The debate conducted by Social Watch and Governance Now in New Delhi (Photo: Chinky Shukla/Jesudasu Seelam)

Sources: Social Watch India, Governance Now
Do regional parliamentarians have a voice in Indian democracy? What is the role of parliamentary committees? What exactly is the ambit of a parliamentarian? Questions like these were debated at “People, Parliament and Performance”, a discussion conducted by Social Watch India in partnership with Governance Now magazine in New Delhi.

Sources: ECLAC, Representatives of the civil society

Representatives of the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean who convened this week in Santiago de Chile didn’t include among their recommendations to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio2012), to be held next year in Brazil, the concept of “green economy”.

Nabil el-Araby, head of the League, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last Saturday. (Photo: Government of Syria)

Source: International Federation of Human Rights

More than 170 national, regional and international civil society organizations sent an open letter to Dr. Nabil El Araby, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, urging the bloc to put pressure on Syria’s government to effectively end the crackdown on peaceful opposition, release all political prisoners and provide compensation for victims.

Drought, a huge problem for Ethiopian pastoralists. (Photo: Petterik Wiggers/Hollandse Hoogte.)

Source: Afronline

As hunger threatens 12 million people in the Horn of Africa, a study by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) of the response to Kenya’s last devastating drought found that investments to increase the mobility of livestock herders – a way of life often viewed as “backward” despite being the most economical and productive use of that country’s drylands – could be the key to avert future food crises.

A sign in Dili: Timor-Leste "doesn't owe" and "will not pay". (Photo: ETAN/US)

Sources: ETAN, La’o Hamutuk

The government of Timor-Leste must "keep the nation debt-free and refrain from borrowing money from international lenders […] to protect its future generations," warned 137 civil society organizations based in 32 countries. Dili has not borrowed foreign funds since its independence in 2002.