Women making branded clothes fail to make ends meet

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)

Foreign investments in Myanmar's garment industry have increased six-fold from K2.2 billion (S$ 2.3 million) in 2007 to K12 billion in 2012. The increasing amount of investments by foreign companies, including famous garment brands are believed to be driven by low labour cost, a vast workforce and low production costs in the country. According to a report from the Myanmar Garment Manufacturers Association, the total investment in Myanmar was valued at US $1.7 billion in 2015, representing an annual increase of 8.7%, which reached $2.2 billion in 2016.

[Podcast] Why are feminist forums vital for accelerating progress towards development justice?

[Focus] Why are feminist forums important for gender justice?

[Podcast] Exploring the links: Women's rights in relation to right to land, housing and natural resources

[Focus] Right to land, housing and natural resources is integral to gender justice

[SDM Health Justice Lecture Series] No #endAIDS without #endTB!

[Watch recording] [Listen/ download podcast]
Dr Haileyesus Getahun, Coordinator of TB/HIV and community engagement at the WHO Global Tuberculosis Programme, has kindly consented to deliver the October 2017 e-talk/ online lecture as part of the Shanti Devi Memorial Health Justice Lecture Series. He will speak on "No #endAIDS without #endTB".

[Podcast] Scientific highlights of 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health

[Webinar] Scientific highlights of 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health

[Podcast] Women garment workers: key to economy and exports but struggle for their own needs and rights?

Despite boosting exports and economy, women garment workers struggle for their own rights

[Podcast] World Lung Day: Lung health is vital for sustainable development

[Webinar] First-ever World Lung Day on 25 September 2017

Breaking point became a turning point for this domestic violence survivor

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)
The whereabouts of Sheela’s husband are not known since the last 10 years. When he left home in 2007, Sheela was three months pregnant with her fifth child. The last she heard from him was one month after the birth of this child - a daughter. When he heard the news, he sent her INR 1000 through his brother, but did not come home to see her. Since then, there has been complete silence on his part.

[Call to register] World Lung Day Webinar: DYK why lung health is vital for sustainable development?

[Watch webinar recording] [Listen or download audio podcast] First-ever World Lung Day will be observed globally on 25th September 2017.

Work towards the Delhi call for action to end TB

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India
[First publishrd in the India Saga]

‘Bending the curve’ and ending TB was a key agenda item at the 70th session of the Regional Committee which concluded in Maldives. The Regional Committee is the highest decision-making body for public health in the South-East Asia Region, and includes health ministers and senior health ministry officials of the Region’s 11 Member countries – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

Using ICT to end TB

Francis Okoye, CNS Correspondent, Nigeria

Photo credit: Ashok Ramsarup

As the world advances, new idea and technologies are taking root in all fields, especially in the medical field. This brings us to the idea of using information and communication technologies to help control TB. The new technology being applied is called mobile health or mHealth, and in a webinar titled ‘Can mHealth help accelerate progress towards ending TB?’ hosted by CNS, experts explained how the new technology is being applied in India in the rural as well as urban areas. Mobile health technology is being used in different ways by TB programs in some high burden countries.

[Podcast] Avert delays in translating scientific gains into public health outcomes

[SDM Health Justice Lecture] Transforming scientific research outcomes into public health gains

26/9 Webinar: Scientific highlights of the 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health

[Webinar recording] [Listen/download audio podcast] The 48th Union World Conference on Lung Health will be held during 11-14 October 2017 in Guadalajara, Mexico on the theme of "Accelerating towards elimination".

Leveraging mHealth for tackling TB in India

Urvashi Prasad, CNS Correspondent, India
India accounts for a large part of the world’s TB burden. As highlighted by Dr Suneetha Narreddy, Infectious Diseases Expert, Apollo Hospitals,  Hyderabad, during a webinar organised by CNS, there are approximately 2.6 million cases of TB annually in India. Unfortunately, nearly 1 million cases are missed every year on account of poor notification, especially from the private sector where 50% of patients are treated, as well as the absence of standardised diagnostic and treatment practices.

Dr Paula I Fujiwara, Scientific Director, The Union on World Lung Day 2017

Presentation of Dr Paula I Fujiwara of The Union in 2017 World Lung Day Webinar by bobbyramakant on Scribd

Technology can help improve TB management: Experts

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India
[First published in the India Saga] 
Simple technology, such as basic mobile phones, can help in improving TB management, experts suggest. At least two pilots, conducted in India, have shown increased adherence to treatment regimen and improved the notification of the disease, particularly in the private sector.

[Podcast] Voice from the Pacific: Gender justice is central to development

Dr Dean E Schraufnagel, Director, FIRS on 2017 World Lung Day

Presentation of Dr Dean E Schraufnagel, Director, FIRS in 2017 World Lung Day Webinar by bobbyramakant on Scribd

[Focus] Gender justice is integral to development in the Pacific

Women united will never be defeated…

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)

That was the reverberating chant that greeted the dawn of the third and final day on 'Action' theme at the 3rd Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF 2017), which was organized by the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD) in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

[Podcast] Can music/ rap help power social movements? Listen to rapper Sofia Ashraf in conversation with CNS' Shobha Shukla

[Focus] Powering people's movements through music and rap: Sofia Ashraf in conversation with CNS Editor Shobha Shukla

[Podcast] People's movements give hope for development justice to be a reality!

[Focus] Power of people's movements gives hope for a better and a just tomorrow!

Anger gives way to hope, for "if winter comes, can spring be far behind?"

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)

Anger of day one gave birth to HOPE on the second day of the 3rd Asia Pacific Feminist Forum (APFF 2017), which is being organised in the 'Land of a Thousand Smiles' - Thailand - under the aegis of Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD). Feminists from the Asia Pacific region, kindled a new optimism to collectively strike at the rise of authoritarian, patriarchal, late capitalism, by organising movements, for a more equitable and just world, through hope and love.

[Podcast] No excuse for inaction: Growing call to deliver on promise of gender justice

[Focus] Patriarchy abhors accountability: High time to walk the talk on gender justice!