An important preparatory meeting for South Asia social forum event (18-22 November ) will be held shortly in Dhaka on 05 August, 2011 ( 10am to 18am UTC +6h) with the participation of the representatives from all the South Asian countries.

In accordance with the decisions of our January meet in Dhaka, we have been going ahead with necessary preparatory work at different levels.
If you are participants in SASF process who cannot come physically to Dhaka , and are nevertheless interested to participate in this meeting, we have good news ! :

This SASF preparatory meeting in Dhaka is enlarged on internet in order to include you as remote participants from all over South Asia and abroad :

-video stream from Dhaka : the meeting will be broadcasted in live video in English by Shatil

-written chat to Dhaka : a permanent chat room moderated by Musfik or Masha and started before the meeting will allow comments and inputs from remote participants.
Please inform us of your intention to participate remotely in this meeting through internet by simply contacting, as of now, the skype user “sasfbd.extension”,

As soon as you have done this, Musfik or Masha will usher you in the  English speaking chat room called  “Preparation meeting Dhaka August 5th – south Asia Social Forum”.

There you can interact with other remote participants before the meeting and during it , while viewing the live video of discussions in Dhaka , and you can make inputs that Musfik or Masha will voice during discussion rounds in the meeting.

This invitation  is also an occasion to announce that SASF intends be  inasmuch possible, an “extended” event, open and friendly to local and remote participation via collective use of internet , with the internet support and connectivity of the university venue in Dhaka , and the facilitation of an “extension committee”.

Please contact us, the earlier the better : sasfbd.extension  on  gmail.com if your organization or network intends to, or is interested by :

- organize local SASF activities outside Dhaka during SASF days, or
- organize enlargement on internet of its activities in SASF Dhaka (in the same way as for this august 5th meeting) , in order to allow remote participation from outside, or- organize “distance encounters” by videolink between your delegates in SASF Dhaka event, and local groups elsewhere ,

Also visit the internet space for more information on extension of SASF event :
http://openfsm.net/projects/sasf-bangladesh-extended

On behalf of SASF Secretariat

Muhammad Hilaluddin

Sub themes for the entire SASF

1. Implications of the financial crisis on SADC -G20, G8, Debt, Trade and Aid issues

Participants Anticipated: Economic justice networks in the region- SASPN, AFRODAD, MWENGO, ZIMCODD, LEJAC, JUBILEE SA, MEJN, JUBILEE ZAMBIA, SEATINI, Mozambique Economic Justice network, Swaziland Economic Justice Network, Cross Border Associations-informal economy sector, Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS – ARC), Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR), Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, Organisation Development and Community Management Trust (ODCMT)

2. Education as a human right and impact of the financial crisis on education and economic development

Participants Anticipated: Students’ organizations, youth organizations, like minded NGOs working on education (Action Aid, OSISA, etc), Zambia Civil Education, FAWEZA, and Zambia National Educational Coalition (ZANEC)

3. Land as a human right -food security issues and land rights in the rural areas -women and access to land, housing and land rights issues

Participants Anticipated: Landless People’s Movement-South Africa, Plass, Housing rights movements, farmer’s organizations, Via Campesina-Mozambique, Zambia Land Alliance, Zambian National Women’s Lobby Group, RAPDA, and Zambia Alliance of Women (ZAW).

4. Globalization Impact of the World Cup 2010 in the region, etc

Participants Anticipated: Economic justice networks

5. EPAS-where does SADC stand?

Participants Anticipated: CUTS, Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD), Caritas Zambia.

6. Gender and women and Vulnerable Group’s Rights -reviewing the SADC Gender protocol and what it means to the women and men in the SADC region -gender based violence

Participants Anticipated: WILDAF, NGOCC, Women for Change, Zambian National Women’s Lobby Group, Zambia Alliance of Women, Women in Agriculture, District Women’s Development Associations, WLSA-chapters, men’s and women’s networks on Gender-Based Violence, and other women’s organizations in each SADC country in liaison with national social forums -addressing the concerns of women, the girl child and the boy child.

7. Youth: Youth organizations in the SADC region-to liaise with national social forums

Participants Anticipated:  YMCA, YWCA, Youth Forum Zambia, Youth Development Organisation, Operation Young Vote, Youth Vision, NYCA.  

8. HIV & AIDS:  

Participants Anticipated: TAC- South Africa, TALC, ZECT, ZNAN, People Living with HIV/AIDS in Zambia, SAFAIDS-Regional office and national offices in the region, National Networks of people living with HIV & AIDS in the SADC region-liaise with national social forums.

9. Governance and Human Rights, Constitutionalism and Democracy –its impact on development -Madagascar,Swaziland,Zimbabwe, -Post elections –Malawi,South Africa, Namibia etc.

Participants Anticipated: Human rights organizations in the region-liaise with national social forums, – EISA, IDASA, NCA, Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, OSISA, Action Aid International, Oxfam, ZCSD, SACCORD, AVAP, CSPR, FODEP, GTZ, CARITAS Zambia, MS./ Action Aid Zambia.  

10. Social Service Delivery -corruption in service delivery

Participants Anticipated: Residents association in the region-liaise with national social forums, water rights movements and networks, housing rights networks, Transparency International-at country level in the region, CARITAS Zambia, CSPR etc.

11. Regional integration -peacemaking and mediation

Participants Anticipated: SACCORD.

12. Religion and other Faith based organizations -a source of conflict or resource for peace

Participants Anticipated: Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace at national or regional levels-liaise with national social forums, Ecumenical coalitions, council of churches at national and regional levels, traditional healers association, JCTR, CARITAS Zambia, CCZ, CHAZ etc

13. Labour rights:  

Participants Anticipated: COSATU, ZCTU, ZACTU, LECTU, SATUCC, etc. national and regional trade unions and labour research institutions, etc

14. Media -addressing the right to information and access to information

Participants Anticipated: MISA chapters in the region, FXI-South Africa, and other media institutions- liaise with national social forums, PANOS, MISAZAMBIA, and Press Freedom Committee of the Post Newspapers.

15. Cross-Border Trading

Participants Anticipated: Khathang Tema Baits’ukuli, Economic justice networks in the region- SASPN,AFRODAD, MWENGO, ZIMCODD, LEJAC, JUBILEE SA, MEJN, JUBILEE ZAMBIA, SEATINI, Mozambique Economic Justice network, Swaziland Economic Justice network, Cross Border Associations-informal economy sector, CUTS, ODCMT, CTPD etc.

16. Environment, Mining and Climate Change:

Participants Anticipated: LEJAC, UNITE; PELUM, Green Living Movement (GLM), WWF and other Environmental Organizations,

17. Arts and Culture:

Participants Anticipated: Arts and Cultural Organizations (ZAMCOPS, NAC, ZAM), individual artists.

18. Eradicating Child labour- Cooperate Social Responsibility and its role in Combating child labour and its impact; ODCMT, ILO, CHIN, PLAN – Zambia, Zambia Federation of Employers, ZCTU etc

On the 9^th of February 2011, the residents of Kanyama, Misisi and Kuku in Lusaka held a video link for the WSF extended. The discussion focused on the flooding situation in their areas.

The residents stated that the situation was horrible and that the relevant authorities on the part of government were not doing enough to assist the victims.

They said that the floods were caused mainly by the poor planning of the city and the rampant corruption on the part of the municipality staff. They stated that although government claimed that the most of the affected areas were illegal settlements, every Zambian citizen had the right to proper sanitation; whether on illegal or legal property. They furthers stated that it was the same politicians who enticed the residents to get illegal plots during the election. The residents wondered where the money which was always made available for digging drainage went because the local authorities only dug ditches; which were actually posing more risks to the residents; as some people whether killed and dumped in the same ditches; the ditches provided good breeding environment for mosquitoes, which resulted in high levels of malaria cases, while clinics lacked adequate medical facilities and drugs.

They said that it was sad that the residents were subjected to such conditions when they were less than 50km from the president’s residence. “When you look at the water in the ditches they have dug, you will be surprised. The water is mixed with human waste… floating in our houses during the floods”

The residents accused government of frustrating and manipulating efforts some opposition members of parliament by ensuring that all councils run by the opposition were not well funded; to create a picture that the opposition leaders were not working. They stated that at the end of the day, it was the residents who suffered and not the politicians.  They said that some were evacuated to the independence stadium last year, but that nothing was done when the residents were at the stadium; and that now the same residents were affected and government was claiming that there was no money to help them. ‘Some people are on ARVs and because of the disturbances during the floods; most of them have not been able to have access to drugs. School-going children missed class because of the movements, while their parents lost their income sources.

Solutions/ Recommendations

 The residents indicated that since Zambia was going to the polls this year 2011, they will use the opportunity to vote for better leaders who will look into their problems seriously

They state that they mobilize themselves as communities and do something about their own situation because they were convinced that politicians were only interested in fattening their own pockets

2011 WORLD SOCIAL FORUM

(Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar)

FEMNET ACTIVITIES

7th February on “ARVs and People Living with HIV & AIDS”
8th February on “Land-grabbing from the poor”
9th February on “Flooding of Homes”

ALL WELCOME TO CHAT ROOMS

Dakar world social forum started off smoothly with a crowd of more than 1000 people from all over the world with majority from Africa! Senegal had largest groups but also Moroccansand Nigerians! The West African caravan was colourful comprised all countries. For once the wsf crowd almost had gender parity representation! President of Bolivia spoke at flag off of the March and at end of March. Pity that I seemed to be the only Zamsof in agreed attire of national colours scarf! SASF Band had been put as of the first list of musicians to at the first concert but was replaced with Brazilian band. A Zimbabwean band of 4 played also. But there are concerts daily at university and in different locatioçns

The trial is aimed at facilitating the use of ICTs to communicate despite geographical location of member countries. This in turn enables members to participate in the world social forum irrespective of   where they are.

Present are members from different communities and non governmental organisations in the province of Lusaka, Zambia to participate in this trial. This, considering that it all goes to plan will enable all stakeholders to participate and contribute favorably at the world social Forum without needing to fly.