Swedish-Georgian Cooperation to Promote and Monitor MDG Implementation
2006-01-13
<a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">Millennium Development Goals</a>(MDGs) have been brought to the top of the global agenda as of late - an agenda of those goals that most urgently need to be met if the human race is to go live better in the twenty-first century than it did in the preceding centuries. These MDGs are global, but it is the responsibility of each separate country to find the right mix of policies that will best suit local conditions. It is the role of every individual in each country to insist that these policies are applied.</p> <p>In his statement at a Headquarters press conference on the first progress report on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration on 2002 Kofi Annan called on developing countries to produce annual reports. "I shall deliver my annual global report each year, but we will also help every developing country to produce its own annual report – so that in each country the people will know how they are doing,” Annan announced. It is the belief of the United Nations that by adhering to this policy, developing countries will have a real chance to prosper in the new global economy.</p> <p>Georgia was one developing country that responded to the worldwide call from the UN. Coalitions have been established in the country which will remind the government of its pledge at every opportunity and contribute to efforts to raise public awareness of MDGs nationwide. These commitments, along with many other initiatives prompted UNAG to endorse the<a href="http://una.ge/eng/mdgpromo.php">"Confidence Building and MDG Promotion in the South Caucasus”</a>project with the support of the UNA Sweden/Forum Syd. In October 2005, at UNAG a workshop on Millennium Development Goals was facilitated within the framework of the project by the Desk Officer for Development from<a href="http://www.fn.se/start.asp?nodeid=102&iHasChild=0">UNA Sweden</a>-Berith Granath. The event aimed at establishing a working group and developing a strategy for further cooperation. Among the MDG monitoring working group NGOs are: the<a href="http://www.tanadgoma.ge/">"Tanadgoma” association</a>,<a href="http://www.greenwave.ge/">"Green Wave”</a>association and radio,<a href="http://www.csrdg.ge/">Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia</a>, Young Economists Association,<a href="http://www.gyla.ge/">Georgian Young Lawyers Association</a>,<a href="http://una.ge/eng/">United Nations Association of Georgia</a>and<a href="http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/where_we_work/georgia/">Oxfam Georgia Branch</a>.</p> <p>Subsequently the working group developed a strategy for further cooperation. The different member NGOs agreed to follow the lead of Sweden and many other countries and design a civil society report next year aiming at raising public awareness about MDGs and elaborate recommendations for the government regarding the implementation of MDGs.</p> <p>The production of this report was perceived as necessary as the engagement of citizens in the country is vital to the development process. Once people become aware, they will be prompted to participate in the implementation and monitoring of the MDGs. This report will be produced through the joint efforts of Georgian CSOs working in the field of the various MDGs and will represent an unprecedented activity of NGOs working on the monitoring and reporting of MDGs.</p> <p> The first attempt to produce a national report regarding MDGs in Georgia was made in 2004, and which emphasized the necessity and importance of taking the approach to assess and evaluate the progress being made by Georgia toward implementing MDGs.
<a href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/">Millennium Development Goals</a>(MDGs) have been brought to the top of the global agenda as of late - an agenda of those goals that most urgently need to be met if the human race is to go live better in the twenty-first century than it did in the preceding centuries. These MDGs are global, but it is the responsibility of each separate country to find the right mix of policies that will best suit local conditions. It is the role of every individual in each country to insist that these policies are applied.</p> <p>In his statement at a Headquarters press conference on the first progress report on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration on 2002 Kofi Annan called on developing countries to produce annual reports. "I shall deliver my annual global report each year, but we will also help every developing country to produce its own annual report – so that in each country the people will know how they are doing,” Annan announced. It is the belief of the United Nations that by adhering to this policy, developing countries will have a real chance to prosper in the new global economy.</p> <p>Georgia was one developing country that responded to the worldwide call from the UN. Coalitions have been established in the country which will remind the government of its pledge at every opportunity and contribute to efforts to raise public awareness of MDGs nationwide. These commitments, along with many other initiatives prompted UNAG to endorse the<a href="http://una.ge/eng/mdgpromo.php">"Confidence Building and MDG Promotion in the South Caucasus”</a>project with the support of the UNA Sweden/Forum Syd. In October 2005, at UNAG a workshop on Millennium Development Goals was facilitated within the framework of the project by the Desk Officer for Development from<a href="http://www.fn.se/start.asp?nodeid=102&iHasChild=0">UNA Sweden</a>-Berith Granath. The event aimed at establishing a working group and developing a strategy for further cooperation. Among the MDG monitoring working group NGOs are: the<a href="http://www.tanadgoma.ge/">"Tanadgoma” association</a>,<a href="http://www.greenwave.ge/">"Green Wave”</a>association and radio,<a href="http://www.csrdg.ge/">Center for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia</a>, Young Economists Association,<a href="http://www.gyla.ge/">Georgian Young Lawyers Association</a>,<a href="http://una.ge/eng/">United Nations Association of Georgia</a>and<a href="http://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_we_do/where_we_work/georgia/">Oxfam Georgia Branch</a>.</p> <p>Subsequently the working group developed a strategy for further cooperation. The different member NGOs agreed to follow the lead of Sweden and many other countries and design a civil society report next year aiming at raising public awareness about MDGs and elaborate recommendations for the government regarding the implementation of MDGs.</p> <p>The production of this report was perceived as necessary as the engagement of citizens in the country is vital to the development process. Once people become aware, they will be prompted to participate in the implementation and monitoring of the MDGs. This report will be produced through the joint efforts of Georgian CSOs working in the field of the various MDGs and will represent an unprecedented activity of NGOs working on the monitoring and reporting of MDGs.</p> <p> The first attempt to produce a national report regarding MDGs in Georgia was made in 2004, and which emphasized the necessity and importance of taking the approach to assess and evaluate the progress being made by Georgia toward implementing MDGs.