Training Workshop on Citizen Action for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Module 1: The Millennium Development Goals in the Global Agenda

Transcription

1 Training Workshop on Citizen Action for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Module 1: The Millennium Development Goals in the Global Agenda

2 I. MODULE OBJECTIVES

3 Objectives An output of the World Civic Forum 2009 Training Workshop on Citizen Action for the Millennium Development Goals, Module 1: The Millennium Development Goals in the Global Agenda is an educational tool that seeks to highlight the urgency of the Millennium Development Goals, and the challenges barricading their full achievement. General Objectives: 1. To enhance the capacities of national and local public servants for MDG implementation that integrates the engagement of civil society, community-based organizations and other stakeholders in government policy making processes 2. To enable a better understanding of the concept of citizen engagement and participation in the processes and practices of public institutions and its role in governance for MDGs achievement Specific Objectives: 1. To inform the reader about the contextual issues surrounding the Millennium Development Goals 2. To present global figures that illustrate the situation of the Millennium Development Goals 3. To identify specific problems that constrain the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals 4. To relay some solutions proposed by different stakeholders in the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals 5. To highlight the role of citizen action and participation in these proposed solutions

4 II. TARGET AUDIENCE

5 Target Audience This module seeks to educate a wide audience about the Millennium Development Goals and Citizen Engagement and Participation, and is most especially directed at capacity-building for: Public servants Researchers Members of the academe Civil society representatives Students of public administration Other students interested in the MDGs Members of local communities interested in contributing to the achievement of the MDGs

6 III. CONTEXT

7 Context In year 2000, the United Nations welcomed the new millennium by convening the Millennium Summit, encouraging the renewal of commitments to respond to the challenges that modern progress and the wide-reaching phenomenon called globalization inextricably unleashed on society. At the end of the September 6 8 summit, 147 heads of State and 189 Member States adopted the momentous Millennium Declaration, identifying key objectives that sought to translate commonly-shared values into action. The main output from the Declaration is the Millennium Development Goals the template for the major challenges facing developing countries and countries in transition. These 8 numerical and time-bound goals are considered the most significant show of commitment to the on-going worldwide development process. Six years to the 2015 target deadline, meeting the MDGs has become even more arduous due to a host of obstructions - the most recent of which is the catastrophic descent of the global financial crisis beginning in The 2009 Millennium Development Goals Report has even revealed that the crisis may well have stalled, for example, major inroads in poverty eradication from 1990 to Even without this recent global financial setback, the slow-paced fulfillment of the MDGs has long given cause for citizen participation and engagement in government policyformulation and decision-making processes, and basically in governance for development.

8 Context Table 1. United Nations Conferences and Summits The United Nations, in its Charter Preamble, declared the determination of its members to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples. To these ends (and those of other development commitments), the United Nations has over the past two decades worked at formulating and seeking consensus on possible solutions that address the pressing situations of the world s poorest, weakest and most vulnerable. UN-led conferences and summits have been crucial in providing the discussion platform for global concerns. Table 1 lists some of the major conferences and summits on specific development issues. Children, 1990, 2002 Education for all, 1990, 2000 Least Developed countries, 1990, 2001 Sustainable Development, 1992, 2002 Human Rights, 1993, 2001 Population and Development, 1994 Women, 1995, 2005 Social Development, 1995, 2005 Youth, 1998 Millennium Summit, 2000, 2005 HIV/AIDS, 2001 Financing for Development, 2002 Ageing, 2002 Information Society, 2003, 2005 Source: Nebie, G. 2009

9 IV. THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

10 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 1 GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger Target 1: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion whose income is less than $1 a day Target 2: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all, including women and young people Target 3: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

11 MDG 1:Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Progress Track Figure 1. Proportion of people living on less than $1.25 a day, 1990, 1999 and 2005 (in %) Source: MDG Report 2009 Prior to the economic crisis, the number of people in developing regions living in extreme poverty (less than $1.25 a day in 2005 prices) decreased from 1.8 billion in 1990 to 1.4 billion in The magnitude of people expected to be living in extreme poverty in 2009 is 55 to 90 million higher than anticipated before the global crisis. Average income levels have increased since 2000, lifting many people out of poverty and reducing the depth of poverty of those still extremely poor. The declining trend in the rate of undernourishment in developing countries since was reversed in 2008 due to skyrocketing food prices.

12 MDG 1:Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger Challenges for MDG 1 Needed Actions In some regions, growing populations are equated to increasing poverty Ethnic conflict and persecution and internal displacement lead to loss of employment and residence, lack of social safety nets, thus increasing poverty Limited productivity and limited wage increases (if at all), both in rural and urban regions Absence of an area s potential for job creation International food prices declined in the second half of 2008, but were not mirrored in local food prices, obstructing the anticipated improvement in access to food Productivity growth should be complemented by education and training to prepare the future workforce. MDG Report 2009 Forecast Globally, the target of halving poverty by 2015 seems likely to be achieved. But some regions will fall far short, and as many as 1 billion people are likely to remain in extreme poverty by 2015.

13 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 2 GOAL 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education Target 2.A Ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

14 MDG2: Achieve universal primary education Figure 2. Adjusted net enrolment ratio in primary education, 1999/2000 and 2006/2007 in percentage Progress Track Source: MDG Report 2009 Progress on attaining universal primary education is slow yet steady. In the developing region, primary education enrolment went up to 88% in 2007, from 83% in Of the 72 million children of primary school age who were out of school in 2007, almost half live in sub-saharan Africa, while some 18 million live in South Asia But global numbers of out-of-school children are deflating too slowly and too unevenly for universal primary education to be achieved by 2015 Meeting the universal primary education goal by the deadline will require that all children at the official entry age for primary school have access to education by 2009.

15 MDG 2: Achieve universal primary education Challenges for MDG 2 Actions that have worked Population growth puts increased pressure on resources for education Level of parental literacy could determine whether a child attends school (some parents do not perceive the importance of education to development) Limited access for ethnic, linguistic and religious minorities Increases in national spending on education Abolishment of school fees Construction of schools in underserved areas Energized recruitment of teachers More than enrolments Completing a full primary schooling course and keeping children from dropping out should be stressed. Enrolment alone does not equate to the acquisition of basic literacy and numeracy skills.

16 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 3 Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women Target 3.A Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than Ratios of girls to boys in primary, secondary and tertiary education 3.2 Share of women in wage employment in non-agricultural sector 3.3 Proportion of seats held by women in national parliament

17 MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Progress Track The 2005 target of eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education was unmet. But the enrolment ratio of girls to boys improved from 91:100 in 1999 to 95:100 in In 2007, 53 out of 171 countries had achieved gender parity in both primary and secondary education. The share of women in paid employment outside of the agricultural sector has been increasing marginally over the years but still remain extremely low in Southern Asia, Northern Africa and Western Asia. Although more women have been able to secure paid jobs outside agriculture, they have been unable to access decent work. Many women have vulnerable jobs, either as contributing family workers or as own-account workers. Figure 3. Distribution of countries by gender parity status in primary, secondary and tertiary education 2007 (in percentage) Source: MDG Report 2009 The International Labour Organization estimates that unemployment rate for women in 2009 will range from percent compared to the range for the men. Political representation of women has made strides, with the proportion of held parliamentary seats increasing in the period.

18 MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Figure 4. Unemployment Rate, world, Source: MDG Report 2009 Figure 5. Proportion of seats held by women in single or lower houses of national parliaments, 2000 and 2009 (in percentage) Source: MDG 2009

19 MDG 3: Promote gender equality and empower women Challenges for MDG 3 Overcoming the gender gap Cultural attitudes and practices that emphasize early marriage, encourage exclusion of young girls or favoring boys over girls block possible gains towards gender disparity. Lack of legal and institutional framework that ensures the advancement of gender equality and women empowerment Insufficient funding for programs that directly benefit women Weak information campaigns to educate men about the issue of gender equality Providing incentives for girls to attend school Building schools in remote communities Recruiting local teachers Proportional representation electoral systems compared to majority electoral systems enabled greater political participation for women. Use of temporary special measures or quotas, leadership training, campaign funding assist women participate in politics On a positive note Public policy has helped many countries curb gender disparity in education, increasing primary school enrolment and completion for girls and reducing poverty incidences.

20 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 4 GOAL 4: Reduce Child Mortality Target 4.A Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and Under-five mortality rate 4.2 Infant mortality rate 4.3 Proportion of 1-year old children immunized against measles

21 MDG 4: Reduce child mortality Progress Track Figure 6. Under-five mortality rate per 1,000 live births, 1990 and 2007 Source: MDG Report 2009 Deaths in children aged five and under have fallen worldwide, from 93 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 down to 67 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2007 Measles deaths have dropped by 74 percent (197,000) by 2007 from 750,000 in 2000 Sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, in particular, have made little or no progress in the fight against child mortality

22 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 5 GOAL 5: Improve Maternal Health Target 5.A Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015: 5.1 Maternal mortality ratio 5.2 Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel Target 5.B Achieve, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health 5.3 Contraceptive prevalence rate 5.4 Adolescent birth rate 5.5 Antenatal care coverage 5.6 Unmet need for family planning

23 MDG 5: Improve maternal health Progress Track Figure 7. Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births, 1990 and 2005 Source: MDG Report 2009 Improving maternal health has seen only little progress, especially in the developing region 480 maternal deaths per 100,000 births in 1990 vs. 450 deaths in 2005 Developed regions register only 9 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births compared to 450 maternal deaths in developing regions Contraceptive use has intensified in all developing regions but the need for family planning still remains high Majority of maternal deaths are caused by obstetric complications (ex. post-partum haemorrhage, infections, eclampsia, prolonged labor) and complications from unsafe abortion Among the 8 MDGs, MDG has seen the least progress so far

24 MDG 5: Improve maternal health Challenges for MDG 5 Needed Actions Underreporting or misreporting of maternal deaths are common and hinder the monitoring of progress Lack of trained personnel assistance during childbirth Inability to access adequate prenatal care Major reduction of donor funding for family planning on a per woman basis Better systems of surveillance and registration to monitor progress of maternal care initiatives Provision of good quality health services for both antenatal care Recruitment of skilled health workers assisting at childbirth Provision of access to emergency obstetric care

25 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 6 GOAL 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases Target 6.A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS 6.1 HIV prevalence among population aged years 6.2 Condom use at last high-risk sex 6.3 Proportion of population aged years with comprehensive correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS 6.4 Ratio of school attendance of orphans to school attendance of nonorphans aged years Target 6.B: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it 6.5 Proportion of population with advanced HIV infection with access to antiretroviral drugs Target 6.C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major diseases 6.6 Incidence and death rates associated with malaria 6.7 Proportion of children under 5 sleeping under insecticide-treated bednets 6.8 Proportion of children under 5 with fever who are treated with appropriate anti-malarial drugs 6.9 Incidence, prevalence and death rates associated with tuberculosis 6.10 Proportion of tuberculosis cases detected and cured under directly observed treatment short course

26 MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Progress Track Figure 8. Number of people living with HIV, number of people newly infected with HIV and number of AIDS deaths in the world (millions), Source: MDG Report 2009 From a peak of around 3.5 million people newly infected with HIV in 1996, the numbers have declined to 2.7 million by In spite of the overall decrease in newly infected individuals, the proportion of people living with HIV continues to rise, mostly due to better chances of survival. As of 2007, 33 million people were living with HIV. Overall, sub-saharan Africa is home to 67 percent of the total population of individuals living with HIV

27 MDG 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Challenges for MDG 6 Needed Actions Lack of demand for effective interventions due to differences in knowledge, perceptions, culture and language Shortage and inadequate distribution of skilled and qualified staff Inadequate drugs and medical supplies Lack of equipment, infrastructure and referral system Limited fiscal space for increased expenditures and investments Weak and overly centralized health planning and management systems, weak governance Ineffective policies for engagement with and regulation of pharmaceutical and private sectors, and improper industry practices Improvement of governance frameworks to improve institutions and policy-making processes for delivery of health services Improvement of financing sources to raise revenues efficiently while minimizing the risks from micro- and macroeconomic shocks Engaging all stakeholders to integrate and harmonize the numerous health delivery services

28 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 7 GOAL 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability Target 7.A: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and programmes and reverse the loss of environmental resources Target 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by 2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss 7.1 Proportion of land area covered by forest 7.2 CO2 emissions, total, per capita and per $1 GDP (PPP) 7.3 Consumption of ozone-depleting substances 7.4 Proportion of fish stocks within safe biological limits 7.5 Proportion of total water resources used 7.6 Proportion of terrestrial and marine areas protected 7.7 Proportion of species threatened with extinction Target 7.C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation 7.8 Proportion of population using an improved drinking water source 7.9 Proportion of population using an improved sanitation facility Target 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers 7.10 Proportion of urban population living in slums

29 MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Progress Track Target 1: Global carbon dioxide emissions as of 2006 was 28.7 billion metric tons, a massive 31% increase above 1990 levels. Target 1: As of 2006, Eastern Asia became the major regional CO2 emitter, taking over from the Commonwealth of Independent States, which in 1990 was emitting 3.8 billion metric tons of global emissions Target 1: Per capita emissions are still highest in developed regions: 12 metric tons CO2/person.year vs 3 metric tons CO2/person/year in developing regions Target 2: Proportion of terrestrial and marine protected areas is still extremely low at 12% by 2008 Target 2: The net global loss of forest area has been reduced from 7.3 million hectares/year in the period from 8.9 million hectares in decade. Target 3: In the period, access to sanitation facilities improved for 1.1 billion people around the world; 1.4 billion people are in the line to meet the 2015 target Target 3: From having the lowest sanitation coverage in the 1990s (74 million), Southern Asia improved sanitation facilities for more than 700 million people Target 3: The world is expected to meet the 2015 target of halving the number of people without access to safe drinking water. Still, by 2006 only 27% of rural dwellers had water directly piped into their homes of their premises Target 4: In 1990: almost 50% of urban population in developing regions were slum dwellers; In 2005: population reduced to 36%

30 MDG 7: Ensure environmental sustainability Challenges for MDG 7 Actions that have worked Limited institutional capacity and investment resources Lack of clear operational and measurable objectives Scant public awareness of environmental issues Failure to maximize the potential of science and technology in environmental management Territorial conflict and political instability have contributed to the prevalence, and in many cases the expansion, of slums Technology transfer to developing countries to enable their shift to energy-efficient production technologies Well-designed and implemented community-based resource management Needed actions Committed investments in environmental management Capacity-building for institutional experts and community members who can participate environmental project cycles Improve information and educational campaigns on environmental problems and the respective solutions Remedying market failures and distortions

31 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 8 GOAL 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development Target 8.A Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system Includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction both nationally and internationally Target 8.B Address the special needs of the least developed countries Includes: tariff and quota free access for the least developed countries' exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction Target 8.C Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States (through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly)

32 MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOAL 8 GOAL 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development Target 8.D Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term, with focus on such indicators as ODAs, market access and debt sustainability Target 8.E In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries Target 8.F In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

33 MDG 8: Develop a global partnership for development Progress Track Challenges Total overseas development assistance (ODA) by 2008 were still below the 0.7 percent of gross national income target set by the United Nations. Largest donor countries by amount in 2008: 1. United States 2. Germany 3. United Kingdom 4. France 5. Japan Pre-crisis committed 2010 ODA levels: $130 billion (at constant 2004 prices) In-crisis expected 2010 ODA levels : $121 billion in 2010 Additional aid needed to meet 2010 commitments: $10 - $15 billion Since some countries aid commitments were expressed as a percentage of national income, volume of aid would be negatively affected by the economic downturn. Access to the international trade system is differentiated between developed and developing countries, with the latter experiencing more setbacks and restrictions. Recent economic crisis has driven countries to seek further external borrowing, with future debt service repayments expected to become more difficult than ever. Access to and affordability of essential medicines and new technologies are limited by low incomes and inadequate public spending by governments. Initiatives to strengthen global partnerships for development need to deliver on their commitments.

34 V. BARRIERS TO THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

35 What are the barriers to meeting the MDGs by 2015? In 2002, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan commissioned the UN Millennium Project to develop a concrete action plan for the world to achieve the eight Millennium Development Goals. Its terminal report, Investing in Development, presents both the obstacles to the MDGs and the opportunities for their achievement. Lack of MDG-based aid processes Multilateral and bilateral institutions have not encouraged countries to take the MDGs seriously as operational objectives. Many low-income countries have already designed their national development plans with only a passing mention of the MDGs or with ambitious statements of them. Development assistance is not set to meet the Goals Development financing is determined by donor country preferences rather than recipient country needs. Aid flows are not being delivered as fast as was promised. Major MDG priorities are systematically overlooked Some routinely overlooked areas needing investments include: regional integration, technological upgrading, promotion of gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, among others.

36 What are the barriers to meeting the MDGs by 2015? Most development processes are stuck in the short-run The unpredictability of resource flows discourages developing countries from formulating long-term strategies based on long-term development financing. Technical support is inadequate for scale-up Technical experts have been focused on small pilot projects, that there is inadequate support extended for scaling up investment plans, especially in lowincome countries. Policy incoherence is pervasive Misaligned international and national policies for development are welldocumented, and stall the progress towards the MDGs.

37 VI. THE WAY FORWARD

38 Onwards to 2015 The international community is in joint admission that there s still much to be done while the MDGs deadline quickly approaches. Nevertheless, the hefty bulk of work to be accomplished is no deterrent to moving forward. The UN Millennium Project recommends the following general steps for achieving the Millennium Development Goals by 2015: 1. Affirm the MDGs as the operational objectives of the development process, with country-level MDG-based poverty reduction strategies as the cornerstone for development support, based on needs. 2. Promote and provide needed support for 3-year to 5-year MDG-based poverty reduction strategies anchored in a needs-based framework through Focus technical support on scaling-up investment plans to create a national MDG-based poverty reduction strategy. 4. Provide actual commitment and assistance to overlooked issues related to the MDGs. 5. Donors should execute a self-evaluation of their own development, foreign and financial policies in reference to the MDGs, to identify incoherence and aspects requiring cohesion.

39 Public Administration for the MDGs A pressing challenge for current policy and decision makers is the creation of a public administration system that integrates the principles and objectives of the Millennium Development Goals into their national and local development plans. The United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) has enumerated the roles expected of public administrators to facilitate the achievement of the MDGs. Positioning the MDGs alongside interconnected initiatives (ex. PRSPs) to enable the goals to be integrated into the overall development agenda of the country without exhausting the skills of the public sector Empowering the public sector to become accountable and proactive towards partnerships with the private sector (both for-profit and not-for-profit) and the civil society in general Developing indicators and benchmarks that monitor and measure the value of partnerships for accountability and as best practice benchmarks Building an information base and analytical and programmatic tools in support of the MDGs at the country level as well as for comparison across regions Drawing up a resource mobilization strategy that induces attracting and securing resources both internally and externally

40 Citizen engagement and participation for the MDGs At the core of development are the citizens who endure the impacts of poverty, inequality, diseases, natural calamity, and other hindrances to human well-being. Yet citizens are mostly far removed from making the decisions meant to bestow opportunities for human development. Citizen engagement and participation have been recognized as mandatory steps in fulfilling the MDGs. Through this practice of participation and engagement, it is expected that the real needs and preferences of the people are to be revealed. This revelation of real needs is then anticipated to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public initiatives, thereby saving resources that can be utilized for further development. But fundamentally, the inclusion of citizens voices from the beginning and all throughout the development process is an intrinsic human right. The succeeding slides discuss some notable advances in the exercise of the principles of citizen engagement and participation in development, including for the MDGs. Note: To read more on Citizen Engagement and Participation, please refer to Module 2

41 How can citizens participate in Policy Development? The formulation of macroeconomic policies was previously the sole privilege of the public sector, with assistance from select experts and advisers. This restriction was in place despite the fact that the vast majority affected by the very policies formulated were excluded from the whole process. This set-up is gradually being changed by the establishment of Economic and Social Councils. ORIGIN Economic and Social Councils were first established in the 1950s to serve as consultative bodies for the promotion of multi-stakeholder consultation on public policy. Traditionally formed as negotiation platforms for labor issues, these have evolved to incorporate civil society organizations in tackling social and economic issues. COMPOSITION Generally, ESCs are composed of representatives of business, civil society organizations, trade unions and government. RATIONALE / PURPOSES Conflict mitigation among contending parties to generate national agreement on economic policies Mainstreaming of multi-stakeholder views into public policies Generating legitimacy and wider acceptance of public policies Augmenting citizens trust in the government Providing platform for social partners to formulate an agenda on major socioeconomic concerns ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Traditional three-way division of membership among government, private sector and trade union. Some ESCs include civil society representatives such as academics or NGO representatives.

42 How can citizens participate for Pro-poor Policy Development? Engaging citizens in a participatory decision-making and policy-development process has itself become a poverty-reduction strategy. The World Bank: Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) Why did it come about: PRSPs were introduced by the WB in 1999 to remedy the economically hurtful impacts created by Structural Adjustment Plans in the 1980s and 1990s What is it: PRSPS are a participatory poverty reduction policy document that formulates pro-poor macroeconomic policies that became loan preconditions to developing countries How is it done: Prepared by the government through a participatory process that engages civil society and development partners with the expected output of a national strategy for poverty reduction, and involving tasks in poverty assessment, macroeconomic policy making and budgeting, and planning

43 Noted practices of citizen participation in public governance People Budgeting or Participatory Budgeting Background In many countries, citizens can neither participate in budget formulation nor access information about their budgets. The lack of transparency and accountability in governments fiscal matters has been widespread, and so are corruption and inefficiency in service delivery. Definition Participatory budgeting is a decision-making process through which citizens deliberate and negotiate over the distribution of public resources (World Bank, 2007, p.21) Process Rules and processes differ for participatory budgeting. Some general steps, however, are much like the basic components of the government budgeting cycle (refer to Figure 2) Desired Outcomes Empowered citizenry Improved resource allocative efficiency Improved accountability and transparency Increased information and education on fiscal matters Noted Experiences Porto Alegre, Brazil; South Africa; Mauritius

44 Noted practices of citizen participation in public governance Figure 8. Annual Participatory Budgeting Cycle Source: Wampler in World Bank, 2007, p. 29.

45 Noted practices of citizen participation in public governance Participation in Public Accountability or Participatory Audit Participation in Local Government Planning and Development Definition The participation in the tracking of public expenditures and reporting on the proprietary and effectiveness of the spending process (UNDESA, 2008a, p. 95) Measures Improving access to information Utilizing media s role as watchdog Strengthening rule of law Promoting political participation Definition The application of participatory processes in all facets of local governance planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring. This practice has been instrumental for MDG Localization, whereby MDGs are adapted to the local context, as well as designing and implementing local development strategies for the achievement of the MDGs. Noted Experiences Republic of Korea s Anti-Corruption Act; India s Rural Employment Programme; Mexico s Civil Society Organization Act Noted Experiences Naga City, Philippines; Bolivia

46 VII. CONCLUSIONS

47 Conclusions I. Progress and development have ushered in milestones of technological advancement, financial enrichment and human self-actualization. But to the majority of society, these fruits of progress are still far from grasp. Instead, many are left to suffer its spoils. II. The declaration of the Millennium Development Goals was, and still remains, a strong testament to both the gravity of the world s current state and the resilience of society to remedy the incidental negative effects of development processes. III. But past the half-mark to 2015, meeting the targets of the eight MDGs is still a bleak uncertainty. While eradicating extreme poverty and hunger is an optimistic expectation come 2015, erasing gender disparities, improving the health of the poor and halting environmental decay are goals that might be fulfilled much further in the future. IV. With this slow and arduous traverse to the MDG deadline, it remains necessary that the principles of citizen engagement and participation are upheld, and most importantly, put into practice. The current idealized framework for development is one that sustains economic growth and poverty reduction while simultaneously ensuring equity and environmental sustainability. Citizen engagement and participation are an essential component in every one of these development objectives. V. The opportunities for championing citizen engagement and participation are ever present, and must be seized and utilized to full potential. It could very well be that the main victory the Millennium Development Goals can claim by 2015 is the unity among the stakeholders working towards development.

48 References Used Blair, Harry Innovations in Participatory Local Governance in Participatory Governance and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Publication based on the Expert Group Meeting on Engaged Governance: Citizen Participation in the Implementation of the Development Goals including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 1-2 November New York: United Nations. Nebie, Gustave The United Nations Development Agenda: Development for All. Session module presented at the World Civic Forum 2009 Training Workshop on Citizen Action for the Millennium Development Goals, 6-8 May 2009, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Osmani, Siddiqur Participatory Governance: An Overview of Issues and Evidence in Participatory Governance and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Publication based on the Expert Group Meeting on Engaged Governance: Citizen Participation in the Implementation of the Development Goals including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 1-2 November New York: United Nations. UNDESA Participatory Governance: Engaging Citizens for Development, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Committee of Experts on Public Administration (CEPA) 6 th Session Policy Brief No. 1 UN Millennium Project Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals. New York: United Nations Development Programme. United Nations Millennium Declaration. United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report United Nations We the Peoples: The Role of the United Nations in the 21 st Century Wampler, Brian A Guide to Participatory Budgeting Paper presented at the Third Conference of the International Budget Project, Mumbai, India, November World Bank Participatory Budgeting: Public Sector Governance and Accountability Series. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

49 Useful Links 2009 MDG Report Annual Participatory Budgeting Cycle Charter Preamble Economic and Social Councils GOAL 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger (MDGMonitor) GOAL 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education (MDGMonitor) Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women (MDGMonitor) GOAL 5: Improve Maternal Health (MDGMonitor) GOAL 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases (MDGMonitor) GOAL 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability (MDGMonitor) GOAL 8: Develop a Global Partnership for Development (MDGMonitor)

50 Useful Links Investing in Development Millennium Declaration Millennium Development Goals Millennium Summit People Budgeting or Participatory Budgeting UN Millennium Project World Civic Forum 2009 Training Workshop on Citizen Action for the Millennium Development Goals The World Bank: Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs)