China Labour Bulletin is participating in the World Social Forum to be held in Mumbai from 16 21 January 2004.
World Social Forum What is it?
The World Social Forum (WSF) was created to provide an open platform to discuss strategies of resistance to the model for globalization formulated at the annual World Economic Forum at Davos by large multinational corporations, national governments, IMF, the World Bank and the WTO. It brings together peoples' movements from around the world who are working to demonstrate that the path to sustainable development, social and economic justice lies in alternative models for people-centred and self-reliant progress, rather than in neo-liberal globalisation.
The WSF is an open space for discussing alternatives to the dominant neo-liberal processes, for exchanging experiences and for strengthening alliances among mass organisations, peoples' movements and civil society organisations. The first WSF was held in 2001 in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. It was here that the WSF's Charter of Principles was adopted to provide a framework for the forum. The annual forums in 2002 and 2003 saw the movement grow rapidly, as the WSF came to symbolise the strength of the anti-globalisation movement and became a rallying point for worldwide protest against the American invasion of Iraq. At WSF 2002, it was proposed that the next forum be held outside Brazil. This shift represents the need that the WSF process must reach out in a larger way to the African-Asian region, where two-thirds of the world's population lives. The Asian Social Forum in Hyderabad in January 2003 was a demonstration of India's commitment to the WSF process, prompting suggestions that the next be held in the subcontinent. The WSF India process will reach a crescendo in Mumbai between January 16 and January 21, 2004, when 75,000 delegates are expected.
China Labour Bulletin will be speaking in two sessions:
Italian Confederation of Trade Unions
The impact of China entry in the WTO - implications for human rights and labour rights.
The session on China and the WTO is being hosted by the Italian Confederation of Workers' Unions (Confederazione Italiana Sindacati dei Lavoratori (CISL) ) and will bring together speakers form the International Confederation of Trade Unions, CLB, Chinese activists and other experts.
Mines, Minerals and People
Mining and extractive industries issues for land rights, labour rights and the environment.
The session on mining is being hosted by Mines, Minerals and People, India (MM&P), with the collaborative participation of CLB, Oxfam USA, Centre for Human Rights and Environment (CEDHA),the Economic, Social and Cultural rights network (ESCR-Net) and the Foodfirst Information & Action Network (FIAN).
Background
CISL is the second largest (4.153.145 million members in 2002) Confederation of Trade Unions in Italy with 14 National branch sector Federations including; metalworkers, chemical, textile workers, public employees, service, agricultural workers, etc.
CISLs main immediate goal, is that of defending both employed and unemployed workers' interests, in the conviction society's interests themselves are, thereby, better promoted. Several fundamental, shared values support such an approach: democracy, solidarity, pluralism and trade union independence from any economic power, employer, Government or political party. And the firm belief that employees, as builders of the wealth of their societies, are entitled to "participate", through collective bargaining and socio/political independent action by the trade unions of their own choice, to the construction of their own and their communities' future.
Mines, Minerals and Peoples is a growing alliance of individuals, institutions and communities who are concerned and affected by mining. The isolated struggles of different groups have led us to form into broad a national alliance for combating the destructive nature of mining. MM&P members at present include over 100 grass-roots groups and some 20 support organisations, across 16 States.
With the purpose of
Supporting local struggles,
Legal and Media advocacy,
Information, documentation, research and fact finding,
Developing campaign strategies,
Skill share, Jatras, Exchanges,
National and International networking,
Technical and Scientific Expertise.