The Martin Ennals Foundation invites nominations for its 2005 Award. The deadline is 1st October 2004. The MEA application form and more information on the Award can be obtained from the MEA website: www.martinennalsaward.org, ready for electronic submission.

Oxfam GB

Oxfam GB's Pan Africa Programme enables platforms for staff, African civil society networks and affected people to change international and continental public policies and practices that negatively impact on citizens rights, security of lives and livelihoods in Africa. A new position has opened up for a dynamic person to coordinate the administration and communications function based in Nairobi supported by the Pan Africa Policy Advisor.

The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has denied allegations of financial irregularities made by its head of finance and administration department, Colin Braude. In a statement, SAHRC said that "there is simply no basis to the allegations...as is evidenced by the findings of an independent external forensic audit." The statement followed a report by a newspaper claiming that the SAHRC had suspended a whistle blower (Braude) at a time when the public prosecutor was urging the protection of people who exposed corruption.

The Ugandan Government has filed a notice of appeal against the High Court ruling that quashed the report on corruption in the Ugandan Revenue Authority. Justice of the High Court John Katutsi nullified the report in a ruling on 16th August, describing it as a "naked report without any legal clothing." The Chief Commissioner of the report, Julie Ssebutinde had opposed Katutsi's ruling saying that he had no jurisdiction to nullify her report.

One week before the UN Security Council's Darfur deadline expires, it is clear the international community needs to get much tougher, says the International Crisis Group in a new report. "Failure now would not only mean many tens of thousands more dead, but likely condemn Sudan to more years of war and further spread instability to its neighbours. Khartoum has not met its commitments to neutralise the government-supported Janjaweed militias responsible for the massive human rights violations and humanitarian disaster. The Security Council should authorise the African Union to send a peacekeeping mission to protect civilians."

This paper focuses on teacher motivation and incentives in low-income developing countries (LICs) in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. In particular, it assesses the extent to which the material and psychological needs of teachers are being met. This includes overall levels of occupational status, job satisfaction, pay and benefits, recruitment and deployment, attrition, and absenteeism.

Oxfam UK

You will be responsible for managing Oxfam's strategic planning for, and immediate response to, humanitarian emergencies in eastern DRC and for co-ordinating all emergency response staff in the field. You must have at least three years of field experience in humanitarian work, some of it in a management position, and have an excellent knowledge of issue relating to emergency programming, humanitarian law and community empowerment.

Concern Worldwide

The position has three chief responsibilities. 1) The management and development of Concern's Kinshasa programme; 2) the provision of technical support for the mainstreaming of HIV/AIDS in all programmes and 3) assisting in advocacy initiatives related to Livelihoods, HIV/AIDS and conflict-based issues. The successful candidate will hold a degree in a relevant field and have at least 2 years experience in livelihoods programming, including HIV/AIDS, in Africa and preferably in the Great Lakes Region.

UN Economic Commission for Africa

The incumbent will be responsible for coordinating and conducting economic research on African development and for undertaking macroeconomic studies through the application of quantitative and qualitative methods, including econometric modelling. The successful candidate will hold an advanced degree in economics and have practical experience in trade and/or regional integration in Africa.

International Criminal Court

The ICC is seeking applicants for the position of regional expert to perform relevant analytical research on issues in Central and Eastern Africa. In addition, the position holder will assist in developing local support networks for ICC investigations and support the investigation teams in approaching and developing a rapport with witnesses. The successful applicant will hold a university degree in law or social sciences and have proven ability to undertake analytical work.

Children's right to education is currently under threat from early marriage, child labour and imprisonment; States have not adapted their legislation in favour of the right to education, and they do not have agreed standards for the transition from childhood to adulthood either internationally or nationally. In the same country, it is not rare to find that children are legally obliged to go to school until they are 14 or 15 years old but a different law allows them to work at an earlier age or to be married at the age of 12 or to be criminally responsible from the age of 7.

The 3rd African Convention of Principals Conference opened on August 23 in Nairobi, Kenya. Some 600 delegates from mainly English-speaking Africa were to discuss the challenges facing the provision of quality education in Africa.

As countries are calling a halt to school fees, millions more children are exercising their right to education. But after securing a place in school, how much are these children learning in overcrowded classrooms? The latest issue of UNESCO's Education Today newsletter looks at the trade-off between access and quality.

"The problem is that Africans who completed their studies in Europe and the United States are not returning to Africa. Since one in three African professionals will live outside Africa, African universities are actually training one third of their graduates for export to the developed nations." This is one of the replies to a feature on the brain drain and education in Africa in an edition of Africa Journal.

Mango provides practical financial management training for NGO staff working in development and humanitarian aid. Mango’s courses are carefully designed to meet the real needs of staff working in the field and behind the scenes at head office.

This fund provides fellowships for scholars whose lives and work are threatened in their home countries. The fellowships permit scholars to find temporary refuge at universities and colleges world wide, enabling them to pursue their academic work and share their knowledge with students, colleagues, and the community at large.

The Spanish defence minister, Jose Bono, said that the navy would no longer intercept immigrant boats in Spanish waters unless they needed immediate help. The decision is a recognition of the increasing dangers faced by would-be immigrants. A quarter of the immigrants entering the EU illegally do so through Spain and the summer months bring feverish activity across the Gibraltar Straits. Many prospective immigrants head out into the Atlantic in flimsy wooden boats in an attempt to avoid border patrols.

This document argues that the South African government is failing to protect the right to a primary education for children living on commercial farms by neither ensuring their access to farm schools nor maintaining the adequacy of learning conditions at these schools. The document provides a brief history of primary schools on commercial farms in South Africa and discusses the obstacles to the right to education children experience on these farms. The report also explains the current legal status of farm schools, as well as the rights of children living on commercial farms.

In order to create a cadre of Khoisan linguists capable of facilitating the preservation and development of the Khoisan languages of Southern Africa, Centre for Advanced Study of African Societies (CASAS) administers a scholarship scheme for University linguistic studies in Cape Town, at the undergraduate level with possibilities of advancement to post-graduate studies thereafter. The KLSSS is supported by Brot fur die Welt, Stuttgart, Germany. The scholarship scheme started with the first cohort in the academic year starting in January 2002. Scholars are Khoisan mother-tongue speakers, with good academic achievements to date at Grade 12 or matric level, from any country in Southern Africa.

Thusanang has announced the launch of its “Feature Articles” section that aims to capture the experiences of non-profit organisations (NPOs) in their quest for sustainability. The aim of the articles is to highlight non-profit challenges and successes in relation to raising funds, remaining sustainable, performing efficiently and delivering with impact.