Whether it the food people eat, the school children attend, or getting the much needed vaccines, in all walks of our daily lives, UN multilateral institutions play a key role in guaranteeing or providing access to goods and services, especially for marginalized groups. Last September, UN Secretary General António Guterres published the document 'Our Common Agenda'. Somewhat surprisingly, this document places corporations at the center of the solutions to global crises – not just in production roles but also for decision-making about policies and programs. Can the obviously profit-oriented pharmaceutical industry, internet corporations, multinational agribusiness, and investment funds be trusted to lead us, or even be placed at the same level as elected governments in achieving various development goals?
As part of the People’s Working Group on Multistakeholderism, IT for Change invited scholars, social movements, networks and collectives to discuss the role of corporations in global governance – and find ways to fight back!
The following social movements, networks and organizations are members of the People’s Working Group on Multistakeholderism (PWGM): Corporate Accountability (CA), FIAN International, Focus on the Global South, Friends of the Earth International (FOEI), Geneva Global Health Hub (G2H2), Global Campaign for Education, IT for Change, People’s Health Movement (PHM), Public Services International (PSI), Society for International Development (SID), Transnational Institute (TNI).
Events
Our Future at Stake: Round table on the corporate capture of multilateralism
Wednesday, January 19, 2022 | 14.00-15.30 CET
Rosa Pavanelli (Public Services International), Barbara Figueroa (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Chile), Jeremy Corbyn, (House of Commons, UK), and Harris Gleckmann (Center for Global Governance and Sustainability, University of Massachusetts) discuss how the corporate capture of multistakeholderism puts our collective future at stake.
Find out more about the event here.
The Great Takeover: Mapping of Multistakeholderism in Global Governance
The book, co-published by the People’s Working Group on Multistakeholderism (PWGM), presents an up-to-date listing of 103 multistakeholderism initiatives. This mapping not only compiles the initiatives in the fields of education, environment, health, internet and data, and food & agriculture; but also analyzes trends and developments in each of these fields – this is an incredible piece of work done by Mary Ann Manahan and Madhuresh Kumar.
Database of multistakeholderism
The database will support further research and the push-back against the corporate capture of multistakeholderism and will be launched on 19th January, 2022.