Over the past year IFLA has been working with the international library community—as well as civil society and member states—to develop its position and help ensure that crucial elements such as access to information are included in the UN post-2015 Development Agenda. Throughout this process, it is important that libraries are seen as being part of the conversation.

After many months of negotiations following the conclusion of the United Nations Open Working Group (OWG) report on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN has now issued a Zero Draft which will form the basis for discussion during the UN Summit on the post2015 Development Agenda in September this year.

Access to information remains within the Zero Draft and many opportunities for public access institution arise within the Draft. IFLA has taken a critical look at the proposed text and has submitted additions we think should be added. These additions reflect the aims of our members as well as the aims of the signatories to the Lyon Declaration.

Read: IFLA's response to the Zero Draft

The process is far from over and we would once more like to remind you to take action now and contact your Ministries, engage with the creation of your National Development Plans and ensure that access to information and the skills libraries provide are firmly rooted within these plans.

Feed back to us

IFLA would like to ask you to please feed back to us (Julia.brungs@ifla.org) on any meetings you took with your ministry and the results of these.

This will give us an overview on which countries are in support of our work at the UN level and it will also give us an idea on where more policy support is needed.

For more on the IFLA's role in the broader context of the UN Development Agenda, see our recent overview of activities.

What's next at the UN?

The September Summit will mark the conclusion of an extensive two year-long negotiation, involving a wide range of stakeholders and citizens worldwide. The Summit will launch a Declaration, calling all Member States to action in implementing the final post 2015 Development Agenda. IFLA will continue to engage in the meetings and negotiations leading up to the Summit.