Home | Intervention Overview | Public Policy for Equal Dignity
Public Policy for Equal Dignity (PPED)
Daniel L. Shapiro, Senior Advisor
The work of HumanDHS is primarily grounded in academia. We are independent of any religious or political agenda. However, we wish to bring academic work into "real life." Our research focuses on topics such as dignity and humiliation.
We agree with Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, Shibley Telhami, Anwar Sadat Professor for Peace and Development, who argues that:
"I have always believed that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential for public policy. It is possible to affect public policy without being an advocate; to be passionate about peace without losing analytical rigor; to be moved by what is just while conceding that no one has a monopoly on justice."
In order to promote dignity for all, public policy planning is central, both locally and globally. As to public policy planning, Daniel L. Shapiro of the Harvard Negotiation Project describes the current situation as follows (2004):
"There exists a sophisticated social machinery that uses emotions to influence public policy. It is common practice for some politicians to scare, fear, or humiliate constituents to vote a certain way, act a certain way, or think a certain way. They stir negative emotions and use them as a tool of persuasion. Sometimes the behavior of the politicians serves positive social ends; sometimes it doesn't.
What public policy lacks - and what is needed - is the social machinery to deal with emotional consequences of intergroup warfare. Where large groups of people feel humiliated - whether in Iraq, Bosnia, or Rwanda -- we cannot sprinkle Prozac on everyone (as noted by Vamik Volkan). There exist few psychologically sophisticated, effective methods to deal with the large-scale experience of humiliation, resentment, and the desire for revenge. What is needed, then, is the development of a set of process options to deal with such situations. This is, as I see it, one of the major public policy challenges in the years ahead."
Some Basic Principles for an Enabling FutureThe Earth Charter's principles
I. RESPECT AND CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF LIFE
1. Respect Earth and life in all its diversity.
a. Recognize that all beings are interdependent and every form of life has value regardless of its worth to human beings.
b. Affirm faith in the inherent dignity of all human beings and in the intellectual, artistic, ethical, and spiritual potential of humanity.
2. Care for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love.
a. Accept that with the right to own, manage, and use natural resources comes the duty to prevent environmental harm and to protect the rights of people.
b. Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.
3. Build democratic societies that are just, participatory, sustainable, and peaceful.
a. Ensure that communities at all levels guarantee human rights and fundamental freedoms and provide everyone an opportunity to realize his or her full potential.
b. Promote social and economic justice, enabling all to achieve a secure and meaningful livelihood that is ecologically responsible.
4. Secure Earth's bounty and beauty for present and future generations.
a. Recognize that the freedom of action of each generation is qualified by the needs of future generations.
b. Transmit to future generations values, traditions, and institutions that support the long-term flourishing of Earth's human and ecological communities.
In order to fulfill these four broad commitments, it is necessary to:
II. ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
III. SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
IV. DEMOCRACY, NONVIOLENCE, AND PEACE"Road Map To Good Governance - The Nine 'I' Model" by Syed Ahsanul Alam
Syed Ahsanul Alam, in his article "Road Map To Good Governance - The Nine 'I' Model" explains that "Democracy cannot flourish in the absence of good governance."
He explains: "The pre-condition for good governance is effective democratic institutions for democratizing the society. Improvement of the living standard of people cannot happen where people cannot participate in governance, human rights are not respected, information does not flow, and civil society and the judiciary are weak. Nine criteria of good governance may be used to determine whether any country qualifies to have good governance are:
1. INDEPENDENT AND NON PARTISAN ELECTION COMMISSION
2. INDEPENDENT JUDICIARY AND THE RULE OF LAW
3. INDEPENDENT MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH
4. INDEPENDENT ANTI-CORRUPTION COMMISSION
5. INVESTING IN THE PEOPLE
6. INDEPENDENT AND EFFECTIVE PARLIAMENT
7. INDEPENDENT HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
8. INDEPENDENT OMBUDSMAN SYSTEM
9. INVESTMENT FRIENDLY GOVERNMENT."
"Road Map To Good Governance - The Nine 'I' Model" ( www.goodgovernancebd.org). Syed Ahsanul Alam is Associate Professor of marketing at the Univ. of Chittagong, & Chairman - Center for Good Governance.Eight Principles by David Held
David Held, Graham Wallas Chair in Political Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, sets out a number of principles which he believes can be universally shared, and can form the basis for the protection and nurturing of each person’s equal significance in the moral realm of humanity. Eight principles are paramount. They are the principles of:
1. equal worth and dignity;
2. active agency;
3. personal responsibility and accountability;
4. consent;
5. collective decision making about public matters through voting procedures;
6. inclusiveness and subsidiarity;
7. avoidance of serious harm; and
8. sustainability.
Held, D. (2004a) Global Covenant: The Social Democratic Alternative to the Washington
Consensus. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Held, D. (2004b) ‘Future Globalizations’, a plenary talk given at the Inaugural Conference of
Globalization Studies Network, The University of Warwick, Coventry, UK, 20 August 2004.
Held, D. (2005) ‘Principles of Cosmopolitan Order’, in G. Brock and H. Brighouse (eds): The
Political Philosophy of Cosmopolitanism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Principles for Global Sustainability
David Krieger is President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and a Councilor on the World Future Council
• Responsibility to allocate resources so that greed for the few does not eclipse need for the many. (Survival Principle; Democracy Principle)
• Responsibility to preserve the planet and its resources for future generations. (Intergenerational Equity Principle)
• Responsibility to do no irreparable harm to the planet and its inhabitants. (Precautionary Principle)
• Responsibility to foster diversity of species and ideas. (Anti-Monopoly Principle)
• Responsibility to make war a last resort, not a first resort of the powerful. (Nonviolence Priority Principle)
• Responsibility to hold accountable the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against peace, and crimes against humanity, including genocide. (Nuremberg Principles; International Criminal Court)
• Responsibility to guarantee basic human rights for all individuals. (Human Rights Principle: Universal Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Torture Convention, etc.)
• Responsibility to cooperate across national borders to achieve these ends. (State Cooperation Principle: Global problems are incapable of solution by single states, no matter how powerful.)
• Responsibility to choose hope over despair. (Hope Principle; Perseverance Principle)
• Responsibility to leave the planet a better place than you found it. (Individual Action Principle; Horace Mann Principle: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”)
• Responsibility to educate for global sustainability. (Education Principle; Critical Thinking Principle)
In sum, I would encourage you to seek to advance global sustainability by adopting a planetary perspective, doing no harm, engaging in doing good for the planet and its present and future inhabitants, choosing hope, and persisting. If we accept these responsibilities as individuals and work to implement them in our national and international policies, we can turn Earth Day into a year-around commitment to creating a planet we can be proud to pass on to future generations.Ten Commandments
Evo Morales appearances at American University and the OAS.
See 10 commandments.Worldchanging
Worldchanging is a 501(c)3 media organization that comprises a global network of independent journalists, designers and thinkers covering the world's most intelligent solutions to today's problems. We inspire readers around the world with stories of the most important and innovative new tools, models and ideas for building a bright green future. Our readers are ready to change the world, and Worldchanging links them to the first steps.
Links
International Criminal Court 'Altered Behaviour'
The UN chief said there was a "new age of accountability." The International Criminal Court (ICC) has forced governments to alter their behaviour in the eight years of its existence, the UN chief has said....
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/10196907.stm.'Third Way' for Net Access in US
By Maggie Shiels Technology reporter, BBC News, Silicon Valley
... advocacy groups and supporters of net neutrality argue that all web traffic should be treated equally....
Businessweek reported that, shortly after the FCC announcement, shares of major cable-television carriers took a tumble. Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Cablevisions Systems, the three largest publicly traded cable operators in the US, all lost around 5%. Cable and phone companies said the new regulations will make it harder for them to justify network investments to shareholders because the FCC might require them to share their pipes with rivals in the future, putting a limit on returns.'
Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/8666026.stm.Bribes Cost Ivory Coast '$300m'
At least $300m (£200m) is paid in bribes at checkpoints in Ivory Coast each year, a business leader says. "Every Ivorian today... has been asked to pay at a road-block," Chamber of Commerce President Jean-Louis Billon told the BBC. He blamed "mafias" operating within both the army and the former rebel New Forces, who still control northern Ivory Coast, for the extortion racket.
Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8660679.stm.'Africa Must Think Big to Thrive'
Many African states are too small to continue to exist independently, Sudan-born magnate Mo Ibrahim has told a conference in Tanzania. Mr Ibrahim said the idea that 53 small African countries thought they could compete with China, India, Europe and the US was a "fallacy". Trade within Africa accounts for just 4-5% of the continent's international trade, something that is "not viable". The tycoon said Africa "needs scale" to compete with the big economic players. "We need scale and we need that now - not tomorrow, the next year or the year after."...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/africa/8361617.stm.New Economics Foundation (nef)
nef is an independent think-and-do tank that inspires and demonstrates real economic well-being. They aim to improve quality of life by promoting innovative solutions that challenge mainstream thinking on economic, environment and social issues. They work in partnership and put people and the planet first. nef was founded in 1986 by the leaders of The Other Economic Summit (TOES) which forced issues such as international debt onto the agenda of the G7 and G8 summits. They are unique in combining rigorous analysis and policy debate with practical solutions on the ground, often run and designed with the help of local people. They also create new ways of measuring progress towards increased well-being and environmental sustainability. nef works with all sections of society in the UK and internationally - civil society, government, individuals, businesses and academia - to create more understanding and strategies for change.Ideas Sought for Open Government
A DIY guide to becoming an MP and a database of the connections between the powerful could soon be created online. The two ideas are among those being considered by MySociety - a charitable group that helps construct civic tools. It is looking for ideas for new ideas to enhance its existing sites, entirely new projects or ways to spread the word about the digital democracy group. Previous competitions have produced a site that automated and logged Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. Statistics from the Ministry of Justice suggest that the FOI site, WhatDoTheyKnow, is behind 8.5% of the requests received by central government departments. MySociety also set up the WriteToThem website that helps people get in touch with their MP. Similar requests for proposals were run in 2003 and 2006 and this time, said MySociety founder Tom Steinberg, it was looking for one big idea to develop. "The next step will be on a different scale from what we have built before," said Mr Steinberg, "something that might have an order of magnitude more impact or more users." Those submitting ideas do not need to provide detailed technical specifications, said Mr Steinberg, but the proposal must be possible to build...
Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/8194859.stm.African Free Trade Zone Is Agreed
The leaders of three African trading blocs on Wednesday agreed to create a free trade zone of 26 countries with a GDP of an estimated $624bn (£382.9bn).
It is hoped the deal will ease access to markets within the region and end problems arising from the fact several countries belong to multiple groups. The deal also aims to strengthen the bloc's bargaining power when negotiating international deals. Analysts say the agreement will help intra-regional trade and boost growth. The three blocs which struck the deal were the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC) and the the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa)...
Please read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/business/7684903.stm.The Global Public Policy Network (GPPN)
In 2005 the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), along with Sciences Po in Paris and the London School of Economics and Political Science, established the Global Public Policy Network (GPPN), an international association of research universities offering graduate-level public policy education and dialogue with policymakers. The network is global in two senses: it includes institutions from around the world, and the policy issues at the center of their research and teaching are of global extent. GPPN's member institutions link their teaching with their research on the most pressing policy issues of the 21st century. The Network plans to expand its partnerships with public policy graduate schools in key global cities worldwide and will be announcing new partners in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East in the coming years. The activities of the GPPN include collaborative public policy research; faculty exchanges and team teaching; case study development; training programs for global professionals; exchange programs; and dual degree programs. The GPPN currently includes active programming at SIPA, the London School of Economics, Sciences Po in Paris, the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, the Centro de Investigaciones y Docencias Economicas (CIDE, Mexico City), the University of Tokyo Graduate School of Public Policy, and the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin.UNESCO Launches a Tool to Put Social Science Research at the service of Public Policy-Making
Immediately following UNESCO's 34th General Conference, which re-affirmed the importance of creating the conditions for a genuine dialogue between researchers, policy-makers and the members of civil society in order to address the multiple challenges of the contemporary world, UNESCO is launching a new tool to support policy-making based on research results from international social and human sciences.
Designed and developed under the aegis of the Management of Social Transformations (MOST) Programme, this service will be freely accessible on the website of the Organization from 15 November 2007. It will provide customized access to policy-relevant material (case studies) according to specific locations (city, country, region) and/or themes related to social transformations (urbanization, migration phenomena, human rights, sustainable development, etc.)
The server will first be running on a collection of documents produced within the framework of the UNESCO Forum for Higher Education, Research and Knowledge, and will be gradually enriched by research from around the globe, notably through the network of UNESCO Chairs in social and human sciences.
The tool is currently available in English, French and Spanish, and will soon be extended to the other United Nations official languages.
To access the server: MOST Policy Research Tool.Rosika Schwimmer and World Government
Rosika Schwimmer or Bédy-Schwimmer "Rózsa" Rózsika (1877-1948) tried to create a world government. In 1935 she formed the World Centre for Women's Archives with Mary Ritter Beard. She received a World Peace Prize in 1937 and formed the Campaign for World Government with Lola Maverick Lloyd. In 1947 she was nominated for Nobel Peace Prize but no one received it the next year...
Please read more also on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosika_Schwimmer, or, please read also Remarks on the History of Hungarian Feminism by Judit Acsády.Asia Faces 'Growing Poverty Gap' : Managing for Development Results
By Bill Hayton
BBC News, Vietnam
The president of the Asian Development Bank has warned of increasing inequality across Asia. Haruhiko Kuroda also called on governments to do more to address what he called a new kind of poverty... Mr Kuroda called on governments to spend more on health and education and improve conditions in rural areas to address the gaps between rich and poor. He was speaking at the end of an international development conference in Hanoi, which brought together representatives of all the main providers of development assistance to find ways to ensure that aid money is better spent. The process - known as Managing for Development Results - is intended to ensure that less money is wasted through mismanagement and corruption so that more can be spent on reducing poverty...
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6342599.stm.
UN Initiates Arms Trade Agreement
A United Nations committee has voted overwhelmingly to begin work on drawing up an international arms trade treaty.
The measure would close loopholes in existing laws which mean guns still end up in conflict zones despite arms embargoes and export controls.
It could also stop the supply of weapons to countries whose development is being hampered by arms spending.
Only the US - a major arms manufacturer - voted against the treaty, saying it wanted to rely on existing agreements.
A total of 139 states voted for the motion. There were 24 abstentions.
Please read the entire article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/6088200.stm.African Prize for Good Governance
Mobile phone magnate Mo Ibrahim funds a new prize to honor African leaders who stand out in a continent sapped by corruption
See http://www.cpu.org.uk/latestnews.html, or http://www.guardian.co.uk/, or http://www.time.com/time/.Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace
Under the name of the People's Initiative for Departments of Peace, the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace was launched at the first People's Summit for Departments of Peace, held in London October 18-19, 2005, with the intention of supporting national-level campaigns to establish departments of peace in governments throughout the world. The following articles provide background information on the Global Alliance for Ministries and Departments of Peace.Code of Conduct for NGOs
Survival International and ten other leading charities have launched a ground-breaking code of conduct for NGOs (non-governmental organisations).Rethinking Recognition
Nancy Fraser, 2000, in New Left Review, 3, pp. 107-120.
"To be misrecognized ... is not simply to be thought ill of, looked down upon or devalued in others' attitudes, beliefs or representations. It is rather to be denied the status of a full partner in social interaction, as a consequence of institutionalized patterns of cultural value that constitute one as comparatively unworthy of respect or esteem" (p. 113-114)...
"In some cases, they [subordinated parties] may need to be unburdened of excessive ascribed or constructed distinctiveness; in others, to have hitherto underacknowledged distinctiveness taken into account. In still other cases, they may need to shift the focus onto dominant or advantaged groups, outing the latter’s distinctiveness, which has been falsely parading as universal; alternatively, they may need to deconstruct the very terms in which attributed differences are currently elaborated" (p. 115)...
"What is needed ... is an alternative politics of recognition, a non-identitarian politics that can remedy misrecognition without encouraging displacement and reification" (p. 120).
