Restless Development
STATEMENT
I am Lombe Tembo from Zambia and in this roundtable discussion I am representing the Youth Governance and Accountability Task Team. I am also speaking as a member of the Major Group for Children and Youth. I would like to open my statement with a quote by Lilla Watson of the Aboriginal Activists Group: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
The declaration should synthesise the framework and refer to the collective effort that has gone into it during consultations. It should set the tone, political will, and vision that inspires implementation.
From environmental degradation, economic inequality and instability, and gender inequality; to a world that has transitioned to renewable, safe and affordable energy, sustainable fair economies, and equality for all - the declaration must provide an ambitious vision that addresses young people’s priorities and needs. This framework holds their future.
We believe the declaration should make the case for sustainability: why we need Goals that balance all three elements of sustainable development - economic, social & environmental; and the dimensions of sustainable development: across countries, and across time for present and future generations.
These are our priorities for the Declaration: o Universality: We need to ensure that the global nature of the agenda is not undermined in the Declaration, and recognise the common but differentiated responsibilities, including what developed countries need to do to strengthen sustainability in production and consumption
o Equality and inclusivity: The Declaration should highlight our ambition to consider no target met unless it is met for all social and economic groups, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized including young women and girls.
o Participation and partnership: The agenda will only be possible if it includes the participation of all peoples, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable. The agenda needs to highlight the power of children and young people as experts, leaders and partners in the implementation and review of the SDGs. They make up almost half of the world’s population and should be considered key partners in delivering the SDGs. The declaration should highlight a clear commitment to increase people’s ability to effectively and meaningfully participate in and contribute to the policy choices affecting them.
o The data revolution: We believe the Declaration should recognise the need for qualitative and accessible disaggregated data and should pledge to fill in gaps by developing new data sets to measure progress. The inclusion of shadow reporting and citizen-driven accountability will ensure that the framework is collectively owned by all of us. It will also allow for evidence-based decisions on sustainable policies and ensure that all targets are met for everyone by 2030.
o Accountability: We need a strong and inclusive accountability architecture which includes the expertise and participation of young people at all levels. This will be key in ensuring we achieve the Goals, and that we learn from each other in implementation. The declaration is a key place to headline the political will for a transparent and robust global accountability framework. and the creation of strong accountability and review mechanisms will be one of the most transformative aspects of the agenda.
We would argue that the Declaration is not the space for packaging and communicating all 17 Goals themselves, because this can be accommodated in other places. The Declaration needs to include the ambitious & essential elements of the SDGs that will inspire ownership of the whole agenda by all,
including children and young people. We can do this together and ensure that there is no need for a Post 2030 development framework.
I am Lombe Tembo from Zambia and in this roundtable discussion I am representing the Youth Governance and Accountability Task Team. I am also speaking as a member of the Major Group for Children and Youth. I would like to open my statement with a quote by Lilla Watson of the Aboriginal Activists Group: “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
The declaration should synthesise the framework and refer to the collective effort that has gone into it during consultations. It should set the tone, political will, and vision that inspires implementation.
From environmental degradation, economic inequality and instability, and gender inequality; to a world that has transitioned to renewable, safe and affordable energy, sustainable fair economies, and equality for all - the declaration must provide an ambitious vision that addresses young people’s priorities and needs. This framework holds their future.
We believe the declaration should make the case for sustainability: why we need Goals that balance all three elements of sustainable development - economic, social & environmental; and the dimensions of sustainable development: across countries, and across time for present and future generations.
These are our priorities for the Declaration: o Universality: We need to ensure that the global nature of the agenda is not undermined in the Declaration, and recognise the common but differentiated responsibilities, including what developed countries need to do to strengthen sustainability in production and consumption
o Equality and inclusivity: The Declaration should highlight our ambition to consider no target met unless it is met for all social and economic groups, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized including young women and girls.
o Participation and partnership: The agenda will only be possible if it includes the participation of all peoples, especially the most marginalized and vulnerable. The agenda needs to highlight the power of children and young people as experts, leaders and partners in the implementation and review of the SDGs. They make up almost half of the world’s population and should be considered key partners in delivering the SDGs. The declaration should highlight a clear commitment to increase people’s ability to effectively and meaningfully participate in and contribute to the policy choices affecting them.
o The data revolution: We believe the Declaration should recognise the need for qualitative and accessible disaggregated data and should pledge to fill in gaps by developing new data sets to measure progress. The inclusion of shadow reporting and citizen-driven accountability will ensure that the framework is collectively owned by all of us. It will also allow for evidence-based decisions on sustainable policies and ensure that all targets are met for everyone by 2030.
o Accountability: We need a strong and inclusive accountability architecture which includes the expertise and participation of young people at all levels. This will be key in ensuring we achieve the Goals, and that we learn from each other in implementation. The declaration is a key place to headline the political will for a transparent and robust global accountability framework. and the creation of strong accountability and review mechanisms will be one of the most transformative aspects of the agenda.
We would argue that the Declaration is not the space for packaging and communicating all 17 Goals themselves, because this can be accommodated in other places. The Declaration needs to include the ambitious & essential elements of the SDGs that will inspire ownership of the whole agenda by all,
including children and young people. We can do this together and ensure that there is no need for a Post 2030 development framework.
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