Social Development

The Arms Trade Treaty’s running behind schedule and under serious threats!

Angeline Annesteus July 25, 2012 0 Comments

By Angeline Annesteus The opening week of the Arms Trade Treaty was characterized by procedural matters and wrangling because the Arab Group (Egypt) asked for Palestine to be recognized as a state, which Israel obviously refused. The past three weeks, states got down to some important discussions but did not have the basis for negotiations on most of the key elements of the treaty. As...

Africa: Do not bow down to pressure, A Bullet Proof Arms Trade Treaty or no Treaty

guest July 25, 2012 0 Comments

By Alyne Cistone I woke up this morning feeling sad and disfranchised. Yesterday was a defining moment in the Arms Trade Treaty Negotiation process. The first draft of the ATT was finally tabled in plenary and for the first time, we all had a chance to get a sense of whether a comprehensive ATT was within reach by Friday. The item that struck a painful code for not just me but most African...

The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT): an historical opportunity and indispensable tool to help promote international peace

Angeline Annesteus July 24, 2012 0 Comments

Angeline Annesteus The current practice of allowing irresponsible transfer of military and security equipments has resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of life, loss of livelihoods and gross International human rights and humanitarian laws violations. Nations of the world are finally gathered in New York to develop a treaty that will help bring about the much needed accountability,...

Brazilian fractals

Maria Escalante June 25, 2012 0 Comments

by Maria Alejandra Escalante “I also take it as granted that every created thing, and consequently the created monad also, is subject to change, and indeed that this change is continual in each one. Gottfried Leibniz Listening to political conversations about the past, the present and the future of Rio+20 has been a daily ingredient of my life since I first jumped into the...

United by Frustration

COA Admin June 23, 2012 1 Comment

By Nimisha Bastedo Throughout the entire Rio process, it seemed as though divisions within and between the different sectors of civil society were too wide to bridge. Attempts to create a major group common statement continued to fail. The most radical youth clashed with those who pushed for smaller ‘victories’ within the same old framework. Sofia Garcia, organizing partner (OP) for...