· October, 2011

Stories about Development from October, 2011

Africa: On Cutting Aid to Countries Violating LGBTI Rights

  29 October 2011

Statement of African social justice activists on the decision of the British government to “cut aid” to African countries that violate the rights of LGBTI people in Africa: “We, the undersigned African social justice activists, working to advance societies that affirm peoples’ differences, choice and agency throughout Africa, express the...

Ukraine: “We Are Europeans”

  29 October 2011

Ordinary Ukrainians are using citizen media and social networks to voice their commitment to European values and organize rallies in support of Ukraine's European orientation. Veronica Khokhlova reports.

East Timor: Investing in Creativity and Culture

  28 October 2011

Barcelona artist David Palazón ended up in East Timor as a break from his career. Now he is coordinating a project to research Timorese culture in hopes of creating a school for the creative industries, to stimulate jobs in the non-oil economy, small businesses, and tourism.

Open Access Africa: Spreading Knowledge, Increasing Collaboration

  28 October 2011

We celebrate Open Access Week with a special focus on Open Access Africa. As the internet lowers the bar for publishing and disseminating information, print-era publishing models still keep African researchers and students separated from colleagues in different countries and their ideas. How has Open Access changed scholarship in Africa?

Sri Lanka: Working Towards Uniting the Nation

  28 October 2011

The 26 year long civil war in Sri Lanka has left many scars and it is an uphill task to bridge all divides and start the reconciliation to unite people. 'Sri Lanka Unites' is engaging the youth across the country to build good leadership with hope and reconciliation who will unite the nation one day.

Tanzania: Who Killed Zinjanthropus?

  27 October 2011

TEDxDar 2011 asks, “Who Killed Zinjanthropus?”: “This year’s TED theme is “storytelling” and from this we have created our central theme for TEDxDar 2011: “Who Killed Zinjanthropus?” With Tanzania approaching its 50 years jubilee of independence, we are using Zinjanthropus – a fossil of early man discovered in Tanzania –...

East Timor: Petition to Keep the Country Debt-Free

  24 October 2011

The Movimento Kontra Deve (Movement Against Debt) and East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) have launched a joint petition to “For a Debt-Free Timor-Leste”. The Government of Timor-Leste is currently free of debt. Despite current substantial income from petroleum resources, the government has announced plans to begin borrowing.

Bangladesh: Protest Against A New Law For Homeless People

  21 October 2011

Faustina Pereira at BRAC Blog protests against a newly promulgated law in Bangladesh which permits forcibly instituting the poor, the shelterless and beggars into “shelter homes” through arrests, and attempts to leave the shelter homes would be a punishable offence. An online petition has also been put up and more...

Brazil: Belo Monte Dam Case Comes to Court

  21 October 2011

The Brazilian justice system has provided new fuel to the protesting voices against the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant, after its construction begun in June 2011. A lawsuit filed in 2006 by the state of Pará was brought to court on October 17.

El Salvador's School Food Program

  19 October 2011

Colleen O'Brien, from the blog Locavore del Mundo, writes about El Salvador's school food program: “The Ministry of Education has recently announced that this new school feeding program to be a success (mission accomplished?), but apparently many schools are not receiving nearly enough food.”

Macedonia: Blog Action Day Entries About Food

  17 October 2011

Macedonian bloggers, who have joined this year's Blog Action Day, include Dzamski, who wrote [mk, en] about the ongoing campaigns to raise awareness about the socio-economic roots of the famine problem; Greener stressed the importance of making healthy choices; while Jovana Tozija warned about the consumerist abuse of the term...