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Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge seeks proposals to further access to safe water and improved sanitation

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1 November 2011

Winning projects highlighted in water research
The Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge was launched on 1 November 2011, inviting submissions of innovative ideas to ensure safe water and improved sanitation for communities where access is at risk. The winning project will receive a prize of $50,000, with a $25,000 second place prize.
The Reed Elsevier Environmental Challenge contributes to the Water for Life Decade, established by the UN General Assembly, running between 2005 and 2015, in support of the Millennium Development Goal to reduce by half the number of people without access to safe drinking water and to stop unsustainable exploitation of water resources. According to the World Health Organisation, nearly 900 million people in the world are deprived of good drinking water, while over 2.6 billion people do not have improved sanitation facilities.  Poor access to safe water and sanitation contributes to health crises in many developing countries, and increasingly leads to violent conflict.
Relevant Reed Elsevier products such as Water Research, the journal of the International Water Association, will be made available to applicants to help prepare their competition entry.  The winning entries will be highlighted in Water Research. All entries should focus on increasing access to safe water and/or improved sanitation where it is presently at risk and demonstrate that: projects are replicable, scalable and sustainable; set a high benchmark for innovation; have practical applicability; address non-discrimination/equity of access; involve and impact a range of stakeholders; and have local/community-level engagement
Youngsuk (Y.S) Chi, chairman of the Elsevier Management Committee and head of government affairs for Reed Elsevier said: "The Environmental Challenge draws attention to a critical problem facing our world – access to water.  By leveraging our extensive networks and environmental publishing expertise, Reed Elsevier is uniquely placed to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of information about improving access to safe and sustainable water. Our aim is to highlight projects that really can make a difference.”
Learn more about The Environmental Challenge here.

About World Environment Day 2007

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World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.


The World Environment Day slogan selected for 2007 is Melting Ice – a Hot Topic? In support of International Polar Year, the WED theme selected for 2007 focuses on the effects that climate change is having on polar ecosystems and communities, and the ensuing consequences around the world.
The main international celebrations of the World Environment Day 2007 will be held in Norway. UNEP is honoured that the City of Tromsø will be hosting this United Nations day (read the press release). Please visit the Norwegian Polar Institute WED website for more information on the celebrations in Norway [English] - [Norsk].
The day's agenda is to give a human face to environmental issues; empower people to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development; promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues; and advocate partnership, which will ensure all nations and peoples enjoy a safer and more prosperous future. World Environment Day is a people's event with colourful activities such as street rallies, bicycle parades, green concerts, essays and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, as well as recycling and clean-up campaigns.
When did it all begin?
World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP.
How can you celebrate World Environment Day?
Chinese BookfairWorld Environment Day can be celebrated in many ways, including street rallies, bicycles parades, green concerts, essay and poster competitions in schools, tree planting, recycling efforts, clean-up campaigns and much more. In many countries, this annual event is used to enhance political attention and action.
Heads of State, Prime Ministers and Ministers of Environment deliver statements and commit themselves to care for the Earth. More serious pledges are made which lead to the establishment of permanent governmental structures dealing with environmental management and economic planning. This observance also provides an opportunity to sign or ratify international environmental conventions.
On this World Environment Day, let us examine the state of our environment. Let us consider carefully the actions which each of us must take, and then address ourselves to our common task of preserving all life on earth in a mood of sober resolution and quiet confidence.
For ideas on how the day can be commemorated, please visit The World Environment Day Alphabet - 77 Ways to Celebrate
World Environment Day 2006 Algiers, Algeria
World Environment Day 2005 San Francisco, USA
World Environment Day 2004 Barcelona, Spain
World Environment Day 2003 Beirut, Lebanon
World Environment Day 2002 Shenzhen, People's Republic of China
World Environment Day 2001 Torino, Italy and Havana, Cuba
World Environment day 2000 Adelaide, Australia

Your support can bring back smiles

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Save the Children is the world’s leading independent organization for children that works to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. Our founder Eglantyne Jebb drafted the 'Declaration of the Rights of the Child' in 1922 which was adopted by the League of Nations in 1924.

Save the Children works to bring about a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation.

Our Approach:

Save the Children actively works with the communities, the State governments and the National government to bring lasting changes for the most marginalised children by:

Providing them with immunisation and nutrition.
Ensuring that they have a chance to join formal school.
Exposing and preventing exploitative child labour practices and running prevention programs.
During emergencies, we provide emergency supplies as well ensure that children are protected in safe places as well continue schooling.
We cannot do this without your support. Please contribute by choosing an amount below link if link not work then please copy this link to your browser.

Save Girl Child

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Save The Girl Child
Census is an activity which is carried out in India every decade. The aim of the census is to take a count of the population of the country, understand the detailed demographics and use this for detailed planning of future activities and resource distribution.

India Census 2011 has been completed recently, in Feb 2011. Among the significant highlights are the the following facts.
  • India's current population is a staggering 1.2 Billion - almost 17% of the world's population.
  • The population has grown by 181 Million in the last decade - but at a rate slower as compared to the previous decade. 
  • The sex ratio has been tagged at 940. It means that for every 1000 men, there are 940 women.
These statistics highlight the immenseness of our population. As for the sex ratio, it has been a positive move from 2001 - when the sex ratio was 933. 

However, there is another alarming statistic that has emerged.
  • The child sex ratio (determined for children between the the age 1 day to 6 years) has declined to 914 from the 2001 value of 927.  
  • This child sex ratio is the lowest since our Independence in 1947.
A closer look at the detailed demographics would reveal that the child sex ratio is less than 900 in 8 states across India - including the two biggest states - Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. 

If this statistic is alarming, the next graph would leave you dismayed.


    The child sex ratio has been continuously reducing since the 1961 i.e. for the last 50 years.

    What is it that is causing an unabated decline in the Child Sex Ratio? 

    It would be worthwhile to go back to the school days and understand how a baby boy or a baby girl is born.
    • Every human being has 46 chromosomes - a total of 23 sets. Each of the two parents contribute one from each of the 23 sets to the baby - a total of 23 chromosomes.
    • One set of chromosomes determine the sex of the baby.
    • The lady has only one type of egg - with an X chromosome. It can be either the X or Y chromosome containing sperm - from the man - that fertilizes the egg.
    • If the baby has two X chromosomes, a baby girl is conceived. If the baby has a X and a Y chromosome, a baby boy is conceived.
    And considering the fact that you cannot govern whether a sperm containing a X chromosome or a Y chromosome  would fertilize the egg, the probability of conceiving a boy or a girl would be uniform. In simplest terms, it would be 50-50.

    But if this is the case, what is it that is causing such an imbalance in the Child Sex Ratio? Why is is that you have just 914 little girls for every 1000 little boys? Is there something which does not meet the eye?

    Let's go back to 1971. It was in 1971 that Abortion was legalized in India. The Indian MTP (Medical Termination of Pregnancy) Act laid down the conditions under which an abortion could be taken up. It aimed to empower the women - to take a conscious decision to give birth to a child - and protect her from harmful medical conditions.

    But as all good things come with certain bad things, this too had its own share.

    Using a technique called as ultra sound scanning, the people could determine the sex of the baby carried by the lady. If this was just for information purposes, it wouldn't have done any harm. 

    But people started misusing this information. If the sex of the baby was not as per their expectations, or the expectations of their family, or other such conditions - abortions were done to terminate the pregnancy. Sometimes it was with the concurrence of both parents, while in many many cases - it was done without respecting the thoughts and views of the lady or both the parents.

    A child was being killed before he or she was born. This was foeticide. And it was female foeticide which resulted in the imbalance in the child sex ratio.

    The Indian Government woke up to this harmful practice in 1994 - by making ultrasound scanning, just to determine the sex of the fetus, illegal.

    While this was a step in the right direction, it has not completely arrested the problem. If you would read this news article, you would understand that still we have many people in the society who beat the law to carry out ultrasound scanning for the very purpose it was banned. 

    You would be hurt when you read that a district, with 19 ultrasound scanning centers, has a very low child sex ratio of 774. Definitely, malpractices are on. 

    I'm wrong - it's not malpractices. It's murder. And no one is being punished.

    To understand the reasons why people go to such clinics, it would be important to consider an example - which I came across recently. 

    The question plaguing the mind of the lady is simply depressing.

    ==
    I have been married for seven years into a very good family. I have a daughter and am pregnant with my second child. My husband wants a son to carry on his business. I explained to him that we cannot choose what sex our child is born, children are God's gift. But he says we must keep trying till we have a son. I don't want to have more than two children and am very disturbed. My in- laws also are with my husband on this issue. What do I do?
    ==

    Here you have a lady who is definitely well educated, with an equally educated husband. She has her mind over her shoulders. Yet, her husband and family are pressurizing her to have a boy child - a thing which she can't control.

    In this case, if the lady has to meet the whims and fancies of her husband and the family, she would end up having more than two children - a thing which she is averse too (in our modern difficult times).

    While in some cases the parents do have more than two children with the intention of having at least one boy child, for others - it is simply not possible - given their economic and social conditions. And in such cases, they go in for female foeticide.

    And if this is the case with well educated people, consider what would be the case with women who are not literate. Women who don't have the power to choose. Women who are not economically and socially independent. The situation is indeed dejecting.

    To understand the gravity of the problem, you can consider the note below.

    ==
    A survey by Action India of Women in Delhi revealed that even the highly educated women have resorted to as many as a whopping eight abortions to ensure that they only give birth to a son. 
    ==

    Why is someone averse to having a girl child? Is it because they are apprehensive that the girl child will not be sucessfull in this world? Or is it because they want a boy to take care of them in their twilight years? Or is it just for the sake of it? 

    Or is it just to meet the wishes of senior members of the family? Or is it because the difficulties the girl will face in her life, in a society - which many perceive as - a male dominated society? 

    A study by Government of India indicates the few significant reasons for such situations.
    • Menace of dowry   
    • Fear of loss of face in local community     
    • Desire to keep the wealth within the family, through sons
    • Fear of dependence of the girl on the family, for life   
    • Attempt to control family size 
    • Wish to appease Gods in times of crisis
                                    As you can see, most of the reasons are social. And most are irrational. Most are unjustified. It is very important to understand these reasons and causes, because only then steps can be taken to avoid the situation due to any of this causes.

                                    The reasons for not having a girl child can be many. But all such fears are unfounded. All such concerns are irrational. The social reasons are created by the society itself and they need to be banished.

                                    It is important to ask some questions which would make someone think twice - if the thought of being averse to having a girl child - would cross his or her mind. 

                                    If it is a question of being sucessfull, a woman can be equally sucessfull as a man. In some cases, she can be much more sucessfull. 

                                    In the real life illustration quoted earlier, the father wanted a boy child so that he could carry forward his family business. Doesn't he know that you have many intelligent and sucessfull women at the top of many businesses? Doesn't he know that the President of our country is a lady? 


                                    Doesn't he know that some of the biggest politicians are ladies? And doesn't the entire nation listen to them when they take on to the dais? Aren't our girls the best in the world of sports? Haven't we sent our girl to space?



                                    And if someone is thinking that a woman can be sucessfull only in a urban environment, then he or she is wrong. You should have a look at this news article - featuring Sunita Devi. 

                                    Sunita Devi is the sarpanch (head) of her village in Haryana. She has made a difference to the life of women in her village and will inspire other women in other villages in similar situations. 

                                    While this was a case of a traditional middle-aged woman donning the roles of a leader, Chhavi Rajawat is an inspiring new age lady. She is a management graduate and the head of her village. 


                                    She had recently being to the U.N. - speaking about the "Role of Civil Society in Fighting Poverty and Promoting Development". You should read this news article about her U.N. visit. She was also featured on India Today.

                                    Well, the writing is on the wall. There isn't absolutely anything that a girl cannot achieve. She can win the world. 

                                    India is considered to be a land of many God's and Goddess's. We pray to these Gods and Goddess's to seek their blessings - both in good times and time of needs. The all powerful Goddess's are also women and we look upto them. And we should also look upto the girls. And should abolish the discerning thoughts of having a girl child.

                                    There is absolutely no harm in having a girl child. The parents and the society should be empowered to make the girl ready for the future, ready for her life ahead.

                                    A little girl should be given the right and the best possible education. She should be bought up without any prejudice against her. She should be given whatever her parents are capable of. And if all these are done, there isn't even an iota of doubt that she is on the road to success. 


                                    She will definitely be sucessfull enough to take care of her family. Her independence - social and economic - would make her strong and brave to face our difficult world. And such a girl would certainly be able to take care of her aging parents.

                                    If someone is so detrimental to have a girl, and would like to have a boy child, they should think that some two decades down the line - they would be searching for a suitable girl to get their son married. And if all parents would just like to have boys - like they do - where would you get a girl from?


                                    Haven't we heard of the quote - Educate a man, you educate one person, educate a woman, you educate a complete family. It is here you can understand the importance of a lady. 

                                    The Government of India has taken steps in the right direction to improve the situation. Some prime initiatives include free and compulsory education for the girl child, and enacting laws against dowry. 

                                    The first one is to make the girl ready for her future, make her independent and enterprising. The second one is to set her on course for the rest of her life - without causing any hardships for her family and herself.

                                    But what is more important is to have a mindset revolution. People should discard the gender bias they have in their mind. People should overthrow any apprehensions they have towards the girl child. 

                                    They have to realise that she is very important for the success of our society. That's why the Girl Child Campaign in India says - A happy girl is the future of our country.


                                    After all, a Girl Child can become an inspiration for your life!!

                                    Treatment

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                                    There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, a variety of treatments are available that can help keep symptoms at bay and improve the quality of life for those who have already developed symptoms.
                                    Antiretroviral therapy suppresses the replication of the HIV virus in the body. A combination of several antiretroviral drugs, called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), has been very effective in reducing the number of HIV particles in the bloodstream. This is measured by the viral load (how much free virus is found in the blood). Preventing the virus from replicating can improve T-cell counts and help the immune system recover from the HIV infection.
                                    HAART is not a cure for HIV, but it has been very effective for the past 12 years. People on HAART with suppressed levels of HIV can still transmit the virus to others through sex or by sharing needles. There is good evidence that if the levels of HIV remain suppressed and the CD4 count remains high (above 200 cells/mm3), life can be significantly prolonged and improved.
                                    However, HIV may become resistant to one combination of HAART, especially in patients who do not take their medications on schedule every day. Genetic tests are now available to determine whether an HIV strain is resistant to a particular drug. This information may be useful in determining the best drug combination for each person, and adjusting the drug regimen if it starts to fail. These tests should be performed any time a treatment strategy begins to fail, and before starting therapy.
                                    When HIV becomes resistant to HAART, other drug combinations must be used to try to suppress the resistant strain of HIV. There are a variety of new drugs on the market for treating drug-resistant HIV.
                                    Treatment with HAART has complications. HAART is a collection of different medications, each with its own side effects. Some common side effects are:
                                    • Collection of fat on the back ("buffalo hump") and abdomen
                                    • General sick feeling (malaise)
                                    • Headache
                                    • Nausea
                                    • Weakness
                                    When used for a long time, these medications increase the risk of heart attack, perhaps by increasing the levels of cholesterol and glucose (sugar) in the blood.
                                    Any doctor prescribing HAART should carefully watch the patient for possible side effects. In addition, blood tests measuring CD4 counts and HIV viral load should be taken every 3 months. The goal is to get the CD4 count as close to normal as possible, and to suppress the amount of HIV virus in the blood to a level where it cannot be detected.
                                    Other antiviral medications are being investigated. In addition, growth factors that stimulate cell growth, such as erthythropoetin (Epogen, Procrit, and Recomon) and filgrastim (G-CSF or Neupogen) are sometimes used to treat AIDS-associated anemia and low white blood cell counts.
                                    Medications are also used to prevent opportunistic infections (such as Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia) if the CD4 count is low enough. This keeps AIDS patients healthier for longer periods of time. Opportunistic infections are treated when they happen.

                                    Support Groups

                                    Joining support groups where members share common experiences and problems can often help the emotional stress of devastating illnesses. See AIDS - support group.

                                    Signs and tests Of HIV

                                    Posted in
                                    CD4 cells are a type of T cell. T cells are cells of the immune system. They are also called "helper cells."
                                    The following is a list of AIDS-related infections and cancers that people with AIDS may get as their CD4 count decreases. In the past, having AIDS was defined as having HIV infection and getting one of these other diseases. Today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person may also be diagnosed with AIDS if they are HIV-positive and have a CD4 cell count below 200 cells/mm3, even if they don't have an opportunistic infection.
                                    AIDS may also be diagnosed if a person develops one of the opportunistic infections and cancers that occur more commonly in people with HIV infection. These infections are unusual in people with a healthy immune system.
                                    Many other illnesses and their symptoms may develop, in addition to those listed here.
                                    The following illnesses are common with a CD4 count below 350 cells/mm3:
                                    • Herpes simplex virus -- causes ulcers/small blisters in the mouth or genitals, happens more often and usually much more severely in an HIV-infected person than in someone without HIV infection
                                    • Herpes zoster (shingles) -- ulcers/small blisters over a patch of skin, caused by reactivation of the varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox
                                    • Kaposi's sarcoma -- cancer of the skin, lungs, and bowel due to a herpes virus (HHV-8). It can happen at any CD4 count, but is more likely to happen at lower CD4 counts, and is more common in men than in women.
                                    • Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma -- cancer of the lymph nodes
                                    • Oral or vaginal thrush -- yeast (typically Candida albicans) infection of the mouth or vagina
                                    • Tuberculosis -- infection by tuberculosis bacteria mostly affects the lungs, but can also affect other organs such as the bowel, lining of the heart or lungs, brain, or lining of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)
                                    Common with CD4 count below 200 cells/mm3:
                                    • Bacillary angiomatosis -- skin sores caused by a bacteria called Bartonella, which may be caused by cat scratches
                                    • Candida esophagitis -- painful yeast infection of the esophagus
                                    • Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, "PCP pneumonia," previously called Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, caused by a fungus
                                    Common with CD4 count below 100 cells/mm3:
                                    • AIDS dementia -- worsening and slowing of mental function, caused by HIV
                                    • Cryptococcal meningitis -- fungal infection of the lining of the brain
                                    • Cryptosporidium diarrhea -- Extreme diarrhea caused by a parasite that affects the gastrointestinal tract
                                    • Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy -- a disease of the brain caused by a virus (called the JC virus) that results in a severe decline in mental and physical functions
                                    • Toxoplasma encephalitis -- infection of the brain by a parasite, called Toxoplasma gondii, which is often found in cat feces; causes lesions (sores) in the brain
                                    • Wasting syndrome -- extreme weight loss and loss of appetite, caused by HIV itself
                                    Common with CD4 count below 50/mm3:
                                    • Cytomegalovirus infection -- a viral infection that can affect almost any organ system, especially the large bowel and the eyes
                                    • Mycobacterium avium -- a blood infection by a bacterium related to tuberculosis
                                    In addition to the CD4 count, a test called HIV RNA level (or viral load) may be used to monitor patients. Basic screening lab tests and regular cervical Pap smears are important to monitor in HIV infection, due to the increased risk of cervical cancer in women with a compromised immune system. Anal Pap smears to detect potential cancers may also be important in both HIV-infected men and women.

                                    Acquired immune deficiency syndrome

                                    AIDS

                                    Acquired immune deficiency syndrome
                                    Last reviewed: June 9, 2011.
                                    AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the final stage of HIV disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system.

                                    Causes, incidence, and risk factors

                                    Important facts about the spread of AIDS include:
                                    • AIDS is the sixth leading cause of death among people ages 25 - 44 in the United States, down from number one in 1995.
                                    • The World Health Organization estimates that more than 25 million people worldwide have died from this infection since the start of the epidemic.
                                    • In 2008, there were approximately 33.4 million people around the world living with HIV/AIDS, including 2.1 million children under age 15.
                                    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS. The virus attacks the immune system and leaves the body vulnerable to a variety of life-threatening infections and cancers.
                                    Common bacteria, yeast, parasites, and viruses that usually do not cause serious disease in people with healthy immune systems can cause fatal illnesses in people with AIDS.
                                    HIV has been found in saliva, tears, nervous system tissue and spinal fluid, blood, semen (including pre-seminal fluid, which is the liquid that comes out before ejaculation), vaginal fluid, and breast milk. However, only blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk have been shown to transmit infection to others.
                                    The virus can be spread (transmitted):
                                    • Through sexual contact -- including oral, vaginal, and anal sex
                                    • Through blood -- via blood transfusions (now extremely rare in the U.S.) or needle sharing
                                    • From mother to child -- a pregnant woman can transmit the virus to her fetus through their shared blood circulation, or a nursing mother can transmit it to her baby in her breast milk
                                    Other methods of spreading the virus are rare and include accidental needle injury, artificial insemination with infected donated semen, and organ transplantation with infected organs.
                                    HIV infection is NOT spread by:
                                    • Casual contact such as hugging
                                    • Mosquitoes
                                    • Participation in sports
                                    • Touching items that were touched by a person infected with the virus
                                    AIDS and blood or organ donation:
                                    • AIDS is NOT transmitted to a person who DONATES blood or organs. People who donate organs are never in direct contact with people who receive them. Likewise, a person who donates blood is never in contact with the person receiving it. In all these procedures, sterile needles and instruments are used.
                                    • However, HIV can be transmitted to a person RECEIVING blood or organs from an infected donor. To reduce this risk, blood banks and organ donor programs screen donors, blood, and tissues thoroughly.
                                    People at highest risk for getting HIV include:
                                    • Injection drug users who share needles
                                    • Infants born to mothers with HIV who didn't receive HIV therapy during pregnancy
                                    • People engaging in unprotected sex, especially with people who have other high-risk behaviors, are HIV-positive, or have AIDS
                                    • People who received blood transfusions or clotting products between 1977 and 1985 (before screening for the virus became standard practice)
                                    • Sexual partners of those who participate in high-risk activities (such as injection drug use or anal sex)