Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
| ||||||||||||
NGOs NGOs' Absence from the Global Forum on Human Development
Letter from James Paul, Executive Director of GPF to Richard Jolly, Principal Coordinator of the UN Human Development Report
August 10, 1999
Mr. Richard Jolly
Principal Coordinator Human Development Report
United Nations Development Programme
United Nations, NY 10017
Dear Mr. Jolly:
I have long been an admirer of the Human Development Report, so I was particularly surprised and disappointed to attend the First Global Forum on Human Development and find that virtually none of the many speakers was an NGO voice.
Many excellent speakers addressed the conference, to be sure. But the absence of NGOs participants was quite palpable. I'm sure you will agree that NGOs are some of the most experienced practitioners in the field of development. I hope you will also agree that NGOs include some of the best thinkers in this field. Why, then, weren't they there?
I made a rough count that totaled seventy speakers on all panels. Of these, thirty were employees of the UN, UNDP, or the World Bank (mostly the first two). Academics accounted for twenty-five others, and governments eight more. Five had affiliations that I could not identify. One more was a foundation official. Only one was clearly from an NGO; but that person was Khadija Haq, who was evidently invited in her personal capacity.
NGOs, with their practicality and closeness to direct development activity, would have had a lot to contribute to the conference. I suspect that NGOs have a lot to contribute to the HDR, too. So, I hope that you will consider this letter as a request, rather than a criticism. The request is that you explore with Global Policy Forum and other NGOs the possibility of greater NGO participation in the important work you supervise and inspire at UNDP. For us, it would be a privilege to be your partner.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
James A. Paul
Executive Director
More Information on NGOs
