Publication Details
Accelerating progress or achieving the targets
human rights approach to using MDGs
Abstract
MDGs have been criticized from the human rights perspective for what they include and omit such as under-ambitious goals for cutting income poverty and the lack of focus on equality. But the MDGs are also inconsistent with human rights strategies in the way that they are being used to measure success in ending global poverty. This paper argues that it is erroneous to evaluate progress by whether targets are being achieved. Poverty is a human rights challenge and states have obligations of progressive realization – to put in place policies and measures to end poverty and fulfil human rights progressively taking account of country constraints and resources available. Challenges are country specific and policies must be designed to suit specific national contexts. MDGs are normative goals. Global goals are not hard planning targets. So the correct measurement of whether MDGs have beensuccessful is whether progress is accelerating in each country and globally.
Publication Type(s)
Conference Paper
Ten Years of War Against Poverty Conference Papers
Conference: Ten Years of War Against Poverty