aid
BBC Screening: Starving Yemen + Q&A
Since March 2015, a coalition of the Middle East’s richest countries, led by Saudi Arabia, has been bombing the region’s poorest state, Yemen. While the bombing campaign has been receiving intermittent coverage in the international media, the enormous scale of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Yemen as a result continues to be overlooked. Through the eyes of Ahwaq, a medical doctor living and practicing in Hodeidah, viewers will see the silent killer of this ongoing conflict: the blockade currently imposed by the Saudi-led coalition and the widespread, large-scale corruption and lawlessness on the ground, which is drastically disrupting civilians’ access to aid.
Nawal El Saadawi: Religion, Feminism and Egyptian Politics
By Ayman Al-Juzi On Monday 26 October, renowned Egyptian writer, feminist and activist Nawal El Saadawi joined journalist Wendell Steavenson and a packed audience at the Frontline Club for a discussion that spanned the topics of linguistic philosophy, feminism and globalisation – all of which were explored in the context of El Saadawi‘s own life […]
Afghanistan: Lessons Of War
By Isabel Gonzalez-Prendergast On 25 February, a panel of experts convened at the Frontline Club for a discussion on the war in Afghanistan and its ongoing legacy. Chaired by BBC Afghanistan correspondent, David Loyn, the debate spanned the period from 11 September 2001 to the present day.
Screening: AIDependence + Q&A
After many years of receiving a considerable amount of foreign aid, Haiti remains an impoverished and politically fragile state. AIDependence tells the story of the controversial relationship between the people of Haiti and international aid organisations, and exposes the negative side effects of the aid industry, including dependency, corruption, and the corrosion of solidarity and the economy. Using the example of Haiti, the country with the most NGOs per capita, Alice Smeets presents a well-informed analysis of how development projects can give rise to cycles of dependence rather than long-term solutions. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Alice Smeets.
Can news still change the course of history?
By Antonia Roupell “Does the Pubic Still Care?” was the poignant title of the discussion on conflict and disaster reporting which was chaired by Ben Parker at the Frontline Club on Thursday 23 October. The event was organised by the Oversees Development Institute and Humanitarian Policy Group. Channel 4 News anchor, Jon Snow, and senior reporter for […]
Conflict and Disaster Reporting: Does the Public Still Care?
This event is organised by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI).
On 23 October 1984, the BBC aired a landmark report on the famine in Ethiopia. Describing the crisis as a ‘biblical famine’, the report galvanised the public, spurred the UK government into action and prompted the creation of the infamous Live Aid concert. Join the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) as they examine the current state of conflict and disaster reporting and how humanitarian agencies can work with the media to raise awareness and much-needed funds.
Screening: The Do Gooders + Q&A
Filmmaker Chloe Ruthven’s grandparents were aid workers in Palestine. Growing up, she avoided getting too involved in the subject, recalling how mention of it made all the adults in her life angry. Inspired by a book written by her grandmother about the aid projects in Palestine, Ruthven explores the effects of foreign aid and the potential damage the continued reliance may have for the future. This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Chloe Ruthven and protagonist Lubna Masarwa.
Reconstructing Haiti
On 12 January 2010 the deadliest earthquake ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere hit Haiti, claiming between 230,000 and 300,000 lives. We will be joined by a panel of experts from the humanitarian aid community and reporters who covered the earthquake and the subsequent reconstruction efforts, to examine why – after three years and $15.3 billion – the country is still in crisis.
Can we fix a broken food system?
Food is on the agenda this year. The recent horse meat scandal has left many people questioning where their food comes from, and in the lead up to the G8 summit a coalition of aid agencies has launched The Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign. We will be joined by those involved in the campaign and others to break down the problems with our food system and ask what can be done to fix it.
Is it a disaster if the cameras are not there?
Organised by ShelterBox
Join us for a panel debate, chaired by Clive Jones, Chair of the Disasters Emergency Committee (and ITV News) with Sarah Whitehead of Sky News, DFID’s Dylan Winder, and Ross Preston, Head of Operations for international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox.
Congo Dreams: Hopes and prospects for the future
This event is in association with the Royal African Society and will be held at Conway Hall.
This event is in association with the Royal African Society and will be held at Conway Hall.
The recent fighting involving the M23 rebel group that has put eastern DR Congo back on the front pages has reached a fragile ceasefire. We will be looking at the implications of recent developments and the prospects for the current peace process.
Famine and Conflict in Somalia: What can bring relief?
Caught between political instability, conflict and violence, whilst famine and drought destroy the people and the land, there is seemingly little that can be done to bring relief to this failed state. Aid agencies are being criticised for not acting sooner and making provisions for prevention, as the famine and drought in the Horn of Africa were deemed “predictable.” Does the international system need to step up their efforts and produce a coordinated response? And what lessons can we learn for the future about prevention rather than cure?
Join us at the Frontline club with an expert panel to discuss the role of the international system, and what more can be done to bring relief to this war torn famine stricken country.
The week ahead at the Frontline Club
Don’t forget the September Club Quiz tonight! Next week we will be discussing the aid operation in Somalia and how effective it can be in a country caught between political instability, conflict and violence. For In the Picture this week we will be joined by Norwegian photojournalist Espen Rasmussen who, for his project TRANSIT, travelled to 10 different countries recording the lives of […]
ForesightNews world briefing: upcoming events 12-18 September
A weekly round up of world events from Monday, 12 September to Sunday, 18 September from ForesightNews By Nicole Hunt The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors meets in Vienna on Monday, with Iran likely to be high on the agenda following last week’s report expressing increased concerns over ‘undisclosed nuclear related activities’ […]
Aid and the Media
In the third of this series of events looking at aid and development we will be examining the often troubled relationship between the media and aid agencies. With an expert panel we will be discussing how the media and aid agencies work together and the problems that arise.
Aid & accountability: still a happy couple?
Download this episode View in iTunes Watch the event here. By Gianluca Mezzofiore Public interest in international aid is slowly growing across the UK, as catastrophic disasters such as the Pakistani floods make demands on people’s generosity. But what is the level of accountability and transparency of aid agencies and NGOs responsible for delivering money […]
Aid and Accountability
Humanitarianism has become a multi billion dollar business, but who is holding it to account? Join us at the Frontline Club with an expert panel to discuss where the money goes. Is there a need for a greater level of transparency and accountability? What systems are in place for this and are they working? To what extent are there levels of corruption in the system and how can this be addressed? Is aid targeted to the greatest effectiveness?
What now for the international development budget?
In the first of a series of events looking at international development and the aid industry we will be examining the UK international development budget and the implications for foreign aid. What is the coalition government’s policy towards the development budget and what impact will the proposed changes have on countries around the world?
A week of debate, insight and parties in the Forum
Does the Demotix citizen journalism agency offer a model for the future or will it simply undercut the professionals? Love them or hate them, Demotix has made its mark on the industry. Our networking party tonight offers the opportunity to meet Demotix CEO Turi Munthe and hear about their work as well as network and […]
Air Miles and God
The Archbishop of Canterbury has waded into the air miles debate. In an interview with The Times, Dr Rowan Williams said that families needed to respond to the threat of climate change by changing their shopping habits and adjusting their diets to the seasons, eating fruit and vegetables that could be grown in Britain. He said […]
I Went to Africa and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt
I struggle slightly with the vogue for personalising conflicts around the globe so that they always end up being more about us than them (Not in Our Name, wristbands, boycotts of Israeli produce) and turning campaigning into a T-shirt and lifestyle. Sometimes it is a neat way of making people care about things going on […]
My African Predictions for 2009
This year I lost $200 in bets on the US presidential election and remain committed to swimming naked to Tuti island in the middle of the Nile on my next visit to Khartoum. That is not enough to stop me making a few more predictions of the events that will shape the African news agenda […]
Somalia: The Mess Continues and a Lot of It is Our Fault
Human Rights Watch is publishing a report today accusing all sides of war crimes in Somalia. I’ve been trying to get a story away for the past couple of months on how British-funded police have been shooting up schools, looting and arbitrarily detaining journalists (see below). “The combatants in Somalia have inflicted more harm on […]
Who’s Winning?
Children at Kibati Camp, near Goma. Credit: Kate Holt The conflict here in Goma is a meaningless mess. Laurent Nkunda claims his gunmen are protecting ethnic Tutsis from the attentions of Hutu militias – the former Interahamwe, responsible for the worst abuses in the Rwandan genocide. The government says he is a terrorist, and points […]
What Now for Obama and Africa?
Three ways that Kenyans think they will benefit from an Obama presidency: 1. By spending the American budget on Kenyan infrastructure Peter Otieno, one of the hustlers who crams extra passengers into already crowded minibus taxis in the town of Siaya, beside the Obama family homestead, said the president-elect should remember his roots. “When he’s […]
Hack Attack
The press pack in Kogelo The press pack at Barack Obama’s ancestral home is growing steadily. Today there must have been a good 30 or so hacks assembled for the 11am press conference to hear Abongo Malik Obama (half brother to Barack Obama) say there would be no more press conferences. Fair enough, I suppose. […]
Devils and Details
George Clooney’s people have still not contacted my people over the great “Put Up or Shut Up” debate he proposed last year. George has now at least been to Darfur (albeit for about 24 hours before being struck down by diarrhoea and having to be smuggled back to the comforts of the Rotana Hotel in […]
Urban Hunger in Nairobi’s Slums
John Kilonzo and his wife Lucia Kamene with their young daughter Esther in the miserable slum of Mathare In his tiny one-room shack in a Kenyan slum, John Kilonzo and his family are the new faces of urban poverty – squeezed by rising food prices and trapped by disease. Hunger is stalking Nairobi’s shanty towns […]
Guilt by Emigration
Ugali and cabbage. Mmmm For much of the 1980s I simply refused to smile. My country was being wrecked by Thatcherism, the pits were shut down and four million people were thrown on the scrapheap. The least I could do as I caught the bus from Royal Tunbridge Wells to my school (best A-level results […]
Ethiopian Famine Averted
Among many of the titbits of useful advice I picked up as I worked my way through Britain’s regional newspapers was one that has caused me no end of trouble. “Rob,” one of the old hands at The Herald (I should point out this is a Scottish national paper – not a British regional paper) […]