South Africa’s campaign to test 15 million people for HIV in one year risks being implemented in a way that undermines people’s human rights, the activist Mark Heywood told the Eighteenth International AIDS Conference in Vienna last Thursday. Incidents of coercive testing have been recorded but the lack of effective monitoring procedures means that it’s impossible to know whether those incidents are widespread or not.

Celou Dalein Diallo gained a significant advantage over Alpha Condé, his main rival for the Guinean presidency, when a third candidate said he would back Diallo in a second round of voting in August. But what has become of women candidates for high political office in this West African country? Saran Daraba Kaba, the first and only woman candidate for president, finished a distant 22nd of the 24 candidates who took part in the first round of voting on Jun 27, garnering only 0.11 percent of the vote.

GALZ have welcomed the acquittal of one of their employee Ignatius Mhambi, on the charge of allegedly being in possession of “pornographic material” this just days, after Zimbabwe’s first Lady Grace Mugabe coined homosexuality as “taboo and satanic”. Chesterfield Samba, Director of GALZ said “the Judge on her finding said Magistrate Mupindu who presided over the matter said that there was no prima facie evidence to prove the essential element of the case which, are possession of the pornographic material in question.”

Solidarity for African Women’s Rights (SOAWR) coalition joins Women First (the Ugandan women’s rights coalition) to welcome and congratulate the Republic of Uganda for depositing its instrument of ratification of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa at the opening of the 17th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union, at Munyonyo, Uganda, 22 July 2010.

Background
Fahamu focuses on working with grassroots social movements and organizations that address the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized in society. We do so because we believe that the potential impact of these organizations to create change will enhance participatory democracy and human rights in the Africa.

Based on our long term needs to support social movements and grassroots organizations, we intend to deliver cutting edge human rights education using a diversity of tools and platforms to strengthen these movements and assist them in creating the change that they seek.

This has been necessitated by the fact that grassroots social movements and organizations in Africa face a dearth of access to knowledge, information and learning tailored to their needs.
Within this framework Fahamu has planned to develop courses and training packs that promote competencies in the following themes,informed by a needs assessment with our constituents, trainings alumni and beneficiaries;
• Movement building and grassroots organizing in Africa
• Africa-centred advocacy
• New tactics in human and peoples' rights
• Sexuality and reproductive health rights

Objective of the assignment
Fahamu is looking for consultants to coordinate the curriculum development process for these courses using participatory approaches.

Scope of work
Each course curriculum development consultant will be expected to meet the following specific tasks:
• Plan and conduct a learning needs assessment with Fahamu’s alumni, constituents and partners
• Analyse and share results of the LNA
• Analyse and evaluate existing tools and training materials on the course themes by organisations or institutions
• Draft and share with Fahamu a curriculum development process
• Manage discussion/planning sessions of the curriculum development committees /partners
• Coordinate review of the first and second curriculum drafts and incorporate feedback.
• Facilitate curriculum pre-testing and validation process

Expected outcomes
• Curriculum development guide /summary
• Course curriculum
• Curriculum development process report

Consultancy duration
The assignment is to expected to take 90 days .

Skills required
• Advanced university degree in education,social studies, international law and/or human rights;
• Proven experience in curriculum development; use of adult education methodologies; developing training manuals and engagement in activities of social justice
• Experience working with and in community based organizations and social movement in Africa.
• Experience in conducting qualitative research using various methods
• Excellent oral and written skills in English
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent facilitation skills
• Be creative and take own initiative
• Able to work to tight deadline

Application Procedures

Interested candidates are expected to send an abstract not exceeding 600 words on how they will manage the curriculum development process and the topics they intend to cover in the specific course.
The abstract should be sent together with a copy of the C.V to [email][email protected]

The deadline of application is 4th August 2010. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Frans Bauduin, presiding judge, said in the Amsterdam district court that the Swiss-based company was guilty of breaking European waste export laws. It was also found guilty of concealing what the charge sheet referred to as the "harmful nature" of the waste on board the Probo Koala ship that arrived at the port of Amsterdam in July 2006, but was redirected to the Ivory Coast.

Position: Africa Coordinator
Salary: 32.000 and 51.000 Euro
Based: Heidelberg, Germany
Duration: Full-time, with 6 month probation
Closing date: 23th August 2010

FIAN – FoodFirst Information & Action Network International campaigns globally for the realisation of the right to food. FIAN works with members and partners in over 50 countries and enjoys consultative status with the UN ECOSOC.

FIAN’s International Secretariat is looking for an Africa Coordinator, based in Heidelberg, Germany

This is a full-time position with a 6 month probation period.

Primary Tasks:
- Research and preparation of interventions on violations of the human right to adequate food in Africa (;
- Networking with FIAN affiliates, peasant farmers and women organizations, NGOs, networks as well as other counterparts at regional and national levels in Africa;
- Carry out and support advocacy work at local, national, regional and UN level on policy and legal issues relevant to the right to adequate food in Africa;
- Planning and holding of training workshops with various actors in Africa;
- Supervising and accompanying the organizational development plans and strategies of FIAN International in the region.

We expect:
- Work experience with Africa in a relevant field (human rights, issues related to food security and land, food sovereignty, nutrition or agricultural and rural development), with experience working with local CSOs and/or social movements);
- Good advocacy skills;
- Strong writing skills to produce various reports for different audiences;
- Experience of Project Management, with relevant administration and monitoring skills;
- Experience of, or interest in, organisational development processes and gender issues;
- Genuine interest in and enjoyment of working with volunteers and activists;
- Intercultural competence;
- Flexibility, ability to work well under pressure and willingness to travel abroad frequently (including visits to affected communities);
- Excellency in written and spoken French and English. Knowledge of Portuguese is welcome.

We offer:
- Work in an internationally renowned Human Rights-Organisation

- Being part of a highly motivated and intercultural team

- Gross-Annual Salary between 32.000 and 51.000 Euro (depends on age and familiar situation, including health insurance and pension scheme.

To apply, please send your CV together with a cover letter and copies of academic transcripts, academic/work references, preferably in ONE PDF, to [email][email protected] by 23th August 2010.
Only email applications are accepted. We encourage especially persons of African origin to apply for this position.

A coalition of 50 non-governmental organizations claims a consortium of international oil companies may have been complicit in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan during the country’s two-decade long civil war. The oil companies accused include the Malaysian energy company Petronas, the Austrian energy group OMV and Sweden’s Lundin Petroleum, which had the majority of the shares and control of the oil areas.

Political principals of the inclusive government have cleared many of the outstanding issues - except three which include the swearing-in of Roy Bennett and the controversial appointments of Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono and Attorney-General Johannes Tomana - in an unexpected move towards the resolution of the current inter-party negotiations deadlock. Informed sources said after their meeting on June 8, President Robert Mugabe, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara wrote to South African President Jacob Zuma, the Sadc facilitator on inter-party negotiations, outlining areas of agreement and disagreement.

Fahamu Refugee Programme & UNHRC invites lawyers and legal advisors to a course aimed at arming them with the information, networks and resources they require to represent those accused of witchcraft. Participants will learn how to best represent those whose claims to asylum are based upon accusations of witchcraft, an emerging area of refugee law in which there is a need for specialised knowledge and training.

4-5 September 2010
Oxford, United Kingdom
Registration fee: £150
If you would like to attend, please submit a completed to Fahamu by 21 August 2010.

Gender Links, MISA and GEMSA are extending the deadline for submission of the Gender and Media awards 2010 to 3 SEPTEMBER 2010 following the overwhelming response from some countries and a slower response from others. The deadline has been extended in the interest of fairness and to ensure there is equitable regional representation in all categories. Due to time constraints the awards will no longer be held at national level but at the Fourth Gender and Media Summit and Awards in Johannesburg from the 13-15 October 2010. The awards include a cash prize and attendance at the summit.

The Carsey Institute is very pleased to announce the SMDP-Tanzania, which will be held in Stonetown, Zanzibar, at the Zanzibar Ocean View Resort. The Institute will use the island environment as our classroom, where students will see sustainable development in action. This is an intensive and highly relevant training program for senior management professionals from microfinance institutions, environmental NGOS, enterprise development organizations, government ministries, private donor organizations, religious and faith-based development organizations, and academic institutions.

Fahamu’s Refugee Programme is pleased to announce the , a monthly publication that aims to provide a forum for providers of refugee legal aid. With a focus on the global South, it aims to serve the needs of legal aid providers as well as raise awareness of refugee concerns among the wider readership of Pambazuka News.

The e-Newsletter follows recent developments in the interpretation of refugee law; case law precedents from other constituencies; reports and helpful resources for refugee legal aid NGOs; and stories of struggle and success in refugee legal aid work. It welcomes contributions from legal aid providers, refugees, and others interested or involved in refugee legal aid.

In 2000 President Isayas suffered his worst military defeat and humiliation but he turned the event to his personal political advantage. This is central to the continued feud between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Isolation from the rest of the world, particularly the West and hostility towards Ethiopia are fundamental pillars that prop up the current regime- the reason that this system of government came into being and what sustains it every day.

Fahamu’s Refugee Programme is pleased to announce the , a monthly publication that aims to provide a forum for providers of refugee legal aid. With a focus on the global South, it aims to serve the needs of legal aid providers as well as raise awareness of refugee concerns among the wider readership of Pambazuka News.

The e-Newsletter follows recent developments in the interpretation of refugee law; case law precedents from other constituencies; reports and helpful resources for refugee legal aid NGOs; and stories of struggle and success in refugee legal aid work. It welcomes contributions from legal aid providers, refugees, and others interested or involved in refugee legal aid.

Women’s Day is a day when we commemorate a day on which 56 000 ordinary South African women set out on an extraordinary mission. They rose up and challenged the then Apartheid government on the issue of pass laws. Yes, their collective story was heard but what about the stories of those ordinary South African women who were willing to sacrifice their own freedom for the freedom of our country. As part of our Women’s day celebrations, the Southern African Media and Gender Institute intends to publish a newsletter entitled ‘Celebrating Herstory.”

Investors in farmland are targeting countries with weak laws, buying arable land on the cheap and failing to deliver on promises of jobs and investments, according to the draft of a report by the World Bank. “Investor interest is focused on countries with weak land governance,” the draft said. Although deals promised jobs and infrastructure, “investors failed to follow through on their investments plans, in some cases after inflicting serious damage on the local resource base”.

This report on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Nigeria is part of a broader project on Modelling Success : Governance and Institution Building in West Africa, being implemented by the Consortium for Development Partnerships (CDP), a community of institutions dedicated to collaborative policy-oriented research and capacity-building in North America, Europe and West Africa. The first phase of the project was jointly coordinated by the Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (CODESRIA) and the Programme of African Studies (PAS), Northwestern University, USA (2004-2008).

Second Storymoja Writing for Children Workshop will start on 31st July, 2010. We will meet for 3 hours on Saturdays, 10am-1pm, and for 2 hours on Mondays from 6pm – 8pm. Although the skill acquired will apply to all fiction-writing, the workshop will concentrate on developing series-books for the 10-14 year age range.

ackground
Fahamu focuses on working with grassroots social movements and organizations that address the needs of the most vulnerable and marginalized in society. We do so because we believe that the potential impact of these organizations to create change will enhance participatory democracy and human rights in the Africa.

Based on our long term needs to support social movements and grassroots organizations, we intend to deliver cutting edge human rights education using a diversity of tools and platforms to strengthen these movements and assist them in creating the change that they seek.

This has been necessitated by the fact that grassroots social movements and organizations in Africa face a dearth of access to knowledge, information and learning tailored to their needs.
Within this framework Fahamu has planned to develop courses and training packs that promote competencies in the following themes,informed by a needs assessment with our constituents, trainings alumni and beneficiaries;
• Movement building and grassroots organizing in Africa
• Africa-centred advocacy
• New tactics in human and peoples' rights
• Sexuality and reproductive health rights

Objective of the assignment
Fahamu is looking for consultants to coordinate the curriculum development process for these courses using participatory approaches.

Scope of work
Each course curriculum development consultant will be expected to meet the following specific tasks:
• Plan and conduct a learning needs assessment with Fahamu’s alumni, constituents and partners
• Analyse and share results of the LNA
• Analyse and evaluate existing tools and training materials on the course themes by organisations or institutions
• Draft and share with Fahamu a curriculum development process
• Manage discussion/planning sessions of the curriculum development committees /partners
• Coordinate review of the first and second curriculum drafts and incorporate feedback.
• Facilitate curriculum pre-testing and validation process

Expected outcomes
• Curriculum development guide /summary
• Course curriculum
• Curriculum development process report

Consultancy duration
The assignment is to expected to take 90 days .

Skills required
• Advanced university degree in education,social studies, international law and/or human rights;
• Proven experience in curriculum development; use of adult education methodologies; developing training manuals and engagement in activities of social justice
• Experience working with and in community based organizations and social movement in Africa.
• Experience in conducting qualitative research using various methods
• Excellent oral and written skills in English
• Strong analytical skills
• Excellent facilitation skills
• Be creative and take own initiative
• Able to work to tight deadline

Application Procedures

Interested candidates are expected to send an abstract not exceeding 600 words on how they will manage the curriculum development process and the topics they intend to cover in the specific course.
The abstract should be sent together with a copy of the C.V to [email][email protected]

The deadline of application is 4th August 2010. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified .