Post-2015 development goals should address shortcomings of current MDGs

"Later this week, a group of 26 people will meet in Liberia to discuss how the world should tackle global development challenges over the next decade or two," Ben Leo, global policy director of the ONE Campaign, writes in a TrustLaw opinion piece. "The so-called High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons (HLP) has an amazing opportunity to shape the fight against poverty and preventable disease; and a very heavy responsibility to accurately channel the desires and concerns of billions of people around the globe," as "what comes out of this process, and the formal U.N. General Assembly deliberations this September, will frame the development landscape at least until 2030," he continues.

Leo discusses the current Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), writing, "Despite the MDGs' many strengths, they also have a number of shortcomings that must be addressed in the post-2015 framework." He continues, "Together with thirteen organizations from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the United States, the ONE Campaign has released a report today that outlines a series of recommendations to address these critical issues," such as "an open and transparent design process," "consistent and timely reporting on investments and outcomes" from developing countries, and "new investments in statistical capacity and open data systems." He concludes, "By implementing these proposed enhancements, the world can further maximize the impact of scarce development resources and accelerate progress in the fight against extreme poverty and other pressing priorities in the future" (1/28).