Category Archives: Poverty Eradication

Discussion on a new global development agenda have begun at the UN

The Millennium Development Goals  MDG’s set the global development agenda from 2000 to 2015.  There is a push on for their completion by 2015.  At the same time the discussions for a new development agenda has begun around Sustainable Development Goals SDG’s.  The Rio+20 Conference held in Rio de Janeiro in June of 2012 pointed in  ’‘The Future we want’ available in English Spanish and French.  In paragraph 248 (page 46) the resolve was to set up and open working group (OWG) comprising 30 representatives nominated by member states.  This group has been establish and had its second meeting from April 17th – 19th 2013.  I was privileged to deliver the statement on behalf the NGO Subcommittee for Poverty Eradication and the Mining Working Group on Friday morning - A copy of the text is here and the link to the UN WebCast is here (Move to the end of the video about 2.34.

The summary of the three days as presented by one of the Co-chairs is excellent.  Summary as presented by the Co-chair.  I will pick up some highlights to encourage you to read it.  Do these phrases echo with you?  ’We are engaged in a project of joint innovation.  We need and want new thinking.  We all agree that our task is to gradually craft the backbone of the transformative agenda. … The MDG’s a point of departure … we are entering uncharted waters.  This makes our work both exciting and challenging.  … Anxiety giving way to growing intellectual curiosity. …

To achieve complete poverty eradication in a sustainable way we need to address the economic, social and environmental factors  … we need people centered development … calls for strong cooperative global action … we need a narrative of transformative change to realise our vision of sustainable poverty eradication and universal human development , respecting human dignity and protecting our planet  mother Earth, living in harmony with nature for the well-being and happiness of present and future generations.  … We need new thinking on international cooperation beyond the traditional donor-recipient relationship. …”  What I was hearing is the same call that we have set ourselves in our Chapter theme “Energized by the Spirit, we risk together for mission…”

There are times when I find links between the chapter logo and logos that are floating with regard to the new development agenda.  Chapter logo

Compare with the Logo Advancing the Post-2015 Sustainable Development  Agenda

   Logo_Advancing-the-Post-2015-Sustainable-Development-Agenda

Follow the interlinkages:  Poverty and Gender – See the following statement available in French, English and Spanish

Égalité entre les sexes pour mettre fin à la pauvreté                              Gender Equality to End Poverty – Bonn Conference Statement to HLP (2)                                               Igualdad de género para poner fin a la pobreza-Carta de Guadalajara al PAN Post 2015 (1)

I have endorsed this statement:  In our various ministries we are addressing  the increasing feminization of poverty, gender based violence, the structural drivers of girls and women’s poverty and inequality, the impact of climate change on girls and women, their families and communities and the devastating effect of land grabbing and the ‘extractive development model’  on perpetuating poverty for girls and women.   We promote  literacy and equality access of girls and women to quality education, implementation of the Social Protection Floor and urge for recognition of girls and women’s unremunerated work in the care economy.  We seek a new development paradigm that works for girls and women, includes girls and women, particularly the voices of socially-excluded, disenfranchised and marginalized girls and women, as part of the solutions and in the decision making.

Sign on to this statement placing women at the heart of Post 2015 development framework to achieve an end to poverty

Did you read the post of March 22 – Gender Equality to end poverty?    The statement highlights the centrality of gender equality to the achievement of human sustainable development and poverty eradication, as well as achievement of the other development goals.  The statement has been further developed and signatures are invited.  You can read the full statement to High Level Panel  and  Sign here to endorse the call for Gender Equality to End Poverty

 

 

Girls Transform the World Digital Action Campaign

World Pulse announces its ‘Girls Transform the World Digital Action Campaign… We invite you to join us in uniting voices of girls, young women, and their champions who are breaking through barriers so that girls everywhere will have access to education, and the opportunity to transform the world.”

Tell us your stories – Connect with others – Watch your voice rise.  Find out how you can participate in the campaign.      It is available in 66 languages.

Gender Equality to End Poverty

Rosa G. Lizarde, Global Coordinator, Feminist Task Force-GCAP wrote the following  ” Yesterday at the Bonn Advancing the Post 2015 Development Agenda Conference, we had a great session on Gender and Poverty. We took the points raised and developed a statement which will be presented at the Gallery of Statement sessions today with all the other summaries for endorsement from those here. Since some of you may be tuning in online, we are providing the option to sign on as well as the feminist statement of the overall conference.”  Here is the text of the statement.  On behalf of us all I have signed on to the statement.    What do you think about this statement?

GENDER EQUALITY TO END POVERTY

While the UN High Level Panel on Post 2015 has declared that we can end poverty in our lifetime, it is clear that women across the globe are becoming increasingly impoverished and if we do not transform the current political, cultural and economic systems by placing women at the heart of development, we will not be able to achieve an end to poverty.
If the members of the panel are serious about eradicating poverty and inequality, they will consider the following points as they draft recommendations to the UN Secretary-General:
·       Combatting all forms of gender-based violence is essential to end poverty.  Violence against women (VAW) is a structural driver of the increasing feminization of poverty. VAW has been identified as the #1 priority in the e-discussion on Gender Equality that was held as part of the Global Thematic Discussion on Inequalities.  The HLP should prioritize ending violence against women and its intersection with increasing poverty.
·       Stemming and reversing the feminization of poverty and the structural drivers of women’s poverty and inequality, including lack of access to land ownership and property, among others, should be prioritized by the HLP.
·       Caste, Class and Ethnicity perpetuate poverty as social and cultural norms are discriminatory and have a devastating effect on a women’s livelihood. 
·       Both formal and non-formal education has the power to level the playing field for women. Literacy and equality of access for women and girls to quality education should remain relevant targets for post-2015 education and development goals. 
·        The impact of climate change has a devastating effect on women, their families and communities. Worsening natural disasters due to climate change has deepened povety for women and contributes to generational poverty. The HLP must emphasize the link between climate change, worsening natural disasters and women living in poverty.
·        Land grabbing and the ‘‘extractives development model,‘‘ the nexus of government sanctioned mining and other extractives industries, is an assault on the dignity and soveriegnty of women, their families and their communities. The HLP must bring attention to the impact of these unsustainable methods and their devastating effect on perpetuating poverty for women.
·        Current models of measuring economic activity do not take into account unremunerated work, such as the care economy and social reproduction.  The HLP should ensure in new economic measures.
·        Full employment and decent work, and ensuring universal and affordable access to social protection is a pillar for achieving women’s economic independence.
·        Moreover, we need a new development paradigm that works for women, includes women, particularly the voices of socially-excluded, disenfranchised and marginalized women, as part of the solutions and in the decision-making.
 

Empowering People for Social Change

Giving the poorest and most vulnerable the voice and tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty is key to bolstering efforts towards meeting global development goals, according to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s latest report on promoting people’s empowerment, the theme for the fifty-first session of the Commission on Social Development, taking place at United Nations Headquarters from 6 to 15 February, and for its Civil Society Forum tomorrow.   Read more …

Promoting empowerment of people will be at the core when the Commission for Social Development convenes for its 51st session. “Empowering individuals and social groups requires a comprehensive set of policies and institutions. From education and health care to economic and social policy, activities that seek to empower people are expected to increase opportunities and improve people’s quality of life”, said Ms. Larysa Belskaya, Vice-Chair of the Commission’s Bureau.   Read more…

 

UN Commission for Social Development February 6 – 15, 2013

 

 “Promoting empowerment of people in achieving    poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all.”  Read more here …

Responses to Consultation on Participation in Decision Making

Participation

Executive Summary – Responses to consultation on Participation

The compiled responses have been submitted to the office of Ms. Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona, (Chile), Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights.  There were 35 responses from Good Shepherd. The Special Rapporteur will use this information to inform her annual report of June 2013.  If you wish to see the document it is on the UN website page  under NGO Sub-Committee to Stop Trafficking in Persons.

I had the document translated into Spanish Consulta con ONG   and French  La consultation de l’ONG  Thank you for contributing to this important work.

The content of this consultation will be shared on Wednesday March 6, 2013 at a side event on the opening day of the Commission for Social Development:  Grass Root Voices do have Choices

Good Shepherd Statement to the Commission for Social Development

States have opportunities for real leadership in facilitating a global paradigm shift through the incorporation of the guiding principles on extreme poverty and human rights into national laws, policies and programmes and the implementation of ILO recommendation 202 on national floors of social protection. These are giant steps towards creating an empowering environment and achieving poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all. We support the Commission towards this end.   Read the full Good Shepherd Statement to the Commission for Social Development - available in the 6 languages of the United Nations.  ngocsocd2012

November 10 is support Malala Yousafzai day… Support Girls Education

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is urging people around the world to join a campaign to support a Pakistani girl shot for advocating for education.

In a recorded video message,  Support Malala   Mr. Ban says that on November 10th, citizens from across the globe are speaking out for Malala Yousafzai and on behalf of the 61 million children worldwide still not in school.

Fourteen-year old Malala, who is a campaigner for education in her country, was seriously wounded by Taliban gunmen who shot her and two other girls last month.

“My Special Envoy for Global Education, Mr. Gordon Brown, will deliver a petition in support of Malala and the universal right to education. I am adding my voice to the messages from over 1 million people across the globe. Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway to development, tolerance and global citizenship. Join us in our campaign to put education first – for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world.”

Share on your Facebook

For Twitter users, on November 10th, please use the hash tag #IAmMalala to help spread the word about Malala and this campaign.

Embrace the World

Read the latest edition of Embrace_the_World_October_2012  from the desk of Yolanda Sanchez.   Congratulations Yolanda! French and Spanish are available …

Embrasser le Monde Entier octobre 2012

Abrazo al Mundo octubre 2012