Dec 15

End of Year Review: Arab Spring, Part Two

For part one of this series, click here.

Libya

February 16th, 2011—Demonstrators, emulating those in Tunisia and Egypt (which Libya is located between), take to the streets of Benghazi to protest Muammar Gaddafi’s 41 year regime.  The arrest of Libyan human rights activist Fethi Tarbel is believed to have sparked the protest.  An estimated 38 people were injured in the clashes between protesters and police forces.  The event was dubbed the “day of rage.”

March 13th, 2011—The EU releases a statement saying that Gaddafi’s regime has lost all legitimacy and that he must step down.  However, no decision is made as to whether or not there will be an international intervention or a no-fly zone.

March 18th, 2011—After a prolonged debate, the UN announces that it will enforce a no fly zone over Libya.  President Obama pledges his support.  In the following few days NATO and several other countries also pledge their support.

May 1st, 2011—NATO airstrike kills Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Arab.  Several other friends and relatives are also injured or killed in the attack.  Anti-Gaddafi activists suggest that Gaddafi killed off his son to get sympathy.

June 27th, 2011—The International Criminal Court issues a warrant for Gaddafi’s arrest, calling him and several others to stand trial for crimes against humanity because of the violent crackdown against the protesters.

August 23rd, 2011—Rebel fighters storm Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli.

October 20th, 2011—After 8 months of fighting, Gaddafi is killed under mysterious circumstances.  The country erupts in celebration.

October 23rd, 2011—Mustafa Abdel Jalil, Libya’s top leader, declares the country officially liberated and pledges to replace Gaddafi’s dictatorship with a democratic—but Islamic—system.

November 22nd, 2011—Libya’s interim Prime Minister, Abdel Rahim al-Kib, announces the line-up of the country’s interim Cabinet.  The Cabinet will have to work hard to gain legitimacy so that it can tackle the many issues facing Libya.

December 12th, 2011—Two people are killed in a clash between the rebel militia and the interim government’s fledgling army, proving that the transitional government is having difficulty asserting its authority over the country.

What’s Ahead—the transitional government already has its work cut out for it, as it must draft a new constitution, restore order, and lead Libya to democratic elections in just a few months, and clearly has not been accepted as legitimate by the people, which makes its job all the more difficult.  Gaddafi’s death and the end of his 42 year dictatorship was cause for celebration in Libya, but it remains to be seen whether or not the interim government can do its job and set up elections, or if the country will descend once more into violence.

Syria

February 4th, 2011—activists use Facebook and Twitter to organize a “Day of Rage” in Damascus as a protest against President Bashar al-Assad, but few show up.

March 15th, 2011—A second “Day of Rage” is organized in Damascus, and this time about 200 protesters show up.  Protests quickly spread across the country.

March 26th, 2011—After a particularly violent government crackdown, President al-Assad releases hundreds of political prisoners in an attempt to quell anger.

March 29th, 2011—The Syrian cabinet resigns in the face of continuing unrest and violence.

April 8th, 2011—The UN Security Council condemns Syria’s deadly crackdown and demands that al-Assad carry out political reforms. It is estimated that over 1,600 people have been killed since the protests began in mid-March.

April 29th, 2011—President Obama signs off on sanctions against the Syrian government for what has become possibly the most violent crackdown against protesters.

May 18th, 2011—Obama issues more sanctions against Syria, despite the ineffectiveness of the previous sanctions.

May 29th, 2011—A 13-year-old boy who was tortured and killed after spending a month in Syrian custody becomes a symbol for the protesters.  Observers wonder if this boy will achieve the same status in Syria as Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia.

June 20th, 2011—President al-Assad offers vague promises of reform while retaining his position as President.  Protesters, angered by his reaction, take to the streets once more, calling al-Assad a liar.

August 7th, 2011—As the violence continues the Arab League finally joins the international condemnation of the Syrian government.

August 23rd, 2011—Syrian dissidents, taking a cue from Libya, form a national council opposed to al-Assad.

December 7th, 2011—al-Assad tries to distance himself from the bloodshed in his country by saying that he never ordered the suppression of demonstrators, despite the dozens of tanks and hundreds of soldiers that have killed thousands in the last nine months.

What’s Ahead—Syria has been stagnant since the protests began in earnest in March, which is probably what has made the country less of a media darling than its neighbors.  Despite the horrific violence the nation has suffered, neither the opposition nor the government seem to be on the verge of winning.  The international community, wary after the massive cost of getting involved in Libya, seems hesitant to offer anything more than strongly-worded rebukes of the Syrian government.  Hopefully the country reaches some sort of breakthrough soon, lest the violence continue.

Michelle Bovée is a SISGI Group Program and Research Intern focused on international affairs, economic development, and responsible tourism. To learn more about the SISGI Group visit www.sisgigroup.org

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Dec 13

Conquering the Global Digital Divide

I stumbled upon an image this weekend showing the digital divide of the world. It graphically shows what parts of the globe have access to digital technology, measured through IP address locations. Showing the layers between high and low-density areas in relation to internet access is powerful. I once heard someone say that Africa is no longer called “the dark continent” because of poverty or skin color, but because of the widespread lack of access to electricity and internet connectivity. Now, whether or not that makes the name any less offensive is trivial, but this image is telling in bringing that statement to life.

The debate rages about the best way to hurdle this divide and the moral obligations in doing so. I have read some interesting suggestions, but none so interesting as Paul Romer’s proposal for charter cities. He argues the need to establish “special reform zones” in impoverished counties where these countries offer a parcel of land to the international community for building up essentially the next Hong Kong. He believes that this will initiate cross cutting governmental partnerships, and more importantly, bring people together to work under ”updated rules”. Relating to electricity specifically, he argues:

In too many places, weak or outdated rules hold people back. Some rules limit who can sell power, so electricity is expensive. …Others make it difficult to start a business or open a plant. Because of this, firms build new factories not in places where the need for work is highest, but in places where electricity is inexpensive, people and property are safe, and doing business is relatively easy.

To accomplish this vision, he must unite a host country, a source of people, and a third nation to guarantee finances and upholding rule of law. In working together with a number of nations Romer believes that this has a two-fold benefit for the world. First, it offers people an opportunity to move themselves out of poverty by moving to work in a city. Second, it will create another port for trade and commerce in less utilized parts of the world, expanding financial networks and job opportunities.

Romer has raised eyebrows with his new way of thinking, gaining both praise and criticisms for his ideas. Somewhere between calling him a colonialist with only pseudo-scientific ideas and a forward-thinking genius; it must be appreciated that at least he is thinking outside of the box.

Personally, I do not agree with his ideas towards fixing the technology divide, but I do not necessarily have any better solution to offer. However, I know this will not be a problem that can be fixed with short-term solutions or large-scale overnight reforms. Now, I do not believe that the lack of access to technology should be a problem overlooked, but we must not throw incapable reforms at the problem.

I believe that access to technology is a human right, and one that has clearly not reached a good portion of the world. After the first step of acknowledging this right, the hurdle begins when debating tactics of expansion and execution. It is not enough to simply hand out computers, but must be superseded with education and access to electricity. These inherent institutional constraints must be the metaphorical egg that is addressed before the chicken (ie technology) is brought in. While this is the fundamental problem that Romer is trying to address, there must be a better way to motivate international governments to make technology available to its people without building large-scale cities from abandoned swaths of land.

–Katherine Peterson is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on theories of development, globalization, and political ramifications of development work.

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Dec 12

Entendiendo el cambio climatico

Read this post in English

El cambio climático es aceptado como un hecho científico hoy en día, la discusión ha terminado. Las temperaturas medias globales están en aumento y se pueden relacionar con las actividades humanas que han llevado al aumento de las emisiones de dióxido de carbono durante los últimos siglos. Pero la discusión sobre lo que debemos hacer respecto el cambio climático es más complejo y tiene muchas más controversias.

Recientemente, en una de mis clases, mi profesor nos preguntó qué pensábamos que los impactos del cambio climático serían. Me di cuenta de que muchos estudiantes relacionaban el cambio climático a acontecimientos repentinos y catastróficos. Tifones, huracanes, tsunamis, tornados … Me sorprende ver que cuando algunas personas escuchan el termino “cambio climático”, lo primero que piensan es en una catástrofe  en futura que toma lugar en un tiempo específico. Esta bien esperar por una catástrofe?

Aunque no hay certeza alguna de cómo el cambio climático va a afectar nuestras vidas y nuestra economía, es seguro que los eventos catastróficos que se muestran en las películas de Hollywood o en el documental de Al Gore no van a ser los impactos más dañinos del cambio climático. Nueva York no se va a hundir, Europa no se va a congelar en un día. El cambio climático no es un evento que tiene lugar en un día y una hora específica. Más bien es todo un proceso que está ocurriendo continuamente. Tenemos que ser escépticos de las historias sensacionalistas.

Para resolver el problema del cambio climático, debemos primero entenderlo. Los impactos más importantes del cambio climático se llevarán a cabo de forma gradual. Las tierras agrícolas que ahora son fértiles, no serán tan fértiles en el futuro. Su productividad poco a poco va a cambiar, causando que migraciones rurales aumenten. La extinción de especies seguirá aumentando y dañará el estilo de vida de muchas comunidades. Los glaciares continúan derritiéndose, y a medida que se descongele el permafrost, el aumento de la temperatura media global no se detendrá.

La cuestión más importante que gira en torno al tema del cambio climático no es la cuestión si lo detenemos o no. En mi opinión, es demasiado tarde para plantearse esta pregunta ya que el cambio climático es algo que está sucediendo ahora mismo. No podemos pensar en el cambio climático (y debemos de dejar de pensarlo) como un evento futuro. Los escenarios de Hollywood hacen creer que el cambio climático es un acontecimiento futuro que debemos evitar. Nos hacen olvidar que el cambio climático es un fenómeno que ya está sucediendo y que ya está teniendo impacto. Es demasiado tarde para ser escéptico y es demasiado tarde para ser pesimistas. Aceptemos que estamos viviendo en el cambio climático. La verdadera pregunta es ¿cómo vamos a mitigar sus efectos (mediante la reducción de las emisiones de carbono, el secuestro de carbono) y cómo vamos a adaptarnos a él?

Mientras tratamos de responder estas preguntas, el impacto del cambio climático ya está afectando a gente y a la naturaleza. La desaparición de especies silvestres, los cambios en los patrones agrícolas, el aumento de eventos y condiciones climáticas extremas. Todos estos acontecimientos están afectando a personas que ni siquiera son responsables de los cambios en el clima (la gente pobre con la huella de carbono pequeña). Ellos van a ser los que estén más afectados por el cambio climático, no los neoyorquinos.

Nueva York puede construir un muro alrededor de Manhattan para proteger el Distrito Financiero. ¿Pero quién va a preocuparse por los países pobre e insulares, como Tuvalu, que están en peligro de hundirse también? ¿Quién cuidará de las comunidades rurales donde la producción agrícola disminuirá, y quién cuidará de la vida silvestre (animales y plantas) cuyo hábitat está siendo destruido? Las injusticias sociales que se derivan del cambio climático van a ser lo que más necesite la atención, es en lo que los activistas sociales y los ambientalistas se deben enfocar. El cambio climático es una cuestión de justicia social y es por eso que todos debemos preocuparnos de sus consecuencias.

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Dec 09

A Busy Few Weeks For Hillary

For those watching the news on a regular basis, it has been hard not to notice that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is everywhere. In the last few weeks, she has seemed to collect more sky miles than ever, and has made some significant splashes along the way.

Starting off last week, Clinton was in Burma (Myanmar) speaking to the Pro-Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who working to reform the country and bring Burma out from under US sanctions. Recently the country has taken small steps to gain trust from the United States. In growing transparency in the government (by releasing political prisoners and lowering censorship barriers), the US has returned the favor by taking initial steps in allowing international development to increase. The fact that Secretary of State Clinton was the envoy chosen to attend this discussion is noteworthy. First, because she is the only high ranking official to travel to the country in half of a century, and second, she spoke on behalf of the President making this visit a promising sign of commitment as well as a challenge to Burma to continue to show results into the future.

From Burma, Clinton flew to Busan, South Korea to attend the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. She did not have as big of a role to play here, but her presence was important. As the US government representative, she committed to back the transparency initiative that helps to monitor and track aid money globally. While no, it was not a commitment to increase aid donations or move US focus away from donating to nations with strategic interest, Clinton’s presence was important to show that the US was present and willing to come to the table to work for an international agenda.

Last Tuesday, the 6th, Secretary of State Clinton was in Geneva and gave perhaps the most notable speech of her career thus far. Speaking at the UN, she discussed the global campaign to promote human rights, and end discrimination to the LGBT communities around the world. In a 30-minute speech, she outlined why “gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights”.  With her international audience, she revealed that the current administration would begin taking the treatment of LGBT communities into account when offering international foreign aid in the future. On the same note, she recognized that the US is still far from an exemplar in our own treatment of the gay community; bringing recognition to how much work still must be done here as well. The speech can be watched here:

And the transcripts can be read here.

I find the work that Clinton is doing to be extraordinary. I think that she is using her platform perfectly in having the opportunity to reach a broad audience with perhaps more straightforward words than the President could use. One could not imagine Obama traveling to Burma, or giving a speech on LGBT rights without the entire world going up in arms over it. Clinton appropriately plays the role of the delegate, affording greater leniency in what messages she can convey with regard to tough issues, but is not impeded by placating a constituency and reelection. I believe that the words she spoke at all three events directly convey the Obama administration’s policies, but it is up to Clinton to speak such words on these issues.

Similarly, it must be noted that in all three of these examples, Clinton is speaking on behalf of a country that has continuously not abided by her messages. In Burma, the US called for sanctioning the country, limiting its development and essentially cutting it off from the rest of the world. Now, to go back 50 years later and say we want to help the people following specific conditions can appear a bit arrogant. In Busan, when calling for increased international aid, the US has continuously fallen short of its commitment as well. How does this reflect as the most powerful nation? Finally, and most visibly, the US continually persecutes the LGBT community, denying rights and perpetuating an archaic religious agenda. One must only go so far as to watch Rick Perry’s latest Presidential ad to see the blatant discrimination that this community faces every day.

While I think the work Secretary of State Clinton is doing is important for our country and one of the most challenging jobs in the government, I cannot say that I envy her job title. I think she is the perfect person to be in that role and the work she is doing is moving America’s foreign policy foreword in strides.  I believe that what Hillary Clinton is accomplishing must be recognized and respected, if not with air miles then with a little more appreciation.

–Katherine Peterson is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on theories of development, globalization, and political ramifications of development work.

 

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Dec 08

End of Year Review: Arab Spring, Part 1

            A lot has happened in the Middle East and North Africa in the last year, and if you’re anything like me you’ve had a difficult time trying to keep up with all the protests, names, elections, et cetera.  So I’m doing a 3-part series on the Arab Spring.  The first 2 posts will cover some of the major events (note: this is hardly a comprehensive list of everything that has happened—there has been so much unrest, so much violence, and so much general confusion that it would probably take 3 posts just to fully cover one country!  So this is just an overview of the major events in the countries that have been the most popular in the media—Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Syria) and the 3rd will synthesize the information and draw some conclusions.  I hope you enjoy!

Tunisia
December 17th, 2010—A peddler named Mohamed Bouazizi sets himself on fire after being slapped and insulted by a police officer, and that single act is believed to be the spark that lit the revolutionary fire in Tunisia. Demonstrations spread across the Sidi Bouzid province, quickly followed by an internet campaign that attracted interest across the country from all groups fed up with corruption, unemployment, and rising food prices.

January 14th, 2011—Tunisian president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali is forced out, and flees to Saudi Arabia with his family. The Prime Minister, Mohamed Ghannouchi, takes over as interim President, a move that did not impress the protesters, who argued that Ghannouchi was a member of Ben Ali’s corrupt elite and so was not really a change.  Protests and violence continue.

February 27th, 2011–Ghannouchi is forced out and replaced by Beji Caid-Essebsi.  Essebsi remains interim Prime Minister.

October 23rd, 2011—Elections are held to choose representatives for the new Constituent Assembly, which will draw up a new constitution and appoint a transitional government until the next elections are held.

November 14th, 2011—Results are announced. An Islamist party, the once-banned Ennahda Party, won 89 out of 217 seats—triple that of the next biggest winner, the Congress for the Republic, which won 29 seats.  The rest were divided among smaller parties.

November 22nd, 2011—the first Constituent Assembly meeting was held, and the three main parties split the country’s top three jobs—prime minister, president, and assembly chairman—between themselves.  Demonstrators show up with banners to remind the Assembly and new government that they are being watched, and that they must remain true to the revolutionary demands of dignity and freedom.

December 5th, 2011—The Assembly announces that it will elect Tunisia’s next president tomorrow.

What’s Ahead—Even if the Assembly can agree on a new president and on a new constitution, it won’t be smooth sailing for Tunisia.  It’s been close to a year since the protests began, and the country is far from settled.  The country faces numerous challenges; the government instability is just the tip of the iceberg.  Tunisia faces high unemployment, economic turmoil, and myriad other issues.

Egypt

January 25th, 2011—Taking inspiration from Tunisia, the first protests take place in Tahrir Square—among other places—to protest Mubarak’s regime.  Online organizing, primarily on Facebook, took place the week before, sparking the “Facebook Revolution” moniker.

January 26th, 2011—Protests continue, despite violent police crackdowns and the much-publicized shutting down of Twitter.

February 1st, 2011—After a week of protests, Egyptian President Hosini Mubarak announces that he will step down following elections to be held in September after a direct intervention by President Obama.  Protesters are not satisfied, and continue to demonstrate angrily.

February 10th, 2011—After 17 days of protests, Mubarak resigns, ending his 30 year regime.  Much celebration follows, though protesters return to the streets the next day.

Continue reading

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Dec 08

Chaplin’s World

A few nights ago, just as I had closed the books and decided to go to sleep, I stumbled upon a clip of Charlie Chaplin’s impressionable speech at the end of his 1940 film The Great Dictator. In his speech, he made an emotional appeal against the direction the world was headed. He acknowledged that the technological advancements had been made but questioned whether these advancements made the world a better place. He proclaimed that greedy men had corrupted his generation and filled the world with hate. That people had become so cynical that they had lost touch with humanity.

But Chaplin did not end his speech on this bleak note. Rather, he provided his viewers with a sense of hope and purpose. He told them that this era of human history, in which people are still wrongly tortured, killed, underserved, and held captive to dictatorships are coming to an end. He empowered and advised his viewers, stating:

You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let’s use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security.

Though at times a bit vague, Chaplin’s speech was incredibly applicable and poignant. Many of his critiques of the world in the 1930’s ring true 80 years later. The world has continued to shrink and new innovations haven’t necessarily led to better health and quality of life outcomes to as many people as one might expect. His speech reminded me of ideas I’ve encountered throughout my experience as an intern here. The world is plagued with a diverse set of challenges. From problems in healthcare to poverty to infectious disease to education access to environmental issues to human rights injustices, problems at times seem overwhelming and endless. After all, with so many different types of problems, how can one person dream of making a significant dent in them?

Perhaps this logic explains the greed, cynicism, and apathy evident in so many of us today. We rationalize that our selfish actions are just a small contribution to the flaws in the world or that there are far too many problems for us to tackle alone. We fall for the temptation of tragedy of the commons and fail to overcome collective action failure.

Chaplin encourages us to eliminate this logic from our thinking. He tells us that fighting the impulse to help others is akin to fighting a basic and innate human desire. His assertion that all people want to make the world a better place, and that they can accomplish this goal by working together, He expresses that we individuals are part of something much greater than ourselves. We do not have to tackle problems that we are passionate about solving on our own, for we have each other to work with. Thus, we do have power to be agents of social change.

A few weeks ago, some friends of mine were discussing Limitless – a movie I wrote about several weeks ago. I asked my friends what they thought would happen if everyone had a drug such as NZT that improved everyone’s brain capacity. After a few moments of theorizing, my friends concluded that the world would reach its end sooner. The drug would open up the doors to even more people exploiting others, stripping the world of its resources, and developing technologies that do more harm than good. Essentially, their argument boiled down to their belief that the world is on a path to inevitable destruction, and increasing everyone’s ability to think, learn, and develop would only hasten this process.

While their argument may have been logical, I think they were wrong. I agree with Chaplin. People inherently want to do good. However, they unfortunately fall short of the standard they set for themselves.

As I said before, there are tons of problems everywhere. But there are plenty of people here to solve them. We are some of those people. We must not let greed and cynicism get in our way. We need to be the instruments of change that we wish to create. We all have different talents and interests, so perhaps we won’t be working on the same problem. However, we should use these talents and interests to work towards a common goal of helping the world.

I ask you to find problems that you are passionate in wanting to solve, finding others who share your passion, and develop a sustainable solution for it. The more people do this, the more others will follow, and we will see the better world that Chaplin hoped for in 1940.

See the a clip of the speech from Youtube

Shaunak Varma is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group. To learn more about the SISGI Group visit www.sisgigroup.org.
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Dec 06

Responsible Holiday Shopping: MyMela

MyMela’s model of Social entrepreneurship: combining fair trade and micro finance.

I’ve previously written about the social and environmental responsibilities that we have as consumers. It is extremely important to know your products and their stories. As consumers, we have much more impact than what we understand.

As we enter the holiday season- where everyone is going shopping and buying so many things that it’s even overbearing- it is important to keep this in mind. There are many ways in which you can make your shopping experience meaningful and be a responsible consumer. Look for companies that have socially responsible practices. I decided to do most of my holiday shopping at a social entrepreneurship company called MyMela. The company first got my attention because of the beautiful Indian handcrafts they offered. As I researched more about the company’s strategy and model, I liked it even more.

MyMela is a social entrepreneurship company that sells products made by Indian artisans and that- in tandem- gives out loans to the artisans whom it buys the products from. It’s a really innovative form of fair trade and it really empowers the people it’s trying to help.

MyMela mixes the notions of fair trade and of microfinance. It allows artisans’ small businesses in India to have access to the U.S markets and receive fair prices for their work. This helps them support their families and create a reliable marketplace in the future. When you enter the MyMela online marketplace, you can help the artisans in two ways. Either you buy their products (fair trade part) or you make a loan (microfinance part). They’ve called their micro finance and fair trade model “IMAF” (Integrated Micro advance funding).

By buying the products consumers help support the traditions and the crafts of Indian artisans who live in poverty and whose businesses are constantly in the brink of disappearing because the decrease of interest of handicrafts.

The loans are really appealing for both lenders and borrowers. For the borrower, it is given at 0% interest rate. This increases the artisans’ profits and it gives them more disposable income. It also benefits the lender (or the client) because for every loan he/she make, he/she gets back 10% in “MyMela credits”. For example, if you loan 50 dollars, after 3 months you get 55 MyMela credits, which you can use to buy any of the products of the catalogue. I think it’s a great marketing strategy that creates many incentives for lending and, consequently, the opportunity to help out an artisan group.

Personally, whenever I purchase something for a gift or for myself, I like to buy products that have special stories behind them, products I can connect too. Products that are handmade fascinate me and they always capture my attention. They represent a part of the life of the artisan who made it. What I love about MyMela is that it additionally offers the customer an opportunity to know more about the artisans. It helps bridge the gap between consumer and producer. If you enter the webpage, there are many videos showing how the artisans work and how you are helping them with your loan. Make this holiday season an opportunity to help someone.

In Hindi, “mela” means “festival” or “fair”. It’s a word that all the products capture very well with their vivid colors and their beautiful prints. You can buy jewelry; home décor (trays, table cloths, photo frames), hand woven pillows and bags, cashmere scarves, and I particularly love their sculptures and candle holders. There’s something for anyone, it’s a perfect place to look for gifts.

Organizations like MyMela are the ones to think about supporting this holiday season. MyMela is a good example of real social entrepreneurship: an enterprise that achieves to empower people and not just offer “band-aid” help. Plus, let’s not forget that it brings us the hidden handcrafted treasures of India!

Julia Naime (@julianasah) is a research intern at the SISGI Group. She is a senior at New York University majoring in Economics. During her internship, she is researching rural and international development and environmental policies. To learn more about the SISGI Group, please visit www.sisgigroup.org.
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Dec 05

Reflections on Busan

In my post last week about Busan, I laid out what goals I wished to see accomplished at the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness. I stated earlier that I would like to see emerging economies start to play a greater role in international aid. Also I wish to see a greater recognition of the need for increased transparency in development funding. Looking back, were these goals reached? How much was actually accomplished in Busan?

While I recognize my previous article may have been a bit pessimistic about the outcomes from the Forum, I am relieved to report that both of these issues were addressed.

First, China and India were persuaded to sign the final resolution from the Forum, stating that they will offer to work with the international arena in increasing their contributions towards foreign aid. This is important because it marks a beginning of a new stage of how aid is received and possibly allocated. In part this is recognition that these countries have something to offer in the quest towards development, seeing as they continue to deal with similar internal problems. While this seems like it was a win all around, inevitably politics came into play in making this deal finalized.  The document ultimately states that these signatory countries are held to a lower standard, and are included on a voluntary basis. This caveat has upset many other nations in that voluntary means unlikely adherence to the declaration. After all, even past full commitments to declarations within the field of aid have not been met by most powerful countries. This leaves little hope that voluntary action will also be upheld.

The commitment to transparency is an important aspect of foreign aid as well. This document states that the recipients of foreign aid will be responsible for monitoring results and transparency. However, what this actually means is also left vague. The new Global Partnership established will now have 6 months to flesh out exactly what they intend with such words. On their sight, Oxfam stated “One billion poor people are waiting for more than words — they want measurable action.” They too have high stakes in seeing this declaration come to action.

In my opinion, one of the actual and immediate successes to have come from Busan is the growing conversation surrounding south-south lending and three-way learning. South-south lending is essentially just as it sounds. It is when developing and emerging markets offer aid to either one another or surrounding countries, without the facilitation of the developed nations and international aid programs. This is important because in the past, these relations have helped to foster economic and political alliances, directly helping emerging economies. I think it was important on behalf of the OECD countries (the typical 34 market economies involved in foreign aid) to recognize the impact these relations are having globally, and to help foster these commitments.

Similar to this, three-way learning is a different approach to solving global problems. This coincides with South-South lending in that it looks to a bigger variety of countries in answers for solving development problems. One might think that this is obvious, but it has been a sad reality that the practice of turning to consultants and academic “experts” before looking to others with real experience is still maintained. The underlying message is that these “experts” are typically western educated, and continue to address such issues through that lens. Three-way learning brings more potential solution to the forefront, opening the possibility for a more global learning to begin.

Many will liken this Forum that took place in Busan to a tiger that has no teeth. The resolutions and plan of action reached did not necessarily provide a clear direction for the future. However, judging from past experiences, what more did the international community hope to gain? Instead, I opt to look towards what issues were brought up that previously were considered unnecessary. The recognition that developing countries have experience to bring to the table is noteworthy. Additionally, showing emerging markets that with more global power comes a greater responsibility is an important stance to recognize. Therefore, I say we give Busan one more year before we truly judge it’s successes. After all, that is when the real changes will either begin to emerge, or we will see continued avoidance from donor countries towards foreign aid. Lets hope that in one year, the critics of today are proven wrong.

–Katherine Peterson is a Program and Research Intern with the SISGI Group focused on theories of development, globalization, and political ramifications of development work.
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Dec 05

An Educational Secret

Education is one of the most important commodities in the world, and many of us are privileged enough to have access to education in the United States.  However, this is not the case for millions of undocumented immigrants who currently live in the U.S, but are unable to access higher education.  Millions came to America in order to further their studies, and have an opportunity to chase after the American dream.  Unfortunately, many academically gifted immigrant students have been barred from top universities in states like Georgia.  For that reason, four professors from esteemed universities in Georgia have banded together in order to provide academically gifted students a chance to learn in a university environment, with the hopes that one day the students will be admitted to top Georgia universities.

Freedom University, the name of the unofficial academic institution, boasts a remarkable faculty of four professors who teach undocumented students once a week on Sundays.  The faculty receives no pay, and teaches the students in an undisclosed building in Athens, Georgia.  Students and professors have been forced to meet in secret due to the passing of a resolution that bans undocumented students from attending five of the top universities in Georgia.  The University Council of the University of Georgia passed the bill last fall, and is a big win for those who believe that undocumented students should be kept out of Georgia’s top tier of schools.  According to the Board of Regents, undocumented students were allowed into Georgia’s highest ranking universities for the past two years and this issue became a tipping point for the public.  Taxpayers and documented students became frustrated over the fact that they paid the taxes and tuition rates, but the undocumented students paid neither.  However, the board states that the decision to pass the resolution is not based on monetary reasons because some undocumented students pay more than legal students.  The crux of the point is that the board does not want undocumented students taking away seats from documented students in Georgia, especially during these difficult economic conditions.

Unfortunately, the issue that many undocumented students at Freedom University are faced with is the fact that they identify themselves as Americans.  Students like Karl Kings and Leeidy Solis were brought to the United States by their parents when they were one or two years old, and have no recollection of their native countries.  They want to attend elite Georgian universities because they feel that their academic achievements should be enough to qualify them into a top competing institution.  Regrettably, their undocumented status hinders them from attending the school of their dreams or pursuing the career that they have always envisioned.  Though Freedom University provides these academically gifted students an opportunity to learn in an aggressive college environment with qualified professors, they receive no credit for having attended the classes.  Thus, the students spend their time studying and excelling at Freedom University, but there is no way for them to show that they have attended college-level classes.

The idea of Freedom University is an interesting one, and shows that there are doors open for undocumented students.  It is understandable that documented students feel upset when they realize undocumented students are taking up seats in the top five universities in Georgia.  However, there still needs to be an avenue for academically gifted undocumented students who have the grades to make it into the top schools.  Perhaps, top universities can affiliate themselves with Freedom University and allow the students to attend classes at the school of their dreams.  Then, the students will have a chance to get a degree through Freedom University and an affiliated school.  In this way, the undocumented students will not be encroaching on the seats of documented students, but can still make use of their academic skills.  However, none of this can come to fruition if the Board of Regents does not revisit the resolution that bans undocumented students from top Georgia universities.  Hopefully a change can be made, and a balance can be struck between documented and undocumented academics.

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Dec 02

Understanding climate change

By now, it is accepted as a scientific fact that climate change is happening. The average global temperatures are rising and it is related to the human activities and the increase of emissions of carbon dioxide over the last centuries. But the discussion as to what we should do about climate change is more complex and has more controversies.

Recently, in one of my classes, my teacher asked what we thought the impacts of climate change were going to be. I realized that many students related climate change to sudden and catastrophic events.  Typhoons, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornados… I am surprised to see that when some people hear “climate change” the first thing they think of is a potential future catastrophe that takes place in a specific point in time. Should we really be waiting for a catastrophe?

Although there is no certainty about how climate change is going to impact our lives and our economies, catastrophic events as depicted in Hollywood films or in Al Gore’s documentary are not going to be the most damaging manifestations of climate change. New York City is not going to sink, and Europe is not going to freeze in a day. Climate change is not an event that takes place in a specific day and time; it is a whole process and it is happening continuously. We have to be skeptical of the sensationalist stories.

To tackle the problem of climate change, we first must understand it. The most important impacts of climate change will take place gradually. Agricultural land that is fertile now, won’t be so fertile in the future. Its productivity will gradually change and shift, causing rural migrations to increase. Species extinction will continue to rise and damage the lifestyles of many communities. Glaciers will continue to melt and as more permafrost defreezes, the increase of the average global temperature will not be stopped.

The most important issue that revolves around climate change is not the question if we stop it or not. To my opinion, it is simply too late to ask that question because climate change is something that is happening right now. We cannot think of climate change as something that will happen in the future. Those Hollywood scenarios make it seem like climate change is some future event that we must prevent. They make us forget that climate change is a phenomenon that is already happening. It is too late to be skeptical and too late to be pessimistic. We have to accept that we are living in climate change. The real question is how are we going to mitigate its impacts (by reducing carbon emissions, carbon sequestration) and how are we going to adapt to it?

While we decide on how to deal with it, it is already impacting people and nature. Massive wildlife biodiversity, changes in the agricultural patterns, increase of extreme weather. All those events are impacting people who are not even responsible for the changes in weather patterns (poor people with small carbon footprints for example). They are going to be the most impacted by climate change, not New Yorkers.

New York can easily build a wall around Manhattan to protect the Financial District. But who is going to care about the poor island countries such as Tuvalu who are in threat of sinking too? Who will care for the rural communities where agricultural production will decrease or for the wildlife whose habitat is being destroyed? The social injustices derived from climate change are going to be the ones that need the most attention and the ones social activists and environmentalist have to focus on. Climate change is a matter of social justice and that is why we should all care about it.

Julia Naime (@julianasah) is a research intern at the SISGI Group. She is a senior at New York University majoring in Economics. During her internship, she is researching rural and international development and environmental policies. To learn more about the SISGI Group, please visit www.sisgigroup.org.


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