Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies

1. Promoting Peaceful and Inclusive Societies
in Bangladesh
Role of Civil Servants in achieving
goal 16 of SDGs
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Secretary
BPATC
Foundation Course
01 December -2016
01/04/18
1
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

2. 01/04/18Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
2

3. INTRODUCTION
•Over 150 Heads of State & Government attended the UN Sustainable Development
Summit in New York from 25-27 September 2015 for the adoption of an ambitious, bold
and universal sustainable development agenda that will end poverty and promote prosperity
by 2030, while addressing the environment.
•The summit outcome document, entitled “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development,” was agreed on by the 193 Member States of the United
Nations.
•This momentous agenda will promote prosperity and well-being for all over the next 15
years.
•On 25 September 2015, Agenda for Sustainable Development outlining the 17 Sustainable
Development Goals and its associated 169 targets.

4. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
•The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets are “global”
in nature taking into account different national realities, capacities and
respecting national policies and priorities.
•The SDGS call for building peaceful, inclusive and well-governed societies
with responsive institutions as the basis for shared prosperity. Goals with
addressing human rights and complex humanitarian issues at the same time.
•The SDGs are people-centered and planet-sensitive.
•The Goals and targets will stimulate action on People, Planet, Prosperity,
Peace and Partnership.

5. The Goals will stimulate action over the next 15 years in 5
areas of critical importance: People, Planet, Prosperity,
Peace & Partnership.

6. 01/04/18Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
6

7. Sustainable Development Goals

8. The OWG’s Proposed 17 SDGs
8

9. Transforming our world: Peaceful and
Inclusive Societies
• Seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom.
• Eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions,
including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge
and an indispensable requirement for sustainable
development.
• Continuing development priorities such as poverty
eradication, health, education and food security and
nutrition
• New range of economic, social and environmental objectives.

10. Interconnectedness of issues? Peace/ security, stable governance, religion, climate change, competition for
resources + need for growth, cultural diversity, gender inequality

11. Interconnectedness of issues

12. Inclusive Governance?
 Inclusiveness is a core value of governance that ensures equal
participation, equal treatment and equal rights before the law.
 All people – including the poor, women, ethnic and religious minorities,
indigenous peoples and other disadvantaged groups – have the right to
participate meaningfully in governance processes and influence decisions
that affect them.
 It also means that government institutions and policies are accessible,
accountable and responsive to disadvantaged groups, protecting their
interests and providing diverse populations with equal opportunities for
public services such as justice, health and education etc.
01/04/18
12
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

13. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Promote and enforce non-discriminatory
policies for peaceful societies
16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere
16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
16.3 Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice
for all
16.4 By 2030, significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen the recovery and return of
stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime
16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms
16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels
16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global
governance
16.9 By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration
16.10 Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with
national legislation and international agreements
16.a Strengthen relevant national institutions, including through international cooperation, for building
capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence and combat terrorism and
crime
16.b Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
01/04/18
13

14. 01/04/18Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
14
Peaceful and Inclusive Societies

15. 01/04/18Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
15

16. 01/04/18Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
16

17. 01/04/18Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
17

18. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Role of Civil Servants for Inclusive
Governance
a.Include all stakeholders in your policy making processes
b.Consult people before taking decision
c.Consider people’s need and suggestions
d.Implement program with regard to their opinion
e.Ensure citizens engagement
01/04/18
18

19. Lack of Inclusive Governance
 It widens the gap between rich and poor
 It excludes women, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, victims
of natural disasters and others.
 It prevents them from exercising their human rights
 It creates embedded social inequities and economic inequalities.
 It ignores the needs and interests of the most disadvantaged and
marginalized groups
01/04/18
19
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

20. Inclusive governance exercises prudence
in policy-setting and decision-making
1. Rule of Law
Inclusive governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced equally
2. Transparency
Information's freely available and directly accessible to those who will be
affected by governance policies and practices, as well as the outcomes
resulting there from.
3. Responsiveness
Organizations and their processes are designed to serve the best interests of
stakeholders within a reasonable timeframe.
4. Consensus Oriented
Consultation to understand the different interests of stakeholders in order to
reach a broad consensus of what is in the best interest of the entire stakeholder
and how this can be achieved
01/04/18
20
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

21. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Contd
5. Equity
Opportunity for its stakeholders to maintain, enhance, or generally improve
their well-being and the most compelling message regarding its reason for
existence
6. Effectiveness and Efficiency
It produces favorable results and meets the needs of its stakeholders, while
making the best use of resources
7. Accountability
Who is accountable for what should be documented in policy statements
8. Participation
Participation by both men and women, either directly or through legitimate
representatives, is a cornerstone of inclusive governance. Participant needs
to be informed and organized, including freedom of expression
01/04/18
21

22. • General Governance Practices
• Controls instead of facilitation
• Asking for too much information
• Burden of proof thrown on Citizen
• Too many areas of discretion
• Complexity of rules & regulations
• Heavy reliance on systems not on results
• No concept of quality assurance
• No concept of compensation for delayed service
• Jurisdiction
 too many ‘narrow domestic walls’ !
 too many ‘single windows
01/04/18
22
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin

23. • Economic causes for
exclusion
▫ High cost for public
services for marginalized
people
▫ High cost for delivery of
Public goods and public
services
▫ High cost for policy
formation
▫ High cost for delivery of
information and technical
know how
• Socio political causes for
exclusion:
▫ Political power remains in
centres and decisions on
resources are in urban centric
▫ Cultural gap between decision
makers and marginal people
▫ Low access to information
▫ Weak human and social capital
▫ High cost for political economic
development
01/04/18
23
Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Challenges

24. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin
Exercise
You have received a grant for selecting a school for “Mid Day Meal
Program” under the following condition:
a.A best school in your Upazila
Given situation:
a.There is a best boys school situated in remote village
b.There is a best girls school situated near your office
c.There is a best school for co-education for under privileged children
at urban area.
d.Your local elites want you to select the school which is situated in the
sadar area, because their children will get benefit
e.You top manager want you to select a boys school in urban area
because his children studied there.
In this situation, no pressure or advocacy to you in favour of girls,
under privileged, remote village , but heavy pressure to you for urban areas.
what you would do in this situation?
01/04/18
24

25. Dr. Md. Shamsul Arefin 01/04/18
25