The High Level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLPEP) as part of the series to formulate the framework for Post-2015 Development Agenda in Bali became the last hope for every stakeholder. The focus of this regional consultation meeting in Bali puts forward the regional point-of-view on national capacity and global partnership in facing the Post-MDGs Development Agenda. The Indonesian CSO Coalition and Asia Working Group for Post-2015 Development Agenda as the organizers reported that 150 CSO representatives were present in this forum. The Women Research Institute was represented by one of its researchers, Frisca Anindhita. This meeting was part of the parallel process of the 4^th High Level Panel of Eminent Person on Post 2015 Development Agenda (HLPEP) meeting in Bali, on 25-27 March 2013.

 

The first HLPEP consultation series was held in New York, USA, on 25 September 2012, on the topic of platform and work plan for Post-2015 Development Agenda. The second HLPEP on 30 October – 2 November 2012 in London on the topic of vision and framework for HLPEP reports, poverty, and human development. This meeting was continued in February 2013 in Monrovia, Liberia, which was the third meeting on the agenda of strength analysis and national capacity for Post-2015 Development. The discussion continued in the Bali meeting on 23-25 March 2013, focusing on national capability, global partnership, and formulation of the overview for HLPEP Final Report on Post-2015 Development Agenda.

 

The output from the preparatory activities on 23-24 March 2013 is to formulate a communique to be delivered to the High Level Persons (HLP) before 25 March 2013 (Stakeholder Outreach Day). A total of 30 HLPs from all around the world were present, co-chaired by three leaders; one of the co-chairs being President of Republic of Indonesia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The theme of the Bali meeting was expected to be narrowed to the theme of global partnership and means of implementation. As host, Indonesia is expected to give an impact in this important event.

 

CSO Forum, 23-24 March 2013

 

 

 

First Day, 23 March 2013

 

Taking place in Goodway Hotel, Nusa Dua, Bali, the CSO Preparatory Meeting was opened by Sugeng Bahagijo, Director of INFID, as Steering Committee for the Global CSOs Forum on Post-2015. The total participants that attended this meeting were 265 persons, consisting of 135 participants from Indonesia and 130 International participants. Participants come from Indonesia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

 

This was followed by an introduction from Ruby Kholifah as Co-chair of Indonesia CSO Coalition and Anselmo Lee as Acting Co-chair, then opening speeches from Lisa John from HLP Secretariat, Yanuar Nugroho from President’s Delivery Unit for Development Monitoring and Oversight (UKP4), Shalina Sanou from Agency for Cooperation and Research in Development (ACORD), a civil society organization in Kenya which was the leading organization in the HLP meeting in Monrovia, and Kathryn Tobin from United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UNGLS) which is a UN interagency program mandated to promote and build a constructive relationship between UN and Civil Society Organizations.

 

The speaker from Indonesia and representative of the Government (UKP4), Yanuar Nugroho, explained updates from the events in London and Monrovia. Nugroho stated that the Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is still focusing on the “ending poverty” concept; whereas the global partnership and means of implementation themes will be developed in the Bali meeting. However, what should be noted when CSO representatives meet the HLPs on 25 March is to map the instructions and issues that the HLPs are focused on, as the vision of each HLP would certainly be in accordance with their respective countries.

 

Meanwhile, Shalina Sanou presented an overview of the previous HLP meeting in Monrovia. Sanou explained that the agreement reached in Monrovia for post-2015 is a separate and cohesive development agenda integrated with economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. Following that, Kathryn Tobin introduced a portal website www.worldwewant2015.org as an initiative from CSO and UN to support public participation in the development process.

 

The second session, which was moderated by Wicaksana Sarosa, Executive Director of KEMITRAAN and Patricia M. Sarenas from Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE NGO), focused on presentations about the condition of the global south to provide an understanding of the existing specific contexts. There were seven speakers in the second session, namely Michael B. Hoelman, Program Officer TIFA Foundation; Setyo Budiantoro, Executive Director of Perkumpulan Prakarsa; Teresita Vistro from Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development (APWLD); Isagani Serrano from Social Watch, a civil organization network in Uruguay; Cai Yiping from Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN); Gagan Sethi from JANVIKAS India; and Alejandro Barrios from Bolivia.

 

The first presentation was delivered by Michael B. Hoelman who discussed the political, social, and economic context in Indonesia. With the history of democracy and peace building as a background in Indonesia, during President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s presidential period, Indonesia was categorized into the “Groverty – Growth and Poverty” period. This is ironic considering that disparity and inequality are equal to the growth that Indonesia is experiencing. The presentation was closed with a recommendation that the growth should be evenly distributed and emphasize on social investments.

 

Setyo Budiantoro then presented the “inequality gaps between the rich and the poor” to complete the presentation of Indonesia’s political, social, and economic contexts. He explained issues regarding economy, financial, access to clean water and sanitation, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, and also how the budget is spent for social expenditures.

 

The presentation session was continued by speakers from the Philippines and India who also discussed a similar issue to the Indonesian context. Both speakers stated that using “equality” as a paradigm will reduce poverty.

 

The event was followed with region-based discussions as a preparation for national and regional meetings. Indonesian CSOs were divided into seven sectors, namely Indigenous Community, People with Disabilities, victims of conflicts, women and children, migrant workers and the labor sector, and the farmer and fisherman group. Meanwhile, International CSOs were divided based on regions such as Asia/Pacific, Africa, Latin and Central America, Europe and North America, MENA, and Central Asia.

 

Participants were divided into five working groups that discussed more focused topics, namely the vision and priority of development agenda and means of implementation, global partnership and accountability, as well as the informal sector and inclusion.

 

In the global governance working group, for instance, it recommended a new governing model which emphasizes on a more inclusive participation of the people. While in regards to injustice, universal human rights should be a reference in determining the future of global development.

The working group on the informal sector discussed the definition of the informal sector, which resulted in a recommendation for the state and public on how they can cooperate to protect, acknowledge, and provide the same rights for people working in the informal sector. This is imperative as the current regulations tend to benefit the formal sector more.

 

Second Day, 24 March 2013

 

The discussion process focused more on the reporting and recapitulation of the international thematic discussion. Each rapporteur reported the results of the thematic discussion and presented a final formulation as well as the list of speakers to be delegation of the Round table Discussion on 25 March 2013 with the HLPs.

 

The thematic discussion for the Vision and Priority group was facilitated by Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP) and Save the Children. This group discussed the debate on maintaining MDGs, whether to focus on the commitment for developing countries or ensuring the universal vision and development framework for all. 

 

Meanwhile, the Global Partnership theme was facilitated by CPDE and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) Watch, discussing the principles that must be adhered to by all stakeholders involved in the Global Partnership framework. The emphasis on this discussion is focused on the obstacles and limitations in the previous development processes, as well as the impacts that must be achieved in the future Global Partnership framework. Meanwhile, in the implementation of global cooperation, the discussion also focused on the demands for a new development framework that should ensure coordination and cooperation between all stakeholders (the government, private sector, and civil society).

 

The theme “Means of Implementation” which was moderated by Action Aid and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Watch emphasized on the determining the amount of financial support needed for the implementation of the new framework. This discussion also discussed how to adapt with the new market, financial regulations, climate policy and other sectors to ensure that they can be inserted in the new development framework.

 

The theme of Global Governance and Accountability facilitated by CIVICUS focused more on the mechanism to localize and customize the new development framework according to the context of each country. It also discussed how the civil society and other stakeholders cooperated to ensure that the implementation and integration of the global development agenda will run optimally.

 

The last theme, Informal Economy and Inclusion, which was facilitated by ITUC, explored practical measurements that can be carried out by the government to handle the issue of informality in small and medium terminologies. This discussion also ensured an effective policy to ensure the informal sector of society to have an access for the same rights and protection with the other parts of society. The focus of discussion also discussed the challenges and opportunities that arise to connect the informal economic sector with the formal sphere.

 

During the Sectoral Breakout session, there were eight sectors, namely: 1) migrant workers, refugee; 2) indigenous, ethnic minorities; 3) children, person with disability, ageing; 4) women survivor of GBV, LGBT; 5) Human rights defender, democracy advocate; 6) small peasant, fisher folk and coastal communities; 7) urban poor, workers, unemployment; 8) researchers.

 

The common statement from the sectoral discussion was to focus on the limitation of access and participation from marginal sectors in the post-2015 discussion process, so that the new development framework should include principles of transparency and a clear indicators of participation from the overall goals that will be designed.

 

The last session is a recapitulation of the entire formulation of proposals and the list of speakers from each thematic and sectoral discussion. This session also discussed an overview of the Outreach Day which would take place on the following day, as well as strategies used in discussions with HLPs during the Round table Discussion.

 

Outreach Session, 25 March 2013