VDIC NEWSLETTER
October 2008

 

 

CONTENTS

 

VDIC News. 1

Free Training Sessions Provided by VDIC.. 1

Exhibitions at VDIC.. 1

Library. 2

Selected Resources at VDIC on Poverty.. 2

Highlights from the New Additions to VDIC Library.. 2

Selected Publications for Sale at VDIC.. 3

Distance Learning Center Events in October 2008. 5

Information on Development Projects in Vietnam.. 5

New Disclosure World Bank Operational Project Documents for Vietnam... 5

Funding Opportunities. 6

 

 

VDIC News  

 

Free Training Sessions Provided by VDIC

 

Location:        VDIC, Ground Floor, 63 Ly Thai To, Hanoi

 

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:              October 24, 2008 -- Time: 10:00am to 12:00 noon

 

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:              October 24, 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 Day for the Eradication of Poverty - 17 October 2008

 

In recognition of the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the theme for this year's observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is "Human Rights and Dignity of People Living in Poverty".

 

The struggle against poverty has evolved more and more visibly into an overarching development goal of the international community. Poverty eradication, however, is not only a development goal; it is also a central challenge for ensuring world-wide recognition of human rights. The international community has acknowledged that poverty is a violation of human rights and that promoting human rights can reduce poverty.

 

The world-wide persistence of poverty can be attributed in part to the violations of human rights. In fact, human rights violations can be both a cause and a consequence of poverty. People living in poverty are excluded from society, and their ability to secure their own rights is particularly limited by their predicament.

 

Poverty can be seen as a human condition of deprivation of resources, capabilities, choices, security and power necessary for the enjoyment of an adequate standard of living and other civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights.

 

Under the core human rights instruments, human beings are guaranteed among others, the rights to life, liberty and security of person, the right to the highest attainable standard of health, the right to just and favourable working conditions, the right to adequate food, housing and social security, the right to education and participation in the democratic process. Securing those rights for all would bring us closer to poverty eradication.

 

Human rights based approach to fighting poverty links poverty reduction to the question of obligation, rather than charity and compels policymakers to implement strategies helping the most vulnerable individuals and groups escape poverty and destitution.

 

Small exhibitions at VDIC on these occasions provide brief information on this topic.

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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 Poverty

 

For more comprehensive list, please contact nvu2@worldbank.org.

 

POV [Internet].Asian Development Bank (ADB). Poverty, Health, and Ecosystems: Experience from Asia. Asian Development Bank (ADB), 2008. Full text http://www.adb.org/Documents/Books/Poverty-Health-Ecosystems/

 

POV [Internet]. Son, Hyun H. Interrelationship between Growth, Inequality, and Poverty: The Asian Experience. Asian Development Bank, 2007. Full text http://www.adb.org/Documents/ERD/Working_Papers/wp096.pdf

 

POV [Internet]. UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo. Pro-Poor Macroeconomic Policy: Lessons from the Asia-Pacific Region: A Synthesis Paper based on country case studies on the macroeconomics of poverty reduction. UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo, 2008. Full text http://www.undprcc.lk/Publications/MDGI/Pro_poor_Macroeconomic_Polcies.pdf

 

POV 12. Fritzen, Scott.  Growth, inequality and the future of poverty reduction in Vietnam. Full text. http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/ppp/wp/wp16.pdf

 

POV 18. Coudouel, Aline.; Dani, Anis A.  (Anis Ahmad); Paternostro, Stefano.; World Bank. Poverty and social impact analysis of reforms: lessons and examples from implementation / edited by Aline Coudouel, Anis A. Dani, Stefano Paternostro. World Bank, 2006.

 

POV 19. Cornia, Giovanni Andrea. Inequality, growth, and poverty in an era of liberalization and globalization. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004.

 

POV-PDA 1. ActionAid Vietnam, Institute of Economics. Listening to people living in poverty. Hanoi: Agriculture Publishing House, 2004.

 

POV-PRS 13. Vu, Tuan Anh; Sakata, Shozo. Actors in poverty reduction in Vietnam. chiba, Japan: Institute of Developing Economies ; Japan external Trade Organization, 2006. Full text http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Publish/Books/Asedp/073.html

 

POV-PRS 14. UNESCAP. Income generation and poverty reduction: Experiences of some selected Asian countries. New York: UNESCAP, 2005. Full text http://www.unescap.org/pdd/publications/dp26/dp26_full.pdf

 

POV-PRS 19. Bedi, Tara (ed); Coudouel, Aline (ed). More than a pretty picture: using poverty maps to design better policies and interventions. The World Bank, 2007.

 

POV-PRS-V4. Weeks, John; Nguyen, Thang; Roy, Rathin; Lim, Joseph. Kinh tế vĩ mô của giảm nghèo: Nghiên cứu trường hợp Việt Nam: Tìm kiếm bình đẳng trong tăng trưởng. Hà Nội: UNDP, 2004. Full text http://www.undp.org.vn/undp/docs/2004/macroecon/equitygrowthv.pdf

 

POV-RUR-V [Internet]. Fujii, Tomoki ; Roland-Holst, David. How does Vietnam's accession to the World Trade Organization change the spatial incidence of poverty?. World Bank, 2008. Full text http://go.worldbank.org/DDR8XCCG70

 

POV-RUR-V9. Minot, Nicholas. Income diversification and poverty in the northern uplands of Vietnam / Nicholas Minot.   [et.al.]. Washington, D.C.: International food policy research Institute, 2006. Full text http://www.ifpri.org/pubs/abstract/rr145.asp

 

POV-URB-V1. Mac Duong. Nghèo đô thị và cuộc chiến chống đói nghèo ở thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Hà Nội, Việt Nam: Social Sciences Publishing House, 2004.

 

POV-URB-V3. Institute of Sociology. Impacts of existing residence registration policy on urban poverty alleviation: two case studies in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city. Hanoi, Vietnam: Institute of sociology, 2005.

 

POV-URB-V4. Nguyen, The Nghia; Mac Duong; Nguyen, Quang Vinh; Social Sciences Institute. Vấn đề giảm nghèo trong quá trình đô thị hóa ở thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Hà Nội, Việt Nam: Social Sciences Publishing House, 2001.

 

POV-V [Internet]. Nguyen, Q, Stewart, H. The analysis of poverty-environment linkages is very weak: The PRSP Process and Environment - the Case of Việt Nam = Phân tích những mối liên kết môi trường-nghèo đói còn rất yếu: Quá trình PRSP và môi trường - Trường hợp của Việt Nam. UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2005. Full text http://www.ids.ac.uk/ids/KNOTS/PDFs/PRSP_Vietnam_Country_Review-VT.pdf

 

POV-V4. Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences. Vietnam poverty update report 2006: Poverty and poverty reduction in Vietnam 1993-2004. Hanoi: The National Political Publishers, 2007. Full text http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTVIETNAM/Resources/vietnam_poverty_update_report_2006_final.pdf

 

POV-V4. Vietnamese Academy of Social Sciences; Viện Khoa học Xã hội Việt Nam. Báo cáo cập nhật nghèo 2006: Nghèo và giảm nghèo ở Việt Nam giai đoạn 1993-2004. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Chính trị Quốc gia, 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

 

 

ENV-BIO-V33. Pilgrim, John ; Nguyen, Duc Tu. Background paper on threatened and alien species in Vietnam and recommendations for the content of the Biodiversity Law: Report to the Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. BirdLife International in Indochina, 2007. Conservation report. 32. Full text http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/report_pdfs/report32.pdf and http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/report_pdfs/report32_App1.pdf

 

ENV-BIO-V33. Pilgrim, John ; Nguyễn, Đức Tú. Thông tin cơ sở về các loài đe dọa và các loài ngoại lai tại Việt Nam và các đề xuất cho nội dung của luật đa dạng sinh học. BirdLife International in Indochina, 2007. Conservation report. 32. Full text http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/report_pdfs/report33.pdf and http://www.birdlifeindochina.org/report_pdfs/report33_App1.pdf

 

SOC-CHI-V51. Central Youth Union. Youth Research Institute; Save the Children, UK. Report a community based survey on current situation of juvenile deliquency in Hanoi = Báo cáo kết quả khảo sát thực trạng tình hình trẻ em vi phạm pháp luật tại địa bàn thành phố Hà Nội. Project "Monitoring child's rights for children in conflict with law in Hanoi" = Dự án "Tăng cường thực hiện quyền trẻ em đối với nhóm trẻ em vi phạm pháp luật tại Hà Nội". Central Youth Union. Youth Research Institute; Save the Children, UK, 2007.

 

SOC-TRA-V4. Save the Children, UK; Central Coordinating Office to Combat Trafficking in Women and Children (130/CP). Report on assessing the return and reintegration of victims of cross-border trafficking = Báo cáo kết quả khảo sát tình hình nạn nhân bị buôn bán ra nước ngoài hồi hương trở về. Save the Children, UK, 2008.

 

SOC-TRA-V4. Tran, Minh Gioi; Hoang, Thi Huyen. Evaluation report = Báo cáo đánh giá cuối kỳ: Project on community-based initiatives against child trafficking in Dong Thap 2004-2008 = Dự án những sáng kiến cộng đồng chống buôn bán trẻ em tại Đồng Tháp 2004-2008. Save the Children, UK, 2008.

 

WAT-SUP-V17. Ngân hàng Thế giới. Tác động kinh tế của vệ sinh môi trường ở Việt Nam : Nghiên cứu thực hiện tại 5 quốc gia (Campuchia, Indonesia, Lào, Philippines, và Việt Nam) trong khuôn khổ Dự án Đánh giá Khía cạnh Kinh tế của Vệ sinh Môi trường (ESI). Ngân hàng Thế giới , 2008. Báo cáo nghiên cứu 2/2008. Full text http://www.wsp.org/UserFiles/file/529200894722_ESI_Long_Report_Vietnam.pdf

 

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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.

 

Innovation, Inclusion, and Integration: From Transition to Convergence in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union

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 KwaZulu-Natal

 

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Distance Learning Center Events in October 2008

 

For more information about our Distance Learning Center services, facilities and events, please visit http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=learningevents&op=viewDetailNews&id=311&&mid=330

 

GDLN Seminar Series on Timber Theft Prevention: Introduction to Security for Forest Managers (open for registration)

October 9 and 23, from 08:00 to 11:00 a.m.

 

This Seminar is organized by the World Bank in cooperation with AusAID and the World Bank-Netherlands Partnership Program via the Global Development Learning Network's videoconference facilities.  The Series will provide opportunity for the exchange of knowledge, sharing experiences, and a discussion of good practices and lessons learned in timber theft prevention. Participants from national governments, the private sector and civil society in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines and Vietnam will be able to update their understanding of how to prevent illegal logging through the use of industrial asset protection practices employed in many sectors around the world.

 

Blended Learning Course on International Financial Reporting Standards (by invitation only)

October 15 from 13:00 - 19:00 and October 16, from 14:00 to 20:00

 

The course is organized by the World Bank in partnership with the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW). The course aims to train the trainers of international financial reporting standards and will provide international certification of those trainers to disseminate this knowledge through the provision of training programs within their own countries. The course consists of 7 videoconference workshops through the Global Development Learning Network connecting 6 Asian countries, self-study using an interactive electronic learning package, remote tutor support, online forum, webinars or clinics to address participants' queries and concerns.

 

Regional Seminar Series on HIV-AIDS in the Transport Sector - Session 2 (open for registration)

October 22, 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.

 

Fiscal and Financial Policy Options for Clean Development

October 25, from 08:00 to 16:30 and October 26, from 08:00 to 11:40 a.m.

 

This biennial, one-and-a-half-day forum is co-organized by the Asia-Pacific and Development Center and the World Bank. Participants from national governments, the private sector and think tanks around the Asia Pacific region will meet with reputed experts from international organizations in Shanghai, China and possibly via videoconference facilities of the Global Development Learning Network Asia Pacific to share the existing knowledge in the design and implementation of fiscal and financial policies for clean development and further promote clean development strategies in the region. Key topics of the forum will include: (i) the roles of government and market mechanism in clean development, (ii) fiscal policies for clean development, (iii) financial sector policies for clean development, and (iv) regional cooperation in clean development. For further information about this forum, please contact Ms. Nguyen Dieu Nuong, email: nnguyen2@worldbank.org; tel.: 84 4 934 6600, ext. 706.

 

APO E-learning Course on ISO 22000 (by invitation only)

October 28 - 31, 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.

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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 Vietnam can be found at http://www.vdic.org.vn/?name=library&op=viewDetailNews&id=162&&mid=322&cmid=327.

 

List of World Bank’s projects in Vietnam and detail project information can be accessed at www.worldbank.org/vn >> select “Projects & Programs”.

 

Vietnam - Avian Influenza Emergency Recovery Project - Implementation Completion and Results Report

 

Ratings for the Avian Influenza Emergency Recovery Project for Vietnam were as follows: outcomes were satisfactory, the risk to development outcome was significant, the Bank performance was satisfactory, and the Borrower performance was also satisfactory. Some lessons learned included: Approval of procurement at the central level was often slow and caused implementation delays. Decentralization of approving authority would give the provinces more flexibility to tailor and implement their respective activities. This is especially important for emergency operations. Donor coordination to support the government program is critical. At the beginning of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) epidemic the lack of clear mechanisms between donors made it difficult to coordinate activities. This situation was improved significantly after the government took the central role in managing the crisis and encouraged the donor community to work together more effectively. Gains made under the project in equipping laboratories and in human resource capacity-building need to be complemented by improvement in the quality management of laboratory testing and field surveillance, data collection and analysis. This will ensure that diagnostic and surveillance results can be trusted to provide necessary information to decision makers. Commune-based disease surveillance and training provided at commune level require better monitoring to ensure the quality and appropriateness of the training contents. Flexibility is needed in responding to the evolving epidemiological situation of HPAI at the national, regional, and global level. As the HPAI epidemic continued at the same time as control and prevention measures were being developed, Vietnam had constantly to adjust its program without losing the opportunity to develop its medium- to long-term response capacity.

 

http://go.worldbank.org/H3G64KF970

 

Vietnam - Mekong Transport and Flood Protection Project : second order restructuring - Board Report

 

The second order restructuring of the Mekong Transport and Flood Protection Project of Vietnam seeks the approval of the Regional Vice President for amendments to the Development Credit Agreement (DCA) for: (i) financing the construction of additional bridges; (ii) a reallocation of Credit proceeds; and (iii) an extension of closing date to December 31, 2010. The reallocation will meet the financial needs of the project. The extension enables completion of the activities identified in the amendment and reallocation. The rationale for these modifications was discussed with the Borrower during the negotiations of the Additional Financing package. The amendments are consistent with the original development objectives and project design, do not require changes to the key performance indicators, and are expected to strengthen the associated outcomes.

 

http://go.worldbank.org/GP123N3NZ0

 

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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.

 

Grand Challenges Explorations Round 2: Encouraging unconventional global health solutions

 

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is now accepting grant proposals for Round 2 of Grand Challenges Explorations, a US$100 million initiative to encourage unconventional global health solutions. You may recall that we first announced this program at our Grand Challenges meeting in Cape Town last October.

 

We would appreciate it if you would share this information with colleagues around the world who may have bold and creative ideas for our second set of topics:

 

-- Create new vaccines for diarrhea, HIV, malaria, pneumonia, and tuberculosis

-- Create new tools to accelerate the eradication of malaria

-- Create new ways to protect against infectious diseases

-- Create drugs or delivery systems that limit the emergence of resistance

-- Create new ways to prevent or cure HIV infection

-- Explore the basis for latency in tuberculosis

 

Anyone can apply, regardless of education or experience level. Grant proposals are being accepted at http://www.gcgh.org/explorations until November 2, 2008. The website includes all the information needed to apply for a Grand Challenges Explorations grant.

 

The Grand Challenges website, http://www.gcgh.org, has also been updated as a dynamic portal for the entire initiative. It highlights the progress being made by the initial Grand Challenges projects.

 

Please don't hesitate to contact GCExplorations@gatesfoundation.org if you have any comments or questions.

 

Call for Papers Workshop on Gender Dimensions of Rural Employment

 

FAO, ILO and IFAD are pleased to announce the technical expert workshop on “Gaps, trends and current research in gender dimensions of agricultural and rural employment: differentiated pathways out of poverty”, which will be held in Rome in the week of 30 March – 3 April 2009 (duration three days - exact dates to be confirmed). It is increasingly recognized that rural employment is central to achieving equitable growth and poverty reduction but yet it offers different opportunities for, participation in and conditions of employment to men and women. This technical expert workshop thus aims to provide important follow up to the recent international policy discussions in terms of analyzing trends and issues, identifying knowledge gaps, and compiling innovative gender sensitive policy measures and good practices to strengthen rural labour markets. To this end, FAO, ILO and IFAD invite papers to address any of the following issues:

 

1) Analysis of gender inequalities as a factor influencing employment constraints and opportunities in rural areas of developing countries

 

2) Globalization and trends in rural employment

 

3) Measures to strengthen rural labour markets

 

4) Gender differences in rural occupations and off- and on-farm incomes

 

5) Implications and impacts of different types of institutional arrangements

 

6) Best practices and policy options

 

Please note that the deadline for submission of abstract is 15th October 2008.

 

For additional information and to download the Call for Papers please visit http://www.fao-ilo.org/news_ilo/detail/en/?no_cache=1&tx_tt
news%5Btt_news%5D=6980&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=3177&cHash=f827dac363
 

 

ASEAN Foundation Scholarship

 

The ASEAN Foundation, an initiative of the Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was established on 15 December 1997 to help bring about shared prosperity and a sustainable future for the peoples of all ASEAN countries that now include Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Viet Nam . It has been mandated to promote greater awareness of ASEAN and greater interaction among its peoples and their increased participation in ASEAN activities as well as to undertake development cooperation activities that enhance mutual assistance, address equitable economic development and reduce poverty. This scholarship programme is part of the ASEAN Foundation Scholarships for Postgraduate Studies and funded through the Japan-ASEAN Solidarity Fund.

 

Four (4) scholarship slots will be awarded under the project "Capacity building for Gender, Poverty and Mobility Analysis of Road Transportation Development in GMS Region". The remaining six (6) scholarships will be allocated for the various fields of study identified by ASEAN Foundation as indicated below.

 

Read more: http://cambodiajobs.blogspot.com/2007/12/asean-foundation-ait-scholarship.html  

 

Cool the Earth Contest

 

From August 4th-October 3rd 2008, with the aim of curbing global warming as much as possible and keeping the earth "cool", we are calling for ideas from around the world for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

 

Based on the innovative ideas we receive, prototype projects will be conducted in Japan to establish models for reducing emissions. The results of these projects will be reported to the global community in the hope that this will promote further innovation towards reducing CO2 emissions.

 

If you are interested, please contribute your ideas and support the world for reducing CO2 emissions! And we would appreciate your support by spreading the words out!

 

For more information and how to enter the contest, please visit our website. http://eco.goo.ne.jp/topics/cooltheearth2008/english/index.html  

 

Eiffel Scholarship for Master and PhD

 

The new Eiffel programme thus covers two types of course:

 

- Master’s postgraduate degree course

- Ten-month co-tutored or co-managed component (preferably second or third year) of PhD course

 

The objectives of the Eiffel excellence programme run by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs remain unchanged. The first is to offer French higher-education opportunities for future public- and private-sector decision-makers in three priority areas: science; economics & management; and law & political science. (The Eiffel programme does not address students seeking careers in teaching or research; other programmes are available for students in these situations.) The second objective is to reach students from emerging countries (with priority on Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and new members of the European Union), though the PhD scholarships also address students from industrialized countries.

 

The Eiffel programme helps French centres of higher education attract high-calibre overseas students. Only French centres may submit applications. If an application is successful, the centre is required to enrol the candidate on the stated course.

 

Eiffel grants cover the following subject areas:

 

- Engineering sciences for the Master’s course, and sciences in a broader sense for the PhD course (engineering sciences, exact sciences (mathematics, physics, chemistry) life sciences, nano- and bio-technologies, environment sciences, and information & communication sciences).

- Economics and management.

- Law and political science.

 

The schedule for the 2008 Eiffel programme is as follows:

 

- Application forms available online: September 2007

- Applications to be submitted by 11 January 2008

- Results announced in week beginning 24 March 2008

 

Information available on Égide website: www.egide.asso.fr/eiffel  

 

Fellowships - Echoing Green Foundation

 

Echoing Green awards two year fellowships to emerging social innovators. Fellowships are awarded to individuals with innovative ideas for creating new models for tackling seemingly unsolvable social challenges. These fellowships offer them the opportunity to develop and test their ideas. Fellows do not develop their ideas in an academic setting, but rather work in the community. They launch, manage, and grow organizations that implement and continually expand their ideas for creating lasting social change.

 

The fellowship includes a two-year, $60,000 stipend ($30,000 per year), health care benefits, online connectivity, access to foundation's network of social entrepreneurs, training, and technical assistance. Individuals who apply as partners (no more than two people) can apply for two fellowships combined for a total stipend of $90,000 over two years.

 

Deadline: December 1, 2008

 

For more information please visit http://www.echoinggreen.org

 

The Japan Foundation grant and fellowships programs for FY 2009

 

The Japan Foundation supports international and cultural exchange through diverse grant programs, fellowships, and other activities. Areas eligible for grants and fellowships includes: arts and cultural exchange, Japanese language education, Japanese studies and intellectual exchange, etc.

 

The Program Guidelines, which contains a list and descriptions of programs offered is now available on the website.

 

For detailed information on each program and for application forms, please contact the Japan Foundation office in Japan or in your country. If there is none in your country, contact the nearest Japanese diplomatic mission.

 

For more information please visit http://www.jpf.go.jp/e/about/program/

 

Belgian Bilateral Scholarships

 

Belgian Bilateral Scholarships - Announcement for 2009 Intake can be found in local newspapers such as: Thanh Nien daily, Tuoi Tre, Vietnam News and Le Courrier du Vietnam between 23rd and 30th September 2009.

 

The Belgian Bilateral Scholarships are funded by the Belgian Government through the Directorate General of Development Cooperation (DGDC) under the Federal Public Service of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation enable young professionals from Vietnam to pursue postgraduate studies in Belgium and gain new expertise for the benefit of their country.

 

For the academic year of 2009-2010, there will be 40 scholarships available for Vietnamese nationals who want to obtain Master of PhD degrees from the universities in Belgium. These training cours are instructed either in French or in English.

 

The Programme encourages applications from all provinces and regions of Vietnam, from public institutions, civil society, NGOs and the private sector. Women and candidates coming from remote areas are strongly encouraged.

 

Application for 2009 intake opens on 1 October 2008 and closes on 5 January 2009 (before 17h00).

 

In order to obtain application forms and detailed information, you are kindly invited to visit the following web sites: www.diplomatie.be/hanoi (Services Cooperation Scholarships) and/or www2.btcctb.org/vietnam   

 

Canadian Francophone Scholarship Program - 2009

 

This scholarship program is funded by Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

 

Deadline: 30 October 2008

 

For more information please visit www.boursesfrancophonie.ca

 

Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) in Viet Nam - the 2009 Competition

 

The Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP) was launched by the  Ford Foundation in 2000 to provide opportunities for advanced study to  exceptional individuals who will use this education to become leaders in their  respective fields, furthering development in their own countries and greater  economic and social justice worldwide. Since the program's first selections in  2001, over 3,300 Fellows have been selected from over 60,000 applications.

 

To ensure that Fellows are drawn from diverse backgrounds, IFP actively seeks candidates from social groups and communities that lack systematic access to  higher education. IFP's New York-based secretariat collaborates closely with  partner organizations in 22 countries and territories highlighted on the map  below. These groups supervise all recruitment and selection activities, and help  ensure that the program's goals and implementation are grounded in local  realities and reflect local needs.

 

Applicants may choose to pursue an academic discipline or field of study related to one of the following Ford Foundation program areas:

 

- Environment & Development

- Social Sciences & Humanities

- Health

- Arts & Culture

- Education

- Governance & Civil Society

- Media

- Community Development

- Development Finance & Economic Security

 

Read the latest IFP publication featuring alumni and program update, September 2007 http://www.fordifp.net/Files/Alumni%20Newsletter%20Sept-07.pdf  

 

For more information please visit http://www.fordifp.net/ and http://ceevn.acls.org/ceevn/ifpinfo.htm  

 

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