This document is one of a Series of papers that form part of the Internation Process documents, and puts forward a revised concept resulting from the ISG meeting at PrepCom IV.

The policy platform presents policy work in progress for purposes of information sharing and provoking further contributions. These are not official positions of civil society, although they are positions taken by groups in civil society after debate and discussion. They may, after further discussion, become part of a South African civil society position.

The Global People's Forum


(revised concept document by the international steering group

PrepCom iv in Bali 31 May 06 June 2002 )


CONFERENCE THEME

The global forum shall be referred to as the GLOBAL PEOPLES FORUM and the theme to run through, as a rallying point will be A SUSTAINABLE WORLD IS POSSIBLE.

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION


 Given the limited advances of most governments to implement the Rio-92 commitments and the growing power of national and transnational corporations, as well as the multilateral financing institutions in the promotion of unsustainable, unethical and unfair development policies and projects. The World Summit on Sustainable Development is a unique opportunity for civil society groups (NGOs, grassroots and community based organisations, trade unions, indigenous people, etc.) to publicly express their vision, expectations and positive actions for a positive and sustainable future.


THE GLOBAL PEOPLES FORUM should be a forum and space for all forms of civil society groupings, pulling to the fore those involved in social change processes, such as landless people, anti-globalisation movements, human rights etc. with a view of integrating sustainability within the vision and actions. With the approach of the Johannesburg summit, civil society groups face a key challenge of how to take full advantage of the gathering of Heads of States in order to promote civil society vision and proposals for policies and actions to build a better world.


The Global Peoples Forum should be a place for all people to get together to explore ideas and alternatives and determine the changes that need to be made in making sustainable development possible. All progressive organs of Civil Society should participate in the Global Forum and be in Johannesburg with one objective.


Organisations will take lead in facilitating various commissions to encourage participation of major groups and international NGOs and enhance equitable discussions on the broad stated issues. To revive the focus on Agenda 21, the process will begin with a draft document using points from the multi-stakeholder dialogue papers. This document will incorporate 21 points to be used as text to unite civil society and lobby governments and inclusion in the final text.


The Global Forum will be run and organized under the following three pillars:


UN AND OFFICIAL SESSION - SANDTON: (i.e. engagement and linkage with official process)


  1. Multi Stakeholder Dialogues Process

  2. Civil Society Issue base Lobby

  3. Political, cross cutting lobby

  4. Presentation of alternative country assessment reports

  5. Endorsing treaties


GLOBAL PEOPLES FORUM - NASREC:


  1. Seven days of thematic workshops

  2. Three days on cross cutting issues discussion

  3. One day outside activity (Highlighting critical issues and concerns to exact political will)

  4. One day visit to communities and/or projects (international civil society should assess and find space to review progress in the negotiation process rally communities and pledge solidarity with those affected by the process)

  5. Review and/or revive Alternative Treaties from RIO -92


POLITICAL ACTIVITY:


  1. One massive rally involving all participants and local civil society entities South Africa to determine the theme, logistical arrangements and timing

  2. Hold accountable Governments, Multinationals through peoples tribunals

  3. Youth rally, passing the Torch for Sustainable Development

  4. Womens Train

  5. Various forms of expression cultural activities, music, drums, poetry etc.



CROSS CUTTING ISSUES (3 DAYS)


The first three (3) days of the Summit will deal with cross cutting issues and take a form of a political event, which will involve key speakers to lead debates. Seven (7) days of thematic issues with commissions facilitated by civil society organisations.

OVERARCHING THEME: BUILDING SOCIAL MOVEMENTS FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT


GOVERNANCE AND SELF-DETERMINATION

7

  • Participation / regulation / enforcement

  • Corruption and Global transparency

  • Ethics and values

  • Global public governance


GLOBALISATION


  • Corporate Accountability / regulation

  • Corporate responsibility

  • Foreign direct investment

  • Impact / implications

  • Competition Policy


POVERTY ERADICATION


  • Alliances and global coalitions

  • Networking and Peoples partnerships

  • Alternative economic models

  • Critique and alternative studies


THEMATIC APPROACH (7 DAYS DAILY THEMES)


1. HUMAN SECURITY


  • Human rights (Environmental justice, right to food, shelter etc., development)

  • Natural disaster (political management)

  • Manmade disaster (militarism, terrorism, planning policies, mining)

  • Peace

  • Jobs / Liveable wage


2. FOOD SECURITY


  • Water (watershed management, pricing policy, water safety)

  • Sustainable Agriculture (access to resources, best practices, land use policies / natural resources


3. TRADE AND ECONOMICS

 

  • Trade policy (impact and implications of WTO and the Trade policies)

  • Investment

  • Market Access

  • Employment (fair wage, job security)

  • Globalisation and Corporations (Corporate accountability and responsibility)


4. FINANCING DEVELOPMENT


  • ODA

  • Debt (ecological, social, economic)

  • Financial stability

  • Payment of environmental services

  • Taxation

  • Subsidies


5. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

  • Renewable energy

  • Technology transfer and development

  • Monitoring and assessment mechanisms

  • Bio technology (implications and impact)

  • Traditional knowledge


6. HEALTH AND EDUCATION


  • HIV/Aids

  • Communicable diseases

  • Access to Universal education

  • Education for sustainable development


7. ENVIRONMENT


  • Natural resources management

  • Environmental policies

  • Climate change

  • Biodiversity

  • Forest

  • Oceans

  • Desertification

  • Wetlands

  • Rivers / Watersheds

  • Access to the Environment


OTHER RELATED ACTIVITIES AND ACTIONS


  • High level dialogues with UN (agencies, WSSD secretariat, Heads of delegations and possible Heads of State) to be held at NASREC

  • Organised briefing sessions (during the first week) - the G77-China (linking African NGOs with African Governments), European Union

  • Capacity building workshops (can be done jointly by Foundations and/or UN agencies) Joint activities beyond the summit; lobbying and advocacy (major groups and government to government interaction)

  • Peoples Manifesto (taking 21 Action points from civil society inputs throughout the process as a rallying point)

  • Assessment of Civil society language and inputs into the final text (this could be ongoing a joint activity with lobbyists (international NGOs)

  • Cultural activities and issues to rally civil society


DATES FOR PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES


  1. 19 22 August, self organised workshops / activities and Major Groups pre-summits


  1. 24 25 August International Strategy development (MSD, political activity and outcomes / orientation of delegates)



  1. 26 28 August 2002 Three (3) days cross cutting workshops


  1. 29 04 Seven (7) days thematic approach


  1. Saturday the 31 August International Solidarity Rally (to define a theme for the march)



STRATEGIES FOR THE GLOBAL FORUM


COMMUNICATION (The process leading to the summit should include and enhanced communication strategy that will allow participation and create interest for participation in the Global Peoples Forum.)



  • Make use of existing list servers for information dissemination and global input,

  • Maximise use of existing web pages and websites,

  • Post regular updates on progress, inputs and other organisations plans every 2 weeks leading to the summit.


MEDIA (There is a need to keep the momentum going from Bali to Johannesburg with actions and statements. Let the world know that the process has the danger of failing the people and engage in a massive media coverage targeting the worlds people)


  • Establish media committees

  • Establish media list serve for WSSD with the aim of informing the media and creating interest in international media around the Global Peoples Forum,

  • Establish national focal points to pass on news releases to local media including major magazines and alternative media,

  • Identify writers and networks that can produce and package / disseminate news and information.

  • Lobby media to cover the civil society perspective throughout till Johannesburg,

  • Establish a global peoples forum media

  • Contact regional and national journalist associations for promotion and awareness raising of sustainable development issues.

  • Contact major media houses (BBC/CNN/PBS/TV5/IPS/Terra Sur/TV/Radio/Newspapers through indirect and direct means

 


FROM BALI TO JOHANNESBURG


  • Organise a strong and functioning ISG and develop a strong communication network

  • Schedule meetings through teleconferencing, email

  • Tracking developments in UN process, follow up developments throughout the last PrepComs including the Multi-stakeholder Dialogues

  • Developing and using indicators on UN performances scorecards (participation by major groups and press for inclusion in informal WSSD process, open information sharing, critique process and direction)

  • Sharing reports between ISG framework facilitators and communicate information,

  • Reach out to all groups and not just limit participation to prescribed major groups as stipulated by the UN.

To comment or suggest changes contact [email protected]. Civil society organizations can also forward proposed policy positions and declarations to the same address.