The Dutch vision for the post-2015 development agenda
In this letter, you will first find further information on Dutch efforts to help achieve the
Millennium Development Goals up to 2015. It is followed by information on the Dutch
contribution to the debate on the post-2015 agenda and an appraisal of the report issued on
30 May 2013 by the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the
Post-2015 Development Agenda.
I would also refer you to my previous letters on the same subject, sent to you on 22 January
2013 and (at your request) on 16 April 2013.1 You also received the European Commission
Communication of 27 February 2013 ‘A Decent Life for All’, issued in the process of
establishing a common European approach to the new development agenda, and the BNC
file of 5 April 2013 containing the government’s response to it. At the request of the
Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, civil
servants informed you in greater depth about this Communication in a technical briefing on
16 May 2013. In response to questions, I sent the members of the Senate’s Foreign Affairs,
Defence and Development Cooperation Committee a letter on this subject on 1 July 2013. I
would also refer you to my answers to relevant written questions on my policy document ‘A
World to Gain’ which I sent to you on 16 May 2013.2
1. The core
The simplicity, clarity and eloquence of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have
given them a wide appeal and generated considerable public support. The MDGs provide a
tangible, measurable framework for a targeted approach to global problems. I am therefore in
favour of setting new goals for the post-2015 period to enable us to work together to address
present and future global challenges. In line with my policy on aid, trade and investment, my
overarching aim is to eradicate poverty (getting to zero). To this end, the new, sustainable
development agenda must promote green and inclusive growth, with a particular focus on the
poorest and most vulnerable people, many of whom live in fragile states or conflict countries,
and on urgent challenges related to the environment and climate change. The new
framework must provide the basic necessities of life for all, while respecting the limits of the
earth’s resources. A set of a few ambitious goals, applicable to every country, is an
appealing means to this end. Achieving these goals will require a joint effort, with roles and
responsibilities for government authorities, businesses, civil society organisations, knowledge
1
Letter of 22 January 2013 on the Dutch commitment to the post-2015 agenda; letter of 16 April 2013
responding to a request for more information on the government’s vision for the post-MDG
development agenda
2 Response to questions from the House on the policy document ‘A World to Gain – A New Agenda for
Aid, Trade and Investment’, 16 May 2013
institutions and members of the public in developed, emerging and developing countries. All
relevant funds are needed to achieve this transition from development aid to sustainable
international cooperation and trade.
My primary commitment is to unabated efforts between now and 2015 to achieve the MDGs.
Alongside those efforts, I am encouraging and facilitating an inclusive, broad-based process
of devising a new agenda, ensuring opportunities for input by low- and middle-income
countries, civil society organisations and the private sector.
2. The Dutch commitment to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)3
The debate on the new development framework should not allow us to slacken our efforts to
achieve the MDGs by 2015. Despite some successes, achievement of these goals is still far
away for many millions of people. This was the conclusion of UN Secretary-General Ban KiMoon in his latest report on progress on the MDGs.4 Until 2015 I will therefore devote myself
fully to attaining them.
The past 13 years witnessed an impressive reduction in poverty, with more than half a billion
people escaping from extreme poverty (i.e. an income of less than USD 1.25 a day). The
world achieved the goal of halving extreme poverty five years earlier than expected. In
developing countries, the proportion of people living on less than USD 1.25 dollars a day fell
from 47% in 1990 to 22% in 2010. Some excellent results were also achieved with the other
goals. The proportion of children attending primary school in Sub-Saharan Africa rose from
54% in 1990 to 77% in 2011. There were also successes in combating infectious diseases:
25% fewer deaths from malaria, and more than 40% fewer deaths from tuberculosis and
HIV/AIDS, in Sub-Saharan Africa in particular. It is now up to the countries where progress
has been made to consolidate these results, and share the recipes for their success with
other countries.
My policy on aid, trade and investment contributes both directly and indirectly to progress on
the Millennium Development Goals. The Netherlands contributes directly through its
commitment to the four priorities food security, water, gender equality and sexual and
reproductive health and rights, and security and the rule of law. These are linked to targets
such as halving the proportion of people suffering from hunger (MDG1), reducing the
maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters and achieving universal access to reproductive
health (MDG5), improving access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation (MDG7), and
achieving the Millennium Development Goals in fragile states. The Netherlands is also
3
4
See annexe for a list of the goals
United Nations, Millennium Development Goals Report 2013
working to promote the global partnership for development (MDG8), for example through our
commitment to policy coherence for development, sustainable trade and international
corporate social responsibility, and official development assistance.
Food security
In halving the proportion of people suffering from hunger, poverty is not the only problem, but
also lack of access to nutrient-dense foods. That can clearly be seen in the progress made
towards achievement of MDG1. While extreme poverty is declining, malnutrition continues to
be a serious problem, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. In Sub-Saharan
Africa, the number of children under the age of five with low weight-for-age has dropped only
slightly from 29% in 1990 to 21% in 2011. According to estimates, a total of 870 million
people suffer from hunger. Policy on food and nutrition security therefore focuses on both
ensuring supplies of food through sustainable, inclusive intensification of local farming
(including processing and marketing), and responding to the acute need for healthy,
nutritious food, especially among the most vulnerable groups, i.e. mothers, infants in their
first two years of life, people with no regular income, and people in emergency situations. In
Sub-Saharan Africa in particular, there is a direct link between local farming and food
security. Reducing hunger and malnutrition is closely connected to sustainable intensification
of food production. At the recent ‘Nutrition for Growth’ summit, held in London on 8 June
2013, I announced that the budget for food security would be raised from €160 million in
2011 to €360 million in 2015. Within this budget, nearly €40 million will be spent on food
programmes.
Water
In relation to MDG7, the Netherlands is specifically committed to sustainable water
management policy, and considerable progress has been made. We are also working for
access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation, and played a leading role in formulating
output targets. Although the MDG target for safe drinking water has been achieved, 783
million people still have no access to it. The sanitation target lags far behind: 2.5 billion
people still have no access to adequate basic sanitation.5 The Netherlands plays an active
role in relation to this theme. Our aim of providing 25 million people with access to safe
drinking water and basic sanitation in the 2011-2015 period will probably be achieved,
certainly where sanitation is concerned. However, the target for drinking water will probably
not be achieved until 2017. With our assistance, 2.3 million people have gained access to
safe drinking water and 6.3 million people to basic sanitation since 2011. We are focusing in
5
Final report on the Post-2015 Water Thematic Consultation, 22 March 2013
particular on ensuring sustainable services and maintaining water quality. The Netherlands is
an important player in the Sanitation and Water for All Partnership (SWA) which aims to
improve cooperation between donors, partner countries and civil society organisations.
Health and sexual and reproductive health and rights
Growing international – including Dutch – commitment has led to considerable progress on
the closely interrelated health MDGs 4,5 and 6. Maternal and infant mortality (MDG5a and
MDG4 respectively) have declined by 40% worldwide, as have deaths from infectious
diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis (MDG6). Improved medicines are now
available, while all over the world partnerships are being forged to combat disease.
Nonetheless, 800 women and 19,000 children die each day in developing countries, half of
them in Sub-Saharan Africa. The majority of children die from preventable diseases. The
majority of women, particularly teenagers, die of complications in pregnancy or childbirth, or
from HIV/AIDS. Least progress has been made in achieving universal access to reproductive
health (MDG5b). There are still 222 million women who want to use contraceptives but, for
various reasons, have no access to them. What is more, every year half a billion people
contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and 50% of women still give birth without
medical supervision.6 In my policy, I therefore remain committed to greater access to
information, a wider choice of contraceptives, including male and female condoms, and highquality sexual and reproductive care for all, by both the public and private sector. I will focus
in particular on people who are denied the right to information and care, such as single
people, gays and sex workers. I will also work to prevent forced marriages and sexual
violence, for example by participating in the international ‘Girls not Brides’ campaign.
Security and the rule of law
Around the world, 1.5 billion people live in conflict and post-conflict countries, where progress
with the Millennium Development Goals lags far behind compared to stable developing
countries. Around two-thirds of fragile states have been in conflict since 1989. In 2015, one
third of the world’s extremely poor will be living in conflict situations: by 2030 this figure is
expected to have increased to two-thirds. The MDGs have proved ineffective in fragile states
due to the lack of a conflict-sensitive approach. For this reason, the Netherlands has
endorsed the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States, a partnership between donors and
fragile states established during the Fourth High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in Busan
in December 2011. The New Deal’s aim is to break through cycles of conflict and poverty by
working on peace- and state-building, thus enabling countries to catch up on achieving the
6
High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development (IPD)
MDGs. The Netherlands is playing a leading role in implementing the New Deal in partner
countries Afghanistan and South Sudan, where we are now working towards the conclusion
of an agreement with the international community to streamline and harmonise aid more
effectively. Our recently issued International Security Strategy outlines the Dutch contribution
to international security and the international legal order.7
Contribution to a global partnership (MDG8)
My agenda, which combines aid, trade and investment, presents many opportunities to
strengthen a global partnership for development (MDG8). Businesses, civil society partners
and governments must work closely together to encourage sustainable global development.
To ensure progress on MDG8, the Dutch contribution to official development assistance
(ODA) is not the only essential factor. Policy coherence for development is also vital. The
more the interests of developing countries are taken into account in drafting and
implementing national and international policy, the more likely the MDGs are to be achieved.
In the past few years, the Netherlands has striven for more policy coherence for development
in a number of fields. These include international trade, intellectual property rights (access to
medicines), the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and action to counter tax evasion
and facilitate migrants’ remittances to their countries of origin. Policy coherence for
development calls for sustained, government-wide action. The Netherlands is an
international frontrunner on this theme within the EU and OECD.
3. Post-2015 processes
3.1 The Dutch contribution to the debate
The Netherlands is actively involved in the international processes leading to a new agenda.
In my letter of 16 April, I gave you an overview of the actions I have taken.8 I regularly
contribute to the debate on the post-2015 agenda within the Netherlands and in the
European Union and other international forums. Where possible, I work to ensure that the
Dutch viewpoint is translated into an EU position, to ensure maximum influence on
international negotiations.
I work together with my fellow ministers, civil society organisations, the business community,
knowledge institutions and like-minded European and international partners to draw attention
to the Netherlands’ priorities. In this way, I can take a wide range of views on board in
‘International Security Strategy’, Letter to the House of Representatives, 21 June 2013
Letter to the House of Representatives of 16 April 2013 responding to a request for more information
on the government’s vision for the post-MDG development agenda
7
8
developing my vision for a new agenda. The Netherlands is a pioneer in international post2015 discussions on subjects such as water, sustainability, sexual and reproductive health
and rights (SRHR) and peace and security. We hosted the conference concluding the Post2015 Water Thematic Consultation on 21 and 22 March 2013 and the ICPD9 International
Conference on Human Rights, focusing on women’s rights and SRHR from 7 to 10 July
2013. I take part in various meetings, and hold consultations with civil society on specific
themes such as SRHR, gender equality, human rights, peace and security and sustainability.
I also use the internet to draw attention to the new development agenda. My aim is to
generate support and present opportunities for both individuals and organisations to express
their views.
I am particularly committed to involving low and middle-income countries in discussions on
the post-2015 agenda. After all, one of the points on which the MDGs were faulted was these
countries’ lack of input in drafting them. The Netherlands is providing funds to promote
participation in the Third International Conference of Small Developing Island States in
September 2013, at which the post-2015 agenda will be discussed. The Netherlands
supports a whole range of consultation activities in low and middle-income countries through
its financial contribution to the secretariat of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the
Post-2015 Development Agenda. We are also funding a project that helps least developed
countries arrive at a viewpoint on the new agenda. I will also work through the EU and
bilaterally to involve these countries in the post-2015 agenda.
3.2 High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda
The publication of the report of the High-Level Panel on 30 May 2013 represented a major
step in the direction of a new agenda.10 The Panel, comprising 27 eminent persons
appointed in July 2012 by the UN Secretary-General, produced an ambitious, cohesive vision
for the future of international cooperation. Over a period of some nine months, the Panel
consulted more than 5,000 civil society organisations and 250 companies from 120 different
countries. The Netherlands also helped civil society organisations operating in the field of
international cooperation, businesses, young people and knowledge institutions give input for
the Panel’s its report.
The High-Level Panel’s report forms a sound basis for the post-2015 debate by serving as a
moral compass for the future, as panel member Paul Polman pointed out. Building on the
9
International Conference on Population and Development
Report of the High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, ‘A New
Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development’,
30 May 2013
10
MDGs, the Panel calls for extreme poverty to be eradicated from the face of the earth
between now and 2013. But the report goes further, underscoring not only the social but also
the economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, and the
importance of good governance and security. The Panel concludes that the MDGs fell short
by not integrating the economic, social and environmental aspects of sustainable
development, and by not addressing the need to promote sustainable patterns of
consumption and production. Respect for fundamental human rights should be at the basis of
the new agenda. The Panel calls for a universal agenda driven by five big, transformative
shifts:
i)
‘Leave no one behind’: continue fighting hunger and extreme poverty in all its
forms, with a focus on the most vulnerable people;
ii)
‘Put sustainable development at the core’: integrate the social, economic and
environmental dimensions of sustainability, with sustainable patterns of
consumption and production;
iii)
‘Transform economies and jobs for inclusive growth’;
iv)
‘Build peace and effective, open and accountable institutions for all’;
v)
‘Forge a new global partnership’: by involving local and national government,
multilateral institutions, the business community, civil society, private philanthropy
and academia.
This vision for a new agenda is elaborated with a list of goals.
1. End poverty
2. Empower girls and women and achieve gender equality
3. Provide quality education and lifelong learning
4. Ensure healthy lives
5. Ensure food security and good nutrition
6. Achieve universal access to water and sanitation
7. Secure sustainable energy
8. Create jobs, sustainable livelihoods and equitable growth
9. Manage natural resource assets sustainably
10. Ensure good governance and effective institutions
11. Ensure stable and peaceful societies
12. Create a global enabling environment and catalyse long-term finance.
I am delighted that the Dutch priorities as set down in the Letter to the House of
Representatives of 22 January 2013 are explicitly taken up in the report.11 This applies not
only to the overarching vision for eradicating poverty and ensuring sustainable development,
but also to thematic priorities such as food security and water and sensitive issues such as
gender equality and empowerment of women, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and
security and the rule of law. The report also devotes attention to access to financial services,
a subject to which Her Majesty Queen Máxima is committed in her capacity as the UN
Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development. Partly thanks
to the efforts of Paul Polman, the report underscores the major role and responsibilities of the
private sector in promoting sustainable development.
An important message is that ecological quality (the planet’s life support system) is a basic
condition for effective poverty reduction and sustainable development. The concept of
planetary boundaries (the limits to existing natural resources) therefore needs to be fleshed
out at global, national and local level.
A number of international reports have recently been published to supplement the report of
the High-Level Panel. In its report for the UN Secretary-General, the Sustainable
Development Solutions Network emphasises planetary boundaries.12 The report identifies
four dimensions of sustainable development: economic development (including ending
extreme poverty), social inclusion, environmental sustainability and good governance,
including peace and security. It also examines the problem of inequality and fleshes out a
post-2015 approach to human rights.
The 2013 edition of the European Report on Development, devoted to the post-2015 agenda,
makes useful recommendations on the content (beyond MDGs) and implementation (beyond
aid) of the new development agenda.13 Implementation should focus on a broad range of
development-related funding instruments and a strong commitment from both the EU and its
member states to policy coherence for development.
3.3 Next steps
Although the High-Level Panel was disbanded after publication of its report, its ambitions and
vision and the findings of other relevant reports and consultations should be taken on board
in the international process. To promote national and international consensus and support,
11
Letter to the House of Representatives on Dutch aims for the post-2015 agenda, 22 January 2013
Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ‘An Action Agenda for Sustainable Development’, 6
June 2013
13 European Report on Development, ‘Post-2015: Global Action for an Inclusive and Sustainable
Future’, European Union, 2013
12
the momentum generated by the work of the High-Level Panel needs to be maintained and
strengthened. The General Assembly Open Working Group on Sustainable Development
Goals – established in January 2013 in the wake of the 2012 United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development (Rio+20) – could play a key role. The Working Group will negotiate
the details of a set of sustainable development goals and issue a report before the end of the
68th session of the United Nations General Assembly in September 2014. At thematic
sessions scheduled for 2013 and early 2014, the Working Group will have exploratory
discussions on the new goals. The Netherlands is working with Australia and the UK in the
Working Group and shares one of the 30 seats with them.
The Rio+20 conference also decided to appoint an Intergovernmental Committee of Experts
on Sustainable Development Financing. This Committee, which is expected to start work in
mid-2013, will look at the sensitive issue of how the future framework should be funded. The
Netherlands is represented in this Committee by the EU.
The Special Event towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals, to be held on 25
September 2013 during the UN General Assembly, will be an important milestone in the
international process. This special gathering will focus on progress on the Millennium
Development Goals, with particular attention to the items remaining on the agenda.
Decisions will also be made on concluding the negotiations on and adopting a new
development agenda. This is of particular relevance in achieving synergy between the
revised Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals in a single
post-2015 framework. World leaders are expected to call for harmonisation of the processes
leading to revision of the MDGs and establishment of the SDGs. After the relevant working
groups and committees have rounded off their reports in September 2014, negotiations can
start at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly. The framework could be adopted at a
summit, to be held in 2015.
4. Dutch aims for the new development agenda
I will present the Dutch aims for the new development agenda in three steps. First, I present
an overarching vision to provide a general framework. Building on this framework, I will give
examples of possible goals, thus giving the Dutch priorities a tangible form. In conclusion I
will discuss implementation of the new framework.
4.1 Overarching vision
The main objectives of my policy on aid, trade and investment are the basis for my aims for
the post-2015 development agenda. Eradicating extreme poverty within a single generation
and reducing inequality through green and inclusive growth, with attention to security and the
rule of law, should be at the core of the new agenda. This will enable a transition from
development cooperation to international cooperation and trade. The new agenda should aim
to ensure the basic necessities of life and security for all, with respect for natural planetary
boundaries at global, national and local level. To achieve this, financing in many different
forms is needed, not only ODA.
Given the fact that many of the current Millennium Development Goals are in fact interim
goals (e.g. halving poverty), there will still be a sizeable development agenda in 2015, even if
all the goals are achieved. However, a number of important subjects are not addressed by
the MDGs. The Rio+20 conference agreed that sustainable development goals, incorporating
in a balanced way the three dimensions of sustainable development (social, economic and
environmental) should also be integrated into the new post-2015 development framework.
Security and the rule of law needs to be added as a fourth conceptual dimension and
condition for sustainable development. The four dimensions together form the basis of the
new development agenda. They are not clearly distinct, but in fact closely linked.
Apart from the main structure outlined above, the Netherlands’ vision for the new agenda
identifies another four main priorities.

First, the new agenda should specifically address inequality between men and
women, not only because it violates the principle of equality, but also because women
play a crucial role in social and economic development. Gender inequality takes
various forms, ranging from violence against women and legal discrimination, with all
its economic consequences, to social and cultural discrimination, for example in
relation to sexual and reproductive health and rights. A specific focus on
strengthening the position of women is needed to achieve effective sustainable
development and reduce poverty. The responsibilities of both men and women should
be central in striving for gender equality.

Second, growing income inequality has stymied poverty reduction, sustainable growth
and stability. The new agenda will have to focus on inequalities within and between
countries by promoting social protection, a more equitable distribution of income,
equal opportunities, creation of decent jobs and a properly functioning labour market.

Third, the new agenda should make a clear link between human rights and
development. It should adopt a human rights approach, and make use of synergies
between existing institutional human rights and development structures. In this
connection, it is important to underscore the cohesion between economic, social and
cultural rights and civil and political rights. Security also plays a role here.

Fourth and last, the new agenda should be universally applicable. This means that all
countries – developing, emerging and developed alike – share an interest in and
responsibility for its implementation. The focus of actions to implement the agenda
will differ from country to country. It is crucial that each country should account for the
actions it takes, to both its own people and the international community, and show
how it is contributing to the agenda’s implementation.
4.2 Dutch priorities in the new framework
Like the current MDGs, the new goals should be appealing, tangible and measurable. This is
a challenge for the international process, given the varying interests of the many different
actors participating in the debate.
Whatever new goals are incorporated into the post-2015 development agenda, it is of the
greatest importance that they should be measurable. This will call for a great deal of work. It
is therefore crucial that statisticians should ultimately be involved in drafting the goals, subgoals and indicators. After all, progress must be measured if we are to receive feedback on
whether we have chosen the right path. The High-Level Panel report talks about the need for
a data revolution. Better information and greater statistical capacity will enable countries to
keep track of their own progress, so that they can base their policy decisions on facts and
solid research. This will also enable accountability.
By involving experts from Statistics Netherlands, and through its chairmanship of the joint
Eurostat/UNECE/OECD Task Force for Measuring Sustainable Development, the
government is working towards academically sound, measurable goals for the period after
2015.
Below I have listed a number of subjects that have been selected as priorities for the
Netherlands. We will advocate incorporating goals for them in the new agenda, additional to
the overarching goal of eradicating poverty.
These and other subjects were discussed during the consultations held with civil society in
the past few months. For example, at the consultation of 3 June 2013 we talked about Dutch
action on the themes of water supply security, food and nutrition security, sustainable energy
and green growth.
Water
A new framework could include an integrated goal for water. Apart from a focus on the social
dimension of sustainable development, a new goal for water should inspire a shift towards
more sustainable use of natural resources, without discrimination. Possible sub-goals,
identified partly on the basis of the world-wide consultations facilitated by the Netherlands,
include:

universal access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene;

sustainable, integrated monitoring of ground and surface water, to both meet people’s
needs and conserve ecosystems;

collection and treatment of used and polluted water before it is returned to nature.
Management based on re-use and pollution prevention.
Security and the rule of law
One of the main lessons we have learned from the Millennium Development Goals is that
security and the rule of law are not optional, but form the cornerstones of sustainable growth.
The logical consequence is that the Netherlands is urging inclusion of goals vital for fragile
states such as peace, security, the rule of law, good governance and employment in the
post-2015 agenda. Some of these goals may prove to be sensitive in multilateral
negotiations, since to some countries the rule of law and good governance are internal
political affairs. However, these issues need to be addressed if we are to prevent conflicts.
The group of fragile states that has agreed the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States
are our natural partners in advocating and elaborating these goals. Within the framework of
the New Deal, countries have agreed to work towards peace, security, the rule of law and
good governance on the basis of five goals: legitimate politics, human security, access to
justice, generation of employment and improved livelihoods, and accountable and fair service
delivery. Possible sub-goals include:

reduce the conflict-related death toll;

combat external factors that lead to conflict (e.g. illegal trade in and exploitation of
raw materials and international crime);

reduce by a third the number of refugees and displaced persons;

ensure universal access to birth certificates;

improve resilience and reduce risk of disasters;

enhance confidence in institutions.
Food and nutrition security
Food and nutrition security means that everyone is guaranteed access to nutrient-dense
food. This calls for sustainable, varied, climate-proof production, processing and marketing of
food. To improve people’s nutritional status, we must ensure that they are able to have a
healthy diet, containing sufficient calories, proteins, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. It
is essential for babies in their first 100 days of life to consume sufficient nutrients. Mothers
and young children therefore form a priority target group. With a view to the availability of and
access to food, both now and in the future, more needs to be invested in sustainable food
production. These investments will have to be made mainly by the private sector, both local
and international. Growth in the agricultural sector drives economic development.
Government policy therefore aims at agricultural development as a basis for better food
supplies and income growth. This calls for a better business climate, to make investment in
food production worthwhile. It is also essential to strengthen market systems and value
chains in rural areas, in order to improve processing and marketing and limit loss and waste.
Conservation of biodiversity and eco-efficient, climate-proof use of water and raw materials
are vital conditions. Efforts to promote climate-smart agriculture, in which the Netherlands is
an international frontrunner, are closely related. Government authorities and the private
sector could invest more in researching and developing new efficient, disease-resistant
crops.
Possible sub-goals include:

universal access to sufficient, high-quality nutrition, to eradicate hunger, growth
retardation in young children, malnutrition and food insecurity by 2030;

adequate availability of food, by means of a 20% increase in yields in arable and
livestock farming and fisheries worldwide by 2030, accompanied by more efficient use
of food and natural resources, a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and
measures to prevent waste;

less obesity, with more sustainable diets and patterns of consumption.
Gender equality
Gender equality is a universal right and an essential condition for progress towards
sustainable development and poverty reduction. Gender equality can be improved effectively
where the focus is on women’s rights and on opportunities for and empowerment of women
and where men are actively involved in achieving this goal. Women’s voice and ability to
exercise leadership to end discrimination and violence are essential conditions in eradicating
violence against women. This applies even more to sexual violence against women in
situations where armed conflict or threats to security and the rule of law are widespread.
An effective, credible development framework calls for a separate goal for gender equality
and women’s empowerment. The challenge is to focus on the role women themselves play in
ensuring equal opportunities, and to make the necessary enabling conditions measurable.
Gender equality and women’s empowerment should also be incorporated into every other
goal and sub-goal.
Health and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)
Enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is a human right. To achieve it, good
sexual and reproductive health is needed. Access to health care, including sexual and
reproductive health care, is one of people’s key basic needs. Persistent inequalities in the
enjoyment of the right to sexual and reproductive healthcare and information services as well
as discrimination and stigmatisation of population groups every day lead to unnecessary
losses in productivity, and to disease and the loss of thousands of human lives.
In the new framework, recognition of sexual and reproductive rights and universal access to
sexual and reproductive health care could form part of a wider health goal, building on the
remaining agenda for the current health MDGs. SRHR would have to be defined specifically
with tangible indicators focusing on access for all to reproductive health care and information
services, enabling people to make informed choices about their sexuality and whether to
have children. I will press for an analysis of the underlying reasons why the least progress
has been made on MDG target 5b. This analysis should form the basis for the adjustments in
policy and legislation or improvements in enforcement needed to lift the barriers that stand in
the way of achieving the highest possible standards of health.
These themes will continue to be sensitive issues in international negotiations in the near
future. Together with like-minded countries within the EU, I will work in international forums
for the achievement of sexual and reproductive rights, especially for the weakest members of
society.
Possible sub-goal:

Secure people’s right to good sexual and reproductive healthcare and information
services.
Climate and environment
For the Netherlands, it is vital that the development agenda should not be compartmentalised
into separate goals for development, climate and sustainability. The set of goals ultimately
agreed should incorporate considerations of climate, the environment and other public
goods, while sustainability should be a cross-cutting theme. Attention to the environment, i.e.
ecological quality, should be a condition for all relevant goals. Major themes into which the
Netherlands wishes to integrate climate and the environment are water, food security and
energy. The formulation of the goals should dovetail with other processes, including the
negotiations within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) and the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative. The Netherlands will also
advocate integrating action plans under the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on
Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns into all countries’ national development
plans.14
It is also vital that one or more of the goals should specifically target climate change
(adaptation and mitigation) and the environment. In this context, the Netherlands
underscores the importance of sustainable land use, since it contributes to food security,
biodiversity, the availability of water, climate goals and the restoration of degraded land.
Other themes for the agenda include nutrient flows and sustainable management of oceans.
Energy is another important theme. The Netherlands is an international frontrunner in
promoting access to sustainable energy in developing countries. We support the work of the
World Bank, the United Nations and the European Union through the SE4All initiative and
would therefore like to see the SE4All objectives for 2030 included in the post-2015 agenda:

ensure universal access to modern energy services;

double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix;

double global energy savings.
Sustainable development calls for close cooperation with the private sector and other
stakeholders. The focus must be on reducing risks at production sites and on sustainable
management of natural capital. On the basis of our knowledge and experience in various
sectors, the Netherlands can play a leading role in helping to develop innovative concepts in
the following areas. First, building on action to make marketing chains sustainable, we wish
to promote sustainability in areas where these chains start and in their ecosystems, for
example by countering deforestation.
Second, the Netherlands will work towards ecosystem valuation, to ensure a more effective
use of increasingly scarce natural capital. Greater transparency and integrated reporting by
businesses also fit into this framework.
Third, the Netherlands will work towards more effective, correct extraction of raw materials.
As the world population grows and becomes more prosperous, pressure on raw materials
increases. Apart from responsible increases in production, the governance aspects of
security of raw materials supply also deserve attention. Income from extraction and
14
The 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns was
adopted at the Rio+20 conference.
production should be administered transparently to contribute to people’s prosperity in the
countries of origin. Use of water, energy, land, ecosystems and social capital should be
brought into proper balance. Action should be taken to prevent conflict over raw materials,
with better enabling conditions for legal extraction through anti-corruption measures and
transparency.
Fourth and finally, the Netherlands will examine whether the solutions we are applying such
as building with nature can also be used in other countries to ensure a cost-effective
approach to climate adaptation.
Social protection
In the near future, everyone should be able to rely on a certain basic level of social protection
– a social protection floor – which may differ from country to country. This includes a
guaranteed minimum income, access to basic health care, mother and child care, nutrition,
education, a healthy living environment, a properly functioning labour market, access to
financial services and personal safety. Social protection is an important means of promoting
equal opportunities and more equitable distribution of income.
Possible sub-goal:

universal coverage through social protection.
4.3 Implementation of the new agenda
The new agenda will stand or fall with the effective implementation of the goals. Every
country will be responsible. The Dutch contribution has three main thrusts.
Policy coherence for development
Policy coherence for development is essential for the successful implementation of the new
agenda. The main principle is that action in other policy areas does not impact adversely on
development efforts, and where possible promotes sustainable and inclusive growth. I am
therefore committed to policy coherence for development at both European and international
level, and as Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, I see many
opportunities to make progress on this issue. Examples include combating the illicit arms
trade, illegal capital flight, water wastage and climate change, promoting food security,
sustainable patterns of production and consumption, development-friendly structures for
international trade and intellectual property rights, and ensuring that mobility and migration
contribute to development.
To make progress on this theme, it is important to measure the tangible effects of our policy
on developing countries, so that it can be adapted accordingly. Indicators or result chains
could be developed in specific policy areas. The OECD recently announced its intention to
develop indicators for food security, illicit financial flows and green growth. The EU too is also
increasingly recognising the importance of measuring policy coherence for development.
Indicators provide a valuable instrument in ensuring accountability and measuring progress
with the new agenda.
Finance
Financing of the new agenda is based on the principle that all development-related financial
flows – national and international, public and private – should be mobilised. The Netherlands
wants to build on the Monterrey Consensus. It is important to note that there has been a shift
in recent years from ODA to private financial flows, for example from emerging economies. In
the next few years, therefore, it will be crucial for developing countries to strengthen their
capacity to levy taxes, and to attract foreign investment and remittances from migrants.
These financial flows could also pose a risk, if not properly managed. Take, for example, the
budgetary impact of a sharp drop in the prices of raw materials, or of a sudden shortfall in
foreign direct investment.
ODA will continue to be essential for some countries and sectors – where, for example, the
market does not function. It can also play a role in developing innovative financing
instruments. In this context, it is high time for the OECD Development Assistance Committee
(DAC) to revise the current definition of ODA. The Netherlands is aiming for a broader
definition that embraces innovative financing mechanisms and other development-related
expenditure. The recommendations of the interministerial policy review, now under way, on
modernising the definition of ODA will be taken on board in fleshing this out.
Partnerships and the role of the private sector
Innovative partnerships between government authorities, the private sector, civil society and
research institutions enable us to work together to meet the challenges posed by the new
development agenda.
In the past few years, an increasing number of actors have become involved in development
cooperation. They include emerging economies, new donors, philanthropic institutions,
private funds and the business community. The Dutch consumer is also playing an
increasingly prominent role by demanding sustainability and transparency. By focusing on
international corporate social responsibility (ICSR) in their production processes, taking
responsibility for value chains, and including social and environmental costs in their
management plans, Dutch businesses play a pioneering role in bringing about these
changes at international level.
By entering into partnerships, long-standing and new actors in the field of development can
use their added value more effectively than by acting alone. The business community has an
important role and a special responsibility within partnerships, for example in creating jobs,
improving working conditions and giving the necessary scale to successful initiatives. It is
therefore essential that the business community should be a fully-fledged partner within
development cooperation, and should continue to be involved in the post-2015 processes.
Private investment will play an important role in sustainable transitions in the energy, water
and food sectors. The public sector will have to respond more emphatically to this in the
post-2015 policy framework.
Annexe: List of Millennium Development Goals, targets and indicators
Official list of Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs), effective 15 January 2008
Goals and Targets
Indicators for monitoring progress
(from the Millennium Declaration)
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Target 1.A: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the
proportion of people whose income is less than one
dollar a day
1.1 Proportion of population below
USD 1 (PPP) per day
1.2 Poverty gap ratio
1.3 Share of poorest quintile in
national consumption
Target 1.B: Achieve full and productive
employment and decent work for all, including
women and young people
1.4 Growth rate of GDP per person
employed
1.5 Employment-to-population ratio
1.6 Proportion of employed people
living below USD 1 (PPP) per day
1.7 Proportion of own-account and
contributing family workers in total
employment
Target 1.C: Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the
proportion of people who suffer from hunger
1.8 Prevalence of underweight
children under five years of age
1.9 Proportion of population below
minimum level of dietary energy
consumption
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Target 2.A: Ensure that, by 2015, children
everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to
complete a full course of primary schooling
2.1 Net enrolment ratio in primary
education
2.2 Proportion of pupils starting grade
1 who reach last grade of primary
school
2.3 Literacy rate of 15-24 year-olds,
women and men
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Target 3.A: Eliminate gender disparity in primary
3.1 Ratios of girls to boys in primary,
and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and
in all levels of education no later than 2015
secondary and tertiary education
3.2 Share of women in wage
employment in the nonagricultural sector
3.3 Proportion of seats held by
women in national parliament
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Target 4.A: Reduce by two-thirds, between 1990
and 2015, the under-five mortality rate
4.1 Under-five mortality rate
4.2 Infant mortality rate
4.3 Proportion of one-year-old
children immunised against
measles
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Target 5.A: Reduce by three quarters, between
1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio
5.1 Maternal mortality ratio
5.2 Proportion of births attended by
skilled health personnel
Target 5.B: Achieve, by 2015, universal access to
reproductive health
5.3 Contraceptive prevalence rate
5.4 Adolescent birth rate
5.5 Antenatal care coverage (at least
one visit and at least four visits)
5.6 Unmet need for family planning
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Target 6.A: Have halted by 2015 and begun to
reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS
6.1 HIV prevalence among population
aged 15-24 years
6.2 Condom use at last high-risk sex
6.3 Proportion of population aged 1524 years with comprehensive,
correct knowledge of HIV/AIDS
6.4 Ratio of school attendance of
orphans to school attendance of
non-orphans aged 10-14 years
Target 6.B: Achieve, by 2010, universal access to
treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it
6.5 Proportion of population with
advanced HIV infection with
access to antiretroviral drugs
Target 6.C: Have halted by 2015 and begun to
reverse the incidence of malaria and other major
diseases
6.6 Incidence and death rates
associated with malaria
6.7 Proportion of children under five
sleeping under insecticide-treated
bednets
6.8 Proportion of children under five
with fever who are treated with
appropriate anti-malarial drugs
6.9 Incidence, prevalence and death
rates associated with tuberculosis
6.10
Proportion of tuberculosis
cases detected and cured under
directly observed treatment short
course
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Target 7.A: Integrate the principles of sustainable
development into country policies and programmes
and reverse the loss of environmental resources
7.1 Proportion of land area covered
by forest
7.2 CO2 emissions, total, per capita
and per USD 1 GDP (PPP)
7.3 Consumption of ozone-depleting
Target 7.B: Reduce biodiversity loss, achieving, by
2010, a significant reduction in the rate of loss
substances
7.4 Proportion of fish stocks within
safe biological limits
7.5 Proportion of total water
resources used
7.6 Proportion of terrestrial and
marine areas protected
7.7 Proportion of species threatened
with extinction
Target 7.C: Halve, by 2015, the proportion of
people without sustainable access to safe drinking
water and basic sanitation
7.8 Proportion of population using an
improved drinking water source
7.9 Proportion of population using an
improved sanitation facility
Target 7.D: By 2020, to have achieved a significant 7.10
improvement in the lives of at least 100 million
Proportion of urban population
living in slums
slum dwellers
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development
Target 8.A: Develop further an open, rule-based, Some of the indicators listed below
predictable, non-discriminatory trading and
are monitored separately for the least
financial system
developed countries (LDCs), Africa,
landlocked developing countries and
small island developing states.
Includes a commitment to good governance,
development and poverty reduction – both
Official development assistance
(ODA)
nationally and internationally
8.1 Net ODA, total and to the least
developed countries, as
percentage of OECD/DAC donors’
Target 8.B: Address the special needs of the least
developed countries
gross national income
8.2 Proportion of total bilateral,
sector-allocable ODA of
OECD/DAC donors to basic social
Includes: tariff and quota free access for the least
developed countries’ exports; enhanced
programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor
services (basic education, primary
health care, nutrition, safe water
and sanitation)
countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official
bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for
countries committed to poverty reduction
8.3 Proportion of bilateral official
development assistance of
OECD/DAC donors that is untied
8.4 ODA received in landlocked
developing countries as a
Target 8.C: Address the special needs of
proportion of their gross national
landlocked developing countries and small island
incomes
developing states (through the Programme of
Action for the Sustainable Development of Small
Island Developing States and the outcome of the
8.5 ODA received in small island
developing states as a proportion
of their gross national incomes
22nd special session of the General Assembly)
Market access
8.6 Proportion of total developed
country imports (by value and
excluding arms) from developing
countries and least developed
Target 8.D: Deal comprehensively with the debt
countries, admitted free of duty
problems of developing countries through national
and international measures in order to make debt
sustainable in the long term
8.7 Average tariffs imposed by
developed countries on
agricultural products and textiles
and clothing from developing
countries
8.8 Agricultural support estimate for
OECD countries as a percentage
of their gross domestic product
8.9 Proportion of ODA provided to
help build trade capacity
Debt sustainability
8.10
Total number of countries that
have reached their HIPC decision
points and number that have
reached their HIPC completion
points (cumulative)
8.11
Debt relief committed under
HIPC and MDRI Initiatives
8.12
Debt service as a percentage
of exports of goods and services
Target 8.E: In cooperation with pharmaceutical
8.13
Proportion of population with
companies, provide access to affordable essential
access to affordable essential
drugs in developing countries
drugs on a sustainable basis
Target 8.F: In cooperation with the private sector,
make available the benefits of new technologies,
especially information and communications
8.14
Telephone lines per 100
population
8.15
Cellular subscribers per 100
population
8.16
Internet users per 100
population