Civil society and modalities for the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda —latest information

A letter has been sent to the co-facilitators on the inclusion of Major Groups and other stakeholders in the post-2015 development agenda summit and associated preparatory process. (See: Full participation of civil society in post-2015 development agenda process) 

Beyond 2015 has also initiated a sign-on campaign for individuals to join.

Meanwhile, the co-facilitators will be holding a meeting with the Major Groups and Other Stakeholders on Monday 15 December at 11.45 in Conference room A in the UN building. Information will be posted, as available, on possibilities for remote participation.

Full participation of civil society in post-2015 development agenda process

The Coordinating Committee of the Civil Society Platform to Promote Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Beyond 2015, which brings together some 2000 organizations, has written to the Co-facilitators for the post-2015 development agenda process, requesting their strong support to ensure that the same access will be given to Major Groups and NGOs to the preparatory meetings as for UN Special Sessions. Precedents for such access have been set in the case of the UN Special Sessions for  Agenda 21 (A/RES/51/181 of 20 January 1997) and  ICPD+5 (A/RES/52/188 of 4 February 1998). (See attached) One of the Co-facilitators has already replied acknowledging receipt of the letter.

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FfD Conference preparatory meeting

As part of the preparatory process for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development there will be informal meetings addressing the enabling environment, systemic issues, follow-up process and learning from partnerships from Tuesday, 9 December to Friday, 12 December 2014, at 10:00 and 15:00, in the Trusteeship Council Chamber. Additional information is available on the website of the Financing for Development Office.

For webcast please visit: http://webtv.un.org/

URGENT ACTION: Draft decision on modalities for post-2015 negotiations

The following draft decision was circulated on Tuesday by the Co-facilitators on the modalities for the negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda. It will be discussed in “informal informals” on December 10 and 11 and will seek to be finalized by December 16.  Consultation are taking place with the Major Group. OPs, and others about requesting an urgent meeting with the co-facilitators to ensure their commitment to “open, transparent and inclusive negotiations”. 

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Partnerships with Civil Society – summary report of UNDG high-level global meeting

As reported by IISD, the UN Development Group (UNDG) has released a summary report of its high-level global meeting, held in Siem Reap, Cambodia on 20-21 October 2014, on ‘Partnerships with Civil Society.' This meeting was the culmination of eight national consultations held in Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Colombia, Indonesia, Jordan, Lesotho, Tunisia and Saint Lucia, as well as an e-discussion on the topic. The report addresses ways in which civil society can inform the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda; engage in its implementation; and help to enhance national policy formulation.

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SDSN's Financing for Sustainable Development report open for public consultation until January 15

The  Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has launched a draft report entitled “Financing Sustainable Development: Implementing the SDGs through Effective Investment Strategies and Partnerships,” open for public consultation through January 10, 2015. 

At the request of the Government of Ethiopia, the SDSN is leading a Global Finance for Sustainable Development Group to provide recommendations to the Financing for Development Conference in Addis Ababa in July 2015.

Read the full report and submit your comments at http://unsdsn.org/resources/publications/financing-for-sustainable-development/

Call for civil society responses to the UN Secretary-General's Synthesis Report on the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Dear Colleagues,

On 4 December, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon informally presented an advance, unedited version of his synthesis report on the post-2015 development agenda to UN Member States. "The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet" outlines a vision for Member States to consider carrying forward in negotiations leading up to the UN Special Summit on Sustainable Development in September 2015 that will adopt the post-2015 development agenda.

The advanced unedited version of the report is available here: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/  

Read the Secretary-General's statement about the report here: http://www.un.org/sg/statements/ 

Watch a video of the Secretary-General's briefing about the report here.

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UN Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report (unedited version) now available!

An advance unedited version of the UN Secretary-General’s synthesis report is now available online here.

The NGOs Beyond 2014 website will be sharing  comments on the report during the coming days. If you would like your network’s/organization’s  responses to the report to be posted, please email them to recommendations@ngosbeyond2014.org

Indicators — where are we now and next steps

Written by Katrin Erlingsen, Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW) 

The SDSN has published a new report on indicators. They are suggesting 100 indicators to monitor the goals and targets as outlined in the OWG report. In addition they are suggesting complementary national indicators which countries can choose to include in their monitoring. “These would be applicable to some countries only, such as indicators for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs); would give countries greater scope in applying complex concepts, such as inequality, to their specific needs; and/or allow for greater  specificity on issues of national concern. The Complementary National Indicators represent a menu of options for countries to choose from, though the list we include is far from exhaustive.” (page 7). 

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The new development agenda: six priorities from Amina J Mohammed

What lessons can we learn from the MDGs? Ban Ki Moon’s special adviser on post-2015 development shares her to-do list

Amina J Mohammed has set out her priorities for the post-2015 development agenda in a recent article in the Guardian newspaper. She emphasizes: universality — the new goals must apply to all countries;  being ‘fit-for-purpose’ and for government, donors, civil society and the private sector to change to do things differently; redefining the private sector partnership; a realistic yet ambitious agenda (i) starting with an inspirational vision for the future, made plain in a declaration, (ii) a practical plan for that declaration laid out in an integrated set of goals, targets and indicators, (iii) adequate means to implement the plan and a renewed global partnership for development and (iv) ensuring promises made become actions delivered, a framework to be able to monitor and review implementation; and involving young people and other marginalised groups now. 

Editor’s comment: The assumption that might be made, is that Ms Mohammed’s priorities will be reflected in the UN Secretary General’s synthesis report which is due to be published in English on Thursday.

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