#Financing the SDGs

[decodingbiosphere]

The Impact of Sustainable Finance: Key Strategies and Case Studies

In the last few decades, the world has witnessed an increasing urgency to address climate change. As temperatures rise, ice caps melt, and extreme weather events become more frequent, the imperative to find solutions has never been clearer. One of the most promising strategies emerging from this crisis is sustainable finance. This approach to financial management not only seeks to generate…

[developmentinformationday]

Financing for Sustainable Development Report 2024 - Financing for development at a crossroads.

United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs

[biglisbonnews]

Clean technology and sustainable solutions not yet able to meet climate goals Current efforts on clean energy and sustainable solutions are not yet creating levels of investment and deployment needed to meet international climate goals. https://www.esi-africa.com/industry-sectors/smart-technologies/clean-technology-and-sustainable-solutions-not-yet-able-to-meet-climate-goals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=clean-technology-and-sustainable-solutions-not-yet-able-to-meet-climate-goals

[ink-spire]

Green Finance: Investing with a Focus on Sustainability

In a world increasingly concerned about environmental issues, sustainability has become a buzzword in various aspects of life, including finance. Green finance, also known as sustainable finance or ethical investing, is a concept that’s gaining traction. It’s all about putting your money to work in ways that not only generate returns but also contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally…

[womeninscienceday]

Closing ceremony - 8th anniversary of the February11 Global Movement.

The Royal Academy of Science International Trust ( co organizing and co sponsoring UN Member States, departments and agencies are celebrating the 8th anniversary of the February11 Global Movement.

Statements to be delivered by Heads of State or Government, and other dignitaries of the United Nations and the world. Statements are expected to highlight the role of women in science in solving world challenges, the importance of multilingualism to facilitate the global compilation and application of scientific advancement for sustainable development, as well as the value of investment in science-based solutions for sustainable development. . The closing ceremony will include:

Elaboration of the collective vision and inputs from the “Water Unites Us” 7th International Assembly of Women and Girls in Science, the 2nd High-Level International Conference on the International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2022, held in Dushanbe, and the 2nd UN Ocean Conference and its High-Level Symposium on Water held in Lisbon, as a contribution for the 2023 UN Water Conference, and other UN Fora.

• Elaboration of the collective vision and inputs from the conversations on the Impact Investment for Sustainable Future: Financing Science-Based Solutions.

“For all countries striving to use scientific advancement for transformative development programs, it is necessary to grant women equal rights to men, empower women specialized in all fields of sciences and invest in their creative capabilities, recognize their achievements, and involve them in planning and decision-making processes.” ---1973 the late HRH Prince Mohammad bin King Faisal (I) of Iraq El-Hashemite, The Founder, Royal Academy of Science International Trust

[dayofbanks]

Transforming Finance, Accelerating Change.

UNEP FI welcomed more than 3000 participants at its 17th Global Roundtable (GRT), held virtually under the theme “Transforming Finance, Accelerating Change”.

[mariacallous]

Every child has a superpower. Yet, those with disabilities often do not have full access to quality education and other services that would enable them to use their superpower to positively and fully contribute to society. A recent workshop on inclusion in early childhood, held as part of the Center for Universal Education’s symposium on education systems transformation for and through inclusive education, asked whether focusing on the early years of a child’s life might offer a window of opportunity to catch, remedy, and maybe even reverse a child’s development trajectory so all countries can reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It brought together early childhood development (ECD) and inclusion experts and those who wanted to learn more about the topic. Two key messages emerged from participants: every child matters, and early means early. Participants also suggested that the global community needs to develop a global disability-focused ECD strategy and that governments should allocate at least 3% of education budgets for children with disabilities.

Children with disabilities are not a monolith and vary greatly in the challenges they experience and their abilities to fully and positively contribute to society. Some have physical, mental, social, or sensory impairments while others have a combination of multiple challenges. Globally, it is estimated that 15% of the world population, about 1 billion people, live with some type of disability. UNICEF estimates that about 1 in every 10 children has at least one disability, with children from South Asia, East Asia, and West and Central Africa having higher incidences. Moreover, globally, almost 53 million children under the age of 5 have developmental disabilities, and many others live with hidden disabilities that may go unnoticed and, therefore, unrecorded.

The global Convention on the Rights of the Child and the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) articulate the rights and equal treatment of children with disabilities. The CRPD provides a comprehensive international legal framework for the education rights of children with disabilities that has been ratified by 181 countries. These legal frameworks and the SDGs are resolute in leaving no one behind. Despite these legal frameworks, agreements, and aspirations, there are numerous challenges and insufficient investment for disabled children to enjoy full rights to education, health, and well-being. In most countries, children with disabilities face stigma and discrimination from their own governments, communities, and families. Their complex needs are often not included in policy and investment discussions. Investment in this cohort of children is usually not high on the policy or financing agenda, yet we know that increased investment and support for children with disabilities can accelerate countries’ paths to achieving the SDGs, particularly SDG 4.2. From 2007 to 2016, disability funding declined by 11.4% worldwide, and only 2% of the estimated $79.1 million invested in early childhood development was spent on young children with disabilities. Tim Shriver, Special Olympics’ Board Chair, maintains that if governments could commit even 3% of their overall education budgets to the inclusion of children with disabilities in existing classrooms, it could impact their abilities to thrive and contribute to our societies. 

2 key messages

Every child matters

All of society benefits when all children are uplifted. For the early childhood sector, that means developing inclusive classrooms that use a twin-track approach and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Instruction. Using this method, rather than having separate classrooms for children, disability-focused support is provided in classrooms that focus on equity for all, but also provide specific support for those with disabilities. Research indicates that this approach benefits all children; children with disabilities have better developmental outcomes (for example, language, social and academic skills, better behaviors), and typically developing children have increased empathy, tolerance, skills in sign language, and more. Establishing inclusive classrooms also requires investment in upskilling classroom teachers so they can support children of all abilities while working with special education teachers. These interventions cost money, yet exclusion has greater negative costs to society in reduced national GDP and higher spending for remedial programs, to name a few. It is estimated that the annual economic cost to society when a disabled child is not able to attend school or get a job can be high—more than 1% of GDP in some cases.

Early means early

The first five years of life are crucial periods of brain growth and development where about 90% of new neural connections (about 1 million neural connections per second) are made. After around 30 months of life, the brain’s ability to change in response to experiences requires greater effort than before this period. Since the brain is very malleable during this phase, evidence suggests that early screening, referrals, and intervention can halt, improve, and completely change the course of a child’s developmental trajectory. As children are mostly with parents and caregivers during the earliest months of life, investing in their ability to support their children can be important. Often support for parents and caregivers to aid their children is unavailable in communities or unaffordable. Research comparing urban and rural children’s access to early childhood education found that those with access to support before age 5 (mostly in urban areas) had higher academic achievement. For children with autism, research indicates that early intervention can greatly ameliorate symptoms, putting children closer to the development trajectory of those without autism.  

The way forward

Supporting children with disabilities is complex as their needs span multiple government and sectoral departments, there are finite resources in all government budgets, and underlying societal discrimination, even subtle, remains strong throughout the world. Yet, workshop participants suggested that supporting every child and doing so early provides the best chance for countries to meet the SDGs. Two suggested actions for supporting every child early that emerged from the workshop and recent literature include:

Establish a global, disability-focused ECD strategy: Global goals and road maps such as the SDGs, Nurturing Care Framework (NCF), and others include young children with disabilities yet provide inadequate strategy and concrete actions for how to ensure full rights and support for young children with disabilities. Thus, a strategy resulting from action by multiple sectors that complements the NCF is one agenda for progress.

Allocate at least 3% of education budgets for children with disabilities: Increasing investment will allow more to be done to support children with disabilities. These could focus on:

Supporting inclusive preschool classrooms that implement a twin-track approach and universal design for learning

Upskilling teachers that lead inclusive classrooms

Parental support so they have increased knowledge and skills to support their children

Strengthening early screening and referral systems

Research focused on young children with disabilities

Workshop participants were ready to join hands and tackle this complex challenge and suggested that commitment from stakeholders, including governments, donors, and families will be critical to light a path towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring a thriving society. 

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Brazil proposes global alliance to combat hunger and poverty

This week, members of the Brazilian government participated in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations (UN) in New York, USA. They presented a proposal to establish a global alliance to combat hunger and poverty.

The goal is to pool knowledge, finances, and partnerships to enhance efforts toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Established by the UN in 2015, the SDGs aim to implement public policies to guide humanity through 2030.

According to the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family, and Fight against Hunger, the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty "is one of Brazil's main initiatives as a member of the G20 [group of the world's 20 largest economies]." At the side event focused on implementing these policies in various countries, Minister Wellington Dias stated that the planned actions include promoting food security, increasing income, and addressing inequalities.

"The reality we are facing, with multiple crises—including climate and environmental crises, economic instability, and conflicts—is causing a resurgence of hunger, food insecurity, and poverty. Addressing this complex challenge requires numerous strategies and actions," said the minister.

Continue reading.

[darkmaga-retard]

Fealty: “the fidelity of a vassal or feudal tenant to his lord.” These national leaders aren’t free agents but rather behave like they are members of a cult, given over to self-harm. The UN mixes the magic potion that is willingly consumed, converting them into global citizen/slaves. If the U.S. were to stop funding the UN, it would fold like a deck of cards. — Technocracy News & Trends Editor Patrick Wood

Posted By: Yudi Sherman via The Gold Report

On September 22nd, dignitaries from around the world will gather at the United Nations headquarters in New York for a meeting called Summit of the Future.

At the conference, world leaders will sign Pact for the Future, an accord in which member states will pledge their allegiance to the UN as a central, unifying government.

“We, the Heads of State and Government, representing the peoples of the world, have gathered at United Nations Headquarters to protect the needs and interests of present and future generations through the actions in this Pact for the Future,” the document begins.

“We recognize that the multilateral system and its institutions, with the United Nations and its Charter at the centre, must be strengthened to keep pace with a changing world.”

Member states then repeatedly “reaffirm” their “unwavering commitment” to the UN, its charter, its purposes, its principles, and Agenda 2030. They vow to comply with the UN’s International Court of Justice and promise to “reform the international financial architecture.”

“Reform of the international financial architecture is an important step towards building greater trust in the multilateral system,” says the treaty. “We commend ongoing reform efforts and call for even more urgent and ambitious action to ensure that the international financial architecture becomes more efficient, more equitable, fit for the world of today and responsive to the challenges faced by developing countries in closing the SDG financing gap. The reform of the international financial architecture should place the 2030 Agenda at its centre, with an unwavering commitment to investing in the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions.”

Altogether, the document lists 60 actions that member states should take. In nearly all of them, the agreement makes it clear that the countries’s interests revolve around the UN and its globalist systems.

A clause buried toward the end of the document requires member states to embed UN “agreements and resolutions” in their own national laws:

[thoughtlessarse]

In 2022, the first year of sharp rate hikes to curb rising inflation, the countries of the Global South paid almost $50 billion more in debt than they received in new financing, according to data from the UN’s trade and development arm Crises, like successes, are seen through different eyes depending on who the passive subject is. And this is one of those silent shocks, a blind spot in the wide angle of the world economy. Far from the headlines, rising interest rates are taking their toll on emerging and developing countries: the Global South paid more on its debt last year in principal and interest repayments than it received in development aid and new loans. Inflows to this group of nations fell to their lowest level since the global financial crisis, according to figures from the NGO ONE Campaign. A warning sign that should give the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank (ECB) pause for thought. In 2022, the first year of sharp rate hikes to curb rising inflation, the countries of the Global South paid almost $50 billion more in debt than they received in new financing, according to data from the UN’s trade and development arm (UNCTAD). At the same time, official development assistance (ODA) fell for the second consecutive year and remained well below the target of 0.7% of gross national income (GNI). This target dates to the 1970s and, more than 50 years later, it has still not been met. “We are witnessing a worrying trend: financial flows are flowing out of the developing countries that need them most and towards their creditors,” summarizes the head of UNCTAD, Rebeca Grynspan, in statements to EL PAÍS. “These are nations that need external resources to complement their internal efforts and, without a positive trend in external financing, their capacity for growth is severely limited.” The fiscal constraints imposed by this situation, she adds, make it almost impossible to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): “Addressing the overlapping crises, such as the climate emergency, will be an unattainable challenge if these trends are not reversed.”

continue reading

[georgelinblessy]

Partnering with the Marpu Foundation for Enhanced CSR Efforts and SDG Achievement

Partnering with the Marpu Foundation can significantly boost a company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts and contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Marpu Foundation is known for its impactful projects focusing on environmental conservation, community development, education, and healthcare. By collaborating with the foundation, companies can enhance their CSR initiatives and make a positive impact on society and the environment.

1. Environmental Conservation Projects

One key area where partnering with the Marpu Foundation can amplify CSR efforts is environmental conservation. The foundation is actively involved in various projects aimed at preserving and restoring the natural environment. These initiatives include:

Reforestation Programs: Marpu Foundation organizes reforestation programs to restore degraded ecosystems and enhance biodiversity. Companies can support these programs financially or through employee volunteer programs, showcasing their dedication to environmental sustainability.

Endangered Species Protection: The foundation's efforts to protect endangered species through habitat conservation and anti-poaching initiatives can be bolstered by corporate partnerships. Companies can contribute resources or technology to aid in monitoring and protecting wildlife.

Clean Energy Projects: Marpu Foundation promotes clean energy solutions such as solar and wind power. By funding or collaborating on these projects, companies can help reduce carbon footprints and advance SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).

2. Community Development Initiatives

The Marpu Foundation's community development projects aim to uplift marginalized communities, providing essential services and infrastructure. Companies can enhance their CSR impact through:

Poverty Alleviation Programs: Collaborating with Marpu on initiatives that provide employment opportunities, vocational training, and micro-financing can significantly reduce poverty levels in underprivileged areas, contributing to SDG 1 (No Poverty).

Access to Clean Water and Sanitation: Partnering with Marpu to build wells, sanitation facilities, and water purification systems helps ensure clean water access, aligning with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

Healthcare Services: Supporting the foundation’s efforts to set up clinics and mobile health units improves healthcare access in remote regions, addressing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

3. Education and Healthcare Programs

Education and healthcare are pillars of sustainable development, and Marpu Foundation's programs in these sectors are transformative:

Educational Outreach: By partnering with Marpu to build schools, provide scholarships, and supply educational materials, companies can contribute to SDG 4 (Quality Education). Employee volunteer programs can also enhance the educational experiences of children and adults in these communities.

Healthcare Improvement: Supporting Marpu’s healthcare initiatives, such as vaccination drives, maternal health programs, and disease prevention campaigns, ensures better health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

Examples from Marpu’s Projects

Project A: Reforestation Initiative: This project focuses on planting native trees in deforested areas to restore ecosystems, increase biodiversity, and combat climate change. Companies can participate by funding tree planting events and engaging employees in volunteer activities.

Project B: Community Health Clinic: Establishing health clinics in underserved areas to provide primary healthcare services. Corporate partners can fund the construction and operation of these clinics, supply medical equipment, and support health awareness campaigns.

Project C: Solar Energy Installation: Installing solar panels in rural communities to provide sustainable and affordable energy solutions. Companies can sponsor solar projects, provide technical expertise, and promote renewable energy adoption.

Conclusion

By engaging in such projects with the Marpu Foundation, companies can align their CSR efforts with sustainable development goals while making a tangible difference in the lives of people and the environment. This collaboration not only enhances the company's social and environmental impact but also strengthens its reputation as a responsible and forward-thinking entity. Through strategic partnerships with organizations like the Marpu Foundation, businesses can contribute meaningfully to global efforts in creating a more sustainable and equitable world.

[coochiequeens]

This December 3rd remember that one in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life

The classroom in the Kamurasi Demonstration School in Masindi Municipality, Uganda, with the Ugandan Sign language alphabet drawn on the wall.

PHOTO:UNICEF/Uganda/Barbeyrac

United in action to rescue and achieve the SDGs for, with and by persons with disabilities

Given the multiple crises we are facing today, the world is not on track to reach numerous Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets by 2030. Preliminary findings from the forthcoming UN Disability and Development Report 2023 indicate that the world is even more off-track in meeting several SDGs for persons with disabilities.

Our efforts to rescue the SDGs for, with, and by persons with disabilities, need to be intensified and accelerated, given that persons with disabilities have historically been marginalized and have often been among those left furthest behind.

A fundamental shift in commitment, solidarity, financing and action is critical. Encouragingly, with the adoption of the Political Declaration of the recent SDG Summit, world leaders have recommitted themselves to achieving sustainable development and shared prosperity for all, by focusing on policies and actions that target the poorest and most vulnerable, including persons with disabilities.

The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy

When launching the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy in June 2019, the Secretary-General stated that the United Nations should lead by example and raise the Organization’s standards and performance on disability inclusion—across all pillars of work, from headquarters to the field.  

The United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy provides the foundation for sustainable and transformative progress on disability inclusion through all pillars of the work of the United Nations. Through the Strategy, the United Nations system reaffirms that the full and complete realization of the human rights of all persons with disabilities is an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In August 2023, the Secretary-General submitted his fourth report on steps taken by the UN system to  implement the UN Disability Inclusion Strategy in 2022.

Commemorative Event : UNHQ, 1 December 2023, 10am-1pm (New York Time)

The discussion will be structured around five pillars of sustainable development – People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships – with a special focus on the priority areas identified in the SDG Progress Report of 2023, in the outcome document of the recent SDG Summit, in policy briefs prepared for the Summit for the Future and in the forthcoming UN Disability and Development Report 2023. For purposes of this discussion, the priority areas can be identified as gender equality (People), climate action (Planet), financing for development (Prosperity), a new agenda for peace (Peace) and strengthening multilateralism (Partnerships).

Concept note [PDF]

Did you know? 

Of the one billion population of persons with disabilities, 80% live in developing countries.

An estimated 46% of older people aged 60 years and over are people with disabilities.

One in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life, while one in every ten children is a child with a disability.

[developmentinformationday]

Youth and Adolescent Girls Driving the 2030 Agenda: Building Collective Power, Securing Sustainable Funding, and Demanding Accountability.

Looking at the impact of the GEF as an innovative, multi-stakeholder approach to multilateralism and the crucial role of young feminist leadership to accelerate the achievement of the SDG agenda. 

Side Event at the SDG Action Weekend organized by Young Feminist Europe, Young Feminist Caucus, GEF Action Coalition on Feminist Movements and Leadership, Canada, Malawi, UN Women, Plan International, Adolescent Girl Investment Plan (AGIP), Alliance for Feminist Movements, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), CREA.

To maximize the SDG Summit's impact, the Secretary General is convening an SDG Action Weekend, which will generate opportunities for stakeholders, UN entities, and Member States to convene inside the United Nations Headquarters and set out specific commitments and contributions to drive SDG transformation between now and 2030.

The SDG Action Weekend will consist of the SDG Mobilization Day on Saturday, 16 September, and the SDG Acceleration Day on Sunday, 17 September at UNHQ in New York.

The SDG Action Weekend includes a select number of high-level side-events identified through an open call that concluded in August. They are jointly organized by coalitions of Member States, UN agencies and other international organizations, and global stakeholder networks.

[elsa16744]

What is ESG Investing? What is the Best Way to Get Started? 

ESG is the next big thing in investing. It offers real-world performance factors that help investors consider how companies impact the regional community when making investment decisions. They also develop strategic thinking to work toward sustainable development goals (SDGs). This post will discuss what matters in ESG investing and to get started. 

What Is ESG Investing? 

ESG investing means investors utilize the three types of compliance metrics of corporate impact metrics to screen the target companies’ stocks or funds. Moreover, corporations seek to attract such investments through responsible and sustainable business practices. 

If investors want data on the beneficial effect of a company’s operations on the local community, they can use ESG services. They can get reports from a data-driven survey concerning the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance standards. 

ESG audits enable informed investment decisions and portfolio management strategies. Investors can monitor whether a firm delivers its promised SDG metrics using such inspections. Likewise, consider the investors who invest their capital into the businesses that provide their employees with fair wages and respect. 

How to Get Started with ESG Investing? 

1| Specify Which Metrics Matter the Most to You 

Investors must identify the ESG metrics, like forest preservation or tax transparency, before selecting a stock or asset class. They must also consider how all metrics have a unique significance in several industries. For example, carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission risks will differ across data centers, agricultural businesses, and construction firms. 

If an organization wants to attract investors using sustainability performance, it can benefit from ESG consulting. Consultants understand the investors’ conceptualization of an ESG-first enterprise of investors and how companies can work towards improving their operations to fulfill them. 

2| Determine Realistic Goals 

Depending on the scope of the energy transition, adopting greener resources and production technologies can financially burden a business at the initial stage. So, investors, regulators, and entrepreneurs must use real-world data to estimate the progress rate of compliance improvement initiatives. 

An organization or exchange-traded fund (ETF) can fail to retain investors if the compliance milestones remain distant. Accordingly, administrators involved in regulatory policy changes that can impact an industry’s ESG dynamics must consider how long the corporate world will need to modify its operations. 

3| Mitigate Greenwashing Risks 

Companies might advertise their brand as “eco-friendly” or socially responsible. However, investors must watch out for the greenwashing attempts. Greenwashing refers to magnifying a company’s sustainability commitments with no on-ground implementation. 

An enterprise might declare it opposes discriminatory practices while showing inaction when an employee experiences workplace harassment. Another example can be an energy distributor not reducing its usage of coal and petroleum derivatives as fuel. 

Therefore, investors and fund managers must cross-verify the “green claims” that a target company makes during press releases or marketing campaigns. 

4| Get ESG Ratings Using Multiple Frameworks 

To test the legitimacy of a corporation’s SDG commitments, a rating mechanism based on multi-variate performance analytics can help in ESG investing. Today, many sustainability accounting frameworks exist. For example, the global reporting initiative (GRI) allows sectorial modules. 

Each GRI criterion addresses a family of interdependent services and products. So, an agricultural business will use a separate GRI standard, differing from the modules used in technology, finance, and manufacturing firms. 

How can investors get started with ESG score comparisons? Some online databases offer preliminary insights into how different brands and ETFs compete in this space. However, more extensive data becomes available through paid platforms or experienced consultants.  

Conclusion 

ESG criteria will empower investors to evaluate the ecological or social risks associated with how an enterprise handles its operations. Fund managers and similar financial institutions can gain a more objective outlook on stock screening using industry-relevant assistance. 

Furthermore, combating the greenwashing risks will be challenging if you are a sustainability investor, but extensive analytical models will come to your rescue. Finally, investors must refer to multiple sustainability accounting frameworks or databases to check a firm’s compliance ratings. This approach is how you get started with ESG investing. 

Nevertheless, manual inspection is time-consuming, and ESG ratings keep changing due to mergers and new projects. So, collaborating with data partners capable of automating compliance tracking, controversy analytics, and carbon credit assessments is vital. 

[jordanianroyals]

17 September 2023: Queen Rania attended UNICEF’s Champions for Children: Child Rights at the Heart of the SDGs reception event in New York, which took place on the sidelines of the High-level Week of the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Hosted by UNICEF’s Executive Director, Catherine Russell, and featuring the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, as a keynote speaker, the event aims to place children at the heart of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on their empowerment and the need to invest in their future. (Source: Petra)

Convening around the release of a new UNICEF report addressing progress on child-specific indicators in the SDGs, the event shed light on children’s vulnerability and highlighted the unprecedented opportunity to shape the future for children, transforming, and accelerating progress.  

According to the report, Progress on Children's Well-Being: Centering child rights in the 2030 Agenda, two-thirds of child-related indicators are off-pace to meet their 2030 SDGs target. The report warns that as of today, only 6% of the world’s child population living in just 11 countries have reached 50% of child-related targets met. If this trajectory continues, it is expected that only 60 countries – home to just 25% of the world’s children – will have met their targets by 2030, leaving around 1.9 billion children in 140 countries behind.

The analysis weaves together over 20 years of data across more than 190 countries, comparing where countries stand today against where they aim to be in the next seven years, and identifying the challenges and opportunities for accelerated action. The findings show a mixed picture of both progress and backsliding against the global goals.

The report also reveals that accelerated development is possible with strong national commitment, effective policies, and adequate financing, with some low and lower-middle-income countries making the fastest rate of progress.

 Attended by youth advocates, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors, and several high-profile guests, the event featured a segment on ways to champion children in areas like health, education, climate, and peace-building efforts.

Other prominent speakers included Queen Mathilde of Belgium and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, actor Orlando Bloom.

[globalkids]

COP27- Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt

COP27  was full of people from all over the world  who are working on different initiatives to address climate change. We attended many sessions from organizations and every one of them is working on their own separate project that  they’re passionate about and that brings us one step closer to climate justice. 

For example, we attended a few sessions that had Indigenous people as its panelists, they were from different  countries like Brazil and Mexico. They presented some of the problems their communities faced due  to climate change, and spoke about  their rage due to lack of  equal treatment back home. They explained  that climate justice is social justice and demanded equality to be given to them .  if It was relevant to hear that from them, because  of their relationship f to nature  and  their   belief to give back to nature if they want  to take from it

Another interesting  session was titled  From the People to the Highest Court, one of the panelists managed to get 18 nations together to revise a resolution that they’re intending to present to the United Nations and then take it over to the International Court of Justice. That reminded me of the activity we did in the  Global Kids CFR Summer Institute where we practiced how UN meetings occur and the process of drafting resolutions and voting  for whether they should pass or not. 

In one of  the sessions that focused  on  supporting  women and youth, an Indian lawyer in the panel talked about how they are working to provide women in India and other countries with opportunities to learn about  climate change and  sustainable development . They also help with financing programs that have the  same  goal  in  order to help spread awareness about  climate change in as  many places and  to as  many people  as possible. 

Finally, in  one of my favorite sessions, the Partnership for the SDGs session,  Yohany spoke on the panel.  I  got  to talk to a scientist who does research  about sea acidification and  their work with legislators to create laws that are coherent with  the  plans  to  fix  or reduce the found acidifications. I talked with him about the abandoned Safer storage ship  that’s on the shores of Yemen and is threatened to  start  leaking its load  of 1.1 million barrels of crude oil at  any time. This connected the issue of climate justice to my own community back home in Yemen.  He gave me  his email address after  our  discussion and told me to email him with more details after.  He can talk to his colleagues that can  make a diagnosis of  the ship using radars to see how bad its erosion is so far and other details regarding the ship. That should be helpful to presenting this case when trying to gather donations to start the mission of offloading the barrels off the ship because of the more details we will have.  

Overall, the COP 27 was a promising  event and  hopefully successful. Many  of  the  sessions we attended were focused on ongoing projects from people and organizations that  have different fields of interest but are all aimed to bring Climate Justice to the people who’re affected by their field. There was an entire pavilion dedicated to youth and kids which was good but at the same time I thought it was insufficient. That pavilion was one out of so many, and you couldn’t notice it unless you’re looking for it. Moreover, it only had youth in its audience so it was not very useful because their messages weren’t reaching the people who were in charge and had real power to make change. But nonetheless, it was a great experience  attending COP and I learned a great deal that I didn’t know before. I’m hopeful about the effects some of the presented projects will have and I look forward to hearing about them. 

-Mohamed Ahuthaifi from International High School at Union Square