Tala o le vaiaso o CID: Cyber security tips, racism in the sector & more

+ Vaccine roll out dashboard - last 7 days

+ Cyber attacks target aid agencies

Hackers are deliberately targeting government agencies, NGOs, think tanks and consultants in New Zealand - those organisations who might not have the budget to spend millions on cyber security, reports Radio New Zealand.

The hackers are known as 'Nobelium', and originate from Russia. They are the same actor behind the attacks on SolarWinds customers in 2020, according to Microsoft.

The United States gets the largest number of attacks, but over 24 countries have been targeted recently, including New Zealand.

Most recently USAID has been the victim of a cyber attack.

Over 3,000 email accounts at more than 150 different organisations have been targeted in the US, at least a quarter of them involved in international development, humanitarian and human rights work, Microsoft Vice President Tom Burt said in a blog post late Thursday.

The attacks appeared to be a continuation of multiple efforts to target government agencies involved in foreign policy as part of intelligence gathering efforts.

+ Tips of preventing a cyber attack

• The safest place to store your data is a reputable cloud platform, that should have a back-up of your data automatically (check with your provider).
• Make sure you have 2-factor authentication set up for all online platforms (with phone/text verification set up).
• Change your online account passwords as a matter of good security practice. Make sure you have strong passwords that you haven’t used for other accounts.
• Avoid opening unsolicited email attachments.
• Never give anyone your password, even if they sound plausible.
• Take extra caution and do not respond to emails or phone calls which may claim to be from a well-known organisation and seeking personal information or asking for money
• Beware emails that may seem to be from work colleagues or partners - people you know - asking for money, or sending attachments that seem 'off'.  If in doubt check with the person via phone or in person.
• Make sure all staff are trained in how to spot phishing or suspect emails. Ensure tips are easily available and visible at all times.
• If you get spammed with unsolicited emails, don't 'unsubscribe'  - that shows the email account is active - just delete the email.
• Make sure your organisation has insurance for cyber attacks.
• Attacks will happen when you least expect it and are busy. Be vigilant!
• If you do get attacked, contact your IT support, cyber security companies, MFAT and the NZ police asap. Don't hesitate!

+ Racism across the sector 

With the one-year anniversary of the killing of George Floyd in the U.S, there has been a rash of articles on racism in the international development sector.

Organisations have been employing their own toolboxes and bringing in assistance in order to address racial injustice in the US, but are also being warned that long-term structural and cultural changes within organisations require pace, patience, collective responsibility, and continued maintenance.

In the UK, the House of Commons International Development Committee are to scrutinize racism in the foreign aid sector. Also, there is a call to the UK Government to ensure cuts to the country’s aid budget will not disproportionally affect people of color.

For the first time Germany has recognised that it committed genocide in Namibia during its colonial rule more than a century ago and promised financial support worth more than one billion euros ($1.2bn) to fund infrastructure projects in the African nation.

Last year, Germany offered Namibia a smaller amount of reparations but this was rejected by the Namibian authorities. There continues to be questions around how to assess the level of harm - particularly the pervasive legacy of racism - and therefore the level of reparations, as well as how this financial support will be accessed or rolled out.

See below - CID will host two workshops this Wednesday and Thursday on 'Social Inclusion & Diversity', including advice on how to tackle racism in the aid sector.

Please register here.

+ State of Civil Society Report published

Civicus published its annual ‘State of Civil Society Report’ recently. Civicus summarizes the global picture of civic action and government response in the pandemic, but also goes back over 10 years of these reports to highlight 10 recurring themes. It is well worth a look, particularly the CIVICUS Monitor online platform that tracks civic space conditions in 196 countries, including Vanuatu, Fiji, Solomon Islands and PNG.

+ India scrambles to track children orphaned by Covid

NGOs in India are being asking to rescue orphaned children, before illegal adoption rackets and child trafficking get to them first.

One NGO's helpline has been logging 3,500 to 4,000 messages daily, and working with authorities to locate relatives or place children in already overflowing state-run shelter homes.

The virus has shattered families and orphaned children around the world.

But in India, where 27% of the population of 1.3 billion is under 14, the scale of the crisis is unparalleled, reports Bloomberg Business Week.

'The country had an estimated 350,000 orphans in institutional care going into the pandemic. Now authorities are scrambling to get a count of how many children have been abandoned, either because their parents have been hospitalized or died or because the surviving parent isn’t able to care for them.'

+ Anglican Mission: Get One. Give One Campaign

Anglican Missions invites you to join their Get one. Give one. campaign!

As vaccines roll out across Aotearoa New Zealand, in many low-income countries vaccines may not be available; there may not be enough of them to go around; and their cost will significantly impact availability thereby increasing inequality.  

In being thankful for the availability of vaccines in our country, we are aware that many people are not so fortunate. The Get One, Give One campaign aims to protect and support the poorest and most vulnerable.  

Through this campaign, New Zealanders can contribute to a broad global initiative that aims to fund support for vaccine equality in countries that would otherwise miss out.  

The Facts:

• Funding will be captured through Givealittle to direct donors to a central location that will include all participating partners logos.
• Funding will be directed straight through to UNICEFs COVAX fund.
• Social media and communications materials will be made available via dropbox for partners to add their own logos.
• Launch will be the 14th of June.

+ United Nations Association NZ AGM

The UNAZ AGM will take place on Saturday 26 June from 10:30am until 12:00pm

The meeting will take place on Google meets- you can access the meeting here (save this link).

If you have any questions please contact office@unanz.org.nz 

+ GOOD Travel Podcast - What is Regenerative Tourism?

The GOOD Awaits podcast is live! In the first episode, GOOD Travel speak with globally acclaimed thought leader and change catalyst in regenerative tourism, Anna Pollock.

Tune in to the first episode to hear Anna share how her ideas around emerging and alternative models of tourism have developed. She introduces us to what regenerative tourism is, what it is not, and what this paradigm shift could mean for Aotearoa New Zealand.

Listen to the GOOD Awaits podcast

+ Oxfam New Zealand changes name to Oxfam Aotearoa

Last week, Oxfam New Zealand announced that it has changed its name to Oxfam Aotearoa.

Oxfam Aotearoa Executive Director, Rachael Le Mesurier, explains that the name change is just one step in a much broader ongoing organisational journey to deepen Oxfam's understanding and response to the history, impacts, and contemporary importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi:  

“We have done a lot of work since 1991 to get us to this point, and it does not end here. As we continue to learn and grow as an organisation, it is important to the whole team here at Oxfam Aotearoa that as we recognise and challenge injustice, wherever it exists, and we will continue to confront the roots of colonialism here in Aotearoa and alongside our partners in the places we work.“  

+ Samoan Language Week: Sat, 30th May - Sat, 5th June

This year’s theme for Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa - Samoa Language Week 2021 is Poupou le lotoifale. Ola manuia le anofale which means strengthen the posts of your house, for all to thrive.

A range of resources are available here, as well as a brilliant 'how to greet in Samoan Language' video available on CoconetTV, aimed at children and adults alike. 

The first set of picture book stories written, illustrated, designed and published by an all Pasifika team in New Zealand Aotearoa is being launched this year. Wellington born Samoan author of children's Pasifika books, Dahlia Malaeulu, describes the books as irst time we will have  stories "that our tamaiti will be able to see themselves, their language and culture across all schooling levels - from pre-school to primary to intermediate and high school." 

+ In-Country Consultants Opportunities (Two): Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands (locally based)

Habitat for Humanity are in need for a current contextual analysis of the housing ecosystem in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, (to complement additional work on a region-wide perspective to be undertaken by a Coordinating Consultant).  This will be used as a key component of a Strategy Document to guide Habitat for Humanity’s future engagement in the Pacific.  Working with our Pacific based partners and other shelter organisations, Habitat’s work is underpinned by our programmatic approach, and focused on tackling the wider systemic issues contributing to housing poverty in the Pacific.

These roles involve an analysis of the causes of housing poverty in each country, undertaking and leading consultations in-country with relevant stakeholders and networks (with direction from the Research Coordinating Consultant), identifying potential partners for Habitat, and creating a country profile to guide future programming. These roles will ideally suit a development professional or researcher with existing contacts in-country, familiar with the Vanuatu or Solomon Islands context.

As in-country consultations are key deliverables, you must be based in Vanuatu or in the Solomon Islands.

Please email: information@habitat.org.nz  with your application for the role and your current hourly/daily rate of pay.

Read the Terms of Reference:
For the Solomon Islands position
For the Vanuatu position