UNDP Getting Involved

Many academics, especially political scientists would argue about the effectiveness of the UN system. Many would like it to be what they want it to be including being a powerful world entity, dispensing international law.

It is clear though that the UN personnel have a clear cut understanding of their role as a world developmental organisation; supportive of each member state and respecting sovereignties.

Clearly the primary role of the UN is to encourage world peace and a greater quality of life for all the citizens of its member states. It does so through its programmes giving equal opportunity to each member state and its citizens to call on the resources of the UN in difficult, even desperate times.

In these times when it is necessary for Civil Society to become more organised in order to effectively participate, BANGO has resorted to seeking the resources of the UN to help create a more vibrant Civil Society.

After a few briefing sessions with members of BANGO, the UNDP virtually took charge of organising BANGO's annual Civil Society Consultation, finding the resources, the personnel and created many "firsts" in the interim.

It was the first time that the Prime Minister's Office participated in this annual consultation, with the Deputy Prime Minister making a presentation on the CSME. It was also the first time that the Ministry of Social Transformation participated and not simply sponsored.

It was also the first time that so many UN agencies came together to present their programmes to Civil Society leaders, inviting them to follow a path of social and economic development based on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). These were: UNDP Governance Programme, UN Volunteer Programme, the GEF Small Grants Programme and the UN Sub-Regional Resource Facility.

It is also the first time that Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) were able to frame an action plan based on across-the-board partnerships for development. The outcome of this consultation held on Saturday 11 th December 2004 , holds much promise for CSOs to make a meaningful contribution to this nation's development over the next year.

UN up-scaling programming assistance

Resident Representative of the UN for Barbados and the OECS, Dr. Rosina Wiltshire stated the UNDP's commitment to helping civil society organisations as these and other players seek ways to meet the Millennium Development Goals.

She said the UNDP was "upscaling our programming assistance to civil society in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean ".

She told the gathering, "In a preliminary assessment, UNDP has identified the need to build the capacity of CSOs or Non-State Actors, as some call Non-Governmental Organisations, in the areas of networking as well as in strengthening governance structures to facilitate wider global, regional and national outreach.

"We see these as critical areas of support to ensure that volunteer contributions of time, skill and resources become invaluable inputs to national and regional development."

Dr. Wiltshire noted the importance which a number of aid agencies have attached to the Millennium Development Goals.

"Many international finance agencies and bilateral finance agencies have begun to use the MDGs as the "development" framework for international assistance programmes," she pointed out.

Making a difference to people's lives

However, she admitted that while the MDGs set "clear time-frames and indicators for making a difference to people's lives", they are in themselves the subject of debate as to their "operationalization".

"Some countries see them as a subtle form of conditionality, some see them as a framework for action, some see them as a set of generic objectives to guide development cooperation, and some see them as a global consensus without national relevance," she remarked.

Deputy Prime Minister The Hon. Mia Mottley, standing in for Prime Minister Owen Arthur, identified five major challenges facing the Caribbean, each one capable of posing a threat large enough to force regional governments to change their policies: Globalisation; Liberalisation; lnternational terrorism; Production and decision-making; and the stamping out of diversity (whether cultural or otherwise).

She said the establishment of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) will put the region in a better position to face these challenges.

She noted that government could play the role of facilitator in some areas, "...but the people who must take charge in relation to globalisation of people are the civil societies and political parties of the region in terms of being able to add to the discussion".

In support of the UNDP's role, she identified community groups and unemployed youths (the "boys on the block") as having an integral role to play in civil society and the region's realisation of the Millennium Development Goals and challenged both UNDP and BANGO to mobilise them.

The consultation was chaired by Paula Mohamed, Governance Programme Manager, UNDP Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), a key figure in the organisation of the consultation.

On behalf of all CSOs, we say thank you to UNDP and its staff heading its programmes for a job well done. Thank you also to the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Social Transformation for their participation.

If the commitments given by both UNDP and Government are anything to go by, BANGO is eagerly looking forward to meaningful partnerships between CSOs, UNDP and Government over the next year, starting as early as January 2005 and urges all CSOs to call us and "Get Involved".

Have a Merry Xmas and a Prosperous CSME New Year.

Roosevelt O. King
Secretary General
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