UN summit on new universal agenda begins Sep 25
Global campaigners are spearheading a move to persuade policymakers to adopt an agenda at the UN summit for a new world order based on equality and redistributive justice for all.
As part of the global campaign, development activists at a meet in Dhaka Friday called for framing such new agenda on sustainable development goals (SDGs) to be taken up at the United Nations Summit 2015.
The meet-the-press event was organised jointly by VOICE, a development research organisation, and Beyond 2015, a global civil-society platform advocating for sustainable development goals.
The UN summit is going to be held at the UN headquarters in New York on 25-27 September on the theme ‘Transforming Our World-The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)’. The global meet will adopt Sustainable Development Goals as the next development paradigm.
As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) end in September 2015, the United Nations undertakes new development framework that will be adopted at the summit session of world leaders during the 70th UN General Assembly.
A high-level Bangladesh delegation led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina leaves on 22nd September for the UN summit.
The speakers at the meet indicated the growing inequality between the rich and the poor and among countries that emerged as huge challenges that must be properly addressed in new framework that will be adopted at the United Nations Summit.
Reading out a keynote paper, Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, executive director of VOICE, said an urgent commitment is required to start implementation of the 2030 Agenda at national, sub-national and local levels, including introducing clear plans and timelines for participatory implementation at national and local levels.
Mr Mahmud said the policymakers need to develop a national sustainable development strategy, formulated and implemented through a participatory process, inclusive of people experiencing poverty and marginalization.
“This strategy should make meaningful, measurable commitments on the progressive realization of all the SDGs,” he said.
The platform emphasised setting up and enhancing institutionalised national sustainable development commissions, consisting of, at least, the national statistical offices, social, environment, finance, foreign affairs, planning, civil society and other stakeholders in order to work on the implementation and monitoring of the Post-2015 agenda.
Alison Subrata Baroi, Director of Campaign for Good Governance (Supro), said a positive allocation of funds and financial resources is essential for a participatory, transparent and inclusive implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“The leaders must ensure that national and local resources are allocated to the implementation of the SDGs,” he said.
He said governments must prioritise sustainable development investment, especially in pro-poor infrastructures and utilities, which starts with the needs of the poorest and most marginalized people, ensuring that programme-success indicators are linked directly with positive impacts.
A roadmap for the communication and dissemination of information about the new agenda at national, sub-national and local levels, allowing for all people to be aware and capable of follow-up on progress on its implementation, was also suggested.
CPRD executive director Shamsuddoha said governments must commit to creating opportunities for real dialogue between people about the implementation of the Post-2015 agenda, especially marginalized and excluded groups.
“Civil society and other stakeholders will be meaningfully engaged in the implementation -including the formulation of national strategies and plans as well as monitoring and review of the 2030 sustainable development agenda at national, sub-national and local levels,” he said.
Speakers also urged to the government to commit itself to establishing inclusive national baselines, national data- collection and management systems, participatory and inclusive monitoring and reporting mechanisms for the implementation of the SDGs as well as agreeing to public, inclusive and participatory national review mechanisms.
The SDGs represent a broad common global sustainable development framework. Therefore, the universality principle is one of the keys to successful implementation of the SDGs both at the global, regional and national levels.
A national Watch Group on SDGs, comprising civil-society members, professional bodies, academicians, rights groups etc, will be formed soon after the New York Summit to look after the progress in implementation and monitoring activities on SDGs by the government.