BHOS-beleidsnota
Reactie
| Naam | Ipas (Ms. D. Lutz) |
|---|---|
| Plaats | Chapel Hill |
| Datum | 14 april 2022 |
Vraag1
(see english below)Nexus (samenhang) Ontwikkelingssamenwerking & Buitenlandse Handel
Het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven kan door middel van handel, investeringen en marktkracht een belangrijke rol spelen bij een aantal van de grote wereldwijde uitdagingen van deze tijd. Om de Nederlandse inzet richting het bedrijfsleven een focus mee te geven wordt gekozen voor een focus op de “twin-transities”; de digitale transitie (via onder meer artificiële intelligentie) en de verduurzamingtransitie. Deze twin-transities op digitale innovatie en verduurzaming zullen de komende jaren een grote rol spelen om de Parijs en Glasgow-doelen voor klimaat te halen. Die doelen moeten we in Nederland halen, maar ook wereldwijd. Hoewel er een grote behoefte is aan Nederlandse expertise en investeringen, zien we dat meer nodig kan zijn om het Nederlandse bedrijven te betrekken bij deze transities in (lage en) midden-inkomenslanden.
1. Hoe kan het Nederlandse bedrijfsleven meer betrokken worden bij de twin-transitie in (lage en) midden-inkomenslanden?
(EN)
Nexus between development cooperation and foreign trade
Through their trade, investment and market position, Dutch businesses can play a key role in tackling some of the major challenges facing the world today. The focus of Dutch policy vis-a-vis the private sector will be on the 'twin transitions' of digitalisation (including artificial intelligence) and sustainability – both of which will be key to achieving the Paris and Glasgow climate goals in the years ahead. We must achieve these goals not only in the Netherlands, but across the world as a whole. While Dutch expertise and investment funding are in great demand, we also see that more may be needed when it comes to getting Dutch companies involved in these transitions in low- and middle-income countries.
1. How can we increase the involvement of Dutch companies in the twin transitions in low- and middle-income countries?
We recommend engaging with civil society groups in low- and middle-income countries to develop sound strategies around sustainability transition. These efforts will build on existing efforts and also be realistic to the local context.
Vraag2
Nederland kent een lange traditie van publieke private samenwerking. Nu de mondiale uitdagingen steeds groter worden, is het van belang deze publiek-private samenwerkingen te verdiepen en te versnellen. De duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen zijn in 2015 vastgesteld als actieplan voor overheden, bedrijven, kennisinstellingen en burgers om duurzame ontwikkeling te verwezenlijken wereldwijd.2. Hoe kunnen overheid, bedrijfsleven en kennisinstellingen beter samenwerken om de duurzame ontwikkelingsdoelen te halen?
(EN)
The Netherlands has a long tradition of public-private partnership. As the global challenges grow ever bigger, it is important to deepen and accelerate these partnerships. The Sustainable Development Goals were presented in 2015 as a plan of action for governments, companies, knowledge institutions and private individuals to achieve sustainable development worldwide.
2. How can government, the private sector and knowledge institutions work together better to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals?
It is important for the Netherlands to support partners who can catalyze progress for the SDGs in priority countries and regions. It is important to think of community needs broadly, and not focus on business at the expense of health, rights, and gender equality. Community organizations, government services like health care, international NGOs, universities all have a role to play. It is critical to look at the full ecosystem and assess the gaps in services and barriers that perpetuate inequality and lack of access to power for women, girls, and others who have traditionally been denied power.
The Netherlands should partner with the civil society coalitions that are implementing a parallel tracking of SDG implementation and recommendations for stronger results.
Vraag3
Nederland heeft sinds 2016 een actieplan beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling. Beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling heeft als doel om in niet-hulp (OS) beleid schade voor ontwikkelingslanden te verminderen en synergiën en samenwerking te versterken. Het Nederlandse actieplan is in 2018 herzien en geeft een overzicht van vijf Nederlandse beleidsthema’s die een invloed hebben op de ontwikkelingskansen in ontwikkelingslanden. Deze thema’s zijn: (1) het tegengaan van belastingontwijking/ontduiking, (2) ontwikkelingsvriendelijke handelsakkoorden, (3) een ontwikkelingsvriendelijk investeringsregime, (4) verduurzaming van productie en handel en (5) het tegengaan van klimaatverandering.3. Hoe kan de bovengenoemde Nederlandse inzet op beleidscoherentie voor ontwikkeling verder versterkt of verbeterd worden?
(EN)
The Netherlands has had an action plan on policy coherence for development since 2016. The aim of policy coherence is to reduce the negative effects on developing countries caused by policies in areas other than development, and to strengthen synergies and cooperation. The action plan, which was revised in 2018, identifies five Dutch policy themes that can enhance developing countries’ opportunities for development: (1) combating tax avoidance/evasion, (2) development-friendly trade agreements, (3) a development-friendly investment regime, (4) more sustainable production and trade, and (5) combating climate change.
3. How can the Netherlands’ efforts to achieve policy coherence for development be further strengthened or enhanced?
It is critical for response to climate change to recognize the unequal burden that the crisis places on women and girls. In addition, climate change impacts, exposures and vulnerabilities are all worsening, causing considerable shifts in the underlying social and environmental determinants of health at the global level. Sexual and reproductive health services are often “invisible” when compared with food and emergency medicine in humanitarian relief efforts and crisis settings, yet services such as contraception and abortion are also critical and time-sensitive. We urge you to ensure that women from the places most vulnerable to climate change are at the table when developing solutions, and that solutions take a holistic approach that includes sexual and reproductive health and rights.
A gender lens needs should be applied to each of the five themes. Civil society groups have developed recommendations in each of these areas, to ensure that tax policies, trade agreements and investment strategies are people-centered and take into consideration the unique realities of women and girls. Doing so would strengthen synergies and set the policies up for better success.
Vraag5
Thema’s en sectoren van de toekomstNu de wereld in transitie is om een goede toekomst voor ons en de generaties na ons te bewerkstelligen verandert de focus van bedrijven, overheid en kennisinstellingen.
5. Op welke thema’s of sectoren ziet u kansen om internationaal te ondernemen?
(EN)
Themes and sectors of the future
The focus of companies, governments and knowledge institutions is changing in light of the global transition to ensure a bright future for current and future generations.
5. In which themes or sectors do you see opportunities for international enterprise?
There are opportunities for progress in the health sector and in increasing sexual and reproductive health and rights. The COVID crisis has pointed out weaknesses in global health and shown how women and girls are most impacted by weak health systems, resulting in social and economic losses. This is evident in lack of coordinated sexual and reproductive health choices for women and girls. Without a full range of sexual and reproductive health choices that includes abortion and easy access to effective contraception, gender equality is not possible.
There is opportunity to focus on the needs of youth. Many developing countries have a population that is 70% or more youth under 24. There are also opportunities to partner with youth-led start-ups, specifically businesses led by young women.
Vraag6
Samenwerking publiek-privaat en rol Midden en Klein Bedrijf (MKB)Een succesvolle aanpak op het gebied van internationale handel vraagt samenwerking tussen burgers, bedrijven, maatschappelijke organisaties en de overheid. Het is nuttig om aan te sluiten op de behoeftes van de markt. Waar zijn bedrijven (specifiek het MKB) mee geholpen om de exportkracht en innovatiekracht te vergroten?
6. Hoe kan de overheid het bedrijfsleven (specifiek het MKB) dat internationaal onderneemt (of dat zou willen) beter ondersteunen om zaken te doen in het buitenland?
a. Welke ondersteuning hebben bedrijven nodig om internationaal succesvol te zijn op terreinen van digitale innovatie (innovatiesamenwerking) en verduurzaming?
b. Voor handel met welke landen (of regio’s of markten) zou ondersteuning moeten zijn?
c. Wat zou de overheid op het gebied van handelsbevordering niet meer moeten doen?
(EN)
Public-private cooperation and role of SMEs
A successful approach to international trade requires cooperation between the public, companies, civil society and government. It is also useful to align with market demand. What would help companies, and SMEs in particular, to increase their export performance and innovative capacity?
6. How can the government better support companies (and SMEs specifically), that are doing or wish to do business abroad?
a. What type of support do companies need in order to achieve international success in the areas of digital innovation (innovation partnerships) and sustainability?
b. For what countries, regions or markets should the government provide private sector support?
c. What type of trade promotion activities should the government stop doing?
The Africa section of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has clear strategies for strengthening and positioning African SMEs. This includes reduction of trade barriers, provision of support to women-led SMEs, who have the least access to capital. There is also a continent-wide digital initiative whose recommendations would be useful for this question.
Vraag7
OntwikkelingssamenwerkingDevelopment cooperation
Nederlandse inzet op Ontwikkelingssamenwerking
Nederland is op verschillende thema’s actief op gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Zo investeren we in het realiseren van de Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) en zetten we extra in op opvang in de regio, toegang tot vaccins, klimaatadaptatie en -mitigatie. Nederland gaat door met wat goed gaat en focust op waar Nederland goed in is, zoals verbinding tussen diplomatie en ontwikkelingssamenwerking. Meer informatie over het ontwikkelingssamenwerkingsbeleid van Nederland is te vinden op www.nlontwikkelingssamenwerking.nl.
7. Waar is Nederland op het gebied van ontwikkelingssamenwerking volgens u goed in? Op welke thema’s zou Nederland een aanjagende rol kunnen vervullen?
(EN)
Dutch development cooperation activities
The Netherlands is actively pursuing a number of policy themes in the area of development cooperation. For example, we're investing in efforts to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reception in the region, access to vaccines, and climate adaptation and mitigation. The Netherlands will continue its efforts in areas where progress is being made and will focus on its strengths, such as linking diplomacy and development. For more information about Dutch development policy, go to www.nlontwikkelingssamenwerking.nl.
7. In your opinion, what are the Netherlands’ strengths when it comes to development cooperation? In which policy themes could the Netherlands play a leading role?
The Netherlands’ clear commitment to human rights, gender equality, and strengthening civil society are its strengths. At this time when democracy is under siege in many parts of the world, it is especially important to champion these basic values of a principled development cooperation. The Netherlands has a proud history of supporting human rights, sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality, and strengthening civil society with its development cooperation. We urge you to continue to address global health through a human rights and reproductive justice lens, continue to be a courageous donor --“donor met durf,” and show this strength as you take on issues like global climate change that impact women and girls most harshly.
The Netherlands can also be an advocate for increasing bilateral commitments to gender justice. Gender commitments continue to lag behind other development priorities at a time when all human resources need to be harnessed to meet global challenges.
Vraag8
Innoveren op OSNederlandse internationale samenwerking is flexibel en kennisintensief, we zijn vernieuwend. Zo ontwikkelt Nederland nieuwe manieren van werken en partnerschappen die daarna door bijv. de Europese Commissie en Wereldbank worden opgepakt of opgeschaald. De Nederlandse internationale samenwerking fungeert dus veelal als een creatieve en kennisintensieve incubator (een broedplaats voor nieuwe ideeën. Nederland is een relatief kleine donor, maar als lidstaat van de EU en via bilaterale hulp kan Nederland de zichtbaarheid van EU-hulp vergroten en additionele relevante kapitaalstromen generen.
8. Op welke manier en op welk vlak kan de Nederlandse ontwikkelingssamenwerking nog meer innoveren?
(EN)
Innovative development cooperation
Dutch international cooperation is flexible and knowledge-intensive. We are also innovative, developing new ways of working and new types of partnership that are subsequently adopted or scaled up by others, like the European Commission and the World Bank. In this respect, Dutch international cooperation is like a creative and knowledge-intensive incubator. We are a relatively small donor, but as an EU member state and through bilateral aid we can make EU aid more visible and generate additional, relevant capital flows.
8. In what other ways and areas could Dutch development cooperation innovate more?
Feminist Foreign Assistance Policies like Sweden’s and Canada’s, very clearly link human rights and gender equity goals to foreign assistance. A feminist foreign assistance policy for Netherlands could lead to more innovation, and in reference to the following question (# 9 of 10), encourage bolder initiatives. This quote regarding Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy is relevant: “Sweden's feminist foreign policy is based on the conviction that sustainable peace, security and development can never be achieved if half the world’s population is excluded. The policy is a response to the discrimination and systematic subordination that still characterises everyday life for countless women and girls all over the world. Feminist foreign policy is an agenda for change to strengthen the rights, representation and resources of all women and girls.”
Vraag9
Een donor met durfDe Nederlandse internationale inzet is gedurfd, omdat we financiële investeringen koppelen aan onze diplomatieke inzet en expertise. We continueren thema’s waar we traditionele meerwaarde hebben: seksuele en reproductieve rechten en gezondheid (SRGR), water, voedselzekerheid en veiligheid & rechtsorde. Daarbij kunnen we nog meer gebruik maken van het diplomatieke gewicht van o.a. de EU. We investeren in systeemverandering om te zorgen dat we de SDG’s in 2030 realiseren. Met systeemverandering bedoelen we dat we de systemen die armoede en ongelijkheid in stand houden aanpakken.
9. Op welke manier/welk vlak kan Nederland als donor nog meer durf te tonen?
(EN)
A bold donor
Dutch international efforts can be characterised as bold, because we link financial investment to diplomatic efforts and expertise. We will continue our work on themes where we have always added value: sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), water, food security, and security and the rule of law. We will also make better use of the diplomatic weight of the EU. To ensure we achieve the SDGs by 2030, we will invest in systemic change, i.e. tackling the structures that maintain poverty and inequality.
9. In what ways or areas could the Netherlands, as a donor, be even bolder?
Please see the response to question 8 regarding a Feminist Foreign policy.
In addition, the Netherlands can also inform new trade agreements in such a way that they favor developing countries, rather than including provisions that keep countries in dependency. The Netherlands could require the use of African entities for Dutch procurement processes, rather than European ones, to further shift structural bias and exclusion.
Vraag10
Afrondende algemene vraag10. Heeft u nog andere punten van aandacht die u vindt dat meegenomen dienen te worden in de nieuwe beleidsnota?
(EN)
General closing question
10. Are there any other points that you believe should be included in the new policy document?
It is critically important that SRHR continues to be an important focus for the Netherlands, with adequate resources devoted to supporting partners who can move this agenda forward. Reproductive justice is the human right to bodily autonomy—the right to control one’s own sexuality, gender, health, and reproduction, and to do so safely and with dignity. Without access to abortion and contraception, without vital health information, and without the power to make decisions, one cannot determine their own future. Reproductive rights, including abortion rights, are human rights. Everyone has the right to make informed decisions about their body and health. To build a world where this is possible, it is necessary to integrate abortion rights into the broader movements for health-care access, gender equity and social justice. The right to an abortion is not a standalone right. It depends upon people also having other human rights: to health, to equality, to privacy, to economic options, and to live free from violence and discrimination.
There is an opportunity for the Dutch to be explicit in supporting implementation of regional human rights and women's rights instruments, such as Maputo Protocol. This adds support to the efforts of regional and local movements and honors the implementation of policies that are locally relevant.