Podcasts about idrc

Episode #250: Rosalia (“Lia”) Sciortino, founder of SEA Junction in Bangkok, shares her poignant narrative of dedication to the country of Myanmar. Her journey began with an interest in cultural anthropology and development sociology, which led her to Southeast Asia. Lia's subsequent work with the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and IDRC provided her with a deeper understanding of the region's socio-political complexities.Lia's connection with Myanmar deepened through her focus on transnational issues such as migration, trafficking, and cross-border health. Her commitment to social justice and democracy is reflected in her support for various advocacy programs even through Myanmar's most repressive periods. She underscores the resilience of Myanmar's civil society, particularly the role of women and LGBTQI activists, who have been on the front lines of the struggle against the military junta.Through SEA Junction, Lia creates a public space to foster awareness and empathy for Southeast Asian issues. Exhibitions, discussions, and art installations serve as powerful tools to engage the public and highlight the ongoing struggle for democracy in Myanmar.Lia hopes that more people will tune in and become involved. “There is a shortage of international community attention, and unfortunately, they have abdicated the management of this to ASEAN,” she says, adding that because they have not met their responsibility, that the international community should have “remained active and implemented all kinds of sanctions and embargoes and stopped the sale of arms. There is a lot of work to be done internationally! But at the same time, we can see that the people of Myanmar really engage, and this is why I think is a fantastic example for the rest of the region.”

With the mind-bending pace at which artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way we work and live, healthcare organizations are asking themselves: what do I need to know today to seize this opportunity? In this episode, experts from the World Health Organization, IDInsight, and Reach Digital Health unpack the promise and perils of AI for health. Today's episode is a panel discussion first recorded live at the Marmalade Festival at the Skoll World Forum in Oxford on April 12, 2024. This is the first of a 3-part podcast series on AI for Health powered by Reach Digital Health.Our lineup includes:* Andy Pattison, Team Lead Digital Channels, World Health Organization* Debbie Rogers, CEO of Reach Digital Health* Sid Ravinutala, Director of Data Science, IDInsightListen now wherever you get your podcasts (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, etc.).Stay tuned for future episodes on our mini-series about AI for Health. In our next episode, we'll speak in greater depth with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Canadian funding agency IDRC, and the Center for the Fourth Industrial Revolution.Connect with Africa Health Ventures

Dr. Hadia Majid comes on The Pakistan Experience to discuss Income Inequality, Social Mobility and Female Participation in the Workforce. On this podcast, we discuss what is the middle class in Pakistan, BISP, direct cash transfers, Pink Busses and Economic Prescriptions for Pakistan. Dr. Hadia Majid is Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Economics at LUMS. Her research agenda considers the impact of monetary and public resource constraints on individuals in Pakistan with a special focus on women's access to decent, empowering work. She has published in international journals and is currently editing a book titled Gender at Work in Pakistan. She has received grants from several agencies including ESRC-DFID, Oxfam, IDRC, IGC, IFPRI among others and has acted as a consultant for numerous government and non-governmental agencies on gendered labor market outcomes. A Fulbright scholar, she has a PhD from The Ohio State University and MSc from University of Warwick. The Pakistan Experience is an independently produced podcast looking to tell stories about Pakistan through conversations. Please consider supporting us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thepakistanexperience To support the channel: Jazzcash/Easypaisa - 0325 -2982912 Patreon.com/thepakistanexperience And Please stay in touch: https://twitter.com/ThePakistanExp1 https://www.facebook.com/thepakistanexperience https://instagram.com/thepakistanexpeperience The podcast is hosted by comedian and writer, Shehzad Ghias Shaikh. Shehzad is a Fulbright scholar with a Masters in Theatre from Brooklyn College. He is also one of the foremost Stand-up comedians in Pakistan and frequently writes for numerous publications. Instagram.com/shehzadghiasshaikh Facebook.com/Shehzadghias/ Twitter.com/shehzad89 Chapters 0:00 Introduction 1:40 What is ‘decent' work? 3:15 What is the middle class in Pakistan? 6:30 Income Inequality gap and Social Mobility 13:13 Women in the Labour Force, Covid and Tech 20:08 Benazir Income Support Program and Direct Cash Transfers 30:00 Women's Education in Pakistan 33:00 Issues faced by Women in Workforce Participation and PInk Buses 43:30 Rethinking female participation in the Economy 59:45 Religion and Patriarchy 1:05:00 Education, Employment and Basic Rights 1:10:00 Economic Prescriptions and the Charter of Economy

In what is meant to be his quiet and reflective corridor of retirement, my guest today, Abhijit Sengupta grapples with a disquiet that lingers. A former senior IAS officer and therefore, you might say, a custodian of order and democracy, a lifetime of service to the nation has clearly left him with a profound sense of duty that refuses to retire with him.Abhijit's expression of angst—a visceral response to the erosion of the democratic foundations that he cherished—has resulted in his latest book, The Queen of All Nations. A response to what he sees as the foundations of democracy that are being visibly eroded with every headline and each policy shift, serving up yet another dissonant note in a score he thought he knew by heart.It is understandably difficult for anyone to come to grips with the realisation that the ideals he held dear are slipping through the cracks of a society in a time of ideological polarisation.So, amidst all this angst, Abhijit Sengupta becomes a reluctant activist in this shifting landscape of incipient fascism and rising fundamentalism. But he channels his efforts not as a lament for a bygone era but as something of a rallying cry for the return of ideals. With the optimism that the spirit of a plural, democratic society can endure if those who believe in it refuse to be silent witnesses to its demise.The Queen of All Nations is more than a historical narrative. It's a call for greater awareness of history and what got us here. It is a poignant reflection on the anguish of this intellectual in a world grappling with political turmoil.And, as a comfortable read, the book serves as a lighthouse for readers of the younger generation whom he takes on a sweeping journey through the annals of modern India, delving into the intricate political landscape, social upheavals, and cultural transformations that have shaped the nation's identity.To discuss his book, his ethic and his state of mind, he joins from his home in Bangalore, a city we share.Buy The Queen Of All Nations: https://amzn.to/3sDCh09 Buy A to Z: https://amzn.to/49QmM5F Read Ramjee Chandran's review of A to Z: https://bit.ly/3T0JWQSABOUT ABHIJIT SENGUPTAAbhijit Sengupta joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1972 and retired in 2008  as Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He has Master's degrees in Public Administration from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, and in English Literature from Delhi University. He received the prestigious Pearson fellowship of the IDRC, Canada in 1984-85 to study Public Administration.WHAT'S THAT WORD?!Co-host Pranati "Pea" Madhav joins Ramjee Chandran in the fun etymology segment, "WHAT'S THAT WORD?!" where they discuss the "FULL STOP."CONTACT USReach us by mail: theliterarycity@explocity.com or simply, tlc@explocity.comOr here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theliterarycityOr here: https://www.instagram.com/explocityblr/Music by Sergii Pavkin from Pixabay

In this IDS Between the Lines podcast, IDS Research Fellow Peter Taylor, interviews Dirk-Jan Koch Chief Science Officer of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and author of the book: Foreign Aid and Its Unintended Consequences. They provide a clear overview of what side effects to anticipate when planning, executing, and evaluating aid.This podcast is an important listen for students new to development and particularly for development practitioners and policymakers alike as they embark on future aid strategies that are meant to benefit in-country recipients.About the intervieweeDirk-Jan Koch is Chief Science Officer of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is Special Professor of International Trade & Development Cooperation at Radboud University, the Netherlands. Views expressed in this book do not represent the official views of these institutions. About the interviewerPeter Taylor is Director of Research at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Previously he was Director, Strategic Development, at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada where he was responsible for leading IDRC's strategic planning processes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The frequency and devastation of climate-related disasters in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are growing. The risks of financial instability, food insecurity, and human loss and suffering are increasing and impeding economic growth. While SIDS have contributed the least to global climate change, they are hardest hit by natural disasters. The consequences for their economies and people's lives are catastrophic. Part of the solution is accelerating the transition to net zero and sustainable development. Our speakers shared perspectives and insights on effective approaches for governments, policy makers, and financial sector leaders.Speaker: Timothy N.J. Antoine, Governor, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank; Board Member, Toronto CentreModerator: Jennifer Elliott, Advisor, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF; Board Member, Toronto CentreModerator: Erin Tansey, Director, Sustainable Inclusive Economies Program, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)Read the transcript here. Read their biographies here. Toronto Centre and the IDRC co-hosted this event on the margins of the Canada-CARICOM Summit.https://www.torontocentre.org/ 

Welcome once again to the global health unfiltered podcast, a podcast about unspoken realities about global health in Africa and the world.  Today, we will be talking about funding global health initiatives; who funds what? How are the decisions made? Are African countries too reliant on external funding for public health? And we have an awesome guest with tons of experience in this sector who will be sharing his views with us. We would also like to acknowledge the sponsors of this episode, the “Promoting Decolonization using innovative knowledge practices" grant hosted by the Center for Tropical Medicine and Global Health of Oxford University's Nuffield Department of Medicine. Dr. Sam Oti is a Senior Program Specialist at Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC). He operates out of the Nairobi-based regional office for Eastern and Southern Africa, where he serves as the primary point of contact for IDRC's global health initiatives.  He is also a commissioner on the Chatham House Commission for Universal Health and a co-founder of the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa. Additionally, Dr. Oti hosts “MedxTek Africa”; a popular podcast highlighting digital health and health technology innovations from across the African continent. In 2020, Dr. Oti co-founded the Global Health Decolonisation Movement in Africa – a professional network that is seeking to mobilize a critical mass of African voices to speak out about what we perceive as the manifestations of coloniality in global health. The movement's mission strongly aligns with the Africa CDC's call for a “New Public Health Order”.Resources:https://wellcomecollection.org/articles/Y1FlZxEAAEolDkdAhttps://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/development/development-co-operation-report-2023_2c087f8b-enhttps://academic.oup.com/isq/article/66/1/sqab092/6473249 Follow us on Twitter (@unfiltered_gh), LinkedIn (Global Health Unfiltered!), and Instagram (@ghunfiltered).Keep up with us on Twitter: @desmondtanko @ulricksidney and @DrellaamoakoContact us: unfilteredgh@gmail.comAudio Production and social media marketing: Diana NkhomaResearch intern: Chisomo MwaleTheme music: Antidote by KetsaArtwork: Chidiebere Ibe

In this episode of Between the Lines, IDS Director of Research, Peter Taylor interviews Anke Schwittay, Professor of Anthropology and Global Development at the University of Sussex. Anke is author of the book: Creative Universities: Reimagining Education for Global Challenges and Alternative Futures.In the book and podcast, Anke Schwittay argues that, in order to inspire and equip students to generate better responses to global challenges, we need a pedagogy that develops their imagination, creativity, emotional sensibilities and practical capabilities.Presenting concrete ideas for the reimagination of higher education, this podcast is an essential listen for both educators and students in any field studying global challenges.About the authorAnke Schwittay is Professor of Anthropology and Global Development at the University of Sussex. Further information about her work can be found at www.creativeuniversities.comAbout the interviewerPeter Taylor is Director of Research at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS). Previously he was Director, Strategic Development, at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada where he was responsible for leading IDRC's strategic planning processes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 29th annual Shootout is September 29th - October 3rd at Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, OH. Mike from IDRC and DSPORT gives us a preview as to what the Shootout will look like this year. We talk about the reasoning behind the date change and Friday location change. Mike takes the time to answer the many questions that you wanted him to answer about classes, registration, pre-race events and the future of the Shootout. I also ask Mike about the 20th anniversary of DSPORT magazine, we talk about where it came from, where it's going and his favorite moment along the way.

In this episode, Alexandrine Pirlot de Corbion, our Director of Strategy, speaks to Nour El Arnaout, from the Global Health Institute, American University of Beirut, Lebanon and Yousef Khader, from the Global Health Development, Eastern Mediterranean Public Health Network and the Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Jordan, about digital health in the Middle East and North Africa and in particular digital maternal health and family planning initiatives they are working on, the impact of gender inequality, and the risks involved. Nour El Arnaout is a division manager at the Global Health Insitute at the American University of Beirut, where she also co-ordinates the Institutes's E-Sahha programme focussed on e-health and digital health. She has more than 7 years experience in projects and programmes management, operational management and research, and leads the implementation of large scale field based projects in underserved communities in Lebanon including refugee settlements. She is working on a project called: The Gamification, Artificial Intelligence and mHealth Network for Maternal Health Improvement. Yousef Khaderb is a professor of Epidemiology and biostatistics at the Faculty of Medicine at the Jordan University of Science and Technology, he is a fellow for public health at the royal college of physicians UK through distinction and has published more than 650 scientific papers in highly reputable journals. He is working on a project called: Governing Digital Personal Data to Strengthen Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Services Delivery in Fragile Settings in Palestine and Jordan. Both projects are funded by IDRC: https://www.idrc.ca/en. Links - Read more from Yousef and Nour about their projects, and gender and power in maternal health: https://ai-med.io/analysis/context-gender-power-and-choices/ - Read more about Nour's project: https://ghi.aub.edu.lb/esp/ - You can read more from Yousef in the below papers which he contributed to: - Midwives and women's perspectives on family planning in Jordan: human rights, gender equity, decision-making and power dynamics: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34458635/ - Perceptions Toward the Use of Digital Technology for Enhancing Family Planning Services: Focus Group Discussion With Beneficiaries and Key Informative Interview With Midwives: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34319250/ - Do modern family planning methods impact women's quality of life? Jordanian women's perspective: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31615524/

Jutta Treviranus is the Director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC) and a professor in the faculty of Design at OCAD University in Toronto (http://idrc.ocadu.ca ).  Jutta established the IDRC in 1993 as the nexus of a growing global community that proactively works to ensure that our digitally transformed and globally connected society is designed inclusively.  Dr Treviranus also founded an innovative graduate program in inclusive design at OCAD University.  Jutta is credited with developing an inclusive design methodology that has been adopted by large enterprise companies, as well as public sector organizations internationally. Among her work in accessibility standards, she chaired the Authoring Tool Accessibility Working Group of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. Since 2013 she has raised awareness of the implications of AI decision systems for people with disabilities. 

swisspeace presents analysis and recommendations from “Strengthening Knowledge Ecosystems", a research project on knowledge production in high-risk countries. The podcast looks at Afghanistan, South Sudan, and Laos.  Full report & case studies Roundtable event 2021 Speakers Dr. Nishank Motwani @NishankMotwani Malish John Peter @PrinceMalish Dr. Owen Ndoromo  Ursina Bentele Dr. Laurent Goetschel Emma Baumhofer @swisspeace @Idrc_crdi Music Life In Silico by Scott Buckley Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported — CC BY 3.0 Free Download/Stream - Audio Library

Over the past 20 years, 1.2 billion people worldwide have left extreme poverty. While we celebrate this achievement, it is expected that over 500 million people will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030, with wealth inequality remaining a significant factor in this issue across the globe. Our guests today will be speaking with us on policy gaps in the anti-poverty sector both in Canada and abroad calling for more evidence-based policy development. We are joined by Amy Dodd, Arjan de Haan, Amanda Glassman, Lorenzo Gonzales and Weseem Ahmed.  Amy Dodd - Head of Engagement at Development Initiatives Arjan de Haan - Director of IDRC's Inclusive Economies Amanda Glassman - Executive Vice President & Senior Fellow at Center for Global Development Lorenzo Gonzales & Weseem Ahmed - independent researchers at Ontario 360 Special thanks to Senior Producer Nimmi Augustine, Junior Producer Hongyu Xiao, and Executive Director Vienna Vendittelli for producing this episode.

In this fourth Crash Course episode of the series on Big Tech, Techno-feudalism and Democracy, we take a closer look at how we could resist the enormous and all-encompassing influence Big Tech and platform economies have on our lives. How can we regain control over our individual and collective data as they are being increasingly commodified and traded? Nandini Chami, deputy director of IT4Change, answers these and other questions and links the rise of Big Tech to growing inequality and development in the Global South. We ask further ask Chami: How is Big Tech deepening the geographies of inequality? What are the governance deficits at the global level that are exacerbating data colonialism? What are the new policy pathways that we need, in order to reclaim our data from Big Tech enclosures?  Nandini Chami is Deputy Director at IT for Change. She is engaged in policy research and advocacy at the intersections of digital policy, development justice and gender equality. Her research interests are data justice, inclusive platform economies, and gender and digital trade. She co-leads the Digital Justice project, a collaboration between IT for Change and Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era network (www.dawnnet.org) on gender equality in the digital economy and she is co-investigator of Policy frameworks for the platform economy, an IDRC-supported multi-country research study on platform governance models for the global South. --- About Crash Course Economics Crash Course is a platform designed to open up debate on how we can move out of the current crisis and make the necessary steps towards achieving social, economic, ecological and regenerative justice. Crash Course is inviting global experts to break down complex issues in lay terms and make them accessible to all so that we can understand how to shape our economic system for a just recovery and future. Website: https://crashcourseeconomics.org/ Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/g54ZMD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu3cbKwed48Bu7dkQDVjRQA Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrashEconomics Music credit: "Capital G" by Nine Inch Nails, "Tribal Remix" by Imnotlouis (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 US) 

Jutta Treviranus is a world expert in Inclusive Design, an educator and social activist who has led many international research projects that support inclusion. She is also a full professor at OCAD University, where she started the Inclusive Design graduate program and the founder and director of the Inclusive Design Research Centre. We catch up with her post graduation to find out her thoughts on diversity and inclusion in 2020, making the internet accessible for everyone and building inclusive business models.Connect with Jutta on Twitter @juttatreviraCheck out the IDRC at idrc.ocadu.ca

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Carlos Chirinos, a clinical music and global health associate professor at NYU. His research is at the intersection of public health, communication, and music, looking at how media narratives driven by music artists and music-based interventions contribute to engaging communities in disease prevention and control in the context of existing or potential health emergencies. He has been a key consultant for radio and music projects in Africa with funding from the World Bank, USAID, IDRC, and the Wellcome Trust. In 2015, Dr. Chirinos received an award from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Defense, and USAID, to develop Africa Stop Ebola, a global music campaign to raise awareness about Ebola in West Africa. To learn more about the NYU School of Global Public Health, and how our innovative programs are training the next generation of public health leaders, visit publichealth.nyu.edu.

AYITIC Goes Global es una iniciativa de LACNIC e IDRC que se propuso mejorar las condiciones de acceso al empleo de mujeres en Haití mediante el desarrollo de capacidades digitales y el fortalecimiento de internet en el país.

Over the past 20 years, 1.2 billion people worldwide have left extreme poverty. While we celebrate this achievement, it is expected that over 500 million people will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030, with wealth inequality remaining a significant factor in this issue across the globe. Our guests today will be speaking with us on policy gaps in the anti-poverty sector both in Canada and abroad calling for more evidence-based policy development. Amy Dodd is the Head of Engagement at Development Initiatives, which is based in London, UK. Before joining Development Initiatives, she ran the UK Aid Network for 5 years, a coalition of NGOs working on joint policy, analysis and advocacy for better and more effective aid and development cooperation. Arjan de Haan is the Director of IDRC’s Inclusive Economies program. He leads a multidisciplinary team that strengthens policy research capacity in developing countries on issues of economic policy, governance, and health systems. Amanda Glassman is executive vice president and senior fellow at the Center for Global Development and also serves as chief executive officer of CGD Europe. Her research focuses on priority-setting, resource allocation and value for money in global health, as well as data for development. She previously served as director for global health policy at the Center from 2010 to 2016, and has more than 25 years of experience working on health and social protection policy and programs in Latin America and elsewhere in the developing world. Lorenzo Gonzales and Weseem Ahmed are independent researchers at Ontario 360, a think-tank based in the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. They have recently written a paper on the possible use of Opportunity Zones in Ontario to address the urban-rural divide. Special thanks to Senior Producer Nimmi Augustine, Junior Producer Hongyu Xiao, and Executive Director Vienna Vendittelli for producing this episode.

In Episode 1.5 of the So What? podcast released in December last year we interviewed Alan Harnum of the Inclusive Design Research Centre at OCAD University in Toronto. We talked about the IDRC, its philosophy, and the way it works. This episode continues that discussion and focuses on two specific projects that exemplify the challenges and opportunities in the inclusive design area: the Social Justice Repair Kit and Co-Designing Inclusive Cities project. A transcript of this episode is available online: https://sowhat.fims.uwo.ca/1-7-the-social-justice-repair-kit-and-the-co-designing-inclusive-cities-project/ Episode producer: Mike Ridley

Alan Harnum is an Inclusive Developer at the Inclusive Design Research Centre (IDRC) at OCAD University in Toronto. His work, and that of the IDRC, is focused on ensuring that emerging information technologies and practices are designed inclusively. Using approaches such as co-design, community engaged scholarship, and an activist perspective, the IDRC epitomizes the “nothing about us without us” philosophy of the disability community. Alan talks about his role, key principles of software design, specific IDRC projects, and their engagement strategies. A transcript of this episode is available online: http://sowhat.fims.uwo.ca/1-5-inclusive-design-and-the-idrc/ Episode producer: Mike Ridley

Jim Liaw grew up in Southern California and was immediately drawn to the street racing scene. But his passion really started when he saw an E30 BMW M3 and fell in love with the looks. During college, he reached out to any automotive related business he could think of looking for a job or internship. He landed a spot at Sport Compact Car as an intern working on finding new sponsors for the magazines. His next job was in the import drag racing with the IDRC series and sold sponsorships and booth spaces for their races. The next position was at Vision Entertainment that produced Hot Import Nights doing more sponsorship managements. Jim then teamed up with a friend to start Slipstream Global Marketing with the goal of helping companies optimize their promotional spend at events. They landed a big client with Mazda and worked with them to increase youth awareness to the Mazda brand at motorsports events. In 2003, Jim gets word that the Japanese want to hold a drifting exhibition event in the United States. Their first event at Irwindale Speedway was a huge success! Despite this, the Japanese counterparts weren’t too keen on hosting more events. So, Jim and his partner set out to create their own drifting series and called it Formula Drift.  Since then, they have been growing the series every year. They employ 6 other people and are holding 8 events in 2017. They stream all of the races for free on the internet and strive to provide the ultimate experience for the fans.

Join in today as my guest talks about non-GDP metrics for development, ideological tool kits, policy development and why the “weight of ideas” matters a great deal.BiographyLauchlan Munro is the Director, School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa and a socio-economist and manager. Before joining the University of Ottawa, Lauchlan served as Vice-President at Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from 2008 to 2012. From 2004 to 2009, he was Director of Policy and Planning and Chief of Staff to the President of IDRC. From 2000 to 2003, Lauchlan was Chief of Strategic Planning with UNICEF.Lauchlan also worked for UNICEF in DR Congo, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. From 1985 to 1987, he was a member of the Royal Bhutanese Civil Service. Lauchlan is a two-time graduate of the University of Toronto, and he earned his Ph.D. from the Institute for Development Policy and Management at the University of Manchester. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ziad Moussa is an independent development professional specializing in local governance and evaluation who over the past 18 years has worked across the entire Middle East and North Africa, the Mediterranean countries involved in the Euro-Med process and significant parts of the African continent.  Ziad’s track record in local governance and decentralization includes leadership roles in key regional initiatives and the Resource Centers on Urban Agriculture and Food Security. His work in evaluation has included several large-scale evaluations for IFAD, ILO, the European Union and IDRC. Ziad is a former board member of the International Development Evaluation Association and a former leader of the MENA Evaluation Association.

Bibhusan Bista is the CEO and co-founder of YoungInnovations, a software development firm based in Nepal. With a background in technology, research and international development, he has led successful projects around open data, transparency, accountability and other development issues in collaboration with local and international partners.  Bibhusan is an active member of the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI) technical advisory group and has been part of similar initiatives such as the open data movement in Nepal, through the OpenNepal consortium, and the first open data portal for Nepal.   Prior to YoungInnovations, Bibhusan worked with Bellanet, an IDRC project, and SAP International, a regional INGO in South Asia. Bibhusan is also a part-time faculty at Kathmandu College of Management.

The International Equestrian Federation's Legal Counsel Lisa Lazarus explains why the FEI has suspended the International Dressage Riders Club from its Associate Membership and we hear the IDRC's response from its General Secretary Wayne Channon. You can download the podcast on iTunes, catch the show on your SmartPhone App such as Podcaster, Hallway Feeds and Instacast or tune in right here...Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=87421)

Greg Spendjian began a lifelong career in international development with a placement in Sierra Leone in 1972-73. After graduating from UBC with a post-doc degree in Chemistry, Greg taught Agriculture graduates at Njala University College in Sierra Leone. Later, Greg worked as a field officer in Nigeria and Papua New Guinea, as well as working for CUSO-VSO as a recruiter in Canada. Greg's involvement in development has continued ever since, and he has also worked with CIDA and the IDRC in Ottawa.Greg spoke with Mark Manns, a CUSO-VSO volunteer, at the 50th Anniversary event at UBC on December 4, 2010.This podcast was recorded during CUSO-VSO's 50th Anniversary Kick-off celebrations in Vancouver, BC. CUSO-VSO is proud to honor 15,000 volunteers and 35 million service hours in over 40 countries. The views expressed in these podcasts do not necessarily reflect the views of CUSO-VSO or its supporters. At CUSO-VSO, we believe we are changing the world, one volunteer at a time.

Noulan Bowker who also served in Thailand turned in Paul Stinson and now we have both their stories in first voice.It was a pleasure meeting now CAPRA President Paul who remembered people and his time with CUSO very fondly. He taught English in Chombung, a small rural community that had a teachers training college. It is now a University. He remembers the students representing a real cross section of the Thai population. Two students from each province were given a scholarship to study at Chombung.Paul said, "it was the luckiest day of my life when CUSO accepted me"He had studied Political Science and History at Western. He came from Sarnia, Ontario.He describes his experience with CUSO as life changing making him a citizen of the world.He has worked with IDRC and many other international companies and organizations since. Today he still parlays his business contacts in China with companies in North America.We can expect Paul at our reunion in Ottawa and in Vancouver. he was really happy to see Ian Smillie's book, The Land of Lost Content and recognized many people in it.Paul, I am expecting you to turn in other long lost RV's.Thanks for a wonderful interview! Volunteer for a better world! Join CUSO-VSO, share skills and volunteer in 43 countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean. Volunteers, donate, share skills.www.cuso-vso.org