It is not all over!
18 December 2015

This year started with the terrible attack on Charlie Hebdo and we all have been Charlie. We still are! Nobody at that time would have imagined that the horror could ever be “topped”. People fleeing across the Mediterranean Sea or the Balkan route to escape horror, poverty, misery and oppression, expect a chance for a better life in Europe. After the first wave of enthusiasm, the massive exodus of refugees and migrants now represents a major challenge for our societies in Europe. It will require a clearer focus on social investment, while also ensuring the defence of civil liberties, social, economic, cultural and human rights. A pillar of Social Rights as stipulated by the European Commission could be a step in the right direction if it is not a minimum provision. Upward conversion may sound technical, but aiming at an even higher level of protection through rights means social progress, more cohesion and more inclusion. Not yet a pathway, but a step in the right direction. Courage is needed to go further!

Taking action in the era of globalisation is possible and 2015 has given some encouraging signs like the agreement of COP 21 recently in Paris and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agreed in New York. Another world is possible, politics and diplomacy can facilitate progress! They even need to be rehabilitated to stand against the populist discourse. In these times, when war has not only entered the language, but has also become a real risk on our continent again, we need to mobilise the Peace movement and support any diplomatic initiative to prevent the worst from happening.

Civil society is more than a coordinated lobby, is more than a social business or a philanthropic community. We are proud of the work that our SOLIDAR members, professionals and volunteers deliver daily all around Europe and worldwide. We are their voice and we have our understanding of civil dialogue: calling for policy change when needed, for more social justice in Europe and worldwide. The year is over. The challenges remain. We are looking forward to continuing our engagement with our members, our allies and our partners! With you!

Best wishes for a better 2016!

Together for Social Europe
International Migrants Day 2015: social justice and dignity for all!
18 December 2015

Today, 18 December, is UN International Migrants Day and the SOLIDAR network is marking the occasion by calling for fundamental change in EU and international migration policies. 2015 saw an exceptional rise in the number of refugees and migrants arriving in the European Union. This was accompanied by a similar rise in discrimination, xenophobia and human rights violations. This statement, is a reminder from SOLIDAR to EU leaders about the positive impact of migration on economies and societies and proposes an alternative vision for Europe based on solidarity and the respect of human rights.

This statement also represents our contribution to the call for action launched by activists and NGOs who met in Thessaloniki on 20 November and decided to jointly declare a #stateofsolidarity and oppose a culture of fear by promoting peace, democracy, social justice and dignity for all.

Find more about the #stateofsolidarity initiative here.

The SOLIDAR Statement is available in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

SOLIDAR Social Progress Lab – Redefining structural reforms
16 December 2015

The SOLIDAR Social Progress Lab started in spring 2015 with a call for academic papers to help formulate and develop alternatives to the structural reforms that are currently being pursued by the European institutions as part of the so-called ‘virtuous triangle’ (i.e. investment, fiscal consolidation, and structural reforms), followed by a symposium in Turin on 6 July 2015 (see the activity report).

On 1 December 2015 the edited volume “Progressive Structural Reforms. Proposals for European reforms to reduce inequalities and promote jobs, growth and social investment” was presented in the European Parliament (see the activity report).
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Building Learning Societies
SOLIDAR participation in the Paris Declaration meeting with civil society
16 December 2015

On 15 December 2015 SOLIDAR participated in the Civil Society Day meeting on the Paris Declaration organised by the European Commission and the Lifelong Learning Platform. In the aftermath of the discussions at the Education, Training and Youth Forum organised in October this year, the meeting invited Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to debate the follow-up of the Paris declarations and aimed for a more in-depth debate around the place and role of education and training in promoting equity, non-discrimination, fundamental values, intercultural competences and active citizenship.

More precisely, CSOs were asked, at first in small working groups and at the end all together, to discuss the following points:

• What do we want to achieve by 2020? Main concerns and challenges ahead.
• How to implement these priorities? Main policy recommendations.
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Organising International Solidarity

The long way towards Social Justice: five years since the Arab Revolutions
17 December 2015

On 10 December 2015, Tunisia participated in the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony to receive the prize that was awarded on 9 October by the Norwegian Nobel Committee recognising Tunisia’s achievements towards achieving a pluralistic democracy.

This prize comes almost 5 years after the beginning of the Arab Revolutions that started with the self-immolation of Mohammed Bouazizi in Tunisia, and brought to light the country’s severe socio-economic inequalities that were entrenched in deep-rooted authoritarian rule and a neo-liberal economic model. Since then, a profound democratic transition has taken off led by Tunisian civil society, whose progress – such as the adoption of a new constitution, democratic and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections and a national dialogue launched in 2013 – has been recognised by the Nobel Peace Prize committee. This prestigious prize has been awarded to the four key civil society organisations that contributed to ensuring the progress of political transition in Tunisia, namely the Ligue Tunisienne des Droits de l’Homme (LTDH), Ordre des Avocats, UGTT and UTICA.
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The EU should take Human Rights activists out of jail!
16 December 2015

SOLIDAR welcomes the decision to award the 2015 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to Raif Badawi, a Saudi Arabian blogger, who has been jailed for his online political activism and promotion of freedom of expression and thought.

While this prize sends an important message, Raif Badawi remains in jail, and the EU should take a more active and vocal role in defending human rights globally, as it has committed to do with the adoption of the new EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy. In the whole Middle East and North Africa region, and in Egypt in particular, human rights activists are being targeted for their key role in promoting and defending civil, political, socio-economic rights.

Freedom of opinion and expression are essential to ensure transparency and accountability and to empower people to access and defend their fundamental rights.
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