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20 December 2005 - Geneva, Switzerland For the first time in three years, the World Economic Forum’s Global Governance Initiative (GGI) has concluded that the world has slightly improved its efforts in the areas of peace and security, poverty, hunger, health and education. However, the Initiative concluded that efforts on environment and human rights slipped backwards in 2005. ↑ HEALTH: One point improvement from 2004 from 4 to 5; global public health is now firmly on the global agenda. Laudable efforts gave renewed attention to global public health issues, particularly child mortality. There was a modest increase in resources for child immunizations, malaria and HIV/AIDS. But basic health infrastructure remains woefully lacking. Declining Rankings ↓ ENVIRONMENT: The global environmental situation is bad and getting worse, and the score has dropped 10% or one point, from 3 to 2. There was a serious lack of high-level political commitment to global environmental goals; few countries slowed or reduced greenhouse gas emissions; no serious frameworks are in place to ensure the integrity of ecosystems; and hundreds of millions of people still lack access to clean water and sanitation. ↓ HUMAN RIGHTS: The year represented a continued retreat on human rights, a trend evident since 2001, and the score for human rights fell to 2, from 3. Denial of human rights became a more entrenched part of national political rhetoric, with restrictions on freedom from torture and freedom of expression. Mark Moody Stuart, Chairman of Anglo American Plc and member of the Global Governance Initiative Steering Committee, commented, “2005 has seen private business grapple with notions of social responsibility. This report contains numerous examples of impressive action by local governments, civil society groups and businesses – sometimes in partnership. It is not yet the norm to think about these partnerships as the model for problem solving as they generally operate on too small a scale to bring about significant transformation in the world. However, the achievements of these projects prove that the private sector has an important role to play in the efforts to establish meaningful stability and prosperity throughout the world.” Mary Robinson, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002 and currently leading the Ethical Globalization Initiative and member of the project’s Steering Committee, concluded: “These are not reasons for despair. They are, very definitely, reasons to redouble our efforts. If we do, historians may look back one day and say that 2005 was the real beginning of the 21st century – the century when humanity found ways to achieve meaningful stability and prosperity throughout the world.” Photos of our events can be downloaded free of charge for journalists at http://www.swiss-image.ch/worldeconomicforum (login required). __________________________________________ The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a foundation in 1971, and based in Geneva, Switzerland, the World Economic Forum is impartial and not-for-profit; it is tied to no political, partisan or national interests. (www.weforum.org) For more information, please contact: Communications and Public Affairs World Economic Forum Tel.: +41 (0) 22 869 1212 Fax: +41 (0) 22 869 1394 E-mail: public.affairs@weforum.org
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