Home Information Resources

World, the Africa Continental and National Levels:

www.Africannews.com: Forty news organizations contribute to this site. The best of them is the Dakar-based PanAfricanNews Agency, found at www.africanews.org/PANA/news.

www.Politicalresources.net/africa.htm : This portal opens a door to all things African, including the Norwegian Council for Africa's must-read Index on Africa

http://www.africa.com/ - a general resource with lots of information about Africa

Aids and Violent Conflict in Africa by the United States Institute for Peace at http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr75.html

Articles:

The Abuja Statement of "The International Congress on Dialogue of Civilization, Religion and Cultures in West Africa" Abuja, 15 - 17 December 2003 - "The International Congress on Dialogue of Civilization, Religion and Cultures in West Africa" held in Abuja (Nigeria) from 15-17 December 2003, is the first UNESCO attempt to root dialogue in its diverse forms in Africa.

ACHIEVING SCHOOLING FOR ALL IN AFRICA: COSTS, COMMITMENT AND GENDER Christopher Colclough http://www.africabookcentre.com/acatalog/index.html?http%3A// www.africabookcentre.com/acatalog/New_Titles.html&CatalogBodyThis study examines the methods adopted by the international community to tackle the chronic problems of schooling and poverty in sub Saharan Africa.

AFRICAN DIASPORA WEB RESOURCES - http://www.library.ucsb.edu/subj/black.html This web site contains a comprehensive listing of news about the diaspora in a variety of subject areas.

AMULETS AND DREAMS: WAR YOUTH AND CHANGE IN AFRICA
 Photographs By Guy Timmim & Omar Badsha, Edited By Omar Badsha, Text By Julia Maxted http://www.africanbookscollective.com/
 This is a powerful and sobering collection of photographs, bringing to light and documenting some of the most tragic aspects of Africa's recent social history. The book is structured as a series of photographic montages of the conflicts in Sierra Leone, Angola, Mozambique, Eritrea and Burundi; each section introduced with a short critical essay on the history of the conflict. The photography is particularly concerned with the role of children in armed conflicts, the impact of war on children's education and lives, and the refugee implications of war. In all, the book contains 124 duo-tone photographs produced on high quality paper.

Angola's Last Best Chance for Peace : An Insider's Account of the Peace Process ~Paul J. Hare, Paul J. Hare, United States Inst of Peace, Paperback - September 1998, US List Price: $14.95

APPEALS WORLDWIDE  http://www.appealsww.com/ Appeals Worldwide specializes in producing appeals letters based on Amnesty International cases, for you to send to the authorities in the countries concerned. Never before has it been so easy to act on behalf of human rights victims.

 Armaments, Environments: Small Arms and Control of Natural Resources -  A new policy brief entitled has been posted on the web.  Drawing on cases from Kenya, it gives an overview of the primary roles played by natural resources in small arms and light weapons proliferation and use.  It concludes with a number of measures to incorporate in policies that aim to arrest the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons.  Comments are welcomed by the organization. Organization:  African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS). Details:  Available on website. CONTACT:  African Centre for Technology Studies, PO Box 45917, Nairobi, Kenya.  T: 254-2-524 000/524 700, F: 254-2-522 987/524 001; Email: acts@cgiar.org, Website: http://www.acts.or.ke/Eco%20Policy%20Brief2.pdf 

Books written about the Rwandan Genocide

CHALLENGING UNEQUAL RELATIONSHIPS: LESSONS AND REFLECTIONS ON PARTNERSHIP AND CAPACITY-BUILDING IN AFRICA  Margaret Simbi and Graham Thom.  Published by Transform, 2000 (ISBN: 0-9535658-1-5)  This working paper is the result of careful research conducted with African NGOs in 10 countries and with UK northern NGOs between 1996 and 2000. The research explored the mismatch between the rhetoric and practice of partnership, in order to understand how development relationships influence capacity building and the fight against poverty.  The paper is in three parts and is written for northern NGO practitioners and academics and aims to highlight an important area of debate at a time of change.  Cost: £9.95 (£5.00 to partners of Transform Africa), including postage and packing. Please make cheques payable to Transform Africa and send with your name and address to: Kalombwa Chikoti, Transform Africa, 24-32 Stephenson Way, London NW1 2HX, UK.

CHANGING MEN IN SOUTHERN AFRICA (GLOBAL MASCULINITIES SERIES) Editor: Robert Morrell, University of Natal.  The transition from apartheid to democracy disturbed the established gender order of South Africa. This book looks at the way in which men, under apartheid and afterwards,  responded to, were affected by and themselves contributed to the transitions in Southern Africa. It examines different forms of masculinity, highlighting the importance of race and class. The violent legacy of colonialism and apartheid is apparent everywhere, most frequently expressed against other men (younger, older, of different colour). The contributors explore how the position of men has changed. African chiefs, rural authority figures, faced the challenge of women and young men.  White Afrikaans-speaking fathers confronted the erosive forces of modernist individualism. Both groups succeeded but only by bending the knee. Men in South Africa are still dominant in the domestic and public realm, but masculinities have shifted, and in many cases become more inclusive. Masculinities are changing. Different visions of masculinity are emerging and with them, the hope of a more peaceful society.  ISBN/PRICE: 1 85649 915 4 hbk GBP49.95/US$65.00; 1 85649 916 2 pbk  GBP145.95/US$25.00; For information on your nearest stockist or to order a copy of this title by post, contact: Mohammed Umar, Zed Books, 7 Cynthia Street, London N1 9JF, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7837 4014;  Fax:  +44 (0)20 7833 3960; Email: sales@zedbooks.demon.co.uk or visit the Zed Books website: www.zedbooks.demon.co.uk/ 

Civil Society and Human Rights in Angola, by Simão Cacumba Morais Faria - 5/23/2003 - presented to Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, Cape Town  SOURCE WEBSITE: http://www.africafiles.org/articles/1992.asp?ThisURL=./angola.asp&URLName=ANGOLA - An inside evaluation of the history and the effectiveness of civil society organizations in working for peace, and democratization, especially over the last decade. Country presentation to the Transitional Justice Program co-hosted by the Institute for Justice Reconciliation (IJR)(Cape Town)& International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ). JK

CLOSING THE CIRCLE - DEMOCRATIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Richard Sandbrook, University of Toronto.  "We all know that many African countries face political tyranny, failed capitalist development, and violent domestic conflict. What is less clear is what relationship may exist between effective democratic institutions and the solution of the last two problems."  In exploring this question, Richard Sandbrook draws on the experience with democratisation of a carefully selected sample of countries: Ghana, Mali and Niger in West Africa; Zambia, Tanzania and Madagascar in East Africa; and Sudan. He illustrates the diversity of African experiences of the transition to democratic political forms and the complex relationships between democratic institutions and economic reform and social order. He concludes that the ultimate value of democratic institutions lies in whether they lead to economic progress and social justice and peace. One obstacle is that social democratic policies of real benefit to ordinary people appear impracticable under current conditions of neo-liberal globalisation.  ISBN/PRICE: 1 85649 827 1 hbk GBP45.00/US$65.00; 1 85649 828 X pbk  GBP14.95/US$22.50.  To order or for further information, contact: Mohammed Umar, Zed Books, 7 Cynthia Street, London N1 9JF, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7837 4014; Fax: +44 (0)20 7833 3960; Email: sales@zedbooks.demon.co.uk quoting your full name and address for despatch, and payment details (VISA or Mastercard number, expiry date and registration address, sterling cheque or bank draft). Please add postage and packing: GBP2.00 for one copy plus GBP1.00 per additional copy (in the UK), or GBP2.50/US$4.50 per copy overseas.  Ordering details and order forms for all Zed titles may be found on their website at http://www.zedbooks.demon.co.uk/

NEW NETWORK OF COMMUNITY TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA http://www.apc.org/english/news/index.shtml?x=18707 The Community Information Network for Southern Africa (CINSA) is a project supporting community ICT initiatives in the SADC region. The aim is to build a sustainable network of community ICT projects in the 14 SADC member states - Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. CINSA supports community ICT initiatives, including telecentres, community multimedia centres, community radio stations, community information resource and access centres and the like. Its mandate is to serve those initiatives located within the SADC region through research, networking, facilitating training, service brokerage and more.

CONFLICT PREVENTION AND PEACE BUILDING IN THE AFRICAN CONTEXT, By Dr. Ade. Adenekan, Executive Director, Pan-African Reconciliation Council and African Centre for Peace Education - Paper presented at the "PEACE NOW NIGERIA " symposium and exposition held at the Lagos City Hall in Lagos , Nigeria , on Tuesday, December 17, 2002 .

DEVELOPMENT PLANNING: CONCEPTS AND TOOLS FOR PLANNERS, MANAGERS AND  FACILITATORS Reidar Dale http://zedbooks.co.uk/ This new textbook in development planning aims to provide a comprehensive and practically relevant guide to strategic planning at postgraduate and practitioner level. The author hopes that the book will help bridge the unfortunate gap that now exists between much development planning theory and planning practice. He also promotes a more value-based, action-centred and organisation-inclusive approach to development planning than is normally presented in textbooks on planning.

DOCUMENTARIES MARKING THE GENOCIDE ANNIVERSARY
http://www.visiontv.ca/RememberRwanda/main_pf.htm
* The BBC film "Kill Thy Neighbour" will be shown at Chatham House on March 31st.
* BBC World Television will be running a Rwanda season during April with the films "Journey Into Darkness" (1994); "Valentinas Story" (1996); "When Good Men Do Nothing" (2000) and "Kill Thy Neighbour" (2003).
* VisionTV will be broadcasting the documentary "Rwanda: In Search of Hope" on April 8 at 10pm ET.
* PBS Frontline is producing a major documentary on "Rwanda, 10 years later", scheduled to have its premier at the Holocaust Museum in DC on April 1, 2004, then to be shown on PBS stations in the US and may also be shown on BBC Panorama.
* NPR (National Public Radio-USA) is presenting a one-hour news magazine on courageous Hutu who saved Tutsi lives during the genocide, risking their own in the process. To be aired around April 7th.  
* Anne Aghion's sequel to her acclaimed 2002 documentary, "Gacaca, Living Together Again In Rwanda?" will be released in late March or early April.

 Ecological Sources of Conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa - A database containing information on the environmental and political contexts of Eritrea, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Somalia, Kenya, Burundi and Sudan has been newly posted on the web.  Organization:  African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS). CONTACT:  African Centre for Technology Studies, PO Box 45917, Nairobi, Kenya; T: 254-2-524 000/524 700, F: 254-2-522 987/524 001; Email: acts@cgiar.org, Website: www.acts.or.ke/Eco-Country%20Databases.htm

GLOBAL: EMPLOYMENT TRENDS FOR WOMEN 2004 http://kilm.ilo.org/GET2004/DOWNLOAD/trendsw.pdf Women still face higher unemployment rates, receive lower wages than men and represent 60 per cent of the world's 550 million working poor, according to the findings of a new report. The report examines global employment trends for women. It asks whether the fact that women increasingly enter the labour market really means that the gap between male and female participation is closing; whether women who look for work are successful in finding it; and if women do find work, what are the typical characteristics of female work compared to that of male counterparts?

EQUALITY TODAY - HOW TO RESPOND TO RACIAL BIAS IN THE MEDIA - http://www.equalitytoday.org/edition7/audit.html This on-line tutorial has been compiled to provide individuals and community organisations concerned about race relations with the resources and tools to make their concerns known to a wider public. Each of the user-friendly sections below provides information ranging from how to analyse media representations to how to access the print media.

"Est-il possible de vivre ensemble"? (Is it possible to live together) ?. This Booklet (available online) has 47 pages, and it  has been published  in French and Kirundi. It has been funded by American Embassy in Burundi. With the funds received from American Embassy in Burundi, we were able to print 22,000 copies in French and Kirundi. We continue to search for additional  funds so that we may be able to print  68,000 more copies. This Booklet is about : 1. How Burundians used to live together peacefully; 2. How conflict began in Burundi and its consequences; 3. How people destroy the future of other peoples and the country, just for their own interests; 4. How to solve conflict peacefully according to the culture of Burundians; 5. How peace can it be found and how it can be kept/maintained; 6. How to involve the youth in Peace building and Reconciliation process; 7. Why Reconciliation is needed in Burundi; 8. New way of living, behaving and acting in different situations.  This Booklet, in its conclusion, it shows a new way of living, behaving and acting, which creates an environment to fight poverty and division among the communities. We are so glad to make this small contribution, in the area of peacebuilding and reconciliation of our nation.  Together for peace and reconciliation, for more information contact Prosper Ndabishuriye jrmd@usan-bu.net

ETHNIC MILITIAS AND THE THREAT TO DEMOCRACY IN POST-TRANSITION NIGERIA by Osita Agbu -  The democratic opening presented by Nigeria’s successful transition to civil rule (June 1998 to May 1999) unleashed a host of hitherto repressed or dormant political forces. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly difficult to differentiate between genuine demands by these forces on the state and outright criminality and mayhem. Post-transition Nigeria is experiencing the proliferation of ethnic militia movements purportedly representing, and seeking to protect, their ethnic interests in a country which appears incapable of providing the basic welfare needs of its citizens. Further details: http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=22031

FACING MOUNT KENYA, by Jomo Kenyatta - http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?o=1&l=as1&f=ifr&t=pambazukanews-20&dev- Jomo Kenyatta, the first president of independent Kenya, wrote this book as a graduate anthropology student in London. As a primary source, this book is invaluable. It gives detailed analysis of many aspects of pre-Mau Mau Gikuyu cultural ceremonies. However, as it is a product of the structuralist school of anthropology, many of its conclusions and findings are problematic, most notably in its opinion of culture as a fixed entity which determines human behaviour. For students of colonial Africa, this piece will inevitably be of use.

FOOD SECURITY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA - Sub-Saharan Africa's persistent food insecurity and vulnerability to famine reflects failures of understanding as much as failures of interventions.  Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa aims to contribute towards an improved understanding for more effective food security policy.  Further details: http://www.kabissa.org/kfn/newsletter.php?id=1374

FORCED MIGRATION ONLINE RESOURCES - http://www.forcedmigration.org/browse/regional/africa.htm - The Forced Migration Online (FMO) team of the Refugee Studies Centre, has prepared a resource page highlighting relevant online resources relating to Africa. This is a review of key related resources including many resources catalogued on and available via FMO, and launched to coincide with the to the 10th anniversary of Africa Day.

FROM PEACE TO PROSPERITY? UNDERSTANDING CHANGES IN POVERTY IN UGANDA (From ID21 News Issue 50)
Philippa Bevan, Christopher Heady, T. Nyanzi - Department of Economics and International Development, University of Bath, UK  - 13 February 2001.  Does political and economic stability improve people's livelihoods and their quality of life? Does stability increase the success of development projects? Uganda has recently enjoyed a period of relative economic calm, leading researchers from the University of Bath to ask: how have poverty reduction programmes fared during this time? How far is success dependent on local conditions?   See: http://www.id21.org/society/S5aCh1G1.html or for further information, contact: Philippa Bevan, Department of Economics and International Development, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY,UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1225 826497; Fax: +44 (0) 1225 826381; Email: P.G.Bevan@bath.ac.uk

Geopolitics: Conflicts in Africa web site - http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/Africa.asp 

DATA AND COUNTRY STUDIES OF EDUCATION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE IN COMPLEX EMERGENCIES http://www.womenscommission.org/pdf/Ed_Emerg.pdf This report presents information gathered by the Global Survey on Education in Emergencies. It attempts to fill a gap in information about how many refugee, displaced and returnee children and youth globally have access to education and the nature of the education they receive.

The Great Lakes Early Warning and Response Network - The Africa Peace Forum leads the Forum on Early Warning and Early Response ("FEWER") network's efforts in the Great Lakes. As coverage of the region in terms of early warning is now quite advanced, APFO and its network members are redefining the focus of FEWER in the Great Lakes. Read about civil society priorities in the region, as well as future directions set by the APFO network (Acrobat Reader format).   We will be providing links here to reports produced by other organisations on conflict and peace issues in the region. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.fewer.org/greatlakes/main.htm  or write to Dr. Josephine Odera at the Africa Peace Forum or Wanjiru Mwaura at the FEWER Secretariat.

HEALING THE SCARS? TRACING LINKS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND CONFLICT IN AFRICA - contributor(s): Lionel Cliffe, Philip White - University of Leeds Gary Littlejohn -  University of Bradford June Rock - University of Sheffield, Colleagues at the Universities of  Ethiopia, Namibia, and Maputo Eritrea Relief and Rehabilitation Commission - University of  Leeds (From ID21 News, Issue 45)  A University of Leeds collaborative study has probed links between environmental change and  famine - two problems perceived to lie at the heart of Africa's current crisis - in the  context of another all too often linked to the continent - warfare and civil unrest. Land  hunger and environmental depletion in the aftermath of war are often cited as causes of famine that in turn will lead to further conflict. Is such a chain reaction really at work?  Is there an inevitable causal link between environmental degradation and violent conflict?  For a summary of the paper, see: http://www.id21.org/static/10blc1.htm .  Further information, contact: Lionel Cliffe, Institute of Politics and International Studies (POLIS), University of  Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 9JT, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 113 233 4386; Fax: +44 (0) 113 233 4400; Email: l.r.cliffe@leeds.ac.uk

HOLDING INFINITY - GUIDING SOCIAL PROCESS Compiled By Sue Soal http://www.cdra.org.za/Whats%20New/Whats%20New.htm This workbook is a response to the many requests we have received over the years for a ‘toolkit’ to make our exercises and methods transparent. It outlines a developmental process for the reader to undertake with a speaking partner. It is based on the principle that you cannot do with others what you have not been through yourself. Users of this workbook will find that going through this journey will put them in a good position to adapt those exercises and methods which work for them and include them in their own development practice.

HOW EDUCATING EXCLUDED CHILDREN CAN HELP BREAK THE CYCLE OF POVERTY http://www.developmentgateway.org/node/130685/special/primary-education/ More than 100 million children around the world do not have access to primary school education. Out-of-school children in developing countries are especially vulnerable to poverty, hunger, violence, exploitation and disease, contributing to future generations of people with limited life chances and almost certain poverty. Achieving universal primary education - and its close correlation, gender equality in education - is so important that Goal 2 of the Millennium Development Goals is dedicated to it. Yet, without government and donor policies that advocate inclusive primary education, the basic human right to education may not be achieved by 2015.

HOW EUROPE UNDERDEVELOPED AFRICA, by Walter Rodney - http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?o=1&l=as1&f=ifr&t=pambazukanews-20&dev- In 'How Europe Underdeveloped Africa', Walter Rodney convincingly argues that much of the "Third World" is a product of European Imperialism in the 19th and 20th centuries. Several points are made in his argument. Among them are the arbitrary borders established by the colonial powers.

HOW INTERNET RADIO CAN CHANGE THE WORLD http://www.ericlee.me.uk/archive/000072.html Perhaps the most ambitious step so far in the use of Internet Radio was the launch of the Workers Independent News Service (WINS), which can be found on the web at http://www.laborradio.org. WINS is a great idea, but they've limited themselves to producing a daily three minute news summary and some features, and these are made available to "real" radio stations to be played to a large audience.

A HUMAN RIGHTS APPROACH TO COMBATING RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION - M.S.M. Eltayeb http://www.transnationalpubs.com/showbook.cfm?bookid=10208 This study focuses on internal persecution among Muslims. Internal persecution within the Islamic tradition means the persecution of Muslims by other Muslims, what might be characterised as “intra-religious” as opposed to “inter-religious” persecution, exposing the political and sociological nature of religious persecution, since the persecuted group is of the same religion as the persecuting majority. This study also helps to challenge the alleged religious rationale of such persecution in that every religious majority was in the past, and may become in future, a minority. Three case studies (the Ahmadiyya in Pakistan, the Shi’is in Saudi Arabia and the Republican Brothers in the Sudan) are analyzed, and based on these cases, a contextual framework for understanding and combating intra-religious persecution is outlined.

Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN) - A UN initiative that saves lives and money.  When crisis or disaster hits a country, communications are often one of the first casualties.

AN INTERACTIVE DOCUMENTARY ABOUT THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE - http://www.paxwarrior.com/home/index.php On the eve of 10th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, educational software company 23YYZee launched their website. Their new Interactive Documentary Pax Warrior begins pilot programs in schools in May. The web-based multimedia narrative combines text, images, and sound to tell the story of the United Nation’s intervention in one of the worst atrocities of the late 20th century. The immersive narrative briefs students with the information that would have been available to Roméo Dallaire, the Canadian general who oversaw the UN peacekeeping operation in Rwanda. The software also provides access to archival news documents and primary sources, along with original background articles.

KHANYA COLLEGE JOURNAL
provides space for activists in the emerging mass social movements to debate key issues facing these movements. The journal is now in its third issue, which focused on the debates and campaigns on the war in Iraq. We are building a subscriptions base in order to ensure that the journal is financially stable and is able to come out regularly. Further details: http://www.pambazuka.org/newsletter.php?id=15025

LOOKING BACK, REACHING FORWARD - REFLECTIONS ON THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION OF SOUTH AFRICA Editors: Charles Villa-Vicencio and Wilhelm Verwoerd.  The Truth and Reconciliation Commission chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been a defining experience in South Africa's transition to democratic and non-racial rule, and probably the most complete attempt to heal a society after the brutalities of violent government. This anthology is the first assessment of the Commission process. It reviews the national and international context in which the TRC did its work, explores the philosophical and ethical logic of the exercise, and examines the multiple purposes which the Commission set out to achieve. Intended to deepen debate within South Africa on the contested TRC process, this book illuminates the realities of South Africa today and contains powerful lessons for other countries thinking about embarking on similar exercises to establish both the truth of what happened and reconciliation between victims and oppressors.  ISBN/PRICE: 1 85649 819 0 hbk  GBP45.00/US$65.00; 1 85649 820 4 pbk GBP15.95/US$25.00.  TERRITORIAL RESTRICTIONS: The Zed edition of this title is not for sale in South Africa (ref: University of Cape Town Press) For information on your nearest stockist or to order a copy of this title by post, contact: Mohammed Umar, Zed Books, 7 Cynthia Street, London N1 9JF, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7837 4014;  Fax: +44(0)20 7833 3960; Email:
sales@zedbooks.demon.co.uk

LONG WALK TO FREEDOM by Nelson Mandela  - http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?o=1&l=as1&f=ifr&t=pambazukanews-20&dev- The famously taciturn South African president reveals much of himself in Long Walk to Freedom. A good deal of this autobiography was written secretly while Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years on Robben Island by South Africa's apartheid regime. Among the book's interesting revelations is Mandela's ambivalence toward his lifetime of devotion to public works. It cost him two marriages and kept him distant from a family life he might otherwise have cherished.

MAGIC FAITH AND HEALING MYSTERIES OF AFRICA by A. Manji -   For many indigenous African people, magic still governs the life of the individual and the course of the universe. If you have ever been intrigued by the healing arts of the witchdoctor, this is the book for you. Discover in detail the methods used to cast demons out of the possessed, call spirits from trees, and use medicinal plants to cure physical illnesses. Further details: http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=21254

MANAGING TOWARDS SELF-RELIANCE: ORGANISATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS IN AFRICA Piet Human And Andre Zaaiman http://www.goreeinstitute.org/goreeInstitute/publications.htm How can organisations, managers and directors be efficient in Africa today? Managing towards Self-Reliance presents tools and techniques which enable organisations to function in the complex and often paradoxical environment which surrounds them. The authors discuss the notion of self-reliance, the purpose and the efficiency of organisations, strategic management, human resources and project management. The book is the result of research work done during a pilot training programme held over a year at the Gorée Institute in Senegal, in which over 60 African based organisations participated.

Manual - Peacebuilding Manual for IDP Women Camps (Sudan) - The manual is the product of a project by the IRC's Women in Development program to raise the internal capacity of the IRC's staff in peacebuilding.  The training program was developed after extensive interviews by the author with women living in Sudanese IDP camps.  These interviews served to inform the training program in order to make it more effective and responsive to the training environment.  It includes several customized and cultural-friendly role-plays.  The author is willing to share the lessons learned during this process with anyone interested.
Organization:  International Rescue Committee. Author:  Tag El Khazin.  CONTACT:  Tag El Khazin, Subsahara Center, 1981 Montclair Ave, Gloucester, Ontario,K1W 1H9, Canada. T: 1-613-834 7817, F: 1-613-834 4930.  Email: subsaharagroup@home.com

DEVELOPMENT FILMS AND VIDEOS - Media for Development Trust (MFD) is one of the leading producers and distributors of African film and development communication in Africa south of the Sahara. Established in 1989, MFD is a registered, non-profit social welfare organisation seeking to promote development through communication, particularly through the production and distribution of high quality, socially conscious films and videos that are relevant to an African audience. MFD distribute a wide range of films from all over Africa, produced and directed by distinguished local and international filmmakers, some of which are award winning. They have just finished writing and recording our two-year-long project, the radio serial drama, Mopani Junction. A talented team of 6 young writers put together 104 episodes, with exciting storylines as well as important information about HIV and AIDS. MFD is building a new website at an address which is more snappy and easy to remember. It’s going to be more modern, more colourful and more user-friendly. It’s under construction at www.mfd.co.zw . If you want information now though, visit the current website at www.samara.co.zw/mfd or contact lavinia@mfd.co.zw. For a listing of MFD films, click on the link below. Further details: http://www.pambazuka.org/index.php?id=22419

MGOVLAB.ORG - THE WORLD'S FIRST MOBILE GOVERNMENT SITE - http://mgovlab.iuj.ac.jp/ mGovlab provides top quality resources for Mobile Government Technologies and services. Here you will find among other things news, short articles, forums and a library of online documentation - all on mobile government.

Millennium Development Goals and Monterrey Consensus: From Vision to Action, Zia Qureshi, World Bank - This paper presents an overview of the Global Monitoring Report 2004: Policies and Actions for  Achieving the MDGs and Related Outcomes, prepared jointly by staff of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund for the Development Committee, the joint Ministerial body of the Bank and the Fund, which discussed it at its meeting in Washington, D.C. on April 25, 2004. For an elaboration of the assessments summarized in the paper and supporting sources, the reader should refer to the full report, available at: http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/thematic.htm .  PDF file at:
http://wbln0018.worldbank.org/eurvp/web.nsf/Pages/Paper+by+Qureshi/$File/MOHAMMED+QURESHI.PDF

NGO-IN-A-BOX STARTER BOX - http://www.tectonic.co.za/default.php?action=view&id=290&topic=Linux Twofoxes, a South African company, has announced the release of NGO-in-a-box, the second in its series of open source starter packs. The company says the Open Source construction kits, which can either be downloaded from the website or ordered, contain all the software required for an NGO's operation. Dror Eyal, founder of Twofoxe, says the collections are the starting points for companies wanting to shift to, or start running an Open Source solution. "You will obviously want to tailor them and/or add various bits and pieces to them as per your specific needs. However these kits are the basic building blocks to get you started putting together your Open Source NGO."

OAU Conflict Management Bulletins
http://www.oau-oua.org/document/resolving/resolving%20conflicts%20-%20opening.htm

ON-LINE MENTORING FOR NGOS - http://www.hshr.org/introduction.html On-line human rights questions and answers is a free-of-charge on-line human rights information and NGO development service that provides answers to questions specifically related to human rights concepts, institutions and mechanisms and guidance on strategically addressing human rights violations that an NGO or activist is working to overcome.

PARLIAMENTS - ACTORS IN POVERTY REDUCTION? http://www.gtz.de/prsp/download/parliaments.pdf This paper looks at the role of parliaments in the implementation process of Poverty Reduction Strategies (PRS) in Africa. It describes the complex function of parliaments in national policy making and the way PRS processes have affected this function. It also suggests future approaches for strengthening national parliaments so they can play a productive role in enhancing good national governance.

www.Politicalresources.net/africa.htm : This portal opens a door to all things African, including the Norwegian Council for Africa's must-read Index on Africa

Peace Agreement, LIBERIA: The "Comprehensive Peace Agreement Between the Government of Liberia and the Liberians United for Reconcilation and Democracy (LURD) and the Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) and Political Parties," signed August 18, 2003 can be found on our Library and Links pages at http://www.usip.org/library/pa/liberia/liberia_08182003_toc.html (table of contents, which link to text and annexes).

Peace Education Program: A Report by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees

A POSSIBLE WORLD - Heikki Patomäki And Teivo Teivainen  http://www.zedbooks.co.uk/ As globalization proceeds apace international law, and the scope and powers of international institutions - the United Nations, the Bretton Woods institutions, the World Trade Organization - continue to grow. If democratic values are still an aspiration of the 21st century, then their deficit at international level must be addressed. Patomaki and Teiveinen survey the range of proposals now on the table. Ruling nothing out, they emphasise feasibility. While democratic advances do not come without political mobilization, there is little point mobilizing people for the utopian and unrealizable.

Poverty and Democracy - Self-Help and Political Participation in Third World Cities -  Eds: Dirk Berg-Schlosser & Norbert Kersting, Marburg University -  ISBN/PRICE: 1 84277 204 X hbk GBP50.00/US$75.00 -  1 84277 205 8 pbk GBP16.95/US$29.95 -  PUBLICATION DATE: March 2003 - The first systematic comparative study of the political behaviour and attitudes of the urban poor. A coherent and original exploration of the link between democratic institutions and development.  How can those who are most seriously affected by the ever-widening gap between rich and poor become active in its reduction? Has democratisation improved their chances in this respect? How can donor agencies and non-governmental organisations help? This book focuses on the marginalised populations of Third World countries, living in the slums and squatter areas of large cities. Field research was carried out in four countries - Brazil, Chile, Ivory Coast and Kenya - and involved two cities and four marginalised settlements in each country. A representative survey in each of the 16 settlements, and intensive qualitative interviews in close
cooperation with local groupings and academics, made possible a unique comparative 'view from below'. The results illustrate common factors and
causes, but also the great diversity of political cultures of the 'active poor' and the possibilities for support by international aid agencies and
non-governmental organisations.  Ordering details and order forms for all Zed titles may be found at http://www.zedbooks.demon.co.uk/

Program for the Analysis and Resolution of Conflict/Syracuse University Africa Information Project Wesbsite  http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/Africaweb/ . This site has been set up as a response to an oft-noted problem. People interested in Africa, especially those trying to follow a particular issue or topical concern, unless they are located in a major media center (e.g. NYC, Washington, DC., Los Angeles, etc.), are often at a loss as to where to go to find information and answers to their questions, and with limited informational and educational resources with substantial content.

ReconciliationNet is a website established by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation in South Africa.  The site is dedicated to the study and practice of dealing with the past in countries in transition.  It includes a focus on a number of countries around the world and pays specific attention to commissions and bodies that have been set up to attempt to deal with the past (e.g. truth commissions, commissions of enquiry, tribunals, etc.).  The site has an online library of papers and a host of links to
sites across the world.  Contributions are welcome, as well as suggestions for new material or contacts.  The site is available on
www.reconciliation.org.za

The Situation of Human Rights in Mozambique - This report is based on multi-disciplinary research and gives a general overview of the human rights issues in the country.  It deals with the political and civil rights situation; social, economic and cultural rights; the right to development, peace and environment; and the system of the administration of justice in Mozambique.  This is the first Human Rights Report available in both Portuguese and English (unofficial translation). Organization:   Association of Human Rights and Development (DHD). CONTACT:  Artemisa Franco (Coexistence Network Partner), General Secretary/ Executive Director, C.P 2230, Maputo, Mozambique. T: 285-1-300 116, F: 258-1-311 471; Email: dhdmoz@cfmnet.co.mz or dhdart@cfmnet.co.mz       

"TRADITIONAL CURES FOR MODERN CONFLICTS: AFRICAN CONFLICT MEDICINE" edited by William Zartman (2000, Boulder:  Lynne Rienner Pub, ISBN 1 55587 876 8) compiles & analyzes mechanisms used by different Africa societies (e.g., Xhoso in S. Africa, Oromo of Ethiopia, Dinka of Sudan, the Igbo & Fulani of W Africa) to prevent disputes from escalating, adjudicate land disputes, float grievances, promote dialogue & end wars, including techniques such as rhetoric, ritual affirmation, diplomacy, resort to clan assemblies, truth commissions & traditional law.  A rich, wide-ranging survey.

THE U.S. AND GENOCIDE http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB117/index.htm A new and extensive collection of declassified official documents concerning the genocide in Rwanda has been published by the United States National Security Archive. Click on the link below to access the material.

USING HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE http://www.eldis.org/cf/search/disp/DocDisplay.cfm? Doc=DOC14860&Resource=f1educ This paper explores the potential of Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs) as agents of social, institutional and individual change. It argues that while HLIs have a clear role in building the capacity of individuals and organisations to undertake key development initiatives and to practice participation, they are often restricted by internal and external constraints.

Voices in Exile shows how the rights of refugees in Africa to freedom of expression and information are not adequately safeguarded by the UN and OAU Conventions and are often overridden by political or practical considerations. It cites examples of national authorities and UNHCR limiting refugees' expression or punishing them for speaking out, but also emphasizes the increasingly active role being played by African NGOs in supporting refugee rights. The study looks at refugee law, policies and practice in Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, South Africa, Tanzania, Zaire/DRC and Zimbabwe.  The report identifies a number of problems with the practice governments and international agencies when it comes to refugees exercising their rights to free expression. It calls for a systematic and proactive approach to be taken by governments and international agencies to providing refugees with information - an approach which should include the active participation of refugees themselves.  Voices in Exile describes the threat which refugee media can be perceived as posing to both host and home country governments. It sets out how refugee-run Radio Kwizera in Tanzania was taken over in 1996 by the Tanzanian army, who used it to help with forced repatriation; and how Radio Burundi attempts to jam it.  For more information, contact Jon Lunn on +44 (0)20 7278 9292 or email: press@article19.org .  Article 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression, Lancaster House, 33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH, UK. Tel: +44 (0)20 7278 9292; Fax: +44 (0)20 7713 1356; Email: info@article19.org; Website: www.article19.org

The West Africa Early Warning and Response Network (WARN) The West Africa Network for Peace-building leads the Forum on Early Warning and Early Response ("FEWER") network's early warning and response efforts in West Africa. Countries covered include Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Senegal, Gambia and Guinea Bissau. Regional coverage will be expanded in the medium term. For more information, visit the web site at http://www.fewer.org/wafrica/main.html  or write to Samuel Doe (WANEP) or Wanjiru Mwaura at the FEWER Secretariat. Click for access to the ReliefWeb map of West Africa.

EVALUATION TOOL AVAILABLE ONLINE - http://www.innonet.org/tools Innovation Network's Workstation 2.0 is an online evaluation tool for social change organisations seeking to answer, "What difference are we making?" Nonprofits and funders have used Workstation 2.0 to measure their results, make informed decisions, and create lasting change. Workstation 2.0 consists of three components: 1) Organisational Assessment Tool; 2) Logic Model Builder; and 3) Evaluation Plan Builder. The tool is available at no cost.

WHO REGISTRY PROVIDES FREE ACCESS TO RESEARCH RESULTS - http://www.unwire.org/UNWire/20040405/449_22474.asp Under a new project co-sponsored by the World Health Organisation announced Friday, physicians and researchers across the globe will have free online access to the results of the latest clinical trials in reproductive health, infectious diseases, vaccines and other medical fields. As of Friday, all randomized controlled trials - considered the best way to compare the success of various methods of disease prevention or treatment - that receive approval from the WHO ethics review board will be assigned a number and catalogued under a register set up by WHO and an independent publishing house, London-based Current Controlled Trials Ltd. The International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register will for the first time make readily available research about neglected diseases, many of which disproportionately affect the poor in developing countries.

WHO FIGHTS? WHO CARES? - Edited By Alex De Waal  - http://www.justiceafrica.org/whofights.html Africa faces huge political and humanitarian challenges. Sixteen countries are stricken by war or serious instability; the shadow of genocide looms over central Africa; while natural and man-made disasters threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions of Africans. International structures for peace and security and the delivery of humanitarian assistance have so far failed to prevent enduring crisis across the continent. Hopes of new models for ‘African solutions to African problems’ have suffered severe setbacks in the last few years. The essays in this book address the various challenges faced by Africa.

Special Report: ZIMBABWE AND THE PROSPECTS FOR NONVIOLENT POLITICAL CHANGE. Report was commissioned by the Institute's Research and Studies Program and written by three scholar-analysts currently living and working in Zimbabwe (not named for reasons of personal security). After three years of protracted political crisis and precipitous economic decline, what are the prospects for nonviolent change and societal reconstruction in Zimbabwe? This report examines the obstacles to change and considers the roles of key domestic actors, their strategies, and their interests in a new Zimbabwe. It assesses the current mechanisms for change and potential outcomes. See http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr109.html for the full report, or call 202-429-3832 option one for a copy or copies via post, or email < dbrown@usip.org >, specifying mailing address and report desired. Related: Zimbabwe web links have been updated at Library & Links, see http://www.usip.org/library/regions/zimbabwe.html.