“I Lost Everything”
Israel’s Unlawful Destruction of Property during Operation Cast Lead

This 116-page report documents 12 separate cases during Operation Cast Lead in which Israeli forces extensively destroyed civilian property, including homes, factories, farms, and greenhouses, in areas under their control, without any lawful military purpose. Human Rights Watch’s investigations, which relied upon physical evidence, satellite imagery, and multiple witness accounts at each site, found no indication of nearby fighting when the destruction occurred.

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Human Right Watch: “I Lost Everything”

To access World Bank Group data, please visit:
http://data.worldbank.org.

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World Bank Group Opens Data to All

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This 62-page report details the steps both Israel and Hamas have taken over the past year to investigate alleged violations of the laws of war and possible war crimes, and how those investigations have fallen far short of international legal standards.

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HRW: Turning a Blind Eye

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HRW: Trail of Death

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FAO: Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010

It is now recognized that sustainable human development cannot be achieved without gender equality. Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 hinges on making tangible progress with regard to gender equality and women’s empowerment, not only as a goal in itself (MDG3), but also in the achievement of all the other goals. When women are integrated meaningfully into the labour force, there are impressive advances in social well-being. When women are empowered, there are better health and education outcomes for their children as well as a more sustainable use of natural resources.

Maintaining and scaling up investments in gender equality is especially important in the context of the current global economic crisis. Projections of sharply reduced economic growth, rising unemployment, tightening credit conditions, falling remittances, and compressed aid flows will likely deepen deprivation around the world and seriously impede, if not reverse, progress towards the attainment of the MDGs, including MDG3. In this context, it is especially important to optimize the use of scarce aid funds and protect and scale up recent achievements towards the attainment of gender equality.

This publication provides knowledge on successful practices and approaches that governments, donors and civil society can take to make the MDGs work better for women. It reviews the successes and challenges faced in meeting MDG targets and the extent to which national reports have addressed gender in reporting on each goal. It concludes with a set of key recommendations for advancing progress towards achieving gender equality.

Bron: Unifem

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UNIFEM: Making the MDGs Work Better for Women

Measures legal gender parity for entrepreneurs and workers in 128 economies across 6 topics.

Only 20 of 128 economies have equal legal rights for men and women in several important areas for entrepreneurs and workers, according to a new World Bank Group report, Women, Business and the Law 2010. Inequality occurs across all regions and income levels. But many economies have been legislating to reduce these inequalities.

The new report looks at legal equity in such areas as a woman’s ability to register a business, own and use property, and go to court on her own account. It also looks at differential tax treatment of women and at constraints on women’s ability to work in different industries and during different times of the day.

“Increasing women’s economic opportunities improves the well-being of families and communities, reduces poverty, and stimulates economic growth,” said Rita Ramalho, lead author of the report. “Many factors shape women’s opportunities to run successful businesses and get good jobs. Equitable business regulations are one piece of the puzzle.”

Women, Business and the Law 2010 analyzes differences in formal laws and institutions affecting women’s prospects as entrepreneurs and employees across six topics—accessing institutions, using property, getting a job, dealing with taxes, building credit, and going to court. The report is the first to measure the gender gap in policy variables using quantitative and objective data. It does not measure all aspects that matter for women’s economic opportunities. For example, it does not measure access to childcare, education, or personal security.

Bron: Worldbank

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WORLDBANK: Women, Business and the Law 2010

The purpose of this document is to establish a common vision and approach, as well as to identify the role of the WHO Making Pregnancy Safer initiative, for working with women, men, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health. Part 1 of the document defines the concepts, values and guiding principles. Part 2 presents strategies, settings, and priority areas for intervention. Part 3 proposes an implementation process; and, finally, Part 4 considers the role and functions of WHO.

Bron: WHO

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WHO: Working with individuals, families and communities to improve maternal and newborn health

This book explores the complex relationship between international trade and poverty reduction through a combination of research papers and contemporary case studies.

Written mainly by developing-country authors in consultation with local businesses and communities, the case studies contribute to our understanding of the ways in which low-income communities are dealing with trade as a practical challenge, especially in the Asia-Pacific region where approximately two-thirds of the world’s poor live. While making it clear that there is no ‘one size fits all’ formula, the research and stories highlight a number of necessary preconditions, such as political commitment and cooperation at all levels, if trade is to successfully reduce poverty.

Openness to trade, serious commitment to domestic reform, trade-related capacity building, a robust and responsible private sector and access to the markets of developed countries are all identified as powerful tools for building trade-related sustainable development.

Edited by Andrew L. Stoler (University of Adelaide), Jim Redden (University of Adelaide) and Lee Ann Jackson (World Trade Organization).

Bron: WTO

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WTO: Trade and Poverty Reduction in the Asia-Pacific Region: Case Studies and Lessons from Low-income Communities

This study aims to identify opportunities and constraints related to the potential future production of second-generation biofuels in major economies and developing countries, and to examine under which conditions the new fuels could be produced sustainably in these countries. The paper identifies global drivers for second-generation biofuel development, discusses projections on biomass potentials and assesses the potential of agricultural and forestry residues for the sustainable production of lignocellulosic biofuels.

Bron: International Energy Agency

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IEA: Sustainable Production of Second-Generation Biofuels