News

While OISCA-International has been a partner of the United Nations for many years, the year 2001 is becoming truly exceptional, strongly featuring a close cooperation between OISCA and the UN system at multiple levels. OISCA hopes that collaborating with the UN will help alleviate current problems and prevent predicted ones that challenge the well-being of the international community.

"Informal NGO Regional Network" Launched

The "Informal NGO Network," which assigns important responsibilities to a leading NGO of each region of the world, was officially launched on April 5, 2001. Mr. Fumio Kitsuki, Deputy Secretary General of the Headquarters, visited Aracaju, Brazil, to attend a special meeting held from April 5-8 by the UN's NGO Section, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and agreed that OISCA become the "Informal NGO Regional Network Coordinator" for the NGO community of "Asia and the Pacific". Other participants included officers from the Association Feminine Tunisie 21 (Tunisia) and the Economic and Social Council of West Africa (Senegal), both representing Africa; the International Scientific and Educational "Znanie" Association (Russia), representing Eastern Europe; the World Family Organization (Brazil), representing Latin America and the Caribbean; and the International Movement ATD Fourth World (France), representing Western Europe and other states.
The Informal NGO Regional Network was established out of the UN's high expectations and critical observations concerning the international NGO movement. To promote the global civil society, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has been substantially increasing the number of NGOs having consultative status with it. However, most NGOs in the less industrialized world have not been able to utilize that status due to financial, logistical, and other constrains. Hence, the General Assembly in 1999 recommended that the NGO Section "work to improve the exchange of information through informal networks of country or regionally-based NGOs in consultative status with the ECOSOC, which will serve as links between the NGO Section and NGOs in each region." The Aracaju meeting thus articulated the expectation for OISCA to perform as a link between the UN and the Asian NGO community, at least until December 2003.

OISCA Bridges UN, Africa, and Asian NGOs

OISCA-International has traditionally been known as a "doing," rather than "saying," type of NGO. Since its inception 40 years ago, it has consistently underlined actual labor — cultivating agricultural fields and planting trees with the rural population of developing societies. With the inception of the NGO Informal Regional Network and new expectations, however, OISCA has already started to transcend its traditional scope of activity.
Specifically, OISCA positively responded to the invitation by the NGO Section to study and report the Asian NGO circle's views on the UN's role in African development, and has been granted of the right to orally present it at the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC in July 2001. The following presents the entire text of that report, submitted to the NGO Section and the NGO Committee of ECOSOC, with warm regards to all Asian NGOs who agreed with OISCA that this may mark an important step forward for the African countries and the Asian NGO community.

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Section
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
United Nations

High-Level Segment
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
United Nations

Asian NGOs' Proposals on the "Role of the United Nations System
in Supporting the Efforts of African Countries to Achieve
Sustainable Development"

Report by
Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement
(OISCA)-International

18 April , 2001
Tokyo, Japan

Contents	Paragraphs
I. Background Information	1- 6
II. Proposals by Respective NGOs	7- 21 22- 23
II. Concluding Remarks	22- 23

I. Background Information

1.     In December 2000, the Headquarters of the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) - International, received a fax letter from Dr. Hanifa Mezoui, Chief of the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Section, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations (UN). The letter invited OISCA to study the opinions of Asian NGOs on the theme of the "Role of the United Nations System in Supporting the Efforts of African Countries to Achieve Sustainable Development," report the results to the NGO Section in the form of a written document, and to present the report at the High-Level Segment meeting of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) held in July 2001 at Geneva.

2.     OISCA accepted this proposal, as we saw multiple potential merits in it. We realized that our playing an active role in this project could possibly 1) contribute to the betterment of African lives, 2) help institutionalize the system of NGO participation in the High-Level Segment of ECOSOC, and 3) enhance the presence and recognition of Asian views at the highest echelons of the global community.

3.     During February, OISCA reached a large number of Asian NGOs, mostly by fax, informing them about this project and particularly encouraging those NGOs with substantial experience in Africa to participate. Regarding the Asian NGOs based outside of Japan, OISCA obtained from the NGO Section a list of over one hundred NGOs that have the General or Special consultative status with ECOSOC, and that collectively represent thirteen countries between Pakistan and the Fiji Islands. We believe that some eighty NGOs based outside of Japan received, either through fax or e-mail, our invitation to send us a proposal written in English.

4.     Regarding the NGOs based in Japan, we faxed a few dozen organizations active in the developing world, inviting them to a meeting to exchange views over the theme. On 26 February, representatives of nine NGOs, all having African experience, gathered and discussed the subject. Dr. Masao Yoshida, who is the Vice-President of Japan Association for African Studies as well as the Chairperson of a prominent networking NGO, Africa-Japan Forum, presided at the meeting as Chair. The participants were generally delighted to see this concrete manifestation of the UN's recognition of Asian NGOs. With a sole exception, all organizations participating in that meeting eventually presented their proposals to OISCA in Japanese.

5.     As for the Asian NGOs based outside of Japan, over a dozen NGOs responded to our message. The responses were typically light and friendly, although a number of them admitted that they did not qualify to act as a contributor as they have not been involved in Africa. Eventually OISCA received proposals from six organizations, among which two are based in India, and the rest are in South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, and Pakistan.

6.     In Section II below, we pay attention to the proposal(s) made by each of the participant NGOs in this project. In turn, Section III will provide concluding remarks, followed by the names and titles of NGO officers in charge of contributions to this proposal.

II. Proposals by Respective NGOs

7.     In the following, we shall discuss the proposal(s) made by the fourteen Asian NGOs, most of them with substantial African experience, on the theme of the “Role of the United Nations System in Supporting the Efforts of African Countries to Achieve Sustainable Development.? We begin with the NGOs based outside of Japan, and then turn attention to the NGOs based in Japan.

8.     The World Muslim Congress (WMC), based in Pakistan, recognizes that today's humanity as a whole — including both the developing world and the industrialized countries — are facing grave problems. To improve the situation, the UN should confront "the scourges of drug abuse and alcoholism, which are the basic causes of domestic violence, fatal health problems, destruction of the institution of family, and economic stress, as well as premarital and extramarital affaires, which further cause health hazards such as HIV/AIDS, the problem of unwanted pregnancies and the rising incidence of divorce." Additionally, the battle against "the threat to environmental deterioration, which was addressed by the Kyoto Agreement, needs further support and boost by the UN through information programs organized especially by the NGOs." (This statement is also endorsed by the World Council of Muslim Communities.)

9.     The Service and Research Foundation of Asia on Family and Culture (SERFAC) based in India presented the most substantial proposal, including fifty-seven specific recommendations. The recommendations reflect the general observation that, although "Family is the center of every community and society," it has not gained "sufficient attention and focus in the development vision, planning and execution," thus causing the failure of development activities in Africa and elsewhere. The UN should employ "Family" as a central unit, and promote healthy families by a multi-dimensional approach that involves counseling and therapy services for couples, sex and conflict-management education at schools, the establishment of women's and children's rights against various abuses, etc.

10.     The Institute of International Social Development (IISD) based in India believes that African sustainable development could be attained only through a multi-level approach that elevates lives both physically and spiritually. Improvement in the physical dimension requires: economic policies, including the enhancement of skilled labor and prevention of exploitation by middlemen; and health administration, including the prevention of birth defects, provision of children's immunization programs, promotion of organic food products, etc. Improvement in the spiritual dimension can be attained by the infusion of proper values through education, which promotes "less selfish, less power hungry and less heartless" personalities, and by providing "the opportunity to do soul-searching," which helps to keep people away from "frustration, anger, fear," etc.

11.     The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) is based in Thailand and submitted a proposal prepared by its representative in Tanzania. They feel it is crucial to support Africans handicapped economically or physically. To alleviate impoverishment, such measures as providing tube wells and appropriate vocational training are instrumental. Concerning the physically handicapped, "provision of support instruments such as tricycles, reading glasses, artificial legs, hearing aids and supporting them in being self employed could be of great benefit to the community." The proposal also calls for urgent attention to HIV/AIDS issues, including preventive education for the general public, counseling services to the infected, and assistance to children of infected parents and orphans.

12.     The proposal of the World Assembly of Youth (WAY), based in Malaysia, consists of short-term and long-term recommendations. Immediate objectives should include: food and water security; "action on environmental issues"; "combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic"; "strengthening the capacity of donor countries to respond effectively to the emergency requests of African countries"; etc. Long-term goals should include: political development leading to the establishment of public authorities who protect the interests of the poor; equitable distribution of land that gives small farmers the opportunity to elevate their conditions; and promotion of appropriate industrialization, employment opportunity through human resource development, trade policies sensitive to the local needs, and diversification of socio-economic activities in the rural world.

13.     The Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (KFEM) presents a proposal focused on two points. 1) Regarding the HIV/AIDS issue, the UN should press countries that have developed anti-AIDS medicines to give them to African countries without charge. 2) Regarding the environmental issue, the UN has been excessively research and academically oriented. Instead, the UN should throw support to the environmental NGOs with grassroots connections, and thus raise the peoples' awareness and power to protect and promote their own environment.

14.     The Africa-Japan Forum (AJF) concentrates on the issue of the external debt cancellation for African states. Currently, 41 nations in the world are classified as Heavily Indebted Poor Countries, and 33 of them are found in Africa where governments are allocating a large portion of their national budgets to foreign debt repayments, at the expense of financing welfare and development programs that are essential to alleviate poverty and achieve sustainable development. It is crucial that the UN continues to encourage the movement to cancel that burden placed upon the poorer countries. The UN can also promote a system which secures the allocation of financial resources made available by the cancellation of debt to the sectors most in need in African societies, through the participation of the debtor and creditor states, international organizations, and local NGOs.

15.     The Association for Aid and Relief (AAR), Japan, realizes that although the problems confronting African societies are profound and devastating, the Japanese public remains largely uninformed about them and consequently holds only weak concerns. In contrast, the UN is a major target of Japan's media attention, and many citizens pay attention to its developments. It follows that, if the UN underlines the urgent need to face and tackle problems in Africa, then it is likely that a greater segment of Japanese public will develop an interest in African issues. Additionally, through constructive participation in the form of consultation with and persuasion of African governments, the UN can work with NGOs to ensure that designated beneficiaries receive the assistance they need.

16.     The Community Action Development Organisation (CanDo) proposes that the UN makes a greater commitment to coordinate its activities with African governmental institutions and NGOs. It witnessed in Kenya, for instance, a situation where the World Food Programme was operating an emergency food distribution project and not allowing government officials to participate in that process, thus provoking the sense of alienation and resentment among the latter. Yet, the goal of "sustainable development" in any African country by necessity requires the capacity-building of the African state. Therefore, the UN should seek to elevate the ability of state officials by actively incorporating them into the implementation of its projects.

17.     The proposal to the UN from the Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) involves three specific recommendations. 1) Create a "Japan NGO Special Fund" in the UN funding system for NGOs that would designate a proportion of funds, which equals the proportion of Japan's contribution to the UN in comparison with the total contribution to the UN, to be given exclusively to Japanese NGOs. Also, Japanese NGOs would have the status of executing agency rather than of sub-contractor in implementing projects using those funds. 2) Establish a system in which a NGO of any nationality, if it holds General or Special consultative status with UN ECOSOC and receives a financial or material contribution from a corporation, can receive a certain fixed percentage of matching funds from the UN. 3) Give highest priority to those projects that directly benefit African societies at the grassroots level.

18.     The OISCA College for Global Cooperation proposes that the UN plays a "bridging" role between African countries and Japanese NGOs. It seems that many Africans have the impression that Japan only has business corporations and that NGOs from industrialized nations tend to be disruptive to and destructive of the indigenous traditions and customs. However, in reality Japan has NGOs that respect local heritages and seek to improve situations by working through the established framework of local culture and community. The UN's introduction of such Japanese NGOs may lead to the substantial betterment of African societies.

19.     The Peace Boat United People's Alliance Aid (Peace Boat UPA-AID) recommends that the UN does not confine its assistance for African countries to such conventional spheres as promotion of economic development, supplying food and medicine, etc. Although these types of support are certainly crucial, activities like international exchange programs, construction of sports fields, movie theaters, and libraries, etc., should not be forgotten. These types of things are essential to allow ordinary Africans to attain broader world-views and give them at least moments of fun and relief in their typically difficult life in poverty.

20.     The proposal by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) — which promotes smallholders' self-reliance by improving their ability to produce more and market the surplus — critiques the food relief administration by the World Food Programme (WFP). Supposedly the WFP prefers to obtain relief foods domestically, yet it often imports from overseas due to such factors as the urgency to procure foods, difficulties to obtain domestically produced foods or to transport them, and higher costs associated with domestic food procurement. Consequently, the local price levels become suppressed, thus undermining the goal of promoting the self-reliance of rural communities. In view of Africa's long-term interests, therefore, it is essential that the WFP construct a system of local procurement of relief foods through discussions with African governments.

21.     Finally, the Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement (OISCA) - International, an environmental-agricultural NGO, urges the UN to promote harmony at two levels: 1) the human orientation toward nature, and 2) inter-human relations. First, it is urgent to confine deforestation and desertification that are increasingly threatening food and water security. Corrective measures needed not only include those targeting the environment per se, but also education that redirects the human orientation toward nature; and not just education for Africans, but for all humanity, whose activities impact Mother Earth as a whole. Second, the UN must make its best efforts to avert armed conflict, which was prevalent in Africa during the past decade. As is known, any large-scale physical strife causes many human casualties, wipes away developmental progress, and most effectively destroys the essential environmental bases.

III. Concluding Remarks

22. The above reveals that the participating Asian NGOs' concrete proposals to the UN are truly diverse. The noted focal unit or actor ranged from the African individual, family, government, international NGO, industrialized world, and global community to the UN itself. Similarly, the suggested problems to be tackled were also diverse, including: material scarcity and debt; illness and disability; indifference, prejudice and conflict; environmental deterioration; and the institutional and administrative features of the UN.

23. In spite of such heterogeneity in concrete recommendations, however, the NGOs participating in this Proposal are unanimous in hoping to see improvements in African conditions, enhanced opportunities for NGO participation in UN affairs, and an increased recognition of Asian perspectives by the rest of the world. And to the extent that this project allowed us to contribute to such goals, we are grateful to the NGO Section of DESA for having invited us to take part in it. Thank you.

Name &Title of NGO Officers in Charge of
Contributions to This Proposal

1.     Africa-Japan Forum (Japan):
       Dr. Masao Yoshida, Chairperson; Ms. Noriko Watase, Vice Chairperson;
       Mr. Shinsuke Kawauchi, Board Member.
2.     Association for Aid and Relief (Japan):
       Ms. Yuko Goto, Coordinator.
3.     Community Action Development Organisation (Japan):
       Mr. Nobuhiro Kunieda, Executive Director.
4.     Institute of International Social Development (India):
       Mr. Shomik Chaudhuri, UN Representative.
5.     Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (Japan):
       Mr. Hideki Takahashi, Director, Resource Development & Domestic Campaign Division.
6.     Korean Federation for Environmental Movement (South Korea):
       Mr. Kim Choony, Chief of International Affairs.
7.     OISCA College for Global Cooperation (Japan):
       Mr. Nobuo Takabe, Educator.
8.     Organization for Industrial, Spiritual and Cultural Advancement - International (Japan):
       Mr. Michiyasu Arayashiki, Executive Officer in charge of Overseas Affairs; Mr. Fumio Kitsuki, Deputy Secretary General in charge of Overseas Affairs; Dr. Yukio Kamino, Chief of International Coordination.
9.     Peace Boat United People's Alliance Aid (Japan):
       Mr. Yoshinori Shimizu, Member of Executive Committee, Peace Boat;
       Mr. Tsuneyo Tanaka, Coordinator, Peace Boat UPA-AID.
10.     Sasakawa Africa Association (Japan):
       Mr. Masataka Minagawa, General Manager.
11.     Service and Research Foundation of Asia on Family and Culture (India):
       Dr. Sr. Catherine Bernard, Director.
12.     World Assembly of Youth (Malaysia):
       Mr. Donald Charumbira, Secretary General.
13.     World Fellowship of Buddhists (Thailand):
       Dr. Nantasarn Seesalab, Hon. Secretary-General; Hon. Rev. Ilukpitiye Pannasekara Thero, Chief Sanghanayaka for the African Continent.
14.     World Muslim Congress (Pakistan):

H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef, President; Mr. Raja Zafarul Haq, Secretary-General; Dr. Malik Sardar Khan, Executive Councillor and Permanent U.N. Representative. (World Council of Muslim Communities: H.E. Dr. Abdullah bin Omar Nasseef, President; Dr. Malik Sardar Khan, Secretary-General.)