“Addressing inequalities and Challenges to inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection and HLS under the theme: “Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality” New York 15 February 2019

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On the occasion of the UN Commission for Social Development that took place from 11 to 21 February 2019, the World Family Organization (WFO) hosted a luncheon on 15 February at the Delegate’s Dining Room premises at the UNHQ in New York. 

The overarching theme of this luncheon and discussion was focused around the topic of “addressing inequalities and challenges to inclusion through fiscal, wage and social protection policies” with the aim to further contribute to the ECOSOC 2019 High-Level Political Forum and High-Level Segment under the theme of “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”. 

The luncheon was moderated by Ms. Hanifa Mezoui, PhD and attended by the President of the WFO, Dr. Deisi Kusztra together with Mr. Isidro de Brito, Vice-President for Legal and Administrative Affairs of WFO (Portugal) who presented WFO’s work over the past year and how effective UN family policies could contribute to reaching the common goal of equality and inclusiveness in all spheres of life.

In a spirit of partnership, the luncheon was attended by other notable officials from the UN Department of Social and Economic Affairs, including, Ms. Daniela Bas (Directorof DESA’s Division for Inclusive Social Development), Mr. Alberto Padova (Chiefof DESA’s Social Inclusion and Participation Branch), Mr. Navid Hanif, Directorof DESA’s Financing for Sustainable Development Office, the UN Global Compact, Mr. Angus Rennie) Marc-Andre Dorel, Acting Chief, NGO Branch and the Secretariat of the G77.

Additional participants from civil society included, Ms. Suneeta Dewan, representing Children’s Hope India, who contributed on the role of social inclusiveness and equality in developing countries with the focus on children and youth growing up in poverty and lack of opportunities as well as the need for empowering women.  The International Federation for Family Development (IFFD) represented by its President, Mr. Ignacio Socias gave a briefing of the CSD57 side event coordinated in partnership with various stakeholders, titled: “The value of Unpaid Care and Domestic Work* – Is Target 5.4 a Utopia?” He presented the IFFD Family Award for 2019, to, among others, Ania Feron and the country of Austria.  

The luncheon was also honored by the presence of H.E., Mr. Mohamed Fathi Ahmed Idrees, Former Chair Group77 for 2018, Ambassador Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations, who emphasized, the crucial role played by Member States in financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by highlighting international cooperation, North-South, South-South and Triangular Cooperation.  

The discussion revolved on the need to combat discrimination and social exclusion by promoting inclusion through social protection systems that will enable families to thrive. 

Concerns were also raised on: How to align the global financial system with sustainable development? And how to advance the finance mechanisms for the SDGs and develop initiatives to reduce the current investment gap? 

It was also reported that at its January 2019, regular session, the NGO Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations had before it 521 applications and recommended 236 of them for consultative status. It was mentioned that in regards to the geographic distribution, efforts have to be made to increase the number of NGOs from Africa and Latin America.

We were also briefed, on activities and contribution to this year’s 63rdCommission on the Status of Women and to the upcoming Fourth Forum on Financing for Development.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who attended this very fruitful and inspiring discussion and we recognize the dedicated efforts of WFO in working with local authorities to advance the 2030 Agenda and SDGs in relations to family issues. 

*“Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies, and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate” Tuesday, February 12th, 2018

1 June 2018 is the deadline to apply for consultative status with the UN

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May is the last month for Non-Governmental Organizations to apply for consultative status with ECOSOC if they wish to be considered by the NGO Committee in 2019. Those interested should submit their application and required documents on or before the deadline of 1 June 2018.

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Who is eligible for applying?

Consultative relationships may be established with international, regional, sub regional and national non-governmental, non-profit public or voluntary organizations. NGOs affiliated to an international organization already in status may be admitted provided that they can demonstrate that their programme of work has direct relevance to the aims and purposes of the United Nations.

To be eligible for consultative status, an NGO must have been in existence (officially registered with the appropriate government authorities as an NGO/non-profit) for at least two years, must have an established headquarters, a democratically adopted constitution, authority to speak for its members, a representative structure, appropriate mechanisms of accountability and democratic and transparent decision-making processes. The basic resources of the organization must be derived in the main part from contributions of the national affiliates or other components or from individual members.

What are the benefits?

NGOs that are accredited with ECOSOC can participate in a number of events, including, but not limited to regular sessions of ECOSOC, its functional commissions and its other subsidiary bodies. NGOs may:

  • Attend official meetings;
  • Submit written statements prior to sessions;
  • Make oral statements;
  • Meet official government delegations and other NGO representatives;
  • Organize and attend parallel events that take place during the session;
  • Participate in debates, interactive dialogues, panel discussions and informal meetings.

Organizations established by governments or intergovernmental agreements are not considered NGOs.

For more information about ECOSOC Consultative status click here.

To apply click here.

DESA NGO Newsletter – March 2018

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EVENTS

3 – 6 April: Intergovernmental negotiations on the global compact for migration
The intergovernmental negotiations on the global compact for migration will be held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Registration now open: multi-stakeholders in consultative status with ECOSOC and those with special accreditation to the GCM process are invited to register to attend all upcoming negotiations:

  • 3-6 April 2018 (Conference Room 2)
  • 14-18 May 2018 (Conference Room 2)
  • 4-8 June 2018 (Trusteeship Council Chamber)
  • 9-13 July 2018 (Conference Room 1)

Register through the following link: https://reg.unog.ch/event/23763/
For more information on the negotiations, please visit: https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/intergovernmental-negotiations
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=422&type=13&menu=14

5 April: World Autism Awareness Day observance on “Empowering Women and Girls with Autism”
The 2018 World Autism Awareness Day observance at United Nations Headquarters New York will focus on the importance of empowering women and girls with autism and involving them and their representative organizations in policy and decision making to address these challenges.Through dynamic moderated discussions with experts and advocates, the observance will examine the particular challenges that women and girls with autism face in this context. Other key issues to be addressed include challenges and opportunities in fully exercising rights in matters relating to marriage, family and parenthood on an equal basis with others, as underscored in Article 23 of the CRPD and in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders at the United Nations in 2015 (SDG 5.6). For more information, please visit: www.un.org/en/events/autismday/
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=430&type=13&menu=14

6 April: International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
On the occasion of the 2018 International Day of Sport for Development and Peace on 6 April, the Division for Social Policy and Development (DSPD) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) is launching an online campaign to celebrate the growing contribution of sport to development and peace through the promotion of tolerance, respect, empowerment of women and youth, health, education and social inclusion. The online campaign #PlayforGlobalGoals seeks to encourage individuals and organizations who support or carry out sport for development and peace activities to participate in the commemoration of the International Day. Specifically, it invites individuals and organizations to share a picture on social media that represents for them the “power of sport to promote peace, unity and social inclusion”. Find out more on how to join: http://bitly.com/IDSDP2018
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=429&type=13&menu=14

9 – 13 April: 51st Session of the Commission on Population and Development
As an ECOSOC functional commission, the Commission on Population and Development plays the primary role in monitoring, reviewing and assessing the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development at the national, regional and global levels, identifying reasons for success and failure, and advising the Council thereon.

The 51st session will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 9 to 13 April 2018. The special theme of the session is “Sustainable cities, human mobility and international migration.” More information on this session is available at:
http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/commission/sessions/2018/index.shtml

ECOSOC accredited NGOs are welcome to register for this event from 1 November 2017 to 16 March 2018. For more information on pre-registration please visit: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/commission/sessions
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=415&type=13&menu=14

16 – 18 April: Intergovernmental conference on marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction (organizational meeting)
In its resolution 72/249 of 24 December 2017, the General Assembly decided to convene an Intergovernmental Conference, under the auspices of the United Nations, to elaborate the text of an international legally binding instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, with a view to developing the instrument as soon as possible.

In accordance with that resolution, a three-day organizational meeting will be held in New York from 16 to 18 April 2018, to discuss organizational matters, including the process for the preparation of the zero draft of the instrument.
Non-Governmental Organizations in consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as those that were accredited to any of the conferences mentioned in paragraph 13 of resolution 72/249, are entitled to attend the conference as observers.

For more information on the meeting, please visit: https://www.un.org/bbnj/
For information on NGO registration, please see: http://www.un.org/depts/los/bbnjtf/Information_for_Participants_registration_and_credentials.pdf
Event registration page in Indico: https://reg.unog.ch/event/23972/
If you have questions, please contact: lika.diouf@un.org
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=426&type=13&menu=14

16 – 27 April: 17th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
The 17th Session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) will be held during 16 – 27 April 2018 at UN Headquarters in New York under the theme “Indigenous peoples’ collective rights to lands, territories and resources.”

The Forum members have decided on changes to the two week annual session. The first week will be all open plenary meetings. There will be no closed meetings during the first week. A condensed schedule during the first week will see the Permanent Forum discuss all substantive agenda items. During the second week of the 2018 session of the Permanent Forum, members of the Forum will hold informal meetings with representatives of indigenous peoples, Member States and UN entities. The purpose of these meetings will be to draw on information presented during the first week, and channel this into policy recommendations that are strategic, focused and actionable. Indigenous representatives, Member States and UN entities that are accredited to attend the 2018 session of the Permanent Forum are invited to attend these meetings.

Registration for NGOs with ECOSOC Status, IPOs and Academics and requests to hold a side event is now open. See here for more details: http://bit.ly/unpfii17-en
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=427&type=13&menu=14

23 – 27 April: The 17th session of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA)
The 17th session of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) will take place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 23 to 27 April 2018.
There are three overarching issues on the agenda of the seventeenth session to be explored from a variety of perspectives, namely:

  1. Readying institutions and policies for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
  2. Building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels; and,
  3. Supporting the transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies: enhancing and equipping institutions.

NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC and other invited organizations, please register here.For those unable to attend in person, live and on-demand webcast coverage of this event will be available in six languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish).
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=421&type=13&menu=14

24 – 25 April: High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace
The President of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Miroslav Lajčák identified peacebuilding and sustaining peace as a key priority. Therefore he will convene a High-Level Meeting on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace on 24 and 25 April 2018 to assess efforts undertaken and opportunities to strengthen the United Nations’ work on peacebuilding and sustaining peace.

The High-level meeting is scheduled to take place on 24 and 25 April 2018. It will open on Tuesday, 24 April, with an opening segment and contributions from high-level speakers with experience on peacebuilding and sustaining peace. It will then be followed by high-level plenary meeting of the General Assembly, where Member States will be able to deliver their statements.

During the two-day event, four interactive dialogues will be held in parallel to the high-level plenary meeting, which will focus on objectives mentioned above and take into account the report of the Secretary-General as per resolutions 70/262 and 2282 (2016) on the Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture.

On the first day, two interactive dialogues will be held in the afternoon. On the second day, the plenary debate will continue and another two interactive dialogues will take place in the morning.

To register: https://fs22.formsite.com/unngls/form64/index.html
Additional information: https://www.un.org/pga/72/event-latest/sustaining-peace/
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=424&type=13&menu=14

7 – 11 May: Thirteenth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF13)
The Thirteenth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF13) will be held in New York, from 7-11 May 2018. The Forum welcomes the participation of the nine major groups as identified in Chapter 23 of Agenda 21, including: women, children and youth, indigenous people, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, workers and trade unions, business and industry, scientific and technological communities, farmers and small forest landowners.

Major groups organizations that are accredited with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) and the former Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) are encouraged to participate in sessions of the Forum by registering here: http://reg.unog.ch/event/24237

Organizations that are NOT accredited to ECOSOC or CSD may attend as part of the delegation of their country or as part of the delegation of an accredited organization.
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=428&type=13&menu=14

NEWS

2018 ECOSOC High-Level Segment – Open Call for Oral and Written Statements (9 April – 4 May 2018)
The Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs is pleased to announce an open call for oral and written statementsfor the 2018 ECOSOC High-Level Segment (HLS) for NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC . The open call will be held from 9 April to 4 May 2018.

The theme for the 2018 session of the Economic and Social Council is “From global to local: supporting sustainable and resilient societies in urban and rural communities”.

The HLS will be held from 16 to 19 July 2018 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This is a unique opportunity for organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC – and for civil society at large – to be heard at ECOSOC deliberations, as well as to contribute to issues of critical concern to the global development agenda. It will also provide a platform to address specifically, steps toward implementation, follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to track progress at all levels and ensure that no one is left behind.

The HLS includes the three-day ministerial meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), convened under the auspices of the Council. For information about the High-level Political Forum please click here.
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=385&type=230&menu=14

Civil society hearing and high-level meeting on the fight to end Tuberculosis
The General Assembly will hold a one-day high-level meeting on the fight to end tuberculosis on 26 September 2018 with the overall theme “United to end tuberculosis: an urgent global response to a global epidemic”. As part of the preparatory process for the high-level meeting, the President of the General Assembly will convene a civil society hearing in New York in June 2018 with the participation of civil society organizations, academia, medical associations, the private sector, parliamentarians and Member States. The accreditation of civil society organizations without consultative status with ECOSOC will open in April for both events. Registration of all participants for the civil society hearing will open in May. For further information and updates, please visit: https://www.un.org/pga/72/

2018 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Registrations to the 2018 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development will be launched in the last week of April on the Indico platform. The registration platform will be open to organizations that have status with ECOSOC or that are part of the CSD roster. When launched, the HLPF registration page will be available at https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/hlpf/2018

2018 ECOSOC e-Discussion: From global to local: supporting sustainable and resilient societies in urban and rural communities, 26 March – 8 April 2018
Stakeholders, experts, practitioners and policy-makers from all over the world are invited to engage in a global dialogue on specific aspects of the 2018 ECOSOC theme of “From global to local: supporting sustainable and resilient societies in urban and rural communities”. The 2018 e-Discussion will provide the Economic and Social Council with suggestions and recommendations on how to best address implementation challenges of the new Agenda, with a special focus on the national level.

You are cordially invited join the 2018 ECOSOC e-Discussion, coordinated and organized by UN DESA and UNDP, at: https://www.globaldevhub.org/ECOSOC-2018.

Sub-regional capacity building workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders on the HLPF and VNR process held in Dakar Senegal
DESA/DSD organised a sub-regional capacity building workshop for Major Groups and other Stakeholders on the HLPF and VNR process, in Dakar Senegal. Participants came from all west and Central African VNR countries (Benin, Cape Verde, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Republic of Congo, Senegal et Togo). Participants learned about the options for stakeholder engagement (as per resolution A/RES/67/290) and exchanged experiences and lessons learned with each other on What had been done so far in terms of engaging both at local, national and global level on the follow up and review of the 2030 agenda. The workshop also provided an opportunity for dialogue with the 8 member states on stakeholder engagement in the VNR process, including alternative reports.

Asia-Pacific Civil Society Forum on Sustainable Development held in Bangkok
The Asia-Pacific Civil Society Forum on Sustainable Development 2018 took place from March 25th to 27th in Bangkok in preparation to the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development. The meeting was attended by approximately 300 participants who also engage in the Asia-Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (AP-RCEM). More information can be found at http://www.unescap.org/events/apcsfsd

PFII Secretariat co-sponsored CSW side event on indigenous women’s rights
20 March 2018: The Secretariat of the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues co-sponsored a side event at the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women with International Indigenous Women’s Forum (FIMI), International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, International Fund for Agricultural Development and UN WOMEN on “Indigenous women’s rights: a vital tool to ensure gender equality and economic and social empowerment”. Speakers shared lessons and experiences of indigenous women to achieve social and economic empowerment, combat violence and discrimination and promote political participation in decision-making. Participants identified concrete policy ideas and measures to advance implementation of indigenous women rights and support their empowerment. Participants also advocated for the inclusion of the priorities and rights of indigenous women in the outcomes of the CSW62 and follow up on previous CSW recommendations relating to indigenous women.

PFII Secretariat co-organized CSW side event “Indigenous Women: Key actors in achieving the 2030 Agenda (Implementing SDG 5)”
15 March: The Secretariat of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues/DSPD/DESA co-organised a side event at the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women titled “Indigenous Women: Key actors in achieving the 2030 Agenda (Implementing SDG 5)” in partnership with the International Indigenous Women’s Forum, International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs, Indigenous Peoples Major Group and the Asia Indigenous Women’s Network. Indigenous women panelists from Kenya, Guatemala, Ecuador, the Philippines and Peru provided insights on the situation and challenges facing indigenous women in different communities and contexts. The side event was well attended, and highlighted the advances and challenges in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of indigenous women and girls, in rural areas to achieve Agenda 2030.

Joint Meeting of ECOSOC and the Second Committee on “The Future of Everything – Sustainable Development in the Age of Rapid Technological Change”

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Date: Wednesday, 11 October 2017

Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Location:  ECOSOC Chamber, UN Headquarters

Watch live (coming soon)

The future will no longer be what we once thought. It is widely acknowledged that the pace and breadth of technological advances are intensifying, and by 2030 – the target date for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – the world will have undergone further changes in the realm of daily human interaction.  Many changes already underway are having a profound impact on our economies, societies and ecosystems.  Industrial processes are becoming increasingly automated and robotized, with human intervention increasingly confined to specific tasks.  Rapid growth in large datasets, and the capacity to store and use them, offer new resources for research, analysis and problem-solving, but can also be used by cyber-criminals.  Ubiquitous computing, facilitated by advances in the Internet of Things in combination with 5G, big data and nanotech, will also be key drivers of change.  We may truly be at the beginning of what has been referred to as the “Fourth Industrial Revolution”.

In many of these areas, ethical questions arise around the potential of technological advancements to outpace policies and regulations and, in the process, undermine societal norms.  while many advances hold great promise for sustainable development and poverty eradication, they also risk leaving much of the world behind in a global context in which inequalities are already sharply felt.   To address these challenges and forge solutions for using technological change as a catalyst for inclusive development, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and Second Committee of the General Assembly will organise a joint meeting on “The Future of Everything – Sustainable Development in the Age of Rapid Technological Change”.  The joint meeting will include a three-hour panel presentation and interactive discussion between expert presenters from Government, academia, the private sector and civil society, and meeting participants.  The discussion will focus on best practices and new initiatives with respect to the latest developments in this area, including how policy-makers and their partners can harness the benefits of progress in science and technology, while minimizing their unintended, negative consequences.

Solutions Selected for Solutions Summit 2017 at UN Headquarters

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Solutions Summit is an annual catalytic gathering at United Nations Headquarters in New York during UN General Assembly high-level week in September. This initiative lifts-up and advances the work of exceptional teams already developing innovative solutions that address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This year’s Solutions Summit will take place from 19-21 September from 12:00-1:00pm each day in the UN SDG Media Zone – a live broadcast event space at the United Nations focused on the SDGs – and will involve in-person accelerator sessions and social media interaction with the selected solution-makers.
WHO IS ORGANIZING THE EFFORT?
The Solutions Summit is led by the UN Foundation, UN-NGLS, shift7, and the Global Innovation Exchange. UN-NGLS coordinated the open and transparent application and selection process to curate solutions to be featured during the Solutions Summit, involving a Selection Committee of 25 top innovators and technologists from around the world.
SOLUTIONS SELECTED
The Selection Committee agreed a short-list of 35 solutions from 535 applications received, and the Solutions Summit lead organizers selected the following 11 extraordinary solution-makers:
The leaders of these projects – a regionally and gender balanced group – will each give a ‘lightning talk’ outlining their breakthrough efforts at United Nations Headquarters on 19-21 September.
MORE INFORMATION
For more information, please visit: http://solutions-summit.org

Solutions Summit at UNHQ: Call for Submissions

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A CATALYTIC GATHERING AT UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS
DURING UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY WEEK

Solutions Summit 2017 will highlight projects advancing the
17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

_WHAT IS THE SOLUTIONS SUMMIT?

Solutions Summit is an annual catalytic gathering at UN Headquarters in New York during UN General Assembly high-level week in September. This initiative lifts-up and advances the work of exceptional teams who are already developing innovative solutions that address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This year’s Solutions Summit will take place in the UN SDG Media Zone – a live broadcast event space at the United Nations focused on the SDGs – and will involve in-person accelerator sessions and social media interaction with the selected solution-makers. Solutions Summit 2017 will take place from 19-21 September and will highlight projects that advance the objectives of one or more of the 17 SDGs.
_WHAT ARE THE INTENDED OUTCOMES?
During the Solutions Summit, a group of selected global innovators will give ‘lightning talks’ outlining their breakthrough efforts to an audience of senior policymakers who have the means to pave solid regulatory foundations, investors who care deeply about long-term change and impact, industry leaders who are able to deploy quickly and at scale, fellow entrepreneurs who can share wisdom on starting up, and members of the public, including youth, who will bring additional creative insight. The gathering will serve as a catalyst to convene resources and talent around solution-makers.
_WHO IS ORGANIZING THE EFFORT?
The Solutions Summit is led by the UN Foundation, the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS) and the Global Innovation Exchange, in collaboration with Shift7, the Global Entrepreneurs Council, and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, with an open invitation for governments and other partners to join. UN-NGLS is coordinating the open and transparent application and selection process to curate solutions to be featured during the Solutions Summit.
 

Deadlines: 25 August – Selection Committee  /  29 August – Solutions

_SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT OR APPLY FOR SELECTION COMMITTEE
_DEADLINES
25 August 2017: Apply to be a part of the Selection Committee
29 August 2017: Submit a solution to be considered for inclusion in Solutions Summit
_MORE INFORMATION
Help us surface extraordinary individuals and teams who are developing solutions that address the SDGs and encourage them to apply.
UNICEF

Evidence over Ideology: Giving Unconditional Cash in Africa

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It is hard to discuss development, poverty and foreign aid without someone mentioning the contentious topic of Universal Basic Income (UBI). Some say it will be the defining issue for the future of poverty and inequity, others say it will never work. But what exactly are the defining features of UBI?

According to the Basic Income Earth Network, “A basic income is a periodic cash payment unconditionally delivered to all on an individual basis, without means-test or work requirement.” In other words, it is a universal, unconditional cash paid over time. UBI is not only a development tool for countries with generalized poverty—UBI pilots are under discussion or have started in places like Oakland (United States), Ontario (Canada) and Utrecht (Netherlands). Whether you love it (see exhibit A, B, C), hate it (see exhibit D, E, F), or are somewhere in between, headlines and debates are clearly not going away anytime soon.

Despite the hype, UBI is not a new concept. In fact, the idea of an unconditional basic income support dates back to the mid-19th century with ‘utopian socialist’ visionaries. Today, giving poor households cash on a regular, predictable basis to use as they wish is already a mainstay of many Governments’ social policies – including (and especially) in countries with mass poverty. In Africa, it is estimated that 40 countries have unconditional cash transfers, a doubling between 2010 and 2014. Proponents of unconditional cash cite similar arguments as UBI enthusiasts—they are simple, cost effective, give beneficiaries dignity and autonomy over use—and they deliver a broad range of poverty- and human capital-related impacts.

…evidence suggests that giving unconditional cash does not cause people to stop working. Instead, evaluations under the Transfer Project suggest that beneficiaries often switch from working in hard day labor agricultural positions, to working on their own farms and small business

There are some important differences between UBI and unconditional cash transfers. For one, UBI is universal—thus inviting moral critiques—should give money to the ‘rich’? Who will pay the price tag? Yet, unconditional cash transfers in Africa commonly use geographical targeting, which mean everyone in a specified area receive benefits—thus programs share functional principles of a UBI. Many of the current debates around UBI hinge on the ‘newness’ or ‘novelty’ of implementation—and critique hypothetical outcomes of such experiments. These debates assume we do not yet know what might happen over time when we give people unconditional cash transfers. However, many of these debates center on core concepts which have been studied for decades in unconditional cash transfer programming. As such, it is curious that these same critiques around giving unconditional cash has been reframed as “controversial.”

Let’s take a closer look at some of the critical claims in the context of sub-Saharan Africa, the region currently home for three quarters of world’s ultra-poor. A group called the Transfer Project has been studying large-scale Government unconditional cash transfers for about a decade. They have conducted rigorous evaluations to see how cash changed the behavior of beneficiaries over time—the majority of whom were well below the extreme poverty line. Research using eight evaluations in seven countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe) takes a look at some of the ideology:

  1. Cash increases spending on alcohol and tobacco: It is hard to propose giving money to the poor without someone suggesting they will drink it away on booze, or waste it on smokes. The Transfer Project evaluations found no evidence of increased spending on these ‘temptation’ goods. Since poverty and related stress can fuel alcohol use—and unconditional cash has been found to decrease both—this is not an altogether surprising finding.
  2. Cash is a short term ‘Band-Aid’: Perhaps you have heard the saying “if you give a man a fish…” If so, you will be familiar with the critique that the poor might use cash transfers for short-term consumption, without investment in activities which will ultimately allow them to break the cycle of poverty (e.g. “teach a man to fish”). However, evidence shows that individuals use cash also for investment in activities like agriculture, livestock assets, and education for their children – exactly the types of investments which will “feed them for a lifetime.” In fact, impacts on school enrollment among secondary school-aged children were found to be large, in line with impacts found in Latin America where transfers are mostly conditional on schooling.
  3. Cash creates dependency: The age old perception of the ‘lazy’ welfare beneficiary is alive and well. Yet again, evidence suggests that giving unconditional cash does not cause people to stop working. Instead, evaluations under the Transfer Project suggest that beneficiaries often switch from working in hard day labor agricultural positions, to working on their own farms and small business—a switch which improves their welfare. Poor populations have little incentive to stay poor, and giving them an income boost does little to change this.“I am poor but now thanks to cash transfers my family can live a better life. I now feel I can change my life and with the money I receive I will open a restaurant-tea house.” ~ Widowed beneficiary and mother of three children
  4. Fertility will increase: Policymakers love to suggest that unconditional cash transfers, particularly those targeted to families with children will cause an increase in fertility as families try to gain eligibility for benefits. This is not true. The Transfer Project has found no evidence of increases in fertility—in fact in two countries (Kenya and South Africa), it was found that cash transfers actually decreased early pregnancy among young women and adolescent girls. Let us not assume that giving support to poor households will result in the next baby boom.
  5. Cash will have negative impacts on local markets: Critics have also flagged the potential negative community-level impacts of giving cash, including price inflation. The Transfer Project found that cash created beneficial spill overs in the local economy ranging from $1.27 to $2.52 USD generated for every dollar transferred, with no evidence of inflation. Instead of hurting the local economy, transferring cash stimulated community markets and economic development.
  6. There is a lot that cash can do, but it is not a silver bullet – families will always need health, education and other social services – problems which cannot be solved by giving cash. However, none of the common myths examined here seem to hold up in the face of hard evidence. While ideology (and politics) will always play a role, we must ensure information is clearly accessible and actionable for policy makers in order for evidence to win over ideology.

    There are many challenges head in the UBI debate, but let us not make the mistake of inventing the wheel—after decades of research on unconditional cash transfers—we have learned many things. Let us also not forget that while the UBI frenzy overtakes the international scene, in settings of generalized poverty, Governments are already giving regular, predictable, unconditional cash to families—to use as they wish to improve their own lives.

    “Hunger pushed me to beg. Since I started to receive the cash transfer I no longer have to. I feel happier. Before, when I was in the street, my neighbours would turn away fearing that I would ask them for food; now they greet me.”  ~ Elderly beneficiary, Ethiopia.

     

    [A new Innocenti Research Brief by the blog authors: Mythbusting? How research is refuting common perceptions about unconditional cash transfers conveys this evidence in a simple, easy-to-understand format.]

    Amber Peterman is social policy specialist with the UNICEF Office of Research – Innocenti. Silvio Daidone his an econometrician with FAO. The Transfer Project is a multi-organizational initiative of UNICEF, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Save the Children UK and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in collaboration with national governments, and other national and international researchers. For  the full working paper see: Handa S, Daidone S, Peterman A, Davis B, Pereira A, Palermo T, and J Yablonski on behalf of the Transfer Project (2017). “Myth busting? Confronting Six Common Perceptions about Unconditional Cash Transfers as a Poverty Reduction Strategy in Africa” UNICEF Office of Research—Innocenti Working Paper 2017-11.

International Youth Day2017

International Youth Day 2017

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The theme of International Youth Day 2017 is Youth Building Peace.

Since the adoption of Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015, there is growing recognition that as agents of change, young people are critical actors in conflict prevention and sustaining peace. International Youth Day 2017 is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.

The current generation of youth are the largest in history and young people often comprise the majority in countries marked by armed conflict or unrest, therefore considering the needs and aspirations of youth in matters of peace and security is a demographic imperative.

Another Security Council Resolution, Resolution 2282 (2016) recognizes that the scale and challenges of sustaining peace requires partnerships between stakeholders, including youth organizations. It also reaffirms the important role youth can play in deterring and resolving conflicts, and are key constituents in ensuring the success of both peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development committed to fostering peaceful and inclusive societies and affirmed that “[s]ustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security”. Goal 16 aims to ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels. The World Programme of Action for Youth, which provides a policy framework and practical guidelines to improve the situation of young people, also encourages “[p]romoting [the] active involvement of youth in maintaining peace and security”.

Young people’s inclusion in the peace and security agenda and in society more broadly, is key to building and sustaining peace. The process of social inclusion for youth, including participation in decision-making as well as access to quality education, health care and basic services promotes their role as active contributors to society and affords young people with opportunities to reach their potential and achieve their goals. When youth are excluded from political, economic and social spheres and processes, it can be a risk factor for violence and violent forms of conflict. Therefore, identifying and addressing the social exclusion of young people is a precondition for sustaining peace.


Commemorate International Youth Day 2017 

Join us; learn more; organize!

The official commemorative event to celebrate International Youth Day at the United Nations Headquarters in New York will take place on Friday, 11 August 2017. To learn more about how you can participate in the event or watch it live, click here!

To organize your own event or activity, check out our toolkit of ideas here!

To add your event to our Map of Events click here!

To learn more about the issue of youth building peace, click here!

UN HQ

WFO Mourns the Passing of UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin

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The World Family Organzization is deeply saddened by the sudden passing of Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

A renowned global public health leader, Dr. Osotimehin actively participated at the World Family Summit +10 held in China in 2014, and was widely regarded for his work on sexual and reproductive health. He was appointed as the head UNFPA in November 2010 and assumed office on 1 January 2011. He also held senior positions in the Nigeria, including the country’s Minister of Health.

UNFPA is dedicated to continuing Dr. Osotimehin’s grand vision for women and young people and will continue to stand up for the human rights and dignity of everyone, particularly the most vulnerable adolescent girls.

Our thoughts are with his family, the people of Nigeria, and members of the United Nations at this difficult time.

 

 

UN HQ

DESA NGO News — 2 June 2017

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EVENTS

5 – 9 June: United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
A high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development will be convened in New York, from 5 to 9 June 2017, coinciding with World Oceans Day, to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. The Conference will be co-hosted by the Governments of Fiji and Sweden.

The Conference shall comprise plenary meetings, partnership dialogues and a special event commemorating World Oceans Day. The Conference shall adopt by consensus a concise, focused, intergovernmentally agreed declaration in the form of a “Call for Action” to support the implementation of Goal 14 and a report containing the co-chairs’ summaries of the partnership dialogues, as well as a list of voluntary commitments for the implementation of Goal 14, to be announced at the Conference.
For more information: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/topics/oceans/SDG14Conference
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=373&type=13&menu=14

13 – 15 June: 10th session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
The Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is one of the largest and most diverse disability-related meetings in the world. Over 1200 high-level Government ministerial delegates and representatives of UN agencies and civil society organizations attend the three-day Conference at UN Headquarters in New York. Along with the Plenary sessions of the COSP, over seventy side-events are also convened by States Parties and other stakeholders, in parallel with the Conference. During the 10th session of the COSP in 2017, for the first time ever, the UN Secretariat will also provide an opportunity for States Parties and other stakeholders to highlight innovations and advancements in the implementation of the Convention, through an exhibition held at UN Headquarters.
More information on the 10th session of the Conference of States Parties to the CRPD (COSP10): http://bit.ly/crpd_cosp10
COSP10 NGO registration for ECOSOC and COSP accredited NGOs, only: http://bit.ly/UNC (closes on 2 June)
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=389&type=13&menu=14

15 June – 7 July: United Nations Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons, Leading Towards their Total Elimination
By resolution 71/258, the General Assembly decided to convene in 2017 a United Nations Conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination. The Assembly encouraged all Member States to participate in the Conference and decided that it shall convene in New York with the participation and contribution of international organizations and civil society representatives. The Conference will be held in New York from 27 to 31 March and from 15 June to 7 July 2017. https://www.un.org/disarmament/ptnw/ngo.html
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=383&type=13&menu=14

3 – 28 July: 120th session – Human Rights Committee
At its forthcoming 120th session in Geneva, the Human Rights Committee will examine the efforts of the following seven countries to implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Honduras, Liechtenstein, Madagascar, Mongolia, Pakistan, Swaziland, Switzerland. The Committee will also adopt lists of issues on the following countries: Lebanon, Liberia. The Committee will also adopt lists of issues prior to on the following countries: Peru, Chad, Czech Republic.
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=396&type=13&menu=14

10 – 19 July: High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development
Registration for the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) is now open to major groups and other stakeholders (MGoS). The HLPF will take place on 10 – 19 July 2017 at UN Headquarters in New York. In accordance with General Assembly resolution 67/270, registration is open for two categories of NGOs to participate in the HLPF: (1) Organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC; and (2) organizations on the CSD Roster. The deadline for registration is 11 June 2017.
For more information or to register, please visit the following website: http://bit.ly/HLPF2017
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=395&type=13&menu=14

4 – 15 September: 13th Session, Committee on Enforced Disappearances, Geneva
At its forthcoming 13th session in September 2017 in Geneva, the Committee on Enforced Disappearances will examine the efforts of the following countries to implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance: Gabon and Lithuania. The Committee will also adopt lists of issues on the reports submitted by Albania, Austria and Honduras. To attend, please register here: http://bit.ly/CED13 More information: http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/treatybodyexternal/SessionDetails1.aspx?SessionID=1103&Lang=en
http://csonet.org/index.php?page=view&nr=383&type=13&menu=14

NEWS

2017 Resumed Session of the Committee on NGOs
The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations met from 22 – 31 May to consider applications for consultative status, reclassification, change of name and merger, as well as to review quadrennial reports submitted by organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC.

The Committee had before it 164 new applications for consultative status and 221 applications deferred from previous sessions. In addition, it considered 280 new and deferred quadrennial reports. For the first time, the Committee session had been broadcast online at webtv.un.org, allowing for greater transparency with civil society.

The Committee approved the dates 29 January to 6 February and 22 February, and 21 to 31 May and 11 June for the 2018 regular and resumed sessions, respectively.

The Committee will reconvene on 12 June to adopt the report of the session and conclude its work.

DESA Workshops with stakeholders: ECA
On 17 May, 2017 at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the ECA, with the support of DESA/DSD, hosted a Preparatory and Capacity-Building workshop for Major Groups and other stakeholders. This workshop took place during the ECA Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD), and counted with the participation of approximately 80 representatives of African major groups and other stakeholders (MGoS) in order to build their capacity to participate in review process of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels. African MGoS agreed on a joint communiqué which was shared with the ARFSD in the form of a plenary statement. DSD, through the EC grant, supported stakeholder participation in this important forum. More information is available at: http://www.uneca.org/arfsd2017

High Level Political Forum (HLPF) Ministerial Declaration
On 26 May 2017, DESA-DSD facilitated a meeting between the co-facilitators of the 2017 HLPF Ministerial Declaration (the Permanent Representatives of Austria and Jamaica) and Major Groups and other stakeholders to hear their views on the draft elements for the Ministerial Declaration. Over 50 MGoS attended the meeting in person and via webinar. DSD will share a summary of the meeting with the co-facilitators, as well as the inputs submitted by MGoS in writing.

USEFUL LINKS

DESA NGO Branch
http://csonet.org

ECOSOC Main page
http://www.un.org/ecosoc/en

Daily updates on Twitter
http://twitter.com/un_ngo

ECOSOC on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/unecosoc

NGO Liaison Office, United Nations Office at Geneva
http://unog.ch/ngo

United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS)
http://www.un-ngls.org

UN Department of Public Information, NGO Relations
http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection

OHCHR Civil Society Section
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/AboutUs/Pages/CivilSociety.aspx

OHCHR Civil Society Update Subscription
http://conta.cc/can6Gf

AT YOUR SERVICE

Committee on NGOs Home Page
http://csonet.org/index.php?menu=80