MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ASSOCIATE-Philippines
Focus on the Global South Philippines Programme is in need of a MEDIA COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ASSOCIATE to join a team working on various thematic programmes – deglobalization and trade, the commons, alter- natives, peace and security and climate justice.
Focus on the Global South is looking for a Communications Coordinator (CC) to be based in New Delhi, India for a full time position.
We are looking for a candidate to join a team working on various thematic programmes – deglobalisation and trade, the commons, alternatives, peace and democracy and climate justice. The CC will play a key role alongwith our Communications team in revamping and reinventing Focus’ communications strategy and tools.
Call for Civil Society’s Participation
In the 2nd ASEAN Peoples’ Forum / 5th ASEAN Civil Society Conference
18-20 October 2009
Cha-am, Phetchaburi Province, Thailand
http://aseanpeoplesforum.net
Asian People's Solidarity for Climate Justice
The Gr8 Climate Sale
Video now available! To obtain a copy please contact
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The issue of climate change has come to the forefront and people both in the North and the South have been feeling the devastating effects of global warming. However, the links between the neo-liberal system and the model of over consumption to the climate crisis are not clearly stated.
The key weapons used by Thaksin’s opponents to destroy him are corruption and disloyalty; other issues seem irrelevant in comparison to these.
The disloyalty charge lost steam because of the difficulties in proving it; leaning on the institution is risky for both the leaner and the institution. More importantly, the red shirt and an increasing number of people tend to lose interest in this particular aspect.
The corruption charge has been clearly reinforced by the court verdicts, from hiding assets to using policies to favour vested interests. Thaksin’s defense did not fully fight back against this charge, but focused more on the calculation of the amount to be confiscated and the illegitimacy of the trial process, which was a product of the regime that attained power through a coup that ousted Thaksin.
Thaksin’s camp concentrated in showing that the other cliques, especially the old power or those they call “Ammat” (aristocrats), also cheat. They make use of the “double standard” argument that effectively exposed the bias of the elite. Pointing out what is already known to many and proving that every group of the Thai elite has appropriated public resources for their own personal gains, is probably their great contribution to the society.
Today, March 8, the International Day of Women, we march, together with
our sisters across the globe, to celebrate the lessons, the triumphs as
well as the challenges of our many-faceted struggles.
We are workers marching for full employment with dignity and equal
opportunity, amidst a backdrop of a hollowed-out domestic economy, of
unwieldy migrationand contractualization, precarious and informal work,
and chronic unemployment.
We are rural women, marching for food sovereignty, sustainable
livelihoods and meaningful asset reform, in a country characterized by
increasing hunger, where profit continues to define the production and
distribution of food; and wealth, inputs and productive assets remain
concentrated in the hands of a few families and corporations.
Imagine a way to save tropical rainforests without having to reduce greenhouse gases. Imagine a way to make environmental conservation profitable.
Some claim carbon trading is the best option for major corporations to pay for emitting pollution.
They can do this by buying a forest, or funding a conservation program in a developing country. But critics say this billion dollar business will only benefit banks and investors and allow polluters to keep on polluting.
The global carbon market is expanding, particularly in Asia. But is it reducing emissions or impeding real solutions to climate change?
On this edition of 101 East, we ask if carbon trading can slow down global warming.
This episode of 101 East airs from Thursday, February 18, 2010 at the following times GMT: Thursday: 1230; Friday: 0300; Saturday: 0530, 1730; Sunday: 0330, 1130; Monday: 1630; Tuesday: 1430; Wednesday: 0830, 1930; Thursday: 0630.
For more information please visit: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/101east/
We are pleased to share
with you the release of the FOCUS ON THE PHILIPPINES 2009 YEARBOOK: Extreme
Weather Events. The 320-page publication covers key issues and
events in the Philippines. The book was first shared with Focus friends and
partners during our 15th Year Anniversary Celebration last January
20, 2010.
To request for a copy, please contact: Lourdes Torres at lou_torres[at]focusweb.org, +63 2 4330899
by Akbayan! Representative Walden Bello
Like Hamlet, Shakespeare’s conflicted Prince of Denmark, China was caught between conflicting currents in Copenhagen. Its failure to manage these led to its biggest diplomatic debacle in years.
Almost a month after the debacle at the United Nations climate conference in Copenhagen (Conference of Parties or COP 15), the question of who scuttled the talks elicits fury and derision.
Interestingly, in many accounts, President Barack Obama comes across either as a figure who valiantly tries to rescue a doomed conference or as a well-meaning head of state whose hands are unfortunately tied by the realities of US politics
ON JAN. 1, 2010, the China-Asean Free Trade Area (Cafta) went into effect. Touted as the world’s biggest Free Trade Area, CAFTA is billed as having 1.7 million consumers, with a combined gross domestic product of $ 2 trillion and total trade of $ 1.3 trillion.
Under the agreement, trade between China and six Asean countries including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore has become duty-free for more than 7,000 products.
By 2015, the newer Asean countries, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar, will join the zero-tariff arrangement.
The propaganda mills, especially in Beijing, have been trumpeting the FTA as bringing “mutual benefits” to China and Asean. A positive spin on Cafta has also come from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who hailed the emergence of a "formidable regional grouping" that would rival the United States and the European Union.
The reality, however, is that most of the advantages will probably flow to China.
India International Centre, New Delhi
10th - 12th January, 2010
The discussions in the India-Pakistan Conference: A Road map towards Peace over the last three days have shown how far the public sentiment in both India and Pakistan is inclined towards peace. The participating organizations from both sides of the border represent a vast constituency which is ready to work towards building enduring and sustainable peace between the two countries.
We believe there is a real window of opportunity today, which must not be wasted. These ideas are presented here in a sincere effort to develop friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
This conference is not a stand alone event. The participants resolve to work in groups on each of the areas that were identified in the sessions, to further the gains of the conference.
A
number of organizations and eminent people in India have got together
to organise an ‘India-Pakistan Conference: A Road Map towards Peace’ at
the India International Center (IIC) from 10-12 January 2010.
Both
India and Pakistan have, for the last 62 years, seen many ups and downs
in bilateral relations and talk. But the current phase of composite
dialogue was significant. Four rounds had been completed, and the 5th
round was in progress. The last year’s attacks on Mumbai completely
hijacked this scenario and brought the relationship between the two
countries to breakdown point. This was further intensified by the war
hysteria whipped up by the religious right wing in both the countries.
“ALL our fears have come true,” said Akbayan party-list Rep. Walden Bello, reacting to the launch of the world’s biggest free trade area comprising China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Jan. 1
The China-Asean Free Trade Agreement (Cafta), lauded by governments as a spur to intraregional trade and investments, cuts import tariffs on about 90 percent of products and offers members access to a combined market of 1.7 billion consumers. Cafta is bigger than the European Union and the North American FTA in terms of trade value and population involved. But it has its detractors.
“We have warned against the detrimental effects of free trade agreements with strong economic powers like China, Japan, the US and Europe,” said Bello. “Unfortunately, all our fears have come true.
Political Stability is a scarce commodity in the troubled region of Middle East; henceforth, the ultimate priority of Mubarak’s government has essentially remained the same over the decades: to ensure minimum stability and preserve a semblance of domestic political consensus.
Nothing justifies or validates the overly ‘cautious’ and ‘restrictive’ response of the Egyptian authorities to the 1400 strong Gaza Freedom Marches from 42 countries, but one should still evaluate the overall socio-political context and discern the immense pressure under which the Egyptian government is forced to make decisions.
Focus on the Global South, a programme of development policy research, analysis and action, opens its 2009 Volunteer/Internship Program. The Focus internship is a non-salaried programme that is designed to provide exciting opportunities and exposure to highly-motivated college students, graduate students and fresh university graduates. Accepted interns/volunteers will have a chance to assist in a research on climate change.
The initiative People’s Agenda for Alternative Regionalisms, involves regional alliances such as Hemispheric Social Alliance (Latin America), Southern African People’s Solidarity Network- SAPSN (Southern Africa), Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy – SAPA (South East Asia), People’s SAARC (South Asia) as well as organisations and networks in Europe, including Transnational Institute (TNI), that struggle for “Another Europe”. These networks and the organisations part of them, share a strong commitment on the need to RECLAIM the regions, RECREATE the processes of regional integration and ADVANCE people-centered regional alternatives.
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