Development Goalson the Millennium International Campaign

CIDSE - Caritas InternationalisTask Group on Social Justice

Broederlijk Delen, BelgiëCCFD, FranceCenter of Concern, USACORDAID, NederlandDéveloppement et Paix/Development and Peace, CanadaEntraide et Fraternité, BelgiqueFastenopfer/Action de Carême, Schweiz/SuisseMisereor, DeutschlandSecours Catholique - Caritas France, FranceTrócaire, IrelandVolontari nel Mondo/FOCSIV, Italia

Other participants

JOCI-IYCW(on behalf of FIMARC, JECI, JICI, MIAMSI, MIDADE, MIEC and MMTC)Pax Romana-ICMICA

Caritas InternationalisPalazzo San Calisto, 00120 Vatican CityTel: +39 06 698 797 99 Fax: +39 06 698 87 237E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.caritas.org

CIDSERue Stévin 16, B-1000 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 2 230 77 22 Fax: +32 2 230 70 82E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cidse.org

International Campaignon the Millennium

Development Goals

CIDSE MDG Cover Eng 07/10/2003 9:37 AM Page 1

What are the MillenniumDevelopment Goals?The Millennium Declaration was endorsedby all 189 member states of the UnitedNations at the end of the MillenniumSummit held in New York in September2000. The declaration listed eightMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) thatwould combat hunger and poverty andimprove education, health, the status ofwomen, and the environment by the year2015. These goals are an internationalcommitment by all governments, agreed bythe heads of states. They are interrelated, sofulfilling one helps to fulfil the others. Thefirst seven goals include measures of humandevelopment in poor countries. Each goalhas one or more targets, and severalquantifiable indicators measure eachtarget.i Each country should adapt the MDGsto its particular national context and reporton its progress accordingly. At theMillennium Summit, world leaders also tookon several qualitative targets applicable torich countries, later collected in an eighthGoal. The key elements of Goal 8, reaffirmedby heads of states at the InternationalFinancing for Development Conference in2002, pledge financial support and policychanges in debt relief, trade and economicgovernance to assist poor countries’domestic efforts to meet the first sevenGoals.

CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis aim at fullpoverty eradication and the achievement ofsocial justice as early as possible in allnations, in respect of their diversity. Ourmember organisations fund developmentprogrammes in almost all countries in theSouth which contribute to complementinggovernmental and multilateral developmentprogrammes. However, since the basis forregional and national development lies in

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International Campaignon the MillenniumDevelopment Goals

A CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis PaperOctober, 2003

Who we are CIDSE (International Cooperation forDevelopment and Solidarity) is a network offifteen Catholic development organizationsfrom Europe and North America that worktogether to fight poverty, inequality andinjustice through concrete projects indeveloping countries, as well as education andadvocacy. Caritas Internationalis (CI) is a confederation of162 Catholic relief, development, and socialservice organizations present in 201 states andterritories throughout the world.Our two networks have been working togetheron social justice issues for a number of years inthe framework of a joint Task Group on SocialJustice.CIDSE and Caritas also collaborate withinternational networks that are committed tosimilar goals and support the initiatives of otherNGOs, for example those engaged in the follow-up to the UN Financing for Developmentprocess.

CIDSE MDG Paper Eng 07/10/2003 9:37 AM Page 1

The Millennium Development GoalsGoal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

Target 1: Halve the proportion of people whose income is less than one dollar a day by2015

Target 2: Halve, between the proportion of people who suffer from hunger by theyear 2015

Goal 2: Achieve universal primary educationTarget 3: Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike will be able to

complete a full course of primary schooling

Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower womenTarget 4: Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by

2005 and at all levels of education no later than 2015

Goal 4: Reduce child mortalityTarget 5: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-5 mortality rate

Goal 5: Improve maternal healthTarget 6: Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality

ratio

Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDs, malaria and other diseasesTarget 7: Have halted and begun to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015Target 8: Have halted and begun to reverse the incidence of malaria and other major

diseases, by 2015

Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainabilityTarget 9: Integrate the principles of sustainable development into country policies and

programmes and halt the loss of environmental resourcesTarget 10: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe

drinking waterTarget 11: By 2020, to have achieved a significant improvement in the lives of at least

100 million slum dwellers

Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for developmentWhilst the first seven goals focus on changes that can be measured in developingcountries, they cannot be achieved without Goal 8. The success of Goal 8 depends on thecommitment of political leaders in industrialised nations to turn their promises intoaction.Target 12: Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading

and financial system, including a commitment to good governance,development, and poverty reduction, both nationally and internationally

Target 13: Address the special needs of the least developed countries, including tariffand quota free access for their exports, debt relief for Heavily Indebted PoorCountries and cancellation of bilateral debt, and more generous OverseasDevelopment Assistance for countries committed to poverty reduction.

Target 14: Address the special needs of landlocked and small island developing statesTarget 15: Deal comprehensively with the debt problem of developing countries

through national and international measures in order to make debtsustainable in the long term.

Target 16: In cooperation with developing countries, develop and implement strategiesfor decent and productive work for youth

Target 17: In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable,essential drugs in developing countries

Target 18: In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of newtechnologies, especially information and communications

The analysis of the indicators can be found under: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/ index.shtml

International Campaign on the Millennium Development Goals

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appropriate global structures, CIDSE andCaritas Internationalis also undertakeadvocacy and lobby activities with regard toan improved international economic, tradeand financial environment that does notimpede the development efforts of theSouth. We believe that it is possible tomobilise faster the necessary resources foreradicating poverty and to achieve morejustice in the relation between men andwomen and regret that the appropriatepolitical will is still missing. However, thefact that all governments agreed on aminimum of these common goals is apolitical sign of hope and provides a usefulmonitoring tool for civil society. For the firsttime, the world’s leaders have agreed towork together - within a given timeframe -towards a world free from hunger andpoverty. If achieved, the Goals wouldrepresent a first, even if insufficient step,towards the elimination of povertyworldwide, and they would demonstratethat nations can work together for thecommon good. In effect, industrial countrieshave agreed to extend their own economicpolicies and promises to poor countries.However, significant progress depends onthe commitment of political leaders toimplement the promises they have made inthe MDGs. It therefore requires organisedaction on the part of individuals and civilsociety organisations around the world tohold them to account.

The MDGs combine and simplify theinternational commitments made at the UNSummits of the past decade. Thus, the MDGscould provide a global policy framework forgovernments, international organizations,the private sector, and civil society to fightpoverty as well as social and genderinequality.

How will the MDGs be achieved?1. By sharing responsibilityCIDSE and Caritas Internationalis believethat the Millennium Development Goals canbe achieved only if all governments, rich andpoor alike, international institutions andcivil society share responsibility for meetingthem. Northern governments need toprovide more financial resources and fairer

fiscal measures to respond more effectivelyto the needs identified by southerngovernments. Southern governments needto devote a larger percentage of their ownresources to basic necessities (safe water,food, health care, education, housing andthe creation of jobs with decent salaries andworking conditions), eliminate the vastinternal and international inequalities thatstand in the way of progress, and supportpolicies that encourage growth and povertyreduction.

Private sector firms must accept theirresponsibility for conducting business in away that contributes to sustainable andsocially equitable growth. Civil society playsa crucial role in monitoring thegovernmental policies of both North andSouth as well as the impact of businessactivities.

2. By providing financing through:a. Increased aid and improved

quality of aid

Though donor states pledged to direct 0.7%of their annual gross national product toOverseas Development Assistance (ODA) in1970, to date only the Netherlands, Norway,Denmark, and Sweden have done so.Average spending on developmentassistance is only about 0.2% of GNPaccording to the World Bank (2002), withthe U.S. contributing about 0.1% of its GNP.Yet funding the MDGs could requiredoubling current aid flows, according to theZedillo Reportii and others. Donors will haveto provide substantially more in order togenerate the estimated $50 billion more peryear needed until 2015.

ODA must have a poverty eradication focusboth in terms of geographical and sectoralpriorities, accompanied by greatereffectiveness in planning and managingresources. This means that corruption byboth donors and recipients must stop. It alsomeans that ODA must be untied and thatrecipient countries, in consultation with civilsociety (including women’s groups), musthave the primary role in designing andmanaging aid programmes. To do so, theyneed flexibility to use financial resources fortheir needs rather than those of donors.

A CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis Paper

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“Achieving the MDGs is notimpossible. It requires political will,and we know from our experiencewith campaigns to forgive debt,eliminate landmines, and integratethe environment with developmentthat it is possible to generate thatwill.”

A more targeted and efficient use ofresources would also be achieved throughharmonisation and coordination betweenboth bilateral and multilateral donors at acountry level. All official donors andinternational financial institutions aresupposed to coordinate their aid andlending programmes through the “PovertyReduction Strategy Papers” (PRSPs)produced by recipient countries. Suchcollaboration would cut down on reportingrequirements, which are a wasteful use oflocal and international resources. PRSPsprovide a policy framework with thepotential to bring the voices and interests ofimpoverished people into the key economicand political decision-making processes thatmost affect their lives. However, the successof the PRSPs depends not only on thewillingness of donors to allow countries toassume control over their economic andsocial development, but also on the capacityof governments and civil society. Acquiringthis capacity will take substantial investmentof resources and technical assistance.

b. Cancelling the debt Debt is a major obstacle to the provision ofsafe water, food, education and health carein all of the heavily indebted poor countriesand most middle income ones. Yet,countries get debt relief only if they meetthe arbitrary criteria agreed upon by theircreditors. An alternative approach to debtrelief would derive the amount of debtrelief from the amount required to meet theMDGs. Judgements over a country’s capacityto repay its debts must include assessmentsof the feasible revenue available togovernments and the finance required bythose governments to meet their country’shuman development needsiii. Such a movewould make human development the

purpose of debt relief, rather thanrepayment to creditors, and would likelyresult in the complete cancellation of thedebt of all heavily indebted poor countriesand many middle income countries.

Cancelling debt is the first step, but theimbalance in the decision-making processbetween sovereign debtors and creditorsmust also be corrected. Currently, creditorsestablish the rules and decide uponparticular cases based on information andanalysis that they have generated orcommissioned.

“Donors and creditors must takeresponsibility for their decisions andactions. They, too, must beaccountable for how aid is usedand hold public officials legallyresponsible for its misuse.”

The persistence of the debt crisis, the half-hearted approach by creditors to itsresolution and the derisory amounts of debtrelief that have been offered through theenhanced HIPC Initiative (nearly twentyyears after the crisis emerged in low-incomecountries) has led internationalcampaigning groups to call for a rethinkover international debt relief mechanisms.CIDSE and Caritas Internationalis see anurgent need for creditor governments andinstitutions to review the unjust imbalancein decision-making processes that underpinsthe current international management ofdebt crises – where creditors have unduecontrol over the pace, volume and eligibilityof debt write-offs. To overcome thisstructurally and ethically unacceptableasymmetry in the decision-making over debtrelief, we propose that urgent considerationbe given to the establishment of a fair andtransparent arbitration process for indebtedsouthern countries.iv

c. Innovative resourcesTrade in currency and in other financialproducts generates profits for institutionsand businesses that are not yet taxed. Thereare a number of innovative resources beingdiscussed today that could become newinstruments for financing development;among them are a carbon tax or a currency


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transaction tax. A very small tax (0.01%) oncurrency trade, known as a currencytransaction tax (CTT) could, in a transparentway, be an excellent instrument to meet theMDGsv. It would double the current ODA. Arelated problem of tax competition wouldbe avoided if the CTT were coordinatedregionally or internationally. If a universaltax were applied on capital, the unfairdistribution of the taxation burden (incomeversus capital) could gradually be levelled.

d. International tax coordination Increasing international economic andfinancial interdependence is constrainingnational capacity to set and enforce varioustax instruments. There is a growing need toimprove arrangements for international taxcooperation that would reduceopportunities for tax evasion and close taxhavens in order to contribute to mitigatingthe capital-flow instability.

e. Eliminate agricultural export subsidiesand increase Northern support tosustainable agriculture and ruraldevelopment in the South

The goal of halving world hunger by 2015and achieving food security will require amajor shift in the use of agriculturalsubsidization by developed countries.Currently, OECD countries spend approx. $1billion a day on their agricultural sectors -more than six times their total aid to poorcountries. More importantly, their subsidiesresult into dumpingvi with cheap importsand squeezing out poor country farmers.Northern countries also block the import ofagricultural products from developingcountries amongst others through tariffs.Subsidies and tariffs together distort themarket and ruin the livelihoods of smallfarmers and communities. Donors shouldend these practices and instead help tofinance sustainable agriculture in theSouth.

3. By building equitablerelationships between the North and South

The rules and regulations governing theinternational system of trade and financeare heavily stacked against developingcountries. The system of global governancecould become more equitable if there werea real commitment to democracy within the

multilateral institutions. In order to operateefficiently and to have political legitimacy,these institutions need to be (re)designed insuch a way that they become open,representative and accountable fora. Such atransformation would require greaterrepresentation and participation by poorcountries within the IMF, the World Bankand the World Trade Organization (WTO). Itwould also mean giving a reformed andstrengthened United Nations a central rolein relation to the international financialinstitutions.

The “Poverty Reduction Strategy”framework for all donor financing and debtrelief launched by the World Bank andInternational Monetary Fund, requiresrecipient governments to produce nationallyowned Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers(PRSPs) in return for debt relief and donorfinancing. This marks a potential departurefrom the conditionality-laden StructuralAdjustment approach. The success of thisalternative approach, however, requireschanges in the policies, practices andbehaviour of governments, civil society, andtheir Northern partners. Governments willhave to demonstrate greater openness andaccountability for decisions andexpenditures, and a willingness to take intoaccount and act on diverse interests andviewpoints. Investment in programmes isneeded that enable the strengthening ofthe capacity of governments as well as civilsociety to plan and implement suchnationally owned PRSPs.

In addition to giving greater voice to poorcountries, building equitable relationshipsrequires a commitment to transparency,accountability and coherence. Governmentsand international organizations need to betransparent about how they make decisionson grants, loans, the conditions thataccompany them, and terms of trade. At thesame time, donors and creditors must takeresponsibility for their decisions and actions.They, too, must be accountable for how aidis used and hold public officials legallyresponsible for its misuse. The InternationalFinancial Institutions should no longer be inthe sole position of “endorsing” or rejectingPRSPs. Assessments of PRSPs should involve abroader set of stakeholders, which includesUN agencies and bilateral donors. vii


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The international community recognizes theneed for a fundamental change in donor-recipient relationships. If successful, theNew Partnership for Africa’s Development(NEPAD) could serve as a good experience ofhow governments - together with civilsociety organizations and with particularattention to women’s representation - startcreating a partnership based on theprinciples of reciprocity, common objective-setting, mutual learning, participation andownership. African governments will thenbe able to approach donors with commonstandards for measuring their own progressand accountability.viii

“Governments will have todemonstrate greater openness andaccountability for decisions andexpenditures, and a willingness totake into account and act ondiverse interests and viewpoints.”

Civil society organizations have a crucial roleto play in promoting equitable genderrelations and in the transformation ofNorth-South relationships. Many civil societyorganizations, including members of CIDSEand Caritas Internationalis, are alreadyactively involved in advocacy andmonitoring at international and local levelson such mechanisms as Poverty ReductionStrategies.ix

4. By reorienting and coordinatingthe work of the internationalfinancial institutions and tradeorganisations with the UN

Meeting the MDGs also requires the WTO,World Bank, IMF, and other internationalfinancial institutions to reorient theirresources, policies and programmes. Theimpact of their policies on povertyeradication must be assessed by anindependent body, so that they can build onthe types of policies that best fight povertyand acknowledge where their resources orpolicies contribute to poverty or weakendemocratic states. Such reorientation alsorequires better coordination of theinternational financial and trade institutionswith the United Nations. Such coordination

should have the specific aim of ensuring thattheir policies are more coherent with the UNcharter, and in particular, the MDGs.

What can we in civil society do?Civil society organisations are in the frontline when it comes to working to eradicatepoverty. However, expectations of what canbe achieved through civil society groupsalone, however, are often unrealistic.Meeting the MDGs will, above all, require ashift in the political commitment ofgovernments and the policies ofinternational institutions. MDGs are largelybeing utilized as a tool at the global level todeepen a discourse about mutualaccountability and to secure the politicalimplementation by governments andrelevant development actors to a conciseagenda. However, most of the work aroundthe MDGs is actually taking place at thecountry level with activities including civilsociety dialogues, local campaigns and theproduction of MDG country progressreports. A three-year UN initiative has beenlaunched to mobilize networks of scholarsfrom developing and developed countries tohelp identify the necessary conditions andpolicies for countries to achieve the MDGs.

Headed up by UN Development Programme(UNDP), the UN system is coordinating thethree pillars supporting the achievement ofthe MDGs:

● Country reports on achieving the MDGs:www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.shtml

● Research on the 8 Goals (UN MillenniumProject): www.unmillenniumproject.org

● Campaigning efforts (InternationalMillennium Campaign):www.undp.org/mdg/ (See contacts below).

In all three areas, civil society has animportant function to fulfil in advocatingthe implementation of the MDGcommitments:

1. Monitor commitments The MDGs are concrete goals with specifictargets, actions, and timetables for allresponsible parties. We need to monitor thecommitments made by donor governments,


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recipient governments, and internationalinstitutions in the countries in which wework, both in the North and South. NGOscan monitor development assistance, debt,currency transaction tax, and subsidiesthrough the UN Financing for Developmentfollow-up process.

In both the ECOSOC and General Assembly,NGOs will have an opportunity to holdgovernments and the international financialinstitutions accountable for the financialcommitments they made in Monterrey andthat are reflected in the MDGs (fordocuments, statements and information onFinancing for Development seewww.un.org/esa/ffd. In 2005 the first overallassessment of the achievement of the MDGswill be held at the UN. All countries will haveto report to the UN, and NGOs will beinvited to contribute their views to thisreview as well. Southern NGOs could use thisopportunity to present alternative reports.Preparations for this event could be used forlobby work and campaigning.

NGOs that work with partners at the locallevel could also share with governmentssome of the information they collect fromtheir projects to help quantify progresstoward the MDGs and create an experienceof working together. Official reports,produced by each developing countrybetween 2002 and 2004, provide a basis formonitoring/ alternative NGO reports.Country reports, known as MillenniumReports (MDGRs), can be found online(www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.shtml)(see also contact below). The UN SecretaryGeneral has announced that the first majortest on implementation will come in 2005,when all countries will be requested todeliver their progress reports to the UN.

2. Put pressure on donorgovernments and internationalinstitutions

In the North, civil society organizations needto put pressure on national parliaments tohelp finance the MDGs. We can raise theissue of MDGs prior to and during globalfora such as the annual G8 Summits, springand annual World Bank/IMF meetings, andWTO negotiations.

New ways of assessing NorthernGovernments’ commitments to MDG Goal 8

are urgently needed. One interestinginitiative in this regard is the CGD/FPCommitment to Development Index, called“Ranking the Rich” developed by the“Center for Global Development andForeign Policy” in Washingtonx; whilst themethodology is under continualimprovement, this Index ranks 21 of theworld’s richest countries based on theirdedication to policies that benefit thepoorer nations. It is intended to educate andinspire the rich-world public and policymakers as to just how much more they coulddo to help the global poor, and to hold themaccountable for their promises to meet theMDGs. Another initiative is planned by theBritish National Platform for DevelopmentNGOs “BOND”.

We can also analyse initiatives that move inthese directions, such as the UK proposal tocreate an International Financing Facility,provided it does not jeopardise futurefinancing for development, nor add newconditionalities. We can monitor newinitiatives of the international institutionssuch as the World Bank’s proposed PovertySocial Impact Assessments and the WTO’semerging trade and developmentcommittee.

The IMF will continue to assess the financialsituation of all countries each year. In orderto make a real difference, these assessmentsshould be designed with regard to theindicators used for the achievement of theMDGs. We must also ensure that the MDGprocess is well coordinated with othersimilar and time-consuming reportingprocesses such as World Bank CountryAssistance Strategies and Poverty ReductionStrategy Papers. What is needed are time-bound processes to reach the MDGs.

3. Participate in campaigns andsolidarity activities

The UN has launched an international MDGcampaign, according to the agreement of theMonterrey Consensus, that aims at combiningefforts of civil society and governments toprioritise policies and social expenditures onachieving the MDGs. The campaign can alsobe used to continue putting pressure forgreater coherence among trade,development and finance ministries atnational and international levels.


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The UNDP Campaign office provides NGOswith materials for their activities, such as anendorsement letter and a global petition; aspecial campaign website is underpreparation that will offer data andinformation for NGOs, journalists andparliamentarians. A special day for globalmobilisation will also be proposed. UNDPwill stimulate regional events, workshopsand demonstrations. For more information:http://www.undp.org/mdg/ (see contactbelow).

Because the MDGs are broad andinterrelated, we can also contribute to themby supporting the campaigns of other NGOs

Dev link and HandbookSupported by the UN Development Group,this comprehensive website documents howthe MDGs are being localized withincountries, and through its “resourcecorner,” provides access to a civil societyhandbook for Africa and a plain languageguide on the MDGs. (www.undg.org, clickon Implementing the MillenniumDevelopment Goals)

MDG ListserveThis is a list serve which supports UN staff,country offices and civil society andprovides a continuous flow of informationon the MDGs: (www.undg.org, sign upthrough the website or send an e-mail [email protected])

Millennium ProjectThis site provides all related information onthe MDG research initiative.(www.millenniumproject.org)

Official UN WebsiteProvides general information on MDGactivities, including press releases andreports from the Secretary-General;webcasts of UN/MDG events; fact sheets onthe MDGs and the role of the UN; countryreports and data; and statistics on theachievement of the MDGs.

that are working on topics as diverse as fairtrade, access to land, food security, the rightto fair and decent work, and the Free TradeAgreement on the Americas (see “civilsociety links” below).

Achieving the MDGs is not impossible. Itrequires political will, and we know fromour experience with campaigns to canceldebt, eliminate landmines, and integratethe environment with development that it ispossible to generate that will. But we mustalso remember that these goals are only afirst step toward our real and immediategoals: justice, democracy, peace and theelimination of poverty now.

(http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.shtml)

Millennium IndicatorsOperated by the UN Department ofEconomic and Social Affairs, this sitecontains country data by indicator;indicator definitions; indicator sources;country profiles and explanations of eachgoal. (http://millenniumindicators.un.org)

Official UNDP WebsiteThis site contains a section on campaigningfor the MDGs, all published country reports,resource documents and FAQs.(www.undp.org, click on MillenniumDevelopment Goals)

Other UN System Agency MDG sites High Commissioner for Human Rights(OHCHR)(www.unhchr.ch/development/mdg.html)

World Health Organization (WHO)(www.who.int/mdg/en/)

World Bank MDG WebsiteThis site includes a capacity building pageand a research page on costs of attainingthe goals (www.worldbank.org,www.developmentgoals.org).


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Addresses for Monitoring and Campaigning on the MDGs The following list was prepared by the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS),(www.unsystem.org/ngls)


Civil Society LinksCHOIKE (www.choike.org): this portal onsouthern civil societies is compiling acomprehensive list of articles and resourcesbeing produced by civil society and theinternational community on the MDGs.

CONGO: the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in consultativerelationship with the UN (CONGO)(www.ngocongo.org).

CIDSE (http://www.cidse.org) and CaritasInternationalis (http://www.caritas.org): thenetworks of Catholic developmentorganisations’ sites contain several positionpapers and statements on MDG relatedissues.

EURODAD (www.eurodad.org): theEuropean Network on Debt andDevelopment’s site contains papers

Contacts

Millennium ReportsJan Vandemoortele, Group Leader, UNDP, 1 UN Plaza, Room DC1-2040, New York NY10017, USA, telephone +1-212/906 5862, fax +1-212/906 5857, [email protected]

Millennium Campaign and MediaAbigail Spring, UNDP Communications Office, 1 UN Plaza, Room DC1-1900, New York NY10017, USA, telephone +1-212/906 5312, fax +1-212/906 5364, [email protected]

For NGO campaigns: Marina Ponti: [email protected]

Millennium ProjectJohn McArthur, Uganda House UH-701, 336 East 45th Street, New York NY 10017, USA,telephone +1-212/906 5735, fax +1-212/906 3659, e-mail [email protected],website (www.unmillenniumproject.org)

UNDP Civil Society Focal PointCaitlin Wiesen, UNDP, 1 UN Plaza, Room DC1-2058, New York NY 10017, USA, telephone+1-212/906 5906, fax +1-212/906 5152, e-mail [email protected]

United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS)Palais des Nations, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, fax +41-22/917 0432, [email protected] or NGLS, Room DC1-1106, United Nations, New York NY 10017, USA, fax+1-212/963 8712, e-mail [email protected]. The text of NGLS MDG Roundup and other NGLSpublications are also available online (website: www.unsystem.org/ngls)

Center for Global DevelopmentSarah Lucas Senior Associate, Outreach and Policy, Washington, telephone +1 (202) 416-0708, e-mail [email protected] (website: www.cgdev.org)

analysing the connection between debtsustainability levels and achievement of theMDGs, including a joint submission byCAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam UK andEURODAD.

INTERACTION (www.interaction.org): thesite of InterAction, the largest alliance ofUS-based international development andhumanitarian NGOs, provides a policypaper on the Millennium ChallengeAccount and documents the dialogue onMDGs.

WFUNA (www.wfuna.org): the WorldFederation of UN Associations has recentlypublished a report of civil societyengagement on MDGs, available online. Tosign up for the WFUNA MDG list serve,send an email to [email protected].


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ResourcesUN Millennium Project for research, implementation, and country reports:http://www.unmillenniumproject.org

UN Millennium Development Goals and country reports:http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.shtml

UN Statistics and Millennium Indicators: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/mi_goals.asp

World Bank - Millennium Development Goals: http://www.developmentgoals.org/

OECD Development Assistance Committee: Development Indicators:

http://www.oecd.org/EN/home/0,,EN-home-66-2-no-no-no,00.html

United Nations Millennium Declaration: http://www.un.org/millennium/

“Financing Development through Redistribution”, a CIDSE-CI position paper, September2001 http://www.cidse.org/pubs/ffdpositionsept01.htm

“A participatory Approach to Partnerships for Africa’s Development”, a CIDSE-CI backgroundpaper, May 2002: www.cidse.org/pubs/nepadeng.pdf

“The Millennium Development Goals: Towards a Civil Society Perspective on ReframingPoverty Reduction Strategies in Southern Africa” (July 2003) by Neville Gabriel/SouthernAfrican Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC): http://www.sacbc.org.za/


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Broederlijk DelenContact person: Ms. Ann De Jonghe165, Huidevettersstraat1000 BRUSSELSBELGIUMTel: (32) 2 502 57 00Fax: (32) 2 502 81 01Email: [email protected]: http://www.broederlijkdelen.be

CCFD (Comité Catholique contre la Faim etpour le Développement)Contact person: Mr Jean Merckaert4, rue Jean Lantier75001 PARISFRANCETel: (33) 1 44 82 80 00 Fax: (33) 1 44 82 81 43Email: [email protected]: http://www.ccfd.asso.fr/

Center of ConcernContact person: Mr Aldo Caliari1225 Otis Street N.E.WASHINGTON DC 20017UNITED STATESTel: (1) 202 6352757 Fax: (1) 202 8329494Email: [email protected] Website : http://www.coc.org

Cordaid – Caritas Netherlands (CIDSE/CI)Contact person: Eric BloemkolkPostbus 164402500 BK THE HAGUETHE NETHERLANDSTel: (31) 70 3136 300 Fax: (31) 70 3136 301Email: [email protected]: http://www.cordaid.nl

Development & Peace – Caritas Canada(CIDSE/CI)Contact person: Ms. Mary Durran5633 Est, rue Sherbrooke MONTREAL - QUEBEC H1N 1A3CANADATel: (1) 514 257 87 11 Fax: (1) 514 257 84 97Email: [email protected]: http://www.devp.org

Entraide et FraternitéContact person: Ms Sophie Charlier32, rue du Gouvernement Provisoire 1000 BRUSSELSBELGIUMTel: (32) 2 227 66 80Fax: (32) 2 217 32 59Email: [email protected]: http://www.entraide.be

Members of CIDSE-Caritas Internationalis (CI) Task Group on Social Justice


Fastenopfer/Action de Carême Contact person: Mr Markus Brun44, Habsburgerstrasse - Postfach 28566002 LUZERNSWITZERLANDTel: (41) 41 210 76 55 Fax: (41) 41 210 13 62Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.fastenopfer.ch

Misereor Contact person: Mr Reinhard Hermle9, Mozartstrasse - Postfach 145052064 AACHENGERMANYTel: (49) 241 44 20 Fax (49) 241 44 21 88Email: [email protected]: http://www.misereor.de

Secours Catholique - Caritas France (CI)Contact person: Mr Jean-Pol Evrard106 rue du Bac 75341 PARIS Cedex 07FRANCETel: (33) 1 45 49 73 30 Fax: (33) 1 45 49 94 50E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.secours-catholique.asso.fr

Trócaire – Caritas Ireland (CIDSE/CI)Contact person: Dr Lorna GoldMaynooth - Co.KildareIRELANDTel: (353) 1 629 3333 Fax: (353) 1 629 0661E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.trocaire.org

Volontari nel Mondo – FOCSIV Contact person: Mr Sergio Marelli18 Via S. Francesco di Sales00165 ROMEITALYTel: (39) 06 687 77 96 Fax: (39) 06 687 23 73Email: [email protected]: http://www.focsiv.it

Other participants

JOCI-IYCW(on behalf on MMTC; MIAMSI; JECI; MIEC;FIMARC; JICI; MIDADE)Contact person: Ms Anna Gill4, Avenue Georges Rodenbach1030 BRUSSELSBELGIUMTel: (32) 2 242 18 11 Fax: (32) 2 242 48 00Email: [email protected]

Pax Romana/ICMICAContact Person : Mr. Anselmo LeeC.P. 315, 15 Rue du Grand-BureauCH-1211 GENEVA 24SWITZERLANDTel (41) 22 823 0707 Fax (41) 22 823 0708Email : [email protected]: http://www.paxromana.org

CIDSE SecretariatContact person: Ms Eva Maria HanfstaenglRue Stévin 16,1000 BRUSSELSBELGIUMTel: (32) 2 233 37 53 Fax: (32) 2 230 70 82Email: [email protected]: http://www.cidse.org

Caritas Internationalis SecretariatContact person: Mr Jacques BertrandPalazzo San Calisto,00120 VATICAN CITYTel: (39) 06 698 797 99Fax: (39) 06 698 872 37Email [email protected]: http://www.caritas.org


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Notesi (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/index.shtml).

ii In 2001, the UN Secretary General appointed apanel of eminent experts headed by Ernest Zedillo,former Mexican President, to submit a backgroundreport. This report provided useful ideas which hada positive influence on the officialintergovernmental process.

iii Debt sustainability must be judged in terms of thecapacity of governments to raise the financeneeded to fund sustainable poverty reductionprogrammes and to achieve basic humandevelopment objectives. Only when theseprogrammes have been fully funded, should anyresidual resources be assessed for debt servicing.

iv Our proposal is for a process that would becomprised of four key elements: a neutral decisionmaking body (to be established on an ad hocbasis), the right of all stakeholders and particularlycivil society representatives of the affectedcountries to be heard, the protection of thedebtors basic needs and the institution of anautomatic stay of debt servicing once the case isopened. We believe that such a fair andtransparent procedure would not only help to dealin a more comprehensive and sustainable way withexisting debt crises but that it would also help toreduce future irresponsible lending andborrowing.

v The CTT (Spahn variant) offers a number ofadvantages: the low tax (0.01%) does not disruptnormal market movements and provides aguarantee of constant revenue for development. Itwould double the current official developmentassistance (ODA). The heavy tax (100%), duringtimes of financial crises, is an effective tool forhindering excessive speculation and thus reducesthe risk of crises like the one in Southeast Asia in1997 and recently in Latin America. Themonitoring device of this tax provides aninstrument for tracking market movements andenables governments to take the necessarymeasures to avoid a major crisis. Because of thehigh tax, small economies do not need a largeamount of “immobile capital” to protect thecurrency. Most of that capital can be used to investin domestic development.

vi Exporting below the cost of production.“From Debt to Poverty Eradication: What Role forPoverty Reduction Strategies?” A CIDSE/CaritasInternationalis Position Paper (June 2001).

vii “A participatory Approach to Partnerships forAfrica’s Development”, a CIDSE/CaritasInternationalis Background Paper (May 2002)

viii CIDSE/Caritas Internationalis Input to the IEO/OEDEvaluation of Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers(August 2003)

ix http://www.cgdev.org


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CIDSE - Caritas InternationalisTask Group on Social Justice

Broederlijk Delen, BelgiëCCFD, FranceCenter of Concern, USACORDAID, NederlandDéveloppement et Paix/Development and Peace, CanadaEntraide et Fraternité, BelgiqueFastenopfer/Action de Carême, Schweiz/SuisseMisereor, DeutschlandSecours Catholique - Caritas France, FranceTrócaire, IrelandVolontari nel Mondo/FOCSIV, Italia

Other participants

JOCI-IYCW(on behalf of FIMARC, JECI, JICI, MIAMSI, MIDADE, MIEC and MMTC)Pax Romana-ICMICA

Caritas InternationalisPalazzo San Calisto, 00120 Vatican CityTel: +39 06 698 797 99 Fax: +39 06 698 87 237E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.caritas.org

CIDSERue Stévin 16, B-1000 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 2 230 77 22 Fax: +32 2 230 70 82E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.cidse.org

International Campaignon the Millennium

Development Goals

CIDSE MDG Cover Eng 07/10/2003 9:37 AM Page 1

Documents

Development Goalson the Millennium International Campaign