OSSREAOSSREA BULLETINBULLETIN A Tri-annual Publication of the ORGANISATION FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA Volume IX No 1 February 2012 IN THIS ISSUE NEWS OSSREA Listed among the 2011 African Think Tanks 1 1 OSSREA and Its Chapters Organise RESSESA Training Officials from the Swedish Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of 2 Sweden in Ethiopia Visit OSSREA OSSREA Takes part in the China-Africa Think Tanks Forum 3 OSSREA Exhibits at the “50 Years of African Liberation” 3 Conference A Farewell for the Executive Director of OSSREA, Professor 4 Paschal Mihyo OSSREA Representatives Attend 13th CODESRIA General 6 Assembly FEATURE ARTICLES Insight into Gender Equity, Equality, and Power Relations in sub Saharan Africa: A Comparative Study of Pro-poor Growth Gender Projects in Madagascar Andrianarivelo Harilala Miaratiana Haingomanana 7 The Changing Nature of State Immunity in the Framework of the International Criminal Court Kudzaishe Marecha 28 Marriage and Sex-based Language Variations in (Arsi) Oromo Italo Beriso 39 51 NEW PUBLICATIONS Call for Articles (p 53) Telephone: 251-11-1239484 Fax: 251-11-1223921 P.O. Box 31971 E-mail: [email protected] Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Website: http://www.ossrea.net OSSREA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE President Professor Habtamu Wondimu, Ethiopia Vice President Professor Herman Musahara, Rwanda Vice President Professor Ruth Otanga, Kenya Vice President Professor Benigna Zimba, Mozambique Executive Director Professor Paschal B. Mihyo, Tanzania Member Professor Rodreck Mupedziswa, Botswana Member Dr. Donald Chimanikire, Zimbabwe Member Ms. Thandi Khumalo, Swaziland OSSREA Liaison Officers Mr. Bernard Rutikanga, University of Rwanda, Rwanda Dr. Agostinho Cachapa, Universidade Mandume ya Ndemofayo, E:mail: [email protected] Angola Email: [email protected] Prof. Luckson Kaino, University South Africa (UNISA) E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Godisang Mookodi , University of Botswana, Botswana E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Kimo A. Adiebo, Juba University, South Sudan Dr. Guday Emire, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Prof. Peter L. Barasa, Moi University, Kenya Mr. Hisham E. A. Bilal, University of Khartoum , Sudan Kenya E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Ms. Nokuthula Vilakati, University of Swaziland, Swaziland Prof. T. J. Makatjane, National University of Lesotho, Lesotho E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Zoly Rakotoniera Rakotondravelo, Madagascar Dr. Magdalena Kokubanza Ngaiza, University of Dar es Salaam E-mail: [email protected] Tanzania E-mail: [email protected] Dr. Jublie Tizifa, University of Malawi, Malawi Dr. Godfrey Asiimwe, Makerere University, Uganda E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Mr. Nicolas Ragodoo, University of Mauritius, Mauritius Dr. Chewe Chabatama, University of Zambia, Zambia E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Mr. Mario Cumbe, Mozambique Dr. Charity Manyeruke, Zimbabwe E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Mrs. Immacuate Sechogele, University of Namibia, Namibia E-mail: [email protected] OSSREA Bulletin Vol. IX No. 1 (February 2012) Page 1 NEWS Rwanda. The objectives of the trainings were to: OSSREA Listed among the 2011 Think Thanks and Civil Societies Pro- strengthen PhD students’ capacity gram Ranking in empirical and comparative re- search; The Organization for Social Science Research in Eastern and Southern Africa (OSSREA) has been create a critical mass of PhD schol- listed among the 2011”Top African Think Thanks” ars with competence to undertake in the Think Thanks and Civil Societies Program research, package research findings Ranking, carried out annually by the International according to the needs of targeted Relations Program, University of Pennsylvania. stakeholders, and produce high OSSREA joined the rank under the categories of quality publications; (1) Top Think Thanks by Special Achievements in enable PhD students to increase the the Area of Innovative Policy Ideas/Proposals; and contribution of their research to so- (2) Top Think Thanks with the Greatest Impact on cial science theories and to their Public Policy. disciplines; OSSREA and Its Chapters Organise encourage PhD scholars to create RESSESA Trainings platforms for disseminating to or sharing their research findings with OSSREA and eight universities in Eastern and stakeholders; and Southern African countries, which are partners of the Research School in Eastern and Southern Af- supporting peer review of research rica (RESSESA)— an initiative of OSSREA, or- proposals and research outputs for ganised high level research methodology training PhD scholars. courses for about 30 PhD students each while the The courses covered research design; quan- Ethiopian Chapter had training for 60 PhD stu- titative research methods; and quantitative dents in two rounds. The Universities were: the data analysis, and application of different University Dar Es Salaam, University of Namibia, statistical packages in research. The train- University of Khartoum, Moi University (Kenya), ings were facilitated through staff ex- Eldoret University (Kenya), Addis Ababa Univer- change within the eight universities and the sity, University of Zimbabwe, and University of involvement of scholars from the Diaspora. OSSREA Bulletin Vol. IX No. 1 (February 2012) Page 2 The trainings were conducted in the months of difficult times OSSREA passed through. A October, November, and December 2011 and all brief history of OSSREA was then pre- in all about 300 PhD students were trained. sented by Professor Habtamu, the President Similar trainings were conducted also in the Uni- of OSSEA, who also talked about the or- versity of Juba, South Sudan and South Africa. ganisational structure of OSSREA. The Directors of Research, Publications and Dissemination, and Finance and Admini- Officials from the Swedish Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Sweden in stration briefed about the functions in the Ethiopia Visit OSSREA respective directorates, the problems they face, and the ways forward. The Director of Ms Annika Molin Hellgren, the Deputy Director Finance and Administration also talked of the Africa Department of the Sweden Ministry about OSSREA’s relation with donors, its of Foreign Affairs and Dr Kwame Gbesemete, funding and some of the obstacles that First Secretary: Regional Research Cooperation, OSSREA has to overcome in the near fu- from the Embassy of Sweden in Ethiopia, visited ture. OSSREA on November 9th 2011. After the presentation there was a discus- According to Abiye Daniel, Director of Publica- sion session where the Deputy Director of tions and Dissemination at OSSREA, the pur- the Africa Department of the Sweden Min- pose of their visit was to learn more about OSS- istry of Foreign Affairs explained that some REA, its research, publications and its operations of the obstacles that OSSREA faces are not in finance. At the same time the delegation also unique to the organisation and that account- discussed ways in which OSSREA and Sida can ability to the Swedish Parliament and peo- work together in the future. ple is a must. Professor Paschal Mihyo, the Executive Director Abiye noted that the meeting ended with a of OSSREA, welcomed the delegation and promise from the delegation that they thanked the Swedish Government for all the sup- would follow up OSSREA, especially in port Sida and the Swedish people have given terms of its research and output and see OSSREA, as prominent donors and during the how OSSREA can contribute to areas in which Sida is involved. OSSREA Bulletin Vol. IX No. 1 (February 2012) Page 3 OSSREA Takes part in the China-Africa Security; Africa’s Finance and Investment Think Tanks Forum Environment and Sino-African Cooperation in Finance and Investment; and People to OSSREA Publications and Dissemination Director People and cultural exchanges between Dr Abiye Daniel who represented the Organisation China and Africa and the Role of Chinese at the event indicated that the First China-Africa and African Think Tanks. Think Tanks Forum (CATTF) was held 27–29th October 2011, in Hangzhou/Xinhua, China. Ac- The OSSREA representative also presented a cording to him, the aim of the Forum was to create paper entitled “The Role of OSSREA and a platform for exchanges and dialogue between Chinese Think Tanks in Addressing African African and Chinese think tanks so that a more Social Science Issues” active role can be played in promoting Sino- According to Abiye, around 300 officials, African cooperation. experts and scholars and business leaders Abiye reported that CATTF takes as its tenets from Chinese government departments, Af- “civil facilitation, government participation, frank rica-related NGO’s, academic institutions dialogue and seeking a common ground”. The Fo- and corporations, as well as organisations rum was aimed at promoting African studies, and institutions from African countries took boosting mutual understanding between Africa and part in the event. Hosted by Zhejiang Normal China, expanding common ground, serving Chi- University, CATTF was guided by the Chi- nese and African businesses and presenting sug- nese Follow-up Committee of the Forum on gestions and policy recommendations for the de- Africa-China Cooperation and was jointly velopment of Sino-African relations in the new supported by the People’s Government of era. Abiye also indicated that CATTF had been Zhejiang Province, China