IFSW United Nations Commission representatives Dr Sebastian Cordoba and Evelyn Tomaszewski attended the latest UN Summit of the Future consultation forum advocating for more collaborative, transparent and accountable action.
The forum focused on the latest draft of the Pact for the Future, which is an action-oriented document that seeks to strengthen Member States’ commitments to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights protections. As part of the drafting process, civil society groups like the IFSW are given the opportunity to provide feedback on this pivotal document.
This event was a precursor to the UN Summit of the Future to be held in September 2024 in New York which will bring together world leaders to forge a new international consensus on how to “deliver a better present and safeguard the future” and adopt the final version of the Pact.
IFSW UN Representative (Asia-Pacific) Dr Sebastian Cordoba said “In our statement, we called for a strengthening of the language to ensure universal access to healthcare and social protection. Speaking specifically to Version 2 of the Pact, we recognised how the changes improve on the initial drafts through greater clarity on how the UN and Member states will implement a multilateral approach to ensure inclusion of diverse and representational voices”.
Additionally, we highlighted how the Pact must strengthen its commitments to climate action through alignment with other UN policies and frameworks. As noted by the UN’s Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in his 2022 Harmony with Nature report (which highlighted the work of IFSW), IFSW has been a leading voice for a renewed eco-social contract and an expansion of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that is rooted in holistic rights frameworks that encompass social human rights, cultural rights, ecosystem rights, and the broader rights of nature.
While the Pact calls for transforming global governance, the actions need greater specificity and accountability. Reinvigorating multilateralism requires a transformation of UN systems to create a more inclusive space that is built on partnership and dialogue. Civil society groups struggle to engage in meaningful and qualitative participation in UN processes to make their voices heard. The opportunities to participate in UN formal processes are restricted and do not allow for effective advocacy.
IFSW UN Representative (North America) Evelyn Tomaszewski said “We encourage Member States to look at how multilateralism takes form outside of UN systems through people’s assemblies, for example, 2022’s People’s Summit. This global convening, co-led by the IFSW and United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, has created a diverse partnership that brought about the People’s Charter for an Eco-Social World. The framing of the Peoples’ Charter enables a variety of actors to work together and co-construct policies, practices, and actions based on inclusion, intergenerational respect, the right to self-determination, and recognition of indigenous and grassroots knowledge.”
The IFSW will continue to advocate on key issues, including active participation and engagement in the build-up to and during the Summit of the Future.