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A conference with a difference? That’s what the UNDP is promising when it hosts a key poverty conference in Colombo on October 22 and 23 where 300 people, including village and community leaders, would be taking part.
UNDP and poverty specialists, faced with a barrage of questions from the media last week as to the futility of holding conferences where there is little impact on the people who matter-in this case the poor - stressed that this conference was looking at arriving at a practical understanding of the issues for implementation purposes.
“The data and conclusions from the two-day meeting would provide input for the World Bank paper on poverty reduction now under preparation. In that sense the timing is crucial. It is hoped that the conclusions from the meeting would influence those who prepare these policy papers,” noted Dr. Asoka Kastu-riarachchi, assistant resident representative at the UNDP.
The meeting titled “Meeting the challenges: National Poverty Conference 2001” to be held at the BMICH will discuss a range of case studies and papers relating to poverty. Studies on poverty intervention and other connected issues in Kurunegala, Aturugiriya, Maha Kumbukkadawala, Dickwella, Trincomalee, Jaffna and the plantation sector would be presented and discussed. The poverty meeting brings together experts plus village-level leaders and women workers. On the final day of the meeting, a high-level panel including Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera and UNDP acting representative Rekha Thapa will respond to what actions the government or UNDP could take or are taking to alleviate and reduce poverty in the country.
“We are not going to preach. We want to let the people who are voiceless, say what they have to say,” added Susil Siriwardene from SAPNA and a former Janasaviya commissioner. UNDP’s Kasturiara-chchi said they hope to set an agenda for action and monitor its progress, reiterating that this is not one of those “talkshop” meetings. (FS)
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