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58th
Annual UN-DPI/NGO Conference, September
7-9, 2005>
Impressions from the Conference
The last five years
were examined for three days at the United
Nations...
by
Bircan ÜNVER
http://www.lightmillennium.org/
September 10, 2005 - New York
The three days of the conference held
at the UN examined the fact that “war
and terror” have been put into the
agenda within the last five years despite
the decisions taken and signatures collected
toward the goal of "lessening the
poverty and increasing the education level”
within the frame of Millennium Development
Goals of the World Summit in year 2000.
A conference was held for the 58th Anniversary
of the Department of Public Information
- Non-Governmental Organizations/DPI-NGO,
at the UN, between 7-9 September 2005
which reviewed and evaluated the last
five years.
(http://www.undpingoconference.org/)
In the conference titled “Our Challenge:
Voices for Peace, Partnership & Renewal,”
the eight main articles of the Millennium
Development Goals formed the definition
of the “challenges” that were
reviewed during the conference.
The Millennium Development Goals:
http://www.un.org.tr/undp_tur/MDG.asp
(for detailed information)
The targets set for the year 2015:
1. Halving extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieving universal primary education
3. Promoting gender equality
4. Reducing under-five mortality by two-thirds
5. Reducing maternal mortality by three-quarters
6. Reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS, malaria,
and TB
7. Ensuring environmental sustainability
8. Developing a global partnership for
development, with targets for aid, trade,
and debt relief
-- United Nations – World Summit
-2000
Portrait of the Last Five Years:
The 900 billion USD/year of expenses made
for weapons increased poverty not only
in the poor nations, but also in the Western
countries. Both the expert speakers and
the NGOs made it clear by giving examples
and statistics that we’re very behind
the goals set in the Millennium Development
Goals program at the end of the first
five year period, and the main agenda
has been changed.
Jan Egelan, Coordinator for Humanitarian
Affairs and Emergency Relief, Under Secretary
General, UN, after giving examples from
the Tsunami and Katrina disasters, made
the suggestion that a global EMERGENCY
HELP FUND should be created for the natural
disasters with the contributions from
rich countries who are members of the
UN.
The Emergency Help Fund would aim to make
unlimited help available in case of a
natural disaster. This would be used to
help especially countries like in Africa
where the media is not interested in.
The help would be available regardless
of the geography, religion, race or culture
and would be offered with respect to the
affected country’s needs.
It was also brought to the attention that
more than 700 million people from 50 countries
are facing death because of hunger; 20
million people only in Africa are struggling
with hunger; there is an increase in the
ratio of illiteracy instead of any decrease;
there is no improvement made in the current
education level yet; education has been
divided into two categories as for rich
and poor; girls don’t have the equal
rights for education with boys; women
need to be given equal rights in social
life; HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria
are still not treated in poor countries
even though there is cure available for
these diseases. It was stated that only
one million people are controlling the
whole of the Earth’s resources and
together with their circles, a total of
five million people are controlling the
whole human force with the whole of the
Earth’s resources and this is creating
huge and dangerous precipices.
It was discussed and evaluated under different
subjects that this result is in fact putting
in danger not only the security and future
of the poor but also of the rich.
Parallel to this, there were panels, workshops
and question and answer sessions that
included suggestions based on “collective
security” regarding that the bureaucratic
mechanism of the UN, which is 60 years
old, should be improved and reformed,
and discussions on how the youth can become
more active, participating and productive
through NGOs.
It was emphasized that NGOs were not given
the chance to attend the summits, including
the World Summit 2005. For this reason,
DPI-NGO conference, parallel to the pre-discussions
before the Summit, gave an opportunity
to the NGOs for their voice to be heard
and reflected at the Summit.
It was also mentioned that, even if it
is started now and worked with great collaboration
and support, and the first three important
period goals are achieved in 2010 and
2015, it will be a tiny step taken in
terms of the development and security
of the humanity and the Earth when compared
to the huge economical and social precipices.
It was criticized that many leaders of
the world have been quickly forgetting
about the agreements they had signed once
they return to their countries and therefore
their promises and implementations do
not ever match and this has become a chronic
habit.
With this reason, a call was made to all
of the country leaders to stay faithful
to the agreements they make and keep their
promises.
In this respect, it was also stated that
if a country leader forgets about what
he signed and does not keep his/her promise,
it is the main duty and responsibility
of the NGOs to remind him/her the promises
he/she gave and make him/her implement
those.
Besides all this, there were hopes raised
that, even though the year 2005 was missed,
the goals that will be set for 2010 and
2015 during the World Summit 2005 will
be reached through the roles that the
NGOs would take. It was stated that all
the NGOs should take on very important
roles within this respect and period,
and they will have a key duty to reach
these goals.
Many speakers, including the Chair of
the 58th Annual DPI/NGO Conference, Joseph
Donnely, the 59th General Asembly President
Jean Ping, speakers Wahu Karaa and Jan
England, and the General Secretary Kofi
Annan, emphasized that the NGOs are “the
security and future of humanity as well
as of the Earth.”
At the same time, it was reflected as
the mutual energy and message of the conference
that the NGOs might take on a more effective
duty and role both at local and global
levels in all areas of social layers.
It was informed that DPI-NGO’s 58th
Anniversary Conference was a conference
in which the international NGO’s
have participated at the highest level
until today at the UN. It was brought
to attention that the collaboration with
NGO’s will be implemented more actively
and effectively in parallel to realizing
the foreseen UN reform. Wahu Karaa, one
of the founding members of the Global
Call to Action Against Poverty organization,
demanded that the World Summit of UN,
who is celebrating its 60th anniversary,
to be the last summit which the NGO’s
were not included.
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| Amblem
of the United Nations |
Jan
Egeland, Keynote Speaker of the
Opening Session |
Wanu
Kaara, Keynote Speaker of the Opening
Session. |
Joseph
Donnely, Chair of the Conference |
General
Assembly Hall with two wide screens
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Depending on whether the common agreements,
which has summarized in 45 pages following
the World Summit, within the frame of
Millennium Development Goals, will be
implemented or not, the end results will
have the effect and role either to improve
the future of all of us or to put it into
danger. For this reason, each and every
one of us has to be more sensitive to
these matters and form collaborations
within our own capacities, and stop the
possible negativities from now on!
Only we can dream and make real a world,
for us and for our children, where we
are more responsible, filled with love,
respect and care to one another, from
five to hundred years old, more active,
more productive and more participating,
where we secure not only the moment but
also the future of our children.
Only on that condition, it will be possible
to develop and grow the peace culture,
to live in a bright and beautiful world,
by producing, developing mentally and
physically, and with more strength.
Otherwise, may nobody feel him/herself
secure…
--
Translated by Figen BINGÜL
This
article was widely e-distributed on September
2005 in Turkish.
For
Millennium Development Goals>
http://www.un.org.tr/undp/MDG.asp
--
Photos: Light Millennium, 2005
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