| The Global Poverty Project |
Founded September, 2008.
1.4 billion people on our planet live in extreme poverty. The Global Poverty Project's mission is to increase the number and effectiveness of people taking action to see an end to extreme poverty.
We have developed 1.4 Billion Reasons, a simple yet ground-breaking presentation, that is travelling the world, inspiring and empowering audiences in its path. Based on leading research, the 90 minute presentation clearly articulates the facts of extreme poverty and demonstrates that by making simple changes everyone can be a part of the solution. |
Tactical Tech's toolkits are designed to meet the needs of not-for-profit groups such as NGOs, human rights advocates, independent journalists and community associations. Each toolkit is complied by a team of international experts and is then rigorously peer-reviewed by an editorial team – with the needs of not-for-profit organisations and human rights advocates prioritised at all times.
Available free of charge:
Mobiles in-a-box: Designed to support campaigners looking to use mobile technology in their work.
Message in-a-box: A set of strategic guides and tools to help non-profits create media and communicate for social change.
Security in-a-box: Created to meet the digital security and privacy needs of advocates and human rights defenders. Soon in Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish
Base NGO in-a-box: A collection of tools for the day-to-day running of small to medium sized NGOs.
Currently being updated and translated into a number of languages. |
|
|
|
Yes they can! says Hans Rosling about low and middle income countries that,
with economic and health progress, are catching up with high income countries
– countries we used to call the western world. |
International Development |
Non-governmental organization (NGO) is a term that has become widely accepted as referring to a legally constituted, non-governmental organization created by natural or legal persons with no participation or representation of any government. In the cases in which NGOs are funded totally or partially by governments, the NGO maintains its non-governmental status and excludes government representatives from membership in the organization. Unlike the term intergovernmental organization, "non-governmental organization" is a term in general use but is not a legal definition. In many jurisdictions these types of organization are defined as "civil society organizations" or referred to by other names.
Civil society is composed of the totality of voluntary civic and social organizations and institutions that form the basis of a functioning society as opposed to the force-backed structures of a state (regardless of that state's political system) and commercial institutions of the market.
An intergovernmental organization, sometimes rendered as an international governmental organization and both abbreviated as IGO, is an organization comprised primarily of sovereign states (referred to as member states), or of other intergovernmental organizations. Intergovernmental organizations are often called international organizations, although that term may also include international non-governmental organization such as international non-profit organizations (NGOs) or multinational corporations.
Intergovernmental organizations are an important aspect of public international law. IGOs are established by treaty that acts as a charter creating the group. Treaties are formed when lawful representatives (governments) of several states go through a ratification process, providing the IGO with an international legal personality. |
 |
Image: Living Water International |
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development – the development of greater quality of life for humans, (i.e developed healthcare means longer life which is greater quality of life). It therefore encompasses foreign aid, governance, healthcare, education, gender equality, disaster preparedness, infrastructure, economics, human rights, environment and issues associated with these. International Development is different from simple development in that it is specifically composed of institutions and policies that arose after the Second World War. These institutions focus on alleviating poverty and improving living conditions in Third World decolonized countries.
International development is related to the concept of international aid, but is distinct from, though conceptually related to, disaster relief and humanitarian aid. While these two forms of international support seek to alleviate some of the problems associated with a lack of development, they are most often short term fixes - they are not necessarily long-term solutions. International development, on the other hand, seeks to implement long-term solutions to problems by helping developing countries create the necessary capacity needed to provide such sustainable solutions to their problems. A truly sustainable development project is one which will be able to carry on indefinitely with no further international involvement or support, whether it be financial or otherwise.
International development projects may consist of a single, transformative project to address a specific problem or a series of projects targeted at several aspects of society. Promoted projects are ones which involve problem solving that reflects the unique culture, politics, geography, and economy of a region. More recently, the focus in this field has been projects that aim towards empowering women, building local economies, and caring for the environment. |
The Colour Red and International Development |
 |
| Haiti earthquake: Red Cross Red Crescent response, January 21, 2010. Photo: Noora Kero/IFRC |
Ever since the founding in Switzerland in 1863 of the first international voluntary relief organization, The Red Cross by Henry Dunant, the colour red has became the most recognized colour for international development, aid and relief. Red is the color of emergency.
Today, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has became an international humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure respect for all human beings, and to prevent and alleviate human suffering, without any discrimination based on nationality, race, sex, religious beliefs, class or political opinions. |
 |
The Red Cross emblem was officially approved in Geneva in 1863.
The Red Cross flag is not to be confused with the St George's Cross which is on the flag of England, Barcelona, Freiburg, and several other places. In order to avoid this confusion the protected symbol is sometimes referred to as the "Greek Red Cross"; that term is also used in United States law to describe the Red Cross. The red cross of the St George cross extends to the edge of the flag, whereas the red cross on the Red Cross flag does not.
The Red Cross flag is often confused with the Flag of Switzerland which is the opposite of it. In 1906, to put an end to the argument of Turkey that the flag took its roots from Christianity, it was decided to promote officially the idea that the Red Cross flag had been formed by reversing the federal colours of Switzerland, although no clear evidence of this origin had ever been found. |
 |
The Red Crescent emblem was first used by ICRC volunteers during the armed conflict between the Ottoman Empire and Russia (1877–1878). The symbol was officially adopted in 1929, and so far 33 Islamic states have recognized it. |
 |
On December 8, 2005, partly in response to growing pressure to accommodate Magen David Adom as a full member of the Red Cross and Red Crescent movement, a new emblem (officially the Third Protocol Emblem, but more commonly known as the Red Crystal) was adopted by an amendment of the Geneva Conventions known as Protocol III. |
| Other major organizations known for using red as a symbol of international development and emergency are the UN World Food Programme with the Red Cup and (RED)™ created by Bono and Bobby Shriver. |
| World Food Programme (WFP) |
 |
WFP is the food aid arm of the United Nations system. Food aid is one of the many instruments that can help to promote food security, which is defined as access of all people at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. The policies governing the use of World Food Programme food aid must be oriented towards the objective of eradicating hunger and poverty. The ultimate objective of food aid should be the elimination of the need for food aid. |
 |
(RED) is a simple idea that transforms our collective power as shoppers into a financial force that helps those affected by AIDS in Africa. (RED) has teamed up with the world's most iconic brands to produce (PRODUCT)RED branded products. A portion of profits from each (PRODUCT)RED item sold goes directly to the Global Fund to invest in African AIDS programs. To date, more than $180 million has been generated and over 7.5 million people have been helped through Global Fund programs that (RED) supports. |
|
|
|
| international development
