Source: Eurostep (based on UN documents and articles published by The Guardian)

On the occasion of the International Day of Peasant’s Struggles, celebrated on 17 April, the importance of peasants and small farmers for the world’s food production has been stressed. Despite their importance for feeding the world’s populations, many continue to suffer from oppression and intimidation, experts have warned.

Source: African Agenda Editorial, 21 April (Third World Network Africa)

Since the need for stimulus packages in the developed world became an issue after the global economic crisis, there has been a strident call for the return of the 'developmental state'. Africa, once more caught in the whirlwind of the global economic downturn is mulling over its lost opportunities as it went for broke and under the guidance of the IFIs abandoned the developmental state agenda that most of its countries set for themselves after independence, according to the last editorial of African Agenda published this week by Third World Network Africa.

The European Parliament's Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM) discussed last week the draft opinion report on “EU external policies in favour of democratisation”, that calls to put gender equality at the heart of all Community policies, programmes and projects at EU level as well as towards third countries.

St. Mary's Home for maternal services in Ottawa (Photo: Nancy MacNider)

Source: Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA)

Women in Boznia and Herzegovia now have a greater chance of surviving childbirth than women in Canada, according to the Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA), focal point of Social Watch in that North American country.

Source: Intermon Oxfam

In a letter to the G-20 economy ministers assembled in Washington, a thousand economists have expressed their support for the Robin Hood tax on speculative financial transactions. Those who signed the letter include leading figures from universities like Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Berkeley and the Sorbonne.