Professor Katherine Gibson, invites you to the first showing of

‘Building Social Enterprises in the Philippines:
Strategies for Local Development’

What is a social enterprise?
How can social enterprises help communities create wealth that circulates locally?
Can social enterprises be built in rural Asia?

The film explores these questions through interviews with social entrepreneurs and community members who are spearheading social enterprise development that provides purposeful work, generates cash income, mobilizes local assets, services community needs, builds organizational capacity and strengthens the resilience of local economies.

The Millennium Development Goals

Where are we up to?

In 2000, all 191 member countries of the United Nations - including Australia - committed to eight Millennium Development Goals to halve world poverty by 2015.

• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality by two thirds for children under five
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development

We’re now halfway to 2015 and while great progress is being made, there is still a long way to go if the global community is to fulfil its commitments. This session will update you on progress and what more needs to be done if the lives of millions are to be transformed.

If water is life, what do we do when it runs out?

Water and sanitation security for the developing world

As the global population grows and climate change affects rainfall and temperatures, it is more important than ever to focus on access to safe water and sanitation. In this International Year of Sanitation, safe drinking water and a toilet is something that most Australians take for granted. But globally, these are still life and death issues.

Some 2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation, including 1.2 billion who have no facilities at all. More than one billion people do not have access to safe, clean water. Water and sanitation are fundamental to health, to gender equity, to economic development and to security. So where should our priorities be? What investments will make most impact on child health? On reducing women’s workload? How should we share and manage water resources to ensure equitable access and prevent conflict? What can we learn from approaches in our
region? What are the links between land ownership, water management and food security? This forum will explore these issues and more.

New Partnerships for Development:

How do Australians work together to beat global poverty?

As the Australian Government commits to increase aid and work for the Millennium Development Goals, there will be new opportunities for wider engagement in reducing poverty and supporting equitable and sustainable outcomes in our region and beyond. Non-government organisations, business, the education sector, faith groups, local communities, media, volunteers and others all have a part to play. How can we best build new partnerships for development that reflect the commitment of the Australian community to act on poverty and development? How can we combine skills, ingenuity and resources here with those in developing countries to create new opportunities and generate solutions to the challenges ahead.

Will the world be able to feed itself in 2050?

Food security and the developing world

Poverty is at the root of why more than 800 million people are chronically hungry and up to two billion people lack food security. This forum will explore challenges and options in building a secure, equitable global food system that is sustainable for the long term. What is needed to overcome the current crisis and ensure global food security for future generations? What will be the impact of the looming energy crisis on food supply, especially in developing countries? How should we address the inequalities in land access that help perpetuate poverty? How can we best ensure space for traditional ecological farming and land management practices? How can we better support women’s role in food security, given they produce much of the world’s food?

Beyond Charity:

Incorporating human rights into development

‘Helping the needy’ was the charitable impulse that first inspired international aid in the 20th century. Now, concepts of participation, empowerment, accountability and rights are the foundation for many government, non-government and multilateral aid programs. Rights-based approaches integrate the norms, standards and principles of the international human rights system into the aims and processes of development.

What Needs To Change For Women To Get A Fair Go?

Gender inequality and development

Achieving gender equality is critical to a sustainable future. While no country is there yet, including Australia, gender inequalities are greatest in developing countries, and the consequences are more immediate and dramatic. While there is virtually universal recognition that addressing gender inequality is a key development priority, translating this into action and resources has proved challenging.

Can The Developing World Survive Climate Change?

Opportunities and challenges for developing countries. What can we do?

This forum will explore the impacts of climate change on the global community, especially in developing countries. It will look at the science, the role of governments, gender impacts, community collaboration and how we might together address the interests and needs of those at greatest risk.