Amnesty International, the Center for Economic & Social Rights, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Human Rights Watch have developed a Proposal for Post-2015 Monitoring and Accountability at the global level. In particular, we suggest a participatory peer review mechanism (drawing inspiration from the UPR) under the High-Level Political Forum.
High Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development - HLPF
It is our view that robust and participatory monitoring and accountability mechanisms are essential if the post-2015 agenda is to be truly transformative and fit-for-purpose as a vehicle to improve human rights enjoyment worldwide. The right accountability architecture could improve the credibility, ownership and effectiveness of the agenda for people and for states, and make the entire process of sustainable development more transformative and responsive to peoples’ needs. In order to do so, it must ensure accountability for the 'global partnership', for the private sector, and for rich countries' impact on sustainable development beyond their borders.
We hope this proposal will push Member States to see the value and importance of a strong global review mechanism, and seize the chance to recognize revitalized accountability relationships as a core element of the post-2015 agenda, not just an optional or onerous add-on.
Accountability for the post-2015 agenda: A proposal for a robust global review mechanism
Member States, UN agencies, and civil society organizations are channeling unprecedented resources and energy towards a new sustainable development agenda that aims to lift billions out of poverty and deprivation, while realizing their human rights, protecting our environment and creating a more just and equitable world. Robust and participatory monitoring and accountability mechanisms can improve the credibility, ownership and effectiveness of the Post-2015 Agenda for people and for states, and make the entire process of sustainable development more transformative and responsive to peoples’ needs. As the Secretary-General has said, a new paradigm of accountability is in fact “the real test of people-centered, planet-sensitive development.”1
These processes will create spaces in which States and other actors responsible for the new commitments are answerable to the people and communities whose lives they affect, as well as generate evidence about successful strategies and policies, and emerging problems that require corrective action. The Post-2015 accountability architecture can also foster learning and dialogue and help realize the “leave no one behind” principle, by providing an effective platform for including and integrating the experiences of the most disadvantaged.
Strong national accountability mechanisms will be a crucial foundation. However, the global level is also a key site for reinforcing the accountability of national governments to their population, as well as fostering mutual accountability between states for their respective responsibilities in meeting their global commitments. In light of the MDGs experience, we highlight three key attributes of a successful Post-2015 accountability system before moving on to specific proposals for the global level review.
1. Although the SDGs will not be legally binding, robust monitoring and accountability should be considered an integral part of the Agenda, not an optional add-on. The lack of a systematic and well-defined accountability architecture has been commonly identified as a key reason for some major shortfalls in achieving the MDGs, including commitments under MDGs 5 (maternal health) and 8 (the global partnership).2 States should recognize that by participating in accountability mechanisms for the political commitments under the new goals—including by rigorously monitoring progress, correcting setbacks, hearing from stakeholders and people affected and addressing their concerns—they are helping to ensure implementation at all levels.
2. Accountability for the Post-2015 Agenda is a matter of universality, not conditionality. Unlike the MDGs, which applied primarily to developing States, this is a universal agenda and therefore provides an entry point for meaningful monitoring and accountability of domestic implementation by countries at every income level. All States will have the opportunity to participate and provide feedback as equals in reviewing their differentiated responsibilities for meeting collective commitments, for example concerning financing. High-income countries will also have to answer for their role in the global partnership, and the coherence of their policies with the overarching goal of sustainable development for all. In this sense, the Post-2015 follow-up and review processes have the potential to turn the old North-South conditionality dynamic on its head.
3. As such, in addition to reviewing individual States’ implementation domestically, mechanisms at the global level should also examine States’ impact on Post-2015 progress beyond their borders. This could be a unique strength of a global review mechanism, as compared to national and regional reviews, especially given the magnitude of many of the cross-border challenges we face. A global review should examine the transnational consequences of States’ policies and practices, for example in the areas of financing, tax, trade and the environment, which have a major impact on other States’ abilities to develop sustainably and realize human rights. It should provide a sense of overall progress and common challenges in creating an international policy environment conducive to the fulfilment of the new goals, highlight issues that require joint action, and share lessons learned across countries and regions. Furthermore, it should allow space for examining the effectiveness and impact of partnerships, particularly those involving the private sector and international financial institutions, whose role in the implementation of the new commitments must be subject to rigorous scrutiny to guard against potential adverse human rights impacts.
Извор: WUNRN – 10.04.2015
