Editorial by Conny Reuter, SOLIDAR Secretary General

Politico(l) correct?

08 May 2015

The result of the elections in the UK reminds us how important the shaping of public opinion and cultural hegemony is. In a country where inequality is rising, where in-work poverty is a daily reality, where housing in inner cities is no longer affordable for those on low or even medium incomes and the privatisation of public services is driving them to crisis point, the electoral result may surprise. However since the arrival of Thatcher public opinion has been shaped by conservative values, and the last ideological framework was the so called “big society”.

Newspapers and tabloids play a dominant role in daily life and in opinion making. The mantra of growth and the predominance of the economy are so often repeated that they become the “truth” even if daily reality proves differently. A country which has lost is manufacturing industries and where everything is based on the untamed financial markets needs to tell stories. People believe in them by force of repetition even if their life experience contradicts those stories.

In times of crisis and austerity there remains a fear of change on the one hand and hope on the other. This seems to be the driving force behind the shift to the conservatives in elections, even though their mantras and policies have lead to the crisis. Progressives do need more than another narrative. They need to take into consideration the economic and social realities and perhaps move away from constantly referring to the third way. Financial capital is not interested in “co-management”. This is the message of the beginning of this century. Regulation mechanisms are not playing their part. Our narrative must be based on the idea of a renewed social contract, a sort of Rousseau 2.0. It is going to take a long time, to regain faith in the need for a less egotistic society, a society not based on a few winners and many losers. Reaching out and connecting to the real world and social realities must be the aim. Winning elections is more than just a campaign. Progressive ideas must be reflected and anchored in society and public opinion. This should be the Gramsci 2.0 approach.

Conservatives have understood the mechanisms and therefore it is not by chance that we see a pseudo-intellectual tabloid arriving in Brussels. Looking at their articles, it is not about a new narrative, it is about policies and lobbying. What could illustrate better their ideology than last week’s article “Beat the Berlaymont?”. When Springer from Germany invests so much money, it is certainly not to promote social justice and tackle inequality. However, we can build on strong alliances, partnerships and networks. We have the arguments on our side to build our advocacy (not through lobbying!) strategies on. Standing against the so-called mainstream is not a problem, but if European policies do not deliver on the social side, then we will have a problem. Europe is not in danger, but the European project is endangered by being restricted to economic growth and governance alone.

Courage friends, partners and allies! We are still in the running!

SOLIDAR Silver Rose Awards

Join us Wednesday 3 June in The European Parliament and meet the winners

This week we have announced the organisations and individuals who have been selected to win the Silver Rose Awards 2015 in the four categories; Together for Social Europe, Building Learning Societies, Organising International Solidarity and the Lifetime Achievement Award’, below you can find a brief explanation of why they have been selected and in what way their efforts have contributed to advancing social justice in Europe and worldwide. You can register for the Silver Rose Awards ceremony here.

The ‘Lifetime Achievement’ Silver Rose Award goes to: Günter Wallraff

This very special award is being given this year to Günter Wallraff for his consistent commitment to exposing human rights violations through undercover journalism and the publication of many books exposing human rights abuses. Günter Wallraff has worked tirelessly to expose social injustice, any kind of social discrimination and everyday discrimination. This is why he has been nominated by Mrs. Gloria Müller (former head of DGB office in Brussels) and selected for the Silver Rose ‘Lifetime Achievement’ Award. On Wednesday 3 June, Mr Wallraff will be joining us in Brussels to accept the award, which will be handed to him by Silver Rose Jury Member and Member of the European Parliament Knut Fleckenstein (SPD, S&D Group).
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The ‘Together for Social Europe’ Silver Rose Award goes to: Aide et Défense des Jeunes Isolés Etrangers (ADJIE)

ADJIE gives free legal assistance to unaccompanied minors and young immigrants who arrive in France without legal guardians to access support according to their rights within the French legal system and the International Declaration on Human Rights. Twice a week volunteers provide legal advice at their office in Paris to advise minors and young people on how to apply for social support. The most recent tragedies in the Mediterranean have made this one of the more poignant awards to be given out this year. The majority of the Jury was also in favour of selecting this specific organisation for the Silver Rose Awards because of the current challenges Europe faces around the exclusion of young people, especially those with a migrant background.
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The ‘Building Learning Societies’ Silver Rose Award goes to: Sosyal Yasama ve Egitme Katki Dernegi
(Association for Contribution to Education and Social Life – SOYAD)

Sosyal Yasama ve Egitme Katki Dernegi was chosen by the Silver Rose Awards Jury for establishing a network of volunteers to work with mentally disabled, autistic and physically handicapped children and their families in Turkey. This committed and growing organisation has established three volunteer centres in the country, assisting 450 children who would otherwise be totally dependent on care in the home. SOYAD helps the children and their families access social services institutions and social benefits.
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The ‘Organising International Solidarity’ Silver Rose Award goes to: The International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF)

The International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) has been nominated for the Silver Rose Award in the category ‘Organising International Solidarity’ by SOLIDAR Member International Federation of Workers’ Education Associations (IFWEA) for their achievements in building a strong, democratic and united domestic/household workers global organisation to protect and advance domestic workers’ rights everywhere. The global organisation based in Hong Kong believes that domestic work is work and all domestic and household workers deserve to enjoy the same rights as all other workers. It’s the only international trade union federation to have a leadership team composed only of women. It aims to organise a united, international voice for domestic workers and, on a local level, to build collective strength to ensure the rights of domestic workers. Their Secretary General, Elizabeth Tang, will attend the Silver Rose Awards ceremony in Brussels on Wednesday 3 June to accept the award.
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The Silver Rose Awards is organised with the support of the S&D Group and the Party of European Socialists (PES) and with the media support of EurActiv

Together for Social Europe

Social Progress Watch 2015 extended to Western Balkan countries

06 May 2015

The Social Progress Watch (SPW) is a tool set up together with members and partners to monitor and evaluate progress made towards a more social and cohesive Europe.

In the framework of the SPW initiative, each year SOLIDAR carries out a consultation with national members aimed at evaluating governments’ commitment to promoting active inclusion, reducing poverty, fighting unemployment, defending and extending the right to decent work and quality jobs and promoting universal social protection. From this consultation, country studies are developed to provide information about the state of play of social, employment and education development, present the main structural obstacles to the improvement of social conditions and propose specific recommendations on how to overcome those obstacles and implement the necessary policy reforms to stimulate social progress, inclusive and sustainable growth as well as wellbeing.
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SOLIDAR Italian members call for more solidarity in the EU migration policies

08 May 2015

SOLIDAR members ARCI, CGIL and other civil society organisations have developed a ten point strategy to call for a change in the current EU approach to migration policies and for a more social Europe. Since the beginning of 2015 more than 2.000 people have died in the Mediterranean Sea. In the last two decades the Mediterranean Sea has become a synonym for human tragedy, as thousands of migrants died in their attempt to reach European borders seeking international protection, a better life and better opportunities. The responses of the EU to these ongoing humanitarian tragedies, echoed by the decision of the last European Council, confirms the persistence of the political leaders’ “Fortress Europe” approach, despite the fact that it has clearly failed to prevent deaths and protect human rights. Increasing investment in border patrols will not prevent people starting their journeys to Europe, it will only increase the number of deaths.
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Building Learning Societies

#World of Work for youth

08 May 2015

According to the latest alarming figures approximately 14 million people are neither in employment, education or training, including 15.4% of the population between 15 and 29 years old in Europe. The economic crisis and the recession and its consequences have the biggest impact on youth – the transition from education to work, and the quality of opportunities offered on the labour market. The staggering level of unemployment results in young people accepting poor working conditions, discrimination, exploitation and (bogus) self-employment without proper social security. Hence, in times of crisis, when job opportunities are scarce for young people, there is tremendous pressure on working conditions, partly due to young people’s lack of awareness of their rights-at-work.
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Organising International Solidarity

European Year for Development – Social Protection 4 All – SOLIDAR Members in Action

No. 3 Health Care 4 All | April 2015

04 May 2015

According to the ILO World Social Protection Report 2014/2015, more than 90% of the population living in low-income countries still has no health cover. Globally, 39% of the population lacks health protection. This means that the costs of health care have to be covered directly by the sick. At the same time, health care is frequently neither available nor affordable, and out-of-pocket payments to access needed services can lead to poverty.

This newsletter highlights the daily work of SOLIDAR Members’, together with local CSOs, to ensure that people are aware of their rights, can exercise their Right to Health, and participate in the decisions that concern their health.
Full version

The new European Neighbourhood Policy is not a security policy

08 May 2015

On 5 May, SOLIDAR attended the Foreign Affairs Committee (AFET) hearing in the European Parliament aimed at discussing the draft report of Eduard Kukan (MEP, EPP) on the revision of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) with Members of National Parliaments and Commissioner Hahn.

SOLIDAR is particularly concerned that this review might be used to strengthen the security dimension of the ENP, by aligning the new policy to the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) of the European Union. Against this approach, SOLIDAR calls for the revised ENP to strengthen the human rights dimension of the ENP within the European Parliament draft report, and to align it with the EEAS Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy.
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Members’ News

• SOLIDAR Member Samaritan International has published an article on the current state of their relief work in Nepal. They work together on the ground with Arbeiter-Samariter Bunde (ASB) and Danish People’s Aid to provide emergency medical aid, emergency shelter and clean drinking water. More information can be found here.
• SOLIDAR Member Solidar Suisse is also present in Nepal, their emergency aid expert, Hanns Polak, reports on a daily basis on the situation on the ground. You can find his blog here.
• CONCORD is organising a debate titled ‘Mind the gaps in the GAP, Ensure the success of the next EU gender action plan’. The event will take place on Wednesday 13 May in the European Parliament from 12:00 till 15:00. More information can be found here.

Solidarity to Provide Aid to the Victims of the Nepal Earthquake

On Tuesday 29 April, SOLIDAR launched a Call for Solidarity in response to the earthquake that has struck Nepal and caused major destruction across the whole country. According to official figures at least 3,900 people have lost their lives and a further 7,000 have been injured. It is feared that the number of deaths will keep rising. The epicentre of the earthquake was located only about 80 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu. This was the strongest earthquake in the last 80 years. The Nepalese government has declared a state of emergency. Aid, SOLIDAR Suisse, Samaritan Austria, Volkshilfe Austria, Norwegian People’s Aid together with their Nepalese partners, are working to raise funds and to deploy missions to the epicentre to help those in need with first aid, shelter, medications, food and other support.

You can help the people in Nepal by making a donation to the SOLIDAR Foundation for Humanitarian Cooperation:
IBAN: BE53 7310 0861 1753
BIC: KREDBEBB
ACCOUNT HOLDER: SOLIDAR Foundation for humanitarian, development and European cooperation ASBL
Mentioning the following sentence when doing the payment: Nepal Solidarity

Partners’ News

• Our partner Volonteurope is organising a debate titled ‘Governance for the Common Good: The Role of the Enabling State’ that will take place on Friday 8 May in Sofia, Bulgaria. During this debate they intend to further explore how the state, civil society and communities can design, implement and evaluate public services together. More information can be found here.
• SOLIDAR partner EUCIS-LLL will be organising a training session in which they’ll cover the Erasmus + programme. The participants will be able to learn more about which opportunities the programme offers, the different related policy objectives and will be given tips on how to write a successful application. More information and registration can be found here.
• Social Platform has launched a campaign in relation to the current evaluation of the EU facilitation directive, in which they call for an end to the criminalisation of those who act in solidarity by offering humanitarian assistance. You can find more information on their exact points, their steps and how you can be of help here.

Other News

The Ombudsman has sent out a press release titled ‘How Frontex can ensure respect for migrants’ fundamental rights during “forced returns” in which they report on the fact that Emily O’Reilly has sent in proposals to Frontex questioning whether respect of migrants’ fundamental rights can be safeguarded when they encounter a forced return from the Member States to their country of origin. You can read the full version of the press release here.