Development

Photo of Make Poverty History campaign

Did you know?

The poorest 40% of the world’s population – 2.5 billion people living on less than $2 a day – account for just 5% of all global income.*(p.7)
A plausible level of overall overseas development assistance to meet the MDGs is $135 billion in 2006 and $195 billion in 2015. These figures are respectively equivalent to 0.44 and 0.54 percent of the income of donor countries.*
Over the next 10 years 41 million child deaths could be prevented if the Millenium Development Goals are achieved.*(p.7)

Take action

Contribute your skills in a developing country:

Australian Volunteers International is the largest organisation sending Australians to work in developing countries.
Australian Council for International Development provides access to NGOs that employ Australians to work overseas.
Australian Business Volunteers sends skilled Australians to fill short-term project needs.
Become a virtual volunteer with Mercy Corps

Photo

Nelson Mandela - 3rd February 2005: Mandela addresses over 22,000 people in Trafalgar Square on behalf of the MAKE POVERTY HISTORY coalition. He hands a group of school children his white band to be delivered with thousands of others to the leaders of the G8.

DEVELOPMENT

The more we study the major problems of our time, the more we come to realize that they cannot be viewed in isolation. They are systemic problems, which means that they are interconnected and interdependent.

Fritjof Capra

Despite overwhelming evidence that wealth is not everything, it has taken many decades for key international organisations to move away from defining development solely in terms of income. The United Nations describes the objective of development as the creation of “an enabling environment for people to enjoy long, healthy and creative lives."* It is development that: “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” These descriptions incorporate both environmental and social goals as integral to improving ‘quality of life’.

Development that takes into account social (such as health, education and rights) and environmental, as well as, economic factors is termed sustainable human development. It incorporates the concepts of intragenerational equity (providing for the needs of the least advantaged now) and intergenerational equity (fair treatment of future generations). It recognises that both poverty and the use of the environment involve costs that cannot be avoided only passed on to people in other places or times. It also demands the participation of individuals and countries in determining their future.

In practice, international development efforts have been dominated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, with their emphasis on economic goals and top-down (or ‘trickle-down’) approaches. The failure of these models and the demands of developing countries have forced a recognition of other approaches, particularly those of NGOs working in partnership with grassroots organisations. Disturbingly, moves towards these approaches are now being replaced by a focus on the security concerns of the dominant countries.

This section contains information and links on Capacity, Participation and Empowerment, Governance and Intentional Commuities.

The role of the United Nations

One of the UN's central mandates is the promotion of higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development.

The UN's 'About Development' page explains the UN’s role in development.

In 2000, the 189 Member States of the United Nations, including Australia, signed a set of goals – the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) – that would halve world poverty by 2015. The MDGs are not just general statements of world hopes – they set out clear and achievable targets for action. Investing in Development is the UN’s practical plan to achieve the MDGs.

Each year the United Nations Development Program publishes a Human Development Report

The UN Division for Sustainable Development published the declaration from the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Agenda 21

The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

In practice, The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are the most powerful international organisations in determining the direction of international development efforts. These organisations have agreed to the MDGs and the World Bank states that its primary purpose is to help eliminate poverty. However, there is evidence that the practices of these organisations, whose voting structures favour the high income countries, actually decrease poor people’s access to basic services. For analysis of the policies and practices of these organisations go to:

The Bretton Woods Project works as a networker, information-provider, media informant and watchdog to scrutinise and influence the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Results is committed to individuals exercising their personal and political power by lobbying elected officials for effective solutions and key policies that affect hunger and poverty.

The Whirled Bank Group for an alternative view of the World Bank.

The role of international NGOs, grassroots organisations and civil society

These organisations have for a longtime provided alternative approaches to both the theory and practice of development.

The New Zealand resource centre, Information Services of Global Focus Aotearoa, is one of the best sources of regional information on international development and global issues: provides a knowledge centre, email updates, a magazine, and job information.

ELDIS provides free access to a huge range of articles and resources on development: issues, news, events, funding opportunities, jobs, links to organisations in developing countries and critiques of current develoment orthodoxy.

The Canadian International Development Agency has a virtual library searchable by: topic, country, region, organisation and reference desk (events, laws, portals, statistics, reports, libraries).

Global Exchange provides news articles and resources on its campaign areas, currently war, peace & democracy and the global economy (fair trade).

World Revolution is a global activist social movement for progressive social change. It provides information on peace, human rights, the environment and world poverty.

The role of the Australian government and NGO’s

There are a number of organisations that oversee and support Australia's development programs.

AusAID manages Australia’s official Government Overseas Aid Program.

The Australian Development Gateway is the most comprehensive site for resources for Australian development workers.

The Australian Council for International Development is the peak agency for Australian NGOs and provides links to these organisations as well as other development resources.