Past Events
- UNCTAD "Responding to Global Crises: New Development Paths". 10-11 May 2010, Geneva
- Thematic Forum on Alternatives to Financial Crisis. Mexico City, Mexico. 2-4 May 2010.
- Human Rights Council follow-up on the 10th Special Session on the Global Financial and Economic Crises, including the presentation of the "Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the impact of the global economic and financial crises to the realization of all human rights and on possible actions required to alleviate it". 1 March 2010, Geneva
- CESR, ESCR-Net and NGLS side event "Human Rights Responses to the Global Economic Crisis" 4 March 2010, Geneva 13:15-15:00
- World Social Forum: Societies and Governments: debates and alternatives for a post-crisis world. Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. 29-31 January 2010
- International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP): Colloquium on Human Rights in the Global Economy. 11-13 January 2010
- UNRISD: "Social and Political Dimensions of the Global Crisis: Implications for Developing Countries" 12-13 November 2009
- Peoples' Global Action on Migration, Development and Human Rights: "The Global Economic Crisis and its Impact on Migrants". See also Migrants Rights International for more information. 1-5 November 2009
- DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New era) at the Asia Pacific Forum on Beijing +15. "Beyond the Crisis: Forging Ahead wtih Development Alternatives". 22-24 October 2009
- World Bank/IMF Annual meeting. Focused on the economic and financial crises and governance reform. For commentary by NGOs and human rights organizations, see Choike. 6-7 October 2009.
- G20 Pittsburgh Summit, 24-25 September 2009. United States President Obama will chair this meeting of leaders from countries around the world that represent 85 percetn of the world's economy. Leaders will review the progress made since the Washington and London Summits and discuss further actions for a sound and sustainable recovery from the global financial and economic crisis.
- Statement of the Women's Working Group on Financing for Development
- Mark Weisbrot "The G20 Fantasy" The Guardian, 27 September 2009
- Human Rights Council: 12th Session. Follow up to Special Session on Financial Crisis. 17 September 2009
- CESR, ESCR-Net and COC co-sponsored side event "Responding to the Global Economic Crisis -- Are Human Rights Relevant?" 17 September 2009, 13:00-15:00, Room XII Palais des Nations, Geneva
- International Service for Human Rights: Summary of Council debate on follow-up session to the special sessions on the food and financial crises.
- Launch of The 2009 Social Forum, 31 August to 2 September. The Social Forum will focus on negative impacts of the crisis on efforts to combat poverty.
- UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Side Event on UN Economic Crisis Conference Follow-up. 23 July 2009.
- International Conference of Governments and Social Movements "Regional Integration, An Opportunity to Face the Crises" 21-22 July, Asunci??n, Paraguay.
- UN General Assembly 24-26 June 2009 United Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development
- This conference aimed at identifying both emergency and long term policy responses to mitigate the consequences of the crisis. Building on the agenda of the Financing for Development process, much of the focus of this conference was on how to reform the financial architecture of global governance, as well as how to ensure that policy decisions are made in a globally representative body (such as the UN as compared with the G8) and how to establish mechanisms to help the poorest countries to survive the impacts of the crisis. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the conference that a human rights perspective brings tremendous value in developing national and international responses to a crisis. She noted that the economic crisis, in addition to those relating to food and fuel, are not only crises of development, but of human rights as well. "It identifies critical vulnerabilities due to multiple forms of marginalization and inequality, including discrimination based on gender, ethnicity and nationality," she said. "Government responses to economic hardship that do not seek to address such asymmetries of power and status by levelling the playing field are both short-sighted and unjust."
- Read CESR's statement
- Read the joint ESCR-Net statement
- Read about other civil society events at the UN conference
- Read the civil society's reponses to the conference
- Find out about the Working Group established to follow up on the issues in the outcome document of the conference
- This conference aimed at identifying both emergency and long term policy responses to mitigate the consequences of the crisis. Building on the agenda of the Financing for Development process, much of the focus of this conference was on how to reform the financial architecture of global governance, as well as how to ensure that policy decisions are made in a globally representative body (such as the UN as compared with the G8) and how to establish mechanisms to help the poorest countries to survive the impacts of the crisis. Navi Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, told the conference that a human rights perspective brings tremendous value in developing national and international responses to a crisis. She noted that the economic crisis, in addition to those relating to food and fuel, are not only crises of development, but of human rights as well. "It identifies critical vulnerabilities due to multiple forms of marginalization and inequality, including discrimination based on gender, ethnicity and nationality," she said. "Government responses to economic hardship that do not seek to address such asymmetries of power and status by levelling the playing field are both short-sighted and unjust."
- ESCR-Net and others "People's voices on the crisis" 20 June 2009
- UNCTAD Public Symposium - 18-19 May 2009.
- It brought together civil society voices that have been largely excluded from the debate. The outcomes of the meeting included a call for an inclusive response to the crisis, reform of the global economic architecture, particular attention to the poor and the creation of jobs as priorities in policy responses.
- Read CESR's statement for this conference
- Listen to CESR's oral contribution to the symposium and to the third Plenary Session's Chairperson's recognition of the need for such a human rights framework
- Review a summary of the Symposium's discussion
- It brought together civil society voices that have been largely excluded from the debate. The outcomes of the meeting included a call for an inclusive response to the crisis, reform of the global economic architecture, particular attention to the poor and the creation of jobs as priorities in policy responses.
- ECOSOC with Bretton Woods Institutions, WTO and UNCTAD. 27 April 2009. Outcome document
- UN General Assembly interactive thematic dialogue on the world financial and economic crisis and its impact on development, 25 to 27 March 2009. Outcome Documents
- Human Rights Council 10th Special Session, 20 Feb 2009.
- The 10th Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council focused on "The Impact of the Global Economic and Financial Crises on the Universal Realization and Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights." It took place on February 20, 2009. This session was called to raise awareness among policymakers about the urgency addressing the economic and financial crises from a human rights perspective. The Human Rights Council's Resolution highlighted the urgent need to establish an equitable, transparent and democratic system to strengthen and broaden the participation of developing countries in international economic decision-making. The Council also called upon States to refrain from reducing international financial resources for development and from imposing protectionist measures.
- Read the Special Session's Resolution (A/HRC/S-10L.1)
- Read the Statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
- Read the NGO written statements submitted
- The 10th Special Session of the UN Human Rights Council focused on "The Impact of the Global Economic and Financial Crises on the Universal Realization and Effective Enjoyment of Human Rights." It took place on February 20, 2009. This session was called to raise awareness among policymakers about the urgency addressing the economic and financial crises from a human rights perspective. The Human Rights Council's Resolution highlighted the urgent need to establish an equitable, transparent and democratic system to strengthen and broaden the participation of developing countries in international economic decision-making. The Council also called upon States to refrain from reducing international financial resources for development and from imposing protectionist measures.
- The Interactive Panel of the UN General Assembly on the Global Financial Crisis. 30 October 2008.
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