VIEW FROM THE CWP
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS
I would like to associate myself with the focus of the first 2015 issue of The Parliamentarian, which is the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. I am glad that the publication identified this very important subject as the central issue. With most targets of the Millennium Development Goals concluding at the end of 2015, it was vital to have goals that set the stage for an ambitious future development agenda albeit in a sustainable framework. I am confident that the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will offer the perfect platform for a comprehensive post-2015 development agenda. The Rio+20 outcome document The Future We Want resolved to set up an all-encompassing and transparent intergovernmental process on SDGs that is open to all stakeholders, with a view to developing global sustainable development goals to be agreed by the United Nations General Assembly. I was thrilled that the outcome document mandated the formation of an inter-governmental Open Working Group that will submit a report to the 68th session of the General Assembly containing a proposal for sustainable development goals for deliberation and suitable action. The outcome document specifies that the process leading to
action at local, national, regional, and global levels;
pit one dimension of sustainable development against another;
society;
Rt Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, MP Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians and Speaker of the Parliament of Uganda
the SDGs needs to be coordinated and coherent with the processes considering the post 2015 development agenda and that initial input to the work of the Open Working Group will be provided by the UNSG in consultation with national governments.
As aptly illustrated in the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Action Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDSN 2013a), the SDGs will be complementary to the tools of international law, such as legally binding global treaties and conventions, by providing a common normative framework that fosters collaboration across countries, mobilizes all stakeholders, and inspires action. I envisage the following advantages to be realized with the advent of these well-crafted development goals: development challenges, including neglected ones;
8 | The Parliamentarian | 2015: Issue One
As Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP), I am most specifically concerned with the component of addressing women’s plight globally. Suffice to say that I was deeply pleased to find my well captured under SDG No. 5: achieve gender equality of all women and girls. The CWP continues to strive to propagate ways of increasing female representation in Parliament and work towards mainstreaming of gender considerations in all CPA activities and programmes. As such, SDG No. 5 is very much a component of our work. Throughout my leadership journey, from the first time I assumed elective office to date, I have always passionately fought to end the marginalization of all women and girls. I would therefore like to comment more specifically on the dynamics of the efforts of ensuring gender equality of all women and girls. Creating a world where the equal dignity and worth of every individual is respected and valued is simple to articulate, but difficult to deliver. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) was a powerful statement of intent, and in the intervening years attempts were made in every jurisdiction to create legislative, administrative, and judicial mechanisms to ensure these values were upheld. In the process a genuinely universal standard has emerged that countries across the world subscribe to, and communities across the world aspire to.
However, human rights mechanisms thus far have tended to focus primarily on civil and political rights, instead of the full spectrum of human rights, including socio-economic and cultural rights. I would like to emphasize that it is important that the post-2015 agenda focuses on guaranteeing fundamental equalities, and goes beyond non-discrimination. In the short term, there is a need to create full, decent productive employment opportunities for women and access to finance, as well as to continue to provide social protection, and
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80