UN SDGS & SUSTAINABLE LEADERSHIP

THE TWO INSEPARABLE SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

…the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world says Inderjit Singh – an aviator, a career diplomat, an author… serving with the ICAO - a specialized agency in the UN system of organizations….

“I believe that the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world. More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together.”

First things first: Are the UN Sustainable Development Goals SDGs only relevant where the business and social roots are well established, or are they relevant only for some developed or developing regions of the world with high incomes, or are they dependent on specific program eligibility norms?

Far from it! On the contrary, the UN Sustainable Development Goals or Global Goals, as they are often referred to, are universal in approach and globally applicable without any discrimination – whatsoever. They are a set of goals that serve as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all on this planet earth. I believe that the idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world. More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together.

In this context, there could not have been any better words than the sentiments expressed by Kofi Annan - a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the only black African to become UN secretary general and a force behind mobilizing political will among world leaders to overcome threats to peace, development and human rights “…let us recognize that extreme poverty anywhere is a threat to human security everywhere. Let us recall that poverty is a denial of human rights. For the first time in history, in this age of unprecedented wealth and technical prowess, we have the power to save humanity from this shameful scourge. Let us summon the will to do it.”

At the UN Sustainable Development Summit in 2015, more than 150 world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 Sustainable Development Goals, aim to end poverty, hunger and inequality, take action on climate change and the environment, improve access to health and education, build strong institutions and partnerships, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy wellness, peace and prosperity. The 17 SDGs are all-inclusive, integrated and are not mutually exclusive. They recognize that action in one area will affect outcomes in others, and that development must balance social, economic and environmental sustainability.

“It is my belief that SDGs are a means to an end and by no means, an end in themselves. Unforeseen events such as the ongoing pandemic would shift the targets and goals set for 2030 to some extent. The SDGs are organic in nature and evolving and would perhaps continue much beyond 2030 albeit with additions and modifications for the resultant outcome to become more widespread in scope and more comprehensive.”

Leave No One Behind

As part of the overall agenda, the UN has urged the nations of the world to pay special attention to the least developed countries, and those facing conflicts and threats. It has further urged to improve awareness, governance and the rule of law at the national and international levels for a sustained, inclusive and equitable economic growth.

Leave no one behind is at the core of the UN transformative promise of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It represents the unequivocal commitment of all UN member states to eradicate poverty in all its forms, end discrimination and exclusion, and reduce the inequalities and vulnerabilities that leave people behind and undermine the potential of individuals and of humanity as a whole. A major cause of people being left behind is persistent forms of discrimination, including gender discrimination, which leaves individuals, families and whole communities marginalized, and excluded.

My Take

The world needs effective leadership for sustainable development and this leadership requires an inner process, in which a leader must first be grounded in an understanding of self and a relational view of the world, in order to effectively work with others to make change.

Amongst countless number of definitions of a leader, what appeals to me the most is by Nelson Mandela “A leader, is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the nimblest go out ahead, where upon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind,”

In conclusion, to build a better world, we the leaders, for lasting business and social impact by 2030 & beyond need to be supportive, empathetic, inventive, passionate, and above all be cooperative in strengthening universal partnerships. The UN SDGs and the global leadership collectively will do all this and more.