IN THIS ISSUE:
EVENTS
1. Machreq/Maghreb
NEWS
1. Gender
2. Human Rights/Egypt
3. Human Rights/Palestine
4. Job Vacancy
REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES
1. Gender
2. Gender/ Machreq-Maghreb
3. Machreq/Maghreb
4. NGOs/CSOs
5. Socioeconomics
6. Youth and Development

EVENTS
MACHREQ/MAGHREB:
GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION AGAINST POVERTY IN THE ARAB WORLD
The regional Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) meeting was organized by the Arab NGO Network for Development and the Association for Health and Environment Development. More than 50 CSO representatives from 14 Arab countries including Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunis and Yemen. This was the last of a series of regional strategic planning meetings facilitated by the GCAP founding organizations.
http://www.civicus.org/new/content/GCAPArabRegionalMeeting.htm

NEWS
1. GENDER:
WOMEN'S RIGHTS UNDER SCRUTINY IN IRAQ
The new Iraqi Parliament is expected to debate legislation -the personal status law- which lowers the status of women. Personal status legislations which deals with issues such as marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance and other related topics follows traditions laid down by Islamic law. In many family related proceedings a woman is considered to have half the status of a man. In some legal proceedings two female witnesses equal one male witness. When family members die females are eligible for only half of the inheritance that male relatives receive because the men are considered to by the financial supporters in the family. Finding a balance between social and cultural traditions, modern legislation and civil liberties will be a challenge in the drafting of the constitution and implementing laws. http://www.aviva.org

2. HUMAN RIGHTS/EGYPT
ACADEMIC FREEDOM IN EGYPT UNDER ASSAULT
The Egyptian government stifles academic freedom in universities by censoring course books, outlawing
research about controversial issues and intimidating student activists, Human Rights Watch said in a report last week. The authorities also fail to protect citizens from Islamist militants who publicly attack professors and students.
www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/06/09/egypt11096.htm

AN UPSURGE OF HONOR KILLINGS IN PALESTINE
In recent months at least six young women have been killed according to human rights workers in Palestine and are described in some quarters as 'honor killings'. The victims are accused of behaving improperly and bringing shame upon their families. Faten, from Ramallah was 22 years old and in love with Samer, as Muslim youth from Jericho. Her family disapproved of her choice. She knew a death sentence was over her head and tried to escape it. In her attempt escape and elope with Samer she didn't get far and was turned over to her relatives. In other attempts to change her fate she also failed and eventually was found dead. This is just one of six unfortunate stories of young women losing their
lives over family honor. http://www.aviva.org/

3. HUMAN RIGHTS/ PALESTINE:
US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation - United States, Israel, Palestine
This grassroots effort works to inform, educate, and mobilize the public to challenge US policies that
coalition members believe are perpetuating the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Participants include civil and human rights activists, faith-based organizations, peace activists, Arab-American organizations, Jewish groups, and students. Advocacy is the key strategy. For example, the coalition is calling for an end to sales to the Israeli military of Caterpillar-built bulldozers used in armored form "to destroy Palestinian homes and lands." The project supports the efforts of member groups to mount legal challenges; educate about home demolitions, the "Wall", and agricultural destruction; reach out to labor unions; and take direct action (by organizing a demonstration or contacting Congressional representatives). The aim: freedom from occupation and equal rights for all. Contact us_campaign@endtheoccupation.org,
http://www.comminit.com/experiences/pds2005/experiences-3038.html

4. JOB VACANCY:
ABT ASSOCIATES, INC.
Chief of Party, PSP Project-Amman, Jordan
The post holder will provide leadership, management and strategic direction for the PSP-One Jordan
Project. S/He will oversee the implementation of community outreach programs in family planning and women’s health through print, radio and television media campaigns. http://www.comminit.com/vacancy2309.html

REPORTS & BOOKS & ARTICLES
1. GENDER:
HEPATITIS B AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING WOMEN
This paper compliments Amartya Sen's hypothesis on the world's 'missing women', (the idea that millions of women are missing from the world due to sexual violence and discrimination) by offering a biological explanation for the sex disparity. This paper hypothesizes that the sex ratio imbalance may also be due to the effect of Hepatitis B on birth ratios. Evidence drawn from the existing medical literature as well as new studies of recent vaccination reports indicate that carriers of the Hepatitis B virus have offspring sex ratios as high as 1.55 boys for each girl. Hepatitis B is common in Asian countries.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18588

JOINT ASSESSMENT MISSION: REPORT ON GENDER SITUATION AND PRIORITIES IN NORTHERN SUDAN
This report  assesses the current situation of women, identifies key challenges and proposes priorities for action to achieve gender equality in Northern Sudan.
http://www.siyanda.org/static/itto_baselinesudan.htm

TOOLKIT FOR MOBILIZING WOMEN INTO LOCAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Globalization of the economy has brought with it global social change. In every country there are challenges to traditional family life and to the roles of men and women. This can be viewed as a threat or an opportunity for women to participate in social, political and developmental affairs and issues.
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/glocalization/rc/ItemDetail.do~1039...

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT: MEASURING THE GLOBAL GENDER GAP
This report produced by the World Economic Forum aims to measure the size of the gap between men and women in five critical areas: economic participation, economic opportunity, political empowerment, educational attainment, health and well being. This report bases its findings on 58 countries comprising all 30 OECD countries and 28 other emerging markets. No African countries (except Egypt) are ranked in this report.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc.DOC18499

2. GENDER/MACHREQ-MAGHREB:
BASELINE STUDY ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN THE ‘NEW SUDAN’
This baseline study identifies factors currently affecting women’s socio-cultural, economic and political
participation in Mundri and Yei Counties in Southern Sudan (Western Equitoria).
http://www.siyanda.org/static/itto_baselinesudan.htm

MAKING SCHOOLS A SAFE HORIZON FOR GIRLS: A TRAINING MANUAL ON PREVENTING SEXUAL
VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRLS IN SCHOOLS
This training manual produced by The Cradle- the Children's Foundation, focuses on making schools safer for girls, addressing factors within schools that hinder girls from attaining education and specifically preventing sexual violence. The training manual is aimed at teachers and should take approximately five days. It includes information on preparation for the workshop including a time schedule, financial needs and resources needed.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr/cfm?doc=DOC17763

OCCUPATION IS NOT WOMEN'S LIBERATION: PART 1
This essay examines the US government's intervention in Iraq, looking particularly at the rhetoric and
action surrounding the US's involvement and the status of women in Iraq. In the first part of the paper the author makes the case that the US invasion and occupation of Iraq has not brought liberation to Iraqi women but rather resulting in worsening of living conditions along gendered lines. In the second part of the paper the author elaborates on the critique of the US anti-war movement calling for feminists and women's groups to get involved  and hold the invasion/occupation accountable for the lowering of women's situation and status in Iraq.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr/cfm?doc=DOC18652

3. MACHREQ/MAGHREB:
POVERTY IN THE ARAB REGION: A SELECTIVE REVIEW
This paper provides a review of the current knowledge on poverty in six Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Yemen and Sudan. The author starts off by presenting an overview of the various approaches to the measurement of poverty then discusses issues relating to inequality in the distribution of income and presents evidence on poverty on the basis of international estimates of poverty in the Arab region. The paper concludes that the knowledge base about poverty in the region is fairly decent despite conflicting results and sometimes incomplete information. From a public policy perspective it seems to be fair to conclude that policies that are likely to be growth enhancing will have a pro-poor impact in middle income countries in the region.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18402

IRAQ LIVING CONDITIONS SURVEY 2004: VOL.II-ANALYTICAL REPORT
This book put out by the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and Development Cooperation reports on the results of
the Iraq Living Conditions Survey (ILCS), a survey and analysis of the living conditions in Iraq as they were approximately one year after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. The survey is designed to provide data on the indicators developed to monitor and track progress towards achieving the Millennium Development goals. This representative survey of 21,668 households is the first in recent years to cover all governorates in Iraq. Topics covered include:

• infrastructure, housing and environment
• population
• child health care and nutrition
• health services
• education
• women
• the labor market
• household income and wealth

www.eldis.org/cf/rdr/rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18005

4. NGOs/CSOs:
ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS IN GOVERNANCE
The purpose of this paper by Dr. Aisha Ghaus-Pasha is to analyze and assess the role of these increasingly important actors in development. What can CSOs do to promote local economic development and poverty alleviation? Are CSOs effective advocates of policy change
http://topic.developmentgateway.org/ngo/rc/ItemDetail.do~1039399?intcmp=...

5. SOCIOECONOMICS:
STRATEGIC GENDER INTERVENTIONS AND POVERTY REDUCTION: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE (Draft)
This manual produced by the Gender Mainstreaming Program in Asia has been developed to support the
formulation and implementation of poverty reduction projects in Asia. It focuses on identifying strategic gender initiatives to help enhance women's agency in the household and community. It has been written as a sourcebook for gender interventions and an analysis of appropriate interventions offering various practical steps.
http://www.eldis.org/cf/rdr.rdr.cfm?doc=DOC18541

7. YOUTH AND DEVELOPMENT:
YOUNG PEOPLE IN A GLOBALIZING WORLD
The relationship between globalization and youth is examined in this chapter. Globalization offers clear economic opportunities and benefits but comes with substantial social costs that often appear to affect young people disproportionately.
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/glocalization/rc/ItemDetail.do~1039...