IN THIS ISSUE:
EVENTS
1. NGOs
2. Sustainable Development
NEWS
1. Sustainable Development
2. NGOs
3. Gender
REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES
1. Trade/Economics/Microfinance
2. Machreq/Magreb
3. ICT
4. Gender
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
1. ICT

EVENTS
1. NGOs:
UNDP Palestinian Programme (PAPP)
UNDP-PAPP and the Ministry of Planning of the Palestinian  Authority are involved in a project for the “building capacity on    poor planning.”  This project is a part of the “development and state building agenda of the Palestinian Authority and the  Occupied Palestinian Territories. The first phase of the agenda for   pro-poor poverty assessments has been completed.” http://intra.undp.org/bdp/workspaces/poverty/index.htm  

2. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
The St. Catherine’s Bedouin Project
St. Catherine’s Bedouin Support Program in Egypt includes various activities for promoting sustainable development: “health,   veterinary services, community guards, traditional crafts, the  acacia program, dam construction, wildlife and botany monitoring,  visitor management and awareness education.” http://topics.developmentgateway.org/culture/rc/ItemDetail.do%20~1025509...

NEWS
1. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:
Iraq Receives Grants for Reconstruction and Development “The bank signed a three grant agreements with representatives   from the interim Iraqi government for the reconstruction and development projects in Iraq totalling $145 million. Financed by   the Bank’s Iraqi Trust Fund, $90 million will be channelled to emergency projects in health, water supply and sanitation and  reconstruction of urban centers, the remaining $55 million will be   used to strengthen the financial and private sectors.” http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,content  MDK:20289888~menuPK:34463~pagePK:64003015~piPK:    64003012~theSitePK:4607,00.html 

2. NGOs:
UN and NGOs work together to back women in conflict areas
It has been reported that “women in Sudan, Iraq and Afghanistan and other conflict areas face unprecedented humanitarian challenges, UN bodies and non-governmental organisations   (NGOs) are stepping up in the fight for their rights. On 31 October, 2004, initiatives to support women's struggles in conflict and post-conflict situations marked the fourth anniversary of the    Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace  and Security, which provides for the protection and political empowerment of women in such circumstances.” http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=26352

3. GENDER:
Gender Training for Afghan Journalists
The training is aimed at “assisting journalists in understanding and covering gender issues as they pertain to women. This is in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary election scheduled for Spring 2005.” http://www.comminit.com/training2005/2005/2005-events/events-3199.htm l

REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES
1. TRADE/ECONOMICS/MICROFINANCE:
Evaluating Corporate Governance Principles in Egypt
This paper is produced by the Egyptian Center for Economic   Studies. “It aims at evaluating corporate governance rules, laws and standards in Egypt.” http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC16862

The World Bank Recommends Disengagement, Reforms
The World Bank report endorses that a “disengagement plan that is accompanied by a rolling back of Israeli’s closure policy and a  stronger Palestinian commitment to reform will bring the Palestinian economy out of its present stagnation.” The report is   entitled: “Stagnation or Revival? Israeli Disengagement and   Palestinian Economic Prospects.” http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20287849~men... ~piPK:64003012~theSitePK:4607,00.html  

2. MACHREQ/MAGREB:
The State of Arab Liberalism
“The December 2004 issue of the Middle East Review of International Affairs includes a discussion on the State of Arab Liberalism , featuring MERIA editor Barry Rubin, Brookings scholar Tamara Cofman Wittes and Laith Kubba of the National Endowment for Democracy.” http://www.freedomhouse.org

3. ICT:
Bulletin on Information and Communication Technology for Development
A new publication by ESCWA focuses on a study entitled:  “Bulletin on Information and Communication Technology for  Development in Western Asia: Second Issue” shedding light on the most important event of  2003 World Summit on the  Information Society (WSIS). http://www.escwa.org.lb

4. GENDER:
Afghanistan: A New Program to Facilitate Women’s Employment
The IRIN article recounted the action being taken by Afghanistan’s Ministry of Women’s Affairs (MOWA) in “seeking opportunities  for tens of Thousands of unqualified women in the country.” http://topics.developmentgateway.org/gender/rc/ItemDetail.do%20~1027022?...

Building a New Iraq: Women’s Role in Reconstruction, Women’s Role in Strengthening Society
Women Waging Peace with Cambridge and Washington have produced a paper which focuses on the roles that women play in  post-conflict Iraqi “civil society, government, economic growth and security.” The authors make a number of specific suggestions on each one of these themes. http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC15074

Gender and Migration in Arab States: The Case of Domestic Workers
This document has been produced by the International Labour   Organization (ILO) which “examines the migration of women in Arab states, focusing particularly on domestic workers. The authors examine international policy surrounding the migration as well as stocks and flows of migrant women in the Arab states. The paper focuses on four countries: Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait and the  United Arab Emirates.” http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC16766

Women’s Rights and the Multilateral Trading System: The Politics of Gender Mainstreaming at the WTO
The authors of this paper are IGTN and the Heinrich Boell Foundation (HBF). This paper examines and explains the event of: “Women’s Rights and the Multilateral Trading System: The  Politics of Gender Mainstreaming at the WTO.” The paper  explicates key points which were highlighted during the event: “How the WTO and the free trade agenda need to be brought in line with the Beijing Platform for Action” and “post-1995 many in women’s global movement have supported gender   mainstreaming initiatives in order to assess and integrate gender  concerns into legislation,” are just to name a few. http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC15299

WEBSITES

1. ICT:
Knowledge Stations in Jordan
The network of 100 Community ICT centers in Jordan is “aiming  to emerge as a regional leader in ICT and knowledge economy in   the Middle East.”  http://topics.developmentgateway.org/ict/rc/ItemDetail.do~1025943?intcmp...