ICTJ is pleased to announce the publication of a new policy report, Identities in Transition: Challenges for Transitional Justice in Divided Societies (attached). This report is the fruit of a multi-year, global research project on the ways that identity shapes transitional justice efforts.

WWSF invites nominations for its 2010 Prize for women's creativity in rural life. The aim of the prize is to draw international attention to women's contributions to sustainable development, household food security and peace, as well gain recognition and support for their community work.

Thailand, the World’s largest exporter of rice, is to support the Irrigation Company of Upper Region (ICOUR), to expand local rice production under the Tono and Vea Irrigation Schemes in the Region.

Claude Ribbe

The 2010 Gender Institute selected the theme of Gender and Sports in Africa’s Development: Towards Gender Equality in Sports in Africa. This builds on the debates on the same theme held during the 2009 edition of the Annual Gender Symposium held in Cairo in November 2009. The papers presented at this symposium revealed a marked gender disparity within the African sports space.

One six-month fellowship is available for a female social scientist from a developing nation, either pre- or post-doctoral, whose work addresses women’s economic and social empowerment in that nation. The goal of the program is twofold: to advance the scholarly careers of women social scientists from the developing world, and to support research that identifies causes of gender inequity in the developing world and that proposes practical solutions for promoting women’s economic and social empowerment.

Several thousand residents of Jos, in central Nigeria, are displaced after their homes burned in deadly sectarian clashes, according to residents and the local Red Cross. Local authorities have not confirmed the death toll from the 17 January violence but reports put the number at 26, with 300 people injured.

Gender Links, a dynamic Southern African NGO based in Johannesburg that promotes gender equality in and through the media seeks to fill the post of Gender and Media Programme Manager on an initial two year contract basis. Deadline ofr applications is Friday 5 February 2009.

Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI) of India is organizing aNational Forum on Mobile Applications The forum is scheduled to be held on April 7-9, 2010 at New Delhi, India. The theme of the Forum is "Mobile Applications for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development". The deadline for submitting the abstracts for the forum is 10th February 2010.

The late Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem has been named Africa's 'Personality of the Year 2009' by the . A big ceremony and the presentation of the award is planned for next Wednesday 27 January in Abuja, Nigeria, with Winnie Mandela, Salim Ahmed Salim and many others in attendance.

In recognition of the first year of Tajudeen's passing, Pambazuka Press will be publishing a collection of his Pan-African Postcards in May 2010, along with his book 'Pan-Africanism: Politics, Economy and Social Change in the Twenty-First Century' in October.

The Harry Chapin Media Awards (HCMA) was created to encourage the media to tell the stories of hunger and economic poverty. The HCMAs honour print and electronic media for outstanding coverage of hunger and economic poverty and the underlying root causes of these problems.

Freedom House condemns the arrest of 19 activists in Egypt - among them leading bloggers, political party representatives, and journalists - and demands their immediate release without harm.

Applications are now open for this year’s Rift Valley Institute field courses, to be held in May and June 2010. The Horn of Africa Course will be held from Saturday 29 May to Friday 4 June in Lamu, Kenya. The Sudan Course will be held from Saturday 12 June to Friday 18 June in Rumbek, Southern Sudan.

The Gender and Media Southern Africa (GEMSA) Network seeks the services of a senior policy and advocacy expert for its regional campaign on making care work count. Please submit a letter of motivation CV, references, and at least two samples of your work to [email]admin@gemsa.org.za by Friday 5 February 2010.

While still struggling with the aftermath of a decade-long Islamic insurgency, oil-rich yet impoverished Algeria is getting a makeover: a new airport, its first mall, its largest prison, 60,000 new homes, two luxury hotels and the longest continuous highway in Africa. The power behind this runaway building spree is China.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has distanced himself from a bill proposing execution for some gay people. He stressed that the MP who proposed the bill, who is a member of the ruling party, did so as an individual and was not following government policy.

Fighting between pro-government militias and the Al-Shabaab rebel group has caused continuing death and displacement in central Somalia. Clashes concentrated in the areas of Wabho, Warhole, and Beladweyne killed 27 civilians and displaced some 250 pastoralist families, according to rights groups in Somalia cited by Reuters on 12 January.

A massive influx of 125,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into neighbouring Republic of Congo (ROC) and Central African Republic (CAR) after deadly ethnic clashes is severely stretching the meagre resources of the impoverished region, the United Nations refugee agency has reported.

Twenty-five students were arrested at Bindura University on Thursday, after a demonstration over exorbitant tuition fees which have resulted in at least 40 percent of students being denied access to write their exams.

Former Congolese warlord Laurent Nkunda is ready to face trial for alleged war crimes or go into exile to end his detention without charge in Rwanda, his lawyer said.