On the front burner right now are IfE’s local Equity & Sustainability Field Hearings. These Field Hearings (interviews, focus groups and public meetings) are being conducted by 38 academic and civil society partners from across Asia and Africa. We are gathering the views of local poor and working people about social, economic and political trends, problems, inequalities, and desired futures in their communities. Because these are people who will be unable to submit input to or travel to the Rio+20 Earth Summit, their responses will be compiled and taken to Rio, and will also be used to help develop the Equity Treaty.

We and our Partners are also working on a short film clip featuring various voices from the Field Hearings. We need your help: (1) please make a donations, if you can, to help cover costs of making the short film (click here); and (2) your involvement as a Field Hearing Partner over the upcoming year would be welcomed! We plan to expand the project after Rio in order to draw in more countries and voices, learn what people are experiencing and thinking, and develop collaborative strategies for reducing inequalities around the world. Join us!