The 65th U.N. General Assembly Focus – Millennium Development Goals and Biodiversity

September 25, 2010

By Padmini Arhant

A warm welcome to the Heads of the State and dignitaries around the world attending –

The 65th U.N. General Assembly in New York, U.S.A.

The 65th U.N. General Assembly key meeting held between September 20 and September 22, 2010 reached an accord on Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and coordinated with the International Year of Biodiversity.

Per the U.N. Accord on MDG, more than $40 billion is pledged towards women and children’s health, hunger, poverty and technology access over a five year period.

According to the U.N. statement – the unanimous agreement from the various groups such as the Heads of the State and the Government, private sector, foundations, international organizations, civil society and research companies expected to expedite the targeted goals.

There is no doubt that an overwhelming world population is battling with starvation, preventable diseases and chronic illnesses due to lack of health professionals and inadequate facilities exacerbated by natural disasters, political and economic crisis.

The U.N. effort is praiseworthy. However, in addition to the international community consistent engagement in rescue operation, the United Nations and the nexus organizations could address the issues causing the human misery.

Otherwise directing focus on prevention and cure.

What is the reason behind global poverty, hunger, disease, social injustice and gender inequality?

The mass opinion in this regard is Politics.

Politics has not entirely committed to alleviate human suffering in their respective domain.

Policies are geared towards political expediency i.e. remaining in power and adhering to decisions benefiting a selective few rather than the general society especially the average citizen.

Further, experimenting the same methods for different results have conspicuously widened the gap between the haves and the havenots.

Divisiveness in the political discourse is polarizing the society on religious, ethnic and gender related concepts.

Understanding and appreciating the cultural differences, religious and human rights would enormously benefit the people in a cosmopolitan global village.

Social challenges are often best dealt with proper knowledge and facts on the issues promoting empathy and unity in the society.

Political situation directly affects the citizens’ life and determines their future. With the prevalent close relationship between politics and economic leaderships, the political system is represented by all interests except the public.

There is a unique prospect for the government-business relationship to work in favor of the people being the electorate, taxpayers, workers, employees and consumers in the society.

Poverty and disease is a universal problem more visible in the poor countries and shielded in the industrialized nations. The desperate human conditions around the world are created by both economic and political warfare declining peace and persistently pursuing the agenda that are counterproductive.

If peace were to be embraced in the same manner it’s rejected, half the battle against the social and economic disparities would be won. For every nation has some natural resources and possess the valuable asset – the human capital that has been deprived the opportunity for progress.

The damages inflicted with ill choices and the declaration of war against the weak and the vulnerable are later attempted for salvation thereby being the cause and the remedy in the ceaseless cycle.

In the developing and some developed regions, election is perceived as a mere democratic formality adding to the public frustration and disappointment.

Politics essentially controls the life existence and sustenance. From economic to environmental issues, the political dynamics play a major role in shaping the human evolution.

Communications Media aid politics in propagating information with truth being the primal casualty.

Even in the so-called democratic settings few media hosts and anchors volunteer as the political surrogates rather than being the voice for democracy transforming the medium into a state owned enterprise.

Meanwhile, in the economic front – globalization has provided incredible means to corporations with options to empower and exploit the local population. Unfortunately, the reality confirms the latter exceeding the former in most economic areas.

The basic survival factors – jobs, health, and energy resource under finance, health and energy sectors respectively revealed the extent of greed in the recent crises pervasively affecting humanity and the planet.

Yet, compromises are made with the health care industry, finance sector rewarded with $19 billion tax exemptions and energy giants allowed unlimited oil explorations, mining and nuclear programs across the globe despite the past and present catastrophic experience.

Waging wars for economic purpose is an acceptable norm in the modern civilization with accountability and transparency becoming a misnomer at the easily dispensable human lives cost not to mention the environmental degradation.

More disturbing aspects emerge from the judicial systems made redundant with the imprudent silence to the escalating death tolls and civilian displacements granting refugee status in their homeland.

Law and order only applicable to the law abiding citizens to display the political strength in the domestic turf.

Once again, the innocents abandoned to fend for themselves in the quest for political and economic freedom.

The synopsis is the synchronization between certain economic, political and religious factions along with a narrow communication media not sparing some internet entrepreneurs enable in disabling advancement across the social demography.

Such coordination could be applied towards talent enrichment among the less privileged communities worldwide seeking a diverse platform for their political, social and economic development integrating with the twenty first century growth.

The MDG or the Millennium Development Goals are commendable but improving the women and children’s life is also dependent upon the political will imperative to nurture the providers’ dreams and ambitions in a peaceful and prosperous atmosphere.

There is tremendous hope and optimism in the noble humanitarian goal.

Contributions at all levels in the MDG framework and agreement deserves recognition and the commitment is honorable.

Best Wishes to the United Nations and all participating members across the political, social and economic spectrum in their noteworthy endeavor.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant

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