The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 25 May 2019

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, consortia 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
GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

PDF:The Sentinel_ period ending 25 May 2019

Contents
:: Week in Review  [See selected posts just below]
:: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities   [see PDF]
:: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates
:: Journal Watch – Key articles and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals  [see PDF]

DRC – Ebola

United Nations strengthens Ebola response in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Statement – Kinshasa/Butembo
23 May 2019
With the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo now in its tenth month and the number of new cases increasing in recent weeks, the United Nations announced today measures to strengthen its response and end the outbreak.

The Ebola epidemic has claimed more than 1,200 lives and the risk of spread to other provinces in the eastern Congo as well as neighbouring countries remains very high. A third of those who have fallen ill are children, which is a higher proportion than in previous outbreaks.

Under the leadership of the Government and Congolese communities, with support from the UN and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the response has contained Ebola in parts of Ituri and North Kivu provinces. But ongoing insecurity and community mistrust in the response continue to hamper access to communities. This is hindering efforts by WHO and the Ministry of Health to detect sick people and ensure access to treatment and vaccination, ultimately leading to more intense Ebola transmission.

In view of the increasingly complex environment, the UN in partnership with the Government and all partners is now strengthening its political engagement and operational support to negotiate access to communities; increasing support for humanitarian coordination; and bolstering preparedness and readiness planning for Goma and surrounding countries. WHO is adapting public health strategies to identify and treat people as quickly as possible; expanding vaccination to reach and protect more people; and redoubling work to end transmission in health facilities.

The UN Secretary-General has established a strengthened coordination and support mechanism in the epicenter of the outbreak, Butembo.

MONUSCO Deputy UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (DSRSG) David Gressly has been appointed UN Emergency Ebola Response Coordinator (EERC) in the Ebola affected areas of the DRC. Mr. Gressly, who brings a wealth of humanitarian leadership and political and security experience to the role, will report to the SRSG, Leila Zerrougui. He will oversee the coordination of international support for the Ebola response and work to ensure that an enabling environment—particularly security and political—is in place to allow the Ebola response to be even more effective.

Mr. Gressly will work closely with WHO, which will continue to lead all health operations and technical support activities to the Government response to the epidemic. Dr. Ibrahima Socé Fall, Assistant Director-General, Emergency Response, who has been in Butembo since end-March, is leading the WHO response in DRC. WHO will also continue to coordinate public health interventions that are being implemented by other UN partners.

“The Ebola response is working in an operating environment of unprecedented complexity for a public health emergency—insecurity and political protests have led to periodic disruptions in our efforts to fight the disease. Therefore, an enhanced UN-wide response is required to overcome these operating constraints and this includes moving senior leadership and operational decision making to the epicenter of the epidemic in Butembo. We have no time to lose,” said DSRSG Gressly.

WHO’s Dr. Fall said: “This system-wide and international support is exactly what WHO has been calling for. We know that the outbreak response must be owned by the local population, and this new approach reflects what they have asked for: better security for patients and health workers, wider access to vaccination, and a more humane face to the response.” Dr. Fall has been working alongside Dr. Michel Yao, the WHO Ebola Incident Manager who has been in place since August 2018. In Kinshasa, WHO has also appointed a special representative to the Ebola Response, Dr. Peter Graaff, to coordinate with partners there.

Additional UN measures will bolster the critical work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and agencies already on the ground, including UNICEF. Working with NGOs, UNICEF leads community engagement activities; provides psychosocial interventions; and helps prevent infection through water, sanitation and hygiene services.

Financial planning and reporting will also be strengthened and efforts will be accelerated to ensure sustainable and predictable funding required for the Ebola strategic response plan considering the ongoing needs.

DPRK – Sanctions Exemption

U.N. grants sanctions exemption for UNICEF’s aid projects in N. Korea
Yonhap News Agency
SEOUL, May 21 (Yonhap) — The U.N. Security Council has granted a sanctions exemption to allow the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to carry out aid programs in North Korea to improve the health and nutrition of people in the impoverished country, according to the U.N. website.
The exemption, granted on April 11, paves the way for UNICEF to import items to deliver safe water supplies to communities and enable effective treatment at hospitals, especially for malnourished children and mothers.

The approved items worth some US$5.75 million in total include emergency health kits, wheelchairs and electronic devices, a document on the website showed.

The most expensive set of materials was vaccine cold chain equipment from Denmark worth $3.87 million. UNICEF said the items will be used to store vaccines for around 355,000 children under 1 year of age and 362,000 pregnant women.

UNICEF said its staff will conduct regular monitoring to ensure the goods are used for their intended purposes.

Including the latest approval, the total number of humanitarian exemptions related to North Korea currently in effect stands at 22. The exemptions are valid for six months.

Humanitarian activities are not banned under international sanctions, but related materials are subject to sanctions waivers from the U.N.
Principle of Evolving Capacities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, just published in the International Journal of Child Rights.

GBV in Humanitarian Crises

Oslo Conference on Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Crises: Co-Host Outcome Statement
24 May 2019
The Governments of Norway, Iraq, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), with invaluable support from Norwegian Church Aid, hosted the international conference “Ending Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Humanitarian Crises” in Oslo, Norway on 23-24 May. This is the first time States, the United Nations and the ICRC have come together to end sexual and genderbased violence (SGBV) in humanitarian crises, in conflict and disaster.

The conference brought together SGBV survivors and specialists, members of 167 national and 76 international civil society organizations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, representatives from 100 nations, global leaders and regional and international organizations. It was agreed that strengthening SGBV prevention and response must be a humanitarian priority. Participants aimed to mobilize stronger political commitment and raise financial resources to prevent and protect people at risk of SGBV in humanitarian crises. The event re-energized the commitment of all participants to combat gender inequality and scale up prevention and response to SGBV, always taking a survivor-centred approach. It gave visibility and recognition to the key role of national and local organizations, including local women’s organizations.

In addition to the close to 50 actors – States, UN agencies, NGOs and others – which submitted written political, policy and best practice commitments, many others outlined specific measures and political will to end SGBV. The several hundred commitments made relate to standards and legal frameworks, operational support, SGBV prevention and response services, leadership and coordination, and others which are specific to country contexts and areas of work. Particular focus was given to implementation of legal frameworks and strategies, as well as an increase in operational support to ensure that survivor-centred services and care are available in all crises. Media also committed to amplify the voices of women, not only as victims but as agents of change, to avoid sensational reporting.

States committed to provide a total of over US$ 363 million to SGBV prevention and response in 2019 and beyond. In addition, we take note of generous unearmarked and core funding to humanitarian partners working to prevent and respond to SGBV, as well as funding to the Central Emergency Response Fund and country-based pool funds….

[Excerpt]
…In order to put survivors at the centre, we agreed that:
:: Women and girls are key actors in humanitarian response and must be acknowledged as powerful agents of change in their own lives and communities. Local women are often the first responders to SGBV in emergencies and are at the forefront of SGBV programming.

:: Women and women’s organizations may shift power dynamics in communities in positive ways and challenge norms that condone discrimination against women and girls and the violation of their human rights.

:: Local women’s organizations, including those working with women with disabilities, must be engaged in identifying protection risks, finding solutions, strategic planning and decision-making across all sectors.

:: Adolescent girls and women and girls with disabilities are at particularly high risk of sexual and gender-based violence and deserve particular attention. Children born of war often experience discrimination and stigmatization by family and society.

:: While the need for continued emphasis on addressing SGBV affecting women and girls cannot be overstated, we also must take into consideration the needs of male survivors of sexual violence, as gaps in services have become more apparent.

:: We need to improve access to gender-sensitive, age-appropriate, non-discriminatory and comprehensive healthcare, including sexual and reproductive health and psychosocial support, and we need to ensure the dignity and safety of survivors. The conference stressed the importance of confidentiality and privacy, the need to end the social stigmatization of survivors, and an increased focus on livelihoods…

Governance – Artificial Intelligence

Forty-two countries adopt new OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence
22/05/2019 –
OECD and partner countries formally adopted the first set of intergovernmental policy guidelines on Artificial Intelligence (AI) today, agreeing to uphold international standards that aim to ensure AI systems are designed to be robust, safe, fair and trustworthy.

The OECD’s 36 member countries, along with Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Romania, signed up to the OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence at the Organisation’s annual Ministerial Council Meeting, taking place today and tomorrow in Paris and focused this year on “Harnessing the Digital Transition for Sustainable Development”. Elaborated with guidance from an expert group formed by more than 50 members from governments, academia, business, civil society, international bodies, the tech community and trade unions, the Principles comprise five values-based principles for the responsible deployment of trustworthy AI and five recommendations for public policy and international co-operation. They aim to guide governments, organisations and individuals in designing and running AI systems in a way that puts people’s best interests first and ensuring that designers and operators are held accountable for their proper functioning.

“Artificial Intelligence is revolutionising the way we live and work, and offering extraordinary benefits for our societies and economies. Yet, it raises new challenges and is also fuelling anxieties and ethical concerns. This puts the onus on governments to ensure that AI systems are designed in a way that respects our values and laws, so people can trust that their safety and privacy will be paramount,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría. “These Principles will be a global reference point for trustworthy AI so that we can harness its opportunities in a way that delivers the best outcomes for all.” (Read the full speech.)

The AI Principles have the backing of the European Commission, whose high-level expert group has produced Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI, and they will be part of the discussion at the forthcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit in Japan. The OECD’s digital policy experts will build on the Principles in the months ahead to produce practical guidance for implementing them.

While not legally binding, existing OECD Principles in other policy areas have proved highly influential in setting international standards and helping governments to design national legislation. For example, the OECD Privacy Guidelines, which set limits to the collection and use of personal data, underlie many privacy laws and frameworks in the United States, Europe and Asia. The G20-endorsed OECD Principles of Corporate Governance have become an international benchmark for policy makers, investors, companies and other stakeholders working on institutional and regulatory frameworks for corporate governance. Download the AI Principles in full.

In summary, the AI Principles state that:
[1] AI should benefit people and the planet by driving inclusive growth, sustainable development and well-being.

[2] AI systems should be designed in a way that respects the rule of law, human rights, democratic values and diversity, and they should include appropriate safeguards – for example, enabling human intervention where necessary – to ensure a fair and just society.

[3] There should be transparency and responsible disclosure around AI systems to ensure that people understand when they are engaging with them and can challenge outcomes.

[4] AI systems must function in a robust, secure and safe way throughout their lifetimes, and potential risks should be continually assessed and managed.

[5] Organisations and individuals developing, deploying or operating AI systems should be held accountable for their proper functioning in line with the above principles.

The OECD recommends that governments:
:: Facilitate public and private investment in research & development to spur innovation in
trustworthy AI.
:: Foster accessible AI ecosystems with digital infrastructure and technologies, and mechanisms to
share data and knowledge.
:: Create a policy environment that will open the way to deployment of trustworthy AI systems.
:: Equip people with the skills for AI and support workers to ensure a fair transition.
:: Co-operate across borders and sectors to share information, develop standards and work towards
responsible stewardship of AI.

Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict [PoC]

Twenty years of protection of civilians at the UN Security Council
ODI Briefing papers | May 2019 | Sarah Adamczyk
Exploring the current state of the protection of civilians in armed conflict agenda and proposing steps to help close the gap between law and action.
A century ago, civilians represented approximately 10%–15% of total casualties in armed conflict. By the Second World War, this had risen to nearly 50%, and by the 1990s civilians accounted for between 80% and 85% of casualties in armed conflict, a trend that has continued, if not intensified, into the twenty-first century. Civilians are not simply being caught up in fighting, but are increasingly directly targeted.

This HPG Policy Brief explores the current state of the protection of civilians in armed conflict (PoC) agenda and proposes constructive steps to help close the gap between law and action and prepare for the next 20 years of PoC policy and practice. It draws on interviews with more than 35 stakeholders engaged in PoC discussions and policy, including UN Security Council (UNSC) members, other UN member states, UN staff, local and international non-governmental organisations, human rights and peacebuilding organisations and key experts and academics.

Key messages
:: Twenty years on from the first UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution on the protection of civilians in armed conflict (PoC), civilians continue to account for the vast majority of conflict casualties. The problem lies not with the current normative framework, but with the translation and implementation of these policies into practice.

:: The UNSC has a range of mechanisms and procedures for engaging with the PoC agenda along with enforcement tools to ensure compliance with international law, yet often lacks the political will to do so.

:: Protection of civilians faces substantial challenges, related both to changes in the geopolitical context in which conflicts take place, and to more specific difficulties around definitional clarity, fragmentation of the PoC agenda and the lack of inclusive and sustained engagement.

:: To translate the normative progress made over the past 20 years into demonstrable improvements in civilian protection outcomes, the UNSC and the wider international community must advocate for stronger reporting on civilian harm, more robust accountability and enforcement, consistent and transparent use of vetoes within the UNSC and implementation of national level policy frameworks.

:: Regarding UN peacekeeping operations, the UNSC should provide greater support through increased clarity in mandates and expectations, matched by commensurate resources and funding.

Language

A Style Guide Focused on Dignity and Precision
MacArthur Foundation – Grantee Research
May 24, 2019
With the specific intention of promoting dignity and precision in journalism, the new Global Press Style Guide establishes guidelines for referring to people and places around the world. The guide focuses on accurate word use and suggests eliminating words like “ethnic”, “millennial”, “Global South”, which are inconsistently applied, misleading, or politically charged, in favor of more precise description. A MacArthur grantee, the Global Press Institute exists to create a more just and informed world by training and then employing local journalists to produce ethical, accurate news coverage from the world’s least-covered places.

Example from the online Global Press Style Guide
asylum seeker/asylee
Rule:
Use the term asylum seeker to refer to someone who has formally applied for asylum in a foreign country. Use the term asylee to refer to someone who has received admittance into a foreign country. There are no globally-applied standards used to grant asylum. Both terms should be used in accordance with local laws in countries relevant to a story’s news value.
Note that these terms are not interchangeable with refugee or related words. Add context, including sociopolitical realities in a source’s home country and in the country where that source seeks asylum.
Rationale:
Terms related to asylum are often misapplied. Precise, context-rich references are required for accuracy and reader clarity.
SEE ALSO: internally displaced person, refugee

Featured Journal Content

The International Journal of Children’s Rights
Volume 27 (2019): Issue 2 (May 2019)
The Principle of Evolving Capacities under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
By: Sheila Varadan
Pages: 306–338
Publication Date: 10 May 2019
Abstract
The phrase “evolving capacities of the child” appears twice in the uncrc, under articles 5 and 14(2) in the framework of parental guidance. Yet the term “evolving capacities” appears over 80 times in the General Comments of the crc Committee. This paper examines the Committee’s use of “evolving capacities” in its General Comments, suggesting that the term has been treated as an enabling principle, an interpretative principle, and a policy principle within the framework of the uncrc. A broad principle of evolving capacities has thus emerged under the uncrc that informs not only the framework of parental guidance, but the whole of the Convention. However, the crc Committee does not recognise “evolving capacities” as a general principle or otherwise under the uncrc. This paper examines why this might be, and concludes that more consideration needs to be given to the role of “evolving capacities” as a principle under the uncrc.

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 15 May 2019
:: Health ministers and delegates attending the World Health Assembly this week in Geneva welcomed the new Polio Endgame Strategy 2019-2023, reiterating the need to fully implement and fund all aspects of the strategy to secure a lasting polio-free world.  The five-year plan spells out the tactics and tools to wipe out the poliovirus from its last remaining reservoirs, including innovative strategies to vaccinate hard-to-reach children and expanded partnerships with the Expanded Programme on Immunization community and health emergencies.

:: Taking advantage of the critical mass of global leaders, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative hosted an event for polio eradicators, partners and stakeholders on 21 May 2019.  The event, To Succeed by 2023—Reaching Every Last Child, celebrated the GPEI’s new Polio Endgame Strategy 2019-2023. Read more here.

:: The GPEI is committed to advancing gender equality and the empowerment of women in its efforts to eradicate polio. On 11 May 2019, the GPEI Polio Oversight Board officially endorsed the GPEI Gender Equality Strategy, 2019-2023 with the objective to promote the integration of a gender perspective into different aspects of the GPEI’s programming, to support countries in addressing gender-related barriers to polio vaccination to increase coverage and increase women’s meaningful participation in the polio programme. Read strategy here. Watch an animation explaining the
relations between gender and polio eradication here.

:: Watch Coffee with Polio Experts: Sini Ramo, Gender Analyst as she talks about the role of gender in determining health goals—including access to polio vaccines— and GPEI’s part in integrating gender equality and mainstreaming in its work to end polio.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Afghanistan—one wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1)-positive environmental sample;
:: Pakistan— two WPV1 cases and seven WPV1-positive environmental samples;
:: Niger—one circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) isolated from a healthy community contact;
:: Nigeria—One case classified cVDPV2 based on a positive contact and three cVDPV2-positive environmental samples.

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::::::

Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 25 May 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: United Nations strengthens Ebola response in Democratic Republic of the Congo
23 May 2019
:: Taking risks to provide care in a conflict zone 22 May 2019
:: 42: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu 21 May 2019
:: Disease Outbreak News (DONs) Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
23 May 2019
[See Ebola DRC above for detail]

Bangladesh – Rohingya crisis
:: Rohingya crisis: WHO introduces new software for epidemiologists to control disease outbreak
Cox’s Bazar (18-21 March 2019) – Over the past week, WHO and the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) have trained public health experts in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, in using a newly developed piece of software called Go.Data. The training is part of the global roll-out of Go.Data, a software which allows conducting outbreak investigations, including field data collection, contact tracing and visualization of disease chains of transmission. The new software was developed in collaboration with GOARN, WHO and other partner organizations…

Nigeria
:: Strengthening the healthcare system in north-east Nigeria – a priority for WHO 22 May 2019
:: Over 850,000 Nigerians in 12 States at risk of poisoning from mercury use 20 May 2019

Syrian Arab Republic
:: Supporting Syrian refugees in Turkey with the health services and guidance they need
20 May 2019

Mozambique floods – No new digest announcements identified
Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 25 May 2019]

Libya
:: WHO distributes urgently needed medical supplies as Libya conflict continues
21 May 2019

Brazil (in Portugese)
:: Organização Mundial da Saúde certifica Argélia e Argentina como livres da malária
22 de maio de 2019 – Argélia e Argentina foram oficialmente reconhecidas pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) como livres da malária. A certificação é concedida quando um país prova que interrompeu a transmissão autóctone da doença por pelo menos três anos consecutivos.

MERS-CoV
:: MERS situation update, April 2019
At the end of April 2019, a total of 2428 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), including 838 associated deaths (case–fatality rate: 34.5%) were reported globally; the majority of these cases were reported from Saudi Arabia (2037 cases, including 760 related deaths with a case–fatality rate of 37.3%). During the month of April, a total of 29 laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS were reported globally. All the 29 cases were reported from Saudi Arabia with 11 associated deaths.

occupied Palestinian territory
:: Health attacks continue during Gaza’s Great March of Return 20 May 2019

Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
Iran floods 2019 – No new digest announcements identified
Iraq – No new digest announcements identified
Malawi floods – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified
Zimbabwe – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 25 May 2019]

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Angola – No new digest announcements identified
Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Djibouti – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

::::::
::::::

UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic
:: Syria: Situation Report 3: Recent Developments in Northwestern Syria (as of 24 May 2019)
HIGHLIGHTS
:: Ongoing conflict in northwest Syria continues to impact civilians, civilian infrastructure, and humanitarian service provision in the deescalation zone of northern Hama, southern Idleb governorates, and the countryside of Aleppo.
:: More than 200,000 people were displaced between 1 and 16 May, while 20 health facilities, three IDP settlements, and one refugee camp were reportedly affected by hostilities. This number is in addition to those people displaced prior to that date. There are unconfirmed local reports that up to 25 schools have been affected since the beginning of May.
:: The humanitarian response is ongoing with tens of thousands of people being provided food, protection, nutrition, health, shelter, education and WASH services, while critical gaps remain across sectors.

Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth
::  25 May 2019 Mozambique: Cyclone Idai & Floods Situation Report No. 22 (As of 20 May 2019)
:: 24 May 2019 Zimbabwe: Emergency Situation Report No. 8, As of 22 May 2019

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 18 May 2019

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, consortia 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
GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

PDF:The Sentinel_ period ending 18 May 2019

Contents
:: Week in Review  [See selected posts just below]
:: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities   [see PDF]
:: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates
:: Journal Watch – Key articles and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals  [see PDF]

Human Rights – Governance
.

2019 Digital Rights Corporate Accountability Index
Ranking Digital Rights [ a non-profit research initiative housed at the New America
Foundation’s Open Technology Institute]
May 2019 :: 104 pages

Executive Summary [excerpts]
The 2019 Ranking Digital Rights Corporate Accountability Index evaluated 24 of the world’s most powerful internet, mobile ecosystem, and telecommunications companies on their publicly disclosed commitments and policies affecting freedom of expression and privacy. These companies held a combined market capitalization of nearly USD 5 trillion.1 Their products and services are used by a majority of the world’s 4.3 billion internet users.2..

People have a right to know. Companies have a responsibility to show. The 2019 RDR Index evaluated 24 companies on 35 indicators examining disclosed commitments, policies, and practices affecting freedom of expression and privacy, including corporate governance and accountability mechanisms. RDR Index scores represent the extent to which companies are meeting minimum standards. Yet few companies scored above 50 percent. While the results reveal some progress, many problems have persisted since the first RDR Index was launched in 2015.

Progress: Most companies have made meaningful efforts to improve. Of the 22 companies evaluated in the previous RDR Index, 19 companies disclosed more about their commitments, policies, and practices affecting users’ freedom of expression and privacy. Many companies improved their privacy-related policies. New privacy regulations in the European Union and elsewhere drove many companies to improve /disclosures about their handling of user information. Some companies improved their governance and oversight of risks to users. More companies improved their public commitment to respect users’ human rights, 2019 RDR Corporate Accountability Index 4 and took steps to demonstrate oversight and accountability around risks to freedom of expression and privacy.

Persistent problems: People around the world still lack basic information about who controls their ability to connect, speak online, or access information, or who has the ability to access their personal information under what circumstances. Governments are responding to serious threats perpetrated through networked communications technologies. While some regulations have improved company disclosures, policies, and practices, other regulations have made it harder for companies to meet global human rights standards for transparency, responsible practice, and accountability in relation to
freedom of expression and privacy. Even when faced with challenging regulatory environments in many countries, companies must take more affirmative steps to respect users’ rights.

PRIVACY: Most companies still fail to disclose important aspects of how they handle and secure personal data. Despite new regulations in the EU and elsewhere, most of the world’s internet users are still deprived of basic facts about who can access their personal information under what circumstances, and how to control its collection and use. Few companies were found to disclose more than required by law.

GOVERNANCE: Threats to users caused or exacerbated by companies’ business models and deployment of new technologies are not well understood or managed. Most companies are not prepared to identify and mitigate risks such as those associated with targeted advertising and automated decision-making. Nor do companies offer adequate grievance and remedy mechanisms to ensure that harms can be reported and rectified.

EXPRESSION: Transparency about the policing of online speech remains inadequate. As companies struggle to address the harms caused by hate speech and disinformation, they are not sufficiently transparent about who is able to restrict or manipulate content appearing on or transmitted through their platforms and services, how, and under what authority. Insufficient transparency makes it easier for private parties, governments, and companies themselves to abuse their power over online speech and avoid accountability.

GOVERNMENT DEMANDS: Transparency about demands that governments make of companies is also uneven and inadequate. Companies disclosed insufficient information about how they handle government demands for access to user data, and to restrict speech. As a result, in most countries, government censorship and surveillance powers are not subject to adequate oversight to prevent
abuse or maintain public accountability….

.

Ranking Companies on Digital Rights
MacArthur Foundation Grantee Research
May 16, 2019
The 2019 Digital Rights Corporate Accountability Index ranks 24 digital communications companies on 35 indicators of freedom of expression, governance, and privacy. The analysis found most companies had improved in transparency for privacy policies, but they continue to have inadequate governance of new technologies and business models and unclear, inconsistent policies around harmful speech. The Index, supported by MacArthur Foundation, recommends companies go beyond compliance with government regulations and commit to full transparency, more consistent oversight, and consistent applications grievance and remedy mechanism for users…

The 2019 RDR Index ranked 24 companies on 35 indicators across three categories evaluating their disclosure of commitments, policies, and practices affecting freedom of expression and privacy. The RDR Index evaluates policies of the parent company, operating company, and those of selected services (depending on company structure).

Read more about the methodology, research process, and how we score each company:
Download The Full Report

Featured Journal Content

.

Journal of Adolescent Health
May 2019 Volume 64, Issue 5, p547-672
https://www.jahonline.org/issue/S1054-139X(19)X0002-6
Editorial
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for Homeless Youth: A Rights-Based Perspective
Diane M. Straub, M.D., M.P.H.
Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida

Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s words come to mind when we consider the marked health inequities in access to and use of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among youth experiencing homeless (YEH). Delivered over 80 years ago in his inaugural address, Franklin Delano Roosevelt reminds us of the obligations of providers and healthcare systems and states to address these types of extreme health inequities.

YEH are simultaneously one of the populations most at risk for HIV infection and, as demonstrated by Santa Maria et al. in this issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, one of the least likely to have access to, or to use, PrEP. Adolescent and young adults (AYA) aged 13–24 years comprised 25% of the approximately 32,300 new infections diagnosed in the U.S. in 2017 [2, 3]. Internationally, approximately 590,000 AYA aged 15–24 years were newly infected with HIV in 2017 [4]. In the U.S., many of the highest risk groups—young men who have sex with men; youth of color; heterosexually active black young women; young adults who inject drugs, engage in transactional sex, or are sexually exploited; and transgender young women who have sex with men—disproportionately experience homeless [3, 5, 6]. Indeed, the associated overlapping vulnerabilities likely contribute to estimates that YEH may be upward of 10 times more likely to be HIV infected than their housed peers [7, 8].

For populations at risk for HIV, PrEP is potentially lifesaving. Clinical trials of PrEP have demonstrated efficacy in subpopulations of over 90% when taken daily [9]. Yet, those at highest risk are not getting it. In 2015, only 1% of the estimated approximately 500,000 African Americans who could potentially benefit were prescribed PrEP [10], and in 2016, only 11% of PrEP users in the U.S. were aged <25 years, but that age group constituted 21% of all new infections [11]; this begs the question of how much worse access to PrEP may be in populations with overlapping vulnerabilities such as YEH? Santa Maria evaluated HIV risk, HIV risk perception, and knowledge of and willingness to use PrEP among a sample of 1,427 YEH in seven U.S. cities. Unsurprisingly, risk for HIV acquisition was high, with 84% of participants meeting the study group’s measure of PrEP eligibility. Although knowledge of PrEP was low (29%), 59% of the sample reported that they would be willing to take PrEP. This study demonstrates a staggering unmet need and clear health inequity.

Human rights frameworks provide an ethical approach to addressing the inequities in access to HIV prevention interventions for YEH. The Convention on the Rights of the Child identifies adolescent access to sexual health information and services as a basic human right, advocating that States have an obligation to ensure “access to HIV testing and counseling, evidence-based HIV prevention and treatment programs, and sexual and reproductive health services” [12].

But how do we, as researchers, policymakers, and medical and service providers, begin to address this obligation to address HIV health inequities for YEH? Barriers to PrEP are daunting [11]; in YEH, they seem insurmountable. Compared with their housed peers, YEH experience loss of identification, lack of health insurance and access to consistent healthcare, unstable or nonexistent income, inadequate transportation, and elevated levels of stigma [13, 14]. Our first step is to explicitly recognize the critical importance of homelessness as a social determinant of health driving risk and access. This requires recognition of and investment in addressing the multiple vulnerabilities of YEH, including substance abuse, mental health disorders, and education and vocational needs. Clinical and public health approaches will need to explicitly consider these social determinants to address issues such as funding for medications, legal obstacles to confidential care for minors, transportation, and colocation of mental health services.

A frequent criticism of the human rights–based approach is that individuals should take personal responsibility for their own health, particularly if they are co-responsible for their risk for disease, which is a pervasive attitude toward HIV infection [15]. Santa Maria’s data are less than encouraging [2]. Although 84% of participants were deemed at risk for HIV acquisition, only 66% had a similar perception of risk, only 47% were worried about getting HIV, only 14% were actively trying to protect themselves from HIV infection, and only about half reported that they would take a daily pill if they knew it would greatly reduce their chance of getting HIV. Why the disconnect? The authors suggest that issues related to adolescent brain development and the impact of high levels of trauma in this population play a role, and other literature supports this [16]. Yet functional magnetic resonance imaging is not needed to understand this. In 1943, Maslow described a hierarchy of needs, which theorized that higher level needs such as prevention and medical care are only addressed after basic physiological (food, shelter, clothing) and safety are addressed [17]. By definition, YEH are not able to meet even these most basic and immediate needs. It is not surprising that they have difficulty with prevention, a future-oriented behavior. Here, we as a society fail from a human rights perspective. Youth have a basic human right to housing and food, as well as protection from violence [12], and we are unlikely to increase uptake of PrEP until we address these larger social determinants of health.

In its 2018 position statement on PrEP, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine recommends [18]:
1.Increased access to PrEP for AYAs through youth-focused PrEP research and legislative advocacy on minors’ consent, confidentiality, and healthcare financing.
2.Incorporation of PrEP information into comprehensive sexual health educational and screening tools coupled with developmentally appropriate, PrEP skills–building interventions to increase AYA adherence.
3.The development of evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, culturally sensitive, and accessible PrEP service delivery models as part of routine care offered to AYAs.

Drawing on human rights frameworks and Maslow’s work, we would like to take this a few steps forward. First, these same standards should apply equally for additional biomedical prevention interventions, specifically nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis for HIV. Individuals seek nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis due to acute events that may dramatically increase their risk for HIV. This is certainly a likely scenario in the life of a YEH and one which may open the door to additional services, potentially allowing them to address basic needs such as homelessness, access to food, and safety, and, in so doing, increase their ability to engage in prevention such as PrEP [19]. Second, in our attempts to increase the overall uptake of PrEP, we need to focus on YEH and other AYA at highest risk. Clearly, there is a mountain of obstacles to providing “enough” for this population that has “too little.” To borrow again from FDR, perhaps we need a new New Deal for our YEH.
References at title link above

.

Original Articles
Knowledge and Attitudes About Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Seven U.S. Cities
Diane Santa Maria, Charlene A. Flash, Sarah Narendorf, Anamika Barman-Adhikari, Robin Petering, Hsun-Ta Hsu, Jama Shelton, Kimberly Bender, Kristin Ferguson
p574–580
Published online: September 22, 2018

Featured Journal Content

BMC Public Health
http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles
(Accessed 18 May 2019)
Research article
Child friendly spaces impact across five humanitarian settings: a meta-analysis
Authors: Sabrina Hermosilla, Janna Metzler, Kevin Savage, Miriam Musa and Alastair Ager
Citation: BMC Public Health 2019 19:576
Published on: 15 May 2019
Abstract
Background
Humanitarian crises present major threats to the wellbeing of children. These threats include risks of violence, abduction and abuse, emotional distress and the disruption of development. Humanitarian response efforts frequently address these threats through psychosocial programming. Systematic reviews have demonstrated the weak evidence-base regarding the impact of such interventions. This analysis assesses the impact of Child Friendly Spaces (CFS), one such commonly implemented intervention after humanitarian emergencies.
Methods
We completed baseline and endline (three-six months post-baseline) assessments regarding protection concerns, psychosocial wellbeing, developmental assets and community resources for a total of 1010 children and 1312 carers in catchment areas for interventions with humanitarian populations in Ethiopia, Uganda, Iraq, Jordan, and Nepal. We estimated intervention effect-sizes with Cohen’s d for difference in mean difference scores between attenders and non-attenders – who proved comparable on baseline measures – by site. We then pooled findings for a meta-analysis summarizing overall impacts across domains.
Results
Amongst children aged 6–11, significant intervention impacts were observed through site-level analysis for protection concerns (Ethiopia, Cohen’s d=0.48, 95% CI 0.08–0.88), psychosocial wellbeing (Ethiopia, d=0.51, 95% CI 0.10–0.91; and Uganda, d=0.21, 95% CI 0.02–0.40), and developmental assets (Uganda, d=0.37, 95% CI 0.15–0.59; and Iraq, d=0.86, 95% CI 0.18–1.54). Pooled analyses for this age group found impacts of intervention to be significant only for psychosocial wellbeing (d=0.18, 95% CI 0.03–0.33). Among children aged 12–17, site-level analysis indicated intervention impact for protection concerns in one site (Iraq, d=0.58, 95% CI 0.07–1.09), with pooled analysis indicating no significant impacts.
Conclusion
CFS can provide – albeit inconsistently – a protective and promotive environment for younger children. CFS show no impact with older children and in connecting children and carers with wider community resources. A major reappraisal of programming approaches and quality assurance mechanisms is required.

Health – Human Rights :: TB

UNAIDS Press Release
Declaration of the Rights of People Affected by Tuberculosis launched
16 May 2019
Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s number one cause of death from an infectious disease and remains the leading cause of death among people living with HIV, despite being preventable and curable. Reacting to the unacceptable burden of disease and death caused by TB, a new network of TB survivors and affected communities, called TB People, compiled the Declaration of the Rights of People Affected by Tuberculosis, with the support of leading human rights lawyers and the Stop TB Partnership.

The declaration, launched on 14 May at the Global Health Campus in Geneva, Switzerland, will guide countries to implement the commitments made at the 2018 United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis and will inform the last board meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund) before its replenishment meeting in Lyon, France, in October…

.

Declaration of the Rights of People Affected by Tuberculosis
STOP TB Partnership, TB People
May 2019 :: 27 pages
[Excerpts]
Article 4. Right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health(right to health)
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

This includes the right to available, accessible, acceptable and high quality health care for tuberculosis, as an integral component of universal health coverage, including child-friendly fixed dose combinations and testing and preventive therapy for tuberculosis infection for members of key and vulnerable populations, from the moment of presentation with presumptive tuberculosis, to the completion of treatment, and beyond for people requiring continuing care, delivered by trained health care workers, at the community level, when appropriate, in a respectful, dignified, manner, free
from coercion and stigmatization, on a nondiscriminatory basis, regardless of age, birth, color,
culture, citizenship status, disability, ethnicity, financial status, gender identity, language, legal status, political or other opinion, presence of other diseases, national or social origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other status, including for people detained by the State or otherwise deprived of their liberty, with special attention to tuberculosis key populations.

Article 5. Right to freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to be free from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
This includes the right to health care for tuberculosis on a nondiscriminatory basis, at State expense, for all people detained by the State or otherwise deprived of their liberty. It also includes the right to dignified, safe and hygienic conditions of detention, free from overcrowding, with adequate ventilation and provision of nutritious food. The right also applies to the treatment of people with tuberculosis by health care workers in public health facilities that rises to the level of torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Article 6. Right to equality and freedom from discrimination
Every person affected by tuberculosis is equal before the law and entitled, without any discrimination, to the equal protection of the law and to be free from all forms of discrimination on any ground, such as age, birth, color, culture, citizenship status, disability, ethnicity, financial status, gender identity, language, legal status, political or other opinion, presence of other diseases, national or social origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other status.
This includes the right of every person affected by tuberculosis to be free from all forms of discrimination in all areas of their life, including, but not limited to, access to social security and public entitlements, child birth and motherhood, education, employment, health care, housing and marriage.

Article 7. Right to liberty and security of person
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to liberty and security of person. No person with
tuberculosis shall be deprived of their liberty except on such grounds and in accordance with such procedure as are established by law. And every person affected by tuberculosis deprived of their liberty shall be treated with humanity and with respect for their inherent dignity.
Involuntary detention, hospitalization or isolation of a person with tuberculosis is a deprivation of liberty and violation of the security of person. Involuntary hospitalization or isolation is therefore only permissible as a measure of last resort, in narrowly defined circumstances, for the shortest duration possible, in accordance with Chapter 15 of the World Health Organization’s Ethics Guidance for the Implementation of the End TB Strategy, when a person, based on accurate medical evidence:
:: Is known to be contagious, refuses effective treatment, and all reasonable measures to ensure adherence have been attempted and proven unsuccessful; OR
:: Is known to be contagious, has agreed to ambulatory treatment, but lacks the capacity to institute infection control in the home, and refuses inpatient care; OR
:: Is highly likely to be contagious (based on laboratory evidence) but refuses to undergo assessment of his/her infectious status, while every effort is made to work with the person to establish a treatment plan that meets their needs.

Moreover, in accordance with the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s Siracusa Principles on the Limitation and Derogation Provisions in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the deprivation of liberty involved in the involuntary detention, hospitalization or isolation of people with tuberculosis is only justified if it is:
1. In accordance with national law in force at the time of the deprivation;
2. Based on, and proportionate to, a legitimate objective in response to a serious threat to the health of the population or individual members;
3. Strictly required by the exigencies of the situation;
4. The least restrictive means available to achieve the objective;
AND
5. Not arbitrary, abusive or discriminatory.

If justified, detention, hospitalization or isolation of a person with tuberculosis must: occur in a medically appropriate setting, with effective infection control measures, for the shortest duration possible, only as long as the above circumstances apply; the person must be provided health care on a voluntary basis; all other rights and freedoms must be protected; due process and appeal mechanisms must be available and accessible; and the State must meet, at least, the person’s basic needs, including, but not limited to, adequate food and water, as well any further needs as required to ensure
the restriction of their rights effectively serves its purpose.

Article 8. Freedom of movement
Every person affected by tuberculosis lawfully within a territory of a State has the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose their residence.
Every person affected by tuberculosis is free to leave any country, including their own.
The above-mentioned rights cannot be subject to any restrictions, except those which are provided by law, are necessary to protect national security, public order, public health or morals or the rights and freedoms of others, and are consistent with the rights recognized in international human rights treaties, including the right to liberty and security of person in Article 7 of this Declaration.
This means tuberculosis cannot be used as a ground for denying entry or re-entry into the territory of a State, nor as a ground for deportation or removal from the territory of a State. It also means tuberculosis cannot be used as a ground for restricting movement or travel within the territory of a State, except in accordance with the narrowly defined circumstances established in Article 7 of this Declaration, in line with Chapter 15 of the World Health Organization’s Ethics Guidance for the Implementation of the End TB Strategy.

Article 9. Right to privacy and family life
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right not to be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with their privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on their honor and reputation. Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
This includes the right of people with tuberculosis to keep their health status and personal health information and data private. It also includes the right to marry, found a family, and to have and care for children….

Article 11. Right to information
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to seek, receive and impart information.
This means information about tuberculosis infection and disease, including disease symptoms, tuberculosis medical research and health technology development, and prevention, testing and treatment services, including possible adverse events during treatment, must be fully available, accessible and acceptable, of good quality, age and gender appropriate, culturally-sensitive, and
imparted in a non-technical, comprehensible manner in a language understood by the person receiving the information.
It also means that every person affected by tuberculosis,
at a minimum, has the right to:
:: Request and receive official copies of their medical records;
:: Receive a timely, accurate and understandable explanation of their health status and diagnosis for tuberculosis disease or infection, especially for tuberculosis key and vulnerable populations;
:: Access voluntary counseling at any time from diagnosis to completion of their treatment; and
:: Receive an explanation of the benefits, risks and financial cost, if any, of their proposed treatment, including preventive therapy, as well as possible treatment alternatives, with complete
information about the specific drugs prescribed, such as their names, dosages, potential side effects and ways to prevent or reduce their likelihood, as well as possible effects from interactions with other drugs, such as antiretrovirals taken for HIV, when comorbidities or coinfections are present.

Article 12. Right to informed consent
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to informed consent.
This means respecting a person’s autonomy, self determination and dignity through voluntary health services delivery. It includes the right to informed consent—verbal or written, depending on the
situation—to all forms of testing, treatment and medical research associated with tuberculosis, with information provided in an age and gender appropriate, culturally sensitive manner, imparted in a non-technical, comprehensible manner in a language understood by the person receiving the information. For children affected by tuberculosis who lack capacity to give informed consent, all decisions made by their parents or legal guardians with respect to testing, treatment or medical research associated with tuberculosis must be made in the best interests of the child, based on accurate medical evidence.
The right to informed consent includes the right to refuse health care for tuberculosis, in accordance with Chapter 15 of the World Health Organization’s Ethics Guidance for the Implementation of the End TB Strategy. The Ethics Guidance establishes that it is never appropriate to force treatment of people with tuberculosis because, among other things, it amounts to an invasion of bodily integrity and may put health care workers at risk…

Article 23. Right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress (right to science)
Every person affected by tuberculosis has the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its application.
This means every person affected by tuberculosis must be able to access scientific advancements, without discrimination, respecting and protecting indigenous peoples’ natural resources and individual and collective intellectual properties, whether these advancements are intangible things like knowledge and information or tangible outputs like new technologies for preventing, diagnosing or treating tuberculosis. It also includes the right to participate in the scientific process, from shaping research agendas, to participating in clinical trials.
The right to science also requires States to conserve, develop and diffuse science and its benefits. This means governments must: invest in and create legal and policy environments that enable research; make science and its applications widely available by, among other things, publishing results, establishing regulatory systems to evaluate new interventions, and basing public health programs and policies in scientific evidence; and ensure scientific progress and its benefits are preserved and maintained for future generations…

DRC – Ebola

Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
16 May 2019
Although the security situation has subsided mildly into an unpredictable calm, the transmission of Ebola virus disease (EVD) continues to intensify in North Kivu and Ituri provinces with more than 100 confirmed cases reported this week.
The main drivers behind the continued rise in cases stems from insecurity hampering access to critical hotspot areas, persistent pockets of poor community acceptance and hesitation to participate in response activities, and delayed detection and late presentation of EVD cases to Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs)/Transit Centres (TCs)…

Emergencies

POLIO
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
Polio this week as of 15 May 2019
:: On 9 May 2019, the World Health Organization received notification of the detection of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) from an environmental sample, collected on 20 April, in Seestan and Balochistan province, Iran. The virus collected is an environmental sample only, and no associated cases of paralysis have been detected.  Genetic sequencing confirmed it is linked to WPV1 circulating in Karachi, Pakistan.
:: On 21 May 2019, taking advantage of the presence of major Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) stakeholders attending the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, the GPEI is hosting an informal reception marking the launch of its new Polio Endgame Strategy 2019-2023: To Succeed by 2023 – Reaching Every Last Child for a Polio-Free World. Delegates who will be in Geneva are invited. Please RSVP here.

Summary of new viruses this week:
:: Pakistan — four wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases and four WPV1-positive environmental samples;
: Iran—one WPV1-positive environmental sample three wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases and five WPV1-positive environmental samples

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::::::

Editor’s Note:
WHO has posted a refreshed emergencies page which presents an updated listing of Grade 3,2,1 emergencies as below.

WHO Grade 3 Emergencies [to 18 May 2019]

Democratic Republic of the Congo
:: 41: Situation report on the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu 14 May 2019
:: Disease Outbreak News (DONs) Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo
16 May 2019
[See Ebola DRC above for detail]

Bangladesh – Rohingya crisis
:: Bi-weekly Situation Report #09 Date of issue: 09 May 2019
HIGHLIGHTS
:: The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) team conducted an mhGAP training for health workers from Sadar Hospital, Ukhiya, Ramu and Moheskhali Upazila health complexes.
:: Refurbishment work for Microbiology Room of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research(IEDCR) Field Lab in Cox’s Bazaar Medical College has been completed.
:: Acute respiratory infection (ARI), acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and unexplained fever were the conditions with highest proportional morbidity this week.
:: World Immunization Week was observed in Rohingya camps from 24-30 April 2019 with the theme of ‘Protected Together – Vaccine works’. The week has featured, among others, an advocacy meeting with relevant stakeholders, awareness meetings with community influencers, dropout listing and vaccination by vaccinators, distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials to service providers and others.
:: The health sector held bilateral meetings with a UN agency to plan on establishing first line support and referral services on gender-based violence (GBV) for ten of its supported health posts where GBV services are currently not available to meet minimum essential service package.
:: The Health Sector coordinated preparation for potential damage from heavy rains and winds, associated with cyclone Fani.

Mozambique floods
:: More than 500 000 doses of cholera vaccine available for Cabo Delgado 18 May 2019

Myanmar – No new digest announcements identified
Nigeria – No new digest announcements identified
Somalia – No new digest announcements identified
South Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Syrian Arab Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 2 Emergencies [to 18 May 2019]

Iraq
:: WHO mobile medical clinics reach displaced persons in Kalar district, Sulaymaniyah governorate, Iraq 16 May 2019

Zimbabwe
:: The rush to deliver cholera vaccines to remote communities in Zimbabwe 10 May 2019

Cyclone Idai – No new digest announcements identified
Libya – No new digest announcements identified
Brazil (in Portugese) – No new digest announcements identified
Cameroon – No new digest announcements identified
Central African Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Ethiopia – No new digest announcements identified
MERS-CoV – No new digest announcements identified
Niger – No new digest announcements identified
occupied Palestinian territory – No new digest announcements identified
Sudan – No new digest announcements identified
Ukraine – No new digest announcements identified

::::::

WHO Grade 1 Emergencies [to 18 May 2019]
Peru
:: Países avanzan hacia la eliminación de la transmisión de la madre al hijo del VIH, la sífilis, la hepatitis B y la enfermedad de Chagas

Afghanistan – No new digest announcements identified
Chad – No new digest announcements identified
Indonesia – Sulawesi earthquake 2018 – No new digest announcements identified
Kenya – No new digest announcements identified
Lao People’s Democratic Republic – No new digest announcements identified
Mali – No new digest announcements identified
Namibia – viral hepatitis – No new digest announcements identified
Philippines – Tyhpoon Mangkhut – No new digest announcements identified
Tanzania – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – L3 Emergencies
The UN and its humanitarian partners are currently responding to three ‘L3’ emergencies. This is the global humanitarian system’s classification for the response to the most severe, large-scale humanitarian crises. 
Syrian Arab Republic
:: Syria: Situation Report 2: Recent Developments in Northwestern Syria (as of 17 May 2019)
Northweste ..

Yemen – No new digest announcements identified

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UN OCHA – Corporate Emergencies
When the USG/ERC declares a Corporate Emergency Response, all OCHA offices, branches and sections provide their full support to response activities both at HQ and in the field.
CYCLONE IDAI and Kenneth
:: Mozambique: Brave mothers in the midst of hardship 11 May 2019

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health :: Education :: Heritage Stewardship ::
Sustainable Development
__________________________________________________
Week ending 11 May 2019

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, consortia 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
GE2P2 Global Foundation – Governance, Evidence, Ethics, Policy, Practice
david.r.curry@ge2p2center.net

PDF: The Sentinel_ period ending 11 May 2019

Contents
:: Week in Review  [See selected posts just below]
:: Key Agency/IGO/Governments Watch – Selected Updates from 30+ entities   [see PDF]
:: INGO/Consortia/Joint Initiatives Watch – Media Releases, Major Initiatives, Research:: Foundation/Major Donor Watch -Selected Updates
:: Journal Watch – Key articles and abstracts from 100+ peer-reviewed journals  [see PDF]

Internal Displacement

GRID 2019: Global Report on Internal Displacement
Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
May 2019 :: 159 pages
Key Messages
:: Persistently high levels of new displacement each year coupled with increasingly protracted crises
across the globe left 2018 with the highest number of IDPs ever recorded. Despite policy progress in several countries, the root causes of internal displacement are still not being adequately addressed.

:: Cyclical and protracted displacement continues to be driven by political instability, chronic poverty and inequality, environmental and climate change. Many IDPs are returning to insecure areas with few socio-economic opportunities. Instead of creating the conditions for lasting solutions, this is recreating conditions of risk and increasing the likelihood of crises erupting again in the future.

:: Ending displacement remains an elusive quest. Precious little information exists on how and when durable solutions are being achieved, and how people and states are progressing toward them. There is growing evidence that the obstacles to IDPs integrating locally are mostly political. This is also reflected in the almost complete lack of reporting on successful stories of local integration.

:: The primary responsibility for addressing internal displacement lies with national governments. Concrete action to protect IDPs and to reduce displacement risk must take place from the national to the local level. Given the ever-growing number of IDPs living in urban centres across the world, this local action will increasingly need to happen in towns and cities.

:: Effecting change will require the involvement and leadership of displaced people themselves and their urban host communities. More investment is needed at the city level to strengthen the capacity of communities and local authorities to analyse, plan and act jointly. Inclusive legislation, housing provision and service delivery need to become a part of the DNA of urban governance if urban IDPs are to break out of protracted and cyclical displacement.

:: With displacement increasingly becoming an urban phenomenon, integrated approaches across sectors and more investment in humanitarian, development and peace-building are required. To support local action effectively, the international community must address institutional barriers to coherence, and pursue joined-up funding and programming with a renewed sense of urgency and purpose.

:: The way ahead is clear. Filling the significant data, analysis and capacity gaps is imperative to progress. Only around a quarter of global internal displacement data is georeferenced and little to no information exists on the duration and severity of displacement across contexts and demographic groups. These gaps prevent the development of strategies to end or reduce the risk of displacement and mean that too many IDPs are still falling between the cracks of protection and assistance.

:: A systemic approach to filling the data gaps is possible. Common standards and better cooperation and coordination are within our reach and will go a long way in providing the evidence base required for policy work, development planning and humanitarian operations. Appropriate tools for needs assessments, risk analyses, investment planning and progress monitoring already exist and allow states to develop sustainable approaches to displacement. The priority now is to provide national and local authorities with the financial and technical support they will need to apply them.

Press Release
More people displaced inside their own countries than ever before
10 May 2019, Geneva – A record 41.3 million people are displaced inside their own countries because of conflict and violence, according to a new report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

The number of people living in internal displacement worldwide as of the end of 2018 is the highest it has ever been, according to the Global Report on Internal Displacement, launched today at the United Nations in Geneva. This is an increase of more than a million since the end of 2017 and two-thirds more than the global number of refugees.

The record figure is the result of years of cyclical and protracted displacement, and high levels of new displacement between January and December 2018. IDMC recorded 28 million new internal displacements associated with conflict, generalised violence and disasters in 2018…

“The findings of this report are a wake-up call to world leaders. Millions of people forced to flee their homes last year are being failed by ineffective national governance and insufficient international diplomacy. Because they haven’t crossed a border, they receive pitiful global attention,” said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council. “All displaced people have a right to protection and the international community has a duty to ensure it.”…

“The fact that cities have become sanctuary to more and more internally displaced people represents a challenge for municipal authorities, but also an opportunity. Leveraging the positive role that local government can play in finding solutions to displacement will be key to addressing this challenge in the future,” said Alexandra Bilak.

Development Finance

Leapfrog Breaks Impact Investing Record With $700M Emerging Markets Fund
Largest equity fund by a dedicated impact manager, targets 70 million low-income consumers
New York- May 10, 2019
LeapFrog Investments has announced the largest-ever private equity fund by a dedicated impact fund manager, surging past its $600m target to reach $700m. The new fund invests in healthcare and financial services companies – tapping into the demand from billions of emerging consumers in Asia and Africa. This fund alone targets reaching 70 million emerging consumers. Investors include many of the world’s leading insurers, pensions and asset managers, development finance institutions, foundations, and family offices. The success of the fund reflects LeapFrog’s outstanding track record of delivering both strong financial results and large-scale social impact.

“It is time for a better kind of capitalism. LeapFrog was founded on a philosophy of Profit with Purpose, rejecting conventional trade-off thinking in financial markets. That has proved a winning strategy, driving strong growth and returns while changing tens of millions of lives,” said Dr. Andrew Kuper, Founder and CEO of LeapFrog Investments…

… LeapFrog has invested in 26 businesses to date. They have grown at an exceptional rate of nearly 40 percent a year on average from the time of investment. LeapFrog companies now reach 168 million people across 35 countries with healthcare or financial services. Over 136 million of those individuals are emerging consumers – defined by The World Bank as living on under $10 a day. Most are accessing quality insurance, savings, pensions, credit, remittances, medicines or healthcare services for the first time.

LeapFrog’s new fund has already made five investments: WorldRemit is the leading digital remittances provider globally. NeoGrowth provides innovative unsecured-credit products to micro, small and medium enterprises across India. Goodlife Pharmacy chain is now the largest provider of healthcare services in East Africa. Pyramid Pharma is a distributor of medicines and diagnostic and surgical equipment across Africa. And Ascent Meditech manufactures and delivers orthopaedic products across India that help avoid crippling pain. These businesses use innovative marketing or distribution via mobile phones to reach millions of customers not well-served by conventional companies…

“The Foundation is thrilled to build on its legacy in the impact investing sector by supporting LeapFrog’s latest fund,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “The Foundation’s investment, tied to a bespoke insurance product that underpins the Fund’s structure, epitomizes the role catalytic capital can play in accelerating impact investing and helping low-income people access financial services and healthcare.”…

Global Trade – Multilateralism

UN’s Guterres underscores importance of revitalizing multilateral trade cooperation
10 May 2019 WTO – World Trade Organisation
A rules-based, non-discriminatory and equitable trading system is not only in the interest of all trading partners but is essential to preserving the interests of the poorest and most vulnerable economies, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told WTO members on 10 May.

Speaking at a special session of the WTO’s General Council, Secretary-General Guterres, alongside Director-General Roberto Azevêdo and General Council Chair Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, said members need to work to restore the spirit of international cooperation and “buttress this unique institution that has safeguarded international trading relationships over the past 70 years”.

WTO launches updated profiles on trade in value-added terms and global value chains
9 May 2019
The WTO released on 9 May an updated set of profiles for 64 WTO members, revealing the share of domestic and foreign components in the exports of these economies and their participation in global value chains (GVCs). The profiles also shed light on the contribution of the services sector to trade and the value of trade in intermediate products for each of the economies covered by the profiles.