January, 2007 www.cuts-international.org Established in 1984, Consumer Unity & Trust Society (CUTS) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation working on public interest issues. The following describes the Capabilities, which CUTS has developed over these 20+ years. VISION Consumer sovereignty in the framework of ATTRIBUTES & VALUES social justice and equality, within and across Adopting a centrist approach through borders research and advocacy Marrying the ‘hot’ of advocacy with the PROGRAMME AREAS ‘cold’ of research Consumer Protection Ensuring outcomes, rather than just International Trade & Development outputs Competition, Investment & Economic Focusing on areas where a vacuum exists Regulation Consistency and sustainability are the Human Development guiding principles Consumer Safety Carved a niche for itself in research, advocacy and networking on several issues RESOURCES of public interest Five dedicated programme centres and six Working simultaneously at the grassroots resource centres: seven in India: three in to the international level, which helps in Jaipur, one in Calcutta, and one each in conducting policy advocacy in a coherent Chittorgarh and Delhi, with a manner representative in Mumbai; two in Africa: Lusaka, Zambia and Nairobi, Kenya; one OUTREACH in London, UK and one in Hanoi, Publishing a wide spectrum of material for Vietnam. information dissemination for semi- Approximately 20,000 sq. ft. of office literates to professionals in a reader- space with necessary equipment for friendly format ranging from a wall efficient functioning and timely delivery newspaper to research reports About 140 staff with great diversity, Each programme centre has a flagship experience and dedication product: a periodic newsletter covering A well-developed and reader-friendly web relevant issues site: www.cuts-international.org, and Have created sustainable networks from others in programme centres and resource villages in India to the state, national, centres. regional and international levels In-house editorial and desk top publishing Extremely adept at organising campaigns, Affiliated to important national meetings and seminars from the village committees and a number of international level comprising 5-6 participants to the organisations international level with over 350 Relevant and diverse Advisory participants Committees guide each programme centre CUTS is one of the very few consumer organisations in the country working from grassroots to international level: Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Vice-President of India 1 Consumer Protection CUTS Centre for Consumer Action, Research & Training www.cuts-international.org/CART.htm MISSION Good Governance To enable people, in particular women, to Initiated capacity building of grassroots achieve their right to basic needs and social action groups to promote good sustainable development through a strong governance in Rajasthan through social consumer movement audit of public expenditure and other means RESOURCES A Centre in Jaipur with experienced staff OUTREACH and working in conjunction with other Publications programme and resource centres at Gram Gadar (Village Revolution): a Calcutta, Chittorgarh, Mumbai and Delhi monthly wall newspaper and rural Affiliated to important national development communication initiative committees and to a number of being published in Hindi since 1983 international organisations Panchva Stambh (5th Estate): a Hindi An advisory board of 8 members having quarterly on accountability, reforms and diverse background and knowledge governance State of the Indian Consumer and State of PROGRAMME AREAS Consumers in Rajasthan analyses Consumer Action consumer issues Advocated for the enactment and Several occasional and bi-lingual (Hindi strengthening of Consumer Protection Act and English) publications, guides and (COPRA) of India, 1986 and developed a training manuals for grassroot groups draft National Consumer Policy at the request of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Networking Government of India Vast networking in Rajasthan with over 500 voluntary organisations and grassroot Accountability and Budget Analysis groups Worked on state accountability and citizen Campaigned successfully on a wide empowerment through budget analysis on spectrum of public interest issues government expenditure for children, which resulted in valuable contributions to Event Management the Rajasthan State Child Policy Organising several meetings/seminars at block, district and state levels Regulatory Reforms Have developed a special niche in the FUTURE PLANS power sector reforms process, particularly Deepen work on good governance, in Rajasthan particularly social audit Campaign on right to opportunities and Investor Education and Protection right to information Educating investors (particularly small Strengthening the consumer movement investors) through workshops It confirmed my view that often the simple lack of awareness lies at the root of so much misery. Furthermore, the impact and success of a relatively simple publication like this one in enriching and changing the lives of many villagers gives us new impetus to try to improve the lives of the neediest in our daily work – however remote it may seem at first sight: observed Rubens Ricupero, Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development on seeing Gram Gadar 2 International Trade & Development CUTS Centre for International Trade, Economics & Environment www.cuts-citee.org Sustainable Production & Consumption MISSION Conducting a policy audit in India of Pursuing economic equity and social justice Section G (guidelines for sustainable within and across borders by persuading consumption) of the United Nations governments and empowering people Guidelines for Consumer Protection and the Johannesburg (Rio+10) Plan of RESOURCES Implementation Headquartered at Jaipur, India with 20 Instrumental in launching the Indian experienced research and programme staff Ecomark Scheme in 1991 and promoting Affiliated to important international awareness in India organisations and to a number of national committees OUTREACH An international advisory board Economiquity: a bi-monthly e-newsletter comprising of 15 members from diverse on WTO Issues, Regional Economic backgrounds Cooperation and Developmental Issues, A well-developed and reader-friendly web which is sent out to more than 5,000 site: www.cuts-citee.org interested readers worldwide In-house editorial and desk-top publishing Monthly e-newsletters on the above-stated programme areas PROGRAMME AREAS Research reports, briefing papers, WTO Issues monographs and viewpoint papers are Conducting network-based research and regularly published and disseminated advocacy for raising a range of civil Network-based activities with more than society concerns, views and perspectives 60 research institutions and non- on the Doha Round of WTO negotiations governmental organisations all over the world Regional Economic Cooperation Active participation in all WTO Working on various aspects of South- Ministerial Conferences and meetings and South and South-North economic and conferences of inter-governmental trade cooperation organisations like UNCTAD, OECD Catalysed the formation of a number of Developmental Issues networks, such as Kathmandu-based South Implementing a number of network-based Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & and outreach-oriented projects on trade Environment (SAWTEE), and the Geneva- and poverty, trade and environment, and based International Centre for Trade and institutions and pro-poor growth Sustainable Development Only and the first NGO in the official Capacity Building Indian delegation to the WTO Ministerial Transferring experiences from South Asia to Conference in Hong Kong other parts of the world, especially in Africa and South East Asia by sharing the know-how EVENT MANAGEMENT and do-how of capacity building Organised a huge number of seminars and conferences all over the world with clearly articulated outputs and outcomes CUTS has developed from a modest NGO, addressing mainly domestic consumer issues, to a pre-eminent position as an international NGO, dealing with issues relating to the world trading system and related issues… CUTS is now on the frontline of research and advocacy on global trade issues observed Jagdish Bhagwati, Professor of Economics & Political Science Columbia University, USA 3 Competition, Investment & Economic Regulation CUTS Centre for Competition, Investment & Economic Regulation www.cuts-ccier.org MISSION Consumer Policy Promoting fair markets to enhance consumer Drafted a Consumer Protection Regime for welfare and economic development Royal Government of Bhutan on request Advised the Government of South Africa RESOURCES in drafting a consumer protection law A Centre in Jaipur with experienced Undertaking Consumer Impact research and programme staff. Assessment (CIA) to assess impact of Affiliated to various international/national sectoral policies on consumers in India. organisations Guided by an international advisory board OUTREACH comprising 14 members from diverse Publications backgrounds ReguLetter: the flagship quarterly newsletter on competition and regulatory PROGRAMME AREAS issues posted to over 2000 people across Competition Policy & Law the globe. Closely involved with developing the new PolicyWatch: quarterly dealing with competition regime in India, i.e, the economic policy issues in India Competition Act of India, 2002 and its FunComp