IRCT [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.irct.org/

.
Statements & declarations
Egypt must stop obstructing the work of IRCT member El Nadeem
18 February 2016
The IRCT calls on the Government of Egypt to immediately stop the actions to obstruct the work of our Egyptian member centre, the Nadeem Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence and Torture, and desist in its attempt to close it.

On 17th February 2016, Egyptian authorities notified the Nadeem Centre of a closure order, without any substantive justification for the decision. While Nadeem was able to negotiate a delay in the execution of the order until a meeting between the Nadeem Center and the Ministry of Health, the IRCT remains deeply concerned by this action…

.

News
IRCT issues second criticism of national investigation in Ali Aarrass case
18 February 2016

Islamic Relief [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.islamic-relief.org/category/news/

.
[Undated]
Thousands displaced as hospitals and schools targeted
Thousands more people in Syria have been displaced in the last week after attacks on hospitals, schools, markets and bakeries.

In one week, the number of people living in camps at the Turkish border has increased by 30,000 to around 100,000 people. Many families were displaced from Azaz city, in the far north of the country, where hospitals and schools were the targets of airstrikes.

A further 40,000 people lost their home on Monday when Tell Rifaat, a city in the north, was targeted.
“Monday was a dark day for women and children in Syria,” said Ahmed Mahmoud, an Islamic Relief staff member working in Syria. “The people killed included pregnant women and new-born babies in incubators. This is simply unacceptable…

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases.

.
Press Releases
South Sudan: At Least 18 Killed, Including 2 MSF Staff, in Malakal
February 18, 2016
JUBA, SOUTH SUDAN — At least 18 people were killed in armed conflict that erupted last night in the Protection of Civilians site in Malakal, South Sudan, including two South Sudanese staff members of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) who were attacked in their homes, the organization said today.
Teams worked through the night to treat 36 wounded people at the MSF hospital in Malakal, including an MSF staff member. At least 25 patients had suffered gunshot wounds and eight required surgery. More casualties are continuing to arrive today.

Press release
Syria: Statement by Dr. Joanne Liu, International President of MSF
February 18, 2016
Statement delivered by Dr. Joanne Liu, International President of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, February 18, 2016.
Today in Syria, the abnormal is now normal. The unacceptable is accepted.
Relentless, brutal, and targeted attacks on civilians are the dominant feature of this war. In addition to the countless numbers of dead, hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing for their lives. Many of them are trapped, denied the fundamental right to flee…

Press release
Syria: Civilians Under Relentless Attack
February 18, 2016
MSF reports more than one in three wounded and dead are women and children.

Press release
At Least 25 Killed in Attack on MSF-Supported Hospital in Northern Syria (Updated)
February 15, 2016
Gaziantep/Paris—At least seven people were killed and eight are missing and presumed dead following a Monday morning attack in northern Syria that destroyed a hospital supported by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) the international medical humanitarian organization said today. (As of February 17, 2016, these numbers now stand at nine hospital staff members and 16 patients/caretakers killed in the attack).

Field news
South Sudan: MSF Treats 73 Wounded in Malakal Fighting
February 19, 2016
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) teams in Malakal, South Sudan, worked through the night to treat patients injured on February 18 when fighting erupted in the UN Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in the town.

Field news
Malawi: Dire Living Conditions for Mozambican Refugees
February 17, 2016
Whitney Ward, a Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) field coordinator in Malawi, explains the need for increased humanitarian assistance for over 5,000 Mozambicans who fled to Malawi’s Kapise village to escape violence.

Field news
Darfur: Thousands Flee Fighting in Jebel Marra
February 16, 2016
Fighting that began in mid-January in the Jebel Marra and Jebel Si areas of North Darfur, Sudan, has forced some 58,000 people—mostly women and children—to flee in search of protection. Many have abandoned their homes, farms and livestock for the relative safety of camps near the towns of Tawilla and Sortony. This part of Darfur is a tough semi-desert environment where little grows and temperatures regularly climb above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Field news
Burundi: MSF Treats More Than 60 Wounded in Grenade Explosions
February 16, 2016
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) treated more than 60 people on the morning of Monday, February 15, after a series of grenade explosions in several locations across Burundi’s capital city of Bujumbura. This influx of wounded patients occurred just five days after two other grenade attacks wounded dozens of people, 55 of whom were treated at l’Arche, MSF’s trauma center in Bujumbura.

Field news
Syria: Additional Information on Latest Hospital Bombing
February 16, 2016
An addendum to our earlier update about the February 15 bombing of a hospital in Idlib province supported by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF):

OXFAM [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases

.
16 February 2016
The world’s poorest should not pay for the security and defense of Europe
Governments are considering diverting limited aid funds to security and defense, and may also increase the amount they use to cover refugee costs in rich countries
A large coalition of NGOs is calling for European leaders to protect refugees while ensuring aid budgets are only used for poverty eradication and sustainable development

Governments across Europe are planning to divert scarce development aid budgets to cover security and defense costs, anti-poverty campaigners understand.

Proposals that aid money can be used for ‘preventing violent extremism’, police training and financing security costs are being mooted behind closed doors, and will be formally discussed at the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee (DAC) in Paris on February 18th and 19th. At the same time, European leaders will be meeting in Brussels to discuss their migration response.

During the OECD DAC meeting, Ministers will also discuss increasing the amount of aid money that they can spend on receiving refugees in their own countries, a move criticised by development charities across Europe.

A coalition of organizations including BOND, Dochas, Global Citizen, Eurodad, ONE, Oxfam and Save the Children are calling on leaders to make sure the choices they make on aid in the coming months do not mean the poorest people lose out on vital public services like education or healthcare.

The coalition strongly urges European leaders to:
:: Ensure that the definition of what can be counted as Official Development Assistance (ODA), does not include any defense and security costs or in-country refugee costs.
:: Include developing countries and non-governmental organizations in the process of modernizing ODA.
:: Ensure that refugees are afforded the protection they need…

Norwegian Refugee Council [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.nrc.no/

.
Colombia
Education creates strength
Oda Lykke Mortensen (18.02.2016)
The indigenous peoples of Colombia have fought a long and tough battle for their rights. By giving their children an education, they stand stronger.

.

Press Release
Closed borders could result in large refugee camps on European soil
(17.02.2016)
The Norwegian Refugee Council warns against the closing of European national borders, as this could result in large and unsustainable refugee camps elsewhere on European soil.

Ahead of the European Summit on 18 and 19 February where European leaders will discuss the migration and refugee crisis, NRC is calling on the European Union and its member states to resist the imposition of new border controls and instead agree a credible collective strategy to respond to the current migration challenge. If not, long-term and large scale refugee camps in Greece, the Balkans and elsewhere may be the end result.

“A European fortress approach, with closed borders, will only serve to dilute EU laws and values and send an appalling signal to the rest of the world regarding our commitment to uphold international refugee law”, said Secretary General of the Norwegian Refugee Council Jan Egeland…

Partners In Health [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.pih.org/blog

.
Feb 19, 2016
The Zika Virus in Haiti
Partners In Health serves 32,000 pregnant women in Haiti every year, which puts it front and center in the debate over how to deal with the Zika virus and its carrier mosquitoes, the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. After seeing thousands of cases, experts are investigating a link between babies born with small heads, a condition called microcephaly, and Zika contracted during the mothers’ pregnancies.

Many questions remain about Zika and its current impact on the Haitian population. Until more answers surface, PIH staff strive to find the best solutions for women, men, and children who may be adversely affected by the virus.

We spoke with Dr. Louise Ivers, PIH’s senior health and policy advisor and an infectious disease expert, about the mosquito’s resiliency, efforts to control it in Haiti, and how PIH is working to prevent Zika infections and treat those who might be suffering from complications…

Save The Children [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.9357111/k.C14B/Press_Releases_2016/apps/nl/newsletter2.asp

.
February 16, 2016
Statement from Carolyn Miles on Yesterday’s Attacks on Seven Healthcare Facilities in Syria

Fairfield, Conn. (February 16, 2015) — In response to yesterday’s attacks on healthcare facilities in Syria, Carolyn Miles, President & CEO of Save the Children U.S. says: “Save the Children is appalled by the growing trend for health facilities, schools and other civilian infrastructure to be the targets of deadly attacks in Syria.

“Monday was the worst day for attacks on healthcare facilities for more than six months. New information gathered by Save the Children and other organizations suggests that in total, seven facilities were bombed in air strikes, more than was first reported. The attacks happened across Syria, in Aleppo, Idlib and Dara’a provinces…

SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/about-sos/press/press-releases

.
19.02.2016
Ukraine: Children sketch a future without war
– An exhibition of drawings from talented and vulnerable children living on both sides of the conflict in the Lugansk and Donetsk regions was recently organised by SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine in partnership with Swiss Embassy and the Maximal youth organisation in Donetsk.

.

18.02.2016
SOS Children’s Villages International announces changes to top management team
INNSBRUCK, Austria – SOS Children’s Villages International has announced that Richard Pichler, who served as Secretary General and CEO for more than 20 years, will assume a new role in the organisation as of May 2016. Mr Pichler will take on the newly created position of Special Representative for External Affairs and Resources, in which he will focus on high level external relations and partnerships. The International Senate expressed its appreciation for the achievements of Mr Pichler during his tenure as Secretary General and CEO, and is very much looking forward to continue the cooperation with him.

SOS Children’s Villages’ new global strategy – expected to be confirmed at its General Assembly in June – calls for the federation to work more closely with partners in civil society, global foundations, international forums and multilateral organisations, as well as to raise the global profile of the organisation, thus increasing the organisation’s impact for children. To deliver this step change, Richard Pichler will take on this challenging task. In recent years, he has successfully led the organisation to increase its engagement on the international stage in efforts such as contributing to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children, and forging closer ties with the other child-focused INGOs.

Until a new CEO joins, management responsibilities will be collectively shared by the Management Team: CFO Norbert Meder, COO Carsten Völz, and Tom Malvet, Director of International Competence Centres.

SOS Children’s Villages International President Siddhartha Kaul expressed his appreciation of Mr Pichler: “Richard Pichler has done exceptional work for SOS Children’s Villages International as its Secretary General and CEO for over 20 years. In his new role, Richard will continue to have a profound impact on our work by serving as one of the key voices of SOS Children’s Villages on the international stage. We know he will be a passionate spokesman and advocate for our organisation and give a voice to the needs of vulnerable children.”

Mr Pichler said: “It has been both exciting and humbling to be part of the organisation’s journey on this rapid development until now. I thank all colleagues who supported me along that way. In recent times it has become evident that we can increase our impact by partnering and by developing a stronger global positioning of our organisation. In the past, as CEO, I could initiate some developments. After 20 years in daily management I now look forward to fully concentrating on partnerships and positioning for the benefit of the most vulnerable children. I am convinced together we can increase our impact.”

.

17.02.2016
Measuring impact
– With the help of a major global management consultancy, SOS Children’s Villages has developed a system for measuring how a donor’s contribution translates into improving children’s lives.

Tostan [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.tostan.org/latest-news

.
February 17, 2016
Malian Communities Take Abandoning Harmful Practices Into Their Own Hands
In southwestern Mali, a small, but powerful movement is growing. In 2014, 40 Malian communities started Tostan’s Community Empowerment Program …

.

February 16, 2016
Youth Voices: The Next Generation of Changemakers in West Africa
The latest film in our Breakthrough Generation series, “Youth Voices: The Next Generation of Changemakers in West Africa,” follows young people who came together in December …

ChildFund Alliance [to 20 February 2016]
http://childfundalliance.org/news/

.
[undated]
ChildFund supporting European refugees
Author: Avril MacDonald
ChildFund Alliance is supporting children and families on their way to Europe from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. Next to the border controls in Macedonia and Serbia, contemporary aid stations have been constructed where people can stop to receive medical support, warm clothes and food. In cooperation with Terre des Hommes, ChildFund is supporting a local partner, providing children and families with friendly spaces and psychosocial support. In the child friendly spaces children can play and parents can change their babies’ diapers and receive counselling in both practical matters, and how they can protect their children from danger such as getting lost along the road…

The Elders [to 20 February 2016]
http://theelders.org/news-media

.
News 15 February 2016
The Elders statement on the death of Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1922-2016)
The Elders extend their deepest condolences to the family of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former UN Secretary-General.

.

News Lakhdar Brahimi 15 February 2016
Syria: time to put an immediate halt to all the fighting
As the violence engulfing Syria continues, veteran mediator and former UN Special Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi calls on all parties to end the violence, prioritise the needs of the Syrian people and for European governments to agree a coordinated response to the refugee crisis.

Global Fund [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.theglobalfund.org/en/news/

.
17 February 2016
Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Global Fund Strengthen Partnership
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Iyad Ameen Madani, praised the support that the Global Fund extends to the member states of the OIC.
At a meeting with senior representatives of the Global Fund on 16 February, the Secretary General stressed that the OIC will continue to support the Global Fund’s efforts…

…The Global Fund is a major supporter of health efforts in OIC member states. Today, 50 of the 57 OIC member states are implementing programs supported by the Global Fund to fight diseases and build resilient and sustainable systems for health.

With US$11.3 billion signed in grants, 2.7 million people are currently receiving treatment for HIV, 5.3 million cases of TB have been detected and treated, 320 million mosquito nets have been distributed to prevent malaria and 1.6 million orphans and vulnerable children are receiving basic care and support services.

Hilton Prize Coalition [to 20 February 2016]
http://prizecoalition.charity.org/
An Alliance of Hilton Prize Recipients

.
Part 2 of the Storytelling Series in Nepal: Crew
Posted February 18, 2016 ·
Photojournalist and documentary filmmaker Steve Connors serves as the Master Storyteller for the Hilton Prize Coalition Storytelling Program. He is traveling throughout Nepal this month to capture the experiences of the six Coalition member organizations who mobilized in response to the devastating earthquakes of 2015 – and share stories about their staff and personnel, the individuals […]

Center for Global Development [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.cgdev.org/page/press-center
Selected Press Releases, Blog Posts, Publications

.
Middle-Class Heroes: The Best Guarantee of Good Governance
2/16/16
Nancy Birdsall
The two economic developments that have garnered the most attention in recent years are the concentration of massive wealth in the richest one percent of the world’s population and the tremendous, growth-driven decline in extreme poverty in the developing world, especially in China. But just as important has been the emergence of large middle classes in developing countries around the planet. This phenomenon—the result of more than two decades of nearly continuous fast-paced global economic growth—has been good not only for economies but also for governance. After all, history suggests that a large and secure middle class is a solid foundation on which to build and sustain an effective, democratic state. Middle classes not only have the wherewithal to finance vital services such as roads and public education through taxes; they also demand regulations, the fair enforcement of contracts, and the rule of law more generally—public goods that create a level social and economic playing field on which all can prosper.

.

Next Generation Financing for Global Health: What, Why, When, How?
2/16/16
Amanda Glassman and Rachel Silverman
Many researchers and policymakers have hypothesized that funding models tying grant payments to achieved and verified results — next generation financing models — offer an opportunity for global health funders to push forward their strategic interests and accelerate the impact of their investments. This brief, summarizing the conclusions of a CGD working group on the topic, outlines concrete steps global health funders can take to change the basis of payment of their grants from expenses (inputs) to outputs, outcomes, or impact.

ODI [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.odi.org/media

.
News | 17 February 2016
Anti-migration policies do not stop people making the decision to migrate to Europe – new report
New research from the Overseas Development Institute suggests European anti-migration policies have limited impact on a migrant’s decision to embark on dangerous, lengthy and expensive journeys in search of a better life

Budget support to Uganda 1998-2012: a review
Briefing papers | February 2016 | Tim Williamson, Fiona Davies, Imran Aziz, Edward Hedger
This paper provides a critical appraisal of the suspended budget support programme in Uganda, highlighting important lessons for the donor community.

Climate resilience and financial services
Working and discussion papers | February 2016 | Anna Haworth, Camille Frandon-Martinez, Virginie Fayolle and Catherine Simonet
This BRACED working paper provides a high-level overview of the context and structure of the financial services sector in three BRACED countries; Ethiopia, Mali and Myanmar.

The political economy of voter engagement in Niger
Research reports and studies | February 2016 | Aoife McCullough, Abdoutan Harouna and Hamani Oumarou with Yaye Djingarey Zaratou Idi Mamadou, Maman Noura, Sadjo Aissa and Abdouramane Magagi Kabo
Based on research carried out in three regions of Niger, this briefing explores how political parties and candidates engage with Nigerien voters.

Collective action and the deployment of teachers in Niger: a political economy analysis
Research reports and studies | February 2016 | Clare Cummings and Ali Bako M. Tahirou with Hamissou Rhissa, Falmata Hamed, Hamadou Goumey, and Idi Mahamadou Mamane Noura
This briefing paper explores causes of inequitable teacher deployment in Niger and asks whether collective action might be the solution.

What is impact?
Working and discussion papers | February 2016 | Simon Hearn and Anne Buffardi
How ‘impact’ is defined and used has a significant effect on the design, management and evaluation of development programmes.

Aga Khan Foundation [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.akdn.org/pr.asp

.
12 February 2016
Reducing Risk and Preparing Communities for Disasters in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan Republics of Central Asia
– Hazard Vulnerability and Risk Assessments (HVRAs) have been completed in 339 villages in GBAO and Naryn town, reaching approximately 400,000 individuals and 139 organizations, through the DIPECHO project “Fostering Disaster Resilient Communities in Isolated Mountain Environments”…

…The eighth phase of the project has been successfully completed, which stems from an agreement between the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department (ECHO) under the auspices of its Disaster Preparedness Program (DIPECHO) and Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) United Kingdom. The ninth phase of the project is due to commence in February 2016.

FOCUS, MSDSP and AKF through the DIPECHO project reduces risk, develops sustainable solutions and promotes widespread systemic changes in risk reduction policy making at the local and national levels in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Strengthening the capacity of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and educational institutions increases the ability to assess and prepare for natural hazards and to respond more effectively to emergencies.

Conrad N. Hilton Foundation [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.hiltonfoundation.org/news

.
New Release
Continuing our Commitment to Ending Homelessness: Board Approves Phase II of Strategic Initiative
By Andrea Iloulian, February 17, 2016

Over the past 25 years, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation has supported efforts to end long-term homelessness across the nation. We have sought to advance compassionate and cost-effective solutions to homelessness, awarding more than $90 million in grants—primarily by advancing the permanent supportive housing model since 1990.

At the close of 2015, our board approved the second phase of our strategy—an additional five-year commitment to begin in January 2016…

MacArthur Foundation [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.macfound.org/

.
Publication
Fewer Women Ages 65 and Over Living Alone
Published February 18, 2016
A report by the Pew Research Center, conducted in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation Research Network on an Aging Society, finds the share of older Americans who live alone has fallen 3% since 1990, largely because women ages 65 to 84 are increasingly likely to live with their spouse or their children. The report attributes this trend to an increase in life expectancy, especially among men, which has made it more likely that older women would be living with their spouses rather than as widows.

.

Publication
$18M in Grants to Advance Public Interest Technology
Published February 16, 2016
In a joint commitment to uncover new ways the Internet can be used to foster learning and promote justice, MacArthur and the Ford, Knight, Open Society, and Mozilla foundations have committed a combined $18M in grants to strengthen the emerging field of public interest technology. The grants will support a range of initiatives from fellowships that bring technology into journalism, science, and public policy, to a program that partners with civil society and government organizations to explore how technologies impact civil liberties, civil rights, and consumer protection matters. The NetGain partners also released their first report detailing opportunities and best practices for others to join the movement to build and expand public interest technology.

Pew Charitable Trusts [to 20 February 2016]
http://www.pewtrusts.org/en/about/news-room/press-releases

.
Statement
Pew Applauds Designation of National Monuments in California Desert
‘Momentous action’ protects the Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains regions
February 12, 2016
Note: On Feb. 12, 2016, President Barack Obama designated three new national monuments in the California desert, encompassing nearly 1.8 million acres.
WASHINGTON—The Pew Charitable Trusts today praised the Obama administration’s designation of three new national monuments in the California desert: Mojave Trails, along historic Route 66 between Needles and Barstow; Sand to Snow, northwest of Palm Springs; and Castle Mountains, on the Nevada border south of Las Vegas. Mojave Trails is the largest land monument designated by President Barack Obama.

Mike Matz, director of Pew’s U.S. public lands program, released the following statement:
“President Obama’s designation of the most expansive national monuments of his administration is a momentous action with positive implications for local economies, threatened historic and cultural areas, and migrating wildlife. We applaud the president’s thoughtful use of authority granted to him by Congress under the Antiquities Act to safeguard Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains…

.

Opinion
The Transparency That Public Pensions Need
Pension investments are increasingly complex, but disclosure standards have not kept pace
February 16, 2016

American Journal of Public Health
Volume 106, Issue 3 (March 2016)
http://ajph.aphapublications.org/toc/ajph/current

.
AJPH LAW & ETHICS
EBOLA VACCINE
Ethical Rationale for the Ebola “Ring Vaccination” Trial Design
Annette Rid, Franklin G. Miller
American Journal of Public Health: March 2016, Vol. 106, No. 3: 432–435.
Abstract |
The 2014 Ebola virus epidemic is the largest and most severe ever recorded. With no approved vaccines or specific treatments for Ebola, clinical trials were launched within months of the epidemic in an unprecedented show of global partnership. One of these trials used a highly innovative “ring vaccination” design. The design was chosen for operational, scientific, and ethical reasons—in particular, it was regarded as ethically superior to individually randomized placebo-controlled trials.

We scrutinize the ethical rationale for the ring vaccination design. We argue that the ring vaccination design is ethical but fundamentally equivalent to placebo-controlled designs with respect to withholding a potentially effective intervention from the control group.
We discuss the implications for the ongoing ring vaccination trial and future research.