Dear all, 

I am very pleased to send you a copy of Oxfam’s major new report Even It Up: Time to End Extreme Inequality that we have just launched, and is the flagship publication to support our ambitious new five year global campaign. 

You can access the report here and I am attaching the PDF too: http://www.oxfam.org/en/research/even-it-time-end-extreme-inequality   

Inequality has grown to extreme levels. Today seven out of ten people live in countries where the gap between the rich and poor is greater than it was thirty years ago. Last year Oxfam calculated that in 2014 the richest 85 people on the planet owned as much as the poorest half of humanity – and between March 2013 and March 2014 these 85 people grew $688m richer every day. 

Oxfam’s report documents how this rapid rise of extreme economic inequality is bad for everybody. It corrupts politics, hinders economic growth, stifles social mobility, and fuels crime and instability – even violent conflict. Crucially it is also standing in the way of efforts to eliminate poverty. The political and economic choices which have allowed a small elite to take more than they need have also left hundreds of millions of people without access to clean drinking water and without enough food to feed their families. There is now an urgent need and opportunity to tackle these choices. 

This report is Oxfam’s contribution to a debate that is already firmly on the political and economic agenda. We are joining a groundswell of voices as diverse as billionaires, faith leaders, the heads of institutions such as the IMF and World Bank, as well as trade unions, social movements, women’s organisations and millions of ordinary people around the world. 

Our campaign teams and partners will be active around the world tomorrow (30th) as the campaign launches in earnest in more than 30 countries. We have a panel with our own executive director Winnie Byanymia, Branko Milanovic and others in Madrid. The report will be launching from Peru to Pakistan, from Brazil to Belgium, and we will have a campaign action starting on our new campaign digital platform. We are organising stunts in Berlin, Johannesburg and across Spain and Latin America.  If you like what you see tonight and tomorrow, please do share online and with your networks 

Thank you, 

Emma Seery 
Head of Inequality Policy & Campaigns 
Oxfam GB 
+44 (0)7768 208565 
eseery@oxfam.org.uk 
Skype : emmakseery 
Follow me on twitter : @EmmaSeery 

Oxfam works with others to overcome poverty and suffering
Oxfam GB is a member of Oxfam International and a company limited by guarantee registered in England No. 612172.
Registered office: Oxfam House, John Smith Drive, Cowley, Oxford, OX4 2JY.
A registered charity in England and Wales (no 202918) and Scotland (SC 039042)

Dear Colleagues,

The EU and the US are currently negotiating the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (or TTIP), an agreement aimed at boosting trade by eliminating differences in commercial regulations.  Official studies of TTIP project benefits in terms of GDP and household income while they are less clear about employment and income distribution.

Unfortunately, recent literature has shown that the main existing studies of TTIP rely on inadequate economic models (of the CGE type). Following this lead, in a Tufts University working paper I have analyzed TTIP with a different model -- the United Nations Global Policy Model -- and found dramatically different results. Here's a summary for the European Union:

·         TTIP would lead to losses in terms of net exports after a decade, compared to the baseline scenario. Northern European Economies would suffer the largest losses (2.07% of GDP) followed by France (1.9%), Germany (1.14%) and United Kingdom (0.95%).

·         TTIP would lead to net losses in terms of GDP. Consistent with figures for net exports, Northern European Economies would suffer the largest GDP reduction (-0.50%) followed by France (-0.48%) and Germany (-0.29%).

·         TTIP would lead to a loss of labor income. France would be the worst hit with a loss of 5,500 Euros per worker, followed by Northern European Countries (-4,800 Euros per worker), United Kingdom (-4,200 Euros per worker) and Germany (-3,400 Euros per worker).

·         TTIP would lead to job losses. We calculate that approximately 600,000 jobs would be lost in the EU. Northern European countries would be the most affected (-223,000 jobs), followed by Germany (-134,000 jobs), France (- 130,000 jobs) and Southern European countries (-90,000).

·         TTIP would lead to a reduction of the labor share (the share of total income accruing to workers), reinforcing a trend that has contributed to the current stagnation. The flipside of its projected decrease is an increase in the share of profits and rents, indicating that proportionally there would be a transfer of income from labor to capital. The largest transfers will take place in UK (7% of GDP transferred from labor to profit income), France (8%), Germany and Northern Europe (4%).

·         TTIP would lead to a loss of government revenue. The surplus of indirect taxes (such as sales taxes or value-added taxes) over subsidies will decrease in all EU countries, with France suffering the largest loss (0.64% of GDP). Government deficits would also increase as a percentage of GDP in every EU country, pushing public finances closer or beyond the Maastricht limits.

·         TTIP would lead to higher financial instability and accumulation of imbalances. With export revenues, wage shares and government revenues decreasing, demand would have to be sustained by profits and investment. But with flagging consumption growth, profits cannot be expected to come from growing sales. A more realistic assumption is that profits and investment (mostly in financial assets) will be sustained by growing asset prices. The potential for macroeconomic instability of this growth strategy is well known after the recent financial crisis.

These results point to a general conclusion: seeking a higher trade volume is not a sustainable growth strategy for the EU. In the current context of austerity, high unemployment and low growth, increasing the pressure on labor incomes would further harm economic activity. On the contrary, any viable strategy to rekindle economic growth in Europe would have to build on a strong policy effort in support of labor incomes.

Best,
Jeronim Capaldo
Econometrics and Data Specialist
Social Protection Department
International Labour Organization
4 route des Morillons
CH-1211 Genève 22
Switzerland
Tel. +41-(0)22-799-6729

Dear friends,

The Second International Conference on Nutrition will be in Rome on 19-21 November. It will be preceded by pre-conference events in Rome for civil society, parliamentarians and the private sector. The Pope and other high-level special guests are expected to attend. As you may know, others have estimated that malnutrition imposes an approximately 5% burden on net economic welfare, with >3% due to unrealized human potential in terms of economic productivity and another 2% due to avoidable health care costs. One economistic consequence is that the rates of return to effective nutrition interventions are very high. Another feature of the conference is the emphasis on the role of food systems in ensuring healthy, balanced and diverse diets besides the better known health-related interventions. Perhaps most important is the high level attention of recent years so necessary for effective, comprehensive and integrated action, e.g. with the CELAC and AU heads of states' commitments of 2013 and 2014 respectively.

Best
jomo

The link below may be of interest to group members: http://www.epw.in/perspectives/nutrition-what-needs-be-done.html

Jomo Kwame Sundaram

Coordinator for Economic and Social Development
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FAO (ES-ADG, Room B532), Vialle delle Terme di Caracalla,
00153 Roma, Italy.
Office: Jomo.Sundaram@fao.org +39-0657053566
Websites: http://www.fao.org/, http://www.jomoks.org/, http://www.ideaswebsite.org/

Sharing here some important news on the reparations claim for historic, colonial and slave debt, advancing steadily in the Caribbean.  A vital aspect of work everywhere to annul illegitimate debts, and secure justice and reparations for what continues to be collected from the peoples of the global South, in violation of fundamental human and nature rights and generating ever growing social, ecological, economic and political debts to them.  Hope this will aspect will be included in the present work on Financing for ¿whose? Development -

Best,
Beverly

Beverly Keene
Diálogo 2000 - Jubileo Sur Argentina
Piedras 730 (1070) Bs. As.
Tel. +5411-43071867 // 15-55690140
beverly@jubileosur.org
dialogo2000@gmail.com
dialogo2000.blogspot.com
jubileosuramericas.net


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2451891/14-Caribbean-nations-sue-Britain-Holland-France-slavery-reparations.html#ixzz3GtHvLGlu\

14 Caribbean nations sue Britain, Holland and France for slavery reparations that could cost hundreds of billions of pounds ·         Countries demanding compensation for 'awful' legacy of Atlantic trade
·         Have hired lawyers who won pay-out for Kenyans tortured in the 1950s
·         Britain compensated slave owners £20m in 1834 - equal to £200bn today
·         Idea of reparations in the U.S. has often surfaced, but none has been paid

Dear List members, 

I attach a short policy brief setting out the benefits of thinking regionally when it comes to planning, designing, funding and delivering social provision. I hope you find it of use.

Further information about the research project generating this Brief can be found at the PRARI website (below).

You may also wish to consult the following blogs around the theme of social regionalism:

1.        http://theconversation.com/come-together-right-now-countries-are-working-with-neighbours-like-never-before-32235
2.       http://theconversation.com/ebola-regional-fund-shows-growing-solidarity-in-west-africa-32715
3.       http://www.saiia.org.za/opinion-analysis/global-eradication-of-poverty-day-what-can-regional-associations-do
4.       http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/fixing-the-weakest-link-in-global-health-governance

With best wishes, 
Nicola Yeates
Professor of Social Policy
Department of Social Policy and Criminology
Faculty of Social Sciences
The Open University
Milton Keynes    MK6 7AA  UK

ESRC-DfID grant Poverty Reduction and Regional Integration
visit our website: http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/prari/index.php?lang=eng
visite nuestro sitio web: http://www.open.ac.uk/socialsciences/prari/index.php?lang=es

Dear Gabriele –

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and relevant documents.

It is somewhat odd, reading the panel of experts, in their open letter, appreciate the possibility of reducing global poverty levels, without taking into account that we are moving towards a world with fewer poor people, but many more mega-wealthy individuals whose accumulated assets many times surpass the GDP of several countries combined. Thus, the non-reference in the letter to the reduction of inequalities and income disparities is a bit worrying.

 

Jonathan  

GORDON JONATHAN LEWIS
Representante
San Salvador - El Salvador
Teléfono            (503) 2252-8802
Fax                   (503) 2252-8811
Email                jlewis@unicef.org
Web                 www.unicef.org

Dear colleagues, 

As you know, September 2014 saw the opening of the new session of the UN General Assembly, with special days devoted to climate change and to the MDGs and SDGs. The deliberations on the next “development” agenda resume in earnest in January, and are to conclude with a new agenda by mid-September 2015.

2015 will also have other hopefully milestone, transformative conferences:

• on women – marking 20 years since the path-breaking Beijing Conference (New York, March 2015);
• on finance for development – hopefully leading to claimable decisions on generating genuinely additional ODA and progressive, equitable tax reform (Addis, July 2015); and
• on climate change – hopefully getting commitments from the world’s  largest polluters to turn to sustainable – liveable – production and consumption patterns (Paris, November-December 2015).

Interestingly, the High-level panel of experts invited to advise UN SG Ban Ki Moon recently issued an open letter updating its report of last year (see http://gracamacheltrust.org/new/images/downloads/HLP_open_letter_FINAL.pdf). The letter stresses the role of business in achieving the agenda, once again illustrating the international bias towards the private sector – the role of the state is not considered, and the limitations of the capitalist economic rationale for fostering transformation are idealised.

And: women, children and civil society do not feature in the letter. When even the Nobel Prize Committee recognises the importance of women’s and rights, by according prizes to child and girl child rights activists, this is surprising, to say the least.

The next eleven months will show whether multilateralism can become visionary, as it once was, long ago, or is becoming irrelevant. But we worry not for multilateralism per se, but for the role it ought to be playing for social, economic and environmental justice, for fundamental human rights, and concretely for the rights of women and of the next generation.

Regards.

Gabriele Köhler
Development Economist,
UNRISD Senior Research Associate

Dear colleagues

Millions of people die each year because antibiotics are increasingly unable to cure many diseases such as tuberculosis, pneumonia, influenza and severe stomach ailments. Antibiotic resistance has reached crisis proportions worldwide.
 
There is new momentum for global action on antibiotic resistance. Governments and WHO are preparing action plans and there is a campaign by civil society.
 
This issue of South Bulletin has many articles on this concern:
 

• When medicines don’t work anymore
• WHO sounds alarm bell on antibiotic resistance
• Health Ministers decide on action to use medicines wisely
• WHA resolution on combatting antimicrobial resistance: What the countries said
• Civil Society Workshop sets up new coalition on antibiotic resistance
• Declaration on Antibiotic Resistance

 
The Bulletin also has articles on the 67th session of the World Health Assembly.
 
The South Centre issued a statement calling for a stop to unilateral US pressure against the South’s use of TRIPS flexibilities. This statement is published in the bulletin.
 
Finally, the South Centre pays tribute to its former Board member, Dr. Norman Girvan, who passed away earlier this year.
 
We hope you find this issue useful and we welcome your comments.
With best wishes,
Martin Khor
Executive Director,                  
South Centre and
Editor, South Bulletin
 
To download the entire South Bulletin, please click here. 

Dear friends
Attached is a short two page update on where we are with the progress towards a Robin Hood Tax, or Financial Transaction Tax, in Europe.  Things have really moved on, an as we approach the momentous year of 2015, the chances of securing revenues from the European FTT to help finance the SDGs and fighting climate change are high. 
•        Ten countries in Europe, representing 88% of GDP finalising design and legislation for FTT by end 2014

•        France has implemented a unilateral FTT, and 20% of the revenues going to support health in West Africa

•        Opposition Labour party in UK has said if elected in May 2015 it will close loopholes in the UK stamp duty (an existing FTT on share transactions), to boost funding to the National Health Service.

•        All eyes on German presidency of G7 in 2015 to see clear announcements on allocation of revenues from FTT to development and climate change, ahead of Addis Financing Conference, SDG announcements and the Paris Climate         Summit. 

If you want some fun and have not seen it already, do watch this funny sequel to the original Bill Nighy Robin Hood Tax film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ghKdH1iJBc. 

 Cheers
Max

MAX LAWSON | Head of Global Policy and Campaigns | Oxfam GB
+ 44 (0)1865 472248 |+44 (0)7789 913628 | Skype: maxlawson1| Twitter: maxlawsontin
www.oxfam.org.uk | www.facebook.com/oxfamgb | @oxfamgb

Friends, colleagues

 

I want to share with you, for your information and also observations, a new statement issued jointly by Jubilee South/Americas, the Lutheran World Federation Program on Illegitimate Debt and Ecological Justice, and Cadtm-Ayna, with regard specifically to the Resolution approved recently by the UN GA.

 

The statement, entitled "Initial reflections on the UN decision to establish a multilateral legal framework for the process of public debt restructuring", advances some initial observations on the text itself of the Resolution, the context in which it has been advanced, and the challenges it must overcome if it is to be of some support for the fundamental rights of peoples and nature.

 

The text is available here in Spanish (original) and also in English. 

 

We very much welcome your comments and suggestions, as we continue to discuss and organize diverse initiatives in this spirit, here in the region and in coordination with other parts of the global movement for overcoming debt domination and securing reparations.

 

Best wishes.

Beverly

 

--
Beverly Keene
Diálogo 2000 - Jubileo Sur Argentina
Piedras 730 (1070) Bs. As.
Tel. +5411-43071867 // 15-55690140
beverly@jubileosur.org
dialogo2000@gmail.com

dialogo2000.blogspot.com

jubileosuramericas.net

Dear friends,

 

The ITUC has posted Global Unions’ statement for the annual meetings of the IFIs (10-12 October, Washington), on its web site:

http://www.ituc-csi.org/statement-by-global-unions-to-the-15138

 

Best regards

Peter Bakvis
ITUC/Global Unions – Washington Office
888 16th Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 974-8120
E-mail: pbakvis@globalunions-us.org

Dear friends,
 
It was great to It was fantastic to see Guy’s message yesterday sharing some very important perspectives on old age and social protection and Isabel's message today highlighting the key outcomes of the policy paper on pension that ILO launched today
 
On the International Day of Older People, HelpAge International is launching the Global AgeWatch Index 2014, which this year focuses on social protection and touches on very similar issues. The index, which presents a unique snapshot of the situation of older people in 96 countries across the world, is now in its second year since it was first constructed in 2013. One of the benefits of this is that it is now possible to see changes that are happening over time in different countries and one of the biggest changes this year has been an increase in pension coverage – particularly in low and middle income countries. This echoes one of the main trends highlighted by the ILO.
 
We use the report to look at increases in pension coverage in recent years, and identify a number of conclusions. 
The Global AgeWatch Index, now in its second year, ranks 96 countries according to the social and economic wellbeing of their older people – that’s 91 per cent of the global population aged 60 and over. The Index shows that economic growth alone will not improve older people’s wellbeing and that specific policies need to be put in place. 
This year, the Index’s Insight report has a special focus on income security, a fundamental concern for older people everywhere. This puts a spotlight on how different countries are responding to people’s right to a secure income in later life, particularly by extending pension coverage a trend which has also been recognised in the ILO paper.  The increase in pension coverage is related to a multiplicity of factors including:

The political drivers  which have gone beyond the concern of the current generation of older people reflecting a  recognition of the various ways in which old age income security affects people across their whole lives. Pensions, as part of a social protection floor, have shown substantial potential to reduce and contain economic inequalities across people’s lives.

Increasing pension coverage has been particularly due to the introduction and expansion of social (non-contributory) pensions in countries as varied as Cape Verde, China, Nepal, South Korea, Swaziland, Timor-Leste and Thailand. In fact, in the last two decades social pensions have gone from a relatively marginal component of pension systems globally, to a policy that exists in over 100 countries. The rise of social pensions marks something of a shift from the historic focus on contributory pensions, to an emphasis on a basic non-contributory floor upon which contributory savings can be built over time.   
  
Despite these positive developments, ¼ of older people in low and middle income countries still receive no pension at all, and for many that do it is wholly inadequate. Yet the example of countries that have introduced universal or near-universal pensions shows that a minimum floor of social protection in old age is affordable both now and in the long-run.

We’re looking forward to taking part in a launch of both reports at the Palais de Nacions in Geneva later today organised by the NGO committee on ageing in Geneva and the UN.   

Please do visit the full Global AgeWatch website where you can find the report as well as detailed profiles and infographics for the 96 countries in the index. The website provides full details of how the Index was constructed and links to all the data sets. You can also view country report cards for all the countries in the Index, with radar charts showing how individual countries perform against the regional average for each domain.
http://www.helpage.org/global-agewatch/ 

Silvia Stefanoni
Deputy CEO - Director of Policy and Strategy
HelpAge International
tel. +44 (0)7921048998

Dear friends,

On the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons, we are launching the report "Social Protection for older persons: Key policy trends and statistics”. The report: (i) provides a global overview of the organization of pension systems, their coverage and benefits, as well as public expenditures on social security, in 178 countries; (ii) analyses trends and recent policies, e.g. extension of coverage in a large number of low- and middle-income countries; (iii) presents the negative impacts of fiscal consolidation and adjustment measures in a number of higher-income economies; and (iv) calls for the expansion of social protection in pursuit of crisis recovery, inclusive development and social justice.

See the report: http://www.ilo.org/global/publications/WCMS_310211/lang--en/index.htm

See the press release: http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_310210/lang--en/index.htm?shared_from=media-mail

Isabel Ortiz 
Director Social Protection
International Labour Organization (ILO)
4 Route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22 Switzerland
Tel. +41.22.799.6226; ortizi@ilo.org
Visit www.social-protection.org  

Dear friends

Living longer and healthier lives is one of the most welcome achievements of human development – a testament to our ability to improve the human condition from one generation to the next. As a result, we see a rapidly growing number of older persons living in all countries, industrialized and developing, albeit increasing at different rates and within different time horizons. By 2050, it is projected that the world’s population over 65 will triple, while the population under 15 will stabilize. Three-quarters of older people will live in developing countries and the majority of them will be women. This demographic change is one major driver transforming the world. It is key to understand this driver and assist countries in turning the change into an opportunity.

To address the demographic challenge, integrated employment promotion and social protection policies that build on the virtuous cycle of employment, social protection and development are crucial. Some countries have shown that with the right policy mix and effective institutions in place ageing societies bring opportunities from which all parts of society can benefit. Such a policy mix needs to recognize the interdependency between demographic shifts, employment, social protection, labour migration, and economic development. Social dialogue to tackle the challenges of the new demographic context of ageing societies will be central to finding effective, equitable and sustainable answers to demographic challenges and to turning them into opportunities. 

Ensuring adequate pensions and effective access to health and long-term care are the underpinnings of truly inclusive societies that engage and value individuals no matter their age. Recognizing the importance of income security in old age, many low and middle income countries have extended pension coverage to previously uncovered segments of the population in order to achieve universal coverage. As a result, we see a marked increase in pension coverage rates in many countries. 

Yet pension systems in many parts of the world have been under strain in the face of demographic change and fiscal consolidation policies. In some contexts, this has led to a situation where future pension levels will be unable to provide adequate protection to older persons. Unless effective measures are taken to ensure adequate pensions, old age poverty and economic insecurity will remain a reality for many of today’s and tomorrow’s older persons.

Extending pension coverage and ensuring effective access to health care for older persons is a priority for us all. On this International Day of Older Persons, the ILO is launching the report “Social Protection for Older Persons: Key policy trends and statistics” presenting an updated analysis of these critical issues for older women and men.

Best regards,
Guy Ryder
Director General
International Labour Organization
4 Route des Morillons
CH-1211 Geneva 22 Switzerland