Archive for October, 2008

Chasing Pavements

October 19, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

Ichasing pavements

I’ve made up my mind
Don’t need to think it over
If I’m wrong I am right
Don’t need to look no further
This ain’t lust
I know this is love, but

If I tell the world
I’ll never say enough
‘Cause it was not said to you
And that’s exactly what I need to do
If I’m in love with you

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

I’d build myself up
And fly around in circles
Waitin’ as my heart drops
And my back begins to tingle
Finally could this be it?

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere, yeah

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep on chasing pavements?
Should I just keep on chasing pavements?

Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere
Or would it be a waste?
Even if I knew my place
Should I leave it there?
Should I give up
Or should I just keep chasing pavements?
Even if it leads nowhere

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How Asian Migrant Women Are Vulnerable

October 11, 2008 · Filed under Uncategorized

Global Challenges | Panel Discusses How Asian Migrant Women Are Vulnerable
to HIV
[Oct 10, 2008]

      Although Asian migrant women working in Arab countries generate
significant economic benefits for both their home and host countries, many
of them are at risk of HIV because of the unsafe conditions under which they
migrate and live, according to a panel of experts organized by the United
Nations Development Programme Regional Center in
Colombo,
Sri Lanka , The Hindureports.
According to the panelists — which included senior government
officials and representatives of civil society in Lebanon , the Philippines
and Sri Lanka ; representatives of key diplomatic missions in Sri Lanka; U.N.
officials; and migrant welfare organizations — it is critical that the HIV
vulnerabilities of this demographic are addressed so that the economic gains
of both home and host countries, as well as the health and rights of migrant
women, are protected.

Ajay Chhibber, assistant secretary-general and director of UNDP’s Regional
Bureau for Asia and the Pacific , said that women
account for 43% of the 54 million people who at any given time are on the
move within Asia and to destinations outside the region. “Women often
migrate under unsafe conditions, live under very difficult circumstances,
and can be targets of sexual exploitation and violence,” Chhibber said,
adding, “With little or no access to health services and social protection,
these factors can make them highly vulnerable to HIV.” He said that an
increasing number of migrant workers from Asia who have contracted HIV in
various host countries in recent years have been deported, which causes
economic loss for the workers and their families. According to Chhibber,
“There is a need for strategic national, regional and international action
to ensure safe movement and access to HIV programs for migrants and mobile
populations.” In addition, Chhibber said that addressing the HIV
vulnerabilities of migrants is key to achieving universal access to
treatment and the U.N. Millennium Development
Goals ‘
aim of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

* UNDP Releases Summary of HIV Vulnerabilities Among Migrant Women *
During the round table, an executive summary of a UNDP study — titled “HIV
Vulnerabilities Faced by Women Migrants: From Asia to the Arab States” –
also was released. According to Caitlin Wiesen, UNDP’s HIV/AIDS regional
program coordinator and practice leader, although migrant women are among
the most vulnerable to HIV, it is important to emphasize the fact that the
conditions under which people migrate — such as being separated from
families and social support systems — rather than the actual act of
migration are what make women vulnerable to contracting the virus. Wiesen
said, “Women, particularly domestic workers , are among the most vulnerable.
They experience basic rights violations, in terms of pay and conditions of
work. Many respondents reported physical violence, verbal and sexual abuse.”

Malu Marin — study coordinator and director of the nongovernmental
organization ACHIEVE, which works for migrants’ welfare in the Philippines
– said that restricting the movement of female migrants would force
migration underground and increase women’s risk of exploitation and HIV
transmission. Marin added that in some cases, domestic workers are tested
for HIV without consent and counseling and are deported if they are found to
be HIV-positive. “This needs to change in favor of a migrant-friendly
testing policy,” Marin said.

According to The Hindu, the study recommends dialogue and coordination
between ministries of health , labor, foreign affairs and social welfare in
both countries of origin and destination to reduce vulnerabilities of HIV,
as well as facilitation of multi-country negotiations between origin and
host countries. The Hindu reports that the study examines HIV-susceptibility
among female migrants from Bangladesh , Pakistan , the Philippines and Sri
Lanka to Bahrain, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates and explores ways to
address their HIV risks without compromising their right to movement and
livelihood. The study was based on research comprising more than 500
interviews over nine months using focus group discussions and key informant
interviews with migrant workers; senior officials of the ministries of
health , labor and foreign bureaus of employment; embassy officials; service
providers; and recruitment agencies in both origin and host countries (The
Hindu, 10/9).

The executive summary of the study is available
online:
http://www2.undprcc.lk/resource_centre/rcc_publications.php ..

–
Rachel M Jacobson
Program Director
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS
www.iAIDS.org | www.youthaidscoalition.org

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World Bank Film Contest on Climate Change: Vulnerability Exposed

October 5, 2008 · Filed under Environment

GRAB YOUR CAMERA AND START FILMING NOW!

“Vulnerability Exposed: Social Dimensions of Climate Change” is a competition of 2-5 minute documentaries that highlight the social aspects of climate change as experienced and/or observed by film-makers around the world. They hope to receive submissions which creatively showcase the implications of climate change for conflict, migration, urban space, rural institutions, drylands, social policy, indigenous peoples, gender, governance, forests and/or human rights.

WIN A TRIP TO WASHINGTON, D.C.
Competition open to everyone
Submission Deadline: October 24, 2008. 11:59 (US ET)

There are two award categories: 1) Social Dimensions of Climate Change Award (general category) and 2) Young Voices of Climate Change Award (youth category). The general category is open to everyone; the youth category is open to entries submitted by filmmakers who are under 24 years old. Award winners will be chosen through a combination of public voting and a judging panel.

The award winners will be invited to Washington, DC to screen their film and attend a series of networking and learning events organized by the Social Development Department, World Bank. The tentative schedule of events to be organized for the award winners includes: awards ceremony, film showcase event, cocktail reception, career development workshop, and seminar series on the Social Dimensions of Climate Change.

SUBMIT YOUR FILM TODAY!
Post your film on YouTube and fill out the online Registration Form at http://www.worldbank.org/sdccfilmcontest

Can’t post your film on YouTube? Send a compressed .wmv or quicktime file to socialdevelopment@worldban

k.org. Slow Internet connection? Mail a DVD of your film to the Social Development Department:
Social Development Department
The World Bank
MSN: MC5-800
1818 H Street NW
Washington DC 20011
USA

GOT QUESTIONS?
Send an email to: socialdevelopment@worldbank.org

MORE INFORMATION
Visit http://www.worldbank.org/sdccfilmcontest

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Global Challenges | HIV Cases Increasing Among Women, MSM in Rural China,

October 3, 2008 · Filed under Health & HIV · Tagged

Global Challenges | HIV Cases Increasing Among Women, MSM in Rural China,
Study Says
[Oct 03, 2008]

      The number of HIV/AIDS cases among men who have sex with men has
increased eightfold during the past few years in areas of China, according
to a study published recently in the journal Nature,
Reutersreports.
The study also found that the proportion of women in their
reproductive years who are HIV-positive has doubled during the past 10
years. According to researchers, this indicates that HIV/AIDS is moving from
high-risk groups to the general population.

The study said that there were about 700,000 HIV/AIDS cases in China as of
October 2007 — an 8% increase compared with 2006. Researchers focused the
study on China’s Yunnan province, which borders Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam
and has a history of opium and heroin trade. HIV/AIDS cases also have been
concentrated among injection drug users in Yunnan, according to Reuters. The
researchers examined 3.2 million blood samples taken between 1989 and 2006
in Yunnan.

According to the study, about 37.5% of cases in 2006 were transmitted
through heterosexual contact. HIV/AIDS cases among MSM increased from 0.4%
in 2005 to 3.3% in 2007, according to the study. The study showed that women
now comprise 35% of HIV/AIDS cases in Yunnan, compared with 7.1% in 1996.
According to the researchers, the fact that 90% of women living with HIV are
of child-bearing age makes it “likely to translate into more vertical
transmission from mother to child.”

Cases involving IDUs decreased to 40% in 2006 from 100% in 1989. “HIV/AIDS
is spreading beyond the high-risk populations, largely due to increased
transmission through sexual contact,” researcher Zhang Linqi, director of
the AIDS Research Center in Beijing, said, adding, “It implies that HIV/AIDS
is not only a disease that affects high-risk populations but the general
population alike.”

Zhang said that the changing demography of people living with HIV “makes
treatment and vaccine development even more challenging” because there are
different strains of the virus circulating in the region. He added that
prevention strategies that have been proven successful should be increased
(Tan, Reuters, 10/1).

–
Rachel M Jacobson
Program Director
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS
www.iAIDS.org | www.youthaidscoalition.org

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