E-Discussion DG & MDGs: Launch
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Dear colleagues,
This year alerts us to the fact that there is a lot at stake to fight poverty understood as poverty of income and of freedoms and capabilities. There is global concern about climate change, rising energy demands, the food crisis and the disillusionment with democracy.
Different parts of the UN family are doing their share to promote inclusive development to uplift people from poverty as well as strengthen confidence in democratic governance. We are assisting governments to enhance their capacity to respond equitably, absorbing development assistance effectively and transparently, expanding the domestic base of revenue in pro poor and gender sensitive ways, and delivering services equitably with innovative partnerships. UNDP’s approach to democratic governance understands this as being possible by allowing inclusive participation while enhancing the capacity of state institutions to respond without losing sight of key guiding principles and values around which there is UN consensus. Yet our agendas are not always easy. Evidence shows that democratic governance reduced to one of its components, e.g. elections, could co-exist with social and legal exclusion just as development reduced to one of its necessary conditions, namely growth could co-exist with economic exclusion.
MDG efforts have taught us some lessons and more still need to be identified:
- Participative, transparent and responsive governance: Global progress is accompanied by growing disparities within countries which need to be identified and brought into policy via participative, transparent and responsive governance. How and when do participative processes (i.e. budgeting, participatory planning etc.) and/or monitoring influence sustainable pro poor policy and reduce inequities?
- Implementing Economic and Social Rights: The content of the MDGs reflects universal social and economic rights. While the numerical targets are useful, a lot needs to be done to respect, protect and enforce the underlying rights of MDGs. How and when does work with courts, national human rights institutions or ombudsperson offices enhance progress towards equitable delivery on the MDGs?
- Political Process and Social Movements: The MDGs and the fight against poverty in general will require (a) more involvement by parliaments, political parties, social movements and (b) enhanced accountability that is sensitive to disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and to institutional histories of marginalization. How and when does institutional capacity development ensure responsiveness to vulnerable and marginalized groups when political rules of operation reduce incentives for responsiveness or windfall of natural resource revenue deform such incentives?
What are our challenges and what are our discovered opportunities? From today until 25 of June, the first phase of this e-discussion allows us an electronic public space to share views and experiences on these issues. The second phase will be launched on 26 June particularly focusing on ‘Promoting Inclusive Leadership and Innovation for Implementing MDGs based National Agenda’.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
With best wishes from Noha and Ernest
E-discussion Moderation Team (First Phase)
Noha El-mikawy, Policy Advisor for Governance and Poverty, UNDP Oslo Governance Center, Democratic Governance Group, and
Ernest Rwamucyo, Policy Adviser, Governance, MDG Support Team,
Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP
