German Social Watch Report 2003 launched in Berlin

The German edition of the 2003 Social Watch Report was launched at a press conference in Berlin on June 25, 2003.

The Report “The Poor and the Market" focuses on the access of the poor to essential services (education, water, health etc.) without which the Millennium Development Goals agreed upon by the Heads of State in 2000 will not be fulfilled. In particular, it describes the various negative effects of the privatisation of essential services all over the world.

The German edition contains parts of the international Social Watch Report, including the tables and a summary of the 52 country reports. In addition, several articles focus on the specific situation in Germany, in particular privatisation trends in the social security system, public-private-partnerships in German development policy, and a critique of the German GATS-policy.

This year’s report is the third Social Watch Report published by Social Watch Germany, a broad coalition of development NGOs, social welfare organisations, trade unions and political foundations.

See or download the Social Watch Deutschland Report 2003 / NR. 3:

"Die Armen und der Markt"

For further information contact:

Jens Martens

WEED

World Economy, Ecology & Development Assoc.

Bertha-von-Suttner-Platz 13

D-53111 Bonn

Germany

Tel. +49-228-7661312

Fax: +49-228-696470

e-mail: jens.martens@weed-online.org

Internet: http://www.weed-online.org