18 March 2013: In the latest “Our Perspective” piece, Veerle Vandeweerd, Director, Environment and Energy Group, Bureau for Development Policy, UN Development Programme (UNDP), describes UNDP’s efforts to accelerate progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and discusses why participation matters for the post-2015 agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Vandeweerd explains how UNDP helps countries to accelerate MDG progress through the MDG Acceleration Framework (MAF). UNDP developed the MAF to help countries identify bottlenecks in achieving the MDGs, and then develop action plans to achieve the MDGs. She notes 46 countries have used the MAF “with considerable success.” She recommends the next development framework build on lessons learned from the MDGs.

Vandeweerd then highlights three areas of emerging consensus on the post-2015 process: incorporating the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable development; measuring human wellbeing and progress beyond GDP; and focusing on effective governance and addressing inequalities. Vandeweerd underscores that “large, transformative investments” from the public and private sector, as well as official development assistance (ODA), will be needed to finance this new agenda.

Vandeweerd describes the post-2015 process as “the most comprehensive global consultation ever undertaken…involving and engaging both developed and developing countries, civil society, youth, the private sector, parliamentarians, the poor and the marginalized.” She concludes that continued civil society participation will be critical to ensure that citizen voices are reflected in the post-2015 agenda and to ensure shared ownership of the goals. [Publication: Our Perspective] [MDG Acceleration Framework]