Public Eye on Davos 2004
Keynote speech by Mary Robinson (21.01.04)
Keynote speech by Mary Robinson, Director of the Ethical Globalisation Initiative and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Mary Robinson opened this year’s Public Eye on Davos conference with a resounding call for the increased accountability of businesses, governments and international institutions in respecting human rights. According to Robinson, respect for human rights much lie at the heart of our efforts to promote a more equaitable and sustainable world.
Referring to the report due to be released by the Global Governance Initiative, a WEF project, which shows that the world is far from meeting the goals it has set for itself, she declared, „economic globalisation is not working.“ This dramatic failure to make headway in the drive to close the gap between the haves and have nots can be best addressed as an issue of human rights because the laws already exist. What is lacking are the mechanisms to overcome the constant violation of social, economic and cultural rights and the ongoing impunity of the actors involved. This culture of impunity reaches from the level of single households to governments, international instutions and corporations.
Robinson is taking this message to the discussions within the WEF, and has just returned from the World Social Forum in Mumbay, India, where this was also her message. According to Robinson „its accountability, accountability, accountability, stupid.“ Although she sees that there are strategic reasons for not insisting on binding rules at this time if this means the cooperation of further members of the business community will be jeopardised, she insisted that such rules would actually benefit business as it would create a level playing field. Indeed, criticisms of the proposed rules stem less from disagreement with the principles than from the „pyschological block“ of many towards international, especially, UN regulations.
Robinson drew inspiration from what she saw and heard at the World Social Forum and from what she is experiencing at the Public Eye. These events are examples of the globalisation of civil society from where the public pressure that will result in change is coming. „I’m not optimistic, I’m just bloody determined,“ she said in response to a question. To Robinson, one successful way forward is to demand that the principles embodied in the UN Charter of Human Rights, to which governments around the world have already committed themselves, be harnessed in the critique of economic globalisation. To this end, she has with others launched the ‚Ethical Globalisation Intiative’ to emphase the fact that Human Rights include social, economic and cultural rights, that have to be respected. Article 1 of the Charter states that we are all equal in dignity and rights, and it is painfully clear that we are far from practicing this in reality.
Referring to the report due to be released by the Global Governance Initiative, a WEF project, which shows that the world is far from meeting the goals it has set for itself, she declared, „economic globalisation is not working.“ This dramatic failure to make headway in the drive to close the gap between the haves and have nots can be best addressed as an issue of human rights because the laws already exist. What is lacking are the mechanisms to overcome the constant violation of social, economic and cultural rights and the ongoing impunity of the actors involved. This culture of impunity reaches from the level of single households to governments, international instutions and corporations.
Robinson is taking this message to the discussions within the WEF, and has just returned from the World Social Forum in Mumbay, India, where this was also her message. According to Robinson „its accountability, accountability, accountability, stupid.“ Although she sees that there are strategic reasons for not insisting on binding rules at this time if this means the cooperation of further members of the business community will be jeopardised, she insisted that such rules would actually benefit business as it would create a level playing field. Indeed, criticisms of the proposed rules stem less from disagreement with the principles than from the „pyschological block“ of many towards international, especially, UN regulations.
Robinson drew inspiration from what she saw and heard at the World Social Forum and from what she is experiencing at the Public Eye. These events are examples of the globalisation of civil society from where the public pressure that will result in change is coming. „I’m not optimistic, I’m just bloody determined,“ she said in response to a question. To Robinson, one successful way forward is to demand that the principles embodied in the UN Charter of Human Rights, to which governments around the world have already committed themselves, be harnessed in the critique of economic globalisation. To this end, she has with others launched the ‚Ethical Globalisation Intiative’ to emphase the fact that Human Rights include social, economic and cultural rights, that have to be respected. Article 1 of the Charter states that we are all equal in dignity and rights, and it is painfully clear that we are far from practicing this in reality.
