Author: josephgenslak

This week we mark the anniversary of one of the Institute’s defining events: the 2003 Building Social Cohesion in the Midst of Diversity and Migration conference held in Manresa, Spain.   At that Event, community leaders from over 20 cities gathered to explore best practices from their practical experiences building social cohesion. The Conference came… Continue reading This Week in GI History and Building on a Key Past Event

The director of the Health and Human Rights Clinic at Indiana University’s McKinney School of Law, makes a sharp criticism of both the U.S. and U.N policy in Haiti. In this recent piece at the Nation, attorney Fran Quigley also reminds us that the future of human rights is threatened by the U.N.’s “craven abdication… Continue reading Cholera Epidemic in Haiti is Clearly a Human Rights Issue

In our own efforts to try and get the word out about the plight of child soldiers, and the progress that is being made towards former young combatants we work with in returning to civil society – we’re always interested in new ways to connect with those who wish to help. Visiting our website, you… Continue reading Poignant Child Soldier Stories Connect with Wider Audience

In the tradition of the Goldin Institute’s Forgiveness and Reconciliation Project, and utilizing the ESPERE methodology developed with our colleagues in Colombia, our efforts towards building child soldier reintegration continues throughout Northern Uganda.  As our Global Associate on the ground in Uganda (Denis Okello) recently reported to us in this summary paper, both Kitgum and… Continue reading Colombia Brings Reconciliation Methods to Uganda

Developments to follow out of Colombia this week: Over the weekend we learned of growing tensions between Colombia and Venezuela over immigration policy, and the forced deportation of several thousand Colombians from Venezuela in the last week.  Both countries have recalled their respective ambassadors, with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos declaring the deportations as “unacceptable”… Continue reading Immigration Crisis Developing Between Colombia and Venezuela

A recent study published in Pediatrics points to the long-lasting payoffs to treating depression and anxiety in former child soldiers and other youth impacted by the civil war in Sierra Leone.  Lead author and director of the Research Program of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Health, Theresa Betancourt, commented… Continue reading Study Shows Benefits of Child-Soldier Reintegration

Last week, the ‘hometown’ newspaper to the Goldin Institute (Chicago Tribune) shared yet another critical editorial on the recent outcry to what happened to the nearly half a billion dollars raised by the Red Cross in the aftermath of the 2010 Earthquake.   Excerpted in part from the full reports already made public by the… Continue reading More on the Red Cross and Funding Practices

GI Partner organization Arigatou International offers real-life solutions to fighting child poverty We are proud of our history working on behalf of children with the organization Arigatou International. Our longtime partner and director of Arigatou, Dr. Mustafa Y. Ali, is excited to share the latest yearbook chronicling their work in bringing communities together to eradicate… Continue reading Arigatou Fights Child Poverty

Researcher calls Microfinance “a delusion” undermining those it would claim to serve Two closely related pieces that caught our attention recently: This short article by a London School of Economics professor, offering a very critical view of why and how microfinance gained favor amongst the banking industry, why it hasn’t worked as promised and how… Continue reading Microfinance and Global Development

Pressure Remains on the American Red Cross to Explain Fund Expenditures in Haiti  We remain skeptical, along with others, on how funds were used in Haiti by the Red Cross since the Earthquake in 2010. Two up-to-the-moment stories that capture the growing controversy:  This one at the New York Times, which calls for the Red… Continue reading Red Cross and Haiti