The Millennium Summit hosted by the United Nations in September 2000 adopted the Millennium Declaration, signed onto by 189 member states, including South Africa. The declaration outlined eight development priorities commonly referred to as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The eight MDGs range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education with a target date of 2015. Pledging to the declaration along with member states were the private sector, foundations, international organisations, civil society and research organisations.

In respect of civil society, the declaration enjoined on country governments a commitment “to develop strong partnerships with the private sector and with civil society organisations (CSOs) in the pursuit of development and poverty eradication,” and “to give greater opportunities to the private sector, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society in general, to contribute to the realization of the organisation’s goals and programmes (UN, 2000, A/55/L2) VIII, clause 30).”