Pakistan: Census Complexities

Rana Banerji


After a hiatus of 19 years, Pakistan has been able to undertake its sixth census enumeration only with the help of the army, which guaranteed security not only in difficult terrorism-hit areas of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) but also in areas of endemic sectarian and ethnic conflict like Karachi.

Preliminary census findings reveal that Pakistan’s population has surged to a staggering 207.8 million (207,774,520), showing an increase of 75.4 million people from 1998, when the population was just over 130 million. When the census operation kept getting deferred due to security and political considerations, the World Bank and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) had arrived at rough estimates, assessing Pakistan’s population being somewhere close to 197 million. The results have taken many by surprise, indicating an increase in population at an annual rate of 2.4 per cent annual growth rate (a.g.r.). This abnormally high growth rate should be a matter of concern for all serious population planners.

The census figures do not include any data for Gilgit Baltistan (earlier known as Northern Areas) or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK; referred to in Pakistan as Azad Jammu & Kashmir). Though the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) did conduct enumeration there, the data has not been made public, ostensibly due to their special (read 'disputed') status.

Rural-Urban Divide
The summary results show that the country’s predominant majority – 132.189 million or 63.6 per cent – still lives in rural areas. This ratio was 65.6 per cent in 1998. The urban population now stands at 75.58 million, which is roughly 36.4 per cent of the country’s population. In 1998, the share of the urban population was 32.52 per cent. The urban population may grow to 40 per cent by 2050 if existing growth rates continue. 30 million people were added to the urban population. Another 112 million would be added by 2050. The growing urbanisation reflects a world-wide trend.

Gender Ratio and Literacy
The male-female ratio was found to be close to the world average of 51:49, coming down slightly from 52:48 in 1998. Literacy data has not been made public so far. In 1998, for males it stood at 54.8  per cent and for females, at 43.02 per cent.

Provinces
Punjab now has 52.9 per cent (down from 55 per cent in 1998) of Pakistan’s total population (110,012,442; a.g.r.: 2.13 per cent). Sind remains unchanged with 23 per cent (47,886,051; a.g.r.: 2.4 per cent). Population growth has been highest in Balochistan (12,344,408; a.g.r.: 3.37 per cent), followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (30,523,371; a.g.r.: 2.89 per cent).The lowest population growth (1.81 per cent) was witnessed in rural Punjab - urbanisation might have had a greater role to play here. FATA is now shown to have 5,001,676 persons (not clear if currently displaced; in camps elsewhere in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa enumerated under FATA, the a.g.r. was 2.41 per cent). Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) has 2,006,572 people now (a.g.r.: 4.91 per cent).

These changes will have important repercussions in the distribution of resources and allocation of national assembly seats. Article 51(3) of the constitution will have to be amended in light of Article 51(5), which mandates the allocation of seats on the basis of population in accordance with the last preceding census officially published. This would mean up to eight fewer seats for Punjab in the 342-member National Assembly with 5-6 more seats for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and almost 3 more for Balochistan.

The next National Finance Commission (NFC) award will have to be announced, with Punjab having to compromise slightly (a 3.3 per cent reduction of its share) in favour of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Internally displaced tribals and Afghan refugees have added huge numbers in both Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Quetta division alone has shown an almost tripling of the population, from 1.72 million to 4.2 million. Pashtuns may now exceed Baloch in Balochistan, making them numerical losers in their own province. Census data shows a phenomenal decease in their (Baloch) proportion in  northern parts of the province - 2.1 per cent decrease in Zhob and Nasirabad, 1.6 per cent in Kalat division, 1.6 per cent in Sibi, and 0.6 per cent in Makran. In Punjab, Lahore and several other satellite towns like Gujranwala have shown phenomenal growth. There was a lower growth in the Seraiki belt due to out-migration.

Though its overall population share has not changed, Sindh is in a special quandary. It is the most urbanised province with 52.2 per cent of the population in urban areas – this result could disturb the rural-urban quotas of provincial assembly seats and jobs. More resources, jobs, and representation would have to be provided for urban areas. Rural Sindh is going to lose some representation. Urban Sindh is increasingly becoming non-Urdu speaking, with settlers’ onslaught of both Pashtuns from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA, as also the natural influx of Sindhis from rural areas of the province. 68 per cent of Sind’s total population is concentrated in three major cities – Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur. 

Though Karachi’s population growth has been stymied by bloody ethnic politics, lawlessness and the prolonged Rangers’ operations, its overall population increased by 60 per cent. The greater the growth of population in Karachi, the worse will be the loss of the numerical strength of Mohajirs. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which represents mainly Sindhi rights, will fight against the perceived ‘bias’ of under-representing Sindhis. The Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM), now split into several factions, will be reluctant to concede ground to Pashtuns or Sindhis in greater Karachi urban agglomeration. The Awami National Party (ANP) led by Shahi Syed, and Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) will contest support from new Pashtun settlers.

The preliminary census figures have been referred to the Council for Common Interests (CCI), a statutory body under the 1973 constitution. The CCI has now decided that the figures will be further debated in the Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) to devise a strategy about future policy on job quotas, fund allocation and the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) plan of action to adjust/delimit constituencies afresh. The ECP had earlier informed the government that it may hold the next general election on the basis of the new census results if they are finalised in time. The million dollar question now is, when will these changes happen?

Global Youth Leadership Scholarship in Canada for Youths from Developing Countries 2018

Application Deadline: 30th April 2018

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: Developing countries

To be taken at (country): Coady Institute, Canada

Eligible Field of Study: Programme participants engage in learning grounded in real world experiences and focused on Coady’s core thematic areas.

About Scholarship: The Global Youth Leaders Certificate is a three-week education program offered at Coady Institute. This program enables young development practitioners from developing countries to strengthen their leadership capacities in order to contribute to innovation and change in their organizations and communities. Participants engage in learning that is grounded in real-world experiences and focused on Coady’s core thematic areas. Through a shared learning environment with others from around the world, participants are exposed to a range of experiences and the beginnings of a potentially lifelong network of support.

Offered Since: 2011

Type: Leadership and Mentorship training

Selection Criteria and Eligibility: This program is targeted to young leaders (20-30 years old) from developing countries who are working on development issues. Priority is given to people who:

• Possess a minimum of two years of demonstrated experience in social, environmental or economic development in sectors such as livelihoods or inclusive economic development, food security, environment, access to education and health care, governance, and the rights of girls and women;
• Have great drive and passion for their work, demonstrated through their outstanding contributions in their organizations and communities;
• Are practitioners in civil society organizations including community-based organizations and not-for-profits, or active in public or private institutions, donor/philanthropic agencies, social movements or in a social enterprise/business; AND
• Have strong oral and written English language competencies.

Value of Program:

• The Global Youth Leadership program provides successful candidates with a full scholarship that includes tuition, travel, accommodation, and meals.
• Program participants also benefit from the guidance and mentorship of accomplished leaders from around the world.

Duration of Program: three-week education program. September 17 – October 5, 2018

How to Apply

Visit Scholarship Webpage for More Details

Scholarship Provider: COADY International Institute

University of Alberta Centenary Scholarships for Undergraduate International Students 2018/2019 – Canada

Application Deadline: 11:59 pm MST 18th December, 2017.

Eligible Countries: International

To Be Taken At (Country): Canada

Type: Undergraduate

Eligibility: Awarded to students on a Study Permit with superior academic achievement entering the first year of an undergraduate degree program at the University of Alberta. Selection based on academic standing and demonstrated leadership qualities based on involvement in extracurricular and community activities. Renewal of funding for the second, third, and fourth years is contingent upon achieving a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a full normal course load at the University of Alberta while studying on a Study Permit. Students must have less than 24 IB, AP or A-level credits. Transfer students are not eligible for this scholarship.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award: Variable from $20,000; payable over four years

How to Apply: Apply online through the International Major Scholarships in Bear Tracks under Undergraduate Awards.

At the time of application, students must have applied for admission to a degree program at the University of Alberta. You will receive a CCID and password when you apply for admission and must use this to access the awards application.

Visit the Program Webpage for Details

Award Providers: University of Alberta

Important Notes: University of Alberta Centenary Scholarship offers will be made starting in March 2018.

230 Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme for International Students 2017/2018

Application Deadline: 1st December 2017

Offered Annually? Yes

About the Award: The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS), established in 2009 by the Research Grants Council (RGC), aims at attracting the best and brightest students in the world to pursue their PhD programmes in Hong Kong’s institutions. About 200 PhD Fellowships will be awarded each academic year. For awardees who need more than three years to complete the PhD degree, additional support may be provided by the chosen institutions. The financial aid is available for any field of study.

Fellowship Worth

The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship provides an annual stipend of HK$240,000 (approximately US$30,000) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$10,000 (approximately US$1,300) per year to each awardee for a period of up to three years. More than 230 PhD Fellowships will be awarded in the 2017/18 academic year*. For awardees who need more than three years to complete their PhD studies, additional support may be provided by the chosen institutions. For details, please contact the institutions concerned directly.

* Institutions in Hong Kong normally start their academic year in September.

Eligibility: Candidates who are seeking admission as new full time PhD students in the following eight institutions, irrespective of their country of origin, prior work experience, and ethnic background, should be eligible to apply.

• City University of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Baptist University
• Lingnan University
• The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• The Hong Kong Institute of Education
• The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
• The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
• The University of Hong Kong

Applicants should demonstrate outstanding qualities of academic performance, research ability / potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities.

Selection Criteria: While candidates’ academic excellence is the primary consideration, the Selection Panels will take into account factors as follows:

• Academic excellence;
• Research ability and potential;
• Communication and interpersonal skills; and
• Leadership abilities.

Number of Scholarships: More than 230 PhD Fellowships will be awarded in the 2015/17 academic year

Selection Panel: Shortlisted applications, subject to their areas of studies, will be reviewed by one of the following two Selection Panels comprising experts in the relevant board areas:

• sciences, medicine, engineering and technology

• humanities, social sciences and business studies

Application Process: Eligible candidates should first make an Initial Application online through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme Electronic System (HKPFSES) to obtain an HKPFS Reference Number by 1 December 2017 at Hong Kong Time 12:00:00 before submitting applications for PhD admission to their desired universities.

Applicants may choose up to two programmes / departments at one or two universities for PhD study under HKPFS 2018/19. They should comply with the admission requirements of their selected universities and programmes.

As the deadlines for applications to some of the universities may immediately follow that of the Initial Application, candidates should submit initial applications as early as possible to ensure that they have sufficient time to submit applications to universities.

Visit Scholarship webpage for more details

Africa-China Reporting Workshop & Fieldwork Project for African Journalists 2017

Application Deadline: 29th September 2017

Eligible Countries: African countries

To be taken at (country): Johannesburg/Gauteng, South Africa

About the Award: This will be a practical skills and training Workshop at Wits Journalism in Johannesburg, and a Fieldwork Project where participants will be given time, support and mentoring by working professional journalists to undertake an Africa-China reporting investigation in Johannesburg/Gauteng.

The premise of this Workshop is that African and Chinese journalists can work together for better results in reporting and investigating important Africa-China issues. The Project will select five African and five Chinese journalists, and will pair them together in five teams of two each based on proposals submitted by the journalists and the theme selected by each (see below). The Project will pair participants well in advance of the Workshop and give them time to communicate and familiarise with each other; the objective is for them to learn as much as possible from each other and work well together.

Workshop delegates will arrive in Johannesburg on 6 Nov. The Workshop will consist of two stages: training and skills development Workshop (around three days, 7-9 Nov.), and the Fieldwork Project (around ten days, 10-19 Nov.). During the training and skills development stage, all the workshop participants will undergo practical training as well as refine and align the investigation they will do

Themes: The Project has selected the following options for applicants to select Africa-China reporting themes for the investigations to be undertaken as part of this Workshop (the following is a guideline that applicants can use for additional themes/ideas):

• Industrialisation & development (e.g. implementation of the 2015 FOCAC action plan on industrialisation; special economic zones; impact of Chinese imports on Africa’s manufacturing sector; Chinese support for African industrialisation; joint programmes, projects and activities; specific cases of cooperation or successes and failures; the link between Chinese policy banks and investment in the manufacturing sector, etc.)
• Business, the economy & trade (Africa-China business interactions; business deals and money flows; training and skills transfers; balance of trade between Africa and China; actors such as state-owned enterprises and individual enterprises and their partnership with the African corporate sector; role of financial institutions; corporate social responsibility, etc.)
• Agriculture & food security (e.g. impact of Chinese agricultural demonstration centres in Africa; private Chinese investors in the African agricultural sector; link between China and the UN in the food and agricultural sector; Chinese support for African agriculture; joint programmes, projects and activities; specific cases of cooperation or successes and failures; training and support for African farmers and workers, etc.)
• The environment (e.g. Africa-China cooperation on UN-led climate initiatives; wildlife poaching, trafficking and illicit trades; impact of Chinese investments on African ecologies, etc.)
• Culture, language & education (e.g. people-to-people interactions and mechanisms; migration from China to Africa and from Africa to China; cultural assimilation and barriers; Chinese language in African schools and universities; soft power, etc.)

Type: Training, Workshop

Eligibility: Journalists participating in this Investigation must be available to travel to Hong Kong once their African investigations have been completed

Number of Awardees: five African and five Chinese journalists

Value of Scholarship: The Project will provide airfares, accommodation, reporting stipends and other related expenses for each participant. As this is a Reporting Workshop, applicants will be expected to include a specific Africa-China research proposal in their applications as well as select a theme from the list below. It is essential that applicants provide a reporting proposal for a topic that can practically be investigated in Johannesburg/Gauteng during the time of the Workshop and is an important Africa-China issue.

Duration of Program: 2 weeks

How to Apply: African and Chinese journalists are invited to send applications addressing the requirements below in an email entitled “APPLICATION: AFRICA-CHINA REPORTING WORKSHOP 2017” to africa-china@journalism.co.za BY NO LATER THAN 29 SEPTEMBER 2017. Applications should contain the following:

• Applicant CV and short personal bio (no more than 250 words)
• List of applicant’s previous published reporting on Africa and/or Africa-China, including online links where available
• Clear indication of which theme is preferred based on the five suggested above
• Proposal for a relevant and specific Africa-China topic to be pursued during fieldwork/reporting stage of the Workshop. This proposal must be practical and not too broad in scope (see the Project’s guidelines [中文] for reporting grant applications that call for proposals with a relatively narrow focus around specific projects or issues)

Visit Program Webpage for details

Award Provider: Africa-China Reporting Project (the Project) in collaboration with the Hong Kong-based news organisations HK01 and Initium Media.

Important Notes: Please take note of the following when preparing proposals:

• Applications should be submitted in English; only MS Word or PDF formats will be accepted
• Due to the nature of this Workshop applicants must have a reasonable English ability

Oxford-Weidenfeld and Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Program for Developing Countries 2018/2019

Application Deadline: 5th or 19th January 2018

Offered annually?  Yes

Accepted Subject Areas: The complete list of eligible courses:

MSc in African Studies, Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL), MSc in Comparative Social Policy, MSc in Computer Science, MSc in Contemporary Chinese Studies, MSc in Economics for Development, MPhil in Environmental Change and Management, MSc in Environmental Change and Management, MPhil in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation, MSc in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation, MSc in Financial Economics, MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy, MSc in Global Health Science, MSc in International Health and Tropical Medicine, MSc in Latin American Studies, MSc in Law and Finance, Magister Juris (MJur), Master of Business Administration (MBA), MSc in Mathematical and Computational Finance, MSc in Mathematical Modelling and Scientific Computing, MSc in Mathematics and Foundations of Computer Science, MSc in Migration Studies, MSc in Modern South Asian Studies, MSc in Nature, Society and Environmental Governance, MSc in Politics Research,Master of Public Policy (MPP), MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies, MSc in Social Science of the Internet, MSc in Statistical Science, MSc in Water Science, Policy and Management

About the Award: This scholarship is part of the Oxford Graduate Scholarships, which were established through a ground-breaking new matched funding initiative to enable the creation of fully-funded scholarships for graduate students of the highest calibre from across the world. The University contributes 40% of the funds for these scholarships, together with 60% from generous donations provided by supporters of the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust, including Fondation Hoffmann. Fondation Hoffmann is a Swiss-based grant making institution supporting the emergence and expansion of concrete projects which address global problems in today’s societies.

Type: Masters

Who is qualified to apply?

• You should be intending to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed. Students currently at Oxford are not eligible to apply unless they are already Weidenfeld scholars.
• You should be able to demonstrate a connection between your subject of study and your longer-term career objectives, explaining how you see your professional work contributing to the improvement of public life in your country of origin or at a wider regional or international level.
• The above qualities will be assessed during the selection process, including using your graduate application form, your Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Questionnaire and (if relevant) your interview.
• Candidates who hold deferred offers to start in 2017-18 are not eligible to be considered for these scholarships.

Number of Scholarships: 12

What are the benefits? The scholarship will cover 100% of University and college fees and a grant for living costs (of at least £14,553). Awards are made for the full duration of your fee liability for the agreed course.

Duration of Scholarship: Awards are made for the full duration of a student’s fee liability for the agreed course. If your scholarship is offered for a course lasting more than one year, the continuation of your scholarship each year is subject to an annual renewal process based on satisfactory academic progress.

Eligible Countries: Eligible candidates must have an undergraduate degree and be an ordinary resident of one of the following countries:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados,  Belarus,  Belize,  Benin,  Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia,  Cameroon Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, China Tibet, China, Hong Kong SAR, China, Macau SAR, Colombia, Comoros, Congo, Dem. Rep. (Kinshasa), Congo, Rep. (Brazzaville), Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Estonia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, The, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Korea (North), Korea (South), Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lao PDR, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, FYR Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar (Burma), Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand – New, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russian Federation, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Taiwan (Republic of China), Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

To be taken at (country): University of Oxford, UK

How to Apply

In order to be considered for this scholarship, you must select the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarship and Leadership Programme in the Funding section of the University’s graduate application form and submit your application for graduate study by the relevant January deadline for your course (22 January 2016).

Apply at the same time as you apply to Oxford by selecting Weidenfeld Scholarships and Leadership Programme in the Funding Section of the University’s Graduate Application Form.

You must also complete a Weidenfeld Scholarship Questionnaire and upload it together with your Graduate Application Form by the application deadline in order for your application to be complete.

Award Sponsors: The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust

Visit the Scholarship Webpage for details

African Union Kwame Nkrumah Awards for Scientific Excellence (AUKNASE) Continental Award 2017

Application Deadline: 10th November 2017 (at 17:00 hours Addis Ababa time)

Offered Annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: African countries

To Be Taken At (Country): Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

About the Award: The AUKNASE programme is implemented at national level for young researchers, regional level for women scientists and continental level open to all scientists. The Continental level is the highest level of the programme. The objective is to give out scientific awards to top African scientists for their scientific achievements and valuable discoveries and findings.

Under this programme prizes are awarded to top African scientists in each of the following two sectors

• Life and Earth Science and innovation; and
• Basic Science, Technology and Innovation at the national, regional and continental levels.

Type: Contests/Awards

Eligibility: To be eligible for the African Union Scientific Awards nominees shall be African scientists who:

• have made remarkable achievements, demonstrated by number and quality of their publications, number of trained research graduate students, applicability of the scientific work to Africa’s challenges, and its patentability. The award is intended to recognize those who demonstrate excellence in research of relevance to the developmental needs of the continent.
• Only nationals of the African Union (AU) Member States are eligible to participate in these Awards;
• Nominees shall be Africans residing in any of the AU member states and can be nominated only for achievements based on work conducted in an African country.
• APPLICATION for the CONTINENTAL PRIZE: Applicants should have nominees with a PhD degree, if the nominee is an Academic in a university must at least have a rank of Associate Professor. There is no age limit for this award. The nominee should meet at least four of the following:
  • Must have published in journals (at least 20 articles with impact factor greater than 1.0)
  • Must appear as senior/corresponding author in at least 15 of the 25 articles
  • Must have a minimum H-index of 25
  • Must have at least two international or four national patents registered
  • Must have supervised or co-supervised at least 10 PhD students
  • Must have won an international grant as a principal investigator
  • Must have written a review article in his/her field of specialization

Nomination Criteria:  Online Nominations will be invited from any institution in the continent, from universities, research institutions, professional bodies, academies, industrial establishments, and so on. Nominations may be received from:

• individuals who may be senior individuals of the same or higher rank than the nominee;
• Heads of institutions who may have their own formalized procedure for nomination, chairpersons of committees who review the achievements of scientists in their institutions;
• The nominator is required to show the importance and impact of the research. The focus will be on the quality of the work and not necessarily the number of publications. The nominator should provide a narrative presentation (up to five pages) of the importance, relevance, quality and impact of the work. A full CV as well as 5-10 copies of best publications are to be submitted together with the nomination form.
• All successfully completed nominations on the on-line system will be automatically acknowledged

Value of Award: The African Union Kwame Nkrumah Awards for Scientific Excellence Programme (AUKNASE) shall be organized at three levels:

• Two Continental awards receiving each USD 100,000 of for pioneer scientists
• Regional award for women scientists two per each of the five regions and each award amounting to USD 20,000 and
• National awards for young researchers two per country and each award amounting to USD 2,000

How to Apply: The Nomination Form with all the supporting documents should be posted via physical courier to the following address (NOT by Fax or E-mail):

To:
The Officer in Charge
AU Kwame Nkrumah Awards for Scientific Excellence 2017 Edition,
Department of Human Resources, Science and Technology
African Union Commission
Roosevelt Street
P. O. Box 3243
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

NB: On the right back side of the envelope, please insert the following information:

[From: Full Name, Contact and E-Mail Addresses of the Applicant] and “add the Following Note” [“AUKNASE /Not to be opened before the Opening Session”]

Nomination form

Visit the Program Webpage for Details

Award Providers: African Union

Important Notes: Note that the above criteria are oriented to academics in a teaching or research institution. However, individuals or groups from non-academic establishments, such as industry, technical and vocational institutions where a patent or other trade secret may have been the basis for developing a product or service that has clearly made impact on society or have contributed in a significant way may be nominated even though many of the criteria above have not been fulfilled.

European Union/UN Women Gender Equality Photo Contest for Young Nigerian Artists 2017

Application Deadline: 18th September 2017

Eligible Countries: Nigeria

To Be Taken At (Country): Abuja, Nigeria

About the Award: Unleash your creativity to illustrate the relationship between women and men and positive changes you want to see. Picture it! The Competition is open to Nigerian comic and cartoon artists, art students and members of the general public, from 18 to 28 years of age, who are residents of Nigeria.

The Competition is part of the UN Women Campaign “Empowering Women – Empowering Humanity” and the EU Gender Action.

Categories:

• Women and the Environment
• Women and Poverty
• Human Rights of Women
• Women in Power and Decision-Making
• Women and the Economy
• Violence against Women
• Women and Health
• Education and Training of Women
• Women and Armed Conflict
• Women and the Media
• The Girl Child
• Institutional Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women

Type: Contest

Eligibility: 

• You must be between 18 and 28 years old as of August 31, 2017. You must provide your date of birth in the entry form.
• You must be a Nigerian residing in Nigeria.
• You must use your legal name and provide valid contact details along with your drawing(s).

Also,

• The drawing(s) must be without words.
• Your Drawings must fit on one DIN A4 page (210mm x 297mm). Both portrait and landscape orientation are accepted.  If a drawing comprises several pictures, the number of pictures should not exceed six boxes and the complete drawing must fit on one DIN A4 page.
• The resolution of the drawing(s) must be at least 150 dpi or higher. Data size is limited to 5MB per drawing.   Acceptable formats include jpg, jpeg, png and pdf formats only.

Your drawing(s) must not be in the determination of the Organizing Entities:

• Be disrespectful of the impartiality and independence of the United Nations and the EU Delegation to Nigeria;
• Reflect adversely on the Organizing Entities;
• Be incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Organizing Entities;
• Be derogatory to any persons depicted in the drawings;
• Contain any nudity, lewd, or otherwise offensive or inappropriate content

Number of Awards: 5

Value of Award: The five successful participants will be invited to Abuja to the Competition Award Ceremony in November 2017. The cost for travel and accomodation will be borne by the Organizing Entities. In addition, the drawings of the finalists and semi-finalists will be published online and may be considered for an Exhibition.

• First Prize: 1000 Euros (1)
• Second Prize: 500 Euros (1)
• Third Prize: 200 Euros (3)

How to Apply: Submit Entry

Incomplete entries or entries that do not comply with these Terms and Conditions will be automatically disqualified at the sole discretion of the Organizing Entities.

Visit the Program Webpage for Details

Award Providers: European Union/UN Women

India Ecstatic Over BRICS Naming Pakistan Terror-Groups

GERRY BROWN

It must have been a great day in India yesterday, with the entire nation in a celebratory, ecstatic mood. Probably on par with the Duke of Wellington defeating Napoleon in the battle of Waterloo. It couldn’t have come at a better time for New Delhi, with the economy devastated by Modi’s self-destructive demonetisation, the summer of discontent in Kashmir, Darjeeling and Northeastern India, and withdrawal from the Donglang/Doklam border standoff with China.

No, it’s not a military victory that sent Indians into a frenzy across the land of godman. It’s a self-proclaimed, delusional “diplomatic” victory. Yesterday, the front page news of the Indian printed media was inundated with the following typical battle cry:

“India achieved a major diplomatic victory over Pakistan—and China—when the association of BRICS nations condemned terror by naming several Pakistan-sponsored terror networks such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, the Haqqani network and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan. “

But, what did the BRICS Declaration actually say? Nothing to write home about for a calm, rational person :

“48. We, in this regard, express concern on the security situation in the region and violence caused by the Taliban, ISIL/DAISH, Al-Qaida and its affiliates including Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Haqqani network, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, TTP and Hizb ut-Tahrir.”

China didn’t sell out or betray its “iron-clad” brother Pakistan in agreeing to include the three Pakistan-based militant groups in the BRICS Declaration. Much less under Indian pressure. The three groups have been banned by Pakistan itself since 2015. If anything, it’s just China and Russia throwing a sop to the delusional and petulant Modi to prevent him from disrupting the BRICS Summit, akin to throwing a piece of bone to a hungry dog to stop the barking.

The following report from the horse’s mouth, Pakistan’s major daily The Nation, confirms what it’s really all about:

“ISLAMABAD/Lahore – Pakistan Monday wondered at India’s celebrations over BRICS’ naming some alleged Pakistan-based terror networks that are already on country’s list of banned outfits.”

“Indian officials and media tried to sell mention of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) among the terrorists groups as a diplomatic defeat for Pakistan, ignoring the fact that Islamabad regards these groups anti-peace entities and had declared them proscribed organizations years ago.”

As in the BRICS Summit in Goa last year, India doesn’t get what it desperately wants this year : Naming Masood Azhar, founder and leader of JeM, as a terrorist and putting him on the UN sanctions list. Nor is there mention of cross-border terrorist attacks allegedly committed by the Pakistan-based groups.

Days earlier, both China and Russia had issued statements supporting Pakistan in its anti-terrorism efforts after Trump scolded Islamabad for not having done  enough. That’s more substantive and meaty than mere mention of the three Pakistan-based militant groups already proscribed by Islamabad.

Both Xi Jinping and Putin are focussed on the big picture, while Modi is still mired in hostility with its neighbor. Once again, it shows clearly the provincial politician in Modi has failed to rise to become a player in geopolitics. He and his Modibob are still stuck at the binary gears of sulking or fits of  exuberance. A classic case of  “Much ado about nothing”!

Trump’s ‘Chinese hoax’ Wreaking Global Havoc

George Ochenski

When Donald Trump declared global warming was a “Chinese hoax,” he established a new all-time low for reality-challenged presidents. With 97 percent of the world’s leading scientists confirming not only that human-caused global warming is real, but predicting the disastrous effects upon the planet and its inhabitants, only a total self-absorbed buffoon like Trump could possibly discount their long and in-depth evidence as a “hoax.” Well, the “proof is in the pudding” as they say, and the effects of global warming are stacking up in vast economic and environmental damages while causing widespread and long-lasting human suffering.

Of course the grim reality of Hurricane Harvey is the leading antithesis of Trump’s “Chinese hoax” theory. What began as a tropical storm quickly became a Class 4 Hurricane with 130 mph winds as it picked up enormous amounts of water from a very warm Gulf of Mexico. The warmer the air, the more water it can hold, and with triple-digit temperatures blasting the Southwest, there was plenty of warm air to go around. As I write this, Las Vegas is predicted to hit 105, Los Angeles a sweltering 104 and Phoenix an almost unimaginable 108.

How much water could all that warm air hold? Experts say more than a trillion gallons fell on Texas and Louisiana — enough to fill Lake Michigan, which is called a “Great Lake” because it’s one of the planet’s largest freshwater lakes. Even the thought of filling that massive water body with a few days’ worth of rain boggles the imagination.

Harvey drove tens of thousands of Texans from their homes — which will likely be total losses since most insurance policies don’t cover flooding. The rising waters also inundated oil and gas refineries, releasing a stew of toxins and caused a chemical plant to burst into explosions and flames when the power for its cooling systems went out. The release of hazardous and toxic substances from those impacts have yet to be fully assessed, and may never be. That Scott Pruitt, Trump’s pick to head the Environmental Protection Agency, had halted implementation of rules meant to increase safety at chemical plants was sidelined two weeks before Harvey hit only adds to the massive unfolding environmental disaster.

And while the tragedy in Texas was playing out here in the U.S., Trump’s “hoax” was dumping unprecedented amounts of monsoon water on India, Nepal and Bangladesh. So far the continuing disaster has displaced 40 million people and killed at least 1,200.

Nor has Montana escaped the wrath of a warming planet. Wildfires have been burning since the rains of June petered out into the drought and extreme heat of July and August. Like their reality-challenged leader, Montana’s congressional politicians want to find something besides global warming for the fires. So they claim the real reason is forest management and environmentalists, not the excessive use of fossil fuels, which they actually seek to increase.

But their argument rings hollow when you consider just a few basic facts. Montana’s largest wildfire burned 270,000 acres on the plains of eastern Montana — and it’s not because ranchers didn’t “thin” or “manage” their pastures. Ironically, some of the largest of the forest wildfires are occurring in areas that have already been extensively logged, such as Lolo, Superior, Seeley Lake and Lincoln.

In short, we are being ruled by a moron who refuses to acknowledge global warming despite the overwhelming evidence and incredible suffering. Until our self-described “very smart” president faces reality we — and the rest of the planet — will continue to suffer thanks to his “Chinese hoax” delusions.

The Floods of August: Climate Change Hits Home for Millions Worldwide

Claire James

We knew this was coming. This August the rains have come with a vengeance. But we knew something like this was coming. In 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published its summary of the expected impacts of climate change. In dry, academic language, the report sets out the evidence: climate change will bring extremes of precipitation: more droughts and more deadly floods.

Early in the morning on 14 August, heavy rains in Freetown, Sierra Leone triggered a mudslide. Muddy rubble cascaded down the hillside, destroying homes and burying people inside them. The official death toll from this tragedy has now risen to over a thousand.

At the same time, monsoon rains were causing deaths in India and Nepal. In Himachal, two buses with their passengers were swept into a gorge in a landslide. Fatalities from flooding are not uncommon in the summer monsoon season, but this time the heavy rains just kept coming, leading to extraordinary flooding in Nepal, northwestern Indian states and downstream Bangladesh, where the floods submerged over a third of the country.

A storm was brewing

By 24 August, official estimates were 41 million affected across the three nations of India, Nepal and Bangladesh and at least 900 killed. The next day the reported death toll had risen to 1200. And yet this catastrophe was barely reported in the western media.

Meanwhile, a storm was brewing off the southeastern US coast. Having been downgraded to a tropical wave, Harvey picked up energy again and regained hurricane status as it moved across the abnormally warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It also picked up unusual amounts of moisture. As it hit Houston and surrounding areas of Texas, there was no lack of media attention this time.

Experts had warned that Houston was particularly vulnerable to flooding in a warming climate because of several factors. In a low lying plain, with poor draining clay soils, and with the expanding city laying down ever more concrete, the water management plan is in no way fit for increasing storm risks. But this was a storm that would overwhelm even the most well-prepared city.

In the first 72 hours over a metre of rain fell in some areas. Dramatic photographs showed freeways turned into deep rivers, while stranded families sent out desperate pleas for rescue on social media.

Just days earlier, Donald Trump had signed an order scrapping stricter rules around flood risk for federal investment in infrastructure. As Harvey’s rains fell, Trump’s top official at the Environmental Protection Agency, Scott Pruitt, dismissed the subject of linking the storm to climate change. When asked in an interview, Pruitt described those discussing cause and effect as ‘opportunistic’.

Heavy load

So there may be no immediate impetus from disaster to climate action. The media plays an important role here. There are three ways that media can let us down in reporting climate change-influenced disasters.

The first is when the media give prominence to events which are easy to report, rather than those which are truly significant. Harvey is a significant story deserving major coverage. Yet before Harvey hit Texas (and hit the headlines), where were the reports on the South Asian flooding?

Even given the general tendency to treat the deaths of poor people in non-western countries as non-newsworthy, the death toll was then climbing towards a thousand and 41 million affected across three countries. But someone actively following the news could easily be completely unaware of these floods. The story was given cursory coverage then dropped completely out of the news for at least five days, to be picked up again on 29 August, this time more widely.

The second weakness is a failure to be upfront about the links between these disasters and climate change. In the case of Harvey, there are at least three links. One of the most significant is that the warmer than normal waters in the Gulf of Mexico contributed to Harvey’s heavy load of atmospheric moisture.

In the first five days, it dumped some 20 trillion gallons of water on Texas (one sixth the volume of Lake Erie). Warm waters also give hurricanes more energy. Another factor is that storm surge along the coast rides on top of raised sea levels. These are particularly significant on the Gulf Coast of Texas – sea levels there have risen over 30cm in 50 years.

Still devastated

One difficulty journalists have in reporting climate change is sustaining interest in a vast slow-motion catastrophe that plays out over a timescale of decades or more. But right now the drama and tragedy is immediate, and there is no excuse for not being clear about what is at stake and the choices we are making.

The final way the media can fail in their coverage is not to stick around. Flood waters make for dramatic photography. But what comes next can be just as devastating. With a lack of clean water, the displaced people of Bangladesh, especially the children, are at risk of deadly diseases such as cholera.

Many victims of the floods have lost all their possessions. Bangladesh was already experiencing food supply problems after flash flooding wiped out a large part of the rice crop in April. Now more vast areas of crops have been washed away.

And although the US is a rich country, even there, for those who have least, it is hardest to get it back. A year ago, Baton Rouge, Louisiana was hit by one of the worst floods in US history. One year on, poorer neighbourhoods are still devastated. For them, and for the people of Bangladesh, climate change is already here. Will we pay attention?