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Impressions from the GCAP Global Council and CIVICUS World Assembly
Glasgow played host to the first GCAP Global Council before the CIVICUS World Assembly, attended by over 20 people from around the world representing the regions and constituency groups that make up this unique global alliance. Among those present were two regional secretariat staff, Tasneem Athar and Chona Ramos – both in Scotland for the first time. During one of the WA breaks they talked about their impressions;
What has been most remarkable about your time in Glasgow?
Chona - Meeting all the people and getting a sense that you belong and you are not alone. Just because you are on the other side of the world you are together. I also learnt a lot from other people’s experiences, especially about progress in Africa about which I have had little experience previously. I realised we have the same issues and problems so I need to think outside the usual spheres and make new synergies.
Tasneem – The World Assembly was really very informal and interactive but I was able to convey information from the South Asia region to people in the north which is rare for us.
Chona- I liked the fact that there was not too much structure, and plenty of open spaces, where people aren’t afraid to talk and share.
What will you be doing when you get back from Glasgow?
Tasneem – Well I will be throwing myself into the GCAP South Asia poverty hearings we are holding across Bangladesh where I am based. It’s part of our work building up to the High Level Meeting on the MDGS in New York in September. The hearings will end with one big one in Dhaka and the main aim is to bring the voices of the people most affected by policies and to hold policy-makers accountable.
Chona – I will be working around the clock to get the GCAP South East (SENCA) Asia delegation ready for the G8 Summit in Japan in July. We have a number of highly motivated national coalition spokespeople traveling to attend the Alternative Summit in Sapporo and others accredited to the International Media Centre in Rusutsu where we hope they will have a chance to articulate their issues to a global audience and influence discussions.
