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Civil Society Forum final day
The second and final day of the Civil Society Forum began with a variety of self-organized seminars and workshops ranging from bridging the funding gap: MDGs through innovative funding mechanisms; Reaching for Tax Justice - CSO perspectives on how to capture more funds for national development; to illegitimate debt, reality of aid policies and the GCAP co-sponsored session on the F's crises: Financial, Food and Fuel.
It seemed like NGO reps were multi-tasking all day since declarations and statements were being drafted and edited throughout the day as well! I attended the Women setting the Agenda: Women's Human Rights, Right to Development and Financing for Developments (FfD) session which was a workshop "addressing the centrality of gender equality to the FfD agenda,...building upon women's movements proposals to all the FfD chapters." The outputs were inputs into the Forum Declaration, the second day's press release, as well as a Women's Statement. We also strategized on the Draft Outcome Document and current negotiations, and planned advocacy for the Sheraton, site of the official conference beginning in two days, Nov. 29.
The plenaries provided much food for thought. One interesting intervention came from someone who wasn't on the agenda, Oscar de Rojas, the Executive Director of the FfD Office. He provided some insight into the state of play around the negotiations and urged NGOs to do what we do best and that's encourage governments to deliver at this conference. Negotiations continue and apparently things are as one unnamed delegate (not Oscar) described as "very critical." Amb. Abdelaziz, one of the co-chairs of the negotiations who was scheduled to be on the programme, was unable to join us for the closing plenary.
Governments to abandon negotiations?
There was talk of governments wanting to abandon the negotiations and instead agree to a one-pager stating they had reaffirmed the Monterrey Consensus, although this would surely indicate a collapse of the FfD process. The G20 meeting a couple of weeks ago has cast a long shadow over the FfD negotiations and threatens to be a power grab rather than having those negotiations fall under the umbrella of the UN. The non G8 countries within the G20 are silent within the FfD process. The US is said to be playing hard-ball during the final days of a lame duck administration. Only 50 Heads of State are planning to attend the conference (about the same number as Monterrey), however this list does not include the head of the country where the financial crisis is taking place -- the USA. Even Calderon, Mexico's president. who was expected to attend for historical reasons, among others, connected to the Monterrey Conference, has bowed out. Most will arrive Saturday, give their speech and press conferences on Sunday, then slip out of the country to leave the nitty-gritty details to be worked out at the ministerial level.
Next days
Tomorrow, NGOs will have the first press conference focusing on certain key points, two being the centrality of financing a people-centered development and pressing for an effective follow-up mechanism within the UN. Gemma Adaba (ITUC) has been selected to present the civil society statement on the morning of the first opening plenary (a prime spot for NGOs who usually get the last slot around midnight on the last day of a conference/summit). Many NGO representatives from the South who are unable to afford the next four days left today, having been funded only for the Forum. The Forum Declaration is being finalized tomorrow morning to have ready for the press conference. It includes a laundry list of points and demands.
On a personal note, I must say I've never experienced a Thanksgiving holiday like this one ever -- grabbing a meal in 15 minutes and eating curry instead of home-cooked turkey and fixings. With events like those in Mumbai in the back of our minds, a few of us at dinner raised our glasses and expressed sincere thanks for all, for so much with which we are blessed.
Working on adrenaline and coffee during the day and staying up late in a time warp means little sleep for many of us in Doha! I accompanied a colleague with a serious case of red eye to the Doha Hamad General Hospital for free medical service the other night. That experience alone is a separate blog entry!
This blog was submitted by Rosa Lizarde of the GCAP Feminist Task Force.
Read the full text of the press release from the second day of the Civil Society Forum:
Get out of the “woods”! Civil Society supports UN-led Summit on finances
Read the full text of the Women's Statement:
Doha 2008:Women’s Rights & Gender Equality in Financing for Development
