Women's organisations in Accra

Source: AWID

02/09/2008 9:35 am

The time has come, Accra is finally upon us! AWID, WIDE, DAWN, FEMNET, IGTN, NETRIGHT and a number of other women’s organizations have been actively participating in the Aid Effectiveness Agenda and are currently participating in the debates, events and fora relating to the HLF3 in Accra.

Since 2007, many initiatives of women’s rights organizations and networks have mobilized to reflect and to share strategies and experiences on how women can influence (both technically and politically) the Aid Effectiveness agenda processes at all levels.

Why is it important that women’s organisations participate in Accra?

In March of 2005 the OECD members and partner countries signed the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. On September 2-4, 2008, donor countries and recipient countries are meeting in Accra for the Third High Level Forum (HLF3) to review and assess progress in the implementation of the Paris Declaration (PD) on Aid Effectiveness and to agree on a new agenda for action.This is the first opportunity for donors, recipient countries and civil society organizations, to review the progress on the implementation of the Paris Declaration since it was launched three years ago.

The main goal of the Paris Declaration is “to reform the ways we deliver and manage aid as we look ahead to the UN five-year review of the Millennium Declaration and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)”. Unless gender equality becomes a fundamental political commitment and viewed as a central goal of the development agenda, we can not expect aid or development policies to deliver the required results.

The perspective that women’s rights organizations are promoting in Accra is that there is no aid effectiveness without development effectiveness and that gender equality, environmental sustainability and human rights must be recognized as crucial to development effectiveness. Their current status of crosscutting issues marginalized these areas, letting them as an accessory issue to development and the Aid Effectiveness agenda.

Recognizing that gender equality and women’s rights are crucial for development effectiveness, the voices of gender advocates and women’s rights organizations must be heard. This is why it is important that women’s organisations participate in Accra.

News and Updates

If you would like to learn more about what AWID, women’s organisations and CSO are doing in Accra please click on the links below.

AWID-Partners related news and info for Accra: FOCUS- Women’s Organizations, AWID and her partners.“No Aid Effectiveness without Women’s Rights and Gender Equality”:

Whither EC Aid? Towards a new approach for assesing development cooperation

Aid fails to reduce poverty and inequality in Africa

New Aid Modalities a mirage without women's participation

WOMENS FORUM STATEMENT

CSO Intervention For Roundtable 1: Democratic Ownership

One nation with one destiny

Lost in a haystack: gender equality in aid

Action Aid position for Accra. Beyond Aid dependence. The challenge at the Accra High Level Forum

Donor resistance threatens aid talks: Breakthrough on real reforms urgently needed, says Oxfam

For up to date information on: Press Releases, CSO Statements and Blogs relating to the events de the Better Aid Home page: http://www.betteraid.org/ Articles specifically about the Civil Society Forum/CSO opinions

DEVELOPMENT: Accra Agenda for Action - A Step Backwards?

U.S. Participates in Civil Society Forum on Aid Effectiveness

Aid Effectiveness - Perspective Of Civil Society

Background Info: HLF3 and Surrounding events articles: FOCUS- background information on the process as a whole “Aid Effectiveness”

Accra 2008: Spaces for Gender Equality

Forum’s Goal is more Efficient, Effective Aid

Donor meeting to review making aid effective

Towards an 'Aid-Free World?

FACTBOX - Delivery problems, pitfalls undermine effective aid

Civil Society Calls for Concrete Commitment on Aid Effectiveness at OECD High Level Forum, Written by Interaction, American Council for Voluntary International Action

WORLD-DEVELOPMENT: 'It's the Same Talking and Talking'

Leaders strive to translate aid-free world into reality