Statement: The Zero Draft from a Peacebuilding Perspective
Excellencies, delegates and friends from civil society,
My name is Bibhash Chakraborty and I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of Saferworld, World Vision, CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality, Women for Women’s Human Rights, RESURJ and Center for Mediterranean Studies, Yasar University.
The emphasis in the Political Declaration on the importance of peace for achieving sustainable development - and as a development outcome in itself - is welcome. Given the alarming spike in violent conflict and the global number of refugees, it is imperative that the world’s plan of action focuses on peace alongside people, planet, prosperity and partnerships; this should include a strong focus on children, refugees and internally displaced persons as they are exceptionally vulnerable.
However, there is room for improvement in the Zero Draft: Paragraph 15 should include peace alongside “justice and equality.” Paragraph 28 should highlight the need to address transnational threats such as irresponsible flows of arms and illicit finance, which demand action from developed and developing countries alike. Furthermore in paragraph 28, we propose to add “Women's participation in all stages of the peacebuilding process is an essential condition for peacebuilding. Effective measure for protection of children, both girls and boys, and women from all forms of gender-based violence in armed conflict and elimination of recruitment of child soldiers should be a priority”. Language on how addressing inequalities through inclusive development will contribute to peace should also be included to further highlight the connections between peace and development. I would welcome comments from the co-facilitators on how such connections can be made across the text?.
The language on financing is not yet sufficiently consistent with the commitment to ensure that the framework promotes peace. Paragraphs 30 and 32 of the declaration and Paragraph 5 of the Means of Implementation section should clearly highlight the need to deliver development finance in a way that avoids unintended outcomes and reinforces peace, to redouble efforts to invest in up-stream conflict prevention, and to integrate the pursuit of more peaceful societies into development strategies in all countries.
There is still room for refining some target wording. For example, we’re concerned about the reference to “combatting terrorism and crime” in target16.a, as a preventive rather than a coercive or securitised approach to implementation should be promoted. Finally, on the Follow-Up and Review, the potential role of third parties in data production and monitoring needs to be more strongly affirmed. Paragraph 12 could state that the SDG Progress report should be based “on data from national statistical systems and verified third party data providers including for example civil society, UN agencies, multilateral organizations and research organizations”. I would welcome the thoughts of the co-facilitators on this specific issue. Thank-you.
