STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING &
BRAINSTORMING SESSION OF THE ETHICAL GLOBALISATION INITIATIVE

YALE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF GLOBALISATION, NEW HAVEN, CT
JANUARY 14 - 15, 2003

On January 14, 2003, the Steering Committee of the Ethical Globalisation Initiative (EGI) convened its second meeting at the Yale Center for the Study of Globalisation. On January 15, the new Director of the Center, Ernesto Zedillo, organized a brainstorming session for the initiative. Thomas Hammarberg and Harold Koh moderated the discussions on the key challenges, possible strategies and thematic issues for the EGI.

The Ethical Globalisation Initiative is being led by Mary Robinson and is a one year project during 2003 in which a broad range of views will be sought and operational structures developed to integrate a human rights framework and policy approaches into the shaping of a more ethical globalization. The project will include a special focus on the potential for national human rights capacity building in Africa and will culminate in a three-year strategic plan designed to take forward the policy recommendations and initiatives developed during the project period. The initiative is being supported in partnership with the Aspen Institute, the State of the World Forum and the International Council on Human Rights Policy.

Project Overview

Many human rights advocates recognize the potential of globalization to be a vehicle for human development and democracy. Yet little has been done to date within the framework of international human rights norms to protect and promote the interests of poor producers, traders and consumers who are disabled from participating in the global economy. While the importance of human rights and democracy to sustainable development is today widely recognized, far too little resources and expertise needed for human rights education, appropriate national legislation, effective administration of justice and popular participation in local and national decision-making, has been expended.

Clearly there is a need for more work in shaping a globalization that fosters successful economies and open and inclusive societies, a globalization that respects the integrity of cultures and the sovereignty of states, a globalization that protects the environment for present and future generations. In other words, an ethical globalization that ensures respect for the human rights of all people.

A transformation needs to take place that will put the rights and interests of people at the center of the agenda of international bodies, governments, the private sector and wider civil society. This requires a broad leadership alliance encouraging local ownership in support of democracy, transparency, accountability and respect for the rule of law and human rights at every level of society.

The initiative has two parallel and complementary tracks, the first focusing generally on policy development and the second on its practical application. On the first track the initiative is concentrating on developing multi-disciplinary thought and action aimed at surmounting the traditional divides between different professional perspectives and integrating human rights norms and standards into efforts to shape a more ethical globalization.

Recognizing the extent to which globalization is, in part, the progeny of transnational companies and other business enterprises, this initial stage of the project is also focusing on the impact of these economic entities. As noted in the draft UN Human Rights Principles and Responsibilities for Transnational Corporations and other Business Enterprises, these bodies “have the capacity to foster economic well-being, development, technological improvement, and wealth.”

On the second track, the initiative is taking as a case study the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) which provides an innovative framework for catalyzing the intellectual resources and technical expertise needed to support civil society, local and national governments and sub-regional and regional networks committed to building capacities to promote and support human rights in Africa. The approach is linking universities, research centers and professional legal bodies in the North with counterparts in individual African countries to strategize together on projects to support capacity building in these countries. This second aspect of the initiative is thus informing and testing the more general policy work being carried out on the first track. Moreover, it is anticipated that the policy development on the first track will be of benefit to NEPAD and other regional associations of developing countries as they take the leadership initiative in their spheres of influence.

A three month preparatory period has allowed for detailed discussions with policymakers, university leaders and other experts, consultations convened at the Aspen Institute, the State of the World Forum’s Commission on Globalization, and contacts with other key bodies including the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO to formulate the broad approach and to establish initial networks for each track.

Project Strategy

Objective 1: To develop multi-disciplinary thought and action aimed at bridging existing ideological barriers between different professional perspectives and at integrating human rights norms and standards into ongoing efforts to spread the benefits of a global economy throughout the world.

There are a growing number of initiatives at the national and international level to address the challenges of an increasingly interconnected world. In addition to the UN draft Principles already noted, the State of the World Forum’s Commission on Globalization and the ILO’s Commission on the Social Impact of Globalization are efforts to rationalize the course of globalization. Similarly, bodies such as the International Council on Human Rights Policy seek to link applied research into current human rights issues with policy makers. The proposed strategy will work through these and other initiatives and organizations to develop multi-disciplinary thought and action aimed at integrating human rights standards into specific recommendations for governance and policy-making at the global level and through dialogue and specific activities at the local and national level.

Outputs

1. By the end of the project period, a three-year strategic plan will be prepared focused on joint policy research and actions to integrate human rights norms and standards, particularly in the field of economic, social and cultural rights, into the management of the global economic system and into activities aimed at empowering people living in poverty.

2. To this end, a multi-disciplinary “Human Rights Policy Action Group”, (the Policy Group) will be formed made up of academics, activists and private sector leaders committed to developing recommendations for the proposed strategic plan.

3. Two multi-disciplinary policy papers will be developed by participants in the Policy Group to advance thinking and guide the Policy Group in its discussion of the links between human rights and the management of the global economic system. The Policy Papers will also assist the Policy Group in its examination of the impact of specific policy or programmatic actions and the development of its strategy. Particular attention will be paid to developing links to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the World Trade Organization.

4. Through keynote addresses at conferences, academic institutions and high level events, articles in newspapers, journals and other publications, the debate on the importance of human rights standards in international policy-making and governance issues will be articulated and the need for multi-disciplinary policy development and action stressed.

Objective 2: To catalyze the intellectual resources and technical expertise needed to support civil society, local and national governments and sub-regional and regional networks committed to developing human rights capacities through the broad framework of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

The theoretical approach of integrating human rights into economic policies affecting globalization will be complemented by a parallel practical approach. This will involve harnessing the intellectual and technical resources of universities, research centers and professional bodies in the North, and linking them with their counterparts in individual countries in Africa to develop joint and sustainable strategies for human rights capacity building. The objective is to demonstrate that there is an African led and sustainable way to strengthen the administration of justice, rule of law and adherence to international human rights standards, and that this has a direct bearing on economic and social development.

Today most African governments recognize the long-term costs of inaction in honoring human rights. They understand that without human rights education, appropriate national legislation, effective administration of justice and an open, free society with popular participation in local and national decision-making, economic development is far from assured. The challenge is to advocate for and coordinate more effectively the intellectual resources and technical expertise needed to make such legislative, structural and social improvements.

An exciting initiative has emerged in Africa to support these goals. Government leaders have committed themselves through the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) to delivering pluralistic States with transparent administrations, effective institutions and sound regulatory frameworks, all underpinned by the rule of law and with an innovative inter-state peer review mechanism. Just as African governments and their people require support in combating the AIDS crisis or in increasing primary education, significant international assistance is also needed in promoting and consolidating democratic governance, securing the rule of law through institutional capacity building in the judiciary, the police, and other law enforcement agencies, and promoting grassroots awareness and ownership of human rights norms.

The proposed strategy seeks to work through the framework of NEPAD to secure targeted intellectual and operational support for human rights capacity building. The approach would draw on Mary Robinson’s knowledge and ability to bring together influential leaders and provide advice to and develop links between universities, research centers and professional bodies in the North with their counterparts in the South, as well as between foundations, regional organizations, international financial institutions, governments, NGO networks and the corporate sector aimed at supporting human rights capacity building around the following themes and activities:

· Establishing joint approaches to strengthening national planning for the implementation of human rights through national human rights institutions and support for secretariats of African regional organizations

· Establishing joint approaches to human rights education initiatives at local, national and regional levels

· Supporting regional and sub-regional networks of NGOs

· Establishing joint approaches to advancing the education and participation of women

Outputs

1. By the end of the project period, a three-year strategy will be prepared addressing how African governments and civil society can be supported both in improving their political and social infrastructures necessary for the protection of human rights and in implementing the peer review mechanism within the framework of the NEPAD initiative. If this approach proves successful, similar work in other regions may be explored in the future.

2. To this end, an “African Human Rights Capacity Building Network” will be initiated, comprising an advisory group of eminent Africans and others with links to human rights experts, activists, academics, foundations, international and regional organizations, corporations etc. dedicated to mobilizing funding, expertise and delivery capacity for building local and national human rights capacities.

3. Two case studies will be commissioned to identify latest practice on what works and what doesn’t in human rights capacity building activities at the local and national level. This information will be used to guide the Network in developing its strategy.

4. Through keynote addresses at conferences, academic institutions and high level events, articles in newspapers, journals and other publications, the debate on how to strengthen human rights capacity building will be articulated and the need for additional resources to support initiatives stressed.

For additional information, please visit the EGI website at http:// www.eginitiative.org