Full coverage: Civil society

29.04.2008 Praxis India, a research and consultancy body is organising its annual workshop on participatory development from August 19, 2008 in Kerala, India. The ten-day programme will focus on training people to use varied approaches to address community-based issues.

24.04.2008 IBM is toying with the idea of providing information to rural users on toll-free numbers. Its pilot project in southern India will provide information on healthcare services, small businesses and micro-finance. Once successful, it will be taken to international markets.

24.04.2008 Radio Bubusa started by a rural women’s organisation in Democratic Republic of Congo aims to empower village women and young girls through the exchange of information and experiences. The idea is to help them improve lives in their communities through new knowledge and practices.

23.04.2008 In the recently concluded elections of the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), OneWorld South Asia became its new regional coordinator. The Delhi-based civil society network will promote GKP’s objective of building multi-sectoral partnerships for promoting knowledge and ICT for development in South Asia.

22.04.2008 In the recently concluded elections of the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP), OneWorld South Asia became its new regional coordinator. The Delhi-based civil society network will promote GKP’s objective of building multi-sectoral partnerships for development in South Asia.

18.04.2008 Using Mobile Phones in Advocacy Campaigns, a strategy guide by MobileActive contains innovative ideas on using mobile phones for active civic engagement. Citing case studies from different parts of the world, the book advocates mobiles as tools of social change in developing nations.

15.04.2008 Centre for Science, Development and Media Studies is organising eIndia2008 from July 29-31, 2008 at New Delhi, India. The fourth annual ICT forum in the country will be a unique platform for stakeholders to share best practices and exchange ideas on creating a technology-enabled society.

12.04.2008 WASHINGTON, Apr 11 (OneWorld) - African development experts here are cautiously optimistic that Zimbabwe's election process, while still disputed, will bring about historic change for the country's 12 million people.

10.04.2008 Prominent citizens of India have written to the Prime Minister urging him to reconsider the Foreign Contributions (Regulation) Bill, 2006. The proposed law gives authorities the arbitrary power to refuse or cancel registration of organisations, which may put NGOs critical of government policies at risk.

10.04.2008 Hondurasin sosiaaliset liikkeet aikovat pysäyttää maan 17. huhtikuuta järjestämällä yleislakon. Liikkeet vaativat hallitukselta muun muassa sosiaalisia uudistuksia, uusliberalistisen politiikan lopettamista, tasaisempaa tulonjakoa ja köyhyyteen puuttumista.

08.04.2008 WASHINGTON, Apr 7 (OneWorld) - Five adults and five youths were inaugurated into the Hall of Fame for Caring Americans today, a tribute to national role models who have dedicated their lives to the advancement of others.

07.04.2008 A little-known mobile helpline can help you find a blood donor in times of crises. All it takes is an SMS. The messages access an online database of 45,000 blood donors in 300 Indian towns and cities.

02.04.2008 The Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis & Malaria (GFATM) has launched its Round 8 funding to scale up health systems across the world. The India – Country Coordinating Mechanism for the GFATM invites proposals from government agencies, civil society networks and private sector for receiving grants.

01.04.2008 ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’ is an old adage. Three stories of incredible courage and resilience in the face of adversity are just illustrations of numerous other women in rural India who are putting up a brave fight against poverty, diseases, societal attitudes, bureaucratic apathies, physical attacks and so on.

01.04.2008 The Jan Haq Yatra, covering 16 Indian states, was recently organised to sensitise people on pressing social and economic issues. Faisal Anurag and Eknath Awad, spokespersons of NAFRE spoke to OneWorld South Asia in New Delhi and shared their viewpoints on the need and objectives of the people’s march.

01.04.2008 Il 2008 è stato la “prova del fuoco” per la nonviolenza in Kenya che sta ancora tentando di comprendere la cause del disordine. Sembra ancora impossibile che nel “Paese della trasmissione orale”, seppur in un breve lasso di tempo la “pulizia etnica” abbia avuto il sopravvento sulla “parola”. Kenya evoca animali, parchi, accoglienza. I disordini post elettorali hanno scombinato le nostre mappe mentali che, per ergonomia, sono più facilitate ad associare ed interconnettere che a costruire ex novo. Kenya si associa a pace e Rwanda, per esempio, a guerra. Le immagini crude della “natura umana” hanno sorpreso i “media occidentali” che, da sempre associavano Kenya con stabilità. Le foto colorate delle Agenzie Viaggi si sovrapponevano, nell’immaginario collettivo, e quelle di agenzie stampa. Impressionata la retina a mo’ di pellicola si fatica ridefinire nuove coordinate. di Fabio Pipinato