Table of Contents Voices that make a difference ............................................................. 3 NATIONAL REPORTS Roberto Bissio ALGERIA ............................................................................................. 50 People first ........................................................................................... 5 Roberto Bissio ARGENTINA ........................................................................................ 52 BAHRAIN ............................................................................................ 54 BANGLADESH ..................................................................................... 56 THEMATIC REPORTS BELGIUM ........................................................................................... 58 A human rights-based response BENIN ................................................................................................. 60 to the financial and economic crisis .................................................. 13 Aldo Caliari, Center of Concern BOLIVIA .............................................................................................. 62 Gender equality and the financial crisis ............................................ 17 BRAZIL................................................................................................ 64 Nancy Baroni, Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action; BULGARIA .......................................................................................... 66 Mirjana Dokmanovic, Association Technology and Society, Serbia and Women in Development Europe (WIDE); BURMA (MYANMAR) .......................................................................... 68 Genoveva Tisheva, Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation and Bulgarian-European Partnership Association; CAMBODIA.......................................................................................... 70 Emily Sikazwe, Women for Change CANADA .............................................................................................. 72 The global food price crisis ............................................................... 21 CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC ........................................................... 74 Sophia Murphy, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy CHILE .................................................................................................. 76 Justice to cool the planet ................................................................... 25 Isagani Serrano, PRRM, Social Watch Filipinas Costa RICA ........................................................................................ 78 Energy challenges for Europe ............................................................ 29 CYPRUS .............................................................................................. 80 Elena Triffonova, Bulgarian-European Partnership Association CZECH REPUBLIC ............................................................................... 82 Holding transnational corporations accountable for EGYPT ................................................................................................. 84 human rights obligations: the role of civil society ............................ 31 Jana Silverman, Social Watch; EL SALVADOR ..................................................................................... 86 Álvaro Orsatti, Trade Union Confederation of the Americas ERITREA ............................................................................................. 88 The global economic crisis and the least FRANCE .............................................................................................. 90 developed countries: citizens’ concerns ........................................... 35 Arjun Karki, LDC Watch GERMANY ........................................................................................... 92 Mounting development challenges posed by GHANA ................................................................................................ 94 the world economic crisis: policy options in the Arab region ........... 39 GuatEMALA ....................................................................................... 96 Kinda Mohamadieh, Arab NGO Network for Development; Oliver Pearce, Christian Aid HONDURAS ........................................................................................ 98 Europe’s response to the global HUNGARY ......................................................................................... 100 financial and economic crisis ............................................................ 43 INDIA ................................................................................................ 102 Mirjam van Reisen, Europe External Policy Advisors (EEPA); Simon Stocker y Louisa Vogiazides, Eurostep IRAQ ................................................................................................. 104 ItalY ................................................................................................. 106 g SW2009 ING v02.indb 1 8/27/09 6:59:44 PM KENYA ............................................................................................... 108 MEASURING PROGRESS LEBANON .......................................................................................... 110 Food security ................................................................................... 175 MALAYSIA ........................................................................................ 112 A fragmented scenario Malta............................................................................................... 114 Education .......................................................................................... 180 Differences become more noticeable MEXICO ............................................................................................ 116 MOLDOVA ......................................................................................... 118 Information, science and technology .............................................. 185 The fastest breach MOROCCO ........................................................................................ 120 MOZAMBIQUE .................................................................................. 122 Development assistance .................................................................. 190 Commitments undertaken are further NEpal .............................................................................................. 124 and further away from being fulfilled NICARAGUA ...................................................................................... 126 Water and sanitation ........................................................................ 191 The gap is widening NIGERIA ............................................................................................ 128 PALESTINE ....................................................................................... 130 Health ............................................................................................... 194 Unequal improvement PARAGUAY ....................................................................................... 132 PERU ................................................................................................ 134 Reproductive health ......................................................................... 199 Marked polarization PHILIPPINES .................................................................................... 136 Ratifications of fundamental ILO conventions ................................ 204 POLAND ............................................................................................ 138 PORTUGAL ....................................................................................... 140 Ratifications of human rights international treaties ....................................................................... 205 ROMANIA.......................................................................................... 142 How to read the Social Watch tables............................................... 207 SENEGAL .......................................................................................... 144 SERBIA ............................................................................................. 146 Methodological notes: thematic tables ........................................... 208 SLOVAKIA ......................................................................................... 148 SLOVENIA ......................................................................................... 150 SOMALIA .......................................................................................... 152 SpaiN ............................................................................................... 154 TANZANIA ......................................................................................... 156 THAILAND ......................................................................................... 158 UGANDA ........................................................................................... 160 UNITED StatES OF AMERICA .......................................................... 162 VENEZUELA ...................................................................................... 164 VIETNAM .......................................................................................... 166 YEMEN .............................................................................................. 168 ZAMBIA ............................................................................................. 170 SW2009 ING v02.indb 2 8/27/09 6:59:44 PM.