The MDGs do not currently contain explicit requirements for states to ensure that they are achieved on an equitable basis and, in effect, the MDG matrix is equity blind. It encourages states to focus on the ‘low hanging fruit’ (better off, mainly urban populations) leaving the marginalised inadequately protected while measurements are unable to distinguish between fair and unfair social distributions. The evidence presented in this paper shows that this has led to insufficient attention paid to equity across and within generations, with devastating impacts for the achievement of the MDGs and for the wellbeing of children now and in the future. DFID is currently not doing enough to promote children’s rights and, without action, this will hinder their ability to fulfil stated commitments on ensuring greater equity in achieving the MDGs. It is specifically recommended that:
- DFID appoint a high level child rights champion in recognition of the importance of children to the development process, and must ensure that a member of staff at head office level works exclusively on promoting child
- DFID promote the development and use of child-rights based equity indicators for monitoring future progress against the MDGs (see Annex 1 for details), and resource other national governments to strengthen their national data collection and monitoring of the MDGs.
- DFID track its own child-related expenditure and report this to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and support other national governments to do the same.
- All DFID country offices should undertake a child rights situational analysis and use this to explicitly outline actions to promote children’s rights in strategies on social protection, health, education and nutrition, including specific action to target excluded groups.
- In contributing to the development of a post-MDG framework, DFID must ensure that greater attention is paid to equity and that all child rights, including those to protection and care, are acknowledged.
