UNIDO
UNIDO promotes partnerships with NGOs!
Tidiane Boye (UNIDO) explained the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the role of partnerships, March 1, 2016, to the audience of the UN NGO Committee on Sustainable Development. UNIDO wants to achieve with its program ISID (Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development) the development goal SDG 9 (built resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation) and SDG 17 (strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development). Under global and local partnership UNIDO understands the cooperation and collaboration with the private sector such as SMEs, multinational corporations, NGOs and other stakeholders to fulfill the two SDGs more efficiently. Tidiane Boye indicated that UNIDO was pleased about the growing interest in the private sector and NGOs to join forces for sustainable development and particular for SDG 17. To maximize the development impact, UNIDO wants to improve both the internal and external coordination on partnerships with DFIs, NGOs, and the private sector. About Austria, Boye told that UNIDO offered the Austrian Chamber of Commerce, Austrian Industry Association, Austrian Development Agency, and other institutions their cooperation with the intention to create synergies between UNIDO and their partners. Partnerships are not new to UNIDO, it always developed and maintained partnerships with Governments, other UN agencies, and donors. However, the new partnership approach is putting more emphasis on also including partnerships with the private sector and development financial institutions (DFIs), as well as NGOs; Through the Program for Country Partnership Framework, UNIDO is proactively identifying new partners and supporting the coordination of multi-stakeholder partnerships that can contribute to ISID. UNIDO involves NGOs in a comprehensive engagement program participating household community, local government, and another stakeholder: in this process, non-governmental organizations play a significant role. Tidiane Boye revealed that UNIDO sees in establishing of Industrial Parks (Enterprise zones) a promising tool for achieving ISID. The members of the UN NGO Committee on Sustainable Development expected to hear which role their NGO could play in current and future projects of the UNIDO and what knowledge and experience are required. Because of the lack of time, Tidiane Boye could not reply to this question, and so the answer is still open. The members of the UN NGO Committee on Sustainable Development should represent from their own perspective how their own NGO could contribute to the programs and projects of UNIDO.
Roland Leithenmayr VFV
International Day of Women and Girls in Science, 11.February 2017
Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls (SDG 5) will make a significant contribution not only to the economic development of the world but to progress across all the 17 SDGs and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well.
Currently, in countries where conservative Islam and/or the patriarchal structure predominates, women and girls are discriminated to visit higher schools and universities; although, women want to contribute to science. However, there are Islamic states (such as Saudi Arabia) which promote the education of women, but the women stay mostly unemployed after graduation because of gendered seclusion in job opportunities. The attitude of male superiority and female subjection contributes to the general misinterpretation of the Quran (Muslim people’s main religion text) and misunderstanding of the Muslims: So many Islamic experts say that this patriarchal viewpoint is unrelated to Islamic values.
What could women and girls do to fight against this women-hostile Islam or patriarchal attitude? Should women and girls living in democratic countries demonstrate in front of embassies of arch-conservative countries and/or use the social media more effectively Many Muslim women or women coming from Islamic- or patriarchal controlled countries studied successfully at universities in Austria, and their parents are very proud!
In the democratic countries like in Austria, the situation is different for women and girls, but still needs improvement: flexible working time, work-balance, enlightenment and opportunities for women and girls, etc.
“When a woman is helpless, without rights and ignorant, half of the nation is sick and paralyzed”
– Mammad Amin Rasulzade, Chairman of the National Council of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.
Links:
http://www.un.org/en/events/women-and-girls-in-science-day/index.shtml
www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/islam-and-patriarchy-and-why-its-important-to-unde/
Roland Leithenmayr, VfV, 16. February 2017
NGO Committee on Sustainable Development Vienna 