Local governments mobilized in July: proposed amendments to the Outcome Document of the MDGs Summit New
The Summit of the Millennium Development Goals shall take place from 20-22 September 2010, at the United Nations General Assembly, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In the framework of the preparation of the event, a MDG Summit Outcome Document is being negotiated daily until ... + info
The Summit of the Millennium Development Goals shall take place from 20-22 September 2010, at the United Nations General Assembly, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In the framework of the preparation of the event, a MDG Summit Outcome Document is being negotiated daily until the end of July by national government representatives in New York.
Whilst the MDG Summit Outcome document recommends a number of actions in areas where it can be argued that local governments should hold greater responsibility, the references to local governments are disappointingly few. To see the report, please click here.
United Cities and Local Governments calls upon their members to write to national governments requesting that they give serious attention to the role of local and regional governments in writing their national MDG report, and asking them to consider our proposed amendments which focus on the areas of local ownership, the importance of governance and the cultural dimension of the MDGs.
In the links below you can download the model letter to national governments, and the proposed amendments:
to download the proposed amendments
to download the model letter
With a view to the September Summit, UCLG will also call upon local and regional authorities to engage in a global mobilization for the achievement of the MDGs.
- info
Local governments mobilized in July: proposed amendments to the Outcome Document of the MDGs Summit New
The Summit of the Millennium Development Goals shall take place from 20-22 September 2010, at the United Nations General Assembly, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In the framework of the preparation of the event, a MDG Summit Outcome Document is being negotiated daily until ... + info
The Summit of the Millennium Development Goals shall take place from 20-22 September 2010, at the United Nations General Assembly, at United Nations Headquarters in New York.
In the framework of the preparation of the event, a MDG Summit Outcome Document is being negotiated daily until the end of July by national government representatives in New York.
Whilst the MDG Summit Outcome document recommends a number of actions in areas where it can be argued that local governments should hold greater responsibility, the references to local governments are disappointingly few. To see the report, please click here.
United Cities and Local Governments calls upon their members to write to national governments requesting that they give serious attention to the role of local and regional governments in writing their national MDG report, and asking them to consider our proposed amendments which focus on the areas of local ownership, the importance of governance and the cultural dimension of the MDGs.
In the links below you can download the model letter to national governments, and the proposed amendments:
to download the proposed amendments
to download the model letter
With a view to the September Summit, UCLG will also call upon local and regional authorities to engage in a global mobilization for the achievement of the MDGs.
- info
DCF in New York: UCLG highlights strong accountable local governance as accelerator of developmentNew
During the Development Cooperation Forum held in New York on 29-30 June, Elisabeth Gateau, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments, in the name of its members, stated the Key ... + info
During the Development Cooperation Forum held in New York on 29-30 June, Elisabeth Gateau, Secretary General of United Cities and Local Governments, in the name of its members, stated the Key Messages of Local and Regional Governments on the area of Development Cooperation.
Amongst them was that the challenges of development are ultimately local, and that they cannot be solved without the knowledge, expertise, and empowerment of legitimate and accountable actors on the ground: local and regional authorities.
It was highlighted that a strong accountable local governance is a true accelerator of development, and proposed that 25% of the aid provided should be channeled through the sub-national structures to ensure greater efficiency.
The members UCLG, the united voice of cities, regional authorities and their associations across the world (in 136 countries), are leading the way in a variety of development and cooperation initiatives: South-South and triangular cooperation; Capacity building; Participatory initiatives such as City Development Strategies and Urban Strategic Planning; Advocacy activities before international donor and financial institutions.
To know more on this subject :
UCLG Policy Paper on Aid Effectiveness
UCLG Policy Paper on Local Finance for Development
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4th Global Forum on Human Rights in the City, Nantes 28 June - 1 July New
From the 28th of June to the 1st of July, the city of Nantes hosted the fourth edition of the Global Forum on Human Rights in the City. The Forum, which was originally put forward by UNESCO, takes place every two years thanks to the support of the Greater Nantes Metropolitan agglomeration, the Loire ... + info
From the 28th of June to the 1st of July, the city of Nantes hosted the fourth edition of the Global Forum on Human Rights in the City. The Forum, which was originally put forward by UNESCO, takes place every two years thanks to the support of the Greater Nantes Metropolitan agglomeration, the Loire Region, the county of Loire-Atlantique, and the city of Nantes, and has been under organization, since 2008, of the International Permanent Secretariat on ’Human Rights and Local Government’.
Focusing on the question "In a world in crisis, what about Human Rights?", the Forum featured around thirty round tables and gathered a record 2800 participants- the highest number in the history of the Forum. The message which featured throughout all the debates was that ’none of the economical, social, food related and environmental crises could justify drawbacks in the safeguarding of human rights around the world. Far from being inevitable, these crises force us to rethink the implementation of human rights and to imagine answers for the future’.
The local government representatives gathered at Nantes recalled the importance of the solidarity networks which are created or strengthened at each Forum, and highlighted the fundamental role played by cities in upholding human rights. This makes it all the more of a priority to support the network cooperation encouraged by the world organization of cities, UCLG, as well as projects as the Global Charter on Human Rights in the City.
The UCLG Committee for Social Inclusion and Participative Democracy (CSIPD) organized a number of activities as part of the fourth edition of the Forum : a debate on the Global Charter-Agenda on Human Rights in the City, a round table on the European Charter for Human Rights in the City, and a preparatory meeting for the upcoming conference on the European Charter, which will be held in the city of Tuzla, Bosnia-Herzegovina, from 7 to 9 October 2010.
On the Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City
The Global Charter-Agenda for Human Rights in the City is a project supported by the UCLG Committee for Social Inclusion and Participative Democracy (CSIPD) and coordinated by the city of Nantes and the region of Pays de la Loire, whose aim is to encourage the implementation of local policy which supports human rights. Following a writing period (2007-8) and a participative debating period (2009-2010), the project shall enter the adoption and promotion phase following the III UCLG World Congress- the Local and Regional Leaders Summit, which will take place in Mexico City from 16-20 November 2010. The added value of the Charter-Agenda is that each of the Human Rights featured in the document is accompanied by an action plan which situates the actions of local governments with respect to the implementation of this right.
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UCLG is discussing the future agenda of Local and Regional Leaders World Summit ONLINE! JOIN US!
The Local and Regional Leaders World Summit, taking place in Mexico from 16-20 of November 2010 will be preceded by online discussions. The idea is to allow local and regional authorities and practitioners from different parts of the world to have a common place where they can raise questions, discuss ... + info
The Local and Regional Leaders World Summit, taking place in Mexico from 16-20 of November 2010 will be preceded by online discussions. The idea is to allow local and regional authorities and practitioners from different parts of the world to have a common place where they can raise questions, discuss issues, share experiences and work together to develop new knowledge.
A Summit should be an inclusive experience. It should gather thoughts and ideas from both UCLG members engaged in the work of the organization but also from a much broader audience that is equally interested in the work of local and regional governments around the world. In order to ensure this interaction, we are opening a series of on-line forums as part of the Summit’s website.
These forums will run from June until September 2010.
Weekly forums will deal with some of the topics that UCLG members have identified as important for the future agenda of local and regional authorities internationally. They have been organised under four categories, ’Promoting Innovation’, ’What should be the new Global Governance?’, ’The City in 2030’ and ’Climate Change and Local Governments’.
To know more about the Pre Summit Interactive Online Forums
JOIN US!
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Workshops on Local Finances and Strategic Planning, 25-27 June, Batam, Indonesia
UCLG and its regional Asia Pacific Section UCLG ASPAC are jointly organizing two workshops on 25-27 June in Batam (Indonesia). One on local finances in partnership with UNITAR and the financial support of the European Union and the French Government. One on strategic planning, of the Committee on ... + info
UCLG and its regional Asia Pacific Section UCLG ASPAC are jointly organizing two workshops on 25-27 June in Batam (Indonesia). One on local finances in partnership with UNITAR and the financial support of the European Union and the French Government. One on strategic planning, of the Committee on urban Strategic Planning, supported by Cities Alliance and the ministry of foreign affairs of Norway.
The first day of the workshop will be dedicated to a debate on the (fiscal) decentralization situation in the Asia Pacific Region and the development of regional agenda on main fiscal decentralization priorities for the region.
Direct access of local governments to funding of regional institutions will be the main theme of the 2nd day, with presentations from the Asian Development Bank and the French Development Agency. The workshop will close with a presentation on the impact of aid effectiveness on local government.
The 3rd day is dedicated to position UCLG ASPAC in the field of strategic planning. The Asian chapter of the policy paper of UCLG on this topic will be debated, and networking and city to city (and Association) mentoring opportunities will be explored.
Mayors, financial experts and representatives of local government associations and individual local governments from Australia, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam will participate.
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Peripheral cities gathered in Getafe
The Second Forum of Local Authorities of the Periphery (FLAP) gathered, between 10 and 12 June in Getafe, 600 mayors and officials from around thirty countries, invited by the FLAP and the Committee of UCLG for Peripheral Cities. The mayor of Getafe, Pedro Castro, said during the presentation of ... + info
The Second Forum of Local Authorities of the Periphery (FLAP) gathered, between 10 and 12 June in Getafe, 600 mayors and officials from around thirty countries, invited by the FLAP and the Committee of UCLG for Peripheral Cities. The mayor of Getafe, Pedro Castro, said during the presentation of the event that mayors from the five continents share "the space of peripheral cities which, being in the margin of cities, have less equipment, endowments, infrastructure and services."
"These are cities of metropolitan areas that have the same problems and seek the same solution, that is to say more integrated cities, more cohesive, who fights poverty and integrates innovation," he said.
The goal of the Forum, which was celebrated under the framework of the Spanish presidency of the European Union, is to agree for a commitment letter on the metropolis of solidarity, sustainable and democratic society, as recognized in the conclusions of the meetings and activities.
The panel discussions focused on gender equality, metropolitan planning, recognition of the periphery as producers and innovative in the field of culture, participation and the involvement of adolescents and youth, culture of peace as a basis for coexistence, decentralized cooperation between the peripheries, the commitment to intercultural and participatory democracy.
The Committee of Peripheral Cities of UCLG brings together the members of the worldwide network ’Cities in the periphery & participatory democracy’. It shows the need for recognition of the social and political situations of peripheral cities within their conurbations and within the world of cities. It supports the construction of the engagement letter to be presented at the next World Congress of UCLG in Mexico.
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