Living in freedom from need and from excess: presentation by Mrs Mama Koite Doumbia, FEMNET Chair at the Informal Interactive Hearings of the GA, "Freedom from Want" cluster/Presentation de Madame Koite Doumbia Presidente de FEMNET, lors des Auditions interactives de l'AG, sous -groupe "Etre a l'abri du Besoin": etre a l'abri du besoin et de l'exces.

Poverty as well as excess results from inequalities. Far more than just the redistribution of income, poverty is originated by the unequal sharing of goods, lack of access to social services and opportunities. In addition, poverty originates from the marginalization caused by ethnic affiliation, gender, social class, lack of information as well as non-participation in political life.

Wealth and power accumulation by a few people, a few powers and a few multinationals, is the cause of poverty. Quick and non-transparent transfer of governments' power to corporations requires global governance with constraining rules.

Consequently, economic growth per se does not offer a solution that can help eradicate poverty, since the promotion of growth make that very growth a priority to the detriment of equity, rights and sustainable development.

In addition to the redistribution of incomes, the sharing of other resources can be part of the solution; but unfortunately, the inadequate tax systems that are in force in our countries can never remedy that inequality. External financial aid cannot substitute strategies of fighting poverty such as employment, agricultural reform and policies that are favorable to women's promotion.

The Millennium Development Goals put an emphasis on a set of key objectives that must be achieved by the year 2015. This is capital for sub-Saharan Africa which is very far from achieving those goals. The draft Resolution by the President of the General Assembly stresses that the development challenge is much more complex and requires that many more problems be taken into account. Other important aspects, notably gender equality, ethnic affiliation, race, culture and empowerment of women must be mainstreamed in the MDGs and the Summits results.

The right to reproductive and sexual health, to health and social services must be an integral part of the Millennium +5 review because those elements are compulsory to the fight against poverty, violence committed against women and HIV/Aids, as well as against other infections diseases. Issues were left out when the MDGs were being developed; issues such as the importance of equality of sexes, the empowerment of women as a cross-cutting theme that makes possible the achievement of sustainable development, human rights protection, peace and security. The ICPD action program (1989) and other UN action plans must be used as the basis for work around the MDGs.

As for trade, the negative effects of economic liberalization in developing countries do not appear in the resolution proposed by the President, nor is consideration given to the existence...