Amref Health Africa [to 12 March 2016]
http://amref.org/news/news/

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Published: 10 March 2016 Carolyne Khamala
Amref supports 12th ECSACON Biennial Conference
Amref Health Africa is partnering with the Kenyan Ministry of Health and the ECSACON organising committee to host the 12th ECSACON (East, Central and Southern Africa College of Nursing) Biennial Conference. This is one of the most esteemed forums in the East, Central and South African region for bringing together policy makers and professionals from around the world to promote strategic professional collaboration in nursing and midwifery practice. It will run from September 7-9, 2016, in Nairobi, Kenya at the Safari Park Hotel…

Danish Refugee Council [to 12 March 2016]
https://www.drc.dk/news

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11.03.2016
Severe drought in Somalia and Somaliland
Nearly 4.7 million people (38 per cent of the population) in drought-hit Somalia are acutely food insecure and are at risk of starving if they do not receive urgent support. The Danish Refugee Council (DRC) is gearing up its efforts to respond and assist the thousands of communities at risk of being severely affected by the drought particularly in Puntland (Somalia) and Somaliland.

IRC International Rescue Committee [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index

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08 Mar 2016
Refugees Prevented from Crossing Greece’s Northern Borders at Increased Risk, Finds IRC

07 Mar 2016
There is a way through the refugee crisis for the EU, but border closures won’t work without safe and legal routes to refuge, effective relocation within Europe, and better aid for Syria’s neighbours

Posted by The IRC on March 8, 2016
The IRC expands its programs in Greece: latest updates on refugee crisis [Storify]
As countries across Europe shut their doors to desperate refugees seeking safety, the IRC today calls on governments to take action to protect the vulnerable and respect the rights and human dignity of all people arriving at their borders. Get the latest updates from our partners on the ground in Serbia…

ICRC [to 12 March 2016]
https://www.icrc.org/en/whats-new
Selected News Releases and Articles

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News release
11 March 2016
Pakistan: Campaign to make Karachi safer for ambulance services
Karachi (ICRC) – Today, a public-service campaign was launched in Karachi to get motorists to give way to ambulances and generally increase respect for ambulance services. Joining forces for this important cause are: the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Edhi Foundation, Aman Foundation, Indus Hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Jinnah Sindh Medical University. Samaa TV and Samaa FM are the media partners for the campaign. The ICRC is also planning to work with government authorities to enact legislation requiring drivers to make way for ambulances on roads.

News release
10 March 2016
Colombia: Insidious violence on the rise in 2015
Bogotá (ICRC) – Although the fighting is abating between government forces and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP), the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) is continuing to register the same levels of violence in the country as in previous years. In a report released today about the humanitarian challenges facing Colombia in 2016, the ICRC underlined the high incidence of death threats, disappearances and sexual violence in 2015.

Article
10 March 2016
Tuvalu Red Cross Society becomes 190th National Society
Tuvalu was a hive of activity on 1 March as the Tuvalu Red Cross Society (TRCS) celebrated its recognition as part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The celebrations were attended by the governor general, the prime minister, cabinet ministers, staff, volunteers and the public.

Article
08 March 2016
ICRC and EPFL launch Humanitarian Tech Hub
Geneva (ICRC / EPFL) – The Humanitarian Tech Hub is an ambitious research and development programme that is being launched by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). The plans were unveiled today during ICRC President Peter Maurer’s visit to the EPFL campus in Lausanne.
The agreement between the two institutions sets out a four-year programme whose goal is to foster collaboration between the humanitarian and scientific sectors, as well as specialists in other fields, to develop technologies to tackle the humanitarian challenges facing the world today. There is no shortage of avenues to explore: energy, water, construction, logistics, the environment, information and communication technologies, and biomedical technologies, to name just a few. With more than 150 million people worldwide affected by humanitarian crises, the demand and potential applications are enormous…

News release
07-03-2016
Liberia / Côte d’Ivoire: ICRC resumes cross-border family reunifications
Fourteen Ivorian children who had sought refuge in Liberia five years ago were reunited with their families between 4 and 12 February.

Article
04 March 2016
ICRC and Novartis launch partnership to improve access to healthcare in fragile countries
Following the ICRC’s Global Partnerships for Impact and Innovation (GPHI2) event in Lausanne, the ICRC and Novartis launched a partnership, focusing on improving care and treatment to the most vulnerable populations in Lebanon (Syrian refugees, underserved Lebanese and Palestinian patients), suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases.

IRCT [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.irct.org/

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News
IRCT Member Red de Apoyo warns against Venezuelan amnesty law
11 March 2016
IRCT Member Red de Apoyo por la Justicia y Paz in Venezuela has issued a declaration warning against the Law on Amnesty and National Reconciliation. According to Red de Apoyo, the Amnesty law may result in impunity for perpetrators of a number of crimes, including human rights violations, and it will deny victims access to redress and full rehabilitation. In addition, the centre says it will be in direct breach of Article 26 of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela…

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Statements & declarations
IRCT condemns attack on Joint Mobile Group
11 March 2016
The IRCT is deeply concerned about the latest attacks against the Joint Mobile Group in the border region between Ingushetia and Chechnya where the group continues to document and expose severe human rights abuses. On 9 March, a car carrying two staff of the Joint Mobile Group, six journalists and a driver was attacked by masked men who severely beat them and set their car on fire. Later that day, the Ingushetia office of the Joint Mobile Group was attacked and damages are yet to be assessed…

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases

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Press Releases
Senate HELP Committee Fails to Fix Flawed PRV Program Intended to Promote Innovation for Neglected Diseases
March 09, 2016
New York— A Senate committee voted today to add Zika to the list of diseases eligible for the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) Priority Review Voucher (PRV) program for neglected diseases, but did not fix major loopholes that make the PRV program for neglected diseases ripe for abuse by pharmaceutical companies.
Press Releases

European Union and Turkey Reach Inhumane Agreement on Refugees
March 08, 2016
In response to an agreement announced today between the European Union and Turkey on refugees and migration, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) released the following statement from Aurelie Ponthieu, MSF humanitarian affairs advisor on displacement:
“European leaders have completely lost track of reality, and the deal currently being negotiated between the EU and Turkey is one of the clearest examples of their cynicism. For each refugee that will risk their life at sea and will be summarily sent back to Turkey, another one may have the chance to reach Europe from Turkey under a proposed resettlement scheme. This crude calculation reduces people to mere numbers, denying them humane treatment and discarding their right to seek protection…

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Field News
CAR: Calm Returns to Carnot, But Many Remain Displaced
March 07, 2016
Despite a return to calm, the situation in Central African Republic (CAR) remains unstable and over 450,000 people are still displaced within the country. At the Catholic Church in Carnot, a town in western CAR, the displaced are gradually moving out of what has become an enclave.

OXFAM [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases

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11 March 2016
World powers must safeguard hope – not fan the flames of the Syria conflict: last year was the worst for Syrians
The fifth year of the Syria conflict has been the worst yet for people as warring parties have continued to wreak havoc, increasingly block aid and place more communities under siege.

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Last year was worst for Syrians, world powers must safeguard hope not fan the flames, warn aid agencies
11 March 2016
Russia, the United States, France and the United Kingdom must now safeguard the glimmer of hope that the ceasefire has brought to civilians, rather than “adding fuel to the fire”, warn 30 aid agencies in a new report.

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International investors must withdraw all involvement now from deadly Honduras dam project, says Oxfam
8 March 2016
The assassination last week of Honduran activist Berta Cáceres – who championed the cause of indigenous land rights – shows that international companies have no place now in continuing their support for the Agua Zarca dam she was fighting against.

Norwegian Refugee Council [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.nrc.no/

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(11.03.2016)
Five years of war in Syria
World powers must safeguard hope not fan the flames
The fifth year of the Syria conflict was the worst yet for people as warring parties have continued to wreak havoc, increasingly blocked aid and placed more communities under siege.

Russia, the United States, France and the United Kingdom must now safeguard the glimmer of hope that the ceasefire has brought to civilians, rather than “adding fuel to the fire”, warn 30 aid agencies in a new report.

These four countries – all members of the UN Security Council and the International Syria Support Group – could be key players in helping end the suffering in Syria. Instead they have to varying degrees undermined their own resolutions through inadequate diplomatic pressure, political and military support to their allies or direct military action.

The report, Fuelling the Fire, catalogues the deteriorating conditions in Syria, as the country plunged into further chaos and fragmentation. It has been signed by 30 humanitarian and human rights organisations including Oxfam, Norwegian Refugee Council, CARE International, and Syrian organisations – The Syrian-American Medical Society (SAMS), Big Heart, and Syria Relief and Development…

SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/about-sos/press/press-releases

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09.03.2016
For SOS Children’s Villages nurse, a night shift like no other
Ljupka Pavlovic will never forget the night of Friday, 12 February, when she was working the night shift at a Child Friendly Space for refugees operated by SOS Children’s Villages. The nurse was there just in time to help deliver a baby.

08.03.2016
Voting opens for SOS Children’s Villages exceptional alumni award
Voting is now open to the public for the 2016 Hermann Gmeiner Award. Meet the nominees and cast your vote

07.03.2016
Sweden’s Akelius Foundation donates €10.7 million for refugee response
Swedish philanthropist Roger Akelius has donated 100 million Swedish krona, or €10.7 million, to SOS Children’s Villages Sweden to assist thousands of vulnerable children affected by the refugee crisis in Europe and the Middle East.

Tostan [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.tostan.org/latest-news

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March 11, 2016
Celebrating International Women’s Day in Solidarity with Detainees in Rufisque
On March 8th, I visited a women’s prison in Rufisque, Senegal to celebrate International Women’s Day with Tostan’s Prison Project.

CONCORD [to 12 March 2016]
http://concordeurope.org/news-and-events/
[European NGO confederation for relief and development]

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Deconstructing 10 myths about migration and development – publication
Mar 9, 2016 | Migration and development, Publications
The FORIM, ICMC together with CONCORD launch a series of publications named the “10 myths about migration”. The publications aim to deconstruct the stereotypes and prejudices around migration and development issues.

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Encouraging results for the European Year for Development, according to recent EuroBarometer
Mar 7, 2016 | Development Cooperation, Effective Civil Society, Newsroom
Our board members Marius Wanders and Johannes Trimmel attended on February 29th the launch seminar of the ‘EuroBarometer 441′ about the European Year for Development 2015. The conference organised by the European Commission revealed the results of the year as well as the perception of European citizens on development issues.

The Elders [to 12 March 2016]
http://theelders.org/news-media

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Opinion 6 March 2016
Gender equality and climate change: the vital link for success beyond Paris
From assessing the “people-centred” COP21 Paris Agreement and how those on the frontlines can help the world in tackling climate change, to ensuring that women are empowered to make their voices heard, Mary Robinson marks International Women’s Day by highlighting the link between gender equality and climate justice.

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Guest blog Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner 6 March 2016
Rising sea levels: “Our islands will one day be wiped off the map: what will happen to our women?”
Climate activist and poet Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner marks International Women’s Day by celebrating the strength and resilience of Marshall Islands’ women and highlights the importance of including women in tackling climate change.

Gavi [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.gavialliance.org/library/news/press-releases/

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09 March 2016
Pakistan progressing on immunisation efforts
High level mission praises country’s efforts and calls for increased commitment to reach every child

Islamabad, 9 March 2016 – Pakistan is making progress in improving its childhood immunisation programme, but sustained commitment at federal and provincial level is required to increase the coverage of services and reach children who today miss out on life-saving vaccines.

More than 1,000 Pakistani children under the age of five die every day, many of them from diseases that could have been prevented by vaccines. According to WHO and UNICEF estimates, Pakistan’s coverage rate with one of the most basic vaccines (DTP3) stood at 73% in 2014 with large variations between the provinces, districts and communities. The most recent Pakistan Demographic Health Survey, from 2013, showed Punjab had 76% coverage while in Baluchistan the figure was just 27%.

This week, a high level mission to Pakistan was led by Anuradha Gupta, Deputy CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, together with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK’s Department for International Development, USAID, the Norwegian Agency for Development and Cooperation, UNICEF and WHO. The visit was a follow up to a similar mission conducted in February 2015. The delegation visited Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to see the progress made in the last 12 months, understand the challenges that lie ahead, and encourage leaders to reinforce their commitment to end childhood vaccine preventable deaths.

“I have been deeply encouraged by much of what I have seen during this visit,” said Ms Gupta. “Coordination at federal and provincial level has clearly improved and I have seen for myself some of the innovative work at local level to reach children with vaccines. This week’s approval of the budget for the new provincial plans, which will kick-start the National Immunisation Support Project, is welcome news as it paves the way for intensified action on routine immunisation. Timely release of funding at all levels will be a critical next step.”

Among the initiatives witnessed by the mission was a recently-expanded approach using mobile phone technology and real-time data to monitor vaccinators, identify children missing out on vaccinations, and strengthen accountability. In Punjab this has significantly increased immunisation coverage. Similar approaches are now being initiated in KP and Sindh….

Global Fund [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/
News
Removing Human Rights Barriers to End the HIV Epidemic
11 March 2016
GENEVA – The Global Fund made a strong appeal to address human rights issues as a key component of efforts to end epidemics such as AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria..
[See Week in Review above for more detail]

Better Education Will Mean Better Health for Young Women & Girls
By Julia Gillard
in Voices on 07 March 2016

Hilton Prize Coalition [to 12 March 2016]
http://prizecoalition.charity.org/
An Alliance of Hilton Prize Recipients

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Empowering Women through Collaboration
Posted March 11, 2016 ·
International Women’s Day, inaugurated in the early 1900s, celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. This year’s theme, #PledgeforParity, stems from the World Economic Forum’s 2015 Global Gender Gap Report, which states that the gender gap won’t close entirely until the year 2133. International Women’s Day has grown into a movement (#IWD2016) that brings men and women together annually on March 8th to discuss women’s achievements and the progress that still needs to be made.

Below we highlight three of the Hilton Prize Coalition member organizations working to advance women’s rights through their programs and partnerships around the world [Amref Health Africa, BRAC, Landesa]…

Center for Global Development [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Selected Press Releases, Blog Posts, Publications

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Anti-Corruption Strategies in Foreign Aid: From Controls to Results
3/7/16
William Savedoff
Corruption is an obstacle to social and economic progress in developing countries yet we still know very little about the effectiveness of anti-corruption efforts and their impact on development impact. This essay looks at 25 years of efforts by foreign aid agencies to combat corruption and proposes a new strategy which could leverage existing approaches by directly incorporating information on development results.

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Do the Results Match the Rhetoric? An Examination of World Bank Gender Projects
3/7/16
Charles Kenny and Megan O’Donnell
This paper seeks to determine the degree to which a gender lens has been incorporated into World Bank projects and the success of individual projects according to gender equality-related indicators.

World Economic Forum [to 12 March 2016]
https://agenda.weforum.org/news/

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News 8 Mar 2016
Helping Africa to Unleash its Digital Potential
:: High-level meeting held in Morocco to discuss ways to develop Africa’s digital economy
:: Access to internet, skill development and lower hurdles for entrepreneurship seen as key
:: Future meetings to boost Africa’s digital economy to be held in Mombasa, Kenya, and Kigali, Rwanda

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/news

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Our News
A Tribute to William H. Foege, M.D., M.P.H.
March 10, 2016
After eight years of service, William H. Foege, M.D., M.P.H., has retired from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation board of directors. Dr. Foege previously served for seven years on the prestigious international jury of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, the world’s largest humanitarian award.

Dr. Foege is a world renowned epidemiologist who worked in the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s. Dr. Foege became Chief of the CDC Smallpox Eradication Program and was appointed Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in 1977.

In 1984, Dr. Foege and several colleagues formed the Task Force for Child Survival, a working group for the World Health Organization, UNICEF, The World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Its success in accelerating childhood immunization led to an expansion of its mandate in 1991 to include other issues which diminish the quality of life for children.

Dr. Foege has championed many issues, but child survival and development, injury prevention, population, preventive medicine, and public health leadership are of special interest, particularly in the developing world. He is a strong proponent of disease eradication and control, and has taken an active role in the eradication of Guinea worm, polio and measles, and the elimination of River Blindness. By writing and lecturing extensively, Dr. Foege has succeeded in broadening public awareness of these issues and bringing them to the forefront of domestic and international health policies.

Dr. Foege received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2012, in addition to many other awards during the course of his career. He also holds honorary degrees from numerous institutions, and was named a Fellow of the London School of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in 1997. He is the author of more than 125 professional publications.

It is with profound gratitude that we thank Dr. Foege for his exemplary service on the Hilton Foundation board. We were fortunate to benefit from both his broad vision of life as well as his deep knowledge of the health field. His personal style motivated others to want to engage and explore issues further. While we are sad to be losing an influential and prominent member of our board, we remain grateful that Dr. Foege raised the bar of our deliberations. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.
Steven M. Hilton
Chairman of the Board
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation

MacArthur Foundation [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.macfound.org/

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Publication
Assessing the Impacts of State Immigration Policies
Published March 9, 2016
Nearly all states have implemented immigration-related reform in the past 15 years, according to a report by the RAND Corporation, a MacArthur grantee. The report takes stock of states’ immigration legislation – ranging from employment on unauthorized immigrants to making drivers licenses available regardless of immigration status – and provides a cost-benefit framework to help policymakers assess the impacts of those policies.

Pew Charitable Trusts [to 12 March 2016]
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases

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Press Release
Pew: Major Deficiencies in Monitoring of Chemical Residues in Meat, Poultry
March 08, 2016 Safe Food Project
WASHINGTON—A federal program meant to protect consumers from tainted meat, poultry, and egg products needs greater scientific rigor and transparency, according to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts released today. The analysis shows that the National Residue Program (NRP) does not routinely test for several compounds, such as dioxins and certain heavy metals, that are widely recognized as posing a significant public health risk. The analysis also finds that the NRP lacks clear processes for incorporating new research and responding to emerging contamination threats.

The report, The National Residue Program for Meat, Poultry, and Egg Products: An Evaluation, details how the program selects the drugs, pesticides, and environmental contaminants to monitor and how it documents the results of its sampling and testing…