– NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2012 – 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| FES Geneva and Rio+20| Subscribe| ******************************************************************************* UPCOMING EVENTS MARCH JUNE 2012 Please note that participation in some events is by invitation only. 25- 27 MARCH 2012, GENEVA| SAFE COMMUNITIES, RESILIENT SYSTEMS: TOWARDS A NEW ACTION FRAMEWORK FOR BUSINESS AND PEACEBUILDING CHATEAU DE BOSSEY The Geneva Peacebuilding Platform and the Geneva Office of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, in collaboration with the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office will hold this expert meeting as first gathering of a oneyear process that works towards a new action framework for business and peacebuilding. This framework focuses on how best to strengthen the dispute resolution and prevention capacities of communities on the ground, as well as the respective roles of business and peacebuilding actors to support such efforts. 29- 30 MARCH 2012, GENEVA| THE ILO’S SOCIAL PROTECTION FLOOR – LOBBYING FOR A STRONG RECOMMENDATION CHATEAU DE BOSSEY At the 101 st international labour conference in June 2012, delegates from governments, employers and workers will decide on a recommendation for a worldwide social protection floor. To achieve a strong recommendation, support by all stakeholders is needed. NGOs might play a crucial role in this process. At this two days workshop, NGOs from North and South will come together to strengthen strategic alliances in favour of a strong ILO recommendation. 30 APRIL- 04 MAY 2012, GENEVA| FES/WTO SEMINAR FOR FRENCH SPEAKING JOURNALISTS FROM SUB-SAHARA AFRICA ON WORLD TRADE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

“World Trade and Sustainable Development” is the title of the regular one week information seminar for journalists from developing countries specialized in economy and trade. FES Geneva and the World Trade Organization(WTO) select journalists from about 15 countries to provide them with a deeper understanding of the multilateral trading system and social aspects of development. Additional insights are offered by meetings with other international institutions, such as UNCTAD and the ILO, and NGOs. 04 – 08 JUNE 2012, GENEVA INCOMING| STUDY VISIT ON THE OCCASION OF THE 101ST INTERNATIONAL LABOUR CONFERENCE How does the ILC work? Which decisions will be taken regarding a social protection floor and how will the debate on the issue of precarious work for young people unfold? These and other questions are at the heart of this year`s one week training seminar for trade union coordinators from twelve different FES offices in Africa. ******************************************************************************* ▲ RECENT EVENTS OCTOBER 2011 – FEBRUARY 2012 20 – 24 FEBRUARY 2012, GENEVA| ICAN TRAINING FOR DISARMAMENT ACTIVISTS FROM THE MENA REGION This one-week seminar served to train campaigners on nuclear disarmament issues to strengthen the advocacy work of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons in the Middle East and North African Region. Further Information 30- 31 JANUARY 2012, GENEVA| DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES IN THE GLOBAL TRADING SYSTEM- FOR NON-OECD, NON-BRICS, AND NON-LDC COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA CHATEAU DE BOSSEY At this two days workshop, high-level policy makers from various“smaller” Latin American countries discussed different aspects of the current world trading system. Program 25- 27 JANUARY 2012, GENEVA| EXPERT MEETING ON HUMAN RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE CHATEAU DE BOSSEY Human rights impacts of environmental factors and especially the consequences of climate change are at the same time undeniable and neglected. This expert meeting focused on practical ways to include human rights

principles in both, policies and activities relating to climate change, as well as within the debate on sustainable development, leading up to the Rio+20 UN Summit on Sustainable Development. Program 14- 17 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA| LDC INCOMING GROUP TO WTO MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE The topmost decision-making body of the World Trade Organization is the Ministerial Conference, which meets every two years. In close cooperation with the WTO Secretariat, FES Geneva invited journalists from Least Developed Countries to come to Geneva and to be right up close at the Ministerial Conference. Thus, the selected journalists reported directly from the spot and were invited to special meetings for LDC journalists only. 14 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA| BOOK LAUNCH AND COCKTAIL RECEPTION Leading Geneva trade negotiators recorded their experience in a book:“Reflections from the Frontline: Developing Country Negotiators in the WTO”, published by CUTS International with support of the Geneva office of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, and was launched at 14 December 2011. Honorable speakers were Harsha V. Singh, Deputy Director-General of WTO, Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry, South Africa and Muhammad Faruk Khan, Minister of Commerce, Bangladesh. Program 06 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA| PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE RIGHT TO DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL CHALLENGES 15:00-18:00, ROOM XI, PALAIS DES NATIONS, GENEVA This event, co-organized by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights(OHCHR), the Non Alignment Movement, Nord-Sud XXI and the Geneva office of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung(FES), demonstrated the relevance of the Right to Development vis-à-vis global challenges 2011 and after. It concluded the activities conducted by OHCHR and FES of this anniversary year, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Right to Development. High-level panelists, including, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Pillay, and UNCTAD Secretary General Mr. Supachai and UNOG Director-General and Secretary-General of the Conference on Disarmament Mr. Tokayev, presented their views just two days after the 25th anniversary of the Declaration of December 4, 1986. In drawing the links between Development, Disarmament and Human Rights, the keynote speakers and following panelists succeeded in showing the encompassing nature of this particular human right, as well as its relevance in today’s interdependent world politics. FES represented the civil society perspective on the topic, drawing form the numerous own activities held during the year as well as from larger NGO activities around the issue. Program 01 DECEMBER 2011, GENEVA| FES/ OHCHR SIDE EVENT ON"ADDRESSING IRREGULAR MIGRATION THROUGH A HUMAN RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH" DURING

GFMD GLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION& DEVELOPMENT-"TAKING ACTION ON MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT- COHERENCE, CAPACITY, AND COOPERATION" 13:10-13:45, PALAIS DES NATIONS, BUILDING E, ROOM XXV, GENEVA Delegations and civil society representatives were invited to discuss the merits of a human rights-based approach in addressing irregular migration at this side event, which was held in parallel to the intergovernmental GFMD session. Program Report UN News Release 30 NOVEMBER 2011, GENEVA| FES/ OHCHR SIDE EVENT ON"THE RIGHTS OF IRREGULAR MIGRANTS- ENGAGING WITH THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS" DURING GFMD GLOBAL FORUM ON MIGRATION& DEVELOPMENT- CIVIL SOCIETY DAYS 12:45-14:00, PALEXPO, ROOM K, GENEVA During the Civil Society Days of the GFMD, UN Experts, including the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of Migrants and the Chairperson of the UN Committee on Migrant Workers, discussed with a large group of civil society activists how to engage effectively with the UN human rights mechanisms in the protection of the rights of irregular migrants. Program Report 29 NOVEMBER 2011, GENEVA| 9TH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ILO COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS AND THE UN COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS “Just and favourable conditions of work“ are guaranteed to every worker in a state signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. But what does this article 7 mean in practice and in different national contexts? This question was debated at a roundtable discussion among the members of the competent ILO and UN Committees. Program 26 NOVEMBER 2011, GENEVA| EXPERT MEETING ON ARTICLE 7 ICESCR Preceding the dinner meeting of the full Committees, a small group of experts from the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the ILO Committee of Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations met for a half-day working session to debate contents of Article 7 ICESCR on“just and favourable conditions of work“ and the jurisprudence that had developed around this article with the UN and the ILO. Program 10 – 11 NOVEMBER 2011, GENEVA| FES/ ICJ EXPERT CONSULTATION ON FAIR WORKING CONDITIONS

Trade unions and other experts of the labor movement do have concrete ideas what fair working conditions should mean and cover in the context of decent work. To insure their voices are heard in the development of international law in this area, FES and ICJ organized an expert consultation which aimed to provide input to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights’ efforts in clarifying the meaning of the respective Covenant article. Program List of participants 10 NOVEMBER 2011, GENEVA| BOOK DISCUSSION:"DECENT CAPITALISM" Decent work has become an integral part of international vocabulary. Capitalism is not known as a term to describe fair and decent conditions for all members of society. Worse than that, we live through a period of global financial and economic crises.“Decent Capitalism”: Isn’t this a contradiction? Such and many other questions were discussed on a closed expert meeting, based on the book„Decent Capitalism- A Blueprint for Reforming Our Economies”, and published 2011 by Sebastian Dullien, Hansjörg Herr und Christian Kellermann. Decent Capitalism Program List of participants Report 31 OCTOBER- 04 NOVEMBER 2011, GENEVA| TRAINING SEMINAR ON THE UN HUMAN RIGHTS SYSTEM Building on two sub-regional seminars in Morocco and Jordan, this training course for 16 civil society representatives from the Middle Eastern/ North African region deepened the participants’ understanding in the UN human rights system and its application in national contexts. Program in English Program in Arabic 06- 07 OCTOBER 2011, GENEVA| FES/FMR/DIMR WORKSHOP:"THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL AFTER THE REVIEW- TANGIBLE CHANGES OR BUSINESS AS USUAL? After five years in existence, the UN Human Rights Council has concluded its review and adopted an outcome which the UN General Assembly is expected to approve. Even if the outcome appears to be disappointing, the HRC will continue to be the appropriate UN body for political assessments on human rights. Against this background as well as the recent development of increasing willingness to address country situations, especially concerning the Arab Spring, our workshop attempted to propose ways to turn the HRC into a more victim and rights holder oriented institution by bringing together parliamentary and civil society actors to strengthen their involvement in the current debate. Program List of Participants Report

Background Paper Please see the following presentations: Presentation McMahon Notes McMahon Presentation Amnesty International Presentation ICC Presentation EMRIP ******************************************************************************* ▲ INTERNATIONAL AGENDA FEBRUARY MAY 2012 27 FEBRUARY – 23 MARCH 2012, GENEVA| 19 TH SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL The most visible session of the HRC in 2012 will start with the High-level Segment, including statements by Heads of State, Ministers and Dignitaries. One of the few civil society speaker slots at the end of this section will be devoted to the links between human rights, environment and climate change, others on the situation of political freedom in the Middle East – topics that will be dealt with in this session, reaching from a resolution on human rights aspects of the environment to debating the reports of Missions of Inquiry to Libya and Syria. Information 21 – 26 APRIL 2012, DOHA| UNCTAD XIII: THIRTEENTH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT Every four years, member states of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development meet to decide on the main work areas for the next four years of UNCTAD. At this year’s meeting in Qatar, major topics will be inclusive development, North-South, South-South and triangular trade, global challenges in the area of finance, technology and investment as well as promoting investment, trade and entrepreneurship. UNCTAD XIII 28 MAY – 15 JUNE 2012, GENEVA| 101 ST ILC Two topics will be at heart of this year’s International Labour Conference at the ILO. The decision about an expected recommendation on the social protection floor, and a general discussion on the youth employment crisis. Information ******************************************************************************* ▲

P UBLICATIONS „A HUMAN RIGHTS BASED APPROACH TO CLIMATE FINANCE“ This international policy analysis focuses on the question of safeguards and standards within the huge and fast-growing field of climate finance mechanisms. Designed to finance measures to mitigate or adapt to climate change impacts, those mechanisms are often designed without human rights in mind, which leads to potential pitfalls and disadvantages for the poor and marginalized parts of society. In numerous substantive recommendations, the authors, Johl and Lador, lay out what aspects must be included in the design of any climate finance mechanisms. Publication „DECENT CAPITALISM“ Decent Capitalism “GLOBAL ACTION IN FAVOUR OF THE POOR – RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ISTANBUL PROGRAMME OF ACTION” FES Geneva in close cooperation with the Geneva Office of the ACP countries just published“Global Action in Favour of the Poor – Recommendations for the Implementation of the Istanbul Programme of Action” written by Elliott Paige. The paper looks at the outcome of the LDC IV Conference from an ACP perspective focusing primarily on trade and productive capacity. Publication

“LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES IN THE NEXT DECADE: WHAT IS THERE IN THE ISTANBUL PROGRAMME OF ACTION?” FES Geneva just published the policy analysis:“Least Developed Countries in the Next Decade: What is there in the Istanbul Programme of Action?” by Debapriya Bhattacharya and Syed Saifuddin Hossain and refers to the UN LDC-IV conference 2011 in Istanbul. International Policy Analysis ******************************************************************************* ▲ FES GENEVA AND RIO +20 Leading up to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development(UNCSD), or Rio+20, 20-22 June 2012, FES Geneva is cooperating with a vast array of partners to raise awareness and stimulate debate around issues of green economy and sustainable development. 25-27 JANUARY 2012, CHATEAU DE BOSSEY| EXPERT MEETING ON HUMAN RIGHTS, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE Human rights impacts of environmental factors and especially the consequences of climate change are at the same time undeniable and neglected. This expert meeting focused on practical ways to include human rights principles in both, policies and activities relating to climate change, as well as within the debate on sustainable development, leading up to the Rio+20 UN Summit on Sustainable Development. Program FES/UNRISD FILM SERIES“BRINGING THE SOCIAL TO RIO+20” Six short videos are being produced based on footage from the conference on Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Bringing Back the Social Dimension in October 2011 in Geneva, and interviews with speakers. Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Bringing Back the Social is the first of six films in the series"Bringing the Social to Rio+20". Green Economy and Sustainable Development: Bringing Back the Social FES/UNRISD OCCASIONAL PAPER SERIES

• Paper One: Climate Change, Double Injustice and Social Policy: A Case Study of the United Kingdom, Ian Gough • Paper Two : A Fair Green Economy? Studies of Agriculture, Energy and Waste Initiatives in Malaysia, Adnan A. Hezri and Rospidah Ghazali • Paper Three: Realizing Local Development in the Carbon Commodity Chain: Political Economy, Value and Connecting Carbon Commodities at Multiple Scales , Adam Bumpus • Paper Four: The Global Political Economy of REDD+: Engaging Social Dimensions in the Emerging Green Economy , Rocío Hiraldo and Thomas Tanner ******************************************************************************* ▲ 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 ***********************************************************************************************************************************