REPORT on the EU and the global development framework after 2015
17.11.2014 - (2014/2143(INI))
Committee on Development
Rapporteur: Davor Ivo Stier
MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION
on the EU and the global development framework after 2015
The European Parliament,
– having regard to the United Nations Millennium Declaration of 8 September 2000,
– having regard to the report adopted in July 2014 by the UN Open Working Group for Sustainable Development Goals,
– having regard to the report adopted on 8 August 2014 by the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing,
– having regard to the Ministerial Declaration of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, of July 2014,
– having regard to the United Nations ‘Millennium Development Goals Report 2014’,
– having regard to the outcome document of the GPEDC High-Level Meeting in Mexico, of April 2014,
– having regard to the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, approved at the Fourth World Conference on Women in September 1995, and the subsequent outcome documents,
– having regard to the Programme for Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), adopted in Cairo in 1994, and the subsequent +20 review,
– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 18 December 1979,
– having regard to the UN ‘Gender Chart 2012’, which measures improvements regarding the gender equality aspects of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),
– having regard to the outcome of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992 and to the report of its follow-up Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012,
– having regard to the 2014 Human Development Report of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) entitled ‘Sustaining Human Progress: Reducing Vulnerabilities and Building Resilience’,
– having regard to the May 2013 report of the UN High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda,
– having regard to the report of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 20 to 22 June 2012,
– having regard to the June 2012 report of the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda to the UN Secretary General, entitled ‘Realising the future we want for all’,
– having regard to the resolution entitled ‘Keeping the promise: united to achieve the Millennium Development Goals’ adopted by the UN General Assembly at its High-Level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals, at its sixty-fifth session in 2010,
– having regard to the Istanbul Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries for the Decade 2011-2020,
– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities,
– having regard to the FAO State of Food Insecurity report,
– having regard to the declaration and action plan adopted at the High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan in December 2011,
– having regard to the UNDP report entitled ‘Beyond the Midpoint: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals’, which was published in January 2010,
– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the human rights legal framework,
– having regard to the work of the UN System Task Team on the Post-2015 UN Development Agenda, led jointly by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the UNDP, with support from all UN agencies and in consultation with relevant stakeholders,
– having regard to the WHO’s Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property of 24 May 2008,
– having regard to the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action,
– having regard to the 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development,
– having regard to the European Consensus on Development[1] and the EU Code of Conduct on Complementarity and Division of Labour in Development Policy[2],
– having regard to Article 7 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which reaffirms that the EU ‘shall ensure consistency between its policies and activities, taking all of its objectives into account’,
– having regard to Article 208 TFEU, which stipulates that ‘the Union shall take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing countries’,
– having regard to the Commission communication of 2 June 2014, entitled ‘A decent life for all: from vision to collective action’ (COM(2014)0335),
– having regard to the Commission communication of 13 May 2014, entitled ‘A stronger role of the private sector in achieving inclusive and sustainable growth in developing countries’ (COM(2014)0263),
– having regard to the Commission staff working document of 30 April 2014, a toolbox entitled ‘A right-based approach, encompassing all human rights for EU development Cooperation’ (SWD(2014)152),
– having regard to the Commission communication of 27 February 2013, entitled ‘A decent life for all: Ending poverty and giving the world a sustainable future’ (COM(2013)0092),
– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 September 2012, entitled ‘The roots of democracy and sustainable development: Europe’s engagement with civil society in external relations’ (COM(2012)0492),
– having regard to the Commission’s public consultations on the preparation of an EU position, entitled ‘Towards a Post-2015 Development Framework’, which ran from 15 June to 15 September 2012,
– having regard to the joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on the European Union Development Policy entitled ‘The European Consensus’[3],
– having regard to the Commission communication of 12 April 2005 entitled ‘Policy Coherence for Development’ (COM(2005)0134), and the conclusions of the 3166th Foreign Affairs Council meeting of 14 May 2012, entitled ‘Increasing the Impact of EU Development Policy: an Agenda for Change’,
– having regard to Regulation (EU) No 233/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 March 2014 establishing a financing instrument for development cooperation for the period 2014-2020[4],
– having regard to its recommendation to the Council of 2 April 2014 on the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly[5],
– having regard to its legislative resolution of 2 April 2014 on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Year of Development (2015)[6],
– having regard to its resolution of 13 June 2013 on the Millennium Development Goals – defining the post-2015 framework[7],
– having regard to the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 19 May 2014 on a rights-based approach to development cooperation, encompassing all human rights,
– having regard to the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 12 December 2013 on financing poverty eradication and sustainable development beyond 2015,
– having regard to the Joint ACP-EU Declaration on the Post-2015 Development Agenda of 20 June 2014,
– having regard to the General Affairs Council conclusions of 25 June 2013 on the Overarching Post 2015 Agenda,
– having regard to Rule 52 of its Rules of Procedure,
– having regard to the report of the Committee on Development and the opinion of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (A8-0037/2014),
A. whereas in 2000 all the relevant stakeholders came together to set the MDGs with a view to achieve concrete development and poverty eradication goals by 2015;
B. whereas the MDGs have raised awareness of ending global poverty as an urgent challenge and a priority for global action; whereas the level of achievement of MDGs varies, with visible positive effects on reducing extreme poverty, fighting against malaria and tuberculosis, improving access to drinking water, and reducing disparities in primary school enrolments; whereas certain shortcomings of MDGs need to be fully addressed in the definition of the post-2015 framework;
C. whereas assessments of the progress made in attaining the current MDGs showed that, in the new framework, a strong linkage between poverty eradication, fighting inequalities and the promotion of sustainable development, as well as a single and universal set of goals with differentiated approaches, are crucial;
D. whereas the urban population is predicted to grow from the present 3.6 billion to over 6 billion and the biggest cities are predicted to grow into megacities with over 100 million inhabitants; whereas excessive urbanisation is undermining the sustainability of development in all its dimensions;
E. whereas the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo called for access to reproductive and sexual health services, including family planning; recalls, in this regard, that in 2013, an estimated 289 000 women died during pregnancy and childbirth; recalls MDG 5 and the need for women to have access to an effective method of contraception and family planning in order to reduce the number of maternal deaths by almost one third;
F. whereas poverty reduction is uneven and inequalities between and within countries, which have increased in both developed and developing countries, represent a major development challenge, especially in Low Income Countries (LICs) and Middle Income Countries (MICs); whereas 1.5 billion people are living in poverty with overlapping deprivations in health, education and living standards, notably in conflict-affected and fragile states;
G. whereas violent conflicts and humanitarian crises continue to have a disrupting impact on development efforts; whereas women are harder hit by military conflicts and crises;
H. whereas additional efforts are still needed to halve the percentage of people suffering from hunger, as 162 million young children are exposed to malnutrition; whereas hidden hunger can be defined as micronutrient deficiency, which can cause irreversible effects on health and socio-economic consequences linked to the reduction in people’s productivity;
I. having considered that 2014 is the International Year of Family Farming;
J. whereas the 1986 Declaration on the Right to Development affirms that development is a fundamental human right; whereas the Declaration commits to a ‘human rights based’ approach, characterised by the realisation of all human rights (economic, social, cultural, civil and political); whereas the Declaration commits equally to strengthening international cooperation;
K. whereas climate change and environmental degradation threaten poverty reduction by amplifying existing vulnerabilities, with many developing countries still dependent on agriculture and climate-sensitive natural resources, and lacking the capacities to manage climate risks; whereas there is an urgent need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and to achieve a more equitable and sustainable management and governance of natural resources;
L. whereas gains made towards achieving the MDGs related to health have been greatly based on R&D investments made years earlier; whereas intellectual property rights should not hinder access to affordable medicines;
M. whereas access to early childhood development, and to education and training of the highest attainable quality for every child, young person and adult is an essential prerequisite for breaking cycles of inter-generational poverty and inequality;
N. whereas little progress has been made regarding gender equality and the empowerment of women; whereas women often experience discrimination and violence;
O. whereas globally, women and girls constitute a majority of those living in extreme poverty and whereas gender equality and women’s rights are a necessary condition for the success of the post-2015 global development framework; whereas every day an estimated 800 women in the world die due to complications during pregnancy or childbirth; whereas the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo called for universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights which can be lifesaving;
P. whereas women make up more than half the number of migrants;
Q. whereas Africa exports substantially more capital to the world through illicit financial flows in comparison to what it receives in terms of international aid and remittances;
R. whereas the new sustainable development framework offers an opportunity to secure the broad involvement of civil society organisations, local authorities and national parliaments;
S. whereas more new and decent jobs need to be created in order to respond to demographic growth on a global scale; whereas the private sector is a major generator of jobs, both in developed and developing countries, and thus can be an essential partner in the fight against poverty when clear accountability mechanisms exist and international regulations on social protection are respected;
T. whereas aid continues to play a unique role in poverty reduction and as game-changer in developing countries;
U. whereas domestic resource mobilisation is an important element in the fight against poverty and inequality;
V. whereas the EU and its Member States are the largest donors of development aid and thus should remain the driving force during the next phase of the negotiations under the UN, promoting in particular the human rights-based approach, based on equality, non-discrimination, participation and inclusion in the design and implementation of the framework;
W. whereas the Council conclusions of December 2014 will lay down a coherent set of principles and the main lines of the negotiating strategy;
X. whereas Article 208 of the TFEU establishes that eradication of poverty is the primary objective of EU development policy and establishes policy coherence for development;
I. The Millennium Development Goals: assessment and new challenges
1. Underlines that the global landscape has changed in recent years, including shifts in the global economic and political balance, and that although some developing and emerging economies have experienced relevant economic growth, they still face high and increasing levels of inequality; considers that a new approach is needed that embraces global governance, with a strong focus on policy coherence for development and the provision of global public goods;
2. Recalls that while having the advantage of being straightforward, the MDGs did not address underlying structural factors that lead to poverty and inequality; stresses that the global sustainable development framework after 2015 should be transformative by addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality and thus deliver on the unfinished business of the current MDGs;
3. Stresses that the MDGs defined in 2000 had many successes in middle-income countries and developing countries, but that progress has been unequal, both within and between countries, therefore these results must be correctly analysed and lessons learnt while shaping the global development framework after 2015;
4. Recalls that, although the MDGs have made a profound difference in people’s lives, key issues such as human rights violations, inequalities, including gender inequality, armed conflicts and terrorism, climate change, food insecurity, lack of property rights, lack of land rights, migration, limited access to healthcare services and education, demographic changes, resource constraints, the loss of biodiversity, corruption, tax fraud and tax avoidance, unsustainable growth, unemployment, and financial and economic crises still pose extremely complex and interrelated challenges for the next decades, prompting the need to find new development pathways that could lead to inclusive and sustainable development for all;
5. Emphasises that environmental sustainability is an overriding challenge, where failure is likely to threaten all dimensions of human development; in particular, recalls that environmental degradation represents a huge impediment to fulfilling the objective of eradication of extreme poverty and hunger; recalls, for instance, that persistent inequalities and struggles over scarce resources are among the key drivers of conflict, hunger, insecurity and violence, which in turn are key factors that hold back human development and efforts to achieve sustainable development;
6. Stresses that the new framework should respond effectively to these challenges and tackle important issues such as respect for the dignity of every human being, justice, equality, good governance, democracy, the rule of law, peace and security, climate change, disaster risk reduction and building resilience, preservation of biodiversity, inclusive and sustainable development, property rights, land rights, health and social protection, education, research and innovation, and the rights of women, children, young people and minorities;
7. Underlines the fact that the new development framework must be universal in its nature and applicable in all countries, including EU Member States, and hence needs to be relevant and fair for both developed and developing countries, while taking into account different national circumstances, capacities, policies and priorities; stresses that the new responsibilities and burdens generated need to be equally but justly shared between all countries; calls for the EU to indicate which concrete actions and commitments it can suggest to respond domestically and internationally to the principle of universality;
8. Stresses that mutual accountability and transparency at all levels should be the axis of the new development framework, and that it is important that national governments and other actors, including the private sector, are held accountable for the implementation of the framework;
9. Calls for the EU to actively lead the process towards the definition of a single, comprehensive and integrated global development framework after 2015 and welcomes the consensus that the new global development agenda needs to strengthen the means of implementation and renew the global partnership for sustainable development;
II. The need for a renewed global partnership and a strong and cohesive EU position
10 Calls for the EU to play an active role in shaping a new global partnership which will mobilise action by all countries, including emerging economies, and all relevant stakeholders, including the private sector, civil society organisations, local authorities and national parliaments;
11. Calls for the EU to adopt a strong, cohesive and unified position in the upcoming inter-governmental negotiations, taking into account the priorities stressed in this resolution;
12. Endorses the conclusions of the UN OWG; considers, nonetheless, that the framework identified in its conclusions could eventually be clustered, while maintaining the balance between poverty eradication, fighting inequalities and the three dimensions of sustainable development, and not at the expense of the rights-based approach, nor at the expense of the more ambitious and innovative goals;
13. Stresses that the new global framework should include the appropriate institutional architecture, addressing the main goals of poverty eradication, fighting inequalities and promotion of sustainable development, with clear guidelines for supervision of its implementation, and that this architecture should also address the complexities and the inter-linkages between the different parts of the future framework;
14. Believes that policy coherence for sustainable development (PCD) is a key tool for the implementation of the post-2015 framework; to this end, calls for the EU to ensure that the necessary guidelines, impact assessments and monitoring and reporting mechanisms make PCD a reality in the framework;
15. Underlines that the universality of the global development agenda after 2015 implies more demanding commitments for the EU and its Member States; stresses that the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) under the global framework will have to be reflected in both the EU’s external and internal policies;
III. Priority areas
16. Recalls that poverty eradication must remain the main priority of the global development agenda after 2015, along with addressing the intertwining pillars of economic, ecological and social sustainability, and a strengthened global partnership;
Poverty eradication, fighting inequalities and sustainable development
17. Stresses that ending poverty and fighting inequalities, together with sustainable development, should be the underlying theme of the global development framework after 2015; underlines the need for the framework to be people-centred and address the lack of justice by applying a rights-based approach, with the aim of reducing inequalities, within and between countries, as one of the key priorities in the new framework;
18. Considers that inequality hampers development and poverty reduction efforts; reiterates that poverty eradication, equality and sustainable development are only possible if all vulnerable groups are taken into account and if equitable access, sustainable use of resources and good governance is promoted; calls on the EU and its Member States to support SDG 10, as proposed by the UN OWG, as a stand-alone goal in the new framework;
19. Underlines the need for a target on ending extreme poverty at the level of USD 2 a day, if the framework is to be truly transformational;
20. Underlines the fact that the future framework should address the multi-dimensional aspects of poverty and inequality, which go beyond a lack of income but which involve human beings in their dignity and in all their dimensions, including social dimensions; stresses that poverty should not be assessed in accordance with income alone, but also in relation to indicators of well-being, and not just GDP;
21. Recommends that support be given to state-building by means of increased general and/or sector-specific aid conditional on good governance criteria;
22. Deems that the adoption of a holistic approach to confront inequalities entails, among other things, addressing the impact of the liberalisation agenda on poverty and inequality; recalls, for instance, that Least Developed Countries (LDCs) face difficulties in compensating for the decline of trade taxes as a result of trade liberalisation; underlines, likewise, that in a largely globalised economy, labour’s bargaining power has been reduced through liberalisation, which jeopardises in return fulfilment of the rights listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Decent Work Agenda; accordingly, urges the EU to frame its trade policy strategy in such a way as to maintain and protect high social and environmental standards, while discouraging any forms of social and environmental dumping;
23. Stresses that there is an important interconnection between good governance, sustainable development growth and the reduction of social inequalities; underlines the importance of fostering equal opportunities and rights, as well as social dialogue; calls for a broader definition of poverty than that based on GDP alone, encompassing broader measures of progress and well-being;
24. Highlights the crucial economic and social importance of a strong, stable middle class; stresses the need to involve the middle class more closely in the political process, thus promoting inclusive growth;
25. Calls for the promotion of ecologically sustainable development in all countries, both developed and developing, by sustainable use of renewable natural resources and by protecting the environment;
26. Stresses the need to promote sustainable development by balancing regional development, by promoting the development of smaller towns and cities and preventing the excessive growth of big cities;
The human rights-based approach
27. Welcomes the inclusion of the promotion of a human rights-based and people-centred approach among the Sustainable Development Goals proposed by the UN Open Working Group; expresses concern, however, at the fact that a more ambitious approach has so far not been embraced, and stresses that such an approach is essential for tackling the roots of poverty, social exclusion and inequality;
28. Stresses the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights of all people, without discrimination on any grounds, starting with the fundamental right to dignity of all human beings, with particular attention to the human rights of women and girls, including the promotion of universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as the protection and respect of the rights of migrants and minorities, including LGBTI people and people living with HIV; underlines the importance of respecting and promoting the rights of disabled people in the new framework;
29. Calls for the EU to emphasise the importance of prioritising within the post-2015 agenda the adoption and implementation of an appropriate legal framework and the fact that national and local policies should fight corruption and impunity, ensuring access to judicial institutions that are impartial and independent and effective remedies for violations of human rights, particularly of marginalised groups, as well as the protection of human rights defenders; stresses that the post-2015 global development framework needs to ensure good governance, democracy and the rule of law;
30. Calls on the EU to redouble efforts aimed at ensuring, in the upcoming inter-governmental negotiations, that the human rights-based approach (HRBA) and the right to development become the underpinning concepts of the post-2015 global development framework, and, therefore, that the key HRBA pillars of universality and indivisibility, non-discrimination and equality, accountability and rule of law, participation and inclusion are included in the design, implementation and monitoring of the post-2015 development framework; stresses the importance of keeping SDG 16, proposed by the UN OWG, as a stand-alone goal in the new framework;
Conflict prevention, post-conflict recovery, peace-building and promotion of lasting peace
31. Considers that the global development framework after 2015 should duly reflect the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States and the peace-building and state-building goals agreed in Busan; highlights that special attention is required with regard to fragile states in the new framework; welcomes the fact that the promotion of peaceful societies is one of the priorities of the EU and that it is evolving as an important element of the new framework; also considers that it is imperative to engage in structural, intensive and long-term partnerships that prioritise security sector reform and the establishment of the rule of law and democratic institutions;
32 Stresses that the new framework needs to address the underlying drivers of conflict and fragility; calls for the European institutions to put in place more responsive procedures in post-conflict situations and adopt a strategy enabling development aid to serve security objectives as effectively as possible;
33. Strongly condemns the lack of prosecution and punishment in conflicted areas, especially when it comes to sexual violence aimed at women and girls; stresses the need to redouble the efforts towards the protection of civilians affected by armed conflicts, to improve access to psychological support, particularly for women and children, and to strengthen the link between relief, rehabilitation and development (LRRD) in the new global framework;
34. Recognises the important contribution of women to conflict prevention and peace-building efforts, and thus calls for the promotion of UN Security Council resolution 1325 to ensure participation of women in conflict resolution and democracy building;
Climate-change mitigation, protection of the environment, and disaster-risk reduction
35. Considers that climate change mitigation and adaptation needs to be effectively mainstreamed in the post-2015 global development framework as a cross-cutting issue in a visible and ambitious manner; supports the wide range of measures to address the effects of climate change and to ensure a better future for the new generation, including phasing out subsidies that are harmful to the environment; underlines that special attention should be given to sustainable energy since it is crucial for climate change mitigation;
36. Underlines that the mainstreaming process should not lead to the diversion of official development assistance (ODA) to climate policies that do not achieve direct poverty alleviation;
37. Considers that many poor communities are already facing the consequences of climate change while bearing the least responsibility for it; reiterates the urgent need to take action on reducing emissions, with a focus on carbon-free strategies; stresses that moving towards an energy-efficient and renewable-based economy can lead to gains in poverty eradication; believes that the EU should support universal access to renewable, reliable and affordable energy services;
38. Welcomes the fact that climate change mitigation and sustainable use of natural resources are strongly present and integrated in the outcome document of the Open Working Group, including the preservation of oceans and seas, as well as preservation of biodiversity and forests;
39. Emphasises the importance of including in the new framework humanitarian assistance, capacity-building, prevention and bottom-up participatory measures to effectively reduce disaster risk and strengthen resilience; stresses the need to strengthen international assistance, coordination and resources for emergency response, recovery and reconstruction in post-disaster situations;
40 Recognises the distinctive role of women in contributing to sustainability, and therefore calls for the integration of the gender equality perspective in environmental and climate change policies in order to ensure a reduction in gender inequalities when it comes to access and control of resources for adaptation to climate change;
Food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, combating land degradation, water and sanitation
41. Welcomes the fact that food and nutrition security has emerged as a priority area for the new global development framework and welcomes the inclusion of a stand-alone goal to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture in the OWG outcome document; recognises the specific needs of women farmers related to food security that need to be taken into account while developing the new framework;
42. Stresses the importance of addressing the linkages with improved productivity of sustainable agriculture and fisheries leading to reduced loss and waste of food, transparent management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change;
43. Points out that land tenure security for small-scale producers, which takes into account traditional land use rights, both stimulates local economies and increases food security;
44. Calls for the need to go beyond food security and considers food as a basic human right, in order to be able to set a clear ‘Zero Hunger’ goal and to end the scandal of hunger by 2025; underlines that efforts to eradicate hunger and to end malnutrition, as well as the phenomenon of ‘hidden hunger’, should especially focus on children and lactating women;
45. Stresses the importance of implementing the Rio+20 commitments on land degradation in all countries and the FAO guidelines on the Right to Food and on Land Tenure; underlines the importance of global good governance in preventing land grabbing;
46. Stresses the need to strengthen good governance in the land sector and to protect land from the ever growing risk of being grabbed by business consortiums;
47. Points to the importance of considering universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and integrated water management; stresses the need to take action in reducing use of hazardous chemicals and preventing pollution;
Health and education
48. Takes the view that the health sector is crucial to the economic and social development of societies; calls for the EU, therefore, to focus on promoting equitable, universal and sustainable health protection in the new global framework, with a special emphasis on affordable child and maternal health and care, including an ambitious target on eradicating preventable maternal, newborn and child deaths, as well as on ending the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and other communicable diseases;
49. Recognises health as a human right; highlights the importance of improving universal access to hygiene and to high-quality health care and coverage, including sexual and reproductive health services; calls on the EU to put special emphasis on preventing exclusion and discrimination of the most vulnerable groups with regard to health systems;
50. Highlights the huge importance of continuing to work on improving access to water, sanitation and hygiene as a cross-cutting issue that affects the attainment of other goals in the post-2015 agenda, including health, education and gender equality:
51. Stresses that education is the key to developing self-sustainable societies; urges that access to all levels of quality education should be reflected in the new global development framework, and that the framework should also address the issue of access to education in emergency and crisis situations; underlines the need to foster participatory citizenship through the full exercise of civic and political rights as well as building knowledge-based and innovative societies;
52. Urges the Commission to promote the priority of eliminating inequalities in access to health and education in the post-2015 framework, and to include specific measures to reach the disadvantaged individuals and groups at risk of discrimination;
The central role of women in the global development framework after 2015
53. Welcomes the fact that the empowerment of women and girls and the importance of gender equality are recognised as priorities in the Open Working Group (OWG) outcome document, taking into account the central role of women in the new global development framework; calls for the EU and its Member States to support the call of the OWG for a stand-alone goal on gender equality while ensuring the integration of gender mainstreaming across all goals, and to promote inclusion of ambitious targets related to the rights of women and girls and the enhanced implementation of these targets;
54. Reiterates the importance of eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls in the new framework; underlines the importance of eliminating all discriminatory legislation and practices; urges the EU to set the elimination of all forms of violence, such as domestic violence, trafficking, sexual exploitation and sexual harassment, and all harmful practices, including child, early or forced marriage and female genital mutilation, as one of the top priorities in the field of human rights under the new global framework;
55. Considers that the post-2015 global agenda should convey a clear message regarding the participation of women in decision making processes;
56. Emphasises the importance of ensuring equal access to employment for both women and men, and equal pay for work of equal value everywhere; recognises the need to safeguard the right of women who have children to remain in employment at the same time;
57. Underlines the importance of enhancing girls’ access to all levels of education and removing gender barriers to learning;
58 Stresses the importance of ensuring universal access to health services such as family planning, including sexual and reproductive health and rights;
59. Points to the need to establish effective specific protection arrangements for migrant women and recognises the importance of the right of women to migrate and integrate themselves into a new culture;
Inclusive and sustainable growth, employment and decent work creation
60. Underlines that inclusive and sustainable economic growth, accompanied by decent jobs creation and resource efficiency aimed at moving towards a more sustainable consumption and production model, and climate change mitigation, is crucial to the success of the post-2015 framework; considers that defining qualitative indicators will be critical in order to monitor both the degree to which development progress is inclusive and sustainable, and the extent to which the needs of the most deprived and vulnerable groups are being addressed;
61. Emphasises that it is crucial to monitor the degree to which economic development includes the most deprived and vulnerable groups and to which wages remain in line with increases in productivity; recalls that it is the responsibility of the State to provide basic social services to its citizens, thus contributing to eradicating poverty; considers the establishment of nationally defined social protection floors and minimum wage regulation in developing countries to be essential;
62. Calls for the EU to promote an enabling environment for entrepreneurship, trade, investment and innovation, which will be conducive to the reduction of inequalities and aimed at strengthening social justice;
63. Emphasises the need for phasing out child labour in the new global development framework;
64. Calls for a new global framework that creates a more equitable and sustainable trade scheme based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade; takes the view that Fair Trade is an example of a successful partnership, involving many stakeholders around the world and at different stages along a supply chain, that ensures market access for disadvantaged producers, in particular women, guarantees sustainable livelihoods, respects labour standards, phases out child labour and encourages environmentally sustainable farming and production practices;
65. Underlines the need for the new global framework to promote a universal, transparent, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the WTO; calls on the EU to reconsider its strategy for sustainable development policies, including fair trade;
66. Calls for support to the development of green incentives, such as the creation of green jobs;
67. Underlines the importance of addressing youth unemployment in the new global framework;
The private sector
68. Stresses that the private sector can be a key driver of inclusive and sustainable growth, when taking into account key development principles such as human rights, labour rights, corporate accountability and transparency mechanisms, social dialogue and environmental commitments; calls for the EU to support the building up of regulatory systems which would reduce overburdening red tape, promote good governance, combat bribery and corruption, and promote job creation; insists upon the need to improve the corporate social responsibility of multinational enterprises, through legally binding rules; under these circumstances, deems that the private sector should be a key driver of inclusive and sustainable economic development;
69. Calls for transparent and fair rules in accessing local and international markets, giving equal opportunities to all stakeholders involved;
70. Points out that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should be an important element of the new framework;
71. Calls for the EU to ensure that all aid flows for the private sector follow development effectiveness principles and ensure that the private sector in developing countries is aimed at lifting people out of poverty;
72. Welcomes the Council recommendation to place an increased focus on supporting SMEs, by creating a friendly environment for small business owners and facilitating access to finance and training;
73. Supports in particular further development of the initiative for social entrepreneurship in the field of development cooperation; calls for the creation of novel tools that support better cooperation between small and medium-sized enterprises in developed countries and developing countries;
74. Urges the EU to prioritise tax justice and domestic resource mobilisation in the post- 2015 agenda, as it should play a major role in transforming society, eradicating poverty and reducing inequalities;
Civil society
75. Recognising the need for a participatory approach in the new framework which should aim to involve actors at all levels, underlines the crucial role which civil society organisations (CSOs), including women’s organisations with regard to the central role of women in global development, play as enablers of development and promoters of universality, equality, inclusiveness, accountability and transparency; stresses the importance of engaging in dialogue with organisations on the ground, and facilitating the direct participation of people and communities;
76. Stresses the particular role of CSOs in promoting the rule of law, justice, human rights and democratic principles, especially in countries where state-building is in its early stages and state and government capacities are limited;
Local authorities and national parliaments
77. Underlines the importance of including local authorities and national parliaments in development planning, implementation and financial aid flows; stresses that this would require a truly participatory process, conducted early on in the development phase, and that, with this in mind, decentralised public aid must be recognised and reinforced;
IV. Mobilising financial resources
78. Urges Member States to meet their commitment to allocate at least 0.7 % of GNI to ODA, including at least 0.2 % to Least Developed Countries (LDC) and other highly vulnerable states; calls for the EU to take a coherent and comprehensive international approach to financing beyond 2015; reiterates the need to continue to work closely with other donors on developing further innovative financial mechanisms, such as the Financial Transaction Tax;
79. Stresses the importance of respecting the ownership principle in the context of development; stresses the need to step up the political dialogue between donors and partner countries;
80. Reminds the Commission and the Member States that ODA has to remain the backbone of the European development cooperation policy aimed at eradicating poverty;
81. Calls for the EU to evaluate the blending mechanisms in order to ensure they are transparent and accountable and have a clear sustainable development impact; calls on the Commission to publish guidelines that are based on harmonised poverty reduction strategies;
82. Reiterates its call to make combating corruption, money laundering, tax evasion and avoidance, tax havens, illicit flows of capital and harmful tax structures an overriding priority in financing development; reminds that estimates show that developing countries have lost close to USD 6 trillion in illicit financial flows over the last decade, far exceeding ODA flows for the period, and thus stresses the importance of enhancing transparency and global good governance;
83. Calls for the EU to facilitate public-private partnerships where possible and to prioritise engaging the experience, expertise and management systems of the private sector, in partnership with public resources;
84. Calls for the EU to continue to support developing countries in their efforts to increase the mobilisation of public and private domestic resources and to assist them in putting in place just, sustainable and equitable tax systems which would lead to the reduction of poverty and of aid dependency;
V. Indicators and accountability
85. Stresses that accessible and disaggregated reliable data is crucial for devising appropriate policies on the new framework and for holding governments and the international community to account;
86. Underlines the need for strong accountability mechanisms in order to make sure both developed and developing countries fulfil their commitments and tackle effectively the poverty and sustainability challenges that the post-2015 framework will address; underlines that the framework needs to be evidence-based, and include financial targets and robust monitoring and accountability mechanisms at all levels; recalls that the monitoring mechanisms should include a review process based on openness and transparency;
87. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the European Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the Chair of the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals.
- [1] OJ C 46, 24.2.2006, p.1.
- [2] Council Conclusions 9558/07, 15.5.2007.
- [3] OJ C 46, 24.2.2006, p. 1.
- [4] OJ L 77, 15.3.2014, p. 44.
- [5] Texts adopted, P7_TA(2014)0259.
- [6] Texts adopted, P7_TA(2014)0269.
- [7] Texts adopted, P7_TA(2013)0283.
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
I. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - achievements and new challenges
In September 2000, the UN adopted a Millennium Declaration, followed by the setting up of concrete, time-bound targets to be reached by 2015.
The MDGs have made a huge difference in people’s lives. At less than one year from the target date for achieving the MDGs the world has reduced extreme poverty by half and efforts in the fight against malaria and tuberculosis have shown impressive results.
Another important achievement of the MDGs is that it brought together governments, the international community, civil society and the private sector to achieve concrete goals for development and poverty eradication.
However, additional efforts are needed for halving the percentage of people suffering from hunger. The 2014 Human Development Report stresses that persistent vulnerability threatens human development, unless it is systematically tackled by policies and social norms.
Global challenges are expected to increase due to key issues such as poverty, human rights violations, armed conflicts and terrorism, climate change, food insecurity, migration, unemployment, demographic changes, corruption, resource constraints, unstable growth, financial and economic crises. New development pathways are needed that could lead to inclusive and sustainable development.
Therefore the post-2015 agenda needs a truly renovated global partnership, comprehensive in coverage, recognising the contribution of all types of instruments, and able to deal with technology and innovation, capacity-building and trade.
Why do we need this document?
Following the UN special event on MDGs (September 2013) and the reports on the post-2015, the negotiations of a new framework have intensified, namely through the discussions of the Open Working Group (OWG) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Intergovernmental Expert Committee on Sustainable Development Financing (ICESDEF).
The overall EU position has been developed by the European Commission after intensive consultations, and endorsed by the Council and the European Parliament. The communication “Decent Life for All” lays the foundation of the EU position on the post-2015 agenda.
The Communication calls for tackling issues of global concern such as poverty, health, food security, education, gender equality, water and sanitation, sustainable energy, decent work, inclusive and sustainable growth, inequality, sustainable consumption and production, biodiversity, land degradation and sea and oceans. It also says that the post-2015 framework should ensure a rights-based approach and address justice, equality and equity, good governance, democracy and the rule of law, peaceful societies and freedom from violence.
The European Parliament has been deeply committed to obtaining an ambitious post-2015 development agenda. With this report we would like to contribute to the definition of a coherent and consistent EU position, to be adopted by the Council in December 2014. Council conclusions should set out the EU principles and main lines of its negotiation strategy.
III. Priority areas
Poverty eradication and sustainable development
The rapporteur reminds that the narrative of the OWG on sustainable development goals identifies a consistent number of emerging priority areas. There is a need to progressively focus on the central elements that should constitute a clear and limited set of universal and measurable goals.
Poverty eradication together with good governance, human rights-based approach and sustainable development should be the underlying themes of the new development framework addressing also the multi-dimensional aspects of poverty and inequality, which go beyond the lack of income.
Human rights- based approach
The post-2015 framework should ensure a human right-based approach, as well as the promotion of peaceful societies. Justice, good governance, democracy and the rule of law should also be addressed in the new agenda. The rapporteur strongly believes that a more ambitious approach should be embraced in this regard;
In this crucial moment of negotiations EU should integrate all the rights while engaging with third countries, which is of utmost importance for sustainable development.
The rapporteur would like to remind that to achieve sustainable development goals we need institutions at all levels that are effective, transparent, accountable and democratic. Thus, the rapporteur urges the adoption and implementation of an appropriate legal framework and national policies leading towards reducing corruption, ensuring that justice institutions are accessible, impartial and independent.
Conflict prevention, post-conflict, peace-building and promotion of durable peace
The EU has acknowledged that there cannot be sustainable development without peace and security, and that, vice versa, without development and poverty eradication there will be no lasting peace. Therefore, the post-2015 framework should reflect peace building and state building goals agreed in Busan. Promotion of peaceful societies should evolve as an important element of the new agenda.
Climate change and disaster risk reduction.
The climate change mitigation, as one of the biggest challenges of our time, needs to be urgently and effectively mainstreamed in the new development agenda. Closely related to climate change is disaster risk reduction, as well as strengthening resilience.
On disaster risk reduction it’s important to recall that the poorest countries are the most exposed to risks, and there is a need to tackle all determinants of vulnerability.
Sustainable energy should also be seen as a crucial instrument to poverty eradication. That requires a strategic approach on diversification of sources, protection of ecosystems and natural resources, and integrated water management.
Food security, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, land degradation, water and sanitation
The Rapporteur welcomes the fact that food and nutrition security is emerging as a main area for the new agenda and reminds that there is a need to create linkages with sustainable agriculture, fisheries, management of natural resources and climate change.
Your Rapporteur emphasises that additional efforts should be undertaken to end malnutrition, with special emphasis on children.
As underlined in Rio+20 commitments, land and soil degradation is a key area of sustainable development and green economy. Stopping land and soil degradation is therefore crucial.
The Rio+20 recognised that ‘water is at the core of sustainable development’ and its three dimensions. The rapporteur considers that the new agenda should encourage an integrated approach to water expressed in universally agreed goals, simple, measurable and able to focus policies, resources, and allowing stakeholders to deliver concrete outcomes that improve people’s lives, and protect environment.
Health and education
The Rapporteur stresses the importance of health and education for sustainable development. Therefore single goals addressing those issues should be reflected in the post-2015 agenda.
EU should focus on promoting equitable and universal health coverage by quality expenditure and access to quality health services in the new development framework.
Furthermore, the Rapporteur emphasises the need to enable access to all levels of quality education, in order to foster participatory citizenship and building of knowledge-based and innovative societies.
It is especially important to eliminate inequalities in access to health and education, and to work out measures within the new framework to reach the most disadvantages groups.
Central role of women in the new development framework
The Rapporteur welcomes the fact that empowerment of women was recognised as a priority in the post-2015 development agenda.
Furthermore, it is important to prioritise the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. It is crucial that the EU sets elimination of all harmful practices including child, early or forced marriage and female genital mutilation as one of the top priorities under the new framework.
The new development framework should also include focus on ensuring equal access to employment, as well as equal pay for the work of equal value.
Inclusive and sustainable growth, employment and decent work
The global financial and economic crisis have slowed growth, and led in turn to an employment crisis. The Rapporteur stresses the importance of inclusive growth and the promotion of decent jobs.
The on-going discussions on the post-2015 framework offer a good opportunity for the EU to promote an enabling environment for entrepreneurship, trade, investment and innovation, which will be conducive to the reduction of inequalities and aimed at strengthening social justice.
Private sector
The private sector provides some 90 per cent of jobs in developing countries, and is thus an essential partner in the fight against poverty.
The Rapporteur believes that private sector should be the key driver of inclusive and sustainable growth. In this respect, he welcomes Council recommendations to increase focus on support to SMEs, as well as social enterprises and cooperatives, as key actors to promote sustainable development.
Civil Society
The Rapporteur is of the opinion that in the new post-2015 framework civil society organisations should play an important role by holding governments accountable, and by contributing to the creation of participatory societies responsible for their own development.
Local authorities
Local authorities should be included from the beginning in the new development framework through a truly participatory process. The Rapporteur is of the opinion that local authorities contribute significantly to development effectiveness since they know the best the needs of local communities and can address them in the most comprehensive way.
V. Mobilising financial resources.
The post-2015 goals should consider setting mutual goals and obligations for all countries, regardless of their income levels.
The rapporteur believes that the EU should continue to work closely with other donors on developing further innovative mechanisms for development and creating new partnerships, and complementing other sources of financing.
The rapporteur also recommends that the mechanisms of blending are transparent, accountable and with a clear sustainable development impact. Strongly recommends a cohesive and determined approach on fight against illicit financial flows, enhancing transparency and good governance.
The rapporteur believes that the EU should continue to work closely with developing countries in order to help them to raise domestic revenues, establish sustainable and equitable tax systems.
VII. Indicators and accountability
Reminds that reliable data is absolutely vital for devising appropriate policies and for holding governments and development stakeholders accountable. Recommends the EU to promote discussions on the best indicators to measure progress, inequalities and vulnerabilities.
VIII. The need to a strong, clear and cohesive EU position
The Rapporteur appreciates the EU engagement in the post-2015 negotiations, and for the insistence on a single, comprehensive framework, to be applied to all countries and addressing the three dimensions of sustainable development. Considers that the EU should be firm on substance and strategic objectives. Welcomes progress and contribution made by the OWG, but believes that the number of goals identified in the conclusions need to be simplified and significantly reduced;
Considers also that the EU should give an important contribution to define clear provisions to ensure human rights-based approach and good governance would be the underlying concept of the new framework.
The rapporteur considers also that the PCD is another crucial aspect for a successful post-2015 development agenda. Therefore, more detailed proposals on food security, nutrition and sustainable agriculture should be presented.
At last, your rapporteur stresses that the voices of countries and regional groups that support EU priorities, and share the some concerns should be heard and assume a catalytic effect inside regional groups.
OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY (6.11.2014)
for the Committee on Development
on the EU and the global development framework after 2015
(2014/2143(INI))
Rapporteur: Malin Björk
SUGGESTIONS
The Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality calls on the Committee on Development, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions into its motion for a resolution:
– having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) of 18 December 1979;
– having regard to the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in September 1995, the Declaration and Platform for Action adopted in Beijing and the subsequent outcome documents of the United Nations Beijing +5, +10 and +15 Special Sessions on further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted on 9 June 2000, 11 March 2005 and 2 March 2010 respectively;
– having regard to the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) that took place in Cairo in 1994, where the global community recognised and affirmed that sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights are fundamental to sustainable development;
A. whereas two Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) explicitly address women’s rights, namely the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women (MDG 3) and the improvement of maternal health (MDG 5), whereas a further three address living conditions of women and girls: achieving universal primary education (MDG 2), reducing child mortality (MDG 4) and combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases (MDG 6);
B. whereas Member States have committed themselves to promoting gender equality in twelve critical areas for concern under the Beijing Platform for Action; whereas in its 15‑year implementation review, the Council concluded that women’s rights remain to be ensured in most of these areas;
C. whereas the EU is committed to a Plan of Action on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Development 2010-2015, but the pace of implementation has been extremely slow, as was highlighted in the Council Conclusions from 19 May 2014;
D. whereas although the MDGs have achieved successes in middle-income and developing countries, progress towards gender equality and the empowerment of women has been mixed, with MDG 3 remaining largely unachieved;
E. whereas MDG 5 is the goal that lags the furthest behind and access to information on sexual and reproductive rights, including contraception and abortion, is fundamental to women's empowerment; as every day an estimated 800 women in the world die due to complications during pregnancy or childbirth; and about 222 million women in the developing world lack access to safe and modern methods of family planning whilst the proportion of development aid aimed at family planning as to total global aid for health is declining;
F. whereas accounting for over 60 percent of people living with HIV, women and girls remain at the epicentre of the HIV pandemic (MDG 6);
G. whereas women are key actors in development policies; whereas the empowerment of women and girls and human rights of women and girls has been recognised as a priority in the post-2015 framework;
H. whereas the ICPD Beyond 2014 Review shows that discrimination against women and girls remains evident in all societies; the review stresses that the fulfilment of individual rights, including SRHR, and capabilities is the foundation of sustainable development[1];
I. whereas women are harder hit by military conflicts as well as by economic and climate crises, and whereas they are accounting for a growing proportion of migration, now making up half the number of migrants;
J. whereas migration is increasing in Europe and all over the world, and many women are victim of discrimination and violence if they want to change their culture, religion, lifestyle;
K. whereas globally, women and girls constitute a majority of those living in extreme poverty, women play a very important role in the world's agricultural production and make up for 43% of the agriculture workforce in developing countries[2], but own less than 10% of the land;
L. whereas every year, 14 million girls are forced into marriage; whereas one woman out of every three in the world is assaulted, abused, raped, or suffers some other form of ill-treatment; and whereas violence and rape constitute a greater risk to women aged between 15 and 44 than cancer, road accidents, war, or malaria;
M. whereas women's poverty and gender inequalities are also root causes and push factors in trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation, and whereas women and girls are exploited in sex industries in all regions of the world;
N. whereas the denial of lifesaving abortion amounts to a serious breach of human rights;
O. whereas the maternal mortality rate is 15 times higher in developing countries than in developed countries;
P. whereas 62 million girls in the world do not attend school;
Q. whereas lack of comprehensive sexuality education, youth-friendly reproductive health services and measures to prevent early and forced marriages, sexual harassment and violence prevent in particular girls from attending school and completing their education, driving gender inequalities and poverty;
R. whereas the implementation of equal pay for work of equal value is a crucial issue in achieving gender equality;
S. whereas women and in particular mothers are often victims of discriminations in their access to work, according to the type of employment; whereas that creates a strong prejudice for their carriers;
T. whereas in many countries, national laws do not guarantee the same rights to men and women;
1. Calls for enhancing the implementation of the current MDGs in order to address more effectively the structural causes of gender inequality and women's empowerment, as well as the structural changes still needed to realise substantive equality, and stresses the fact that this is caused by various obstacles such as a lack of resources, lack of political will, the prevalence of the masculine model in political life and elected government bodies, lack of party support for women, socio-economic obstacles, women's lack of time resources, the role of social mass media and lack of sustained contact and cooperation with public organisations such as trade unions and women's groups, as well as policies which seek to limit women's and girls' rights and access to health services, such as donor country funding restrictions on humanitarian aid related to safe abortion services;
2. Urges the United Nations to include gender equality, women's rights, the empowerment of women and human rights of women and girls as a stand-alone goal, as suggested by the OWG[3], and essential precondition for equitable and inclusive sustainable development, as well as to ensure the integration of gender mainstreaming and gender-specific targets and indicators across all goals under the post-2015 global development framework, with a special focus on women experiencing increased marginalisation due to intersecting forms of discrimination and inequalities;
3. Regrets that women's and girls' bodies, specifically their sexual and reproductive health and rights, remain an ideological battleground to this day and calls on the post-2015 development framework to recognise the inalienable rights of women and girls to bodily integrity and autonomous decision-making; among others, the right to access voluntary family planning, safe and legal abortion and to be free from violence, including FGM, child, early and forced marriage, and marital rape;
4. Calls for a specific gender equality action plan accompanied by the necessary financing mechanism including gender budgeting tools in order to tackle intersecting and structural drivers of inequalities, and multiple forms of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, cultural or religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, health status and abilities;
5. Calls for ambitious gender-specific targets to be set as regards ending the feminisation of poverty and closing gender gaps, including enhanced access for women and girls to quality education, including secondary education, universal access to quality health services, the enhancement of access for women and girls to sexual and reproductive health and rights, including family planning and abortion services, the ending of all forms of violence against women and girls as well as gender based violence, and the boosting of women's social and economic independence, particularly in terms of employment and their participation in decision-making processes, stresses that the social economy helps to rectify three major labour market imbalances: unemployment, job instability and social and labour exclusion;
6. Calls for a clear strategy that lets women and mothers have access to work without discrimination, safeguarding the right to maternity and work at the same time;
7. Underlines that women's participation in political decision-making and negotiations, especially in conflict prevention, peace processes and peace building, is decisive to create favourable conditions for the stabilisation and strengthening of States, and thus for development; calls for the promotion of the UN Security Council resolution 1325 to ensure the participation of women in conflict resolution and democracy building;
8. Strongly condemns the continued use of sexual violence against women as a weapon of war; stresses that more needs to be done to ensure respect of international law and access to psychological support for women and girls abused in conflicts;
9. Condemns the lack of prosecution and punishments of aggressors towards women in conflicted areas; calls for more detailed data and statistics on impunity of aggressors accused of committing violence against women in conflicted areas;
10. Urges that the provision of EU humanitarian aid and that of its Member States should not be subject to restrictions imposed by donors regarding access to safe abortion for women and girls who are victims of rape in armed conflicts;
11. Insists on a specific gender equality chapter rooted in the next EEAS Human Rights Action Plan;
12. Insists that gender balance needs to be rooted in the EEAS overseas missions and on a dedicated women's rights and gender equality strategy for each mission;
13. Recognises that girls and young women are particularly disadvantaged and at risk and highlights the importance of supporting educational systems that provide access to basic educational needs, with special attention to alphabetisation and professional training, in order to tackle the violation of the right of girls to have education; recalls that specific focus is needed to ensure girls live free from violence, to remove discriminatory legislation and practices, and to empower girls and young women globally;
14. Maintains that all girls should be given easier access, free of charge, to good primary and secondary education, paying particular attention to the most marginalised groups;
15. Calls for enhanced policies on public systems to provide qualitative, sustainable and equal healthcare, with special attention to the elderly and persons with disabilities;
16. Underlines that any goal on health must include the achievement of the right to highest attainable standard of health, including sexual and reproductive health and rights; emphasises that women must have control over their sexual and reproductive rights, notably through easy access to contraception and abortion, points out that the right to reproductive health is an integral element of human rights; in this context, strongly demands the criminalisation of forced sterilisation;
17. Calls for eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, and therefore urges the United Nations to set the eradication of all forms of violence against women as a priority objective and to further develop measures attracting special attention to extreme forms of violence such as domestic violence, honour killing, human trafficking, forced marriage, sexual exploitation and genital female mutilation, particularly to women in warzones, and to fight the consequences of violence against women for society such as unequal development and discrimination and vulnerability of women in the economy; considers that violence against women is a serious violation of human rights and should never be justified by religion, culture and tradition;
18. Emphasises the fact that the EU should stress the importance of a participatory approach in the new development framework, aiming to involve at all times actors at all levels, including civil-society and, in particular, women's organisations and gender equality organisations, as strong social accountability mechanisms at local level should report to national monitoring of development plans, leading to real inclusive governance at local, regional and national level;
19. Points to the importance of gathering age- and gender-specific data for the purpose of implementing such policies as might be shown to be appropriate;
20. Points out that the post-2015 framework must eliminate the root causes of poverty by promoting equality of outcome and empowerment for all, especially for those living in poverty, and marginalised and under-served populations, with an explicit focus on women, girls, and youth;
21. Calls for human rights principles to underpin the post-2015 framework, which must address, in particular, issues of inequality and discrimination, participation and the empowerment of marginalised and disadvantaged people in society - with a special attention to the rights of women, youth, migrants, people living with HIV, LGBTI persons and persons with disability;
22. Points to the need to establish effective specific protection arrangements for migrant women;
23. Urges the United Nations to emphasise in the MDGs the importance of the right of women to migrate and integrate themselves in a new culture changing their lifestyle without incurring violence and abuses;
24. Underlines that special attention should be paid to overcome financial and legal obstacles to sustainable development, protection and fulfilment of all women's human rights; urges the international community to address the unjust social, economic and environmental conditions that perpetuate the feminisation of poverty, commodification of natural resources, and threats to food sovereignty that impede women and girls from becoming empowered, stresses in this context the issue of large-scale land acquisition by foreign investors, which is affecting local farmers and which has a devastating impact on women and children;
25. Regrets that the proposed targets do not recognise the differential impacts of environmental threats on the lives of women and girls, or their distinctive role in contributing to sustainability and in peace building activities, and emphasises the need to include the gender perspective in all future goals for sustainable development, accompanied by specific targets for women and girls;
26. Considers it essential to devise a global financing framework with an inbuilt gender perspective - using the European Development Fund where the EU is concerned - in order to attain the new sustainable development goals;
27. Maintains that the specific needs of women farmers have to be taken into account, especially where food security issues are concerned;
28. Calls for the integration of gender equality concerns as a cross-cutting issue in environmental and climate change policies, from their implementation through to their evaluation, so as to provide factual information to evaluate and improve the impact of these policies, and emphasises that, given the strong gender dimension of climate change in both its effects and in the solutions thereto, the EU should insist on a gender equitable, participatory and rights-based approach, to ensure a tangible reduction in gender inequalities in access to and control over resources for adaptation to climate change, as well as a gender balance in climate and disaster-related decision-making processes at all levels;
29. As the post-2015 development framework will be a universal agenda for global development, urges the European Commission to include SRHR in its next EU Health Strategy;
30. Calls for the goal of universal access to reproductive health to be further pursued within the new global development framework and treated as a priority, and for financial support for family planning to be provided on a commensurate scale;
31. Emphasises that universal respect for and access to SRHR contributes to the achievement of all the health-related MDGs: prenatal care and the ability to avoid high-risk births, reduce infant and child mortality; points out that family planning, maternal health and safe abortion services are important elements to save women's lives;
32. Calls for specific EU projects to promote SRHR in less developed countries to help prevent maternal mortality;
33. Calls for a new global framework that creates a more equitable and sustainable trade scheme based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade; takes the view that Fair Trade is an example of a successful partnership, involving many stakeholders around the world and at different stages along a supply chain, that ensures market access for disadvantaged producers, in particular women, guarantees sustainable livelihoods, respects labour standards, phases out child labour and encourages environmentally sustainable farming and production practices;
34. Urges the EU and its Member States to come up with an extensive review of the Beijing Platform for Action to mark its twenty years anniversary in 2015;
35. Maintains that women must be viewed as having a role to play in development and must therefore be consulted, not least through civil society.
RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE
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Date adopted |
6.11.2014 |
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Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
28 4 0 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Daniela Aiuto, Maria Arena, Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea, Malin Björk, Anna Maria Corazza Bildt, Iratxe García Pérez, Anna Hedh, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Elisabeth Köstinger, Agnieszka Kozłowska-Rajewicz, Barbara Matera, Angelika Mlinar, Maria Noichl, Marijana Petir, Terry Reintke, Liliana Rodrigues, Michaela Šojdrová, Ernest Urtasun, Ángela Vallina, Elissavet Vozemberg, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Anna Záborská, Jana Žitňanská |
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Substitutes present for the final vote |
Mariya Gabriel, Arne Gericke, Sophia in ‘t Veld, Kostadinka Kuneva, Constance Le Grip, Elly Schlein, Dubravka Šuica, Monika Vana |
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Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote |
Hugues Bayet, Rosa D’Amato, Michela Giuffrida, Edouard Martin |
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- [1] http://icpdbeyond2014.org/uploads/browser/files/93632_unfpa_eng_web.pdf
- [2] Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations - infographic, ref.: http://www.fao.org/resources/infographics/infographics-details/en/c/180754/
- [3] Open Working Group outcome document from 19 July 2014, ref: OWG_Outcome_Document_19_July_2014, http://www.worldwewant2015.org/file/449888/download/489787,
http://www.worldwewant2015.org/owg
ROLL CALL FOR FINAL VOTE
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Members in favour: 24 |
PPE: Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Maurice Ponga, Cristian Dan Preda, György Schöpflin, Davor Ivo Stier, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Joachim Zeller
S-D: Doru-Claudian Frunzulică, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Louis-Joseph Manscour, Linda McAvan, Norbert Neuser, , Elly Schlein, Pedro Silva Pereira
ECR:Nirj Deva, Arne Gericke
ALDE: Catherine Bearder, Charles Goerens, Paavo Väyrynen
GUE/NGL: Kostas Chrysogonos, Lola Sánchez Caldentey,
Verts/ALE:Heidi Hautala, Maria Heubuch
EFDD: Ignazio Corrao |
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Members against: 3 |
EFDD: Nathan Gill
NI: Louis Aliot, Hans Jansen |
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Members abstained: 1 |
PPE: Anna Záborská |
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RESULT OF FINAL VOTE IN COMMITTEE
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Date adopted |
11.11.2014 |
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Result of final vote |
+: –: 0: |
24 3 1 |
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Members present for the final vote |
Louis Aliot, Kostas Chrysogonos, Ignazio Corrao, Nirj Deva, Doru-Claudian Frunzulică, Nathan Gill, Charles Goerens, Heidi Hautala, Maria Heubuch, Hans Jansen, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril Barrio, Linda McAvan, Norbert Neuser, Maurice Ponga, Cristian Dan Preda, Lola Sánchez Caldentey, Elly Schlein, György Schöpflin, Pedro Silva Pereira, Davor Ivo Stier, Paavo Väyrynen, Bogdan Brunon Wenta, Anna Záborská |
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Substitutes present for the final vote |
Catherine Bearder, Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Louis-Joseph Manscour, Joachim Zeller |
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Substitutes under Rule 200(2) present for the final vote |
Arne Gericke |
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