The United Nations’ latest annual review of progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) saw numerous states that restrict civil society and repress human rights participate in a public relations exercise to talk up their achievements. Sickeningly, Israel claimed to be meeting the SDGs’ promise of ‘leaving no one behind’ while carrying out genocide. The meeting showed how the exclusion of civil society at the national and global levels means the human rights and social justice focus of the SDGs is being lost. With the SDGs coming under renewed political attack, led by the Trump administration, civil society needs to be recognised as a genuine partner.
This year’s United Nations (UN) review of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) witnessed an extraordinary denial of reality. A state that is currently committing genocide took centre stage at a key global development forum to claim it’s championing the principle of ‘leaving no one behind’. Israel’s report offered a particularly stark example of how states are paying lip service to social justice principles while attacking human rights.
Ten years after all UN member states agreed the 17 SDGs – a set of progressive goals to improve human lives and protect the planet – they met at UN headquarters in New York from 14 to 23 July for their annual meeting to assess progress. The High-level Political Forum (HLPF) saw 35 states present their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), self-reporting on their achievements.
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