– NEWSLETTER – APRIL 2011 – The Geneva Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES Geneva) presents its newsletter, designed to inform you of our activities and publications as well as of recent and upcoming events and developments at the Geneva-based international organizations. If you do not want to receive this newsletter please Unsubscribe. Das Genfer Büro der Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES Genf) freut sich, Ihnen unseren jüngsten Newsletter vorzustellen. Dieser enthält Informationen über unsere Veranstaltungen und Neuerscheinungen und bringt Sie auf den neuesten Stand von Entwicklungen in Genfer internationalen Organisationen. Sollten Sie diesen Newsletter nicht erhalten wollen, dann können Sie ihn hier abbestellen. INDEX | Upcoming Events| Recent Events| International Agenda| Publications| Subscribe| ******************************************************************************* UPCOMING EVENTS MAY JULY 2011 Please note that participation in all events is by invitation only. 03 MAY, GENEVA| ACTRAV/ ETUC/ FES/ ITUC CONSULTATIVE MEETING IN PREPARATION OF THE ILO DEBATE ON SOCIAL SECURITY (“SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOOR”) During the 100 th session of the International Labour Conference in June 2011, social protection will be one of the major topics. The aim of this meeting is to provide a platform for European trade union specialists on social security to develop a common strategy for the upcoming conference. Information 9 MAY, GENEVA| PUBLIC PANEL DISCUSS ION:“WHO WANTS WHAT ? SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ASPIRATIONS IN THE„ARAB SPRING‟ AND THEIR C HANCES OF SUCCESS” The panel discussion supported by FES and organized by a group of students of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute will explore the manifold levels and reasons of the current political upheavals in North Africa. Participation is not restricted at this event, taking place, 6.30 – 8.00 pm, Graduate Institute Geneva, Auditorium Jaques-Freymond, 132 rue de Lausanne, site Barton. 31 MAY, ZURICH| INTERNATIONAL SECURI TY FORUM:“NUCLEAR W EAPONS AND THE MIDDLE EAST” The ISF 2011 shall take place from 30 May to 1 June in Zurich. Friedrich Ebert Foundation is co-organizing a

panel, 31 May, to discuss“Nuclear Weapons and the Middle East”. This panel intends to raise a number of open issues in relation to the 2010 Review Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty on the NonProliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The Review Conference endorsed a special conference to be convened in 2012 – to be attended by all states of the Middle East. It is supposed to inquire into the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. Information 05- 10 JUNE, GENEVA| INCOMING: STUDY VISIT ON THE OCCASION OF THE 100TH INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE Since 2010, each year a delegation of trade union coordinators from FES offices is invited for a study visit on the occasion of the ILC. The purpose of the program is to acquaint our colle agues with ILO’s mandate and methods of work as well as with the current topics and problems discussed by its tripartite constituents. 23 JUNE, GENEVA| UNCTAD PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM 2011: BREAKOUT SESSION ON GREEN TRANSITION AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN LDCS: TAKING STOCK OF LDC-IV Jointly organized with CUTS Geneva Resource Centre, this event seeks to discuss issues related to implementing the LDC-IV outcomes in a manner that would promote development-oriented transition to green economy in LDCs, which also addresses poverty related issues. Information 04- 05 JULY, GENEVA| EXPERT MEETING ON NEXT STEPS REGARDING BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS AT THE UN In June 2011, John Ruggie, SRSG on Business and Human Rights, will present his final report to the Human Rights Council, which will then decide how to continue on the issue further on. FES and the Institute on Business and Human Rights, in collaboration with OHCHR will invite experts to debate the impac t of the HRC’s decision and identify ways to integrate the“UN Guiding Principles” into accountability mechanisms for human rights ’ violations by private actors. ******************************************************************************* ▲

RECENT EVENTS JANUARY APRIL 2011 06 APRIL, GENEVA| FES-GCSPUNIDIR WORKSHOP:“RE INFORCING DISARMAMENT: COMBATING ILLICIT TRADE IN WEAPONS AND MATERIALS – REGIONAL CHALLENGES ” This event brought together academic experts, diplomats, military officers as well as civil society representatives on the following issues:(i) Is an Arms Trade Treaty necessary and sufficient to fight against illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons?(ii) How can developed states assist the weaker states, especially in Africa, to cope with the heavy legislative and regulatory requirements of an effective combat against illicit trafficking?(iii) How can exporters and importers of arms provide credible assurances regarding their intended uses?(iv) How can the various stakeholders improve their acquisition of reliable information related to illicit trafficking in weapons-relevant areas? Program Report 17 MARCH, GENEVA| SIDE EVENT AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL: CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS The impact of climate change on the enjoyment of human rights is by now well established. Linked to the Universal Periodic Review of the Maldives and the United States of America, this side event took stock of current developments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change from a human rights perspective and debated options to achieve greater coherence between the human rights and climate debates. Program Report 15 MARCH, BRUSSELS| EXPERT ROUNDTABLE:“THE DOH A RIDDLE: EU AS PARNTER OR RIVAL OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES? ” FES Geneva and FES Brussels organized this roundtable to bring together experts from both towns for an exchange of views on the current state of the Doha round. How does a wider expert public in Brussels, in particular, the European Parliament see the current situation in Geneva? How closely are the discussions within the WTO with a strong participation from the Global South monitored in Brussels? How does the expert community in Geneva evaluate the present state of affairs in general and more specifically the position of the European Union? The meeting was held under Chatham House Rules. Program Report 24 FEBRUARY- 25 MARCH, GENEVA| 16 TH SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL The 16 th session of the Human Rights Council adopted 40 resolutions and decisions, among them a resolution

establishing a Special Rapporteur on the situation in Iran – the first new country mandate since creation of the Council; and on issues like “ Combating intolerance[...] against persons based on religion or belief. ” The session also react ed to the current developments in the Arab world, following the GA’s decision to suspend Libya’s membership in the Council. Furthermore, a positive trend of cross -regional initiatives became evident – many of the adopted resolutions were tabled by coalitions of states from different regional groups. Report 24- 25 FEBRUARY, BERLIN| INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT In 1986, the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Right to Development. Organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a debate on 25 years of achievements and challenges to this right took place in Berlin. The conference started with a keynote speech by Navanethem Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, followed by a high-level panel, including the former German Federal Minister for Development Cooperation, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul, to discuss the links between human rights and development in a globalized world. On the following day, an expert symposium debated practical ways forward to moving this right from political rhetoric to development practice. Program Information 22 FEBRUARY, GENEVA| INFORMAL LUNCH MEETING ON ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND HUMAN RIGHTS At its 16 th session, the UN Human Rights Council(HRC) had to decide on a resolution on“human ri ghts and the environment”. Before the start of the session, FES, in cooperation with Earthjustice and CIEL invited the core group supporting this resolution to a lunch meeting, discussing the implications of the draft resolution and its relation to previou s resolutions on“human rights and climate change”. The meeting contributed thus to achieving consensus for the successful adoption of the resolution by the HRC. Program Report ******************************************************************************* ▲ INTERNATIONAL AGENDA MAY JULY 2011 09 – 13 MAY, ISTANBUL| UN LDC-IV CONFERENCE Once in a decade, the United Nations are organizing a conference solely focusing on the needs and challenges of the Least Developed Countries(LDCs). When the category LDC was initially created in 1971, 25 countries belonged to this group whereas despite all initiatives the number has steadily increased. Today, the world has 49 LDCs characterized by structural weakness and extreme poverty.

Information 01 – 17 JUNE, GENEVA| 100TH INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE Decent work for domestic workers, labour administration and labour inspection, and strategic objective of soci al protection(social security) are the main topics for this year’s ILC. The International Labour Conference is the highest body of the ILO where each of the 183 member states is represented by four delegates: two government, one employer and one worker delegate. Information 30 MAY- 17 JUNE, GENEVA| 17TH SESSION OF THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL The UN body for human rights is meeting in three regular sessions per year in Geneva. In the upcoming session, the Human Rights Council will, among others, discuss reports on the following issues: human rights and transnational corporations; human rights of migrants; freedom of expression; human rights implications of extreme poverty and of foreign debt. Information ******************************************************************************* ▲ P UBLICATIONS NEW PUBLICATION “THE U N SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOOR INITIATIVE – TURNING THE TIDE AT THE ILO CONFERENCE 2011” BY MICHAEL CICHON, CHRISTINA BEHREND AND VERONIKA WODSAK The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and its Geneva Office in particular are following closely the debate about a worldwide social protection floor. The topic will be one of the main subjects dealt with at the upcoming 100th International Labour Conference in June 2011. Download FULL REPORT OF THE 2010 WTO PUBLIC FORUM AVAILABLE: “ The F orces Shaping World Trade” was the topic of the 2010 Public Forum of the World Trade Organization (WTO). At this event, FES Geneva hosted a panel discussion“ Social standards and human rights clauses in trade agreements: Window dressing , hidden protectionism or furthering the cause?” featuring the following panelists: H.E. Ambassador Eduardo Muñoz Gómez, Permanent Mission of Colombia to the WTO; Mr John

Clarke, Acting Head, Permanent Delegation of the European Union to the WTO; Mr Pradeep S. Mehta, Secretary General, CUTS International; Ms Claudia Hofmann, Research Associate, University of Kassel, Germany. Download the WTO Report Download FES Side Event Report ******************************************************************************* ▲ More publications are available on our webpage. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your email address, send an e-mail to info@fes-geneva.org. ******************************************************************************************************************************** The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung office in Geneva is part of the overall program “Dialogue on Globalization” since 2002. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr. Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org ***********************************************************************************************************************************