Briefing Papers Number 22, September 2013 | Page 3

Moving Forward: A Post-2015 Agenda
The target of halving the proportion of people suffering
from hunger by 2015 is within reach. With increased political
support, it is indeed feasible to think of a world free from
hunger by 2030. The global community must build on past
achievements, redouble its efforts, and accelerate progress
on the MDGs.This is the time. The final push and a strong
finish by 2015 are critical to building momentum and creating an appetite for a universal post-2015 development
framework.
In May 2013, the High Level Panel on the post-2015 development agenda—a group tasked with advising the United
Nations Secretary General—released its report A New Global
Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through
Sustainable Development. The report advocates five “global
shifts”:
• Leave no one behind;
• Put sustainable development at the core;
• Transform economies for jobs and inclusive growth;
• Build peace and effective, open, and accountable
institutions for all; and
• Forge a new global partnership.
These themes form a robust and transformative framework for global action while also providing clear direction for
government, civil society, and the private sector. The “shifts”
offer space for a balanced development approach that spans
all sectors. In order to be considered “met,” a target must
be reached by all relevant income and social groups—thus
ensuring a measure of inclusiveness that would be overlooked by looking at progress based on averages alone.
The panel also recommended that the post-2015 agenda
adopt a goal to achieve food security and nutrition for all,
emphasize the economic empowerment of women and girls,
improve governance and institutions, and integrate equality
and shared prosperity into all of the development goals so
that no one is left behind.
In July 2013, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
released a report outlining his vision for the post-2015
agenda—A Life of Dignity For All: Accelerating Progress toward the
Millennium Development Goals and Advancing the United Nations
Development Agenda beyond 2015. The report calls for a uniwww.bread.org

versal development agenda that promotes inclusivity. This is
very important. Today—unlike when the MDGs were agreed
on in 2000—72 percent of the world’s poor people live in
middle-income countries.7 To end extreme poverty, a future
set of goals will have to apply to middle-income countries as
well. In the United States, 15 percent of the population was
living in poverty in 2011 and a quarter of all children live
in households that experience hunger.8 Development goals
should apply to all countries.
The post-2015 development agenda provides an opportunity to promote equity and equitable growth in all countries.
It is also an opportunity to recognize linkages across key
areas: food security and good nutrition for all; agricultural
development; women’s economic empowerment; and good
governance and effective institutions. Goals should be formulated in ways that capture the great potential of coordinated approaches, which have proven to be highly effective
in responding to multiple development challenges.

Nutrition
Since 2000, there is new knowledge about the manifestation and impact of malnutrition. While significant progress
in reducing the proportion of children who are underweight
has been made in many regions, stunting is the leading cause
of death and disability among children under 5. Today, there
are 165 million stunted children around the world. Being far
too short for their age is only the most visible sign. Their
cognitive and physical development has been compromised
by chronic malnutrition, and for their entire lives, they
will be more likely to suffer from health problems—all of
which will make them less productive than they could be.9

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The SUN movement brings together countries—41 at last
count—that are committed to expanding effective, evidencebased nutrition actions so that they reach all young children
and pregnant women at risk of malnutrition. Each SUN country
identifies priorities and promotes both specific nutrition interventions that focus on the “1,000 Days” window, and nutritionsensitive policies. SUN has great promise, and its efforts must
be supported because malnutrition remains one of the biggest
challenges to development in high-burden countries.

This boy from Guatemala receives a nutrition-specific intervention.

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