World Bank [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/all
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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Pacific Islands Prepare for a More Disaster Resilient Future
WASHINGTON, June 19, 2015 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved US$32.29 million in International Development Association (IDA) grants and credits to support the Pacific Resilience Program – a series of projects to strengthen Pacific Island countries’ resilience to natural disasters. The Pacific Resilience Program will initially provide assistance to Samoa, Tonga, Marshall Islands and Vanuatu, as well as the Secretariat of the Pacific Community and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. This assistance will strengthen early warning and preparedness; retrofit key public assets to meet international resilience standards; create a framework for smarter investment in resilience activities; and improve financial resilience by enabling access to an immediate injection of cash for post-disaster recovery…
Date: June 19, 2015 Type: Press Release

Asian Countries Are among Top Achievers on Sustainable Energy Progress
Manila – June 18, 2015 – Asian countries are making a vital contribution to achieving global sustainable energy goals, a new World Bank report finds. But while the region performs strongly on ensuring electricity access for people and using more modern renewable energy, there is room for further improvement on energy efficiency and access to clean, smoke-free cooking. The report is the second in a series that tracks the world’s progress toward the three goals of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative—universal energy access, doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency and doubling the share of renewable energy by 2030. While the first edition from 2013 measured progress between 1990 and 2010, this edition focuses on the 2010-2012 period. Asia accounted for about 60 percent of the global progress on energy access and clean energy objectives during 2010-2012—according to the report titled “Progress Toward Sustainable Energy: Global Tracking Framework 2…
Date: June 18, 2015 Type: Press Release

Statement by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on the Release of Pope Francis’ Encyclical
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2015—The World Bank Group today issued the following statement from World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on Pope Francis’ Encyclical: “Today’s release of Pope Francis’ first encyclical should serve as a stark reminder to all of us of the intrinsic link between climate change and poverty. We know the scientific, business and economic case for action to combat climate change and I welcome the Pope’s emphasis on our moral obligation to act. The impacts of climate change, including the increased frequency of extreme weather events, are most devastating for the unacceptably high number of people today living in extreme poverty. Over the past 30 years, disasters took the lives of more than 2.5 million people and resulted in almost US$4 trillion in damages. As the effects of climate change worsen, we know that escaping poverty will become even more difficult. Climate change also poses a direct risk to the hard-earned development gains over past decades…
Date: June 18, 2015 Type: Press Release

World Bank Approves US$500 Million to Support Fiscally Sustainable and Inclusive Economic Growth
Washington DC, June 18, 2015 ─ The World Bank Group approved the Development Policy Credit (DPC) worth US$ 500 million to boost economic growth through fostering private and financial sector development, and mobilizing revenue while expanding fiscal space to meet social needs. The Fiscally Sustainable and Inclusive Growth (FSIG-II) single-tranche policy credit is the second of a programmatic series of credits. The first credit addressed critical institutional and regulatory changes needed to jumpstart the reforms; whereas the second credit brings depth and sustainability to most actions of the first credit, while addressing new reforms on inclusion and governance. Under this program, the revenue mobilization actions address well-known structural weaknesses in Pakistan’s tax system, thereby creating fiscal space for priority social and development expenditures without raising tax rates, and lowering the government’s domestic borrowing needs…
Date: June 18, 2015 Type: Press Release

Aging in Europe and Central Asia – A Gray Tsunami or a Golden Era?
New World Bank report looks at both the challenges and opportunities of an aging population
VIENNA, June 17, 2015 – Societies are aging across Europe and Central Asia, but individuals are not – a demographic trend driven primarily by declining fertility rates rather than increased longevity, says the new World Bank report, Golden Aging: Prospects for Healthy, Active and Prosperous Aging in Europe and Central Asia. Launched today in Vienna at the Ministry of Finance, the report finds that the social and economic consequences of aging societies are complex and diverse – but not necessarily negative. The report identifies significant opportunities in a range of policy areas which, if fully seized, can help societies foster more active, healthy, and productive aging. In demographic terms, Europe and Central Asia is the oldest region in the world. In Central and Eastern Europe, the average age of the population is 10 years higher than the rest of the world…
Date: June 17, 2015 Type: Press Release

Multilateral Development Banks Provided $28 billion in Climate Finance in 2014
WASHINGTON, June 16, 2015—The world’s six large multilateral development banks (MDBs) delivered over US$28 billion in financing last year to help developing countries and emerging economies mitigate and adapt to the challenges of climate change. The latest figures bring total collective commitments of the past four years to more than US$100 billion. In 2014, the six banks together provided over US$23 billion dedicated to mitigation efforts and US$5 billion for adaptation work, according to the fourth joint report on MDB climate finance. The report reveals the important part the MDBs play in delivering development finance in a world shaped by climate change. It was prepared by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the World Bank Group (WBG)…
Date: June 16, 2015 Type: Press Release

IPU Inter-Parliamentary Union [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.ipu.org/english/news.htm

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Assessing progress on engaging parliaments on human rights
19 JUNE 2015
The discussion will take place on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council, currently in session in Geneva

Efforts to strengthen parliaments’ engagement on human rights will be examined next week in the latest measure to bridge the work of parliamentarians with that of the Human Rights Council. Diplomats, human rights officials and civil society representatives will meet on 22 June to assess what progress has been made on engaging parliaments in key UN processes and look at successful examples of parliamentary human rights work at an event held in parallel to the 29th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The meeting, organized by IPU and the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and supported by several countries (Romania, Philippines, Morocco, Uruguay and Ecuador), follows other similar events in recent years to enhance cooperation between parliaments, the Human Rights Council and its Universal Periodic Review of national human rights situations, national human rights institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The event will reinforce the significance of parliaments’ role in promoting human rights by passing laws, setting budgets, holding governments to account on human rights commitments and protecting the rights of all citizens. Since the adoption of a Human Rights Council resolution in June 2014 encouraging governments to promote the involvement of parliaments in all stages of the UPR and greater collaboration between IPU and OHCHR, a series of regional seminars were held in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America to inform and engage MPs on human rights and the work of the Human Rights Council.

Amref Health Africa [to 20 June 2015]
http://amref.org/news/news/

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Let’s Protect Children from the Injustice of Poor Health
Published: 15 June 2015
International Day of the African Child – May 16, 2015
Amref Health Africa joins the international community in commemorating the International Day of the African Child, marked every year on June 16. While on this day we remember the black children massacred in Soweto, South Africa in 1976 for demanding their right to quality education under the apartheid regime, it is also the day that the African Union has set aside to promote children’s rights in Africa.

Amref Health Africa recognises that just like in the Soweto incident, many children in Africa still face injustice and rights abuses in a number of ways. Of these, inability to access the right to health remains a big challenge. Poor health deprives African children of the right to life. One in six children born in sub-Saharan Africa do not live to their fifth birthdays.The region still has the highest child mortality rate in the world – 92 deaths per 1,000 live births, which is more than 15 times the average rate in developed regions. The major killers of African children are totally preventable, making every death an incidence of great injustice to the children and their families.

Under-nutrition is one of the major problems that severely affect African children. It is notable that malnutrition is an underlying cause of more than a third of deaths among children under five years in Africa, while about 30 per cent of African children are stunted as a result of insufficient or poorly balanced diets. This figure is much higher in marginalised and hard-to-reach communities.

Child marriage is an injustice that is sanctioned by many African communities. One in three girls in low and middle income countries is married off by the age of 18 years. Child marriage disrupts and stops education for girls and limits their access to future socio-economic opportunities. Child-bearing at such an early age puts them at risk of obstetric complications and death, notwithstanding the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

And then there is the problem of female genital cutting (FGC). It is estimated that 91.5 million females above nine years of age in Africa are currently living with the consequences of FGC, with another three million at risk of undergoing the cut every year. FGC continues to be practiced in various parts of the world and is a culturally and socially sanctioned gender subjugation effort that also undermines the health of girls and women.

These are just a few of the many injustices that the African child has to contend with. Amref Health Africa believes that socio-economic advancement will only be achieved if women and children are at the centre of development. Key to this is to ensure that the continental framework for human rights as it applies to women and children is upheld by governments, communities and individuals. For children this means access to all rights as stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Amref Health Africa is committed to supporting governments to address these injustices through multiple programmes, mostly in marginalised and hard-to-reach communities. In its endeavour to reduce child deaths, the organisation has supported governments to improve infrastructure and equip health facilities with life-saving medicines and equipment, trained health workers to provide quality services, and mobilised communities to adopt better health-seeking behaviour. The result has been an increase in proportions of safe deliveries, higher uptake of immunisation, and more effective care for sick children in communities and at health facilities.

By training mothers on the importance of breastfeeding, good weaning practices, use of locally available foods and use of fortified foods, more children have survived the risks of malnutrition.

On the issue of FGC, Amref Health Africa has developed the Alternative Rite of Passage model, a community-driven approach to eliminating FGC. The model has been used in Magadi, Loitokitok and Samburu counties of Kenya and Kilindini in Tanzania. Through this programme 7,000 girls have been spared the agony of FGC and have adopted an Alternative Rite of Passage with the support of their communities.

While this and other programmes across the continent are boosting progress in addressing the rights of children in African communities, a lot of work remains to be done. Amref Health Africa therefore urges all stakeholders to support and increase funding for initiatives aimed at assuring justice for the African child. This includes funding of life-saving commodities and equipment to improve the survival of children, more training of health workers on use of these commodities and equipment, and increased community education to encourage health-seeking behavior.

Adequacy and distribution of trained health workers, especially at the lowest level of health care, is an area that is still severely under-resourced. The situation is worse in the remote and hard to reach areas of the continent. Amref Health Africa asks governments to pay more attention to the issue of equity in access to care. National statistics on child health will only improve if children in all parts of our countries have equal access to life-saving health services.

Finally, Amref Health Africa calls for the full implementation of laws and policies that protect the welfare of children. Such laws criminalise child marriage and FGC. Law enforcers and community leaders should spearhead the implementation of such laws as a prerequisite to achieving rights for all children on the continent.

BRAC [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.brac.net/content/stay-informed-news#.VPstwC5nBhV

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The agriculture-nutrition linkage is crucial
[Undated]
Researchers, policymakers and implementers collectively stressed on the importance of agriculture in improving nutrition at the “Leveraging agriculture for nutrition in Bangladesh” research dissemination seminar held at BRAC Centre INN today. This knowledge sharing event was organised by BRAC as the Bangladesh partner of the Leveraging Agriculture for Nutrition in South Asia (LANSA), which is an international research consortium funded by the UK government’s DFID…

Establishment of an independent land commission recommended
[Undated]
Speakers urged the government to set up an independent land commission to ensure improved services for citizens, especially for women and minorities, at a policy dialogue organised by BRAC. The policy dialogue titled, ‘Institutional and social barriers for women and marginalised communities to access land and property rights’ took place on 15 June 2015, at BRAC Centre. The event was moderated by BRAC’s executive director, Dr Muhammad Musa…

CARE International [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.care-international.org/news/press-releases.aspx

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Hunger Threatens Millions as Humanitarian Organizations Warn of Massive Funding Gap in South Sudan
SOUTH SUDAN
16 JUNE 2015
Donors attending Tuesday’s Geneva pledging conference for South Sudan should address a massive funding shortfall– more than $1.1 billion of the humanitarian response- in order to avert immense suffering for millions of people

Danish Refugee Council [to 20 June 2015]
http://drc.dk/news/archive/

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DRC at forefront as thousands of Syrians flee battle for Tal Abyad to Turkey (16.06.15)
Thousands of Syrians fleeing the city of Tal Abyad on the Turkish-Syrian border are in need of basic aid and support, the Danish Refugee Council said today, amid concern of slow pace in response.

Hunger threatens millions as aid agencies warn of massive funding gap in South Sudan (16.06.15)
Aid agencies issue grave warning ahead of crucial donor conference for South Sudan, stating millions of people risk plunging deeper into crisis if urgent funding is not delivered.

HelpAge International [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.helpage.org/newsroom/press-room/press-releases/

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The European Union joins HelpAge International in promoting and protecting older women’s rights in Tanzania
Today, 15 June, the EU Delegation to Tanzania and the EAC, together with HelpAge International and the Magu Poverty Eradication and Rehabilitation Center (MAPERECE), launch a project to Promote and Protect Older Women’s Rights in Tanzania.
Posted: 15 June 2015

Press release: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Today, (15 June) Age Demands Action campaigners in 40 countries, will bring attention to elder abuse and the importance of a new UN convention on the rights of older people.
Posted: 15 June 2015

International Rescue Committee [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.rescue.org/press-release-index

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World Refugee Day 2015: 60 million lives upended
Posted by The IRC on June 18, 2015
Nearly 60 million people have been forced to flee their homes by war, conflict and persecution. The IRC joins the United Nations on World Refugee Day (June 20) in raising awareness of this unprecedented crisis, urging global leaders to act, and saluting the courage of refugees who are rebuilding their lives far from home

18 Jun 2015
The International Rescue Committee Reacts to Release of UNHCR Global Trends Report

17 Jun 2015
IRC President David Miliband speech on European migrant crisis at the Van Heuven Goedhart Lecture at Knights Hall, The Hague

16 Jun 2015
IRC Statement on the High-Level Event on the Humanitarian Crisis in South Sudan and its impact on the region

ICRC [to 20 June 2015]
https://www.icrc.org/en

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Top humanitarian photo prize awarded for reportage of rape trials in Democratic Republic of the Congo
News release 19 June 2015
Paris/Geneva (ICRC) – The photojournalist Diana Zeyneb Alhindawi has been chosen by unanimous vote as the winner of the humanitarian Visa d’Or award for her depiction of the trial of 39 soldiers for rape in Minova, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The award is supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and forms part of the annual Visa pour L’Image festival in Perpignan, France.

Yemen: ICRC opens surgical hospital amidst fighting in Aden
News release 19 June 2015
Sana’a (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has opened a surgical hospital in the Yemeni city of Aden, as the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. Aden has seen some of the bloodiest fighting during the recent conflict and health facilities have suffered through lack of medicines, water and electricity.

Tens of thousands in dire need of basic services in Syrian town
News release 18 June 2015
ICRC and Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) teams delivering much needed medicines to the people of Mouadamiya. CC BY-NC-ND/ICRC
Geneva/Damascus – (ICRC) Around 40,000 people are in urgent need of basic services including water and electricity in the Syrian town of Moadamiyah, near Damascus. The town has been cut off from the rest of the country for several months. The ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) managed to enter the town this week and deliver aid for the first time since December 2014.

Zambia: Implementing the ban on cluster munitions in southern Africa
News release 17 June 2015
Lusaka, Zambia (ICRC) – Representatives from nine southern and central African countries are gathered in Lusaka for a two-day seminar, on 17 and 18 June; its aim is to promote adherence to the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) amongst members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and to enable them to share best practices for passing domestic legislation to implement its provisions.

Islamic Relief [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.islamic-relief.org/category/news/

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Shared faith views on climate change
June 19, 2015
Islamic Relief has welcomed Pope Francis’ fundamental encyclical on climate change. Significant in its request to the world’s population to act, Laudato Si’ highlights climate change, the loss of nature and the growing global inequality as the greatest threats to the world.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases

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Press release
New Barrage of Barrel Bombs on Health Facilities in Syria
June 18, 2015
Two Hospitals Attacked Over Recent Days; At Least Ten Struck Since May

Press release
MSF Bolsters Mediterranean Search and Rescue
June 15, 2015
BARCELONA/NEW YORK—The international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) today launched an additional search and rescue boat in the Mediterranean Sea, to assist people during their attempts to reach Europe while fleeing war, persecution, and poverty.
Sailing today from the port of Barcelona, the boat, a 50-meter-long vessel named Dignity I, has an 18-person crew, including MSF medical personnel. It can accommodate up to 300 people rescued at sea.

Field news
China Rejects Gilead Patent on Hepatitis C Drug Sofosbuvir
June 19, 2015
Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has learned that the Chinese patent office has just denied Gilead Science’s request for a key patent on the hepatitis C drug sofosbuvir. This drug, together with other antivirals, is the backbone of several newer, more effective curative treatments for hepatitis C, yet is exorbitantly priced in many countries, restricting access for people who need it. Hepatitis C is a global public health crisis, with at least 150 million people living with the disease, and 350,000-500,000 people die each year from complications of it.

Field news
Caring for Mothers and Victims of Violence in Boga, DRC
June 17, 2015
Since April 1, 2015, Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has been working in the isolated region of Boga, in the Ituri District of Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) Orientale Province. MSF aims to improve the quality of care offered to both the local population and displaced people in the region. To this end, the project focuses on reproductive health and the medical and psychological treatment of victims of violence.

Field news
MSF Saddened by Loss of Life During Argos Ship Rescue
June 16, 2015
On Monday, June 15, at least one person died during a search and rescue operation by the Bourbon Argos, a ship chartered by the international medical organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to carry out search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean sea. People who were rescued reported that another two people had drowned but their deaths could not be confirmed.

OXFAM [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressreleases

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Moving story of Syrian refugees told through their phones in ‘District Zero’ documentary
19 June 2015
The story of a Syrian refugee who begins a new life in Jordan’s Zaatari camp fixing mobile phones and helps fellow refugees print off photos of happier times is the focus of an upcoming documentary film which will be previewed to mark World Refugee Day (June 20th) as part of a joint campaign by Oxfam and the European Commission’s Office for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO).

Oxfam to expand Syrian crisis response by renewing agreement with Damascus
16 June 2015
Oxfam is currently helping to provide water for more than a million people across conflict lines by drilling new wells and repairing old and damaged water networks.

Hunger threatens millions due to massive funding gap for South Sudan
16 June 2015
International humanitarian agencies issue a grave warning ahead of crucial donor conference for South Sudan, stating millions of people risk plunging deeper into crisis if urgent funding is not delivered.

Plan International [to 20 June 2015]
http://plan-international.org/about-plan/resources/media-centre

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Nepal earthquake: Life-saving and long-term donor support needed for children
19 June 2015:
In advance of the 25 June donor conference in Kathmandu, Plan International, Save the Children, and World Vision International Nepal, are calling on donors to prioritise children and their families affected by the recent earthquakes. 19 June 2015: In advance of the 25 June donor conference in Kathmandu, Plan International, Save the Children, and World Vision International Nepal, are calling on donors to prioritise children and their families affected by the 25 April and 12 May earthquakes.
The 3 leading children’s agencies are calling for donors to support:
:: Calls for the lifting of import taxes on all humanitarian items so that that life-saving aid can reach children and their communities.
:: Humanitarian assistance including shelter, water and sanitation, food, nutrition, and health and medical services.
:: Child protection interventions to respond to trauma resulting from the earthquakes and to counter increased risks of violence exploitation and abuse, as well as longer-term strengthening of national and community-based child protection systems.
:: The establishment of temporary learning centres to facilitate children’s immediate return to school; the reconstruction of damaged and destroyed schools in accordance with national and international standards; and a national programme for retrofitting of schools with seismic resistant construction techniques.
:: The mainstreaming of Disaster Risk Reduction throughout the recovery and reconstruction to ensure build back better principles and that children and their communities are better prepared for future emergencies.
:: The establishment of effective processes to ensure the full participation of and accountability to affected population, including marginalised groups in the planning, implementation and monitoring of recovery and reconstruction of their communities.
:: The engagement of children and young people in identifying priorities and responses to address their immediate and long-term needs…

Urgent assistance needed as influx of Nigerian refugees in Cameroon and Niger continues to rise
19 June 2015:
Plan International is calling for urgent assistance for Nigerian refugees, including vulnerable children, displaced populations and host communities in the Far North of Cameroon and Niger, as the numbers continue to rise.

Darfur: Over 4 million in desperate need
15 June 2015:
Sudan’s long-running conflict continues to seriously affect women and children, with over 2.5 million displaced people in Darfur, and about 4.4 million in need of humanitarian assistance in the state.

Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen appointed CEO of Plan International
15/06/2015
Top UN executive Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Plan International.
Ms Albrectsen is currently the UN Assistant Secretary General and Deputy Executive Director for Management at the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). She replaces the current Plan International CEO Nigel Chapman and will assume office on 1 September.
A renowned face in the sector, Ms Albrectsen has worked for over 25 years in international development, human rights, change management and diplomacy. She has held senior leadership positions in times of significant change in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Danish government, and most recently at the UNFPA…

Save The Children [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150563/k.D0E9/Newsroom.htm

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Children Report Increased Exploitation, Teenage Pregnancies in Ebola-Affected Sierra Leone
FAIRFIELD, CONN (June 17, 2015) — Children across Sierra Leone report that exploitation and violence against girls has increased during the year-long Ebola epidemic, resulting in rising cases of teenage pregnancies, according to a new report launched today by three leading aid agencies.

Plan International, Save the Children and World Vision International, with the support of UNICEF, recently consulted over 1,100 girls and boys aged 7 to 18 from nine districts about the impact of Ebola, which has killed more than 3,500 people in Sierra Leone.

They shared their personal experiences and deep concerns about the devastating long-term effects of the crisis on their lives as part of the Children’s Ebola Recovery Assessment report. The study was conducted to enable children to contribute their feedback and recommendations to the Government of Sierra Leone’s national Ebola recovery strategy.

The children viewed the country’s nine-month school closure as being directly linked to increases in child labour and exploitation, exposure to violence in the home and community, and teenage pregnancy.

Most of the 617 girls interviewed said they believe that higher incidences of teenage pregnancy in their communities are as a result of girls being outside the protective classroom environment, exposing them to the risk of sexual exploitation or assault. Classrooms only reopened in Sierra Leone on 14 April, after a prolonged closure to help prevent the spread of Ebola, delaying the schooling of some 1.7 million children.

Some children (10 per cent of the focus group discussion participants) reported that vulnerable girls in their communities, especially those who have lost relatives to Ebola, are being forced into transactional sex to cover their basic daily needs, including food. Children saw this as one of several factors contributing to increases in teenage pregnancy…

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‘Prioritize Education or Jeopardize the Future of South Sudan’ – World Vision and Save the Children warn donors
June 15, 2015

SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/about-sos/press/press-releases

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Courage and commitment: SOS Children’s Villages co-workers who went above and beyond for children
16.06.2015 – The three co-workers whose stories are told here are the winners of the 2015 Helmut Kutin Award, a biannual award named for a former President of SOS Children’s Villages International, which celebrates the achievements of some of our extraordinary caregivers.

The Elders [to 20 June 2015]
http://theelders.org/news-media

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Opinion – Refugees: the crisis of inaction
Martti Ahtisaari 18 June 2015
As we mark World Refugee Day in June, Martti Ahtisaari asks the nations of Europe to remember their obligations and respond to a growing humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean.

ODI [to 20 June 2015]
http://www.odi.org/media

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Mind the gap? A comparison of international and national targets for the SDG agenda
Research reports and studies | June 2015 | Andrew Scott, Paula Lucci, with Tom Berliner
We compare existing policy commitments and targets at the national level with corresponding Sustainable Development Goal targets to assess the gap between national and global ambition.

Revealing the routes to policy in practice
Articles and blogs | June 2015 | John Young
John Young, Head of ODI’s Research and Policy in Development programme talks to International Innovation about his work at the interface of research, policy and practice.

Identifying constraining and enabling factors to the uptake of medium- and long-term climate information in decision making
Working and discussion papers | June 2015 | Lindsey Jones, Clara Champalle, Sabrina Chesterman, Laura Cramer, Todd A. Crane
A review of literature to assess the factors which constrain and enable the uptake of medium- to long-term climate information in sectoral investment and planning decisions.

BMC Public Health
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcpublichealth/content
(Accessed 20 June 2015)

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Research article
Adverse events and adherence to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis: a cohort study at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana
Raymond Tetteh, Edmund Nartey, Margaret Lartey, Aukje Mantel-Teeuwisse, Hubert Leufkens, Priscilla Nortey, Alexander Dodoo BMC Public Health 2015, 15:573 (20 June 2015)

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Research article
Initiation to street life: a qualitative examination of the physical, social, and psychological practices in becoming an accepted member of the street youth community in Western Kenya
Juddy Wachira, Allan Kamanda, Lonnie Embleton, Violet Naanyu, Susanna Winston, David Ayuku, Paula Braitstein BMC Public Health 2015, 15:569 (20 June 2015)

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Research article
A systematic review of post-migration acquisition of HIV among migrants from countries with generalised HIV epidemics living in Europe: mplications for effectively managing HIV prevention programmes and policy
Ibidun Fakoya, Débora Álvarez-del Arco, Melvina Woode-Owusu, Susana Monge, Yaiza Rivero-Montesdeoca, Valerie Delpech, Brian Rice, Teymur Noori, Anastasia Pharris, Andrew Amato-Gauci, Julia del Amo, Fiona Burns BMC Public Health 2015, 15:561 (19 June 2015)

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Research article
Use of mobile phone consultations during home visits by Community Health Workers for maternal and newborn care: community experiences from Masindi and Kiryandongo districts, Uganda
Richard Mangwi Ayiasi, Lynn Atuyambe, Juliet Kiguli, Christopher Orach, Patrick Kolsteren, Bart Criel BMC Public Health 2015, 15:560 (18 June 2015)

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Research article
Malaria, anaemia and nutritional status among schoolchildren in relation to ecosystems, livelihoods and health systems in Kilosa District in central Tanzania
Leonard Mboera, Veneranda Bwana, Susan Rumisha, Robert Malima, Malongo Mlozi, Benjamin Mayala, Grades Stanley, Tabitha Mlacha BMC Public Health 2015, 15:553 (17 June 2015)

Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness
Volume 9 – Issue 03 – June 2015
http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayIssue?jid=DMP&tab=currentissue

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Brief Report
Understanding Community-Level Disaster and Emergency Response Preparedness
Crystal Shannon
Indiana University Northwest, College of Health and Human Services, School of Nursing, Gary, Indiana.
Abstract
Objective
Community-level disaster readiness is a major component of community health promotion. However, many readiness programs are focused on the response of emergency and health care personnel and not on the preparedness levels of local citizens. This potentially leaves the public unready and unprepared for emergency event response.
Methods
A 20-item survey on general states of disaster preparedness was delivered to the residents of a midsized midwestern county. The residents were asked to share their knowledge of local hazards, emergency systems, and personal preparedness.
Results
A convenience sample of 423 residents responded to the survey. Fifty-seven percent (n=241) reported limited personal preparedness. Seventy-six percent (n=321) acknowledged little to no familiarity with residential emergency systems, and 52% (n=220) reported that they did not know how to gain information on public health emergencies, such as pandemic flu and evacuation response.
Conclusions
Local citizens should become educated on the methods to support personal disaster and emergency readiness. Health care and emergency management organizations are encouraged to include these concepts in routine community health promotion activities and to pay special attention to known areas of community vulnerability. Failure to do so creates a population unable to support themselves in the provision of basic health and safety measures.
(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:239-244)

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Original Research
Vulnerability of Urban Homebound Older Adults in Disasters: A Survey of Evacuation Preparedness
Patrick J. Dostal
Master of Public Health Program and Division of Geriatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Abstract
Objective
Recent disasters within the United States, such as Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, have highlighted the vulnerability of older adults, and recent litigation has upheld the responsibility of government in assisting the public during mandatory evacuations. Older adults designated as homebound due to their disabilities are at greatest risk of poor outcomes in disasters. This study aimed at assessing the willingness and ability of homebound older adults to evacuate, as well as categorizing their medical needs in the event they are relocated to an emergency shelter.
Methods
Fifty-six homebound older adults and medical decision surrogates from 1 homebound primary care practice in Philadelphia were assessed with a novel structured interview.
Results Respondents reported limitations in both their ability and their willingness to evacuate their neighborhoods. Medical needs of homebound older adults were on par with those of nursing home residents.
Conclusions
Many homebound older adults are unable or unwilling to evacuate in a mandatory evacuation situation, highlighting a need for public assistance. Their complex medical needs will require significant preparation by special needs shelters.
(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:301-306)

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Concepts in Disaster Medicine
Comparative Cost of Stockpiling Various Types of Respiratory Protective Devices to Protect the Health Care Workforce During an Influenza Pandemic
Gio Baraccoa1a2a3 c1, Sheri Eiserta1a4, Aaron Eagana1 and Lewis Radonovicha1
a1 Office of Public Health, Veterans Health Administration, National Center for Occupational Health and Infection Control, Gainesville, Florida
a2 Miami VA Healthcare System, Infectious Diseases, Miami, Florida
a3 University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Miami, Florida
a4 University of South Florida, Epidemiology, Tampa, Florida
Abstract
Specific guidance on the size and composition of respiratory protective device (RPD) stockpiles for use during a pandemic is lacking. We explore the economic aspects of stockpiling various types and combinations of RPDs by adapting a pandemic model that estimates the impact of a severe pandemic on a defined population, the number of potential interactions between patients and health care personnel, and the potential number of health care personnel needed to fulfill those needs. Our model calculates the number of the different types of RPDs that should be stockpiled and the consequent cost of purchase and storage, prorating this cost over the shelf life of the inventory. Compared with disposable N95 or powered air-purifying respirators, we show that stockpiling reusable elastomeric half-face respirators is the least costly approach. Disposable N95 respirators take up significantly more storage space, which increases relative costs. Reusing or extending the usable period of disposable devices may diminish some of these costs. We conclude that stockpiling a combination of disposable N95 and reusable half-face RPDs is the best approach to preparedness for most health care organizations. We recommend against stockpiling powered air-purifying respirators as they are much more costly than alternative approaches.
(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:313-318)

Global Health: Science and Practice (GHSP)
June 2015 | Volume 3 | Issue 2
http://www.ghspjournal.org/content/current

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Editorials
Social Franchising: A Blockbuster to Address Unmet Need for Family Planning and to Advance Toward the FP2020 Goal
Social franchising has scaled-up provision of voluntary family planning, especially long-acting reversible contraceptives, across Africa and Asia at a rapid and remarkable pace. The approach should be pursued vigorously, especially in countries with a significant private-sector presence, to advance the FP2020 goal of providing access to modern contraception to 120 million additional clients by 2020.
Glob Health Sci Pract 2015;3(2):147-148. http://dx.doi.org/10.9745/GHSP-D-15-00155
Action-Oriented Population Nutrition Research: High Demand but Limited Supply
Judy Phama, David Pelletiera
Author Affiliations
aCornell University, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA

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Action-oriented research in nutrition, vital to guiding effective policies and programs at scale, is greatly underrepresented in public health journals and, even more so, in nutrition journals.
Judy Phama, David Pelletiera
Author Affiliations
aCornell University, Division of Nutritional Sciences, Ithaca, NY, USA
Action-oriented research in nutrition, vital to guiding effective policies and programs at scale, is greatly underrepresented in public health journals and, even more so, in nutrition journals.
Abstract
Background: The relatively rapid ascendancy of nutrition and health on policy agendas, along with greater emphasis on accountability and results, has stimulated interest in new forms of research to guide the development and implementation of effective policies, programs, and interventions—what we refer to as action-oriented research. To date, action-oriented research in the nutrition field is thought to be the exception rather than the rule, but empirical evidence to support this claim is lacking.
Methods: We conducted a survey of selected journals in nutrition and public health to assess the extent and nature of population nutrition research published in 2012 that embodied 5 defined characteristics of action-oriented research in relation to: (1) topic(s) of study, (2) processes/influences, (3) actors, (4) methods, and (5) approaches. We identified 762 articles from the 6 selected nutrition journals and 77 nutrition-related articles from the 4 selected public health journals that met our search criteria.
Results: Only 7% of the 762 papers in nutrition journals had at least 1 of the 5 action-oriented research characteristics, compared with 36% of the 77 nutrition-related papers in the public health journals. Of all 80 articles that had at least 1 action-oriented research characteristic, only 5 articles (6.25%) embodied all 5 characteristics. Articles with action-oriented research covered a broad range of topics and processes/influences, including policy, workforce development, and schools, as well as actors, such as program staff, store owners, parents, and school staff. In addition, various research methods were used, such as stakeholder analysis, ethnographic narrative, iterative action research, and decision tree modeling, as well as different approaches, including participant-observer and community-based participatory research.
Conclusions: Action-oriented research represents a small fraction of articles published in nutrition journals, especially compared with public health journals. This reinforces recent calls to expand population nutrition research agendas to more effectively inform and guide the initiation, development, implementation, and governance of policies, programs, and interventions to address the varied forms of nutrition-related problems. With heightened attention to the magnitude and importance of nutrition problems worldwide, there are substantial reasons and opportunities to incentivize and support such expansion.