Trade unions and civil society discuss development cooperation

Trade unions have worked for many years with civil society to improve development cooperation.

The CPDE, the Civil Society Organisations Partnership for Development Effectiveness, is currently meeting ahead of a high level meeting on development cooperation.

Trade unions and civil society are discussing their inputs for the High Level meeting.

Two issues are high on the agenda. Mainly, the increasing role of the private sector in development. Civil society is worried that tax payers money could be used for privatisation of essential goods and services in the South. The private sector could also use the development agenda to increase the profits of multinationals in the developing world.

Civil society and trade unions are also working to demand a development centered around human rights.

The CPDE partnership wants to get its voice heard during the high level meeting. For this purpose, it is organising a civil society forum and will be present in side events and discussion panels during the high level meeting.

In particular, trade unions will be present with civil society in two focus sessions, one on the human rights based approach for development and the other on the private sector in development.