UN Women [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.unwomen.org/

Ending violence against women and girls: 25 policies nominated for Future Policy Award 2014
Posted on June 6, 2014
Twenty-five policies on ending violence against women and girls have been nominated for the Future Policy Award 2014. This was announced by the World Future Council, the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women today. Violence against women and girls is one of the most pervasive and predominant forms of human rights abuses in the world.

Putting women at the forefront of climate change and disaster response in the Pacific
Posted on June 4, 2014
Whether training women solar engineers in Fiji or assisting with the humanitarian response plan after a major cyclone in Tonga, UN Women is working with climate-change and disaster-management professionals across the Pacific.

Lives saved in Viet Nam by involving women in disaster planning
Posted on June 4, 2014
Through the training of women in disaster management, as well as national lobbying, the contribution of women has been recognized and a government decree now gives the Women’s Union an official space in decision-making bodies.

Protecting their crops through green technologies, Caribbean women fend for themselves
Posted on June 4, 2014
Through workshops, women farmers in Barbados, Grenada and Jamaica are learning more sustainable farming techniques and securing their livelihoods.

Beijing+20: WHAT? An interactive dialogue with young people about gender equality and women’s empowerment in the post-2015 context
Posted on June 3, 2014
A speech by Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka at an interactive dialogue with young people about gender equality and women’s empowerment in the post-2015 context, at the ECOSOC Youth Assembly on 3 June, 2014, in New York.

UN Women Launches Private Sector Leadership Advisory Council
Posted on June 2, 2014
UN Women has launched a new Private Sector Leadership Advisory Council with leading businesses to advance women’s rights and empowerment. At a special event at United Nations Headquarters, the 10 founding corporate leaders were welcomed by the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
The UN Women Private Sector Leadership Advisory Council will meet twice a year to review progress and provide strategic input to guide advocacy and resource mobilization efforts.
The 10 founding members are (in alphabetical order):
1. Mr. Jean-Paul Agon: Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, L’Oréal
2. Mr. Dominic Barton: Chief Executive Officer, McKinsey & Company
3. Mr. Lloyd C. Blankfein: Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
4. Ms. Maureen Chiquet: Global Chief Executive Officer, Chanel
5. Mr. Mark Cutifani: Chief Executive Officer, Anglo American plc
6. Mr. Rick Goings: Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Tupperware Brands Corporation
7. Mr. Christopher Graves: Global Chief Executive Officer, Ogilvy Public Relations
8. Ms. Sally Kennedy: Chief Executive Officer, Publicis Dallas
9. Mr. Muhtar Kent: Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
10. Mr. Paul Polman: Chief Executive Officer, Unilever

United Nations condemns gang-rape and murder of teenage girls in Uttar Pradesh and calls for justice
Posted on June 2, 2014
The UN in India condemns the brutal gang-rape and murder of two teenaged girls on the night of 28 May in Katra village in the Badaun district of the province of Uttar Pradesh. The UN calls for immediate action against the perpetrators and to address violence against women and girls across India.

UNFPA United Nations Population Fund [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.unfpa.org/public/

UNFPA News
06 June 2014 – Dispatch
UNFPA assists Balkan flood survivors
SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina / BELGRADE, Serbia – Millions of people across the Balkans are facing the aftermath of the worst natural disaster to hit the region in more than a century. As the waters retreat, exposing a vast scale of destruction, UNFPA is working on the ground to address the needs of those most affected.

05 June 2014 – Press Release
At least 2 Women Each Hour Fall Victim to Sexual Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo, Says UNFPA
UNITED NATIONS, New York—Ahead of the Global Summit on Ending Sexual Violence in Conflict, to be hosted by the United Kingdom next week, UNFPA warns that without immediate action, at least 20,000 women and girls, or 2 women every hour, will suffer sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this year alone.

UNESCO [to 7 June 2014]
http://en.unesco.org/

6 June 2014
The Judeo-Spanish Languages: Expressing Identity and Openness
4 June 2014
Launch of the NET-MED Youth Project on June 5: empowering youth voices, promoting change!
3 June 2014
Launch of Ocean and Climate Platform 2015 at UNESCO to mark World Ocean Day

FAO Food & Agriculture Organization [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.fao.org/home/en/

Farmers’ battle to cope with climate change could spark rural renewal
Shifting world agriculture to a “climate-smart” approach will not only help prevent future food security crises but holds the promise of sparking economic and agricultural renewal in rural areas where hunger and poverty are most prevalent.
6-06-2014

FAO scaling up operations in South Sudan
FAO is scaling up its emergency response operations in South Sudan despite problems of access and insecurity in parts of the country.
5-06-2014

FAO Food Price Index down for the second consecutive month
Improved production and supply outlook for most commodities influence pricing.
5-06-2014

Action needed to safeguard genetic diversity of the world’s forests
According to the first-ever edition of The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources report, half of the forest species reported as regularly utilized by countries are threatened by the conversion of forests to pastures and farmland, overexploitation, and the impacts of climate change.
3-06-2014

Somalia: Late, erratic rainfall raises concerns about harvest prospects and food security
FAO calls for urgent action to scale up support amid already dire situation affecting large numbers of people.
2-06-2014

UNCTAD [to 7 June 2014]
http://unctad.org/en/Pages/Home.aspx

Ecuador becomes first country to undergo innovative UNCTAD programme to assess ‘green export’ potential and policies
UNCTAD/PRESS/PR/2014/025
Geneva, Switzerland, (06 June 2014)
How can Ecuador develop national “green sectors” to create new productive capacity, employment and export diversification opportunities while promoting sustainable development? This question will be addressed at the first national workshop in a new UNCTAD green exports programme in Quito, Ecuador, on 10 and 11 June 2014.

The workshop marks the first step in an innovative process that, after a series of consultative activities with national stakeholders, will result in the first National Green Export Report (NGER) authored by Ecuadorian experts with the support of UNCTAD.

National Green Export Reports (NGERs) have been developed by UNCTAD as a response to a demand from emerging countries for assessments of national potential in environmentally and economically sustainable sectors, so as to facilitate the transition to a greener economy.

“Many developing countries require technical assistance to identify and construct effective policy reform packages needed to ensure development gains from a greening global economy,” Bonapas Onguglo, who is currently leading UNCTAD’s Trade, Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Branch, said. “NGERs guide national stakeholders through a structured process to identify and develop new export opportunities in green goods and services.”

Each NGER is centered on a national multi-stakeholder process in requesting countries. Using UNCTAD’s “green product space” methodology, national stakeholders first identify green sectors with promising export prospects. The NGER subsequently guides stakeholders through an interactive review of the economic, regulatory, institutional and trade policy environments characterizing these sectors…

USAID [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.usaid.gov/

Press Releases
Statement From USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah With Djiboutian Ministers in Djibouti
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
In support of our shared priorities, USAID will be investing in programs to support the development of Djibouti’s labor force and energy sector. Working hand-in-hand with the Government of Djibouti, these targeted investments will unlock opportunity, reduce extreme poverty, and promote innovation.

United States signs $500 million Loan Guarantee Agreement with Tunisia
June 3, 2014
Today, the United States and Tunisia signed a loan guarantee agreement which will allow Tunisia to access up to $500 million in affordable financing from international capital markets. The loan guarantee underscores the United States’ commitment to the people of Tunisia and their democratic transition. The loan guarantee agreement is designed to support Tunisia as it pursues important reforms that will provide the foundation for economic growth and prosperity.

DFID [to 7 June 2014]
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-international-development

Edinburgh charity to help thousands in Senegal
5 June 2014 DFID and Scotland Office Press release

UK supports host communities in South Lebanon
4 June 2014 DFID and FCO Press release

ECHO [to 7 June 2014]
http://ec.europa.eu/echo/index_en.htm

We can prepare better for disasters: Commissioner Georgieva returns to the Philippines
5/06/2014 – Seven months after Typhoon Haiyan, EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid, International Cooperation and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva is again visiting the areas

ODI [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.odi.org.uk/

Booming grain production in poor countries ends fears of high and extremely volatile prices
June 2014
Grain prices are likely to settle down for the first time since the 2008 price shock, largely thanks to boosting production in developing countries, reveals a new report by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) – the UK’s leading think tank on development issues.
Poorer countries have added 240 million tonnes of cereals since the 2008 crisis, representing three-quarters of the global increase, saving the world from feared prolonged periods of instability and huge price rises of the three main grains – maize, wheat and rice.

Publication
Shockwatch: food prices annual review
03 Jun 2014

Program: Pathways to progress in health: lessons from leading performers
:: Publication – Neglected tropical diseases: the case of Cambodia 05 Jun 2014
:: Publication – No longer neglected: tackling Sierra Leone’s neglected tropical diseases 05 Jun 2014
:: Publication – Against the odds: Mozambique’s gains in primary health care 05 Jun 2014
:: Opinion – Universal health coverage – but mind the equity gaps 04 Jun 2014

World Trade Organisation [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news13_e/news13_e.htm

Azevêdo discusses trade issues affecting poorest countries in visit to Nepal
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, on 4-5 June 2014 during the first visit of the head of the WTO to Nepal since the country’s accession to the organization ten years ago, discussed with authorities and businesspeople trade issues affecting least-developed countries (LDCs). In his meeting with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, the Director-General thanked Nepal for its key role in the success of the Bali Package as coordinator of the LDC Group within the WTO.

WTO issues 2014 Annual Report
The WTO’s Annual Report 2014, published on 28 May, provides a comprehensive overview of the WTO’s activities over the past year. The Report is available as an app — for downloading to your tablet — as a PDF and in printed format.

Azevêdo underlines leadership role of Bangladesh in post-Bali work
Director-General Roberto Azevêdo, in a speech to Bangladesh textile manufacturers and exporters in Dhaka on 3 June, said that “Bangladesh’s substantive input and continued active engagement can help the LDC Group realize the full potential from the Bali package and the Doha Development Agenda”. He expressed confidence that “under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina whom I just met, Bangladesh can continue to consolidate its economic and social advancement”.

IMF [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm

Empowerment—the Amartya Sen Lecture
By Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund
London, June 6, 2014
Excerpt
Good evening. What an immense pleasure to come to this intellectual powerhouse to honor one of the greatest intellectuals of our time. Let me especially thank Professor Craig Calhoun for his kind introduction—I know that Professor Calhoun is a great leader in his field, and a great leader of the LSE.
The LSE is one of the world’s most prestigious universities. Its alumni include 34 world leaders and 16 Nobel Prize winners.
One of these Nobel Prize winners is, of course, the luminous Amartya Sen. There are few economists today who can match his reach—from the complex mathematics of social choice to the lofty speculation of moral philosophy; combining deep theoretical rigor with a heartfelt concern for the poor and the marginalized.
Amartya Sen has always understood that the concerns of economics are closely related to the concerns of justice and fairness. In that, he follows in the footsteps of the great economic thinkers of the past.
Today, especially in the wake of the global crisis, members of the profession are asking the kinds of questions that Amartya has spent his whole life pondering. His was a prophetic voice, and he can rightfully be called the conscience of economics.
Tonight, the topic I want to talk about sits at the intersection of justice and economics—the issue of empowerment. Empowerment is about economic opportunity, the ability to freely choose one’s own path in life in accordance with one’s distinctive talents and abilities. It is about cutting away obstacles to true human flourishing.
I want to address three distinct layers of empowerment:
:: First, the empowerment of the individual—and what that means for economic policies.
:: Second, what is needed to help individual empowerment—the empowerment of institutions.
:: Third, what is needed in turn to help national economies flourish—the empowerment of multilateralism….

World Bank [to 7 June 2014]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all

Strengthening Disaster Risk Management in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries
Since its inception in 2011, the African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Union Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Program (ACP-EU NDRR) has come a long way in addressing its objectives of prevention, mitigation and preparedness to natural hazards in ACP countries. Only in the last six months, the Program launched four projects worth around $4.5 million, and supported four post-disaster response activities in Burundi, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia and Tonga, adding to the growing Program portfolio totaling 50 projects across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.The ACP-EU NDRR is an initiative of the ACP Group of States, funded by the EU, and managed by the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR), a World Bank-housed partnership of 37 countries and 7 international organizations committed to helping developing countries reduce their vulnerability to natural hazards and adapt to climate change…

BMC Public Health
(Accessed 7 June 2014)
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealth/content

Research article
Qualitative study of the feasibility of HPV vaccine delivery to young adolescent girls in Vietnam: evidence from a government-implemented demonstration program
D Scott LaMontagne, Nguyen Quy Nghi, Le Thi Nga, Amynah Janmohamed, Dang Thi Huyen, Nguyen Tran Hien, Vivien Davis Tsu
BMC Public Health 2014, 14:
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Introduction of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in national programs has proceeded apace since 2006, mostly in high-income countries. Recently concluded pilots of HPV vaccination in low-income countries have provided important lessons learned for these settings; however, rigorous evaluations of the feasibility of these delivery strategies that effectively reach young adolescents have been few. This paper presents results from a qualitative evaluation of a demonstration program which implemented school-based and health center-based HPV vaccinations to all girls in grade 6, or 11 years of age, for two years in four districts of Vietnam.
Methods
Using semi-structured interviews of 131 health and education staff from local, district, province, and national levels and 26 focus-group discussions with local project implementers (n = 153), we conducted a qualitative two-year evaluation to measure the impact of HPV vaccinations on the health and education systems.
Results
HPV vaccine delivery at schools or health centers was made feasible by: a. close collaboration between the health and education sectors, b. detailed planning for implementation, c. clearly defined roles and responsibilities for project implementers, d. effective management and supervision of vaccinations during delivery, and e. engagement with community organizations for support. Both the health and education systems were temporarily challenged with the extra workload, but the disruptions were short-lived (a few days for each of three doses) and perceived as worth the longer-term benefit of cervical cancer prevention.
Conclusion
The learning from Vietnam has identified critical elements for successful vaccine delivery that can provide a model for other countries to consider during their planning of national rollout of HPV vaccine.

Bulletin of the World Health Organization
Volume 92, Number 6, June 2014, 385-464
http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/92/6/en/

Special theme: BRICS and global health
EDITORIALS
BRICS and global health
Shambhu Acharya, Sarah-Louise Barber, Daniel Lopez-Acuna, Natela Menabde, Luigi Migliorini, Joaquín Molina, Bernhard Schwartländer & Pascal Zurn
doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.140889

Commodities for better health in Africa – time to invest locally
Michel Sidibé, LI Yong & Margaret Chan
doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.140566

BRICS cooperation in strategic health projects
Jarbas Barbosa da Silva, Keshav Desiraju, Precious Matsoso, Ren Minghui & Oleg Salagay
doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.141051

Making fair choices on the path to universal health coverage
Trygve Ottersen, Ole F Norheim & on behalf of the World Health Organization Consultative Group on Equity and Universal Health Coverage
doi: 10.2471/BLT.14.139139

RESEARCH
Relative health performance in BRICS over the past 20 years: the winners and losers
Dennis Petrie & Kam Ki Tang
doi: 10.2471/BLT.13.132480

Socioeconomic inequalities and mortality trends in BRICS, 1990–2010
Oscar J Mújica, Enrique Vázquez, Elisabeth C Duarte, Juan J Cortez-Escalante, Joaquin Molina & Jarbas Barbosa da Silva
doi: 10.2471/BLT.13.127977

Impact of BRICS’ investment in vaccine development on the global vaccine market
Miloud Kaddar, Julie Milstien & Sarah Schmitt
Abstract
Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa – the countries known as BRICS – have made considerable progress in vaccine production, regulation and development over the past 20 years. In 1993, all five countries were producing vaccines but the processes used were outdated and non-standardized, there was little relevant research and there was negligible international recognition of the products. By 2014, all five countries had strong initiatives for the development of vaccine technology and had greatly improved their national regulatory capacity. South Africa was then the only BRICS country that was not completely producing vaccines. South Africa is now in the process of re-establishing its own vaccine production and passing beyond the stage of simply importing, formulating and filling vaccine bulks. Changes in the public sector’s price per dose of selected vaccines, the global market share represented by products from specific manufacturers, and the attractiveness, for multinational companies, of partnership and investment opportunities in BRICS companies have all been analysed. The results indicate that the BRICS countries have had a major impact on vaccine price and availability, with much of that impact attributable to the output of Indian vaccine manufacturers. China is expected to have a greater impact soon, given the anticipated development of Chinese vaccine manufacturers in the near future. BRICS’ accomplishments in the field of vaccine development are expected to reshape the global vaccine market and accelerate access to vaccines in the developing world. The challenge is to turn these expectations into strategic actions and practical outcomes.

The economic and social benefits of childhood vaccinations in BRICS
Andrew J Mirelman a, Sachiko Ozawa a & Simrun Grewal a
a. Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, E8132, Baltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States of America.
Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2014;92:454-456. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2471/BLT.13.132597
Initial text
The international community has successfully promoted childhood vaccination as an essential public health intervention. This has been accomplished through efforts such as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Expanded Programme on Immunization and more recently, the establishment of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI Alliance), a global health partnership committed to ensuring access to low-cost immunization in developing countries. While such global efforts have resulted in large increases in vaccine coverage worldwide, there is still a large population that remains uncovered. Inadequate immunization coverage is apparent among middle-income countries. As middle-income countries do not receive support from the GAVI Alliance, lack of funds may account for low coverage, and vaccine delivery in these settings may suffer from inefficiencies that have been resolved in high-income countries.1
The potential benefits of expanded vaccine coverage are evident among the following five emerging economies: Brazil, the Russian Federation, India, China and South Africa – often referred to as BRICS. These countries have seen high economic growth in recent years – expanding their capacity to produce, procure and provide health care. The countries represent a range of lower-middle-income (India), upper-middle-income (Brazil, China and South Africa) and high-income (Russian Federation) countries. They include the two most populous countries in the world – China and India. Collectively, BRICS have a population of nearly 239 million children under the age of five years…

Disasters
July 2014 Volume 38, Issue 3 Pages 451–671
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/disa.2014.38.issue-2/issuetoc

Papers
Does need matter? Needs assessments and decision-making among major humanitarian health agencies
Martin Gerdin1,*, Patrice Chataigner2, Leonie Tax3, Anne Kubai4 and Johan von Schreeb5
Article first published online: 6 JUN 2014
DOI: 10.1111/disa.12065
Abstract
Disasters of physical origin, including earthquakes, floods, landslides, tidal waves, tropical storms, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, have affected millions of people globally over the past 100 years. Proportionately, there is far greater likelihood of being affected by such disasters in low-income countries than in high-income countries. Furthermore, low-income countries are in need of international assistance following disasters more often than high-income countries. The funding of international humanitarian assistance has increased from USD 12.9 billion in 2006 to an estimated USD 16.7 billion in 2010. The majority of this funding is channelled through humanitarian agencies and is supposed to be distributed based on the need of those affected, as assessed using needs assessments. Such needs assessments may be used to inform decisions internally, to influence others, to justify response decisions, and to obtain funding. Little is known about the quality of needs assessments in practical applications. Consequently, this paper reports on and analyses the views of operational decision-makers in major health-related humanitarian agencies on needs assessments.

Papers
The adoption of a Climate Disaster Resilience Index in Chennai, India
Jonas Joerin1,*, Rajib Shaw2, Yukiko Takeuchi3 and Ramasamy Krishnamurthy4
Article first published online: 6 JUN 2014
Abstract
Results derived from the Climate Disaster Resilience Index (CDRI)—consisting of five dimensions (economic, institutional, natural, physical, and social), 25 parameters, and 125 variables—reflect the abilities of people and institutions to respond to potential climate-related disasters in Chennai, India. The findings of this assessment, applied in the 10 administrative zones of the city, reveal that communities living in the northern and older parts of Chennai have lower overall resilience as compared to the flourishing areas (vis-à-vis economic growth and population) along the urban fringes. The higher resilience of communities along the urban fringes suggests that urbanisation may not necessarily lead to a deterioration of basic urban services, such as electricity, housing, and water. This indication is confirmed by a strong statistical correlation between physical resilience and population growth in Chennai. The identification of the resilience of different urban areas of Chennai has the potential to support future planning decisions on the city’s scheduled expansion.

Globalization and Health
[Accessed 7 June 2014]
http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/

Review
The role of law and governance reform in the global response to non-communicable diseases
Roger S Magnusson and David Patterson
Author Affiliations
Globalization and Health 2014, 10:44 doi:10.1186/1744-8603-10-44
Published: 5 June 2014
Abstract (provisional)
Addressing non-communicable diseases (“NCDs”) and their risk-factors is one of the most powerful ways of improving longevity and healthy life expectancy for the foreseeable future – especially in low- and middle-income countries. This paper reviews the role of law and governance reform in that process. We highlight the need for a comprehensive approach that is grounded in the right to health and addresses three aspects: preventing NCDs and their risk factors, improving access to NCD treatments, and addressing the social impacts of illness. We highlight some of the major impediments to the passage and implementation of laws for the prevention and control of NCDs, and identify important practical steps that governments can take as they consider legal and governance reforms at country level. We review the emerging global architecture for NCDs, and emphasise the need for governance structures to harness the energy of civil society organisations and to create a global movement that influences the policy agenda at the country level. We also argue that the global monitoring framework would be more effective if it included key legal and policy indicators. The paper identifies priorities for technical legal assistance in implementing the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2013-2020. These include high-quality legal resources to assist countries to evaluate reform options, investment in legal capacity building, and global leadership to respond to the likely increase in requests by countries for technical legal assistance. We urge development agencies and other funders to recognise the need for development assistance in these areas. Throughout the paper, we point to global experience in dealing with HIV and draw out some relevant lessons for NCDs.

Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly
June 2014; 43 (3)
http://nvs.sagepub.com/content/current

The Impact of Capacity-Building Programs on Nonprofits – A Random Assignment Evaluation
Amy Minzner1, Jacob A. Klerman2, Carrie E. Markovitz3, Barbara Fink4
1Senior Associate, Abt Associates Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
2Principal Associate, Abt Associates Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
3Senior Research Scientist, National Opinion Research Center, Bethesda, MD, USA
4Senior Research Associate, Branch Associates, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, USA
Amy Minzner, Senior Associate, Abt Associates Inc., 55 Wheeler Street, Cambridge, MA 02148,
Abstract
Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) play an important role in delivering social services to those in need. Capacity-building efforts for NPOs derive from funders’ desire to increase NPOs’ effectiveness and redress problems associated with limited administrative and organizational capacity. Through technical assistance, training, and grant funds, funders aim to enhance NPO functioning and ultimately improve client outcomes. Despite a general consensus about the importance of capacity building, little high-quality evidence exists on the impact of capacity-building investments. This article presents the findings from the first random assignment evaluation to be conducted in the field of nonprofit capacity building. The subject of the evaluation was one of country’s largest organizational capacity-building initiatives, the federal government’s Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) Demonstration Program. Findings from the evaluation provide clear evidence that capacity-building efforts increase capacity in each of five critical areas of capacity.

PLoS One
[Accessed 7 June 2014]
http://www.plosone.org/

Research Article
Direct Effect of 10-Valent Conjugate Pneumococcal Vaccination on Pneumococcal Carriage in Children Brazil
Ana Lucia Andrade mail, Yves Mauro Ternes, Maria Aparecida Vieira, Weslley Garcia Moreira, Juliana Lamaro-Cardoso, André Kipnis, Maria Regina Cardoso, Maria Cristina Brandileone,
Iaci Moura, Fabiana C. Pimenta, Maria da Gloria Carvalho, Fabricia Oliveira Saraiva, Cristiana Maria Toscano, Ruth Minamisava
Published: June 03, 2014
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098128
Abstract
Background
10-valent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine/PCV10 was introduced in the Brazilian National Immunization Program along the year of 2010. We assessed the direct effectiveness of PCV10 vaccination in preventing nasopharyngeal/NP pneumococcal carriage in infants.
Methods
A cross-sectional population-based household survey was conducted in Goiania Brazil, from December/2010-February/2011 targeting children aged 7–11 m and 15–18 m. Participants were selected using a systematic sampling. NP swabs, demographic data, and vaccination status were collected from 1,287 children during home visits. Main outcome and exposure of interest were PCV10 vaccine-type carriage and dosing schedules (3p+0, 2p+0, and one catch-up dose), respectively. Pneumococcal carriage was defined by a positive culture and serotyping was performed by Quellung reaction. Rate ratio/RR was calculated as the ratio between the prevalence of vaccine-types carriage in children exposed to different schedules and unvaccinated for PCV10. Adjusted RR was estimated using Poisson regression. PCV10 effectiveness/VE on vaccine-type carriage was calculated as 1-RR*100.
Results
The prevalence of pneumococcal carriage was 41.0% (95%CI: 38.4–43.7). Serotypes covered by PCV10 and PCV13 were 35.2% and 53.0%, respectively. Vaccine serotypes 6B (11.6%), 23F (7.8%), 14 (6.8%), and 19F (6.6%) were the most frequently observed. After adjusted for confounders, children who had received 2p+0 or 3p+0 dosing schedule presented a significant reduction in pneumococcal vaccine-type carriage, with PCV10 VE equal to 35.9% (95%CI: 4.2–57.1; p = 0.030) and 44.0% (95%CI: 14.–63.5; p = 0.008), respectively, when compared with unvaccinated children. For children who received one catch-up dose, no significant VE was detected (p = 0.905).
Conclusion
PCV10 was associated with high protection against vaccine-type carriage with 2p+0 and 3p+0 doses for children vaccinated before the second semester of life. The continuous evaluation of carriage serotypes distribution is likely to be useful for evaluating the long-term effectiveness and impact of pneumococcal vaccination on serotypes reduction.

Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública/Pan American Journal of Public Health (RPSP/PAJPH)
April 2014 Vol. 35, No. 4
http://www.paho.org/journal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=143&Itemid=236&lang=en

Contribution of Mexico’s Universal Immunization Program to the Fourth Millennium Development Goal [Contribución del Programa de Vacunación Universal de México al cuarto Objetivo de Desarrollo del Milenio]
Vesta Richardson,1 Edgar Sánchez-Uribe,1 Marcelino Esparza-Aguilar,1, Alejandra Esteves-Jaramillo,1 and Lorena Suárez-Idueta1
Abstract
Objective. To identify and describe 1) progress achieved thus far in meeting the commitments of the Fourth Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) in Mexico, mainly the contribution of the Universal Immunization Program (UIP) over the last 20 years, and 2) new opportunities for further reducing mortality among children under 5 years old.
Methods. An observational, descriptive, retrospective study was carried out to examine registered causes of death in children under 5 between 1990 and 2010. Indicators were built according to the recommendations of the United Nations.
Results. In 2010, deaths among children under 5 decreased 64.3% compared to the baseline (1990) figure. Of the total deaths of the children under 5, the neonatal period was the most affected (52.8%), followed by the 1 to 11 months (30.9%), and the 12 to 59 months (16.2%) groups. A 34% overall mortality reduction was observed after the universalization of immunization against influenza, rotavirus, and pneumococcus in children under 5.
Conclusions. Despite a significant reduction in under-5 mortality in Mexico over the last 20 years, largely due to the successes of the UIP, several challenges remain, particularly in improving preventive and curative services during pre- and postnatal care.

La desigualdad en salud de grupos vulnerables de México: adultos mayores, indígenas y migrantes [Health inequality among vulnerable groups in Mexico: older adults, indigenous people, and migrants]
Clara Juárez-Ramírez, Margarita Márquez-Serrano, Nelly Salgado de Snyder, Blanca Estela elcastre-Villafuerte, María Guadalupe Ruelas-González y Hortensia Reyes-Morales
Synopsis
Health vulnerability refers to a lack of protection for specific population groups with specific health problems, as well as the disadvantages they face in solving them in comparison with other population groups. This major public health problem has multiple and diverse causes, including a shortage of trained health care personnel and the lack of family, social, economic, and institutional support in obtaining care and minimizing health risks. Health vulnerability is a dynamic condition arising from the confluence of multiple social determinants. This article attempts to describe the health situation of three vulnerable groups in Mexico—older adults, indigenous people, and migrants—and, after defining the needs of each, explore measures that could contribute to the design and implementation of public health policies better tailored to their respective needs.

Science
6 June 2014 vol 344, issue 6188, pages 1057-1196
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

Special Issue: Rethinking the Global Supply Chain
Introduction to Special Issue
Rethinking the global supply chain
Brad Wible, Jeffrey Mervis, Nicholas S. Wigginton

We are all part of a global economy, capable of producing and transporting seemingly anything, from anywhere, to anyone. Its lifeblood is an interconnected network of suppliers and producers, retailers and consumers, spanning the planet. But the public typically knows far more about Apple, Nike, and other brands than the logistics empires many tiers below, where firms such as Foxconn and Pou Chen connect vast underlying commodity and labor markets that are relatively hidden from the public eye. This sprawling web of supply chains can raise living standards, improve conditions for workers, and help alleviate poverty. But feeding its unquenchable thirst for energy, water, and other resources puts a strain on the planet. Finding ways to relieve that strain is an enormous challenge and will undoubtedly require greater traceability and transparency.
One step forward is providing better measurements and models and making efforts to standardize and coordinate their use. Researchers are intensely studying how to account for supply-chain demands on ecosystems by integrating carbon, water, energy, and other “footprints” into coordinated schemes (see Hoekstra and Wiedmann, p. 1114). They are also developing better ways to inventory material and energy inputs, from the conception of a product to its grave, via life-cycle assessment tools (see Hellweg and Milà i Canals, p. 1109).

Yet academic insights alone cannot solve these problems. The large-scale cooperation of industry is essential. Many companies and industries are seeking to improve how they collect, synthesize, standardize, and communicate supply-chain data to better inform decision-making (see O’Rourke, p. 1124). A study of the Brazilian Amazon shows how supply-chain initiatives in the beef and soy industries, interacting with economic, social, and policy drivers, can slow deforestation of one of the world’s major sources of biodiversity and carbon sequestration (see Nepstad et al., p. 1118).

Logistics and transportation are also ripe for improvement. One approach is drawing inspiration from the digital Internet to create a Physical Internet. The initiative envisions using standardized “packets” and protocols for shipping, and forging the types of industry-wide partnerships that are normally anathema to a free-market system, but perhaps necessary to reduce the congestion, pollution, and inefficiency that make the current system ultimately unsustainable (see Mervis, p. 1104). Although many companies may initially be motivated by improved efficiencies and profit margins, such improvements in supply chains hold out the hope of improving conditions for humanity (see Dooley, p. 1108).

Online: Podcast at www.sciencemag.org/special/supply