RATIONALE FOR CSCSD

Can we attain MDGs by 2015? Yes, No! If “Yes” what happens, do we rest on our oars? And if “No” what about it, do we become despondent? The need to monitor and evaluate performance on MDGs implementation is not only important but also highly necessary so as to know whether the programme is on course or derailing, or to know how far we have gone, and where we need to strengthen our efforts. Monitoring and evaluation efforts have shown some astounding  results  giving way for despondency on attaining MDGs by 2015.

Ten years on from the original adoption of the MDGs at the 2000 Millennium Summit, and five years left to 2015 it seems all the efforts by stakeholders towards achieving MDGs are not drastic enough. Though there is some remarkable progress made in some countries, collectively we are falling short in the achievement of MDGs globally. The consequence of these shortfalls, further aggravated by the combined effects of the global food, climate, energy and economic crises, is that improvements in the lives of the poorest are happening at an unacceptably slow pace while in some countries, hard fought gains are being eroded. At the current pace, several of the eight MDGs and associated targets are likely to be missed in many countries. The challenges are most severe in the least developed countries (LDCs), land-locked developing countries (LLDCs) and some small island developing states (SIDS).

Therefore, if MDGs cannot be achieved by 2015 (which is very certain), the need to look beyond the target year is imperative. CSOs therefore have a crucial role to play in further engaging the governments to address those MDG lines they could not achieve at the set date and do more on those they achieved. If governments achieved MDGs by 2015 (which is very uncertain), imperative is the need for the CSOs to further engage governments in monitoring and evaluation  so as to consolidate on and not to derail from the gains hitherto achieved. For this purpose, CSCSD was set up.

CSCSD was also conceived in order to fill the lacuna left by the 8 MDGs. Though the MDGs are people-centred and development focused, lacking are the essential ingredients of human rights, peace and justice which are the bedrocks of development. The issues of democracy, good governance, and human rights, are not expressly stated in the Millennium Declaration though they can be linked in some way. However justice, peace, and security especially global terrorism are difficult to situate within the purview of the 8 goals.

INSTITUTIONAL PURPOSE

Campaigning towards and beyond 2015 is the major thrust of Civil Society Coalition on Sustainable Development. Some of the challenges against achieving MDGs are: low political will; governments’ misplaced priorities; lack of inclusive policies and programmes; poor management of resources; lack of transparency and accountability; limited and conditional aids; gender inequalities; war; political instability including terrorism etc.  The main purpose of this campaign is to tackle those challenges hindering the attainment of MDGs in Africa and other parts of the globe and campaign beyond 2015 on democracy, good governance, human rights, justice, development and global security.