“The government's commitment to spend 0.7% of gross national income on aid is welcome and will ensure that the UK continues to be a world leader in fighting global poverty.

“However it’s disappointing that the promise to enshrine 0.7% in law has not yet been honoured. This is a missed opportunity to signal to the world that Britain shall not waver in its commitment to support the world’s poorest people.

“We’d like to see legislation that takes the politics out of aid budgets and ensures that spending is based on long-term, sustainable objectives and hard evidence of what works best.”

VSO supports legislation on 0.7% for two key reasons:

Legislation will make Aid More Effective

Legislation means that aid spending can be better planned, based on evidence of what is needed and what works. It reduces the extent to which political considerations influence aid spending decisions.

Binding commitments also help to avert the negative consequences of unforeseen cuts in aid budgets. A fluctuating aid budget introduces more uncertainty for recipient countries and prevents them from planning effectively.  Research by the Overseas Development Institute found that poor information on aid flows means that governments in developing countries frequently have to make decision on the basis of "partial, inaccurate and unreliable information"(1).

Legislation committing governments to a particular level of spending on overseas development assistance is important, therefore, for the long term health and sustainability of the economies of developing countries.

Legislation demonstrates our international leadership

As Governments around the world move to cut their aid budgets, the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development has pledged not to "balance the books on the back of the world's poorest people". The endorsement of a binding commitment on aid at this time by MPs and members of the House of Lords would send out a powerful and clear message that the UK will hold fast to its commitments and not seek to reverse the progress that has been made in developing countries over the last generation. 

ENDS

VSO has teamed up with the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives and the Malawian Initiative for National Development (MIND) to support health workers in Malawi as part of the Government’s Health Partnership scheme, launched by the Secretary of State, Andrew Mitchell, yesterday, Tuesday 8 May.

Over the next three years experienced nurses and midwives from the UK will volunteer in Malawi and pass on their skills to health workers in the country, helping to save the lives of thousands of people.

Malawi needs improved nurse training and management of health services to tackle its high maternal mortality rate of 510 deaths per 100,000 births. (1) Each year mothers and children are dying of preventable conditions because they are not getting the right care in under-staffed and ill-equipped hospitals. 

Jon Rosser, Interim Director of VSO UK, said:

“VSO is delighted to be working with THET and the Royal Colleges as part of the Health Partnership Programme, and we are grateful for this funding which will help us tackle urgent challenges in the health care system in Malawi.

“Too many women and children who live in developing countries are dying from preventable conditions or complications which could have been prevented. People who volunteer on the Health Partnership Programme will save the lives of countless mums and babies and leave a lasting legacy in Malawi.

 “In addition to contributing to the improvement of health care in Malawi, we are working closely with the royal colleges to ensure that while volunteering, health professionals also develop their career skills and therefore use the experience to continue to improve health care in the UK.”

Speaking at the Royal College of Midwives to mark International Day of the Midwife, International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said:

“British nurses, midwives and medical teams are among the best in the world. The Health Partnership Scheme allows us to harness their expertise to help give developing countries the skills needed to improve the health of some of the world’s poorest people.”

"It is an international scandal that one thousand women die every day in pregnancy or childbirth and tackling the tragic scale of maternal and child deaths is a key priority for the British Government.”

Jane Cockerell, Chief Executive at THET said:

“We are delighted by the quality and range of these Health Partnership Scheme grants and look forward to supporting the UK and developing country partners in their delivery of effective, sustainable health workforce training and development projects”

Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing said:

“Volunteering in countries like Malawi allows UK-based nurses and midwives to enrich the health system there, and here when they return. Volunteers offer their clinical skills which are desperately needed, and they can leave a legacy of improvement in the local skill level and the way healthcare is organised.

“Nurse volunteers have enriching experiences, and return with new skills, knowledge and ability to develop others. So it’s crucial that nurses are supported to volunteer, without feeling their career will suffer.  The RCN is delighted to extend its commitment to this through this scheme.”

Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the Royal College of Midwives, said:

“This is a wonderful project to be announcing. I am delighted that the RCM has received this funding to strengthen our sister associations and  give the opportunity to many UK midwives who want to give something back to midwifery.

“However, it is not a one-way street because we in the UK will also have a lot to learn from our colleagues overseas, who often have to deliver care in very difficult circumstances. This project is about learning and sharing experiences and practice to make a difference there and here and bring back a different perspective to midwifery in the UK.”

Charles Chingwalu, MIND Programme Manager, said:

"Volunteering is a key developmental model to achieveing an improvement in maternal and child health and building north-south global partnerships that generate and share significant skills and learning."

ENDS 

The UNV-VSO partnership aims to increase the positive impact that volunteering can have on empowering marginalised communities. It will build partnerships at the country level to support research, promote volunteering and help undertake advocacy to create enabling legislation for volunteerism. By sharing knowledge, the two organisations aim to build good practice in volunteering, promote innovation and amplify the voice of volunteers and grassroots organisations in decision-making about development.

UNV and VSO are concerned that the very people that development aims to support are often far removed from decision-making about poverty reduction. By working together, the organisations hope to help put the voice of marginalised communities at the heart of development, from grassroots to international levels. VSO works in over 30 countries with local partners to support the work of over 250,000 local volunteers, in addition to international volunteers sharing their skills.

Andrew Mitchell, UK Secretary of State for Development, will give the keynote speech at an event today to celebrate the new partnership. An expert panel will then examine the vital role that volunteering can play in promoting active citizenship and people-centred development. This debate is critical at a time when the world is grappling with questions about how to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and is debating what the future international framework for effective development should look like.

Both UNV and VSO believe that the needs and aspirations of marginalised people themselves need to be the starting point for international efforts to reduce poverty, and that fostering citizen action on the issues through volunteering is a key engine for change.

Marg Mayne, VSO Chief Executive, said:

"This new partnership is very exciting. It will help promote and strengthen volunteering for development, increasing the participation and engagement of marginalised communities in decisions which affect their lives. With over 50 years of experience in this area, we know how active citizenship can help ensure that poor and marginalised people take ownership of development and make it work for them.

"The result is development that is truly people-driven, locally owned and sustainable. As we grapple with development approaches in the run-up to 2015 and beyond, it's important that the role of voluntary action is fully appreciated and harnessed.

"Volunteering is much more than a cost-effective and sustainable way to deliver services. It brings people together to drive meaningful changes in society and shape debates and decisions that have a profound impact on their lives."

Flavia Pansieri, Executive Coordinator of UNV, states:

"This partnership agreement gives formal acknowledgement of our strong, long-term working relationship with VSO and provides a framework for collaborative work on global advocacy and research on volunteerism for development and peace. It also provides a practical on the ground collaboration in developing countries."

UNV will launch in the UK the first State of the World's Volunteerism Report (SWVR), which promotes a better understanding of civic engagement by demonstrating its universality, scope and reach and by discussing new trends in volunteerism in the twenty-first century. The report examines important contributions in diverse fields such as sustainable livelihoods, social inclusion, social cohesion and disaster risk reduction. The SWVR also provides an alternative vision of a better society and considers how to take volunteerism forward.

The event, Framing the future of development: putting people first, takes place at the Royal Society's Kohn Centre, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, from 2-5pm on 18 April.

The line-up of speakers includes:

Keynote speech by the Secretary of State for Development, Andrew Mitchell; Marg Mayne – Chief Executive, VSO; Flavia Pansieri – Executive Coordinator, UNV; Roy Trivedy – Head of Civil Society Dept, DFID; Justin Davis Smith – Chief Executive, Volunteering England; Danny Burns – Team Leader Participation, Power and Social Change team, IDS.

Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, said:
"The International Citizen Service pilot scheme has already given over 1000 young people from the UK the chance to directly contribute to tackling poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries. I am delighted to announce that we are extending this opportunity, providing a further 7000 placements over the next three years. This will give many more young people who might otherwise not be able to afford it the chance of a life-changing experience. They will gain new perspectives, greater confidence and higher aspirations. They will also make a real difference to the lives of people in developing countries."

ICS pairs small groups of UK volunteers aged 18-25 with young people from a developing country. Volunteers will do pre-departure fundraising towards their placement, engaging them in community action before they leave the UK.  Together, UK and in-country volunteers will work on a development project, live together and share experiences and insights. The UK volunteers are drawn from across the country and from a wide range of backgrounds. The projects they work on overseas are suggested by local people, addressing the needs of the community. Some of the countries volunteers will be working in include: Ethiopia; Burkina Faso; Bangladesh and El Salvador, demonstrating a commitment to poverty fighting across the globe.

The government believes the investment will deliver three key outcomes: to have a real and lasting development impact on sustainable development projects; to help the volunteers, both those from the UK and from developing countries learn key life-skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication and project planning; and to instil in these volunteers a life-long commitment to development, becoming active citizens, engaged in their communities and tackling the causes of poverty.

 The scheme was preceded by a pilot phase, in which over a thousand UK volunteers took part. Initial findings show there is ‘clear evidence of profound and positive impacts’. Analysis from March – December 2011 shows:

• 576 UK volunteers worked with 557 national volunteers on 204 programmes in 27 countries.
• Over 214,933direct beneficiaries and 976,853 indirect beneficiaries were reported.

Examples of the kinds of activities demonstrating development impact taking place overseas include:

• Working with local young people, to start the first school club for disabled and vulnerable children in southern Ethiopia;
• Working with a local organisation in La Paz, Bolivia, to establish ‘Ludotecas’ –creative schools –giving 120 young people aged 5 – 18 a place to meet, learn and find support on prevalent local issues such as gang crime, alcohol abuse and finding a career.
• Organising over 800 young people in Kenya to spread the word on how to reduce the rate of HIV/AIDS, by creating and promoting a network of informative, interactive ‘Community Action’ days in schools
• Running a major research project which uncovered a range of problems in hospitals in Freetown, Sierra Leone.  One of the volunteers who conducted the research were invited to present their ground breaking findings at the Global Health Conference in Montréal last November.

ICS works through established and respected UK volunteering organisations to send volunteers overseas and to support them while they are there.  VSO, the lead agency among this group has a long history of working with young people in developing countries to implement poverty-reduction programmes. The other agencies are: Restless Development, International Service, Progressio, Raleigh International and Tearfund.   ICS also works in partnership with Catch 22, and Islamic Relief to recruit and support volunteers in the UK and with the Red Cross to support young people in developing countries to continue their fight against poverty beyond the ICS programme itself. 

The scheme is also closely linked with the National Citizen Service which last year saw over 8000 young people using their summer holidays to work together to create social action projects in their local communities. This will rise up to 30,000 16 year-olds this year with many of the projects carrying on well beyond the end of the NCS programme.

Brian Rockliffe, Director of ICS, said:

“We are very excited at the launch of the ICS programme. ICS will focus on young people because they hold our future in their hands; they are disproportionately the victims of poverty and they also have the greatest potential to tackle the causes of poverty. The ICS programme will develop thousands of active global citizens, both in the UK and in developing countries who know the power of community-based volunteering and will build on that learning throughout their lives. This dynamic global network of young, motivated individuals will continue to effect positive change in their communities and make a lasting, valuable contribution to international development and the fight against poverty “

UN Women has been operational for just over a year, and in that time achieved considerable success in making a difference to women's lives in 80 countries, despite a $287m shortfall in funding in 2011.

During 2011, VSO ran the high profile “Godmothers” campaign to push the UK Government to make an ambitious financial commitment to the new agency.

VSO UK Director Brian Rockliffe said: “As we approach International Women’s Day the vast inequality which still exists across the world for women in 2012 highlights the need for UN Women’s important work. There have been considerable successes in the first year supporting female political candidates with training in 23 countries and encouraging over 250 business leaders to improve working conditions for women.

“However, despite the achievements of UN Women, many donor countries' contributions have been inadequate and some have failed to meet their initial pledges. As a result, UN Women has had to scale back and reduce its funding targets for next year. While the UK has met its pledge, it should continue to pressure other countries to commit to decent funding if women’s lives are to improve.”

Donor countries fail to adequately fund UN Women

In 2011, only $213m was raised despite a target of $500m being set. By 31 December 2011, 114 governments had pledged voluntary contributions, ranging from $100 (Iraq), to $26 million (Spain). In its first year only 55 out of 80 country offices have the minimum number of staff UN Women needs to make a difference. Due to the global economic crisis, UN Women has had to scale back its ambitions and for 2012/13 its funding target has reduced from $900m to $700m. This compares to a budget of over $3bn for UNICEF.

In 2010, DFID acknowledged that UN Women’s predecessor, UNIFEM, had been held back due to “constrained resources”(1). This came on a background of historic underfunding of gender issues in the UN and from other international donors. In 2011, the UK announced its commitment of £20 million over two years to UN Women, which made it the second largest donor to the agency. We continue to commend DFID’s commitment to “lead international action for women and girls”; this must translate into sustained international commitment to co-ordinated action.

New agency empowers women in its first year

In the 80 countries where the agency is working, UN Women has been involved in increasing women’s political participation, advancing women’s economic empowerment, ending violence against women and girls, expanding the role of women in peace-building and increasing co-ordination across the UN.

Highlights include establishing the Egyptian Women’s Union following the overthrow of the Mubarak regime, supporting 176 new policies and laws to advance gender equality in 50 countries and training for female political candidates in 23 countries which has led to an increase in female representation in local or national institutions.

As a member of UN Women’s Executive Board, the UK Government has a critical role to play in ensuring the success of the agency. This means both persuading other donors to contribute more to the agency and also reviewing its own funding of UN Women in light of the constrained resources available to it and its impact so far.

Despite policies having been put in place to address youth issues, the current situation remains dire for young people in the country. Seventy per cent of the country’s youth population is unemployed or underemployed and 50 per cent illiterate or unskilled, according to UN figures (1). Tensions erupted in September last year in Bo, Sierra Leone’s second largest city in the south of the country, where a political rally turned into a riot and young people reportedly ransacked some parts of the town.

The UN has recognised that ‘large numbers of unemployed youths are a potential source of insecurity given their vulnerability to recruitment into criminal and violent activities’ (2).

VSO is working with local partners in Sierra Leone to help provide young people with the skills they need to secure a decent livelihood for themselves. But without a development focus on creating decent jobs and ensuring people have the skills to do them, there are concerns that the conditions for instability could be being created all over again.

William Dauda, Livelihoods Programme manager for VSO in Sierra Leone, said:

“Huge numbers of young people in Sierra Leone lack job opportunities, skills for employment or capital to start a business.

“Young people are a potential resource for growth and social development if productively employed. But they could also be a source of devastating social tension, conflict and instability if they are left jobless and without hope.

“In the north where we work, hundreds of job-seeking young people have moved to the area from other parts of the country, most lacking the skills and education to secure gainful employment. Many have stayed for months with no work. They are frustrated and with elections scheduled for November 2012, there are some concerns that this frustration could spill over into unrest.”

A UNDP District Based Youth study in May 2011 highlighted youth employment challenges in five districts in Sierra Leone. The study revealed that most young people in Sierra Leone do not have a basic livelihood or employable skills and further lack the knowledge, training and capital to start up or sustainably manage a business.

The situation is not unique to Sierra Leone. Over 75 million young people were unemployed worldwide at the end of 2010, according to figures from the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Many more in developing countries are underemployed “working poor”, forced to take whatever poorly-paid work they can get and subsisting below the poverty line of $2 per day. VSO is calling on world leaders to take urgent action on jobs in developing countries, placing decent work at the heart of efforts to spur global economic recovery and eradicate poverty.

Lisa Horner, Policy Manager at VSO, added:
“We need to get the world working. Poor people want to work their way out of poverty and the global economy needs the boost that their labour could provide.

"But leaders in developing and advanced economies need to work together to ensure that trade, investment and development policies focus on generating productive employment for the world's poorest people.  This simply isn't happening at the moment."

VSO is working in Sierra Leone with local NGO partners like Binkolo Growth Centre, MADAM and Future In Our Hands, who operate in Sierra Leone’s least developed northern regions. The area has a heavy concentration of unemployed and under employed young people who are desperately seeking jobs with two mining companies, UK-based London Mining and Africa Minerals, which have been operating in the area in the last 2 years.

Abdulai, 28, now works in cassava production after receiving training at Binkolo Growth Centre. But until then he had almost lost hope. He said:

“I spent four years in Freetown where I lived on the streets. The only way I found money to survive was to do odd jobs carrying things, doing work for anyone who would pay… We would sometimes steal bags, money, or things that were worth money that we could sell, just to survive. I didn’t feel good about it, but I had nobody else there. We did not feel good about ourselves; a man without a job does not feel good. We were trying so hard to find work. 
 
“ I went back to Binkolo because my mother sent for me; I returned to find out my father had died during the war… Since 2007, I have not really been doing anything. It is very rough for young people here – so many are unemployed. Every day they come here to Binkolo searching for work… but most of my friends don’t have a job.  Many get in trouble with the police for stealing.”

Later this year VSO will launch a new public campaign focusing on jobs in the developing world, with specific attention paid to the situation for young people and women.

As the organisation marked International Volunteers Day it unveiled Mari Simonen, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, as the new Chair, together with six new board members who bring to the international development charity their experience in campaigning for women's rights, helping people access better health services and improving education opportunities in developing countries.

In a further sign of this growing internationalisation, VSO will also sign a Memorandum of Understanding today at the United Nations headquarters in New York with US volunteering organisation Peace Corps, as part of events organised by UN Volunteers to mark the tenth anniversary of International Year of Volunteers. The agreement will promote greater joint working and skill sharing between the two organisations in selected projects around the world.

VSO Chief Executive Marg Mayne said:

"VSO is changing – from a UK-based volunteering organisation to a global development charity which engages people from all over the world in the fight against poverty. I'm excited to be working with the new trustees, all of whom are from outside the UK and nearly half from the global south. Their appointment shows how we’re implementing this more global approach at the highest level.

"In the long term we want to grow the VSO federation internationally. I'd like to see more VSOs, in more countries, providing a local presence that keeps us truly relevant in the countries where we work.

"The same global approach applies to our volunteers themselves: a VSO volunteer is now just as likely to be someone from Kenya, India or the Philippines as they are someone from the UK, Ireland or the Netherlands.

"We’ll never lose that focus on people sharing their skills with people in other countries, with all the benefits that it brings to volunteer and partner alike. We now want to build a network of volunteers which stretches all over the world."

The new trustees are:

• Anjali Sen, South Asia Director, International Planned Parenthood Federation, a network of 151 associations providing sexual and reproductive health rights 

• Nthobi Angel, Chair of KasigoTiso Holdings, one of South Africa’s largest black-owned investment companies. She has extensive knowledge of the African continent and is a director of the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre (SARDC) 

• Rasheda Choudhury, Executive Director, Campaign for Popular Education Bangladesh, and former government advisor 

• Pamela Culpepper, Senior Vice President, Global Diversity and Inclusion at PepsiCo 

• Wayan Vota, Senior Director of Inveneo, a social enterprise focused on getting the tools of ITC into rural communities in the developing world

• Tom Carver, Vice President, Communications and Strategy at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an award-winning journalist

They will join the existing trustees:

• Grace Aguiling-Dalisay, Professor at the University of the Philippines and a lifelong volunteer 

• Mark Astarita, Director of Fundraising, British Red Cross and Chair of the Institute of Fundraising 

• Sir Andrew Cubie, Vice Chair, consultant to law firm Fyfe Ireland WS, Chairman of the Court of Napier University and the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework 

• John Bason, a former VSO volunteer who is now Finance Director of Associated British Foods

• Kibaya Laibuta, Chartered Arbitrator and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and a Commissioner with the Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution

The new Chair of VSO's International Board, Mari Simonen, said:
"VSO's mission and vision are international, so it is only right that the Board reflects this. We have brave ambitions and big challenges ahead, so VSO needs to continue to grow to meet these – we will do that best if we are truly international.

"It feels very complementary that I bring to this position all the experience and skills gained during my 31 years at the UN. Working for the UN gives you a very global perspective and this echoes the direction VSO is taking.

"Change starts with one person, one person at a time. If you join up individual actions you create a movement, with everyone having an important role to play. It is easy to get lost in so much poverty, with problems seeming too big and too far away: we must realise that what we do every day has impact."

New trustee Anjali Sen said:
"The planet is a better place whenever somebody, somewhere, resolves to make her or his ideas and effort count -voluntarily – and make a difference. Passion and energy flows. This is the spirit of volunteerism.

"I want to be a part of an organisation that brings more and more people’s ideas, passions, energies and efforts to the fore, to make this planet a better place to inhabit for now and for the future to come. I will do my bit."

VSO has more than 50 years experience of empowering people to tackle poverty. The organisation is increasingly focused on strengthening systems, developing policies and building capacity in the 34 developing countries where it works, while continuing to deliver services directly where that is what is most needed.

The new board of trustees will take responsibility for continuing this approach of fighting poverty through people, a strategy which in the last year has seen volunteers support 26 million people in the world’s poorest countries.

"This innovative partnership will enhance the effectiveness and impact of both Peace Corps and VSO," said Peace Corps Director Aaron S. Williams. "We will share best practices in programming and training, strengthening our united efforts to combat global poverty. We are proud to mark the tenth anniversary of International Year of Volunteers by recognising the contributions our volunteers are making around the world with local communities."

"VSO and Peace Corps both share a belief that volunteering can have a real and lasting impact on poverty," said VSO Chief Executive Marg Mayne. "We're quite different organisations in terms of our history, governance and the volunteers we work with, and this means each agency can complement the work of the other rather than overlap. This agreement builds on existing work to share skills, training and materials so we can be more effective in the benefit that we bring."

The partnership was first announced during President Barack Obama's state visit to the United Kingdom in May 2011. The agreement will draw on the shared resources of both organisations, helping to ensure VSO and Peace Corps volunteers can continue fighting poverty and creating sustainable solutions to many of the challenges faced by local communities around the world.

Peace Corps and VSO have worked together informally for more than a decade. In Tanzania, for example, VSO and Peace Corps collaborate closely to improve the English capability of Tanzanian teachers, and share materials, skills and accommodation to improve in-country training for volunteers. Building on this foundation, Peace Corps and VSO will explore how they can collaborate further on volunteer programmes, such as education, health and HIV and AIDS projects across the developing world, and on supporting local citizens to shape their future and the future of their countries. The partnership will also see knowledge sharing on training and other support functions.

For aid to be effective, people need to be able to participate fully and meaningfully in development. The individuals and groups that are affected by poverty and inequality need to be able to control and shape aid flows and development policies that are intended to help them. The Busan agreement goes much further than previous aid effectiveness commitments in recognising this, placing more emphasis on democratic ownership of development and accountability to aid beneficiaries. 

However, VSO is concerned about new text inserted into the agreement during final negotiations to ensure that new and emerging donor countries are not held to the same standards as established donors from the global north. The text is explicit that emerging donors accept the principles and commitments in the agreement on a purely voluntary rather than binding basis. 

VSO is also concerned about the Busan agreement’s failure to balance the new focus on the private sector's role in development with recognition of potential negative impacts and necessary safeguards.

Lisa Horner, Policy Manager at VSO UK said, “It is positive that new donors have demonstrated political will to coordinate development cooperation based on shared goals and understandings. However, it is crucial that the caveats in the agreement do not open the door for an erosion of standards of aid administration and delivery agreed at previous Forums in Paris and Accra, or for a diversion of focus away from eradicating poverty and advancing human development”.

“The private sector has a critical role to play in development, particularly in terms of creating decent work and driving inclusive growth. However, the agreement frames companies as being on an equal footing to citizens in terms of their right to participate in development policy design and implementation. If the international community is serious about development impact, private sector development must be viewed as a means towards poverty reduction, not an end or beneficiary in itself.”

The new agreement commits signatories to establishing new frameworks, targets and indicators over the course of 2012. It is essential that this implementation process translates the spirit of citizen ownership and accountability that was present in Busan into concrete and meaningful changes in development policy and practice.

The organisation is concerned at the prospect of “jobless growth” in the developing world unless jobs are placed at the heart of development strategies.

A focus on creating decent work for people in developing countries would not only empower people to lift themselves out of poverty, but could also help boost global economic recovery, said VSO. 

But only if jobs are at the centre of growth strategies will poor people be able to help drive and share in this recovery.

VSO UK Director Brian Rockliffe said:

“The G20 leaders have failed to show the required leadership to tackle a jobs crisis which affects millions of people in the world’s poorest countries. Our volunteers in developing countries are reporting a real lack of job opportunities in the communities where they work.

“The G20 has acknowledged that developing countries can actively contribute to growth. But when it comes to combating unemployment, action from the G20 is ‘only in our backyard’ - focused on getting their own populations back to work. There’s talk of investment in developing countries but only a fleeting reference to jobs.

“This raises the prospect of ‘jobless growth’ if it is not addressed. Targeted employment strategies are needed, including private & public investment focussed on job creation and active labour market policies.

“The G20 needs to get the whole world working – not just because it is right to do so, but as a much-needed engine for global economic recovery. The message from Cannes should not only be ‘jobs for the G20’. We need global leadership to promote decent work for people everywhere.

“Developing countries must be included at the heart of future discussions, including on the G20’s Employment Task Force. With no developing countries involved, it’s hard to see how their interests will be represented.

“While this summit has shown that the world’s focus has clearly shifted away from development, the UK government’s continuing commitment to 0.7 per cent of GNI being spent on aid is more welcome than ever. This example should now be followed by the rest of the G20.”

Next year VSO will have a renewed focus on work opportunities in the developing world. The organisation will be pressing for this issue to feature prominently on the agenda for the 2012 G20 meeting in Mexico.

VSO runs secure livelihoods programmes in 19 different countries, working in partnership with local organisations to enhance the ability of people in the developing world to earn a living.

VSO has helped partners to support their communities by developing alternative ways to earn a living when the existing ones are no longer viable or are environmentally unsustainable.

For example in the Philippines, in an area where fish stocks are declining due to over fishing, a VSO volunteer carried out a market assessment on seaweed production which has helped a local NGO support local fishermen to get involved in seaweed farming as an alternative to fishing.
 

VSO is the world’s leading independent international development charity that works through volunteers helping to tackle global poverty by sharing their professional skills and changing the lives of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. 

Over half a million women still die annually as a result of complications in pregnancy*.  In sub-Saharan Africa the odds of a woman dying from maternal related causes is 1 in 22, compared to 1 in 7,300 in the developed world*.  Many of these deaths could be avoided with access to the right medical care. 
 
With cut backs and redundancies affecting the UK’s health sector workforce, VSO is urging experienced obstetricians and gynaecologists to seriously consider taking a career enhancing and possibly life-changing break which will ultimately help save the lives of some of the poorest and most disadvantaged populations in developing countries.  There are around 20 posts for volunteers who can spend one to two years overseas and five shorter-term placements of three to six months.

VSO also runs a Fellowship scheme with The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) which offers UK specialist trainees a yearlong opportunity to improve maternal health in developing countries.  The personal and professional development gained by obstetricians and gynaecologists is supported by the RCOG. 

The charity urgently needs to recruit 25 obstetricians and gynaecologists who can start vital volunteering posts throughout 2012 in developing countries like Sierra Leone, Tanzania and The Gambia.  The number of required volunteers may seem small but the effects of 25 professionals working with VSO’s partner organisations within national ministries of health and local communities has significant, far reaching and hugely positive outcomes.       

Volunteers will be involved in a wide range of work, depending on their experience and skills.  This will involve everything from clinical work to teaching and training in a rural district or teaching hospital.    

Brian Rockliffe (OBE), director of VSO UK said: “We’re urging obstetricians and gynaecologists who are looking for an exciting, rewarding and life-changing experience in 2012 to get in touch.  If volunteering and helping to save and change lives of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable women is something you’ve always wanted to do, then this could be your chance.  It’s also an excellent way to develop professionally and personally. 
 
“There’s increasing concern about how to overcome the global health challenges and ensure significantly improved health outcomes for the world’s poorest communities.  Poverty is one of the fundamental causes of ill health.  However, through VSO’s vital health work and your expertise and skills we can develop stronger and more accessible health systems through our knowledge sharing so that the poorest and most vulnerable populations in the 44 countries where we work can realise their right to health care.”

Dr Sonia Barnfield was volunteering with VSO as an obstetrician and gynaecologist in Indonesia for one year.  She’s a member of the RCOG and volunteered as part of the collaborative Fellowship scheme with VSO.  She said: “I was helping improve the skills of two doctors and a small team of midwives and general practitioners at Soe Public Hospital, so that they would be better able to respond to emergency obstetric cases.  I used every opportunity to teach them.  I could have done everything myself, but then nothing would change once I’d left. 

“By volunteering I gained a completely different experience. It’s not just teaching, but also managerial experience. I managed the obstetrics unit which in the UK is a job normally undertaken by consultants and managers.  I feel I now have more management skills and that I’m more self-sufficient and decisive.  I’d definitely recommend taking the opportunity to volunteer with VSO.  You won’t change the world overnight, but little changes help. If you sustain just a few procedures, then you’ve made a difference.” 

Those applying for volunteering posts will be assessed and matched to the best placement for their skills and experience.  VSO's recruitment process normally takes between four and nine months.  Those wishing to volunteer are advised to start the process within 12 months of being ready to volunteer.  

VSO volunteers are provided with full training, flights, accommodation and an allowance to cover basic costs.  Unlike many UK-based volunteering organisations, VSO does not charge individuals to volunteer and its recruitment policy is based on matching the right professionals with the correct skills and qualities rather than on the ability to pay. 

The charity holds a series of free events which interested healthcare professionals can attend to find out more about volunteering and full details are available at www.vso.org.uk/events/. 
 

Six months after UN Women opened its doors, it has received just US$119 million in pledges towards the target of US$500 million agreed by the General Assembly less than a year ago.

The organisations have consistently called for the UK Government to provide £21 million in annual core funding for UN Women to enable it to start scaling up its operations and start tackling the causes of women’s inequality in the countries where it is desperately needed. This position was supported by 23 other leading charities including Christian Aid and the Women’s Institute in a letter sent to the Secretary of State yesterday.

Chief Executive of VSO, Marg Mayne, said:

“UN Women offers a chance to end the discrimination that means 70 per cent of the world’s poor are women. The failure of the international community to meet the funding target for this newest of agencies represents a failure of ambition and a lost opportunity to reduce the number of women facing poverty and violence.

“When UN Women was created we believed that donors finally would start matching their words with resources.  Alas, we have seen a race to the bottom with donors competing by how little they can give. Germany’s $1 million and the United States’ $6 million deserve particular mention.

“Andrew Mitchell has constantly said that this Government would lead international action to improve the lives of women and girls, yet only £10 million has been pledged to UN Women, an organisation specifically set up to do just this, while £888 million has been given to the World Bank this year - an organisation that by the Department for International Development’s (DFID) own assessment scored ‘poorly’ on its performance towards delivering gender equality.

“Contributing 11% of a budget that is just half of what the UN allocated to women’s equality under the previous arrangement is not a cause for celebration.
“As the Government has repeatedly acknowledged, investing in women and girls is the most cost-effective way to address global poverty. Educated women are less likely to die in childbirth, more likely to have fewer children and have fewer children die. Women who earn money, spend 90 per cent of it on food and education for their children, compared to men spending less than 40 per cent of their income on their family.

“The failure of UNIFEM – the previous UN fund for women which UN Women has replaced - was, in the Government’s own words, due to ‘constrained resources’. Yet it looks like donors have learnt nothing from the history books.

“VSO understands how important it is that UN Women delivers real results for women around the world. But we struggle to see how it will achieve its ambitious results agenda which includes bringing an end to rape being used as a weapon of war and strengthening the rights of women at work by improving legal protection for women in the informal labour market, without adequate funding.”

Melanie Ward, Senior UK Political Adviser at Christian Aid, said:

“The creation of UN Women is a once in a generation opportunity to tackle the gender discrimination which is the cause of so much poverty and suffering among women across the world.  A £10 million contribution from the UK may sound a lot but it is far from what is needed, especially when compared to the UK contribution to UNICEF, the children’s agency.  This news is very disappointing indeed.  It is difficult to see how such a low UK contribution matches the government’s stated ambition to put women at the heart of UK development policy.  With donor ambition so dangerously weak, UN Women risks falling at the first hurdle.”

Chair of the National Federation of Women’s Institutes, Ruth Bond, said:

“We are disappointed that the UK Government has pledged just $10 million. UN Women holds so much hope for the world’s women, but it faces an uphill battle to deliver with less than a quarter of what it needs and just half of what was available for women’s equality within the UN system previously. We call on the Government to reconsider its pledge and increase it to £21 million. With just four years until the MDG deadline, it is important that the agency is properly resourced to help deliver on these ambitions.”

VSO’s YouGov research launched today shows that there is strong support from the UK public for addressing injustice experienced by women, with more than one in five saying it should be the top priority for UN Women, the second most important priority behind education . Addressing injustice is a key area that UN Women plans to work on – but without adequate support it won’t be able to tackle this issue.

The letter has been sent on the eve of the publication of UN Women’s report, ‘Progress of the World’s Women: In Pursuit of Justice’ and follows last week’s (30th June) agreement of the inaugural UN Women Strategic Plan for 2011-13.

In the letter, leading national and international organisations including VSO, Christian Aid, Oxfam and the WI have reiterated their united support for an ambitious UN women’s agency and stressed their support for the UK Government’s leadership in establishing UN Women.

However, as inequality continues to hold back women across the world, the organisations believe that the Department for International Development must tackle the underlying causes of gender inequality and violations of women’s rights. The letter goes on to say that UN Women offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to do this, and calls for the UK Government to match political leadership with financial support. 

Marg Mayne, VSO International, CEO said:

“When UN Women opened its doors in January, it was seen as a critical step in addressing the neglect and under-funding of half the world's population by donors and governments.  Yet six months in, only a fifth of UN Women’s  total funding target has been pledged and just seven per cent received. The reluctance of major donors like the UK to step up with ambitious funding is concerning for the thousands of women and men around the world who campaigned so vigorously for its creation”.

Loretta Minghella, Director of Christian Aid, said:

“Andrew Mitchell has spoken frequently of his desire to put women at the heart of UK policy on development, and we warmly welcome this.  He understandably wanted UN Women to show that it will deliver clear results for the world’s women – and it has set out a framework for doing so. 

“Helping women out of poverty is as important as helping children out of poverty.  UNICEF, the agency which helps children, has previously received £21 million from the UK, and this amount has since increased.  We call on Andrew Mitchell to lead the way for the world’s women by funding UN Women with a contribution of at least £21 million.”

The 23 charities, members of the Gender and Development Network (GADN), are asking the UK Government’s contribution to UN Women is, at a minimum, equal to the funding previously allocated to UNICEF. This would mean providing at least £21 million in core funding annually - doing so would give the UK a leading role, not just in UN Women, but on this issue at a global level.

The inaugural UN Women Strategic Plan for 2011-13 was announced and agreed in New York today. Yet, after six months of frenetic activity, momentous support and passionate work driving Michele Bachelet’s agency forward, VSO is shocked the UK Government has still not pledged its core financial support to help the agency tackle the root causes of inequality and violations against women’s rights.

Kathy Peach, Head of External Affairs, VSO UK said:

"VSO knows that women around the world are too often held back simply because they are women; we believe UN Women is our opportunity to fix this. The Government’s own Multilateral Aid Review has already highlighted the potential for UN Women, admitting ‘constrained resources’ were exactly why previous UN efforts for women failed".

"To date, UN Women has managed to raise only one fifth of its funding target. Without funding UN Women will not be able to co-ordinate and invest in improving equality and supporting women’s empowerment around the world. The UK Government should be proud of the leadership and contribution it played in establishing UN Women, which is why VSO is saddened to see no funding commitment to an agency the Government said it was 'deeply committed to'."

"VSO and thousands of Godmothers across the country have campaigned that the UK Government’s contribution to UN Women should be at least equal to UNICEF; £21million in core funding annually. Only this robust and fair investment will ensure the UK’s track record of leading the fight against inequality be left untarnished by the current temporary reluctance to announce funding".

"With Spain, Norway and Canada together pledging half of the $103m that UN Women has raised so far, and even the Ivory Coast and the Democratic Republic of the Congo committing to $10,000, Great Britain is notably absent from the list of 78 countries already showing their support for UN Women".

"Andrew Mitchell, had publicly stated: "The UK has also played a leadership role in the establishment of UN Women, the new organisation dedicated to gender equality, which we will support once we see a copy of their strategic plan. We are deeply committed to help it become a powerful agency."

"Six months in, a strategic plan has been agreed and UN Women is ready to launch its far reaching programme around the world; the Government has run out of excuses. VSO and our Godmothers will be watching in hope that the UK will not throw away its unique chance to change the future of the world poorest women".

It follows reports that Defence Secretary Liam Fox has questioned the need to make such a commitment or enshrine the commitment in law.

VSO UK Director Brian Rockliffe said:

“The Secretary of State for International Development has said that Britain will not balance the books on the back of the world’s poor. We have a moral, economic and political imperative to increase our commitment to international development.

“All three parties have debated and supported enshrining the 0.7 per cent target in law. This will ensure that the world’s poor will receive the commitment they need to be able to create their own wealth and jobs, regardless of which UK Government is in power.”

“The government has already realigned its aid commitment to fragile countries – those currently experiencing violence or war or those at risk of violence. Investing in these at risk States is the best way to prevent radicalism, violence and war – and therefore protect Britain’s national security. We know unemployment and poverty can lead to radicalism – and currently there is up to 80 per cent youth unemployment in many of these fragile countries. By investing in long-term development projects that create jobs and promote economic growth – Britain can contribute to political stability in these volatile countries.

“There is a strong argument for increasing investment in international development. For example, Michelle Bachelet, the head of the new agency, UN Women will today meet with the Secretary of State at a VSO event in the Houses of Parliament during her first official visit to Britain. We know that investing in women makes good economic sense. Women in poorer communities spend on average 90 per cent of their income on their families, compared to male earners providing less than 40 per cent of their income to their families. Despite the widespread evidence that investing in women boosts economies in poorer countries, UN Women is still waiting for a financial commitment from the UK Government. And we fear it is going to be significantly under-funded.

The committee’s The Future of DFID's Programme in India report also recognised the role of civil society in addressing India’s poverty – with the sector currently receiving only two per cent of the budget that the Department for International Development (DFID) allocates to India.

VSO also commended the importance that the committee placed on women and girls in order to address poverty and how discrimination reduced their opportunity to escape poverty.

VSO UK Director Brain Rockliffe said a greater focus was required to get more affluent Indians involved in addressing poverty by engaging in philanthropy and volunteering.

“India has made huge progress when it comes to reducing poverty, but despite this, 40 per cent of its population – half a billion people – currently live in poverty. India accounts for more than 20 per cent of the world’s maternal, child and infant mortality and a third of our global poverty. DFID needs to maintain its commitment to assisting India’s poor, to ensure that its money helps the people that need it most and to ensure transparency and accountability. We welcome the committee’s report and look forward to seeing the Government’s detailed response.”

The two organisations warn that the highly effective two year Medical Training Initiative (MTI) that trains about 200 doctors a year from the developing world will be put at risk if the Government adopts its proposal to cut the duration of Tier 5 visas for temporary workers to just one year.

The changes will mean that MTI doctors and other workers will no longer be counted in incoming migrant figures.

VSO and the Royal College of Physicians are calling for an exemption for health workers coming to Britain as part of the MTI to ensure they can take advantage of the full two years of training.

VSO UK Head of External Affairs, Kathy Peach said:

“The MTI has minimal impact on long-term immigration numbers with all doctors carefully selected and processes put in place to ensure they return to their home countries after their training.  A full two years of medical training is needed to ensure doctors receive all the skills they need to save more lives in developing countries.

“Under the proposed changes it will be easier for an unskilled Australian bar worker to stay in the UK for two years than a skilled Sudanese Doctor who wants to come to Britain to receive medical training that saves lives, and make a contribution to providing high quality services to patients in the UK.”

“In many developing countries, such as Sri Lanka, doctors cannot receive their post university training in their own country. They must go abroad for two years to complete their qualifications. Britain has played a vital role in training doctors from countries where the shortage of skilled health professionals is leading to tens of thousands of preventable deaths each year. We are concerned that our good work in helping address needless deaths in the developing world is under threat.

“Reducing the MTI to one year will lead to doctors seeking training in other countries which do not have the safeguards in place to ensure those doctors return to their home countries, where they are needed most, once they complete their training.”
 
Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians said:

“The MTI benefits the NHS. It makes financial sense by reducing locum costs.  The MTI also helps hospitals fill rotas gaps, which has been exacerbated by the limiting effects of the European Working Time Directive and the New Deal on junior doctors’ hours of work. High quality doctors from overseas that speak excellent English make a valuable contribution to the UK health service. Just one MTI candidate can make a substantial difference to a hospital’s ability to provide the best training for junior doctors and an around the clock consultant led service for patients.”

Currently, there are 340 doctors working in 149 trusts across the UK through the MTI. Of these, 77 were sponsored by the RCP and an additional 205 physicians are due to start posts in the UK in the coming months.

Case study
Dr Tarig Mahmoud, MRCP London and former MTI trainee from Sudan said:
“Training in Sudan is very basic and not structured. At least 80 per cent of your knowledge and education comes from your own efforts, unlike the UK where you can get direct teaching and education in a structured format. Every Sudanese doctor’s main ambition is to train in the UK, and the MTI opened the gate for us. A well-trained doctor is like the sun. His knowledge will radiate out and impact everyone around him; he upgrades his own service in his country automatically.”

Dr Eluzai Hakim, consultant physician in adult medicine and rehabilitation, Isle of Wight:
“There are already safeguards in place to ensure doctors benefiting from Tier 5 visas return to their home countries after training in the United Kingdom and, we in the South Sudan, will ensure that this provision is built into the individual trainee contracts. From my point of view this is possibly the best foreign aid (in kind) which the United Kingdom can give to any developing country.”

Statistics:

• Fifty-seven countries worldwide suffer from a severe shortage of health workers. Thirty-six of these are in Africa, which has just three per cent of global health workers but bears 24 per cent of the global burden of disease .

• It is estimated that 23 per cent of doctors trained in sub-Saharan Africa are now working in OECD countries .

• In 2007, an estimated 31 per cent of NHS medical staff had qualified outside the European Economic Area

• Meagre salaries, limited opportunities for promotion or development and a general feeling of being undervalued were also recurring themes.

• Africa alone requires 800,000 health workers by 2015 and there is a critical shortage of workers in more than 50 countries.

• Thirty-six countries in Africa are confronting critical shortages, meaning they have fewer than 2.3 doctors, nurses and midwives per 1000 peoplei.

Announced during President Obama’s first official State visit to Britain, the partnership will draw on the shared resources of both organisations, helping to ensure VSO and Peace Corps volunteers can continue fighting poverty and improving the lives of poor people for years to come. 

In a statement announcing six key joint initiatives the leaders said that: “The US Peace Corps and VSO will jointly promote volunteering and active citizenship through people to people exchanges. They will work together alongside local communities and organisations on development priorities and they will enhance their effectiveness by sharing best practice in training, systems and innovation.”

For more than fifty years, Peace Corps and VSO have been leading organisations fighting global poverty through volunteering.  Collectively, they have 10,000 international volunteers working in 95 countries and a network of more than 250,000 returned volunteers. Each organisation works in complementary ways, so providing opportunities to work together that enhances our effectiveness in transforming lives across the world.

Peace Corps and VSO have worked together informally, on a small scale, for more than a decade. Building on this foundation, they will explore how they can collaborate further, on volunteer programmes, such as education, health and HIV/AIDS projects across the developing world, and on supporting local citizens to shape their future and the future of their countries.  The partnership will also see organisational learning on training and other support functions.

VSO Chief Executive Officer, Marg Mayne said:

“This is a landmark step forward for VSO and our transatlantic friends, Peace Corps. We both have a shared insight and commitment to engaging people in the fight against poverty. Peace Corps and VSO will support each other’s efforts to develop volunteer programmes that are more effective in engaging poor communities in shaping their own future.

“The announcement today will allow us to increase the reach of our education, health, HIV/AIDS, youth development, gender and climate change programmes. Our valued volunteers will continue to work alongside poor communities and local partners on key development priorities, as well as support them in building a lasting legacy of local volunteer networks.”

Peace Corps Director, Aaron S. Williams said:

“This innovative partnership will enhance the effectiveness and impact of both Peace Corps and VSO.  We will share best practices in programming and training, strengthening our united efforts to combat global poverty.  We are proud that President Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron recognise the contributions our volunteers are making within local communities around the world.”

Ends

VSO Media contact: Krista Eleftheriou on krista.eleftheriou@vso.org.uk, 0208 780 7265, 07738982122.

Peace Corps Press Office: pressoffice@peacecorps.gov, 1-202-692-2230

VSO supports their joint agreement that outlines that “combating poverty, mitigating disasters and preventing conflict is morally right and is firmly in line with our respective national interests and fundamental values.”

The commitment comes just a week after the first official visit to Britain by Michelle Bachelet, Head of UN Women. During the visit the Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell said that the UK Government would provide “extraordinarily strong support to UN Women" and that Britain would "play a leading and prominent part in funding UN Women's plan".

Meanwhile, Shadow Secretary of State, Harriet Harman announced she would set up an All-Party Parliamentary Group on UN Women to keep track of its progress and establish an international group of female Parliamentarians who would provide guidance and advice to UN Women on fostering women's political participation.

VSO hopes that this renewed commitment will move the agency closer to the anticipated funding commitment from the UK Government.

VSO has been lobbying for the new UN agency for three years to address the stark discrepancies in poverty, human rights and violence that disproportionately affect women and girls across the developing world. UN Women opened its doors in January and VSO has been working through its Godmothers’ Campaign to encourage the UK Government to announce its funding commitment.

VSO Chief Executive Officer, Marg Mayne says today that UN Women is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver real change for women and girls across the world, however its success hinges on funding.

“We commend President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron for putting women and girls and the centre of its aid work. We look forward to the UK Government announcing how much it will fund UN Women. Currently the agency faces a significant funding shortfall and needs at least £21 million in core annual funding from the UK to help it get to work. This is just half the funds the UK Government allocates to the children’s agency UNICEF. We are also pleased that President Obama acknowledges the importance of UN Women and hope that this will lead to an increased funding commitment from the US.”

There are a number of other commitments that President Obama and David Cameron also made today that VSO will play a key role in helping achieve. Among them were:

• preventing stunted growth and child mortality in 17 million undernourished children, by for example, supplying vitamin supplements through schools

• leveraging $70 million in private investment to improve market opportunities and links with smallholders, including through Department for International Development’s  new Private Sector Department

• saving the lives of at least 50,000 women in pregnancy and childbirth, by for example, training midwives in developing countries

• getting more than five million girls into primary and secondary school, by for example, building schools and training teachers in areas that lack education institutions

• generating $2.8 billion agricultural GDP through research and development activities. For example, by supporting research into crops that can survive floods, droughts, rising temperatures and natural disasters.

Other commitments included:

• helping 18 million women to access financial services, for example, by providing micro-loans so they can start up small businesses

• being even more open, accountable and transparent, putting in place mechanisms such as the UK Aid Transparency Guarantee and the US’s Foreign Assistance Dashboard

• Working to strengthen GAVI so that it can save more lives including by providing underused vaccines which could prevent four million childhood deaths by 2015

• continuing to call for a global climate deal that limits the increase in temperature to 2 degrees Celsius;

• increasing the incomes of the 1.2 billion of the world’s poorest people who depend on forests for their livelihoods through our partnership with REDD+.

Ends

VSO Media contact: Krista Eleftheriou on krista.eleftheriou@vso.org.uk, +44 (0)20 8780 7265, +44 (0)7738982122.

It follows reports that Defence Secretary Liam Fox has questioned the need to make such a commitment or enshrine the commitment in law.

VSO UK Director Brian Rockliffe said:

“The Secretary of State for International Development has said that Britain will not balance the books on the back of the world’s poor. We have a moral, economic and political imperative to increase our commitment to international development.

“All three parties have debated and supported enshrining the 0.7 per cent target in law. This will ensure that the world’s poor will receive the commitment they need to be able to create their own wealth and jobs, regardless of which UK Government is in power.”

“The government has already realigned its aid commitment to fragile countries – those currently experiencing violence or war or those at risk of violence. Investing in these at risk States is the best way to prevent radicalism, violence and war – and therefore protect Britain’s national security. We know unemployment and poverty can lead to radicalism – and currently there is up to 80 per cent youth unemployment in many of these fragile countries. By investing in long-term development projects that create jobs and promote economic growth – Britain can contribute to political stability in these volatile countries.

“There is a strong argument for increasing investment in international development. For example, Michelle Bachelet, the head of the new agency, UN Women will today meet with the Secretary of State at a VSO event in the Houses of Parliament during her first official visit to Britain. We know that investing in women makes good economic sense. Women in poorer communities spend on average 90 per cent of their income on their families, compared to male earners providing less than 40 per cent of their income to their families. Despite the widespread evidence that investing in women boosts economies in poorer countries, UN Women is still waiting for a financial commitment from the UK Government. And we fear it is going to be significantly under-funded.

The results come as the head of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet, makes her first official visit to Britain and eagerly awaits a funding commitment from the UK Government.

According to the British public, other top priorities for UN Women to help end poverty should be: making Governments ensure women are protected by laws and can receive justice through the courts (22%) and helping end violence against women (19%).

VSO has been lobbying for the new UN agency for three years to address the stark discrepancies in poverty, human rights and violence that disproportionately affect women and girls across the developing world. UN Women opened its doors in January.

VSO Chief Executive Officer Marg Mayne says access to education helps lift not only women and girls from poverty, but entire communities.

“VSO is helping 14 million children globally receive a better education. There is strong evidence that a one-year increase in schooling for a woman, increases her family’s income. Women are also more likely than men to spend their money on their children’s education and nutrition, creating more opportunities for their children. However, many women and girls’ life opportunities continue to be limited by a lack of access to education, justice systems and opportunities and the risk of violence.”

UN Women will also be working to increase the involvement of women in politics and decision-making. The majority of British people (51%) believed a greater involvement of women in Middle Eastern politics and decision-making would lead to more chance of long-term stability in the region.

“Across the world, on average, just one in five parliamentarians are women, limiting the voice and influence of women and girls. This survey shows that the UK public rightly views women as playing a crucial role in political stability and democracy. We have seen this most positively in Rwanda where women have had greater involvement in politics after a conflict and experienced a long period of stability, rebuilding and delivered greater opportunities for women and girls including access to education,” Ms Mayne said.

Ms Mayne says UN Women is a once in a generation opportunity to deliver real change for women and girls across the world, however its success hinges on funding.

“We commend the UK Government in its verbal commitment to put women and girls and the centre of its aid work. We look forward to the Secretary of State announcing how much it will fund UN Women. Currently the agency faces a significant funding shortfall and needs at least £21 million from the UK to help it get to work. This is just half the funds the UK Government allocates to the highly effective children’s agency UNICEF.”

Statistics:

• Among women aged between 15 and 44, acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.
• Women perform 66 percent of the world’s work, produce 50 percent of the food, but earn 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property.
UN Women has received funding from a number of leading countries including Spain, Australia and Canada, but is awaiting a commitment from the UK.

Andrew Mitchell and Ms Bachelet will discuss the once in a lifetime opportunity held by UN Women to turn around the lives of women across the developing world who continually carry the largest burden of poverty.

Key items up for discussion will be:

• How UN Women will work within the UN system, the World Bank, and the international community to prioritise girls’ and women’s poverty.  
• How best to work with international agencies such as the European Commission to improve their results focus to ensure they have a positive impact on girls’ and women’s lives.
• How they can encourage more organisations to develop innovative projects to transform the lives of girls and women, including tackling violence against them by increasing their access to justice and working with boys and men to change their attitudes.

Andrew Mitchell said;

“A girl in South Sudan is more likely to die in child birth than to complete primary school.  No fact could eloquently underline why the UN and the British Government has placed girls and women at the forefront of our development commitment to tackle global poverty.

“UN Women is in a unique position to make life better for women across the developing world by creating partnerships in order to encourage international organisations to change the way they work. Michele Bachelet has the skills and authority to make this happen.  I look forward to a strong focus on results from the outset and the publication of their strategic plan in June.”

Michelle Bachelet, the Head of UN Women said;

“Think of how much more we can do once women are fully empowered as active agents of change and progress within their societies.

“Historically, we are at a point of great potential and change for women. Now we must seize that opportunity.

“Gender equality is not only a basic human right, but as business, economic and development experts now agree, empowering women fuels economies and social progress.”

Marg Mayne, CEO, of VSO International;

“The UK should be proud of the role it has played in making UN Women a reality. Through strong political leadership, public campaigns and a commitment to making the lives of millions of women in poor countries better, we now have a once in a generation opportunity to achieve equality for women around the world.

“The need is urgent and real. 70% of the world’s poor are women. Extreme violence, a lack of rights, and limited access to employment and decision-making holds women, their communities and countries back from development.

“I sincerely hope that all leaders around the world take inspiration from Michelle Bachelet as she visits London this week and recognise that investing in improving women's rights through UN Women will benefit men, women and children alike.”

Ms Bachelet will also meet with Theresa May, Home Secretary, Alan Duncan, Minister of State for International Development and Lynne Featherstone, the Parliamentary Undersecretary for Equalities and the Uk’s International violence against women champion. 

The British Government has conducted its own extensive root and branch reviews of all the aid given to countries and international organisations. The Multilateral Aid Review found that the UN and multilateral organisations must do more to tackle girls’ and women’s poverty.

The Department for International Development announced in December that it would put women at the centre of its work, committing to saving the lives of at least 50,000 women in childbirth and 250,000 newborns. 
In March it announced that we will help 10 million women to access justice through the courts, police and legal assistance in order to have treatment and advice on physical and sexual violence.

UN Women began work on January 1 and brings together four UN organisations that previously worked on gender issues. The UK was at the forefront of the international effort to establish UN Women as a single, powerful agency to tackle gender inequality. There is strong evidence that shows that investing in girls and women makes sound economic sense and is critical to achieving all the Millennium Development Goals.

"Aminah is almost seventy yet stately in her yellow and green traditional African robe and headdress. She is an elder in her church in Kenya, and like most of her peers she is a mother and grandmother however, unlike most of them, she is HIV positive".

"Frustrated at a lack of role models she took the brave step of speaking out publicly. The following day her son was fired from the job he had held for seven years. The employer knew that the son was not HIV positive, but sacked him anyway because of the shame that the mother’s confession had brought to the firm. This sort of thing happens daily".

"Despite this, it is important to hold onto the fact that Kenya has come a long way. I saw some of this progress first-hand while participating in VSO’s Parliamentarian Volunteer Scheme and hosted by a network of community groups comprised of people living with HIV/AIDS. A few years ago there were 200,000 new cases per year; that number has dropped to 70,000".

"But challenges remain. Mother-to-child-transmission of the virus has been virtually eliminated in the developed world, yet in Africa half a million babies are born HIV positive or contract it in the first year through breast-feeding".

"Anti-gay legislation is another obstacle, which is both a human-rights affront and a public health disaster. Why would a gay person who may be HIV positive seek help only to run the risk of discrimination or imprisonment? I put this to Kenyan government ministers and was rewarded with a glacial silence".

"The coalition should be praised for ring-fencing aid spending, but the government also needs to maintain the global leadership position through its continued support for the Global Fund. Not to would give others the excuse to reduce their own contributions. If this happens the fight against HIV and AIDS will get a whole lot harder".

Click here to read the full statement.

Half of VSO’s international volunteers are located in the flood-affected north of the country, close to the borders with Zambia and Angola – where a State of Emergency has been declared. Access to clean drinking water is the immediate concern for the staff and the communities they live in.

Penny O’Brien originally from Stoke Newington is an Education Management Training Advisor for the Ministry of Education, overseeing schools across Namibia, including in the flood-affected region of
Ohangwena.

“This crisis has been worsening since December because there is now nowhere for the water to go. Teachers and pupils are wading through unclean, snake-filled water to access their schools and there has been costly damage to buildings.  Sadly some of our pupils have drowned in the floods. We are not sure how much longer we can keep many of the schools in our region open as the floods are forecast to get worse in the next two to four weeks. Another 200 schools across the country have already closed. The damage to precious education resources will have long-term effects on the education of the entire population in this region.”

VSO Country Director for Namibia Nicky Matthews said the floods will have a devastating effect on food production where many rural subsistence farmers, already living with poverty, have lost any chance of providing food for their families over the coming year.
 
“It is widely acknowledged that climate change is the cause of this flooding across much of the north of the country. This is a relatively new issue for Namibia and for the past four years severe and widespread flooding of the major rivers has become increasingly worse, each year causing larger natural disasters.

“There has not been a day without rain for the past three months. My home in the capital, Windhoek, has been flooded due to rain and I have been without electricity for two days. One major road through the capital has been washed away. There are few areas that haven’t been touched by flooding but it is the region in the north of the country that is most affected. There are concerns about food shortages in the coming months and an increase in waterborne diseases and malaria.”

The Namibian President, Hifikepunye Pohamba, today declared a state of emergency. More than 200 schools and many health clinics have closed across the country. The regions of Ohangwena, Oshana, Oshikoto, Omusati, Kavango and Caprivi have been severely affected by the floods.

Ends

VSO volunteers across Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea have been confirmed safe after reports of small tsunamis crossing some coastal areas.

VSO has more than 170 volunteers and employees, including 22 UK volunteers, in the areas that have been issued with tsunami warnings in Asia, the Pacific and Latin America.

Statement 12.15pm

VSO is making contact with more than 170 volunteers and employees, including 22 UK volunteers, in the areas issued with a tsunami warning in Asia, the Pacific and Latin America.

VSO has volunteers and staff in Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu Peru and Guatemala and our security response measures are being implemented.

So far almost all our staff and volunteers have been accounted for and have either moved to higher ground or are not in areas affected by tsunami warnings.

VSO UK Director Brian Rockliffe said:

“The security of our staff and volunteers is the top priority for VSO and we have an emergency response system that we have implemented. We are pleased that all staff and international volunteers in Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea have been accounted for. We also work with a large network of local volunteers and our thoughts are with them at the moment.”

Ends

Media contact: Krista Eleftheriou, 02087807343 or 07738982122.

Editor's notes

VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers. Since 1958 more than 44,000 volunteers have worked in more than 120 countries. Today there are over 1600 international volunteers working in 42 countries around the world.

VSO UK Director Brian Rockliffe, whose organisation is coordinating the scheme, said:

“International Citizen Service will provide young Britons with a huge breadth of skills and experience to enhance their employment opportunities when they return home. We are looking forward to ICS making a practical contribution to the fight against global poverty and in increasing understanding in the UK about global poverty and what we can all do to help reduce it.”

The scheme will enable 18 to 22 year-olds to work as volunteers for 10 to 12 weeks in a developing country on projects to improve the lives of the world’s poorest people.

The scheme aims to contribute to reducing poverty overseas as well as to broaden the horizons of the young volunteers and to develop team working and other useful skills which will be valued by future employers. 

Some of the experiences on offer will include:
• Working in Latin America or West Africa on projects to protect and promote the rights of children, women and people living with disability or HIV/AIDS;
• Faith based programmes in Malawi, El Salvador or Peru working with farmers on sustainable agriculture or training young people in IT skills;
• Working alongside young national volunteers in Africa or Asia to design and run events and campaigns to promote changes aimed at reducing poverty.

Prime Minister David Cameron said:
“I want young people from this country to have the chance to really understand the challenges faced by people in very poor countries, by living and working alongside them to improve their lives. International Citizen Service will not only help the world's poorest communities, but it will be a life changing experience for our young people: giving them new perspectives, greater confidence and higher aspirations.”

Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said:
“This is an important opportunity for young people not only to broaden their own horizons but also to have a life-changing impact on others.  These volunteers will learn first hand about the challenges faced by very poor communities in developing countries, and how their lives can be improved.  By making this contribution these volunteers will show what a difference one person can make in the world. I’m sure they will return from their experiences full of enthusiasm for helping others, and with an understanding and appreciation of the results development can bring.”

ICS is planned to involve thousands of young people over the coming years, with 2011 acting as a pilot year to see how best to scale up the programme. The pilot will be implemented by a group of six volunteering agencies, coordinated by VSO. This will enable different models to be evaluated, so that the most cost effective methods can be used when expanding the scheme in the future.

ICS will be largely funded by the Government but some volunteers will be required to make a financial contribution of up to £2,000.  Participation in the scheme is free for people with family income under £25,000 to help ensure that people from all backgrounds can join in. All volunteers will be encouraged to fundraise for ICS, even if they qualify for a free place.  Fundraising will help the volunteers prepare for their placements – they will need to explain to others what they are going to do and why, and raising money will also develop their organisational and communication skills. 

The scheme also recognises the contribution that older people can make and will reserve limited places for “team leaders”. Typically these people will have skills and experience that are in high demand in developing countries.  This will also give an opportunity for some young people to work alongside older and more experienced volunteers - to receive mentoring and support.

From 2013 the scheme will seek to include graduates of the UK-based National Citizen Service programme for 16 year-olds.

For detailed information go to www.dfid.gov.uk/ics. You can also find ICS on www.facebook.com/ics.

“We understand that DFID needs to focus its resources and to change its funding allocation as countries develop. VSO will also focus the majority of our programming resources on fragile states and least developed countries, and grow our country programmes where we identify that we can best make a contribution to development. In many of the wealthier countries, like China, VSO’s programmes are focusing on supporting local people to develop their own national volunteering programmes which work to address poverty within their own countries."

“VSO believes that for the moment there is still a role for its unique programmes in some of the poorer countries that DFID is withdrawing from. While we understand the Government’s wish to increase its focus on states pertinent to the UK’s security interests, DFID’s main purpose must remain to reduce global poverty. In this context, we will look closely at the details of DFID’s bilateral programmes when they are announced in April.”

However, VSO is concerned the that UK Government has failed to announce its core funding to the new agency despite saying it would do so following the conclusion of the Multilateral Aid Review – and is now delaying an announcement until June.

VSO agrees with the review findings that the UN has previously failed to deliver for millions of the world’s poorest women, and that: “constrained resources, weaknesses in the UN’s leadership on gender issues, and UNIFEM’s lack of reach with other UN agencies limited its impact”.

The new agency, UN Women, replaces four small, poorly funded organisations, and is a once in a generation opportunity to end the discrimination and violence that prevents many women worldwide from earning an income, holding political office or giving birth safely.

Kathy Peach, Head of External Affairs at VSO UK said despite opening its doors in January, UN Women was already at risk of failure because of the delay in receiving core funding commitments from governments including the UK which played a major role in creating UN Women.

“Andrew Mitchell has spoken about the potential of UN Women and given it his strong backing; he has also put women and girls as one of the major strategic priorities for his department.   It is now time for the Government to put funding behind its words and commit a minimum of £21 million in core annual funding to UN Women so it can start to deliver real change for millions of women.

“We are very concerned that unless the UK urgently steps up and makes a substantial contribution to UN Women, it may not get off the ground. Other potential donors are now holding off making their pledges until they see what the UK will offer.

“UN Women is currently fighting a massive funding shortfall – with new pledges to the agency this year totaling just under $55 million, well below its target operating budget of $500 million.

“This inaction is resulting in women continuing to be denied the rights and opportunities they deserve and also has a huge economic cost. It is estimated that the Asia Pacific region alone is losing $40billion a year because of women’s limited access to employment opportunities.
 
“It is absurd to think that UN Women with its current staffing of just over 200 people and total resources of less than $200million can really make the change we need for more than half the world’s population – UK funding is needed to help it bring in the right expertise and enable it to begin scaling up operations around the world.”

VSO has led the call for a new UN agency for women and through its Godmothers’ campaign has been lobbying for a strong UN Women, well funded by the UK Government.

Released a day ahead of the official launch of UN Women, the Blueprint for UN Women outlines for the views of the role UN Women should play of 100 civil society organizations working in 75 countries on women’s human rights, gender equality and social justice. 

Commissioned by Oxfam and VSO UK, the survey findings send a clear message that UN Women must deliver on its promise and work with governments to ensure accountability for delivering rights equality and development for their women.

VSO Chief Executive Officer Marg Mayne said UN Women offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to deliver real change for women everywhere, and especially the world’s most disadvantaged and impoverished women.

“The UN so far has largely failed women in the developing world. Seventy per cent of people living in poverty are women, 60% of people living with HIV in sub-Sahara Africa are women and girls, and violence against women continues to be at alarming levels. The Blueprint for UN Women clearly lays out a direction for UN Women from the people that know best and are working on the ground to deliver change for women in developing countries. UN Women needs to act on the report, but it also requires funding at levels not previously seen in order to deliver. As UN Women is officially launched tomorrow, it is still awaiting a funding commitment from both the US and UK governments. Having received just 1% of the UN’s budget to date – it is at risk of failing before it has even begun.”  

“UN Women is a great opportunity to change the status quo on women’s rights. The message hundreds of activists are telling UN Women is loud and clear: reach out to women and help empower them to change their lives. Without aligning its work with the needs and priorities of women at country level, especially in rural areas, it‘s unlikely the agency will achieve its mission,” said Farah Karimi, Executive Director of Oxfam Novib, a member of the Oxfam Confederation. 

“UN Women needs to stand out from the traditional ways of operating to have impact on the ground by leaving the UN’s comfort zone of doing business as usual.”

Eighty four per cent (84) of respondents said rural women were the group in most need of targeted approach. The report outlines that disabled and uneducated women also need urgent attention.

Women’s rights advocate identified other priorities for UN Women, which are closely linked to eradicating all forms of violence against women. These included ensuring women’s access to decision making at all levels (42%), deliver reliable justice systems for women (41%) and address the economic empowerment of women (41%).

Notes to editors

• Data on violence against women is scarce and reporting of incidents of violence very low, especially in developing countries. A WHO study of 200* concluded that between 15 and 76 percent of women are targeted for physical and sexual violence in their lifetime. (i)
• Women who have experienced violence are at a higher risk of HIV infection: a survey among 1,366 South African women showed that women who were beaten by their partners were 48% more likely to be infected with HIV than those who were not. (ii)
• It is estimated that more than 200,000 women and children have been raped over more than a decade of conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. (iii)
• There is strong evidence that a one-year increase in schooling for a woman, increases her family’s income. (iv) Women are more likely than men to spend their money on their children’s education and nutrition, continuing the cycle of opportunity. (v).

Oxfam is an international confederation of 14 organizations working together in 98 countries and with partners and allies around the world to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice.

VSO is an international development charity that works through volunteers. Since 1958 more than 44,000 volunteers have worked in more than 120 countries. Today there are over 1600 international volunteers working in 42 countries around the world. VSO has been campaigning for a new UN agency for women for the past three years.

(i)WHO, WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women, 2005
(ii) UN Women, original source: Violent male partners put women at greater risk of HIV infection Dunkle, K. L.; Jewkes, R. K.; Brown, H. C; Gray, G. E.; McIntyre, J. A.; Harlow, S. D. / The Lancet (2004)
(iii) UN Women. Original source: Statement of Hilde F. Johnson, Co-Chair of UN Action Against Sexual Violence in Conflict, 5 March 2009.
(iv) UNIFEM, Gender Equality Now, 2007, p.8
(v) USAID,  Family Planning Improves Quality of Life and Opportunities for Women, July 2007

VSO’s Godmothers is a group of men and women who are watching over the newly operational UN Women agency seeking to ensure it delivers on reducing global poverty and receives the funding it needs.

International development organisation, VSO UK, is warning that UN Women is at risk of faltering just a month after opening due to a lack of funding committed from member governments, including the UK Government.

VSO Chief Executive Officer Marg Mayne said the UK Government needed to urgently outline its funding for UN Women to help secure the future of the organisation.
 
“By delivering real rights to women in the developing world, ending violence against women and providing them with economic and educational opportunities, UN Women will be able to help lift millions of women and girls out of poverty.  But we fear that UN Women is at risk of faltering before it has even started with some UN member states including the UK Government yet to outline a funding commitment.

“In order for UN Women to plan its strategy and scale up the programming for women in the poorest of communities, it must receive a substantial funding commitment. We are asking the Government to commit just 0.2 per cent of its overseas development assistance budget, just £21 million, to providing core funding to UN Women.”

VSO has been lobbying for a new UN women’s agency for four years – with the four small UN agencies that previously represented women, poorly funded and lacking the power to influence governments or take part in key global decision-making bodies.

Parliamentarians have also thrown their weight behind the Godmothers’ Campaign and will deliver a video message of support at the Mass Lobby. They include: Baroness Hilary Armstrong, Baroness Margaret Prosser, Malcolm Bruce MP, Harriet Harman MP, Jeremy Lefroy MP, Michael McCann MP, Alison McGovern MP, Eleanor Laing MP, Anas Sarwar MP and Pauline Latham MP. 

• Among women aged between 15 and 44, acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.

• Despite doing two-thirds of the work, women earn just 10 per cent of the world’s income. Evidence shows that when women earn and manage their own money they are more likely than men to spend it on educating and feeding their children.

• Rural women already play a major role in agriculture but receive less than one per cent of the credit. If they had the same access as men to resources such as land, seed and fertiliser, agricultural productivity would increase by 20 per cent.

• Just 19.1 per cent of the world’s parliamentary seats are held by women. Research shows that peace agreements and post-conflict reconstruction do better when women are involved, and that there is less corruption when women are more active in politics.

As Director of Policy, Amanda will play a key role in implementing VSO’s new strategy, People First, which includes VSO’s ambitions for growing the scale and impact of its development programmes. Key to this strategy is further strengthening in VSO’s ability to measure its contribution; and a growth in its ability to transfer learning from programmes into policy proposals and external advocacy.

Amanda has worked in the development sector for the past eighteen years. She is joining VSO from Skillshare International UK where she has been working as Head of Programmes and previously as Head of External Relations. She grew up and was educated in Zambia, and earlier in her career held posts at UNFPA/Department of Gender in Development, Zambia; and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Zambia.

Marg Mayne, VSO's Chief Executive, said ‘As part of our new strategy, we are committed to significant increases in the scale and impact of our programmes, including external advocacy work. As Director of Policy Amanda will play a critical role in driving this and we are delighted to be benefiting from her impressive range of development experience, including work in the volunteering context.  Amanda is also passionate about women’s rights, which is particularly relevant for VSO as gender is a cross cutting theme in our development work.’

Amanda Khozi Mukwashi said ‘I am delighted and humbled to be given the opportunity to contribute towards VSO’s people centred approach to combating poverty and inequality.  I am looking forward to being part of this global community who share a vision and values that mean that each individual can have the opportunity and space to contribute to a better and perhaps more just society.’

Established on 1 January, UN Women is an unprecedented opportunity to lift millions of women out of poverty, by holding governments to account, holding key position on global decision making bodies and delivering programmes on the ground.

However, VSO is concerned that slow commitment of substantial funds from world leaders, including the UK Government, will reduce UN Women’s ineffectiveness. ‘The Godmothers’ campaign urges the UK Government to commit to an annual contribution of £21m for UN Women. By matching its previous funding to UNICEF, this would allow UN Women to start delivering programmes on the ground that will achieve real change for the world’s most discriminated and oppressed women.

Oxford student, Selali Fiamanya, 19, spent six months volunteering in both the UK and Nigeria with VSO’s Global Xchange and is attending the Mass Lobby:

“In Nigeria I was surprised to be surrounded by some women who were, albeit not fully equal to men in every respect; strong, relatively free and respected. My experience taught me that many cultures have different views on the position of women and that the job of UN Women is to ensure that these views are not ones which are oppressive, and in which women can choose who and what they want to be. I do believe change is possible: it's not an outrageous goal.”

Head of External Affairs at VSO UK, Kathy Peach, warns that without adequate funding UN Women could have a similar fate to previous UN efforts to improve women’s lives: sabotaged by insufficient funds, lack of expertise and a narrow mandate focused on small-scale pilot projects. She said:

“UN Women’s success is, in part, dependent on strong and immediate financial support from the UK Government. So far the Government has played a critical role in creating the agency and has publicly stated it will ensure more aid money directly helps women and girls. We need them to now back up their comments by committing funding to ensure that UN Women is the success millions of women around the world need it to be.”

‘The Godmothers’ campaign launched in January and has already recruited more than 2,000 Godmothers to watch over the agency and hold it to account. In the centenary year of International Women’s Day, VSO’s Godmothers are joining together for a Mass Lobby event and meet with their MPs afterwards to ensure the UK Government’s supportive words are turned into concrete actions.

UN Women is replacing four poorly coordinated and funded UN organisations. The new agency will hold positions on key global decision-making bodies ensuring that women’s issues will be addressed. It will have the power to hold governments to account for failing to provide opportunities and security to women and will fund partnership programmes across the world.

Head of External Affairs at VSO UK Kathy Peach said that member states, including the UK Government, have been slow in committing substantial core funding for the new body, putting the new agency’s ability to become fully operational at risk of slowing to a snail’s pace.

“UN Women's success is dependent on strong and immediate financial support from the UK Government, which played a critical role in creating the agency and has publicly stated it will ensure more aid money directly helps women and girls."

“It is widely agreed that UN Women is an unprecedented opportunity to lift millions of women out of poverty. However, Ms Bachelet’s comments reassert VSO’s fear that the agency is already fighting against a substantial funding shortfall.  For this reason, Ms Bachelet’s warning that core and regular grants of ‘predictable’ funding is critical to UN Women, should not be ignored.”

VSO’s ‘The Godmothers’ campaign was launched in January and has already recruited over 1,600 Godmothers to watch over the new agency and hold it to account. In the centenary year of International Women’s Day, VSO is confident that the Godmothers can look forward to the official launch of UN Women on 24th February, where countries will be called on to turn their supportive words into concrete actions and fulfill the potential of UN Women.

Campaign Statistics

• Among women aged between 15 and 44, acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.

• Despite doing two-thirds of the work, women earn just 10 per cent of the world’s income. Evidence shows that when women earn and manage their own money they are more likely than men to spend it on educating and feeding their children.

• Rural women already play a major role in agriculture but receive less than one per cent of the credit. If they had the same access as men to resources such as land, seed and fertiliser, agricultural productivity would increase by 20 per cent.

• Just 19.1 per cent of the world’s parliamentary seats are held by women. Research shows that peace agreements and post-conflict reconstruction do better when women are involved, and that there is less corruption when women are more active in politics.

While the new restrictions are an important step, VSO warns that Bangladeshi women will continue to be the victims of abuse and violence, with this issue highlighting the urgent need for UN Women. If properly funded, UN Women can deliver programmes that will reduce violence against women and hold governments’ to account to improve women’s rights and lives.

Acid attacks happen every two days in Bangladesh despite the death penalty with women that have spurred marriage proposals, sexual advances or upset their husbands the most likely victims.

Kathy Peach, Head of External Affairs at VSO said:

“Acid attacks are disturbingly common and their regularity reflects the poor status of women in Bangladeshi society. Whilst curbing the sale of acid is a step forward, it doesn’t address the underlying problem and much more needs to be done to address the abuse and mutilation of women, women’s poor social status and their lack of rights. If UN Women fails to be adequately funded, women will continue to be the victim of violent and disfiguring abuse in countries like Bangladesh and elsewhere.”

Ends

Case studies and professional photography are available with the following Bangladesh victims of acid attacks:

• Onima, whose husband poured battery acid on her vagina because she refused to work as a prostitute.
• Rupia, a widow who has been threatened by land grabbers, because they know a single woman will be too scared to stand up to them.
• Gonga, who was married at 12, and divorced at 13 because her husband did not think she was pretty enough.

Among women aged between 15 and 44 acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined.

To preview photography please visit http://simonrawles.photoshelter.com/gallery/Acid-attack-survivors/G0000jNbc21sekUI/

Kathy Peach, Head of External Affairs at VSO is available for interview. For more information please contact Louise Hill on louise.hill@vso.org.uk, 0208 780 7410, 07500918478.

His reporting spanned conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Middle East. As the BBC's Far East, and then Moscow correspondent, he watched dramatic changes unfolding in China and Russia. He covered Tiananmen Square and the fall of the Berlin Wall.

At the age of 20, Mr Hanranhan spent a year with VSO teaching science in The Gambia. Paying tribute to Mr Hanrahan, Brian Rockliffe, VSO UK Director, has issued the following statement:

“I would like to add VSO’s voice to the many tributes made to Brian’s family today. It is not only a great loss to the BBC, but it is moreover a great loss to the tradition of dignified reporting, for which he will forever be remembered. As with many volunteers who spent an early part of their life working with VSO, we are proud that this experience contributed the world view of a journalist of integrity and outstanding judgement.”

As Assistant Chief Executive Sarah will lead on implementation of VSO’s new strategy, People First, which covers VSO’s ambitions for development programmes, as well as setting out a transformational change agenda for the organisation.  In a world where there are ever more demands on NGOs to demonstrate results and value for money, Sarah will be responsible for driving quality, performance and matrix working through global operations. 

VSO is committed to continue to internationalise, and Sarah will also lead this agenda, including issues of accountability, good governance, and expansion of the VSO Federation. She will also support VSO’s Chief Executive, Marg Mayne, in leading the Global Leadership Team to grow income, develop our people centred approach to programming, and transform our support services.
 
An economist by background, prior to Save the Children, Sarah held positions at the Bank of England and Financial Services Authority (FSA).  During her career Sarah has led major change programmes, including the FSA's work to introduce statutory regulation of mortgage and general insurance sales for the first time.

Commenting on her new role Sarah said “I am excited by VSO’s high impact approach to international development – bringing people together through volunteering to share perspectives and skills.  I am looking forward to joining its Global Leadership Team, and helping to implement its ambitious plans for growth and organisational transformation.”

VSO’s Chief Executive, Marg Mayne added:  “Sarah is bringing to VSO considerable strengths in strategic and business leadership of major public bodies.  She has strong experience of change and organisational development and this expertise will be invaluable to VSO as we implement our ambitious new strategy.  We look forward to welcoming her to VSO.” 

-ends-

“Giving Iran a place on the board would have been a huge blow for women's rights around the globe and a big set back for the hundreds of organisations who campaigned for the creation of UN Women. Iran's track record on women's rights, including the high profile case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, rightly undermined its credibility to sit on an executive board tasked with securing a just and fair world for women.

More positively, the news is another step forward for UN Women. The appointments, the first under Michelle Bachelet’s leadership, mark an important milestone for the embryonic agency. We believe UN Women has the potential to make a genuine and lasting difference for millions of women around the world”.

To make this a reality, VSO is now urging the Executive Board to:

• ensure UN Women is fully and ambitiously funded by at least $1billion annually

• work closely with member states and other UN agencies to deliver on international commitments to women’s rights and gender equality

• create a strong operational programme to help women fight all forms of injustice and discrimination

• foster open dialogue with charities and women’s groups around the world

For more information please contact Rachel Trayner on 0208 780 7265 or email rachel.trayner@vso.org.uk  

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the health sector where 23% of doctors trained in sub-Saharan Africa have moved to work in health systems in OECD countries.
 
Migration must work harder for both rich and poor countries. We believe that changes to the UK’s immigration and citizenship policies could help stem the brain drain from Africa and enable the UK to remain competitive in attracting the best talent from abroad."

For more information please contact Louise Hill on 0208 780 7410 or email louise.hill@vso.org.uk

"The Government is to be congratulated for holding to its commitment to increase aid to 0.7% of GNI by 2013. Today's announcement says clearly that the UK will continue to be an international leader on development, even in tough economic times, and sends a message to other governments who have turned their backs on their aid commitments."

"Our volunteers have seen first hand how UK Government aid has improved millions of lives around the world. In the new year, we look forward to seeing more detail from the Government about exactly how the additional £4.2bn announced in the Spending Review will be spent.”

The YouGov poll of 1,500 14-20 year-olds  demonstrates that although many young people are well informed, this is undermined by negative imagery that dominates the media’s view of the developing world and young people, driving disengagement.

Television remains the favoured way of reaching young people, but with few programmes on the wider world targeted at young audiences the report calls for broadcasters and charities to find innovative ways of unlocking the potential of passionate young activists.

Global Generation - Major findings

More than two-thirds (67%) of young Brits worry about the world’s poorest people. Most young people would like to do more to help, but face barriers including a lack of time, money and self-confidence.

Three-quarters (75%) of those polled keep on top of world events via TV news and nearly two-thirds (62%) by newspapers and magazines. But, young people are increasingly switching off due to negative portrayals of young people in the UK and international coverage being confined to famine and disaster.

Young activists start campaigning and volunteering through a range of influences - including media, family, friends and teachers. Involvement is a long-term commitment, with activists likely to start volunteering close to home, while nearly a third were willing to give up their time overseas.

Schools play a pivotal role in countering negative portrayals of the developing world and introduce young people to global issues. Most young people kick-start a connection to poor countries thanks to lessons, charity led activities or passionate teachers.

Two young people who took part in the research for Global Generation commented on their first hand experience of being active young people:

Liz White, 20, is a Global Xchange volunteer; a volunteering partnership between the British Council and VSO:

”By the time you become a teenager, you are used to being bombarded by images of suffering that it begins to loose any real impact. Broadcasters need to find some way of restoring the human connection between young people here and overseas”.

“Volunteering has become for me a purpose and a way of life, I feel a heightened sense of connection that I can’t ignore. I have been lucky enough to volunteer in Nigeria and develop relationships and now there is no longer a barrier between me and the 6 o'clock news”.

IBT is an educational and media charity that promotes quality coverage of the developing world. The Global Generation report aims to raise awareness of the strategic role media and young people can play as a tool for development. The following recommendations hope to encourage more broadcasters to consider how to reach out to young audiences.

Global Generation: Recommendations

Broadcasters need to reconsider how they perceive young people. News editors should consider the impact that their portrayal of young people has on young audiences, and look for ways of reflecting a more varied range of stories that feature them.

Broadcasters should consider setting up young people’s audience panels, which could inform and inspire the production of programmes aimed specifically at this global generation; building on the success of BBC3’s Blood, Sweat and T-shirts strand, which covers the wider world, appeals to young people and places them at the heart of the story. 

News coverage of young people is too often one-dimensional and young people are put off by the tone and content of television news. Negative imagery of the developing world, particularly in television news, has a significant impact on young audiences and news broadcasters need to reflect a wider range of stories from developing countries. 

Whilst schools are successful in informing young people about the wider world, they need to find new ways of turning knowledge into engagement. Many young people are attracted to the idea of volunteering but are discouraged from doing so by a lack of knowledge or confidence. NGOs should consider ways in which they could make it easier for young people to become involved in global issues.

International Citizen Service will focus mainly on 18 to 22 year-olds, who will work on projects aimed at improving the lives of some of the poorest people in the world.

The level of help provided will be means-tested, ensuring a wide spectrum of participants, and there will also be opportunities for older applicants. The experience will be designed to broaden horizons, develop new skills and foster self reliance.

Young volunteers will work on social action projects for three month periods, in some places alongside older volunteers on longer placements.

Examples of projects which volunteers could be involved in include:

Youth projects to tackle HIV/ AIDS in South Africa;
Supporting carers in orphanages in Haiti;
Providing assistance in primary schools in Ghana;
Carrying out environmental conservation work in Bangladesh.

The Prime Minister said:

"Today I can announce International Citizen Service, to give thousands of our young people, who couldn't otherwise afford it, the chance to see the world and serve others. Last century, America's Peace Corps inspired a generation of young people to act, and this century I want International Citizen Service to do the same thing."

Kathy Peach, Head of External Affairs at VSO said:

"We're pleased that the government has recognised the vital contribution that volunteering plays in tackling poverty. We hope that this scheme will enable young British volunteers to work together with young people from developing countries to help build a fairer world."

"To end poverty we need to harness the passion, skills and knowledge of young people all over the world. International Citizen Service is a call to action for the Live8 generation to make a practical contribution to this fight against global poverty."

The programme also recognises the contribution that people at the end of their career can make. Often these people have skills and experience that are in high demand in developing countries.

This will also give an opportunity for some young people to work alongside older and more experienced volunteers, receiving mentoring and support.

On their return to the UK all volunteers will be helped and encouraged to share their experience with local groups, to tell others about the challenges and importance of development work.

The cost of the placements will be means tested so that the scheme can provide opportunities to a wide spectrum of people from all backgrounds. In the pilot year (2011/12) places will be offered to 1,000 young people and to 250 more experienced older people. An evaluation will determine how best to scale up the scheme to offer places to many more people.

From 2013, International Citizen Service will seek to include graduates of the UK-based National Citizen Service programme for 16 year-olds.

DFID will work with specialist volunteering agencies to pilot the scheme in the first year, with first year costs of up to £10 million. There will be pre-departure training and support for the volunteers, as well as support on their return to ensure ongoing benefits. Older volunteers with development experience will be able to contribute their skills on longer two year schemes, as well as the three month placements.

Notes to Editors

Third party comments: 

"Volunteering is a great and well-established British tradition. We are pleased that the coalition government recognises the value of people from different cultures and backgrounds working together. We live in a very interdependent world and we have much to learn from our partners in developing countries, as well as much to contribute." Matthew Snell, Chair of British Volunteer Agencies Liaison Group and CEO of International Service

"Young people make up half of the world's population, and therefore must play an essential role in addressing the most urgent issues we face in a globalised world. We support this initiative to give British young people opportunities to contribute to international development." Eric Levine, CEO, Restless Development, the Youth-Led Development Agency

"The voluntary contribution of people of all ages is a vital part of building future societies across the world. This programme will bring together young and old across the world to understand and engage with the great challenges that we now face. It is a welcome contribution to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals." Cliff Allum, CEO, Skillshare International

"Poverty is overcome through people, which is why the UK has a long tradition of achieving change through volunteers. Many thousands of British people have shared their skills while learning and being transformed themselves. This new initiative is a welcome contribution to the building of a global big society." Christine Allen, Executive Director, Progressio

"We are particularly excited about the opportunity to harness voluntary efforts to bear on some of the pressing challenges of global health in new and innovative ways."  Pia MacRae, Chief Executive, THET.

Sara Cottingham, VSO’s Deputy Director of Policy, gives her opinion on the outcome of the UN summit: 

 “ World leaders have broken their promises. Again. With just five years to the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, how many more people need to die unnecessarily before world leaders commit to ending poverty? 

Nick Clegg should be commended. The UK government did set the gold standard at this year’s UN Summit by keeping their commitment to spend 0.7% of their national income on aid by 2013 and doubling aid to stop death in childbirth.   However their example and pleas fell on deaf ears as other world leaders failed to make a stand.

The UK government must continue to fight for people living in developing countries. There is so much more to be done.  And with just five years to go until the Millennium Development Goals deadline Clegg and Cameron must push their peers to follow their lead. “

What next?

The UN summit was disappointing but VSO will be working harder than ever to ensure we hit the Millennium Development Goals.   Over the next five years we will be working hard to:

· Encourage world leaders to address a shortfall of 3.5 million health workers
· Ensure that UN Women has significant resources and clout to make a difference
· Reinstate DFID’s commitment to disburse £1 billion per year to education between now and 2015

We need your help.  Campaign.Donate.Volunteer. 

The recommendation is one of a number of policy measures proposed in Brain Gain, a VSO report highlighting how improved circular migration, the legal and recurring movement of people, could help international aid efforts to tackle brain drain; the mass exodus of trained health workers from Africa.

Brian Rockliffe, VSO’s UK Director said:
“The UK government needs to show international leadership by linking migration to the development debate. A new way of managing migration is urgently needed if we are to curb the devastating impact of the health workforce crisis and make a step change towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals.”

The report, which will be showcased during high profile panel debates during the Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat party conferences, shows that many African health workers in the UK would like to return home temporarily to help address skills shortages in their country of origin, but that they currently face a number of barriers that make it difficult to do so, including a lack of flexibility in the citizen journey.

African health worker seeking citizenship must have been resident for five years and not spent more than 450 days outside the UK in that period, restricting opportunities to transfer skills to their home country, many of which suffer from a severe shortage of health workers.

At present, Africa has just three percent of global health workers but bears 24% of the global burden of disease. In the last two decades, these shortages have been exacerbated by thousands of health workers leaving to find employment in developed countries, including the UK, citing meagre salaries, crowded wards and limited professional development. Efforts by VSO and other development agencies to tackle this shortage are often undermined as many of these health workers leave permanently resulting in a skills vacuum.

Brian Rockliffe said:
“Without managing migration more effectively, donor aid for Africa’s health systems and workforces will not deliver maximum value for money.”

VSO is proposing a package of measures which includes:

1. Get migration working outwards as well as in

Make it easier for skilled migrants who have contributed to our public services and economy to return home and help their country of origin, either temporarily, permanently, or on a recurring basis, according to individual choice. We should support those who want to go back by making provisions for a ‘pause’ in the citizenship journey, encouraging diaspora volunteering, and increasing the advice available to help them return. It will save lives in Africa and reduce permanent brain drain to the UK.

2. Build up African health systems and workforces

At least half of the UK’s existing aid to global health should go towards tackling the underlying causes of migration and barriers to return by helping poor countries to strengthen their health infrastructure and build up their workforces. Returning migrants should play a vital role in helping to train and build the skills of health workers.

3. Support the professional development of migrant health workers in the UK

The UK should ensure that it supports migrant health workers to develop professionally by expanding training opportunities through schemes such as the Medical Training Initiative and ensuring migrants take jobs appropriate to their skills and qualifications. This will also enable the UK to continue to attract the brightest and best health workers to help meet our labour needs. Aiding developing countries to recognise any skills gained by migrant health workers in the UK will support them to deploy those who return most effectively.

Ends

For more information or to set up an interview please contact Louise Hill on 0208 780 7410 or email louise.hill@vso.org.uk

The Ministers will then go into a question and answer session where the young people will ask what the UK government is doing to help meet the MDG’s, and what they think the priority issues are.

The young people, including 19 year old former Global Xchange volunteer, Selali Fiamanya from Glasgow, will present two papers asking for more help for children affected by war, increasing funding for safe water and toilets and prioritising the rights of girls who are less likely than boys to get a primary education.

The event is being organized by the DFID/CSO Youth Working Group, a network of thirty organisations and young people in the UK concerned with youth participation in international development.

There will be a photo opportunity where the young people will present the two papers to the DPM and SoS. 

Media are invited to send a journalist, photographer and/or film crew. For more information, and to confirm attendance at the event or to set up an interview please contact Rachel Trayner on 07738982122 or email rachel.trayner@vso.org.uk

“VSO welcomes the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the Under Secretary General at the new UN’s women’s agency.  Her presidency of Chile was characterised by strong commitment to social reform and efforts to close the gap between rich and poor.  Her promise to improve the lives of the poorest women and children was borne out in the creation of thousands of crèches for deprived children and she took the unprecedented step of creating an equal number of government posts for men and women.

“We believe that ‘UN Women’ has the potential to make a genuine and lasting difference for millions of women around the world. With just five years left until the MDG deadline, the new agency was sorely needed.

“The appointment of Bachelet gives the new agency a fighting chance but there is now the need to show the same commitment to the financial resourcing. Civil Society Organisations, including VSO, believe the new agency should have at least $1bn annually so that it can run programmes that help women live free from violence, earn an income and have a say in decisions that affect their lives. We were disappointed earlier this year when member states did not set a funding goal for the agency.  We urge Bachelet to make securing funding the top priority in the first three months of her leadership.

“We also applaud the leadership shown by the British Government today as Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg announces that the entire UK aid programme will be reorientated to put women in developing countries at its heart. We hope that the Deputy Prime Minister will use next week’s UN MDG summit to call on other governments to show the same commitment to women’s development.” 

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For further information or to speak to a VSO spokesperson please contact Catherine Raynor on +44 7734 863987 or email Catherine.Raynor@vso.org.uk

Audiences will be able to meet the filmmakers and hear more about these issues through interactive discussions with experts.  And most importantly, people will learn how they can take action as individuals or groups to make a difference in helping to resolve these global problems, both at home and overseas.  The international development charity VSO is a key supporter of Take One Action Film Festival and will be at the forefront of a number of events taking place during and around the official festival dates (23 Sept – 5 Oct).  VSO carries out vital work through volunteers, who work in some of the world’s poorest countries, helping to tackle poverty by sharing their professional skills. 

Take One Action was actually set up three years ago by former VSO volunteer Simon Bateson.  Over the festival’s duration, VSO will be involved in supporting everything from the UK premier screening of ‘Three and a Half Lives of Phillip Wetu’ by famous Namibian director Richard Pakleppa to workshops and discussions relating to areas like; how individuals can make a difference to tackling global poverty, gender discrimination in the developing world and the importance of global awareness in Scotland’s new education curriculum.  There will also be an opportunity to find out more about volunteering with VSO.

Here’s a rundown on the film screenings and events which VSO is hosting/supporting;

Sun 26th Sept, Edinburgh Filmhouse (6pm-8:20pm) – ‘Three and a Half Lives of Phillip Wetu’ – This UK premier will be shown to an audience who will meet Phillip, an attractive IT professional whose sexual relationships with multiple partners – the driving force behind the spread of HIV in Namibia is about to get him into trouble.  With eight possible endings, this story could go anywhere and it’s for the audience to decide.  This will be followed by the uplifting film ‘The Lazarus Effect’ which stays on the theme of HIV/Aids and illustrates the transformative effect of life-saving medicines in the lives of HIV positive people in Zambia.  It was produced by Spike Jonze/HBO and the HIV awareness brand (RED). 

After, there will be a discussion with Jonathan Ssentamu (a returned VSO volunteer), Kalonde Kasengele (Waverley Care African Health Project) and Cathy Crawford (Impact AIDS). Only suitable for 12+ year olds.  Tickets cost £5.20/£6.90.  To book go to www.takeoneaction.org.uk or call 0131 228 2688. 

Mon 27th Sept, Edinburgh Filmhouse (5:45pm-8:05pm) – ‘A Walk to Beautiful’ – This is the first screening in Scotland of this inspiring documentary which tells the heartbreaking story of five Ethiopian women who suffer from childbirth injuries. Rejected by their husbands and ostracized by their communities, they are expected to spend their lives in loneliness and shame.  Instead they make the long and arduous journey to The Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa where they reclaim their lost dignity. The trials they endure and their attempts to rebuild their lives – tell a universal story of hope, courage and transformation.  The Los Angeles Times said the film: “Leaves you speechless twice over – first with despair, then with joy.”

The film will be followed by audience discussion about gender, power and health with VSO returned volunteer/turned gender campaigner Julia Lalla Maharajh, Malcolm Fleming (campaigns manager for Oxfam Scotland) and Helen Puttick (health correspondent at The Herald).  Only suitable for 12+ year olds.  Tickets cost £5.20/£6.90.  To book go to www.takeoneaction.org.uk or call 0131 228 2688. 

Tue 5th Oct, Edinburgh Filmhouse & Glasgow Film Theatre (6pm-8:20pm) – ‘A Small Act’ - Chris’ life in a Kenyan village was transformed by the sponsorship of a Swedish woman – Hilde Back – who he knew only by name. Now a graduate from Harvard and a human rights lawyer working for the UN, he has set up his own education programme for Kenyan children. Weaving between the lives of Chris, Hilde and three children competing for Chris’ fund, this is a moving testament to the selfless act of giving, but also to the great challenges of achieving equal access to educational opportunity in Africa.  The Hollywood Reporter described it as: “A precious, inspiring tale.”
To mark World Teachers’ Day, this screening – aimed especially at teachers but open to all – will be followed only at the Edinburgh screening by a discussion about access to education in Africa as well as inspiring global citizenship through Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland, led by VSO’s education advocacy advisor Purna Shrestha.  Only suitable for 12+ year olds.  Tickets cost £5.20/£6.90.  To book go to www.takeoneaction.org.uk or call Edinburgh Filmhouse on 0131 228 2688/Glasgow Film Theatre on 0141 332 6535. 

Wed 6th Oct, The Melting Pot (5 Rose Street), Edinburgh (6pm to 9pm) – ‘VSO’s Six Ways to Make a Change’ – This will be an interactive evening workshop organised by VSO, which includes a presentation on international development that aims to inspire people to make a difference in combating global poverty.  Post talk, there will be six action stations, manned by VSO staff and supporters where attendees can learn more about how they can make a difference in helping tackle global poverty both at home and abroad with opportunity for discussion and a Q&A session.  This event is free.  To register email teresa.sheppard@vso.org.uk.     

Tue 12th Oct, The Melting Pot (5 Rose Street), Edinburgh (6:30pm-9pm) – ‘Meet VSO’ – This is a great opportunity for those interested in finding out more about volunteering with one of the world’s leading international development charities, VSO.  Individuals will discover how sharing their professional skills through volunteering in the world’s poorest countries, helps in the fight against poverty and disadvantage at this informal and free open evening.  Returned volunteers and VSO staff will be on hand to speak to and will be delighted to relay their inspiring, first-hand experiences of volunteering overseas with VSO and any other information required to help people take the next step.  To register simply log onto www.vso.org.uk/events.

Wed 13th, St Augustine’s Church, Edinburgh (6:30pm – 9pm) – ‘Will the Millennium Development Goals Deliver for Women?’ – Women are on the frontline of both the impacts and solutions to global poverty. Join VSO, Christian Aid and Oxfam to learn more about the future for women in the developing world and what individuals can do to ensure the Millennium Development Goals deliver for women. This event is free.  To register email vso.scotland@vso.org.uk. 

For more info and to register to attend VSO’s events/workshops at Take One Action Film Festival go to www.vso.org.uk/takeoneaction.  

VSO Indonesia currently has international volunteer professionals working with partners in local government institutions and NGOs in Nusa Tenggara Timur and South Sulawesi, on livelihoods and disability projects.

In 2009, VSO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dirjen Binapenta. According to the MOU, VSO will manage a pilot project sending Indonesian volunteers overseas. The project will be evaluated at the end of the Indonesian volunteer’s two-year term.

We believe that Indonesian professionals are able to take up this important role of making changes for a better world, through sharing their knowledge, talents, experience and skills with local organisations and communities in other developing countries.

The recruitment criteria, terms and conditions and mechanism will be the same as those used in other VSO recrutiment bases. The volunteer benefits package is designed so that the volunteer will not lose money or make a profit from volunteering. VSO Indonesia and VSO Bahaginan in the Philippines, (the closest VSO recruitment centre in Asia) will manage this pilot project.

The project started in August 2010 and the recruitment process will consist of application and selection between September and October 2010. The deadline for submitting application forms is 3 September 2010.

The five Indonesian volunteers are expected to start their overseas postings between November 2010 and March 2011, depending on them being matched with available placements in VSO partner organisations in other developing countries.

Next to the valuable contributions volunteers make during their placements, they return to their own country equipped with invaluable professional experience, a wealth of memories, and a whole new perspective on life. It will be a great contribution to the development of Indonesia and its skilled workforce, if Indonesians volunteered their time and skills as VSO volunteers.

VSO is distributing information about this pilot project through mailing lists, Internet job sites, as well as a video advertisement at the Kota train station in Jakarta. This video advertisement has been made possible through our collaboration with QSi Holding Limited and their representative in Indonesia, PT Delphi Utama.

To arrange an interview with Afaq please contact Louise Hill on 0208 780 7410/07500918478 or email louise.hill@vso.org.uk  

John, 65, has worked for VSO since 1988, originally in Papua New Guinea and more recently Ghana and The Gambia on the west coast of Africa. He was honoured by The Queen with an OBE for his time supporting the work of volunteers who share their skills with people from some of the poorest countries in the world.

John will be setting off from Market Hall on Cross Street, Abergavenny at 9am and will travel through Bristol, Bath, Devizes and Newbury before arriving in Putney, London at VSO’s headquarters. Monmouth MP, David Davies will be attending the farewell, commented:

“I’m used to making the weekly commute to London myself, but John’s journey is extraordinary and I wish him all the best with this remarkable challenge. I have had the pleasure to meet with many VSO volunteers from across Monmouthshire over the years and it’s a privilege to represent a constituency where people are so willing to step in and help wherever they see a need. Experienced people approaching retirement have high levels of skill which VSO and other voluntary organisations are in real need of and John is a credit to us all.”

John was inspired to walk to work by his long career with VSO: “VSO puts people in the heart of its work. I have seen first hand how far people have to walk for so much, from the local school, to work or merely for clean water. VSO volunteers have tackled these problems, helping to improve the lives of these communities; their continuing dedication is inspirational.”

Of his forthcoming challenge, John said, “As I approach 65, I fear that I am getting to the stage when I really should consider hanging up my boots - but working with volunteers to help disadvantaged people in some of the most desperately poor countries in the world is something that I can't let go of easily. It will spur me on all the way to Putney!”

To support John’s walk to work please visit his Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/johnstops and help him reach his target of £3, 000. For general information on volunteering with VSO visit http://www.vso.org.uk/volunteer/ or call 020 8780 7500.

VSO is an international development charity that works through professional volunteers and for the third consecutive year it is helping parliamentarians use their advocacy, lobbying, and policy-making skills to tackle poverty in some of the world’s poorest countries.

First to leave will be O’Donnell who will spend two weeks helping the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda with its lobbying strategy.  The rights of the disabled is an area O’Donnell has an active interest in after working for 15 years with adults with learning disabilities.  One in ten Ugandans has a disability and it’s estimated that over 1.4 million of these people are children under 16 years old.  One of VSO’s main aims for its disability programme in Uganda is to support disabled peoples’ organisations to engage more effectively with policymakers and organisations that deliver basic services.

Commenting on his decision to volunteer, O’Donnell said: “I’ve known about VSO for years and the quality and commitment of their work is remarkable.  Volunteering in Uganda will be very advantageous for both countries - allowing useful knowledge to be exchanged and best practices discussed.  It’ll be interesting and very useful to learn how the disability agenda is being taken forward in the developing world and I’ll be able to share my skills and knowledge on how National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda could potentially improve the lives of disabled Ugandans.  I’m looking forward to working with VSO’s partner organisation, the local people and their communities in order to bring about an agenda for change for the way in which resources are available for disabled people in Uganda.” 

Brian Rockcliffe, VSO UK Director added:  “Tackling poverty requires action from governments and authorities in poor countries and the ongoing commitment of the international community.  In many countries unfair and outdated laws, poor investment in public services and failure of governments to follow through on their commitments is keeping millions in poverty.  By sharing their skills and expertise in lobbying and advocacy UK parliamentarians will be helping our partner organisations to bring about change.  We hope their VSO experience will give them a valuable insight into development issues that will enhance support for development in the UK Parliament.”

John Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw returns to Mongolia on the 6th August where he volunteered last year to continue his work supporting the Ulaanbaatar City Health Authority develop new models of healthcare. 

Other parliamentarians who will volunteer this year are:

David Amess – Conservative, Southend West – departs 22nd August
Amess, a former member of the Health Select Committee, will travel to the Philippines to train the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) to lobby more effectively for improved salaries and working conditions for nurses.  Low pay, a lack of management support and difficult working conditions are currently driving many well-qualified and experienced nurses to work abroad or to leave the profession altogether.  Amess will also undertake a series of meetings with government officials to discuss investment in the health workforce.

Malcolm Wicks – Labour, Croydon North – departs 26th August
Former Energy Minister, Malcolm Wicks will be supporting VSO’s human rights work with refugees on the Thailand-Burma border.  Through activities around the Tak province, Wicks will help organisations to advocate more effectively and also understand how to more effectively raise issues with foreign governments.  He will also work with Thai Ministers on the issue of access to education for migrant children.

John Leech – Liberal Democrat, Manchester Withington - departs 29th August
Leech will travel to Bangladesh to support the Social Action for Environment (SAFE) and the Department of Youth to improve livelihood security and workers’ rights in the Khulna region.  Farmers and prawn producers are struggling under the impacts of climate change, there is high youth unemployment and female workers in the factories do not have contracts, equal pay, or safe working conditions.  Leech will meet workers and help organisations that support them to develop advocacy skills, before undertaking lobbying meetings in Dhaka.

David Cairns – Labour, Inverclyde – departs 14th September
Cairns will volunteer with the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya.  The government in Kenya has committed to supporting those living with HIV and AIDS and their carers, but interruptions to the supply of antiretroviral treatment have affected over 300,000 people and many carers are without basic medical kits.  Cairns will support an ongoing campaign calling on the government to keep its promises on HIV treatment.

Jo Swinson – Liberal Democrat, East Dumbartonshire – departs 22nd September
Swinson will travel to Nigeria to support the International Centre for Energy, Environment and Development (ICEED) to lobby political leaders and government officials to implement climate change policies and legislation.  ICEED is promoting awareness of the potential for the transition to a low carbon economy to stimulate growth, alleviate poverty and create jobs and is calling for the Clean Energy Bill and a Bill to establish a Climate Change Commission. 

Baroness Stern of Vauxhall – Crossbencher – departs 27th September
Stern will travel to Kenya to support the Coalition on Violence Against Women (COVAW) to lobby for four new pieces of legislation that will significantly improve the lives of women in Kenya.  The Marriage Bill, Matrimonial Property Bill, Domestic Violence (Family Protection) Bill, and Equal Opportunities Bill have all been introduced but are stalled.  Stern will meet women affected by violence and the organisations working to support them before attending a series of lobbying meetings with Kenyan MPs.

Baroness Jay of Paddington – Labour – departs November
Last year Baroness Jay ran a workshop for parliamentarians from six Southern Africa countries during which they developed advocacy strategies for reducing the burden of HIV & AIDS care on women and girls.
Jay will return to South Africa to continue this work. 

Parliamentarians will each spend two to three weeks overseas helping to advise community organisations on matters relating to advocacy and campaigning.  VSO covers the costs of flights, accommodation, and health insurance for all volunteers.  Parliamentarians will receive the standard VSO volunteer allowance, which is a modest amount to cover daily needs.  This differs by country but is generally around £25-50 per week. 

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For further information or to request an interview with a participating parliamentarian or a VSO spokesperson please contact Catherine Raynor, VSO Head of Media and Information on 020 8780 7343/ 07734 863987 or via catherine.raynor@vso.org.uk

“We believe that ‘UN Women’ has the potential to make a genuine and lasting difference for millions of women around the world. With just five years left until the MDG deadline, the new agency comes not a moment too soon. 

However, the success of ‘UN Women’ is not guaranteed. Much hinges on money and leadership - two critical things still not finalised after yesterday's agreement. Civil Society Organisations, including VSO, believe the new agency should have at least $1bn annually so that it can run programmes that help women live free from violence, earn an income and have a say in decisions that affect their lives. We are disappointed that member states did not set a funding goal for the agency, and are particularly concerned given the international community's poor track-record on financing programmes that help women. 

The other critical factor will be the choice of leader. We hope the Secretary General will waste no time in recruiting a strong, dynamic and capable woman to lead the agency, but urge him to do so through an open, fair and transparent process.

We applaud the leadership shown by both the previous and the current British Government during the negotiations that led to the creation of this new women's agency. We now hope that the UK will continue to work with other donors to ensure that ‘UN Women’ is given the resources and support it needs to undertake the huge and vital task ahead.”

“This is an appalling and deadly backtrack. G8 leaders must not put their heads in the sand on this issue and must understand that their decision will cost lives in the developing world. 

The G8 have broken their promise to not only people in the developing world but also to the tens of thousands of ordinary people who marched to Gleneagles in 2005 to ensure that we do Make Poverty History.

Whilst the UK defended the pledge, Japan, Italy, Germany and France should be ashamed of themselves. Tackling poverty is a global burden and they have a responsibility to act”.

Dear Prime Minister,

UK leadership at the G8 to create an effective UN agency for women.

As organisations committed to gender equality and women’s rights, we are writing to you ahead of the G8 to request your leadership on the creation of a new UN agency for women.

We believe a new women’s agency has the potential to make a lasting difference to the lives of millions around the world by helping women give birth safely, stay in school longer, live free from violence, and earn an income.

With just five years until the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals, a new women’s agency is desperately needed to overcome the entrenched apathy among many governments and UN agencies to making progress on women’s equality.

A new women’s agency will reduce the incoherence, fragmentation, and lack of leadership on women that currently characterises the UN system.  Greater efforts to empower women and improve their status will drive reductions in maternal mortality, improve women’s sexual and reproductive health, and help advance many other key development goals.

Critical negotiations on the women’s agency are currently taking place in New York and we expect them to culminate during the G8 summit. At present, we are pessimistic about the chance of a resolution being agreed that will enable the new women’s agency to meet the enormous, and vital, role ahead. We are concerned that the new agency will be relegated to providing only an advisory or coordinating function, with insufficient resources and authority to address the inadequacies of the current UN system.

We therefore ask you to use your influence with the G8 and other UN member states to press for an ambitious agenda for the agency, and to express your unequivocal support for a resolution that provides a new women’s agency with the following:

· Sufficient resources and mandate to deliver development programmes that will make a genuine difference to women’s lives
· The ability to establish operations based on the needs of women and not solely at the invitation of member states 
· The authority to hold other UN agencies accountable for improving progress towards gender equality goals  
· Strong mechanisms for the participation of women’s and civil society organisations

We are troubled by the lack of consensus on the executive board, and ask you to use your leadership to help member states reach a fair compromise on this element of the negotiations.

This is a momentous opportunity to change the course of women’s lives globally, at a time when they bear the brunt of disease and poverty.

We hope we can count on your support on this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Kathy Peach
VSO's Policy and Adcovacy Manager and Chair, UK Gender and Development Network Working Group on the UN Women’s Agency 

Jessica Woodroffe
Chair, UK Gender and Development Network

VSO has since had confirmation that the Prime Minister is willing to raise this at the G8.

Sarah Boseley, The Guardian's Health Editor, profiled the story on her regular Global Health Blog. Read it here 

Alice Waterman, a VSO Midwife Trainer, recently arrived in a remote region of Sierra Leone, a country with 6.4 million people and just 95 midwives.  Her first impressions demonstrate why more desperately needs to be done to train skilled midwives in the world’s poorest countries.

 “These are just the facts of what I observed on one initial short shift at the hospital. A woman had just given birth to twins. I was not present at the birth but was there to witness a haemorrhage following the birth of the placenta. The floor was covered in blood - I've not seen so much in all my time as a UK midwife. The woman was head down on the rusty old delivery bed and lying on a blue plastic sheet.  I wondered about the twins - the first, a girl, had lived and was wrapped in a cloth and left at the side of the delivery room - which was also the office, and place where staff got changed, put their bags and washed their hands in a bucket as there is no running water in the Government Hospital. The second twin a boy - died during birth. He was wrapped in a cloth too - and put on a table where everyone who came into the delivery room passed by.”

Mothers and their children will continue to die unnecessarily if their health workers do not have adequate skills and training.  VSO are advocating for:

· 4.3 million additional health workers, evenly distributed between town and countryside
· Increased long-term, predictable funding for the training and retention of health workers
· Technical support to help countries develop credible human resources for health work plans.

Please help.  Volunteer. Donate. Campaign.  

Designed to abolish discrimination, the convention will encourage legislation and action plans protecting the rights of disabled people, many of whom have lost limbs after stepping upon un-cleared landmines. 

A direct response to international pressure from VSO and other development charities, the policy shift paves the way for equal rights for disabled people and should open up education, health care and employment opportunities.

Sharon Hodgson, MP for Washington and Sunderland West, volunteered during her summer recess in Cambodia in 2009 as part of VSO’s Parliamentarian Volunteering Scheme. She worked with the Disability Action Council using her political experience to support the campaign, persuading previously reluctant Ministers to adopt the treaty.    She said:
 
“ This is very good news and gives me hope for the future prosperity of disabled people living in Cambodia.  It is a huge milestone. “

Currently there are around 550,000 disabled people living in Cambodia, many of whom do not have adequate access to education, health care and employment and are often excluded from society.  Three decades of war has left a legacy of un-cleared landmines across Cambodia ensuring it has one of the worst landmine problems in the world. 

The Convention currently has 145 signatories and was launched in December 2006. 

For more information about VSO’s Parliamentarian scheme please call Elizabeth Goodwin on 0208 780 7390

Funded by Comic Relief, TENI will improve the quality of education received by more than 50,000 children in the Jirapa, West Mamprusi and Talensi-Nabdam regions of northern Ghana.  The programme is specifically focused on girls and disabled children.

TENI will work with government, community leaders, education professionals and civil society to improve the retention and performance of children in primary school.  It will improve the supply and skills of teachers and work with district assemblies to improve the coordination and implementation of education initiatives.  It will also address the socio-economic barriers at household and community level, and improve the livelihoods of women so they are better able to support their children to go to school.

As he officially launched the programme, Mr Mahama said:

“Quality education is the bedrock for poverty reduction and sustained development.  The task of providing quality equitable and timely education for all children by 2015 is huge and requires collective effort to succeed. While the Ghana government appreciates its own interventions we are concerned that close to 800,000 children are still waiting for their right to education. To reach out to these children requires flexible and innovative means.

“VSO has been a true partner of education for over 50 years now. With the placement of high calibre international volunteers VSO has been instrumental in improving quality teaching and learning and its experience over these years has culminated in the design of this new education project whose launch we are witnessing today.”

The event was attended by school children who presented a drama depicting the challenges children face in accessing education.  They told how parents, particularly fathers, were not generally supportive of girls’ education and this requires attitudinal changes and highlighted the need for government and traditional leaders to take urgent steps to tackle the migration of girls to the cities to work as porters.

Despite the Ghana government making significant investments in education in the past ten years by abolishing fees and providing grants for uniforms and resources, there are still tens of thousands of children who do not complete school and almost 30% of adults living in the northern region are illiterate.  Drop-out rates are particularly high for girls who are frequently subjected to early marriage or are under pressure to earn a living or look after younger siblings or sick family members. 

VSO Ghana country director, Ibrahim Tanko Amidu said at the launch:

“The presence of His Excellency the Vice President of Ghana and His Majesty the Overlord of Mamprugu sends a clear message to all of us that the present state of education in northern Ghana is unacceptable and that all hands must be on deck to ensure that children in northern Ghana are able to rub shoulders with their counterparts in other parts of Ghana. 

“Whilst enrolment and gender parity rates have steadily improved at the lower primary level, this has not translated into increased retention of children, particularly girls and children with disability, in the upper primaries and junior high schools. TENI will build upon and support the efforts of the Ghana government to help ensure that all stakeholders at all levels work to address the systemic barriers to children’s access to quality education.”

TENI is expected to reach some 25,000 parents with advocacy messages, support the development of over 2000 teachers and head teachers and deploy 500 national volunteer teachers from the more affluent areas in the south to the northern regions of Ghana so they can support development in their own country.

TENI has received £3m of funding from by Comic Relief, with match-funding of £1m from VSO.  Implementing partners are VSO, ProNet North, Integrated Social Development Centre, Link Community Development, National Service Scheme and the Ghana Education Service.

In addition, TENI will be working with three research institutions, two in Ghana (Center for Social Policy Studies of the University of Ghana and the Institute for Democratic Governance) and one in the UK (Institute of Education) to document and disseminate experiences and lessons from the project as a means of influencing policy and to support replication in other parts of Ghana.

The launch event was chaired by the President of the National House of Chiefs and also attended by the Northern Regional Minister, representatives from the Ghana Education Service, community leaders, including traditional women leaders and chief executives from the three project districts. 

Designed to give members of the diaspora community the chance to have their say about current and future development policies, the debate panel will include:

• Lord Eric Avebury, Liberal Democrats

Lord Avebury is the Lib Dems spokesperson on Foriegn Affairs in the House of Lords, specialising in conflict resolution, immigration issues and human rights. He founded the Parliamentary Human Rights Group, which he chaired for 21 years. He fought for British citizenship rights of ethnic minority residents in Hong Kong. He is also the president of Peru Support Group, advocating human rights in Peru.

• Jayne Forbes, Green Party

Jayne Forbes has been involved with campaigning for people in developing countries as Chair of WDM (World Development Movement) and Chair of Tourism Concern. She worked in Gambia as a VSO volunteer. She is a lecturer at the University of the Arts teaching tourism with a particular emphasis on the impacts of tourism on people in developing countries.

• George Lee, Conservative Party 

George Lee was born in a converted pig shed in Hong Kong. He worked in toy factory aged five, came to the UK aged 10 and worked in his parent's takeaway. George spent 20 years in the public sector (MoD & Met Police), is the founding member of BPA and is highest-ranking Chinese police officer in the UK. He has a successful senior executive corporate career with various FTSE100 companies in diverse functions and industry sectors.

• Gareth Thomas, Labour Party

Gareth is currently the Minister of State for International Development, in charge of Britain’s aid to Africa. He has also been responsible for Britain’s aid programmes to Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.

Hosted by former BBC journalist and ex-Editor of the Voice, Onyekachi Wambu, the debate will focus on issues directly relevant to the diaspora community, and the country and region of their origin.

Organised by Development Impact for Nigeria, Inspirational Volunteer Journeys and Philippine Generations, and with the help of VSO, the debates aim to engage a traditionally hard to reach section of society.
 
Venetta Johnston from Inspirational Volunteer Journeys said:

Evelyn Rodrigues, Team Leader at VSO said:

“We want international development to be front of mind when people place their votes. Debates are an ideal opportunity to learn about what each party plans to do to tackle poverty.“

The debate is part of VSO’s Community Debate series, designed to galvanise interest in international development in the run up the general election period. By mobilising its network of supporter groups - people committed to tackling poverty overseas - VSO aims to ensure development moves up the political agenda.

"Giving birth is stone age. It's prehistoric what happens to a woman in labour. During labour, if you ever had any doubt about the gender of God, then you realise that God is a bloke! Natural childbirth is a case of stiff upper labia.

But if it's agonising and terrifying in the West, imagine the plight of women in the developing world. A woman dies every minute in childbirth due to a lack of midwives and medical support.

Women should be each other's human wonder bras - uplifting, supportive and making each other look bigger and better. Let's support our less fortunate sisters by walking on March 7."
 
Tabita was given an emergency caesarean by VSO volunteer, Zoe Vowles, one of many midwives VSO sends abroad each year to help transfer vital midwifery skills to local communities.  Sadly Tabita arrived too late to save the child however Zoe was able to save Tabita's life.  Zoe says:
 
“Every woman, regardless of where she lives in the world, should have access to good maternal health care. Please sign up. Your involvement could prevent future heartache for women like Tabita.”
 
Willing participants can either join one of fifteen organised walks, beginning at a gentle 5km, or organise one of their own with friends, families and colleagues.  The walks are designed to be a social, fun day out. Participants are asked to fundraise and raise awareness of Tabita’s story.

Organised walks are happening in Cambridge (Chesterton), Cheshire, Cornwall (West Looe), Devon (Barnstaple), Lake District (Keswick), Lincolnshire (Whisby Nature Park), Liverpool (Albert Dock), Liverpool (Sefton Park), London (Richmond Park), Manchester, Northamptonshire (Pitsford Reservoir), Sussex (South Downs), Westonbirt Arboretum, (Gloucestershire), Oxfordshire (Northmoor Trust) and the Shropshire Hills.

For more information and for details about individual walks please visit www.walkforvso.org.uk 
 

VSO, which tackles global poverty by sending volunteers to share their professional expertise in some of the world’s poorest communities, is using Teacher’s Got Talent to show how skill sharing can be used as a way to help people lift themselves out of poverty.

Teachers will nominate themselves to learn a skill, whilst students put themselves forward to share one of their skills.  The skill could be anything from keepie-ups, playing an instrument or speaking a foreign language to rapping or a cultural dance.  Everyone pays £1 to vote for which teacher they would like to learn which skill.

Teacher’s Got Talent is introduced with an animated film telling the story of Abass, a beekeeper from Sierra Leone.  The story explains how causes of poverty are identified and how VSO’s solution, to send a volunteer to share skills with local people, has helped Abass.

This simple and effective way to bring a global dimension into a school is accompanied by an assembly plan and follow-up activities for lessons and extra curricular activities.  This is a whole-school, global citizenship challenge, with links to Citizenship, PSHE, Geography, and Key Skills curriculum areas.

Schools that get their donations in by March 19th will be eligible for two prizes provided by publisher HarperCollins and education recruitment specialist Randstad Education. 
 
The Global Fundraising Award for the best fundraising effort will provide a primary and secondary school a whole suite of new resources from HarperCollins Publishers to stock up their library, including fiction, educational books and computer learning resources.

The Global Champion Award will be awarded to a primary and secondary school where students went the extra mile to engage with global issues. The winners will receive either an exclusive creative drama workshop with the Chickenshed Theatre Company, courtesy of Randstad Education, or a school visit from a HarperCollins children’s author, which will include a talk and a Q&A session.

Commenting on the competition, Chief Scout Bear Grylls said:  “As Chief Scout, I know that young people have such an exciting variety of skills to share.  Teacher’s Got Talent gives them the opportunity to teach and showcase their skills in school, learn about life in other countries and raise funds to help VSO fight poverty’.

To register for Teacher’s Got Talent visit http://www.vso.org.uk/act/active-communities/teachers-got-talent.asp.  Teachers with questions about participating in Teacher's Got Talent can contact Ella Stewart on 0121 426 6806 or email ella.stewart@vso.org.uk 

VSO is a charity that works through professional volunteers, matching skilled individuals to placements where their expertise can be used to improve the lives of those most affected by poverty.  Its current recruitment drive is aimed at a range of professionals with backgrounds in education, health, and business, including doctors, midwives, small business advisers, fundraisers, primary teachers, education managers, agricultural specialists, and community workers. 

Individuals who take up the VSO challenge will work alongside local colleagues to improve public services such as healthcare and education, support those living with HIV and AIDS and develop business and employment opportunities that help lift many thousands of people out of poverty.

VSO placements usually last between one to two years and focus on achieving long-term change for poor communities.  Volunteers are involved in a range of different activities from improving education systems so that generations of children will get a better start in life, training local midwives, doctors and nurses in new and life-saving skills and helping women and those who are most disadvantaged to set up businesses so they can earn an independent living.

Commenting on the recruitment drive, VSO UK Director Judith Brodie said: “VSO volunteers are exceptional individuals.  Not only do they have the professional skills that are so crucially needed in developing countries, they have the personal qualities needed to work in challenging environments and mentor others. At this time of year we all look to make big changes. VSO is great opportunity to transform not just your own life - but the lives of thousands of people living in poverty around the world.”

Last January Helen (41) and Dan Satterthwaite (44) from Bishops Stortford took the plunge and applied to be VSO volunteers. Nine months later they touched down in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia in Southern Africa, where they are now working for Zambia Relief and Development Foundation, an organisation that supports people affected by natural disasters like droughts, floods and disease. 

Helen offers fundraising support whilst Dan is improving the way the organisation runs its relief programmes. The work they are doing means that when natural disasters occurs Zambia Relief and Development Foundation will have the funds and expertise it needs to save more lives. 

Offering advice to anyone considering volunteering, Dan says: 

“Volunteering with VSO allowed us to step out of the rat race and do something extraordinary. It’s very different, very challenging but immensely rewarding. You won't regret the time you spend working in a developing country with VSO. "

Follow Helen and Dan’s volunteering experience at www.youtube.com/user/DanandHeleninZambia

Twenty-five years after she first visited the country as a VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) volunteer, Bethan returns to the village of Gbara in Niger State, where she taught for two years.

In the first programme, she meets former pupils and visits the school where she taught.  She also receives a great honour from the Nupe people, the area's main tribe. This has a huge effect on her.

"Seeing the faces of former pupils was enough to turn on the tears, and wandering around the different buildings brought back so many memories.  The emotions came over me like a wave. At one point, I was crying so much and feeling so vulnerable, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue talking to the camera at all," says Bethan, who was brought up on a farm, Gwanas, near Dolgellau, and who now lives in the nearby village of Brithdir.

Gwanas i Gbara proves to be an emotional journey for Bethan, and despite concerns about the dangers of visiting Nigeria, she receives a warm welcome from everyone there.  "I felt in my bones that my part of Nigeria wouldn't have changed a lot. It's an enormous country, and there have never been any problems in Niger State," she says.

"Bethan is always a very honest presenter, but these programmes show her in a new light," says series director, Mei Williams. "The whole situation really got under her skin.  There's an element of self analysis here. We share with her a wide range of emotions, from laughter and happiness to tears, as well as seeing life in Nigeria today."

Things have certainly changed in Nigeria since Bethan first visited and and although revisiting a special place can sometimes be a disappointment, this wasn't the case for Bethan. "It was certainly one of the most rewarding experiences of my life," she remarks.

Gwanas i Gbara
Wednesday, 13 & 20 January, S4C, 9.00pm, S4C
English and Welsh subtitles
Website: s4c.co.uk/factual
Broadband: s4c.co.uk/clic

"I am sure everyone in VSO and beyond will want to join with me in congratulating Brian on this achievement. His deep respect for the experience, capacity and perspective of poor people, and for their right to determine their own futures, has made him one of the best advocates VSO could possibly have. In all his many roles in his career, whether a volunteer, a country director, director of what we now know of as a federation member, or SMT director, Brian has brought not only passion and commitment, but a belief in the power of volunteering that has stood the test of time. I am absolutely delighted that he has been honoured in this way." Marg Mayne, CEO - VSO International

The shape and achievements of VSO and their impact on beneficiaries and partners in the developing world are due in large part to Brian’s thinking and influence. He established VSO’s Development Education programme in the early 1980s and appointed VSO’s first national member of programme staff in Sierra Leone. He also opened the VSO programme in Liberia in 1984. Now over 75% of programme office staff members are national.

After a period working to build links with international funders, Brian moved to be Director of Volunteer Recruitment and in 1986 began recruitment of volunteers in the Netherlands and then, in 1992, began recruitment in Canada. Brian established VSO Canada (now CUSO-VSO) in 1995 and served as director of the organisation until 1998 during which period he created and developed links with CIDA that have since grown to deliver a significant multi million-dollar partnership agreement.

Returning to the UK, Brian expanded VSO's vision of international working and directed policy that resulted in the creation of recruitment offices in Kenya and The Philippines, opening up opportunities for international volunteering from the South. The VSO Federation now recruits volunteers in many countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America as well as throughout Europe and North America.

Brian has steered the creation of openings for young people, in the South and the North, to become involved in development including establishing VSO’s World Youth exchange programme (now Global Exchange), which allows groups of young people from South and North to work together in each other’s communities to promote international understanding. There have now been more than 75 exchanges in 25 separate countries involving nearly 1500 young people.

Brian has also been deeply involved in the development and leadership of VSO’s concept of National Volunteering, which promotes and supports local and national volunteering for development as a direct form of participation. In 2007/8 half of VSO’s programmes were involved in National volunteering and more than 290 organisations, with either direct support from VSO, or through the work of our partners, were supported to develop stronger volunteer management systems. VSO estimates that these organisations have supported more than 20,000 volunteers who in turn are estimated to have reached in excess of 570,000 disadvantaged people.

Most recently, as Director of the VSO Federation, Brian has been central to the development of a federal structure for VSO increasing the voice of participants from around the globe in the governance of the organisation.

Attending an event arranged by Africa Foundation Stone and supported by VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) and DFID, the footballers are in town to see the positive impact volunteering can have both in the UK and abroad.

Emmanuel Ntamack Billa, who currently plays for Portuguese football team Benfica said:

"We all need to step up to tackle poverty. Volunteering can make a huge difference and just a short amount of time can transform someone’s life.  Most importantly, it can bring people of African or Asian heritage back to their roots. I owe my career to people who have volunteered. Whilst living in Cameroon, a volunteer from African Foundation Stone set up a scouting programme - it was his involvement that resulted in my professional career at Benfica and got me off the streets. If it hadn’t been for that volunteer, I wouldn’t be playing professional football today.”

Africa Foundation Stone is part of a bespoke Diaspora volunteering programme run by VSO and supported by DFID that seeks to engage members of the African and Asian community in the UK.  Designed to encourage international volunteering, the programme helps local organisations send volunteers to their continent of origin, engaging them in the fight against poverty and encouraging them to spread a development message when they return. 

Marg Mayne, Chief Executive of VSO said:
"The programme recognises the unique contribution that members of the Diaspora community can make in the fight against poverty. Remittances from the Diaspora community already have a huge impact - however we want to encourage people to give their time as well."

Africa Foundation Stone is one of 22 organisations in the Diaspora volunteering programme and sends volunteers to Cameroon to improve the lives of street children through football. It also has a UK focus and helps young people of African heritage and their parents deal with issues around under achievement and employment through a homework club and football academy. One of its most famous participants - Fabrice Muamba - got his A-Level maths with them.

Valentin M. Yombo - Djema, founder and CEO of Africa Foundation Stone, said:
"Local action does make a difference - whether it’s volunteering or donating money and books. Our event aims to showcase the impact local action can have both in the UK and with street children in Cameroon."

The Minister of State for International Development, Gareth Thomas is also attending the event and will speak about the role of Diaspora communities in tackling poverty.

Ends

Interviews are available with the following:
· Emmanuel Ntamack Billa and Fabrice Muamba
· Valentin M. Yombo- Djema, CEO, Africa Foundation Stone
· Gareth Thomas, Minister of State for International Development

To arrange an interview please contact:
Louise Hill
0208 780 7410
louise.hill@vso.org.uk <mailto:louise.hill@vso.org.uk>

Local Action, Global Impact will take place on Thursday 17th December 2009 from 1.00pm until 5.00pm at The Paradox Centre, 3 Ching Way, Chingford, London, E4 8YE.

The annual awards are designed to highlight the impact MPs and Peers can have on charitable causes but also give recognition to charities that have made a significant impact this year. Over one hundred MPs voted in the awards, with VSO gaining the overwhelming majority.

Baroness Warwick nominated VSO after spending two weeks volunteering with VSO in Nigeria as part of VSO’s Parliamentarian Volunteering Programme.  She said:

“VSO has a huge impact. Since it started in 1958, it has sent over 40,000 volunteers to 120 countries, sharing skills and leaving a high-impact legacy. However its impact is not limited to overseas and volunteers return with renewed passion, skills and a fresh outlook.  I saw first hand how VSO not only tackles poverty and injustice but also builds social cohesion and tolerance here in the UK through its network of supporters and advocates.”

Marg Mayne, VSO’s Chief Executive said:

“We are absolutely delighted to win this award and it follows hot on the success of our recent campaign Help Women Help the World, where we led the fight to create a dedicated UN women’s agency.  Engaging with parliamentarians is crucial to such success and so far 21 MPs and Peers from all parties have volunteered with us as part of our dedicated Parliamentarian Volunteering Programme. Thanks to everyone who voted for us. “

VSO beat competition from Blue Sky and Grandparent Plus to win the award.

Ends

For more information or to arrange an interview with Marg Mayne, VSO’s Chief Executive please contact Louise Hill on 0208 780 7410 or email louise.hill@vso.org.uk

The survey findings will help shape the new DFID Community Linking Programme, which will launch in 2010. The 3-year programme will provide grants, support and networking opportunities to UK community groups to develop or establish links with organisations in developing countries.

The survey aims to engage as wide a range of groups as possible, including faith, Diaspora, minority ethnic groups, youth groups and charitable organisations. Groups taking part in the survey will have priority access to information about funding and support opportunities when the programme launches next year.  

DFID will also be using the survey results to find good practice examples to showcase to other community groups involved in the programme after it launches, in order to increase the sustainability and quality of international links. 

Mike Foster, International Development Minister, said:

“The Community Linking Programme has the potential to build a bridge between UK communities and the world’s poorest people, fostering an understanding of the global issues that affect us all.

“We now need community groups to tell us how we can make this programme as effective as it can be, and so I urge them to take part in this survey.”

Funded by DFID, the programme will be managed by a consortium of British Council, the Institute of Community Cohesion, the Inter Faith Network for the UK, and VSO. It aims to increase an understanding of development issues across the UK, and build greater community cohesion in the areas involved.

Community groups can take part in the survey at www.dfid.gov.uk/DCLP from today [28 September 2009].

Charley visited Marcel Pool, a VSO volunteer physiotherapist working in Goroka in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as part of his journey from Sydney to Tokyo for the second series of By Any Means.  The series charts Charley’s progress through Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Japan by as many modes of transport as possible, taking in the communities and challenges he meets along the way. 

Charley accompanied Marcel on a field trip to the Mount Sion community based rehabilitation unit to see his work training and supporting Papua New Guinean community volunteers.  Marcel is helping these volunteers understand the issues of disability and training them in basic rehabilitation skills. 

The majority of people in this mountainous region live in remote villages and are unable to travel to hospital so these local volunteers work in their own villages to provide essential home-based care and support to over 200 disabled people. 

Marcel is also training local health professionals at Goroka General Hospital and working on improvements to the physiotherapy department. 

Commenting on the work of Marcel and VSO Charley said:

“When I met Marcel in the middle of Papua New Guinea I wasn’t sure what to expect from VSO and I was taken aback by the enthusiasm of Marcel and the work he is doing out there.  I think it’s wonderful that people give up their time to selflessly help others improve their lives; I’m a huge supporter of the organisation and would encourage anyone to give it a go.”

According to Marcel, Charley’s visit was a big boost to the morale of health workers and volunteers and has provided a talking point ever since: 

“It was a great experience, they were such nice and interesting people and for my colleagues it was very special to have a film crew over to see what they do.  They could really show off what they have learned and what kind of work they do with disabled people.  I could see they felt proud and at the same time the visit gave them a sense of appreciation for what they do, it motivated them.  And of course for me as a volunteer it was great as well to let the people I have been working with experience this exposure, I was very proud when I saw my colleagues interacting with Charley and showing him the work we do.  I think the show will be great!”

Charley Boorman Sydney to Tokyo: By Any Means will be broadcast in autumn 2009 on BBC2 with a book and DVD release to follow.

-ends-

For further information please contact Catherine Raynor on 020 8780 7343 or email catherine.raynor@vso.org.uk

This decision comes three years after a high level panel first recommended the creation of a unified women’s agency and follows committed lobbying from hundreds of NGOs and their supporters around the world.  Thousands of VSO supporters across the UK campaigned for this agency through the charity’s Help Women Help the World campaign and overseas staff and volunteers got involved by lobbying their UN Permanent Representatives.

However, while VSO welcomes this decision, it is also urging the Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, to act swiftly to ensure the agency is operational during 2010 and has the budget and mandate to enable it to genuinely change the lives of disadvantaged women.

Commenting on the decision VSO Chief Executive Marg Mayne said: 

“This is an historic moment for women around the world and the efforts of the numerous campaigners and organisations calling for this resolution have been justly rewarded.  But let’s be realistic, this agency has its work cut out.  Persistent inequalities and discrimination have led to women being amongst the poorest and most disadvantaged people in the world and it will take money, clarity and commitment to really have an impact. A UN women’s agency has the potential to change lives but VSO will be watching closely to make sure its creation does not become embroiled in bureaucracy and political game playing.”

VSO believes a functioning and effective agency must be funded to at least $1bn a year, with expert staff and adequate resources to run programmes on the ground that will improve women's lives. It must have strong leadership along with a willingness to listen to the women’s organisations and charities operating on the ground.

Currently over half a million women die in childbirth or pregnancy every year because they can't access the healthcare they need. Every day hundreds of women are the victims of rape and sexual violence in conflict zones like the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Three-quarters of people infected by HIV and AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa are female and the majority of children out of school are girls.

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For further information please contact Catherine Raynor on 020 8780 7343 or catherine.raynor@vso.org.uk

Set in Malawi and produced and narrated by Madonna, I Am Because We Are explores the meaning of dignity in a culture torn apart by poverty and HIV.  It takes in some of the extremes of social deprivation, but ultimately considers the restorative power of people working together.

The school event will be followed by a learning event led by the VSO Active Communities team and the evening event will include a discussion between the audience and speakers who include former editor of The Herald and returned VSO volunteer Charles McGhee, artist Wendy Ball, VSO’s Head of HIV and AIDS Alan Smith and Agnes Holmes from The Africa Centre.

VSO tackles global poverty through volunteers who share their skills and enthusiasm in some of the world’s poorest countries.  Its Active Communities programme helps individuals to raise awareness of development issues and tackle prejudice and misunderstanding about other people and culture within their own local area. 

Take One Action, which is organised by former VSO volunteer Simon Bateson, runs from the 17th to 26th September 2009 and will showcase more than 20 of the most acclaimed new international films on global and environmental justice themes. The festival uses cinema as a forum for social and political engagement, each screening is accompanied by an audience-led discussion with directors or leading speakers from the worlds of development, politics and the media.

Commenting on VSO’s support for the festival, Susanne Darcy from VSO Scotland said: “Take One Action is an exciting opportunity for children and adults alike to find out more about life in developing countries and to dig deeper into the issues we usually only see fleetingly in our newspapers and on TV.  The festival, which will bring people together to learn and be inspired in an informal and social setting, sums up the spirit of VSO’s Active Communities programme and Simon Bateson is an example of how our returned volunteers keep on tackling the issues behind poverty and injustice long after they return home.”

A screening of I Am Because We Are will also take place at 18.00 on Monday 21st September at the Glasgow Film Theatre and will include a discussion with Chair of The Scotland Malawi Partnership, Dr Peter West OBE, CEO of Malawian Initiative for National Development Malawi Ngwira and Agnes Holmes.

VSO is also sponsoring the screening of Born into Brothels on Tuesday 22nd September at the Edinburgh Filmhouse, which is a film that explores the life of the children of sex workers in Kolkata, India. 

The film festival precedes a number of VSO events scheduled to take place in Scotland this autumn, including two Meet VSO information events taking place in Edinburgh and Glasgow on the 20th and 21st October and an Active Communities HIV and AIDS workshop in Edinburgh on 31st October.  VSO will also be running taster sessions for the DFID Global Schools Partnerships, a programme that forges links between schools on the 22nd September in Edinburgh and the 24th September in Glasgow. 

For full festival programme details and information about related discussions visit www.takeoneaction.org.uk

For further information about VSO’s work and to find out more about the autumn events visit www.vso.org.uk/takeoneaction
 
-ends-

For further information or to arrange an interview with a VSO spokesperson or volunteer please contact Rachel Trayner or Catherine Raynor on 020 8780 7265 / 7343 or email rachel.trayner@vso.org.uk / catherine.raynor@vso.org.uk

Debate about the value of aid expenditure is just and the British public has the right to expect their Government and the charities it supports to be spending taxpayers’ money wisely and effectively.  But the public also has the right to understand fully just how effective Britain has been in lifting thousands of men, women and children out of poverty every year.

In its recent report Fake Aid: How foreign aid is being used to support the self-serving political activities of NGOs, the International Policy Network referenced VSO’s involvement in encouraging the Gambian Government to ban all-inclusive hotels, suggesting it undermined the earning potential of Gambians and was at odds with Secretary of State Douglas Alexander’s commitment to developing the private sector in the poorest countries.

It only told half the story. 

We were actually involved in an important campaign, along with Tourism Concern in the UK and Gambia Tourism Concern, to uncover the hugely detrimental impact package tours were having on the livelihoods of local people.  A massive 99% of Gambians were opposed to all-inclusive holidays because local guest houses, restaurants, bars, guides and taxi-drivers were losing business to the resorts, which are mainly controlled by foreign companies. 

In short the poorest people in The Gambia were not feeling the benefit of the lucrative tourist dollar.  We were trying to change that.  In 1999 the Gambian Government banned all-inclusive hotels but one year later, under pressure from international tour operators, it reversed the decision. 

But our commitment to enterprise development in The Gambia is still strong.  Recent examples of success include our work with women’s groups to develop basic agricultural skills that enable women to set up small businesses that provide the money and independence they need to feed their families and send their children to school. 

In the area of income generation our impact is diverse and far reaching; from helping ex-child soldiers in Sierra Leone to set up their businesses to supporting Malawian farmers to secure coveted organic certification, we have helped thousands of individuals work their way out of poverty. 

These achievements are possible because of the commitment of hundreds of professionals who volunteer their time and skills every year.  VSO volunteers come from all walks of life and professional backgrounds.  They range from small business advisers with expertise in developing marketable products to farmers who can share practical agricultural skills.

We staunchly believe the most effective way to tackle poverty is to give poor people the skills and expertise they need to help themselves.  What is common to all VSO volunteers is that they are recruited for their skills, not for their ability to pay.  In the age of expensive ‘voluntourism’ packages VSO stands out for its commitment to the value of an individual’s skills not wallet.

The Department of International Development (DFID) believes in our approach and gives us the financial backing we need to recruit the best volunteers for the job.   Not just from business but from education and health too.

Because of its hands-on activities and support for charities like VSO, DFID is recognised around the world as the leading government aid agency fighting poverty and it is very positive news for poor people around the world that all UK political parties share that commitment.

But let’s not assume this is a one way street.  British people volunteering is good for Britain too.  Volunteers are proven to return to the UK with enhanced professional skills and a global perspective that strengthens our own economy and public services. 

And at a local level the experiences and insights of individuals who have lived and worked in vastly different cultures help challenge pejorative and harmful stereotypes about other countries and foster greater understanding between communities. 

Before we challenge the British Government’s support for charities let’s consider the impact it has on tackling global poverty and making the UK a fairer and safer place to live.

News has emerged from the UN that the decision on the creation of a new UN women’s agency could be delayed by yet another year. Over the past year there has been an overwhelming consensus among governments from across the world in favour of the women’s agency. Despite this, a number of governments, including reportedly, Cuba, Iran, Egypt and Sudan, are trying to postpone the decision.

Campaigners from across the world are outraged by the latest news and are busy speaking to governments internationally to ensure that a strong resolution is passed by the UN General Assembly on 14 September 2009.

Stephen Lewis Co Director of AIDS Free World and former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa and deputy executive director of UNICEF, has been the most outspoken critic of the current way the UN works on women’s rights.

On the news of a possible delay in the creation of the new women’s agency, Lewis said that it would be "a terrible slap in the face to the women of the world, a dreadful rejection of the views of the secretary-general, and a deep blow to the credibility of the United Nations."

Lewis also added that "If worse comes to worst, the resolution should be put to a vote, and passed by an overwhelming margin." Lewis plans to appeal directly to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to ensure he works "around the clock to rally the majority of the General Assembly against this dismal little group of states."

Ban admitted in 2008 that the "U.N. gender architecture lacks a recognised driver. It is fragmented. It is inadequately funded, and insufficiently focused on country-driven demands."

In the UK, Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) and Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA), have lead the campaign for the UN women’s agency.

VSO Chief Executive, Marg Mayne, said, "None of the UN Millennium Development Goals have a chance to succeed unless women’s rights and empowerment are immediately and effectively addressed. That is why a new UN body for women is necessary and has to move forward now."

ACTSA Director, Tony Dykes, added, "A UN women’s organization with resources is already years overdue. If an agreement is not reached now then it may never be reached. To overcome the discrimination women suffer and enable them to play a leading role for development we call for the creation of UN Women’s agency with immediate effect."

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For further inquiry, please contact:

Simon Chase, Campaigns Officer, ACTSA Louise Hill, Senior Press Officer, VSO

Office: +44 (0) 20 3263 2001 Office: + 44 (0) 20 8780 7410

Mobile: +44 (0) 78 0939 612 Mobile: + 44 (0) 7734 863987

Email: simon.chase@actsa.org
Email: louise.hill@vso.org.uk

Recession fuelled pay cuts, slashed training budgets and stalled promotions have left just under half of the UK workforce struggling to develop as planned, with one in six worried they have lost between one and two years’ development time.

Judith Brodie, VSO’s UK Director urged public and private sector employers not to be shortsighted when it comes to investing in employees’ professional development and to consider sabbaticals as a cost-effective alternative. She said:

“Maintaining a skilled and motivated workforce is tough during the recession however companies must not neglect staff development. Investing in a good workforce is central to surviving the recession and will accelerate recovery post-recession. Employers must think strategically and look to companies such as VSO for creative, cost-effective development opportunities. Not only will placements challenge, motivate and re-invigorate, their skills can make a dent on global poverty and even save lives."

VSO’s latest research found that nearly two fifths of the UK’s 28 million workers were questioning their vocation as a result of the recession, with one in ten already thinking about volunteering to escape career stagnation.

Current VSO volunteer Martyn Fawdry, previously a Policy Manager at the Cooperative Bank, is in Nigeria on secondment for a year as an Organisational Development Manager. He said:

“The recession did not put me off volunteering with VSO. Employees who take on fresh challenges such as VSO continue to learn and are the ones who prosper in adverse conditions such as recession. They have experienced the highs and the lows of VSO and learned to adapt. Employees who stick to the same routine and don’t take on new challenges are not only more vulnerable to redundancy, but also find it harder to bounce back when redundancy materialises. I was lucky my employer was so supportive of my secondment and I am sure they will make good use of my enhanced skills when I return."

The research kick-starts VSO’s autumn recruitment drive with the charity needing to recruit 330 volunteers with health, education, business, communications and advocacy backgrounds. Whilst enquiries to the charity have doubled in the last six months, this hasn’t resulted in an increase in applications, especially from the health and education sectors. Those surveyed cited expense as an issue however VSO pays for flights, accommodation and even offers a daily allowance.

VSO projects run from shorter two weeks secondments to two-year placements and include a range of skilled roles including nurses, primary teachers and advocacy officers.

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For more information please contact:

Louise Hill
0208 780 7410, 0750918478
louise.hill@vso.org.uk

or

Rachel Trayner 0208 780 7265, 0750918478 rachel.trayner@vso.org.uk

Supporting photo gallery and video footage is available.

The press office can also provide:

• Interviews with Judith Brodie and Martyn Fawdry
• Interviews with volunteers currently oversees with VSO
• Interviews with volunteers who can talk about the impact volunteering has had upon their professional development

Parliamentarians will each spend two to three weeks overseas helping to advise community organisations on matters relating to advocacy and campaigning. The scheme, which is now in its second year, not only supports VSO’s partner organisations by providing them with skilled volunteers, but increases the MPs’ awareness and knowledge of global poverty issues such as HIV and AIDS, disability discrimination and poor health systems.

Tony Baldry, Conservative MP for Banbury, is volunteering for the second time with the Dalit Welfare Organisation in Nepal. The Dalits are the lowest in Nepal’s traditional caste system but in the recent elections many achieved positions of responsibility for the first time. Mr Baldry will be working with Dalit MPs to participate in drafting Nepal’s new constitution. He says:

“For almost all of these Dalit MPs, this is the first time that they have actively been involved in Parliament and actively involved in drafting a constitution, and it is a great privilege to be able to help them in that work. I am grateful that VSO is enabling me to put such experience as I have acquired over the years in Parliament and in the past as a UK Government Minister, to help fellow Parliamentarians in Nepal and my work in Nepal also helps me better understand the challenges that some of the poorest people in the world have to face and deal with daily.”

The full list of participants is as follows:

Tony Baldry – Conservative, Banbury – departs 2nd August

Following a productive and stimulating placement in Nepal with VSO last year, Tony will be returning to continue the work he started with the Dalit Welfare Organisation. Dalits have historically suffered much discrimination due to the caste system in Nepal. This summer, Tony will input on a strategic plan and joint advocacy initiative for the Dalit Consortium.

Roger Gale – Conservative, North Thanet – departs 23rd September

Those with disabilities are among the poorest and most vulnerable in Ghana. Roger will provide a range of support for Ghana Federation for the Disabled (GFD) as they continue lobbying for strong disability laws. Among other tasks, he will design an advocacy training skills workshop for grassroots organisations.

Sharon Hodgson – Labour, Gateshead East and Washington West – departs 5th September

Disability Action Council (DAC) in Cambodia campaigns for the rights of people with disabilities. Sharon will support DAC’s advocacy work on disability policy and help to increase dialogue with ministries about the implementation of disability law. She will share techniques for good practice regarding the role of MPs in promoting and protecting the rights of people with disabilities, particularly around the provision of education.

Baroness Jay of Paddington – Labour – departs 28th September

As the number of people affected by HIV and AIDS in Southern Africa continues to grow VSO RAISA is pushing for change by developing strong links with the Southern Africa Development Community Parliamentarian Forum. Baroness Jay will run a workshop for Parliamentarians from six countries during which they will develop advocacy strategies for reducing the burden of HIV & AIDS care on women and girls.

Andy Love – Labour/Co-op, Edmonton – departs 1st August

Babessi is one of the most disadvantaged communities in Cameroon, and participation in local decision-making processes is poor. The Council of Babessi recently took on greater responsibilities following a decentralisation of power. Andy will help the Council to excel in how it listens and responds to the concerns of disadvantaged groups with respect to basic service provision.

John Mann – Labour, Bassetlaw – 28th July

Mongolia’s health system has struggled to cope since the country moved away from Communism nearly 20 years ago. John’s role as a Management Adviser will help the Ulaanbaatar City Health Authority identify areas for improvement and assist them in developing an advocacy strategy for their priority issues.

VSO covers the costs of flights, accommodation, and health insurance for all volunteers. Parliamentarians will receive the standard VSO volunteer allowance, which is a modest amount to cover daily needs. This differs by country but is generally around £25-50 per week.

To ensure thousands of children across the developing world have access to quality education, VSO needs qualified primary school teachers with at least two years’ experience to volunteer their time and expertise in countries such as Malawi, Nepal and Ghana. By sharing skills with local teachers, VSO volunteers help to ensure more children experience inspiring, happy and lively classrooms.

Primary school teachers who apply this summer will be able to be overseas as early as January 2010. With many children in developing countries suffering because of poorly trained teachers, over crowded and under resourced classrooms, VSO volunteers help support hard hit communities by training local teachers. Working with a cluster of schools and local colleagues, volunteers observe lessons, run workshops, help teachers develop educational materials and focus on helping teachers use child centred teaching methods to help make the classroom a rewarding experience.

Volunteering with VSO can lead to rewarding and lasting relationships with local colleagues and allow volunteers to see first hand the impact of their placement and time overseas. VSO’s education volunteers are committed to supporting 2000’s Millennium Development Goal that all children of primary school age should have access to quality education by 2015.

VSO provides volunteers with flights, accommodation, and an allowance to cover basic costs. UK public sector professionals volunteering for between six months and two years are entitled to claim pension contributions providing they return to the public sector for a minimum of six months on their return to the UK.

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Please contact Rachel Trayner on 0208 780 7265 or rachel.trayner@vso.org.uk

The Press Office can also provide:

• interviews with serving and former VSO primary education volunteers from your area

• interviews with VSO staff members who can provide information on VSO, and insight into the role of volunteering in international development

• recent photos and footage of VSO volunteers in action.
  

Catherine Hine, Director of VSO Tajikistan, said:

“It is exciting to hear from everyone we speak to here, about the key role that VSO can play in Tajikistan. And there is no doubt that VSO volunteers can make a difference. This beautiful country has been hit particularly hard by the global economic crisis, climate change and the decline in post-Soviet essential services.”

In 2009, with support from United Nations Volunteers, VSO Tajikistan conducted the first ever study of volunteering in Tajikistan contributing to VSO’s programme areas. Its key focus areas will be helping communities living in poverty to effectively manage natural resources to reduce the risk and impact of natural disasters.

VSO volunteer, Shane Stevenson, is currently working as Natural Resource Management Adviser with the Central Asian Mountain Partnership in Dushanbe:

“The Tajiks I have met are hospitable, keen to learn and very cooperative. The challenge lies in the multiple issues that require an integrated approach such as disaster management, pasture management, soil erosion and health care issues. A visit to the rural, mountainous areas brings home the extent of these challenges. “

VSO Tajikistan will also be focussing on improving access to healthcare services at community level for vulnerable groups. VSO currently has a volunteer, Jo Baker, an Organisational Development and Advocacy Specialist, working with the Association of Parents of Disabled Children (APDC).

As Sabohat Hakim Zoda, Director of APDC, explained:

“We wanted to know how things are done in other places and to share experiences. We wanted to learn how to advocate for disabled children.

“Jo’s help will mean that we can build our capacity and expand our work. We want to be able to stand up for the rights of disabled children effectively,” she added.

In the future, VSO Tajikistan will work in partnership with local organisation to help people living in poverty earn a decent and consistent livelihood through improved understanding of markets and business planning.

“I feel privileged to be able to work alongside our Tajik colleagues and support them in meeting the very real challenges that Tajikistan is facing right now. Despite our short existence in Tajikistan, VSO’s specialist volunteers can already feel that they make a difference and change lives here,” said Catherine Hine.
 

The Department for International Development (DFID) Global School Partnerships programme was awarded the Steve Sinnott Special Award for Commonwealth Teachers at the Commonwealth Education Good Practice Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, this week. The programme was one of nine projects to be short listed for the awards which give governments, civil society and non-governmental organisations from around the world an opportunity to showcase and share their innovative work.

Andy Egan, Project Manager of DFID Global School Partnerships (DGSP), who attended the awards ceremony said: “I am very proud to receive this award on behalf of DFID, and DGSP partners the British Council, Cambridge Education Foundation, UKOWLA and VSO. Teachers are the heartbeat of our programme, and I am very honoured that the efforts of our global team in supporting the professional development of teachers have been recognised in this special way.”

The DFID Global School Partnerships programme supports teachers and learners from UK to learn about global development issues together with partners in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. As part of the programme, DFID Global School Partnerships offers professional development workshops for teachers to help them promote global education through the curriculum. Since 2003 DGSP has trained 2,600 teachers in the UK and 16 Southern countries.

Student Megan Jones, from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni in Wales, was one of two students attending to make presentations about the benefits of the programme at the Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers. Megan, 17, and Isuru Aminda Vithanage, 16 from Nalanda College in Sri Lanka, were selected after winning a competition open to all schools involved in the programme.

Megan said: ‘We have gained a greater understanding of equality and social justice through our DGSP partnership, and it was a very valuable opportunity to be able to explain this to the Commonwealth Ministers at the Awards.’

Megan’s school’s partnership with Gowrie Technical School in Ghana has seen them hold a Fair Trade event and set up environmental projects, as well as involving the local authority and local businesses in the partnership.

This award adds to other recognition that the programme has received, including a Council of Europe World Aware Education Award in 2008 for excellence in networking, partnerships and co-ordination to increase and improve global education.

As ‘The Apprentice’ draws to a close, hooked viewers are on the edge of their seats, in anticipation of the climax to the ‘job interview from hell’. The hired apprentice can now enjoy their six-figure salary - but how many Brits would really like to aspire to The Apprentice lifestyle?

New research suggests a growing percentage of Brits would not be as happy chasing a place at the boardroom as Sir Alan may think. According to a new survey by leading international development charity, VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) 6-in-10 Brits would not stay in a job if it impacted on their personal happiness.

One such Brit to walk away from the boardroom is former Apprentice favourite, beret-wearing Lucinda Ledgerwood. Lucinda has turned around Sir Alan’s ‘You’re Fired’, to ‘You’re Hired’ by taking her impressive CV of skills and management experience with her as she embarks on a two-year placement in India with VSO.

Since 1958 VSO have been sending a diverse range of professional volunteers to fight global poverty by sharing their skills and experience with people in developing countries. Lucinda’s placement will be working as an organisational development adviser for Pravah, a New Delhi based organisation working towards better social justice through youth action. Her work will include developing strategic planning, reviewing organisational structures, strengthening HR processes and internal staff development.

Lucinda, an accomplished management consultant, is one of over two-thirds of UK adults (8% more men than women) who have reassessed their career values because of the recession. As the recession continues to bite, Brits are increasingly turning to voluntary work, whether at home or overseas, as a way of furthering their professional development, with over a third of Brits saying that learning on the job is as important as earning on the job.

Well respected for her belief that, “you don’t have to be a bitch in business to succeed”, Edinburgh based Lucinda said:

“I am looking forward to my placement with VSO giving my career a renewed energy and focus. With so few opportunities out there right now it seemed a shame to stop doing what I do best. VSO was the ideal opportunity to gain a new perspective on the business world within a community that is on the brink of progress and change.”

Survey Results

The research for VSO was carried out online by Tickbox.net/Opinion Matters between 22 / 05 / 2009 and 26 / 05 / 2009 amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,008 UK consumers / 600 workers aged 16+. Tickbox.net adheres to and follows the codes of the MRS (Market Research Society) and is fully registered and compliant with the Data Protection Registrar.

National

• 69% have reassessed their values since the recession
• 20% are willing to accept new challenges
• 61% would not choose a career solely for financial reasons
• 59% would not stay in a job if it impacted on personal happiness

London

• 73% have reassessed their values since the recession [highest in UK]
• 32% are willing to accept new challenges [highest in UK]
• 57% would not choose a career solely for financial reasons
• 57% would not stay in a job if it impacted on personal happiness

Scotland

• 60% have reassessed their values since the recession [lowest in UK]
• 15% are willing to accept new challenges [lowest in UK]
• 63% would not choose a career solely for financial reasons
• 63% would not stay in a job if it impacted on personal happiness

South East

• 63% have reassessed their values since the recession
• 17% are willing to accept new challenges 68% would not choose a career solely for financial reasons [highest in UK]
• 55% would not stay in a job if it impacted on personal happiness

Wales

• 70% have reassessed their values since the recession
• 20% are willing to accept new challenges
• 58% would not choose a career solely for financial reasons
• 68% would not stay in a job if it impacted on personal happiness

NB: More regional data from across the UK is available on request.

Primary school teachers who apply in time for the May deadline could be on placement by September, providing invaluable in-service teacher training. Good quality teacher training ensures a sustainable legacy left by volunteers for these hard hit communities. Volunteers will work with a cluster of schools and serving teachers, most of whom will have had minimal teacher training. Volunteers are expected to observe teachers, run workshops, help teachers develop educational materials using local resources and in general focus on helping teachers use participatory, child-centred teaching methods to meet basic educational needs.

VSO also relies on a diverse wealth of knowledge and experience from senior educationalists and school leaders, with many rewarding roles for senior management now available. This very experience led volunteers Deb Jordan and David Spinney to develop the Higher Diploma Programme to improve the skills of all teacher trainers in Ethiopia; a country where 47% of children don’t go to school. Six years on, around 3,500 teacher trainers have undertaken the programme to the ultimate benefit of over one million children, all because of two VSO volunteers.

This key experience in both primary and educational management can lead to rewarding and lasting relationships with local education colleagues and allow volunteers to see first hand the impact of their placement and time overseas.

VSO’s education volunteers are committed to supporting 2000’s Millennium Development Goal that all children of primary school age should have access to quality education by 2015.

VSO provides volunteers with flights, accommodation, and an allowance to cover basic costs. UK public sector professionals volunteering for between six months and two years are entitled to claim pension contributions providing they return to the public sector for a minimum of six months on their return to the UK.

Marg Mayne says: ‘The development of women is a top priority for VSO, they hold the key to development around the world and until their skills and time are effectively used we will never live in an equal world. UN member states have been dragging their heels on creating a new women’s agency since 2006 when a high level panel appointed by Kofi Annan and including Gordon Brown, first recommended one be created.’

Next month, the UN Secretariat will present General Assembly members with a paper outlining a number of options for a new agency and will be asked to make a decision in September. VSO is calling for member states to vote for and establish an agency that:

1. Drives efforts to keep girls in school for longer - For every year a girl goes to school, her family’s income increases by 20%. Currently 2/3 of children not in school are girls.

2. Ensures women have the right to own land - Rural women produce 50% of the world’s food whilst owning only 1% of the farmland. Women are primarily subsistence farmers but if they had access to resources so they could start growing commercial crops, it is estimated that agricultural productivity would increase by 20% in Africa.

3. Helps women secure access to healthcare - Over half a million women still die each year from treatable and preventable complications of pregnancy and childbirth, an average of about one death every minute.

4. Demands changes to policies that discriminate – Just 60% of countries around the world have specific laws against violence to women.

5. Helps governments implement international agreements on women’s equality – Just 18% of parliamentary seats worldwide are held by women. Achieving gender equality requires that women have an equal role with men in decision-making to the highest levels.

6. Funds women’s organisations which advise and support local communities – Women’s development is currently hampered by lack of financial support for grassroots organisations running programmes in health, education and livelihoods.
   

VSO has worked with over 43,000 volunteers at grass-roots level in all sorts of different sectors to provide skills, development and training to people and communities around the world. With over fifty years of experience and knowledge, the evidence shows achieving these six policy changes would genuinely revolutionize the lives of millions of people living in disadvantaged communities.

Speaking of her recent visits to VSO programmes in Kenya and Bangladesh, Marg said: “I’ve seen first hand the devastating impact of women’s inequality but I’ve also witnessed the transforming power women can have when they are given the opportunity.

“In Bangladesh, VSO volunteers work with the poorest communities setting up Citizens’ Forums that help women participate as equal citizens. I attended one of these Citizens’ Forums and a young woman, with her infant daughter at her side, spoke powerfully about the need for a change in the law to prevent future girls being subjected to early marriages. It was fantastic to see this newly self-confident women advocating for such change.

“But women like her need the weight of the international community behind them. A new UN Women’s Agency would help more women get an education, live healthy, independent lives and have a say in the decisions that affect them."

*UNIFEM, the Division for the Advancement of Women, INSTRAW and OSAGI

Marg Mayne, CEO of VSO

Marg Mayne has built a career in running large charitable organisations to sound business disciplines, so that they can achieve and sustain their missions. A broad thinker, Marg uses strong networking, partnership building and influencing skills to deliver results.

Marg was taught at an international school in Wales, which saw the birth of her huge commitment to global citizenship. As VSO’s new Chief Executive, Marg’s vision for the development charity is one where it leverages the depth and breadth of its fifty years of grass-roots experience in developing countries to influence policy and create lasting change. VSO volunteers work in all sorts of different sectors sharing their skills to help people fulfil their potential. Translating the unique insights from their work on the ground is essential in order to effect positive, sustainable change and fight poverty.

Prior to VSO, Marg was Acting Director of Public Affairs with Volunteering England, an interim position that saw her leading the development of a strategic response to the UK Commission on the Future of Volunteering. Before this she spent seven years as Director of Finance and Resources with the British Council, the second largest charity in the UK that works in 110 countries around the world. Here she successfully led a radical transformation of the organisation’s global finance and IT functions.

The survey from leading development charity VSO found that over (60%) of respondents agree that it is people not products who are our best exports, with almost half of people in the UK (45%) saying they make us proud to be British. Topping the charts in the UK's list of favourite cultural exports are leading lights from sport, music and literature:

• Lewis Hamilton (45%)

• JK Rowling (41%)

• Leona Lewis (31%)

• David Beckham (28%)

Whilst at the bottom of the exports list are Amy Winehouse and Russell Brand with less than (2%) of votes, languishing just below our most famous politicians.

Famous exports play an important role in inspiring young people today to want to contribute more to society (28%) and what many of us (31%) most admire about our favourite exports is that they are ordinary people who have gone on to achieve extraordinary things. In fact, it isn't just our celebrities that come top of the charts, (62%) thought a member of their own family had the qualities that would make them one of Britain's Greatest Exports.

Judith Brodie Director of VSO UK said: "These survey findings offer some light amidst the doom and gloom and support what VSO has always believed - that our greatest assets are our skilled and talented people. The positive impact that ordinary people can have on other lives around the world can never be underestimated and is what VSO was founded on.

Contrary to popular belief, the economic downturn means there has never been a more important time to volunteer overseas, as people are vital to help countries that are experiencing even more severe consequences of the economic crisis than we are in the UK.

VSO is currently recruiting skilled professionals to volunteer overseas in the fields of education, health and business and we hope that many people will take the opportunity provided by the 2009 economic crisis to join Britain's greatest exports list".

Claudia Orell returned from Thailand in April 2008 after spending eighteen months as a fundraising advisor. She says, "Volunteering with VSO has changed my outlook and perspectives on the world. It can be really tough but it is also the most rewarding work I have ever done".

VSO exists to share skills with people and communities in developing countries – so that they can improve their life chances and overcome poverty themselves and VSO's skilled professionals continue to make a vital difference in countries around the world. But the benefits are not just felt overseas - VSO volunteers now living back in the UK all find they are able to achieve extraordinary things and make a real difference to others lives.

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For further information or to speak to a VSO spokesperson please contact Claire Lynch on 020 8780 7410 / Claire.lynch@vso.org.uk or Rachel Trayner on 020 8780 7313/ Rachel.Trayner@vso.org.uk

As part of the Wales for Africa Framework, the International Learning Opportunities scheme gives managers in the Welsh public service the chance to share and enhance their skills with colleagues in sub-Saharan Africa. The scheme is run by Public Service Management Wales in association with leading international development organisation VSO.

As well as being able to share their skills in sub-Saharan Africa as part of strategic long-term development programmes, Welsh managers will also benefit from personal development opportunities and challenges. Managers can expect to develop their leadership skills in a challenging and rewarding environment.

Two of the volunteers, Margaret Griffiths from the Wales Audit Office and Polly Ferguson from the Welsh Assembly Government will be working as part of a group of public service managers from Wales to develop an institutional development toolkit that will be used to assess the performance of local authorities in Cameroon.

First Minister of Wales, Rhodri Morgan said: "This new skills development programme is a great example of what we are trying to achieve through the Welsh Assembly Government's Wales for Africa framework. This scheme will offer benefits for both Wales and Africa. Not only will the Welsh volunteers be able to share important skills and best practice with their African counterparts, but the volunteers will also gain valuable experience which will help them in their jobs when they return to Wales."

Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of VSO, said: "We are delighted to be able to contribute to the success of International Learning Opportunities, a creative, practical way of working towards sustainable solutions for complex problems. Public services are vital to the development of every country, and this partnership means that Wales has a real opportunity to contribute to tackling poverty and achieving the Millennium Development Goals."

International Learning Opportunities is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government's Wales for Africa Framework. VSO's 50 years’ experience of tackling poverty through volunteers mean the placements are based on real community needs that will benefit from the volunteers' skills. For more information visit www.wales.gov.uk/psmw or call 029 2068 1343.

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