The Hunger Project’s Executive VP, John Coonrod, has moved from New York City to Washington, DC to strengthen THP’s seat at the table of international development. Each week, John sends us insight into issues of health, policy, human rights and more by way of the Washington Weekly.
Noteworthy Program: AWARD empowers African women farmers
On Thursday, October 25, Vicki Wilde gave a presentation on the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD) program that she founded and directs. AWARD is a two-year fellowship program for agricultural researchers in sub-Saharan Africa whose work will benefit women farmers. Fellows participate in science and leadership trainings that share some similarities with our work — they are intensive trainings encouraging the fellows to create a vision of the accomplishments they’d like to achieve and the concrete steps necessary to get there. Additionally, AWARD has developed what they call empowering M&E – which is largely based on monthly journaling and mentoring in order to encourage the fellows in their development as leaders.
New Reports
Gender Gap Report
The World Economic Forum has published its annual Gender Gap report. It ranks 135 countries by gender equality (#1 is Iceland, #135 is Yemen). THP program countries rank as follows:
| Bangladesh | Burkina Faso | Benin | Ethiopia | Ghana | India | Malawi | Mexico |
| 86 | 104 | 117 | 118 | 71 | 105 | 31 | 94 |
| Mozambique | Peru | Senegal | Uganda | ||||
| 23 | 78 | 90 | 28 |
The rankings may seem rather surprising, however since it measures inequality rather than quality of life, and in some very poor countries the gap may be small.
Education Report
UNESCO has published their second global monitoring report on the six Education For All (EFA) goals. The volume also focuses on youth employment training. The EFA report has its own Educational Development Index ranking 120 countries with Japan #1 and Niger #120. Countries that could not provide the required data in four key areas include Benin and Bangladesh.
| Bangladesh | Burkina Faso | Benin | Ethiopia | Ghana | India | Malawi | Mexico |
| N/A | 119 | N/A | 116 | 97 | 102 | 96 | 48 |
| Mozambique | Peru | Senegal | Uganda | ||||
| 110 | 63 | 109 | 104 |
Upcoming Events
October 31-Nov 2: First substantive meeting of the Post-2015 High Level Panel in London, this meeting focused on household poverty.
November 13-15: Food Security and Nutrition Network Sharing Meeting.
November 15: Deadline for written contributions to CSW 57 and InterAction Forum workshop proposals.
November 19: Release of Bread for the World’s 2013 Hunger Report
November 25-December 10: 16 Days Against Gender Violence
March 4-15, 2013: UN Commission on the Status of Women
December 10-12: G20 CSO Joint Strategy Meeting in Moscow
February 6-15, 2013: UN Conference on Social Development
March 4-15, 2013: UN Commission on the Status of Women
April 19-21, 2013: World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington
May 28-30, 2013: Women Deliver Conference, Kuala Lumpur
June 2013: Civil20, Business20, Youth20 Summits in Saint Petersburg, Russia
June 27-28, 2013: International Conference on Population and Development, Paris
September 2013: Leaders G20 Summit in Saint Petersburg, Russia
October 5, 2013: The 2013 Hunger Project Fall Gala
More information on upcoming Maternal and Child Health events here.