The world’s highest HIV infection rates are found in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where adult prevalence in most countries exceeds 25%. Food shortages and malnutrition have combined with HIV/AIDS to bring some countries to the brink of crisis. The aim of this study was to describe prevalence of malnutrition among HIV-infected women and variations across socioeconomic status using data from 11countries in SSA.
This study uses meta-analytic procedures to synthesize the results of most recent data sets available from Demographic and Health Surveys of 11 countries in SSA. Pooled prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random-and fixed-effects models. Subgroup and leave-one-country-out sensitivity analyses were also carried out.
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Friday, July 4, 2008
Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining report on Mine Action
The publication is intended particularly for States and their armed forces, but also for international and non-governmental organisations involved in explosive ordnance disposal, risk education or assistance to the victims. This first edition, which takes into account decisions reached at the First Meeting of States Parties to Protocol V in November 2007, reflects the legal obligations laid down by Protocol V on ERW and the non-legally-binding technical annex. Written in a straightforward style, it is intended simply to give guidance in a complex area of endeavour, based on best practice and lessons from the last 15 years of mine action. We hope that it will prove a useful resource to everyone concerned with the consequences of explosive remnants of war.
Access the report from ReliefWeb
Access the report from ReliefWeb
IMF: 'Food and Fuel Prices: Recent Developments, Macroeconomic Impact, and Policy Responses'
This report provides a first broad assessment of the impact of the surge in food and fuel prices on the balance of payments, budgets, prices, and poverty of a large sample of countries.
It reviews countries’ macroeconomic policy responses to date and also discusses Fund advice for managing the price increases.
Policies should (i) ensure that food and finance reaches the most affected countries as quickly as possible, (ii) include targeted and scaled-up social measures, and (iii) avoid high costs in terms of macroeconomic instability or loss in future agricultural production. Collaborating with international partners, the Fund also stands ready to provide balance of payments assistance. As the paper presents an initial assessment of a still-evolving situation, the somewhat tentative nature of the analysis should be borne in mind.
The report can be accessed via ReliefWeb
It reviews countries’ macroeconomic policy responses to date and also discusses Fund advice for managing the price increases.
Policies should (i) ensure that food and finance reaches the most affected countries as quickly as possible, (ii) include targeted and scaled-up social measures, and (iii) avoid high costs in terms of macroeconomic instability or loss in future agricultural production. Collaborating with international partners, the Fund also stands ready to provide balance of payments assistance. As the paper presents an initial assessment of a still-evolving situation, the somewhat tentative nature of the analysis should be borne in mind.
The report can be accessed via ReliefWeb
Thursday, July 3, 2008
International Peace Institute:'Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities and the Responsibility to Protect: Challenges for the UN'
This report is the first in The Responsibility to Protect Occasional Paper Series.
It summarizes the discussion from the recent policy roundtable held in Stellenbosch, South Africa organized in cooperation with the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Conflict Resolution and the Office of the UN Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide.
Click here to access this report from ReliefWeb
It summarizes the discussion from the recent policy roundtable held in Stellenbosch, South Africa organized in cooperation with the University of Cape Town’s Centre for Conflict Resolution and the Office of the UN Special Adviser for the Prevention of Genocide.
Click here to access this report from ReliefWeb
Humanitarian Accountability Partnership: 'To Complain or Not to Complain: Still the Question'
It has been more than four years since discoveries of pervasive misconduct and the subsequent release of the UN Secretary-General’s Bulletin catalysed humanitarian organisations to reevaluate their capacities for preventing and responding to sexual exploitation and abuse. In order to envision global prevention and response strategies, there was a close examination of current practices which exposed weak or nonexistent codes of conduct, poor awareness of rights and duties, nonexistent or confusing complaints mechanisms and few (if any) on-staff investigators. Now, the consultations that are the subject of this report underscore that our global expectations of how long meaningful change would take, how much it would cost and what would be involved were unrealistic.
This report provides the background, purpose and methodology of the consultation. Then follows a detailed report for each of the three countries where consultations were held, including country-specifi c recommendations. The report concludes with an assessment of challenges facing humanitarian agencies in their efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, and a set of recommendations for next steps.
Access the report via ReliefWeb
This report provides the background, purpose and methodology of the consultation. Then follows a detailed report for each of the three countries where consultations were held, including country-specifi c recommendations. The report concludes with an assessment of challenges facing humanitarian agencies in their efforts to prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, and a set of recommendations for next steps.
Access the report via ReliefWeb
Report from Save the Children: 'In the Face of Disaster: Children and Climate Change'
The consensus on climate change is clear: it is already happening and is likely to lead to an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters.
The resulting impact on children is likely to be dramatic.- Malaria, currently responsible for the death of around 800,000 children under five years old in Africa each year, is set to increase. Climate change and its associated impacts also threaten to hinder the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly the commitments to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and reduce child mortality.
Climate change will demand better disaster response and better preparedness.The United Nations (UN) estimates that for every $1 invested in risk management before the onset of a disaster, $7 of losses can be prevented.This demonstrates the case for disaster risk reduction to be mainstreamed into development planning and programming.For the millions of children who become displaced, lose a parent, become separated from their families, go hungry or become victims of exploitation because of a disaster, the status quo is not good enough.We know the international community can do much better.
To view the report, click here
The resulting impact on children is likely to be dramatic.- Malaria, currently responsible for the death of around 800,000 children under five years old in Africa each year, is set to increase. Climate change and its associated impacts also threaten to hinder the achievement of all the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly the commitments to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, and reduce child mortality.
Climate change will demand better disaster response and better preparedness.The United Nations (UN) estimates that for every $1 invested in risk management before the onset of a disaster, $7 of losses can be prevented.This demonstrates the case for disaster risk reduction to be mainstreamed into development planning and programming.For the millions of children who become displaced, lose a parent, become separated from their families, go hungry or become victims of exploitation because of a disaster, the status quo is not good enough.We know the international community can do much better.
To view the report, click here
Praxis Paper 21: 'Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation in Practice: Lessons learnt from Central Asia'
Participation in development is generally accepted as a process that is fundamental to addressing issues of ownership and sustainability. Everyone acknowledges the value of participation. Yet when it comes to developing monitoring and evaluation systems many civil society organisations continue to employ experts to develop their objectives, indicators and data collection methodologies – with very little participation from the very people they are attempting to engage with.
This paper records an attempt to develop a fully participative M&E system, drawing on the experience of a team of INTRAC staff working on a civil society strengthening programme in close collaboration with their partners in the five countries of Central Asia.
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