Fighting inequalities with the local and regional perspective
26 September 2016
In a document based on PLATFORMA’s contribution to the European Commission Public Consultation on the Future of EU Development Policy, PLATFORMA calls on the European Union to base the new European Consensus on Development on 2 pillars.
According to PLATFORMA, the new European Consensus on Development must include stronger support for effective democratic governance at all levels. PLATFORMA calls for:
- the integration of the local perspective in all sectors and levels of government (territorial, national and regional/global)
- a new and more comprehensive approach to policy coherence for sustainable development (PCSD)
The publication provides concrete examples of global challenges (climate change, migrations, economic development, gender inequalities). It also demonstrates how local action and a territorial approach to development can tackle the root causes of inequalities.
The revision of the European Consensus on Development comes at a time when the international community has fully recognised – through the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – the complex and interconnected nature of global challenges and public goods. The European Union must seize the opportunity to re-think its global development strategy and objectives.
So far, the main goal of EU development policy has been to reduce poverty. It is now time to move to a more integrated approach and focus on reducing all inequalities: wealth, health, gender, employment, education, opportunities; inequalities in access to public services and spaces, and in the exercise of democracy.
