UN Foundation Board

Looking to the future of the MDGs with the UN Foundation Board

How often do you come away from a Monday morning meeting celebrating its unique composition and remarkable content? My interaction with the UN Foundation Board at New Delhi this morning certainly qualified on both counts. The ocassion provided an opportunity for conversation on directions for the MDG agenda post-2015 with some of the best known names in global development - collectively the Board of the UN Foundation - and a handpicked group of policy experts and practioners from India. 

High on the agenda was the examination of progress on access to entitlements such as health and education - and an agreement on the centrality of women's reproductive and sexual rights to the post-2015 discourse, which in the Indian and global experience has suffered gross neglect in the first round of the MDGs.  This conclusion points to the need and opportunity for stronger linkages between the ICPD and post-2015 dialogues both nationally and globally.

Equity was a second major theme in the discussion. Prof. Yunus spoke of the need for a 'new capitalism' that works for the people, while Emma Rothschild noted that the inspiration for macro-economic policy must come from the evidence that is available from the lives of people who live in poverty - an idea which if applied to the post-2015 framework calls for serious attention to broad basing the current consultative effort to include a direct engagement of women amd excluded communities in shaping the new development agenda and a greater investment in bringing southern leadership and expertise to the current global discourse.

The agenda of sustainable development was underscored by Dr. Brundtland, who spoke of the relevance of 'sustainable development goals' that are universally applicable, ie. involves clear responsibilities for all countries across north and south. The discussion also recognised the need to affirm and build on the legacy of the MDGs (its policy and public engagement gains), while exploring how the post-2015 conversation can enable a new generation of leaders, citizens and activists to infuse fresh perspectives and energies into the Millennium Declaration - the foundational document of the MDGs and one which articulates a global vision and agenda that is relevant even beyond the MDGs.

Lysa John

Global Call to Action against Poverty

Twitter: @lysajohn