Source: IFIs Latin American Monitor / Mon Jan 25 2010
By the end of 2009, it seemed necessary to take stock of the political and economic situation and of the different processes in which civil society has been actively involved, in order to provide input for debate and coordinate efforts for the construction of a new economic and financial model. For this purpose, a seminar-workshop was carried out on December 10 and 11 2009, within the framework of the MERCOSUR Summit of Presidents held in Montevideo, Uruguay, on December 8.
Representatives of over 40 Latin American social organisations gathered in Montevideo in order to discuss and propose alternatives to the current financial system. Following the outburst of the economic and financial crisis in 2008, discussions and proposals started to proliferate in governmental and inter-governmental spaces and social organisations at international level, thus becoming necessary to bring them to this regional space, in order to build and strengthen political advocacy strategies in the face of alternatives, taking into account the current political and economic situation and the different sub-regions. Read more…
Eventos, News
Alma Espino, Álvaro Padrón, Andean Coordinator of Indigenous Organisations, BNDES, CEDHA, Central Trade Union Coordinator of the Southern Cone, Confederation of Argentine Workers, Fernando Gambera, FESUR, Financial crisis, Graciela Rodríguez, Héctor Moncayo, Héctor Mondragón, Hemispheric Social Alliance, ILSA, International Gender and Trade Network, Jana Silverman, Javier Gómez of CEDLA, Juan González, Karen Lang, Latindadd, Luis Sirumbal, MERCOSUR, Norma Aguilar, OWINFS, Pedro Páez, PIT-CNT, Raúl Zibechi, Rebrip, Redes-Amigos de la Tierra, Ricardo Jacques, Roberto Bissio, Rómulo Torres, Sebastián Valdomir, social watch, Technical Commission of the Bank of the South, Víctor Ricco
Actividad pública, con la participación de representantes de la sociedad civil latinoamericana
En setiembre de 2008, con la caída de la agencia de inversiones Lehman Brothers, estalló una crisis económica y financiera que pronto se desparramó por el mundo entero. Desde entonces tienen lugar distintas iniciativas oficiales y de la sociedad civil que buscan dar respuesta a la crisis a nivel global, regional y nacional. Entre ellos, cabe destacar la actividad del Grupo de los 20 (G-20), la ONU, las Instituciones Financieras Internacionales, la UNASUR, etc. Hacia el final del año resultaba necesario hacer un balance de la coyuntura política y económica, y de los distintos procesos en los que la sociedad civil ha estado activamente involucrada a fin de producir insumos para el debate, articular esfuerzos y planificar acciones conjuntas a corto y mediano plazo. 
Con este objetivo se realizó un seminario-taller el 10 y 11 de diciembre de 2009, en el marco de la Cumbre de Presidentes del MERCOSUR que tuvo lugar el 8 de diciembre en Montevideo, Uruguay. Esta actividad tuvo como corolario un evento público a fin de buscar espacios de interacción con funcionarios de los gobiernos que estarán en Montevideo, con la sociedad civil, y el público en general. Read more…
Eventos, News
First published by The Times of India
NEW DELHI: In a scathing indictment of the parliamentary committee system, an independent report has said that leave alone acting as watchdogs, committees were vulnerable to manipulation.
The report — Evaluating Parliamentary Committees and Committee System — prepared by the National Social Watch Coalition elaborates with examples how committees have been used by the government to serve its ends. For instance, the government tried to use a parliamentary committee recommendation to “dismantle” the provisions of the Essential Commodities Act. “That recommendation was subsequently discovered to be fake; a large number of members of the committee were not even informed of the recommendations its chairman had made to the government,” the report said.
In another instance, the report said one such committee recommendation was out of touch with “genuine needs and aspirations” of people and toed the line of the World Bank-IMF-WTO, suggesting dumping 50 million tonnes of foodgrain into the sea. “It is ironical in a situation where one-third of our fellow beings go to bed without proper food and sufficient calorie intake,” the report said.
Terming the Indian committee system as “weak” compared to developed countries, the report said notwithstanding the quality of the committees — which are perceived by members as junkets — their numbers have seen drastic growth. The number of committees grew from 11 in 1953-1954 to 100. Though in the 14th Lok Sabha the number of committees is much lower at 31, the Coalition has recommended paring it down to 20. Read more…
Eventos, News
Evaluating Parliamentary Committees and Committee System, India, Social Watch India
Ghana to host General Assembly of Social Watch
(originally published by Finance Roll)
ACCRA, Oct. 20, — Ghana is to host the fourth General Assembly of Social Watch, an umbrella body for civil society organizations (CSOs) from 60 countries, to deliberate over global issues including a Social Watch 2009 Report released two weeks ago.
The three-day meeting scheduled for Oct.27-29 would be attended by representatives from Africa, the Arab Region, Asia, Europe, North America and Latin America, organizers say.
It will also elect executives to steer its affairs for the next three years. Ghana is the first African country to host the meeting after Rome (Italy), Beirut (Lebanon) and Sofia (Bulgaria). Read more…
Eventos, Press
Ghana, Social Watch 2009 report
La crisis económica mundial: Análisis y propuestas desde lo local y lo global
Fecha y hora: Jueves, 30 de Julio, 18:00 - 21:00
Lugar: Sala de Conferencias, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales
Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo, Uruguay
Constituyente 1502 esquina Martinez Trueba
Organizaciones convocantes: Social Watch, Instituto del Tercer Mundo, REDES Amigos de la Tierra, Cotidiano Mujer, CLAES, SERPAJ, ICAE
Read more…
Eventos
crisis financiera, sociedad civil
Public Forum
Towards a people-centered economy: Alternative responses to the crisis
Tuesday, June 23rd
7:30 PM
Brecht Forum
451 West Street (between Bank & Bethune Streets)
New York City Read more…
Eventos
"United Nations", Financial crisis, G-20
Saturday 20 JUNE 2009, New York
1:00pm-6:00pm
Church of the Holy Trinity
316 E. 88th Street
Conveners: Social Watch, Eurostep, LDC Watch, Institute for Policy Studies, Global Policy Forum, Center of Concern, ESCR-Net, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Global-Local Links Project, Jubilee USA Network, Jubilee South, GCAP Feminist Task Force, Alliance for Responsible Trade, Women’s Environment and Development Organization, International Council for Adult Education, UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service, Global Action on Aging, Latindadd, US Human Rights Network, CONGO Social Development Committee, Sub-Committee on the Eradication of Poverty, Hemispheric Social Alliance, Womens´ Working Group on Financing for Development, Medical Mission Sisters International, World Federation of United Nations Associations, Alliance for Responsible Trade, International Youth and Student Movement for the United Nations. Read more…
Eventos
crisis financiera, Derechos humanos
Nous appelons les gouvernements à ne pas s’abriter derrière des arguments procéduraux pour s’autoriser à ajourner les négociations sur les mesures politiques qu’il est indispensable de prendre d’urgence pour répondre à la crise actuelle. Read more…
Eventos, Statements
"financial architecture", "Stiglitz Commission", "United Nations", Financial crisis, Naciones Unidas
The draft Outcome Document for the UN High-Level Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on Development was formally presented to the UN General Assembly bu its President, Miguel D´Escoto Brockmann on May 6, and is now available online at:
http://www.un.org/ga/president/63/interactive/financialcrisis/outcomedoc.pdf
Eventos
El Consejo Económico y Social de Naciones Unidas (ECOSOC) convocó a un panel de debate sobre “Perspectivas de la sociedad civil sobre la Agenda de Financiación para el Desarrollo” el lunes 20 de abril de 2009 en Nueva York. Roberto Bissio, Director de Social Watch/Control Ciudadano intervino en el primer panel junto con otros representantes de la sociedad civil. El panel de debate se realizó como preparación para la Reunión Especial de Alto Nivel del ECOSOC con las instituciones de Bretton Woods, la OMC y la UNCTAD que tendrá lugar el 27 de Abril de 2009. Algunas de las intervenciones estuvieron a cargo de Roberto Bissio, Director de Social Watch, Marina Durano de DAWN y John Foster del Insituto Norte-Sur.
Read more…
Eventos, Statements
crisis financiera, G-20, Instituciones financieras internacionales, Naciones Unidas, reformas economicas