March « 2010 « Advocacy International

International Women's Day - European Commission announces its Equality Charter

A few weeks ago, we highlighted the European Charter for Equality of Women and Men in Local Life, co-authored by Ai Director Jeremy Smith for the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR).

On issues like financial (de)regulation we have been quite critical of the European Union’s role – see our recent Iceland posts.

So it is good to record positive news - the European Commission has just announced its own gender equality “Charter” to coincide with International Women’s Day. It is in English, French and German. The EU has really been in the lead over many years, in cajoling its member states into taking legislative and practical action for equality.

This new “Charter” (which is really more of a declaration) highlights in particular the issue of gender violence and equal pay for work of equal value.

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What Future for Capitalism? - Ann on Al Jazeera

Ann joins Joseph Stiglitz, Tariq Ali and Ruth Lea on Al Jazeera’s “Empire”

After Iceland's Referendum, What Next?

With Saturday’s Iceland referendum due in just a couple of days (6th March), Ann and Jeremy have an op-ed article in today’s Morgunbladid, Iceland’s main daily newspaper. English version> Icelandic version> Press release>

Full text of the article follows:

So the negotiations have broken down, British and Dutch “bullying” (FT 27 February, 2010) continues and the referendum goes ahead. What next?

We emphasize that this is not a sovereign debt crisis, even if the British and Dutch want us to think it is.

It is a crisis of EU regulatory failure, and of the Anglo-American economic model.

The people of Iceland have a deep democratic tradition, and through the referendum have the opportunity to assert their sovereignty and autonomy.

Their leadership and example will encourage people in other democracies to reject harsh cuts in public services and living standards made at the behest of the very people and institutions responsible for the crisis. For through the wholesale nationalisation of private losses, we are all – not only in Iceland – asked to pay the price of private, reckless risk-taking.

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