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Participation in discussions on the legal framework of native forests in Córdoba

As part of Environment Forum Cordoba, FUNDEPS participated with other institutions recognized technical, in preparing a proposal on updating of native forests in the province of Cordoba, which seeks to overcome the weak arguments proposal Cartez (Confederation of Rural Associations Third Zone).

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

As the National Law No. 26,331 of Minimum Standards for Environmental Protection of Native Forests and its Regulatory Decree No. 91/2009, each province should make its Native Forest Planning and updated every five years through a participatory process and according to environmental sustainability criteria set out in its articles and annex.

The province of Cordoba sanctioned the Provincial Land Use Law of Native Forests No. 9814 on August 5, 2010, in a process in which the participatory body that guaranteed the national law was not respected. The maturity of these regulations occurred on 5 August 2015. Our province faces a duty to update its regulations, seize the moment to meet the minimum standards established by national law; and ensure wide participation of different social actors in this new process of building the land management of native forests.

This process is strictly in updating the vector map approved by Law 9814, which recognize that the amount of remaining native forests in the province, establishing different conservation categories (Category I (red), Category II (yellow) and Category III (green)). This categorization will be done depending on the environmental value of the different units of native forest and environmental services they provide, such as avoiding floods, desertification of soils, elevation of groundwater, drought, effects and impacts of climate change, extinction of native flora and fauna, etc.

The proposal made with Environment Forum Cordoba, Core DiverSus Research on Diversity and Sustainability, the Multidisciplinary Institute of Plant Biology (CONICET-UNC), the IDEA Civil Association, the Institute for Diversity and Animal Ecology (CONICET-UNC) and the Centre Ecology and Renewable Natural Resources (FCEFyN, UNC) is entitled “Why is it necessary to keep the surface of native forests with Category I (Red) in the province of Cordoba as the vector map of the Act 9814? critical analysis of the proposal Land Management of Native Forests for the Northwest Córdoba arc “produce Store preserving and producing” developed by Cartez “. The aim in the document is to refute environmental, legal and social foundations proposal Cartez unreasonably argues that the Category II (yellow) is better than Category I (red) to protect and preserve the native forest, starting this proposal a conceptual interpretation is all wrong and contrary to the objectives and budgets of the National Law 26,331 and the Provincial Law 9814 lights.

From FUNDEPS, we hope that this process involves as many actors in society because of the importance that implies the protection and conservation of native forests. We also hope that the upgrade process guarantees the principle of non-environmental regressivity and respect for the rights of environmental democracy, including access to information and citizen participation enshrined in the Rio Declaration on Environment and development 1992.

More information:

– Working Paper: Why is it necessary to keep the surface of native forests with Category I (Red) in the province of Cordoba as the vector map of the Act 9814?

– La Voz del Interior: “Again the debate on how much can be removed hardens” (10/28/2016)

– Response to FAA on OTBN – Cordoba Environmental Forum (November 2016)

Contact:

María Elena Martínez Espeche, Coordinadora del Eje Ambiente.

malemartinez@fundeps.org

FUNDEPS presented report at the 65th session of the United Nations CEDAW Committee

Our team will be present at the 65th session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, in which the result of work done on gender violence and public policy communication will be presented.

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women is a body of independent United Nations experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW English). All States parties must submit periodic reports to the Committee to account for compliance with international obligations assumed by signing CEDAW.

Organizations of each country, according to their experience and work performed, can submit a “shadow report” to account for the reality of women in the state, so that the Committee have the necessary for the development of tools the final recommendations made.

The report presented by FUNDEPS, along with the Civil Association for Equality Communication, focuses on the degree of compliance of Argentina Article 5 of the Convention, which commits States to “Modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women, with a view to achieving the elimination of prejudices and customary and all other practices which are based on the idea of ​​the inferiority or superiority of either of the sexes or on stereotyped roles practices of men and women. ”

The data provided in this “report shadow” are the result of monitoring of public communication policies and gender, in force in Argentina, which was made using requests for access to information, surveys and interviews with members of organizations, and monitoring media by the signatory organizations. This monitoring was reflected in the publication entitled “Gender violence and public communication policies“.

Also, our teams participated in and supported the development of two reports: one submitted by the InterAmerican Heart Foundation, FEIM and other organizations on public policy on the control of snuff that currently allow the development of industry strategies aimed specifically at women; and another by the Plurales Foundation in coalition with Fundapaz, Chaco and other networks on access to natural resources by rural and peasant women of the Gran Chaco.

More information:

– Publication: “Gender violence and public communication policies”

– Shadow report to the CEDAW Committee

Contact:

Virginia Pedraza – Coordinadora del Área de Derechos Humanos – Eje de género y diversidad sexual

vir.pedraza@fundeps.org

Lack of information from the World Bank Project on non-communicable diseases

On June 11, 2015, the World Bank Board approved a project to Argentina for a 350 million dollars in the health area. This project focused on the Protection of Vulnerable Population against NCDs, supported the strategy of the Ministry of Health for these diseases, in search of improved the access to prevention and control services to 3.2 million adults between 40 and 60 years who takes greater risks. We presented a request for information to the World Bank because of the lack of official information project and the non-reply from the Ministry of Health of the Nation and the province of Cordoba.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic”

Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases are responsible for 81% of deaths in Argentina. However, a considerable part of these diseases can be prevented or controlled, reducing risk factors, among which we can find: a diet with excess sugars, refined flour, fat and salt, and low fiber intake; overweight and obesity; snuff consumption; hypertension; and a high level of blood glucose.

The project aims to work to improve the capacity of primary care to provide quality services in early detection and continuous monitoring of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Added to that, at provincial and municipal level are expected to perform aimed at promoting healthy diets, promoting physical activity and consumption of snuff control interventions.

Despite the importance of the project from the Ministry of Health of the Nation, it has only produced an early report, but it has not been updated, or have incorporated references to the way it is being implemented.

In this context, from FUNDEPS -together with FIC Argentina- present public information requests to the agencies of the Ministry of Health of the Nation, to learn about the progress of the project. Likewise, we consulted about the existence of instances of citizen participation and if the project monitoring mechanisms are foreseen by Civil Society Organizations.

In addition, information particularly referred to the contribution of funds requested by YPF, as expressed in the portal of the Government of the Province of Tierra del Fuego.

Finally, given the lack of response by the Ministry of Health of the Nation, we request the information by the means provided to apply directly to the World Bank, financer of the project.

Lack of information undermines its objectives and hinders proper coordination with provincial authorities. Of journalistic sources it is known that some governments have deposited more funds are not enabled to run.

From FUNDEPS as members of the Argentina Coalition for the Prevention of Non-Communicable Chronic Diseases with other organizations that share the mission to work in preventing these diseases from different perspectives (medical, consumer, human rights, advocacy, academic ) we are monitoring this project.

More information:

– The Minister of Health of the Nation received the Governor of Tierra del Fuego (Prensa Tierra del Fuego – 19/05)

– Ricardo Cardozo manages resources to the nation for the Province (Diario La Republica 13/09)

– Investment of U $ S 437 million in protection against chronic noncommunicable diseases (Telam 08/10)

Contact:

Franco De Grandis, francodegrandis@fundeps.org

María Victoria Gerbaldo, victoriagerbaldo@fundeps.org

Chinese investments in Argentina: the aqueducts in Entre Ríos

Within the long list of Chinese investments in Argentina, the case of aqueducts in the province of Entre Ríos has been one of the most controversial. Irregularities in the bidding process, approval and execution of the project have aroused the suspicion and the demands of various sectors of civil society.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

 

In a changing international context, in which the most important actors have been changing, Argentina has encountered difficulties in accessing traditional sources of financing. Over the last few years, especially since the Kirchner administration, the scenario of foreign investment in Argentina has been marked by the preponderance of the PRC. Several of the major infrastructure projects that are being carried out are behind the backing of Asian companies.

There are two projects that have been working between the Nation and the province of Entre Ríos for some years and had to do with the possibility of building two aqueducts for irrigation in the north of Entre Ríos. For the construction of these, the provincial government and the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) signed a commitment letter for the supply of fresh water, incorporating 200,000 hectares of irrigation.

In mid-June 2013 the CSCEC expressed its interest in investing in infrastructure works in the province of Entre Ríos. During a meeting with representatives of the company, developed at the House of Entre Ríos in Buenos Aires, Governor Sergio Urribarri “proposed three basic lines of action: irrigation works, Paraná-Santa Fe metropolitan link and port development.” According to the governor, the development of the works would be linked to a great extent to increase the productive capacity of the province.

The agreement with China for the construction of the two aqueducts was signed on July 18, 2014. Within the framework of strategic agreements for infrastructure works, signed in the Casa Rosada between Xi Jinping and Cristina Fernadez de Kirchner, meeting in which Urribarri participated.

The aqueducts will have a total length of 546 kilometers between main branch and secondary branches. Two works, the first in the Arroyo Mandisoví basin in the Federation department to implement a collective irrigation system, from the Uruguay River, for rice, citrus and fruit-horticultural production. The second in the department of La Paz to build an aqueduct of the North Entre Ríos, with the contribution of water from the Paraná River and provide a marginal area of ​​access to water for irrigation.

The costs of the works total an amount close to USD 98,000,000, according to the data presented by the “Provincial Agricultural Services Program” in its feasibility reports of which the province should contribute 20%. However, the budget of the CSCEC was USD 430,387,552 awarded without competitive bidding. Funding would come from ICBC, with a credit of USD 366 million at 15 years (with a grace period of 5) with a LIBOR rate of 4.5%. Likewise, the credit agreement provides as applicable law the same as that of England.

The project provoked rejections in some sectors, such as the organizations nucleated within the Multisectoral in Defense of the Heritage of the Entrerrianos, which promoted the nullity of the law that, among other points, enabled the direct granting, without public bidding, of the work to A Chinese capital company, as well as a debt exceeding $ 430 million. The M’biguá Foundation and Environmental Justice also warned about the lack of transparency and information about the project.

The case of aqueducts is the first to reach justice. As discussed above, the Multisectoral for the Defense of the Patrimony of the Entrerrianos presented an unconstitutionality action with respect to the law No. 10.352 that authorized the Provincial Executive to become indebted to the financial institution of China. This action is based on the fact that this law has not fulfilled the formal requirements that the provincial constitution urges for its approval, for example: there was no Environmental Impact Assessment, there is no opinion from the commissions of Finance and Economy, or the prosecution Of state, among other irregularities. The total lack of controls in the legislative process, the treatment on tables of the norm, the absence of debate on the subject and, especially, the secrecy with which the government was managed not to make known the project, is another aspect Demand.

Among the main points of the complete demand are:

– Ineffectiveness of Law 10.352 for irregularities in its processing.

– Non-observance of the principle of reasonableness.

Authorization to the Governor to agree and keep secret the contract with the Chinese Bank.

– Authorization to the Governor to contract with the Chinese Bank ICBC a loan in which Entre Ríos accepts to be governed by the English legislation.

– Violation of the constitutional duty to publicize acts of government.

– Deprivation of information as a human right.

– The previous and precautionary implementation of Environmental Impact Studies and its evaluation processes with the due Public Hearings and the dictating of the Administrative Acts prior to the authorization of contracting of the work and the authorization of the conclusion of investment agreements and / Or indebtedness.

– Violation of the Public Accounting Law. (Arrogating thus the P.E. unconstitutionally own powers of the Legislative Power).

– Violation of the Public Works Law.

– The constitutional guarantees contained in Section II – Economic, Labor and Sustainable Development of the Provincial Constitution were ignored.

According to local media: “From a commission of five million dollars that the provincial state must pay for the operation, up to the costs not calculated of interest, expropriation of land for the work and other costs, contemplating also the implementation of increases Tributary to cover the payment of the credit, the economic questions to the norm are numerous. The first of these, in any case, is the amount of the credit: nobody understands very well how the entrerriano government arrived to calculate both works by more than 430 million dollars when Prosap had budgeted, some months before, less than 100 million” .

According to Jorge Daneri, a member of the M’biguá Foundation, a package of potential mega investments in the region is being formed which, in addition to the aqueducts, would include a hydroelectric dam project between the provinces of Corrientes and Santa Fe on the northern border Of Entre Ríos. According to Dr. Daneri, the mechanism is the same in all projects: there is no parliamentary debate on the projects, let alone in the provinces involved, therefore, the silence of federalism of social consultation and citizen consultation.

From FUNDEPS we have been working on the follow-up of the case of trunk gas pipelines in the province of Cordoba, which also have Chinese funding. Part of the process of approval and execution of this project, can be identified with what happened in Entre Ríos. The lack of transparency in certain issues such as the presentation and publication of the environmental impact study, sound an alarm with respect to environmental standards and DD.HH.

In addition, we consider it of special importance to highlight that the recent importance of the People’s Republic of China in terms of investments in infrastructure projects translates into a need for civil society to monitor the design, approval and implementation processes of these projects. The irregularities mentioned above are the result of policies that still lack transparency and are not part of a accountability paradigm.

More information

A Chinese Agreement

Entre Ríos: “with the pretext of building two aqueducts is to consummate a very large swindle”

Law of aqueducts: filed suit against the “scam” of Urribarri

Law of aqueducts: the Multisectorial will collect signatures to repeal the text

Mid Paraná Dam, aqueducts and China, the spring of hope

Contact

Gonzalo Roza, gon.roza@fundeps.org

Hearing in Cordoba for the creation of the Office for Dialogue and Citizen Participation in the Congress of the Nation

La Audiencia Abierta para la creación de la Oficina de Diálogo y Participación Ciudadana, tiene como objeto la formación de un espacio que permita opinar, debatir, y mejorar el proyecto de ley presentado en la Honorable Cámara de Diputados de la Nación en el año 2010.

La Audiencia Abierta para la creación de la Oficina de Diálogo y Participación Ciudadana, tiene como objeto la formación de un espacio que permita opinar, debatir, y mejorar el proyecto de ley presentado en la Honorable Cámara de Diputados de la Nación en el año 2010.

En este sentido, la necesidad de mejorar los canales de comunicación entre la ciudadanía y el Honorable Congreso de la Nación y la certeza de que el impulso de nuevas herramientas de participación ciudadana contribuyen al fortalecimiento de las instituciones de la democracia es que resulta necesario diseñar e implementar políticas concretas para reducir la brecha existente entre el Poder Legislativo y las Organizaciones de la Sociedad Civil.

El proyecto, entre otros puntos, propone la creación de un espacio físico en el ámbito del Congreso de la Nación que permita a la sociedad contar con una herramienta más de participación, buscando mayor interacción entre la actividad legislativa y los temas con los que trabajan las numerosas Organizaciones de todo el país. Al mismo tiempo, se busca potenciar el trabajo de los legisladores nacionales contando con una fuente de recursos materiales e intelectuales provenientes de la Sociedad Civil.

La consulta a realizarse en la ciudad de Córdoba, se enmarca en una serie de audiencias y reuniones que se vienen realizando con distintas organizaciones y ámbitos académicos para mejorar y potenciar el contenido del proyecto, realizando sugerencias y propuestas al texto ya elaborado.

La primera audiencia se realizó en diciembre de 2010 en el Congreso Nacional. En la misma participaron más de 250 personas representando a más de 90 organizaciones.

Lugar, Fecha y Hora de la Audiencia: Viernes 18 de marzo a las 10:00 hs. en la Sala de Comisiones 1 del edificio anexo de la Legislatura de la Provincia de Córdoba, Rivera Indarte 33 PB. Córdoba.

Se ruega confirmar asistencia a info@fundeps.org 

Información técnica: el proyecto fue presentado en el periodo legislativo 2010 bajo el número de expediente 4397D2010. Los firmantes del proyecto son los diputados nacionales: Flores (CC), Amadeo (PF), Costa (UCR), Alonso (PRO) y Alcuaz (GEN).

Se puede encontrar mayor información en http://www.oficinadedialogo.info/

Documentos:

Proyecto de Ley de Creacion de la Oficina de Dialogo y Participacion Ciudadana en el Congreso

Carta Invitacion Audiencia Abierta Córdoba

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The National Executive presented a draft for the approval of the Convention on the Protection of Human Rights of Older Persons

On August 8 , the National Executive presented a bill before Congress for the approval of the Inter-American Convention on the Protection of Human Rights of Older Persons. Although Argentina played a key role in the negotiation process in the OAS, it has not yet been ratified by our country.When ratified, a convention is incorporated into State law; hence there is great value to this initiative of the National Executive. The elderly are a vulnerable group, and this implies for the State an obligation: to promote measures of special protection for such groups to enable them to exercise their rights and freedoms.

Esta convención tiene como objetivo promover, proteger y asegurar el reconocimiento y el pleno goce y ejercicio, en condiciones de igualdad, de todos los derechos humanos y libertades fundamentales de las personas mayores. La misma fue aprobada el 15 de junio de 2015 por la OEA. Si bien Argentina cumplió un rol fundamental en el proceso de negociación en la OEA, aún no ha sido ratificada por nuestro país.

La adopción de esta convención constituiría una herramienta fundamental para el avance por los derechos de las personas mayores y, en definitiva, la protección de los derechos humanos consagrados en los distintos tratados aceptados por nuestro país.

Al ratificar la convención, Argentina se obliga internacionalmente a adoptar las medidas legislativas, institucionales y de cualquier otra índole, necesarias para hacer efectivos los derechos y libertades que en dicha convención consagran; además, la misma se incorpora como parte del derecho vigente del Estado. De allí el valor y la importancia que tiene ésta iniciativa del Poder Ejecutivo Nacional.

Apoyamos el proyecto de ley e instamos a su efectiva sanción recordando que los adultos mayores constituyen un grupo vulnerable, y esto implica para el Estado una obligación reforzada: el deber de impulsar medidas de protección especiales que les permitan el ejercicio de sus derechos y libertades.

Más información:

– “La OEA aprobó la Convención que protege los derechos de las personas mayores” (Página web FUNDEPS)

– “Avances en el proyecto de ley de protección integral de las personas mayores” (Página web FUNDEPS)

– Proyecto del Poder Ejecutivo presentado ante el Congreso de la Nación

Contacto:

 Agustina Mozzoni – agustinamozzoni@fundeps.org

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Exchange of views around the Bajo Grande project

On June 9, FUNDEPS together with the organization Las Omas del Barrio Chacras de la Merced met in the Directorate of Networks and Sanitary Works of the Municipality of Córdoba, with the deputy director Daniel Bardagi and the owner of the plant Gualberto Pozo Arce the purpose of asking some questions regarding the operation of the Bajo Grande Sewage Treatment Plant.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

Since February 2016, the environment axis of the Human Rights Area and the Democratic Strengthening Area of ​​FUNDEPS have been working together with the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ) in the Chacras de la Merced District of the Province of Córdoba , in particular with the Las Omas women’s organization. The project seeks to promote the development and implementation of strategies linked to the incidence and monitoring of public policies in the Chacra de la Merced community, in order to support the work of the Las Omas women’s organization in the strengthening of social and environmental rights damaged due to the poor functioning of the Bajo Grande sewage treatment plant.

In this framework, FUNDEPS requested a meeting with the Directorate of Networks and Sanitary Works of the Municipality of Córdoba. The meeting was enriching for both parties. From the Directorate of Networks could explain how the plant currently works, the quantity and quality of the liquid that deals with days of week and end of weeks, funds with which the Municipality has to do maintenance works, problems that identify them that can contribute to the malfunction, among others.

On the other hand, we express our concern regarding the harmful effects that the plant is generating in its current situation, the environment in general and the community of La Chacra in particular since their social, economic and environmental rights are constantly being violated.

They also explained that the construction of a new treatment plant will double the amount of fluid treatment and its implications for the city. However, when we asked for information about possible environmental remediation policies in the area with the construction of the new plant, we did not receive a response.

It is important to point out that within the framework of this project, four requests for information were made to different public departments of the Municipality, among which one was made to the Wastewater Treatment Plant, which depends on the direction of Networks, where we made the following orders of information for reporting on: a) the current operating status of the Bajo Grande WWTP plant; b) if there are repair works for the faults and problems in the correct operation of the plant; c) if there are plans for environmental remediation in Barrio Chacras de la Merced; d) What works are being implemented in the sewage treatment plant? ; e) what mitigation measures of the environmental impact were designed and implemented after being declared a sanitary emergency zone; f) what controls are executed in the Plant, detailing the days and hours in which they are implemented and g) what days and times the plant works, detail the processes and their direct effects on the environment and the nearby population, and what methods of treatment use.

From FUNDEPS we will continue working with the organization Las Omas in the monitoring of the bidding process and implementation of the work of the new plant, and visibilizing the problems in terms of environment and health the current sewage treatment plant WWTP.

Contact

Carolina Juaneda – Area of ​​Democratic Strengthening and Institutional Quality

carojuaneda@fundeps.org

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Civil society organizations call for transparency in World Bank safeguards review

On Thursday 26 May, FUNDEPS and other 68 civil society organizations from different countries, signed a letter asked World Bank management to maintain transparency throughout the ongoing review of its environmental and social policies.

Transcurridos cuatro años desde el inicio del proceso de revisión, el Banco Mundial no ha dejado claro en qué momento se hará público el borrador de su nueva política de salvaguardas. Esto impide que la sociedad civil pueda observar el borrador final antes de la deliberación final del Directorio para su aprobación, a pesar que en los últimos años muchos de estos actores aportaron sus percepciones y recomendaciones al procedimiento.

El pasado jueves 26 de mayo, en una carta enviada al Directorio Ejecutivo del Banco, 69 organizaciones – incluyendo a FUNDEPS – demandaron que el borrador final del Nuevo Marco Ambiental y Social sea divulgado públicamente de manera previa a la deliberación de su aprobación por parte del Directorio. Lo cual resultaría consistente con la Política de Acceso a la Información del Banco. La carta enfatiza que la nueva política de salvaguardas tendrá una enorme implicancia en  el nivel de protección de los derechos humanos y la integridad medioambiental en todos los proyectos de desarrollo financiados por la Institución. Muchas de las cuestiones que se debaten en esta revisión son centrales en la agenda de desarrollo global actual, incluyendo el derecho a la tierra, la protección de los bosques y los hábitats naturales, el cambio climático, y la no discriminación e inclusión.

Esperamos recibir una respuesta satisfactoria de la Institución, ya que la divulgación del borrador de manera previa a su consideración por el Directorio dotaría de mayor transparencia a un proceso que fue fuertemente criticado desde sus inicios por parte de la sociedad civil. Para acceder a la carta enviada al Banco (en inglés) acceder aquí.

Más información:

Contacto:

Gonzalo Roza – Coordinador del Área de Gobernabilidad Global

gon.roza@fundeps.org

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Requests for public information by the Bajo Grande plant

Yesterday, FUNDEPS with the Organization Las Omas represented by Alida and Ester Weht presented four requests for information in the Municipality of Córdoba, two requests to the Province of Córdoba and two requests to the company Coniferal de Transporte.

“Below, we offer a google translate version of the original article in Spanish. This translation may not be accurate but serves as a general presentation of the article. For more accurate information, please switch to the Spanish version of the website. In addition, feel free to directly contact in English the person mentioned at the bottom of this article with regards to this topic.”

Since the beginning of this year, the environment axis of the Human Rights Area and the Democratic Strengthening Area of ​​FUNDEPS have been working together with the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ) in the Chacras de la Merced District of the Province of Córdoba, in particular with the Las Omas women’s organization. Two workshops were carried out by these organizations in order to identify socio-political problems that affect the community of La Chacra and based on what was identified, an advocacy action proposal was defined to work in the year. Likewise, access to information tools and strategies for monitoring public policies were worked on.

The work seeks to promote the development and implementation of strategies linked to the monitoring and advocacy of public policies in the Chacra de la Merced community, in order to support the work of the Las Omas women’s organization in the strengthening of social and environmental rights violated product of the malfunction of the Bajo Grande sewage treatment plant.

In this context, on Monday, May 30, representatives of the OMAs and members of FUNDEPS presented four requests for public information in different departments of the Municipality of Córdoba (Ministry of Health, Undersecretary of the Environment, Undersecretary of Transportation and the Liquids Treatment Station) Residuals) of the Province of Córdoba (Ministry of Investment and Financing and Secretariat of Environment) and in the company Coniferal SACIF. The purpose of these orders is to have official information on the status and operation of the sewage treatment plant and the environmental and health situation of the area affected by the contamination.

The requests for information submitted are made within the framework of the right to request and receive information, Art. 16 et seq. of Law 25,675, Art. 41 of the National Constitution, Art. 13.1 of the American Convention on Human Rights, Art. XXIV of the American Declaration of Rights and Duties of Man, instruments incorporated into the National Constitution, through its articles 75 inc . 22, Art. 19 inc. 10. Likewise, the Environmental Policy Act of Cordoba prescribes in article 61 that:

All requests for information required under the terms of this Law must be satisfied within a period not exceeding ten (10) business days. The term may be extended exceptionally for another ten (10) business days in the event of circumstances that make it difficult to obtain the information requested, and the requested body must communicate – before the expiration of the ten (10) day period – the reasons for the which makes use of the exceptional extension …

And finally, in accordance with the regulation of Law No. 8803 Right to Access to Knowledge of State Acts, which also provides a period of ten (10) working days to answer the information requested.

We hope to obtain a response to the requested information within the framework of the explicit deadlines, and thus continue fighting in pursuit of demanding and protecting the economic, social, cultural and environmental rights that are being violated, due to the malfunctioning of the liquid treatment plant. Cloacal of Bajo Grande.

Contact

Carolina Juaneda – Area of ​​Democratic Strengthening and Institutional Quality

carojuaneda@fundeps.org

New 2015 Annual Report

We are pleased to introduce our 2015 Annual Report, a brief summary of our activities and achievements of the past year.

During 2015, FUNDEPS has grown both internally and externally. Our volunteers have been doubled and our activities have been diversified. We hopefully expect this year, in order to keep growing up and developing politic incidence.

To access to the Report click here: informe2015.fundeps.org, or you can find it on our website in the “About Fundeps” Section.

The China Factor

What information is available about Chinese investments in Latin-America and the Caribbean? How do these investments affect the natural resources governance in Peru, Colombia, Argentina y Mexico?

El Grupo Regional de Financiamiento e Infraestructura (GREFI) analizó los cambios que se están produciendo en el flujo de inversiones chinas en la región y sus impactos en la gobernanza de los recursos naturales, en un evento en el marco de las Reuniones de Primavera del Banco Mundial y el FMI de este año.

A lo largo de las últimas décadas, las relaciones entre China y América Latina se han intensificado enormemente. Se estima que el intercambio de comercial ha crecido de 12 mil a 169 mil millones de dólares entre los años 2000 al 2014 y el año 2015. En este sentido, Pekín anunció la creación de un fondo de inversión de 10 mil millones de dórales para la cooperación bilateral con Latinoamérica para proyectos de tecnología, energía, minería e infraestructura. Su estrategia de crecimiento en América Latina es bastante clara.

Frente a sus inmensas necesidades de materias primas, llega a competir con otras instituciones financieras que por su larga historia y por el trabajo realizado a partir de grandes movimientos de la sociedad civil de la región, han ido generando mecanismos de acceso a la información y políticas para la protección socioambiental. Estos procesos han sido largos y siguen su curso. Nuevos desafíos como la armonización del derecho a la consulta previa y el cambio climático con las estrategias de crecimiento económico para nuestros países, ha hecho que se sigan exigiendo cambios y mejoras.

Con la llegada de China y una alta canalización de recursos en la región, acompañados de una estrategia clara en cuanto su modelo de crecimiento en la región que necesita de materias primas a un ritmo constante, GREFI trae a la discusión algunas preguntas que creemos fundamentales para nuestros países ¿Qué sucede cuando un actor de estas características llega a nuestros países? ¿Cómo se puede acceder a la información sobre las inversiones procedentes de China en la región? ¿Cómo impactan estas inversiones?

Los conflictos socioambientales relacionados a inversiones extractivas y de infraestructura son una realidad reciente debido a marcos regulatorios débiles, baja capacidad de supervisión de los mismos, conflictos entre diferentes niveles de gobierno e mecanismo de consulta ciudadana inadecuados o inexistentes, entre muchos otros factores. Sumado a esto es importante considerar el poco conocimiento que todavía se tiene sobre las compañías chinas, y sobre todo de los marcos regulatorios nacionales con los que trabajan.

La falta de transparencia, el poco acceso a información relevante sobre financiamiento chino y acuerdos bilaterales firmados, es otro asunto sobre el que todos debemos demandar cambios, antes que nuestra capacidad de exigencia se haga más pequeña en comparación con la creciente influencia de china en las políticas de desarrollo en América Latina.

Sobre GREFI

El Grupo Regional sobre Financiamiento e Infraestructura (GREFI)está integrado por cuatro organizaciones de la sociedad civil de la región de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC): Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad (AAS) de Colombia; Derecho Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (DAR) de Perú; Fundar, Centro de Análisis e Investigación de México; y la Fundación para el Desarrollo de Políticas Sustentables (FUNDEPS) de Argentina.

Fuente: www.grefi.info

 

Contacto:

Juan Carballo – Director Ejecutivo

juanmcarballo@fundeps.org

Gonzalo Roza – Área de Gobernabilidad Global

gon.roza@fundeps.org

FUNDEPS participates of the International Secretariat of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development

FUNDEPS will be part of the International Secretariat of the Coalition for Human Rights in Development. The objective is to support the efforts regarding the BRICS New Bank of Development, the Human Rights Due Diligence Project, as well as dissemination and advocacy activities in Latin America.

Desde la Fundacion para el Desarrollo de Políticas Sustentables tenemos el agrado de anunciarles el primer paso hacia la creación de un Secretariado Internacional. Siendo miembro de Coalition for Human Rights in Development formaremos parte del Secretariado, para apoyar los esfuerzos respecto al Nuevo Banco de Desarrollo de los BRICS, el Proyecto de Debida Diligencia en materia de Derechos Humanos, así como también en actividades de difusión e incidencia en América Latina.

Gonzalo Roza, Coordinador del Área de Gobernabilidad Global de FUNDEPS, liderará el trabajo como staff de la Secretaría de la Coalición. Gonzalo tiene mucha experiencia en investigación e incidencia en derechos humanos y ambiente, gobernabilidad global, instituciones financieras y mecanismos de rendición de cuenta.

El Secretariado Internacional incluirá staff de varias regiones, a los fines de permitir a la Coalición un mejor apoyo de sus miembros globales, además de estar más conectada con los impactos del financiamiento para el desarrollo y las luchas por los derechos humanos. Esperamos que se puedan añadir puestos en África y Asia durante el siguiente año.

Contacto:

Gonzalo Roza – Área de Gobernabilidad Global

gon.roza@fundeps.org