November 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 in ‐ ternationalen Organisationen. Sollten Sie diesen Newsletter nicht erhalten wollen, dann können Sie ihn hier abbestellen. I NDEX //Upcoming Events //Recent Events //International Agenda //Publications //Subscribe //Upcoming Events Forum on Business and Human Rights 04 to 05 December 2012, Geneva, Switzerland The United Nations decided to hold its 1 st Annual Forum on Business and Human Rights, 4 to 5 December 2012, to discuss trends and challenges in the implementa ‐ tion of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights(Ruggie ‐ Principles). The forum will be open to all stakeholders and intends to become an important place for information exchange and discussion. FES ‐ Geneva was given the task to enable a number of activists from the Global South to be present at the forum. Further information Symposium on the impact of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the work of CESCR on national and regional court and policy decisions 24 November 2012, Geneva, Switzerland This expert gathering, which aims to bring together the Members of CESCR, inter ‐ national experts and the diplomatic community will illustrate and discuss the im ‐ pact that the work of the Committee on economic, social and cultural rights has had on national jurisprudence, in particular through its General Comments and Concluding Observations. In this perspective, the invited international experts will present how the international law standards in relation with ESCR, as developed by the CESCR have been used to protect rights and to reform laws and policies in their respective countries. The discussions will also allow to underline how, recip ‐ rocally, the work of the CESCR benefit from the development of national jurispru ‐ dence. ILO Committee of Experts and UN Committee on ESC Rights discuss Informal Labor 23 November 2012, Geneva, Switzerland Labor rights in the informal economy are extremely difficult to monitor. However, workers in the informal economy are not outside the scope of application of inter ‐ national labor standards. Indeed, the ILO supervisory bodies as well as the UN Com ‐ mittee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights formulate comments on the applica ‐ tion of labor standards in the informal economy. FES ‐ Geneva invites each Novem ‐ 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

November 2012 NEWSLETTER ber for an unofficial debate to allow for an exchange of views between the Com ‐ mittees on how to best tackle certain issues such as labor rights in the informal sector. //Recent Events Expert meeting: Conflict prevention in the context of large ‐ scale business investments: From dialogue to action 07 to 08 November 2012, Château de Bossey, Geneva, Switzerland This meeting marked the end of the first year of an initiative that brings together business and peacebuilding experts. The focus is to exchange experiences and iden ‐ tify best practices related to strengthening dispute resolution and prevention sys ‐ tems in fragile contexts. The meeting gathered a small, selected group from compa ‐ nies, business associations, international organisations, as well as non ‐ governmental actors active in peacebuilding, mediation, and conflict prevention, including stakeholders from the Global South. The meeting had the overall objective to take stock and explore concrete options to operationalize a new action framework for conflict prevention in the context of large ‐ scale business investment. Program Background note Advanced Training Course on International Human Rights Mechanisms 04 to 08 November 2012, Geneva, Switzerland This seminar, especially geared to non ‐ governmental participants from the Arab region, gave an overview over the UN human rights system and the instrument of the Universal Periodic Review. A specific focus has been on the work and function ‐ ing of the UN treaty bodies, monitoring the implementation of the core human rights Conventions. Debates with delegations and experts as well as an interactive workshop on the preparation of input to the treaty bodies completed the agenda. Program Outreach seminar: Westafrica and Multilateral Trade 29 to 31 October 2012, Accra, Ghana “Current and Future Challenges for the Multilateral Trading System – Perspectives from West Africa” was the title of a three days outreach seminar jointly organized by the World Trade Organization and FES offices at Accra, Cotonou, Geneva and Berlin. Around 40 civil society activists and journalists participated to better understand the WTO and its role in the international trading system. The dialogue provided a platform for in ‐ depth and critical discussion of the multilateral trade regime and its consequences for development in the West African region. Program 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

November 2012 NEWSLETTER FES side event on the Universal Periodic Review of Guatemala 25 October 2012, Geneva, Switzerland The Friedrich Ebert Foundation invited to a panel discussion with two representa ‐ tives from„Tz'ununija Indigenous Women’s Movement” from Guatemala. On the occasion of the 14th UPR session held between 22 October and 5 November, Gua ‐ temala has been reviewed by the Human Rights Council. Ms. Lilian Lopez and Ms. Juana Sales presented a report on the situation of indigenous women In Guate ‐ mala. The report has been submitted to the Council as background information to the state review. Furthermore, the discussion focused on the human rights conse ‐ quences of mining operations, taking as an example the case of the Marlin Mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán. Invitation(English Version) Invitación(Versión Español) Third workshop of the Geneva Circle on Global Economic Governance: Exchange rate and capital account management for developing countries 17 October 2012, Geneva, Switzerland The Geneva Circle on Global Economic Governance intends to enhance the dia ‐ logue among economists of Geneva ‐ based international organizations. It provides a forum for staff members of the relevant institutions to discuss their current or fu ‐ ture work in the broader context of globalization and sustainable development. At this third meeting, the following questions have been central: What are the risks of finance ‐ led globalization for developing country trade and their develop ‐ ment objectives? What are the objectives of capital controls and how effective are they? What are the limits of currency ‐ market intervention and reserve accumula ‐ tion? How can developing countries best enlarge their macroeconomic policy space? Program Background note by Detlef Kotte CEDAW and Women’s Access to Justice: Country Examples 08 October 2012, Geneva, Switzerland The International Commission of Jurists ICJ has been conducting exploratory proc ‐ esses in a range of countries to identify the range of obstacles and impediments that persistently reduce women’s access to justice and legal protection and explore roads for change. FES Geneva and ICJ organized a briefing with discussion for the Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women CEDAW to famil ‐ iarize the Committee with this initiative. To enable the Committee to hear directly from a woman working on justice issues on the national level FES Geneva invited Peggie Ramaphane of Botswana’s Women against Rape WAR. Other speakers were CEDAW’s chairperson Silvia Pimentel and ICJ’s Leah Hoctor. Also present was Wan ‐ Hea Lee, chief of the Human Rights Treaties Division of the Office of the High Com ‐ missioner for Human Rights OHCHR. The meeting was envisaged to be useful as regards initial Committee steps towards the elaboration of a General Recommen ‐ dation on Women’s Access to Justice. 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

November 2012 NEWSLETTER Political Economy of a Transitional China 27 September 2012, Geneva, Switzerland 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 focused on key topics, such as business& labour, climate change& clean energy, global governance and challenges of transitional China. The Event was jointly organized by ICTSD; FES Ge ‐ neva Office and the Research Centre of Chinese Politics and Business at Indiana University. Program WTO Public Forum 2012: Trade and Africa’s agricultural policy in 2025: possible ways out of the debacle 24 September 2012, Geneva, Switzerland 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 were discussed at this year’s WTO Public Forum session jointly organized by FES and ACP Geneva Of ‐ fices. Experts from Geneva and Sub ‐ Saharan Africa formed the panel. Abstract and Program Speakers Report General website of the Public Forum Side Event on the Universal Periodic Review at the 21st session of the Human Rights Council 13 September 2012, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland Information Presentation Background Paper Report Side Event on Trade Agreements and Human Rights at the 21st session of the Hu ‐ man Rights Council 12 September 2012, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland Information Report 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

November 2012 NEWSLETTER 21st session of the Human Rights Council 10 to 28 September 2012, Geneva, Switzerland Report //International Agenda ITU World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) 03 to 14 December 2012, Dubai, United Arab Emirates The Geneva based International Telecommunication Union(ITU) will convene the World Conference on International Telecommunications(WCIT) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 3 to 14 December 2012. This landmark conference will review the current International Telecommunications Regulations(ITRs), which serve as the binding global treaty designed to facilitate international interconnection and interoperability of information and communication services, as well as ensuring their efficiency and widespread public usefulness and availability. Further information 1st Annual UN Forum on Business and Human Rights 04 to 05 December 2012, Geneva, Switzerland For the first time, the UN invites to this forum to“discuss trends and challenges in the implementation of the Guiding Principles[on Business and Human Rights] and promote dialogue and cooperation on issues linked to business and human rights, including challenges faced in particular sectors, operational environments or in relation to specific rights or groups, as well as identifying good practices.” The forum will be open to all stakeholders and is expected to become an important place for information exchange and discussion. It will also provide an opportunity to make the claims of victims of business related human rights violations heard at UN level. Further information //Publications The Universal Periodic Review: A work in progress An Evaluation of the First Cycle of the New UPR Mechanism of the United Nations Human Rights Council. Author: Edward McMahon Published by Friedrich ‐ Ebert ‐ Stiftung, September 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