Briefing
Post-2015 Development Agenda: Dialogue on Strengthening Capacities and Building Effective Institutions
The International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and government representatives from Germany and Moldova presented the outcome of the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) Dialogue on Strengthening Capacities and Building Effective Institutions for the Implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
At an event for UN Member States in New York on Friday 22 May 2015, co-organized by the ILO, UNDP and the Governments of Germany and Moldova, some 70 participants were briefed on the outcome and lessons of a year-long, multi-country Dialogue on “helping to strengthen capacities and build effective institutions” which explored the capacity and institution building that countries would need in order to implement an ambitious, universal, integrated and rights-based post-2015 sustainable development agenda. The dialogue was one of six global dialogues on implementation that was carried out by the United Nations Development Group over the last year.
From March 2014 to May 2015, both country level and global activities were carried out as part of the Dialogue. Ten countries (Algeria, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Pakistan, Rwanda, Togo and Turkmenistan) reviewed their institutional and capacity constraints as well as opportunities and innovations for strengthening national capacities and creating more responsive institutions.
National organizers chose various approaches for their country consultations, including focus group discussions, workshops, social media campaigns and surveys. Diverse groups of stakeholders were involved and thousands of individuals were consulted. Global conferences were held in Germany and Moldova with experts, country representatives and key stakeholders (Read the report and outcomes: Helping to strengthen capacities and build effective institutions). At the final conference in Chisinau, Moldova, in February 2015, participants adopted an Outcome Statement, which has been issued as a General Assembly document for its 69th session (September 2015).
At the briefing, Mr Vinicius Pinheiro, Deputy Director, ILO Office for the United Nations, stressed that building capacities and strengthening institutions would be essential to ensuring that governments and public administrations are more responsive to people’s needs and that the internationally agreed goals and targets of the post-2015 agenda are country owned. While governments would continue to play a key role in steering economic and social policies and programmes, civil society organizations would increasingly become the engines that advance the development process.
The ILO had been a strong advocate of such a participatory approach throughout its nearly 100-year history as it has sought to fulfil its mission to build institutions for social justice, set the rules of the game in the world of work, and strengthen the capacity of key actors – governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations – to engage in standard-setting and policy-making processes. Strong, participatory institutions, such as those that sustained social dialogue, could lead to better policies that would bring about inclusive, sustainable growth with decent jobs, secure livelihoods and reduced inequality, which would be a key goal under the new agenda.
Mr. Patrick Keuleers, Director, Governance and Peacebuilding, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP, considered that the prospects of the post-2015 agenda for changing the development paradigm were good, provided that capacities were strengthened and effective institutions built: “the SDGs provide a unique opportunity to catalyse a paradigm shift in the relationship between state and society and the institutions required to service that relationship – institutions that can cope with complex challenges, can translate a global agenda into national realities, and can measure progress and communicate with and engage all stakeholders".
Agenda of the briefing
Panellists:
For more information please contact
From March 2014 to May 2015, both country level and global activities were carried out as part of the Dialogue. Ten countries (Algeria, Costa Rica, Djibouti, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Moldova, Pakistan, Rwanda, Togo and Turkmenistan) reviewed their institutional and capacity constraints as well as opportunities and innovations for strengthening national capacities and creating more responsive institutions.
National organizers chose various approaches for their country consultations, including focus group discussions, workshops, social media campaigns and surveys. Diverse groups of stakeholders were involved and thousands of individuals were consulted. Global conferences were held in Germany and Moldova with experts, country representatives and key stakeholders (Read the report and outcomes: Helping to strengthen capacities and build effective institutions). At the final conference in Chisinau, Moldova, in February 2015, participants adopted an Outcome Statement, which has been issued as a General Assembly document for its 69th session (September 2015).
At the briefing, Mr Vinicius Pinheiro, Deputy Director, ILO Office for the United Nations, stressed that building capacities and strengthening institutions would be essential to ensuring that governments and public administrations are more responsive to people’s needs and that the internationally agreed goals and targets of the post-2015 agenda are country owned. While governments would continue to play a key role in steering economic and social policies and programmes, civil society organizations would increasingly become the engines that advance the development process.
The ILO had been a strong advocate of such a participatory approach throughout its nearly 100-year history as it has sought to fulfil its mission to build institutions for social justice, set the rules of the game in the world of work, and strengthen the capacity of key actors – governments, workers’ and employers’ organizations – to engage in standard-setting and policy-making processes. Strong, participatory institutions, such as those that sustained social dialogue, could lead to better policies that would bring about inclusive, sustainable growth with decent jobs, secure livelihoods and reduced inequality, which would be a key goal under the new agenda.
Mr. Patrick Keuleers, Director, Governance and Peacebuilding, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP, considered that the prospects of the post-2015 agenda for changing the development paradigm were good, provided that capacities were strengthened and effective institutions built: “the SDGs provide a unique opportunity to catalyse a paradigm shift in the relationship between state and society and the institutions required to service that relationship – institutions that can cope with complex challenges, can translate a global agenda into national realities, and can measure progress and communicate with and engage all stakeholders".
Agenda of the briefing
Panellists:
- H.E. Mr Vlad Lupan, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova to the United Nations
- Dr Ingolf Dietrich, Deputy Director-General, Post-2015 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany
- H.E. Mr Rolando Castro, Deputy Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN
- H.E. Ms Jeanne d’Arc Byaje, Deputy Permanent Representative of Rwanda to the UN
- Mr Patrick Keuleers, Director, Governance and Peacebuilding, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP
- Panellist: Mr Matt Simonds, Deputy Director, External Relations, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- Moderator: Mr Vinicius Pinheiro, Deputy Director, ILO Office for the United Nations
For more information please contact
- Mr Vinicius Pinheiro - pinheiro@ilo.org
- Ms Meg Mottaz - mottaz@ilo.org
- Mr Malte Drewes - drewes@ilo.org