March 2015: NGOs and civil society groups have released numerous reports and articles detailing positions on the process to create the post-2015 development agenda. Recent publications include inputs to the intergovernmental negotiations on the agenda, specific proposals regarding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and targets, and reactions to the zero draft of the outcome document of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD 3), the Addis Ababa Accord.

On FfD 3 process, the Center for Global Development’s Charles Kenny analyzes the zero draft, saying it includes a “solid package of proposals” on: public, private, and international finance; tax evasion and cooperation; trade, remittances; intellectual property rights (IPR); social services and infrastructure funding; and technology and data. He suggests specific additions on the quality and targeting of aid, as well as a target on official development assistance (ODA) directed toward developing technology.

The Global Public Policy Institute (GPPI) issued a policy paper on ‘Tackling Illicit Financial Flows From and Within Africa.’ The brief contextualizes the weight of illicit flows in Africa, US$528.9 billion from 2002-2012, and offers opportunities to address the topic in the FfD 3 agreement. It identifies key challenges for the region: poor resource governance; weak tax administration and tax avoidance; tax havens; and lack of resources for addressing financial crimes.

Oxfam’s Natalia Alonso published an opinion piece discussing actions that European countries can take for development financing. She proposes instituting progressive taxation in developing countries, creating a world tax body as a forum for discussing international tax issues, and increasing international public finance.

The Addis Ababa CSO Coordination Group published an open letter stressing the importance of the self-organization and inclusion of civil society, and expressing concern at the Steering Committee established to organize the inputs of stakeholder groups to the FfD process. It cautions the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (NGLS) and the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) against creating parallel processes for engaging civil society.

The Brookings Institute published a briefing paper on ‘Financing for Development: Six Priorities for Africa,’ calling to: link finance with its ultimate purpose; focus on domestic financing; reduce the cost and increase the impact of remittances; anticipate the costs of global financial regulation; reduce illicit financial flows; and partner to get non-financial benefits of financial flows.

On the SDGs and their indicators, a paper from Saferworld discusses different models for a framework to measure progress, and proposes a set of indicators related to peace, governance, and justice.

Beyond 2015 outlines “critical elements” of the post-2015 agenda, specifically for the third round of intergovernmental negotiations on the goals, targets, and indicators, taking place on 23-27 March 2015. The paper stresses the importance of ambition, universality, and transparency and inclusivity in the process, and proposes the use of three “essential P’s”: People, Planet, and Participation.

The Center for Economic Justice and Social Rights (CESR) published a proposal for a robust global review mechanism, stressing peer review, cross-border accountability, broad public participation and recognizing synergies with the human rights bodies.

The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and Development Progress published a discussion paper exploring progress on the indicators of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and data gaps within countries. Applying these lessons to post-2015 development, the paper argues for a unified set of goals that establishes greater sensitivity for national realities when assessing progress.

Global Policy Watch’s Robert Bissio posted a blog on statistics for the SDGs, analyzing the preliminary list of indicators circulated by the UN Statistical Commission. Specific proposed indicators, he argues, reinterpret the targets established by the Open Working Group on SDGs, and he cautions against allowing the indicator process to comprise the “definition of the details” for the entire agenda.

Other blogs and policy briefs examine broad themes of the post-2015 development agenda, including leaving no one behind, universality, and gender equality.

ODI fellow Elizabeth Stuart examines how the agenda can reach the most marginalized people in society. She outlines three proposals for operationalizing the concept: all countries must identify their most marginalized groups; the UN should host a “leave no one behind” summit; and all disaggregated data should be opened up and available to the public.

Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) released a policy paper titled ‘Goals for the Rich: Indispensible for a Universal Post-2015 Agenda’ which examines applying the SDGs and targets to rich and developed country actors. The paper calls for applying the concept of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) to the agenda, and upholding three specific goals for the rich: reducing inequality among countries; ensuring sustainable consumption and production (SCP); and strengthening means of implementation.

A Development Progress briefing examines how the leave no one behind concept should be integrated into the SDGs, and how to ensure that every individual realizes the full package of the goals and targets.

The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) released a discussion paper on translating universal goals into national action and commitments. The paper calls for a “pragmatic and flexible” system for differentiation, building incentives for country ambition and accounting for national priorities and ownership.

Mary Robinson, Cristiana Figueres, and Amina Mohammed published a blog for the World Economic Forum titled ‘Why Gender Equality is Key to Sustainable Development.’ The authors tie gender equality to the ongoing international development, climate, and financing processes, and argue for engaging men and boys in the fight against gender discrimination. The article highlights the vulnerability of women and girls in the face of poverty and climate change, and calls for integrating gender equality when addressing these problems, saying “The three of us wake up every morning thinking about how to make this happen.” [CGD Blog] [GPPI Paper: Tackling Illicit Financial Flows From and Within Africa] [Oxfam Article: EU Ministers must shape overseas aid policy wisely] [CSO Coordination Group Open Letter] [Brookings Institute Paper: Financing for Development: Six Priorities for Africa] [Saferworld Publication: Measuring Peace from 2015] [Beyond 2015 Post-2015 Elements] [CESR Paper: Accountability for the Post-2015 Agenda] [ODI and Development Progress Paper] [Global Policy Watch Blog] [ODI Blog: Leaving No One Behind – how to make it come to life] [FES Paper: Goals for the Rich: Indispensible for a Universal Post-2015 Agenda [Development Progress Brief] [ECDPM Paper: Universality and Differentiation in the Post-2015 Development Agenda] [World Economic Forum Blog]