Crossroads and directions

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Next week an interesting group of people will meet at ISS to exchange views on the prospects of civil society. It coincides with a number of gatherings that are typical for this time and age.

I think about the UN focussed Post-2015 discussion in London that recently ended. A post-2015 agenda was drafted, providing some directions highly needed at cross-roads:
1) adopt a human rights‐based approach;
2) address growing inequality and mainstream equity;
3) promote social protection;
4) involve and lead to participatory processes and decision making;
5) prioritize capacity building and local management of development;
6) protect Earth’ ecosystems and equitable access to resources;
7) enable job creation and investment in the poor and marginalized.
Nice governmental language hard to put in practice.

I also think about the 13th National Sustainability Congress in the Netherlands, where a.o. people are pursuing the Earth Charter amidst heavy presence of the private sector. Very good practices will be presented but requiring political will to set the standards.

What can civil society do to bring these global and national, but also public and private sector perspectives together without being trapped into a bureaucratic process, maximising the dynamics present within civil society space. How can citizens get on board of these processes that seem to have a dynamic of their own.

The workshop that forms part of PSO's wrap-up conference offers what could be the last opportunity to come together government funded, as the government is running out of resources. The latter may provide a unique opportunity to reposition civil society firmly in between government, citizens and companies, ensuring a fair and equitable world economy protecting the world ecosystem from internal hazardous powers and preserving it for generations to come.

More information on the PSO closing conference..

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