UN
High Level Panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda
By
Esther Eshiet*
As
the whole world counts down to the 2015 as the deadline for the fulfillment of
the Millennium Development Goals, it was very timely that the United Nations
began the process of evaluating the performance of the MDGs and started
planning towards shaping the next set of development goals.
One
of such strategies was the setting up of the UN High Level Panel of Eminent
Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda by the UN Secretary-General, Mr.
Ban Ki-Moon. With the primary role of shaping up the global development
framework after 2015; the Panel of 26 eminent persons met in London from
October 31st – November 2nd 2012 for its first outreach session. The outreach session was aimed at consulting
with individuals and organizations from the private sector, civil society and
youth in order to evaluate the missing links of the current Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) and to initiate conversations on the next global
development framework as the MDGs expire in 2015.
Along
with 23 other young persons, I was selected to be a part of the Youth Panel to
the outreach session of the Eminent Persons Group and I think, this was one of
the most memorable moments in my career; not because of just being on the Panel
but for the role of representing the voices of over 70 million young Nigerians.
With focus on Household Poverty as its overarching theme, the youth
consultation was also centered on cross cutting issues such as jobs and
livelihoods, education, sexual and reproductive health/rights as well as skills
development. We employed different strategies to drive home the messages of
what we want included in the next set of development goals. It was very
encouraging and honoring for me to sit alongside with Eminent Persons,
distinguished envoys and youth representatives from across the globe to discuss
youth issues in the processes of the post-2015 development agenda.
Some
of the major outcomes for this consultation were several pledges by members of
the Eminent Persons Group and others to engage young persons in each step of
the Post-2015 development processes, including the appointment of a youth observer
in the Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Post-2015.
As
a participant in the consultations, I am very happy to see that some of the
suggestions have been taken into account within three months after the London
consultation with the appointment of Ms. Jiajun Xu as the Youth Liaison in the
UN High Level Panel Secretariat, organization of regional and youth-led
consultations in Africa and Asia, creation of a dedicated website by the High
Level Panel and the appointment of Mr. Ahmad Alhindawi as the UN
Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth.
While
these achievements are commendable, we need to keep focus on pushing for the
appointment of a youth observer to the High Level Panel and much more
importantly sustain and increase the momentum of mobilizing our peers to add
their voice in deciding what world we want. One of such opportunities is participating via http://www.myworld2015.org. Online consultations on core themes of health,
education, jobs and livelihoods, environment as well as good governance are
also currently ongoing via the World We Want Website (www.worldwewant.org). There will also
be more than 50 national consultations as well as offline/online voting mechanisms
via the “My World” Mini Survey Toolkit (http://www.myworld2015.org). For young people like me who have grown in the wake of
the MDGs, this is an opportunity to decide what we want as the next set of
development goals. It is not just our right, but our responsibility!
For
more information on the UN High Level Panel and how to engage; visit: www.theworldwewant.org ; http://www.myworld2015.org
Esther
Eshiet* is a youth participant in the outreach session of the
Secretary-General’s High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015
Development Agenda, held in London during 23 October-2 November, 2012.
Nessun commento:
Posta un commento