Putting the Poorest First Executive Summary Introduction
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THE 2015 DATA REPORT PUTTING THE POOREST FIRST EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INTRODUCTION 2015 is a year that will shape the course of history. A Decisions taken this summer will have repercussions towards the end of extreme poverty by 2030. It will new set of Global Goals – the Sustainable Development for years to come. In early June, representatives of require leaders, civil society and the private sector to Goals – will be launched in September, which will set seven of the world’s largest economies will convene at play their parts in mobilising greater resources for out the path to a fairer, more prosperous world and an Schloss Elmau in Germany for the G7 summit. Just development, curbing illicit financial flows and end to extreme poverty. But goals alone are not enough after this, African leaders will meet in Johannesburg for corruption, which strip countries of precious – they need a clear plan of action and the determination the 25th African Union (AU) Summit. The AU’s focus development resources, and making all financial flows to deliver it. this year on women’s empowerment and development transparent and accountable, so as to track spending is recognition of the enormous role that women play in and results. It will also require significant investment in The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – the set of driving development outcomes and catalysing results. data so that we can understand the problems we face development targets adopted in 2000, which expire If we are to ‘leave no one behind’ in the next 15 years, and track the impact of investments. The world needs a this year – achieved some great successes, including then the goals and the financing plan need to put girls new global compact to finance the end of extreme halving the proportion of people living in extreme and women first. poverty which is targeted at those who need it most – poverty. But some goals will be left unmet and too the poorest countries and the poorest people, many people were left behind. That is why, this year, we In mid-July, governments will convene for the Third particularly girls and women. The Addis Ababa Accord need to reach the poorest people first. The last girl at International Conference on Financing for must be a rare gem amongst the abundant (and the end of the last mile must be prioritised in the Global Development (FfD) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: this will be without proper implementation, redundant) global Goals that will replace the MDGs. the pivotal point of the year, setting the financial path communiqués we have seen to date. 2015 May June July August September October November December EU Development G7 Summit Third Financing for Adoption of the High-level meeting of G20 Leaders Summit COP 21/CMP 11 – Ministerial (7–8 June, Development Sustainable the Committee on World (15–16 November, Antalya, United Nations Climate (26 May, Brussels, Schloss Elmau, Conference (13– 16 July, Development Goals Food Security (World Turkey) Change Conference Belgium) Germany) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia) (SDGs) (25–27 Food Day, 16 October, (30 November–11 December, Annual Meeting of the 25th African Union September, New York City, Milan, Italy) Paris, France) African Development Summit, ‘Year of Women’s USA) Bank (25–29 May, Empowerment and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire) Development towards Africa’s Agenda 2063’ (7–15 June, Johannesburg, South Africa) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 Since 2006, the DATA Report has been monitoring development assistance and social protection, which will be provided through: (2) increased domestic holding leaders accountable on their commitments to the world’s poorest people: government revenues; (3) increased ODA, targeted in particular to sub-Saharan monitoring the G7’s momentous Gleneagles commitments, tracking the Africa and the LDCs; (4) specific investments in agriculture, infrastructure, energy European Union (EU)’s promise to reach a proportion of 0.7% of gross national and technology, in order to support sustainable, inclusive growth and development; income (GNI) spent on official development assistance (ODA) and, in the past few and (5) delivery of a data revolution to help support a robust accountability years, holding African leaders accountable for their own spending targets. This framework that sets out clear mechanisms for ensuring that commitments are year, the DATA Report looks ahead, setting out key commitments that – if agreed followed through. These five key recommendations, presented in turn below, are to in Addis – can be game-changers for the poorest and most vulnerable people, explored in more detail in this report. particularly those living in the poorest countries, the least developed countries (LDCs). At Addis in July, ONE is advocating for a mutual accountability pact to Beyond these recommendations, the whole gamut of financing flows will be meet the most basic needs of the poorest people, which will require increased included in the Addis Ababa Accord and will be essential to a successful outcome. mobilisation of international and domestic resources. Everyone must raise their Private investment, innovative finance, remittances, climate financing and other levels of ambition and play their part. mechanisms all play a crucial role in countries’ development; these, however, are beyond the scope of this report. Nevertheless, ONE supports some specific and The key components of this mutual accountability pact include: (1) minimum deliverable commitments in these areas. spending levels on essential services such as basic health, education and some The world needs a new global compact to finance the end of extreme poverty which is targeted at those who need it most – the poorest countries and the poorest people, particularly girls and women. 2 THE 2015 DATA REPORT FIVE KEY ELEMENTS OF AN ADDIS MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY PACT 1. ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES Governments must agree to a nationally owned minimum per capita spending level to deliver, by 2020, a basic package of services including health and education for all, but particularly for the poorest and most marginalised, with a focus on girls and women. 2. DOMESTIC RESOURCE MOBILISATION Governments should increase domestic revenues towards ambitious, nationally defined revenue-to-GDP targets and halve the gap to those targets by 2020 by implementing fair tax policies, curbing corruption and stemming illicit flows. 3. DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE: SHOULD GROW TO 0.7% OF GNI OF WHICH 50% GOES TO LDCS Development partners must allocate 50% of development assistance to LDCs by 2020,1 and DAC countries must set timetables immediately to meet the target of 0.7% ODA/GNI – ideally by 2020. All partners must implement agreed development effectiveness principles. 4. INCLUSIVE GROWTH Development partners should agree specific initiatives in Addis Ababa to boost productive capacity, particularly on agricultural development, infrastructure, energy, trade and private finance. 5. STRONG ACCOUNTABILITY THROUGH A DATA REVOLUTION A new global partnership should be delivered to finance the collection of data and their use, with development partners reporting and delivering on all commitments and opening up their own financial flows and budgets to scrutiny. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 3 KEY FINDINGS 1. ACCESS TO BASIC SERVICES: Governments must agree to a nationally owned minimum per capita spending level to deliver, by 2020, a basic package of services including health and education for all, but particularly for the poorest and most marginalised, with a focus on girls and women. While there is more wealth in the world than ever the extreme poverty rate across LDCs combined is still hunger worldwide by 100–150 million.8 Ensuring that all before, extreme inequality is becoming far more acute, projected to be 16.4%, almost five times higher than in students in low-income countries – including girls – and those in the bottom income brackets have made non-LDCs (excluding HICs), at 3.4%. Indeed, according leave school with basic reading skills could cut extreme the least progress against key development to these projections, in 2030 a greater percentage of poverty globally by as much as 12%.9 And investing outcomes.2 Without a concerted focus on the poorest the population in LDCs will still be living below $1.25 a relatively small additional amounts in health people and the poorest countries, the most vulnerable day than the proportion of the population living below interventions for women and children could yield a nine will be left even further behind beyond 2015. $1.25 in non-LDCs in 2012. times return in economic and social benefits.10 Two-thirds of the world’s LDCs are in sub-Saharan Poverty and gender inequality go hand-in-hand: girls To reach the poorest and most marginalised people, no Africa. These nations have some of the deepest levels and women in the poorest countries suffer a double matter where they live – and in particular girls and of poverty, the lowest levels of domestic and hardship, of being both born in a poor country and women – governments must commit to a minimum international resources and the largest funding gaps. being born female. Put simply, poverty is sexist. level of spending to deliver basic services, including The extreme poverty rate across LDCs combined is Across virtually every measurable indicator, life is health and education, to the poorest people in the 43%, compared with 13% across non-LDCs (excluding significantly harder for girls and women in LDCs poorest countries, while also increasing productive high-income countries (HICs)).3 While LDCs tend to be compared with men, and compared with girls and investments to boost growth and jobs.11 Several smaller countries with lower populations and thus women living in other countries.6 The percentage of different proposals have been made in the run-up to currently account for only 35% of the extreme poor working women in vulnerable employment is 86.2% in the Addis Ababa Conference. Homi Kharas and John globally, it is estimated that by 2030 their share of the LDCs, three times higher than in non-LDCs.