south africa: Eleven million SA children live in poverty

Contributor
May 29, 2003

An estimated 11-million children younger than 18 were living in poverty last year, according to a study by the Children's Institute of the University of Cape Town. The university said in a statement released on Monday, the beginning of Child Protection Week, that poverty, child abuse and violence and HIV/Aids were the major challenges facing children in South Africa.

South Africa

south africa: Johannesburg: nightmarish future or potential model of inclusive urban

Contributor
May 29, 2003

Built on the sweat of black migrant workers, Johannesburg is synonymous with social fragmentation, environmental degradation, violent crime and rampant consumerism alongside grinding poverty. How is the city reinventing itself in post-apartheid South Africa? What can it teach other divided cities similarly struggling to promote political, economic and social justice?

South Africa

South Africa: Swedish-SA Fund to support SMME's

Contributor
May 29, 2003

According to Business Day, the small, medium and micro enterprise (SMME) sector has received a shot in the arm from the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Department of Trade and Industry. They have put in seed funding for the sector to the tune of R32 million and R5 million respectively. The initiative is part of the Swedish-SA Business Partnership Fund and its strategy to provide access to finance for SMMEs.

South Africa

South Africa: The European Union gives R40mn to poverty relief

Contributor
May 29, 2003

The Daily Dispatch reports that the European Union (EU) has made available R40mn for poverty relief projects in the Eastern Cape. The Mvula Trust will administer the programme that will target 100 projects in 50 communities. Depending on the successful implementation of the programme, a second phase is on the cards, which will increase total funding to R100 million. The programme will focus on several designated district municipalities, and projects will be aligned with local government in...read more

South Africa

southern africa: Institute calls for Aids action plan

Contributor
May 29, 2003

One of the greatest threats to the realisation of child rights in South Africa and in sub-Saharan Africa is the HIV/Aids pandemic, the University of Cape Town's Children's Institute said on Tuesday. "The illness and death of adults as a result of HIV/Aids has a profound impact on the survival, development and protection of children in South Africa," the institute said.

MALAWI: Little improvement in human rights - report

Contributor
May 22, 2003

Although Malawi is making some progress towards improving its human rights, the areas of education, health, freedom of expression and women's rights remain problematic, says a new report by the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC).

Malawi

Seed Grant and Small Innovative Projects Fund

Contributor
May 22, 2003

The Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) has announced its Seed Grant and Small Innovative Projects Fund (SGSIP Fund) for the year 2003. Supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), GKP invites project proposals for pilot projects or from new or ongoing small-scale initiatives, not exceeding US$25,000, with a focus on developing countries.

south africa: SA pins hopes on loveLife

Contributor
May 22, 2003

They are young and gorgeous, dressed scantily, if at all, and with sex on the brain. When not unbuckling belts, rolling in bed, entwining legs and sliding hands towards nether regions, they are talking about sex. And they are everywhere. On billboards and television, in newspapers and magazines, suffusing South Africa with what resembles a racy advertising campaign for Coca-Cola or Levis. In fact this is an HIV/Aids prevention campaign, one of the most audacious and controversial to be att...read more

South Africa

zimbabwe: Teachers Ordered to Go Back to Work

Contributor
May 22, 2003

The Labour Court ruled the week that the 12-day strike by teachers is illegal and ordered all the strikers to report back to work within 48 hours. Most teachers across Zimbabwe have been on strike since schools re-opened for the second term on 8 May.

Zimbabwe

africa: ngos reject us patent proposal

Contributor
May 22, 2003

A United States proposal on Intellectual Property Rights, Innovation and Public Health at the 56th World Assembly asserts that strengthening intellectual property (IP) protection is the best way to stimulate investments in R&D. But this assertion disregards mounting evidence to the contrary: the emerging global consensus that the current system of IP protection is failing to stimulate R&D for diseases of the poor.

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