This is an eNewsletter from Commonwealth News and Information Service ------- Forwarded message follows ------- Date sent: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 20:56:00 +0100 From: CNIS <[log in to unmask]> To: CNIS <[log in to unmask]> Subject: CNIS Issue 90 CNIS - eNews for the Commonwealth Issue 90 12 June 2002 Contents: 1. McKINNON ON WORLD FOOD SUMMIT 2. MARY ROBINSON DELIVERS COMMONWEALTH LECTURE 3. COMMONWEALTH SCIENCE COUNCIL MEETS 4. KENYAN AWARDED JUBILEE TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP 5. CPU INVITES ASTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS 6. FUNDS TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY 7. 2002 WORLDAWARE BUSINESS AWARDS ___________________________________________ McKINNON ON WORLD FOOD SUMMIT Delegates from more than 180 countries have gathered in Rome, Italy, for the United Nations 'World Food Summit: Five Years Later' from 10 to 13 June 2002. It aims to halve the number of hungry people by 2015. Originally, the summit was scheduled for 5-9 November 2001, exactly five years after the 1996 World Food Summit. But, following the 11 September terrorist attacks in the US it was postponed to June 2002. Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon, in a statement issued today (12 June) said: "There is a real danger that the 'World Food Summit: Five Years Later' taking place in Rome will not deliver results. Instead of generating money to feed the poor, it could just feed more summits. That must not be allowed to happen. "It is a scandal that while the world is growing more food than ever before, 800 million people live each day in hunger." Mr McKinnon stressed that the problem was access to food, not total world production. "Every day 24,000 people die from hunger, when we have the resources to prevent those deaths. It is the will to end this scandal that has often been lacking. "If we want to feed all the hungry people of the world, policy-makers at the 'World Food Summit: Five Years Later' must tackle the following priorities: - Agriculture and rural development must be reinstated on the priority list of international organisations: 75 per cent of the poor live in rural areas. Agriculture is a major source of employment and income in most developing countries. Technical assistance in these sectors is central to the international development goal of poverty reduction. - Commodity issues must be addressed: The food security of many Least Developed Countries and single-commodity producers depends upon adequate income from trade. The capacity of these countries to import their food needs is being severely impaired by falling commodity prices and falling income. - Uruguay Round promises must be kept: The continuation of export subsidies and domestic payments to farmers of the developed world, combined with high tariffs on primary products, constitute major barriers to developing world food producers. - Land reform: Insecure land tenure seriously restricts investment, including in new technologies, while inequitable land distribution limits access to the means of producing food. This issue cannot be ignored in addressing hunger and poverty." The Secretary-General added that the Commonwealth Secretariat stands ready to collaborate with other partners to act upon these priorities. In the 1997-2001 period, the Commonwealth Secretariat implemented 348 projects in the agricultural sector, with a total value of nearly £10.6 million. A number of these involved collaboration with other international organisations, for example with the Food and Agriculture Organisation in implementing the Special Programme for Food Security in parts of Africa. MARY ROBINSON DELIVERS COMMONWEALTH LECTURE Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, delivered the fifth Commonwealth Lecture in London on 6 June 2002, on 'Human Rights in the Shadow of 11 September'. The High Commissioner emphasised that the urgency of finding an appropriate response to terrorism should not lead to an erosion of the hard-won human rights in place and respect for human dignity and fundamental values. "It is essential that the actions taken by states to combat terrorism be in conformity with international human rights standards." She also argued that the tragedies of 11 September did not, as some fear, herald the certain end of an era of international consensus on human rights. Rather, the international community could continue to protect individual liberty and rights, while bringing terrorists to justice. International security concerns should not disregard compliance with agreed international human rights standards. Mrs Robinson stressed that "the best antidote to extremism remains the right to freedom of expression and opinion and an independent media." But she expressed concern that following last year's terrorist attacks in the US, and despite efforts to develop the response to terrorism within the framework of crimes under national and international law, "an alternative language has emerged --- That language, which has shaped to a much larger extent the response at all levels, has spoken of a 'war' on terrorism." Consequently, she believed, in some parts of the world order and security have become such overriding priorities that they have begun to cast a shadow on democracy and human rights. "This shadow can be seen in official reactions that at times have seemed to subordinate the principles of human rights to other more 'robust' action in the war against terrorism. There has been a tendency to ride roughshod over - or at least to set on one side - established principles of international human rights and humanitarian law. There has been confusion on what is and what is not subject to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 --- "Evidence has been gathered by human rights NGOs, most recently by Amnesty International's Report 2002, that post-11 September, certain non-violent acts have been considered as terrorism in some countries and excessive measures have been taken to suppress or restrict individual rights including privacy rights, fair trial, political participation, freedom of expression and peaceful association. Regulations controlling official surveillance are being lifted and the right to asylum is being severely restricted." Mrs Robinson pointed out that non-governmental organisations have been consistent in asserting that human rights are not in opposition to security but, on the contrary, one of its aspects. "They have reminded states that there is no logic in discarding the very values that - in principle - they are fighting to ensure. Yet, our Office is flooded with calls from human rights defenders around the world, drawing attention to new restrictions and oppressive measures." She expressed concern that there is no international institution with a clear mandate to assess whether measures taken and justified by a state as necessary to combat terrorism are in violation of human rights standards which that state has accepted, or which would require that a derogation, or special exception, be made. Her Office had been consulting with regional human rights organisations to share information and enhance the capacity to monitor the human rights dimensions of actions taken to combat terrorism. She stated that although abuses of emergency powers occurred before 11 September, they were at that time clearly criticised as impermissible measures. "The great concern now is that where mature democracies blur the lines or set a bad example, undemocratic regimes consider they are given a green light to pursue repressive policies, secure in the belief that any excesses will be ignored. It thus becomes more difficult to secure conformity with basic standards and safeguards against abuse of power." She observed that the Commonwealth is committed to developing solidarity between the peoples of developed and developing states through economic, social, cultural and humanitarian co-operation. "It is committed to conflict resolution on the basis of shared values and principles of human rights and democracy as laid out in the Harare Declaration. Continuing membership is dependent on acceptance of those values and principles. Those whose membership is withdrawn or temporarily suspended, are actively encouraged to come back in. It is literally an organisation in which common values and common principles are promoted for the common wealth or the common good." The High Commissioner gave strong support to the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative report of 2001 on Human Rights and Poverty Eradication, which "provides a range of practical measures to instil a human rights based approach in poverty eradication efforts. I strongly commend them and urge member states to implement them." She stated that it is of particular concern that the post-11 September environment is reinforcing a fortress mentality within Europe. "As controls are tightened, there is a coarsening of debate and of language used in speaking of asylum seekers and immigrants in Europe. This, together with the resurgence of anti-Semitism and the rise in Islamaphobia, are challenges which must be faced by European leaders and citizens alike." If the immediate challenge was to maintain the integrity of international human rights and humanitarian law norms, there was also a long-term agenda for the human rights movement "to build a world of true human security. One positive result of the tragedy of 11 September should be that we gear ourselves to respond to the call of the UN Secretary-General when he urges us to make this century the age of prevention, rather than reaction." Mrs Robinson also underlined how important it is to recognise the links between development, human rights and democracy, and their necessary connection to security. There is need to adopt a rights based approach to development through poverty eradication programmes and initiatives. Mrs Robinson said it was now understood in a more profound way that no nation can isolate or exclude itself from the effects of global problems of endemic poverty and conflict. She welcomed the involvement of the private sector in capacity-building to strengthen the administration of justice, the rule of law and adherence to human rights standards in developing countries. "There is perhaps no more fitting memorial, no more lasting testament to those who lost their lives [on 11 September], than for world leaders to commit to the implementation of a broader vision of security through justice and equality," she concluded. Before delivering the Lecture, Mrs Robinson had been introduced by Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon who said that throughout her career, she had "distinguished herself as a woman of courage, a woman of action and a woman of conscience." The Commonwealth Lecture, which aims to promote better public understanding of the Commonwealth, is organised by the Commonwealth Foundation in collaboration with other Commonwealth organisations. These include: the Commonwealth Secretariat, Commonwealth Institute, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Institute of Commonwealth Studies, Malaysian Commonwealth Studies Centre in Cambridge, Royal Commonwealth Society and the Royal Over-Seas League. The full text of Mrs Robinson's speech is available at: www.commonwealthfoundation.com. COMMONWEALTH SCIENCE COUNCIL MEETS Commonwealth science ministers and scientists are this week discussing how to revitalise science and technology institutions in their countries at a meeting in South Africa. Their focus is on how this can be achieved through building upon grassroots green innovations, facilitating technology exchange and networking, as well as through creating a knowledge network for the improvement and sharing of formal and informal innovations throughout the Commonwealth. The four-day annual meeting, the 41st of the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Science Council (CSC), opened on 10 June in Limpopo Province, South Africa, and is being attended by 60 delegates. It includes an informal gathering of ministers responsible for innovation, science and technology in CSC member countries. The ministers' recommendations will be presented to the CSC executive committee on 14 June. The keynote speaker, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, India's Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Science and Technology and Ocean Development, reminded delegates that it is not possible for the world to sustain the present Western level of consumption. Dr Joshi, the most senior minister responsible for science and technology in the Commonwealth and a renowned scientist, said that the CSC is strategically positioned to translate 'commonwealth' into 'sustainable consumption'. He applauded the host of the meeting, Dr Ben Ngubane, for his efforts to bring into the Commonwealth Knowledge Network (CKN) traditional knowledge and the knowledge generated by grassroots innovators which forms the theme of this year's meeting. Dr Joshi said that a new CKN should create an enabling environment for respecting the knowledge generated by people in the developing world through working in the 'laboratory of life' for centuries. That knowledge could be considered on a par with the knowledge generated in formal laboratories, be they in the developing or the developed world. Above all, Dr Joshi stated, "we need to understand that there exists an unbroken wholeness between man and ecosystem, the ecosystem and our planet Earth and the universe." The CKN was formed in November 1999 to help Commonwealth member countries to use science and technology for solving development problems through increased exchange of knowledge and expertise. Dr Ngubane, South Africa's Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology, and Chair of the CSC, had told delegates earlier in his welcome address of the need to retool the CKN by looking ahead at what it can become. There was need for more collaboration and partnerships among members, he stated, for "we face the challenge of how innovation, technology and science can contribute more effectively to meet the development agendas of communities with different levels of prosperity." The CSC consists of Commonwealth government representatives promoting the application of science and technology for economic, social, cultural and environmental development. Its secretariat is the Science and Technology Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat. KENYAN AWARDED COMMONWEALTH JUBILEE TRAVEL FELLOWSHIP Dr Mary Ojoo, a Kenyan pharmacist, has won a £2,000 Commonwealth Jubilee Travel Fellowship offered by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association (CPA) to mark the Golden Jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth. The fellowship, announced this month, is to enable a young pharmacist registered in any Commonwealth country to visit another member country to improve their practice skills and subsequently assist with the development of pharmacy back home, explained Betty Falconbridge of the CPA. "The aim is to help the personal development of a pharmacist who is seen as a potential leader in his or her own country." Dr Ojoo, who is chief pharmacist at Gertrude's Garden Children's Hospital, Nairobi, will use her fellowship to travel to Australia in August 2002. She will visit several drug information services to learn how to set up and run a regional paediatric drug information service. She will also visit other centres to learn about drug and therapeutics committees, training and accreditation, national drug policies and drug regulation. "I was greatly honoured to have been awarded the fellowship," said Dr Ojoo, speaking from Nairobi. "I am particularly delighted to visit drug information centres and see pharmacy in practice in a developed country. I hope my experience in Australia will enable me to improve pharmacy practice in Kenya and by doing so, spur on my colleagues to even higher standards." She appealed for Commonwealth support for postgraduate education in pharmacy for Kenyans and to help develop more postgraduate training programmes for the job market. "I for one have been waiting for five years to do a Masters in either clinical pharmacy or public health-related pharmacy (drug management, essential drugs and rational drug use), but have been unable to so far because of lack of funding." The Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the CPA said Dr Ojoo's application had been well presented and had made a compelling case. "In it she identified problems in her country, outlined what she would do with the travel fellowship, what she expected to learn and how she would learn. Her goals are realistic and she had a well constructed and clear plan of what she was going to do," said Ms Falconbridge. The panel which chose the recipient was certain that she could put what she learned into practice and that the profession of pharmacy in Kenya would benefit from her fellowship. Dr Ojoo's application was chosen by an adjudicating panel of senior officers of the Society and the CPA and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's representative on the CPA council. The panel considered 57 applications from 21 Commonwealth countries. CPU INVITES ASTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS The Commonwealth Press Union (CPU) is calling for nominations for the 2002 Astor Award, the 26th such award. The Astor Award is presented to an individual or individuals considered to have made significant contribution to press freedom or for distinguished service to the Commonwealth newspaper industry. "We are all increasingly aware of the pressures and restrictions under which journalists all over the Commonwealth have to work on a daily basis and the presentation of the Astor Award is an acknowledgement by our peers of this ongoing struggle for freedom of expression," said Lindsay Ross, CPU's Acting Director. The now biennial award was created in memory of Lord Astor of Hever, who was for many years the President of the CPU. His son will present the 2002 Award at the official opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Editors' Forum and CPU Biennial Conference in Sri Lanka from 7 to 11 October 2002. The 25th Astor Award was won by Gilbert Ahnee, editor-in-chief of 'Le Mauricien' in Mauritius. He dedicated the award to those he called the true "heroes of journalism": those who in the face of legal and physical threats continue to inform their readership professionally. Mr Ahnee was chosen for his strong and lasting commitment to press freedom within the context of fairness and balance in a multi-ethnic society. "His decision to create and moderate an e-mail forum for editors to follow up relationships, campaigns and debates after the Penang Editors' Training Forum of 1998 was also important," said Lord Wakeham, chairman of the UK's Press Complaints Commission, who had presented Mr Ahnee with the award. Nominations for the 2002 Award should be sent by 31 August 2002, stating the name of the nominee(s), details of their paper and a brief paragraph stating why they are nominated, to Lindsay Ross, Acting Director, CPU, 17 Fleet Street, London EC4Y 1AA, UK. E-mail: [log in to unmask]; Tel: +44 (0)20 7583 7733; Fax: +44 (0)20 7583 6868. Anonymous nominations will not be considered. FUNDS TO REDUCE RURAL POVERTY The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is welcoming proposals from not-for-profit organisations and institutions in Commonwealth developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia that use open, distance and technology-based learning methodologies to alleviate rural poverty. This is the first time that COL is backing such an initiative and is part of its new programme, Poverty Reduction Outcomes Through Education Innovations and Networks (COL-PROTEIN), which was launched this month. The programme aims to provide up to Canadian $20,000 (about US$13,000) per proposal in any given year, for innovative initiatives that will build capacity for educational delivery to the rural poor in the areas of food security, environmental protection and rural development. Dave Wilson of COL said: "COL appreciates that the goal of reducing rural poverty can benefit from the active participation and commitment of diverse not-for-profit groups, including government and non-government organisations and community-based organisations working at the grassroots. Proposals that demonstrate collaboration and networking among organisations are especially welcome." The emphasis is on new, workable ideas. "What we want is for the applicants to propose innovative ideas. When applicants do come up with a proposal, we will advise them to investigate whether other organisations have implemented approaches similar to that proposed. If so then the rate of success and lessons learnt will have to be examined as part of the proposal." Further information on applying for funds through the COL-PROTEIN programme is available at www.col.org/protein. E-mail: [log in to unmask]; Fax: +1 604 755 8210. The application deadline is 15 August 2002. COL, based in Vancouver, Canada, is funded on a voluntary basis by the 54-member Commonwealth. It was founded in 1987 at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Vancouver to encourage the development and sharing of distance-education knowledge, resources and technologies. COL became operational in 1989. 2002 WORLDAWARE BUSINESS AWARDS Worldaware, a UK charity, is inviting entries from international businesspeople and organisations for the 2002 Worldaware Business Awards. Among the categories for awards are: capacity-building in the Commonwealth, sustainable development, small businesses in Africa, infrastructure, transfer of English language skills, innovation, and non-profit organisations. The annual awards programme, now in its 14th year, recognises organisations for their commercial achievements in assisting sustainable growth in developing countries. The charity also aims to raise awareness in the UK about the country's interdependence with developing nations. Originally only British companies or their subsidiaries were eligible, but in 2001 the awards were opened to businesses worldwide. Last year also saw the introduction of the award for capacity-building in the Commonwealth, which is given to an organisation that encourages better understanding of the global trading system, specifically in Commonwealth developing countries. The award went to Bangladesh-based Efforts for Craft Organisations Trading Advancement (ECOTA) Fair Trade Forum. ECOTA assists 32 organisations representing 100,000 handicraft makers in Bangladesh with help from Traidcraft Exchange in the UK. Pom Daniells, the Awards organiser, said: "Over the last 14 years, the Awards have recognised and promoted over 75 companies, institutions and non-governmental organisations for their contribution to the development of poorer countries through innovative and sustainable commercial activity." She added that in publicising the event Worldaware demonstrates overseas the need to incorporate long-term social, economic and environmental considerations into business decision-making. "The Awards have opened up business opportunities and developed respect abroad for many of its winners." For entry forms and further details, please contact: Worldaware Business Awards Organiser, ECHO House, Ullswater Crescent, Coulsdon, Surrey CR5 2HR, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)20 8763 2555; Fax: +44 (0)20 8763 2888; E-mail: [log in to unmask]; Website: www.worldaware.org.uk. The closing date for receipt of entries is 28 June 2002. The award trophies will be presented in January 2003 at a ceremony in London. _________________________________________ CNIS Commonwealth News and Information Service Tel: +44 (0)20 7747 6554 Fax: +44 (0)20 7839 9081 E-mail: [log in to unmask] This news service is delivered by the Communications and Public Affairs Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat, London, and may not necessarily reflect the views of the Commonwealth Secretariat. For further information or to subscribe to this service, please e-mail [log in to unmask] For further information about the Commonwealth or the Commonwealth Secretariat, please see our website www.thecommonwealth.org OR e-mail [log in to unmask] If you print, copy, archive or re-post these items, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Re-posting on commercial sites requires written permission from the Commonwealth Secretariat. 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