In the run-up to the Third People’s Health Assembly (PHA3), the People’s Health Movement (PHM) is releasing monthly updates on preparations for the Assembly – this is the first issue. PHM reports that, in the Africa region, various pre-PHA3 mobilisation activities have begun and in attempt to have co-ordinated efforts towards the assembly, mobilisation committees have been set up. Four sub-regional committees have been formed: West Africa, East Africa, Southern Africa and Central. A regional mobilisation committee will be developed from representatives of these sub-regions aiming to support national initiatives and bring regional health issues to the foreground in PHA3 discussions. Other countries which have started PHA3 activities and discussions are Zimbabwe, Kenya, Pakistan, Togo, Niger, Congo Brazzaville, Italy, Belgium and many others. Join the PHA3 facebook group to stay updated on preparatory events taking place around the world. PHM is calling on all interested parties to inform them what is happening in their countries so it can be shared through the monthly updates.
Jobs and Announcements
Applications are invited for an International Fellowship for early to mid-career urban scholars from the Global South, on any theme pertinent to a better understanding of urban realities in the Global South. The Fellowship covers the costs of a sabbatical period at a university of the candidate’s choice in the Global North or South for the purpose of writing up the candidate’s existing research findings in the form of publishable articles or a book under the guidance of a chosen mentor in their field of study. Funding is available for a period ranging between 3-9 months. Applicants must be early to mid-career urban scholars with a PhD obtained within the preceding 10 years who currently work in a university or other research institution within the Global South. Candidates must also be nationals of a country in the Global South, defined here as countries on the OECD’s current ODA recipient list (2018-2020). Preference may be given to candidates from least or low-income countries but middle-income countries on the list are not excluded if the need for support is justified. The candidate must make suitable arrangements to be mentored by a suitably experienced senior urban scholar at the candidate’s chosen research institution.
Applications are invited for an International Fellowship for urban scholars on any theme pertinent to a better understanding of urban realities in the global south funded by the Urban Studies Foundation. The Fellowship covers the costs of a sabbatical period at a university of the candidate’s choice in either the global north or the global south (facilitating south-south exchange) for the purpose of writing up the candidate’s existing research findings in the form of publishable articles or a book under the guidance of a chosen mentor in their field of study. Funding is available for a period ranging between 3-9 months. Applicants must be early career urban scholars with a PhD obtained within the preceding 5 years who currently work in a university or other research institution within the global south. Candidates must also be nationals of a country in the global south. Preference may be given to candidates from least or low-income countries but middle-income developing countries are not excluded if the need for support is justified. The candidate must make suitable arrangements to be mentored by a suitably experienced senior urban scholar at his/her chosen research institution. The application must include: an outline of the planned research, demonstrating its originality, rigour and value to the field of urban studies; with a statement of the intended research outputs; and further information provided on the website.
The Urban Studies Foundation (USF) announces a new round of Postdoctoral Research Fellowship funding with up to five fellowships each worth up to a total of £180,000 over a maximum of three years. Successful candidates may be based anywhere globally, and should propose a programme of work which will advance scholarly knowledge of any element of cities and urbanisation to the highest international standards of peer review. The award will be paid to an eligible institute of higher education (HEI) where the fellowship is to be held. A successful applicant should have a Mentor based in that institution with whom they will work closely for the duration of the fellowship.
The Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights is calling on all people's rights, health rights, reproductive justice, and economic and social justice advocates to join them in writing to country representatives at the United Nations Headquarters to raise concerns about the upcoming High Level Summit on the Millennium Development Goals. With the ongoing lobbying by advocates working on sexual and reproductive rights with access to the halls of the UN, and community level mobilisations for social change, there is pressure mounting on state representatives to the summit to incorporate the Network’s suggestions into their position statements and negotiation points. The network is expressing concerns that grassroots people speaking up for basic rights are being systematically shut out of UN processes. The letter asks for the state delegation to the MDG Summit to include members of civil society groups, particularly those representing the concerns of marginalised communities, and calls for modification of the high level advisory panel in order to respect principles of gender parity, and to include women as advisors for MDG 5, and increase the number of representatives from the Global South, with an emphasis on those from civil society organisations. The network calls on civil society to add voice to the call by forwarding the letter provided on the website to the country’s ambassador.
Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa), registered in Nairobi, Kenya. UAF-Africa seeks a Communications & Knowledge Management Programme Officer who will translate UAF-Africa’s strategic plans into effective social justice initiatives and results. Guided by feminist principles and values, the Fund advocates for gender equality, not only as a matter of human rights, but also as a fundamental prerequisite for social change, global security, and sustainable peace. In addition to her core business of Rapid Response Grant making, UAF-Africa also runs alliance building and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with other national, regional and international social justice organisations.
Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa) seeks a Communications and Knowledge Management Programme Officer who will translate UAF-Africa’s strategic plans into effective social justice initiatives and results. Guided by feminist principles and values, the Fund advocates for gender equality, not only as a matter of human rights, but also as a fundamental prerequisite for social change, global security, and sustainable peace. In addition to her core business of Rapid Response Grant making, UAF-Africa also runs alliance building and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with other national, regional and international social justice organisations.
Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa), is a consciously feminist and women’s human rights pan- African Fund, registered in Nairobi, Kenya. UAF-Africa seeks a Partnerships & Development Manager who will translate UAF-Africa’s strategic plans into effective social justice initiatives and results. Guided by feminist principles and values, the Fund advocates for women’s equality, not only as a matter of human rights, but also as a fundamental prerequisite for social change, global security, and sustainable peace. In addition to her core business of Rapid Response Grant making, UAF-Africa also runs alliance building and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with other social justice organisations.
Urgent Action Fund-Africa (UAF-Africa), is a consciously feminist and women’s human rights pan- African Fund, registered in Nairobi, Kenya. UAF-Africa seeks a Partnerships & Development Manager who will translate UAF-Africa’s strategic plans into effective social justice initiatives and results. Guided by feminist principles and values, the Fund advocates for women’s equality, not only as a matter of human rights, but also as a fundamental prerequisite for social change, global security, and sustainable peace. In addition to her core business of Rapid Response Grant making, UAF-Africa also runs alliance building and advocacy initiatives in collaboration with other social justice organisations,
This course seeks to help those who lack confidence using evidence in their work and facing external or internal pressure to justify the evidence that they produce. In this course delivered online participants will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of evidence. With a practical focus, they will learn the skills to identify sources of evidence, assess the quality of evidence, and integrate the use of evidence into their own work and organisation so that it is of high quality and can be used with confidence. At the end of the course, participants will be familiar with definitions of, and approaches to, evidence in international development and the wider implications for practitioners; be able to identify and work with existing sources of evidence, addressing relevance and purposes for different activities and audiences; be able to understand different approaches to, and have built skills in, assessing the quality of evidence; be able to plan for the use of better evidence in their work; have applied their learning and have explored the challenges and how to overcome them. During the practical component of the course, participants will apply their learning to a particular area of work where they use evidence, such as advocacy, monitoring and evaluation, or programming. The course takes place over four weeks and includes self-directed learning and one-to-one coaching tailored to the needs of the participant. It is aimed at technical staff in NGOs who need to engage with evidence in their work, for example in programme, planning, monitoring and evaluation, or advocacy. Participants will have some exposure to using research evidence through academic training or work experience, but need to gain a better understanding of core concepts.