China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan
Statement by the Troika of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan
Focus Area 5: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
and
Focus Area 6: Water and Sanitation
at the 11th Meeting of the Open Working Group of Sustainable Development Goals
New York, 5-9 May 2014
Mr. Co-chair,
This intervention is intended for the focus areas on gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as water and sanitation.
I would like to align my intervention on behalf of the troika of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan and to the intervention made by Bolivia on behalf of the G77 and China.
In these two proposed goals we have seen some proposed targets with indicators needed to measure and assess success. Hence, there are still some elements that need further amendments.
In the proposed stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment, we need to be thoughtful of and respect the different cultural particularities in our societies.
Looking specifically into the elements in this goal, we have particular concerns on point 5.a., 5.b., 5.d., 5.h., 5.i and 5.j.
On item 5.a., our Troika proposes to combine item 5.a. and item 5.b. so it will read as follows:
“By 2030 end all forms of discrimination and violence in all its forms against women and girls of all ages”.
On item 5.d., our Troika reiterates the importance of focusing on access; therefore, we propose to change the formulation of this item as follows:
“By 2030 ensure equal access and opportunities for decent employment opportunities for women and equal pay for equal work”.
On item 5.h., we expect to get clarification on the definition and scope of “unpaid care work”.
We should have clarity on its relations to the caring role of parents, including mothers, and the shared responsibility between men and women in their family. There should be further explanation on this phrase to be reflected in a separate illustrative target.
On item 5.i., we should not inject elements that would divert our attention from the main focus on development. Our Troika suggests a revision of this proposed target, so the formulation will read as follows:
“By 2030 ensure universal access to health services including sexual and reproductive health care and reproductive rights” in accordance with the Programme of Action of ICPD”.
On item 5.j, we should take into account different national circumstances and given that budgeting is a national concern; we recommend the deletion of “gender sensitive budgeting” and add “through capacity building in developing countries”.
Therefore item 5.j should be read as follows:
“Promote the availability of gender disaggregated data to improve gender equality policies, through capacity building in developing countries.”
Means of implementation (MoI) in this focus area are essential to its achievement, since developing countries are still facing limitations in their social and economic circumstances.
We want to see strong MoI in this focus area, and proposed 4 (four) elements as follows:
a. Enhancing capacity building as well as technical and financial assistance for developing countries in promoting gender-sensitive policy;
b. Ensuring the provision of financing mechanisms that would ensure women’s access to resources;
c. Ensuring the provision of capacity building to support women’s economic, social, and political empowerment and participation; and in
d. Ensuring enabling technologies, especially information and communication technologies for the empowerment of women.
Focus Area 6: Water and Sanitation
With regard to focus area 6 on water and sanitation, we are of the view that access to safe water and sanitation is of vital importance in meeting food security, the eradication of poverty and sustainable development. Water is also essential to promote socio-economic development and for the protection of the environment.
In order to improve water and sanitation, we believe that sustainable policies, increased means of implementation, financing, investment and greater participation by stakeholders can contribute to ensure availability and adequate access to these issues.
In this regard, our Troika is of the view that ODA will still play an important role, in particular in countries where the basic infrastructure for water and sanitation services is not yet in place. Capacity building and technology facilitation could also provide valuable support for improving water management in developing countries.
With regard to the revised working document, our Troika is of the view that the elements from point 6.b to 6.h are all national measures.
For item 6.c., we propose to delete numerical references as well as the direct reference to agriculture. We are of the view that water is a multi dimensional issue, and agriculture is one element from many that is related to improvement of water-use efficiency. In this regard, our Troika is of the view that a more generic formulation is more appropriate.
Our proposed formulation for item 6.c will read as follows:
“By 2030, improve water-use efficiency in all sectors.”
For item 6.f, we propose to replace the word “eliminate” to “reduce” so the text would read as follows:
“By 2030, significantly improve water quality, eliminate reduce pollution and dumping of toxic materials in water bodies, and protect aquifers”
Our Troika would also like to propose to revise and move item 6.g, on water harvesting and storage technologies, into means of implementation.
For item 6.e., we are of the view that protection and restoration of ecosystems are of the utmost important elements in ensuring the provision of water-related services. Therefore, we would like to propose deletion of the word “bring fresh water extraction in line with sustainable supply” and focused item 6.e to ensure enhanced efforts to protect and restore ecosystems, in order to provide adequate access to water-related services.
With regard to item 6.h on economic losses caused by water-related disasters, we propose to move this element to Focus Area 10 on Human Settlements and in line with the other target on DRR moved from Focus Area 1, which we have requested to be placed under FA 10 as well.
Our Troika would also like to propose 2 (two) new targets as follows:
• Provide adequate facilities and infrastructure for safe drinking water and sanitation systems in all areas
• Improve the waste-water and life garbage treatment rate by X% by 2030
For the MoI, we would like to propose as follows:
• Support efforts in developing countries on water and sanitation activities and programmes, through provision of financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer,
and from item 6.g.:
• Expand international cooperation and support in water and sanitation related technologies for developing countries, including among others, water harvesting and storage technologies, sewage treatment technologies, by 2030.
I thank you Mr. Co-Chairs.
***
Focus Area 5: Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
and
Focus Area 6: Water and Sanitation
at the 11th Meeting of the Open Working Group of Sustainable Development Goals
New York, 5-9 May 2014
Mr. Co-chair,
This intervention is intended for the focus areas on gender equality and women’s empowerment as well as water and sanitation.
I would like to align my intervention on behalf of the troika of China, Indonesia and Kazakhstan and to the intervention made by Bolivia on behalf of the G77 and China.
In these two proposed goals we have seen some proposed targets with indicators needed to measure and assess success. Hence, there are still some elements that need further amendments.
In the proposed stand-alone goal on gender equality and women’s empowerment, we need to be thoughtful of and respect the different cultural particularities in our societies.
Looking specifically into the elements in this goal, we have particular concerns on point 5.a., 5.b., 5.d., 5.h., 5.i and 5.j.
On item 5.a., our Troika proposes to combine item 5.a. and item 5.b. so it will read as follows:
“By 2030 end all forms of discrimination and violence in all its forms against women and girls of all ages”.
On item 5.d., our Troika reiterates the importance of focusing on access; therefore, we propose to change the formulation of this item as follows:
“By 2030 ensure equal access and opportunities for decent employment opportunities for women and equal pay for equal work”.
On item 5.h., we expect to get clarification on the definition and scope of “unpaid care work”.
We should have clarity on its relations to the caring role of parents, including mothers, and the shared responsibility between men and women in their family. There should be further explanation on this phrase to be reflected in a separate illustrative target.
On item 5.i., we should not inject elements that would divert our attention from the main focus on development. Our Troika suggests a revision of this proposed target, so the formulation will read as follows:
“By 2030 ensure universal access to health services including sexual and reproductive health care and reproductive rights” in accordance with the Programme of Action of ICPD”.
On item 5.j, we should take into account different national circumstances and given that budgeting is a national concern; we recommend the deletion of “gender sensitive budgeting” and add “through capacity building in developing countries”.
Therefore item 5.j should be read as follows:
“Promote the availability of gender disaggregated data to improve gender equality policies, through capacity building in developing countries.”
Means of implementation (MoI) in this focus area are essential to its achievement, since developing countries are still facing limitations in their social and economic circumstances.
We want to see strong MoI in this focus area, and proposed 4 (four) elements as follows:
a. Enhancing capacity building as well as technical and financial assistance for developing countries in promoting gender-sensitive policy;
b. Ensuring the provision of financing mechanisms that would ensure women’s access to resources;
c. Ensuring the provision of capacity building to support women’s economic, social, and political empowerment and participation; and in
d. Ensuring enabling technologies, especially information and communication technologies for the empowerment of women.
Focus Area 6: Water and Sanitation
With regard to focus area 6 on water and sanitation, we are of the view that access to safe water and sanitation is of vital importance in meeting food security, the eradication of poverty and sustainable development. Water is also essential to promote socio-economic development and for the protection of the environment.
In order to improve water and sanitation, we believe that sustainable policies, increased means of implementation, financing, investment and greater participation by stakeholders can contribute to ensure availability and adequate access to these issues.
In this regard, our Troika is of the view that ODA will still play an important role, in particular in countries where the basic infrastructure for water and sanitation services is not yet in place. Capacity building and technology facilitation could also provide valuable support for improving water management in developing countries.
With regard to the revised working document, our Troika is of the view that the elements from point 6.b to 6.h are all national measures.
For item 6.c., we propose to delete numerical references as well as the direct reference to agriculture. We are of the view that water is a multi dimensional issue, and agriculture is one element from many that is related to improvement of water-use efficiency. In this regard, our Troika is of the view that a more generic formulation is more appropriate.
Our proposed formulation for item 6.c will read as follows:
“By 2030, improve water-use efficiency in all sectors.”
For item 6.f, we propose to replace the word “eliminate” to “reduce” so the text would read as follows:
“By 2030, significantly improve water quality, eliminate reduce pollution and dumping of toxic materials in water bodies, and protect aquifers”
Our Troika would also like to propose to revise and move item 6.g, on water harvesting and storage technologies, into means of implementation.
For item 6.e., we are of the view that protection and restoration of ecosystems are of the utmost important elements in ensuring the provision of water-related services. Therefore, we would like to propose deletion of the word “bring fresh water extraction in line with sustainable supply” and focused item 6.e to ensure enhanced efforts to protect and restore ecosystems, in order to provide adequate access to water-related services.
With regard to item 6.h on economic losses caused by water-related disasters, we propose to move this element to Focus Area 10 on Human Settlements and in line with the other target on DRR moved from Focus Area 1, which we have requested to be placed under FA 10 as well.
Our Troika would also like to propose 2 (two) new targets as follows:
• Provide adequate facilities and infrastructure for safe drinking water and sanitation systems in all areas
• Improve the waste-water and life garbage treatment rate by X% by 2030
For the MoI, we would like to propose as follows:
• Support efforts in developing countries on water and sanitation activities and programmes, through provision of financial resources, capacity-building and technology transfer,
and from item 6.g.:
• Expand international cooperation and support in water and sanitation related technologies for developing countries, including among others, water harvesting and storage technologies, sewage treatment technologies, by 2030.
I thank you Mr. Co-Chairs.
***