World Social Forum / World Economic Forum
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The main conference venue, Stadium Gigantinho, at the World Social Forum where AI's Paul Hoffman addressed an audience of 15,000 people © AI |
As representatives of the world's civil society gathered at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre and political and business leaders met in Davos for the World Economic Forum from 23 - 28 January 2003, AI delivered its own, alternative, globalisation message at these fora: Globalise respect for human rights, globalise justice and globalise accountability for those who abuse rights.
- World Social Forum
- Asia Social Forum
- European Social Forum
- World Economic Forum
- Main publications disseminated at all Social Forums
More on media materials on the World Economic and Social Fora: http://web.amnesty.org/mavp/av.nsf/pages/WESF
WORLD SOCIAL FORUM (Mumbai, India, 16-21 January 2004)
Amnesty International will for the third year take part in the World Social Forum, which this year takes place in Mumbai, India. Amnesty is participating in a number of activities, and is organizing a panel debate in cooperation with other NGOs (Greenpeace, ESCR-Net, Justice for Bhopal, FIDH and WCL), focusing on Corporate Accountability. The aim is to ensure a higher profile will be given to the debate on the impact that corporations have on the lives of people.
The panel will analyse the corporate role in abuses perpetrated by Transnational Companies and other businesses across a selection of different cases, and will provide a forum for sharing of different approaches to ensure accountability. Amnesty is also arranging a joint seminar with Oxfam as part of the Control Arms Campaign.
Links
World Social Forum 2004
Greenpeace
International Network for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ESCR-Net)
Justice for Bhopal
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
World Confederation of Labour (WCL)
Press Releases
- All human rights for all, to make another world possible (ACT 79/005/2003)
- Legal accountability for corporations needed (ACT 79/004/2003)
- World Social and Economic Fora: All human rights for all, everyone's responsibility (ACT 79/002/2003)
The World Social Forum was opened and closed with a march through the city of Porto Alegre, which unified people under the slogan 'Another World Is Possible'
© AI
Porto Alegre, Brazil, 23 - 28 January 2003
Amnesty International took for the second consecutive year part in the forum, sharing and exchanging experiences and proposals to ensure the full protection of all human rights for all people. Several delegates coordinated and participated in seminars and panel discussions on issues ranging from violence against women to corporate responsibility, from international justice to the death penalty, from the fight against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, to the effects of torture and the relationship between security and human rights. Members and volunteers from several AI sections including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay also took part in the Forum and carried out campaigning and awareness-raising activities, including collecting signatures on a petition to counter US efforts to undermine the International Criminal Court and actions to ensure the accountability of companies for human rights violations in which they might be directly or indirectly implicated.
AI at the Forum:
Speeches:
- 'Human Rights - a vision unfulfilled', Ignacio Saiz, Deputy Director - Americas Regional Program, 24 January 2003
- 'Globalise this! Respect for human rights', Paul Hoffman, Chair of AI Board, 25 January 2003
Press releases:
- World Social and Economic Fora: All human rights for all, everyone's responsibility (ACT 79/002/2003)
- All human rights for all, to make another world possible (ACT 79/005/2003)
ASIA SOCIAL FORUM
(Hyderabad, India, 2 - 7 January 2003)
Amnesty International organised at the Asia Social Forum three seminars in cooperation with other NGOs, concentrating on following themes:
Globalisation and Legal Frameworks to Protect ESC Rights (AI India and Habitat International Coalition):
This seminar focussed on examining conflicting obligations, challenges to ESC Rights protection and recent interpretations of ESC Rights obligations by national and international bodies. The speakers included the Miloon Kothari (UN Special Rapporteur for Adequate Housing), Usha Ramanathan (a senior legal researcher/commentator) and Sathinath Sarangi (an activist with the Bhopal Action Group- working to get justice for the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy involving Union Carbide that killed over 8000 in 1984 and still continues to claim lives).
Refugee Rights (organised in collaboration with the Human Rights Lawyers Network):
This seminar focussed on barriers to movement of people and also looked at refugee/IDP experiences in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Burma. Prominent people included Ravi Nair (Director of SAHRDC) and Nandita Haksar.
Criminal Justice (organised in collaboration with the Human Rights Lawyers Network):
This seminar focussed on recent changes in the CJS in India and debates around impending reforms in the CJS. It also looked at issues concerning arrest and detention and legal aid in prisons.
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AI Italy members giving visibility to the campaign on diamonds during the European Social Forum © AI |
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FORUM
(Florence, Italy, 6 - 10 November 2002)
Amnesty International presented at the European Social Forum three seminars (1. refugees, 2. military, security and police issues, and 3. diamond trade) and one workshop (Human Rights in the Russia Federation). Also, AI spoke at two conferences; you can find the text of the speeches here below:
- "The war against terrorism": a human rights perspective - Speech by Kate Gilmore, Amnesty International Executive Director Secretary General, at the European Social Forum, Florence
- "Stopping the Global Terror Trade" - Speech by Brian Wood, Amnesty International Campaign Coordinator, at the European Social Forum, Florence
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
(Davos, Switzerland, 23 -28 January 2002)
AI brought the same message to both Porto Alegre and Davos, which is that the human rights framework is fundamental if we are to hold perpetrators of human rights violations accountable, whether they are acting as agents of the state, for companies or other institutions, or as private individuals. In addition, in Davos, AI also:
- urged that the WEF and governments bring local and regional NGOs into their discussions on economic and political reform, at all levels; and
- argued that the legal accountability of companies in relation to human rights should be strengthened, in particular through the development of international law.
Irene Khan's speech at the World Economic Forum, 23 January 2003.
AI attended as well the civil society events around the World Economic Forum, including the "Public Eye on Davos".
Please find below the text of the speeches delivered by AI at the "Public Eye on Davos":
- 'Business and Human Rights: towards legal accountability', 23 January 2003 - David Petrasek, Senior Director of Policy
- 'Trading Stock: Corporate Social Responsibility and Human Rights', 24 January 2003 - Irene Khan, Secretary General
Press Releases:
- Legal accountability for corporations needed (ACT79/004/2003)
- World Social and Economic Fora: All human rights for all, everyone's responsibility (ACT79/002/2003)
- World Economic Forum/Media briefing: Doing business in the Russian Federation: the human rights approach (EUR 46/007/2003)
- Security for everybody during WEF Davos policing operations (EUR 43/001/2003)
Main publications disseminated at all Social Forums:
- Human Rights are Everybody's Business (AI Index: POL 34/008/2002)
- "Trading in terror" military, police and security transfers (AI Index: POL 34/011/2001)
- Refugees: "Rights wherever you are" (AI Index: POL 33/001/2002)
