A civil society call to the Equator Principles Financial Institutions

To read the open letter sent to the Equatorial Banks endorsed by different civil society organisations, please visit the website of BANKTrack at www.banktrack.org or click this link.

Organizations and social movements, churches, indigenous populations and populations of African descent, youth, and networks of the central American region who are active participants and promoters of the Campaign "Climate Justice Now", demand the right of the Central American population and all people of the planet to live in peace with dignity, justice, gender equity, in harmony with nature, and in a planet free of global warming caused by human beings.

Updates from Asia, January 2010

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (10 December 2009) – On Human Rights Day, the Peoples' Movement on Climate Change (PMCC) demand negotiators in the UN Climate Change Conference to make human rights the center of their negotiations for a global climate deal.

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Copenhagen, Demark - Climate activists and people's organizations gather in front of the Bella Center on December 9, Wednesday, for the Peoples Action for Climate Solutions. The protest action comes on the third day of the 192-country UN Climate Change Conference, which is expected to conclude with a strong agreement for global action to address climate change.

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As world leaders meet for the 15th Conference of Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), people's groups in different countries including the Philippines hold protest actions to demand a people-centered response to the global climate crisis.

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Asian Regional Consultation
November 6-7, 2009
Bangkok, Thailand

Barcelona, 4 November (Josie Lee) -- Tensions rose in discussions on enhanced action on capacity-building in the contact group under the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative Action under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as developing countries were frustrated by the lack of progress at the climate talks in Barcelona.

Barcelona, 4 November (Hira Jhamtani) -- Deep frustrations on the part of developing countries were heightened during the second day of the Barcelona climate change talks because developed countries are dragging their feet in concluding work on their emission reduction commitments beyond 2012. Developed countries are obligated by the Kyoto Protocol to agree on a second commitment period.

Grassroots organizations of migrants, advocates and concerned groups under the network Migrants' Caucus on ASEAN call on to leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members to work for the genuine development of countries in the region that will put an end to forced migration and the commodification of migrant workers.

We, participants in the Asia Pacific Roundtable on the ASEAN, Labor Migration and Free Trade Agreements, unite in our commitment to advance the rights and wellbeing of migrants (including those considered as irregular), political refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced peoples; ensure that the genuine interests of migrants are upheld in the ASEAN, and; expose and resist adverse impacts to migrant workers of bilateral free trade agreements on labor migration.

Every day, women are confronted of compounding problems of the society andthey struggle to be able to surpass these challenges and to make ends meet for their families to survive. With their resourcefulness and their ability to adapt in various conditions, their roles in the society have evolved and had gone beyond nurturing the families.

Over the years, their roles in the society and environment have been more evident and important especially during these times of overarching crises that we deal with. But despite this, they still remain to be marginalized. They still face discrimination and worse, they are also now being targeted by militarization as they become more active in their call for genuine solutions to the problems of the society.

Today, 8 March, is the International Women's Day Celebration and this year's celebration signals the 100th year of victory and continuing struggle of women in the society. A number of protest actions around the world are happening right now, all with the same aspiration to emancipate women and to work towards genuine development of the people.

Photo: Gabriela- National Alliance of Women's Organizations in the Philippines

Manila, Philippines - To kick off the commemoration of International Women's Day on March 8, GABRIELA led about 300 women to Mendiola to denounce the political repression, human rights violations, and violence against women perpetrated under the Arroyo government.

Another ADB-funded project to monitor from October and beyond

While majority of humanity suffer from the many detrimental impacts of water shortage, still many take water for granted – especially market-driven multi-lateral institutions that implement projects that are insensitive to the needs and safety of people and communities.

 

The maiden issue of IFI Water Watch Alerts is now out. This issue discusses the global water crisis.

Click the image to download the file.

The Water for the People Network has released a compilation of studies of proven effective water management systems by communities and people's organizations in a some Asian countries. Other studies will follow this book.

Click the image to download the book.

 

Prime minister of Nepal committed to incorporate food Sovereignty as fundamental right of the people in coming constitution of Nepal

On the occasion of the 29th world food day a Seminar on "situation of Right to Food in Nepal and State's obligations" was organized successfully by The National Network on Right to Food, Nepal. The chief guest of the program was Rt. Hon'ble Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. The glorious program was held in auditorium hall of tourism board. Members from different organizations of the Network including ANPFa, S AAPE, RTFN, FECOFUN, Action Aid, survivor of the violation of right to food and others participated the programme in that packed hall.

The Institute for National and Democratic Studies (INDIES) of Indonesia, in cooperation with Asia Pacific Research Network (APRN), has come up with a policy study that provides an in-depth study and analysis of the impact of biofuel production on food sovereignty in Asia and to formulate policy recommendations on European Union policy.

An ebook version of this material may be downloaded from the Resources section.

A podcast of the People's Tribunal on ADB can now be heard or downloaded. Available at 3CR Community Radio (www.3cr.org.au), the podcast is presented by Sonia Randhawa. The People's Tribunal on ADB was held in Bali, Indonesia in May 2-3 this year.

The books Coordinated Research Conference on Agrarian Reform and Impact of Globalization on Women Labor can now be read online. Just click on the Coordinated Researches tab on the main menu, and you will be able to read these books online. The books are formatted in PDF, but are divided by subject for easy reading and downloading. Or you may click on the links below:

APRN Coordinated Research Conference on Agrarian Reform

Research Conference on Impact of Globalization on Women Labor

You may download the books by clicking here.