Presentation by Raymond C. Offenheiser, President and CEO, Oxfam America

1. Making Politics Work to Meet
the SDGs
Ray Offenheiser September 28th, 2016

2. Page 2
UNGA 2016: Report out on SDGs
But what does this mean? Some say…
• My sector is paramount
• Everyone must know about SDGs
• Partnerships are the answer
• Its all about the money—DRM
• Business must invest in market-
based solutions
• Data will produce outcomes
Dominant Narrative: “Business As Usual is not Acceptable”

3. Doing it Differently on behalf of the
SDGs: A Rights Based Perspective on
the SDGs
It’s a Political Project!!

4. Page 4
Government
Private
Sector/MNCs
Civil Society
Inclusive
Economies
& Policies
Doing it Differently: Key Ingredients

5. Page 5
Two Challenges to Civic Engagement
Closing Civil Society Space
The Data Dilemma

6. Page 6
Closing Civil Society Space Crisis
Some 90 countries
have introduced
substantial legal
and regulatory
reforms that
seriously limit the
ability of civil
society
organizations to
assemble, use the
internet or advocate
for policy reforms
with their gov’ts

7. Page 7
When DATA Kills Citizen Action
• Is there too much or too little?
• Should DATA collection and
protocol design be Supply or
Demand Driven?
• Role of DATA---define the problem
or aid the solution?
• DATA for whom---who is the
customer?
• Is DATA proprietary---who owns
the DATA?
• Should Civil Society have access
or independent sources?
• Who evaluates success?

8. Page 8
Examples of Successful Rights-
Based Civic Engagement
Burkina Faso
Ghana
Mozambique
South Africa

9. Page 9
Burkina Faso 1% Campaign

10. Page 10
Ghana Oil for Agriculture Campaign

11. Page 11
Mozambique: Reform of Family Law

12. Page 12
South Africa: Access to Medicines

13. Page 13
Thank You