22 August 2013 – CIVICUS, the global civil society alliance, has welcomed the UN Secretary General’s recently released report on the post-2015 development agenda.
A life of dignity for all: accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals and advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015, is strongly underpinned by a human rights based approach which CIVICUS believes is a positive step, raising hopes for the adoption of a holistic and relevant development framework to succeed the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
“A major shortcoming of the present MDGs is their failure to prioritise good governance supported by democratic freedoms. The report emphasises the need to uphold human rights and rightly states that freedom from fear and want are inseparable,” said Danny Sriskandarajah, Secretary General of CIVICUS.
A life of dignity for all captures a number of key demands by CIVICUS and other civil society groups to address major impediments to development such as the global democratic deficit, social and political exclusion and widening inequality. The report calls for “a far reaching vision of the future firmly anchored on human rights and universally accepted values and principles including those encapsulated in the [UN] Charter and the Millennium Declaration.”
“We are pleased with the overall tone of the report which sees civil society as a key partner in development. However, in light of increasing threats to civil society through restrictive laws and practices by democratic and authoritarian governments alike, it would have been useful to emphasise the need to create an enabling environment for civil society in the report,” said Sriskandarajah.
Notably, the report underscores the need for peace and stability, human rights and effective governance based on the rule of law, and transparent institutions as outcomes and enablers of development. It emphasises that “no person should go hungry, lack shelter or clean water and sanitation, face social and economic exclusion or live without access to basic health and education.” And that “these are human rights and form the foundations for a decent life.” It recognises that the eradication of poverty is “a justice and human rights issue,” urging political leaders to engage with civil society and responsible businesses.
The report resonates with CIVICUS’ long held view on inclusion of all sections of the population in development initiatives and in placing citizens at the centre of policy making. It identifies the urgency needed in prioritising the aspirations and rights of those who are generally marginalised and most vulnerable, including women, children, the aged, indigenous people, those with disabilities and the rural poor. It calls for a redoubling of efforts and shifting of focus to those who are confronted by specific development challenges, especially those in the global south.
“We are pleased to note that in line with the Montreal Declaration adopted at the CIVICUS World Assembly in 2012, the report supports the importance of linking key outcomes from the Rio+ 20 Conference on Sustainable Development with a coherent post-2015 development framework,” said Jeffery Huffines, CIVICUS UN representative in New York. “By placing human rights at the centre of the post-2015 development agenda, this report sets the tone for the next set of goals. It is now the responsibility of member states to build on the content of the report when they meet at the UN General Assembly in September 2013. We hope that heads of government will work with civil society as equal partners in creating the world we want.”
A life of dignity for all points out that any successor goals to the MDGs should be fostered by a global partnership, premised on the common humanity of citizens, reaffirming the fundamental values of freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for the planet and shared responsibility. It underscores the centrality of sustainable development including through the need to promote inclusive growth which addresses inequalities; engender social justice by eliminating discrimination and socio-cultural exclusion; and encourage environmental stewardship that protects bio-diversity and addresses climate change. It supports multi-stakeholder partnerships and promotes a data revolution for monitoring progress and strengthening accountability which must include the active participation of civil society if the future sustainable development goals are to be realised.
