The European Union (EU) and African government must "seriously pursue alternatives” to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) currently under negotiation, urged this week civil society organizations from both continents. The groups convened in Nairobi by the Kenya Human Rights Commission, Ngombe na Mahindi Foundation (NGOMA) and Ecofair Trade Dialog stated their “firm position” that trade must “serve sustainable development”, “uphold human rights”, and “cater for small-scale producers that form the backbone of African economies.”

The concentration of power in the corporate sector is perpetuating income inequality trends in Canada, according to a report published by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA, a member organization of Social Watch). The study, “A Shrinking Universe: How Concentrated Corporate Power is Shaping Income Inequality in Canada”, links the rise of the richest Canadians with a shift toward more concentrated power within the country’s largest firms.

International activists and women’s organizations have issued a statement expressing grave concern over the health and wellbeing of ten female prisoners of conscience who started hunger strikes to protest illegal and inappropriate treatment in prison. Hanaa Edwar and several other collaborators of the Iraqi Al-Amal Association, member organization of Social Watch, appear among the 275 activists from 35 countries who signed the call so far.

Photo: EquityBD

The Bangladeshi Civil Society Climate Network urged the government representatives to emphasize on equity and justice and to uphold climate vulnerable country interest at the 18th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP-18) scheduled to begin November 26 in Doha.

“Extreme poverty is violence. Alongside the violence of deprivation exists another equally extreme form of it: the humiliation and contempt that denies a person’s humanity, ‘like we were not even humans’. This attitude leads to many types of violence: continual disrespect, humiliation, discrimination, verbal abuse, and denial of basic rights. This can go as far as physical blows at school, work, and in the street,” according to the final report of an “action-research project” developed by the International Movement ATD Fourth World on the connections between extreme poverty, violence and peace.