Sustainable Development Goals and Save the Children

 

Every year, during the first week of February, Canada celebrates International Development Week. 

Since 1991, International Development Week (IDW) has aimed to draw attention to international development, with an emphasis on Canada’s contributions. The theme for 2024 is “Go for the Goals” and calls on people in Canada to take action to support the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

But what are the SDGs? And how does Save the Children’s work fit into them? For IDW 2024, we’ve rounded up some of the most frequently asked questions about the SDGs, so you can learn more about how to play a part in achieving them. 

 

What are the Sustainable Development Goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals – also referred to as the SDGs – come from The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a document created by the United Nations, and adopted by all member states, in 2015.

The UN describes the SDGs as “an urgent call for action by all countries… [The SDGs] recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.” 

The aim is to achieve all the SDGs by 2030, meaning we have six years remaining to fulfill them. 

 

How many SDGs are there? 

In total there are 17 Sustainable Development Goals. They are: 

  1. No poverty; 
  2. Zero hunger; 
  3. Good health and well-being; 
  4. Quality education; 
  5. Gender equality; 
  6. Clean water and sanitation; 
  7. Affordable and clean energy; 
  8. Decent work and economic growth; 
  9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure; 
  10. Reduced inequalities; 
  11. Sustainable cities and communities; 
  12. Responsible consumption and production; 
  13. Climate action; 
  14. Life below water; 
  15. Life on land; 
  16. Peace, justice and strong institutions; and 
  17. Partnerships for the goals. 

To learn more about each goal, including their targets and the work that laid the foundation for them, visit the official SDGs website here.

 

What progress has there been on the SDGs? 

Every year the UN puts out a report on the SDGs and our overall progress towards achieving them. The 2023 report marked the halfway point in the implementation timeline between 2015 and 2030, but unfortunately the world is still falling short on many of the goals.  

You can read the full report at the link above but some of the most notable highlights include:1 

  • If we carry on with current trends, 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty by 2030; 
  • It is estimated that it will take another 300 years to end child marriage; 
  • The world is back at hunger levels not seen since 2005, and food prices remain higher in more countries than in the period 2015–2019. 
  • At our current rate it will take 286 years to close gender gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws; and 
  • By 2030, some 84 million children will be out of school and 300 million children or young people attending school will leave unable to read and write. 

 

What is the importance of gender equality to the SDGs? 

Gender equality is the focus of SDG 5, but what is less often recognized is that it is also a critical determinant of progress for all 17 of the SDGs.  

In fact, a recent assessment by Equal Measures 2030 found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of the SDG targets are directly or significantly reliant on gender equality. Yet persistent gender inequalities and discriminatory norms threaten progress across all the SDGs. 

Despite the significant role gender equality plays in the success of the SDGs, many governments fail to sufficiently prioritize, mainstream, fund, or even acknowledge the importance of gender equality in sustainable development progress. This silence and inaction are reflected in how countries around the world are performing on gender equality across the SDG goals. No country has achieved the promises they made and more than three billion girls and women still live in countries with poor or very poor levels of gender equality. 

Thanks to Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada is one of the leading donor countries funding gender equality work globally. Including our work at Save the Children Canada.  

 

How do the SDGs influence Save the Children’s work? 

Our global ambition for 2030 articulates our contributions to the SDGs, which are represented as three breakthroughs for children – survive, learn, and be protected. 

Since 2016, Save the Children in Canada’s strategic plans have contributed directly to these breakthroughs, with a focus on children most affected by discrimination and inequality – children in crisis; children facing gender inequality; and Indigenous children in Canada.  

All 17 of the SDGs touch on child rights in some way, so through our work, we aim to make our own contributions to the SDGs as well as supporting communities and governments to make their own. 

 

How can I get involved in supporting the SDGs? 

One of the best ways to get involved is by learning more about international assistance and how it relates back to the SDGs. 

You can also take part in an International Development Week 2024 activity in your community. 

Finally, you can read more about how contributions from the Government of Canada, Save the Children’s corporate partners in Canada and people in Canada impacted real change for children around the world.