AFRO-NETS> The Drum Beat - 106 - Development News and Trend Stories

[Warren Feek <wfeek@comminit.com>]

The Drum Beat - 106 - Development News and Trend Stories
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This Drum Beat includes compelling stories on important development 
and communication news, trends and events. They feature on the home 
page of The C.I. web site http://www.comminit.com 

The Home Page includes two sections - Development News and Communica-
tion News. We find relevant information, usually from sources that 
you won't see in the mainstream media. Links are provided for more 
information. Stories change every Tuesday and Friday. They are ar-
chived at http://www.comminit.com/tempo.html 
and
http://www.comminit.com/about-time.html 

Please check it out, let us know what you think and send us your sto-
ries and information. 

[NB - 3 of the links below may be 'broken'. You may need to paste the 
2nd half of the link into your browser. Please contact 
<cmorry@comminit.com> if you are unable to access]

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COMMENTARY - http://www.comminit.com/index.html#drum_role


Is globalization undermining the power of the state? If it is, is it 
a good thing forcing authoritarian governments to open up to democ-
racy or is it a bad thing forcing otherwise benevolent governments to 
expose their populations to the predatory forces of the global econ-
omy? Professor Prasenjit Maiti takes a critical look at these ques-
tions in COMMENTARY. See - 
http://www.comminit.com/Commentary/sld-2565.html

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COMMUNICATION NEWS
Archived & searchable
http://www.comminit.com/tempo.html


1. Computer Skills in Rio's Favelas 
http://www.iconnect-online.org/base/show_template_art?template=1&article_id=483&subcat=107

'i-connect' profiles an audio story available on InterWorld Radio 
http://www.interworldradio.org/audio/rad_show1.cfm?aud_i_id=225634&mode=feature_detail 
about how a simple project in Rio de Janeiro has brought a 'computer 
craze' sweeping through the streets of the favelas. The Committee to 
Democratise Information Technology has set up public computer centres 
and schools in the poorest parts of town. InterWorld visits one to 
find out how well they're working and why access to a PC helps people 
out of the poverty trap.


2. Women's NGO Networks in Nigeria 
http://www.healthnet.org/afronets/afronets-hma/afro-nets.200106/msg00021.html

Susan M. Lee posted this announcement on AFRO-NETS about the publica-
tion of Women's NGO Networks in Nigeria: 'Providing Reproductive 
Health Information and Services; Promoting Reproductive Rights' that 
documents the contribution of these networks in providing reproduc-
tive health information and promoting reproductive rights. It can be 
found in PDF format on the NGO Networks website - 
http://www.ngonetworks.org/pubs/pdf/Nigeria_Womens_NGO_Networks_L.pdf


3. New Internet Based Newspaper for the Caribbean 
http://www.sidsnet.org/archive/other-newswire/2001/0400.html

A story from the St. Vincent & the Grenadines Herald posted on SIDS-
Net reports that a new Internet based newspaper linking all 25 papers 
in the Caribbean is to be set up with the support of UNESCO. "Each of 
the papers will have their own websites to produce up-to-the-minute 
news and circulate it via the Internet so anybody logging on to any 
of those websites would be able to get news at the drop of a hat," 
said UNESCO's Jocelyne Josiah.


4. Thai Government to Bring E-Commerce to Farmers 
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/167595.html

NewsBytes as reported in Benton Communications-related Headlines. 
http://www.benton.org/News/ The Thailand Department of Agriculture 
(DOA) is developing a plan to bring e-commerce to farmers. Promising 
a 'new era', the DOA is establishing pilot projects in 4 regions to 
find the best agricultural business models. The DOA points out that 
farmers will need to improve technology skills, the quality of their 
products, packaging and logistics, and supply chain management.


5. Media Channel Previews K-12 Education Centre for Teachers 
http://www.mediachannel.org/classroom/index.html

The Media Literacy Classroom is designed to be an introduction to the 
issues and a gateway to information and resources on the Web. This 
preview version introduces the 'Classroom' including the Teachers' 
Toolkit and a searchable catalogue of teaching units, lesson plans, 
activities and ideas. Media Channel is seeking feedback and input as 
development continues. Send comments to debbie_james4@hotmail.com


***

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Organisations wishing to circulate appointments through The DB Clas-
sifieds: VACANCIES and on the website please contact Carey Hooge 
<chooge@comminit.com>

***

DEVELOPMENT NEWS
Archived & searchable
http://www.comminit.com/about-time.html


6. Countdown Begins for 'Child Labour Free' World Cup 
http://www.globalmarch.org/clns/clns-01-6-2001.htm#1

Child Labour News Service reports that 1 yr before the 2002 World 
Cup, Sonia, a former child labourer from India, kicked off the The 
World Cup Campaign 2002 - Kick Child Labour Out of the World. Sonia 
went to work at 5, lost her sight at 7, learned to stitch by feel and 
worked until she was rescued at 11. She earned 14 cents US for 
stitching 2 balls a day. The Campaign has called on FIFA to implement 
the no child labour policy in their Code of Labour Practice.


7. Malnutrition Among Urban Poor Increasing 
http://www.sidsnet.org/archive/other-newswire/2001/0434.html

A news release from the FAO 
http://www.fao.org/ag/ags/AGSM/SADA/SADAE.HTM posted on SIDSNET warns 
that most cities in developing countries face malnutrition and health 
risks if they do not improve people's access to adequate and safe 
food. This means producing more food and moving it to expanding urban 
areas, which also means more trucks, congestion, garbage and pollu-
tion. Many cities are losing food producing urban and periurban land 
and have poor transport, markets and slaughterhouses.


8. Human Rights Court Awards Families of Murdered Guatemalan Street 
Children 
http://www.casa-alianza.org/EN/lastminute/6132001.htm

Casa Alianza reports that the Inter American Court on Human Rights 
has ordered Guatemala to pay over $500,000 to the families of 5 
street children, brutally tortured and murdered by 2 National Police-
men in 1990. The Court also ordered Guatemala to make sure its law 
reflects Article 19 (Rights of the Child) of the American Convention 
on Human Rights. Casa Alianza said, 'Let this be a lesson to any 
State that mistreats it's most important asset - the children'.


9. Mugabe Regime Squeals at Animal Farm Success 
http://www.zwnews.com/issuefull.cfm?ArticleID=2115

The Daily News has gripped its readers with a serialisation of Or-
well's Animal Farm. In daily instalments Napoleon, the greedy and 
brutal pig that leads the revolution, is depicted in the black thick-
rimmed spectacles favoured by Mr Mugabe. The paper's editor says that 
the story of how the animals won independence by working together and 
then were oppressed by a few who became 'drunk with power', is rele-
vant to every Zimbabwean.


10. Bangladesh - 57 Million May Die of Arsenic Poisoning 
http://www.propoor.org/news/xar74.asp#7046

 From Propoor: 'The arsenic pollution crisis in Bangladesh is a disas-
ter of unprecedented proportions effecting more people than any other 
crisis facing humanity today... including AIDS', says a new interna-
tional study. The study, 'Arsenic Crisis Today, Strategy for Tomor-
row' warns that up to 57 million people in Bangladesh alone are at 
risk of debilitating disease or death from long-term drinking of ar-
senic.


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We are seeking Strategic Thinking on Communication, Change & Develop-
ment Policies & Interventions to add to our data base - 
http://www.comminit.com/strategic.html


Current headings are the beginning...please help us develop this re-
source.

Contact <dheimann@comminit.com>

***

BASE LINE
Archived & searchable
http://www.comminit.com/base_line.html


11. 10/90 Gap 
http://www.idrc.ca/reports/read_article_english.cfm?article_num=963
Source: 'Prioritizing International Health: The Global Forum for 
Health Research' IDRC Reports

- At least US$70 billion is spent annually on global health research 
  by public and private sectors.

- Less than 10% of this amount is devoted to addressing 90% of the 
  total global disease burden.

- This misallocation of spending has been dubbed the "10/90 gap."


12. Crime Against Women in India
http://www.indev.nic.in/news/1june01k.html
Source: InDEV May 2001

- Every 26 mins a woman is molested. 
- Every 54 mins a rape takes place.
- Every 4 mins a woman is kidnapped.
- Every 10 mins a woman is burnt to death over dowry.
- Every 7 mins a criminal offence against women takes place.

- Dowry deaths have gone up from 5,513 in 1996 to 6,917 in 1998.
- Cases of rape from 14,846 to 15,031.
- Torture from 35,246 to 41,318.
- Molestation from 28,939 to 31,046.
- Sexual harassment from 5,671 to 8,123.

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This issue compiled by Chris Morry <cmorry@comminit.com>

***

The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for de-
velopment activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement 
or support by The Partners. 

Please send material for The Drum Beat to 
The Editor
Deborah Heimann 
mailto:dheimann@comminit.com


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