Latest Updates from the UN World Summit

The largest ever summit of world leaders commenced on 14th September 2005 in New York, gathering the world's most powerful leaders from 191 countries. This session marks the 60th anniversary of the United Nations and is being hailed as "a once-in-a generation opportunity to take bold decisions in the areas of development, security, human rights and reform of the United Nations."

The world leaders are reviewing the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight targets set in September 2000 and distilled from previous UN commitments. The MDGs include reducing Global inequality and cutting extreme poverty in half by 2015.

On the Summit agenda is also the proposed reforms to the United Nations detailed in the Secretary General's report entitled "In Larger Freedom" (www.un.org/largerfreedom). The report suggests changes to the UN aimed at strengthening and reforming its structures such as the Security Council, Human Rights Commission, and General Assembly to make them more effective at meeting the challenges faced by the world community.

UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service
http://www.un-ngls.org/UN-summit.htm

The NGLS web page is the official UN webpage showcasing the latest NGO and Civil Society documents relating to the Summit. It includes the civil society statements and position papers commenting on the UN World Summit and its Outcome Document. It also offers real time coverage of speeches, photos and webcasts and more.

Draft outcome Document for the World Summit 2005
http://www.un.org/summit2005/Draft_Outcome130905.pdf

This is the official draft outcome document presently under review by the world leaders.

The 2005 World Summit: An Overview
http://www.un-ngls.org/un-summit-overview.pdf

This is the official UN overview of the World Summit and its objectives.

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty
http://www.whiteband.org/specialIssues/UNP5/NewsListingUNP5/en

The Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) is a worldwide alliance committed to making world leaders live up to their promises, and to making a breakthrough on poverty in 2005.

The Center for Women's Global Leadership
http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/globalcenter/policy/millsummit/index.html

This website profiles NGO statements, related documents and updates of the Gender Monitoring Group of the World Summit.

Beijing and Beyond: the Women of the World are Watching
http://www.beijingandbeyond.org/index.html

The Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL), Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) and Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO) have launched an advocacy and monitoring campaign to ensure that voices of women are heard in the forthcoming meeting of world leaders at the United Nations 2005 World Summit to take place from September 14-16.

MADRE
http://www.madre.org/articles/int/worldsummitkit.html

MADRE has created an educational toolkit of articles and resources related to the UN World Summit. They invite you to read and share these documents and use them as tools to advocate for government accountability to women's human rights.

OXFAM Gender and Development Journal
MDG: http://publications.oxfam.org.uk/oxfam/add_info_009.asp

This is a special issue of the OXFAM Gender and Development Journal on Gender and the Millennium Development Goals.

WEDO Toolkit- Gender Equality and the Millennium Development Goals
http://www.wedo.org/files/MDGtoolkit_eng.pdf

The WEDO information and action guide takes a critical look at gender and the MDGs.