Author Archives: Francine Mestrum

The crisis of the coronavirus was a terrible reminder of how vulnerable people and societies have become in times of neoliberal policies and austerity. In the slipstream of this crisis we see a rapid digitalization of economies with serious consequences as well … Continue reading →

The new book by Francine Mestrum and Meena Menon You can find it here:  https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9789813365704  

Asia Europe Peoples Forum – Social Justice Working Group – Income Security: Options and choices Francine Mestrum Introduction It is crystal clear during the COVID-19 crisis: people need protection, health care, clean water, decent housing and … income. These services are … Continue reading →

There is something profoundly disturbing about this crisis. The results are frightening: ten thousands of deaths, hundred thousands of sick people, major cities in lockdown, an economic collapse… Slowly, from China and South-East Asia, the crisis is now hitting Europe, … Continue reading →

How the World Bank turns meanings to its advantage. With all the paradigmatic changes the World Bank has been promoting in the field of social policies, one element never changed in the past thirty years. Social policies were meant for … Continue reading →

We are happy to present to you a video we made on social protection and our Global Charter for Social Protection Rights. It was made with the help of the NGO Forum on ADB. So many thanks for this! Please … Continue reading →

The final Declaration of the nAsia Europe People’s Forum, adopted in Ulaan Baatar in 2016, included an action point for the social justice cluster, saying: “Work with social movements and workers’ organisations to develop a people-centred Global Social Protection Charter … Continue reading →

–        According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, social protection is a human right.   –        Social protection is a major element of social justice – if you have no pensions, no health care, no labour rights etc., it … Continue reading →

Excellent fable on how poor countries, with excellent social protection schemes, are losing … ‘through the looking glass’ …