NGLS Policy Brief No 7: Recommendations on Women’s Human Rights and Gender Equality

The UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) has posted its latest policy brief on Women’s Human Rights and Gender Equality on its website, in preparation for the eighth session of the Open Working Group (OWG) that will take place from 3-7 February 2014.

The brief has been compiled following a consultation with civil society networks and calls for “a universal, inter-linked, multi-sectoral, and holistic approach to the SDGs that upholds the achievement of women’s human rights and gender equality as central to the achievement of sustainable development. Contributors issued a resounding call for both a standalone goal on gender equality and women’s human rights and the ‘mainstreaming’ of gender equality and women’s human rights through comprehensive targets and indicators in the SDGs. Recognizing that women from socially excluded communities face multiple forms of discrimination, the SDGs must include a strong focus on the achievement of equity and social justice.”

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7th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health and Rights (7APCRSRH)

Visionary Goal Satellite meeting

A satellite meeting was held at the 7^th Asia Pacific Conference on Reproductive Health and Rights (7APCRSRH), sponsored by WGNRR, APA and ARROW.  Panelists included Sivananthi  Thanenthiran (Executive Director, Asian-Pacific Resource & Research Centre for Women), Nobuko Horibe (Director, UNFPA, Asia Pacific Regional Office), Steve Kraus (Director, UNAIDS, Asia and Pacific Regional Office), Sandeep Prasad  (Member, High Level Task Force on ICPD) and was chaired by Rose Koenders  (Asia Pacific Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights).

The purpose was to present information about the Visionary Goal adopted by the Platform of Platforms, an association of 12 CSO networks last year being used as an advocacy tool during participation in the various parallel processes related to defining the post-2015 development agenda, to review progress and prospects to date and elicit information about specific upcoming opportunities during this year for continuing advocacy.

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Eighth session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals

The eighth session of the Open Working Group (OWG-8) on Sustainable Development Goals will be held in New York, 3-7 February 2014. It will deal with:

• Oceans and seas, forests, biodiversity
• Promoting equality, including social equity, gender equality and women’s empowerment
• Conflict prevention, post-conflict peacebuilding and the promotion of durable peace, rule of law and governance

The updated draft programme for the meeting is available here

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Further information on Options for moving forward to the next stage of the work of the Open Working Group

The Co-Chairs have written to members of the Open Working Group (OWG) to elaborate further the process for its method of working after the end of this phase of their work.

They will produce a “concise stock-taking report based on the themes covered during the entire stock-taking phase.”  The OWG will start with consensus building on the goals and targets in accordance with GA decision 67/555 through which it was established.

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Options for moving forward to the next stage of the work of the Open Working Group

At the end of seventh session of the Open Working Group (OWG-7), Ambassador Kamau, one of the two Co-chairs presented a series of options for the next stage of the work of the OWG, which will focus on devising a set of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and targets. The process so far has been one of “stock-taking” and after OWG-8 the Co-chairs will “pool together” an overall summary document of the 11-month-long stock-taking process. This can then be used as an ‘aide memoire’ for the next step,  a consultative process, which will start on 3 March.

Options A and B

In preparation for the negotiating stage, he offered delegates the following options for Co-Chair inputs:

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Setting the Stage! Briefing for CSOs and further information

John W Ashe, President of the 68th Session of the General Assembly will be holding an interactive briefing at the UN on 6 February for CSOs in advance of the high-level events and thematic debates that he is hosting for the elaboration of the post-2015 development agenda during 2014.

The purpose of the briefing is to inform and encourage the contributions of civil society, major groups and other stakeholders. See attached invitation sent out by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service.

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Deadline extended for OWG Inequalities Brief Consultation

Please note that the deadline for the global e-consultation for feedback to the Open Working Group (OWG) regarding the issue brief on inequality entitled “Promoting Equality, Including Social Equity,” (See below) has been extended to 17 January, 2014.  

The e-consultation (including a downloadable copy of the OWG issue brief) can be accessed at: www.worldwewant2015.org/inequalities

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Setting the stage! Dates announced for General Assembly thematic debates and high-level events on post-2014 development agenda

As stated previously three thematic debates and three high-level events will be held to enable Member States to begin the elaboration of the priority areas for the post-2015 development agenda. They are:

• Water, sanitation and sustainable energy (thematic debate): 18-19 February
• Contributions of women, the young and civil society (high-level event): 6-7 March
• Role of Partnerships (thematic debate):

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Reminder: Deadline for input and recommendations for AINA Global Consultation on Inequality – 10 January 2014

The deadline for recommendations and feedback on the ‘Promoting Equality, including Social Equity” issues brief of the Open Working Group’s Technical Support Team is 10 January 2014

As included in this earlier posting, please read the

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Analysis of proposals in the SDGs e-Inventory related to the themes of the Seventh Session of the Open Working Group on SDGs by the Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future

The Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future has conducted an analysis of proposals currently housed within the SDGs e-Inventory which relate to the thematic areas of OWG-7: Sustainable cities and human settlements and sustainable transport; sustainable consumption and production (including chemicals and waste); and climate change and disaster risk reduction in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) e-Inventory to inform the deliberations of the session.   

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