International Assembly of the American Society for Public Administration
October 9, 2019
Julie Ann Racino, ASPA, International Chapter, 2019
October 9, 2019
Julie Ann Racino, ASPA, International Chapter, 2019
The International Assembly (Allan Rosenbaum, 2018) will be held in March 2020 in Anaheim, California in conjunction with the Society's Annual Meeting. The International Chapter of ASPA is a separate structure which is "equal in status" to the National Council Districts I, II, III, IV, and V. ASPA also hosts two international symposiums (Fred Riggs Symposium sponsored by the Section on International and Comparative Administration; Deli Wright Symposium sponsored by ASPA's Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management) prior to the Annual Conference meeting every year. International Chapter (in 2018, Hugo Renderos, International Chapter Chair) also hosts panels during the Annual Conference.
The International Assembly in Denver, Colorado in March 2018 featured the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in which an International, United Nations Summit was held this year (October 2019). In 2018, Julie Ann Racino of ASPA reaffirmed the importance of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) at the Annual International Assembly. In 2019, entrepreneur and philanthropist Bill Gates presented a controversial international environmental award to Narendi Modi of India and UN Secretary General Guittierez introduced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (17 Goals).
The President of the United Nations Economic and /Social Council in 2019 highlighted the inclusion imperative and asserted in the words of the "US federal leadership" that people are still being left behind (No Child Will Be Left Behind). Eloquently, the UN supported inclusive partnerships, civil society engagement, decent and participatory work for all, sustained and inclusive economic growth, schooling versus learning, advances in science and technology for common good, and a sustainable planet for people, planet and prosperity. The UN can make a difference!
In 2018, Julie Ann Racino at ASPA's International Assembly on Sustainable Development Goals noted the support of the international community for the UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In particular, the call for quality housing, education, health, employment and recreation as critical aspects of the UN treaty which daily are public policy decisions regarding war, the future of children and families, and world peace (e.g., current situation in Syria). (Letter of March 12, 2018). As explained in 2012, one of the leading causes of disability (e.g., land mines, use of chemicals "on children") is war with tributes to war veterans, support for veteran families, and programs of non-violent and diplomatic solutions for Nation and world peace.
The Sustainable Development Goals follow the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) which were/are described in the book, Public Administration and Disability: Community Services Administration (Racino 2014) at http://www.crcpress.com. The MDGs have high "worldwide poverty eradication" goals and predate the gender (girls and women) goals of the SDGs.
The "academic thinking" is much different post-technology (e.g., mobile cells "and banking") and goals for universal access though sanitation and water (in developing nations), education (always considered a primary way out of poverty), food security (versus malnutrition), and health care (e.g., disease eradication) remain prominent.
The "academic thinking" is much different post-technology (e.g., mobile cells "and banking") and goals for universal access though sanitation and water (in developing nations), education (always considered a primary way out of poverty), food security (versus malnutrition), and health care (e.g., disease eradication) remain prominent.
In the Future We Want Document the Rio de Janiero (Brazil) high level organization for the Sustainable Development Goals outcomes was featured from June 2012. In particular the public health challenges of 1.1 billion people in extreme poverty worldwide; the welfare of "women, children, persons with disabilities, fisher folk, smallholder and subsistence farmers, and small and medium sized enterprises"; improve the livelihoods and empowerment of poor and vulnerable groups; global health concerns on HIV-AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza and polio and neglected tropical diseases; and a goal of the "highest attainable standard of physical and mental health". International Law and the UN Charter provide leadership:
To respect, protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms of all,
without distinctions of any kind as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political
or other opinion, national or social origin, disability or other status.
The document also reviews key UN Conferences and Treaties including:
* Instanbul Programme of Action on Developing Countries (2011-2020)
* 1997 Nairobi Declaration on "Rule and Mandate of" United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP established 1972)
* Universal Declaration of Human Rights
* International Conference on Population and Development (with sexual and reproductive health)
* UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (post UNCRPD, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities)
* New Partnership of African Development, and 2008 Political Declaration on Africa's Development Needs
* Basel, Stockholm and Rotterdam Conventions on Hazardous Wastes (Hazardous Waste Movements, Pesticides and Chemicals in International Trade, Persistent Organic Pollutants)
* UN Convention on the Law of the Seas
* UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (December 2011 Conference of Parties in Durbin, South Africa)
* UN Convention on Biological Diversity (10th Meeting, 2011-2020)
* UN Conference on Environment and Development
* High Level Meeting on the MDGs of 2010 ("right to self determination of people living under colonial and foreign occupation")
* Monterrey Consensus, 2005 World Summit Outcomes
* Programme of Action of Small Island Developing Nations (document updates online, 2018)
* Almaty Programme on Landlocked Countries (Ukraine, 2019, Black Sea Trade!) and Transit Transport Cooperation (to trade institutions and trade treaties) to trade liberalization, "trade distorting subsidies", and trade in environmental goods and services
* Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (on technological transfer and finance, Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission)
* Hyogog Framework for Action (2005-2015) on natural disasters
* Regional plans as Arab, Latin America, Carribbean, and Asia-Pacific Region (ASPA Riggs Symposium, world regions of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America, 2015, Chicago, Illinois)
* UN Convention to Combat Desertification (with new views of floating islands in Saudi Arabia at capital development/jar)
* UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination (includes equal rights, gender mainstreaming/budget, gender sensitive indicators, and sex disaggregated data*-See, UNCRPD, at UN Gender Equality and Empowerment).
* UN Convention Against Corruption with serious global financial and economic challenges (which precedes the UN Security Council Meeting in March 28, 2019 on Preventing and combating the financing of terrorism).
The Future We Want Outcome document highlights the Sustainability Agenda: Sustainable Energy for All, Sustainable Tourism and Transportation, and Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements** (e.g., habitats, affordable housing/jar migrations, human displacement-war, famine, civil unrest, and refugee camps), and UN Decade for Education on Sustainable Development (2005-2014).
ASPA International in March 2016 at its Annual Conference in Seattle, Washington, highlighted health and human service refugees**, "world migratory patterns" (now based on climate change), and the United Nations. As the world knows (excellent press coverage, "world news"), the US is in a southern border crisis related to migrations through Mexico (termed Presidents Obama and Trump on immigration) which follows migrations to Europe resulting in similar actions to close borders, restrict or limit entry into Nations, protest "immigrant allocations of the European Union", return refugees to home Nations, provide "transitory housing and food assistance", to opening arms and welcoming the new diversity and the visible protest rights of the new immigrants in the "host Nations".
In addition to Health and Human Services Administration (HHSA), Section on the Environment and Natural Resources Administration (SENRA), American Society for Public Administration features emergency and disaster management, nonprofit and civic engagement, and pays tribute to the military in public administration (ASPA, 2018). ASPA (American Society for Public Administration) welcomes proposals for international and national panel presentations for its March 2020 Annual Conference. More news to come! Julie Ann Racino's SENRA article on the historic Paris Climate Accords was featured in December 2015.
Update, November 26, 2020
Due to the coronavirus in the US, the 2020 Annual Conference of the American Society for Public Administration was cancelled, as Disney World also reeled from the pandemic across the globe. The 2021 Annual Conference will be held in April 9-13 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The Northeastern Conference (NeCopa) was held virtually in November 2020, and the Southeastern Conference Schedule (SeCopa) 2020 is available online. ASPA journals solicited papers on the coronavirus and leadership held webinar to update the membership.
Joseph R. Biden, Democrat and former US Vice President under Barack Obama, won the 2020 US Presidential Election and "will be rejoining the Paris Climate Accord". His new administration promises strong re-engagement in world affairs and restoration of agreements such as the World Health Organization and immigration policies.
The Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington is soliciting a new round of global health awards, and their website can also be found online. ASPA members can search the Health and Human Services Administration (HHSA) journal for prior references.
Best wishes for the upcoming holiday season 2020-2021!
Julie Ann Racino, American Society for Public Administration, 2020
Internet access today offers information on the agreements, goals and outcomes, in addition to "the Nations" directly involved in the UN Declarations and Programmes of Action. The Almaty Declaration above was held in August 2003 in Kazhastan (yes, attendees at ASPA, mental health private sector) under the UN leadership of Secretary General Kofi Annan. Now, while it "targets" landlocked countries, particularly in Africa and Asia, it is termed a "global conference" which "establishes improved and modernized transportation facilities, encompassing air, rail, highway, ports, and pipeline (See, Ukraine and Poland, today, 2019-not Nations on the landlocked, developing list) infrastructure". First reports include mobile phones growing from 6.4% to 89% in the last decade (2000-2015), $50 billion transferred as development assistance and foreign direct investment, 55% average access to electricity (2012), and "structural economic transformation" including 3% increase since 2000 in service sector (representing 43% of economy). UN (OHRLLS) indicated average of 20.7 bilateral investment treaties signed and an average 4.4 regional trade agreements per country. Julie Ann Racino, ASPA, Budget and Finance, 2019
ReplyDeleteUN's Monterrey Consensus for Financing Development (UN, 2003) is noteworthy for critical new principles emerging in that period: microfinancing and credit (small and medium enterprises), social and gender budget policies, right to development as a human right, social services and social protection ("fully inclusive" of rural sector and all disadvantaged communities), globalization as "fully inclusive and equitable", human rights as rule of law-gender equality-market oriented policies and overall commitment to just and democratic societies, and global financial stability "macroeconomic policies" including heavily indebted poor countries, severe terms of trade shock, long term credit supplies, exchange rate volatility, global need for liquidity, debt relief and sustainability, guarantee schemes, and predictable financial flows. Regretfully, in addition to World Trade Organization, World Bank (at "inclusive development"/jar, International Labour Organization ("appears weak at labor standards/jar"), UN Conference on Trade and Development, UN Economic and Social Council (supported inclusion in 2019), International Monetary Fund (new director), the summary documents also include organized crime, suppression of terrorism financing, international settlements, and "Basel Committees" (hazardous waste). In 2019, at China-US trade and other "bilateral Nation agreements" (Canada-USA-Mexico trilateral), concerned about "trade imbalances" ("our fair share"; available online by Nation), US economy (e.g., manufacturing plants, service industries, agriculture), and new "tariff war" at the federal administration. Julie Ann Racino, ASPA, Budget and Finance, 2019
ReplyDeleteThis morning we briefly reviewed the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and its reports on Climate Change related to The Decade of the Hyogo Framework of Action. The context was/is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) endorsed by American Society for Public Administration in 2018 in Denver, CO and the rationale is the ascendancy of international planning (e.g., UN programmes) "absent US participation and leadership". Africa, the Arab States, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and the Commonwealth of (Newly) Independent States, and Latin America and Caribbean States are represented together with Global Headquarters (UN itself is located in New York City, NY). The Framework is a risk governance and reduction framework with an emphasis on disaster risk management and resilient recovery by Nation (e.g., Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Chile, Ghana), region (e.g., Central America Africa), districts (e.g., hazard and risk mapping, Uganda), and cities (Aqaba, Arab Model City in Jordan). For the size of 163 countries, only $1.7 billion was invested by UNPD between 2005-2014 with global education projects (20 universities), post-disaster needs assessments (European Union, World Bank, UN Development), get airports ready (13 countries), and building capacity for disaster reduction (e.g., UN Partnerships, World Food Programme, World Health Organization, UN Children's Fund). Climate change and natural disasters vary from droughts to floods, cyclones, hurricanes, wildfires, low lying coastal islands (states), snowstorms, and earthquakes which affect livelihoods, water resources, health, agriculture and food security, environment, and urban development (e.g., reports on slums and food insecurity in the millions in addition to deaths and affected populations), among others. Reports on the Hyogo Framework of Action (2005-2015) are available online and follow the Kyoto Treaty of 1997 and an earlier Yokohoma Strategy in 1994 for a Safe World. The budget is "climate change financing" with historic timelines for introduction of disaster insurance, GIS information systems, National Plans for DRR (disaster risk reduction), earthquake-resistant buildings, emergency response systems, new legislation and investments, new Ministries, Global Assessment Reports, mitigation climate and hydro-meteorological hazards, district and city planning (e.g., Making Cities Resilient) and education/awareness campaigns. Julie Ann Racino, ASPA, SENRA, International Chapter, 2019
ReplyDeleteThis afternoon, we checked the status of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, one of the international UN human rights treaties. It was presented to the General Assembly of the UN December 19, 1979 and has now been in operation for 30 years. Now, as universalists may know, we enter in trepidation to "special class protections" in this case "bill of rights for women"-in addition quite a disputed class in 2019 LGBT circles primarily over the phrase "on the basis of sex"! Yes, in US Supreme Court at sexual orientation. The Convention follows the 1952 Convention on Political Rights of Women (e.g., right to hold office), and the UN Commission on the Status of Women. In addition, a little known 1957 Convention on the Nationality of Married Women was cited in today's document. Most Americans thought they were involved with non-discrimination in education, employment and "economic and social activities" (Articles 10, 11, and 13 of 30). Now, the good news is Americans believe in a "concept of equality" if not its governmental implementation. The young professional women, of course, were taken aback by contracts, property, trusteeship, mortgages, guardianship, and other "financial laws" that "discriminated against women". All societal sectors are touched from the more well known family planning, child care "facilities", and maternity benefits, to "family codes" (number and spacing of children), instruments restricting women's legal capacities ("deemed null and void"), choice of spouse, and targeted "cultural patterns" in societies. In the midst of the articles is "colonialism, neocolonialism, and foreign occupation" as part of a new (economic) world order agenda; the latter follows eradication of apartheid, racism and racial discrimination. Public authorities, penal and other laws, customs, regulations and practices were/are targeted and Annual reports to UN General Assembly are provided with elected term and rotating officers. Documents are in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts and are "equally authentic". Julie Ann Racino, ASPA (American Society for Public Administration), International, 2019
ReplyDelete