Global Campaign Against Poverty (GCAP)White Band Day II – Wake up to Poverty! [Archives:2005/877/Reportage]
The Global Call to Action against Poverty is a worldwide alliance committed to making world leaders live up to their promises, and to making a breakthrough on poverty in 2005.
It is an alliance between a range of actors around the common cause of ending poverty: existing coalitions, community groups, trade unions, individuals, religious and faith groups, campaigners and more.
On 10th September, four days before the United Nations Summit, millions of people across the world stood united on the second White Band Day to demand that world leaders Wake-Up to Poverty.
Throughout 2005, groups and individuals will be planning their own local, national and international activities.
On the eve of the summit heads of state and government, marking the 60th anniversary of the United Nations, world leaders will be forced to confront how little progress has been made towards the Millennium Goals, to which, in 2000, they committed themselves to reaching within 15 years. The goals include the eradication of extreme hunger and poverty, universal primary education, gender equality and empowerment for women, reduction of child mortality, improvement in maternal health, combatting HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, as well as ensuring environmental sustainability and developing a global partnership for development.
GCAP Yemen's National Coalition
On September 10th 2005 and as part of GCAP's activities, the GCAP National Collation in Yemen organized a Discussion Session of Yemen's report to the UN Summit with the purpose of formulating the GCAP's message to the UN Summit. The event took-place at the Women's Studies and Development Centre at Sana'a University, lasted for three hours and attended by more than 50 participants representing Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), academicians, UN agencies (UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF), media and government officials. The government of Yemen – represented by the Deputy Minister of Development Plans at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) – presented Yemen's report to UN Summit and the GCAP National Collation presented the role of CSOs to contribute to achieving MDGs. Participants discussed both presentations and articulated recommendations and demands from the international community meeting at the UN Summit and the government of Yemen.
On September 12th 2005 and on the basis of the outcome of the event, representatives of the GCAP National Collation and Oxfam GB met with Ms. Flavia Pansieri, the UN Resident Coordinator in Yemen and forwarded CSOs' letter (Yemeni Civil Society Organizations' “CSOs” Call For Action Against Poverty) to the UN Summit. The GCAP National Collation forwarded copies of the letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Chairperson of Yemen's team to the UN Summit, MoPIC and the media.
Yemen's report
The report aimed at discussing the government's report to UN Summit in order to ensure it reflects CSOs' stands that emphasized pro-poor and engendered processes to achieve MDGs by 2015. And to articulate CSOs' demands from the Summit and the government.
Dr. Muthar Al-Abbassi, the Deputy Minister of Development Plans at the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (MoPIC) presented Yemen's report to the Summit. The presentation focuses on: (i) the progress to attain MDGs so far and, (ii) Yemen's plan to achieve MDGs by 2015. It highlights the following key points:
– If the current trend continues, Yemen is unlikely to achieve MDGs by 2015 with exception of the targets related to basic education for all and infant mortality.
– Yemen has been selected by the UN Millennium Project as one of eight pilot countries qualified for the project's support to achieve MDG within the specified timeframe.
– With effective participation of all stakeholders and development's partners, the government assessed the needs to achieve MDGs and, subsequently, prepared a long-term plan (2006 – 2015).
– The government decided to align the forthcoming third five-years national plan with the Poverty Reduction Strategy in one document (the Third Five-Years National Plan for Development and Poverty Reduction “TFNPDPR; 2006 – 2010”). The plan is under finalization and focuses on: (a) incentives to economic growth, (b) food security, (c) education, (d) health and population, (e) water and environment, (f) infrastructure, (g) good governance, and (h) gender equality.
– The TFNPDPR will emphasize and encourage the following mechanisms: (i) partnership with private sector, (ii) partnership with civil society in the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the plan, and (iii) international cooperation focusing on: (i) donors and (ii) meeting donors' requirement of good governance, improved absorption capacity and others.
Mr. Yahya Al-Duba of the GCAP National Collation presented the role of CSOs to contribute to achieving MDGs in Yemen emphasizing that CSOs participated in the preparations of the MDGs' Needs Assessment Country Report and the TFNPDPR. They also would contribute to achieving MDGs through participation in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Their major role should be in monitoring to ensure accountable and transparent implementation of the MDGs'-focused plans. Moreover, Mr. Al-Duba emphasized that the government should recognize CSOs as equal partner and, therefore, should create an enabling environment for CSOs including revised laws and more space to participate in MDGs' monitoring mechanisms.
CSOs' Message to UN Summit and Yemen's Government
In view of the outcomes of the discussion session, the GCAP National Collation assisted by Oxfam GB compiled a letter to the UN Secretary General, World's Leaders and Yemen Government. The letter provides key information on Yemen's basic development indicators, highlights the roles of CSOs and specifies certain demands from the international community and the government of Yemen. CSOs' demanded international community to:
– Commit morally and ethically to the resources pledged and promised to poor countries in general and Yemen in specific, in the UN Summit.
– Increase unconditional and harmonized development aid to Yemen to meet MDGs targets by 2015 based on the MDGs' Needs Assessment Country Report.
– Ensure Government accountability and transparency to aid through adequate monitoring systems.
– Ensure gender needs are met to support Yemeni women in their practical and strategic gender needs.
– To pledge resources to CSOs in Yemen to contribute to achieving MDGs.
CSOs' demanded Yemen's government to
– Recognize civil society as an equal partner in development and poverty reduction.
– Create an enabling environment for civil society to pursue its role in attaining MDGs through effective contribution in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
– To ensure aid is used for the purposes it meant for, reaches the poor in Yemen, spent in transparent and accountable ways.
– Ensure adequate resources to address poverty in rural areas promote gender equality and respond to the priorities of the disadvantageous groups.
What are the Millennium Development goals?
The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world's countries and all the world's leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world's poorest.
“We will have time to reach the Millennium Development Goals – worldwide and in most, or even all, individual countries – but only if we break with business as usual.
We cannot win overnight. Success will require sustained action across the entire decade between now and the deadline. It takes time to train the teachers, nurses and engineers; to build the roads, schools and hospitals; to grow the small and large businesses able to create the jobs and income needed. So we must start now. And we must more than double global development assistance over the next few years. Nothing less will help to achieve the Goals.”
United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi A. Annan
The Goals
– Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
– Achieve universal primary education
– Promote gender equality and empower women
– Reduce child mortality
– Improve maternal health
– Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
– Ensure environmental sustainability
– Develop a global partnership for development
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