27 June 2013: A recent event highlighted the views of people living in extreme poverty on the impact of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and recommendations for the post-2015 development agenda. The findings from ATD Fourth World’s participatory research in eight countries – Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Haiti, Madagascar, Mauritius, and the Philippines – call for addressing extreme poverty through social protection, decent work, investment in education and respect for human rights.

The panel discussion in New York, US, on 27 June 2013, was organized by the international NGO ATD Fourth World, in collaboration with the Permanent Missions of France, Philippines and Peru to the UN. The event, titled ‘Knowledge from Experience: Building the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda with People Living in Extreme Poverty,’ featured comments from Amina J. Mohammed, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Post-2015 Development Planning, Olav Kjørven, Assistant Secretary-General, UN Development Programme (UNDP), and representatives of the International Confederation of Trade Unions (ICTU), Social Watch and several universities.

Several speakers called for appropriate poverty thresholds to be set, noting that the US$1.25 a day benchmark does not capture many aspects of poverty. They also addressed: the need to consider poverty in countries of the North and South; participatory governance and good governance; and accountability for implementation of any post-2015 goals and targets.

In closing remarks, Jean-Francis Régis Zinsou, Permanent Representative of Benin to the UN, called for people living in poverty to be part of the decision-making process regarding post-2015 development.

ATD Fourth World is an NGO working to eradicate extreme poverty through a human rights-based approach that supports families and individuals at the grassroots level, creates public awareness, and seeks policy solutions. [Publication: Towards Sustainable Development That Leaves No One Behind] [ATD Fourth World research project] [ATD Fourth World event links]