Oxfam Australia's experience of ‘bottom–up’ accountability

Oxfam's experience suggests that ‘bottom–up’ accountability can be an important mechanism whereby men and women living in poverty can hold others to account. The first section of this article illustrates this with two examples of Oxfam experience in Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The second section draws out some of the lessons from these examples and attempts to situate them within the broader debate about approaches to accountability. In the third section some suggestions are put forward about what would need to change if active citizenship and ‘speaking truth to power’ were to become the renewed focus of accountability.     

Disaster without memory: Oxfam's drought programme in Zambia

In Southern Africa, a major drought during 1992–93 threatened devastating consequences for poor rural populations in the region. The article describes the unconventional approach to disaster mitigation undertaken by Oxfam (UK and Ireland) in Zambia. This enabled people at the local level, with little prior organisational experience, to establish effective dialogue with government officials in the country; it also laid the foundations for longer-term development activities. The role of local-level lobbying, as well as campaigning on an international level, was crucial.     

Gerald Fitzmaurice (1865–1939), Chief Dragoman of the British Embassy in Turkey by Berridge,G.R

Nixon was one of the first American politicians to advocate the building of a strong US‐Japan economic alliance and the Nixon administration laid the foundation for the healthy post‐Vietnam dialogue that the Carter and Reagan administrations cultivated with Tokyo. This article examines that foundation, and its contribution to the general post‐World War II US‐Japan relationship. Vietnam changed America, and it even changed the way a once arch‐cold warrior, Nixon, viewed the significance of US‐Japan relations. After years of Washington's scoffing at or ignoring Japanese interests, this American ‘discovery’ of Japan was an important development in itself. Hence, this article also examines a relationship in transition which, for Nixon's America, was an important first step in the construction of a post‐Vietnam view of Asian/Pacific cooperation.     

Private-sector development in a transition economy: The case of Vietnam

Since Vietnam introduced its Doi Moi reform policy in 1986, the development of the private sector has been a main policy concern for the government and the ruling Communist Party. The main development challenge for Vietnam is how to sustain economic growth and reduce poverty as the labour force continues to expand. It is envisaged that the private sector will play a major role in that respect. This article looks into the issue of whether the private sector can live up to widespread expectations. High and stable economic growth indicates that reforms have been consistent but also that private-sector initiatives have moved ahead of formal institutional changes. Private-sector development is new in Vietnam and starts from a low level. The public and foreign investment sectors are major players compared to the domestic private sector, which comprises many small firms. Poverty reduction has been impressive but it is only now that private-sector development is becoming an important contributor. Stemming the growth in inequality remains a challenge where the private sector's contribution to increasing public revenue has yet to materialise.     

Globalisation after seattle

The evolution of India--US relations in the last two decades has been remarkable, and the two countries are closer now than they have ever been. On the one hand, the rapid expansion of India's Western-influenced middle class has pushed the country to align with many American positions; on the other hand, the US too has recognised India's growing importance in a post-9/11 world. The principal driver of this relationship is a growing convergence of economic and strategic interests, with the existence of a large and successful Indian diaspora in the US acting as a further valuable bridge. American military aid to Pakistan remains an unsettling factor in this relationship, but both sides are learning to manage their differences without abandoning their core concerns or creating a crisis. Short of an unexpected shock to the system, India--US relations will continue to improve steadily in the future and become one of the most exciting partnerships in the 21st century.     

打击跨境诱拐儿童妇女的现状及措施

拐卖儿童妇女是最严重地侵犯儿童妇女权利的行为,也是人类社会绝对不能容忍的行为。杜绝这类犯罪需要国际间的通力合作。今天,非常高兴能够与越南妇联以及亚洲基金会和中国的同事们一起探讨反对拐卖儿童妇女的问题。一、中国拐卖儿童妇女犯罪现状分析拐卖儿童妇女犯罪可以有多种方法。为了更深入地了解该类犯罪在中国广西的现状,我们从被拐卖儿童妇女的去向分析拐卖犯罪的实质。当然,在我们调查的过程中,无论是一线的办案警察还是老百姓,也都十分关注被拐卖儿童妇女的去向问题。(一)在中国,被拐卖的儿童妇女至少有以下但不止以下4种去向:1.…     

From Apathy to Action: Promoting Active Citizenship and Global Responsibility amongst Populations in the Global North

Efforts to address social and global problems such as poverty, mass hunger and mass-atrocity crimes are hindered significantly by apathy and low levels of active civil and political engagement amongst populations in developed countries. Social change non-government organisations (NGOs), such as Oxfam Australia, Oxfam Hong Kong and Médecins Sans Frontières, have recently employed innovative, creative, experience-based strategies in their efforts to promote active citizenship and greater global responsibility amongst populations in the Global North. These techniques are based on two key assumptions: that experiences change attitudes and that changes in behaviour will follow changes in attitudes. Yet the effectiveness of these newer techniques and the accuracy of the assumptions on which they are based remain largely untested. This article explores these assumptions and discusses the innovative, creative techniques that they have generated in NGO public education efforts. The article examines the theoretical literature on the problem of apathy and on the use of creative techniques to overcome apathy. It further discusses the practical application of these techniques through an examination of Oxfam Australia's “Refugee Realities” project. This discussion is based on preliminary evaluation research conducted by Oxfam Australia and the author's own experiences as an actor/volunteer on the project. The article suggests that creative, experience-based public education strategies are effective in challenging and confronting public attitudes towards issues of global injustice. Further research is needed, however, to determine whether these encounters result in long-term changes in attitudes and whether they contribute to moving individuals and communities from apathy to action.     

革新开放后的越南外交战略与中越关系

1986年越南开始实行革新开放,确立了以经济建设为中心的国家发展战略。为了更好地为经济建设服务,越南政府不断调整对外战略,以适应不断变化的国内国际环境。中国是越南最重要的邻国和地区重要的国家之一,在越南的外交政策制定中占有特殊重要的地位。1991年中越关系正常化以来,两国关系不断发展,当前处于最友好时期。     

社会主义所有制改革的理论与实践探索——以越南为例

在20世纪的世界历史变奏曲中，社会主义是贯彻始终的主题之一。“社会主义制度的产生、发展和曲折前进，构成了20世纪历史画卷的主页”。一方面，20世纪见证了社会主义的凯歌高奏和辉煌成就。社会主义运动从理论到实践、从一国到多国的发展，极大地改变了世界面貌，深刻地影响了人类历史的发展进程。时代特征、世界格局无不打上了社会主义的烙印。     

Gender justice: the World Bank's new approach to the poor?

Gender inequality is now widely acknowledged as an important factor in the spread and entrenchment of poverty. This article examines the World Development Report 2000/01 as the World Bank's blueprint for addressing poverty in the twenty-first century, together with several more recent Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs), with a view to analysing the manner in which gender is incorporated into the policy-making process and considering whether it constitutes a new approach to gender and poverty. It is argued that the World Bank's approach to poverty is unlikely to deliver gender justice, because there remain large discrepancies between the economic and social policies that it prescribes. More specifically, the authors contend that the Bank employs an integrationist approach which encapsulates gender issues within existing development paradigms without attempting to transform an overall development agenda whose ultimate objective is economic growth as opposed to equity. Case studies from Cambodia and Vietnam are used to illustrate these arguments.     

The problem of gender quotas: women's representatives on Timor-Leste's suku councils

This article examines the experiences of women occupying reserved seats on the suku councils of Timor-Leste (each of which represents a number of small villages). The limited political participation of these women is often ascribed to patriarchal ideas within rural areas, and the need for capacity development. This article argues, however, that there are further structural issues at play, whereby the interaction between traditional and modern governance makes it difficult for women occupying reserved seats to make their mark. While gender quotas can be a useful tool to encourage women's political participation, these structural issues need to be recognised and addressed in order to truly empower women.     

中国河口—越南老街跨境经济合作区建设的SWOT分析

中国河口与越南老街山水相连。为了推动双方之间的经贸合作,从2002年开始,云南省就开始筹备建立中国河口—越南老街跨境经济合作区。截至目前,中国河口—越南老街跨境经济合作区是云南省计划建设的3个跨境经济合作区中条件最成熟的。然而,由于跨境经济合作区具有特殊性,是跨越国界的经济合作机制,因此,中国河口—越南老街跨境经济合作区还未上升到国家层面和两国互信有待提高是其推进面临的主要困难。     

在高通胀中发展——越南2008～2009年形势分析与预测(下)

(续上期) 三、经济:人均GDP突破1000美元打开越南经济发展的历史,没有哪一年像2008年那样变化无常,一年之内经历了如此剧烈的波动:年初强调快速发展、年中重点控制通货膨胀、年底集中力量抑制经济衰退.一年过去了,越南经济有喜有忧,虽然通货膨胀率高达23%,但其增长仍然达到了6.23%这个比较高的速度.在世界经济一片惨状之下,越南能有如此表现,成为东南亚发展最快的国家之一,实在不能让人忽视.     

越南革新开放以来电力业的发展及相关制度的建立完善

自越共“六大”提出“革新”战略以来，越南的经济社会步入了一个前所未有的快速发展时期①。对电力的需求也El益扩大，但越南电力业的发展相对滞后，电力业的发展成为制约越南经济社会发展的重要因素。21世纪以来，越南把电力业的发展放到了战略性的高度，制定了《电力法》，并把电力发展作为战略性领域纳入越南中长期经济社会发展规划，取得了较大成就，为越南经济社会的发展提供了保障。多年来，中国电力企业积极进入越南电力市场进行投资和贸易。研究越南近年来电力业的发展及其制度，有利于我国企业进一步拓展越南电力市场，促进我国对外投资和贸易。     

越南对外贸易与经济增长关系的实证研究

1986年越南实施了“革新开放”的新政策，2001年越共“九大”确立了以“社会主义定向的市场经济”的改革目标，并主张积极融入世界经济体系，大力发展外向型经济。“革新开放”二十余年来，越南在对外贸易领域业绩斐然。实证研究进一步表明：积极发展对外贸易是越南国内经济实现快速增长的重要“引擎”之一。     

India's Role in the South China Sea: Geopolitics and Geoeconomics in Play

This article looks at the South China Sea, an area of dispute between China and other littoral states, as a new area of geopolitical and geoeconomic interest for India. The article follows the strategic discourse on the South China Sea circulating in the Indian government and wider strategic community, and brings in Chinese responses and interpretations of India's involvement. India's role in the South China Sea is four-fold: first, naval deployments; second, increasing strategic-military links with littoral states like Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam; third, economic involvement of Indian energy companies in South China Sea waters; and fourth, discussions between India and other regional and extra-regional China-concerned powers about the South China Sea. India's involvement in the South China Sea represents a new development in its Look East Policy, a new balancing factor in the interplay of actors within these waters, and a new friction factor within India-China relations.     

越南高等教育发展现状及对策研究

发展教育是越南的重要国策。革新开放30多年以来,越南在经济社会方面取得了重大成就,教育尤其是高等教育为提高民智、人力资源培训、人才培养的事业作出了重要贡献。但越南教育仍存在许多不足之处,本文认为越南高等教育需要进行突破性改革,各类教育特别是高等教育要扩大教育规模、改革教育机制、提高教育质量,以培养能满足社会需求的优质人才。     

International NGOs and unions in the South: worlds apart or allies in the struggle?

In the early 1980s, support for trade unions was a significant component of Oxfam GB's programmes in various parts of the world, most notably Central America and South Africa. In Central America, this was motivated both because organised labour played an important role in popular movements that were pressing for equitable political settlements to the wars ravaging the region, and because unions as such, as well as their members and leaders, were the targets of repression and political violence. This article explores the background to the rise in funding for unions in Honduras, reflects on this experience, and discusses some of the factors that might change a potentially awkward donor‐recipient relationship to one of dialogue and solidarity.     

试析越南的金融改革

自越共“六大”后,越南在经济改革和金融改革的推动下,经济增长保持了比较快的速度。本文认为越南的经济之所以能够取得比较大的成效,很大程度上得益于在经济改革的同时对金融部门进行了改革,特别是利率的自由化和汇率政策的调整,促使越南的银行规模有所扩大,效率相比改革前得到明显提高。因此本文的主题就是对越南的金融改革进行一个梳理,明白金融改革所带来的绩效以及改革中存在的问题,明确下一步改革的方向。     

Aid darling and the European Union’s aid allocation policy: the case of Vietnam

This paper analyses the motivation determining the European Union’s (EU) aid allocation to Vietnam. Existing literature and EU official documents are used to build upon four models with respect to new aid allocation: donor interest, recipient interest, recipient capacity and potential donor influence. The paper concludes that the EU’s aid policy in Vietnam has a long-term objective in conformity with Vietnam’s development strategy—poverty alleviation. Moreover, the EU’s political and economic interests, a successful economic reform and development strategy, a high level of ownership (good governance) and potential donor influence are identified as contributions to make Vietnam an ‘aid darling’.