Kate Higgins

Drawing on country studies from seven low-, middle- and high-income countries, Implementing Agenda 2030: Unpacking the Data Revolution at Country Level, identifies opportunities and challenges for effectively applying and measuring a universal, country-relevant Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) framework.

Specifically, the report:

- Unpacks how Agenda 2030 and the SDGs can be effectively and universally applied and measured across countries with different sustainable development… Show more

Drawing on country studies from seven low-, middle- and high-income countries, Implementing Agenda 2030: Unpacking the Data Revolution at Country Level, identifies opportunities and challenges for effectively applying and measuring a universal, country-relevant Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) framework.

Specifically, the report:

- Unpacks how Agenda 2030 and the SDGs can be effectively and universally applied and measured across countries with different sustainable development challenges and priorities;

-Examines the availability and quality of data at the country level for measuring and driving progress on the SDGs; and

- Identifies implications for realising the data revolution for sustainable development.

The full report, highlights and country profiles are available in English below. The report highlights are also available in Spanish and French. Show less

The world is in the midst of a complex and dramatic set of transformations. The traditional view of “international development” as solely a matter of charity and moral importance, secondary to Canada’s hard interests, is long outdated. The complex, inter-related nature of contemporary global challenges demands a new mindset, a new coalition of actors, and even new terminology. These are the conclusions of a CIPS working group in their new report “Towards 2030: Building Canada’s Engagement with… Show more

The world is in the midst of a complex and dramatic set of transformations. The traditional view of “international development” as solely a matter of charity and moral importance, secondary to Canada’s hard interests, is long outdated. The complex, inter-related nature of contemporary global challenges demands a new mindset, a new coalition of actors, and even new terminology. These are the conclusions of a CIPS working group in their new report “Towards 2030: Building Canada’s Engagement with Global Sustainable Development.” The working group, comprised of leading academics, civil society leaders and former senior officials, argues that “global sustainable development” is central to Canada’s prosperity, security, environment and global influence. They conclude, however, that Canadian society has not kept pace with the evolving global context and offer eight recommendations to kick start a generational shift – spanning academia, business, think tanks, philanthropy, civil society and all levels of government. Show less

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be agreed by world leaders at the Post‑2015 Summit in September 2015. These global goals will guide the world’s priorities and actions on sustainable development for at least the next decade. As part of this process, a ‘data revolution for sustainable development’ has been called for, to ensure we have the information needed to make the best policy choices, hold decision makers to account on their commitments and track SDG
progress at the local… Show more

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be agreed by world leaders at the Post‑2015 Summit in September 2015. These global goals will guide the world’s priorities and actions on sustainable development for at least the next decade. As part of this process, a ‘data revolution for sustainable development’ has been called for, to ensure we have the information needed to make the best policy choices, hold decision makers to account on their commitments and track SDG
progress at the local, national, regional and global levels. Civil society has an opportunity, as well as a responsibility, to ensure the SDGs, and the data revolution, spur the transformational changes that are required to tackle the huge global challenges, but also leverage the exciting opportunities, that we face.

One concrete way we can do this is by harnessing civil society and citizen‑generated data to monitor, promote and drive SDG progress. A huge amount of civil society data already exists. At the same time, civil society and citizens are leveraging technology to generate and use new data in creative waysWhile the post‑2015 outcome document (now known as the 2030 Agenda) is
weak on the role of non‑official data sources for SDG monitoring, we believe that civil society needs to move forward with these efforts–whether there is space for civil society and citizen‑generated data to be used in official SDG monitoring processes, or through some form of shadow monitoring which needs to be put in place.

The objective of this background note is to support conversations amongst civil society and with other sustainable development actors about how we can collaborate to ensure that we are leveraging civil society and citizen‑generated data to monitor and drive progress on the SDGs in the best way we can. Show less

This report aims to contribute to post-2015 and data revolution discussions by providing an overview of the key themes arising from post-2015 proposals. In January 2013 The North-South Institute (NSI) launched its Post-2015 Tracking Tool, available through NSI’s Canadian International Development Platform. The tool is an interactive aggregator of proposals on the post-2015 development agenda. This report provides thematic analysis of NSI’s dataset, identifying the issues that are gaining… Show more

This report aims to contribute to post-2015 and data revolution discussions by providing an overview of the key themes arising from post-2015 proposals. In January 2013 The North-South Institute (NSI) launched its Post-2015 Tracking Tool, available through NSI’s Canadian International Development Platform. The tool is an interactive aggregator of proposals on the post-2015 development agenda. This report provides thematic analysis of NSI’s dataset, identifying the issues that are gaining traction across post-2015 proposals and showcasing the types of data that are being sought to track development progress. It reveals that environment is the most prominent theme across the 77 proposals captured by the dataset, followed by health, education, and employment and inclusive growth. Show less

This policy brief outlines the processes underway for establishing the post-2015 framework and the architecture that looks set to frame it.

This policy brief examines how the global context has changed since the MDGs were conceived in 2000 and the implications of these changes for the priorities of the post-2015 agenda.

The policy brief provides the historical context for the MDGs, assesses progress made against the goals and identifies their strengths and limitations.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been a central reference point for aid and international cooperation since their inception in 2000. As their 2015 end date approaches, the world is asking, what comes next?

To help answer this question, in 2012 the Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed a High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Co-chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia… Show more

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have been a central reference point for aid and international cooperation since their inception in 2000. As their 2015 end date approaches, the world is asking, what comes next?

To help answer this question, in 2012 the Secretary-General of the United Nations appointed a High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. Co-chaired by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom, and including leaders from civil society, the private sector and government, the 27-member Panel was tasked with advising the Secretary General on a bold but practical development post-2015 agenda to succeed the MDGs. On 30 May 2013, the Panel released its report, A New Global Partnership: Eradicate Poverty and Transform Economies through Sustainable Development.

To learn more about the report, and discuss its implications for global and Canadian engagement on international development, on 25 July 2013 NSI invited Dr. Homi Kharas, Executive Secretary and Lead Author of the High-level Panel Secretariat, and Molly Elgin-Cossart, Chief of Staff of the High-level Panel Secretariat, to speak with leaders from the Canadian civil society, business and research communities.

The report provides an overview of the roundtable discussion. Show less

There is no doubt that we are witnessing a shift in the economic, political and environmental forces that shape the world as we know it. While the dynamics of this global transformation are well-documented, less explored is what these changes mean for how we conceive, coordinate and implement international development.

Featuring perspectives from a range of Canadian and global experts, this collection examines what global changes mean for international development, with a focus on… Show more

There is no doubt that we are witnessing a shift in the economic, political and environmental forces that shape the world as we know it. While the dynamics of this global transformation are well-documented, less explored is what these changes mean for how we conceive, coordinate and implement international development.

Featuring perspectives from a range of Canadian and global experts, this collection examines what global changes mean for international development, with a focus on growth, aid and global governance. Show less

In the year 2000, world leaders adopted the Millennium Declaration. A commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and just world, the declaration included a set of targets for development and poverty reduction to be reached by 2015. These came to be known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Over the past decade, the MDGs have become a central reference point for aid and international cooperation, not only providing a compelling vision for international development, but also a set of… Show more

In the year 2000, world leaders adopted the Millennium Declaration. A commitment to a peaceful, prosperous, and just world, the declaration included a set of targets for development and poverty reduction to be reached by 2015. These came to be known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Over the past decade, the MDGs have become a central reference point for aid and international cooperation, not only providing a compelling vision for international development, but also a set of quantitative benchmarks against which development progress can be measured. As the 2015 end date approaches, policy-makers have turned their attention to what will replace the MDGs. Preoccupation with the post-MDG agenda has led to a proliferation of analyses, discussions, and summits on what should come next.

This report provides a comprehensive overview of the MDGs and the post-2015 agenda. Specifically, the report assembles and synthesizes the burgeoning MDG and post-2015 literature to reflect on the MDGs and identify the processes, issues, architecture and emerging challenges that are framing and influencing the post-2015 agenda. Show less