News

Beat the drum to ban cluster bombs

Footballers will be beating drums to ban cluster bombs during this year’s Norway Cup. Thousands of drums are set to become the tournament’s new vuvuzelas as the world’s most important disarmament agreement in over ten years comes into force on August 1.

Human Rights under pressure

The Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights (CENIDH) was established in 1990 to defend and promote human rights. The main motivation was to defend the achievements of the Sandinista Popular Revolution in the early eighties.

Bid notice

Norwegian People’s Aid, Mine Action Programme in Angola is looking for offers on the following:

European Parliament urges all EU states to join cluster bomb ban treaty

(London, 8 July 2010) - The European Parliament passed a resolution on 8 July calling on European Union member states to sign and ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions “as a matter of urgency,” the Cluster Munition Coalition (CMC) said today. The Convention enters into force and becomes binding international law on 1 August.

Ninth media monitoring report

This is the ninth media monitoring report published by the Sudan Media and Elections Consortium (SMEC). This report provides the findings of the media monitoring activities in the period from 28 May to 8 June 20101.

Mission completed

On 22nd June NPA marked the completion of its Battle Area Clearance Programme in Georgia. The programme has been key in NPA’s efforts to support and promote the implementation of the Convention of Cluster Munitions, which will enter into force on 01 August 2010.

Nicaragua is mine-free

Managua, 18 June 2010 — As Nicaragua celebrates completion of its mine clearance activities, Central America becomes the world’s first landmine-free region, said the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) today. North and Central America, from the Arctic Circle to the Colombian border, are now free from the threat of landmines. This success demonstrates that with sustained efforts a mine-free world is possible.

First external course at Entoto Training Centre

Between 31 May – 8 June the first external course was conducted at Entoto Training Centre by Ethiopian Mine Action Office (EMAO) with assistance from NPA MA Ethiopia. 9 representatives from South Sudan Demining Authority (SSDA), United Nation Mine Action Office in Sudan (UNMAO) and NPA MA Sudan participated in a Mine Detection Dog Introduction Course.

Women Can Do It Regional Conference In South Africa April 26th – 28th 2010

NPA’s Women Can Do It regional conference in Johannesburg, gathered NPA staff, WCDI trainers from Norway, and WCDI partner organisations from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania and Rwanda. Despite language barriers, the experience sharing and discussions in the conference were interesting, inclusive and positive for all 51 participants.

New world record on Nakba Day

With the support of Norwegian People’s Aid in Lebanon, the youth group "Campaign 194" set a new Guinness record tying together 6500 Palestinian scarves (Kofeye), while commemorating the Palestinian Nakba Day.

Indigenous Peoples get influence over traditional coastal areas

Lafkenche Territorial Identity (LTI) has since 1991 worked to secure recognition of the Lafkenche's (the local indigenous population) right to manage their traditional Lafken Mapu (sea territory). A new law was finally approved in 2008; The Marine Coastal Space of the Original Peoples.

US: confirm or deny use of cluster munitions in Yemen

Norwegian People's Aid together with the other members of the Cluster Munition Coalition calls on the United States to confirm or deny a reported use of US-manufactured cluster munitions in Yemen.

Israeli membership of the OECD a betrayal of Palestine

Yet again democratic countries are looking through their fingers at Israel's occupation of Palestine and the country's systematic discrimination of Arab Israelis.

Condemnation of Israel's killing of civilian activists in international waters

The Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees - Fagforbundet (NUMGE) and Norwegian People's Aid (NPA) condemn Israel's wanton killing of civilian activists and attack on the Gaza aid flotilla, and demand immediate reaction by the Norwegian government with respect to Israel.

Case study: Restoring women’s positive customary rights

The position of women in Southern Sudan is weak and vulnerable, particularly in the rural areas with regard to access of their legal rights and human rights in the areas of family, marriage, succession and inheritance and land laws

First strategic gender plan ever

In October, last year, Norwegian People's Aid in collaboration with the local authorities in Central Equatoria State, hosted a participatory workshop for the development of the first ever strategic plan for the Department of Gender.

Assistance, Advocacy, Access Serbia

NPA is supporting a newly founded local NGO in Serbia that will work with issues related to victim assistance to survivors from accidents caused by explosive remnants of war (ERW).

Exciting meetings in the Balkans

In the course of 15 days 14 students from the Norwegian Labour Movement’s School of Journalism gained a lot of experiences; seeing destruction caused by armed conflicts, tasting Balkan food and meeting journalists that have risked their lives as professional reporters.

Local politics in Cotacachi, Ecuador

The central political process in Ecuador in 2008 was the preparation of a new Constitution. Social organisations participated actively in the process with proposals regarding issues such as indigenous peoples´ rights, democratisation of the state, and the management of natural resources. The result is a new, progressive constitution that was approved by 64 % of the population in a popular referendum.

Women Can Do It secured female election victory

The Elections in Sudan are finally over. As results slowly trickle in, there is good news that Madam Nyandeng Malek has succeeded in winning the governors position for Warrap State on an SPLM ticket.

Samoa ratifies cluster bomb ban treaty

(London, 30 April 2010) – Samoa became the 31st country to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 28 April 2010, just 95 days before the treaty takes effect and becomes legally binding international law on 1 August.

Moldova continues to lead the way in stockpile destruction

Moldova signed the CCM in December 2008 and in February 2010 joined the 30 lead nations that have brought the CCM into force. On the 22nd April 2010, in front of mass media and representatives from Norwegian People’s Aid and OSCE the Moldovan MoD allowed the invited guests to witness the disposal programme of its 152mm Cluster Munition Projectiles.

Monitoring the coverage of sudan 2010 elections - preliminary report

The campaign period for the multi-party elections in Sudan was extensively covered by mass media in Sudan. The coverage of electoral candidates and parties increased substantially as the campaign period neared its end.

Fearing Environmental Oil Catastrophe

In Kadeth Payam of Guit County, Unity State, cattle keeping, subsistence farming and fishing are the main economic activities that provide livelihood and food security to the local people. Environmental hazards due to discharge or leakage of contaminants from oil extraction sites into drinking water could have reached catastrophic levels threatening people’s lives as well as their livelihood and food security.

Oil leakage kills 27 in Padeth Payam, Unity State

Chiefs and community leaders in Kadeth Payam, Guit County of Unity State revealed to the media that 27 of their people started to die on the 04th March 2009. This, according to them, was due to oil leakage into drinking water used by people and cattle.

Press release: Sudanese media show surprising restraint in coverage of elections

An unusually moderate tone characterised Sudanese media’s coverage in the run up to the elections between 11-15 April 2010. Only in the days leading up to the elections did the number of “hate speech” incidents increase dramatically

National Congress Party gets most media coverage ahead of elections

The NCP is given 46% of the total airtime dedicated to election and political coverage on television, whilst SPLM receives 32% airtime on television, a fresh Media Monitoring report from Sudan shows.

Previous LRA children soldiers win in the East Africa Cup

“This is a fantastic and extremely useful event for us all! We get more knowledge of other cultural groups in our region and internationally. We learn how to interact with each other. And we learn how to involve ourselves constructively in our home communities. The seminar activities are becoming more attractive than even the football!”. The statemen comes from Mike Letti, the team leader from Uganda.

Escalation in threats against civil society

Despite what was thought to be the dawn of a new era for human rights defenders with the formation of a Government of National Unity, the last three months have seen an escalation in the number of threats, intimidation and harassment levelled against members of civil society in Zimbabwe.

Time for USA to Join the Mine Ban Treaty

Eleven years after the Mine Ban Treaty became binding international law, activists worldwide are stepping up their call on the United States to join.

NPA Continue to support Mine Action in Thailand

A new MOU was signed this month enabling the continual support to Mine Action in the Kingdom of Thailand.

NPA Completes General Landmine Action Assessment of Georgia

In a handover ceremony on the 28th January 2010, NPA formally presented the Georgian Ministry of Defence with the report covering the Georgian General Landmine Action Assessment (GMAA).

30 ratifications of cluster bomb ban

Cluster bomb ban treaty reaches 30th ratification milestone. Will become binding international law on 1 August 2010

Denmark ratifies

Denmark ratifies landmark convention banning cluster munitions. Two more ratifications will trigger entry into force

Sudanese journalists in training to cover first elections in 24 years

More than 300 journalists and media houses across Sudan will be trained to cover elections by a consortium of six national and international organisations in the lead-up to Sudan's nationwide elections in April 2010.

Montenegro joins nations leading cluster bomb ban treaty

(London, 4 February 2010) – Montenegro’s ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions on 25 January places it among the first 30 states that will trigger the Convention’s entry into force, the Cluster Munition Coalition said today. Thirty ratifications are needed for the Convention to enter into force and become binding international law six months later; currently, 104 countries have signed and Montenegro is the 27th to ratify.

Support the victims in Haiti

The Haiti earthquake laid waste to an entire society. The need for emergency relief and reconstruction is enormous. .

Do as the UN says, Jens!

NPA, NOAS and Amnesty International have pulled together to put pressure on Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and the Norwegian government to follow UNCHR's recommodations on refugee related issues.

Sudan is looking for You!

We are looking for independent and neutral monitors to monitor the media prior to the elections and during the elections 2010 on a voluntary basis.

Murders of Salvadoran environmentalist leaders

Sunday, December 20, the Salvadoran environmental activist Ramiro Rivera, member of the board of the Environmental Committee of Cabañas (CAC), was killed. Six days after, December 26, other CAC member, the 8 months pregnant Dora Santos was also assassinated. In June, this terrible succession started with the murder of the environmental leader Marcelo Rivera, also member of CAC.

Praise for political activisim in the field of mine clearance

The role as both a vocal political actor and a mine clearance operator makes Norwegian People’s Aid stand out from other organizations. This is concluded by NORAD’s evaluation of Norwegian People’s Aid mine clearance work over the last decade.

NPA assists in Laos after Typhoon Ketsana

NPA is contributing in the efforts to assist thousands of Lao farmers to resettle after more than 9,600 households were displaced when Typhoon Ketsana hit the country in September.

16 days of activism

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991.

- Talk peace with Obama, Jens

Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to Norway Norwegian People’s Aid and AUF requested Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg to put peace in the Middle East on the agenda when meeting with the president.

Land released after mine clearance

After first declaring land in Sudan safe from explosives, NPA followed up the affected communities with a Rural Development programme, resulting in a farmers group; planting of twenty four hectares of land; and establishment of a tree nursery.

Operations commence in Sekong

Today is another landmark day for the NPA Lao PDR programme: operations have commenced in the province of Sekong.

Mine Action Milestone in Jordan

The NPA Mine Action program in Jordan has set a record in mines recovery and disposal by surpassing 100 000 mines in November 2009. This is the single largest number of mines found and recovered by any NPA MA program worldwide.

NPA Secretary General visits Ethiopia

Mr.Petter Eide, Secretary General of Norwegian People’s Aid, is visiting projects run by the organisation within Mine Action and Development.

NPA congratulates Mohammed Omer with the Ossietzky prize

“The Ossietzky prize is a big recognition of the job Mohammed has done, and Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) congratulate him with the prize he receives for his journalistic and photographic work in Gaza”, says Secretary-General in NPA Petter Eide.

NPA supports a third way for Goldstone

“Norwegian People’s Aid’s (NPA) partners in Gaza are now extremely worried that the Goldstone report will be put aside. This would mean violations of their rights committed in the occupied territories yet again are documented, but get no consequences for the perpetrator. Thus make it easier for the occupying powers to commit new war crimes,” says Petter Eide, Secretary-General at NPA.

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