Publications

Unpacking Arguments against a Treaty

By Armin Paasch, Karolin Seitz, Eva-Maria Reinwald, Maren Leifker, Julia Otten

Published by: Global Policy Forum

Bonn, January 2019

Discussion Paper

By Nicoletta Dentico and Karolin Seitz

Over the last two decades, the philanthropic sector has grown in terms of the number of foundations, the size of their annual giving, and the scope of their activities. Spending concentrates on certain selected areas, especially health, education, and nutrition. Civil society organizations, scientists, and the media have finally started to devote more attention and research to the growing influence of philanthropic foundations in global development, in particular with regard to the influential members [...]

Published by the Treaty Alliance Germany: Attac Deutschland, Brot für die Welt, BUND, CIR, CorA-Netzwerk für Unternehmensverantwortung, FEMNET, FIAN- Deutschland, Forschungs- und Dokumentationszentrum Chile- Lateinamerika, Forum Fairer Handel, Forum Umwelt und Entwicklung, Germanwatch, Global Policy Forum Europe, Goliathwatch, INKOTA, Medico International, MISEREOR, Mission EineWelt, PowerShift, SÜDWIND, WEED.

September 2018

Spotlight on Sustainable Development 2018
How to overcome obstacles and contradictions in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda “The world is off-track in terms of achieving sustainable development and fundamental policy changes are necessary to unleash the transformative potential of the SDGs.” This is the main message of the Spotlight Report 2018, the most comprehensive independent assessment of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The third edition of the civil society report Spotlight on Sustainable Development states that unpaid care work represents the largest subsidy to the global economy and the main obstacle for women´s economic participation. Care public policies are needed to transform the social organization of care and narrow gender gaps.
Global civil society report assesses obstacles and contradictions in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda

New York, 9 July 2018: “The world is off-track in terms of achieving sustainable development and fundamental policy changes are necessary to unleash the transformative potential of the SDGs.” This is the main message of the Spotlight Report 2018, the most comprehensive independent assessment of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The report is launched on the opening day of the High Level Political Forum at the United Nations in New York by a global coalition of civil society organizations [...]

The Private Sector and the Sustainable Development Goals

At the United Nations (UN) summit in September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was adopted by all UN member states. The Agenda gives a comprehensive framework for a global socio-ecological transformation.

The novelty of the SDGs vis-à-vis the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is its paradigm shift: all countries, not just the countries of the Global South, have to implement the SDGs, working closely together to achieve the common goal of a [...]

Options for an UN Treaty on Business and Human Rights

By Harris Gleckman

Published by: Global Policy Forum and Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung-New York Office

Berlin/Bonn/New York, April 2018

The United Nations face a funding dilemma. On the one hand, member states continue to transfer new responsibilities to the UN system, not least in implementing the 2030 Agenda and their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); on the other hand, they do not match these mandates with adequate resources.

Some see the way out of this financial mess in reinforced UN partnerships with private donors and their foundations. The UN Foundation (UNF) plays a special role here. It was established by [...]

Report of the third session of the UN working group on a binding instrument on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights (“treaty”)
In 2014, following a resolution initiated by Ecuador and South Africa, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations decided by a majority vote for the establishment of a process to create a human rights treaty to regulate business activity. In 2015 and 2016 the first two sessions of the open-ended intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights (OEIGWG) took place, and between October 23 and 27, 2017 the working group convened [...]