Another world is possible!       

WSF 2007 overview

From 20-25 January 2007, the World Social Forum took place in Nairobi, Kenya. For the first time, activists from around the globe gathered on the African continent in support of the slogan 'Another world is possible'. 

The WSF 2007 brought the world to Africa as activists, social movements, networks, coalitions and other progressive forces from Asia-Pacific, Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Europe and all corners of the African continent converged in Nairobi for five days of cultural resistance and celebration, panels, workshops, symposia, processions, film nights and much more.

From its modest origins in Porto Alegre in the year 2001, the World Social Forum has mushroomed into a global counter-force challenging the assumptions and diktats of imperialism and its associated neo-liberal policies that have over the decades, imposed colonialism and neo-colonialism; devastated Southern economies; bolstered the disastrous and repressive reigns of assorted tin pot dictatorships; marginalized women; disenfranchised youth; intensified the destruction of the environment; unleashed bloody, inhuman and needless military conflicts in nation after nation, region after region and deepened the exploitation of poor peoples around the world.

Rallying around the clarion call of Another World Is Possible, the World Social Forum has placed social justice, international solidarity, gender equality, peace and defence of the environment on the agenda of the world‘s peoples. From Porto Alegre to Mumbai to Bamako to Caracas, Karachi and now Nairobi, the forces and the contingents of the World Social Forum have collectively expanded the democratic spaces of those seeking concrete, sustainable and progressive alternatives to imperialist globalisation.

Equalinrights at the World Social Forum

Equalinrights participated in the World Social Forum in Nairobi as a member of the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus. For us, WSF 2007 was an amazing event of international solidarity, though it highlighted the many human rights and development challenges to be overcome. Look here for reports on equalinrights' activities and articles on WSF 2007.

Our aims at WSF 2007

We approached the WSF as a process of support, engagement and change - rather than a one-off event. Beyond specific events, we also planned to support others in their work around poverty and human rights, participate in non-human rights related events to create awareness on the importance of redressing rights; and promote the work of equalinrights. Specifically, we aimed to:

1. Support organisations in translating the human rights-based approach (HRBA) into a persuasive and practical framework for their work;
2. Offer practical tools for application;
3. Foster critical analysis of problematic areas around learning and application of the HRBA and foster networking and increased collaboration;
4. Stregthen relationships with existing and new partners; and
5. Create visibility for equalinrights in core areas of our mandate.

What did we do?

As a member of the core organising group of the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus, equalinrights participated in a series of planning and strategy meetings during 2006, contributing to the preparation of the overall Caucus programme, logistics and coordination. Equalinrights also co-coordinated two themes of the Caucus programme: (a) human rights and social and economic struggles and (b) human rights and gender equity struggles. Equalinrights also co-facilitated a number of events:

1. The power of power analysis: a how-to workshop for effective human rights-based advocacy (in collaboration with Just Associates)
2. Human rights and the struggle for gender equity (seminar in collaboration with EACOR and ICCO)
3. Universality, culture and human rights (structured debate in collaboration with LWF and Church of Sweden)
4. Come and join us in building a human rights city! Societal development through human rights learning workshop in collaboration with PDHRE)

For an outline of these events and reports on our other activities during the WSF, have a look at equalinrights' WSF evaluation report

Are you interested in follow-ups from these and other activities within the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus? See our WSF 2008 page or send an email to info@equalinrights.org

Articles on WSF 2007

Opinions about the goal and the development process of the World Social Forum are quite divided, as could also be seen in this year's WSF in Nairobi. A small selection of articles and reports on this event could give you an idea: 

This network, consisting of feminist organisations around the globe, functions as a information resourc centre. For the WSF, GSN has compiled a number of articles.

OneWorld

Gathering reports and articles from alternative media organisations and grassroots organisations, this website offers a broad view on this year's and previous World Social Forums.

TerraViva

TerraViva is the family of independent periodicals published by IPS-Inter Press Service - The Global News Agency. During and after the WSF, this group has been reporting about activities, opinions, struggles and advancements that took place.

A Lesson from the Poor

Professor Bas de Gaay Fortman participated in the WSF as the Chair of equalinrights. Observing reality inside and outside the Forum, he expresses his thoughts on the development process of the WSF in this article.

Weblog WSF by Mary Robinson

Mrs. Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and founding director of the organisation Realising Rights, has taken part as a key speaker in the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus of the WSF. She kept a weblog on her experiences in Nairobi.