350 likes | 361 Views
I hope you find this issue to be informative and helpful in your work. Please send me any information you’d like posted in upcoming issues. The embedded links may not work in SlideShare, so please feel free to email me for a copy at DrChrisStout@gmail.com to be added to our email list. You can join our Facebook Group and interact with over 5000 likeminded individuals at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CenterForGlobalInitiatives/ Any recommendations to improve this communique would be most appreciated! And if you’d like to support the Center’s work with a tax deductible donation, that would be fantastic(!) and do a great deal: http://centerforglobalinitiatives.org/donateNow.cfm Cheers, and thank you for your work, Chris Founding Director, http://CenterForGlobalInitiatives.org
E N D
Greetings and welcome to the latest edition of the CGI Newsletter Dr. Chris Stout, Editor Gracie Wang, Asst-Editor Volume IV, Number 6 June 2017 _____News, Tools, Reports and Shout-Outs______ Learn What the New Generation of Global Health Leaders Have to Say… Learn from over 60 of the top thought leaders in global health in this important new volume. Edited by Chris Stout, and Foreword by 1999 Nobel Please Laureate, Jody Williams. Summer 2017 release Learn more or order in eBook format at: http://www.whyglobalhealthmatters.org/ 1
U.S. leads nations in boycott of UN talks to ban nuclear weapons The U.S. joined about three dozen other nations, including Great Britain, France, and South Korea, in boycotting a conference at the U.N. on a treaty to ban nuclear weapons. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2017/03/27/US-leads-nations-in-boycott-of-UN-talks- to-ban-nuclear-weapons/4871490635375/ In Jordan, UN chief calls for "new Arab world," united to tackle common challenges At the League of Arab States Summit in Jordan, U.N. Secretary- General António Guterres called on leaders to "shape a new Arab world able to address and solve, by itself, differences through dialogue and cooperation." http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=56456#.WQoTU1XyuUl 2
8 Simple Steps to Better Email Open Rates Learn eight ways your nonprofit can optimize its e-mails to maximize open rate: https://www.classy. org/blog/8-steps-better-email-open-rates/ ___________New Friends You Should Know___________ 100 Borehole Construction in the Northern Regions of Cameroon to facilitate access to Clean Water Water resources in Northern regions of Cameroon have continuously been reducing over the past years as a result of human activities such as poor farming practices, unsustainable use of water resources, increased demand of water, deforestation, land-use change, as well as human- induced climate change. Less than 20% of the people in Northern regions of Cameroon have access to improved drinking water sources over 30minutes away and the proportion of households with access to 3
improved sanitation system is not beyond 5%. Poor access to clean water and sanitation in the region has increased the spread of diseases like cholera, diarrhea, etc. Menstruation may seriously affect girls' attendance, attention, and achievement in school in both rural and urban areas. The absence of clean water and clean sanitation facilities that allow for menstrual hygiene may discourage girls from attending school when they menstruate. In addition, if a girl has no access to protective materials, or if the materials she has are unreliable and cause embarrassment, she may be forced to stay at home while menstruating. This absence of approximately 4 days every 4 weeks may result in the girl missing 10 to 20 percent of her school days. Inevitably, it will be difficult for a girl who misses so much schoolwork to keep up. Health centers in the northern regions receive more than a 1000 people each month and school accommodating more than 1000 pupils or student an academic year have no clean water source(s) for the patients or students to consume. The goal of our project is to provide portable water to communities in the Northern regions of Cameroon threatened with potential disease outbreak as a result of poor sanitation and drinking water supply. Our plan is to construct 100 borehole from 2017-2019 to provide access to more than 100,000 people in this region. We plan to improve access to drinking water less than 20 minutes away from 20% to 25%. Because the School and Health Center need access to clean water, the borehole we will be constructing most be located beside a school and the community or beside a Health and the community to maximize use. We are estimating a direct access of 1000 people to the borehole and an additional 500 people to benefit indirectly i.e. coming 20 minutes away. You can be a part of this project by donating for the construction of a borehole or more. Constructing a borehole cost 8,000,000 XAF ($16,300, 12,300€ or £9500). We have a plan of constructing 20 boreholes by the end of 2017. The first one has already been constructed with funding from DIAGEO Guinness Cameroon SA. Beneficiary communities will provide the land were the borehole will be constructed and some human resources. OGCEYOD has a Toyota Hilux vehicle donated by Miva Switzerland to facilitate transportation of staff and staff movements and allowances will be facilitated through OGCEYOD membership fees and contributions. Our organization always carries out a baseline study before the start of the project and 6 months after project completion to measure project outcome and overall success. The baseline study assesses the water challenge, needs and impact of the water. We also use the survey to assess the hygiene and sanitation conditions of our beneficiaries. The Organization for Gender, Civic Engagement and Youth Development (OGCEYOD) has a mission to improve the standard of living of vulnerable children, youths and women through the initiation and/or implementation of development projects to meet their needs sustainably. Our aim is to educate and empower these vulnerable groups in communities to maximise their optimum potentials in an enabling environment where their rights are respected and they enjoy equal opportunity as well as participation in decision making. We empower children, young people and women to become active proponents for change. We focuses its actions on education and research. To DONATE please contact us through Email: info@ogceyod.com or elviswepngong@ogceyod.com or Office: +237 233333136, mobile/Whatsapp: +237 674215497 or Skype: weps2001 and visit our website: http://ogceyod.com/donate/ to make payments into the organizations account. 4
544 Million People Can’t See This Sentence RestoringVision: a non-profit dedicated to Restore Sight and Hope Did you know that 544 million people need non-prescription, reading glasses to correct their vision, but live in developing countries with limited or no access to glasses? This is one of the greatest global health problems with one of the easiest, cost-effective solutions. Creating access to reading glasses and sunglasses is where RestoringVision focuses its efforts. They are a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to solving this problem. Since 2003, they have partnered with more than 1,400 charitable organizations to distribute new reading glasses and sunglasses to people in need in 124 countries. Together, they have improved the lives of 7 million people. But there is more to be done and they need your help. Vision impairment has a significant impact on people’s lives. Imagine the seamstress who can no longer thread a needle, the factory worker who cannot see equipment indicators, or the farmer who can no longer sort grain. People lose jobs, independence and opportunities for lack of a pair of reading glasses. Studies show that by providing reading glasses, a person’s productivity increases 35% and their income by 20%. For someone making just $2/day, that’s an extra $140 annually to support themselves, their families and communities! This year, RestoringVision has set a goal to provide 20 million dispensed glasses to people in need by the end of 2020. To achieve this goal, the non-profit is looking to grow its network of partners, sponsors and donors. To support RestoringVision: •Donate: Make a tax deductible donation to help RestoringVision continue restoring hope around the world. •Become a Partner: Add glasses to your existing mission or program. It is easy and inexpensive! •Become a Sponsor: Learn about their Corporate Sponsorship programs and how to get involved. For more information, visit: www.RestoringVision.org or contact them at info@restoringvision.org. 5
___Award, Grant, Funding, Ed. & Job Opportunities___ 5 Steps to Creating a Major Gifts Program With just a few hours a week, your organization can build a successful major gifts program. Learn how to in this free guide offered by Network for Good: http://learn.networkforgood.com/smartbrief- 041917-how-to-create-a-major-donor-program-registration- page.html?utm_medium=3paemail&utm_source=boardsource&utm_campaign=stock__how-to-create- a-major-donor-program Social Impact Experiences Lead, Airbnb, San Francisco Airbnb Social Impact Experiences are a new way to connect travelers and locals to a social cause through experiences. As a senior manager of the Social Impact Experiences Trips team, you will provide the leadership, management and creativity necessary to achieve our goal of becoming the most socially impactful travel platform through successfully scaling our program at this exciting early stage. We are seeking a creative leader with a proven track record in 6
building unique, product driven social impact programs to help lead our growing team. You have the resilience and drive needed to design and manage the successful implementation of our Social Impact Experience vision and goals in a fast paced, constantly evolving environment, and a true passion for creating impact through travel. You will execute on ideas and goals as well as manage a high performing team, ensuring that social impact program managers and other cross-functional stakeholders have clear priorities and deliverables and that are communicated effectively across the Experience and leadership teams. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/social- impact-experiences-lead-airbnb/ Financial Analyst, Public International Law & Policy Group, DC PILPG’s Washington, DC headquarters is currently searching for an experienced Financial Analyst to support PILPG’s global programs from the Washington, DC headquarters. The Financial Analyst will report to PILPG’s President and Vice President of Finance and Development, and will work closely with other PILPG Vice Presidents and senior staff based overseas. The Financial Analyst will ensure the accuracy and efficiency of internal financial records and contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and reporting both at the project and organizational level. In doing so, the Financial Analyst will harmonize data from multiple sources to produce reports, prepare financial data for analysis, and conduct analysis. The Financial Analyst will also support PILPG grant development and management, which includes preparing and reviewing proposal budgets and supporting project financial management, variance analysis, and reporting. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/public-international-law-policy-group-washington-dc-18-financial-analyst/ GSMA Market Engagement Manager, Ecosystem Accelerator Programme – South East Asia Homeworker The Ecosystem Accelerator scales innovative and sustainable mobile services in emerging markets through partnerships between operators and innovators. By opening the dialogue between start-ups and operators, the programme helps operators contribute their assets and expertise to the most promising ideas. This in turn supports start-ups to secure the funding and direction they require in order to bring their products and services to scale. In fostering these partnerships, the programme brings the most impactful mobile solutions to the people and places that need them most, generating the greatest socio- economic impact. Through its Innovation Fund, the programme provides funding, technical assistance and matchmaking with mobile operators to carefully selected mobile start-ups with a positive socioeconomic impact in Africa and Asia Pacific. The team is structured around Insights & Dissemination, Market Engagement, Marketing and Project Management. The Market Engagement Manager will report to the M4D Director for Asia Pacific, and work directly with the Senior Market Engagement Manager based in Nairobi and the rest of the Market Engagement team across Africa and Asia Pacific. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/gsma-market-engagement- manager-ecosystem-accelerator-programme-south-east-asia-homeworker/ 7
Director – Peace and Conflict, Mercy Corps (Location open to other Mercy Corps offices) Recognizing that violent conflict is the leading cause of suffering and extreme poverty, Mercy Corps distinguishes itself among leading international aid and development agencies by working to address the root causes of conflict in the world’s most difficult places. With Mercy Corps’ focus on reducing fragility and building community resilience and well-being, the Peace and Conflict team is a leading agency voice that contributes to program excellence and the lasting impact of our work. Since the late 1990s, Mercy Corps has implemented more than 100 conflict management programs in more than 40 African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Latin American countries. Mercy Corps’ Peace and Conflict Director is an expert in the sector who leads an influential, agile global team in its quest to cement our Peace and Conflict Approach as a core foundation of all agency programming. Working in partnership across teams and sectors, the Director is able to successfully navigate a matrix structure, design and implement integrated approaches, simplify complex strategies to gain buy-in, identify new funding and partnership opportunities, and meet strategic team and agency objectives. The Peace and Conflict Director sits on the Technical Leadership Team, and works across the agency to identify regional and global trends and keep innovative, adaptive, and field-tested practices flowing across the agency. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/director- peace-conflict-mercy-corps-location-open-mercy-corps-offices/ Liaison and Access Coordinator, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Erbil, Iraq Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) is a dynamic, international non-governmental organization. We work to reduce violence and protect civilians in countries affected by violent conflict and its aftermath. NP is in the process of setting up protection programming in Iraq as part of the humanitarian response to the impact of the Mosul offensive. Applicants should be prepared for quick employment. The post is based in Erbil, with frequent travel to field locations. We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Liaison and Access Coordinator (LAC), to work with the country management team to support on their strategic operational deliberate and crisis action, and advise on humanitarian access processes and approaches in close coordination with programme teams. He/she will build and maintain strategic partnerships in a functioning network of contacts with a variety of stakeholders, at local, national and international level, in order to promote a better understanding of NP’s agenda and to support advocacy efforts. This is a featured post on PCDNetwork. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/nonviolent-peaceforce-erbil- iraq-18-liaison-and-access-coordinator/ 8
Senior Research Associate (International Development & Governance), Urban Institute, DC The Senior Research Associate (SRA) will be responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating research and technical assistance projects related to democratization, economic and social development in developing world. The SRA will be a leader in the Urban Institute’s initiatives addressing one or more of the areas of: decentralization and local governance, performance management, urban development, intergovernmental cooperation, anti- corruption activities, municipal finance, infrastructure, public service delivery, legislative, policy and institutional reform, local economic development, and civil society strengthening for civic engagement. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/senior-research-associate- international-development-governance-urban-institute-dc/ Program Manager, Poverty, Gender, and Youth Program, Population Council, NY The Population Council’s Poverty, Gender, and Youth (PGY) Program develops and tests innovative solutions and scales up successful strategies to improve the well-being of adolescents and young people, accelerate positive demographic trends, and strengthen the resilience of vulnerable populations to adapt to environmental shocks and stressors. The Program Manager is responsible for supporting the operations of PGY Program. The Program Manager reports directly to the Program Director and will serve as part of the program management team contributing to key programmatic decision-making and strategic direction. The Program Manager will also provide research, programmatic, administrative, and technical input for the development of proposals and research projects as well as contribute to research and/or technical assistance projects in the areas of adolescents, vulnerability, and gender. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/program-manager-poverty-gender-youth-program- population-council-ny/ OTI Deputy Country Representative, Libya The Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI) was created in 1994 as a distinct operating unit within USAID to help local partners advance peace and democracy in priority conflict-prone countries. Seizing critical windows of opportunity, OTI works on the ground to provide fast, flexible, short-term assistance targeted at key transition needs. The OTI Deputy Country Representative is a full-time Personal Services Contract (PSC) position at the GS-13 equivalent level and located in Libya. Applications for this position are due no later than June 12, 2017 at 1:00pm Eastern Time. For full information about this position, as well as instructions on how to apply, please read the entire solicitation at www.OTIjobs.net 9
Program Officer, Creativity and Free Expression, Ford Foundation, NY Ford Foundation seeks a Program Officer (PO) to help shape and advance the Foundation’s work at the intersection of art and social justice. The PO assesses and analyzes the field of the arts to identify its key ecosystems and work with various actors to shape and influence agendas to address diagnosed problems and opportunities. S/he is expected to share substantive knowledge with Foundation colleagues, and collaborate broadly across the Program Division. In addition, s/he will also serve as a ‘connector’ of grantees, and work with practitioners, government officials, scholars, NGO and corporate sector leaders, and other donors on issues of common concern to leverage positive impact toward common goals. This job is based in our New York office. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/program- officer-creativity-free-expression-ford-foundation-ny/ U.S. Program Director, Global Powers Initiative, International Crisis Group, Washington, DC The U.S. Program Director will lead the United States work- stream of the new ‘Global Powers’ Initiative in Crisis Group’s 2016-18 Strategic Framework, principally by leading and contributing to the production of succinct, well- researched analysis and commentary on U.S. foreign policy making; the role of various constituencies in that respect; and the impact of U.S. policy on selected global and regional conflicts. The Director will also lead the development of policy proposals and advocacy initiatives by which U.S. policy can be better understood and potentially shaped in order to contribute to conflict prevention and resolution. The U.S. Program Director will also offer proposals and personal good offices where possible to strengthen Crisis Group’s networks, advocacy, institutional foundations, and fundraising in the United States. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/job/u-s-program-director-global-powers-initiative-international-crisis-group- washington-dc/ 10
_____Conferences, Courses, and Meetings _____ GIS and Remote Sensing in Agriculture, Food Security and Climate Change Course July 10 - July 14 $864 The main purpose of the course is to enhance the capabilities of technical staff involved in Food Security Analysis, climate analysis and agriculture by providing them with an understanding on the use of spatial and Earth Observation (EO) information as a tool to integrate knowledge about climate change, agriculture, and food security in a meaningful and innovative way. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/gis-and-remote-sensing-in- agriculture-food-security-and-climate-change-course-2/ Resilient Livelihoods Training June 19 @ 9:00 Am - June 23 @ 4:00 Pm $1050 Secure livelihoods are characterized by households that have different activities within the community that provide income, shelter, and other factors to ensure their well-being. This ensures that the society has adequate resources to fall back on in times of need. Livelihood security can be promoted through improving diversity and security of resources, skills and technologies that are available to agricultural communities. This training event is therefore intended to enable households, communities and countries build resilience so as to strengthen their ability to manage change by maintaining or transforming their living standards in the face of shocks or stresses without compromising their long-term prospects. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/resilient-livelihoods-training/ 2017 Global Peace Index Launch at the Center for Strategic and International Studies June 7 @ 9:30 Am - 11:00 Am Free Please join the CSIS Human Rights Initiative for the launch of the 11th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI). Produced annually by the Institute for Economics and Peace, GPI helps identify and measure the attitudes, institutions, and structures that build a more peaceful society. GPI measures the peacefulness of 163 countries and territories, according to 23 indicators of militarization, ongoing conflict, and societal safety and security. Expert panelists will discuss the findings of the report as well as their implications for global peace, prosperity, and security. This is a featured organizational post on PCDNetwork. For 11
more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/2017-global-peace-index-launch-at-the-center-for- strategic-and-international-studies/ ODK for Monitoring and Evaluation Training (24th – 28th, July, 2017) July 24 - July 28 $1050 Data collection and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have always been an integral parts of development work. In the past, these tasks were performed with paper and pen, which made them prone to error, difficult to conduct on a large scale, and high in transaction costs. ICT tools such as mobile devices and software that allows users to create surveys, collect, manage and upload data to storage facilities in real-time, have reduced the conventional challenges associated with remote data collection and M&E. If you have always wanted to learn how to collect, manage and analyze project data using mobile devices, this training course is for you. This training course also comes with additional M&E and GIS modules to help participants put the skills acquired into perspective. The GIS module will help participants to work with spatial data. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/odk-for-monitoring-and-evaluation- training-24th-28th-july-2017/ Result Based Monitoring and Evaluation July 10 - July 14 $642 This five-day course is aimed at providing an overview of results-based monitoring and evaluation methods with practical applications of tools and methods. This course will provide participants with M&E tools, techniques and resources needed for planning, organizing, and/or managing programs and projects. Through exercises and group work, participants will learn the links between results-based measurement, monitoring and program evaluation. Time will be allotted for practical exercises and informal question and answer sessions around common M&E problem areas. Participants will also be provided with additional Resources for further study and research in the M&E field. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/result-based-monitoring-and- evaluation/ Food Security, Safety & Quality Training June 26 @ 9:00 Am - June 30 @ 4:00 Pm $1050 Food security exists when all people have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life at all times. Food insecurity on the other hand is part of a continuum that includes hunger (food deprivation), malnutrition (deficiencies, imbalances, or excesses of nutrients), and famine. This training program is therefore designed to act as a guide on how to ensure access to safe and quality food being one of the human rights as well as a sustainable development goal. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/food-security-safety-quality-training/ 12
Trauma Support and Counseling July 10 - July 14 $1214 Trauma Support is the process of having the relevant knowledge, skills and values to identify clients exposed to traumatic events and provide trauma support services in the immediate aftermath of traumatic events, under supervision of an appropriately trained/registered mental health professional. Through this training, you will come to understand concepts of First Aid, the principles of trauma recovery sessions, and effective treatments for people suffering from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/trauma-support-and-counseling/ Mobile Phone Based Data Collection Using ODK and Mapping Training (31st, July – 4th, Aug, 2017) July 31 - August 4 $1050 The exercise of data collection remains indispensable in capturing quality evidence that then translates to rich data analysis and allows the building of a convincing and credible answer to questions that have been posed. With different organizations, professional, Programmes and projects collecting data regularly to evaluate and monitor progress and performance, best practices of data collection are more needed than ever to ensure that data gathered are both defined and accurate and that subsequent decisions based on arguments embodied in the findings are valid. Mobile Phone Based Data Collection using ODK has been acknowledged world- wide by researchers, non-governmental organizations, relief agencies and health ministries among other organization as very useful and convenient data collection method substituting paper based data collection method. This training will give the participant the ability to put in place all the pieces required for a mobile data collection system. For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/mobile-phone-based-data-collection-using-odk-and-mapping-training- 31st-july-4th-aug-2017/ International Training on Research Design & Methodology, Data management, Analysis, Inferences and Reporting (19th -30th, June, 2017) June 19 @ 9:00 Am - June 30 @ 4:00 Pm $2100 All researches are based on some underlying philosophical assumptions about what constitutes valid research and which research design and methodology method(s) is/are appropriate for the development of knowledge 13
in a given research. In order to conduct and evaluate any research, it is therefore important to come up and embrace appropriate research Design & Methodology, Data management, Analysis, Inferences and Reporting standards for decision making. Without appropriate research design and methodology, the entire process is distorted interfering with the integrity of data collect leading to inaccurate and inappropriate analysis of research findings. Improper statistical analyses distort scientific findings, mislead casual readers, and may negatively influence the public perception of research. This training aims introduce and enhance the participants’ knowledge on research design & methodology, data management, analysis, inferences and reporting of research findings. The participants will be exposed to Mobile Based Data collection using ODK, use of Ms-Excel and Statistical analysis software of interest (Stata/SPSS/R). For more information, see: https://pcdnetwork.org/event/international- training-on-research-design-methodology-data-management-analysis-inferences-and-reporting-19th-30th- june-2017/ _____Dr. Greg Martain’s Latest on Global Health _____ Dr. Martin offers a playlist dealing specifically with various interest areas and potential employers; subscribe to his YouTube channel for more career advice and a wealth of other subjects. Catch his latest episode here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLujS9ooBebKWoeoCHUNBmni8ph26P5PdY 14
_____Newsletter in a Newsletter _____ INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY NEWS BULLETIN This is from our dear friends at APA’s Office of International Affairs. To send information items for the International news bulletin please write to international@apa.org INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Sign-up! Travel with APA to Cuba in 2017 APA is organizing a fifth “learning partner” trip to Cuba to explore the psychology community and to attend Psicosalud 2017 (http://www.psicosaludcuba.com/) in Havana. The dates of the trip are Oct. 27 - Nov. 5, 2017, with an optional extension through Nov. 9, 2017, to visit the interior and east of Cuba and meet with university-based psychologists. The program will include orientation lectures on psychology education in Cuba, the Cuban health care system, the history and current status of psychology in Cuba, visits to Cuban institutions, clinics and offices, and interaction with Cuban psychologists. PsicoSalud, a health psychology conference, is organized by the Cuban Society of Health Psychology and focuses on “Working for the well-being of all.” For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/international/outreach/learning-partner.aspx. Sign-up early, space is limited. Bangladesh International Learning Partner Trip in 2018 Learn about psychology in Bangladesh!!! The APA Office of International Affairs is organizing a unique International Learning Partner trip to Dhaka, Bangladesh (Tentative dates: February 13th-23rd, 2018). This two-week experience includes attendance at the English-language conferences of the Asian Psychological Association (APsyA) and the International Council of Psychology Educators (ICOPE). Subsequent to the conferences, the itinerary offers a combination of professional learning activities, such as visits to mental health centers and university psychology departments, and cultural opportunities, including observation of a national holiday and tours to nearby sites of interest. If you are interested in learning more about the Bangladesh International Learning Partner Trip, please contact sasonganyi@apa.org. INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP AND PRIZE WHO Global Mental Health Fellowship This APA-IUPsyS fellowship provides a unique opportunity for a psychologist 15
to contribute to the work of World Health Organization (WHO), in the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse for a period of one year. The fellow will focus on one or more issues related to the WHO Mental Health Action Plan. Applicants may be based in any country. The fellowship year is anticipated to begin around September 2017. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/awards/mental-health-fellowship.aspx?tab=2. UNESCO 2017 Prize on Education for Sustainable Development UNESCO invites nominations for individuals, institutions, or organizations engaged in Education for Sustainable Development. Nominations must focus on specific projects and programs that contribute to one or more of the five Priority Action Areas of the Global Action Programme on ESD (GAP). For more information, please visit: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/single- view/news/unesco_opens_nominations_for_2017_prize_on_educatio n_for_sus/. Deadline: May 2, 2017. AWARDS AND GRANTS APA Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology This award honors an individual who has made sustained and enduring contributions to international cooperation and the advancement of knowledge in psychology. For more information, please visit:http://www.apa.org/about/awards/international-advancement.aspx?tab=1. Deadline: June 1, 2017. APA International Humanitarian Award This APA award recognizes extraordinary humanitarian service and activism by a psychologist or a team of psychologists, including professional and/or volunteer work conducted primarily in the field with underserved populations. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/about/awards/international-humanitarian.aspx?tab=1. Deadline: June 1, 2017. Division 35 Early Career Research Award: Funds ($500) LGBTQ-related research which has been proposed or is ongoing, but has not yet been completed. Priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate academic rigor and a commitment to LGBTQ research from a feminist perspective, as evidenced by publications, presentations, etc., and to those whose research would not be possible without funding. Please address any queries to Alexandra Agiliga, aagiliga@albany.edu. Deadline:May 10, 2017. Early Career Travel Award: Funds ($250) to help support attendance and participation at APA’s Annual Convention. Priority will be given to applicants with 16
accepted proposals to present at Convention and those demonstrating a commitment to work with LGBTQ populations from a feminist perspective through research, practice, teaching, and/or community involvement. Please address any queries to Alexandra Agiliga, aagiliga@albany.edu. Deadline:May 10, 2017. Division 52 Denmark-Reuder Award: For Outstanding International Contributions to the Psychology of Women and Gender: https://div52.org/index.php/awards/denmark-reuder-women-and- gender.Deadline:May 1, 2017. Student International Research Award: For graduate students in psychology to recognize promising research in international psychology. https://div52.org/index.php/13- awards/d52-awards/12-student-international- research-award. Deadline: May 7, 2017. Anastasi Graduate Student Research Awards: Research award for graduate students in psychology with emphasis on research in psychometrics or differential psychology.https://div52.org/index.php/awa rds/anastasi-graduate-student-research- award. Deadline: June 7, 2017 Division 52/Psi Chi International APA Convention Travel Grant: https://div52.org/index.php/13-awards/d52-awards/11-division-52-psi-chi- international-conference-travel-grant. Deadline: June 30, 2017 (Before midnight, Eastern Standard Time). International Council of Psychologists (ICP) Fukuhara Advanced International Research and Service Award This award is given to a mid-career or senior level psychologist to recognize long term excellence in International Research and Service. Nominees do not need to be a member of ICP. Please submit queries and nominations to: Ann Marie O’Roark, annoroark@bellsouth.net. Deadline: May 20, 2017. Frances Mullen Distinguished Contribution to International Psychology Award This award is presented to honor a member of the ICP who has a long and distinguished history of research or applied contributions to one or more international areas and service to ICP, Inc. Please send your letter of nomination and address any queries to Anna Laura Comunian, annalaura.comunian@unipd.it. Deadline: May 20, 2017. 17
PUBLICATIONS NEW PUBLICATIONS Alexander, A. J., Arnett, J. J., & Jena, S. P. K. (2017). Experiences of Burmese Chin refugee women: Trauma and survival from pre- to postflight. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 6(2), 101- 114. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000068. Chen, Y.-L., Lamborn, S. D., & Lu, H. (2017). Euro-American Parents' Socialization for the Multiple Identities of Children Adopted from China. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp000 0051. Cummings E.M., Merrilees C.E., Taylor, L.K. & Mondi, C.F. (2017). Political violence, armed conflict, and youth adjustment: A developmental psychopathology perspective on research and intervention. Switzerland: Springer Beliefs in Psychology. Houkamau, C. A., Stronge, S., & Sibley, C. G. (2017). The prevalence and impact of racism toward indigenous Māori in New Zealand. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 6(2), 61- 80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000070. Jocson, R. M., & Garcia, A. S. (2017). Low- Income Urban Filipino Mothers’ Experiences With Community Violence. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp0 000071. Karray, A., Coq, J.-M., & Bouteyre, E. (2017). Delivering online clinical interviews with NGO workers in humanitarian and cross-cultural contexts. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 6(2), 115- 131. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000069. Lim, C., & Leong, C.-H. (2017). Content Analysis on Singapore’s Immigration Rhetoric in the Media. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000073. O’Donnell, K. (March 2017). Integrity and accountability for United Nations staff: 18
Navigating the terrain. UN Special, 767, 40- 41. https://www.unspecial.org/2017/03/integrity-and-accountability-for-un-staff/. Petersen, S. (2017). Human Subject Review Standards and Procedures in International Research: Critical Ethical and Cultural Issues and Recommendations. International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation. Advance online publication. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/ipp0000072. Wildt, H., Umanos, J., Khanzada, N. K., Saleh, M., Rahman, H. U., & Zakowski, S. G. (2017). War trauma, psychological distress, and coping among Afghan civilians seeking primary health care.International Perspectives in Psychology: Research, Practice, Consultation, 6(2), 81- 100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/i pp0000065. UN Publications Terrorism and the Media: A Handbook for Journalists: https://en.unesco.org /news/terrorism-and-media- handbook-journalists. Free Access to Online General Psychology Journal Articles Wiley Online Library Collection: http://onlinelibrary.wile y.com/subject/code/000104/homep age/psychology_day_at_the_un.htm. Available through May 31st, 2017. CALL FOR EDITORS, NOMINATIONS AND SUBMISSIONS Calls for Papers: Psychology’s Contributions to Understanding and Alleviating Poverty and Economic Inequality: The American Psychologist invites submissions for a special issue on psychology's contributions to understanding and alleviating poverty and economic inequality. All manuscripts should explicitly discuss psychology's contributions to our understanding of the issues being investigated and identify areas in which further work (e.g., research, policy) is needed. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/amp/call-for- papers-poverty.aspx. Deadline: April 30, 2017. 19
Call for Papers: Psychological Perspectives on Understanding Socioeconomic Status and Social Class: Translational Issues in Psychological Science is accepting manuscripts for a special issue titled "Psychological Perspectives on Understanding Socioeconomic Status and Social Class." Manuscripts must be coauthored by at least one psychologist in training (graduate student, postdoctoral fellow). For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/tps/call-for-papers-socioeconomic- status.aspx. Deadline: May 1, 2017. Call for Papers: History of Psychology: Submissions are invited by History of Psychology for a special issue on the history of psychology and psychiatry in the global world. This journal seeks to consolidate and extend the historical analysis of psychology and psychiatry beyond the Atlantic or western world. Original contributions on initiatives and developments in any of the psy-sciences in colonial contexts are welcomed. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/hop/call-for-papers- history.aspx. Deadline: May 15, 2017. Call for Proposals: 75th Annual Convention of the International Council of Psychologists: ICP is committed to furthering world peace, promoting human rights and promoting collaboration among mental health professionals and social scientists, globally. The theme of the conference is “Psychology’s Contribution to People, the Planet, and the World” and will be held from July 28 - July 30, 2017 at the Dyson College Center for Global Psychology in New York City, New York, USA. To submit a proposal, please visit: https://pace.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cJadyfsGY3kO4Wp. Deadline: May 15, 2017. Call for Papers: The Challenge of Being Latina: Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology will publish a special issue on the concept of systemic and interpersonal economic marginalization of Latina women. This special issue aims to understand the impact of social class and economic marginalization in the lives of Latinas. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/pac/call-for-papers- challenge-latina.aspx. Deadline: July 30, 2017 Call for Papers: International Journal of Play Therapy: Manuscripts are being accepted for publication on topics such as developmental differences and their impact on play therapy strategies or neuropsychology and play therapy. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/pla/call-for-papers-general.aspx. No submission deadline. OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS Send Books to Cuba Cuban psychology is active and growing. However, due to budgetary issues, Cuban psychology programs have not been able to purchase books for decades. As a result, the three doctoral programs 20
in the country have extremely sparse libraries. Send a recent psychology book to Cuba and show solidarity with the Cuban Psychological Society and the Cuban Society of Health Psychology. Please send recently published books to: Dr. Alexis Lorenzo Ruiz, Calle San Rafael No.1 168 entre, Mazón y Basarrate Vedado, Municipio Plaza de la Revolución, La Habana, Cuba. When you do, forward a selfie to the APA Office of International Affairs (aclinton@apa.org) so that we can post it on our twitter feed @APA_Intl. For more information, please visit: www.apa.org/international/resources/announcements.aspx?tab=5&_ga=1.217485022.97021658 5.1474379802. Mailing conditions to Cuba are located here: http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/ce_017.htm#ep1416554 or you can check with your local postal service provider. INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES Visit the APA Affiliates Corner Page: http://www.apa.org/international/outreach/initiatives/affiliate-membership/international- affiliate-corner.aspx OTHER Join CIRP’s Project! APA’s Committee on International Relations in Psychology (CIRP) is looking for examples of challenges and successes in international research, teaching and application. Please share your experiences in a short survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CIRPInternationalExperiences. Join the APA UN listserv APAUnitedNations@lists.apa.org offers information on upcoming UN events. To join this announcement-only list, send an email with the subject line blank and the following in the body of the message: subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS YourFirstName, YourLastName (e.g., subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS John Doe) to listserv@lists.apa.org. Consider Sharing Your International Experiences in the Psychology International Newsletter: http://www.apa.org/international/pi/index.aspx. Contact the newsletter editor at international@apa.org. INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES Visit the APA Affiliates Corner Page: http://www.apa.org/international/outreach/initiatives/affiliate-membership/international- affiliate-corner.aspx American Psychological Foundation APF offers numerous grants, scholarships, and fellowships supporting projects and programs that use psychology to solve social problems. For more information, please visit: http://www.apa.org/apf/funding/index.aspx. INTERNATIONAL AFFILIATES Visit the APA Affiliates Corner Page: http://www.apa.org/international/outreach/initiatives/affiliate-membership/international- affiliate-corner.aspx OTHER 21
Join the APA UN listserv APAUnitedNations@lists.apa.org offers information on upcoming UN events. To join send an email with the subject line blank and the following in the body of the message: subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS YourFirstName, YourLastName (e.g., subscribe APAUNITEDNATIONS John Doe) to listserv@lists.apa.org. JOIN GlobalΨYExpo! GlobalΨExpo is a database of psychologists with experience outside the United States, organized by substantive areas of expertise and geographical areas of experience. GlobalΨExpo is maintained by the APA Office of International Affairs. To join, please see: http://www.surveygizmo.com /s3/1092996/Global-Expo Follow international news on twitter: @APA_Intl For more announcements visit http://www.apa.org/international/resources/announcements.aspx Sign-up for FREE APA newsletters: http://www.apa.org/support/opt-in.aspx OTHER Consider Sharing Your International Experiences in the Psychology International Newsletter:http://www.apa.org/international/pi/index.aspx. Contact the newsletter editor at international@apa.org JOIN THE WHO Global Network Mental health and primary care professionals are invited to join the GLOBAL CLINICAL PRACTICE NETWORK (GCPN). This is a network of more than 12,202 mental health researchers, clinicians and practitioners in 143 countries. GCPN registration takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit: http://www.globalclinicalpractice.net/en/ Consider Sharing Your International Experiences in the Psychology International Newsletter: http://www.apa.org/international/pi/index.aspx. Contact the newsletter editor at international@apa.org 22
Sign-up for FREE APA newsletters: http://www.apa.org/support/opt-in.aspx Follow international news on twitter: @APA_Intl For more announcements visit http://www.apa.org/international/resources/announcements.aspx Washington, DC 20002 Phone: 202-336-6025 | Fax: 202-312-6499 Email: international@apa.org | www.apa.org/international “Change the World” It always struck me that saying that sounded a lot like grandiose hubris, or at best, a dauntingly overwhelming task. The utter impossibility of it seemed certain until I realized that it can mean helping one person at a time. That is a theme you’ll see throughout this book and our websites and our work. I have added some of my LinkedIn Influencer blogs/essays that I hope may be inspirational, also. The format of this book is inspired by Brian Eno’s A Year with Swollen Appendices, not so much the diary aspect but rather the overwhelmingly large collection of information in the various appendices. Open-Sourced Humanitarian Interventionism It’s long been my goal to make life easier for those working in humanitarian and volunteer endeavors, as well as those in need of help. Indeed, in one way or another, we all need help in one form or another. So, just about everything you find herein and on the Center’s website, is free of charge, and a lot you could also find for yourself. What I’ve tried to do is speed up the search, vet what has been found, and then curate the results, making them as readily and easily available as I know how to. This is my dream of open-sourcing humanitarian work. Current Content, For Pretty Close To Forever The reason for this “reverse engineering” is twofold. First, the amount of content and links on the Center’s website may not always be apparent to the novel user. This book allows for near 23
complete exposure to the functional tools and content that await the online user. Second, this book will never be out-of-date, in that when new content becomes available via uploads to the DropBox account, you’ll be able to read that as well. All you have to do is email me and ask to be linked. I curate the content constantly. You can also request being added to our mailing list via my email address as well if you’d like to be kept up-to-date on events and other relevant content. All proceeds from sales of this book will be donated to the Center for Global Initiatives. Available at Amazon and on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Humanitarian-Field-Guide- Inspiration-Resources/dp/1500535079 _____Zika, Infectious Disease, and More…_____ Aggregated News Reports from: Global Health NOW is an initiative of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, www.jhsph.edu. Views and opinions expressed in this email do not necessarily reflect those of the Bloomberg School. Created by Brian W. Simpson, MPH, Dayna Kerecman Myers, Maryalice Yakutchik, Jackie Frank and Salma Warshanna-Sparklin. You can connect with them at: bsimpso1@jhu.edu EBOLA WHO prepares experimental Ebola vaccine for possible first use in Democratic Republic of Congo – STAT Ebola’s Reappearance an Early Test of Global Health Improvements – International Peace Institute via ReliefWeb Ebola Virus Disease - Democratic Republic of the Congo: External Situation Report 1 - 15 May 2017 – ReliefWeb Ebola Outbreak: The Most Effective Ways To Minimize The Spread Of The Deadly Disease – Newsweek CONFLICT Beyond War Wounds The American University of Beirut Medical Centre’s new conflict-medicine program is preparing health workers to navigate the health challenges caused by protracted war in several Middle Eastern countries. Health workers in the region’s conflict zones—Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Libya—operate on gunshot and shrapnel wounds with few resources. They also contend with the collapse of medical systems 24
and the resurgence of infectious diseases, like dengue and cholera, amidst disruptions in vaccine programs and sanitation systems. "What you need is a completely different way of viewing war-related ill health," says Ghassan Abu-Sittah, who co-leads the new program. Reuters HIV/AIDS Rhetorical Shift How did HIV become the first modern health crisis to also be viewed as an international security threat? It all started at a 2000 Security Council meeting orchestrated by the US ambassador to the UN at the time, Richard Holbrooke. Journalist Alexandra Ossola chronicles the behind-the-scenes details of Holbrooke’s crusade and how his efforts changed how the global health community responds to crises. Seeing disease outbreaks as a security threat that merits military involvement can mean more rapid response to global health threats, Ossola writes. But checks and balances are necessary to prevent overzealous policies, such as harsh quarantine practices. Mosaic Data Boost HIV-positive people in low- and middle-income countries are far more likely to use tobacco than are people without the disease, a recent The Lancet Global Health study finds. The results, based on analyses of demographic and health surveys from 28 countries, mirror those found in high- income countries. In an accompanying commentary, investigators affiliated with the West Africa International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS, or IeDEA, say the study’s limited size may mean its estimates of tobacco use prevalence are imprecise. They recommend mining IeDEA for “a more robust and complementary estimation of tobacco use in people living with HIV.” The Lancet Global Health HEALTH SPENDING Numbing Numbers If House Republicans had waited for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) assessment of their proposed health care legislation, it would have been clear that the plan could leave 23 million more Americans uninsured in 10 years. The bill would reduce federal deficits by $119 billion in a decade through cuts to Medicaid and taxes, but insurance costs could go up for the sick in many states, according to the nonpartisan 25
CBO. The bill must also be approved in the Senate, which is working on its own version. The Quote: “Unless you’re a healthy millionaire, Trumpcare is a nightmare … This report ought to be the final nail in the coffin of the Republican effort to sabotage our health care system,” said Senator Chuck Schumer. The New York Times Related: Cuts to AIDS Treatment Programs Could Cost a Million Lives – The New York Times Related: The former head of the CDC is seriously upset about Trump’s public health cuts – Vox REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH Far-reaching Effects Years of aid obstruction by warring parties in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains has led to a life- threatening lack of access to family planning, prenatal care and emergency obstetric care, says a Human Rights Watch report. Since the conflict’s start in 2011, the authors say, no government health services or humanitarian aid has been available. The conditions may have led to hundreds of maternal deaths last year alone, they say. Both sides “need to put the people first, and should immediately smooth the way for impartial and independent aid agencies to reach the area,” says HRW researcher Skye Wheeler. Human Rights Watch Related: Hoping for a Child Who Survives – Human Rights Watch Talk Like a Human Improving science communication is one of the most urgent issues for the scientific community today, argues Harvard University graduate student Katherine Wu. But what stands in the way of scientists and non-scientists finding common ground? One culprit, she says, is the idea that “scientists” and “the general public” are two separate entities. In fact, she argues, scientists are people, too. Wu says both parties must reassess how they communicate by confronting 3 misleading notions: that knowledge alone is what causes the gap between scientists and the public, that scientists are experts, and that effective communication just happens naturally. Scientific American Related: These are the hardest words to spell in health and science – The Washington Post VACCINES 26
On the Offensive 15,000 people were vaccinated on the first day of Oman’s aggressive new MMR vaccination plan which comes in response to WHO measles surveillance data. The initiative, which the Ministry of Health hopes will vaccinate 2 million people, launched phase one on May 14 ahead of the upcoming Khareef (monsoon) season in southern Oman as well as Ramadan, which sees an influx of visitors to the country. The government is targeting both citizens and expatriates. The next phase will begin after Ramadan. Times of Oman PUBLIC HEALTH HISTORY Metropolis of Disease The history of plagues is inextricably linked with the rise of urban environments, writes bioarcheologist Brenna Hassett in an excerpt from “Built on Bones: 15,000 Years of Urban Life and Death.” “The real contribution of the invention of the city to the epidemiological transition is the shift from infection to epidemic,” she writes. “Infections are a nuisance, maybe even fatal; epidemics will kill you and leave no one left to bury the body.” Likewise, she writes, plagues changed history: “The Black Death didn’t just fell kings; it felled kingship and the entire medieval way of life.” Popular Science Nursing Legend Born May 12, 1820, Florence Nightingale first began tending to injured soldiers in 1855, during the Crimean War. Upon returning to London, she wrote about her experiences in the 1859 book “Notes on Nursing,” which became a widely used textbook. Shortly after, Nightingale began crusading for the advancement of hospital cleanliness. She worked alongside statistician William Faar and poverty and urban health expert Edwin Chadwick to tell the detailed public health story of England’s and India’s poor. Her work influenced English policies and reforms, and continues to do so to this day. Nightingale’s birthday is celebrated as International Nursing Day. PBS NewsHour CDC 5 Months In, Nearly 700 Empty Posts Under a Trump-administration hiring freeze, almost 700 CDC positions sit vacant—threatening 27
local and state public health readiness, infectious disease control and chronic disease prevention. The freeze affects currently open positions, prevents the creation of new positions and lateral transfers, and takes place amid budget-tightening orders to reduce staff from Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price. The CDC vacancies include a few critical positions in the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response, tasked with regulating dangerous bacteria and viruses. More vacancies are in offices focused on infectious and noncommunicable diseases, and the director's office—including the director’s role, unfilled since Tom Frieden stepped down in January. The Washington Post MATERNAL HEALTH Questionable Progress A disputed maternal mortality survey conducted in Afghanistan in 2010 suggests the country could have achieved its MDG maternal mortality reduction 5 years early if it had stayed on track, observes Stewart Britten of the NGO HealthProm in a Lancet Commentary. To many observers, that possibility didn’t quite add up. Since 2010, estimates of Afghanistan’s MMR have varied widely. Britten says to really make a dent in maternal deaths, Afghanistan needs realistic goals. In addition, midwives need incentives to work in rural areas, and the country needs improved transportation infrastructure to improve women's access to care. The Lancet Related: Readers weigh in on maternal deaths – ProPublica WATER AND SANITATION Bathrooms and Bridegrooms In Haryana, India, toilet ownership increased 21% in households with marriage-aged men between 2004 and 2008, according to a recent ScienceDirect study. The reason: A state-run campaign encouraging women to tell suitors, “No loo, no ‘I do!’” Begun in 2005 and still ongoing, the campaign works in Haryana, the study’s authors say, because the area’s uneven sex ratio gives women the upper hand in marriage bargaining. In places where women are not as scarce, the campaign had little to no effect. Low-cost indoor toilets reduce open defecation and the sanitation problems and gender violence that can go along with it. Humanosphere 28
HEALTH BUDGETS Health Spending Under the Knife The Trump administration is pursuing major cuts to health spending, disease prevention, medical research, and health insurance for children of the working poor, according to its 2018 budget request to Congress. If passed, it would slash the National Institutes of Health budget from $31.8 billion to $26 billion. More cuts: The National Cancer Institute by $1 billion The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute by $575 million The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases by $838 million The budget is scheduled to be released later this morning, but the Health and Human Services section was posted briefly Monday afternoon. The Washington Post SEPSIS Before It’s Too Late Every hour doctors fail to follow anti-sepsis protocols, a patient’s likelihood of dying increases, suggests a recent New England Journal of Medicine study. The authors looked at over 49,000 cases of sepsis—a life-threatening infection complication—and septic shock at 149 hospitals in New York, where an early identification and treatment protocol known as the “3-hour bundle” has been required since 2013. Lead author Christopher Seymour says collecting blood cultures quickly, measuring septic shock levels and administering antibiotics saves lives. But other physicians point out that 22.6% of patients died even after getting the protocols within 3 hours. STAT SURGERY Unconventional Medicine While volunteering in a Tanzanian hospital in 2006, brain surgeon Dilantha Ellegala saw a need to reduce the dependency on visiting foreign doctors. So he decided to teach brain surgery to a non-physician. Assistant medical officer Emmanuel Mayegga accepted the challenge, learning the basics in 6 months. The men are featured in a new book, “A Surgeon in the Village,” by Tony Bartelme. Adam Kushner, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, says he's been part of similar efforts, successfully training Ethiopian clinical officers to perform C-sections and appendectomies. 288 million people need surgery right now but don't have access to it. NPR Goats and Soda 29
DISASTERS Domino Effect A story of iodine deficiency in Cambodia illustrates how events in one country can impact public health in another. Starting in 1999, UNICEF and other donors helped Cambodia boost iodized salt users from 13% of households to 70%. But when the government and salt producers became responsible for iodination in 2010, enforcement grew lax. The next year, the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, which produces 1/3 of global iodine, sent prices skyrocketing. Smuggling of non-iodized salt and false labeling became rampant. By 2014, less than 25% of tested salt met government standards. Concentrations of iodine in schoolchildren’s urine dropped 30%. The New York Times REFUGEES Solitary Journeys A new UNICEF report paints a tragic portrait of the growing number of unaccompanied child refugees—more than 300,000 in 80 countries in 2015-16—and their increasing victimization at the hands of human traffickers. “Ruthless smugglers and traffickers are exploiting their [children's] vulnerability for personal gain, helping children to cross borders, only to sell them into slavery and forced prostitution," commented UNICEF deputy executive director Justin Forsyth. "It is unconscionable that we are not adequately defending children from these predators.” Ahead of this week's G7 Summit in Taormina, Italy, UNICEF is calling on the EU to take steps to protect refugee children, including ending the detention of children seeking refugee status and making it a priority to keep migrant families together. IPS GLOBAL HEALTH DIPLOMACY Investing in Soft Power Worthwhile reading: The Foreign Service Journal has devoted this month’s issue to global health diplomacy. Features include: “Leveraging Health Investments for US Diplomacy”—US Ambassador Mark C. Storella describes how existing US-funded health programs in Zambia helped him strengthen the countries’ relationship. “PEPFAR: Making the Impossible Possible’”—US Global AIDS Coordinator Deborah L. Birx argues that continued investment in PEPFAR can help end the global 30
HIV/AIDS epidemic. “Fighting Pandemics: Lessons Learned”—Retired Ambassador Nancy J. Powell and Pandemic Response Team lead Gwen Tobert lay out US State Department advances in responding to global disease outbreaks. The Foreign Service Journal OBSTETRIC FISTULA Prevention is Key Tackling obstetric fistula in a speech at a Kenyatta University conference on Monday, Kenya’s First Lady Margaret Kenyatta urged those suffering to seek assistance and called for more resources—both financial and human—to prevent this devastating condition. Many women with the childbirth injury, humiliated and isolated by the symptomatic strong smell, are shunned and often facing separation and divorce. Around 2 million mothers globally suffer from the treatable condition, and Kenya reports 3,000 new cases annually. At the conference, themed “Ending Obstetric Fistula in a Generation” to mark yesterday’s World Fistula Day, Kenyatta said preventing labor and delivery complications is critical. The Kenya Star PHARMECEUTICALS Simple Yet Scarce Supply of sodium bicarbonate solution, a vital drug used for open-heart surgery, organ failure and chemotherapy, is running dangerously low in the US. It’s an ironic situation because the drug’s base ingredient, regular baking soda, is found in most people’s kitchens. The shortage has forced physicians to delay surgeries and prioritize some patients over others. Large hospitals with compounding pharmacies are starting to make custom batches of the drug, but setting up the process takes time, officials say. Shortages of various drugs occur regularly. The FDA currently lists 50 drugs as being in short supply. The New York Times Health CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH Vulnerable in Burma The government in Burma (Myanmar) continues to block humanitarian access to areas of conflict, a stance that has led to as many as 150 daily deaths of children younger than 5, according to a recent UNICEF report. “This alert is an opportunity to make more visible the situation of children who are not 31
benefiting fully from the ongoing reforms in the country,” says UNICEF’s Bertrand Bainvel. Big killers include untreated diseases, such as pneumonia, among newborns, Bainvel says. The report asks for improved humanitarian access and an end to violations of children’s rights, such as the use of child soldiers. The Guardian FOOD Sensing Danger Because of inefficiencies in food-safety testing in the US, food may already be in supermarkets, restaurants or other facilities that sell or serve food before bacteria testing is complete. Speeding up the process could help to reduce foodborne illnesses, which sicken 48 million Americans each year, according to the CDC. Johns Hopkins PhD engineering student Jennifer Dailey is working to develop a fast, affordable and accurate biosensor to detect foodborne pathogens in real time before food reaches the consumer. The device would react electronically when it detects antibodies of a specific pathogen, like Salmonella or E. coli. “Currently, it takes days to culture the bacteria, and by that time you may have already purchased the product in the supermarket,” says Dailey. Hopkins Bloomberg Public Health DATA Records With a Cause 27 million out of an estimated 56 million deaths globally are now recorded with a cause, according to the WHO’s annual flagship World Health Statistics published yesterday. That’s an improvement over the approximate one-third of deaths recorded with a cause in 2005, and reflects efforts to track progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report includes new data on progress towards universal health coverage, showing improvement since 2000 in 10 measures of essential health service coverage—including HIV treatment and bed net use. However, gains in routine child immunization coverage slowed slightly between 2010 and 2015. WHO Related: How Many Teenagers Die Each Day ... And Why – NPR Goats and Soda 32
Amazon Partnership____ Feel free to shop using smile.amazo n.com/ch/20-8879339 and Amazon donates to the Center for Global Initiatives, at no cost to you! 33
_____ CourseWorks _____ Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/CourseWorks 34
_____ ___ My Thanks! _____ I hope you have found this issue to be informative and helpful in your work. Please send me any information you’d like posted in upcoming issues. This Newsletter and mailing are a manual process, so if you would no longer like to receive it, just send me an email. You can join our Facebook Group and interact with over 5000(!) likeminded individuals at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/CenterForGlobalInitiatives/ And if you’d like to support the Center’s work with a tax deductible donation, that would be fantastic (!) and do a great deal: http://centerforglobalinitiatives.org/donateNow.cfm Recent issues are available at: https://issuu.com/dr.chrisstout/stacks/577856a9735e495789edd71fdc63ede7 All past issues are archived at: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/257831147393441584/ If any of the URLs do not work in that format, just email me for the desired back-issue. Cheers, and thank you for your work, Chris http://DrChrisStout.com Founding Director, http://CenterForGlobalInitiatives.org LinkedIn Influencer: https://www.linkedin.com/today/posts/drchrisstout American Psychological Association International Humanitarian Award Winner, http://www.apa.org/monitor/dec07/rockstar.htm l 35