From MDGs to SDGs and Post-2015 Development Framework: The UN Debate

1. From MDGs to SDGs and Post-2015 Development Framework: The UN Debate ERF-UNICEF Workshop on Social and economic Policies for Child Rights and Equity Bangkok, Thailand, 19/07/12 Charles Abugre

2. The Genesis of the MDGs • Managing the growth and social crisis arising from structural adjustment programmes and neoliberalism • Preserving the UN by preserving • Some legacy of the millennium declaration • Elements of the UN summits of the 1990s

3. Legacy of Adjustment Programmes – Case of Africa • Economic growth stagnated or declined and only 5 of the 25 odd years did GDP growth outpace population growth • Food self-sufficiency declined, import dependency increased so did hunger • Nascent industries collapsed and as a result, the manufacturing’s share of GDP and employment declined • Within-country inequalities increased and the share of global trade and incomes of low income countries declined. • The absolute number of people and share of the population living in abject poverty increased. • Major reversals in wellbeing indicators, especially child and maternal mortality life expectancy and educatonal attainments.

4. Average GDP Growth rates

5. Selected Social well-being indicators

6. The MDGs – Heavily Discounted version of the Millennium Declaration • A partial and tame implementation of the Millennium Declaration: • ….”We will spare no effort to free our fellow men, women and children from the abject and dehumanizing conditions of extreme poverty, to which more than a billion of them are currently subjected. We are committed to making the right to development a reality for everyone and to freeing the entire human race from want” • “ we have a collective responsibility to uphold the principles of human dignity, equality and equity at the global level. As leaders we have a duty therefore to all the world’s people, especially the most vulnerable and, in particular, the children of the world, to whom the future belongs. Devoid of the radical dimensions of the declaration – “right to development, equality and equity”... Let alone issues of accountable global governance

7. Driven by pragmatism and compromise • Focused on extreme poverty, not development • Monitoring and reporting - Data • Achievability in the context of dominant development model – targets based on extension of existing growth trajectories • Need to maintain aid revival and guide aid allocation – therefore the close convergence with the OECD’s IDTs and the aid effectiveness agenda • Essential part of on-going liberalisation – making “national ownership” feasible – financing the participation agenda. • PRSPs as vehicles for implementation

8. Results • Aid-financed modest poverty reduction, without development, threatening: • Political consensus for the fight against poverty • Cohesive social movement behind the anti-poverty efforts – disaffection of rights and environment groups • Unhappiness with various specific targets and goals (e.g. urban slums) and the exclusion of others (e.g. inequalities, reproductive rights, migration, governance and indicators of structural changes in economies etc) and the predominant focus on quantities to the exclusion of quality and value • A fractured UN system – poorly aligned behind the MDGs at the country level, each focused on their own survival – except to some extent measuring and reporting. • Fractured international consensus – exclusion of middle income countries, the dominance of the aid discourse, the failure of accountability for Goal 8

9. Attempts to address the limitations mid-stream • The inclusion of decent work and employment as targets to Goal 1, and aspects of reproductive rights to Goal 3. • The Outcome document from the 2010 High Level Summit on the MDGs: Address: • The economy – diversified, inclusive and sustained growth and development.. • Anchor MDGs on climate, biodiversity and water preservation. • Inequalities, inequities and disparities – those left behind • Voice, public ownership, participation and citizen pressure • Universality and human rights framework • Gender justice and women’s empowerment • Domestic Resources and stemming illicit capital flows • Stronger accountability mechanisms in relation to Goal 8 • Addressing stabilities, vulnerabilities and fragilities

10. Nevertheless MDGs continue to face 3 main critiques • Economic development – the focus on alleviating extreme poverty neglects economic development and shared global problems – global financial irresponsibility, joblessness and crisis in social security and protection. • Environmental sustainability – the focus on extreme poverty neglects the greatest challenges of our times – climate change, depletion of biodiversity, water shortage and land • Political accountability – the MDGs neglect issues of power and the accountability of power at multiple levels

11. Sustainable Development Goals and the Post-2015 development Framework SDGs – back of the stalemate on climate negotiations and gaps in MDGs and desire to resurrect Agenda 21 (1992) - driver: Rio+20 Post-2015 – desire to maintain momentum but fill gaps - UNGA and high level Summit, Sept 2013 Coordination – Kind of parallel and competitive among member states and the UN system Overall backdrop – financial and economic crisis in matured economies

12. 3 interconnected dimensions • Economic sustainability • Social sustainability • Environmental sustainability • Accountability – cross-cutting

13. SDGs – Initial DESA formulation

14. In Rio Sustainable energy access Technology transfer Financing And a failed attempt by UNEP to upgrade itself. Achievements? - acknowledgement of Agenda 21 - recycled financial commitments - a commission to work on SDGs and align somewhat with Post-2015

15. Irksome issues for civil society • Green growth and corporations vs sustainable livelihoods • Land grab • Reproductive Rights • Climate change • Financing

17. National Consultations – Other regions(Provisional)

18. Thematic Consultations • Aim: To look at the central challenges to the Post-2015 development agenda and to the broad coalition of change • Between May 2012 – January 2013 • Consultations will take place with Academia, Media, Private Sector, Employers and Trade Unions, Civil Society and Decision Makers.

19. Thematic Consultations – (Provisional)

20. Important dates and events • September 2012 – UN General Assembly • February 2013 – UN High Level panel to deliver report • September 2013 – UN Special Session on MDGs • Sep – Nov 2013 – Report from the five UN Regional Bodies: Beyond 2015: A Future UN Development Agenda

21. Main issues • Aligning the SDGs process with the post-2015 process • Should either/both be about poor countries or all countries? • Specific goals and targets or broad principles? • Build on the MDGs or a different approach all together • What accountability systems to put in place? • Is any global compact feasible or desirable under current economic and political realities?

22. END ASANTE SAANA