Daily Archives: May 4, 2021

One of Scotlands leading campaigners against human trafficking has described the hundreds of women helped by her organisation in the past three years as the tip of the iceberg.

Bronagh Andrew, operations manager for Trafficking Awareness Raising Alliance (TARA), is calling for the criminalisation of paying for sex in off-street venues, which is not currently illegal in Scotland. She said her group has assisted many women coerced into sexual exploitation in places such as Inverness, and rural Caithness as well as our major cities.

Glasgow-based TARA, which supports victims trafficked for sexual exploitation, has helped 293 women in the past three years alone.

Andrew said: I have been involved in supporting trafficked women since 2004 and theres been an increase more or less year-on-year.

A lot of people think it only happens abroad or in big cities, but there have been victims identified in every one of Scotlands local authorities. Its an issue in our towns and cities, and our rural communities.

Trafficking victims sold into slavery have been identified across Scotland. Three men and a woman, thought to be Romanian, were held after police raids in Blairgowrie, Perthshire, last week in a trafficking probe allegedly linked to fruit-pickers.

Support organisations say women are duped into travelling to Scotland with promises of a better life before being sold into prostitution.

However, Andrew said: Its about Scottish and UK nationals being trafficked and exploited here, as well as people from abroad being brought to the UK.

Where there is an off-street sex industry, there will be women trafficked and hidden in plain sight. We told last month that official UK figures showed there were 387 people feared trafficked here last year alone, a four-fold increase in under a decade.

Andrew said: The official statistics are the tip of the iceberg. They dont reflect the people who are in situations of exploitation in Scotland right now and have not been able to seek help.

If you are in a situation of exploitation, help is available 24/7 from organisations like ourselves, Migrant Help and the police.

The women we support are often survivors of childhood abuse and child trafficking. They are then subjected to abuse at the hands of Scottish men willing to pay for sex. They suffer trauma after being abused on a daily basis.

We have supported women from teenage years to their 60s. Men who pay for sex are responsible for creating this market. We support the criminalisation of paying for sex, but think this can only happen when theres action to prevent exploitation, and services to help get the women involved out of prostitution.

Kirsty Thomson, of human rights lawyers JustRight Scotland, which operates a dedicated anti-trafficking unit, said: The reality is that human trafficking is happening throughout Scotland and survivors tell me it is happening in plain sight.

We need increased awareness so that people can see when human trafficking is happening in order that more people can be protected.

The Scottish Government said trafficking human beings was an appalling abuse of human rights and added work had begun to ensure it was recognised, recorded and punished and that victims get the help they need.

Read the original post:
Human trafficking warning: It's happening today, right now, in every city and every town - The Sunday Post

Gov. Brian Kemp and his wife, First Lady Marty Kemp, traveled to Buford Tuesday morning to send a message that Georgia will take a stand against human trafficking.

The governor signed three anti-human trafficking bills Senate Bills 33 and 34 and House Bill 287 into law during a ceremony at Home of Hope at Gwinnett Childrens Shelter. The star of the show, however, may have been the first lady, whose anti-trafficking GRACE Commissions work led to some of the changes included in the bills.

Today, as Brian signs SB 33, SB 34 and HB 287, we continue to send that message that there is no place for human trafficking in this great state of Georgia, Marty Kemp said.

Combating human trafficking has been a major focus of the first lady and her GRACE Commission, which stands for Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion and Education Commission. She said it first came to her attention earlier on in her husbands tenure as governor, when they attended a press conference where 72 school buses were lined up to represent 3,600 kids who are taken into human trafficking each year in Georgia.

The average age of a victim is 12 to 14, she said.

The governor said human trafficking represents a theft of innocence and opportunity, which requires decisive action from the state. Addressing the support side for victims is a needed part of that fight, he said.

A lot of people forget the fact that, in the fight against human trafficking and putting an end to it is the support for victims part of it, so this was another effort to not only go after perpetrators also to support the victims, the governor said.

He also said trafficking is happening in a wide range of places in Georgia, from metro Atlanta counties such as Gwinnett and Clayton counties, to rural Georgia counties such as Clay County.

There is no prejudice when it comes to human trafficking, Kemp said.

He praised Home of Hope officials for their part in helping children who have been the victims of human trafficking.

As we stand before you today, we know that Gwinnett County is one of the main hubs for human trafficking in our state and the folks here at (Home) of Hope are on the front lines of this fight every single day, and were just incredibly grateful for all of your efforts, the governor said.

But, this problem is not just singular to the metro Atlanta region. In fact, we know its happening in communities in every corner of our state, so we cannot waste time, we cannot ignore what we know is happening all around us and we must take action.

Home of Hope Executive Director Maureen Kornowa said the shelter was pleased to take part in the bill signing event, adding that all aspects of Georgias communities must be involved in the fight against human trafficking.

It is important that we all come together in collaboration to take care of our most vulnerable population, and so were honored to host this very important signing ceremony today to further impact the future success of victims of trafficking, Kornowa said.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

State Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, filed both Senate bills. He said Senate Bill 33 allows victims of human trafficking to file a civil suit against their perpetrator, or anyone else who benefited financially from them being trafficked.

Victims of human trafficking have 10 years after they gain their freedom or 10 years after they turn 18 if they were a minor when they were a human trafficking victim to file the lawsuit.

Dixon also said Senate Bill 34 allows a person who has been the victim of human trafficking who have escaped to have the records of a name change, if they chose to change it, sealed by the courts to prevent their perpetrators from finding them.

And, House Bill 287 deals with awareness programs that schools must teach to students. Although it primarily deals with adding tobacco and vapor products to the list of mandate alcohol and drug awareness education programs, it also mandates schools must teach human trafficking awareness to middle and high school students.

State Rep. Bonnie Rich, R-Suwanee, authored that bill and State Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, R-Marietta, worked on the anti-human trafficking piece in it after meeting with members of a Girl Scout troop who wanted to raise awareness of the issue.

One thing people dont realize is how big these rings are, Dixon said. They think its an individual or a small group, but its actually a larger group that would, in many cases, encompass a hotel or a motel thats involved either directly or indirectly. Sometimes, (it involves) a trucking or some type of transportation group that theyll have in the ring and then the ring is actually operating in the community, out recruiting people in or whatnot.

Over 50% of people that are trafficked, they know their perpetrator. Either its a relative, friend, boyfriend (or) girlfriend.

Dixon said he was pleased to see the governor sign the bills into law.

We got a lot of bipartisan support with it, he said. Of course there were some folks in certain industries that pushed back a little bit because they felt like most of the folks in their industry, which is true, were upright business folks (and) there were just a few bad actors and they were concerned repercussions.

But the way (Senate Bill 33 is) written, most of it mirrors a federal statute.

Georgias first lady said the bill signing Tuesday was not the end of the effort against human trafficking. There will be a continued effort to combat trafficking through legislation in upcoming legislative sessions.

With these important initiatives, we can continue taking important steps to end modern day slavery and ensure that our state is a safe haven for those who have been victimized, Marty Kemp said. I want every every Georgian, and the perpetrators of this evil industry to hear me loud and clear: These are only the most recent steps in the ongoing fight to end human trafficking, and certainly not our last.

As more and more Georgians join us in this important mission, we will continue to make lasting change in our state, by giving a voice to the voiceless, supporting victims and bringing justice to the criminals who support this sinister enterprise. We will continue to shine a bright light on a dark place and change lives for the better.

Duluth celebrated Derby Day this past Saturday, hosting a viewing party for the Kentucky Derby on the Town Green that included a best-dressed competition. Click for more.

See the rest here:
Gov. Brian Kemp signs anti-human trafficking bills into law during visit to Home of Hope in Buford - Gwinnettdailypost.com

Last year, the V.A. started a new social prescription program, called Compassionate Contact Corps. Originally a home visitation program, it was restarted as a teleservice for veterans experiencing loneliness and social isolation when the pandemic hit. About 1,000 veterans are participating in the program, which involves phone or video calls with trained volunteers and requires a referral from the veterans medical care team.

Veterans we werent able to reach with the in-home program, we are able to reach with the phone buddy program, said Prince Taylor, deputy director for the V.A.s Center for Development and Civic Engagement. Overwhelmingly, the veterans who have participated in this program tell us it is helping them.

But how, exactly? And can the outcomes of social prescribing be accurately measured? I would not have any hesitation saying that socialization is an important aspect of health, said the Cleveland Clinic neurologist Marwan Sabbagh, director of translational research at the clinics Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas. But the quantification is something that needs to be done in a way that would be universally accepted. We can measure things like memory and cognition, but Im not familiar with ways we can clinically capture or quantify social isolation.

He added that researchers in other disciplines the social sciences, for example might have tools to help with this and could play a role in the future of developing social prescription protocols in the United States.

The authors of a recent New England Journal of Medicine article on the British social prescription model agree that better assessment methods are needed. While calling the implications of social prescribing profound, they noted that physicians need reliable information on what interventions work best and for whom and how social prescription can best be integrated into conventional medical practice.

Some see this as linked to a larger shift in medicine toward a more holistic approach. We have to remember, said Dr. Kasaraneni, people dont come to us with a list of medical problems; they come with a life, and a life that may have medical issues but also social and emotional issues.

Other doctors say that social prescribing may become the norm in the United States sooner than later. I think the pandemic has really opened up the door for this kind of thing, said Dr. Malissa J. Wood, co-director of the Corrigan Womens Heart Health Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center. Dr. Wood has used structured support groups as part of community programs she designed to improve the cardiovascular health of low-income, high-risk women.

More:
Doctors Harness the Power of Human Connections - The New York Times

Credit: Courtesy of Thomas Courtney

If you asked me two years ago which student owned a guinea pig named Max or eight dogs, I am certain I could not have told you. But now I can. Its strange to be in a position where we see so much of our students lives through a computer screen, and yet also feel so disconnected from the students and the families we serve. Now, as schools and their communities seek to re-establish these relationships, state and district leaders are considering how to spend tax dollars for this very purpose. How can we best do it?

Years ago, I was a part of a faculty that needed to re-establish ties with our community. Here at Chollas-Mead Elementary, a Title 1 school where 93% of our students are considered economically disadvantaged, we decided to create ties that were in a word fun. In doing so, Chollas-Mead went from empty open houses to packed celebrations of all kinds, and many of our teachers have become both teacher and school parent, me included. The lessons we learned then can help any school in California now figure out how to spend money in ways that work to reconnect schools with their communities.

How did we connect? For me, it started with a plate of potato salad the summer my own child was about to begin kindergarten.

That July, my wife and I received an email from our sons soon-to-be kindergarten teacher at a local charter school. Was there a problem?

Just the opposite. The email announced a pre-kindergarten play date at the park. Families were invited to come, meet one another and have a potluck. Never having heard about such a thing at the school where I taught, I stood agape while parents around me socialized, my son and his new soon-to-be classmates laughing all around us.

What I saw that afternoon fundamentally changed my teaching.

Holding my plate of potato salad, I stared as parents scheduled new play dates with one another. They discussed school programs and figured out carpools.

Classmates began their school careers as friends. Back-to-School Night featured more good-to-see-yous than nice-to-meet-yous. Parents knew the names of children, and children knew the names of parents, many of whom would serve as classroom volunteers because they felt welcome.

Returning to my own classroom that year, I picked up my roster from the office and studied my students names. Their ID numbers. Their genders. Their first and last names. A mark that designated if they had asthma. I knew then that things were going to change, but I had no idea how I would change, too.

The following year, at my first ever Ice Cream and Library Night event, the students selected Epic Bulldogs as a class name, met tutors, and their families laughed together at the neighborhoods favorite heladera. I stood this time holding a pistachio paleta, watching as the magic unfolded around me.

That year, I had perfect parental attendance at Back-to-School Night, where we played Ice Breaker Bingo. The same thing happened at parent-teacher conferences.

Courtesy: Thomas Courtney

A proud parent takes photos during a student assembly at Chollas-Mead Elementary School near San Diego.

Each month, I created an optional classroom event, making sure it was fun enough that my own children would want to attend. I figured if theyd go, so would my families. I was right.

Courtesy: Thomas Courtney

A student embraces Mr. Jeff Smith, a volunteer karate instructor with the Dolphin Defender program at Chollas-Mead.

Twelve years later, Mr. Courtneys Star Night is a tradition. So is Ice Skating Night, Opera Night, Gardening Sunday at the EarthLab and the End of Year Fishing and Barbecue at Chollas Lake. Then came the Dolphin Defenders Karate Program and the Dolphin Splash newspaper.

I had transformed my teaching and my class. Meanwhile, our incredible principal transformed our school. Under her leadership, Chollas-Mead Elementary began to host packed talent shows, winter celebrations, cocoa with Santa, daughter or son dances, movie nights, sports events at recess with cheering parents, and family Fridays. Our principal, listening to her community while her husband grilled hot dogs, brought back assemblies, art, theater and music programs. On Power Tuesdays, second and third graders even learned how to walk the tightrope with the Fern Street Circus.

Welcome side effects emerged among the students schoolwide, just as I had seen in my classroom: They worked together and stayed on task; more completed their in-class assignments and homework; they were engaged in school, and their parents participated in their childrens education. Student academic achievement test scores in both math and reading rose.

The elements that make a successful classroom and a strong community were there all along; we just hadnt been listening to the experts our families.

What builds bridges with parents.

What creates barriers to parental participation.

As this pandemic recedes, we certainly will need to allocate money to reinvigorate, revitalize and reconnect our school communities. But we also needto create authentic opportunities for our families and teachers to reacquaint themselves. These moments shouldnt be done in a transactional space that forgets we are all human. This is a fundamental truth at Chollas-Mead Elementary. At our school, involving our parents with their childs education starts with the word fun.

Thomas Courtney isthe San Diego Unified School District Teacher of the Year, a Teach Plus, California, Senior Policy Fellow, and a fifth grade teacher at Chollas-Mead Elementary school. Both his son and daughter have attended Chollas-Mead due in part to the positive climate staff have created there.

The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review ourguidelinesandcontact us.

To get more reports like this one, click here to sign upfor EdSources no-cost daily email on latest developments in education.

Excerpt from:
COMMENTARY: What to remember as we reconnect post-pandemic with student families - EdSource

PORT MOODY, B.C. Police say a search for a missing person has turned into a homicide investigation after human remains found in Hope, B.C., were identified.

The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says in a statement that human remains found March 29 are those of Trina Hunt.

The Port Moody woman, 48, had been missing since Jan. 18.

Police say foul play is suspected.

The remains were found in the area south of Silver Creek in Hope and the circumstances were deemed suspicious.

Homicide investigators say theyre working with officers at the Port Moody Police Department to further the investigation.

The missing person investigation of Trina Hunt has now transitioned into a case of homicide, Sgt. Frank Jang says in the statement.

As this is an active and ongoing investigation, there will be no further details provided at this time.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2021.

View post:
Foul play suspected after human remains identified as missing B.C. woman - National Post

Mountain rescuers in Snowdonia saw the funny side of an emergency call-out instigated by a gaggle of goggle-eyed goats.

Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation (MRO) quipped the areas wild goats were now using human decoys and baiting the team with human-sounding voices.

This now proves the goats are on to us, sighed the team after it was dispatched to what turned out to be a false alarm.

Earlier the team had received reports from a climber on Idwal Slabs who had heard repeated shouts for help.

He could see a group of walkers standing together on broken ground on what he thought was the flank of Y Garn.

It later transpired he had been looking at Twll Du, the Devils Kitchen.

Fearing the worst, he alerted Ogwen Valley MRO, which decided to send out a small team to investigate even though no 999 calls had been made.

When team members met the climber, he told them the group was now moving slowly down the mountain.

After catching up with the group, they were met with blank looks.

They reported that they had heard goats bleating behind them all through their descent! said Ogwen Valley MRO on Facebook.

This now proves the goats have evolved their tactics to include human decoys to improve their chances of deploying the team on false alaaaarms.

Did you know we offer a free email newsletter service?

Each North Wales Live bulletin delivers the latest breaking news, what's on events and the hottest talking points straight to your inbox.

For more information about how to subscribe click here.

Some goats have an uncanny ability to mimic human sounds as their bleats have a similar pitch and timbre.

A few appear to yell like people, especially when disgruntled or hungry.

However they all have different bleats and YouTube videos abound with examples, from high-pitched screams to husky-voiced barks.

Ogwen Valley MRO took its goat encounter in good humour.

All joking aside, it was a false alarm with good intent, it wrote.

The team will always respond to peoples concerns for their fellow mountaineers.... and goats.

Know of other animals with human-like abilities? Share your stories in the comments section below.

Here is the original post:
Wily goats fool Snowdonia climbers and bait rescuers with 'human' cries for help - North Wales Live

Oxfam America, a nonprofit organization, said in a statement: We are relieved that the Biden administration has, after a long and unnecessary delay, kept its promise to raise the refugee admissions cap for this year to 62,500.

The back-and-forth about the refugee program is the latest turn in the presidents struggle to deal with the immigration system.

On his first day in office, Mr. Biden proposed a comprehensive overhaul of the nations immigration laws and issued a number of executive orders aimed at rolling back Mr. Trumps policies. But after about 100 days, immigration legislation still has not advanced in Congress. And for weeks, Mr. Biden delayed raising refugee admissions, despite a plea from his own secretary of state, Antony J. Blinken, to make good on his commitment.

The administration has also had to defend its response to a surge of migrants at the border with Mexico, even as Mr. Biden has continued to rely on a Trump-era health rule to rapidly turn away many migrants from entering the United States without providing them a chance to apply for asylum. The administration has said the rule is necessary to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The presidents Republican critics have seized on the issue as a political weapon, accusing Mr. Biden of making poor policy choices that opened the floodgates to illegal immigration during a pandemic.

The administration, however, has made progress in safely processing migrant children and teenagers out of border detention facilities and into temporary shelters. While more than 5,000 minors were stuck in facilities run by the Border Patrol in March, on Monday, the administration recorded roughly 600 minors in such jail-like facilities.

White House officials have urged migrants not to come to the United States now, but have promised that Mr. Biden will work to increase legal opportunities to live, work and visit the United States. Eleanor Acer, the director of refugee protection at Human Rights First, said the president must continue to do that.

Visit link:
In Another Reversal, Biden Raises Limit on Number of Refugees Allowed Into the U.S. - The New York Times

May 3, 2021 By Christina Santucci

A slew of elected officials were joined by thousands of supporters in downtown Flushing Sunday afternoon in a show of solidarity against hatred and bias directed at Asian Americans.

The event, called We Belong Here: Queens Rises Against Hate March, began with remarks from politicians and community leaders at Flushing Town Hall, and then attendees processed through the streets of Flushing.

Officials estimated that about 2,000 people took part in the march, which was organized by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. with special guests U.S. Rep. Grace Meng and state Attorney General Letitia James.

Today we send a strong message from the worlds borough that we will not be bystanders to hate, Richards said.

Sundays event also drew a bevy of elected officials, including Mayor Bill de Blasio, U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, U.S. Reps. Hakeem Jeffries and Gregory Meeks, Lieutenant Gov. Kathy Hochul, state Sen. John Liu, state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Councilmember Peter Koo and Assemblymembers Khaleel Anderson, Jessica Gonzlez-Rojas, Ed Braunstein and Nily Rozic.

We are making a very strong statement. Our statement is that we are people. You see the senseless killings. You see the violent attacks. Its almost as if we are not human, Liu said. We are not a virus. We are not coronavirus. We are people. We are humans . We are Americans. We are New Yorkers.

Other speakers included Rev. Al Sharpton; Rabbi Michael Miller from the Jewish Community Relations Council; Dr. Umar Mysorekar, president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America; and Kenrick Ross, the executive director of the National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance.

Five years ago when I was in Queens doing this kind of work, anti-Asian hate meant Muslims being attacked on their way to mosques, Ross said. Four years ago, it was a Muslim ban. A year ago it was the targeting of Chinatown. This year, thankfully people are paying attention to what has been happening to Asian Americans across the country.

Liu said that Asian Americans needed equal protection under the law, and praised the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, a bill introduced by Meng and Sen. Mazie Hirono which would simplify the reporting and review process for racially motivated crimes. The bill passed the Senate overwhelmingly in April, and the House of Representatives is expected to take up the bill later this month.

Whats disturbing is that there has been an increase in these hate crimes across the country, and in New York weve increased the sharpest increase in these hate crimes against Asian Americans, James said. She cited a study from the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University that found hate crimes so far this year were up 223 percent from last year.

The center recently compiled data across the country, and found that 13 hate crimes were reported in New York City in the first quarter of 2020 compared to 42 in the same period this year, NBC reported last week.

Several speakers also called for increased education about the historical contributions of the AAPI community.

Hate, bigotry and discriminationis a result of ignorance. We need to teach people about what we have done in this country, Liu said.

If you love New York City, you cant take the contributions of the Asian-American community out of it, de Blasio said. The only way we are New York City today is because of what all Asian Americans have done for us.

During the march, participants chanted Stop Asian Hate, and paused at two locations where two anti-Asian attacks took place earlier this year. One site was Bowne Playground, where a 13-year-old boy was told to go back to your country by a group of teens. There, Richards told children at the playground, You belong here.

The second stop was the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, where a man shoved a 52-year-old woman to the ground in February.

Our hearts go out to the way too many people who have been hurt, verbally harassed or physically assaulted, or even murdered, Meng said, as the group paused at the corner. Im so thankful to everyone who came out today to say stop Asian hate, and Im thankful to all of the people who are not just bystanders but who have been upstanders.

Meng also called for solidarity with all New Yorkers against racially-motivated hatred and violence.

We as an Asian American community can not only come out when the racism is aimed at us. We have to come out when any other community is hurt, Meng told the crowd, gathered at Flushing Town Hall.

Councilmember Peter Koo, who represents Flushing, addressed rally attendees in Chinese and English.

New Yorkers come from all walks of life, from all over the world. Today we affirm the true values of our nation, as one that welcomes all colors, creeds and cultures, Koo said.

The councilmember called on fellow politicians to push for the prosecution of those who commit violent acts and to direct funding to mental health, anti-poverty and education initiatives.

I urge all of the elected officials to concentrate on the criminal justice system because talk is cheap, Koo said.

No comments yet

Read the original:
'We Belong Here': Thousands Turn Out in Flushing to Condemn Hate-Crimes Against Asians in NYC - Astoria Post

Consultancy to Support the Development of 5 Regional Studies on the Impact

of COVID 19 on the Drivers of Conflicts and Structural Vulnerabilities in Africa

1. Context

Established in 2003, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a self-monitoring instrument voluntarily acceded to by African Union (AU) Member States and an autonomous entity of the AU. It serves as an African-owned and African-led platform for self-assessment, peer-learning, and experience-sharing in democracy and good governance, in full respect for democratic principles, human rights, rule of law, the acceleration of political, social and economic integration in Africa. The mandate of the APRM is to ensure that the policies and practices of Participating States are in conformity with the agreed political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, and to achieve mutually agreed objectives in socioeconomic development contained in the Declaration on Democracy, Political, Economic and Corporate Governance, as well as and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, among other relevant treaties, conventions and instruments adopted by Participating States whether through the African Union or through other international platforms. In the implementation of its mandate, the APRM has the primary purpose of fostering the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable and inclusive development, as well as accelerated regional and continental economic integration, through sharing of experiences and reinforcement of successful and best practices. It also serves as an early warning tool for conflict prevention in harmony and synergy with the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and the African Governance Architecture (AGA).

The AU Master Roadmap of Practical Steps to Silence the Guns by Year 2020 are attributed to among others, poverty, economic hardships, violation of human rights, exclusion, inequalities, marginalization and mismanagement of Africas rich ethnic diversity, as well as relapses into the cycle of violence in some post-conflict settings. The Roadmap further asserts confidently that these challenges are surmountable if the correct remedies are identified and applied. Unfortunately, these remedies have become significantly challenging to apply with the advent of COVID-19, which has had evident impact on the drivers of conflicts in Africa. As of 5th April 2021, the Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported that COVID-19 in Africa had infected over 4,265,034 people of which over 4 million recovered and 113,694 lost their lives across the continent. The effects of the pandemic, globally, have been felt beyond the health sector and Africa has not been spared in all the afore-mentioned sectors. Incidentally, the pandemic and its related effects such as travel restrictions, and also greatly affected the AU planned interventions that were related to the theme of the year 2020, Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africas Development.

As such, it is within the context of the current cooperation between APRM and the GIZ implemented Programme, Strengthening Good Governance and Human Rights in Africa African Governance Architecture, that services of a Research Institution/Think Tank are sought to support the conduct of five (5) Regional Studies on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Drivers of Conflicts and Structural Vulnerabilities in Africa. The Studies will bring perspectives from 5 AU regions (North, West, Central, East, South), focusing on emerging threats to peace and security within the five AU regions with a view of identifying the impact of COVID-19 on peace and security, and mapping cross cutting issues. The Studies will also assess the coping and response capacity at continental (APSA/AGA), regional Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms (RMs) and national (Infrastructures for Peace, where they exist), reflecting on these among other key questions:

Are there new drivers that could create conflicts in Africa other than the traditional drivers?

Are the drivers and dynamics of conflicts in the last one year amplified due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

Are the eight root causes of conflicts identified in the AU Silencing the Guns Roadmaps persisting or transformed in the different regions due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

What lessons can be drawn regarding the ability of continental, regional and national mechanisms to adapt to health-related threats as some of the emerging threats to peace and security in Africa?

It is therefore within the context of the current cooperation between APRM and the GIZ implemented Programme, Strengthening Good Governance and Human Rights in Africa African Governance Architecture, that services of a Research Institution/Think Tank are sought to support the development of five (5) Regional Studies on the Impact of COVID-19 on the Drivers of Conflicts and Structural Vulnerabilities in Africa. The Studies will bring perspectives from 5 AU regions (North, West, Central, East, South), focusing on emerging threats to peace and security within the five AU regions with a view of identifying the impact of COVID-19 on peace and security, and mapping cross cutting issues. The Studies will also assess the coping and response capacity at continental (APSA/AGA), regional Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/Regional Mechanisms (RMs) and national (Infrastructures for Peace, where they exist).

The Contractor is expected to develop/design and conduct 5 Regional Studies, which will be consolidated in a comprehensive study titled: Impact of COVID-19 on the Drivers of Conflicts and Structural Vulnerabilities in Africa: Regional Perspectives

Specifically, the Contractor will:

i. Undertake a comparative assessment of the peace and security situation, vulnerabilities and challenges prior to and during COVID 19 in the 5 regions of Africa;

ii. Undertake a detailed assessment of emerging threats to peace and security in the five regions as a consequence of the pandemic;

iii. Draw lessons on the capacity and/or adaptability of crisis management mechanisms/systems (early warning, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacebuilding) to threats to peace and security in the five regions as a consequence of the pandemic;

iv. Make recommendations on how to strengthen the crisis management mechanisms/systems (early warning, conflict prevention, conflict resolution, peacebuilding) in response to such pandemics with the potential to drive conflicts and exacerbate structural vulnerabilities in Africa; and

v. Develop and submit 5 Regional Studies consolidated in one comprehensive report for validation and presentation by the APRM to the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) and other relevant pillars of APSA as well as other essential components such as Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution.

Consultancy qualification:

The bidder should be legally registered in one or more AU Member States and should provide a minimum of 5 Experts with their up to date CVs, highlighting among other things the range of tasks involved and the required qualifications. The Experts should have:

Education/training (2.1.1): All Experts should have university qualification (minimum Master Degree or equivalent) in Social Sciences/Humanities, Peace and Security Studies, Strategic Studies, International Relations, Development Studies, International Politics, International Law or other related fields;

Language (2.1.2): The Contractor should have experts with multilingual language skills with fluency in English, French, Portuguese and Arabic (AU working language is an advantage).

General professional experience (2.1.3): The Experts should have at least 10 years of demonstrable experience in undertaking research in relevant fields;

Specific professional experience (2.1.4): Demonstrable experience in the development of public policy and in particular peace and security, governance and related matters in Africa;

Regional experience (2.1.6): Work experience with the APRM, AU, UN, and/or other international organizations is desirable;

Other (2.1.8): Excellent analytical skills, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, proven report writing skills, and ability to deliver quality products on time with respect to core values of integrity, professionalism and respect for diversity.

Number of work days: 60 days

Flexible Work Days (the tasks are to be completed within 3 months)

Period of assignment: From 10 June 2021 until 10 September 2021

Read this article:
83380062-GIZ AU Regional Consultancy Tender on the Impact of COVID 19 on the Drivers of Conflicts and Structural Vulnerabilities in Africa - ReliefWeb