UNRISD hosts workshop at the 2007 Civil Society and Development Forum “A Platform for Development: Countdown to 2015”

On 28-30 June, UNRISD participated in the Civil Society and Development Forum “A Platform for Development: Countdown to 2015”, organized by the Conference of NGOs in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CONGO). The Forum focused its discussions on ECOSOC 2007 themes: pro-poor growth, poverty and hunger. The CSDF 2007 brought together over 600 people - actors of global civil society, governments and private sector - to think future and together with the UN to jointly agree on priorities in tackling the wider development agenda.

As part of the forum, UNRISD organized a workshop on 28 June on “Development and Poverty Reduction: What Role for Social Policy?” which included presentations by two UNRISD staff, Katja Hujo and Shahra Razavi, as well as UNRISD consultant, Manuel Riesco.

The workshop provided an important input to the forum by concentrating on the legitimate role of the state in social policy, particularly for poverty reduction, and was attended by various heads of NGOs from around the world. Conclusions from the workshop discussion were presented to the General Rapporteur for the CONGO event to be included in a statement to ECOSOC.

The 3-day Forum elaborated a set of specific recommendations on each of the themes covered - debated through interactive discussions with governments participating in the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC's Session (2-5 July 2007) - and presented before the HLS. Moreover, civil society representatives were given the floor during ECOSOC's Substantive Session to present the Forum and showcase that only a 'global partnership' could eradicate poverty and hunger by 2015 as targeted.