Localizing Post 2015
Concept Note- E-Discussion
1. Dialogues on the Implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda
Since 2012, the United Nations Development Group (UNDG) has been spearheading an unprecedented,
multi-stakeholder outreach to facilitate a global conversation on the future development agenda that is
to become the successor framework to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) beyond 2015.
Through this process, nearly two million people have engaged in discussions on the global development
framework. So far the discussions have focused on what people see as necessary for their future.
Participants in this conversation agree that the MDGs cover fundamental development areas that are
still critically important. They also emphasize the need to tackle inequality within and among countries,
to protect the environment and to strengthen governance and accountability to measure progress on
development targets.
During the consultations so far, participants were keen not just to express their views on the content of
the agenda, but they were also interested in how it will be implemented, including the roles and
responsibilities of different stakeholders.
The Second phase of the Dialogue will focus on 6 themes:
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Localizing the Post-2015 Agenda
Helping to Strengthen Capacities and Build Effective Institutions
Participatory Monitoring for Accountability
Partnership with Civil Society
Engaging with the Private Sector
Culture and Development
2. Localizing the Post 2015 Development Agenda
UNDP and HABITAT, on behalf of UNDG, and the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments
for Post-2015 and Habitat III are co-leading the consultation on “Localizing the post-2015 agenda”. This
involves planning and facilitating—together with UN Country Teams (UNCTs) and key national, regional
and local governance stakeholders—consultations on the means of implementation of the post 2015
agenda.
The main objective of the consultation process is to stimulate inclusive national and territorial dialogues
on the means of implementing the post-2015 development agenda at the local level. The findings will
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feed into planned events as well as the final outcome report and validated with relevant stakeholders,
and finally presented to key decision-makers and leaders to inform the post-2015 development
framework and feed into the UN Secretary General Report.
The need to localize the new framework has been strongly expressed in the thematic and national
consultations that made up the first stage of the post-2015 consultations as well as in the HLP and other
reports. Lessons learned from pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) revealed the key
role of local governments in delivering on both local and national objectives, and the need for local
target setting to complement and feed into national development strategies. This led the UNDG to
advocate for the localization of the MDGs in the roll out of its MDG Acceleration Framework.
This consultation will primarily explore how localization will support implementation of the new global
targets. The dialogue will identify the challenges which face local governments in playing a full role in
implementation and will consider various concrete mechanisms, tools, innovations, platforms and
processes which will be required to effectively translate the agenda into practice at the local level.
Practical proposals from local stakeholders will offer useful illustrations to help orient global decision
makers and to put into the limelight the importance of the local dimension of development.
3. E-discussion rational and objectives
The objective of the consultations on localization of the post 2015 agenda is to 1) come up with clear
recommendations from local, territorial, sub-national, national, regional, and global stakeholders on
how to implement the new agenda at the local level; 2) amplify the voices of local stakeholders, paying
specific attention to including the poor and other traditionally excluded groups in formal
intergovernmental negotiation processes on the post-2015 agenda; 3) Support the overall international
negotiation processes on the new development framework so that they align with aspirations
emanating from the local level.
As part of this process, and to ensure continuous exchange of views outside of and in parallel with
planned national and local events, the consultation will host a time-bound, online discussion to gather
views from a broad range of stakeholders on issues related the localization of the Post-2015 agenda.
The E-discussion will:
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Bring together a broad range of stakeholders on a variety of topics related to the localization of the
post-2015 agenda and provide an online space for sharing practical experiences, lessons learned,
ideas-and solutions, including case-studies on the localization of the MDG agenda.
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Explore localization in terms of current challenges to implementation and the need to identify
various concrete mechanisms, tools, innovations, platforms and processes to effectively translate
the agenda into practice at the local level.
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The outcome of the e-Discussion will ultimately inform the final report of the consultation on localizing
the Post-2015 agenda, and will be presented to key decision-makers and leaders deciding upon the post2015 development framework and feed into the Secretary General Report.
4. Format, platform and audience of the e-Discussion
The online discussion will take place from May 19th to July 18th 2014 (9 weeks), on a specially allocated
web-space: http://www.worldwewant2015.org/localising2015
The e-discussion will engage local and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations,
international organizations, UN agencies, academia and CSOs to inform and add to the existing
knowledge base on the localization of the post-2015 agenda and its implementation means.
Potential contributors are encouraged to share their experiences, perspectives and questions
throughout the 9-week period, in which moderators will raise pertinent topics, respond to technical
questions and contribute to mid-discussion summaries which will help to guide the discussion. The
moderating team and those participating in the dialogue will also be encouraged to reach out in advance
on an individual basis to invite key persons and organizations to join the discussion, as well as to assist
those who do not have access to participate online.
At the end of the 9-week period, the co-moderators will synthesize the experiences, suggestions and
lessons learned collected during the e-Discussion. Subsequently, the summary of the e-Discussion is
expected to be finalized and posted by early August and feed into the Preliminary Report on the
Localization of the Post-2015 agenda, as well as the Global UNDG Synthesis Report on the
Implementation of the Post-2015 Agenda.
Furthermore, the secretariat might decide to extend the e-discussion into a second phase and continue
the debate with follow-up questions, as required.
5. Framing Elements
The discussions will be based on at least three guiding questions developed by the Secretariat of the
“Localizing Post-2015 agenda” process. Each question will be introduced by the respective moderators.
1. Experience and recommendations from the MDGs implementation at the local level
What has been your experience of implementing the MDGs at the local level? Have you actively taken
the MDGs into account in local consultations, planning and service delivery? Please provide practical
examples.
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2. Mechanisms and processes for the implantation of the SDGs agenda at the local level
What are the key challenges that you see which would affect local government playing a full role in
implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how could they be overcome to
successfully localize the SDGs?
What mechanisms and instruments can we develop to foster development cooperation coordination
and harmonization at the local level? What instruments and tools can we use to ensure accountability
(domestic, external (mutual), vertical and horizontal)?
3. Recognizing the Key role of Local and Regional Government
How can we improve coordination between local, provincial/state and national government to ensure
successful implementation of the SDGs post 2015?
What added value do you believe local and regional governments could bring into the post 2015
implementation process?
6. Moderation and Reporting
Each of the three co-partners (The Global Taskforce, UN-Habitat and UNDP) will lead the
moderation of one question, with the support of the other two partners. Responsibility implies
the active moderation and preliminary outcome summary of the specific question.
Agencies can decide to moderate an e-discussion themselves, or to invite a “Guest Moderator”
(preferably an eminent personality in the field). The moderators would be expected to kickstart the discussion and, to reply and engage with the participants and therefore encourage
more substantial contributions.
The key role of the Moderators will be to guide and support the conversation, through
introducing the themes discussed; soliciting inputs from key actors; analyzing and responding to
contributions; prodding discussion if the conversation lulls; and drafting interim summaries of
key discussions throughout the e-Discussion.
It is important that the moderators integrate gender considerations in the discussion, for
example in asking contributors to provide concrete examples of gender-responsive
implementation tools, and how certain interventions and mechanisms affects differently
women, men, boys and girls.
7. Outreach
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Contributors
Outreach to potential participants/contributors will occur over the week period prior to the start of the
e-Discussion, between 12 May and 16 May 2014. This entails compiling a list of experts, local authorities,
policy makers, academics, organizations, civil society leaders and other relevant stakeholders who might
be able to contribute to the discussion. Messages requesting contributions will be sent to potential
contributors, including policy networks, alerting them to the e-Discussion and expected objectives.
Cross- posting
The Localization Post-2015 Agenda e-discussion will be cross-posted in other relevant e-discussion of the
Worldwewant2015 platform (i.e. “Participatory Monitoring for Accountability” and “Helping to
Strengthen Capacities and Build Effective Institutions).
Partner countries (National Consultations and Co-Leads)
Stakeholders from countries that are involved in national consultations will be actively encourage to
participate to the e-discussion, especially Armenia, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ecuador,
Ghana, Jamaica, Malawi, Philippines, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uruguay and Yemen, as well as other
countries that are sponsoring and co-leading the discussion: Ecuador, Ghana and Italy.
Social Media
The Hashtag use for the consultation is #localizing2015. Organizers and participants will be encourage to
tweet regarding the e-discussion also using #post2015, #dialogues2015 and big twitter handles, e.g.
@MYWorld2015 or @WorldWeWant2015, @UNDP, @UNHABITAT and @GTF2016.
Partner organizations are encouraged to use their corporate Twitter and Facebook account to promote
the e-discussion.
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