PRESS RELEASE: UN rights experts call for a central role for civil society to guarantee inclusive post-2015 development goals

GENEVA (18 May 2015) – A group of experts* from the largest body of independent experts in the United Nations Human Rights system today urged UN member States to recognize and support the role of a free and active civil society in the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. “A central role for civil society is the only way to guarantee inclusive post-2015 development goals,” they said.

In a joint statement* issued today, as government representatives meet in New York from 18 to 22 May to discuss a monitoring and review framework for the post-2015 development agenda, the experts called for the new global goals to be firmly grounded in international human rights norms and standards, stressing the principle of participation.  

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UN President of the General Assembly holds meeting on strengthening cooperation between UN, Regional and Sub-Regional Organizations

As reported by IISD, on 4 May 2015, the President of the UN General Assembly, Sam Kutesa, convened a high-level thematic debate on strengthening cooperation between the UN, regional and sub-regional organizations. During the deliberations, delegates discussed strengthening strategic partnerships, as well as how engaging and mobilizing regional and sub-regional organizations to enable them to play an effective role in the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. The event resulted in a negotiated declaration on strengthening cooperation between the UN, regional and sub-regional organizations, which was negotiated ahead of the debate and was expected to be adopted by the Assembly on 5 May 2015.

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Post-2015 development agenda session on follow-up and review, 18-22 May – No 5: intergovernmental negotiations session opens on Monday

The final intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) session, before the negotiations themselves begin, opens on Monday.  

The first three days of the meeting will focus specifically on follow-up and review, based on the discussion paper already circulated. For further background on the follow-up and review and the positions taken by some of the Member States in the Stock-take session see attached paper prepared by Commat.

There will also be a session on the revised paper from the Co-facilitators on the targets...

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Member States Conclude Consultations on Further Modalities for FfD3

(Based on reported from IIED) 

Informal consultations took place among Member States on modalities for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD3) from March to May 2015, resulting in draft resolution A/69/L.62.

By this resolution, the UN General Assembly decides that FfD3 will include eight plenary meetings and six multi-stakeholder roundtables, to be held in parallel with the plenary meetings.

Three of the roundtables will focus on the ‘Global partnership and the three dimensions of sustainable development,' while the other three will take up ‘Ensuring policy coherence and an enabling environment at all levels for sustainable development'...

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Post-2015 development agenda session on follow-up and review, 18-22 May – No 4: Discussion Paper on Follow-up and Review of the Post-2015 Development Agenda

The Co-facilitators have released their discussion paper on follow-up and review of the post-2015 development agenda, 12 May 2012.

This paper outlines some key elements on follow-up and review, which have emerged from the intergovernmental negotiations on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, particularly during the Stocktaking session in January. It also presents a number of questions that member states may wish to consider in preparation for the IGN session next week. The opening section relates to possible general principles for a follow-up and review framework and is followed by options for the levels at which such a framework might operate. An illustrative framework for follow-up and review is included in Annex 1...

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Informal interactive hearings on post-2015 development agenda, 26-27 May 2015

The President of the General Assembly has circulated the concept note and provisional programme for the informal interactive hearings on post-2015 development agenda that will take place 26-27 May. Following an opening segment there will be four interactive roundtables and a closing segment. After the hearings, a President’s summary will be prepared and circulated to Member States and stakeholders...

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High-level Political Forum: next meeting 26 June to 8 July 2015

The next meeting of the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) will be held from Friday 26 June to Wednesday 8 July 2015. The ministerial segment will take place from Monday 6 July to Wednesday 8 July.  

The HLPF theme will be “Strengthening integration, implementation and review – the HLPF after 2015.” Discussions will include the role of the forum and ways to implement its functions in follow up and review of the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda. The meeting will therefore link closely to the upcoming intergovernmental negotiating session (IGN) on the post-2015 development agenda, to be held in New York from 18-22 May.

Post 2015-development agenda: IWRAW AP position paper on sustainable development goals and the post-2015 development agenda

IWRAW Asia Pacific has developed a position paper on the sustainable development goals, human rights and the post-2015 development agenda, following a meeting held early his year. Among other things it has a section on a framework for developing indicators from a human rights and gender equality perspective. This section draws heavily from the work of the  OHCHR on Human Rights Indicators. (See page 13 of the Position Paper).

Post-2015 development agenda session on follow-up and review, 18-22 May – No 3: draft programme and revised targets document, 7 May 2015

The Co-facilitators for the post-2015 development agenda, Ambassadors David Donoghue and Macharia Kamau, have circulated the draft agenda for the up-coming session 18-22 May on follow-up and review. 

They have also circulated the revised targets document, which includes a refinement to one additional target to ensure consistency with international agreements and the inclusion of references to humanitarian assistance in order to emphasize the importance of this issue. Clearer rationale has been provided on the other proposed changes. A session is being reserved for open discussion on the targets.

A discussion paper will follow on follow-up and review.

For full text see: http://bit.ly/1QsxMHi

Financing for Development FfD3: Additional Consultations on zero draft of outcome document begin 11-15 May. Latest draft now available.

The latest draft of the outcome document for the third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD3), the Addis Ababa Accord, has been released by Co-facilitators Geir Pedersen of Norway and George Talbot of Guyana, together with the dates for the additional sessions: 11-15 May and 26-29 May 2015, as well as 1-5 June if needed. 

The revised draft is based on views and comments on the zero draft during the Second Drafting Session (April 13-17), the joint session on means of implementation  with the post-2015 development agenda process and written inputs comments received.

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