Social Watch calls for universal Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) based on Human Rights, during 2012 ECOSOC meeting
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During its 2012 substantive session, from 2-27 July 2012, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) re-iterated its crucial role to follow-up results of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) that was held in June. The global watchdog organisation Social Watch called upon governments to pursue sustainable development in accordance with human rights principles. The most crucial outcome of Rio+20 was the adoption of a plan to establish so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are to complement the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) agenda. The ECOSOC, as principal organ in the follow-up of all conferences and summits, will play a crucial role in the discussions on the SDGs and the sustainability agenda post-Rio+20 in general. The substantive session comprised a High-Level Segment (HLS) including the Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) and Development Cooperation Forum (DCF); and Coordination, Operational Activities, Humanitarian Affairs, and General Segments. The DCF focused on ways to pursue sustainable development, as well as their impact on the allocation, design and delivery of development cooperation. The Operational Segment saw a discussion of the two reports of the Secretary-General for the 2012 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR). During the interactive session of the DCF on “Where do we go from Rio?”, the Coordinator of Social Watch, Roberto Bissio, pointed to the need to adhere to the Rio principles agreed at the first Earth summit in 1992. The principles were re-iterated at the Rio+20 summit, following highly controversial discussions among international leaders. Among the most contagious principles is the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities according to which developing countries are to pursue their own development and industrialised countries are to take on greater responsibility. “In looking at that principle, and what it means now, twenty years after, I think that the “common” is taking a more important weight now, while for many many years the “differentiated” has been the essential. We have to redefine the balance between the two”, Bissio said. In regard to the SDGs, Bissio emphasised the need for alternative measurements for progress, since the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was not covering the social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. He pointed to the need to focus on human rights in the creation of the goals and to take equally into account all three dimensions of sustainable development — social, economic and environmental. See the full intervention here: UN Live United Nations Webcast To see the final outcome, the Ministerial Declaration on the Annual Ministerial Review, please click here:United Nations - Economic and Social Council (pdf) To see the Annual Ministerial Review itself, please click here: United Nations - Economic and Social Council(pdf) Sources: |
