Dear Friends, Partners and Colleagues:

As you know, the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is fast approaching.  Already civil society, academics, governments and the UN system are thinking about what the next era of development should look like, while keeping a firm focus on achieving the current unfinished business of the MDGs. 

One of the contributions of the UN System to the post-2015 debate it to catalyze multi-stakeholder country and global thematic consultations over the next several months.  These will be a major opportunity for a wide variety of stakeholders to influence the shape of the next agenda from both a country and global perspective.  Within the UN system, various UN organizations have agreed to co-lead the planning processes for the nine thematic consultations which will cover the following subjects:

• ·          Inequalities;
• ·          Population;
• ·          Health;
• ·          Education;
• ·          Growth & Employment;
• ·         Conflict & Fragility;
• ·         Governance;
• ·         Environmental Sustainability;
• ·         Food Security and Nutrition.

UN Women and UNICEF have agreed to co-lead on the Inequalities Consultation.  To help frame that debate,  individuals, academics and organizational partners are invited to submit theoretical papers, to present findings from completed research or to present on-going work that raises methodological or conceptual issues. Proposals are also invited that present robust findings from policy and field research that demonstrate sustainable strategies for resolving specific inequalities, including gender inequality, and addressing their root causes. The proposals will be reviewed by UNICEF, UN Women and other members of an Advisory Group (currently being established) to guide the Inequalities Consultation. The selected and completed papers will be used to stimulate the online global conversation and made available online as background for a concluding leadership meeting in early 2013. The selected papers will also be published as a compendium and concrete output of the consultation. Papers can be submitted either in English, French or Spanish.

Proposals are invited that focus either on the theme of inequalities in general, including the intersecting nature and relationships between different forms of inequality; or on specific manifestations and forms of inequality, such as those related to: income/wealth; gender; location, disability; ethnic, minority or indigenous status; age; sexual orientation; and others.

Proposals for Full Papers should be 250-300 words in length.

Final papers are expected to be around 5,000 words in length.

Proposals for papers should be made by email to:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Submission deadlines:

• ·         Proposal for full paper submitted by 20 July 2012
• ·         Notification of outcome to authors by 15 August 2012
• ·         Completed Paper due from author(s) by 15 October 2012

Please find below further details on the call.  We are happy to answer any additional questions as well.  Please contact Shannon O’Shea at UNICEF ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or Laura Turquet at UN WOMEN ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). 

We look forward to your contributions!

Very best regards.

Background:

As the 2015 target date for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaches, there are a growing number of processes, preparations and debates on what a post-2015 agenda and framework will look like. These are occurring both within and outside of the UN system.

In late 2011, the Secretary-General (SG) established a post-2015 UN Task Team, co-chaired by the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and UNDP. The task team is comprised of senior staff from a wide variety of UN organizations and the Bretton Woods Institutions. The main output of the task team was to produce a “roadmap” on post-2015 for the Secretary-General, which was submitted to Secretary-General’s Office in June 2012. It is expected that this paper will help to frame the work of the SG’s High Level Panel, which is being convened to guide the SG and the UN in shaping the post-2015 development agenda and prepare for discussion and debate on this topic at the 2013 UN General Assembly (GA). At the start of the 2013 GA there will be a high level summit to review progress on the MDGs and map out a forward looking agenda.

In addition to the UN system processes outlined above, UNDG (as chaired by UNDP) is aiming to catalyze a “global conversation” on the post-2015 development agenda through a series of at least 50 national consultations and nine global thematic consultations. The aim of these consultations is to bring together a broad range of stakeholders to review progress on the MDGs and to discuss the options for a new framework. The nine thematic consultations will be based on the following topics below, which have been identified as particular issues of importance to the post-2015 debates:

• ·         Inequalities;
• ·         Population;
• ·         Health;
• ·         Education;
• ·         Growth & Employment;
• ·         Conflict & Fragility;
• ·         Governance;
• ·         Environmental Sustainability;
• ·         Food Security and Nutrition.

Each topic is expected to have a small group of UN Organizations “co-lead” on planning and organizing the consultation in partnership with a government sponsor, who will provide some financial support.

Why a focus on inequalities?

Despite many of the successes of the MDGs, they have not managed adequately to integrate all principles outlined in the Millennium Declaration, especially in relation to human rights and equality, including gender inequality. Furthermore, the MDGs’ focus on national and global averages and progress can mask much slower progress or even growing disparities at the sub-national level and among specific populations. Addressing inequalities is a moral imperative from a human-rights perspective. It is also critical for robust, inclusive and sustainable growth, including economic growth. The post-2015 development agenda must seek to address inequalities. The purpose of this thematic consultation is to ensure that this happens through the identification of robust, evidence-based policies, strategies and interventions and that the conversations and debates on how inequalities can be addressed in the post-2015 agenda are as inclusive as possible through the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders.

CALL FOR PAPERS

UNICEF and UN WOMEN with support from the Government of Denmark are jointly organising the global thematic consultation process on addressing inequalities in the post-2015 agenda. The objectives of this process are:

1.       To stimulate wide ranging global discussion on the various forms of inequalities and present main findings to key decision-makers and leaders;

2.       To stimulate discussion and analysis on how the MDGs have supported progress on achieving gender equality, to identify remaining gaps and new issues, and to generate consensus on how to reflect gender equality into the post-2015 development framework;

3.       To develop high quality analysis on the structure, content and implications of major forms of inequalities, as continuing and major barriers to global development and social justice;

4.       To examine a range of policy options and responses (both at the national and international level) and how these might be deployed in the context of the post-2015 development agenda;

5.       To build understanding and political consensus -- among member states, UN agencies and civil society -- on the need to tackle inequalities and on strategic options for doing so; and build political commitment to ensuring this is a central part of any post-2015 development framework;

6.       To develop ideas about how progress towards greater equality, including gender equality, can be measured and how goals can be defined, owned and made accountable.

This consultation will consist of two phases:

• ·         An online “Global Conversation” beginning around July/August 2012 and continuing until early 2013. This will be an opportunity for multiple of voices to be heard from civil society stakeholders including , academia, media, national and international NGOs, the private sector, etc. as well as government and UN system actors. We will use an online space (or spaces) for discussion and solicitation of feedback through a number of channels (e.g. webinars/ online discussions, polls, surveys, moderated discussions, etc.)

• ·         A “Leadership Meeting” during the first quarter of 2013. This meeting will gather approximately 40 high level participants/ leaders from member states, key UN agencies, academia and civil society, including invited members of the Secretary-General’s High Level Panel, who would review and discuss the findings of the global consultation/conversation. The output of the meeting will be a report/ statement with recommendations on how to address inequalities in the post-2015 agenda.

Papers: Individuals, academics and organizational partners are invited to submit theoretical papers, to present findings from completed research or to present on-going work that raises methodological or conceptual issues. Proposals are also invited that present robust findings from policy and field research that demonstrate sustainable strategies for resolving specific inequalities, including gender inequality, and addressing their root causes. The proposals will be reviewed by UNICEF, UN Women and other members of an Advisory Group (currently being established) to guide the Inequalities Consultation. The selected and completed papers will be used to stimulate the online global conversation and made available online as background for the leadership meeting. The selected papers will also be published as a compendium and concrete output of the consultation. Papers can be submitted either in English, French or Spanish.

Proposals are invited that focus either on the theme of inequalities in general, including the intersecting nature and relationships between different forms of inequality; or on specific manifestations and forms of inequality, such as those related to: income/wealth; gender; location; disability; ethnic, minority or indigenous status; age; sexual orientation; and others.