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NGO, Financing for Development - Social and Economic Policy - Global Policy Forum Financing for Development
Statement by the Quaker UN OfficeBy Lori Henninger, Associate Representative and Sarah Clarke
April 30, 1999
Quaker United Nations OfficePresented by Lori Henninger at a dialogue between Ad Hoc Working Group on Financing for Development and NGOs
Our delegation would like to begin by extending our thanks to the Department of Economic and Social Affairs for organizing this valuable opportunity for dialogue, and to the co-vice Chairs for their participation in the session.
Sometimes when diplomats greet QUNO staff for the first time they’ll say "Oh yes, Quakers, you are the peace people", which may cause some of you to ask what QUNO is doing at the FFD meetings. We are here because we view the task of peacemaking through a wide-angle lens.
The UN Charter makes it clear that ending "the scourge of war" requires not just crisis diplomacy or disarmament, but also efforts to build economic, political and social systems that themselves will make war less likely. Because of our testimonies and first hand experience in conflict situations, we embrace that multilevel approach.
Currently, there are a great number of Quaker service projects around the world. They include grassroots community development projects in Vietnam, Lao PDR and Cambodia, work against racism in Ecuador, peace initiatives in central Africa, and work in urban communities in the United States. This work with diverse communities in different situations has taught us much about the concerns people face in their daily lives. It has shown us the necessity of addressing issues of sustainable development and sustainable peace simultaneously. We have also learned that sustainable solutions require that everyone is included in the decision making process.
If the UN is to bring lasting peace, then it has to be more than a 911 emergency service; it has to tackle the root causes of violent conflict. Economic and social injustice and social exclusion are among those root causes and this observation underlies our interest in the FFD discussions.
Work in any war-torn society quickly reveals the connection between peace and development, and that between conflict and underdevelopment. Violent conflict not only hinders development work from going forward, but also damages infrastructure, the environment, institutions and people, thus reversing the development process. The creation of large refugee populations, the destruction of aquifers, wells and irrigation systems, and the denial of large tracts of land because of landmines all combine to destabilize regions, degrade the environment, and prevent people from participating in their own development. Violent conflict siphons funds away from sustainable development and at the same time greatly increases the development price tag.
Peace not only allows development to go forward, but provides an added source of financing for development: during peace time, huge sums of money used for arms expenditures and financing armies have the potential to be freed up. Since the bombing of Kosovo began, NATO countries have spend billions of dollars on the military action. What could these billions of dollars, invested proactively, buy? Money spent on small arms, land mines, missile systems and aircraft could be redirected and invested in education, health, environmental protection and other essential aspects of sustainable human development. When looking for sources of financing for development the enormous potential of the peace dividend should not be overlooked.
In addition to considering the link between peace and development, the FFD debate also needs to consider the link between development and peace: what kind of development promotes peace? A development process which benefits only some and leaves out others, or works to impoverish and marginalize these others, will inevitably produce conflict.
Ultimately, this requires that we ask what kind of world we want to live in. As Quakers, our Quaker testimonies lead us to imagine a world free from violence and war, a world in which there is equity and social justice. This is a lofty statement, one fairly easy to make and easy to take. But if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. Envisioning the final goal is an essential step before setting out to achieve it.
We also have to recognize that this is our vision of a collective future and that any such vision must be arrived at collectively. The world is incredibly complex and while there are similarities in situations, there are also enough differences that no one actor can know or organize all the pieces. Inclusion of all stakeholders in the planning and implementation process is essential.
A vision of development which stands on a foundation of equity and social justice and includes the voices and concerns of all actors will produce not only sustainable development, but sustainable peace.
Quaker concern for social justice, equality and inclusion means that we take a special interest in the process by which decisions and policy are made. We take a special interest in the United Nations and endorse it as an international forum in which dialogue and exchange take place.
There are a great many organizations, institutions and governments working on various aspects of development. Although the UN’s development budget remains quite limited in comparison to those of other multilateral institutions, it has a significant advantage over others and an important role to play. The UN enjoys a special reputation in the international arena: because it is a democratic forum in which all countries have a voice and a vote, its decisions and programs enjoy a legitimacy which other institutions cannot claim. Thus, it is of great significance that the discussion of financing for development take place in the UN – in a democratic forum which allows dialogue and exchange between all stakeholders involved. The legitimacy and credibility which the UN enjoys reflects the importance we have come to place on including all stakeholders in policy and decision making. The outcome of any high-level event will benefit from the inclusion of a spectrum of people, paradigms and proposals and will command a greater legitimacy on the global stage.
The Quaker UN Office strongly supports the UN and the efforts of this working group as it tackles perhaps the most pressing issue of our time.
Other Statements by NGOs to the Ad Hoc Working Group
More Information on Social and Economic Policy
More Information on Financing for Development
More Information on the Preparation of the Financing for Development Summit
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