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Showing posts for "Governance"

New From CFR: Joshua Kurlantzick on Democracy’s Woes

by Development Channel Staff
Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) exchanges documents with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, March 22, 2013 (Sergei Karpukhin/Courtesy Reuters). Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) exchanges documents with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony at the Kremlin in Moscow, March 22, 2013 (Sergei Karpukhin/Courtesy Reuters).

In an interview and op-ed last week, CFR fellow Joshua Kurlantzick analyzes the setbacks facing democracy as autocratic powers such as China and Russia advance their own political philosophies in the developing world. As he argues in the interview: Read more »

New From CFR: Joshua Kurlantzick on the China Model and Shannon O’Neil on Mexico’s Economy

by Development Channel Staff
China's newly elected Premier Li Keqiang (L) shakes hands with Wen Jiabao as China's President Xi Jinping and other delegates clap during the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, March 15, 2013 (Courtesy Reuters). China's newly elected Premier Li Keqiang (L) shakes hands with Wen Jiabao as China's President Xi Jinping and other delegates clap during the fifth plenary meeting of the first session of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, March 15, 2013 (Courtesy Reuters).

In two recent pieces, CFR fellows weigh political and economic developments in a pair of emerging giants: China and Mexico. In an excerpt on TheAtlantic.com from his recently released book, Democracy in Retreat, CFR fellow Joshua Kurlantzick analyzes the appeal to developing countries of China’s development model. As he writes: Read more »

New From CFR: Ask CFR Experts

by Development Channel Staff
A civil society activist wearing a mask with the face of Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich takes part in a street protest against the participation of Ukraine in the Eurasian Customs Union held outside the Presidential administration building in Kiev, December 17, 2012 (Anatolii Stepanov/Courtesy Reuters). A civil society activist wearing a mask with the face of Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovich takes part in a street protest against the participation of Ukraine in the Eurasian Customs Union held outside the Presidential administration building in Kiev, December 17, 2012 (Anatolii Stepanov/Courtesy Reuters).

Last month, the Council on Foreign Relations introduced a new feature, Ask CFR Experts, that invites the public to submit questions to CFR scholars. In today’s answer, CFR’s Terra Lawson-Remer proposes ways for international organizations to bolster civil society groups in developing countries. As she explains: Read more »

Emerging Voices: Julie Fisher on Democratization NGOs and Loyal Opposition

by Development Channel Staff
Aids activists protest against the slow roll-out of antiretroviral drugs by the South African government in Cape Town on November 4, 2004 (Mike Hutchings/Courtesy Reuters). AIDS activists protest against the slow roll-out of antiretroviral drugs by the South African government in Cape Town on November 4, 2004 (Mike Hutchings/Courtesy Reuters).

Emerging Voices features regular contributions from scholars and practitioners highlighting new research, thinking, and approaches to development challenges. This article is from Julie Fisher, a current associate and retired program officer of the Kettering Foundation whose book, Importing Democracy: The Role of NGOs in South Africa, Tajikstan and Argentina, will be released by the end of March. Here, she discusses how democratization NGOs can bolster civil society and government accountability by strengthening a country’s loyal opposition.

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

by Terra Lawson-Remer
High rise buildings are seen behind a slum in Mumbai on April 28, 2009 (Arko Datta/Courtesy Reuters). High rise buildings are seen behind a slum in Mumbai on April 28, 2009 (Arko Datta/Courtesy Reuters).

This series has argued that human rights and good governance are critical aspects of global development, as both an end in themselves and as a means to an end. The examination of potential human rights and governance goals, targets, and indicators for the emerging post-2015 global development framework reveals three main insights.

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

by Terra Lawson-Remer
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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Global Goals for Human Rights and Governance After 2015: Part VII

by Terra Lawson-Remer
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: Ban Ki-moon’s Views and the G-20′s Role

by Development Channel Staff

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
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
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.

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