Summary: This project would strengthen conflict prevention policies, helping to establish a “knowledge base” on conflict prevention theory and practice. The proposed project would undertake a thorough academic and policy literature review on conflict prevention, map regional and subregional conflict prevention architecture, and explore the knowledge on causes of and dynamics around electoral violence and available tools to prevent such violence. The team would also evaluate existing conflict assessment methodologies, explore respective strengths and weaknesses of these methodologies, and explore how different actors translate results of these assessments into effective conflict prevention and/or peacebuilding strategies and policies.
Organization: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)Summary: UNFPA seeks to develop a corporate strategy to strengthen UNFPA's understanding of the population and development, reproductive health and gender equality issues of persons with disabilities, more particularly women and young people, and establish a stronger framework for UNFPA's work on persons with disabilities. The Practicum team would develop a working paper describing the main population and development, reproductive health and gender equality issues that persons with disabilities face to provide solid factual basis for that strategy.
Organization: Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID)Summary: While it is acknowledged that Information and Communication Technologies can accelerate progress, no concerted effort has been made within the UN system to undertake a comprehensive analysis of ICT's role in achievement of MDGs. Students will make the case for ICTs as a crucial instrument of economic and social development in papers that can serve as a guide to policy-makers and ICTD practitioners, and be used as reference in designing and implementing policies to achieve the MDGs. This semester's team will develop a white paper to explore how ICTs can contribute to achieve Gender and Development MDGs. Click above on project title for full explanatory document.
Summary: This project will prepare a final evaluation of a project on spina bifida in Nicaragua completed by Fondazione Mariani. The project focused on preventing spina bifida through prevention, monitoring, training, and assistance.
Students will conduct a final evaluation to review report recommendations and monitor implementation. Before conducting field work in Nicaragua, the student group will conduct research on spina bifida. The group will also research and define a baseline in which the original project can be compared against. In addition, the group will conduct a stakeholder’s analysis and evaluate the best methodologies to use with the specific target audiences. Evaluation methodologies may include surveys, focus groups and semi-structure interviews.
Spanish-speakers needed for this project and for possible field work in Nicaragua.
Summary: Design a portal for the Liberian election that will link citizens, foreign observers, journalists, candidates and interest groups into a coherent ‘community of interest' around the election. Also consider ways of bringing non-literate, non-English speaking citizens into the dialog using new media tools.
Summary: DRP would like to determine the viability of hosting an online Clearinghouse to support NGO partners in the Darfur region. The Clearinghouse concept would be an up-to-the-minute database of information and resources regarding the water situation in Eastern Chad and Darfur. Students will be asked to research existing clearinghouse examples, technical processes and cost of development, and other factors and issues. After a feasibility study is completed, students will recommend the most viable business model and develop a business plan for DRP.
Summary: Project description coming.
Faculty Supervisor: Peter Lucas
Organization: International Rescue Committee (IRC)Summary: IRC provides technical assistance to 42 community-based and other organizations, and a priority area for this year is promoting refugee organizations to collaborate with mainstream groups and institutions and strengthen their effectiveness and sustainability, promote refugee integration. One element of this technical assistance will be resource mapping. This project will research best practices and map resources for three strategically-selected geographic regions, and develop a user-friendly manual for local resource mapping. Resources will include state and local government, library, faith-based and community-based organizations, colleges and adult education institutes, and private sector initiatives involved in ensuring refugees' integration.
