Anti-human trafficking in the Philippines
- In collaboration with the Sustainable Capacity International Institute (SCII) and Adamson University (ADU), in Manila, Philippines, the World Engagement Institute offers a certified training in Combatting Trafficking in Persons (CTIP). With a special focus on building community resilience and human trafficking awareness in the post-typhoon Hayian, the training provides a comprehensive, multi-sector and multidisciplinary approach to anti-human trafficking (A-HT). Through expert participants from Philippine government agencies, nongovernmental organizations and international organizations of the United Nations (HT-Philippines), the training builds capacity among engaged young professionals and community leaders who can make a difference in the fight against human trafficking. Human trafficking in the Philippines and Southeast Asia continues to be a major issue as children, women, and young men fall into the hands of criminal and abusive relations for the purpose of sexual and labor exploitation. The training is designed by experts with the attention to national and international anti-human trafficking best practices provided by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Department of States (TIP US-DOS) "4P" approach (prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership). Read more on the Certification on Combatting Trafficking in Peoples (CTIP) at weinstitute.org/certificates
The United Nations and the Post 2015
- On Thursday, October 24, 2013, on the occasion of the United Nations Day celebrating when the U.N. Charter entered into force on October 24, 1945, the United Nations Association (UNA-USA) and its Chicago Chapter organized a consultation around the Post 2015 development agenda. Dr. Marco Tavanti provided the introductory remarks highlighting the progress, challenges and opportunities of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the drafted Post-2015 agenda. On 30 May 2013, the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda released “A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development,” a significant report which included the sustainable development goals (SDGs), emerged in the Rio 2012 Earth Summit, with the post MDGs for the 2030 goal of eradicating extreme poverty. The drafted new goals for the Post 2015 agenda are 12 and integrate socio-economic and environmental sustainable development concerns with governance capacity, peace and security. These are: (1) End Poverty, (2) Empower Girls and Women and Achieve Gender Equality, (3) Provide Quality Education and Lifelong Learning, (4) Ensure Healthy Lives, (5) Ensure Food Security and Good Nutrition, (6) Achieve Universal Access to Water and Sanitation, (7) Secure Sustainable Energy, (8) Create Jobs, Sustainable Livelihoods, and Equitable Growth, (9) Manage Natural Resource Assets Sustainably, (10) Ensure Good Governance and Effective Institutions, (11) Ensure Stable and Peaceful Societies and (12) Create a Global Enabling Environment and Catalyse Long-Term Finance. Dr. Tavanti, Gen. Tucker and other WEI associates contributed to the reflections by adding practical insights and local/global concerns regarding human security. The ongoing Post 2015 consultations organized by UNA-USA will be integrated in the overall worldwide consultation process collected in The World We Want 2015 website. Learn more at http://www.worldwewant2015.org/
International Community Regulates Security Contractors
- On the 19th and 20th of September 2013 Gen. Chuck Tucker was elected as the US Government representative on the Board of Directors of the International Code of Conduct Association for Private Security Contractors (ICoCA). This is a multi-stakeholder initiative to oversee the implementation and enforcement of the international code of conduct of private security contractors, pursuant to the mandate of the Montreux Document on Private Military and Security Companies. The 12-member Board of Directors is charged with the promotion, governance and oversight of the implementation of the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers (ICoC) to promote the responsible provision of private security services and respect for human rights and national and international law by exercising independent governance and oversight of the ICoC. The Association accomplishes this through certification of member company systems and policies, monitoring of performance, and consideration of third-party complaints. The Association promotes good practices and transparency within the private security industry; supports government policy objectives including humanitarian and development assistance, investment, and conflict prevention; facilitates oversight of private security activities conducted in under-regulated environments; and provides a platform to engage with private security companies and civil society to identify human rights-related risks and develop collaborative risk-management approaches. Learn more at http://www.icoca.ch/
Launch of the Global Cafe Initiative
- On April 25, 2013, the World Engagement Institute launched the first Global Cafe forum. The initiatives aims at connecting academic communities with community organizations in the Chicago area engaged in selected issues connected to global citizenship. Through the leadership of faculty, staff and alumni of the International Public Service (IPS) graduate program chaired by Dr. Marco Tavanti, the first Global Cafe asked a critical question regarding the values and limits of fair trade. The Global Café is an invitation to reflect and engage by academia to the community and the community to academia. Selected topics and selected panels of academics and practitioners share critical insights on hot issues in global citizenship. These include fair trade, anti-human trafficking, building multi-stakeholder partnerships, sustainable development , human security, micro-finance and women empowerment among others. Each global cafe engages academics and practitioners in critical explorations of hot issues in our global society and international public service. Other Chicago based international and national nongovernmental organizations are also collaborating in the initiative. The Chicago based forums includes an online platform with resources and video recording of the events. Check out the Global Cafe Community Social Media Site where you can join the community for free and begin engaging on these globally and socially responsible issues. Learn more from the WEI page on the Global cafe programs at http://www.weinstitute.org/globalcafe.html
Fair Trade for Poverty Reduction in Latin America
- Dr. Marco Tavanti, representing the World Engagement Institute (WEI) and its European counterpart, the Sustainable Capacity International Institute (SCII-ONLUS), critically reviewed of the values and challenges of fair trade as mechanism for indigenous rights and poverty alleviation in Latin America. The remarks were made during the International Roundtable on ‘Sustainable Economic Development, Fair Trade and the Law’ (Rome: February 20-21, 2013), organized by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and with the support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministero degli Esteri). The event saw the participation of international trade and development experts from United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the European Commission (EC), the World Bank, the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO), Fairtrade International (FLO) and Fairtrade Italia. Gen. Chuck Tucker, J.D., currently serving as Interim Director of Programming at IDLO, offered introductory remarks and international development legal insights in relation the initiative. The panel of international experts reviewed the challenges and opportunities for utilizing fair trade development initiatives for increasing food security and resources management in some of the most impoverished indigenous communities in Chimborazo, Ecuador. Delivering on the promise of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, IDLO has coordinated a legal empowerment development program in Ecuador establishing new partnerships to secure fair trade and more sustainable livelihoods. The follow up of this initiative is the publication of a Compendium of Innovative Legal Practices for Fair and Sustainable Trade. Read more on the initiative here.
Launch of the International Journal of Sustainable Human Security
- On January 2013 the World Engagement Institute launched The International Journal of Sustainable Human Security (IJSHS). This electronic annual publication collects special topic analyses in international human security practices linked to sustainable and systemic institutional capacity. The concept of sustainability and human security are integrated comprehensive frameworks developed for properly addressing complex and multifaceted problems. Sustainability in general, and sustainable development in particular, integrates institutional capacity development with economic, social and environmental factors. Human security provides a comprehensive notion for international practices promoting freedom from fear, freedom from want and freedom to live in dignity. In spite of various emerging efforts to bring the concept of human security in academia and international development community, there is still very little sharing of practical knowledge, applied research and critical analysis of cases that would instruct better practices for capacity development. Policy leaders, international development practitioners and engaged academics will benefit from contributing and learning from the selected articles and special topics of this journal. The journal aims at engaging the critical and analytical reflections of practitioners as well as applied research and policy analyses on issues and cases related to sustainable human security. The first issue of the journal will focus on anti-corruption in relation to international human security practices. Read more at http://www.weinstitute.org/IJSHS.html
Indigenous Rights, Law, Justice and Development
- The World Engagement Institute, represented by Dr. Marco Tavanti and Ms. Liz Wilp, participated and presented at the World Bank Annual Conference entitled Law Justice and Development Week (December 10-14, 2012). The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) was a partner of the Global Forum on Law, Justice and Development and organized thematic working group sessions on the outcomes of Rio+20 entitled: Progress on Law for Sustainable Development. The conference was coordinated by the World Bank Group with events organized by the legal departments of the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Highlighting the work of Peruvian economist Hernando de Soto and ILD, this year’s forum explored how law and justice contribute to better development outcomes through opportunity, inclusion and equity. Dr. Tavanti proposed insights on social, legal and participatory rights for indigenous people in a presentation entitled Resources, Rights and Responsibilities: A social, indigenous and institutional integrated framework for community tenure rights. Based on his studies with Dr. Alfredo Sfeir Yunis integrating human rights with sustainable development, he suggested an indigenous human rights for sustainable development centered around the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) articulated in the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169 and reiterated in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UN-DRIPS). Ms. Wilp shared insights on indigenous Maya educational rights in a special session on Guatemala preparedness for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation” (REDD+). She shared fundamental educational rights emerged in the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (RIO+20) and reinforced by numerous documents and initiatives during the Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (UN-ESD). Read more about the conference here.
Supporting the Peaceful Implementations in Somalia
- Eric Morse, World Engagement Fellow and Managing Editor at National Strategy Forum (NSF) contributed to the preparation of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO)'s report "Supporting the Peaceful Implementation of the New Constitution in Somalia. The project was financed by the Government of Italy. Chuck Tucker is currently assisting IDLO, an intergovernmental organization founded in 1983, to promote legal, regulatory and institutional reform to advance economic and social development in transitional and developing countries. IDLO has been assisting Somalia's Transitional Government in the Constitutional Reforms for the revitalization of the country. The adoption of the Provisional Constitution by the National Constitution Assembly on August 1, 2012 has marked a notable milestone. The report acknowledges the Constitution as a progressive document based on Islamic principles that contain key elements of the rule of law and lays out a vision of democratic governance.The report provides a framework for a regulatory system based on solid and democratic judicial and security systems. It recognizes that both a strong and independent judiciary, along with a feasible and accountable peace and security sector, are vital to the establishment of an effective and accountable democratic government. For more information visit the IDLO website at http://www.idlo.int
Implementing_somali_constitution.pdf |
Second Chicago Conference on Somalia
- The World Engagement Institute is collaborating with the Somalia Strategy Forum and the National Strategy Forum in the preparation of a Conference bringing Somali women voices for good governance to a common table of dialogue. Somalia has a new democratically elected government. Surviving decades of conflict, this transitional federal government stands poised to implement their provisional constitution and begin drafting legislation to improve governance. The women of Somalia, both at home and abroad emerged from the shadows to this historic achievement overcoming the traditional role of exclusion from political decision-making relegated to them. Engaging Somali women helping them realize their dreams and giving them a platform for their voices to be heard provides a powerful tool to assist Somalia’s new government. In line with WEI's programming priorities for gender equality, the voices of women and civil society in diaspora will be an essential asset in the post-conflict and transitional justice of Somalia. Find out more about the conference outcomes at the WEI Conference page at http://www.weinstitute.org/conferences.html. Read more on the SSF website at: http://www.somaliastrategyforum.org/events/ssf_conference_2/
Principles for Court Management
- Peter Coolsen, member of the Board of Directors of the WEInstitute and of the National Association for Court Management, co-authored a publication emerged from the 4th National Symposium on Court Management. Summit papers and the emerged Ten Principles for Court Governance are essential insights for any court system that is concerned about effective management, good governance and open communication. Chief Justice Christine M. Durham and Dan Becker, State Court Administrator from Utah presented their paper on “A Case for Court Governance Principles” from the Utah perspective of a unified state court system with a constitutionally established judicial council. The dialogue was framed by a set of ten unifying principles required of effective court governance in any state, regardless of their organizational model. The unifying principles are: 1) a well-defined governance structure, 2) meaningful input in the decision making process from all court levels, 3) a system that speaks with a “single voice”, 4) selection of judicial leadership based on competency, 5) a commitment to transparency and accountability, 6) independent authority to allocate resources and spend appropriated funds, 7) a focus on policy, delegation to administrative staff and a commitment to evaluation, 8) open communication on decisions, 9) positive external relationships that foster trust among other branches and constituencies and 10) clearly established internal relationships throughout the state court system. Read more at http://www.ncsc.org/4thsymposium.
a_report_on_the_4th_national_symposium_on_court_management.pdf |
Global University Summit 2012
- The World Engagement Institute, represented by Dr. Marco Tavanti, participated to the 5th Global University Summit in Chicago, Illinois, USA from April 29 to May 1, 2012. Held in parallel with the G8 Summit, the Global University Summit brings together leadership of major research universities and industry from across the world to deliberate upon critical issues facing higher education in the global challenges of society. The theme for 2012 is "Developing Talent to Drive Innovation in a Global Society." The Summit will be a unique opportunity to engage with presidents from more than 80 major, international research universities as well as senior industry leaders, to discuss critical collaborations affecting higher education globally in the 21st century. Higher education plays a critical role in defining the course of innovation in our societies. While technology and economic development have made it easier for unprecedented numbers of people to access education, we often grapple with educational quality issues and how to best harness our creative energies to create the necessary innovations to respond to the challenges of the 21st century. The 5th Global University Summit will provide a forum for exploration of these issues and for development of new partnerships among universities. In today's global knowledge society, truth, discovery, and understanding do not stop at the boundaries of an institutions or a country. The mission of the WEInstitute, in building partnerships and academia with international players complements the purpose of this summit. Higher education institutions can be transformational agents and catalyst for positive, inclusive and human rights based changes benefiting world societies. For more information on the purpose and expected outcomes of the summit see http://engagement.illinois.edu/globalsummit2012
First Chicago Conference on Somalia
- The World Engagement Institute, in collaboration with the National Strategy Forum (NSF), and the Sustainable Capacity International Institute (SCII) has been supporting the Somalia Strategy Forum (SSF) in the preparation and coordination of the Chicago Conference for Somalia held on Saturday April 14, 2012 at Union League Club Chicago. This conference was timing with ongoing consultations for the constitutional reforms and the renewed engagement of the international community to this country devastated by more than 21 years of conflict. Indeed, Somalia is at a crossroads. The international community, headed by the Somali diaspora, has been at the forefront of developing a strategic agenda to build a prosperous and peaceful future for Somalia. The conference, attended by representatives of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO), constitutional scholars and Somali experts drafted important suggestions for the good governance, peace-building, human security and sustainable social and economic development in the country. The Chicago Conference on Somalia was the first step toward a Somali-lead, long term capacity building and strategic plan for sustainable agricultural development, food security, rule of law, economic development, inclusive education, health care and governance capacity. The focus of the conference is on sustainable capacity development extending the conversations which began at the (February 2012) London Conference for Somalia. For more information see http://www.weinstitute.org/somalia-conference.html View some images and other reports here and get involved in the process through the SSF website at http://www.somaliastrategyforum.org/
Empowering Medical Schools in Somalia
- The House of Charity (HOC), in collaboration with the Somalia Strategy Forum, two of WEI organizational partners, have facilitated a medical shipment initiative in Somalia. The beneficiaries of medical equipments and books are Somalia based university medical programs. In a country devastated by extreme poverty, major infections diseases and an ongoing conflict targeting medical graduates (see December 4, 2009 attack), supporting medical schools is a priority. Thanks to the coordination of The House of Charity, an experienced organization in international humanitarian relief, a 40 ft container was sent off to the United Nations support office in Mogadishu on March 28, 2012. The House of Charity, SSF and WEI recognize the importance of bringing healing and systemic solutions to impoverished and distressed population around the Globe. The shipment of Medical and Disaster Relief to Somalia's medical schools was coordinated by World Resources Aid under the Hospital Upgrading Program. Worldwide Resource Aid, an initiative of The House of Charity, is an extension service to the core mission of the 501(c)3 organization dedicated at providing high-quality life and education essentials and world-class medical and surgical care to improve the life and health of impoverished children and youth around the world. The Medical Missions Abroad Program of The House of Charity focuses on providing surgical and medical treatment to children and young adults in their home countries, training of local doctors and nurses, and supplying necessary medical equipment, furnishings and supplies to charitable hospitals. In extreme cases, if the treatment is not possible in the host country, The House of Charity brings the child to the United States for specialized medical care. All services and items provided by The House of Charity are absolutely free to the recipients. In the name of the Somali beneficiaries, the WEInstitute is particularly grateful to our associate Ms. Hashmat Effendi, Sitare e Imtiaz, Mr. Mohammad Adil “Mak” Khan-Qasmi for her leadership, support, collaboration and hard work that made this project possible.
World Justice Project Expert Report
- Gen. Chuck Tucker (Ret.), Executive Director of the World Engagement Institute contributed to the World Justice Project Expert Network's Report of Key Findings and Recommendations on the Rule of Law and Counter-Terrorism. The current report seeks to capture wider observations, and to summarize the key findings and recommendations of a three year multi-national, multi-disciplinary project, regarding what the rule of law means in the context of counter-terrorism. The project was conceived in 2008 under the umbrella of the World Justice Project (WJP), an ambitious independent and politically neutral, multi-national and multi-disciplinary, initiative which aims to strengthen the rule of law worldwide at the local, national, regional, and/or international level within legal and non-legal disciplines (www.worldjusticeproject.org). The current report draws heavily upon and in some cases develops the contributions and recommendations of over 40 multi-national, multi-disciplinary experts – drawn from inter alia judicial, practitioner, policy-maker, institutional, academic, policing, military, and civil society perspectives, and from every major region of the world – which culminated in the publication of a significant 1200 page book: AM Salinas de Friás, KLH Samuel, and ND White (eds), Counter-Terrorism: International Law and Practice (Oxford University Press, Oxford 2012).
Anti-Human Trafficking Training Preparations
- In January 2012, on the occasion of the National Human Trafficking and Slavery Awareness and Prevention Month, WEI associates worked in preparation of a comprehensive anti-human trafficking training program. Conscious that human trafficking is modern slavery in our global societies, WEI commit to offer professional and competent training on combatting human human trafficking based on the Four-P approach: Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership. Unfortunately global human trafficking is a profitable business at the expenses of the most vulnerable. It is a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise that targets vulnerable people for labor and sexual exploitation, destroying lives and tearing families apart. Combating it needs a systemic approach along with committed people who wants to make a difference in the defense of women, children and human rights. The World Engagement Institute (WEInstitute) is at the forefront of Anti-Human Trafficking Programing and training. In collaboration with the United Nations Office On Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and University of Vietnam, the WEInstitute offers a certificate program “Combating Trafficking in Persons in Southeast Asia: International Training Certificate Program,” Hanoi-Vietnam, planned for July 22-August 1, 2012. We begin the training program in South-East Asia as the context presents numerous challenges and needs for implementing comprehensive anti-human trafficking capacity. Get more facts about human trafficking and make a difference participating in the training.
Vietnam Conference and Delegation
- On October 25, 2011, a WEI delegation visited the Vietnam Lawyer Association (VLA) in Hanoi. Following our meeting we signed a Memorandum of Collaboration that would lead us to expand our presence in Vietnam in view of future programs and projects. Currently Dr. Le Van Cam, distinguished international fellow, Dr. Dr Nguyen Khac Hai, international research fellow, are actively involved with as they edit the Law and Development Journal. The visit was held after a selected group of international scholars presented at a conference organized by the University of Vietnam, School of Law - Center for Criminal Law. The topics discussed during the conference entered around its theme: "Human rights protection by Law in the field of criminal justice: Vietnam Situation and International experience"
United Nations Peacekeeping Operation Conference
- The World Engagement Institute co-sponsored The United Nations Peace Operations and Law Symposium held for the first time in Chicago on July 6-8, 2011. The Symposium's purpose was to present senior coalition military and civilian leaders with a forum to discuss and evaluate current and future peace operations, humanitarian relief and international disaster relief challenges facing the US Military and to identify ways to maximize our readiness to support these missions. This year's topic was A Decade of Peace Success and Failures in Peacekeeping and SSTR (Stability, Security, Transition and Reconstruction) Operations that have Influenced Current Operations, Impacted Emerging Missions and Fostered State to State Partnerships. Learn about the UN Peacekeeping Operations here. Read more about the conference here.
United Nations Human Rights Council Report on Libya
- On May 2011, the World Engagement Institute contributes to the UNHRC Report of the International Commission of Inquiry to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. Prof. Pat Szczerba and her assistants prepared a background research document to help the commission headed by Prof. M. Cherif Bassioni for the investigation on the alleged human rights violations. The commission decided to consider actions by all parties that might have constituted human rights violations throughout the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. It also considered violations committed before, during and after the demonstrations witnessed in a number of cities in the country in February 2011. The commission reviewed all allegations raised in connection with issues arising under its mandate. It studied a large number of reports, submissions and other documentation either researched of its own initiative or provided by others, amounting to more than 5,000 pages of documents, more than 580 videos and over 2,200 photographs. The report commends the good works of NGOs like the WEInstitute saying "It should be noted that the reports received by non-governmental organizations were useful and, apparently, reliable. The reports received from Government sources and those of the National Transitional Council did not, however, reflect the same evidentiary qualitative standard. Government reports contained mainly either general denials or specific allegations not supported by evidence."
unhrc-libya-report-3.pdf |
libya_human_rights_background_paper_wei_18_may_2011.pdf |