CIVIL SOCIETY NEWS
UN anti-racism conference winds down amid NGO expulsions for bad behaviour
Source: Human Rights Education Associates (HREA)
The ongoing United Nations anti-racism conference in Geneva concluded its general debate today after hearing statements on new forms of racist discrimination and expelling three non-governmental organisations (NGOs) for disruptive behaviour. A number of the UN agencies spoke at the five-day Durban Review Conference, which comes to a close tomorrow, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which warned that saying no to racism in the work is key to promoting respect, tolerance and inclusiveness. For details, click here.
ECOPOLIS Graduate Research and Design Awards (formerly known as Agropolis)
Source: International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
The ECOPOLIS Graduate Research and Design Awards promote research and design projects that help lighten the environmental problems borne by the urban poor and enhance their financial, human, resource, and social and political assets. Awards will be granted to cover expenses related to master's or doctorate-level research projects in developing countries where the researcher has formed a partnership with organisations such as local research institutions, NGOs, national and/or international organisations, and city governments. In principle, IDRC supports research on all parts of the developing regions of the world. At this time, the Ecopolis Graduate Research and Design Awards Program is not supporting awards which involve research in Burma, Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Eastern Europe or Central Asia. For details, click here.
Durban Review Conference: Civicus statement
By Renate Bloem
Civicus, World Alliance for Citizen Participation, a movement of civil society with members and partners in over 110 countries, welcomes the opportunity to address the Durban Review Conference. We offer our support to this UN gathering united in the battle against racism.. All the more we deplore the absence of some countries, in particular the boycott of the US delegation. Having affirmed a new spirit and commitment to deal with the world’s problems, we see this as a missed opportunity for the Obama administration to demonstrate its support for the UN and its multilateral processes. Walking away from the table does not benefit the United Nations whose cause would be best served if all UN member states remain engaged in the process. We are reminded of the words of a member of the US delegation who after 9/11 and Durban I said: “Durban teaches us that there is a high price to pay when we disengage from global diplomacy”. For details, click here.
The World Organisation Against Torture
Source: SOS-Torture Network
The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) welcomes the decision of President Barak Obama to declassify and release information confirming that senior officials in the Bush Administration authorized extreme interrogation techniques, including water-boarding, on suspected terrorists in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and calls for a full investigation of these facts and prosecution of those suspected of having committed or otherwise participated in, or authorised, whether expressly or tacitly, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. For details, click here.
Obama at 100 days — Assessments of government transparency and regulatory reform efforts
Source: OMB Watch
In November 2008, OMB Watch, together with a diverse set of organisations and individuals, presented Barack Obama (who was then President-elect) and Congress with recommendations on how to improve government transparency, advance Americans' right to know, reform the regulatory process, and ensure that federal agencies are working to advance the public interest. The recommendations were included in two separate reports, Moving Toward a 21st Century Right-to-Know Agenda and Advancing the Public Interest through Regulatory Reform. Both reports included actions for President Obama to undertake within the first 100 days of his presidency. For details, click here.