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To make the world better place we act at local level
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Urban poor – A resident carries out her daily activities in a slum area in Kapuk Teko, Jakarta. Poverty alleviation is one of prime issues highlighted in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global development agenda adopted by world leaders. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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n principle it is much like a New Year’s resolution. However, the consequences of not sticking with this resolution — the commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 — could be catastrophic for the world.
That commitment was made by world leaders on Sept. 25, 2015. It is a blueprint to bring prosperity for all people and to protect the planet, but the odds are stacked against us. While the world is trying to meet the targets of the Global Goals, the road ahead is lined with obstacles; so far, we are not hurdling them fast enough.
The number one goal is No Poverty. Its primacy is telling because in Asia and the Pacific alone more than 900 million people remain afflicted by multidimensional poverty, such as lack of access to good nutrition, healthcare, education and decent living standards. The most marginalized among them include the urban and rural poor, indigenous and remote communities, the disabled, individuals with no legal status, and vulnerable women and youth.
If we’re serious about “leaving no-one behind” we need to reach these “most vulnerable people”, and we can only do this by “localizing the SDGs”, a key component for development strategies. Changing the trajectory of neglect and discrimination of the most vulnerable means working at the local level —with governments, multilateral organizations, civil society, the private sector and ordinary citizens. It is the only way to achieve the goals.
To bring about and manage that kind of collaboration and cooperation is no easy task. This “whole of society” approach requires enablers that can facilitate development that is meaningful, sustainable and inclusive. For my organization, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), there are “4+1” key enablers that will help to localize the SDGs.
A policy and institutional framework that ensures implementation of laws and regulations, oversight and coordination, and cooperation between all levels of government, the private sector, civil society and communities. So, government and national ownership is essential to ensure leadership and policy coherence — the integration of economic, social, environmental and governance dimensions of sustainable development at all stages of domestic and international policy making,
Data Ecosystems that provide reliable and disaggregated data, which goes beyond national statistics and allows for good decision-making, and to monitor and report on SDGs indicators.
