Good week
Senegal, which has beendeclared Ebola free.
Venezuela, which won a seat on the UN Security Council.
Bad week
Philippe Le Houerou and Inger Andersen, two senior World Bank officials who have been forced to leave because of the bank’s restructure.
The Carter Center, a human rights group which has closed its office in Egypt because of the restrictions on democratic rights there.
Quote of the week
Six months after the Chibok girls were abducted, Ibrahim Abdullahi, the Nigerian lawyer who started the #BringBackOurGirls hashtag, says people underestimate the impact Twitter can have.
It’s not entirely true to say Twitter or that social media achieved nothing in the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. The campaign has created so much awareness to the plight of the schoolgirls and people in that part of the world. Mobilisation for protests is mainly done on Twitter too. To me, Twitter is contributing wonderfully to the campaign just the way it contributed to the success of the arab spring.
What you’re saying
In response to our article ‘Poo power: turning human waste into clean energy in Kenya’s slums,’ Twitter user @TomWwater says the challenge with biocentres is getting residents to use them.
This week in numbers
400 million people at risk of hunger and drought from climate change by 2060, according to Oxfam.
$50m pledged to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization by China.
$25m donated by Mark Zuckerberg to the fight against Ebola.
10.7 million people registered to vote in Wednesday Mozambique’s elections.
5 Caribbean nations announce Ebola travel bans.
Picture of the week
Milestones
A truce was agreed with Boko Haram on Friday to release the Chibok school girls, abducted six months ago, according to Nigeria’s chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh.
The BBC launched an Ebola public health information service this week on WhatsApp, aimed at users of the service in West Africa.
Girl Generation, a new Africa-led campaign to support work to end FGM launched last Friday in Nairobi, Kenya.
2014 has become the deadliest year at sea off Yemen as migrants try to get into the country.
Multimedia
A sketch on American comedy show Saturday Night Live pokes fun at NGO communications and development fundraising.
Reading list
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Ending violence against women and girls: the worlds best laws and policies (UN Women)
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Global hunger index 2014 (IFRI)
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From crisis to catastrophe: the situation of minorities in Iraq (Minority Rights Group International)
- World disasters report (International Federation of Red Cross)
Coming next week: have your say
- Our live chat on Thursday, 23 October 1-3pm BST, will ask is the United Nations effective? Email globaldevpros@theguardian.com to recommend someone for the panel.
- #YouthEngage tweetathon: join the worldwide Twitter chat on 24 October
- Calling all southern voices! We want to hear about new papers published by institutions, thinktanks and NGOs in the global south. Send an email to globaldevpros@theguardian.com to be featured in our reading list.
Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter.
