Category: SDGs 2024

Member of the Indian Administrative Service

Dr. Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi

Author, Former Chief Election Commissioner |India

 

 Short Bio:

Dr. Shahabuddin Yaqoob Quraishi, a distinguished member of the Indian Administrative Service since 1971, served as the seventeenth Chief Election Commissioner of India. During his tenure, he spearheaded several significant electoral reforms, including the establishment of the voter education division, the expenditure monitoring division, and the India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management. He also launched National Voters Day. In recognition of his contributions, he was appointed Ambassador of Democracy by the International IDEA, Stockholm, alongside Kofi Annan in October 2017. He is the author of An Undocumented Wonder: The Making of the Great Indian Election (2014) and the editor of The Great March of Democracy: Seven Decades of India’s Elections (2019).

 

Event: SDGs Conference 2024	Date: Sept 25, 2024

SPEECH

I am participating in the SDGs Conference 2024 as the Former Chief Election Commissioner. Still, I thought that since I am involved in this session with the company of journalists, it is important that I disclose my long association with the media as the Head of the National Television Network, as I also have a PhD in Communication Programs. When I was in the election commission, I was particularly conscious of the role of the media including the positive and the negative aspects. Usually, the relationship between election commissions and the media is a hostility based on flaws. However, this situation has positive sides as well for the well-being of the communities.

We had sent 75,000 video teams around the country to monitor the elections and document the malpractices taking place, to ensure accountability if the media is showing the public the same perspectives. We should see media organizations as our allies and declare that whatever we see on television is an official aspect from our side. Since we work in transparency, we have a great relationship with the media; however, currently, in the age of the social media explosion and artificial intelligence, conceptions have changed drastically, and we have to find new solutions. Since artificial intelligence has an impact on elections, it has the potential to both enhance and also misuse and interfere with the fairness of free elections.

First of all, it can assist us in verifying voter identity. We have been using all kinds of software to identify duplicate voters but despite our consistent actions, millions of voters are mentioned in different elector regions of the country. Nowadays, with the help of biometrics, we can ensure that voter registrations are accurate and that duplicate entries are eliminated. We also have to monitor irregular voting patterns like unusual spikes and results. We documented many times that there may be incidents while one part of the village community is actively voting, there is no participation from other regions. These kinds of situations may indicate arbitrary measures like bribing or discouraging citizens through forcible means not to participate in the elections. Artificial intelligence can alert us promptly so that authorities can take action. Monitoring social media and other digital platforms for misinformation campaigns is the most critical working area that we concentrate on. Even though we do not have a working resolution to address these challenges, yet I am sure we will soon progress to meaningfully mitigate these negative aspects.

According to electoral laws of India, influencing voters through misinformation threads is both an electoral and a criminal offense. Therefore, we have to take it very seriously. AI can detect and label fake news or malicious content, which is very difficult for humans to document. Minimizing human bias to draw electoral districts is also challenging due to the influence of a widely known aspect of gerrymandering manipulating the regional boundaries to intervene in the election results. So technology will assist us to bifurcate constituencies accordingly to ensure election fairness. Such challenges occur in many countries. However, having an election in India refers to conducting such democratic engagement in 90 countries of the world. Therefore, as an observer of many other countries, we have seen such electoral barriers taking place elsewhere. Considering any other possible irregularities, AI can flag suspicious activities so that we can analyze social media news outlets, track public statements, and identify misinformation campaigns based on biased narratives.

I have underlined the positive contributions of artificial intelligence but there are also rising threats brought by algorithmic bias disqualifying certain voters because facial recognition programs can be altered in a way that fails to identify the individuals, particularly in downtrodden or religious communities due to the regulated technology. As all these sorts of manipulations are possible through generating deepfakes or automated bots that also spread propaganda and misinformation influencing public opinion, these barriers affect the purity of the election. AI could be used to identify certain voting demographics and create barriers to participation by creating realistic fake videos or audio recordings. Media unions working on trustworthy news assist us in identifying such violations so that we can take swift action.

What are the safeguards in this arena? First of all, algorithms should be transparent and subject to audits by independent bodies to ensure that they are functioning without bias and are not being misused. Data accuracy and district data privacy laws should be involved to prevent the misuse of data for micro-targeting or manipulation. There must be clear ethical guidelines. Threats impacting citizens` right to access public information must be analyzed. What are the possibilities to ensure that voters can access accurate information? Regardless of all the challenges, I still think that the check and balance systems to ensure accountability will also be provided to us through artificial intelligence.

Spokesperson at The United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Syria

Jenifer Fenton
Journalist, Media Advisor | Switzerland

 Short Bio:

Jenifer Fenton has been the Spokesperson at the United Nations Office of the Special Envoy for Syria since May 2019. Previously, she worked for Al Jazeera in Doha and New York, and CNN in Atlanta, Jerusalem, London, and Abu Dhabi holding various senior positions. Ms. Fenton also worked for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Palestine, and the UN Refugee Agency in New York. With 16 years in the television news industry, she has won several major industry news awards, including multiple Peabody Awards. Jenifer Fenton also played a pivotal role in opening the CNN Abu Dhabi bureau and was also the Senior Planning Producer overseeing the Middle East for all CNN networks worldwide. She held the Yale Poynter Fellow-in-Residence for the 2017–18 academic year.

 

Event: SDGs Conference 2024	Date: Sept 25, 2024

SPEECH

Information Integrity on Digital Platforms and Mainstream Media explores the critical role that journalists and media play in addressing the most pressing global challenges we face today. It is clear that the role of journalism has never been more vital, whether it is covering conflict, protecting freedoms, ensuring transparency and governance, or in shaping the public discourse that drives global action. Journalists and media outlets are more than just conveyors of information. They are vital pillars of truth, accountability, and democracy. Their role is particularly crucial as we navigate an increasing number of complex global challenges. As we have just been discussing during earlier sessions of the SDGs Conference, world leaders have just adopted a pact for the future that includes a global digital compact as well. This compact is not only about advancing technology but also about ensuring that this progress aligns with the protection of fundamental rights. From closing, digital divides to fostering a safe, inclusive, and secure digital space. These efforts seek to balance innovation with responsibility. This initiative also highlights the importance of addressing issues such as misinformation, cybercrime, and the need for equitable access to digital tools and information. The compact also notes that Sustainable Development Goal 16 emphasizes the role of media and promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions. 

 

Panel Session 2 focuses on five key themes: 1) Journalists in humanitarian crisis and human rights reporting noting the essential role that accurate and unbiased information plays in exposing human rights violations and influencing international policy. 2) Building sustainable and resilient media outlets: how we can empower journalists, including through secure digital platforms, and how to sustain independent media in the face of financial and digital challenges. 3) Combating misinformation and disinformation addressing the rise of information pollution. 4) Defending election integrity in an AI-dominated media landscape as AI becomes more prevalent in shaping media narratives. 5) The global crisis of press freedom with increasing threats to press freedom the journalists face around the world, including persecution, censorship, and even exile.

Lawyer and Social Sciences Research Consultant

Valerie Nangidi Okumu
Research Coordinator, Pan Africa Association of Judges of Environment Land and Labour | Kenya

 Short Bio:

Ms. Valerie Nangidi Okumu-Ojiambo is a lawyer and social sciences research consultant specializing in gender responsiveness in governance, law, politics, healthcare, and climate change. With a focus on women’s issues, she addresses the intersection of feminism and governance, advocating for purposeful leadership to resolve gender disparities. She has served as the lead researcher at Kenya’s Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution and consults on policy reform and devolution. Currently pursuing a PhD at Tangaza University, Ms. Okumu-Ojiambo also leads research at the Pan-African Association of Judges of Environment, Land, and Labour, focusing on labor, land, and environmental justice.

 

Event: SDGs Conference 2024	Date: Sept 25, 2024

SPEECH

I am very grateful for this opportunity to speak on this very important topic that will help us identify pathways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). My argument is that we must pursue this through a purposeful approach. I say this because of my background in constitutional reform. Historically, we have dealt with the exclusion of women, despite numerous legal frameworks at both the international and local levels that seek to ensure women’s inclusion in governance. The leadership provided by women must have a voice to help us move forward. However, at this juncture, we still find ourselves discussing the unlocking of women’s leadership, indicating that we have not yet achieved our goals, despite the conventions, such as the MTO Protocol, and national legislation that actively promotes women’s inclusion. From my experience in the constitutional reform sector, I have observed that, despite the merit of legal frameworks seeking to include women, the space for implementing governance reforms remains rigidly grounded in law. Through the enactment, interpretation, and enforcement of these laws, we have made progress, but we have not yet reached our desired destination, especially concerning the achievement of the SDGs. 

How do we advance at this critical moment in implementing the SDGs? I contend that implementation could be misaligned if the values, norms, mindsets, and cultures that speak to a positive approach in which governance reforms ought to be actualized, are not given the necessary space. 

Unlocking women’s leadership is not just about inclusion; it is about transforming systems to foster justice, peace, and prosperity for all through purposeful, ethically grounded, and skill-driven leadership, which women are known to possess. However, with a patriarchal undertone in the implementation space, there exists a culture where many contributions from women are expected to serve the public good without proper recognition or compensation. Women are often expected to contribute selflessly, which requires significant sacrifice. Even though society thrives through their efforts, they are not recognized or afforded the opportunity to actively engage. In political spaces, there is frequently a stronger push for what is said at the table rather than what occurs outside it. The representation of women in these discussions is a challenge not only in Africa but globally. 

At this critical point, we must ask ourselves: What do we need to change to achieve the goals we have set for sustainable development? The urgent need to sustain development requires us to secure the future, necessitating a different approach to governance. This is why I emphasize the importance of purposeful leadership, which must embody ethical values through the inclusion of everyone in the community, particularly women. This discussion must sustain the concept of unlocking women’s leadership to implement pathways for the future. We can achieve this by questioning the patriarchal entrenchment in governance, which has historically privileged some while excluding others. These values do not speak to equality, justice, or fairness. This brings us to the challenges faced in achieving SDG number five on gender equality. 

When discussing issues of human dignity, we realize that dignity has no gender, it is not exclusively male or female. We must confront the challenges that have marginalized a section of humanity if we are to move forward. In Africa, we speak of Ubuntu values in governance, where we emphasize human equal treatment and collective values. Ubuntu espouses the belief that “I am because we are,” which means we must include every segment of society. 

As we include every segment, we must ask critical questions: Why do we talk about the inclusion of women? Why women? Another important question is: How do we bring women on board so that their inclusion is meaningful rather than tokenistic? What agenda do women bring to the table, especially as we discuss pathways for the future? 

As a feminist, I examine both legal and feminist approaches, which can sometimes be at odds. We have seen political participation in Africa where elaborate laws on women’s participation exist, such as the two-thirds gender rule anchored in my country’s constitution. Despite this, we have not provided the much-needed space for women to engage meaningfully, leaving them still excluded from leadership. 

This raises the question of how we can foster purposeful engagement that is validated and meaningful and responds to the context on the ground. When we speak about women’s inclusion in governance, what exactly do we mean? This pertains to many aspects we must purposefully consider. For instance, while women may aspire to the highest positions of leadership, such as the presidency, they encounter numerous obstacles. In Tanzania, we witnessed the election of a female president. 

The key to her success lay not only in legal frameworks but also in how purposeful the initiative was that propelled her into that position, as she was the deputy president before her election. If we want to employ a purposeful approach, we must make decisions and act in ways that facilitate women’s ascent to leadership positions, allowing them to fulfill their potential. We can see this in the case of Kamala Harris, who, despite challenges, has proved her mettle as she campaigns for the presidency. How can we ensure that similar paths are available for women in Africa, rather than allowing disparate approaches to securing women’s leadership between advanced countries and developing nations? 

Thus, I argue that feminist judgments and approaches can serve as redemptive alternatives to the contradictions that hinder women’s leadership and obstruct the path to the future. We need to empower women, but we must critically ask what empowerment truly means. Whose power are we donating to women? When we talk about empowering women, are we implying that they enter spaces empty-handed, needing power bestowed upon them? We must deconstruct these concepts tied to women’s leadership to determine whether they meaningfully support women’s empowerment or merely perpetuate the notion that we are doing women a favor by including them. 

I also consider the issue of gender responsiveness and how norms and procedures can address and accommodate the unique needs, vulnerabilities, and capabilities of women. This approach should facilitate collaboration and integrate women’s perspectives into policymaking, ensuring equitable outcomes for women. Gender equality and female empowerment are core development objectives fundamental to realizing women’s rights, which are essential for achieving the effective sustainable development outcomes we aspire to. 

I speak from a position of conviction: women are capable, and they are nurturers. If given the chance, women can elevate governance and address many challenges we face today. We are at a crucial moment, where it is imperative to ensure that, within the limited time available to implement the SDGs, we create an environment where every segment of society can contribute their strengths, power, and leadership meaningfully.

Research Associate

Nudhara Yusuf
Co-Chair, 2024 United Nations Civil Society Conference; Executive Coordinator, Global Governance Innovation Network, Stimson |USA-DC

 Short Bio:

Nudhara Yusuf is a Research Associate at the Global Governance, Justice & Security Program and Executive Coordinator of the Global Governance Innovation Network at Stimson. She previously worked with UNDP’s SDG Integration Team and Regional Bureau for Asia Pacific, as well as with the World Federation of UN Associations and the British Shadow Secretary of State for Justice. Ms. Yusuf is the Founder and Trustee of several grassroots NGOs in India and the UK, focusing on governance, globalization, emerging technologies, and youth engagement in multilateral institutions. She is Co-Chair of the 2024 UN Civil Society Conference and a fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Nudhara Yusuf has also been a fellow with UN University’s Center for Policy Research and an honorary advisor to the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY. Nudhara graduated with distinction in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from University College London. 

 

Event: SDGs Conference 2024	Date: Sept 25, 2024

SPEECH

I would like to share my highlights in three thematic areas by sharing reflections on the Summit of the Future process itself, pulling back to the Nairobi Conference on what we hope we started there and what actions civil society will continue to take forward and finally what do we think about the future implementation phases. On the 22nd of September, we saw the statement from the Russian Federation on the amendment to the Pact for the Future. We then witnessed something that I believe was very powerful; we saw the African group speak up for the Pact. We saw them come forward and indicate that what was created in 1945 is not the version of the United Nations we need; whereas we need a future-oriented United Nations that also speaks to the regions of the future. The support that came from the Africa Group was one of the most powerful outcomes of the Summit of the Future. The adopted text has a lot of aspects that I think civil society can unpack. There is enough content in the Pact that I think we can take some actions forward. But I also agree that many items were taken out at the last minute. It is worth keeping in mind though that 163 countries agreed to the latest version and these Member States are going to be powerful allies for us moving forward as civil society for this process. 

Moving on, I would like to put on my civil society hat to summarize the Nairobi Conference. From the 9th to the 10th of May, we convened the Civil Society Conference in support of the Summit of the Future. It was the first civil society conference to take place in the global south and opened registration to stakeholders beyond just civil society. That was not easy to justify as when it comes to the protection of civic space, there are a lot of aspects and angles. However, we truly felt that this had to go beyond what civil society’s expectations of a process were, but how civil society can support and offer a process about revitalizing the United Nations. We are also very careful about ensuring that we do not homogenize the voice of civil society. This is important to keep in mind as I think that when we are talking about the voice of civil society, it may be very different for everyone. Our perspectives of the future are also not the same, but they are collective. We all have the same collective future, but our versions are different. Therefore, at the Nairobi Conference, we took out a statement at the end of the event. We summarized the discussions that took place and came up with a slightly different outcome. The conference brought together around 3000 people and 317 Member State representatives were present including 22 UN entities. We had %70 of participants from the African region, %58 women, and %40 young people. We were looking at a constituency that we do not usually see on the first and second avenues in New York. The outcome of the conference included 23 impact coalitions. As the negotiations were still happening, we already had several revisions of the text of the Pact for the Future. 

We could either be late to make an input into the Pact or it could be early to start the conversation on implementation. We preferred prioritizing implementation. These 23 impact coalitions, in addition to some others involved later, concluded their work as a result of the Summit of the Future process. Some of these have integrated while some have merged. You can see the details on the UN Civil Society Conference website. They brought together champion member states, civil society groups, and the private sector. Frankly, you cannot have a conversation on artificial intelligence without the private sector in the room and not affecting the regulations and best practices including other international financial institutions. You need to have the fundamental institutions included, however flawed they may be, to have that conversation about reform and regulation. 

The idea behind these impact coalitions is to bring together these stakeholders focused on specific issue areas, from financing for development, artificial intelligence, governance, climate and earth governance to planetary boundaries, and lead the implementation discussion on the Pact. Timewise, many of the impact coalitions that were launched in Nairobi were very active during the Action Days. They are also looking at the question of what comes next in terms of the Financing for Development Conference taking place in Spain, the AI Summit in France, and the upcoming Hamburg Sustainability Conference taking place on sustainable development and future generations. There are many hooks leading up to the World Social Summit next year. The question now is what we can do as civil society to not only be unmuted but unmute ourselves in the process as well. I should also note that there is a UNMUTE campaign that CIVICUS and The Coalition for the UN We Need is also part of this incredible work. 

There are several points that we should address. Firstly, this Pact is heavy for civil society as there are many contexts including the annexes of the Declaration on Future Generations and the Global Digital Compact, which adds digital rights in terms of rights of the future. As civil society, we can be unpacking what that means for Member States, private sector champions, and other stakeholders who would like to get involved to support but do not speak the UN language. We should answer the following key questions: What are some of the key issues and actions? Who are the key anchors that we can work with? Then we need to map out who our champions are from Member States and other development stakeholders. We also need to form a timeline including our big milestones along the way from now to the World Social Summit with a perspective beyond the 2030 Agenda. As we are running out of time, where are we standing in terms of the future of the Sustainable Development Goals? I think we need to start mapping out those long timelines moving forward. 

There was a lot of energy generated and new connections as a result of the Summit of the Future process. I think what is going to be so critical is what we do with this energy and connections now moving forward to help revitalize the Pact because we have only agreed on the action plan and now is the implementation time.

Adj. Professor Morten Kjaerum

Adj. Prof. Morten Kjaerum
Affiliated Professor, Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law | Denmark

Short Bio:

Prof. Morten Kjaerum served as Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Sweden from 2015 to February 2024. Prior to this, he was the first Director of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights in Vienna from 2008 to 2015. Formerly, Prof. Kjaerum was Executive Director at the Danish Institute for Human Rights. He has written extensively on human rights, lectured globally, and held numerous roles, including serving on the UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination from 2002 to 2008. He chaired the European Council for Refugees and Exiles from 2015 to 2023 and was appointed by the UN Secretary-General to the UN Voluntary Fund for Technical Cooperation and the Voluntary Fund for Financial and Technical Assistance in 2017, serving as chair for three years.

 

Event: SDGs Conference 2024	Date: Sept 25, 2024

SPEECH

As we have heard during the UNGA79 we stand at a critical juncture. There is almost a global consensus that we need to change direction. The Pact for the Future will be a key document guiding us in avoiding a complete meltdown. The urgency is dictated by among other factors climate change, wars, hyper inequality. In this time of profound uncertainty, the need for a robust, reformed, and accountable United Nations has never been greater. It is in this context that the vision of “UN 2.0” emerges—a vision of a revitalized multilateral diplomacy and a strengthened UN system. Let me stress from the beginning that these reforms must be firmly anchored in human rights. Human rights is all about people. Since its inception, the UN has played a pivotal role in establishing global norms around human rights. The adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 was a monumental achievement, marking a true universal commitment to human dignity. 

However, despite the critical role that human rights play in fostering development, peace, and security, today, only 4% of the UN budget is allocated to human rights. This is simply not enough. Human rights must be given far greater priority in UN 2.0. A budget is a moral document reflecting our values, thus allocating 4% to human rights is not only a financial oversight but an ethical failure. A more equitable budget that reflects the central role of human rights in sustainable development, peacebuilding, and global governance will enable the UN to better fulfill its mandate. The balance between the three pillars of the UN needs to be recalibrated. The structure of the UN, particularly the Security Council, reflects a post-World War II geopolitical reality that no longer aligns with the needs of our time. This legacy is extensively addressed in the Pact for the Future. That is a unique achievement. 

In the discussions that will now follow the Pact, we should not only focus on the balances between countries and regions – important yes, but we need more. We must create a system that reflects the voices of many more people – not only social media but in dynamic participatory processes. We have seen how the voices of the youth have been amplified in the preparation of the Pact for the Future, which is a very promising practice. 

A way to bring in the voices of more people is to recognize that people live locally. More than half the world’s population resides in cities. Cities are on the frontlines of the global challenges we face—climate change, conflict, and economic inequality. 

Sustainable Development Goal 11 emphasizes the importance of cities in creating inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable communities. Yet, the role of cities in global governance is overlooked. In the future version of the UN, cities must be given a stronger voice. Mayors and city governments are increasingly innovating and addressing complex challenges. They team up in various global networks such as C40 on climate, human rights cities, and UCLG. Their involvement in international diplomacy can foster more practical, grassroots solutions to human rights, development, and peacebuilding. They can be the epi-center for dialogue. Eventually, this will foster greater accountability and trust in the system. 

One of the greatest threats to human rights and democracy is the growing economic inequality, both between countries and within them. Hyper-economic inequality erodes the social fabric, deepens political instability, and weakens the foundations of democratic governance. 

A reformed UN must place a global emphasis on reducing economic inequality. This is not just an economic issue; it is a human rights and democratic issue. Bold policy reforms aimed at redistributing wealth and opportunity, both within and between nations, are essential to creating a world where every person can live with dignity. Some of the tools are well-known such as the fight against corruption and tax evasion. 

It is high time that financial institutions, such as the IMF and the World Bank, understand that all rights—including economic and social rights—must penetrate the entire spectrum of policies and actions. A rights-based approach to economic governance is the only path forward if we are to achieve true equity and justice. 

The commitment in the Pact for the Future to develop ‘measures of progress on sustainable development to complement and go beyond the traditional GNP’ (Article 53) is very welcome. Civil society should follow it closely and overall push for a human rights-based well-being economy. Human rights monitoring could expand the scope to address systemic issues like economic inequality and environmental justice. 

In conclusion, the Pact for the Future presents a unique opportunity to recalibrate the global governance system to better meet the aspirations of the people it serves. Ultimately, a reformed UN that places human dignity, equality, and justice at its heart will be better equipped to address the current profound crisis.