International Symposium on ‘Human Development in Global South:
Emerging Perspectives in the Era of Post-Millennium Development Goals’, 28-29 April 2014, New Delhi
The new development framework that would replace the existing set of eight Millennium Development Goals in 2015 is presently a major international development discourse. In order to strengthen the recommendations for a Southern-led, Southern-focused post-2015 development agenda globally, momentum needs to be built around shaping the agenda by engaging a diverse set of stakeholders, and in this regard, the academic community and civil society play a critical role as a key voice. The Institute for Human Development (IHD), New Delhi, and Wada Na Todo Abhiyan (WNTA), a coalition of over 4000 civil society organizations in India, have jointly initiated a dialogue on the post-MDG 2015 development perspective involving the leading academic scholars and experts from the global South. As a key activity under this partnership, it was envisaged to bring together perspectives from leading development researchers, through a set of papers and commentaries, at a High-level international symposium. As such, The International Symposium on Human Development in Global South: Emerging Perspectives in the Era of Post-Millennium Development Goals was held in New Delhi during April 28-29, 2014. The UN-ESCAP also collaborated in organising this Symposium. The Keynote address was delivered by Professor Thomas Pogge, Director, Global Justice Programme and the Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs, Yale University. A book titled “What After MDGs? Shaping the Development Agenda in the Post 2015 Scenario” – a collection of think pieces by leading academic scholars and experts from the global South was released by Ms. Lise Grande, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the inaugural session.
Around 200 resource persons and delegates participated in the Symposium and enriched its deliberations. Theme papers and perspective papers were presented and discussed upon by well known academics and experts from across South Asia in the plenary and thematic sessions during the Symposium. Spread over two days the themes discussed in the plenary sessions included – Eradicating Poverty, Ensuring Social Protection; Providing Food Security, Tackling Undernutrition; Expanding Employment Opportunities; Promoting Educational Opportunities and Universalising Health Coverage. The plenary sessions were chaired by Professor Deepak Nayyar, Professor Emeiritus, Jawaharlal Nehru University and Former Vice Chancellor, Delhi University; Professor K P Kannan, Chairman, Laurie Baker Centre for Habitat Studies and Former Director, Centre for Development Studies, Thiruvananthapuram; Professor Prem Vashishtha, Galgotia University; Professor D N Reddy, National Fellow, ICSSR and Former Professor and Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad; Professor R. Govinda, Vice Chancellor, NUEPA and Dr. A K Shiva Kumar, Adviser, UNICEF. The Thematic Sessions were moderated by well known academicians like- Dr. P K Joshi, Director, IFPRI; Dr. Achin Chakraborty, Professor and Director, IDSK; Dr. Sudhanshu Bhushan, NUEPA and Professor Surinder Jodhka, JNU, New Delhi. The concluding and valedictory session was chaired by Professor Muchkund Dubey, President, CSD and Former Foreign Secretary of India.
