Experts to discuss the MDGs and social exclusion of vulnerable groups

Addis Ababa, 5 May 2008 – About 30 experts from government ministries, academia, civil society and the United Nations system representing 14 countries will on Wednesday in Addis Ababa begin a three-day workshop on “Developing supplementary targets and indicators to strengthen social inclusion, gender equality and health promotion in the Millennium Development Goals”.

Organized by Economic Commission for Africa, the meeting is a component of a project undertaken jointly with the other United Nations Regional Commissions and aims to enhance the capacity of member States to design and implement development policies and programmes which contribute to social inclusion, gender equality and health promotion.

The expert group meeting will specifically review a report prepared by ECA on social exclusion in the African context, which addresses the key concepts, the different forms and causes of social exclusion in Africa and presents case studies on Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali and Sudan.

By drawing on the situation in their countries, the experts will propose supplementary targets and indicators, that would improve the capacity of countries to measure progress towards inclusion of vulnerable groups, promote gender equality and address health inequities, thereby improving the effectiveness with which MDGs are monitored.