PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
http://www.plosntds.org/
(Accessed 18 July 2015)

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Human Onchocerciasis: Modelling the Potential Long-term Consequences of a Vaccination Programme
Hugo C. Turner, Martin Walker, Sara Lustigman, David W. Taylor, María-Gloria Basáñez Research Article | published 17 Jul 2015 | PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003938
Abstract
Background
Currently, the predominant onchocerciasis control strategy in Africa is annual mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin. However, there is a consensus among the global health community, supported by mathematical modelling, that onchocerciasis in Africa will not be eliminated within proposed time frameworks in all endemic foci with only annual MDA, and novel and alternative strategies are urgently needed. Furthermore, use of MDA with ivermectin is already compromised in large areas of central Africa co-endemic with Loa loa, and there are areas where suboptimal or atypical responses to ivermectin have been documented. An onchocerciasis vaccine would be highly advantageous in these areas.
Methodology/Principal Findings
We used a previously developed onchocerciasis transmission model (EPIONCHO) to investigate the impact of vaccination in areas where loiasis and onchocerciasis are co-endemic and ivermectin is contraindicated. We also explore the potential influence of a vaccination programme on infection resurgence in areas where local elimination has been successfully achieved. Based on the age range included in the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), the vaccine was assumed to target 1 to 5 year olds. Our modelling results indicate that the deployment of an onchocerciasis vaccine would have a beneficial impact in onchocerciasis–loiasis co-endemic areas, markedly reducing microfilarial load in the young (under 20 yr) age groups.
Conclusions/Significance
An onchocerciasis prophylactic vaccine would reduce the onchocerciasis disease burden in populations where ivermectin cannot be administered safely. Moreover, a vaccine could substantially decrease the chance of re-emergence of Onchocerca volvulus infection in areas where it is deemed that MDA with ivermectin can be stopped. Therefore, a vaccine would protect the substantial investments made by present and past onchocerciasis control programmes, decreasing the chance of disease recrudescence and offering an important additional tool to mitigate the potentially devastating impact of emerging ivermectin resistance.

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Author Summary
Novel and alternative strategies are required to meet the demanding control and elimination (of infection) goals for human onchocerciasis (river blindness) in Africa. Due to the overlapping distribution of onchocerciasis and loiasis (African eye worm) in forested areas of central Africa, millions of people living in such areas are not well served by current interventions because they cannot safely receive the antiparasitic drug ivermectin that is distributed en masse to treat onchocerciasis elsewhere in Africa. The Onchocerciasis Vaccine for Africa—TOVA—Initiative has been established to develop and trial an onchocerciasis vaccine. We model the potential impact of a hypothetical childhood vaccination programme rolled out in areas where co-endemicity of onchocerciasis and African eye worm makes mass distribution of ivermectin difficult and potentially unsafe for treating, controlling and eliminating river blindness. We find that, 15 years into the programme, a vaccine would substantially reduce infection levels in children and young adults, protecting them from the morbidity and mortality associated with onchocerciasis. Most benefit would be reaped from a long-lived vaccine, even if only partially protective. We also discuss how a vaccine could substantially reduce the risk of re-emergence of onchocerciasis in areas freed from infection after years of successful intervention.

PLoS One
http://www.plosone.org/
[Accessed 18 July 2015]

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Tuberculous Meningitis in Children and Adults: A 10-Year Retrospective Comparative Analysis
Egidia G. Miftode, Olivia S. Dorneanu, Daniela A. Leca, Gabriela Juganariu, Andra Teodor, Mihnea Hurmuzache, Eduard V. Nastase, Dana T. Anton-Paduraru
Research Article | published 17 Jul 2015 | PLOS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0133477

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Acceptability and Feasibility of Delivering Pentavalent Vaccines in a Compact, Prefilled, Autodisable Device in Vietnam and Senegal
Elise Guillermet, Hamadou M. Dicko, Le Thi Phuong Mai, Mamadou N’Diaye, Fatoumata Hane, Seydina Ousmane Ba, Khadidjatou Gomis, Nguyen Thi Thi Tho, Nguyen Thi Phuong Lien, Phan Dang Than, Tran Van Dinh, Philippe Jaillard, Bradford D. Gessner, Anais Colombini
Research Article | published 17 Jul 2015 | PLOS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0132292

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The French Connection: The First Large Population-Based Contact Survey in France Relevant for the Spread of Infectious Diseases
Guillaume Béraud, Sabine Kazmercziak, Philippe Beutels, Daniel Levy-Bruhl, Xavier Lenne, Nathalie Mielcarek, Yazdan Yazdanpanah, Pierre-Yves Boëlle, Niel Hens, Benoit Dervaux
Research Article | published 15 Jul 2015 | PLOS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0133203

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Do Maternal Living Arrangements Influence the Vaccination Status of Children Age 12–23 Months? A Data Analysis of Demographic Health Surveys 2010–11 from Zimbabwe
Rodolfo Rossi
Research Article | published 13 Jul 2015 | PLOS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0132357

Risk Analysis
June 2015 Volume 35, Issue 6 Pages 961–1186
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/risa.2015.35.issue-5/issuetoc

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Special Issue: Special Series on Research Synthesis Methods: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach
Introduction to the Special Series on Research Synthesis: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach (pages 963–970)
Lisa A. Robinson and James K. Hammitt
Article first published online: 17 JUN 2015 | DOI: 10.1111/risa.12437
Abstract
To estimate the effects of a policy change, analysts must often rely on available data as time and resource constraints limit their ability to commission new primary research. Research synthesis methods—including systematic review, meta-analysis, and expert elicitation—play an important role in ensuring that this evidence is appropriately weighed and considered. We present the conclusions of a multidisciplinary Harvard Center for Risk Analysis project that evaluated and applied these methods, and introduce the resulting series of articles. The first step in any analysis is to clearly define the problem to be addressed; the second is a systematic review of the literature. Whether additional analysis is needed depends on the quality and relevance of the available data to the policy question, and the likely effect of uncertainty on the policy decision. Meta-analysis promotes understanding the variation between studies and may be used to combine the estimates to develop values for application in policy analysis. Formal, structured expert elicitation promotes careful consideration of the evidence when data are limited or inconsistent, and aids in extrapolating to the policy context. Regardless of the methods used, clear communication of the approach, assumptions, and uncertainty is essential.

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Macroeconomics of Natural Disasters: Strengths and Weaknesses of Meta-Analysis Versus Review of Literature (pages 1050–1072)
Peter A. G. van Bergeijk and Sara Lazzaroni
Article first published online: 6 APR 2015 | DOI: 10.1111/risa.12372

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Research Synthesis and the Value per Statistical Life (pages 1086–1100)
Lisa A. Robinson and James K. Hammitt
Article first published online: 7 APR 2015 | DOI: 10.1111/risa.12366

Science
17 July 2015 vol 349, issue 6245, pages 209-340
http://www.sciencemag.org/current.dtl

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Policy Forum
Global Nutrition
Metrics for land-scarce agriculture
Ruth DeFries1,*, Jessica Fanzo2, Roseline Remans3,4, Cheryl Palm3, Stephen Wood1,3,
Tal L. Anderman5
Author Affiliations
1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
2Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
3Agriculture and Food Security Center, The Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
4Bioversity International, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
5Environmental Defense Fund, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Summary
Over the past half-century, the paradigm for agricultural development has been to maximize yields through intensifying production, particularly for cereal crops (1). Increasing production of high-yielding cereals—wheat, rice, and maize—has replaced more nutrient-rich cereals, which has eroded the content of essential dietary nutrients in the world’s cereal supply. New approaches are needed to produce healthy foods, rich in essential nutrients, with efficient use of land. Standard yield metrics that measure the quantity of production are inadequate to assess progress toward this goal; thus, we propose alternative metrics of nutritional yields.

Stability: International Journal of Security & Development
http://www.stabilityjournal.org/articles
[accessed 18 July 2015]

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Research Article
The Security Gap in Syria: Individual and Collective Security in ‘Rebel-held’ Territories
Ali Ali
Abstract
This paper examines security in Syria through the conceptual lens of the security gap, understood as the gap between security practices and objectives which have implications for individual and collective security. Practices of security can be the state apparatus, the military, and militias. The objective – safety – can refer to the safety or security of a range of collectives including the state, political parties, and ethnic groups, while individual security refers to the general safety of inhabitants and the protection of human rights. This paper compares the security situation in so-called ‘rebel-held’ areas of Syria where alternative governance structures have emerged, examining the security approaches of Local Administrative Councils and Rebel Councils in Deir Azzor, Manbij, Dera, and areas dominated by the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD). It argues that security and safety are strongly influenced by authority formation and the nature of deals and relationships involved in the formation of these nascent authorities. It also argues that security in these areas is strongly influenced by the Syrian government, which disrupts collectives that threaten its own collective security while giving limited support to those which serve its agenda of retaining power. It also demonstrates the limited utility of the ‘regime’ vs. ‘rebel-held’ dichotomy, as rebel groups at times must accommodate the Syrian state in limited ways for instrumental purposes. The article is based on fieldwork conducted in Turkey in 2013–2014, interviews conducted in 2015, and secondary sources based on field research.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/sta.gd

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Research Article
Does Security Imply Safety? On the (Lack of) Correlation Between Different Aspects of Security
Anouk Rigterink
Abstract
This paper investigates to what extent different aspects of security correlate. It distinguishes four concepts covered by the term ‘security’: technical safety, perceived safety, technical security and perceived security. It is shown that these concepts need not correlate conceptually. Furthermore, the paper shows empirically that these concepts correlate weakly in two cases. This has implications for policy and research. First, it leaves open the possibility that interventions targeting one aspect of security do not affect, or even adversely affect, another aspect of security: an expression of a security gap. Second, research is commonly motivated by individual-level arguments relating to safety, whilst relying on aggregate indicators more likely capturing security.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5334/sta.fw

Vulnerable Children and Youth Studies
An International Interdisciplinary Journal for Research, Policy and Care
Volume 10, Issue 3, 2015
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/rvch20/current#.Uzg2bFcWNdc

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Original Articles
Migration as a risk factor for school dropout amongst children made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS: a prospective study in eastern Zimbabwe
Erica L. Pufall, Constance Nyamukapa, Laura Robertson, Paradzai George Mushore, Albert Takaruza & Simon Gregson
pages 179-191
Open access
DOI:10.1080/17450128.2015.1034799

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Perceived social support of HIV/AIDS orphans: a review
Shikha Verma & Swaran Lata
pages 243-256
DOI:10.1080/17450128.2015.1054455

The Sentinel

Human Rights Action :: Humanitarian Response :: Health ::
Holistic Development :: Sustainable Resilience
__________________________________________________
Week ending 11 July 2015

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 11 July 2015

blog edition: comprised of the 35+ entries to be posted below on 12 July 2015

earlier pdf editions archived here

American Psychological Association (APA) – US Defense Department Interrogation Techniques/Torture

Press Release and Recommended Actions: Independent Review Cites Collusion Among APA Individuals and Defense Department Officials in Policy on Interrogation Techniques
APA Apologizes for “Deeply Disturbing” Findings and Organizational Failures; Announces Initial Policy and Procedural Actions to Correct Shortcomings

July 10, 2015 WASHINGTON — The American Psychological Association (APA) today announced an initial series of policy and procedural steps in response to findings of individual collusion and organizational failures in the group’s activities related to the Bush Administration’s war on terror.

The actions come as the APA released a 542-page report produced by attorney David Hoffman, of the Sidley Austin law firm, detailing the relationship between various activities of the APA and Bush Administration policies on interrogation techniques. Mr. Hoffman was retained by the APA Board of Directors last November to conduct a thorough and independent review, and the APA cooperated fully during the eight-month process.

“The Hoffman report contains deeply disturbing findings that reveal previously unknown and troubling instances of collusion,” said Dr. Susan McDaniel, a member of the Independent Review’s Special Committee. “The process by which the Presidential Task Force on Psychological Ethics and National Security (PENS) was created, the composition of the membership, the content of the PENS report and the subsequent activities related to the report were influenced by collusion between a small group of APA representatives and government officials.”

The Hoffman report states that the intent of the individuals who participated in the collusion was to “curry favor” with the Defense Department, and that may have enabled the government’s use of abusive interrogation techniques. As a result, the 2005 PENS report became a document based at least as much on the desires of the DoD as on the needs of the psychology profession and the APA’s commitment to human rights.

“Our internal checks and balances failed to detect the collusion, or properly acknowledge a significant conflict of interest, nor did they provide meaningful field guidance for psychologists,” said Dr. Nadine Kaslow, chair of the Independent Review’s Special Committee. “The organization’s intent was not to enable abusive interrogation techniques or contribute to violations of human rights, but that may have been the result.

“The actions, policies and the lack of independence from government influence described in the Hoffman report represented a failure to live up to our core values. We profoundly regret, and apologize for, the behavior and the consequences that ensued. Our members, our profession and our organization expected, and deserved, better.”

In response to the Hoffman report, the Board initiated several actions and made additional recommendations to the APA’s governing Council of Representatives…
Summary of actions outlined in full release here

Report of the Independent Reviewer and Related Materials
The APA Board of Directors engaged attorney David Hoffman of the law firm Sidley Austin in November 2014 to conduct an independent review of whether there was any factual support for the assertion that APA engaged in activity that would constitute collusion with the Bush administration to promote, support or facilitate the use of “enhanced” interrogation techniques by the United States in the war on terror. Following is a link to the complete, unedited independent review.
Report of the independent reviewer (PDF, 2.62MB :: 566 pages0

SDGs / Sustainable Development Goals

Editor’s Note:
Key milestones were reached in the SDG process last week. The first is the release of the “final draft” of the SDG agenda for adoption in September by the United Nations which specifies 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets and recent amendments to some targets. The other is the convening of the High-level Political Forum [HLPF] on Sustainable Development which will provide political oversight to the SDG process overall over its 15-year term. Running in parallel was a high-level ministerial meeting also considering SDG themes and issues.

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Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Global Action (Final draft of the outcome document for the UN Summit to adopt the Post-2015 Development Agenda)
8 July 2015 :: 33 pages
Preamble
This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity that also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. All countries acting in collaborative partnership will implement the plan. We are resolved to free the human race from the tyranny of poverty and want and to heal and secure our planet for present and future generations. We are determined to take the bold and transformative steps needed to shift the world on to a sustainable path. As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 targets which we are announcing demonstrate the scale and ambition of the new Agenda. They will stimulate action over the next fifteen years in the following areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet:

People
We want to ensure that all human beings can fulfil their potential. We want to end poverty in all its forms; end hunger and malnutrition; promote human dignity; combat inequalities in and between countries; achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls; ensure quality education, water and sanitation and a healthy life for all; and secure the participation of all people and groups, including children, in the realization of the new Goals and targets.

Planet
We must respect and safeguard our common home. We want to protect the planet so that it can support the needs of present and future generations. We will conserve and sustainably use our oceans and seas; fight climate change; protect and restore ecosystems; combat desertification, land degradation and biodiversity loss; promote safe and inclusive cities and human settlements; and promote disaster risk reduction.

Prosperity
We want all human beings to enjoy the fruits of economic, social and technological progress and live productive and fulfilling lives. We want to ensure sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth; promote decent work and employment for all; foster shared prosperity and sustainable lifestyles worldwide; promote sustainable industrialization, agriculture and infrastructure; and ensure access to affordable modern energy services.

Peace
All people yearn to live in peaceful and harmonious societies, free from fear and violence. We want to foster peaceful, safe and inclusive societies; to strengthen governance and institutions at all levels; to ensure equal access to justice; and to protect the human rights of all men, women, boys and girls.

Partnership
We want to create an effective Global Partnership for Sustainable Development which will embrace all countries and stakeholders. The Global Partnership will mobilize the means required for implementation of the Agenda, acting in a spirit of strengthened global solidarity and supporting, in particular, the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable.

If we realize our ambitions in these areas and across the full extent of the new Agenda, the lives of millions of human beings will be profoundly altered and our world will be transformed for the better….

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At Closing of Economic and Social Council High-level Segment, Secretary-General Urges Stakeholders to End Poverty, Build Sustainable World for All
10 July 2015
ECOSOC/6714
The 2015 high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council concluded today with interactive national voluntary presentations and a thematic discussion on ways of strengthening and building institutions for policy integration in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, capping week-long deliberations that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said had helped to outline how the forum could organize its work, keep track of progress and bolster implementation.

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Concluding Session High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Adopts Declaration of Commitment to Ambitious People-centred Post-2015 Agenda
8 Jul 2015 – The High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development closed its eight-day annual session today with the adoption of a declaration that committed ministers from around the world to establishing a “strong, universal, ambitious, inclusive and people-centred” post-2015 development agenda that completed the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals and responded to new challenges.

Through the text, Forum ministers welcomed what had been achieved through the Millennium Goals, which had set out a common vision and contributed to “significant and substantial advances” in several areas. They requested the President of the Economic and Social Council to issue summaries of discussions in the Forum and in the Council’s high-level segment, which runs until 10 July, to the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, which convenes from 13 to 16 July in Addis Ababa.

“Our meeting was convened under a heightened mindfulness of the forthcoming post-2015 development agenda,” said Council Vice-President Mohamed Khaled Khiari (Tunisia) in closing remarks, the most ambitious one yet at the United Nations. Delegates had covered much ground, with substantive and practical deliberations on how to make the Forum fit for supporting implementation of the new agenda.

Throughout the session, he said, debates had shown that the Forum could be what Heads of State and Government attending the 2012 Rio+20 Conference had envisioned: one that provided leadership and political guidance, brought enhanced coherence to the institutional framework for sustainable development, served as the apex of follow-up and review of the new agenda, and offered a strengthened science-policy interface. “We will need to continue these discussions so we can hit the ground running,” he said, noting that several participants had suggested elaborating a road map to prepare the Forum for delivering on its role as soon as the agenda was adopted.

The declaration capped a day that featured the Forum’s adoption of its 2015 report, as well as two panel discussions. In the first — on “Reviewing and monitoring progress: What have we learned and how can it advance implementation?” — delegates weighed how national reviews to be conducted by the Forum starting in 2016 could best advance implementation of the sustainable development goals, with many advocating that existing review mechanisms be used to maximize impact. The second, on “Realizing the sustainable development goals: Matching ambitions with commensurate means of implementation — resources, technology and capacities”, focused on financing, trade, debt sustainability and capacity-building as ways to advance the new agenda…

[Editor’s Note: The text of declaration referenced above is not evident on website]

International Financial Institutions Announce $400 Billion to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals
PRESS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, July 10, 2015—The multilateral development banks (MDBs) and IMF today signaled plans to extend more than $400 billion in financing over the next three years and vowed to work more closely with private and public sector partners to help mobilize the resources needed to meet the historic challenge of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The institutions—the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank Group (referred to as the MDBs), and the International Monetary Fund—announced their plans in the lead-up to the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, July 13-16.

The SDGs are ambitious and demand equal ambition in using the “billions” of dollars in current flows of official development assistance (ODA) and all available resources to attract, leverage and mobilize “trillions” in investments of all kinds—public and private, national and global.

ODA, estimated at $135 billion a year, provides a fundamental source of financing, especially in the poorest and most fragile countries. But more is needed. Investment needs in infrastructure alone reach up to $1.5 trillion a year in emerging and developing countries. Meeting the staggering but achievable needs of the SDG agenda requires everyone to make the best use of each dollar from every source, and draw in and increase public and private investment. The MDBs—the engines of development finance—are looking to a range of options for scaling up.

MDB development finance has grown from $50 billion in 2001 to $127 billion in 2015. For each dollar invested by its shareholders, MDBs are able to commit $2-5 in new financing each year. The MDBs’ own direct private sector investments have increased fourfold over this period. They mobilize an additional $2-5 in private investment for every dollar they invest directly in private sector operations. The vow to increase their contribution to more than $400 billion over the next three years reflects in part efforts to make even better use of their balance sheets.

Additional steps to leverage more resources include the development of new approaches and tools to help developing countries play a stronger role in harnessing national resources. The MDBs and the IMF are partnering with countries on, for example, the introduction of a new toolkit to assess and improve tax policies and expanding instruments such as e-procurement to achieve better government spending.

Increasing external resource flows to developing countries for investment is essential to achieving the SDGs—but these flows can be expected to materialize only in circumstances where countries have coherent development strategies consistent with maintaining macroeconomic stability while also ensuring the delivery of key public sector services and a business environment supportive of growth.

Through their policy advice and technical assistance, the MDBs and IMF support countries in designing economic policies to achieve these objectives; through MDB policy support loans and IMF-supported programs, these institutions provide general financial support towards meeting budgetary and balance of payments needs.

The private sector is playing an increasing role in financing goods, services and infrastructure. The MDBs are committed to engaging differently with private sector partners on a wide range of interventions, including connecting investors with opportunities, helping countries make investments more attractive, and building local financial markets.

The MDBs are also partnering with others to develop innovative financing approaches to support global needs, such as health and climate, building on extensive work already underway.

Achieving Zero Hunger: The critical role of investments in social protection and agriculture
FAO, IFAD and WFP
ROME, FAO 2015 :: 56 pages
PDF: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i4777e.pdf

Press Release
Achieving Zero Hunger: Combining social protection with pro-poor investments
An additional $160 per year for each person living in extreme poverty will end chronic hunger new UN estimates show
10 July 2015, Rome – Eradicating world hunger sustainably by 2030 will require an estimated additional $267 billion per year on average for investments in rural and urban areas and in social protection, so poor people have access to food and can improve their livelihoods, a new UN report says. This would average $160 annually for each person living in extreme poverty over the 15 year period.

Prepared by FAO, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the report, which was presented in Rome today, comes ahead of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 13 – 16 July 2015.

The report notes that despite the progress made in recent decades, today nearly 800 million people, most of them in rural areas, still do not have enough food to eat.

Eliminating chronic undernourishment by 2030 is a key element of the proposed Sustainable Development Goal 2 of the new post-2015 agenda to be adopted by the international community later this year and is also at the heart of the Zero Hunger Challenge promoted by the UN Secretary-General.

“The message of the report is clear: if we adopt a “business as usual” approach, by 2030, we would still have more than 650 million people suffering from hunger. This is why we are championing an approach that combines social protection with additional targeted investments in rural development, agriculture and urban areas that will chiefly benefit the poor,” said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

“Our report estimates that this will require a total investment of some US$267 billion per year over the next 15 years. Given that this is more or less equivalent to 0.3 percent of the global GDP, I personally think it is a relatively small price to pay to end hunger,” Graziano da Silva added.

“This report helps us to see the magnitude of the challenge ahead of us, but we believe that we won’t see gains in reducing poverty and hunger unless we seriously invest in rural people,” said IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze.

“Given the right kind of tools and resources, small-scale agricultural producers and rural entrepreneurs can transform struggling communities into thriving places,” the IFAD President added.

“We need a dramatic shift in thinking to help the world’s poorest break the cycle of hunger and poverty by 2030. We cannot allow them to be left behind,” said WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin. “We must invest in the most vulnerable and ensure that they have the tools they need not only to overcome hunger, but to enhance their resources and capabilities.”

The report noted how the international community needs to build on the successful experiences of some countries that have effectively used a combination of investment and social protection to combat hunger and poverty in rural and urban areas.

In an advocacy note accompanying the report, the FAO, IFAD and WFP chiefs also noted that the Addis Ababa conference seeks to ensure that all countries, especially developing countries, have the means to implement national policies and programmes to achieve their development objectives, including the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.

Lifting people from below the poverty line and making this sustainable
According to the report, a “business as usual” approach would still leave some 650 million people hungry in 2030.

It contrasts this with a combined social protection and investment scenario whereby public funded transfers will be used to lift people out of chronic hunger by ensuring that they reach a US$1.25/day income which corresponds to the World Bank-determined poverty line level.

This social protection measure would cost an additional $116 billion per year – $75 billion for rural areas and $41 billion for urban areas. Some $151 billion in additional pro-poor investments – $105 billion for rural development and agriculture and $46 billion for urban areas – would also be required to stimulate income generation to the advantage of those living in poverty. The combination of social protection and investments brings the total to $267 billion.

Most of the investment would normally come from the private sector, especially farmers. However, private investments need to be complemented by additional public sector investments in rural infrastructure, transport, health and education.

In rural areas, pro-poor public investments could target small-scale irrigation and other infrastructure benefitting small holders. They could include measures such as food processing to reduce post-harvest waste and losses, as well as stronger institutional arrangements for land and water tenure, credit facilities, labour legislation, and other areas, to make farm and off-farm activities and markets accessible to marginalized groups, including women and young people.

In urban areas, the additional investments should ensure that people living in extreme poverty will eventually be able to provide for themselves. The investments could, for example, target capacity building to impart entrepreneurial and other skills, including craftsmanship, and ensure fair labour contracts, provide credit facilities, housing as well as nutrition-related services.

From social protection to production
Social protection in the form of cash transfers will eliminate hunger immediately, and will improve nutrition by allowing the poor to afford more diverse and thus healthier diets and also fight “hidden hunger” – micronutrient deficiencies, including the inadequate intake of vitamins, iron and other minerals.

Given their meagre means and assets, people living in extreme poverty are initially not expected to be able to invest much in productive activities. However, as they become more productive through investments, they will earn more, and also save and invest more, and thus further increase their earnings.

OECD Employment Outlook 2015
Published on July 09, 2015 :: 296 pages
The 2015 edition of the OECD Employment Outlook provides an in-depth review of recent labour market trends and short-term prospects in OECD countries.
Pdf: http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/deliver/8115141e.pdf?itemId=/content/book/empl_outlook-2015-en&mimeType=application/pdf

Press Release
Jobs outlook improving slowly but millions risk being trapped at bottom of economic ladder
9/7/2015 – The jobs recovery is slowly gathering pace, but employment will remain well below pre-crisis levels in many countries, especially in Europe, through to the end of 2016, according to a new OECD report.

The OECD Employment Outlook 2015 says that around 42 million people are currently without work across the OECD, down from 45 million in 2014 but still 10 million more than just before the crisis.

Unemployment in the 34 OECD countries is projected to continue declining over the next 18 months to reach 6.5% in the last quarter of 2016. It will remain above 20% in Greece and Spain.

“Time is running out to prevent the scars of the crisis becoming permanent, with millions of workers trapped at the bottom of the economic ladder,” said OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, launching the report in Paris. “If that happens, the long-run legacy of the crisis would be to ratchet inequality up yet another notch from levels that were already far too high.

Governments need to act now to avoid a permanent increase in the number of workers stuck in chronic joblessness or moving between unemployment and low-paid precarious jobs.”

The Outlook finds that long-term unemployment remains unacceptably high. More than one in three jobseekers in the OECD have been out of work for 12 months or more, equivalent to 15.7 million people. This is an increase of 77.2% since the end of 2007. More than half of these people have been without work for two years or more, and their chances of finding work again are shrinking.

The high and persistent youth joblessness level also remains a major concern. While levels have peaked in the worst hit countries of Southern Europe, youth unemployment remains above pre-crisis level in nearly every OECD country. The share of young people neither employed nor in education or training, the so-called NEETs, is still higher than in 2007 in more than three quarters of OECD countries among 20-24 year-olds and nearly two thirds of countries among 25-29 year-olds.

Moreover, the Outlook finds evidence that a person’s long-term career prospects are largely determined in the first ten years of working life. This suggests that many of the youth who finished school during the crisis and have struggled to find work since may find their future career opportunities limited.

The jobs mix has also shifted towards more part-time work, says the report. The share of workers employed part-time has risen from 18.6% before the crisis to 20.6% currently. It is highest in The Netherlands (51.7%), Switzerland (36.8%) and is more than 25% in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In many countries, people have chosen to work part-time, but in countries, such as Greece, Italy and Spain, many part-timers are looking for full-time jobs.

At the same time, the share of temporary employment has changed little since the start of the crisis. It fell sharply in the recession but has increased again during the recovery when many employers prefer to expand their workforce through temporary contracts.

Wage growth has slowed, falling from an annual 1.8% between 2000 and 2007 to 0.5% since. Wage restraint helped limit job losses during the recession and encourage a rebound in employment after, but slower wage growth and real declines in some countries has also reduced the incomes of many households, further contributing to economic hardship.

Policy makers should scale up efforts to assist jobseekers and, in particular, get the long-term unemployed and youth back into work, says the OECD. In some countries, re-employment and retraining programmes have borne too large a share of fiscal consolidation and more resources are required. Real expenditure on active labour market programmes per unemployed person fell between 2007 and 2013 by more than 50% in Ireland, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, and by over 40% in Australia.

Effective and efficient labour market institutions and policies, including effective public-private partnerships in the placement and training of job seekers, are essential to help motivate job-seekers, especially the long-term unemployed, improve their employability and expand their opportunities to be placed and retained in appropriate jobs.

Evidence presented in the Outlook shows that, when set at an appropriate level, minimum wages tend to have only a small adverse effect on employment and help raise living standards for low-earners. But minimum wages should be closely coordinated with the tax/benefit system to ensure that it results in higher disposable income for those that need it most.

EBOLA/EVD [to 11 July 2015]
Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC); “Threat to international peace and security” (UN Security Council)

Editor’s Note:
A number of key reports, recommendations, meetings and actions marked the past week in Ebola/EVD. In summary:
:: The weekly Ebola Situation Report – 8 July 2015 reported 30 new confirmed cases across the three affected countries, noting that “…significant challenges remain. A residual lack of trust in the response among some affected communities means that some cases still evade detection for too long, increasing the risk of further hidden transmission. The exportation of cases to densely populated urban areas such as Freetown and Conakry remains a risk, whilst the origin of the new cluster of cases in Liberia is not yet well understood…”

:: The IHR Emergency Committee held its sixth meeting, assessing the outbreak response and current status. The key result was that Committee recommended that the EVD outbreak “continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.”

:: The WHO-convened Ebola Interim Assessment Panel issued its report on the overall Ebola response, noting that it “… believes that this is a defining moment for the health of the global community. WHO must re-establish its pre-eminence as the guardian of global public health; this will require significant changes throughout WHO with the understanding that this includes both the Secretariat and the Member States [and] …The Ebola crisis not only exposed organizational failings in the functioning of WHO, but it also demonstrated shortcomings in the International Health Regulations (2005)…” The WHO issued a response to the report outlining a number of action items responding to the report and its recommendations.

:: The UN convened an International Ebola Recovery Conference in New York which ran 9-10 July 2015. The Conference was organized as a series of technical sessions focused on the continuing EVD response and post-outbreak recovery planning, with a concluding pledging meeting which generated commitments of several billion dollars.

:: GAVI announced support for rebuilding of immunisation programmes in Ebola-affected countries which were largely dormant during the Ebola response period, leaving “hundreds of thousands of children who either missed out or are at risk of missing out will now receive their vaccinations…”
Ebola Situation Report – 8 July 2015
[Excerpts]
SUMMARY
:: There were 30 confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) reported in the week to 5 July: 18 in Guinea, 3 in Liberia, and 9 in Sierra Leone. Although this is the highest weekly total since mid-May, improvements to case investigation and contact tracing, together with enhanced incentives to encourage case reporting and compliance with quarantine measures have led to a better understanding of chains of transmission than was the case a month ago. This, in turn, has resulted in a decreasing proportion of cases arising from as-yet unknown sources of infection (5 of 30 cases in the week to 5 July), particularly in previously problematic areas such as Boke and Forecariah in Guinea, and Kambia and Port Loko in Sierra Leone. However, significant challenges remain. A residual lack of trust in the response among some affected communities means that some cases still evade detection for too long, increasing the risk of further hidden transmission. The exportation of cases to densely populated urban areas such as Freetown and Conakry remains a risk, whilst the origin of the new cluster of cases in Liberia is not yet well understood…

COUNTRIES WITH WIDESPREAD AND INTENSE TRANSMISSION
:: There have been a total of 27,573 reported confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of EVD in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone (figure 1, table 1) up to 5 July, with 11,246 reported deaths (this total includes reported deaths among probable and suspected cases, although outcomes for many cases are unknown). A total of 18 new confirmed cases were reported in Guinea, 3 in Liberia, and 9 in Sierra Leone in the week to 5 July…
International community pledges more than five billion dollars to help recovery of Ebola-affected countries
10 Jul 2015
New York – The international community has pledged more than five billion dollars to support Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone in their efforts to recover from the devastating effects of Ebola, at a high level United Nations Conference in New York today (Friday).

Opening the International Ebola Recovery Conference United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “Together, let us jumpstart a robust recovery process over the next two years, and usher in a better future for generations to come.”

The Secretary-General was joined by the Presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and the Secretary-General of the Mano River Union, who were seeking international support as well as financial commitments for their national and regional recovery strategies over the next two years.

Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator, who chaired the Conference, said: “We have seen a very encouraging response today. The preliminary figure for funds announced today amount to $3.4 billion, taking the total resources pledged for the recovery of the Ebola-affected countries to around five billion dollars. The whole spirit of optimism around the conference and the willingness of partners to see this as a long-term endeavor is hugely encouraging.”

Dr. David Nabarro, the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Ebola, said: “This is a very promising moment. The amount pledged represents a tremendous springboard for recovery. Everyone today has stressed that the partnership we have for the response to the outbreak must be sustained in to the period of recovery. The world is going to stand by these countries as they recover and help them get back on the track of equitable economic and social development.”

The United Nations organized the International Ebola Recovery Conference in partnership with the African Union, European Union, the World Bank and the African Development Bank. A day of technical consultation on the recovery strategies on Thursday 9 July was followed by the high level event on 10 July, convened by the Secretary-General, and attended by the Chairperson of the African Union, the Presidents of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone and the Secretary-General of the Mano River Union.

United Nations – Secretary General, Security Council, General Assembly  [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.un.org/en/unpress/

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Selected Press Releases/Meetings Coverage
10 July 2015
SG/SM/16928
At Ebola Recovery Conference, Secretary-General Thanks Stakeholders, Urges Continued Action to Ensure Cases “Stay at Zero”
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the International Ebola Recovery Conference, in New York.

10 July 2015
ECOSOC/6714
At Closing of Economic and Social Council High-level Segment, Secretary-General Urges Stakeholders to End Poverty, Build Sustainable World for All
The 2015 high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council concluded today with interactive national voluntary presentations and a thematic discussion on ways of strengthening and building institutions for policy integration in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, capping week-long deliberations that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said had helped to outline how the forum could organize its work, keep track of progress and bolster implementation.

8 July 2015
ECOSOC/6712
Concluding Session, High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development Adopts Declaration of Commitment to Ambitious, People-centred Post-2015 Agenda
The High-level Political Forum for Sustainable Development closed its eight-day annual session today with the adoption of a declaration that committed ministers from around the world to establishing a “strong, universal, ambitious, inclusive and people-centred” post-2015 development agenda that completed the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals and responded to new challenges.

8 July 2015
SC/11961
At Meeting Commemorating Twentieth Anniversary of Srebrenica Killings, Security Council Fails to Adopt Resolution
During a meeting held to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of the massacres in Srebrenica, the Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have emphasized acceptance of those tragic events as genocide as a prerequisite for national reconciliation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

6 July 2015
GA/11661
Need to Eradicate Hunger, Not Associate Violent Extremism with Religion, Nationality, among Texts Adopted by General Assembly
The General Assembly today adopted a resolution reaffirming that violent extremism “cannot and should not” be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group, and underlining the importance of moderation as a value within societies for fostering tolerance and understanding.

UN OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/media.aspx?IsMediaPage=true

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UN human rights chief says China’s new security law is too broad, too vague
GENEVA (7 July 2015) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Tuesday expressed deep concern about the human rights implications of a new Law on National Security adopted by China on 1 July.

The new security law covers a large spectrum of issues, including environment, defence, finance, information technology, culture, ideology, education and religion. It also defines the meaning of national security extremely broadly: it is described as the condition in which the country’s government, sovereignty, unification, territorial integrity, well-being of its people, sustainable development of its economy and society and other major interests are relatively safe and not subject to internal and external threats.

“This law raises many concerns due to its extraordinarily broad scope coupled with the vagueness of its terminology and definitions,” High Commissioner Zeid said. “As a result, it leaves the door wide open to further restrictions of the rights and freedoms of Chinese citizens, and to even tighter control of civil society by the Chinese authorities than there is already.”

National security laws need to be sufficiently precise to enable individuals to foresee the consequences of their conduct as well as to safeguard against arbitrary or discriminatory enforcement by authorities. “The law should clearly and narrowly define what constitutes a threat to national security, and identify proper mechanisms to address such threats in a proportionate manner,” Zeid said…

UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/search?page=&comid=4a0950336&cid=49aea93a7d&scid=49aea93a40

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UNHCR: Total number of Syrian refugees exceeds four million for first time
9 July 2015
The number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria to neighbouring countries has now passed four million, confirming that crisis as the world’s single largest refugee crisis for almost a quarter of a century under UNHCR’s mandate.

New arrivals in Turkey and updated data from the Turkish authorities on refugees already in that country have taken the total number of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries to more than 4,013,000 people.

Furthermore, at least an additional 7.6 million people are displaced inside Syria – many of them in difficult circumstances and in locations that are difficult to reach.
“This is the biggest refugee population from a single conflict in a generation. It is a population that needs the support of the world but is instead living in dire conditions and sinking deeper into poverty,” said UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres.

Tragically, and with no end in sight to Syria’s war, now in its fifth year, the crisis is intensifying and the number of refugees are rising. The four million milestone comes barely 10 months since the total of three million was reached. At current rates, UNHCR expects the figure to reach around 4.27 million by the end of 2015.

“Worsening conditions are driving growing numbers towards Europe and further afield, but the overwhelming majority remain in the region,” Guterres added. “We cannot afford to let them and the communities hosting them slide further into desperation.”

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Kelly T. Clements becomes UN Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees
6 July 2015

UN OCHA [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.unocha.org/media-resources/press-releases

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10 Jul 2015
South Sudan: Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, Ahmed Warsame, on the occasion of South Sudan’s Fourth Celebration of Independence

09 Jul 2015
Pakistan: Meeting psychosocial needs of older IDPs

09 Jul 2015
Pakistan: ERF addresses shelter needs in communities devastated by monsoon floods

09 Jul 2015
Pakistan: ERF provided healthcare services through strengthened static centres and mobile outreach

09 Jul 2015
Pakistan: ERF prioritizes support for the disabled

09 Jul 2015
Pakistan: Education support to displaced children in Kohat

Pakistan ERF brings NWA displaced children into schools
09 Jul 2015

Pakistan: ERF-funded livestock support provides hope
09 Jul 2015

Syrian Arab Republic | Flash Report: Az-Zabdani – 7 July 2015
09 Jul 2015

Nepal : Customs delays and taxation of aid stall urgent relief efforts in Nepal
08 Jul 2015

UNICEF [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.unicef.org/media/media_78364.html

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Selected press release and news notes
Amid surging conflict in Yemen, UNICEF mobile teams respond to children’s urgent health needs
ADEN, Yemen, 10 July 2015 – With health services across Yemen disintegrating under the impact of a brutal conflict, UNICEF and its partners are stepping up nutrition screening, vaccinations and other life-saving interventions for millions of children caught up in the ongoing crisis.

Millions of children in Syria at high risk of disease amid water scarcity and summer heat
DAMASCUS, 10 July 2015 – Dwindling supplies of safe drinking water during Syria’s scorching summer months are exposing children to the threat of water-borne diseases, UNICEF warns.

Children’s lives at serious risk if DPR Korea drought continues, UNICEF warns
BANGKOK, 8 July 2015 – Children are already suffering as a result of drought in some parts of DPR Korea and many more may be at serious risk of malnutrition and disease if it continues, UNICEF warned today.

Children make up one fifth of cholera deaths in South Sudan: UNICEF
JUBA, South Sudan/NAIROBI, Kenya, 7 July 2015 – More than 700 cholera cases have been reported in Juba and Bor so far, resulting in 32 deaths – one in five of which are children under five, UNICEF said today. Stressing the role of education in stemming the cholera outbreak in South Sudan, the UN children’s agency is working with children and teachers throughout the country to raise awareness on how to prevent the disease from spreading further.

IOM / International Organization for Migration [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.iom.int/press-room/press-releases

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Selected Press Releases
Migrant Boat Arrivals in Europe Top 150,000 in 2015
07/10/15
Greece – IOM estimates that some 150,000 migrants have reached Europe by sea to date in 2015.

West African Migration Policy Study Launched
07/10/15
Senegal – IOM and ICMPD have launched a study of migration policies and practice in ECOWAS West African States.

Nigerian Civil Society, Government to Collaborate on Migration Policy Implementation
07/10/15
Nigeria – NCFRMI and IOM have awarded grants to four CSOs implementing Nigeria’s national migration policy and action plan.

EU, IOM Back Puntland Counter Trafficking Strategy Review
07/10/15
Somalia – IOM has organized a European Union (EU)-funded workshop with the Puntland Counter Trafficking Board (PCTB) to review an action plan and response strategy to address human trafficking in the Puntland State of Somalia.
The Djibouti meeting, which included representatives from nine ministries, identified key areas and its conclusions will be used to develop a first counter trafficking strategy document that can be replicated in the other regions of Somalia.
The strategic and operational priorities address the prevention of human trafficking, strengthening the capacity of law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers under a clear legal framework, and the protection of victims.

IOM Backs Mexican Information Campaign to Protect Migrants
07/10/15
Mexico – IOM is backing Te Acompañamos (We Go With You), a national information campaign to protect and empower migrants transiting through Mexico. The campaign, launched in Mexico City in March, saw State launches on June 29 in Oaxaca, 30 June in Tabasco and 2 July in Chiapas.

IOM Highlights Migration Health Risks in Central America
07/10/15
El Salvador – IOM this week took part in the Regional Dialogue on the Health of Migrants, hosted by the Ministry of Health of El Salvador (MINSAL), the Central American Council of Health Ministers (COMISCA) and the World Organization Health (PAHO/WHO).

Detained Youth: Study Probes Fate of Young Migrants, Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Libya
07/07/15
Libya – A new study reveals a consistent pattern of young migrants, refugees and asylum seekers held in Libya in arbitrary detention without any form of due process.

IOM Provides Relief Kits to Families in Northwest Pakistan
07/07/15
Pakistan – IOM is providing shelter and household items to vulnerable families affected by the complex emergency in Pakistan.

IOM Receives CAD 1 Million from Canada to Address Sexual, Gender-Based Violence in CAR
07/07/15
Central African Republic – IOM received CAD 1.024 M from the Government of Canada to support ongoing efforts to reduce the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence.

IOM and Uruguay Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Strengthen Migration Policy
07/07/15
Uruguay – Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), IOM and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay agreed to a series of joint activities that contribute to the development of the migration policy in the country.

ECOWAS, with Support from FMM West Africa Project, Holds Technical Meeting on Migration Data Management
07/07/15
Nigeria – IOM, through the European Union-funded project “Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa (FMM West Africa),” provided support to the ECOWAS Commission for a technical meeting on migration data management, from July 2 to July 3, 2015, in Abuja, Nigeria.

IOM Supports Private Sector to Target Irregular Migration Push Factors in Kosovo
07/07/15
Kosovo/UNSCR 1244 – IOM recently awarded nearly 3 million euros to local businesses with the aim of improving their productivity, competitiveness, export capability, innovation and ultimately foster Kosovo’s* overall economic growth.

New Platform Set to Improve Information Sharing on Migrant Smuggling by Sea
07/07/15
Switzerland – A new inter-agency platform for information sharing on migrant smuggling by sea has been launched on 6 July by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in order to better understand unsafe mixed migration by sea.

UN Women [to 11 July 2015]
http://www.unwomen.org/news/stories

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Selected Press Releases
Making UN Women “fit and funded for purpose”
Date : July 6, 2015
More than 40 governments voiced their support for UN Women and dozens announced new funding commitments during a special pledging event for the organization on 1 July, during the 2015 annual session of its Executive Board at UN Headquarters in New York.

UN Women introduces new discussion paper series featuring cutting-edge papers by leading feminist researchers
Date : July 6, 2015
What does it take to achieve gender equality and make women’s rights real? What kinds of policies are needed to make the economy work for women? How can we ensure that policies and programmes on sustainable development advance rather than constrain gender equality?