Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean December 2013

News / Calls and Awards / Recent and Upcoming Events / New Projects / Project Publications and Articles

First Indigenous Fish Processing Community Centre in the Northern Amazon In July 2013, as part of the IDRC supported “Fish for Life” project, the first community fish processing

plant was opened in the indigenous community of Trinidacito in the Northern Amazon of Bolivia. The fishers participating in the initiative who work together as part of the Indigenous Amazon Fishers Association of Trinidacito (APIAT) have been able to double their selling price since the Centre opened. Of this increased revenue, fishers receive 78% of the value of the commercialization, while 2% is channelled back into the community to improve the quality of life of all of the families, while the remainder of the revenue is dedicated to sustaining the operating costs of the processing centre. Read more (Spanish)

New tool to visualize youth employment initiatives in the region

The “Employment Initiatives for Youth” map illustrates initiatives from the region most representative of youth employment between 2008-2011. It includes both labour market programs and regulations which promote better work experiences for youth. The map was developed by CEDLAS within the framework of the “Labour markets for inclusive growth” project, with the support of IDRC. Read more (Spanish)

Master’s in Public Procurement

The Virtual Program for Superior Training in Government Procurement is a joint initiative between the Universidad Nacional de San Martín (Argentina) and the

Universidad Santo Tomás (Chile), in close collaboration with the Inter-American Network on Government Procurement (INGP), which aims to satisfy the training needs of specialized human resources throughout the region. The Program aims to provide government procurement actors with the adequate tools for their needs so they can interact in an ethical, efficient and transparent way within the State Procurement System. Read more (Spanish)

New publication analyzes the future of the information society

“Enabling openness: the future of the information society in Latin America and the Caribbean” is the title of a new book which debates the issues raised during the seminar on “Open Development: Exploring the future of the information society in LAC”, which was organized by the Comunica Foundation and IDRC in Uruguay in April 2013. The publication includes contributions by twenty specialists from the region and aims to address issues relating to privacy, open data, social networks, democracy, and digital education among others. Read more

Social Media and Collective Action in Chile The second electronic book entitled “Social Media and Collective Action in Chile” has been launched within the framework of the “Rethinking Political Legitimacy: Citizen Inclusion and Social Digital Media” project which is being carried out by the Quinto Poder with financial support from IDRC. It presents an analysis of the ways in which digital activism initiatives translate into collective action in Chile. Read more

Report analyzes citizen security in Latin America and the Caribbean The UNDP Regional Human Development Report for 2013-2014 “Citizen Security with a Human Face: evidence and proposals for Latin America”, was recently launched. It analyzes the major challenge facing Latin America: citizen insecurity. The report outlines the regions problems with delinquency and violence, and offers important recommendations to improve public policy on security.

The report received input from various researchers which are currently supported by IDRC’s program on Governance, Security and Justice (GSJ) after their research was presented last year at a workshop organized by IDRC and the UNDP in Morelos, Mexico. Read more

Innovative Community-based Ecosystem Management Interventions for Improved Dengue and Chagas Disease Prevention

From November 26-29, over 40 participants including research team members from 8 ongoing studies on dengue and Chagas interventions, regional decision-makers and representatives from international agencies met in Montevideo, Uruguay. The workshop aimed to provide a forum and network opportunities for data analysis, to advance the research to policy dialogue, to work on social research and health economics aspects and to plan for further dissemination and follow up efforts. In the opening session, Roberto Salvatella, PAHO regional expert on Chagas disease, highlighted the importance of the pioneer work done by ecohealth projects in Central America to combat the main vector of disease in that region.

Climate Adaptation in the Water Sector: how can research best meet the needs of decision makers?"

From December 2-4, researchers participating in six projects selected as part of IDRC’s call for research proposals on Water and Adaptation to Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean, funded through the Government of Canada’s Fast Start Funding, met in Panama City. Project teams had the opportunity to share their lessons learned and discuss approaches to common challenges faced in the region, while also exploring new opportunities for collaboration. Read more

Video of the month - one swallow does not make a summer For more than 50 years the indigenous people and peasants in Colombia have suffered the horror of armed conflict, and exposure to physical and cultural extermination. This documentary was created by women survivors of the conflict in Alto Naya, Department of Cauca, in the southeast of the country, as well as the indigenous community of Kankuamo, and the territories of Aguas Blancas and Santa Cecilia in the Department of

Cesar in Colombia’s north. The documentary forms part of the project “Access to Justice for Indigenous and Peasant Women in Colombia and Guatemala”, financed by IDRC. View video (subtitled, duration: 37 minutes)

Call for papers – EcoHealth 2014 Conference EcoHealth 2014 is co-hosted by the Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology, Health, Society and Environment (Cinbiose) and the Canadian community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (CoPEH-Canada). Under the theme Connections for health, ecosystems and society, the EcoHealth 2014 Conference will be held in Montréal (Québec, Canada), at the Université du Québec à Montréal, from August 11st to 15th.

Deadline: January 5, 2014 (extended) Read more

Grand Challenges Canada

Three funding opportunities are open and accepting proposals through “Grand Challenges Canada”

1. Global Mental Health Deadline: January 9, 2014 Read more

2. Saving Brains Deadline: January 16, 2014 Read more

3. Stars in Global Health Deadline: March 10, 2014 Read more

Awards - Drugs, Security and Democracy Program

The Drugs, Security and Democracy (DSD) Program provides support for research to create a

network of scholars interested in developing alternative approaches to drug policy and fostering strategies that address the growth of transnational organized crime. The competition is open to PhD candidates and recent PhD recipients worldwide. DSD is funded by the Open Society Foundations and IDRC. The program is a partnership between OSF, IDRC, the SSRC, Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), and Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (Mexico).

Deadline: January 20, 2014 Read more

LATN Prize - How sustainable is your thesis? – Regional edition 2014-2015

The LATN Network launches a competition in search of postgraduate theses on sustainability and green growth. The Prize falls within the framework of the new LATN Network on green and inclusive growth initiative, financed by IDRC. This Network seeks to distinguish the tensions and complementarities between sustainable development and social inclusion.

Deadline: February 10, 2014 Read more (Spanish)

REDMERCOSUR – Young Economists Prize: 2013 edition The Young Economists in the Mercosur Network prize competition is open for the presentation of research projects on “Employment impacts of natural resource value chains”.

Deadline: February 13, 2014. Read more

Scholarships - Diploma in Climate Change Adaptation 2014 – Central America and the Caribbean

CATHALAC is receiving applications for the Diploma in Climate Change Adaptation 2014. The diploma is offered through a virtual platform and consists of 5 courses given over 6 months. This year, a limited number of scholarships will be offered as part of the Regional Project on Water Security and Climate Change in Central America and the Caribbean, carried out by CATHALAC with the support of IDRC.

Deadline: March 7, 2014 Read more (Spanish)

IV Essay Competition for students on labour and social issues in Latin America As part of the Enhancing women´s economic empowerment through better policies in Latin

America project, CEDLAS from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata is organizing the 4th essay contest on labour and social themes in LAC, in collaboration with CIEDUR, and with the support of IDRC. This competition is aimed at both undergraduate and graduate economic students from universities around the world. Deadline: April 15, 2014

Read more (Spanish)

Dec. 02, 2013 Conferencia Internacional: Demografía, Crecimiento y Arquitectura Financiera Global,

Buenos Aires, Argentina Dec. 02-04, 2013 Taller Adaptación al Cambio Climático en el Sector del Agua: ¿Cómo responde la

investigación a las necesidades de los tomadores de decisión?” Panama city, Panama Dec. 06, 2013 II Diálogo multisectorial sobre los desafíos del crecimiento verde con inclusión social en

Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina Dec. 09, 2013 Lanzamiento del informe Nacional GEM Colombia 2012, Bogota, Colombia Dec. 09, 2013 Lanzamiento del Informe Nacional GEM Trinidad & Tobago 2012, Port of Spain, Trinidad &

Tobago Dec. 10, 2013 Lanzamiento del Informe Nacional GEM Barbados 2012, Bridgetown, Barbados Dec. 10-12, 2013 Seminario Anual CIES 2013 - "Economía global, minería e inclusión social, Lima, Peru Dec. 09-10, 2013 Primer Encuentro del Grupo de Trabajo de la RICG sobre Indicadores en las Compras

Públicas, Bogota, Colombia 10-12 Dic. 2013 Taller básico de formación en Seguridad Informática, Cochabamba, Bolivia Jan. 17, 2014 GEM Chile, Santiago, Chile

Addressing the emergence and spread of leishmaniasis in the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay

The border areas of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay have the highest burden of Leishmaniasis in the entire region, with its emergence being strongly associated with environmental and anthropogenic changes. The project will study biological, environmental and social variables associated with disease transmission risks in different types of landscapes and a specific set of interventions will be developed to address the emergence and spread of the disease in each country. The participation of decision makers from the local, subnational and national levels of the three countries, and the technical collaboration of experts of the Pan-American Health Organization, will enhance the uptake of results and implementation of multi-sector prevention and control strategies, as well as their replication and scaling up in other high-risk areas of the sub-region.

Indigenous Health, Social Inequity and Interculturality in Peru The implementation of intercultural health programs, often understood as the integration of indigenous and biomedical models of medicine, is a common challenge across many countries. This project led by the Institute for Peruvian Studies, will undertake a critical evaluation of current research, policies and programmes related to intercultural health and indigenous peoples in Peru, with a particular focus on cultural diversity, social exclusion and inequities. Based on this evaluation, it will disseminate and promote best practices for achieving intercultural health, and lessons learned about the social and structural conditions that favour intercultural health.

IDRC IN THE NEWS

• The “Tobacco Taxes and Tobacco Control Policies in Brazil, Mexico and Uruguay” project has just released the results of its research. Under the title “Tobacco consumption cut in half in 20 years” (“Consumo de tabaco cai pela metade em 20 anos”) the Brazilian government portal reproduced data developed by FIOCRUZ and other

institutions in the country. At the same time, the Uruguayan newspaper “La Diaria”, published data related to the project in Uruguay under the title “Paid with smoke” (“Se paga en humo”) and the Mexican newspaper “El Universal” published an article by Ruth Rodriguez on “Study: Tobacco taxes equally affect the rich and poor”(“Impuesto al tabaco afecta igual a ricos y pobres: estudio”).

• The TechPresident blog published an article entitled “Dude, Where's My Cow? There May Be An App For That” which describes some of the open code applications which are being developed for farmers in Jamaica in the RADA program. One of the mobile phone tools seeks to help farms protect themselves from crop theft. Written by Rebecca Chao.

• The Mexican newspaper El Diario published an article entitled “Millions of pesos vs. marginalization and the results are very poor” (“Millones de pesos vs marginación y los resultados, muy pobres”) on the results of two Research projects presented in Mexico. Written by Antonio Rebolledo.

• Radio Canada International interviewed Alma Espino who commented on the activities

of the new project “Promoting the Economic Empowerment of Women in Latin America” which includes Research in 8 of the region’s countries. Interview Pablo Gómez Barrios.

Agriculture and Environment

• Conocimiento y Cambio en pobreza rural y desarrollo 2010-2013, RIMISP, 2013 • Knowledge for Change in Rural Poverty and Development 2010-2013, RIMISP, 2013

Social and Economic Policy

• “La XO y los cambios en las prácticas docentes y en las interacciones en el aula en Paraguay” Demelenne, D.; Misiego, P., Instituto Desarrollo, Serie Educación, Documento de Trabajo Nº 9; 2013

• “¿Qué significa manejar bien el dinero? Análisis comparativo entre usuarias de JUNTOS que han recibido y no han recibido Educación Financiera”; Caballero, E.; En Breve 42, 2013

• “What does it mean to manage money well? Comparative analysis of JUNTOS users who have received Financial Education and those who have not”; Caballero, E.; In Short 42, 2013

• “Estrategia de comunicación de SMS para el apoyo a la promoción de la educación financiera. Estudio de caso: La Libertad – Perú”; En breve 37: Ramos, J.; Caballero, E.; Busse, P.; En Breve 37; 2013

• “SMS Communication Strategy To Promote Financial Education. Case Study: La Libertad, Peru”, Ramos Duffaut, J.; Caballero Calle, E.; Busse Cárdenas, P.; In Short 37, 2013

• “Apego al terruño: La geografía espacial de los mercados laborales de docentes”. Jaramillo, M. GRADE, Documento de Investigación N° 68, 2013

• “ebook: Medios sociales y acción colectiva en Chile”, Millaleo, S.; Cárcamo, P.; Fundación Democracia y Desarrollo; 2013

• “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Caribbean – 2012 Trinidad and Tobago National Report”; Bailey, H. Pacheco, M.; Carrillo, M.; David, T.; UWI; 2013

• “Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Caribbean: 2012 Colombian National Report”; Varela, R,; Moreno, J. Soler, J.D.; Universidad Icesi, Ediciones Icesi 2013

• “Ejercicio de los derechos y participación de las mujeres en los espacios locales. Promesas y realidades de la descentralización en América Latina”, Bonder, G.; FLACSO Argentina, 2013

• “Alcaldías Indígenas: 10 años después de su reconocimiento por el Estado”, Ochoa García, C.; ASIES, Nov. 2013 • “Propuesta para el fortalecimiento institucional de las microfinanzas en Guatemala”, Gonzalez, C.; ASIES, Nov.

2013

Global Health Policies

• “Atención de la salud y de la salud reproductiva de las mujeres indígenas en México. Sobre los servicios de salud que el gobierno mexicano ofrece a las mujeres y pueblos indígenas”, Julia Suárez y Carmen Herrera; Abogadas y Abogados para la Justicia y los Derechos Humanos; 2013

• “Pesquisas em saúde mental: o desafio de pesquisar inovações nas práticas concretas de saúde”, Revista Ciência e Saúde Coletiva, vol.18 no.10 Rio de Janeiro, Out. 2013

• “Research in mental health: the challenge of researching changes and innovations in a field demarcated by ethical and political issues”, Revista Ciência e Saúde Coletiva, vol.18 no.10, Oct. 2013

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean Avda. Brasil 2655, 11300 Montevideo, Uruguay Tel: +598 2 7090042 Email: lacro@idrc.ca www.idrc.ca/lacro

Comments or suggestions write to lacro@idrc.ca