News

Seminar on Euro-Mediterranean relations: how to better support economic and social rights?

06-06-2012

A regional seminar on Euro-Mediterranean relations with a focus on “Discussing Policies and Partnership to Support Economic and Social Rights and the Role of Civil Society” will be organised in Beirut from 11 to 13 June by the EU-funded Civil Society Programme in collaboration with the Arab NGO Network for Development (ANND).
 
The event will offer an opportunity to deepen discussions on the change brought about by the Arab Spring and on the persisting failure of social and economic development paradigms affecting Arab Countries.
 
Participants will include representatives of civil society organizations from Southern Mediterranean Countries, representatives of international, regional and sub-regional networks and organisations from the associative field, namely associations for the protection of human rights, trade unions, students' and journalists' associations, women and youth associations and lawyers' and judges' associations.
 
The seminar aims at clarifying the demands and propositions from civil society organisations as well as identifying ways of cooperation and possible collective campaigning on priority policy areas. It will be organised around different sessions focusing on the following themes:
  • Revisiting the Social and Economic Challenges in the Arab Region
  • Towards a New Development Paradigm and Societal Contract
  • The Economic and Social Impact of Euro-Mediterranean Relations: Main Issues and Developments of Euro-Mediterranean Relations since 1995 and Trade and Investment Aspects 
  • New programmes and initiatives post the ‘Arab Spring’
  • Towards an Inclusive Social Dialogue: The Roles of Traditional and New Actors
  • The Role of Civil Society in Advocating for a Euro-Arab Partnership for Development – Issues at Stake
  • Planning advocacy steps on trade, investment, and role of international financial institutions 
The Civil Society Regional programme, funded by the EU with a budget of one million euros, aims to enhance the position of civil society in the southern Mediterranean region in order to stimulate a more democratic debate at national level and within the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the Union for the Mediterranean. It seeks to strengthen the institutional capacity of civil society to promote means of dialogue and coordination within civil society and between civil society and the public institutions. It also proposes to encourage activities and debate at national and regional level on the policies, institutions and mechanisms of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership and the Union for the Mediterranean. (EU Neighbourhood Info Centre)
 
Read more
 
Press release
 
Civil Society programme – fiche and news
 
Civil Society programme – website
 
ENPI info Centre – Interview with Andrea Amato – Civil Society programme
 
 


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