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Andrew’s Recent Keepers

admin — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 04:00:38 +0000

William Saletan marvels:

What you see in Giffords is what researchers are learning about the mind. right now, at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, 30,000 humans are swarming around the Washington, D.C., convention center, exchanging the latest discoveries about neurons, receptors, and circuits. what they’re finding everywhere is plasticity. The brain isn’t built once. It rebuilds itself, day after day, editing a network of 100 trillion synapses that absorb, represent, and manage experience. It makes us who we are. and, when necessary, it remakes us. just ask Gabby Giffords.

Moving video of Gifford's incredible recovery here.

Andrew’s Recent Keepers

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Reuters AlertNet – Empowering & Protecting Adolescent Girls in Haiti

admin — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 00:00:20 +0000

Contact: Peggy Atherlay, AmeriCares203-658-9626; patherlay@AmeriCares.orgContact: Diane Rubino, Population Council212-339-0617; drubino@popcouncil.org New York, NY — the Haiti Adolescent Girls Network, a coalition of humanitarian organizations cofounded by AmeriCares and the Population Council, today received high level recognition for its efforts to reduce girls’ risks of poverty, violence and rape. the Network’s exemplary collaboration and commitment to empower and protect Haitian girls was featured during the opening plenary session of the 2010 Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting held in New York City.the innovative program was launched with leadership support from Nike Foundation, Abundance Foundation, NoVo Foundation, United Nations Foundation and Partridge Trust.the earthquake that shattered Haiti in last January left more than 3.7 million Haitians in need of humanitarian assistance. the quake not only leveled buildings, but damaged already weak institutions and exacerbated the acute challenges facing women and children stemming from decades of political insecurity and recurrent natural disasters in that country. the earthquake orphaned thousands of children and separated thousands more from their parents.Prior to the earthquake, 42% of girls in urban areas aged 10-14 years old lived without parents. the numbers have increased since January leaving girls as young as 10 to provide for their younger siblings.With so much responsibility thrust upon them at such a young age, the girls are at risk of not finishing school and being caught in the cycle of poverty. even worse, living in displacement camps and slums, girls are now especially vulnerable to violence.A recent survey conducted by INURED, a local Haitian research organization, reported that 14% of the residents of Port-au-Prince’s largest shantytown, Cite Soleil, witnessed or experienced violence, including beatings and rape. the study also reported that it is common for girls living in relief camps to resort to trading sex for food and shelter.the Haiti Adolescent Girls Network is spearheading a movement to bring groups of at-risk girls together at least weekly in dedicated girls-only, safe spaces. “we are empowering adolescent girls to secure their rights and health, receive psychological support, continue their education and find safe and productive livelihoods. as their future is reconfigured so are the families they support and the communities in which they live,” said Judith Bruce, Senior Associate and Policy Analyst at the Population Council.the Haiti Adolescent Girls Network was founded on the possibility that even in times of violence and tragedy, the most extraordinary results can be achieved through collaboration and a common vision. the organizations in the Network are committed to increasing awareness among humanitarian responders and service providers about the distinctive and critical needs of adolescent girls in the post-earthquake Haiti.“Having a diverse group of local and international organizations come together with a shared vision is incredibly powerful. we invite others to join this collaborative effort. Together we can reduce risk and create opportunity for girls, and put them at the forefront of building back a better Haiti,” Curt Welling, President and CEO of AmeriCares, said.########

Reuters AlertNet – Empowering & Protecting Adolescent Girls in Haiti

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GOING GLOBAL – EAST MEETS WEST – ARTICLES OF INTEREST: March 19-23 …

Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:00:23 +0000

Annual meeting of the IDB in Cancun March 19-23, 2010

In 2010, the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) to carry out its annual meeting from March 19 to 23 in Cancun, Mexico.
The event shall be attended by senior authorities of the 48 members’ countries of the IDB, including minister of finances and presidents of central banks, to discuss the future operations of the institution and the development challenges facing by Latin America and the Caribbean.

Representatives of other multilateral financial institutions, development organisms and private banks, shall also participate of the meeting.

The event shall take place within the framework of the 51st annual meeting of the Governors Assembly of the IDB, the highest authority on political decision of the entity; as it was confirmed by the multilateral agency.

http://www.iadb.org/aboutus/
“The World Bank’s board on Thursday approved a $65 million grant to Haiti for restoring key central bank and finance ministry functions, and essential infrastructure”

Friday March 19, 2010

Donors plan to put up $3.8 bln for Haiti rebuilding

SANTO DOMINGO (AFP) – International donors are aiming to provide $3.8 billion over 18months to help Haiti rebuild after its Jan. 12 earthquake, according to officials and experts preparing a high-level donors conference.

(Children wait for the beginning of their class in a make shift school at the slum of Cite-Soleil in Port-au-Prince March 18, 2010).

The initial short-term target figure came in a statement released late on Wednesday after a two-day meeting in the Dominican Republic of representatives of Haiti’s government, donor nations, multilateral lenders, U.N. agencies and aid groups.

The preparatory meeting, ahead of a scheduled March 31 donors conference in New York, set out the broad outlines of a reconstruction strategy for the Caribbean nation whose economy and infrastructure were decimated by the quake.

The government of Haiti, the poorest state in the Western Hemisphere, says at least 222,570 people and possibly more than 300,000 were killed in what some experts are calling the deadliest natural disaster of modern times.

“Donors are committing to provide $3.8 billion to finance the reconstruction and recovery of Haiti’s priority needs, over a period of 18 months, as indicated in the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA),” said the statement from the joint chairmen of the Santo Domingo experts’ meeting.

Dominican Republic President Leonel Fernandez and Haitian Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive chaired the two days of discussions that brought together 40 nations and institutions.

The World Bank’s director for the Caribbean, Yvonne Tsikata, described $3.8 billion as an “initial figure” contained in the PDNA document draft.

“It’s a short-term target. It’s work in progress,” she said in a conference call with reporters. she said concrete commitments by donors would be made at the one-day “pledging conference” in New York on March 31.

The Santo Domingo meeting also announced a planned commitment to give Haiti’s government an additional $350 million in direct budgetary support for 2010.

The World Bank’s board on Thursday approved a $65 million grant to Haiti for restoring key central bank and finance ministry functions, and essential infrastructure.

To manage the long-term reconstruction, the experts in Santo Domingo proposed the creation of a Multi-Donors Trust Fund (MDTF) to be administered by a steering committee jointly formed by the Haitian government and donors. the World Bank would supervise operation of the fund.

In the report that it presented to the Santo Domingo meeting, Haiti’s government assessed the damage caused by the quake at more than $7.7 billion dollars. it estimated a total of $11.5 billion would be needed for reconstruction.

SUPPORT FOR DEBT FORGIVENESS

Speaking in an interview with reporters, Inter-American Development Bank head Luis Moreno said on Thursday there was also wide support among donor countries to cancel about $1.2 billion in debts on Haiti’s books.

“Most of our shareholders have expressed a desire to do a debt relief of the outstanding amount owed by Haiti, of which the IADB has $441 million,” Moreno said. He spoke ahead of the annual meetings of the IADB in Cancun, Mexico, this weekend.

Despite concerns about levels of government corruption in Haiti, which have stymied past aid efforts, the administration of Haitian President Rene Preval has insisted it should have the ultimate say in the reconstruction of the country.

Preval said on Tuesday that the Haitian presidency should have veto power over any reconstruction projects. He has angrily described as “arrogant” U.S. State Department allegations of widespread corruption in his government.

His irritation has threatened to sour ties with Haiti’s main quake relief partner, the United States, which has sent thousands of soldiers, doctors and aid workers to help.

Two former U.S. presidents, bill Clinton, named by the United Nations as coordinator of the international relief effort, and George W. Bush, will visit Haiti on Monday.

The experts’ statement said the donors fund would seek to ease pressure on the overcrowded and wrecked capital Port-au-Prince by supporting development outside of it. it would also seek to strengthen the private sector.

The document added that a commitment to good governance and transparency by the Haitian government was essential.

Occupying the western half of the island of Hispaniola, the former French colony of Haiti won independence in 1804 through a slave revolt and has had a history of uprisings, coups, dictatorships, poverty and social upheaval.

The statement stipulated “a commitment to hold elections in Haiti as soon as possible to avoid a political vacuum.”

Preval has said he would not seek to extend his term beyond its scheduled conclusion on Feb. 11, 2011, and says he is confident that legislative elections — originally scheduled for Feb. 28 — can be reorganized in good time.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/3/19/worldupdates/2010-03-19T061626Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-470413-1&sec=Worldupdates

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GOING GLOBAL – EAST MEETS WEST – ARTICLES OF INTEREST: March 19-23 …