Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.oic-oci.org/oicv2/news/

OIC Welcomes Greek Parliament Vote for Recognizing Palestinian State
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its appreciation for the Greek Parliament’s unanimous resolution to recognize the State of Palestine. It indicated that this significant move is consistent with the UN resolutions to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate rights, including the establishment of the independent State of Palestine on the Palestinian territory occupied since June 4, 1967 with Al Quds Al Sharif as its capital….
23/12/2015

World Trade Organisation [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news_e.htm
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

.
19 December 2015
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE, 10TH, NAIROBI
WTO members secure “historic” Nairobi Package for Africa and the world
WTO members concluded their Tenth Ministerial Conference in Nairobi on 19 December by securing an historic agreement on a series of trade initiatives. The “Nairobi Package” pays fitting tribute to the Conference host, Kenya, by delivering commitments that will benefit in particular the organization’s poorest members…

World Bank [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

.
Statement by World Bank Group President on Declaration of End of Ebola Transmission in Guinea
WASHINGTON, December 29, 2015—World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim issued the following statement on today’s announcement declaring the end of Ebola transmission in Guinea. “My colleagues and…
Date: December 29, 2015 Type: Press Release

.
Development Banks Working Together to Optimize Balance Sheets
WASHINGTON, December 22, 2015 – The African Development Bank (AfDB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) have approved an innovative framework agreement for an exchange of sovereign exposures that will collectively optimize their balance sheets for greater development effectiveness.

The sovereign exposure exchange agreement is a risk management tool collaboratively developed by the major Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). This initiative was launched in October 2013 by the World Bank Group’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and endorsed by the MDB heads following a meeting of the G8 Ministers of Finance.

Unlike commercial financial institutions, which diversify their loan portfolio across thousands, and sometimes millions, of borrowers, the MDBs lend to their sovereign shareholders. The resulting asset concentration reflects the strength of the relationship between MDBs and their borrowers, but it also requires MDBs to hold additional capital.

Exchanging exposures between MDBs greatly enhances their flexibility and efficiency in capital management. In the past, MDBs have managed their capital concentration risks mainly through reducing or limiting exposure in countries where lending volumes were especially high…

International Criminal Court (ICC) [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.icc-cpi.int/en_menus/icc/Pages/default.aspx

Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and Germain Katanga transferred to the DRC to serve their sentences of imprisonment
9/12/2015
On 19 December 2015, Thomas Lubanga Dyilo and Germain Katanga were transferred to a prison facility in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”) to serve their respective sentences of imprisonment. This constitutes the first time that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has designated a State for the enforcement of imprisonment’s sentences.

On 8 December 2015, the Presidency of the ICC designated the DRC as the State of enforcement for the sentences of imprisonment of Mr Lubanga and Mr Katanga, pursuant to article 103 of the Rome Statute. The Presidency emphasised that Mr Lubanga and Mr Katanga had each expressed a preference to serve their respective sentences of imprisonment in the DRC, their home country. The Presidency noted that the enforcement of the sentences of imprisonment shall be subject to the supervision of the Court and shall be consistent with widely accepted international standards governing the treatment of prisoners.

The transfer of Mr Lubanga and Mr Katanga to the DRC occurred with the close cooperation of the DRC authorities and the support of the Dutch and French authorities. On 24 November 2015, the ICC and the DRC finalised an ad hoc Agreement in respect of each sentenced person, expressing the willingness of the DRC to accept Mr Lubanga and Mr Katanga for the enforcement of their sentences of imprisonment and providing a framework to govern such enforcement…

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health ::
Holistic Development :: Sustainable Resilience
__________________________________________________
Two weeks ending 9 January 2016

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

pdf version: The Sentinel_ week ending 9 January 2016

blog edition: comprised of the 35+ entries  posted below on 10 January 2016

Aravind Eye Care System [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.aravind.org/default/currentnewscontent

.
Lending Support to Flood-hit Chennai
Madurai
[undated]
The recent floods that hit Chennai and surrounding areas is one of the worst disasters in the recent past in Tamil Nadu. The fury of nature has been devastating and deadly. Forceful floodwaters washed away everything that came its way – people, cattle, homes, apartment buildings, cars and all that was blocking nature. Millions were still stranded. Chennai and Cuddalore were inundated. In this moment of unspoken tragedy and human suffering, Aravind Eye Care System and Green Walk joined hands to be a catalyst in sending relief materials on behalf of the concerned citizens of Madurai. Almost all the centres of Aravind joined in the relief efforts provided aid to the flood hit areas and rehabilitating people. Relief materials distributed included blankets, dresses, towels, lungi, nighties, mats, sarees, sweaters, rice, grocery packages, milk powder, utensils, stoves, candles, emergency lights, torches, sanitary napkins, mosquito nets and medicines and medical care.

BRAC [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.brac.net/#news

.
BRAC USA Newsletter – December 2015
…As you may know Susan Davis will be leaving BRAC USA on December 31, 2015. During the transition period, while we are searching for a new President and CEO, BRAC USA will be managed by an Interim Executive Management Committee (IEMC).
The IEMC will comprise Sharad Aggarwal, Vice President, who will be responsible for day-to-day management, along with Rod Dubitsky, Senior Advisor and Chief Knowledge Officer (based in London) and Jim Carlson, Board Member. We are grateful and excited to be working with such a passionate and talented team.

I wish Susan Davis all the best as she prepares for her departure on December 31st. Susan was the founding President and CEO of BRAC USA in 2006 and has built a truly impressive platform on which future leadership can build. BRAC USA and the BRAC family of organizations wish to thank her for her stewardship…

Dr. Lincoln Chen
BRAC USA Board Chair

.

BRAC’s service in migration gets recognition from government
21 December 2015
The Government of Bangladesh has awarded BRAC Migration Programme for its outstanding contribution in migration sector in promoting migrants’ rights and raising awareness on safe migration in Bangladesh.

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index

.
The IRC responds to deadly cholera outbreak in Dadaab refugee camp
Posted by The IRC on December 23, 2015
Since November, hundreds of people including children have been infected with cholera, a highly contagious disease. With the onset of the rainy season, the IRC is concerned the epidemic could continue to spread, making already poor living conditions even worse.

ICRC [to 2 January 2016]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new

.
Winners of the 2015 Young Humanitarian Writers Competition
Nine people have been selected as the winners of the 2015 Young Humanitarian Writers Competition, organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and The National Press Club Malaysia in cooperation with the Malaysian Red Crescent Society…
30-12-2015 | News release

.
Syria: Over 450 people including injured evacuated from hard to reach and besieged towns
Joint Press Release. The United Nations in Syria, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent and the International Committee of the Red Cross on the evacuation of injured people and relatives in Syria’s Idleb and Rif Damascus governorates.
28-12-2015 | News release

.
Saudi Arabia: ICRC president calls for increased dialogue and cooperation
Kuwait (ICRC) – Today the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, concluded his visit to Riyadh, where he met with the Supervisor-General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre, the president of the Saudi Red Crescent and the Saudi foreign minister.

In his meeting with Dr Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Rabiah, supervisor-general of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid & Relief Centre, Mr Maurer underlined the “need to take a neutral and independent approach to providing aid in order to be able reach people in need and protect and assist them.” They also discussed a possible partnership aimed at finding more effective ways of distributing aid impartially and, ultimately, alleviating the suffering of people in Yemen affected by the conflict…
21-12-2015 | News release

Islamic Relief [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.islamic-relief.org/category/news/

.
January 2, 2016
Winter support will be given to families who were affected by the Afghanistan and Pakistan earthquake on October 26, 2015.
In Pakistan, in the northern districts of Chitral and Shangla, Islamic Relief has this month launched a two-month intense project to distribute winter items to around 1,500 earthquake-affected people. In Afghanstan, a one-month project in remote areas of Badakhshan, Takhar, Jalalabad and Kunar is expected to reach 1,400 people…

In Pakistan, Islamic Relief is already responding to the earthquake, providing immediate relief through distribution of tents, kitchen sets, sheets, and mats. The new winter project means each family will be provided with plastic floor mats, a cotton mattress, polyester pillows and pillow covers, polyester quilts, a children’s blanket and jumpers, adult-sized shawls, a stove and chimney, solar lamp, socks and hat.

The items will be bought from a local market, further supporting the local economy.

In Afghanistan, Islamic Relief will be working in remote areas of Badakhshan, Takhar, Jalalabad and Kunar, in the eastern and north-eastern part of the country. Experts there will be providing food, shelter, non-food items such as hygiene kits, and heating materials such as charcoal and firewood. We are already distributing food, blankets and plastic sheets to some 4,000 people.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases

.
Press Releases
Italy: MSF Ends Activities in Pozzallo Reception Center
December 30, 2015
Authorities unwilling to address inadequate conditions including overcrowding and lack of protection for vulnerable people.

.
Field news
DRC: Measles Epidemic in Decline, but Risk of Further Outbreaks Remains
December 28, 2015
A measles epidemic has been raging since the beginning of 2015 in the region of Katanga in southeast Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to the Ministry of Public Health, as of November 20, 2015, a total of 39,619 cases—resulting in 474 deaths—had been officially reported in Katanga.

.
Field news
In Syria, MSF Delivers Winter Kits to Displaced Families in Aleppo
December 23, 2015
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams have managed to deliver urgently needed aid to thousands of people in the Syrian city of Aleppo, which is now going through its fifth winter of civil war. In partnership with the Aleppo City Local Council, 5,200 kits, including essential winter and hygiene items for displaced families, were handed out in the first weeks of December.

.
Field news
Niger: Getting Children to Grow Healthily
December 23, 2015
In 2005, an innovative strategy that moved the treatment of severe acute malnutrition out of hospitals was widely expanded for the first time in Niger, and a record number of children were able to receive care. Ten years later, a public health approach to preventing child mortality has been launched, combining the fight against malnutrition with the prevention of other deadly childhood diseases.

Mercy Corps [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.mercycorps.org/press-room/releases

.
Unhindered Humanitarian Access in Syria is Critical to Peace Process
Syria, December 22, 2015
Welcomes security council resolution as first step in “long journey” toward peace

Washington, DC – The global humanitarian organization Mercy Corps applauds Friday’s passage of United Nations Security Council resolution 2254 that supports international efforts to seek a political solution to end the war in Syria within the next 18 months. We hope this Security Council measure will be a first step toward ending a humanitarian catastrophe affecting more than 12 million innocent men, women and children. We also recognize that this UN resolution – while an important milestone – is only a first step in what will likely be a long journey toward achieving a lasting peace…

OXFAM [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases

.
Weather and war to put humanitarian system under unprecedented strain in 2016
30 December 2015
The effects of a super El Niño are set to put the world’s humanitarian system under an unprecedented level of strain in 2016 as it already struggles to cope with the fallout from conflicts in Syria, South Sudan, Yemen and elsewhere. The El Niño weather system could leave tens of millions of people facing hunger, water shortages and disease next year if early action isn’t taken to prepare vulnerable people from its effects.

Save The Children [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150563/k.D0E9/Newsroom.htm

.
As Number of Child Refugees Reaches One Quarter Million This Year, Save the Children Calls for Europe to Do More
December 22, 2015

.
Save the Children is Helping Improve Education for Children in Bhutan, Haiti Thanks to Money Raised by Red Nose Day
December 21, 2015

Tostan [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.tostan.org/latest-news

.
December 30, 2015
Promoting Human Rights and Gender Equality: 189 Communities in Tambacounda and the Next Generation at the Helm
Who is responsible for promoting gender equality and human rights in a community or a region? Building on the bold actions of their parents, and 25 years of grassroots social change, new youth leaders are emerging in rural Africa to carry this mantle.

On December 6th, 189 villages of the Goudiry and Bakel departments in the Tambacounda region of Senegal joined more than 7,000 other communities across Africa with a public declaration to promote human rights and gender equality by ending female genital cutting, child marriage and domestic violence. Hundreds of people from Pulaar, Mandinke and Soninke communities attended. This important decision was made after 55 communities received Tostan’s human rights-based educational program, the Community Empowerment Program (CEP). As a part of their process of spreading human rights education, people of all ages from the 55 communities reached out to many of their neighbors; sharing what they had learned and encouraging dialogue…

CHS International Alliance [to 2 January 2016]
http://chsalliance.org/news-events/news

.
23/12/2015
The CHS Alliance in 2015 – a year of change
2015 was a busy and exciting time for the CHS Alliance which came into being on 9 June 2015 at its Constitutive General Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya. Over the past six months, the Alliance team has supported members and the wider humanitarian and development sector in applying the Core Humanitarian Standard (CHS) and broader aspects of quality, accountability and people management.

Center for Global Development [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Selected Press Releases, Blog Posts, Publications

.
The Role of Industrial Policy as a Development Tool: New Evidence from the Globalization of Trade-and-Investment
12/22/15
Theodore Moran
Emerging market countries that manage to diversify and upgrade their production and export base grow more rapidly and enjoy greater welfare gains than those that do not. Foreign direct investment in manufacturing is concentrated in middle- and upper-skilled activities — not lowest-skilled operations — and thus offers many opportunities for structural transformation of the host economy. But the challenge of using FDI to diversify and upgrade the local production and export base is fraught with market failures and tricky obstacles. Contemporary debates about industrial policy as a development tool focus on how best to overcome these market failures and other difficulties.

ODI [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.odi.org/media

.
Sustaining public sector capability in developing countries
Bibliography and literature reviews | December 2015 | Helen Tilley; Sierd Hadley; Cathal Long; Jeremy Clarke
We explore why sustained improvements in capability have been elusive, which donor-supported interventions have worked well, and why, across 34 cases.

.
What does ‘adaptive programming’ mean in the health sector?
Briefing papers | December 2015 | Olivia Tulloch
How the health sector can learn from adaptive development programming. An exploration of quality improvement, systems thinking and political economy analysis in health.

.
Basic enough budgets: what should you do when you can’t do everything?
Research reports and studies | December 2015 | Bryn Welham, Sierd Hadley
This paper explores what it takes for to undertake elementary economic and financial management – in other words, deliver a basic budget – to ensure it’s on the path to rapid economic and social development.

.
Beyond the toolkit: supporting peace processes in Asia
Research reports and studies | December 2015 | Lisa Denney and Patrick Barron
Applying insights from the ‘thinking and working politically’ agenda to support peace processes in Asia, and beyond.

Ford Foundation [to 2 January 2016]
http://www.fordfoundation.org/?filter=News
The New Yorker
January 4, 2016 Issue
Profiles
What Money Can Buy – Darren Walker and the Ford Foundation set out to conquer inequality.
By Larissa MacFarquhar
The urge to change the world is normally thwarted by a near-insurmountable barricade of obstacles: failure of imagination, failure of courage, bad governments, bad planning, incompetence, corruption, fecklessness, the laws of nations, the laws of physics, the weight of history, inertia of all sorts, psychological unsuitability on the part of the would-be changer, the resistance of people who would lose from the change, the resistance of people who would benefit from it, the seduction of activities other than world-changing, lack of practical knowledge, lack of political skill, and lack of money. Lack of money is a stubborn obstacle, but not as hopelessly unyielding as some of the others, and so would-be world-changers often set out to overcome it. Some try to raise money, but that can be depressing and futile. Others try to make money, but it’s hard to make enough. There is a third, more reliable way to overcome this obstacle, however, and that is to give away money that has already been made by somebody else, and has already been allocated to world-changing purposes. This is the way of the grant-makers of the Ford Foundation…

BMC Health Services Research
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmchealthservres/content
(Accessed 2 January 2016)

.
Research Article
The effect of trends in health and longevity on health services use by older adults
The effect of population aging on future health services use depends on the relationship between longevity gains and health. Whether further gains in life expectancy will be paired by improvements in health is…
Bram Wouterse, Martijn Huisman, Bert R. Meijboom, Dorly J.H. Deeg and Johan J. Polder
BMC Health Services Research 2015 15:574
Published on: 24 December 2015
Abstract
Background
The effect of population aging on future health services use depends on the relationship between longevity gains and health. Whether further gains in life expectancy will be paired by improvements in health is uncertain. We therefore analyze the effect of population ageing on health services use under different health scenarios. We focus on the possibly diverging trends between different dimensions of health and their effect on health services use.
Methods
Using longitudinal data on health and health services use, a latent Markov model has been estimated that includes different dimensions of health. We use this model to perform a simulation study and analyze the health dynamics that drive the effect of population aging. We simulate three health scenarios on the relationship between longevity and health (expansion of morbidity, compression of morbidity, and the dynamic equilibrium scenario). We use the scenarios to predict costs of health services use in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2050.
Results
Hospital use is predicted to decline after 2040, whereas long-term care will continue to rise up to 2050. Considerable differences in expenditure growth rates between scenarios with the same life expectancy but different trends in health are found. Compression of morbidity generally leads to the lowest growth. The effect of additional life expectancy gains within the same health scenario is relatively small for hospital care, but considerable for long-term care.
Conclusions
By comparing different health scenarios resulting in the same life expectancy, we show that health improvements do contain costs when they decrease morbidity but not mortality. This suggests that investing in healthy aging can contribute to containing health expenditure growth.