Monday, November 24, 2014

Nominate a Human Rights Hero


Do you know a human rights hero who works to advance equal justice and equal dignity for people in Oklahoma?


Nominations are now open for the annual human rights awards that are co-sponsored by the Oklahoma Universal Human Rights Alliance (OKUHRA) and the Oklahoma City chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA).

Eleanor Roosevelt once said human rights begin close to home -- in "places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination."

Do you know a human rights hero who works to advance equal justice and equal dignity for people in Oklahoma? Please consider nominating them for a recognition award through OKUHRA and UNA-USA.

As in previous years, we will honor these human rights heroes at a special mid-day ceremony at the Oklahoma Capitol on December 10th, Universal Human Rights Day -- which happens to fall on a Wednesday this year.

To make it easy for you to submit a nomination, we have established a convenient online nomination form that you may use:

Online Nomination Form (administered by Constant Contact)
The link will open in a new window.

We are seeking nominees from every background and every walk of life. You can see a list of some of our previous winners on our blog, "To Reaffirm Faith." Here are the links: 

2013 winners:
http://una-okc.blogspot.com/2013/11/2013-human-rights-award-winners.html

2012 winners:
http://una-okc.blogspot.com/2012/12/human-rights-award-winners-announced.html

Please note that nominations must be submitted by Monday, December 1st. There will be a full membership meeting of the OK Universal Human Rights Alliance on that day, and selections will be made at that time. Please call Wilfredo if you wish to join the meeting or if you have any questions: 405-631-3027.

The annual Human Rights Day observance at the State Capitol carries on a tradition that was started by the Oklahoma Human Rights Commission many years ago. We are proud to carry on this tradition of honoring the men and women in our state who help to define the meaning of human rights where we live.


"Where, after all, do universal rights begin?"


"...In small places, close to home – so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any maps of the world. Yet they are the world of the individual person; the neighborhood he lives in; the school or college he attends; the factory, farm or office where he works. Such are the places where every man, woman, and child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity, equal dignity without discrimination. Unless these rights have meaning there, they have little meaning anywhere. Without concerned citizen action to uphold them close to home, we shall look in vain for progress in the larger world."
–Eleanor Roosevelt, “The Great Question,” remarks delivered at the United Nations in New York on March 27, 1958.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.
Todos los seres humanos nacen libres e iguales en dignidad y derechos.
Tous les êtres humains naissent libres et égaux en dignité et en droits.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

The Cities We Want

Putting People at the Center of Sustainable Development with Real World Thinking


An artist's depiction of an Oklahoma City streetscape
after the completion of Project 180.

As the OKC Metro Area Grows into a "World City,"
We Look at the UN's Proposed Goal for Cities in 2030

  

by Bill Bryant
Communications Director
Oklahoma City Chapter
United Nations Association of the USA

During this weekend's Community Consultation on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (as proposed by the UN's Open Working Group), I moderated a discussion of Goal 11:

"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable."

Our discussion started by considering our experience in Central Oklahoma. We know a lot about building cities that are resilient. One of the best attributes of Oklahomans is our ability to bounce back from natural disasters -- we have so many of them.

Now home to over half the world’s
population, productive, inclusive,
safe, and resilient cities will lead
the way to sustainable development.”
--Professor Cynthia Rosenzweig, 
Senior Research Scientist at the
NASA Goddard Institute for Space
Studies. She served as the Co-
Chair of the SDSN Thematic Group
on Sustainable Cities.
 
In Oklahoma City, Norman, Edmond, Yukon, and beyond, we're hard at work building an urban environment that provides shelter from storms, floods, drought, etc. We're also building cities that are inclusive, safe, and sustainable.

First of all, I should say that the people in our small discussion group agreed, unanimously, that it makes sense for the UN to have a goal related to sustainable cities. More and more people are living in urban areas. Improving the quality of life in these urban areas is a common concern of a majority of the world's people.

(According to the World Health Organization, "The urban population in 2014 accounted for 54% of the total global population, up from 34% in 1960, and continues to grow.")

We began by thinking about our own urban landscape in Central Oklahoma.

With regard to inclusiveness, we recognize that the OKC metro area is enjoying more diversity in its population, as more and more people choose to move here from elsewhere in the United States as well as from other nations. We are growing into a world city, with a diversity of cultures, languages, religions, etc., represented in our numbers. We view the growing diversity of our state and metro area as a good thing. New populations add to the knowledge, strength, and vitality of our communities.

We view the growing diversity of our state
and metro area as a good thing.
Yet, we also see that there is, at times, an unfortunate degree of resistance to the growth of our city.

We have witnessed this resistance as it is expressed in the hateful comments of a few reactionary politicians. Sometimes, the friction expresses itself in vandalism or in acts of unlawful discrimination.

To sustain the peaceful growth of our metro area, we support our elected officials who work to protect the civil rights of all of our neighbors. Likewise, we support the efforts of those who work to create appreciation for the cultural diversity of our communities. For example, we applaud the advocates of inter-faith dialog who are acting to build solidarity among people of good will. We believe our chapter of the United Nations Association can contribute to the growth of a culture of peace within our metro area.

With regard to safety, we are fortunate to live in an era when crime rates in the United States are generally falling. We're glad to note that violent crime rates in Oklahoma were lower in 2012 than they were in 1967. We appreciate the good, smart work of law enforcement professionals in our state.

We appreciate the good work of law
enforcement professionals in our state
At the same time, we are alarmed by the persistently high levels of domestic violence and child abuse in our state. We're ashamed to know that, according to Sheriff John Whetsel, the Oklahoma County jail is the largest mental health facility in the state.

We believe Oklahoma policy makers and administrators need to do a better job of identifying and addressing the root causes of violence in our metro area.

"Sustainability" is a huge concern for an expanding metro area like Oklahoma City. In 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development defined "Sustainable Development" as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." 

There are many dimensions of sustainable development, and our small group considered what some of these might be for the OKC metro. We identified:

  • Safe, affordable housing;
  • Reliable transportation to support commerce and other human needs; and
  • Convenient access to food markets, including sources of fresh, locally-grown produce.

The Oklahoma City metro area generally has a good supply of dwelling units (houses and apartments). Even so, access to this supply of housing is limited by Oklahoma's median family income, which is significantly below the national norm. We know that low-wage workers, in particular, struggle to afford a decent house or apartment.


Affordable housing is a major concern in cities across
the United States -- not just in Oklahoma.
With regard to income and housing, we noted that several cities and states have adopted local minimum wage laws that serve to support their local needs. In the 2014 mid-term elections, for example, voters in Alaska, Arkansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota chose to increase their states’ minimum wages. San Francisco opted to start paying workers $15 per hour, following the lead of voters in Santa Fe, Oakland, Seattle, and other urban areas.

In a counter move, though, the Oklahoma Legislature imposed a new law on municipalities in our state, barring them from enacting their own city-level minimum wage rates. The participants in my small group expressed frustration with this state action. We believe that cities and towns should enjoy a greater degree of freedom to enact local minimum wage laws -- in order to support the economic vitality and sustainability of their local economies.
Light rail transit in Denver.


In terms of reliable transportation, the OKC metro area lags behind other modern cities (Dallas, Denver, etc.) in our development of public transportation. The members of my small group were quick to express their support for a more robust public transit system. We also support the creation of "walkable" communities with a mix of commercial and other community resources located in close proximity to residential areas.

With respect to food markets, our small group expressed general support for local entrepreneurship. We value the economic contributions of local businesses. We would like to see continuing efforts to promote "Shop Local" campaigns. We believe that greater access to affordable, fresh produce will help to improve the overall health of our community.

After our review of local issues related to sustainable development, we took a look at the proposal from the UN's Open Working Group (OWG) on the 2016 - 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

We found a lot of common ground and like-minded thinking.
The Devon Tower is the largest building
in Oklahoma to earn a gold certificate
for Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design. LEED
certification means the building
was built with an eye toward
sustainable site development,
water savings, energy efficiency,
materials selection and indoor
environmental quality.


For example, our local goal of building a more resilient urban landscape is reflected in the OWG's Goal Number 11.5: "By 2030, significantly reduce the number of deaths... caused by disasters...."

Our concern about Oklahoma's meager family income level is mirrored in the OWG's Goal 11.1: "By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing...."

Goal Number 11.2 of the Open Working Group is focused on building "safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems" -- which is a need for Oklahoma City just as much as it is for every other city in the world.

Looking over the OWG's recommendations, we agreed that -- by and large -- the goals described in the proposal are based on real world thinking. They reflect a common sense approach.

From a personal perspective, I appreciate that the proposal of the Open Working Group is built upon an understanding that, "People are at the center of sustainable development." The OWG proposal was constructed with input from lots of different stakeholder groups, and it includes a promise "to strive for a world that is just, equitable and inclusive."

It is clear that the proposal is designed to benefit everyone -- men and women, young and old, rich and poor -- without regard to race, religion, ethnicity, etc.

It isn't a set of goals designed by and for the global elites. It isn't only for people of the developing
nations. It is for ALL of US.

Here are some excerpts from the OWG proposal that I really like:

"The Open Working Group underscored that the global nature of climate change calls for the widest possible cooperation by all countries and their participation in an effective and appropriate international response, with a view to accelerating the reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions."

September, 2014 -- Mayors from 10 major cities
attended a meeting to discuss the proposed UN
goal on sustainable cities and human settlements.
"In the outcome document, it was recognized that each country faces specific challenges to achieve
sustainable development."

"Each country has primary responsibility for its own economic and social development and the role of national policies, domestic resources and development strategies cannot be overemphasized."
 
"In the outcome document, it was reaffirmed that there are different approaches, visions, models and tools available to each country, in accordance with its national circumstances and priorities, to achieve sustainable development...."
 
"In the outcome document, it was reaffirmed that, in accordance with the Charter, this shall not be construed as authorizing or encouraging any action against the... political independence of any State."
 
"The sustainable development goals... constitute an integrated, indivisible set of global priorities.... Targets are defined as aspirational global targets, with each Government setting its own national targets guided by the global level of ambition, but taking into account national circumstances."
 
"The goals and targets integrate economic, social and environmental aspects and recognize their
inter-linkages in achieving sustainable development in all its dimensions."

As the cities of America deal with the challenges of the 21st century, it makes sense to compare our progress to the efforts that are being made by similar cities in other parts of the world.

For the OKC metro area, in particular, the UN's Sustainable Development Goals will serve as a roadmap and a benchmark for measuring our future success.
  

Friday, November 14, 2014

Join the Global Conversation

Enjoy Warm Company,
a Friendly Environment,
and a Good Breakfast
on Saturday at UCO (Edmond)


Our Community Consultation on the UN's new Development Goals will begin at 9am on Saturday, November 15th.

You're invited to join us as we gather in the Nigh University Center -- 3rd Floor, Ballrooms A and B -- at the University of Central Oklahoma. The Nigh Center is located at 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, OK 73034.

Our hosts at UCO will provide some good breakfast food to get us started. Hot coffee? You bet!

We're expecting members of the UN Association to be in attendance as well as students from UCO and other area colleges. In fact, the general public is invited to attend this facilitated conversation about "The World We Want." If you have a mind to speak, you're invited to join us.

Every participant will receive a folder full of information about the UN's development goals. Best of all, it is FREE.

Even the parking will be free on Saturday -- so, don't worry about digging up any loose change for the parking lot in front of the Nigh Center. It will be open and free for our participants.

In fact, the only "change" you need to worry about is the kind of change we all want to achieve in the next 15 years -- improvements in education, food security, gender equality, sustainable development, etc.

Those will be the topics of discussion, and you're invited to share your thoughts, concerns, and
questions.

We're interested to learn what people in our community are thinking about the UN's global priorities for 2016 - 2030. The final iteration of the UN's goals will be announced within the next 12 months. How will the wisdom of our Oklahoma neighbors compare to the input that is being given by people in Europe, Asian, Africa, etc.? We're curious to find out.

The session will begin with a general overview of the UN’s development goals. Then, participants will be invited to engage in a discussion of 5 key topics:

  • Ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture.
  • Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting life-long learning opportunities.
  • Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls.
  • Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
  • Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Each of these goals will be discussed in a separate break-out group. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in as many groups as time will allow.

The comments we receive will be collected and put into a report to our Washington, DC, office of the United Nations Association of the USA.

To pre-register for the Consultation, please use this online form ...

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/WPLSJCR

... and please feel free to forward this message to others who might be interested.

We look forward to working with you in support of the American values that are reflected in the United Nations Charter.

“I want this to be the most inclusive global development process the world has ever known."

--Ban Ki-moon

UN Secretary-General


Under the direction of the Office of the Secretary General, the UN has designed an open and inclusive strategy for setting the Post-2015 Development Agenda. The process encourages the participation of stakeholders at all levels. The United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) is one of the contributors to this global process.

With less than a year to go until the Post-2015 Development Agenda is set, UNA-USA is helping to shape the policy debates at the UN. With 125 local chapters across the United States, we aim to energize our communities to take action and promote the importance of the SDGs at the local and national level.

This fall, we are sponsoring Community Consultations across the country. Together, we will lead a campaign to inform our neighbors of this important moment at the UN. We want to build a coalition of grassroots supporters for collaborative and universal global development.

See more at:
http://unausa.org/advocacy/post-2015-development-agenda#sthash.G8gSXEyM.dpuf

Our Oklahoma City chapter of the United Nations Association is proud to be a part of this nation-wide effort to provide input into the UN’s development goals for 2016 – 2030.

Sunday, November 9, 2014

Defining Our Global Priorities


Saturday, November 15th – 9am to 1pm

University of Central Oklahoma (Edmond)


Pre-registration is now open for the Community Consultation on the UN’s development goals for 2016 – 2030.

If you are planning to attend this historic event, please sign up here:


You’ll be asked to give your name and contact information. You’ll also be asked to identify the break-out group(s) you want to participate in.

The consultation will take place on Saturday, November 15th, 9am to 1pm, at the University of Central Oklahoma:

Nigh University Center
3rd Floor -- Ballrooms A and B
100 North University Drive
Edmond, OK   73034

The session will begin with a general overview of the UN’s development goals. Then, participants will be invited to engage in a discussion of 5 key topics:

·       End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

·       Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities.

·       Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

·       Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

·       Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Each of these goals will be discussed in a separate break-out group. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in as many groups as time will allow.

“Study Snacks” will be served.

At the end of the Community Consultation, all of the public comments we receive will be summarized and forwarded to our national office of the United Nations Association of the USA. An input report will be prepared – like this one from a group of similar Consultations that took place last year.

Context

(from UNA-USA)

For the past 15 years, the global development agenda has been driven and measured by the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Early on, the MDGs were criticized for being too aspirational and critics warned that setting lofty goals would result in disappointing outcomes. But since the adoption of the MDGs, the world has seen unprecedented progress in eliminating poverty, hunger and disease, promoting gender equality and education, and fostering international cooperation. Due to this success, a collaborative and global process is now taking place at the UN to form a new set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that will continue the work of the MDGs beyond 2015.

Under the direction of the Office of the Secretary General, the UN designed an open and inclusive strategy for setting the Post-2015 Development Agenda that encouraged the participation of stakeholders at all levels.  UNA-USA became one of those contributors last year when it led the effort to organize over 30 Chapter consultations in the United States and reported the results of these conversations to the UN. With one year left until the Post-2015 Development Agenda is set, UNA-USA has an important role to play in shaping the policy debates at the UN and is uniquely positioned to energize communities to take action and promote the importance of the SDGs at the local and national level.

As part of UNA-USA’s effort to participate in the setting of the SDGs and advocate for their successful adoption, 33 Chapters have been selected to hold Post-2015 events in their communities. These events are taking place across the country and together will lead a campaign to inform the U.S. population of this important moment at the UN and build a coalition of grassroots supporters for collaborative and universal global development.

See more at:

Our Oklahoma City chapter of the United Nations Association is proud to be a part of this nation-wide effort to provide input into the UN’s development goals for 2016 – 2030.

We look forward to working with you to support the American values that are reflected in the United Nations Charter.