akzente 1/2020 The GIZ Magazine Down to the very last village Tackling the plague in the highlands of Madagascar Dreams you can touch Prospects for young people in El Salvador The land of milk and honey Liquid gold from Georgia Democracy Spoiled for choice

Editorial MORE FAIRNESS AND DIGNITY What people across the globe hope for from democracy as a form of government. calling for more ‘dignity’. Politics professor Stefano Palestini was in Chile at the time and has combined his first-hand impres- sions with the latest academic findings in an essay. His conclusion was that, from a global point of view, it would be an exaggeration to talk about a crisis of democracy. But demo- cratic systems have shortcomings that they need to work on. Field researcher Shandana Mohmand from Pakistan reiterates this view in an interview. She recommends strength- ening local governments. A report about a community meeting in northern Uganda shows what that might look like in practice. MORE PARTICIPATION and fairness is also one of the aims of GIZ’s work, which is why we are always looking not only for the best way to achieve this, but also for new approaches and new insight. Our goal is to realise fair conditions for all – politi- cally, socially and economically – in keep- ing with the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, who once said: ‘I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.’ We hope you enjoy reading this issue and gain plenty of new insight into a political system that is worth fighting for, wherever you are in the world. DEMOCRACY IS IN CRISIS – or so people are often saying at the moment. They assert that challenges such as increasing global competition, social inequality and digital- isation have pushed this form of govern- ment to the limits of its capacity and are now encouraging the rise of autocracies. Broken promises and shattered hopes are therefore often mentioned too. Is that true? We wanted to find out more, which is why this issue focuses on the state of democ- racy, particularly in countries in the Global South. What do the people there expect of a democracy? What particular challenges and risks arise if a country has to deal with great poverty or major regional differences? What does that mean specifically for coun- tries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Nigeria? THE ANSWERS we found are surprisingly clear. Although the number of democratic states is decreasing slightly, it is still far higher than it was during the Cold War. At the same time, it became clear that living democracies need to do more than merely establish the will of the electorate. They re- quire real participation, an opinion-form- ing process in which people can really ex- press their views and needs. And people want to have well-run public services for all, such as water, education and health care. If these services are not accessible or affordable for the majority of society, frus- tration mounts – and this frustration is di- rected towards the political system too. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED IN CHILE: towards the end of last year, the largest demonstra- tions in the country’s history took place – ) 3 . P ( L E G O V A I R A M / N E F A R G O T O F F O H E I D : O T O H P akzente 1/20 3 SABINE TONSCHEIDT, Director of Corporate Communications sabine.tonscheidt@giz.de

Contents SNAPSHOT Burgeoning hope First signs of new life following the bushfires in Australia p. 36 PERSPECTIVES The land of milk and honey Georgian beekeepers are gearing up for the European market. p. 42 O F N I E T N E Z K A , Y T I L I B A N I A T S U S 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 ) T F E L M O T T O B , 5 . P ( N Ó C O I T N I , ) T H G I R P O T , 5 . P ( D U A N A C N E I T S A B E S / Z I G , ) T F E L P O T , 5 . P ( P A A / S E G A M I O G A M I : S O T O H P INTRODUCING Hello from Ulan Bator TVET expert Beate Dippmar on her life in Mongolia p. 50 REPORT Dreams you can touch New job prospects for young people in El Salvador p. 38 DIGITAL AKZENTE Our magazine is also available online in an optimised form for mobile devices. akzente.giz.de/en akzente 1/2020 The GIZ Magazine Down to the very last village Tackling the plague in the highlands of Madagascar Dreams you can touch Prospects for young people in El Salvador The land of milk and honey Liquid Gold from Georgia Democracy Spoiled for choice akzente 1/20 5

News THREE QUESTIONS FOR ‘We cannot solve the threats of human-induced climate change and loss of biodiversity in isolation. We either solve both or we solve neither.’ Quote by Robert Watson, Chair of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and former Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Gone with the wind FAIRTRADE Farmers who want to cul- tivate organic cotton in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have a problem: seeds from genetically modified plants growing in surrounding fields are be- ing blown onto their crops. This is jeopardising their certification as Fair- trade producers, because not only eco- labels ban the use of genetic engineer- ing – Fairtrade associations do too. But how can cotton farmers obtain non-genetically modified seed? GIZ is supporting them here on behalf of the German Development Ministry (BMZ). For the 2020 sowing season, 165 tonnes of cotton seeds were pro- vided that meet the Fairtrade criteria. To protect the cotton plants, taller crops, such as maize, are being planted around them. More than 470 farmers with a total of over 1,100 hectares of land will be able to produce sustain- able and non-genetically modified cotton in future. They can ask higher prices for organic quality than for con- ventional products. In addition, 120 people are receiving training on topics connected with organic farming. The Aldi Nord and Aldi Süd supermarket chains are supporting the project through an integrated development partnership by buying fixed amounts. ) 7 . P ( H C S Z T N E R N A I L U J : N O I T A R T S U L L I , ) 7 . P ( R A B K A V O R U S N A M / Z I G : O T O H P akzente 1/20 7 ARMANDO LAZARO GOMEZ DIAZ The 41-year-old engineer from Cuba attended a training course at a German vocational college. On behalf of the German Development Ministry (BMZ) and German Environ- ment Ministry (BMU), GIZ is promoting via its programme Proklima the use of natural refrigerants through training, policy advice and technology transfer. These technologies are highly energy efficient and do not harm either the cli- mate or the environment. What is your job as a cooling engineer? I work in the national Ozone Technical Office at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment. Our task is to coordinate the national programme for im- plementing the Montreal Protocol to phase out sub- stances that cause ozone depletion. I specialise in cooling technology. What did you learn during the Cool Training at the Fed- eral College of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Tech- nology in Maintal? We learned how to handle natural refrigerants safely. In countries with a hot climate, it is difficult to use natural refrigerating agents such as carbon dioxide, but it is possible. I also value being able to share ideas and experiences with colleagues from other countries. How are you using your new skills in Cuba? Cuba is a pioneering country in the use of natural refrigerants. For example, we draw on a mixture of isobutane and propane in fridges and minibars. We are now organising workshops for engineers, techni- cians and mechanics, who in turn train their stu- dents on how to use natural refrigerants safely. We are also presenting the technology to companies to address the challenge of climate change. www.giz.de/expertise/html/61049.html

News Basis for a greener future OVERVIEW Bosnia and Herzegovina has extensive energy resources and is one of the few Balkan countries that export electricity. However, energy production is not sustainable yet. The country has therefore set itself the goal of using considerably more renewable energy. It also has a diverse supply of biomass. An interactive web atlas now shows the potential of 23 biomass sources in the country. The database was set up as part of a GIZ project on behalf of the German Development Ministry in cooperation with the German Biomass Research Centre in Leipzig and the national Agency for Statistics of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It can be accessed by the public and can be updated. Resource monitoring marks a major step for- ward for the country. The database provides guidance on how resources can be used more efficiently. It serves as a basis for harnessing biomass effectively in future to generate renewable energy. http://atlasbm.bhas.gov.ba NEW PROJECTS BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA WIKI Official languages: Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian / Capital: Sarajevo / Form of government: Parliamentary democracy / Head of government: Zoran Tegeltija / Size: 51,197 km2 / Population: approx. 3.5 million / Population density: 69 per km2 (1) / GDP per capita: USD 5,755 (2) BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Sarajevo Sources: (1) Statista, (2) IWF ) E R T N E C , 9 . P ( A P D , ) T H G I R D N A T F E L , 9 . P D N A 8 . P ( O T O H P K C O T S I / S E G A M I Y T T E G : S O T O H P Health in the EU Help for refugees Climate protection GERMAN PRESIDENCY In the second half of 2020, Germany will be assuming the presidency of the Council of the Euro- pean Union. GIZ is supporting the Ger- man Health Ministry in implementing ac- tivities during the German presidency of the Council. It is organising an infor- mal meeting of the EU health ministers in Bonn in July and a digital conference with high-ranking participants in Berlin in November. Topics to be addressed in- clude artificial intelligence, big data and the vision of a European data area. SYRIA Almost six million people from Syria are registered in the neighbouring countries of Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. Based on the measures of the Qudra I programme, the BMZ, the EU Regional Trust Fund in Re- sponse to the Syrian Crisis and the Spanish Agency for International Development Co- operation are providing further assistance in the follow-on project Qudra II. GIZ is in- volved in implementing leisure activities for children and youths, psychosocial sup- port, training and job initiatives, and meas- ures to promote host communities. WORLDWIDE The International Climate Initiative (IKI) run by the German Envi- ronment Ministry (BMU) is now support- ing small-scale projects too. A maximum of 100 ideas will each receive funding of up to EUR 100,000 through to 2025. The aim of the new fund is to promote inno- vative ideas that are adapted to local needs in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to set up weather-resist- ant and climate-proof infrastructure in municipalities and regions. GIZ is imple- menting the new IKI components for BMU. akzente 1/20 9

Down to the very last village CONCERNED The Malagasy village where Mariette Razafimalala (centre) and her family live is particularly affected by a rat infestation. Clay houses offer an ideal habitat for the rodents, which can transmit the plague. People often cannot afford effective protection. LAST VILLAGE

Raphaël Rakotozandirandrainy takes the results of the plague study directly to the people. The scientist is also mayor of a highland community. The scientists also take their findings directly to remote hamlets, where often only a few dozen people live. Raphaël Rakotozandirand- rainy is head of the Institute of Medical Microbiology at the Univer- sity of Antananarivo and a partner in Madagascar of the German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG), to which Michael Nagel from GIZ also belongs. This task force is deployed when partner countries ask for rapid assistance because they are no longer able to control an epidemic themselves or want to be better prepared for future out- breaks. In acute cases, the task force can get to the partner country within 72 hours. Interdisciplinary teams are put together from a pool of experts in a variety of disciplines, including GIZ staff and univer- sity experts. In Madagascar, the government asked for support from the Ger- man Epidemic Preparedness Team due to the recurrent outbreaks of the plague. Even though the assignments are demanding, the scien- tists believe that the field work is vital. ‘Of course, germs can easily be diagnosed in modern laboratories throughout the world,’ Nagel remarks, ‘but whether a case of disease turns into an epidemic de- pends on many different factors.’ Preventing epidemics requires a better understanding of how different factors interact – which is ex- actly what the study in Madagascar was designed to do. The scientists put out traps for rats and mice in villages and smallholdings and asked people about their living conditions and what they knew about the plague. They recorded information on geology, vegetation and land use and collected samples. Most of the laboratory results are now available. akzente 1/20 13 FIGHTING EPIDEMICS The German Epidemic Preparedness Team was initiated by the German Development Ministry (BMZ) in cooperation with the German Health Ministry in response to the Ebola crisis in West Africa in 2014-2015. A core team based at GIZ tracks reports of the outbreak of disease worldwide. In consultation with the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and the Robert Koch Institute, it evaluates the situation and assesses the risk of an epidemic. In addition, a pool of experts has been set up for flexible deployment. The German Epidemic Prepared- ness Team therefore supports countries in preparing for and responding to outbreaks of disease and in taking preventive measures. GIZ coordinates the assignments, drawing on its contacts with partners throughout the world. The team was deployed to Madagascar to tackle the plague, which occurs there at regular intervals. The microbiologist Michael Nagel and his team investigated the causes of the outbreaks. A professor of geology, a bacteriologist, a field biologist, a human genetics expert and a doctor of tropical medicine made up the group of researchers from Europe who worked with Professor Rakotozandirandrainy and other experts from Madagascar. Contact: Michael Nagel, michael.nagel@giz.de

The results of the study have clearly disproved two working hypoth- eses. Firstly, that some villages are free of plague germs. ‘The plague germs are everywhere all the time here,’ Nagel emphasises. Secondly, the results did not confirm that people in some villages are immune to the disease for genetic reasons. The men and women said that people had already died of the plague in their village many years earlier, but that their hamlet had always been spared in recent years, even in 2017, when the epidemic was particularly virulent in Mada- gascar. ‘You still need to protect yourselves better,’ Nagel impresses on everyone. Then he lists what they can do: ‘You need to get rid of the rats and mice in the houses and keep your food supplies firmly shut,’ he recommends, adding that there should be no leftovers either inside or in front of the houses. The people listen to him attentively, sometimes nodding. Then Nagel points to a hole in the straw roof of Mariette Razafimalala’s house: ‘Can you see that? A rat hole! The straw roofs make an ideal home for rodents. Best to swap them for corrugated iron roofs.’ The clay walls of the buildings also provide an ideal habitat for the dangerous creatures. ‘Fill the holes in your walls with concrete, cement or stones,’ Nagel advises them. ‘We can’t afford corrugated iron roofs,’ remarks Mariette Razafimalala. Depending on the size of the house, a roof like that costs the equivalent of EUR 300 – a fortune in the villages of Mad- agascar. The same is true of cement or supply boxes that can be shut so tightly that mice and rats cannot squeeze their way in. Saved by laboratory results and a health station A young patient at the health station in Ampasina, which was set up with support from GIZ In Tsararivotro, the next village, some of the houses are built of burnt bricks, not just put together out of flattened clay. ‘Rodents have vir- tually no chance there,’ Nagel explains. He even thinks one of the buildings – made of bricks and built on a rocky plateau so that the rodents cannot eat their way into the house through the floor – is ‘almost ideal’. Moreover, the roof is made of corrugated iron. The inhabitants were not trying to ward off rats, however. ‘There are a lot of armed cattle thieves here,’ explains 42-year-old Rasoa Zararia, who lives in the house. ‘They often set fire to the straw roofs.’ The family sold two of their cows to pay for the corrugated iron roof. Cattle thieves in Tsararivotro have now stolen around 60 cows, almost the entire cattle stock of the village – including the last two cows belong- ing to the Zararia family. In Tsararivotro, there have repeatedly been cases of the plague; in 2017, Rasoa Zararia’s daughter caught the disease. ‘I didn’t know what was wrong with her,’ Zararia explains, ‘but I took her to Ampasina as quickly as possible.’ In the main village of the municipality, mayor and microbiologist Rakotozandirand- rainy has set up a health station partly funded by GIZ. The German Epidemic Preparedness Team brought the equipment for the labora- tory and trained the medical staff in the microbiological diagnosis of plague bacteria. That was what saved Zararia’s daughter. Eighteen years old at the time, she was promptly diagnosed as having the dis- ease and recovered thanks to the antibiotics she was given. Since then, people trust Rakotozandirandrainy even more. That is an invaluable advantage now. The village inhabitants are more mo- tivated to follow the recommendations to protect themselves against akzente 1/20 15 the plague – at least if they have enough savings. And while he ac- companies his German colleague back to the capital, the Malagasy mayor and scientist cannot stop thinking about how the work to renovate the houses could be financed. At one of the next local coun- cil meetings, Rakotozandirandrainy proposes that sustainable coffee could be grown and sold through a cooperative to subsidise the build- ing material. The people of Andina are taking up the fight against the plague themselves. That could be a signal for the entire highlands of Madagascar. — BETTINA RÜHL has been reporting from Africa for around 30 years. Her research in the remote regions of Madagascar is one of the special projects in her career. TSITOHAINA STEVENSON RAKOTOARIVONJY is a journalist from Madagascar.

REPORT Learning democracy Uganda: Campaigning for greater public participation p. 18 OVERVIEW Hidden champions Profiling the less visible champions of democracy p. 22 ESSAY Wanted and threatened Professor Stefano Palestini on the state of democracy in the world p. 24 INFOGRAPHIC How do things stand? Facts and figures rather than opinions, feelings and hypotheses p. 30 INTERVIEW ‘It’s a matter of equality’ Social scientist Shandana Khan Mohmand advocates empowering local government. p. 32 BACKGROUND Pooling forces for change Director General of Department Michaela Baur on GIZ’s holistic approach p. 34 EXAMPLES OF GIZ’S WORK The strength of democracy Examples of how GIZ is promoting participation and good governance p. 35

Report Learning democracy For the first time, Ugandans are helping to reshape their country’s energy policy. Lawyer Claudia Apio takes her message around local villages calling for real change. Text MARKUS SPÖRNDLI Photos MARTIN KHARUMWA I t is Tuesday at a baraza in north- ern Uganda. Forty people from the surrounding villages have squeezed onto the benches at the prima- ry school in Amuca for this community meeting. This scene is repeated every few weeks in the village, which lies a good 300 kilometres north of the capital, Kampa- la. The chairwoman presents today’s sub- ject: Energy and the Environment. Then a woman gets up from her plastic chair at the side of the classroom and walks to the front. Claudia Apio introduces herself briefly. She runs the Lira NGO Forum, an umbrella group for non-governmental or- ganisations (NGOs) in the district of Lira. Radiating energy and with all eyes on her, Apio captivates the entire audience. ‘It’s really important that you tell us what your concerns are,’ the 37-year-old says. ‘That is the only way we can influence policy so that the energy projects benefit you, the communities.’ She urges them to stand up for their interests. ‘Do you re- member the petition you sent to the dis- trict authorities? You needed a new road, and it was built. You should do the same with energy policy.’ Those present nod in agreement. Anna Peter (48) and her husband Benson Apita (56) both took part in the baraza. They live just a few minutes’ walk from the school. On their farm, which covers an area equivalent to around half a football pitch, they grow maize, peanuts and the root vegetable cassava, among oth- er things. Anna Peter recently sold her or- ange harvest, and soon, for the first time, she expects to have a crop of coffee beans ready for the market. They also keep pigs, cows, goats and chickens. Of her six chil- dren, two are still school-aged. ‘We go to the barazas whenever we can,’ says Benson Apita. ‘It’s a chance to find out important information, explain what our needs are and pass on our own knowledge as well.’ With regard to the environment and energy, for example, there is still a need for greater awareness. Like most people in the village, Anna Peter admits that they still use charcoal for cooking: ‘We should really buy a biogas cooker. That would be cheap- er in the long run and protect the forests.’ The couple have a small solar power system ESTABLISHING NEW LINKS On behalf of the EU and BMZ, GIZ is trying out a new approach in Uganda that involves combining support for civil society organi- sations with its priority areas of energy, wa- ter and rural development – starting with the energy sector. Building on a strong track record of cooperation, GIZ persuaded the Ugandan Ministry of Energy and Mineral De- velopment that energy policy-making will improve if it draws on the knowledge and responds to the demands of civil society. According to the Ministry, the approach has been so successful that there are now plans to expand the role of civil society groups. At the same time, on behalf of BMZ, GIZ is focusing on measures to strengthen human rights in Uganda. These include courses, le- gal advice and campaigns for women’s rights and for tolerance towards minorities, such as LGBTIQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, intersex, queer) groups. Contact: Wolff-Michael Mors, Head of the Civil Society in Uganda Support Programme, cusp@giz.de akzente 1/20 19

Report The project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): had one big goal: to enable hundreds of thousands of displaced people in more than 150 camps to return to their villages. ‘We didn’t just have to rebuild the infra- structure. People also had to learn all over again to look after themselves,’ she recalls. ‘It was no longer about providing human- itarian aid but about development, and to make that happen I had to find ways of getting people involved in the political process.’ Apio has pursued that goal ever since. She joined the Lira NGO Forum in 2014, helping its seventy member organisations to perform their role as a mouthpiece for local people more effectively. She organises training courses, in financial management or in the area of advocacy and lobbying, and encourages public involvement in de- cision-making, for example at the barazas held in local communities. The Lira NGO Forum is supported by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the European Union (EU). ‘For me, the focus is not on money,’ says Apio. ‘What’s more im- portant are the new opportunities created by sharing ideas and having access to in- formation and networks.’ Together with other NGO colleagues, she is now also directly involved in a review of national energy policy. For Claudia Apio, it’s a promising start, albeit not yet a democratic transformation. But where there is a problem, there must also be a solution. After the energy debate during the community meeting at the pri- mary school in Amuca, she makes a final appeal to the audience: ‘It is your duty to elect politicians who serve you. Register now for the coming election and urge your neighbours to do the same!’ — MARKUS SPÖRNDLI is a journal- ist in Nairobi, Kenya. He specialises in development issues and writes for Ger- man-language media, for example the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung. MARTIN KHARUMWA is a free- lance photographer in East Africa. He also collaborates with artists to create artwork that shines a light on his part of the world. akzente 1/20 21 INTERVIEW ADRIAN JJUUKO Human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the Human Rights Awareness and Promotion Forum in Uganda Recently, the human rights situation for members of sexual minorities has got even worse. Why is this? Uganda is already gripped by election fever, although people will not go to the polling stations until 2021. The musician Bobi Wine – who is particularly popular with the younger generation – is causing embarrassment and anger among the party of Yoweri Museveni, the current president. The party members feel their power is under threat. In order to secure a majority, they are now adopting a homophobic stance to secure votes. How exactly are they doing this? In October 2019, Simon Lokodo, the Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, announced his intention to reintroduce a law that provides for the death penalty as punishment for engaging in homosexual activity. Shortly afterwards, some activists were arrested, as were all the people at an LGBTIQ-friendly bar. Why are so many voters getting behind homophobic slogans? First of all, it is important to make clear that the situation for the LGBTIQ community in Uganda is not quite as bad as media reports make it sound. The vast majority of citizens have other concerns and don’t really know anything about the issue. However, homophobic violence is now becoming an issue with two murders of LGBT persons recorded towards the end of last year. Many ordinary people are manipulated by evangelical preachers who brand non-heterosexual practices as a mortal sin and capitalise on the human fear of the unknown. On this basis, homophobic political campaigns are gaining a foothold. How can the situation be improved? The law prohibiting homosexual acts dates back to the British colonial period, and most activists want to abolish it. However, I don’t think it should be the priority right now. Instead, we should focus on the core aspect: equality for all. We need to talk to politicians, and even evangelical preachers. The human rights training course for police officers, which was supported by GIZ, should also be resumed. This is the only way we can make perceptions change throughout Ugandan society.

Scrutinising elections Bitter arguments regularly break out over whether elections were really free and fair. One solution is to request a judgment from neutral international ob- servers appointed by a body such as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). OSCE is a conference of states parties for peacekeeping and the successor organ- isation to the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE), which was established in 1975 at the height of the Cold War. In recent years, among its many other activities, OSCE has audited more than 300 elections in its 57 member states. That involves de- ploying observers with different areas of specialist knowledge, in most cases for several weeks. In the post-Cold War period, OSCE’s attention was focused primarily on the transition countries of Eastern Europe. More recently, it has started working with other groups of states, partly in response to the emer- gence of electronic voting systems, which present new dangers. For exam- ple, OSCE was involved in the last presidential elections in the USA. It al- so dispatched a small team of neutral observers to report on the 2017 Bundes- tag elections in Germany. OSCE is one of the most renowned election-monitor- ing organisations in the world. — Hidden champions AYLEEN JOVITA ROMERO A Chilean soprano who sings from a balcony JOSHUA WONG A student in Hong Kong demonstrating for democracy During the protests in Chile, Ayleen Jo- vita Romero supported the cause by us- ing her most potent weapon – her voice. On 21 October 2019, undaunted by a government curfew that had been im- posed in many cities, the opera singer delivered a rendition of a well-known protest song from her balcony. Laced with great passion, the words of ‘El derecho de vivir en paz’ (‘The Right to Live in Peace’) thundered out across the otherwise relatively quiet capital city, Santiago de Chile. The response was one of overwhelming support – first of all from her immediate neighbourhood, which acknowledged her singing with frenetic applause, and later on social media, where her performance soon at- tracted millions of followers in Chile and far beyond. Since then, Ayleen Jovi- ta Romero has enjoyed cult status in Chile. — Joshua Wong is a leading voice among the protesters who have been taking to the streets of Hong Kong for months, demand- ing free elections and democracy. Their trademark is the colourful umbrellas they use to protect themselves against attacks by the police. The 23-year-old, who found- ed a student activist group as early as 2011 and has been politically active ever since, has been arrested and convicted several times but so far has always been released. The demonstrators have achieved their core demand not to extradite sus- pects to courts in mainland China for trial. The extradition bill has been suspended. Now they are calling for it to be perma- nently withdrawn and for China’s influence in Hong Kong to be curtailed. Wong be- lieves he and his comrades are on a kind of demarcation line: ‘If we are in a new Cold War, then Hong Kong is the new Ber- lin,’ he said recently. — A critical eye on social media Myanmar is on the road to democracy after a long period of military dictatorship. However, past ethnic and religious conflicts, combined with the rapid expansion of the internet, have fuelled an increase in hate posts on social media. To make matters worse, Facebook is the only source of information for most people in Myanmar. Ac- cording to the United Nations, the fact that members of the country’s Rohingya Mus- lim minority are being brutally persecuted, with more than 700,000 fleeing in 2017, is partly linked to Facebook, which has, it maintains, played a ‘crucial role’ in the in- citement of hatred. In response, GIZ has launched a pilot measure entitled Supporting Voices of Pluralism, which is designed to promote diversity of opinion by supporting the work of civil society organisations dedicated to filtering out and analysing hate speech against minorities on social media. Another goal is to ensure that less fre- quently heard voices are able to gain an audience on Facebook. — akzente 1/20 23 ) T H G I R P O T , 3 2 . P ( O T O H P P A / E C N A I L L A E R U T C I P , ) T F E L P O T , 3 2 . P ( K O O B E C A F O R E M O R A T I V O J N E E L Y A : S O T O H P

Essay Wanted and threatened People around the globe yearn for democracy – at least when it offers more than elections. They expect equality, participation and basic public goods such as health, education, housing and transport. Professor Stefano Palestini explains why the Chilean example is a case in point. Illustrations: Florian Bayer history On 25 October 2019, the largest demonstration in Chilean took place. Around one mil- lion people marched in the capital, Santiago de Chile, holding aloft banners demanding ‘dignity’. Three decades ago, huge numbers of Chileans also took to the streets demanding an end to the mili- tary dictatorship and the election of a dem- ocratic government. Today, Chileans are pressing for radical changes to a socio-eco- nomic model perceived as deeply unfair and to political institutions seen as abusive and corrupt. Are demonstrations like the one in Chile an indicator that democracy is in crisis, or are they on the contrary a way of demanding more and better democracy? In its most basic sense, a democracy is a political system in which a variety of po- litical forces compete for the support of citizens, as expressed through suffrage. Almost 40 per cent of the global popula- IN THIS ARTICLE 1. SITUATION In Chile and around the globe – what minimum requirements does a democracy need to meet? 2. RISKS Free elections, the rule of law, freedom of opinion – where the political system is at risk. 3. OPPORTUNITIES We can help democracy with clear rules and regulations, media pluralism and robust modern systems. tion lives in a country that fulfills that minimal condition. A more complex defi- nition of democracy goes beyond the nar- row focus on elections. It includes three other sets of criteria: institutions that check the power of the elected authorities and that protect the equality of citizens before the law; institutions that enable the deliberation among citizens necessary for electing representatives and taking in- formed decisions. And finally, institu- tions that deliver public goods in basic areas of social life such as health, educa- tion, housing, and transport. Some European countries display fea- tures of all these institutions. Yet, for most citizens around the globe, this ideal-type de- mocracy is simply an aspiration. In Chile, the calls for dignity mean more and better public goods; in Hong Kong, citizens are protesting for more political rights; and in Sudan, citizens are calling for a transition to a democratic civilian government. The de- mands are different, but they all pursue the akzente 1/20 25

Essay ‘The governments of young democra- cies are tempted to use the power of the state to cling to office and make the life for their opponents harder.’ cal and civil rights that citizens seek to strengthen. Independent media under threat Thirdly, as in the case of the rule of law, the institutions that support public deliberation such as independent and pluralist media can be undermined by incumbents and market actors. In Poland, for instance, the ruling Law and Justice Party took control of state broadcasters and intimidated foreign-owned media outlets such as the US-owned TVN. The opposite is happening in Brazil, a social- ly and racially segregated country with a population of about 210 million, in which three corporate groups linked to elite fami- lies control the 19 most important national media outlets. Among them, Grupo Globo alone reaches almost half of the population through its media network. These groups al- so operate in other economic sectors such as financial services and real estate, thus con- centrating a very worrying amount of politi- cal power in Brazilian democracy in their hands. At the same time, digital politics through social media can hinder public de- liberation when used to spread hate speech that bullies minority social groups and fake news that hampers people’s ability to make informed decisions. This might play a role in the recent mass protests in Hong Kong or in Chile, where protesters and bystanders struggle to distinguish the truth from the fake news. Moreover, foreign powers and firms, such as Cambridge Analytica and Ponte Es- tratégia, are subject to investigations be- cause they are suspected of having influ- enced electoral campaigns during the last presidential elections in the USA and in Brazil. They are alleged to have used digital profiles of millions of citizens in terms of social characteristics, ethnicity, and political preferences, and then to have placed target- ed ads, misinformation and counter-cam- paigns. However, the recent emergence of these ‘digital politics’ must be seen in the existing context of the traditional media sector captured by the state or corporate ac- tors. In countries where the media sector is current in younger and less stable demo- cratic systems, as seen in the recent presi- dential elections in Kazakhstan and Bolivia. The governments of young democracies are tempted to use the power of the state to cling to office and make the life of their opponents harder. They can obstruct the opposition’s political campaigns, as Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev did dur- ing the last presidential elections. Or they can gain influence over the authorities in charge of organising elections and counting votes, as President Edgar Lungu from Zam- bia did in the 2016 elections. Secondly, the institutions in charge of protecting citizens’ political rights can be affected. As in the case of breaches to elec- tions, threats against political rights and the rule of law are often perpetrated by the incumbent governments themselves. These threats have even emerged in relatively sta- ble democracies, such as the United States, where President Donald Trump is endeav- ouring to erode the rule of law by arguably abusing the right of presidential pardon for political allies, and continuing attacks against the media as exemplified by a recent lawsuit against The New York Times. In Hungary – a country that had an exemplary transition to democracy in the 1990s – the ruling party Fidesz has suppressed civil so- ciety organisations, claiming that non-gov- ernmental organisations pose a risk to na- tional security, and removed checks on the executive by restricting the competencies of the constitutional court. But incumbent governments are not the only ones directly responsible for the erosion of the rule of law. In socially segregated soci- eties like Nigeria or the Philippines, crucial institutions such as judges and prosecutors are captured by corporate actors and their economic power. In these societies, trust in institutions has plummeted and the rule of law is perceived to serve vested economic in- terests rather than citizens’ rights. This is a common cause of disaffection with democra- cy. It is also a breeding ground for ‘strong leaders’ and demagogues like the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro or President Rodri- go Duterte in the Philippines. They promise to give the power back to ‘the people’, while frequently rolling back the very same politi- akzente 1/20 27

Essay ‘For the first time since the 1930s, the number of countries facing an erosion of democratic insti- tutions exceeds the number of coun- tries undergoing an improvement of democratic in- stitutions.’ done. We must advance the global govern- ance of the global media and social media platforms in order to reduce the manipula- tion of information. We must improve the enforcement of norms that regulate the practices of transnational corporations and global production chains that increase seg- regation and social inequality in democra- cies in the global South and global East. Democratic states must also improve cooperation initiatives that aim at strength- ening judicial and law enforcement institu- tions in young democracies. And multilater- al financial institutions must provide leeway for progressive democratic leaders to adopt non-orthodox redistributive policies in the interests of the lower and middle classes, while preventing the emergence of authori- tarian leaders. In doing so, the international community could help to fulfil the promises of democracy. In conclusion, protests like the one in Chile reflect both threats to democracy but also demands for a better democracy. Chile- ans are embarking on a process that should lead to a new political constitution that is democratically written and approved by Chileans, in which dignity and social jus- tice shall be at the core. But as the experi- ences of the Colour Revolutions and the Arab Spring have demonstrated, these are fragile processes in which domestic and in- ternational political actors will be crucial in preventing the emergence of authoritarian forces that could lead to a further erosion of democratic institutions or a total break- down. — STEFANO PALESTINI is a Chilean sociologist and political scientist. He is co-author of the study ‘Regional Organisations and Mechanisms for Democracy Protection in Latin America, the Caribbean, and the European Union’. Extreme differences provide fertile ground for populists As Aristotle warned 2,300 years ago, ‘a polity with extremes of wealth and poverty is a city not of free persons but of slaves and masters, the ones consumed by envy, the others by contempt.’ In the United Kingdom, these social problems are said to have had a crucial impact in the Brexit referendum. International actors have a particular responsibility The role of international and transnational actors is especially crucial in the context of global economic turmoil and increasing competition between global powers. For the first time since the 1930s, the number of countries facing an erosion of democratic institutions exceeds the number of coun- tries undergoing an improvement of demo- cratic institutions. Furthermore, this demo- cratic erosion is apparent in states that, due to their size, population, and geo- political location, are pivotal in the international system such as Turkey, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia and the USA. Nevertheless, in con- trast to the 1930s, states are nowadays embed- ded in a network of international norms, international organi- sations, and transna- tional advocacy groups that promote and de- fend democracy. Or- ganisations such as the African Union and the Organization of American States are equipped with in- struments to monitor, mediate, and even impose sanctions on member states in response to breaches of democracy. These instruments can pre- vent electoral irregularities or flagrant coups against democratically elected governments. However, international organisations can become irrelevant if powers in their re- spective regions turn less democratic them- selves. Hence, there is still much to be akzente 1/20 29

More and more voters 2 billion In 2019, almost 2 billion people – about a quarter of the world’s population – went to the polls in over 50 countries. The largest election was held in India, with an electorate of almost 800 million. In Indonesia, a total of nearly 190 million people cast their vote. Source: globalsecurity.org 16 18 2 5 First-time voters In most countries (over 100), young people are allowed to vote for the first time at the age of 18. In others, including Cuba, Brazil and Austria, they can vote earlier, at the age of 16. The United Arab Emirates has the highest age limit in the world for suffrage – to cast a vote there, young people need to be 25. Source: worldatlas.com 2018 44.1% 2005 46.6% E-democracy Digitalisation offers the best prospects for greater citizen participation in political processes. Estonia is cur- rently the most advanced country in the world in terms of digitalisation. Almost half of all Estonians already cast their votes online. Source: e-estonia.com Downward trend 1990 39.0% 1975 25.3% The number of ‘free countries’ is far higher today than it was during the Cold War, but recently numbers have fallen slightly. The forward march of liberal democracies has been halted temporar- ily at least. Source: freedomhouse.org Percentage of national income going to the top 10 per cent of earners, worldwide India USA/Canada Russia China Europe 2000 2015 2010 2005 1995 1990 1985 1980 The strongest and the weakest The most robust democracies, meas- ured in terms of five criteria including suffrage, governability and civil rights, are currently Norway, Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand and Denmark. At the other end of the scale stand North Korea, Syria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and Chad. Source: The Economist 60% 50% 40% e m o c n i l a n o i t a n f o e r a h 30%S akzente 1/20 Inequality As economic inequality within a country grows, it fuels frustration with the political system in place. The trend in India is extreme. In 1983, the top 10 per cent of the country’s earners claimed over one third of the national income. In 2014, this figure had risen to over half the national income. Source: wir2018.wid.world

Interview SHANDANA KHAN MOHMAND is a research scientist and lecturer at the University of Sussex’s Institute of Develop- ment Studies. Her areas of specialisation are political par- ticipation, decentralisation and political economics. Her work has included conducting re- search into elections in Pakistan.

Examples of GIZ’s work The strength of democracy GIZ is working worldwide to promote participation and good governance. Here are five examples of different paths to a common goal. 47% COMPETENCIES Tunisia’s first free local elections in 2018 featured many female candidates, motivated by the ‘Democracy needs Women!’ campaign, and supported by gender quotas and the fact that gender equality is now enshrined in law. In this North African country, 47 per cent of town and city councillors are now women. As well as networking with other women politicians, their main wish is to have training and upskilling measures that would enable them to execute their mandate better. GIZ is assisting them on behalf of BMZ. — QUALITY OF LIFE Integrated urban development calls for cross-ministerial administration and involves actors from the realms of politics, civil society and the private sector. In Ukraine, there is a great deal of interest in this approach. On behalf of BMZ and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), GIZ is working to improve living conditions in eight Ukrainian towns and cities. — Dialogue for peace CONSENSUS BUILDING It is important to listen if you want to understand others. This is particularly true in a country that is as divided as Bolivia. ‘Radio Viajera’ is a radio programme that offers information and debate on issues such as conflicts over land and other resources. It reaches an audience of 800,000 listeners. It is supported by the Civil Peace Service, whose dialogue school teaches Bolivians how to resolve confrontation. — Political order and value in one Germany believes in democracy both as a value and as a form of political order. In line with international conventions, GIZ fosters citizen participation around the world. Information, education, participation (in- cluding economic participa- tion), legal certainty and state welfare help people to live in dignity. How these challenges can be met is something that GIZ discusses on a regular basis with academics, social policy actors and its own staff, using a variety of forums. — 5 million PARTICIPATION About one third of the five million registered Palestinian refugees live in camps in the Palestinian territories (West Bank and Gaza), Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. To date, they have not had a body that represents their specific interests. To help these uprooted people make greater use of democratic structures, GIZ is supporting them on behalf of BMZ. The voices of the young generation in particular should be heard. They should become networked and take a pro-active role in improving their lives. — akzente 1/20 35 Breathing life into reforms RULE OF LAW In the one-party state that is the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the government has set a course for political reform, with new legislation and constitutional changes. The Southeast Asian state is to be ruled on the basis of the rule of law and democratic principles. To support the people on this new path, GIZ is implementing a project financed by BMZ, the EU and Switzerland. Currently 25 per cent of all registered civil society organisations are receiving assistance, to ensure they can become involved in establishing good governance. —

Burgeoning hope DISASTER For months, bushfires raged in south-eastern Australia – in some cases, isolated fires merged to form megafires. The consequences for the environment are disastrous: ex- perts from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have calculated that 1.25 billion mam- mals, birds and reptiles are likely to have died as a direct or indirect result of the fires. They say that an area of 8.4 million hectares – equivalent to the size of Austria – has been burned. Yet there are also signs of new life in Australia, with young, bright green shoots growing out of charred branches and blackened earth. Photo: imago images/AAP

Dreams you can touch FOCUS ON THE FUTURE Veronica García (19) lists her dreams on a poster. She is one of a group of young people in El Salvador who are being given support in developing a better life in their home country. akzente 1/20 39

Dreams you can touch ALTERNATIVAS works in two crucial areas of migration. First, it aims to make young people aware of the alternatives to travelling north. Second, it supports those who leave and then return with reintegrating back into their home country. The programme in- volves psychosocial support measures, including both play and art therapy. Experts help participants overcome trauma and provide families with advice around migration – the latter being the all-consuming issue in the northern triangle of Central America, where many people’s only goal is to emigrate. They are fleeing poverty and violence. El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras all have high murder rates, placing them among the 10 most danger- ous countries in the world. Gangs terrorise the population, black- mailing them for protection money or forcing them to join the gang. In the first six months of 2019 alone, up to 500,000 people travelled through Mexico towards North America, twice as many as in 2018. According to information from the International Or- ganization for Migration, the Mexico corridor is the busiest and most dangerous migration route in the world. People die of thirst in the desert or drown in the Río Bravo, on the border. Organised crime in Mexico also targets migrants along the 3,000-kilometre route. Only a small proportion of people actually make it to the USA. Veronica García knows this only too well, which is why this young woman with the winning smile has other plans for her fu- ture. On a windy morning, she sits on the wooden benches in the stands of a small sports stadium in Ahuachapán, a town around 100 kilometres north-west of San Salvador. García is one of the students at the youth training centre. Her teacher asked her and her fellow students to draw a ‘mapa de sueños’ – Spanish for a dream-map. Their maps show that these young people dream of having a career as a footballer, improving their nutrition or build- ing a decent house for their parents. Migration does not feature among their dreams for the future. Aged 19, García does not want to leave her country either: the map she draws on the coloured paper shows that her dream is ‘greater self-confidence’, and she is focusing on work and on saving money. When Veronica García left school, she could not find employ- ment and had a series of casual jobs, occasionally toying with the idea of ‘going north’. People without training have difficulty get- ting work in El Salvador. And if they do find a job, they earn the minimum wage of just USD 300 a month – too little to live on and to save for vocational training, which is usually expensive in El Salvador. She was dissuaded from emigrating by her mother. And when the young woman heard about the ALTERNATIVAS youth training centre, she immediately thought ‘I want to be in- volved.’ The programme is preparing her for employment and is filling the gaps in her skills. ‘I’ve become more self-confident, I know how to present myself and I’m confident about speaking in public,’ says García. She now feels nearer to fulfilling the dream akzente 1/20 41 ) 1 4 . P ( Z I G , ) M O T T O B , 0 4 . P ( A J E L L A C N O Í C A D N U F : S O T O H P INTERVIEW MANUEL NOVOA GIZ migration expert and Director of the ALTERNATIVAS regional programme Why is it important to support migrants who return to their home country? These individuals have often experienced violence and are disoriented, uprooted and have no money. In El Salvador alone, one or two flights a day now land with ‘retornados’ (returnees) on board, and many more arrive by bus. In the first six months of 2019, more than 18,000 people returned to the country. More than three quarters were men, and almost one in five were children. Over the same period, almost 55,000 people returned to Guatemala and nearly 60,000 to Honduras. The state processes returnees in the capital and pays for their travel home – but they are then left on their own. We are working to decentralise services so that individuals can also receive support in their communities of origin. You also work with young people who are considering migrating north. What specific measures are involved? We cannot stop migration but we can change it. We want to show young people that there are opportunities for a good future at home. We work with private sector partners to get young people into work rapidly and aim to find them decent jobs. The individuals we place in work serve as role models. And we are planning a campaign to make people aware of the risks of migration. If they still want to migrate, that is at least a well-thought-out decision. We want to tell them that they have the right to leave – but also the right to stay. she entered on her dream-map: ‘I would like to be a nurse, but first, I need a job so that I can save for the training. I now know that I can achieve a great deal but also that I have a future here in my home country.’ —

The land of milk and honey ‘We exported our first batch of honey to Berlin in 2019. I’m really proud of that.’ GIORGI IASHVILI (46) is a beekeeper and founder and director of Geo Naturali, a honey business. ‘When I was 16, a good friend gave me a book about bees and bee- keeping. Since then, I’ve been fascinated. In 2009, I decided to make a career out of my hobby. Along with the friend who first got me interested in bees, I set up Geo Naturali, and now work as a honey producer. I’m interested in how we can modernise beekeep- ing in Georgia, replacing outdated methods with new ones, how bees can be moved around, what treatments are available for sick bees, and how honey is processed. All of these aspects are crucial, particularly if you want to export to the EU! And that has been our goal for the past three years. The biggest challenge has been to comply with all the European standards. For example, the EU stip- ulates that honey must be pure and not contain anything extrane- ous, such as pollen or other constituents particular to honey. It also prescribes what information has to be included on labels. Fortu- nately, we had help. Our German advisors went through our entire production chain with us and gave us some really important sup- port. They showed us how to avoid contamination from things like mites and pesticides. We had all our honeycombs tested to see if any of them were already contaminated. Another issue that we had to tackle together was that we work with wild bees and produce multi-flower honey from the nectar of a variety of plants in the Ra- cha region in north-central Georgia. That meant that we did not know the exact composition of the honey we were producing, so we sent samples to Germany, where the University of Bayreuth an- alysed them. This specialist expertise and the invaluable European perspective has saved us a lot of time and money and enabled us to export the first batch of our TAPLI honey to Berlin in 2019. I’m really proud of that.’ — ) 5 4 . P ( N H A H L U A P , ) 4 4 O T 2 4 . P ( D U A N A C N E I T S A B E S / Z I G : S O T O H P akzente 1/20 45 GEORGIA Capital: Tbilisi / Population: 3.7 million / GDP per capita: USD 4,068 / Economic growth: 4.7 per cent / Human Development Index ranking: 70 (out of 189) Source: World Bank 2018 GEORGIA Tbilisi The project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

The land of milk and honey ‘Honey profiling has enabled us to pinpoint where the problems lie.’ PROFESSOR STEPHAN SCHWARZINGER (49), food and health sciences expert at the University of Bayreuth ‘When I first visited Georgia in 2016 and travelled through the country, I was struck by the huge number of roadside stalls selling honey. It is immediately obvious how important this product is to everyday life in the country. Georgia really is the land of honey: the oldest honey in human history was found here. Unfortunately, though, the country does not have a similarly long tradition of de- tailed analysis, so the University of Bayreuth was an invaluable project partner. Years ago, we began developing an approach to en- able us to establish the origin-specific properties of foodstuffs – in this case, honey – and to document them reliably on an individual basis, with the help of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spec- troscopy. Using this approach, which is now called NMR honey profiling, we are able to ascertain rapidly the quality, authenticity and origin of a particular honey by recording all of its many differ- ent components in quantitative terms. I was deployed as a honey analysis expert and consultant in Georgia. We investigated local structures, trained and audited beekeeping associations and hon- ey-filling companies, and supported the laboratory analysis of honey on a scientific basis. Laboratory analysis is an important step towards discovering where the problems lie and what mistakes bee- keepers may currently be making. We looked at the veterinary medicines being used, how bees were fed in their hives, and how honey processing facilities were equipped. Many Georgian bee- keepers are still using veterinary medicines in their hives, and the highly sensitive analysis methods that are applied nowadays have unfortunately found these substances in many of the samples of honey we looked at. The Institute of Apiculture and Beekeeping in Bavaria was an important partner. Talks with Georgian beekeepers on the ground and the samples we have analysed in the laboratory have now showed what changes we need to make in order to meet international standards. Together, we have developed guidelines and tried to establish TAPLI as a premium Georgian honey brand: the TAPLI Premium Georgian Honey label will in future be a kind of hallmark for all Georgian honey with a distinctive quality, free of residues and produced in line with species-appropriate methods.’ — ) M O T T O B , 7 4 . P ( I C E B E C L E N Y E Z / S N O M M O C A I D E M I K I W , ) P O T , 7 4 . P ( B L O K R E T E P : S O T O H P akzente 1/20 47 THE BEES’ SECRET WEAPON – A LONG PROBOSCIS The Caucasian honey bee (Apis mellifera caucasia) is known for its ability to extract nectar very effectively even under dif- ficult conditions, such as rain. But the most distinctive char- acteristic of this species of bee is its particularly long tongue, or proboscis, which can be up to 7.2 mm long. The bees use their proboscis to extract nectar from nearly all flowers, even those with the deepest calyxes. In Georgia, bees are able to collect nectar and honeydew in areas with no human interven- tion and away from the chemicals used in modern agriculture. This pristine ecosystem, the particular characteristics of the Caucasian honey bee and Georgia’s enormous biodiversity give Georgian honey a unique aroma.

Info GOOD READS from around the world BEIRUT HELL- FIRE SOCIETY This tragi-comic novel takes place during Lebanon’s civil war. Protagonist Pavlov wants to provide funerals for individuals denied a traditional burial. Pacy, and macabre in places, but also a sensitive portrayal of the marginalised inhabitants of a war-torn city. — Litprom Jury Rawi Hage, Lebanon/Canada Knopf Canada, 288 pages MOURNING Few people travel between worlds like Eduardo Halfon. He is on the search for the gaps in his family that will lead him, and others, back to his country of origin where, he believes, his uncle drowned in a lake while still a child. This is a tale woven around questions of truth and lies, memory, guilt and belonging. Masterful! — Anita Djafari, Managing Director, Litprom Eduardo Halfon, Guatemala. Translated from Spanish by Lisa Dillman and Daniel Hahn. Bellevue Literary Press, 160 pages LITPROM RECOMMENDS Litprom – the Society for the Promotion of African, Asian and Latin American Literature – pro- vided these reviews for akzente. The titles were selected from Litprom’s list of the best new releases. www.litprom.de/en COLLECTIVE AMNESIA Putuma’s poems give a voice to an entire generation. With clinical precision but also far-seeing vision, this young, black spoken-word lyricist probes the beating heart of a nation that has still not come to terms with the trauma of apartheid – and uses her own body to demand a place in her country. — Claudia Kramatschek, literary critic Koleka Putuma, South Africa uHlanga, 114 pages akzente 1/20 49 THE TEMPLE OF THE GOLDEN PAVILION In 1950, a young monk burned down Kyoto’s Golden Pavilion temple. Yukio Mishima’s novel about the incident creates a stammering pyromaniac in an intensely heightened emotional state. A meditation on splendour, obsession and destruction – and too beautiful to be true! — Katharina Borchardt, literary critic and editor Yukio Mishima, Japan Translated from Japanese by Ivan Morris Vintage Classics, 256 pages

SUSTAINABILITY A look back at a project and its results CAMBODIA Project: Social Health Protection / Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development / Term: 2009 to 2018 THEN NOW The civil war and the Khmer Rouge’s rule of terror were still having an impact in Cambo- dia in 2009. With a per capita income of USD 730, this South-East Asian country is one of the poorest in Asia. This also has conse- quences for the population’s health. Maternal mortality levels are very high, for example. People in rural areas find it hard to get medical assistance and drugs. Per capita spending on health is more than 10 per cent of gross national product (GNP), which is higher than in most other developing coun- tries, but patients pay more than two thirds of all medical costs themselves. The country has no health insurance, and there is no other help available with medical costs. Eighty per cent of the population have to re- sort to their savings, borrow or sell belong- ings to pay medical bills. Some go to un- trained practitioners, who are cheaper. And when they are ill, the very poorest often re- ceive no treatment at all. The situation in Cambodia has improved enormously. The poverty rate has fallen from 47.8 per cent in 2007 to 13.5 per cent. On behalf of BMZ, GIZ has supported the Cambodian Government in improving the health system on the basis of a national strategy. Among other measures, this involved developing quality instruments: a Health Equity Fund, health vouchers for poor people, and a na- tional mandatory health insurance scheme for employers and employees are all reduc- ing the risk of poverty as a result of medical bills. Initial and continuing training has been another focal point. Medical staff have re- ceived training aimed in particular at improv- ing care for mothers and children. To integrate and provide care for older people and those with disabilities more effectively, self-repre- sentative organisations have been involved in planning. 2,500 people from these organi- sations have received training, almost half of them women. https://mia.giz.de/qlink/ID=246061000 ) 0 5 . P ( Z I G D N A S E G A M I Y T T E G : S O T O H P akzente 1/20 51 AKZENTE Publisher: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Registered offices: Bonn and Eschborn, Germany Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn, Germany T +49 228 44 60-0, F +49 228 44 60-17 66 Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg 1-5, 65760 Eschborn, Germany T +49 61 96 79-0, F +49 61 96 79-11 15 E: akzente@giz.de I: akzente.giz.de/en Sabine Tonscheidt, Director of Corporate Communications (GIZ) Responsible: Ute Schaeffer, Head of Media and Public Relations and Press Spokesperson (GIZ) Content concept and editing: GIZ: Nicole Annette Mueller (editor) FAZIT Communication GmbH: Sabrina Pfost (project management), Friederike Bauer, Dr Charlotte Schmitz, Brigitte Spitz, Oliver Hick-Schulz (artistic direction, photo editing), Martin Gorka (infographics), Corinna Potthoff (photo editing) English translation: Janet Fraser, Sue Harrison, Lynne Jagau, David Tonge, Leighton Twigger; Gillian Lester (GIZ Language Services) Proofreading: textschrittmacher Graphic design/lithography: FAZIT Communication GmbH URL links: Where links are included to external sites, responsibility for the content of these sites lies solely with the provider. GIZ explicitly disassociates itself from all such content. Maps: GIZ/Ira Olaleye The maps are for information purposes only and do not constitute recognition under international law of bounda- ries and territories. GIZ provides no assurance that these maps are up-to-date, correct or complete and accepts no responsibility for loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from their use. GIZ is responsible for the content of this publication. Articles by individual authors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Cover photo and pages 4 and 16: Xinhua News Agency/laif All images: GIZ unless otherwise stated Copy deadline: March 2020 Published: three times a year Current issue: April 2020 Printed by: Kern GmbH, Bexbach, Germany Printed on: Arctic Volume, certified to FSC standards ISSN: 0945-4497 You can subscribe to akzente free of charge as a printed magazine or as a pdf by sending your email or postal address to: akzente-vertrieb@giz.de You can unsubscribe using the same address. akzente has received several awards for its high-quality journalism and design. In 2018, it won the Best of Content Marketing Award in silver in the crossmedia and website categories.