Title Page		  
Chapter 1:
Guide to this Manual		  
Chapter 2:
Millennium Development Goal Campaign
  1. The Millennium Declaration
  2. The Millennium Development Goals
  3. What is special about the Millennium Development Goals?
  4. The “No Excuse” Campaign
  5. The United Nations’ role and responsibilities for the campaign
  6. The Millennium Development Goals Campaign Unit
  7. Government’s role and responsibilities for the campaign
  8. Civil society’s role and responsibilities for the campaign
  9. The private sector’s role in the campaign
  10. The role of other actors in the campaign
  11. Case Study: The International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)
  
Chapter 3:
Campaigning toolkit 		 
Chapter 4:
Campaign Tools		  
Chapter 5:
Campaign Skills		  
Chapter 6:
Campaign Tips		  
Chapter 7:
Links to Campaign Resources		  
   
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Chapter 2: Section 2.7
Millennium Development Goal Campaign

Government’s role and responsibilities for the campaign

Governments are responsible for achieving the MDGs. Most governments have signed the Millennium Declaration stating their intention to put in place the necessary policies, implementation frameworks and resources to meet the targets. That is, however, the easy part. Meaningful engagement with the MDGs happens when governments demonstrate the political will to utilise the goals and targets to guide national policies and programmes.

Your government should not only have signed the Declaration, but should have translated the goals and targets into clear national development goals as demonstrated in the examples earlier. Many of the countries which have signed the Declaration have already developed national goals as a basis for their national campaign. The next crucial step is for the governments to put in place a plan to achieve the goals. Each government is also committed to reporting on its progress.

The challenge is not just one for national governments. Local governments also have an important role to play. The goals provide local authorities with a government-endorsed framework that can be used to push pro-poor reform and boost spending on health, education and the environment. The goals are also an opportunity for local authorities to unite with their citizens and members of parliament representing their constituencies to put pressure on their government to deliver.

   

Roles for municipal governments

Perugia gates

On the occasion of the Italian peace march in October 2003, the MDG campaign sponsored eight gates representing the MDGs. These sparked interest from cities around Europe wanting to host the gates to support local events.

Carapegua local authority adopts the MDGs

In the city of Carapegua, Paraguay, the Municipality issued an ordinance and a resolution declaring the MDGs a core foundation of the strategic plan for community development. They also established a board of advisors to help implement programmes to achieve the MDG targets.

Los Angeles resolution

In Los Angeles a resolution was adopted supporting the MDGs. The debate leading up to the resolution contributed to putting international development at the heart of the city’s agenda. It also triggered media interest and sent a political signal to Washington about the importance of pro-development policies.

 

 

 

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