13 June - The Fourteenth Meeting of Committee II of the second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II) adopted its ground breaking Report on an optimistic note today with the delegations joining a chorus of Turkish children singing a song specially composed for the occasion called “The Time Has Come”. The title of the song was highly appropriate because it echoed the unique achievement of the Committee and Habitat II as a whole for having brought new voices into the United Nations Conference process.
The United Nations has admitted statements and evidence from sources other than governments on three earlier occasions but only from specifically selected groups. At the Conference on Human Rights held in Vienna in 1993 evidence was heard from national human rights institutions. There had also been hearings on development in a Committee convened by the General Assembly in 1994 and at the World Conference on Natural Disaster Reduction in the same year, selected scientific associations were able to give their findings. But the Habitat II Conference was the first United Nations meeting in which the full spectrum of all major partners could voice their concerns and engage directly in a dialogue with the country delegations.
In its preceding meetings the Committee, an Official Committee of the Plenary, had heard presentations from all the major partner groups of global civil society parliamentarians, local authorities, Non-Governmental organizations, the private sector and foundations, trade unions, the scientific community, professionals and researchers, as well as Habitat’s United Nations partners. The Committee had also heard the outcome of the eleven thematic partners’ dialogues that had been held as parallel events during the days of the Conference. The latter in themselves had brought a full range of interested groups and diversity of opinions and views to consider issues of central relevance to the survival and sustainability of human settlements, especially cities in the 21st century. But the Committee did not confine itself to hearing presentations, it allowed dialogue between the Delegations and the presenters as well as questions from the partners in the audience. This bold move paid very rich dividends in terms of generating enthusiasm and interest as well as enriching the understanding of all on the issues which were being addressed.
Tomorrow the Report of Committee II will be presented to the Plenary for adoption.
As the Chairman of Committee II, Mr Marti Lujanen put it in his closing speech, “ The Committee II experience ushers in a new era of cooperation between all components of civil society. This method increases direct cooperation and exchange of experience and views. It is my firm belief that this kind of cooperation will be a part future UN conferences too.”
Mr. Lujanen pointed out that it was ironic that this participatory process that had long been resisted by some country delegations proved to be remarkably stimulating, even liberating, for all the delegations present especially those from the smaller and poorer nations who are often reluctant to make interventions in standard intergovernmental meetings. Another refreshing element in the course of Committee II meetings was the restraint shown by the Delegations from invoking procedural rules which so often hampers the process of constructive dialogue and negotiations in United Nations meetings.
As the song that was sung by all with genuine solidarity by the children, delegations and observers today said:
To have no fear
The time is now
We’re learning how
Before there’s none
For anyone
The time has come
To be as one