United Nations Report 2003-2004

by John Reitter

            As far as non governmental organizations (NGOs) are concerned, the year at the United Nations officially begins with the annual three day DPI/NGO Conference held in the beginning of September. The theme of this year’s 56th annual conference was “Human Security and Dignity: Fulfilling the Promise of the United Nations”, and was attended by a record 2000 representatives from over 600 NGOs representing 86 different countries. From all over the world, eminent educators, public officials and UN officers gathered to address the conference through a series of structured panel groups.

          One panel discussion noted that in the Secretary General’s Millennium Development Report, human rights abuses, the destruction of civilian populations, terrorism, HIV/AIDS, drug trafficking, and environmental disasters are stated as direct threats to human security. And that while member States are primarily responsible for creating a protective infrastructure for their citizens, civil society and public opinion play an increasingly important role in violent conflict prevention and poverty eradication. Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, an associate professor of psychology from the University of Cape Town, pointed out that even though some governments, such as South Africa, have adopted  sweeping legislative changes to empower the previously disadvantaged groups, more must be done. She called for education and skills training for youth so that violence-prone communities could benefit from these reforms, educating their way to a secure future.

          As we saw first hand at the International Kolping Society’s Board meeting this year in Cape Town, these are exactly the kind of programs carried out by Kolping South Africa; with some considerable success, I might add.

          Other panel discussions centered on the difficulties of moving from “Oppression to Empowerment”. We heard about the plight of the world’s 370 million indigenous people living in 70 States, who are among the world’s most marginalized, uneducated, impoverished and unemployed. We heard about the oppressive 70 year Russian reign over the Ukraine, and the struggles, even today, 13 years after declaring independence, Ukrainians have with decision making. Conformity had been the norm; youth had not been given the tools or training to make choices. In Afghanistan, we now know that the Taliban, from 1996 to 2001, systematically  eliminated every inalienable right of Afghan women by religious decree. It is hard to remember today that women in Afghanistan had access to higher education since the 1930s, had women elected to parliament, and in fact, had the first female health minister in the world appointed in 1965.  Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, of South Africa, pointed out that democracy and freedom would not mean much if only some of the people reaped its benefits. He commented that the war on apartheid would not have been won without the NGO community’s pressure on Governments to stop cooperating with the South African regime and called for improved dialogue between the Governments, the United Nations and civil society. He urged NGOs to be proactive in leading the fight out of oppression to empowerment.

          Taking his message to heart, and mindful that this year was the 10th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, a few NGOs began to meet informally to decide how we could best celebrate the occasion and promote pro family advocacy. At a meeting with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, sponsored by the International Catholic Organization Information Center, Msgr. Celestino Migliore pointed out the need for Catholic organizations to speak out on behalf of Christian family values to the Member States and the United Nations body. This support enabled us to find 23 like minded NGOs who subsequently formed the IYF+10  Committee.

          This loose coalition  of organizations was formed with three main goals in mind:

Ÿ             To strengthen the pro family advocacy groups at the UN by helping coordinate lobbying efforts in UN meeting; supporting each other in the promotion of family values and, strengthening the pro family international movement.

Ÿ        To elaborate and implement a program of activities for the civil society celebration of the International Year of the Family + 10 at UN Headquarters in New York on three different key dates during the year, beginning with December 4, 2003, the official launch date.

Ÿ        To coordinate the respective activities of each of the individual organizations during 2004 in their IYF+10 celebration activities.

          On December 3, 2003, the United States Mission to the United Nations addressed the General Assembly. It stated that the US adheres to the view of the role of family as the basic social unit, and “ finds there to be strong correlation between the growth of societal problems and family disintegration.“ The US expects the Secretariat to provide “robust assistance” not only in local, national, and regional 10th anniversary commemorations, but in the future years with focus on family issues. The US Mission also asked the General Assembly to take particular notice of the “impressive NGO high level seminar on the family organized by the IYF+10 Committee at UN Headquarters for the 4th of December anniversary launch”.

          That high level seminar on December 4th proved to be highly successful with a number of Member States’ Ambassadors expressing their thanks and appreciation. Moreover, many were anxious to take home the new insights they received with a view towards implementing new beneficial government programs designed to strengthen and improve the position of Family in their countries.

           The opening presentation covered father absence and the social consequences thereof. Statistics show that 60% - 75% of  rapists, murderers, and long term prison inmates are males who grew up fatherless! But put another way, why are fathers important? Mothers and fathers parent differently. Mothers are more verbal, fathers more physical; mothers encourage caution, fathers are more challenging of achievement and independence; the play of fathers tends to be more unpredictable and surprising, the mothers more calm and familiar. When two month old babies   see their father approaching, they tend to scrunch up their shoulders, open their eyes wide, and breathe more quickly, anticipating excitement. When they see their mother approaching, they tend to relax their shoulders and lower their eyelids. Fathers also help teach their children how men and women should treat each other, and fathers help their children learn about the world outside the family. Mothers and fathers do seem to form a natural compliment to each other, and so we need to send a more compelling message to men as to the critical role they play in the lives of their children. And we need to talk more openly about the importance of marriage.

          Manda Zand Ervin of the Iranian Children Foundation stated the Koran has placed the heaven under the feet of the mothers. Mothers have been elevated to the highest level, and family the highest priority of Moslems. And family is not only seen as parents nurturing children and supporting the young to succeed, but also caring for the elderly by the younger generation as well. Zorastrians, of the ancient Persian religion, believe family is the core of society and women are the essence of family.

          Mr. Francisco Tatad, former Cabinet minister and Senate Majority leader in the Philippines, called for a Universal Declaration of Family Rights. Despite the copious guarantees on the family’s right to protection and assistance, and  the rights of parents to educate their children according to religious and moral convictions by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and a variety of other International Covenants, some groups continue to aim at the family at every turn.

          At the conclusion of the day, the Government of Qatar took this opportunity to announce some new initiatives. In order to foster a healthy society, free from poverty, sickness, ignorance and other social ills, the Emir of Qatar has established the Supreme Council for Family Affairs, with appropriate human and financial resources.  The Government attaches great importance to a stable Family based on legal marriage that preserves for the parents the right to educate their children. In addition, the State of Qatar announced that it will host and organize an International Conference on Family in Doha in November 2004.

          Following the success of this seminar, the  IYF+10 Committee was able to organize another high level seminar “The Family at the Root of Social Development in all Societies” conducted on May 13, 2004, to celebrate the annual International Day of the Family, May 15.

          In March, 2004, NGOs in consultative status with ECOSOC, were invited to attend a preparatory meeting for a High Level Segment on Least Developed Countries (LDCs). International Kolping had already provided input on the 6 LDCs where it had Kolping Families in existence. NGOs are not usually permitted to speak at these meetings, but rather, must submit interventions in writing for consideration some weeks prior to the meeting.   This meeting however, was handled a little differently, and after several hours of presentations by member States, questions and comments from the NGO community were solicited. For the first time, I was actually able to address this august body, and after introducing myself as a representative of the International Kolping Society, I urged them to remember that the basic unit of society is the Family, that our future leaders were being educated by today’s families, with values promulgated by those families. I urged ECOSOC to encourage governments to expend the financial and human resources necessary to give rise to the full actualization of every individual’s capabilities through laws designed to protect and support the Family.

          Finally, the year unofficially drew to a close with the celebration of Holy Mass hosted by Sr. Dorothy Farley of the International Catholic Organization Information Center at the Church of the Holy Family on 47th Street across from the UN. The mass was con-celebrated by Msgr. Migliore of the Holy See Mission to the UN, and afterwards, we concluded another successful year with a small luncheon. I thanked the Monsignor for his support of  the IYF+10 Committee and our work on behalf of the Family. I explained that I was from the Kolping Family in New York and the International Kolping Society headquartered in Cologne, and he commented that he was familiar with the work of Kolping Society in Europe from the time he spent in Strasbourg. He was happy that we were able to be so proactive in support of the Family values espoused by the Church, and asked that we and other NGOs continue to make our voices heard.