A Brief Introduction of Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are also known as the Global Goals. These were adopted by the United Nations, in 2015. A universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, & ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Sustainable Development goals are The 17 SDGs are integrated - They recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others and that development must balance social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
The 17 SDGs are:
(1) No Poverty,
(2) Zero Hunger,
(3) Good Health and Well-being,
(4) Quality Education,
(5) Gender Equality,
(6) Clean Water and Sanitation,
(7) Affordable and Clean Energy,
(8) Decent Work and Economic Growth,
(9) Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure,
(10) Reducing Inequality,
(11) Sustainable Cities and Communities,
(12) Responsible Consumption and Production,
(13) Climate Action,
(14) Life Below Water,
(15) Life On Land,
(16) Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions,
(17) Partnerships for the Goals.
All countries have committed to prioritizing progress for all those who're the furthest & behind. The SDGs are designed to help with and end poverty, remove hunger, control AIDS, set the right ideals to end discrimination against women & girls.
Though all the goals are broad & interdependent, two years later, on 6 July 2017; the SDGs were made more “workable” & "actionable" by a UN Resolution which was adopted by the General Assembly. The resolution identifies specific targets for each goal to be achieved, along with indicators that will be used to measure progress towards each target. While the rest of the target years lie between 2020-2030; for others, the end date is not yet provided.
The thought, the creativity, the know-how, the technology & the financial resources from all of society is necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context. Only with everyone’s support, we can begin to think of a better tomorrow. Deeply analyzed progress charts & presentations for all the SDGs are published in the form of reports by the United Nations Secretary-General on their official channels. The most recent one is from April 2020.
Along with that, there is also a widespread consensus is that: The progress on all of the SDGs will be stalled if Women's Empowerment & Gender Equality are not prioritized, & treated holistically with all intentions to take them forward. The SDGs are a sign to policymakers as well as private sector executives and board members to work towards gender equality and women empowerment harder as the rest of the other SGDs have deadlines and we will probably miss them if these two prioritized ones don’t get momentum & begin to see some change.
Implementation of the SDGs started worldwide in 2016. This process can also be called "Localizing the SDGs" for the people and territories. For eg; Individual people, universities, governments, institutions & organizations of all kinds work are working separately but one or more goals at the same time which aligns the collective growth in the same direction.
SDGs provide us the framework through which we can move ahead into a more peaceful, prosperous, equal for all, green future. And each country has a role to play in achieving them.