Prof. Shyama V. Ramani of UNU-MERIT has been voted one of the #100 Women Achievers of India in the category of ‘Hygiene and Sanitation’, as part of a contest organised by the Indian Ministry of Women and Child Development in partnership with Facebook. The result was made public on 1 January 2016. Prof. Ramani will attend a reception lunch with the President of India, Pranab Kumar Mukherjee, on 22 January 2016 in the Ceremonial Hall of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Cultural Centre, in the Pr...
January 2016 marks a new round for our programme on ‘Evidence-based Policy Research Methods’ (EPRM) – specially developed for working professionals. For people who want to improve their understanding of research methods, but don’t have the time to spend months away; for people with duties at home or who are simply unable to stop working. In order to serve this group, we developed a blended learning programme. By this time last year, with a small team including PhD fellows, admin and communicatio...
How does foreign direct investment shape high-tech industries in developing countries like Pakistan? What are the pros and cons of diaspora engagement in fragile countries of origin such as Iraq? How does parental absence impact the educational performance of children in West Africa? Just three of the questions tackled by UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance in December 2015 — in three journal articles, four research reports, and six working papers, among others. Click here for the full ...
After the Paris massacre, is the warmongering of certain European leaders justified? Is it right to seek revenge or will this fan the flames of radicalism? The reality is that many young Muslims have already turned their backs on Western values and are now actively terrorising that lifestyle — often successfully! In contrast to 9/11 in the US, Western European governments have cancelled many large-scale festivities and occasions. Fear is in the hearts of Parisians, Londoners, Bruxellois, a...
In honour of International Migrants Day on 18 December, the UNU Migration Network has released the following very compelling statement highlighting some of the most important migration concerns that must be addressed by future policies. The events of 2015 have brought unprecedented media and political attention to migration. With the rise of migration across the world and the difficulties that governments encounter in integrating migrants successfully and guaranteeing them dignity, a parallel, u...
Prof. Shyama V. Ramani of UNU-MERIT has been working to make a small Indian village called Kameshwaram, devastated by the 2004 Tsunami, as clean as any in the world – and to document the process so that it can be replicated elsewhere. She is still grappling with the core problems of sanitation, waste management and safe water. Yet her work has had an impact on various stakeholders in the sanitation sector far beyond the village, as confirmed by her being shortlisted in the #100women achievers (I...
‘No human being is illegal‘ headlined a recent article in the Guardian, stressing how “the phrase ‘illegal immigrants’ is neither ‘accurate nor neutral’.” Heard time and again in the US presidential campaign, it’s yet another example of a dubious, ubiquitous term shaping the political debate — and yet another reason for the UNU Jargon Buster. Our glossary app not only clarifies hundreds of social, political and economic terms, it aims t...
Corruption occurs in rich and poor countries alike — and is therefore a global concern. Yet evidence shows that it affects poor people disproportionately and helps turn fragile states into failed states. Ahead of International Anti-Corruption Day, marked every 9 December, I want to highlight the link between corruption and migration, which is all too often overlooked. On this day of anti-corruption, migration may not be the first topic that comes to mind. Yet with a humanitarian refugee cr...
This article is part of UNU’s COP21 series featuring commentary related to the 21st Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21), 30 November–11 December 2015 in Paris. ••• Millions of people worldwide are at risk for displacement resulting from sea level rise, slow-onset environmental degradation and increasing natural disasters. Although recent talks for a “climate change displacement coordination facility” captured little media ...
Civil wars disrupt many aspects of life and development, including the education of the next generation. Yet until now there has been very little research into the subject. We spoke with Dr. Silvia Consuelo Gómez Soler after her record-breaking defence on this topical issue — which is relevant worldwide. 1. Congratulations on your PhD defence! You focused on civil conflict and education, drawing lessons from Colombia. Why did you choose this topic? SG: Getting a better understanding of the...