Governance in the MDGs
This is an initiative that started in 2007 aimed at contributing to the development of means that foster responsive institutions of service delivery and enhance inclusive participation in the fight against poverty, with special reference to equitable delivery of the MDGs. It is meant to provide policy guidance on and develop program tools for better integration of democratic governance into efforts to achieve the MDGs. This is set within a context of an emerging global discourse on the need to address political considerations of power relations and dynamics of inequality and marginalization in the context of poverty reduction strategies and MDG planning and costing.
Gender, governance and basic services are inextricably interlinked. They are essential for poverty reduction and growth from which all benefit. While gender equality is crucial for the achievement of all of the MDGs, the gender equality goal (MDG 3) has seen the least progress and particularly in the areas of women’s economic activity. Similarly, most gaps in progress toward achieving service-related MDGs are gender gaps, where women and girls are missing out on vital services.
Objectives:
- To contribute to conceptual clarity on the importance of democratic governance for achieving the MDGs. This entails an empowered and engaged society that is able to hold the state accountable and demand effective institutions through participative processes and effective, representative institutions.
- To provide clarity on the various ways of bringing democratic governance into the MDG-based planning processes and into delivery and monitoring, be that via Poverty reduction strategies, direct budget support, sector support or other aid instrumentalities
- To provide practical tools for linking MDGs to democratic governance assessments, including tools to ensure gender sensitive measurement of basic service delivery
Mapping of Democratic Governance Projects that Support the MDGs:
A mapping of democratic governance projects in support of the MDGs was undertaken in May 2009. The project mapping illustrates and presents a wide range of democratic governance projects that support MDG achievement. The mapping provides a brief description of 78 projects with hyperlinks, where possible, to additional project information. The mapping is meant to be illustrative rather than exhaustive. It is based on desk research and focused on UNDP’s principal democratic governance databases. The mapping took place in phases and can be seen through three grouping methods. One follows the pillars of democratic governance in UNDP’s strategic plan. Another follows the MDG clusters. A third method groups democratic governance interventions in support of the MDGs in conflict contexts. In the final section, some lessons are distilled from example projects which have been evaluated.
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