Tostan  [to 23 February 2014]

February 20, 2014
Community Leaders Meet to Discuss Social Norms and Practices
On February 15, 2014 in the village of Saré Yoba Diéga, a group of 26 community leaders gathered to talk about social norms and practices.

Tostan ‏@Tostan Feb 21
The “Aawde” is the 2nd phase of our program, meaning ‘to plant the seed’ in the Fulani language #imld14 http://bit.ly/1bmWqJb

Tostan ‏@Tostan Feb 21
The ‘Kobi’ phase of Tostan’s prog means’to prepare the field for planting’ in the W African language Mandinka #imld14 http://bit.ly/1bmWqJb

Aid for Africa ‏@AidforAfrica Feb 21
Proud of our members @Tostan and @Fistula_Fdtn #Senegal partnership to help women get care http://bit.ly/1fFSleP  pic.twitter.com/1RAv9wvLvi

Tostan ‏@Tostan Feb 21
We made 20 children’s books in 3 national languages based on Senegalese traditions #imld14 http://bit.ly/13QUzmT  pic.twitter.com/jqmb9j8KAr

Fistula Foundation ‏@Fistula_Fdtn Feb 21
Proud to partner with @Tostan in #Senegal to help women like Khady get treatmet they need: http://bit.ly/1fFSleP

Women for Women International  [to 23 February 2014]

Women for Women Intl ‏@WomenforWomen Feb 19
Did You Know? A total of 3,425 #women were involved in our business training program last month. – #Rwanda http://ow.ly/tMSWa

Women for Women Intl ‏@WomenforWomen Feb 18
WfWI teams up w/ @SustHarv @BloombergDotOrg to train women on coffee, mushroom & honey production @sprudge #LTCRwanda http://ow.ly/tL615

United Nations – Meetings Coverage and Press Releases [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/

UN Meetings
Security Council Unanimously Adopts Resolution 2139 (2013) to Ease Aid Delivery to Syrians, Provide Relief from ‘Chilling Darkness’ (22 February 2014)
SC/11292

Security Council, in Statement, Outlines Rule-of-Law Activities for Its Missions in Support of Host Country Efforts (21 February 2014)
SC/11290

Central African Republic Cannot Wait for United Nations Peacekeeping Mission, Secretary-General Tells Security Council, Presenting Interim Proposals (20 February 2014)
SC/11288

Press Releases
Secretary-General Welcomes Security Council Adoption of Resolution on Syria, but Says It Should Not Have Been Needed as Humanitarian Aid Not Negotiable (22 February 2014)
SG/SM/15661-SC/11293

Secretary-General, in Message, Tells People of Central African Republic ‘You Are Not Alone, Many Are Working for Peace in Your Country’ (21 February 2014)
SG/SM/15660-AFR/2824

Security Council Press Statement on Terrorist Attack in Somalia (21 February 2014)
SC/11291-AFR/2823

Economic Growth Alone Not Enough to Remove ‘Formidable Barrier’ to Human Dignity, Secretary-General Stresses in Message for World Day of Social Justice (19 February 2014)
SG/SM/15652-OBV/1301-SOC/4815

Security Council Press Statement on Attack in Lebanon (19 February 2014)
SC/11287

Secretary-General ‘Deeply Disturbed’ by Inquiry Commission’s Findings on Human Rights in Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (18 February 2014)
SG/SM/15649-HR/5169

‘Eradicating Extreme Poverty Is Our Most Urgent Priority, Sustainable Development Our Guide,’ Secretary-General Tells General Assembly (18 February 2014)
SG/SM/15648-GA/11484-DEV/1412

UNICEF [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_71508.html

Media Releases [selected]
UNICEF calls for US$2.2 billion to help 59 million children in emergencies
GENEVA, 21 February 2014 – UNICEF appealed today for almost US$2.2 billion to provide life-saving humanitarian assistance in 2014 to 85 million people, including 59 million children, who face conflict, natural disasters and other complex emergencies in 50 countries.

UNICEF statement on the impact of the violence in Ukraine on children
KYIV, Ukraine/ GENEVA/ NEW YORK, 20 February 2014 – The impact of the heightened violence in Ukraine on children and their families is a matter of growing concern.

Telenor Group and UNICEF partnering for children
OSLO, 17 February 2014 – Telenor Group and UNICEF have signed a global partnership agreement and are joining forces to promote children’s development. The five-year agreement includes both financial support and access to a range of mobile technology solutions that will help advance children’s rights.

UNHCR [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home

News
Almost 20,000 CAR refugees flood into eastern Cameroon this month
The latest influx brings to 35,142 the total number of Central African Republic refugees who have fled to Cameroon since March last year.

UNHCR urges countries to offer admission to 100,000 Syrians from next year
States urged to offer resettlement or other solutions such as programmes for family reunification, scholarships for Syrian students and medical evacuation for refugees with serious health issues.

Syrian refugees flee to Lebanon
As the war nears its third anniversary, survivors of the latest offensive arrive in a country already brimming with refugees.

Thousands flee violence in Central African Republic and seek shelter in in southern Chad
Thousands of refugees from the Central African Republic have fled into southern Chad in recent months as fighting intensifies in CAR.

Briefing Notes
Refugee information presented in twice-weekly press briefings in Geneva.
:: Cameroon: some 20,000 more CAR refugees in three weeks
:: UNHCR new call for resettlement or other forms of admission for 100,000 Syrians
:: UNHCR concerned about the Manus Island disturbance

UNOCHA [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.unocha.org/

Press Releases
22 Feb 2014
Syrian Arab Republic: Unanimously approved, Security Council resolution demands aid access in Syria
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Syrian Arab Republic 22 February 2014 – The United Nations Security Council today unanimously approved a resolution to boost humanitarian aid access in Syria, a move Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said can ease some civilian suffering, if it is implemented quickly and in good faith. Through Resolution 2139 (2014), the Council demanded “that all parties, in particular the Syrian authorities, promptly allow rapid, safe and…

22 Feb 2014
Syrian Arab Republic: Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Valerie Amos, Statement on Syria, Sunday 22nd February 2014
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Syrian Arab Republic (New York, 22 February 2014) I hope that the passing, by the United Nations Security Council, of a humanitarian resolution will facilitate the delivery of aid to people in desperate need in Syria. It is also vital that ordinary people, who have been bearing the brunt of the violence, are protected. More than anything the conflict needs to end so that people can begin to rebuild their lives. Syria is in…

21 Feb 2014
Central African Republic: Hostilities and violence against civilians in the Central African Republic must stop says UN humanitarian chief
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Central African Republic (Bangui/Geneva, 20 February 2014): UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Dr. Michel Sidibe, and Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Department of Safety and Security, Ms. Mbaranga Gasarabwe completed their three-day mission in the Central African Republic today with a call for an end of hostilities…

19 Feb 2014
Central African Republic: UN Humanitarian Chief calls for greater security and protection of all communities in the Central African Republic
Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Country: Central African Republic (Bangui/Geneva, 19 February 2014): UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos called for increased security and protection of all communities across the Central African Republic (CAR) as she started the second day of her mission in the country today. She is accompanied by the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidibe, and Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Department of Safety and Security, Mbaranga…

UN Division for Sustainable Development [to 23 February 2014]
Department of Economic and Social Affairs, http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/index.html

Meetings
30 Jun – 9 Jul 2014 – Second meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development

24 Sep 2013 – First meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development

Documents
A/68/588 – Summary of the first meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development
[Arabic] [Chinese] [English] [French] [Russian] [Spanish]

A/RES/67/290 – Format and organizational aspects of the high-level political forum on sustainable development
[Arabic] [Chinese] [English] [French] [Russian] [Spanish]

UNDP  United Nations Development Program [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.us.undp.org/content/undp/en/home.html

19 Feb 2014
UNDP Administrator Visits “Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People”
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark wrapped up a two day visit to the occupied Palestinian territories today which focused on development priorities there and how UNDP could support them.

19 Feb 2014
Rebeca Grynspan: Speech on the occasion of the launch of the report “Towards a life of dignity for all – 10 years of strategic UNDP-EU partnership”  European Parliament

18 Feb 2014
Turkish company pledges to support small scale farmers in low-income communities
Leading dried food producer Taze&Kuru Inc. will integrate in its business plan 100 small scale Turkish farmers to support local production in line with their commitment to the Business Call to Action (BCtA). The company has also pledged to establish more production facilities in Turkey by 2018, employing primarily women in locations used to dry fruits and vegetables.

18 Feb 2014
The search for solutions to Arab development challenges heads south
The “First Arab States Regional South-South Development Expo” opened today in the Qatari capital, Doha. The Expo is the first ever forum in the Arab region seeking to study successful development solutions from the global South and possibilities for their replication and scaling up, and to strengthen the exchange of tangible solutions and experiences between countries of the South and the Arab region in response to common development challenges.

16 Feb 2014
ITC and UNDP join forces to bring Palestinian women back to business
Ramallah – The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the Business Women Forum-Palestine (BWF), today launched a new project to empower Palestinian women business owners and help build capacity to ensure that they are better enabled to sell their goods and services.

UN Women  [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.unwomen.org/

New research paints poignant picture of intimate partner violence in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe now has its first comprehensive baseline study on the prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence but the road to justice remains rocky for women survivors. More

Opening remarks by Lakshmi Puri on CSW lessons learned, at Africa Ministerial Preparatory Meeting for CSW58
Posted on February 21, 2014
Speech by UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri, delivered at the Africa Ministerial Preparatory Meeting for CSW58, in Addis Ababa, 8 February 2014. More

“Positive developments for women’s empowerment and gender equality in Jordan” – Executive Director
Posted on February 20, 2014
Speech by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, during the a ceremony to announce Jordan’s COMMITment, in Amman, 20 February 2014. More

Jordan joins COMMIT initiative, also signs MoU with UN Women
Posted on February 20, 2014
Under the patronage of His Excellency Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and in the presence of UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Jordanian Government today joined UN Women’s COMMIT initiative by announcing its commitment to address and prevent violence against women and girls. More

All We Ask for Is Peace: Voices of Women from South Sudan
Posted on February 19, 2014
A blog post on LinkedIn by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, on the situation women and girls are facing in South Sudan. More

Women of Latin America build bridges, changing status quo in politics
Posted on February 19, 2014
In Honduras and El Salvador, a spotlight on efforts towards addressing electoral challenges through trainings for candidates. More

UN Women Executive Director speaks on South Sudan
Posted on February 19, 2014
In a press statement, UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka detailed the hardships witnessed beyond her “wildest fears” and said stronger efforts are required to address the precarious situation faced by women and girls in the IDP and refugee camps and to bring their needs and interests to the centre of the political negotiations. More

Presentation by John Hendra at the Asia-Pacific Civil Society Consultation on Beijing+20 and CSW58
Posted on February 19, 2014
Presentation by John Hendra, Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programme, at the Asia-Pacific Civil Society Consultation for the 20-Year Review of Implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and for the 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, 11 February 2014, Bangkok. More

Opening remarks by John Hendra at the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for CSW58
Posted on February 18, 2014
Opening Remarks by John Hendra, Deputy Executive Director for Policy and Programme, at the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 58th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, 12 February 2014, Bangkok. More

Coca-Cola South Africa and UN Women partner to economically empower women
Posted on February 18, 2014
Coca-Cola South Africa and UN Women today announced a partnership of a newly launched programme to promote the advancement and economic empowerment of women. More

Member States and civil society organizations in Asia-Pacific endorse a stand-alone gender equality goal for post-2015
Posted on February 18, 2014
The need to focus post-2015 discussions on gender was one of the main recommendations at the conclusion of the Asia-Pacific Regional Preparatory Meeting for the 58th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58), held 12-13 February in Bangkok, Thailand.

UNFPA  United Nations Population Fund [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.unfpa.org/public/

19 February 2014
More Support Still Needed for Health, Protection of Women and Girls 100 Days After Typhoon Haiyan
UNITED NATIONS, New York — One hundred days after typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines and left behind massive destruction and loss of lives, much remains to be done to fully bring affected communities back on their feet.

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.fao.org/home/en/

New tools and farmer training could revolutionize pesticide management in West Africa
Studies reveal extent of risks from pesticides in the region, show that field schools can dramatically cut their use
17 February 2014, Rome – Field schools that train farmers in alternative methods of pest control have succeeded in nearly eliminating the use of toxic pesticides by a community of cotton growers in Mali, according to a new FAO study published today by the London-based Royal Society.
The study was conducted in two areas – the Bla region of southern Mali, where FAO established a field school program in 2003, and a second area, Bougouni, where the program was not yet active.
While only 34 percent of all cotton-farmers in the area participated in the program, pesticide use on all of Bla’s cotton farms – more than 4,300 households – dropped a staggering 92 percent. FAO’s study further found that the move away from pesticide use had no negative impact on yields.
The Bougouni area, where training has not yet taken place, saw no change in pesticide use over the same eight-year period. This suggests that knowledge of alternative methods in pest control was further disseminated in the Bla area by program participants to other farmers in the area, underscoring the potential of farmer field schools to act as catalysts for widespread practice change…

Study: Farmer field schools in Mali
Pesticide use and increased tillage associated with cotton production, have largely contributed to increased environmental degradation. (…)

UNESCO  [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/for-the-press/all-news//

21 Feb 2104
The Director-General of UNESCO pays tribute to Antoinette Fouque, women’s rights activist

20 Feb 2104
UNESCO Director-General condemns military presence and destruction at World Heritage Sites in Syria

20 Feb 2104
“My Role as a Citizen of Earth” – International Essay Contest for Young People

20 Feb 2104
Director-General condemns killing of Ukrainian journalist Vyacheslav Veremyi and calls for safety of media workers

20 Feb 2104
UNESCO join hands with ISSN to create ROAD to enhance access to Open Access Scholarly Resources

20 Feb 2104
UNESCO launches new website on “Working with Development Partners to Promote Freedom of Expression”

20 Feb 2104
World Day of Social Justice 2014

19 Feb 2104
Towards a 2nd International Ocean Research Conference

18 Feb 2104
UNESCO publishes its report reviewing 10 years of WSIS action [World Summit on the Information Society

UNCTAD  [to 23 February 2014]
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/Home.aspx

UNCTAD hails International Year Of Small Island Developing States, urges more effective steps in their favour
Launch event takes place in New York on Monday, 24 February
UNCTAD/PRESS/IN/2014/001  Geneva, Switzerland, (21 February 2014)
Excerpt
Small island developing States (SIDS) need international support more than ever in their efforts to build resilient economies, UNCTAD said in the run-up to a high-level UN conference that will tackle vulnerability issues later this year.
The UN’s International Year of Small Island Developing States in New York kicks off on Monday, 24 February, alongside preparatory meetings for the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States, which will be held in Samoa in September.
The specific challenges facing small island developing States result from their limited size, remoteness from large markets, and vulnerability to economic and natural shocks…

USAID [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.usaid.gov/

Satellite Data for the People: USAID Supports Launch of New Forest Watch Tool
February 21, 2014
Global Forest Watch unites more than 40 government, business and civil society partners to curb forest destruction by putting free and transparent information in the hands of people who care most about forests.

OECD  [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.oecd.org/

21 Feb 2014
Ambitious structural reforms can pave the return to strong and sustainable growth, OECD says
Adopting ambitious and comprehensive structural reform agendas will offer governments the best chance for a return to strong, sustainable and balanced economic growth that creates jobs and reduces inequality, according to the OECD’s latest Going for Growth report

World Trade Organisation [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news13_e/news13_e.htm

Azevêdo’s health-check on global trade: Growth recovering but restrictions on the rise
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, in presenting his first global trade-monitoring report to WTO members on 17 February 2014, said that trade growth projections for this year are “much improved, hovering somewhere between 4.0% and 4.5%.” However, he said “407 new restrictive measures were reported during the review period,” affecting 1.3 % of world merchandise imports—valued at $240 billion.
> Speech

World Bank [to 23 February 2014]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all

See “Gender at Work” report coverage above.
.
8 Million More Filipinos Including Yolanda Victims to Benefit from Expanded Community-Driven Development Project
Newly-approved project to empower more communities to participate in local planning, budgeting and implementation of projects that help reduce poverty
WASHINGTON, February 20, 2014 – More than eight million Filipinos in 477 poor rural municipalities and areas affected by Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) are expected to have better access to social and economic infrastructure and services. Under the National Community-Driven Development Project (NCDDP), more poor communities across the country will be empowered to participate in local planning, budgeting and implementation of community-level projects that help reduce poverty.The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved today a US$479 million loan for these purposes, providing more funding to scale up to national coverage the project known as Kalahi-CIDSS or Kapitbisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services….

BMC Public Health
(Accessed 22 February 2014)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealth/content

Research article
Local discrepancies in measles vaccination opportunities: results of population-based surveys in Sub-Saharan Africa
Lise Grout, Nolwenn Conan, Aitana Juan Giner, Northan Hurtado, Florence Fermon, Alexandra N¿Goran, Emmanuel Grellety, Andrea Minetti, Klaudia Porten and Rebecca F Grais
Author Affiliations
BMC Public Health 2014, 14:193  doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-193
Published: 21 February 2014
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/14/193/abstract

Abstract (provisional)
Background
The World Health Organization recommends African children receive two doses of measles containing vaccine (MCV) through routine programs or supplemental immunization activities (SIA). Moreover, children have an additional opportunity to receive MCV through outbreak response immunization (ORI) mass campaigns in certain contexts. Here, we present the results of MCV coverage by dose estimated through surveys conducted after outbreak response in diverse settings in Sub-Saharan Africa. .

Methods
We included 24 household-based surveys conducted in six countries after a non-selective mass vaccination campaign. In the majority (22/24), the survey sample was selected using probability proportional to size cluster-based sampling. Others used Lot Quality Assurance Sampling.

Results
In total, data were collected on 60,895 children from 2005 to 2011. Routine coverage varied between countries (>95% in Malawi and Kirundo province (Burundi) while <35% in N’Djamena (Chad) in 2005), within a country and over time. SIA coverage was <75% in most settings. ORI coverage ranged from >95% in Malawi to 71.4% [95%CI: 68.9-73.8] in N’Djamena (Chad) in 2005.

In five sites, >5% of children remained unvaccinated after several opportunities. Conversely, in Malawi and DRC, over half of the children eligible for the last SIA received a third dose of MCV.

Conclusions
Control pre-elimination targets were still not reached, contributing to the occurrence of repeated measles outbreak in the Sub-Saharan African countries reported here. Although children receiving a dose of MCV through outbreak response benefit from the intervention, ensuring that programs effectively target hard to reach children remains the cornerstone of measles control.

BMC Public Health
(Accessed 22 February 2014)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealth/content

Research article
Systematic review on what works, what does not work and why of implementation of mobile health (mHealth) projects in Africa
Clara B Aranda-Jan, Neo Mohutsiwa-Dibe and Svetla Loukanova
Author Affiliations
For all author emails, please log on.
BMC Public Health 2014, 14:188  doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-188
Published: 21 February 2014
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/14/188/abstract

Abstract (provisional)
Background
Access to mobile phone technology has rapidly expanded in developing countries. In Africa, mHealth is a relatively new concept and questions arise regarding reliability of the technology used for health outcomes. This review documents strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of mHealth projects in Africa.

Methods
A systematic review of peer-reviewed literature on mHealth projects in Africa, between 2003 and 2013, was carried out using PubMed and OvidSP. Data was synthesized using a SWOT analysis methodology. Results were grouped to assess specific aspects of project implementation in terms of sustainability and mid/long-term results, integration to the health system, management process, scale-up and replication, and legal issues, regulations and standards.

Results
Forty-four studies on mHealth projects in Africa were included and classified as: “patient follow-up and medication adherence” (n = 19), “staff training, support and motivation” (n = 2), “staff evaluation, monitoring and guidelines compliance” (n = 4), “drug supply-chain and stock management” (n = 2), “patient education and awareness” (n = 1), “disease surveillance and intervention monitoring” (n = 4), “data collection/transfer and reporting” (n = 10) and “overview of mHealth projects” (n = 2). In general, mHealth projects demonstrate positive health-related outcomes and their success is based on the accessibility, acceptance and low-cost of the technology, effective adaptation to local contexts, strong stakeholder collaboration, and government involvement. Threats such as dependency on funding, unclear healthcare system responsibilities, unreliable infrastructure and lack of evidence on cost-effectiveness challenge their implementation. mHealth projects can potentially be scaled-up to help tackle problems faced by healthcare systems like poor management of drug stocks, weak surveillance and reporting systems or lack of resources.

Conclusion
mHealth in Africa is an innovative approach to delivering health services. In this fast-growing technological field, research opportunities include assessing implications of scaling-up mHealth projects, evaluating cost-effectiveness and impacts on the overall health system.

Globalization and Health
[Accessed 22 February 2014]
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/

Research
Expanding the scope of medical mission volunteer groups to include a research component
John Rovers, Michael Andreski, John Gitua, Abdoulaye Bagayoko and Jill DeVore
Author Affiliations
Globalization and Health 2014, 10:7  doi:10.1186/1744-8603-10-7
Published: 20 February 2014
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/10/1/7/abstract

Abstract (provisional)
Background
Serving on volunteer groups undertaking medical mission trips is a common activity for health care professionals and students. Although volunteers hope such work will assist underserved populations, medical mission groups have been criticized for not providing sustainable health services that focus on underlying health problems. As members of a volunteer medical mission group, we performed a bed net indicator study in rural Mali. We undertook this project to demonstrate that volunteers are capable of undertaking small-scale research, the results of which offer locally relevant results useful for disease prevention programs. The results of such projects are potentially sustainable beyond the duration of a mission trip.

Methods
Volunteers with Medicine for Mali interviewed 108 households in Nana Kenieba, Mali during a routine two-week medical mission trip. Interviewees were asked structured questions about family demographics, use of insecticide treated bed nets the previous evening, as well as about benefits of net use and knowledge of malaria. Survey results were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results
We found that 43.7% of households had any family member sleep under a bed net the previous evening. Eighty seven percent of households owned at least one ITN and the average household owned 1.95 nets. The regression model showed that paying for a net was significantly correlated with its use, while low perceived mosquito density, obtaining the net from the public sector and more than four years of education in the male head of the household were negatively correlated with net use. These results differ from national Malian data and peer-reviewed studies of bed net use.

Conclusions
We completed a bed net study that provided results that were specific to our service area. Since these results were dissimilar to peer-reviewed literature and Malian national level data on bed net use, the results will be useful to develop locally specific teaching materials on malaria prevention. This preventive focus is potentially more sustainable than clinical services for malaria treatment. Although we were not able to demonstrate that our work is sustainable, our study shows that volunteer groups are capable of undertaking research that is relevant to their service area.