Monday Developments

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

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The Latest Issues and Trends in International Development and Humanitarian Assistance

Moving NGO Security to the Next Level

The

Tips to Strengthen Your Non-Profit Job Applications

Public Perception Getting Ready for the 2009 G8 Summit Agricultural R&D Spending in Latin America Saying No to “The Cut”

of Foreign Assistance

Kidnapped! The First 48 Hours

July 2009 Vol. 27, No. 7 InterAction

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS

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Managing Editor/Art Director Chad Brobst Copy Editor Kathy Ward

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Advertising & Sales Michael Haslett Communications Department Nasserie Carew, Public Relations Tawana Jacobs, Public Relations Tony Fleming, New Media Leslie Rigby, Writer/Editor Chad Brobst, Publications Michael Haslett, Publications Margaret Christoph, Admin Associate Editorial Committee InterAction Communications Team InterAction 1400 16th Street, NW Suite 210 Washington, DC 20036 Tel: 202.667.8227 [email protected] ISSN 1043-8157

Monday Developments is published 11 times a year by InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. With more than 170 members operating in every developing country, InterAction works to overcome poverty, exclusion and suffering by advancing social justice and basic dignity for all. InterAction welcomes submissions of news articles, opinions and announcements. Article submission does not guarantee inclusion in Monday Developments. We reserve the right to reject submissions for any reason. It is at the discretion of our editorial team as to which articles are published in individual issues. All statements in articles are the sole opinion and responsibility of the authors. Articles may be reprinted with prior permission and attribution. Letters to the editor are encouraged. A limited number of subscriptions are made available to InterAction member agencies as part of their dues. Individual subscriptions cost $80 a year (add $15 for airmail delivery outside the U.S.) Samples are $5, including postage. Additional discounts are available for bulk orders. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Advertising rates are available on request.

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Contents

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July 2009 • Vol. 27 • No. 7

Features Cover Story: Public Perceptions of Foreign Assistance | 12 New research suggests significant public support for U.S. foreign assistance.

The First 48 Hours | 16

The Invisible Wounds of War | 27 Program creates safe environment for children and families to address trauma.

Remember the Peak? | 29 Insights from U.S. aid to agriculture.

The first article in a continuing series covering a fictional kidnapping scenario and how an NGO might respond.

Breeding Crops for Better Nutrition | 31

The Definitive Moment | 19

Sustainable Agriculture Through Microfinance | 32

Missing, detained, abducted, kidnapped or just plain lost.

Moving NGO Security to the Next Level | 20 It is time to rethink our work and whether our actions are equal to the threats.

Saying No to “The Cut” in Kenya | 23

Community-based program develops a successful alternative rite of passage.

The Civil G8 | 25 CSOs meet in Rome ahead of the 2009 G8 Summit.

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Leveraging agriculture to improve global heath.

New tripartite model increases credit access.

No Farmer Left Behind | 33 Agricultural R&D spending in Latin America.

Stand Out the Way You Want | 35 Tips to strengthen your nonprofit job applications.

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Departments Inside This Issue | 3 Letters to the Editor | 4 Washington Update | 4 Southern Voices | 6 Inside Our Community | 8 Inside InterAction | 9 Step By Step Advocacy | 10 Events | 37 Employment Opportunities | 38

INSIDE This Issue

What the People Want

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ne challenge the NGO community often faces, whether we’re advocating for increased resources for health and development programs, or for our government to respond to a humanitarian emergency overseas, is the misperception that the American people do not support government spending on international relief and development programs. In fact, the reality is quite the opposite. As I discuss in an article in this issue of Monday Developments entitled, “Public Perceptions of Foreign Assistance,” (pg 12) recent expert polling demonstrates that a large majority of American voters support U.S. foreign assistance programs. Moreover, with 13.6 million individual donors and millions of grassroots activists, I think it’s clear that the American people are more than simply supportive of international relief and development. Rather, lawmakers and policymakers must realize that there is a large constituency in the United States that is committed to advancing an agenda that has poverty reduction at its core. Our challenge, then, is that we must bring the power of the growing anti-poverty movement to bear on policy debates here in Washington, DC. Many InterAction member organizations have successfully tapped the power of grassroots advocacy to advance our community’s policy goals, but on the whole the NGO community still has a gap to bridge between the policymakers who set our government’s priorities and the everyday Americans who demonstrate their commitment to these issues by participating in church groups, joining clubs on college campuses, and investing in a goat or a microloan for a family overseas. InterAction is exploring ways to better coordinate its members’ messages at key political moments so that we can more fully take advantage of policy opportunities in a way that leverages the collective grassroots potential of our entire community. In doing so, we will develop the ability of the American people to speak with one voice on behalf of the world’s poor, and will begin to shift perceptions here in Washington, DC about the broad support for international relief and development programs among voters in the U.S. MD

Photo: Mark Wessells

Sam Worthington President and CEO InterAction The Desmond Tutu Community Build in Mfuleni, South Africa, brought volunteers from Great Britain and the United States to build 12 houses in one week alongside community members and homeowners. Above, a volunteer takes a break to bring joy, in the form of bubbles, to one little girl whose life will soon be changed by safe and secure housing.

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Letters The Security Situation in Chad It is frustrating that Monday Developments feels the need to highlight NGO security—a topic that turns the spotlight away from those we are supporting and onto ourselves—yet sadly such a focus is all too necessary at this time. The security situation in eastern Chad, where many NGOs like mine are helping the 250,000 plus refugees who have fled Darfur, is of continuing and grave concern. From January to March alone, there were 42 incidents against humanitarian workers, including assaults, breakins and theft. Insecurity is drastically impeding the day-today efforts of the more than 50 aid agencies trying to deliver emergency relief in this desolate region. Banditry, armed attacks, the proliferation of small arms and ill-trained and illequipped security forces make the environment at best uncomfortable and at worst outright dangerous. Indeed, it is only one year since one of my colleagues at Save the Children was shot and killed in a banditry incident gone awry in Hadjer Hadid. More recently a sister NGO was attacked in Goz Beida and a female member of staff was sexually harassed. And only a few days ago three humanitarian escorts were shot at by armed men. I wouldn’t be the first to talk of eastern Chad’s overwhelming culture of impunity. Nor, unfortunately, am I the only one who sees its effects on a regular basis. From the women

Send your letters to: [email protected] who are raped and the children forcibly recruited into rebel armies, to the NGO staff who put their own safety at risk to travel daily to the refugee camps, the insecurity affects us all. The government of Chad must take responsibility for ending the lawlessness by reforming its security sector and the rule of law. It must work with the international community to find a lasting end to its protracted civil war—a peace process that addresses grievances of all major parties and moves away from the traditional game of “divide and conquer” where it pits one ethnic group against another. MINURCAT II—the UN peacekeeping force that replaced the EU force in March—also has a key role to play in protecting the civilian and NGO populations. It must help the government re-establish control across its territory, as well as train local law-enforcement officers in rule of law and basic human rights. While doing this, however, it should refrain from carrying out quick impact projects that blur the lines between the military and humanitarian worlds and in so doing place NGOs at further risk. Therefore, with the greatest urgency, I implore the government of Chad, MINURCAT and international powers to act swiftly to enable secure conditions for NGO staff to carry out their lifesaving operations. Humanitarian space must be respected to enable humanitarians to assist vulnerable populations. Philippe Adapoe International Rescue Committee, Chad

WASHINGTON Update Budget Details Released

The details of the Obama administration’s first budget request were released on May 7, putting real numbers behind the administration’s pledges to ramp up investment in development and humanitarian programming and capacity. InterAction responded positively, applauding the administration’s leadership, calling the request “a smart [proposed] investment in a more stable, secure and prosperous world,” and calling on Congress “to work with the administration to make these critical investments a reality.” Highlights include: Saving supplementals for emergencies. The administration has followed through on its pledge to stop relying on offbudget supplementals for predictable humanitarian funding needs; the requests for humanitarian accounts are on par with totals from previous years including supplementals. This important step will allow more efficient use of tax dollars for humanitarian programs, avoiding costly delays and allowing more lives to be saved. The request for International Disaster Assistance is 17 percent higher than the expected Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 total, while the Refugee Assistance request, although 9 percent lower than the expected FY09 total, is still significantly higher than the levels in FY08 and prior years.

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MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

(Note: FY09 totals are not yet final and therefore labeled “expected” here because the spring supplemental appropriations bill is still under negotiation between House and Senate.) Health and Development. The request for Global Health and Development Assistance programs overall is 12 percent higher than the expected FY09 total, a solid increase given the current fiscal environment. Millennium Challenge Corporation. The MCC request, $1.4 billion, roughly equal to MCC’s FY08 funding level, would put this important long-term development program back on a normal footing, after a low FY09 appropriation that curtailed its work and slowed down the awarding of compacts. Capacity. As promised, the request asks for a down payment on rebuilding of the U.S. government’s civilian-side international operational capacity, including a strong increase for USAID operating expenses. This increase would fund the first stage of an effort to rebuild capacity at the agency, which has suffered a significant loss of strength over the past two decades. InterAction’s budget table with numbers and percentage increases by account, along with our reactions, is available on our website at www.interaction.org/advocacy/budget.html.

WASHINGTON Update (continued) “The American Clean Energy and Security Act” Introduced

Representative Henry A. Waxman, the Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Representative Edward J. Markey, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment introduced H.R. 2454, “The American Clean Energy and Security Act.” The Energy and Commerce Committee spent four full days marking up the bill and then approved it on May 21. It includes emission allowance allocations for international adaptation (financing that enables vulnerable populations adapt to the impacts of climate change), clean energy cooperation and reductions in tropical forest deforestation. A statement released by World Wildlife Fund President and CEO Carter Roberts characterized the bill as “good progress towards the goal of reducing deforestation” but “short on international clean technology cooperation and adaptation assistance.” Many believe that without substantial increases in those areas, a global agreement on climate is in serious jeopardy. The bill now must be considered by eight other House committees with jurisdiction over it. Most are expected to waive jurisdic-

tion, but the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Agriculture are poised for heated debates. Once passed out of committee, the bill will be sent to the House floor for a vote. Timing is uncertain but the House Democratic leadership would like to see it passed by the July recess.

Supplemental Passes Senate, Conference Committee to Meet in June

Before heading home for a week-long Memorial Day recess to work in their districts, the House and Senate both passed their respective versions of the May 2009 supplemental appropriations bill. The bill was scheduled for consideration in the week of June 1 by a conference committee, where the differences between the two versions were to be worked out. As a result, it is anticipated that by the publication date of this issue of Monday Developments, the final, post-conference text of the bill will likely have been passed by House and Senate and signed by the president. A comparison of the president’s request for the supplemental and the House and Senate versions is provided in the table below. MD

May 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Bill ($, millions) CORE ACCOUNTS Global Health and Child Survival – USAID Migration and Refugee Assistance Development Assistance International Disaster Assistance OTHER KEY ACCOUNTS Global Health and Child Survival – State* Contributions for International Peacekeeping Peacekeeping Operations OTHER FUNCTION 150 ACCOUNTS P.L. 480 Title II Grants ** Diplomatic and Consular Programs Department of State Office of Inspector General/ Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Embassy Security, Construction International Narcotics Control Economic Support Fund Foreign Military Financing International Military Education and Training Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining Assistance for Europe, Eurasia, Central Asia USAID Operating Expenses USAID Capital Investment USAID Inspector General Operating Expenses Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund

TOTAL

Presidential Requested Amount

House-passed  

0 293 38 200

Senate-passed

  200 343 0 200

  0 345 38 245

    836.9 50   300 594.3

  100 836.9 80   500 1,016.2

  50 721 172.9   700 645.44

7.2

17.1

22.2

898.7 389.5 2,874.5 98.4 2 122 242.5 152.6 48.5   400

989.6 483.5 2,907.5 1,349 2 98.5 242.5 152.6 48.5 3.5 400

820.5 393.5 2,828 98 2 102 230 112.6 48.5 3.5 400

(Requested under Department of Defense) ***

(Provided under State Department)

(Provided under Department of Defense) ***

7,548.1

9,970.4

7,278.14

* Global Health and Child Survival – State is the new name for the account that funds PEPFAR, (the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) formerly called the Global HIV/AIDS Initiative Account. ** P.L. 480 Title II Grants provide U.S. food assistance in response to emergencies and disasters around the world via the World Food Program and private voluntary organizations. *** There is disagreement on whether these counter-insurgency funds should be ultimately controlled by the State Department or the Defense Department. Most seem to agree that generally it is State that has responsibility for such operations, but in this case it is argued that the State Department lacks the capacity needed on the ground in Pakistan to properly take responsibility for the programming.

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SOUTHERN Voices

By Filmona Hailemichael Senior Advocacy Associate, InterAction

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fter the Baghdad School of Music and Ballet was destroyed and most professional musicians fled Iraq, 17-year-old pianist Zuhal Sultan turned to the Internet for support. Zuhal is forming the first youth orchestra in Iraq in order to share the healing power of music with other young Iraqis. She explains how social media has been an essential tool in fostering unity through music.

MD: What is your organization’s mission? ZS: Our mission is to establish the first permanent National Youth Orchestra of Iraq (NYOI), consisting of young musicians from various regions of the country. This orchestra will represent music and unity. MD: What compelled you to start your campaign? ZS: I was inspired when I joined the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra at the age of 15. I was surrounded by 70 people of different backgrounds, religions and ethnicities. Even though I hardly knew their names, our shared love for music made me feel at home. I want other young Iraqis to experience this very heartwarming feeling and see for themselves what we all can be if given the chance. In July 2008, I was contacted by Battlefront, a UK television program that helps 20 teenagers establish a campaign on the issue they most believe in. I always wanted to start a youth orchestra, but I never thought I’d get the opportunity to make it happen. I developed the general plan in minutes, as though I’d been waiting all my life to do it. MD: What social media tools do you use and how do you use them? ZS: It’s very difficult to reach music students around Iraq in person, but the Internet has made it possible. To spread the word and get global support, I use Face-

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MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

MD: Do you think your campaign would be as effective if you didn’t use social media? ZS: I wouldn’t have a project if it weren’t for social media. I started out with a blog and a low-resolution photo and ended up with a conductor in Germany, a director of education in the U.S. and support from Making Music UK and prominent musicians such as Peter Maxwell Davies and Julian Lloyd Webber. I’ve given interviews to traditional media (magazines, newspapers, radio stations), but the Internet has been vital. Social media made this national project an international one. MD: What’s been your biggest success? ZS: Finding a conductor; getting almost 50 young Iraqi musicians to apply; receiving messages of support from all over the world; and getting seed support of £30,000 from the British Council. However, the only real success will be the orchestra’s debut. MD: What’s your biggest challenge? ZS: Every aspect of this is a big challenge! Having unreliable Internet access is very frustrating and quite depressing. Uploading videos can take two to three hours, and I can face up to three weeks without a connection, which is torture since most of my work is done online. In addition, funding is always a problem. There’s so much we want to do, but we’re limited financially. We are nearing our August 2009 debut and still need £120,000 to make our scheduled Summer Academy happen. MD: Anything else? ZS: Doing advocacy in Iraq is rare. It is such a shame as the youth here have so much energy, but waste it because they feel there isn’t much they can do. I want to prove otherwise and make my project a blueprint that shows them it is possible to achieve whatever they want with enough determination and passion. Globally, we will represent our country by performing great music and be living proof that you can achieve great things no matter who you are or where you come from, even if you are underage. MD

Photo: Music for A Change

Iraqi Teen Unites Youth Via Skype, YouTube

book groups and a Battlefront webpage with videos, blogs and photos. We use Skype to conduct team meetings and Justgiving.com to fundraise. Orchestra applicants use YouTube to upload their audition videos. I sent applicants a tutorial in three languages (Arabic, Kurdish and English) on how to upload videos because the majority have never used such websites. We are also starting a mentorship program to provide online music tutors for the applicants. They will use YouTube to share their performance with their tutors and the tutors can reply with feedback. If they have a good connection, they will use Skype for live lessons at least twice a month. This will prepare students to join the orchestra, which we hope to debut in August 2009.

INSIDE Our Community 2009 Disability Inclusion Award Recognizes Trickle Up

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) and InterAction are pleased to announce Trickle Up as the recipient of the 1st Annual Disability Inclusion Award. Established in honor of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), this award recognizes InterAction members who demonstrate outstanding commitment to inclusion and expanding leadership opportunities for people with disabilities throughout the world. The 2009 Disability Inclusion Award recipient, Trickle Up, works to empower people living on less than $1 a day to take the first steps out of poverty through livelihood development. Trickle Up has practiced inclusive development and promoted leadership opportunities for people with disabilities since 2002. Through a three-year partnership with MIUSA, Trickle Up began implementing inclusive practices at all levels of their organization—from staff disability awareness training at headquarters and field offices, to actively building partnerships with Disabled Peoples’ Organizations in all countries where they work. As a result, they have achieved their original target that 10% of program participants worldwide be people with disabilities. Along with Trickle Up, we received outstanding nominations from seven other organizations: American Jewish World Service, Heifer International, International Youth Foundation, Medical Assistance Programs International, Mercy Corps, Opportunity International and Perkins International. The Disability Inclusion Award will be presented at InterAction’s annual Forum on July 6. InterAction is also hosting a Disability Affinity Group meeting during the Forum on July 7 from 8:30 – 10:00 am. Contact Susan Dunn at [email protected] for details.

American Refugee Committee Welcomes New President/CEO Daniel W. Wordsworth

The American Refugee Committee announced that it has appointed a new president to lead the organization. Daniel W. Wordsworth assumed leadership of the American Refugee Committee in June. Wordsworth joins the American Refugee Committee at a time when the organization is responding to the current humanitarian crisis in Pakistan, where 500,000 people have recently fled their homes. “Daniel has extensive experience in the field of humanitarian relief—and with the proven leadership skills, energy, and innovative thinking to lead us into the future,” said Holly Myers, chair of the American Refugee Committee Board of Directors. “We are excited about what the American Refugee Committee will achieve under Daniel’s leadership.” 8

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

A seasoned leader, Wordsworth brings years of humanitarian experience in the aid field to the American Refugee Committee, including 12 years with the Christian Children’s Fund, where he most recently served as Vice President of the Asia Region, based in Thailand. Prior to joining ARC, he led a team engaged in for-profit business start-ups in China.

IFES Appoints William “Bill” Sweeney New President

The election-assistance non-governmental organization, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) announced the appointment of former Electronic Data Systems (EDS) Vice President William “Bill” Sweeney as its new President and CEO. Mr. Sweeney will succeed Jean-Pierre Kingsley, who oversaw major growth at IFES and advanced the organization’s cutting-edge practical thinking about election-assistance and democracy support. The appointment is a reunion: Sweeney served on the Board of Directors at IFES from 1993 to 2001 and was Chairman of IFES from 1999 to 2000. He has a lifelong background in democracy-promotion and public policy with considerable experience in both the public and private sectors. From 1981 to 1985, Sweeney was deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and he was executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee from 1977 to 1981. At EDS, an HP company, he was Vice President of Global Government Affairs and managed relations with governments and policy organizations around the world. “I am gratified that I was able to make a contribution to this great organization,” said Kingsley, who will remain closely associated with IFES. In this respect, he emphasized the further professionalization of the organization, as well as the efforts to be recognized as an international one.

Using Social Networks to Develop Innovative Ideas for Sub-Saharan Africa

The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) has just launched Africa Rural Connect (ARC), an innovative approach to rural agricultural development in Sub-Saharan Africa. ARC uses work-collaboration technology to engage more directly with Africa’s poorest populations about the agricultural problems they face and the solutions they imagine. The ARC Community includes people who previously had little voice in formulating strategy and developing programs in Africa. By emphasizing the role of Africans and the African diaspora in the United States in Africa’s development, ARC ensures that the real needs of Sub-Saharan Africa can be heard, problems identified and actions taken on practical, timely and cost effective local solutions. Development workers, current and returned Peace Corps Volunteers, Africa Studies and agriculture academics, and those with an interest in agricultural development in the region are all encouraged to engage in the Community.

To move beyond discussion to action, ARC is coordinating a contest this summer for the best business plans to improve agricultural practices in Sub-Saharan Africa. We hope that many InterAction members will participate in this competition. NPCA believes that collaboration generates the best ideas and solutions. Your suggestions, ideas and business plans will help to insure that ARC fulfills its mission and becomes a powerful collaborative workspace for the diaspora and other trusted communities to mobilize ideas and resources that can help improve the lives of the poor everywhere. We look forward to working with other InterAction members in demonstrating this. Join ARC to offer your ideas for Africa: http://arc. peacecorpsconnect.org

World Neighbors Recognizes Contributions of Long-Time Employee Peter Gubbels

Oklahoma City-based World Neighbors  is saying goodbye to Peter Gubbels after almost a quarter-century of service, working to eliminate hunger, poverty and disease across the globe. Gubbels has served in various roles during his tenure, as a grassroots coordinator for programs in remote West Africa to his current position as Vice President of international program, where he oversees planning and programming for 77 programs in 18 countries. “I have been greatly privileged to work with World Neighbors for over 22 years. The philosophy of World Neighbors, its principles and values, have largely shaped my own and remain an indelible part of who I am.” “All of us at World Neighbors wish Peter great success and joy as he spends extended time with his wife in West Africa and embarks on the next challenge in his long and distinguished career. We will miss him greatly,” said Melanie Macdonald, CEO of World Neighbors.

WHEP Draws Attention to Breast Cancer in Russia

For 120 breast cancer survivors and activists, medical professionals, NGO representatives and research scientists, May 18 and 19 in Moscow were an opportunity to turn the tide on breast cancer in Russia. At the Women’s Health Empowerment Program (WHEP)’s Second National Conference, critical issues on early detection and treatment were brought to the fore. WHEP is a joint partnership between the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. WHEP Conference participants adopted an action plan, urging, among other things, that the Russian government create conditions where detection technology is more easily available; use modern and innovative treatments; employ clear standards for rehabilitation after mastectomies; and provide comprehensive psychological support for diagnosed women and their families.

In Russia, where breast cancer is the most common cause of death for 45–55 year old women, where 50,000 women a year are newly diagnosed, and where the incidence rate continues to increase 2.3 percent every year, these issues mean the difference between life and death. “WHEP in Russia provides lifesaving knowledge about the disease, prevention measures and counseling,” said Steven Schwager, CEO of JDC. Since 1995, WHEP has connected women from diverse religious, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds throughout the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Israel and the Palestinian territories, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Montenegro.

INSIDE InterAction InterAction at World Bank Spring Meetings

The World Bank hosted a Civil Society Policy Forum April 22–25 during its annual Spring Meeting. Approximately 150 civil society organizations from around the world, including InterAction members Save the Children, World Learning, Results, Population Action International, CARE, Transparency International, and Bread for the World, attended over 30 events sponsored by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, civil society organizations and governments. The issues included confronting corruption (sponsored by InterAction member Transparency International), the Africa food and financial crisis, climate change, human rights, IMF transparency, hunger and malnutrition (sponsored by InterAction member CARE), Africa trade and debt, education and meeting with the Bank’s Compliance Ombudsman. Sam Worthington, InterAction’s President and CEO, chaired a lively discussion of the “G20 Summit Outcomes and Implications for Developing Countries.” This workshop had over 75 participants including InterAction members Oxfam, ActionAid, Results and Bread for the World. Following the workshop Worthington emceed a civil society reception with Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank, and Dominique Strauss-Kahn, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund. MD Sam Worthington joins Robert Zoellick and Dominique Strauss-Kahn.

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Step By Step Advocacy

By John Ruthrauff Senior Manager of Member Advocacy, InterAction

Note: This is the fifth installment in a series of articles on developing an effective advocacy strategy. The previous pieces, which appeared in the March, April, May and June 2009 editions of Monday Developments, examined selecting an issue, defining your goal and “asks,” conducting a power analysis, building strategic alliances and developing objectives.

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dvocacy consists of a series of planned activities that organizations undertake to press for policy changes related to a specific issue (based on an assessment of which actors have the power to bring about those changes). An advocacy campaign can focus on change in an organization, a government or a multinational institution (e.g., the World Bank). Advocacy increases the power available to organizations and alliances and helps them accomplish their goals by winning measurable victories. Campaigning organizations find they get only as much change as they have the power to compel. Advocacy activities are the steps you use in your advocacy campaign to influence key actor(s) who can bring about your desired change. They should be based on a power analysis and designed to attain an objective. Advocacy activities can strengthen allies, increase pubic awareness of your issue, reduce the influence of opponents and/or convince undecided actors to join your effort. Depending on the situation, you may also need to assess the risks that the campaign may pose to the safety of your staff and your institutional organization. An advocacy campaign does not mean you need to take to the streets in protest or physically confront anyone; in fact, doing so is often counterproductive and can literally be dangerous. When choosing your advocacy activities for a particular campaign, make sure they take into account the local culture, religious practices, social norms and the political and security situations. They should also draw on and reflect the strengths and interests of your alliance members. Examples of possible advocacy activities include:

Building Relationships

Successful advocacy campaigns require that you build relationships with supporters, potential allies and key deci10

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

Emails, Phone Calls and Letter Writing

While face-to-face interaction is critical, you may also want to consider using emails, phone calls and/or letter writing to communicate a point or position to one or more key actors. More labor-intensive efforts (such as personalized letters) usually have more impact than ones requiring little ef-

fort (such as forwarding an email or signing a petition). In all these forms of communication, make sure you keep in mind the following pointers: • Be brief and courteous. State your purpose and note points on which you agree with the intended recipient early on in your message, petition text or letter. Remember the concept of “short and sweet.” The longer your letter or note is, the less likely it is that it will be read and the more likely it is that even if it is read, the reader will miss your main points. Aim for a one-page letter and a two-page maximum length. Only attach additional documents and materials to your main message if they are essential and you have thoroughly rechecked them for accuracy, timeliness and relevance. • If you decide to use a sign-on letter (a letter in which you list multiple people as the signatories), you should get the approval of each signer before including his or her name on the letter. Make sure you send each signer a copy of the letter as well. • Timing is key! Letters, phone calls and emails are most effective just prior to a decision (e.g., a vote in Congress). But make sure you know when the key decisions will actually be made. For example, in many high-level, major multiparty international meetings, such as G8 or G20 Summits, most decisions are made two to four months in advance so work needs to begin six months prior. Be continued on page 28

Photo: Kurhan - Fotolia.com

Advocacy Activities: Part 1

sion-makers. You can use informal or formal meetings. Your first significant interaction with another party should be face to face if possible. Building trust with others is critical for success. This means that, among other things, you need to make sure that you and your coalition partners provide accurate, reliable information, follow up in a timely manner on agreements you make along the way and give credit to others where appropriate. Individual One-on-one meetings are key to building relationships.

PUblic Opinion

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powerful new approach to U.S. global engagement is gaining traction at senior levels in Washington, with support from a broad range of leaders, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. As eloquently explained by Senator John Kerry in recent remarks at the Brookings Institution, “If we are to rise to meet these new challenges, this much is clear: development and diplomacy must retake their rightful place alongside defense at the heart of America’s foreign policy.” In some corners the belief persists that the American public does not share this vision. However, new research by the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN) suggests that that understanding no longer holds true and that American voters’ attitudes on foreign assistance have evolved greatly and in ways that create a window of opportunity for those working to realize this vision of a stronger role for development and diplomacy in U.S. foreign relations. As a member of that community and a member of MFAN, I want to take this opportunity to present some of the findings that are particularly relevant for the work of our community. Before getting into the polling results, it is useful to have some historical context. This is not the first time a major effort has been made to increase U.S. foreign assistance. The Marshall Plan, which played a critical role in rebuilding and revitalizing Europe after World

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MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

Publ

Percept

Assista

New research suggests significant public support for U.S. foreign assistance. By Sam Worthington President and CEO InterAction

PUblic Opinion

War II, is now seen as arguably the greatest U.S. success in foreign aid and it created a lasting legacy of vigorous diplomacy and effective development assistance, including the creation of the U.S. Agency for International Development. But to fully understand this success, it is worth remembering how difficult it was for President Truman and his advisors to sell the Marshall Plan to Congress and the American people. Isolationists in Congress adamantly opposed the plan, with Nebraska Congressman Howard Buffett calling it “Operation Rathole.” Other critics were more nuanced, but in general, those who opposed the plan did not believe American security or prosperity had anything to do with Europe. The Marshall Plan eventually passed Congress, but those partisan divides colored public attitudes of U.S. global engagement and foreign assistance for nearly a half-century until an evolution began about 10 years ago.

lic

ptionS of

Foreign ance

Photo: maigi - Fotolia.com

t .

Signs of Change To better understand American voters’ perceptions of foreign assistance, particularly in the post-9/11, economically tumultuous world in which we now live, MFAN commissioned the Glover Park Group, a strategic communications firm based in Washington, DC, that works with many international development and global health groups, to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research on the subject. The research findings gave reason for both optimism and caution.

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

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PUblic Opinion

1. Foreign Policy Voter attention to foreign policy issues is dramatically higher today than in previous years or decades. The change in administrations has had a positive impact not only on how voters view the direction of the country, but how they view our current foreign policy. For the first time in several years, a majority of Americans (53 percent) now believe the country is headed in the right direction, and a similar majority (53 percent) has a positive feeling about current American foreign policy. 2. General Understanding While Americans support foreign assistance in principle, their understanding of what it is and how it works undermines concrete action. Americans have historically overestimated (and continue to do so) the percentage of the federal budget allocated to non-military foreign assistance (23 percent is the mean they believe is allocated), but they think that the allocation should be 13 percent, which is considerably higher than the approximately 1 percent that is currently allocated. The common belief is that the lack of a personal connection to foreign assistance—the absence of a human face, perhaps, or lack of a tangible impact in their everyday lives—is probably responsible for much of the uncertainty Americans display toward foreign assistance as a policy. But, despite this lack of exposure to the foreign assistance program a resoundingly high percentage—64 percent—support U.S. foreign assistance (69 percent support non-military U.S. foreign assistance). Similarly, when voters are told that much of American humanitarian and development assistance is administered by nonprofit organizations (and not through government-to-government transactions), their support measurably increases. The most important takeaway here is that supporters of development and foreign assistance can have demonstrably greater advocacy results if they take the time to explain foreign assistance in a simple, concrete and compelling way. 3. The Particulars of Foreign Assistance Support for foreign assistance is tied to the ideal of what it can accomplish. More than seven in 10 (73 percent) vot-

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ers believe that foreign assistance allows “us to fight global disease such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.” A similar percentage (71 percent) agrees that U.S. foreign assistance “is a reflection of American morality and compassion.” Focus groups tease out this support in more detail, revealing peoples’ preference for a collaborative, engaging foreign policy. They see foreign assistance as a tool to restore America’s image in the world and build good will. Americans, not surprisingly, want to be liked, and there is recognition that in an increasingly interconnected world, foreign assistance both reaffirms our ideals and advances our self-interest. 4. The Economy and Foreign Assistance MFAN’s research indicates that the current economy is not an obstacle— and may even be a catalyst—in the pursuit of public support for foreign assistance. More than two in three voters (68 percent) believe that in “this economic crisis, we should increase funding for foreign assistance programs that are proven effective and cut programs that do not work,” rather than “eliminate funding for foreign assistance programs,” which is supported by just 26 percent of voters. 5. Reforming Foreign Assistance The MFAN research found nearly universal support today for reforming foreign assistance. Americans adamantly want to know that their dwindling public resources are being spent more effectively, and all the better if their dollars are being spent on programs they support. So it is unsurprising that an overwhelming majority of voters agree (85 percent, 59 percent “strongly”) that “we need to modernize how foreign assistance is currently organized and implemented.” And people want to modernize foreign assistance immediately; nearly seven in ten (69 percent) want the government to move to modernize foreign assistance by the end of the year. Voters strongly favor the creation of a comprehensive and strategic global development plan that includes modernizing how foreign assistance is administered. Large majorities support the idea of a foreign assistance plan that will enable the U.S. to reduce poverty, fight diseases and save lives around the

world. Voters want foreign assistance to be more efficient so that more of our aid gets into the hands of those who need it. This aligns with public support for President Obama’s promise to identify and bolster federal programs that work while eliminating those that do not. In short, MFAN’s research suggests that there is broad support for foreign assistance across demographic groups, but that support is what we would call “soft support.” Foreign assistance has never been a top, urgent priority among the American people, but this research shows that there is a window of opportunity for advocates of a greater, more strategic role of foreign assistance and global development in our foreign policy. Chairman Kerry summed up that opportunity in his speech at the Brookings Institution: “History teaches us that America is safest and strongest when we understand that our security will not be protected by military means alone. It must be protected as well by our generosity, by our example, by powerful outreach, and by instilling a palpable sense in the people of the world that we understand and share their destiny. That has always inspired people, and it always will. It undercuts our enemies, it empowers our friends and it keeps us safer.” MD The findings in this article are drawn from a nationwide telephone survey of 1,000 registered voters between April 26 and May 3, 2009. Based on a sample of this size, the survey data will have a margin of error of +/-3.1% for the full sample, higher for sub-groups. Put another way, this means that the results of our data are accurate within 3.1 points 95 times out of 100. The Glover Park Group also conducted five focus groups with the following audiences: faith activists and potential activists, and with global health activists in Atlanta on April 20, 2009; faith and secular activists and potential activists, and with conservative Republicans in Las Vegas on April 21, 2009; and with global health activists in Bethesda, Maryland. For more information on this research, please contact Jason Boxt at the Glover Park Group (jboxt@gpgdc. com or 202-337-0808). For more information on MFAN please visit http:// modernizingforeignassistance.net.

Continuing Series: Kidnapped!

The First 48 Hours By Josh Kearns, Associate Security Coordinator, InterAction

This is the first installment in a fourpart series detailing a fictional kidnap scenario. The purpose of the series is to highlight appropriate and inappropriate responses and resources available when an organization is faced with the kidnapping of staff members. The scenario is based on a recent training in hostage incident management conducted by the InterAction Security Unit, in conjunction with InterAction’s Security Advisory Group. All events and characters are entirely fictitious, as are all organizations with the exception of the UN Department of Safety and Security, the FBI and OSAC (the U.S. Department of State Overseas Security Advisory Council).

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O

n the outskirts of Mogadishu, the dusty main road connecting the city to points south and west narrows to a single lane amid a settlement of tinroof shacks and makeshift tarpaulin shelters. Feral dogs nose through the rubbish that lines the road, hoping to find a shallow puddle to quench their thirst against the searing heat. After dark, dogs make up the majority of the traffic along the road. In the early evening on August 5, 2006, they were illuminated by the headlights of a white Toyota Landcruiser in which four aid workers were returning from a field visit to their compounds in Mogadishu. Traveling in the front seat of the vehicle were two Somalis: NGO Alpha’s driver, Hamid, and Wali, an interpreter for NGO Bravo, one of Alpha’s partners in a camp project near the town of Afgoye. In the back seat were Sally, a 24-year-old California woman on her first field deployment with NGO Alpha, and Tony, a 37-year-old music business veteran at the start of a new career in humanitarian relief with NGO Bravo. As they approached the chokepoint in the road, a car pulled out in front of them, forcing them to stop. As they did so, two

men stepped out of the darkness and pointed their rifles at the passengers. “Tony and the girl will die in 72 hours unless $1 million is paid.” The call came in a few minutes before 9 p.m. that same night. Laila, the administrator for NGO Bravo in Mogadishu, listened to the caller’s demand, spoken in careful but stilted English. Tony, Bravo’s logistician, and Wali, his interpreter, had failed to return to camp at the scheduled hour of 6 p.m., and the staff at Bravo had begun to worry. Now their fears were confirmed. Tony, Wali and the other members of their party had been kidnapped, and their abductors were threatening to kill them. The decisions made by Laila and the rest of her organization over the next few hours would likely determine whether their co-workers lived or died. By 2005, NGO Alpha had been operating in Somalia for nearly 20 years. Alpha had maintained program continuity through many of modern Somalia’s worst crises, from the 1993 “Blackhawk Down” episode and the country’s subsequent descent into chaos, to the takeover of Mogadishu by Islamists, to the invasion of the country by neighboring Ethiopia. Based in New York and with operations in 50 countries around the world, Alpha had well-developed security policies and procedures. The organization prided itself on maintaining a steady course in Somalia while other NGOs had withdrawn. However, at the time of the kidnapping, Jack, Alpha’s Country Director, had been on the job for only three months, and on August 5 he was in Europe on leave. Though an old hand in relief work, it was his first stint in Somalia. During his interview process with Alpha, Jack had made it a requirement that his family be allowed to accompany him in Mogadishu. Because the position had been so difficult to fill, Alpha acquiesced, despite its misgivings. This decision was to have unforeseen consequences for Jack’s staff in Somalia. NGO Bravo was cut from a different cloth. The pet project of international jazz star Grover T. Booker, L.A.-based Bravo’s mission was to promote the arts to children in conflict-affected countries. In 2005 Bravo was operational in five African nations. In Somalia, the program’s goal was to get music added to the curriculum of schools in the

Photo: spaxiax - Fotolia.com

Kidnapped!

Kidnapped!

country. Bravo’s Somalia staff included a mix of seasoned aid professionals, local nationals and personal acquaintances of Booker, including Tony who knew him from his touring days. Bravo’s country director at the time, Billy, had years of experience in Somalia with the UN and NGOs. Billy had initially been opposed to allowing Tony to travel with Alpha to Afgoye, believing that the roads outside Mogadishu were too dangerous, but Tony argued that the presence of Wali, who was well respected in the area, would help avert disaster. In the end, Billy acquiesced. Shortly after receiving the call from the kidnappers, NGO Bravo’s staff was able to determine that the call had come from a Thuraya satellite phone, not from Tony’s cell phone. Bravo had no proof yet that the caller actually had custody of Tony, no proof that he was alive. A call placed to headquarters to inform it of the menacing phone call revealed that Tony’s father, Bruce, had contacted the organization, worried that something had happened to his son. August 5 was Tony’s birthday. When Bruce had called

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Tony’s mobile phone, a man had yelled in broken English, “Call Thuraya. Call Thuraya.” The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to come together. Headquarters told Billy that before mobilizing a response they needed to establish proof that Tony was alive. They also instructed him to confirm with Alpha that their vehicle had not returned to camp. At about the same time Bravo was beginning to mobilize its response to Tony’s disappearance, Sally’s mother, Patricia, received a call similar to the one received by Bravo. The caller explained that Patricia needed to pay $1 million, or her daughter and “the rest of them” would be killed. Patricia, a wealthy widow residing in Los Angeles, called NGO Alpha headquarters in New York. Although Alpha’s director of security assured her that they would do everything they could to ensure Sally’s safe return, Patricia was not satisfied. Not only had Alpha been unaware of Sally’s disappearance before her call, but their country director was on leave in Amsterdam, leaving his deputy in charge. She was also told that NGO

Alpha’s policy was to not pay ransom. Privately, Patricia decided to give Alpha no more than 12 hours to bring Sally in safely. After that, she was determined to take matters in to her own hands. Back in Mogadishu, Bravo had reached out to Alpha and confirmed that the Land Cruiser was indeed missing, along with the vehicle’s four occupants. Calls were then placed to relevant players in the region, including the Somalia NGO Security Group (SNOG), UN Department of Safety and Security and the U.S. Department of State’s Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), which is available to help U.S. businesses and NGOs with security issues. From this starting point, the two affected NGOs would need to mobilize every resource available to them to ensure the best outcome for the situation. With so many variables and uncertainties and so many moving parts, the first 48 hours of a kidnapping incident are crucial, and this case was to be no exception. MD Next month: Worst fears confirmed; creating a crisis management team.

Definitive Moment

The Definitive Moment Missing, detained, abducted, kidnapped or just plain lost. By John Schafer, Senior Security Coordinator, InterAction

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re you prepared to handle a missing staff person? Really? If so, just sit back and answer the following question: At what moment does your organization define when a staff member has gone missing? This may vary by organization and location, but you should be able to answer it. If you do not have an answer, then you are not prepared and you must answer “No.” Imagine for a moment that heavy rains blocked a bridge preventing the return of a field mission and they were forced to go another direction. In an attempt to take another route the team becomes lost. Back at the base, dinner had already been served, it is dark and the team still has not returned. Imagine that for the organization in question the missing person threshold had been reached and the organization had begun to implement its policy. The Chief of Party, using the set protocol, informed headquarters. Headquarters convened a crisis management team (CMT) and the field office was instructed to start an incident management team (IMT) to begin the process of finding the missing staff members.

Photo: Steven Pepple - Fotolia.com

Three Benefits of the Definitive Moment

The definitive moment does three things for an organization. Once the organization’s definitive moment has passed, it means that there will be programmed responses at both headquarters and in the field, and the process of locating the missing staff member begins. If the person is lost, other NGOs, the UN and local authorities can get the word out to assist in locating the missing person, or identify his or her last known location. If the organization has kept its staff properly briefed on its security protocols, the missing person will know about the organization’s definition of the definitive moment, will know that it has passed in the case of his or her

disappearance, and will understand the process the organization will use to locate him or her. Doing this sort of briefing helps the organization develop a policy that assists not only the organization, but also the missing person as well. It can give the missing person a greater sense of self-assurance that the organization had implemented the policy once the definitive moment has been reached. Having a definitive moment with a programmed response also encourages and helps field staff better adhere to security policies and programs. The effect can be even greater if headquarters is also involved in the ongoing security protocols. For example, if an organization has a policy of recording breeches of security protocols (such as regularly calling in) in individuals’ personnel files, it can help the organization spot trends and adapt, while also acting as an incentive for staff to follow existing protocols. But thinking about a staff member getting lost may not make much of an impact, so it is important to consider kidnappings as well. Imagine you were

the one who had disappeared in the scenario outlined above and that you had been taken against your will. If your organization did not have a definitive moment policy, you might not know when or how your organization would respond and what it would do to secure your release. Think about how that uncertainty could cause pain for your loved ones and how that worry could affect your mental state, increase your stress and undermine your coping abilities that are so vital for survival under these conditions. But if your organization has a definitive moment policy, you will know that steps are being taken: people are looking out for you, taking care of your family and doing everything else the policy addresses. The definitive moment may provide you with a sense of hope that may never be taken from you while you are being held against your will. In turn, your psyche may be more resilient, thus increasing your likelihood of surviving and coming out of the crisis with a lesser degree of lasting trauma. Defining the definitive moment is critical to an effective, programmed, organizational response that promotes a victim’s resiliency. It assists security plans, staff cooperation and mitigation efforts. It also helps organizations in responding when a staff member is lost, missing, abducted or kidnapped staff. However, a definitive moment policy will not assist the organization that does not have such a policy, or help when staff violate established security protocols, such as participating in radio checks, staying out of restricted locations and informing others of travel plans. Local laws and customs, organizational security plans, training, policy and assessments are for those who abide by them and who respect other stakeholders in the community. But for those who “go off of the reservation,” there is no mitigation. We cannot mitigate stupid. MD

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

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NGO Security

Moving NGO Security to the Next Level It is time to rethink our work and whether our actions are equal to the threats. By Robert MacPherson, former Director CARE International Safety and Security, and Norman Sheehan, Global Security Director, Academy for Educational Development

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n the recent past, a number of NGO colleagues have asked, “What will it take to get my organization MOSS [Minimum Operating Security Standards] compliant with the standards established by InterAction?” This interest intensified—significantly—after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. The assault focused attention on the actions of criminal and terrorist groups that increasingly target specific nationalities and organizations. However, the attention dissipated in just a few weeks. Nonprofit attention to security has been an evolving process. Since 1996, our community has made steady progress in addressing the safety and security of staff. Yet, in recent years, we have reached a comfortable plateau. We continue to fall short of the requirements needed to address the increased stresses and dangers that confront the people who support our organizations. On the whole, our actions remain re-

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active rather than proactive. There are exceptions. Some organizations have created impressive security architectures, in which the security staff is well supported, funded and integrated into all aspects of programming. Nevertheless, too many NGOs with staff operating in extremely volatile areas of the world remain noncompliant with MOSS standards, and, at worse, are even unaware that a requirement exists. Some of this is a result of context. Our community made a critical mistake in adopting UN terminology when we established our own security criteria. Nothing as significant as staff safety and security should begin with the word “minimum.” It creates an image that if we achieve bare requirements we are “covered.” In comparison, there are no minimum standards for NGO fiscal or budgeting responsibility and requirements, nor is the word “minimum” associated with program development and execution.

In addition, many of our organizations continue to view staff safety and security as a “bolt-on” option. A quick survey of InterAction members reveals that few have a dedicated security officer. As their websites appeal for donors to support their presence in Afghanistan, Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, they barely recognize a safety and security element as part of their presence. When asked about this, it turns out that funding for security is the pre-eminent concern. This is peculiar. As the death rate continues to increase from violence specifically targeting NGOs through measures such as planned attacks and kidnapping, there is still discussion concerning the merit of funding professional and dedicated security oversight. An impressive number of InterAction members have operating budgets of hundreds of millions dollars. They have thousands of people operating in the most dangerous and stressful places on the planet. However, they do not have a dedicated security infrastructure. It would be an interesting comparison to consider the amount of money our members spend on their websites versus the amounts they spend on staff safety and security. The attack in Mumbai was another in a series of reminders that we face increasingly dangerous circumstances and that “business as usual” is not going to work. Most aid organizations rely on an acceptance model for their security. It involves reducing or removing the threat by gaining widespread local understanding and acceptance for their presence and work. The philosophy behind this approach is that if the community or government clearly understands and supports the NGO’s work, the NGO can become part of the local security network, and rely on it for warnings of possible changes in the security environment and to mitigate risks. However, the traditional systems we

Photo: REUTERS/David Lewis, courtesy www.alertnet.org

This UN convoy was meant to deliver aid and attend a soccer tournament to mark reconciliation between rebels and government forces in the Republic of the Congo’s troubled Pool region. It was stopped at a roadblock, where dope-smoking, grenadewielding fighters looted whatever aid and valuables they could find.

NGO Security

have relied on, such as the acceptance model, are breaking down and will continue to do so. In response, we need to create mechanisms that are simultaneously systemic (not piecemeal and divided into silos), participatory (involving many people’s ideas, energy, talent and expertise) and agile (able to act and adapt nimbly in a minefield of uncertainty). The funding structure of humanitarian community makes the community absolutely accountable to donors. To meet this requirement, we place a great deal of emphasis on design, monitoring and evaluation. Every project has to be quantified and its effectiveness measured. An organization’s funding and reputation depends on its effectiveness. The use of terms such as cost benefit, cost analysis and “log matrices” is common. NGOs are extraordinarily creative, but they are also bound by as many bureaucratic requirements as any commercial enterprise.

An organization may have a perfect security record in the eastern Congo, only to find a kidnapping has occurred in a low-risk area where the agency has spent more than 50 years. Whether we admit it or not, staff security is too often relegated to a balance sheet. For a number of years, this was an unpleasant but realistic consideration. The cost of a formal security infrastructure was covered by “nonrestricted” funds and as such was in competition with every other priority within the NGO. But this is no longer a reasonable explanation. Funding for staff safety and security is possibly one of the easiest line items in a proposal to major donors such as the development arms of the U.S., Canada, Australia and the European Community. So why do we still wrestle with questions regarding minimum-security standards and why do field staff still feel compelled to express concern that their well-being is

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not the primary focus of their NGO? Is it possible that NGO staff safety and security requires a greater paradigm shift than any other facet within our community? Security is an art. It is fluid, amorphous and constantly changing. By its nature, it is difficult to quantify. It does not lend itself to models, matrices and quantitative constructs. An organization may have a perfect security record in the eastern Congo only to find a kidnapping has occurred in a low-risk area where the agency has spent more than 50 years doing development work. As such, NGO security is attempting to “mainstream” itself into organizations that are diagnostic, systematic and methodical. Certainly, there are a series of requirements associated with staff safety and security, which lend themselves to a systematic and methodical approach. Regardless of the size, mission or scope of an NGO, if an organization is engaged in humanitarian, developmental or human rights activities outside the borders of the United States, there are several critical policies and procedures that must be in place. Without them, an organization is negligent and as such opens itself to an extraordinary degree of litigation. An organization’s liability can be defined by a combination of factors. Does the NGO have staff in troubled, dangerous and complex areas of the world? Based on the availability of funding from the donor community, has the organization instituted a viable, structured and dedicated security mechanism? But our attention to staff safety and security cannot be driven by the possibility of litigation. Many of our organizations have existed for more than half a century and maintained their presence in areas of amazing complexity. They remain because of an honest belief in the humanitarian mandate. However, the world has changed. The premise of “acceptance” and “good people doing good things will protect us” is gone. We operate in a world where terrorism is a constant and viable threat. Thus, for the same reasons that we pursue the ideals of equality, dignity and individual rights across the globe, we need to refocus our attention on staff well-being. A first step was already taken when InterAction held a two-day working security seminar for

InterAction member CEOs and senior leadership in September 2000. Now we need to hold a follow-up event to address what we see as the current threats. We also need to consider how willing we are to work in the environments we now face and carefully and honestly examine NGO capabilities to mitigate certain high-threat conditions. We need to ask ourselves whether the models we currently use still work. For example, currently we have a security model that consists of “Protection, Deterrence and Acceptance.” Is it time to establish criteria for “Avoidance.” We also need to review the current Minimum Operating Security Standards and establish a new document: InterAction Member Standards for Staff Safety and Security. This must include a mechanism to monitor compliance with specific consequences for noncompliance. Additionally, our senior leadership needs to establish definitive InterAction requirements associated with membership, which require members to adopt and adhere to a set of security principles and a crisis management plan; kidnap and hostage protocols; and safety and security guidelines for field staff (including protocols related to the risk of pandemic or infectious disease that spreads through populations across a large region). And they must maintain kidnap, ransom and extortion insurance. In addition, bilateral donors such as USAID should be invited to participate in discussions on funding for security so that the NGOs and donors can work toward a common plan on how to better cover these security needs in grants and contracts. The key to success for all security programming is the realization that it is a dynamic process. The landscape in which we operate has changed, and ongoing discussions, planning and coordination will be critical to our future success. Although there are relatively few fundamentals in a well-developed security architecture, the safety of the entire group will always depend on the attention to the process, well-established standards, adequate training and resources and a culture of accountability, which includes both the organization and the individual. It is time to reexamine our work and ask if our actions are equal to the threats our staff face. MD

The cut

Each December in Kenya, girls of marrying age are taken to a secluded location to mark the shift from childhood to adulthood—sometimes by force.

Saying No to “The Cut” in Kenya Community-based program develops a successful alternative rite of passage. By Debbie DeVoe, Regional Information Officer for East Africa Catholic Relief Services

Photo: poco_bw - Fotolia.com

T

hey call it “the cut.” Some girls are told their little pinkies will be cut off but are assured the fingers will grow back by the end of the three-week seclusion. Others are told they will grow a long tail between their legs if they don’t get cut. Still more girls simply understand that whatever the cut is, it is a necessary part of becoming a woman and being ready for marriage. Not one fully understands that she will undergo an extremely painful circumcision. “Female circumcision is a traditional practice that dates back hundreds of years in many African countries,” explains Elizabeth Mwangi, justice and peacebuilding officer for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Kenya. “Some Kenyan communities are now recognizing the human rights and health is-

sues involved and are taking measures to end the practice. At the same time, they want to retain the important rite of passage and cultural education that are also part of the ritual.” For most Americans, the concept of female circumcision is almost unimaginable. How could parents—and particularly mothers—have their little girls undergo such a procedure? What could possibly be the benefit? In many other countries, however, female circumcision is as common and accepted as male circumcision. Each December in Kenya, girls of marrying age (which averages between nine and 12 years old) are taken by an older female community member to a secluded location to mark the shift from childhood to adulthood—sometimes by force. The older women teach the girls tra-

ditional lore and important skills, including how to be a good wife and care for children. During the seclusion, the girls are also circumcised, often under unsanitary conditions. The practice takes different forms based on the cultural practices of a given ethnic group, with some communities cutting off just the clitoris and others cutting more. The procedure often leads to years of pain, which can be exacerbated by infections and childbirth. As governments ban the practice and people become more educated about the risks involved—including possible HIV infection and even death from excessive bleeding—communities are starting to question the rite’s continued value in today’s changing world. “In the past, it was geared for preparing girls to enter marriage,” says Margaret Kanyaru, a Kenyan mother of a 14-year-old daughter. “During that time, girls were not expected to go to school. Now HIV is also a danger.” In 2002, the Catholic Diocese of Meru in central Kenya asked CRS to help develop an alternative rite of passage. “When we started the project, we would call community members into a meeting. As soon as we started talking about female circumcision, people would get up and walk out,” notes Martin Koome, the diocese’s project coordinator for the alternative rite of passage. Changing hundreds of years of cultural practice is extremely difficult and doesn’t happen overnight. Previous initiatives implemented by other organizations had already failed. To achieve lasting success, CRS and the diocese spent four years engaging every community circle—from adolescent girls and boys, to parents and government officials, to even circumcisers

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

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More than 150 adolescent girls celebrate the end of their seclusion in central Kenya, marking their healthy shift to adulthood at a graduation ceremony.

themselves—to determine if an alternative to circumcision was a worthwhile endeavor and, if so, what an ideal alternative rite of passage should offer. They then worked with community members for two additional years to develop a week-long curriculum for an alternative rite of passage.

“Our grandmothers say we must feel the pain they felt to honor our culture. We need to have the courage to say there is no need to be circumcised.” Interested girls can now sign up in participating parishes to attend an alternative seclusion at a school, community center or church building, typically held over the long Christmas or Easter school holidays. Girls of all faiths are encouraged to attend, and the alternative seclusions are now strongly supported by religious leaders, government officials and Meru’s Council of Elders. During the alternative seclusion, participants learn about a wide range of is-

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sues, including cultural lessons, health issues, relationship skills and the dangers of circumcision. Often these discussions provide the girls with their first understanding of what they would have undergone during the traditional rite of passage. The workshops also focus on building the girls’ self-esteem, teaching them to discuss sensitive issues comfortably and say a firm “no” to actions with which they disagree. “We had some friends who were circumcised. They would tell us myths: you’ll never get married, you’ll smell, things like that,” shares 16-year-old Caroline Kanana. “Then we came here and got that knowledge [of circumcision]. If it weren’t for this project, we might go join them and accept whatever they did to us.” “Our grandmothers say we must feel the pain they felt to honor our culture,” Caroline adds. “We need to have the courage to say there is no need to be circumcised.” The project has become so successful that parishes often have to turn away interested participants. At one seclusion in Kangeta parish, more than 500 girls applied for the 150 spaces available. Two seclusions held over the last Easter school break saw similar interest. Eventually, the diocese hopes that

community support will grow to the point that residents are willing to pay a small fee for their daughters to participate in the alternative rite, just as they now pay traditional circumcisers, which could make the project self- sustaining. For now though, additional private funding is required to serve all interested girls and families. Men in the surrounding area are also changing their attitudes. When the project started, it was difficult to find any man willing to marry an uncircumcised girl. Due to increased awareness of the risks involved in circumcision and its impact on sexual intimacy, many will now only consider marrying a girl who has not been cut. This shift, while extremely positive, makes it critical for communities to ensure that already circumcised girls are not stigmatized or shunned in return. The desire to respect past practices and women who have been circumcised is also why the project uses the term “female circumcision” instead of “female genital mutilation.” The risk of circumcision doesn’t disappear after girls complete the alternative rite of passage. Family pressure, peer pressure and even pressure from a suitor can lead a graduate to change her mind. Uncircumcised adolescent girls are also at risk of being kidnapped and cut by relatives who disagree with the decision. In addition, uncircumcised women of any age are sometimes cut during childbirth, with mother-in-laws or other relatives convincing medical personnel to do the procedure without the patient’s consent. These human rights abuses underscore the importance of the life skills, personal growth and increased self-esteem the girls gain during the alternative seclusions. Winfred Muthoni, 12 years old, is attending the second-to-last day of her alternative seclusion. She sits quietly on a wooden chair with her hands in her lap, her small, slightly hunched frame swallowed by a tan fleece jacket decorated with galloping horses. I ask her what she will do if she is later pressured to be circumcised. Her lightbrown eyes turn steely, and she juts her chin forward. Then she answers simply but with palpable determination: “I’d just refuse.” MD

Photo: CRS staff

The cut

Civil G8

The Civil G8 CSOs meet in Rome ahead of the 2009 G8 Summit. By Sylvain A. Browa, Director of Global Partnerships, InterAction, and John Ruthrauff, Senior Manager, Member Advocacy, InterAction

commitment to collaboration and joint efforts displayed at the recent G20 Summit in London. In this time of crisis, he said, the L’Aquila Summit will promote more cooperation and collective responses, strengthen the role of developing nations in decision-making on global issues, be more inclusive in dealing with issues of shared interest such as security and climate change, and sustain the G8 group by promoting more accountability on G8 Summit decisions. The exchange that followed the Italian Sherpa’s introduction around the five CSO policy positions also highlighted a number of cross-cutting issues of interest to the collective advocacy work of InterAction and its sister associations of NGOs in other G8 countries.

Accountability in G8 Decisions

Photos: InterAction

W

ith the 2009 G8 Summit to be held in L’Aquila, Italy, in July fast approaching, civil society organizations (CSOs) from around the world held their own meeting—the Civil G8—in Rome on May 4-5 to draw attention to their priorities. Over 120 international NGOs and other CSOs including labor worked together to create consolidated advocacy positions, prior to a face-toface meeting with the eight Sherpas who represent the member countries of the G8 and handle the preparations and advance decision-making for the annual Summit. The Civil G8 meeting developed common policy positions on five issues: (1) the world economy, financing for development and labor (an effort led by InterAction staffer John Ruthrauff); (2) common goods: health, education and water and sanitation; (3) food sovereignty and agriculture; (4) global governance; and (5) climate change and the environment. These policy positions formed the basis of a two-hour exchange between the Sherpas and 16 civil society representatives, including eight from G8 countries (to ensure follow up engagement with each Sherpa at the country level) and eight from nonG8 countries. The meeting, chaired by Sergio Marelli, president of the Associ-

ation of Italian NGOs, was cordial and constructive. It also revealed, at least on the surface, an unprecedented convergence of both interest and intent on the topics discussed between the Sherpas and civil society representatives. The Italian Sherpa and host of the meeting, Ambassador Gianpiero Massolo, recognized that times had significantly changed since Hokkaido Toyako and that this year’s G8 Summit is a crisis summit. He noted that in addition to the development challenges facing the developing world, the world as a whole is now faced with a financial and economic crisis that needs to be prevented from significantly expanding to the social and political sectors. However, he suggested that the Summit enjoys significant momentum, due to the new administration in the U.S., the level of progress in global negotiations around climate issues, and the

The credibility of G8 decisions and commitments was a major cross-cutting topic. Since the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, several independent assessments of G8 commitments have revealed mixed performances in terms of implementing G8 commitments. CSOs renewed their call for the establishment of a self-monitoring mechanism that would track the performance of each G8 country vis-à-vis its commitments and pledges. This call was met with mixed reactions, with European Sherpas stating that they are satisfied with the existing system that tracks their aid investments through the framework of the Millennium Development Goals. However, the Civil G8 is asking that at L’Aquila the G8 agree to extend the accountability and performance mechanism established at the Toyako Summit for health-related pledges to cover all G8 decisions and pledges across the board.

The “Whole-of-Country” Approach

In the current economic situation, G8 governments want the monitoring of their contributions to development and humanitarian assistance to go beyond official development assistance (ODA). The so-called whole-of-country approach is expected therefore to help capture all aid-related investments made by all stakeholders in a given country, including government, civil

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Civil G8

society organizations, private foundations, individual citizens and the private sector. This approach is supported by the U.S. government and is also in line with InterAction’s advocacy efforts promoting the recognition of CSOs, especially NGOs as full partners in the U.S. development and humanitarian assistance system. Unlike U.S. NGOs, civil society organizations in Europe are concerned that under this approach governments would count all kinds of expenses as development financing. Collectively, CSOs fear that the wholeof-country approach would provide an excuse for developed countries looking for a way to escape from their previous and current ODA commitments. With its long-standing experience working with multiple stakeholders in its development and humanitarian assistance, the U.S. could provide leadership within the G8 to help frame and implement this new approach in ways that put these fears to rest. The eight Sherpas unanimously denied any intention by their governments to default on their ODA as a result of adopting

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this approach and highlighted the benefits of more clarity and coordination around development resources and policies. Yet with Italy, a forceful proponent of the approach, cutting its ODA by 50 percent, only the future will tell what the truth is on this issue.

G8 Leadership

G8 leadership is necessary to advance the global governance agenda. This is particularly important given the global economic and climate crises. The civil society representatives openly called for the G8 to help advance ongoing efforts under UN auspices to reach a global consensus on the current economic and climate crises. They also called on the G8 to help advance the agenda on the reform of international financial institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as a preamble to an effective response to the global economic crisis. It was made clear that although the G20 is the proper venue for this issue, the agenda will not move forward if key members

of the G8 are not on board. The civil society representatives also called on the Sherpas to leverage the G8 to help bring a meaningful dose of coordination and coherence between the various global institutions (e.g., the World Bank, IMF, OECD, UN) and decisionmaking bodies (e.g., the G8, the G8+5 and the G20) attempting to solve world problems. It was evident at the Civil G8 that the choice of L’Aquila as the site of this year’s G8 Summit could pose a communication challenge to the CSOs organizing activities around the Summit. The traditional demonstrations that last resulted in one death in Genoa might not sit well with the population of a region that is just emerging from the trauma of a powerful earthquake. Coupled with the social and economic hardship of the ongoing global economic crisis, the context in L’Aquila could prove difficult in getting the local public to align with and support a CSO call to action that primarily seeks to address the plight of the developing world. MD

Mental health

A Palestinian woman shouts in front of her house that was destroyed during Israel’s offensive in Jabalya in the northern Gaza Strip in January.

The Invisible Wounds of War

Program creates safe environment for children and families to address trauma.

Photo: REUTERS/Suhaib Salem, courtesy www.alertnet.org

By Michael Austin, Director of Online Giving and Direct Mail, American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA)

I

n the middle of a now-flattened landscape in Gaza where houses and apartment buildings once stood, there is a large yellow tent. Inside the tent there is a circle of 12 children singing songs and dancing. With a small portable stereo plugged into a generator and the guidance of a social worker, the children receive a brief escape from life among the reminders of a brutal assault on their neighborhood. The scene is more than a diversion from life without a home, abject poverty and loss of family. It is an opportunity for trained social workers to evaluate the children and identify those who are exhibiting signs of antisocial behavior brought on by deep grief and trauma. The children are given paper and crayons and encouraged to express themselves. Crude drawings of airplanes dropping bombs, tanks shooting and dead stick figures lying on the ground are not uncommon. In one picture, a girl draws a line down the middle of her mother and explains that she saw her mother cut in half by a missile. In her drawing, the sun,

which hangs in the upper left corner, is frowning. This young girl will be referred to Gaza’s mental health clinic where a specialist can determine her treatment needs and the appropriate next steps for advanced, individualized care, in hopes of nurturing her back into being a child again. There are three tents like this in Gaza that will stay up for the rest of the year. As the suffering continues, these tents will provide an escape and a resource for struggling parents as well as their children. More than 6,500 children ages eight through 14 will be helped, along with more than 1,000 parents who need advice, guidance and support as they cope with the effects of war, poverty and malnutrition. Even before the bombings last January, health officials had warned that nearly all of Gaza’s children—who account for more than half of Gaza’s population of 1.5 million—were exhibiting symptoms of emotional stress like anxiety, depression and phobias. There were also issues of anger management, bed-wetting and physical ailments as the quality of their lives deteriorated in what many describe as an “openair prison” where families have lost their jobs, homes or both. As soon as the horrors of the January war began to fade, psychologists, parents and teachers witnessed more symptoms of post-trauma stress among Gaza’s youth. Maher Ghazi, a trainer with ANERA’s new psychosocial program, explains the aim of the program: “Through our daily presence, we reach them while they are living in tents and help them cope with the suffering after the destruction of their homes through group therapy and exercises like art and music that help them express their emotions.” He was surprised by the huge response from mothers, fathers and their children. “Parents also need to learn how to help their children readjust their behavior after developing some problems in speech, sleep and eating.” Through consultations and group exercises, the team helps rebuild trust and confidence. For instance, counselors will gather women in group sessions to discuss the challenges they face coping with homelessness while raising their children. Group leaders encourage discussion to let the mothers share their experiences and exchange ideas for resolving them. Eventually, mothers who were once reluctant to speak about their specific problems become comfortable sharing and asking questions. Not only do questions get answered, but mothers are given guidance on overcoming personal obstacles to expressing their problems. Psychologist, and head of ANERA’s psychosocial program, Dr. Fadel Abu Hein says it helps them to know they are not alone. The same is true for troubled children. In one case, 13-yearold Sondos refused to talk with other children or even say her name. She couldn’t concentrate and appeared depressed and anxious. During the shelling of Gaza, she had watched helplessly as a bomb killed her mother. Through individual attention from counselors who coaxed her to join group activities, she began to come out of her shell. Today, Sondos is singing and talking with others and has become more active and open. The basic program consists of 15 sessions, each one lasting about 1.5 hours, to focus on emotional and behavioral issues. Dr. Abu Hein explains that children exposed to war suffer from nightmares, fears and anxieties. Counselors talk with the children and provide group activities like sports or

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Mental health

dance to help release tension. Dr. Abu Hein also welcomes the presence of men in the tent as a positive sign. He says men usually don’t attend such sessions. Some consider psychosocial advice as a disgrace and would not seek such support in public. “Men are here to give support to their wives and children and to learn how to deal with their families in the aftermath of a horrible time of stress and fear,” he added. “We are trying to overcome the social stigma and stereotypes.” Men who have lost work or a means to support their family often interpret it as a personal failure. Taking that first difficult step toward acknowledging vulnerability leads fathers and mothers to work more closely together to solve family problems. Another key element is the emphasis on mentoring young Palestinian psychologists who will be needed to service Gaza’s growing emotional needs. Border closures make it difficult to get outside help so it is imperative for Gaza to expand its own pool of counselors and to train teachers and parents how to deal with emotional trauma. ANERA launched the program in March in partnership with a local organization, Community Training Centre and Crisis Management (CTCCM).  “There are serious and huge emotional problems we need to deal with,” said Dr. Abu Hein. “Now there is a better awareness among residents of the need for our program. It is an important first step toward positive change in this community.” Plans are underway to expand the program to train teachers on how to deal with preschoolers who do not yet have the means to verbalize their needs. MD

Step By Step Advocacy continued from page 10

careful with letters and how you deliver them. For example, since the 9/11 attacks, security screening of postal mail to Congress and the administration means that delivery of a letter sent through the mail can be delayed for several weeks. Similarly, email spam and security protocols may keep some emails from reaching an addressee.

Meeting with Key Individuals

Advocacy campaigns usually include face-to-face meetings with key decision-makers or their staff. Make sure you plan carefully for each one. Remember these are busy people and you need to respect their time. The following steps can help you make the most of each minute you have with them: • Always hold a pre-meeting with the people from your advocacy coalition who will attend the meeting. Use the pre-meeting to determine who will take the lead in the meeting with the decision-maker and who will present which points. Remember that the purpose of meeting a decision-maker is to engage in a discussion with the decision-maker; and since most meetings are brief, it is important not to fill it with presentations or cover facts already understood by all the parties. • Try to figure out the decision-maker’s position in advance and provide information early. A proposal delivered several days or a week prior to a meeting will allow for deeper, more informed discussions. • When deciding who from your advocacy coalition will participate in a particular meeting, choose carefully. Include representatives of influential coalition members as well as those who reflect the makeup of the alliance, including women and minorities. Also keep in mind that depending on the atmosphere you want to create in the meeting, bringing too many people can sometimes be counterproductive. • Plan a method of accountability and follow-up. Is an investigation or report to be completed by a specific date or is a follow-up meeting to be held to review progress? • Confirm any agreements in writing. • It is very important to understand that access is not influence. Meetings with key actors are important, but meeting with them does not necessarily mean that they will do what you want. Even if you have access to a given decision-maker, you still need sufficient influence to successfully press your position. • Meetings initiated by a targeted institution are often not useful for advocacy. Many institutions have perfected the “art of consultation” without necessarily agreeing to any changes. For example, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) host a Civil Society Forum prior to their spring and annual meetings. During the Forum CSOs are encouraged to organize workshops on a wide range of issues. However, it is not clear that these have any impact on Bank and IMF policies. Relatedly, it is important to be clear about the purpose of a meeting, the agenda and the expected outcome or impact. MD Part six of this series will continue to describe activities and will appear in the August edition of Monday Developments.

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The Peak

Remember the Peak? Insights from U.S. aid to agriculture.

By Raquel Gomes, Research Manager, Aid Effectiveness Team, Oxfam America

T

he figure below is familiar to many of you. Agriculture funding peaked in the mid1980s, fell through the 1990s and has recently resurged. Reasons for the decline are well known: a shift to health and education, a prolonged period of low and stable food prices, along with donor fatigue, fads and so on. But what happened during the peak? What can we learn from the $5.5 billion the U.S. provided as aid to agriculture between 1980 and 1985? This article highlights insights from three investments that are still paying off: aid to global agricultural research; building public sector capacity for agriculture; and farmer cooperatives. The U.S. has supported agriculture in many other ways over the years, yet these examples of how we provided aid could inspire efforts going forward.

The U.S. reduced its funding to the CGIAR by at least 30 percent between the mid 1980s and mid 2000s. (This is an estimate at best, since country missions also fund the CGIAR. It is based on data on from USAID funding for global research, which is mostly but not all CGIAR, which averaged $78 million in 1983-1985 [peak] and $54 million in 2002-2004 [latest available].) The CGIAR

national agricultural research agencies and in building good schools of higher agricultural education. According to a study by Gary Alex from USAID, published in 2006, up to 1,700 agricultural scientists and administrators from national systems across Asia, Latin America and North Africa were trained at Cornell, Purdue, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona and other U.S. universities and often with USAID funding. USAID also helped construct research stations and laboratories, and purchase farm and lab equipment.

Supporting Global Research

USAID was among the founding supporters of the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR), a network of 15 research centers spread from Benin and Kenya, to Mexico, Peru, Syria and the Philippines. Over the years, research by the CGIAR system has focused on seed varieties and improved farming practices for poor farmers. According to a 2003 report prepared by David Raitzer on behalf of the CGIAR, for every dollar it invested in research, an additional $9 worth of food has been produced in the developing world. Consider a world without the CGIAR: according to a study by Robert Evenson and Mark Rosegrant, developing countries would have produced 7 to 8 percent less food; feed grain prices would have been 18 to 21 percent higher; per capita food consumption would have declined up to 7 percent in the poorest regions, and some 13-15 million more children would have been malnourished, mostly in South Asia.

Source: Aid measured as Official Development Assistance, from OECD DAC (Development Assistance Committee)

system is not without faults, of course. But instead of stepping back, donors like the U.S. should challenge it to meet today’s problems of food insecurity.

Building Research Capacity in Countries

Even when the CGIAR produces better seeds and farming practices, whether any of this research makes a difference to farmers in Honduras, Mali or Vietnam depends on how those seeds and farming practices are adapted to local conditions—hence the need for local research, adaptation and agricultural extension. During the peak, the U.S. was also instrumental in helping build the research capacity of many developing countries. This included investments in

According to one academic who participated in USAID programs in Brazil in the 1980s: “I think these were some of the most successful programs that USAID has ever had. The collaborating Brazilian universities are among the best, if not the best, in Central and South America for higher education in agriculture. When these programs started, Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship. Today, Brazil is one of the 10 largest economies in the world and Brazilian agricultural universities have made countless contributions to strengthen the agricultural sector through their teaching, research and outreach. “In my opinion, USAID abandoned a successful model for institutional development when it decided to discon-

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The Peak

tinue these types of programs in favor of ‘short-term instant success’ programs that later failed all over the world as soon as the USAID monies stopped.” These programs have long been terminated. As roughly estimated from data obtained from USAID, between the mid-1980s and mid-1990s, USAID reduced its funding for national agricultural research systems by approximately 73 percent and to agricultural universities abroad by approximately 36 percent.

Helping Farmers Help Themselves

Access to agricultural technologies means little if smallholders cannot collectively overcome the disadvantages of small-scale production. Cooperatives are not always perfect. But when cooperatives do function, the benefits extend beyond that of “scale efficiencies” in purchasing seeds, sharing equipment and having enough volume to attract buyers. Cooperatives also foster a culture of participation and collaborative decision-making and often become an important voice for otherwise voiceless farmers. In many farming communities in Latin America, the U.S. supported cooperatives through the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), a small, independent, experimental agency that initially assisted grassroots groups in strengthening participation and democratic practices. As reported on www. America.gov, for example, in the late 1970s the IAF supported many of the cooperatives that went on to form the El Ceibo cooperative federation in Bolivia, helping with everything from production to post-harvesting and marketing of

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cocoa beans. By 2007, El Ceibo represented more than 1,000 families and produced over 50 cocoa products, including for exports, with $2.5 million in sales. The IAF (like other agencies providing aid) seems to have been less reflective than one would hope about what worked and what failed over the years, and its initial mandate to listen dissipated over time. Yet successes like El Ceibo reflect something extraordinary about the IAF: its agenda (at least initially) was set by the people it was trying to help, not by mandates from Washington. According to a long-timer at IAF, “We didn’t have an agenda or a budget for each country going in. We spent time in-country finding out what kind of support they needed, from farmers themselves. It was only then that we’d work on an agenda and got a budget.”

The Bottom Line

The U.S. has a rich history in agricultural development with major accomplishments to be proud of, but which the current debate seems to ignore. As donors and NGOs rediscover the potential of agriculture in helping millions out of poverty and in getting economies moving, I would urge them to look back at and recover what we have done well in the past. It seems that, for starters, during the peak we were: (1) more willing to work multilaterally on global research; (2) more committed to long-term relationships that helped countries carry out their own research; and (3) better at listening to farmers and rural communities about how aid could help them improve their livelihoods. MD

biofortification

Breeding Crops for Better Nutrition Leveraging agriculture to improve global heath. By Yassir Islam, Communications Specialist, HarvestPlus

J

ennifer is an African farmer. A widow, she lives with four grandchildren and one adopted adult in Kachul village about a four-hour drive east of Kampala, Uganda. Jennifer is a member of the Kachul Agricultural Promoters’ Farmers’ Group that has been field-testing new varieties of sweet potato. However, these varieties are orange, unlike the traditional white and yellow ones that Jennifer, like other Ugandans, usually eats. The orange color is due to beta-carotene, also found in other “orange” foods (such as carrots and papaya) and dark leafy greens that the body converts into vitamin A. Globally, between 250,000 and 500,000 preschool children go blind from extreme vitamin A deficiency and about two-thirds die within months of going blind. Children with vitamin A deficiency are at increased risk from common infections, such as diarrheal diseases, and measles. In some parts of Uganda, nearly one-third of young children suffer from vitamin A deficiency. A recent study in Mozambique showed that the new varieties of orange sweet potato improved the vitamin A status of young children. In regions of Uganda where vitamin A deficiency is widespread, people eat sweet potato throughout the year, so these new varieties could be a boon in providing children with much-needed vitamin A. The process of nutritionally fortifying crops through plant breeding is known as biofortification. Plant breeders can use conventional breeding techniques if sufficiently high levels of the desired nutrient can be found in existing varieties or seed banks. When nutrients levels in parent varieties are not high enough to reach the desired targets, transgenic breeding approaches can be used. HarvestPlus, a research organization that pioneered biofortification, is leading

a global effort to improve the nutrient content of staple food crops eaten by the poor with critical micronutrients such as vitamin A, zinc and iron. Its goal is to provide more micronutrients to millions of poor people in developing countries. This lack of essential micronutrients in the diet can leave children stunted, reduce their IQ and capacity to learn and make them more vulnerable to illness and disease. Adults are also affected, and their capacity to work can be greatly diminished. The irony is that people only need minute amounts of micronutrients for good health: a small bowl of cooked orange sweet potato, eaten daily, could provide children with most of their vitamin A requirements. However, poor people in developing countries typically eat large amounts of staple foods, such as rice or maize, that are poor in nutrients at every meal; and they are most likely to suffer from a lack of micronutrients in their diets. Breeding staple foods with higher levels of micronutrients has several advantages. First, as a food-based intervention, it uses the very foods that the poor are already eating to deliver the micronutrients they need. Thus, biofortified foods are easily integrated into the livelihoods and diets of the poor. Second, it is an agricultural intervention targeted to rural areas where more than 70 percent of the poor in developing countries live, and where access to supplements and fortified foods is limited. Third, investment in breeding biofortified crops is cost-effective. Once developed, biofortified crops can also be freely shared— and adapted—to other agroecological zones at low additional cost. Biofortification could prove to be a sustainable, long-term approach for providing millions of poor people with at least some of their daily micronutrient requirements, as part of a strategy that

includes dietary diversification, supplementation and commercial fortification. HarvestPlus plans to release seven biofortified crops in target countries in Africa and Asia by 2013. When successful, biofortification provides clear evidence that investments in agricultural science can have a significant and sustainable impact on global health. In Uganda, working with NGOs, village leaders, farmers, grandmothers and mothers has paid off: people have been willing to eat orange sweet potato once they understand its nutritional benefits. They have also been eager to try and grow the new varieties that have been bred to be more drought tolerant, high yielding and early maturing than the yellow and white ones. This last trait means that orange sweet potato is available to eat sooner than the traditional crop and any that is left over usually finds a buyer at the local market. This on-the-ground research working with NGOs and local communities is essential in understanding how biofortified crops can be popularized among poor farming communities.

Biofortification provides clear evidence that investments in agricultural science can impact on global health. As for Jennifer, not only does she eat orange sweet potato for lunch every day, she also feeds it to her grandchildren. “When I first learned about orange sweet potato, I was excited to hear that it helps children because I have many grandchildren. I eat it every day at lunchtime. My grandchildren also take roasted orange sweet potato to school. I used to buy sweet potatoes but I am now convinced that I will be able to grow what I need myself.” With the goal of feeding sweet potato to her family achieved, Jennifer has also earned and saved enough money, through the sale of orange sweet potato tubers and vines, to construct a new home. “I have always had a dream of sleeping in a tin-roofed house. So when we were told that we could also sell sweet potato vines and roots, I was convinced that this was the opportunity for me to realize my dream.” MD

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Microfinance

Sustainable Agriculture Through Microfinance New tripartite model increases credit access.

F

atuma Katumba, of Uganda, has grown maize for over 20 years, struggling to eke out a living from her small farm.“I have been getting a sufficient amount of food for my family, but very little to sell for an income to help me solve my other domestic problems,” said the 51-yearold wife and mother of five. For organizations seeking to improve the lives of smallholder farmers like Fatuma, one of the biggest challenges is being able to support both the farmers’ technical and financial needs: helping them access credit while also teaching them more effective agricultural methods. Often, community-based organizations (CBOs) in which local villagers are members administer micro-loans that assist farmers in purchasing necessary agricultural inputs. However, debates over the interest fees and the long-term sustainability of microfinance programs continue to challenge this promising

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method of providing poor farmers with capital and credit. Lutheran World Relief, working closely with local partners, is pioneering a new method called the tripartite model of microfinance: an innovative approach that gives farmers access to needed credit, increases CBOs’ ability to support farmers’ efforts, and introduces both CBOs and farmers to finance mechanisms formerly unavailable to them. Many CBOs support farmers through traditional microfinance projects, mainly revolving loan funds that farmers can access to purchase agricultural inputs, pay for hired labor and cover other costs of production. One current debate about these programs concerns the amount of interest charged on loans. While some believe interest rates should be low to encourage repayment and economic stability, others argue that the cost of managing small loan funds necessitates higher interest rates to keep such CBOs viable and enable them to provide other services, such as technical and agribusiness training, to help prepare farmers to market their products on a larger scale. While building farmers’ technical capacity is critical, the lack of access to credit remains a major obstacle. Living from one harvest to the next, smallholder farmers need credit to lease land and buy seeds, pesticides, tools and other inputs. Because most banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs) are located in larger towns, opportunities for credit are rare in rural areas, leaving farmers few options but to turn to informal local lenders charging usurious rates. Local CBOs are often in a position to help farmers minimize costs related to supplies, processing and

Photo: BrandonPustejovsky

By Nikki Massie, Staff Writer, Lutheran World Relief, and Gretchen King, International Policy Analyst, Lutheran World Relief

Agriculture R&D

marketing. However, limited capacity and their own lack of access to investment capital limits the impact of CBOs. The tripartite model creates a threepronged partnership among an international development agency, a CBO and a financial institution, which leverages the strengths of each partner. Within this arrangement, the development agency, working in collaboration with the CBO, analyzes the market for the product to ensure profitability and, thus, increase the likelihood of successful repayment of credit. The agency then funds the capacity-building aspects of the project such as strengthening of agricultural technical skills, market analysis, feasibility studies, business planning, investment in marketing, value addition and institutional capacity building. The agency also helps the CBO establish a relationship with a microfinance institution, which provides the capital needed to give farmers access to credit via their CBO. There is a range of options for leveraging MFI support in this way: from creating a loan fund with the MFI, to providing a loan guarantee, to a simple collaborative agreement. Accrued interest is then directed to project operations. The tripartite model has benefits for each party—the MFI, the CBO and the development agency. For the MFI, which has more stable funds and is able to make larger and longerterm loans, the tripartite relationship creates a new connection to clients through the international development agency’s CBO partners, which were previously excluded due to their poverty level, lack of capacity or other accessibility issues. Their capital base is also expanded, as well as their sustainability, through interest earned. The CBO benefits from the newly formed relationship with the lending institution, which would not have been possible before. The organizations can access funds in the form of loans that they can then provide to smallholder farmers. These funds increase the capacity of the CBO to manage funds and develop a credit history. For the international development agency, the tripartite model frees up spending on credit management programs, which is then used to invest in continued on page 37

No Farmer Left Behind Agricultural R&D spending in Latin America. By Samantha Barry, Communications Division International Food Policy Research Institute

I

n the struggling global economy, developing nations are increasingly pressured to prioritize. From education to infrastructure, areas that formerly coexisted in comfort now compete for smaller and smaller pools of public and private financing. According to a recent report focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), agricultural research and development is one area that countries cannot afford to ignore. Released by the International Food Policy Research Institute’s (IFPRI) Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) initiative, the new report, entitled Public Agricultural Research in Latin America and the Caribbean: Investment and Capacity Trends, takes a close look at uneven agricultural research and development (R&D) spending in the LAC region and discovers a troubling trend: agricultural R&D is being pushed to the fringe in certain LAC countries.

Why Agricultural R&D Spending?

Approximately 510 million people live in the LAC region, many of whom practice subsistence or commercial farming. Of this population, about onethird lives on less than two dollars per day and over 5 percent survive on less than one dollar per day. This is a region in which the wealthiest 20 percent possesses 60 percent of the region’s total income, while the poorest 20 percent receives only 3 percent. The majority of the region’s rural population lives under the poverty line, a situation that has only further deteriorated over the last two decades. Agriculture constitutes a significant portion of many poorer LAC economies.

For example, the ASTI report cites agriculture as dominating over one-fifth of Guatemala’s gross domestic product (GDP) and over one-fourth of the Paraguayan GDP. Yet agricultural R&D investment in impoverished nations often makes up a small amount of agricultural spending. “Substantial empirical evidence supports the argument that investment in agricultural R&D has contributed to agricultural development, economic growth and poverty reduction in both low- and middle-income countries in Latin America as well as the rest of the world,” says Gert-Jan Stads, program coordinator of the ASTI initiative and co-author of the report. Investing in agricultural R&D within a country translates into helping farmers in many ways, from increasing how much they produce to protecting their crops from pests, drought and disease. ASTI’s report lists a number of essential benefits that come from R&D. Enhancing sustainability, decreasing food prices and improving producers’ access to markets will help save farmers money. Present investments in agricultural R&D also will increase social returns in the future, such as stimulating job opportunities for female researchers.

Spending Stratification

A significant spending gap has developed between low-income and middleincome LAC countries when it comes to agricultural R&D. The report reveals the tendency of poorer LAC countries to neglect agricultural R&D spending, whereas middle-income LAC countries have made significant spending commitments. Of the nearly $3 billion (in 2005 purchasing-power parity dollars)

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Agriculture R&D

the region allocated to agricultural R&D, about three-quarters came from only three countries: Argentina, Brazil and Mexico. The situation is mirrored in the employment of agricultural researchers—the human resources backbone of R&D. Seventy percent of LAC’s total 19,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) agricultural researchers came from Argentina, Brazil and Mexico; Chile, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela each contributed between 4 and 6 percent; and the remaining 20 LAC countries accounted for just 14 percent of the total number of FTE agricultural researchers. “The reasons for these cuts in lowincome countries are manifold,” says Stads. “Reduced donor support and a lack of political priority to allocate government funds to agricultural R&D are two key reasons.” To help lift poorer LAC countries out of poverty, both public and private donors must realize the need to prioritize agricultural R&D. The complexity of research networks reflects varying levels of commitment to agricultural R&D. In larger coun-

tries such as Argentina, Brazil and Mexico, research is conducted through a vast web of national agencies. In smaller nations, systems are much simpler. There is also a large degree of variety in the way agricultural R&D is financed. For instance, the Agricultural Research Institute of Panama received 94 percent of its funding from the national government, while commodity taxes on the sale of production or exports have become popular in financing agricultural R&D in countries like Colombia and Costa Rica. Donor funding still plays a relatively important role in some of the poorer nations of Central America.

Agricultural R&D and the Global Economic Crisis

Investment in agricultural technological advances increases a nation’s ability to remain competitive in the global market. Without independent research facilities and skilled staff teams, developing LAC nations are forced to either trail behind in developing innovative technologies or import

these technologies from elsewhere. While importation is a regular occurrence in trade, it makes a country more dependent on R&D developments in other parts of the world. Despite the temptation to neglect research and development practices in an economic crisis, ASTI’s report concludes that agricultural R&D is, in fact, essential to pulling the world’s poor out of poverty. By developing new technologies that increase and protect production, farmers in Latin America and the Caribbean can help shield themselves from economic and natural disasters alike. MD ASTI’s new report, “Public Agricultural Research in Latin America and the Caribbean: Investment and Capacity Trends,” as well as additional information about the program, can be found at http://www.asti.cgiar.org/pdf/LAC_ Syn_Report.pdf. A translation of the report in Spanish can be found at http:// www.asti.cgiar.org/pdf/LAC_Syn_Report_Es.pdf. More information on ASTI is available at http://www.asti.cgiar.org/ index.aspx.

        

• • • • • • •

       

  •  •  • 

  •    

 

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Career

Stand Out the Way You Want

Tips to strengthen your non-profit job applications. By Margaret Christoph, Senior Administrative Associate for Policy & Communications, InterAction

I

think we have all accepted that even if the economic downturn is bottoming out, a full recovery will still take time. In the meantime, we are all concerned for our organizations and our jobs, and the number of people already looking for a job is high. Unfortunately, InterAction member organizations have not been immune. When we apply for jobs, we all hope the person reading our application will jump for joy at having found someone so perfect for the job, but we have all been rejected before too. With so much competition in the job market, how can you make sure your application stands out from the rest? Here are a few simple but important starting points that will help your application shine, but which a surprising number of people ignore.

Photo: kreefax - Fotolia.com

Preparing Your Application

1. Keep your cover letter concise and crisp, without being terse. The cover letter can be the hardest part of the application process. How long should it be? What should it include? Be concise, but remember that concise is not necessarily the same thing as short. You want to promote yourself, expand on one or two things in your resume that you think qualify you for the job. Or if you don’t have the work experience point out a few qualifications (about five) you have that might not have a place on a resume, such as good written and oral communication skills, hard-to-find computer skills needed in the job or the fact that you speak multiple languages. The overall tone of your cover letter is also important. If you are anxious, it may show in your letter. Before you write a cover letter take a deep breath and write it with a smile on your face. That can often help calm your tone and make you sound more confident.

People accepting applications are getting lots of them. Even before the economic crash, it was common for a job advertisement that was posted for three weeks to garner at least 100 applications. It is tempting to put as much information as you can in your resume, but being concise and saying more with fewer words will increase your impact. Keeping it to two pages or less and listing bullets with the top two or three skills you used in each job will allow the person reading applications to spend more time on what you say. If you are applying for different jobs that require different skill sets, then tailor separate resumes (and cover letters) for each application. Highlight on-theground experience if you are applying for a nonprofit, even one that does not have field programs. It can be paid or voluntary, but it is an important experience that will shape your work. It is also something you can flag in your cover letter, but don’t dedicate your entire cover letter to it—it is more useful to expand on it in the interview.

2. Proofread, proofread, proofread! Your written application is the foot that gets you in the door, so it must be spotless. Spell-check is both your friend and foe: if you run it, it will catch most of your errors and simplify the rest of your proofreading, but you still need to proofread the text yourself as well. If you don’t run a spell-check and send your application in Microsoft Word format, then the first thing the person reading your application sees is the red and green squiggles underlining your mistakes. If you are worried that you have read it so many times that you are seeing what you expect to see and might have missed a typo, ask a friend to look it over. Even more embarrassing than submitting an application with typos is submitting one in which one of those typos is the misspelled name of the person who will be reading it. You should also remove all change tracking before submitting your documents. Usually you can do this by using the “accept all changes” function.

4. Double check the submission guidelines before you send your application. The submission guidelines are usually at the end of a job advertisement, but they are crucial. We all get inundated with e-mail, and these days that is how most job applications are accepted. If the advertisement has instructions on what to put in the subject line follow those instructions to the letter; they are there to keep your email from getting lost in the shuffle— or worse, in the spam filter. Again, this is particularly important for nonprofits—for those with human resources departments, the recruiters might have multiple similar jobs advertised, and that will direct your application to the appropriate opening. For those without human resources departments, it helps them collect all the applications in one place for the person who is taking the hiring process on. Moreover, failing to follow the application submission guidelines may be viewed as another form of carelessness much like typos.

3. Think of your resume as a set of highlights, interview talking points or a fact sheet.

5. “No phone calls please.” What does that mean? We’ve all seen this on job advertise-

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Career

ments, and it can be incredibly frustrating. Why do organizations looking for quality candidates want to take away one of your methods for following up? One thing that it could indicate is that you are applying somewhere without an official human resources department. The reason I have mentioned this possibility several times is that it is such an important distinction, particularly for nonprofits where people regularly take on a full workload: not only is the person handling the hiring process doing so in addition to their regular duties, they are also working in an office that is currently short-staffed. If you want to follow up but face the “no phone calls” clause, send an email to the application address instead. Unless they are entirely inundated with applications (which could very well be the case), you will most likely get a response confirming whether or not they have received your resume. However, if you get called in for an interview, at that point it’s okay to follow up by phone.

Preparing for an Interview

If you do manage to clear that first hurdle and get the interview, there’s a whole new set of issues to consider. 1. Refresh yourself on the organization’s “stats.” It is just as important to know the type of organization to which you are applying as it is to know the kind of work they do. There are countless organizations that work in international development, but your strategy may be different for a nonprofit as opposed to a government organization, a for-profit contractor, a foundation or a large corporation. If you cannot find that information anywhere in your research, see if you can find the contact information for the front desk and ask (this is also a legitimate exception to the “no phone calls” clause). You may be preparing multiple applications at once, so be sure to keep this information filed somewhere easily accessible. It is always a good idea to refresh yourself on it the night before an interview. 2. Ask with whom you will be meeting. It may not be the person who is doing the scheduling.

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There are countless organizations that work in international development, but your strategy may be different for a nonprofit as opposed to a government organization, a for-profit contractor, a foundation or a large corporation. Each organization is different. Some places have dedicated human resources departments that handle scheduling all interviews. Some people will ask an assistant to take care of it. Some places have staffs so small that whoever is reading the applications also does the scheduling and interviewing. When you are settling on an interview time, it is always a good idea to ask the person scheduling it, “How many people will I be meeting with? Will you be one of them?” It will help you be more prepared for your interview. Once you know the number of people, be sure to bring enough copies of your resume and cover letter plus one or two extras. They are going through a lot of applications, so it will help them focus on yours if you have a spare copy of your materials on hand that you can offer them if they do not have one when you walk in. 3. Plan to show up 15 minutes early. You never know what traffic will be. If you are like me and constantly get hit with Murphy’s Law, it is a good idea to pad your arrival time by about 15 minutes. If you show up 15 minutes early, you will make a good impression and show you are serious about wanting this job. It will give you time to stop by the restroom and make sure you are put together, or grab a quick drink at the water fountain. Your prospective employer may even have some paperwork they need you to fill out. (It is always a good idea to check on this when you are scheduling the interview,

too, just in case you need to budget even more time.) If you get hit with horrible traffic, you have built an extra 15 minutes into your schedule. If it looks like you will be delayed by more than that, make sure you bring the interviewer’s phone number with you and call from a cell phone. If your interview will be held in a government office or other facility with security checkpoints, consider adding an additional 10 to 15 minutes to your cushion time and make sure you bring governmentissued photo identification. For interviews in such locations, always ask someone in the front office how much time they think you should allow to get through security and to allow for your escort to arrive if necessary. (In some buildings, someone from the office will need to come down to meet you and escort you to your interviews after you clear security.) 4. You’re never fully dressed without a smile. If you are nervous it will show, so take a deep, relaxing breath before you walk in, and smile. More importantly, be yourself. If you are comfortable in your own skin, that will show, too. 5. Follow up with a thank you letter. Hiring for a position takes a lot of effort on top of peoples’ already full workloads. Taking the time to follow up promptly with a thank you note may seem old-fashioned, but the fact that you are acknowledging their extra effort and the fact that they have seen something in your application to differentiate it from the other 100 applications they have reviewed will raise you just that much more in their estimation. E-mails are fine, but handwritten notes are often more likely to get noticed. I know these steps seem simple, and they are. But inevitably, people miss one or more of them, and you have a better chance if you show you can do the simple first. If your application stands out, you are far more likely to get an interview and to be able to stand out in person. Following these steps helps make sure you stand out for the reasons that you want to stand out, and not because you didn’t show your best. MD

Events June 23-25 June 45th UNHCR Standing Committee Meeting United Nations Office of Geneva Geneva, Switzerland 24 June Report Launch: Improving Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance Relationships for Increased Health Funding Woodrow Wilson Center www.wilsoncenter.org 25 June OFDA/PRM/InterAction Monthly Meeting National Press Club, 7th Floor Washington, DC Contact: [email protected] 26 June OCHA/InterAction Monthly Meeting UN Secretariat Building New York, NY Contact: [email protected] 26 June Latino Immigrant Civic Engagement Trends Woodrow Wilson Center Washington, DC www.wilsoncenter.org 27 June International Development Career Fair in London London School of Economics England, UK www.devex.com 28-30 June World Bank: Fifth Urban Research Symposium Marseille, France Contact: [email protected]

July 2-3 July Global Ethics Forum United Nations Office of Geneva Geneva, Switzerland www.globalethicsforum.org

5-9 July InterAction Annual Forum: 25th Aniversary Crystal Gateway Marriot Arlington, VA Contact: [email protected]

31 July OCHA/InterAction Monthly Meeting UN Secretariat Building New York, NY Contact: [email protected]

5-9 July Global Conference on Global Warming Istanbul Grand Cevahir Hotel Istanbul, Turkey www.gcgw.org

August

7 July Congressional Reception and Exhibit Rayburn Foyer, Rayburn House Washington, DC Contact: [email protected] 9-10 July International Aid and Trade 2009 Crystal Gateway Marriot Arlington, VA www.aidandtrade.org/event2009 13-14 July International Conference on Diaspora for Development Washington, DC Contact: [email protected] 15-17 July Pandemic Preparedness Regional Meeting Pretoria, South Africa Contact: [email protected] 16-17 July 4th International Conference on E-Learning University of Toronto Toronto, Canada academic-conferences.org/icel/icel2009/ icel09-home.htm 19-22 July IAS 2009 Cape Town, South Africa www.ias2009.org 30 July OFDA/PRM/InterAction Monthly Meeting National Press Club, 7th Floor Washington, DC Contact: [email protected]

27 August OFDA/PRM/InterAction Monthly Meeting National Press Club, 7th Floor Washington, DC Contact: [email protected] 28 August OCHA/InterAction Monthly Meeting UN Secretariat Building New York, NY Contact: [email protected]

Promote your upcoming events! Send event details to: [email protected]

Microfinance continued from page 33

other programming to strengthen the capacity of the CBO. The cost and laborious nature of credit management require many resources that can be directed toward the long-term sustainability of the CBO and its ability to provide a full range of critically needed services to smallholder farmers. Fatuma’s life has improved thanks to the tripartite model used by the CBO to which she belongs. She has received technical and marketing training to support her movement from subsistence agriculture to a marketing-based approach. The loan she received, made possible by the Lutheran World Relief partnership with a local MFI and her local CBO, enabled her to secure the inputs needed to increase her maize harvest. Fatuma now intends to market her product, through her CBO, to local schools. The money she earns, Fatuma says, will help her family greatly. “I will use the money to pay back part of my loan, reinvest in three acres of maize and pay school fees for my children and grandchild.” MD

MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

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MONDAY Developments

EmploymentOpportunities Network Administrator Supervisor Arlington, VA

Oversee/manage IT for nonprofit in US/Ethiopia inclu. assist Amharic clients. FT 35hrs. Requird: Amharic fluency. MS Comp Sc. or rel. degree + 1 yr exper. manage databases websites Window systems & Networks /OR Bach. degree in comp field + 5 yrs progrssv exper. 1 yr exper.inclu: MS Windows 2003 environment & web develpmnt Dreamweaver Photoshop HTML XHTML CSS JS networkng w/ CISCO SONICWALL VPN Access Pls. Any suitable combo of educ. trainng or exper acceptble. Reply:emailw/ ltr resume to Ethiopian Community Development Council ArlVA at [email protected]

Chief Financial Officer Arlington, VA

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), a not-for-profit national organization dedicated to addressing the needs and rights of refugees and immigrants, is seeking a Chief Financial Officer. This position is responsible for the overall fiscal management of the organization and includes supervision of the Finance, MIS and Loan Collection Departments. Under the Direct supervision of the President and CEO of USCRI, the CFO is responsible for the full range of financial functions of the organization, including finance, budget, accounting and audit, procurement, loan collection management, computers and technology systems, inventory and risk management. Bachelor’s degree and minimum of five years senior-level accounting and supervisory experience required. Experience should include direct responsibility for non-profit financial accounting, investment and budget functions. For a more detailed job description and application process please visit job openings at www.refugees.org

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MONDAY DEVELOPMENTS July 2009

Vice President Arlington, VA

U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), an Arlington, VA not-for-profit national organization dedicated to addressing the needs and rights of refugees and immigrants, is seeking a highly motivated proven leader to serve as Vice President. Responsibilities include oversight, implementation, and accountability for quality of programs and delivery of services. The Vice President reports to the President and CEO and works as part of the Senior Management Team. Strong and significant experience in program growth, development of proposals, project design, implementation and management, is required. He/She will have budget, fundraising and supervisory responsibilities. For a more detailed job description and application process please visit job openings at www.refugees.org

Director Public Sector Business Development Baltimore, MD

The International Youth Foundation is a nonprofit organization that prepares young people to be healthy, productive and engaged citizens. The position is responsible for securing resources from public sector sources, both bilateral and multilateral, for development of new programs that support IYF’s strategic priorities. Requirements: Strong proposal writing, editing, & budget development skills for USAID & other bilateral & multilateral donor agencies. 7-8 years experience in fundraising, program development and/or program management in the international development sector. Strong network of relationships with USAID and other bilateral and multilateral development agencies. Advanced degree in a relevant field. Second language fluency preferred. To apply go to: http://www.iyfnet.org/ and click on the Jobs link.

To advertise, call 202-667-8227 ext 548 or email [email protected]

Job Openings 1621 North Kent Street Fourth Floor Arlington,VA 22209 P: 703.248.0161 F: 703.248.0194 www.ird.org

Deputy Director, Contracts and Grants Arlington,VA Local Governance Coordinator Baghdad, Iraq Deputy Director, Infrastructure Arlington,VA International Water Rights Advisor Kabul, Afghanistan

For more information, contact Christine Dalpino at 703.248.0161 or visit www.ird.org and click on “careers.”

1400 16th Street, NW, Suite 210 Washington, DC 20036 Phone: (202) 667-8227 Fax: (202) 667-8236 [email protected] www.interaction.org

InterAction is the largest alliance of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian nongovernmental organizations. With more than 170 members operating in every developing country, we work to overcome poverty, exclusion and suffering by advancing social justice and basic dignity for all.