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2841. Food Security from the Forest: Regulating Wild Edible Plants for Household Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa

Author:
Stephanie Shumsky
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
Food insecurity caused by population and consumption growth affects one in seven people worldwide. In the past, rising food demand was addressed by increasing or intensifying agriculture; however, this has become less effective as scarce land resources stress production and environmental consequences become more pronounced. The nations of Sub-Saharan Africa are particularly vulnerable as they are import-dependent, suffer from severe land degradation and lack the resources to increase production. Globally an estimated one billion people use wild edible plants in their diet to supplement protein and vitamins, and improve palatability of staple foods. Wild foods are especially important for the poorest members of user communities, rural populations and women, particularly during critical food shortages. These products are poised to contribute significantly to household food security, but only if local management systems and national policies ensure their sustainable extraction and use. When there is a lack of effective regulation, over-harvesting of wild edible plants can occur at such high levels that resource degradation occurs. This can have lasting negative effects (ex: loss of future harvests, damage to the targeted ecosystems and surrounding areas, and loss of benefits for local populations). Although each situation is unique, there are several characteristics that correlate to successful shared resource management - namely good rules, clear boundaries, tenure rights and benefit sharing, along with public participation. As the vast majority of natural areas in Sub-Saharan Africa are managed by the state, an analysis was conducted of the formal regulatory structures for each of CIDA’s African countries of focus (and CIDA policy itself) in each of these criteria. The results offer some interesting points, raising possible areas of improvement for each party.
Topic:
Security, Development, and Food
Political Geography:
Africa

2842. The Ecuador Situation: The Relationship between the Government and the Media

Author:
Camilla Lanusse
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
Long-standing tensions between the government of Ecuador and the private press culiminated in February with a Supreme Court decision, international outrage, and a presidential pardon. Arguing that the media have long acted as a powerful private interest in Ecuador, President Correa in recent months filed and won several lawsuits for criminal defamation against news media and individual reporters, and proposed legislation affecting coverage of political campaigns. The controversy surrounding these events contributed to the debate over freedom of expression and the press in Ecuador, as well as Independence of the judicial system.
Topic:
Development, Government, Media, and Judiciary
Political Geography:
Central America and Ecuador

2843. The Ecuador Situation Facing the Summit of the Americas and Other Foreign Policy Issues

Author:
Camilla Lanusse
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
While Ecuador has maintained its decision not to participate , other countries such as Argentina and Brazil – whose governments maintain close relationships with their peers in ALBA – have confirmed that they will bring up in Cartagena the need to include Cuba in the future, hoping that this will be the last Summit that will take place without the island. Thus, although Ecuador failed to convince others to join in “boycotting the Summit,” its declarations succeeded in bringing attention to the nature of the Summit and the exclusion of Cuba. President Correa’s proposal to include Cuba comes at a time in which the President’s stance on human rights – such as the freedom of expression – has been strongly criticised by international organisations like the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR) and the United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Freedom of Expression, as well as by international human rights NGOs and media around the world. The President’s reaction has been to denounce such scrutiny and link them to alleged interests of Northern countries, including the US. However, the questions raised internationally have thus far failed to generate any significant doubts in the conscience of Ecuadorian citizens. With half a year before the official start of his re-election campaign, public opinion favours President Correa’s management – approval that is reflected in his high level of popularity and the acceptance of his messages, which often question the role of international organisations or supranational bodies. As will be described in the pages that follow, the foreign policy of the last five years under President Correa reveals a government that challenges and questions the traditional bodies, forums and regional blocs of the international system, integration based on trade, and institutions associated with liberal democracy. At the same time, it encourages participation in alternative forums or regional political blocs, in which it seeks to propose its own stances on issues such as human rights, the freedom of expression, integration and trade relations. In the following paragraphs, there will be a brief description of the management of current Ecuadorian foreign policy and Ecuador’s position on the inter-American system. Interviews with academics and diplomats, in addition to various news sources, have been used in the writing of this report.
Topic:
International Relations, Foreign Policy, and Diplomacy
Political Geography:
Central America and Ecuador

2844. Understanding the Links Between Sexual and Reproductive Health Status and Poverty Reduction

Author:
Nata Duvvury and Philip Oxhorn
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
The interrelationship between poverty and sexual and reproductive health status (SRHS) is widely noted in academic, policy and programmatic discourses, though none establishes causality. The primary emphasis in these discourses is that poor SRHS is an outcome of poverty, and thus can be addressed through poverty reduction programmes. The purpose of this brief is to understand what factors contribute to the interrelationship between SRHS and poverty, with a specific focus on understanding how SRHS impacts household poverty. Future studies may then focus specifically on these factors in order to address issues of causality. This brief is based on desk research involving two sources of data: 1) a review of global literature and 2) three country case studies. The global literature review examined literature documenting the nature, extent and strength of the interrelationship between poverty and SRHS. The literature search was conducted using keywords from different disciplinary perspectives demography, economics, development, women’s studies, sociology, human rights and public health. Key databases such as JSTOR, PubMed, MEDLINE and Elsevier Science Direct were consulted, as well as the specific library databases at National University of Ireland, Galway and McGill University. Researchers at McGill compiled an annotated bibliography of literature on India. The three country case studies were undertaken in Brazil, Ghana and Lebanon. Consultants in each country undertook an extensive search of academic, policy and programmatic literature including journal publications, research reports, policy briefs, and non-governmental organization (NGO) reports. The literature search in each country followed the same method as the global literature review, including identifying keywords from different disciplines and exploring different databases. In addition, the consultants searched grey literature through contacting various NGOs and research institutions. They also obtained statistical information from governmental and institutional databases. All country case studies explored three key questions: 1) Is there literature that demonstrates the impact of poor SRHS on poverty? 2) What factors have been highlighted in the literature as influencing the relationship between SRHS and poverty? 3) Are there trade-offs involved for women between education, fertility, status and work participation? and 4) Do programmes by civil society organizations, such as micro-credit or income-generating programmes, promote sexual and reproductive health?
Topic:
Development, Education, Poverty, Health Care Policy, and Reproductive Health
Political Geography:
Africa, Middle East, Brazil, South America, Lebanon, and Ghana

2845. Stimulating Sustainable Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa with Legal Systems Enabling Women Entrepreneurs’ Creativity

Author:
Isabelle Deschamps
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
This brief addresses the problem of gendered poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa and argues that multifaceted context-sensitive business law reform is necessary for tackling issues underlying the problem. It takes the reform initiatives led by the Organisation pour l’harmonisation du droit des affaires en Afrique (OHADA) as a case study and draws on interviews carried out by the author with women entrepreneurs, OHADA agents, lawyers and journalists in Benin and Cameroon in 2010, 2011 and 2012. The brief argues that business law modernization in Africa should not be only or predominantly aimed at attracting foreign investors and ensuring a secure legal climate for multinational corporations. Rather, African business law reform should also attend to the informal sector and aim to make states’ legal systems friendlier to micro, small and medium businesses (MSM), in particular ones operated by women. Concomitantly, Canada’s international development assistance policies should aim at promoting, through commercial law reform, entrepreneurial skills and creativity among principals of MSMs. Strategies and recommendations for reaching policy goals should be rooted in local needs and frames of reference. They should target and be accessible to those running MSMs in the region. This brief notes CIDA’s successes in this area, and shows how current programs can be adjusted to prioritize the achievement of policy goals and the development of strategies in cooperation with female-run MSMs, financiers, jurists and organisations like the OHADA operating in sub-Saharan Africa.
Topic:
Development, Women, Entrepreneurship, and Economic growth
Political Geography:
Africa

2846. Child Trafficking in Africa: The Need for Child-Centered Approaches

Author:
Ifeyinwa Mbakogu
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
About 200,000 African children are susceptible to trafficking each year. Children are likely to be trafficked for prostitution, forced and domestic labour and early marriage. Trafficking is considered a violation of the rights of children in several African countries however, the poverty existing in households and the absence of social protection safety nets for vulnerable households, the high profits earned by traffickers for successfully delivering trafficked children to user destinations, and the low conviction rates for trafficking offences across African countries, have caused child trafficking to persist. Moreover, frameworks for addressing the issue of child trafficking are not grounded in the social, cultural, political and economic realities of the people vulnerable to the practice. It is expected that policies for addressing child trafficking should be based on the lived experiences of African children within the contexts of trafficking in their individual countries; rather than uniform frameworks for addressing trafficking or protecting children that are based on western notions of children, childhood, child protection and development. To ensure that policies adopted to combat child trafficking target and are suited to the needs of children and families vulnerable to the practice, this policy brief recommends that African countries adopt a child-centered approach that is built on encouraging the participation of affected children in decision making on trafficking, and reinforces the need for evidence-based research with trafficked children themselves that provides useful information for policy making.
Topic:
Children, Human Trafficking, and Child Labor
Political Geography:
Africa

2847. Child Trafficking in Africa: The Need for Child-Centered Approaches

Author:
Ifeyinwa Mbakogu
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
About 200,000 African children are susceptible to trafficking each year. Children are likely to be trafficked for prostitution, forced and domestic labour and early marriage. Trafficking is considered a violation of the rights of children in several African countries however, the poverty existing in households and the absence of social protection safety nets for vulnerable households, the high profits earned by traffickers for successfully delivering trafficked children to user destinations, and the low conviction rates for trafficking offences across African countries, have caused child trafficking to persist. Moreover, frameworks for addressing the issue of child trafficking are not grounded in the social, cultural, political and economic realities of the people vulnerable to the practice. It is expected that policies for addressing child trafficking should be based on the lived experiences of African children within the contexts of trafficking in their individual countries; rather than uniform frameworks for addressing trafficking or protecting children that are based on western notions of children, childhood, child protection and development. To ensure that policies adopted to combat child trafficking target and are suited to the needs of children and families vulnerable to the practice, this policy brief recommends that African countries adopt a child-centered approach that is built on encouraging the participation of affected children in decision making on trafficking, and reinforces the need for evidence-based research with trafficked children themselves that provides useful information for policy making.
Topic:
Children, Human Trafficking, and Child Labor
Political Geography:
Africa

2848. Case Study from Brazil Gender Equality, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Poverty Reduction: Understanding the Links with Economic Growth and Improvements in Household Income

Author:
Rosana Heringer
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University
Abstract:
The general understanding about the status of women in Brazil show a reality of many advancements in many aspects, however not always followed by equivalent outcomes in terms of the status of women in private space. This means that women in Brazil have experimented increased education levels and increased presence in the labor market. However, Brazilian women are still subjected to prejudice and discrimination when it comes to their role in domestic space, playing a subordinate role in relation to husbands and other male roles in the family. This also has implications for the status of women in relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights and in terms of the participation of women in public sphere, including labor market and political participation. The status of women in the household, when subject to disrespect and lack of autonomy, leading to situations of economic dependence, unwanted pregnancy or domestic violence, to name a few, jeopardize the possibility of women developing themselves as independent citizens and with autonomy to participate in economic life. Although having recently elected the first woman president in the country, Brazil has also a low record when it comes to the political participation of women. The number of women as elected officials in the country is among the smallest in the world, and has been growing slowly along the last decade. It is also important to say that the status of women in Brazil is highly marked by the differences among women themselves in aspects such as class and race or ethnic background. Black and indigenous women in Brazil face the biggest burdens in terms of access to rights, with implications to their well being and to their status in society. It is also acknowledged that class differences, representing the inequalities in terms of education, occupation and income have great influence in the situation of women.
Topic:
Gender Issues, Poverty, Income Inequality, Economic growth, and Reproductive Health
Political Geography:
Brazil and South America

2849. Jewish Settlements: Another Name for Occupation

Author:
Osman Bahadir Dinçer and Gamze Coskun
Publication Date:
04-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
International Strategic Research Organization (USAK)
Abstract:
Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been one of the main issues of the Middle Eastern political agenda. The Israeli-Palestinian issue is a complex matter as it comprises of many disputed issues. The status of Jerusalem, condition of the Palestinian refugees, and Jewish settlements problems as well as many other disagreements pose an obstacle against the Peace Process which is of vital importance for the stability of the Middle East. Each of these issues needs special attention in the path going through to the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process.
Topic:
Conflict Resolution, Treaties and Agreements, and Territorial Disputes
Political Geography:
Middle East, Israel, and Palestine

2850. Turkey-Ukraine Relations: High Potential, Low Voltage

Author:
Habibe Özdal and Viktoriia Demydova
Publication Date:
03-2011
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
International Strategic Research Organization (USAK)
Abstract:
With its strategic location of the existing power lines and economic potential, Ukraine, as one of the most important countries of Eastern Europe, is one of the pilot countries with which Turkey aims to develop its relations in an 'exemplary manner'. Besides, since Ankara and Kiev, share common values and priorities within the framework of preserving stability in the region, the Black Sea neighborhood adds another dimension to bilateral relations.
Topic:
Security, Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Economics, International Trade and Finance, and Bilateral Relations
Political Geography:
Europe, Turkey, Ukraine, and India