FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

How does Civic Society evaluate the outcome of the Doha UN Financing for Development – Review Conference

Members of 250 civil society organizations and networks representing more than one hundred million citizens around the world came together in a Civil Society Forum (Doha, Qatar, 25-27 November, 2008) leading to the Review Conference for Financing for Development. We prepared and presented to the Review Conference a Civil Society Declaration under the theme “investing in people-centred development.” We addressed an open letter to the President of the General Assembly, citing our hopes and lead recommendations for the Conference.

2008-12-01

After four days of intense inter-governmental negotiations, how does Civil Society evaluate the outcome of the Doha UN Conference?

1. The world urgently needs effective decisions and follow-up which are inclusive and decisive.  Civil society asked for a new UN Summit on Economic and Financial matters.  The Conference has agreed that “the UN will hold a conference at the highest level on the world financial and economic crisis and its impact on development.  The conference will be organized by the President of the General Assembly and the modalities will be defined by March 2009 at latest.”

Civil society desires to be a full partner in achieving a successful result.

We remind delegates and officials that those most seriously affected in every country are expecting material action which reverses the slide into poverty; increases resources for development and mobilization against climate change; stimulates employment; and supports life and access to health for those marginalized and threatened by disease and disaster.

To lead in developing inclusive governance and effective responses to current and long-term crises, the United Nations requires an effective and well-resourced follow-up facility.

As Civil Society, we complement the UN on practices developed in Financing for Development which ensured regular consultation with civil society networks and formal participation in key events.  While experiences in some aspects of the Review Conference which marginalized civil society voices have led to frustration and protest, we are committed to enhancing avenues of participation and impact.

2.  The Review Conference re-affirmed Monterrey goals, took hesitant note of the current crises and their impacts, failed to move adequately forward in a number of urgent subjects, but moved beyond Monterrey in several important areas. In many respects this Conference was a missed opportunity.

• The Heads of  State and Government and High Representatives ‘once again commit ourselves to eradicate poverty, achieve sustained economic growth and promote sustainable development as we advance to a fully inclusive and equitable global economic system’. There was no slipping backwards from the Monterrey commitments on paper: the millennium goals, right to development and overall commitment to just and democratic societies, quantity and quality of aid and debt are all there.
• With regard to Gender equality the outcome document in Doha goes far beyond the 2002 Monterrey Consensus. It is especially laudable that it commits to the promotion of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment as essential to achieving equitable and effective development. However, the commitments to gender equality in the document will only be truly meaningful if the systemic issues that underpin poverty are decisively addressed. SO cuts in public service provision, including education and health, increase the burden of unpaid and invisible work done mainly by women.
• With regard to Decent Work we welcome the clear recognition of its centrality to development strategies and eradicating poverty. But now we need the decent jobs for women and men more urgently than ever.
• Civil society asked for the upgrading of the UN Committee on Tax to an inter-governmental body. This was not agreed. But consideration continues and civil society organizations are prepared to contribute to strengthened action on tax through the United Nations.
• A number of innovative financing mechanisms can be advanced, as long as they are on top of the regular (0.7) development commitments.

3. Civil society has contributed in several ways to the result of the Conference.

In an open letter to the President of the General Assembly and in our address to the Plenary, we conveyed the comprehensive messages of our Civil Society Forum, and we see evidence, although not as much as we would hope, that some of that advice has been taken on board. We faced obstacles to effective participation in most Roundtables and had less than optimum access to delegations on the floor. In future we need more serious and interactive dialogue, and we would appreciate steps to be taken to enhance not only our own but a wider and more divers participation from civil society.

IN CONCLUSION: A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

Although the final declaration mentions the need to convene next march in a  ‘UN conference at the highest level’, we as Civil Society are most concerned about the lack of urgency and of any further commitment concerning the implementation of a great number of recommendations – including core issues challenging financing for development such as trade, Foreign Direct Investment, mobilizing local resources, innovative funding – all these were inadequately dealt with or postponed to forthcoming meetings, at a time that people around the world are suffering directly from the persisting and combined crises.

The following statement was delivered at a press conference at the Doha Financing for Development Review Conference by:

Gemma Adaba, ITUC and spokesperson for the Civil Society Forum for Financing for development

Sylvia Borren, GCAP

Ziad Abdel Samad, and

John W. Foster, North-South Institute/Social Watch (Chair)

Press release by the DNG Doha NGO Group on Financing for Development - ANND, NGO Committee on FfD, CIDSE , New Rules for Global Finance Coalition, EURODAD, AFRODAD, Third World Network, Social Watch - Third World Institute, LATINDADD,  UBUNTU Forum, ITUC, Women’s Working Group on Financing for Development, AWEPON

###