Prepared by:

Ghaith H. FarizUNDP

November – 2003

The Millennium Development The Millennium Development Goals Reports (MDGRs): …Goals Reports (MDGRs): …

Monitoring and Campaigning Monitoring and Campaigning Tools …Tools …

MDGs Workshop

CairoNovember

2003

MDGRs:

Monitoring

&

Campai-

Ning

Tools

Achieving MDGs is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders

including …governments, CSOs, individuals, international

community….

The effective and active engagement of all stakeholders in the MDG processes is essential

Developmental Challenges in the Developing Countries are compatible to the MDGs…..

Developmental Challenges in the Developing Countries are compatible to the MDGs…..

Accurate and timely monitoring of advancement

towards the MDGs is crucial….

Accurate and timely monitoring of advancement

towards the MDGs is crucial….

What are we going to do to achieve the MDGs…..?

The need to know where are we now…!?

The need to know how can we move from where we are now to where we should be by 2015 …!?

Use of MDGs to initiate change in the engagement status …. and …hence…

in the developmental status….

MDG Reports are needed..…

MDG Monitoring

Global levelAnnual report by the Secretary-General to the General Assembly

Country Level

MDG Reports

the government, civil society. …

supported by the UN Country Team,

Basic developmental goals that the country is streaming towards achieving up till 2015 The “kind” of change needed to be achievedIndicators of “direction” of desired changeIndicators of “magnitude” of desired change

An MDGR is A Basic Policy/advocacy Paper , to include:

MDGRs are not detailed national developmental plans …yet… they

provide planners and decision makers with goals that are agreed upon by all

involved stakeholders

MDGRs provide Basic “benchmarks” for preparation of national executive

developmental plans.

clear “starting points” representing the present socioeconomic status and “end points” representing the status desired to be

achieved by 2015.

Raising awareness.Consensus building Building alliances

Ensuring continuous governmental and societal commitment towards

achievement of the declared Millennium Goals

A MDGR serves as an advocacy tool for:

MDG Reports….are to be used for

Identification of indicators to measure status of the basic developmental issues Raising internal awareness about most pressing developmental issues Building national consensus Building societal commitment Ensuring continuous governmental and societal commitment towards achievement of the declared Millennium Goals

Acting as guiding principles and torches to the formulation of national policies, plans and projects Resource mobilization (nationally and internationally) Establishment of international alliances and linkages Use of potential aid and commitments (goal # 8) Monitoring achievements towards the MDGs….

Issues of MDGRs …….

National OwnershipInvolvement of the Government

The societal and civil society involvementThe importance of the process

Need for establishment of reliable and recognized baseline data

The data gapFilling in the gaps

Linkages with other strategies and policy papers

NHDR, UNICEF & WHO studies, National Plans….

Establishment of interactive monitoring systems

Capacity buildingInteraction with data users and generators

The impact on decision makers and the developmental processes

Cont…..

Tool for follow-up by decision makers, planners, and…. the public at large

An early warning system to provide timely and accurate information to the decision makers and planners

regarding progress towards achievement of MDGs

Data issues in MDG reports

• International reports use, by their nature, internationally gathered data.

• MDG country reports should be based, to the extent possible, on national generated data.

• International data should be used only when there is no national data.

• If national and international data give a different picture, efforts should be geared first to enhance statistical capacity in countries.

• The same bottom-up spirit of the MDGs should be the dominant one in the data domain.

Dealing with international data

• Regional reports are middle ground. They draw from international and national sources.

• The UN lead effort to compile MDG data for the HDR 2003 is a step forward.

• This MDG data provides a common reference ground.

• However, data issues remain:– Aggregation.– Missing data.– Adequacy.– Consistency.

Issues of aggregation

• Since, data is collected from several agencies from UN and elsewhere, it is not a simple task to:– Change aggregates when definitions for regions

change (as in the case of Arab States).– Generate aggregates for relevant groups of

countries within regions (e.g. Central American in the LAC region or oil-exporting in AS)

Issues of missing data.Proportion of the population with data to assess trends in the

1990s

0 20 40 60 80 100

Prim. Enrolment

Rural safe w ater

Urban safe w ater

Urban sanitation

Land cov. Forests

Undernourishment

Gender equality pe

Youth literacy

Inmunisation msls

Under-5 mortality

Infant mortality

All countries

Arab States

Issues of adequacy: poverty lines

• $1 per day is the agreed MDG poverty line (pv).• But, besides issues regarding its methodology (common

poor basket, PPP values, etc.).• The coverage of surveys to assess poverty is frequently

low, and lowest in Arab States.• $1 p.d. is not relevant for some countries, as in high-

middle income countries, including several Arab States.• Going to a $2 per day poverty line is difficult to sustain

on solid ground: national poverty lines should be favoured.

Issues of consistency

• Goal 1, Target 2 uses 2 indicators (4&5) for hunger from different sources & methods.

• These two alternative indicators for poverty hunger should point in the same direction.

• However, they do not always do.

There is no pattern of relation between these two indicators for poverty hunger.

underweight-5: 95-01 (%)

un

de

rno

uri

sh

me

nt:

98

-00

(%

)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

02

04

06

0

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: world

Discrepancies are not as large but the problem is similar in Arab States.

underweight-5: 95-01 (%)

un

de

rno

uri

sh

me

nt:

98

-00

(%

)

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

02

04

06

0

Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: Arab countries

Issues of consistency.

• There are also contradictory patterns between the two complementary indicators for maternal health.

• Indeed, maternal mortality rates and the proportion of births attended by skilled health care personnel do not always point in the same direction.

Significant dispersion as we move down

and to the right.

maternal mortality 1995

bir

ths a

tte

nd

ed

by s

kille

d h

ea

lth

pe

rso

nn

el 9

5-0

1

0 500 1000 1500 2000

20

40

60

80

10

0

Improve maternal health: MDG indicators: world

Arab countries show a similarly disperse pattern, including at least one clear outlier.

maternal mortality 1995

bir

ths a

tte

nd

ed

by s

kill

ed

he

alth

pe

rso

nn

el 9

5-0

1

0 500 1000 1500 2000

20

40

60

80

10

0

Improve maternal health: MDG indicators: Arab countries

Issues of data and data/bases in developing countries

1. Insufficiency / lack of data …..

2. Reliability and credibility of data

3. Lack of time series data

4. Inconsistency in definitions and descriptions

5. Levels of coverage (depth and width of coverage in geographic and societal strata's terms..)

6. Data use and analysis (in some cases data is available but not fully and timely utilized/analyzed)

7. Comparability of data (within and outside of a state)

8. Data dissemination (non distribution of data, data monopoly, unfriendliness of data reports)

9. Societal and political considerations…(social and political taboos!)

10. Insufficiency in capacities (human, financial, technical)

11. Connectivity and linkages between data users and producers AND INSUFFECIET ENGAGMEMENT OF STAKEHOLDERS (planning agencies, line agencies, researchers, CSOs, recipient groups…)

12. Impact on formulation of policies, strategies and programs..

Issues of MDG data and data/bases The Arab States example…

MDG indicators have been subjected to all previously mentioned issues in the Arab states …. in addition to …..

• Need for establishment of reliable and recognized baseline data (The data gap, filling in the gaps )

• Lack of time series data in several cases (particularly starting

from 1990- benchmark and onwards…)

• The complete lack of data in some cases…..

• Unsuitability of some indicators in some cases (the 1$ poverty

borderline, women related indicators,..

• Inconsistency between statistical and administrative data…

• Inconsistency between data sources (national, regionally and internationally)

• Contradiction among relevant internationally published data

Other relevant issues included…

• Unwillingness to engage in the MDGR processes…

• Social and political constraints …(poverty, aids…)

• National Ownership (Involvement of the Government, civil society involvement, the crucial relevance of MDGR processes)

• Linking –not competing-- with national policies, strategies, plans and other relevant policy initiatives/documents (NHDR,National Plans….)

• Legislative and administrative constrains

The way forward… More MDGRs as tools for addressing data (and hence developmental) problems and issues….

Better MDGRs: Customized targets and indicators, disaggregated data

Inclusive MDGRs: Involving UN Country Team, Governments, & CSO

Linking the MDGs to Policy Reform: Through 20/20, GSB, PRSP …

Building Statistical Capacities:

Supporting MDG monitoring systems

Establishment of an interactive MDG monitoring systems

Capacity building, Interaction with data users and generators, The impact on decision makers and the developmental processes

Tool for follow-up by decision makers, planners, and…. the public at large…

An early warning system to provide timely and accurate information to the decision makers and

planners regarding progress towards achievement of MDGs

Proper and timely knowledge (data) leads to proper and timely action …..

Data and Development…. Data and achievement of the MDGs

Reliable and credible knowledge (data) leads to better engagement and commitment of all involved

stakeholders in the developmental processes…

Data that is not utilized in building developmental policies, strategies and in programs’ formulation is

useless …!

UNDP support to the MDG/MDGR processes

More MDGRs

Better MDGRs: Customized targets and indicators, disaggregated data and incorporating Goal 8

Inclusive MDGRs: Involving UN Country Team, Governments, & CSO

Building Statistical Capacities: Supporting MDG monitoring systems

Linking the MDGs to Policy Reform: Through 20/20, GSB, PRSP …

The Supporting Role of

The UN System (UNDG)

Involvement of the UN Development Group The joint responsibility of UNDG members

Distribution of work

Involvement of the UNDP offices- The supporting role

Facilitator’s role

score-keeper role

Potential role of UNDG

Keeping the MDGs alive: Ensuring continuation of societal and governmental commitment Capacity Building Enhancing societal involvement Resource mobilization Monitoring and evaluation of achievements Alliance building: national and international Enhancing surrounding environments: governance, developmental planning and management…

Joint efforts among developed and developing countries countries towards

achievement of the MDGs

Availability of know how…(technologies, techniques…etc)

Complimentarily in resources…(human, financial and environmental)

Complimentarily of roles (developed and underdeveloped countries)

Awareness of the need for achievement of MDGs

MDG Reports should be:

• Short and easy to read• Messages should be sharp, concise, light• Use of simple diagrams helps get messages at

quick glance.• Common assessment, not wordy or complicated• Based on existing reports: National

Development Plans, CCA, NHDR, PRSP, etc.• MDGRs are not in-depth analytical reviews of

policies or institutions

MDGRs should contain…

• Development context at country level• Selection of indicators guided by global

agreement but reflect national consensus• May add or reduce number of indicators • Greater level of desegregation by gender,

rural and urban, ethnicity, etc.• For each goal:

Status of progressMajor challengesResource requirements: internal and externalStatus at a glanceMonitoring Capacity

Preparatory Stage

Teaming with UNDG

National Consensus & support building.Awareness Advocacy

Making MDGRs preparation

a National Event

Accountable Ratifying &Executive

Bodies in Place

Plan of action .Mobilization of

resources

II. Implementation / Execution StageAvailable data

& information collected and classified

Gaps identified

Established &ratified Basline

Data

Final list of targets &indicators established

along with relevant goals

 First MDGR draft accomplished

III. Preparation of final report

Building national consensus on contents.

(Baseline data & goals, targets and indicators).

Final version of MDGRs

VI: Final printing and dissemination

Nationally and internationally

recognized MDGR

Alliances, monitoring systems, built towards mobilizing

resources for the actual achievement of MDGs

V: Post - preparation…Support of Future Monitoring

Monitoring & evaluating progress

Towards the MDGs

Continued national commitment to

the MDGs.

Actual achievement of MDGs by 2015

Challenges…

Enhancing channels of interaction between all stakeholders…

Transforming awareness and commitments into action

Establishing and enacting tools of

implementation

Political stability