Why "open"?  Universal access to and participation in research, education, and culture is made possible by openness, but not enough people know what it means or how to take advantage of it. We hear about Open Source Software, Open Educational Resources, and Open Access… But what are these movements, who are their communities, and how do they work? Most importantly—how can they help me? 

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Between March and September 2011 approximately 60 000 migrants reached the coast of Italy, of whom about 18 000 are still detained in various immigration reception centres across the country under the so-called “North Africa Emergency”. They are refugees or holders of a special permit to stay because of “serious” humanitarian reasons preventing their return to the home country. The emergency plan ended on February 28^th 2013 and the Minister of the Interior is in charge of refugees way-out from reception houses and their social integration.

Before national election in February 2013, the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) – supported by the Italian Refugees Council (CIR) - has called on all candidates for the new administration to include the reform of the Italian asylum system in their agenda. UNHCR strongly recommended improving reception conditions and integration measures for refugees, by enlarging the capacity for reception, strengthening monitoring systems to control the standard of conditions as well as removing bureaucratic obstacles to longer-term residency, recognition of qualifications and access to the labour market and housing. While the government performed well regarding the welcoming phase, creating a widespread system of emergency reception houses, it was much more difficult to realize solid and viable actions to guarantee access to work or other paths toward social inclusion and integration for everybody.

In order to help around 18 000 refugees leaving the camps and starting their own lives – and this means to find a house, a job, etc. – the Italian government decided they can choose between the only tools already available: a lump sum of 500,00 euro per head or the “assisted voluntary return” program, consisting in 200,00 euro and a flight ticket to their home country. If they choose the former, they have to leave the camps, except vulnerable categories like pregnant women who can choose to enter one of the regular, and not emergency, reception centre (SPRAR), if and when the government will find available accommodations. Very few have chosen the latter. The UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, international organizations - like the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) - and the Italian civil society recognized and appreciated Italian efforts in respect of the welcoming phase, but at the same time they strongly criticized the way-out strategy with the support of all the regional, provincial and municipal authorities involved in the emergency.

The main point is not about how much money would be enough: 1 000,00 euro or 1 500,00 euro per head? In my opinion, the decision to grant 500,00 euro seems to cover the desire of our politicians that 18 000 refugees will simply disappear: they can use the money to travel across Italy or abroad and look for a job, anyway the government will be no longer be directly responsible for their assistance. As of January 2013, Italy risks to have around 18 000 homeless, and our government has not found a solution yet.

Though the two years of emergency have revealed some good practices in the Italian refugees protection system, they have drawn attention to the need of a structural reform and a different kind of governance. The main challenge will be to go beyond the current emergency approach – which causes huge public expenditures - and replace it with a systemic approach. The emergency could be an opportunity to develop a certain and durable nation-wide regulatory framework with respect for human rights of the migrants at its core, from welcoming to social inclusion and integration.

By Kaviri Ali

Recently, the second Global Maternal Health Conference was held in Arusha Tanzania from 15^th to 17^th January 2013 and brought together approximately 700 scientists, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to explore technical issues relating to improving the quality of maternal health care globally. The forum provided an opportunity for health professionals from around the world to share knowledge and build on progress toward eradicating preventable maternal mortality and morbidity with a focus on improving quality of care.

As a youth participant from Uganda, Seeing these eminent delegates from all walks of life connecting for a noble cause was an inspiration in itself and I was happy that I am making a contribution. With overpowering passion to improving the status of women and girls, I did not hesitate when the Maternal Health Task Force at the Harvard School of Public Health, USA offered me a scholarship to attend the event. Prior to the conference, I had analyzed maternal health policies in Uganda.

Following my analysis of health reports and policies, I found out that the maternal section was quite frightening. Uganda’s population growth rate is at 3.2 % with a fertility rate of 7.1 children for every woman in reproductive age. Current figures estimate the population at 33m and projected to rise to 104 million people by 2050.Thus, in 40 years, the health system will have to cater for an additional 70m people. The youth in Uganda account for 78% of the total population and 37% are female youth according to the world population report 2010. It’s predictable that 20% of young women aged 20-24 in Uganda begin to engage in sex as early as 12 years. 10% of young men have had sexual intercourse at least by age of 15 and by 18, 64% of young women and 50% young men become sexually experienced. Engaging in sexual activities at this stage is very risky as it exposes adolescents to early pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections, and sexual violence. Many young girls thus resort to clued methods to get rid of unwanted pregnancies and as such the high prevalence of illegal abortions end up in deaths an act also considered immoral in society. It is worth mentioning that most young people cannot protect themselves because they lack information on where to go for adolescent sexual reproductive health care, and the majority are not empowered enough to negotiate for safe sex with their partners.  

With these shocking findings in mind, I used the forum to call upon world leaders to invest heavily in adolescent sexual reproductive health. Taking a look at the Uganda national budget, adolescent reproductive health is majorly funded by donors. Adolescent reproductive health should be fully integrated into the government sectors of education, and justice because it is a cross cutting issue. It is also vital to involve the young people in providing information to break the silence about sexual coercion and violence, stepping up the fight against female genital mutilation and preventing early pregnancy. There is also need for further research with regard to young people specific health needs. Additionally, adolescents should be fully consulted in all efforts geared towards Collecting and documenting baseline information with regard to Uganda’s position in providing health services with a particular focus on youth friendly services. It is only when the productive health of young girls is prioritized that we will begin to see transformation in the lives of the young women in this country.

Ali is an online volunteer TakingITGlobal (Global issue editor maternal and child health)

Email: [email protected]

I am excited to present to you this month's TIG Star, Paolo Ricciardelli, who has gone above and beyond his duties as an online volunteer. Paolo is a Global Issues: Human Rights team member who, like many of us, has a special interest in international development, fair economic growth, and poverty eradication. We are awarding him with this month's TIG Star because he has taken the initiative to work independently and create these awesome presentations and training materials. These presentations really impressed the TIG staff here in Toronto, and it really made us appreciate our awesome team of online volunteers. Congratulations, Paolo, on your contributions and commitment to TIG!

Read on to learn more about Paolo.

1. When did you become involved with TakingITGlobal’s online volunteer team? What motivated you to become an online volunteer?

Before I became an online volunteer I had some volunteering experiences and I already knew TIG online communitiy. When I heard about TIG online volunteering for the first time, I was attending a training course on web content editing, so I thought online volunteering was a great opportunity to put in practice and deepen my new skills.

The possibility to be part of an online community acting worldwide, as part of a team of involved and committed youths from all over the world. I think this is the most inspiring and exciting aspect of being an online volunteer.

I had some volunteering experience but online volunteering is totally different and I have learned how to work with limited supervision and no fixed schedule. Furthermore, I have learned how to create connections and to communicate with people from different countries and cultures and living in different time zones.

My advice would be not to underestimate online volunteering because it isn’t easier than volunteering in person. As an online volunteer you will have a lot of freedom and no fixed schedule, but this doesn’t mean you will have no responsibility or deadlines. So, be sure about the time you can commit to online volunteering and don’t be afraid to ask questions to your team.

My online volunteering experience is totally positive. Thanks to this online experience I’ve learned the importance of ICTs and how youths can use them to make a difference. Finally, I had the opportunity to establish connections with other passionate youths and I am sure I will continue to be part of the TIG online community.

 

When we switched over to our shiny, new 2013 calendars, we started compiling disorganized lists about our personal resolutions. Whether it was to get organized, exercise more, or simply stop procrastinating, a new year always rolls around with a sense of hope and renewal. My 2013 began full of promise, and my resolution was to make the most out of the new opportunity I have working for TIG.

A couple weeks into my internship, I was asked to sit in on a conference call where we discussed the goals and processes of Beyond 2015. I had gone into the call knowing next to nothing about it, but through the discussions, I found out that it is a global civil society campaign that aims to become a successor framework to the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Now, think back to 2000. I know; it was a really long time ago and most of us were probably still too young to know about the UN or the MDGs. Basically, the MDGs were a global framework established by the UN with the goal to halve extreme poverty by 2015. As we approach the target date of the MDGs, development organizations across the globe have already been working hard thinking about how to sustain the progress we’ve made thus far.

Beyond 2015 is the innovative process in which they plan to create this new framework. Think of it as a giant consultation room, where everyone with Internet access and a serious investment in our future is invited. Through consultations and workshops with partner organizations, the UN and world leaders are using the priorities and ideas of people all over the world to help build a collective agenda for post-2015.

Inspired by the grassroots and cooperative method of building a global agenda, I wondered if TIG members, or specifically our amazing team of online volunteers, could come together and construct their collective vision or resolution for 2013. We don’t have to wait until 2015 to act towards sustainable poverty reduction. I’m sure there are commitments we can make to ourselves that will motivate others to change their societies in positive ways.

Let me know how your 2013 resolution can inspire others and fit in with the Global Youth Movement.