Archbishop Tutu Fellowship Programme 2017 for Young African Leaders

Application Deadline: 15th January 2017.

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be taken at (country): South Africa). Other locations will be split between Oxford University and London (UK)

About the Award:  Offered on a part-time basis over six months, the Programme includes two 9-day Group Learning Modules with an impressive array of distinguished leaders and faculty. These are intensive interactive workshops; one at the historic Mont Fleur conference facility (South Africa), and the other split between Oxford University and London (UK).

The video below explains effectively how our program works.

The Programme has been designed specifically for African leaders in consultation with our African faculty and advisors and with Oxford, whose famous tutorial style has been adopted. It provides participants with an intensive learning and broadening experience on the principles and application of leadership, and an opportunity to explore the issues and specific characteristics of leadership in Africa, as well as the global challenges and dimensions of an African leader.

The programme places emphasis on learning and experiencing, not teaching, offering a variety of formal and innovative informal learning opportunities to enhance the leadership capabilities of the candidate. Emphasis is also placed on peer interaction and feedback, and the participants highly value being able to share pan-African perspectives and experiences. Overall it provides a unique environment for mid-career self reflection on one’s leadership journey in transforming Africa, and has been described as life changing by many participants.

Upon completing the Programme, Tutu Fellows return to play active roles in their respective communities, countries and spheres of influence. Great value is placed upon becoming a member of an established exclusive and supportive network of Africa’s future leaders – the Tutu Fellows. As part of this network of global leaders, all Fellows are expected to attend AFLI alumni events, as well as function as ambassadors for the Fellowship across all segments of society.

Type: Fellowship

Selection Criteria: In terms of selection criteria, AFLI emphasizes integrity, strong values and responsibility, courage and a demonstrated ability to lead and inspire. A candidate must demonstrate a commitment to Africa and to serving the greater community. We seek leaders not managers.

Selection Process: Competition is extremely tough for the 20 fellowship places available; each year we receive over 200 top quality nominations from all over Africa, which are put forward by our existing Fellows, Partners and network of influential leaders.

Only once candidates have been nominated, may they submit an application to AFLI.

Number of Awardees: 20

Value of Fellowship: 

• Entry into awards
• Thought-leadership and speaking opportunities
• Advocacy opportunities
• Networking opportunities and network memberships
• Access to projects, causes and campaigns
• Collaborating with like-minded peers on projects
• Job opportunities
• Pan-African exposure
• Attendance of multi-country meetings
• Leadership of, and participation in, multi-country organisations and projects
• International exposure
• Opportunities for ongoing debate and knowledge-exchange
• Profiling in the media
• Peer to Peer accountability
• Selected as board members or trustees to high profile companies/organisations

Duration of Fellowship: The next program is in April 2017 and will hold for a year.

How to Apply: Only once candidates have been nominated, may they submit an application to AFLI.

Visit Fellowship Webpage for details

Award Provider: African Leadership Institute (AFLI)

Online Course: Take IELTS Academic Test Preparation Offered By University of Queensland Australia

Enrolment: ongoing (take on-demand)

Timeline: 5-10 hours per week for 8 weeks

Skill Level: Beginner (introductory)

Course of Study: IELTS (International English language Testing system)| Course Platform:edX.org

Created by: The University of Queensland Australia

Cost: Free

About the Course

IELTS is the world’s most popular English language test for those wanting to study in higher education in an English-speaking country. This IELTS course will prepare you to take the IELTS Academic tests with confidence. You will have immediate access to over 80 hours of interactive practice materials covering each of the four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.

This innovative preparation course has been designed and written by experienced English teaching professionals from The University of Queensland, an IELTS testing centre and one of the world’s leading centres of learning. All of the course writers have extensive experience enabling students to reach their academic IELTS goal of entering a university where English is the primary language.

Eligibility requirement

None. This course is suitable for anyone preparing to take the Academic IELTS test.

Certificate offered? Yes, for a fee.

How to Enrol

Visit Course Webpage to Enrol.

Important Notes: As the course is self-paced, you can complete all of the course units in sequence, or only select the areas you want to focus on to prepare for the IELTS Academic tests. Then, when you are ready, you can test yourself with an IELTS-style practice exam for each skill. In completing this course, you will feel fully prepared to complete the IELTS Academic tests.

Columbia University ISHR Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) Fellowship for Developing Countries 2017

Application Deadline: 11:59 GMT, 31st January, 2017.

Eligible Countries: Low and Middle Income countries

To be taken at (country): Columbia University, USA

About the Award: The program leverages the resources of Columbia University and international organizations such as Human Rights Watch and WITNESS to provide proven grassroots leaders with skill-building and networking opportunities.

Through workshops, seminars, Columbia University classes and meetings with policy makers and potential funders, participants will share their experiences, reflect critically on their strategies, and plan future campaigns.

The Program is designed for lawyers, journalists, doctors, teachers, social workers, community organizers, and other human rights activists working with NGOs on issues including sexual and gender-based violence, minority rights, LGBT rights, labor rights, migration, health, social exclusion, environmental justice, disability rights, and corporate social accountability.

Type: Fellowship

Selection Criteria: Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience in human rights, commitment to the human rights field, and demonstrated ability to pursue graduate-level studies. Full-time students or government officials will not be considered. Applicants holding full or part-time jobs pursuing their advocacy efforts are preferred.

Advocates must work at the grassroots level. Applicants from high-income countries will not be considered except for those representing marginalized communities.

Advocates must provide proof of institutional endorsement in English from their organizations for their participation in the Program and must commit to returning to that organization upon completion of the Program.

Only one application per organization should be submitted. More than one application means all applications from that organization will be disqualified. It is up to the applicant to make sure no one else from the organization has applied.

Value of Program: ISHR makes every effort to provide full funding to cover participants’ program costs as well as travel and housing. A stipend is also provided for basic costs.

Duration of Program: The program typically starts in late August/early September and ends before the middle of December. Exact dates vary year to year and will be listed on the application.

How to Apply: It is required to go through the application requirements and FAQ of the Program before applying

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: The Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR), Columbia University

University of Copenhagen PhD Scholarships for International Students 2017/2018

Application Deadline: 22nd January, 2017

Eligible Countries: International

To be taken at (country): Denmark

Eligible Fields of Study: The PhD projects must be related to a research area in one of the following departments:

1. SAXO Institute

2. Department of Cross-Cultural and Regional Studies

3. Department of Arts and Cultural Studies

4. Royal School of Library and Information Science (RSLIS)

Applications which do not fall within the research areas of the above mentioned departments will not be taken into consideration for a PhD scholarship.

Type: PhD

Eligibility: 

• Applicants need to hold a two-year Master’s degree (120 ECTS) or the equivalent.
• Applicants shall have submitted their thesis at the time of application, to the extent the thesis forms part of their Master program.
• In case you have not obtained your diploma by the application deadline, you must include a statement (pre-approval) from your university that declares that you have been awarded the master degree.

Selection: The applicant’s qualifications for the scholarship are evaluated by taking into account the applicants’ general educational and academic background such as the applicants’ grade average, thesis grade, language competencies, publications and other academic activities given by the curriculum vitae as well as the duration of study especially during the applicants’ MA programme.

In addition, the proposed PhD project and study plan will be evaluated by taking the following into consideration; originality, choice of theory and method, disciplinary relevance, and prospects for completion within the required timeframe of 36 months.

Furthermore, applicants are encouraged to reflect on how their projects are related to the research activities and the academic profile of the department in which they wish to be affiliated with.

Number of Awardees: 16

Duration of Scholarship:  three years.

How to Apply: The following enclosures to the application must be submitted:

• A copy of the applicant’s Master’s degree diploma and transcript of records
• Bachelor degree diploma and transcript of records
• If the MA diploma and/or examination records are in another language than English, German, French, Danish, Norwegian or Swedish, please include a translation into either of these languages in your application.
• Curriculum Vitae
• Project proposal (must not exceed 12,000 characters. For further information see below)

Do not upload ZIP files and do not submit any publications, recommendations or your Master thesis.

The Faculty will dismiss applications, which do not adhere to the formal requirements.

An electronic application form will be available at this webpage by mid-December 2016.

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details

Award Provider: University of Copenhagen

France: International Fashion Academy (IFA) Fully-funded Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships 2017

Application Deadline: 31st May, 2017

Eligible Countries: International

To be taken at (country): France

About the Award: Applicants can only apply for one of the three scholarship types offered by IFA Paris above for any Bachelor or Master/MBA course. If the applicant is not awarded the scholarship, he/she cannot apply for another scholarship and has to go through the regular paying admission process if he/she still wants to join IFA Paris, so choose the scholarship type wisely! Please see the below tabs for details:

Type: Bachelor or Master/MBA course

Eligibility: 

Undergraduate

• All applicants at the Undergraduate Bachelor level need to be high school graduates or equivalent.
• At least 18 years of age. (you can apply before you are 18, but should be at least 18 when you start at IFA Paris)
• Non-native English speakers need to provide an IELTS score of 5.5 or above, or a TOEFL score of 65 or above. Alternatively, provide an English training certificate.
• Strong motivation in fashion design or fashion business area.
• Fill in the online application form and upload: latest high school transcript, copy of high school diploma or equivalence, Motivation letter, Resume/CV, passport photo and copy of passport.
• If you are applying for the Bachelor in Fashion Design & Technology, you can attach your portfolio (not required).
• €150 Application fee.
• Interview (on campus or Skype).

Postgraduate

• All applicants at the Postgraduate Master/MBA level need to be Bachelor graduates.
• Ideally have a Bachelor degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Media & Communication and Fashion Design related fields.
• Non-native English speakers need to provide an IELTS score of 6.5 or above, or a TOEFL score of 79 or above. Alternatively, provide an English training certificate
• Significant professional experience in related fields preferred, but not required (internships are taken into account).
• Fill in the online application form and upload: latest transcript, copy of Bachelor diploma or equivalence, Motivation letter, Resume/CV, passport photo and copy of passport.
• If you are applying for the Master of Arts in Contemporary Fashion Design, we require a portfolio.
• €150 Application fee.
• Interview (on campus or Skype).
• Online entrance exam.

Selection Criteria:

• Excellent GPA
• Impressive extracurricular activities or professional experience

All other scholarship requirements such as English level are the same as for regular admission. Candidates are expected to check the Admission tab of their desired program page or head to the Admissions Requirements page (see in link below) .

Number of Awardees: Not specified

Value of Scholarship: IFA Paris awards three types of scholarships for its undergraduate and postgraduate programs to support outstanding candidates according to their profile and financial situation.

• Full Scholarship (100% free tuition)
• Excellence Scholarship (40% tuition fee reduction)
• Distinction Scholarship (20% tuition fee reduction)

How to Apply: In addition to the files required for the normal application, scholarship applicants have to provide the below documents:

• Motivation letter (Why you’re applying for a scholarship? Why should IFA Paris award you a scholarship? Why did you choose this program and how it will help you achieve your goals?) This replaces the required motivation letter in the normal application process.
• For the creative programs Bachelor in Fashion Design & Technology and Master of Arts in Contemporary Fashion Design, scholarship applicants must provide a portfolio.
• For MBA programs only, please provide 3 reference letters.

Please create your IFA Paris Online Application Account. You will fill out all the infos and choose the program you are applying for. In the Upload documents section, you will upload this Scholarship Application Form. Scholarship applicants will be notified if the scholarship has been awarded once all the documents are provided and the application fee has been paid, so the sooner you provide everything, the sooner you will find out.

Visit Scholarship Webpage for details

Award Provider: IFA Paris Fashion School

A.S Hornby Educational Trust Scholarships 2017. Fully-funded for Masters at the University of Warwick, UK

Application Deadline: 12.00 midday UK time Monday 16th January 2017.

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: International students

To be taken at (country): University or Warwick, UK

Eligible Field of Study: English language

About Scholarship: The A.S.Hornby Educational Trust scholarships are awarded every year to English language teachers from outside the UK to study for Masters in ELT at the University of Warwick. The Trust was set up by A.S.Hornby in 1961 to support English language teaching worldwide.

A.S.Hornby had a distinguished career in English language teaching and developed the Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary, which is still published in its 8th edition by Oxford University Press. The Trust is a registered charity in the UK. The scholarships fund study on the one-year Masters in ELT at the University of Warwick

Offered Since: 1961

Type: Masters degree

Eligibility

• Eligible applicants for the scholarship award must have at least two years’ full-time ELT experience and a full university degree, and must be a citizen of the country from which they apply.
• Warwick University also requires a currently valid IELTS score of 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any of the categories.
• The Hornby Scholarships are intended to support experienced English language teachers who have the potential to make a significant future contribution to English language teaching and teachers in their countries.

Number of Scholarships: not specified

Value of Scholarship: The scholarships cover all the costs in the UK including a monthly stipend to cover accommodation and living expenses, tuition fees, and return air tickets, tuition fees,  visa and IELTS test costs.

Duration of Scholarship: The scholarships fund study on the one-year Masters in ELT at the University of Warwick

How to Apply: Applicants are selected by a four-stage process.

1. Online application form – applicants submit the online application form for initial assessment
2. Interview – applicants who are successful at stage 1 are invited for interview at the British Council office in their country of origin
3. Application to university –applicants selected from the interview are invited to apply to the university for consideration
4. University acceptance – the scholarship award is confirmed with the applicant and arrangements are made to arrive in the UK to begin study by 1st October 2017

Visit the Scholarship Webpage for information about the scholarship and accessing the online application form.

Sponsors: Hornby Trust

Swedish Institute Study Scholarships

Swedish InstituteMasters Degree

Deadline: 16 Jan/10 Feb 2017
Study in: Sweden
Course starts August 2017

Scholarship description:

The Swedish Institute Study Scholarships (SISS) are awarded to students from selected countries for full-time master’s level studies in Sweden starting in the Autumn semester 2017.

Host Universities/Institutions:

Swedish Higher Education Institutions and Swedish Universities

Level/Field(s) of study:

Check the list of eligible master programmes for the academic year 2017-2018.

Number of Scholarships:

An estimated 335 scholarships will be available.

Target group:

Students from SISS-eligible countries:

Category 1: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burkina-Faso, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Category 2: Brazil, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Iran and Vietnam.

Category 3: Candidates with citizenships from countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients other than the above mentioned and those countries included in other SI scholarship programmes

Special Initiative: South Africa and Syria

Scholarship value/inclusions/duration:

The scholarship covers tuition fees, living expenses of SEK 9,000 per month, insurance, and a one-time travel grant of SEK 15,000 (only for scholarship holders from countries on the DAC list of ODA recipients). There are no additional grants for family members.

The scholarship covers the whole duration of the master’s programme (one or two academic years).

Eligibility:

Applicants must be from an eligible country and have at least 3,000 hours of experience from full-time/part-time employment, voluntary work, paid/unpaid internship, and/or position of trust. Applicants must display academic qualifications and leadership experience. In addition, applicants should show an ambition to make a difference by working with issues which contribute to a just and sustainable development in their country, in a long term perspective.

Read more about the eligibility criteria at the official website.

Application instructions:

The first step of the application process will open on 1 December 2016.

To be considered for a scholarship you must complete your separate application to the master’s programme(s) before 16 January 2017 by using the national online application service universityadmissions.se. To be considered for a scholarship in the second step of the scholarship application, you must also pay your university admissions application fee before the deadline for receipt of the fee by 1 February 2017.

The application process consists of two steps. The first step will take place 1 December 2016 – 16 January 2017 through an online application form. Successful candidates will be notified by the end of January 2017 (preliminary date: 25 January 2017) and asked to submit a detailed application for the second step from 1 – 10 February 2017.

It is important to read the application procedure and visit the official website for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website: https://eng.si.se/areas-of-operation/scholarships-and-grants/the-swedish-institute-study-scholarships/

The State of the World Now: a Macro View

Johan Galtung

“View” meaning not only a glimpse from above, but a position taken on the world on which the US electorate is now dumping Donald Trump.

That world is today basically multi-polar, maybe with 8 poles: 1) Anglo-America, 2) Latin America-Caribbean, 3) African Unity, 4) Islam-OIC from Casablanca to Mindanao, 5) European Union, 6) Russia more region than state, 7) SAARC from Nepal to Sri Lanka, 8. ASEAN, Australia-New Zealand. [See list of abbreviations with links to the mentioned organisations under the article]

And thre is the multi-regional Shanghai Cooperation Organization, SCO, with China and Russia, Islamic countries, India and Pakistan.

There is a waning state reality, smaller states being increasingly absorbed into regions.

There is a waxing region reality with the above eight; adding West Asian, Central Asian and Northeast Asian regions, maybe eleven.

There is a global reality based on IGOs, inter-governmental organizations, with the United Nations on top; TNCs, the transnational corporations, with the US-based on top so far; and INGOs, international non-governmental organizations, with religions on top.

Now, insert into all of that something concrete from William Blum’s Anti-Empire Report #146 and his Rogue State.

From WWII, the USA has:

+ Attempted to overthrow more than 50 foreign governments, most of which were democratically elected;

+ Dropped bombs on the people of more than 30 countries;

+ Attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders;

+ Attempted to suppress populist or nationalist movements in 20 countries;

+ More involved in the practice of torture than any other country, performing, teaching, providing manuals and furnishing equipment.

Then, insert President Xi’s proposal November 17-23 2016 for Latin American countries and 21 APEC countries meeting in Lima, Peru:

FTAAP: Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific; inclusive, for all;

RCEP: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, also inclusive as opposed to TPP, Trans-Pacific Partnership, excluding China.

TPP to FTAAP moves the power center from Washington to Beijing.

Into this reality dump Trump who has pledged to ditch TPP.

That does not mean buying FTAAP-RAW; maybe more a set of Chinese divide and rule bilateral deals than a real multilateral IGO.

However, negotiating deals with China should appeal to Trump the businessman.

Now, given the 5 Blum points from US history, will a move of one important power center from Washington to Beijing be permitted by the US military-economic forces, Pentagon-Wall Street, in conjunction?

Will they prevail upon Trump to change his mind and ditch the pledge to drop TPP, or simply move ahead along the lines of points 1-5?

The answer depends on Congress overriding Trump Executive directives and Trump vetoing that, and so on. That in turn depends on to what extent Congress is now GOP Republican or Trump Republican. Nobody knows.

There is more going on in the world than USA-China relations.

China-India trade is overtaking China-USA trade before China overtakes USA economically. Both are Asian countries, both are SCO. A concrete implication is that a decreasing percentage of world trade deals is and will be made in US dollars; they recognize each other’s currencies.

At the same time the top country in the EU, Germany, is in great difficulty because a leading corporation, Volkswagen has problems with its emission swindle, paying hefty fines, now sacking 30,000 workers.

Now is the time, if ever, for France-Italy-Spain-Sweden-Czech to produce jointly an alternative car.

At the same time the bottom country in the EU, Greece, is doing well, playing the Chinese card. China is buying Piraeus, making Greece *) the entry point for Chinese business in Europe with products, goods and services at highly acceptable quality over price ratios.

At the same time US economy is running out of options, losing its hold on EU with Brexit.

The Bratislava Summit of 27 EU members 16 Sep 2016 refused to fight US wars. That may tempt USA even more to wage their own with mini-nukes and/or conventional weapons. But Trump foreign policies with Russia, China and in East Asia may deprive them of arguments for doing so.

However, what does Trump have to build upon to make America great again economically?

With an American economy servicing huge debts, with freshly printed dollars far beyond the value of the economy (but still no inflation), with a risky finance economy in command, and little of quality to export but arms and some cars? Jobs to build infrastructure have to be financed and he has promised lower taxes. Although reforming tax codes may stop some loopholes.

Possible answer: increased foreign trade, based on better foreign relations, seeing others as business partners, not as threats.

Just wait, one day USA may trade with North Korea, competing with China. That is, if Trump can lay his hands on money flowing in from abroad, and make trading companies invest in the much lagging US infrastructure.

Yet, the counter-forces are strong. William Blum #146:

+ Obama in the UN 2013, declared USA exceptional and Russia one of the three threats to USA along with IS and the ebola virus. Putin-bashing.

+ A million refugees from Washington/European warfare currently overrun Europe; from Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Pakistan.

+ US fight Assad to use Syria for a pipeline to bring gas from Qatar to Europe to undercut GazProm, Russia’s largest corporation.

+ Washington abandoned the ABM treaty and changed its war doctrine to permit US nuclear first strike.

+ An independent EU would forbid member states from stockpiling US nuclear weapons, having a US ABM site, or a base close to Russia.

+ Since 1980 the US intervened in Iran-Libya-Lebanon-Kuwait-Iraq-Somalia-Bosnia-Arabia-Afghanistan-Sudan-Kosova/Serbia-Yemen-Pakistan-Syria: 14 Muslim countries.

+ USA surrounds China with aircraft, fleets, military bases in Japan-South Korea-Philippines-the Pacific-Australia, patrolling the waters.

+ Crimea never voluntarily left Russia. A dictator made them do so.

+ Everything is “rigged” for a Clinton tenure of belligerence.

And then instead they got Trump foreign policy. Against very heavy odds.

OIC – Organisation of Islamic Cooperation

SAARC – South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

ASEAN – Association of Southeast Asian Nations

SCO – Shanghai Cooperation Organization

APEC – Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation

Equality for Women Helps Reduce World Hunger

Cesar Chelala

Giving women the same tools and resources as men, such as financial support, education and access to markets, could reduce the number of hungry people worldwide by up to 150 million. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and other humanitarian agencies estimate that 925 million people across the world are undernourished. Of this number, 906 million live in developing countries. Particularly in these countries, the greatest burden of economic crises falls on those less able to sustain it, women and children.

Women make up 43 percent on average of the agricultural labor force in developing countries, and they tend to be kept in low-paying jobs and have, for the most part, seasonal or part-time work. Plots managed by women tend to be lower, on average, than those managed by men, and they have less access to tools and technology compared to male farmers.

Women have the traditional role of both producers and carers for children, old people, the sick, the handicapped and all those who cannot care for themselves. In Africa, women work an average of 50 percent longer each day than men. I remember visiting the countryside in Equatorial Guinea where I saw what is called casa de la palabra (house of the word), where men gather in the afternoon after work and spend several hours chatting or trying to solve problems in the village or community while their wives continue to work at home or in the fields. A similar situation exists in other African countries.

There is still little recognition of the critical role that women can play in increasing agricultural and business productivity. Although some commercial banks are lending more to women entrepreneurs to develop new agricultural services and products, some interventions such as land tenure rights and access to markets continue to keep women out of the picture. In Cameroon, for example, women hold less than 10 percent of land certificates, even though they do a significant part of the agricultural work.

According to the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) improving women farmers’ access to adequate resources, technologies, markets and property rights can help them increase agricultural productivity and improve household nutrition.

This is relevant since many people still go hungry every day, and this has an impact on their nutritional status. According to the Global Food and Farming Futures, the existing food system is failing half of the people in the world today. It estimates that one billion people lack crucial vitamins and minerals in their diet.

In China, several micronutrient deficiencies, such as iron, iodine, vitamin A and folate are still frequent in the Chinese population, particularly in rural areas. It has been estimated that five percent of Chinese children are anemic, and also five percent of children have goiter, a consequence of iodine deficiency.

There is now a momentum for women’s entrepreneurship in China, which now has over 29 million female entrepreneurs, almost 25 percent of the national total. Many of them are engaged in high tech industries and construction, and are a motor behind the upgrading of traditional industries and the use of new technologies.

According to the 2010 Global Hunger Index, which analyzes prevalence of hunger in developing countries, China ranks ninth in a survey of 84 countries. This correlates with the country having a “moderate” national hunger problem. Neighboring India ranks 67th; this corresponds to an “extremely alarming” hunger situation.

To aid eliminate hunger, women should have easier access to better seeds, fertilizers and time-saving technologies, as well as better credit, and more land and job opportunities. In Kenya, it has been shown that women with the same levels of education, information, experience and farm resources as men increased their farming yields by 22 percent.

Improved women’s education is part of the process for achieving women’s equality. It has been repeatedly proven that educating girls boosts countries’ prosperity and overall women’s well being. In addition, better educated women are more productive, and raise healthier and better educated children. Women probably are the world’s most underutilized resource. Giving them equal rights as men will significantly help in ending world hunger.

Why Threats Between EU and Turkey Ring Hollow

Patrick Cockburn

The decibel level of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s denunciations are invariably so high that it is impossible to know how seriously to take them. He has threatened to let loose a wave of three million Syrian and Iraqi refugees who would then try to make their way from Turkey to Europe at a time when anti-immigrant feeling is helping fuel the rise of the populist far right.

Erdogan’s threat came after the European Parliament passed a non-binding resolution to freeze talks on Turkey joining the EU as a protest against Ankara’s mass arrest of dissenters in the wake of the failed military coup on 15 July. The purge is extending way beyond those connected to the coup and liberals and Kurds are being detained and the few remaining independent parts of the media are being closed down or brought under control.

The EU correctly talks about “a disproportionate response to the coup” while Erdogan complains that the initial EU condemnation was so tardy and conditional as to suggest that the EU states would have preferred him to be overthrown.

The Turkish leader now says that he may tear up the agreement signed in March to keep potential migrants inside Turkey in return for accelerated talks on Turkey’s EU membership, visa-free travel for Turks coming to Europe and financial aid. “We are the ones who feed 3 million to 3.5 million refugees in this country,” said Erdogan. “You have betrayed your promises. If you go any further those border gates will be opened.”

There is no doubt Erdogan could try to do this, though the threat would have been more potent when it was easier for migrants to move north through the Balkans to central Europe. Border restrictions and fences now make this much more difficult. But the threat of more migrants still has a significant political impact just ahead of the presidential election in Austria in which far-right candidate Norbert Hofer is leading the polls. The success in the US presidential election of Donald Trump’s brand of populist nationalism with a racist cutting edge underlines the extent to which the immigrant wave is resetting the political agenda.

That said, there is an element of shadow boxing in the latest EU-Turkey row. It probably was not a good idea to link the refugee crisis with progress on Turkey’s faltering decades-old bid to join the EU because it wrapped two insoluble problems into one. It raised hopes in Turkey that were never going to be fulfilled and inevitably brought disappointment. On the other hand, it is not in the interests of the EU or Turkey to escalate their dispute beyond a certain level, even though relations are becoming more antagonistic. Both need each other.

All sides are paying a price for letting the wars in Syria and Iraq go on for so long and doing so little to bring them to an end. The EU and Turkey both made critical mistakes, which could have been avoided, and neither have come up with realistic policies. Turkey was for long the sanctuary and transit point for the extreme Islamist armed opposition flooding into Syria. Erdogan and his government were convinced that President Bashar al-Assad’s government was always on the verge of being overthrown though the evidence was much against this.

After 2011 the leaders of the main EU states – notably Britain and France – have had a Syrian policy based on wishful thinking and a belief that their vital interests were not affected by the conflict. They wanted to keep in with their traditional arms-buying allies in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf. It was only as Syrian immigrants poured into Europe in 2015 and Isis launched a series of devastating terrorist attacks in France and Belgium that the results of their folly became apparent. Real progress in ending the immigrant crisis means ending the war in Syria.