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AFRIHEALTH OPTONET ASSOCIATION
 Civil Society
Organizations [CSOs] network and think-tank on Health, Community and Dev’t
Systems Strengthening
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Email: afrihealthoptonet2@gmail.com Phone: +2348034725905 Website: http://www.afrihealthcsos.org
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National Hq: Plot 520, FHA
Estate, Lugbe, Airport Road; P.O. Box 8880, Wuse; Abuja, Nigeria
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The Place of the Civil Society in using Science, Technology and
Innovation (STI) to achieve sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery, and
the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): imperative of paradigm shifts to
leave no one behind; 03 May 2021
- a summary of the
symposium workshop side event organized at 6th United Nations multi-stakeholder
Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Sustainable Development
Goals; by:
1.
Afrihealth Optonet
Association [CSOs Network]
2.
Society for Conservation
and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN)
3.
Dr Uzo Adirieje
Foundation (DUZAFOUND)
I. Introduction
The Civil Society
is in a crucial position in using Science, Technology and Innovation to achieve
sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery and the SDGs and in achieving the
global/UN commitment to leave no one behind. Afrihealth Optonet Association,
Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in
Nigeria and Dr Uzo Adirieje Foundation; and with approval from the UN STI Forum
secretariat, organized
a symposium workshop side event. The symposium workshop aimed to recognize and engage the civil
society organizations [CSOs] and communities as critical partners in creating
demand and accountability for STI research and knowledge generation,
depository, dissemination and monitoring and evaluation (M&E); at all
levels of society and governance in order to 'build back better' and achieve
the Agenda 2030 SDGs during and beyond COVID-19, towards achieving Agenda 2063.
II. Objectives of
the workshop
The
symposium workshop side event, held on 3 May 2021 with the following
objectives:
1. Promote
the inclusion of the Civil Society in the conceptualization, planning, implementation,
monitoring, evaluation and reporting of Science, Technology and Innovation
(STI) to achieve sustainable and resilient COVID-19 recovery, and the
Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063;
2. Sensitize
the global civil society and communities at all levels to use community-focused
activities to mobilize the critical support the governments and stakeholders
need in using Science, Technology and Innovation to achieve sustainable and
resilient COVID-19 recovery and the SDGs;
3. Emphasize
the monitoring and demand-creation roles of the civil society in using Science,
Technology and Innovation to achieve sustainable and resilient COVID-19
recovery and the SDGs;
4. Advocate
and emphasize the integration of the civil society as a key player in promoting
and achieving knowledge-based economies/societies through
STI especially in Africa and global South countries in a seamless manner
to avoid unnecessary duplications; and
5. Promote
effective partnership between the Civil Society and other sectors (government,
businesses/private for-profit sector, media, etc.) in order to
achieve knowledge-based economies/societies anchored on STI at all levels
and in all countries/communities.
III. Registrations
and Attendance
Two
Hundred and Thirty-nine (239) civil society organizations and STI stakeholders
from all over the world registered for the event. Participants included persons
from Nigeria, Jamaica, Cambodia, Austria, Ghana, Ireland, Cameroun, South
Africa, Morrocco, Switzerland, Uganda, United States, Egypt and Democratic
Republic of the Congo. These included women, children and young people;
indigenous peoples; non-governmental organizations; local authorities; workers
and trade unions; business and industry; the scientific and technological
community; farmers; local communities, volunteer groups and foundations,
migrants and their families, older persons, persons with disabilities, and
various professional.
IV. Speakers and
Presentations
Dr.
Uzodinma Adirieje,
CEO of Afrihealth Optonet
Association,
who is also the National Chairman, Civil Society Organizations Strategy Group
on SDGs in Nigeria, facilitated the side event/symposium. He provided the
context in which the side event was holding and recalled the crucial roles
being played by the civil society in ensuring the achievement sustainable and
resilient COVID-19 recovery, and the Sustainable Development Goals; as well as
the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the civil society sector. Presentations
were made by the key speakers and dispassionately discussed by the
participants. The key speakers were:
Mag.
Klaus Höckner (France);
Ambassador of the ZeroProject; Member of the IAAP Global Leadership Council;
and W3C Advisory Committee Representative; who spoke on the subtopic: Zero Project - share your ideas,
product and service - we do not have to reinvent the wheel’.
Dr. Ann Marcus-Quinn (Ireland); Course Director for the MA in
Technical Communication and E-Learning, University of Limerick, Ireland; who spoke on the subtopic: Supporting Open
Education Practices in a Post Covid World’.
Dr. Tríona Hourigan (Ireland); Post-primary teacher at Laurel Hill
Secondary School FCJ, Limerick, Ireland; who spoke on the subtopic: ‘Teaching through a Pandemic -
Lessons Learned’.
Surv. Dr. Emmanuel Kwamina Bamfo–Agyei (Ghana); MGhIS, Senior Lecturer,
Head of Department & Vice Dean, Dept of Building Technology, School of
Engineering, Cape Coast Technical University, Ghana; who spoke on the subtopic: ‘Relevance of 4IR in Science,
Technology and Innovation’.
V. Recommendations
from the side event
1. There is an urgent need to promote and
support inclusive development through the capacitation and integration
of knowledge-based economies among
the civil society and communities into the political space to ensure that political
entities and intending office holders key into the Initiative as a matter of
utmost priority and in a seamless manner to avoid unnecessary duplications;
2. The United Nations/STI Forum is requested
to develop and implement a Global Strategy to Mobilize Resources for Civil
Society Knowledge Capacity and Institutional Development in post COVID-19 world
especially in the global south/developing countries;
3. The African Union and G77 countries are
requested to urgently adapt policies and procedures to key into the rapid
changes of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), develop physical and digital
infrastructure and leverage it to accelerate participation of the civil society
and rural, poor and suburban communities in global value chains and efforts to
contain the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond;
4. In line with current dispositions,
governments are requested to provide and support Open Education for understanding
and harnessing the impact of technology in education on student progression and
learning outcomes, and invest
in education and reskilling programs for the civil society and workers, to
ensure that technology supplements, instead of replaces, labour;
5. Since innovation is at the heart of the
4IR and knowledge-based economies, efforts must continue towards reinforcing
state and institutional capacity and commitments to drive and support
innovation and create the enabling business environments essential for success
using School Digital Culture, Use of Television, School Communities, regular Stakeholder
Consultation, and reducing inequality in terms of access to technology and devices;
and
6. Continuously identify and promote
Innovative Practices and Innovative Policies covering in the areas of
accessibility, education, employment, independent living and political
participation.
Participants expressed gratitude to the UN
STI Forum and Afrihealth Optonet Association for organizing the symposium
workshop side event.
Signed:
Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje, CMC, CMTF, FNAE,
FASI, FIMC, FIMS, MNIM
Side Event Facilitator
