Founded in 1976, the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) describes itself as “thought leaders driven by a passion to alleviate poverty and rectify injustice in the world.” The Center “reduces global poverty by investing in the lives of women and girls.” In particular, ICRW works with girls and boys in their communities to […]
9 December was International Anti-Corruption Day. More awareness is needed of the widespread problem of corruption, and what is being done to fight it. One effort is the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, which entered into force on 14 December 2005. So far 140 countries have signed the Convention. In January 2004, the World Economic […]
Shekar Dattatri is a film-maker from India, who has produced documentaries on his country’s wildlife to bring certain issues to the attention of the public, including a recent film on tiger conservation. “The Truth about Tigers” is about the tiger’s alarming rate of decline, but it offers solutions to the problem. At the same time, […]
Sugata Mitra is an educational scientist who has done a great deal of research on the social context of learning and technology. He makes clear that the social context where children are working together yields great benefits. One of his simple, optimistic messages is that, “If children have interest, then education happens.” Mitra’s research is […]
“Jewels in the Mud” is an encouraging story about how marine biomedicine can fight drug resistance and disease. A microbe found on seaweed by William Fenical and his team at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography has led to the drug Plinabulin, which blocks blood vessels in tumors from getting the […]
He is indeed an inspiring hero. Toni Ruttimann, who is in Burma right now, is as usual helping the needy build a bridge from materials he secures free of charge from companies. He’s been doing this since 1987 when he left his native Switzerland for Ecuador upon hearing about the earthquake that had just struck […]
Support the United Nations Global Compact, Transparency International and the World Economic Forum Partnering Against Corruption Initiative in sending the message to end corruption, by joining the End Corruption Now! Facebook Community page. It aims to promote greater global participation to fight corruption. The launch of this page sends “a strong message to the world […]
Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been released. Finally some good news from Myanmar. It’s being reported worldwide so read all about it.
The Pink Stinks website endorses a campaign “that challenges the culture of pink which invades every aspect of girls’ lives.” Their message is that “body image obsession is starting younger and younger, and that the seeds are sown during the pink stage, as young girls are taught the boundaries within which they will grow up, […]
Positive news does come out of Africa. For example, the largest African film festival, Africa in Motion, featuring 70 films from 28 countries, is currently taking place in Scotland, the 5th such festival to date. This year’s theme is celebrations. Other examples: South Africa and India are joining forces on HIV vaccine research; Uganda receives […]
