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To save the earth it is essential to change consumption patterns
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A crowd in a mall in Robinson,
Pennsylvania, USA,
(Photo: David Fulmer/Flickr/CC)
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The production and trade indicators that are usually used to measure prosperity are the product of unsustainable consumption patterns in the richest social sectors and countries, and these patterns promote the plundering of natural resources, damage the environment and do nothing to reduce poverty. The Social Watch Report 2012 enhances our understanding of this phenomenon and of proposals to set concrete limits that will be put forward next June at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro (Rio 2012).
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Gender Equity Index 2012 to be launched next week
The achievements made by women all over the world towards equity in education are still very far from having an impact on their having a fair share in the economy or in political power. This can be concluded from the updated figures of the Gender Equity Index (GEI) 2012, which will be launched by Social Watch next week, on the eve of March 8, International Womens’ Day.
The GEI measures the gender gap in 154 countries. The index is composed of eleven indicators representing three dimensions that measure the gap between women and men in three key social areas –education, empowerment and economic participation.
In education, the GEI examines the gender gap in literacy and enrolment at all levels; in economic participation it computes the gaps in income and employment; in empowerment, the index measures the gaps in highly qualified jobs, parliament and senior executive positions.
See more information here: http://www.socialwatch.org/node/14365
Do central banks have human rights obligations?
“Although most central banks are independent, they are in the end government bodies. As such, central banks are subject to the human rights obligations of their state,” argues in its second publication the initiative “A bottom up approach to righting financial regulation”, a consortium of civil society networks and organizations, including Social Watch and some of its members.
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Social Watch India: Prevailing notion of development fails to provide justice
“The notion of evaluating social development on the basis of economical growth should change, as the studies from different aspects reveal the growing disparities in the societies across the globe,” said Dr.Yogesh Kumar, Executive Director of Samarthan and National Convener of Social Watch India. Kumar was talking in Bangalore at the launching of the Social Watch Report 2012.
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Trans-Pacific Partnership: Civil society groups slams corporate influence
The 11th Round of Negotiations of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement negotiations between Australia, the US, New Zealand, Malaysia and four other countries starts in Melbourne on March 1. Civil society groups from those countries are in that city to contest corporate influence and debate the issues.
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Sri Lanka: “All our eggs in one basket”
Ensuring guaranteed and diverse seed supplies and crop production has been an important part of the work of the Movement for National Land and Agricultural Reform in Sri Lanka (MONLAR), focal point of Social Watch in Sri Lanka. Here is the story of one family who, with its support, has been able improve both its diet and its income through bio-diverse agricultural practices.
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