OneWorld.net (U.S.)

OneWorld's editors in the United States look at the major issues facing communities around the globe this month

WASHINGTON, Mar 13 (OneWorld.net) - Worldwide, initiatives to stave off the economic recession have increasingly given way to the search for coping mechanisms. Meanwhile, efforts to confront another global crisis -- one that has virtually disappeared from the front pages of the world's papers -- are growing stronger than ever.

From hunger-stricken Haiti [news | background] -- where deadly riots last April first drew international attention to the global food crisis [news | aid alert] -- to Mozambique [news], small farmers are taking matters of food security into their own hands, forming local and international alliances to help families increase production and regain control over their lives and livelihoods. And as drought compounds hardship for those already confronting increasing food costs, in countries like Kenya [news | background], where millions are on the brink of starvation, these innovative grassroots efforts to keep dinner on the table are becoming a matter of survival.

As OneWorld continues to bring these powerful grassroots stories to your doorstep, the OneWorld Daily Headlines [link | subscribe | RSS] and our Yahoo! News syndication [link] will also be looking at the decisions made in the world's power centers. This month we'll certainly be monitoring the new U.S. administration's [news] moves on poverty, health, and conflict around the world.

In February, President Barack Obama unveiled plans for a U.S. military surge in Afghanistan [news | background], but what of a humanitarian surge, development experts are asking, noting widespread poverty in the country and 2008's notorious distinction as the deadliest for civilians since the Taliban's ouster. And the Obama administration's stance on Bagram, the military detention center just 40 miles north of Kabul that observers warn may be the next Guantanamo, has raised new concerns among human rights advocates just weeks after the president took what they considered promising steps toward shutting down the notorious U.S. prison on Cuban soil and allowing detainees to face trial in civil courts. And in Iraq [news], the number of attacks has diminished over the past year, but as U.S. forces prepare to begin their long departure, less empowered sectors of society are still struggling with terrible poverty, violence, and a lack of essential services.

The Obama administration may also -- quietly -- make some very important decisions about the future of U.S. foreign assistance efforts in the coming weeks. A new USAID administrator is yet to be named. And many in the aid community see this moment as an opportunity to modernize and improve the 47-year-old system. OneWorld's latest edition of Perspectives [subscribe | link], our living magazine, examines worldwide efforts to help developing countries grow their economies and improve their citizens' lives. And since it's a "living" magazine, it will remain updated with the latest news on those issues as they unfold.

Questions of international peace [news] and justice [news] are also at the top of the agenda this month, as the world awaits a ruling on former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who observers say will likely be convicted for human rights abuses committed during his country's decades-long civil war. And the International Criminal Court has demanded the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for his government's role in ongoing atrocities in the Darfur region of Sudan [news]. This watershed moment in the history of global justice -- it was the first time an arrest warrant has been issued for a sitting head of state -- was met with scorn by the Sudanese government, which expelled several international humanitarian groups providing critical aid to people affected by the conflict.

New developments in several long-conflicted African countries -- some for the better and others for the worse -- also deserve a close watch over the coming month. The shaky start of Zimbabwe's [news | background] new coalition government got even worse when opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was injured and his wife killed in a tragic car accident last week. But might the release of several prominent human rights leaders, detained for months each, indicate a turn for the better? And will the UN and U.S. freezes on assets of several rebel and military commanders bring any heed to the raging conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo [news], where an estimated 500,000 women have been raped over the last decade? Recent reports of Rwandan soldiers returning home have renewed hopes for some sort of return to normalcy soon in the country's volatile northeast. OneWorld will keep you up-to-date on these issues and more.

Sri Lankan civilians escaping the conflict zone. © UN News CentreTurning to Asia, over 100,000 civilians remain trapped between government and rebel fighting in Sri Lanka [news | background], and in Pakistan [news | background], Taliban insurgents are striking peace deals with local officials, but are also expanding their authority in northern parts of the region, with severe impacts on girls' education and other freedoms. And concerns are growing about the Philippines [news | background] government's crackdown on civil society as it attempts to defeat a militant rebel movement in part of the country.

Meanwhile, the immediate conflict in Gaza [news | aid alert] may be over, but thousands remain homeless and the territory is desperately in need of reconstruction and humanitarian aid -- things that won't come easy if the Israeli blockade continues, say rights groups.

And in Russia [news], three men that allegedly helped organize the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya -- known for her fearless coverage of state-perpetrated human rights abuses -- were acquitted last month. While many believe the three were probably not the main figures behind the crime anyway, their acquittal reminded onlookers that the actions of journalists, human rights activists, and civil society remain severely limited and unprotected in the country.

And finally, there's the environmental issue that many believe will soon trump all other concerns about human rights and development worldwide - climate change [news | background | action hub]. In recent months, activists and governments seem to have gotten ever more serious about tackling the issue. Early March saw a large, youth-led protest in Washington, DC, and across the planet efforts continue to increase the use of clean, renewable energy.