GLOBAL COOPERATION NEWSLETTER
January 2009
In this edition:
The year begins
Researchers and civil society meet
The global financial crisis: what needs to be done?
Norway tops official development assistanceSpeculation a major contributor to global food crisis
Globalizing care economies and migrant workers explorations in global
care chains
International Poverty Centre publications
UNRISD Releases
8th IFSW – Pan African regional conference - 14th -16th April 2009
The year begins – observations by Executive Director Denys Correll

Most of us face this year with a mixture of trepidation and hope. Trepidation, as no one
knows what will happen to the global economy and how long the recession will have anegative impact on the most vulnerable in our communities. Hope, that the USA will rise
to a new position in the world and throw off the belligerence of the Bush administration.

In the next few weeks ICSW representatives will attend the UN Commission for Social
Development. The theme for discussion this year is social integration. ICSW’s statement
is on our website http://www.icsw.org/un/un.htm. During the Bush years the USA wasnotorious for its obstructionist approach in the UN including the Commission for Social
Development. There were too many stories of the US representatives blocking issues that
could only benefit the people ICSW represents. I hope that era has ended.
We wish President Obama every success. The world has put much on his shoulders.
Earlier this month President Christian Rollet and I met with colleagues in South Asia withthe aim of revitalising the ICSW activities in that region. Our hosts in Kerala, India were
enthusiastic to bring about a new momentum. In parallel our Vice President, Charles
Abbey has been working tirelessly representing the issues of poverty and social
development in various international meetings.
In January Christian Rollet and I represented ICSW at meetings to plan the global
conference to be held in Hong Kong in 2010 www.swsd2010.org/en/index.html and theconference to be held in Stockholm in 2012. Plans are well advanced for Hong Kong. The
programme to be held over five days (10th to 14th June 2010) will be a great success. The
conference is owned jointly by the International Association of Schools of Social Work,the International Federation of Social Workers and ICSW. To represent the core interestsof the three owners the conference will examine subjects from the points of views ofpolicy, education and practice. Then to reflect our levels of activity the programme will
cover issues at global, regional, national and local levels. The three themes are: Life
course challenges and actualization; Equity and social inclusion; Sustainable environment.
The conference will be opened by the three presidents who will present an integrated
vision for the future.

Researchers and civil society meet

Regular readers will know that ICSW promotes a nexus between the research andpractice communities. We advertise new work coming from the UN Research Institute for
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Social Development (UNRISD) – see below. In January UNRISD conducted a consultation
with representatives of civil society (including ICSW Programme Coordinator, Roselyn
Nakirya).
The purposes of the consultation were:
1) To identify key emerging issues that might be addressed in future research, andto better understand the research needs and concerns of NGOs;
2) To seek suggestions about how to improve the communication of research results
to the NGO community; and3) To present the results of UNRISD research to NGO stakeholders.
The consultation was organised to help UNRISD design the next phase of its research
agenda (2010-2014), as well as to develop new approaches in the way the Instituterelates to civil society organisations.
UNRISD staff outlined current research which included;
 Social policy and development
 Flagship report on poverty
 Gender and development
 Markets, business and regulation
 Civil society and social movements.
A collation of research ideas submitted by the participants prior to the meeting resulted
in the grouping of suggestions under 6 research themes - Human rights anddiscrimination; Civil society; Market regulation; Social policy/social protection;
Sustainable development and environment; Governance, Institutions and policy making

The global financial crisis: what needs to be done?

The Friedrich Ebert Foundation publishes well researched papers. In this paper
Christopher Rude reviews the causes for the current financial crisis, its effects on theworld economy, and in particular the social costs for developing countries. It argues for
global financial reforms that tilt the balance in favor of the democratic state over financial
markets. Special attention is given to a revision of the Basel II’s Three Pillars, and thecreation of comprehensive market regulation to increase transparency and reduce market
risk. To relieve the immediate crisis, the paper argues for additional liquidity measurestargeted at the interbank market, and fiscal stimulus packages.
Please find the Briefing paper N°12-2008 directly under http://library.fes.de/pdffiles/bueros/usa/05869-20081126.pdf

Norway tops official development assistance

Norway committed USD3.7 billion to development assistance in 2007, a substantial
increase over the previous year. It now gives the world’s highest level of official
development assistance as a percentage of gross national income (0.95%).
Norway is also consistently at the forefront of donor efforts to improve the international
aid system, as well as its own development policies and programmes. It supports aid
effectiveness. Its flexible approach to development assistance enables quick reaction tochanging situations and new opportunities. Norway’s development co-operation has
innovative practices e.g. it is looking at how Official Development Assistance (ODA) can
be a catalyst for non-ODA contributions to the global challenges of development andpoverty
reduction.
The OECD Development Assistance Committee has its
recommendationsofits
reviewof
Norway’s
www.oecd.org/dac/peerreviews/norway.

Global Cooperation Newslettermain findings
ODA
on

and
at

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Speculation a major contributor to global food crisis

Excessive speculation in agriculture commodity markets has played a major role in the
rapid rise and fall in global food prices, contributing to a massive increase inundernourished people and commodity market instability, according to a new report by
the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP). The full report can be read at:
www.iatp.org

Globalizing care economies and migrant workers explorations in global
care chains

One reviewer has said on this book by Nicola Yeates: 'This book is certain to become a
new reference point for future discussions of gender, care and globalization. Nicola
Yeates combines feminist engagement with the intellectual insights of a sophisticatedscholar. Her study analyses how family cultures struggle to manage the global economy
and migration imperatives, and how devastating that process can be. It is essential
reading for anyone who cares about gender and globalization'. - Lise Widding Isaksen,
Department of Sociology, University of Bergen, Norway £50 Order on line fromwww.palgrave.com

International Poverty Centre Publications

Title: Eliminating Gender Inequalities Reduces Poverty. How? Authors: Joana Costa andElydia Silva Series: One Pager # 73. The authors argue that tackling all types of genderinequalities reduces poverty levels. The greatest impact comes from promoting women’s
participation in the labour market.
http://www.undp-povertycentre.org/pub/IPCOnePager73.pdf
Title: Opportunity NYC: A Performance-based Conditional Cash Transfer Programme. A
Qualitative Analysis Author: Michelle Morais de Sá e Silva Series: Working Paper # 49.
The author expands on her previous publications on New York’s cash transfer programme
and the lessons for developing countries. Click here to download: http://www.undppovertycentre.org/pub/IPCWorkingPaper49.pdf
Title: Cash Transfers and Child Labour: An Intriguing Relationship
Author: Guilherme
Issamu Hirata Series: One Pager # 71. The author analyses the impact of cash transfer
programmes on child labour. Click here to download: http://www.undppovertycentre.org/pub/IPCOnePager71.pdf
Title: Are the MDGs Priority in Development Strategies and Aid Programmes? Only few
are!
Author: Sakiko Fukuda-ParrSeries: Working Paper # 48. The author argues that,
contrary to popular belief, numerous PRSPs and aid programmes do not adequately
address the MDGs. Click here to download: http://www.undppovertycentre.org/pub/IPCWorkingPaper48.pdf

UNRISD Releases

Literature Review: Social Protection of the Rural Population
This paper aims to overview some of the existing literature on social protection
mechanisms for the rural poor in the field of old-age protection and health protection as
well as their possible effects on poverty reduction. It examines shortcomings anddifficulties in the provision of social protection mechanisms for the rural poor as well as
possible ways of how to overcome some of these obstacles.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/0550B59441F42117C12574FE003AC790?OpenDocu
ment
Social Protection and Poverty Reduction
In the last decade, social protection has emerged as a policy framework employed toaddress poverty and vulnerability in developing countries. This paper has two main aims:
firstly to provide an overview of social protection, and secondly to provide an assessmentof its potential contribution to addressing poverty and vulnerability in developing
countries.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=eGlobal Cooperation Newsletter

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n&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/83C1E8A40087D478C12574FE0039328F?OpenDocu
ment
Cash Transfers, Social Protection and Poverty Reduction
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the use of cash transfers as a tool for reducing
poverty and inequality in developing countries. The paper concludes that in practicetransfers are never really universal and where they involve identifying and targeting
specific groups of people they can be relatively simple to administer. However, targeting
based on social categories is likely to involve major errors of inclusion and exclusion.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/207C8A9E75D293EAC12574FE003A4780?OpenDocu
ment
Governing Women: Women's Political Effectiveness in Contexts of
Democratization and Governance ReformThough the proportion of women in national assemblies still barely scrapes 16% on
average, the striking outliers-Rwanda with 49% of its assembly female, Argentina with
35%, Liberia and Chile with new women presidents this year-have raised expectations
that there is an upward trend in women's representation. But getting into public office isjust the first step in the challenge of creating governance and accountability systems that
respond to women's needs and protect their rights. The essays in this volume, edited byAnne Marie Goetz, consider the conditions for effective connections between women in
civil society and women in politics, for the evolution of political party platforms
responsive to women's interests, for local government arrangements that enable women
to engage effectively, and for accountability mechanisms that answer to women. The
book's argument is that good governance from a gender perspective requires more than
women in politics. It requires fundamental incentive changes to orient public action andpolicy to support gender equality.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/D938FD0A6B5A6398C12575270048B969?OpenDocu
ment

8th IFSW – Pan African regional conference - 14th -16th April 2009

The conference of International Association of Schools of Social Work and International
Federation of Social Workers will be held in Libya. ICSW represented by Judith Kaulem
regional president for East and Southern Africa has joined the IASSW and IFSW inplanning the conference. The Theme of the Conference is: “Promoting Social Work
Education, Practice and Social Development in Africa". The four tracks are Social Work
Education, Social Work Practice, Forging Links and partnerships in social work educationand practice, Human Rights and the environment.
Further information will be in the newsletters for East and Southern Africa and Central
and West Africa.
The content of this Global Newsletter may be freely reproduced or cited provided thesource is acknowledged. Views do not necessarily represent policies of ICSW.
Newsletter Editor: Denys Correll – Executive Director.
ICSW C/- MOVISIE Netherlands Centre for Social Development
PO Box 19129
3501 DC Utrecht
Netherlands
Website www.icsw.org Email: icsw@icsw.org
If you wish to cease receiving this newsletter, please click 'here' and give us your nameand email address.

Global Cooperation Newsletter

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GLOBAL COOPERATION NEWSLETTER
February 2009
In this edition:
Social Integration – the UN Commission for Social Development
New publication from UNCTADFree online trial to Sage social work and social policy journals
International Social Work
Human Rights Council
New Research
New IPC Publications
New on ICSW Website
Social Integration – the UN Commission for Social Development

ICSW saw the largest number of national, regional and global organisational
representatives speak at UN on the topic of social integration. The occasion was theannual meeting of the UN Commission for Social Development. The Commission has a
two year cycle. In the first year the Commission receives statements from governments
and NGOs. In the second year it reaches its conclusions. This year was the first year of
the cycle. The meeting is always held in February when New York experiences snow, ice
and sub- zero temperatures.
ICSW’s statements on social integration have been widely circulated and are on the UN
website as well as at http://www.icsw.org/un/un.htm#2009.
ICSW’s core members are national umbrella organisations of NGOs. After the Commission
meeting we sent each member the statement made by the representative of theircountry. ICSW is keen for members to know what their governments are saying on behalf
Government
statements
are
at
of
their
citizens.
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/csd/2009_stats1.html.
The UK presented an excellent statement. Some quotes. “while employment still remains
the best route out of poverty and is critical to achieving the MDGs, increasing access toemployment is not just about income, it is also a route to social inclusion”. Further the
UK spoke strongly on the ILO initiative (supported by ICSW) of a “global social floor”.
This is a “basic social protection package … which might provide access to basis healthcare, education, social assistance to the poor or unemployed, and a basic pension”. The
UK recognises that a global social floor “if pursued and followed through by theinternational community, (could) make a significant contribution to facilitating social
integration”. The UK suggests that the introduction of a global social floor should be a“country-led and country owned approach”. ICSW supports this initiative and will include
the global social floor as part of the national councils’ training programme in global Southregions. If you would like more information on the global social floor there were excellent
presentations during the Commission meeting by Isabel Ortiz (UN), Michael Cichon (ILO)
and Gaspar Fajth (UNICEF). The presentations can be found under the heading “A newdealforpeopleinaglobalcrisissocialsecurityforall”
http://www.icsw.org/un/un.htm#2009.
ICSW representatives and representatives of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service met
with Mr. Sha Zukang the Under-Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs. Mr
Sha has agreed to be the principal guest of the joint global conference of International
Association of Schools of Social Work, International Council on Social Welfare andGlobal Cooperation Newsletter

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International Federation of Social Workers. The conference is to be held 10th to 15th June2010 http://www.swsd2010.org.
ICSW representatives at the UN meeting were Christian Rollet, President; Charles Abbey,
Vice President and Denys Correll. Hong Kong Council of Social Service representatives
were Hoi Wai Chua, Tsang Johnny Wing Keung and Poon Silas Kwong Fai.

New publication from UNCTAD (UN Conference on Trade and Development)
ICSW has not until now included UNCTAD publications in Global Cooperation. We arepleased to advise you of Policy Brief No. 6 - "Sustaining African Agriculture - Organic
Production" Agriculture has returned to the centre of international policy debates. Yearsof declining investment, inadequate extension services and the availability of subsidized
food exports from the developed world have undermined agricultural production in many
developing countries, particularly in Africa. This Policy Brief examines the potential
contribution of organic agriculture. http://www.unctad.org/en/docs/presspb20086_en.pdf
Free online trial to Sage social work and social policy journals

Sage is offering access to a large range of Social Work and Social Policy Journals until
31st March 2009. To register, cut and paste this URL to your web browser:
https://online.sagepub.com/cgi/register?registration=SOCIAL09ETOC
Once registered, you will have access to 12 journals. You can browse abstracts, perform
quick or advanced keyword searches, and download full-text articles.

International Social WorkICSW is a partner in the journal International Social Work. The latest edition (1st March
2009; Vol. 52, No. 2) has a range of articles relevant to social workers through out theworld. You can see the contents and can sign up to receive the table of contents for eachissue. http://isw.sagepub.com/content/vol52/issue2/?etoc
In the latest issue ICSW contributed the News and Views section. Denys Correll examines
national and international NGOs. He reviews changes that are influencing the directionsof non-government organizations both at national and international levels. Countries
providing development aid are placing increasing emphasis on recipient countries
determining their own development priorities. This increases the importance of civilsociety being part of policy setting and the budget processes within countries. The article
is under International Social Work at http://www.icsw.org/publication/isw.htm.

Human Rights Council

ICSW UN representative in Geneva, Anne Herdt arranged for ICSW to be one of the joint
signatories to a statement submitted by international organisations that are in
consultative status with the UN. The statement is entitled “Human right to peace versus
racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance”. The longstatement concludes with the request to the Human Rights Council to further promote
the rights of minority groups, African descent people and indigenous peoples sufferingfrom racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, to social justice and equity, nondiscrimination and gender equality, respect of all human rights, cultural diversity,
linguistic rights, solidarity, peace and friendly relations among all nations, races,
ethnicities or religions. The statement can be found at http://www.dzeno.cz/?c_id=17739

New ResearchFiscal Reforms, Developmental State Capacity and Poverty Reduction
This paper provides a survey of the variations in taxation systems and processes of tax
reform in less developed countries. The purpose is to shed light on how different tax
systems and tax reform policies contribute to processes of state-building and howchanges in tax policies present specific challenges for Least Developed Countries inmobilising the resources necessary to both finance growth and reduce poverty and meettheMillennium
Development
Goals.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/18D893883520B6ADC12574FE003A799C?OpenDocu
ment
Labour Market Policies, Poverty and Insecurity
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The paper sets out to evaluate the performance in terms of poverty alleviation of
conventional labour market and social policies and arrangements in the era of globalised
labour markets. It concludes that most of the labour market interventions reviewed havesuffered from common failures such as lack of transparency and accountability, highcosts, chronic inefficiency in terms of misused resources and ineffective targeting, thus
failing most of the time to reach the poorest and to reduce inequalities in labour markets.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/1A798782A702F157C12574FE0039FF8A?OpenDocu
ment
Migration and Social Policy in Asia
The paper addresses the complexities arising from the interaction between both SouthSouth and South-North migration in the sub-region of South Asia and their implications
for social service provisioning and social policy. This and the following four papers wereprepared for the UNRISD – IOM – IFS project on Social Policy and Migration in
Developing
Countries.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/FF0CD30FBDCADAB7C12574F000343306?OpenDocu
ment
Migration and Social Policy in Sub-Saharan Africa
The paper focuses on intra-regional migration in sub-Saharan Africa, its root causes andits implications for social policy and social service provisioning in the region.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/AC96A6E2D6C0FF9CC125751200354DDB?OpenDocu
ment
Migration and Poverty: Linkages, Knowledge Gaps, and Policy Implications
This paper identifies links between migration and poverty and implications for social
policyhttp://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/9C786E2C1758D90DC12574F00035A639?OpenDocu
mentInternational Migration, Risk Management and Social Policy: The Latin America
Case
This paper examines several of the issues related to international migration, risk
management
andsocialpolicyinthe
Latin
Americancontext.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/296CB311EAAB2ADDC12574F000329643?OpenDocu
ment
Human Resource Flows From and Between Developing Countries: Implicationsfor Social and Public Policies
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/4957E3C5AD436345C12574F000349E39?OpenDocu
ment
Explaining Ireland's Development: Economic Growth with Weakening WelfareThis paper is divided into three main sections. The first section offers an overview of theprincipal development strategies used by the Irish state, the social policies associatedwith them and their impact on poverty. The second section of the paper examines
Ireland’s present welfare regime in detail arguing that the nature of Ireland’s policy
regimes and the place of welfare within them reflect the nature of the country’s politicalinstitutions and the ways interest groups interact with them. The paper’s third section
turns to the role of politics and political institutions in accounting for policy regimes thataresurveyed
in
parts
2
and
3.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/D35985C0845ED8F3C12575120031778C?OpenDocu
ment

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Social Insurance (Pensions and Health), Labour Markets and Coverage in Latin
AmericaIn the last quarter-century, particularly the last 15 years, virtually all 20 countries of
Latin America have reformed their social insurance health programmes, and most ofthem have undertaken structural reforms to privatize totally or partially their pension
programmes, albeit with considerable differences in their models, scope, depth and speed.
Around 2004, coverage in health programmes averaged 41 per cent of the total
population (below the International Labour Organization/ILO minimum norm of 75 percent), ranging from 7 to 34 per cent in 10 countries, and had stagnated or decreased innine. Coverage in pension programmes averaged 31 per cent of the labour force—26 percent in private systems and 39 per cent in public systems (both above the ILO minimum
norm of 20 per cent); however, this exhibited a declining trend. The transformation of
the labour market toward increasing informality and flexibilization has had an adverse
impact on coverage and the above-mentioned reforms, and past and current social
insurance policies have not adapted to the changing labour market. This paper, divided
into four parts, analyses the relationship between the labour market, social insurance(pensions and health) and coverage of the labour force and the population in Latin
America.
http://www.unrisd.org/80256B3C005BF3C2/setLanguageCookie?OpenAgent&langcode=en&url=/80256B3C005BCCF9/search/6E08841FF30C8F83C125751200320B25?OpenDocu
ment

New IPC Publications

Title: Why Aid Does Not Increase Savings in Sub-Saharan Africa? Authors: John Serieux
and
Terry
McKinley
Series:
One
Pager
#75
http://www.ipcundp.org/pub/IPCOnePager75.pdf
Title: Aid and Savings in Sub-Saharan Africa: Should we worry about Rising Aid Levels?
Author:John
Serieux
Series:WorkingPaper#50
http://www.ipcundp.org/pub/IPCWorkingPaper50.pdf In these One Pager and Working Paper, theauthors argue that the reason sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest savings and investment
rates, despite receiving high levels of aid, is largely explained by capital outflows

New on ICSW Website
Upload date
13.02.2009
17.02.2009
19.02.2009
19.02.2009
24.02.2009

Content
ICSW South Asia Regional Newsletter,
January 2009
ICSW East and Southern Africa Regional
Newsletter, January 2009
United Nations: A new deal for people in a
global crisis - social security for all,February 2009
Global Social Policy (GSP) Digest 9.1,
January 2009
Closing the Gap: Making the Rights-BasedApproach Real for People with Disabilities
in the ASEAN RegionLink
www.icsw.org/doc/South_Asia_Ne
wsletter_Jan09.doc
www.icsw.org/doc/ESA_Newsletter_2009_January_Eng.doc
www.icsw.org/un/un.htm#2009
www.icsw.org/doc/GSP_Digest_9_
1.doc
www.icsw.org/doc/ClosingTheGap
WordDoc_DStubbsICSW_ASEAN_D
ec08_19Feb09.doc

The content of this Global Newsletter may be freely reproduced or cited provided thesource is acknowledged. Views do not necessarily represent policies of ICSW.
Newsletter Editor: Denys Correll – Executive Director.
ICSW C/- MOVISIE Netherlands Centre for Social Development
PO Box 19129
3501 DC Utrecht
Netherlands
Website www.icsw.org Email: icsw@icsw.org
If you wish to cease receiving this newsletter, please click 'here' and give us your nameand email address.

Global Cooperation Newsletter

Page 8