The nature of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in development work is changing, but how successfully – and leading where? Surprisingly, there is very little systematic research on how CSOs all over the world are influencing policy processes, especially from the point of view of those actually involved in the policymaking process in the South. This paper was written as part of the Civil Society Partnerships Programme (CSPP) to improve the capacity of Southern CSOs to influence pro-poor policy.
Governance and participation in health
CSO capacity for policy engagement: Lessons learned from the CSPP consultations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America
Chowdhury N, Finlay-Notman C, Hovland I: Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Working Paper 272, August 2006
Hitting malaria where it hurts: Household and community responses in Africa
Jones C: ID21 Insights Health 9, August 2006
In many communities the symptoms of malaria are widely recognised. Decisions about choice and order of treatment are often based on people's experience of the effectiveness of particular treatments and the availability and cost of medication. Research on managing malaria in communities has been largely concerned either with individual perceptions about the causes and symptoms of the disease or with the implementation of specific interventions. It fails to provide essential information on the context in which communities and households cope with their day-to-day problems, including malaria. Further research needs to: * focus on the 'normality' of malaria and the social and political environments that influence how interventions are chosen and how they are used; and * increase understanding of the social, economic, political and historical contexts that shape household and community beliefs and behaviours.
How to move forward on governance and corruption
Fritz V: Overseas Development Institute Opinion (72) 1-2, July 2006
Corruption holds development back. The author proposes that the aid community needs to be more open-minded and to think harder about what works to deal with corruption, rather than prescribing standard formulas. The author reviews of the things we understand and the things we don’t and thence suggests five ways of moving forward.
Single public service legislation in the pipeline
South African Local Government Briefing, August 2006
Draft legislation to create a single public service for national, provincial and local government will be presented to the cabinet by November, says the Director-General of the Department of Public Service and Administration, Richard Levin. The proposed legislation would establish a framework for a single public service and would regulate organisational and human resource matters in all spheres of government. It would deal with conditions of service, labour relations, corruption and service delivery; including health services.
Further details: /newsletter/id/31747
The global health governance of antimicrobial effectiveness
Martin G: Globalization and Health 2:7, 25 April 2006
Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to public health the world over. Global health governance strategies need to address the erosion of antimicrobial effectiveness on three levels. Firstly, mechanisms to provide incentives for the pharmaceutical industry to develop antimicrobials for diseases threatening the developing world need to be sought out. Secondly, responsible use of antimicrobials by both clinicians and the animal food growing industry needs to be encouraged and managed globally. And lastly, in-country and international monitoring of changes in antimicrobial effectiveness needs to be stepped up in the context of a global health governance strategy.
Africa: Ask the women
Daniel P: Opendemocracy, 3 August 2006
To address Africa's deep-rooted problems, it's time to reject the superficial male charisma embodied by the likes of Tony Blair and Bob Geldof and instead mobilise the dynamic energies of African and Africa engaged women. The author discusses how Africa at its simplest already has a handful of problems, including, amongst others, HIV/AIDS and gender inequality. For example, the attempt to strengthen national systems in Africa continues to be thwarted by the high incidence of HIV/AIDS which is thinning out cohort after cohort of dynamic young professionals.
Reclaiming SADC for people's solidarity and development cooperation: Sechaba se ea bolaoa!
Southern African Peoples Solidarity Network (SAPSN).
The representatives of many economic justice networks, social development movements, women’s, workers, youth and small-scale farmers, human rights, educational and environmental organisations, and many others, from across the Southern African region gathered in Maseru, Lesotho under the auspices of the Southern African Peoples Solidarity Network (SAPSN). They held a People’s Summit to review their situation and share views on the state of regional development and cooperation, and so present their views to the Summit of the Heads of State and government ministers’ meeting in Maseru, 16-18 August 2006.
Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) 13th National Conference resolutions
CWGH National Conference, Cresta Oasis Hotel, Harare, 5-6 July 2006
Delegates attending the Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) 13th National Conference in Harare from 5–6 July 2006 compiled this statement to highlight the key points raised and important conclusions. It covers existing positions on the conditions regarding human resources in health, as well as a number of conditions and policy suggestions to improve both community participation in health and public health performance overall.
Further details: /newsletter/id/31663
Hitting malaria where it hurts: Household and community responses in Africa
Jones C: ID21 health, 18 July 2006
Each year at least 300 million cases of malaria result in more than a million deaths worldwide. Ninety percent of these deaths are in sub-Saharan Africa and most are children under five years old. Preventing and treating malaria are now firmly on the international public health and global poverty agendas. However, despite a considerable increase in funds over recent years the malaria burden in much of sub-Saharan Africa shows little sign of decreasing. Over recent years there has been emphasis on the idea that improving knowledge about malaria in communities will lead to better use of interventions. Research on managing malaria in communities has been largely concerned either with individual perceptions about the causes and symptoms of the disease or with the implementation of specific interventions. It fails to provide essential information on the context in which communities and households cope with their day-to-day problems, including malaria.
Bringing change: Communicating to communities on sensitive themes like sexuality and domestic violence
Italian Association Amici (AIFO)
A new document has been published by the name of "Bringing a Change: Communicating to Communities on Sensitive Themes like Sexuality and Domestic Violence". This document is based on an international workshop organised by AIFO/Italy in October 2005.