Transform the world through Sustainability Development Goals – Part 1

There are 17 goals given by the UN to achieve by 2030. Each goal has its importance in the society. In the support of the 2030 Agenda, Bharat Soka Gakkai is working on the frontlines and providing guidance to everyone on how we can contribute towards these goals. What are these goals?

The SDGs are a successor framework adopted by the United Nations in September 2015 to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which articulated eight developmental goals to address problems such as poverty and hunger.

Further advancing on this path, the SDGs are apart of the ‘Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, which represent a universal call to action to protect the planet, end poverty, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.

In his 2017 Peace Proposal, Dr. Daisaku Ikeda writes:

“The broad spectrum of concerns covered by the SDGs has caused some people to wonder if they are in fact achievable. But it is important to remember that the large number of people facing gravely challenging conditions, none of which we can afford to overlook…

It is important to remember, however, that all of these problems are ultimately human in origin and must therefore be amenable to resolution through human efforts. If by taking action we can make substantive progress in one area, that progress in one area, that progress can be leveraged toward accelerating progress on other challenges...

The SDGs seek to generate virtuous cycles in which progress made towards one goal enables progress on multiple other front.”

Let’s Demonstrate ‘Sustainable Behavior’ – We cannot afford to remain swayed by greed, anger , and foolishness and yet hope that we and our future generations remain happy. Humankind will need to change its behavior – and start reflecting our ‘greater self’ – because the current behavior patterns are no longer tenable. In the same way , it is crucial to remind ourselves not to pursue our own happiness of others, to prevent our own desire to be empowers and effective from threatening the lives and dignity of others.

Any behavior that the environment cannot sustain needs correction. For eg. Excessive deforestation increase pollution levels, water shortage, disregard to animal life etc – we all know that the current trends need a dramatic change. To achieve this, there is a need for a balanced approach and ‘sustainable behavior’.

SDG 1 – No Poverty: To end Poverty in all its Forms Everywhere

Here, ‘poverty in all its forms’ refers not only to ‘lack of financial resources’, but amongst other things also to a ‘lack of a voice’. As a corollary, if their voice is not heard, even the rich can be considered poor. It is not uncommon for specific people around us to remain unheard. Elders, women, or children can go unheard… servants, house help, and street vendors, too.

1.??????Eradicate Extreme Poverty

2.??????Implement Social Protection Systems

3.??????Equal rights to ownership, basic service, technology and economic resources

4.??????Mobilize resources to implement policies to end poverty

5.??????Create Pro Poor and gender sensitive policy framework

SDG 2- Zero Hunger: End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture

SDGs focuses on reducing hunger and all forms of malnutrition to zero, thus ensuring sustainable access to nutritious food universally. According to the UN, more than 842 million people are estimated to be suffering from chronic hunger – that is , not getting enough food regularly to conduct an active life – with malnutrition being single largest contributor to disease in the world, leading to almost 5 million children under the age to five dying of malnutrition-relates causes every year. In addition , the population of the world is projected to rise from about 7 billion to 9.2 billion, which could lead to the need for more than 60% increase global food demand.

In these challenging times, how do we strengthen our efforts to address this vital issue of human rights and create a grassroots movement of action? To start with in our daily lives, here are some steps we can take :

1.??????Don’t hesitate to buy funny looking vegetables and fruit and prevent the discarding of imperfect produce

2.??????Share or give away food you don’t want or need rather than throwing it away

3.??????Speak up! Engage in dialogue to create awareness of SDG2

4.??????Initiate or at lease support food drives in your neighborhood

5.??????As much as possible buy produce and products from local markets; in times of the pandemic this helps support livelihoods of small-scale businesses

These steps we take will create a local impact with the potential to lead to a positive chain reaction throughout our communities and the world. ?