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DAM-L FRESHWATER ACTION NETWORK - BRIEFING no. 1 (May 2001) (fwd)
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From: Right to Water <right-to-water@iatp.org>
To: dianne@sandelman.ottawa.on.ca
Subject: FRESHWATER ACTION NETWORK - BRIEFING no. 1 (May 2001)
Date: Sat, 12 May 2001 09:07:24 -0500
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Right to Water (right-to-water@iatp.org) Posted: 05/12/2001 By mritchie@iatp.org
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FRESHWATER ACTION NETWORK - BRIEFING no. 1 (May 2001)
NGO participation required for Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue Sessions at the
International Conference on Freshwater, Bonn.
The February newsletter of Freshwater Action Network (FAN) introduced the
Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue Sessions (MSD) at the International Conference
on Freshwater, Bonn, 3 -7 December 2001. This process will be the most
direct and inclusive channel for NGOs/CBOs participation at the Conference.
The Bonn Conference is the most important meeting on freshwater in the
global preparations for the Johannesburg UN Earth Summit 2002 (Rio+10).
Other opportunities to participate in the Bonn Conference will follow in a
separate FAN-mail or log onto the official website www.water-2001.de.
FAN is looking for 2 suitable NGO representatives to work as part of an
International Mulit-Stakeholder Advisory Group - see page 2.
UNED Forum (an International Multi-Stakeholder Forum for Sustainable
Development) in London is responsible for the overall coordination of the
MSD process. Danielle Morley will be coordinating the project on behalf of
UNED Forum. She will also be facilitating NGO participation via FAN in the
MSD and for the Bonn conference in general, but participation in the main
Conference is limited to 50 representatives per Stakeholder Group. NGOs
wishing to host side events should contact the conference organisers directly.
The objective of the Dialogue Sessions is for Stakeholder Groups (Business,
NGOs/CBOs, Women, Trade Unions, Local Government, Indigenous Peoples,
Farmers, Scientists) to have an open and structured dialogue with each
other on the issues, sharing knowledge, building consensus and fostering
better understanding in preparation for more participatory and positive
discussions with the Ministers. Government and Inter-governmental
delegations (e.g. World Bank, UNEP) will attend the MSD Session and can
contribute to the dialogue.
There will be two MSD Sessions at the start of the Conference. Each session
will last three hours and will address a different theme and includes a
welcome by the Chair, short presentation by each stakeholder group on their
position paper followed by open, interactive dialogue focusing on the
identified areas of convergence / divergence. Each Stakeholder Group is
represented by up to 12 regional representatives (covering the 5 UN
regions), including 1 paper presenter, 1 speaker co-ordinator and 1 paper
co-ordinator.
The MSD output in the form of a chairpersons summary will be presented in
the Plenary attended by high-level government representatives and has the
status of an official Conference output. Thus it has impact on the further
decision-making process of the Conference and will be taken directly
onwards to the UN Earth Summit 2002 preparations. Also, the MSD also offers
a chance for ongoing work between stakeholders themselves towards Earth
Summit 2002.
The MSD process is founded on principles of inclusiveness, transparency,
equity, mutual respect, accountability and diversity.
What shall we discuss?
Please contribute your suggestions as soon as possible for themes and
sub-themes for the 2 dialogue sessions. Proper dialogue takes time
therefore the range of issues discussed and stakeholder groups
participating will be limited.
Your suggestions must be suitable for a multi-stakeholder debate, be
globally relevant, orientated to implementation and good practice and
relate to the thematic focus of the Conference, which are:
- Innovative Strategies for Water and Sanitation for the Poor - Access and
Affordability
- Protecting Water Resources: Pollution Prevention (Industry, Agriculture,
Human Settlements), Ecosystems.
- Balancing Water Uses Water for Food/ Agriculture and Water for Nature.
- Transboundary Water Issues Lessons Learned.
- Floods and Droughts: Prevention and Management.
The United Nations Millennium Assembly International Development Targets
are central to the discussions at Bonn and further at the UN Earth Summit
2002 in Johannesburg
"We resolve (...) to halve, by the year 2015, (...) the proportion of
people who are unable to reach or to afford safe drinking water"
(A/RES/55/2 III.19.).
"To stop the unsustainable exploitation of water resources by developing
water management strategies at the regional, national and local levels,
which promote both equitable access and adequate supplies" (A/RES/55/2
IV.23.).
How will these targets be implemented? What are the most important aspects
to discuss?
Planning and Policy Process
In order to manage the process effectively an MSD International Advisory
Board is being formed consisting of representatives from each stakeholder
group. The Advisory Board is logistical and is NOT a policy making body.
Their job is to work together and with their stakeholder groups to manage a
participatory preparatory process, following this approximate schedule:
May · Scope the issues to be discussed in the MSD - according the
priorities of each stakeholder group
· Together agree the two main themse and then focus the issues for analysis
· Together agree a methodology for analysis
· Together agree the preparatory timetable
June-July · Identify Stakeholder Groups most relevant to each MSD
· Consult with Stakeholders
July · Draft stakeholder position papers
· Identify suitable stakeholder representatives for the MSD delegations (
max 10-12 per Stakeholder Group per Session from each 5 UN region)
August · Consult on position papers, the consultation network must
incorporate adequate regional and socio-economic representation and be
gender balanced.
15 September · Submit final position papers to UNED Forum
Early October · Preparation of a comparative analysis of position papers to
identify policy convergence and divergence.
· Finalise registration of the stakeholder representatives attending the
MSD in Bonn
Mid-October · Papers circulated to Government delegations
· Refine and progress the focus of the dialogues
1st -2nd December · Advisory Group meeting in Bonn
3rd & 4th December · Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues at Conference
2 NGO Representatives Required
There will be three NGO representatives on the MSD International Advisory
Board. The German NGO host community will identify the 'Northern'
representative and FAN is looking for 2 suitable NGO representatives, one
each from the 'South' and 'CIS and Russia'. The suitable person should
ideally have: -
1. Previous experience of inter-governmental (regional or international)
decision making processes on sustainable development; e.g. UN,
2. Previous experience of multi-stakeholder processes (local, national,
regional or international)
3. Broad understanding of the themes (and cross-cutting issues (financing,
governance, gender, technology transfer, capacity)
4. Articulate in English
5. Respected advocates on behalf of the poor and/or the environment
If you are suitable and interested or wish to recommend someone - please
let me know urgently
At each stage the NGO representatives have a responsibility to: -
q At teleconferences with the International Advisory Board present the
input received from NGOs (via FAN)
q Report back to NGOs (via FAN) the progress made at each substantive stage
of the planning process, inviting further NGO input
FAN members will support the NGO representatives and ensure a balance of
regional, environment and development perspectives is reflected in the NGO
input. It is proposed to establish 2 FAN working groups, one for each of
the MSD themes to gather the collective knowledge of NGOs/CBOs. Please
register your interest as soon as possible.
Position Papers
Once all the stakeholder groups have agreed the issues and sub-themes, each
stakeholder group will prepare a short position paper that analyses the
issue according to a standard and agreed methodology. FAN members will be
asked to identify suitable authors for the NGO papers. Time for adequate
email consultation/collaboration with the FAN membership will be built into
the preparations. Position papers will aim to be sharp and brief, but can
still reflect diversity of NGO perspectives in the analysis. The informal
FAN working groups should also support the development of the NGO position
papers.
Essentially, if you want to be involved in this process please try to:
q Understand the process, the objectives and the constraints
q Be pro-active with your contributions and/or respond to requests for
input in good time
Further information
Information on the MSD processes generally -http://www.earthsummit2002.org/msp
Information on the Bonn International Conference on Freshwater-
http://www.water-2001.de
Information on UNED Forum - http://www.unedforum.org
Contact Details
Freshwater Action Network, c/o WaterAid, Prince Consort House, Albert
Embankment, London,SE1 7UB, UK.
Tel: 44-207-7793-4522
Fax: - 44-207-7793-4545
daniellemorley@wateraid.org.uk
Mark Ritchie, President
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
2105 First Ave. South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404 U.S.A.
mritchie@iatp.org www.iatp.org
www.wtowatch.org, www.farmbillwatch.org
www.gefoodalert.org, www.sustain.org/biotech
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