STATE OF THE WORLD'S MOTHERS 2007, Save the Children, May 2007. From the cover: "In commemoration of Mother’s Day, Save the Children is publishing its eighth annual State of the World’s Mothers report. The focus is on the 28,000 children under age 5 who die every day from easily preventable or treatable causes and the tragic fact that basic, lifesaving remedies still are not reaching millions of mothers and children in need. This report helps to bring attention to low-cost solutions that have the greatest potential to save lives. It also identifies countries that are succeeding in tackling this problem, showing that effective solutions to this challenge are affordable – even in the world’s poorest countries." This report should have been announced in the May 2007 issue on improving the health of mothers worldwide (MDG5), or even in the April 2007 issue on reducing child mortality (MDG4) . The report is very comprehensive, as indicated by the table of contents:

Introduction
Key Findings and Recommendations
Reducing the Death Toll: 10 Million Children Don’t Have to Die Every Year
Child Survival Progress Ranking
Saving the Lives of Children Under 5: Low-Cost Solutions That Work
Report Card: 5 Ways to Save Lives Under Age 5
Changing the World by Investing in Children
Child Deaths in the Industrialized World: United States has a Higher Death Rate Than Most Other Countries
Take Action Now! Make a World of Difference for Mothers and Children
Appendix: Eighth Annual Mothers’ Index and Country Rankings
Methodology and Research Notes
Endnotes

SIX TRENDS TRANSFORMING GOVERNMENT, by Mark A. Abramson, Jonathan D. Breul, and John M. Kamensky, IBM Center for the Business of Government, Washington DC, April 2007. It is a good sign to see corporations like IBM becoming interested in how government institutions work and how they can be improved. The six trends analyzed in this report are the following:

Trend One: Changing the Rules
Trend Two: Using Performance Management
Trend Three: Providing Competition, Choice, Incentives
Trend Four: Performing On Demand
Trend Five: Engaging Citizens
Trend Six: Using Networks and Partnerships

ONLINE EDUCATION: WHAT CAN IT DELIVER?, Development Gateway, 2006. From the website: "Seven of the world's largest distance education universities—where students and faculty alike all use some form of computer-assisted learning—are located in developing countries. For these communities, educational resources available via the Internet can offer cutting-edge applications of cyberspace. Yet, roadblocks—from inadequate national communications infrastructures to teachers reluctant to adapt to e-learning—exist for the full success of online education for higher education. Meanwhile, the use of online delivery in corporate training is predicted to overtake higher education usage in developing countries, becoming an estimated $150 billion industry by 2025." Some of the online education areas discussed in the report (which can be downloaded free of charge) are as follows:

Aid Effectiveness Capacity Development for MDGs Culture & Development Gender and Development Indigenous Issues Youth for Development Environment and Development Urban Development Food Security

HIV/AIDS Population and Reproductive Health Microfinance ICT for Development Knowledge Economy Microfinance Poverty E-Government Open Educational Resources

COMPENDIUM OF INNOVATIVE E-GOVERNMENT PRACTICES, United Nations, New York, 2007, 282 pages. From the Executive Summary: "As information and communication technologies (ICTs) are dramatically changing the lives of people around the world, governments recognize that they must find solutions that will increase public value to their citizens. Drawing on the main message of the United Nations Global E-government Readiness Reports of 2004 and 2005, it is important to keep in mind that citizens should be viewed as the focal point of e-government development. Although many countries have implemented one-stop portals, introduced online transactions and experimented with e-participation initiatives, the process of developing public value through e-government is at the initial stages of conceptualization and implementation. As a result, not all e-solutions and e-services that governments provide necessarily meet the needs of the ordinary citizen. The main objective of developing the UN/DESA Compendium of Innovative E-government Practices as an ongoing project is to create a venue for promoting innovative e-government solutions, services and products developed by governments. The Compendium also enables South-South and North-South information-sharing of valuable experiences and innovative practices. In both cases, the focus is on hastening innovation and thus creating public value for the citizenry."

ILO 2007 GLOBAL REPORT: "EQUALITY AT WORK: TACKING THE CHALLENGE", ILO, 10 May 2007. From the announcement: "Provides a global picture of job-related discrimination, citing both progress and failures in the struggle to fight discrimination ranging from traditional forms such as sex, race or religion, to newer forms based on age, sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS status and disability." The press release is very informative.

A DAY FULL OF LIGHT: ENDING COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOTATION, ILO, 10 May 2007. "The growth of human trafficking linked to sexual exploitation is of worldwide concern. Those who suffer sexism, racism, poverty, and homelessness, or who have been victims of domestic violence, rape, or incest, both domestically and globally, are terribly vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation (CSE)." See also THE SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN: A Working Guide to the Empirical Literature, Richard Estes, University of Pennsylvania, 2001.

TRAFFICKING & ANTI-TRAFFICKING TRAINING MANUAL, ICMPD, 2007. "Trafficking-Anti-Trafficking Training Manual for EU Judges & Prosecutors, International Centre for Migration Policy Development, 2007: The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) released new training material for judges and prosecutors in EU member states and candidate states for accession with the framework "Programme for Elaboration and Implementation of Anti-Trafficking Training Modules for Judges and Prosecutors in EU Member States, Accession and Candidate Countries." The material contains information to raise awareness for judges and prosecutors, as well as serve as a guide for practitioners who come into contact with victims of trafficking." To request a copy email Elisa Trossero at ICMPD.

THE 2006 NGO SUSTAINABILITY INDEX, USAID, May 2007. Covering Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia. From the USAID web site: "The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) released the 10th edition of the NGO Sustainability Index, a key analytical tool that measures the progress of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the Europe and Eurasia (E&E) region. The NGO Sustainability Index examines the environment for civil society, focusing on seven dimensions: legal environment, organizational capacity, financial viability, advocacy, service provision, infrastructure and public image. Scores are measured on a 1 to 7 scale, with 7 indicating a low or poor level of development and 1 indicating a very advanced level of progress. Each country report provides an in-depth analysis of the NGO sector along with comparative information from earlier surveys." The entire report, or sections of it, can be downloaded free of charge. To request a paper copy, please send your name and address to NGOSI.

THE CHALLENGE OF INEQUALITY, IPC/UNDP, Brasilia, June 2007, 28 pages (free download). Summary: "Inequality is a major challenge for poverty reduction and a crucial obstacle for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. There are both intrinsic and instrumental reasons why inequality matters, such as social justice and morality, putting the poor first, growth and efficiency, political legitimacy, and public policy goals. This issue of IPC’s journal Poverty in Focus presents 12 articles summarising some of the most important recent research results on the extent of inequality in the distribution of wealth and incomes at both the global and national levels, on analytical aspects of causes and patterns, and on policy conclusions and recommendations." This is a high quality and very informative publication with excellent charts and graphics. See a list of other IPC publications.

EPIDEMIC OF INEQUALITY: WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND HIV/AIDS, Physicians for Human Rights, 2007, 203 pages (free download). From the Executive Summary: "Deeply entrenched gender inequities perpetuate the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Botswana and Swaziland, the two countries with the highest HIV prevalence in the world.10 The legal systems in both countries grant women lesser status than men, restricting property, inheritance and other rights. Social, economic and cultural practices create, enforce and perpetuate legalized gender inequalities and discrimination in all aspects of women’s lives. Neither country has met its obligations under international human rights law. As a result, women continue to be disproportionately vulnerable to HIV/AIDS."

ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN EASTERN CONGO, WFR, Winter 2007. Summary: " In response to horrific reports of rampant sexual violence from the international NGO community and Congolese women themselves, Women for Women International launched a multi-tiered programme of direct aid and emotional support, rights awareness and leadership education, vocational skills training and income-generation support in the DRC in May 2004 to provide services to the socially excluded Congolese women who endured, witnessed and survived these atrocities."

FEMINICIDE, THE KILLING OF WOMEN AND GIRLS, CitizenShift, 2007. From the website: "Feminicide is the systematic and deliberate killing of women and girls and it's happening worldwide. It's the murder of women in Mexico, Guatemala and Canada. It's the practice of female infanticide and sex selective abortion in parts of Asia. It's dowry killing and bride burning in regions of Africa and the Middle East; and too often, it's the end result of domestic violence that occurs behind the closed doors of every neighborhood in every city in every country in the world. Filmmakers Alex Flores and Lorena Vassolo take us to the disturbing situation in Ciudad Juarez, where women and girls are being kidnapped, raped and murdered with what appears to be total impunity from the law."

2007 WORLDWIDE QUALITY OF LIVING SURVEY, Mercer Human Resource Consulting, April 2007. From the website: "The 2007 Worldwide Quality of Living Survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting has found that four of the world’s five top-scoring cities for health and sanitation are in North America. Calgary ranks top with a score of 131.7, followed by Honolulu, which scores 130.3. Helsinki – the only European city in the top five – follows closely in the rankings with a score of 128.5. Ottawa and Minneapolis take fourth and fifth places with scores of 127.2 and 125.7 respectively. Scores are based on the quality and availability of hospital and medical supplies and levels of air pollution and infectious diseases. The efficiency of waste removal and sewage systems, water potability and the presence of harmful animals and insects are also taken into account."

GOVERNANCE FOR THE FUTURE: DEMOCRACY AND DEVELOPMENT IN LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, UNDP, 2006, 372 pages. From the foreword: "Governance for the Future: Democracy and Development in the LDCs is the first United Nations Report to focus specifically on the challenges of governance faced by the 50 poorest nations in the world, collectively known as Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Jointly prepared by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and the Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), this publication emphasizes that to achieve sustainable development, LDCs must build transparent, accountable and effective democratic governance systems. Building a strong relationship between the state and its citizens is key to successful development and to achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015."

GENOCIDE IN DARFUR, USHMM, April 2007. From the website: "The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has joined with Google in an unprecedented online mapping initiative. Crisis in Darfur enables more than 200 million Google Earth users worldwide to visualize and better understand the genocide currently unfolding in Darfur, Sudan. The Museum has assembled content -- photographs, data, and eyewitness testimony from a number of sources that are brought together for the first time in Google Earth." Downloading and installing Google Earth is required before the Crisis in Darfur presentation can be viewed.

WORLD ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 2007, IMF, April 2007. From the website: "The World Economic Outlook (WEO) presents the IMF staff's analysis and projections of economic developments at the global level, in major country groups (classified by region, stage of development, etc.), and in many individual countries. It focuses on major economic policy issues as well as on the analysis of economic developments and prospects. It is usually prepared twice a year, as documentation for meetings of the International Monetary and Financial Committee, and forms the main instrument of the IMF's global surveillance activities." Both the full text of the report and the supporting database are available for downloading.

GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT 2007 (GMR2007), World Bank, 13 April 2007. From the website: "The 2007 Global Monitoring Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) assesses the contributions of developing countries, developed countries, and international financial institutions toward meeting universally agreed development commitments. Fourth in a series of annual reports leading up to 2015, this year's report reviews key developments of the past year, emerging priorities, and an assessment of performance drawing on numerous indicators. Subtitled "Confronting the Challenges of Gender Equality and Fragile States", the report highlights two key thematic areas —gender equality and empowerment of women (the third MDG) and the special problems of fragile states, where extreme poverty is increasingly concentrated." The entire report can be downloaded, as well as a 20 page overview. Make sure you browse the Online Atlas of the Millennium Development Goals.

REPORT ON THE SEXUALIZATION OF GIRLS, APA, 2007. This is a very important report, as it shows the harmful effects of the sexualized images of girls. These include eating disorders, low self-esteem, and depression. The APA website provides an Executive Summary (HTML), an Executive Summary (PDF), and the complete Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls (PDF). There are separate web pages about What Parents Can Do, and a directory of media literacy resources for Empowering Girls. This is the bottom line for parents: "Parents can teach girls to value themselves for who they are, rather than how they look. Parents can teach boys to value girls as friends, sisters, and girlfriends, rather than as sexual objects."

OPEN EDUCATIONAL (OER) MOVEMENT, Report to The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Daniel E. Atkins et. al., OERderves, February 2007, 80 pages. See also the new OERderves website, from which the report can be downloaded in either PDF or DOC format. "Central to the report is the idea of 'The Brewing Perfect Storm' and the creation of an Open Participatory Learning Infrastructure." This is another educational horizon that ICT is making visible in conjunction with the process of globalization.

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT BEST PRACTICES GUIDE, United States Conference of Mayors, January 2007, 82 pages. From the letter of transmittal: "The past few years have clearly illustrated America’s vulnerability to an uncertain energy future. Similarly, the emerging threat of global climate change, due largely to widespread fossil fuel use, has made it clear that business as usual, as far as energy use is concerned, is not sustainable. To remain competitive as the global economy expands and puts greater strain on traditional fuel supplies, the United States, in our view, must develop a comprehensive strategy of fuel diversity, and a combination of conservation, alternative forms of energy and modern energy technologies. Furthermore, rising energy costs and the threat of widespread blackouts here, and the unpredictability of energy supplies from abroad require leadership at all levels in attaining energy independence, security, and reliability." What about leadership in moderating consumption?

IDB SUSTAINABILITY REVIEW 2006, IDB, 23 April 2007. From the announcement: "The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) released its second Sustainability Review in April 2007. The review tracks the Bank’s progress in promoting social and environmental sustainability in IDB-financed projects in its member countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.... The IDB is the primary source of multilateral development financing in Latin America and the Caribbean, fostering sustainable economic and social development and reducing poverty in the region through its lending operations, leadership in regional initiatives, research, knowledge dissemination activities, institutes, and programs." The report is available online in English and Spanish.

KOF INDEX OF GLOBALIZATION, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich, 2007. From the website: "The KOF Index of Globalization measures the three main dimensions of globalization: economic, social, and political. In addition to three indices measuring these dimensions, we calculate an overall index of globalization and sub-indices referring to actual economic flows, economic restrictions, data on information flows, data on personal contact, and data on cultural proximity. Data are available on a yearly basis for 122 countries over the period 1970 - 2004. The data is available for download, and users can utilize the mapping and graphing tools that add an informative visual element to the data."

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (CIA) NEW WEB SITE. From the announcement: "The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is an independent US Government agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to senior US policymakers. On Monday, May 14, 2007, the CIA unveiled its newly designed public Web site: https://www.cia.gov. The new site is an extension of the CIA’s social contract with the American people. The new site is divided into seven distinct categories: About CIA, Careers, Offices of CIA, News & Information, Library, Kids’ Page and Contact CIA. The CIA plans to continuously enhance CIA.gov. As new features are added, the CIA Web team will post articles in the Featured Story section describing the changes."

UNDERSTANDING THE WORLD TODAY. This web site has recently been updated with a number of new documents on Global Social Change , including Basic Guide to the World: Economic Growth, 1970 to 2007, with plots of several global/regional economic variables from 1969 to 2007 and Links to open source journals of social, political, and economic change.

ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY RESEARCH GROUP (EGRG). This website has been completely overhauled and relaunched. The Economic Geography Research Group aims to foster research and its dissemination in economic geography by organising meetings, developing contact and cooperation among geographers and other social scientists, and promoting the publication of research. The website includes documentation of conferences and symposia, Working papers, book reviews, economic geography news, and links to key online resources.

CHILD TRAFFICKING DIGITAL LIBRARY. The library has been updated with a number of important documents, as follows:

Combating the Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes, ECPAT Europe Law Enforcement Group, 2006. The Psychosocial Rehabilitation of Children who have been Commercially Sexually Exploited, ECPAT International, 2005. The IOM Handbook on Direct Assistance for Victims of Trafficking, International Organization for Migration (IOM), 2007. Manual For Social Workers Dealing With Child Victims Of Trafficking And Commercial Sexual Exploitation, Ministry of Women and Child Development India, 2005. Southeast Asian Guidelines for the Protection of the Rights of Children Victims of Trafficking, Asia Against Child Trafficking (Asia ACTs), 2006. Combating the Trafficking in Children for Sexual Purposes, ECPAT Europe Law Enforcement Group, 2006. Tackling trafficking through workers’ rights, TUC, 2006. Reference Guide on Protecting the Rights of Child Victims of Trafficking in Europe, UNICEF, 2006. Enhanced Protection for Children Affected by AIDS, UNICEF, 2007.

INTEGRITY IN SCIENCE DATABASE, Integrity in Science (IIS) Project, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), 2007. From the website: "The Integrity in Science (ISS) Project combats corporate influence on science and science-based public policy. We scrutinize more than 200 science-based federal advisory committees for undisclosed conflicts of interest, monitor the media and scientific literature for failure to disclose, and encourage the adoption of strong disclosure policies. ISS publishes the weekly Integrity in Science Watch e-Newsletter and maintains an open database of public records of scientists' ties to industry." Includes a searchable database of 4000+ scientists for conflict of interest research.

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK STATISTICAL DATABASE SYSTEM (SDBS), Asian Development Bank (ADB), launched 16 May 2007. From the website: "The database, developed and maintained by ADB’s Economics and Research Department, contains data from 1988 onwards and will be a major resource and analytical tool for policymakers, academics, researchers and journalists interested in issues and challenges facing Asia and the Pacific. The launch of the online version of SDBS underscores ADB’s role as a key knowledge bank for developing member countries in the region. To help users in navigating the website, an easy access online facility has been developed. This internet version of SDBS contains data from 1988 onward. MDG tables of ADB’s developing member countries can also be generated from this database."

ANIMATED INTERACTIVE SIMULATOR OF CLIMATE DYNAMICS by the Schlumberger Excellence in Educational Development (SEED) Program. From the website: "The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is increasing. The world is getting warmer. If this continues, the ecosystems and economies of the world will be dramatically altered. What can be done about this? This simulation (intended for 8-10 year olds) lets you decide the future of the planet. This simulation was designed in collaboration with The Sustainability Institute. The numbers that drive the graphs and the animation were calculated in a system dynamics model built by Dr. Thomas Fiddaman. His research can be viewed here."

WORLD DATABASE ON PROTECTED AREAS (WDPA), UNEP-WCMC PROTEUS, 2007. From the website: "The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) is recognized by decision-makers and policy advisors around the world as a unique and valuable resource. The WDPA is maintained by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre in collaboration with the World Conservation Union (IUCN) on behalf of a consortium of organizations. The System Design Specification, Data Flow, Project Plan, and Gantt Chart are available for download.

ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS: BASIC CONCEPTS AND DEBATES, Ethan Goffman, ProQuest-CSA, April 2007. From the introduction: "Economic activity that harms the environment creates present or future losses to humans in the form of damaged health, lower productivity, depleted natural resources, and reduced enjoyment of nature. Environmental economics seeks to quantify these losses and determine the most efficient way to reduce them, as well as to compare the cost of environmental damage to the cost of mitigation. To analyze the costs and benefits of reduced environmental damage, economists must compare changes in economic well being today with changes in economic well being in the future. This involves judging the extent to which future generations will have higher income and better methods for mitigating pollution effects." Includes a list of key citations, a list of resources, and a glossary. The table of contents is as follows:

• Introduction
• Using Economics to Regulate the Environment
  • introduction
  • marginal abatement costs
  • the real world
• Ecological Economics: Altering Assumptions
• Growth & the Environmental Kuznets Curve
• The Kyoto Treaty & Environmental Economics

COUNTDOWN 2015, ICPD, 2007. According to the website, Countdown 2015: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for All is an initiative dedicated to assessing the progress and mapping the future for the key goals of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo in 1994." The website is available in English, Spanish, French, and Italian. It includes sections on news, resources, youth, European activity, and a directory of links to several websites with useful resource information and data, notably maps showing the global geographic distribution of reproductive risks. It is provides a gateway to the ICPD AT TEN report card and the supporting database of 133 countries. In the ongoing process of balancing practical priorities and sexual morality, this website provides a knowledge base for the practical facts of life.

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, WHO, April 2007. This is a new website, recently launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide comprehensive information on the health impacts of female genital mutilation. According to the introduction in the home page: "Despite more than 25 years of efforts to curtail its practice, female genital mutilation (FGM)—defined by WHO, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as “the partial or total removal of the female external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for cultural or other nontherapeutic reasons”—is still a deeply rooted tradition in more than 28 countries in Africa and in some countries in Asia and the Middle East. In the world today there are an estimated 100 million to 140 million girls and women who have been subjected to the operation. Currently, about 3 million girls, the majority under 15 years of age, undergo the procedure every year."

IMITATION, MIMETIC THEORY, RELIGIOUS & CULTURAL EVOLUTION, April 2007. From the home page: "Sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation, the Metanexus Institute, and the Travis Research Institute of Fuller Graduate School of Psychology, this two year project brings together some of the world’s most prominent scientists, philosophers, and religious scholars in an attempt to explore current theories of human imitation and their converging implications for contemporary psychosocial, religious, and scientific thought." A mimetic analysis of the scapegoating mechanism used by a religious institution to neutralize a crisis has already been presented in this newsletter (March 2006 to August 2006). It is hoped that an improved mimetic analysis of the same process can be articulated as a result of new insights provided by mimetic theory.

IDEOLOGIES OF WAR AND TERROR, April 2007. From the introduction to the website: "What is the source of the power of ideologies? Why do people become attached to ideologies to the extent that they are willing to die and kill in their name? This Website seeks to explore the psychological roots of our attachment to structures of thought that generate destruction and self-destruction within societies and civilizations. Political violence occurs in the form of events that we call war, genocide and terrorism. Some people view these events as the consequence of consciously formulated plans or strategies. Others observe these events and see mindless rage or aggression. We propose that political violence occurs when people act upon or act out propositions contained within ideologies."

GLOBAL LEARNING PORTAL (GLP), upgraded April 2007. Summary: "The Global Learning Portal is a public-private partnership between AED, Sun Microsystems, and USAID. It aims at expanding the educational resources available to primary and secondary school teachers in developing countries. The collaborative Web site allows visitors to become members and benefit from a wide range of services. GLP has recently launched an online course tool. The tool—called Moodle—can be used to create and conduct different courses for its members. Moodle can be used in a number of ways to engage learners in self-paced lessons. It can also be used to create files that can be printed, or used on computers with no internet connectivity. For more information, please visit the Global Learning Portal (Summary by Thomas Bekkers, Development Gateway Communities, 10 April 2007).