1. Movement for Community-led Development: Localizing the SDGs
May 2017
Thanks so much for this opportunity to share with you a civil society initiative to seize the opportunity of the launch of the SDGs to increase international focus on the importance of empowering communities to take charge of their own development.

2. For those of us working to end poverty and hunger, this is especially true. This young mother from Mozambique lacks access to all basic services, and has no voice in the decisions that affect her life. The radius of her universe is 10 km - the distance she can walk to and from basic services with her baby on her back. So - if there are no reliable services within 10 km, they do not exist for her at all.

3. To enable these real men and women to escape from extreme poverty, we must allow them to be dignified agents of their own destiny.
Integral human development and the full exercise of human dignity cannot be imposed. They must be built up and allowed to unfold...
At the launch of the SDGs, the Pope made a similar statement. This is a process of empowerment that must be built up and allowed to unfold.

4. Development is Local
This is why a growing numbers of experts are pointing out that - for the transformation envisioned in the SDGs, there is “no transformation without localization.” By our assessment, at least 12 of the 17 goals requires integrated solutions at the community level. And - too often - that big blue circle in the middle - the social infrastructure at the community level is ignored. [click to reveal the gears] The social environment in which poor people live is often characterized by little or no meaningful government, corruption, gender discrimination, social exclusion, economic exploitation and a deep sense of dependency, hopelessness and resignation.

5. Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
...build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
One breakthrough of the SDGs that many of us advocated for was a goal for good governance - and particularly those three little words - “at all levels” that includes the community level.

6. 34: “...investments in sustainable development are being devolved to the subnational level, which often lacks adequate technical and technological capacity, financing and support. We therefore commit to scaling up international cooperation to strengthen capacities of municipalities and other local authorities. “
In the run-up to the SDG launch, the Financing for Development conference committed specifically to invest in strengthening local governance.

7. Definitions
CDD: “an approach that gives control over planning decisions and investment resources for local development projects to community groups.”
CLD: is the process of working together to create and achieve locally owned visions and goals.
CLD works to achieve systemic change rather than short-term projects.
There are two very distinct but sometimes overlapping approaches to community development: Community-driven development – which focuses on community-decision-making about projects – and CLD (defined). The literature and terminology for CLD is fairly recent – primarily developed in Canada and New Zealand for strengthening indigenous communities.

8. NOT just community-based projects
Transformation of Mindset – not the “B” word
Principles and Values
Structured Process
Mobilize volunteerism – develop leadership
Strengths and vision – not problem solving
Multisectoral / Integrated Approach
Builds local government and civil society
Self-reliance / Exit strategy
Here are 8 ways CLD is different from community-based projects

9. For 20 years, my organization - The Hunger Project - has pioneered methodologies for strengthening communities in Latin America...

10. ...in India and Bangladesh...

11. And in 125 epicenters across 8 countries of Africa.

12. We are pleased to share these integrated approaches with everyone
We are pleased to share these integrated approaches with everyone. And we know that other organizations have strategies from which we can learn.

13. On the SDG Launch day, our president (right) was one of 3 civil society speakers to address the session on Hunger and Poverty, where she announced the creation of this movement. We loved her positioning - in the row with the CEO of Unilever, and Bill and Melinda Gates.

14. Mobilizing Communities at Transformative Scale
Lots of Advocates
Lots of Mobilizers
Big Donors & Gov’ts
CLD
If we want Community-Led Development everywhere it is needed [click] we need lots of civil society groups working in concerted action the way they do it in the Philippines - not just with a few projects, but like a vaccination campaign: coordinate with the local government ministry, lay out the map, figure out how to deploy human resources and mobilize every communities. [click 2] That will require real policy and financial support from major donor agencies and governments, which [click 3] in turn will require an effective, sustained advocacy campaign.

15. Progress on our goals Raise profile of CLD Shared language/analysis
Gather and disseminate evidence
Share best practices.
Build the movement.
Advocate policies & funding.
Take it to scale.
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At our launch, we set 7 goals, and here is how we’ve rated ourselves on progress:
We’re pretty good at raising the issue - at this year’s UN General Assembly, we had a panel of major organizations including UNDP saying how committed they are to this approach.
We collectively developed a shared framework of analysis that is on our website
We’ve just begun compiling evidence on our website
We’ve held some great webinars where groups present their CLD methodology
The movement has grown (see next slide)
We’ve seen USAID change key policies in the direction of CLD this year
We have our first agreement - with the government of Malawi - to go to national scale.

16. Growth of the Movement
Currently we have 42 members with collective revenues of US$4b/y, and 10
Plus chapters growing in BF, BJ, CL, DE, HI, KE, KM, MC, MX, NL, NP, SN, UK

17. A shared analytic framework
Principles and Values
Structure and Process:
Mindset
Capacity
Impact
Sustainability
Community -Led Development
Gender
Vision
Strength/ confidence/ assets
Social Mobilization
Leadership
Governance
Skills
Group Formation
Linkages
Social Cohesion
Participatory Planning
Social accountability
“Data for the people”
Legal existence
Resilience
Graduation/Exit Strategy
We’ve begun discussions to disaggregate the kinds of practices and interventions required to facilitate community-led development.

18. Partnership with UNDP and South Korea
One advantage of raising the profile of CLD is that other initiatives find a home - South Korea attributes all its wealth to its CLD program of the 1970s, and is working with UNDP to modernize and spread their experience.

19. Where MCLD Members Work
Our members have staff and activities in 92 countries - giving us a platform for growth - our current goal is to establish 50 national chapters, and UNDP has agreed to co-host meetings with ministries of local government.

20. Investing in Communities at Scale:
Korea
Philippines
Indonesia
Brazil
Ethiopia
Afghanistan...
And they’ve been taken to scale in numerous countries.

21. Regional Strategies to Foster Country Programs
Champions build MCLD chapters
Advocacy by MCLD chapters: parliament, bureaucracy
Finance Minister asks for CLD funds
IFIs provide funds (WB, IsDB, AfDB, ADB, IDB)
CLD program:
Community
Block grants;
Funds for facilitators
We’ve learned more details about our Theory of Change. Successful national CLD programs include flexible mechanisms for community funding plus funds for capacity building. The IFIs are willing to fund these if the finance minister asks for it. This requires advocacy with both the parliament and the ministry staff, which all requires a charming champion to bring people together. So a key next step is to find national champions.

22. Action to take together!
Find more allies
Share best practices
Create advocacy objectives
Find more evidence
Develop messages
In liberating the power of every woman and man, and ensuring every community has it’s fair share of public resources, we can realize our vision of a world free from hunger and poverty. Thank you!