Prof Colin Power AM

University of QueenslandDirector, Eidos Institute, Brisbaneex Deputy Director-General & ADG/Ed, UNESCO, Paris

email: c.power@eidos.org.au

University of Auckland. 11TH October, 2011

EFA and MDGs: Assessing Progress

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

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2. Achieve Universal Primary Education

3. Promote Gender Equity & empower women

4. Reduce child mortality

Millennium Development Goals for 2015 (ctd)

5. Improve maternal health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria & other diseases

7. Environmental sustainability

8. Develop a global partnership for development

Progress Made Towards MDGs1. Halve poverty

2. Achieve UPE

3. Gender equity

3. Reduce child mortality

1.8 b, 19901.4b, 2005Rate in sub-Sahara 58%NER 83%, 200088%,

’07; by 2015, 29m out-of-school

Progress –except if high poverty, conflict, AIDS

Deaths <5 below 10mHalf in sub-Saharan Africa

Progress Towards MDGs (ctd)

5. Improve maternal health ie. < mat.mortality

>500,000 women die p.a.86% Sub-Sahara & S.Asia

6. Combat HIV/AIDSMalaria & other diseases

HIV 3m 2001; 2.7m in 07 Living w HIV 29.6m33

7. Environmental sustainability (CO2 emissions)

Increased by 30% from 1990 to 2005; 12 metric tons developed, 0.8 Africa

8. Global partnership for development

ODA $197b 2005, $194b 2007. Increase needed unlikely given recession

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 context• Definitions: incomedeprivation

vulnerabilitycapabilitiesHDIs • 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 & indicatorsSetting goals, targets, priorities

is a political processValuable –needed to tackle

global issuesBut – 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

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