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Greetings and welcome to the latest edition of the
CGI Newsletter
Dr. Chris Stout, Editor Gracie Wang, Asst-Editor
Volume IV, Number 10 October 2017
_____News, Tools, Reports and Shout-Outs______
We’re on iTunes! “Living a Life in Full” Listen on iTunes. (Please subscribe, leave a rating, and help us make “New & Noteworthy”): https://tinyurl.com/ALifeInFull
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_____Please Cast Your Vote! _____
CGI needs your vote, please take just a quick minute to rate and leave a comment at: https://greatnonprofits.org/org/center-for-global-
initiatives-inc Thanks! Chris
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___Award, Grant, Funding, Ed. & Job Opportunities___ Development Coordinator/ Proposal Writer, Salam Institute for Peace and Justice The Development Coordinator manages the relationship building and fundraising efforts of Salam Institute for Peace and Justice with donors. The coordinator is responsible for fundraising processes with account leads and managers and the development of high-quality proposals. The Coordinator conducts prospect research and carries out communication with key donors and within philanthropy
and writes grant proposals. Flexibility in work schedule is available. The job may be performed remotely from home or any other preferred area. Attendance once a month for staff meeting will be required in NOVA area. Occasional travel within Washington D.C is required to attend donor meetings and conferences to support fundraising efforts. You will be required to use your own computer and printer. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/salam-institute-for-peace-and-justice-washington-d-c-metro-area-8898-development-coordinator-proposal-writer/
Administration & Finance Assistant (20 hours/week, 950 EUR gross/month), Skateistan, Berlin Skateistan is currently seeking an enthusiastic individual with a passion for non-profit work. Since opening its headquarters in Berlin five years ago, Skateistan has significantly increased the number of its students, schools and staff and has become recognized for its innovative approach in the field of Sport for Development. Now, with its office as busy as ever, Skateistan is looking for the right person to join our team and help manage administration and operational requirements, to help keep things rolling at its headquarters. As the Administration & Finance Assistant you will have the opportunity to work together closely with Skateistan’s motivated and innovative Communications, Development and Finance teams, as well the organization’s Executive Director. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/skateistan-berlin-19-administration-finance-assistant-20-hoursweek-950-eur-grossmonth-%E2%80%A8berlin-germany/
Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development Regional Coordinator – Chiang Mai Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) is currently recruiting a new Regional Coordinator. This is an exciting, yet demanding position, for a woman from the region to lead a dedicated Secretariat of 20 women and support a powerful network of women’s rights organisations, movements and activists across the region. The Regional Coordinator is an ex-officio member of APWLD’s governance bodies and
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acts as the Executive Officer. She provides leadership and coordination of the Secretariat, works with APWLD membership to create strategic plans and programme content, acts as a spokesperson for APWLD in multiple advocacy spaces, coordinates APWLD’s fundraising and liaises with donors and ensures APWLD continues to be accountable and lead by its members through effective governance and inclusive programming. In the past six years APWLD has been steadily growing in terms of its power, size, resources and civil society leadership. It has strong funding support, engaged and committed membership and skilful, dedicated staff. The Regional Coordinator will be expected to maintain the impact APWLD has achieved and grow the power and influence of its membership. For more information, see https://pcdnetwork.org/job/asia-pacific-forum-women-law-development-regional-coordinator/ Chief, Legal Unit, UN Women, NY UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. Under the supervision of the Director of Management and Administration, the Chief, Legal Unit will provide high quality legal advice and support to the UN Women Executive Director, senior management, HQ units, country offices on a wide-range of multidisciplinary legal matters relating to the interpretation and application of international, public, private and administrative law, in the following broad areas:
• Legal status, authorities, privileges and immunities, and relationships with UN Women Governing Bodies, Programme Country and Partner Governments;
• Corporate, commercial and private law matters, including legal support to the Organization’s financial and procurement operations;
• Administrative law matters relating to the Organization’s relationship with its staff members, including legal support to human resources management issues.
The Chief, Legal Unit will also lead and manage the Legal Unit in UN Women, and co-ordinate UN Women’s relationships with, and represent UN Women’s interests before, external entities, networks and bodies. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/chief-legal-unit-un-women-ny/ Young African Research Fellowship- DRC, Search for Common Ground Search for Common Ground DRC is offering a Fellowship Opportunity open to a Congolese Graduate Student interested in community violence in DRC. The fellow will work with Search’s team focused on issues preventing and addressing violent conflict in Eastern DRC.
Program participants have the opportunity to make a direct impact while also pursuing their own research. The program is ideal for candidates seeking to deepen their professional
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exposure as part of an ongoing research project, whether as part of a thesis, dissertation, or another form of research endeavor. Working with Search research and program teams, our fellow gain a wide variety of skills where s/He is given the opportunity to learn and flourish. Fellow should expect to spend approximately 40% of her/his time in field directly supporting Search for Common Ground activities and 60% pursuing independently her/his research. Early applications are highly recommended as the selection process is on a rolling basis. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/search-for-common-ground-goma-democratic-republic-of-congo-15224-young-african-research-fellowship-drc/ The Department of Government at Georgetown University invites applications for up to two tenure-track Assistant Professorships in American politics The Department of Government at Georgetown University invites applications for up to two tenure-track Assistant Professorships in American politics. The positions are open as to research and teaching specializations, including both political institutions and behavior. Candidates with a focus on the presidency/executive branch or race/ethnicity are especially welcome. The department maintains strong links with the university’s Department of African American Studies, the forthcoming Institute for Racial Justice, the Institute of Politics and Public Service, and other similar units. A Ph.D. in hand by the time of appointment is required, as is evidence of excellence, or potential for excellence, in research and publication. The teaching load is two courses per semester, typically a mixture of undergraduate and graduate (M.A. and Ph.D.) offerings. The department offers a nationally competitive doctoral program in political science as well as an innovative master’s degree in American politics that takes advantage of Georgetown’s location in Washington, DC. The department values new perspectives on the world and is deeply committed to building a more open discipline that seeks excellence wherever it may lie. Applications should be filed using the online system at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/9377. Applications should include a cover letter, CV, and three letters of recommendation. Please email all inquiries to the chair of the search committee, Prof. Michele Swers, mls47(at)georgetown.edu. For full consideration, applications should aim to arrive by October 1, 2017, but review of candidates will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/department-government-georgetown-university-invites-applications-two-tenure-track-assistant-professorships-american-politics/ Design, Monitoring & Evaluation Manager, Search for Common Ground, DRC The Design, Monitoring and Evaluation (DM&E) Manager is responsible for providing leadership and technical support on design, monitoring and evaluation within the DRC Country Program. The position includes supervision of staff on the national DM&E team, as well as coordination with DM&E colleagues in the Great Lakes region on regional projects. The DM&E Manager will track DM&E responsibilities
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and deliver, ensure quality monitoring and evaluation, and strengthen the capacity of program and support staff to capture accurate and useful data that informs program implementation and results. S/he will report to DRC Program Director (in-country) and the Sr. DME Regional Specialist (from ILT), and work closely with Project Managers, Country Director, and the Director of DM&E at HQ. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/search-for-common-ground-bukavu-democratic-republic-of-congo-18-design-monitoring-evaluation-manager/
Full-time Assistant Professor in International Relations, Universidad del Rosario The School of Political Science, Government and International Relations at Universidad del Rosario, located in Bogotá, Colombia, invites applications for a full-time position at the rank of Assistant Professor, beginning January/February 2018. A Ph.D in Political Science, International Relations, Economics or related fields is required. Candidates with teaching and research experience qualifying
above the assistant professor category, as well as those with a dissertation defense date prior to January 2018, will also be considered. Universidad del Rosario is accredited by the National Ministry of Education as a high quality institution ranked within the top 5 universities among 23 accredited institutions in Colombia. Applicants are required to send the documents as PDF file attachments to the Dean’s email: [email protected], by October 24, 2017.For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/full-time-assistant-professor-international-relations/ MBB Consulting Managing Director MBB Consulting (MBBC) provides conflict management and stakeholder engagement services to companies and governments around the world. MBBC operates at the intersection of community needs, business interests, governmental accountability, and socially responsible development to further the goals of Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI). MBBI is a nonprofit, international organization that builds local skills for peace and promotes mediation worldwide. It brings together experienced volunteer mediators to improve conflict resolution capacity and support alternative approaches to expressing, negotiating and resolving conflict. MBBI seeks an MBBC Managing director to work with the CEO. Please submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and the contact information for two references to [email protected], with the following subject line, “ATTN: Anna Milovanovic, MBBC Manager Application”. Please cite PCDNetwork as the source of the posting in your application. Only applicants invited for an interview will be contacted. Deadline for applications is 28 September 2017. Tentative start date is 9 October 2017. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/mediators-beyond-borders-international-19-mbb-consulting-managing-director/
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_____Conferences, Courses, and Meetings _____
Intergrated water Management Course November 6 - November 10 | $1100 We have all heard that water is life, and indeed it is. What is often ignored, however, is the fact that water is also a key component of development. It is crucial for industry and agriculture, as well as for the health and quality of life of a nation’s citizens. Investment in efficient and sustainable infrastructure, for both urban and agricultural supply, has proven to yield great economic return.
Unfortunately, water has been taken for granted for too long in too many countries. Climate change, rising population growth and increased urbanization are predicted to change that reality severely. This training programme is intended to share the methods of the integrated water resources management practices and to encourage the best use of these precious resources in other regions of the world. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/intergrated-water-management-course/
Training course on Panel Data Analysis with Stata October 23 @ 8:00 Am - October 27 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 This course focuses on the interpretation of panel-data estimates and the assumptions underlying the models that give rise to them. Both “real” data and simulation techniques will be used to build intuition for the methods covered in the workshop. The breadth of the lectures will be helpful if you want to learn about panel-data analysis or if you are familiar with the subjects. The concepts presented are reinforced with practical exercises at the end of each section. We also provide additional exercises and materials at the end of each lecture and access to our experts for any further questions. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-panel-data-analysis-with-stata-3/
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Training Course on Emergency Planning Management October 23 @ 8:00 Am - October 27 @ 5:00 Pm | $800
The course offers essential training on emergency planning process and the rationale behind planning. It is essential in developing the student’s capability to effectively participate in all types of hazard emergency operations planning processes with the aim of saving lives and securing property that is prone to disaster. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-emergency-planning-management-10/
Training Course on Establishing And Strengthening Farmer Organizations October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 Farmers’ organizations (FO) are effective channels of communication between the member-farmers. Without them, a situation of isolated voices would arise, that lack coordination and general power to affect the behavior of agricultural service providers. Formation of groups and farmer organizations is at times done without training them properly in theory and practice on the basic principles of community organizations. Majority of the farmers do not have many skills and experience in the process of establishing these organizations. However, many government agencies have developed national policies for rural development and designed policy framework to help rural people become organized so that delivery of services could be channeled through the various types of farmer organizations or groups. However, a number of issues surround the establishment and functioning of farmer organizations remains unaddressed. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-establishing-and-strengthening-farmer-organizations-9/
Training Course on Mobile Based Data Collection Tools For M&E October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 Data collection and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have always been an integral parts of development work. ICT tools such as mobile devices and software that allows users to create surveys, collect, manage and upload data to storage facilities in real-time, have reduced the conventional challenges associated with remote data collection
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and M&E. This training course comes with additional M&E and GIS modules to help participants put the skills acquired into perspective. The GIS module will help participants to work with spatial data. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-mobile-based-data-collection-tools-for-me/ Training Course on Leveraging the Generation Gap October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 This course will help you understand the various generations present at work and understand what motivates each of them and how to work together. While having various cultures in one workplace can present communication problems and conflicts, the benefits of such a variety in the workplace outweigh it. Learning how to deal with the generation gap at work will help you become a better manager or co-worker. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-leveraging-the-generation-gap/
Training Course on Crisis Preparation & Management October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 The best way to manage a crisis is to prepare for it. Past experiences have shown that even unaffected people are also vulnerable to challenges of an unexpected disaster. This is because a crisis will most likely hit you when you are least Crisis management efforts ought to be coordinated towards helping your firm recoup and to guarantee
progression. You will be equipped with information and aptitudes to create and actualize a thorough and complete emergency crisis framework which will help your organization get ready for crisis and prevent one from happening. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-crisis-preparation-management-6/ Training Course on Flood Disaster Risk Management In A Changing Climate October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 Every year across the globe, floods cause the loss of a number of lives and considerable damage to properties, which severely sets back the development process. The climate change, global warming, rapid urbanization and socio-economic disparity are making the world, vulnerable to floods. The need to combat the perennial problem of floods and resultant destruction has been a
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forefront concern for most nations, which calls for a proactive approach to establishing a disaster risk reduction regime for safer and sustainable development. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-flood-disaster-risk-management-in-a-changing-climate-7/
Training Course on Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction into Development Process October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 Disaster risk within a country has its roots in development decisions that do not adequately address disaster concerns, and the resulting disasters are coming at the cost of development and poverty reduction. By not considering disaster risk in development planning, new risks could be unintentionally created or existing ones exacerbated through investments in infrastructure and public services, and through improper planning and regulation.
Thus it is essential that the process of development planning identifies and analyzes the underlying causes of risk, and factors in measures for risk reduction. By mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into national development processes, disaster risk considerations can be made an integral part of development processes, especially in priority sectors such as agriculture, education, health, housing and roads. This course has been developed to enhance the capacity of government officials, development partners, and stakeholders involved in development planning to mainstream disaster risk reduction into development activities and practices. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-mainstreaming-disaster-risk-reduction-into-development-process/ Training Course on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Emergencies October 16 @ 8:00 Am - October 20 @ 5:00 Pm | $800 Water borne diseases are major killers in disasters and complex emergencies where large populations are displaced and/or moving or where local water infrastructure has been destroyed by an earthquake, cyclone or bombing. They can turn a disaster into a catastrophe. As part of our commitment, we are pleased to offer a number of fee-waived places on our upcoming internationally recognised humanitarian training course – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergencies. When local emergency response workers understand how to apply basic Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) strategies, more lives can be saved. This course introduces participants to the concepts of public health engineering and environmental health in emergencies, standard equipment used in the field and the basics of WASH cluster coordination as well as the international SPHERE standards that apply. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/training-course-on-water-sanitation-and-hygiene-in-emergencies/
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_____Dr. Greg Martin’s Latest on Global Health _____ Dr. Martin offers a playlist dealing specifically with various interest areas and potential employers; subscribe to his YouTube channel for more career advice and a wealth of other subjects. Catch his latest episode here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLujS9ooBebKWoeoCHUNBmni8ph26P5PdY
_____Newsletter in a Newsletter _____
INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY NEWS BULLETIN
This is from our dear friends at APA’s Office of International Affairs. To send information items for the International news bulletin please write to
Div. 52 Ursula Gielen Global Psychology Book Award This award is presented to the author(s) or editor(s) of a recent book that makes the greatest contribution to psychology as an international discipline and profession, or more specifically, the degree to which the book adds to our understanding of global phenomena and problems from a psychological point of view. Nominations may include authored or edited volumes in any language. All submissions must be accompanied by a 2-page letter in English making a case for the book’s potential contribution to global psychology. Copyright must be 2017.
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Nominations may not include fiction and biographies. Winners will be announced in spring 2018, presented with a certificate, and invited to give an address at the Aug. 9-12, 2018 APA Convention in San Francisco, Calif. All nominations, accompanied by the 2-page letter, and three copies of the book, must be made by Oct. 1, 2017. For more information, please send inquiries to Renée Goodstein. APF Trauma Psychology Grant One grant of up to $3,000 for an early career psychologist who is engaged in innovative work to alleviate trauma. Deadline: Feb. 15, 2018 Esther Katz Rosen Fund Grants Up to $50,000 for work related to the psychological understanding of gifted children and youth. Deadline: March 1, 2018 Visionary Grants Up to $20,000 to seed innovation through supporting research, education, Deadline: April 1, 2018 and intervention projects and programs.
Wilhelm Wundt-William James Award for Exceptional Contributions to Trans-Atlantic Psychology This award for exceptional contributions to trans-Atlantic psychology recognizes a significant record of trans-Atlantic research collaboration. Deadline: Nov. 30, 2018
Frances M. Culbertson Travel Grant $2,000 to support women from developing countries who are in the early stages of their careers by providing travel funds to attend conferences in psychology. Deadline: Feb. 15, 2020 Fulbright Scholar Program The 2017-18 academic year grants are currently accepting applications. Numerous Fulbright awards are available for all levels of scholars in all countries worldwide. Sponsor: United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Div. 14 International Research and Collaboration (IRC) Small Grant A grant that provides funding for international, global or cross-cultural teams from at least two different continents. Research projects can be from any area of I-O psychology (e.g., leadership, selection, performance management, motivation, job satisfaction) as long as it as a significant international focus and collaboration. Sponsor: Div. 14
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OTHER Join CIRP’s Project! APA’s Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP) is looking for examples of challenges and successes in international research, teaching and application. Please share your experiences in a short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CIRPInternationalExperiences. Join the APA UN listserv [email protected] offers information on upcoming UN events. To join this announcement-only list, send an email with the subject line blank and the following in the body of the message: subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS YourFirstName, YourLastName (e.g., subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS John Doe) to [email protected]. Consider Sharing Your International Experiences in the Psychology International Newsletter: http://www.apa.org/international/pi/index.aspx. Contact the newsletter editor at [email protected]. INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES Visit the APA Affiliates Corner Page: http://www.apa.org/international/outreach/initiatives/affiliate-membership/international-affiliate-corner.aspx American Psychological Foundation APF offers numerous grants, scholarships, and fellowships supporting projects and programs that use psychology to solve social problems. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/index.aspx. INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES Visit the APA Affiliates Corner Page: http://www.apa.org/international/outreach/initiatives/affiliate-membership/international-affiliate-corner.aspx OTHER Join the APA UN listserv [email protected] offers information on upcoming UN events. To join send an email with the subject line blank and the following in the body of the message: subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS YourFirstName, YourLastName (e.g., subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS John Doe) to [email protected].
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JOIN GlobalΨYExpo!
GlobalΨExpo is a database of psychologists with experience outside the United States, organized by substantive areas of expertise and geographical areas of experience. GlobalΨExpo is maintained by the APA Office of International Affairs. To join, please
see: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1092996/Global-Expo
Follow international news on twitter: @APA_Intl For more announcements
visit http://www.apa.org/international/resources/announcements.aspx Sign-up for FREE APA newsletters: http://www.apa.org/support/opt-in.aspx OTHER Consider Sharing Your International Experiences in the Psychology International Newsletter:http://www.apa.org/international/pi/index.aspx. Contact the newsletter editor at [email protected] JOIN THE WHO Global Network Mental health and primary care professionals are invited to join the GLOBAL CLINICAL PRACTICE NETWORK (GCPN). This is a network of more than 12,202 mental health researchers, clinicians and practitioners in 143 countries. GCPN registration takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit: http://www.globalclinicalpractice.net/en/ Consider Sharing Your International Experiences in the Psychology International Newsletter: http://www.apa.org/international/pi/index.aspx. Contact the newsletter editor at [email protected] Sign-up for FREE APA newsletters: http://www.apa.org/support/opt-in.aspx Follow international news on twitter: @APA_Intl For more announcements visit http://www.apa.org/international/resources/announcements.aspx Washington, DC 20002 Phone: 202-336-6025 | Fax: 202-312-6499 Email: [email protected] | www.apa.org/international
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_____Zika, Infectious Disease, and More…_____ Aggregated News Reports from: Global Health NOW is an initiative of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, www.jhsph.edu. Views and opinions expressed in this email do not necessarily reflect those of the Bloomberg School. Created by Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Maryalice Yakutchik, Jackie Frank and Salma Warshanna-Sparklin. You can connect with them at: [email protected]
Puerto Rico, After Maria The damage to communities in Puerto Rico caused by Hurricane Maria is slowly coming into focus. Mayors from more than 50 communities held an emotional meeting in San Juan to report on the damage. Given the lack of power, communicating in person was their only option. The stories they shared were devastating: Floodwaters reached 10 feet in the northern town of Vega Baja. And 90% of the north coastal town of Loiza was destroyed. The mayors shared their most urgent needs: safe water, medications, gas, oxygen tanks and satellite phones. The Washington Post Related: Puerto Rico is American. We Can’t Ignore It Now. – The New York Times (Editorial) HIV/AIDS
PEPFAR, Retooled The US is retooling PEPFAR to prioritize 13 countries with high rates of HIV that are in the best position to control their epidemics, according to a strategy announced today by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. PEPFAR, which funds HIV/AIDS treatment, testing and counseling, will continue working in 50 countries but will focus on helping the 13 countries, which include Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and Haiti. The strategy did not specify which programs might be cut, but officials said anyone on treatment will continue to receive it. Congress last week rebuffed the Trump administration’s proposed $1 billion in cuts to PEPFAR’s $6 billion budget. Reuters
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Related: Five African countries approach control of their HIV epidemics as U.S. government launches bold strategy to accelerate progress – PHIA Project / ICAP at Columbia University (news release) Related: Prefabricated Containers To Improve Access To And Provision Of Hiv Testing And Care Services – The Namibia Economist
Dangerous Myth More and more men visiting the red-light district in Kolkata, India, are willing to pay steep fees to be with virgin girls under the mistaken belief doing so can cure or stave off HIV. The myth of so-called “virgin-cleansing” originated in Africa in the 1990s and spread to Southeast Asia. Some thought the practice no longer prevalent in India. But as poverty pushes a wave of migrants into Kolkata, sex workers and the social service organizations that work with them say the misconception has resurfaced, putting young girls at risk of being trafficked and contracting HIV. “We need to stop this now,” says anti-sex-slavery advocate Dipesh Tank. News Deeply GLOBAL HEALTH The Goalkeepers' Backstory What was behind last week’s “Goalkeepers” report on global health indicators by Bill and Melinda Gates? The Gateses targeted leaders gathering this week at the UN General Assembly with the message that “pretty miraculous” progress was being endangered by donor fatigue and deep US cuts proposed by the Trump administration, according to New York Times global health reporter Donald G. MacNeil Jr. The report, which was 3 years in the making, also seeks to warn global leaders of steep global health challenges in the next 15 years, especially if they lose focus. The New York Times ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH King Coal, Dethroned By 2025, Britain will have phased out its last coal-burning power plant, a startling move for the founder of the industrial revolution. This summer, coal supplied less than 2% of Britain’s electricity. The country’s grid is almost completely run on natural gas, nuclear, wind and solar power. The shift from coal is 1 of the greatest and fastest energy turnarounds in the developing world. The result: a 50% drop in CO2
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emissions from Britain between 2010 and 2016. Could the demise of King Coal in Britain mark the beginning of a new, more environmentally conscious age worldwide? Yale Environment 360
Far From the Field Once green year-round, agricultural fields in southern India have been devastated by years of inadequate rainfall and drought. Thus, millions of people are being driven to urban areas to find work. Most migrants are young men like 30-year-old Vinod Kumar, who drives for a living in Chennai, 155 miles from his village. “It has become impossible to make a living from farming,” he says. Things could get worse in coming years for the 60% of Indians who work the land. India had its warmest year on record in 2016, and researchers predict much of South Asia could be too hot for humans by the year 2100. Thomson Reuters Foundation OPIOID CRISIS
Compliance Boosters A pilot project to support patients undergoing opioid-substitution therapy, modeled after Vancouver’s successful HIV/AIDS strategy, will begin Friday in British Columbia. Teams of professionals will regularly check in with about 3,000 patients in therapy to ensure they don’t miss a day of treatment. They’ll also reach out to additional people who need help. “The aim is not only to improve these outcomes for people known to the teams,” says Rolando Barrios of Vancouver Coastal Health, “but also to ensure access to these services for other patients.” Phase 1 runs through July 2018 with the goal of having 95% of people still in treatment after 12 months. The Globe and Mail Related: The Social Life of Opioids: New studies strengthen ties between loss, pain and drug use – Scientific American OBESITY
Tipping the Scales Processed foods and sugary drinks are now reaching even the most isolated parts of Latin America, Asia and Africa—upending traditional diets and expanding waistlines.
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In places like Brazil, this sea change in diet has only added to an already dire situation of rising rates of diabetes, heart disease and chronic illnesses. “To put it in stark terms,” says Anthony Winson of the University of Guelph in Ontario, “the diet is killing us.” An examination of corporate records, epidemiological studies and government reports, as well as interviews with nutritionists and health experts, sheds light on the global shift from underweight to obese. Thanks for the tip, Erna Morden! The New York Times MALARIA
Superbug Reaches Vietnam An exceptionally drug-resistant strain of the malaria parasite that originated in western Cambodia has now reached southern Vietnam, according to a letter published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Vietnam’s first-line artemisinin treatment is failing at “alarming rates” against Plasmodium falciparum C580Y, the scientists report. The superbug’s spread across the region threatens malaria control, they added. The Quote: "We are losing a dangerous race. The spread of this malaria 'superbug' [is] forcing changes in drug policy and leaving few options for the future," says co-author Sir Nicholas White, a professor at Mahidol and Oxford universities. Wellcome Trust NEGLECTED DISEASES
Validation of Victory The WHO commended Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic for eradicating trachoma, an eye disease caused by the Chlamydia trachomatisbacteria. The tropical disease is spread from person to person through contact with infected discharge and recurring infections can lead to painful scarring and blindness. Assessments from 2014-2016 revealed that trachoma was scrubbed out in the southeast Asian countries using the WHO’s recommended SAFE strategy (Surgery for trichiasis—a complication caused by scarring, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, and Environmental improvements including safe water and sanitation) as part of its Alliance for Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020. WHO
Not the Right Antidote Several antivenoms used to help people recover from the bites of saw-scaled vipers—a group of incredibly lethal snakes commonly found in Africa, the Middle East and Asia—don’t work well enough, according to an Australian study.
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Snakebite antidotes contain toxins from multiple types of snakes. But researchers found that 4 antivenoms did not work on all venomous toxins from saw-scaled vipers in 9 countries. Antivenom makers are responding by relabeling their products so it’s clearer they should be used only in certain parts of the world, and by working to develop new, more broadly effective antidotes. The Economist SUBSTANCE ABUSE
Drug Deaths Depress US Life Expectancy Drug overdose deaths account for a 3-and-1/2-month drop in American life expectancy, according to a new CDC analysis of life-expectancy trends between 2000 and 2015. “It really underlines how serious the problem of opioid overdose has become in the US,” says lead author Deborah Dowell. “In general we don’t see decreases in life expectancy attributable to a single cause that are of this magnitude.” Americans’ life expectancy gained two years between 2000 and 2015, but overdose, combined with Alzheimer’s disease, suicide and liver disease, blunted the growth between 2014 and 2015. The US’s last drop in life expectancy came in 1993, at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. TIME Related: Women with Opioid Addiction Live With Daily Fear Of Assault, Rape – NPR Shots Related: ‘The Pills Are Everywhere’: How the Opioid Crisis Claims Its Youngest Victims—The New York Times REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Sex Ed in the City New York’s young people are not getting the sexual health education they need, according to a new report from the city comptroller. Among the sobering statistics cited:
• Only 57% of 8th graders got the state’s required health class, which New York City has told its schools should include sex education
• 88% of middle schools didn’t have a licensed health education teacher New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer is calling for the city’s Department of Education to guarantee sex education in middle and high school curricula. “[I]t should be considered part of a standard classroom education for all—not a luxury for a few," he says. Tonic
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WATER
Fertility Goes Down in Flint Fewer babies are being born in Flint, Michigan, a likely outcome of the highly publicized lead-poisoning of the city’s water supply, say economists from the University of Kansas and West Virginia University. They looked at birth and death certificates in Flint and compared them to other Michigan cities before and after the April 2014 change in Flint’s water source. Fertility rates in Flint decreased 12% and fetal death rates increased 58%. Tying the statistics to the lead-contaminated water is difficult, the researchers say. But their examination of Google searches and American Time Use Survey results did not unearth evidence that Flint residents were trying to prevent pregnancy. University of Kansas CORONAVIRUSES
Camels and the Threat of MERS Blame camels for the persistence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, first identified in a Saudi Arabian man in 2012, says Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP at the University of Minnesota and author of “Deadliest Enemy: Our War Against Killer Germs.” MERS is a coronavirus that, like SARS, likely originated with bats. And while SARS evolved from a virus bats passed to rats in China, MERS comes from camels. Exterminating rodents ended SARS, Osterholm says. But camels have deep cultural and economic value in the Middle East. “We’re going to be stuck for a long time at least until we get a vaccine,” he says of the virus that has caused at least 700 deaths. Outbreak News Today Podcast SUPERBUGS
Ford's Fault Early automobile innovator Henry Ford is to blame for antibiotic-resistant superbugs, according to a new book about American agriculture, “This Blessed Earth: A Year in the Life of an American Family Farm,” by Ted Genoways. In the 1920s, Ford’s agricultural laboratory wanted to create plastics and biofuels out of soy. Farmers began planting thousands of acres of it, and when a 1934 drought killed corn and wheat, they used soy as a substitute for livestock feed. But soy didn’t fatten chickens up fast enough, and antibiotics entered the picture to boost poultry growth.
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Today, farm animals consume more than ¾ of U.S.-produced antibiotics. Bloomberg HEALTH SYSTEMS
As Hospitals Die, So Do Their Communities “If you want to watch a rural community die, kill its hospital.” When rural hospitals close, the effects are devastating. The June 2014 closure of Lower Oconee Community Hospital in Glenwood, Georgia was followed by the shut down of the bank, the pharmacy and, this August, the county’s only grocery store. The cost for upgrading facilities, increased use of ERs by uninsured people, decreased federal government support and other issues have conspired to make rural US hospitals precarious enterprises. The US Southeast, which has higher levels of obesity, diabetes, etc. than the rest of the country, will be especially hard hit by closures. The Huffington Post CHILD MORTALITY
From the Million Death Study, Hope While India’s childhood death toll is staggering—29 million between 2000 and 2015—it could have been much worse. According to data from the Million Death Study published last week in The Lancet, the overall child mortality rate slowed down significantly, and the gender gap narrowed during that time. The total deaths for that period would have been an estimated 39 million if they’d kept pace with 2000 numbers. The researchers set out to improve upon hospital death data by also probing the cause of death, collecting "verbal autopsies" from family surveys. NPR Goats and Soda HEALTH SECURITY
Biological Weapons: The Next Big Threat? Experts fear the risk of bio-attacks is rising around the world. Yet budget cuts may soon shut down the U.S.’s only government lab devoted to studying bioweapons. 2 decades ago, the Japanese Aum Shinrikyo cult, which terrorized Tokyo with toxic nerve gas in 1995, had to build a large facility to create its toxins. Today, biological weapons could more easily be made at home. “Imagine that the Unabomber was a biologist and not a mathematician. Instead of making pipe bombs, he’d make pathogens,” says former U.S. Navy secretary Richard Danzig. “I think we’re a step away from those concerns.” Foreign Policy
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“Change the World”
It always struck me that saying that sounded a lot like grandiose hubris, or at best, a dauntingly overwhelming task. The utter impossibility of it seemed certain until I realized that it can mean helping one person at a time. That is a theme you’ll see throughout this book and our websites and our work. I have added some of my LinkedIn Influencer blogs/essays that I hope may be inspirational, also. The format of this book is inspired by Brian Eno’s A Year with Swollen Appendices, not so much the diary aspect but rather the overwhelmingly large collection of information in the various appendices. Open-Sourced Humanitarian Interventionism It’s long been my goal to make life easier for those working in humanitarian and volunteer endeavors, as well as those in need of help. Indeed, in one way or another, we all need help in
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one form or another. So, just about everything you find herein and on the Center’s website, is free of charge, and a lot you could also find for yourself. What I’ve tried to do is speed up the search, vet what has been found, and then curate the results, making them as readily and easily available as I know how to. This is my dream of open-sourcing humanitarian work. Current Content, For Pretty Close To Forever The reason for this “reverse engineering” is twofold. First, the amount of content and links on the Center’s website may not always be apparent to the novel user. This book allows for near complete exposure to the functional tools and content that await the online user. Second, this book will never be out-of-date, in that when new content becomes available via uploads to the DropBox account, you’ll be able to read that as well. All you have to do is email me and ask to be linked. I curate the content constantly. You can also request being added to our mailing list via my email address as well if you’d like to be kept up-to-date on events and other relevant content. All proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to the Center for Global Initiatives. Available at Amazon and on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Humanitarian-Field-Guide-Inspiration-Resources/dp/1500535079
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_____ My Thanks! _____ I hope you have found this issue to be informative and helpful in your work. Please send me any information you’d like posted in upcoming issues. This Newsletter and mailing are a manual process, so if you would no longer like to receive it, just send me an email. You can join our Facebook Group and interact with over 5200(!) likeminded individuals at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CenterForGlobalInitiatives/ And if you’d like to support the Center’s work with a tax deductible donation, that would be fantastic (!) and do a great deal: http://centerforglobalinitiatives.org/donateNow.cfm Recent issues are available at: https://issuu.com/dr.chrisstout/stacks/577856a9735e495789edd71fdc63ede7 All past issues are archived at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/257831147393441584/ If any of the URLs do not work in that format, just email me for the desired back-issue. Cheers, and thank you for your work, Chris http://DrChrisStout.com Founding Director, http://CenterForGlobalInitiatives.org LinkedIn Influencer: https://www.linkedin.com/today/posts/drchrisstout American Psychological Association International Humanitarian Award Winner, http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec07/rockstar.html
