Maternal and Child Health Journal
Volume 19, Issue 5, May 2015
http://link.springer.com/journal/10995/19/5/page/1

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Review Paper
Use of Text Messaging for Maternal and Infant Health: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Elisabeth Poorman, Julie Gazmararian, Ruth M. Parker, Baiyu Yang, Lisa Elon
Abstract
Text messaging is an increasingly popular communication tool in health interventions, but has been little studied in maternal and infant health. This literature review evaluates studies of text messaging that may be applied to the promotion of maternal and infant health. Articles from peer-reviewed journals published before June 2012 were included if they were experimental or quasi-experimental studies of behaviors endorsed either by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Pediatrics Association, or the United States Preventive Services Task Force; included reproductive age women (12–50 years) or infants up to 2 years of age; and were available in English. Qualitative studies of text messaging specific to pregnant women were also included. Studies were compared and contrasted by key variables, including: design, time-period, study population, and results. Forty-eight articles were included, 30 of which were randomized controlled trials. Interventions vary greatly in effectiveness and soundness of methodology, but collectively indicate that there is a wide range of preventative behaviors that text message interventions can effectively promote, including smoking cessation, diabetes control, appointment reminders, medication adherence, weight loss, and vaccine uptake. Common methodological issues include not accounting for attention affect and not aligning text message content to measured outcomes. Those interventions that are based on an established theory of behavior change and use motivational as opposed to informational language are more likely to be successful. Building on the growing body of evidence for text message interventions reviewed here, as well as the growing popularity of text messaging as a medium, researchers should be able to use this technology to engage difficult to reach populations.

Nature
Volume 520 Number 7548 pp407-578 23 April 2015
http://www.nature.com/nature/current_issue.html
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Editorials
Highway to health
Africa has an ambitious and welcome plan for a continent-wide centre for disease control — but if the agency is to live up to its promise, it will need substantially better resources.
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Comment
Policy: Five priorities for the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Restructure data-gathering and evaluation networks to address climate change, energy, food, health and water provision, say Yonglong Lu and colleagues.

PLOS Currents: Disasters
[Accessed 25 April 2015]
http://currents.plos.org/disasters/

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Revitalising Evidence-based Policy for the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030: Lessons from Existing International Science Partnerships
April 23, 2015 • Research article
The convergence of agreements on disaster risk reduction (DRR), development finance, sustainable development and climate change in 2015 presents a unique opportunity for coherence across these inter-related policy areas. At the same time, demand is growing for a more prominent and effective role for science and technology in providing evidence for policy, with the international community recognising that successful disaster risk reduction (DRR) depends on it. Reflecting this ambition, science is included as a core aspect of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, although the ways in which this will be implemented in practice is still unclear. This paper aims to inform the implementation of international science coordination for DRR by examining a number of existing international science partnerships used across other relevant areas of policy to understand best practice, options for coordination and lessons identified. In the field of DRR, the science-policy interface needs to be strengthened in line with the best practice described in this review. An enhanced UNISDR Scientific and Technical Advisory Group will be given the mandate for to enhance the evidence base for DRR and mobilise science and technical work in coordination with a broad range of stakeholders. The structure and function of an enhanced STAG must be as open, as inclusive and as participatory as possible in order to build trust in new and existing institutions at local, national, regional and global levels. The challenge for the international community is to facilitate evidence-based policy making by formally recognising the links between DRR, development finance, sustainable development and climate change in the upcoming post-2015 agreements.

PLoS Currents: Outbreaks
http://currents.plos.org/outbreaks/
(Accessed 25 April 2015)

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Understanding the Emergence of Ebola Virus Disease in Sierra Leone: Stalking the Virus in the Threatening Wake of Emergence
April 20, 2015 • Research
Since Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) was first identified in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, and despite the numerous outbreaks recorded to date, rarely has an epidemic origin been identified. Indeed, among the twenty-one most documented EVD outbreaks in Africa, an index case has been identified four times, and hypothesized in only two other instances. The initial steps of emergence and spread of a virus are critical in the development of a potential outbreak and need to be thoroughly dissected and understood in order to improve on preventative strategies. In the current West African outbreak of EVD, a unique index case has been identified, pinpointing the geographical origin of the epidemic in Guinea. Herein, we provide an accounting of events that serve as the footprint of EVD emergence in Sierra Leone and a road map for risk mitigation fueled by lessons learned.

PLoS Medicine
(Accessed 25 April 2015)
http://www.plosmedicine.org/

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Research Priorities to Improve the Management of Acute Malnutrition in Infants Aged Less Than Six Months (MAMI)
Chloe Angood, Marie McGrath, Sagar Mehta, Martha Mwangome, Mary Lung’aho, Dominique Roberfroid, Abigail Perry, Caroline Wilkinson, Anne-Dominique Israel, Cecile Bizouerne, Rukhsana Haider, Andrew Seal, James A. Berkley, Marko Kerac, MAMI Working Group Collaborators Guidelines and Guidance | published 21 Apr 2015 | PLOS Medicine 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001812
Summary Points
:: Worldwide, 8.5 million infants aged less than 6 months (<6m) are acutely malnourished. For the first time, 2013 WHO Malnutrition Guidelines describe their treatment, but on the basis of “very low quality” evidence, per WHO. More and better research is urgently needed.
:: To prioritise the many possible research questions on infant <6m malnutrition, we used the systematic, transparent, well-established Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) approach. Sixty-four experts scored 60 research questions on the basis of their answerability, likelihood of intervention efficacy, effectiveness, deliverability, sustainability, impact on disease burden, and impact on equity.
:: “How should infant <6m SAM be defined?” was the top-scoring research question; that this and other basic questions are still needed highlights paucity of evidence on this topic.
:: Other leading questions reflect interest in public health/community-focused models of care, e.g., “What are priority components of a package of outpatient care?” These questions are important to inform new outpatient strategies now recommended by WHO.
:: Most of our questions received high-priority scores reflecting a great need for a wide variety of evidence. Several major global initiatives such as the “Scaling Up Nutrition Movement” and “Generation Nutrition” would benefit from better evidence. Our results show clear ways forward for future research investments.

Qualitative Health Research
May 2015; 25 (5)
http://qhr.sagepub.com/content/current

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Trauma Systems in Kenya
A Qualitative Analysis at the District Level
Hadley K. H. Wesson1,2, Kent A. Stevens1,3, Abdulgafoor M. Bachani1, Stephen Mogere4
Daniel Akungah5. Jackim Nyamari5, John Masasabi Wekesa6, Adnan A. Hyder1
1Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
2Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia, USA
3Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
4Roless Media Management Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
5Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
6Ministry of Medical Services, Nairobi, Kenya
Abstract
Injury is a leading cause of death and disability in low- and middle-income countries. Kenya has a particularly high burden of injuries, accounting for 88.4 deaths per 100,000 population. Despite recent attempts to prioritize injury prevention in Kenya, trauma care systems have not been assessed. We assessed perceptions of formal and informal district-level trauma systems through 25 qualitative semi-structured interviews and 16 focus group discussions with Ministry of Health officials, district hospital administrators, health care providers, police, and community members. We used the principles of theoretical analysis to identify common themes of prehospital and hospital trauma care. We found prehospital care relied primarily on “good Samaritans” and police. We described hospital care in terms of human resources, infrastructure, and definitive care. The interviewers repeatedly emphasized the lack of hospital infrastructure. We showed the need to develop prehospital care systems and strengthen hospital trauma care services.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 132, Pages 1-286 (May 2015)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02779536/132

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Review articles
Anchoring contextual analysis in health policy and systems research: A narrative review of contextual factors influencing health committees in low and middle income countries
Review Article
Pages 159-167
Asha George, Kerry Scott, Surekha Garimella, Shinjini Mondal, Rajani Ved, Kabir Sheikh
Abstract
Health committees, councils or boards (HCs) mediate between communities and health services in many health systems. Despite their widespread prevalence, HC functions vary due to their diversity and complexity, not least because of their context specific nature. We undertook a narrative review to better understand the contextual features relevant to HCs, drawing from Scopus and the internet. We found 390 English language articles from journals and grey literature since 1996 on health committees, councils and boards. After screening with inclusion and exclusion criteria, we focused on 44 articles. Through an iterative process of exploring previous attempts at understanding context in health policy and systems research (HPSR) and the HC literature, we developed a conceptual framework that delineates these contextual factors into four overlapping spheres (community, health facilities, health administration, society) with cross-cutting issues (awareness, trust, benefits, resources, legal mandates, capacity-building, the role of political parties, non-governmental organizations, markets, media, social movements and inequalities). While many attempts at describing context in HPSR result in empty arenas, generic lists or amorphous detail, we suggest anchoring an understanding of context to a conceptual framework specific to the phenomena of interest. By doing so, our review distinguishes between contextual elements that are relatively well understood and those that are not. In addition, our review found that contextual elements are dynamic and porous in nature, influencing HCs but also being influenced by them due to the permeability of HCs. While reforms focus on tangible HC inputs and outputs (training, guidelines, number of meetings held), our review of contextual factors highlights the dynamic relationships and broader structural elements that facilitate and/or hinder the role of health committees in health systems. Such an understanding of context points to its contingent and malleable nature, links it to theorizing in HPSR, and clarifies areas for investigation and action.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 132, Pages 1-286 (May 2015)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02779536/132

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Patient access to health care and medicines across low-income countries
Original Research Article
Pages 21-27
Divya Srivastava, Alistair McGuire
Abstract
This study explores the issue of demand for health care and medicines in low-income country settings. Using the World Health Survey, multivariate analysis of cross-sectional household data from 35 low-income countries found that when ill, patient demand for health care to visit a clinic or hospital is inelastic ranging from −0.19 to 0.11. The main determinants of health seeking behaviour include having insurance, having a chronic condition, high household expenditure, and marital status. Women, the educated and those living in urban settings are more likely to seek care in a clinic. These findings suggest low-income patients will experience access problems, raising important policy implications to improve access to health care and medicines in these settings.

Social Science & Medicine
Volume 132, Pages 1-286 (May 2015)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/02779536/132

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The traditional healer in obstetric care: A persistent wasted opportunity in maternal health
Original Research Article
Pages 59-66
Raymond Akawire Aborigo, Pascale Allotey, Daniel D. Reidpath
Abstract
Traditional medical systems in low income countries remain the first line service of choice, particularly for rural communities. Although the role of traditional birth attendants (TBAs) is recognised in many primary health care systems in low income countries, other types of traditional practitioners have had less traction. We explored the role played by traditional healers in northern Ghana in managing pregnancy-related complications and examined their relevance to current initiatives to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality. A grounded theory qualitative approach was employed. Twenty focus group discussions were conducted with TBAs and 19 in-depth interviews with traditional healers with expertise in managing obstetric complications. Traditional healers are extensively consulted to manage obstetric complications within their communities. Their clientele includes families who for either reasons of access or traditional beliefs, will not use modern health care providers, or those who shop across multiple health systems. The traditional practitioners claim expertise in a range of complications that are related to witchcraft and other culturally defined syndromes; conditions for which modern health care providers are believed to lack expertise. Most healers expressed a willingness to work with the formal health services because they had unique knowledge, skills and the trust of the community. However this would require a stronger acknowledgement and integration within safe motherhood programs.

Sustainability
Volume 7, Issue 4 (April 2015), Pages 3515-4782
http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/4

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Editorial: Interdisciplinary Approaches and Methods for Sustainable Transformation and Innovation
by Sangkyun Kim
Sustainability 2015, 7(4), 3977-3983; doi:10.3390/su7043977
Received: 24 March 2015 / Revised: 26 March 2015 / Accepted: 1 April 2015 / Published: 3 April 2015
Abstract:
To increase the likelihood of success and sustainability, organizations must fundamentally reposition themselves and try to change current processes or create new products and services. One of the most effective approaches to find a solution for transformation and innovation is to learn from other domains where a solution for similar problems is already available. This paper briefly introduces the definition of and approaches to convergence of academic disciplines and industries, and overviews several representative convergence cases focusing on gamification for sustainable education, environments, and business managements.

Sustainability
Volume 7, Issue 4 (April 2015), Pages 3515-4782
http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/4

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Article: Delivering a Multi-Functional and Resilient Urban Forest
by James D. Hale, Thomas A. M. Pugh, Jon P. Sadler, Christopher T. Boyko, Julie Brown, Silvio Caputo, Maria Caserio, Richard Coles, Raziyeh Farmani, Chantal Hales, Russell Horsey, Dexter V. L. Hunt, Joanne M. Leach, Christopher D. F. Rogers and A. Rob MacKenzie
Sustainability 2015, 7(4), 4600-4624; doi:10.3390/su7044600
Received: 9 March 2015 / Revised: 4 April 2015 / Accepted: 8 April 2015 / Published: 17 April 2015
Abstract:
Tree planting is widely advocated and applied in urban areas, with large-scale projects underway in cities globally. Numerous potential benefits are used to justify these planting campaigns. However, reports of poor tree survival raise questions about the ability of such projects to deliver on their promises over the long-term. Each potential benefit requires different supporting conditions—relating not only to the type and placement of the tree, but also to the broader urban system within which it is embedded. This set of supporting conditions may not always be mutually compatible and may not persist for the lifetime of the tree. Here, we demonstrate a systems-based approach that makes these dependencies, synergies, and tensions more explicit, allowing them to be used to test the decadal-scale resilience of urban street trees. Our analysis highlights social, environmental, and economic assumptions that are implicit within planting projects; notably that high levels of maintenance and public support for urban street trees will persist throughout their natural lifespan, and that the surrounding built form will remain largely unchanged. Whilst the vulnerability of each benefit may be highly context specific, we identify approaches that address some typical weaknesses, making a functional, resilient, urban forest more attainable.

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health ::
Holistic Development :: Sustainable Resilience
__________________________________________________
Week ending 18 April 2015

This weekly digest is intended to aggregate and distill key content from a broad spectrum of practice domains and organization types including key agencies/IGOs, NGOs, governments, academic and research institutions, consortiums and collaborations, foundations, and commercial organizations. We also monitor a spectrum of peer-reviewed journals and general media channels. The Sentinel’s geographic scope is global/regional but selected country-level content is included. We recognize that this spectrum/scope yields an indicative and not an exhaustive product. Comments and suggestions should be directed to:

David R. Curry
Editor &
Founding Managing Director
GE2P2 – Center for Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

pdf verion: The Sentinel_ week ending 18 April 2015

blog edition: comprised of the 35+ entries to be posted below on 19 April 2015

CHARTING A NEW COURSE – Overcoming the stalemate in Gaza
JOINT AGENCY BRIEFING PAPER
13 APRIL 2015 :: 30 pages
Pdf: https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/charting-new-course-overcoming-stalemate-gaza
Overview
In 2014, after unprecedented destruction and suffering in Gaza, international donors pledged $3.5bn and a change in approach. Six months later, reconstruction and recovery have barely begun, there has been no accountability for violations of international law, and Gaza remains cut off from the West Bank. This paper outlines an achievable course of action to address the root causes of the recurrent conflict and put international engagement with Gaza on the right course.

Report signatories include:
ActionAidAlianzapor la Solidaridad
American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
Asamblea de Cooperaciónpor la Paz (ACPP)
CARE International
CCFD-Terre Solidaire
CCP Japan
Christian Aid
Church of Sweden
Council for Arab-British Understanding
Cooperazione per lo SviluppodeiPaesiEmergenti (COSPE)
DanChurchAid (DCA)
Diakonia
GVC
Handicap International
Heinrich Böll Foundation
HelpAge International
Horyzon – Swiss Youth Development Organization
Japan International Volunteer Center (JVC)
KinderUSA
Medical Aid for Palestinians (Map – UK)
Medicos del Mundo MDM-Spain
Médecins du Monde France
Médecins du Monde Switzerland
Medicos del Mundo MDM-Spain
medico international
medico international schweiz
Mennonite Central Committee
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)
Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA)
Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
Overseas
Oxfam
Première Urgence – Aide MédicaleInternationale
Quaker Council for European Affairs
Rebuilding Alliance
Save the Children
Secours Islamique France
Secours Catholique – Caritas France
Terre des hommes Foundation
Terre des Hommes Italy
The Carter Center
The Kvinna till Kvinna Foundation
The Lutheran World Federation
The Swedish Organization for Individual Relief/ IM – Swedish Development Partner (SOIR)
United Civilians for Peace, Netherlands

SUMMARY
Operation Protective Edge – the codename used by Israel for the 51 day military operation1 and the associated conflict between Israel, Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups – has inflicted unprecedented destruction and human suffering in Gaza.2 This was the third such major military operation in six years, further complicating recovery for a civilian population sealed off by a blockade and separated economically, socially and politically from Palestinians in the West Bank. Shortly after Israel and Palestinian armed groups agreed to a temporary ceasefire, donors from around the world gathered in Cairo to pledge $3.5bn for the reconstruction of Gaza. Six months later, there has been no accountability to address violations of international law, only 26.8 percent of the money has been released, reconstruction and recovery have barely begun, and people in Gaza remain in dire straits.

This paper outlines an achievable course of action that, if implemented, could make significant progress in addressing the root causes of the recurrent conflict and towards the realization of a just, durable peace that would benefit Israelis and Palestinians alike. By directly addressing the different actors that have distinct responsibilities towards Gaza – from Israel and the international community to the Palestinian Authority and Hamas – the signatories to this report outline what each party can and must do to end the conflict and ensure Palestinians in Gaza can realize their rights. It is time for these actors to work together effectively to change the course for Gaza before it is too late.

The main recommendations of this report are:
:: Ending the cycle of violence
All parties should immediately resume negotiations for a long-term ceasefire that addresses the need for sustainable reconstruction, tackles the root causes of the conflict and can deliver long-lasting security for both Israelis and Palestinians. Negotiations should include all concerned parties, particularly women, in keeping with UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Both the Government of Israel and Palestinian armed groups, including Hamas, must abide by international humanitarian and human rights law in the conduct of hostilities.

The international community must demand an end to violations of international law, and push for greater accountability of all parties, including guarantees of non-repetition.3

:: Committing to principled assistance, reconstruction and recovery
States should comply with their third state responsibilities not to aid or assist rights violations with respect to companies that contribute to such violations. This should include, where appropriate, adopting clear guidance to national companies, including state-owned companies, and pension and investment funds, to ensure that they undertake adequate due diligence and to ensure they do not support companies whose actions support violations of international law.4

Palestinian political actors must prioritize reconstruction as a humanitarian imperative. International donors should work with the Palestinian Government of National Consensus to take a holistic approach to reconstruction in Gaza, initially through the development of ministerial action plans for early recovery efforts, adequate and sustainable housing, and large-scale infrastructure.

Egypt should also fulfil its third state obligations under international humanitarian law to facilitate the provision of humanitarian assistance.5

Donors should make good on the pledges made at the Cairo Conference and move forward with reconstruction and recovery projects for Gaza. Given the devastation of the economy in Gaza, donor funding should wholly subsidize construction materials, prioritizing the most vulnerable.

As an immediate measure, funding and technical support should be made available to enable people to buy the necessary materials and labour to complete housing repairs.

:: Making the necessary shift: Ending the blockade and the separation between Gaza and the West Bank
Israel must lift the blockade and open all crossings into and out of Gaza; priority should be given for the unimpeded entry and exit of goods, as a necessary prerequisite to meet humanitarian needs and to ensure sustainable economic recovery and development.

Israel must allow free movement of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory, in line with their obligations as an occupying power, with individual restrictions on movement placed only in exceptional cases of legitimate security concern, as defined by international humanitarian law.

The international community, in particular the Quartet of the US, the EU, Russia and the UN, should propose a time-bound plan to support an end to the blockade, which can be implemented and monitored through relevant UN mechanisms.

The international community should promptly develop a common response to the government of Israel if immediate progress is not made to lift the blockade.

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Press Release
World not delivering on Gaza reconstruction promises, new report warns
Published:
13 April 2015

Singapore and the United Nations Co-Host Forum to Discuss Enhancing Civil-Military Coordination in Humanitarian Efforts
Report from UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Singapore, Bangkok 13 April 2015) The Ministry of Defence of Singapore and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) are co-hosting the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) Global Forum on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination at the Changi Command and Control Centre in Singapore from 13 to 15 April 2015. The Global Forum will help to shape the discussions and agenda for the World Humanitarian Summit to be held in Istanbul in May 2016.

The WHS Global Forum seeks to develop recommendations to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of civil-military coordination in disaster relief responses at the national, regional and international levels. More than 100 policy makers and operational experts from UN agencies, regional organisations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as well as defence establishments and national disaster management authorities from more than 25 countries are attending the three-day forum…

…Putting people at the centre drives humanitarian response and depends on the many parts coming together including coordination with the military. “Humanitarian civil-military coordination plays a vital role in the exchange of data, information and knowledge among multiple stakeholders. Military participation is equally critical for successfully establishing a shared situational awareness,” commented Ambassador Toni Frisch, the Chair of the Global Consultative Group on Civil Military Coordination.

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Kyung-wha Kang urged participants to engage in “a productive debate on how to make civil-military coordination work better in both natural disaster response operations and when providing humanitarian assistance in complex emergencies.”…

New fund aims to unlock $1 billion for children’s nutrition
WASHINGTON D.C., 16 April 2015 – The Power of Nutrition, a new independent fund launched today, will help millions of children reach their full potential. Backed by leading organisations from private philanthropy and international development, the partnership aims to unlock one billion dollars to tackle child undernutrition in some of the world’s poorest countries.

The Power of Nutrition will save lives and help millions of children escape from the effects of malnutrition. It will help countries build healthy and prosperous communities. It launches with arrangements in place to unlock the first $200 million from high profile backers such as the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, UBS Optimus Foundation, the UK’s Department for International Development, UNICEF, and the World Bank Group. It opens to new private and public investors today.

Unlocking children’s potential
Without the right nutrients, health services and care within the first 1,000 days of life, a child’s brain and body fail to develop properly. Unlike hunger, these effects are largely invisible and essentially irreversible. Undernutrition is the underlying cause of 45 per cent of all under five mortality – or nearly three million deaths every year. Undernutrition leaves nearly four in ten children in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia with underdeveloped brains and bodies. As a result, these children have lower IQs and are more likely to drop out of school. As adults, they are a third less likely to escape poverty.

The problem does not stop there. As undernourished girls grow into undernourished mothers, who give birth to undernourished children. This creates a vicious cycle that holds back the growth of future generations.

Money raised by the Power of Nutrition will finance large-scale, high-impact nutrition programmes to help break this cycle. Evidence shows that with the right nutrients and care early on in life, a child’s brain and body are able to develop to their full potential, improving their health, education and future livelihoods. It is an investment in children, families and communities that lasts and lasts.

Multiplying funds for nutrition
For the first time, a combination of private and public finances will support country-led programmes that target child undernutrition at scale. The Power of Nutrition will act as a catalyst to multiply the financial resources going into this area, through a combination of grants, government funding and International Development Association (IDA) financing,

The fund has developed an innovative matching offer that guarantees that every dollar in private funding is multiplied up to six times with new financing secured from other funders. Governments seeking financial support for their national nutrition programmes will also be able to multiply their resources through the fund.

The Power of Nutrition opens to new private and public investors today. It launches with arrangements in place to unlock the first $200m of financing. Contributions include $55m from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, up to £32m ($47m) from the UK Department of International Development, and up to Swiss Francs 25m ($26m) from the UBS Optimus Foundation.

These resources will be channelled through a new World Bank Group (WBG) trust fund for nutrition and through a UNICEF matched-funding mechanism. The new WBG trust fund of at least $55m will leverage at least another $100m from the IDA, the WBG’s fund for the poorest. The new agreement with UNICEF provides an opportunity for donors to fund UNICEF through a matched-funding mechanism dedicated to ending child undernutrition.

Ending poverty and hunger by 2030 : an agenda for the global food system
World Bank – Working Paper :: 32 pages
2015/04/01
Report prepared for the “Future of Food” event – Washington, DC, April 16, 2015
Pdf: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2015/04/15/000406484_20150415121312/Rendered/PDF/957680WP00OUO00d0Hunger0by020300web.pdf
Overview
To permanently end poverty and hunger by 2030, the world needs a food system that can feed every person, every day, everywhere; that can raise real incomes of the poorest people; that can provide safe food and adequate nutrition; and that can better steward the world’s natural resources. Urgently, we need a food system that is more resilient and that shifts from being a major contributor to climate change to being part of the solution. All these aspects are closely interlinked, calling for a more comprehensive approach to delivering a healthier and more prosperous future.

A Call for Action. This document lays out key elements of an action agenda for the global food system called for by the Sustainable Development Goals of ending poverty and hunger by 2030. It builds on lessons learned, recognizing the need for broad partnerships and multisectoral approaches to achieve these goals. It calls on key partners, coalitions, and alliances to come together to help shape the evolution of the global food system to permanently end poverty and hunger by 2030. We need to accelerate progress on raising incomes of the poor, on a differentiated approach to address and end hunger, and on ensuring a more sustainable path for the food system.

The three core elements of the agenda are aligned around:
(i) ensuring a more climate-smart agriculture,
(ii) improving nutritional outcomes, and
(iii) strengthening value chains and improving market access.
Within these groupings, a combination of policies, investments, knowledge, partnerships, South-South learning, and political will and leadership will be needed.

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PRESS RELEASE
Future of Food: World Bank Outlines Action Agenda for Food System to Help End Poverty and Hunger
WASHINGTON, DC, April 16, 2015 – With 800 million people going to bed hungry every night, countries combatting hunger must build better food systems that raise agricultural productivity in rural areas, invest in improving nutritional outcomes for young children and pregnant women, and boost climate-smart agriculture that can withstand a warmer planet, says a World Bank Group report released today.
“This report is critically important because it provides an overview of key actions that should be taken to end widespread hunger,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. Countries should ensure farmers have access to markets, receive fair value for crops, and grow foods that will withstand the rigors of a changing climate. They should invest in food, health, and care for young children and pregnant women, and improve access to nutritious food.”
Kim added: “Taking these steps toward ending hunger can impact other important global issues – it will help end extreme poverty, tackle climate change, and end the scourge of malnutrition that robs many children of a better future.”

World Bank Group and a Coalition of Partners Make Commitments to Accelerate Universal Financial Access
April 17, 2015 PRESS RELEASE
Access can enable people to better manage risks and escape poverty
WASHINGTON, April 17, 2015 — Today the World Bank Group and a broad coalition of partners – including multilateral agencies, banks, credit unions, card networks, microfinance institutions and telecommunications companies – issued numeric commitments that will help promote financial inclusion and achieve universal financial access by the year 2020.

Galvanizing private-sector investment and innovation to accelerate universal financial access, including through enabling policy and regulatory frameworks, was the focus of a flagship event at the World Bank headquarters. It brought together private-sector leaders, government regulators and the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

The 2020 goal calls for adults worldwide to have access to a transaction account or an electronic instrument to store money, send and receive payments, recognizing financial access as a basic building block to managing an individual’s financial life. Access to a transaction account is a first step toward broader financial inclusion, which helps poor families escape poverty and afford essential social services such as water, electricity, housing, education and health care. For small firms and medium-sized enterprises access to financing can help them reduce risks, grow and expand operations.

“More than 700 million people gained financial access between 2011 and 2014, and this gives us fresh evidence that our ambitious goal of universal access by 2020 is attainable,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “The World Bank Group’s role is to convene and energize a coalition of partners — and also to step up our work. Over the next five years, our institution commits to enabling as many as 1 billion adults, who are now financially excluded, to gain access to a transaction account.”

The World Bank Group’s commitment builds on and scales up support to governments to create an enabling environment for private-sector innovation and investment. Priority actions include reforms to eliminate or reduce cost or distance barriers to opening and using accounts, measures that increase the viability of new technology and business models to reach the financially excluded.

The Bank Group’s private-sector arm, IFC, is also boosting its engagement with the private sector to add millions of new account holders through its investment and advisory work with financial intermediaries and other partners.

“The hard work put in to advance financial inclusion is making a great difference, as the new Global Findex numbers demonstrate. Today’s commitments are an important step forward. Many national leaders have already taken bold steps to expand financial access in their own countries. To further that progress, it is important to create the right environment to catalyze private-sector investment and innovation,” said H.M. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development.

Annex: Complete List of Commitments Made at the World Bank Group Flagship Seminar, April 17, 2015
Visa
“Providing greater access to Visa’s payments network is both core to our business growth and consistent with our vision to be the best way to pay and be paid for everyone, everywhere. In support of the World Bank Group’s objective of achieving universal financial access, we will work toward providing electronic payment accounts to another 500 million underserved people by end of 2020. Additional investments and partnerships will focus on driving account usage among specific population groups who now tend to be underserved, such as women, farmers, small businesses and young adults, in countries where the opportunity and need is the greatest.” Charles Scharf, CEO, Visa

Bandhan
“We are pleased to partner with IFC to transform Bandhan into a universal bank with focus on mainstreaming the low-income unbanked households. We hope that this initiative will allow our more than 6 million credit clients, to access a range of products such as savings, payments etc. apart from catering to their much-needed credit requirements. We are committed to promoting Financial Access to all in line with IFC’s financial inclusion goal and estimate that Bandhan Bank will be able to have more than 20 million savings accounts, and 10million credit customers by 2020.” Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, CEO, Bandhan

Bank Mandiri
“Financial access is key to poverty alleviation in Indonesia as currently less than half of country’s population has access to the financial system. We are supporting the Government’s initiative to distribute conditional cash transfers to millions of families and our aspiration is that the program evolves into utilization of branchless banking and savings opportunities for more than 50 million Indonesians by 2020.” Budi Gunadi Sadikin, CEO of Bank Mandiri

Equity Bank
“Equity Bank commits to reaching 50 million clients in Africa by 2020. Equity Bank’s next phase is aimed at facilitating a cash lite economy in East Africa. Equity Bank continues its mission of furthering financial inclusion and innovative service offerings for all Kenyans by presenting their financial services offering on a single platform which will make banking services more accessible, flexible, convenient and more affordable.” James Mwangi, CEO, Equity Bank

Global Banking Alliance for Women
“Financial access can provide a number of opportunities for women in developing countries, including increases in income and business growth, reduction of risk and smoothing of consumption, and overall economic empowerment. There is still a significant gender gap in access to financial services for women. In addition to an access gap, there is also a service gap for women: according to a BCG study, 73 percent of women globally in 2008 reported being unsatisfied with banking services. Commercial banks play a vital role in women’s economic development, and the Global Banking Alliance for Women and its members believe that a more holistic approach is needed to reach previously unbanked women. We support the World Bank Group’s goals to achieve Universal Financial Access by 2020, and commit, with a sub-set of our members, to providing financial access to 1.8 million previously unbanked women customers in Latin America and Africa by 2020.” Inez Murray, CEO, Global Banking Alliance for Women

MasterCard
“Today, MasterCard is proud to announce our commitment to the World Bank Group’s efforts toward universal financial access. Our target is to reach 500 million people currently considered to be excluded from the financial mainstream. In making this commitment, we recognize that reaching full financial inclusion by 2020 requires the active engagement and commitment of the private sector, working in partnership with governments and international development organizations. Together, we can be agents of transformative change who create more inclusive economies and more empowered populations.” Ajay Banga, CEO & President of MasterCard

MicroCredit Summit Campaign
“The Microcredit Summit Campaign will work with its reporting institutions to help them expand their outreach to at least 53 million of the world’s poorest families, bringing the overall total of the world’s poorest families reached by microfinance to 175 million by 2020.” Larry Reed, Director, MicroCredit Summit Campaign

Ooredoo
“Ooredoo supports the development of human growth across its footprint, and mobile connectivity plays a critical role in helping to achieve financial access for all. In supporting the World Bank’s goal of universal financial access by 2020, we are proud to commit to 17 million mobile financial services customers in this time period across diverse markets including Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Indonesia, Myanmar, Algeria, Maldives and Iraq.” H.E. Sheikh Abdulla Al Thani, Chairman

State Bank of India
“Since inception, the State Bank of India has played a major role in expanding financial inclusion agenda in the country. During the first three years of its Financial Inclusion Plan (2010-13), SBI covered 20531 villages and opened 20.2 million new accounts. As part of the second Financial Inclusion Plan (2013-16) we reached to 85130 villages and opened 70 million accounts. We see a huge opportunity in our 70 million customers. All these customers can be sold pension and insurance products. Based on transaction history, they can be credit linked and become part of the global financial system.” Arundhati Bhattacharya, Chairman of the State Bank of India

Telenor Group
“Telenor believes that financial inclusion is a corner stone in the societies within our Asian footprint, and as a mobile operator with good quality networks and well established distribution channels, we are committed to deliver financial services in our markets where between 40 – 90 % are un-banked today. In 2020 Telenor will have more than a quarter billion customers, and our ambition is that at least 50 % of these customers will use their mobile phones for financial services.” Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO, Telenor Group

The Microfinance CEO Working Group
“The Microfinance CEO Working Group is proud to support Universal Financial Access 2020, which is strongly aligned with our collective mission to serve low-income people with the financial tools and resources they require to achieve security and prosperity. Together, our ten organizations have committed to opening a total of 70 million new accounts around the world by 2020.” Alex Counts, President and CEO, Grameen Foundation (Co-Chair of MCWG), and Mary Ellen Iskenderian, CEO, Women’s World Banking (Co-Chair of MCWG). Member Microfinance Institutions include: BRAC; VisionFund International; Grameen Foundation; CARE; Freedom from Hunger; Women’s World Banking; Pro Mujer; Accion; FINCA International; Opportunity International.

World Council of Credit Unions
“In 2014 World Council of Credit Unions launched a membership growth campaign to extend credit union services to at least another 50 million people by 2020. As of the end of 2013 there were 208 million members of credit unions and financial cooperatives in the World Council global credit union system. We will extend credit union services to more than 260 million by 2020.” Brian Branch, President and Chief Executive Officer, World Council of Credit Unions

World Savings and Retail Banking Institute
“WSBI (the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute) – an international banking association that brings together savings and retail banks from 80 countries representing the interests of approximately 6,200 banks in all continents – remains fully committed to the goal of ‘An Account for Everyone’ that was adopted by its membership in May 2012 when they reaffirmed their strong commitment to financial inclusion in WSBI’s ‘Marrakech Declaration’. As a group, WSBI’s members are the largest providers of accounts for the poor worldwide with an estimated base of 950 million customers at the end of 2014.”

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Massive Drop in Number of Unbanked, says new report
700 million adults worldwide became account holders between 2011 and 2014;20 percent drop in the number of unbanked, according to 2014 Global Findex
WASHINGTON, April 15, 2015 — From 2011 and 2014, 700 million people became account holders at banks, other financial institutions, or mobile money service providers, and the number of “unbanked” individuals dropped 20 percent to 2 billion adults, says a new report released today.“ Access to financial services can serve as a bridge out of poverty. We have set a hugely ambitious goal – universal financial access by 2020 – and now we have evidence that we’re making major progress,” said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. “This effort will require many partners – credit card companies, banks, microcredit institutions, the United Nations, foundations, and community leaders. But we can do it, and the payoff will be millions of people lifted out of poverty.”…
Date: April 15, 2015

Editor’s Note:
The continuing process of intergovernmental negotiations and agency action to refine and affirm the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to 2030 reached important milestones over the last 30 days. One key milestone was the annual meeting of the UN Statistical Commission, the body charged with developing the “indicator framework” which will include the specific, measurable performance areas that will support the current 17 Goals and 150+ Targets of the SDGs.

The UN Statistical Commission has just circulated the call for comments below with a 10-day window for responses (due 26 April 2015). This call is posted on the website of the UN Division for Sustainable Development http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/. For reference, the roadmap for this process of developing and refining the indicator framework is discussed in “V. The Way Forward” excerpt below from the referenced Technical Report.

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Comments sought on Technical Report on post-2015 indicators
17 Apr 2015 – At the beginning of the third session of the intergovernmental negotiations on a post-2015 development agenda, held from 23-27 March at UN Headquarters in New York, a technical report was presented by the Chair of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) on the process to develop indicators for the new agenda. It contained a preliminary set of 304 indicators as a “point of departure” for further work. Major Groups and other Stakeholders have been invited to contribute their views and assessment of the draft indicators by completing an online document.

All inputs should be received by 26 April. A synthesis report and associated compilation document of inputs will be submitted to the Secretariat of the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (IAEG) working on indicators.

Discussions at the March post-2015 session
Next to discussing the Technical Report and the Inter-agency and Expert Group on the Sustainable Development Goals (IAEG), Delegations covered a whole range of issues at the March post-2015 session, focussing on goals, targets and indicators, and a number of procedural matters.

Member States shared what they are already doing to prepare for implementing the new agenda and the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Many explained how they have been working to align and harmonize their own national development plans and sustainable development strategies with the SDGs, and on how this new agenda has stimulated a national dialogue across ministries and offices within the government as well as among all stakeholders.

Six possible themes for the interactive dialogues at the September Summit proposed by the Co-Facilitators, Ambassador David Donoghue, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the UN, and Ambassador Macharia Kamau, Permanent Representative of Kenya to the UN, were also discussed. A revised proposal based on the feedback received at the March meeting will be circulated. The Co-Facilitators also asked for feedback on their proposed programme for a Joint Session between the Financing for Development and Post-2015 processes and a revised draft programme has now been published.

To facilitate the discussion on goals and targets, the Co-Facilitators distributed a short document on the first day of the March session, containing suggestions for possible technical adjustments to 19 targets based on the feedback from the UN System Technical Support Team.
There were diverging views regarding this exercise. The Co-Facilitators will share a revised version of the suggestions in time for the May session of the post-2015 negotiations.

An interactive dialogue with Major Groups and other Stakeholders took place on Wednesday morning. The need for data disaggregation by all vulnerable groups as key to ensuring no one is left behind was one of the issues highlighted at this meeting.
V. The way forward
11. The road map endorsed by the Statistical Commission envisages the development by July 2015, of a first note on possible global and universal indicators and an indicator
framework. This note is expected to contain the proposed criteria for the selection of indicators for global monitoring. Keeping in view the spirit of the discussion at the
Commission, it is suggested that the intergovernmental negotiations give broad political guidance for the future work of the Statistical Commission for the development of a proposal for a global indicator framework. By December 2015, the IEAG-SDGs will provide a proposal of global and universal indicators and an indicator framework for consideration by the Statistical Commission at its forty-seventh session in March 2016. The proposal will then be submitted to the further intergovernmental process.

Clinton Foundation Policy Update
Statement
15 April 20156
The Clinton Foundation is committed to improving millions of lives around the world. In light of Secretary Clinton’s decision to run for President, Secretary Clinton has stepped down from the Clinton Foundation board and, while she is a candidate for President, the Foundation will modify its policies as follows:

Increase Donor Disclosure: The Foundation will increase the frequency of disclosure of its donors from annually to quarterly, publishing new contributors beginning in July 2015, and then each quarter thereafter (i.e., October, January, and April).

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI): After the already scheduled CGI International conference in May (CGI Middle East & Africa), CGI will not hold any CGI International events, nor will it accept contributions or sponsorships from foreign governments, other than meeting attendance fees.

Contributions from Foreign Governments: The Clinton Foundation only will accept funding from foreign governments that have funded Clinton Foundation programs, namely: Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Funding from these governments will support the economic development or climate-focused work of the Clinton Climate Initiative, the Clinton Development Initiative, and the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership.

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Editor’s Note:
The Clinton Foundation published a supporting document to the statement above titled “The Facts” available at https://www.clintonfoundation.org/press/facts. This document is comprised of over 40 questions and answers, most linked to the statement. We include a sample question and answer from The Facts which we consider indicative…

Q. Why does the Clinton Foundation take money from governments, such as Saudi Arabia, that have poor records on women’s rights?

A. Our work in this area speaks for itself and has a long history. Since the Foundation was created, our programs have empowered women and girls around the world:

:: Expanding access to education and training skills for women and girls through the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership;

:: Increasing economic opportunity and access to markets and supply chains through the Clinton Development Initiative;

:: Providing critical health care to mothers and their newborns through the Clinton Health Access Initiative;

:: Bringing leaders around the world from government, business, and civil society to forge Commitments to Action to improve the lives of women and girls through the Clinton Global Initiative.

With the establishment of the No Ceilings initiative in 2013, the Foundation took an innovative, data-driven look at the global progress of women and girls, culminating in an important report released on March 9. In this report, we identify the record of Saudi Arabia and other countries in advancing the progress of women and girls.

These countries knew of the work we did when they decided to contribute. We accept donations to help make life-changing work around the globe possible, and to improve as many lives as we can.

African Union and U.S. CDC Partner to Launch African CDC – Press Release
MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2015
Washington, DC –A Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) signed today by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, M.B. Ch.B., chairperson of the African Union Commission, formalizes a collaboration between the African Union Commission and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in creating the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (African CDC).