IN THIS ISSUE:

EVENTS

1. ICT

NEWS

1. ICT
2. NGOs
3. Gender

REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES

1. ICT
2. Youth & Education
3. NGOs
4. Gender

WEBSITES

1. Youth

EVENTS

1. ICT

Conference: Women and ICT: Challenges and Opportunities on the Road to Tunis 2005, 5-7 August 2004, Tanzania. This conference in Tanzania is to “promote and support the development of ICT as a tool of change and empowerment for women across Africa” The main aim of the conference is to produce a roadmap for the Caucus that will allow for efficient contribution by women in WSIS-Tunis 2005. Conference partners include the Government of Tanzania and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Gender Caucus-Africa Region. http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC14765

NEWS

1. ICT:
Preparations for the Tunisia Phase of the World Summit on Information Society. The first preparatory committee (PreCom-1) meeting for the second phase of the World Summit on Information Society was held in Tunis from 24 to 26 June 2004. Participants from 122 states and a large number of representatives of international organizations, NGOs and accredited private sector institutions took part in the meeting. These discussions stressed the need for the second phase of WSIS to focus on implementing the plan of action of the Geneva phase as well as financial mechanisms and internet governance issues. ESCWA Weekly News: 19/07/2004 (www.escwa.org.lb)

2. NGOs:
In Iraq: Of an 18.4 billion aid package destined to aid reconstruction in Iraq, the U.S government has spent only 2 per cent. U.S officials blame security concerns and bureaucratic in fighting between the State and Defense Depts. and the White House. (Global Development Briefing: 08/07/04)

3. GENDER:
'Empowerment of Women in Arab Society Has Become Central To Arab Vision of Reform', Secretary-General Says In Message to Arab Regional Conference in Beirut. In the Arab Regional Conference "Ten Years After Beijing: Call for Peace" in Beirut, 8-10 July. The theme of the conference was "Ten Years after Beijing: Call for Peace", reaffirming the commitment of the people of this region to the vital cause of women's empowerment - as enshrined in the Convention on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, the Beijing Platform for Action, the Millennium Declaration and other international conventions and initiatives. The empowerment of women, is one of the Millennium Development Goals, and is not only a goal in itself but a prerequisite for reaching all the others. [Gainsnet] UN Press Release: 12/07/2004

REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES

1. ICT:
Using Technology to Create Job Opportunities and Alleviate Poverty. This is an ESCWA publication entitled “Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to Create Employment and Alleviate Poverty” . It focuses on certain areas where such technology can play an effective role. “Given the prominence of agriculture in some ESCWA member countries, this study presents a comprehensive analysis of relevant ICT applications in rural communities”. ESCWA Weekly News.(www.escwa.org.lb)

2. YOUTH & EDUCATION:
Young Digital Creators (YDC). This article relates the Young Digital Creators (YDC) project. It is a UNESCO web-based project “that allows young participants of different cultures to gradually construct, through a collaborative process and creative digital tools, a deeper understanding of each others cultural values”. http://topics.developmentgateway.org/youth/rc/ItemDetail.do~100%206902~i...

Making Commitments Matter: A Toolkit for Young People to Evaluate National Youth Policy. Lead: “This kit is intended to support the input of young people to the United Nations General Assembly's 2005 review of progress in improving young people's lives, ten years after the adoption of the World Programme of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond (WPAY).It is designed for use by youth organisations as a starting point for evaluating national and community-level achievements, and gaps, in realising the goals of WPAY”. http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC15042

Global Education Digest 2004: comparing education statistics across the world. In this report comparative data on education in developing and developed countries is given. It also presents detailed country-level statistics on inputs for example rates of enrolment, teacher to student ratios, and private and public expenditure. http://topics.developmentgateway.org/poverty/rc/ItemDetail.do~10%2006723...

3. NGOs:
Petersberg Prize Acceptance Speech by Dr Yunus. This is the acceptance speech by the first Petersberg Prize winner. It was awarded to Grameen Bank for its Village Phone Project. The award was given by the Development Gateway Foundation based in Washington DC. The Foundation and Managing Director of Grameen Bank, Professor Muhammad Yunus spearheaded the Village Phone Project. (See e-Brief #9 for news regarding the winner of the Petersberg Prize.) Acceptance Speech Found at: http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ict/rc/ItemDetail.do~100670%205~int... Article regarding winner found at: http://www.developmentgateway.org/prize

Participatory Organisational Evaluation Tool (POET). This is a tool that has two concepts rolled into one: a tool, and a process. “As an organisational capacity assessment tool, civil society organisations (CSO) and their partners use POET to measure and profile organisational capacities and consensus levels in seven critical areas, and assess, over time, the impact of these activities on organisational capacity (benchmarking)”. To download the tool, go to: http://www.undp.org/csopp/poet.htm

International Grant Making, Funding with a Global View. This is a guide, in whom grant-makers describe the benefits and challenges of bringing a global perspective to their work. It also explains the regulations that govern cross-border grant-making and shares the experiences of donors who have coped with working across geographic and cultural boundaries. For more, see http://www.grantcraft.org./

Reconciling Refugee Protection and Security Concerns in Wartime: The Case of Iraq. Lead: “Concerns about national security, particularly since the attacks of September 11, have led to an increasingly restrictive international climate for refugee protection”. This is a paper that examines the Iraqi refugee population and states that mechanisms in international already exist to protect national security. http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC15056

4. GENDER:
Together for a Happy Family Campaign – Jordan. This is an article that discusses a multimedia campaign in Jordan with regards to family planning. Lead: “In March 1998, the Jordanian National Population Committee launched a 2-year multimedia campaign in an effort to get men involved in family planning. As part of a strategy to raise awareness among Jordanians who do not know that Islam permits modern family planning methods, religious leaders participated in observational tours and training in Egypt. Islamic scholars wrote booklets that were distributed to religious leaders, the general public, mosque libraries, and Islamic centres”. http://www.comminit.com/pdskdv112003/sld-9073.html

Where Do Arab Women Stand in the Development Process? A Gender-Based Statistical Analysis. This is an ESCWA publication that reveals the extent of participation by both sexes and their role in the process of economic and social development. The report states that despite certain gains women’s empowerment both politically and economically is low. ESCWA Weekly News No. 29 of 12 July 2004. (www.escwa.org.lb)

WEBSITES

1. YOUTH:
Worldwide Information Network on Youth Related Issues. The Infoyouth network was set up to provide an overview of youth policies and programmes throughout the world. Its main objectives are "to make the knowledge, experience and analyses that form the bases of all youth policies and issues available to all..” http://topics.developmentgateway.org/poverty/rc/ItemDetail.do~10%2007079...