News

Gw/oB news updates and highlights

August 30, 2010

Private US donations for Pakistan slowly rise to just over $10-Million
Private donations to help victims of the Pakistan floods have picked up slightly in the past few days as news-media attention of the disaster has increased. But they still remain well below contributions after other large international disasters. Twenty-two US aid groups have raised a total of $10.6-million to assist the estimated 20 million people affected by the floods; two-and-a-half weeks after the Haiti earthquake, 40 aid groups had brought in a total of $560-million. Many international relief groups are not actively soliciting money for Pakistan because they don't have programs in the country. But some nonprofits say the deepening crisis may lead them to get involved in the days and weeks to come. Islamic Relief USA recently increased its fund-raising goal to $4-million. The group has so far raised $2-million in cash donations, the most of any U.S. charity. More at http://philanthropy.com/article/Donations-for-Pakistan-Slowly/124099/?sid=&utm_source=&utm_medium=en.

Gates Foundation increases its investments in Monsanto
Farmers and civil society organizations around the world are outraged by the recent discovery of further connections between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and agribusiness titan Monsanto. Last week, a financial website published the Gates Foundation's investment portfolio, including 500,000 shares of Monsanto stock with an estimated worth of $23.1 million purchased in the second quarter of 2010. This marks a substantial increase from its previous holdings, valued at just over $360,000. "The Foundation's direct investment in Monsanto is problematic on two primary levels," said Dr. Phil Bereano, recognized expert on genetic engineering. "The strong connections to Monsanto cast serious doubt on the Foundation's heavy funding of agricultural development in Africa and purported goal of alleviating poverty and hunger among small-scale farmers." News of the Foundation's recent Monsanto investment has confirmed the misgivings of many farmers and sustainable agriculture advocates in Africa. More at http://www.seattleglobaljustice.org/2010/08/for-immediate-release-gates-foundation-invests-in-monsanto/.

On August 21, humans overspent nature's budget
It has taken humanity less than nine months to exhaust its ecological budget for the year, according to Global Footprint Network calculations. On August 21st, humanity reached Earth Overshoot DayÑthe day of the year in which human demand on the biosphere exceeds what it can regenerate. As of that date, humanity had demanded all the ecological servicesÑfrom filtering CO2 to producing the raw materials for foodÑthat nature can regenerate this year. For the rest of the year, we will meet our ecological demand by depleting resource stocks and accumulating greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. "If you spent your entire annual income in nine months, you would probably be extremely concerned," said Global Footprint Network President Mathis Wackernagel. "The situation is no less dire when it comes to our ecological budget. Climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, water and food shortages are all clear signs: We can no longer finance our consumption on credit. Nature is foreclosing." More at http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/earth_overshoot_day/.

PlayPumps aren't the miracle solution they were touted as
Five years ago, FRONTLINE/World featured a story about the challenges of getting water in Africa and a promising new technology called the PlayPump. The story showed how simple it might be for children to pump fresh water just by playing. Celebrities, politicians and major donors jumped on the bandwagon of this latest development miracle. First Lady Laura Bush announced $16.4 million in U.S. donor support to install PlayPumps across southern Africa, and Steve Case created PlayPumps International. Now, five years later, the truth about the PlayPump is emerging. After installing dozens of PlayPumps, UNICEF concluded the system was not as sustainable as it needed to be to work in rural Africa. A report commissioned by the Mozambique government on the PlayPump cited multiple problems with the pumps Ð women finding it difficult to operate, pumps out of commission for up to 17 months, children not playing as expected on the merry-go-rounds, and maintenance problems. The report called the experiment "a real disaster". More at http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/southernafrica904/video_index.html.

Sixty African women researchers are recognized
A passion fruit pathologist, a catfish breeder, and a pigeon pea researcher are among the 60 outstanding women agricultural scientists from 10 African countries who have received a fellowship from African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD). The fellowship will help these top researchers strengthen their research and leadership skills, and enhance their contributions to poverty alleviation and food security across the continent. "Today we debunked the myth that qualified African women researchers 'aren't out there'Ñan excuse that's often used to justify why women are not hired or promoted equitably within agricultural research institutions, universities, and corporations," said Vicki Wilde, AWARD Director. "We've proven that top-notch female scientists do exist in significant numbers and, equally important, they are conducting critical food security research that is desperately needed to feed future generations." More at http://allafrica.com/stories/201008230981.html.

August 23, 2010

Hundreds of millions of dollars in aid is sought for Pakistan flood survivors
The United Nations has announced that some $460 million is needed to help an estimated 15 to 20 million flood-affected Pakistanis in need of aid following the country's worst-ever natural disaster. Meanwhile, donations have started to trickle in from governments and charities around the world. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the floods are testing the limits of Pakistan's emergency response capacity as well as that of international agencies. Thousands of villages and towns in low-lying areas have not seen flooding on such a scale in generations. The good news is that, unlike in Haiti as a result of the earthquake, a miraculously lower number of people have been killedÑperhaps no more than 2,000. Nonprofits and international aid groups responding to the disaster include Direct Relief International, which has committed an initial $5 million in medical aid; the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which awarded $700,000 to the International Rescue Committee; and the American Red Cross, which has pledged $100,000 in immediate financial support and $150,000 worth of tarps, blankets, and kitchen items. More at http://www.un.org/news/ and at http://www.grassrootsonline.org/news/blog/pakistan-floods-secular-liberal-progressive-organizations-doing-flood-relief-need-your-sup.

"Slumdog tourism" turns poverty into entertainment
Slum tourism has a long history. During the late 1800s, lines of wealthy New Yorkers snaked along the Bowery and through the Lower East Side to see "how the other half lives." But with urban populations in the developing world expanding rapidly, the opportunity and demand to observe poverty firsthand have never been greater. The hot spots are Rio de Janeiro, MumbaiÑthanks to "Slumdog Millionaire," the film that started a thousand toursÑand Kibera, a Nairobi slum that is perhaps the largest in Africa. Slum tourism has its advocates, who say it promotes social awareness. And it's good money, which helps the local economy. But slum tourism turns poverty into entertainment, something that can be momentarily experienced and then escaped from. People think they've really "seen" somethingÑand then go back to their lives and leave poor communities right where they were before. More at http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/10/opinion/10odede.html?_r=2&partner=rss&emc=rss.

Charities deliver letter to Obama, outlining reforms to protect US charities and donors
On August 11th, more than 40 Muslim, Arab, Sikh and South Asian charities delivered a letter to President Barack Obama asking him to reform federal charitable giving laws and regulations that restrict the humanitarian work of legitimate US charities. The letter identifies several barriers that harm humanitarian groups, their donors and the people they serve. It also outlines concrete action the President can direct the Departments of Justice, State, and Treasury to do to "protect innocent donors and charities." Barriers to charity stated in the letter include expansive FBI investigations into legitimate US charitable activities, the freezing of charitable assets without criminal charges or due process, and massive data collection by the FBI on American-Muslims, mosques, and their charitable giving practices. More at http://www.muslimadvocates.org/.

New feminists are still fighting
Feminism has been a cultural force of epic proportions. As vision or as critique it has touched the lives of everyone and been the touchstone for modernity. In the west, the women's movement has influenced all of our lives. Outside the west, as women have taken up education or earning money for themselves, social and sexual relations have been threatened. Sexual violence has increased, becoming an instrument of social control and terror. In the west, the right hails Sarah Palin as feminist heroine. The capacity of ideology to trim itself to the latest fashion can appear inexhaustible. More at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/15/meet-the-new-feminists.

African journalists on the throes of insecurity
Harassment of journalists is gradually but steadily becoming the trend in Africa. Especially in Senegal, Cameroon, Tunisia and Burundi, journalists and their leaders face constant harassment and threats to their safety as part of brazen campaigns to curb the right to freedom of expression in Africa. "African journalists are increasingly facing governments-inspired violence that is intended to silence the independence and credible voice of journalism. Increasingly, these assaults and campaign of elimination are also targeting human rights defenders and democratic forces that fight for journalists' and peoples' right to impartial and free information," says Federation of African Journalist President Omar Faruk Osman. More at http://fesmedia.org/african-media-news/detail/datum////-1392ba0f02/.

African ministers tackle "scandal of invisibility"
Government ministers from across Africa gathered last week to address what is being called "the scandal of invisibility." Countless millions of Africans are living their lives and dying without leaving a trace. The two-day meeting was billed as the first Conference of African Ministers Responsible for Civil Registration. But behind the bland title is a host of disturbing realities. Most African countries lack an adequate system of registering births and deaths. Experts say the figures we hear about the numbers of mothers who die in childbirth, the death toll from AIDS and malaria, and the numbers of child soldiers and underage brides, for example, are mostly educated guesses. The lack of record keeping complicates the work of academics and journalists trying to understand the scope of Africa's problems and the pace of its progress. More at http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/African-Ministers-Tackle-Scandal-of-Invisibility-100372949.html.

August 16, 2010

Forty families and individuals sign on to giving pledge
The Giving Pledge, the campaign launched by Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett to encourage the nation's billionaires to give at least half of their fortunes to charity, has announced that forty families and individuals have signed on to the pledge in its first six week. Signatories of the pledge so far include Eli Broad and his wife Edythe, who committed 75 percent of their wealth to charity; Oracle Corporation co-founder and CEO Larry Ellison; Hilton Hotels co-chairman Barron Hilton; Business Wire founder Lorry I. Lokey; filmmaker George Lucas; former eBay president Jeff Skoll; eBay founder and chairman Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam; media tycoon Ted Turner; and New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. More at http://givingpledge.org/Content/media/PressRelease_8_4.pdf.

California threat prompts reviews of safeguards
The capture of an antigovernment extremist who said he planned to kill officials of two nonprofit organizations in California, including the Tides Foundation and the ACLU, has sparked concern from charity leaders across the country. They fear the latest threat signals a possible uptick in violence against organizations that work on highly charged social issues in today's polarized political environment. Byron Williams, an antigovernment activist, told authorities last month that he wanted to "start a revolution". More at http://philanthropy.com/article/Nonprofit-Leaders-Face-New/123791/?sid=&utm_source=&utm_medium=en.

Kenya rejoices at the "birth of a new republic"
Kenya has been swept by a wave of optimism this month, as final results of an important vote showed an overwhelming majority of the country had backed a new constitution. Supporters of the draft document, which aims to devolve power from the presidency, address land issues and overhaul the corrupt judiciary, hailed the vote as the birth of the second republic. "Just taking the temperature and the pulse of the people this morning, everyone feels as optimistic as the day President Obama was voted in," said Kenyan financial analyst, Aly Khan Sutchu. "It's a similar scenario with smiles on everyone's faces." The optimism was reflected in the markets where the Kenyan shilling made gains against sterling and the US dollar, and the Nairobi stock exchange is expected to continue its recent rally. More at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/kenya-rejoices-at-the-birth-of-a-new-republic-2044826.html and at http://www.nation.co.ke/Kenya%20Referendum/Eight%20reasons%20why%20Kenyans%20voted%20for%20new%20law%20/-/926046/971880/-/8275sbz/-/index.html.

Uganda becomes the 28th State Party to the Maputo Protocol
On July 22nd, Uganda became the 28th African nation to ratify the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (called the Maputo Protocol). In acceding to this instrument, the Ugandan authorities have formally committed to take all necessary measures, including by adopting an adequate legislative framework, to fight against all forms of discrimination against women, ensure their rights to dignity, life, safety, health, access to justice, education, participate in political processes or their social and economic rights. More at http://www.africa4womensrights.org/post/2010/08/02/Uganda-becomes-the-28th-State-Party-to-the-Maputo-Protocol%21.

ABA urges US government to step up efforts in Haiti
Last week, the American Bar Association unanimously passed a resolution urging the US government to step up its efforts to help 1.5 million Haitians still living in temporary camps, nearly seven months after the catastrophic January 12th earthquake devastated their country. The ABA resolution urges the US federal government to intensify its effort to provide adequate food, water, shelter and physical security to displaced women and children in Haiti, and to fund and support regional, sub-regional and international programs which prioritize the protection of these vulnerable groups, in conformity with international human rights principles. The resolution goes further in urging the US federal government to fund and support national, regional, sub-regional and international policies and programs that: (1) prevent sexual violence against Haitian women and children; (2) combat sexual exploitation and trafficking of Haitian women and children; (3) bring to justice perpetrators of such crimes; and, (4) provide effective assistance and rehabilitation to victims.

August 13, 2010

Ford Foundation commits $85 million to advance land rights, reduce climate change
The Ford Foundation has announced a five-year, US$85 million commitment to help make rural and indigenous people a stronger part of the world's response to climate change. Through a new initiative, the foundation aims to help low-income populations in forest, grassland, marginal agricultural land and other rural regions of Brazil, Indonesia, China, Eastern Africa, Mexico, Central America and India play a more active role in the stewardship of the resources around them. In partnership with NGOs, governments, other funders and the rural communities themselves, the initiative will work to develop the advocacy skills of rural leaders so they have a stronger voice in how natural resources are managed; demonstrate successful models of community management of resources and bring lessons learned to bear on national and global policy; promote public investment that benefits rural communities and acknowledges their role as stewards of valuable natural assets; ensure that global climate change programs account for and address the needs of indigenous communities and the rural poor; and strengthen institutions and networks that advance this approach. More at http://www.fordfoundation.org/newsroom/news-from-ford/393.

United Kingdom tightens rules on giving to overseas groups
The Finance Act 2010 has amended the rules applying to payments made by United Kingdom-based charities to overseas groups. In order to receive tax benefits, such payments must be deemed charitable. Previously, it was up to the trustees of the UK charity to decide whether they had taken reasonable steps to ensure that the payment was applied for charitable purposes. Under the new rules, such payments will only attract tax relief if the trustees have taken specific steps as defined as charitable by HM Revenue and Customs. While the new rules are not expected to be difficult for large charities to follow, smaller charities are expected to suffer. More http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/charities/guidance-notes/annex2.annex_ii.htm#9.

Controversy surrounds SKS Microfinance's multi-million dollar stock offering
SKS Microfinance, an Indian company with wealthy American backers, is poised to raise up to $350 million in a stock offering, stirring controversy about the big profits that can be made from small loans to the world's poorest individuals, the New York Times reports. SKS, one of the biggest players in the microfinance field, isn't the first microlender to go public. But its initial public offering is one of the biggest stock offerings to date in the still nascent microfinance field and has raised eyebrows. There's no doubt that the company's 41-year-old Indian-American founder, Vikram Akula, and investors, including a number of prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalists, will profit from the IPO; Akula already has privately sold shares worth almost $13 million and holds options worth upward of $55 million. But whether investors in a company that exists to promote social good should be so handsomely rewarded remains an open question. Two nonprofit microfinance groups that helped put SKS on its feet and financed it through its early days stand to make a significant amount of money from the IPO, and it is unclear what they will do with the proceeds. One such beneficiary is Unitus. In July, the organization, which holds a stake in SKS that will be worth millions after the IPO, announced it was laying off its forty-person staff and exiting the microfinance field to "seek out other transformative fields of endeavor." The announcement has led many in the microfinance field to question the motives of the organization's board members, at least four of whom had invested personally in SKS and stand to realize sizable profits from the IPO. More at http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=303600020.

Decline and fall of the Vanguard Foundation
Once acclaimed as a pioneer in philanthropy and an important force for social justice, the San Francisco-based Vanguard Foundation is no more, its nonprofit status suspended, its website down, and its assets apparently gone. Federal and state court lawsuits involving donors, investors, staff, and trustees question what happened to millions of dollars that flowed through the foundation to progressive causes. The Vanguard Public Foundation was lauded in its heyday as a new wave of philanthropy, a generational shift, an exemplar, and a model. The famous people associated with the foundation, including Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover, are neither the story nor the cause of the foundation's demise. Rather the story may be one of organizational hubris, board narcolepsy, and the disease of our time: the siren song of the get-rich investment plan. More at http://www.blueavocado.org/node/562.

World Bank says foreign investors are crowding out African producers
A leaked World Bank report into investors from rich nations buying up African farmland has intensified campaigners' fears that the growing trend is marginalizing local producers. After a spate of investments in African land by sovereign wealth funds looking for gains on rising commodity prices and by countries such as China worried about their own food security, the World Bank launched research into the area. A leaked draft copy of the report painted a picture of largely speculative investment badly lacking agricultural expertise and a rush towards countries with lax laws. It mentioned only a handful of successes. Although investment deals promised jobs and infrastructure, "investors failed to follow through on their investment plans, in some cases after inflicting serious damage on the local resource base". The report also flagged that "the level of formal payments required was low", thereby fuelling speculative investment. As commodity prices have soared on the back of rising global food demand, weather fluctuations and a growing biofuels industry, anti-poverty campaigners have grown increasingly concerned about speculative land-grabbing in Africa and other developing regions. More at More at http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jul/28/worldbank-food.

Fears for wildlife of Galapagos as UN drops islands' protected status
A panel of politicians has voted to remove the Galapagos Islands from the UN's list of World Heritage Sites in danger, in spite of a firm recommendation from scientists and officials who visited the islands that they should keep their status. The Pacific archipelago was included on the list in 2007 after scientists warned that the islands were facing environmental disaster from mass tourism, immigration, development, overfishing and the invasion of alien species. Following a visit in April, a group of UN scientists raised concerns that port facilities in Ecuador and Galapagos were still not sufficiently bio-secure to prevent additional alien species from being transported from mainland South America to the islands. They also raised new concerns about the sport fishing industry which is taking off in Galapagos without a proper regulatory framework, and recommended the islands remain on the danger list. However, members of the World Heritage Committee of Unesco, the UN's cultural body, ignored these warnings and in effect gave Galapagos a clean bill of health. More at http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/fears-for-unique-wildlife-of-galapagos-as-un-drops-islands-protected-status-2039073.html.

Global support for HIV/AIDS was flat in 2009
Overall support for global AIDS efforts from donor nations leveled off last year, according to a new report. The report, "Financing the Response to AIDS in Low- and Middle-Income Countries", found that in 2009 the Group of Eight nations, the European Commission and other donor governments provided $7.6 billion for AIDS-related efforts in developing nations, compared to $7.7 billion in 2008. The 2009 totals ended a run of annual double-digit percentage point increases in donor support for international AIDS assistance going back to at least 2002. That year, donor governments provided a total of $1.2 billion. The United States remained the largest donor nation, accounting for 58 percent of 2009 AIDS disbursements, followed by the United Kingdom (10.2 percent), Germany (5.2 percent), the Netherlands (5 percent), and France (4.4 percent). More at http://www.kff.org/hivaids/hiv071810nr.cfm.

UN resolution on right to water passes overwhelmingly
On July 28th, the United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly agreed to a resolution declaring the human right to "safe and clean drinking water and sanitation." The resolution, presented by the Bolivian government, had 124 countries vote in its favor, while 42 countries abstained. For more than a decade the water justice movement has been calling for UN leadership on this critical issue. Currently nearly 2 billion people live in water-stressed areas of the world and 3 billion have no running water within a kilometer of their homes. Every eight seconds, a child dies of water-borne disease, deaths that would be easily preventable with access to clean, safe water. "This is truly an historic day," said Maude Barlow, National Chairperson of the Council of Canadians and water rights activist. "When the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights was written, no one could foresee a day when water would be a contested area. But in 2010, it is not an exaggeration to say that the lack of access to clean water is the greatest human rights violation in the world." More at http://www.blueplanetproject.net/.

Extractive industry transparency now US law
In July, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which includes a landmark provision requiring disclosure of payments from oil and mining companies to governments around the world. For the first time, communities who live in resource-rich countries will know how much their governments receive annually and on a project-by-project basis for the extraction of natural resources. This legislation has important consequences for campaigns around the world. For example, Chevron and Total, which profit enormously from the Yadana gas pipeline in Burma, have until now refused calls to disclose payments made to the Burmese military, which EarthRights International has estimated to total over US $4 billion between 1998 and 2009. More at http://www.earthrights.org/campaigns/extractive-industry-transparency-provision-signed-law.

GM crops flourishing in developing world
The planting of genetically modified crops has surged, particularly in developing countries, over the past 15 years. The number of countries growing GM crops has increased from six in 1996, the first year of commercialization, to 25 in 2009, according to the latest annual report of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Application (ISAAA), released in February. Around 134 million hectares worldwide are now planted with GM crops. The United States tops the list of countries growing GM crops, followed by Brazil, Argentina, India, Canada, China, Paraguay and South Africa. Almost half of global GM crops are now planted in 16 developing countries, involving 13 million small farmers. ISAAA predicts that the number of biotech farmers will reach 20 million or more by 2015. More at http://www.scidev.net/en/news/gm-crops-flourishing-in-developing-world-says-report.html.

July 26, 2010

Gates-Buffett pledge won't do much good unless it changes philanthropy
Most of the nonprofit world seems to be agog over the news that Bill and Melinda Gates, along with their friend Warren Buffett, are joining together to ask fellow billionaires to sign a pledge to give at least one-half of their fortunes to charity. That could lead to an enormous increase in the amount of money available to nonprofit organizations. But many important questions remain, according to Pablo Eisenberg in a recent Chronicle of Philanthropy editorial. For example, who will provide the leadership to increase the quality of philanthropy, not just the amount of money given? So much of the giving wealthy donors and foundations now do is lackluster and does not involve risk taking or innovation, nor does it seek to solve urgent public needs. Will the new pledges mean more of the same? Equally important, what steps will be taken to ensure public accountability? Will the funds that are steered into new or existing foundations follow the Gates' approachÑnamely grantmaking institutions governed by a very few family members that, in a real sense, are not publicly accountable? Do we want an explosion of these tax-exempt oligarchic entities with huge assets that can help set public priorities without public discussion or a political process? Would this be a healthy development for democracy? If not, what can be done to mitigate the potential undemocratic nature of these new mega-foundations? Perhaps the most troubling issues posed by the Gates-Buffett crusade is its potential to intensify the inequities that exist both in the nonprofit world and in the rest of society. Foundations, corporations, and other forms of institutional philanthropy tend to favor the nation's most-privileged citizens and neglect the neediest people and organizations. An outsize share of the money from those institutions goes to established colleges, hospitals, and arts and cultural organizations. Only a small amount finds its way to organizations that serve vulnerable children, low-income people, minorities, women, the disabled, and other disadvantaged constituencies. A tiny portion of philanthropic money is channeled to groups that seek to influence public policies. Very wealthy individuals have an even more unbalanced record than foundations when it comes to philanthropy. They give their biggest donations almost exclusively to universities and colleges, hospitals and medical centers, and arts institutions. They rarely make large gifts to social service groups, grassroots organizations, or nonprofit groups that focus on the poor or minorities. While a few wealthy people have made big gifts to advocacy or activist organizations, such donations are rare. Even in these trying financial times, most big gifts from individuals go to colleges and universities or to their own foundations, far surpassing their big gifts to other institutions. It can be argued that philanthropy not only perpetuates inequality but also, in recent years, has actually increased the inequities that we find in the nonprofit world and indeed across the United States. More at http://philanthropy.com/article/Philanthropy-Must-Change-for/123609/?sid=&utm_source=&utm_medium=en.

Omidyar Network awards $2.1 million to help secure land rights for India's poor
The Omidyar Network has announced a two-year, $2.1 million grant to the Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) to extend property rights to common land for individuals in India's poorest communities. FES will use the funding to advance policy advocacy, grow its operations and offer new programs that enable 1.5 million people to obtain rights to community land while also restoring natural resources. Although up to 30 percent of India's population depends on common land for their livelihood, very few have formal rights to that land. More at http://pndapps.fdncenter.org/link/381/21.

UK to cut foreign aid to "rich" India, Vietnam
Under pressure to reduce its foreign assistance, UK Prime Minister David Cameron may scale down the £250 million British aid given to India annually, saying wealthy local people could do more to help their poor countrymen. International development secretary Andrew Mitchell has signaled that the "£250 million of public money spent annually on nuclear-armed India could be scaled back." He said the rich non-resident Indian population of Britain could do more to help their countrymen. Additionally, the £40 million spent by the Department for International Development (DFID) in Vietnam, now regarded as an Asian "tiger" economy, will be axed. More at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/UK-to-cut-foreign-aid-to-rich-India/articleshow/6156900.cms.

July 19, 2010

Unitus to dissolve microfinance operations
The international nonprofit organization Unitus has announced that it is discontinuing its microfinance operations and will lay off nearly forty staff members in its Seattle headquarters and field offices in India and Kenya. Since its launch in 2001, Unitus has played a role in the development of viable business models for microfinance that have been instrumental in attracting commercial lenders and investors to what was previously a significantly underserved marketplace. The organization has directed $40 million in donations and nearly $30 million in investment capital to microfinance institutions. "For the past decade, Unitus has been working to increase access to capital for the working poor, under the central premise that this vast, underserved segment of the world's population was a good investment and could be well-served by commercial capital providers," said Unitus chairman Joseph Grenny. "We are gratified that this core belief has been validated -- capital markets have embraced microfinance to the extent that there are tens of billions of dollars in microfinance capital now available annually, with additional providers entering the marketplace at an aggressive clip." More at http://www.unitus.com/news-and-information/features/ unitus-redirects-efforts-from-non-profit-microfinance-acceleration/unitus-redirects-efforts.

Land ownership at the crux of Haiti's stalled reconstruction
The January 12th earthquake has revealed that the principal fault-line in Haiti is not geological but one of class. A small handful of rich families own large tracts of land that would be ideal for resettling the displaced thousands. However, these same families control the Haitian government and, more importantly, have great influence in the newly formed 26-member Interim Commission to Reconstruct Haiti, half of whose members represent Haiti's elite. Activist Patrick Elie told Democracy Now! that Haitian elites over centuries have appropriated land which should be common property, pushing many peasants to the mountains. Over the past 25 years, Haiti's elites bought up large swaths of a fertile valley where the Haitian American Sugar Company used to grow sugarcane. Now it is home to a Miami-style luxury home development, an amusement park for rich kids and a giant new U.S. Embassy, among other things. "The elite paid the peasants pennies for the land not long ago, pushing them off," Elie told Haiti LibertŽ. "Now they will look to sell it for a huge profit." More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/news-briefs-archives-68/2589-land-ownership-at-the-crux-of-haitis-stalled-reconstruction.

A new wave of criminalization against social movements in Ecuador
Ecuador's anti-mining and indigenous movements are denouncing renewed attempts by the Correa Administration to criminalize dissent. Over thirty people, including top leaders of the national indigenous movement, are being investigated for allegations including terrorism and sabotage as a result of their participation in protests related to controversies over gold and copper mining as well as water and indigenous rights. President of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) Marlon Sant’ and several others were summoned just days after a Summit of the Bolivarian Alliance (ALBA) was held in northern Ecuador, at which indigenous rights were at the top of the agenda. The CONAIE protested the summit, questioning why ALBA would address indigenous rights without representation from important indigenous organizations such as theirs. According to lawyer and professor Mario Melo, protestors have been accused of terrorism and sabotage for breaking through a police line and for a pair of handcuffs that allegedly went missing during the scuffle. Incredulous that this would be enough to warrant a charge of terrorism, Melo believes that the criminal investigations are meant "to intimidate and demobilize the organizations and their leaders." More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/ecuador-archives-49/2590-a-new-wave-of-criminalization-against-social-movements-in-ecuador-.

Material support and the need for a sensible humanitarian exemption
Laws that prohibit "material support" to listed terrorist organizations only exempt religious materials and medicine. That means medical services or non-medicinal necessities such as clean water are prohibited, as are tents, blankets, food and more. In other words, it is legal to give someone a pill but illegal to provide clean water for swallowing it. There is no justification for this ongoing blockade of humanitarian aid. More at http://www.charityandsecurity.org/analysis/PATRIOT_Act_Material_Support_Humanitarian_Exemption.

July 12, 2010

Foundations report 2009 investment returns of 21 percent
Foundations reported average investment returns of 21 percent in fiscal year 2009, up sharply from the 26 percent decline in 2008, according to a study from the Commonfund Institute. The study was based on a survey of 130 private foundations and 43 community foundations with assets totaling $103.7 billion. While 2009 saw the highest returns for foundations in the eight years the study has been conducted, the study found that the average three- and five-year returns for foundations were -1.1 percent and 3.6 percent respectively. "While the 2009 return was a great relief for foundations," said Commonfund Institute executive director John S. Griswold, "Éthe fact remains that returns in the range of 21 percent were not enough to move trailing three-year returns into positive territory, and five-year returns in the upper 3 percent range are well short of covering these nonprofit organizations' spending, inflation, and costs." More at http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=299600013.

Small and midsize foundations exceed payout requirements in 2009, study finds
Small and mid-sized foundations were more generous to charities than the law required them to be, according to a new study. More than eight out of 10 small and midsize foundations spent more than the minimum distribution required by law, which is about 5 percent of investment assets each year, according to a study by Foundation Source. The study examined the 2009 tax filings of nearly 500 foundations with less than $100-million in assets. This and another Foundation Source study contradict other reports that overall foundation giving was down last year. "The picture of giving trends is far more complex and interesting than indicated in published reports that focus on the large institutional foundations," says Foundation Source's president, Andrew Bangser, referring to reports by the Foundation Center and the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. "The data shows that most family foundations have not limited their giving to the minimum amount required by the IRS. And small and midsize family foundations stepped up dramatically in this tough economy to assist a wide variety of people, organizations, and causes." More at http://philanthropy.com/article/SmallMidsize-Foundations/66096/?sid=&utm_source=&utm_medium=en.

Challenges and opportunities for the women producing traditional crafts
When South Africa's Esther Mahlangu was just 10 years old, her mother and grandmother taught her to paint brightly coloured patterns and shapes in the tradition of her Ndebele heritage. Now, at 75, she's exhibited her artwork in countries as diverse as Japan, the US and Germany, and she even painted a car for BMW's Ôart car' series. Mahlangu is living the dream of many women artisans around the world, and it's this type of success that many economic empowerment organizations hope to replicate with women artists and crafters all over the world. With its roots in the Fair Trade movement, the idea is that when women are able to access international markets for their crafts, they earn sustainable incomes that go a long way to reducing poverty. The reality is that success stories like Mahlangu's are atypical, and artisans on the ground face as manyÑif not moreÑbarriers when attempting to sell their products to international markets. The majority of the artists find language and technology to be major obstacles. Best known for its aim to improve work conditions and wages for international producers, Fair Trade also works to improve market access by connecting producers to a network of brokers and buyers. But Fair Trade comes with its own set of challenges. More at http://www.worldpulse.com/magazine/articles/made-by-hand-crafting-a-global-movement.

Children in West Bank facing worse conditions than in Gaza
Areas of the West Bank under complete Israeli control have plummeted into a humanitarian crisis worse than Gaza, Save the Children warns in a new report. "Life on the Edge", released last month, states that an estimated 40,000 Palestinians living in Area CÑthe 60% of the West Bank under Israeli controlÑare unable to make urgent repairs to their sewage systems, schools, homes or hospitals under Israel's strict permit system. Israel's restrictions on Palestinian access to and development of agricultural land, in an area where almost all families are herders, mean that thousands of children are going hungry and are vulnerable to killer illnesses like diarrhea and pneumonia. Conditions for children in Area C have reached a crisis point: 79% of communities surveyed recently in Area C don't have enough nutritious food, which is higher than in blockaded Gaza where the rate is 61%. More than 15% of children under 5 surveyed were underweight. An alarming 44% of children in the surveyed area have diarrhea Ð the biggest killer of children under 5 in the world. Across Area C, children are forced to learn in overcrowded, makeshift classrooms without electricity, access to functioning toilets or safe drinking water. More at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/ rwb.nsf/db900sid/FERB-86VD9T?OpenDocument&RSS20&RSS20=FS&utm_source=feedburner& utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ReliefwebUpdates+%28ReliefWeb+-+Latest+ Updates%29.

July 5, 2010

World's poorest countries make progress toward MDGs, report finds
In absolute terms, some of the world's poorest countries are making the most overall progress toward achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the set of promises world leaders made to significantly reduce extreme poverty, illiteracy, and disease by 2015, according to a new report. The report examined progress made on three goals: eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality, and improving maternal health. The report found that eleven of the twenty countries making the most overall progress on the MDGs are among the poorest countries in Africa and that half the countries in Africa are on track to meet the goal of halving poverty by 2015. Many of the countries making the most relative progress are middle-income countries such as Ecuador, China, Thailand, Brazil, and Egypt. According to the report, the largest reduction in the number of deaths of children under the age of 5 occurred in regions such as sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which had the highest initial levels of such deaths. While the goal of reducing maternal mortality has seen the least progress, access to maternal health services has improved in 80 percent of countries surveyed. More at http://www.odi.org.uk/news/details.asp?id=165&title=new-analysis-reveals-african-countries-making-progress-towards-mdgs.

Honduras is failing to tackle coup rights abuses
Amnesty International has accused the Honduran authorities of failing to address serious human rights violations that followed the coup d'etat of June 2009, when ex-President Manuel Zelaya was forced from power. Since new president Porfirio Lobo took office in January, police and military officers responsible for mass arrests, beatings and torture in the wake of the coup have not been brought to justice. Meanwhile, concerns about freedom of expression increased, as seven journalists have been killed in the past three months. "President Lobo has publicly committed to human rights but has failed to take action to protect themÉ He needs to show he is serious about ending the climate of repression and insecurity in Honduras," said Guadalupe Marengo, Amnesty International's Americas deputy director. More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/news-briefs-archives-68/2569-honduras-failing-to-tackle-coup-rights-abuses.

Supreme Court's Humanitarian Law Project ruling fails the common sense test
In its June 21st decision in Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project (HLP), a divided US Supreme Court has ruled that it is constitutional for Congress to ban any kind of "support" to designated terrorist organizations, even when such support is designed to teach them how to use international law to resolve disputes without violence. This ruling lacks basic common sense, and training terrorist groups to pursue peaceful resolution of their disputes should be encouraged, not criminalized. The results of this policy are clear: lost opportunities to reduce violence and compete with terrorist recruiters. In arguing the case for the government, Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan cited "findings" by Congress that said any form of assistance to terrorist groups furthers their violent agenda. She also said Congress has adopted a strategy of barring all communications with these groups in order to make them "radioactive." But there is a disconnect between these theories and reality. Peacebuilding does not aid terrorism, the "radioactive" strategy of shunning terrorists alone does not work, and collective punishment is wrong. More at http://www.charityandsecurity.org/ blog/Supreme_Court_Humanitarian_Law_Project_Ruling_Fails_Common_Sense_Test.

Civil society celebrates the creation of Gender Equality Entity after years of advocacy
Civil society groups around the world are celebrating the United Nations General Assembly resolution, formally adopted by the General Assembly on July 2nd, to establish "UN Women", the new gender equality entity at the UN. This move has been sought by women's organizations and other civil society organizations around the world since the UN established a System-Wide Coherence Panel for UN Reform in 2006. The new Gender Equality Entity, to be headed by an Under-Secretary General, will consolidate the four existing UN bodies on women: the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), and the Office of the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI). Bringing these entities together and coordinating their work on gender mainstreaming throughout the UN system should allow the UN and governments to deliver more effectively on their obligations to advance gender equality, women's empowerment and women's human rights. More at http://www.gearcampaign.org/.

June 28, 2010

Foundations and donors need to change their ways
Much of current philanthropic giving by foundations and individuals neither meets the needs of charitable organizations nor addresses the most urgent public needs. So writes Pablo Eisenberg in a recent Wall Street Journal article. According to Eisenberg, one of the most influential and outspoken voices in philanthropy today, foundation practices are too bureaucratic, inflexible and cautious, and too focused on short-term objectives. Too often, the process and procedures of grantmaking are more tailored to the needs of foundations and their trustees than to the requirements of nonprofits. Eisenberg recommends nine changes that would go a long way toward making philanthropy do what it claims it wants to do, including increasing the distribution percentage; increasing general operating support; increasing multiyear funding; adopting rolling grantmaking; allocating more funds to the truly needy; simplifying application and reporting requirements; and improving accountability. More at http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704500604574481773446591750.html.

Indigenous communities of the Americas convene major gathering in Ecuador
Representatives of the original peoples and nationalities of the Americas returned to Ecuador last week for the twentieth anniversary of a historic gathering that advanced hemispheric unity. The Continental Encounter of the Original Nationalities and Peoples of Abya Yala met from June 14 to 16. Abya Yala is a word for the Americas in the language of the Kuna people in Panama that has gained broad usage as an aboriginal term for the hemisphere. In July 1990, several indigenous confederations organized the First Continental Conference on Five Hundred Years of Indigenous Resistance, at which delegates demanded autonomy and self-government, including respect for customary law and traditional justice systems within their own communities. Twenty years later, 250 representatives from 16 countries returned to the same Nueva Vida (New Life) camp outside of the capital city of Quito in the highlands to continue these discussions. Both meetings drew on a prophecy that a new era would be ushered in when the southern condor met up with the northern eagle. Both birds are powerful representatives of original peoples of Abya Yala. More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/ecuador-archives-49/2554-reencounter-of-the-original-peoples-and-nationalities-of-abya-yala-in-ecuador.

Zambian city of Kabwe is ranked the most toxic in Africa
Zambia's second largest metropolis, Kabwe, was recently ranked Africa's most toxic city. There, mining and smelting operations have caused thousands to suffer from deadly lead poisoning. As Africa's largest producer of copper, Zambia depends heavily on the mining sector for revenue, investment and jobs. It is estimated that over three million of the country's eleven million people are directly impacted by mining. Yet, as is the case across much of the developing world, poor environmental laws, regulations and enforcement have left communities devastated by pollution from this extractive industry. More at http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=61521 and http://www.greengrants.org/pressreleases.php?news_id=293.

Guatemala to suspend Goldcorp's Marlin mine
The Guatemalan government said last week that it would suspend operations at Goldcorp Inc's Marlin mine due to allegations that the facility was contaminating water supplies. The government said in a statement it would act to comply with the complaint lodged on behalf of communities near the mine by the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights. The Marlin mine produced a quarter of a million ounces of gold and 4 million ounces of silver in 2009, according to Goldcorp's website. The Canadian company is the sole owner of the mine. More at http://af.reuters.com/article/metalsNews/idAFN2325995720100624.

June 21, 2010

Haiti Grantmakers Group convenes grantmakers around an important common purpose
Gw/oB's Haiti Grantmakers Group was recently formed to support Haitian-led post-earthquake reconstruction. This group now includes over 20 donors, some with long experience working with Haitian grassroots organizations and others fairly new to the field, who are providing significant resources to Haitian-led reconstruction and social change initiatives and movements. The group has a broad focus, from rural development, to housing, to human rights, to education. The Haiti Grantmakers Group is committed to working in solidarity with Haitians and to respecting the dignity, sovereignty and creativity of Haitian counterparts in every aspect of the grantmaking process. This subgroup of Gw/oB has organized to collaborate and to exchange information and resources in the service of Haiti. The Haiti Grantmakers Group will soon set a schedule of events for the remainder of the year, including monthly conference call check-ins. The group will also be embarking on a process to document learning, modeled after Gw/oB's Tsunami Learning Project. To join this important new affinity group, please email John at john@gwob.net.

Conference workshop explored what "authentic partnership" means
Gw/oB's recent conference included several workshops aimed at what you might call the softer side of philanthropyÑthose personal issues and attributes that can help or hinder good grantmaking. In a workshop called "The Power of Authentic Partnership", participants brainstormed on the following question: "What does authentic partnership mean to you?" Gw/oB is pleased to share a compilation of responses with Weekly Planet readers:

• a clear understanding that we need each other and that partnership goes both ways
• all voices are heard
• there are shared values and principles
• we should allocate time to relationships, ideally as face time, and sustain them over time
• feedback goes both ways
• we should all own who we are, not be afraid of self-criticism and own it when we mess up, even as we are patient with ourselves and others
• openness, honesty and candor are important
• focus on process, not just the product
• awareness of cultural differences
• accountability
• flexibility
• listening skills
• mutual respect, integrity and trust.

June 15, 2010

Donors value charity research but few seek it out, report finds
Most people say they care about supporting effective charities over mediocre ones, but they don't necessarily have the appetite for research that could help them sort the good from the bad, reports the Chronicle of Philanthropy. That's one of the findings of a new study of donors conducted by Hope Consulting and based on a poll of 4,000 people. Researchers surveyed donors with incomes over $80,000 to determine how to encourage charitable giving and channel more money to effective nonprofit groups. What they found is that few people investigate the performance of nonprofit organizations. While 85 percent said that a charity's performance is very important, only 35 percent conducted research on giving and just 2 percent gave based on a group's relative performance. About a third of the donors polled said they give overseas. Those internationally minded donors tended to be slightly more engaged than the average donor. For example, 44 percent of those who give abroad said they conducted research before making a gift, compared with 35 percent of other donors. Meanwhile, barriers to international giving tend to be hard to overcome. Sixty-four percent of respondents said local issues should be solved before international problems, and 60 percent were concerned about corruption or fraud. More at http://philanthropy.com/article/Do-Donors-Size-Up-Charities/65749/.

Schumer proposes foundation excise tax amendment to extenders package
Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Finance Committee, has proposed including a foundation excise tax provision in the American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes, and Preventing Outsourcing Act of 2010 (H.R. 4213), also known as the "extenders package." Schumer's proposal would repeal the current two-tiered excise tax system, which requires foundations to pay a net investment income tax of 2 percent, which falls to 1 percent in a year when charitable disbursements exceed the average payout rate of the previous five years. More at http://www.cof.org/whoweserve/templates/311.cfm?ItemNumber=17551&navItemNumber=16117.

Giving in the US falls 3.6 percent, but giving to international issues continues to rise
Charitable giving in the US fell an estimated 3.6 percent between 2008 and 2009, dropping from $315 billion to $304 billion, according to a new GivingUSA report. That represents a drop of 3.2 percent when adjusted for a slight price deflation in the economy. Reflecting a long-standing pattern, individuals gave the biggest share of donations by far, and religious groups received the biggest share. Giving to human services, health, international aid, and environmental and animal-related groups all grew, while declines were posted in giving to education, religion, grantmaking foundations, and arts, culture and humanities groups. Giving to international aid, 3 percent of all giving, grew 6.2 percent to $8.89 billion, or 6.6 percent inflation-adjusted. More at http://philanthropyjournal.org/news/giving-us-falls-36-percent.

Gates Foundation aims to improve communication with grantees
In the face of criticism that it has too big a say in how grantees should use funds it gives them and that it is more likely to listen to experts than grassroots groups in setting strategies to fight global poverty, Jeffrey Raikes, CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world's biggest philanthropy, says the foundation aims to improve communication with grantees but defends its efforts to set goals for grantees and hold them accountable, More at http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2010-06-02-gatesfoundation02_CV_N.htm.

PNG government passes law to protect industries from Indigenous law suits
In a blow to Papua New Guinea's Indigenous communities, on May 28th the Papua New Guinea legislature amended sections of the country's Environment and Conservation Act to shield corporations from any responsibility for environmental damage caused by their operations, whether intentional or accidental. The law effectively strips Indigenous land owners of the right to go to court to protect their lands. The action was prompted by a Chinese nickel mine being built in the highlands above Madang. "Not only have they breached many sections of the constitution, they have managed to breach the international convention on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries, ratified by parliament in 2000," said Tiffany Nonnggor, a lawyer and human rights advocate. "This is the worst piece of legislation as far as human rights go that I have ever seen in a supposed Western democracy." More at http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/papua-new-guinea/papua-new-guinea-government-passes-law-protect-industries-indigenous-law-suits.

Union Carbide employees receive minor sentences for Bhopal disaster
Seven former employees of Union Carbide India Ltd. were sentenced to just two years in prison in a judgment for which activists have campaigned for a quarter of a century, reports Reuters. The guilty verdict handed down on June 7 also included the US corporation Union Carbide's Indian unit, UCIL, now owned by Dow Chemical. UCIL and its Indian employees are accused in the 1984 Bhopal pesticide plant disaster that killed as many as 25,000 people. Bhopal survivors are calling the charges, prosecution, verdict, and sentence a travesty of justice. UCIL's officials were fined only $2,100, while the corporation was fined about $11,000. Their initial charges of culpable homicide were diluted in 1996 to criminal negligence, reducing a potential sentence from ten years to two. "We feel outraged and betrayed. This is not justice," said Hazra Bee of the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal. "The paltry sentencing is a slap in the face of suffering Bhopal victims." More at http://www.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE65613C20100607.

Dole urges Honduran workers to drop their suit and settle
Dole Food Company is asking the Los Angeles Superior Court to allow some 1,500 Honduran agricultural workers who are suing the company for exposing them to dangerous pesticides to drop their suits and settle in a pre-existing claims program, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal and Pesticide Action Network. The issue at hand is Dole's use of the highly toxic pesticide dibromochloropropane (DBCP), commercial name Nemagon. EPA banned DBCP on all fruit besides pineapples in the late Ô70s in the US when it became clear that it was directly linked to male sterility. But Dole continued to use it through 1980, in at least Nicaragua. Tens of thousands of workers in Honduras and other South American countries were exposed and were made sterile as a result. Facing over 2,000 claims for damages, the company established a settlement process known as the Honduran Worker Program in 2006 with the approval of the Honduran government. Previously, workers who were suing Dole could not participate in the program, but the company now says that allowing claimants to settle this way could save years of litigation and would allow the workers to get their money sooner. Lawyers representing the workers, however, worry that Dole is merely trying to sidestep their responsibility to the workers. More at http://www.labusinessjournal.com/news/2010/may/31/dole-proposes-new-settlements/ and www.panna.org.

Afghan human rights defender is honored by Front Line
Every year, Front Line presents the Front Line Award for Human Rights Defenders At Risk to a human rights defender who has made an outstanding contribution to the cause of human rights. Last month the award was presented to Dr. Soraya Sobhrang of Afghanistan, who faces daily danger because of her work defending women's rights in Afghanistan. More at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydZIHaJOOm4.

May 31, 2010

Haitian farmers protest Monsanto's donation of GMO seeds
Haitian farmers are calling the news that Monsanto is donating 475 tons of pesticide-treated hybrid seeds a "new earthquake" and members of the Peasant Movement of Papay (MPP) have committed to burning the seeds. MPP Executive Director Chavannes Jean-Baptiste called Monsanto's seeds "a very strong attack on small agriculture, on farmers, on biodiversity, on Creole seedsÉ and on what is left of our environment in Haiti." The country's Ministry of Agriculture originally rejected Monsanto's offer of Roundup Ready seeds because the country has no policy in place to regulate GMO's, but it consented to accept the donation after being told by Monsanto that the seeds were not genetically modified. The 60,000 sacks of corn and vegetable seeds are, however, patented hybrid varietiesÑmeaning farmers will have to purchase new seeds next year instead of being able to save themÑand have been treated with toxic chemicals. The tomato seeds were doused in thiram, a highly hazardous pesticide whose home and garden use has been banned in the US because most consumers don't have access to sufficient protective equipment. Monsanto failed to mention any of the dangers or necessary safety precautions of thiram to Haiti's Ministry of Agriculture. More at http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/642/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3803 and http://www.otherworldsarepossible.org/another-haiti-possible/haitian-farmers-commit-burning-monsanto-hybrid-seeds.

US treasury defends charity law in wake of criticism
A US treasury department official has defended counterterrorism laws instituted after September 11 that give the government broad powers to shut down charitable organizations suspected of having ties to terrorist groups. Daniel Glaser, the treasury department's deputy assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes, told a House panel that the Bush-era laws are essential to combating terrorism and have allowed authorities to disrupt the flow of money to al Qa'eda and other groups through international charities. But critics say the laws are vague and have had a chilling effect on legitimate charitable giving. The laws have angered many US Muslim leaders and fuelled widespread government distrust in some American-Muslim communities, a point acknowledged last year by Barack Obama, who said in his Cairo speech that laws have "made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligationÉ I'm committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat," he said. More at http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100527/FOREIGN/705269835/1002

Argentina marks it bicentennial, but not everyone is celebrating
Argentina is celebrating the bicentennial of a revolution that paved the road to independence from Spain, with the nation's capital transformed into a gala event. But not everyone is celebrating. The nation's indigenous people are calling attention to a legacy of invasion and displacement that continues to this day. As bicentennial events commenced, indigenous groups led a caravan to the nation's capital to demand recognition of their sovereign culture and plurality, in one of the largest indigenous demonstrations in Argentina's history. More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/argentina-archives-32/2510-argentinas-bicentennial-indigenous-tell-another-history.

Bolivia and its lithium: Can the Ôgold of the 21st century' lift a nation out of poverty?
With more than half the planet's known lithium reserves, Bolivia may hold the keys to the future of the electric car, and just at a time when its President has declared that the nation, not foreign corporations, will control that development and make the profits. But obviously, it is a story far more complicated than that. There are serious environmental questions, significant uncertainties about the future demand for lithium, and doubts about Bolivia's capacities to pull off such an ambitious project. Jim Shultz, Director of the Democracy Center and speaker at Gw/oB's upcoming conference, reports. More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/bolivia-archives-31/2507-bolivia-and-its-lithium-can-the-gold-of-the-21st-century-lift-a-nation-out-of-poverty

May 24, 2010

Congress to hold long-awaited hearing on terrorist financing and international charities
Long-standing calls by Gw/oB and many of our allies to hold a Congressional hearing on the real and perceived threats of terrorist financing through US foundations and other charities have finally been answered. This Wednesday, the House Financial Service's Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing, "Anti-Money Laundering: Blocking Terrorist Financing and Its Impact on Lawful Charities". Testifying for the charitable sector will be Kay Guinane, coordinator of the Charity and Security Network (and speaker at Gw/oB's upcoming conference) and Mike German of the American Civil Liberties Union. Kay and Mike will make the case that charities are not a significant source of funding for terrorist activities and that the so called "war on terror" should not impinge upon the life-saving work of US foundations and other charities working globally. This hearing is open to the public and will be held at 10:00 am on Wednesday, May 26, at 2128 Rayburn House Office Building, 1400 16th St NW Ste 210 on Capitol Hill.

Rape and other gender-based violence remains a major problem in Haiti camps
In over a week of on-site interviews and exploration, a delegation of US lawyers, health professionals and community activists found continued alarming rates of rape and other gender-based violence in the displaced persons camps throughout Port-au-Prince since the Haitian earthquake in January. The vast majority of the women and girls reported being raped by groups of armed, unknown assailants who often beat them in the course of the attack, and threatened them with further violence if they reported the rape. Perpetrators often attack at night, when women are asleep beside their children, or when they go to the latrines where men wait for them in the dark stalls. Women who report rapes to the police describe being turned away, not taken seriously, or told to notify the police if they see the rapists again. More at http://www.awid.org/eng/Women-in-Action/Announcements2/Radio-Internacional-Feminista-Haiti- Lawyers-collect-rape-survivor-accounts-and-plan-legal-strategy.

Aid groups in Haiti are criticized for not spending fast enough
Although billions of dollars have been donated to charities involved in relief efforts in earthquake-ravaged Haiti, more than 1.5 million Haitians remain homeless four months after the quake struck, raising questions about why the money isn't being spent faster, CBS News reports. Roughly $14.9 billion, or $37,000 per displaced family, has been donated for Haiti earthquake relief efforts to date, much of it raised by the American Red Cross, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, and the Clinton Foundation Haiti Fund. The Red Cross, for example, has raised $444 million and spent about 25 percent of that amount; CARE has raised $34.4 million and spent about 16 percent of that; CRS has raised $165 million and spent 8 percent; and the Clinton Bush fund and Clinton Foundation have raised $52 million combined, of which 13 percent has been spent. Mark Weisbrot, a former economic consultant to the Haitian government, is one of the people who has been critical of aid groups for not doing more to address the short-term needs of Haitians affected by the quake. If they have the money, said Weisbrot, charities should be spending it now. For their part, charity officials argue that they have already helped millions of people and would be criticized if they spent too much money up front. More at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/05/12/eveningnews/main6477611.shtml.

Haiti's state phone company is privatized
The Haitian government has sold a 60% share of the country's national telephone company, Teleco, to the Military Telecom Company, known as Viettel, a subsidiary of the Vietnamese Army based in Hanoi. The new private company, which now owns all of Haiti's landlines, will be called Natcom. Teleco was the crown jewel of Haiti's state enterprises but was sold for the fire-sale price of $59 million. "Teleco sustained permanent attacks, its network was sabotaged on several occasions, and the situation was not sustainable," according to Charles Castel, Governor of Haiti's Central Bank. Castel also said that the Haitian government had spent roughly US$17 million to make improvements to Teleco in order to sell it. If this investment is calculated into the deal, it means that the PrŽval government sold Teleco for a mere US$42 million. The company used to bring in many dozens of millions of dollars in revenues annually. The deal had been agreed to prior to the January 12th earthquake. More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/ news-briefs-archives-68/2497-haitis-state-phone-company-finally-privatized.

May 17, 2010

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund reports strongest first quarter in its history
The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, the nation's largest donor-advised fund program, has announced the strongest first quarter in its nineteen-year history. Incoming contributions to the fund in the first quarter rose to $270 million, up 109 percent from $129 million during the same period last year, while donors recommended grants totaling $269 million, up 35 percent from $199 million in the first quarter of 2009. The January earthquake that struck Haiti was a major factor in the higher grants total, resulting in more than 10,000 grants totaling over $14 million to organizations assisting relief efforts. In addition, contributions to the fund were bolstered by an increase in gifts of appreciated securities, which increased year-over-year from 27 percent of total contributions to 46 percent. More at http://bit.ly/9Vtlgm.

The Philanthropic Initiative launches Center for Global Philanthropy
In response to the recent surge in international philanthropy, Boston-based The Philanthropic Initiative, Inc., a Gw/oB member organization, has announced the launch of a Center for Global Philanthropy. The new center will work to improve the understanding of global philanthropy, increase the effectiveness of donors giving outside the United States, and strengthen the practice of strategic philanthropy in other countries. Paula Doherty Johnson, a former research fellow at Harvard University's Global Equity Initiative, will lead the center. More at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/05/prweb3961544.htm.

May 17th is International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) is on May 17. IDAHO commemorates the day 20 years ago when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from its list of mental disorders. The date is commemorated around the world, and it has particular meaning in many countries where more open "Pride" celebrations are not possible because of hostile social and legal environments. More at http://globalequality.wordpress.com/2010/05/07/news-from-the-international-day-against-homophobia-and-transphobia-2010-idaho/.

New Zealand endorses the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
On April 20th, at the annual meeting of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, New Zealand's Minster of Maori Affairs, Dr. Pita Sharples, formally delivered a statement on his government's recognition and support of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. New Zealand was one of the four countries that voted against the Declaration in September 2007. Since then, Australia has endorsed the Declaration and Canada is reviewing its position. The United States remains the last holdout against becoming a signatory to this important Declaration More at http://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/new-zealand/new-zealand-endorses-declaration-rights-indigenous-peoples.

Cambodia announced plans to develop Khmer Rouge sites as tourist attractions
Alongside the traditional tourism of ancient temples and beautiful scenery in Cambodia, places associated with the Khmer Rouge regime are increasingly making it on to travelers' checklists. Cambodia recently announced plans to preserve and develop 14 sites in Anlong Veng, the last stronghold of the Khmer Rouge, which claimed millions of victims between 1975 and 1979. The government believes these sites "will increase understanding of the Khmer Rouge's last political leadership," but critics cast it as a "scheme to profit from the country's genocidal past." Around the world, people flock to places remembering painful histories; some describe this as "dark tourism" and criticize such sites for trivializing or exploiting suffering. But such places resist being simplified as sites of suffering whose visitors are passive voyeurs. Instead, when done well such sites intentionally invite all visitors to be active participants in addressing the issues the site raises, past and present. More at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/cambodia-puts-the-cremation-site-of-pol-pot-on-historic-tourist-trail-1919472.html.

Indians warn of war of mega-dam is built in Brazil
Kayap— Indian leader Raoni Metuktire arrived in Europe last week and has appealed for support for his tribe, which is campaigning against the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu river in the Brazilian Amazon. Raoni said, "I have always prevented my people from fighting, but I am very worried now. It is time that we take back what belongs to us." He added that "3,000 warriors" are ready to take up arms. Raoni met French ex- President Jacques Chirac and asked that he and the current President Nicolas Sarkozy urge President Lula of Brazil not to allow the dam to be built. If constructed, the dam would be the third largest in the world and it would flood a large area of land, dry up certain parts of the Xingu river, cause huge devastation to the rainforest and reduce fish stocks upon which Indians in the area depend for their survival. More at http://upsidedownworld.org/main/news-briefs-archives-68/2492-indians-warn-of-war-against-amazon-mega-dam-in-brazil.

May 10, 2010

Fewer foundation employees received raises last year, study finds
Far fewer grantmakers gave their employees raises in 2009 than in the previous year, according to a new survey by the Council on Foundations. The study showed that 56.1 percent of organizations surveyed gave raises to their workers in 2009, a big drop from the 87.6 percent of groups that did so in 2008. Over all, top foundation leaders made a median salary of $140,250 in 2009. A comparison of data from the most recent survey of grant-making institutions, and the council's previous studies dating back to 2005, show that chief executives' pay has risen at an inflation-adjusted rate of 4.8 percent between 2005 and last year. During the same period, program officers at private foundations saw their pay rise by 2.1 percent, and their peers at community foundation saw their pay rise by 9.8 percent. The study also found that women held 56.2 percent of all chief executive roles and nearly 73 percent of all program officer jobs. Minorities held 7.6 percent of top-leader jobs and made up 35.6 percent of program officers. More at http://philanthropy.com/article/More-Than-Half-of-Grant-Makers/65463/.

College students learn that it's a lot of work to give wisely
After a semester's worth of research, heated arguments and painful negotiations, twenty-five sophomores at the University of Maryland had to decide how best to use $10,000, real money that could help local children if they chose wisely. The philanthropy class is one of a small but growing number in which donors write big checks to help students learn how to give. Philanthropy is relatively new as an academic field; for 25 years or so, some universities have offered graduate-level programs. More recently, driven in part by the surge in volunteerism and social engagement of today's college students, many schools are adding undergraduate options. The latest twist, at schools including the University of Mary Washington and Georgetown, Brown, Cornell, Brandeis and New York universities, is to push philanthropy studies from the theoretical into the real world. More at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/09/AR2010050903309.html.

MacArthur Foundation makes grants for degrees to train development leaders
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has announced grants totaling $5.6 million to ten universities in eight countries to establish new Master's in Development Practice programs. The degree will provide students with substantive knowledge required to analyze and diagnose multi-dimensional problems such as malnutrition, extreme poverty, climate change, and infectious disease control by integrating the core disciplines of health sciences, natural sciences, social sciences and management. At the same time, the programs help develop practical skills through extended periods of field training to provide hands on, problem solving experience for students in a developing country. Universities receiving grants to establish the programs include BRAC University (Dhaka, Bangladesh), Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (Turrialba, Costa Rica), and University of California, Berkeley. More at http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.6008343/k.D4CC/5410_56_Million_to_Support_New_Master8217s_Programs_to_Train_Sustainable_Development_Leaders_Around_the_World.htm.

American Red Cross under fire for response to Haiti Earthquake
More than three months after a devastating magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, killing an estimated 300,000 and leaving 1.3 million homeless, critics are asking what the American Red Cross has done with the $430 million it raised for disaster relief. Having spent $106 million in Haiti in the two months after the quake, the Red Cross has allocated just $5 million to relief efforts since then. Fred Sajous, an earthquake survivor armed with a video camera, is documenting his hunt for Red Cross relief supplies throughout the country and is posting video updates on YouTube. Sajous insists that, despite reports from the organization about how and where the money has been spent, "there is no evidence of [its] donations in Haiti." More at http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/04/27/1601420/spotlight-falls-on-red-cross-spending.html.

May 3, 2010

World People's Conference on Climate Change issues an eloquent declaration
Participants in the recent World's People Conference on Climate Change, which took place in Cochabamba, Bolivia, have issued a final declaration, calling citizens of the world to forge a new system that restores harmony with nature and among human beings. The Declaration notes that "All countries need to produce the goods and services necessary to satisfy the fundamental needs of their populations, but by no means can they continue to follow the path of development that has led the richest countries to have an ecological footprint five times bigger than what the planet is able to support." The Declaration calls upon us all to recognize Mother Earth as the source of life and to forge a new system based on the principles of harmony and balance among all and with all things, the recognition of human beings for what they are and not what they own, and the elimination of all forms of colonialism, imperialism and interventionism. More at http://pwccc.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/peoples-agreement/.

Africans among world's most religious people, study finds
At least half of all Christians in sub-Saharan Africa believe Jesus will return to Earth in their lifetime, part of a pattern that indicates the region is among the most religious places in the world, according to a major new study. It's not only Christians in Africa who experience their religion passionately, either. Nearly one in three Muslims in the region expect to see the re-establishment of the caliphate, Islam's golden age, before they die. At least three out of 10 people across much of Africa say they have experienced divine healing, seen the devil being driven out of a person or received a direct revelation from God, according to the study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life in Washington. More at http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/04/15/africa.religion/index.html.

The consumption conundrum: driving the destruction abroad
The processing capacity of digital electronic devices doubles about every two years, made possible by the expanded use of elements. Computer chips made use of 11 major elements in the 1980s but now use about 60 (two-thirds of the periodic table!); engine turbine blades for aircraft are made of alloys of a dozen or so metals; motors and batteries of green-technology hybrid vehicles depend on several of the rare earths; advances in medical imaging have come about by the unique band gaps of elements such as gadolinium. It seems that there are no limits to what the imagination can createÑexcept for the fact that many of the elements are globally rare and, given the nature of current technology, non-substitutable. As we clamor for the latest gadgets and products, our increasing dependency on rare metals to support modern technology carries certain responsibilities and ethical obligations. More than ever, we need to understand how our technological demand for elements from the entire periodic tableÑmany of them found exclusively in the global SouthÑis linked to the environmental consequences of global extraction. More at http://www.e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2266.

Women in Papua New Guinea are fighting to end endemic violence
Papua New Guinea, a country of seven million people in the Pacific, has experienced inter-tribal warfare for decades, intensified by an influx of sophisticated arms and weapons. Meanwhile, the country's government and police forces have not been able to do much to ensure the security of its people. Fighting among tribes in Papua New Guinea (PNG) is endemic, with disputes over land, natural resources, women, religious beliefs and perceived and real insults spawning violence. Increasingly, brave women in PNG are putting their lives on the line to do something about the violence. More at http://www.awid.org/eng/Issues-and-Analysis/Issues-and-Analysis/Danger-and-Determination-in-Papua-New-Guinea.

Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act Of 2010 is introduced In Congress
On April 26th, the Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act of 2010 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-11). The United States is the top donor in sexual and reproductive health. The Global Sexual and Reproductive Health Act of 2010 would further strengthen US foreign assistance and its global leadership in health. For example, the Act would support combining family planning services with testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, and with maternal health care. More at http://www.awid.org/eng/Women-in-Action/Announcements2/Global-Sexual-And-Reproductive-Health-Act-Of-2010-Introduced-In-Congress.

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