A/HRC/23/54 There were no shareholders to demand consistent growth and consumers made socially conscious, informed decisions. Growing support for fair trade, eco-tourism, microcredits, recycling and ethical banking was a response to flaws in the traditional economy. Pascale Delille also described a community banking project in a favela in Fortaleza, Brazil that created a new community currency and produced significant community-based development as a potential alternative to the traditional economy. 28. Alain Yvergniaux, Special Adviser for International Affairs to the Office of the President of the Brittany Region (France), highlighted the potential of regional and local economic development models to address structural flaws in the global economy. He described Britanny’s cooperation in local development projects in Burkina Faso and Mali. These projects promoted greater self-sufficiency amongst local farmers by providing them with the technical and organizational assistance necessary to access global markets in fair trade cotton, form cooperatives and decrease their dependency on imported foods. He emphasized empowering people to pursue their own economic development by helping them at the start-up stage. This type of assistance, powered by regional and local social and solidarity economies, could transform communities even in the absence of international consensus. The Special Adviser argued for the creation of networks that brought together different peoples and skills to realize positive development results. 29. Euchang Jun and Hyewon Jeon, student activists from the Republic of Korea, presented the youth rights movement in their country, its activities, organizational structure, major challenges and some of its achievements, notably the passage of a students’ rights ordinance. 30. During the interactive dialogue, the Independent Expert on human rights and international solidarity and representatives of Ariel Foundation International, the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Webster University and the Ligue marocaine pour la citoyenneté et les droits de l’homme discussed several issues such as ensuring the engagement of all actors – especially States – in economic development processes, the role of the State in social and solidarity economies, and solidarity with social movements facing repression. 31. In concluding remarks, Gustavo Massiah agreed that States should play an active role in development, but noted that independent social movements often transcended State lines and catalyzed political change. Alain Yvergniaux held the view that the regional approach to development involved multilevel governance aspects and required active collaboration between State and local governments, not rivalry. Pascale Delille shared the view that State and local laws could and should coexist and mutually reinforce each other. E. Social movements and women’s rights 32. Shreen Abdul Saroor, founder of the Mannar Women’s Development Federation in Sri Lanka, addressed women’s rights, development policy and peacebuilding in a post-war situation. She explained that the civil war in Sri Lanka had had devastating impacts on family structures as many families lost members, predominantly men, during the conflict. Many single and widowed women were now the primary income earners for their families. The impacts on women in the war-torn North and East of the island had been particularly severe. Women in these regions suffered from inadequate access to natural resources, basic amenities and services necessary for their livelihoods. Typical obstacles for women, which were often compounded by discrimination and customary practices, included domestic violence, denial of effective access to and control of land, and the inability to access essential services. While the economic and security situation in the country had improved since the end of the war, there remained an urgent need to ensure equal rights for and the economic empowerment of women. The Mannar Women’s Development Federation 9