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EU Policy Forum on Development: Trade Unions take their stand on the role of private sector in development
On November 28 and 29 the third meeting of the European Policy Forum on Development – PFD took place in Brussels. The trade union delegation, organised by the trade union development cooperation network -TUDCN, was composed of representatives from ITUC Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Trade Union Confederation of the Americas, the Trade Union Pan-European Regional Council, the ETUC and the ITUC.
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Policies
New discussions on the Development Platform for the Americas
The Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA) Working Group on Hemispheric Development and Integration (GTDIH) is meeting in Sao Paulo today, 5 November, and tomorrow, 6 November, to determine the Development Platform for the Americas (PLADA), which will be launched in 2014. The PLADA, uniting four dimensions of development (economic, social, political and environmental), seeks to establish a trade union alternative to neoliberalism and serve as a tool for political action and discussion on the continent.
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Open Working Group – Sixth Session 9-13 December 2013 - Paola Simonetti (ITUC/TUDCN) spoke on behalf of workers and trade unions.
The Open Working Group (OWG) process of the United Nations has brought an opportunity for trade unions, as Major Groups, to contribute to the debate and framing of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The sixth session of the OWG took place in New York from December 9-13. Paola Simonetti spoke on behalf of workers and trade unions.
She stressed how growing inequality in all corners of the globe has clearly demonstrated that the MDGs approach was unable to meet the important structural challenges to allow fair economic, social and environmental sustainable development. Without labour standards, full and productive employment and decent work, there can be no development. This is why Sustainable Development Goals need to be based on international human rights commitments and standards. She also highlighted the importance of the social protection floor model as a means to combat poverty and inequality.
For trade unions, the post 2015 process is an opportunity to promote development and human rights together coherently. The Declaration on the Right to Development for instance promotes an equal and balanced global socio-economic order. The ITUC demanded a binding framework with commitments, including accountability mechanisms, that can hold everybody accountable.
A view of the Open Working Group from Kwabena Nyarko Otoo (TUC Ghana)
The Open Working Group (OWG) process of the United Nations has brought an opportunity for trade unions, as Major Groups, to contribute to the debate and framing of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The fifth session of the OWG took place in New York from November 25-27. The ITUC was represented by Matt Simonds, Liaison Officer for the ITUC and TUAC and Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, the Director of Research and Policy in the Labour Research and Policy Institute of the TUC Ghana.
According to Kwabena Nyarko Otoo, the meeting was highly successful.
Major Groups highlighted concrete ideas that could guide the framing of the SDGs.
Unfortunately, it is not clear whether the international development establishment is interested in those ideas.
Kwabena noted that the failure of the development process to incorporate the enduring views of civil society should lead to re-evaluation of our role in the development discourse.
He also emphasised in the meeting that growth is not equal to development and reiterated that from the perspective of the poor, development cannot be inclusive if it does not afford them the opportunity to offer and make use of their most important asset – their labour.
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News from the network
Trade union project supported by Institut Belleville selected at Africa Forum - 100 Innovations for Sustainable Development
The project "Supporting trade union action on economic matters to make decent work a reality in Africa" was selected by the Africa Forum - 100 Innovations for Sustainable Development, held on 5 December at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This innovative trade union cooperation project led by the CFDT’s development cooperation institute, Institut Belleville, developed in partnership with ITUC-Africa and the CGT, was among the 21 projects selected out of the 800 presented.
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SOTERMUN celebrates 20 years, 100th edition of Ser Seres Solidarios
SOTERMUN, the USO’s trade union cooperation development NGO is celebrating its 20th anniversary. It coincides with other notable events: the 25th anniversary of the USO’s International Solidarity Fund and the 100th edition of its publication Ser Seres Solidarios within the framework of the USO’s 10th Confederal Congress.
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Burkina Faso’s children escape slavery... thanks to trade union action
December 2013: Twelve children reunited with their families in Burkina Faso
The road transport union UCRB (Union des Chauffeurs Routiers du Burkina Faso) intercepted a "load" of children in Côte d’Ivoire and took care of reuniting them with their families. How did Ivorian, Burkinabe and Belgian trade unions get involved in this rescue operation?
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Mandela, companies as actors of development and apartheid
The death of Nelson Mandela, a great human being, has roused all kinds of recognition and reviews of his life.
The fight against apartheid was his work; reconciliation and a new stage in the life of the South African Republic, in which ethnic origin no longer formally determines people’s future, his legacy. The homage paid to this man and his legacy, to his strength of conviction and willingness to sacrifice his life, which has given him unquestionable moral authority, is just and fitting.
I, however, feel that insufficient emphasis has been placed on the characteristics, or some of them, of the apartheid regime and the racial segregation that prevailed in South Africa until the nineties.
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Sharing experience on South-South cooperation
As part of a two-day International Relations Committee meeting at the end of October 2013 in Johannesburg South-Africa, the CGSLB and our South-African partner organisations COSATU and SACCAWU organised a workshop on South-South cooperation. This workshop took place in the context of our 3-year partnership program 2012-2014, co-financed by the Belgium ministry of development cooperation.
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Self reform and international trade union solidarity with Haiti
Haitian trade union centres hold discussions, over four days, on trade union self reform, progress with the decent work agenda and international trade union cooperation, as well as adopting a Declaration on the human rights of people of Haitian descent in the Dominican Republic
From 2 to 5 December, representatives of three Haitian trade union confederations affiliated to the TUCA (CTH, CSH and CTSP) and another six national trade union centres (CNOHA, CFOH, CGT, CATH, UACSH, Unitè d’Actions Constructives des Syndicats Haïtiens and ESPM BO) took part in two workshops, one on trade union self reform in Latin America and the other on the contribution of the international trade union movement to the decent work agenda in Haiti.
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News from the platforms
Over 300 groups call for human rights in core of post-2015 development plan
As governments meet at the United Nations the week of the 10th of December to debate aspects of the sustainable development agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015, over 300 civil society organizations from all parts of the world have come together to demand human rights be integrated into every aspect of the new framework.
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Shadow transactions incur a loss of $1 trillion for developing countries
According to a report by Global Financial Integrity, a Washington-based watchdog, developing countries lost nearly $1 trillion to fraud, corruption and shady business transactions in 2011, far more than the foreign aid they received, and the pace at which dirty money is leaving emerging nations is accelerating. Where does it happen most? The Middle East and North Africa saw the fastest increase in the proceeds from illicit business, crime and corruption. How does it happen? Trade misinvoicing, whereby exports and imports are booked at different values to avoid taxes or to hide large transfers of money, is the most popular method, accounting for over 79 percent of the illicit flows, according to the report.
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Development happens through decent jobs, Guy Ryder on the post-2015 Development Agenda
The Director General of the ILO intervened in the Geneva dialogue on post-2015 development agenda. He noted how without decent jobs, there is less growth, less security and less human and economic development. According to him, for every poor person, being able to earn a decent living is the way to escape poverty. He added two additional conditions: Social protection floors: they prevent people becoming trapped in poverty when unable to work and combating inequalities: they weaken the social and political fabric of our societies, fuelling a downward cycle of economic, political and social uncertainty.
Guy Ryder also pointed to the need to focus on the drivers of the transformational change. According to him, the countries that have achieved major job creation and poverty alleviation are those that have addressed the structural factors underlying poverty and underemployment. Their policies have included extending social protection, active support to the diversification of their economies, inclusive access to finance, and employment-friendly macroeconomic policies of a type that foster both investment and consumption.
Are the European Union policies coherent with its development objectives?
The European Union has published a report assessing whether its policies contribute to the EU development objectives.
According to the report, the European Union “has made good progress”.
This is not the opinion of Concord though. The study of the coalition of NGOs reveals that the EU is not respecting its commitment to make sure EU policies do not undermine development objectives.
Focus
- EU Policy Forum on Development: Trade Unions take their stand on the role of private sector in development
Policies
- New discussions on the Development Platform for the Americas
- Open Working Group – Sixth Session 9-13 December 2013 - Paola Simonetti spoke on behalf of workers and trade unions.
- A view of the Open Working Group from Kwabena Nyarko Otoo (TUC Ghana)
News from the network
- Trade union project supported by Institut Belleville selected at Africa Forum - 100 Innovations for Sustainable Development
- SOTERMUN celebrates 20 years, 100th edition of Ser Seres Solidarios
- Burkina Faso’s children escape slavery... thanks to trade union action
- Mandela, companies as actors of development and apartheid
- Sharing experience on South-South cooperation
- Self reform and international trade union solidarity with Haiti
News from the platforms
- Over 300 groups call for human rights in core of post-2015 development plan
- Shadow transactions incur a loss of $1 trillion for developing countries
- Development happens through decent jobs, Guy Ryder on the post-2015 Development Agenda
- Are the European Union policies coherent with its development objectives?
Workshop on informal economy
3-4 February, Lomé (Togo)
TUDCN General Meeting
18-20 March, Sao Paulo
CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness (CPDE) Global Council
& Ministerial meeting of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (GPEDC)
14-18 April, Mexico
ITUC Congress
19-23 May, Berlin
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International Trade Union Confederation, TUDCN
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www.ituc-csi.org
The Trade Union Development Cooperation Network (TUDCN) is an initiative of the International Trade Union Confederation that brings together affiliated trade union organisations, solidarity support organisations, regional ITUC organisations and the Global Union Federations.
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union. The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the ITUC and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union.