Monthly News Bulletin of Dignity International: May 2004
INTERNATIONAL: MONTHLY NEWSBULLETIN - May 2004
Dignity News
* Fighting Poverty in an Enlarged Europe Dignity assists a national
consultation in Slovenia on “Poverty & Social Exclusion”
* Simone Andrade joins the Dignity Team
* Dignity in East Africa
Other News
* Nairobi evictions latest updates
* Giving Teeth to ESC Rights Mandate of the UN Working Group Renewed
* Successful Start to the Campaign in Support of the UN Norms
* ESCR Resolutions from the UN Commission on Human Rights
* Human Rights and Sexual Orientation
* NGO Interventions at the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights 32nd session
* World Social Forum Updates
Publications
* 2004 Social Watch Report
* Global Monitoring Report 2004
Upcoming events
* Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO) European Regional Conference (5-7
May)
* Interaction Annual Forum (17-19 May)
* European Roundtable on ESC Rights (24-25 May)
DIGNITY NEWS
*** Fighting Poverty in an Enlarged Europe - Ten new member states joins the
European Union today - 1 May. A few days prior to joining the European
Union, the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of Slovenia in
partnership with the Youth Council of Slovenia organised a national
consultation on « Poverty and Social Exclusion ». The consultation was held
at Portoroz from 22-24 April.
Dignity International was invited assist with the consultation and to make
an input on how a human rights framework can be far reaching in tackling
poverty and social exclusion.
The European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN) who participated in the
consultation said that «…social cohesion is the greatest challenge for an
elnarged Union.»
In the enlarged European Union one of the wealthiest regions of the world,
there are 68 million people who, according to official statistics, face
poverty.
This new enlargement of the European Union will bring great opportunities as
well as huge challenges, said EAPN. In order to counter the negative
discourse which has surrounded this enlargement in some ‘old’ Member
States - with talks of large numbers moving to take advantage of social
protection systems and fears of social dumping - EAPN calls for a vision of
enlargement based on real commitments rather than nice words on the 1st of
May. “There is an urgent need of reinforcing social policy strategies, in
particular the Social Inclusion Strategy and the process of National Action
Plans on social inclusion, while at the same time reforming economic and
financial policies within a social perspective”, said Michaela Moser,
coordinator of the EAPN strategic group on enlargement.
*** Simone Andrade - From 1 May, Simone Andrade, joins the Dignity
International team as a Learning Associate. As a central member of the team
she will work closely with the Director and assist in all aspects of
Dignity´s activities.
Simone holds a European Masters Degree in Human Rights & Democratisation
(E.MA) and has previously worked as a Juridical Assistant at the Commission
for the Defence of Human Rights at the Legislative Assembly of the State of
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Welcome on board Simone ! Simone can be contacted at
dignity@netvisao.pt
*** Dignity in East Africa Dignity´s Executive Dirctor, Aye Aye Win will
undertake a mission to Tanzania and Kenya. The purpose of the mission will
be to develop a strategy for the region, and how Dignity could assist a
regional processes for ESCR learning. She will meet with Dignity´s Board
Member Mr. Theophilus Mlaki, our regional coordinator Thomas Nzumbi and with
local groups (already active and not yet active on ESC Rights). Aye Aye Win
will be in Tanzania from 4-9 May and Kenya from 10-14 May. The mission is
coordinated by Thomas Nzumbi tnzumbi@hotmail.com
OTHER NEWS
*** Latest on the Nairobi Evictions The last Dignity news bulletin,
reported that an International Campaign against demolitions of 42,000
shelters and evictions in Nairobi of 354,000 people.
The latest on the Nairobi evictions is that one of the state corporations
involved (Kenya Railways) has eventually, after a series of negotiations
involving the community and their lawyer, agreed to formally withdraw its
eviction notices pending the resettlement plans by the government. This was
formally recorded in the court on 26 April. (Source Odindo Opiata of kituo
cha sheria, Kenya)
*** Giving Teeth to Economic, Social and Cultural (ESC) Rights - Mandate of
the UN Working Group on an Optional Protocol to the International Covenant
on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights renewed - On Friday, 23rd April, the
Commission on Human Rights closed its 60th session during which it voted to
approve a further two years for the Working Group for an Optional Protocol
to the International Covenant on ESC Rights.
The vote to renew the WG’s mandate is a success for the numerous NGOs
working together to keep the Optional Protocol process going. Currently,
there is no mechanism for the complaints of individuals when their rights
under the Covenant are violated. Mechanisms for individual complaints
already exist for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
but many governments have resisted a similar move for the ICESCR.
Food Information Action Network, FIAN and other NGOs welcomed this outcome,
which secures the continuation of discussions on the elaboration of an
Optional Protocol for the coming two years. However, the results so far have
fallen behind expectations. Although many states have expressed their
support for an Optional Protocol, no concrete drafting proposals have so far
taken place. States that support an Optional Protocol have been facing tough
resistance from unsupportive states that question the entire process.
Nevertheless, the renewal of the mandate of the Working Group for another
two years opens up the possibility of beginning the actual drafting of the
Optional Protocol by 2006. Source (FIAN International
http://www.fian.org )
*** Successful Start to the Campaign in Support of the UN Norms: The UN
Norms Campaign, a new global campaign to strengthen corporate
accountability, achieved an important breakthrough as the UN Commission on
Human Rights confirmed the importance and priority accorded to companies’
responsibilities in relation to human rights and acknowledged the need to
strengthen standards. For the first time, the Commission has put companies’
human rights responsibilities on its agenda.
The campaign in support of the UN Human Rights Norms for Business was
initiated this year by RAID, Amnesty International and ESCR-Net through the
Corporate Accountability Discussion Group.
For a list of all the organizations that endorsed, plus additional
information on the Norms, please see:
http://www.escr-net.org/EngGeneral/unnorms1.asp (English)
http://www.escr-net.org/EspGeneral/unnorms1.asp (Espanol)
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/ec-unnorms-eng
(Source ESCR-Net http://www.escr-net.org ).
*** UN Human Rights Commission 60th session meeting from 5 March 23
April adopted eight resolutions related to economic, social and cultural
rights. Some highlights are:
* The Right to food - in a resolution (E/CN.4/2004/L.24), the Commission
considered it intolerable that there were around 840 million undernourished
people in the world and that every seven seconds a child under the age of 10
died, directly or indirectly, of hunger somewhere in the world when,
according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the world produced more
than enough food to feed its entire population; stressed the need to make
efforts to mobilize and optimize the allocation and utilization of technical
and financial resources from all sources, including external debt relief for
developing countries, to reinforce national actions to implement sustainable
food security policies; recognized that the promises made at the World Food
Summit in 1996 to halve the number of malnourished persons were not being
fulfilled; encouraged all States to take steps with a view to achieving
progressively the full realization of the right to food; and encouraged the
Special Rapporteur on the right to food to continue mainstreaming a gender
perspective in the fulfillment of his mandate.
* Human rights and extreme poverty - (E/CN.4/2004/L.32) a resolution was
adopted in which the Commission recalled that to ensure the protection of
the rights of all individuals, non-discrimination towards the poorest and
the full exercise of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and a better
understanding was needed of what was endured by people living in poverty,
including women and children. It decided to extend for two years the
mandate of the Independent Expert on extreme poverty.
* Globalization and its impact on the full enjoyment of human rights, the
Commission adopted a resolution in which it recognized that the promotion
and protection of all human rights was first and foremost the responsibility
of the State and reaffirmed the commitment to create an enabling environment
at both the national and international levels that was conducive to the
elimination of poverty.
* Cultural Rights - In a resolution (E/CN.4/2004/L.25) on the promotion of
the enjoyment of the cultural rights of everyone and respect for different
cultural identities, the Commission recognized that States had the primary
responsibility for the promotion of the full enjoyment of such rights and
for enhancement of respect for different cultural identities; stressed that
cultural cooperation shall contribute to the establishment of stable,
long-term relations between peoples, which should be subjected as little as
possible to the strains which might arise in international life; recognized
that the promotion and protection of such rights and respect for different
cultural identities were vital elements for the protection of cultural
diversity in the context of the ongoing process of globalization; reaffirmed
that all peoples had the right to self-determination, by virtue of which
they freely determined their political status and freely pursued their
economic, social and cultural development; and recognized that the broad
dissemination of ideas and knowledge, based on the free exchange and
discussion, was essential to creative activity, the pursuit of truth and the
development of the personality of everyone and the identity of all peoples;
* Adequate housing - In a resolution (E/CN.4/2004/L.27/Rev.1) on adequate
housing as a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, the
Commission recognized that good governance within each country and at the
international level, democracy and respect for the rule of law and human
rights were essential to achieve the progressive realization of the right to
an adequate standard of living, including adequate housing, and reiterated
the importance of, inter alia, infrastructure and services, particularly
those related to water, sanitation, health, transportation and energy;
called upon all States to give full effect to housing rights; to ensure the
observance of all their legally binding national standards in the area of
housing; to protect all persons from forced evictions contrary to the law;
to ensure non-discriminatory access to adequate housing; to promote
residential integration of all members of society at the planning stage of
urban development; to pay appropriate attention to the rights and needs of
persons with disabilities in the context of adequate housing; and to enable
women to obtain affordable housing and access to land; encouraged the
relevant Special Rapporteur to strengthen the integration of the rights
relevant to his mandate into the Global Campaign for Secure Tenure launched
by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme; and welcomed the joint
work of that Programme and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights in developing a joint United Nations Housing Rights Programme, and
invited States to provide support for its effective implementation.
* Structural Adjustment Policies - In a resolution (E/CN.4/2004/L.23) on the
effects of structural adjustment policies and foreign debt on the full
enjoyment of human rights, particularly economic, social and cultural
rights, the Commission recognized that structural adjustment reform
programmes limited public expenditure, imposed fixed expenditure ceilings,
and gave inadequate attention to the provision of social services, and that
only a few countries managed to achieve sustainable higher growth under
these programmes; expressed concern at the fact that the options for
macroeconomic policy of developing countries were constrained by demands for
adjustment and that many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa,
still carried very high external debt burdens relative to their gross
national products; and expressed concern that the majority of the countries
that reached the intermediate phase under the Heavily Indebted Poor
Countries Initiative had yet to reach the final stage and that even for
countries meeting all criteria, the Initiative might not result in a
sustainable debt burden.
* Movement & Dumping of Toxic products - In a resolution (E/CN.4/2004/L.18)
on the adverse effects of the illicit movement and dumping of toxic and
dangerous products and wastes on the enjoyment of human rights, adopted by a
roll-call vote of 38 in favour and 13 opposed, with 2 abstentions, the
Commission categorically condemned such illicit dumping in developing
countries; urged all Governments to take appropriate legislative and other
measures to prevent illegal trafficking in such wastes and products; and
requested the Governments of developed countries, together with
international financial institutions, to provide financial assistance to
African countries for the implementation of the Programme of Action adopted
at the First Continental Conference for Africa on the Environmentally Sound
Management of Unwanted Stocks of Hazardous Wastes and Their Prevention
For a summary of the resolutions and highlights from the 60th session of the
UN Commission, see http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2004/hrcn1088.doc.htm
*** Left outside the scope of human rights protection? - On the same day
that Brazil announced the postponement of a resolution on human rights and
sexual orientation that would condemn discrimination at a meeting of the
U.N. Human Rights Commission in Geneva, a roundtable originally planned to
support the Brazilian initiative took place, exemplifying the need for such
initiatives.
Source: Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United
Nations - CONGO
http://www.congochr.org/view/index.php?basic_entity=DOCUMENT&list_ids=61
More information in "Sexual minorities and the law":
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/854.html
*** NGOs address UN Committe on ESC Rights Thirty Second session of this
Committee is currently in session in Geneva(26 April to 14 May). The
committee is examining initial reports from Lithuania, Greece and Kuwait and
receiving second/third periodic reports from Ecuador and Spain respectively.
The agenda of the Committee can be found at
http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/(Symbol)/E.C.12.2004.1.En?Opendocument
On 26 April, the Committee on ESC Rights heard a series of statements from
representatives of NGOs with respect to the reports which Committee Experts
will examine during the current session.
NGO speakers outlined efforts made by the States parties to carry out their
obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights and underscored failures in fulfilling these rights.
Among other things, speakers focused on disparities between women and men in
Lithuania; forced evictions in Greece due to preparations for the Olympic
games; lack of adequate food and water for vulnerable groups in Spain; food
shortages in banana plantations in Ecuador; and violence against domestic
workers in Kuwait.
Members of the Committee welcomed the information provided by the
representatives of the non-governmental organizations, and said that they
will use it during their consideration of the respective country reports.
The representatives of the following non-governmental organizations took the
floor: Social Innovation Fund, Lithuania; Women's Issues International
Centre, Lithuania; Greek Helsinki Monitor; Centre for Housing Rights and
Eviction (COHRE); World Organization Against Torture; Observatori DESC de
Barcelona; FIAN International; FIAN Spain; the Basque Observatory on
Linguistic Rights; *D Trade Human Rights Equitable Economy; FENACLE,
Ecuador; Habitat International Coalition; and International Organization for
the Development of Free Education.
For a summary report of the NGO interventions see,
http://www.unhchr.ch/huricane/huricane.nsf/view01/61B9BECB460952C8C1256E8300
4C2D12?opendocument
OMCT has produced a compilation of all urgent appeals, open letters and
press releases, issued from 2001 till April 2004, on violations of the right
to adequate housing of the Roma in Greece. The compilation can be downloaded
or viewed at the OMCT website at:
http://www.omct.org/pdf/escr/Greece_Roma_April_%202004.pdf and the
intervention at http://www.omct.org/pdf/escr/Greece_CESCR_2004.pdf
*** World Social Forum - The International Council of the World Social Forum
met in Passignano sul Trasimeno, Italy from 4-7 April. For the latest
updates from the WSF, see
http://www.forumsocialmundial.org.br/noticias_01.asp?cd_news=1023
World Social Forum: a debate on the challenges for its future
Reflections on the process of WSF 2004, seen as a turning point in the
process. Debates and dilemmas focused on the discussion of how the WSF
should develop, the challenges it faces, the new perspectives that it has
opened up, how useful it really is. March 2004.
Source: TNI - Transform
http://www.transform.it/newsletter/news_transform01.html
More information in "World Social Forum 2004":
http://www.choike.org/nuevo_eng/informes/1417.html
ANNOUNCEMENTS
*** Dan Chong, of the American University Washington, DC is proposing to
organize a panel discussion on "Advocating for Economic and Social Rights:
Opportunities and Challenges” at the 2005 ISA conference in Hawaii. He is
looking for 3-4 others planning to
attend that conference to participate in the panel (as discussant, chair, or
paper presenter. Contact chong.home@earthlink.net before 1 June
PUBLICATIONS
*** Social Watch 2004 - Fear and want still stand on the way of human
security around the world and are major obstacles to achieving the
development goals agreed to by all countries of the world, concludes the
Social Watch Report 2004. Social Watch publishes a yearly report in several
languages. The reports can be ordered here or be downloaded free of charge.
http://www.socialwatch.org/en/informeImpreso/index.htm
*** Report Says Time Has Come to Meet MDG Poverty Promises - Poor people in
a large number of countries face little hope of emerging from lives of
poverty and deprivation unless all actors in the development field --
including governments in poor and rich countries alike take urgent action
to address the root causes of poverty, according to a report from the Bank
and the International Monetary Fund. The Global Monitoring Report 2004 warns
that, given current trends, most developing countries will fail to meet most
of the Millennium Development Goals that serve as targets for the global
effort to reduce poverty and improve services for the poor by 2015. There is
an urgent need for all nations as well as for international financial
institutions to scale up action, the report says.
It offers an agenda that includes accelerating reforms to achieve stronger
economic growth, empowering and investing in poor people, and speeding
implementation of the Monterrey partnership, which called for greater
participation by all parties in reducing poverty worldwide.
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:20194766~menuPK:
34457~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html
UPCOMING EVENTS
*** FAO European Regional Conference will be held from 5-7 May in
Montpellier, France - On the occasion of its upcoming European regional
Conference the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations
has published a list of European states that will not meet the target of
reducing the number of hungry and malnourished persons by half by 2015. In
Russia alone, 6,2 Million persons are malnourished, with no sign of
substantial improvement. The report also names two new EU members who are
"not on track" - Latvia and Poland.
FIAN, the international human rights organisation for the right to food has
asked EU governments to take initiatives within to guarantee the human right
to food in the new EU member states. FIAN has also urged European
governments and the EU to fulfill their obligations towards people who are
facing hunger in other parts of the world. This includes a halt to dumping
of agricultural products in developing countries.
More information on the country rating of the FAO can be found at:
ftp://ftp.fao.org/unfao/bodies/erc/erc24/J1959E.doc Source FIAN
http://www.fian.org
*** Forum 2004 The annual conference of Interaction will be held from
17-19, 2004 in Washington, D.C. It is a gathering of over 600 leaders from
US nongovernmental organizations, donors, the US government, academia, and
civil society organizations from the South. The Forum theme this year is
"Operating in an Age of Uncertainty: New Challenges in Humanitarian and
Development Work." Dr. Amartya Sen, Secretary of State Colin Powell, and UN
High Commissioner for Refugees Rudd Lubbers are among our confirmed
speakers.
There will be a workshop on “A Rights-Based Approach: Expanding the Practice
of Development through a Human Rights Lens” For further information on the
Forum and to regiser see http://www.interaction.org/forum2004
*** The European Roundtable on ESC Rights, Lisbon, Portugal, 24-25 May 2004
This European roundtable is organized by the Government of Portugal and the
International Commission of Jurists. The purpose of this roundtable is to
allow for an exchange of views and the building of a constructive dialogue n
promoting further state and civil society understanding of ESC Rights. The
roundtable will also discuss issues related to the proposed Optional
Protocol and will provide a forum for the exchange of experiences, learning
and strategies towards the further national, regional and international
protection and promotion of ESC rights. For further details, please e-mail
to talvarenga@sg.mne.gov.pt
CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES
For the updated Calendar of Activities for 2004, please see
April - June
http://www.dignityinternational.org/2004monthly_planner2.html
=============================================
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