EFA and MDGs: Assessing Progress

EFA and MDGs: Assessing Progress Prof Colin Power AM University of Queensland Director, Eidos Institute, Brisbane ex Deputy Director-General & ADG/Ed, UNESCO, Paris email: c.power@eidos.org.au University of Auckland. 11TH October, 2011

Education for All (EFA) • Context: 1948 Declaration of Human Rights – “everyone has the right to education” • 1990 >100m children no access, 100ms more fail to complete basic ed; 960m adults illiterate, mil. more functional illiterate • UN declares 1990 International Literacy Year - UNESCO key • UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP & WB forge EFA alliance  • World Conference on EFA

World Declaration on EFA • Every person –child, youth, adult – shall be able to benefit from ed opportunities designed to meet their basic learning needs • What is needed in an “expanded vision” that surpasses present resource levels, structures & programs. delivery systems • Universalize access & promote equity • Focus on learning - useful knowledge, reasoning ability, skills, values • Enhance environment for learning – nutrition, health care, general support • Strengthen partnerships – national, regional, local at all levels & stakeholders • Mobilize resources • Strengthen international solidarity

EFA Targets & action • Expand Early childhood esp. poor, disadvantaged, disabled • Universal access & completion primary by 2000, then Dakar by 2015 • Improved learning so agreed % of cohort (e.g, 80% 14ys olds) attain defined level of basic achievement • Reduce adult illiteracy by half its 1990 rate by 2000 • Expand basic ed & training for youth & adults for essential skills & assess effectiveness in terms of impact on health, employment, productivity • Programs for individuals & families required for better living, sustainable development thru mass media, IT

Background to MDGs • UN Millennium Summit, New York 2000 • MDGs agreed by 189 nations • Reaffirmed 2008 • 8 MDGs = 18 targets, 45 ind. • Key MDG: halve extreme poverty by 2015 • MDGs origins - 1948 Declaration, UN conferences • Millennium Development Project  Poverty Reduction Strategies

Millennium Development Goals • Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger • Achieve Universal Primary Education • Promote Gender Equity & empower women • Reduce child mortality

Millennium Development Goals for 2015 (ctd) • Improve maternal health • Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria & other diseases • Environmental sustainability • Develop a global partnership for development

Halve poverty Achieve UPE Gender equity Reduce child mortality 1.8 b, 19901.4b, 2005 Rate in sub-Sahara 58% NER 83%, 200088%, ’07; by 2015, 29m out-of-school Progress –except if high poverty, conflict, AIDS Deaths <5 below 10m Half in sub-Saharan Africa ProgressMade Towards MDGs

Progress Towards MDGs (ctd)

Issues in Assessing MDGs • Understanding poverty • Political will, affordability & economic context • National interest vs common good • Quality and equity • Strong partnerships & co-ordinated effort • Role of civil society & NGOs • Setting goals, targets & indicators

Understanding Poverty: What it means depends on the context

UNDERSTANDING POVERTY • What it means depends on context • Definitions: incomedeprivation vulnerabilitycapabilitiesHDIs • Poverty trap + demographic trap • Strategies: analytical deliberation comprehensive development programs • Empowering girls and women as the key

POLITICAL WILL, AFFORDABILITY • Poor cannot afford to meet basic needs • Need better governance etc +++ partnerships • UN targets: 0.7% GNI for ODA, >6% for ed • Poor nations forced to accept structural adjust. • Billions for war, but not for MDGs or ODA

National Interest vs Common Good • Ethics: do unto others • “Shadow play” • Poor nations pretend to reform; rich to help • Political realists: national interest + spin • Shift broader, long-term view needed

Quality and Equality • Quality and equality inseparable • MDG-UPE Progress depends on quality of programs provided • Inequality impedes economic growth • Inequality is dysfunctional & corrosive

Partnerships, co-ordinated effort, civil society and NGOs • Partnerships & co-ordination vital (EFA story) • Ownership of MDGs • Alignment w. national priorities + capacity building • Harmonization –donors, govt, NGOs • Sector-wide approach • Respect poor • Continuity of engagement • Civil society- people power + NGO expertise vital

Setting goals, targets, priorities is a political process Valuable –needed to tackle global issues But – MDGs Unachievable if no change Limited framework e.g human rights, poverty, EFA Limited input from the poor May miss root causes Indicators are indicators, proxies for MDGs Stats used not valid, reliable, comparable Data collection a nightmare in LDCs “Research” not always independent Follow up research needed to understand what is happening Setting goals, targets & indicators

CONCLUSION • Despite limitations, progress towards MDGs, though patchy • Comparative & international ed res has an important role to play • Need deeper understanding from comparative analyses, roles played by international stakeholders • Analyse trends, become “radar systems,” the voice of the poor & marginalised • Help build technical capacity & provide policy advice on basis of evidence

EFA and MDGs: Assessing Progress