1 February 2013: Representatives from global, regional and national civil society organizations (CSOs) released a Civil Society Communiqué on “National Building Blocks for Sustained Prosperity: Economic Transformation,” the theme of the third meeting of the UN High-level Panel (HLP) on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The Africa-wide post-2015 working group and the Liberia CSO post-2015 working group organized the consultations.

The HLP meeting took place in Monrovia, Liberia, from 30 January-1 February. CSO events held from 28-30 January included a pre-consultative Forum and CSO Outreach meeting. These consultations aimed to share CSO evidence with the HLP, discuss a clear vision for the future, agree on key pillars of economic transformation, include excluded and marginalized groups, and inform an African CSO consensus.

In the Communiqué, CSOs recommend the post-2015 agenda be based on a vision of socio-economic transformation, and contain a strategy that protects and promotes “the human rights of people, to build their economic capabilities, and…[harness] their potential and recognize them as key contributors to development.” The Communiqué discusses, inter alia: the context of inclusive economic growth and social transformation, including conflicts, job opportunities, persistent and widening inequalities, and unsustainable growth; cross-cutting approaches, including models that promote human development, human rights and growth that is environmentally sustainable; and empowering people to become agents of change by addressing the needs of vulnerable groups.

In a keynote address at the CSO Forum, Gita Sen emphasized the role of CSOs in mainstreaming gender and women’s issues in the post-2015 agenda, including reproductive health. Other keynote speakers highlighted education, equal opportunities, human rights, local governance, social inclusion and water and sanitation.

In regional presentations, Latin America and Caribbean CSOs emphasized workers’ rights, and called for making human rights violations more visible. Asia and Pacific CSOs advocated for: equality, human development and sustainability indicators; stronger budget allocations for social services and protection; and universal access to education.

Task forces representing vulnerable groups (children and youth; ageing and disability; women and gender; farmers, workers and informal sector) held round table discussions. In a town hall event with HLP members, each group presented statements calling upon the HLP to, inter alia: address child poverty; include a standalone gender goal and expand gender targets and indicators; support small/traditional/communal farming; support youth policies based on four pillars; and focus on poor and marginalized groups.

In a response to civil society, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia and HLP Co-Chair, commended the CSOs’ work and said they had highlighted the very issues the Panel has discussed, including access, accountability and good governance, efficient allocation of resources and emphasis on the disabled and marginalized. She said she would carry these messages to her colleagues.

Civil society’s input to the HLP’s third meeting also included: an online civil society consultation facilitated by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) and a synthesis report of the consultation; and the first results of the MY World citizen survey on defining the next set of global goals. Initial MY World results illustrate a high priority placed on good education, honest and responsive government and better healthcare. [Publication: Outcome Document of the CSOs Monrovia Consultation for the Post 2015 Development Agenda] [Publication: UN-NGLS Civil Society Consultation for the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda] [NGLS Press Release on CSO Meeting with Panel] [NGLS Press Release on MyWorld Results] [Ask Africa Now Story Day 1] [Ask Africa Now Story Day 2] [Ask Africa Now Story Day 3]