Women and children are often the focus of humanitarian aid campaigns, generally considered to be the main victims of humanitarian emergencies. Previous research has explored the portrayal of victims within humanitarian action, focusing on humanitarian images, and how humanitarianism portrays the refugee. There is not, however, a lot of research that focuses on the humanitarian aid campaigns themselves, and not either on women´s victimisation specifically. This thesis thus makes a contribution to research by conducting a critical analysis of women´s portrayal in humanitarian aid campaigns, asking the research question of how women in the Democratic Republic of Congo are portrayed in humanitarian aid campaigns, with a broader aim of examining why humanitarian aid campaigns are gender based. I argue in this thesis through a single within case study that the empirical case “The worst period of her life” campaign created by ActionAid UK victimises women by associating women´s dignity with menstrual health, appealing to donors through the common hardships of menstruation, and picturing women as passive victims. The woman is portrayed as someone who is not capable of action, requiring external intervention. Using Agamben´s framework of “bare life” and homo sacer, this thesis concludes that women´s portrayal in the “The worst period of her life” campaign reduces the female victim to the realm of “bare life”. The already disadvantageous position that women have in the broader societal structure is reinforced by removing their agency in humanitarian aid campaigns. The results thus highlight problematic factors of women´s portrayal in humanitarian aid campaigns, opening for further research on the implications of the victimisation of women within humanitarian action.

A doença renal crônica (DRC) é uma afecção frequente em cães idosos, de alta morbidade e mortalidade, sendo definida como uma injúria renal morfo-funcional irreversível, de um ou ambos os rins, que está intrinsecamente associada à degeneração celular. Seu tratamento é paliativo, sendo que nos estágios mais avançados, o animal pode necessitar de hemodiálise ou transplante renal, prática dificultada e muitas vezes inviável na medicina veterinária. As células-tronco mesenquimais derivadas do tecido amniótico caracterizam-se por ser uma população de células de alta plasticidade e de grande potencial imunomodulador, sendo capazes de se diferenciar e produzir diferentes tipos celulares necessários num processo de reparação. Os avanços nos estudos das células-tronco podem tornar a terapia celular uma forma viável de tratamento alternativo ou adjuvante dessa doença, uma vez que estas poderiam restaurar a funcionalidade e manter a integridade do rim. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se o tratamento experimental com células-tronco mesenquimais derivadas do âmnio (CTMAs) canino podem reduzir ou estabilizar a taxa de progressão e o quadro clínico da DRC em cães. Para tanto, células-tronco provenientes da membrana amniótica foram cultivadas até a segunda passagem (P2) e criopreservadas para posterior aplicação. Onze cães domésticos, machos e/ou fêmeas, acometidos pela DRC adquirida em graus II ou III segundo classificação da IRIS e sem outra afecção adjacente receberam duas aplicações de CTMAs nos dias D0 e D30, por via endovenosa. Para avaliar a progressão ou estabilização do quadro clínico foram colhidas amostras de sangue total, soro sanguíneo e urina para exames de hemograma, bioquímica sérica e urinaria e urinálise em quatro momentos: D0, D7, D30 e D60. A análise estatística foi realizada através da aplicação do teste ANOVA, para comparação de médias nas diferentes fases de tratamento, seguida pelo teste de Tukey, para comparação das médias entre os grupos. Do ponto de vista clínico, dois animais apresentaram melhora e se mantiveram estáveis durante todo o período de acompanhamento, dois animais apresentaram melhora nos primeiros 30 dias, apresentando novamente sintomatologia da doença após esse período e os demais apresentaram melhora nos primeiros sete dias de tratamento, havendo uma piora geral do quadro após esse período. Contudo, os exames laboratoriais em todos os casos não revelaram uma melhora significativa com o tratamento. Aparentemente, a utilização de células-tronco de origem amniótica não influencia de forma relevante na melhora da doença devido à extensa lesão renal que cães apresentam. / Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common condition in older dogs with high morbidity and mortality and is defined as an irreversible morpho-functional renal injury of one or both kidneys, which is intrinsically associated with cell degeneration. Its treatment is palliative, and in the more advanced stages, the animal may need dialysis or kidney transplantation, a practice that is difficult and often not feasible in veterinary medicine. The mesenchymal stem cells derived from amniotic tissue characterized by being a population of high plasticity and high cell immunomodulatory potential, being able to differentiate and produce different cell types required in a repair process. Advances in stem cell studies may make cell therapy a viable alternative or adjunctive treatment for this disease, since it could restore functionality and maintain kidney integrity. The objective of this study was to evaluate if the experimental treatment with the canine amnio- derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) can reduce or stabilize the rate of progression, and clinical condition of CKD in dogs. For this purpose, stem cells from the amniotic membrane were grown until the second pass (P2) and cryopreserved for later use. Eleven domestic male and / or female dogs, affected by the CKD acquired in grades II or III according to IRIS classification and without another adjacent disease, received two applications on days D0 and D30 intravenously. To evaluate the progression or stabilization of the clinical condition, whole blood, blood serum and urine samples were collected for hemogram, serum and urinary biochemistry and urinalysis at four moments: D0, D7, D30 and D60. Statistical analysis was performed using the ANOVA test, to compare means in the different treatment phases, followed by the Tukey test, to compare the means between the groups. From a clinical point of view, two animals showed improvement and remained stable throughout the follow-up period, two animals showed improvement in the first 30 days, showing again symptoms of the disease after this period and the other showed improvement in the first seven days of treatment, with a general worsening of the condition after this period. However, laboratory tests in all cases showed no significant improvement with treatment. Apparently, the use of stem cells of amniotic origin does not influence in a relevant way the improvement of the pathology due the extensive kidney lesion presented by dogs.

No abstract available. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

This mini-dissertation examines the role of the United Nations, the African Union and the three relevant sub-regional organizations namely the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in the post-conflict period in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These organizations played a threefold role based on the monitoring, intervention and assistance regarding the reconciliation and reconstruction process. To some extent, their strategies contributed to activate the reconstruction and the reconciliation process after nearly a decade of instability caused by the war in the country. However, in spite of the combined efforts of these actors, the conflict persists and continues to take innocent human lives, leaving the survivors affected by hostilities and violations of human rights that they have experienced. The study sets out the political situation in the DRC during the conflict, then analyzes the resurgence of the conflict beyond the ceasefire and later explores the role played by each actor relatively to its mandate after the free and democratic elections of 2006, which mark the starting point of the reconstruction and reconciliation process. In analyzing these interventions, the study refers to the protocols, objectives and results of each organization. From this perspective, the study argues that each conflict has its realities and does not necessarily comply with the standard solution (negotiations and military interventions). As for the DRC, this approach has not provided the expected solutions. The nature of the conflict, the history of the DRC and the Congolese people is new to the different organizations and impacts considerably on the way they perceive and deal with the situation. The study found that each of the international organizations is mandated, in one way or another, to deal with issues such as those rose in the DRC post-conflict period namely rapes, outrageous criminality. Yet, none of the organizations reached the results envisaged by its statute. Taking the best from each other, these organizations need complementarity when addressing the reconstruction and reconciliation in the DRC post-conflict period. Therefore, these multiple agents fit together to address the challenges in the DRC post-conflict period. The study also emphasizes that initiation of tolerance showed through civilian reconciliation constitutes a prerequisite to any possible and durable peace in the country. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

While it has become the United Nations (UN) responsibility to peacekeep the world’s most conflict ridden countries, so too has their impact on the physical environment increased. Large numbers of personnel require equally vast amount of logistical requirements and equipment for the sustainment of operations. Base camps are the focal points from which operations are managed in the field. The ability of peacekeeping base camps to handle their solid waste, both on-site and off-site in low capacity environments, has gained greater attention as environmental concerns have increased globally. Interviews conducted with the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) (acting as a current Troop Contributing Country (TCC) to the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo) determined the problems facing appropriate solid waste collection, treatment and disposal methods utilized in and outside peacekeeping base camps and their specific limitations. It was found that there was inefficient monitoring and follow up processes involved with solid waste contracting providers; that there is a need for the inclusion of focused solutions during the operational planning stages; and, there is a deficiency in placed responsibility both from within a TCC and between the UN as to how and whom should manage the solid waste emanating from within base camps. This MA dissertation achieved the understanding that there must be greater focus placed on the delineation of responsibility for the management of solid waste within base camps in the documents that initially structure operations between TCCs, the UN and host nations, thereby limiting the impact on the physical environment from peacekeeping to the furthest extent possible. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MA / Unrestricted

This study is about South Africa’s diplomatic initiatives in the DRC from 1990 to 2009. It concentrates on the implementation of the transitional phase to prepare for the elections in 2006 and the implementation of the post conflict reconstruction and development (PCRD) projects from 2006 onwards. The study argues that South Africa’s ability to facilitate peace which ended a full-scale war in the DRC should be highly commended as one of its diplomatic achievements. Its experience of negotiations and mediation to end apartheid has placed it in a favourable position amongst other global players. It supported its ambition of ensuring that the development of the African Continent is prioritized on the global agenda. However, South Africa does not have any experience in transitional diplomacy and this study has highlighted that it needs sufficient capacity and strategies first before it engages in it. Such capacity should be informed by a full understanding of the receiving country in order to prepare the diplomats accordingly. Clarity of South Africa’s national interest in pursuing transitional diplomacy seems weak and therefore confuses ‘teams on the ground’ as they are not always sure how to manouvre within a very complex and highly contested country like the DRC. The role of the international community, members of the Great Lakes and the Congolese population has been highlighted as being critical to assist the DRC to achieve stability and sustainable peace. Without political will and leadership from the DRC leaders themselves, all diplomatic efforts will be futile. Ten years is a very short time to assess the success of post-conflict reconstruction activities but useful lessons have been drawn from this evaluation. They have enhanced our understanding of transitional diplomacy and some of them can be used as models and guidelines which will improve intervention in future projects. / Dissertation (MDiplomatic Studies)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Political Sciences / unrestricted

The United Nations General Assembly adopted on the 20PthP of November 1989 the Convention on the Rights of the Child responding to the atrocities committed against the child, the deaths of children from armed conflict, and children suffering from diseases and hunger. Moreover, the UNGA adopted on May 25PthP, 2000 two Optional Protocols to the CRC relating to the involvement of children in armed conflict and to the sale of children, the use of the child for pornography and prostitution. The CRC, almost ratified by all states, contains a comprehensive list of Human Rights relating to children which should be respected, promoted, protected and fulfilled. The CRC guarantees children’s individual human rights strengthening the role of parents. The UNCRC defines in article 1 that a child is every human being below the age of 18 unless, in a particular state, the age of majority is achieved earlier and emphasizes on four general principles the best interest of the child, non-discrimination, the rights to life, survival and development and the right to participate. Furthermore, especially for children in armed conflict, the CRC sets up measures which all states parties must implement in order to protect them and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) also sets up some measures to protect them in armed conflict according to International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law. Nevertheless, during armed conflict, it is almost impossible to respect all obligations set in IHL and IHRL. During the last twelve years, the Democratic Republic of Congo was a battlefield in which it has been estimated that 2 million children have been killed, more than 6 million have been injured during this armed conflict. For instance, they have suffered sexual violence, grave psychological trauma, malnutrition and diseases. All the six grave violations against children set by the UN Security Council in its resolution 1612 (killing or maiming of children, recruitment or use of child soldiers, rape and other forms of sexual violence against children, abduction of children, attacks against schools or hospitals, denial of humanitarian access to children) were committed during this period in the DRC. Therefore, the DRC is responsible for the violation of children’s rights set in the various legal instruments protecting children in period of armed conflict. Despite the responsibility of the state, armed groups or individuals are also recognized as criminally responsible of the violation of the rights of children within the Congolese jurisdiction only if the material elements are committed intentionally and with knowledge, according to article 30 of the International Criminal Court. However, the reparation of these violations may foresee restitution, compensation for damage suffered in the past, assurance against future breach of international obligations and an approach that of remedial justice and prevention because children represent our societies and their protection represents a right and a human security issue. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

Conflict has been rife in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for many decades, in a war over minerals. The economic incentive for this conflict lies in the multimillion dollar trade in conflict minerals, and the results are human rights abuses, violent conflict and corruption. International industries from resource-rich countries play a role in business and human rights violations in other countries where governance is weak, such as the DRC. The focus of this study is minerals extracted from the eastern DRC – the ores that produce tin, tantalum, tungsten (the 3Ts) and gold. These minerals are essential to the electronics industry, where various companies, primarily publicly listed companies, use these minerals in their production processes. This study examines the way in which companies at the top of the minerals supply chain use their buying power to influence their suppliers, exerting pressure down the supply chain. There have been dramatic changes in this arena recently, including the passing of conflict minerals legislation in the United States of America (USA) and an evolving multilateral architecture for supply chain due diligence emanating from the United Nations (UN) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This study explores a variety of efforts initiated by a number of companies, governments and non-governmental organisations (both in the DRC and internationally) committed to combating conflict minerals. These efforts are aimed at formulating a regulatory framework on the security exchanges in Africa. Such a system should be conceptualised to regulate the due diligence process relating to minerals to enable end-users to trace supply chains from companies who use these minerals back to the sources of origin, by using independent audit chains of custody in a certification scheme similar to the Kimberley Process for conflict diamonds. This system is intended to be a means to strengthen the global transparency and accountability of electronics companies, together with industry initiatives, the OECD’s guidelines and extractive industry transparency initiatives principles, targeting publicly listed companies. This study, which consisted of a desktop review of books, journals, reports and internet sources, analyses elements of the USA‘s Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (Dodd-Frank Act) and South Africa’s King Code Report III on Corporate Governance of 2009 to determine whether these instruments are appropriate to be applied to African exchanges. It examines whether these instruments can be used to create a system requiring companies trading in or using conflict minerals in their production to compile an annual report that is to be made publicly available, disclosing the source and chain of custody of conflict minerals which originate from conflict zones, notably the DRC and other African countries. Due to the globalised markets, companies are gaining greater power than some governments. Companies are regulated by the legislation of the host country in which they are incorporated. The countries in which these companies operate and publicly trade are usually developing countries, which are characterised by impoverished communities and unstable or emerging democracies. The recent passing of the conflict minerals provisions in the Dodd-Frank Act requires that publicly traded companies in electronics industries report annually to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) on whether conflict minerals are part of their supply chains, and if so, what the steps have been taken to ensure that the companies do not contribute to the ongoing conflict. The practical/managerial implications of the African system is that the inconsistencies and instability in these emerging markets legislation and their relaxed rule of law create loopholes in the systems of industry which would normally require adherence to human rights principles and industry’s assistance in developing global standards and/or incorporating such standards into legislation. Industry is still largely unaware of whether products are conflict-free and has no way of determining the status of products. Responsible supply chain co-operation is therefore needed by companies to take steps to trace supply chains, and ensure independent auditing and certification. This study looks at how industry and governments can formulate international standards and regulations that require publicly listed companies using the 3Ts and gold in the production of their goods to put human rights at the heart of their enterprises. The findings of the study highlight the urgent need for due diligence, transparency and an accountability agenda for resource sectors. The study argues that more African states need to buy into these initiatives. Greater transparency must be part of broader governance schemes. The study recognises the important role of stock exchanges and the importance of regulating companies which trade and source minerals from the DRC and other countries in Africa. The study recommends a reform of securities exchanges and the implementation of corporate governance codes. The study argues that Africa can incorporate elements of the Dodd-Frank Act, the SEC Act, King III and the JSE Listing Requirements into national legislation in the individual states to impose important legal duties on companies to promote fairness, accountability, responsibility and transparency. Passing legislation to regulate the international minerals trade is crucial for the promotion of a legal mineral trade. / Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / Centre for Human Rights / unrestricted

This study aims to test the performance of agricultural markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Although the DRC is classified as the fifth biggest producer of cassava, nearly 70 percent of its population living mainly in urban areas is suffering from food shortages. Since the markets are poorly integrated, food prices are very volatile. Small agricultural producers obtain low prices for their products, while vulnerable household’s consumers experience high prices. Over the last few years, the price of cassava has increased considerably, from US$ 72 per ton in 2007 to US$ 123 per ton in 2009. This dramatic increase in the price of a basic foodstuff has significantly affected poor people in both urban and rural areas. The increase in cassava market prices and the food insecurity level in DRC are an indication that markets have not efficiently performed their fundamental role of connecting producers and consumers. Therefore, understanding the status of value chain development and the degree of market integration is important to improve food security, as well as people’s livelihood in rural areas. Several techniques were identified in the literature for testing agricultural market performance, including: market integration, parity bound analysis, causality, symmetry, error correction mechanisms and value chain analysis. Some studies used mathematical models including deterministic analytical models and stochastic analytical models. For the purpose of this study and because of data limitations, value chain analysis and market integration techniques were applied. The value chain analysis was performed to identify critical issues and constraints that undermine value chain development, as well as to identify business and technological opportunities that can enhance the performance and competitiveness of the sub-sector. The prices of cassava products in the DRC were found to be high, due to the high costs of production, processing and marketing of cassava at different levels of the market chain. Poor market linkages lead to low utilisation of value addition technologies, and this contributes directly to poor market opportunities. This results in a wide range of negative aspects for the sector, such as decreasing incentives for the production and consumption of cassava products and lack of sufficient competitiveness to make cassava a significant commercial commodity. Investment in the sector is considered risky by different chain actors, and is limited as a result of the overall non-competitiveness of the sector. The cassava market in the DRC is organised around Kinshasa in Western Congo, and around Lubumbashi in the South-eastern part of the country. In view of the strategic importance of the two marketplaces, a market integration analysis was conducted to consider whether food policy focusing on those two reference marketplaces would be sufficient to stabilise the cassava supply nationwide, since most of the marketplaces seem to have a strong relationships with these two reference markets. Using co-integration techniques, an error correction mechanism and an index of market connection, the findings established that among the 11 pairs of trading markets, 6 of them were segmented, meaning that price changes in the reference markets were not fully transmitted to the regional markets. Four key factors, including macroeconomic environment, transportation infrastructure, market information flow and distance, played a significant role in price differentials, and caused potential and existing markets to cease to function as efficient generators of wealth and distributors of food. This is apparently one of the most important reasons for increased food insecurity and poverty among food producers and consumers alike. The results confirm the poor value chain status of cassava, which leads to the stagnation of this crop as a semi-commercial crop, and restrains its absorption into the mainstream market chain in local, national and regional markets. The market integration results showed segmented and moderated integrated markets arising from the 11 pairs of trading markets, of which 6 were identified as segmented. The results from the error correction mechanism (ECM) suggest that on average about 30% of past deviations from the long run are corrected each month. Among the 11 paired markets, the highest coefficient of price adjustment in the long run was indicated by the paired markets Bukavu–Goma (43%), Mbujimayi–Kananga (38%) and Matadi-Kinshasa (36%); and the lowest was given by the paired market Kisangani–Kinshasa (15%). In the short run, the IMC of 0.85 suggests a strong market connection between Matadi and Kinshasa, which then suggests that price shocks that occur in the market of Kinshasa affect immediately, and partially, the Matadi markets supplying it. This high IMC coefficient was also found between Bukavu and Goma (0.86), and Kananga and Mbujimay (0.81). None of the other markets trading with Kinshasa and Lubumbashi respond in the short run to price changes in these reference markets. This implies that only 3 market pairs out of 11 hav strong intgration which therefore presents clear evidence of weak market integration between production and deficient areas in the DRC as awhole. This weak linear relationship between markets can be postulated as one of major causes of food insercurity in the country. This understanding of cause of food insecurity and various issues surrounding market integration would futher help policy makers to improve efficiency of cassava marketing system, lower farm to retail price spread and consolidate food security accross the country. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc(Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2015 / Centre for Human Rights / LLM / Unrestricted