Call for endorsements: Human Rights for All Post-2015 — Deadline Tuesday 10 December 2013

The time is now to amplify our voice to ensure human rights are made real in the post-2015 sustainable development framework to succeed the MDGs! We are making headway, but the next few months before the September 2014 UN General Assembly will determine whether governments heed this call, or instead found the 21st century sustainable development framework on 'bracketed rights’ and broken promises.

In advance of the 6th Session of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, a group of 70 governments charged with developing the SDGs, civil society organizations worldwide participating in an informal post-2015 human rights caucus have developed a joint statement (below) to urge governments to move beyond rhetoric and effectively align the post-2015 sustainable development framework with human rights norms.

We call on you endorse this joint statement by Tuesday 10 December by indicating your organization’s full name, acronym and country by clicking here.  Please also send your logo if you have one to lholland@cesr.org. 

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Outcome of the Regional Consultation Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Perspectives from Europe and Central Asia on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, Istanbul, 6-8 November 2013

The regional consultation Inclusive and Sustainable Development: Perspectives from Europe and Central Asia on the Post-2015 Development Agend was held from the 6-8 November 2013 in Istanbul, Turkey. It provided an opportunity to ensure the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) into the regional priorities and to engage with other civil society organization (CSOs), including environmental and education organizations on related issues. 

CSO consultation:

The official consultation was preceded by a self-organised CSO consultation, which brought together more than 170 participants from the region

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Open Working Group, Sixth Session (OWG-6)

The 6^th Session of the Open Working Group (OWG-6), Monday 9 to Friday 13 December 2013, will have before it the following for consideration:

• Means of implementation (science and technology, knowledge-sharing and capacity building); Global partnership for achieving sustainable development
• Needs of countries in special situations; African countries, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Land-Locked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island

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Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Earth Institute, Columbia University addresses OWG-5

Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Earth Institute, Columbia University addressed the Fifth Session of the Open Working Group (OWG-5 )on Sustained and inclusive economic growth, macroeconomic policy questions (including international, international financial system and external debt sustainability), infrastructure development and industrialization. He described the sustainable development goals (SDGs) as our ‘last best hope for finding the way forward’ and said that they should be “well-designed global goals that can make a powerful difference.” 

He referred specifically to the work of the

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Open Working Group, 5th Session Co-Chairs’ Summary bullet points

The Open Working Group concluded its 5^th Session (OWG-5) on Wednesday 27 November. Its discussions had focused on sustainable and inclusive economic growth, macroeconomic policy questions (including international trade, international financial system and external debt sustainability) and infrastructure development and industrialization and on energy.

The discussions were heavily focused on economic growth, although some countries referred specifically to social perspectives and social inclusion. For example Turkey,

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Briefing for UK-based Civil Society Organizations by Ambassador Pertti Majanen, Co-Chair and Liz Ditchburn, member of the UN Expert Committee on Financing for Sustainable Development

According to Ambassador Perrti Majanen, Co-Chair of the UN Expert Committee on Financing for Sustainable Development, the post-2015 development agenda is a “dream and it needs paying for”.  Both he and Liz Ditchburn from the UK Department for International Development, who is also a member of the Committee, gave an important briefing to UK-based civil society in London on Friday 15 November 2013.

In introducing the work of the Committee, Ambassador Majanen pointed out that the Millennium Declaration and MDGs constitute one of the greatest efforts of mankind and have been very successful but leaves many challenges. It is important to see that the MDGs are

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Strong UNTST Brief on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment for OWG8

The UN Technical Support Team (UNTST) Issues Brief on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment has been posted on the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. 

The Issues Brief includes several references to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including highlighting it as a priority issue and recognizing its importance for a stand-alone goal on gender equality, women’s rights and women’s empowerment. Finally the document includes sexual and reproductive health and rights under human development policies that ensure universally accessible and affordable health care among “strategies, and approaches [with which any future goal or set of targets should be couple] that will promote, protect and fulfil the full spectrum of women’s and girls’ rights, many of which are found in international human rights frameworks and in policy commitments…”

UNFPA note on inclusive economic growth for OWG5

The fifth session of the Open Working Group (OWG5) starts today, Monday 25 October with the discussions focused on sustained and inclusive economic growth, macroeconomic policy questions (including international trade, international financial system and external debt sustainability), infrastructure development; (1.5 days) and Energy (1.5 days), as can be seen by the draft programme of work.

In preparation for this session, UNFPA has prepared the attached note that highlights some key issues on the relation between population dynamics, gender equality and economic growth.

“Not old enough to drive, yet old enough to be a parent ...” UNFPA Calls for Development Goal on Youth

UNFPA recently called for a development goal for the post-2015 development agenda on youth in its recent publication Next Steps: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights on the Post-2015 Agenda. Fulfilling rights, achieving universal access to SRHR, empowering women, investing in youth, through a coherent post-2015 development framework. At the International Conference on Family Planning that concluded recently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, its Executive Director, expanded further why the inclusion of this goal is important.

Recognizing that young people are a vital force that must be front and centre in global development efforts. Dr Osotimehin said,

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Briefing on UN Partnership Facility, November 14 2013; NLB Conference Room 4; 9:00-10:45 am

By Stan Bernstein, formerly of UNFPA and partner Re-Generation Consulting LLC

Under-Secretary General Robert Orr and three staff members of the Secretariat briefed over 200 representatives of civil society on the proposed Partnership Facility being promoted by the Secretary General and expected to be the subject of a UN General Assembly Resolution in December.

Current multi-partner partnerships

Mr. Orr first presented details about 3 UN-related multi-party partnership development initiatives: Every Woman/Every Child, the Sustainable Energy for All network and the Zero Hunger Challenge.  They can be contrasted on many dimensions.

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