Country Programmes

As China continues to play an important and more powerful role in the global political economy and especially in Asia, the more interest it generates from various sectors. There is now a growing awareness in civil society organisations and movements everywhere that they have to deeply understand, address and engage with the enigma that is China. Since June 2005, Focus on the Global South has been providing information and analysis about China and contributing to positive changes in China through assisting civil society organizations there to become more aware of progressive discourses and be more integrated with global civil society initiatives.

Objectives:
• To explain the role and impacts of China in the changing global dynamics to activists and the public;
• To contribute in the task of deepening of understanding about the connection between the crisis of overproduction and its consequences (economic, food and ecological crisis) and the realities in China to Chinese audience;
• To contribute to the strengthening of Chinese civil society.
• To strengthen solidarity partnership with progressive actors in China and facilitate their participation and inclusion in global social justice initiatives.

Set up in 1997 Focus’ India Programme (FIP) now functions out of two offices located in Mumbai and New Delhi. While engaging on regional issues remains a priority for FIP, our strength is credible relationships with national networks and processes. On Deglobalisation we work closely with broad based networks such as the Forum against FTAs, Indian Peoples Campaign against the WTO and the Peoples Forum against the ADB. As part of Peoples SAARC we attempt to articulate alternative regional frameworks such as a Peoples Union of South Asia. Our work on commons includes analysing the state of Indian agriculture and the trajectory of urban development (especially in the city of Mumbai) with a focal theme on sustainable cities. On peace and democracy our radar is on foreign policy in the South Asian sub-continent and West Asia. We are active members of networks such as Peace Mumbai and Citizens Initiative for Peace. On climate justice we monitor India’s position at the United Nations negotiations and the emerging national climate regime through networks such as the India climate justice group.

Click <a href="http://in.focusweb.org">here</a> to visit our microsite

Focus on the Global South Philippines Programme has been implementing in the Philippines, since November 2001, the regional programme of Focus on Global South. Since then Focus Philippines has evolved into more than just a country implementer, developing campaigns, initiatives, platforms and products that are grounded on Philippine issues while still reflecting the regional thrusts of Focus on the Global South.

Focus Philippines undertakes policy research and engages government agencies on national policy-making; it is involved in advocacy work and generates alternative information and critical analyses in aid of national and global debates; it builds networks and alliances and contributes to grassroots capability building. The main issues it adresses are deglobalization and transformation of the global economy, trade, poverty and social-economic justice and the commons, peace and democracy, climate justice.

In its country initiatives,the Philippines programme also devotes efforts on national and sector-based issues through its various thematic programs; two key Philippine projects are the Development Roundtable Series (DRTS) and Deconstructing Discourse and Activist Retooling Program (DDARP).

At the core of its work, the Philippines programme is motivated and defined by its main purpose: to stand with the poor and the marginalized. In presenting issues, in doing analysis, in making positions and defining alternatives to achieve system change, the Philippines programme strives to take their perspectives.

Click <a href="http://focusweb.org/philippines">here</a> to visit our microsite

The Thailand Country Programme of Focus on the global South has been in operation since 1997 and covers all thematic areas of Focus work with the emphasis on Deglobalisation, Reclaiming the Commons and Climate Justice. The key objectives include:
• To advance alternative economic and social policies toward social justice;
• To enlarge and defend the political space of social movements, community organizations, and the public in the country’s decision making processes;
• To build and strengthen the solidarity of the social movements across Asia and globally. The methodology adopted since the inception of the programme is micro-macro issues linking and coalition building for national advocacy.

One of the national coalitions which Focus has been involved in initiating and facilitating is FTA Watch, a coalition of social movements, NGOs, and activist academics working on FTAs and WTO issues since 2003. FTA Watch has made a significant contribution in the democratisation of treaty making procedure in Thailand through its campaigns for constitutional reform and the promotion of alternative organic law on the procedure. More recently, the Thai Working Group for Climate Justice (TCJ) was created as a national platform for engagement on climate change issues and related policies. At the regional level, Focus Thailand Programme is active in building links and space where civil society groups in the ASEAN can work together to promote a more progressive, people-centred regional cooperation.