http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/RSS news from Norwegian Church Aid5Norwegian Church Aid and WFP will distribute a total of 5700 tons of food in the drought and war affected areas in northern Mali.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9515&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/resumes-aid-work-in-mali/Mon, 23 Apr 2012 11:12:59 GMTMidtøstenDet okkuperte palestinske området og IsraelLedsagerprogrammetNyheter<![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">As the military coup in Bamako on 22^nd of March and the tense situation in northern Mali evolved Norwegian Church Aid has done its utmost to maintain the relief efforts in Mali. Julia McDade, Norwegian Church Aids Area Representative in Mali, says that it is now calmer and again possible to work in Kidal and Gao, although the situation is unstable.<br /><br /><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Vest-Afrika/Mali/mali_458.jpg" alt="Aid work in Mali" width="458" height="318" /><br /><em>Norwegian Church Aid is now planning a new and extensive food distribution in Mali. (Photo: Julia McDade/Norwegian Church Aid)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">As a result of the chaotic situation people had to flee for their lives. A total of 260 000 people are now displaced. The humanitarian needs among the displaced people are high.<br /><br />"Very few international organisations are now operating in the North, and it is especially challenging in and around the town of Kidal. Although Norwegian Church Aid has a big advantage after working with local partners in the country for 30 years, also we had to consolidate our efforts in recent months", says Anne-Marie Helland, General Secretary of Norwegian Church Aid.<br /><br /><strong>In collaboration with World Food Programme (WFP), Norwegian Church Aid is now&nbsp;planning to distribute a total of 5700 tons of food&nbsp;in the hardest hit areas in the period of May-December.&nbsp;</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">"If the security situation allows, we hope to start food distribution during the next few weeks", says Helland.<br /><br />According to OCHA, there are now 15 million people thretened by hunger in&nbsp;Mali and West Africa.<br /><br />"A highly tested population need all the help they can get. We and other organisations can accomplish much, but it is urgent. It is a race against time to avoid a situation like the Horn of Africa last year", says Helland.</p>]]The international conference "Nursing education in Africa - Changes and Challenges" is arranged in Lilongwe, Malawi, 7-8 November 2012. http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9421&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/nursing-education-in-africa/Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:11:29 GMTMidtøstenDet okkuperte palestinske området og IsraelLedsagerprogrammetNyheter<![CDATA[<p dir="ltr"><img class="orange" src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Sorlige%20Afrika/Malawi/Nursing%20education%20conference2_458.jpg" alt="Nursing education conference 7-8 November 2012, Malawi" width="458" height="142" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Welcome to the&nbsp;conference <strong>Nursing education in Africa – Changes and Challenges </strong>7-8 November 2012 at Capital Hotel in Lilongwe, Malawi.</p> <p dir="ltr">We invite you to submit abstracts covering a wide range of themes related to nursing education in African contexts.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Deadline for conference&nbsp;registration is 1 October 2012. <a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9422">Click to register and details about submission of abstracts and payment.</a></em></p> <h2 dir="ltr">Forum for sharing and exchange</h2> <p dir="ltr">The purpose of the conference is to create a forum for researchers, educators&nbsp;and policymakers to share experiences and results of research and inquiries, as well as to exchange and explore opportunities and possible synergies for&nbsp;strengthening nursing education in Africa.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Most of the knowledge on nursing education is developed outside Africa and&nbsp;does not necessarily fit the needs and conditions in African contexts. So far there is very little research on nursing education related to African contexts. The&nbsp;conference hopes to inspire and stimulate research in this field.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">The conference will also provide an arena for sharing accomplishments of the&nbsp;seven years that the project "Improved Health Training in Malawian Nursing&nbsp;Colleges" has existed highlighting the competences and experiences that have been developed as result of the project.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>The conference focuses on a range of different themes related to&nbsp;nurse /midwife education in Africa: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Motivation, recruitment, retention of qualified personnel </li> <li dir="ltr">Curriculum development- in developing countries</li> <li dir="ltr">New teaching and learning methodology in nurse/midwife education</li> <li dir="ltr">Clinical teaching in Skills Lab and Clinical Situations</li> <li dir="ltr">Information knowledge – information literacy </li> <li dir="ltr">Democracy, Human Rights and Gender in nurse/midwife education</li> <li dir="ltr">Ethics and ethical formation</li> <li dir="ltr">Educating Mental health- nurses</li> <li dir="ltr">Conflict of cultures in nurse/midwife education</li> <li dir="ltr">Management and leadership in nurse/midwife education</li> <li dir="ltr">Challenges of North/South and South/South collaboration&nbsp;&nbsp;</li> </ul> <p dir="ltr">Presentations may take the form of papers or posters and there will be interntional key note speakers, paralell sessions, round tables, workshops, posters, social program.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a class="CTAbtn" href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9422">Click to register and submit abstracts</a></p> <p style="text-align: center;" dir="ltr"><em>&nbsp;</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;" dir="ltr"><em>The conference is organized by the network collaboration group consistent of 6 Norwegian university colleges and 14 Malawian colleges in collaboration with CHAM, NNO and NONM.</em></p>]]Have you signed up as a fundraiser for the annual NCA Lenten Campaign? If so, read these useful tips!http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9376&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/tips-for-fundraisers/Fri, 16 Mar 2012 16:43:34 GMTAktuelt<![CDATA[<p>On the 25th and 27th March 2012, around 40,000 fundraisers will go from door to door accross Norway raising money towards the Lenten Campaign - one of Norway's largest door-to-door events.</p> <p>If YOU are among them, then you must have lots of questions! Here are some quick facts and tips to help you on your way. Good luck!</p> <h2>Good advice...</h2> <ul> <li>Remember to say thank you to everyone who donates, regardless of how much – or how little – they put in the box</li> <li>Make sure you go to every address on your list, so that everyone has a chance to donate. Every coin helps!</li> <li>Hand out information about other ways to donate to those who don’t have cash</li> <li>You can also give this information to those who do donate. That way they can sign the petition as well.</li> </ul> <p>The NCA donations hotline (22 09 27 00)&nbsp;is open all day until 10pm on the fundraising days 25th and 27th March.</p> <h2>What we do:</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Aid in emergencies:</strong> we save and protect lives in emergencies, such as the earthquake in Haiti</li> <li><strong>Long-term development</strong>: such as drilling wells and supporting healthcare projects in poor countries</li> <li><strong>Advocacy:</strong> we combat the root causes of poverty by influencing local and international authorities and companies.</li> </ul> <p>Our integrated approach means that NCA is able to create real change for people in poor countries.</p> <p><em>A future without poverty is possible – it’s a matter of justice!</em></p> <h2>Where does the money go?</h2> <p>The funds we raise are not earmarked specific projects, but rather are used to support all of Norwegian Church Aid’s work around the world. This way we can ensure that the money will be used where it is needed most.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid uses its funds ethically, and in line with strict standards. A small percentage goes to administration costs – costs that are necessary is we are to ensure that the projects we support are of sound quality and that our funds are used in an accountable manner.</p> <ul> <li>87.1% goes to our work abroad</li> <li>9.6% goes to administration</li> <li>3.3% goes to fundraising</li> </ul> <p><strong>Your help is important – as a fundraiser, you make a difference! Thank you!</strong></p>]]Gender equality is central to meeting the needs of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people concludes a new report.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9361&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/no-development-without-women/Thu, 08 Mar 2012 08:16:24 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">"Clapping with Both Hands: 15 Studies of Good Practice in Promoting Gender Equality" launched on&nbsp;the International Women's Day 8 March&nbsp;celebrates innovative programmes championed by brave women and men in 13 countries – from Guatemala to Mali, Mozambique to Nepal – that have enhanced the voice of women at home, at work, in governance bodies and society at large.</p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="http://www.actalliance.org/resources/policies-and-guidelines/gender/ACT_Gender_Good-Practice-Report_%202012.pdf" target="_blank">Click to download the ACT Gender Good Practice report</a> (pdf, 4 MB)</p> <p dir="ltr">The report demonstrates the work of leading organisations that contribute to achieving gender equality through a range of projects, whether addressing violence against women or lack of access to and control over resources. It highlights the hope, strength and persistence of women and men who believe that their communities can benefit from increased gender equality.</p> <h2>"At the heart of our vision"</h2> <p dir="ltr">"Gender equality and women’s empowerment are at the heart of ACT Alliance’s vision for a better and more just world. While there has been progress on gender equality in some countries, women in many parts of the world suffer from violence, discrimination and under-representation in decision-making processes" says John Nduna, General Secretary of ACT Alliance.</p> <p dir="ltr">Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is one of more than 125 members of the ACT Alliance, which is one of the largest humanitarian networks in the word.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Vest-Afrika/Mali/Clapping%20with%20both%20hands-mill.jpg" alt="Kvinne i Mali" width="458" height="200" /><br /><em>The introduction of mills in Mali saves women time, allowing them to take part in community development. Photo: Norwegian Church Aid</em></p> <h2 dir="ltr">Strengthened democracy in Mali</h2> <p dir="ltr">In Mali, campaigns run by NCA to get more women on the election trail have resulted in the number of&nbsp;female candidates jumping by 42% in some regions.</p> <p dir="ltr">The programme is one of the studies in the report and documents how NCA works to increase women’s participation in local government (municipalities) in Northern Mali by mobilising women and challenging the behaviour of duty bearers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Through five local organisations, various strategies were used to strengthen women’s associations with more that 30.000 members, identifying female candidates, leadership training and raising awareness about citizens’ rights and the right to vote in the election campaign.</p> <p dir="ltr">Active involvement of male community and religious leaders lent legitimacy to the project of increasing women’s participation in public life.</p> <h2>Vital to meet the needs</h2> <p dir="ltr">Gender equality<strong> </strong>is the equal enjoyment by women, girls, boys and men of rights, opportunities, resources and rewards.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The promotion and achievements of gender equality and gender justice is vital to meeting the needs of the world`s poorest", Thora Holter, special advisor on gender justice in Norwegian Church aid says. "Women represent a disproportionate number of the poor, and are vastly underrepresented at all levels of government and have often limited opportunity to influence decision- and policy making".</p> <p dir="ltr">Read about Norwegian Church Aid's work with Gender Justice.</p>]]“Just mining or just profit? Where is the justice in mining?” was the key message when civil society organisations from all over the world met in South Africa last week for the third Alternative Mining Indaba conference.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9327&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/together-for-mining-justice/Fri, 17 Feb 2012 15:18:24 GMTSør-AfrikaØkonomisk rettferdighetBedrifters sammfunsansvarNyheter<![CDATA[<p dir="ltr"><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Sorlige%20Afrika/Alternative-mining-indaba-2012.jpg" alt="Alternative Mining Indaba 2012" width="458" height="274" /><br /><em>"Amandla! Awethu!&nbsp;The Power! Is ours (the peoples)!" The words of the apartheid resistance are still being used in&nbsp;struggles&nbsp;against oppression. Today&nbsp;people call for mining justice. Photo: Jane Vogt Evensen/NCA</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Norwegian Church Aid’s partners and organisations from 15 countries from around the world gathered at the Alternative Mining Indaba in South Africa from 6-8 February 2012. This is the third time this civil society conference on mining&nbsp;has been&nbsp;organised in parallel to the companies’, investors’ and governments’ conference of the same name. The original Mining Indaba is in reality not accessible to civil society with its USD 1500 admission&nbsp;fee per participant.</p> <p dir="ltr">Due to the lack of access to the companies’ conference and the poor attention given to corporate social responsibility and the ethics of mining investments, the alternative conference was first organised in 2010 by Norweian Church Aid partners to provide a platform for civil society to share stories and experiences from the mining areas, and shift the attention from profit towards the realities of mining today.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since then, the conference has grown and become a platform where faith-based as well as community-based organisations and trade unions from all over Africa, Latin America and Asia meet to discuss the 'other' side of mining.</p> <h2>A global mining community</h2> <p dir="ltr">Despite the participants coming from different countries from different parts of the world, the stories (and the mining companies) are very often the same. The level of revenues from the mining operations are minimal for the host countries, the benefits for the local communities are often fewer than the disadvantages, and environmental destruction is in many cases a fact.</p> <p dir="ltr">During the conference people from Tanzania, Philippines, Zimbabwe, DRC, Zambia and Ghana told stories of eviction of whole communities to make space for mining operations. Perhaps the most recent example was from Mozambique where about 700 families have been relocated from their homes since 2009 to give way for coal mining, according to Higino Filimone from the Christian Council of Mozambique: "The families were promised new houses, hospital, a school, water and electricity to give up their land".</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the provided housing was poor and full of cracks, and they did not get access to water, electricity or fertile land. When the Brazilian company and the government did not respond to the community’s demands to deliver on promises made, 500 people decided to block the train carrying coal on its way to the port of Beira. "We were not blocking the train, but the coal, because it is ours!" Filimone says about the community’s outcry.&nbsp;Ten people&nbsp;were injured during this peaceful demonstration and 14 were imprisoned. The prisoners have been released and the Christian Council of Mozambique is now requesting the President to review mining and resettlement issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are similar cases going on that NCA and partners are involved in both in Zambia and Tanzania.</p> <p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Sorlige%20Afrika/Alternative-mining-indaba-2012-2.jpg" alt="Alternative Mining Indaba 2012" width="458" height="274" /><br /><em>Panzi! Get down! A dance for mining justice outside the companies' conference. Photo: Jane Vogt Evensen/NCA</em></p> <h2>A call for mining justice</h2> <p dir="ltr">On the last day of the conference, the participants marched to the venue were the companies, investors and government were gathered to deliver a statement from civil society to address key issues and demands. In this statement, the organisations "issue a clarion call on all governments, Parliaments and leaders to live up to their mandated roles by speaking out and acting on behalf of the ultimate beneficiaries i.e. local communities affected by mining including forestry, citizens and the people of the land. We also call on mining companies to end all forms of impunity against the peoples and the environment."</p> <p dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p>]]Global network ACT Alliance demands governments close three crucial gaps in UN climate talks immediately.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9225&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/four-days-to-save-the-world/Tue, 06 Dec 2011 17:13:18 GMTSør-AfrikaKlimarettferdighetNyheter<![CDATA[<p>A week has already passed in one of the world’s biggest talking-shops. Yet the United Nations climate negotiations in Durban have yet to reach decisions on key issues affecting millions of the world’s poorest people.</p> <p>The governments holding up the process need to become far more ambitious in the five remaining days, says one of the world’s largest faith-based development networks, ACT Alliance, of which Norwegian Church Aid is a member. Ministers with power and accountability to their people must now achieve what their technocrats didn’t last week.</p> <h2>Triple gap</h2> <p>The first week of talks have revealed a triple gap. A huge gap exists between what emission cuts countries have committed to so far and what is required. Another differential is the existing commitments to finance and the amount actually needed, as well as a lack of clarity on where the money will come from. Thirdly, the world faces a real danger there will be a no legal construct after the existing Kyoto Protocol commitment period – the world’s only legally binding climate agreement - ends in 2012.</p> <h2>Gaping hole</h2> <p>The triple gap will become a gaping hole unless countries reach decisions this week. The cost of mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change are growing, greenhouse gas emissions are growing and time is running out for leaders to commit to a new agreement before the current Kyoto protocol expires.</p> <p>“This is a question of justice,” says ACT General Secretary John Nduna. “The poorest people in the world suffer most from the effects of climate change. They are the least to blame for causing it and do not have the means to cope with it. Many are forced to live on land that has become barren, on flood plains or in drought-stricken areas – and have no chance of moving.” The Climate Vulnerability Forum says 350,000 people die of climate change every year. That figure will increase to 1 million a year by 2050 unless delegates reach firm agreements now.</p> <h2>Moral leadership</h2> <p>“Governments have had plenty of time to drag their feet and there is no excuse for further delay. People are dying, right now. All countries must dramatically raise their game and reach clear and progressive decisions this week. History has shown again and again how much can be achieved in five days. Now is their chance to show their moral leadership on behalf of millions of the world’s poorest people,” Nduna said.</p> <p><strong>ACT Alliance wants COP17 to deliver four clear results. It must:</strong></p> <p>1) <strong>Put into effect the Green Climate Fund</strong> – the financial structure agreed in Cancun last year but which remains an empty shell lacking money and staff. It requires rapid work this week to set it up and finance a secretariat that can begin to capitalise it.</p> <p>2) <strong>Agree on a roadmap</strong> clarifying the move from fast-start climate finance, which ends next year, and the long-term finance that will be needed up to 2020. Any roadmap must include safeguards relating to different sources of funding, and realistic milestones.</p> <p>3) <strong>Ensure the Kyoto Protocol does not die</strong> and that all countries agree a fair, ambitious and legally binding agreement as soon as possible.</p> <p>4) <strong>Recognise and progress work in adaptation</strong>, an issue of huge importance to the most vulnerable people and must be addressed as an issue of equal importance to mitigation.</p> <p>Rosalia Soley, of ACT’s forum in El Salvador, in the heart of the region recently hit by floods triggered by climate change, says Durban cannot be allowed to fail. “Now is the time for the community of states to show their solidarity with the poorest people in the world, who suffer most of the impacts of climate change. There are five days to act: the world’s most powerful must now deliver.”</p> <h3>Contact details:</h3> <p>For interviews with John Nduna, General Secretary of ACT Alliance, please contact Sandra Cox, Communications Officer, ACT Alliance. <br />Mobile: +27 761 850944, <a href="mailto:actroving@gmail.com">actroving@gmail.com</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>ACT climate change experts available for interview:</h3> <ul> <li>Mattias Söderberg, Head of Delegation, ACT Alliance and Senior Advisor on Climate Advocacy, DanChurchAid. <a href="mailto:msd@dca.dk">msd@dca.dk</a> </li> <li>Isaiah Kipyegon Toroitich, Climate Policy and Advocacy Officer, ACT Alliance. M: 0786463070, <a href="mailto:ikt@actalliance.org">ikt@actalliance.org</a> </li> </ul>]]Negotiations in Busan have ended in a new global partnership on aid effectiveness. The end result is a mixture of positive and negative.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9211&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/the-sweet-and-sour-of-busan/Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:56:21 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>Norwegian Church Aid's Gwen Berge was present during the&nbsp;Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness (HLF-4)&nbsp;in her role as&nbsp;co-chair of&nbsp;ACT Alliance's working group on development effectiveness.</p> <p>"Busan leaves a lot of unfinished business. Governments of the global south have told donors: 'Get your act together!' " said Berge.</p> <p>The outcome of the negotiations has met with mixed reactions. Small achievements on human rights and the protection of civil society - the civic and social relationships, organisations and institutions that are central to functioning democracies - were reached. China got its own way. Civil society now demands action from all development agencies to fulfill the promises of previous conferences alongside the Busan meeting on aid effectiveness.</p> <h2>Hesitant</h2> <p>The final outcome document – The Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation - was approved December 1st. Suzanne Matale, Secretary General of Christian Council of Churches in Zambia, is hesitant about its value: “I am not sure that poor people in my country will benefit from the Busan Conference,” she said.</p> <p>Matale continued: “Busan has seen a rearrangement of the power among the donors. The expectations of the private sector are high, but whether the sector will really contribute to development remains to be seen. It is great that human rights are now written clearly in the principles of the Outcome Document, but they are not in the indicators or practical rules, which makes their implementation uncertain.”</p> <h2>Protect civil society</h2> <p>ACT Alliance has - together with a large network of civil society organisations – advocated for a protection of an enabling space for civil society and faith based organisations to protect civil society’s fundamental rights in Busan. Peter Lanzet, of the German Church Development Service (EED), representative of ACT Alliance in the Better Aid Coordination Group, which negotiated the Busan Outcome Document on behalf of Civil Society said “Civil society has achieved an agreement that its international rights will be protected. Still, we would have preferred a specific reference to civil society’s freedom of assembly and speech.”</p> <p>Martin Pedersen, representing DanChurchAid in ACT Alliance's working group on development effectiveness, says “China is now part of the new global partnership, endorsing all common goals and shared principles, and that is positive. However, China is not ready for transparent and accountable cooperation, based on multi-stakeholder dialogue. China has taken a cautious step forward. ”</p> <h2>Donor-driven?</h2> <p>Donors wanted results and value for money to be at the heart of the new agreement. In practical aid management practice, however, that is perceived as donor-driven, however, said Malcolm Damon, of the Economic Justice Network/FOCCISA in Southern Africa. “Results agreements and performance based finance models have been seen as something imposed on developing countries. No developing country has actually planned for such systems.”</p> <p>Despite ACT Alliance's slight disappointment - a priority is now to ensure that in the post-Busan period all development partners live up to the agreed common goals and shared principles for effective development.</p> <h2>For more information, contact:</h2> <ul> <li>Gwen Berge, NCA spokesperson in Busan +47 93 24 24 69</li> <li>Martin R. Pedersen, ACT Alliance media spokesperson in Busan +45 29 91 69 30 </li> </ul>]]Six buses with 160 youths have spent 18 days on a fantastic climate journey through six countries. On Thursday afternoon, they finally arrived in Durban.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9173&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/caravan-arrived-in-durban/Thu, 24 Nov 2011 18:41:17 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/Josh458.jpg" alt="" width="458" height="305" /></p> <p><em>Joshua Okach Minai from Kenya had to ask for two months leave from his job to attend the caravan, which finally arrived in Durban. (Photo: Bergit S. Svendseid, NCA)</em></p> <p>The youths have travelled through Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Botswana to reach South Africa where the UN summit on climate change is taking place. The buses crossed the boarder to South Africa on Monday, and Thursday they all arrived in Durban.</p> <p>Joshua Okach Minai (24) from Kenya is one of the youths behind the caravan. He had to ask for two months leave from his job in Nairobi to attend the organizing and accomplishment of the caravan. When the caravan arrived in South Africa and Soweto he was both touched, happy and proud of what they have succeeded in.</p> <p>- It feels amazingly good to finally reach South Africa. It’s a dream that came true, said Joshua.</p> <table border="0" align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/SA_200.JPG" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>-We are proud of the youths enormous efforts in the caravan all the way from Nairobi to Durban, says Guri Storaas, climate advisor in Norwegian Church Aid in Kenya and one of the organizers of the caravan.</p> <p>-The caravan has been an overwhelming experience. Now we hope that our voices will be heard in the negotiations, says Brendah Makoro (26) from Botswana.</p> <h2>Concert in Soweto</h2> <p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/SA_458.JPG" alt="" width="458" height="305" /></p> <p><em>Ten Sing Norway on the stage during the concert in Soweto.(Photo: Bergit S. Svendseid, NCA)</em></p> <p>Before the arrival in Durban, the caravan went to the South African Soweto township just outside Johannesburg to get attention to the “We Have Faith – act now for climate justice” campaign. Tuesday night they arranged a concert with the caravan’s own artists together with South African artists.</p> <h2>The finale: Inter Faith Rally</h2> <p>Although the caravan now has arrived in Durban, there is still a lot remaining on the participants program. On Sunday all the participants will attend the finalization of the “We Have Faith”-campaign at the big Inter Faith Rally at King’s Stadium Park. The caravan will perform, The Most Reverend Desmond Tutu will give his speech, and all the petitions collected all over the world will be handed over to the president of the UN summit on climate change.</p> <p>Joshua Okach Minai hopes that the campaign is only the beginning of faith leaders and communities engage in important political issues such as climate change.</p> <p>- Religious leaders must continue to call on us youths to address global issues, Joshua concludes.</p>]]As a part of the We Have Faith – Act Now for Climate Justice Campaign, the youth caravan is spreading its message as widely as they can. This was evident in Botswana. http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9167&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/faith-in-climate-justice-/Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:16:28 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>Upon reaching Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, on Saturday, the young people participating in the Nairobi-to-Durban caravan was welcomed by the Botswana Council of Churches. A group of cyclists, as well as local police, escorted the buses into town where a ceremony was held at Tree Dikgosi Monument.</p> <h2>Warm welcome</h2> <p>The organizers made the welcoming brief since the temperature by then had reached 40 degrees. “We are trying to run away from both the heat and the rain today” one of the organizers laughed. Although a funny remark, he fact is that the heat wave the participants experienced in Botswana is partly blamed on climate change.</p> <p>The leader of the youth council in Botswana, Metlha Mokwena, told the caravan that Botswana is extremely vulnerable to climate change, and that heat waves are one of the consequences already seen in the country. Combined with other effects of climate change, this places a strain on food and water security in Botswana.</p> <p>- There is an urgent need for African youth to put pressure on governments to extend the Kyoto Protocol at COP 17, Metlha Mokwena said.</p> <p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/Botswana_6870.JPG" alt="" width="458" height="260" /><br /><em>A concert in Gabarone on Saturday night (Photo: NCA)</em></p> <h2>Praying for climate justice</h2> <p>On Saturday evening, the caravan took part in a climate justice concert in central Gaborone. The morning after, the participants were invited to an ecumenical youth prayer service for the meeting in Durban and climate change in the Dutch reformed Church.</p> <p>Richard Omondi from Kenya greeted the congregation on behalf of the Youth Climate Justice Caravan.</p> <p>“Some of you might wonder why all these youth are travelling from Nairobi to Durban. The answer is that we stand for climate justice,” Richard explained.</p> <p>One representative from each of the 20 countries represented in the caravan also conveyed at message to the congregation about how climate change is affecting their country.</p> <p>“The message we are taking to our leaders is that they should secure a legally binding agreement that secures our future,” Richard said and asked the congregation to sign the petition. He also thanked faith leaders in Botswana for giving their support to the caravan.</p> <h2>Onwards to Durban</h2> <p>At the end of the service, the General Secretary of Botswana Council of Churches. Mosweu Simane , thanked the caravan participants for reminding the church in Botswana that we are stewards of God’s creation.</p> <p>Next Sunday the caravan will be joining the Inter Faith Rally in Durban. Durban is the host of the UN climate summit, and the rally will be held on the day before the negotiations start. The rally will bring together faith leaders from all over Africa, including the Botswana Council of Churches.</p> <p>“We are going to Durban to say to tell world leaders that we are not going to allow you to just socialise at this meeting. We want you to meet to make decisions to save the world,” Rev. Mosweu Simane said.</p> <p>The Inter faith Rally will be hosted by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and the petitions collected throughout Africa will be handed over to the chair of COP 17.</p>]]After more than ten days on the road, the young people participating in an overland caravan from Nairobi to Durban are tired, but making as much noise as ever. Just ask Zambia.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9153&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/a-strong-caravan-community/Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:46:51 GMTZambiaKlimarettferdighetNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/Zambia_458.JPG" alt="" width="458" height="305" /><br /><em>A spontaneous march across the Zambian border on foot (Photo: NCA)</em></p> <p>Over 150 young people from Norway and across Africa are currently travelling by bus from Nairobi to the COP 17 climate summit in Durban, South Africa, with a message of climate justice. The caravan has now arrived in Zambia, where it were welcomed at the border by a band, and by a group of young Zambians ready to join the group! The caravan’s participants poured out of the bus convoy and walked on foot across the border.</p> <h2>Tired but happy</h2> <p>It’s episodes like this one that recharge the atmosphere on long bus journeys. Many days, the caravan’s participants have had to wake up at 4am in order to be on the road in time. In Zambia the weather is also very hot, also inside the buses. As they trundle along, some participants sleep, while others discuss how climate change is already affecting their native countries.</p> <p>“Extreme heat is one of the changes we are already noticing here in Zambia,” explains Justina Zulu to the others on her bus.</p> <p>By the time the caravan arrives in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, the participants are visibly weary. And still, when the bus pulls up to a stop, Prince Wilondja from DR Congo stands up and starts dancing in the aisle. In his t-shirt emblazoned with “We have faith” logos, he makes a sight for sore eyes.</p> <p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/Zambia_sove.JPG" alt="" width="458" height="254" /><br /><em>After ten days on the road, participants are tired, but still moving. (Photo: NCA)</em></p> <h2>Community spirit</h2> <p>It’s the community spirit on the buses that Steinar Grastveit and Eline Elnes, both Norwegian members of NCA youth organisation Changemaker, highlight when they are asked to sum up their experiences so far.</p> <p>”The days have been very long, but the atmosphere has been great. It’s been so interesting to meet so many people who feel so strongly about climate issues,” says Eline.</p> <p>Steinar has been inspired by the caravan, and he promises to bring his experiences back to Norway and share them with other members of Changemaker:</p> <p>“I’ll bring home a whole lot of hope from this trip. Hope, because I now know that it is possible for young people from different backgrounds to achieve important results through working together. This caravan proves that,” he says.</p> <h2>Onwards!</h2> <p>On Wednesday, a large climate change-themed concert was held in Lusaka. Local artists and artists travelling with the caravan played alongside one another, and parts of the concert were broadcast live on Zambian national television!</p> <p>There will also be a concert in Livingstone before the caravan crosses into Botswana.</p>]]On the road to Durban, the We Have Faith youth climate justice caravan is working to raise awareness about climate change. In Malawi this took the form of several spontaneous flash mobs along the way. http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9142&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/flash-mobs-in-malawi/Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:01:39 GMTMalawiKlimarettferdighetNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/Malawi_6343.JPG" alt="" width="458" height="270" /><br /><em>Signatures are gathered on the streets of Mzuzu, Malawi (Photo: NCA)</em></p> <p>Young people in “We have faith” t-shirts tumble out of six buses in the town of Mzuzu, Malawi. Soon a crowd gathers, and the caravan participants start collecting signatures for their campaign demanding that world leaders achieve a just and binding climate agreement in Durban this December. Ten Sing Norway is singing, and the locals are joining in on the song “Ooo it’s hot in here, there’s too much carbon in the atmosphere”.</p> <p>“The youth caravan decided to arrange a so-called flash mob, or spontaneous collective activity, in Mzuzu because the “We Have Faith – Act Now for Climate Justice” Campaign is about people,” Paul Mbole, Country Coordinator at NCA Kenya explains. “It’s time we move the negotiations out of the conference halls and into the street. By engaging with people we recharge the negotiations with the vocabulary of the people,” he continues.</p> <p><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/Malawi_6325.JPG" alt="" width="458" height="274" /><br /><em>The streets fill with activity when the caravan rolls into town! (Photo: NCA)</em></p> <h2>On the streets of Lilongwe</h2> <p>Sunday the caravan passed through the streets of Lilongwe in a rally to collect signatures. The buses stopped at several locations where the youth jumped out and engaged with people they met.</p> <p>The flash mobs in Malawi this week are intended to make people the most important players at the upcoming climate negotiations in Durban. “We need ordinary people to state their claims from an informed point of view,” Paul Mbole adds.</p> <h2>Call for leadership</h2> <p>The caravan’s sojourn in Malawi concluded with a big concert at the national stadium in Lilongwe. Church leaders and the Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Affairs attended the concert.</p> <p>One of the participants to join the caravan in Malawi, Heather Maseko, took the stage and asked the leaders of the world to lead us through COP 17 and to ensure a legally binding agreement is achieved. “We need to act now to save my generation and generations to come,” Heather Maseko said.</p> <h2>Already making a difference</h2> <p>The caravan has created quite a stir on its journey from Nairobi so far. As the buses left Tanzania, the participants discovered that they were front-page news in the national newspaper The Guardian. The caravan hopes to mobilize even more people by attracting more media attention in the countries it has yet to visit.</p> <p>Next stop: Zambia!</p> <p><a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9097">Read all about the climate caravan's travels through Africa here</a></p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]During the South African President, Jacob Zuma's, visit to Norway, Norwegian Church Aid and Norwegian YMCA-YWCA asked him to take the lead for climate justice in the upcoming climate negotiations in South Africa.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8959&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/take-the-lead-zuma/Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:30:45 GMTSør-AfrikaClimate JusticeNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img src="/Global/bilder/Politiske%20bilder/Zuma%20til%20web.jpg" alt="" width="458" height="318" /></p> <p><em>- Take the lead for climate justice, Zuma, was the message from Norwgian Church Aid and Norwegian YMCA-YWCA to the South African President. (Photo: Henriette Bjerke, Norwegian Church Aid)</em></p> <p>Zuma discussed among other issues the upcoming UN summit on climate change, COP 17, in South Africa in a meeting with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, Minister of Foreign&nbsp;Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre and Minister og Environment and Development Erik Solheim.</p> <h2>Take the lead</h2> <p>- Zuma must show leadership to get the best possible results&nbsp;at COP 17 in South Africa this year, says Ingrid Næss-Holm, climate change&nbsp;advisor&nbsp;at Norwegian Church Aid.</p> <p>A strong and clear leadership&nbsp;from the&nbsp;Mexican government was decisive to get the relatively good result we&nbsp;got from the climate change summit in Cancun last year.</p> <p>- 2011 is a crucial year. The Kyoto Protocol, the only international agreement to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, expires in 2012. We must see results from the climate change summit in South Africa this year to avoid to take several steps back in the work to stop global warming, says Næss-Holm.</p> <h2>Demands for emission cuts</h2> <p>Norwegian Church Aid's partner organisations in South Africa have asked President Zuma to set a good example and reduce South Africa's greenhouse gas emissions. Zuma must also stand beside the African countries in the climate negotiations, not beside the rich countries that historically have emitted the most. Norwegian Church Aid asks the Norwegian government to do the same.</p> <p>- Norway has a particular responsibility because we got rich on fossil fuels. Norway also has the money to do something about it. Norway has to support the demands from the countries that are most affected by climate change, it's all about climate justice, says Næss-Holm.</p> <h2>Pan African campaign</h2> <p>Norwegian Church Aid and Norwegian YMCA-YWCA cooperates with partner organisations in several African countries on the interfaith climate change campaign "We Have Faith - act now for climate justice" which demands&nbsp;the world leaders to agree on a fair climate agreement that ensures adequate reductions in the world's greenhouse gas emissions and financing of climate change adaptation in Africa.</p> <p><strong>Contact:</strong></p> <p>Ingrid Næss-Holm, climate change advisor&nbsp;at Norwegian Church Aid, phone: +47 93 24 24 68</p> <p>Ida Thomassen, communication advisor at Norwegian Church Aid, phone: +47 98 24 64 30</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]Message from General Secretary of Norwegian Church Aid, Atle Sommerfeldt:http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8898&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/the-terror-attack-in-oslo-july-22/Sat, 23 Jul 2011 19:34:19 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>Friday, July 22nd, two terrorist attacks took place in centre of Oslo and the island of Utøya, approximately 50 km outside Oslo.</p> <p>A huge bomb exploded in a van on the street in the midst of the government building complex which in Norway is an open area with access for all. The prime ministers office and several ministries were destroyed and the streets looked like a war zone. 7 people are so far confirmed dead and at least 14 seriously wounded.</p> <p>The headoffice of Norwegian Church Aid is only 200 metres from the place where the bomb blasted. Our building was shaken and colleagues actually observed the blast from our windows. None were injured and no damage was done to the building.</p> <p>One hour later started what turned out to be a massacre at Utøya aimed at the traditional summercamp of the Youth League of the ruling Labour Party. We woke up to the news that at least 84 young people were killed and many wounded.</p> <p>The whole of Norway is in shock and mourning. Volunteers are mobilizing and churches are opened. We are now experiencing what many of you already have experienced; terror has now also come to Norway.</p> <p>Whilst some “experts” and international press early speculated that the attack could be linked to extreme jihadists, the Norwegian officials resisted to speculate.</p> <p>This morning it was announced that one named person is arrested and charged for both acts. He belongs to a right-wing, anti-muslim and christian-fundamentalistic sub-culture in Norway and has been active on blogs. His motives and whether he acted alone, are still unknown.</p> <p>Dear friends, please pray with the families and affected and for all Norwegians. We all need the gift of wisdom to handle the most serious crisis in our society since the Second World War. The future will be a struggle to keep our society as open as it has been .The prime-minister and other political leaders express deep commitment to deepen rather that weaken our open culture, not being ruled by fear, but by our human, democratic and open values and traditions. Norwegian Church Aid will be part of that struggle.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid is committed to inclusive societies where people of different cultural, religious, ethnic and political belongings, are able to work together for compassion, justice and participation for all. Our vision and mission is not threatened by this terrible acts, it is confirmed. But we need strength.</p> <p>Our friends all over the world give us strength. For those of you who pray, a prayer from the Anglican Church of Kenya may also be of help:</p> <p><em>God of might and power,</em></p> <p><em>You support us through temptation</em></p> <p><em>You support us in danger</em></p> <p><em>And carry us through temptation.</em></p> <p><em>Give us grace to trust in You,</em></p> <p><em>That, though by nature we are frail and weak,</em></p> <p><em>we may stand upright in any time of trial.</em></p> <p>And let us all rest in the word of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount: <em>Blessed are those who mourn, God will comfort them; and further: Blessed are those who work for peace, God will call them his children.</em></p>]]Only a profoundly renewed moral vision is likely to end 20 years of effective impasse in the climate negotiations. This is the conclusion of 130 African faith leaders who met in Nairobi 7th and 8th of June.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8842&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/faith-groups-call-for-climate-justice-in-africa/Mon, 13 Jun 2011 09:20:22 GMTØst-AfrikaKenyaVest-AfrikaSørlige AfrikaKlimarettferdighetClimate JusticeNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img src="/Global/bilder/English/Faith%20leaders.png" alt="" width="458" height="237" /></p> <p><em>130 faith leaders were gathered at United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) facilities in Nairobi. (Photo:SAFCEI/AACC)</em></p> <p>The conference was initiated by the executive director of the South African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI), Bishop Geoff Davies, and hosted by the NCA partners SAFCEI and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), and the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA).</p> <h2>Call for action</h2> <p>The conference declaration outlines the moral immobility of the climate talks, and suggests specific and unusual measures that would greatly help to secure a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate treaty&nbsp;from the UN high level climate negotiations&nbsp;in&nbsp;Durban, South Africa, by the end of this year.</p> <p>Delegates also called on South Africa to stand again with its African peers and for the interests of Africa, in climate talks, rather than aligning itself with other blocs.</p> <h2>Amongst the most affected by climate change</h2> <p>Africans are responsible for a tiny proportion of global emissions, both current and historic, yet are highly likely to be amongst the world’s most affected people, threatened by unprecedented droughts, floods, extreme weather, diminishing food security, poverty, forced migration and increased conflict. Tragically, all too many Africans assume that the increasing hardships forced upon them are acts of God, not realising that these hardships are ever more the consequence of human actions.</p> <h2>Way forward</h2> <p>Towards the high level&nbsp;negotiations in Durban, NCA and partners are planning several activities to mobilize and create awareness about climate change in Africa, as well as in Norway. National faith leaders conferences, youth conferences, petition and a caravan all the way&nbsp;from Nairobi to Durban are some of the activities planned for under the campaign <em>"We Have Faith - Act Now".</em> It will all end up in a big interfaith rally in Durban 27th of November, the day before the negotiations begin, where our message will be handed over to world leaders.</p> <p><a href="/Documents/African%20Faith%20Leaders%20-%20Climate%20Justice%20for%20Sustainable%20Peace%20-%208%20June%202011.doc" target="_blank">Read the full conference statement here</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.facebook.com/mobileprotection#!/We.Have.Faith">Visit the campaign, "We Have Faith - Act Now" on Facebook</a></p>]]Trafficking experts from across Southern Africa will convene in Malawi in October at a conference held by NCA.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8829&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/malawi-trafficking-conference/Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:04:51 GMTSørlige AfrikaMalawiNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img src="/Global/bilder/Her_arbeider_vi/S%c3%b8rlige%20Afrika/Malawi%20Memory_458.jpg" alt="Memory (3) lost her parents to AIDS" width="458" height="301" /><br /><em>Memory (3) lost her parents to AIDS. But she is lucky: her grandparents now take care of her. Many children who have no-one to take care of them are at risk of human trafficking. Photo: Hege Opseth/NCA)</em></p> <p>The conference will bring together senior technical-level staff from civil society organizations and governmental agencies across the region to share experiences, learn from best practices, and network on issues related to how best to combat the trade in human beings.</p> <h2>Growing problem</h2> <p>There is a growing body of evidence that human trafficking is becoming increasingly widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa, where the illicit trade results in over US$ 1.6 billion in profits yearly – roughly five percent of the global total.</p> <p>Recent research carried out by NCA has shown that trafficking is on the increase in Malawi, both within the country and across its very permeable borders.</p> <p>“Children are sold to labour as slaves on farms; girls and women are sold into the sex trade, and internal organs are transported across borders for transplantation and, in some cases, for use by witch doctors,” says Kari Øyen, Country Director for NCA in Malawi.</p> <h2>Varied response</h2> <p>Responses to the challenge of human trafficking in Southern Africa have varied, with some countries enacting specific laws to combat the trade, others ratifying the Palermo Protocol without implementing its commitments into their national legislation, and others still that have not ratified the Palermo Protocol.</p> <p>Malawi has ratified the Protocol but has not enacted an anti-trafficking law.</p> <p>• <a href="/Documents/Kirkens%20N%c3%b8dhjelp/Geografiske%20filer/S%c3%b8rlige%20Afrika/Human%20Trafficking%20Conference%20Announcement%2031%2005%202011.doc">Read the full conference announcement here</a> (Word)</p> <p>• <a href="/Documents/Kirkens%20N%c3%b8dhjelp/Geografiske%20filer/S%c3%b8rlige%20Afrika/HT%20Conference%20Application%20form%2031%2005%202011.doc">Download the application form for participants here</a>&nbsp;(Word, 59kb)</p>]]Norwegian Church Aid strongly condemns the burning of the Quran, as well as the attacks and killings of innoncent people. http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8632&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/condemns-provocation-and-killings/Wed, 06 Apr 2011 15:30:21 GMT<![CDATA[<p>Norwegian Church Aid would like to reiterate that the Freedom of Speech is a freedom which continuously needs to be protected and safeguarded. At the same time, it is fundamentally important to safeguard this freedom in a responsible manner.</p> <p>Criticism of Islam, Christianity, or other religions should only be raised through clear communication, and in a respectful manner that allows various actors to voice their views and that protects the dignity of all parties.</p> <p>The burning of the Quran in March is a provocation and a humiliating act for the millions of people who consider the Quran a holy book. Norwegian Church Aid condemns this act, as many Church organizations throughout the world do.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid also strongly condemns violent reactions to such acts. The attack and killings of innocent people as a response to intolerant acts – such as the attack on the UN compound in Mazar-e-Sharif on 1st April- cannot be accepted.</p>]]The president of the All Africa Conference of Churches confront the injustice in extractive industries when opening the 2011 Alternative Mining Indaba.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8475&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/african-church-leader-challenges-international-mining-companies/Fri, 04 Feb 2011 09:20:51 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>Read the <a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8494">statement from 2011 Alternative Mining Indaba </a>&nbsp;and the <a href="/PageFiles/13437/AMI%20%20capetown%20%20report%202011%20(04%2004%202011)%20FNL.doc">final report from 2011&nbsp;here</a>.</p> <p>If you have questions or other repsonses, please contact <a href="mailto:moreblessings.chidaushe@nca.no">NCA Southern Africa</a>.</p> <p>When more than 4000 delegates from more than 800 international mining companies and 40 governments get together to talk business at the Mining Indaba, Norwegian Church Aid and its partners Economic Justice Network (EJN) and Benchmarks Foundation bring in the human aspects of mining forth, by arranging the ‘Alternative Mining Indaba’. Archbishop Valentine Mokiwa, the President of the All Africa Conference of Churches, will officially open the 2011 Alternative Mining Indaba.</p> <p>- The extractive industries sector has acquired notoriety for being non-transparent and unaccountable. Most problems in the extractive industries are often in developing countries where minerals and oil are being extracted in communities and the proceeds do not benefit these communities.</p> <p>&nbsp;<img src="/PageFiles/13437/tanz%20458.jpg" alt="" width="458" height="304" /><br /><em>Small-scale miners are some of the victims of extractive industrie's exploitative acts. Photo: Greg Buick/NCA</em></p> <p>The Archbishop will attend the Alternative Mining Indaba together with participants from Africa and Latin-America, and the venue is just few streets away from the official Mining Indaba which is held annually at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The Mining Indaba is the world’s largest gathering of mining decision-makers.&nbsp;The Alternative Indaba seeks to challenge mining Indaba by bringing the real life human aspects to the conference, to confront the injustice rampant in extractive industries.</p> <p><strong>Victims of mining</strong></p> <p>The problems with extractive industries are similar across Africa and other developing nations. Testimonies from members of affected communties across the whole continent shows that the mining industry brings unfulfilled promises, environmental degradation (soil, water contamination), threatens livelihoods, health hazards poor housing provided as alternative accommodation for displaced communities (hostels in South Africa), poor working conditions for the few who secure employment and negative effects on women, &nbsp;households and communities &nbsp;in general.</p> <p><strong>Large-scale mobilization</strong></p> <p>Such testimonies played an important role at the first ‘Alternative Mining Indaba’ arranged in 2010, which aimed to bring human life and dignity into the mining business. More than 50 people attended the one day event which attracted significant media attention. The 2011 event will be bigger and lasts for 3 days. Participants from Angola, Guatemala, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe are expected to attend, and pressure for change in the mining sector.</p> <p><strong>&nbsp;</strong><strong>The key objectives of the Alternative Mining Indaba are to: </strong></p> <ul> <li>Provide an alternative space for stakeholders to discuss the equitable distribution of income from resource extraction</li> <li>Share information on the lessons, challenges and achievements of various stakeholders’ initiatives on promoting governance and transparency in the sector of extractive industries</li> <li>Hold to account mining companies and governments who trample on people’s rights, especially those of marginalised communities</li> <li>Address issues of gender within mining in Africa.</li> <li>Lobby for the formulation of policies, laws and regulations which protect communities against rapacious mining deals.</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]Annual report from Norwegian Church Aid’s anti-corruption work in 2010http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8465&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/anti-corruption-work-2010/Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:06:48 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p><em>28 January 2011</em></p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) works with long-term development aid, advocacy and political processes and emergency. NCA works with national and international partner organisations. 2010’s budget volume was NOK 750 million.</p> <p>NCA’s standpoint is zero tolerance with respect to corruption and financial irregularity, and is proactive with anti-corruption initiatives and attitudes. During the years, NCA has gained substantial knowledge in the area of anti-corruption work, and has developed robust systems, for detecting as well as preventing fraud and misuse of funds.</p> <p><strong>Cooperation with other donors:</strong> When cases of misuse are detected in a partner organisation, the NCA policy is to inform the other donors to that organisation. In addition to donor cooperation being cost effective by cost sharing of fees to auditors and legal advisors, sharing of information will have preventive measures since information is made available to the donor community.</p> <p><strong>NCA insist on transparency:</strong> Even though NCA has zero tolerance regarding corruption and fraud, NCA works in areas situated in some of the world’s most corrupt countries and areas of conflict. NCA is aware that complete eradication of corruption and fraud will be impossible, but realises that joint effort in the fight against corruption and fraud is crucial. NCA insist on transparency in all work against corruption.</p> <p><strong>Summary of cases 2010:</strong> This is the third year that NCA publishes the cases the organisation has worked with during the year. Please find the cases outlined below.</p> <p><strong>Brazil:</strong> In November 2010 it was brought to the attention of NCA that a partner in Brazil, Serviço de Prevenção ao Tráfico de Mulheres e Meninas (SMM), had presented fake audit reports. In coordination with another organisation supporting SMM, NCA contacted the SMM Board. The Board initiated immediate actions, among other by reporting the matter to the police. NCA and the other organisation have asked that an independent audit investigation is carried out.</p> <p><strong>Iraq:</strong> In July/August 2010 the Head of the Central control unit in MFA informed NCA that he had received whistle blowing regarding the NCA Iraq program. The Central Control unit wanted to initiate an independent audit, and the MFA allocation 2010 to the NCA Iraq program was therefore withheld. The independent audit was carried out during November/December 2010, and on 14 December NCA was informed that the independent audit had not revealed misuse of funds.</p> <p><strong>Kosovo:</strong> In October 2010 NCA was informed that the Executive Director at the partner organisation, Kosovo Agency for Advocacy and Development (KAAD), had left the organisation due to, among other unauthorised loans of EUR 15 000. We are informed that, with the exception of EUR 900, the loan is repaid. Despite information that NCA funds are not affected, NCA has initiated further investigations.</p> <p><strong>Tanzania:</strong> Regarding a partner in Tanzania, Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service (TCRS), NCA and several other donors were informed, through a consultancy report, about weak internal control systems and accounting procedures at TCRS. NCA and the other donors are following up and have required actions to be taken to improve the situation.</p> <p><strong>Zimbabwe:</strong> NCA and other donors were informed that a partner in Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA), had their accounts audited by a person not employed in the audit company he claimed to represent. Investigations have not revealed any cooperation between ZCA and this person, but the matter is being followed up further.</p> <p><strong>Previous years’ cases:</strong> This report includes also cases from previous years, continuing in 2010.</p> <p><strong>Burundi:</strong> NCA received information in autumn 2009 indicating contradictory information from the United Baptist Church of Burundi (UEBB) in its reporting to different donors. Additionally, the Secretary General of UEBB started his own organisation, which he then introduced to donors as a new department of UEBB that would implement development and emergency projects for UEBB. Information received later revealed that the new organisation has no formal connection with UEBB, and is a separate organisation. NCA, in close coordination with other donors, initiated a special audit. The audit company reported, however, of difficulties in carrying out their work. During autumn 2010 representatives from the NCA Head Office travelled to Burundi to meet with the UEBB Executive Committee and Management, to visit some of the program sites and to meet with auditors and legal advisors. Investigation of this case continues.</p> <p><strong>Chechnya:</strong> In 2006 NCA’s local partner Chechnya, Centre for Peacemaking and Community development, CPCD, with headquarters in England was deemed insolvent. NCA had ceased the partnership a few months previously, due to the failure by CPCD to submit audited financial statements. A previous director in CPCD, based in England, had borrowed significant amounts from the organisation. The trustee in bankruptcy has issued an indictment against the previous director, but an out-of-court settlement has been reached and the case is being finalised.</p> <p><strong>Somalia:</strong> In this case NOK 250,000 of funds for the Gedo and Puntland programme were defrauded by an earlier programme coordinator based in Nairobi. Charges were pressed in May 2006, and the case continues in Kenya’s legal system. There have been many court adjournments because of a variety of reasons, including Somali interpreters not being sufficiently competent and the defending attorney being held up at other meetings. This case continued also during 2010, but is now in its final stages. This case has been very demanding for NCA.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]<p>People filled the&nbsp;church hall&nbsp;as NCA and local Haitian partner organisation MISSEH distributed hygiene kits to residents of Artibonite, one of the country’s most cholera-stricken regions.</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8230&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/cholera-tightens-its-grip/Wed, 17 Nov 2010 15:30:43 GMTHaitiNyheter<![CDATA[<p><strong>In Haiti: Arne Grieg Riisnæs/Norwegian Church Aid/ACT Alliance</strong></p> <p><img src="/PageFiles/12908/utdeling_hygieneartikler458.jpg" alt="" width="458" height="277" /><br /><em>(The church hall was packed as NCA distributed hygiene kits in Artibonite, Haiti. Photo: Arne Grieg Riisnæs/NCA)</em></p> <p><strong>The 320km-long river</strong> Artibonite is the longest and most important river in Haiti. For many, it is also the only source of drinking water. When the first cases of cholera were recorded in mid-October 2010, it became clear that this river was the source of the infection. Many weeks later, large numbers of people have still not heard about the epidemic, or know how to protect themselves against it.</p> <p>”I hadn’t heard about the spread of cholera, so I continued drinking water from the river until a few days ago,” says a visibly weakened Claudette Hygiene (39), a resident of the town of Fery. From her hospital bed in the town of Brocozelle, she explains that she suddenly began vomiting and had diarrhoea.</p> <p>”It all went very quickly. I became very sick. I’m just happy I’m getting treatment now,” she says.</p> <p><strong>A team made up</strong> of Norwegian Church Aid and partner organisation MISSEH staff travelled into the Artibonite region, north of the capital Port-au-Prince, this week, to hold information meetings and distribute hygiene kits. Several hundred women came to a meeting in a church in Brocozelle. Here, as in many places in Haiti, there is a shortage of basic day-to-day items such as soap and disinfectant. The atmosphere quickly became noisy and tense once people understood that there was not enough equipment to go around. The team was, however, able to calm the situation down by assuring the local residents that more equipment would be distributed in the days to come.</p> <p><strong>The clinic in Brocozelle</strong> has established a separate ward for cholera patients, where 25 people are currently receiving treatment. Cholera can be cured easily with antibiotics and clean drinking water. Left untreated however, the disease can kill, and in the worst cases the patient may die as little as a few hours after the first symptoms have appeared. In the last two weeks alone, two patients arrived at the clinic too late, and the doctors were unable to save them. This clinic, like many others, is already working at full capacity. Outside the cholera ward, patients lie on the carpeted floor and wait their turn.</p> <p>“We were lucky that Claudeson Augustin was given a bed almost immediately,” explains mother Evelyn Alexis (20), stroking her two year-old daughter on the forehead. The child is crying hard and sweating profusely. “I was so afraid when she suddenly fell ill, but I feel safe now we’re at the clinic,” says Evelyn, a resident of the town of Clauduclas.</p> <p><strong>Haiti’s current cholera epidemic</strong> is its first for one hundred years, and the population has very little knowledge about the disease. Many blame the country’s government for not doing enough. In recent days, frustration has also been directed at the UN peacekeeping troops and at international organizations, who seem unable to bring the epidemic under control. The Nepalese UN soldiers have also been accused of bringing the cholera from South Asia, although these accusations are not based on any evidence.</p> <p>As soon as calm returns to the packed church hall, healthcare workers from NCA and MISSEH begin explaining their hygiene information to the several hundred local residents that have gathered. In the clinic across the road, patients wait patiently for treatment as staff members rush around. One nurse brings a bowl to a small girl who has just arrived, and she vomits into it immediately.</p> <p>“I wish I had known that the water was dangerous. Then my daughter wouldn’t have fallen ill. Still – we’re lucky,” says Evelyn Alexis.</p>]]Religious leaders from a wide range of different faith communities were present when the We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign was launched in Durban. They are asking world leaders to step up at the UN summit on climate change in December.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9028&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/we-have-faith-campaign-launched-in-south-africa-/Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:47:12 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<table style="width: 222px; height: 191px;" border="0" align="left"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/biskop_davies200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span lang="EN"> <p dir="ltr"><em>Anglican Bishop Geoff Davies delivering a speech at the launch of the campaign.</em></p> </span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Norwegian Church Aid is working to mobilize faith based partner organisations from all over Africa towards the summit on climate change (COP17) in Durban in December. The We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign has already been launched in several African countries such as Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, and on the 21st of September the time had come to launch it in South Africa, the host country of the summit.</p> <h2>We believe in change</h2> <p>Religious leaders from different faith communities in South Africa signed the petition at the launch. Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and members of the Baha’i community all showed their support for the campaign, and promised to mobilize their communities and members towards the summit.</p> <p>- We must ensure a better outcome of COP17 in Durban than of previous climate summits. The fact that faith based actors are coming together in this way, is sure to put pressure on the South African government, says Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt who heads NCA’s office in South Africa.</p> <p>The launch was held during a climate conference for religious leaders in South Africa. They will now be working together to put pressure on world leaders towards COP17. But they will also be spreading information to ordinary South Africans about climate change and how the summit in Durban affects their lives.</p> <p><a href="http://www.wehavefaithactnow.org" target="_blank">Read more about the campaign here</a></p> <table style="width: 230px; height: 191px;" border="0" align="left"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/ungdommer200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span lang="EN"> <p dir="ltr"><em>Youth gathered at the launch of the We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign in South Africa.</em></p> </span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Youth mobilisation in the churches</h2> <p>Youth in the churches of South Africa plays a vital role in the campaign. The leader of SACC Youth Forum, Vuyani Pule, gave a speech at the launch. He believes youth can make a change.</p> <p>- Young people can conduct advocacy and lobby community leaders and church leaders so that they make decisions that make a contribution towards stopping climate change. It is also important to listen to young people from rural communities that have direct experiences with climate change.</p> <p>Therefore, SACC Youth is now travelling across South Africa to engage young people in the churches in the topic of climate change.</p> <p>- We must tell them that climate change is here, it is effecting our communities, and it is real, Vuyani Pule said.</p> <p>SACC Youth will also go to gatherings such as concerts, to the universities and to community meetings to collect signatures for the petition.</p> <p><a href="http://www.wehavefaithactnow.org" target="_blank">Sign the petition here</a></p> <h2>Together in Durban</h2> <p>The day before the climate summit starts, on the 27th of November, the campaign will gather people and faith based organisations from all over Africa for an interfaith rally at King’s Park Stadium in Durban. Among the people participating in the event will be Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson, as well as a choir of 1000 youth. They will all be calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate agreement. All the signatures that are now being collected throughout Africa and beyond will be delivered to the chair of the COP17-negotiations at the rally.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]Religious leaders from a wide range of different faith communities were present when the We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign was launched in Durban. They are asking world leaders to step up at the UN summit on climate change in December.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9029&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/we-have-faith-campaign-launched-in-south-africa-1/Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:47:54 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<table style="width: 222px; height: 191px;" border="0" align="left"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/biskop_davies200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span lang="EN"> <p dir="ltr"><em>Anglican Bishop Geoff Davies delivering a speech at the launch of the campaign.</em></p> </span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>Norwegian Church Aid is working to mobilize faith based partner organisations from all over Africa towards the summit on climate change (COP17) in Durban in December. The We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign has already been launched in several African countries such as Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, and on the 21st of September the time had come to launch it in South Africa, the host country of the summit.</p> <h2>We believe in change</h2> <p>Religious leaders from different faith communities in South Africa signed the petition at the launch. Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and members of the Baha’i community all showed their support for the campaign, and promised to mobilize their communities and members towards the summit.</p> <p>- We must ensure a better outcome of COP17 in Durban than of previous climate summits. The fact that faith based actors are coming together in this way, is sure to put pressure on the South African government, says Jostein Hole Kobbeltvedt who heads NCA’s office in South Africa.</p> <p>The launch was held during a climate conference for religious leaders in South Africa. They will now be working together to put pressure on world leaders towards COP17. But they will also be spreading information to ordinary South Africans about climate change and how the summit in Durban affects their lives.</p> <p><a href="http://www.wehavefaithactnow.org" target="_blank">Read more about the campaign here</a></p> <table style="width: 230px; height: 191px;" border="0" align="left"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/ungdommer200.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td><span style="font-family: Cambria;"><span lang="EN"> <p dir="ltr"><em>Youth gathered at the launch of the We have faith – Act now for climate justice Campaign in South Africa.</em></p> </span></span></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <h2>Youth mobilisation in the churches</h2> <p>Youth in the churches of South Africa plays a vital role in the campaign. The leader of SACC Youth Forum, Vuyani Pule, gave a speech at the launch. He believes youth can make a change.</p> <p>- Young people can conduct advocacy and lobby community leaders and church leaders so that they make decisions that make a contribution towards stopping climate change. It is also important to listen to young people from rural communities that have direct experiences with climate change.</p> <p>Therefore, SACC Youth is now travelling across South Africa to engage young people in the churches in the topic of climate change.</p> <p>- We must tell them that climate change is here, it is effecting our communities, and it is real, Vuyani Pule said.</p> <p>SACC Youth will also go to gatherings such as concerts, to the universities and to community meetings to collect signatures for the petition.</p> <p><a href="http://www.wehavefaithactnow.org" target="_blank">Sign the petition here</a></p> <h2>Together in Durban</h2> <p>The day before the climate summit starts, on the 27th of November, the campaign will gather people and faith based organisations from all over Africa for an interfaith rally at King’s Park Stadium in Durban. Among the people participating in the event will be Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson, as well as a choir of 1000 youth. They will all be calling for a fair, ambitious and legally binding climate agreement. All the signatures that are now being collected throughout Africa and beyond will be delivered to the chair of the COP17-negotiations at the rally.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]Hurricane Tomas was merciful as it swept past Haiti. The country was spared a direct hit, but torrential rain has caused widespread flooding and a heightened risk of the spread of disease among the already pressed population.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8179&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/living-in-fear/Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:00:07 GMTHaitiNyheterGlobal helse<![CDATA[<p><strong>Text and photo: Arne Grieg Riisnæs/Norwegian Church Aid/ACT Alliance</strong></p> <p>“Last night I slept with water right up to the edge of my mattress. Nobody deserves to live in such conditions. This is no life,” says Rosemene Princiville from the entrance to her house: a tattered tent, inside which float clothes and a few other belongings in the stinking, metre-deep floodwater that has engulfed the surrounding area. In the middle of the tent, a single bed stands like an island in the brown filth.</p> <p>We are in Rue Germain, one of the countless tented camps of Cité Soleil just outside the centre of Port au Prince. This is one of the poorest areas of the city, where over 400,000 people live in extreme poverty. Here there is no electricity, no sewers, no healthcare, schools or shops. Until three years ago, the area was run by violent gangs who terrorized, stole and murdered while the police, too afraid to intervene, looked on. Now, thanks to the armed presence of UN peacekeeping soldiers, local authorities have managed to regain some degree of control over the area. The poverty however remains the same, and the earthquake that struck the island in January did nothing to improve the situation. Neither, needless to say, do the great quantities of water that have now flooded the area.</p> <p>"When we heard a hurricane was on its way, we didn’t know what to do. All we have is this shack, and we have nowhere else to go,” says Junior Fortune, assisting his heavily pregnant wife Micheline Merilus through the yellow-brown water.</p> <p>“Just look around. I’m worried that Micheline will fall ill with cholera or malaria. We’re expecting our first child soon, but what kind of future can we offer in conditions like this?”</p> <p>Very few organizations choose to work in Cité Soleil, which according to the UN numbers among the most violent and dangerous areas in the western world. Through local partner organizations, Norwegian Church Aid and the ACT Alliance have been able to help many thousands of the most vulnerable here through the provision of clean drinking water, latrines and showers.</p> <p>”Given the looming threat of cholera in these conditions, we are doing what we can to spread information as widely as possible about ways in which each individual can help prevent themselves from becoming infected,” says Randi Jahnsen, a member of Norwegian Church Aid’s rapid response team. The experienced water engineer is relieved that the hurricane caused less damage than was initially feared. Nonetheless, she is very concerned for those that are still living in tents, protected from the elements by little more than a thin layer of plastic sheeting or cardboard. Almost a year since the earthquake struck, 1,3 million people still have no better alternative.</p> <p>”Torrential rain has caused flooding in several of the camps where we are working, and even if we manage to keep cholera at bay, the standing water provides a perfect breeding ground for malaria. The threat of disease and the appalling living conditions are sources of great frustration to the population here. Many people have already been stretched to the limit of what they can bear. A large proportion of those we meet have little or no hope for the future,” says Randi Jahnsen.</p> <p>”We just want to get away from here, but there’s nowhere we can go. The children have it the worst,” says Enide Terrinble, ten-month old grandchild Jessi in her arms.</p> <p>“What will become of this little one?”</p> <p>Mother of four Velia Dorcé stirs carefully the contents of her charred pot. She has built a little ring of stones around her fire to keep the water out. A few paces away stands a tall wall several metres high. On the other side of the wall, the water level is even higher. The landowner has announced that he is going to drill a hole in the wall to drain the water off his land and attract new tenants in this landscape of mud and water. The topsoil is already saturated, and as the rain pours down, conditions continue to deteriorate.</p> <p>”Last night, many of the men had nowhere to sleep because there was nowhere to lie down. They stood up all night long. If they let water in from the other side of the wall, we’ll drown. There’s nowhere we can go,” says Velia Dorcé and smiles through tears in her eyes.</p>]]<p>Hurricane Tomas lashed the Caribbean country of Haiti with strong winds and torrential rain, creating an emergency in a disaster zone. Read about NCAs relief efforts here.</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8169&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/weathering-the-storm/Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:33:56 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>Hurricane Tomas hit the poor, earthquake-shattered country on Friday 5th November, bringing with it up to 30cm of rain and gusts of up to 135km/hour. Flooding was reported in many areas where Haitians are still living in tented camps. NCA now fears the deadly cholera epidemic that has already claimed over 900 lives&nbsp;may spread quickly.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid has increased its personnel resources on the ground and has stepped up its activities in 30 different tented camps and informal settlements across the country and in the poor neighbourhoods of Cité Soleil and Bel Air, many of which are now flooded.</p> <p>Our efforts are concentrated around delivering water, sanitation and hygiene ("WASH") assistance: providing clean drinking water, building and maintaining latrines, and assisting with cholera-prevention measures. Latrines and shower blocks were storm-secured in advance of the storm, and our team is&nbsp;now ready to repair damaged water systems and pump out floodwater&nbsp;where required.</p> <p>Other ACT Alliance partners have ensured that tents, plastic sheeting, rehydration salts and hygiene kits can be distributed immediately as required.</p> <p>Read the latest updates from our storm response here:</p> <ul> <li><a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8230">Cholera tightens its grip (17.11.2010)</a></li> <li><a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8203&amp;epslanguage=en">Panic and anger in Haiti (16.11.2010)</a></li> <li><a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8179&amp;epslanguage=en">Photo report: Living in fear (08.11.2010)</a></li> <li><a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8121&amp;epslanguage=en">Tomas threatens Haiti (03.11.10)</a></li> <li><a href="/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8107&amp;epslanguage=en">Cholera: a ticking bomb: (27.10.10)</a></li> </ul>]]<p>Give a pig this Christmas and make a small difference to a family’s livelihood in a poorer part of the world.</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8120&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/this-little-piggy/Wed, 03 Nov 2010 14:39:57 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>A pig in a poke, this little piggy? Hardly. He’s more of a piggy bank. In many countries in Southeast Asia, pork is an important source of nutrition and income. Pigs give birth to large litters of young, allowing farmers to keep those they need and sell the rest for money which can then be spent on the important things in life, such as education and medicines. Pig manure is also a particularly good fertilizer for paddy fields. And as such, a pig is a gift that can change the world – or at least, the livelihoods of poor farmers in Laos and Vietnam.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid’s online gift shop "Gifts that change the world" sells a variety of different farm animals as well as mosquito netting, water pumps, solar panels and schoolbooks. All are used in Norwegian Church Aid’s projects that work to help improve quality of life for people in developing countries around the world. While the prices are authentic – 130 Norwegian Kroner for a pig, 90 Kroner for a bed net, and so on – the actual gifts are symbolic. When a donor gives us 130 Kroner towards a pig, we don’t actually send a pig to Laos. To keep administration costs as low as possible, and to ensure that our projects run according to need, and not to Christmas gift fashion in Norway, we make sure that the money is spent on one of our international projects, without specifying which.</p> <p>Since the launch of our online gift shop in 2006, a great many Norwegians have either given or received pigs, goats and other gifts from Norwegian Church Aid. However, let’s not forget: the gift card under the tree may show a picture of a goat, but the real gift – a donation to Norwegian Church Aid’s work around the world – goes to those who need it most.</p> <p>You can visit our gift shop here (Norwegian language only):</p> <p><a href="http://www.gaversomforandrerverden.no">http://www.gaversomforandrerverden.no</a></p>]]<p>Subscribers to Norwegian Church Aid's news service are kindly asked to update their feed readers.</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=8103&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Please-update-your-RSS-feed-details/Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:46:23 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>Norwegian Church Aid's RSS channel for news in English will have a new web address&nbsp;from 25th October, and subscribers are kindly asked to update their feed readers accordingly.</p> <p>Please replace our old&nbsp;web address: <br /><br /><a href="http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/RSS/RSS-news-in-english/">http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/RSS/RSS-news-in-english/</a></p> <p>...with our new one:</p> <p><a href="http://www.nca.no/en/News/RSS/RSS-news-from-Norwegian-Church-Aid/">http://www.nca.no/en/News/RSS/RSS-news-from-Norwegian-Church-Aid/</a> <br /><br /></p> <p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri,Century Gothic;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri,Century Gothic;">We hope you enjoy using our feed reader and look forward to providing you with a more varied - and more frequently updated - service from now on.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: small; font-family: Calibri,Century Gothic;">Thanks!</span><span lang="NO-BOK">&nbsp;</span></p> <h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </h3>]]<p>Norwegian Church Aid&nbsp;Director in the department of International Programmes officially opens new NCA offices in Zambia.</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=7865&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Opening-of-new-offices-in-Zambia/Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:31:34 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p><img title="Sydnes in Zambia" src="/PageFiles/12303/ak_klipper_zambia460.jpg" alt="Sydnes in Zambia" width="460" height="306" /><br /><em>Photo: Hlazo Mkandawire/Norwegian Church Aid</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid Director in the department of International Programmes, Anne Kristin Sydnes officially opened the new NCA offices in Zambia on the 27th of October 2010.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid has moved to new offices together with two other faith based organisations in Zambia namely; Dan Church Aid (DCA) and Christian Aid (CA).</p> <h3>Landmark in merger process</h3> <p>At the beginning of January 2011 the three organisations shall merge to form one organisation that shall be operational in Zambia. The merger process is currently underway and the movement to one office is a big landmark in the merger process as Programme Officers from the three different organisations have already started sharing offices in the new building. This shall allow them to bond and get used to working together before the actual merger is implemented in January 2011.</p> <p>"This is a big event for us in NCA, DCA and CA because we are all ACT alliance members and will be merging as of 01st January 2011," NCA Country Representative, Mr. Oddbjorn Flem said.</p> <h3>Imoroving quality and quantity</h3> <p>Sydnes&nbsp;said that the launch of the new Act Alliance earlier this year was an important event in the promotion of better coordination, and improving quality and quantity in our operations on emergency relief, advocacy work and long term development. However, joining forces on a country level is even more important.</p> <p>"The ACT alliance will only be successful if it happens at the country level and what has and is happening in Zambia is a great start,"&nbsp;Sydnes said.</p> <p>She also said that joining forces is an effort by the three organisations to continue contributing to poverty reduction in Zambia.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]<p>Norwegian Church Aid strongly condemn the recent threat by a Florida-based pastor to burn copies of the Koran on the 11^th of September (9/11).</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=7725&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Misuse-of-the-the-Christian-Religion-/Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:00:50 GMT<![CDATA[<p>Our impression is that this is an act that is intentionally designed to offend what is sacred and dear to Muslims. This plan has rightly been denounced by the heads of Christian communities around the world. Norwegian Church Aid likewise strongly denounces this threat and we would like, in this case, to express our solidarity with the Muslim community at large. To us this is misuse of the Christian Religion to attack others.</p> <p dir="ltr">Norwegian Church Aid has raised the issue with the Church of Norway to coordinate with church structures in the US to put pressure on this radical group in Florida to discourage them from/ convince them not to realizing their threat. Whatever issue they may have to raise should be communicated in a way that is dignified and respectful, rather than humiliating/slandered &nbsp;and demeaned.</p> <p dir="ltr">In all such situations, the religious communities need to defend one another across the boundaries of their religious communities. It is&nbsp;critically important for religious leaders and communties to stand together in solidarity whenever any religious community is slandered and abused.</p>]]In march 2010 representatives of women organizations from Iraq participated in the UN CSW 54th session, organized by Norwegian Church Aid.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=7481&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Iraqi-women-in-the-UN-CSW-sessions/Thu, 01 Jul 2010 11:17:56 GMTIrak<![CDATA[<p><br />Under the new time frame of the Capacity Building and Human Rights Program for Iraq, Norwegian Church Aid&nbsp;facilitated the participation of women activists and committed leaders of women’s organizations in Iraq, in the 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) held in New York at the beginning of March 2010. </p> <p>This year’s session of the Commission was of particular importance and interest to the global women’s movement, as it was marking the 15th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action.</p> <h3>Better understanding</h3> <p>Participation in this session and in the lobbying process with NGOs from around the globe was an opportunity for empowerment for women from Iraq. It also gave a better understanding of the Beijing Platform for Action and its 12 critical areas of concern, for enabling them to use the Platform as a tool in their own work in their organizations, addressing violence against women in Iraq.</p> <h3>Report from the participation</h3> <p>The&nbsp;report from the sessions sheds light on the special importance of the participation of women from Iraq in the UN CSW sessions, as women from Iraq have had very limited possibilities for contact with the international women’s movement or the international community in general. </p> <p><a href="/Documents/Kirkens%20N%c3%b8dhjelp/Geografiske%20filer/Midt%c3%b8sten/CSW%20Report%202010.pdf" target="_blank">Read&nbsp;the full report here!&nbsp;</a> </p> <h3>Insight into the UN system<br /></h3> <p>Furthermore, participation aimed at giving them an insight into the UN system, and the lobbying mechanism, this way raising their competence and enabling them to have their voices heard both nationally and internationally. This occasion also provided a unique opportunity for networking, creating links with the international women’s movement, and making alliances.<br /></p>]]Norwegian Church Aid does not proselytize in any of the countries in which it works. This policy is also enforced in Afghanistan.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=7312&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Norwegian-Church-Aid-in-Afghanistan/Mon, 31 May 2010 14:37:19 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<span lang="EN"> <p dir="ltr" align="left">Norwegian Church Aid has been working in Afghanistan since 1979 and has since 1995 mainly implemented its programs through Afghan organizations. These organizations know the local conditions and culture better than international organizations do, and this means that we have earned a high level of credibility and legitimazy in Aghanistan. One example of work that we support is strengthening traditional local Shuras for conflict prevention and resolution. </p> <p dir="ltr" align="left">Our Afghan partner organizations enjoy a high level of trust in the local communities and work according to Islamic values. Norwegian Church Aid is working for human dignity in partnership with these organizations by meeting humanitarian needs in the country. Norwegian Church Aid has no mandate to influence people’s religious beliefs in any part of the world – neither in Afghanistan.</p> <p dir="ltr" align="left">Norwegian Church Aid’s overall goal in Afghanistan is to improve living conditions for vulnerable and marginalized people through sustainable utilization of local human and natural resources in integrated agricultural development projects. </p> <p dir="ltr" align="left">Norwegian Church Aid in Afghanistan works with food security and development of agricultural techniques. The project portfolio also includes water and renewable energy, non-discrimination and women’s participation, emergency prevention and response, conflict prevention and response. Project activities are mainly concentrated in four provinces: Uruzgan, Daikundi, Bamyan and Faryab.</p><font size="2"> <p dir="ltr" align="left"></p></font><font face="Calibri" size="3"><font face="Calibri" size="3"> <p dir="ltr" align="left">&nbsp;</p></font></font></span>]]<p>Norwegian Church Aid has joined one of the world's largest humanitarian bodies working in 125 countries with a combined budget of 1,5 billion USD.</p>http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=7141&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Norwegian-Church-Aid-joines-ACT-Alliance/Tue, 23 Mar 2010 12:48:01 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p><br />The new ACT Alliance of just over 100 organisations provides emergency food aid, shelter, water and sanitation facilities, and poverty reduction programmes in the world's poorest countries.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p> <object width="460" height="277" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/lmAOM2TAuJA&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> <param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lmAOM2TAuJA&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1&amp;rel=0" /> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> </object> </p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Through ACT, Norwegian Church Aid has been at the forefront of lifesaving work in Haiti since January 12, the day the massive earthquake destroyed much of Port-au-Prince. On that day, nine ACT organisations were operating in Haiti and were able to swing into relief efforts immediately.</p> <p>As a global giant, ACT was able to assist survivors of the Chile earthquake six weeks later.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid already supports programmes in more than 50 countries. With the creation of ACT, Norwegian Church Aid's effectiveness is enhanced in these communities and is extended&nbsp; to other countries.</p> <p>ACT will launch on March 24, with celebrations in every continent.</p> <p>The alliance works for the world's poorest people, fighting the causes of human suffering and injustice. ACT members are long-standing organisations already working in the communities. When disaster strikes, these organisations are ready to work and are at the forefront of the emergency response.</p> <p>ACT Alliance General Secretary John Nduna says the creation of the alliance of church-based organisations means ACT's humanitarian and development work will reach every corner of the globe.</p> <p>"The membership of the ACT Alliance is wide. We find ACT members in every part of the world. ACT members are grounded in local civil society of all parts of the world. Almost everywhere we have churches, we have ACT. We are big and we make an impact on the lives of the poorest in societies around the world."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]Annual report 2009: Annual report from Norwegian Church Aid’s anti-corruption work in 2009.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=6704&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/Anti-corruption-work-in-2009/Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:38:50 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em>By Anne Kristin Sydnes (Director of International Programmes) and Eivind Aalborg (Head of International Staff Division) in Norwegian Church Aid</em></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Norwegian Church AID (NCA) works in 50 countries, has Representations in 20 countries, and works with long-term development aid, advocacy and political processes and emergency organised through 1,000 projects. NCA works with local, national and international partner organisations. 2009’s budget volume was NOK 750 million.</p> <p>NCA’s standpoint is zero tolerance with respect to corruption and financial irregularity, and is proactive with anti-corruption initiatives and attitudes. Specific cases that are detected are included in a competence enhancement programme. The programme’s preventative goal is reached both through specific lessons learnt from individual cases, to detect signals as quickly as possible, and to leave no doubt that NCA takes corruption extremely seriously.</p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is committed to transparency in its work against corruption. This is the second year that NCA publishes the cases the organisation has worked with during the year, although the article published in February 2009 was not translated from Norwegian.</p> <p>The cases outlined below vary in complexity and size. Regardless of the differences, one common aspect is that NCA staff members at different levels in the organisation initiate immediate enquiries in all cases. This is consistent for all issues, whether discovered through our incident reporting (whistle-blowing) mechanisms or brought to light through normal reporting lines. </p> <p>If the issue relates to a partner organisation which receives funds from several donors, NCA informs the other donors on the ground, and in many situations close cooperation with donors is sought in taking further steps.<br />NCA staff members in different parts of the global organisation worked on the following cases during 2009:<br /></p> <h3>Brazil:</h3> <p>During autumn 2009 the Brazilian magazine “Veja” published an article containing allegations of misused funds in the organisation ”Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra” (MST), which is also a partner of NCA. MST was established in 1984 as a social movement to fight for the rights of the landless and has been a target of harassment from the right wing in Brazil. MST has had many successful campaigns through the years. NCA have always prioritised the need for responsible financial management in organisations connected to MST, such as CEPATEC. Our information, including audited financial statements, indicate no reasons to link the allegations to funds provided by NCA. Despite this, the Norwegian MFA decided in December 2009 to stop further support for MST, judging that there was too much insecurity with MSTs working practices and financial management. NCA will be working together with other organisations in investigating further the accuracy of the allegations in the Brazilian press. </p> <h3>Burundi:</h3> <p>&nbsp;NCA received information in autumn 2009 indicating contradictory information from the United Baptist Church of Burundi (UEBB) in its reporting to different donors. Additionally, the Secretary General of UEBB started his own organisation, which he then introduced to donors as a new department of UEBB that would implement development and emergency projects for UEBB. Information received later revealed that the new organisation has no formal connection with UEBB, and is a separate organisation. Several rumours of internal struggles and financial irregularities have sprung out of the organisation. In response, NCA has initiated a process to conduct a special audit, in close coordination with other donors. The audit will commence shortly.</p> <h3>Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) I:</h3> <p>In August 2009 the Head of Finance and Administration at NCA’s field office in Goma discovered falsified vouchers from one of NCA’s drivers. Further enquiries, some with the assistance of a local lawyer, uncovered fraud amounting to USD 955, comprising of USD 755 relating to travel and visit to Dar es Salaam to fetch a vehicle transferred from another NCA Representation, and USD 200 relating to falsified papers concerning the import of an electric cable from Rwanda to DRC. The driver was immediately dismissed and a repayment plan agreed on. After careful consideration, NCA decided not to report the incident to the police, mainly due to concerns relating to the country’s legal system. Management decided that strategic and operational risks associated with pressing charges were too high; it may even have led to unfortunate, unforeseeable consequences for NCA’s staff members and other projects in the country.</p> <h3>Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) II:</h3> <p>During summer 2009 the Norwegian MFA enquired how NCA followed up and monitored the project work through the local partner CELPA. The cause of the enquiry was indications of possible irregularity at the partner. NCA stopped all transfers to the partner and decided to instead transfer funds to NCA’s field office in Bukavu, and take a more ‘hands on’ approach to managing the project. We have no reasons to suspect misuse of NCA funds, and are following up CELPA in accordance with NCA’s strict auditing and reporting requirements.</p> <h3>Guatemala:</h3> <p>In July 2009, the Director, Administrator and Accountant in the partner organisation ”Proyecto Vida” were dismissed for complicity in stealing money from bank accounts of the organization by falsifying cheques and vouchers. All three were reported to the police and put in jail, but released after paying bail. The case continues in Guatemala’s legal system. A preliminary audit sanctioned by NCA, and other internal and donor-financed investigations, indicate that no NCA funds have been defrauded.</p> <h3>Haiti:</h3> <p>The Norwegian MFA had received information indicating possible irregularities at NCA’s local partner ISPOS. The grant letter for 2008 to NCA included a requirement for an independent audit to be conducted in addition to the normal annual audit, and by another auditor than ISPOS’ normal auditor. In accordance with NCA’s normal routines, including the invitation to competing bids, it was necessary to seek proposals from international firms also outside Haiti. No firms based outside Haiti were willing to take on the assignment, citing primarily security risks. In the mean time, the MFA did not extend the grant, and ISPOS’ Director decided to close the institute as a consequence of lack of financing. The normal external audit report for 2008, concluded after the closure, did not include any issues to confirm the initial indications of irregularities.</p> <h3>Malawi:</h3> <p>Christian Health Association of Malawi (CHAM) has received NOK 12.5 million from NCA in the period 2006-2008 towards its critical work in Malawi’s health sector nationwide. Based on signals of unsatisfactory financial management in the organisation NCA decided in May 2009, in close cooperation with other donors, to initiate an extraordinary audit. The audit report revealed that NOK 3 million of funds from all donors in total had been used on administrative work at CHAM’s Head Office, not directly on health projects. The auditors also reported a loan authorised by the Executive Director to himself. Subsequently, the Executive Director resigned and has now repaid the borrowed funds. <br />NCA has put into use several initiatives to secure closer monitoring and control of CHAM’s financial management than previously, also in close cooperation with other donors. CHAM is now in the process of repaying donors, including NOK 280,000 to NCA.</p> <h3>Mali:</h3> <p>A previous employee at NCA’s Representation in Mali informed NCA Head Office about irregularities at the Representation. Head Office therefore decided to sanction an independent auditing firm to investigate the allegations. The audit did not uncover a fraud, but did recommend a number of improvements to strengthen the control environment. These recommendations have been and are being implemented.</p> <h3>Tanzania:</h3> <p>Observations from NCA’s holistic monitoring and control routines stimulated NCA to contract an international auditing firm to perform a special audit of NCA’s partners BAKWATA and WCRP. NCA drafted the Terms of Reference for the assignment and chose the auditing firm. The auditors reported several control weaknesses but did not discover any fraud specifically. The organizations have until end-March 2010 to submit a status report on implementing the recommendations from the auditors. Both partners have been granted a reduced budget in 2010. </p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>Previous years:</h3> <p><br />The following two cases are not new in 2009, and are included here as they have demanded resources from NCA in 2009.</p> <h3>Chechnya:</h3> <p>In 2006 NCA’s local partner Chechnya, Centre for Peacemaking and Community development, CPCD, with headquarters in England was deemed insolvent. NCA had ceased the partnership a few months previously, due to the failure by CPCD to submit audited financial statements. A previous director in CPCD, based in England, had borrowed significant amounts from the organisation and funnelled them to private property projects. The trustee in bankruptcy has issued an indictment against the previous director, and the case continues in the British legal system.</p> <h3>Somalia:</h3> <p>In this case NOK 250,000 of funds for the Gedo and Puntland programme were defrauded by an earlier programme coordinator based in Nairobi. Charges were pressed in May 2006, and the case continues in Kenya’s legal system. There have been many court adjournments because of a variety of reasons, including Somali interpreters not being sufficiently competent and the defending attorney being held up at a seminar. In November 2009 the case was moved to Isiolo, abut 300 km north of Nairobi, in accordance with the judge being moved. The alternative to moving court was to start the case again. Fees paid to date to forensic auditors and lawyers are significantly in excess of the amount lost to the fraud.</p> <h3>Conclusion</h3> <p>NCA believes it necessary to be open and transparent about cases we are working on. This must be done in a responsible manner in order to stimulate the discovery of more cases, and to feed into learning throughout the global organisation in the fight against corruption.</p> <p>We are working with other organisations in the ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together) and with other Norwegian organisations. <br />In accordance with our fundamental belief in transparency at all levels, NCA committed itself in 2009 to the principles and standards of the <a href="http://www.hapinternational.org/" target="_blank">”Humanitarian Accountability Partnership” (HAP)</a>. </p> <p>HAP is an international competence organisation that specialises in certifying NGO’s work in terms of accountability. NCA’s goal in the medium term is to be certified by HAP. Therefore, HAP’s auditors will examine our work and routines, with the objective of ascertaining whether NCA meets HAP’s requirements.</p> <p>We acknowledge that combating corruption requires financial resources and competence, and NCA considers these to be important and necessary investments in the long term.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>19 February 2010</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>]]Norwegian Church Aid's partners in several African countries are working overtime for climate justice in the run-up to the UNs summit on climate change in Durban, South Africa.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9017&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/we-have-faith---act-now-for-climate-justice/Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:00:39 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p><em><img src="/Global/bilder/Aktuelt/Afrika_klimakampanje2011/int_youth_day_guri_458.jpg" alt="" width="458" height="257" /></em></p> <p><em>The launch of the "We Have Faith - act now for climate justice"-campaign in Nairobi (Photo: Guri Storaas, Norwegian Church Aid)</em></p> <p>Norwegian Church Aid together with faith-based partner organizations are mobilizing people across Africa for climate justice&nbsp;in the run-up to&nbsp;the UN summit on climate change (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa, in December.</p> <p>The campaign, <a href="http://www.wehavefaithactnow.org" target="_blank">"We Have Faith - act now for climate justice"</a> ,&nbsp;has been launched in several African countries, such as Kenya, Zambia, Malawi and South Africa.</p> <p>Read the latest news about the campaign here:</p>]]Annual report from Norwegian Church Aid’s anti-corruption work in 2011.http://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/Templates/Pages/Article.aspx?id=9356&epslanguage=enhttp://www.kirkensnodhjelp.no/en/News/Latest-news/anti-corruption-work-2011/Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:46:19 GMTNyheter<![CDATA[<p dir="ltr">Norwegian Church AID (NCA) works with long-term development aid, advocacy and political processes and emergency response. NCA works with national and international partner organisations. 2011’s budget volume was NOK 750 million.</p> <p dir="ltr">NCA’s standpoint of zero tolerance with respect to corruption and financial irregularities is first of all due to the impact that corruption and financial mismanagement has upon our beneficiaries. These beneficiaries, due to their difficult and vulnerable situation, are the most affected by corruption and financial mismanagement and the subsequent freezing and redirection of funds.</p> <p dir="ltr">In line with NCA’s policy of transparency, NCA publishes annually a report of the organisation’s work combating corruption and financial crime.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 2011 report includes a summary of cases investigated during the year. Some of the cases investigated resulted in the detection of fraud or mismanagement, but there were also cases where fraud or mismanagement was ruled out after a final investigation.</p> <p dir="ltr">In order to avoid official accusations, the report does not include names of persons and partners.</p> <p><em>Funds that are repaid to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs are taken from NCA’s capital reserves, the financial earnings that the organisation has saved over time. In this manner, neither private nor public funds are used to fulfil this repayment.</em></p> <p><strong>Cases concluded in 2011, fraud/embezzlement detected&nbsp;</strong></p> <p><strong>South Africa:</strong> During 2011 one of NCA’s partners in South Africa reported that the Chief Accountant had embezzled an amount to the total of approximately NOK 50,000. The Chief Accountant was fired and the matter reported to the police. According to the audit reports, NCA funds were not affected.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Somalia:</strong> This case started several years ago when NOK 250,000, funds for the Gedo and Puntland programme were defrauded by an former programme coordinator based in Nairobi. Charges were pressed in May 2006, and the case continued in Kenya’s legal system for several years until it was concluded in 2011. Lawyers’ and auditors’ fees paid by NCA have by far exceeded the amount defrauded. NCA’s former programme coordinator was, however, acquitted in the Court. NCA did not agree with this acquittal, but decided not to appeal against the judgement.</p> <p><strong>Summary of cases investigated during 2011, fraud/financial crime not detected</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Burundi:</strong> During 2009 NCA received information from one of the partners in Burundi indicating contradictory information in its reporting to different donors. Additionally, a new organisation was established to implement development and emergency projects. Information received later revealed that the new organisation had no formal connection with the partner, being a separate organisation. NCA, in close coordination with other donors, initiated an independent audit. The audit company reported difficulties in carrying out their work, and as a result representatives from NCA Head Office travelled to Burundi to carry out inspections.</p> <p>The result of these inspections did not identify financial crime, but NCA decided nevertheless to repay NOK 876,000 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The repaid amount consisted of budget items not approved and expenses not sufficiently verified during NCA’s inspections in Burundi.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Other countries:</strong> investigations were carried out in several countries during 2011, among other in Somalia (Puntland) due to accusations towards several persons; in Brazil due to a partner presenting forged audit reports and NCA therefore hired an independent audit company to audit the accounts; and in Kosovo due to the Executive Director being discharged for taking unauthorised loans. The major part of the sum loaned has been repaid. NCA decided nonetheless to carry out investigations via an independent audit company.</p> <p dir="ltr">In Tanzania, NCA and several other donors of a partner were informed about weak internal control systems and accounting procedures, requiring action to improve the situation; and in Zimbabwe investigations of a partner were carried out due to the partner having had their accounts audited by a person not employed in the audit company he claimed to represent. In addition NCA has initiated a review of all its partners in DR Congo due to weak accounting and internal control systems.</p> <p dir="ltr">The review was carried out by PricewaterhouseCoopers Norway, NCA, and the audit company GPO and Partners, Rwanda.</p> <p dir="ltr">In all the above cases weak internal control and accounting procedures have resulted in suspected corruption/fraud and/or whistle blowing. NCA will always carry out investigations of cases being reported and/or suspected. Even though corruption/fraud is not detected, NCA will terminate further cooperation with the partner in cases of gross negligence in the partners’ management control systems. Only when major administrative improvements are shown, can the partnership be resumed.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p> <p>Due to NCA’s thorough risk control and investigation systems preventing and reducing misuse of funds, NCA has gradually experienced a reduction of cases where financial crime is involved.&nbsp;</p> <p dir="ltr">Since NCA works in areas situated in some of the world’s most corrupt countries, NCA will continue developing anti-corruption systems, in addition to exploring new measures in line with the challenges of these areas.</p> <p dir="ltr">29 February 2012</p>]]