TTP claims Karachi suicide bombing and threaten more attacks

The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on December 30 claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed 43 people in Karachi, and threatened more attacks on "the US ally", according to Daily Times. "My group claims responsibility for the Karachi attack and we will carry out more such attacks within 10 days," said Asmatullah Shaheen, one of the TTP ‘commanders’, who spoke by telephone to a Reuters reporter.

 

Punjab govt urged to allot land to poor women farmers

Link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=215993

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Saadia Khalid

Islamabad
The representatives of women groups, women’s organizations and human rights activists demanded of the Punjab government to allocate land to poor women farmers as well.

They hailed the decision of the Punjab government regarding allotment of land to landless peasants in Punjab, but stressed that the land should also be allocated to women farmers.

The representing organizations included Awam Dost Foundation-Bhakkar, Pakistan Welfare Society, Layyah, Women’s Organization for Rights and Development-Islamabad (WORD), Women’s Action Forum-Islamabad, Women Worker’s Helpline-Lahore, SYCOP-Muzzaffargarh, Peasant Women’s Society Okara, Nomad Center Islamabad, Mehrgarh Learning Center-Islamabad, Strengthening Participatory Organization-Islamabad (SPO), Potohar Organization for Development Advocacy, Islamabad (PODA) and Aurat Foundation, Islamabad.

The representatives of the organizations said that the government should not only allocate land to women farmers, but also facilitate them in cultivating the land by establishing agriculture support centres at UC level for women so that agriculture inputs especially indigenous seeds, fertilizers and machines such as threshers should be provided to women.

 According to them trainings should be organized through these centres for women peasants to further strengthen their knowledge, encourage organic farming and keep them updated on new techniques. Such progressive reforms in policies and legislation will not only eradicate gender discrimination but will also improve the status of women farmers in our country as key to national food security and nutrition.
The women’s groups and representatives of women farmers have struggled hard for years, through nationwide campaigns, advocating for policy changes based on social and economic justice to demand women’s right to land.

Women have always played a very significant role in the agriculture sector; about 79% of women as compared to 57% men are employed in the agriculture sector (ADB 2000). Their role as producers and providers of food, their contribution to the sustenance and survival of the household and economy is immense, it often goes unnoticed.

Women have always been on the frontline in the fight against hunger and poverty. But their agricultural work is often trivialized and seen as an extension of their domestic work.

Although legally women in Pakistan can own and inherit land but they have little access and control, when it comes to national policies or distribution of resources women is only implicitly mentioned. States can be more food secure by implementing and upholding new policies or laws that give women more secure rights to own or access land in their own right as citizens.

Education reforms in National Education Policy

Education Task Force to Implement Education Reform

Islamabad, Dec 22: Pakistan Task Force on Education will work to increase the capacity of the federal and provincial governments to implement the education reforms set out in the National Education Policy (NEP).

The official sources informed that the task force was approved by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on the recommendation of Education Ministry.

It will support the federal and provincial ministries and prioritize and identify clear goals for improving the school system and set targets for improvement and cascade them out through the system.

The Task Force recently held a two-day meeting to look into the ongoing status, performance and capabilities of various stakeholders. The meeting focused on private and public sector partnership to remove disparities and implement a uniform education system in the country. It called on devising an effective mechanism to ensure the up-gradation of the educational system and meet modern day requirements.

Advisor to PM on Social Sector and Co-Chairperson of the Task Force Shahnaz Wazir Ali told this agency the task force has been given responsibility of upgrading the education system and devising a mechanism to address the issues of equity, quality and governance. The task force will focus on implementing the targets set in education policy toward achieving 85 percent literacy rate by 2015.

She said that private sector is contributing a lot in education sector and equipping the students with the latest educational facilities but public sector is lagging behind due to negligence on the part of previous governments.

She emphasized on adopting special measures to control the dropout rate and said private and public partnership can jointly bring positive reforms in the education sector. Shehnaz Wazir Ali and Sir Michael Barber are the Co-Chairs of the Task Force.

While other members include Secretary education, Saba Gul Planning Commission, Representative from Ministry of Finance, Chairman NCHD, Secretary of Schools from Balochistan, NWFP, Punjab and Sindh.

Secretary of Education, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, Director (Education), FATA. Dr. Muhammad Memon, IED, Karachi, Shahid Kardar, Former Minister of Finance, Punjab, Dr. Fareeha Zafar, Society for Advancement of Education, Lahore, Mehnaz Aziz, Children Global Network, Islamabad.

Ahsan Saleem Member on Board of Director, Citizen's Foundation, Representative of Religious Education, International Expert nominated by USAID and International Expert nominated by DFID, UK. APP

 

Education reforms in National Education Policy

Education Task Force to Implement Education Reform

Islamabad, Dec 22: Pakistan Task Force on Education will work to increase the capacity of the federal and provincial governments to implement the education reforms set out in the National Education Policy (NEP).

The official sources informed that the task force was approved by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani on the recommendation of Education Ministry.

It will support the federal and provincial ministries and prioritize and identify clear goals for improving the school system and set targets for improvement and cascade them out through the system.

The Task Force recently held a two-day meeting to look into the ongoing status, performance and capabilities of various stakeholders. The meeting focused on private and public sector partnership to remove disparities and implement a uniform education system in the country. It called on devising an effective mechanism to ensure the up-gradation of the educational system and meet modern day requirements.

Advisor to PM on Social Sector and Co-Chairperson of the Task Force Shahnaz Wazir Ali told this agency the task force has been given responsibility of upgrading the education system and devising a mechanism to address the issues of equity, quality and governance. The task force will focus on implementing the targets set in education policy toward achieving 85 percent literacy rate by 2015.

She said that private sector is contributing a lot in education sector and equipping the students with the latest educational facilities but public sector is lagging behind due to negligence on the part of previous governments.

She emphasized on adopting special measures to control the dropout rate and said private and public partnership can jointly bring positive reforms in the education sector. Shehnaz Wazir Ali and Sir Michael Barber are the Co-Chairs of the Task Force.

While other members include Secretary education, Saba Gul Planning Commission, Representative from Ministry of Finance, Chairman NCHD, Secretary of Schools from Balochistan, NWFP, Punjab and Sindh.

Secretary of Education, AJK, Gilgit-Baltistan, Director (Education), FATA. Dr. Muhammad Memon, IED, Karachi, Shahid Kardar, Former Minister of Finance, Punjab, Dr. Fareeha Zafar, Society for Advancement of Education, Lahore, Mehnaz Aziz, Children Global Network, Islamabad.

Ahsan Saleem Member on Board of Director, Citizen's Foundation, Representative of Religious Education, International Expert nominated by USAID and International Expert nominated by DFID, UK. APP

 

Side-effect (Crossroads)

Source: The News

Link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=213891

Friday, December 18, 2009

Harris Khalique

 

Pakistan is at a crossroads in a way it never has been. If it were only a military threat, there could have been a military solution. If it were a question of extending economic opportunities or sharing political power with an insurgent group, a somewhat simpler political solution could have been sought. But the nation is not only confused and fragmented about its foundations but also about the way forward from here when it comes to the role of religion in the functioning of the state. The crisis of identity withstanding, the crisis of ideology has never been sharper since 1971. Some of us including Wajahat Masood see it as a result of our inability as a country to resolve the fundamental issues of class, autonomy of federating units, and finally democratic dispensation in politics. In his latest book, "Taliban Ya Jamhuriyat: Pakistan Dorahay Par" (Taliban or Democracy: Pakistan at a Crossroads), he has discussed contemporary political developments within and outside Pakistan and their cascading effect on the society in which we live.

 

Wajahat Masood discusses the aftermath of Benazir Bhutto's brutal murder, the inability and limitations of mainstream political parties to deliver, the elite-capture of the state, the role of military in Pakistani politics for the last 50 years, dictatorships, threats to democracy and the current tussle between the state of Pakistan and the Taliban – both at the physical and ideological levels. He has a recipe for coming out of this quagmire, rooted in a deep historic analysis and knowledge about the experience of other nations in similar (not the same) chaotic situations. The good thing about this collection of articles or columns by Masood is the expanse that he offers to his reader. From a small happening in Islamabad of 2008 to what happened in medieval Europe, Masood brings together Pakistan's contemporary political history in the backdrop of international political experiences over the ages.

 

Masood is a good friend and I feel like praising him not just because he is a friend. He deserves to be praised for his clarity of thought, lucidity of language and the courage to speak up and be counted. He is both a foot soldier and a commander in fighting this battle of ideas against oppression, bigotry and ignorance. His remarkable work for raising consciousness about human rights in rural Pakistan through his writing, training and lecturing reflects on his commitment to translate his ideas into practice. I particularly praise him for writing and compiling this collection in Urdu. This understanding comes when you work with the common people of Pakistan and genuinely relate to their issues and sufferings. All new information or credible analysis about Pakistan continues to appear in English these days. There is nothing wrong if some find it easier to write in English but these works need to be translated, which sometimes happens but mostly doesn't. In English, we find many interesting articles, analyses, comments and books on both history and contemporary politics, some journalistic and some academic. Masood has a style and while he writes in an understandable journalistic fashion in Urdu, his analysis is laced with evidence and his take is academic and historically informed. This is the kind of writing we need in Urdu and other national languages of Pakistan.

 

Coming to the recipe Masood offers, it is revisiting and revising the national narrative and totally detaching clergy from the affairs of the state, democracy in both political process and social order, and finally equity and justice for all. Nothing short of that will save us.

The writer is an Islamabad-based poet and rights campaigner. Email: harris@spopk. org

 

 

Longman Online Dictionaries

Dear All,

 

This is to inform you that “SPO DRC” has subscribed a website named “Longman Online Dictionaries “. Longman Online Dictionaries is a fantastic resource site for teachers, institutions and students.

C.D version also available on Development Resource Centre (DRC).

 

Link: http://ldoce.longmandictionariesonline.com/main/Home.html

User name: roohi

Password: spodrc02

Regards,

Roohi Bano

 

 

Educational system improvements, upgradation

Source: The News

Government to upgrade education system

Islamabad, Dec 15: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Social Sector and Co-Chairperson Pakistan Education Task Force Begum Shehnaz Wazir Ali has pledged to devise an effective mechanism to ensure the upgradation of the educational system and meet modern day requirements.

She was addressing the first brainstorming meeting of Pakistan Education Task Force, held here Monday to sort out strategies to implement the policy in true spirit.

"To monitor and supervise the different phases of implementation of the education policy, Inter-Provincial Education Ministers' Forum (IPEM) will be created to check any stumbling block in its implementation," she said.

Private and public sector partnership is essentially needed to remove disparities and implement a uniform education system in the country, she said.

Federal Secretary of Education Imtiaz Hussain Qazi in his presentation on 'Education Scenario in Pakistan and Issues in Education Sector' highlighted various key objectives of the policy as well as the challenges. He informed the meeting that the budgetary allocations for education would be raised to seven per cent of the GDP by the year 2015 according to the education policy.

Imtiaz Qazi further informed that under the policy, enrolment of students in higher education would be increased from 4.7 to 10 per cent by 2015 and 15 per cent by 2020. The policy also sets a goal to ensure free Universal Primary Education (UPE) by 2015 and up to Class 10 by 2025. Other initiatives include improvement in teachers' qualifications, curriculum, textbooks, examination and learning environment.

Contrary, the present literacy rate in the country is 56 per cent, including 67 per cent males and 42 per cent females, which is the lowest in South Asia.

New Arrivals!

Dear All,

I am pleasured to inform you that following “Magazines, Journals ” are added to our Development Resource Centre (DRC), if anyone is interested to get them issued and for the details regarding the subscription feel free to contact me.

1.       Weekly: The Economist

2.       Monthly: Herald + Advertising Special Herald Life Style 2009

3.       Monthly : Jehd-e-Haq by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)

 

Regards,

 

Roohi Bano

 

 

 

New Arrivals!

Dear All,

 

This is to inform you that “History Series # 39”  by Dr. Mubarak Ali is available Development Resource Centre.

 

Regards

 

Roohi Bano

 

FW: Will South Asia Choose Life? Chief Economist-Blog Entry

Will South Asia Choose Life? This question is put forward by Eliana Cardoso, the World Bank Chief Economist for South Asia, in a new entry on the World Bank's End Poverty in South Asia blog.

 

Life expectancy at birth is a first approach to measuring well being, she writes. The content of this indicator is enormously relevant, for life is the highest good and our capacity to survive depends on the society where we live: the quality of our food, our access to sanitation and health systems, as well as the absence of war and violence.

To measure development in South Asia, I would like to know how many children reached the age of five because their families came to have access to basic health services and how many will reach maturity, because violence waned. For, in order to walk barefoot on the beach and find happiness, one has to be alive.

Read the blog entry

Blog URL: http://blogs.worldbank.org/endpovertyinsouthasia

To subscribe to updates on the South Asia blog, please enter your email and click the subscribe button on the right side of the blog.

# # #

World Aids Day

http://worldaidsday.org/

 

World AIDS Day, observed December 1 each year, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection. It is common to hold memorials to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS on this day. Government and health officials also observe the event, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day. Governments of other nations have followed suit and issued similar announcements.

 

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007,and an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide live with HIV as of 2007, making it one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. Despite recent, improved access to antiretroviral treatment and care in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claimed an estimated 2 million lives in 2007, of which about 270,000 were children.

 

History

 

World AIDS Day was first conceived in August 1987 by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officers for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Bunn and Netter took their idea to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS). Dr. Mann liked the concept, approved it, and agreed with the recommendation that the first observance of World AIDS Day should be 1 December, 1988.

Bunn suggested the date of December 1st to ensure coverage by western news media, something he believed was vital to the success of World AIDS Day. He felt that because 1988 was an election year in the U.S. media outlets would be weary of their post-election coverage and eager to find a fresh story to cover. Bunn and Netter felt that December 1 was long enough after the election and soon enough before the Christmas holidays that it was, in effect, a dead spot in the news calendar and thus perfect timing for World AIDS Day.

(Bunn, originally a reporter covering the epidemic for KPIX-TV in San Francisco, along with producer Nancy Saslow, also conceived and initiated “AIDS Lifeline” – a public awareness and health education campaign that was syndicated to television stations in the U.S. "AIDS Lifeline" was honored with a Peabody Award, a local Emmy, and the first National Emmy ever awarded to a local station in the U.S.

On 18 June, 1986 the “AIDS Lifeline” project was honored with a Presidential Citation for Private Sector Initiatives, presented by President Ronald Reagan. Bunn was then asked by Dr. Mann, on behalf of the U.S. government, to take a two-year leave-of-absence from his reporting duties to join Dr. Mann (an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control) and assist in the creation of the Global Programme on AIDS. Mr. Bunn accepted and was named the first Public Information Officer for the Global Programme on AIDS. Along with Mr. Netter he created, designed, and implemented the inaugural World AIDS Day observance – now the longest-running disease awareness and prevention initiative of its kind in the history of public health.)

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) became operational in 1996, and it took over the planning and promotion of World AIDS Day. Rather than focus on a single day, UNAIDS created the World AIDS Campaign in 1997 to focus on year-round communications, prevention and education.

In its first two years, the theme of World AIDS Day focused on children and young people. These themes were strongly criticized at the time for ignoring the fact that people of all ages may become infected with HIV and suffer from AIDS. But the themes drew attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, helped alleviate some of the stigma surrounding the disease, and helped boost recognition of the problem as a family disease.

In 2004, the World AIDS Campaign became an independent organization.

Each year, Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI have released a greeting message for patients and doctors on World AIDS Day.

Choosing the theme

From its inception until 2004, UNAIDS spearheaded the World AIDS Day campaign, choosing annual themes in consultation with other global health organizations.

As of 2008, each year's World AIDS Day theme is chosen by the World AIDS Campaign's Global Steering Committee after extensive consultation with people, organizations and government agencies involved in the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. For each World AIDS Day from 2005 through 2010, the theme will be "Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise.", with a yearly sub-theme. This overarching theme is designed to encourage political leaders to keep their commitment to achieve universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support by the year 2010.

This theme is not specific to World AIDS Day, but is used year-round in WAC's efforts to highlight HIV/AIDS awareness within the context of other major global events including the G8 Summit. World AIDS Campaign also conducts "in-country" campaigns throughout the world, like the Student Stop AIDS Campaign, an infection-awareness campaign targeting young people throughout the UK.

World AIDS Day Themes 1988 - present^[16]

1988	Communication
1989	Youth
1990	Women and AIDS
1991	Sharing the Challenge
1992	Community Commitment
1993	Act
1994	AIDS and the Family
1995	Shared Rights, Shared Responsibilities
1996	One World. One Hope
1997	Children Living in a World with AIDS
1998	Force for Change: World AIDS Campaign With Young People
1999	Listen, Learn, Live: World AIDS Campaign with Children & Young People
2000	AIDS: Men Make a Difference
2001	I care. Do you?
2002	Stigma and Discrimination
2003	Stigma and Discrimination
2004	Women, Girls, HIV and AIDS
2005	Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise
2006	Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise - Accountability
2007	Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise - Leadership
2008	Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise - Lead - Empower - Deliver [17]
2009	Universal Access and Human Rights [18]