Editorial by Conny Reuter, SOLIDAR Secretary General

Exit strategy?

100 years after the beginning of the First World War and 75 years after the beginning of the Second World War, the wars in Gaza, Iraq, Syria and the conflict in Ukraine have created thousands of human tragedies and senseless losses of lives. Again the civilians were the most targeted and international agreements like the Geneva Convention appear to be nothing more than a piece of paper. Taking into account the global crisis, more voices raise the concern that we might enter in a pre-war situation and thus, we are in urgent need of exit strategies. At least, if we still pretend to have learnt from our past.

Our sphere is humanitarian aid and SOLIDAR members stand at the forefront to support to the children, women and men suffering from conflicts. It is in this particular moment that civil society organizations acting in urgency and emergency cannot do their work on the ground without the necessary financial support. A potential reduction of the development aid and humanitarian response in the European budget is no longer solely a political issue; it will have disastrous effects for those in need.

Given that Europe’s weight/role as a global actor has decreased, the EU could support the reconciliation of these conflict by increasing its humanitarian aid and support those actors who by their aims, objectives and professional competences can deliver and diminish human suffering on the ground. This Weekly Round Up reflects the thoughts and activities on this matter throughout our network, highlighting the great engagement both SOLIDAR and its Member Organisations.

Wars do not take summer breaks or parliamentarian holidays. The humanitarian catastrophe needs strategic replies, concrete actions and political signs which cannot depend on an institutional calendar. Wars, what are they good for? Absolutely nothing! In times of war, we have to translate what solidarity means and put our values and convictions into action.

Our Member Organisations on this topic
Norwegian People’s Aid
Democracy and Workers Rights Center Palestine
Associazione di Promozione Sociale (ARCI)
Arbeiterwohlfart International
Solidarité Laïque
Olof Palme International Center
Movimiento por la Paz, el Desarme y la Libertad (MPDL)
International Federation of Worker’s Education Association
Fonds voor Ontwikkelingssamenwerking (FOS)
Volkshilfe Österreich
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund

Other related documents
UNRWA

Social Affairs

TTIP – German welfare organisations demand exclusion of social services

Brussels, 22nd August 2014

In a common position paper, SOLIDAR member Arbeiterwohlfahrt (AWO) as a member of the German coordination organization of welfare organization together with another network outlined their position on the ongoing negotiations of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) regarding social and health care services.

The paper sheds light on possible risks for the social and health service sector not only in Germany but Europewide if a comprehensive trade agreement as currently foreseen is concluded, such as: the declaration of existing social and health standards as non-tariff-barriers to trade; an increasing pressure for economisation and rationalisation on personal social and health care services with a detrimental effect on their quality; a high degree of legal uncertainty caused by dynamic rules of liberalisation and the envisaged negative list approach.

AWO and Paritätischer demand the exclusion of social and health care services from the TTIP negotiations to guarantee the retention of high standards regarding consumer, workers, patients’, data, environmental, health and social protection rights.

Furthermore, the high degree of secrecy maintained around the negotiations is being criticised. The European Commission keeps refusing to publish its negotiation mandate and all relevant negotiating documents. A comprehensive involvement of civil society is therefore not possible and obviously not desired.

The envisaged Investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) must be abandoned to avoid the establishment of a parallel private international justice system which is unnecessary given the high standards of the European and US legal systems. Especially, as the recently finalized Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has included an ISDS provision, we are therefore concerned that this will be used as a blue print for TTIP, and allow US based companies to use their Canadian branches to present their complaints against European States.

Please find the SOLIDAR briefing paper on TTIP here.

Sabir Festival of Mediterranean cultures – For more solidarity in EU migration policy

Brussels, 22nd August 2014

In the last two decades, the island of Lampedusa, in the center of the Mediterranean has become a doorway for migrants arriving in Europe from the countries of Africa and the Middle East, often ruled by authoritarian regimes or dictatorships and often at war. The absence of fair and effective immigration policies and of an idea of reception in line with the international human rights standards, produce frequently humanitarian tragedies and problems and creates political and social tensions and conflicts. At the same time, the unplanned and improvised management of the arrivals fuels racism and public fear, manipulatively created in recent years through the rhetoric of invasion. This produces a negative image of the island, despite the solidarity attitude showed by inhabitants in many occasions.

In order to promote the idea of Lampedusa as the door to Europe, and not only a symbol of tragedies, SOLIDAR member ARCI – together with the October 3rd Committee, and the Lampedusa city council – is organizing the Sabir Festival of Mediterranean cultures on October 1 – 5 2014. The event will bring together representatives of the civil society and institutions to promote a new idea of Mediterranean citizenship and solidarity. The dates were chosen to mark the first anniversary of the October 3, 2013, deaths at sea of 368 migrants.

SOLIDAR will take part of the event to call for a solidarity-driven EU’s migration policy based on the indivisibility of human rights. In our view, the Dublin Agreement stipulating that refugees and asylum seekers have to ask for asylum in the country where they arrive as well as the populist and reactionary attitude of certain EU leaders towards migration policies contribute to diffuse a sense of isolation for the institutions in the isle. Therefore, it is time to change this pattern! Thus, it is needed to promote a rights-based approach to economic and social development in the country of origins and guarantees that the Post 2015 development framework promotes human development and social justice.

International Cooperation

Promoting Women’s Rights & Gender Equality in the Middle East and North

Brussels, 22nd August 2014

SOLIDAR has published in cooperation with local partners and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS); a book entitled ‘Promoting Women’s Rights & Gender Equality in the Middle East and North Africa’.

This book aims to define the main challenges in promoting women’s rights and gender equality in times of transition within MENA region. The contributions written by local experts offer a detailed overview of the achievements, challenges and future prospects of progressive women’s organisations and movements in the region since the Arab Spring.

It was first presented during a fact-finding mission to the European Institutions, bringing together women’s movements from the region with Members of the European Parliament as well as the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the European Endowment for Democracy, the International Labour Organisation and United Nations representatives.

Together, we will need to remain persistent in our fight for a more equal society, in which women and men can rely on their economic, social and cultural rights.

You can find the digital version of the publication here.

Members News

The EVBB is organising its 18th International Conference entitled ’Work based Training for Employment and Growth’ 15-18 October 2014 in Zagreb, Croatia. More information on the conference can be found here.