The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations discussed on 23-25 February the Secretary General report on the implementation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review requested by the General Assembly. Under a cryptic title, the meeting addressed core issues, such as the UN development system’s role (and its relevance) in the post 2015 agenda.

When it comes to the UN’s role in development, there is a broad consensus on the unique value the UN brings to the table because of its history, neutrality, convening power and universal representation. However, it is important to underline that the development ecosystem is being populated in recent years by emerging economic powers and new actors such as philanthropic organizations, large INGOs, regional institutions and development banks.

Moreover, the UN is no longer the biggest funder of development activities, as it is now finds itself in second position, behind the European Commission.

Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN) recently launched a new book entitled, “The Remaking of Social Contracts: Feminists in a Fierce New World”, edited by Gita Sen and Marina Durano, published by ZED Books, London.  This book is a result of a long process of debate and reflection that DAWN members engaged in, along with partners and allies in different civil society organizations and social movements. It follows from the previous groundbreaking books that DAWN has published through the years, starting with Development, Crises and Alternative Visions: Third World Women’s Perspectives (Sen and Grown,1987);  Population and Reproductive Rights: Feminist Perspectives from the South (Correa and Reichmann, 1994) and The Marketisation of Governance (Taylor, 2000).

In a new article released by Future United Nations Development System (FUNDS), Roberto Bissio, Social Watch Coordinator, analysis the post-2015 process and suggests what must be done to ensure the promises made will be fulfilled. Twenty-two independent UN human rights rapporteurs wrote to the Rio+20 Summit that “real risk exists that commitments made in Rio will remain empty promises without effective monitoring and accountability.” This danger also exists for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The absence of specific targets for monitoring and accountability implies specific consensus about next steps is missing. In fact, many of the targets are essentially impossible to assess quantitatively because they refer to concepts for which there are no indicators or no internationally agreed definition. Governments are primarily responsible to their own citizens through oversight bodies such as parliaments, and so it will be up to civil society to demand and promote regular reporting on national progress.

The United Nations General Assembly negotiations on the post-2015 development agenda have kicked off with Member States putting forward the broad contours of what they envision for the next 15 years of international development cooperation.

At the first of a series of meetings on 19-21 January at the UN headquarters in New York, the Group of 77 and China (G77) asserted that the post-2015 development agenda must be framed by guiding principles and international law, including that of Agenda 21, the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation and the Rio Principles on Environment and Development.

In particular, the Group stressed, there must be recognition that the international community's pursuit of sustainable development must be based on common but differentiated responsibilities, and that poverty eradication is the ultimate imperative for sustainable development.

The change in the current development paradigm that the leaders of the world are going to approve next September will require bold reforms and policy shifts. Can they be accomplished without involving the Finance Ministers?