SUCCESS OF UNITED NATIONS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN ASIA

United Nations over the years has made Environment an important part of it’s development strategy. They believe that the way to achieve proper economic and political prosperity throughout the world is through conservation and protection of the physical environment. Numerous conferences have taken place in different countries on Environment and Development and one of the main topics discussed is that of Sustainable Development. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), also known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

These Goals built on the successes of the Millennium Development Goals, in Asia and Africa, while including new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – often the key to the success of one involves resolving issues more commonly associated with another.

The SDGs work in the spirit of partnership and pragmatism to make the right choices on how to improve life, in a sustainable way, for future generations. They provide clear guidelines and targets for all countries to adopt in accordance with their own priorities and the environmental challenges of the world at large. The SDGs are an inclusive agenda. They tackle the root causes of poverty and unite us together to make a positive change for both people and planet. The SDGs provide a common plan and agenda to tackle some of the pressing challenges facing our world such as poverty, climate change and conflict. United Nations Development Program has the experience and expertise to drive progress and help support countries in Asia and Africa on the path to sustainable development.

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ROLE

The SDGs came into effect in January 2016, and they will continue to guide UNDP policy and funding for the next 15 years. As the lead UN development agency, UNDP is uniquely placed to help implement the Goals through their work in some 170 countries and territories. Their strategic plan focuses on key areas including poverty alleviation, democratic governance and peacebuilding, climate change and disaster risk, and economic inequality. UNDP provides support to governments to integrate the SDGs into their national development plans and policies. This work is already underway, as they support many countries in accelerating progress already achieved under the Millennium Development Goals.They resolute implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development together with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and the Addis Ababa Action Plan which will serve the Asia-Pacific well. The UNDP provides a space for consensus-building to address regional systemic challenges. In response to the 2030 Agenda and to serve members better, the UNDP has reconfigured itself to exploit its strengths and have created several regional forums to promote sustainable development and regional economic cooperation and integration.Their track record working across multiple goals provides people and their governments with a valuable experience and proven policy expertise to ensure that all countries , especially Asia and Africa reach the targets set out in the SDGs by 2030. Achieving the SDGs requires the partnership of governments, private sector, civil society and citizens alike to make sure that human beings leave a better planet for future generations.

HOW FAR WERE THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS SUCCESSFUL IN ASIA?

The SDG’s have made remarkable progress in the South Asian countries. South Asian countries like India, Bangladesh etc. have already achieved targets for poverty eradication, gender equality in primary education, reducing tuberculosis, increasing forest cover and protected areas, reducing carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross domestic product (GDP) and increasing access to safe drinking water, and is on track towards the primary enrolment target and gender equality in secondary education. However, there have also been drawbacks to these goals. South Asia has found it challenging to meet the targets in respect of maternal and child mortality, sanitation and reducing the proportion of underweight children. South Asia’s achievements vary across the goals and targets but also across and within countries. The rural-urban divide in South Asian countries remains wide as people find it difficult to let go of age old customs and beliefs, practices and traditions.

These problems are faced by all South Asian countries at large as they are bound together by a common history and lineage and have interconnecting traditions and beliefs which arose from the fact that they were colonies of greater powers in the past and also because their economic and political powers started flourishing towards the end of the 19^th century. The recognition of growing powers in Asia like India, Bangladesh and Pakistan also gave way for more development and provided opportunities for these countries to work in a more advanced way in order to achieve these objectives. Common problems like child morality are found in these countries and it is through common solutions that these problems can be solved.

Dhruvi Shah