António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, raised alarm that only 15 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are making satisfactory progress. He calls upon influential parties to rally and support these essential objectives.
During the opening of the SDG Action Weekend held at the UN headquarters in New York last Saturday, Guterres rallied a diverse cross-section of civil society activists, encouraging them to utilise their passionate voices and robust grassroots networks to contribute to the rescue of the SDGs.
As world leaders gear up to convene for the traditional high-level opening of the General Assembly this coming Tuesday, the UN brought together a lively assortment of participants.
Among the participants are youth associations, women’s organisations, city mayors, community advocates, and corporate executives, all focused on bolstering support for the goals leading up to the SDG Summit.
Set to take place on Monday and Tuesday, the 18th and 19th of September, the summit will symbolize the midpoint of the SDGs, positioned between their inception in 2015 and the 2030 deadline.
Given the present circumstances, it’s clear that the pledges made by UN member nations when they embraced the 2030 agenda to ‘leave no one behind’ are encountering substantial challenges, despite certain strides forward.
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‘Over the years, widespread implementation gaps had emerged across all 17 goals, which aim to tackle everything from poverty, hunger and gender equality, to access to education and clean energy.’
‘Lagging public interest in achieving the goals, geopolitical friction and perhaps most critically, the global coronavirus pandemic, have left the SDGs in need of a global rescue plan.’
‘Today, only 15 per cent of the targets are on track, with many going into reverse,’ the secretary-general said.
In his view, the SDG summit scheduled for Monday is the moment for governments to present specific plans and proposals to speed up progress.
He made it clear that the SDGs weren’t meant for mere box-ticking.
‘They are about the hopes, dreams, rights and expectations of people and the health of our natural environment.’
‘They are about righting historic wrongs, healing global divisions and putting our world on a path to lasting peace,’ the UN chief said.
Guterres urged everyone to play their part in revitalising the Goals, with the aim of securing a better life for both people and the planet.
He continued by expressing admiration for the bravery and unwavering commitment of the activists present, acknowledging that their worldwide struggle for the SDGs ‘comes at a risk to your safety … liberty [and] even your life.’