Analysis of poverty issues towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) : a South African experience

Abstract

Paper presented at the 8th South African Annual conference of the South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM), Cape Sun Hotels, Cape Town, 1-2 November 2007. The study provides a background and framework for the review of policies and actions adopted by the South African government and other stakeholders since the introduction of the Millennium Declaration. It begins with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs.) summarizing the global consensus outlook for achieving them. It then turns to the conceptual framework used to link these development goals to the policies and actions of development in South Africa. The paper describes the framework as an instrument that underpins the proposed monitoring and evaluation strategies and, as initial application of the framework, reviews a range of policy indicators and supporting data to develop an assessment of the current status of policies and programmes directed to achieving the MDGs. in South Africa. The proceeding section considers some methods used with an aim to accessing key information that would inform decision-makers on the current state of affairs towards achieving the internationally agreed Goals at the South African country level.