The National Land Committee (NLC), a network of land rights NGOs in South Africa, is embarking on campaign entitled "Landlessness=Racism" to coincide with the UN World Conference Against Racism (WCAR) and the preceding NGO Forum to be held in Durban, South Africa, August 27-September 7 2001. The purpose of the campaign is to highlight the plight of landlessness in South Africa, and elsewhere, and its continued link to racism. For more information on the campaign, and how you can get involved, contact Andile Mngxitama, NLC Land Rights Coordinator.

Pebble Bed Molecular Reactors (PBMR) are nuclear power stations which embrace technology that has proved dangerous in other regions on the planet. Despite this, the South African government is supporting a plan to build PBMR reactors throughout the country. campaign against this plan is detailed on their website.

The following demands are being circulated for endorsement in advance of the mobilization at the IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington, DC in September/October 2001. These demands have been formulated by the 50 Years Is Enough Network, a U.S.-based coalition of over 200 organizations committed to the fundamental transformation of the IMF and World Bank, through consultations over 15 months with the members of its South Council.

Chocolate companies in the West are finally starting to wake up to the reality that child labour is being used on the cocoa plantations that supply the companies with the raw material to make their chocolate. Some key players in the U.S. and Britain are starting to make noise on the issue, although they have a long way to go.

A new HIV/AIDS Advocacy Guide from IPPF outlines what advocacy can do, often at little cost, in the prevention of HIV/AIDS. Produced for any NGO working in HIV/AIDS, the guide is aimed at helping groups to influence governments to change policy and law as well as reaching the private sector and community leaders who have a critical role in prevention and care efforts. Issues covered in the guide include involving people with HIV/AIDS, addressing groups at higher risk, HIV/AIDS in the workplace and best practices from FPAs.

Most email users have received their fair share of email petitions on topics ranging from the support of Afghan women's rights to ending the dolphin slaughter in Japan. These types of messages are frequently revealed as hoaxes or campaigns, but the question remains: why are email petitions such a bad thing in the first place? The E-Petition website explains why you shouldn't use, or forward, email petitions (ever!), and provides lots of great links that will legitimately support advocacy work online. For queries regarding this tip, or requests for tips, please write to [email protected]

A unique opportunity for African asylum seekers and refugees working to improve human rights in Africa. In September, World University Service (UK), a charity working to support access to education for refugees, will be hosting an advocacy training course for 18 asylum seekers and refugees from Africa. The course aims to enable refugees and their community organisations to enhance the important contribution that many are already making to the promotion of human rights and the development of more democratic and equitable societies in the countries from which they come. The course also aims to help refugees to engage effectively in public education in Britain concerning human rights in Africa and to influence public perception of refugees currently here. Deadline 10 August.

Economic Commission for Africa and Africa Action. Consultation among diverse African partners and through projecting African voices into the global arena, has been a central priority for the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). The Africa Policy Information Center (APIC, now a part of Africa Action), has in recent years been a crucial conduit for making African policy perspectives accessible to diverse constituencies in the United States and around the world. Last year, from January to May, the two organizations co-sponsored "International Policies, African Realities: An Electronic Roundtable," which brought more than 500 people together, with African panelists and participants from Africa and around the world, in a structured on-line discussion on a range of African issues. We are now releasing this new publication based on the Roundtable because we think it contains valuable lessons for the ongoing process of making effective and innovative use of new communication technologies to advance African shaping of continental and global policies.

Do you find writing difficult? Are you having to write reports, documents, theses, or just memos? Do you find yourself staring at a blank sheet wondering how to begin? This interactive guide to effective writing takes you through the steps of defining your main message, deciding on who you are writing for, creating a structure, brainstorming and then ordering your ideas, developing a first draft, and then editing to make your writing clear, precise and likely to get results. The guide covers the core skills of writing, and contains sections on scientific writing for publication, as well as writing for advocacy. Available as a CDROM with a users guide. Order from Fahamu - learning for change. ISBN 0953690210 Price UK Pounds 22 including post and packaging.

Tougher action must be taken against those who get embroiled in fraud schemes set up through letter and email networks, says an anti-corruption
group following the high-profile kidnapping of a British businessman allegedly caught up in such a scam.

The International Development Research Centre is holding a competition for Internship Awards this Fall. These awards provide exposure to research for international development through a program of training in research management and grant administration under the guidance of IDRC program staff. Internships are tenable for a minimum of 4 months and a maximum of 12 months at IDRC headquarters in Ottawa or in a Regional Office. Candidates can be Canadians (or permanent residents) or citizens of developing countries, and should have had some training at the Master's level. Deadline for receipt of applications is September 14, 2001. Awards will commence in January 2002.

The government of Kenya has announced its intention to import 300 million condoms as part of a new HIV/AIDS control campaign, due to be unveiled in three weeks' time, the 'Daily Nation' newspaper reported on Wednesday. The campaign would feature a policy of encouraging the accessibility, widespread distribution and use of condoms in a bid to reduce HIV infection among 15-25-year-olds by 30 percent in the next four years, the report stated.

The GAVI Immunization Advocacy Resource Kit is a collection of documents, video clips, and computer presentations which have proven useful when explaining about, and advocating for, stronger immunization programs. The online version of the Kit currently is posted on three websites. If one of them is slow to respond for you, try another!

The Washington, DC-based Africa Trade Policy Working Group (ATPWG), which forms part of the Advocacy Network for Africa coalition, has launched a campaign to support African farmers' rights. Current trends in the formulation of global trade regulations put small-holder farmers in Africa - and the developing world generally - at risk of losing control of their seeds, crops and other agricultural resources to international business interests. We invite you to join us in this important campaign by endorsing the Declaration of Support for African Small-Holder Farmers. Please share the declaration with your networks and community groups.

This manual has been written primarily for AI campaigners yet is also useful for all those other human rights organisations. The book has been divided up into self-contained sections, making it easier to use and enable activists to photocopy or refer to particular sections as the need arises. It is relevant for newcomers to campaigning as well as veterans. Many of the guiding principles are probably universally applicable.

This training manual does not over-burden participants with legal terminology, but at the same time is clearly based on internationally defined human rights standards. The 24 exercises are designed for non-formal grass-roots education emphasising, among others: women's and children's issues, and organised around specified values, e.g., respect for dignity and fair rules, links between human rights and responsibilities, building civil society, confronting prejudice, and "information for empowerment.

This new, free, 24 page publication, provides an introduction to the ILO Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention no 182, and explains its significance for Civil Society Organisations, in terms of the new opportunities it creates for them. The brochure is intended for use by broad human rights groups, trade unions, local government and professional bodies such as the police, lawyers and teachers. The brochure is informative, yet clear and easy to read. Published in English, French, Arabic and Spanish, it is intended to reach a wide audience and to provide practical measures to tackle the worst forms ofchild labour. The brochure can be downloaded in each language from Anti-Slavery's website or hard copies are available free from Pins Brown.

On Monday, July 2nd arms campaigners from Oxfam, Amnesty, Campaign Against the Arms Trade and United Nations Association visited the London offices of Mr Sayed Naqvi and challenged him over his role in flying weapons into conflict zones around the world. Accompanied by members of the press and television, we presented an open letter to Mr Naqvi seeking his assurances that he is no longer involved in gunrunning and that he will not participate in the breach of international arms embargoes.

Nonprofit organizations have been using the Internet for years to organize their constituents and advocate their causes. Use these resources from the Benton Foundation to learn the ABCs of online organizing and help your organization be more effective.

Complete, highly integrated online library covering a wie range of issues for nonprofit and for-profit organisations.