MDG-F to share experiences at side event to UN General Assembly
Fulfilling the promise of the Millennium Declaration: Passing the baton
The MDG Achievement Fund experience
Concept Note for Parallel Event to the UN General Assembly
25 September 2013, 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm
ECOSOC Chamber, United Nations
Background
The MDG Achievement Fund (MDG-F, www.mdgfund.org), established in 2007 through an agreement between the government of Spain and UNDP on behalf of the United Nations system, is one of the largest and most comprehensive development cooperation mechanisms devised to support MDG attainment. Through its 130 Joint Programmes in 50 countries and eight different thematic areas, the MDG-F has gathered valuable and unique knowledge on how countries can advance in development goals through joint efforts that engage different UN agencies, governmental institutions and civil society entities.
Coinciding with the Special Event on MDGs within the next UN General Assembly meeting, which will take place in New York on 25th September, the MDG-F will host a side event, taking advantage of this unique occasion to share results, findings and lessons learned. Among the results of the MDG-F's programmes worldwide are:
- 1.67 million children and 800,000 mothers have better nutrition
- 540,000 citizens have new access to safe, affordable drinking water
- 630,000 women and girls can access violence prevention and protection services
- 190,000 youth received job training, and 14.3 million young people and 1.8 million migrants are benefitting from new youth employment laws
- New and renovated cultural infrastructures are serving 2.3 million citizens, increasing social inclusion and helping to reduce poverty
- 1.4 million citizens are participating in natural resource management initiatives
- 400,000 youth are actively building peace and preventing conflicts
The MDG-F’s approach, anchored in the principles of national ownership, the coordination of efforts by UN agencies and a multidimensional perspective in its development programmes, has proved to have an impact on people’s lives throughout the world.
In this sense, the MDG-F is an excellent example of how one country, Spain, has made an important contribution to fulfilling the promise agreed upon by world leaders to reduce poverty through the Millennium Declaration and the MDGs.
The MDG-F presents its results at an intersection in the history of international development (less than 1,000 days to achieve the MDGs, a deep and wide debate on the future of development beyond 2015, economic difficulties of traditional donor countries and the consolidation of new partnerships for development). With 130 programmes closed, lessons learned already gathered and a final evaluation well underway, the MDG-F is choosing this next General Assembly meeting as a strategic moment to open its experience and share it with the development community (metaphorically, “passing the baton”). This event intends also to look forward to activities, discussions and debates that will happen in the months to follow, and especially to informing the evolving post-2015 development agenda.
Objectives
1. Celebrate results and lessons learned from the MDG-F through a powerfully visual and attractive event, showcasing the MDG-F’s impact on citizens’ lives across the world thanks to its approach to development (joint efforts based on the United Nations System).
2. Trigger a call to action for partners and the international community to keep alive the promise of the MDGs and beyond.
Audience
UN Member States, representatives of international cooperation organizations, media, civil society, Spanish society, and direct beneficiaries and partners from MDG-F programmes across the world.
Other
- Photo exhibition. A selection of some of the best photos from MDG-F joint programmes across the world that reflect true stories and the impact on lives of people will be installed in the United Nations’ headquarters in New York. This photo exhibition might also be installed in Spain and could be made available online.
- The event will be live streamed and recorded.
- A special hashtag will be used to follow the event through Twitter.
Click for event details and RSVP.