2023 UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

 

2023 UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

Thoughts from Maryann Broxton,
Main Representative to the United Nations
ATD Fourth World

 

Every July, high-level governmental officials, experts in the fields of economics, statistics, and environment, and civil society gather in New York City to attend the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) at the United Nations (UN). The main objective of the HLPF is to provide guidance and recommendations on sustainable development and address emerging challenges: war and conflicts, famine and climate, and more recently COVID 19.

This year's theme was "Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.” As the new Main Representative to the United Nations for the International Movement ATD Fourth World, I attended to listen, learn, and where possible, bring to the forefront the interests and priorities of the people with direct experience of poverty involved in ATD Fourth World.

I learned that only 12% (1) of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track to be achieved, that at the current pace it will take another 300 years (2) to achieve full gender equality (SDG 5), and what is most needed is money: $4.2 trillion dollars (1).  As Professor Jeffrey Schach stated, “Poor countries can’t afford to finance the SDGs, and rich countries just don’t care…. When it comes time for climate and poverty, suddenly there’s no money around.” (3) After listening to numbers and statistics discussed in what seemed to be an antiseptic manner, I was grateful to H.E. Mr. Albert Ranganai Chimbindi, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zimbabwe and V.P. of the UN’s Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for stating, “We’ve heard a lot of figures, and I’m hoping that we remember that those figures represent people…people who are like ourselves.” (4)

The one constant statement made by Member States, government officials, and NGOs alike was, “Leave no one behind.” But in listening to panelists in the side events, it was clear to see many people, from all demographics, were being left out from the process and conversations. When talking about the experiences of disabled people, Dr James Casey, from the Independent Living Movement Ireland, stated we are “presented but not represented.” The most powerful statement on representation and participation came from Ms. Mary Maker, Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, who stated:

“I cannot possibly represent the Haitians denied the right to asylum, the Syrians living in misery wherever they can find at least the absence of violence, or the Sudanese, the Congolese, the Rohingya, too many to count. I am not comfortable telling you my story when too many are absent from this room today. So I challenge you to invite more people like me to forums like this…and I really hope that next year I won’t be the only one in the room speaking for the 110 million displaced.”  (5)

Policy based on partial knowledge will never be fully effective. One aspect of my role is to make sure the voices, insight, and knowledge of people experiencing deep and extreme poverty are heard in places where policy is being made and discussed. As I listened to members of civil society share how difficult it was becoming to participate in discussions, I thought about the people who may live halfway around the world, and may have never heard of the UN, but whose knowledge of community and insight on solutions to achieve the SDGs is needed.  I share in Ms. Maker’s hope, but don’t believe she, or anyone else, should have to wait until next year. We could start by making that hope a reality at the SDG Summit this September (18th and 19th). 

Participation is a right. As one NGO member stated at the HLPF, “the UN Constitution says ‘We The Peoples, not we the Governments.” Another referenced Congresswoman Sherly Chisholm’s quote “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair” by stating “the table belongs to everybody.” 

I also attended the HLPF to give a presentation at the 2023 SDG Learning, Training and Practice Special Event “Paradigm Shift: Tools to ensure best practice when engaging marginalized communities and youth.”  

People have a right to name their experiences for themselves, and have a say in the policy and practices that affect their daily lives, but people with experience of poverty have been consistently excluded from those processes due to the element of power: power over which voice is heard, and the control over the space it is heard in. A common misconception is that people in poverty or marginalized groups are apathetic and don’t bother to participate, when in reality they are excluded. Lack of socioeconomic standing does not equate to lack of intelligence, knowledge, and insight. It equates to lack of access and opportunity. 

Further, inclusion solely for the sake of inclusion is patronizing. The question we need to ask is: How can we reimagine a community that recognizes the needs of everyone? How can we ensure that the people most excluded are not merely observed or studied, but are seen as equal partners?

This is why setting the conditions for participation is crucial.

The best way to start is by understanding people’s reality, versus your own or the public perception of that reality, by putting relationships above agenda points, meeting people in their neighborhoods, sharing a meal together, finding out what makes them proud and not only focusing on their struggles, but also asking for their ideas of solutions. By showing up, being consistent, and letting people trust at their own pace, the experiences and truths they share will set the agenda and direction for action points to work on together. 

If we truly aim to end poverty everywhere in all its forms and leave no one behind, we can no longer see people directly impacted by poverty simply as recipients of aid. We cannot continue with the performance art of “presenting” people in poverty as Dr James Casey stated, and must start including them in the work. We need to acknowledge them as vital equal partners, and seek out their experiential knowledge and insight. We need to adopt and put into practice the tools that set the conditions for equitable and inclusive participation in the design, implementation, and evaluation of policy and solutions to end poverty. 

Learn more about participatory practices here, including contacting ATD Fourth World for a training for your organization. 

Katelryn Cheon