“Civil society laments uneven commitments and lack of urgency to deliver a new deal” is the heading of the Civil Society Joint Statement and Score Card just released and open for sign ons.  Congregation of Our lady of Charity of the Good shepherd have endorsed this statement (but only after September 13th so not showing on the list posted).   This statement laments governments’ uneven commitments and lack of urgency to deliver a real new deal for refugees and migrants at the UN Summit, and urges states to take seven immediate actions to truly make a “difference on the ground for the millions of refugees, migrants and internally displaced people (IDPs) in need of protection, safe passage, solidarity, inclusion, decent work and livelihoods, and for the societies that host them”.

The starting point for Civil Society was the ‘New Deal for Refugees, Migrants and Societies’ at the Summit, and later they put forward 5 key tests of success.  The scorecard concludes that the declaration, meets only some of the tests, and even then only in part, while failing on other.

The statement continues ‘overall, the real and immediate test is whether the Summit will be able to make a difference on the ground for the millions of refugees, migrants and internally displaced people (IDPs) in need of protection, safe passage, solidarity, inclusion, decent work and livelihoods, and for the societies that host them. We urge states, working in partnership with the UN and civil society, to take seven immediate actions to make that difference on the ground.  (see first link).

On Sunday 18 September there is a meeting for and by civil society on advocacy for refugees and migrants after the 19th September UN Summit.  Background and Program for 18 September

(Note the Outcome document of the 19 September UN Summit is not called the  “New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants”).

Both Cecilie Kern and I – your representatives – will be attending the civil society meeting and we each have received tickets to attend two session of the Summit on September 19th.  Yolanda Sanchez (GSIJP Office Geneva)  is in the picture too remembering when we found the plaque marking the home of Fr Joesph Wresinski, in Angers, France, founder of ATD4th World.