Social Watch E-Newsletter - Issue 178 - August 1, 2014

A set of 17 sustainable development goals has been adopted after over one and a half years of discussions and negotiations.
The Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) concluded its 13th session (14-19 July) at the United Nations headquarters in New York following long drawn negotiations that stretched through the night of 18 July, finally leading to the adoption of the final document on Saturday afternoon of 19 July.
Following almost six days of razor-sharp disputes between Member States on various themes and language across the 17 SDGs, the Co-Chairs, Ambassadors Macharia Kamau of Kenya and Csaba Korosi of Hungary, nervously sought agreement from the members of the OWG. Read more

While the International Movement ATD Fourth World welcomes the latest set of sustainable development goals adopted by the United Nations Open Working Group, the goals could better emphasize reaching the most marginalized.
With regards to poverty, “While the  title of Goal 1, ‘End Poverty in all its forms everywhere,’ is ambitious,” said Isabelle Pypaert Perrin, director general of ATD Fourth World,  “target 1.2 - to reduce by at least half the proportion of men women and children of all ages living in poverty according to national definitions - falls short. With no clear reference to prioritising those living in the greatest poverty, it could lead governments to target only those easiest to reach. This would contradict the principle of leave no one behind.” Read more

Following the groundless statements of the Minister of the Interior in front of the representatives of the legislative power against associations and human rights movement on 15 July 2014, and on the basis of his conspicuous tendency to lead invalid accusations against Moroccan associations and organizations working in the field of human rights and democratic development, in an attempt to disparage its efforts in advancing and protecting human rights.
Following the allegations against The Moroccan  associations and  human rights  movement by accusing them of being  abroad  mercenaries and by presenting them as  a harm to the national interests, in addition to ranking them along with religious extremism and terrorism; the associations , coordinations and  associative actors, after  their publishing a statement denouncing  those declarations,  decided to hold  this press conference to address a message to those whom  it may concern, demanding them to  avoid, through their speeches and policies,  questioning the work of  associations , which  significantly contributed to the development of  the democratic awareness and to promotion  and protection of human rights, and  to respect  their views which are addressed to the national public opinion, who remains the main concerned addressee above all ; and to remind the State of its responsibility to protect all the rights and freedoms for all,  guarantee a decent  living  for and  establish full equality between men and women  without any discrimination Read more

Global Policy Forum publishes guide to environmental-social budgeting. International development policy is at a crossroads. By September 2015, governments plan to adopt a Post-2015 Development Agenda – an agenda that is supposed to shape the fundamental priorities, goals and strategies for development policy beyond 2015. In parallel, governments have agreed to develop a set of Sustainable Development Goals integrating all dimensions (social, economic and environmental) of sustainable development and being applicable to all countries in the world. Forming one coherent Post-2015 Agenda, including the SDGs, affects all policy areas beyond development policy in a narrow sense, in particular social, economic and environmental policy – and above all fiscal policy.
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