Category Archives: Sustainable Development

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.

IPS – HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA | Inter Press Service

IPS – HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA | Inter Press Service.

This high level panel comprises 11 women together with one co-chair President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia and the Special Advisor of the Secretary-General  Amina J. Mohammed (ex-officio) on Post-2015 Development Planning.  The panel comprises a range of expertise.   I am happy to see  3 women who will follow  the human rights of girls and women with single-minded purpose.   Queen Rania of Jordan, an advocate and a humanitarian, Queen Rania serves as an Eminent Advocate for UNICEF and Honorary Chairperson for the United Nations Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI).   The issues of girls will be well represented.  Ms Graça Machel (South Africa)   is a current member of The Elders, an independent group of global leaders who work together for peace and human rights.   She is also a UN independent expert on the impact of armed conflict on children, international advocate for women’s and children’s rights, former freedom fighter and Education and Culture Minister of Mozambique.  Ms Tawakel Karman is a young Yemini journalist, human rights activist and politician who was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize for her role in promoting the “non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women’s rights to full participation in peace-building work” during the 2011 Yemeni uprising.   As I review the list I note that 8 members almost one third of the panel come with economics plus World Bank and the International Monetary Fund experience.  3 members bring expertise on international development, 2 members have experience in the MDG’s,  2 have experience in foreign ministries, 1 from the private sector, 1 Environment, 1 Health and Welfare , 1 Urban rehabilitation and 1 from the Center of American Progress.   One hopes that a progressive new agenda to bring about a just, human rights based, equitable and sustainable  society, free from  poverty,  will be able to emerge from within a group that is predominately experienced in economics.

United in Global Sharing … building the future we want

The Good Shepherd International Foundation is an Italian non profit organization established in 2008 to support the missions of the Good Shepherd Sisters in the developing world.  The Foundation is based in Rome and works in partnership with the Good Shepherd Mission Development Corp. in USA and with the Good Shepherd partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Goals include :
■Ensure economic and social justice for women and children who suffer from
■Violence, abuse and exploitation worldwide.
■Cancel the shame of human trafficking, a modern form of slavery.
■Eradicate poverty through a fair and sustainable development.
■Build a world of peace.     Read more at http://www.fondazionebuonpastore.org/

 

The United Nations Agenda has all these issues in focus – Human Rights, – CEDAW   http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cedaw/sessions.htm ;   Sustainable Development: Outcome of Rio+20 Conference  ’The Future we Want’  http://www.uncsd2012.org/thefuturewewant.html (6 languages of the UN)  Empowerment, Poverty Eradication, Full Employment and Decent Work,  and Social Integration – Theme of the Commission for Social Development February 2013  http://social.un.org/index/CommissionforSocialDevelopment/Sessions/2013.aspx

The Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls is the theme of the Commission on the Status of Women, March 2013   http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw/57sess.htm  ; Urging the implementation of the Social Protection Floor at national level following Recommendation 202 from the International Labour Confernece in June 2012  http://www.ilocarib.org.tt/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1895:new-ilo-recommendation-on-social-protection-floors&catid=117:news-room&Itemid=1035  Following the issue of Human Trafficking through Article 6 of CEDAW, and UNODC http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/index.html?ref=menuside  and at national level.

A lot is happening -  There are new hopes, desires for new committments, new concepts as we move forward.

A good document to read is Realizing the future we want for all (1) Report to the Secretary General from the UN System Task Team on the Post 2015 UN Development Agenda.  http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage/poverty-reduction/realizing-the-future-we-want/    A vision for the future that rests on the core values of human rights, equality and sustainability.  Four key dimensions of a more holistic approach: (1) inclusive social development; (2) inclusive economic development; (3) environmental sustainability; and (4) peace and security. See a diagram for this on page 24.

Become aware of phrases like ‘post 2015 development agenda’.  What does it mean?   Sustainable Development Goals?  What are these?     Paragraph 92 of ‘Realizing the Future We Want for All’  reads

“92. Implementation of a post-2015 development agenda will depend, critically, on effective governance capacities at national, local and municipal levels, including political commitment and leadership; and on the legal and economic empowerment of people, especially those most excluded, and of their civil society organizations, to participate effectively in national and local decisionmaking.  As such, governance is an essential issue within all four of the dimensions  outlined above. ”

   Follow the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights – Ms. Magdalena Sepulveda  Carmona.    http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Poverty/Pages/SRExtremePovertyIndex.aspx                                                             Read her book  HumanRightsApproachToSocialProtection (1)   

UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2012

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty will be celebrated on Wednesday October 17, 2012. The 2012 Commemoration will focus on the theme “Ending the violence of Extreme Poverty: Promoting empowernment and building peace”. A concept note has been prepared http://is.gd/H5knrn  ‘Good Shepherd has been promoting poverty eradication through advocating for the implementation of the Social Protection Floor Initiative (SPFI).  Social protection floors are nationally defined sets of basic social security guarantees which secure protection aimed at preventing or alleviating poverty, vulnerability and social exclusion.  This initiative has gained in momentum over the past few months. The International Labour Conference adopted on 14 June 2012 the Recommendation no. 202 concerning national floors for social protection by a vote of 452 to 0, with 1 abstention. Text ILO SPF Recommendation 202 final wcms_183326 English  wcms_183327 French  wcms_183322 Spanish   and wcms_184035 Italian 

Paragraph 156 of the Outcome Document of the Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development supports the implementation of the Social Protection floor Initiative and reads  ”We stress the need to provide social protection to all members of society, fostering growth, resilience, social justice and cohesion, including those who are not employed in the formal economy. In this regard, we strongly encourage national and local initiatives aimed at providing social protection floors for all citizens. We support global dialogue on best practices for social protection programmes that takes into account the three dimensions of sustainable development and, in this regard, we note ILO Recommendation 202 concerning national floors of social protection.”

A book entitled ‘The Human Rights Approach to Social Protection’ was also published in June  by the Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, Ms. Magdalena Sepulveda Carmona and Carly Nyst.  HumanRightsApproachToSocialProtection

In the Good Shepherd Direction Statement 2009 we stated that we ‘Work zealously with women and children, especially those who are trafficked, forced to migrate and oppressed by abject poverty.  We support projects for economic justice, confront unjust systems and take a “corporate stance” when appropriate.  In our position paper on Economic Justice we state ‘along with fulfilling the works of mercy by service to those in conditions of poverty, the eradication of poverty is also a moral and ethical responsibility of all. It is imperative to be active in effective advocacy and lobbying strategies to address poverty and to change dominant structures and systems that threaten future generations with the same vulnerabilities.’   What can you do now?

  • Prepare for and celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on October 17,
  • Advocate and lobby for the implementation of a rights based social protection floor at local and national level.

There are two concrete and specific actions you can can organize and collaborate with others to change dominant structures and systems.  Further specific actions towards the achievement of these goals include:

A Safe and Just Space for Humanity

The Sisters of Notre Dame have a very clear picture of this on their website and other links to follow.    http://rio-20-snd.com/2012/06/15/a-safe-and-just-space-for-humanity/

“Humanity’s challenge in the 21st century is to eradicate poverty and achieve prosperity for all within the means of the planet’s limited natural resources. In the run-up to Rio+20, this discussion paper presents a visual framework – shaped like a doughnut – which brings planetary boundaries together with social boundaries, creating a safe and just space between the two, in which humanity can thrive. Moving into this space demands far greater equity – within and between countries – in the use of natural resources, and far greater efficiency in transforming those resources to meet human needs. More information”   http://oxfamblogs.org/doughnut/  If you scroll down there is a 4 minute video explaining the dounut.  Well worth looking at!

Women’s Major Group Final Statement on the Outcome of Rio+20

“The Women’s Major Group (WMG), representing 200 civil society women’s organizations from all around the world, is greatly disappointed in the results of the Rio+20 conference. We believe that the governments of the world have failed both women and future generations.” The full statement is available in English, Spanish, French and German. http://www.wedo.org/news/rio20-from-the-future-we-want-to-the-future-we-need  I acknowledge WEDO -Women’s Environment and Development Organization for making this available on their site.  It is well worth reading and give a very good overview of women and gender equality issues in the outcome document ‘ The Future We Want.’  The major headings include – Women’s Rights Rolled Back; No Right to a Healthy Environment; Halting Land-grabbing; Ensuring Women’s Control and Access to Natural Resources; Green Economy = Green Washing?; Financing Sustainable Development and Ensuring that Women’s Voices are Heard in the New Intergovernmental Processes.    Two new processes are proposed – one for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) and a second on Finance Mechanisms.  The statement ends  ’At Rio+20, governments had a historic chance to take bold steps to end poverty and environmental destruction, to protect the rights of the most vulnerable members of our societies, to take concrete measures to fully implement women’s rights and women’s leadership. We now risk increased poverty, inequities and irreversible environmental damage. This is not the future we want, nor the future we need.”

‘The Future We Want’

(Closing ceremony of Rio+20 summit. Left to right, UN general assembly president Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser, UN secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon, Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s secretary of the conference, Luis Figueiredo Machado, and Rio+20 secretary-general Sha Zukang. Photograph: Andre Penner/AP)

The Rio+20 Conference (June 20 -22, 2012) on Sustainable Development produced a 53 page Outcome of the Conference Document entitled the ‘Future We Want.’ How does this document challenge Good Shepherd’s justice peace mission and ministries? We are looking forward to hearing from Our Team in Rio – Marta, Doris, (Peru) Maria,(Brazil) Fernanda (Brazil) and Erika (Mexico) as to their experience. The Secretary General of the United Nations Mr Ban Ki Moon hailed it a success. “Let me be clear. Rio+20 was a success,” he said at a General Assembly meeting on the outcome of the Conference. “In Rio, we saw the further evolution of an undeniable global movement for change.” 20 years previously the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, during which countries adopted Agenda 21 – a blueprint to rethink economic growth, advance social equity and ensure environmental protection. The blue print has not materialized in the past 20 years – there has been a great reluctance to rethink economic growth, inequalities have grown and the environment is still under threat. Will the outcome document ‘The Future We Want’ bring any difference? On Monday and Tuesday July 2 and 3 during the ECOSOC meetings I noted a spirit of optimism. Already a team has reported to the Secretary General on ‘Realizing the Future We Want for All’ presenting a joint vision of 60 UN Agencies on how to start the process and move forward. Included among the Agencies are: Department of Economic and Social Afairs (DESA), the Regional Commission, International Labour Organization, International Organization for Migrants, UNICEF, UN Women and UNODC. These are the various UN Agencies that we connect with to address the priority areas of concern for Good Shepherd as outlined in the direction statement of 2009 ‘ women who are trafficked, forced to migrate and oppressed by abject poverty.’ There appears to be a clear focus on human development with sustaibability at the center. The interconnectedness of problems and the need for a global agenda appears to be key. Concepts such as human rights, equailty, sustainablility, inclusive social development, environmental protection, inclusive economic development, peace and security are all to the fore. A common vision for the future determines policy issues. This calls for action not just at the global level but at the local level. NGO’s have a role. We have a role.  The United Nations is an important global organizations to bring forward and challenge prevailing systems and structures that are threatening to the person and the environment.

[DAWN@Rio 20] DAWN SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER AT RIO 20! PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!

Here is a quotation from DAWN  – Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era.  “We reject models based on extractivism and current production and consumption patterns that do not contemplate an integral vision of development… We need policies and programs that empower communities and individuals, rather than exposing us to market assault and the changes in climate that affect land, livelihoods, handicrafts, indigenous medicines, staple food, symbolic wealth and our caring social relationships that include women’s informal networks of mutual support.”  Do you agree with this?  The complete text is available and entitled DAWN – Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era – speaks Truth to Power.  Doesn’t that remind you of scripture?  The negotiations in Rio are difficult.  ‘Whether the expected 130 heads of State and thousands of government and UN officials, and civil society advocates in the Rio+20 process can boldly advance human rights and shape global policy to reduce poverty, increase peoples wellbeing, and advance social equity, environmental sustainability, and economic justice must be our core question’ and the subject matter of our prayer.  What future are you wishing for?  Read the full text

[DAWN@Rio 20] DAWN SPEAKS TRUTH TO POWER AT RIO 20! PLEASE SHARE WIDELY!.

 

Some news and pictures from our OLC GS Team in Rio

These pictures were posted on Facebook.  Marta reports that there was support for Social Protection during the Session on Unemployment, Decent Work and Migration.   Franciscan International sponsored a  Side Event:Agroecological farming can feed the world.  Leonardo Boff was one of the presenters.  Good Shepherd was co-sponsored this side event.