2003/12/04
Brazil non-profits see Lula missing social goals
BRASILIA, Brazil, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula will fail to achieve social goals and expose the nation to future financial shocks if he sticks to orthodox economic policy, Brazilian social groups said on Thursday.

2003/10/02
NGOs score point in fight against poverty at Cancun. News conference launches Social Watch report in Arabic
At a time when the United States, Japan and Germany account for half of the world’s GDP, the prospect of abolishing poverty seems far-fetched. But civil institutions and non-governmental organizations, emerging from the victory scored in the collapse of new trade liberalization talks at the World Trade Organization ministerial meeting last month, feel they have gained ammunition.

2003/08/25
From Social Contract to Private Contracts: The Privatisation of Health, Education and Basic Infrastructure
Privatisation is being pushed by international governance institutions, the governments that control them, and the corporations that lobby both groups, even though the dangers that privatisation entails can seriously-and permanently-harm the livelihoods of the world's poorest people. The position of "privatise first and ask questions later" and the naïve confidence in the processes and outcomes of market reform have imposed hardship on precisely the groups those organisations are entrusted to protect. It is time to shift the burden of proof from those who question risky solutions to those who propose them.

2003/06/27
Meeting of Special Rapporteurs and Experts members of the UN Commission of Human Rights
The special rapporteurs/representatives, experts and chairpersons of the working groups of the special procedures of the Commission on Human Rights, meeting in Geneva 23-27 June 2003, expressed alarm at the growing threats against human rights which require a renewed resolve to defend and promote these rights.

2003/04/03
Recognize the right to adequate housing, demands rapporteur
A firm recognition to the human right to adequate housing was demanded by the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Miloon Kothari, in his annual report to the UN Human Rights Commission presented in Geneva on April 1st 2003. In his report he mentions the significant input that constitutes the 2003 Social Watch Report, “The Poor and the Market”. He also acknowledged that “he is inspired by the diligent work of civil society in supporting his mandate and contributing towards securing housing rights for all.”