IRC International Rescue Committee [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index
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21 Apr 2016
IRC Condemns Gov. Christie’s Termination of New Jersey’s Refugee Resettlement Program
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21 Apr 2016
International Rescue Committee Partners with 100 LIVES to Develop Cash Transfer Programming for Syrian Refugees
IRCT [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.irct.org/
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News
IRCT congratulates Jens Modvig on the election as Chairperson of the Committee against Torture
19 April 2016
… The IRCT also wishes to pay tribute to the outgoing Chairperson, Claudio Grossman, who during his remarkable tenure as the leader of CAT oversaw the development of innovative working methods for NGO access and engagement with the Committee and new normative understandings of victims’ right to rehabilitation and documentation of their allegations. The IRCT encourages the new Chairperson to ensure that the coming years see an enhanced focus on improvement of domestic data collection and on making the Committee’s work more accessible to victims and the general public…
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News
IRCT members promote torture victims’ right to rehabilitation at the Committee against Torture
18 April 2016
Islamic Relief [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.islamic-relief.org/category/news/
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April 22, 2016
Muslim leaders deliver Islamic climate change declaration
The Islamic Climate Change Declaration will be presented today at the UN.
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April 22, 2016
Searching for life in the Horn of Africa
Fadi Itani, Islamic Relief’s Director for Global Communications and External Relations, returns from Somaliland with this eye-witness report.
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April 22, 2016
Transforming lives with the turn of a tap
A daily 12-hour quest for water now takes five minutes in Malawi, where new community water supplies are transforming life for nearly 9,000 people.
MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases
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Press release
MSF Concerned About New Threat to Affordable Medicines in Trade Negotiations with India and ASEAN
April 21, 2016
In advance of the next round of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations starting in Perth, Australia, this Sunday, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is warning that current proposals in this trade agreement could severely restrict access to affordable medicines for millions of people around the world. Text from a leaked chapter on intellectual property shows that Japan and South Korea have made proposals that go beyond what international trade rules require, undermining access to affordable generic medicines and making it harder for patients and treatment providers like MSF to access affordable, lifesaving medicines.
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Press release
Fight Against HIV Far From Over in West and Central Africa
April 20, 2016
Despite decades of progress in other corners of the world, new report shows failure to adequately diagnose and treat HIV/AIDS in this region.
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Press release
More Than 100,000 People Trapped in Northern Syria by Renewed Fighting
April 18, 2016
Gazientep, Turkey—More than 100,000 people are trapped at the Turkish border in the Azaz District of Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria, as the front line in fighting between an active Islamic State group and Kurdish forces gets closer, said the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) today.
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Field news
North Darfur: 61,000 People Living in Precarious Conditions in Sortoni Camp
April 22, 2016
Since mid-January approximately 61,000 Darfuris have poured out of Jebel Mara, North Darfur, and settled in the nearby Sortoni camp. Their displacement is part of a larger exodus caused by the Sudanese government’s attempt to re-establish control over conflict-ridden Jebel Mara.
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Field news
MSF Starts Limited Post-Earthquake Medical Activities in Japan
April 21, 2016
The earthquakes that ratted southwestern Japan last week injured around 1,100 people in Kumamoto and Oita prefectures and led to the deaths of another 58. Roughly 103,000 people remained displaced in Kumamoto and around 600 in Oita, and the authorities are still searching for people who are unaccounted for as well. What’s more, due to heavy rains and the subsequent risk of landslides, some 240,000 people have been advised to evacuate 19 cities, towns and villages in Kumamoto and Oita.
Mercy Corps [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases
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Nepal, April 20, 2016
Mercy Corps: Despite Challenges, Nepal is on the Road to Recovery
One year after earthquake, teams work to prevent landslides, rebuild quake-resistant structures
Kathmandu, Nepal – In the months after last year’s earthquake, Mercy Corps provided lifesaving assistance – emergency kits, temporary shelter and cash – to more than 135,000 people in Nepal. Today, Mercy Corps’ long-term recovery efforts seek to impact tens of thousands of families.
“We still feel aftershocks and we still see landslides. The landscape is still fragile, but the people are not,” says Sanjay Karki, Country Director for Mercy Corps in Nepal. “We know these challenges will continue, and we’re working side-by-side with communities to prevent further destruction and rebuild stronger.”…
OXFAM [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases
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22 April 2016
Signing of Paris climate agreement marks key moment to turn aspiration into action
As more than 160 countries come together to sign the Paris Climate Change Agreement, taking a critical step towards its implementation, Oxfam calls on governments to continue to confront climate change collectively and turn their commitments into action.
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Nepal one year on: Millions still displaced or in temporary shelters, most vulnerable people risk exclusion from earthquake recovery
22 April 2016
Some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Nepal are being excluded from the reconstruction process a year after the earthquakes there that killed 8,700 people, said Oxfam in a new report published today.
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Ballet star calls for more protection of refugee children and announces artistic project with Oxfam
21 April 2016
Global ballet star Irina Kolesnikova aims to show how art can respond to one of Europe’s most urgent crises with a new dance production set in a refugee camp following trip to Western Balkans with Oxfam.
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Oxfam to dispatch first shipment of aid to people following Ecuador quake
19 April 2016
World-wide development organization Oxfam will send its first shipment of aid tomorrow to those people most affected from the 7.8 earthquake that struck Ecuador last Saturday.
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Ten of the world’s biggest food and beverage companies battle to improve their social sustainability through the Behind the Brands campaign
19 April 2016
Food and beverage industry giants improve policy commitments but they must turn them into action.
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Lampedusa 1 year on: EU still failing to deal with migration crisis as death toll rises
18 April 2016
Despite 800 people drowning off Lampedusa in the Mediterranean on this day last year, Europe is still failing to deal effectively with the migration crisis, said Oxfam in a new report today, “EU hotspots spread fear and doubt”.
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El Nino drought forces Malawi to declare a food emergency: urgent action needed
18 April 2016
The international community must act swiftly and decisively on the Malawi Government’s “declaration of emergency” where people are facing worsening hunger because of El Nino-related drought and country-wide crop failures.
Norwegian Refugee Council [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.nrc.no/
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(22.04.2016)
Norway
Seeking solutions to displacement
“If you invest in the lives of refugees, you invest in the future of the countries they go back to, even if the war is still going on,” says Filippo Grandi, the newly appointed UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Yesterday, the new UN refugee chief discussed the different solutions to the global refugee crisis with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) Secretary General, Jan Egeland, and several NRC Country Directors, at the Conference on Solutions to Displacement in Oslo.
Increasing restrictions to humanitarian access in many warzones make it more and more difficult for international NGOs to reach communities in need, and has led to the death of many humanitarian workers along the way. Carsten Hansen, NRC’s Regional Director for the Middle East, recounted the biggest challenges of humanitarian workers in Syria:
“Because of the ongoing and shrinking space for humanitarian access, operating in Syria has never been more difficult, complicated and dangerous. We are working in a warzone where conflict lines are shifting. We see borders rising and Syrian colleagues who don’t have access any longer,” says Hansen…
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(20.04.2016)
Youth
Urgent action needed to address challenges faced by refugee youth in Lebanon
An entire generation of young people in the Middle East faces unprecedented challenges in an environment of insecurity and poverty, risking losing their untapped potential to hopelessness.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has published a regional research carried out among refugee and local youth across the Middle East showing how complex legal and economic barriers across the region stunt their development. The research is accompanied by a short Lebanon-focused report, highlighting the key challenges faced by refugee youth in the country: access to legal stay, limited access to work and education, as well as pervasive undercurrent of violence affecting their lives in both public and personal spheres.
The research, A Future in the Balance: How Conflict in Syria is Impacting on the Needs, Concerns and Aspirations of Young People Across the Middle East and the accompanying A Future in the Balance: Lebanon, were conducted throughout the final quarter of 2015…
PATH [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.path.org/news/index.php
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Announcement | April 19, 2016
PATH announces leader for HIV/TB and health systems programs
Dr. Johannes van Dam to lead PATH’s groundbreaking work in HIV/TB and health systems innovation and delivery
PATH has named Dr. Johannes van Dam the leader of its integrated HIV and tuberculosis (TB) and health systems innovation and delivery programs. Dr. van Dam will be based in PATH’s Washington, DC office beginning April 25, 2016.
“I am honored to welcome Dr. van Dam to PATH, whose extensive background in public health will be vital to leading our integrated approach to HIV/TB and advancing critical work in health systems,” said Dr. David Fleming, vice president of PATH’s public health division. “Dr. van Dam has collaborated with governments, national counterparts, donors, and researchers on a wide range of health issues, including HIV/AIDS, infectious and chronic diseases, and reproductive health and family planning. This expertise will be invaluable as PATH leads groundbreaking efforts in health system strengthening and tackling the often dual epidemics of HIV and TB.”…
Plan International [to 23 April 2016]
http://plan-international.org/about-plan/resources/media-centre
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Press releases
Nepal Earthquake: Urgent Need to Rebuild Schools
19 April 2016
One year after a devastating earthquake hit Nepal, the construction and repair of thousands of damaged and destroyed classrooms is crucial to the country’s recovery, warns Plan International.
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Plan International ready to respond to Ecuador quake
17 April 2016
Plan International is part of national disaster response efforts in Ecuador following Saturday’s massive earthquake and is ready to support children and their families.
Save The Children [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.9357111/k.C14B/Press_Releases_2016/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp
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Save the Children Partners with the University of Michigan-Flint to Protect Young Children from Lead Poisoning
April 20, 2016
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Children Pulled Alive from the Rubble after Ecuador’s Worst Earthquake In Decades
April 19, 2016
SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/about-sos/press/press-releases
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21.04.2016
Returning to Nepal, a year after the earthquake
Elitsa Dincheva was on holiday in the Himalayas when a powerful earthquake hit central Nepal on 25 April 2015.
“It was like the whole mountain was moving”, recalled Elitsa, who works in marketing at the Hermann-Gmeiner-Fonds Deutschland (HGFD) in Munich, which helps support SOS children and programmes worldwide. While she and the rest of her climbing group were unhurt by the quake, they could hear rockslides in the distance.
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18.04.2016
SOS Children’s Villages to help in Ecuador earthquake recovery
Thousands of people need shelter, blankets, water and food, following 7.8 magnitude quake. SOS Children’s Villages in Ecuador are unharmed and gearing up to help victims.
Tostan [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.tostan.org/latest-news
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April 21, 2016
Fostering partnerships to find sustainable environmental solutions and build resilience
At Tostan, our human-rights based approach to community-led development builds resilience in some of the most remote and vulnerable communities in West Africa who have little access to basic supplies and services. The environment is an important component of Tostan’s holistic approach. Rural and urban communities in developing countries are often the first to feel the effects of neglectful and harmful environmental practices by industries in developed countries—the communities in which we work are no exception.
We have seen the importance of communities learning about environmental best practices. For example, many Tostan communities collectively agree to use solar energy to charge cell phones, to provide light for children to study after sundown, and to cook with as an alternative to coal or firewood.
This year’s theme on Earth Day is ‘Trees for the Earth.’ Planting trees helps combat climate change, allows us to breathe cleaner air, and provides income and livelihood to communities. The very act of individuals or groups coming together to plant trees is a pro-environmental behavior that can have a significant impact on other people’s attitudes and eventually on environmental social norms…
Women for Women International [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.womenforwomen.org/press-releases
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April 14, 2016
Anniversary of Boko Haram Kidnapping Marked by Calls for Investing in Women and Girls
Nigeria – Women for Women International – Nigeria Country Director Ngozi Eze released the following statement on the second anniversary of the abduction of 276 young women and girls from their school in Chibok in Borno State:
“In the two years since 276 girls were kidnapped from their school by Boko Haram, we have seen the world come together to stand with the people of Nigeria and to unite in our call to #BringBackOurGirls. As we continue to call for their safe return, this anniversary underscores the need to invest in women’s and girls’ access to education and opportunity.
Since 2009, girls’ education has come under serious threat in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa where Boko Haram has continued to attack civilians. More than 900 schools have been destroyed, and more than 600 teachers killed, with thousands of others forced to flee.
Despite these threats, the support and commitment to equal education for girls and boys has never been greater in Nigeria. Across cultural and religious lines, the people of Nigeria know that the empowerment and education of women and girls are critical for strengthening communities and sustaining long-term peace…
Disasters Emergency Committee [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.dec.org.uk/media-centre
[Action Aid, Age International, British Red Cross, CAFOD, Care International, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Plan UK, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision]
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UK public helps aid agencies reach more than 1.6 million people in Nepal
22/04/2016
One year on from one of the worst natural disasters in Nepal’s history, the UK public has donated £87 million to the DEC Nepal Earthquake Appeal helping 13 of the UK’s leading aid agencies to reach more than 1.6 million people with relief.
Our member agencies used DEC funds to reach 50 percent more people than originally planned with food, water shelter, cash, medical care and essential supplies, despite the treacherous terrain, adverse weather conditions and a country-wide fuel crisis.
However, while overall 83 percent of affected families have received some sort of shelter support to help repair or rebuild their damaged homes, agencies are concerned that reconstruction of permanent housing is yet to start in earnest and the National Reconstruction Authority has said that homes will not be rebuilt before the monsoon in June.
To help provide a transitional solution, DEC agencies have trained 180 masons and provided 67,000 shelter kits to some of the 893,000 families whose homes were destroyed or damaged in the quake…
The Elders [to 23 April 2016]
http://theelders.org/news-media
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Press release 21 April 2016
The Elders urge UN Security Council to defuse tensions seriously affecting UN mission in Western Sahara
The Elders’ statement on the tensions hampering the UN mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO).
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Guest blog Matthew J Walton 20 April 2016
After Myanmar’s celebrations, the hard work begins
From building relationships with the military and ethnic armed groups, to satisfying political activists hungry for rapid change, Myanmar’s new government faces multiple challenges, argues our senior policy consultant, Matthew J Walton.
Gavi [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.gavialliance.org/library/news/press-releases/
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22 April 2016
Gavi tackling environmental challenges head on
Commitment to seek improvements in sustainability.
Geneva, 22 April 2016 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance has today published, for World Earth Day, an updated statement on Environmental Sustainability. The statement recognises the impact that issues such as resource scarcity, environmental degradation and climate change are having on global disease trends and how this can disproportionately affect children living in the countries Gavi supports. Immunisation can be a powerful tool to help countries protect the health of people.
Changes in temperature and rainfall can lead to increased prevalence and spread of vector- and water-borne diseases. Existing immunisation programmes can be severely disrupted by population displacement and resource scarcity, leading to further risks of disease outbreaks.
Gavi’s implementing partners have put in place a number of environmental sustainability policies and safeguards that guide Gavi programmes. The Alliance also encourages countries to have immunisation waste management plans compliant with WHO standards. Gavi promotes cold chain equipment improvements and for corporate procurement, Gavi requires its suppliers to comply with internationally recognised standards.
In 2016, Gavi is committed to exploring ways of making Vaccine Alliance programmes more environmentally friendly, while at the same time maintaining high standards of quality and safety. Gavi’s Secretariat will also conduct an audit of its corporate policies to reassess their environmental impact and take any relevant action to reduce the environmental impact of its activities.
Global Fund [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.theglobalfund.org/
21 April 2016
United Methodist Church Makes Major Contribution
GENEVA – The United Methodist Church’s contribution to the Global Fund has reached US$20 million, strongly supporting malaria programs in most-affected countries in Africa.
“We thank the United Methodist Church for their relentless efforts in the fight against malaria,” said Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “This is the largest contribution ever received from a faith-based organization and it’s extremely encouraging to see partners of all sectors coming together to eliminate malaria.”
The people of The United Methodist Church and the Global Fund joined forces in the fight against malaria through the Imagine No Malaria campaign, which aims to raise US$75 million to address the impact of malaria in Africa through prevention, treatment, communication and education.
Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton, chair of the United Methodist Global Health Initiative, announced the latest contribution to the Global Fund ahead of World Malaria Day, April 25…
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21 April 2016
MCM Joins Partnership to Support Global Health
SEOUL, South Korea – MCM, the luxury travel goods brand from South Korea, announced that it will support global health by contributing US$10 million through (RED) over the next 10 years…
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20 April 2016
Portugal Makes New Pledge to the Global Fund
GENEVA – The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria welcomed a pledge by Portugal for renewed financial support in 2016, just ahead of the Global Fund’s replenishment for the three-year period beginning in 2017.
Ambassador Pedro Nuno Bártolo announced Portugal’s contribution during a meeting at the Global Fund office in Geneva: “A partnership with the Global Fund is more than just providing a financial contribution, it’s about global solidarity. We are very honored to make this contribution.”
Mark Dybul, Executive Director of the Global Fund said: “It’s very important that Portugal is back at the table. We appreciate the efforts of Portugal to partner with the Global Fund in this important year.”
Portugal pledged €50,000 for 2016, doubling its contribution so far in the 2014-2016 funding period. The country also contributes technical assistance to Global Fund-supported programs in some Portuguese-speaking countries in order to improve the efficiency of grant implementation. In Guinea Bissau, for example, the Global Fund and the government of Portugal are currently working together to provide technical assistance to grants.
Hilton Prize Coalition [to 23 April 2016]
http://prizecoalition.charity.org/
An Alliance of Hilton Prize Recipients
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April 18, 2016:
2016 Ecuador Earthquake: Hilton Prize Laureates Respond
InterAction [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.interaction.org/media-center/press-releases
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Apr 21, 2016
Global Food Security Act Passes by Overwhelming Majorities in Congress
WASHINGTON – On April 20 the U.S. Senate passed the Global Food Security Act by voice vote. The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the legislation by a vote of 370 to 33 on April 12.In response to the bill’s Senate passage, InterAction today released a short article by…
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Apr 19, 2016
UPDATE — Award Winning Humanitarian Denied Entry to United States
On the evening of April 18 noted, award-winning humanitarian Raed Saleh — head of Syria Civil Defence (also known as “The White Helmets”) — was denied entry to the United States. Saleh was scheduled to attend InterAction’s Forum — the largest annual gathering of humanitarian, development and sustainability professionals — to receive its 2016 Humanitarian Award…
Center for Global Development [to 23 April 2016]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
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Selected Press Releases, Blog Posts, Publications
Inside the Portfolio of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation
4/19/16
Benjamin Leo and Todd Moss
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is the US government’s development finance institution. Balancing risks, financial needs, and development benefits is riven with numerous tensions, statutory restrictions, and tradeoffs. This raises an important policy question – how well does OPIC’s actual portfolio balance these competing goals? Since much data about the OPIC portfolio is unavailable in an accessible format, we built the OPIC Scraped Portfolio database to address this question.
GE2P2 Global :: Knowledge Sharing; Ideas; Operations 