In 2019, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed said that achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 would not be possible without leadership, innovation and strategic collaborations at the community level.
“We must draw on the knowledge and experience of local communities and actors on the ground to ensure that we replicate and scale up the most promising models”, she emphasized.
In 2015, all UN member countries, including Australia, signed up to the SDGs – a global action plan for achieving progress across 17 focus areas, such as gender equality, responsible consumption and production and reduced inequalities.
The Australian community sector is becoming more and more prominent in recognising that while the UN agenda is global in scale, it can – and must – be applied at the local level if the Goals are to be achieved by 2030.
Neighbourhood Houses, for example, are becoming increasingly aware that their growing provision of meals for clients each week is playing a very real role in progressing SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
In developing the SDGs, the UN made it very clear that while national governments would be the signatories, the ambitious nature of the agenda was not going to be achieved without the involvement of everyone at every level, including volunteers and community sector organisations.
Community sector organisations can:
> provide technical support and enhance capacity across the 17 goal areas – by delivering services and programs; helping to transfer skills and fostering exchanges of good practices and adding valuable local expertise.
>ensuring no-one is left behind – by reaching out to people, including those marginalized or difficult to reach, to bring people’s voices and knowledge into collective actions.
>inspiring others – many of the SDGs call for long-term attitude and behaviour changes, for example, in the way we live together or in the way we consume. Volunteer organisation facilitate changes in mind sets by raising awareness or championing causes.
On 15 and 16 April, the UN Association of Australia is seeking the participation of community sector organisations in the 2020 UN & Australia Sustainable Partnerships Forum for organisations to create long lasting partnerships for the continued advancement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Each Forum participant will take part in four workshops designed to locate potential partnerships – many of these are directly related to community sector themes and priorities, including liveability in the face of climate change; developing sustainable cities and communities and ensuring that women’s voices are heard in addressing issues which directly affect their lives such as natural disasters, climate and health.
Community sector organisations are already signing up to be part of the SDGs Showcase on Day 2 of the Forum – this is an opportunity to show what you are already doing in relation to the SDGs and meet potential partners.