risk Reduction'

A Christian Aid show reel of images and facts on disaster risk reduction.

Provention have also developed a web portal on synergies between climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and a dedicated YouTube channel showing a library of over 50 community based disaster risk management films from 15 NGOs. Check it out, people.

Praxis: 'Making HIV/AIDS Policy Work: Experiences from South Africa'

This paper describes Project Empower’s experience of running policy development processes in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It shows that HIV/AIDS policies do not always have to allow for costly services and benefits to be available for staff affected by HIV/AIDS. Rather, the policy development process can be about defining and working towards creating an organisation with a positive culture that is supportive of its staff and volunteers. Initiating such policy discussions creates space for members to build a common view of the issues and responses.
Access this paper via Praxis

'Eroding humanitarian principles: Who's to blame?'

By Samir Elhawary, Humanitarian Policy Group at ODI

This article is in response an earlier article expressing serious concern at current UN humanitarian reforms that seek to enhance coordination among humanitarian agencies and establish more effective funding mechanisms for emergencies, which views these latest reforms as an attempt to further align political, military and aid objectives.
Access the original article via Humanitarian Practice Network
Access the response via Humanitarian Practice Network

A recent article by members of the well known humanitarian agency Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) expressed serious concern at current UN humanitarian reforms that seek to enhance coordination among humanitarian agencies and establish more effective funding mechanisms for emergencies. It views these latest reforms as an attempt to further align political, military and aid objectives. This, they argue, blurs the lines between political and humanitarian action, fostering an environment that isn’t conducive to upholding the core humanitarian principles of independence, impartiality and neutrality. These principles are understood as vital to ensuring access to affected populations and the security of aid workers.

Reform of the institutional framework to enhance strategic coordination isn’t new, as the authors acknowledge. It’s part of a trend since the mid-1990s that seeks to achieve greater coherence among humanitarian, development, military, diplomatic and commercial interventions. This attempt to bridge aid and politics stems from the general acceptance among Western states – especially since 9/11 – that ineffective or failed states can no longer be ignored or simply provided with relief. The thinking is that instability creates fertile grounds for radicalisation which, in tern, poses severe threats to the liberal democratic world.

Afghanistan and Iraq are some of the most recent interventions that are symptomatic of this trend, and the places in which aid workers have expressed most concern over their ability to operate. In fact, in 2004 MSF pulled out of Afghanistan after several of its aid workers were killed. This would tend to reinforce concerns that greater coherence and the consequent blurring between political and humanitarian interventions are eroding humanitarian principles and hindering the ability of aid workers to save lives.

However, while the evidence suggests that there has been a loss of ‘humanitarian space’, two qualifications need to be made. Firstly, as emphasised recently by Laura Hammond, increasing attacks on aid workers are more likely to be due to the considerable benefits that can be gained by those who carry out the attacks – namely, massive publicity which can be used to promote a particular message – rather than because of any erosion of principles. Attacking aid workers can also be a way to send a powerful message in terms of showing military prowess and, in effect, become a strategy of war.

Secondly, apart from those organisations that espouse a relatively strict adherence to principles of independence and neutrality, some agencies have started to actively take sides, supporting what they perceive as ‘good’ political objectives in their advocacy campaigns; such as calling for intervention in Darfur. Others have pursued a development or social justice agenda that seeks to transform the societies they engage in through ‘conflict resolution’, ‘recovery’, ‘reconstruction’ and ‘peace-building’ interventions. In such a context, talk of neutrality makes little sense. There is a need to move away from the current tendency to solely blame the role of the ‘system’ and/or other political/military actors and emphasise the fact that it is often the agencies themselves that are the prime drivers in politicising aid.

These trends raise important questions with regard to the relevance of applying humanitarian principles in the current environment. Should agencies pull out, reject funds or suspend activities if they feel the principles are being overly compromised? Or is there a case for enhanced coherence between political and humanitarian objectives in order to support the long term welfare of these societies – and perhaps also their security in the shorter-term? Until such dilemmas are resolved we will continue to see a humanitarian enterprise that is deeply divided.

Cutting Edge Prevention: Male Circumcision the new answer!

Final feedback from the International Aids Conference 2008 Mexico City

Within the prevention discussions at the IAC08, male circumcision has become highlighted as an important part of the response for the reduction of new transmissions of HIV.

Following the results of 3 randomised controlled trails developed and reported on the last few years, it is now agreed that the results showed ‘beyond doubt’ that male circumcision reduces transmission from Female to Male at a level of 60% effectiveness and calls are being now made for scale up of male circumcision (MC) as part of a preventive strategy.

So are we at a cutting edge of a break through for the prevention of new HIV transmissions?

Well the challenge is that Male Circumcision provides partial protection for HIV negative males, it provides very low protection for women and is useless for men already living with HIV and their partners. (There is no research on the effect of MC in MSM relationships). Additionally MC as prevention method provides no requirement of the man to change his behaviour but rather places great emphasise on the women to change hers - to protect herself, alone which takes place outside the normal advocacy of HIV prevention of joint responsibility and shared decisions in protection against HIV. Where does this leave women?

Before the development of scaled up MC programmes consideration needs to be given to clear messaging so that men in fact do not increase risk behaviour, that women have access to means of protection and that the safer sex campaign messages are not eroded. Additionally of course the procedures itself could open men up to risks and there is need for understanding of cultural and individual acceptance of MC.

So before the knives are sharpened ready for mass adult male circumcision this important progress in knowledge of HIV transmission prevention needs translating to gain further clarity as to how this possibly valuable and additional but singular prevention method can be fitted into the practical, inclusive and comprehensive prevention strategy.

Diane Moody & Alyson Lewis
7 August 2008

'Local voices, Global choices for successful Disaster risk reduction'

This video with case studies from Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Honduras and Mozambique, shows that vulnerability reduction at the community level is possible. By listening to and harnessing the energy of local people, combined with the support of CBOs, NGOs, donors, scientists & government, so much can be achieved.
This film is aimed at policy and decision makers and asks them to look beyond the confines of current protocol and policy documents and challenges them to ask themselves what they can practically do to promote the accountable partnerships, policies and financial commitments which are necessary to achieve real reduction in
disaster losses.

Tearfund: 'Disaster Management Team Good Practice Guidelines: Beneficiary Accountability'

In the humanitarian field, accountability has conventionally reffered to the NGO being upwardly accountable to their donors on the use of their resources. This guideline from Tearfund wish to give information on how to be accountable for the beneficiaries as well.
Access this report via ReliefWeb

'Humanitarian Agenda 2015--Nepal Country Case Study'

By Antonio Donini and Jeevan Raj Sharma

This study is the twelfth and final country case study of the “Humanitarian Agenda 2015: Principles, Power and perceptions” (HA2015) research project.
As with the other case studies it attempts to capture the “view from below”: it analyzes local perceptions of the four issues of universality, terrorism and counterterrorism, coherence and security of staff in relation to the activities of the humanitarian enterprise in Nepal.
At the same time, because of the idiosyncratic nature of the international response to the Nepali crisis, some additional issues are explored. These relate to the role of development agencies in the response to the crisis and more generally to the relationship between development policies and conflict. Another is the impact of conflict on social transformation, particularly in matters relating to discrimination.
These two issues are introduced here but will be treated more fully in follow-up research by the Feinstein International Center.
In Nepal, the study’s four themes, and the perceptions of local communities related to them, come together in different ways than the other case studies. This is due mainly to two unique features of the Nepal crisis and the role of the international community in addressing it. The crisis and its solution were fundamentally endogenous processes with limited outside influence or intervention and the aid community was, and is, dominated by development actors and narratives. In Nepal, the humanitarian dimension, which was at the forefront of our eleven other cases studies, is secondary to an already well-established development enterprise. That said, the findings of the Nepal study help illuminate, and are in turn illuminated by, the other contexts examined earlier.

Access this report from Tufts

NAM: 'Think TB in people with HIV'

TB is one of the major killers in people with HIV - this new publication brings together the very latest 'Three Is' research on the managment of TB in people with HIV.
Access this report here.

XVII International AIDS Conference 2008

The 2008 International AIDS Conference takes place in Mexico City, August 3-8 2008.More than 22,000 researchers, policymakers and advocates gathered in Mexico City for the conference, with the theme; Universal Action Now, which regarded as the most important gathering for the release and discussion of scientific, programmatic and policy developments in the global response to HIV.

The AIDS 2008 theme, Universal Action Now, emphasizes the need for continued urgency in the worldwide response to HIV, and for action on the part of all stakeholders. The theme serves as a rallying call, reminding us that it is only through individual and collective action that we will reach the goals of ensuring universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010, and eliminating HIV stigma and discrimination.

Programme activities at AIDS 2008 will include the new scientific research programme Global Village, and the Cultural and Youth Programmes. The Global Village will be a space to share lessons learned, knowledge and skills, build coalitions, and promote interactive learning among communities living with and affected by HIV.

Fiona Pettitt will be participating from our partner ICW (International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS) with Diane Moody and Alyson Lewis will also be there with an estimated 80 Red Cross Red Crescent staff and volunteers from across the globe.

The following two sites are offering daily updates just go to these sites and sign up!

• www.kaisernetwork.org/aids2008: -Webcasts and related resources for all major sessions
• Clinical Care Options: expert analyses of key scientific developments

Update on some of the Conference activites!

Monday 4th August- United Nations officials at the XVII International AIDS Conference discussed how rising food prices could affect HIV/AIDS, Reuters reports.

Tuesday 5th August- Today the XVII International AIDS Conference focussed its attention on methods for preventing HIV infection. With an effective vaccine years away and other tools like microbicides and Pre Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) still being researched, bringing together stakeholders is of vital importance. The Conference also looked to the future with a session on 'Looking to the Future; The Epidemic in 2031 and new Directions in AIDS research'- download the transcript.

Wednesday 6th August- Participants at the XVII International AIDS Conference heard on Wednesday about the future of the epidemic from a variety of perspectives. According to Anthony Fauci, M.D., Director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, research possibilities are "bright and promising." "However, here we are in Mexico City still in the middle of a raging pandemic," said Fauci. "To be sure there are multiple and daunting challenges ahead in terms of how we confront HIV globally. Not all but certainly some of these challenges can only be addressed through biomedical research."

Thursday 7th August- Experts at the XVII International AIDS conference discussed the complementary nature of improving health systems in developing countries and broadening access to HIV prevention and treatment. They called for collaboration in expanding primary care as well as HIV/AIDS care. Gregg Gonsalves of the AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa gave the expansion of access to antiretroviral treatment as an example.
See AidsMap News for more talks that day!

The AIDS 2008 conference programme has been developed by an international committee of experts and guarantees sessions of great quality built around themes spanning scientific, policy and programmatic relevance. Sessions seek to share key research findings, lessons learned, gaps in knowledge and best practices as well as promoting dialogue and engaging with and linking people in an ongoing way, rather than focusing exclusively on five days of meetings.

Conference sessions focus on the latest issues in HIV science, policy and practice. In addition to conference sessions, AIDS 2008 features satellite meetings, exhibitions, and skills building workshops, as well as a number of programme activities, such as the Global Village, and Cultural and Youth Programmes, which are integral to delegates’ experience.

For more information on the conference programme, visit www.aids2008.org/programmeactivities.

MSF: 'Running in Place'

This series of briefing papers aims to highlight issues that MSF field teams face in providing HIV/AIDS care and treatment worldwide.
The papers focus on

• health worker shortages;
• effective pediatric care and prevention of mother-to-child transmission;
• HIV/TB co-infection;
• access to drugs and diagnostics;
• and program indicators of quality and continuity of care.

UNAIDS 2008 Global Epidemic Update

According to new data in the UNAIDS 2008 Report on the global AIDS epidemic there have been significant gains in preventing new HIV infections in a number of heavily affected countries. In Rwanda and Zimbabwe, changes in sexual behaviour have been followed by declines in the number of new HIV infections. Condom use is increasing among young people with multiple partners in many countries. Another encouraging sign is that young people are waiting longer to have sexual intercourse. This has been seen in seven of the most affected countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Uganda and Zambia. In Cameroon the percentage of young people having sex before the age of 15 has gone down from 35% to 14%.

The report shows that the combined will and efforts of governments, donors, civil society and affected communities can make a difference. Some 105 countries have set goals and targets towards achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. "Gains in saving lives by preventing new infections and providing treatment to people living with HIV must be sustained over the long term," said UNAIDS Executive Director Dr Peter Piot. "Short-term gains should serve as a platform for reinvigorating combination HIV prevention and treatment efforts and not spur complacency".

Access this report from UNAIDS

The epidemic globally
From 2001 new HIV infections declined from 3 million to 2.7 million in 2007. Although the number of new HIV infections has fallen in several countries the AIDS epidemic is not over in any part of the world. Rates of new HIV infections are rising in many countries such as China, Indonesia, Kenya, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Increases in new HIV infections are also being seen in some older epidemics and HIV incidence is increasing in countries such as Germany, the United Kingdom and Australia.

The global epidemic has leveled off in terms of the percentage of people infected (prevalence) while the total number of people living with HIV has increased to 33 million people globally with nearly 7,500 new infections each day.
- 2.7 million people were newly infected in 2007
- 2.0 million people died of AIDS-related deaths in 2007

Treatment is saving lives
As reported earlier in 2008, some 3 million people are now receiving antiretroviral treatment in low and middle-income countries. Namibia scaled up treatment from 1% in 2003 to 88% in 2007. Similarly Cambodia scaled up treatment from 14% in 2004 to 67% in 2007. Other countries that have come close to achieving universal access to treatment are Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba and Lao People's Democratic Republic. In most parts of the world more women are receiving antiretroviral treatment than men.

In part as a result of the scaling up in the past two years AIDS-related deaths have declined from 2.2 million to 2 million in 2007. However, AIDS continues to be the leading cause of death in Africa which is home to 67% of all people living with HIV. In Africa, 60% of people living with HIV in the region are women and three out of four young people living with HIV are female.

More attention for people most at risk
Since 2005 there has been a tripling of HIV prevention efforts focused on sex workers, men who have sex with men and injecting drug users. For example of the 39 countries reporting on access to HIV prevention services for sex workers, there was a 60% average coverage rate. Nearly 50% of people who inject drugs in 15 countries and 40% of men who have sex with men in 27 countries had access to HIV-prevention services.
In virtually all regions outside of sub-Saharan Africa, HIV infections have disproportionately affected injecting drug users, men who have sex with men, and sex workers. People most at risk have better access to HIV prevention services in countries that have laws to protect them against discrimination.

'Knowing your local epidemic' remains critical to effective prevention efforts. Over time trends have changed within regions and within countries. In Thailand the main mode of transmission was sex work and injecting drug use and now the main mode of transmission is among married couples. " Countries need to focus HIV prevention programmes to where the new infections are occurring," said UNFPA Executive Director Dr Thoraya Obaid. "Knowing the epidemic and choosing the right combination of interventions are critical for an effective response. In many contexts, young people and women need special attention."

Looking ahead
The new report is being launched ahead of the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico. This event will bring together leaders, policymakers, academics, activists, community groups and other key stakeholders to review lessons learnt and build momentum towards achieving universal access goals by 2010 and the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

"Responding to AIDS is an important Millennium Development Goal which also has a direct impact on meeting the other Goals by 2015," said UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis. "The progress we make in addressing AIDS will contribute to our efforts to reducing poverty and child mortality, and to improving nutrition and maternal health. At the same time, progress towards the other Goals, such as tackling gender inequality and promoting education, is required if we are to halt and reverse the spread of AIDS."

Long-term response
AIDS is a long-term issue and that requires a response that is grounded in evidence and human rights. It requires strong leadership that can sustain commitments over time. The report calls for leaders to approach issues of human sexuality and drug use with a human rights perspective. HIV responses require long-term sustained financing. As more people go on treatment and live longer, budgets for HIV will have to increase over the next few decades. Donors will have to provide the majority of the funding required for the AIDS responses in low- and some middle-income countries, even as domestic spending on HIV has increased in these countries. The response will be helped by commitments such as the recent reauthorization of US$ 48 billion by the United States Government. The G8 at its recent summit in Japan also agreed to honour in full its commitments to continue working towards the goal of universal access to HIV prevention and treatment by 2010.

"The scaling up of the AIDS response towards universal access must be based on four key values-a rights-based approach, multisectoralism, results for people, and community engagement. These are not negotiable," said Dr Piot.

Tufts: 'Internal Displacement to Urban Areas: the Tufts-IDMC Profiling Study, Khartoum, Sudan'

In many conflict zones today, the targeting and uprooting of rural populations and their forced displacement is an integral part of the war strategies of rebel or government forces.

Notable recent examples include Sudan, northern Uganda, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Burma and Somalia. Many of these displaced people flee across borders to become refugees, but even more become internally displaced and a large and growing proportion migrate to the urban areas and particularly the capital of their own countries. Unlike IDPs in camps who are more easily identified and assisted, IDPs in urban areas comprise a hidden population, and aid agencies and governments have difficulty identifying them and understanding their experience relative to the urban population amongst whom they live. Relatively little is known about their precise numbers, demographics, basic needs and protection problems. Donor governments and humanitarian organizations have recognized this information gap, and in 2006, the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center (an arm of the Norwegian Refugee Council) commissioned the Feinstein International Center to conduct a research study that would address this gap.
The study had three main objectives: to develop generic research tools to be used for profiling urban IDPs, including to make population estimates; to generate comparative data on IDPs and non-IDPs in urban areas—including demographic and livelihood characteristics, access to services, economic integration, and whether the assistance and protection needs of IDPs differ from that of non-IDPs; To use the data to work with governments and humanitarian organizations to develop programs and advocacy strategies that assist IDPs and protect their rights.

The study took place from 2006-2008, in three urban locations: Khartoum, Sudan; Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; and Santa Marta, Colombia. Surveys were conducted in each city, and the outcome was a tested profiling tool, a full report, and three case studies.
Access this report from Tufts

'Targeting the Unarmed: Strategic Rebel Violence in Civil War'

By Lisa Hultman

Rebel attacks on civilians constitute one of the gravest threats to human security in contemporary armed conflicts. But why do rebel groups kill civilians?
The dissertation approaches this question from a strategic perspective, trying to understand when and why rebel groups are likely to target civilians as a conflict strategy. It combines quantitative studies using global data on rebel group violence with a case study of the civil war in Mozambique. The overall argument is that rebel groups target civilians as away of improving their bargaining position in the war relative to the government.
Access this report via ReliefWeb

Paper I introduces new data on one-sided violence against civilians, presenting trends over time and comparing types of actors and conflicts. Paper II argues that democratic governments are particulary vulnerable to rebel attcks on civilians, since they are dependent on the population. Corroborating this claim, statistical evidence shows that rebels indeed kill more civilians when fighting a democratic government. Paper III argues that rebels target civilians more when losing on the battlefield, as a method of raising the costs for the government to continue fighting. A statistical analysis employing monthly data on battle outcomes and rebel violence, supports this argument. Paper IV takes a closer look at the case of Mozambique, arguing that the rebel group Renamo used large-scale violence in areas dominated by government constituents as a means for hurting the government.

United Nations Environment Programme: 'After the Tsunami: Sustainable Building Guidelines for South-East Asia'

In the aftermath of disasters, project managers are often overwhelmed by the challenges related to reconstruction. This manual addresses those challenges by providing project managers with guidance in various aspects of sustainable reconstruction.
Access this report via ReliefWeb

Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters: Announcement of EM-DAT’s new disaster classification

One of the major current challenges in the field of disaster data is to overcome the limitations induced by the lack of clear standards and definitions, which lead to inconsistent reliability and poor inter-operability of different disaster data compilation initiatives.

CRED militates since years for the creation of internationally recognized standards and definitions. That’s why we are particularly happy to announce a major step forward in the development of a standardized international classification of disasters. Indeed, CRED and MünichRe have recently led a collaborative initiative, agreed on and implemented a common “Disaster Category Classification for Operational Databases". This new common classification has been established through several technical meetings that brought together CRED, MünichRe, SwissRe, ADRC and UNDP and represents a first step in the development of a standardized international classification of disasters.
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United Nations Economic Commission for Africa: 'Securing Our Future'

The report on the state of HIV and AIDS in Africa focuses on the cultural factors, including gender inequalities, wife inheritance and some sexual practices that have a great influence on the AIDS epidemic and the responses that are specific to the continent, and must be better understood and changed.
Access this report via ReliefWeb

Getting Africa on Track to Meet the MDGs on Water and Sanitation: A Status Review of Sixteen African Countries

Is Africa on target towards halving the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015? This is one of the key questions that the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has been addressing in a bid to support national initiatives to measure and track progress towards the MDG and WSSD global targets.

Recognizing that the continent requires a mighty effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals on water supply and sanitation, AMCOW has been collaborating with regional partners to bring together current data so that African sector leaders and support agencies can assess progress and have a comparative basis for sharing country experience and identifying remedial action.

These MDG Country Status Reports are the result of collaborative inputs by AMCOW, the African Development Bank, the European Union Water Initiative, the United Nations Development Programme, the Water and Sanitation Program-Africa, and the World Bank.
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WFP: World Hunger Series 2007 - Hunger and Health

Hunger and Health explores the multiple relationships between hunger and poor health, and how they affect the growth of individuals, physiologically and psychologically, constraining the development of nations both socially and economically.

Examining the profound effect that hunger has on health, including disease prevention and treatment, it gives special attention to access to quality food and healthcare, in particular for the marginalized and poor. It also identifies critical junctures in the human life cycle when the benefits of reducing hunger and improving poor health have a profound impact. It demonstrates how aligning of hunger and health interventions can offer proven solutions that reach those most in need, and contains compelling evidence which confirms that hunger and poor health are solvable problems today. It encourages those involved in policy, programming and advocacy to take action to address some of the most urgent hunger and health problems.
Essential reading for anyone concerned about eliminating hunger.

Access the World Hunger Series 2007

The Strategic Context: Peacekeeping in Crisis, 2006-08

By Richard Gowan

There is a consensus that the UN needs a stronger strategic culture, but its strategic circumstances militate against this. Since 2006, the UN has struggled with a series of crises that have overshadowed efforts to develop the idea of integration. It also faces a systemic crisis, in that its framework for deploying missions has been undermined in Darfur. In addition it faces a paradigmatic crisis, as many of its assumptions about transitions from war to peace have been shown wanting in cases from Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of Congo. At a time of increasing rivalry among major powers, not least in the Security Council, the UN may not develop comprehensive strategies aimed at transforming post-conflict societies. But it may be able to achieve more limited but politically credible goals.

Access this report via ReliefWeb