20 December 2011
As we approach the end of the year, it seems a good time to look back over the many interesting and varied blog posts we have been proud to host throughout 2011.
Back in March we began our Development Debates series, aiming to provide a forum for some of the leading voices in aid and poverty reduction. We hoped to give voice to a range of people involved in international development in many different ways and to highlight important and topical issues. Our DFID staff bloggers have also continued to offer a unique and personal "on the ground" look at development work throughout the year.
Kicking off the Development Debates was Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for the Study of African Economies at Oxford University, Paul Collier, who asked, "What should we make of the new UK aid". He took a long, hard look at the new agenda that resulted from our aid reviews and explored what its impact might be, particularly emphasising the importance of the private sector in helping the economies of the poorest countries to develop.
A lively debate began in the comments on his blog-post and continued well into April, when we welcomed Melinda French Gates, co-Chair (with husband Bill Gates) of The Gates Foundation to the DFID bloggers.
Melinda blogged on Mother's Day, celebrating the fact that mothers and their
children are surviving at higher rates than at any other point in history. She lauded the advances that innovators around the world have made with tools and technologies, which have saved the lives of millions of people. However, she also noted the more "low-tech" end of innovation, where initiatives to change behaviour are as important as any breakthrough in technology.
When Bill Gates joined our development debaters, he did so to mark what he called "a significant milestone for global health equity" – as public-private partnership The GAVI Alliance met its fundraising target for the next four years. The UK aid that was committed as part of this milestone agreement will help vaccinate a child in the developing world every two seconds for the next five years (read more and watch the press conference as it happened here).
Staff blogger Ian Attfield also provided a fascinating look at how market forces affect development work – and vice versa – discussing the possible impact of aid on local markets, and the benefits of "social marketing".
In July, as devastating drought took hold in the Horn of Africa, Secretary of State Andrew Mitchell visited Kenya and the Dadaab refugee camp with Brendan Gormley, Chief Executive of the Disasters Emergency Committee. In his own guest post, Brendan Gormley wrote of 'the need to warn the international community that this humanitarian emergency must be taken seriously'. Meanwhile, actress and Oxfam ambassador Kristin Davis gave a very personal response to the situation after her own visit to Dadaab.
With the drought dominating headlines, the impact of climate change – and getting developing countries to see it as a priority – was on staff blogger Hannah Ryder's mind. She examined the efforts of the DFID Nigeria team to address climate change through more immediate concerns, like growth and jobs.
Afghanistan bloggers Philippa and Francesca provided new views of the country's ancient culture, pondering when Afghans will feel theirs is a country they can be safe in, and even whether it could one day be a tourist destination.
Our focus on education in September was headlined by Louise Redknapp reporting back on a trip to Uganda with Comic Relief. She saw how a project funded by money raised on Red Nose Day and supported by UK aid is changing the lives of the world's poorest children.
Later this autumn, we were honoured by a visit and blog from former US President Jimmy Carter – in London as International Development Minister Stephen O'Brien announced that Britain would support a push from the Carter Centre to make Guinea worm disease only the second human disease ever to be eradicated in our history.
October also saw the world's population reach seven billion. While Tewodros Melesse, new Director-General of IPPF (the International Planned Parenthood Federation) discussed what this would mean for Africa, singer and actress Natalie Imbruglia pondered what care the mother of this seven billionth child was likely to receive. Both pieces highlighted that giving women and girls the choice to decide how many children they have through modern methods of family planning is just one way UK aid is helping the world's poorest people to change their lives.
Blog Action Day was another autumn highlight on the blogs. This year's focus on food gave staff blogger Shan Mitra the chance to explain how traditional methods of cooking have been damaging not only to the environment, but also to women's and children's health, and what a solution might look like.
As world leaders headed to Durban for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in November, Jon Snow gave us his unique take on what might be achievable and what is needed from those leaders and the media.
With Democratic Republic of Congo going to the polls to decide who should be their next leader, staff blogger Vicky Seymour provided an intriguing behind-the-scenes look at events in a series of posts from her vantage point as an election observer.
The end of the year has been distinctly X Factor shaped on the blogs, with two previous winners sharing their experiences of visiting Comic Relief and UK aid-funded projects. Alexandra Burke visited Uganda and spoke of how inspiring it was to see survivors of domestic violence feeling positive and strong, and helping others in a similar position. Meanwhile, last year's winner, Matt Cardle, has just visited Tanzania to see how Red Nose Day cash and UK aid is helping mothers and babies.
It's been a bumper year for both guest bloggers and our regular staff writers in 2011. We look forward to bringing you more news and views in 2012.