June 2012 NEWSLETTER The Geneva Office of the Friedrich ‐ Ebert ‐ Stiftung(FES Geneva) presents its newsletter, de ‐ signed 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 vents WTO Public Forum 2012 Trade and Africa's agricultural policy in 2025: possible ways out of a debacle (WTO, S3) 24 September 2012, 12:00 ‐ 14:00, Geneva What are the current major challenges in the African agricultural sector related to its trade policy? Where lies Africa’s potential in the agricultural sector and how can trade policies encourage them? How should an agricultural trade policy be deline ‐ ated in which food security is central? This and further questions will be discussed at this year’s WTO Public Forum session jointly organized by FES and ACP Geneva Offices. Experts from Geneva and Sub ‐ Sarah Africa will form the panel. Registration to the WTO Public Forum: https://meetings.wto.org/Forums/ Registrant/blank.htm General website of the Public Forum: http://www.wto.org/english/forums_e/ public_forum12_e/public_forum12_e.htm Political Economy of a Transitional China(CCV, Room A) 27 September 2012, Geneva After its thirty years reform, opening up and more than ten years membership of the WTO, China is now entering a new period of political, economic and social transformation. This year’s annual Bridges China Dialogue will focus on key topics, such as business& labour, climate change & clean energy, global governance and challenges of transitional China. The Event is jointly organized by ICTSD; FES Ge ‐ neva Office and the Research Centre of Chinese Politics and Business at Indiana University. Registration General information on Bridges China Dialogue: http://ictsd.org/events/bc/ 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

June 2012 NEWSLETTER Side Event to the 21st session of the Human Rights Council; 10—28.9. 2012 Implementing human rights? Analysis of recommendations of the first UPR cycle September 2012 All UN member States have participated at the first cycle of the Universal Periodic Review. They have received thousands of questions and recommendations – but how pertinent have those recommendations been? How many have aimed at trig ‐ gering positive changes? At this side event Professor McMahon will present the findings of his in ‐ depth study on the 1 st cycle of the UPR, opening a public discus ‐ sion on merits and shortcomings of this mechanism, serving also to strengthen its impact in the second round. //Recent Events vents Side Event at the 20th Session of the Human Rights Council on"Human Rights and Climate Change" 22 June 2012, 12:00 ‐ 14:00, Place des Nations, Room XXII, Geneva Is there a need, is there an opportunity for a new Special Procedure mandate on Human Rights and Climate Change? The resolution 18/22 on climate change and human rights as well as the results of the OHCHR seminar in February 2012 have encouraged positive answers and are calling for action. The side event shall further evaluate the purpose and scope of a new Special Procedure on Human Rights and Climate Change. Agenda Evening Dialogue on"Ending Discrimination and Reinforcing Women's Peace and Security in the MENA Region" 20 June 2012, Vieux ‐ Bois, Geneva Twenty women from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen are invited to Geneva during the 20th session of the Human Rights Council to ac ‐ tively engage as regards peace and security in the Middle East and North Africa from a perspective of women. With the UN ‐ Convention of Elimination of Discrimi ‐ nation against Women as a starting point the issue of peace and security in the MENA region shall be the focus of a dinner discussion among the invited group and a selection of some twenty distinguished and Geneva ‐ based discussants, foremost the president of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Laura Dupuy ‐ Lassere. Program Report Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland 2 Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org

June 2012 NEWSLETTER Study Visit on the Occasion of the 101st International Labour Conference 04 ‐ 08 June 2012, Geneva Trade union coordinators from twelve FES country offices in Sub ‐ Saharan Africa were in Geneva during the second week of the 101st International Labour Confer ‐ ence(ILC). How do the ILC and the ILO function? What are the current major topics in the international working world? What does trade policy have to do with the work of trade unions? These and more questions were at the heart of this one ‐ week study visit. Program NGO statement succeeds: ILC adopts Recommendation on Social Protection Floor 59 NGOs from all over the world“wholeheartedly” supported the ILO to adopt a Recommendation on national social protection floors at the 101st ILC in Geneva. In a meeting organized by the FES Geneva Office end of March, 14 NGOs decided to draft a statement which was endorsed by 59 NGOs. Now, the NGOs will continue to work towards the implementation of social protection floors. Statement in English Statement in Spanish Statement in French Final text of ILO's SPF recommendation Further Information on 101st ILC Civil Society Contribution to the Universal Periodic Review of Morocco Side Event to the 13th session of the UN Working Group on UPR 24 May 2012, Geneva, Palais des Nations Program Report Consultation Meeting with the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Environmental Law and the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights 11 May 2012, La Perle du Lac, Geneva Environmental factors have great impact on the realization of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights(ESCR). While the UN Committee on ESCR has addressed this issue in various General Comments and Concluding Observations on State reports, it has not yet dealt with this issue in a structural manner. In view of the upcoming Rio+20 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland 3 Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org

June 2012 NEWSLETTER summit on sustainable development and the strong criticism of its neglect of hu ‐ man rights considerations, this meeting allowed the Committee to discuss a coher ‐ ent approach and unequivocal contribution to Rio+20 from a human rights per ‐ spective. Program List of participants Background Paper Statement by the Committee FES/WTO Seminar for French ‐ speaking Journalists from Sub ‐ Sahara Africa on World Trade and Sustainable Development 30 April ‐ 4 May 2012 “World Trade and Sustainable Development” is the title of the regular one week information seminar for journalists from developing countries specialized in econ ‐ omy and trade. FES Geneva and the World Trade Organization (WTO) selected jour ‐ nalists from about 15 countries to provide them with a deeper understanding of the multilateral trading system and social aspects of development. At the begin ‐ ning of May 2012, 14 journalists from 11 countries in Sub ‐ Saharan Africa partici ‐ pated in this seminar. Program List of participants Expert Meeting:"The ILO's Social Protection Floor ‐ Lobbying for a Strong Recom ‐ mendation" 29 ‐ 30 March 2012 at Chateau de Bossey At the 101st international labour conference in June 2012, delegates from govern ‐ ments, employers and workers will decide on a recommendation for a worldwide social protection floor. To achieve a strong recommendation, support by all stake ‐ holders is needed. NGOs might play a crucial role in this process. At this two day workshop, NGOs from North and South came together to strengthen strategic alli ‐ ances in favour of a strong ILO recommendation. Program Key Resources Expert Meeting:"Safe communities, resilient systems: Towards a new Action Framework for Business and Peacebuilding" 25 ‐ 27 March 2012 at 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 held this expert meeting as first gathering of a one ‐ year process that works to ‐ wards a new action framework for business and peacebuilding. This framework focuses on how best to strengthen the dispute resolution and prevention capaci ‐ Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland 4 Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org

June 2012 NEWSLETTER ties of communities on the ground, as well as the respective roles of business and peacebuilding actors to support such efforts. Program Report Side Event on"Human Rights at Rio+20" 16 March 2012, 2:00 ‐ 4:00 pm, Palais des Nations, Room XXIII, Geneva In co ‐ sponsorship with the delegations of Costa ‐ Rica and the Maldives, Friedrich ‐ Ebert ‐ Stiftung, Earthjustice, OHCHR, Center for International Environmental Law, World Council of Churches and CONGO brought together a panel of experts to discuss possible ways of input for human rights on Rio+20. Invitation Report // I national Agenda //International Agenda 21st session of the Human Rights Council 10 ‐ 28 September 2012, Geneva Amongst the issues discussed at the 21st session of the Human Rights Council will be a possible resolution on human rights and climate change, the Right to Devel ‐ opment as well as enforced disappearances.. WTO Public Forum 24—26 September 2012 “Is Multilateralism in Crisis?” The 2012 Public Forum will provide an opportunity for relevant stakeholders of the multilateral trading system to analyze whether multilateralism is in a state of crisis, taking into account both the Doha Round deadlock and elements of the WTO work programme that continue to work well. //Publications New Prospects for Human Rights? The Human Rights Council between the Review Process and the Arab Spring Theodor Rathgeber; March 2012 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland 5 Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org

June 2012 NEWSLETTER More publications are available on our website. //Subscribe To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your email address, send an e ‐ mail to info@fes ‐ geneva.org. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung  Director: Dr Matthes Buhbe  6 bis, Chemin du Point-du-Jour  1202 Geneva, Switzerland 6 Tel.+41 22 733 3450  Fax:+41 22 733 3545  E-mail: info@fes-geneva.org  www.fes-geneva.org