Elections in East Timor © Irene Slegt/Progressio

Latest news on development issues and from Progressio's projects around the world:

UK election: solving global poverty is not an optional extra (5 Mar 2010 )
We should challenge political leaders to keep global poverty on the UK agenda - because the facts still speak volumes, whatever the economic landscape at home, writes Jo Barrett

Inspirational women: Farmers in Malawi lead the way (5 Mar 2010 )
The majority of small-scale farmers in Malawi are women – and they are leading the way in building a more sustainable future for rural communities in this impoverished country, writes Keith Ewing ahead of international women’s day on 8 March.

Somaliland: HIV counselling overcomes anger and mistrust (5 Mar 2010 )
“If you tell me my wife’s HIV positive, I’ll kill her! And I’m going to kill all of you people who are helping to spread HIV in our town!” Read how Progressio partner organisation Talowadag responded to this exceptional challenge.

UK election: let’s make international development a vote-winner (5 Mar 2010 )
Voters need to remind politicians that their stance on international development is a key issue in deciding who to vote for at the upcoming General Election.

That’s the message from Progressio’s Advocacy Manager, Tim Aldred. “We need to make the case for international development in a time of recession even more strongly than in the good times,” he says.

An Earthquake that Shook Britain: Haiti one month on (22 Feb 2010 )
Britain had barely risen from its post-Christmas slumber when news of the Haitian earthquake thundered into the headlines. “Thousands feared dead as huge earthquake destroys Haiti”, screamed The Times newspaper. “Earthquake devastation 'unimaginable'”, shrieked The Guardian. “Island of tragedy”, squealed The Sun. And suddenly, after years of scant reporting on the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere, the people of Britain woke up to Haiti’s plight as never before writes Jo Barrett

Yemen: Imams against AIDS (19 Feb 2010 )
In the heart of Yemen’s capital Sana’a, a group of Imams hand round a packet of condoms. In a series of workshops, these prestigious religious figures are being trained to join the country’s fight against HIV. They’re drafting “AIDS sermons”, planning HIV debates and preaching about protection in their communities, writes Rowenna Davis.

Fr Pat Davies (19 Feb 2010 )
Progressio is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Fr Pat Davies, a long-standing friend and supporter of the organisation.

Illegal logging: UK government makes pledge on imported wood (18 Feb 2010 )
Indigenous peoples, local communities and forest workers in the developing world could benefit from a recent pledge by the UK government to only use imported wood from environmentally sustainable sources.

Haitians must build new future for themselves, says Progressio (12 Feb 2010 )
Haitian communities must be nurtured now and supported long into the future if the country is to secure a new reality for its people and build resilience to natural and man-made shocks, international development agency Progressio says one month after a devastating earthquake rocked the impoverished Caribbean nation killing more than 200,000 people and leaving hundreds of thousands injured.

Read the story in full

Haiti: Steps on the road to reconstruction (12 Feb 2010 )
A sense of normality is slowly returning to Haiti – a sign that Haiti’s people are starting out on the long road to reconstruction, writes Progressio development worker José Emperador in his latest “letter from Haiti”.