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The World Movement for Democracy is a global network of democrats, including activists, practitioners, academics, policy makers, and funders, who have come together to develop new forms of cooperation to promote the development of democracy. View previous issues of DemocracyNews.

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April 2003

CONTENTS

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
1. Postponement of World Movement's Third Assembly
2. E-Mail Lists and Other Electronic Information Sources Now Available on World Movement Web Site
3. The Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) Announces a New Course
4. Report on Islam and Democracy Workshops
5. Fleishman Civil Society Fellowship Program Accepts Applications
6. Online Publication: NGO-News Digest
7. Politeia Newsletter
8. Events at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice

ANTI-NARCOTICS AND ORGANIZED CRIME
9. Report: SMUGGLING IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE
10. Report: CORRUPTION, TRAFFICKING AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORM

CIVIC EDUCATION
11. News from GONG's Project, I VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME

CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING
12. Conference on Egypt's New Associations Law
13. Colloquium in Angola on "The Role of Citizens in the Management of the Country's Resources"

CONFLICT RESOLUTION
14. Presentation: THE ROOTS OF VIOLENCE IN AFRICA: CASE OF ANGOLA
15. Conference: The 11th Annual International Conference on The Conflict Resolution
16. Conference: Listening to Cabinda
17. New Book: NONVIOLENCE AND PEACE BUILDING IN ISLAM: THEORY AND PRACTICE

ECONOMIC REFORM AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR
18. CIPE Feature Article: The African Virtual Business Association Network
19. Corporate Governance Project Bulletin, Colombia

HUMAN RIGHTS
20. Call for Applicants: Reebok Human Rights Award
21. American Association for Advancement of Science Recognizes Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim of Egypt
22. Human Rights Watch World Report 2003
23. Somali Human Rights Conference
24. Workshop: Procedures of African Regional Human Rights System
25. Call to Advocate for the Rights of Bhutanese Refugees and Displaced Individuals
26. New Web site: Human Rights Learning Center
27. Electronic Report: 2002 Edition of FOR THE RECORD: THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM

LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE
28. World Movement's International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy

INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPERESSION
29. Call for Applicants: Natali Prize for Journalism
30. Campaign to Stop Violence against Journalists in Colombia
31. Web site: International Journalists Network
32. The African Women's Media Center Adds New Features to its Web Site
33. Prominent Opposition Journalist Convicted in Kazakhstan
34. Call for Articles and Success Stories on Advocacy Campaigns
35. Forum in Cape Town: "Changing Media for a Changing Society"

POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH
36. Call for Partners: The South Caucasus Youth Political Network
37. Monthly Bulletin: Youth Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina
38. Baladna Youth Network

TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION
39. New Web site: Anticorruption.bg
40. Publication: GLOBAL CORRUPTION REPORT 2003
41. Seminar: Corruption and the Media

WOMEN'S ISSUES
42. E-mail Discussion list: NGO Gender Strategies Working Group
43. New Publication: WOMEN AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
44. WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATION ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE




ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS

1. Postponement of World Movement's Third Assembly
In light of the war in the Middle East and the uncertain international situation, and after consulting widely, the Steering Committee of the World Movement for Democracy regretfully decided on March 18 to postpone the World Movement's Third Assembly, which was scheduled to take place on 23-27 April 2003, in Durban, South Africa. The decision to postpone the Assembly was undertaken only after it became clear that war was imminent and that such a decision simply could not wait any longer. Weighing the risks of proceeding with the Assembly in April against the costs of postponing it was a very difficult and painful process that had to be undertaken in a very brief space of time. The Third Assembly will be re-scheduled to take place in Durban, South Africa, within the next year or so. In the meantime, the Committee hopes that participants will use the additional time to develop networking activities that will make the Assembly even richer and more productive. The Secretariat at the National Endowment for Democracy will announce the re-scheduled dates of the Assembly as soon as they are known.

2. E-Mail Lists and Other Electronic Information Sources Now Available on World Movement Web Site
The World Movement for Democracy has posted a new section on its Web site that contains a list of electronic newsletters, e-mail lists, alerts about human rights abuses or activists in danger, and other sources of information (organized by region). All of the sources listed are free of charge, and subscription information is provided.

Go to: www.wmd.org/emaillist.html

In addition to this list of information sources, the World Movement Web site includes information on regional and functional networking, a searchable database of World Movement participants, the latest version of "What's Being Done On?," focusing on Strengthening Local Governance, and other information.

Go to: www.wmd.org

3. The Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) Announces a New Course
The Women's Learning Partnership (WLP) has announced a new distance learning course on leadership development that is being implemented in cooperation with Human Rights Education Associates (HREA). The course involves approximately 40 hours of on-line sessions, interaction with students and facilitators, and readings and assignments, and is offered over a 10-week period, beginning on May 26, 2003. The course focuses on developing participatory leadership skills intended for leaders, activists and staff of NGOs involved in promoting human rights and equitable societies. The course will train leaders who seek to create egalitarian, democratic, and pluralistic societies based on collaborative decision making, coalition building, and gender equality. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2003.

Go to: www.learningpartnership.org/projects/distancelearning/03leadershipeng.phtml

4. Report on Islam and Democracy Workshops
The Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) recently published its report on its workshops on Islam and Democracy, organized in October 2002 in Morocco, Egypt, and Yemen. The workshops brought together moderate "secularists and Islamists" to discuss their differences. The discussions resulted in the creation of a Network of Muslim Democrats. CSID sees the network and the discussions at the workshops as essential support for democracy to take greater hold in the Arab/Muslim world.

Go to: www.islam-democracy.org/

5. Fleishman Civil Society Fellowship Program Accepts Applications
The Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy at Duke University currently accepts applications for the Joel L. Fleishman Fellows in Civil Society Program. The Fellows Program was created in honor of Joel Fleishman, founding Director of the Institute. It provides a select group of leaders from domestic non-profit organizations, international non-governmental organizations, foundations, government, socially responsible businesses, and other civil society groups in the United States and internationally with the opportunity to be in residence at the Sanford Institute for a four-week mini-sabbatical. Full-time academics are not eligible to apply. Applications must be received by May 1, 2003.

Go to: www.pubpol.duke.edu/centers/civil/index.html

6. Online Publication: NGO-News Digest
NGO-News Digest is released three times a month through an online distribution list and through online publication at www.nonprofit.org.ua, a Web site created and supported by a number of Ukrainian-based NGOs. The digest contains relevant news summaries, job openings, grant opportunities, donor information and announcements. Issue 33 has been distributed to the subscribers of the distribution list, and is posted on their Web site.

For Issue 33, go to: www.nonprofit.org.ua/ngo/ngo_eng_33.html

For more information about the organization, or to sign up for the bulletin, go to: www.nonprofit.org.ua

7. Politeia Newsletter
Politeia, an online network for citizenship and democracy in Europe, with over 1,500 members, has published the February issue of its newsletter. It includes such topics as citizens' participation in democratic processes, articles and studies on civic education, and relevant Internet links. The newsletter is published quarterly in print and online, and includes discussions of important democracy issues facing Europe, book reviews, and other resources.

Go to: www.politeia.net/newsletter/

8. Events at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice
The Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego (USD) has announced its upcoming schedule of events. The events focus on wide range of topics, including the role of media in the peace process. All presentations will take place on the Institute's campus hosted by USD.

Go to: peace.sandiego.edu



ANTI-NARCOTICS AND ORGANIZED CRIME

9. Report: SMUGGLING IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE
The Center for the Study of Democracy, a Bulgarian public policy institute, published a report on SMUGGLING IN SOUTHEAST EUROPE. This report analyzes and reviews a connection between conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and the growth of trans-border crime in the region. It highlights the decisive impact that the Yugoslav wars have had on the development of regional criminal networks, which it claims were often set up and maintained not only with the knowledge, but even with the active participation, of the highest state officials. The study highlights the interwoven interests of political elites, organized crime groups, and the "mediating class" of corrupt state officials in generating conflict in the Western Balkans.

Go to: www.csd.bg/publications/book10/content.htm

10. Report: CORRUPTION, TRAFFICKING AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORM
Anticorruption.bg, a Bulgarian portal site dedicated to corruption and anti-corruption measures and policies in the country, recently published a report on CORRUPTION, TRAFFICKING AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORM. The report summarizes the research and discussions of an expert group on trafficking and corruption within the framework of the anti-corruption initiative Coalition 2000. Bulgaria's transition to a market economy has been seriously impeded by criminal infrastructure that has been developed and maintained by criminal gangs and semi-legal "power groups." Trans-border crime in Bulgaria is a part of a new network of international organized crime that arose after the end of the Cold War.
Go to: www.anticorruption.bg/eng/publications_other.htm#book11

See item #39 below for information about Anticorruption.bg



CIVIC EDUCATION

11. News from GONG's Project, I VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME GONG, a Croatian-based civic education organization, prepared a workshop, I VOTE FOR THE FIRST TIME, that targets high school students in their last year, when most of them turn 18 and acquire the right to vote. The project aims to inform young voters of their rights and the value of participation in democratic processes. The project was designed during GONG's campaign for local elections in 2001. More than a thousand high school students attended the workshop that year. Since 2001, GONG has conducted 1,150 workshops engaging more than 32,000 students.

To learn more about this project, go to: www.gong.hr, or contact: Suzana Jasic at suzi@gong.gr



CIVIL SOCIETY STRENGTHENING

12. Conference on Egypt's New Associations Law
A conference held by the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation of Germany, under the title "What After the Law?"... The State and Civil Society in the Light of the New Egyptian Associations Law" concluded its proceedings on February 27. Over 165 participants representing 69 civil associations took part in the two-day conference. Spirited debate of the issues resulted in the conference's call for a calm dialogue among all concerned parties. The conference sought to find ways to operate under and to adapt to the new law. The call for a dialogue arose from the desire to maintain the current position of civil society groups operating in Egypt.

Go to: www.aphra.org

13. Colloquium in Angola on "The Role of Citizens in the Management of the Country's Resources"
On March 25, 2003, the Coalition for Reconciliation, Transparency and Citizenship held a colloquium on "The Role of Citizens in the Management of the Country's Resources." The participants discussed a variety of themes, including: public participation in management of resources, legal issues, sociological and economic perspectives on corruption, paradoxes of extreme wealth in human resources and extreme poverty among populations, the impact of natural resources on local communities, etc.

To read the participants' recommendations, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/Colloquium-Recommendations.doc



CONFLICT RESOLUTION

14. Presentation: THE ROOTS OF VIOLENCE IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF ANGOLA
Rafael Marques, an Angolan journalist currently working for Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa in Angola, presented a paper at the Conference on Conflict and External Interferences: Violence in Africa, which took place in Barcelona on October 16-18, 2002. In the paper, THE ROOTS OF VIOLENCE IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF ANGOLA, Marques explores the causes of the Angolan conflict by observing that numerous failed peace agreements perpetuated and nurtured the conflict instead of helping to resolve it. He further states that the illegitimacy of power, internal contests for power, ethnic divisions, corrupt elites, social fragmentations, and colonial and Cold War legacies contribute to the continued conflict.

For full article, go to: www.wmd.org/documents/RootsofConflictInAngola.doc

15. Conference: The 11th Annual International Conference on Conflict Resolution
The 11th Annual International Conference on Conflict Resolution: SHARING TOOLS FOR PERSONAL/GLOBAL HARMONY will take place on May 8-18, 2003 (formal conference program on May 9-14) in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Conference is being organized by the U.S.-based Common Bond Institute and the Russia-based Harmony Institute in cooperation with the Association for Humanistic Psychology. Presenters will represent diverse disciplines and cultures, including psychology, education, environmental sciences, peace activism, social work, sociology, medical and healing arts, organizational and community development, civil service, theology and spirituality, philosophy, diplomacy, government, journalism, business and economics, law, the physical sciences, and the arts, all in relation to conflict resolution.

Go to: ahpweb.org/cbi/icr.html

16. Conference: Listening to Cabinda
The Instituto Amaro da Costa (IDL), based in Lisbon, recently held a conference, entitled "Listening to Cabinda," that brought together civil society participants concerned with the ongoing conflict in Cabinda (a disputed region on the West Coast of Africa near Congo, which is formally a province of Angola). In his keynote address, father Raúl Tati, the Vicar General of the Diocese of Cabinda Catholic Church, highlighted the current problems in Cabinda and several potential solutions. Participants expressed their grave concern at the increase in violence by Angolan government troops who seek to resolve the conflict with military force, and agreed that this solution was not viable. Participants expressed the need for a peaceful independence of Cabinda.

Go to: www.wmd.org/documents/Cabinda-CivilSocietyTestimony.doc

17. New Book: NONVIOLENCE AND PEACE BUILDING IN ISLAM: THEORY AND PRACTICE
This new book, written by Mohammed Abu-Nimer, explores the theme of nonviolence and peace building in Islamic religion, tradition, and culture. The author presents evidence for the existence of principles and values in the Qur'an, Hadith, and Islamic tradition that support non-violent strategies in resolving disputes. Abu-Nimer is an associate professor in the International Peace and Conflict Resolution Program at the American University, Washington DC, where he also heads the Conflict Resolution Skills Institute.

Go to: www.upf.com/spring2003/abu-nimer.htm



ECONOMIC REFORM AND THE BUSINESS SECTOR

18. CIPE Feature Article: The African Virtual Business Association Network
In this paper, Catherine Kuchta-Helbling, Program Officer, Global Projects, Research and Advocacy, Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), describes the mechanics and results of the African Virtual Business Association Network (AVBAN). The study assesses AVBAN's impact in using information technology to minimize the digital divide, promote economic development, strengthen business associations, and transfer technology; discusses lessons learned; and analyzes the possibility of using similar networks in other developing regions.

Go to: www.cipe.org/publications/fs/articles/avban.htm

19. Corporate Governance Project Bulletin, Colombia
The Corporate Governance Project, a Colombian group working to promote ethical principles in corporate management, released the most recent edition of its bulletin on corporate governance. The bulletin includes articles on promoting foreign investment in emerging markets, capital risk in new markets, information on upcoming events related to economic transparency in the Americas, and other communications.

Go to: www.gobiernocorporativo.com.co or contact pgutierrez@confecamaras.org.co



HUMAN RIGHTS

20. Call for Applicants: Reebok Human Rights Award
Reebok Human Rights Foundation is welcoming applications for the 2004 Reebok Human Rights Award. Human rights and non-governmental organizations are encouraged to nominate young men and women to receive the award. Candidates must be 30 years of age or younger, may not be advocates of violence or belong to an organization that advocates violence, and must be working on an issue that directly relates to the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Deadline for nominations is May 31, 2003.

Go to: www.reebok.com/humanrights/text-only/awards/

21. American Association for Advancement of Science Recognizes Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim of Egypt
On February 15, 2003, the Science and Human Rights Program of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) hosted a reception at its annual meeting in Denver, Colorado, to recognize Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim of Cairo, Egypt. Dr. Ibrahim is the founder and director of the Ibn Khaldun Center for Development Studies, a Cairo- based think tank that conducts research on democracy, civil society, and minority rights in Egypt. He has been the victim of governmental persecution, and has faced three trials for allegedly tarnishing Egypt's image, accepting foreign money without government approval, and embezzling funds. His convictions were widely criticized as politically motivated and as efforts to quiet dissent in the country. Egypt's Highest Court has overturned two previous convictions and on March 18, 2003, Dr. Ibrahim was acquitted.

Go to: www.aaas.org/news/releases/2003/0108hr.shtml

Go to: www.democracy-egypt.org/indexe.htm

22. Human Rights Watch World Report 2003
Human Rights Watch announced the release of its World Report 2003. The annual assessment of human rights practices covers 58 countries and analyzes the state of human rights in each country; the responses of other countries, organizations, and institutions; and "the freedom of local human rights defenders to conduct their work."

Go to: www.hrw.org/wr2k3/

23. Somali Human Rights Conference
On February 10-18, Somali human rights defenders from 23 organizations gathered in Hargeisa, Kenya. The summit drew wide participation from Somalia and the international community. Participants issued a declaration in which they confirmed their commitment to the struggle against human rights abuses and to work for the equal rights for all and the protection of vulnerable groups, such as women and minorities. In addition, they called on all Somali political authorities to recognize the legitimate role of human rights defenders in protecting and promoting human rights, and to guarantee that they will not be subject to reprisals for their activities.

Go to: www.wmd.org/documents/Somali_HRD_Declaration.doc

Go to: web.amnesty.org/ai.nsf/Index/AFR520022002?OpenDocument&of=COUNTRIES\SOMALIA

24. Workshop: Procedures of African Regional Human Rights System
The Institute for Human Rights and Development (IHRD) will hold its fifth annual workshop on Procedures of the African Regional Human Rights System in Fajara, Gambia, on 11-20 August 2003. IHRD is a pan-African NGO working for the promotion and protection of human rights and development through the implementation of African human rights treaties. The workshop will give participants practical, concrete knowledge on how to use African human rights treaties and enforcement mechanisms in their work. Specifically, the workshop will cover human rights sections of the African Union: Procedures of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, and the upcoming African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, as well as the African Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. Participants will learn how to apply African human rights law at the national and international level.

Go to: www.africaninstitute.org

25. Call to Advocate for the Rights of Bhutanese Refugees and Displaced Individuals
The Bhutanese Refugee Representative Repatriation Committee (BRRRC) recently sent a delegation of members to Geneva to meet with and lobby countries that donate to Bhutan. Members lobbied donor countries to bring the issue of displaced persons and refugees to the forefront of Bhutan discussions, and met with India's foreign minister. The refugees in camps planned a series of demonstrations to coincide with the summit in Geneva that took place on February 18-19, 2003. Bhutanese living in the USA, Germany, Netherlands, and England also gathered in Geneva to lobby donor countries. The BRRRC and the Bhutanese refugees in the camps and around the world hope that pressure from donor countries will force the Bhutanese government to adopt a timely resettlement plan.

To read the appeal to donors, go to: www.geocities.com/bhutaneserefugees/appeal_to_donors.html

To read more on refugees from Bhutan, go to: www.geocities.com/bhutaneserefugees/

26. New Web site: Human Rights Learning Center
The online Human Rights Learning Centre is a new section of the Human Rights Education Associates (HREA) Web site. The new section offers access to: courses via distance learning for human rights advocates and development workers; tutorials that introduce learners to a number of human rights issues in an interactive mode; study guides that offer brief introductions to various human rights topics; and discussion boards on which students can ask questions, share insights and exchange opinions. The Learning Center is now accepting applications for the distance learning course INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS EDUCATION, which runs from Sept. 1 to Nov. 23, 2003. Deadline for applications is May 15, 2003. Course tuition fee is US$ 525 (tuition for auditors is $200). A limited number of scholarships are available for applicants from Africa, the Arab World, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe/Newly Independent States, Latin America/Caribbean through the support of the Dutch Foreign Ministry.

Go to: www.hrea.org/learn/

27. Electronic Report: 2002 Edition of FOR THE RECORD: THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM
Produced by Human Rights Internet (HRI), FOR THE RECORD is an electronic report that provides access to United Nations human rights documentation. It is available online and through CD-ROM. The 2002 edition of FOR THE RECORD provides summaries of all major human rights reports and decisions taken by the UN from January 1 to December 31 of 2002. Hyperlinks included in the summaries allow access to the full text of original UN documents. The HRI, with the support of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs, is organizing a workshop to demonstrate how to navigate and maximize the use of the Web site. The workshop will take place on April 10, 2003, from 10 am to 1 pm, in room XXIII, Palais des Nations, 8 York Street, Suite 302, Ottawa, Ontario.

Go to: www.hri.ca/fortherecord

To learn about HRI, go to: www.hri.ca/welcome.asp



LEGISLATIVE DEVELOPMENT AND ASSISTANCE

28. World Movement's International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy
On February 4-5, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), Secretariat of the World Movement for Democracy, hosted a meeting of parliamentarians in Washington, D.C. to discuss the creation of an International Movement of Parliamentarians for Democracy. Twenty-four parliamentarians from 15 countries participated in the meeting. The participants agreed to create a movement of like-minded parliamentarians devoted to advocating for democratic reforms and challenging undemocratic practices, including the defense of parliamentarians who are denied their seats, face harassment, or are otherwise prohibited from fulfilling their elected duties. The group has issued a founding declaration that further details their anticipated activities.

Go to: www.wmd.org/documents/Declaration_IMPD.doc

For further information, contact Jodi Herman at jodih@ned.org



INTERNET, MEDIA, AND FREEDOM OF EXPERESSION

29. Call for Applicants: Natali Prize for Journalism
The International Federation of Journalists recently announced that it is accepting applications for the 2003 Natali Prize for Journalism. The prize will be awarded in five regions: Europe; Africa; the Arab World, Iran and Israel; Asia and the Pacific; and Latin America and the Caribbean. The Natali Prize for Journalism rewards print and online journalists for outstanding reporting on human rights issues, especially within the context of the development process. The prestigious award carries a 10,000 Euro prize for each region's winner. The deadline for applications is May 31, 2003.

Go to: www.ifj.org/hrights/lorenzo/inpr.html

30. Campaign to Stop Violence against Journalists in Colombia
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX), an umbrella organization for numerous freedom of expression groups around the world, recently reported on the activities of its Colombian members. According to IFEX's newsletter COMMUNIQUÉ, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the Foundation for Press Freedom (Fundación para libertad de prensa, FLIP) launched a campaign to stop violence against journalists in Colombia. Activities included a public forum on journalists' safety and the production of a television program focusing on press freedom and free-expression violations in the country. As part of this campaign, the Institute for Press and Society (Instituto prensa y sociedad, IPYS) published a report on press freedom in Colombia and its findings of a December 2002 press freedom mission to Arauca, one of the most violent regions in the country. On March 19-20, 2003, several members of IFEX gathered in Bogota for a conference on strategies and actions to address journalists' safety and freedom of expression concerns.

For more information on the campaign, go to: www.ifj.org/regions/latam/colombia.html

For more information on the conference, contact: pan@fescol.org.co

To read the report on press freedom in Colombia, go to: www.ipyspe.org.pe/informes/colombia.htm

31. Web site: International Journalists Network
The International Journalists Network, sponsored by the Open Society Institute and the Freedom Forum, maintains a Web site that provides news, possible funding sources, training opportunities, media directories, and other information useful to journalists and democracy activists. Information is organized by region (Africa, Central-Eastern Europe, Newly Independent States and Russia, and Latin America) and theme (media laws, training materials, Web resources, fellowships and awards, and codes of ethics). Recent highlights on the Web site include an online informational exchange for non-governmental organizations in the Caucasus, a call for journalism award nominations, and an online journalism course.

Go to: www.ijnet.org/

32. The African Women's Media Center Adds New Features to its Web Site
The African Women's Media Center (AWMC) recently redesigned and added new features to its Web site. One new feature is an online directory listing more than 200 African media companies, non-governmental organizations, and journalism education programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Another new online feature is the center's popular guide for journalists covering HIV and AIDS in Africa, available in English and French. The Web site also provides information about the African Women's Media Center, its programs, and training workshops, and includes links to publications, resources, and news. The AWMS is a project of the international Women's Media Foundation.

Go to: www.awmc.com/

33. Prominent Opposition Journalist Convicted in Kazakhstan On January 28, 2003, a prominent Kazakhstani opposition journalist, Sergei Duvanov, was sentenced to three and a half years in prison on charges of raping an underage girl. According to the US representative at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Permanent Council in Vienna, the trial was marked by various procedural violations. Duvanov has maintained his innocence claiming that the charges against him have been fabricated by the government. Duvanov and his supporters insist that this prosecution is an attempt by President Nazarbayev and his administration to punish him for corruption allegations against the president and government.

For more details on the verdict, go to:
www.eurasianet.org/departments/rights/articles/eav012803.shtml
www.usembassy-kazakhstan.freenet.kz/Statement%20of%20Duvanov's%20trial.htm

Letter by S. Duvanov: eurasia.org.ru/cgi-bin/datacgi/database.cgi?file=News&report=SingleArticle&ArticleID=0000819

For past World Movement alerts about Duvanov's case, go to: www.wmd.org/democracyalert/dec1202.html

34. Call for Articles and Success Stories on Advocacy Campaigns
GURT Resource Center for NGO Development, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, is developing a handbook, USING MEDIA IN LOBBYING AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGNS, that will be published at the end of May. The handbook will give practical advice and recommendations on various aspects of media relations, lobbying and advocacy, as well as provide some theoretical materials on effective use of media in organizing lobbying campaigns. GURT is seeking contributions from organizations that have previous experience in advocacy campaigns and have utilized media successfully in their efforts. Submitted material should be about five pages long and include the following information: description of the purpose, target groups, and the scope of the campaign activities; its outcomes; factors for its success; and types of media agencies involved in the lobbying/advocacy campaign and their motivations. Articles are accepted until April 30, 2003.

Send the articles to the attention of Olekandr Cheredayko at: info@gurt.org.ua or 01025, PO Box 126, Kyiv Ukraine

To learn more about GURT, go to: www.gurt.org.ua

35. Forum in Cape Town: "Changing Media for a Changing Society"
On April 5-9, 2002, the International Communications Forum will hold a forum in Cape Town, South Africa, that will bring together journalists from across Africa and from Europe, Russia, and Australia. The theme of the event is "Changing Media for a Changing Society: the South African Experience." The conference aims to examine how South Africa, as a country that has undergone tremendous changes within the last decade, has dealt with problems and challenges of transformation, and to explore how media have been affected by those changes.

For details go to: www.icforum.org/Events.html



POLITICAL AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH

36. Call for Partners: The South Caucasus Youth Political Network
The South Caucasus Youth Political Network is searching for partners who can expand the organization's capacity as part of the European Commission's Youth Program. The South Caucasus Youth Political Network is a collection of organizations with members ranging in age from 20-35, who cover the political spectrum in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. The group is looking for a partner organization involved in political and civil society capacity building activities. The Network hopes to offer fresh insights to other organizations about engaging young people and political campaigning and organization, especially in a post-communist environment.

E-mail: gaya@arminco.com, leadersforum@yahoo.com

Go to: europa.eu.int/comm/education/youth.html

37. Monthly Bulletin: Youth Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Youth Network in Bosnia and Herzegovina recently released the 47th issue of its monthly bulletin detailing their civil society efforts. The group has been actively engaging citizenry in their cause through a series of informational meetings and community discussions. One of its recent activities was a conference on civil society and the future of the region entitled Bosnia and Herzegovina in Front of New-Old Challenges that took place in Tuzla on March 1-2, and gathered participants from organizations throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina and some neighboring nations. Major upcoming events include: BYP Contact Forum in Ohrid, Macedonia, on May 13-18, 2003, which aims to connect the youth NGO sector in Southeast Europe with youth NGOs in other European countries; and the Second Black Sea Youth Congress 2003 in Sofia, Bulgaria, on May 9-11, which aims to create new opportunities in all spheres of cooperation.

For full text go to: www.omladinskamrezabih.org/bilten

38. Baladna Youth Network
The Baladna Youth Network announced the release of its 2002 annual report. The report details the activities of this youth organization of Israeli Palestinians. During 2002, the group worked to facilitate community dialogues and build youth support groups, and published a training manual to be used by members of the organization and by other interested civil society participants. The Baladna Youth Network's success highlights the place for committed youth in civil society.

Go to: www.baladnayouth.org/report/article.php?id=30



TRANSPARENCY AND ANTI-CORRUPTION

39. New Web site: Anticorruption.bg
Anticorruption.bg is the first Bulgarian portal site dedicated to anti-corruption measures and policies in the country. The site provides information about media coverage of corruption cases in Bulgaria, as well as research, publications, and studies about anti-corruption projects, initiatives and policies. Anticorruption.bg also provides links to resources, such as publications, studies, polls, research and reports produced both in Bulgaria and abroad, to facilitate knowledge-sharing. The public-private Coalition 2000 built the site to enlarge the outreach of its activities and increase public awareness of complex problems in the fight against corruption. As an initiative of a number of Bulgarian non-governmental organizations and public figures from various spheres of the public sector, Coalition 2000 prioritizes the transparency of both government and the business sector's activities and dissemination of information about the "corruption temperature" of the society.

Go to: www.anticorruption.bg

40. Publication: GLOBAL CORRUPTION REPORT 2003
Transparency International announced the release of the 2003 GLOBAL CORRUPTION REPORT, which focuses on the need for greater access to information in the struggle against corruption. It explores how civil society, the public and private sectors, and the media use and control information to combat - or conceal - corruption. The report was released in late January and is now available for downloading. The Global Corruption Report 2003 includes reports and tools for accessing information about the state of corruption around the world.

Go to: www.globalcorruptionreport.org/

41. Seminar: Corruption and the Media
The Cou

ncil of Europe and the Freedom of Choice Coalition of Ukrainian NGOs recently hosted a seminar on corruption and media. Participants included representatives of the Council of Europe, the heads of parliamentary committees, representatives of prominent national and regional media, NGOs, and foreign embassies. The seminar featured discussions of the media's role in fighting corruption and why the media is often the most important anti-corruption force.

For more information: e-mail: info@coalition.org.ua



WOMEN'S ISSUES

42. E-mail Discussion list: NGO Gender Strategies Working Group
The World Summit for Information Society (WSIS) NGO Gender Strategies Working Group announced the structure and schedule of an e-mail discussion list, NGOwomen@genderit.org, one of the group's efforts to strategize and organize woman's participation in the WSIS process. The announcement details are available on Women's Global Net, an information bulletin published by the International Women's Tribune Center.

Go to: www.iwtc.org/globalnet.html

43. New Publication: WOMEN AND GOOD GOVERNANCE
This booklet, WOMEN AND GOOD GOVERNANCE, was written by the late Grace Mera Molisa, a women's rights activist and environmentalist from the Pacific Island of Vanuatu. It includes chapters on Gender Benchmarks of Democracy, Vanuatu Women in Politics 2002 Statistics, Critical Areas of Concern in Raising Awareness, Strategies for Closing the Gender Gap in Representative Institutions, Strategies for Bringing More Women into Public and Political Life, and much more.

For more information, go to: www.comminit.com/Materials/sld-7175.html



44.WORLD MOVEMENT PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED IN THIS ISSUE

You can find more participating organizations in the World Movement Participants Database (www.ned.org/dbtw-wpd/textbase/participants-search.htm).
Participating organizations are encouraged to submit the database information form by fax or online.



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