|
|
|
CONTENTS Free Training
Sessions Provided by VDIC Selected Resources at
VDIC on Health Promotion and Health Education Highlights from the
New Additions to VDIC Library Selected Publications for Sale at VDIC Distance Learning Center Events in September 2008 Information on Development Projects in Vietnam New Disclosure World
Bank Operational Project Documents for Vietnam Japan Bank for
International Cooperation in Vietnam – ODA Project Highlight |
VDIC
News
Free Training Sessions
Provided by VDIC
Location:
VDIC, Ground Floor, 63 Ly Thai
To, IMPORTANT NOTICES FOR PARTICIPANTS: * Please read the course materials
available online at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=339&mid=322&cmid=361
before attending the class. It is useful to take
them to the class for additional notes since we do not provide participants
with printed course materials. * Please bring your own laptop to
the classes if possible since these training sessions require computer use
and Internet access while number of computers for class participants are
limited. Wifi is provided free of charge at VDIC. “Searching the Internet:
basic skills” class Date:
Aims: After
the workshop, participants should: (i) have a better understanding of
information-finding possibilities on the Internet (ii) have a broad overview
of different search tools (iii) be able to phrase search queries effectively. “Referencing skills” class Date:
September 26, 2008 -- Time:
02:00pm to 03:30pm Aims: After
the workshop, participants should know how to: (i) manage their references
(ii) cite the references appropriately (iii) create a reference list or
bibliography. Everyone
is welcome - please visit the VDIC to sign up at the front desk, or send an
email to nvu2@worldbank.org
with your name, organisation, and telephone number and specify the class(es) you want to participate. Acceptance of
registration will be done on first come first serve basis. Exhibitions at VDIC
Please see Library section for lists of selected
resources on the exhibition themes below. International Literacy Day - 8th
September 2008 More than halfway through the UN
Literacy Decade launched in 2003, one in five young people and adults aged 15
years and over does not possess the most elementary skills required to read a
street sign, a child’s book, a map, a newspaper, names on a voting ballot or
instructions on a medicine bottle. In a world increasingly driven by
knowledge and technology, a staggering 774 million adults are illiterate. We
are far from the goal of halving the number of illiterate persons around the
world by 2015. Even though literacy rates have risen, the absolute number of
illiterates has increased in some regions due to population growth. This
represents a genuine threat for human development. This year’s International Literacy
Day puts the spotlight on the connections between literacy and health.
Today’s gravest health concerns cannot be adequately addressed unless
literacy finds a central place in public health policies and strategies. An
illiterate person is simply more vulnerable to ill-health, and less likely to
seek medical help for themselves, their family or their community. Nearly ten
million children die before reaching age 5, most often of preventable
infectious diseases, and it is children of the poor who are less likely to be
treated for serious illness. The risk of contracting malaria – which claims
over one million lives each year – is increased significantly amongst
illiterate populations, with literacy levels having a direct impact on
health-seeking behaviours. Women with post-primary education are five times
more likely than illiterate women to know facts about HIV and AIDS. This is
why the Millennium Development Goals directly or indirectly related to
health eradicating extreme poverty,
promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal
health, and combating HIV and malaria cannot be reached without a literacy
dimension. Literacy is about empowerment. It
increases awareness and influences the behaviour of individuals, families and
communities. It improves communication skills, gives access to knowledge and
builds the self-confidence and self-esteem needed to make decisions. A woman
who participates in a literacy programme will have better knowledge of health
and family planning. She will more likely adopt preventive health measures
for herself and for her children; she will more easily seek medical help and
make use of the available medical services; finally she will be able to
follow medical instructions more easily to ensure adequate treatment for
herself or close-of-kin. In short, literacy is a powerful yet too often
overlooked remedy to health threats, with the potential to promote better
nutrition, disease prevention and treatment. Small exhibitions at VDIC on these
occasions provide brief information on this topic. |
Library
For more information
about VDIC library services and resources, please visit http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=354&mid=322
Selected Resources at VDIC on Health
Promotion and Health Education
For more comprehensive list, please contact nvu2@worldbank.org. HEA-EDU [Internet]. Conant, Jeff
; Fadem, Pam. A Community Guide to
Environmental Health. Hesperian, 2008. Full text
http://www.hesperian.org/publications_download_EHB.php HEA-EDU [Internet]. Postma,
Leonie; Getkate, Renate and van Wijk, Christine. Life skills-based hygiene education: A guidance document on concepts,
development and experiences with life skills-based hygiene education in
school sanitation and hygiene education programmes. International Water
and Sanitation Centre, 2004. Full text
http://www.irc.nl/content/download/11504/168690/file/life_skills.pdf HEA-EDU [INTERNET]. Sijbesma,
Christine, Appleton, Brian. Local
Initiatives for Better Hygiene: four case studies from Asia. delft, the
netherlands: irc international water and sanitation centre, 2007. Full text
http://www.irc.nl/page/32224 HEA-EDU 1. Nguyen, Duc Minh. Exploring the community's knowledge,
practice and perceptions of herbal medicine to support the design of an
herbal drug education and development programme. hanoi: london school of
hygiene and tropical medicine, 2000. HEA-EDU 11. Rohr-Rouendaal, Petra. Where there is no
artist: Development drawings and how to use them. Practical Action Publishing,
2007. HEA-EDU 2. World Bank. EWDWP. The handwashing handbook: a guide for
developing a hygiene promotion program to increase handwashing with soap.
World Bank, 2005. Full text
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDS_IBank_Servlet?pcont=details&eid=000090341_20050511141605
HEA-EDU 3. Kulakow, Allan M.,
Senturia, Kirsten D. A guide to
planning public health education and action campaigns. s.i: pact, 1999. HEA-EDU 5. Vietnam Sweden Health
Cooperation. Support for Disadvantaged Areas. Health education program for illiterate women: manual for trainers.
S.l.: Vshc, 2001. HEA-EDU 6. Vietnam Sweden Health
Cooperation. Support for Disadvantaged Areas. Block C: first aid and prevention in most common diseases and
accidents: manual for trainers of village health workers. S.l.: Vshc,
2000. HEA-EDU 9. Vietnam Sweden Health
Cooperation. Support for Disadvantaged Areas. Learning methods: manual for trainers of village health workers.
s.l.: vshc, 1999. HEA-HIV-E [Internet]. UNESCO guidelines on language and content
in HIV- and AIDS-related materials. Paris: UNESCO, 2006. Full text
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001447/144725e.pdf HEA-HIV-E1. Valerio, Alexandria;
leader, Bundy; Don, leader; World Bank. HDNED; Development Cooperation
Ireland. Education and HIV/AIDS: a
sourcebook of HIV/AIDS prevention programs. World Bank, 2004. Full text
http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDS_IBank_Servlet?pcont=details&eid=000160016_20040323143534
HEA-HIV-E4. UNESCO. Reducing HIV/AIDS vulnerability among
students in the school setting: a teacher training manual. Bangkok:
UNESCO, 2005. Full text http://www.unesco.org.vn/publication/2006/HIVAIDS_teacher_training_manual-Vietnamese.pdf
HEA-HIV-E6. Runeborg, Anna. Sexuality - a super Force: young people,
sexuality and rights in the era of HIV / AIDS. sotckholm: sida, 2002. HEA-HIV-E7. Medel-Anonuevo, Carolyn, editor; UNESCO. Addressing gender relations in HIV preventive education. Hamburg, Germany: UNESCO
Institute for Education, 2002. Full text
http://www.unesco.org/education/uie/pdf/uiestud30.pdf HEA-POP 15. Ministry of Planning
and Investment; United Nations Population Fund. Methods for integrating key population variables into education
planning. Hanoi, Vietnam:, 2005. HEA-REP 12. Piotrow, Phyllis
Tilson, Kindcaid, Lawrence, Rimon, Jose. Health
Communication. s.l.: s.n., 1997. HEA-REP 15. Quan, Le Nga; Than,
Thi Lan Huong. Concepts, skills of
planning and implementing behaviour change communicaion activities: a guide
to behaviour change communication in improving reproductive and sexual health
of youth and adolescents. Hanoi, Vietnam:, 2007. HEA-REP 2. World Bank. Education and HIV/AIDS: a window of hope
/ the World Bank. washington, dc : world bank, 2002. HEA-REP-V11. UNFPA. Behaviour change communication in
population and reproductive health care: Flipchart for use by population
collaborators, village health workers, and population motivators at
grassroots level. Hanoi: UNFPA, 2004. HEA-REP-V16. UNFPA. Knowledge and behaviour of ethnic
minorities on reproductive health. UNFPA, 2007. Highlights from the New Additions to VDIC
Library
Full list of new additions to VDIC library can be found at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=161&mid=322&cmid=325 AGR-FOR 41. The World Bank. Forests sourcebook: practical guidance
for sustaining forests in development cooperation. The World Bank, 2008. BAN-ACC 4. Pardina, Martin
Rodriguez; Rapti, Richard Schlirf; Groom, Eric. Accounting for infrastructure regulation: an introduction. The
World Bank, 2008. BAN-INV-V31. Đinh, Văn Ân; Nguyễn,
Thị Tuệ Anh; Hoàng, Văn Cương; Đặng, Thị Thu Hoài. Thực hiện đầu tư trực tiếp nước ngoài sau khi Việt Nam gia nhập WTO:
Kết quả điều tra 140 doanh nghiệp có vốn đầu tư nước ngoài. Nhà xuất bản
Lao động, 2008. BAN-MIC-V1. Vũ, Thành Tự Anh;
Quinn, Brian JM . Credit and Trust: Fruit
Markets in the Mekong Delta = Tín dụng và sự tin cậy: Thị trường trái cây ở
Đồng bằng sông Cửu Long. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
2008. UNDP Policy Dialogue Paper . 2008/01. Full text.
http://www.undp.org.vn/undpLive/System/Publications/Publication-Details?contentId=2686&languageId=1 ECO-AID-V30. Partnership Group
on Aid Effectiveness (PGAE). Report on
aid effectiveness : Mid-term Consultative Group Meeting: Lao Cai, June 5-6, 2008
= Báo cáo về hiệu quả viện trợ: Hội nghị Nhóm tư vấn các nhà tài trợ cho Việt
Nam, Lào Cai, 5-6 tháng 6 năm 2008. Partnership Group on Aid
Effectiveness (PGAE), 2008. ECO-DIS 13. Bourguignon,
Francois (ed); Bussolo, Maurizio (ed). The
impact of macroeconomic policies on poverty and income distribution:
Macro-micro evaluation techniques and tools. The World Bank, 2008. ECO-ENT-V29. Phòng Thương mại và
Công nghiệp Việt Nam (VCCI). Doanh nghiệp
Việt Nam 2007: Chủ đề năm: Lao động và phát triển nguồn nhân lực. Phòng
Thương mại và Công nghiệp Việt Nam (VCCI), 2008. ECO-ENT-V35. Nguyễn, Thu Linh; Nguyễn,
Văn Thủ; Bùi, Thị Thùy Nhi; Nguyễn, Trang Thu. Social and environment responsibilities of Vietnam small and medium enterprises
= Trách nhiệm xã hội và môi trường của doanh nghiệp nhỏ và vừa Việt Nam.
Vietnam Institute of Development Studies (VIDS); Italian International
Politics Research Center (CESPI), 2008. ECO-POL-V59. Mazur, Eli ; Dapice,
David ; Vũ, Thành Tự Anh. The Chu Lai
Open Economic Zone and Rural Development: Central Planning’s Laboratory for
Policy and Institutional Innovation = Khu kinh tế mở Chu Lai và sự phát triển
nông thôn: Phòng thí nghiệm cho đổi mới thể chế và chính sách của một nền ké
hoạch hóa tập trung. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), 2008.
(UNDP Policy Dialogue Paper . 2008/02). Full text.
http://www.undp.org.vn/undpLive/System/Publications/Publication-Details?contentId=2685&languageId=1 EDU-POL 13. Nguyễn, Văn Căn. Quá trình cải cách giáo dục ở Cộng hòa Nhân
dân Trung Hoa thời kỳ 1978-2003. Nhà xuất bản Khoa học - Xã hội, 2007. ENV-CLI 7. Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies. Re-uniting
climate change and sustainable development: climate change policies in the
Asia-Pacific. Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, 2008. Full
text http://www.iges.or.jp/en/pub/pdf/whitepaper/whitepaper2.pdf ENV-CLI 8. World Bank; Global
Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR); United Nations
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR). Climate Resilient Cities: A Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to
Climate Change Impacts and Strengthening Disaster Risk Management in East
Asian Cities. World Bank, 2008. Full text
http://www.unisdr.org/eng/risk-reduction/climate-change/docs/climate_resilient_cities_.pdf
OR http://www.worldbank.org/eap/climatecities. HEA-FIN 13. The World Bank. Good practices in health financing:
Lessons from reforms in low - and middle income countries. The World
Bank, 2008. HEA-HIV-V34. Khuat, Thi Hai
Oanh. HIV/AIDS policy in Vietnam: A civil
society perspective = Đương đầu với HIV/AIDS ở Việt Nam: Từ góc nhìn của xã
hội dân sự. Open Society Insitute, 2008. Full text.
http://www.soros.org/initiatives/health/focus/phw/articles_publications/publications/vietnam_20071129 LAW-ENT 22. Pham, Alice. Competition law in Vietnam: A toolkit.
CUTS HRC, 2007. |
Selected
Publications for Sale at VDIC
More featured titles for sale are listed at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=bookstore&op=viewDetailNews&id=155&mid=328 Development Communication Sourcebook:
Broadening the Boundaries of Communication by Paolo Mefalopulos English -- Published June 2008 -- ISBN:
0-8213-7522-9 Price: $ 10.00 The Development Communication Sourcebook
illlustrates why the field of development communication is important and how
its tools and methods enhance long-term and sustainable results. The book
presents basic concepts and explains key challenges faced in daily practice.
Each of the four modules is self-contained, with examples, toolboxes, and
more. "The
wealth of evidence, generated in research, policy, and practitioner circles
over the past decade, overwhelmingly attests to the importance of development
communication. The strength of this Sourcebook is not only that it provides a
valuable overview of the theories, but also that is presents examples of the
practice, pointing to both opportunities and risks. Used in the right way,
development communication brings us a step closer to informing, involving,
and empowering the poor and the marginalized, and this will make development
more meaningful and sustainable than is often the case. - Bjørn Førde, Director UNDP Oslo Governance Centre "This
Sourcebook offers a useful primer for those interested in understanding how
development communication can work as a foundation for effective and ethical projects.
Moving beyond an exposition of the field, Mefalopulos explains how these
concepts can be applied, which is particularly valuable in promoting the
critical knowledge that comprehensive evaluation contributes to social
change. Readers will find value in understanding how development
communication has been conceptualized and operationalized within the World
Bank, through an insightful history of this work and chronicle of projects. - Karin Gwinn Wilkins, Associate Professor Department of Radio-Television-Film, College of
Communication University of Texas at Austin "Development
communication has a long history, a strong intellectual tradition, and a
great deal to offer a world struggling with a myriad of seemingly intractable
crises ranging from health to environment and conflict to gender relations.
It remains a frustrating reality that at a time when so many of these crises
so obviously require dialogue, understanding, and cooperation we still need
to argue for the importance of communication. But argue we must by
marshalling the evidence, identifying the compelling stories, illuminating
the theory, and excavating the history. Paolo Mefalopulos has given us an
important new resource that makes a compelling case for development
communication by doing much more than simply 'making the case'. Development
Communications Sourcebook: Broadening Boundaries of Communication provides
practical insight, resources for teaching, and examples for advocacy. While
it may seem to focus on the World Bank, the lessons, examples, and history
are much broader and widely relevant. It is a valuable book for
practitioners, policy makers, and donors—indeed for anyone who thinks
dialogue, cooperation, and genuine communication have to be placed at the
heart of development. - Chris Morry, Director Special Projects and Coordination, The
Communication Initiative "This
sourcebook is ... a valuable resource on the strategic use of communication
processes for 'everyone' involved in development, and it delivers on that
promise efficiently without assuming prior knowledge. - Bella Mody, Professor The deCastro Chair in Global Media, School of
Journalism and Mass Communication University of Colorado "This
Sourcebook is essential reading for all development managers who generally
make decisions about communication strategies without the necessary knowledge. - Alfonso Gumucio-Dagron, Managing Director,
Programmes Communication for Social Change Consortium Governance Reform Under Real World
Conditions: Citizens, Stakeholders, and Voice Edited by Sina Odugbemi , Thomas Jacobson English -- Published June 2008 ISBN: 0-8213-7456-7 Price: $ 11.00 Although necessary and often first rate,
technocratic solutions alone have been ineffective in delivering real change
or lasting results in governance reforms. This is primarily because reform
programs are delivered no in controlled environments, but under complex,
diverse, sociopolitical and economic conditions. Real-world conditions. In political societies, ownership of reform programs
by the entire country cannot be assumed, public opinion will not necessarily
be benign, and coalitions of support may be scare or nonexistent, even when
intended reforms really will benefit those who need them most. While the development community has the technical
tools to address governance challenges, experience shows that technical
solutions are often insufficient. Difficulties arise when attempts are made
to apply what are often excellent technical solutions. Human beings are not
as amenable as are pure numbers, and they cannot be ignored. In the real
world, reforms will not succeed, and they will certainly not be sustained,
without the correct alignment of citizens, stakeholders, and voice. Governance Reform under Real-World Conditions is
a contribution to efforts to improve governance systems around the world,
particularly in developing countries. The contributors, who are academics and
development practitioners, provide a range of theoretical frameworks and
innovative approaches and techniques for dealing with the most important
nontechnical or adaptive challenges that impede the success and
sustainability of reform efforts. The editors and contributors hope that this book
will be a useful guider for governments, think tanks, civil society organizations,
and development agencies working to improve the ways in which governance
reforms are implemented around the world. Governing Mandatory Health Insurance:
Learning from Experience Edited by William D. Savedoff , Pablo
Gottret English -- Published June 2008 by World Bank --
ISBN: 0-8213-7548-2 Price: $ 9.00 Although mandatory health insurance programs are
being proposed or expanded in many developing countries, relatively little
attention has been given to how these programs are governed. The available
literature focuses almost exclusively on operational features that are
important but will necessarily change over time—such as eligibility, benefit
packages, and premiums. Governing Mandatory Health Insurance instead looks at
the institutional and political forces that affect the behavior of such
programs within their social and historical contexts and how five dimensions
of governance—coherent decision-making structures, stakeholder participation,
transparency and information, supervision and regulation, and consistency and
stability—can influence the long-term performance of health insurance
programs in terms of coverage, financial protection, efficiency, and
sustainability. Governing Mandatory Health Insurance addresses
these issues by drawing on the experiences of four countries—Chile, Costa
Rica, Estonia, and the Netherlands. It shows how governance works in these
countries and extracts lessons for developing countries with mandatory health
insurance programs, focusing on the mechanisms for assuring solvency,
financial protection, and health care services of good quality. World Trade Indicators 2008: Benchmarking
Policy and Performance English -- Published July 2008 -- ISBN:
0-8213-7567-9 Price: $ 33.00
The World Bank's World Trade Indicators (WTI)
database on the CD-ROM included in this book provides more than 300
performance indicators measuring at-the-border and behind-the-border country
trade policy, institutions, and outcomes from 1995 to 2007. Complementing the
rich database are Trade Briefs for 142 developing countries summarizing
insights from the data and the main findings of analytical work conducted by
the Word Bank, the IMF, and the WTO for individual countries. The book highlights the main patterns in policy
and performance revealed by the database, grouping countries by region or
income, and the 20 best and 20 worst country rankings for a number of
indicators are shown. Country performance is benchmarked around five
main pillars: - Border protection, such as tariffs and
non-tariff barriers on imports of goods and services - Market access barriers in the rest of the world
to exports of goods - Overall business and institutional environment - Trade facilitation - Trade outcomes, such as trade growth,
integration, and diversification. WTI 2008 will be an invaluable asset to
researchers and practitioners in the field, country policy makers, trade
negotiators and their advisors, and business executives. Endorsements "The
last decade has seen a flurry of new databases in trade and development. What
was missing up to now was a synthesis of the information contained in those
databases. The World Bank Institute has undertaken the colossal endeavor of
piecing it together, and the result is a unique set of measures of the trade
environment in virtually all countries. This database will prove an
invaluable asset to researchers and practitioners in the field and the WBI's
work represents a landmark in trade database development." -Prof. Olivier Cadot,
Directeur, Institut d'Economie Appliquee (Crea) "...
an invaluable tool for anyone (trade professional, student, journalist or
policy maker) who would like to get a quick snapshot of trade policies for
countries around the world. It is a great achievement." -Prof. Michael Moore, Director, Institute for
International Economic Policy, Elliott School of International Affairs,
George Washington University Macro Federalism and Local Finance Edited by Anwar Shah English -- Published June 2008 -- ISBN:
0-8213-6326-3 Price: $ 10.00 The design of a federal system to deal with
growth, stabilization, and regional and local development issues is the
primary concern of this volume, edited by Anwar Shah. The book provides
analytical tools to address issues arising from globalization, localization,
and regional integration. It discusses tax harmonization issues associated
with subnational value added tax administration. It provides a framework for
fiscal discipline in a federal system. Lessons from international experiences
from policies to deal with lagging regions are drawn. The book empirically
examines the effect of fiscal decentralization on the overall size of the
public sector. Finally, it draws lessons from industrial countries'
experiences on local governance. This important new series represents a response
to several independent evaluations in recent years that have argued that
development practitioners and policy makers dealing with public sector
reforms in developing countries and, indeed, anyone with a concern for
effective public governance could benefit from a synthesis of newer
perspectives on public sector reforms. This series distills current wisdom
and presents tools of analysis for improving the efficiency, equity, and
efficacy of the public sector. Leading public policy experts and
practitioners have contributed to the series. "Macro
Federalism and Local Finance provides valuable insights into the
dynamic-efficiency aspects of decentralized government under the impact of the
information revolution and globalization. It takes a comprehensive look at
macro fiscal sides, including policy coordination and risk management, and
provides a comparative perspective on local finances and the progress of
decentralized governance reforms in developing countries. The book exhibits
innovative thinking and contributes fresh ideas for scholars of federalism in
a maturing global economy." - Paul Bernd Spahn, Executive Director, House of
Finance Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt, Germany Good Practices in Health Financing: Lessons
from Reforms in Low and Middle-Income Countries by Pablo Gottret , George Schieber , Hugh R.
Waters English -- Published June 2008 -- ISBN:
0-8213-7511-3 Price: $ 14.00 For humanitarian reasons and the concern for households’
economic and health security, the health sector is at the center of global
development policy. Developing countries and the international community are
scaling up health systems to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and
are improving financial protection by securing long-term support for these
gains. Yet money alone cannot buy health gains or prevent impoverishment due
to catastrophic medical bills; well structured, results-based financing
reforms are needed. Unfortunately, global evidence of “successful” health
financing policies that can guide the reform effort is very limited and
therefore the policy debate is often driven by ideological, one-size-fits-all
solutions. Good Practices in Health Financing: Lessons from
Reforms in Low- and Middle-Income Countries attempts to begin to fill the
void by systematically assessing health financing reforms in nine low- and
middle-income countries that have managed to expand their health financing
systems to both improve health status and protect against catastrophic
medical expenses. The participating countries are: Chile, Colombia, Costa
Rica, Estonia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tunisia, and
Vietnam. The study seeks to identify common enabling factors of their good
performance. While the findings for each country are important, collectively
they send a clear message to the global community that more attention is
needed to define “good practice” and then to evaluate and disseminate the
global evidence base. by Pradeep Mitra
English -- Published June 2008 -- ISBN:
0-8213-7538-5 Price: $ 8.00 Innovation, Inclusion and Integration synthesizes
the findings of the flagship regional reports produced by the World Bank’s
Europe and Central Asia Region. These have dealt with productivity growth,
enhancement of job opportunities, trade and integration, migration and
remittances, poverty and inequality, and the challenges posed by aging
populations. This book explains the relationships among developments in each
of these areas and explores the implications of these relationships for
policy making in the region’s nations. It will be of particular interest to
policy makers, government officials, researchers, and economists interested
in fostering inclusive economic growth in the countries of the region and
their deeper integration into the global economy. Land in Transition: Reform and Poverty in
Rural Vietnam by Martin Ravallion, Dominique Van De Walle English -- Published April 2008 -- ISBN-13:
978-0-8213-7274-6 Price: $ 9.00 This book is a case study of Vietnam's efforts to
fight poverty using market-oriented land reforms. In the 1980s and 1990s, the
country undertook major institutional reforms, and an impressive reduction in
poverty followed. But what role did the reforms play? Did the efficiency
gains from reform come at a cost to equity? Were there both winners and
losers? Was rising rural landlessness in the wake of reforms a sign of
success or failure? Land in Transition investigates the impacts on
living standards of the two stages of land law reform: in 1988, when land was
allocated to households administratively and output markets were liberalized;
and in 1993, when official land titles were introduced and land transactions
were permitted for the first time since communist rule began. To fully assess
the poverty impacts of these changes, the authors' analysis of household
surveys is guided by both economic theory and knowledge of the historical and
social contexts. The book delineates lessons from Vietnam's experience and
their implications for current policy debates in China and elsewhere. "Ravallion
and van de Walle have produced a beautifully clear, careful, and readable
analysis of VietnamA?s agrarian reforms. They show that the 1988
decollectivization largely avoided "elite capture" and created
near-equal family farms. These produced more, and were more efficient, than
the previous collectives. In the interests of equity, the reform did not aim
at maximum economic performance; but as the authors show, the sacrifice was
not large. The authors explore whether China can now learn from Vietnam about
similar prospects for market-friendly reforms." - Michael Lipton Founder and Research Professor, Poverty Research
Unit University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom "This
is a very interesting and very well researched book. The authors are leading
experts in this field, and this shows. They have gone beyond simple analyses
to address a set of key issues, such as whether rising landlessness is a sign
of success or failure. They have also gone out of their way to come up with
carefully drafted conclusions, linking these closely to the policy debate on
equity and efficiency in Vietnam. I expect this report to become a very
important and very influential publication, not just in Vietnam but also
globally." - Johan Swinnen Professor of Development Economics Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium Broadcasting, Voice, and Accountability: A
Public Interest Approach to Policy, Law, and Regulation by Steve Buckley,
Kreszentia Duer, Toby
Mendel, Monroe Price, Marc Raboy
English -- Published April 2008 by Michigan
University Press, World Bank -- ISBN-13: 978-0-8213-7295-1 Price: $ 10.00 This book provides guidelines, tools, and real
world examples to help assess and reform the enabling environment for media
development that serves public interest goals. It builds on a growing
awareness of the role of media and voice in the promotion of transparent and
accountable governance, in the empowerment of people to better exercise their
rights and hold leaders to account; and in support of equitable development
including improved livelihoods, health, and access to education. The book
provides development practitioners with an overview of the key policy and
regulatory issues involved in supporting freedom of information and
expression and enabling independent public service media. Country examples
illustrate how these norms have been institutionalized in various contexts. "Broadcasting,
Voice and Accountability brings media and broadcasting policy squarely into
the development debate. It is the Bank's first publication presenting good
practices from around the world in media and broadcasting policy and
regulation, and complements existing work in governance, public sector
reform, and access to information. The book presents a framework to inform
analysis of existing policies and support the development of a vigorous media
sector, with a particular emphasis on broadcasting. I believe this volume is
a useful tool for policymakers, reform managers, development practitioners,
and students alike." - Robert B Zoellick, President, The World Bank ". . . This
is an excellent book. I read every page, and many of them twice, which is
testimony to the fact that the manuscript was relevant, interesting and a
jolly good read." -
Professor Ruth Teer-Tomaselli, UNESCO Chair in
Communication for Southern Africa, Culture, Communication and Media Studies,
University |
Distance
Learning Center Events in September 2008
For more information about our Follow-up Seminar on Competition Laws Training (by
invitation only) September
3, 2008, from 08:00 to 17:30 This
follow-up seminar allows the participants of the course on Competition Laws
Training as funded by the Vietnam Blended Learning Program to meet up again
with one another and the trainers to share what they have applied to work and
raise emerging issues for discussion. The seminar includes an update on
latest developments of competition laws in Vietnam, the challenges in
implementation and possible solutions. Regional Seminar Series on HIV-AIDS for
Infrastructure Projects - Session 1 (open for registration) September
12, from 08:00 to 11:00 a.m. This
regional seminar series is organized by the World Bank through the Global
Development Learning Network Asia Pacific in order to introduce the standard
HIV/AIDs Information, Education and Consultation Communications (IEC)
program, which is developed for use on all Bank infrastructure projects. The
IEC program is used to ensure that workers and local residents receive proper
education on the risks of HIV/AIDS, and how they can be mitigated, as well as
treatment and other key issues. This 3-session seminar series will cover the
key issues of (i) why IEC needs to be done; (ii) the different options for
undertaking HIV/AIDS education, (iii) an explanation of the IEC training
program and how it can be used. The target audience are relevant
policy-makers in health and transportation fields. APO E-learning Course on ISO 22000 (by
invitation only) September
15 - 18, 2008, from 08:00 to 17:30 every course day This blended
learning course is organized by the Asia Productivity Organization, which
aims to (i) enhance the participants' knowledge of key concepts in a modern
food safefy management system, (ii) enable the participants to understand
ISO22000:2005 standards, its requirements and application, and (iii) provide
the participants with knowledge and skills to implement a food safety
management system to meet ISO2200:2005 requirements and be aware of critical
success factors in the food industry. The course includes videoconference
lectures, case study, group work, online discussion, and site visit. Top 1 -
2 participants of this e-learning course from each participating countries in
Asia will be invited to attend a follow-up face-to-face IRCA 2019 course on
Food Safety Management Systems for Auditors in end 2008/early 2009. Workshop on Developing Corporate Bond Market (by
invitation only) September
22 - 24, 2008, from 08:00 to 16:00 every workshop day This
workshop is co-organized by Shanghai National Accounting Institute, the
Asia-Pacific Finance and Development Center, and the World Bank. The workshop
aims to (i) share experiences among different countries/regions in the
development of their corporate bond market, (ii) identify hurdles in practice
and explore possible solutions, and (iii) promote the exchange of experience,
ideas and best practices in the region from the views of both policy-makers,
regulators and practitioners. The 3-day workshop will be delivered via
videoconference through the Global Development Learning Network Asia Pacific. APO E-learning Course on SA8000 (by
invitation only) September
23 - 25, 2008, from 08:30 to 17:00 every course day As
organized by the Asia Production Organization, the course aims to enable
participants to understand about Corporate Social Responsibility and SA8000
standard, its application, and critical success factors to enable
participants to use knowledge in application of SA8000 in the industry. The
course will include topics such as overview of corporate social responsibility,
codes of conduct & social responsibilities in business; SA8000 as a
social accountability management system; intent and interpretation of the
requirements of SA8000 standard; implementation of SA8000; and certification
for SA8000. To achieve the set learning outcomes, participants will be
actively involved in interactive lectures, case studies, excercises, group
work & individual assessment. |
Information on
Development Projects in Vietnam
New Disclosure World Bank Operational Project Documents for
Vietnam
The
Disclosure Unit of the World Bank is responsible for the implementation and
dissemination of documents relating to the World Bank’s disclosure
policy http://www1.worldbank.org/operations/disclosure/. On
a regular basis, the Unit releases operational documents to the
public through a network of Public Information Centers (PICs) worldwide. For
assistance on disclosed documents, please contact one of the PICs at a
location near you. For
previous listings, please visit http://go.worldbank.org/QU93EOHWG1.
Alternatively, you are welcome to visit VDIC or World Bank’s mini Public
Information Corners (mini-PICs) at your city/province libraries to view hard
copies of World Bank project documents in Vietnam. List of mini-PICs in List
of World Bank’s projects in Vietnam - Coastal Cities (GEF) Project: Project
Information Document http://go.worldbank.org/HLFW6WB5N0
Vietnam - Central North Health Support Project:
Project Information Document http://go.worldbank.org/J5A1H2X0L0 Vietnam - Financial Sector Modernization and
Information System Project: Integrated Safeguards Data Sheet http://go.worldbank.org/WULKJCYSI0 Japan Bank for International Cooperation in
Vietnam – ODA Project Highlight
North-South Submarine Fiber Optic Cable Link Project The project aims to establish a
national backbone transmission network with high quality and large capacity
to promote the Information Communication Technology development and
accelerate the economic growth in Vietnam. The project will construct a
submarine fiber optic cable from Hai Phong in the North to Soc Trang in the
South with 11 landing stations along the coast. Environment and ecology are
carefully preserved during the course of implementation. The executing Agency is Vietnam
Post and Telecommunications (VNPT), Address: 18 Nguyen Du str, Ha Noi, Viet
Nam, Telephone: 844-9340470, Fax: 844-9437199. Source:
http://www.jbic.org.vn/oda_loan_database.php#submarine |
Funding Opportunities
For more
funding opportunities, please read previous VDIC newsletters at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=newsletter&op=viewDetailNews&id=230&mid=350
For
further information on the news provided below, please contact the
organization directly. Research Fellowship Program
- Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) The Research Fellowship Program (RFP) is administered by
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)-International Conservation's Training and
Capacity Building Program and jointly funded by the BP Conservation
Programme. The RFP is a small grants program designed to build capacity for
the next generation of conservationists through supporting individual field
research projects that have a clear application to the conservation of
threatened wildlife and wildlife habitat. The program seeks projects that are
based on sound and innovative conservation science and that encourage
practices in conservation that can contribute to sustainable development. Deadline: March 15, 2009 For more information please visit http://www.wcs.org/international/rfp/rfpapplication Asian Youth Fellowship
(AYF) - Japan Foundation - Tokyo The Japan Foundation Asia Center offers scholarships to Asian
students who wish to study at graduate schools in Japan and have a strong
wish to contribute to regional cooperation after obtaining a master's or
Ph.D. degree under the Asian Youth Fellowship program. Grant coverage during the preparatory course includes the
following: 1. Expenses necessary for participation in the official
curriculum (transportation, teaching material, etc.) 2. Meals during the program 3. Accommodation (a single room) at the institute 4. Overseas travel insurance for disease and injury for the
duration of the program 5. Round-trip, economy-class airline 6. Japanese visa as a trainee Citizenship: Bangladesh; Brunei; Burma (Myanmar); Cambodia;
Indonesia; Laos; Malaysia; Philippines; Singapore; Thailand; Vietnam. Deadline for Vietnam: November 7, 2008. For more information please visit http://www.asiaseed.org/ayfj/ or contact Japanese Embassy in Development Gateway
Foundation Photo Contest The Development Gateway Foundation photo competition is open to
ALL photographers at least 13 years of age, except employees of the
foundation and their immediate families. Your entry to the contest
constitutes your agreement to allow your photograph, name, occupation, city
and state of residence, to be published as the selected award winner;
published or used on the foundation Web sites; and used for the promotion of
the foundation including, but not limited to, Web pages, brochures, fact
sheets, and other materials. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights
to future use of their photographs. The Development Gateway Foundation shall
have the right to verify, in its sole judgment, winner eligibility. We are looking for compelling photographs of socio-economic
development in developing countries. Four types of photographs will be
accepted. 1) The images may show information and communications technologies
helping ordinary people. 2) The images may show people making something,
selling wares, working in a field, constructing a building or type of
infrastructure, or acquiring knowledge. 3) The images could be abstract
images representing hope, the future, or capacity building. 4) The
photographs may also include images of original artwork from a developing
country. Please do not include photographs of groups of people posing. Each entry must include a written statement explaining how that
image is representative of development. Images will be judged on technical
excellence, composition, overall impact, and artistic merit. Deadline for submitting entries is September 19, 2008. http://www.dgfoundation.org/news-events/photo-contest-backup.html 2008 CGAP Microfinance Photo Contest: Innovators and entrepreneurs The CGAP Microfinance Photo Contest is open to all photographers
at least 18 years of age, except the operational team of CGAP and their
immediate families. We are looking for original, striking images of microfinance
around the world that capture what microfinance means to you. These images
may reflect the wide variety of microfinance and microenterprise development
around the world, representing a range of products, institutions, and
methodologies, and may touch on a broad range of social, economic,
developmental, and technological issues. We encourage entries from all
regions, in both rural and urban settings. We expect to receive images that
represent technology, institutions, money, microfinance transactions and
impact, policy/regulation, human capacity, and people and their environment.
Photo submissions must be accompanied by a brief description of the photo,
including the place and country where it was taken, and how it reflects
advancing financial access to people through microfinance. Entries must be: • The original work of the entrant • Noninfringing of the rights of others • Respectful of the rights, sensitivities, and culture of
persons depicted • An accurate reflection of the subject matter and scene as it
appeared, without alteration (other than standard optimization, including
removal of dust, cropping, adjustments to color and contrast, etc.) • A depiction of microfinance and/or microenterprise development
in one or more of the following categories: o
General o
Innovation in delivery, whether
through new technologies, institutions, or infrastructure o
Innovative approaches to regulating
and applying laws that relate to access to finance o
Innovation in funding and
supporting microfinance o
Impact Entries will be judged on originality, technical excellence,
composition, overall impact, and artistic merit. The story behind the photo,
submitted as a paragraph or brief essay, may influence the judges’ decisions.
Decisions made by the judges are final. All entries, whether submitted electronically or mailed or
shipped, must be received by CGAP before noon EST September 15, 2008. CGAP
will not be held responsible for mail that was not received. Receipt of
packages cannot be acknowledged. Entries will not be returned. http://www.cgap.org/p/site/c/template.rc/2008PhotoContest . ADB - Japan Scholarship The Asian Development Bank (ADB) - Japan Scholarship Program
(JSP) was established in April 1988 with financing from the Government of
Japan. It aims to provide an opportunity for well-qualified citizens of
ADB's developing member countries to pursue postgraduate studies in economics,
management, science and technology, and other development-related fields at
participating academic institutions in the Asian and Pacific Region. Upon completion of their study programs, scholars are expected
to contribute to the economic and social development of their home countries. The ADB-JSP enrolls about 300 students annually in 20 academic
institutions located in 10 countries within the Region. The ADB-JSP provides full scholarships for one to two years. Deadline: Send applications for scholarships at least six months
prior to the planned time that you wish to commence studies. Read more at http://www.adb.org/JSP/default.asp PHF Andrew W. Mellon
Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities - Call for Applications, 2009–2010 Five (5) one-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowships are available
for the 2009-2010 academic year for untenured scholars in the humanities who received
or will receive their Ph.D. between December 2000 and December 2008. The
fellowship is open to all scholars, national and international, who meet
application terms. The programs of the Penn Humanities Forum are conceived through
yearly topics that invite broad interdisciplinary collaboration. For the
2009–2010 academic year, we have set Connections as the theme. Humanists and
those in related fields are invited to submit research proposals on any
aspect of this topic, except educational curriculum building and the
performing arts. The Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities
at the Penn Humanities Forum, University of Pennsylvania, is open to scholars
who are not yet tenured and who are no more than eight years out of their
doctorate. Candidates may hold a tenure-track position but may not be tenured
either before or during the fellowship year. For the 2009-2010 Fellowship,
candidates must have received or will receive their Ph.D. between December
2000 and December 2008. You must have your degree in hand or have passed your
defense no later than December 2008 to be eligible. Your application will not
be considered unless this condition is met. The Ph.D. is the only terminal
degree eligible (i.e., MFAs and other doctorates such as EdD are ineligible). Preference will be given to candidates whose proposals are
interdisciplinary, who have not previously used the resources of the
University of Pennsylvania, and who would particularly benefit from and
contribute to Penn's intellectual life. Application Deadline (Postmark): Wednesday, October 15, 2008 For more information please visit http://humanities.sas.upenn.edu/mellon_cfa.shtml World Bank Winter
Internship Program 2008 The application period for the Internship Program 2008 will
begin on September 1, 2008. The Internship Program is open to students who are nationals of
the Bank's member countries and attracts a large number of highly qualified
candidates. The goal of this Internship Program is to offer successful
candidates an opportunity to improve their skills as well as the experience
of working in an international environment. Interns generally find the
experience to be rewarding and interesting. To be eligible for the Internship Program, candidates must
possess an undergraduate degree and already be enrolled in a full-time
graduate study program (pursuing a Master's degree or PhD with plans to
return to school in a full-time capacity. Generally, successful candidates
have completed their first year of graduate studies or are already into their
PhD programs. This Program typically seeks candidates in the following fields:
economics, finance, human development (public health, education, nutrition,
population), social science (anthropology, sociology), agriculture,
environment, private sector development, as well as other related fields.
Fluency in English is required. Prior relevant work experience, computing
skills, as well as knowledge of languages such as French, Spanish, Russian,
Arabic, Portuguese, and Chinese are advantageous. The Bank pays an hourly salary to all Interns and, where
applicable, provides an allowance towards travel expenses. Interns are
responsible for their own living accommodations. Most positions are located
in Washington, DC (some positions are offered in country offices) and are a
minimum of four weeks in duration. The application period for the Winter Program is September 1 -
October 31 each year. For more information please visit http://go.worldbank.org/52CJYRFP20 Critical Ecosystems
Partnership Fund The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) is designed to safeguard
Earth’s biologically richest and most threatened regions known as
biodiversity hotspots. CEPF is a joint initiative of Conservation
International, l’Agence Française de Développement, the Global Environment
Facility, the government of Japan, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, and the World Bank. A fundamental purpose of CEPF is to engage community groups,
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions and private
enterprises, in biodiversity conservation in the hotspots. CEPF promotes
working alliances among diverse groups, combining unique capacities and
reducing duplication of efforts for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to
conservation. The program focuses on biological areas rather than political
boundaries and examines conservation threats on a hotspot-level basis. CEPF
targets transboundary cooperation in areas of high importance for
biodiversity conservation that straddle national borders, or in areas where a
regional approach will be more effective than a national approach. Each project must support one of the first three strategic
directions in the CEPF investment strategy for Indo-Burma to be eligible for
funding (BirdLife is already implementing the fourth strategic direction).
The investment strategy and strategic directions for Indochina are summarised
earlier in this document, and available in full at
http://www.cepf.net/xp/cepf/static/pdfs/Final.IndoBurma_Indochina.EP.pdf (PDF 2.5MB) Further information is available at: http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/cepf or http://www.cepf.net/xp/cepf/apply/index.xml and http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/ AWARD: 2009 ST Andrews
Prize for the Environment - Call For Entries 125,000 US DOLLARS IN CASH PRIZES Aimed at helping ordinary people find solutions to environmental
problems, The St Andrews Prize for the Environment is an initiative by the
University of St Andrews in Scotland and the international integrated energy
company, ConocoPhillips. The Prize recognizes significant contributions to
environmental conservation and since its launch in 1998 has attracted entries
from more than 50 countries each year on diverse topics including:
sustainable development in the Amazon rainforest, urban regeneration,
recycling, health and water issues, and renewable energy. Applications are invited from individuals, multi-disciplinary
teams or community groups for the 2009 annual prize, consisting of an award
of $75,000 USD for the winner and $25,000 USD for each of the two runners-up.
Closing date for entries is 31 October, 2008. Visit the St. Andrews Prize Website www.thestandrewsprize.com for further information Global Green Energy Awards The Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy are seeking
inspirational and innovative local sustainable energy projects based in
countries with developing economies. Deadline: 21 October 2008 http://www.ashdenawards.org/int_awards FELLOWSHIP: Vavilov-Frankel
Fellowships for 2008 The Vavilov-Frankel Fellowships Fund aims to encourage the
conservation and use of plant genetic resources in developing countries by
awarding Fellowships to outstanding young researchers to carry out relevant
innovative research at an advanced research institute outside their own
country for a period of between three months and one year. The Fellowships are supported by the Grains Research and
Development Corporation (GRDC), Australia and Pioneer Hi-Bred International,
Inc., United States, a DuPont Company. The closing date for this year's
Fellowships is 9 November 2008. The age limit of 35 is applied strictly on
these Fellowships. For further information, please visit www.bioversityinternational.org Call for Proposal:
Strengthening ICT4D Research Capacity in Asia (SIRCA) Programme The SIRCA Programme seeks to identify future research leaders
and to facilitate their development through the support of research grants.
The awards are intended to ensure capacities to conduct research in the area
of Information and Communications Technology for Development (ICT4D or ICTD)
are built in Asia. This applies particularly to emerging researchers based in
Asia who are relatively new to ICTD research and interested in undertaking
theoretically-based and methodologically rigorous research. Additionally,
these applicants would benefit from concerted capacity building exercises
including a mentorship arrangement. In particular, the program promotes
broad-based high-quality multidisciplinary research in ICT development,
e-services, new media use and social impact, and policy for the benefit and
advancement of individuals, organizations, nation and society. Applicants must register online with their name, project title,
email address and country of research by 29th September 2008. Proposals must be received via email by 13th October 2008. Visit the following web page for additional information http://www.ntu.edu.sg/sci/sirc/sirca/ Film Contest to Highlight
Social Dimensions of Climate Change Vulnerability Exposed:
Social Dimensions of Climate Change is a
competition of 2-5 minute documentaries that highlight the social aspects of
climate change as experienced and/or observed by the film-makers. This
short-documentary contest is a follow-up to our landmark March 2008
International Workshop on the Social Dimensions of Climate Change (read the
story about the Workshop). We hope to receive submissions which creatively
showcase the implications of climate change for conflict, migration, urban space,
rural institutions, drylands, social policy, indigenous peoples, gender,
governance, forests and/or human rights. There are two award categories: 1) Social Dimensions of Climate
Change Award (general category) and 2) Young Voices of Climate Change Award
(youth category). The general category
is open to everyone; the youth category is open to entries submitted by
filmmakers who are under 24 years old. Award winners will be chosen through a
combination of public voting and a judging panel. The film with the most public votes in
each theme category will receive honorable mention. The Award Winners will receive an all expenses paid trip to
Washington, DC for a screening of their film and will have the opportunity to
attend a series of networking and learning events organized by the Social
Development Department of the World Bank in December, 2008. The submission period ends 11:59pm (US ET) on Friday, October
24, 2008. Visit the following web page for additional information http://go.worldbank.org/7492037IG0. |
|
Thank you for
reading this edition of the VDIC Newsletter. As always, we're
here to serve your development information and distance learning needs.
Please visit us! If you would like to
contribute, change your subscription details or no longer wish to receive
this newsletter, please send an email to info@vdic.org.vn.
Monday through Friday 8am – 12pm ; 1pm – 5pm We appreciate any
comments or suggestions. |