M.D.G. Campaign
What Changes are Needed?
Point 1
We need to recognise and admit that WE are failing on the delivery of the Millennium Development Goals - internationally and within individual countries and that more, much more, needs to be done between now and the target date of 2015.
We are asking governments and international organisations such as the UN and the institutions of the European Union to live up to the Millennium Declaration and to put in place the commitment, the policies, the structures and the finances that will make the goals real. We are also asking you to dismantle those political, economic and social structures and processes that undermine the Goals - international policies need to be consistent, supported and coherent if progress is to be made.
YOU can make a difference by ensuring that:
- Each country which has signed the Millennium Declaration develops a transparent and measurable national strategy for the Goals taking into account that country's needs, capacities and situation. Developed countries in particular, must have a policy for addressing MDG issues within their own country as well as in relation to developing countries particularly in education, trade, aid, women, democracy and public awareness.
- The MDGs must be linked into all aspects of decision-making, policy and budgeting if they are to be achieved in the medium to long term.
- The progress of the MDGs is regularly measured in public through democratic structures in order to track the changes and challenges but also to ensure the process does not lose energy and direction.
- A number of agreed 'quick wins', are incorporated into the national plans of governments which would have immediate effect on the lives of the poorest if adequately financially supported, for example, eliminating school and uniform fees; designing community nutrition programmes, training large numbers of village workers in health and farming; distributing free, insecticide-treated bed-nets to all children in malaria zones etc.
Point 2 - Trade and the MDGs
Governments, politicians and business people must find a way of opening up international markets to developing countries and when negotiating international trade agreements, governments should actively involve and support developing countries to ensure a better deal and greater flexibility to improve human development in poorer countries. This will involve tough decisions for richer governments and economies and positive discrimination and differential treatment for developing countries.
The reality of poverty for millions of people around the world could be reduced and/or eliminated by making international markets more easily accessible for developing countries. However, international structures such as trade and agricultural policies and laws often discriminate against poorer countries. As it stands, approximately 900 million people depend on agriculture for their everyday livelihoods but markets are restricted for them due to subsidies and overproduction by richer countries and economies. Even a 1% increase in developing countries share of world exports has the potential to raise 128 million people out of poverty.
YOU can make a difference by ensuring that:
- European Union and United States economies as well as the Word Trade Organisation (WTO) take seriously their responsibilities to developing nations by supporting the MDGs in all international trade agreements, through making sure that developing countries are not forced to accept unfair trade deals.
- All agricultural policies are reformed and all agreements (including the Economic Partnership Agreement) are reviewed to ensure maximum participation and positive results for developing countries.
- Governments and international leaders are taken to task on why barriers to products from developing countries are twice as high as those for developed countries.
- The use of agricultural subsidies by richer countries is urgently addressed - this practice discriminates against poorer people.
- All world and trade organisations, which have power to make a difference in this regard be lobbied and encouraged to change their attitudes and actions for the betterment of a large section of the world population.
Point 3 - AID and the MDGS
International aid is an important and necessary part of the MDG agenda. It must be made to work more effectively and to be focused directly on many of the needs embodied in the MDGs. Governments and societies in the rich world must be made live up to the internationally agreed standard of 0.7% of GNP. Aid to Africa must be doubled if the Goals are to be realised. EU aid must be realigned to serve the objectives of the MDGs more realistically.
We ask the question - the world has never been richer, there are now more donors than ever, yet the level of aid per person is less than it was 40 years ago! Why is this?
YOU can make a difference by ensuring that:
- Developed countries deliver on the commitment to 0.7% by 2015 and that this target is reached.
- The Group of 8 of the world's richest and most powerful countries must live up to the promise made in 2005 to double aid to Africa by 2010. The EU has promised that its aid will almost double to €67 billion by 2010 (yet aid declined between 2005 and 2006 and shows little possibility of increase in 2007). This raises questions about EU commitment to developing countries and to the MDGs. Aid must not be linked to the purchase of goods and services in rich countries.
- Continuing debt cancellation needs higher priority and the 'savings' need to be invested in areas such as health and education.
- All EU governments should have an MDG Development Policy which includes medium and long-term targets, which are realistically agreed, budgeted for and monitored.
Point 4 - Basic Needs and the MDGS
Over the past three decades, there have been measurable improvements in some of the most basic areas of human need - life expectancy, nutrition, education and health. National and international policies and strategies must continue to focus on the needs of the poorest - child and maternal mortality, basic education and healthcare, water and sanitation and environmental concerns. MDG focused strategies need to be strongly linked to these Goals.
YOU can make a difference by ensuring that:
- In education: education targets set by organisations (such as the Global Campaign for Education) are recognised and realistically supported; that teachers, schools and students are properly resourced and supported and that young people are encouraged at all times to stay and complete their education.
- In health: ensuring that developing countries have the medical and administrative personnel to tackle health issues; appropriate training and support are provided: resources are focused on the sectors of society most affected by HIV/AIDS as well as other diseases; strategies are developed to halt the medical 'brain drain' to rich countries and that urgent attention is given to the distribution of affordable drugs from developed to developing countries.
- In child mortality: through greater access to skilled and fully trained community-based birth attendants along with greatly improved basic health care as close to the surrounding population as possible; through programmes that tackle the preventable deaths of children (due to diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria, neonatal infection, pneumonia, or lack of oxygen etc.); through ensuring that necessary and vital vaccines available to local health centres and communities etc. The health of a child is largely connected to the health of its mother. Therefore it is vital that proper care and attention in terms of services and nutrition be made available to mothers (and their children) during pregnancy and after birth.
- In environment: the issue of climate change can no longer be ignored and in the long term, the poorest countries will suffer the most. We need a serious, task oriented and properly resourced international strategy is required and urgently. Access to safe, good quality drinking water and basic sanitation needs to remain a priority and the privatisation of water supplies should be discouraged at every opportunity.
Point 5 - Democracy, Participation and the MDGS
Democracy, public accountability, participation and local ownership are fundamental to the realisation of the Millennium Declaration. Political structures in the developed world have a particular responsibility to ensure these values and practices underpin international development policies. Developing country politicians and political structures need to be held accountable for decisions made or not made. Civil society organisations need to be included realistically in the planning, delivery and monitoring of MDG strategies.
YOU can make a difference by ensuring that:
- MDG policies are not designed and delivered in a 'top down' manner - involving citizens and local organisations in the planning, delivery and monitoring of MDG programmes will ensure that governments and the political system are held accountable and democracy is strengthened.
- Parliamentarians hold their government and international policy making bodies accountable for the decisions they make and for their actions or inactions and for the results that follow.
- Members of local parliaments as well as those representing their countries internationally are kept up to date with the latest world and regional development and human rights reports which should influence how parliamentarians and legislators work and vote.
Point 6 - Awareness Raising
The MDG agenda is not a 'private agenda', it is not reserved for civil servants, politicians or development 'experts' - it is a public agenda which the citizens of every country have a right and a duty to engage with. Awareness of the MDG agenda in all its dimensions is fundamental to ensuring the realisation of the overall agenda.
YOU can make a difference by ensuring that:
- Governments, civic, social and economic organisations as well as individuals should be made aware of the MDG agenda. This could be done in a number of different ways - supporting NGOs and educational institutions working in the area, hosting national and local events on the subject, creating a working group on the MDGs, using national and local media etc.
- Politicians and legislators are kept informed of the most up to date developments relating to the MDGs so that greater and informed parliamentary discussion and debate takes place.
- Governments should publish annual reports on their progress towards achieving the MDGS and opportunities should be provided for debate and discussion of these reports.
- Voluntary organisations including NGOs, youth and community organisations are supported in their work of raising the public's awareness of the MDGs.
- Those in the media use their influential platform to highlight some of the most difficult human and development issues of our time. Government and politicians should work in partnership with the media to bring development news to the attention of the public.