Sylvia Borren, Executive Director of Oxfam Netherlands, is an outspoken exponent of human rights, economic justice and gender equality. At the Nairobi World Social Forum, she was interviewed by TerraViva.

As the curtain falls today on the World Social Forum (WSF) in The Green City under the Sun, some will call it a success, others will doubt it. To some, WFS is indispensable; others question its value, if not its very nature and future.

The women’s movement had a stronger voice at Nairobi 2007 than in all other forums and has made genuine attempts to link their issues into other processes, Fatma Aloo, a member of the WSF organisation committee, said Wednesday.

All has been quiet on the WSF youth camp front. Southwest of the Moi Stadium venue, scores of empty tents give the camp a slightly abandoned look. It fits in with the criticism that year after year, the WSF has somewhat neglected its future generation.

Despite the devastating record of water privatisations in Africa, international aid donors and governments continue to promote participation as the solution to Africa’s water crisis, says African Water Network organiser Al Hassan Adam.

The Fair Trade movement has sent a strong call to the business community to adopt trade practices that benefit workers and small scale farmers.

The organisers of the seventh World Social Forum say they are puzzled by the actions of some protestors at the Forum.

The organising committee has a tough task ahead in deciding where the World Social goes from here – both in terms of process and venue.

More protests marked the penultimate day of the World Social Forum in Nairobi Wednesday, as poor Kenyans staged a noisy sit-in at the Windsor café, an extension of a hotel owned by country’s Internal Security Minister John Michuku.

Fresh calls went out on the first working day of the World Social Forum on Sunday for fundamental reforms of international institutions in favour of "democratic governance of globalisation" and "the promotion of more equitable development and respect for cultural, natural and gender diversity".