The Poor and the Market: 2003 Social Watch report was launched in Porto Alegre

The 2003 Social Watch report was launched in Porto Alegre, Brazil last 26 January. Within the framework of World Social Forum, Social Watch met with grassroots organizations, economists, unionists and international networks to debate on the access of the poor to essential services and presented the conclusions of its new annual report.

The2003 Social Watch report “The Poor and the Market", includes the reportsof 52 national coalitions worldwide on social development in each country andtheir governments’ compliance with the goals decided internationally. Thisyear the report focuses in particular on the access of the poor to essentialservices (education, water, health) without which the " Millennium Goals" agreed upon by the Heads of State in 2000 will not be fulfilled.