Promoting a digital public infrastructure is a central theme of India’s G20 presidency. The discussions revolved around topics such as digital economy, digital health, data for development, digital technologies such as the UPI, Aadhar, etc. In reality, what we encounter is commodification of data and digital tools, digital divide between different groups of people, lack of digital literacy, and digital fraud. How to deal with the emerging digital technologies and space, what should a digital public infrastructure look like to be a safe and inclusive one, what should be the safeguards for data protection, how to ensure data privacy and what are the implications of an unplanned and sudden digital infrastructural transformation in the global South? The session will discuss these crucial questions.
Speakers: Amrita Johari, SNS, Nikhil Dey, MKSS, Anjali Bharadwaj, SNS

One of the unprecedented challenges that the world is facing is the impact of climate change. Rising sea level, frequent heat waves and unseasonal monsoons are a few manifestations of extreme weather events. The transition from carbon-based fossil fuels towards more sustainable sources of renewable energy is a must. However, addressing the crisis requires trillions of USD in climate finance, debt restructuring or cancellation, and a shared international framework. The session will ask: what is the G20’s position on the climate question, can the G20 reach an agreement on climate finance, and, if yes, what will be the nature, amount and form of finance?
Speakers: Jairam Ramesh, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Medha Patkar, Aneel Hegde, Bhargavi Rao, Leo Saldanha

An integral part of the discussions in the G20 events has been exploring the various avenues of finance to achieve the sustainable development goals, address the polycrisis, ensure an inclusive digital infrastructure, etc. In doing so, the focus remained on reforming the multilateral development banks and pushing for more private capital investments. The session aims to deliberate on this neoliberal reformist model of development, the fashion in which it is imposed from above disregarding the people’s voices, and its implications on the poor and the marginalised communities.
Speakers: D. Thomas Franco, R. Sreedhar, Vaishnavi Varadarajan, Nandakumar Pawar, Ramesh Koli, Praskanva Sinharay

Agriculture and food security, a focus of the G20 events, is inseparably linked to the farmer’s question. The issues related to agriculture that emerged in the G20 discussions are – the impact of climate change on agriculture, supply chain distribution, promotion of sustainable agriculture, natural farming and technology-enabled farming, etc. How do these discussions and resultant policies impact and/or address the plight of the farmers? The session will address the key issues and concerns of the farmers and recommend measures to address the questions related to agriculture and food security. Speakers: Nachiket Udupa, Dinesh Abrol, Amrita Johri, Raj Shekhar.

Rising poverty and income inequality are the key concerns of our times. New forms of labour (such as gig work) demonstrate these insecurities combined with the lack of social protection and violation of dignity and human rights. Talks in the G20 events have raised the question of universal social security, putting women at the centre of the future of work, global mechanism for portability of social security in the context of labour migration world-wide, institution-led development, skill training and skill upgradation, sustainable decent work, and creating new employment opportunities. This session will critically interrogate these tall promises of the G20.
Speakers: Varsha Gandikota Nellutla, Progressive International, Angela Taneja, Oxfam International, Rajeev Sharma, Building and Woodworkers International, Manju Goel, Amazon India Workers Committee, Praveen Jha, Economist, Nikhil Dey, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, Annie Raja, National Federation of Indian Women

The organisation of the G20 events under India’s presidency presented a contradiction between promises and practices. On the one hand, the talks in the G20 events revolved around sustainable cities and building cities of tomorrow, while on the other, there were mass evictions and demolition of living spaces of the urban poor and the marginalised for organising mega-events. Who has the right to the city and in what terms is therefore a burning question of urban development and infrastructural change. This session will engage with the nuances of this broader question in the context of the G20.
Speakers: Sandeep Verma (National Hawkers Federation), Akash Bhattacharya (All India Central Council of Trade Unions), Sanjeev Danda: Dignity of work and workers, Vinita Balekundi (National Hawker’s Federation), Gaurav Dwivedi, Sitaram Shelar, Poonam Kannojiya, Abdul Shakeel, Rajendra Ravi (PRC), Bilal khan, Ali Akbar, Rekha Rajput, M.C. Rajan, Medha Patkar, Rajendra Ravi, Jammu Anand.

A term that has been repeatedly reiterated in G20 events is ‘inclusive’ which implies, quite rightly, that the current financial, social and political structures have failed to address social hierarchies of gender, disability, caste, religious and ethnic identities. According to multiple reports on the evictions and demolition drives prior to and during the G20 mega-events, the worst-affected people have been the caste and religious minorities, transgender people, and other vulnerable communities. The session aims to hold a discussion on these persistent social marginalities.
Speakers: Virginius Xaxa, Beena Pallical, NCDHR, Supriya Chotani, NFIW, Maimoona Mollah, AIDWA, Muralidharan, NPRD, Amrita Johari, SNS

As the G20 is promoting a singular, largely homogenous model of development with a focus of privatisation, the debates on alternative ideas of development such as the idea of commons are often eclipsed. The commons, traditionally understood as natural resources, currently encompasses domains such as knowledge commons, digital commons, health commons, urban commons, cultural commons, etc. This session will examine the idea of commons and deliberate on alternative ideas of development.
Speakers: Sreedhar Ramamurthy, Environics Trust, Preeti Sampat, Ambedkar University, Olencio Simoes, NFF, Medha Patkar, NBA/NAPM. Moderated by Priya Dharshini, Delhi Forum

Saanjhi Re Chadariya, a play by Jana Natya Manch
Jamun ka Ped, a skit by Wajood Progressive Theater and Arts
Sandhya ki Kahani, short skit by Shehri Mahila Kamgar Union
Climate songs by Virah Band
Multilingual revolutionary songs by Urban Folk
Fusion songs by Yalgaar Sathi Band
Poetry by Sabika
Stand-Up Act by Sanjay Rajaura

We20 Unbound: Peoples’ Summit Continues
…Because Peoples’ Voices Can Never Be Silenced

As you know, Day 3 of the We 20 Summit was disrupted by the Delhi police and could not take place as scheduled. In light of this, now we are holding the remaining workshops online. 

Join us via Zoom on the 28th, 29th and 30th August 2023 from 2 pm to 5 pm. 
Meeting ID: 848 0863 1737
Passcode: 896761