G r a ssr o ot s or ga ni za t i o ns di s cu s sed t h e i m por t a nc e of t he
S USTAI NABL E D E V EL OP M EN T G OA LS I M PL EM ENTAT I O N I N I T S MU NI CI PALI T I ES A p ril, 21 - 2 01 6 As a part of the 7th version of the National Training and strategic intervention Course in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights – Tools for Sustainable Development Goals Implementation (SDGs), which took place from 11 to 17 April in Cochabamba – Bolivia, various grassroots organizations analyzed certain issues related with poverty, development, public policies that their communities suffer and its relationship to the human rights and the new Global Development Agenda.
THE
POVERTY SITUATION AND RELEVANT ISSUES AT LOCAL LEVEL
Through a participatory mapping, the participants identified the main issues link to the poverty in their municipalities. Taking account of both urban and rural territorial characteristics, the participants agreed that these issues are: 1) lack of employment (job security, labor rights, capacity building) 2) effective public management (management capacity, advocacy, political participation, actions against the corruption, prioritized projects for certain
sectors, planning the productive potentialities, law enforcement, production policies); 3) Health and education issues (new teacher and doctors contracts, social infrastructure [hospitals, schools], budgets, limits of the regulations, information and prevention); 4) Basic public services and housing; 5) Basic sanitation; 6) Irrigation; 7) Environment ; and 8) Citizen security.
Through the participatory mapping and a collective critical analysis, the participants defined and prioritized this range of issues, aspect that helped to establish the characteristics and the multidimensional nature of poverty in each municipality context.
¿WHAT PUBLIC
―Women, elder people, children younger than 5 years of age have no access to free medical care. There (in Urubichá – Santa Cruz department) we only have a health centre, we do not have a secondary level hospital, and there are pregnant women and children that have died in the village‖. .
IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR IDENTIFIED ISSUES AND THE POLICIES?
Participants, through the tool ―target shooting‖, evaluated how distant or how close are the government policies/ actions to resolve the issues presented in the participatory mapping. Furthermore, the participants evaluated the effectiveness, relevance and the economic and political interests behind of the public policies.
―With the ―target shooting‖ we realize that we do not have with the support of our main leaders‖ (Ana Paola)
―Regarding departmental government, we got a quinoa grain processor plant, which is built, with the machinery at our disposal but it does not work because the contractor has not complied with the technical specifications. For us it is a ―white elephant‖ (Jaime Mamani—Batallas, La Paz)
―It was really good because we could visualize our issues and, at the same time, know who are closely helping us or who turns away‖ (Luz Marina Fernandez)
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¿HOW
OUR ISSUES ARE LINKED WITH
SDGS
AND
HUMAN RIGHTS?
After several dynamics that unveiled one to one the content of the Sustainable Development Goals, the participants linked the meaning of each and every one of the goals with each of the relevant issues of their municipalities. This exercise allowed them comprehend the integrity and interrelation of SDGs, to conclude that if one goal is not achieved, the others will not be fulfilled, and that the SDGs have a close relationship with their everyday life and the problems currently faced by grassroots organizations.
―All problems are interrelated, (it) has to do with economics, with education, with health, employment, environment, there is nothing to be loose‖ (José Chuvé – Santa Cruz)
―If you do not have economic resources, (you) cannot have a good education; if you don’t have a job, (you) cannot have education, health and so on. Everything revolves around poverty, all goes as a result of poverty‖ (Merary Hurtado- Trinidad, Beni).
―I think the SDGs are right because we are all taken into account on them‖ (Ana Paola Chaigue – Santa Cruz)
Through the revision of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the participants identified the relationship between the SDGs and Human Rights, both as principles that seek to achieve human dignity and overcoming poverty. It was also important to familiarize the participants with the different jurisdictional mechanisms and tools, equally at the international level and at the local level, to advance in the implementation of the Global Development Agenda, highlighting the State's obligations regarding the rights and commitments to SDGs.
FROM ISSUES TO ACTION. CHALLENGES TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SDGS IN THE MUNICIPALITIES Issues such as housing, employment, basic services, irrigation and drinking water, social inclusion for people with disabilities, political participation and gender equity, among others, are part of the thematic agenda raised by the participants. These were reflected in 8 strategies -that include of political, communicational-educational and legal dimensions, which will be implemented by the grassroots organization in the rest of 2016. These actions will be accompanied by the Urban Program. According to the participants, one of the first steps is the socialization of Sustainable Development Goals within their organizations. ―(I will apply this knowledge) to solve community problems, replicating in a training workshop (the contents of the course) with the men and women of the grassroots organization, community base, politicians and authorities. (Plácida Cuñapocayai – Urubichá, Santa ―What I am going to spread out back in my organization is the strategy game of ―ships and mines‖, and the Sustainable Development Goals, seeking the needs that are in the SDGs. (Luis Castillo- Cobija, Pando)
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A PARTICIPATORY AND INCLUSIVE METHODOLOGY
COURSE INFORMATION
28 PARTICIPANTS
―The training workshop met my expectations because I expand my knowledge by seeing causes of reality and issues of my municipality; and the economic, social and cultural rights through the SDGs ... related to women's rights‖. (Merary Hurtado— Riberalta, Beni) ―Excellent. It has been designed for people with disabilities, (and so) we are included. (The course) let me have a solid base to transmit and strengthen to our institutions‖. (Fredy Valdivia—La Paz) ―I had never heard before the subjects of the course, I think it had a very good impact. I thought they were just topics for lawyers, but it opened my mind and (these subjects) are very necessary to know‖ (Tabita Mendez, Santa Cruz) "(It helped to) Know the protection mechanisms of the international legislature." (José Chuve— Santa Cruz)
WITH
THE SUPPORT OF
GRASSROOTS Nro.
ORGANIZATIONS
Grassroots
Department/ city/municipality
1
Sindical Agraria Sindical Campesina
La Paz (Pucarcota)
2
Consejo Ciudadano de Personas con Discapacidad
La Paz
3
Asamblea del Pueblo Guaraní del Municipio de Charagua (APG)
Santa Cruz (Charagua)
4
Federación Madre de Dios
Pando (Las Piedras)
5
Junta Vecinal Edmundo Vaca Medrano
Trinidad
6
Central Agraria Karhuiza
La Paz (Batallas)
7
Central Agraria Unión Catavi
La Paz (Batallas)
8
Comunidad María Auxiliadora
Cochabamba
9
Asociación de Residentes Monkox Lomerianos (ARIMLO)
Santa Cruz
10
Asociación Nueva Esperanza
Beni (Riberalta)
11
Asociación de Pueblos Indígenas de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (APISACS)
Santa Cruz
12
Articulación de Mujeres
Beni (Riberalta)
13
Asociación de transportistas fluviales 15 de abril
Pando (Las Piedras)
14
Central Comunal Urubichá (CECU)
Santa Cruz (Urubichá)
15
Sindicato Primero de Mayo
Cochabamba
16
OTB - CONAVI
Riberalta
17
Sindicato de Aseo Urbano Cobija
Cobija
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P I C T U R E G A L L E RY
―Let’s dance‖
Who are we? - Introducing our grassroots organizations
―participatory mapping ‖
―Analyzing the MDGs Achivements‖
―Learning about SDGs‖
―The Integrity of SDGs‖
―The balloon of Human Rights‖
―Human Rights Lane‖
―The State Obligations—Picture Postcards ‖
―Simulation of Inter-American Commission on Human Rights audience — IACHR ‖
―Strengthening our spokesmanship : The TV interview‖
―Introducing our strategies‖
―Finishing the course‖
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