Full Coverage: Civil society

29.11.2007 Hundreds of Muslim women from across India, along with academics, social experts and parliamentarians, addressed social, livelihood, legal and religious issues of the community at the first annual convention of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) in Delhi. The campaign also called for the implementation of the 2006 Justice Sachar Committee report for better education and employment facilities.

28.11.2007 Around 15 organisations, on November 27, held a silent protest at New Delhi’s cultural hub Mandi House in support of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who has been in exile since 1994. Living in eastern Indian city of Kolkata since 2003, she had to recently move out when under pressure from Muslim fundamentalists, the West Bengal government forced her to leave at once.

27.11.2007 The national platform for Dalit organizations in India, NACDOR, will hold its second national conference from December 5-8, 2007 in New Delhi. Over a thousand Dalit organizations will participate at NACDOR-II to finalise a comprehensive Dalit agenda, while tackling current challenges to the marginalized communities.

23.11.2007 To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Amnesty International India is organising an International Week of Justice Festival from January 13-19, 2008 in Indian capital New Delhi.

22.11.2007 A Global Dialogue Seminar will be held in New Delhi, India on November 29-30, 2007. Organised by the World Bank e-Development Thematic Group/GICT, IT SLC in partnership with eGovWorld, Mobile Government Consortium International, IIS-Russia, eGov Monitor and the Development Gateway, the seminar will discuss a variety of mobile services being developed and deployed around the world.

21.11.2007 Aid agencies have put the total death count at over 5,000 – more than half being children – four days after Cyclone Sidr wrecked Bangladesh’s southern coast. An estimated 400,000 children under the age of five have been affected by the fatal storm in Bangladesh, with many drowning or being injured by falling trees.

21.11.2007 Registrations are now open for the 8th 2008 CIVICUS World Assembly, taking place from June 18-21 in Glasgow, Scotland. The World Assembly is a global convening point for civil society and its stakeholders to exchange ideas and experiences, and build new strategies for a just world. This year’s theme is ‘People, Participation and Power’.

21.11.2007 In September 2007, over 600 people assembled in Indian capital New Delhi to put the World Bank on trial through an independent people’s tribunal. Neil Tangri in his incisive article describes the tribunal as an attempt to renew a silenced debate over neoliberlaism and a direct challenge to the Bank’s monopoly on knowledge.

20.11.2007 In 2008, the Kenya Information and Communication Technology Board will train some 1,500 entrepreneurs from digital villages incurring a total cost of US$ 2 million. Kenya’s digital village project was launched with the aim to set up ICT centres throughout the country.

19.11.2007 “Even if we do not get democracy out of this, we have proved yet again that Pakistan is a democratic society trapped in an undemocratic state. Blogs are one way in which people are finding expression. The new media and the internet have also allowed people a great opportunity to have a say,” says Adil Najam, Pakistani academic and sustainable development expert, in an interview.

19.11.2007 General Musharraf would not have thought of a political scenario that has emerged after the imposition of martial law. His hopes for a return of normality have proved evasive, as voices of resistance are gathering force in Pakistan, says Farooq Tariq.

19.11.2007 Asma Jahangir, chairperson of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, while giving an account of the horrific tale of tortures and harassments faced by the legal community since the imposition of emergency, calls for support from the international legal fraternity.

16.11.2007 Several India-based organisations came together here in New Delhi yesterday to express their solidarity on the International Day of Action on Pakistan. They condemned the recent imposition of emergency, resulting in gagging of media, assault on justice, mass arrests and detentions.

16.11.2007 Several India-based organisations came together here in New Delhi yesterday to express their solidarity on the International Day of Action on Pakistan. They condemned the recent imposition of emergency, resulting in gagging of media, assault on justice, mass arrests and detentions.

15.11.2007 Eight children representing ‘Nine is Mine’ campaign met chairperson of the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights in New Delhi on Children’s Day in India. They sought her support for demand from government to invest 9% of the GDP on health and education.

13.11.2007 Uneasy calm prevails in Nandigram area of West Bengal in India after the ruling party cadres take control. Protests were witnessed in Delhi over the handling of situation by the state government.

07.11.2007 Lawyers and judges in Pakistan are spearheading the movement for restoration of democracy. Accustomed to fighting verbal battles in courtrooms, they are now out on the streets facing the batons of the security forces.

07.11.2007 The UN-backed online environmental database can now be accessed in more than 100 developing countries. The project called ‘Online Access to Research in the Environment’ goes a long way in bridging the North-South digital divide.

06.11.2007 The Musahar community, one of the most disadvantaged sub caste within Dalits in Uttar Pradesh, India, have seen abject poverty for generations. Action Aid is now helping the community discover the power of collective action by spreading awareness and making use of an innovative communal grain bank.

06.11.2007 Despite the gag orders in the wake of emergency in Pakistan, people are still coming out to express their anxiety and anger. Many feel it will further push the country into crisis.