The Ethical Globalization Initiative

In October 2002, Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, founded the Ethical Globalization Initiative (EGI).  EGI is committed with its key partners - the Aspen Institute, Columbia University, and the International Council on Human Rights Policy - to multi-disciplinary thought and action aimed at integrating human rights standards into global governance and policy-making in order to serve as a bridge between the needs of the poorest communities and the global stage.

EGI has a special role to play as catalyst, convener, and communicator.  First, it wil harness civil society, governmental, business, and academic forums to build awareness for its select issues of concern.  Secondly, it will develop specific policy postitions and recommend policy changes and actions.  Thirdly, it will facilitate dialogue and relationships between decision makers and key stakeholders, particularly those who have been marginalized, to arrive at practical results.  And finally, it will seek to communicate its findings to multiple organizations and the wider public.

The EGI has identified three objectives it will address during 2004 where the application of a rights- and gender-based approach is critical and if implemented, could produce measurable results which would contribute to greater human development and human security.  These three issues are: fostering more equitable international trade and development, strengthening responses to HIV/AIDS in Africa, and shaping more humane migration policies.

Fostering more equitable international trade and development

The EGI aims to catalyze new thinking on the links between human rights and trade and development policy among experts in academia and at the highest levels of national governments, as well as the WTO, the World Bank, the IMF and regional development institutions.  An important goal is to build broader support among civil society groups worldwide for using human rights commitments as part of efforts to ensure more equitable trade and development policies.  To do this, the EGI: 1) develops policy analysis and recommendations for policy makers and trade and development experts; 2) engages in public advocacy and dialogue; and 3) convenes development and human rights experts to foster greater coherence in language, research and policy agendas.

Strengthening responses to HIV/AIDS in Africa

The goal of the EGI is to achieve a human rights- and gender-based approach to fighting the disease that contributes to reducing its spread and improving treatment provision.  To achieve this, the EGI: 1) co-organizes training workshops on gender, human rights and HIV/AIDS, particularly focused on African women's leadership and on vulnerable children; 2) recognizes and works to strengthen African research expertise, including innovative research and policy application through graduate interns placed in African national parliaments, and academic collaborations with the University of Pretoria and Columbia University; and 3) mobilizes global leaders to advocate for increased prevention and treatment.

Shaping more humane migration policies

The EGI aims to integrate human rights concerns into international migration policies.  Given the poltically sensitive and legally complex nature of the global migration debate, as well as the large and diverse field of actors, the EGI: 1) convenes key policy makers to discuss the complex issue of migration, human rights and national security in a bid to stimulate new thinking and approaches to the subject; 2) undertakes strategic interventions at an international level to set a new agenda for migration policy making; and 3) advocates to shape public opinion on the issue of migration.

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