2008/09/22
BASIC CAPABILITIES INDEX 2008
New York, September 22 -- Contrary to repeated mainstream claims that poverty is diminishing fast in the world, the coverage of the basic needs required to escape poverty is slowing down and even regressing in many places, says the 2008 Basic Capabilities Index (BCI) released today by Social Watch, a network of more than 400 civil society organizations in 70 countries.

2008/09/20
Statement by LDC Watch at the United Nations High Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals
NEW YORK, 25 SEPTEMBER 2008 - Current development models and policies have completely failed the world’s poorest countries – the least developed countries (LDCs). The LDCs Group was established by the UN in 1971 in recognition of the specific needs and constraints facing the world’s poorest countries, and therefore the need for specific strategies for these countries. “The fact that the number of LDCs has increased from 24 to 49 presently is proof enough”, says Dr Arjun Karki, Chair of LDC Watch. According to UNCTAD, although LDCs are achieving record rates of economic growth this is not benefiting those living in poverty.

2008/09/02
Intervention by Roberto Bissio at the plenary of the opening session of the 3rd HLF on Aid Effectiveness, Accra
Notes for the intervention of Social Watch coordinator, Roberto Bissio, at the plenary of the opening session of the 3rd High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness, Accra, Ghana, September 2, 2008.

2008/08/31
Civil society key recommendations for Doha draft outcome document
Analyses carried out by civil society organizations for the review process on Financing for Development (FfD) highlight the fact that governments are facing a double challenge at the up-coming FfD Conference in Doha: On the one hand, they have to find ways of substantially increasing the transfer in real terms of public resources to the South, while ensuring that public revenue is generated and mobilised for poverty eradication, decent work, achieving gender equality, and improving the livelihoods of the population.

2008/08/22
Globalization and the rule of law: Social Watch India's contribution to the subject
Social Watch India released the first perspective paper on “Law Under Globalization” which provides an insight into recent trends in both law making processes and judicial behaviour, with a stress on how the logic and instruments of globalization are directly affecting the rule of law.

2008/07/28
The business of governance
For seven years Social Watch Philippines has weighed the accomplishments of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration in social development, particularly the Millennium Development Goals and found them grossly wanting. Mention has consistently been made of poverty, inequity, increasing hunger, deterioration in education, stubbornly high levels of infant and maternal mortality, low levels of health, environmental degradation, and global problems related to trade and debt.

2008/06/30
Breaking the Taboo: Perspectives of African Civil Society on Innovative Sources of Financing Development
The debate on Financing for Development was given a crucial push at the 2002 Financing for Development Conference held in Monterrey, Mexico. Heads of State and Governments 'resolved to address the challenges of Financing for Development around the world and particularly in developing countries'.

2008/04/01
More on gender equality in Morocco
Continuing with yesterday's post about divorce in Western Sahara, here's the 2008 report on gender equality from Social Watch. Morocco is ranked only slightly higher than Pakistan, and is several notches down from Saudi Arabia.

2008/03/28
Social Watch: new Gender Equity Index
The economic dimension is the next challenge towards global gender equity. More than half the women in the world live in countries that have made no progress towards gender equity in recent years. That is one of the findings of the Gender Equity Index (GEI) 2008 that Social Watch launched here as a contribution to the 52nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women that will end next March 8, the International Women’s Day.

2008/03/26
L'équité entre les sexes: toujours un mythe
Plus de la moitié des femmes du monde vivent dans des pays qui n'ont fait aucun progrès vers l'équité entre les sexes ces cinq dernières années. C'est la principale conclusion de l'Indice d’équité de genre (IEG) 2008 (ou Gender Equity Index) que Social Watch lançait le 28 février.