e-CIVICUS - Connecting civil society worldwide - Number 148
3 February, 2002(5339)

CONTENTS:
SECTION 1. FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
SECTION 2. FEATURED NEWS-ITEM OF THE WEEK
SECTION 3. JOBS/ VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
SECTION 4. FELLOWSHIPS/ AWARDS
SECTION 5. CONFERENCES/ MEETINGS/ EXHIBITIONS
SECTION 6. PUBLICATIONS/ CALLS FOR PAPERS
SECTION 7. INTERNET NEWS/ FEATURED WEBSITES
SECTION 8. HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US
SECTION 9. "CIVIL SOCIETY WATCH" - a special supplemental digest

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SECTION 1. FROM THE DESK OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL

World Social Forum, World Economic Forum & global civil society
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Dear Friends,
This year the World Economic Forum (WEF) - an annual meeting of
heads of state, senior government officials, heads of inter-
governmental organisations (IGOs) and international financial
institutions (IFIs), and business leaders from around the world -
will take place in New York City, USA. Since 1971, Davos in
Switzerland, had served as the venue for this high-profile and
high-powered meeting. This year, the meeting will take place in New
York due to a combination of important events, notably the inability
of Swiss authorities to deal with overwhelming numbers of protestors
at last year's WEF, as well as the desire of the organisers to express
solidarity with a city which is recovering from its devastating
tragedy of September 11, 2001.

The WEF, which had hitherto sparked little interest among the
general public, shot into prominence last year. This had as much
to do with activists protesting outside the conference venue in
Europe, as with a new and parallel development in the southern
hemisphere. In Porto Alegre, Brazil, the first ever World Social
Forum (WSF) was held in 2001 as a counter reference point to the
WEF. Thousands of activists and representatives of civil society
organisations (CSOs) rallied around the slogan "Another World is
Possible", and participated in activities focusing on the social and
human dimensions of economic globalisation.

Civil society perspectives have historically been excluded from
international political and economic negotiations conducted among
heads of governments and businesses. Partly in response to the anti-
globalisation protests, and perhaps also due to internal
revisions of institutional policies, we are now witnessing the
gradual opening up of space for CSOs at these meetings. While
this is an encouraging sign of the willingness of IFIs and IGOs
to engage with civil society representatives, the precise extent
and effectiveness of such an engagement is still unclear.

CIVICUS, by virtue of its global reach and commitment to dialogue
has been invited to both the WEF and WSF. This will be the second
year of our participation at both events. We are committed to
expressing our solidarity with citizens and CSOs who will gather
at Porto Alegre from January 31st to February 5th, to advance our
common goals of greater social and economic justice and human rights
for all. This year, debt cancellation for the poorest countries will
feature as a top agenda item at the WSF. The CIVICUS delegation to
WSF will be led by Board member Sara Llongwe of Zambia, and will
include Finn Heinrich, CIVICUS Index Coordinator, and Andres Felipe
Corral, our staff representative in Latin America. We will host a
workshop on 'Democratising Global Governance'. There will also be a
CIVICUS informational booth, which we hope will provide us with a good
opportunity to reconnect with our members and other WSF participants.

CIVICUS will also participate in good faith at the WEF to be held
from February 1st to February 4th, where policy and decision-
makers from around the world will explore issues such as how to
make globalisation work for the poorest communities, and how to
ethically reconcile the global war against terrorism with threats
to citizens' civil liberties and human rights.

I will be representing CIVICUS in the NGO advisory council to the
WEF. I hope to use this opportunity to reflect on whether CIVICUS
should continue to engage with the WEF. This year, Greenpeace,
the international environmental and social advocacy organisation
withdrew from the WEF, as they felt there was no room for
negotiation within the meeting and that their energies were
better invested at the WSF. We respect their decision. At the
same time, however, we are aware that this highlights a dilemma
presented to those CSOs - CIVICUS included - who still wish to
create a space for dialogue and critical engagement. At this
point, the engagement option still seems to serve the cause of
civil society. If the space for civil society seems to be
closing, however, we will have to revise our options.

Next week, I will bring back a report from the WEF, while my CIVICUS
colleagues will report from Porto Alegre. We look forward to sharing
our perspectives with you in this column.

Warm regards, Kumi Naidoo

For further information, please visit
www.forumsocialmundial.org.br - the official website of WSF
www.weforum.org - official website of WEF
www.publiceyeondavos.ch - website of the campaign "The Public Eye
on Davos", launched in 1999 to critically monitor the activities
of WEF and offer alternatives
www.twnside.org.sg - website of the Third World Network, which is
closely monitoring both WEF and WSF

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SECTION 2. FEATURED NEWS-ITEM OF THE WEEK

Australian civil society groups rally in support of refugees in detention
centres

Refugees from Afghanistan and other south Asian countries ended their hunger
strike last week, when Australian authorities promised to review their
situation. Civil society organisations, with refugee rights groups at the
forefront, have struggled to draw public and official attention to the
demands of refugees, held in detention centres around the country. Over 200
men, women and children are detained in the desert camp, Woomera, where
living conditions are said to be particularly harsh, and far short of
international norms for humane treatment. For several months now, refugees
have resorted to extreme measures such as suicide attempts, throwing
themselves on the razor wire fence surrounding the camp, sewing their lips
together, and eventually declaring a hunger strike to highlight their
plight. Specific demands include immediate transfer to more liveable
environs, better information regarding the fate of their applications for
asylum, and expediting the process so that their futures do not hang in the
balance indefinitely.

International organisations, including Red Cross and the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while denouncing suicide attempts, have
called attention to the extreme desperation and hopelessness which drives
people to such acts of "self-harm". Philip Ruddock, Australia's Immigration
Minister, has now agreed to review the situation. The government has
defended Australia's tough policies, noting it is necessary to deter
potential illegal immigrants, and that critics have failed to acknowledge
that Australia has, statistically, been one of the most hospitable countries
in terms of receiving immigrants and asylum-seekers. A government-appointed
immigration detention advisory group has recommended that the Woomera camp
be shut down immediately and detainees transferred elsewhere.

The year 2001 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the UNHCR and the
international refugee convention. The occasion has been used by refugee and
human rights groups to call into question the systematic violation of the
refugee convention by many developed countries including Australia. In a
statement on January 28, the International Secretariat of Amnesty
International said, "As the risk of fatalities increases in ongoing unrest
within Australian immigration detention centres, it is clear that the
ten-year-old policy of mandatory detention is failing and needs urgent
review. No other country imprisons hundreds of children, and thousands of
men and women for lacking a visa under a national policy requiring their
automatic and indefinite detention, without charge or review by a court.
Contrary to the government's line, the policy of detention has not deterred
refugees - as most of them are found to be -- trying to arrive without
authorisation. The government claims that refugees with valid travel
documents are welcome, but people fleeing persecution often cannot apply for
visa at distant embassies and then wait months or years for approval."

Many religious leaders in Australia have come out forcefully in favour of
refugee rights. Although public opinion polls show the majority as
supporting tough immigration policies, groups such as the Refugee Action
Collective are hopeful that when presented with all the facts, the public
will support refugee rights.

Websites of interest:
www.rac-vic.org - Refugee Action Collective of Victoria
www.unhcr.ch - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
www.amnesty.org - Amnesty International
www.guardian.co.uk, www.news.com and www.ft.com, for continual coverage of
the story.

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SECTION 3. JOBS/ VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

POSITIONS: Multiple
ORGANISATION/INSTITUTION: Center for Gender in Organizations
DESCRIPTION: Seeking a part time research faculty member and half-time
program assistant for the Project on Women Business Leaders in Latin America
CONTACT:Center for Gender in Organizations
SIMMONS Graduate School of Management
409 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
USA
Tel: 1-617-521-3876 Fax: 1-617-521-3878

POSITION: HIV/AIDS Migration Focal Point-Pretoria, South Africa
ORGANISATION/INSTITUTION: International Organization for Migration
DESCRIPTION: To develop, in close collaboration with partner organizations,a
comprehensive regional strategy and programme for HIV/AIDS prevention,
mitigation and access to care for migrants and mobile populations. Should
have excellent English writing and communications skills; fluency in French
or Portuguese.
CONTACT: Administrative Support [email protected]

POSITION: Program Associate
ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION: Institute for Sustainable Communities
DESCRIPTION: Non-profit organization whose mission is to help communities
around the world address environmental, economic and social challenges.
Duties of Program Associate include supporting staff with activities in
Central and Eastern Europe and managing selected program components
including coordinating seminars, research activities, monthly reporting,and
preparing written updates.
Contact: Kim Foran
Office Manager
Institute for Sustainable Communities
56 College Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
USA
Tel: 802-229-2900

POSITION: Director of Administration-Ukraine and Balkans
ORGANIZATION/INSTITUTION: The Institute for Sustainable Communities
DESCRIPTION: To ensure the successful administration and financial
management of USAID program. Duties include assistING Chief of Party
in establishment of office(s) including legal registration, development
of financial and administrative systems, recruitment and training of
staff,supervision of administrative/financial staff. Qualifications: 5 years
senior financial, human resource management; ability to manage office
operations, grant/contract administration; knowledge of USAID regulations.
CONTACT: Send Resume, salary history and requirements immediately to
Director of Administration Search at email: [email protected] or
Fax 1-802-229-2919. Visit our website www.iscvt.org

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SECTION 4. FELLOWSHIPS/ AWARDS

The Institute for Policy Studies at The Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore,USA, invites applications for its International Fellows Program
for the 2002-2003 academic year. Applicants must have experience in urban
policy and be prepared to undertake extensive research in the realm of
declining older industrial cities. Fluency in spoken and written English is
required.
Contact: Marsha R. B. Schachtel - Program Director
email: [email protected]

Global Health Council Invites Nominations for Health and Human
Rights Award. The Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights is
designed to honor outstanding work in the area of global health
and human rights and to call continued attention to the vital links between
health and human rights. The award, a $20,000 cash prize, is presented
annually. Potential funding is used to enhance visibility and public
awareness of the issue or project nominee is addressing.
Deadline: February 1, 2002
Contact: [email protected]

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SECTION 5. CONFERENCES/ MEETINGS/ EXHIBITIONS
(Events marked with asterisk (*) are appearing in e-CIVICUS for the first
time)

*EVENT: African Women's Conference
ORGANISERS: African Women's Charity Organizations
DESCRIPTION: This conference is a platform to support the unity of all
African women organizations, women's organizations of churches, and the
women of youth organizations, in an international sisterhood. Issues on
housing, childcare, education, transportation, and clean drinking water will
be at the forefront of the conference.
DATE: Saturday, March 9, 2002, 10am-6pm
VENUE: Howard University
Downing Hall Auditorium
2300 6th St. NW
Washington, DC 20059, USA
CONTACT: African Women's Charity Organization
PO Box 23074 Oakland, CA 94623-0074, USA
Phone: 1-415-789-7360
Email: [email protected]

*EVENT: Pre-Pan commonwealth Forum on Open Learning 2002 Virtual
Conferences.
ORGANIZERS: Federation on Commonwealth Open and Distance Learning
Associations (FOCODLA) and The Commonwealth of Learning (COL)
DESCRIPTION: This is a lead-up to the second Pan-Commonwealth to be held at
the International Convention Center in Durban, South Africa, from
Monday, 29 July to Friday, 2 August 2002. Various conferences
are scheduled throughout the year all of which will be host by
one of the FOCODLA member organisations.
CONTACT: Dave Wilson
Communications Manager
The Commonwealth of Learning (C0L)
Suite 600-1285 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6h 3X8
Canada
Tel: 1-604-775-8200/Fax 1-604-775-8210
WEB: www.col.org/ email: [email protected]

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SECTION 6. PUBLICATIONS/ CALLS FOR PAPERS

"Resources for teaching: Income, Socioeconomic Status and Health" (VIDEO)
PBS Adult Learning Service: Income, Status, and Health, Episodes 101 &102,
which are 27 minutes each, and feature Lisa Berkman of Harvard and other
educational professionals from around the world. Intended as tool for
educators.
Contact: Barbara Krimgold
Center for the Advancement of Health
2000 Florida Ave. NW, Suite 210
Washington, DC 20009, USA
Tel: 1-202-387-2829 ext. 109 Fax: 1-202-387-2875
([email protected])

A Decade of NGO Partnerships: ISAR (JOURNAL)
ISAR Announces the Winter 2002 Issue of Give & Take: A Journal on Civil
Society in Eurasia. Presents experiences of partners in collaborative
efforts with other stakeholders. Includes reflections by US NGO
representatives on their experiences with long-term partnerships in the
Former Soviet Union. To receive
more information about ISAR please contact:
Tamara Kowalski ([email protected])
or send US$5.00 to
ISAR, 1601 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite #301,
Washington, DC 20009, USA
http://www.isar.org

Journalists Against Corruption or PCF (Spanish acronym), has issued a new
quarterly report of activities. These reports promote democratization
efforts in Latin America through supporting investigative journalist and
media that report on corruption and anti-corruption initiatives. (REPORT)
http://www.cipe.org/pfc/english.index.html or
http://www.cipe.org/pfc/english/reports/200201.html

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SECTION 7. INTERNET NEWS/ FEATURED WEBSITES

Nua Surveys - English losing dominance on the Web:
Global Reach has released its latest statistics on the
use of languages online. As of December 2001, only 43 percent of the
global online population were native English speakers. For more information
on the overall presence of various languages represented online, please
visit http: //www.nua.ie/surveys/
Author: Terri Willard [email protected]

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SECTION 8. HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US

CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation is an
international alliance dedicated to strengthening citizen action
and civil society throughout the world.
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THE e-CIVICUS TEAM:
Indira Ravindran
Patricia Sipher
Charles White
Gail Goodall
Jan Wells

Address:
CIVICUS, World Alliance for Citizen Participation
919, 18th Street, NW, 3rd Floor
Washington, DC, 20006, USA
Tel: 1-202-331-8518 Fax: 1-202-331-8774
Email: [email protected] Web: www.civicus.org

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SECTION 9. CIVICUS CIVIL SOCIETY WATCH

(The first issue of this special supplemental digest appeared in
last week's e-CIVICUS. The next issue will appear in the upcoming
e-CIVICUS #149)

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