Latest news with #SDGs
Canada News.Net
8 hours ago
- General
- Canada News.Net
London: International Widows Conference issues call to action "Don't Leave Widows Behind" in global push for gender equality
London [UK], June 26 (ANI): Global leaders and advocates gathered at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London on Tuesday for the International Widows Conference, marking the 15th UN International Widows Day, to call for a renewed global commitment to ending the widespread discrimination faced by widows and integrating their rights into the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The International Widows Conference was convened by The Loomba Foundation, as per a release. Under the theme 'Don't Leave Widows Behind', the conference brought together distinguished speakers including Cherie Blair CBE KC, President of The Loomba Foundation; Lakshmi Puri, former UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women; Lord Khan of Burnley, UK Minister for Faith, Communities and Resettlement; the High Commisioner of Rwanda to the UK, HE Johnston Busingye, and representatives of grassroots organisations from Africa and South Asia. Opening the conference, Cherie Blair reflected on the 28-year journey of the Foundation and the fight to have International Widows Day recognised by the United Nations in 2010. Speaking at the event, she said, 'This is not a day for self-congratulation. It is a day to focus the world's attention on the 258 million widows around the globe--and the tens of millions among them who are trapped in poverty, stigma, isolation and abuse... When widows are given even half a chance, they feed their families, send their children to school, and lead. Yet, the promise of International Widows Day remains unfulfilled for far too many.' The conference served as a powerful platform for reflection and recommitment, underscored by the findings of the Loomba Foundation's landmark 2024 study, Not Leaving Widows Behind. Cited by multiple speakers including Puri and Lord Loomba, the study highlighted that while awareness has grown, the everyday realities for most widows--dispossession, marginalisation, and lack of protection--remain largely unchanged, press release stated. Puri called for 'transformational investment' and laid out five 'vital energies' for widow empowerment: legal reform, economic upliftment, data and accountability, leadership inclusion, and cultural change. 'Widowhood remains one of the most overlooked global injustices,' she said. 'A UN day cannot alone resolve entrenched injustice. That duty falls to all of us.' Representing the UK Government, Lord Khan of Burnley reaffirmed Britain's continued commitment, saying, 'Widowhood is not a marginal concern. It is a global human rights issue affecting over 280 million women. The UK stands with the Loomba Foundation in calling for policies that uphold widows' rights and challenge harmful norms rooted in faith or tradition.' Grassroots leaders such as Dr Lily Thapa of Nepal, Roseline Orwa of Kenya, and Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi of Nigeria shared firsthand experiences of supporting widows in some of the most challenging environments, reminding attendees that meaningful change begins in communities, release stated. Kumar Dilip, President of Sulabh International, invoked the legacy of his late father, Dr Bindeshwar Pathak, and the transformative work done with widows in India. He said, 'Let us be clear: the pain of widowhood is often compounded not by fate, but by society... Widows do not need pity--they need power.' Tabitha Morton, Executive Director of UN Women UK, echoed this message in her remarks: 'This is not a peripheral issue. It is central to achieving equality. Let's stop treating widowhood as a side-effect of gender inequality, and start treating it as a structural injustice that demands urgent action.' In closing the conference, Lord Raj Loomba CBE, Founder and Chairman Trustee of The Loomba Foundation, reaffirmed the Foundation's mission: 'No woman should be punished for outliving her husband. That is why we are here. That is why we fight. And that is why, together, we will make sure that widows are never left behind.' (ANI)
Scoop
9 hours ago
- General
- Scoop
Energy Access Has Improved, But More Funding Is Needed To Address Disparities: WHO
While the rate of basic access to energy has increased since 2022, the current pace is insufficient to reach universal access by 2030, one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a report published by the WHO and partners this Wednesday. The report highlights the role of cost-effective distributed renewable energy — a combination of mini-grid and off-grid solar systems — in accelerating energy access, particularly as the populations who remain unconnected mostly live in remote, lower-income, and fragile areas. Regional disparities 'Despite progress in some parts of the world, the expansion of electricity and clean cooking access remains disappointingly slow, especially in Africa,' said Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), as 85 per cent of the global population without electricity access reside in sub-Saharan Africa. In the region, renewables deployment has rapidly expanded; however, on average, it remains limited to 40 watts of installed capacity per capita — only one eighth of the average in other developing countries. Clean cooking As regional disparities persist, an estimated 1.5 billion people residing in rural areas still lack access to clean cooking, while over two billion people remain dependent on polluting and hazardous fuels such as firewood and charcoal for their cooking needs. Yet, the use of off-grid clean technologies, such as household biogas plants and mini-grids that enable electric cooking, can offer solutions that reduce the health impacts caused by household air pollution. 'The same pollutants that are poisoning our planet are also poisoning people, contributing to millions of deaths each year from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, particularly among the most vulnerable, including women and children," said Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Lack of financing The report identified the lack of sufficient and affordable financing as a key reason for regional inequalities and slow progress. While international public financial flows to developing countries in support of clean energy have increased since 2022, the developing world received significantly fewer flows in 2023 than in 2016. 'This year's report shows that now is the time to come together to build on existing achievements and scale up our efforts,' said Stefan Schweinfest, Director of the UN Statistics Division, as the report called for strengthened international cooperation between the public and private sectors to scale up financial support for developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
AllAfrica
19 hours ago
- Politics
- AllAfrica
Can Asia lead a fractured and shifting world?
In a time when global trust is unravelling and crises overlap like fault lines, the world feels like a house with its foundations shifting. Climate change is accelerating faster than anticipated. Inequality is deepening. The international order is filled with noise but devoid of direction. Wars have returned to Europe and the Middle East. Major powers are polarizing internally, and solidarity between nations is losing its meaning. And yet, in the midst of this global turbulence, one region is quietly moving in the opposite direction: Asia. According to the Sustainable Development Report 2025, East and South Asia have recorded the fastest progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since 2015. Driven by rapid gains in poverty reduction, education and public health, the region now stands at the forefront of global SDG momentum. But this progress is emerging within a broken world. The war in Ukraine, ongoing conflict in Gaza, rising protectionism, and a breakdown in global financial fairness have disrupted supply chains, inflated food and energy prices, and forced many developing countries to choose between debt repayment and feeding their populations. The United States and Europe, preoccupied with domestic priorities and regional security, have stepped back from the role of global development champions. As the SDR 2025 warns, 'international spillovers and exposure to supply-chain disruptions' have become a defining threat to SDG progress, especially in conflict zones or economies under sanctions. The consequences are stark: globally, only around 17% of SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. The rest are stagnating or regressing. This is not due to a lack of capacity or knowledge, but because of a crisis of solidarity, a collapse of financing and growing geopolitical instability. The Middle East and Eastern Europe are among the worst affected, showing sharp declines across key goals like SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). When development becomes collateral damage of political warfare, the world loses its shared compass. In contrast, East and South Asia stand as a counter-current. Countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam and even Uzbekistan have shown remarkable SDG momentum—reducing extreme poverty, expanding basic education, strengthening health systems, and investing in social protection. These aren't perfect stories, but they are real ones. They prove that transformation is possible—even amid fiscal constraints and global chaos. In a world coming apart at the seams, Asia is holding the thread. Indonesia, at the heart of this rising tide, occupies a unique position. Its SDG Index rank in 2025 stands at 77 out of 167—not top-tier, but steady. Not spectacular, but consistent. More importantly, Indonesia has consistently submitted its Voluntary National Reviews, showing institutional commitment to sustainable development. As a G20 member and the largest democracy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has the moral and strategic legitimacy to bridge the global divide—between developed and developing nations, between ambition and accountability. But leadership does not happen by default. It must be shaped. Not by economic numbers alone, but by the ability to offer direction. The world today is not short on technology or capital—it's short on compass. In the absence of credible global leadership, what's needed is not dominance, but direction. And that is where Asia's opportunity lies. Asia carries with it a deep memory of pain and resilience. Its past includes colonial wounds, mass poverty, natural disasters, and economic crises. But that history has given rise to a muscle of survival that is now evolving into a vision for transformation. Asia knows how to grow without waiting to be saved. Its cultures of collectivism, its internal diversity, and its experience navigating crisis without losing hope—these are not weaknesses. They are the very foundation of a different kind of leadership: one that is grounded rather than arrogant, inclusive rather than imposing. Yet, Asia's rise is not without its own dangers. Geopolitical tensions within the region—over the South China Sea, Taiwan, and the Korean Peninsula—threaten the very stability it has worked hard to preserve. The global conflicts it has so far weathered from a distance may begin to spill over. If Asia wants to lead a fractured world, it must first preserve peace in its own neighborhood. That means strengthening regional solidarity, reforming domestic financial systems, and investing in green transitions and social equity. Without these, momentum could turn to fragility. Indonesia again stands as a compelling example. Not because it has solved all problems, but because of where it stands: a democracy with scale, a regional influencer with credibility, and a cultural bridge that speaks to both the Global South and the world's economic powers. In a time when multilateralism is losing breath, Indonesia could help reimagine it—not through ideology, but through integrity. Five years remain until 2030. The window for meaningful global change is narrowing. And as traditional centers of influence turn inward, the world is looking elsewhere for guidance. It is not enough for Asia to rise economically. The question is whether it can rise with purpose. Whether it can offer not just speed, but direction. Not just hope, but action. Leadership today is not about controlling others. It's about holding space—space for cooperation, for healing, for shared futures. Asia may not have sought this moment. But the moment has arrived nonetheless. A vacuum of global guidance is dangerous. But it is also a rare opportunity—for a region that has long been underestimated to now step forward, not with triumphalism, but with vision. Asia is rising. But the world is not waiting. The question, then, is no longer whether Asia will be ready to lead. It is whether Asia will be willing—willing to be the voice of direction in a world that is asking, more urgently than ever: Who still knows where we're going? Setyo Budiantoro is sustainable development expert at The Prakarsa, MIT Sloan IDEAS fellow, advisory committee member of Fair Finance Asia and SDGs–ESG expert at Indonesian ESG Professional Association (IEPA).
India Gazette
21 hours ago
- Business
- India Gazette
On MSME Day, small business owners urge Govt for better tech, funding, skilled workforce
By Nikhil Dedha New Delhi [India], June 27 (ANI): On this MSME Day, entrepreneurs and small business founders across various sectors have come forward to highlight the key challenges they face while running their businesses. The United Nations General Assembly has designated June 27 as 'Micro-Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises Day' to raise awareness of the contributions of MSMEs in the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). From the need for better digital infrastructure and skilled workforce to smoother access to markets and financial support, their voices point to one common need, stronger on-ground support to help India's 64 million MSMEs grow and thrive. In a conversation with ANI, various small business founders highlighted their demands like improving technology and supply chains for small establishments. Vasu Naren, Chairman & Managing Director of Sona Machinery told ANI that there is a need for MSMEs to work on technology and supply chain development together. He said sectors like food processing often struggle with low quality due to technical issues, broken logistics, and limited digital links. He said, 'Smart trade infrastructure and real-time electronic platforms must become a new norm in the MSME sector. To add to this last-mile connectivity catalyzes growth and drives process innovation and cost-efficiency across the MSME pool. Additionally, government must levy more support in organizing trade fairs and funding the digital outreach which will empower small manufacturers to make space in the international markets'. Another founder highlighted the gaps in IT incubation support. Abhinav Rao, Founder & CEO of ParentVerse, shared with ANI that IT-based MSMEs still face a gap in incubation support. Citing data from Tracxn, he said India has 718 incubators and accelerators, with nearly 70 per cent backed by government funding. He said 'In the case of IT-based MSMEs, this gap becomes more evident. Unlike their private counterparts, who focus on contextual mentoring, operational support, and market access, many government-led incubators lean heavily on theoretical education, while lacking access to early-stage capital and structured, outcome-driven guidance. As a result, early-stage ventures often struggle to move from ideation to execution'. The founders of healthcare MSMEs highlighted the need of R&D and data protection help. Shabnum Khan, Founder of 750AD Healthcare stated two major issues for MSMEs in healthcare: lack of R&D support and data privacy concerns. She urged the government to provide R&D credits and conduct workshops on AI integration and data protection protocols. She told ANI 'In healthcare MSMEs, government must invest in R&D credits to the medium and small scale startups along with workshops on up skilling for AI integration and data privacy protection laws, protocols etc. The infrastructure needed to support these systems is cost intensive and this is one of the main reason why data breach is a common practice in healthcare'. Highlighting the issues in manufacturing sector the entrepreneurs stated that finding skilled labour still remains a big challenge. Dinesh Chandra Pandey, Founder of Shankar Fenestrations Glasses said that manufacturing MSMEs face rising costs of raw materials like silica and soda ash, along with power failures and delayed payments from large customers. He told ANI, 'Trained skilled labour is still hard to come by, particularly individuals adept at precise cutting, tempering, and installation. We would like to grow, innovate, and be part of India's growth story, but without pragmatic, on-ground assistance, it becomes challenging. MSMEs like us need more tangible support, prompt payments, and better market connections to compete in today's changing construction and manufacturing world.' He also shared that despite investing in CNC machines and smart glass tech, he said market demand and awareness remain low. Anand Kumar Bajaj, Founder & CEO of PayNearby, said small businesses still lack access to credit and digital tools. He appreciated schemes like Udyam Registration, collateral-free loans, ONDC, and RBI's efforts to push last-mile banking through Business Correspondents. Digital Access for Rural MSMEs Nilay Patel, Founder & MD of EasyPay, said that while digital adoption is rising in Tier II and III cities, rural MSMEs still struggle to enter the wider digital market. He said 'Initiatives like ONDC are actively bridging this gap, providing small businesses with an expansive digital marketplace and enhanced access to formal financial services'. He also noted that stronger collaboration among fintechs, policymakers, and digital platforms will be paramount in equipping MSMEs, particularly in deeper markets. As these entrepreneurs show, India's MSMEs are full of potential, but to realize it, they need timely support, better market access, and policies that work for all. (ANI)
Indian Express
21 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 – Key insights for UPSC aspirants
What is the rank of India in the Sustainable Development Index? Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: UPSC has asked questions on Sustainable Development Goals. This annual report of the United Nations is important in making a comparative analysis of countries in attaining these SDGs. Questions on SDGs and attempts made by India in achieving them have been asked in UPSC Mains, making this report essential for your exam.) India, for the first time, breaks into the top 100 of the Sustainable Development Index with the rank of 99 and score of 67, according to the Sustainable Development Report (SDR) 2025 released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. SDR reviews progress made each year on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption by the 193 UN member states. This year's SDG index covers 167 of the 193 UN member states. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the SDGs. This 10th edition of SDR focuses on 'Financing the SDGs by 2030 and Mid-Century'. 1. According to the 2025 SDR, none of the 17 Global Goals are on track to be fully achieved by 2030, and only 17 per cent of the SDG targets are progressing as planned. Conflicts, structural vulnerabilities, and limited fiscal space impede SDG progress in many parts of the world. 2. This year, for the first time streamlined SDG Index (SDGi), which uses 17 headline indicators, one per SDG, to track overall SDG progress, was introduced. The purpose is to minimise the statistical biases related to missing time series data across countries. 3. According to SDR, 'a new indicator on 'Minimum dietary diversity among children aged 6 months to 23 months' has been incorporated into the dataset under SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).' 4. According to the report, 'at the global level, SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) are particularly off track, facing major challenges (indicated in red on the dashboards) and showing no or very limited progress since 2015.' 5. The SDG Index score is presented on a scale of 0 to 100 and can be interpreted as a percentage towards optimal performance on the SDGs. The difference between 100 and the country's SDG index indicates the distance that must be overcome to reach the optimum SDG performance. 6. Finland is ranked first this time with a score of 87, and 19 of the top 20 countries in the index are in Europe. India is ranked 99th with a score of 67, achieving a significant milestone by entering the top 100 for the first time. India has improved steadily over the past four years, rising from 109th in 2024, 112th in 2023, 121st in 2022, and 120th in 2021. 7. In regional comparison, India still trails several of its neighbours. Bhutan is ranked 74th (70.5), Nepal 85th (68.6), and the Maldives 53rd. Sri Lanka stands at 93rd, while Bangladesh and Pakistan lag behind at 114th and 140th, respectively. The United Nations defines sustainable development as 'development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs'. The SDGs build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which were adopted in 2000 and were to be achieved by 2015. 📍The Index for SDGs evaluates progress of states and Union Territories (UTs) on various parameters including health, education, gender, economic growth, institutions, climate change and environment. First launched in December 2018, the index has become the primary tool for monitoring progress on the SDGs in India. 📍The SDG India Index scores range between 0–100, higher the score of a State/UT, the greater the distance to target achieved. States and UTs are classified in four categories based on their SDG India Index score — aspirant: 0–49; performer: 50–64; front-runner: 65–99, achiever: 100. According to the NITI Aayog SDG index, India's score for 2023-24 was 71. 1. The UN member states reaffirmed their commitment to the SDGs and effective multilateralism at the UN Summit of the Future held in September 2024. The Pact for the Future, Global Digital Compact, and Declaration on Future Generations were adopted by consensus. 'UN can't build a future for our grandchildren with the institutions of our grandparents.' -UN Secretary-General 2. The Summit of the Future (SoTF) took place on September 22-23, before the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. The theme of the Summit was 'multilateral solutions for a better tomorrow'. 3. UN Secretary General António Guterres has called the Summit a 'once-in-a-generation UN Summit'. It is being projected as an important milestone in the history of the UN as it has entered its 80th year of establishment this year. 4. In the 2025 Index of Countries' Support to UN-Based Multilateralism (UN-Mi), Barbados was ranked 1 with a score of 92, followed by Jamaica. India was ranked 113 with a score of 63.8. This index tracks countries' support for UN-based multilateralism. The efforts made in regional and bilateral fora, or within the BRICS, G20, G7, OECD and other groups, are not considered. 'Multilateralism describes international politics and diplomacy, where many countries with different views and goals work together. The United Nations system is the principal multilateral forum where countries come together to solve global problems.' – United Nations 5. According to SDR, 'The Pact calls for 56 actions related to SDG implementation, peace, and collective security, including the transformation of the multilateral system and reform of the international financial architecture (United Nations 2024).' (1) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2016) 1. The Sustainable Development Goals were first proposed in 1972 by a global think tank called the 'Club of Rome'. 2. The Sustainable Development Goals have to be achieved by 2030. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (2) Sustainable development is described as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this perspective, inherently the concept of sustainable development is intertwined with which of the following concepts? (UPSC CSE 2010) (a) Social justice and empowerment (b) Inclusive Growth (c) Globalization (d) Carrying capacity (Source: Humanity's success lies in our collective strength, not in the battlefield: PM Modi at Summit of the Future at UN, UN Sustainable Development Goals Index 2025) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
