Jamie M. Zimmerman: All Publications, Events and Press

Child Savings Accounts: A Primer

Asset Building — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:28:00 -0400

Executive Summary

Poverty reduction strategies increasingly focus on the importance of creating financial assets. Child Savings Accounts (CSAs) are a novel and promising tool that builds on that focus by promoting savings starting at a young age. Child Savings Accounts (CSAs) exist as policies, products, and programs, and are being offered by governments, financial institutions, and non-profits for a variety of purposes.

This primer aims to provide an overview of the concept of CSAs, various purposes for and features of the accounts, impacts CSAs can have on a child's development, and obstacles that impede the widespread provision of the accounts. By highlighting examples of CSA products, programs and policies, we aim to demonstrate the breadth of CSAs offered around the world. The primer also addresses frequently asked questions related to CSA design and delivery as well as provides additional resources for those interested in a deeper knowledge of current research and practice around these accounts.

Can Online Investing End Poverty?

Communications — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0400

A New America Event
03/19/2008 - 4:00pm

"Invest Wisely. End Poverty." This is the goal of eBay's new online microfinance investment marketplace, MicroPlace. While online microlending has been growing more popular with peer-to-peer offerings such as the non-profit Kiva.org, MicroPlace is charting a whole new course in the microfinance industry, offering socially-minded Americans a new way to offer microloans to entrepreneurs in the developing world. As the only broker-dealer in the microfinance arena, MicroPlace is the first and only online service offering… more

In Care of Nigeria's Poor

Communications — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:00:00 -0500

A New America Event
02/01/2008 - 10:00am

Last year, Nigeria's newly-elected president set forth a seven-step agenda to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals and turn Nigeria into a top-20 industrialized nation by 2020. But this will be no easy task. Nigeria's wealth inequality is among the worst in Africa - a situation illustrated by the contrast between the nation's substantial oil wealth and a poverty rate of around 50%. Nigeria's National Poverty Eradication Program (NAPEP) responded to this challenge in December 2007 by launching… more

Jamie Zimmerman in Globe and Mail | 'Trade Deal for Colombian Rights'

Communications — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 12:53:00 -0500

New America in the News:

A trade deal is good for Colombian human rights (The Globe and Mail - Canada) Studies suggest increased trade may help improve human- and labour-rights deficiencies. In their recent book Trade Imbalance: The Struggle to Weigh Human Rights concerns in Trade Poliymaking (link), Susan Aaronson and Jamie Zimmerman argue that increased trade brings about increased "integrity rights," such as freedom from arbitrary imprisonment, torture and killings. ...

Trade Imbalance

adminn — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:04:00 -0400

Trade is controversial; around the world many people believe that trade agreements, even trade per se, undermines particular human rights such as labor rights or access to affordable medicine (the right to health). But trade and trade agreements can also advance human rights, directly or indirectly. In fact, some countries use trade policies to advance specific human rights such as labor rights or property rights.

Nonetheless, policymakers struggle to achieve both goals because:

The global economic environment is increasingly complex Human… more

Trade Imbalance

Communications — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 07:15:00 -0400

A New America Event
10/05/2007 - 12:15pm

In the coming months, the U.S. Congress will vote up or down on trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, Peru, and Korea. These elected officials will not examine these agreements solely on their commercial or foreign policy benefits to the American people. They will also weigh whether or not each agreement advances particular human rights abroad. However, these Representatives proceed with little information about how trade agreements, and even trade per se, affect human rights at home or abroad. Although… more