Spotlight on Sustainable Development

As many of our friends and affiliates know, Global Action’s lens on peace and security has broadened over the years, moving beyond weapons to what many diplomats at the UN refer to as the “root causes” of conflict — from persistent poverty and habitat loss to climate impacts and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender and religion.   Security question permeate (or should) much of what the UN does, including the provision of humanitarian assistance, the health of our oceans, the political enfranchisement of youth and the protection of children in conflict zones.

Together with NGO partners organized by Global Policy Forum, we contributed our lens to a recently-released volume, “Spotlight on Sustainable Development,” which looks at all the Sustainable Development Goals, their means of implementation (including funding) and obstacles to their full and equitable achievement.  As described by the “Spotlight” editors:

Independent monitoring and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its structural obstacles and challenges are key factors for the success of the SDGs. It is for this reason that the Reflection Group on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development together with other civil society organizations and networks has produced the first annual Spotlight Report assessing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the structural obstacles in its realization. The report puts a spotlight on the fulfillment of the 17 goals, with a particular focus on inequalities, responsibility of the rich and powerful, means of implementation and systemic issues.

Global Action was responsible for commentary on Goal 16, “Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.”  While this goal and its targets are anything but weapons-obsessed, there is recognition that the volume of weapons in circulation, licit and illicit, poses a grave challenge to sustainable development priorities.  Moreover, Goal 16 targets devoted to ensuring respect for the rule of law, ending government corruption and promoting full public participation and access are all in keeping with our security objectives.

This is not our first project seeking to link peace and security concerns to the many other aspects and activities now on the UN agenda.  It will not be the last.  “Connecting dots” remains an important component of our mission here in New York and with diverse global partners, and that mission is only likely to grow in importance.

For more information on Sustainable Development Goal 16 and its targets, click here.

For access to the full Spotlight report as well as individual chapters, click here.