MSF Briefing paper: FORCED TO FLEE – Women’s health and displacement
International Women’s Day 2014
Full paper: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/sites/usa/files/attachments/iwd_briefing_paper_en.pdf

This briefing paper focuses on the key medical issues facing displaced women and girls, particularly obstetric emergencies and sexual violence. MSF makes it a priority to provide services that address these two critical medical issues in any situation of displacement. Emergency obstetric care and response to sexual violence are both part of the Minimum Initial Service Package for Reproductive Health in Crises – a set of priority activities defined by international agencies, designed to minimise mortality and morbidity.

Brookings
http://www.brookings.edu/
Accessed 8 March 2014

Education for Women and Girls is Progress for All on International Women’s Day
Jenny Alexander and Jenny Perlman Robinson | March 7, 2014 3:17pm
[Full text]
Tomorrow, March 8, marks International Women’s Day and this year’s United Nations theme is “Equality for Women is Progress for All.” This push for progress rings clear in all of the messaging around girls’ education and women’s empowerment. As we move toward 2015 and the deadline to achieve the Millennium Development Goals, this call will sound even louder.
Each year the development community charts the progress made on improving the lives of women and girls around the world, and urges countries to keep up the good work. Yet, the progress is always paired with an additional need for engagement to influence policy and affect change in key areas.

Striking EFA Global Monitoring Report statistics reflect a quite unfinished agenda on women’s issues. For example, three-quarters of the world’s illiterate adults live in 10 countries and two-thirds of them are women. Even with mobilization of the global education community around progress in learning outcomes, there has been little impact on improving women’s literacy since 1990.
Therefore this International Women’s Day instead of just saying that girls’ education needs to continue to move forward, the global education community should leverage the following key messages around girls’ education and women’s empowerment to jumpstart this urgent shift:
   1. Keep equity at the forefront when discussing education opportunities. Equity should be central to promoting education opportunities for women and girls. By not providing boys and girls an equitable opportunity to learn, women’s empowerment and education continues to suffer. By 2060, poor girls in 24 countries will still not have completed primary school. By 2030, rich boys in 56 of 74 countries around the world will complete primary school while poor girls in only seven of these countries will have done so. The emphasis here must not only be equality but also equity so that rural girls and boys and marginalized populations are not left behind.
   2. Target the hotspots where attention to girls’ education is most needed. Gender disparity in sub-Saharan Africa, and South and West Asia remain much higher than other regions and the gaps in those areas remain vast. To improve the lives of women in these regions, gender-specific policies must address security and cultural norms around girls attending school and learning. In Nigeria, universal primary completion has been successful for rich boys whereas it may be another three generations before the same is true for poor girls in the country. Similarly in Pakistan, rich boys and girls are expected to complete primary school by 2020 but recent trends suggest that poor boys will reach the target by the late 2050s and poor girls just before 2100. Without improving gender equity in these regions, progress for girls will continue to be impeded and will prevent these same women in the future from creating greater development progress in their country.
   3. Education does not stand alone. There is a strong link between educating women and girls and positive outcomes for maternal health, economic empowerment and social mobility. Education gives a voice to girls and women in their communities. If all women completed primary school, 189,000 lives of women would be saved per year and 66 percent fewer maternal deaths would occur. In sub-Saharan Africa alone, 113,400 women would survive childbirth and there would be 70 percent fewer maternal deaths. Empowering women through education is also important factor in promoting economic well-being. By not employing women in the workforce, countries waste valuable human capital. A recent report on Arab youth and education levels in the Arab world finds that only 18 percent of working-age Arab women hold jobs. In Egypt and Saudi Arabia, more than half of young women are unemployed, and in Algeria and Syria, female youth unemployment rates are double those of their male counterparts. The more years that girls spend in school, the later they marry and have their first child. But really, it is more than that. Education gives girls and women a greater sense of social freedom and personal rights that guide their decision-making processes. The connection between learning outcomes and greater opportunity for women only strengthens the importance of reaching women and girls in developing countries.
   4. The educated girls of today become the women leaders of tomorrow. Investing in women and providing equitable education opportunities are not just decisions that influence the day-to-day lives of girls in school. They can provide girls and women with lifelong skills. The next wave of girls who attend school and learn will receive skills to improve their future livelihoods and in turn champion education for their daughters. The power of girls’ education shines through in families, in communities and in life. However, the opportunities must be present and ripe for the taking.
Thus, on this International Women’s Day, speak of progress and of the road still left to travel, but remember that education remains paramount to getting there.
http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/education-plus-development/posts/2014/03/07-international-womens-day-education-girls-progress-winthrop

WHO: Humanitarian Health Action
http://www.who.int/hac/en/index.html

South Sudan humanitarian medical assistance
5 March 2014 — According to UNOCHA since the 15 December 2013 over 908,000 people have been displaced by violence. There are 705,800 IDP’s within South Sudan and 202 500 South Sudanese refugees in neighbouring countries. The cholera vaccination campaigns continued in Mingkaman and Tomping IDP camps and the number of new measles cases is declining in all the major IDP sites. Cases of suspected meningitis was reported in four states.
Read the latest situation report – 5 March 2014
pdf, 600kb

Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) – Independent Monitoring Board: Letter to WHO Director-General
26 February 2014
Full text: More

Excerpts [Editor’s bolded text]
“…The current situation in Pakistan is a powder key that could ignite widespread polio transmission. The number of cases in this country is going in the wrong direction…the adequacy of the government’s plans will be in full public view at our May meeting and at the subsequent World Health Assembly…”

“..At our suggestion, the program has identified a Red List of the countries most vulnerable to a polio outbreak. In the IMB’s view, when a country is placed on the Red List, all possible means must be used to get it out of this precarious situation as swiftly as possible. As the ongoing outbreak in the Horn of Africa demonstrates, the program softens its focus on such countries at its peril…We are deeply worried about the present situation in the Ukraine, which was very vulnerable even before the recent civil conflict, and recommend that the country be included in the program’s Red List.

“Since our October meeting, a new outbreak has emerged in Syria. The program has done a commendable job of responding to this outbreak, within the constraints of a major conflict. Protecting children from this scourge should be part of a core humanitarian response. We suggest that when humanitarian emergencies occur in countries where the reintroduction (or export) of poliovirus is possible, the GPEI seek to work with the United Nations – OCHA – as a key partner, and that OCHA be asked to include polio vaccination as a priority of the health clusters under the Humanitarian Reform system…”

AMREF  [to 8 March 2014]

British High Commissioner hosts AMREF international Board in Nairobi
Members of AMREF’s International Board, meeting in Nairobi this week, were hosted to a reception by the British High Commissioner in Kenya, Dr Christian Turner, at his residence in the Kenyan capital. The event was also attended by several high commissioners and members of the diplomatic corps, heads and representatives of corporates, non-governmental organisations and government institutions, and members of the media.

In his remarks, Dr Turner addressed maternal health in Kenya, which is an area of focus for AMREF. He noted that the Kenyan Government had made maternal health a priority by providing free maternal care in all public health facilities, adding that the UK had been supporting efforts to tackle maternal and newborn deaths for several years in Kenya.
He called for support for AMREF’s Stand Up for African Mothers campaign, which seeks to train 15,000 midwives and to raise awareness of the importance of midwives in reducing maternal death.
“The Stand Up for African Mothers campaign touches on an issue that holds great importance to the UK Government – preventing the unnecessary deaths of women in Africa during pregnancy and childbirth,” said Dr Turner. “I urge you all to help AMREF reach their target of getting one million signatures to support the nomination of a midwife for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015.”…

East, Central and Southern Africa (ECSA) Ministers Statement
The Health Workforce Advocacy Initiative (HWAI) is an international civil society network addressing the global health workforce crisis, a fundamental and critical barrier to achieving universal coverage (UHC). The HWAI Network supports its members’ efforts to achieve the shared vision of a health worker for everyone, everywhere by providing an on-going platform and space for knowledge and information generation and sharing, for debate and strategizing, for achieving synergies and for the development of joint positions and activities on a global level.
Given its broad-based civil society membership, HWAI is well-placed to advocate for the essential role of the health workforce in meeting global health goals through 2015 and in the post-2015 policy environment and for keeping HRH high on the global and country-level health and development agenda. AMREF and IntraHealth International, Inc. assumed the role of the secretariat role for HWAI in December 2012 with seed funding from the Global Health Workforce Alliance and Louise Holly of Save the Children holds the Chair position for the steering committee (SC).
HWAI Statement to 58th ECSA Health Ministers’ Conference: Arusha, Tanzania,  27th– 28th February 2014. ECSA-HC http://www.ecsahc.org/events.php?id=32
Excerpt
The Health Workforce Advocacy Initiative (HWAI) asks to the minsters:
1) To commit to the implementation of the Human Resources of Health (HRH) commitments made at the 3rd Global Forum on HRH to accelerate progress towards achieving universal health coverage in Africa
2) To develop, for those ECSA member countries that did not make an HRH commitment, a Human Resources of Health (HRH) commitment in the first half of 2014
3) To develop action plans and allocate sufficient resources towards delivery on the for Roadmap for scaling up the human resources for health: for improved health services delivery in the African Region 2012-2015
4) To provide leadership and develop robust health policies and strategies for HRH development for universal health care to avert unfortunate preventable deaths and address the new and emerging diseases such as non-communicable diseases…

AMREF ‏@AMREF_Worldwide Mar 7
We have expanded and are now in Malawi, Mozambique, Middle East and Nordic countries.

AMREF ‏@AMREF_Worldwide Mar 6
We have trained over 3000 community health workers in South Sudan, Tanzania, Mozambique, Ethiopia and Angola. #HRH @Shakwei

AMREF @AMREF_Worldwide Mar 6
Stand Up for African Mothers campaign has achieved a third of the 15000 midwife training target. Dr. John Nduba.

AMREF ‏@AMREF_Worldwide Mar 4
The UK government has been a great supporter of AMREF. We are proud to have friends like you. You make us what we are today.  @HCCTurner

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
For #IWD2014, we want to honor some of the amazing women we work with. Stay tuned! #AMREFWomen

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
To start: Inosi Nyatta, Partner at @sullcrom, & a member of our Board http://bit.ly/1lbPfnE  #IWD2014 #AMREFWomen

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
Liz Rees @nycmarketgirl Market Director at Urban Space NY for 10 yrs, daughter of our fndr, dog lover, member of our board! #AMREFWomen #IWD

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
@hensleyevans Principal at ZS Assoc, formerly of http://bit.ly/1dA7FN8 , health care & preventive wellness, board member! #AMREFWomen #IWD

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
C. Grogan @GroMarketShare sales, med &consumer market for pharma,our board member, philanthropist http://bit.ly/1gfoeex  #AMREFWomen #IWD

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
Christina Casey-HR extraordinaire, Fnder of Essl Foundation, dog lover & ace AMREF USA board member! http://bit.ly/1hUgGSX  #AMREFWomen #IWD

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
@LucyFato Deputy General Counsel & Corp Secretary at @Marsh_Inc, and the newest member of our Board! http://bit.ly/1kCKJ4q  #AMREFWomen #IWD

AMREF USA ‏@AMREFUSA Mar 7
@CarolJenkins author, producer, Emmy-winning anchor,Pres of @womensmediacntr,our former Board Chair http://huff.to/1fLHMMR  #IWD #AMREFWomen

BRAC  [to 8 March 2014]

BRAC ‏@BRACworld 3h
Join @genderhealth, @HungerProject & us on Mon 3/10 at 10:30am at NY to talk #gender & the #MDGs! @WanderingSavage pic.twitter.com/eOVekEzSca

BRAC ‏@BRACworld Mar 8
#girlswomenworld today we are celebrating inspirational women and girls http://bit.ly/Pck6Gs  #IAmCourage

BRAC ‏@BRACworld Mar 8
#girlswomenworld safe spaces for girls to grow into women who are #inspiringchange in their communities #IWD2014 http://www.internationalwomensday.com/brac#.UxruHOd_vko …

BRAC ‏@BRACworld Mar 5
When Given the Opportunity,#Extreme #Poor Take Destiny Into Their Own Hands @HuffingtonPost article by Tilman Ehrbeck http://brac.net/node/1590#.Uxf7p6uw2is …

Casa Alianza  [to 8 March 2014]
Covenant House [to 8 March 2014]

07/03/2014 – Guitarist Gerry Leonard supports Casa Alianza on the Road to Rio

Casa Alianza UK ‏@CasaAlianzaUK Mar 8
Brand new on our blog – the amazing young women who inspire us daily: https://casaalianzauk.wordpress.com/2014/03/08/how-casa-alianza-is-helping-vulnerable-girls-become-somebody/ … #WomensDay2014 #humanrights @GeorginaMortime

Casa Alianza UK ‏@CasaAlianzaUK Mar 8
Casa Alianza Honduras’ Director on the 8,000 kids a year who flee #Honduras each year mostly because of violence: http://www.proceso.hn/2014/02/26/Term%C3%B3metro/Unos.ocho.mil/82816.html …

More Ammunition in the Fight Against Child Trafficking
Kevin M. Ryan, President and CEO, Covenant House
Thursday, March 6, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Excerpt
We’ve gotten another piece of ammunition in our fight against the trafficking of minors: A U.S. Federal Circuit Court has ruled that customers who arrange for or have sex with children under age 18 are to be considered human traffickers, and should be punished accordingly — with sentences ranging up to life in prison.

Wow. That’s a big and heavy stick we can use to protect kids who are forced into having sex for someone else’s profit. It hasn’t been used widely yet, but I am encouraged that, with the help of the court ruling and new proposed legislation, we may finally be able to reduce the demand for sex with children, and reduce the number of children raped and traumatized to meet that demand.

The opinion also raised the likelihood that a person who takes advantage of young people sexually because they are desperate for food or shelter could be prosecuted for the crime of trafficking as well…

Retweeted by Covenant House
Kevin Ryan ‏@CovHousePrez 51m
1,700 young people are rising to the new day from beds under a @CovenantHouse roof. They all have hopes & dreams. Help them realize both.

Covenant House ‏@CovenantHouse Mar 5
#CovenantHouse is proud to celebrate 25 years in NJ! Some kids & staff in #AtlanticCity speak on their experiences: http://ow.ly/u6sW7

ECPAT  [to 8 March 2014]

ECPAT-USA ‏@ecpatusa 19h
Happy International Women’s Day! Who are the women who inspire you this #IWD2014?

ECPAT-USA ‏@ecpatusa Mar 7
Attention #NYC! Join us for the 1st meeting of ECPAT-USA’s Young Professionals Committee this March 20 > http://ow.ly/u6lGS

ECPAT-USA ‏@ecpatusa Mar 6
. @ECPAT_Michelle discusses the hospitality industry’s important role in preventing #sextrafficking > http://ow.ly/ujcBf

ECPAT-USA ‏@ecpatusa Mar 4
We’re excited to be in Albany this morning to advocate for funding of services for sexually exploited children in NYS! #SafeHarbourMovement

Handicap International  [to 8 March 2014]

Handicap Intl UK ‏@HI_UK Mar 8
#IWD2014: The majority of our team providing emergency care to people affected by the Syria crisis are women. http://bit.ly/1oxpWfM

Handicap Intl UK ‏@HI_UK Mar 6
When light weapons are part of everyday life, risk education can save lives. http://bit.ly/1f0seDx  #Libya

Handicap Int’l-US ‏@HI_UnitedStates Mar 6
http://bit.ly/RizalStrong  introduces a beautiful area of #Philippines, where HI is still helping residents recover from a major, 2009 typhoon.

Handicap Int’l-US ‏@HI_UnitedStates Mar 4
CONGRATS @jess_feet on being named Woman of the Year by #Philippines Congress! Was an honor to host you in #Tacloban! pic.twitter.com/wHkVdGTIvR

Heifer International  [to 8 March 2014]

March 7, 2014
Heifer International Celebrates International Women’s Day
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.
On behalf of women worldwide who struggle with hunger and poverty, Heifer International is joining the global community to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
Full Press Release

Heifer International ‏@Heifer 11h
Women produce 80% of the developing world’s food, but own less than 1% of the Earth’s land. http://hefr.in/1nuFCBT  #IWD2014

Heifer International ‏@Heifer 18h
Meet 13 incredible women in farming who are changing the world: http://hefr.in/1ntwHk4  #WomensDay #IWD2014

Heifer International ‏@Heifer Mar 6
Join the Heifer conversation. Read the spring @World_Ark magazine online today: http://hefr.in/1kBjY08

HelpAge International  [to 8 March 2014]

HelpAge ‏@helpage Mar 8
Happy Intl Women’s Day! This #IWD2014, we’re calling for older women to be included in #post2015 process: http://www.olderwomencount.org

HelpAge ‏@helpage Mar 7
We’re at #CSW58 over nxt 2 wks, calling for older women to be included in #post2015 process http://www.olderwomencount.org  #olderwomencount #IWD2014

HelpAge ‏@helpage Mar 4
Our latest blog looks at @pewresearch study into public attitudes to growing numbers of older people worldwide http://bit.ly/1huYEWx

HelpAgeUSA ‏@HelpAge_USA 23h
Happy #IWD2014! Today we honor the #women rebuilding their communities in the #Philippines http://bit.ly/1imZ58J  http://twitpic.com/dxq45h

HelpAgeUSA ‏@HelpAge_USA Mar 6
There’s a blind spot in addressing older #women‘s issues. Here’s what we’re doing about it http://bit.ly/1kz6zFL  #olderwomencount #IWD2014

HelpAgeUSA ‏@HelpAge_USA Mar 5
Ahead of #IWD2014, @helpage looks at older #women garment workers’ impact on their communities in #Bangladesh http://bit.ly/1fHIcOm

HelpAgeUSA ‏@HelpAge_USA Mar 5
We’re distributing solar panels like this 1 to families in need as many homes remain w/out electricity #Haiyan http://twitpic.com/dxf1yu

International Rescue Committee   [to 8 March 2014]

Sexual violence biggest fear for women in Central African Republic, says International Rescue Committee
06 Mar 2014 – Sexual violence biggest fear for women in Central African Republic, says International Rescue Committee
The threat of sexual violence is the number one fear for women and girls caught up in the Central African Republic crisis, the International Rescue Committee said today, as it released findings of an emergency assessment it just conducted in the nation’s capital, Bangui. Among a group of 125 women it is aiding, the IRC also said, more than two thirds had been gang raped.
Sarah Terlouw, the IRC’s country director in CAR, said, “The severity of violence women and girls are experiencing is shocking. Yet as communities are being torn apart, women and girls are not only bearing the brunt of this conflict, they are also largely responsible for keeping their families together and providing stability in an environment that is increasingly chaotic.”
The IRC found women and girls, who cited the presence of armed men in some displacement sites, were particularly fearful of an increased risk of rape when collecting firewood or using toilets without locks. The assessment also found women and girls in Bangui felt threatened by the general violence and rising levels of domestic violence.
The IRC is one of the lead aid agencies providing services, including counselling and medical referrals, to women and girl survivors of violence in CAR. Since opening two women’s centres at the beginning of the year in Bangui, the IRC has helped 125 women recover from violence, including 10 girls, with the youngest only seven years old. Of those, 70 per cent had survived gang rape and 84 per cent had been raped…

IRC Blog
March 8, 2014 | Blog Post
She’s First: Alliance, Democratic Republic of Congo
“I want to teach because I want to help others realize their dreams,” says Alliance, who hopes to become a professor of architecture. The IRC’s Vision Not Victim Project put the 16-year-old in front of a college classroom to try on her future role.

March 8, 2014 | Blog Post
International Women’s Day
“With a camera in hand, Yvette entered the scene. She was not miming a part, and remained completely herself, yet she was trying on her future.” As we celebrate International Women’s Day, learn how Vision Not Victim came to life.

March 7, 2014 | Blog Post
Quoted: Sexual violence biggest fear for women in Central African Republic
“The severity of violence women and girls are experiencing is shocking,” says IRC country director Sarah Terlouw. The IRC has remained in the Central African Republic throughout the current crisis to provide lifesaving services.

March 6, 2014 | Blog Post
She’s First: Yvette, Democratic Republic of Congo
Yvette, 13, dreams of becoming a photographer. She says, “I love showing people their image … giving them a glimpse of how they appear, how others see them, how beautiful they may be.”

Hundreds of thousands uprooted by South Sudan violence; IRC scales up aid
Posted by Sophia Jones-Mwangi on March 4, 2014
As the crisis in South Sudan escalates, the IRC continues to ramp up our emergency response throughout eastern Africa. Read updates from inside South Sudan and from refugee camps in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. more »

Intl Rescue Comm IRC ‏@theIRC Mar 7
How to foster girls’ #education & #empowerment: http://bit.ly/StrikingPoverty  @WorldBank #poverty #development #IWD2014

Intl Rescue Comm IRC ‏@theIRC Mar 6
ICYMI: Our first #SocialSaturday about the IRC’s #Instagram. Read all about it & follow our visual journey! http://bit.ly/IRCInstagram

Retweeted by Intl Rescue Comm IRC
Sophia Jones-M ‏@So_Jo1 Mar 5
Nurse immunizing baby at @theIRC mobile health center in Lomunyana, Turkana mums get health/nutrition care @UKinKenya pic.twitter.com/2XzMEzzHqY

Retweeted by Intl Rescue Comm IRC
UNESCO ‏@UNESCO Mar 5
UNESCO & @theIRC open the 1st secondary school for Syrian refugees in Domiz camp http://ow.ly/ugCkf  #Syria pic.twitter.com/KE6EXXBnyH

Intl Rescue Comm IRC ‏@theIRC Mar 4
.@theIRC is scaling up its emergency response in #SouthSudan as the UN raises its emergency response to Level 3>> http://bit.ly/1hGVH5Y

Intl Rescue Comm IRC ‏@theIRC Mar 3
.@theIRC‘s 10 years in #Karamoja, #Uganda: “Now, we can talk about #VAW, HIV & AIDS.”>> http://bit.ly/Karamoja10  pic.twitter.com/vSjMOKWnXC

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières  [to 8 March 2014]

Press release
Central African Republic: Escalating Violence Endangers Civilians and Aid Efforts
March 07, 2014
The escalation of violence in Central African Republic (CAR), primarily in the north of the country, is undermining vital humanitarian assistance for people already suffering from limited access to aid.

Press release
Two New MSF Studies Show How HIV Treatment Reduced Transmission in Malawi and South Africa
March 06, 2014
Boston/New York, March 6, 2014—Two new studies released today by Epicentre, the research arm of the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) at CROI, the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, point to reductions in new HIV infections in areas where HIV treatment has been greatly expanded. The studies are some of the first to look at large-scale antiretroviral therapy (ART) rollout in real-world high-HIV-burden settings in sub-Saharan Africa, and its possible impact on reducing new infections.

Press release
Myanmar: MSF to Resume HIV/AIDS and Other Activities in Kachin, Shan and Yangon, but Concerns Remain
March 01, 2014
Yangon/New York, March 1, 2014 — On February 27, Médecins Sans Frontières Holland (MSF) received a written order from the Union Government of Myanmar to cease all operations in the country, which led to a full closure of all MSF Holland clinics on February 28. This act left patients confused and desperately concerned across the whole country.

International Women’s Day 2014: Voices From the Field
March 07, 2014
Saturday, March 8, is International Women’s Day. On that day, and every other day, thousands of women worldwide will leave their homes to flee war or persecution. The fact that they are women makes their ordeal even more harrowing.

Voice from the Field
CAR: “People are Besieged and Living in Fear of Violence”
March 04, 2014
New clashes have erupted between the the Séléka and the Anti-Balaka armed groups in the Central African Republic (CAR), continuing violence that has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.

New #MSF Briefing Doc “Displaced Women: Double Challenge” outlines medical issues facing displaced women and girls: http://bit.ly/1gZ2KEl

Doctors w/o Borders ‏@MSF_USA Mar 6
Two new MSF studies show how #HIV treatment reduced transmission in Malawi & South Africa http://bit.ly/1qbX6p4  #CROI #CROI2014 #AIDS

Doctors w/o Borders ‏@MSF_USA Mar 5
New MSF report illustrates the unrelenting humanitarian emergency that has become routine in #DRC #EverydayEmergency http://bit.ly/1lzkTON

Doctors w/o Borders ‏@MSF_USA Mar 3
MSF survey in #NorthKivu in 2013 found 35% of households forewent medical care for ill family member because of cost #EverydayEmergency

Operation Smile  [to 8 March 2014]

March 3, 2014
The Gift of Love in the Form of a Smile
An Operation Smile volunteer writes a touching story about her experience with a young mother in Nicaragua. This story was featured in the Global Motherhood section of the Huffington Post.

Partners In Health  [to 8 March 2014]

Mar 07, 2014
In the Mountains of Mexico, a Young Physician Finds His Calling
Dr. Luis Castillo reflects on his year of service in a rural community in Chiapas, Mexico. Read

Mar 04, 2014
Patients with Broken Necks Heal at University Hospital in Haiti
Partnership, training, and resources came together to help two men avoid paralysis. Read More

Mar 03, 2014
Two PIH/IMB-supported Students Earn Top Honors in Rwanda
Congratulations to Innocent Itangishaka and Gisele Igihozo Uwase, two secondary (high school) students supported by PIH/IMB, for ranking among the top 144 students in Rwanda! Both students scored 100% on the 2013 Secondary Education National Exam. Because of their outstanding academic performance, Innocent and Gisele are eligible to test for a presidential scholarship, which would allow them to pursue higher education in the United States or abroad.

Partners In Health ‏@PIH Mar 7
Ophelia Dahl is visiting @PIH staff and patients in rural Chiapas, Mexico, this week. pic.twitter.com/ueb5LKhHkU

PATH  [to 8 March 2014]

PATH named Katherine (Kate) Wilson to lead its Digital Health Solutions group.
She will “build on PATH’s work using innovative digital technologies to develop and improve health solutions worldwide. In addition, she will serve as a global thought leader on digital health and will establish, maintain, and build connections with stakeholders and partners around the world for PATH.” PATH said it Digital Health Solutions group “strengthens health system performance through the design and deployment of effective, scalable, and sustainable digital health solutions and by encouraging use of those systems to impact health.”

PATH ‏@PATHtweets 11h
For International Women’s Day: Three data-driven reasons why investing in women improves everyone’s lives: http://bit.ly/1dxlZGd  #IWD2014

Retweeted by PATH
Steve Davis ‏@SteveDavisPATH Mar 5
“Less #Innovation, More Scale” is theme of new report from @DrFelixOlale & others including PATH’s @Mairal http://excelsior-group.com/EXG_Whitepape.pdf …
This paper examines the explosive growth in technology innovation in healthcare that is taking place in East Africa. The contents of this paper will be of interest to all stakeholders interested in advancing ac­cess to quality of care in resource constrained environments. It is based on the aggregation of data from Exelsior’s own work as well as research from other sources the Centre for Health Market Innovations; The World Health Organisations’ Compendium of New and Emerging Health Technologies; World Bank and IFC, and in­terviews with a series of experts from the private sector: donors, industry, academia, gov­ernment.

Expert insight panel:
–       Anurag Mairal, Ph.D. MBA. Program Leader for technology solutions, PATH.
–       Dr. Ayub Manya, e-health, Kenyan Ministry of Health.
–       Dr. Jay H Sanders, M.D. Former CEO of the Global Telemedicine Group.
–       Judy Njogu, Product Manager for Social Innovation, Safaricom.
–       Prof. Stephen Sammut, Senior Fellow, Health Care Management, Wharton School, Univer­sity of Pennsylvania.

SOS-Kinderdorf International  [to 8 March 2014]

Stress brings back old fears
07.03.2014 – For more than two months the political situation in Ukraine has been unstable. The insecurity has cascaded down to each and every family in Ukraine. “It’s tense; you can feel the instability in the air. Everybody’s emotional situation is unstable,” says SOS mother Valya from SOS Children’s Village Brovary, less than 20 kilometres from Kiev, where the instability started.

Children’s Villages ‏@sos4children Mar 8
Myths surrounding menstruation have the potential to damage women’s health http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/news/charity-blog/social-taboos-damage-the-health-of-girls-and-women …

Children’s Villages ‏@sos4children Mar 8
Happy International Women’s Day! Why is economic empowerment for women important? http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/news/women-economic-empowerment … #IWD

Children’s Villages ‏@sos4children Mar 8
Happy International Women’s Day! How is SOS transforming the lives of women and girls around the world? http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/news/giving-girls-a-chance … #IWD

SOS Children USA ‏@SOSChildrenUSA Mar 8
Consider following @SOSChildrenUSA on Google+ here: https://plus.google.com/+SosusaOrgUSA/posts … #googleplus

SOS Children USA ‏@SOSChildrenUSA Mar 7
Happy International Women’s Day from @SOSChildrenUSA! We are thankful for our young girls, SOS Moms & women #IWD2014 pic.twitter.com/ofmVeO9eDC

SOS Children USA ‏@SOSChildrenUSA Mar 6
Your support is affecting change worldwide. Read the latest SOS news! http://ow.ly/uk1b3  @SOS_Advocates #SOS #SOSNews

SOS Children USA ‏@SOSChildrenUSA Mar 6
@LynnCroneberger, SOS – USA CEO, visited our offices and Villages in East Africa! http://ow.ly/ujQ23  @SOS_Advocates @SOSchildsponsor

SOS Children USA ‏@SOSChildrenUSA Mar 5
SOS is partnering with the Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief http://ow.ly/ugo2O  @SOSchildsponsor #Armenian #children #sponsorachild

Tostan  [to 8 March 2014]

March 7, 2014
This International Women’s Day, Tostan celebrates the positive impact of women’s empowerment on entire communities
Tomorrow, March 8, Tostan will celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) by honoring the hard work our partner communities to empower women and girls and support the inclusive development of their communities. The theme of this year’s IWD, ‘Equality for women is progress for all’, embodies what has been a guiding principle in our holistic human rights-based Community Empowerment Program (CEP) since 1991.

Tostan ‏@Tostan Mar 8
Women are emerging as leaders & decision-makers, showing they are vital to their community’s development. #IWD2014 pic.twitter.com/N0FP4yZisA

Tostan ‏@Tostan Mar 7
All Community Management Committees have a majority of female members. http://bit.ly/1ice5pO  #IWD2014 pic.twitter.com/Uy2U7SUVuv

Tostan ‏@Tostan Mar 7
Our #humanrights-based approach helped Marietou change the perception of domestic violence in her community http://bit.ly/1czO10e  #IWD2014

Tostan ‏@Tostan Mar 6
38 women solar engineers are providing access to clean & renewable energy through our Solar Power! Project http://bit.ly/1hTbhs1  #IWD2014

Women for Women International  [to 8 March 2014]

Women for Women Intl ‏@WomenforWomen 23h
How will you #InspireChange? Celebrate with us this International Women’s Day! #IWD #WfWI http://ow.ly/ujgVX

Women for Women Intl ‏@WomenforWomen Mar 7
Pres. & CEO @AfshanKhan_WfWI shares what #IWD means to her & the importance of investing in #women @HyattTweets #WfWI http://ow.ly/umsUy

Women for Women Intl ‏@WomenforWomen Mar 5
Keep up with the latest news from Women for Women International by signing up for email alerts. Sign up today! http://ow.ly/ugtFh

Women for Women Intl ‏@WomenforWomen Mar 4
@AfshanKhan_WfWI shares impact data & lessons in breakout session “Overcoming Challenges in Insecure Markets” @USCCFBiz4Good #Inspire2Act

Laureates Collaborative [to 8 March 2014]

Laureates Collab ‏@hiltonlaureates
Great to meet with new @IRCT General Secretary Victor Madrigal @victor_madrigal in Washington…good start to collaboration in the future!

Laureates Collab ‏@hiltonlaureates
Good visit to new HQ of @hiltonlaureates Secretariat host Global Impact @charitydotorg in Wash DC/Alexandria. Great space for a great team!