Skip to content ↓
Vital Stories

Civil society gears up for first intergovernmental meeting on the UN Post-2015 agenda

Civil society health organizations gathered to strategize on health priorities this afternoon – meeting in anticipation of achieving the best outcome possible when intergovernmental negotiations start next week on the Post-2015 development agenda at the United Nations.

Member states will convene their first meeting on what is known as UN Sustainable Development Goals, or “SDGs.” SDGs are scheduled to replace Millennium Development Goals when they sunset in Sept. of 2015. The process sets the agenda for government and donor priorities across the world.

The civil society group meeting outlined what the NGOs hope will happen next week – that health will remain a focus of the SDGs, which cover a myriad of issues from poverty to education to climate change. Health is one of 17 goals in the current document, which is open for discussion by member states next week. There was agreement that the existing targets within the health goal are broadly sufficient as currently outlined in the document.

But there is also concern that some of the health targets may be in jeopardy, particularly those on tobacco control, women’s reproductive rights and universal health care. We will be on hand working to protect these issues, especially tobacco control and lung health issues..

The meetings next week are the first in a series of monthly meeting on the SDGs that will run from Jan. to July. January’s meetings will likely be an overview and chance for statements. Meetings down the road will discuss devilish details like targets and implementation of the goals. The process culminates in a Summit in September of this year.

Representatives at the meeting included advocates for Lung Health, HIV/AIDS, women, children, the aged, and the handicapped.

To learn more about Sustainable Development Goals : https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgsproposal