Overordnede mål
The overall objective of this intervention is forwarding the struggles of communities from the SADC region who are all fighting to dismantle corporate power and stop the impunity of TNC’s who are violating their human, environmental and socio-cultural rights.
Umiddelbare mål
The main objective of the Tribunal is to forward the struggles of communities, among others from the No to Prosavana Campaign, who are fighting to dismantle corporate power and stop the impunity of TNC’s who are violating their human, environmental and socio-cultural rights. The Tribunal will do this in four ways. First, it will create a platform for communities and movements to present their cases and create awareness of their struggles to a larger Southern African and global audience, and to a large number of press outlets. Second, it will provide, both logistically and financially, a safe space for communities and movements from the region, many isolated, to network, synergise and connect to share experiences and lessons in order to strengthen a joint struggle, as well as to find ways forward. Third, through the Tribunal it is possible to link local struggles with the macro processes that underpin them and advocate for alternative strategies of development. Forth, is to highlight the symbolic value of needing to set up an alternative legal framework in the context of Architecture of Impunity for Transnational Corporations as a strong statement towards global systems of justice.
Målgrupper
The target groups in this intervention are both the peoples directly being affected by the actions of TNCs, as well as those whose work is to support affected communities in strengthening their struggle. Those immediately affected by TNCs are most often very poor, in isolated rural areas, and without access to decent education. They are largely unaware of their rights and have little or no access to justice or legal recourse, neither a platform in the media. It is also imperative that large parts of the target group are women who usually bear the worst brunt of the actions of TNCs. As the theme for the Tribunal is Land, Food and Agriculture, and the majority of people working in these fields are women, the majority of people presenting at the Tribunal will be women. Consequently, the majority of participants at the preparatory workshop will be women. The smaller CSOs in the region are in many cases themselves unable to access financial resources or the specific knowledge needed. This includes knowledge of legal rights, access to justice and legal recourses. They are rarely able to meet with their counterparts elsewhere in the region to share information and experiences, as this intervention will allow for. The primary target groups are: • Members from at least 3 communities from Mozambique, 1 from Madagascar, 2 from Swaziland, 2 from Zambia and 2 from Zimbabwe who present their cases at the Tribunal. • Members from at least 2 civil society organisations from Mozambique, 1 from Madagascar, 1 from Swaziland, 2 from Zambia and 1 from Zimbabwe who are supporting communities who present their cases at the Tribunal. • There will be approximately 3-4 people presenting each of the 8 cases at the Tribunal, with the presenting team made up of both members of the affected communities and their coordinating CSOs. The secondary target groups are: • Rural communities forming part of the struggle against TNCs who violate their human and environmental rights, and destroy or impact negatively on their livelihoods. This includes people from fishing communities, farming communities, workers, and communities who lose their land or whose land, water, environment and air are polluted. • CSOs and activists working with the relevant communities and/or are part of the struggle against TNCs, either through research, knowledge creation, lobbying, popular education or movement building. • Local, regional and global media. • Larger international human rights organisations.
Resume
Med denne intervention vil Afrika Kontakt sammen med en række partnere tage aktiv del i kampagnen Dismantle Corporate Power. Formålet med interventionen er at styrke regional solidaritet og samarbejde mellem civilsamfundsorganisationer i SADC landene, for derved at styrke deres kapacitet til at bekæmpe straffrihed for transnationale virksomheder, som systematisk krænker deres menneskerettigheder. Gennem en regional workshop og et folkeligt tribunal byder denne intervention ind i kampagnen og giver lokalsamfund stemme og styrke på den ene side gennem kapacitetsopbygning, netværk og udveksling på tværs af lande i det sydlige Afrika, på den anden side ved i samspillet med AK at kunne løfte en række konkrete sager ud i det internationale samfunds søgelys.