Romania’s contribution to the achievement of the MDGs

On the 16th October 2007, at the Palace of Parliament, Bucharest, took place the national debate on development cooperation and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The event was organized by the Civil Society Development Foundation, in partnership with the Romanian NGDO platform FOND and World Vision Romania, and was funded by the European Commission through a program implemented by UNDP - UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre and UNDP Country Office in Poland.

The debate had as primary objectives:
- promoting the European Development Days 2007, mobilizing national media coverage of development/MDGs topics (including MDGs mid-point assessment),
- mobilizing participation of Members of Parliaments (MPs) and decision-makers in discussing development topics,
- raise awareness on Romania’s responsibility to contribute to the achievement of the MDGs.

At the event participated Romanian NGOs, representatives of the Government, MPs and MEPs, ambassadors, scholars, mass media, EC representative as well as other relevant stake-holders. Several Romanian NGOs have presented their contribution to the achievement of the MDGs in Romania through programs and projects aiming to contribute to the eradication of poverty (World Vision Romania), education for all (Save the Children Romania), gender equality (AIDRom) reproductive health (Society for Sexual and Contraceptive Education), combating HIV/AIDs (Center for Health Policies and Servicies) and TB (Romanian Red Cross).

In the last part of the event civil society organizations presented and debated prospects and ideas on future action for the promotion and achievement of MDGs in Romania and through the Romanian development cooperation policy. Claudia Iatan, National Platform Coordinator, gave a succinct presentation of FOND, the Romanian NGDO platform, specifying that the MDGs are part of the platform’s main objectives and that it strives to improve the life of developing countries such as Moldova and Georgia by using the capacity and the expertise of member organizations.

For more information on the statements of the participants, please visit: http://fondromania.wordpress.com/

Information provided by Claudia Iatan, National Platform Coordinator, FOND, Romania