Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 18th Sept. UN head António Guterres on Saturday called the world community to “help rescue the Sustainable Development Goals and fight for the better future every person deserves,” as he rallied a diverse cross section of civil society actors to use their passionate voices and energetic grassroots networks to meet those goals.
World leaders set to arrive in New York for the annual UNGA high-level debate, the turtle bay was host to an energetic youth groups and women’s organizations, to mayors, community activists and business leaders looking to boost support for the Goals ahead of the SDG Summit next week.
The Summit will be held on 18-19 September and mark the mid-point of the SDGs. It was launched in 2015 and to meet those goals is 2030.
The Goals and UN member countries’ promise when they adopted the 2030 Agenda to ‘leave no one behind’ are in serious trouble: despite some progress, over the years widespread implementation gaps have emerged across all 17 Goals, which to tackle everything from poverty, hunger and gender equality, to access to education and clean energy.
SDGs lagging public interest to achieve the Goals, geopolitical friction and perhaps most critically, the global coronavirus pandemic, have left the SDGs in need of a global rescue plan.
Mr. Guterres said “Today, only 15 per cent of the targets are on track, with many going into reverse.”
He added that: “Monday’s SDG Summit will be the moment for governments to come to the table with concrete plans and proposals to accelerate progress.”
SG also stressed that the SDGs are not about checking boxes.
“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,” he stated.
He declared to the global community thatr everyone needs to step up to help revive the Goals and ensure a better life for people and the planet.
Mr. Guterres reiterated that to salute the courage and conviction of the activists in attendance, stated that he knew their global fight for the SDGs “comes at a risk to your safety liberty [and] even your life.”
“I urge you to keep going,” he said.
Guterres urged members of the business community in attendance “to see that sustainable development is best business plan of all”.
“To the women and young people joining us keep calling out for change in your communities and fighting for your rights and a place at every table, he said.
He added “To the local authorities here – the SDGs will not be rescued in New York. They will be rescued in your communities. So continue listening to the people in your communities and embedding their needs and concerns across your policies and investments.”
