- ATD Fourth World

“Keeping the Promise”: Such is the title of the Report of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals adopted in 2000.

This report documents facts, sometimes encouraging and often alarming, regarding the progress made towards achieving these goals. It formulates suggestions for accelerating the anticipated changes, particularly regarding sustainable development.

As the articles in this issue of the Letter to Friends demonstrate, Permanent Forum correspondents take on the challenge of sustainable development in their daily work. How does their experience shed light on the observations made in the Ban Ki-moon report?

For example, the report highlights the fact that the first victims of climate changes are vulnerable populations who have contributed the least to the problem. This corresponds to the experience of the Ogiek people of Kenya, and is what Stephen Corry, director of Survival International, speaks out against: "The world’s tribal people, who have done the least to cause climate change and are most affected by it, are now having their rights violated and land devastated in the name of attempts to stop it."

Sandra P., from Nicaragua, views the development of means of communication from the perspective of the rural community in which she’s based. While the Ban Ki-moon report argues that advances in technology provide an opportunity to accelerate poverty reduction, Sandra adds a nuance: “Now more than ever before, there is an urgent need to think about the consequences of these changes and become aware of them. It is not enough for one person or family to escape from a life of poverty, to have a decent life. We must create a new world working with the poor themselves.”

The Agro-Ecological Learning Centre in Brazil is concerned about a “standardization of agricultural systems” which will soon lead to the disappearance of “family-based agriculture that protects health, quality of life and the independence of small farmers.” This concern has led it to take action. Its action, particularly with youth, illustrates the report’s affirmation that harnessing private sector potential begins with the farmer in the rural village who is the private sector’s backbone.

Also with disadvantaged youth, the association Friends of the Earth-Togo wants to incorporate economic, environmental, social and human dimensions into its activities. These youth are much like those in Brazil who “know they must adopt an ecological approach and maintain a social and environmental balance. These young people need people to believe in them, praise them, and support them. But the support of their local community is insufficient, a larger network is necessary.”

This call for support confirms one of the key success factors indicated in the Ban Ki-moon report: civil society and community involvement and empowerment enhance the likelihood of success by giving individuals and communities the ability to take charge of their own lives.

Ban Ki-moon urges the international community to dramatically increase the pace of change so that the promises of 2000 translate into real progress for the world’s poorest people.

Progress for the world’s poorest people or with them?

Huguette Redegeld

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In this issue of the Letter to Friends (click below to download it), you will discover concrete efforts being made in Nicaragua, Togo, Kenya, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Central African Republic.

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