It’s the first SocMonitor for the year and on behalf of all the regional SocMon coordinators and our global coordinator, I would like to wish our SocMonitor readers a very happy and healthy 2011. The new year is expected to bring more socio- economic monitoring globally with many unique local,national and region-wide results and lessons to be learned. We look forward to bringing this up- to-date information to you and hope you continue to follow the progress of the Global Socio- economic Monitoring Initiative through the SocMonitor!