Tuberculosis infection rates stabilize for the first time since 1993, according to the latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO). But with over 14 million people living with TB in 2005 of which nearly 1.6 million died, there are significant challenges.
World Water Day 2007 was Friday, March 23rd. Over one billion people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water, owing to challenges such as arsenic poisoning (Bangladesh), urban slums that lack water and sanitation (Kenya).
Rising demand for good governance was the subject of a forum sponsored by the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Brookings Institution on March 20th. Theories on how to promote and maintain governance systems that are democratic, transparent and accountable are at the core of this conversation and have shifted substantially over recent decades.
The 2nd annual Microfinance: Cracking the Capital Markets conference wrapped up last week in New York. James Dailey reflects on the key themes from the conference, and his optimism that more high-level policymakers are recognizing that a world in which the poor are left out is neither morally acceptable nor pragmatically sustainable.
DESI Power is a startup Indian power company that uses cheap biomass-based generators to provide much needed stable electricity in rural areas.
Protecting the Poor: Microinsurance Compendium is the latest book from the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Munich Re. It is a practical, wide-ranging resource on how microfinance can be a powerful instrument for change for low-income people.
GreenBiz.com. March 23, 2007. ‘Base of the Pyramid’ Holds Key to $5 Trillion Market. Base of the pyramid markets are often rural, underserved, and dominated by the informal economy, and as a result are relatively inefficient and uncompetitive.
Caribbean Net News. March 22, 2007. The Greater Caribbean This Week: Poverty alleviation through tourism. Jasmin Garraway, Sustainable Tourism Director of the Association of Caribbean States, hopes that a collaborative approach to sustainability will transform ecotourism into a dynamic force for change in sustainable development.
