UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has taken a giant step forward for the world by publishing a roadmap to move the world from the expiring MDGs to a sustainable plan to end extreme poverty by 2030.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the eight goals agreed upon by world leaders in 2000, became the first development roadmap created to address issues such as poverty, hunger and disease, education, basic health and women’s empowerment.
The MDGs have been the most successful anti-poverty push in history. Poverty has been cut in half, more girls attend school, and fewer people are dying from malaria, tuberculosis and other deadly diseases. Yet, as we near the expiration of the MDGs in 2015, much needs to be done to ensure a sustainable future for all.
So what have governments and world leaders been doing to tackle these issues after 2015?
In June 2012, the United Nations held a Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Commonly referred to asRio 20, this conference created a historic opportunity to create the framework to end poverty and protect the environment.
Since then, UN Member States have been working together to establish the future development roadmap, known as the Post-2015 Agenda. This plan is set to be unveiled in 2015, with the vision to create a prosperous, peaceful world by 2030.
And now, thanks to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, we are one step closer to ending extreme poverty in our lifetime! He has just published a historic report called The Road to Dignity by 2030: Ending Poverty, Transforming All Lives and Protecting the Planet.
Let me break it down for you.
- 2015 is THE most important year for world leaders and people around the world to come together and end poverty, ensure peace and uphold human rights.
- Young people -- all 1.8 billion of us -- are the torchbearers of the future. Our rights and needs must be enshrined in the Post-2015 Agenda.
- We cannot achieve sustainability without addressing climate change and preserving our global ecosystem.
The Secretary-General has proposed 6 key principles to underpin the future development agenda.
1. DIGNITY
PHOTO: UNICEF Ethiopia via Flickr
In order to end poverty and fight inequalities, we need to ensure a life of dignity for all. This means giving a voice to women, youth and minorities and empowering the marginalized.
2. PEOPLE
PHOTO: Esa Ali Mohammad, CREDIT: UNICEF Ethiopia via Flickr
Millions of people, especially women and children, have been left behind. We must ensure that women, youth and children have access to comprehensive health services, education, and equal opportunities to survive and thrive.
3. PROSPERITY
PHOTO: UNICEF Ehtiopia via Flickr
Through inclusive economic growth, we can achieve global prosperity. This means investing in innovative and sustainable infrastructure and clean water, energy and sanitation.
4. PLANET
PHOTO: Reto Stockli with the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
In order to protect our planet, we must address climate change, protect our wildlife, oceans, forests and mountains by promoting sustainable agriculture and renewable energy.
5. JUSTICE
PHOTO: stockmonkeys.com
We must promote effective governance, peacebuilding and create strong institutions in order to shape safe and peaceful societies everywhere.
6. PARTNERSHIP
PHOTO: Cindy MC via Flickr
OUR RESPONSE
Michael Sheldrick, Senior Manager, Global Policy and Advocacy at Global Poverty Project
The Global Poverty Project welcomes the Secretary-General’s report and we’re particularly excited that it:
- Calls for “concrete goals together with measurable and accountable targets” (something that made the MDGs so successful!)
- Recognizes that the SDGs must “accommodate the voice of women, youth and minorities” and includes explicit reference of “women’s reproductive health and rights” as well as the needs of the “1.8 billion youth and adolescents” of the world (this has been the centerpiece of our #showyourselfie campaign and you should get involved here too!)
- Reminds member states of the need to finish the unfinished business of the MDGs including “ending maternal, newborn and child deaths” and “ensuring immunization coverage” (something that has been core to our work campaigning in support of a polio-free world and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance)
- Acknowledged the need to “promote healthy behaviors including those related to water, sanitation and hygiene” (yay! we thought this was especially awesome given our recent campaigning around World Toilet Day which stressed promoting the use of toilets was just as important as the actual building of toilets!).
We also thought it was good the Secretary-General highlighted the need to figure out how these goals and targets will actually be financed. While the inclusion of south-south cooperation and greater accountability are important, we cannot understate the ongoing importance of foreign aid and technology transfers from wealthy countries like the USA, Britain, Canada and Australia. These countries must continue to step up and their commitment next year will be critical to achieving global agreement to the new agenda.
CONCLUSION
The world must come together to catalyze a global movement of solidarity to truly achieve a sustainable world.
The United Nations is calling for all economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights to be enshrined in the future of development and become a reality for the next generation. Nobody has said it better than Mr. Ban Ki-moon himself:
“The stars are aligned for the world to take historic action to transform lives and protect the planet. I urge Governments and people everywhere to fulfil their political and moral responsibilities. This is my call to dignity, and we must respond with all our vision and strength.”
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Leticia Pfeffer