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Declaration
of the 63rd Annual United Nations
DPI/NGO conference
This Declaration was agreed
to by the 1,600 participants representing
over 350 Non-Governmental Organizations
from more than 70 countries who met
in Melbourne, Australia from 30 August
to 1 September, 2010.
The outcome
of the conference is the following
Declaration to be presented to The
Government Heads of the World at The
U N Meeting in New York on September
21
to 22.
Recognizing
that:
•
All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights. They
are endowed with reason and conscience
and should act towards one another
in a spirit of brotherhood[1]"
•
The Millennium Development Goals are
basic to human rights, to human development,
and to equity; achieving the MDGs
is a moral imperative.
•
The Millennium Development Goals,
all of which affect the health of
populations, are significantly off-track
for the poorest and least politically
powerful people, despite progress
in many countries and the increased
efforts of the international community.
•
Significant health challenges, targeted
by the MDGs remain. They include:
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•
One billion people do not have
access to adequate and appropriate
food
• 2.6 billion people around
the world lack access to an improved
sanitation facility
• Eight out of 10 people
who are without access to safe
drinking water live in rural areas
• Almost 9 million children
die before the age of five; uncounted
more have preventable
disabilities
• At least 340,000 women
die each year of pregnancy-related
causes, including the lack of
trained health care professionals
during childbirth
• Millions of people die
prematurely of non communicable
diseases, as well as TB, malaria
and complications of AIDS every
year
• An estimated 420 million
people in developing countries
have a disability; 267 million
worldwide have preventable visual
impairment
• Human induced environmental
degradation causes short and long
term health threats including
climate change |
•
Most major physical and mental health
problems of people in low income countries
can be prevented or treated by well-informed
individuals, families and communities;
international and national efforts
must do much more to support family
and community based strategies.
•
Communities have a right to a voice
and significant influence in policy
and programs that affect their health
and well being.
•
Informed citizens play a critical
role in monitoring and improving the
quality, effectiveness, and sustainability
of health and other services.
•
Financial constraints are being experienced
by many countries as a result of the
global financial crisis and budget
priorities. This is not an excuse
to reduce efforts to achieve the MDGs.
•
The UN Secretary General has appointed
an Advocacy Group to build political
will and mobilize global action to
achieve the Millennium Development
Goals.
We, the people gathered here at the
63rd Annual United Nations DPI/NGO
Conference, are in support of the
Secretary General's appeal for action
and we call upon all governments,
agencies, corporations and individuals
to deliver on their human rights obligations
to over a billion people living in
poverty, by committing the finances
and political will necessary to achieve
the MDGs. We call on parties at all
levels to:
1. Ensure that national health and
nutrition plans prioritize integrated
and evidence-based health promotion,
illness prevention and treatment services
for all people.
2. Actively support, encourage and
resource community voices to be heard
through active representation in program
planning, implementation and evaluation;
always including representation of
women and men, children, youth and
older persons, indigenous peoples,
the disabled and marginalized groups.
3. Ensure that all agencies, including
donors, involved in health promotion
and healthcare delivery prioritize
the formation and strengthening of
national health systems to deliver,
sustainable and equitable health improvements.
Provide additional assistance where
required to achieve equity in health
related outcomes.
4. Ensure gender equality, empower
women and expand programs to end violence
against women.
5. Ensure governments respect and
implement existing international covenants
and agreements that will make major
improvements to health such as the
Framework Convention on Tobacco Control,
the International Code of Marketing
Breast Milk Substitutes, and WHO's
Global Recommendations for the Retention
of Health Workers.
6. Change international financial
and trade systems so they create equality
of opportunity for people in resource
poor countries - fair trade not free
trade and trade that maximizes health
and well-being before profits.
7. Ensure urgent needs for financing
are met, such as the replenishment
of the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and
Malaria, and the Global Alliance for
Vaccines and Immunisations.
8. Significantly expand support for
international and developing country
NGOs. Coordinate activities among
organizations, donors and governments
to achieve maximum efficiency and
effectiveness in support of services
for the most vulnerable.
9. Advocate for the conversion of
military spending to greater expenditures
on: training and retraining health
workers, teachers, and infrastructure
for the health and education sectors.
To achieve the objectives outlined
above, the citizens of the world depend
on the political will and moral commitment
of governments and parties at all
levels.
In conclusion, it is unacceptable
that so many children and adults in
low income countries continue to suffer
preventable illness, disability and
premature deaths each year. The world
knows how to prevent and treat most
of the causes and has shown that well-focused
efforts can significantly reduce levels
of suffering. The MDGs can be, indeed
must be, achieved by 2015
This Declaration highlights the central
role that individuals, families and
communities must play in fostering
global health. It compels all governments
and health actors to respect the rights
of communities while also maximizing
the effectiveness, efficiency and
sustainability of their work by leveraging
community knowledge and support.
We thank the people and Government
of Australia, the State of Victoria,
and the City of Melbourne, for their
warm welcome and hosting of the 63rd
Annual United Nations DPI/NGO Conference.
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Article 1 of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights, 1948
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