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by Fionn

Land-Grabs or Land Security? An Emergent Development Issue

April 17, 2013 in International Development, Southeast Asia

Stop land grabs: Our land, Our lives

Courtesy http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/

By their nature, global development issues are complex, multifaceted, and interrelated. More often than not, impossible value judgments must be made on which aims to prioritise and how to address them, whilst others must wait in turn.

Land security is such an example of a complex development issue. According to Oxfam, an area of land eight times the size of the UK has been seized and sold off globally in the last decade, plunging millions into poverty, and disenfranchising families of land that many have had for generations. Yet despite its scale, the issue is only beginning to gain traction in development and aid circles.

Although Africa is most prominent in the debate over land-grabs, Southeast Asian communities have also suffered greatly from a phenomenon that strikes at the heart of global inequality. Driven by spikes in global food prices and increasing demand for biofuel in the EU and the US, governments across the region are seizing land to sell and lease it to the highest bidders.

Take Laos for example, where over a quarter of arable land has been sold to foreign investment vehicles as “agricultural investments”. Indonesia plans to more than triple its concessions of land under oil palm in the next few years to almost 30 million hectares, whilst Burma, Malaysia and the Philippines are all expanding their provision in this area.

Using arable land to produce biofuels exacerbates food supply chains already reeling from increasing population and spikes in speculative food commodity markets. Land grabs have serious consequences in the short, medium, and long-term.

Forced from their land, farmers and their families in Southeast Asia often find themselves living in destitute conditions. They receive little or no compensation for their lost property and earning potential. In Cambodia, euphemistically named “relocation communities” are widespread, particularly around the capital of Phnom Penh. These are desperate slums that the government has established to re-house victims of stolen land. These slums often have no utilities, urban planning or infrastructure, and are hotbeds of disease.

Phnom Penh Relocation Camp from Land Grab

Phnom Penh Relocation Camp (Courtesy Stephen Ford Photography)

In some communities this practice is meeting resistance. In Vietnam, land-grabbing is becoming a major political issue for the aging Communist party in place there. In Cambodia, the government has recognised how land-grabbing leads to poverty and protest, vowing to end the practice – but only after having already sold almost all of the country’s “available” land.

Without land security, hundreds of thousands of people in Southeast Asia live a vulnerable life of subsistence. Without guarantees of protection many have no incentive to develop their land, whilst those unlucky enough to have had their land stolen have no basis from which to improve their lives.

Despite this, issues of land security did not make the My World 2015 survey, which asked for peoples’ priorities for the 2015 global development agenda.  Without land security, it is impossible for many across the developing world to gain access to the tools, infrastructure and safety needed to improve their lives. Its omission seems strange when many other issues require land security for their realisation.

Some of the world’s biggest charities are leading the way in trying to bring this issue higher up in the international development agenda. Action Aid, for example, are campaigning against bio-fuels due to their role in driving land grabs, whilst Oxfam are calling on the World Bank to block financing that feeds this egregious practice.

Yet without grass-roots support for these activities, few will be able to apply enough pressure to end the global rush for devastating land-grabbing practices. Consequently, land security should feature in the emergent development framework that replaces the MDGs – lest we risk disenfranchising a global generation from the means to earning a living.

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by Tim

Bali Youth Multistakeholder Meeting: Putting Youth at the Heart of Development

March 25, 2013 in International Development, MDGs, United Nations, Youth

More than half of the population today is under 25 years old. The successes or failures of the post-2015 framework will be driven by young people and it is today’s young people who will bear most responsibility for the post-2015 agenda. This communiqué presents the outcomes of the BaliYouth Multi-stakeholder Meeting of 25th March 2013, which brings together nearly 100 young people working in civil society organisations from 26 countries around the world.

Young people have recently been recognised as key stakeholders in global conversations on post-2015, but more work is required to ensure that we are consistently given the space to meaningfully contribute to the decision-making process. Given that the goals targeted for 2015 are not likely to be fully achieved, it becomes even more imperative to engage young people from diverse groups1. Why? Because we bring fresh and innovative perspectives, we engage in different ways in the process, we are best positioned to identify youth priorities and because we make up the largest proportion of the world´s population today. Young people can carry forward the banner of the new development agenda with unique insights. We have been involved in the process from the very beginning: through the thematic consultations, national dialogues, campaigns and also through participating in High Level Panel (HLP) meetings. In London, we said that poverty cannot be eradicated without the meaningful involvement of young people. In Liberia we urged panel members to put youth at the centre of economic transformation and social equity. Now, here in Bali we are calling on all stakeholders to ensure that partnerships with young people are at the heart of the whole post-2015 process, which must include the active engagement of young people on planning, implementation and monitoring. Youth perspectives on global partnerships We believe that strong global partnerships are crucial for the future of international development. Furthermore, young people can play a key role in facilitating coordination within and between states,and non-state actors such as the UN, Civil Society Organisations, the private sector, academia and the media. Fundamental principles of strong global partnerships must include:

Reaffirm the outcome of Global Youth Forum 2012 which defined youth including adolescent as LGBTQI, MSM, drug users, refugees, rural populations, out-of-school, sex workers, indigenous, afro-descendant populations, migrants, young people in conflict and emergency situations, poor, empowering young women and adolescent girls, persons with disabilities, young people living with HIV and AIDS.

• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities, including a policy, structure and plan for ongoing and future meaningful youth engagement at all levels of global partnerships.

• Youth empowerment for active and meaningful engagement with all relevant partners

• Commitment to transparency, sustainability, inclusiveness and redistributive justice. 

• A clear mechanism for sharing best practice and ensuring ongoing multisectoral dialogue. 

• Cross-cutting commitment to human rights and equality, with full recognition of diversity in identity, needs and wants.

Based on our experience, we believe that a multi-stakeholder approach to global partnerships will strengthen the post-2015 international development framework. We advocate for youth constituents to be integrated as a key stakeholder group. Means of implementation: What does this mean? 

The post-2015 development agenda must be implemented in a transparent, accountable and participatory way. This will only succeed if young people, including those of us from the global south and the most marginalised groups of young people, can play an active role in the design, planning, implementation and monitoring & evaluation of the new framework. Young people’s abilityto participate relies on access to information, resources and technical skills. Therefore capacity-building and reciprocal transfer of knowledge are both vital in creating an enabling environment for meaningful youth participation. Nations and stakeholders must make a specific Bali Youth Multistakeholder Meeting: 25th March 2013 

commitment to provide sufficient, innovative and sustainable funding for youth-led and youth-serving programmes and organisations to ensure success in all post-2015 development priorities. Young people as monitors for development and accountability We believe that youth participation must be a guiding principle in developing indicators and monitoring programmes for accountability. Young people are effective monitors in development, playing an important role in designing tools for data collection and analysis. Technological advancements since the design of the MDGs provide great potential for improving and increasing the channels through which monitoring data can be gathered and shared. Access to information and the ability to connect and mobilise effectively is one of the strongest characteristics of youth. Not only do we believe that this should be a priority for the post-2015 agenda, but, we are also confident that it will be one of the strongest enablers for development and transparency. In a strong monitoring framework, development priorities will drive the design of clear, measureable and realistic indicators, and each thematic goal will have youth-specific indicators.Quantitative data should be disaggregated and analysed by sex and ageto reflect the reality for all vulnerable groups, and should be supported by qualitative data where needed. 7 themes for post-2015 Young people want to see universal access to quality, relevant education that extends beyond primary schooling,and which integrates life skills, vocational training, and values informal education methods. We are also keen to contribute to the design and delivery of curricula and ask for more of a focus on comprehensive sexuality education, and education for sustainable development.There is a clear call for universal access to affordable, quality healthcare and youth-friendly services that are accessible and particularly sensitive to young people’s sexual and reproductive health and rights, especially those living with HIV. Young people want to be supported to make informed and consenting decisions about their health and their bodies. We’d like to reaffirm MDG 5b to further include young women and girls who face unique barriers to information and services due to harmful gender norms and patriarchy. On governance, young people are calling for firm commitments to justice, transparency, integrity and inclusive representation. Young people demand employment and access to economic opportunities that encompass fair wages, possibilities for funding and mentorship, equal opportunities, job and social security that offer chances for career development and training. Young people want to see an explicit commitment to gender equality and equity, and for sexual and reproductive health rightsto be mainstreamed throughout all priority areas. Respect for young people with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities is crucial. We also want to see the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence, especially for young women, girls and sexual minorities. Inequality and discrimination must be eliminated through a human rights based to approach to development. Young people believe that environmental sustainability must be linked to social, economic and political agendas. Within this, we want to beengaged in efforts to mitigate climate change, environmental degradation and scarcity of resources and we want to see a larger focus on the creation of green jobs. We demand that governments demonstrate the political will to establish a strong framework to tackle environmental challenges. After Bali The HLP outreach process should continue toincorporate the voices of youth by including issues they haveraised during nationalconsultations and at other fora. Finally, young people should be involved in writing the HLP’s recommendations to the UN General Assembly. Young people in all our diversity must occupy a meaningful space in our new development agenda. We refuse to be an afterthought.It is only with our voice and involvement that the post-2015 agenda will be a success.

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by Fraser Wood

MDG Overview : Goal 8 – A Global Partnership for Development

March 15, 2013 in Beginner's Guide, International Development, MDG 8 (Global Partnership), MDGs, United Nations

MDGs Goal 8

Summary

The eighth Millennium Development Goal defines the way in which the first seven goals are achieved, and stipulates that there must exist a “global partnership for development” for the MDGs to succeed.

Goal 8 builds on the idea of global solidarity to ensure international responsibility for development and forms, according to Human Rights Quarterly, “arguably the most significant step since the Covenant on Economic Social Rights”. Essentially, it commits the global community to strengthen international cooperation in dealing with poverty-reduction, and defines benchmark targets and indicators of progress.

In practical terms, a large part of this mission attempts to move from international aid to agreement, so that instead of sending money and resources, the wealthier countries agree unilaterally to control the socio-economic constraints they collectively control or influence. As the Human Development Report stated in 2003: “Many global environmental problems: climate change, loss of species diversity, and depletion of global fisheries – can be solved only through partnerships between rich and poor countries.”

Goal 8 Targets

  • Target 12: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system. Includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction – both nationally and internationally.
  • Target 13: Address the special needs of the least developed countries. Includes: tariff and quota-free access for least developed countries’ exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction.
  • Target 14: Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States (through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly).
  • Target 15: Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term.
  • Target 16: In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth.
  • Target 17: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries.
  • Target 18: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications.


Current State of Play – What has been achieved?

With such a general goal, it’s very easy to get cynical and bogged down in details of specific partnership failings, so let’s start with the general trend of extreme poverty which has been in decline (as shown below) since 1980. Whether or not this can be directly attributed to the partnership of nation states is unclear, however there is certainly a correlation between increased cooperation (along with the rise of partnership-organisations such as the UN) and a significant decline in poverty.

Decline in Extreme Global Poverty

This graph shows the proportion of world population in extreme poverty 1981–2008 according to the World Bank.

 

“We can report broad progress… Working together, governments, the United Nations family, the private sector and civil society can succeed in tackling the greatest challenges. As the 2015 deadline is fast approaching, we must be united and steadfast in our resolve to accelerate progress and achieve the MDGs.”

- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon states:

 

Specific Successes/Failures of MDG8:

  • Official development assistance stands at 0.31 per cent of the combined national income of developed countries, still far short of the 0.7 per cent UN target.
  • Aid to the African continent increased by 0.9 percent to 31.4 billion in 2011, but remains below expectations.
  • Developing countries gain greater access to the markets of developed countries.
  • In 2011, 75 percent of the worldwide mobile cellular subscriptions were in the developing regions, up from 59 percent in 2006.
  • By the end of 2011, over 160 countries in the world had launched 3G mobile broadband services and 45 percent of the population worldwide was covered by a high-speed mobile broadband signal.
  • The developing world share of the world’s Internet users rose to 63 percent in 2011, when 35 percent of the world was online.
  • Almost two thirds of the world’s Internet users are in developing countries facilitating better connectivity and potentially better global cooperation.
  • You can read more detailed 2012 research on Goal 8’s results here


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Update 2012 – Unfortunately as the recession has hit developed countries the level of bilateral aid for development projects has fallen by 4.5% in real terms, this is the first time core aid has fallen in more than a decade.

—

Note: Please check back as this post will be continually updated as and when research becomes available.

 

__________________________________

* References

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by Fionn

What Next for the MDGs?

February 15, 2013 in Economics, International Development

The future of the MDGs

Establishing a framework for reducing global poverty

In September 2000 the UN Millennium Summit set out its vision for reducing global poverty, establishing time-bound targets that were to become known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These ambitious targets were designed as a response to the challenges of globalisation, in particular towards addressing global inequality that had arisen “because the global market is not yet underpinned by rules on shared social objectives… If we are to get the best out of globalisation and avoid the worst,” the Secretary General report noted, “we must learn to govern better, and how to govern better together.”[1]

The agreement was a landmark in international relations and development history, and its impact in many areas has been laudable. Infant mortality rates have fallen across the globe, particularly in Northern Africa and Southern Asia. Child enrolment in primary education has improved. Debt repayments across the developing world are generally less egregious than at the turn of the millennium.[2]

Yet despite these improvements, the MDGs have also fallen short in a number of areas. Some targets have proven un-measurable or have been assessed with inadequate data,[3] whilst in many areas there has been no progress towards some goals, and even regression since 2000. The MDG’s have also been criticised for what they leave out – from agriculture and land rights, to non-communicable diseases and expanding wealth inequality within nation states.

The world is also a very different place since the millennium. Huge wars and both natural and man-made disasters have wreaked havoc on populations, invariably in the developing world. New nations have been born, whilst several old ones have thrown off the shackles of dictatorship and demanded power back to the people.

If the MDGs were a response to globalisation in 2000, then the post-MDG framework must recognise that globalisation has changed. Migration is quickly becoming a big issue for Western governments affected by austerity budgets, yet remittance money sent back home by migrants to developing countries dwarfs global aid budgets, topping US$530bn last year alone.

Some of the world’s biggest companies control human and financial resources larger than the majority of states. However, they are often not involved in the development agenda or subjected to any meaningful checks on corporate responsibility. This is despite the pronounced effect many have on human rights and the environment. Job creation and labour opportunities are rightly promoted as a means out of poverty, yet with the global population continuing to rise, land grabs and housing insecurity are increasingly undermining efforts for social and economic improvement.

If the past 13 years have taught us anything, it is that the global community is more willing than ever to take an active role in its own governance and development. With rapid growth in technology and social media, we are more able to achieve this now more than ever before.

At Generation Development we actively support campaigns that empower an inclusive response to the post-MDG challenge. In particular, the exclusion of the global youth cannot be ignored. If you want a voice in how your world is going to look, now is the time to get involved. Find out more about our mission at Generation Development here and how to make your voice heard on the changes that you want to see.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – Barack Obama

[1] Report of the Secretary General, “We the Peoples: The Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century”, A/54/2000 (2000), http://www.un.org/millennium/sg/report/summ.htm accessed 31/01/13

[2] Lois Jensen (2010) The Millennium Development Goals: Report 2010, New York, N.Y.: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs

[3] Amir Attaran (2005) “An Immeasurable Crisis? A Criticism of the Millennium Development Goals and Why They Cannot Be Measured”, PLoS Medicine, Volume 2, Issue 10

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by Tim

The Youth Voice Must Be Heard

January 31, 2013 in International Development, MDGs, United Nations, Youth

 

The second UN High Level Panel on the future of the Millennium Development Goals takes place in Liberia this week, where the international community will again wrangle with the post-2015 question. In early November the first High Level Panel took place in London. Below is their concluding statement:

“Co-chair Prime Minister David Cameron hosted his fellow co-Chairs, President  Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of  Indonesia, and other members of the High-level Panel for three days of  discussion on framing the development architecture to follow the Millennium  Development Goals, which expire in 2015.

On 1 November, the focus of the meeting was individual and household poverty. Discussion covered human development, jobs and livelihoods, and how to reach the marginalized and excluded. Participants also considered a vision and framing questions to guide their work. 

The three Co-Chairs reaffirmed their commitment to working together and in consultation with other panel members to develop a global development framework to respond to the great challenges facing humanity.

The meeting was preceded on 31 October with an opportunity for Panel members to identify challenges that the world faces in the coming years and  learn about a variety of issues that impact development.

In keeping with the Secretary-General’s call for independence, transparency and inclusiveness in the Panel’s processes, the third outreach day of meetings on 02 November, convened various stakeholders. Consultative meetings allowed Panel members to gather input from international civil society, private sector  representatives and global youth.  

Members of the panel will continue discussion among themselves and with various stakeholders over the next eight months. The next meeting of the panel will be held in the first quarter of 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia.”

As the agenda moves forward, it is becoming increasingly clear that engaging with youth is an afterthought in this process and the high level panel. The call out for youth representatives was very last-minute, and although the youth delegates did a good job at the panel, there was not a meaningful interaction with youth groups as a whole. There has not been enough consideration of the youth view at any point thus far. This should be our agenda, as it will determine the future of the world we live in. This is not only in reference to those of us who are in the global North with the ability to shout and complain online, but also our colleagues in the global South, who have almost been left out entirely.

Although there has been slightly more organised outreach in the build up to the Liberia panel, the UN have still failed to meaningfully consult with global youth.

I think it is time that Generation Development had its own Low Level Panel. The voice of youth must be heard and we are here to make that happen.

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by Sarah

Young people are hungry for a place at the table!

January 23, 2013 in Economics, International Development, Youth

Enough Food for Everyone IF

Enough Food IF launch at Somerset House, London (23rd January 2013)

More than half the world’s population is under 25. Yet we – the young people of the world – are significantly under-represented in decision-making at all levels, from local government to global politics.

Internationally, 87% of young people surveyed by Restless Development feel that they have a role to play in shaping global development priorities. However, the majority of these young people say they are unsure how they can have a real say in development debates.

Here in the UK, the majority of young people are interested in politics [1]. However, 56% of 17 to 24-year-olds were not registered to vote in the last general election (according to the Electoral Commission). Perhaps this is because only 8% of young people believe that politicians care about their views [2]… How many young people do you think David Cameron has really listened to about their opinions on the EU, for instance?

In the run-up to the G8 summit to be hosted by the UK in June 2013, more than 100 NGOs are uniting in a campaign to end world hunger. This is good, important, and necessary: IF we don’t act, then 937 million young people’s life chances will be permanently damaged by childhood hunger by 2025.

We at Generation Development agree with these 100 NGOs that aid, land, tax and transparency are all crucial issues in the campaign to end world hunger. But young people are not just hungry for food. We have fire in our bellies, and we are hungry for change.

The dinner table is all well and good, but young people must also have a proper seat at the decision-making table. For too long, development has been seen as something that is done to or for young people, rather than with and by young people. We will inherit the decisions that are being made without consulting us. So we dream of a world where global leaders listen to the voices of young people across the world, and where young people can shape the future of international development.

If you share this dream, then tell your friends about Generation Development, and watch this space to learn how you can be part of a global conversation about young people’s needs, wishes and goals.

WE ARE: Generation Development

[1] 63% of the 1000 18-year-olds surveyed by the BBC in 2012 said they were interested in politics.

[2] A poll by the Children’s Society found that only 8% of 11 to 25-year-olds believe that politicians care about young people’s views.

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by thedevelopmentroast

Generation Development on Morocco World News

September 29, 2012 in Economics, International Development, Youth

Friedman Legacy for Freedom Day 2012 in Ifrane, Morocco

Friedman Legacy for Freedom Day 2012 in Ifrane, Morocco. (Photo By Zineb Bealla)

By Zineb Benalla

Morocco World News

Rabat, September 27, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Generation Development (U.K), SIFE “Students in Free Enterprise,” Friedman Foundation for Educational choice & Friedrich Naumann Foundation joined international celebration of Milton Friedman Global effort to reaffirm the late Nobel laureate’s theories for the first time at Alakhawayn University in Morocco on Thursday September 20, 2012. It is part of an international effort celebrating the life and legacy of Milton Friedman, who is considered one of the 20th century’s leading economists. Event organizers welcomed 100 of attendees to discuss “Freedom Economic Development and the Future of MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) post 2015 & Launched Maghreb Generation Development.”

“There is a lot Ifrane, Alakhawayn University Students and leaders can still learn from Milton Friedman,” said Robert Enlow, President and CEO of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, which Dr. Friedman and his wife, Rose, founded in 1996. “For those Ifrane and Alakhawayn University students interested in boosting their economy, improving government, and providing access to a quality education for all, they should attend Generation Development and SIFE’s Friedman Legacy for Freedom Day gathering,” he added.

The Friedman Foundation is based in the United States, aims to economic freedom, prosperity, rule of law, and democratic development. Friedman’s theories on free markets and limited government dominated the economic and political discourse in the latter half of the 20th century. Economic freedom has been shown in numerous peer-reviewed studies to promote prosperity and other positive outcomes. It is a necessary condition for democratic development. It liberates people from dependence on government in a planned economy, and allows them to make their own economic and political choices. The Economic Freedom of the World Report ranked Morocco 102 out of 144 countries in 2012. The annual report, Economic Freedom of the World, uses 42 distinct pieces of data to measure economic freedom in 144 nations.

Friedrich Naumann Foundation Team, Mr. Sebastian Hempel Project director of the Maghreb region and Mr. Abdelouahad Bougriane, Project Coordinator of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, discussed and shared the role of institutions promoting freedom and liberal thought  in a press conference with distinguished journalist Ms. Laila BenLarbi (Eco- Medias group),  they explained the importance of intellectual entrepreneurs in the Maghreb region and in Morocco to promote freedom and engage youth and women.

This is a celebration for creative thinkers, lovers of freedom and the intellectually curious. It is a network of global thinkers bound by an intense interest about what is impacting the future of freedom, rule of law, development, and prosperity as well as improving the life of future generations.

Generation Development(U.K) aims through its Maghreb Network to lead the change in international development policy by engaging students and young professionals in the areas of human rights, economics, health, education and gender in Morocco and the whole Maghreb region and raise their voice to politicians and policymakers to engage all the key stakeholders: government, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, civil society and the private sector. This aims to produce a global partnership for development with a framework for mutual accountability, which is critical for advancing and achieving the MDGs.

We are expanding our work in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) through the Maghreb network to bridge the gap between developing and developed countries. Establishing this network in development and humanitarian issues is very important today to engage, inspire and inform policy in developing countries to encourage diversity, transparency and accountability, as well as sustainability. We would like to engage intellectuals and experts in Morocco and the whole Maghreb region to produce innovative approaches, challenge and influence the future development agenda that lies beyond the goals’ end date of 2015.

This comprehensive set of development goals, are an integral part of the United Nations Development Agenda. It is an international framework for development for action at the global, regional and country levels and which is compatible with our work at Generation development (U.K) with representation now in the Middle East and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, the USA and Canada, South East Asia and Latin America – our influence is growing. Our prototype forum for development discussion now holds over a hundred members on issues ranging from poverty reduction, gender equality, social integration, health, population, employment and education to human rights, the environment, sustainable development, finance and governance. It is also, in many ways, what brings civil society to rally around the United Nations participatory processes.

http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2012/09/58276/friedman-legacy-for-freedom-day-2012-in-ifrane-morocco/

© Morocco World News

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Guest blog: Understanding Global Communication

August 24, 2012 in Guest Author, International Development, Young Professionals, Youth

Heather Smith – regular blogger and writer – writes about how young people can be supported in utilising the array of communication tools available in today’s world

The written language is one of the most valuable inventions of mankind. With written languages, it’s possible for an individual to communicate with people in the present and the future through text. In addition, written languages allowed for the accurate dissemination of different thoughts and ideas. With the advent of new communication methods like the Internet, literacy requires more than just the comprehension of words. It requires an individual to understand how global information systems can be used to retrieve, process and disseminate ideas. The following guide provides simple tips and tricks on how students can achieve 21st century literacy.

Many people consider the Internet to be one of man’s greatest inventions. While lots of people use the Internet for entertainment purposes, it’s important to understand how it can be vessel for social change around the world.

The Internet and Social Revolutions

The days of state-sponsored censorship and indoctrination are largely over because of the Internet. Since people can share thoughts and ideas with people around the globe, it’s possible to communicate on a level that wasn’t possible before. In addition, this new form of communication can be an effective way for people to avoid indoctrination under a fear-based regime.

For example, the Arab Spring was precipitated by social media services like Facebook and Twitter. Since people in middle-eastern countries could communicate with each other, they were able to discover the widespread abuses by their leaders. In addition, social media allowed these groups to coordinate the takedown of several middle-eastern leaders.

In addition, the Internet has allowed technology and science to evolve at an exponential rate. Since news about an invention or discovery can spread around the globe in mere seconds, it’s possible for large groups of people to coordinate on huge research projects.

Teaching Students How to Use Search Engines

It’s essential for students to have a thorough understand of the Internet. While traditional literacy still plays an important role in modern society, it’s pivotal that students know how to search for information online. In addition, it’s essential that students understand how different online collaboration tools can be used to boost productivity.

Teaching Students through Collaboration

A great way to teach children about 21st century literacy is through a collaborative project. Instead of having students work with their peers in the classroom, it’s a good idea to have them coordinate with different students from around the world. Since there are many translation tools that can be used to enhance communication in different languages, there’s no need for people to collaborate on a project in the same language.

For example, students could collaborate on a design blueprint, a computer program, a documentary or an article. By teaching students about social media services, it’s possible for them to leverage these tools for their project.

Teaching Students About Different Perspectives

It’s also important to make sure that students have an understanding of how different people perceive situations in different ways. Like empathy, having a strong sense of one’s own perceptual biases can be a powerful tool when collaborating with people from different cultures.

For example, students can be exposed to different viewpoints of the same situation. After reading a mostly-neutral article, students can be given articles that show different levels of bias. An article on Jewish settlers in Israel will have a different perspective if written by Palestinians.

Conclusion

The Internet plays an important role in modern society. By teaching students how they communicate around the globe, it’s possible to build a future with less war, better quality of life and higher levels of education.

Heather Smith is an ex-nanny. Passionate about thought leadership and writing, Heather regularly contributes to various career, social media, public relations, branding, and parenting blogs/websites. She also provides value to http://www.nanny.net/service by giving advice on site design as well as the features and functionality to provide more and more value to nannies and families across the U.S. and Canada. She can be available at H.smith7295 [at] gmail.com.

 

 

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Guest blog: How Future International Development Priorities Can Reflect the Ideas of Youth Worldwide

August 18, 2012 in Guest Author, International Development, MDGs, Young Professionals, Youth

Our blog this week comes from Nancy Parker who writes her perspective on how development policies can be more youth-friendly

Glancing around the international community shows a clear reflection of the ideas of youth worldwide. In several major international industries such as technology, healthcare, fashion, music and energy, trends make clear the desires of youth: A safer, more innovative, collectively sustainable future.

  • Future international development priorities include:
  • .Sustainable green energy
  • .Potable water and Crops
  • .Global warming trends
  • . Education and healthcare 

Sustainable Green Energy
Some of the highest levels of pollution exists in major industrial producing countries. Youth in these countries endeavor to promote their priorities for sustainable green energy to protect their futures and that of future generations.

Potable Water and Crops
International development priorities into water desalinization is helping increase potable water in many parts of the world where access to clean, safe water is compromised. In addition, development priorities in sturdier, more drought and flood resistant crops for increased food supplies are constantly advancing worldwide.

Global Warming Trends
Also reflected in international development priorities are the youthful ideas of focused remediation of global warming trends. Ongoing programs monitor various areas of the world’s weather patterns and changes as a means of gauging the damage global warming is causing the planet.

Education And Healthcare
Access to education and affordable healthcare is a global priority that has the potential to become a shared worldwide conglomerate. Sharing of educational courses of study internationally has already been implemented and opens the door to global schoolrooms and educators.

Youthful ideas change daily life in radical ways. In combination with international development priorities, attitudes and social values merge into conceptualism that advance all peoples of the world. This is also true in art, history and literature. Core ideas and traditions persist in making their mark on individuals in society. For innovative youth, they become stepping stones to forward advancement into the future. As an example, literature has had the greatest impact on industrial and social development. Many of the literary ideas contained in classic science fiction are today’s useful conveniences. Present-day writers of mythical and science fiction may well produce hi-tech advancement of the future.

Mindful of ideas of contemporary youth, it would seem convention will play less a role in international development priorities of the future. A greater dimensional initiative to innovate from a base of continuing advancement appears to energize industries. This is particularly true in the computer age. The possibilities of how the ‘age of the internet’ will advance through international development priorities is already seen in cloud computing and social networking. Trends toward a common international language in brief speak, not to mention a more compatible global currency, investment stocks and trades are youthful ideas with prevailing international priorities.

Nancy Parker was a professional nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, and Babysitting, find a nanny tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com.

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by Jonny

Constitutional Reforms in Morocco: Rights of Young People?

August 9, 2012 in International Development, United Nations, Young Professionals, Youth

Generation Development team member Leila Hanafi discusses the ‘Arab Spring’ from the perspective of youth in Morocco.

The profound unrest the world witnessed throughout the Middle East and North Africa over the past year has prompted some Arab governments to introduce a series of dynamic and responsive measures via reforms. At the very heart of the unrest, echoed from the Maghreb to the Gulf, was the demand for constitutional reform to promote a more democratic political order that it is both credible, and, equally important, recognized as legitimate by the people. These reforms are designed to ensure that governments are accountable and to empower average citizens to play a more active role in policy-making processes. From the outset, popular unrest in much of the Arab world was triggered by outdated constitutional mandates that denied citizens many basic human rights.

Morocco, the first country to successfully engage its citizens by rewriting its constitution after the start of the Arab Spring, has been commended for its willingness and ability to incorporate the demands of its population.  The country’s recently amended constitution has the potential to satisfy popular calls for increased freedoms, fundamental rights, transparency, political reforms, as well as social justice. The King of Morocco, Mohamed VI, announced the constitutional reforms in recognition of youth led demonstrations throughout the nation in a speech given on March 9, 2011. However, the true measure of the success of Mohamed VI’s efforts, of course, is directly related to how the reforms are implemented and the impact they make on the lives of average Moroccans.

The population of Morocco, not unlike other Arab nations, is noted for its “youth bulge”- a demographic of more than half of the population currently under the age of 30. Now, one year after the protests began on the streets of Casablanca and just months after a new government was formed, Moroccans are eager to see how the newly constructed constitution will advance the rights of this key demographic.

Consequently, it is imperative to encourage the participation of engaged youth in civil society, political parties and processes, and to reaffirm that their voices are vital for the future of the country.  Often the majority of Moroccan youth feel excluded from these arenas, with some experts concerned that continued youthful frustration could possibly culminate in civil unrest on the same streets where peaceful protests were held not so long ago. While high levels of unemployment and a stifling global economy have created a sense of collective pessimism, it is hoped that broad political and economic reform will effectively foster the potential of young human capital. The unique makeup of the youthful Moroccan population may then be considered a demographic gift.

Moving forward, it is important not to be content with the words inscribed in the new constitution, but, more importantly, their realization.  It is a common view that a major challenge for Morocco’s newly formed government is how successful it will be in implementing the reform that many of the politicians promised throughout the campaign period. As the King himself observed in his July 30, 2011 Throne Day Speech, “No constitution, however flawless it may be, is an end in itself. It is rather a basis upon which a new political pact can be built and capitalized on to uphold the rule of law, human rights and good governance, and bolster development, through efficient, credible institutions.”

One of the key lessons learned from the uprisings in Morocco, and indeed throughout the Arab world, is that governments need be mindful of the crucial role that civil society, including academics, NGOs, and women and youth groups, play in the political processes. Any tangible steps made in the ongoing development of Morocco cannot be successful without the healthy marriage of good governance and the active participation of its citizens.

Prospects for reform in Morocco will depend not just on the King and the redistribution of power, but also on the ability of citizens to voice their opinions and to participate in discourse on decisions that affect them. To improve rule of law in Morocco, and, consequently, strengthen access to justice and promote transparency and state accountability, it is essential to enhance the capability of civil society groups and leaders to promote a strong and fair legal framework, and, ultimately, greater confidence in the constitution as a blue print for future legislative reform. As rightly put by President Zoellick of the World Bank, in a recent address, “governance will not happen without the active participation of citizens. Institutions, however reformed, need citizens to keep them accountable. An important role here should be played by civil society to improve the enabling environment for social accountability.”

Innovation and progress are never a solitary process. Morocco must open to the world, tirelessly expand economic development, encourage the education of its young people, increase rights for women and enact the reforms that encourage equality and transparency. This desire is not held solely by any one demographic, one party or one group. The opportunity for prosperity and an improved quality of life is something that all Moroccans want.

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