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2. It’s the EU, Not Western Balkan Enlargement
- Author:
- Christine Hübner, Jan Eichhorn, Luuk Molthof, and Srđan Cvijić
- Publication Date:
- 02-2021
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- France is one of the European countries with the highest rates of popular disapproval of countries in the Western Balkans joining the European Union. What is this disapproval based on, and how important is the issue of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans for people in France? Using a combination of 2020 survey data representative of the adult French population and in-depth focus groups with French voters, this report offers a comprehensive insight into the views of the French on whether or not the countries of the Western Balkans should join the European Union.
- Topic:
- Diplomacy, Regional Cooperation, Treaties and Agreements, European Union, and Regional Integration
- Political Geography:
- Europe, France, and Balkans
3. Towards an EU Toolbox for Migrant Workers
- Publication Date:
- 12-2021
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- As part of its proposal for an EU Migration and Asylum Pact, the European Commission has pledged to present proposals on legal migration in 2021 to better match labour demand and supply, enable better, faster access to visas and work permits, and increase the intra-EU mobility of foreign workers. This report analyses the actions taken by three EU member states: Germany, Italy, and Spain. These countries have created or expanded labour migration pathways, regularised part of the undocumented population, and increased protections for some categories of migrants. The report examines how effective these different approaches have been and if there are lessons to be learned at the EU level.
- Topic:
- Migration, Labor Issues, Work Culture, and Migrant Workers
- Political Geography:
- Germany, Spain, and Italy
4. From Climate Change Awareness to Climate Crisis Action
- Author:
- Jan Eichhorn, Luuk Molthof, and Sascha Nicke
- Publication Date:
- 11-2020
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report charts attitudes on the existence, causes, and impact of climate change in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It also examines public attitudes to a series of policies that the EU and national governments could harness to reduce the damage inflicted by human-made emissions. Although a clear majority of European and United States respondents are aware that the climate is warming, and that it is likely to have negative impacts for humankind, this report finds there is confusion about the scientific consensus on climate change. This, the report argues, has created a gap between public awareness and climate science, leaving the public underestimating the urgency of the crisis, and failing to appreciate the scale of the action required.
- Topic:
- Climate Change, Environment, Science and Technology, Fossil Fuels, Carbon Emissions, and Ecology
- Political Geography:
- Europe
5. Are Agri-Food Workers Only Exploited in Southern Europe?
- Publication Date:
- 07-2020
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In recent years, several studies have reported on the exploitation endured by migrant workers in Southern European Union member states—especially in sectors such as agriculture and food production. However, there has been much less focus on the North. New research now shows that agri-food workers in Northern Europe also face poor and even abusive conditions. In this light, Are Agri-Food Workers Only Exploited in Southern Europe? focuses on production in Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden. These three EU member states have stronger social protections than Italy, Spain or Greece—yet the dynamics driving wage compression and the violation of workers’ rights are like those in Southern Europe. This publication provides recommendations on how the EU and national governments can act to make Europe’s agri-food system more sustainable, benefiting farmers, consumers, workers, and the environment.
- Topic:
- Agriculture, Environment, Human Rights, Labor Issues, Sustainability, Farming, Exploitation, and Consumerism
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Northern Europe, and Southern Europe
6. Do We Need an EU Ethical Food Label?
- Author:
- Giorgia Ceccarelli and Daniele Fattibene
- Publication Date:
- 09-2020
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Eradicating the exploitation of agri-food workers, promoting fairer food supply chains, and offering consumers effective tools to make truly informed food choices remain huge challenges in Europe. This report highlights the limitations of relying solely on food labelling schemes to meet these goals, and finds that voluntary certification schemes do not adequately enforce regulations or protect human rights. The report also argues, however, that the EU can use a number of tools to foster more just food supply chains, with ethical labels playing a role in that process as part of a “smart mix” of measures. The case studies in this report show that it is possible to have increased transparency in food labelling and supply chains, as well as better protections of workers in Europe and throughout the world. Additionally, the report explains how the EU can play an important role in providing food businesses with clear regulatory frameworks to ensure their operations do not harm workers or the environment.
- Topic:
- Environment, Health, Human Rights, Labor Issues, Food, Regulation, and Business
- Political Geography:
- Europe
7. North Macedonia: What’s Next?
- Publication Date:
- 01-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In January 2019, Macedonia’s parliament approved, by a two-thirds majority, a constitutional amendment to change the country’s name to the Republic of North Macedonia. While this represented a major step toward North Macedonia’s ultimate goal of establishing a durable, stable democracy, the name change must still be endorsed by Greece’s parliament before it can go into full effect. But as a new report from the Open Society European Policy Institute shows, a newly-named North Macedonia would still face significant challenges—and opportunities. North Macedonia: What’s Next? examines the 2018 Prespa Agreement between neighboring Greece and North Macedonia, which laid out agreed upon conditions for resolving the longstanding dispute over Macedonia’s name, and what it means for the larger project of integrating the countries in the Western Balkans more fully into the political and economic systems of Europe, the British Isles, and the United States. The report further explores how key players—such as the European Union, NATO, Russia, other Western Balkans states—approach the Prespa Agreement, explains the significance of the name change in larger geopolitical terms, and offers insight into possible scenarios for the final resolution of this fraught and lengthy conflict.
- Topic:
- NATO, Democratization, Regional Cooperation, European Union, Democracy, Constitution, and Nation-State
- Political Geography:
- Balkans, Macedonia, and North Macedonia
8. States of Change: Attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall
- Publication Date:
- 11-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Despite deep concerns about the future of democracy, people in Central and Eastern Europe retain a strong attachment to civil society and faith in the freedoms achieved with the collapse of Communism, according to States of Change: Attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe 30 Years after the Fall of the Berlin Wall, a report from the Open Society Foundations. Based on polling by YouGov conducted in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, States of Change provides a snapshot of current opinion on democracy, freedom of speech, the market economy, and the media in the former Eastern Bloc and Germany.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Democratization, Markets, Democracy, Media, Berlin Wall, and Free Speech
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Central Europe
9. Armed Drones in Europe
- Author:
- Srđan Cvijić, Lisa Klingenberg, Delina Goxho, and Ella Knight
- Publication Date:
- 11-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The use of armed drones in the European Union has become a topic rife with controversy and misinformation. This report gives a comprehensive and in-depth overview of the approach to, and use of, armed drones in five European countries: Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. Further, the report is intended to start a wider debate about armed drones in Europe and to serve as a guide on this topic for the European Parliament.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Military Strategy, Military Affairs, and Drones
- Political Geography:
- Europe, France, Germany, Italy, and Netherlands
10. From Enlargement to the Unification of Europe: Why the European Union needs a directorate general Europe for future members and association countries
- Author:
- Srđan Cvijić, Marie Jelenka Kirchner, Iskra Kirova, and Zoran Nechev
- Publication Date:
- 06-2019
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The need for the European Union’s involvement in the Western Balkans, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine has never been more acute. The European Commission’s structures are not up to the job. A new approach is needed to respond to the realities on the ground and in member states. The European Union needs to boost the tools of the European Commission to move the process on from enlargement and move decisively towards the unification of Europe. This means creating a directorate general that would have the resources to drive forward the accession process with the Western Balkans countries and the ambitious trade and reform agenda in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. A new directorate general Europe could play this role.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, Treaties and Agreements, Europe Union, Trade, and Economic Integration
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, and Balkans
11. Whistleblowers for Change: The Social and Economic Costs and Benefits of Leaking and Whistleblowing
- Publication Date:
- 11-2018
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The decision to be a whistleblower is not easy. Mental trauma, the risk of retaliation, the potential loss of employment or ostracization by work colleagues—not to mention the impact on one’s personal life—all weigh heavily on the individual who decides to speak out for the common good. But when potential whistleblowers feel too vulnerable to act, it's society itself which suffers. In this report, whistleblowers from eight European countries describe what they experienced after they took a stand. Additionally, civil society experts weigh in on how the EU can craft policies to better protect whistleblowers. The question of how to define whistleblowing—does it apply to sexual harassment, can NGOs be considered whistleblowers, and so on—is also explored. The report ultimately recommends an EU-wide directive on whistleblowing, which it argues would give whistleblowers the protection they need to step forward. The report also argues that a multi-level, multi-stakeholder approach would emphasize the value of whistleblowers and the crucial role they play in a healthy open society.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Intelligence, NGOs, Transparency, Whistle Blowing, and Secrecy
- Political Geography:
- Europe
12. An End to Manels II: Closing the Gender Gap at Europe’s Top Policy Events
- Publication Date:
- 11-2018
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- An End to Manels II is the second in a two-part series from the Open Society Foundations on closing the gender gap at Europe’s high-level policy events. The first brief, An End to Manels, examined the composition of panels, highlighting the dramatic underrepresentation of women. Manels II, scrutinizes this data further, taking a closer look at 23 European conferences, over the course of five years and analyzing discussion topics, their frequency, and speakers’ gender in an effort improve the quality of debate in Europe. The report reveals the dramatic underrepresentation of women engaged in speaking roles for six topics at Europe’s top conferences: foreign policy; the European Union; crime, terrorism and security; economic situation; environment, climate, and energy issues; and technology. Likewise, men are underrepresented as speakers on gender. Having quantified the gender gap at 23 conferences in Europe, the report offers a range of pragmatic solutions that conference organizers should consider to close this gap. These range from a broadening the range of topics discussed to speaker recruitment and better monitoring.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, European Union, Women, Representation, Sexuality, and Domestic Policy
- Political Geography:
- Europe
13. An End to Manels: Closing the Gender Gap at Europe’s Top Policy Events
- Publication Date:
- 03-2018
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The number of women who speak at key policy-shaping conferences across Europe is far below that of their male peers. Looking at five years of high-level conferences in Europe, this report finds that a woman has only one opportunity to speak for every three times a man speaks. The situation is not improving, but it can. Two conferences of the 23 conferences included in the report have shown that, with a concerted effort, they can drastically increase the number of female speakers and move toward gender parity. The onus is now on governments, businesses, and conference organizers to ensure they are sending and receiving representative delegations at these events. Conference organizers are the gatekeepers to the stage. This is a big responsibility. They make decisions about who will have the opportunity to share their views with heads of state, policymakers, and business leaders. Journalists report the statements of these speakers to audiences around the world. Prioritizing gender balance over seniority can stop help counter inequality in our societies by allowing women a fair say on policy and allowing female role models to come to the fore.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Gender Issues, Women, Men, Domestic Policy, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Europe
14. Untangling the Web: A Blueprint for Reforming American Security Sector Assistance
- Author:
- Rose Jackson
- Publication Date:
- 01-2017
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Since the attacks of 9/11, the United States has spent more than $250 billion building up military and police forces around the world. From attempts to build whole armies in Iraq and Afghanistan to efforts to help Yemen or Nigeria fight terrorism, the impact of these efforts has been mixed and in some cases counterproductive, exacerbating local corruption, human rights abuses, and even terrorism. A knot of U.S. offices and agencies have evolved to provide this aid, mostly pulling in different directions. Untangling the Web: A Blueprint for Reforming American Security Sector Assistance describes the main failures in the system and sets out immediate steps the next administration can take to improve how the U.S. government plans, coordinates, and executes its security-related assistance. This would significantly increase transparency and accountability and link the aid more closely to the human rights, development, and governance outcomes that are essential to U.S. foreign policy interests and national security.
- Topic:
- International Relations, Foreign Policy, National Security, Terrorism, War, International Security, Military Affairs, Counter-terrorism, and Grand Strategy
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and Global Focus
15. Montenegro: Elections Aftermath and the European Commission’s 2016 Country Progress Reports
- Author:
- Srđan Cvijić and Stevo Muk
- Publication Date:
- 11-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Politically, Montenegro finds itself in a paradoxical situation. At one level it is the champion of European integration in the Western Balkans when it comes to progress in the EU accession negotiations, but it is also the only country in the region that has not experienced a change of government since the introduction of the multiparty system in 1990. The same individuals, families, and political and business elites have been controlling the country’s politics and economy for more than 25 years. This situation is likely to continue after the recently held October 16 parliamentary elections where the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists managed once again to secure the most seats in parliament but fell short of securing an absolute majority. Key conclusions in this report include: the October elections were marked by numerous irregularities and were held in problematic conditions; the Montenegrin government and European Commission need to focus more on reforms in the area of the rule of law; the EU accession process remains unclear and lacks transparency. The authors present recommendations to the European Commission, European Parliament, and the EU member states for moving forward.
- Topic:
- Democratization, Government, Elections, European Union, Democracy, and Rule of Law
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Balkans, and Montenegro
16. The Strategic Costs of Civilian Harm
- Author:
- Chris Kolenda and Chris Rogers
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- During the early years of the United States’ involvement in Afghanistan, the U.S. military was killing too many civilians and depriving too many others of basic rights and liberties. By 2008, nearly 40 percent of civilian deaths in Afghanistan resulted from U.S. military operations. The level of “civilian harm”—the military’s term for killing innocent civilians and causing major political, social, and economic disruption—was adversely impacting the United States’ efforts to defeat the Taliban and weakening the legitimacy of the U.S. and Afghan governments. The report, The Strategic Costs of Civilian Harm: Applying Lessons from Afghanistan to Current and Future Conflicts, examines how the U.S. military learned from its early mistakes in Afghanistan and applied lessons to mitigate civilian harm. In fact, starting in 2009, the U.S. military recognized its mistakes and started to understand the high strategic cost of civilian harm. The military’s changes led to a significant reduction in civilian deaths during the next few years. The report argues that the United States should develop a Uniform Policy on Civilian Protection. The new standards would apply to all U.S. military operations in current and future conflicts and, hopefully, better protect civilians caught in conflict.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, War, Military Affairs, Military Intervention, Conflict, War on Terror, Civilians, and Casualties
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and United States
17. Drugs and the Death Penalty
- Author:
- Patrick Gallahue
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- There are currently thousands of people on death row for drug-related offenses in Asia, the Middle East, and parts of Africa. The international drug control system must share the blame, as treaties promoting strict and severe punishments for drug offenses have opened the door to such responses. UN human rights and drug control bodies now recognize that the death penalty for drugs violates international law, but a number of states that are parties to drug control treaties argue that capital drug laws are a permissible sanction. While many countries around the world are abolishing the death penalty for all crimes at an unprecedented rate, other countries such as Iran and Saudi Arabia are increasingly prescribing the death penalty for drug-related crimes despite evidence showing that it has not been effective in curbing the flow of drugs across territories. While there no fixed model for the kinds of people who have suffered the death penalty for drugs, all too often those who become smugglers borders represent people in desperate circumstances who have been coerced or tricked into breaking the law. Sometimes they are mere teenagers. Executing those who are referred to as “little fish” is disproportionate to the crime. And as both international human rights and drug control bodies have made clear, it is a violation of human rights law. Drugs and The Death Penalty explores how the laws that subject drug offenders to capital punishment are inextricably linked to the international war on drugs and provides recommendations for governments to review current policies and explore alternate, less draconian sanctions.
- Topic:
- Crime, International Law, War on Drugs, Criminal Justice, Drugs, Public Health, and Death Penalty
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Middle East, and Asia
18. The League of Arab States: Human Rights Standards and Mechanisms
- Publication Date:
- 11-2015
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- With the Arab region in a state of flux, the League of Arab States seems poised to play a much-needed role on issues such as peace, security, and human rights in Arab countries. Until now, this role has been far from consistent or guided by a genuine human rights agenda. However, a closer look at the Arab League during the recent crises in the region reveals a slow shift in its positioning, highlighting the importance for civil society to engage with the Arab League and influence policies and reform in the region. Interest in the work of the Arab League is not new to civil society in the region. Civil society organizations have, for example, engaged very closely with the process of revising the Arab Charter on Human Rights. They have also worked with the League on the Darfur and Syria crises. However, this engagement has been fragmented, and at times not driven by a clear strategy. Therefore, this engagement and its impact can be strengthened through effective strategies and mechanisms. It is, therefore, paramount that the Arab League reform its relationship with civil society, and at the same time for civil society to improve its own relationship with the Arab League. The ultimate goal is better protection of human rights in Arab countries. This manual has been produced with these challenges and opportunities in mind. It aims at providing information to activists in the civil society movement, especially those working in the human rights field, on the structures, standards, and mechanisms of the Arab League relating to human rights. Better understanding of these issues can only contribute to better engagement with the Arab League, and therefore the ability to influence and reform the organization.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Democratization, Human Rights, Authoritarianism, Reform, Arab Spring, State Violence, Revolution, and Arab League
- Political Geography:
- Middle East and North Africa
19. Community, Not Confinement
- Publication Date:
- 10-2015
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) affirms the rights of all people to live in their communities. Yet between 2007 and 2013, EU member states invested millions of euros of EU structural funds into institutions that confine and segregate people living with disabilities. Now, although the 2014–2020 round of structural funds requires member states to introduce domestic deinstitutionalization measues, the danger remains that EU investments in institutions will continue. The European Commission has a responsibility to ensure the rights of Europeans with disabilities and the proper direction of EU investments. Community, Not Confinement examines EU law and policy governing the use of structural funds, and EU and state responsibilities to human rights obligations under international and EU law. This report also recommends several steps the commission should take, including providing clear guidance to member states that projects selected for the use of structural funds must comply with the CRPD; verifying that such programming aligns with the CRPD and supports independent living; and funding civil society to monitor member states’ investments and inform the commission of findings.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, International Law, United Nations, Law, Disability, Community, Political Rights, and Legal Sector
- Political Geography:
- Europe
20. After the Dead Are Counted: U.S. and Pakistani Responsibilities to Victims of Drone Strikes
- Publication Date:
- 11-2014
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Over the past decade, U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan are estimated to have killed well over 2,000 individuals, including an unknown number of civilians. A new report from the Open Society Foundations urges the U.S. and Pakistani governments to properly investigate and provide redress, including compensation, to civilian victims of drone strikes. Based on investigations of 27 separate U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, and interviews with current and former U.S. and Pakistani officials, the report documents civilian casualties and analyzes the broader threats of militancy and military operations in areas affected by drones. Despite Pakistan’s strong public opposition to U.S. drone strikes, and the United States’ promises on transparency, neither government has addressed the losses suffered by civilians. The report concludes that the U.S. and Pakistani governments should create mechanisms to investigate civilian harm from drone strikes and provide compensation to victims.
- Topic:
- War, Military Affairs, Weapons, Drones, Civilians, and Casualties
- Political Geography:
- Pakistan and United States
21. Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice at Home: Nepal
- Publication Date:
- 06-2014
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Much attention has been directed to the exploitation of low-wage migrant workers in the Middle East, where harms are commonplace and severe, and access to justice is limited. But the story of labor migration begins and ends at home. Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice at Home: Nepal is the first comprehensive analysis of how laws and institutions in Nepal succeed or fail in protecting migrant workers from harms suffered during recruitment or while working in the Middle East. The study finds that despite Nepal’s efforts to protect migrant workers, it often falls short in holding private recruitment companies and individual agents accountable. The report presents detailed short- and long-term recommendations for government and civil society advocates that address the failures of Nepal’s migrant worker policies by treating workers as holders of defined, enforceable rights.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Human Rights, Migration, Labor Issues, Justice, Migrant Workers, and Political Rights
- Political Geography:
- Asia and Nepal
22. A Fundamental Rights Strategy for the European Union
- Author:
- Israel Butler
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The European Parliament election results show a rise in apathy and hostility towards the EU. A fundamental rights strategy could help to boost the Union’s legitimacy in the eyes of the public. EU institutions should jointly adopt a strategy that highlights the benefits for citizens of rights conferred at EU level. A strategy would allow the Union to meet its overarching goal of improving the well-being of its peoples and improve its credibility when promoting human rights with third countries. The strategy should be structured around measures to respect, protect and promote fundamental rights to the fullest extent allowed by the Union’s powers. To develop and implement the strategy, the institutions should engage in regular and structured dialogue with the United Nations, Council of Europe, Fundamental Rights Agency, and civil society organizations.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Human Rights, United Nations, European Union, and Political Rights
- Political Geography:
- Europe
23. 2014 and Beyond: Priorities for the European Union
- Publication Date:
- 09-2014
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The new leaders of the EU’s institutions face immediate and major challenges—from conflict in the EU’s surrounding region to rising xenophobia within its own borders—that have major implications for the future of Europe’s open societies. The European Parliament elections in May 2014 led to a turnover of half of the body’s members and the intake of many more xenophobic populist parties. The European Commission—the EU’s executive body—has a new president and College of Commissioners who will need to find new approaches to employment, inclusion, and development. The new European Council president will also have a tough job finding consensus among EU heads of state and government on issues ranging from relations with Russia to economic governance.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Race, Minorities, Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Economic Cooperation
- Political Geography:
- Europe
24. Ethnic Origin and Disability Data Collection in Europe: Measuring Inequality—Combating Discrimination
- Publication Date:
- 11-2014
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The report Ethnic Origin and Disability Data Collection in Europe: Measuring Inequality—Combating Discrimination is published within the framework of the Equality Data Initiative, a project launched by the Open Society Foundations in collaboration with the Migration Policy Group and the European Network Against Racism to increase awareness within the European Union for the need to collect reliable data for groups at risk of discrimination. The report challenges the commonly held view in Europe that the collection of disability and ethnic data is categorically prohibited. It voices the necessity to involve the affected communities in the process of defining best practices and to respect binding core principles of data collection such as self-identification of the data subject and consent-based, voluntary, and anonymized data collection. The focus of the research is on Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Romania, and Sweden in the field of public education and on France in the field of public employment. Most of these EU member states collect data about their citizens in one or other way. However—as the report suggests—their methods lead to results that are either inaccurate or unreliable. The report makes recommendations for action at both the national and EU levels in order to achieve effective change in the field of equality data and to use data to promote equal treatment. Advocacy and strategic litigation are needed to steer national debates away from taboos, and question unlawful, harmful, or simply unsuitable data collection practices, and to call for the inclusion of disability and ethnic minority communities in the process. The European Commission and other EU institutions can provide guidance in this process by issuing recommendations and guidelines on equality data collection.
- Topic:
- Migration, Science and Technology, European Union, Citizenship, Discrimination, Disability, Data, Digital Policy, and Migrant Workers
- Political Geography:
- Europe
25. License to Be Yourself
- Publication Date:
- 05-2014
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- When trans people’s passports, driver licenses, and national ID cards, do not reflect their gender identity, it can exclude them from fundamental aspects of daily life—like receiving health care, schooling, housing, or a bank account. And it can prevent trans people from exercising basic liberties like the right to vote or freedom of movement. The vast majority of trans people around the world cannot obtain official documents under their appropriate name and sex that match their gender identity. Where this is possible, trans people often face highly restrictive laws or regulations for changing name and sex that violate human rights obligations. These restrictions may involve excluding trans people who are married or have children, or require compulsory medical diagnoses or proceedures, including those that result in sterilization. License to Be Yourself documents some of the world’s most progressive and rights-based laws and policies that enable trans people to change their gender identity on official documents. It shares strategies that activists have successfully used in a variety of global and legal contexts, and features case studies from Argentina, Australia, Hong Kong, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States. This report is a resource for activists working on human rights issues for trans people, local communities examining best laws and policies, and policymakers seeking to uphold the rights of trans people.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Human Rights, LGBT+, Sexuality, Identity, Legal Sector, and Transgender
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
26. Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice at Home: Indonesia
- Publication Date:
- 10-2013
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Each year, around half a million Indonesians travel abroad to work, half of those to the Middle East. Many are women who suffer abuse and exploitation when they work abroad but have virtually no access to recourse within their host country’s legal system. The vulnerability of migrant workers abroad makes it crucial for them to be able to seek redress in their own countries. Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice at Home: Indonesia is the first comprehensive study of migrant workers’ access to justice in their country of origin. A collaborative effort by the Open Society International Migration Initiative, the Tifa Foundation, and the Migrant Worker Access to Justice Project, the report analyzes how migrant workers may access justice in Indonesia, and identifies the systemic barriers that prevent them from receiving redress for harms they suffer before, during, and after their work abroad. The report also provides recommendations for improving access to justice and private sector accountability in 11 key areas, addressed to government, parliament, civil society, donors, and others. Migrant Workers’ Access to Justice at Home: Indonesia is an important contribution to advancing the rights of migrant workers and will serve as a valuable guide for civil society groups in Indonesia and elsewhere to better understand, use, and test existing justice mechanisms to enforce migrant workers’ rights.
- Topic:
- Migration, Labor Issues, Employment, Economic Policy, Justice, Migrant Workers, and Legal Sector
- Political Geography:
- Indonesia and Middle East
27. The Race Equality Directive: A Shadow Report
- Author:
- Eefje de Kroon
- Publication Date:
- 07-2013
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The Race Equality Directive: A Shadow Report collects lessons learned from the implementation of the Race Equality Directive in nine European Union member states. The Race Equality Directive is a piece of legislation adopted in 2000 by the Council of Ministers of the European Union implementing the principle of equality for all irrespective of racial or ethnic origin. The directive comes under review at the end of 2013, 10 years after its entry into force. The report includes data on Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and Spain. Annex I contains summaries of developments in each of these member states. The report identifies trends in the challenges facing the countries examined, examples of successful or problematic implementation, and includes recommendations for improving effective implementation. Challenges to the implementation of the Race Equality Directive include: lack of disaggregated data needed to implement parts of this legislation and evaluate its effectiveness; unclear identification of proxy categories that can be used to detect discrimination on the ground of racial and ethnic origin; problems that impede effective access to and use of judicial (individual or collective) redress against discrimination; hindrances to alternative forms of individual (or collective) redress, through the equality bodies. Analysis is based on two sources of data: country reports by specialized international monitoring bodies (excerpts of these are contained in Annex II) and data generated through a short questionnaire (in Annex III) completed by independent experts and subject matter experts within the Open Society Foundations.
- Topic:
- Race, Law, Ethnicity, Discrimination, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Greece, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Hungary, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, and Czech Republic
28. Transforming Health: International Rights-Based Advocacy for Trans Health
- Publication Date:
- 02-2013
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Trans people across the world face substantial barriers to adequate health and health care. They are targets of discrimination and violence, are at greater risk of contracting HIV, and experience a higher incidence of mental health problems like depression. They face discrimination from health care providers, a lack of doctors trained to address their needs, and the refusal of many national health systems and insurance providers to cover their care. Yet trans communities are building alliances to promote trans health and to fight for policies that respect gender diversity and human rights. This report profiles projects from 16 organizations in twelve countries that address these barriers. These projects offered general health services as well as those related to gender transition, trained health care providers to respond to the needs and concerns of trans patients, conducted public education campaigns about discrimination against trans people, advocated for legal and medical policy changes, and organized trans communities to empower themselves. Collecting insights from these projects, Transforming Health makes recommendations to governments, rights advocates, health professionals and public health organizations, and health and rights donors.
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, Gender Issues, Health, Discrimination, LGBT+, Public Health, Sexual Health, and Transgender
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
29. U.S. Military Aid to Central Asia: Who Benefits?
- Author:
- Joshua Kucera
- Publication Date:
- 09-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- U.S. military aid to Central Asia has substantially increased over the past 10 years with an increasingly large percentage going toward the training and equipping of Central Asian special forces units. In several cases, funding has been misappropriated by host governments, while the United States has tended to look the other way at such abuses. Military aid can have varying goals, but increases in funding and ambivalence by U.S, officials toward possible abuse of funds by Central Asian governments suggest that the primary motive of U.S. aid is to “buy” access to regional governments and militaries for cooperation in Afghanistan, rather than to improve defense institutions and militaries.
- Topic:
- Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, and Military Affairs
- Political Geography:
- Central Asia
30. The New Silk Road and the Northern Distribution Network: A Golden Road to Central Asian Trade Reform?
- Author:
- Graham Lee
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The United States is promoting a “New Silk Road” that would link Afghanistan to Southern and Central Asia via an interconnected web of transit corridors, which could transform the regional trade environment, tear down commercial barriers, and offer economic benefits for all. The New Silk Road and the Northern Distribution Network is a constructive assessment of the conditions and challenges facing this effort that asks and answers the following questions: Is the Northern Distribution network incentivizing regional cooperation and border reforms? Is the Northern Distribution Network helping to fight corruption in Central Asia? Has the Northern Distribution Network made transhipment through Central Asia more efficient? Are ordinary Central Asian citizens benefitting from Northern Distribution Network trade?
- Topic:
- International Cooperation, International Political Economy, International Trade and Finance, Networks, and Silk Road
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and Central Asia
31. Remaking Bagram: The Creation of an Afghan Internment Regime and the Divide over U.S. Detention Power
- Publication Date:
- 09-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report by the Open Society Foundations highlights concerns about the transition of the U.S. detention facility in Bagram, Afghanistan, from U.S. to Afghan control. Remaking Bagram exposes a deep divide between U.S. and Afghan officials on the eve of the planned handover that puts U.S. intentions to maintain detention authority in Afghanistan against the Afghan government’s insistence that Afghans can no longer be detained by the United States on “Afghan soil.” Remaking Bagram, which was released on September 6, also highlights the Afghan government’s efforts to take custody of detainees held by the United States by creating an Afghan internment regime that would detain individuals without trial. Many Afghan legal experts call this new system unconstitutional and have expressed fears that it is susceptible to abuse.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Military Affairs, Military Intervention, State Building, and Detention
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan and United States
32. Twenty Mechanisms for Addressing Torture in Health Care
- Author:
- Jonathan Cohen and Tamar Ezer
- Publication Date:
- 06-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Health care settings should be places where human rights are realized. Yet, across the world, health systems often serve as venues of punishment, coercion, and violations of basic human rights, sometimes amounting to torture or cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment. This abuse is especially prevalent in the care of socially marginalized groups—people living with HIV, ethnic minorities, sexual and gender minorities, people who use drugs, and people with intellectual disabilities or mental health problems. There are many national, regional, and international mechanisms designed to promote government accountability and prevent torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, yet these mechanisms are rarely applied to health facilities. This manual describes 20 anti-torture mechanisms from the United Nations and African, European, and Inter-American human rights systems and provides illustrative examples on how to use these mechanisms to fight torture in health settings. For each mechanism, the manual explores mandate, procedure, possibilities for engagement, and prior work on torture in health care. The manual also includes a glossary of basic human rights terms. This manual is designed as a resource for organizations that advocate against abuse in health care—including international, regional, and national human rights organizations; groups focused on particular health care abuses; anti-torture groups; and the treaty bodies themselves.
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, Health, Torture, United Nations, Minorities, and Health Care Policy
- Political Geography:
- Africa, Europe, and Global Focus
33. The European Union and the Right to Community Living
- Author:
- Luke Clements
- Publication Date:
- 05-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The European Union and its Member States have an obligation to ensure that European taxpayer money in the form of Structural Funds is invested in a manner that respects human rights and fundamental freedoms. These are among the basic values upon which the EU was founded. However, some Member States are acting contrary to EU law by using European money to invest in institutions for people with disabilities rather than developing alternative community-based services that promote community living. Such actions contravene the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and violates the fundamental human rights of people with disabilities. This report by the Open Society Foundations features legal analysis from Queen’s Counsel Richard Gordon and examines how the use of Structural Funds to renovate or build institutions is contrary to EU law. The European Commission and its Member States should take actions to ensure that Structural Funds are not used to perpetuate the social exclusion of any European citizen. Topics discussed in the report include: The role of Structural Funds in moving from institutionalization to community living; Key principles of the right to community living and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; The legal framework for Structural Funds investments; EU obligations to combat discrimination and social exclusion; Conclusions and recommendations.
- Topic:
- Discrimination, Social Cohesion, and Community
- Political Geography:
- Europe
34. Tools for Change: Applying United Nations standards to secure women’s housing, land, and property rights in the context of HIV
- Publication Date:
- 10-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Developed by the United Nations Development Programme and Open Society Foundations, Tools for Change is an easy-to-use resource for advocates working on women’s housing, land, and property rights in the context of HIV. It brings together relevant international human rights documents and highlights core concepts, rights, and means of enforcement, providing examples of successful advocacy from around the world. Moreover, it draws on the voices of women worldwide to explain these rights and their uses in practical terms. This manual was originally conceived during a strategic meeting on property and inheritance rights as they relate to HIV, held during the 2009 United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, where organizations gathered from around the world. It emerged from the realization that through hard work, advocates have managed to get a number of UN instruments to include protection for women’s housing, land, and property rights, and member states have pledged to abide by them. However, many advocates at the national level do not even know of these international instruments, even though they might be helpful in their work, particularly as governments may not be meeting their international human rights obligations. Advocates need a better understanding of international human rights and government obligations in order to ensure government accountability and advance women’s housing, land, and property rights. This manual seeks to empower advocates working in the context of HIV by making the relevant United Nations standards and interpretations clear and accessible—to make them "tools for change."
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, United Nations, Women, Land, Housing, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
35. From Funder to Partner? Prospects for the European Neighbourhood Policy's Civil Society Facility
- Publication Date:
- 10-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The Arab Spring was a timely reminder to the EU of its own transitions, in particular events post-1989, and how civil society was at the heart of all of them. The EU now intends to foster a “partnership with societies” in its eastern and southern neighborhood, in part by creating a facility to provide dedicated support to ensure civil society organizations can monitor reform and participate effectively in their own national debates. The Open Society Institute-Brussels has assessed current proposals, identified challenges, drawn lessons from experience, and identified six areas that will be integral to an effective Civil Society Facility within the Neighbourhood Policy: Funding for civil society needs to be accompanied by political support for CSOs (e.g. statements and tripartite meetings on pressing issues). In order to build capacity the principle EU actor (the EU delegation in-country) needs capacity of its own. Consultations with CSOs are useful if they are planned, regular and genuine—particularly in-country. Supporting local ownership through channeling funds to existing resources (e.g. providing existing networks with logistics and strategic funding) is more effective than putting in place new, parallel structures. Investing in structures that continue beyond the Facility implementation period (e.g. providing 3-4 year core support to develop CSO institutional capacities or putting in place offices to facilitate civil society-government links) will enable national CSO champions or standard-setters to emerge. Paying close attention to the local CSO sector, political and donor context to better meet needs and avoid supporting either less-relevant issues or government-organized organizations. An engaged and robust civil society which holds governments to account is increasingly both a mechanism and a goal of EU foreign policy. Upgrading the EU's relationship with civil society from benevolent paymaster to a strategic investor in partnerships for change will pay dividends to the societies which are transforming in its neighborhood as well as to the EU itself. For a genuine shift towards a “partnership with societies,” maximum local participation and ownership has to be matched by maximum political and practical commitment from the EU. This could be the essence of a real and mutually beneficial partnership.
- Topic:
- Civil Society, Regional Cooperation, Governance, European Union, Accountability, and Funding
- Political Geography:
- Europe
36. European Neighbourhood Policy: Positive Steps and Open Questions
- Publication Date:
- 06-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In the Joint Communication "A New Response to a Changing Neighbourhood," published on May 25, 2011, the European Commission and the European External Action Service have developed some valuable proposals for improving the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). In particular, the Joint Communication includes a stronger emphasis on civil society, more differentiation between countries, and greater political steer. It also contains some elements that formed part of previous policy but had not been fully implemented. Reiterated concepts such as visa liberalization, Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas (DCFTA), Comprehensive Institution-Building (CIB) programs, and tackling regional disparities will only gain traction if the EU applies its conditionality more consistently. The Open Society Institute-Brussels has highlighted the positive steps that EU member states should support in their Council Conclusions in June, and noted those elements that remain open questions.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy, Regional Cooperation, and Trade
- Political Geography:
- Europe
37. The Cost of Kill/Capture: Impact of the Night Raid Surge on Afghan Civilians
- Publication Date:
- 09-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report from the Open Society Foundations examines how the recent, dramatic increase in night raids by international forces has affected Afghan civilians and fueled even deeper hostility towards such operations. Broader targeting strategies have put more civilians in harm’s way, as have mass, indiscriminate detentions of civilians, leaving Afghans feeling increasingly caught between the two sides of the conflict. Civilian casualties, detentions, cultural offense, property destruction, and lack of accountability continue to provoke popular and political blowback that risks seriously undermining relations with the Afghan government as well as the international community's long-term security and political goals. The Cost of Kill/Capture: Impact of the Night Raid Surge on Afghan Civilians recommends that international forces: 1) cease targeting noncombatants and the indiscriminate detention of civilians; 2) employ alternative detention methods and law enforcement tactics, particularly whenever detaining non-combatants; and 3) implement reforms to improve transparency and accountability over night raids operations.
- Topic:
- Military Affairs, Military Intervention, War on Terror, Accountability, Civilians, and Casualties
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan
38. Mapping Digital Media: German Public Service Broadcasting and Online Activity
- Author:
- Johannes Weberling
- Publication Date:
- 10-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Few countries support public service broadcasting more enthusiastically than Germany, where the public service broadcasters (PSBs) are seen as more informal, modern, and entertaining than before, without having lost their reputation for quality. The combined budgets of all the PSBs far exceed the combined advertising revenue of private broadcasters. Yet the PSBs face a demographic threat. Around half of their viewers are over 65 years old, while only 5 percent are under 30. If the PSBs are to safeguard their future, they must attract younger audiences. This means developing services online. At the same time, following private-sector complaints, the European Commission decided the license fee was distorting competition. The PSBs responded with a public value test to assess new services. Debate in this context has centered on two crucial questions: whether or not internet portals and online products fall within the remit of public service broadcasting, and whether PSBs should be allowed to compete for advertising with private media. In this paper, Johannes Weberling explains the German search for an equitable balance between public and private media interests online, in the light of European Union concerns over state aid.
- Topic:
- Science and Technology, Communications, Media, Public Sector, and Digital Policy
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Germany
39. Mapping Digital Media: Online Media and Defamation
- Author:
- Toby Mendel
- Publication Date:
- 04-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The internet is fantastically enabling for the news media, creating previously unimagined possibilities in terms of distribution, audience interaction, and archiving. But it also presents new threats, such as in the area of defamation law, already a significant problem for many media outlets. This paper assesses these problems against international guarantees of freedom of expression and comparative national practice, through both law and self-regulation, highlighting solutions that are more protective of free expression, as well as those that are not. It also probes new ideas such as greater reliance on the right of reply—which the internet enables—and the notion that some spaces on the Internet should be protected against any defamation liability.
- Topic:
- Communications, Law, Regulation, Media, News Analysis, and Digital Policy
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
40. Treated with Cruelty: Abuses in the Name of Rehabilitation
- Publication Date:
- 06-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The Campaign to Stop Torture in Health Care, a coalition led by the Open Society Foundations, has published a new report documenting the personal testimonies of men and women who have been detained in drug rehabilitation centers in Cambodia, China, Mexico, and Russia. Each year, thousands of people are locked away in these centers without any real access to medical care or legal recourse. Drug users rarely enter such detention centers voluntarily, and even if they do, they nearly never are allowed to leave at their will. Detention centers often rely on physical abuse, shackles, solitary confinement, and other indignities to "treat" drug addiction and extract labor from the detainees. Moreover, they are often overseen by government authorities, and private companies are allowed to exploit the forced labor inside. Not surprisingly, the vast majority of people quickly return to drug use once they are released from these centers. The report, Treated with Cruelty: Abuses in the Name of Rehabilitation, presents the harrowing personal stories alongside commentary about the human rights that are being denied to the individuals who are locked away. Manfred Nowak, former UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, also adds his voice in an introduction calling for the closure of drug detention facilities.
- Topic:
- Health, War on Drugs, Law, Drugs, Public Health, and Rehabilitation
- Political Geography:
- Russia, China, Cambodia, and Mexico
41. Treatment or Torture? Applying International Human Rights Standards to Drug Detention Centers
- Publication Date:
- 06-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- People identified as drug users in many countries are confined to abusive locked detention centers for months or even years. Such detention centers are supposedly mandated to treat and "rehabilitate" drug users, but the "treatment" they receive in some cases amounts to torture or other cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. In Treatment or Torture? Applying International Human Rights Standards to Drug Detention Centers, legal experts review common forms of abuse in drug detention centers and show how these practices in many cases are in violation of basic human rights treaties widely ratified by most nations worldwide. International health and drug-control agencies—including the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UNAIDS, and the World Health Organization—all endorse comprehensive, evidence-based drug dependence treatment services. Yet drug detention centers rarely provide treatment that meets these standards. Depending on the country, so-called rehabilitation consists of a regime of military drills, forced labor, psychological and moral re-education, and shackling, caning, and beating. Treatment or Torture? comes in advance of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture—both on June 26, 2011. The report was published by the Campaign to Stop Torture in Health Care, a coalition led by the Open Society Foundations, and featured legal analysis by Human Rights Watch, Harm Reduction International, and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.
- Topic:
- Health, Human Rights, International Law, War on Drugs, Health Care Policy, Criminal Justice, Drugs, and Public Health
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
42. U.S. Military Aid to Central Asia 1999-2009: Security Priorities Trump Human Rights and Diplomacy
- Publication Date:
- 10-2010
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Commissioned by the Open Society Foundations Central Eurasia Project, U.S. Military Aid to Central Asia, 1999-2009: Security Priorities Trump Human Rights and Diplomacy analyzes U.S. military and police aid to Central Asian countries pre- and post-9/11. The research shows that the Pentagon established many new military and assistance programs, and that such programs contain six times the funds that are earmarked for the promotion of rule of law, democratic governance, and respect for human rights. The paper's findings suggest that the U.S. military has acquired an oversized impact on U.S. foreign policy toward Central Asia.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, Foreign Aid, Military Affairs, and Budget
- Political Geography:
- Central Eurasia
43. The Education of Migrant Children: An NGO Guide to EU Policies and Actions
- Publication Date:
- 11-2010
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Rising migration into Europe is now the largest factor of population growth among most EU member states. This trend is manifested in the area of education, where pupils of migrant origin comprise up to half or more of the total number of students in some schools. In these very diverse student bodies, there are higher-than-average rates of academic underachievement and early dropout, which are directly linked to problems of social marginalization, failure to integrate, and future unemployment. The education of migrant children and youth is, therefore, now viewed not only as an economic issue, but also most importantly as a political and human rights issue. As a result, education has become a key instrument in long-term integration and social inclusion strategies, and consequently a key policy area for the EU. This guide is intended as a tool for better understanding EU policies, responsibilities, and funding mechanisms related to the education of migrant children and youth within existing EU agendas on human rights, equal treatment, antidiscrimination, integration, social inclusion, and education and training.
- Topic:
- Education, Children, European Union, Youth, Unemployment, and Marginalization
- Political Geography:
- Europe
44. European Neighbourhood Policy: Implementation of the Objectives of the EU-Georgia Action Plan
- Publication Date:
- 01-2010
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Third in a series prepared by the Open Society Georgia Foundation, this report assesses implementation of the EU-Georgia Action Plan by experts from Georgian nongovernmental organizations. The report identifies and analyzes the problems that hampered the implementation of Georgia's international obligations in 2008-2009 in the following areas: development of a free institutional environment for the efficient functioning of media organizations; measures to improve the business and investment climate, stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty, ensure social equality, facilitate sustainable development, and harmonize economic legislation and administrative regulations; reinforcement of parliamentary oversight as a way to establish good management practices in the field of national security and defence and implement democratic control of armed forces, and expansion of EU-Georgia cooperation in battling common challenges.
- Topic:
- International Political Economy, Regional Cooperation, European Union, Regional Integration, and Regional Economy
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Georgia
45. A Timeline of U.S. Military Aid Cooperation with Uzbekistan
- Publication Date:
- 10-2010
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- "A Timeline of U.S. Military Aid Cooperation with Uzbekistan" tracks U.S.-Uzbek military cooperation from July 1994 to January 2010. Published by the Open Society Foundations, the paper serves as an appendix to the first paper in this series, "U.S. Military Aid to Central Asia 1999-2009: Security Priorities Trump Human Rights and Diplomacy."
- Topic:
- Diplomacy, Human Rights, Foreign Aid, and Military Affairs
- Political Geography:
- United States and Uzbekistan
46. The Trust Deficit: The Impact of Local Perceptions on Policy in Afghanistan
- Publication Date:
- 10-2010
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report from the Open Society Foundations highlights the erosion of Afghan confidence in international forces due to civilian casualties, wrongful and abusive detention operations, deteriorating security, and a lack of accountability. This distrust reflects a growing divide between the perceptions of the Western public and policymakers and those of Afghan citizens about the intentions and accomplishments of international forces in Afghanistan. The Trust Deficit: The Impact of Local Perceptions on Policy in Afghanistan recommends that the international community urgently address the underlying policies that are feeding these negative perceptions.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, War, International Security, Military Affairs, Military Intervention, War on Terror, Civilians, and Casualties
- Political Geography:
- Afghanistan
47. Uganda Election Report
- Publication Date:
- 10-2010
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This Open Society Foundations report assesses Uganda's level of preparedness to hold elections in February 2011 and makes recommendations for electoral reform ahead of the elections, if 2011 polls are to be credible. It highlights the disconnect between Uganda's legal framework in theory and that of its implementation in reality, and points to a level playing field in Ugandan politics.
- Topic:
- Elections, Democracy, Election watch, Domestic Policy, and Polls
- Political Geography:
- Uganda
48. Criminal Justice Performance from a Human Rights Perspective: Assessing the Transformation of the Criminal Justice System in Moldova
- Publication Date:
- 11-2009
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The aim of this report is to assess the extent of transformation of criminal justice in Moldova almost two decades after independence, and to uncover to what extent the Moldovan criminal justice system still exhibits the characteristics of a repressive state. Criminal Justice Performance from a Human Rights Perspective seeks to determine to what extent the objectives of the criminal justice system are understood and embraced by the criminal justice officials, and to what extent democratic and human rights protections are complied with in practice. The report seeks to understand public attitudes in relation to the criminal justice system and what this means for further reform of the criminal justice system. It also makes recommendations towards the further transformation of the Moldovan criminal justice system.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, Democracy, Criminal Justice, and Legal Sector
- Political Geography:
- Moldova
49. The Role of Human Rights in Ensuring Universal Access to HIV Testing and Counselling
- Publication Date:
- 10-2009
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Recent years have seen a significant expansion of HIV testing and counselling, a necessary pre-condition for achieving the goal of universal access to comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care, and support. However, HIV testing and counselling is not implemented fully and correctly unless human rights approaches are integrated into all aspects of its delivery. This includes not only respect for the "three C's" of pre-test information or counselling and post-test counselling, informed and voluntary consent to testing, and confidentiality of test results, but also ensuring an enabling environment that protects people from discrimination, violence, abandonment, ostracism, and other potential negative consequences of a positive test result. On October 12-13, the Open Society Public Health Program, the Secretariat of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS Secretariat), and the World Health Organization cosponsored the meeting, “The Role of Human Rights in Ensuring Universal Access to HIV Testing and Counselling." The purpose of the meeting was to bridge the gap between international guidance on HIV testing and counselling and the implementation of this guidance. The meeting participants represented a wide variety of constituencies, including people living with and affected by HIV, implementers of HIV testing programs, donors and representatives of multilateral agencies, researchers, and human rights advocates. They sought to reach a consensus on concrete strategies and specific activities to overcome two types of barriers to ensuring human rights in the practice of HIV testing and counselling: political/systemic barriers and technical barriers.
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, Health, Human Rights, Health Care Policy, Multilateralism, Advocacy, and Public Health
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
50. Rights Not Rescue
- Publication Date:
- 06-2009
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Sex workers are subjected to widespread human rights abuses, including police violence and unequal access to health care, in Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Despite enormous challenges, sex workers are organizing to protect their rights and demand an end to violence and discrimination. Published by the Open Society Institute, Rights Not Rescue is based on a series of interviews and focus groups with sex workers and advocates throughout the three countries.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, Health Care Policy, Violence, Police, Advocacy, and Sexual Health
- Political Geography:
- South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana
51. At What Cost? HIV and Human Rights Consequences of the Global "War on Drugs"
- Publication Date:
- 03-2009
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- A decade after governments worldwide pledged to achieve a "drug-free world," there is little evidence that the supply or demand of illicit drugs has been reduced. Instead, aggressive drug control policies have led to increased incarceration for minor offenses, human rights violations, and disease. This book examines the descent of the global war on drugs into a war on people who use drugs. From Puerto Rico to Phnom Penh, Manipur to Moscow, the scars of this war are carried on the bodies and minds of drug users, their families, and the health and service providers who work with them.
- Topic:
- Health, War on Drugs, and Drugs
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
52. HIV/AIDS, Human Rights, and Legal Services in Uganda
- Publication Date:
- 05-2008
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Widespread human rights abuses and lack of legal services is fueling Uganda's HIV epidemic, according to a report from the Open Society Initiative for East Africa (OSIEA) and OSI's Law and Health Initiative (LAHI). HIV/AIDS, Human Rights, and Legal Services in Uganda documents common abuses faced by people living with AIDS or at high risk of HIV, including: barriers to employment or education; discrimination in gaining access to medical care; violations of the right to medical privacy; forced HIV testing; and eviction from housing. According to the report, while the government of Uganda has addressed the medical effects of the HIV epidemic, it has paid little attention to the epidemic’s legal and human rights implications. This is especially true for marginalized populations who are most vulnerable to HIV-related human rights abuses: women (especially young women, widows, and women living in fishing communities); sex workers; orphans and vulnerable children; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; and internally displaced persons. The report recommends stronger enforcement of policies and legislation that offer clear protection against HIV-related stigma and discrimination. It calls for greater support to community-based groups that have sought to integrate legal support into HIV prevention and care programs. It also recommends strengthening legal mechanisms to help people living with HIV access justice. Local Council Courts appear to be the most utilized dispute resolution mechanism by communities, but these courts are not being used to address HIV-related infringement of rights.
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, Health, Human Rights, Health Care Policy, Discrimination, Legal Sector, and Epidemic
- Political Geography:
- Uganda and East Africa
53. Education for Migrant, Minority and Marginalised Children in Europe
- Publication Date:
- 01-2008
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In 2007, the Open Society Institute Education Support Program launched the Education for Migrants, Minorities and Marginalized children in Europe (EMMME) project to investigate the impact of education on social inclusion and issues of injustice in education for migrant children in Europe. EMMME research and mapping suggests considerable and growing disparities in access to quality education and increasing segregation in European schools. During the course of the EMMME project, two separate but interlinked documents were produced: Education for Migrant, Minority and Marginalized Children in Europe and Making the Mark? An Overview of Current Challenges in the Education for Migrant, Minority, and Marginalized Children in Europe. Education for Migrant, Minority and Marginalized Children in Europe collates up-to-date evidence on the educational realities that confront migrants, minorities, and marginalized groups in the European Union. The report identifies policy responses, legislative frameworks and local initiatives that seek to improve the educational position of children from migrant and minority groups. The reviewed literature emanates primarily from four countries in which groups with a migrant background make up a significant proportion of the national and school-going populations: France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.
- Topic:
- Education, Health, Minorities, Children, Marginalization, and Migrant Workers
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom
54. Monitoring Report: Albania in the Stabilisation and Association Process
- Publication Date:
- 10-2008
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- For the second consecutive year, the Open Society Foundation for Albania and a group of independent experts took the initiative of monitoring Albania's progress in the Stabilization and Association Agreement during the period October 1, 2007, to October 15, 2008. This report focuses on priority issues of EU-Albania relations, such as democracy and the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedoms, and home affairs, as well as the institutional framework of administrative capacities on management of the European integration process. The report provides recommendations to the government of Albania and central institutions in fulfilling European integration priorities. Monitoring and assessment was concentrated in tangible outcomes. This report succeeded an interim report (October 2007-March 2008) that was submitted to the European Commission in preparation of its Albania Progress Report 2008. The full report from the European Commission is also available in PDF format.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, European Union, Rule of Law, Regional Integration, Management, and Freedom
- Political Geography:
- Albania
55. LGBT Health and Rights in East Africa: A Snapshot of Successes and Challenges for the Advocacy Community
- Publication Date:
- 09-2007
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The Public Health Program’s Sexual Health and Rights Project (SHARP), in partnership with OSI foundations and initiatives in Africa, is exploring ways to expand support to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) health and rights efforts in Eastern and Southern Africa. SHARP gathered information about community needs, funding opportunities, and challenges by developing contacts with local advocates and groups and other donors, and by reviewing existing data and reports. While there is a tremendous amount of information available, it appears that those supporting the work sometimes have limited awareness of the full range of efforts being undertaken. In order for donors to work more effectively, it is important for this information gap to be bridged. The information in this report is organized into five topics: Challenges to the LBGT movement; LGBT groups operating in East Africa; reports and convenings focusing on LGBT issues in Africa; potential opportunities for future advocacy on LGBT issues; and recommended next steps for funders. We hope this analysis will help donors develop strategies and collaborations for supporting LGBT health and rights in the region.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, LGBT+, Advocacy, Community, and Transgender
- Political Geography:
- Africa
56. Closed to Reason: The International Narcotics Board and HIV/AIDS
- Publication Date:
- 02-2007
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In this report on the International Narcotics Control Board—a secretive UN-funded body responsible for monitoring compliance with the UN drug conventions—Daniel Wolfe, OSI International Harm Reduction Development Deputy Director, and Joanne Csete, Executive Director of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, detail the ways in which the Board rejects scientific evidence and expert legal analyses, praises governments that violate human rights, and stresses drug control at the expense of public health, blocking evidence-based efforts to address the epidemic of HIV among injecting drug users. Closed to Reason offers recommendations to increase the Board's accountability and transparency and to make it an effective part of the international response to HIV/AIDS.
- Topic:
- HIV/AIDS, Health, United Nations, Narcotics Trafficking, and Legal Sector
- Political Geography:
- Global Focus
57. Opportunities and Pitfalls: Preparing for Burma's Economic Transition
- Publication Date:
- 11-2006
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The Burma Project/Southeast Initiative has published Opportunities and Pitfalls: Preparing for Burma's Economic Transition, a report by Yuki Akimoto. This report emerged from the 2004 conference "Managing Economic Transitions: The Role of Global Institutions and Lessons for Burma/Myanmar," which was inspired by a prior conference regarding the role of international assistance in the economic reconstruction of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 2004 conference featured Nobel economics prize winner Joseph Stiglitz, who provided insights about the role that international financial institutions (IFIs) play in national development, and other speakers who discussed the experiences of economic transition in countries including Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and East Timor. Opportunities and Pitfalls covers key topics addressed at the conference regarding Burma's prospective economic transition and the role of IFIs. The report contains case studies of other countries that have dealt with IFIs and their prescriptions for development, highlighting issues and circumstances that Burma shares with those countries. Forward-looking and accessible, this report promises to stir practical debate about how Burma should manage the challenges of working with IFIs when these institutions become fully engaged there. Stiglitz describes Opportunities and Pitfalls as "a vital addition to the important discussion taking place today about Burma's future." The report is designed to be a useful guide for civil society activists, policymakers, academics, and journalists, including members of the Burmese diaspora democracy movement. Yuki Akimoto is an attorney who works on human rights and environmental issues concerning development aid to Burma, with a particular focus on IFIs. She has written articles for BurmaDebate, The Irrawaddy, and other publications. While the 2004 conference was co-hosted by the Open Society Institute, Bank Information Center, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, OSI funded the production of the report.
- Topic:
- Economics, International Political Economy, and Economic Development
- Political Geography:
- Burma
58. Sexual Health and Rights: Sex Workers, Transgender People & Men Who Have Sex with Men—Thailand
- Publication Date:
- 09-2006
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Sponsored by OSI's Sexual Health and Rights Project, Sexual Health and Rights: Sex Workers, Transgender People & Men Who Have Sex with Men-Thailand aims to provide an understanding of the health and rights of sex workers, men who have sex with men, and transgender people in Thailand, with a specific focus on HIV concerns. Conducted between January and March 2006 in Thailand, the study gathered information through document review and interviews. This material was collated and analyzed in workshops and interviews with men who have sex with men, transgender people (specifically male-to-female), and sex workers. Their experiences, priorities, and recommendations were collected and written up to form the basis of the document.
- Topic:
- LGBT+, Sexuality, Public Health, Sex Education, and Transgender
- Political Geography:
- Thailand
59. On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Serbia
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Currently Serbia is a diverse community with no social consensus on the majority of war crimes-related issues, as well as racism, homophobia, and gender equality. The conflict in values, ideologies, and goals is intense and persistent. At the same time, poverty, social exclusion, and violence are predominant characteristics, a way of life for marginalized groups, including women. One of the rare issues where consensus has emerged is a strong sense of affiliation and orientation towards the European Union (EU). To date, the EU has played an important if not crucial role in political and public rhetoric, although there remains an ostensible rift between the values it espouses and those that currently obtain in Serbia. Serbia’s parliament has enacted some important legislation vis-à-vis the state’s responsibility to protect political, social, and other human rights. Some gender-equality mechanisms have been introduced, but randomly funded. New institutions generally lack the requisite authority to stop and prevent discriminatory practices by those who violate other's rights or abuse their own power. This report is one of a seven-part series, "On the Road to the EU," prepared as part of the OSI Network Women’s Program's “Bringing the EU Home” Project. This three-year project aims to promote awareness, advocacy, and enforcement of equal opportunity legislation at the national level and to build the capacity of national actors in civil society to use EU-level gender equality mechanisms effectively. The project further aims to help increase the importance of equal opportunities on the European agenda. An assessment of the status of equal opportunities between women and men, de jure and de facto, was carried out in seven South Eastern European entities: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The reports were prepared in cooperation with the International Gender Policy Network.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, European Union, Women, Sexuality, Men, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Serbia
60. On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently undergoing integration into the international legal order, in compliance with international and European requirements to establish a general nondiscriminatory framework and adopt gender-specific legislation and measures. This is a positive step toward possible implementation of equal opportunities for women and men, but its impact is extremely limited in everyday practices. Although the government has made significant efforts with regard to "gender mainstreaming," there is a wide gap between de jure and de facto treatment. Although most of the relevant laws have incorporated the principle of equal opportunities for women and men, in practice women usually cannot realize those opportunities in either the private or public sectors. A truly gender-sensitive policy and practice has almost completely failed to materialize in the fields of economy, employment, education, social security, health care, and women's participation in decision-making bodies in public and political life. This report is one of a seven-part series, "On the Road to the EU," prepared as part of the OSI Network Women’s Program's "Bringing the EU Home" Project. This three-year project aims to promote awareness, advocacy, and enforcement of equal opportunity legislation at the national level and to build the capacity of national actors in civil society to use EU-level gender equality mechanisms effectively. The project further aims to help increase the importance of equal opportunities on the European agenda. An assessment of the status of equal opportunities between women and men, de jure and de facto, was carried out in seven South Eastern European entities: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The reports were prepared in cooperation with the International Gender Policy Network.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Women, Legislation, Sexuality, Men, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
61. On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in Albania
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Albania is preparing for eventual EU membership and is in the midst of bringing its legal framework in compliance with the requirements of EU directives and guidelines. In regard to gender equality, Albanian legislation has generally met priorities established in the Stabilization and Association Process (SAP) with the European Union. However, as the following report details, implementation of these laws faces major hurdles. In recent years, significant progress has been made in developing national legislation to promote the protection of women’s rights as basic human rights, and foster equality between women and men in the economy and in public life. The Albanian government has endorsed this equality by enacting the appropriate legislation, giving women equal rights and obligations with men. However, the absence of political mechanisms to effectively enforce the new laws has actually increased gender inequality, which directly impairs the process of economic development, democratization, and political stability. Without effective enforcement, gender stereotypes and traditional mentalities preserve the structural inequalities between women and men and unequal power relations between them. This report is one of a seven-part series, "On the Road to the EU," prepared as part of the OSI Network Women’s Program's “Bringing the EU Home” Project. This three-year project aims to promote awareness, advocacy, and enforcement of equal opportunity legislation at the national level and to build the capacity of national actors in civil society to use EU-level gender equality mechanisms effectively. The project further aims to help increase the importance of equal opportunities on the European agenda. An assessment of the status of equal opportunities between women and men, de jure and de facto, was carried out in seven South Eastern European entities: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The reports were prepared in cooperation with the International Gender Policy Network.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Women, Legislation, Sexuality, Men, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Albania
62. On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in South Eastern Europe
- Publication Date:
- 12-2006
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Women in South Eastern Europe have yet to attain full gender equality and are at severe disadvantage compared to their counterparts in the EU, according to On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in South Eastern Europe, a report sponsored by the Open Society Network Women's Program. Published as some of the countries in South Eastern Europe are set to join the EU or begin accession negotiations, the report provides a much-needed assessment of how the region is complying with EU standards on gender equality. Although many countries in South Eastern Europe have made progress over the past three years in bringing national laws on gender equality into line with the EU, much remains to be done. Among other findings, the report shows that more than half the women in the region are without jobs, with the highest rate of unemployment—70 percent—in Kosovo. In Croatia, which is expected to join the EU in 2010, the number of employed women has fallen by about 6.5 percent since 2000. The statistics on gender pay gaps are equally troubling. On average, women in South Eastern Europe make 25 percent less than men, with the difference rising to 80 percent in Kosovo. Other affronts to women’s rights in the workplace persist. In Macedonia, for example, the law does not prevent employers from discriminating against pregnant women and mothers. And throughout much of South Eastern Europe, women who return from maternity leave have no guarantee in resuming their previous position. Gender and age discrimination in advertisements remains widespread in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Montenegro. In Albania, for example, most advertisements for private-sector secretarial, assistant, or sales positions list a preference for women under 25, while those for managerial positions ask for men to apply. A seven-part series, On the Road to the EU was prepared as part of the Open Society Network Women’s Program's “Bringing the EU Home” Project. This three-year project aims to promote awareness, advocacy, and enforcement of equal opportunity legislation at the national level and to build the capacity of national actors in civil society to use EU-level gender equality mechanisms effectively. The project further aims to help increase the importance of equal opportunities on the European agenda. An assessment of the status of equal opportunities between women and men, de jure and de facto, was carried out in seven South Eastern European entities: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The reports were prepared in cooperation with the International Gender Policy Network.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Women, Legislation, Sexuality, Men, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Eastern Europe and Southern Europe
63. Covering Oil: A Reporter's Guide to Energy and Development
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In most resource-rich countries, natural wealth does not translate into prosperity for the majority of inhabitants, but instead leads to environmental and economic devastation, and hampers democratic reform. Only an informed public can hold leaders to account. Yet local reporting often overlooks the legal, economic, and environmental implications of resource extraction. Covering Oil: A Reporter's Guide to Energy and Development, a collaborative work of the Open Society Foundation's Revenue Watch program and the Initiative for Policy Dialogue, aims to encourage rigorous reporting on these issues by providing practical information about the petroleum industry and the impact of resource wealth on a producing country. The guidebook comes out of a series of workshops for journalists in the oil-exporting countries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Nigeria, during which participants expressed a need for more information to help them understand the issues surrounding resource exploitation. In response to these consultations, Covering Oil outlines the fundamentals of petroleum contracts, provides a glossary of relevant economic theory, and presents case studies of major public policy issues. Covering Oil is the second in a series of Revenue Watch guidebooks targeting various audiences involved in the promotion of transparency and democratic accountability. The first, Follow the Money: A Guide to Monitoring Budgets and Oil and Gas Revenues, was aimed at nongovernmental organizations.
- Topic:
- Energy Policy, Oil, Natural Resources, Democracy, Journalism, and Fossil Fuels
- Political Geography:
- Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Nigeria
64. Protecting the Future: Constitutional Safeguards for Iraq's Oil Revenues
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Published by the Open Society Iraq Revenue Watch, the following report argues that Iraq's future peace and security depend on instituting constitutional safeguards guaranteeing financial accountability and the equitable division of oil revenues. Protecting the Future: Constitutional Safeguards for Iraq's Oil Revenues comes as the new Iraqi government prepares to draft the country's first permanent constitution since Saddam Hussein was ousted. The report urges lawmakers to protect against oil-sector corruption and mismanagement. Protecting the Future also warns of civil conflict unless oil revenues are fairly distributed among Iraq's ethnic and religious groups. In Iraq, rifts over oil revenues run deep, as Iraqi Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmen struggle for control of oil-rich Kirkuk. Without constitutional provisions that protect its oil revenues, Iraq is likely to follow the path of so many other natural resource-rich nations that are dogged by corruption and bad governance. Most oil-dependent states have “ultra-presidential” governments, which enable the executive branch to use resource revenues as it sees fit. Protecting the Future explores ways that Iraq can avoid this trap by embedding measures for accountability into the future Iraqi constitution. The report recommends provisions that make clear which agencies are responsible for the development and implementation of the Iraqi budget, and grant oversight of oil revenues to all branches of government—executive, legislative, and judicial.
- Topic:
- Oil, Natural Resources, Governance, Oversight, and Revenue Management
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
65. Restoring American Leadership
- Publication Date:
- 04-2005
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Cosponsored by the Open Society Foundations and the Security and Peace Institute (a joint program of the Center for American Progress and The Century Foundation), Restoring American Leadership: 13 Cooperative Steps to Advance Social Progress offers a starting point for restoring America's international alliances. The papers in the report, written by experts in 13 fields, recommend how President George W. Bush can make progress in areas where his personal commitment to action is needed and where global alliances can help strengthen the national security goals of the United States. Restoring American Leadership covers a wide range of topics, from international cooperation in the war on terror, to curbing proliferation of nuclear weapons, to advancing the rights of women across the globe. Each paper offers a specific set of recommendations for executive action by the president consistent with his stated values, as well as a brief overview of the administration's position on the issue to date.
- Topic:
- Foreign Policy, Diplomacy, International Cooperation, Leadership, and War on Terror
- Political Geography:
- United States and Global Focus
66. Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities: Access to Education and Employment
- Publication Date:
- 08-2005
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Produced by the Open Society EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program and Mental Health Initiative, Rights of People with Intellectual Disabilities: Access to Education and Employment is a series of 12 country reports on the rights of people with intellectual disabilities in Europe. The reports monitor the degree to which existing international standards and national legislation are heeded and applied. Each report includes specific policy recommendations targeting both domestic and international decisionmakers.
- Topic:
- Human Rights, Disability, Mental Health, and Domestic Policy
- Political Geography:
- Greece, Estonia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, and Latvia
67. Equal Opportunities for Women and Men
- Publication Date:
- 05-2005
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Gender equality is still far from being a reality in Central and Eastern Europe, according to the report Equal Opportunities for Women and Men: Monitoring Law and Practice in New Member States and Accession Countries of the European Union, published by OSI's Network Women's Program. The findings and recommendations in Equal Opportunities for Women and Men are based on monitoring conducted by national gender equality experts and local NGO representatives in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Turkey. The report describes existing national institutional mechanisms, policies, and programs on gender equality, and highlights several shortcomings. The research identified a general lack of awareness among men and women about how gender inequality affects their daily lives as well as a lack of political will to enforce existing national and EU gender equality policies. The report's key recommendations include a call for governments to establish regular monitoring of how equal pay principles are practiced in both the public and private sectors and making these monitoring results public; they urge the governments in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Poland to adopt official gender equality strategies; and appeal to all governments to collect gender disaggregated statistical data, without which gender equality policies can hardly be successful.
- Topic:
- Gender Issues, Women, Men, and Equality
- Political Geography:
- Turkey, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, and Slovakia
68. Beyond the Mountains: The Unfinished Business of Haiti
- Publication Date:
- 07-2004
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In early 2004, the 200th anniversary of Haiti's independence, violence once again burst into flame as rebel soldiers overran much of the country and forced President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to resign. The country the soldiers fought over is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, one of the poorest anywhere. Its infrastructure—roads, electricity, water, sanitation—is deteriorating, almost to the point of nonexistence. The schools cannot make a dent in the illiteracy rate. The health care system cannot stop the spread of preventable diseases. The months of political violence, following years of government repression, have made living conditions worse—at least in the short term. The international community, which reduced its presence in Haiti several years ago in response to the corruption and mismanagement of the government, must now return to help Haiti recover, restore order and stability, and complete the job of establishing truly democratic values and institutions. The few bright spots in the chaos and dysfunction that have overwhelmed Haiti are a small number of successful civic organizations that desperately need funding to survive and expand. FOKAL, the Soros foundation in Haiti, is a leading force among these grassroots groups. FOKAL stands for the Fondasyon Konesans Ak Libète in Creole (in French, the Fondation Connaissance & Liberté). Its programs improve conditions for young people and rural communities, instilling optimism and hope and a commitment to work for the common good. Through civic organizations such as the ones described in this report, Haitians are tackling a mountain range of problems. A strong civil society offers the only lasting solution to political repression and violence. This report tells the story of FOKAL and some of the programs that deserve support because they work in a country where so much doesn't. It is a journey through the unfinished business of Haiti.
- Topic:
- Political Violence, Civil Society, Development, Infrastructure, and Repression
- Political Geography:
- Haiti
69. Racing the Deadline: The Rush to Account for Iraq's Public Funds
- Publication Date:
- 04-2004
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report, the sixth in a series from Iraq Revenue Watch, criticizes the timetable set by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board (IAMB) for review of expenditures by the Coalition Provisional Authority’s Development Fund for Iraq (DFI). According to the report, “Under its current mandate, the IAMB has less than three months to account for $7.3 billion of DFI expenditures made by the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). Unless the Board is able to work beyond June 30, there is no way it can provide an accurate and public accounting for so much money.” Furthermore, the report concludes that “the delay and absence of IAMB oversight of the CPA is particularly worrying in light of recent reports by inspector generals at the Pentagon, USAID, and the General Accounting Office noting pervasive violations of contracting procedures in the allocation of U.S. and Iraqi funds for the reconstruction of Iraq.” These problems are only exacerbated by the lack of Iraqi involvement in the IAMB, the report notes, bringing into question the legitimacy of the IAMB’s operations in the eyes of the people it was designed to serve.
- Topic:
- Military Affairs, Budget, Revenue Management, and Public Spending
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
70. Opening the Books: Transparent Budgeting for Iraq
- Publication Date:
- 04-2004
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report, the fifth in a series by the Open Society Iraq Revenue Watch, evaluates the level of transparency in budget reporting by the Baghdad-based Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). On the eve of the transition to a new Iraqi government, the report finds that although the CPA’s financial procedures and documents have improved, they still fail to meet internationally recognized standards for fiscal decision-making and reporting. The report calls upon the CPA and the Governing Council to make further improvements in accordance with these standards. Budgetary transparency and accountability can help assure that Iraq does not revert to the tyranny of secrecy practiced under Saddam Hussein.
- Topic:
- Military Affairs, Transparency, and Revenue Management
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
71. Disorder, Negligence, and Mismanagement
- Publication Date:
- 10-2004
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Recent audits expose serious failures in American oversight of Iraq’s revenues and U.S. reconstruction funds, according to a report by the Open Society Institute’s Iraq Revenue Watch project. The audits—released in late July by the Coalition Provisional Authority Inspector General (CPA-IG)—paint a picture of disorder and negligence. Contractors made little effort to control costs, while the Coalition Provisional Authority, which was in charge of managing Iraqi reconstruction funds, failed to adhere to federally mandated procedures for awarding and overseeing contracts. “The CPA did not do its job regarding the oversight of reconstruction funds,” said Svetlana Tsalik, director of the Revenue Watch project. “It failed to stop the misuse and waste of money that belonged to the Iraqi people and American taxpayers.” An analysis of the data suggests that of $1.5 billion in contracts, the CPA awarded U.S. firms 74 percent of the value of all contracts paid for with Iraqi funds. Together with its British allies, U.S. and U.K. companies received 85 percent of the value of all such contracts. Iraqi firms, by contrast, received just 2 percent of the value of contracts paid for with Iraqi funds. “Government favorites such as Kellogg, Brown and Root benefited at the expense of Iraqi companies whose workers badly need jobs,” said Tsalik. The report, the sixth in a series by Iraq Revenue Watch, finds that 60 percent of the value of all contracts paid with Iraqi funds went to Halliburton subsidiary Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR)—the same company that Pentagon auditors in December 2003 found had overcharged the U.S. government for as much as $61 million for fuel imports into Iraq. A criminal investigation of KBR was launched by the Department of Defense in February 2004. The CPA-IG audits confirm the findings of previous ones. A report released in July 2004 by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board, the watchdog body set up by the United Nations, found numerous problems in the CPA’s control and use of Iraqi oil assets during the occupation. These include the absence of oil metering to control theft, poor record-keeping on oil sales, an absence of oversight of spending by the Iraqi ministries, the use of noncompetitive bidding procedures for some contracts, and the CPA’s refusal to transmit crucial information to the UN-mandated body. A recent Pentagon audit of KBR’s billing system, which shows that systematic deficiencies in the company’s accounting and billing procedures incurred significant costs to U.S taxpayers and to Iraqi oil revenues, is further proof of mismanagement. Following the model of its American predecessor, the Iraq interim government to date has provided scant information about how it is managing Iraq’s oil revenues.
- Topic:
- Oil, United Nations, Military Affairs, Budget, Transparency, and Revenue Management
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
72. Controlling Iraq’s Skies: The Secret Sell-Off of Iraq’s Air Industry
- Publication Date:
- 02-2004
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In this report the Open Society Iraq Revenue Watch (IRW) looks at Iraq’s national air transport sector, which is presently controlled by the American-led Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA). Despite CPA claims that it intends to return control of the country’s air industry to the Iraqi people, a document obtained by the Open Society Foundations shows that a backroom deal has already sold off 75 percent of the country’s air sector to a single family. The IRW argues that the secret deal is one among a number of suspect agreements that have occurred under the radar in a chaotic post-war Iraq. The report’s authors caution that Iraq risks following a similar path as Russia, where a class of oligarchs emerged after the fall of communism by buying up state assets at below market prices. Controlling Iraq’s Skies recommends that this contract be frozen and an investigation be launched by the International Advisory and Monitoring Board, as well as by the CPA Inspector General. The report also calls on the CPA to compensate Iraqi Airways for damage to its facilities committed by occupying forces, and fees for the use of its facilities.
- Topic:
- Military Affairs, Budget, Public Sector, Iraq War, Air Force, and Revenue Management
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
73. Aspirations and Reality: British Muslims and the Labour Market
- Publication Date:
- 07-2004
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- British Muslims face severe obstacles in the United Kingdom's labor market and have a disproportionately high rate of unemployment, according to this report from OSI's EU Monitoring and Advocacy Program (EUMAP). Aspirations and Reality: British Muslims and the Labour Market calls for more effort to meet the employment aspirations and needs of Muslims in the UK, especially Muslim women and young Muslims. "Government, the private sector, and Muslims themselves must ensure that British Muslims are not left out of the workforce," said the report's author, Zamila Bunglawala, who co-authored the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit report on Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market. British Muslims seeking employment face multiple obstacles, ranging from gaps in mainstream labor market policy and employer practices, poor service delivery and a lack of faith-friendly work environments. The extent to which Muslims face religious discrimination in the labor market is unknown; the report stressed that further analysis is needed to improve the understanding of the British Muslim group as a whole. Muslim youths are at particular risk of social exclusion. With Muslims set to comprise almost a quarter of the growth in the working age population in Britain between 1999 and 2009, integrating British Muslims into the mainstream labor market must now be a priority for the government, the report concludes.
- Topic:
- Islam, Religion, Labor Issues, Minorities, and European Union
- Political Geography:
- United Kingdom
74. Monitoring Minority Protection in EU Member States
- Publication Date:
- 07-2003
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- These documents, prepared by the EU Accession Monitoring Program of the Open Society Institute, assess the state of minority protection in 10 Central and Eastern European states seeking full membership in the European Union and in five current member states. The reports examine candidate states' implementation of their minority protection or integration programmes, and each state's laws, institutions, and practices relating to minority protection of Roma or Muslims.
- Topic:
- Islam, Law, Minorities, European Union, Civil Rights, Institutions, Political Rights, and Freedom of Religion
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Eastern Europe
75. Caspian Oil Windfalls: Who Will Benefit?
- Author:
- Svetlana Tsalik
- Publication Date:
- 05-2003
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Caspian Oil Windfalls: Who Will Benefit?, a publication from the Central Eurasia Project's Caspian Revenue Watch, calls for greater accountability, transparency, and public oversight in the oil and natural gas industries of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. It urges foreign oil companies, their home governments, and international financial institutions to promote good governance and democracy in both countries to ensure that petroleum revenues generate social prosperity and stable governments. Written by Svetlana Tsalik, director of the Caspian Revenue Watch, the report also offers recommendations based on in-depth analysis of natural resource funds in other nations as well as models of citizen oversight. The foreword was written by Joseph E. Stiglitz, the former chief economist of the
- Topic:
- Oil, Natural Resources, Accountability, Public Policy, Transparency, and Fossil Fuels
- Political Geography:
- Caspian Sea and Central Eurasia
76. Keeping Secrets: America and Iraq’s Public Finances
- Publication Date:
- 10-2003
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- Keeping Secrets, a report from the Open Society Iraq Revenue Watch project, concludes that Iraq’s public finances have so far fallen short of international standards of accountability. The report was released on the eve of an international donors’ conference for Iraq in Madrid, scheduled for October 23–24. It calls for greater transparency in the management of the Development Fund for Iraq (DFI), the central repository for U.S. reconstruction assistance as well as Iraqi oil and gas revenues. The Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA)—the U.S.-established governing agency in Iraq—has delayed the establishment of a crucial oversight body and refused to disclose basic information about large purchase contracts and DFI expenditures, the report says. Keeping Secrets calls on the CPA to reverse these trends and offers a set of recommendations, including increased Iraqi involvement in the DFI, more substantial oversight authority for the United Nations’ International Advisory and Monitoring Board, and better public access to information.
- Topic:
- Finance, Accountability, Public Sector, Fiscal Policy, Transparency, and Public Spending
- Political Geography:
- United States and Iraq
77. Iraq’s Reconstruction Contracts: Telecommunications
- Publication Date:
- 09-2003
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- In late July 2003, Iraq’s Coalition Provisional Authority announced a tender to provide wireless telecommunications services for two years to Iraq. Expanding telephone access is a critical step toward improving Iraqis’ lives. Telecommunications contracts also provide lucrative opportunities for providers. If the United States is to succeed in its goal of building a capable and transparent public administration in Iraq, it is important that Iraqis are included in the contracting process and that the terms of the tender are not designed to preference U.S. companies. This report from the Iraq Revenue Watch project of the Open Society Central Eurasia Project describes some concerns with the mobile phone tender, and provides recommendations on how to improve the transparency and inclusiveness of subsequent tenders.
- Topic:
- Communications, Iraq War, and Revenue Management
- Political Geography:
- Iraq
78. Inside Baltimore's Safety Net
- Publication Date:
- 07-2001
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- This report presents data from a series of surveys of safety net organizations, clients who access care at these sties, and the providers who work there. The goal of this project was to identify issues and needs facing clients at these sites and the unique role of safety net organizations in meeting these needs. An additional goal was to identify potential challenges to the mission and capacity of this network of providers that is caring for society’s most vulnerable and needy individuals. The surveys were conducted by medical students participating in the Soros Service Program for Community Health. This summer internship, part of the Open Society Institute’s Medicine as a Profession initiative, places first year medical students from around the country in community-based organizations for a seven-week internship. The students get to experience first-hand issues facing patients trying to access care in the face of poverty, addiction, abuse, and homelessness. They receive mentoring from a very talented and committed team of community providers and participate in an intensive curriculum that focuses on issues of professionalism facing physicians. The goal is to introduce students early in their education and training to positive examples of empowered communities and providers serving the needs of traditionally disenfranchised patient populations and to introduce the concepts and practice of patient advocacy.
- Topic:
- Labor Issues, Employment, Inequality, Public Policy, Welfare, and Public Health
- Political Geography:
- United States
79. Monitoring the EU Accession Process: Judicial Independence
- Publication Date:
- 09-2001
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Open Society Foundations
- Abstract:
- The EU Accession Monitoring Program of the Open Society Institute was initiated in 2000 to encourage independent monitoring of the process by which the European Union is considering applications for membership from the ten candidate States of Central and Eastern Europe. The Program aims to contribute to this historic process by producing monitoring reports to complement the evaluations already being conducted by the European Commission, as reflected in its annual “Regular Reports” on candidate States’ progress towards meeting accession criteria. The enlargement of the European Union is a positive development, and independent monitoring is one means of magnifying its beneficial effects, both within the candidate States and in the EU itself.
- Topic:
- Regional Cooperation, European Union, and Nation-State
- Political Geography:
- Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Latvia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Slovakia