SHS Views: March-May 2007

Read the UNESCO Social and Human Science Sector magazine's new issue.

Americans for UNESCO Board member Annette Hartenstein provided us the following:

The April issue of UNESCO Social and Human Sciences Sector magazine emphasizes that nothing be contemplated in the field of social development without input from the social sciences community. UNESCO’s intergovernmental programme on the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) has brought together Ministers of Social Development in Latin America, Southern Africa, West Africa and Asia. In Africa, the aim of the meeting was to highlight the essential contribution of civil society and NGOs to the research-government action nexus.

So far, one point has become evident: ingrained mistrust must be overcome. It is not easy to encourage convergent efforts if NGOs are suspected of being irresponsible, researchers of being partial, and governments of exploiting partners for their own ends. No one has a monopoly on knowledge in the social sciences; >

Now it is the turn of the Arab States to have a Forum of Ministers for Social Development that will be officially launched on 30 April and 1 May 2007 in Marrakesh, Morocco. It will aim to identify the region’s priority needs and set up a sustainable structure to respond to those needs. For more information, please contact: Souris Say-So, s.saad-zoy@unesco.org.ma, tel.: + 212 67 37 03 72/74.