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DOCUMENTS

Report on Committee on Health and Communications, August 2004

Document #1: Briefing on Communicating Sustainable Development

Document #2: WORLD ECOLOGY REPORT 2003 - Please Download

Document #1:

NGO COMMITTEE ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
NGO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND COMMUNICATIONS
UNA-USA COUNCIL OF ORGANIZATIONS
NOVEMBER 1st 2001
UNA-USA Conference Room, 801 SECOND AVENUE, NEW YORK

Briefing on

COMMUNICATING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

TOPICS:

1. UN ECE Regional Meeting for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and the role of US NGOs.
Speaker: Jeffrey Barber, Integrative Strategies Forum (ISF), and Citizens Network for Sustainable Development (CitNet).

2. Communicating Health within the WSSD process.
Speaker: James Sniffen, Information Officer, United Nations Environment Program, (UNEP)

3. Multi-Stakeholder Process within the WSSD.
Speaker: Dr. Minu Hemmati, UNED Forum

Moderator: Dr. Claudia Strauss, World Information Transfer (WIT), Co-Chair, Committee on Sustainable Development

Jeffrey Barber explained the difference in the process today and that following the UN Conference on Environment and Development, (Rio, 1992) which produced the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21 and for which there were government commitments, international Conventions (i.e., on climate change and biodiversity) and the formation of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development. Now the World Summit for Sustainable Development, WSSD, 2002, Johannesburg, South Africa, has a different preparatory process with global, regional and national commitments. The emphasis now is on regional UN Commissions as a part of the preparatory process that will report to the Summit. The UN Economic Commission of Europe, UNECE, in coordination with the US, Canada and Eastern Europe, is holding a series of ministerial meetings and regional commitments which also partner with NGOs and civil society. The goal of WSSD should be to recommit to sustainable development, recognizing the obstacles and barriers. The governments do not address industrial lobbies, the multi-billion dollar advertising business for unsustainable development, as well as the lack of public awareness and education about the importaance of WSSD. NGOs must assume the responsibility for advocacy for environmental issues, and highlight the importance of partnerships. The US delegation to the UNECE watered down the language on consumption, obstacles, targets and concrete commitments with time frames. The US national strategies are weak with no National Council on Sustainable Development. The US NGOs also have not shown clear goals. There is still time to prepare for the next PrepCom in January 2002. The US NGOs should support more dialogue with new listserves, focus on Summit themes and move the US to a more positive attitude.

Jim Sniffen said that Health is important in Agenda 21. "Human beings are at the centre of concerns for sustainable development. They are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature". Health issues are mentioned in many chapters of Agenda 21, as for example population, climate, biological diversity, waste management, freshwater, strengthening the role of major groups and others. The preparatory process for the Summit has a "bottom up approach" from the local, national and regional to global policies. UNEP works with the UN Economic Commissions and the development banks in the Summit process: the Economic Commisson of Europe, ECE, the Economic Commission of Africa, ECA, the Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC, The Economic Commission of Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP and the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, ESCWA. In all these regions the economic commissions coordinate health with other issues, such as fresh water quality, migration, chemicals, hazardous wastes, coastal fisheries and international waters, land. forest and climate degradation. UN agencies, such as WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, FAO, as well as NGOs, and the private sector, accompany this process. Other UNEP activities include the Global Environment Outlook assessments that will report on health and sustainable development issues in one section. The GEO series also focuses on water quality, international waters and freshwater resources. UNEP publishes "Our Planet" that will focus on poverty, health and the environment.

Dr. Minu Hemmati reported on the multi-stakeholder process within the WSSD. Agenda 21 includes the roles of nine Major Groups: Global Action for Women; Children and Youth in Sustainable Development; the role of Indigenous Peoples; the role of NGOs; local authorities; workers and trade unions; business and industry; the scientific and technological community and farmers. Policies, definitions, rules, access and participation are the same for all major groups to interact, partner and support sustainable development. There is a need for more media, business and parliamentarian groups that collaborate in a constructive manner. Multi-stakeholder dialogues have been a part of the Commission on Sustainable Development since 1998. These dialogues are beneficial in building trust, communications, alliances and projects. Multi-stakeholder dialogues are planned for the second and fourth WSSD Preparatory Committees.

At its organizational meeting on May 16, at the Church Center in New York, the draft by-laws were reviewed, revised and accepted. The Committee's By-laws are as follows:

CONGO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND COMMUNICATIONS BY-LAWS

The NGO Committee on Health and Communication proposes to address the challenging questions arising from communicating health information. The committee will explore health information available in all media to various constituencies around the world, but will give particular attention to the uses of the new Information Technologies. Related to problems of accessibility of health information (such as religious restrictions, detrimental cultural traditions, governmental restrictions), the committee will also address questions about the accessibility of communication technologies that impact on imparting accurate health information.

The NGO Committee on Health and Communication intends to focus attention and promote the programs of the World Health Organization, other UN intergovernmental agencies, functional commissions of ECOSOC, and General Assembly Committees relevant to the topics of health and communications.

The NGO Committee on Health and Communication intends to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and the dissemination of information on these issues.

MEMBERSHIP

Regular Membership: Membership in the Committee is open to Non-Governmental Organizations in consultative status with ECOSOC. These members shall be eligible to vote and hold office.
Associate Membership: Any NGO having a formal relationship with the United Nations may become an Associate Member. Such members will not be entitled to hold office or vote on matters of policy.
An organization may become a member by submitting an application to a Chairperson or Secretary.

OFFICERS

The officers of the NGO Committee on Health and Communication shall be: two Co-Chairpersons or one Chairperson and Vice Chairperson(s); Secretary; and Treasurer. Such officers shall be elected for a term of two years, and no person shall be elected to the same office for more than two consecutive terms.
No member organization may hold more than one office. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "office" includes members-at-large of the Executive Committee.

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

The Chairperson(s) shall convene and preside over meetings, promote the general effectiveness of the Committee, and maintain communication with other NGO Committees, and with representatives of the UN system. The Chairperson(s) or vice Chairperson shall represent the Committee when required.
If Co-chairpersons are elected, each Co-Chairperson shall act on behalf of the other Chairperson as appropriate.
The Secretary shall keep minutes of the meetings of the Committee, a record of the membership, and a record of attendance at meetings. The Secretary shall arrange for distribution of the minutes in advance of the meeting at which they will be approved.
The Treasurer shall receive and disburse funds as determined by the Executive Committee and shall be responsible for the maintenance of accounts.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The responsibility of the Executive Committee shall be to carry on the business of the Committee between meetings. The members of the Committee shall be kept informed of the activities of the Executive Committee through a report from the Chairperson(s) or Vice Chairperson at regular meetings of the Committee when relevant.
The officers with up to four elected members-at-large shall serve as the Executive Committee. Members at large shall serve for a term of two years. No person shall be elected for more than two consecutive terms.
Members-at-large may be Regular or Associate members of the Committee; however, voting rules as described in the membership section apply.

SUBCOMMITTEES

The NGO Committee on Health Communications may establish Subcommittees or Working Groups as needed; the Chairperson(s), in consultation with the Executive Committee, shall appoint a member of the Committee to serve as Chairperson of each Subcommittee. The Chairperson of a Subcommittee will be a member, ex officio, of the Executive Committee.

FUNDS

Payment of dues of $20.00 to the Treasurer shall entitle members to receive the minutes and other materials determined by the NGO Committee.
The fiscal year shall be from 1 October to 30 September.

ELECTIONS

A Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the Chairperson(s), in consultation with the other officers, not less than two months prior to the election at the Annual Meeting. The report of the Nominating Committee shall be circulated in writing to all Regular members of the NGO Committee at least three weeks prior to the meeting at which the election is to take place.
The election of officers and members of the Executive Committee shall take place at an Annual Meeting. Elected officers shall take office immediately.
Election of officers and procedural matters shall be decided by the vote of the majority of member organizations present and voting.
A ballot by "snail" mail or fax may be taken in the event that a meeting of the Committee is not possible.

MEETINGS

The Committee shall meet periodically, at least four times a year. The Committee shall hold an Annual Meeting during the month of October.
A quorum shall consist of representatives of one-third of the regular member organizations.
Recommendations of statements of position to be submitted to ECOSOC or any of its subsidiary bodies may not be made in the name of the Committee. Joint statements by the member organizations may be submitted over the names of those organizations who wish to become signatories to the statement.

AMENDMENTS

Proposed amendments to these By-laws shall be submitted to the Chairperson(s) in time for consideration by the Executive Committee and for written circulation to each member organization not less than ten days prior to the date of the proposed adoption. An amendment shall be adopted only after discussion in a plenary meeting of the Committee and upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of those representatives of member organizations present and voting.
These by-laws shall remain in conformance with CONGO's Rules and shall change accordingly if necessary.

At the May 16 meeting, the committee selected a nominating committee and chose September 14 for the first election of officers. Please check the Website calendar for further details.