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Policy News Roundup

President Barack Obama intends to propose a three-year freeze in spending that accounts for one-sixth of the federal budget – however, military, veterans, homeland security and international affairs budgets (including foreign aid) are safe from the freeze.

The British development agency, DFID, launched a new fund for small non profits

Bill Gates writes about achieving productivity and sustainability in global agriculture in his new blog.

Are African women having too many babies?  See the World Bank blog on Africa and the feisty debate in the comments.

“It is all decided by a professor in New York,” said a shopkeeper in a Millennium Village in Ethiopia, when asked who decides on project priorities in the village.

Google has threatened to pull its business out of China, ending a 2006 compromise in which the company agreed to allow the government to filter taboo topics on searches done inside the populous Communist Party-run country.

And more on Haiti

Global Washington member Agros International blog on relief vs development work in Haiti

Haiti has problems because it wasn’t colonized long enough?    Let’s nip this one in the bud.

Should cruise ships stop in Haiti?

Who is in charge of US relief efforts in Haiti- defense or development?

Beware of sham organizations seeking money for Haiti

Refocusing Global Health Sector Aid…But to Where?

by guest blogger Patricia Orozco

Secretary Clinton’s speech earlier this month about the future of development policy suggested some interesting changes in US efforts to advance the global health sector —

 “Through our new Global Health Initiative, we will build on our success with PEPFAR and other infectious diseases, and we will focus more attention on maternal, newborn, and child health, where there is still a long way to go. We will invest $63 billion over the next six years to help our partners improve their own health systems and provide the care that their own people need…”

The CGD blogs that Secretary Clinton is right in pointing out the need to invest in the health systems of recipient countries—a move that steers health sector assistance away from its “too narrow a focus” of simply increasing the number of antiretroviral treatment beneficiaries.

What’s appealing about this potential “re-balancing act” is its sustainable, localized perspective. By helping to strengthen systems, recipient countries can take ownership of caring for their populations. I like how specific Secretary Clinton is in describing the future direction of the US’s work in this sector. Yet this move towards supporting health care systems and focusing efforts on improving maternal and child health in the developing world also raises a critical question: Has the US considered all potential options for refocusing efforts to advance global health?  Where else can global health sector assistance go?

The US has concentrated a huge amount of global health efforts, financially and otherwise, on HIV/AIDS. But is there too much emphasis on battling this disease? What about targeting other diseases that also have huge burdens on the populations and yet are easier to treat? A recent NYT article stated “Diarrhea kills 1.5 million young children a year in developing countries — more than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined — but only 4 in 10 of those who need the oral rehydration solution that can prevent death for pennies get it.” Pneumonia is another leading killer of children and can also be treated inexpensively, as opposed to AIDS which requires lifelong medication. So while PEPFAR has successfully provided antiretroviral treatment to the neediest populations and no one can deny the impact it’s made and I’m not advocating for PEPFAR to wean off from supporting these programs, I just wonder how some of these resources can be redirected to also address these other critical diseases.

I also have to question how PEPFAR has supported partner health systems and whether the US is really equipped to expand these efforts. In many ways, PEPFAR’s approach to global health aid is directly aligned with GW’s Four Principles of Aid Effectiveness. PEPFAR’s “partnership frameworks” are framed around supporting transparency, accountability and local ownership; it provides publicly available documents delineating funding allocations; targets partner countries who have the highest HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rates; etc.  But in what ways can PEPFAR improve how it helps partners? Global Health Council’s President/CEO Dr. Jeffery L. Sturchio argues for the strict inclusion of family planning and gender considerations in guiding PEPFAR managers in the field. He thinks this approach, integrating reproductive health services and HIV/AIDS, will help remove crucial barriers preventing more infections.

Focus on Global Education: Global Washington Members

Hey Global Washington Fans! 

Last week, we introduced our new global education blog. Soon, you will hear about how the earthquake in Haiti is affecting schools, education and youth in the region. Our thoughts and support are with the victims of the quake, as well as the many dedicated aid workers who are on the ground in Haiti.

Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS) – FIUTS is a center for all things international, working to foster international understanding and cultural exchange, and providing an environment where ideas, issues, and the spirit of internationalism could be fostered.

World Affairs Council – the leading foreign affairs forum in the Pacific Northwest.

These are just a few of the great organizations in Washington State. Please stay tuned for more highlights and updates. Email me with any international ed stories you’d like featured in the global ed blog.