Setting the post-2015 development compass

Posted on 31/07/2013
By Martin Petts
Ms Gunilla Carlson

Setting the post-2015 development compass: voices from the ground, was the theme of a meeting jointly hosted by CAFOD, Participate and the Commonwealth Foundation, yesterday.

Ms Gunilla Carlson, pictured, Minister for International Development Cooperation, Sweden and a member of the High Level Panel on the post-2015 Development Agenda, gave a keynote speech outlining her thoughts on post-2015 development. She described the opportunity at hand to eradicate extreme poverty and welcomed the new approaches to development. This stemmed from a change in outlook, which now recognised people as agents of their own development – rather than the recipients of aid. Looking ahead, the Minister highlighted responsive and accountable governance as well as gender equality as the foundations for any new global development framework. 

The meeting provided a catalyst for debate around the issues facing civil society and launched the publication of CAFOD’s COMPASS report, showing how the wellbeing of poor people has deteriorated over the past 15 years.

Vijay Krishnarayan, Director the Commonwealth Foundation, said the meeting was of particular interest to the Foundation because of its work taking soundings from civil society in 20 countries on the post MDG framework. 

“Our joint project with the UN Millenium Campaign has reviewed national experiences of civil society engagement with the MDGs and enabled a discussion among civil society about their aspirations for a post 2015 world.  It has attracted widespread support because of the emphasis it placed on consultation – a principle that also ran through the COMPASS 2015 project.”

“Without a commitment to consultation there is no basis for dialogue, no transparency or accountability,” said Krishnarayan. “How else can governments be held accountable for the commitments they have made – or indeed how can civil society organisations demonstrate that they have kept their side of the development deal?”

The national reports from the 20 countries involved in the Commonwealth Foundation’s post 2015 project will be available shortly. 

In his closing remarks, Lazarus Muganda, First Secretary at the Kenya High Commission in London, said the Post-2015 agenda should deliver on the promise of sustainable development and call on the world to rally round a new Global Partnership that offers hope and a role to every person in the world.

http://www.cafod.org.uk/News/UK-News/Compass-report

THIS POST IS A PART OF:

Commonwealth Perspectives: the post-2015 Millennium Development Goal agenda

For the Millennium Development Goals to be effective, they must be inclusive

Explore