So … What are Sustainable Development Goals ??

 

Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 17 ambitious goals to improve livelihood  , abbreviated as SDGs these  are a universal set of goals, targets and indicators that UN member states will be expected to use to frame their agendas and political policies over the next 15 years. Hence the hash tag #agenda2030 .

Where did these goals come from ?

The Sustainable Development Goals, otherwise known as the Global Goals, build on the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets that the world committed to achieving by 2015. The MDGs, adopted in 2000, aimed at an array of issues that included slashing poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, and access to water and sanitation. Enormous progress has been made on the MDGs, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and targets. Despite this success, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.

The new SDGs, and the broader sustainability agenda, go much further than the MDGs, addressing the root causes of poverty and the universal need for development that works for all people.

 

Why do we need another set of goals?

The eight MDGs – reduce poverty and hunger; achieve universal education; promote gender equality; reduce child and maternal deaths; combat HIV, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; develop global partnerships – failed to consider the root causes of poverty and overlooked gender inequality as well as the holistic nature of development. The goals made no mention of human rights and did not specifically address economic development. While the MDGs, in theory, applied to all countries, in reality they were considered targets for poor countries to achieve, with finance from wealthy states. Conversely, every country will be expected to work towards achieving the SDGs.

 

A list of the 17 goals –

1 Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere 

 2 Ending hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture 

 3 Ensuring healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

 4 Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

 5 Achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls

 6 Ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

 7 Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all  

 8 Promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

 9 Building resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 

10 Reducing inequality within and among countries

11Making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

 12 Ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns

 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact

 14 Conserving and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

15 Protecting, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all

and lastly

17 building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels and Strengthening the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development .

 

But Zimbabwe has decided to prioritise 10 goals …

SDG  8 , 7 , 2 , 9 , 6 , 13 , 3 , 4 , 5 , and 17

Together we can

#myZimSDGs – Leaving no one behind