World Alliance for Citizen Participation

A Free Weekly Newsletter Promoting Civic Existence, Expression & Engagement Please send contributions, comments and questions to editor@civicus.org.

14 August 2008 ISSUE No. 402 PUBLISHER CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ingrid Srinath MANAGING EDITOR Eric Muragana EDITOR Nastasya Tay OCCASIONAL CONTRIBUTORS Carol Baloyi Elisaberth Robson Julie Middleton Irfan Mufti Natalia Kiryttopoulou Mandeep Tiwana Sue Le-Ba Vicente García-Delgado, Esq ABOUT e-CIVICUS  The CIVICUS weekly electronic publication is keeping tens of thousands of people informed of the developments taking place in civil society, the factors that are affecting them and the impact they are having on creating an informed and knowledgeable civil society.  e-CIVICUS WELCOMES CONTRIBUTIONS OF CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS e-CIVICUS offers a useful channel through which you and your organisation can share your news, publicise your events and articulate the issues you face. Please send us your contributions no later than Tuesday for publication in the coming week to editor@civicus.org. All contributions must focus on civil society issues or have a civil society angle. To read the contribution guidelines, click here.  REPRODUCTION OF e-CIVICUS Readers are welcome to reproduce, in part or in full, all sections of this newsletter, however please request permission to do so first. When reproducing or retransmitting content, please credit sources and authors. The content of this newsletter can be translated into another language and reproduced in other publications, as long as due acknowledgment is made to CIVICUS.  e-CIVICUS DISCLAIMER Although CIVICUS makes all reasonable efforts to obtain prima-facie reliable content for  e-CIVICUS  , CIVICUS cannot guarantee the accuracy of the reports, views or opinions of third-party content providers, nor does CIVICUS necessarily endorse the views reflected therein. Opinions expressed by contributors to  e-CIVICUS  are solely those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CIVICUS, its Board of Directors, managers or staff, or any CIVICUS members or partners. We request that readers exercise caution and alert us immediately if they suspect any fraudulent or incorrect material has been included in our publication. Please do send your comments and suggestions to  editor@civicus.org.  CONTACT US P.O. Box 933 Southdale, 2135  South Africa  Tel: +27 11 833 5959 Fax:+27 11 833 7997 1112 16th Street NW, Suite 540  Washington D.C.  20036 USA Tel: +202 331-8518 Fax: +202 331-8774 Websites: www.civicus.org www.civicusassembly.org To subscribe or unsubscribe: email subscriptions@civicus.org TELL A FRIEND Do you have a friend who works for a more just world? Would you like to share this newsletter with them? Please forward their e-mail address to subscriptions@civicus.org We value your comments, suggestions and contributions. Speak to us at editor@civicus.org Support CIVICUS To make an on-line donation, click here. Join CIVICUS Join or renew your CIVICUS Membership on-line now, click here.  Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin The CIVICUS e-newsletter Civil Society Watch Monthly Bulletin  is an action-oriented newsletter distributed to over 7,400 people around the world, featuring insightful interviews, updates on threats to civil society, and analyses of current situations. Read more at www.civicus.org. CIVICUS blog What do you think? Have your say on the CIVICUS Blog! CIVICUS seeks to amplify the voices and opinions of ordinary people and give expression to the enormous creative energy within civil society. Our recently launched blog gives you the opportunity to use your voice and engage with the rest of civil society. Have your say by visiting http://civicus.civiblog.org

FROM THE DESK OF CIVICUS' SECRETARY GENERAL Send your comments and contributions to editor@civicus.org. China: Double double talk By Ingrid Srinath, CIVICUS Secretary General Dear friends and colleagues, The Chinese government has sought to use the media spotlight of the Olympics to effect a dramatic turnaround in its global image. As I watched the opening ceremony, I, like billions around the world was awe-struck by the scale, technology and artistry. It now turns out that some of the spectacular fireworks were electronic simulations and that the fetching little girl who sang to the world’s cameras was, in fact, lip-synching. Minor blemishes in an otherwise faultless façade. The spotlight has thrown into sharp relief other cracks in the Chinese monolith. Each protest along the torch relay’s long journey, the undercurrent of resentment at growing disparity, the violence of the security crackdowns against protestors and the campaigns spotlighting China’s complicity in Burma and Sudan have all resulted in greater public attention being paid to China’s human rights record than ever before. Like the earthquake that preceded them, the Olympics could, not only shed light on a highly opaque society, but also provide momentum for growth to China’s nascent civil society. To read more on this week's column, click here. Igniting the flame in China Source: Julie Middleton, Acting Manager, CIVICUS Civil Society Watch and Sue Le-Ba, Research Fellow, CIVICUS Civil Society Index programmes Despite China’s tremendous economic transformation, and its ability to host what may prove to be one of the most extravagant Olympics yet, it is difficult for even the best spin doctors to draw attention away from some of the country’s far-from-perfect realities. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch are among many organisations that have drawn attention to China’s attempts to suppress dissent both before and in the run-up to the 2008 Olympic Games. Imprisoned and debarred lawyers, harsh sentences against journalists, bloggers and HIV/AIDS activists, restrictions on media and heavy crackdown on protests have been some of the most recent recorded abuses. However, as many observers have noted, these violations are not new, but in fact symptomatic of a state that has suddenly found itself under an international spotlight. For more information, click here. CIVICUS Civil Society Index report for Guatemala The Civil Society Index ( CSI ) research programme in Guatemala was implemented by the Institute for Cultural Affairs (ICA) in collaboration with the Civil Society and Social Movement Programme at the Latin American College of Social Sciences (FLASCO) from 2003 to 2006. The findings indicate that Guatemalan civil society is characterised by diversity and heterogeneity. The Civil Society Diamond in Guatemala illustrates an unbalanced civil society context, with a theoretically favourable environment that is constrained in practice by restrictions on “acceptable” CSO activities and development. On the other hand, values such as transparency, accountability, democracy and non-violence are widely promoted in the public sector in Guatemala . Despite this, intolerance, gender inequality, poverty and environmental degradation remain major challenges. The positive impact of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Guatemala can be seen through their delivery of social services, and through their volunteers who greatly contribute to meeting their proposed objectives. For more information, click here.  CIVICUS Poll Question This week’s question: Do you think that the Beijing Olympics have improved enough space for Chinese civil society? To answer the question, click here. Previous question: What is the primary role civil society is currently playing in your country/region:   a docile role focusing on service delivery and sub-contracting from government? Results:    48.1% questioning the socio-political make-up of your country/region? Results:   29.6% augmenting its autonomy, independent identity, cohesion and local ownership? Results:   14.8% amplifying the voices of those most deprived of equity, justice and dignity?   Results:   7.4% Number of Votes - 27 TELL A FRIEND ABOUT e-CIVICUS The e-CIVICUS newsletter keeps tens of thousands of people and organisations informed of the many developments taking place in civil society around the world. As a subscriber you know the value e-CIVICUS can bring to your work. So why keep it to yourself? Do you have a friend who works for a more just world? Would you like to share this newsletter with them? Why don’t you suggest they register for a free subscription? They can send us an e-mail to subscriptions@civicus.org or fill out the subscription form here. Alternatively, please forward their e-mail addresses to us and we’ll contact them on your behalf. Please send us your contributions no later than Monday every week to editor@civicus.org. All contributions must be focused on civil society issues or have a civil society angle. e-CIVICUS DIALOGUES Are we ready for Accra? Source: Development Assistance Committee (DAC)news- Ideas on Aid, OECD Source: OECD Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) news - Ideas on Aid The Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF) will set the stage for several meetings that will be critical to achieving development goals. This last issue of DACnews before the HLF offers an insider’s view of many of the issues that will be shaping the discussions in Ghana from 2-4 September 2008. What priorities are being decided on by donors and developing countries as they shape the Accra Agenda for Action? What is the latest monitoring survey telling us about progress since 2005? Where do donors need to step up their efforts? The Accra Agenda for Action (AAA), developed through a broad-based process of dialogue among the key actors and led by developing countries - will step up progress toward reaching agreed development targets. For more information, click here. Civil liberties and draconian laws: India 60 years on By Mandeep S.Tiwana, CIVICUS Civil Society Watch Programme Associate The 61st anniversary of India’s independence on 15 August is an occasion to commemorate once again, the sacrifices of the men and women who took part in the freedom movement and the values for which they struggled. As emergent India advances swiftly to take her place in the globe with a greater voice in world affairs, a question that is often asked is whether the country has truly broken free of the shackles placed on civil liberties by colonialism, despite the obvious advances in democratic development. While a fierce debate rages in the UK on the need to extend the period of pre-charge detention for terrorist suspects from 28 to 42 days, in India, anyone considered a threat to public order or security of the state can be preventively locked up under the National Security Act for up to one year without trial or the requirement for the police to produce formal charges in court. For more information, click here.  Will the Olympics change China? Source: USCI Executive Committee member, Daniel Lynch Daniel Lynch, professor of international relations and member of the US-China Institute (USCI) executive committee, challenges those who argue that the Chinese government is becoming increasingly open and willing to permit citizens greater latitude to organise and to express their ideas. Writing in the current issue of the Far Eastern Economic Review, Prof. Lynch argues "the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) still refuses to recognize the legitimacy of civic groups' ultimate autonomy" and ”the CCP has succeeded in cultivating in the minds of many of those benefiting from the current order the notion that democratisation is a plot hatched by the West and Japan to bring disorder and chaos to China for the purpose of halting its peaceful rise." For more information, click here. CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS ActionAid's applies to demolish St Paul's Cathedral Source: ThirdSector, www.thirdsector.co.uk ActionAid has filed an application to demolish St Paul's Cathedral as part of a protest against the exploitation of natural resources in India. Their application was made to highlight opposition to plans by British mining company Vedanta Resources to extract bauxite from the Niyamgiri Mountain in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. The mountain is considered sacred by the 8,000-strong Kondh tribe. ActionAid said it had filed an application with the governing body of St Paul's Cathedral with a view to demolishing the building so that it can mine for bauxite, which would then be made "into drinks cans and foil for chocolate bars". Brendan O'Donnell, an ActionAid campaigner, said: "This is a David and Goliath struggle - we've applied to knock down St Paul's to raise awareness of Vedanta's outrageous plan to destroy the Kondh's spiritual home. For more information, click here. Partnership of parliament and civil society essential for democracy in Pakistan Source: Associated Press of Pakistan Speaker of the Pakistani National Assembly, Dr. Fehmida Mirza has said that parliament and civil society should work hand in hand for better policy-making, aimed at progress and prosperity of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) member countries. She said this, while addressing a 54th CPA session on the theme “Parliament and Civil Society Engagement for Better Policy Making” in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She said that there can be no democracy without civil society and rule of law, as civil society forms the foundation of democracy, and rule of law ensures that peace and justice prevail. For more information, click here. Attacks on civil society organisations and arrests of Hamas members in the West Bank Source: ReliefWeb The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns the attacks on private and civil society organisations and the continued arrests by Palestinian security forces of Hamas members in the West Bank. The Centre highlights the continued implementation of the detention policy, despite the decision issued by President Mahmoud Abbas on 31 July 2008 to release all Hamas political prisoners apprehended in the aftermath of the latest events in Gaza. The Centre calls upon the Palestinian Government in Ramallah to cease its violations against civil society organisations, to end all forms of arbitrary arrests, and to immediately release all political prisoners held by security services in the West Bank. For more information, click here. Civil society, principles and per diems in Africa Source: AllAfrica.com and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) Across Africa, dedicated activists continue to passionately work in the name of a variety of causes - environmental degradation, gender violence, human rights abuses and corruption. They are the members of churches, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), social movements and trade unions known collectively as “civil society”. However, there is a disturbing trend amongst those purporting to represent themselves as “civil society activists”, whereby certain individuals - who may or may not be representatives of civil society organisations - try to abuse the generous 'per diems' and travel budgets provided to ensure civil society representation at conferences and other events, for their own personal gain. For more information, click here. Uzbekistan again recognised as a “failed state” Source: Institute for war and Peace Reporting Uzbekistan’s high position in a new list of so-called “failed states” can be attributed to a lack of democracy and the slow pace of economic development, say local observers. In late July, the American magazine, Foreign Policy, published their annual rating of failed states for 2008. Uzbekistan - which is still considered the most unstable of Central Asian countries - has improved its position a little from last year, dropping four places from 22nd to 26th on the list. Its regional neighbours Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan come in at 38th and 39th place, respectively. The term “failed state” denotes a lack of political and economic stability, high conflict potential and a state’s inability to ensure the safety of its citizens. For more information, click here. Civil society declaration on Zimbabwe and Swaziland convened at the solidarity conference in South Africa  Source: Politicsweb Civil society organisations from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Swaziland gathered at this COSATU-convened Solidarity Conference on 10-12 August, along with activists from the rest of the Southern African region, to reassert their commitment to the struggle for a transition to democracy in both Zimbabwe and Swaziland. In doing so, civil society stands firmly by the principles of democratic governance that are embodied in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and African Union Charters, declarations and protocols on good governance. For more information, click here. MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS & GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION AGAINST POVERTY GCAP Mobilisation Guide 2008: 50 Days of Action Source: Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) GCAP’s 50 days of mobilisation will begin with activities around the OECD Aid Effectiveness summit in Accra from September 2-4, where there will be a powerful civil society presence. GCAP will support the activities of leading civil society and aid monitoring groups, and focus on important links between this summit and the “MDG and Financing for Development” summits taking place in upcoming weeks. Further events will take place through September and October. For more information, click here. The Mobilisation Guide is also available in pdf versions: French, Portuguese and Spanish.  Day for Decent Work 2008 - Letter to national GCAP coalitions Source: Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) The World Day for Decent Work (WDDW) is scheduled to take place on October 7th and will be one of the Global Call to Action against Poverty ( GCAP )’s mobilisation moments for this year. Decent work reflects the aspiration of virtually every human being on earth. Men and women around the world want globalisation to meet their simple aspiration for sustainable and dignified livelihoods and a better future for their children. This can only happen by placing a greater emphasis on decent work. Decent work is about being free from exploitation. The underlying principles of decent work mean allowing people to organise themselves so as to represent their interests collectively through trade unions and engage in genuine dialogue as citizens and as workers. For more information, click here.  Australia commits up to AUD 2.5 billion to Indonesia for poverty eradication Source: Jakarta (ANTARA News) Australia will provide up to AUD 2.5 billion over the next five years to Indonesia to tackle poverty and assist it to achieve its social and economic development priorities, the Australian embassy said. Australia is committed to working in partnership with Indonesia to meet its Millennium Development Goals and create a better life for the poorest people in Indonesia. Indonesia, which is Australia`s largest development assistance partner, is taking significant steps to achieve its Millennium Development Goals, particularly in the area of primary education. One of the flagship projects of the partnership is the AUD 328 million initiative to improve hundreds of kilometres of national roads and bridges in 10 provinces across eastern Indonesia. For more information, click here. AIDS and Millennium Development Goals placed at risk by health worker shortage  Source: AFP The campaign to provide universal access to anti-retroviral drugs by 2010 and meet key Millennium Development Goals is at threat from a crippling shortage of doctors and nurses, a senior UN health official said. Mubashar Sheikh, executive director of the Global Health Workforce Alliance, an umbrella group hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), said around four million healthcare workers were urgently needed. Lack of trained staff was hampering the rollout of antiretroviral drugs in poor countries, threatening the UN and Group of Eight (G8) targets of universal access to this lifeline by 2010, he told AFP. For more information, click here. GET INVOLVED! An appeal from Azerbaijan NGOs about South Ossetia-Russia conflict Source: Human Rights Center of Azerbaijan Current events in South Ossetia and Abkhazia became the logical result of long years of passiveness of world community towards so called “frozen conflicts” in Caucasus. When the tension in South Ossetia was increasing, Russia faced a difficult choice: to implement the peacekeeping obligations or to defend its citizens. Russian “coercion for peace” looks from the Kremlin only as displacement of Georgian army from South Ossetia, with simultaneous filling this area by the armed volunteers from Russia and regular Russian Army, and that is an evidence that Kremlin left ideas of peace-keeping. Formal participation of Russia in the peacekeeping forces is now used only as a ground for escalation of its military presence in the region and bombimg outside of the zone of responsibility of peacekeeping contingent. For more information on the appeal, click here.  Call to action: World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse - 19 November Source: Women's World Summit Foundation WWSF Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, is a universal and alarming problem, and increased attention and efficient protection and prevention measures are necessary at the family, local, national and international levels. After a long tradition of silence, child sexual abuse is being more and more denounced and becoming a public and political topic. Alerting Governments and civil society organisations to play a more active role in the promotion of and respect for the rights of the child (Article 19 and 34 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child), and contribute to the prevention of child abuse, WWSF launched in 2000 the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse, a Day to be commemorated every 19 November in synergy with the anniversary of the International Day for the Rights of the Child (20 November). For more information, click here.  Time for Action: Join the Youth and Climate Change Campaign Source: World Youth Foundation The theme for the International Youth Day 2008: 'Youth and Climate Change - Time for Action' calls upon all stakeholders to engage and empower young people to take actions on issues of climate change and the environment. In September 2008, the World Youth Foundation will be organising the 2nd Annual Clean Up Melaka campaign that inspires and empowers communities from every corner of the globe to clean up, fix up and conserve our local environment. This campaign will engage young people, governments, business communities, NGOs, schools and the community in environmental issues will provide a practical way for youth to take responsibility for their environment. For more information, click here.  ACCOUNTABILITY Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Assistance report Source: Transparency International The report, entitled 'Preventing Corruption in Humanitarian Assistance’, was produced in partnership with seven of the leading INGO humanitarian providers, to ascertain the views of both headquarters and field staff on the risks of corruption they encountered in their work. It explores the impact of such risks on huminitarian missions, the systems INGOs currently use to prevent and detect corruption, and potential improvements in such systems. The report presents a number of recommendations for increasing transparency and accountability in humanitarian relief operations. The study was carried out jointly by the Feinstein International Center (FIC) of Tufts University, the Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) of the Overseas Development Institute and Transparency International. For more information, click here. Policing ourselves: NGO self-regulation By Shana Warren, Projects Officer, One World Trust In the past ten years, the number, size, and influence of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has increased substantially from global to local levels. Service delivery NGOs have become the lifelines of millions in both developed and developing countries, while advocacy organisations have come to exert growing influence on public policy. This new, more prominent role in political affairs, has led to increasing scrutiny of NGO accountability. One response to this has been for NGOs to individually reflect on to whom and for what they are accountable and develop organisation-specific responses to accountability. Another approach has been for NGOs to collectively define common standards of practice and to identify, as a sector, for what they should be held to account. For more information, click here. A Constituency Voice Project: The Student Voice Initiative Source: www.KeystoneAccountability.org The Center for Effective Philantropy (CEP) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are undertaking an exploratory exercise to collect feedback from secondary school students in order to figure out ways that schools and school reformers can be more aware of and responsive to the views of students. This involves understanding how student voices may contribute to better educational outcomes, including assisting the Foundation to improve its education grant-making. Keystone is acting as an advisor to the project. For more information, click here.  CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISM AND GLOBAL INSTITUTIONS Activist groups worldwide call on China to stop supporting Burma's dictators Source: DemocracyNews, Electronic Newsletter of the World Movement for Democracy, www.wmd.org The 8th of August, the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games, was also the 20th anniversary of the 1988 Burmese people’s uprising. The fanfare and glitz of the opening ceremony, watched by billions around the globe, heralds the arrival of China as a newly responsible and capable world power. However, China undermines the public image it is trying to present by continuing to support the military junta ruling Burma. Twenty years ago, the Burmese people’s frustration and anger at decades of military rule bubbled over into a non-violent demonstration on a huge scale. Activist groups worldwide, as organisations dedicated to the restoration of democracy in Burma, want to remind the world that Burma’s dream of democracy deferred and China’s lofty Olympic ambitions have connection. For more information, click here.  Human rights activists call Kyrgyzstan to follow Georgia in Central Asia Source: Daniyar Karimov, Kyrgyz News Agency “24”  Human Rights Center “Citizens against Corruption” urge Kyrgyzstan to follow Georgia’s example in Central Asia. The official statement inked by the center’s chairwoman Tolekan Ismailova was released. “The human rights center “Citizens against Corruption” and the partners’ solidarity network “People, changing the world!” welcome the historic decision of the Georgian government to withdraw from the Commonwealth of Independent States. Human Rights Center support the Georgian vector under the framework of legal states, which value human rights and freedoms and praise balance-system and true independence. Human Rights Center hope that Kyrgyzstan will follow the Georgia example and become a truly legal, independent and democratic state,” the statement read. For more information, click here. International AIDS Conference: Fine words, few concrete actions By Daniela Estrada and Emilio Godoy, Inter Press Service (IPS) Governments, international bodies and civil society renewed their commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS at the 17th International AIDS Conference, but they will have to work hard in order for this commitment to be reflected in concrete policies, especially on prevention. This week, nearly 25,000 delegates from all over the world presented their views on topics ranging from respect for the human rights of groups vulnerable to AIDS, including men who have sex with men, transgender persons and sex workers, to the scientific advances towards combating the disease and funding for treatment. The conference, which ended last Friday, was also a forum for reporting the obstacles to preventing new infections and reducing AIDS prevalence rates, such as lack of access to life-extending antiretroviral medications. For more information, click here. PROFILES DONOR: Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Human Rights (UAF) As the only international women’s fund in the world designed to respond on short notice; UAF collaborates with women activists in three primary contexts: peace building in situations of armed conflict, escalating violence, or politically volatile environments; potentially precedent-setting legal and legislative actions; and protection of women human rights defenders. UAF exists to enable women to mobilise and act within these brief windows of opportunity. UAF expanded its initial role of rapid response grant making in 2000 to include planning and implementing collaborative initiatives to support women in armed conflict regions. These projects, which have become another fundamental aspect of UAF’s work, aim to: deepen women’s understanding of particular conflicts; provide women with the tools needed to initiate strategic actions in their situation; build advocacy skills through training; and encourage ongoing information-sharing and networking. For more information, click here. MEMBER: Somali Youth for Peace and Development (SYPD) Somali Youth for Peace and Development (SYPD) is a non-profit, non-governmental, local organisation based in Mogadishu, the capital city of Somalia. Founded in August 2004, SYPD mission is to empower Somali youth and unite their passion to build a peaceful and democratic Somalia. Since its inception, SYPD has implemented more than a dozen projects assisting the livelihoods of the marginalized and most vulnerable young people in different parts of Somalia. These projects were funded through SYPD members’ contribution and grants from various local and international donors including USAID/CARE International, UNDP, European Union/ Oxfam Novib, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the National Endowment for Democracy (USA), and others. For more information, click here. BOOKS, REPORTS & RESOURCES Evaluation of the Paris Declaration - Synthesis Report Source: Accra High Level Forum In response to the Paris Declaration commitment of conducting an independent cross-country evaluation of aid effectiveness, it has been decided to conduct a two-phase evaluation, commissioned and overseen by an International Reference Group, comprising members of the DAC Evaluation Network, partner country members of the WP-EFF and other interested countries, and representatives of civil society. The Evaluation comprises of eight country-level evaluations of the implementation of the Paris Declaration principles, and eleven donor evaluations focusing on changes in donor policies and guidelines. For more information on the report, click here.  Participatory citizenship, identity and inclusion paper By Kumi Naidoo, Honorary President of CIVICUS Embedded in democratic constitutions are rights and freedoms that accompany citizenship, and these rights and freedoms include participation. Participation in democracies should go beyond taking part in voting, and should include participation in governance processes. The notion of citizenship (especially in societies that are stratified) brings in several benefits to some groups and restricts the rights and freedoms of others, as it seldom accommodates completely people with lower status. Traditional notions of participation limit the participation of citizens to the voting processes in democracies and to their involvement with government-owned initiatives that provide services to groups which are of lesser sociopolitical or economic status. The first part of this paper addresses some conceptual definitions, providing clarity for some of the terms used in the paper. The second part gives a brief explanation of the correlation between citizenship and participation. For more information, click here. Towards knowledge society: a handbook of selected initiatives in South Asia Source: Global Knowledge Partnership, www.globalknowledge.org This handbook contains ‘Information and Communications Technology for Development’ (ICT4D) initiatives of selected South Asian organisations covering key aspects of their activities including impact, innovation, partnerships, management as well as the challenges they face in implementing their ideas. The information-gathering approach and preparation of the cases are designed so that readers and users can easily understand the ideas behind the models and can make comparisons across models. For more information, click here.  JCCSO launches new website Source: Amman Center for Human Rights Studies The Jordanian Network for Non-Governmental Organisations recently launched its new website in order to provide an introduction as well as information regarding its institutions, its activities and its reports. This came two years after its change from the Jordanian Coalition, to its new 16 organisation member format. This was carried it out as part of the capacity building program which was funded, throughout this year, by the Canadian Fund. For more information, click here. A New Resource: Women's Contribution to Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean Source: Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID) The structural pattern of inequalities between women and men is often determined by two key elements: their levels of participation in politics and decision-making processes; and their contributions to the economy (both paid and unpaid). This contribution is calling for universal access to social protection of women's empowerment and well-being, and to foster shared responsibility for unpaid work between men and women. In addition, more comprehensive public action is required by the State and the private sector to facilitate the work of caring for the sick, older persons and the disabled. For more information, click here.  CONFERENCES & EVENTS OECD DAC Third High-level Forum on Aid Effectiveness  2-4 September 2008, Accra, Ghana In September, heads of governments, multilateral institutions and civil society organisations will gather in Accra to discuss issues around Aid Effectivess and the commitments made in the Paris Declaration. The Forum will seek to identify obstacles yet to be overcome and the action needed in order to make progress in improving aid effectiveness for 2010 and beyond. The common objective of the Forum is to help developing countries and marginalised people to fight against poverty by making aid more transparent, accountable and results-oriented. The OECD-DAC Third High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-3) will review progress in improving aid effectiveness, broaden the dialogue to newer actors and chart a course for continuing international action on aid effectiveness. For more information, click here. The 13th International Anti-Corruption Conference Global Transparency: Fighting corruption for a sustainable future 30 October - 2 November 2008, Athens, Greece Human security, energy security, natural resources management and climate change are some of the critical issues that will define our common future. Transparency and accountability are required for effective action to take place. The 13th IACC Conference will focus on finding solutions to the impact of corruption in the social, political, environmental, and economic questions that define the quality of life for people across the globe. The Conference is jointly organised by the Hellenic Ministry of Justice, Transparency International, the IACC Council, and Transparency International-Greece. For more information, click here.  High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals 25 September 2008, New York, USA The High-level Event on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will take place at the UN Headquarters on 25 September 2008 and is jointly convened by the UN Secretary-General and the UN GA President in order to review progress, identify gaps and motivate commitments to overcome them to achieve the MDGs by 2015. Six CSO representatives (3 from the North and 3 from the South) will be invited to participate as speakers in the 3 Roundtables. For more information, click here. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES Fellowships for Threatened Academics: Professors, Researchers and Lecturers  Application Deadline: 5 September 2008 The Institute of International Education's (IIE) Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF) provides fellowships for established scholars whose lives and work are threatened in their home countries. These fellowships permit professors, researchers and other senior academics to find temporary refuge at universities and colleges anywhere in the world, enabling them to pursue their academic work and to continue to share their knowledge with students, colleagues, and the community at large. For more information, click here. Every Human Has Rights Media Awards Application Deadline: 15 September 2008 The Every Human has Rights Media Awards aims to support human rights reporting through the media and encouraging greater press freedom in the world through voices of leaders in the service of journalism. The competition intends to: 1) increase media understanding of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); and 2) create local and international networks of journalists committed to human rights reporting. The competition is open to all type of media and both professional and citizen journalists. In order to enter, journalists have to submit world and current affairs reports that have been published or broadcast after September 15 2007 and which could be used to illustrate one or several articles of the UDHR. For more information, click here. 2008 African Climate Change Fellowship Application Deadline: 17 September 2008 The African Climate Change Fellowship Programme (ACCFP) aims to support African professionals, researchers and graduate students to undertake activities that will enhance their capacities for advancing and applying knowledge for climate change adaptation in Africa. The programme is jointly administered by the global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training (START), the Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA) of the University of Dar es Salaam and the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), with financial support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. Applications are extended from researchers, scientists, and academics working in fields related to climate change and climate change adaptation as well as professionals and practitioners with experience and responsibilities related to policy, planning or management of climate sensitive resources, sectors, systems or livelihoods. For more information, click here.  2009 Oak Human Rights Fellowship Application Deadline: 15 December 2008 The 2009 Oak Human Rights Fellowship, sponsored by the Oak Institute for the Study of International Human Rights at Colby College in Waterville, Maine is calling for nominations of an activist whose work involves migration and human rights of migrants outside of the United States. Possible areas of human rights activity may include, but are not limited to: rights of displaced peoples and refugees; discrimination and unequal treatment of migrants; migrant workers' rights in both formal and informal markets; migrant land and resource struggles; resettlement; human trafficking and smuggling; economically motivated migration; asylum seekers; gender and sexual exploitation of migrants and refugees; or movement of seasonal workers. The appointment is for the fall semester of 2009 (September through mid December). Responsibilities include participation in a lecture series or symposium in the Fellow's area of expertise and regular interaction with Colby students through a one credit non-graded discussion class. For more information, click here.   WORKSHOPS & COURSES Grantsmanship Training Programme 8-12  September 2008, Willliamsburg, Virginia The Grantsmanship Training Programme is a comprehensive, hands-on workshop that covers the complete grant development process, from researching funding sources to writing and reviewing grant proposals. More than 110,000 nonprofit and government personnel have attended this fast-paced, five-day workshop, which is followed with a full year of membership support services. During the workshop, participants learn The Grantsmanship Center's proposal-writing format, the most widely used in the world. In addition to practicing advanced techniques for pursuing government, foundation, and corporate grants, participants work in small teams to develop and then review real grant proposals. For more information, click here. CALL FOR PAPERS, SUBMISSIONS, SURVEYS & NOMINATIONS Call for applications: Master of Laws in International Organisations, International Criminal Law and Crime Prevention Application Deadline: 7 October 2008 The Master of Laws in "International Crime and Justice", is jointly organized by the Faculty of Law of the University of Turin and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI). The LLM is designed for those who seek a deeper understanding of International Criminal Law and crime prevention, their implementation and the activities of international organisations and tribunals in this area. The program will offer students a combination of academic training and practical experience in an unparalleled setting. It aims to provide an in-depth knowledge of the theoretical and practical international instruments and tools for the prevention and punishment of international and transnational crimes such as terrorism or trafficking in persons. For more information, click here.  Call for Proposals: Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) Application Deadline: Open IADB calls for participation in the background research for its 2009 flagship report on growth and productivity. Institutions and researchers in the region are invited to take part in this groundbreaking study by presenting research proposals on 'Understanding Productivity Levels, Dispersion and Growth in Latin American and Caribbean Industries'. Coordinated by the Research Department ( RES ), the report seeks to better understand the effects--intentional or inadvertent--of different government policies on productivity levels and growth. For more information, click here.  APPOINTMENTS CURRENT JOBS Controller Application Deadline: 2 September 2008 Save the Children Location: Latin America For more information, click here.   Global Project Manager Applicatuion Deadline: 8 September 2008 ActionAid International Location: Nairobi, Kenya For more information, click here.  CONTACT e-CIVICUS e-CIVICUS is a free weekly online publication keeping tens of thousands of people, organisations and programmes informed of the many developments that are taking place in civil society organisations around the world, the many factors that are affecting the impact of civil society on creating a more just world. We value your comments and suggestions. Please send these to the Editorial Team at editor@civicus.org. Unsubscribe: To unsubscribe from e-CIVICUS, get a password reminder, or change your subscription options by entering your subscription email address: Click here.