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KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE RESOURCES

HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

This page was updated on: 01/12/10

2006

Human Development Key Publications and Online Resources Archives: 2010; 2009; 2008; 2007; 2005; 2004; 2003; 2002

 

Securing Equality, Engendering Peace: A guide to policy and planning on women, peace and security  
(UN-INSTRAW, September 2006)
This guide was developed for governments, UN and regional organizations, and NGOs. It focuses on the creation of action plans related to women, peace and security (WPS), and presents good practices, specific recommendations and a six-step model process. The guide.

Property Ownership & Inheritance Rights of Women for Social Protection-The South Asia EXPERIENCE
(International Center for Research on Women (ICRW), 2006)
The International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) has released this report, which links South Asian women's home ownership with decreased risk for domestic violence. The report.

The unresolved land reform debate: Beyond state-led or market-led models

(UNDP International Poverty Centre, November 2006)
This policy research brief indicates that severe inequality in land distribution is a basic issue of social injustice. It points out that the reason why many poverty reduction specialists are reluctant to address it is because reform is inevitably controversial as it alters the distribution of economic power in a country and, ultimately, the distribution of political power. The policy research brief.

 

Women, Girls, Boys & Men, Different Needs – Equal Opportunities, a Gender Handbook for Humanitarian Action
(Inter-Agency Standing Committee, December 2006)

This Handbook provides practical tips on how to mainstream gender issues and checklists to measure progress in meeting the needs and ensuring the equal participation of women, girls, boys and men in all aspects of humanitarian responses. The Handbook.

 

Environmentally Sustainable Transport and Climate Change: Experiences and lessons from community initiatives

(UNDP and GEF, November 2006)
This publication reviews 65 sustainable transport community projects funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, and provides lessons and experiences that demonstrate the role community initiatives play in testing new approaches, raising awareness of new ideas, piloting innovative strategies, and informing and stimulating policy dialogue in a cost-effective way. The publication.

TSUNAMI, INDIA TWO YEARS AFTER
(UN, World Bank and ADB, 2006)
The report is a joint initiative by the UN, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank to reflect on the pace and extent of progress on tsunami recovery efforts in India over the last two years. The report.

UN WEB PORTAL ON AVIAN & HUMAN PANDEMIC INFLUENZA
(UN System Influenza Coordination, September 2006)

The web portal is part of the UN's response to bird flu (avian influenza, H5N1) and the pandemic threat to humans. Managed by the UN System Influenza Coordination (UNSIC), it offers links to existing UN knowledge about avian and human pandemic influenza. The web portal.

 

Land Rights Reform and Governance in Africa: How to make it work in the 21st Century?

(UNDP DDC and Oslo Governance Centres, March 2006)

This paper, by specialist Liz Alden Wily, argues that insecurity of land tenure is a socio-political condition that can be made and unmade. The paper highlights that a new wave of global land reform is underway based on an improved legal status of customary rights held by rural Africans and other indigenous populations around the world. The paper.

 

Optimism and Poverty in Africa: Adaptation or a Means to Survival?
(The Brookings Institution, 2006)
This draft report, written by Carol Graham and Matthew Hoover, looks at the links between optimism and happiness and other positive traits and behaviors among the poor in Africa. The report explores linkages between labor market outcomes, health, support for markets and democracy.
The report.

 

Decentralization and the Human Development Approach

(UNDP, 2006)

This study, based on a review of over 40 National Human Development Reports (HDRs) looking at decentralization and various sectoral and cross-cutting themes, provides a synthesis of innovative analytical approaches, data, and recommendations on local accountability, participation, and marginalized groups; financing for decentralized services; and equity in social spending across regions. The study points out that some HDRs explore the impact of decentralization processes on environmental issues affecting human development, including the management and preservation of natural resources.  The study. 

ARAB HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2005: TOWARDS THE RISE OF WOMAN IN THE ARAB WORLD
(UNDP, December 2006)

This annual report indicates that human development is about empowerment, noting that despite Arab women's equal status under international law, many are not encouraged to develop and use their full capabilities. The report calls for the adoption of time-bound affirmative action, tailored to the specificities of each Arab society, in order to expand the participation of women in all fields of human activity
. The report.

WHEN ARE PAYMENTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES BENEFICIAL TO THE POOR?
(FAO, April 2006)
Authored by D. Zilberman, L. Lipper and N. McCarthy, this working paper aims to develop a conceptual framework to analyze the conditions under which policies related to payments for environmental services can serve to reduce poverty and give insight into ways such programmes can be targeted to obtain poverty reduction benefits. The authors attempt to identify how the pursuit of environmental goals can be used to improve the lot of the poor in the developing world. The analysis concludes that there is a wide array of circumstances where payments for environmental services can both promote environmental quality and reduce poverty. However, the impact on the poor will vary considerably depending on the local circumstances of the poor. The paper.

GREENHOUSE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS: An approach to the global climate regime that takes climate protection seriously while also preserving the right to human development
(EcoEquity and Christian Aid, November 2006)

The
principal authors of this report, Tom Athanasiou and Paul Baer of EcoEquity and Sivan Kartha of the Stockholm Environment Institute, argue that "Green House Development Rights" should be considered in relation to the global climate regime. This approach would take into account fundamental rights to human development. The paper provides an alternative for calculating countries' responsibility and capacity indexes in a manner that is sensitive to intra-national income disparities. The paper.

Poverty and Exclusion, Resources and Relationships: Theorising the Links Between Economic and Social Development
(Economic & Social Research Council, October 2006)
In this paper, author James Copestake "investigates the nature of illbeing in a Latin American context" through a summary and criticism of the social exclusion theory of Adolfo Figueroa, a Peruvian economist. This paper is a revised version of a chapter in Wellbeing in Developing Countries: New Approaches and Research Strategies, a forthcoming book edited by Ian Gough and J. Allister McGregor, to be published by Cambridge University Press. The paper.

Joining Forces and Resources for Sustainable Development -Cooperation among Municipalities: A Guide for Practitioners
(UNDP, Bratislava Regional Centre, October 2006)
This guide provides local actors with practical ideas for engaging in inter-municipal cooperation, focusing on incentive systems, enabling legal environment and management arrangements. The guide.

Gender review of media development organisations supported by Sida
(Gender Links, September, 2006)

This study
reviews the extent to which gender is integrated into the work of the twenty media development organizations that the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) supports. The study.

Report of Informal Consultation: Human Rights and Poverty Reduction Strategies

(OHCHR and New York New School, September 2006) 

This report presents the proceedings of a meeting that focused on monitoring public policies from a human rights perspective through national budget processes. The report.

 

IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: A Civil Society Assessment in 15 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America
(Sustainability Watch, September 2006)

This first "Sustainability Watch Report 2006" presents assessments by national CSO networks on barriers that hinder the effective realization of sustainable development goals. The report.

Aid and the MDG poverty target: How much is required and how should it be allocated?
(Overseas Development Institute, 2006)

This paper, authored by Edward Anderson and Hugh Waddington, examines how much additional aid is required to meet the target associated with the Millennium Development Goal of halving extreme poverty and hunger by 2015, and how this aid should be allocated across recipient countries. The paper.

Migration and the remittance euphoria: development or dependency?
(New Economics Foundation, 2006)

This report examines migration and remittance flows and sets out a reform programme to address the systemic global inequality that drives migratory flows. The report.

SECURING EQUALITY, ENGENDERING PEACE: A GUIDE TO POLICY AND PLANNING ON WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY
(INSTRAW, 2006)
This guide, prepared by the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, seeks to facilitate policies and action plans on women, peace and security, through good practices, recommendations and a six-step model process. It is intended as a resource for governments, United Nations and regional and non-governmental organizations. The guide.

PROMOTING GENDER EQUALITY IN NEW AID MODALITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS
(UNIFEM, 2006)
This discussion paper, published by the UN Development Fund for Women, identifies considerations to streamline gender equality in the aid effectiveness agenda. The paper argues in favor of a new aid architecture that integrates gender equality as a key component in poverty reduction and national development, and ensures that women are fully represented in decision-making. The paper.

GENDER FOR JOURNALISTS: TOOLKIT
(International Institute for Communication and Development, 2006)
This toolkit aims to provide journalists with an understanding of gender issues, and of the roles and responsibilities of women and men in society, so that their reporting will be accurate and gender sensitive. The toolkit.

Fiscal Space for Public Investment: Towards a Human Development Approach
(UNDP
, September 2006)
This paper explores the analytical and policy possibilities for an enabling fiscal framework for long term development transformations. It advocates a collaborative effort using IMF expertise on fiduciary instruments and UN system expertise in demonstrating the long term human development payback from well designed public investment programmes, in equal partnership with other development partners and developing country groupings. The paper.

Up in Smoke? Latin America and the Caribbean: The threat from climate change to the environment and human development
(Working Group on Climate Change and Development, August 2006)
This resource represents the third report from the Working Group on Climate Change and Development, a coalition of 20 major environment and development groups. It catalogues the impact of climate change and environmental degradation ranging from drought in the Amazon to floods in Haiti and elsewhere, vanishing glaciers in Colombia to extreme cold in the Andes, and hurricanes in Central America and the Caribbean as well as southern Brazil. The report.

Pursuing Gender Equality through the Millennium Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific
(ADB, UNDP, UNESCAP, 2006)

This paper is part of a series of studies identifying critical issues and problems concerning the timely achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It holds that, if the MDGs are to be achieved, ensuring gender equality and women's empowerment is essential, given the relevance of gender concerns to all of the MDGs. The paper finds that MDG progress reports and studies from across the Asia and Pacific region confirm the interrelationships between the gender-specific MDGs and all of the other goals, as well the as importance of a gender perspective in any strategy to achieve these goals. The paper.

FEMALE MIGRANTS: BRIDGING THE GAPS THROUGHOUT THE LIFE CYCLE
(UNFPA, 2006) This collection of papers from an Expert Group Meeting organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in New York, from 2-3 May 2006, focuses on women migrants, their positive contributions and the negative aspects associated with migration. The publication contains recommendations for action by governments, international organizations and civil society, as a contribution to the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development to mainstream female migrants' needs and rights into the agenda. The collection.

 

RECOGNISING THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION
(Eldis, 2006) This blog on migration includes information on the 2006 UN High Level Dialogue on Migration, the UNFPA State of the Population Report, and other relevant documents on the feminization of migration. The blog.

 

GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND ITS CONSEQUENCES IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
(The Analyst, 2006) Authored by Eva Fodor, this paper examines the development of gender mainstreaming, its relevance for post-communist countries, and the ways in which the European Union (EU) is achieving its social goals through gender mainstreaming. The author concludes that current EU policies targeting gender inequality are "often ineffective and their implementation leaves much to be desired." The paper.

 

ELIMINATION OF ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE AGAINST THE GIRL CHILD
(UN Division for the Advancement of Women, September 2006) This archive collects the contributions to the online discussion on the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child facilitated by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women from 14 August to 8 September 2006. The archive.

 

MADE BY WOMEN: GENDER, THE GLOBAL GARMENT INDUSTRY AND THE MOVEMENT FOR WOMEN WORKER'S RIGHTS
(Clean Clothes Campaign, December 2005) This report highlights the importance of gender, gender concerns and gender-related changes in the garment industry. The report provides profiles of women workers, activists, and organizations; and discusses migrant workers, worker's health, codes of conduct and trade unions. The report.

 

PREVENTING CORRUPTION ON CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
(Transparency International, 2005) This set of documents for the prevention of corruption in the construction sector targets project owners, funders, engineering and consulting engineering firms. The collection of documents also includes a number of model construction integrity agreements and a model claims management code. The collection of documents.

 

THE WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2007: DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEXT GENERATION
(World Bank, September 2006) The World Bank released this report during it Annual Meetings in Singapore. The report suggests that developing countries that invest in better education, healthcare and job training for young people between the ages of 12 and 24 years of age could produce surging economic growth and reduce poverty. The World Bank report.

 

MAKING POVERTY REDUCTION IRREVERSIBLE: DEVELOPMENT IMPLICATIONS OF THE MILLENNIUM ECOSYSTEM ASSESSMENT
(IIED, 2006) This paper, authored by Steve Bass, identifies the major developmental implications of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) and calls for action in four areas: information, institutional reform, international cooperation, and investment vehicles and budgets. The paper.

 

UNFPA WORLD POPULATION REPORT 2006
(UNFPA, 2006) The UN Population Fund has entitled its 2006 report on the state of the world's population, "A passage to hope: women and international migration," to highlight the positive contribution of migrant women to the global economy and the wellbeing of people in their home countries. More information. The report is accompanied for the first time by a companion volume entitled "Moving Young," which highlights the social, economic and demographic aspects of youth migration. More information.

 

EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN TO LEAD CHANGE
(UNFPA, 2006) This resource manual aims to enable young women to prepare and facilitate training on young women's leadership, economic justice, HIV/AIDS, human rights, peace, self-esteem and body image, sexual and reproductive health, and violence against women. The manual.

 

MEASURING DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE: A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING FOR SELECTING PRO-POOR AND GENDER SENSITIVE INDICATORS
(UNDP, May 2006) This guide aims to provide a framework for generating pro-poor gender sensitive indicators to assist policy-makers monitor and evaluate democratic governance at the country level. The guide also provides assistance on the ways in which different indicators of governance can better reflect poverty and gender dimensions, and concludes by arguing that indicator selection is itself a governance process, which should be based on an inclusive and participatory debate. The guide.

 

INCORPORATING GENDER INTO YOUR NGO
(Network Learning, May 2006) This guide seeks to support NGOs and community-based organizations seeking to mainstream gender into their work. It covers: an overview of key concepts and definitions of gender, gender roles, and gender divisions of labor; practical and strategic gender needs; and steps and considerations to effectively mainstream gender into NGOs. The guide.

 

WOMEN IN DECISION-MAKING
(INSTRAW, March 2006) Produced by the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW), this briefing paper presents the latest figures on women's involvement in decision-making at various levels on a global scale, including parliamentary representation, local government and managerial posts. The paper.

 

REPORT OF THE THIRD SESSION OF THE WORLD URBAN FORUM

(UN-HABITAT, 2006) The official report of the third session of the World Urban Forum (19-23 June 2006, Vancouver, Canada) summarizes highlights and emerging issues of the meeting, with a view to show how the Forum "paved the way for a new drive forward on the international urban agenda in a world of rapidly growing cities." The report.

 

UNIFEM ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2006

(UNIFEM, 2006) The Annual Report documents UNIFEM's work to promote women's empowerment and gender equality worldwide, and for 2005-2006 also celebrates UNIFEM's 30th anniversary, taking the theme, "30 Years of Challenge, 30 Years of Change." The report.

 

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT BY 2015

(Northern Alliance for Sustainability, Greenpeace, WWF, 2006) This discussion paper on UN reform describes sustainable environmental action as a "make or break opportunity for the UN," arguing that states should modify the UN's institutional structure to influence environment-related decisions by international financial institutions, the World Trade Organization and UN groups. The paper.

 

THE HAPPY PLANET INDEX: AN INDEX OF HUMAN WELL-BEING AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

(New Economics Foundation, 2006) This report argues for greater attention to environmental and quality of life consequences of government policies and proposed a "Happy Planet Index" (HPI) as an alternative to the gross domestic product, to measure countries' success. The HPI seeks to measure the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered, comparing countries' life expectancy, ecological footprint, and people's subjective well-being or "life satisfaction". The report.

 

BEIJING PLUS 10: AN AMBIVALENT RECORD ON GENDER JUSTICE

(UNRISD, 2006) This paper, drawing on research undertaken by the UN Research Institute on Social Development (UNRISD), elaborates on the ambivalent record of progress achieved by women over the last decades and considers how the policy environment has changed since the 1995 Beijing Conference on Women. The paper.

 

POVERTY, HEALTH, AND ECOSYSTEMS: EXPERIENCE FROM ASIA

(IUCN, Asian Development Bank, 2006) This book, edited by Paul Steele, Gonzalo Oviedo, and David McCauley presents a series of case studies focusing on the links between poverty, health and ecosystems in poor and often resource-dependent households across Asia. Case studies illustrate the links between livelihoods and ecosystems, highlighting pressures on some agricultural systems, effects of ecosystem pollution on health, as well as the complex linkages between gender, poverty and environment. The book.

 

UN-HABITAT ANNUAL REPORT 2005

(UN-HABITAT, 2006) The publication reports on events and milestones for UN-HABITAT in the year 2005. This includes UN-HABITAT's responses to humanitarian crises and its current involvement with the affected communities in Indonesia, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The report.

 

BUDGETING FOR WOMEN'S RIGHTS: MONITORING GOVERNMENT BUDGETS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH CEDAW

(UNIFEM, 2006) This report elaborates on how budgets and budget policy-making processes can be monitored for compliance with human rights standards, in particular with the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The report is based on the premise that accountability to women's rights needs to be translated into mobilizing the necessary resources to meet the commitments made by the ratification of CEDAW. The report.

 

ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MEN

(UNESCAP, 2006) This publication of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific encompasses a series of papers and an inventory of organizations and initiatives aimed at highlighting ideas, concepts, policies, approaches and strategies for a greater involvement and engagement of men to eliminate gender violence. The publication.

 

UNCOUNTED AND DISCOUNTED

(UNIFEM, 2006) This report, a study of more than 1300 cases reported to authorities between January 2003 and June 2005, found that violence against women—whether sexual, physical or psychological—affects all branches of Afghan society, regardless of the woman's marital status or her level of education or employment. The report.

 

USING GENDER RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENT

(International Food Policy Research Institute, 2006) This practitioners' guide presents research findings from the International Food Policy Research Institute's multi-country research programme on gender and intra-household issues, along with implications and key questions for integrating gender research findings into project cycle and policy decision-making processes. The guide.

 

NEW WEBSITE OF THE UN RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

The new web site of the UN Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) based in Geneva, Switzerland, is a repository of research findings and publications, with over 700 documents and publications available in full text and free of charge, as well as a resource on the future directions of the organization. The website.

 

ELIMINATING WORLD POVERTY: MAKING GOVERNANCE WORK FOR THE POOR

(DFID, July 2006) This "White Paper on International Development" by the UK's Department for International Development sets out what the British government plans to do to reduce world poverty over the next five years. The White Paper.

WOMEN LEAD
(Centre for Development and Population Activities, 2006) This publication compiles accounts of how women are engaged in the response to HIV/AIDS in various countries, including Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ukraine, Kenya, Swaziland, Bangladesh, Nepal, USA and Pakistan. The study examines how women are working to raise awareness about prevention methods, mobilizing communities, and pushing for treatment and services to be made available. The paper.

GENDER, INSTITUTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT DATABASE
(OECD, 2006) The Gender, Institutions, and Development Database aims to provide a tool for researchers and policy makers to determine and analyze obstacles to women's economic development. It examines over 160 countries and includes 50 indicators relating to gender discrimination. The database includes institutional variables that range from intra-household behavior to social norms, as well as information on cultural and traditional practices that impact on women's economic development. The database.

TRADE ON HUMAN TERMS: THE ASIA-PACIFIC HUMAN DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2006
(UNDP, 2006) The United Nations Development Programme has released the first Human Development Report in a new annual series that seeks to focus on critical development issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The report outlines an eight-point agenda that could be applied by national governments to make trade work more for the poor. Recommendations address such topics as investments to improve competitiveness, strategic trade policies, and agriculture and rural development, and strategies for combating "jobless growth." The report.

PUBLIC CHOICES, PRIVATE DECISIONS: SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND THE MDGS
(UN Millennium Project, 2006) This report released by the UN Millennium Project seeks to show that addressing sexual and reproductive health is critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The report.

ASSESSING THE WORLD URBAN FORUM 2006
(Housing and Land Rights Network, 2006) This report examines ideological trends at the third World Urban Forum, such as the dynamic that low-income people are left to their own devices to achieve their human right to adequate housing and human well-being. The report argues that alternative people-driven and community-determined solutions within the human rights framework are indispensable and urgent. The report.

GENDER AND TRADE: OVERVIEW REPORT (2006)
(Bridge: Development-Gender, 2006) This report demonstrates how trade generally benefits men more than women, lists gender-biased consequences of trade such as increased unemployment and greater human rights abuses, and recommends that the UN, non-governmental organizations and development agencies engage in gender analysis and develop ways to measure their own accountability. The report.

THE SOCIAL DIMENSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
(OECD, 2006) This policy brief prepared by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development considers the distributional concerns about environmental policy, and the link between environment and health. It further seeks to answer to questions such as whether poorer households pay more and get less, and how can environmental costs and benefits be shared fairly. The policy brief.

PREVENTING DISEASE THROUGH HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS: TOWARDS AN ESTIMATE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN OF DISEASE
(WHO, 2006) This report is based on a review of available scientific evidence as well as consultations with more than 100 experts for estimates of how much environmental risk factors contribute to the disease burden of 85 diseases. The results are summarized globally, by 14 regions worldwide, and separately for children. The findings suggest that environmental risk factors play a role in more than 80% of the diseases regularly reported by the World Health Organization. The report.

PREVENTING DISEASE THROUGH HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS: TOWARDS AN ESTIMATE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN OF DISEASE
(WHO, June 2006) This report by the UN World Health Organization finds that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. It suggests that the lives of 4 million children, mostly in developing countries, could be saved if such ecological risks are addressed. The four main diseases influenced by poor environments identified by the report are diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, various forms of unintentional injuries, and malaria. The report also suggests various preventive measures, including safe household water storage and better hygienic measures, cleaner and safer fuels, improved building safety, better management of toxic substances in the home and workplace, and better water resource management. The report.

 

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION 2006 WALL CHART
(UNPFA, June 2006) The wall chart displays the latest data and information available on international migration and development, covering topics such as size of the migrant stock, net migration, remittances, immigration and emigration policies and ratification status in respect of relevant United Nations instruments. The wall chart.

 

GENDER AND TRADE KEY ISSUES PAGE
(ELDIS, June 2006) This online guide is aimed at trade, development and gender in development professionals who wish to know more about the relationship between trade and gender, particularly the different ways in which trade policies affect men and women. The guide.

 

THE STORY BEHIND THE NUMBERS: WOMEN AND EMPLOYMENT IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE AND THE WESTERN COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES
(UNIFEM, June 2006) The study by the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) points to trends that indicate that women's economic security has declined in Central and Eastern Europe and the western countries of the former Soviet Union since the end of the Cold War. Notwithstanding the fact that women across the region are on average better educated than men, they are paid significantly less no matter what sector (public or private) or what occupation they work in. The report suggests that a longer-term deterioration in women's situation relative to that of men is likely. The report.

 

GENDER AND SOCIAL POLICY IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT: UNCOVERING THE GENDERED STRUCTURE OF "THE SOCIAL"
(UNRISD, 2006) This report from the UN Research Institute for Social Development argues that the failure of orthodox economic models to generate growth and eradicate poverty has led to a renewed interest in social policy and social institutions. This report illustrates why both academic research and policy thinking need to factor in gender hierarchies and structures if they are to address some of the key challenges of contemporary societies: the widespread informality and insecurity of paid work and the crisis of care. The report.

 

GENDER AND DESERTIFICATION: EXPANDING ROLES FOR WOMEN TO RESTORE DRYLANDS
(IFAD, 2006) The International Fund for Agricultural Development has released a new study highlighting the role of the world's rural women in restoring drylands, managing natural resources and dealing with desertification. According to the report, desertification affects women and men differently due to their "strictly gendered division of labor": through their daily work, rural women have acquired extensive knowledge on managing natural resources, which enable them to play a crucial role in combating desertification. The authors further note that women often do not have decision-making authority and are thus excluded from dryland development projects. The report.

 

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT: AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
(BRIDGE, 2006) This bibliography gathers together a range of materials that consider women's empowerment from varied perspectives, to provide an accessible introduction to key concepts, approaches and debates. The bibliography is divided into four main areas: key texts; policy and practice; evaluation; and critiques and debates. The bibliography.

 

A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES: BRINGING A GENDER VISION TO THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT FRAMEWORK
(INSTRAW, 2006) Authored by J. Bond and L. Sherret and released by the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women, this paper analyses the importance of incorporating a gender perspective into the Responsibility to Protect framework. The paper discusses how and why gender issues should be incorporated into the framework, as well as the ways in which to advocate for the protection and participation of women. The report.

 

ENERGY AND GENDER ISSUES IN RURAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(FAO, 2006) This paper by Yianna Lambrou and Grazia Piana discusses gender issues and energy linkages within the international sustainable development context and presents recommendations on ways of incorporating gender sensitivity into energy and development policies and planning processes. The report.

 

STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC 2005
(UNESCAP, April 2006)

This report looks at the pressures on the environment from rapid economic growth in the region. It finds that environmental sustainability requires long-term perspective, greater focus on eco-efficiency, investment in natural resources, and better measures of sustainability. The report describes measures for shifting towards "green growth" as a key requirement for achieving MDG-7 on environmental sustainability and MDG-1 on poverty reduction.  The synthesis report and the full report.

 

PROTECTING TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE: PATHWAYS TO THE FUTURE

(ICTSD, April 2006) Authored by Graham Dutfield, this paper overviews the international framework regarding traditional knowledge, including developments in the Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Intellectual Property Organization and the World Trade Organization, and explores solutions to the protection of traditional knowledge in intellectual property rights law, including positive and defensive protection. The paper.

 

AFRICAN WOMEN'S STATEMENT ON HIV/AIDS AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS
(Health and Development Networks, 2006) In this statement issued at the African Regional Consultation on Women's Rights and HIV/AIDS held in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 6-7 April 2006, a number of women's organizations demanded meaningful participation and involvement in institutions and processes aimed at providing global responses to HIV/AIDS. The statement (April 2006).

 

WOMEN'S EARNING POWER AND WELLBEING
(UNDP International Poverty Center, 2006) This publication highlights models of bargaining relationships within households as more accurate measures of earnings and wellbeing, arguing that when women's contributions to household monetary income increases, women are more able to influence how household resources are allocated. The publication.

 

BEYOND FIREWOOD: FUEL ALTERNATIVES AND PROTECTION STRATEGIES FOR DISPLACED WOMEN AND GIRLS
(Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children, 2006) This paper examines fuel provision, collection and physical protection strategies by internally-displaced and refugee women and girls worldwide, and assesses alternatives appropriate to the local context and in all phases of an emergency. The paper.

 

FIGHTING POVERTY: A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY
(WBI, InWEnt, UN Global Compact, Insituto Ethos, 2006) This publication reports on the proceedings of of the 10th International Business Forum on "Business and the Millennium Development Goals: An Active Role for Globally Responsible Companies," which took place from 11-13 September 2005 in New York. The report was launched during the World Bank Institute's April 2006 meeting on "Business, NGOs and Development: Strategic Engagement to Meet the Millennium Development Goals." The report.

 

CREATING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS

(World Vision International Resources on Child Rights, 2006) This publication was World Vision's briefing paper to the 50th Commission on the Status of Women. It compiles articles from World Vision's gender and development, relief, and advocacy experts in the Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, UK, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and the former states of the Soviet Union, focusing on the challenges and practices for the advancement of women and girls in the areas of education, health, work, and violence. The publication.

 

THE EU'S RESPONSIBLITY AT THE WTO: ENVIRONMENT, GENDER AND DEVELOPMENT

(Women in Development Europe, 2006) This publication, prepared by Women in Development Europe and Friend's of the Earth Europe, aims to contribute to a constructive dialogue between civil society representatives from the North and the South and representatives from the EU that could contribute to an EU trade policy consistent with social and gender justice and environmental sustainability. The first part reports on the public hearing, entitled "The EU's responsibility at the WTO: Environment, gender and development," highlighting issues such as the commodification of natural resources under the WTO, the importance of people's food sovereignty, the gender dimension of the trade agenda, and biosafety. The second part consists of an analysis of the outcome of the Hong Kong Ministerial meeting from a feminist and environmentalist perspective. The publication.

 

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE: ANNUAL REPORT 2006

(World Economic Forum, 2006) The Global Governance Report considers six major areas: peace and security, poverty and hunger, education, health, the environment and human rights. The report provides both a scorecard to measure the effort exerted by governments, international organizations, business and civil society during 2005 in these areas and a concise discussion of key actions taken and opportunities missed. The report.

 

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND GENDER EQUITY: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND POLICY

(UNRISD, 2006) This paper provides a summary of the empirical and policy-related literature on the multifaceted relationships between gender inequalities and foreign direct investment (FDI). The literature on gender and FDI is evaluated with reference to the broader literature on FDI and economic development, new research directions are identified, and the policy implications of managing FDI for development and gender equity are discussed. The paper.

 

NATIONAL TRENDS IN POPULATION, RESOURCES, ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT 2005: COUNTRY PROFILES

(UN, 2006) The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs' Population Division has produced a report presenting country profiles for 2005 building on a variety of national-level comparative data and documents. The report shows the current situation and recent trends in population, resources, environment and development indicators. The report.

 

WORLD POPULATION POLICIES 2005

(UN, 2006) The latest version of this biennial report seeks to provide comprehensive and up-to-date information on the population policy situation for each of the 194 UN Member States and also non-Member States, in relation to population growth, population age structure, fertility, mortality, spatial distribution, and internal and international migration. The report.

 

GENDER, DEVELOPMENT, AND ADVOCACY

(Oxfam, 2006) This online journal considers gender advocacy at different levels, charting the experience and successes of gender equality advocates in Pakistan, Australia, and southern Africa. The journal.

 

EN ROUTE TO EQUALITY: A GENDER REVIEW OF NATIONAL MDG REPORTS 2005

(UNDP, 2005) This gender review of national Millennium Development Goal (MDG) reports provides practical suggestions for effective mainstreaming of gender concerns and tracking of progress under each Goal. The findings of the review demonstrate the added value of including a gender equality perspective in future reporting on the progress of the MDGs. The review.

 

TAKING GENDER EQUALITY SERIOUSLY: MAKING PROGRESS, MEETING NEW CHALLENGES

(UNDP, 2006) This booklet documents UNDP success stories in gender mainstreaming, focusing on the areas of democratic governance, poverty reduction, crisis prevention and recovery, energy and environment and HIV/AIDS. The booklet.

 

SOCIAL AND GENDER ANALYSIS IN NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT: LEARNING STUDIES AND LESSONS FROM ASIA

(International Development Research Centre, 2006) This book documents the steps taken by researchers to implement social and gender analysis, based on studies in China, India, Mongolia, Nepal, and Viet Nam. The book combines learning experiences and scientific results on several natural resource management questions, including those related to biodiversity conservation, crop and livestock improvement, and sustainable grassland development. The book.

 

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN AN OPEN WORLD

(UN, 2006) This book builds on a three-year project, the International Forum for Social Development, undertaken by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs to promote international cooperation for social development and support developing countries and social groups not benefiting from globalization. The book discusses the legal and developmental dimensions of international and social justice, the raising inequalities among States and among people, and international and social justice in the UN, highlighting the impact of the Millennium Declaration, the Millennium Development Goals and the World Summit on Social Development. The book.

 

UNAIDS NEW WEBSITE AND QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

UNAIDS – the joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS – has launched its new-look website, which focuses on the impact of UNAIDS' work through its cosponsors and partners. The website contents are available in English, French, Spanish and Russian, and target the following audience groups: business and labor, civil society, donors, media, people living with HIV/AIDS, policy-makers, researchers, the UN family, and women. The website. UNAIDS has also launched a new quarterly newsletter.

 

WHO'S WHO OF FEMALE ENVIRONMENTALISTS

(UNEP, March 2006) This new publication was unveiled on Wednesday, 8 March 2006 to mark International Women's Day. The new publication includes information on many of the world's leading female decision makers and influential figures on environmental issues. More information.

 

ASSESSING ENVIRONMENT'S CONTRIBUTION TO POVERTY REDUCTION

(UNEP; IIED; IUCN; WRI, 2005) This paper examines how countries can use information and assessment methods to measure and report on progress towards the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7 (ensure environmental sustainability). This study reviews the five indicators of the MDG framework that measure progress toward reversing environmental resource loss, including indicators of forest cover, biodiversity, energy use, emissions of carbon dioxide and ozone-depleting substances, and use of solid fuels. The paper.

 

EQUAL PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN AND MEN IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON POLITICAL PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP

(UN Division for the Advancement of Women, 2005) This paper examines both the political participation and political representation aspects of decision-making, the underlying issues that influence the disparity between men and women in this area, and assesses the various strategies to address this disparity. The paper concludes that women's participation in decision-making bodies illustrates that globally the political pressure brought about by women's groups and movements and international institutions have begun to address some issues of under-representation. The report.

 

THE WORLD'S WOMEN 2005: PROGRESS IN STATISTICS

(UNDESA, 2006) This report presents, reviews and analyses national sex disaggregated statistics on demographics, health, education, work, violence against women, poverty, human rights and decision-making relevant to gender concerns during the past 30 years. It proposes a set of strategies to strengthen national capacity to collect and report statistics and also to improve mainstreaming of gender concerns. The report.

 

LAND TENURE REFORM AND GENDER EQUALITY

(UNRISD, January 2006) This Research and Policy Brief reviews the research findings of the UN Research Institute for Social Development showing that the new generation of land tenure reforms introduced in the 1990s is not necessarily more gender equitable than earlier efforts, even though women's ability to gain independent access to land is increasingly included in government statutes. The brief.

 

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recently published documents and online resources,
send a message to
Diego Noguera, IISD

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