2 November 2012: The UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel (HLP) on the Post-2015 Development Agenda expressed its commitment to combat poverty during its second meeting, which focused on individual and household poverty. The Panel convened in London, UK, from 31 October-2 November 2012, for a meeting including: seminars with international experts; panel discussions; and stakeholder roundtables with civil society, youth and the private sector.
The seminars offered an opportunity for panelists and international experts to discuss key issues ahead of the panel discussion. Participants identified accountability, transparency, access to justice, personal security and freedom from violence as key to sustaining prosperity and eradicating poverty.
During the main day of discussions, panel members focused on: human development, including jobs and livelihoods; reaching the most marginalized and excluded; and missing elements in the current development agenda. The Panel agreed that its principle aim should be to focus on ending extreme poverty, and discussed how to tackle both the causes and symptoms of poverty. The HLP's three co-chairs identified key issues for the post-2015 agenda. David Cameron, UK Prime Minister, identified ending corruption and conflict, and ensuring property rights, rule of law and strong institutions as critical components in building more prosperous societies. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of Liberia, called for accelerated efforts on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in Africa, and recommended building upon them in the post-2015 agenda. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia, stressed accessible and affordable health services, education, housing, job creation, and clean water and sanitation. He also underscored that a sustainability perspective is necessary “to guarantee that economic growth does not jeopardize the environment.” Panelists also discussed how to include accountability, transparency, access to justice, personal security and freedom from violence in the post-2015 framework.
On the third day, Panel members gathered input from civil society, the private sector and youth on key issues to be prioritized in a post-2015 framework. A civil society town hall meeting debated how to ensure that all people, including the poorest and most marginalized, have the education, energy, food, health care and water they need. The youth roundtable discussed education, employment, health and other challenges faced by youth globally.
Commenting on the meeting, Yudhoyono said the Panel had identified key questions that would guide it in producing its final report, including: what do we want; what do we need; how do we get there; and how do we track progress? Cameron called the discussions “lively, constructive and very productive.” Sirleaf described the meeting as very participatory and rich, stressing that the HLP brings together “the diverse groups of panel members that have served and achieved so much in their areas.”
This meeting was the first of three substantive discussions on poverty eradication. Additional meetings will be held in Liberia and Indonesia. Panel members will work until May 2013, when they are expected to submit their report to the UN Secretary-General.
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