Talking Points on the post-2015 agenda: (as taken from FeministReflections: UN’sHighLevelPanelReportonPost ‐2015DevelopmentAgenda)

To End Poverty:

  • Set a higherandbroaderglobalpovertyline that is also defined nationally;
  • There must be differentiationbetween small,mediumandlargerprivatesectorentities in“thebusinesscommunity”;
  • Multi-sectoral and inter-linked measures must be taken to address land-grabbing, environmentaldegradationand displacementthatoccurswhencorporationsareabletoownandcontrolland;
  • Measuringthedistributionoflandandresourcesandaimingformoreequitabledistributionamongstpeople,ratherthancorporations,is important.
  • Women must have the right to land tenure and resources.

To EmpowerGirlsandWomenandAchieveGenderEquality:

  • Make genderequalityanessentialcomponentofsustainabledevelopment;
  • Address the inter-linked and multi-sectoral issues affecting gender equality, includingendingpoverty and supporting the women, peace, and security agenda.
  • Thelinksbetweengender-basedviolenceandimpunity,militarization,militaryspending,andtheprevalenceofsmallarmsmustbeaddressedifmeaningfulgainsaretobemade.

ToEnsureHealthyLives:

  • There must be morediscussionaroundsupportingmarginalizedandkeypopulationsandprovidingstigma-freeservices.

ToSecureSustainableEnergy:

  • The eradicationofsubsidies tofossilfuel industriesandcarbonemittingmultinationals must be addressed in order to responsibly secure sustainable energy in the future.

ToCreateJobs,SustainableLivelihoods,andEquitableGrowth:

  • All workers, no mattertheirgeographiclocationdeservetohaveinternationallyagreeduponrights;
  • Womenaremostoftensubjectedto‘flexible’labormarketsandtheerosionoflaborrightsdueinpartto traditionalgenderdivisionoflaborwithinthehousehold. Thisrequiresthatunpaidworkmustberecognized,reducedandredistributed.
  • The experiences of small,women-ledenterprisesthatareoftenunabletocompetewithforeignmultinationalswhicharegiveninvestmentincentives,suchastaxesexemptions must be addressed;
  • Re-directsubsidiesfrommultinationalstolocal micro-enterprises,smallbusinessesandcooperativesto createjobs;
  • There must be greaterinvestmentsin productiveactivitieswiththepotentialtogeneratejobs,gender‐awareandcontext-specificskillsdevelopmentprograms,andsocialprotectionprograms–allofwhich generatedecentjobs,sustainlivelihoodsandresultinmoreequitablegrowth.

To EnsureGoodGovernanceandEffectiveInstitutions:

  • There must be aglobalregulatoryframeworksetbygovernments toprotectpeoplefromtheavariceofbusinessifsustainabledevelopmentis theultimategoal,especiallygiventhatthepriorityoftheprivatesectorisitsprofitmotive.
  • Extraterritorialobligations,aselaboratedintheMaastrichtPrinciples,shouldbeusedasthefoundationforfacilitatinggoodgovernanceinthecontextofthenewglobal partnershipwhich includes “big business”;
  • There must be greater accountability of the private sector and governments that violate human rights or refuse to engage in a transparent way with communities and human rights defenders.

ToEnsureStableandPeacefulSocieties:

  • Actionsthatensurethatpeopleingeneral,andwomenin particular, are able to live without fear and want are essential;
  • Governmentsmust invest inandbudgetforpeaceandnotincreasingmilitarization;
  • The linkbetweengenderinequalityandmilitarization must berecognizedandaddressed,andaholisticapproachtotheWomen,Peaceand Securityagendathataddressesparticipation,prevention,protection, andreliefand recoverybeintegratedintosustainabledevelopmentefforts,includinggoalsand indicators.
  • There must be recognition:
  • that nuclear weapons,as wellas climatechange,poseunprecedentedthreatstohumanity;
  • thatarms,includingsmallarmsandlight weapons,promoteenvironmentaldegradationandreducestatecapacitytoinvestin socialequalityandsustainabledevelopment,andfuelgender-basedviolence,especiallyagainstwomenhumanrightsdefenders;
  • thattheeffectsofmilitarism,militaryspending,andthearmstradeerodegenderequalityandtherealizationofwomen’srights;
  • and thatdevelopment,peaceandsecurityrequireconflictpreventionthroughwomen’sfull andequalparticipationandleadership,notjusta“transparencyrevolution”.

ToCreateaGlobalEnablingEnvironmentandCatalyzeLongTermFinance:

  • There must be amandatory targetforcountries toreducecarbondioxideemissions and recognition oflarge-scalehistoricalemittersincontributingtoclimatechangeanditsinequitableimpacts;
  • Eliminate use of harmful technologies, unsustainable use of resources, unregulated use and destruction of the environment, and genetically modified organisms and manage natural resources in the interest of peoples’, especially women, livelihoods and nature;
  • Reformthefinancialregulatorysystem,wheretheneeds ofpeopleandnotofcapitalareatthecenter;
  • Develop policiesandgoalswitharecognitionthatwomenandmendonotsharethesamerealities,andthattheyexperienceeconomiccrisesdifferently;
  • Definehowfundingisdeliveredtomaximizeimpact;
  • Recognize the needtosecureresourcesforthediversityof actorsengagedinthiswork,includingcivilsociety,andamongthem,women’s organizationsandmovements;
  • Require corporationsmakesomecontributiontosustainabledevelopmentandthecommunities thatsustainthem throughsubstantivechangestotaxsystems;
  • Mobilizethemaximumavailableresourcestomeethumanrightsobligationsandensurethefull enjoymentofeconomicandsocialrights,followingprinciplesofnon-retrogressionand minimumessentiallevels/minimumcoreobligations.

Wesupport:

  • A stand-alonegoalon“Empowergirlsandwomenandachievegenderequality”,eliminatingviolence,endingchildmarriage,equalrightsforwomentoownandinheritproperty,andeliminating discriminationinpolitical,economicandpubliclife;
  • Sexualandreproductivehealthandrights;
  • Decreasing and endingmaternalmortality;
  • Ahumanrightsapproachtosustainabledevelopmentprocesses with an enhancedrecognitionofstateobligationstorespect,protect,andfulfillwomen’shumanrightsandgenderequality.
  • Implementation of clearregulations thatensureeconomicinterestsarenotallowedto overridethegreateraimofrespectinghumanrightsandpromotingsustainabledevelopment.

Governments must address:

  • The current macro-economic model which perpetuates poverty and inequality and reduce growingwealthinequalities;
  • Inclusion ofpeoplewhoarediscriminatedagainstonthebasisofsexualorientationand genderidentity;
  • Increased funding toward advancingsustainabledevelopment,includingwomen’srightsandgenderequality and the fulland equalparticipationofwomen in all areas of sustainable development;
  • Developmentwithoutdisarmamentand need for anintegrated approachthatstrengthensaholisticunderstandingofpeaceandsecurityforall.

To meet goals, there must be:

  • A clearframeworkthatisspecific,measurable,time-boundand attainableasapowerfulwaytomotivateactionandmobiliseresources;
  • Linking of globalgoalswithnationaltargetsas a way of increasingcountryownership and developmentofamechanismthatensuresthatnationaltargetsaresufficientlyambitioustoensurethatcountriesaretakingmeaningfulaction.
  • Alltargetsandindicatorsmustbecoveredatameaningful levelbyallgovernments,eveniftheyhavetheflexibilitytojudgetheirownrateof progressovertime.Thisisespeciallyimportantforsexualandreproductivehealthand rights;
  • Clear acknowledgement and inclusion of criticalinter-linkages,specificallyintermsofwomen'srightsand genderequality and the link betweenwomen’sempowermentandensuringstableandpeacefulsocieties.
  • An end to electionoftargetsfroma“menu”,asthiscouldleadtodifficultorunpopularareasbeingdroppedfromaction,andreducesthecohesiveglobalaction tacklingaparticularissue.