Discussions begin on the World We Want 2015 website with Gender Equality

The discussions have begun on the World We Want 2015 website with Gender Equality, and will be followed by other topics.

The World We Want website will provide an opportunity to “gather the priorities of people from every corner of the world and help build a collective vision that will be used directly by the United Nations and World Leaders to plan a new development agenda launching in 2015, one that is based on the aspirations of all citizens!” It is therefore important that concerned NGOs join the on-line discussion and make their views known.

Click to read more ...

High Level Task Force for ICPD: Rights, Dignity & Health for All

Prioritizes gender equality, youth health and rights, in international development efforts

The first meeting of the High Level Task Force (HLTF) members  has taken place in New York and the Task Force is being launched officially today 1 October 2012. The HLTF, chaired jointly by former Presidents Tarja Halonen of Finland and Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, comprises 26 eminent government, civil society and private sector leaders.

Click to read more ...

Health and other thematic consultations

WHO has announced that the global health consultation will take place between October 2012 and February 2013, when there will be a high-level meeting involving governments, NGO coalitions, key UN partners and members of the UNSG’s High-Level Panel. There is a new page on the  WHO website which links to other key documents including a WHO briefing paper on Health in the post-2015 development agenda and a thematic think piece.

The global consultation on addressing inequalities and the global consultation on governance, which are both of relevance for the health sector, have been published on the World We Want 2015 website. 

Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)

Following the launch by the UN Secretary-General of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) on 9 August 2012, it has been announced on its website that a number of global expert Working Groups will be convened on “key sustainable development challenges that will identify common solutions and highlight best practices.”  These include Working Groups on Gender Equality, Social Inclusion and Human Rights, and Universal Health Coverage.

SDSN will also provide technical support to the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

UN General Assembly Events

A number of events will take place this week at the beginning of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly that will feature the health and rights of women and young people. Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA, will play a leading role in many of them including those listed below:

Click to read more ...

Consultations for ICPD Beyond 2014 as part of the Global Review

In addition to the Global Survey that is currently being carried out in all countries, there will be four thematic consultations.

The first thematic consultation, the Global Youth Forum (GYF) will take place in Bali, Indonesia, 4-6 December 2012. 

A Consultation of Human Rights will also be held probably in June or July 2013 and a consultation is also planned on Women’s Health. Most recently it has been announced that there will be a consultation on cultural diversity and the ICPD Programme of Action.

For further information please visit the ICPD Beyond 2014 website.

Commitments made at the London Summit on Family Planning published

The full set of commitments made at the London Summit on Family Planning in July has been published. Please be sure to share your governments commitment with your partners, parliamentarians and other civil society organizations.

As reported by IPPF, a 2-day workshop will be held in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, 17 and 18 September to discuss the next steps to the London Summit.  

Click to read more ...

Carrying out the Global Survey in Uganda

Dr Betty Kyaddondo, Head of the Family Health Department of the Population Secrearariat in Uganda,whites that:

The process for carrying out the Global Survey in Uganda started in early 2012 with meetings at the regional level in-country involving all the districts. From the outset NGOs have been included on the technical and other groups that are overseeing the process.

Click to read more ...

Are YOU involved in the Global Survey?

The Global Survey has been sent out by the UN Regional Commissions to all countries, usually to the Foreign Ministers for distribution to the various ministries for completion though the process will differ from country-to-country. The standardized questionnaire has been designed to ensure comparability of data and is the result of a series of consultations with global civil society, international organizations and the United National system as well as Governments.

Click to read more ...

Sub-regional Workshop on MDGs for Central and East Asia

A Sub-regional Workshop on Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 Development Framework for Central and East Asia will be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan 26-28 September 2012. It is being organized by the Asian Development Bank, ESCAP and UNDP and participants will be senior officials, directly in charge of MDGs at Planning and Environment Ministries, by invitation only.

Click to read more ...