PHM-Exch> post 2015: THE ACTIONS WE NEED FOR THE FUTURE WE WANT - A CIVIL SOCIETY RED FLAG

[Claudio Schuftan]

[delivered at the UN]

THE ACTIONS WE NEED FOR THE FUTURE WE WANT

Mr. Presidents, Mr. Secretary-General, excellencies, representatives of
governments and
civil society partners, good morning. Thank you, for inviting me to this
session. We
congratulate this initiative of promoting the thematic debates that, we
hope, will inspire
the new global development framework post-2015.
I will focus my presentation on four lessons learned from MDG 8 and how to
strengthen
global partnerships in the new framework.
The First Lesson: The planet and the lives within it are not for sale.
The proved not effective mantra of “ economic growth at any cost” should be
over. The
challenge we face today is really about rebuilding a world repeatedly in
the brink of
collapse. And the way we have been establishing partnerships so far will
never lead us
to achieve sustainable development at all and for all.
MDG 8 called for Global Partnerships driven by governments. However, we
have seen the
power of corporations going beyond the institutional notion of
“government-ruling
state”, eroding the already built public services infrastructure.
I will refrain here from delving into issues of greed and corruption that
fuels some
partnerships, blocking necessary legal reforms aligned with the
aspirational principle of
equality, freedom and social justice for all. But, just as food for
thought: it is estimated
that about thirty (30) trillion US dollars are stored in international Tax
Havens1. And this
money comes from all regions in world.
The reality check is that today the land, the air, the water and even our
own genes have
become commercializable and transformed into private properties. Trade
policies are
not necessarily aligned with public priorities and common goods,
undermining the
access to services that are supposed to be universal, comprehensive,
non-discriminatory,
of high quality, and free of charge.
For many of us, this context partly explains the combination of crises we
continuously
face, including food insecurity, energy and climate change. But,
unfortunately, we have
only a few leaders courageous enough to call for a change in the nature of
such
partnerships.

1
http://www.globalresearch.ca/trillions-stashed-in-offshore-tax-havens/32485),
Tax
Justice
2

This is one of the reasons why we still face the outrageous global
inequality – with
almost one billion people in extreme poverty and hunger while 99 percent of
the global
wealth is owned by only twenty-nine thousand individuals, accordingly to
the Credit
Suisse. Poverty is not limited by frontiers or “country classifications”.
Poverty now is
everywhere: in both developing and developed countries.
Economic growth based upon asymmetrical domination, including gender
inequality,
undermines countries and peoples’ ability to benefit equally from
development. It is not,
for instance, only about increasing the economic empowerment of women for
then to be
able to feed into the consumerist machine. It must be about promoting their
economic
independence and autonomy that will allow them to enjoy all rights they
have as citizens
they are.
In view of the systemic free market failures of the past decade (and we
have to recognize
that they failed) it is time for States to claim back the driving seat of
the Global
Partnerships for Development.
States must be the protector and main sponsor of human rights in
development rather
than a mere enabler of private sector enrichment under the influence of
trickle-down
economic dogmas.
It is time for a new era of Economic Democracy.
Second Lesson: A truly sustainable and equitable future demands formal
mechanisms
of accountability and an enabling environment for Civil Society
Participation.
In future partnerships must also focus on civil society organizations as
crucial partners,
recognizing the our central role in implementing the Post-2015 development
framework.
The current goals and accounting tools did not value the contribution of
communities
and did not recognize our crucial role in strengthening democracy and
citizenship. The
fact is that the current partnership model have reduced civil society to
subcontractors
and implementing partners, removing the space for policy discussions on
alternative
approaches. As a result, critical advocacy, human rights and civic
engagement related
programs are receiving less and less attention and resources.
In this way, we recommend that the new global development framework include
a
target that promotes partnerships between the UN, governments and civil
society at all
levels. Additionally, indicators must be included to measure the existence
of an enabling
legal environment for civil society work and accounts for the
implementation of
resources especially for advocacy work.
The results on MDG 6 should inspire such partnership model. The AIDS
response is and has been
unique: people living with HIV as well as AIDS advocates have advanced
frontiers on
sexual and reproductive health and sexual rights, access to medicines,
social protection,
trade, and proven practices in accountability. This movement has catalyzed
positive
social change, generated novel governance and financing mechanisms at
national and
international levels; it changed the way health services are delivered and
produced
3
evidence that tackling the determinants of HIV risk and vulnerability is
key to healthier,
more equitable and more secure societies.
This rich experience must inform the Post-2015 debates but there are still
a lot to be
done. For instance, a high number of partnerships for the development of
essential
drugs are not transparent, has no social participation, and are really
undermining the
sustainability of health systems. It is happening right now, for instance,
in my own
country, Brazil.
Third Lesson: We know where the money is. Let’s go for it.
Common but differentiated responsibilities are essential when considering
the means of
implementation of the future sustainable development goals. Official
development
assistance is a key element in promoting multi and bilateral partnerships
and should
remain a priority.
Moreover, there is also a very specific need to design binding agreements
that aim at
solving the financing side of implementation. In this context, more than
ever, the
enforcement of extraterritorial obligations is essential for the regulation
and
accountability of transnational corporations and, particularly, of
financial market.
ECLAC, for instance reported2 “that in almost all countries of Latin
America the internal
resources are not sufficient to finance national development, especially in
countries
facing extreme and high poverty rates”. It calls for a “progressive tax
system worldwide
and for the implementation of innovative financing mechanisms for
development, such
as global taxes, specially the financial transactions taxes”. This position
really makes
sense. Specially when considering that the global financial system3 is
worth seventy-two
times more than the global GDP.
My organization Gestos, and the organizations that I represent here today
–LACCASO,
and the Brazilian Association of NGOs, Abong– propose the implementation of
global
financial transactions taxes as both a regulatory measure as well as a
systemic revenue
generator to be applied for sustainable development. The CIA estimates that
the
Derivatives market is eleven times the Global GDP. So, as an example, one
single
financial transaction tax of only 0.05% on the global Derivatives market
alone could raise
about 68 billion US dollars per year.
Equally important, those additional resources could systemically strengthen
the
implementation capacity of multilateral institutions, such as the UN,
towards the
sustainable development goals and principles.
So, there is a lot of money out there and we know where it is. What are you
waiting for?

2
CEPAL(ECLAC).DesarrolloSostenibleEnAméricaLatinaYElCaribe:
SeguimientoDeLaAgendaDeLasNacionesUnidasParaElDesarrollo
Post-­‐2015YRío+20,August-­‐2013
3
According to the Bank of International Settlements


Fourth – and most important– lesson: There will only be sustainable
development if human rights are a reality for all.

And this is why I come before you here, today, to inform that Civil Society
has raised a
Red Flag on this negotiation. This document reinforces our commitment to
the United
Nations and express our concern that the current Post-2015 debates are
still too much
focused on economic growth only without strengthening the commitments
towards a
new cycle where human rights and justice will prevail.
Despite the call from the UN Secretary General that “no one will be left
behind” we
witness the growth of conservative forces at the UN. Sexual rights, gender
identity, safe
abortion, recognition of the rights of people who use drugs, gays,
lesbians, transgender
and of sex workers are among the pending issues at UN. This means that this
people
that historically have been left behind will continue to be so, because at
this point of the
UN history, despite all agreements and commitments affirming their
interlinks, there is
still a dangerous disconnection between development and human rights.
Therefore, it is my duty to deliver to you, your excellencies, this letter
entitled THE ACTIONS WE NEED FOR THE FUTURE WE WANT, signed by almost seven
hundred
and fifty civil society networks and organizations from all over the world,
in the past
two weeks.
Our Red Flag is clear: The future we need requires courageous actions by
now, to shape
the future we want.
Civil society organizations from around the world are watching. And we do
hope to be
heard.

Thank you.
Alessandra Nilo
Executive Director
Gestos– Hiv, Communication and Gender
Alessandra.nilo at gestos.org


THE ACTIONS WE NEED FOR THE FUTURE WE WANT
–
A CIVIL SOCIETY RED FLAG

In the past year, civil society organizations worldwide from different
fields
of work have closely followed UnitedNations MemberStates deliberations
on the post2015\development agenda. We have welcomed invitations
to contribute through online or in-­‐personal consultations and have been
suggesting development alternatives, analysis, and comprehensive
recommendations through out this process. Despite these efforts,we
are alarmed that within the post2015 discussions,little seems to be
under way to reverse the trend of doing\business as usual and that the
UN is about to lose the opportunity to transform the current vicious cycle
of development focused on economic growth alone that fuels inequalities,
inequities,environmental degradation and marginalization into a
virtuous cycle where human rights and justice prevail.
Despite the statement of the UN Secretary General that “no one will be
left behind,”the SustainableDevelopmentGoals[SDGs] are not on
track to be built on the essential priorities for a sound and effective post
2015 global agenda,namely human rights and dignity for all.
In the MillenniumDeclaration,governments made an explicit
commitment to“promote…respect for all internationally
recognized human rights(…) including the right to development
[and](…) to strive for the full protection and promotion in all our
countries ofcivil,political,economic,social and cultural rights
for all.”
It is unacceptable that at this point in UN history,despite all agreements
and commitments affirming their interlinkages,there is still a
dangerous disconnection between development and human
rights.
This means that the most important lesson from the MDGs has yet
to be learned: that sustainable development is impossible unless
human rights are at its center as a foundational pillar of vibrant,
equal and prosperous societies.
Progress on people’s rights and substantive gender equality in
the development agenda requires critical attention to interconnected
and indivisible sexual,reproductive,and other civil,political,economic,
social and cultural rights.
Moreover,in order to be truly effective and inclusive in the face of current
global inequalities,the post2015 agenda must focus on a just distribution
of the benefits of development,consider and commit to the creation of an
enabling macroeconomic environment for the achievement of development
goals and ensure that human rights underpin all development efforts.
The current level of inequalities is insulting and,as global citizens,we
do not agree with investing human and financial resources for governments
at the UN to merely reaffirm what was agreed on 20years ago,or in the Rio+20
outcome document.
We demand that you go beyond these commitments and establish a well
articulated and interlinked human rights and development agenda,with
all stakeholders held responsible for coherent and transparent policies,
programs and services.
This means naming rights holders and duty bearers,identifying obligations
of all parties,focusing on implementation and accountability through legal,
policy and institutional measures to fully realize all human rights for
everyone.
It means preventing cultural,religious,ethnic,gender or other forms of
bias,the possible non-­‐recognition of the rights of certain categories
of persons and categories of rights when shaping the future.
There will not be sustainability in any development model without
human rights.
We need and call on MemberStates and UNAgencies to demonstrate
and sustain the necessary leadership and political will to ensure
that the post2015 development agenda is based on fully realizing
the fundamental principles of human rights,equality,non-­‐discrimination,
and social justice for all.
The future we need requires courageous actions to shape the future we want.
Civil society organizations from around the world are watching.
And we do hope to be heard.

Signed by 731 civil society organizations
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