Social & Ecological Transformation

Especially developing and low- and middle-income countries respectively are hit by the financial crisis in a heavy way, although they mostly did not play a vital role according to the dynamic processes which led to this situation.'The crisis' actually implies two components: a financial an a recession one. Not the fiscial system is hitting these countries in a harsh way, but the lack of trade with the high income countries

History shows that financial crisis have been distinctly harsh on women and poor. Especially when it comes to instability of jobs, women are hit harder than men, which is mostly connected with the sectors female workers are employed, aswell related with political inequity women in most societies still have to deal with. Summary of “The Current Economic and Financial Crisis: A Gender Perspective” by Rania Antonopoulos, March 20, 2009

Looking at the structure of the IMF governance it seems that it is much more a reflection of the world of 1944, when it was established, than of the world today. A hugh mismatch between the ′Northern countries′ and the mid- and low- income countries, with a dominant position of the USA according to the decision-making process, can stil be seen

There can not be any fair and equitable global climate agreement, if there will not be a comprehensive global climate financing understanding, And the latter can only have a fair, equitable and comprehensive character, if it includes and incorporates gender awareness and strives toward gender equitable climate financing solutions

There is an interrelationsship between the crises of climate, food and water, whereas can be seen as the mediated component of all three harms. Building on this assumption, it can be claimed that there is an essential need for redesigning the agriculture sector. What policies and practices are needed to ensure food security for all, to help individuals realize their “right to food” and ”right to water,” in a climate challenged world?

The leaders of the G20 will meet on April 2 in London. One item on their agenda will be to consider enhancing the International Monetary Fund's role in international financial governance. This can only be successfully achieved if the IMF undergoes substantial reforms that require either difficult political compromises or amendments to the Fund's Articles of Agreement, the formal international treaty that created the IMF and that has only been amended three times since the organization's inception in 1946

Noam Chomsky is a noted linguist, author, and foreign policy expert. Sameer Dossani interviewed him about the global economic crisis and its roots. His first interview with Chomsky can be found

“I always thought there would be a significant change, that organic food would one day come of age, but I never imagined it would be quite this sudden”. Patrick Holden Patrick Holden is coming to Istanbul on the 13th of July.