E-Discussion DG & MDGs: Phase II Summary

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Interim Consolidated Reply - Phase II: Promoting Inclusive Leadership and Innovation for Implementing MDGs based National Development Agenda (26 June – 01 August)

[Facilitator’s Note: We would like to express our deep appreciation to our members and participants for their excellent contributions to this dynamic exchange of knowledge and experiences on improving the way we work for the achievement of MDGs with greater and stronger engagements of democratic governance, leadership and innovation. We are pleased to share an interim consolidated reply of e-Discussion Phase II: Promoting Inclusive Leadership and Innovation for Implementing MDGs based National Development Agenda. As we are preparing the e-Discussion Reference Note for Phase I and Phase II, we invite readers to edit the summaries as appropriate in the e-discussion Wiki, our interactive network platform for dynamic knowledge sharing. This is a reflection of your collective wisdom, so please do not hesitate to join us in editing the draft Consolidated Reply online in the e-discussion wiki. For detailed background information including e-discussion concept note,e-Discussion Phase I Interim Consolidated Reply, Phase 1 contributions, Phase 2 Contributionsand resources, please visit our e-discussion Wiki; or the UNDP Intranet e-discussion workspace (Requires Password). This e-discussion was cross-posted on DGP-Netand MDG-Net].

E-discussion Phase II Moderation Team:
Professor Gowher Rizvi, The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation, Harvard University; and
A.H. Monjurul Kabir, Knowledge Management Specialist and Focal Point for Innovation and Leadership in Governance, DGG, Bureau for Development Policy, UNDP 

Phase II interim CR Prepared by: Monjurul Kabir and Sylvie Babadjide, Facilitation Team, DGP-Net

Contents 1 E-discussion Questions – Phase II 2 Contributions received with thanks from: 3 Resources 3.1 Key Resources 3.2 Millennium Development Goals: Key Documents and Reports 3.3 Training Guides, Manuals and Toolkits 3.4 Country Studies and Documents 3.5 Websites

E-discussion Questions – Phase II

 Phase II: Promoting Inclusive Leadership and Innovation for Implementing MDGs based National Development Agenda (26 June- 01 August 2008)
The second phase of the e-discussion addressed the role of leadership and innovation in the implementation of MDG based national development agendas.
1. What are the key challenges in identifying sectoral champions/change agents, innovators, especially those representing the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups through formal and informal processes at national/sub-national level? How can we facilitate innovation and strengthen their leadership capability to pursue an equitable and inclusive approach to MDGs based development agenda?
2. How can we facilitate the leadership role, and, innovative work of non-state actors (i.e., political parties, faith based organizations, civil society organizations, media etc.) in the implementation of the MDGs? How can we ensure the inclusion of their effective participation in MDGs based development agenda?

Read the launch message from the Moderators here.

Contributions received with thanks from:

1. Fatimata Traore Ossade, Assistant Resident Representative – Governance; UNDP Mali
2. Henry Ekwuruke, Programme Coordinator, Development Generation Africa International (DGAi); Nigeria
3. Sunil Gautam, Indian Institute of Dalit Studies, India
4. Girma B Hailu, MDG Support Country Advisor; UNDP Ethiopia
5. Djibril Ly, Rule of Law Project Coordinator; UNDP Haiti
6. Alexandra Windisch-Graetz, Research Assistant - Capacity Development Practice; UNDP Bratislava Regional Centre
7. Jamshed M. Kazi, Senior Programme Specialist - Asia / Pacific / Europe / CIS (APEC); UN Volunteers Germany
8. Israel Jacob Massuanganhe, Chief Technical Advisor-Decentralization and Local Governance Unit; UNDP Angola
9. Ernesto Bautista, Regional Advisor & Project Coordinator; UNDP Pacific Centre
10. Kwabena Asante-Ntiamoah, Programme Specialist; UN Volunteers Germany
11. Robert G. Bernardo; Niloy Banerjee; Maha Jahangir, Ashley Palmer and Heidi Han; Capacity Development Team - Asia Pacific
12. Asr Toson, Regional Advisor - Governance; UNDP SURF-AS Lebanon
13. Tiwari Chiranjibi, Senior Advisor Local Governance; SNV Vietnam
14. Henry Ekwuruke, Programme Coordinator, Development Generation Africa International (DGAi); Nigeria
15. Siphosami Malunga, Policy Adviser-Governance; UNDP Regional Centre in Johannesburg
16. Eugene Nkubito, Programme Specialist – Public Management Unit; UNDP Rwanda
17. Salil Shetty, Director, UN Millennium Campaign New York
18. Lenni Montiel, Senior Policy Adviser on Decentralization and Local Governance; UNDP New York
19. Minar Pimple, Deputy Director, Asia, UN Millennium Campaign Thailand
20. Oumar Sako, Governance and Crisis / Prevention Unit; UNDP Central African Republic
21. Ana Rosa Soares, Monitoring & Evaluation Officer – MDGs Focal Point; UNDP Brazil
22. Ram Shankar, Assistant Resident Representative and Recovery Manager; UNDP Maldives
23. Clement Hervé; MDGs and Poverty Reduction/ Governance Team, UNDP Algeria
24. Amitava MukherjeePh.D, Senior Economic Affairs Officer and Officer-in-Charge, UNESCAP UNAPCAEM China
25. Marina Ponti, Deputy Director – Europe; UN Millennium Campaign Italy
26. Rini Reza, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Serbia
27. Boubacar Fall, Programme Officer – Governance; UNDP Senegal
28. Boubacar Fall, Programme Officer; UNCDF/UNDP Senegal
29. Owais Parray, Technical Advisor; UNDP Indonesia
30. Tod Bill, Regional MDG Advisor, SNV Asia, Viet Nam
31. Luke Wasonga, Senior Advisor – Governance; UNDP Mozambique
32. Neil Boyer, Deputy Resident Representative; UNDP Swaziland
33. Xiaojun Grace Wang, Team Leader - Democratic Governance and HIV/AIDS; UNDP China
34. Rakesh Jani, UNV Programme Officer; UNDP Lao PDR
35. Aminul Islam, Assistant Country Director - Environment & Sustainable Development; UNDP Bangladesh
36. Taimur Khilji, Policy Specialist, UNDP Regional Centre Colombo, Sri Lanka
37. Erkin Kasybekov, DGP Programme Manager; UNDP Kyrgyz Republic
38. Luke Wasonga, Senior Advisor – Governance; UNDP Mozambique
39. Beatriz Fernandez Carrillo, Programme Specialist - Civil Society Organizations Division; UNDP New York
40. Sam I. Ibanda, Assistant Resident Representative, UNDP Uganda
41. Wanjiku Margaret, Public Sector Specialist, MDG Centre - SNV ESA/ Kenya
42. Jean Kabahizi, Programme Specialist – Democratic Governance; UNDP Burundi
43. Terry Kiragu, Policy Adviser, MDG Localization and UNDP/SNV AA 4 Focal Point - MDG Support Team; UNDP New York
44. Leisa Perch, Programme Manager - Poverty Reduction, Gender; UNDP Barbados and the OECS
45. Ashiru Mahroof, MDG-NG Nigeria Roundtable

For Archived Messages, please visit: http://practices.undp.org/democratic-governance/e-discussions/?src=121515  or our e-Discussion Wiki.
________________________________________
INTERIM SUMMARY: LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE MDGs

[Special Note: We invite you to edit the draft summary online in the e-discussion Wiki]

The e-discussion firmly endorsed the critical needs of both the innovation in leadership and, the leadership support to innovation. In fact, the achievement of the MDGs will require hundreds of thousands of leaders, champions, change agents, and innovators in every country and region, which can be witnessed if we pay closer attention and look not just at the well-established leaders, or CEOs, but also those who strive to follow in their footsteps or break the grounds by not following them. Members repeated throughout the discourse that champions and change agents are rarely created; they emerge from the society following either an enabling environment for their rise or a desperate situation that pushes natural leaders to stand up for the rights of the people. However, governments, international community, private sector, media, NGOs, CSOs- all stakeholders could forge a meaningful partnership to achieve MDGs, and, more importantly, to look beyond the 2015 phase.

Strengthening Engagement with Democratic Governance
The overall tone of the discussion indicates that governance is still not sufficiently addressed in the MDG implementation process. Few people look at the Millennium Declaration when talking about the MDGs. It is rarely recognized that the 8th MDG on “Global Partnership for Development” specifically includes ‘a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction’ – both nationally and internationally. It also implies that social actors cannot be effective alone, be it the governments, UN agencies or others. We also forget one of the overarching themes of the Millennium Declaration: the continued and consistent political commitment of states to promote and protect human rights.
In most cases, governance is seen as what governments do and a lot of the UN’s effort is to strengthen government capacity. It is also important not to lose sight of the sub-national/provincial and local level. National or local representatives do make key decisions affecting the life of millions. Supporting parliaments and local councils as institutions, but also MPs and Local Councilors as individuals are undoubtedly initiatives with great potential returns in terms of leadership for the achievement of the MDGs. This work together with the work with political parties has to be on long-term basis.
Member identified four critical challenges which are also responsible for the lack of required level of MDG achievement process engagement with democratic governance: i) The status of democratization processes, particularly in Sub-Saharan African countries; ii) The lack of non-state actors in remote poor areas; iii) The weak capacity of the local CSOs, and, their subsequent shrinking financial support; IV) the invisible groups i.e., disadvantaged and vulnerable groups are under-represented at formal structures of the state, market and civil society.
Accountable and transparent institutions of governance would not be enough in achieving the MDGs, if its instrumentality, especially the bureaucracy suffers from what some called ‘empathy deficit’ or ‘empathy imbalance’. It is equally important to keep in mind the obligations of the rich countries in delivering on their promises. Therefore, the need for improved governance at the global level with democratic accountability is greater than ever. This implies not only to deliver more and better aid but also to allow for more equity in international decision making and to consider the impact of their trade and agricultural policies on poor countries to ensure ‘globalization benefits all’ as agreed in the Millennium Declaration.
The participants, however, cautioned that sometimes we expect too much of the MDGs and apart from Goal 8 they do not inform us about how to achieve the Goals but rather what the donor and partner governments commit to achieving. Whatever global commitments are going to be made post-2015, one hopes that at least, a specific Goal on good governance could be constructed and measured.

 

Key Challenges in Identifying Leaders and Innovators
Participants discussed both substantive challenges and process limitations to identify leaders, sectoral champions, change agents, innovators, especially those representing the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups (i.e., marginalized communities etc.) through formal and informal processes at both national and sub-national/local levels. They also raised the issue of standard definition— what kind of act or sequence of acts qualifies someone to be regarded as a ‘champion’ or ‘innovator’?

• Defining Leadership: Members cautioned us that we should not construe the concept of leadership too narrowly in our discourse to the obvious detriment of our achievement of the MDGs. Many of our efforts in strengthening leadership capacities have tended to focus on the political and institutional leaders of developing countries ignoring the potential of leadership at the community level.
• Understanding the Underlying Political Systems and the Mechanics of Pro-poor Change: The role of institutions – both formal and informal, and underlying structural features need to be cognized. The Drivers of Change Approach, developed by DFID, is one of the concepts developed to identify, describe and to better understand the interaction between them (agents, institutions and structures). Identifying leaders is one thing. Understanding how the system works and how reforms can be realistically introduced, implemented and sustained is a major challenge.
• Identifying Historic Origin of Discrimination: The most disturbing factor, as pointed out by participants, is the historic origin of the suffering populations i.e., Dalits, former untouchables), tribal groups, minorities etc. This is all evident from national data base available with government and development agencies. The discrimination faced by these groups and communities are so deep rooted that civil society groups and community based organisations led by these community leaders have focused more on their civil and political rights. There are very few organizations led by these communities that focus on development rights like health, nutrition, education, employment etc. These organizations are not even considered mainstream champions of development rather they are considered as political representative of their respective communities. The most visible challenges in identifying these champions come from the people at decision making positions who come from dominant sections of society because there is nobody in the development agencies to advocate for the cause of deprived communities.
• Process Limitations: While working with formal structures provide the legal authority, legitimacy and ownership to MDG processes, this also inherits the inherent weaknesses in the bureaucracy where official representation is through government appointees or conventional positions of authority, where preserving the status quo or prevailing systems often provides a strong agenda. Also, consultation processes sometimes take the form of “information drives” rather than genuine consultations, thereby limiting genuine participation of sectoral voices even if the right representations are present.
• Lack of Independent Choice and Elite Capture: Identifying non-state sectoral actors/representatives is also not quite straight-forward in a number of countries, particularly where CSOs are government-affiliated or supported as well. In other countries, on the other hand, in some cases non-state representatives are also limited to the familiar few international or national/sub national actors that are well known and have national prominence.
• Complex Agenda: Thirdly, in many cases MDG-based development planning even at the sectoral level covers a very broad and unwieldy set of agenda that getting the right participation from state and non-state actors often becomes complicated. Cramming too many agenda in one seating often diffuses the issues, and produces outputs that are sometimes all too broad and do not really respond to pressing needs.
• Promoting youth in Leadership and Innovation: Proactive support to identifying and emerging young leaders and innovators is often missing. Development programming sometimes looks at the mainstream but mapping actions along the peripheries where out-of-the-box ideas and initiatives are taking place is often weak. Also, stringent policy measures also hinder leadership and innovations and therefore without addressing these policies such creativity and leadership capacities would not flourish.
• Skills versus Competencies: Advocacy for change demands competencies not technical skills. These include sensitivity to and real understanding of issues on the ground, visioning, communicating and engaging with stakeholders, and leadership values that can emerge or may be present among ordinary citizens, government officials, and grassroots community workers. It is here where we should seek our advocates for the cause of the disadvantaged and vulnerable. The economic role of the youth is so important that it is enumerated as Target 16 of Millennium Development Goals 8 (Develop a Global Partnership for Development: ‘In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategies for decent and productive work for youth’), with indicator being the unemployment rate of 15-24-year olds, prompting the World Bank to devote the 2007 World Development Report on youth issues – "Development and the Next Generation." 
• Institutional Capacity: In most of regions (including the Arab region), institutional capacities to collect, compile, analyze and use statistics for policy and project formulation and management are weak. Such weakness makes it merely impossible for leadership to make the right decision based on accurate timely information.
• Infrastructure Gap: Infrastructure gap - a key enabler of the achievement of the MDGs- as one of the major development challenges in Africa. In this regard Henry emphasised the critical role of the young people to stand up for change, a change for the achievement of the MDG. It was observed in the World Youth Report 2007, "societies that fail to acknowledge the particular challenges facing youth and involve them in devising solutions will find it difficult to achieve the MDGs including sharp reductions in poverty levels by 2015." 
• Traditional Leadership at Local Level: Due to the distinct political system, traditional and indigenous leaders are often tasked with coordinating and implementing development interventions at the local level. Inadequate capacity of these leaders has often made government efforts to promote a ‘bottom-up’ approach to service delivery difficult. Leadership development is context specific: Leadership development is context specific, requiring solid long-term investment, and local knowledge, both socio-economic and cultural.

Strategies to promote innovation, and, developing leadership capacity
Developing their capacities for inclusive leadership can have a significant impact on the achievement of development outcomes. While government being central and primary actor to promote democratic governance/participatory development, NGOs/CSOs need transformation and be strategic to enhance their development impacts.

South-South Collaboration: A number of participants emphasised on greater South-South cooperation for sharing experiences, good practice, and expertise. The ability to look beyond the horizon and look at the bigger picture, to come up with holistic solutions, effective listening and clear communication, empathy, passion, creating and taking advantage of windows of opportunity, and knowledge. These are the kind of leadership capabilities that should be facilitated and fostered if we are to pursue an equitable and inclusive approach to MDGs.

Credible Statistical Information System: Developing institutional capacities to produce quality statistics would not only facilitate monitoring and reporting on MDGs, but also contribute to greater transparency and accountability. The next stage, credible trend analysis based on statistical information available at the country level is of great significance.

Xiaokang: The Chinese vision notion of Xiaokang (Well-off) society by 2020. The guidelines for achieving such a vision emphasize balances between regions, between rural and urban areas, between economic and social development, between human and nature, and between domestic development and international cooperation. This development vision mirrors in many respects the concepts and principles of the Millennium Declaration and targets broader than the Millennium Development Goals.

Indigenous Issues: The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues recently alerted us by saying: ‘The Permanent Forum once again reiterates its concern that reports developed and presented by many States on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals and poverty reduction strategy papers still do not adequately include and address indigenous peoples, nor do they include their participation, and it therefore calls on States to rectify this situation and on United Nations agencies to support their efforts’.

Public Administration Reforms: In several sub-Saharan African countries public sector reforms impacted the following issues:
• Managers in public service have more discretion in undertaking tasks but at the same time, they have greater responsibility for results. This makes them ideal champions for MDGs in their sectors. In this case performance is assessed against explicitly set targets, making the public service more results oriented rather than task oriented.
• Resource allocation is pegged on results achieved and performance documented, and this becomes an incentive for greater achievement.
• Departments and individual units have more autonomy and thus have more flexibility to prioritize needs based on local/community realities.
• There is more engagement of the private sector and incorporation of elements of the private sector in public service delivery including the latent emphasis for value for money in the sense that costs are cut to achieve greater results with less inputs.

Leadership and Innovation of Non-state Actors
Engagement of non-state actors (political parties, CSOs, media, NGOs, CBOs etc.) is not a linear and one-go process; there are some good examples and documentation on the ways to engage non state actors in the MDG processes. The UN Millennium Campaign’s works with citizens across six constituencies – civil society organizations, parliamentarians, local authorities, youth, media and the private sector The recent training manual published by UNDP highlights five interrelated roles (figure below) that UNDP could play for CSOs engagement in preparation, implementation and monitoring of MDG based national development strategies.

Source: Training Manual - Role of CSOs in MDG Based National Development Strategies

Disadvantaged Groups and Marginalized Communities: Bringing change agents and innovators from the disadvantaged and marginalized groups and communities in the leadership of development sector possible only if we have inclusive organizations with greater representation of disadvantaged groups and marginalized communities. There is a strong need to audit existing development organizations based on the equity of representations. Only through this, marginalized voices could be effectively heard.

Promoting Involvement of Local Actors: There is increasing recognition that an equitable and inclusive approach to MDG based development agenda can only be pursued if the goals are translated into actions at the sub-national levels and by active involvement of local actors. Therefore local government and civil society organizations, especially those representing the disadvantaged and vulnerable groups can play the role of strategic actors in addressing development challenges and capitalizing on development opportunities at the local level. To be an effective agent of poverty reduction, NGOs/CSOs need to cast their eyes, beyond the structure in which their micro-work takes place. NGOs and CSOs are better positioned to test out new initiatives and come up with ‘good practices’ that can be scalable and significantly contribute to the achievement of the MDGs. This potential contributions and roles of NGOs can best be realized under the democratic governance system which can be characterized by:
• Increasing space for testing new initiatives
• Promoting decentralized policy,
• Recognizing the role of NGOs,
• Increasing space for participation of NGOs/CSOs,
• Enhancing relationship and Trust,
• Defining/agreeing on shared agenda
• Support (financial, administrative, and political) to innovative work

For better participation and contribution in the participatory development/ inclusive leadership system, private sector, NGOs/CSOs need to develop capabilities in:
• Generating evidence of good-practices through research,
• Linking their micro level engagements to macro or policy advocacy work,
• Institutionalizing and exercising open, transparent, accountable and learning system,
• Actively participating in the governance system, networks, forums, alliances, movement and articulating and advocating the interest and priorities of the poor and marginalized group,
• Enhancing quality relationship with governments and other stakeholders,

Decentralisation is not a Panacea: There is little evidence in the development work supporting the argument that more decentralization leads automatically to less poverty. Decentralization badly designed or wrongly implemented may lead (as often the case in many places) to frustration. Decentralization, as a political process, may lead to a series of pitfalls; therefore it is not a panacea for the solution of development challenges in general and for poverty reduction in specific.

Political Parties: This is one of the areas of untapped potential. Political parties could be encouraged to incorporate the MDG targets as part of their manifesto, which of course can only happen if the political parties feel that this is sufficiently important to get votes and it is an issue that people really consider important.

Private Sector: To get beyond the rhetoric of public-private partnership, actual intention and related outputs need to be underscored in initial analysis/assessments, design, implementation and, objective evaluation of such initiatives. Members asked private sectors to implement concrete initiatives that apply their core business, skills, and expertise in a transformative and scalable manner that will enhance growth and wealth creation to help meet the MDGs. This is not about encouraging more philanthropy or corporate social responsibility, but producing business ideas that are both commercially viable and help to achieve the MDGs.

Media - Old and New: The role of media in the process of updating and disseminating information on the status of the MDG attainment within the country is critical. The new media and distinct social networking tools also present new opportunities. The leadership role of the media is the one often downplayed but the one with real implications for the broader MDG effort. It can often be about the things they do not do or the stand they did not take that can not only impact on how an issue is seen but impacts on the “public version” of the truth. The internet based new media opened new horizon for innovative projects undertaken by media and social activists.

Peer Network of Champions and Change Agents: Members suggested hosting a regional conference to bring the Champions of the MDGs from the different countries prior to the 2010 update on MDGs. The conference could create a Peer Network of Champions and Change Agents. This can be segregated at national and sub-national levels. Each country could also create Youth MDG Ambassadors to carry the MDG message throughout the country.

Scaling-up: Careful scaling up of successful programmatic interventions imbued with innovations would expand limited impact beyond the pilot level. The proposed Peer Network could play important role in this regard. NGOs often test out new approaches and start small. Despite their increased number, their enhanced understanding of the issues of poverty and growing engagement in a wider range of development activities, so far, they could not bring about a far reaching impact and make a difference. Even when their initiatives become successful, they usually remain small, especially compared to the scale of the challenges of poverty. Their success only becomes sustainable or reaches significant scale if they influence national level development programmes and policies.
Some Examples of Leadership Initiatives: Action Aid Ethiopia has introduced an innovative alternative basic education model which later on has become part of the national education sector programme. The contribution of this alternative basic education approach to the attainment of one of the MDGs, achieving access to basic education and ensuring gender equity and current high enrollment rate is so great. The study shows concrete evidence of democratic governance or participatory development as enabling factor for successful implementation and impact of development programmes. UNDP Regional Centres in Bangkok and Colombo have been implementing a leadership development initiative called Asian Young Leaders in Governance (AYLG) to strengthen leadership of state and non-state actors, and recognizing the importance of an often neglected group that can be instrumental in societal change, namely the youth. The Bratislava Regional Centre (BRC) in cooperation with Europe and CIS UNDP country offices has been actively working on strengthening the capacities of local leaders to mobilize all stakeholders for integrated local development planning, budgeting and implementation and for improved usage of disaggregated data in local development decision making. For example, a ‘Leadership for Localization of the MDGs’ training program was developed and a training of trainers workshop held in Tashkent in March 2006 (a partnership effort between the BRC Capacity Development and Poverty Practices, UNDP Uzbekistan and LEAD International) for pro active government role in encouraging innovation, leadership and personal examples to flourish and serve public cause. Pro-active government role can make significant difference. One such example was of the National Innovation Foundation (www.nifindia.org) a Government -funded body set up in 2000 that now boasts of a database of over 75000 innovations and practices from all parts of India.

More Points to Ponder!

• The Spotlight on Africa: Most of the members highlighted or referred the challenges faced by Africa in improving human development and achieving MDGs. They expressed particular concerns at the pace of development in Sub-Saharan African countries. They felt that the state of democracy and democratic reforms were somewhat ignored in the mainstream MDG discourse.
• Foreign Direct Investment: On one hand the MDGs are a set of noble goals and targets that requires resources; on the other hand FDI is an investment that is tangible to Governments with an important requirement of accountability for default on payment. In conclusion how do we hold leaders accountable in not achieving the MDGs based National Development Agenda? This raises the importance of national ownership of the MDGs, leadership at all levels, civic engagement and empowerment of the communities to hold their leaders accountability.
• Constant and inclusive dialogue: Facilitating public and private entities to be part of the MDGs Agenda requires a constant and inclusive dialogue with Governments. It also implies integrated development systems backed by participatory discourse with impact at national and local level. Involvement of the youth in this process is also very important.
• Decent and Productive Employment: Decent and productive employment for youth is a major commitment of the Millennium Development Goals and should reflect in promoting inclusive leadership and innovation for the achievement of the national development agenda. Access to productive and decent work is the best way young people can realize their aspirations, improve their living conditions and actively participate in society. Decent work for young people provides them with significant benefits in terms of increased wealth, a commitment to democracy, security and political stability. It strengthens economies. And it creates a cadre of young consumers, savers, and taxpayers who fuel the energy, innovation and creativity that attract domestic and foreign direct investment.
• Community Empowerment: Community empowerment through expanding choice of vulnerable people in accessing to natural resources and its management is instrumental to bring positive change toward achieving MDGs. Examples of effective local level leadership and innovations which are available all over the world needs to be captured, disseminated, and replicated with win-win objectives of reducing poverty and protecting biodiversity.
• Capacity Development: A clear role for Capacity Development in the issue of Leadership processes and methodologies – both in terms of supporting current leaders and in supporting the emergence of new ones have been articulated.

The e-discussion has clearly shown the variety of contexts and conditions in which we work. Efforts are required to ensure that development practitioners on the ground have the appropriate knowledge and tools to be able to respond to all possible situations. Capacity and leadership development need to be addressed in a more systematic and sustainable manner. The discussion also underpinned that the governance of the society is no longer the sole prerogative of the government – the public purpose is today being advanced through the combined effort of all relevant sectors in society.

Resources

Key Resources

• Governance and the Millennium Development Goals: Core Issues and Good Practices – UNDESA 2007
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/un/unpan025110.pdf 
• Performance Management: A Practical Guide for Practitioners,’ UNDP/Urban Institute 2007
http://europeandcis.undp.org/home/show/2A7F5B49-F203-1EE9-B9863332DCFE3203
• Participatory Governance and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – UNDESA 2008
Web Portal: http://www.un-ngls.org/site/article.php3?id_article=406  
Report: http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UN/UNPAN028359.pdf
• Delivering as one: Asia Pacific Regional MDG Road Map 2008-2015 - UNESCAP 2008
http://www.unescap.org/pdd/publications/MDGRoadmap/MDGRoadMap2008.pdf
• Tackling Corruption, Transforming Lives: Asia Pacific RHDR - UNDP 2008
http://www.undprcc.lk/ext/crhdr/home.asp  
• Study on Capacity, Change and Performance – Center for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) 2008 http://www.impactalliance.org/file_download.php?location=S_U&filename=12106062141Morgan_Baser__2008_Study-Report_Capacity_Performance_Change_06052008.pdf
• World Development Report 2004: Making services work for poor people – World Bank 2004 http://econ.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTDEC/EXTRESEARCH/EXTWDRS/EXTWDR2004/0,,menuPK:477704~pagePK:64167702~piPK:64167676~theSitePK:477688,00.html
• Working Paper 236: Decentralization and poverty in developing countries: exploring the impact - OECD 2004
http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=583762
• Fighting poverty through fiscal decentralization – USAID 2006
http://www.fiscalreform.net/best_practices/pdfs/fighting_poverty_through_fiscal_decentralization.pdf
• From Universal Values to Millennium Development Goals: Lost in Translation - Ashwani Saith
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-7660.2006.00518.x  

Millennium Development Goals: Key Documents and Reports

• Millennium Declaration - UN 2000
http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.pdf
• Millennium Development Goals: Progress Report: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004
• Millennium Development Goals Progress Chart: 2007 | 2006 | 2005
• Africa and the Millennium Development Goals (2007 update)
• The MDG and the Role of the United Nations (Fact Sheet 1) – UN 2002
• Country-by-Country reports (Fact Sheet 2) – UN 2002
• Progress on world anti-poverty goals (PDF) – UN 2004
• Secretary-General's MDG Report: 2007 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

MDG Regional Reports
• Economic Commission for Europe – ECE 2005
• Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
• Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
• Economic Commission for Africa
• Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia

Training Guides, Manuals and Toolkits

• Training Programme: Leadership for Localization of the MDGs - UNDP 2006
http://europeandcis.undp.org/governance/show/20819811-F203-1EE9-B4C05A9526D57B2A
• Training Programme: Localizing the MDGs: The Role for Local Leaders and Using Disaggregated Data for Local Development - UNDP 2007
http://europeandcis.undp.org/governance/show/3EFF3027-F203-1EE9-B8E133F665B0E3B9
• Toolkit for Partnership Based Preparation and Implementation of Local/Regional Development Strategy, UNDP 2007
http://europeandcis.undp.org/files/uploads/LG/toolkit_en_final_formatted.doc
• Training Manual - Role of CSOs in MDG Based National Development Strategies – UNDP 2007
http://www.undp.org/partners/cso/publications/CSO_Training_Modules_%20on_%20MDG_%20strategies.pdf

Country Studies and Documents

Barbados and the OECS
• UNDP Barbados and the OECS: http://www.bb.undp.org/  
• Protocol Four of the Social Partnership 2001 -2004 – UNDP Barbados and the OECS 2004
http://sdnhq.undp.org/w/images/8/87/DG_%26_MDGs-_Phase_II_-_Leisa_Perch_Protocolfourofthesocialpartnership.pdf  

Ethiopia
• UNDP Ethiopia: http://www.et.undp.org/
• Prospects for the Achievement of the MDGs-Scaling up Good Practices - UNDP 2007
http://sdnhq.undp.org/w/images/8/82/DG_%26_MDGs-_Phase_II_-_GirmaBHailu_Prospects_for_MDGs.pdf  
This study shows concrete evidence of democratic governance or participatory development as enabling factor for successful implementation and impact of development programmes. As many African countries, particularly SSA are far behind the MDGs targets, governments or policy makers, governments should enhance their partnership with CSOs/NGOs and promote democratic governance for effective implementation and achievement towards MDGs.
• Abstract-Prospects for the Achievement of the MDGs-Democratic Governance as enabling Factor for better development impacts - UNDP 2007
http://sdnhq.undp.org/w/images/d/de/DG_%26_MDGs-_Phase_II_-_GirmaBHailu_Abstract_DG_for_for_MDGs.pdf

Pakistan
• UNDP Pakistan: http://www.undp.org.pk/  
• Towards a Gender Mainstreaming Strategy – UNDP 2005
http://www.undp.org.pk/publication/GMS.pdf  
• Legal Empowerment in Pakistan – UNDP 2007 http://www.un.org.pk/undpnew/publication/Legal%20Empowerment%20in%20Pakistan.pdf

Uganda
• UNDP Uganda: www.undp.or.ug
• 2007 MDG Progress Report – UNDP 2007
http://www.undp.or.ug/resources/view/16#
• Uganda National Human Development Report – UNDP 2007
http://www.undp.or.ug/resources/view/16# 

Uzbekistan
• UNDP Uzbekistan: http://www.undp.uz/  
• Policy Brief - Official Statistics in Uzbekistan: Institutional Basis, Quality and Access – UNDP 2006
http://www.cer.uz/index.php?&lang=1&menu=7&report=list&year=2006

Websites

• Millennium Development Goals – United Nations
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
• Governance and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – UNDP
http://www.undp.org/governance/mdgs.htm
• UNDP and civil society organizations - Publications
http://www.undp.org/partners/cso/publications.shtml
• UNDP PAR-AC and the MDGs
http://www.undp.org/governance/mdgs.htm
• UNDP RBEC
http://europeandcis.undp.org/pia  
• Governance Assessments – UNDP Oslo Governance Center
http://www.undp.org/oslocentre/flagship/democratic_governance_assessments.html
• THE MDG Monitor
http://www.mdgmonitor.org/
• Millennium Campaign
www.endpoverty2015.org
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