2013 G8 Summit Recommendations: Lough Erne, United Kingdom

In June, G8 leaders meeting in the UK must take bold steps to improve the con-ditions of the world’s most vulnerable populations. This paper was drafted by the G8/G20 Advocacy Alliance, of over 40 NGOs, think tanks, and trade unions. The Alliance offers recommendations in four core areas expected to be on the agenda: accountability; anti-corruption and transparency; food security, nutrition and agriculture; and sexual violence in war. Leaders should also address two other issues at the summit: fragile states; and newborn, child and maternal health. The United States should play a leading role in encouraging the G8 to take the following steps:

 

Accountability

1. Direct the Accountability Working Group (AWG) to collect input from in-ternational organizations, recipient governments and civil society.

2. Mandate the AWG to initiate transparent practices by publicly identifying all G8 working groups.

3. Make public the AWG annual report 30 days before the G8 summit.

 

Anti-corruption and Transparency

1. Implement and enforce international Anti-Corruption Conventions, including the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention.

2. Implement effective anti-money laundering actions and continue to support asset recovery initiatives.

3. Expand global transparency standards in natural resource and land management.

 

Food Security, Nutrition and Agriculture

1. Support national plans to scale up nutrition; declare targets to reduce stunting over a three-year period.

2. Ensure pledges are met and robust financing secured for multilateral mechanisms.

3. Improve New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition accountability mechanisms and publicize partner letters of intent and detailed plans for how they will achieve their intended impacts.

 

Fragile States

1. To achieve the Millennium Development Goals, ensure conflict and violence within fragile states are addressed.

2. Support mechanisms and institutions that enhance local and international dispute resolution efforts as well as national and local capacities for mediation.

3. Build on past food security efforts by focusing attention on child malnutrition in fragile states.

 

Newborn, Child, and Maternal Health

1. Make good on their “A Promise Renewed” pledge by increasing funding and pursuing policies that help developing countries improve newborn, maternal and child health, especially for the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

2. Pursue policies that help developing countries address crosscutting barriers to health and ser-vices, and build coordinated health systems.

 

Sexual Violence in War

1. Pledge to promote gender equality and address the root causes of sexual violence in their state-building and conflict-resolution efforts.

2. Commit to providing robust and integrated survivor response services in each country and region in which they operate.

3. Encourage each member state to develop, review and implement a National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace, and Security, which the G8 should include in its annual accountability report.