The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
They are collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future''
The 17 SDGs are: No poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation and infrastructure, reduced inequality, sustainable cites and communities, responsible consumption and production, climate action, Life below water, Life on Land, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, Partnership for the goals.
Factors Capable of Thwarting the SDGs:
1. Russia war
2. Covid-19 pandemic
3. Climate Change
Russia-UKraine war
The Russo-Ukrainian War is an ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. It was started by Russia in February 2014 following the Ukrainian Revolution of Dignity, and initially focused on the status of Crimea and the Donbas.
With one of the SDGs focusing on Peace and prosperity of all Nations, the war has posed a problem to the accomplishment of the global goals. The reports of destruction of lives and property, child abuse and other humanitarian crises has evolved beyond imagination in Ukraine since the war started between the two border countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic
The outbreak of the Corona virus in 2019 and how it affected the global community across all sectors leading to lockdown of business, trade activities and restricting the movement of people, has made many Researchers and Humanitarian Organizations to highlight the Pandemic as a potential obstacle to the Global Goals 2030, if Rapid action and solutions are not applied to the problems it left behind.
The Covid-19 Pandemic (Corona virus) impact is still reflecting on average Nigerians and the current economic crises due to insecurity, food scarcity, inflation e.t.c has contributed massively to the poverty and hardship situation of the most populated black nation on Earth.
"It is undeniable that COVID has altered how we live and work''.
in Nigeria, before the Covid-19 Pandemic, it was revealed that about 9 million (37% out of School children) roam about on the street daily.
Girls’ education has been specifically challenged by the pandemic, especially for girls from low-income households and girls in rural areas. Girls have faced threats including increases in child marriage, teenage or early pregnancy, and gender-based violence.
Climate change presents a major challenge to Africa’s achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Climate change” encompasses global warming, but refers to the broader range of changes that are happening to our planet, including rising sea levels; Heat waves, heavy downpours, flooding & erosion, wildfire and others pose increasing challenges to farming, health and infrastructures, an obstacle to UN goal 3 and the Vision 2030.
Climate change is bringing different types of challenges to each region of the world.
As a certified ambassador for the SDGs, I want to call on Policy makers, State actors, Human right activists, Humanitarian Organizations, Civil society Organizations, Entrepreneurs, Youth leaders, Traditional leaders and World leaders to step up and design a community based approach and developed a feedback mechanism to monitor the progress of the SDGs in their society, and also adopting a problem preventing & solving model to mitigate against those likely factors that may hinder the attainment of the global goals 2030 in our world.