The objective of this diploma thesis is to bring different views on the issue of resource dependence and the origins of conflicts connected to the diamonds from Sub-Saharan Africa; and to point out on the existence of conflict diamonds and the disinterest of international forum to solve this problem in the present and in the past. The diploma thesis consists of three chapters. First chapter analyses the resource dependence, conflict and the connection between them. Second chapter is focused on the definition of conflict diamonds, international initiatives and Kimberley Process. Third chapter represents the practical part of this diploma thesis, it analyses two conflicts connected to diamonds, the conflict in Angola and in Sierra Leone.

Collaborative relationships between business and non-governmental organisations (NGOs), is offering innovative business practices, as a new and emerging concept. The potential of this phenomenon to offer market-orientated solutions to the social and developmental challenges confronting us globally is imminent. The significance of this concept for businesses in post-conflict settings in Africa is particularly relevant for Africa as the next growth market. Critically examining this evolving concept, this study looks at the perceptions and nature of collaborative relationships between business and NGOs in post-conflict settings, the contributory and inhibiting factors, as well as its characteristics towards closing the gap in knowledge.Twenty leaders of businesses and NGOs in Burundi, Sierra Leone and Liberia, involved in collaborative relationships, were interviewed. The concept was scrutinized in a qualitative study, using in-depth interviewing with qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The methodology allowed innovative practices of collaborative relationships in post-conflict countries to be reflected on.The findings related to the embryonic and evolving nature of collaborative relationships between businesses and NGOs in post-conflict countries reflect a model of innovative cases for enhancing business processes. The model of Business Process Enhancement (BPE) is conceptualised from the results of this study. Concomitantly, the study presents new insights into the strategic potential of collaborative relationships and offers both business and NGOs in post-conflict countries a framework of the benefits, and the contributory and inhibiting factors. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

El área de Sierra Espuña (Murcia, SE España) se caracteriza por su alta biodiversidad integrada en la Reserva de Biosfera Intercontinental del Mediterráneo. Aunque las autoridades están muy interesadas en valorar y proteger la biodiversidad (flora y fauna), el interés en el patrimonio geológico es todavía mucho menor. Esta Tesis tiene como objetivo exponer, caracterizar y valorar los mejores sitos de interés geológico reconocibles en el área de estudio (Sierra Espuña y la Depresión de Mula-Pliego-Gebas). 55 sitos han sido propuestos para ser considerados como patrimonio geológico. La caracterización de estos sitios se realiza a través de un formulario desarrollado a través de un enfoque de combinación de métodos recientes puestos en práctica en otros sectores y publicados. El formulario permite la identificación de datos generales, descripción física, evaluación del valor científico (SV), valores de los potenciales de utilidad didáctico (UEP) y turístico (UTP), así como, el valor del riesgo de degradación (RD). El uso de la metodología de cuantificación (Brilha, 2016) confirmó que los sitos del área de Sierra Espuña son de relevancia internacional con un inventario sólido y objetivo. 51 de los sitios han puesto de manifiesto un alto o muy alto valor científico, mientras que todos los sitos alcanzaban valores altos o muy altos en cuanto al interés didáctico o turístico. Contrariamente, el valor del riesgo de degradación es generalmente bajo o moderado. Solo en 19 sitos se alcanza un valor alto o muy alto. Los sitos inventariados se distribuyen dentro del parque o en zonas aledañas (Depresión de Mula-Pliego-Gebas) y pueden encontrarse a lo largo de senderos, caminos peatonales y carreteras. Estos sitos presentan una amplia variedad de tipologías geológicas como geología estructural, estratigrafía, sedimentología, paleontología, geomateriales, petrología, geomorfología, hidráulica e hidrogeología. La valoración de los sitios seleccionados se dividió e integró en 8 geo-rutas (El Berro, con 8 sitos; Las Alquerías, con 7 sitos; Cumbres Espuña, con 7 sitos; Valle de Malvariche, con 9 sitos; Aledo-La Santa, con 5 sitos; Depresión de Pliego, con 6 sitos; Paraje de Gebas, con 7 sitos; Mula, con 6sitos).Finalmente, se han propuesto algunas acciones que cumplen los criterios de la Red Mundial de Geoparques de la UNESCO para mejorar la conservación de los sitos, pero también para contribuir a la educación y la promoción del turismo. Estas acciones también estimularían la actividad económica y el desarrollo sostenible en la región al atraer a un número creciente de visitantes interesados en el patrimonio geológico.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death for children and women in Sierra Leone. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and understand the lived experiences of women from the rural areas of Sierra Leone regarding malaria. A purposive sample of Krio women from the western rural area, aged 21-55 years, spoke English, and had taken care of someone with malaria described their perceptions and lived experiences with the disease in face-to-face interviews. The research questions were based on the health belief model and focused on knowledge, beliefs, and perceptions about malaria prevention and treatment. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify themes through coding. The findings indicated that (a) lack of doctors, medicines, and medical supplies at government clinics discourages malaria victims from visiting those clinics; (b) the use of traditional herbs is prevalent because of their effectiveness, affordability, easy access, and lack of side effects; (c) women were not aware of recommended comprehensive malaria control measures, which include the continuous use of durable insecticide nets, residual spraying, case management, and artemisinin-based therapy. The results also show that (a) pregnant women should not take prescribed medications to prevent or treat malaria because they harm the fetus, and (b) traditional herbs may be taken with Western medicines to treat severe malaria. Recommendations include: that the government evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of its current malaria programs in local clinics, and that future studies be undertaken to identify antimalarial properties in commonly accepted local herbs. Changes in policies and practices relating to the prevention and treatment of malaria will serve as building blocks for positive social change to reduce the malaria incidence rate in Sierra Leone.

From 1991 to 2002, the Sierra Leone government and the Revolutionary United Front waged war against each other, subjecting Sierra Leone to a civil war. This war devastated the nation and resulted in many human casualties. Although many researchers have investigated the role of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in counterinsurgency and conflict resolution, few studies have been conducted on the specific role of strategic processing tools used by ECOWAS during the Sierra Leone war to sustain a durable peace resolution in the country. Using Galula's conceptualization of counterinsurgency and conflict resolution as a guide, the purpose of this qualitative, I used an explanatory case study to determine the elements that made strategic processing tools effective. Data were collected through open ended interviews with 10 Sierra Leoneans that experienced the conflict, publicly available documents, and mass media reports related to the Sierra Leone civil war. All data were manually coded and then subjected to constant comparative analytic procedures. The key finding of this study was that conflict resolution was successful because intervention by ECOWAS was largely viewed by Sierra Leoneans favorably and legitimate. The ECOWAS use of force was vital for the peace process. However, there were occurrences of human rights violations that were not fully resolved through the procedural mechanisms in place at the time. The positive social change implications stemming from this study includes recommendations to ECOWAS to establish a disciplinary unit to oversee violations of international humanitarian law and other serious abuses by ECOWAS troops. These actions may advance peace among religions, political parties, and ethnic groups in the region.

One of the most widely discussed movements of modern Spain is the activity of a literary school usually termed the Generation of '98. The Spanish American War proved to be the final humiliation of a century of political and economic decline in Spain. A group of young men decided that something must be done to save Spain from crumbling to pieces before their very eyes. They loved their country, and its decline made them heart-sick. They knew something must be done to startle the people and to make them realize that they were no longer living in the Golden Age when Spain was a great power. They wished to make their countrymen look forward and not backward. This group of men were intellectuals. They were novelists, dramatists, critics, publishers, historians, professors, and editors of magazine and newspapers. As we see, they were all men of letters. Jacinto Benavente was born in Madrid in 1866 and spent the early years of his childhood in this city. Benavente's first important publication was a book of poems imitating for the most part Campoamor and Becquer.2 Benavente also published essays on various subjects. The most interesting of these for the purpose of this study were Cartas de Mujeres, because it shows that Benavente exhibits one of the tendencies of the Generation of '98. Martinez Sierra is generally considered a member of the Generation of '98 Because of this optimism, Sierra does not deal a great deal with the social and political problems of Spain. He writes simplify of the great masses telling the commonplace happenings of their lives.

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This thesis investigates the role of regional organizations in peacemaking and peacekeeping, particularly on the effects of peace agreement duration. This is important because the United Nations has been traditionally seen as the default international peacekeeping force but recently, more responsibility is being given to regional organizations. This study hypothesizes that regional organizations’ ability to clear commitment problems, create specific agreements, and willingness to enforce agreements make them the most effective third parties to deal with many conflicts. However, the study also hypothesizes that regional organizations are less fit to mediate conflicts based around ethnicity, identity, or religious disparities. By utilizing a mixture of logistic regression and case studies, the results illustrate that regional organizations are an essential asset to creating agreements that elongate the duration of peace. In testing for the partiality of regional organizations, the specifics of agreements made, the willingness and capabilities of enforcement, the reason for the conflict and the institutionalization of the organization, quantitative and qualitative results illustrate that regional organizations are a valid tool for conflict management

The EFA conference in Dakar 2000 ushered in new momentum for ensuring universal access to education and advocacy for improved educational quality in all aspects (UNESCO, 2000). While significant progress has been made in expanding access in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly for girls, efforts to ensure improved educational quality in terms of learning, have not matched the drive for universal educational access. Rather, educational quality in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa has been seriously compromised by rapid expansion given the limited resources. In many attempts to ensure the delivery of quality education in developing countries, the thrust of delivery strategies has focused on increased allocation of inputs/resources to infrastructure development and supply of textbooks. However, the literature on the effect of such resources on student achievement is rather mixed and inconclusive with many studies noting that resources make little or no difference. While such approaches may be theoretically sound, most fail to focus on microelements at the school or classroom level such as capturing the teaching and learning experiences of both students and teachers and students. In an attempt to fill this gap, a new line of research has emerged which looks more closely at how resources are used by schools to support and improve instruction. This study follows this trend and examines the extent to which the Rehabilitation of the Basic Education Project (REBEP) in Sierra Leone contributed to improved learning and academic performance of students in five target schools after a series of interventions. Using a case study approach, the study revealed that while REBEP contributed to a significant increase in educational access, particularly for girls, performance in the terminal National Primary School Examination (NPSE) did not improve despite huge investments in the target schools. The study concludes that, in the context of Sierra Leone, and perhaps in many more countries in sub-Saharan Africa, unless and until critical school-level factors are appropriately and comprehensively addressed by policy makers, educational standards and quality will continue to be eroded particularly in terms of learning and that achievement of critical EFA goals and MDG by 2015 would remain an unfulfilled dream.