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Development Channel

Issues and innovations in global economic development

New From CFR: Foreign Affairs on the Millennium Development Goals

by Development Channel Staff Thursday, February 28, 2013
A man pushes his bicycle loaded with harvested grass in Mchinji, Malawi on April 21, 2008 (Siphiwe Sibeko/Courtesy Reuters). A man pushes his bicycle loaded with harvested grass in Mchinji, Malawi on April 21, 2008 (Siphiwe Sibeko/Courtesy Reuters).

In the March/April 2013 issue of Foreign Affairs, development scholar John McArthur, a former manager of the UN Millennium Project, reviews the history of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and takes stock of their progress. As he writes: Read more »

New From CFR: Thomas Bollyky on Big Data and Global Health

by Development Channel Staff Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Cancer patients sit in a chemotherapy ward while receiving treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana on April 24, 2012 (Olivier Asselin/Courtesy Reuters). Cancer patients sit in a chemotherapy ward while receiving treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana on April 24, 2012 (Olivier Asselin/Courtesy Reuters).

Last week, CFR senior fellow Thomas Bollyky published an Expert Brief analyzing the impact of the new Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study, which measures levels of disease and other health phenomena around the world. He argues that while the study is unlikely to shift the priorities of health donors, GBD data can provide useful guidance as countries grapple with the growing threat of noncommunicable diseases. As he writes: Read more »

Global Goals for Human Rights and Governance After 2015: Part VIII

by Terra Lawson-Remer Monday, February 25, 2013
A girl stands in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) on the outskirts of Belet Weyne, about 315 km (196 miles) from Somalia's capital Mogadishu on February 20, 2013, in this picture provided by the African Union-United Nations Information Support (AU-UN IST) team (Tobin Jones/Courtesy Reuters). A girl stands in a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP) on the outskirts of Belet Weyne, about 315 km (196 miles) from Somalia's capital Mogadishu on February 20, 2013, in this picture provided by the African Union-United Nations Information Support (AU-UN IST) team (Tobin Jones/Courtesy Reuters).

As discussed in previous blog posts in this series, good governance and human rights are central aspects of global development. Fundamental to human freedom, these objectives are both an end in themselves and a means to an end, and should be included in the post-2015 global development agenda. In this regard, guaranteeing Civil Rights, Political Rights, and Personal Security is a critical development goal.

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Emerging Voices: Anne Heyman on Making Development Projects Sustainable

by Development Channel Staff Friday, February 22, 2013
general view of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda's Eastern Province (Courtesy Anne Heyman). A general view of the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda's Eastern Province (Courtesy Anne Heyman).

Emerging Voices features regular contributions from scholars and practitioners highlighting new research, thinking, and approaches to development challenges. This article is from Anne Heyman, chair of the board of directors at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda. Here, she discusses the importance of hiring and training local staff and partners in order to ensure the sustainability of development projects.

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Global Goals for Human Rights and Governance After 2015: Part VII

by Terra Lawson-Remer Thursday, February 21, 2013
Nepalese women take part in a protest against what they say is an increase in violence against women, and demanding the government to implement stronger laws and to take firm action against violence on women, outside the Prime Minister's official residence in Kathmandu January 7, 2013 (Navesh Chitrakar/Courtesy Reuters). Nepalese women take part in a protest against what they say is an increase in violence against women, and demanding the government to implement stronger laws and to take firm action against violence on women, outside the Prime Minister's official residence in Kathmandu January 7, 2013 (Navesh Chitrakar/Courtesy Reuters).

As discussed in previous blog posts in this series, good governance and human rights are central aspects of global development.  Fundamental to human freedom, these objectives are both an end in themselves and a means to an end, and should be included in the post-2015 global development agenda. In this regard, guaranteeing Civil Rights, Political Rights, and Personal Security is a critical development goal.

Read more »

New From CFR: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon on Entrepreneurship and Poverty Reduction

by Development Channel Staff Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Members of a sewing circle run by woman entrepreneurs pose with garments in the town of Fungurume, Democratic Republic of the Congo, January 30, 2013 (Jonny Hogg/Courtesy Reuters). Members of a sewing circle run by woman entrepreneurs pose with garments in the town of Fungurume, Democratic Republic of the Congo, January 30, 2013 (Jonny Hogg/Courtesy Reuters).

In an article in the Huffington Post, CFR fellow Gayle Tzemach Lemmon highlights the poverty-fighting potential of entrepreneurship, especially among women. As she writes:

All around the world, and in the countries and provinces and neighborhoods held captive by some of the most entrenched and toughest to battle poverty, women and men turn to business to feed their families… In the process many are doing much more than surviving. Read more »

New From CFR: Ban Ki-moon’s Views and the G-20′s Role

by Development Channel Staff Friday, February 15, 2013

This week CFR hosted two events on issues relevant to the global development landscape. On Monday, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon delivered the Sorensen Distinguished Lecture on the United Nations (available in video, audio, and transcript form). He focused in part on the struggle to build inclusive democracy in Syria and across the Middle East. As he argued: Read more »

New From CFR: John Campbell on Diamonds in Zimbabwe and Immunization in Nigeria

by Development Channel Staff Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Volunteer Health officials wait to immunize children at a school in Nigeria's capital of Abuja, February 1, 2010 (Afolabi Sotunde/Courtesy Reuters). Volunteer Health officials wait to immunize children at a school in Nigeria's capital of Abuja, February 1, 2010 (Afolabi Sotunde/Courtesy Reuters).

This week on his blog, CFR senior fellow John Campbell has highlighted two major African concerns: resource wealth and immunization. He first explores the question of what is happening to the income generated by Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields. As he writes: Read more »

Global Goals for Human Rights and Governance After 2015: Part VI

by Terra Lawson-Remer Tuesday, February 12, 2013
illagers pose with their identity cards as they stand in line to open a bank account at a camp organised by a private bank in a village at Ajmer in the desert Indian state of Rajasthan on January 10, 2013 (Courtesy Reuters). Villagers pose with their identity cards as they stand in line to open a bank account at a camp organized by a private bank in a village at Ajmer in the desert Indian state of Rajasthan on January 10, 2013 (Courtesy Reuters).

As discussed in previous blog posts in this series, good governance and human rights are essential to human well-being, and should be included in the post-2015 global development agenda. Rule of law and access to justice are linchpins of these concepts.

Read more »

Emerging Voices: Amit Chandra on New Challenges for the Global Health Agenda

by Development Channel Staff Monday, February 11, 2013
Medical supplies are seen at the Malualbai Primary Health Care Center in Malualbai, in the South Sudanese state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, June 3, 2012 (Adriane Ohanesian/Courtesy Reuters). Medical supplies are seen at the Malualbai Primary Health Care Center in Malualbai, in the South Sudanese state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal, June 3, 2012 (Adriane Ohanesian/Courtesy Reuters).

Emerging Voices features regular contributions from scholars and practitioners highlighting new research, thinking, and approaches to development challenges. This article is from Amit Chandra, an emergency physician and global health specialist who recently completed a two year post as faculty at the University of Botswana School of Medicine. Here, he assesses changes in the global health landscape and urges efforts to build overall health systems alongside disease-specific initiatives.

Read more »