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Climate-related security risks are increasingly compounding existing political, social and economic challenges worldwide, with natural resources like water posing risks for geopolitical tensions and violent conflict. This policy paper presents a regional analysis of environment, peace and security linkages in the Horn of Africa, with a specific focus on water security and governance. It provides entry points for the international community to address the multifaceted risk landscape in the region. The Horn of Africa is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as droughts and floods. The transboundary water resources of the Nile and Juba–Shabelle river basins are of core relevance for the Horn of Africa because of the interaction and confluence of several political, social, economic and environmental processes. The tensions surrounding transboundary water resources retain the potential for geopolitical tensions and violent conflict within and among countries in the region. Posing challenges to peace and development in every continent, water security and governance can no longer be left unaddressed by the international community. This policy paper identifies political constraints and possible entry points for the international community to address the multidimensional challenge of water security and governance in the Horn of Africa.

Human children are frequently cared for by non-parental caregivers (alloparents), yet few studies have conducted systematic alternative hypothesis tests of why alloparents help. Here, we explore whether predictions from kin selection, reciprocity, learning-to-mother and costly signalling hypotheses explain non-parental childcare among Agta hunter-gatherers from the Philippines. To test these hypotheses, we use high-resolution proximity data from 1,701 child alloparent dyads. Our results indicate that reciprocity and relatedness were positively associated with number of interactions with a child (our proxy for childcare). Need appeared more influential in close kin, suggesting indirect benefits, while reciprocity proved to be a stronger influence in non-kin, pointing to direct benefits. However, despite shared genes, close and distant kin interactions were also contingent on reciprocity. Compared to other apes, humans are unique in rapidly producing energetically demanding offspring. Our results suggest that the support that mothers require is met through support based on kinship and reciprocity.

1. “Metadata first” questionnaire design using DDI metadata 2. Transform DDI metadata into a data capture instrument 3. Field the survey and collect survey data 4. Export data and metadata 5. Integrate data with metadata 6. View results in a DDI 3 (Lifecycle) metadata portal

Colectica version 6 will include many new content areas of DDI Lifecycle 3.3 and will adopt many of the new features while still maintaining compatibility with all prior versions of the standard. This talk will review the new content available in DDI 3.3 and how it is being added to Colectica version 6 in the following areas: classification management based on GSIM and Neuchâtel and Colectica’s migration from Copenhagen mapping to DDI 3.3, non-survey data collection measurements being added to Colectica questionnaires, sampling and weighting, questionnaire design, support for working with DDI as a property graph with properties on items and references via both DDI 3.3 and Colectica’s RDF Services for Colectica Repository, and quality statement improvements. In addition, the talk will highlight the now-complete formal model that is behind DDI 3.3 and how it has been useful for software development, as well as how Colectica approaches DDI implementation to ensure backwards compatibility.