Moving towards the Thematic Consultation on Health

Background

Nine areas for thematic consultations have been identified as part of the process for developing the Post-2015 Development Agenda. One of these is the Health Consultation, which is being coordinated by UNICEF and WHO with a conference being proposed to be supported by Sweden. Currently there are three health Millennium Development framework (MDGs) out of the eight, namely MDG 4: reduce child mortality; MDG 5: improve maternal health; and MDG 6: combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases). Going forward, however, it is unlikely that there will again be three health goals. At the same time, as demonstrated by the High Level Meeting of the General Assembly on Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), other health issues are also on the agenda. 

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Summary of Report of the UN Secretary-General -- A life of dignity for all: accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015 (A/68/202)

I           Introduction

The report points out that “more than a billion people still live in extreme poverty” and that “far too many people face serious deprivation in health and education, with progress hampered by significant inequality related to income, gender, ethnicity, disability, age and location.” (para 6) It also stresses that the work on achieving the MDGs by the end of 2015 remains unfinished and that meeting these commitments will provide “the best possible position from which to agree upon and implement a universal agenda for sustainable development after 2015.” (para 7) The future we want, the report of Rio + 20, underscored that “poverty eradication is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development.” The Secretary-General also reiterated the phrase from the report of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2105 Development Agenda (HLP) that “no person anywhere should be left behind.” This is emerging as the lynchpin for the post-2015 development agenda and issues such as sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender should take it into account moving forward. (para 11)

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NGOs Beyond 2014 website launches a comprehensive timetable to 2015

Over the past year we have all been hearing about more and more additions to the processes leading to the ICPD Beyond 2014 and the Post 2015 Development Framework. In addition there are other processes, eg the Women Deliver Conference that will contribute directly, or indirectly, into both of the above. The NGOs Beyond 2014 website has therefore developed a comprehensive timetable which will provide NGOs with the various deadlines and other time frames as they are identified.

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Further update information on the #GYF (Global Youth Forum) for ICPD Beyond 2014

More information is available on the Global Youth Forum: Youth Rights at the Heart of Development, which stresses the Steering Committee for #GYF commitment to underscore the active participation of young people in development and in defining the course of development to come. 

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New Sustainable Development Initiative announced by UN Secretary-General

According to IPS (the Inter Press Service) the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has announced the launch of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a new independent global network of research centres, universities and technical institutions to help find solutions for some of the world’s most pressing environmental, social and economic problems. It will work with a wide range of stakeholders, including business, civil society, UN agencies and other international organizations to identify and share the best solutions to achieve sustainable development.

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Update on Global Survey on relaunched ICPD Beyond 2014 website

The ICPD Beyond 2014 website has been re-launched and provides up-to-date information on the Global Survey process. It can be found on the Global Survey webpage with links to the Global Survey tool, Country Implementation Profiles and details of Regional Conferences on the UN Economic Commissions’ websites. Those for the UN Economic Commission for Europe and the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific are currently active. 

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High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda appointed

The UN Secretary-General has appointed the other 23 members of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Framework. All members, who will serve in their personal capacities, are representatives of governments, the private sector, academia, civil society and youth, taking into account geographical and gender balance. The three co-chairs had been appointed: President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia; President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom.

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Putting it all together… (revised)

While ICPD Beyond 2014, as defined in GA Resolution 65/234, is centrally important for the future implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, it cannot be viewed in isolation as several other initiatives are taking place in the period leading up to 2015 that may also have an important impact.

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ARROW report now available

ARROW has announced that its latest publication - "Action for Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights: Strategies for the Asia-Pacific beyond ICPD & the MDGs" the proceedings report of the meeting - Beyond ICPD and MDGs: NGOs Strategising for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the Asia-Pacific Region is available on its website. 

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Keeping our promises from the London Summit on Family Planning -- establishment of an independent Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) accountability reference group

Following the London Summit on Family Planning, held in July 2012, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) has announced that in order to hold themselves and the global community accountable for reaching the goal of giving access to family planning to 120 million girls and women in some of the world’s poorest countries by 2020, an independent Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) accountability reference group will be set up to ensure that they deliver their promises. This will involve a champions group to provide leadership at the highest level, mobilising additional commitments and maintaining political momentum. The group will be supported by a FP2020 task team which will have day-to-day responsibility for overseeing progress towards the summit's goals. Commitments made at the summit will be published in the next few weeks in an outcome document and added to the UN Secretary General’s ‘Every Woman Every Child’ website.