Third World Network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

The Third World Network is an international network of organizations and individuals involved in issues relating to environment, development and the Third World and North-South issues. It has its international secretariat in Penang, Malaysia. Its flagship magazine, Third World Resurgence, covers a wide range of topics including environment, economics, biotechnology, north-south relations etc. The network conducts research on various issues pertaining to the third world countries; It publishes books and magazines, organizes seminars. Formerly directed by Martin Khor, (of Malaysia, now Executive Director of the South Centre), it has offices in Accra (Ghana), Geneva, Goa (India) and Montevideo (Uruguay). It also has affiliated organizations in a number of third world countries, including Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay.

Non-governmental organizations can prove to be very affective in the policies and issues that face developed and developing countries. The discussions of such governmental organizations as the United Nations, the World Bank, IMF, and WTO are frequently overseen by NGOs. The outcomes and decisions made by these government-run organizations are heavily influenced by input from NGOs. This is because many non-governmental institutions are often deeply involved and are adamant about their various missions to serve humanity. An example of just such an NGO is the Third world Network. The TWN, or the Third World Network was originally created at an international conference in Penang, Malaysia. The conference was on “The Third World: Development or Crisis” and was held in November of 1984. At the concluding meeting, the Consumers’ Association of Penang and their one hundred plus participants from twenty-one different countries organized the TWN (About Us). Created to strengthen cooperation between the environmental and development groups of the South, this non-governmental institution has reached far beyond its original objectives to become an effective organization in the developing world. The TWN has two parts that are presented as its goals for aiding the developing world: its objectives and its mission. The former part involves the hopes of deepening of the understanding of the challenges and development dilemmas facing developing countries. They also have the objective of bringing about policy changes to create fair, equitable and environmental friendly development; a development that will sustain itself (About Us). TWN’s mission is grounded in just distribution of resources from around the world. This organization also believes in accomplishing better articulation of the Southern peoples’ needs and rights, as well as finding plans of development that are ecological and that will fulfill the human needs around it (About Us). This organization has proved very affective in achieving its goals and objectives and is very efficient. It does its job rather well and works toward its objectives and mission in various ways. Overall, the Third World Network researches different economic, social, and environmental issues of the South (About Us). To make different crisis and challenges of the developing world widely known and to discuss them, TWN publishes many books, articles, and magazines; it also organizes and attends various conferences, workshops, and seminars dealing with such subjects (About Us).Successful ongoing magazines of the TWN include the Third World Resurgence, and the Third World Economics. It also has its own successful website under the institution’s name. TWN does a great deal to be a platform for Third World interest as international places such as the UN, WTO, IMF, and the World Bank (About Us). The TWN has official locations that can be found all over the world and is associated with many organizations in Third World countries. The Third World Network’s International Secretariat is located in its founding country of Malaysia in the city of Penang. It also has offices in Kuala Lumpur in that country (About Us). In Accra, Ghana is the African Regional Secretariat and the Latin American Regional Secretariat for TWN is in Montevideo, Uruguay. Other TWN offices are in Goa, India and Geneva, Switzerland. TWN has stationed researchers all over in Delhi, Beijing, Manila, and Jakarta (About Us). To select its personnel, the TWN presents the possibility of obtaining a job through the application process. It hires personnel with all degrees and presents jobs that are in many of the countries where its offices are stationed (TWN). The Third World Network also provides programs, courses and degrees through its location in Singapore, as well as scholarships, fellowships, and distance learning (TWN). Personnel and directors of various branches of the Third World Network are also involved in other non-governmental organizations. Yao Graham, Roberto Bissio, and Victoria Tauli-Corpuz are activists and Executive Directors of the TWN Africa as well as writers for its magazines (Group Members). Roberto Bissio is also a member of the Third World Network’s international council. Chee Yoke Ling is an international lawyer as well as a Director of Programmes for TWN (Group Members). The TWN is composed of highly professional and knowledgeable directors and personnel with very educated backgrounds. An example of this would be the Director of TWN in 2002, Mr. Martin Khor. Khor was an economist who studied at Cambridge University and lectured in the Science University in TWN’s hometown of Malaysia. Having written several books and articles on various issues affecting the developing world, he was previously prepared for his position. He was also prepared through his former job as a Vice Chairman of the United Nations commission on Human Rights Expert Group. As a non-governmental institution, the TWN has proven itself quite successful and efficient in working to diligently fulfill its mission and objectives. The organization continues to research and speak up for the South and its people as well as searching for a sustainable policy needed for developing worlds. Living up to its name, TWN is continuing to prosper and equip others to provide a successful Third World Network.


External links [edit]

African Division (TWN-Africa) [edit]

Uruguay Division (Red del Tercer Mundo) [edit]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Third_World_Network&oldid=544294208"