News

Both ENDS has won the Innovation Award organized by the Dutch NGO PSO (Association for Staff Cooperation with Developing Countries). The Both ENDS project 'South-South learning through a new approach for River Basin Management' was one of three initiatives shortlisted from a total of 23. On 28 November a committee of experts congratulated Both ENDS with the prize.

There are still over one billion people who have no access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation. The increasing scarcity of water around the world makes the problem all the more urgent. However, the growing international recognition of the right to water and sanitation is the first step in the right direction. This right gives poor and vulnerable groups the ability to stand up to political neglect. It empowers them to approach national and international courts of justice to demand clean drinking water.

On December 15th 2008, Both ENDS organizes together with the Society for International Development (SID) the first Joke Waller-Hunter lecture. Both ENDS partner Professor Vijay Paranjpye will talk about `The contribution of agriculture and rural development to inclusive growth'.

Both ENDS Partners EMG, South Africa, Keystone, India and Amichoco from Colombia are all three nominated for the prestigious World Challenge of the BBC.

In cooperation with partners Both ENDS will organize multiple workshops at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona. During the event from 5-14 October more than 8,000 of the world's leading decision makers in sustainable development: from governments, NGOs, business, the UN and academia will share ideas and initiatives. Together they will debate, share, network, learn, commit, vote and decide. The objective: ideas, action and solutions for a diverse and sustainable world.

Political Cafe in the Bank We Trust: Testing the water
How can the right to water and sanitation enhance the World Bank's policy and practice in the sector?

Thursday October 9th, 2008 / 5 pm to 6.45 pm
Overflow room for Preston Auditorium, World Bank, 1818 H Street NW Washington D.C

In September this year the UN held its annual meetings in New York. The Dutch government was well represented: with the Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister for Development Aid all attending. Both ENDS was also in New York to call for the inclusion of the right to water and sanitation in the Millennium Development Goals. We spoke with the Dutch Prime Minister, attended high-level meetings, and published an opinion article.

Reactie Danielle Hirsch, directeur van Both ENDS, op het artikel "Cramers subsidieparadijs" in de Telegraaf van 27 augustus 2008: "Het artikel is tendentieus. Het gaat over belastinggeld dat over de balk gesmeten zou worden. Niets is minder waar.

The annual report 2007 of Both ENDS can be downloaded as of now. Guided by three Both ENDS themes: land, water and capital, the annual report gives an overview of the work and projects of Both ENDS in 2007. A new clearly recognisable layout and the use of pictures with a story is characteristic of the new format.

Baobabconnections has won a 'Best Practices Award' at the UN-Habitat conference on International Youth & Crime Prevention. Baobabconnections - the youth programme of Both ENDS - was also taken up into the final resolution.

On the 29th of May Sjef Langeveld took leave from his office as director of Both ENDS and introduced Daniëlle Hirsch to replace him. The farm of Sjef in the beautiful surroundings of the village of Chaam was the setting for a day filled with memories, but above all ideas for the future.

Both ENDS' Political Cafe on forest management in the Congo, held on May 6, brought together two of Both ENDS' Congolese partners, Adolphine Muley (UEFA) and Alphonse Valivambene (Réseau CREF) with representatives from the World Bank, the European Commission, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.