Economic Justice
Economic Justice
VOICE is working actively to combat all forms of economic injustice, from the grassroots to the global policy level. Not just the poor, but many working citizens are subject to economic injustice through imposed economic sector reforms, privatization and wage discrimination.
We are trying to transform knowledge into practice through training dialogues with the different stakeholders in the country.
From underpaid agricultural labourers and garment workers to the privatization of banks and shutting down of jute mills, gross violations of economic justice are happening at every level in Bangladesh. National and international policies are framed in a way that does not reflect the aspirations or needs of both the rural and urban populace.
This campaign also covers issues of national economic governance as well as the global financial architecture. We are working to develop a macro-micro linkage between the community and the policy makers to support democratic participation in policy formation and responsible governance.
VOICE @ South Asia Social Forum, Dhaka; November 18-22, 2011
VOICE @ South Asia Social Forum, Dhaka; November 18-22, 2011
VOICE (www.voicebd.org) undertakes a number of programmes during South Asia Social Forum (SASF) to be held on 18-22 November, Dhaka, Bangladesh. These events will jointly be organized with different national and international networks including Aid Accountability Group, Bank Information Centre, Eurodad, NGO Forum on ADB, Privacy International etc, among others. Being one of the organizers in SASF, VOICE is calling global civil society actors, youths, women, human rights activists, political groups, organizations and concerned multi-stakeholders to join us aiming at building greater solidarity for new economic and social order. The details of the programmes (draft) attached herewith
Demand for involving affected people, civic groups
Climate fund management
Demand for involving affected people, civic groups
Civic groups and lawmakers on Saturday demanded involvement of the representatives of civil society groups and the affected people to make management of climate change fund management transparent and accountable.
They called for the creation of an independent inter ministerial board under the supervision of the prime minister with representatives from civil society groups and the affected people for the management of the climate fund.
Speaking at a national consultation meeting in the city on the eve of 17th UN Framework Convention on Climate Change they said that the prime minister’s supervision would ensure coordinated action by different ministries in it.
The board, they suggested, should comprise representatives from the ministries of forest and environment, food and disaster management, planning and agriculture.
The consultation on ‘Democratic Ownership and Social Accountability in Climate Fund Management’ was jointly organized by Equity and Justice Working Group Bangladesh, Coastal Development Partnership, IBON Foundation, The Reality of Aid and Voice at the National Press Club.
Ahmed Swapan Mahmud interviewed on CIVICUS Live during the CIVICUS World Assembly in Montreal
The CIVICUS World Assembly was held from the 10th to the 12th of September, 2011, at the Palais des Congrès in downtown Montreal. Our Executive Director, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, was in town to participate in a workshop entitled "Beyond 2015: Shaping the Post-MDG Agenda." He was interviewed live on the official channel of the World Assembly, CIVICUS Live.
View the interview at the following link:
Initiate district budget for rural development: Rights group
Rights activists urged the government to initiate district budget in the national budget for the next financial year for the development of rural areas as well as achieving the Vision 2021 as envisaged.
They said that the present budget preparation as colonial top down process and there is no alternative to achieve Vision 2021without district budget.
They were speaking at a rally organised by 14 rights based civil society organisations led by EquityBD in front of the National Press Club on Saturday. The organisations include Arpon, Ahish, Online Knowledge Centre, EquityBD, Eso, SDO, MABS, Lead Trust, Prodip, BNNRC, Voice, Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Bangladesh Krihsok Federation and Sirak Bangladesh.
SM Saikat of Sirak Bangladesh said people have no participation in preparing the budget. Nor the people from district level have the means to monitor implementation of the budget. Absence of people’s participation in the process and implementation of the budget has given the rise of pervasive corruption.
Feroze Ahmed of Lead Trust said the top down process is basically responsible for growing trend of widening the gap of regional disparity.
Rights groups protest $1b conditional IMF loan
Dhaka, Apr 19: Thirteen right based civil society organizations led by Equity BD on Tuesday demonstrated, held rally and formed human chain in front of national press club to protest government’s move to take one billion dollar conditional loan from the IMF. They urged the government not to take the loan with condition of money contraction and VAT expansion which are anti-poor and against the nation.
The right groups are Arpan, Bangladesh Bhumihin Samity, Bangladesh Kishani Shova, Coastal Development Partnership, Bangladesh Krishak Federation, Equity BD, Lead Trust, La via Campesina Bangladesh, Media Foundation for Trade and Development, On Line Knowledge Center, Pradip, VOICE and Uddipan.
Zaid Iqbal Khan of Krishok Federation mentioned that the government has already withdrawn bank ceiling on loan. This will reduce the loan flow for long term investment and thereby no new employment opportunity.
Subal Sarkar of Bhumihin Shamiti stated that in line with IMF conditionality government will have reduce subsidy in fuel and fertilizers ultimately which will create problem for farmers.
Sayed Aminul Haque of EquityBD said the country still has comfort level of remittance flow and export growth. Import cost has increased but even with WTO provision government can reduce import, thus government has no need of embark on IMF loan.
World Bank Under Fire for Role in New Global Green Fund
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
BANGKOK, Apr 6, 2011 (IPS) - The World Bank is facing mounting opposition from a broad network of green and grassroots activists over its role in a new global Green Climate Fund (GCF) aimed at helping developing countries combat the ravages of climate change.
"In spite of the climate and economic crises, the World Bank continues to finance fossil fuel projects at an alarming rate, promote false solutions to the climate crisis, and use funding instruments that increase indebtedness of developing countries," charged a coalition of nearly 100 local and international civil society organisations in a letter released here during on- going negotiations at the first of three U.N. climate change conferences to be held in the lead up to the Durban COP17 summit in late November.
"The World Bank is not suited to advise in the design of a fund that must ensure fair and effective long-term financing based on the principles of environmental integrity, equity, sustainable development and democracy," noted the two-page letter, whose signatories included global groups like Action Aid and International Rivers, regional groups like the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and local groups like the Bolivian Climate Change Platform.
A sharing meeting on Impacts of ADB’s Projects and Policies: Perspective of Civil Societies and People’s Movement
A sharing meeting on `Impacts of ADB’s Projects and Policies: Perspective of Civil Societies and People’s Movement` to be held on Monday, 28 February 2011 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the CBCB Conference Hall ( 24/C Asad avenue, Mohammadpur, Dhaka).
A findings of the study on 'Mainstreaming Climate Change in National Policy Development Using Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process in Water Resource Management' will be presented in the meeting.
For further information please call us, 0088-02-8158688, 0088-01711881919 or email us, ahmed.swapan@gmail.com.
People’s involvement can ensure better results out of development efforts
Staff Correspondent
Rights and development activists asked the civil society organisations on Wednesday to engage with the donors and the government for effective utilisation of foreign assistance in development activities.
Speaking at a consultation meeting they said that no development effort, without the involvement of the common people, could provide the desired results. They called for involving the people with development efforts, from planning to implementation.
Two forums, Aid Accountability Group and The Reality of Aid, jointly hosted the national consultation session on ‘engagement of civil society organisations in aid effectiveness’ at the National Press Club.
Palli Karma Shahayak Foundation chairman Qazi Kholikuzzaman Ahmad said it was time to adopt a plan to make Bangladesh, a self-reliant and welfare state, an election pledge of the Awami League-led alliance government.
He said that the civil society had a huge responsibility to mobilise and involve the people with the process of development. Kholikuzzaman said that Bangladesh needed a plan to exit from the aid burden.
Capacity and Efficiency of CSOs should be developed: Consultation in Mymensingh
Independent CSO Watch Group Should be Formed to Ensure Aid Effectiveness:
Capacity and Efficiency of CSOs should be developed
Mymensingh, Bangladesh, 21 August 2010
A day-long consultation on “Civil Society Engagement on Aid Effectiveness” was held at the District Council Auditorium in Mymensingh on 21st August 2010. Jointly organized by Aid Accountability Group (AAG) and The Reality of Aid Network, 70 participants along with the local government representatives, political leaders, social workers, women organizations, NGOs, human rights organizations, journalists and activists of greater Mymensingh region participated in the program. Upazilla Chairman of Mymensingh Sadar Mr. Faijur Raman Fakir was present as chief guest while Yazdani Quraeshi, President of Supro (Campaign for Good Governance-CGG) Mymensingh district presided over the meeting.