HangOut 11 August: The role of civil society organisations in implementing the new urban agenda

The New Urban Agenda will be agreed upon during the Habitat III conference in Quito (Ecuador) in October. This event is going to set forward pathways for sustainable urban development for the next two decades. The latest draft of the NUA was just published by then end of July after the Third Preparatory Conference for Habitat III that took place in Surabaya (Indonesia).

In this discussion, our four speakers discuss the role of civil society organisations in implementing the new urban agenda.

According to them, the new agenda is not a document legally binding. It will turn out to be a global road map between various actors. In that context, they underline the importance of cooperation among the civil societies. Everyone’s contribution must be recognized.

To improve the global impact, Ariana MacPherson advises to use more data and statistics. “Data are the basis of this kind of partnerships” told her.

According to Hirotaka Koike, one thing we are completely missing is how the people will be engaging. The agreement needs to be more “action-oriented” by professionalising engagement. We definitely need intergovernmental meetings. The bottom line will be virtuous cycles.

To prevent an implementation gap, we finally need to coordinate, to make sure that this agenda has been more effectively supported by all the partners. This agreement must be seen as a moment to make new alliances or improve existing connections.

Victoria Okoye, Urban Advocacy Specialist, Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing (WIEGO)

Victoria is a member of WIEGO Global Advocacy team, coordinating inputs into the Habitat III process with respect to informal livelihoods and inclusive cities. Victoria is based in Accra, Ghana.

Jess Beagley, Policy Research Officer, NCD Alliance

Jess Beagley is Policy Research Officer at NCD Alliance, based in London, UK. Her activities focus on NCD Alliance’s work on NCDs and environment as a means to strengthen the NCD response, most recently on coordinating civil society advocacy for a stronger focus on health in the Habitat III process. In her wider work, Jess analyses policies, trends, and epidemiological data on NCDs to inform NCD Alliance’s advocacy strategies. Previously, Jess worked with the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in Brussels, Belgium on health education and epidemiology. Jess has a

degree in physiology from the University of Oxford.

Hirotaka Koike, Deputy Organising Partner for Habitat III, UN Major Group for Children and Youth

Hirotaka Koike has been facilitating the engagement of young people in Habitat III process and coordinating advocacy work at global and regional levels. At national level, he is the representative organizer the Japan Youth Platform for Sustainability, which is the national advocacy space for youth engaging in TICAD, APEC, G7&20, and other UN processes. He has also been working in the affected area suffered by the tsunami 2011 through volunteer, community development, and Disaster Risk Reduction for years, especially in collaboration with older persons and children.

Ariana MacPherson, Advocacy & Communications, Slum Dwellers International (SDI)

Ariana K. Macpherson coordinates advocacy and communications at the Shack/Slum Dwellers International (SDI) Secretariat in Cape Town, South Africa. She holds a master’s degree in urban planning from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School for Public Service and a B. A. from Smith College.