UNGASS civil society statement consultation

We have received the following from IPPF:

The International Planned Parenthood Federation has been allocated one of the five civil society speaking slots at the forthcoming  UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Beyond 2014 on 22 September 2014. 

Click to read more ...

Breakfast side event on ‘Education Matters: Empowering Young People to make Healthier Choices’

A breakfast side event ‘Education Matters: Empowering Young People to make Healthier Choices’ organized by Germany’s Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the High-Level Task Force for ICPD, and DSW which will take place on the morning of the UNGA, September 22nd, 8:30 – 10:00 am. For more information see here.

SAVE THE DATE: Building on regional SRHR positions for post-2015

The International Planned Parenthood Federation invites you to a high-level event co-sponsored by the Permanent Mission of Denmark to the UN and the Government of Liberia (tbc):

THURSDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2014
3.00 – 5.00PM EST

Panellists to be confirmed.

Click to read more ...

SIDS Plenary Statement on Gender Equality by Women’s Major Group on Sustainable Development

Shirley Tagi, Coordinator, Diverse Voices and Action for Equality, Fiji; made a statement in the Plenary on behalf of the Women’s Major Group (WMG). During the statement she acknowledged the clear focus on gender equality, women’s human rights and empowerment in the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway document. 

The WMG welcomed the clear commitment to end all forms of sexual and gender based violence, and to end all forms of discrimination against women. They also called for clear affirmation of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), as central to realization of all other civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and commended Tonga, Vanuatu, Aruba, UK, and the European Union and others for strong supportive statements at this Conference. Young women advocates, moreover, are leading calls for comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) and they acknowledged the SIDS States that were already integrating such approaches, including Vanuatu, Fiji and others, and individuals such as Helen Clark, UNDP Administrator who affirmed this call, and on full recognition of SRHR.

Click to read more ...

Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States adopts its outcome document the “S.A.M.O.A. Pathway”

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), held in Apia, Samoa, 1-4 September 2014, adopted its outcome document on “Small Island Developing States Accelerated Modalities of Action” (S.A.M.O.A. Pathway). 

While there is an emphasis on environmental and climate change issues, the S.A.M.O.A. Pathway also recalls the SIDS commitments to the outcomes of all major UN Conference including the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the key actions for the further implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. (para 3)

Click to read more ...

UN Secretary-General appoints Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development

The UN Secretary-General has announced the establishment of a 24-member Independent Expert Advisory Group on the Data Revolution for Sustainable Development, as called for in the report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the post-2015 development agenda. It will “assess new opportunities linked to innovation, technical progress and the surge of new public and private data providers to support and complement conventional statistical systems and strengthen accountability at the global, regional and national level.“

Click to read more ...

65th Annual DPI/NGO Conference “2015 and Beyond: Our Action Agenda”

“2015 and Beyond: Our Action Agenda” was the theme for this year’s UN DPI/NGO Conference, which brought together some 4,000 civil society participants from 2,000 organizations globally. Participants discussed key issues on the post-2015 development agenda and agreed an action agenda, the Conference Declaration, to feed into the Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report on the post-2015 development agenda.

The conference was hosted by the UN Department of Public Information and the NGO/DPI Executive Committee, and was chaired by Jeffery Huffines, UN Representatives of CIVCUS. It was organized around four components:... 

Click to read more ...

Lancet Commission Youth Survey —due by 5 September 2014

The Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing  believes that youth have a voice and can make meaningful contributions to health policies and programs, both locally and globally. While the Commission already includes two youth leaders, to ensure that the perspectives of a broad range of youth from around the world are reflected in its work and reports, we invite youth health advocates aged 15-29 from around the world to share your perspectives by completing this online survey. Please complete the survey by 5 September 2014.

Click to read more ...

President of General Assembly’s (PGA) two-day High-level Stocktaking Event

A two-day High-level Stocktaking Event on the post-2015 development agenda will be convened by the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly in New York on 11-12 September.  This will provide an opportunity to gauge Member States’ reactions to the SDGs and how they should be positioned in relation to the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. 

As stated in the concept note, the stocktaking event has four key aims: 

•  Reflect on the key messages from all the high-level events/ thematic debates, and interactive dialogue/briefing, convened by the President of the General Assembly 

Click to read more ...

UN Secretary-General reappoints Dr Babatunde Osotimehin as UNFPA Executive Director

The NGOs Beyond 2014 website is very pleased to post the following announcement of 21 August 2014 from the United Nations, New York:

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has reappointed Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin as the Executive Director of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund.

In his statement on the appointment, the Secretary-General noted his “appreciation for UNFPA’s progress in effective management for results, especially for the most disadvantaged women and adolescent girls”.

Click to read more ...