Pambazuka News 499: New technologies and the threat to sovereignty in Africa

With India's role as 'pharmacy to the developing world' seriously threatened by a free trade agreement to be signed with the European Union in December, the fate of cheap or free antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV and AIDS hangs in balance. At the next EU-India free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations, due to be held 6 -8 October in the Indian capital, Europe is expected to push for TRIPS-plus provisions that major non-government organisations such as Medicins Sans Frontieres ...read more

The United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence against Women (UN Trust Fund) has announced US$10 million in grants to 13 initiatives in 18 countries. The grants complete the UN Trust Fund’s 14th grant - making cycle of 2009, delivering a total of US$20.5 million for 26 projects in 33 countries and territories.

The Egyptian Organisation for Human Rights (EOHR) has expressed its condemnation on the closing of the transmission of El Badr channel by the Egyptian government. It considers this act to be a violation of the right to freedom of expression and opinion, which is guaranteed by the Egyptian Constitution and International Convention of Human Rights. On 1 October 2010, the Egyptian satellite company Nilesat shut down the transmission of El Badr channel and thus violated the previously agreed-upon...read more

As the Senior Program Specialist, you will identify critical research issues; assist in developing the research strategy; and take the lead in developing, managing, monitoring and evaluating a portfolio of research projects. In particular, you will develop programs related to health information systems and primary health care focusing on Africa.

The Bank Information Centre (BIC) has made available a new toolkit for civil society on how to access information at the World Bank. The resource is available for download as a .PDF from BIC's website.

Pages