Social Watch news

Cameroon: bill pushes for gender mainstreaming in development policies

Published on Sat, 2010-07-10 15:16

The Federation of Cameroon Civil Society Organizations (FOSCAM, for its initials in French), Social Watch’s Focal Point in Cameroon, participated in the elaboration of a bill that seeks to mainstream a gender perspective into national policies on growth and employment in the country.

“We will put our money where our mouth is” promises Lebanese minister of Finance at the launch of Social Watch report in Arabic

Published on Wed, 2010-07-07 13:24

“Poverty eradication and women empowerment are our priorities” said Lebanese minister of Finance, Raya Haffar Al-Hassan at the joint launch of the Social Watch report in Arabic and the Arab Assessment of the Millennium Development Goals that took place in Beirut on July 9. Speaking in Behalf of the Arab NGO Network for Development, Ziad Abdel Samad welcomed the minister as “one of us”, remembering her past association with civil society organizations and with the United Nations system, for which she worked before joining the government. He welcomed the public discussion of the budget that is currently happening “for the first time in Lebanon” and challenged the minister to go one step further and invite civil society organizations to actually participate in the elaboration of future budgets.

Social Watch strategy session: Economic crisis and opportunities to put people first

Published on Tue, 2010-06-29 13:59

Source: US Social Forum
Social Watch organized the strategy session "Economic crisis and opportunities to put people first at home and abroad" to identify emerging opportunities to address the economic and financial crisis in ways that advance human rights, social and economic justice and bridge the domestic and international contexts. The event that took place on 24 June 2010 was part of activities within the US Social Forum held in Detroit.

Civil society at MDGs+10 Hearings

Published on Mon, 2010-06-28 13:30

Several speakers from the Social Watch network and its member and allies intervened during the UN General Assembly hearings with civil society and the private sector in New York last June 14 and 15. The hearings were convened in preparation of the UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals that will take place next September.

A more inclusive strategy needed for the MDGs

Published on Mon, 2010-06-28 12:50

Source: Third World Network
Geneva, 21 Jun (Kanaga Raja) - A fundamental problem in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) has been the lack of a more inclusive strategy of economic development that could integrate and support its "human development" ambitions, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

New Millennium Development Goals report

Published on Thu, 2010-06-24 18:00

Source: UN Millennium Campaign
The world is still on track to achieve the Millenium Development Goal (MDG) target of cutting the rate of extreme poverty in half by 2015 says a new report by the United Nations a few months before a major General Assembly meeting in September is to review progress so far. Many countries are moving forward, but unmet commitments, inadequate resources, lack of focus and accountability, and insufficient dedication to sustainable development have created shortfalls in many areas. Some of these shortfalls were aggravated by the global food and economic and financial crises. Download the report (PDF)

The reconfiguration of the world scenario: the G-24's voice and the G-20's silence

Published on Wed, 2010-06-23 08:25

Author:

Maria José Romero, Social Watch Networking Team

The current economic and financial crisis has led to a reconfiguration in the scenario of power in the world. The Group of 20 (G-20), which is an extended version of the Group of 8 (G-8), proclaimed itself the main forum for international cooperation. However, the measures the group has adopted do not provide real solutions to the many crises assailing the world today.

Development goals are gender goals

Published on Wed, 2010-06-23 08:23

Author:

Natalia Cardona, Advocacy Coordinator, Social Watch

All the Millenium Development Goals are gender related. Lack of progress in achieving them do not just result from the external shocks and crises. It is a result of developed countries not meeting the commitment stated at MDG 8, to create global partnerships around trade, aid and debt and technology transfer. Social Watch advocates for long-term social development policies that truly encompass gender as a key step towards equality and increased human wellbeing.

Regional workshops build the capacity of SW coalitions

Published on Wed, 2010-06-23 08:20

After the good experience of the three 2009 regional capacity building workshops that took place in Brazil, Morocco and India, there are four new workshops on the agenda of Social Watch for the upcoming months. These meetings will be organized regionally in countries of Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Caribbean.

Social Watch has a say during the UN General Assembly Hearings

Published on Wed, 2010-06-23 08:18

The Summit process is a key opportunity to take stock of which development strategies are actually working and which are not, and what strategic decisions and actions at national and international levels are urgently needed to make decisive progress in the next five years. During the Hearings, Social Watch representatives participated pushing for real changes on financing for development strategies.

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