It might take additional 32 years to achieve SDGs: ESCAP

Kathmandu, Feb. 15

Progress on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains uneven and inadequate across various segments of the population and within the five subregions of Asia and the Pacific. According to a new report published by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on Thursday, gender and location remain key factors in determining levels of poverty and inequality in the region.

The report noted that at its current pace, the region will not achieve all 17 SDGs before 2062 – marking a significant 32-year delay. While positive steps have been taken toward eliminating poverty (Goal 1) and bolstering sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure (Goal 9) in the region, progress in other critical areas has been more modest. Efforts towards mitigating hunger (Goal 2), enhancing health and well-being (Goal 3), ensuring the availability of clean water and sanitation (Goal 6), expanding affordable and clean energy (Goal 7) and building sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11) have been less pronounced and require heightened attention.

According to the report, Nepal's progress up to now is below the target in most of the goals.

Nepal has seen some progress in areas such as sustainable urban expansion and spatial data generation. However, there are areas where Nepal is experiencing slow progress and regression, particularly in achieving food security and combating undernourishment (Goal 2) and reducing inequalities within and among countries (Goal 10).

The report underscores the importance of addressing these challenges and customising strategies to address specific issues in Nepal. Despite improvements in data collection, significant data gaps still exist, concludes the report.

Gender equality (Goal 5) and peace, justice and strong institutions (Goal 16) continue to have the least available data. This report assesses Nepal’s SDG progress at the global level indicators; and we should be careful interpreting this report in relation to the SDG Report of the Government of Nepal that uses nationalized indicators to assess the SDG progress.

The Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2024 takes a closer look at groups that may be disadvantaged, focusing on how sex, urbanisation, education level, age and income contribute to existing disparities and sometimes exacerbate them.

Despite overall progress in school enrolment rates, women and girls in the region continue to face considerable challenges when it comes to accessing education and employment opportunities. They have lower enrolment rates and struggle with literacy. Young women also encounter difficulties accessing labour markets, leading to higher rates of youth unemployment. Meanwhile, the challenges faced by men tend to be related to their health or personal safety. They suffer from higher rates of suicide, chronic diseases and road traffic deaths.

 “While additional efforts are required across the board, granular data emphasises the urgency of addressing inequalities that impact marginalised groups, including women, girls, rural populations and the urban poor, who continue to find themselves locked out of education and employment opportunities,” said United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.

She added that the sustained progress gap revealed between countries in special situations, especially Pacific Small Island Developing States, and the rest of the region demands a concerted response from international, regional and national partners.

"People living in rural areas face pronounced disadvantages, such as limited access to basic drinking water and sanitation facilities. Additionally, the lower availability of clean cooking fuels in these areas contributes to serious respiratory diseases," read the report. In general, urban areas exhibit better conditions, yet paradoxically, within these areas, the poorest boys and girls face significant hurdles in completing upper secondary education.

On a more encouraging note, the report shares several laudable national success stories in supporting at-risk population groups. In the Philippines, dedicated research and analysis aimed at estimating the cost of supporting children living with a disability played a pivotal role in influencing recent legislation to provide a disability allowance, extending support to children with disabilities.

Nationwide digital training programmes in Viet Nam have underscored the value of public-private partnerships in accelerating digital transformation and bridging the skills and employment gap for youth and migrant workers. Meanwhile, in North and Central Asia, national statistical systems in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have been upgraded to better support stateless populations.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 16 February 2024.