On the evening of 2nd August 2015, at the United Nations in New York, the UN Member States reached a consensus on “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” which is set to be adopted at the UN Summit in September.Professional dissertation help delivered on time is our Ace! Place the order to make sure we are the best company nowadays!
Elizabeth Lockwood, CBM’s Representative at the UN and one of the Coordinators of IDDC’s UN Task Group, shared the following report on the consensus of the post-2015 development agenda which is also available on her blog ‘Post-2015 Consensus reached with Snapshot in Sign’.
This Agenda is truly for the people and with the mobilisation of the people in order to have a transformed planet with a sustainable and empowered society by 2030. The document is a supremely ambitious and transformational vision in which poverty eradication in all forms and dimensions is the overarching priority and central imperative of the Agenda. This is not only essential for an inclusive society, but also to achieve sustainable development and to ensure a safe and prosperous planet.
One of the most crucially important new elements of the outcome document is that it has ensured an integrated, indivisible and interlinked nature of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) throughout the document. The Agenda is people-centred and seeks to ensure, realise and protect the human rights of all.
The final document is positive for the inclusion of persons with disabilities containing 11 explicit references. Particularly strong is the paragraph on people who are vulnerable and must be empowered that references “persons with disabilities (of whom more than 80% live in poverty)” (para 23) putting persons with disabilities in the centre of poverty eradication throughout the Agenda.
Australia, Brazil and Ecuador included persons with disabilities in their closing and final post-2015 statements!
Explicit references to persons with disabilities in ‘Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’
Declaration
Human rights (para 19)
Vulnerable groups (para 23)
Education (para 25)
Sustainable Development Goals and targets
Goal 4: education = 2
Goal 8: employment = 1
Goal 10: reduce inequality = 1
Goal 11: inclusive cities = 2
Goal 17: Means of implementation, data = 1
Follow-up and review
Data disaggregation (para 74,g)
Persons with disabilities are also included wherever vulnerable is referenced (18 times) throughout the text in line with paragraph 23. Additionally, there are indirect, yet strong references that include persons with disabilities. These include the following:
- The Beijing Platform for Action (para 11) has 24 references to persons with disabilities.
- The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (para 11 & target 11b) has five references to persons with disabilities and an additional two references on universal design.
- The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway (para 42 & 64) has 10 references to persons with disabilities.
- Addis Ababa Action Agenda contains 6 explicit references to persons with disabilities and disability, 1 to inclusive education, 1 to inclusive learning environment and 2 to accessible technologies and infrastructures.
- The chapeau in the Report of the Open Working Group of the General Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals (para 54) has two references to persons with disabilities (para 4 & 17)
- Resolution 67/290 (para 89): Persons with disabilities are explicitly referenced in Resolution 67/290 as other stakeholders (para 16).
Exact Language from ‘Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’
Declaration
Para 19
We reaffirm the importance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as other international instruments relating to human rights and international law. We emphasize the responsibilities of all States, in conformity with the Charter of the United Nations, to respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of any kind as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, “disability” or other status.
Para 23
People who are vulnerable must be empowered. Those whose needs are reflected in the Agenda include all children, youth, persons with disabilities “(of whom more than 80% live in poverty)”, people living with HIV/AIDS, older persons, indigenous peoples, refugees and internally displaced persons and migrants. We resolve to take further effective measures and actions, in conformity with international law, to remove obstacles and constraints, strengthen support and meet the special needs of people living in areas affected by complex humanitarian emergencies and in areas affected by terrorism.
Para 25
We commit to providing inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels – early childhood, primary, secondary, tertiary, technical and vocational training. All people, irrespective of sex, age, race, ethnicity, and “persons with disabilities”, migrants, indigenous peoples, children and youth, especially those in vulnerable situations, should have access to life-long learning opportunities that help them acquire the knowledge and skills needed to exploit opportunities and to participate fully in society. We will strive to provide children and youth with a nurturing environment for the full realization of their rights and capabilities, helping our countries to reap the demographic dividend including through safe schools and cohesive communities and families.
Sustainable Development Goals and targets
Goal 4: Ensure “inclusive” and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all
4.5 by 2030, eliminate gender disparities in education and ensure equal access to all levels of education and vocational training for the vulnerable, including “persons with disabilities”, indigenous peoples, and children in vulnerable situations
4.a build and upgrade education facilities that are child, “disability” and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
8.5 by 2030 achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and “persons with disabilities”, and equal pay for work of equal value
Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries
10.2 by 2030 empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all irrespective of age, sex, “disability”, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
11.2 by 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, “accessible” and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, “persons with disabilities” and older persons
11.7 by 2030, provide universal access to safe, “inclusive and accessible”, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and “persons with disabilities”
Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
Systemic issues; Data, monitoring and accountability
17.18 by 2020, enhance capacity building support to developing countries, including for LDCs and SIDS, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, “disability”, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts
Follow-up and review
Para 74 (g)
Follow-up and review processes at all levels will be guided by the following principles:
They will be rigorous and based on evidence, informed by country-led evaluations and data which is high- quality, accessible, timely, reliable and disaggregated by income, sex, age, race, ethnicity, migration status, “disability” and geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts.
Indirect references in ‘Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’
Declaration
Para 11
We reaffirm the outcomes of all major UN conferences and summits which have laid a solid foundation for sustainable development and have helped to shape the new Agenda. These include the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development; the World Summit on Sustainable Development; the World Summit for Social Development; the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, the “Beijing Platform for Action”; and the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (“Rio+ 20”). We also reaffirm the follow-up to these conferences, including the outcomes of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries, the “Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States”; the Second United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries; and the “Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction”.
Means of Implementation
Para 42
We support the implementation of relevant strategies and programmes of action, including the Istanbul Declaration and Programme of Action, the “SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway”, the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024, and reaffirm the importance of supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), all of which are integral to the new Agenda. We recognize the major challenge to the achievement of durable peace and sustainable development in countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.
Follow-up and review
Para 47
Our Governments have the primary responsibility for follow-up and review, at the national, regional and global levels, in relation to the progress made in implementing the Goals and targets over the coming fifteen years. To support accountability to our citizens, we will provide for systematic follow-up and review at the various levels, as set out in this Agenda and the “Addis Ababa Action Agenda”. The High Level Political Forum under the auspices of the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council will have the central role in overseeing follow-up and review at the global level.
Para 54
Sustainable development goals and targets
Following an inclusive process of intergovernmental negotiations, and based on the Proposal of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development
Goals1, which includes a “chapeau” contextualising the latter, the following are the Goals and targets which we have agreed.
Chapeau
Para 4:
People are at the centre of sustainable development and, in this regard, in the outcome document, the promise was made to strive for a world that is just, equitable and inclusive and the commitment was made to work together to promote sustained and inclusive economic growth, social development and environmental protection and thereby to benefit all, in particular the children of the world, youth and future generations of the world, without distinction of any kind such as age, sex, “disability”, culture, race, ethnicity, origin, migratory status, religion, economic “or other status.
Para 17
To monitor the implementation of the sustainable development goals, it will be important to improve the availability of and access to data and statistics disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, “disability”, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts. There is a need to take urgent steps to improve the quality, coverage and availability of disaggregated data to ensure that no one is left behind.
Para 64
We support the implementation of relevant strategies and programmes of action, including the Istanbul Declaration and Programme of Action, the “SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway”, the Vienna Programme of Action for Landlocked Developing Countries for the Decade 2014-2024, and reaffirm the importance of supporting the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the programme of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), all of which are integral to the new Agenda. We recognize the major challenge to the achievement of durable peace and sustainable development in countries in conflict and post-conflict situations.
Means of implementation and the Global Partnership
Global level
Para 89
The HLPF will support participation in follow-up and review processes by the major groups and other relevant stakeholders in line with “Resolution 67/290”. We call on these actors to report on their contribution to the implementation of the Agenda.
For more information on the post-2015 process see Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform: Post-2015 Development Agenda
Source Article from IDDC
