The Media Defence Fund and the Media Lawyers Network has expressed shock and outrage over the assault on lawyers, Gugulethu Moyo and Alec Muchadehama. "It has never been heard before that a lawyer can be arrested and detained for carrying out a duty imposed on him/her by the Constitution of Zimbabwe that grants everyone a right to legal representation," a statement said.

Stellenbosch-based Indutech has released what it describes as the world's first software solution to tackle HIV/Aids in the workplace. The solution, EDEN for HIV/Aids, is to be rolled out soon in the automotive industry.

Philemon Bulawayo, a photographer with the Daily News, was arrested while taking pictures of police officers beating people in the Harare high-density suburb of Glen View. Zimbabwe was at a standstill from 18 to 19 March following a stay away call by the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change.

The Religion and Human Rights Project of Emory University has formally launched the Islam and Human Rights website. The website is a comprehensive research resource for academics, students, policy-makers, mediapersons, and anyone interested in Islam and human rights issues around the world. The website includes: Links to articles, essays, and collections of documents on Islam and human rights; Profiles and contact information on scholars and organisations in the field of Islam and human rights; A discussion forum; and Regularly updated information on events worldwide related to Islam and human rights.

Whilst the World Health Organisation-embraced strategy for controlling tuberculosis (TB) has been successful in treating and curing TB, its current format restricts the extension of this success to the poor: although TB treatment is free, diagnosis is not, and so the first gateway to treatment is often shut to the poorest. The restrictions, caused primarily by lack of funds, are outlined in a specially commissioned id21 report by Dr Bertie Squire of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, which points to the tasks ahead if the WHO target to halve TB deaths by 2010 is to be achieved.

Having the right wheelchair can literally change the life of a person with a disability by giving them greater independence, confidence and dignity. It can often provide them with their first opportunity to earn their living or be educated. In Africa over 3 million people need a wheelchair. But a UNESCO report indicates that just 2% of these people have access to this vital piece of equipment which gives not just basic mobility but also the freedom and independence which non-disabled people can take for granted.

The author argues that ICTs can be harnessed for poverty alleviation, but maintains that lack of ICTs is often a cause of poverty. The study described in this paper correlates poverty, using the human development index, with ICTs and finds that the higher the HDR rank, the higher the ICT indicator values.

Poor planning, expensive software and under-utilisation make computers a costly mistake for some African schools. Research published by id21 Insights Education shows that the yearly cost of supplying and maintaining one African school with 10 second-hand computers, software and technical support could be as high as the cost of 2000 text books or 3.6 teachers. Good planning and utilisation - such as making computers available for community use outside school hours - and free 'open source' software however, can lower costs dramatically.

The Trust works to promote the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) by disadvantaged young people and other members of the Zimbabwean community. It trains young people to communicate information through the Internet, CD-ROMs, books, and mobile phones. Strategies include a Multimedia Internet Centre, web-based and CD-ROM-based information resources, and a short-story-writing contest for publication on the internet.

NGO Bridges.org recently launched a two-year study comparing the use of open source and proprietary software in Africa. Tectonic recently caught up with programme manager Philipp Schmidt to get some more information on the study.

The Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT) implements national and regional programmes for the promotion and protection of human rights, democracy and good governance. SAHRIT's aim is to facilitate the development of a society in southern Africa that respects human rights, democracy and good governance. This will be achieved by mainstreaming human rights, democracy and good governance in public institutions; advocacy and training and through fostering a culture that promotes and protects human rights through community based initiatives. In this regard, SAHRIT has been offering short courses on human rights since 2002. The Interdisciplinary Course on Children's Rights focuses on the rights of the child.

If you are a mid-level or senior programme manager, social worker, senior government officer or planner, a health care professional, or have an interest in ageing issues, then this course is for you. Topics to be covered include: Demographic situation and socio-economic implications for Africa; HIV/AIDS and its impact on older people; Gender dimension of ageing; Poverty; Research and Policies on ageing.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has received a response from the U.S. Defense Department to a letter sent on February 5, 2003, to Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. CPJ had written to Rumsfeld expressing concern about 18 journalists in Eritrea who are currently being held incommunicado, as well as the Eritrean government's decision to ban all private press in the country. In December 2002, Rumsfeld met with Eritrean President Isaias Afewerki while visiting Eritrea to investigate possible sites for a U.S. military base. When asked at a press conference about the country's abysmal press freedom record Rumsfeld noted that Eritrea "is a sovereign nation, and they arrange themselves and deal with their problems in ways that they feel are appropriate to them."

Paul Kamara, founder and editor of the privately-owned daily For Di People, was released on 11 March after serving four months of a six-month sentence for libelling a judge. The authorities granted him two months' remission of sentence.

The editor of Guinea-Bissau's state-run RDN radio station was suspended last Wednesday by the government for covering the return home of an opposition politician, the Portuguese news agency, Lusa, reported.

Zimbabwe’s Minister of State for Information and Publicity Professor Jonathan Moyo has reiterated his intention to amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA). MISA-Zimbabwe however notes that the proposed amendments amount to nothing as far as democratizing the laws is concerned.

William Nyamangara, the managing director of Sovereign Publishers, and another company executive, Mhlabene Bhebhe, were detained at the Harare central police station on 11 March 2003, for allegedly printing subversive materials.

The Social Change email list is a continuation of Social Change magazine, and is intended for discussing social and economic development issues, especially as they relate to Zimbabwe.

The Sierra Leone Special Court's announcement of its first seven indictments is a tremendous step forward for the cause of justice in Sierra Leone, Human Rights Watch says. The Sierra Leone Special Court Prosecutor, David Crane, has announced indictments against Foday Saybana Sankoh, Johnny Paul Koroma, Sam Bockarie, Issa Hassan Sesay, Alex Tamba Brima, Morris Kallon and Sam Hinga Norman, for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and violations of international humanitarian law.

'HIV & AIDS Treatment in Practice' is an email newsletter for doctors, nurses, other health care workers and community treatment advocates working in limited-resource settings.