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As we approach the 2015 target date for the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, there are about 300 days left to accelerate action on issues such as access to education, improved sanitation, maternal and newborn health and gender equality.
The Secretary-General, along with the two co-Chairs and several members of his MDG Advocacy Group, participated in a moderated discussion to accelerate progress on the MDGs focusing on building resilience in vulnerable communities, particularly among adolescent girls as key change agents for development. The programme began with a press conference with actress and UN Women Global Ambassador, Emma Watson, launching UN Women’s HeForShe IMPACT 10X10X10. The campaign generated a great deal of global attention with its focus on engaging governments, businesses and universities to make concrete commitments to advance women’s empowerment.
The Secretary-General and the two co-Chairs, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Prime Minster Erna Solberg of Norway, opened the programme. Kpakpando “Kaypee” Akaeze, a 15-year old UNICEF Innovator from Nigeria and Mari Malek, South Sudanese activist and model, participated in a dialogue with Advocate and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, UNICEF’s Yoka Brandt and UN Women’s Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, moderated by CNN anchor Fareed Zakaria. The action-packed programme included interventions from other governments, business leaders as well as several other Advocates. The session highlighted new ways in which the UN is tapping into new technologies to build and drive movements of young people such as the #NoLostGeneration campaign, which is helping direct public attention towards the millions of children affected by the Syria crisis. UNICEF Jordan has been using these breakthrough technologies to produce Clouds Over Sidra – a virtual reality experience that transports viewers to a Syrian refugee camp.
New partnerships between governments, the private sector and citizens themselves, signify an important shifting in the development agenda. This move is from an agenda that prioritizes the more achievable targets, to a universal agenda that prioritizes tackling vulnerability, by identifying and mitigating risks. By amplifying the voices, experiences and successes of the most vulnerable, the MDG Advocates hope to usher in an era to support the collective and ambitious vision for the fight against poverty from 2015 and beyond.
See more photos from the event on Flickr.
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