The South Asia Watch on Trade,
Economics and Environment (SAWTEE), a network of social activists and media
persons in the South Asia region, was launched in December 1994 by a consortium
of seven organisations in the South Asia region. It has been conducting various
programs on international trade, regional cooperation and sustainable
development and national issues independently as well as through its partner
organisations based in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Since
early 1999, when the organisation was formally registered in Kathmandu, its
secretariat based in Kathmandu has also started working on the above-mentioned
areas as well as performing its regular role of coordinating the activities of
the member organisations.
SAWTEE is a part of the Consumer
International's global watch on trade and economics. It serves on the Program
Advisory Board of International Center for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD),
Geneva.
Its objective is to enable citizens
directly or through creating capacities in NGOs and media persons to
"understand and cope with the processes of transition and equip them with
information and the tools of advocacy to provide adequate safety nets for the
protection of environment and consumers through enhanced international and
regional cooperation in the areas of trade, economics and environment."
Specific objectives of SAWTEE
include:
·
Sensitisation:
Informing, educating and provoking actions from the readers of its publications
on various issues related to liberalisation, globalisation, multilateral trading
system, regional cooperation, environment and economics.
·
Advocacy: Influencing policy making at
the national and regional level on the issues relating to trade, environment,
economics, liberalisation, globalisation and multilateral trading system.
·
Policy research:
To conduct research on specific issues identified by the network members and
disseminate the findings to a large audience, including policy makers and
international communities.
·
Networking and Capacity building:
To build capacity of NGOs, media and academia on issues relating to
liberalisation and globalisation including the functioning of the multilateral
trading system, environment and economics.
In order to achieve its
aforementioned objectives SAWTEE has been carrying out following activities.
SAWTEE has been organising
conferences, seminars, training workshops and talk programs with the objectives
of influencing policy making at the national, regional and global level.
The research and studies are being
carried out on specific issues identified by the network members and the
findings are disseminated to a large audience, including policy makers and
international communities. So far a study titled "Documentation of
Restrictive Business Practices in Nepal since 1992" has been completed by
SAWTEE in the year 2000. Its partner organisations in India, Nepal and Pakistan
have also conducted a number of research and studies.
SAWTEE has been bringing out the
following publications on trade, economics and environment and regularly
circulated to the concerned groups.
Newsletters
Twenty paged SAWTEE Newsletters are
circulated to interested organisations and individuals throughout the world. The
recipients of the Newsletters include such organisation like UNCTAD, WTO, OECD,
UNEP, UNDP, WWF, IUCN etc. Contents of the Newsletter includes news and analyses
of regional news of interest to the network partners; other important news on
trade, economics and environment that affects the interest of countries
represented by partner networks.
Briefing
Papers
With the objective of informing,
educating and provoking debate on issues of trade, sustainable development and
equity, SAWTEE has been regularly producing briefing papers on related issues
with special focus on South Asian realities.
Discussion
Papers
Discussion papers are being published
on the related issues of trade, economics, environment and sustainable
development.
Monographs
Monographs are the compilation of
articles on related issues of trade, economics and environment relevant to South
Asian region by renowned authors.
National Seminars/ Training
Workshops/Conferences on:
· Interactive
workshops on "Farmers' Rights & Mountain Communities-Where We
Stand"
23rd-24th March & 9th -10th April 2002,
Dehradun & Nepal
· Residential
Workshops on Economic
Liberalization, Farmers' Rights & Mountain Development Strategies,
April 18-19
2002 & May4-2 2002 Kaski & Nepal.
·
SAWTEE's Position at the Third Ministerial Meeting of
WTO, November 18, 1999, Kathmandu.
·
International trade, consumer protection and Nepal’s
response, August 22-23, 1997, Pokhara, Nepal.
· Need
for Consumer Protection Strategies in the Market Oriented Economic System,
June 27-28, 1997,
Chitwan, Nepal
· Economic
Transition, Consumers and Environment,
December 4-5, 1996, Butwal, Nepal
·
Role of Consumer Organisations and Media in the Context
of Liberalisation, July 25-26,1996, Dharan, Nepal.
·
Nepalese Consumers in Changing Economic Scenario, April
4-5, 1996, Lalitpur, Nepal.
International/ Regional Training
Workshops/ Seminars/ Conferences on:
· South Asia Regional Co-operation in International Trade
(SARCIT), July 14-15, 2000, Kathmandu, Nepal.
· Capacity building Workshop on Food Security titled:
Food Security in the Global Age, July 11-13, 2000,
Kathmandu, Nepal.
· Panel Discussion on Vexed Issue of Linkages: Trade and
Environment; Trade and Labour - II, February 14,
2000, Bangkok, Thailand
· From Seattle to UNCTAD X: Issues of Concern, January
22-23, 2000, New Delhi, India.
· Panel Discussion on Vexed Issue of Linkages: Trade and
Environment; Trade and Labour - I, December 2,
1999, Seattle, USA
· Anti Dumping and Dispute Settlement, December 1, 1999,
Seattle, USA.
· SAARC Trade Agenda for the Next Millennium: Civil
Society's Perspective, November 16-17, 1999,
Kathmandu.
· International Training Seminar on Multilateral Trade,
Investment and Competition Policy - The Current Status
and Future Agenda, July
15-18, 1999, Jaipur, India.
· International Trade Policy - III, November 27-29, 1998,
Jaipur, India.
· International Trade Policy - II, July 31-August 2,
1998, Nagarkot, Nepal.
· International Trade Policy - I, April 5-6, 1998,
Jaipur, India.
· Competition Policy and Consumer Protection in the
Context of Liberalisation, September 29-30, 1997,
Kathmandu, Nepal.
· Trade Policy and Negotiations, July 24-25, 1997,
Calcutta, India.
· Implications of International Trade Agreements, August
23-25, 1996, Calcutta.
· International and Regional Trade: Cost of
Non-cooperation, December 11-13, 1995. Lalitpur, Nepal
· India-Nepal Training Seminar entitled Liberalisation
Yes, But With Safety Nets, 13-15 October 1995, Dhulikhel,
Nepal..
· Globalisation, September 1995, Dhaka, Bangladesh
· South Asia Consultation Meeting entitled Pains of
Transition: Impact of Liberalisation on South Asian
Economies, Nagarkot, Nepal,
December 8-9, 1994.
· Regional Meeting for the Asia-Pacific on New Dimension
of Consumer Protection in the Era of Globalisation,
September 10-11, 2001 Goa,
India. Organised by UNCTAD, Consumers International and Consumer Unity &
Trust Society.
· Comparative Study of Competition Regimes in Select
Developing Countries of the Commonwealth, September
7-8, 2001, Goa, India.
Organised by CUTS Center for International Trade, Economics and Environment.
· NGO Hearing on Financing for Development, November 6-9,
New York, USA. Organised by Financing for
Development Secretariat, United
Nations.
· International Visitors Programme titled: Trade and
Global Economy, October 12-November 3, 2000, USA.
Organised by the US Department
of State.
· UNCTAD Consultation with NGOs, December 12-14, 1999,
Geneva, Switzerland. Organised by United Nations
Non-government Liaison Service
(UN-NGLS).
· Tenth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD X), February 12-19,
2000, Bangkok, Thailand.
· Third Ministerial Meeting of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO), November 30-December 3, 1999, Seattle,
USA.
· Seminar on World Trade Organisation Millennium Round,
October 18-22, 1999, Arusha, Tanzania. Organised
by MS-Denmark.
· WTO/NGO Symposium on International Trade and
Competition Policy, September 13, 1999, Geneva,
Switzerland. Organised by the
World Trade Organisation (WTO).
· Asia Pacific Regional Seminar on Codex, August 26-28,
Bangkok, Thailand. Co-organised by Consumer
International – Regional Office
for Asia and the Pacific (CI-ROAP), the Thai Industrial Standard Institute
and
the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, Thailand.
· International Conference on Economic Sovereignty,
organised by Focus on Global South, March
25-28, 1999,
Bangkok, Thailand.
· WTO High level symposium on Trade and Environment,
March 15-16, 1999, Geneva, Switzerland.
· International Conference on Food Security: Agenda for
the Millennium, organised by Consumer International -
Regional Office for Asia
and the Pacific, March 6-8, 1999, Penang, Malaysia.
· International symposium on Trade and Sustainable
Development: Regional Approaches, organised by ICTSD,
January 31- February 1,
1999, Geneva, Switzerland.
· UNCTAD's Consultation with Trade Union and NGOs,
organised by UNCTAD, July 12-13, 1998, Geneva,
Switzerland.
· Second Ministerial Conference of the World Trade
Organisation, May 1998, Geneva, Switzerland.
· Policy Dialogue on Trade Related Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPs) and Bio-diversity, organised by ICTSD,
March 19, 1998, Geneva,
Switzerland.
· WTO/NGO Symposium on Trade, Environment and Sustainable
Development, March 17-18, 1998, Geneva,
Switzerland. Organised by The World
Trade Organisation (WTO).
· Policy Dialogue on Coming to Grips: Environment on
International Trade Agenda, co- organised by International
Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development (ICTSD), The World Conservation Union (IUCN) and
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), March 16, 1998,
Gland, Switzerland.
· Symposium on Competition Policy, Economic Development
and International Trade, co-organised by WTO, The
World Bank and UNCTAD,
November 29, 1997, Geneva, Switzerland.
· International Seminar on International Trading System:
Issues for Developing Countries, co-organised by CUTS
International Centre for
Trade, Economics and Environment and International Center for Trade and
Sustainable
Development, November 27-28, 1997, Geneva, Switzerland.
· International Symposium on Trade and Environment, May
22-23, 1997, Geneva, Switzerland, organised by
World Trade Organisation (WTO).
· International Conference on Consumer Protection
entitled "Consumers in the Global Age", 21-24 January 1997,
New Delhi,
India.
· Seminar on Legal Aspects of Trade Liberalisation and
Regional Economic Integration held in Rome from
November 18 to 29, 1996.
· Ninth Session of the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development (UNCTAD IX) held at Midrand,
South Africa between April 27 and
May 11, 1996.
· International Conference on Competition Policy in the
Context of Liberalisation, January 20- 21, 1995, New
Delhi, India.
SAWTEE has been publishing
different publications independently or in connection with its network members.
It has been publishing 4 issues of
newsletters per year. So far 18 issues of SAWTEE newsletters have been
published. Target audience includes trade negotiators, policy makers, civil
society organisations, business chambers, academia and media. The newsletter
includes news analysis and articles in the areas of trade, economics, regional
cooperation, sustainable development and consumer protection.
So far SAWTEE has published three
discussion papers under following headings:
§ Anti-competitive Practices in Nepal.
§ Agricultural Liberalisation and its Impact on South Asia.
§ Domestically Prohibited Goods, Trade in Toxic Waste and Technology
Transfer: Issues and Developments.
Eight briefing papers has been
published by SAWTEE under following headings:
§ Integrating the Least-Developed Countries into the Multilateral Trading
System: Need for a Bond between Promise and Performance.
§ Trade, Environment and Sustainable Development in South Asia.
§ Liberalisation and Regulatory Reforms in South Asia.
§ Competition Policy in Small Economics.
§ Services Trade Liberalisation in South Asia.
§ Labor Standards & WTO: A New Form of Protectionism.
§ Genetically Modified Organisms: Biosafety and Risk Assessment.
§ Agricultural Liberalisation: Boon or Bane_
So far two monographs has been published under
following headings:
§ Globalisation: South Asian Perspective
§ Integrating LDCs into the Multilateral Trading System: Rhetoric Galore
SAWTEE has developed regional linkage
with the following NGOs in different countries.
Bangladesh
1.
Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association (BELA),
BELA
is a network of environmental lawyers of Bangladesh. Its main activity
is information dissemination on environmental issues. It has also undertaken
a programme of capacity building at the local level. BELA is an active
participant in SAWTEE programmes.
2.
Associates for Development Initiatives (ADI),
ADI
is an independent organisation working on developmental issues. Its present
activity is on the feasibility of micro credit system in rural Bangladesh.
It has also undertaken research assignment on local level environmental
issues.
India
1.
Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS)
CUTS
was established in 1983 as a consumer protection organisation in India,
its work programme on trade and sustainable development was launched in
1991. Since then it has traversed a long way in fulfilling its mission
of: “Pursuing economic equity and social justice within and across borders
by persuading governments and empowering people.” CUTS serves on the board
of Geneva based International Centre for Trade and sustainable Development
is globally recognised as an organisation working on international trade
policy issues.
2.
Federation of Consumer Organisations of Tamil Nadu (FEDCOT),
9,
Daniel Thomas Nagar,
FEDCOT
is a network of consumer organisations in Tamil Nadu. Its major activities
are capacity building and advocacy of public utility services and environmental
problems affecting consumers at large. FEDCOT has set an example in India
on how grassroots activists can be created on consumer protection issues.
Currently they are also actively associated with CUTS in training a few
of their volunteers on international trade policy issues.
3.
Development Research and Action
Group (DRAG), New Delhi
The Development Research and Action Group (DRAG) has
been focusing on development, environment and heritage issues
4. Citizen, Consumer and Civic
Action Group (CAG), Chennai
CAG is a public interest group
dealing with issues of public health, safety, performance of public utilities,
consumer and environmental protection.
Nepal
1.
Forum for Protection of Public Interest (ProPublic),
Pro
Public started off as a public interest environmental and consumer protection
organisation. Later on it got involved with the issues of international
trade policy. It is conducting local level capacity building workshops
on WTO (World Trade Organisation) issues in Nepal. It also has an advocacy
agenda on these issues. At present its focus areas of work include: environmental
conservation; consumer protection, trade and economics; gender and governance.
2. Society for Legal and
Environmental Analysis and Development Research (LEADERS), Kathmandu
LEADERS, Nepal (earlier LEADERS Inc.) was founded in
1987. Its activities include policy research as well as grassroots advocacy on
legal, environmental and development issues.
Pakistan
1.
Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI),
SDPI
is a major think tank in Pakistan on economic and sustainability issues.
Its main activities are information dissemination, research and capacity
building on development issues. It has also carried out considerable amount
of research on trade policy issues.
2. Journalists for Democracy
and Human Rights (JDHR), Islamabad
Journalists for Democracy and Human
Rights (JDHR) is a country wide public interest media organisation/think tank
which sensitises media persons/writers on democratic norms, human rights and
media ethics.
Sri
Lanka
1.
Law and Society Trust (L&ST),
LST
is committed to improving public awareness on human rights issues as well
as on equal access to justice and the legal system. It also has a law and
the economy programme, which covers environmental issues as well. LST is
also developing its strengths in the area of international trade law and
therefore actively involved with SAWTEE in events related to international
trade policy/law.
