Sustainable Development Sectors (SDS)
SDGs, on a digest-form, may appear “aspirational” but, in reality, they are the “fundamentals” for continuity of humanity and human life on earth. They seek to make humans healthy, happy and equipped with knowledge, skill, creativity, talent, and ability to develop personality to potentiality. Developing competent public institutions to guarantee equality, justice, peace for all in societies could be termed as the formula to achieve the lofty target “not letting anyone behind.”
By glorifying labour and rendering all economic activities-entrepreneurship, production, consumption and settlements- responsible, the process of SDGs seeks to preserve, for present and future, health of mother earth and all living beings. “Work together with a sense of collectivity” is the voice echoed in Goal 17.
All goals, when viewed from the viewpoint of modern day Nepal’s motto – Happy Nepali and Prosperous Nepal –appear quite relevant and pertinent.
The Government, according to the Status and Roadmap 2016-2030, prepared by the National Planning Commission, is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals. The country finds, in them, a reflection of its own objectives of economic and social development. That is why it owns SDGs and provides appropriate space in the country’s ongoing 15th plan (2019-2024). The Republican Constitution, promulgated in 2015, is another driving force for guiding those engaged in SDGs. Provisions made in it for rights, inclusiveness, participation and federal power structure in governance at the centre, 7 provinces and 753 local bodies also offer a pragmatic direction for realizing the SDGs.
Kalpa-schemes seek to facilitate, through appropriate governance-tools, the process of implementation of programmes towards achievement of SDGs. Since the governance-tools are applicable to all sectors related directly or indirectly to SDGs, Kalpa gets engaged, in a sense, with each goal. It prioritizes sectors as per its findings through the status-study under Kalpa-Observatory, a research-scheme of Kalpa for exploring intervention-areas to address gaps, needs and duplications in the pursuit of SDGs.
The general methodology pursued in observation of SDGs under the Observatory is: a) prevailing universal approach, b) latest status of Nepal with regard to specific goal, c) policies introduced by government and others in this regard, d) resource-base, e) gaps, weaknesses in implementation and f) grass-root level awareness about (and engagement in) the specific goal.
Its emphasis is on localization of SDGs, which in essence, means empowering the base of Nepali society – ward levels of municipalities and rural municipalities -to be effortful for achieving the goals.
Wards of municipalities and rural municipalities constitute the bedrock of federal Nepal. Unless they develop or become conscious of governance, development, and efficient service-delivery and get actively engaged in them with a sense of ownership, Nepalis at the grass-root level will not be able to have SDGs fulfilled. So they should be taken seriously. If they are ignored, SDGs cannot be achieved. All elected officials and the civil servants working at ward-level should also be conscious of it and be committed towards SDGs. Nepalis can feel governance in the way they behave and interact with local people.
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