[Gcap-mujeres] declaracion de Red Internacional de Genero y Comercio y mas Redes de Mujeres

[dawn]

Diciembre 15, 2005

Amigas proximamente estara en Espaniol ( disculpas del caso), quienes deseen 
y habiendo leido quieran adherirse , escriban a amandine en wide-network.org

Alejandra Scampini
REPEM-DAWN

 
WOMEN AT THE WTO DEMAND: 
NO SELL-OUT ON REAL DEVELOPMENT!!!

Statement to the WTO Ministerial, Hong Kong, 14 December 2005 
Intense pressure is being exerted on developing countries to prove that they 
are engaged in serious negotiations here at the WTO Ministerial. Yet it is 
the developing countries themselves, specifically those associated with the 
G20, that insist that now is the time for serious and real negotiations. The 
WTO Secretariat confirms this, noting the very positive attitude shown by 
delegates from developing countries. However, the US Trade Representative 
claims that some big developing countries are simply posturing while the EU 
announced an extra 1 billion euro aid package followed by Japan who pledged 
10 billion dollars for trade-related aid. From all indications, it seems 
likely that an agreement will emerge around the Development Package in the 
middle of the week. 

But what is this package and at what cost will it be gained? From the 
perspective of the developed countries, the core of the development package 
is the set of commitments to Least Developed Countries only that Annex F 
(Special and Differential Treatment) contains. From the perspective of 
developing countries, SDT encompasses a much broader set of flexibilities 
for a wider range of developing countries, including mechanisms such as 
Special Products and a Special Safeguard Mechanism in the Agreement on 
Agriculture which have been sidelined in the current discussion on 
development. In exchange for these circumscribed promises on SDT, developing 
countries are being pressured to give further concessions for market access 
in agriculture, services and NAMA. 

IGTN strongly supports the proposal submitted by the G33 on Special Products 
and a Special Safeguard Mechanism. We call upon the G33 to stand firm in its 
negotiating position and enhance its demands in order to guarantee that SPs 
become a concrete and effective mechanism to defend small farmers, 
particularly women, as well as to guarantee and implement the principles of 
food sovereignty, livelihood security and rural development. SPs and SSM are 
defensive tools that developing countries need to use because of systemic 
threats of free trade, but particularly in the face of dumping of 
artificially competitive subsidised exports of the EU and the US.

In regard to Annex C on services, IGTN opposes the push for rapid, deeper 
and mandatory liberalisation which will threaten women’s rights as enshrined 
in the Beijing Platform for Action and CEDAW, as well as the livelihoods of 
poor women and men in the South. Proposals for plurilateral and sectoral 
negotiations, and quantitative or qualitative targets contradict the 
flexibility of the GATS agreement that developing countries agreed to in 
1994. Countries should have the right to regulate and oppose liberalisation 
of sectors - especially energy, education, water and health sectors, where 
women play an important role as service providers, care workers and 
beneficiaries – and have the space to implement their development policies. 
Development needs should take priority over corporate interests. 

The balance sheet shows a bad development deal albeit with promises of a pot 
of money attached! Negotiators from developing countries must remain 
vigilant in their pursuit of a deal that will protect food security, 
livelihoods, jobs and sustainable development. No deal is better than a bad 
deal!

Adopted on 14 December 2005, Hong Kong
 
Co-signatories:
Asian Migrant Center
Berne Declaration
Center of Concern
Kaisampalad, Inc.
MODE
PNLC
Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO)


This statement is open to signatories. If your organisation wants to sign 
on, please send an email to: amandine en wide-network.org or call: 67394389