News/Reports
Indigenous Communities Gain Recognition Through Compensation from Guatemalan Government
After thirty years of unsuccessful negotiations, the Guatemalan government has agreed to compensate 33 different indigenous communities affected by the construction of the Chixoy Hydroelectric Power Station. The government agreed to pay the communities over $155 million for damages. Located in the Northern region of Alta Verapaz, the hydroelectric power station negatively affected over 2,300 families, including the death of over 400 local farmers. The agreement not only contains provisions for “repairing houses, land, sanitation, and the improvement of health” but also illustrates the growing influence of indigenous communities in the the actions of the Guatemalan government.
Read more here
Learn more about GFI's work in the region here
Write up by Chase Claflin, GFI Intern
GFI Board Member, Richard Nordstrom, Pens Article on GFI and Nonprofit Work for Healthcare Marketer's Exchange
Richard Nordstrom, a member of the Global Fairness Initiative Board of Directors and CEO of NorthStream Global Partners, LLC and Liberate Ideas, Inc. was featured on the most recent cover of Healthcare Marketer's Exchange, a monthly media magazine published for the pharmaceutical industry. Mr. Nordstrom, who is also a member of the national board of Jobs for America's Graduates (JAG), wrote an article about his experience working with GFI and JAG for Healthcare Marketer's Exchange, which is distributed to more 7,500 pharmaceutical media and marketing professionals.
Describing his work with GFI as "truly transformative", Mr. Nordstrom writes that GFI is "innovative in its approach to freeing women from the shackles of unfair trade practices." Read more from Mr. Nordstrom's wonderful article, which is included in full, below.
PM Modi Takes Steps Towards Ensuring Decent Work in India
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has committed to key labour reforms, as the majority of India’s labor laws date back to the British period. In attempts to increase the involvement of India in the global manufacturing business from 15% to 25%, India’s factories will be held to a higher standard, including random factory inspections, and a push for more transparency. As India’s struggling economy begins to recover, PM Modi hopes a revival of the manufacturing business will contribute to the economic growth.
Read more here.
Write up by Chase Claflin, GFI Intern
GFI Signs MoU with Federation of Contractors' Associations of Nepal (FCAN)
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Oct 22: A major step toward providing consumers with bricks that minimize damage to the environment and use no child or bonded labor was taken on Monday with the signing of an agreement between the Federation of Contractors´ Associations of Nepal (FCAN) and Global Fairness Initiative (GFI), an INGO, as part of a joint program with Brick Clean Group Nepal (BCN).
The current boom in construction has focused global attention on the country´s brick kilns, where bricks are often made by child laborers in risky conditions that pollute the environment. But some kilns are making changes.
The GFI is assisting kiln entrepreneurs in enabling their products to be certified as Better Bricks, part of a business-friendly, consumer-oriented program led by BCN. Now contractors across the country have also joined the movement to encourage the use of bricks made in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. The agreement was signed by FCAN President Jay Ram Lamichhane on behalf of the nationwide organization, according to a press statement issued by GFI.
“This is a milestone. It´s exciting to see the business community taking the initiative even before formulation of policies by the government,” said GFI Country Director Homraj Acharya.
“It's a great example of partnership between the business and nonprofit sectors to achieve common goals. We believe that Nepal´s consumers, if given the choice, would rather have clean bricks free of any trace of child labor or forced labor.”
Learn more about GFI's Better Brick Nepal program.
September 22, 2014 (New York, NY) – The Global Fairness Initiative (GFI) and The Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation held a roundtable in NYC that explored development initiatives and investment strategies for West Africa’s transitions economies. The event, which was held in the New York Athletic Club, featured such participants as the European Union’s Commissioner for Development, the Ambassador of Latvia to the UN and the Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN. The roundtable also included senior representatives from the World Economic Forum, New York University, Humanity United and the impact investing community. Dr. Danilo Türk, GFI Board Chair and former President of Slovenia (2007-2012), served as the moderator for the roundtable.
Participants shared their experiences on development initiatives and building impact investment portfolios in West Africa. Ed Marcum, Vice President of Investments at Humanity United, discussed his experience in helping design the Liberia Philanthropy Secretariat, a cooperation with the Liberian government created in 2009 to coordinate international donors and maximize the impact of their investments. The Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN, Yoshifumi Okamura, informed the group about his time as Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire and Japan’s investment in Africa through the Tokyo International Conference on African Development. Participants also spoke about the World Economic Forum’s Grow Africa program, the European Commission’s development strategy in West Africa, and GFI’s programs in Guinea Bissau.
The Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, a Latvian foundation started in 2010 by philanthropist Boris Teterev and his wife Ināra, supported the roundtable. The foundation supports development programs around the world, including work with GFI in Guinea Bissau, Guatemala, Peru and Nepal. More information about GFI programs supported by the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation can be found by viewing Our Programs.
Top Photo: (From left to right) Boris Teterev (Founder of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation), Hon. Andris Piebalgs (European Union Commissioner for Development), H.E. Yoshifumi Okamura (Deputy Permanent Representative of the Japan to the U.N.) and Ed Marcum (Vice President of Investments at Humanity United) discuss West African development at GFI’s September 22 Roundtable in New York City.
About the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation:
In 2010, Boris and Ināra Teterev established a family charity foundation whose aim is to support distinguished and socially important charitable initiatives. The Teterev family are particularly keen on supporting culture, education, and community development organizations in cities and rural areas of the country. They help groups of people with low income and families at risk. The foundation operates internationally and supports charity projects abroad.
In 2011, the Teterev Family Foundation was awarded Special Annual Prize for benefactions by the State Inspection For Heritage Protection of the Republic of Latvia, UNESCO National Commission Latvia and the association ‘ICOMOS Latvia’. Also in 2011, the Foundation was awarded a diploma for high quality work for the people and significant contribution to promoting volunteer work in Latvia by the Ministry of Education and Science within the framework of the European Year of Volunteering.
Photo Credit: Maris Mednis/MRS Grupa
GFI President Karen Tramontano confers with Boris Teterev, Founder of the Boris and Ināra Teterev Foundation, at the joint roundtable held on September 22, 2014 in New York City.
