What 2014 might bring for 2015 and beyond

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The New Year brings new plans for the way forward, which will hopefully lead to a post-2015 development framework being agreed in September 2015.

At the 7^th Open Working Group (OWG) session on SDGs in January, the co-chairs suggested a process forward which you can also find outlined in their letter from 17 January. It will be discussed and probably even agreed in an additional meeting on 4 February. Here a little overview of the suggested next steps:

Traffic report for the road to post-2015

Download pdf Graphic

The outcome document of the UN General Assembly Special Event about a month ago was a positive step in the right direction for some and a disappointment for others. Either way, after being approved by the General Assembly recently, it delivered clarity on the road map for the post-2015 process which is doubtless an advantage for future planning and allows us to focus on the substance and stop obsessing about the process. At least for a while.

Does climate change matter to people living in poverty?

COMPASS research session in Bolivia

Based on what we learnt when we asked them, I would say “yes, definitely”. CAFOD’s recent research report ‘COMPASS 2015’ used a range of participatory methods to provide in-depth evidence on the priorities, challenges, visions and aspirations of poor or marginalised people. The participatory nature of the research empowers participants to articulate the messages they want policy-makers to hear.

Post-2015 – Quo Vadis?

Now that the High Level Panel on post-2015 development has concluded with its report and the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals goes soon into its very long summer break until November, it is a good time to take a step back and look at what lies ahead. Let’s look at the map for the post-2015 process – what a scenic route through partly unknown territory it is!

Due to popular demand, we have put together another colourful diagram that charts a possible route for the post-2015 train. Think of this as your track service update and timetable.

Open Working Group on SDGs is ‘getting down to business’

Young people in Brazil also getting down to business (growing towards peace project)

The Kenyan Co-chair, Mr. Kamau, opened the recent session of the Open Working Group (OWG) on SDGs taking place in New York from 17-19 April urging delegates to ‘get serious and get on with the business’. This is great news since the OWG has been a long time coming. Initially expected in September 2012, it only came into being at the beginning of this year. The delay was caused by tough negotiations on modalities that resulted in 70 countries sitting in 30 seats.

While Member States were still busy refining the modalities during the first session in March, the second session in April addressed a couple of central issues head on: What do universality and differentiated targets for country context look like in practice? How should poverty eradication be addressed in the framework – as overarching target or as a goal (or both)?

Poverty eradication as top priority?

I presume the fact that poverty is on the top of the agenda is a sign that it is a top priority, or even outcome number one. In that case there is a risk that this focus on poverty eradication might be lost further down the line during the sessions scheduled over the next ten months, which cover a wide range of topics related to human development, inclusive growth and environmental sustainability. After all, the purpose of the framework should be keeping poverty eradication on the international agenda, focusing on the poorest and most marginalized, while ensuring that all countries take action to keep development within our planet’s natural thresholds.

CAFOD’s new paper: ‘Building from the ground up’

How the foundations of a post-2015 framework should translate into change for people in poverty

CAFOD has published a new paper on the post-2015 agenda. ‘Building from the ground up’ looks at the value-add of a global development framework, contributing to the discussion to define the post-2015 agenda. It looks in detail at the values CAFOD believes the framework should be built on to take us towards a shared vision for global development. The paper shows how this can be practically done by suggesting example goals which embody those values, including empowering governance, equitable economies, and resilient livelihoods.

Finally, it makes a suggestion on the framework architecture, and how indicators can link across goals to ensure that no goal can be left behind while the others make progress.

As ever, your comments, thoughts and feedback are welcomed – we’ll be developing our thinking further throughout the year as the findings from the participatory research from COMPASS 2015 emerge.

The post-2015 consultations – does quantity add to quality?

A women’s group meeting in Bangladesh as part of a CAFOD project to improve food and livelihood security in the context of climate change

Ever since the United Nations (UN) were created, civil society fought to establish and strengthen their position as crucial stakeholders in UN processes. So how could civil society ever say no, if consulted as part of a UN process? But looking at the consultations on the post-2015 development framework, I wonder if there is point when consultations cannot serve their purpose anymore.

A Happy New Year for the intergovernmental post-2015 process?

While the UN High Level Panel on post-2015 is in full swing, the intergovernmental process, primarily the Open Working Group (OWG) on sustainable development goals (SDGs), has yet to come into existence. Agreed at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (‘Rio+20’) last June, the OWG was meant to be launched at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in September 2012 but to no avail.

Busy Christmas for the Post-2015 High Level Panel

Getting ready for the next round

The Eminent Persons on the High Level Panel (HLP) on post-2015 development, supported by their advisers and the UN HLP secretariat, are currently preparing for their next meeting in Monrovia, Liberia. Preliminary dates are 6-8 February 2013 but it might be moved forward because of diary clashes between the Heads of State co-chairing the Panel.

Post-2015 processes at UN and Beyond 2015

Due to popular demand, CAFOD has updated the colourful post-2015 timeline outlining the current status of UN processes and Beyond 2015 processes.  It is a busy space but the colour code at the top of the chart should help navigating the graphic. To download the graphic click Post-2015 UN and B2015 process overview v07112012