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NTS Bulletin

NTS Bulletin October 2010 (Issue 2)

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October Marks Progress on Women’s Issues in the International Sphere

The date 31st October 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of the United Nations (UN) Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. The resolution was the first international instrument to link women’s experiences of conflict to the international peace and security agenda. It draws attention to the impact of conflict on women, and calls for the engagement of women in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.

The commemoration of the resolution is also intended to emphasise the importance of continuing efforts to enhance its implementation. In the last five years, eighteen countries have developed action plans to implement elements of the resolution. To advance the implementation of the resolution in the Asia-Pacific, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) launched a multi-country initiative, the Asia-Pacific Regional Advisory Group on Women, Peace and Security, in Bangkok on 6 October 2010. The grouping is composed of women and men with recognised expertise in furthering the role and interests of women. This grouping will advise and support governments, civil society and other relevant players on the effective implementation of resolution 1325.

The resolution’s anniversary follows the launch of the UN’s newly created Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women – known as UN Women – which will be operational in January 2011. Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet is to head the agency, which merges four UN agencies and offices: UNIFEM, the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW), the Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) and the UN International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).

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MIGRATION

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This paper is about middle-class Muslim Filipinos in Saudi Arabia, and their relationships with migrant domestic workers in that country. It notes the support provided by middle-class Filipinos to those working-class Filipinos labouring in difficult and legally unprotected conditions; at the same time, some of these middle-class Filipinos may employ migrant workers in their homes and in the process reproduce negative gendered stereotypes.

The report highlights the ongoing ‘labour market recession’ which is worsening the social outlook in many countries. Asia is seeing encouraging signs of employment recovery three years into the global economic crisis. The report highlights key findings, which underpin calls to place employment creation at the heart of economic recovery, that is, to make employment a key macroeconomic objective.

This book uses an urban divide framework to analyse the complex social, political, economic and cultural dynamics of urban environments. It focuses on the ways in which urban dwellers are excluded from the advantages of city life. It uses the framework to explore the links among poverty, inequality, slum formation and economic growth.

Events & Announcements

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INTERNAL AND CROSS-BORDER CONFLICT

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This guidance aims to assist companies in implementing responsible business practices in conflict-affected and high-risk areas, through adherence to the Global Compact Ten Principles. The objectives include maximisation of long-term financial performance and positive contributions to peace and development, whilst minimising risks and negative impacts to both business and society. It also aims to provide a common reference point for constructive engagement between companies and investors.

The paper looks at the degree to which the UNHCR is involved and interested in the theme of protection of civilians (POC). It makes some proposals as to how the agency could position itself in relation to the POC, especially in the context of UN peacekeeping.

Based on interviews conducted on both sides of the China-Myanmar border, the paper looks at and analyses China’s strategies and policies on Myanmar, particularly in relation to the latter’s upcoming elections.

Events & Announcements

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WATER SECURITY

News & Commentaries

Latest Publications

In this article, the authors present a worldwide synthesis of human and biodiversity perspectives on water security using a spatial framework that quantifies multiple stressors and accounts for downstream impacts. Key findings include: nearly 80 per cent of the world’s population is exposed to high levels of threat to water security, and biodiversity is threatened in habitats associated with 65 per cent of continental discharge. The article emphasises the necessity of limiting threats at their source instead of through costly remediation of symptoms if water security were to be achieved.

This paper provides an inventory of existing and prospective water storage in the Ghanaian Volta and the Ethiopian Blue Nile basins based on quantitative data from published and gray literature. It further notes the dearth of readily available information, and the lack of integrated planning of storage in both basins. Recommendations are made for improved planning in the future.

This publication is aimed at guiding the work of the WWC and its members. It defines the basis for a strategy that gives real priority to improving access to water, specifying four key objectives and accompanying action plans. The emphasis is on helping policymakers understand how integrated water resources management can play a central role in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction, and on a proactive approach to addressing risks at both regional and national levels.

Membrane technology has different applications in water treatment – desalination, potable water treatment and wastewater treatment and reuse. The book outlines current research and development activities in membrane technology, focusing on water treatment in the Mediterranean region. Areas covered include municipal and industrial wastewater treatment, surface water purification, and brackish and seawater treatment for drinking purposes.

Events & Announcements

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HUMAN TRAFFICKING

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This is a legal analysis which seeks to clarify why the United Nations Convention against Trans-national Organized Crime and its Protocols contain provisions that could significantly advance the human rights of migrants and will therefore bridge trans-national criminal law and international human rights law.

This memorandum of understanding comes into effect on 1 January 2011 in Cambodia and covers important aspects of collective bargaining, arbitration and productivity, and specific measures for implementation.

In this article, common pitfalls and particular challenges in research on human trafficking are highlighted. It is suggested that primary data collection in the trafficking field should focus on former victims, and not current victims or persons at risk. The article looks at the factors that have inhibited the development and use of explicit operational definitions of trafficking, and the challenges in identification of trafficking victims. Finally, the usefulness of different research strategies in the trafficking field for the current knowledge needs is discussed.

This thematic review surveys existing sources and research papers on migrant smuggling and provides a gap analysis of existing knowledge from a global perspective.

Events & Announcements

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TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This essay examines Black Hand crime in the city of Chicago from 1892 to 1931. The Black Hand was a crude method of crime in which Italian immigrants and others were extorted for money. This essay also examines the institutional legacy of the Black Hand phenomenon and argues that the inappropriate linking of Black Hand crime to the Sicilian Mafia led to the development of the alien conspiracy theory, forever linking organised crime in American society to the Italian immigrant. This essay concludes that the media plays an important role in defining the societal construction of crime.

This article focuses on cocaine trafficking in Europe. It provides an overview of how cocaine is produced and trafficked; and a better understanding of the actors involved, the routes taken and the scale of the problem in Europe.

Events & Announcements

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Use of this article:

You are free to publish this article in its entirety or only in part in your newspapers, wire services, internet-based information networks and newsletters and you are also free to use the information in your radio-TV discussions or as a basis for discussion in different fora. We would, however, appreciate it if you could let us know when and where the article was used.

About the Centre:

The Centre for NTS Studies of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, was inaugurated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan in May 2008. The Centre maintains research in the fields of Climate Change, Energy Security, Health Security, as well as Internal and Cross Border Conflict. It produces policy-relevant analyses aimed at furthering awareness and building capacity to address NTS issues and challenges in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The Centre also provides a platform for scholars and policymakers within and outside Asia to discuss and analyse NTS issues in the region.

In 2009, the Centre was chosen by the MacArthur Foundation as a lead institution for the MacArthur Asia Security Initiative, to develop policy research capacity and recommend policies on the critical security challenges facing the Asia-Pacific.

The Centre is also a founding member and the Secretariat for the Consortium of Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies in Asia (NTS-Asia). More information on the Centre can be found at www.rsis.edu.sg/nts


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