An interesting article, ‘Five Smart Ways to Rebuild Haiti’, in The Christian Science Monitor by Maguire and Muggah argues that empowerment of Haitian government and institutions is vital in the process of reconstruction.
‘Where Does My Money Go?’ is the exciting new website which breaks down UK government budget expenditure into clear and accessible sections, so that the figures are easily comparable. Launched in autumn 2009, the project makes data ‘manageable by representing them visually’.
On February 4 and 5, 2010, eleven organizations from around the world (see the list below) came together in snowy Washington D.C. to discuss “The Six Questions Campaign”.
In the last year governments including that of the UK and US have made growing amounts of data available to the public. Although the intention behind increased transparency is hugely positive, there is still a vital step to be addressed if this information can be made appropriately accessible.
The confirmation hearing of Georgieva, new EU humanitarian affairs commissioner and former World Bank vice-president, took place at the European Parliament on 4th February, where she answered questions on her suitability for the international cooperation, humanitarian aid and crisis response portfolio. Georgieva identified Haiti as a priority, especially the need to provide shelter and health services and to restore the functions and service of the government, so as to start work on reconstruction and long-term development.
