The Municipality of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) are inviting submissions for 'Best Practice' for the 2004 Dubai International Award. Previous submitters are also encouraged to submit updates of their best practices for eventual inclusion in the database. Contact [email protected] for submission guidelines. Best Practices are initiatives which have made outstanding contributions to improving the quality of life in cities and communities around the world. The original call for Best Practices was launched in 1995 during preparations for the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) as a means of identifying what works in improving living conditions on a sustainable basis.

WLP is an international, non-governmental organisation (NGO) established to advance communication and cooperation among the women of the world in order to protect human rights, facilitate sustainable development, and promote peace. WLP's programs promote women's leadership and participation in civil society, and women's equal engagement in the production and exchange of information and resources worldwide. Towards these aims, WLP has established programs in collaboration with local partner NGOs in 12 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. WLP provides multimedia training materials, equipment, and other tools to its partner organisations as part of our strategy to advance women's involvement in critical decision making processes.

Twenty-six-year-old Lucia stands confidently in front of a class of about 30 children aged between 12 and 18, asking them a series of direct questions about sexual practices, sexual transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS. Lucia (not her real name) belongs to Kindlimuka (meaning "wake up" in Ronga, a local language), a non-profit association of people living with, or supporting those with HIV/AIDS. Lucia is HIV-positive. She has participated in training to give lessons to pupils aged 13 to 18 in a UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) supported project, which began five years ago.