Localise the MDG achievement: UNDP

The UNDP, which strongly supports the Government agenda on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), said that given the strong achievements at national level, the country can now move to tracking performance at local levels so that disparities can be identified and addressed, creating a better living environment for all.

As the Government of Sri Lanka took steps to implement the MDGs, there was a need to localise the indicators, commented the UNDP in a recent communiqué.

Whilst some measurements could be carried out at national level, there was an urgent need to measure disparities at the urban, rural, and estate sectors, as well as the provincial and district so that country can accrue real dividends by the achievements of the MDGs.

The Local Governance Programme of UNDP, implemented through the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs, sought to take on this task of assessing and localising the MDGs with a systematic and people-oriented focus. This entailed assessment of the current scenario with surveys being carried out to ascertain baseline data and subsequent annual changes.

The localisation of the MDG indicators and the formulation of a ‘Rural Development Road Map for Sri Lanka’ was initially carried out during 2009 and 2010, with pilot projects in four divisions in the Uva Province, namely Ella and Haliela in the Badulla District and in Badalkumbura and Medagama in the Monaragala District.

The Uva Province was selected for this initial exercise due to the extreme poverty levels prevalent in the area, in comparison to other regions in Sri Lanka. This exercise sought to assist the province in identifying their challenges and designing programs to address them.

The first phase of the exercise is aimed at selecting the main actors in each division who design and carry out the baseline survey in the area, where they would localise the MDG indicators based on the opportunities and needs of that particular area and community.

The information gathered was then shared at a validation workshop participated by a cross section of development partners in the area. Based on this input, the baseline survey was finalised and made available for diverse development partners to share and utilise in their various interventions.

The baseline survey is updated every year by the trained village-based grassroots level team, ensuring that the information remains current and development plans are revised to address existing needs. At present, a total of 99 Divisional Secretariat Divisions including in Badulla, Monaragala, Matara, Hambantota Batticaloa Ampara, and Trincomalee have undergone the survey and the validation workshop and are working on their target and action plans to ensure the achievement of the MDG targets for year 2015.

In the Uva Province, where the pilot project was conducted, diverse activities have been implemented aimed at reducing poverty levels, creating better living standards for villagers, enabling youth to seek self-employment ventures, and creating a noted engagement of women in local development activities.

Now the learnings from such a study must extend to the rest of the country, said UNDP, adding that the private sector must also be sensitive to this objective.

Commenting on the achievements so far and the way forward with MDGs, J. Dadallage, Additional Secretary (Home Affairs) at MPA&HA and Project Manager, LoGoPro stated: “The MDGs are an important indicator of development in Sri Lanka as the country moves forward. We are happy to be working alongside UNDP in achieving the MDGs, with a localised approach. We hope that this commendable partnership with UNDP can continue further as we strive to achieve all the set goals by 2015.”