Approaching post-2015 from a peace perspective
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) will expire at the end of 2015 and discussions are already underway on whether there should be a framework to replace them and, if so, what it should look like. It is clear that the MDGs have been extremely influential in defining international development priorities since their adoption. However, there has been a failure to achieve tangible progress towards MDGs in many contexts and this is particularly the case in conflict-affected and fragile states. In 2011, the World Bank built the case for addressing conflict and fragility in the context of development when it observed that no low income conflict affected or fragile state had achieved a single MDG. In 2012, the UN System Task Team on the Post- 2015 UN Development Agenda has recognised that, “violence and fragility have become the largest obstacle to the MDGs.”
This briefing highlights elements of successful and sustainable approaches to peacebuilding as evidenced in existing research documents and recognised in key policy frameworks. It identifies areas of common ground between the evidence base and the frameworks and illustrates points of alignment and divergence between them and the current MDGs. Based on this it suggests priority areas for discussion to inform the development of a new, more holistic post-2015 development framework. The paper is intended to stimulate debate on how peacebuilding issues can best be included in forthcoming discussions.
Read our blog post on Post-2015: treading the path to peace
Read more about ensuring aid supports peace in conflict-affected states
“The evidence is clear that preventing and reducing violence and fragility is vital to achieving sustainable development.”
Saferworld on the post-2015 development framework
