Presented by Jeffery Huffines on behalf of NGO Major Group
Open Working Group Session 11
5 May 2014
Proposed Targets:
• FA1: Progressively reduce economic inequality through appropriate fiscal
policies such as progressive taxation by X amount.
• FA1d: Build resilience of the poor and reduce by X% deaths and by Y% economic
losses related to disasters by protecting livelihoods and productive assets,
including livestock, working animals, tools and seeds.
• FA1e: Include reference to achieving decent work for all.
• FA2: By 2030, contain excessive food price volatility (maximum standard
deviation of x% from food price index over time).
• FA3: By 2030, reduce to zero the non-therapeutic and preventative use of
antibiotics in livestock production to protect adequate and affordable healthcare
for all.
• FA3: By 2030 increase by x years healthy life expectancy at birth and at age 60.
• Change wording of “for all people” to “for all people of all ages” wherever
possible in the goals and targets. For example, this would apply to (1b) on
reducing national poverty, (3c) on non-communicable diseases and (3d) on
Universal Health Coverage.
On behalf of the NGO Major Group, we would like to focus our attention on the first
three Focus Areas to be discussed today.
On Focus Area 1 on poverty eradication, the emphasis to ensure social protection in
target 1c is very welcome, yet the way it is written weakens the existing consensus that
universal social protection floors are a human rights imperative in all countries for people
of all ages. People.1
Further, we are concerned that there are no specific targets aimed at assessing inequality,
but instead targets which focus on economic opportunity (1f) and sustaining income
growth of the bottom 40% of people (8a). Neither measure is sure to reduce economic
inequality per se, let alone eradicate the type of extreme inequality we face today. We
recommend the concrete target: “Progressively reduce economic inequality through
appropriate fiscal policies such as progressive taxation by x amount,” to be tracked in
reference to one of the widely accepted metrics of income inequality, and disaggregated
across disadvantaged groups.2
1 For further detail on recommendations for this focus area see Human Rights Caucus joint statement
“OWG inches closer to human rights for all post-2015, but still a long road ahead”.
2 Ibid. Possible indicators include the Gini Index and the Palma Ratio. See also "Post-2015 Fiscal
Revolution" available at
http://www.cesr.org/downloads/fiscal.revolution.pdf.
We recommend that target 1d is strengthened by a specific reference to the need to
protect livelihoods and productive assets – specifically “livestock, working animals, tools
and seeds” – from the impact of disasters.3
Further, target 1e should also include reference to achieving decent work for all.
On Focus Area 2 on sustainable agriculture and food security, we endorse including an
additional target that states “by 2030, contain excessive food price volatility -- as
measured by the -- maximum standard deviation of x% from food price index over
time.”4
The 2008 and 2011 food price crises exposed the problems of over-reliance on
international markets and flawed trade rules, as well as the relatively new problems of
excessive speculation on commodity markets. The deregulation of financial markets has
led to a process of “financialization” of commodities, treating food, energy and other
commodities as asset classes for speculative investments rather than the back-bones of
stable economies and food systems.
On Focus Area 3 on health and population dynamics, we support the inclusion of the
target, “By 2030, reduce to zero the non-therapeutic and preventative use of antibiotics in
livestock production to protect adequate and affordable healthcare for all.”5
We also support the additional target, “by 2030 increase by x years healthy life
expectancy at birth and at age 60.” Given the global trend of population ageing, with
people aged 60 and over projected to constitute 16 per cent of the total worldwide
population by 2030, the framework must include a target that addresses not only this
increasing longevity, but also the quality of life of people as they age.6
Moreover, we welcome the language “for all people” but would urge Member States to
adopt the wording “for all people of all ages” wherever possible in the goals and targets.
For example, this would apply to (1b) on reducing national poverty, (3c) on noncommunicable
diseases and (3d) on Universal Health Coverage.
3 Target proposed by World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA): “Build resilience of the poor
and reduce by X% deaths and by Y% economic losses related to disasters by protecting livelihoods and
productive assets, including livestock, working animals, tools and seeds.” See agreed language, GA
resolution on International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, A/RES/68/211, OP 7.
4 Proposed target: “By 2030, contain excessive food price volatility (maximum standard deviation of x%
from food price index over time).” See Biovision Foundation/Millennium Institute paper available at:
http://www.biovision.ch/fileadmin/pdf/e/news/Reaction_FA2_WorkingDocOWG…
5 Target proposed by WSPA.
6 Stakeholder Group on Ageing: Response to the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
Co Chairs Working Document for 5-9 May Session, April 2014, available at
http://www.helpage.org/download/5363b6b88dbd2.
See also
http://www.helpage.org/blogs/sylvia-beales-
199/sustainable-development-goals-for-all-ages-please.
