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On the very first High Level Briefing for NGO delegates last December 1, 2011 held at the Amanzimtoti River Room at the DEC during the COP17/CMP7, I asked UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres on how we can integrate SRHR into the UNFCCC Process. Her answer was very discouraging and disheartening which prompted me to write a blog about Why Christiana Figueres Is Wrong. I felt sad that a woman like Figueres cannot even integrate women's issues on her list of priorities at the negotiating table.
Her answer was implying that the issue is being handled by other U.N. agencies at UNFCCC has so many things to do that they cannot anymore accommodate the issue on population and related issues. However, these issues are cross-cutting and we cannot take out of the picture the issues of the world's population particularly on their SRHR and gender because of its tremendous effect on our climate change mitigation efforts.
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his speech at the "Dialogue" that he organized for the civil society, he proudly stated that "WE ARE ONE UNITED NATIONS" working for climate change. His words proves that Christiana is wrong in her assumption of compartmentalization of issues whether it is climate change, drugs, HIV/AIDS, migration, and sexual and reproductive health. These are issues that are intertwined with each other directly or indirectly and these are even exacerbated with the rapid changes in our climate.
Ban's statement did not went without a hitch. On the panel of heads of different U.N. agencies that accompanied the Secretary-General, a very important person was missing. Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the current Executive Director of UNFPA was not present at the roster of U.N. agency heads in Durban nor there was a representative speaking on his and UNFPA's behalf. Is this ONE UNITED NATIONS?
Sure, Figueres was there for UNFCCC, Helen Clark for UNDP, Achim Steiner for UNEP, Michel Jarraud for WMO, so as the representatives of IOM and UNHCR were there. But where is the head of the UNFPA who represents the seven billion people at the U.N.? They even invited the Indian Minister of Environment, Jayanthi Natarajan and the Ambassador/ Permanent Representative of Samoa to U.N. Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia. I felt it was just a show-off that they are one. But how can we be united as one if U.N. cannot even show it to us?
You can also view the video on this link: www.youtube.com/watch
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