Unlocking the Doors Feminist Insights for Inclusion in Governance, Peace and Security

This is the third primer in the series. It analyses the successes and gaps in women's movements' approaches to the intersections between governance and the security complex. These insights are based on AWDF's analysis of some of the major challenges confronting movement building in the areas of governance, peace and security. With these primers, our objective is to re position feminist politics as a fundamental expression of accountability to our cause and constituencies, and to provide an opportunity for advancing individual and collective learning

Lessons from MENA: appraising EU transfers of military and security equipment to the Middle East and North Africa: a contribution to the review of the EU common position

This publication analyses EU arms exports to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), in recent years both from an overarching perspective as well as detailing specific transfers. While the particular timing and nature of the Arab Spring itself could not be predicted, the potential for trouble at some point and the responding State repression could hardly be a surprise given the nature of these authoritarian regimes. While civil society over the years has questioned a number of arms sales to undemocratic regimes with a history of violating human rights, the Arab Spring appeared to be a necessary condition for EU governments to recognise that the implementation of their export control policies had failed on numerous occasions. This analysis probes the level of caution EU exporting authorities demonstrated. The aim is to identify patterns of poor decision-making on arms exports where they exist, to consider why such patterns exist and to suggest remedies. Demands for socio-economic improvements as well as civil liberties, as they emerged in numerous Arab countries over the past year, are not likely to die soon, nor are these demands constrained to the Arab world

Trade integration as a way forward for the Arab world : a regional agenda

The current political turmoil for more open and participative societies in many Arab countries coupled with the emergence of new growth poles around the world could create the conditions for a big push toward greater regional and global trade integration of the Arab world. Further integrating Arab countries among themselves and opening up the region to the rest of the world are two complementary avenues to improve market access, promote behind-the-border regulatory reforms, facilitate cooperation on regional public goods, foster the emergence of an"Arab factory"through regional supply chains and productions networks, and eventually create the conditions for more and better paid jobs for the growing Arab workforce. A more ambitious trade agenda in the context of the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area would be a good place to start. Although difficult and challenging, and requiring a good dosage of flexibility and variable geometry, such an agenda would consist of (1) completing the free movement of goods within the Pan-Arab Free Trade Area, notably through the elimination of unnecessary non-tariff barriers; (2) implementing a regional initiative to liberalize services trade, including identifying a number of pilot service sectors for early regional liberalization; and (3) strengthening the rules and discipline applicable to regional trade and other policies of common interest.Free Trade,Trade Law,Emerging Markets,Trade and Regional Integration,Trade Policy

The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Telecommunications Industry : An Overview of the Case of "Orange Tunisie" Operator

The aim of this paper is to present new orientations for research in the field of information systems in the context of CSR. It offers an original conceptual analysis that integrates the CSR approach, which enables decision making, governance and strategic alignment of the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), business and sustainability. In the actual context of the changing environment, a consensus regarding the need to change the pattern of development and growth comes to light. The CSR emerges as a new paradigm for economics. Its alliance with other economic concepts seems to become a necessity that aims at an approach for a global and sustainable performance for the company. As long as the firms’ IT departments are energy consumers, it is of paramount importance to reconcile the new technologies and the CSR. Hence, in order for the company to stand out and increase its competitiveness, it has to think in terms of global, economic, social and environmental performance that would ensure a sustainable growth. The importance of the small and medium-sized enterprises in the Maghreb’s economies and the challenges of the CSR implementation in such institutions should prompt us to wonder about the incentives and the engagement factors of managers in favor of the CSR while incorporating the ICT. It seems interesting, then, to discover the way to combine the ICT and the social practices, in order to ensure a sustainable performance for the company. An illustration of the case of "Orange Tunisie" operator will be advanced

Nexo TIC-finanzas-crecimiento: hallazgos empíricos de los países de los Próximos 11

This study assesses the causal relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) penetration, financial development, and economic growth in Next-11 countries between 1961 and 2012. A panel vector auto-regressive (VAR) model is used to detect the direction of causality between ICT, financial sector development and economic growth for these countries. The results reveal that there is Granger-causality among the variables both in the short run and in the long run, although the exact nature of the results varies by the ICT penetration indicators for the sample countries. Empirical results from this study provide valuable insights on policies pertaining to ICT penetration, financial sector development and economic growthEl presente estudio evalúa la relación causal entre la penetración de las tecnologías de la información y comunicación (TIC), el desarrollo financiero y el crecimiento económico en los Próximos 11 entre 1961 y 2012. Se utilizó un modelo de panel de vectores autorregresivos países para detectar la dirección de causalidad entre las TIC, el desarrollo del sector financiero y el crecimiento económico para estos países. Los resultados revelan que existe una causalidad de Granger entre las variables tanto a corto como a medio plazo, si bien la naturaleza exacta de los hallazgos varía conforme a los indicadores de penetración de las TIC para los países dela muestra. Los resultados empíricos de este estudio suponen una valiosa perspectiva a cerca de las políticas de penetración de las TIC, el desarrollo del sector financiero y el crecimiento económic

Working Paper 125 - China and Africa: An Emerging Partnership for Development? - An Overview of Issues

China’s phenomenal growth offers an opportunity to boost development in African countries. Moreover, China’s loans and concessional assistance financed a wide range of development projects. China also is reaping significant benefits from this relationship, through access to raw materials, expanded markets for exports of manufactures, the establishment of investment relationships which could generate significant profits over time and diplomatic influence. But leadership from African governments, particularly to strengthen domestic policies and governance and to harmonize regional policies so as to improve the continent’s bargaining position with China, are required to ensure that the China-Africa relationship contributes to sustainable growth and poverty reduction. The twin goals of this paper are to summarizes the analysis on the economic exchange between China and Africa, and to outline policy recommendations to improve the benefits to both parties.

Industrial Realities in Nigeria: From Bad to Worse

This paper assesses the industrial performance and capabilities of Nigeria over the last decade. It explores Nigeria's export and production capacity, growth, structure and technological upgrading and compares it to other Sub-Saharan countries. Evidence shows that Nigerian industry is inexorably falling behind and becoming increasingly marginalized in the international and regional industrial scene. Total manufacturing value added and manufactured exports have significantly declined and there has been a technological downgrading of Nigeria's traditional manufacturing sectors. Moreover, increased dependency on oil extraction puts a serious threat to Nigeria's industrial competitive future. Severe flaws in the education system, technological stagnation of domestic companies, lack of foreign investment in manufacturing, negligible technology transfer and weak ICT infrastructure constitute significant factors for failure. Further analysis should however include other factors not explored in this exercise, including macro-economic and fiscal policies, governance and the regulatory and business environment.

Funding Resources for Women's Rights Organizations in the Middle East and North Africa

This directory of funders was compiled by AWID and the GFW, as a resource guide for women's rights organizations in the Middle East and North Africa. Please note that it is not a complete list, but a work in progress. Please note that by publishing this information AWID and GFW are not endorsing any of these as possible funders, but simply sharing information. The directory includes organizations that have confirmed their information and given permission to be included. If you have any changes to your organization's listing or any recommended additions, please contact Zawadi Nyong'o at [email protected]. The directory will be available for download on the AWID website at www.awid.org. Please feel free to disseminate this information widely with your partners in your country or region