About CUTS
Established in 1983, Consumer Unity and Trust Society is a non-profit, non-partisan and non-government organization working in the areas of consumer protection, international trade, investment and competition, sustainable consumption and rural development in particular on women’s empowerment through research, training and advocacy. Today, CUTS has five programme centres in India: two at Jaipur, one each at Chittorgarh, Delhi and Calcutta. CUTS is one of the first NGO in India to have international presence with its African resource centre in Lusaka, Zambia; one sub centre in Nairobi, Kenya and a representative office in London, UK.

CUTS is accredited to the UNCTAD, UNEP, UNCSD, and is affiliated with several national, regional and international organisations such as Consumers’ International, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development, South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics & Environment, Environment Liaison Centre International, CIVICUS and Consumer Co-ordination Council of India.
More about CUTS: http://www.cuts-international.org/about cuts-April-2005.pdf


Conclave Agenda  
Plenary, case study sessions to learn from successes and non-successes, and panel discussions on major policy debates, have been planned to bring experience and expertise of participants to the table.

Case Studies:

The case studies will focus on existing institutions, which are a result of the unique initiatives taken and the possible new ones for making governance more transparent and accountable towards peoples’ need. This will enable them to appreciate opportunities and challenges of globalisation. The Conclave aims at showcasing instances of successes and non-successes in various governance areas where rights-based advocacy groups, that include consumer organisations, have made efforts in the following areas:

- Economic policy and legal issues
- Consumer-citizen action and legal issues
- People’s empowerment and mobilisation

Visit www.cuts-international.org/casestudies.htm for more details on identified Case Studies.

The last date for receiving case studies for initial review is 15 October, 2002. For Terms of Reference and other details on case study presentations visit www.cuts-international.org/CUTS-Anniversary.htm

Plenary Sessions

The plenary sessions scheduled for the Conclave are conceived to debate and discuss the possible issues necessary to consider for poverty reduction strategy:

- Countdown to 2015: Development, Governance and Strategies to achieve the Millennium 
   Development Targets
- Beyond Johannesburg: Challenges for a Sustainable World and the outcomes of the 
   recently concluded Johannesburg Summit.
- Women: Growth, Equity & Security- Strategies for a better future.
- The Essentials of Life: Healthcare for All and Sustainable Livelihood.
- From Doha to Cancun: The WTO Doha 'Development' Agenda and Developing 
   Countries
- Transparency and Accountability of the Voluntary Sector
- The Blue Gold: Water related issues which also became a focus area at the Johannesburg  
   Summit.
- What Type of Economic Liberalisation: Privatisation, Liberalisation Globalisation, issues 
   of prime concern particularly for developing nations.
- Consumer Rights and Responsibilities: Where Next?

For detailed agenda please log onto: www.cuts-international.org/CUTS-Anniversary.htm

Speakers

Jagdish Bhagawti, Professor of Economics and Political Science, Columbia University, New York
Eveline Herfkens, Executive Co-ordinator, Millenium Development Goals Campaign, UNDP 
Karl Sauvant, Director, UNCTAD, Geneva
Pascal Lamy, Commissioner for Trade, European Commission
Martin Wolf, Financial Times
Kamal Hossain, Eminent lawyer of Bangladesh
Kaushik Basu, Carl Marks Professor of International Studies, Cornell University
Yolanda Kakabadse, President of IUCN
Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General & CEO, CIVICUS
Erna Witoelar, Earth Charter Commissioner, Indonesia
Arun Jaitley, Member of Parliament, India
R. Shyam Khemani, Adviser, World Bank
Suman Bery, Director General, NCAER
Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, Secretary General, World Water Forum of Journalists
Zafrullah Chowdhury, Gonoshashthaya Kendra
Rhoda Karpatkin, Former President, Consumer Union of US Inc.
Usha Jumani, Jumani Foundation, India
Philippe Brusick, Chief, Competition and Consumer Protection Branch, UNCTAD
James Love, Director, Consumer Project on Technology, Washington, DC

Other Expected Speakers

Ernesto Zedillo, Former President, Mexico
Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Columbia Earth Institute
Supachai Panitchpakdi, Director General of the WTO
Nitin Desai, Under Secretary General For Economic & Social Affairs in the United Nations

For participation please send your expression of interest to Conclave Coordinator at 20thAnniversary@cuts-international.org