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- New campaign opposes anti-UN bill in Congress
A new website launched by the Better World Campaign, LetUsLead.org, calls on the U.S. Congress to vote down the bill introduced last week by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, which would change the way the country contributes money to the United Nations. The site allows American online visitors to digitally sign a petition for delivery to their congressional representatives. UN Dispatch (9/8)      - Aid groups, artists push Africa famine support
Aid groups are urging increased efforts to combat what some aid officials characterize as the worst famine ever seen in Somalia. African performing artists such as Senegalese singer Youssou N'Dour and Somali rapper K'naan are planning a series of events to raise funds to battle famine across the Horn of Africa. Al-Jazeera (9/7), Al-Jazeera (9/7), Reuters (9/7) - Report: Aid is still tied to doing business with donors
A report published Tuesday by the European Network on Debt and Development says that at least 20% of all bilateral aid remains contingent upon aid recipients buying from companies linked to donor countries despite a pledge 10 years ago to end so-called "tied aid." Such aid conditions increase the costs of development projects and fail to yield sustainable social and economic benefits to developing countries, according to Eurodad, a network of 54 NGOs from 19 European countries. The Guardian (London) (9/7) - Tailoring medical devices to the developing world
A conference in London organized by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is bringing together engineers, health workers, donors and charities to consider groundbreaking medical technologies specifically designed for the developing world. Among the devices are: a nipple shield to block HIV transmission from mothers to breastfeeding children; a motorbike sidecar stretcher; a donkey ambulance; a solar-powered hearing aid; and a stethoscope that can be attached to a cellphone, allowing doctors to monitor patients remotely. The Guardian (London)/Poverty Matters blog (9/8)  | - Fighting malaria in Cameroon
 Excerpts of interviews recount aspects of the involvement by American singer and actress Mandy Moore and a bipartisan group of U.S. congressional staffers in the Nothing But Nets campaign of the United Nations Foundation, as well as the Humpty Dumpty Institute, last month in Cameroon, where they helped distribute mosquito nets in a bid to slow the spread of malaria. "It was emotionally diverse to go from the decorum of the prime minister meetings to something as basic and devastating as being in the presence of kids who have no parents. We helped set up nets on their beds," said Michael Shank, communications director and senior policy adviser to Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif. The Hill (9/7)  | - Sri Lanka's war widows struggle to rebuild
Sri Lanka must do more to help tens of thousands of women widowed during the country's battle with the Tamil Tigers, local women's rights advocates say. Widowed women in the former conflict zone are tasked with rebuilding and providing income for their families, in addition to traditional child care and household responsibilities. AlertNet/Irinnews (9/8) - Uganda forest plan sparks controversy
Ugandan authorities are facing off against opposition politicians and activists over plans to allocate a large section of protected rainforest for sugarcane production. The government argues the plan will create new jobs, but critics charge it would degrade an area rich in biodiversity and endanger hundreds of plant and animal species. IRINNews.org (9/7) - Development experts eye technology for progress
Cellular telephones are a more effective use of technology to promote development in Africa than the Internet as only small percentages of people across the continent have reliable access, development advocates say. Services such as M-Pesa -- which was developed as a way to repay microloans via phone but swiftly changed into an entire banking system -- have helped Africans overcome infrastructure and security challenges. IRINNews.org (9/7)  | - Peacekeepers evaluate role in Haiti
The future of the UN mission in Haiti was slated to be discussed today by representatives of Latin American countries that have deployed more than 12,000 peacekeepers to the country in light of the alleged sexual assault of a teenage boy, apparently captured on cellphone video, by Uruguayan sailors. A string of sex scandals involving peacekeeping missions from Haiti, to Bosnia, to the Democratic Republic of Congo has forced the world body to change the way it handles accusations of trafficking, rape and related crimes. Google/The Associated Press (9/8), The New York Times (tiered subscription model) (9/7) - UN Foundation names press fellows
The United Nations Foundation announced today the names of press fellows who will participate in the 2011 United Nations Foundation Press Fellowship: Global Health, Global Challenges program in New York City. The fellowship will take place during the week of the UN General Assembly to provide the fellows with the latest information on pressing global issues and offer unprecedented access to high-level policymakers and experts. Click here to read the full release from the UN Foundation. - "Let U.S. Lead" campaign launches
While the United States and the United Nations are working together to address some of the most serious issues confronting the world, this vital partnership has come under attack in Congress. Last week, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen introduced anti-UN legislation (H.R. 2829) in Congress that would threaten vital funding to the UN and forfeit American leadership at the United Nations. In response to such a drastic measure, the Better World Campaign announced today the launch of Let U.S. Lead (www.LetUSLead.org) in opposition to H.R. 2829. Click here to read the full release from the Better World Campaign.
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