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Here are some questions our correspondents will be exploring this week as they report on humanitarian, women’s rights, climate change and anti-corruption issues for our AlertNet and TrustLaw news services. Stay tuned for the answers, and many more stories besides.
Q. Could competition over water supplies actually breed cooperation?
Friday is World Water Day, a reminder that disputes over water are common around the world, exacerbated by climate change, growing populations and rapid urbanisation. But increasingly governments, researchers and people on the ground are looking for ways to co-operate over this increasingly scarce resource.
We want to hear from you - are you involved in initiatives, research or work with grassroots communities that help in achieving greater co-operation in the use of water? Do you have innovative solutions to deal with this issue? Click here to contribute and enrich our coverage.
Meanwhile…
Q. What is the cost of water-related disasters?
Water-related disasters look set to become more frequent and more costly, meaning countries must put a greater emphasis on risk-reduction planning, said experts at a recent United Nations gathering. Lisa Anderson has the story.
Q. When is rape not considered rape?
You’d be surprised. According to the laws in some of Southeast Asia’s fast-developing nations, rape within a marriage isn’t rape. Or if you go by some of the decisions handed down by the courts, it’s not rape if there isn’t a physical struggle or the perpetrator is in his 60s. Thin Lei Win will be blogging her way around some of the legal absurdities in her region for TrustLaw.
Q. What’s to stop U.S. development aid to Afghanistan going straight into warlords’ pockets?
The United States has agreed to hand most of its development aid directly to the Afghanistan government as it draws down its troops and gradually scales back its reconstruction efforts. But in a country rife with corruption, what guarantees are in place to prevent the money going walkabout? Stella Dawson has an interview with USAID director for Afghanistan Alex Thier.
Q. How corrupt is Colombia’s congress?
When it reconvenes this week, Colombia’s congress will be 22 members short. Why? The law-making body has lost nearly 10 percent of its members, representing various political parties, who have been forced to step down over corruption charges since 2010. Anastasia Moloney investigates for TrustLaw.
And while we’re focusing on graft in the country…
Q. How common is bribery when doing business in Colombia?
Considerably, according to a recent study by the local chapter of Transparency International. Some 62% of Colombian businessmen surveyed said they believed if they didn’t pay a bribe they would lose a deal and/or contract. Again, Anastasia Moloney is on the case.
Q. What does a green economy look like?
An intriguing picture is starting to emerge in Kenya. Watch out for this story on AlertNet Climate.
Q. Is India’s growing aid budget anywhere near enough?
India's external aid budget has increased almost seven-fold in the last decade, reflecting the country’s growing role as a provider of development assistance for other developing nations. However, given India's ambitions to be a global player in the international arena, experts say it is not enough in relation to the country's size and budget. Nita Bhalla will look at the figures, where the money has gone and whether India should be giving out more in light of its own priorities in combating poverty.
Q. How is climate change influencing policy on extractive industries and land rights in Latin America?
That’s a question experts from Colombia, Brazil and Peru will try to answer at a two-day conference in Bogota this week as they discuss how land rights and the rights of communities living in and around resource rich areas across Latin America can be protected. Anastasia Moloney will be at the conference, notebook in hand.
Q. Why is Kenya’s election result being contested in the Supreme Court?
Prime Minister Raila Odinga and civil society groups have taken cases to the Supreme Court contesting the election result that handed victory to Uhuru Kenyatta, accused of crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court. They say there were irregularities and vote-rigging and the results should be quashed. The Supreme Court is likely to make a decision next week. Katy Migiro will explain all in a video talking point on AlertNet, alongside some riveting multimedia revealing how ordinary Kenyans have felt about the contested polls.
For the answers to last week’s questions, take a look at WHAT WE LEARNED THIS WEEK: From “threat finance” to genital cutting in the USA.
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