Presentation by D. Tola Winjobi (PhD)Principal Coordinator, CAFSO-WRAG for Development

Convener, Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development

FROM MDGs TO SDGs:

UNDERSTANDING THE GLOBAL AGENDA ON SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT

Presentation Outline* Pre-2000 MDGs* 15 years of MDGs: Millennium Declaration; 8 Goals; 21 targets and 60 indicators; Characteristics – People-centred, smart, development partners involvement.* Challenges of MDGs (inherent in and implementation)* Post-2015 Development Agenda (2010 UN-Sec Report, studies, all inclusive deliberations, HLF 2015 released Global Agenda 2030; 17 Goals, 169 targets, 230 indicators; 3 dimensions of SDGs)* SDGs Implementation: Challenges and Opportunities

Situation Pre-2000 MDGsPoverty, hunger, starvation and diseases were the major challenges facing the developing nations while the developed economies seemed to be enjoying the benefits of development including human rights, democracy, and good governance. Commonplace sloganeering included:“health for all by the year 2000”, “education for all by the year 2000”, “food sufficiency for all by the year 2000”, “shelter for all by the year 2000”, “prosperity for all by the year 2000” and several other slogans.

Millennium Declaration and GoalsThe United Nations indeed felt concerned about the plight of common people especially in the global south. In order to address the problem of poverty and promote sustainable developments, the eight millennium goals were adopted in September 2000 at the largest gathering of 189 Heads of States committing both rich and poor countries to do all they could to eradicate poverty, promote human dignity and equality, and achieve peace, democracy and environmental stability.

Targets; Indicators; XteristicsThe MDGs and related targets and indicators serve as benchmarks of progress towards the shared vision of where the world wants to go and commitment to work together to get there. There are 21 targets and 60 indicators set to achieve the 8 goals by 2015. Three distinct characteristics of MDGs are that: it is people-centred; it is adaptable to SMART test; and it involves the development partners, among others. MDGs were a rallying point, and brought to the limelight in a general sense keeping some specific stakeholders busy more than ever before by supporting the efforts of the UN and governments.

Challenges of MDGsThe challenges facing MDGs can be categorized into two: 1.the challenges inherent in the Millennium Declaration leading to setting up of the eight goals of the MDGs and; 2.2. the challenges facing the implementation of MDGs in various countries.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)• 189 heads of government indeed signed the

Millennium Declaration only a few of them were conversant with the content of MDGs they signed for.

• Late implementation in most African countries ( 2006 Debt relief in Nigeria)

• process leading to crafting of MDGs up to the signing stage was devoid of inclusion of critical stakeholders in many countries.

• institutional stakeholders such as ministries, departments, agencies, including the parliament, CSOs and private sector were excluded.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)In most cases, it was only at the point of annual

appropriation that the parliaments were involved while MDG line ministries were involved at the point of implementation.

lack of institutional capacity to implement MDGs coupled with paucity of funds as many countries did not prepare for MDGs at the time it came.

Misplaced priorities: Many countries were enacting institutional policies rather than people-centred policies. Structures were built but to the detriment of human capital development.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)Though the MDGs are people-centred and development focused, lacking are the essential ingredients which are the bedrocks of development such as human rights, peace and justice. The issues of democracy, good governance, and human rights, are not expressly articulated in the Millennium Declaration let alone the MDGs though they can be linked in some way. However justice, peace, and security especially global terrorism (vis a vis emergence of Al Queda, Al Shabab, Boko Haram and the likes) are difficult to situate within the purview of all the eight goals.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)

MDG is fraught with myriads of lacuna as there are some emerging developmental challenges that were not captured. One of these is governance and accountability. Thus evidently absent in the MDG framework are issues bordering on youth involvement in governance, tackling corruption and inequality, insecurity and conflict management, uneven distribution of resources, support for local technologies, institutional strengthening, and inadequate social welfare policies.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)Population dynamics not captured. Many developing countries have population policies which might not be known to the generality of the people while the policies do not address current dynamics, for example, of the upsurge in the youth population or inclement living conditions of people in the arid region. Similarly, the migration policies of some countries are inhumane, anti-people and gender irresponsive while respect for human rights and dignity of migrants are relegated to the micro dot of plans and programmes. Management of population data in some countries is very poor while the data are inconsistent in some countries. Consequently for lack of reliable data, there is lack of adequate planning in an attempt to address the underlying issues dispassionately and appropriately.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)Even in education sector in most developing countries,

MDG 3 faced the challenges of implementation in the area of recruitment of qualified teachers, lack of professionalism, inadequate incentive and motivation for teachers, low budgetary allocation, poor infrastructural and facilities, shortage of teachers in schools, lack of community participation, insecurity in schools and dearth of technical and vocational schools where students could be trained on skills acquisition. However, it should be quickly pointed out that some ministries, department and agencies of governments in some developing countries lack the absorptive capacity to manage their budget prudently as unspent funds sometimes are returned to the treasury while some are shared as booty by government officials concerned.

Challenges of MDGs (contd)MDG 7 focused on ensuring environmental

sustainability; but then it emphasizedmore on water and sanitation and less on climate change issues. Environmental issues such as flooding, erosion, desertification did not attract much attention despite the fact that MDG 7 is connected to all the other goals.

Most African countries could not attain MDGs in 2015 because by 2014 results of performance, many of them had not only derailed but also failed woefully. Ten African countries are presented over leaf for illustration.

Example of Ten African Countries that have Achieved None of the MDGs by August 2014

No African Country

MDGOff Track

MDG Achieved

Key to MDGs

1. Cameroun 3,4,5 0 Goals 1-82. Chad 3,4,5,6,7 0 Goal 1:Eradicate extreme poverty and

hungerGoal 2: Achieve universal primary educationGoal 3: Promote gender equality and empower womenGoal 4: Reduce child mortalityGoal 5: Improve maternal healthGoal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseasesGoal 7: Ensure environmental sustainabilityGoal 8: Develop a global partnership for developmentData source: http://www.mdgmonitor.org/country_progress, accessed online on Friday 29th August 2014, 10:30 a.m.

3. Gambia 1,3,4,6,8 04. Ghana 3,4,5,6 05. Lesotho 1,3,4,5,6 06. Malawi 1,5,7 07 Mozambiqu

e2,3,6,7 0

8. Niger 1,2,3,5,7 09 Nigeria 1,4,5 010 Togo 3,4,5 0

POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDAThe need for all to look beyond 2015 MDGs is

emphasised in the 2010 Annual report of the Secretary-General (11 July 2011) titled, “Accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals: options for sustained and inclusive growth and issues for advancing the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015”. The Millennium Development Goal summit requested the Secretary-General to make recommendations in his annual reports, as appropriate, for further steps to advance the United Nations development agenda beyond 2015.

Development Partners’ Roles* UNMC coordinating CSOs deliberations and dialogue with UN Systems* UNDP and UNDESA lead the work on the post-2015 framework. * A Task Team of senior technical experts from UNDP and DESA, chaired by Olav Kjorven (UNDP) and Jomo Kwame Sundaram (DESA), and supported by the full UN system, was set up in January 2012 to define a system-wide vision for the post-2015 agenda.* High Level Panel (HLP) a think tank group as adviser to The UN Secretary-General and to whom the reports on various consultations were submitted. * UN Development Group (UNDG) led by UNDP, supported consultations at the national level in up to 50 countries

POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA

The UN Millennium Campaign acted as one of the outreach mechanisms to civil society to gather inputs and feedback on the post-2015 agenda and facilitate dialogue with the UN system. The UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the UN Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) were mandated by the Secretary-General to lead the work on the post-2015 framework. A Task Team of senior technical experts from UNDP and DESA, chaired by Olav Kjorven (UNDP) and Jomo Kwame Sundaram (DESA), and supported by the full UN system, was set up in January 2012 to define a system-wide vision for the post-2015 agenda.

POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDAThe UN Secretary-General also set up a think tank group called High Level Panel (HLP) to whom the reports on various consultations were submitted. The HLP’s role is purely advisory reporting to the UN Sec-Gen on various issues and outcomes of post-2015 framework. The Task Team was mandated to produce a study which would serve as a roadmap for the work of a High-Level Panel that the UN Secretary General appointed third quarter of 2012. The study critically appraised the expiring MDG framework, mapped on-going activities inside and outside of the UN on defining a post-2015 agenda, and assessed challenges that had become more prominent in the last decade.

POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDAAs part of this work, UNDP, working with other UN

Development Group (UNDG) agencies, supported consultations at the national level in up to 50 countries and produced and distributed guidance notes to the UN Country Teams to facilitate these exercises. UNDP also facilitated eight regional/global consultations to discuss thematic and cross-cutting issues in post- 2015 global agenda, such as inequality, sustainability, population and governance. As a general principle, civil society organisations were invited to participate in all levels of the consultations. This did not preclude various grassroots deliberations organized by civil society across the globe.

 

POST-2015: CIVIL SOCIETY’S ROLEFrom September 2012 through 2013, many

organizations including Beyond 2015 International, the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), the International Forum of National NGO Platforms (IFP) etc convened national, regional, and community civil society deliberations in 40 countries in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Representatives from thousands of CSOs took part.

Nigeria’s Campaign2015+ International was appointed by Beyond 2015 International as the Lead Agency to coordinate grassroots deliberations in Nigeria

Campaign2015+ was also part of the UNDP-led national deliberations

Was also part of UNMC/OSSAP deliberations and MDGs review

DELIBERATIONS OUTCOMESSome of the national deliberations raised an

urgent need to work collectively to find new ways of organizing society, man’s relationship to the planet, and the logic of the economy. Contributions were received from people around the world echoing the same demands.

Civil society was concerned about rising inequality. People acknowledge that social protection is decreasing, leaving more people vulnerable to vagaries like climate change and fluctuating food prices. Those who already lived in poverty were being further marginalized, systemically being thrown into further poverty.  

HIGHLIGHTS OF OUTCOMESThe CSOs during their deliberations believed

that a post-2015 framework needs to meaningfully integrate the following emerging themes:

Equality – gender equality, social inclusion, and just global governance are essential for achieving transformation.

Environmental Sustainability – all development must happen within planetary boundaries, and corporations must be held responsible for the environmental destruction they cause.

HIGHLIGHTS (contd)Human Rights – rights must be at the core of a

post-2015 framework, ensuring no one is left behind.

Eradication of Poverty and Hunger – there is no excuse for hunger. The time to end poverty is now. We need to redefine poverty to be a more holistic measure of inclusive development.

Transformative Framework: Many countries presented a vision of how they saw the realization of true development after 2015. People are calling for a framework that is transformative.

The Roadmap to the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement

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• Earth Summit 1992*• Millennium Development

Goals 2000• World Summit on

Sustainable Development 2002*

• Financial Crisis 2008• Copenhagen Climate

Summit and Rio+20 2009• Rio+20 2012• Sustainable Development

Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement 2015

• Challenges for the UK

Rio Earth Summit 1992

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1992 Earth Summit agreed:•Agenda 21 – 40 chapters – a blueprint for the 21st century•United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change•United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity•The Forestry PrinciplesAndAn increased role for ‘stakeholders’ in policy development and implementation

Footer text her SOURCE: David Dodds

World Summit on Sustainable Dvlpmt

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Sustainable Development and

Environment conferences

• Stockholm (1972), Rio (1992) and Johannesburg summits (2002) on the environment and sustainable development

• World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Report), 1987

• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

• UN Commission on Sustainable Development

UN Social Conferences in the 90s

• Cairo Population Conference

• Beijing Women Conference

• Copenhagen conference on social development

• Vienna Conference on Human Rights

• Outcome Document

• High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

• Open Working Group on Sustainable Development

UN Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio +20 (2012)

“Sustainable development is

development that meets the needs of the present without compromising

the ability of future generations to meet

their own needs“- Brundtland Report,

1987

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2015

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To replace the MDGs:•100 National Consultations•11 Thematic Consultations•Two High Level Panel Reports (2011 and 2013)•Two Secretary General’s Reports•Rio+20•13 sessions of the Sustainable Development Goals Open Working Group•8 Intergovernmental Negotiations Sessions

MDGs/SDGs as a Development ToolMDGs/SDGs are a veritable development tool that

could transform the society by impacting positively on the generality of the people provided the operators are committed and focused. The MDGs/SDGs’ focus of human development coupled with the time-bound target makes them amenable to evaluation thus easily subjecting them to SMART test within the time frame. Since both the governments of the developed and developing countries are committed to MDGs/SDGs achievement by 2030, then SDGs become a tool that members of the civil society could constantly use to ask their respective governments to account to since they did not sign the 17 SDGs under duress.

MDGs AND MAIN TARGETSThe eight goals and their main targets are:G1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger - Halve

between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day.

G2: Achieve universal primary education - Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.

G3: Promote gender equality and empower women – Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.

G4: Reduce child mortality – Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five mortality rate.

MDGS AND MAIN TARGETS (CONTD.)G5: Improve maternal health – Reduce by three-

quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio.

G6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases – Halt by 2015 and begin to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS.

G7: Ensure environmental sustainability – Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources.

G8: Develop a global partnership for development – develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere

Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

SDGs (Contd.)Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and

empower all women and girlsGoal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable

management of water and sanitation for all.Goal 7 Ensure access to affordable, reliable,

sustainable and modern energy for all.Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and

sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

SDGs (Contd.)Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure,

promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.

Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries.

Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*.

SDGs (Concld.)Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans,

seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

SDGs @ A Glance

DIFFERENCES BWT MDGs & SDGs

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The MDGs just applied to developing countriesThe SDGs apply to ALL countries

The MDGs address the problemsThe SDGs address the symptoms and causes

The MDGs was people-centredThe SDGs are much more people-centred

The MDGs were addressing developmentThe SDGs are addressing sustainable development

SDGs = GG of PPP Sustainable Development Goals = Global Goals of Prosperity for People and Planet

How/Why?

Prosperity = 5 GoalsPeople = 3 GoalsPlanet = 5 Goals

Analysis of the SDGs New set of goals

Hunger, water and sanitation, inclusive economic growth, climate change, human settlements, livelihoods and employment, inequalities, energy, infrastructure and industrialisation.

Development enablers: Justice, accountability, peace and security Expansion of existing MDGs goals and targets

Health goals inclusive of non-communicable diseases, health systems

Education has included institutional issues of quality, equity and expanded to adult literacy, vocational and technical education

Specific goal on development enablers Justice, peace, accountable and inclusive institutions

Specific goal on Means of implementation Financing Capacity building Systemic issues (Data, accountability, multi-stakeholders’

partnerships) Technology

SDGs: Core Principles and Key Messages

Continuing with the ‘unfinished business’ of the MDGs

Universality and inclusivenessIntegrating the 3 Dimensions of Sustainable Development

• Goal 1: End poverty• Goal 2: End hunger• Goal 3: Good Health• Goal 4: Quality

Education • Goal 5: Gender

Equality• Goal 10: Reduced

Inequalities

• Goal 7: Access to Energy

• Goal 8: Good Jobs & Inclusive Economic Growth

• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure

• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities & Communities

• Goal 12: Sustainable consumption and production

• Goal 6: Water and Sanitation

• Goal 12: Su stainable consumption and production patterns

• Goal 13: Climate Action

• Goal 14: Conserve Water and Marine Resources

• Goal 15: Sustainable use of Land Resources

3 Dimensions of the SDGs

IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SDGs

Poverty and hunger:Over 100 million Nigerians still live in abject poverty and

hungerSustainable food production remains a huge challenge

Climate change is looming large and upon us (ozone depletion, rain, floods etc

Inequalities: SDGs have the opportunity to address inequalities (the rich/the poor; north/south; gender; global north/south.

The health and education goals are embracing of the larger institutional issues (but questionable are physical infrastructure/human infrastructure)

Water and sanitation still a major problem with over a billion lacking access to sanitation including toilets.

CHALLENGES (contd)Stakeholders (CSOs, civil servants and politicians)

are not informed enough about SDGs though it is not late. Capacity building needed

The economic recessions and general low commitments may impact on financing (unpaid salaries, debts to contractors, uncompleted projects).

Political climate beclouding political will as mainstreaming SDGs into national/state plans and programmes is not visible

Absorptive capacity and increase in budgetary allocations to key SDG lines (education, health, agric)

Inclusive participation in implementation is lacking (against leaving-no-one-behind mantra)

Opportunities for Successful Implementation of SDGsIt has often been said that the development of a nation

hinges not only on the government but also on individuals and organizations. In other words, in the face of current global economic recession, governments alone cannot be solely saddled with the development of a nation because of the scarce resources at their disposal. Opportunities arise from an array of the availability of stakeholders such as the governments at all levels (with political will), the media, private sector, the development partners, donors, academia, politicians (with the interest of electorate), and civil society (NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, professional associations etc)

Civil Society’s Role (Contd.)Complementary role to government’s (projects

implementation and service delivery). Engagement with other stakeholders (private sector, donor) Early monitoring and structured evaluation of the SDGs.Public policy influencers/lobbyists: constitutional & electoral

reform, health (C&MH, HIV/AIDS), agric, education, child’s rights, gender equality etc.

Ombudsmanship (advocacy) and whistle blowing role (in collaboration with anti-corruption agencies like EFCC & ICPC).

Citizens’ empowerment (voice-giving, information, training, livelihoods).

Holding stakeholders accountable to SDGs (push for horizontal accountability)

CSO’s Role (Contd.)Guided by a Social Charter, embracing

accountability, transparency and legitimacy in their operations.

Conducting policy-informed research into SDGs implementation.

Conducting shadow reports and periodic assessment to ensure we are on track to achieve the SDGs.

Community Based Budget monitoring mechanisms be established at the local level by the CSOs.

Campaigning and mobilization on critical SDGs and for enabling environment , bill, policies(via coalition/networking e.g. CSCSD/AWG/Together 2030/TAPN).

Thank youAny question or

comment?D. Tola Winjobi (PhD)

Principal Coordinator, CAFSO-WRAG for Development Convener, Civil Society

Coalition on Sustainable Development+234 803 0618 326

tolawinjobi58@yahoo.com