In the aftermath of the Tunisian revolution, and the beginning of a popular uprising in Egypt, more than 2,200 Arab scholars, politicians, and activists - from over 20 Arab countries - have issued an appeal for the defense and consolidation of human rights and democracy in the Arab World.

Refugee Law Courses at the International Institute of Humanitarian Law are organised by the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in cooperation with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They are supported by the Swiss Federal Office for Migration, the US State Department (Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Participants in the courses will have the opportunity to interact with practitioners and experts in the field of refugee/IDP protection, who will facilitate various thematic sessions of the programmes. Different learning methodologies are used to encourage participants to apply knowledge and skills acquired in operations in a practical and pragmatic manner. The five general international refugee law courses will be conducted in French, English (2), Spanish and Arabic.

The Norwegian Government is accepting applications for the International Ibsen Scholarships for the year 2011. This is the fourth time that the Government will be handing out the scholarships meant for individuals, organisations or institutions from around the world.

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has officially handed over the chairmanship of the African Union to his Equatorial Guinea colleague Theodore Obiang Nguema Mbasogo. As President Obiang takes over, many must be wondering the wisdom of the African leaders in their selection of the boss of the continental body.

In this week's edition of the Emerging Powers News Round-Up, read a comprehensive list of news stories and opinion pieces related to China, India and other emerging powers....

The African Women’s Development and Communication Network (FEMNET) has partnered with AWID and WIDE to organise a women’s consultation on aid effectiveness at the World Social forum in Dakar Senegal, as part of preparing for the Fourth High level Forum (HLF4) on Aid Effectiveness which will be held in Korea sometime in November this year. We do not have funds for this activity because we have just been invited to co-host the event with AWID and WIDE. To that effect, we are inviting members who already have funding to go to the World Social Forum to be part of this consultation. Please confirm with us as soon as possible if you are going to the World Social Forum and you already have funding from other sources, so that we can invite you to be part of this consultation.

French version:

Le Réseau de Développement et de Communication des Femmes Africaines (FEMNET) est entré en partenariat avec AWID et WIDE pour organiser un forum de consultation des femmes sur l’Efficacité de l’Aide au Forum Social Mondial à Dakar, Sénégal, comme partie des préparatifs du Quatrième Forum de Haut niveau (4ème FHN) sur l’Efficacité de l’Aide qui se tiendra en Corée quelque part en novembre cette année. Nous ne disposons pas de fonds pour ces activités car nous venons juste d’être invitées à co-organiser l’événement avec AWID et WIDE. A cet effet, nous invitons les membres qui ont déjà un financement pour se rendre au Forum Social Mondial de faire partie de cette consultation. Veuillez nous confirmer aussitôt que possible si vous irez au Forum Social Mondial et que vous avez déjà le financement en provenance d’autres sources, pour que nous puissions vous inviter à faire partie de cette consultation.

Dans l’attente de vous lire, nos sincères remerciements.

African Women's Development and Communication Network (FEMNET)
Réseau de Développement et de Communications des Femmes Africaines
P. O. Box 54562, 00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
Behind KUSCCO Centre, Kilimanjaro Avenue, Off Mara Road, Upper Hill
Tel: +254 20 2712971/2; 20 2341516/7 (Wireless)
Cell: + (254)725.766932
Fax: +254 20 2712974
E-mail: [email][email protected]
Website:

The spread of digital technologies in the Middle East and Africa has generated the view that 'new media' open up political spaces for dissent, activism and emancipation. In October 2010, a conference 'New Media|Alternative Politics' brought together researchers, academics, activists, journalists and policy makers to discuss whether and how new media empower an alternative politics and mobilises political change. The first working paper, 'New media, same old regime politics: Resisting the repression of media freedom in Zimbabwe' by Amanda Atwood and Bev Clark from the Kubatana Trust of Zimbabwe is now available.

The International Criminal Law Centre (ICLC) of the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) proudly announces the first and only Master in Law in International Criminal Justice (LLM ICJ) in Africa.
Taught in Arusha, in close proximity to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), the programme is flexible and intended for individuals who are unable to attend a more traditional residential course.

Amnesty International and Friends of the Earth International have filed an official complaint against oil giant Shell for breaches of basic standards for responsible business set out by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The organisations claim that Shell’s use of discredited and misleading information to blame the majority of oil pollution on saboteurs in its Niger Delta operations has breached the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The complaint was filed with UK and Netherlands government contact points for the OECD.

The African Union has backed off from its earlier position on a possible military intervention in Cote d'Ivoire if the incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo does not hand over to Alassane Ouattara, who has been recognised internationally to have won the elections last November. Instead, the AU has agreed to set up a panel of five Heads of State to find a settlement with a month.

INTERIGHTS’ have signed a statement opposing the introduction of fees at the European Court of Human Rights. Imposing a fee on applicants to the European Court of Human Rights may deny victims of human rights violations access to justice, based on their ability to pay, says the organisation. Administering a fee system could drain the Court of human and financial resources while deterring individuals - based on their economic standing - with well-founded human rights claims from seeking redress before the Court. If you are an NGO, a Bar Association or a law firm and would like to sign the petition opposing the introduction of fees, please email Amnesty International at [email][email protected] with the name and country of the organisation and your name and email address.

The two-day Symposium will review and debate the state of the art in research, policy and practice to support ongoing and emerging research that makes difference.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) member states are set to discuss the human right situation in Rwanda for the first time, at the upcoming Universal Periodic Review (UPR), that will be held on 24 January 2011 in Geneva. ARTICLE 19’s submission to the UN Human Rights Council in July 2010 highlights three areas of concern which the organisation hopes to see reflected in the upcoming review. These include (1) limits on freedom of expression through restrictive media law and criminal defamation (2) harassment and attacks on journalists; (3) genocide ideology legislation.

The increasingly targeted attacks on gay people in a number of African countries, which are thought to have to led the murder this week of outspoken Ugandan gay activist, David Kato, will contribute to an increase in HIV infections, says Christian Aid. Kato, whose name and photograph recently appeared on the front page of anti-gay Kampala-based newspaper Rolling Stone, under the headline ‘Hang Them’, was beaten to death in his home, Ugandan police confirmed. Nina O’Farrell, Head of HIV at Christian Aid, said: ‘It is vital to defend the rights of specific groups who are particularly vulnerable to HIV infection, including gay people, who also suffer from heightened stigma and discrimination, which in many cases makes them less likely to access to HIV treatment, care and support.'

The latest edition of this newsletter contains information on:
- Building solidarity across borders
- NGO referral meeting
- The right to choose: a short play
- Home-based care
- Announcements.

Egyptian protesters have called for a massive demonstration on Tuesday in a bid to force out president Hosni Mubarak from power. The so-called April 6 Movement said it plans to have more than a million people on the streets of the capital Cairo, as anti-government sentiment reaches a fever pitch. Several hundred demonstrators remained camped out in Tahrir square in central Cairo early on Monday morning, defying a curfew that has been extended by the army.

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) condemns the excessive use of force and violence against the protests that have started on 25 January 2011 in different governorates to denounce poverty, corruption and police brutality, which led to the death of at least seven protesters and one policeman, leaving hundreds injured and about one thousand protesters arrested.

The international peasant's movement La Via Campesina will join the World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal from February 6 to 11. More than 70 farmers’ representatives from Africa, Asia, Europe and the Americas will take part in this forum, a place where social movements and civil organisations are going to debate alternatives for a better world, pursuing their thinking, formulating proposals and sharing their experiences.

Sham elections across Africa have been a major cause of insecurity, instability and violent conflict; recent examples include Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ivory Coast. The Africa Union (AU) must be robust and resolute in promoting shared values and best practices in the management of elections for purposes of political stability, good governance and sustainable socio-economic development. As representatives of Zimbabwe’s civil society, we are convinced that at present, the country has not carried out sufficient institutional and legislative reforms to enable the country to hold credible elections free of violence and intimidation.

The Commonwealth Foundation is an inter-governmental organisation supported by Commonwealth governments to provide support towards strengthening of civil society for sustainable development, democracy and intercultural learning within the commonwealth countries. It has grantmaking programmes for NGOs specifically for supporting activities that involve intercultural exchange.