September 30, 2008	Tuesday	Ramazan 29, 2008

ISLAMABAD, Sept 29: Civil society organisations in the Commonwealth countries of Asia have called for curtailing expenditure on defence and armaments and stressed on using the resources for the uplift of the poor being affected by inflation of food items and energy prices.

The organisations met here on Monday in connection with the upcoming Commonwealth finance ministers’ meeting in St Lucia on October 7 and 8 on the theme of ‘Implications of High Food and Energy Prices for Economic Management’.

They observed that women were playing a vital role globally in food production and were the key actors in achieving food security for their households. However, their access to food and their level of food use was limited due to patriarchal norms. Thus women suffered disproportionately from food crisis. It was proposed that gender perspective should be fully integrated in global response to food security.

Pattan Development Organisation held the Islamabad consultation with the support of the Commonwealth Foundation. Besides leading civil society organisations of Pakistan, and leaders and representatives of CSOs from Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and the Maldives participated in the event.

The participants stressed that the governments of all Commonwealth countries should take their people into confidence before going to the meeting.

It was noted that food security was not the function of food availability alone, but was basically linked with the issue of food distribution, access and utilisation. They demanded that food security should be ensured based on the principle of distributive justice.

The governments were urged to ensure food security at the national level by increasing their stockpiles at times of food crisis.

They urged the governments to introduce land reforms by reducing large farms into small farms. Land reforms not only provide livelihood to the poor but also increase productivity as small farms have proved to be more productive, they added.

The participants asked the developed countries to make more accountability for reduction in greenhouse gases and consumption of fossil fuels. Unfair trade regimes need to be reviewed to create equal opportunities for developing countries.

Observing that increase in prices of food and energy were cross-boundary issues, they said governance should include cooperation among countries. Likewise, the CSOs should share their success stories and failures with the countries in a region.

The participants said the CSOs should engage the media in creating a knowledge-based discourse to alter the course of governance so that problems of the poor were addressed. Governance at the local level should be strengthened. It should be inclusive, particularly in terms of gender, lower castes and minorities representing all sections of the society.

They said governments should provide technical, financial and extension support to small farms to enhance productivity and ensure food security. Sustainable methods of soil and water conservation should be put in place.

Participants urged the rich countries in the Commonwealth to increase their financial contribution from 0.7 per cent to one per cent, in view of the rise in prices of food and energy which has pushed 55 million more people below poverty line.

The government should harmonise MDGs, CEDAW, ICPD and BPFA.

An NGO forum from Bangladesh, Nanna University, Chennai, India; Energy Forum, Sri Lanka; Environmental Challenge Organisation Singapore and Minivan Daily, Maldives, took part in the consultation.