While statistics on the number and percentage of persons formally accused of crime who are detained in custody pending trial are problematic, available evidence suggests that in practice, pretrial detention is far from being the “exception to the rule” that international law demands. In many countries the international standards are not observed. Globally, at any…
Things are changing — slowly but surely — in the world of legal empowerment and legal aid. In Sierra Leone, the Parliament recently enacted “one of the most progressive legal aid laws in Africa—with an innovative approach to providing access to justice for all that will reinforce the rule of law,” as noted by the…
I am happy to support the folks over at whydev in their new initiative. whydev has been a wonderful site and resource for me: I love their honest, compassionate take on aid and development, which takes a more uplifting outlook than many websites on aid work out there (while still remaining critical – no easy…
This Friday, I want to feature something a little different. Not an organization, but a little-known new UN Resolution which is truly groundbreaking. In a number of countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, access to legal services (even when accused of a crime) is unfortunately not a guaranteed human right. In the U.S., our…
Today, I have a fun interview with Ryan Schuette and Tara Smith, co-founders of Peace Tree Africa, an NGO that focuses on sustainable development in Cameroon. Ryan and Tara are a delightful couple who are partners not only in their development work, but in love—they recently got engaged on Valentine’s Day on live TV! I first…
As my last post discussed, I’m fascinated by the idea of what goes on behind the screen across the world. What is everyday life like, despite the media sensationalism and rhetoric focusing on the worst parts of any society? In my last post, I wrote about media representations of rape in the DRC, and how…
Women Under Siege is a fascinating new initiative of the Women’s Media Center that focuses on rape and sexual violence used as tools of control in instances of war, conflict, and genocide throughout the world. The project is spearheaded by Gloria Steinem and hopes to increase our understanding of the causes of mass sexual assaults…
A new article by Kathryn Mathers called “Mr. Kristof, I Presume? saving Africa in the footsteps of Nicholas Kristof” is a scathing – and much needed – critique of Nick Kristof’s reporting. Not only this, but Mathers delves into the deeper history of American relations with Africa, and how we came to the current age…
Here is another one of my favorite TED talks that I recently watched. Bunker Roy speaks about the Barefoot College he has helped create to train the poor for practical jobs including engineering, architecture, solar installation, and even dentistry! What is most impressive about Bunker Roy is his emphasis on *really* listening to the poor and…
I absolutely love this TED Talk by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon on women entrepreneurs. She writes about all the entrepreneurs she’s met in her travels to Afghanistan and Rwanda – women who are seeking real investment, not microfinance. Who want to open factories, export their products, and hire hundreds of people. Who want $500,000 investments, not…
