“Ilman turvallisuutta ei ole kehitystä”, korosti ministeri Heidi Hautala puhuessaan Suomen, UNDP:n, Itä-Timorin, Ruandan ja Guatemalan YK-viikolla 26.9.2013 järjestämässä keskustelussa, jonka teemana oli turvallisuus ja kehitys vuosituhattavoitteiden jälkeen.

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Minister for International Development Heidi Hautala’s speech

Side Event: Ensure Peaceful, Just and Resilient Societies in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, 26.9.2013

Check against delivery

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,

It is an honour for me to address this side event.

While continuing to give our full attention to the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, the time has also come to learn from them, and to look forward.

An important lesson for us all has to be that there can be no sustainable development without peace, justice, and stable and resilient societies. The MDGs, while in many ways very successful, did not adequately cover these areas.

Finland had the privilege to be part of the UN thematic consultation on ‘Conflict, Violence and Disaster in the Post-2015 Agenda’. I was very encouraged by the way each consultation meeting was able to draw on a vast pool of expertise and insights, by participants from civil society, think tanks, international organizations and govern-ments.

I feel very strongly that as we go on to formulate the Post 2015 agenda, the following key messages from the consultations should be taken forward:

Any future development agenda must address the causes and consequences of conflict and violence. These include institu-tions, rule of law, and inequality.

Investing in resilience is vital, as it greatly enhances the impact and sustainability of development efforts. Climate change and natural resource management are crucial issues here.

Violence against women and girls must absolutely be rejected and eliminated.

We need a universal agenda, with peace-building, justice, respect for law, and legitimate, effective and accountable government institu-tions. Rule of law is needed to ensure that rights of individuals are protected. Legal institutions must be impartial protectors of justice and human rights. Access to justice must be ensured to all, including the most vulnerable. There must be no room for impunity.

Conflicts, violence and disasters seriously hamper development, and the achievement of the MDGs. This is especially true in fragile and conflict-affected countries. Peaceful societies and governance are at the heart of development. Freedom from fear and conflict are fundamental human rights.

I remain very grateful to the Governments of Indonesia, Liberia and Panama, for their partnership and invaluable role in the consultations. I also thank the UN agencies involved, for their efforts.

Today, I am particularly heartened to be able to continue the discus-sion with Guatemala, the Philippines, Rwanda and Timor-Leste, as co-sponsors of this event, together with ourselves, the UN and the civil society.

As we look forward, towards development post 2015, we have much to learn from the past, and from the recent consultations and discussions. Without doubt, the conclusion has to be that the future development agenda must be adequately formulated, to cover peace, justice and stable and resilient societies.

Thank you.