1. The sustainable development goals (SDGs) are more globally collaborative than the millennium development goals (MDGs)
The MDGs were largely determined by OECD countries and international donor agencies. The SDGs have been produced by detailed international negotiations that have involved middle-income and low-income countries. The SDGs are universal – they apply to all countries and actors. The SDGs are holistic – they cover poverty reduction and inequality, sustainability and economic growth with job creation. David Hulme, director, Global Development Institute, Manchester, UK @brookspoverty
2. The private sector now has a greater role to play
The private sector are far more engaged in the SDGs than they ever were in the MDGs, through initiatives such as UN Global Compact and Impact2030. The propensity of the commercial world to supplement global development efforts is vast and, in my opinion, still undervalued and under-explored within the development community. Louise Erskine, head of programmes and research, Career Volunteer, London, UK @CareerVolnteer
3. The MDGs were not rooted in human rights standards
The SDGs are a step forward. But if development is to be inclusive and just, and leave no one behind, it must be rooted strongly in human rights principles and standards. The MDGs and much mainstream development policy has failed to give adequate priority to challenging systemic patterns of discrimination and disadvantage – violations of rights – that keep many people in poverty. David Mepham, UK director, Human Rights Watch, London, UK @mephamd
The goals and targets of the SDGs must be explicitly linked to their corresponding human rights standard. @CRINwire #globaldevlive
— Sabine Saliba (@SabineSaliba) September 24, 2015
4. The SDGs are inclusive
Seven SDG targets explicitly refer to persons with disabilities; an additional six targets refer to people in vulnerable situations, while seven targets are universal and two refer to non-discrimination. Inequality for me is not just measured in terms of growth but in terms of making sure the most excluded can exercise their human rights. Marion Steff, policy advisor: social inclusion, Sightsavers, London, UK, @mllemarionamtl
5. The indicators present opportunities for civil society engagement
I am excited by the potential of leveraging the indicators framework to expand opportunities for local action and local partnership. We have some exciting examples of civil society already working to create new opportunities for engagement with government at a local level to make progress on justice, legal identity and other themes. Peter Chapman, programme officer, Open Society Justice Initiative, Washington DC, USA
6. The UN can inspire the world with the SDGs
If you view the UN’s main role as promoting progressive ideas and/or changing international social norms (as Tom Weiss and Richard Jolly do), then the SDGs will be another evolutionary step in getting people around the world to think a little bit more as global citizens and think about poverty, inequality, sustainability, consumption and discrimination, and do something. David Hulme
"What wd be the point of a set of SDGs if climate change makes sustainability a joke?" David Hume on #globaldevlive http://t.co/LGQRSvzyWA
— Brooks World Poverty (@BrooksPoverty) September 24, 2015
7. COP21 in Paris is another opportunity for progress
2015 is a big year for international development. With the upcoming climate change conference in Paris, and the WTO Ministerial in Nairobi, there is a real opportunity to tackle some of the most intractable challenges we face globally. But we need policymakers and negotiators to join up the dots, so that whatever is decided on trade and climate change doesn’t undermine the deliver of the SDGs. Shivani Reddy, policy manager, Fairtrade Foundation, London, UK @FairtradePolicy
Read the full Q&A here.
Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Follow@GuardianGDP on Twitter.
.png?w=600)
