The International Human Rights Colloquium is an annual capacity building and peer-learning event designed for activists from the Global South. Since 2001, the Colloquium has gathered more than 510 activists and academics, mainly from Latin American, African, and Asian countries.

The World Summit Award (WSA) is a global initiative to select and promote the world's best e-Content and Creativity. It is held within the framework of and in cooperation with the UN World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). With a special focus on cultural identity and diversity, the competition seeks to highlight the best digital content from each country, emphasising content that promotes the development of an "Information Society."

AFRODAD is in search of a competent young man/woman to work as a Programme Officer for its Fair and Transparent Arbitration (FTA) Project. The position is a two year contract subject to renewal. The officer will be stationed at AFRODAD's Mulungushi, Lusaka office.

Publish What You Pay (PWYP) is an international coalition of more than 280 non-governmental organisations (NGO), which is seeking to ensure that natural resource companies publish the payments they make to all national governments and authorities. The campaign was launched in mid-2002 by groups such as Global Witness, Save the Children, CAFOD and the Open Society Institute. PWYP aims to build greater accountability between governments, oil companies and civil society for the management and allocation of extractive industry revenues which can provide the basis for successful growth and poverty reduction in some of the least developed countries in the world.

You will be responsible for the planning and execution of projects in the areas of broadcasting policy, access to information, and monitoring/advocacy. You will have at least 3 years experience in policy development, monitoring, advocacy/campaigning work and of managing budgets and projects. Experience of working or living in Africa and/or working in a cross-cultural environment is desirable. We can only consider applicants who have the right to work in the UK. No relocation package available. For further information visit www.article19.org. Interested candidates should send a CV and covering letter to Pauline Donaldson at [email protected] or by post to Pauline Donaldson, ARTICLE 19, 6 – 8 Amwell Street, London EC1R 1UQ. Closing date 8 August 2005.

The Sudanese Development Initiative (SUDIA) is an international non-governmental organization working to facilitate linkages between people, knowledge, and resources, with a view to strengthening the self-reliance of vulnerable communities from East Africa and the Horn. SUDIA has been operational in Sudan since 2002, designing and implementing rehabilitation and development projects in collaboration with various international donor agencies. In response to the on-going crisis in Darfur, SUDIA has initiated an action-research project that will look beyond the immediate humanitarian and relief needs of the population and pave the way for post-conflict reconstruction initiatives that integrate humanitarian, development and governance concerns in a holistic manner.

Journalists, novelists and Internet writers from 17 countries have received Hellman/Hammett grants in recognition of their courage in the face of political persecution. The Hellman/Hammett grants are given annually to writers around the world who have been targets of political persecution. The four awards made to writers in Africa included:
- Kum Margaret (Cameroon), freelance journalist
- Tewodros Kassa (Ethiopia), newspaper editor
- Isioma Daniel (Nigeria), newspaper journalist
- Ismail Mbonigaba (Rwanda), journalist and newspaper editor.

One-third of all internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Sudan plan to return to the south within six months, posing considerable humanitarian challenges to aid organisations, an interagency survey found. Sudan has experienced the worst population displacement in the world, mainly due to prolonged conflict since 1983. Although it is difficult to determine the exact number of IDPs, the figure is commonly rounded to four million, the survey report noted.

The Centre for Civil Society is based at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban. We aim to advance socio-economic and environmental justice by developing critical knowledge about, for and in dialogue with civil society, through teaching, research and publishing. As part of our mandate, the Centre grants research funds of up to R50000 to a number of researchers annually to encourage new and innovative research on civil society, through teaching, research and publishing.

The decisions which the G8 leaders take this week have the potential to reduce extreme poverty around the world and to improve the lives of hundreds of millions of children, UNICEF said. "By putting poverty and development at the center of their agenda, the G8 leaders have an unprecedented opportunity to help to realize the Millennium Development Goals.  These vital goals focus on the needs of children to survive, to be educated and to be protected from the impact of HIV/AIDS. There can be no more important task," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman.

Botswana's health authorities are battling climbing malnutrition rates among young children, despite sustained economic growth in recent years. A recent report by the National Early Warning Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture showed a dramatic decline since April this year in the nutritional status of children under five years in the northeastern districts of Kgalagadi North, and Mabutsane and Gantsi in the west.

The Media Institute of Southern Africa – the leading organization advancing media freedom, free expression, media independence and diversity in the region seeks a key strategic player to occupy the newly created position of Deputy Regional Director/Programmes Manager at its regional office in Windhoek, Namibia.

Kenya requires 24 more public universities to meet United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation international standards. Prof Wanjala Kere, Unesco's lead education consultant in technical, vocational education and training, said the current number does not meet required international standards. "According to Unesco standards, there is need for one public university for every one million people and we only have six public universities for a population of approximately 30 million people," said Kere.

The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) in partnership with the International Bar Association (IBA) announced the launch on June 20, 2005 of the Southern African Litigation Centre (SALC). The Centre will be located in Johannesburg and will assist lawyers in various Southern African states in litigating specific human rights, public interest and constitutional cases within their respective domestic jurisdictions. The Centre will be staffed by resource people who are able to provide expert support to lawyers litigating on these issues in the region. They will do so by providing training, mentoring and facilities, thus promoting the effective implementation of human rights in the region.

Actionaid International's Southern Africa Partnership Programme (SAPP) is an eight-country innovative programme whose purpose is to work in solidarity with community groups, NGOs, alliances and movements to strengthen responses to and accountability on the issues of poverty and HIV and AIDS. Actionaid is looking for a dynamic, energetic, analytical and highly-organised newly qualified graduate to work with the Southern Africa Partnership Programme policy team.

CAGE has entered its second phase with regard to the Calls for Proposals to fund policy research and dialogue within the conflict and governance arena. Please visit our website at www.cage.org.za to access all the funding information. The application pack (Guide and Form) can be downloaded and completed forms must be submitted on or before 30 August 2005, 15h00, only to the CAGE offices.

Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade, one of the main promoters of the ambitious program for African development known as Nepad, argued on Monday that the program's headquarters in Johannesburg should be closed as a waste of money. "They are spending money for nothing; they should close that office," Wade said. "Since Nepad was founded (in 2001), its officials have spent $15m; they have not moved anything forward an inch and they will not move anything forward."

The Batsirai Group is a Zimbabwean non-governmental organisation working to strengthen community response to HIV & AIDS. Following a successful two-year placement, the organisation is currently seeking to consolidate its work in promoting community participation within its partner communities and within its own staff. The postholder will also assist in strengthening systems documentation, organisational learning and participatory monitoring and evaluation.

Aminah Mukasa, the formidable headmistress of Masindi Secondary School in western Uganda, is on a mission - she wants to raise enough money to pay her teachers a decent wage. Her methods are simple, brutal and effective - she has all the students who have not paid their fees locked out of the school.

A report calling for action from G8 and African leaders to help children in Africa has been delivered to Downing Street. The report also highlights the work of the Young People's Commission for Africa, an educational initiative developed by Plan in partnership with the UK educational charity Gemin-i.org. Hundreds of 11-17 year-olds from 52 schools in Africa and the UK took part in the project. They participated in a seven-month consultation to discuss what they perceived as the ten greatest challenges facing young people in Africa.