Day 3 CSO Outreach with HLP members in Monrovia

Wednesday 30 January: CSO Outreach with HLP members in Monrovia

Successful outreach day, the voices of the voiceless were heard and Civil Society will make sure their recommendations are taken into account and effectively inform the HLP report to be presented in April to the UN Secretary General.

The objectives of the HLP outreach consultations with CSOs were to:
• Share evidence from grassroots and CSO consultations with members of the HLP
• Frame, articulate and deliberate on a clear vision for the future that is informed by the needs and aspirations of ordinary people worldwide
• Articulate and agree on key pillars of economic transformation, highlighting national building blocks for sustained wealth for all
• Create a specific platform for excluded and marginalized groups to voice their perspectives, especially youth and children; the disabled and aged; women; and farmers, traders, and workers (informal sector)
• Engage with African CSOs, with a particular view to deliberate on an emerging African Narrative that will inform the African Consensus position
CSO Town Hall meeting, 30th January, 11h00

This meeting was held between all members of the HLP and seventy CSO representatives. This meeting took the format of a "town hall" event, where CSO members together with grassroots representatives shared evidence, perspectives, and recommendations on the topic of National Building Blocks for Sustained Prosperity and it's sub-themes. This served as a framing conversation, also giving critical clarity to the vision and aspirations of ordinary citizens for the future.



This meeting was co-chaired by Mrs. Namhla Mniki-Mangaliso, Head of Africa CSO Secretariat, andMr Charles Abugre, Head of UNMC Africa.
Professor Gita Sen presented the outcomes of the CSO 2-day pre-consultative forum to the HLP (video coming soon).
Ousainou Ngum, ACORD Executive Director, addressed the HLP members talking to the process that led to the creation of the African CSO Secretariat mandated by Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf; and introducing the African Narrative to be developed before the Bali meeting and aiming at a common African Position to inform the post 2015 framework.

Three other speakers, a Liberian woman farmer, an 11-year old girl and a spokesperson for the youth, also addressed the HLP, telling their stories and their vision for the future, urging for concrete and immediate actions that would transform their lives now and post 2015.
CSO Roundtable Discussions, 30th January, 12h00

The CSO Roundtable Discussions were held between all members of the HLP and seventy CSO representatives for one hour, thirty minutes. There were five roundtables with twenty participants each (15 CSO representatives and 3-5 HLP members). The five roundtables took place with specific marginalized groups, i.e. children, youth; women and gender; the disabled and aged; and small businesses, farmers, traders, and trade unions.

The lead agency for each roundtable were as follows:
• Children - Child Protection Network, Liberia
• Youth - Organisation for African Youth working with Restless Development
• Women and Gender - FEMNET working with the Liberian Women's Coalition. Download report and recommendations to HLP by womens and girls round table.
• Aged and Disability - HelpAge working with Africa Decade of Persons with Disabilities
Farmers, Trader, Informal Sector - ACORD and ITUC. Download report and recommendations HLP by farmers, workers, traders, informal sector.

Reports (narrative, photos, videos) coming soon.

Read Civil Society Organisations final Communiqué submitted to the High Level Panel members on 30 January 2013.