THE BRIDGETOWN PROTOCOL GLOBALIZATION WORKING GROUP REPORT
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Back to Working Group ReportsPART III - WORKING GROUP REPORTS
Chairperson/Rapporteur: Erica LawsonINTRODUCTION
PRIORITY AREAS
RECOMMENDATIONS
BARRIERSOVERVIEW OF PROBLEMS
Globalization as it impacts on Afrikans and Afrikan Descendants is destructive. It is largely, though not exclusively, responsible for destroying the environment and impoverishing Afrika, Caribbean and other regions where there are large populations of Afrikan Descendant peoples. Furthermore, it promotes individuality and undermines social values that are central to the survival of Afrikan and Afrikan Descendant peoples. Globalization must be re-defined to centre moral, spiritual and communitarian values that aim to promote justice, human dignity and peace.
Some of the strongest actions that Afrikan and Afrikan Descendant peoples can take to stem the tide against globalization is community development through grassroots participation, the promotion and preservation of indigenous knowledge systems and practices, and holding governments accountable for their actions. Afrikan and Afrikan Descendants (hereafter AADs) must also develop, or strengthen existing systems of, communications to share information, resources and knowledge, build institutions that centre our concerns, and work collectively to advance our societies.
KEY GUIDING PRINCIPLES
In addition to using the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Agenda 21 as core guiding principles, it is important to underscore those principles that are central to our approach to re-defining globalization and economic practices so that they work in the interest of AADs:
· Preserve and implement indigenous knowledge systems and local technologies;
· Document and centralize information about our histories and ensure that they are reflected in academic curricula at all levels of the education system;
· Centre collective and communitarian values in all aspects of development;
· Pressure our governments (whether they are traditional, municipal or national) to be accountable;
· Build alliances with groups who are similarly impacted by globalization;
· Centre the perspectives/experiences of women, children and youth.· Strategizing to challenge Multi National Corporations
· Health
· Education
· Land and Economic Resources
· Media
· Cultural Institutions
· EnvironmentAll of these priorities are interconnected and cannot be discussed in isolation. The points of connectivity are information sharing and input/direction from grassroots and community.
1. CHALLENGING MULTI-NATIONAL CORPORATIONS (MNCs)
MNCs, World Bank and IMF policies and practices are largely (though not exclusively) responsible for destroying the economics, social and communitarian fabric of Afrikan and Caribbean societies. In particular MNCs have weakened the governments of these countries, thereby limiting their abilities to establish and maintain just societies.
Recommendations:
· Impose mandatory codes for MNCs, local and foreign businesses to act responsibly and in the interest of the local population in which business is being conducted.
· Devise creative ways to regulate the flight of capital from Afrikan, Caribbean and other impoverished regions.
· Hold Afrikan/Caribbean governments accountable to ensure that they are not bribed or otherwise encouraged to act in their own interests and against the will of the people.
· Pressure governments to roll back World Trade Organization rules that destroy our economies.
· Engage in lobby strategies to have trade rules adopted in parliaments so that governments can be held directly accountable (e.g. develop autonomous laws in parliament to protect the resources of the local population).
· Build/strengthen social movements and work with allies who are opposed to present global business practices to press for reforms of a legal and fiscal nature.
· Tax multinational corporations operating in Afrika and the Caribbean, and make them more accountable to local interests.
· Work towards a United States of Afrika and a closer working relationship between Afrika and the Diaspora to strengthen our challenge to the current system of globalization.
· Provide greater access to credit for women to become self-sufficient, as women are often responsible for supporting the household.
· Develop and implement programs and business initiatives for women and youth, and teach them business/micro management skills.
· Expand bartering systems and other community initiatives and practices that empower AADs.
· Recognize that resources (labour, land, oil, diamond, minerals, etc.) have been channelled out of Afrika and the Caribbean to enrich the developed world, and that a system of redress and restitution must be established without repercussions.
· Mobilize AADs to become involved in critical regional, national and international debates to affect political and economic change in the globalized world. One way to do this is to network with lobby organizations in Europe, North America, etc., that are directed by AADs, to affect the political processes in their respective countries.Additional comments/discussion:
Afrikans on the continent continue to be oppressed by Arabs and we must work to end the enslavement of Afrikans by Arabs. The UN Declaration on slavery as a crime against humanity must also declare an end to all forms of modern day slavery. At the same time, the events of September 11th 2001 have created an opportunity for Arabs and AAD peoples to address common forms of oppression resulting from white supremacy and poverty in the interest of building strong alliances.The economies in the developed world are heavily subsidized, but “developing” countries are forced to open their markets to free trade without restrictions. This imbalance must be adjusted and corrected.
2. HEALTH
AADs do not have access to basic health under globalization, especially in Afrika, the Caribbean, and other parts of the impoverished world. Pharmaceutical companies control medicines that would alleviate the pain and suffering of AADs living with HIV and AIDS, but people in poor countries lack the resources to purchase medicines. Pharmaceuticals also have patents on drugs that would otherwise be accessible to people who need them. AADs must work together to strengthen grassroots/community participation in setting the agenda for health and in calling for access to treatment for diseases.
Recommendations:
· Build strong health organizations that put health issues (as defined by AADs) on the agenda and act on these issues.
· Establish strong co-operatives for women to share economic and health knowledge since women are primarily responsible for the family’s health.
· Work to pressure pharmaceuticals to release drugs that are needed by AADs, and take back control of the distribution of medicines.
· Put pressure on governments to make available all resources that can help to eradicate AIDS in Afrika and to help the sick.
· Put pressure on governments and corporations to consider and act on the moral obligation (not just financial) to prevent and work for a cure for AIDS, and to assist those living with, and affected by, the disease.
· Strengthen indigenous systems of health care, knowledge and practices, and ensure that they are shared among AADs.
· Establish an international Secretariat to pool information and resources pertaining to AIDS prevention. This has to be done in the context of ensuring that information and use of resources are culturally appropriate.
· Demand an end to the use of Afrikan peoples as guinea pigs for testing of new drugs.The dangers of genetically modified foods and biotechnology were also discussed as poor countries are being forced to buy/consume these foods. As such, this is a crucial area of concern for AADs as the extent of harm to our health is still unknown.
Recommendations:
· Work collectively to ban genetically modified foods and to re-examine the issue of biotechnology.
· Establish a research institution to look at the long term health effects on people who are forced to plant/consume genetically modified foods. This is especially crucial for women who are often the ones responsible for food production. A research institution must also house knowledge about indigenous farming practices and work to preserve these knowledge systems.
· Educate Afrikan farmers about the dangers of biotechnology through locally based information sharing initiatives.Additional comments/discussion:
The approaches that we take to hold governments accountable must be creative and centred around strong community organization and participation. We must act collectively to ensure that all voices, especially those of women and youth, are included in the strategies that we implement. We must define our individual and collective responsibilities if we are to bring about change.The actions that we take and the strategies that we develop cannot be limited to the UN’s mandate on a particular issue. Instead, we have to keep in mind that each country (and community) will interpret that mandate differently depending on their cultural values and geographical locations.
3. EDUCATION & SHARING INFORMATION
The issue of education is central to how AADs understand, analyze and work to change the terms of current globalization practices. The scope of our education initiatives has to be broad and cannot be limited to typical forms of schooling. In order for education to be meaningful in peoples’ daily realities, it must take place in churches, in mosques, in community spaces where people meet, through imams, pastors, chiefs and other community leaders. Education must also be carried out in languages and approaches that people understand to ensure that they have a stake in the issues. The Working Group wants to emphasize the importance of education in its various forms, as an integral theme to all topics mentioned in this report.
Recommendations:
· Develop capacity building initiatives, especially for youth, so that they can critically analyze and understand current economic issues and globalization practices. This approach will help them to become self-sufficient in the world of work.
· Promote co-operative initiatives and collective living; and challenge, in particular, the notion that co-operative living and communitarian values are detrimental to society.
· Link education to co-operate/community initiatives so that people can develop trust in each other.
· Impart values of spirituality and morality to raise consciousness and impart a sense of responsibility.
· Ensure that youth are educated in their own languages with a clear understanding of their histories.
· Develop school curricula with an accurate account of Afrikan peoples’ histories, written by Afrikans and implemented in all schools.
· Centralize a decolonization process highlighting the struggles and accomplishments of AADs to strengthen Pan- Afrikanism.
· Celebrate the diversity of identities that exists among AADs, which represents a source of strength to be harnessed and used in a collective struggle against globalization.
· Use the Internet to disseminate information about our histories and about the current conditions of our respective communities and countries.
· Use education to strengthen the movement against privatization and to challenge free market principles/practices by teaching people to think critically.
· Conduct research into the effects of globalization and use the information to affect legislation and policy for constructive change.
· Use education to build alliances with women and youth movements, farmers’ unions, etc., and to promote better information co-ordination among AADs.
· Lobby for a strong national anti-racism curriculum in schools, especially in Europe and North America.
· Establish an institute to research and house materials about AADs.Additional Comments/Discussion
Although churches, and other faith institutions, in AAD communities are not always progressive (indeed, they often participate in the oppression of AADs), they still represent a significant role in the lives of AADs. We must put pressure on religious leaders, who play a strong role in AAD communities, to take a more progressive approach to the education of our people, especially with respect to disseminating accurate information about Afrikan history. Given the importance of religious institutions, they must also become proactive in fighting racism and encourage critical thinking instead of preaching religious dogma.4. LAND & ECONOMIC RESOURCES
Land is central to the cultural, social, spiritual and material existence of AADs. In Afrika land was stolen from indigenous peoples whose descendants continue to be displaced and impoverished as a result. In Afrika and the Caribbean, land is used by whites and MNCs for cash crop purposes rather than for the sustainable and holistic well being of the AAD population. Reforming globalization must include returning the land to its original inhabitants and using it appropriately to benefit present and future generations.
Recommendations:
· Return stolen land to indigenous and displaced peoples.
· Devise programs and incentives to keep people on the land by supporting indigenous farming practices and providing access to loans.
· Implement mechanisms aimed at the fair distribution of land and resources.
· Change laws and customary practices that prevent women from owning land.
· Conduct an exhaustive and systematic inventory of existing institutions that work in the interests of AADs and
strengthen them (e.g. ECOWAS, SADC, CARICOM, African union). Initiatives that aim to strengthen
institutions must not be directed only to those that are large and well-established. Rather, we must broaden our definition of institutions to include those that are small, such as churches, community centres which provide services and support, village schools, economic cooperatives, youth and gender-based programs, etc. These institutions should also be strengthened and encouraged to engage in capacity building programs. · Establish a Department of Pan-African Affairs to co-ordinate economic policies that are of interest to AADs;
Work to establish local credit unions in Afrika and the Diaspora where AADs can get loans for self-sustaining initiatives.5. MEDIA
Powerful white individuals, by and large, control various forms of media (print, radio, television, magazines, etc.). Images of AADs are generally not positive, our histories are distorted and our realities are ignored. As such, it is crucial for AADs to establish our own media through diverse and creative approaches to disseminating information among all AAD communities.
Recommendations:
· Challenge the fundamental goal of mass media which is to turn the audience into consumers, by actively promoting media literacy and critical thinking among AADs.
· Concentrate our efforts on building a Pan-Afrikan film and news industry that impart positive images of AADs;
use film and documentaries to educate AADs about the negative impacts of globalization (e.g. the film “Life and Debt” shows the destruction of local economies in Jamaica); Translate film into local languages and encourage community dialogue to raise consciousness.
· Motivate and stimulate AADs to get involved in public media by pooling resources to buy media time and use this as a podium to address our issues.
· Encourage AAD interest in capacity building by taking the initiative to gather news in their community about current events, and to disseminate the information through low-cost mediums (e.g. newsletters, community magazines).
· Provide women and youth with tools, training and resources to tell their own stories.
· Form alliances and share resources with news groups in other nations who have similar objectives.
· Create alternative media and support existing media outlets that are more critical and accurate (e.g. Public Broadcasting Service).
· Support production of different forms of independent media, e.g. write news in local languages and distribute in the form of newsletter and other inexpensive forms.
· Use taxation as a method of controlling dominant media groups such as CNN.6. CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS
Culture is related to a people’s way of life and spiritual values. Culture is reflected in various art and musical forms that capture the past, present and future of a people. It is crucial for AADs to build and strengthen our cultural institutions. One of the ways in which to do this is to call for the return of all artefacts that were stolen from the Afrikan continent by Europeans.
7. ENVIRONMENT
Environmental imbalances are connected to all the issues mentioned above. Afrikan and Afrikan Descendant peoples have a history of using finite resources responsibly, but the encroachment of capitalism, corporate greed, and privatization of resources (land, water, etc.) continues to erode indigenous environmental practices. Strategies of restoring and maintaining a healthy environment are bound up in recommendations already set out (e.g. restoring land for appropriate use, strengthening indigenous knowledge systems and practices, decreasing privatization of resources reverting back to collective “ownership,” etc. will foster practices that sustain a healthy environment).
BARRIER: Debt burden faced by Afrikan, Caribbean and other impoverished countries.
STRATEGY: Full cancellation of all debt without repercussion to impoverished countries.BARRIER: Lack of knowledge on the part of impoverished populations about the full extent that globalization, IMF and World Bank policies have on their lives.
STRATEGY: Implementation of comprehensive educational strategies in local languages by local people to raise awareness and to bring about change.BARRIER: A large proportion of resources are owned by MNCs including ownership of land rights.
STRATEGY: Petition governments to take back land that was stolen and otherwise illegally acquired, and designate portions of that land for the exclusive access to, and use of, indigenous Afrikan people.BARRIER: WTO rules state that there should be no barriers to trade and free market principles.
STRATEGY: Establish a Pan-Afrikan organization to help local populations develop their own rules and regulations about who should invest in their countries and under what conditions.BARRIER: EU trade and agricultural agreements with Afrikan and Caribbean farmers deliberately destroy the livelihood of these farmers and their communities.
STRATEGY: AAD governments must organize along lines of common interests to re-negotiate the terms of these agreements.BARRIER: Lack of infrastructure to promote development in impoverished countries.
STRATEGY: AADs must demand investment in infrastructure and hold governments accountable for accomplishing this task.BARRIER: Brain drain from Afrikan and Caribbean countries.
STRATEGY: Governments must work with community organizations and socially conscious investors to create jobs and to strengthen education systems.WAY FORWARD:
Assign time frames and measurable outcomes to each recommendation stated above.
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World Conference Against Racism 2003. All Rights Reserved.