Search website

 

  

World Social Forum 2008


In 2008, the World Social Forum (WSF) was a week of action culminating in a Global Day of Mobilisation and Action on 26 January 2008. For the first time, the WSF was fully decentralised, allowing every organisation and movement to carry out their own activities where they wished. The overlap with celebration the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) provided an extra opportunity for linkage to draw out central human rights struggles of today and the need for action!

For the WSF 2008, equalinrights again join together with a diverse range of organisations as the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus. The Caucus is a flexible coalition working to ensure human rights issues and values receive due attention within the WSF this year focused on the need for greater accountability from all duty bearers for realisation of all human rights. As a member of the Caucus, equalinrights engaged in a number of iniativies:

  1. Online discussion about gender equity and women's rights at the WSF
  2. Press conference on human rights accountability in Davos, Switzerland, 22 January
  3. Human Rights Accountability Contest

1. ICCO and equalinrights host an e-discussion on gender equity and women's rights at the World Social Forum (WSF) beginning Sunday, 20 January 2008.


What: Online discussion on gender equity and women’s rights at the World Social Forum

When: Sunday, 20 January – Monday, 28 January 2008

Who: Individuals and organisations working for gender equity/women’s rights, especially those that have participated in past WSFs and/or plan to attend WSF 2009 in Brazil

How: Contact Janet Rodenburg, ICCO Advisor Gender & Partner Policy: Janet.Rodenburg(at)icco.nl or +31 30 8801596

To learn more please read the full invitation, invitación en español or l'invitation francais.

Join the gender equity Dgroup and visit the related wiki.

2. Press conference in Davos, Switzerland, 22 January: Promoting human rights accountability in environmental matters


The nexus between the environment and human rights is clear and has been repeatedly stressed by various international bodies and experts. In particular, the potential or actual adverse effects on the environment of States and Corporations actions have a direct impact on, among others, the human right to life, to health, to water, to development, to work, to culture (especially as regards indigenous peoples) and to housing. This event will therefore celebrate the 60th anniversary of the UDHR by stressing its relevance in the current debate over environmental issues such as climate change and toxic waste.

On 22 January, preceeding the opening of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus held a roundtable discussion in Davos with NGO representatives, prominent experts and media to highlight the different human rights directly or indirectly affected by adverse actions on the environment. The event emphasized growing human rights accountability gaps in relation to land, habitat and environment - expected to be key topics at the WEF. For more information about the press conference, contact Caucus representative Sébastien Ramu at sra(at)lutheranworld.org.

Press coverage of the Caucus' work:

Read the relevant documents for the Human Dignity & Human Rights Caucus press conference:


Some other interesting links:

3. Human Rights Accountability Contest


In November 2007, the Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus launched a call for proposals to organise activities during January 2008 at local, national, regional and international levels. Proposed activities (including events, projects and initiatives) focused innovative ways to redress accountability deficits in realising human rights . The Caucus sought to support activities supporting effective awareness, dialogue, research, action or advocacy to hold responsible actors to account for realising a pressing human rights issue or redressing violations committed. An international jury choose four winning proposals out of more than 50 to receive financial support from the Caucus to carry out their initiatives.

OrganisationTitle of the projectShort Description of Activities
Radio La Benevolencija Humanitarian Tools FoundationProject for the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the UDHR.Diffusion of broadcast successful stories by 4 large-scale gatherings in Rwanda
BUSTANFacing human rights abuses of the Bedouin communityTraining of Bedouin activists in human rights and digital media in January, 2008 in the Negev region of IsraelTraining of Bedouin activists in human rights and digital media in January, 2008 in the Negev region of Israel
Health and Development Center for Afghan women (HDCAW)Rights for PeaceReducing cases of women‘s rights violation and prevention of violence
The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)Protection of Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples in the AmazonPetitioning the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and testifying at a thematic hearing to promote the human rights of uncontacted peoples in the Amazon.

4. Background information about the equalinrights' work for WSF 2008


Write an email to Rosa Sánchez for questions or remarks about the Caucus.

Enter the Caucus blog at http://hdhrc.over-blog.com/.

Read the fall 2007 outreach letter of Human Dignity and Human Rights Caucus Coordinator Rosa Sánchez: