December 2003

THIS MONTH'S SPOTLIGHT: Human Security from GDRC's Programme on Sustainable development Human Security is a concept that deals with the protection of an individual's personal safety and freedom from direct and indirect threats of voilence. These threats include environmental destruction, overpopulation, spread of infectious diseases, food supply, energy crisis, physical/ mental harassment, racism, and others that endanger the well-being of our daily lives. "Human security ... brings together the human elements of security, of rights and of development" - Human Security Now, Commission on Human Security GDRC recently compiled a series of resources on the issue of human security, and has made it available online at: http://www.gdrc.org/sustdev/husec/index.html As with all sections of GDRC, contributions, comments and suggestions are always welcome from users and subscribers! Please contact GDRC's Coordinator at - mosaic@gdrc.org FOCUS ON GDRC: LEARNING LESSONS How can GDRC provide information that is useful to its end-users - those that have to grapple with everyday decisions on the environment and sustainability? A set of three keywords guide GDRC's programme development: Localization; Contextualization; and Customization. Information (and the context within which that information is being provided) being provided to the user should enable the user to - (a) localize it - i.e. scale it down to the level that it will be used. (b) contextualize it - i.e. link it to the situation that in which it will be used (c) customize it - i.e. manage it to satisfy the need for such information. By doing so, the 'ownership' of information is ensured, and will better cater to the needs of the end-user at the level that he/she functions, and the decisions taken at that level. WHAT'S NEW AT GDRC'S WEBSITE? Sustainable Development: UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development Urban Environmental Management: Chronicles - added link to 'E-Wire' news Urban Environmental Management: City Networks - South African Cities Network Urban Environmental Management: How-tos - links were updated and case studies on Innovative Communities added. Microfinance: Sections on "Microfinance Governance" and "Capacity Building for Microfinance" were updated and expanded Sustainable Business: Documents - Collections of corporate environmental reports Sustainable Business: Tools and Strategies - Superfactory: Enabling Manufacturing excellence Internet and ICTs: Link added to the United Nations ICT Task Force Internet and ICTs: Link added to the Digital Opportunity Initiative Knowledge Management: Link added to UNDP's Asia-Pacific Development Information Programme (APDIP) All GDRC: The Online Privacy Policy of GDRC was unveiled ... ABOUT GDRC MOSAIC The "GDRC Mosaic" is a monthly email newsletter that provides information bites, and summarizes programme activities of GDRC, including new items added to the website. To subscribe: http://www.gdrc.org/about/newsletter.html To unsubscribe: unsubscribe-mosaic@gdrc.org Comments, suggestions and contributions: mosaic@gdrc.org CONTACT ADDRESS: Global Development Research Center 5-13-3-1601, Nakano-cho, Miyakojima-ku, Osaka 534-0027, Japan Tel / Fax: +(81-6) 6925-8005 mosaic@gdrc.org http://www.gdrc.org/ © 2003-2005, GDRC. All rights reserved.