Full Coverage: Civil society

28.12.2007 Offering children a platform, in the form of special children’s village councils, to voice their concerns and problems is bringing about a perceptible change in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. For once, their suggestions are not only being heard but also acted upon.

21.12.2007 Dalit and tribal children from across Madhya Pradesh in central India face discrimination at the hands of fellow students and teachers. This was revealed at a public hearing organised by ActionAid partner in Dewas district that exposed major shortcomings in implementing government education policy in the state, and sought a way forward.

20.12.2007 The first set of global standards for providing television services over the Internet by the UN Agency for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have been announced. This move is expected to fuel innovation and competition in the field of Internet Protocol Television.

19.12.2007 The Internet is set to play a critical role in poverty eradication efforts by providing unprecedented access to knowledge to the poor billions, according to experts gathered at a global knowledge conference. Hosted by the Global Knowledge Partnership, a multi-stakeholder platform by and for various sectors, the summit was a celebration of ten years of partnerships and the sharing of knowledge for the common goal of ICTs for development.

19.12.2007 The Internet is set to play a critical role in poverty eradication efforts by providing unprecedented access to knowledge to the poor billions, according to experts gathered at a global knowledge conference. Hosted by the Global Knowledge Partnership, a multi-stakeholder platform by and for various sectors, the summit was a celebration of ten years of partnerships and the sharing of knowledge for the common goal of ICTs for development.

19.12.2007 Countries in South Asia like Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal will receive ADB assistance of US$ 21.2 million to develop ICTs in their respective countries. It will promote inclusive growth and help reduce poverty.

19.12.2007 In 2004, Bhopal gas tragedy victims, Rasheeda Bee and Champa Devi had received the Goldman Environmental Prize for their struggle for justice. Using the prize money, they set up a trust to recognise similar efforts of people. Mukta Jhodia from eastern Indian state of Orissa is the first woman to win the Chingari Award for Women Against Corporate Crime.

19.12.2007 On December 18, the UN General Assembly adopted a historic non-binding resolution in support of a moratorium on death penalty. It is for the first time that the UN has acknowledged capital punishment as a human rights issue.

18.12.2007 UNESCO’s recent report presents quite a bleak scenario of the state of education in Pakistan, where six million children are not attending schools. With the country spending less than 3% of its GDP on education, the organisations like Children’s Resource International are playing a crucial role in spreading literacy.

17.12.2007 Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s may have lifted the emergency, on December 15, as promised, but this has failed to satisfy civil rights activists in the country who say this is not sufficient to put the country back on the path of democracy.

14.12.2007 Dagens Nyheter, the largest circulated daily of Sweden, has launched world’s first newspaper telephone. By signing up for a 199 kronor ($35.21) monthly call plan, one can freely surf the news site by pushing a special "DN" button.

13.12.2007 The “Menu for Hope” is an on-line lottery conceived as a fund-raising campaign. The World Food Programme has welcomed the initiative, saying that it makes a unique connection between impoverished African farmers and people with fascination for food in the developed world.

10.12.2007 Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan in her message, on International Human Rights Day 2007, while celebrating the successes, expressed her concern on the violation of human rights by governments, big business and armed groups. She calls for renewed commitment by governments and civil society to convert rhetoric into reality, disillusionment and despair into hope and action.

05.12.2007 A three-day conference on poverty eradication began in Indian capital New Delhi. Organised by Development Alternatives and Price Waterhouse Coopers, the conference aims to highlight the achievements of seven-year long largest civil society initiative, known as Poorest Areas Civil Society (PACS) programme, to eradicate poverty.

04.12.2007 Village Resource Centres - to provide integrated services like tele-education, tele-medicine, etc. - have been established by the Indian Space Research Organisation in various Indian states.