Israel
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
Statement by
Ambassador Uzi Manor
Coordinator for Sustainable Development
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem
During the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting
15th Commission on Sustainable Development
Inter-linkages and cross-cutting issues, including means
of implementation
(United Nations, New York, 1 March 2007)
Check Against Delivery
1
Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC) was founded
in 1961 by MASHAV ? the Center for International Cooperation ? as the first
international training institute to deal with women and development. In fact, the UN
Declaration of the "Development Decade for the Promotion of Women" was made
only in 1975, in Mexico, 14 years after MCTC had already gained a reputation for its
unique contribution to the advancement of women in Africa and Asia. Its web of
activities has since expanded to cover the Latin American region, Eastern Europe,
Central Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Oceania. Over 12,500 participants
have attended programs at MCTC; in addition, many more thousands have been
reached through on-the-spot training courses, conducted by Israeli experts at the
request of local partners.
MCTC's international cooperation grows and is strengthened annually. Among its
partners are a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations (TIFF,
YABT, Pan-American Institute, Seto Gurans); international aid agencies (USAID,
OAS, IDB, World Bank, Save the Children Fund Norway); international women's'
organizations (Soroptimist International, Women's Mediterranean Forum,
International Council of Women); and international and United Nations specialized
agencies such as ILO, IOM, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNECE, UNHabitat, INSTRAW
and UNDP.
MCTC attempts to help develop sustainable communities by building and
strengthening civil society, encouraging the participation of women in all sectors and
focusing on socio-economic development as a tool for poverty eradication ? the first
of the Millennium Development Goals. Since MCTC's inception, community
development, early childhood education, microenterprise development and women's
leadership have been its principal priority areas.
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals continue to direct and drive
MCTC'S aims. Many of them were anticipated by the Center and have been put into
practice in its training activities ever since its establishment 45 years ago!
In addition to its regular program, the Center organizes biennial women leaders'
conferences dealing with development issues and women's roles in socio-economic
development. For example, the last conference, in September 2005, was organized in
cooperation with the International Organization for Migration and dealt with
"Migration and Gender Issues within the Millennium Development Goals".
The 25th international conference in the series, marking 50 years of MASHAV
activities, will be held on 18-22 November, 2007, in cooperation with UNESCO. The
topic will be "Women's Leadership for Sustainable Development" in the context of
challenges related to globalization. Among the subjects addressed will be:
? The impact of globalization on production and consumption patterns
on the environment ? its positive and negative aspects for sustainable
development.
2
? The gender implications of environmental degradation (or, the
implications of environmental degradation for women?s reproductive,
productive, and leadership roles)
? Inclusion of a gender perspective in policies for environmental
protection ? forests, water, land, biodiversity resource management
Statement by
Ambassador Uzi Manor
Coordinator for Sustainable Development
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jerusalem
During the Intergovernmental Preparatory Meeting
15th Commission on Sustainable Development
Inter-linkages and cross-cutting issues, including means
of implementation
(United Nations, New York, 1 March 2007)
Check Against Delivery
1
Mr. Chairman,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Golda Meir Mount Carmel International Training Center (MCTC) was founded
in 1961 by MASHAV ? the Center for International Cooperation ? as the first
international training institute to deal with women and development. In fact, the UN
Declaration of the "Development Decade for the Promotion of Women" was made
only in 1975, in Mexico, 14 years after MCTC had already gained a reputation for its
unique contribution to the advancement of women in Africa and Asia. Its web of
activities has since expanded to cover the Latin American region, Eastern Europe,
Central Asia, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Oceania. Over 12,500 participants
have attended programs at MCTC; in addition, many more thousands have been
reached through on-the-spot training courses, conducted by Israeli experts at the
request of local partners.
MCTC's international cooperation grows and is strengthened annually. Among its
partners are a number of governmental and non-governmental organizations (TIFF,
YABT, Pan-American Institute, Seto Gurans); international aid agencies (USAID,
OAS, IDB, World Bank, Save the Children Fund Norway); international women's'
organizations (Soroptimist International, Women's Mediterranean Forum,
International Council of Women); and international and United Nations specialized
agencies such as ILO, IOM, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNECE, UNHabitat, INSTRAW
and UNDP.
MCTC attempts to help develop sustainable communities by building and
strengthening civil society, encouraging the participation of women in all sectors and
focusing on socio-economic development as a tool for poverty eradication ? the first
of the Millennium Development Goals. Since MCTC's inception, community
development, early childhood education, microenterprise development and women's
leadership have been its principal priority areas.
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals continue to direct and drive
MCTC'S aims. Many of them were anticipated by the Center and have been put into
practice in its training activities ever since its establishment 45 years ago!
In addition to its regular program, the Center organizes biennial women leaders'
conferences dealing with development issues and women's roles in socio-economic
development. For example, the last conference, in September 2005, was organized in
cooperation with the International Organization for Migration and dealt with
"Migration and Gender Issues within the Millennium Development Goals".
The 25th international conference in the series, marking 50 years of MASHAV
activities, will be held on 18-22 November, 2007, in cooperation with UNESCO. The
topic will be "Women's Leadership for Sustainable Development" in the context of
challenges related to globalization. Among the subjects addressed will be:
? The impact of globalization on production and consumption patterns
on the environment ? its positive and negative aspects for sustainable
development.
2
? The gender implications of environmental degradation (or, the
implications of environmental degradation for women?s reproductive,
productive, and leadership roles)
? Inclusion of a gender perspective in policies for environmental
protection ? forests, water, land, biodiversity resource management
Stakeholders