Full Coverage: Civil society

31.10.2007 "Da un'Europa sconvolta dai recenti conflitti nei Balcani ad un Europa che, valorizzando etnie, lingue e religioni, sappia cogliere le tante opportunità anche attraverso l'allargamento dell'Unione". E' questo l'appello che è emerso dalle relatrici alla Conferenza internazionale promossa venerdì scorso a Bolzano dalla World Social Agenda nell'ambito della manifestazione "Libera Europa–Freies Europa". La conferenza ha concluso il ciclo di riflessione quadriennale sui continenti nei quali donne dell'Africa, America Latina, dell'Asia, dell’Europa dell’Est e dei Balcani hanno presentato le loro attività e la loro visione di un mondo "diverso, multiplo, mescolato". Dal prossimo anno, la World Social Agenda proporrà percorsi, dibattiti e eventi a Padova, Trento e Bolzano sugli "Obiettivi del Millennio" proposti dall'Onu.

30.10.2007 Civil society representatives from Darfur have called for a greater role in ongoing peace efforts by emphasizing the role they could play in re-unifying the parties to the conflict, notably key rebel groups absent at the current talks.

30.10.2007 IT company Hewlett Packard has donated US$ 5 million to NGOs to support small businesses in the developing world.

22.10.2007 WASHINGTON, Oct 22 (OneWorld) - A Colombian senator pushing for justice and peace has been honored in the United States for his human rights activism, accepting a prestigious award alongside co-honorees from the United States challenging the war in Iraq and Washington, DC's "taxation without representation."

20.10.2007 38.8 million people worldwide broke last year's numbers to make a new world record for the Stand Up, Speak Out campaign on October 17, the International Day for Eradication of Poverty. By standing up, these people are calling upon Governments to match their actions by displaying the political will to end poverty, said Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General.

18.10.2007 India showed itself at the fore in standing up and speaking out against poverty on October 17 in the global anti-poverty campaign Stand Up and Speak Out. Over 38.7 million people created a new world record for the largest number of people to stand up for a cause, of which 13 million were from India.

18.10.2007 In India, hundreds of women came together to raise their voices against poverty at the Women’s Tribunal on Poverty on October 17. The event, held at New Delhi, was marked by the release of a women’s charter on poverty and a visit to the President, reinforcing their rights to be heard.

16.10.2007 Campaigning for the eradication of poverty is a full time commitment. Yet, this long march too needs a rallying day – and October 17, 2007, is just such a day when global mobilizations are taking place across the globe, all at the call of the Global Call Against Poverty (GCAP).

16.10.2007 Irfan Mufti from Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) feels society has to be organised and mobilized to influence policy. The change may not be immediate, but political influence is bound to grow in future.

16.10.2007 Global Call to Action Against Poverty in Afghanistan has a series of activities to mark the World Poverty Day on October 17, including speeches, theatre and a banner to sign on.

16.10.2007 Over 25,000 people are marching 350 kilometres from Gwalior to Delhi, the Indian capital, asking for equal rights to land, forest and water. The Janadesh 2007 campaign focuses on restoring people’s self-worth and dignity through issues about their livelihood resources. Jonathan Weedon, an Ekta Parishad volunteer from Scotland shares some of his experiences on the long march to liberty and equity.

16.10.2007 More than 20 million Asians are expected to join the actions and mobilizations around the globe on October 17 that will mark the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

15.10.2007 The report, People’s Voices on MDGs 2007 highlights key policy areas, common obstacles, as well as MDG progress among countries in the South and Southeast Asia regions from the civil society perspective.

12.10.2007 How does 'Standing Up' help fight poverty and inequality? Get your answer to this and other relevant questions on the Stand Up movement.

11.10.2007 October 10 marks one year since the Child Labour Act banned children from working as domestic servants. Yet millions of children continue to work in domestic and hazardous occupations and are vulnerable to abuse. Save The Children has called for concerted campaigns to save these lost childhoods.

10.10.2007 Bangkok based United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the Asia Development Bank (AsDB) have admitted to a lack of comprehensive data post-1999 to gauge the progress of MDGs in the region. The dearth of information has drawn a sharp response from civil society organisations monitoring the MDG campaign.

10.10.2007 Handloom weavers in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh are battling poverty and tuberculosis while the government sponsored schemes still elude them. The Asian Human Rights Commission has launched an appeal to the people to urge the government to take action.

10.10.2007 Over 3,000 labourers signed on a monster banner to remind the Pakistan government of its promises to eradicate poverty and other MDG goals. The 10 km banner, patched together from smaller bits of cloth, will carry 1.5 million signatures to be unfurled in Bahawalpur on October 17.

10.10.2007 A new manual encourages the hearing disabled communities in developing countries to take control of their health. Developed by the Kenyan Peer Education Network,The Deaf Peers’ Education Manual addresses three main issues: sexual education, relationships and hygiene for a basic understanding of sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and can be adapted to fit the cultural context and needs of the deaf communities.

09.10.2007 Orissa based ‘Katha Rakhibaa Sarakar’ Campaign has joined hands with the UN Millennium Campaign to observe the ‘Stand Up & Speak Out’ events in the southeastern state of India.