The two thematic clusters
In order to streamline the action-oriented agenda of the Advocacy group, the UN Secretary-General advised the group to work under two thematic clusters: one to focus on food security and sustainable growth and a second on education and health. Gender equality, environment and a global partnership for development are addressed as cross-cutting themes.
The work of each cluster is facilitated by two Advocates and chaired by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia. Advocates are free to participate in one or both clusters. MDG 8 on the global partnership for development and MDG 3 on gender equality and the empowerment of women are seen as cross-cutting themes, operating within both clusters.
The Food Security and Sustainable Growth cluster facilitated by Professor Jeffrey Sachs and Ms. Graça Machel, focuses its work on MDGs 1 and 7, with agriculture, large-scale infrastructure (energy and transport), water and sanitation, and the broader economic development agenda as focal points of the work. MDG 8 is a key theme.
Facilitated by the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy on Malaria, Mr. Ray Chambers, the Health sub-cluster aims to strengthen existing global efforts to reach MDGs 4 (reduce child mortality), 5 (improve maternal health), and 6 (combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases). While all health-related MDGs and issues will be targeted, the sub-cluster will mobilize special collective efforts in support of the implementation of the Secretary-General's Global Strategy on Women's and Children's Health.
The Education sub-cluster, facilitated by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar, works toward identifying tangible ways in which the MDG Advocacy Group can contribute to the achievement of the education MDGs and the Education for All goals – both quantitatively and qualitatively in order to make real progress on global educational efforts and augment the efforts of UN agencies and partners already working towards these goals. The education sub-cluster places a special focus on the educational needs of children who live in areas of armed conflict and fragility. Through the World Innovation Summit for Education, the Alliance of Civilizations, as well as through her other international engagements, Her Highness will mobilize key actors, civil society and the private sector to jointly address the challenges of reaching the MDGs and Education for All goals by 2015.