Filling the gap : a learning network for health and human rights in the Western Cape, South Africa

We draw on the experience of a Learning Network for Health and Human Rights (LN) involving collaboration between academic institutions and civil society organizations in the Western Cape, South Africa, aimed at identifying and disseminating best practice related to the right to health. The LN’s work in materials development, participatory research, training and capacity-building for action, and advocacy for intervention illustrates important lessons for human rights practice. These include (i) the importance of active translation of knowledge and awareness into action for rights to be made real; (ii) the potential tension arising from civil society action, which might relieve the state of its obligations by delivering services that should be the state’s responsibility—and hence the importance of emphasizing civil society’s role in holding services accountable in terms of the right to health; (iii) the role of civil society organizations in filling a gap related to obligations to promote rights; (iv) the critical importance of networking and solidarity for building civil society capacity to act for health rights. Evidence from evaluation of the LN is presented to support the argument that civil society can play a key role in bridging a gap between formal state commitment to creating a human rights culture and realizing services and policies that enable the most vulnerable members of society to advance their health. Through access to information and the creation of spaces, both for participation and as a safe environment in which learning can be turned into practice, the agency of those most affected by rights violations can be redressed. We argue that civil society agency is critical to such action

Production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil using ultrasonic tubular reactor

The aim of study is to produce the synthesis of biodiesel from waste cooking oil (WCO) using ultrasonic tubular reactor at laboratory scale. The experiment was used to determine the effect of ester contents by reaction time, molar ratio of WCO to Methanol (MeOH), amount of catalyst, frequency of ultrasonic and ultrasonic output power using ultrasonic tubular reactor. Based on the optimum process by ultrasonic tubular reactor, a comparisons study of three different processes (ultrasonic tubular reactor, conventional ultrasonic cleaner and mechanical stirring) were also investigated. The optimum results of biodiesel process using ultrasonic tubular reactor are the reaction time of 5 minute, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) catalyst 1%wt of WCO, molar ratio WCO to MeOH of 1:6, frequency ultrasonic of 20 KHz and ultrasonic output power of 650 Watt. The reaction time was reduced to 12-24 times (minute) compare to mechanical stirring and the ester contents was obtained at 96.54%wt. The ternary phase diagram ultrasonic tubular reactor was to find out the liquid liquid-equilibrium base on WCO- Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) -MeOH. The results show that by increasing the residence time of the whole reactant system within the two-phase zone is good for the reaction transesterification on ultrasonic tubular reactor. The semi continuous ultrasonic tubular reactor for biodiesel process of WCO gave conversion of WCO to FAME of 98%wt with flow rate of 5.56 ml/s. Meanwhile, the pilot plan of biodiesel facilities using mechanical stirring method (capacity of 100 kg WCO/batch) was designed and the transfer knowledge about biodiesel process was a success between the university with industry in Batu Pahat